Abstract:
A dispensing device is disclosed which provides for dispensing multiple doses in amounts determined by a movable collar attached to a plunger shaft.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present application is directed to a device for dispensing multiple, sequential amounts of liquids or fluids including semi-solid fluids, such as medication doses, precise aliquots of adhesives, or other useful fluids where a consistent and repeatable dispensing amount is desired. 
         [0002]    Products such as fluid medicines, for example cough syrups and the like, may be packaged in containers holding multiple doses that are to be dispensed by pouring the medicine into a spoon or into a small cup. Such methods are prone to spilling and subject to inexact amounts. A more repeatable, neater dispensing method is desired. 
         [0003]    It is known to have dispensing devices capable of delivering several measured doses. For example, United States Patent Application Publication 20130289493 to Baney et al discloses a “Dose dividing delivery device,” but the device is complex. It would be advantageous to have a delivery device that is simple to manufacture and use. The dispensing device disclosed here has a simple construction that facilitates its use as a disposable, pre-filled dispensing device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one aspect, a fluid dispensing device is disclosed which includes a cylinder, a plunger movable through said cylinder, the plunger having a plurality of radial ledges along the plunger length and a stopper attached to an inner end of the plunger, the stopper closely fitting an inside wall of the cylinder, and a collar fitted around the plunger, the collar having at least one passage for movement therethrough of a radial ledge. 
         [0005]    In certain embodiments, the fluid dispensing device may include a plurality of radial ledges equally spaced along the plunger length. 
         [0006]    In certain embodiments, the spacing of radial ledges along the plunger length corresponds to a fluid dosage to be delivered. 
         [0007]    In certain embodiments, the plurality of radial ledges alternate between different angular positions around the plunger. 
         [0008]    In certain embodiments, the angular positions of consecutive radial ledges along the plunger length alternate by 90 degrees around the plunger. 
         [0009]    In certain embodiments, the fluid dispensing device further includes an anti-reverse feature to prevent the plunger from moving outward from the cylinder. 
         [0010]    Other aspects of the disclosed fluid dispensing device will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a fluid dispensing device; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the parts of the fluid dispensing device; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the parts of the fluid dispensing device; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows several views of the fluid dispensing device in use. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    As various embodiments of the fluid dispensing device are described, reference will be made to  FIGS. 1-5 . Certain parts of the dispensing device are denoted by reference numerals. Where there is more than one of the same feature, generally only one will be denoted by a reference numeral. Where assembly steps are described, these steps are exemplary and are not to be limiting as to the sequence of operations used to arrive at the final package. Also, directions such as up, down, top, bottom, front, back, etc. are used for convenience in describing the device and are not meant to be limiting. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a dispensing device  100 , in an assembled state. The parts include cylinder  110 , plunger  120 , stopper  130  (hidden within the cylinder), collar  140 , outlet valve  150 , and cap  160 . 
         [0017]    Cylinder  110  may by a generally right circular shape, such as a round tube. The cylinder may be made of a material such as a plastic and may be formed by injection molding. The cylinder may have an open end (toward the left in  FIG. 1 ) and distal end (toward the right in  FIG. 1 ). Near the open end there may be provided a flange  112  to facilitate holding the cylinder. Along at least part of the length of cylinder  110  may be provided gradations  114  such as printed indicia, molded indicia, or transparent, translucent, or opaque areas. 
         [0018]    Cylinder  110  may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. If the cylinder is not transparent, at least a portion  116  may be provided which is transparent or translucent in order for a user to see the contents of the cylinder. At the distal end of the cylinder there may be provided an outlet such as nozzle  118 . A one way valve or drip-prevention feature such as a slit valve or duckbill valve  150  or split or rolling septum may be provided within or on the outlet nozzle  118 . Alternately, a spring-loaded valve may be used. Such an outlet valve may prevent dripping of the dispenser, or contamination of its contents, during non-use times. An outlet valve, for example a spring-loaded valve, may prevent a child from sucking the contents from the cylinder, and may provide an additional microbial barrier for the contents. A removable cap  160  may be provided to attach onto or fit over the distal end of cylinder  110  and/or nozzle  118 . Cap  160  may be used as an auxiliary dispensing device, for example with the dose dispensed into the cap so that it may be poured from the cap into a patient&#39;s mouth. The cap may have graduations provided thereon, such as by molding or printing. The cap may be attached to cylinder  110  or nozzle  118  by a child-resistant feature, for example using any of the known child-resistant attachments by which a cap may be attached to a medicine bottle. 
         [0019]    Plunger  120  may be sized to fit in cylinder  110 . The plunger shaft  122  may be about the same length as the cylinder  110 , and may have a diameter, including radial ledges  126 , of not more than the inner diameter of cylinder  110 . 
         [0020]    The outer end of plunger  120  may be a thumb-engaging feature such as ring  124 , or a button, disk, or other shape on which the user may push to move the plunger  120  into cylinder  110 . 
         [0021]    Radial ledges  126  may be provide along the plunger shaft  122 . Preferably ledges  126  may be equally spaced along the length of the shaft. The ledges may also alternate at different position around the plunger shaft  122 . For example, the radial ledges may be staggered at 90 degree intervals around the plunger shaft. Thus every other radial ledge—or every other set of radial ledges located at a particular location along the length of the plunger shaft—may alternate be located at angular degrees of zero, 90, zero, 90, etc degrees along the plunger shaft. At least one anti-reverse feature  128  may be provided on plunger shaft  122  to prevent pulling the plunger out of the cylinder  110 . For example, anti-reverse feature  128  may be a metal tang or barb that will grip or dig into the inner surface of the cylinder to prevent pulling the plunger shaft  122  from the cylinder  110 . Other types of anti-reverse feature may be used, including ratchet features interacting between plunger shaft  122  and cylinder  110 . An anti-reverse feature may be provided in the stopper or attached to the stopper. An example of an anti-reverse device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,287,491 to Burns et al. 
         [0022]    It should be understood that an anti-reverse feature is optional. However, use of such a feature would prevent drawing air back into the cylinder, which could contaminate the fluid, or could result in subsequent delivery of only a partial dose is some air is expelled along with fluid. On the other hand, even if air is drawn into the cylinder, consistent doses may still likely be expelled if the dispensing device is held upright, with the outlet valve  150  at the lower end of the dispensing device. 
         [0023]    A stopper  130  may be mounted on the distal end of plunger  120 . The stopper  130  may be made from rubber, plastic, or elastomeric material and may be sized and shaped to provide a close, fluid-tight fit against the inside of cylinder  110 . 
         [0024]    A collar  140  may be provided to fit around the plunger shaft  122  between the cylinder  110  and the thumb-engaging feature  124 . The collar may interact with the radial ledges as described below to allow precise doses of fluid to be expelled from dispensing device  100 . Collar  140  may have an inside diameter  142  that may closely fit to the outside diameter of plunger shaft  122 . However, portions of the inside diameter of collar  140  may be provided as passageways  144  with a diameter large enough to enable radial ledges  126  to pass through collar  140 . 
         [0025]    Collar  140  may have various forms, such as collars  140 A,  140 B, and  140 C shown in  FIG. 3 . In the case of collar  140 A, a pair of passageways  144  may be provided having a rounded aspect and may be located 180 degrees apart around the collar. In the case of collar  140 B, passageways  144  may have a rectangular aspect and be located 180 degrees apart. In the case of collar  140 C, four passageways  144  may be provided which are located 90 degrees apart. 
         [0026]    Collar  140  may be provided with indicia  146 , such as symbols or words, to suggest a desired motion of the collar, for example a rotary motion to align or misalign collar  140  with radial ledges  126 . To help rotate collar  140 , it may be provided with knurling  148  or other texture or raised or depressed areas for better gripping of the collar by the user. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate use of the dispensing device. As shown in  FIG. 4A , initially the dispensing device may be provided with plunger  120  mostly retracted from cylinder  110 , and cylinder  110  may be substantially full of fluid as visible through transparent portion  116 . Collar  140  may be positioned so that the passageways  144  are not aligned with the next radial ledge(s)  126  immediately toward the outer end of plunger  120 . Thus, plunger  120  may not be pushed into cylinder  110 . This may prevent inadvertent dispensing of the fluid contents. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 4B , collar  140  may be rotated as indicated by arrow R 1 , to bring passageways  144  into alignment with the next outward radial ledge(s)  126 . Collar  140  may be attached to cylinder  110 , for example by snap-on or other type of fit, preferably with the collar not removable from the cylinder. The fit of collar  140  onto cylinder  110  may include features such as detents to provide an audible or tactile indication such as a ‘click’ or a ‘bump’ at certain intervals around the circumference of the collar and/or cylinder, for example every 90 degrees around the circumference. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 4C , plunger  120  may now be pushed a short distance into cylinder  110 , thereby expelling a dose of fluid from the dispensing device. In one manner of use, the user may place his thumb in thumb-engaging feature  124 , and place one or more fingers below flange  112  to support the dispensing device and counter the pressure exerted by the thumb. As the plunger  120  is pressed inward, it will stop when the next outward radial ledge  126  comes into contact with the collar  140  which prevents further inward movement of plunger  120 . Since the collar in this position will prevent further inward movement of the plunger, subsequent inadvertent dispensing of fluid between uses or during storage will be prevented. 
         [0030]    The steps shown in  FIGS. 4B-4C  may be repeated to eventually deliver several doses, for example, about eight doses for the dispensing device shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C . The user is prevented from dispensing more than one dose at a time, and the collar must be rotated between each use to permit dispensing of the next dose. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate use of an alternative design for the dispensing device in which the collar  140  is not fastened directly to cylinder  110 . As shown in  FIG. 5A , initially the dispensing device may be provided with the plunger  120  mostly retracted from cylinder  110 , and cylinder  110  may be substantially full of fluid as visible through transparent portion  116 . Collar  140  may be positioned so that the passageways  144  are not aligned with the next radial ledge(s)  126  immediately toward the outer end of plunger  120 . Thus, plunger  120  may not be pushed into cylinder  110 . This may prevent inadvertent dispensing of the fluid contents. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 5B , collar  140  may be rotated as indicated by arrow R 1 , to bring passageways  144  into alignment with the next outward radial ledge(s)  126 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 5C , collar  140  may be moved along plunger  120  away from cylinder  110 , until the collar  140  comes up against the next outward radial ledge(s)  126 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 5D , plunger  120  may now be pushed a short distance into cylinder  110 , thereby expelling a dose of fluid from the dispensing device. The plunger  120  will stop when the collar  140  once again abuts the open end of cylinder  110 . Once again the collar in this position will prevent further, inadvertent dispensing of fluid. 
         [0035]    The steps shown in  FIGS. 5B-5D  may be repeated to eventually deliver several doses, for example, about eight doses for the dispensing device shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D . If the user wishes to deliver more than one dose at a given time, steps  5 B- 5 C may be repeated one or more times before expelling the dose(s) as in  FIG. 5D . If the collar  140  is moved further up the plunger  120  than is desired, the user may simply move the collar back down the plunger by alternately rotating the collar and moving it toward the next lower radial ledge(s). 
         [0036]    The dispensing device prevents a user from dispensing more than one dose in one actuation of the button, which may help prevent an overdose of medication. The spacing between radial ledges on the actuator may be designed to give the precise dose, and no more, with each actuation of the device. 
         [0037]    Although various aspects of the disclosed dispensing device have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification.