Abstract:
A container containing a fluid for depositing the fluid drop-by-drop into a user&#39;s eye, includes a mirror element for reflecting the eye to assist in accurately dispensing the eye drops into the eye. The minor element may be hingedly attached and rotatable from a closed position to a predetermined open position. Alternatively, the minor may be detachably attached at a first position adjacent the container and relocatable to a second angularly displaced position to provide a reflection of the eye receiving the eye drops.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is related to and claims priority to a provisional application entitled “EYE DROPPER WITH MIRROR” filed Nov. 12, 2010, and assigned Ser. No. 61/413,017, and describing an invention by the present inventor. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to eye droppers and, more particularly, to eye droppers incorporating a mirror to enhance accurate dispensation of eye drops. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Prior Art 
         [0005]    Eye droppers are widely used for purposes of dispensing a lubricating fluid onto the eyeball or for dispensing a liquid medication onto the eyeball. Presently available eye droppers come in many different shapes. Typically, they are cylindrical, oval in cross-section or generally tapered oval in cross-section. Each eye dropper includes a nozzle for dispensing fluid. 
         [0006]    Dispensation is generally accomplished by squeezing the eye dropper to expel each drop through the nozzle. 
         [0007]    One of the primary problems with presently available eye droppers relates to the general inaccuracy in dispensing a drop or drops onto the eyeball. Usually, a user separates the eyelids with the fingers of one hand and locates the eye dropper above the eyeball with the nozzle pointed toward the eyeball. Depending in part upon the visual acuity at close range of the user, the nozzle may or may not be correctly positioned. When out of position, the drops will fall upon the upper or lower eyelids and serve no useful purpose. To attempt to use a bathroom mirror or the like to assist in accurately positioning the eye dropper is a very difficult task to accomplish because it requires the visualization of the spatial relationships between the reversed image seen in the mirror. 
         [0008]    Eye drops sold in relatively small cylindrical containers add a further level of difficulty. These small containers, generally about an inch (2.5 mm) in length and approximately three-fourths of an inch (1.8 mm) in diameter, are not readily flexible. Hence, a degree of force is required to effect dispensation of the eye drops and accurate dispensation of a single drop at a time is difficult to accomplish for many persons, particularly those with limited dexterity in their thumb and forefinger. Moreover, eye drops having medicinal value and generally available only by prescription are sold in such small containers because of the associated costs. When multiple drops are dispensed in error due to the manual dexterity issues, costly waste results. 
         [0009]    Various attempts to overcome these problems have been undertaken by using mirrors attached to or attachable to an eye dropper. German Patent No. 2,020,706 discloses a foldable mirror that can be clipped onto a cylindrical body of an eye dropper. By pivoting the mirror to an appropriate angle, the user can see his/her eye to assist in accurately dispensing an eye drop. European patent application No. 0,197,344 discloses a mirror having a receptacle for receiving the bottom of a cylindrical eye dropper to assist in visualizing the eye as eye drops are dispensed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,382,771 illustrates and describes a pivotal mirror attachable to the body of a medicine dropper. U.S. Pat. No. 2,410,257 illustrates and describes a pivotable circular mirror attached to the cylindrical body of an eye dropper having a plunger for dispensing the fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,245 illustrates and describes a holder for an eye dropper, which holder includes a convex mirror located at the base thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,575 illustrates and discloses an angularly fixed mirror located at the base of an eye dropper, which mirror is repositionable from being centered upon the axis of the eye dropper to being laterally displaced therefrom for use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,430 illustrates and discloses a mirror, arm and an attached clamping arm for supporting an eye dropper to provide a reflection from both eyes of the eye to receive the eye drops. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention is directed to an eye dropper having a mirror settable at a fixed angle to permit a user to view the dispensing tip of the eye dropper superimposed upon the eyeball of the user to assist in accurately dispensing one or more eye drops. The minor element in the closed position becomes a part of the eye dropper. In the open position, whether the minor element is detachably attached or hingedly attached to the eye dropper becomes located at a fixed angular relationship with the longitudinal axis of the eye dropper to avoid any need to adjust the angular orientation of the mirror element. 
         [0011]    It is therefore a primary object of the prevent invention to provide an eye dropper with a mirror element contoured to become part of the eye dropper body when in the closed position. 
         [0012]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a minor element hingedly attached to the body of an eye dropper and forming a part of the eye dropper body when in the closed position and at a preset angle when in the open position. 
         [0013]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide an eye dropper having a detachably attached mirror element forming a part of the body of the eye dropper when in the closed position and fixedly attached to the body of the eye dropper at a preset angle when in the open position. 
         [0014]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an eye dropper with an attached mirror element to facilitate accurate dispensation of eye drops into a user&#39;s eye. 
         [0015]    A further object of the present invention is to provide an eye dropper with a convex mirror element to enlarge a viewed eye during dispensation of eye drops. 
         [0016]    A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a compact eye dropper having an associated mirror element. 
         [0017]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for facilitating dispensation of eye drops into a user&#39;s eye. 
         [0018]    These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates an eye dropper incorporating a mirror element; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and illustrating in dashed lines the mirror element in the open position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view of the eye dropper and illustrating the angle of reflection from the mirror element in the open position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates the mirror of the mirror element; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the mirror element; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  6 A- 6 A shown in  FIG. 4 , and illustrating a flat mirror; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view of the mirror element and illustrating a convex mirror; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  illustrates an eye dropper similar to that shown in  FIG. 1  but including ridges disposed on the mirror element to facilitate opening and closing of the mirror element; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a partial side view illustrating the ridges shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a hingedly attached mirror element and shown in the closed position; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a partial cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 9  but showing the mirror element in the open position; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a partial view of the hinge element taken along lines  11 - 11 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  illustrates a lip for retaining the tip of the mirror element adjacent the container; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a variant of the eye dropper shown in  FIG. 9 ; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a partial view of the variant shown in  FIG. 13  with the mirror element in the open position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an eye dropper  10  formed by a container  12  supporting a mirror element  14 . A cap  16  is threadedly engaged with threaded neck  18  to prevent loss of the contents within the container. A nozzle  19  (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 2 ) extends from neck  18  for dispensing drops of fluid, whether primarily a lubricant or a liquid medicine. As shown, mirror element  14  is located adjacent container  12  and defines an exterior surface which is essentially a continuation of the exterior surface of the container to provide an essentially unitary structure. 
         [0036]    As shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 , a fluid  20  is disposed within container  12  for dispensation through nozzle  19  extending from the container. The mirror element is essentially an extension of container  12 , as depicted in both  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The mirror element includes a peg  22  in engagement with a cavity  24  within base  26  of the container. The engagement of the peg with its cavity, retains mirror element  14  adjacent container  12 . To ensure against inadvertent displacement of peg  22  from cavity  24  and possible loss of the mirror element, it is preferable that the peg and the cavity are dimensioned to provide a friction fit. Alternatively, one or both may include roughened surfaces to provide purchase therebetween. To use the mirror element, it is withdrawn upwardly to disengage peg  22  from cavity  24 . Thereafter, the peg is inserted into cavity  28 . Such reinsertion will locate the mirror element at an angle away from container  12 , as depicted by dashed lines  30 . To retain the mirror image in its extended position illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a friction fit between peg  22  and cavity  28  may be employed or the surfaces thereof may be roughened to minimize inadvertent disengagement. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2  and illustrates peg  22  lodged within cavity  28  to locate mirror element  14  to extend laterally from container  12 . Arrows  32  extending from the minor element depict the line of sight of a user from the mirror element. In essence, this line of sight extends to the eye of the user proximate the nozzle. Thereby, a user will be able to view the nozzle and the eye into which a drop will fall from eye dropper  10 . 
         [0038]    To prevent rotation of mirror element  14 , peg  22  should be other than cylindrical. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the peg may be rectangular in cross-section to prevent rotation of the mirror element about its longitudinal axis. It is to be understood that other configurations of the cross-section of the peg, such as triangular, oval, square, etc., may be used to ensure accurate positioning of the minor element upon use. Necessarily, cavity  28  is similarly configured. 
         [0039]    Mirror  34  of minor element  14  may be flat, as depicted in  FIG. 6A . To enhance visualization of the eye and drops of fluid falling onto the eyeball, minor  34  may be convex, as represented by numeral  36  in  FIG. 6B . However, it is understood that the mirror may be concave. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a variant of minor element  14  to facilitate opening and closing of the minor element. A plurality of ridges  38  may be disposed on the minor element. This will facilitate upward sliding of the mirror element to disengage the peg from the associated cavity  24 . Similarly, it will facilitate reinsertion of the minor element. 
         [0041]    As there is always the potential of inadvertently dropping the mirror element upon disengagement or reengagement of the minor element with the container, a mechanism for retaining the minor element attached would be beneficial. Referring jointly to  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 , there is shown such a mechanism. A hinge  40  pivotally attaches minor element  14  with container  12 . A peg  42  extends from the bottom of the minor element for sliding engagement with cavity  44  disposed in container  12 . As the movement of the minor element relative to the container is a pivotal movement, peg  42  must be curved as a function of its radial distance from the pivot axis of hinge  40 . Similarly, cavity  44  must be curved to slidingly receive peg  42 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . To provide stability to minor element  14  upon extending it from container  12 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , it includes a bottom surface  46  that bears against a flat surface  48  of the container. Necessarily, the angle or plane of flat surface  48  must be oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container to correctly position the mirror element to provide a reflection of the eye of a user. 
         [0042]    Rather than providing minor element  14  with a plurality of ridges, as shown in  FIGS. 7  and  8 , a depression  50  may be formed in container  12  proximate the end of minor element  14 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . This depression permits a user to use a fingernail to pry the minor element away from the container. To retain minor element  14  in the closed position, a lip  52  may be employed in the manner of a snapfit to engage end  54  of the minor element. It may be noted that  FIGS. 13 and 14  show, in cross-section, lip  52  for engaging end  54  of minor element  14 . 
         [0043]      FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate a variant of the hinge and related mechanism shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 . Herein, container  12  includes a flat surface  60  extending inwardly from the perimeter of container  12 . A hinge  64  attaches minor element  14  to the container. The minor element includes a flat surface  62  to mate with flat surface  60  upon opening the minor element. It is noted that the angle of flat surface  60  relative to the longitudinal axis of container  12  is set to position the minor image as shown in  FIG. 14  and provide to the user a reflection of the user&#39;s eye into which fluid is to be dropped. To stabilize minor element  14  in its open position, a curved peg  66  may be inserted within curved cavity  68  upon opening the minor element, as illustrated in  FIG. 14 . As noted above, peg  66  should have a friction fit with cavity  68  to ensure that the minor element does not become pivotally repositioned when the eye dropper is held upside down above a user&#39;s eye. Such friction fit may be established by close tolerances of the peg and the cavity or by roughened surfaces upon either or both the peg and the cavity. As noted above, upon closure of minor element  14 , end  54  becomes engaged with lip  52  to retain the minor element in its closed position.