Abstract:
Described are articles that serve as integrated dispensers or applicators for powdered compositions. Primarily, the powder-dispensing articles of the invention include a housing in which a cartridge is disposed that can move in relation to the housing, typically by depressing a plunger that protrudes from the housing. The housing unit contains a housing access port that provides access to the preferably replaceable cartridge. The cartridge also contains an orifice, referred to as a cartridge access port, in the cartridge wall. The housing and cartridge access ports are brought into alignment by the user, for example, by depressing a plunger that causes the cartridge to move in relation to the housing by compressing a biasing member. Such port alignment exposes the powdered composition inside the cartridge.

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to articles for dispensing powdered compositions, and methods of using such articles. 
         [0002]    The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein, or any publication specifically or implicitly referenced herein, is prior art, or even particularly relevant, to the presently claimed invention. 
       2. BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Veterinarians, technicians, groomers and even some pet owners often find themselves applying styptic powder to bleeding toe nails after cutting the nails too short. “Cutting to the quick” is a common expression in the pet care profession, and refers to cutting into the blood supply of the affected nail. There are various products on the market to expedite the clotting of blood, including gel and silver nitrate sticks, although by far the most commonly used topical hemostatic agent for this purpose is a styptic powder available through various vendors, all with varying methods of application. While the most prominent and widely used method of stopping blood flow from a bleeding toe nail has been the use of a styptic powder, its application is crude at best, and is often performed by manual application of loose powder first placed on a person&#39;s finger tip and then applied directly to the animal&#39;s nail or, alternatively, by applying a cotton tip applicator loaded with styptic powder directly to the nail. In either of these approaches, the user often fumbles with the styptic powder while the animal struggles, with the result often being the spillage of the styptic powder, either because of user error or the bleeding animal knocking the powder from the user&#39;s hand. Either of such outcomes results in ineffective application and loss of product. In addition to being wasteful, conventional approaches are time consuming. Moreover, in conventional approaches the styptic powder is frequently overexposed to the atmosphere or to air and humidity, the result of which is caking of the powder. 
         [0004]    While various applicators have been developed as attempts to improve delivery of styptic powders, the need still exists for a simple, inexpensive hand-held device that a user can employ to efficiently and effectively administer a hemostatic amount of a styptic powder (or other composition capable of stemming blood flow) to a bleeding toenail. 
       3. DEFINITIONS 
       [0005]    Before describing the instant invention in detail, several terms used in the context of the present invention will be defined. In addition to these terms, others are defined elsewhere in the specification as necessary. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, terms of art used in this specification will have their art-recognized meanings. 
         [0006]    An “antihemorrhagic” or “hemostatic” compound or composition refers to a substance or composition that promotes hemostasis, i.e., stops bleeding. A “styptic” compound or composition refers to a class of antiseptic hemostatic substances or compositions that function by stimulating contraction of tissue, particularly blood vessels. An example of a commercially available styptic powder is KwicStop® (Arc Laboratories, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.: a hemostatic composition that includes ferric subsulfate, aluminum chloride, diatomite bentonite, copper sulfate, ammonium chloride, idophor, and benzocaine). Other topical hemostatic substances or compositions that can also be used in practicing the invention include coagulants, i.e., compounds and compositions that promote platelet aggregation, such as microfibrillar collagen and chitosan. 
         [0007]    A “patentable” article of manufacture, device, machine, process, or composition of matter according to the invention means that the subject matter satisfies all statutory requirements for patentability at the time the analysis is performed. For example, with regard to novelty, non-obviousness, or the like, if later investigation reveals that one or more claims encompass one or more embodiments that would negate novelty, non-obviousness, etc., the claim(s), being limited by definition to “patentable” embodiments, specifically exclude the non-patentable embodiment(s). Also, the claims appended hereto are to be interpreted both to provide the broadest reasonable scope, as well as to preserve their validity. Furthermore, the claims are to be interpreted in a way that (1) preserves their validity and (2) provides the broadest reasonable interpretation under the circumstances, if one or more of the statutory requirements for patentability are amended or if the standards change for assessing whether a particular statutory requirement for patentability is satisfied from the time this application is filed or issues as a patent to a time the validity of one or more of the appended claims is questioned. 
         [0008]    A “plurality” means more than one. 
       4. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Thus, one object of the invention relates to articles adapted to deliver a powered composition, for example, a styptic powder. The powder dispensers of the invention house replaceable powder filled-cartridges that are easy to use. In some embodiments, such articles can be used for applying styptic powder to a bleeding animal&#39;s toenail. In other embodiments, they are used dispensing an approximate measure of different powdered compositions, for example, a cooking spice. 
         [0010]    In general, the powder-dispensing articles of the invention include a housing that houses a cartridge that can move in relation to the housing, typically by depressing a plunger that protrudes from the housing. After use, the cartridge preferably returns to an idle position. In most embodiments, the housing is an elongated housing that has an open end opposite a sealed end and a housing access port disposed proximal to the sealed end so as to provide access to the interior of the housing. The cartridge is disposed inside of and in moveable relation to the housing, and comprises first and second sealed ends disposed opposite each other so as to define a reservoir configured to store a powdered composition. Cartridges also include a cartridge access port that provides access to the reservoir, particularly to powdered contents stored in the reservoir. Preferably, the first sealed end of a cartridge faces the sealed end of the housing in which the cartridge is placed, while the cartridge&#39;s second sealed end faces the open end of the housing. The plunger comprises a plunger element that has a flange disposed at one end and at the other end, an exposed surface configured for application of an actuation force by a user. 
         [0011]    The flange has a cartridge-facing surface that engages the second sealed end of the cartridge and a retaining surface opposite the cartridge-facing surface. The plunger element extends through the open end of the housing and is retained in the housing by a plunger retainer disposed on the open end of the housing. The dispensing articles of the invention also preferably include a biasing member (e.g., a spring) disposed inside the housing and positioned to engage and return the cartridge to a resting or “idle” position after an actuation force applied by a user is reduced or removed. As will be appreciated, application of an actuation force by a user will causes the cartridge to move in relation to the housing and bring the cartridge and housing access ports into alignment, thereby allowing access to the reservoir 
         [0012]    As those in will appreciate, a clear advantage afforded by the articles of the invention is that the replaceable cartridge within the housing is kept semi-airtight and spill resistant, and thereby minimizes waste of the powdered composition contained within the cartridge. Also, the cartridges preferably contain quantities of the desired composition to enable multiple independent uses of the device, thereby avoiding a requirement for manual filling for a given application. Moreover, because the powdered composition is stored safely within the cartridge, users can avoid contact with the cartridge contents. As opposed to the currently available styptic powder dispensers, spice dispensers, and other powdered composition dispensers, which are primarily storage containers for loose powdered compositions, the powdered compositions within a cartridge of an article according to the invention is less subject to spillage and atmospheric conditions. 
         [0013]    The articles of the invention can also further include one or more other components, including any one or more of an alignment system that provides complementary structures between the housing and cartridge to promotes alignment between the housing access port and cartridge access port when a cartridge is moved into dispensing position, a stop disposed in the reservoir opposite the cartridge access port, and a powdered composition in the reservoir. 
         [0014]    Another aspect of the invention concerns methods of dispensing a powdered composition from a cartridge in an article according to the invention. Typically, this is accomplished by a user applying an actuation force to the article&#39;s plunger to bring the housing access port and cartridge access port into alignment to allow at least a portion of the powdered contents within the cartridge to be dispensed. 
         [0015]    These and other aspects and embodiments of the invention are discussed in greater detail in the sections that follow. The foregoing and other aspects of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and the claims. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples below are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. 
     
    
     
       5. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    A brief summary of each of the figures is provided below. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a representative embodiment of a device of the invention from a top perspective view. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows the device depicted in  FIG. 1  in an exploded perspective view. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows an inner cartridge of a device according to the invention from a side elevational view. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a representative embodiment of a device of the invention from an exploded perspective view. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows another representative embodiment of a device from an exploded perspective view. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  shows the inner cartridge in its entirety from a side elevational view. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    In the drawings, the following reference numerals correspond to the indicated component, unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Drawings - Reference Numerals 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 22 Plunger Retainer 
                 24 Plunger cover 
               
               
                   
                 26 Plunger 
                 28 Cartridge 
               
               
                   
                 30 Square cut o-ring 
                 31 Tongue 
               
               
                   
                 32 Saddle seal (bearing) 
                 34 Cartridge access port 
               
               
                   
                 36 Cartridge bottom plug 
                 38 Biasing Member 
               
               
                   
                 40 Outer housing tube 
                 42 Stabilizing notch 
               
               
                   
                 44 Housing access port 
                 46 Sliding sleeve 
               
               
                   
                 48 Housing bottom plug 
                 50 Nail stop point 
               
               
                   
                 52 Pocket clip (optional) 
                 54 Magnet (optional) 
               
               
                   
                 49 Saddle seal (bearing) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    The following description describes several representative embodiments of certain preferred dispensing articles of the invention. These embodiments are non-limiting. 
         [0025]    A first embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The powder dispenser includes an outer housing tube  40 , which in this embodiment is made of 0.75 in. anodized aluminum tubing or other workable materials such as cardboard, stainless steel, or polycarbonate plastic. The outer housing can be made in various lengths, with 4-7 in. being preferred, and a length of about 5.5 in. being particularly preferred. The housing  40  is topped with a replaceable 0.75 in. plunger retainer  22  that has a 0.5 in. hole bored out of the center. The plunger retainer  22  can be made of any suitable material, including vinyl, plastic, or threaded metal. The 0.5 in. plunger cover  24  is also made of vinyl or a polycarbonate plastic, and protrudes from the inner cartridge (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) and conceals the plunger  26  (shown  FIG. 2 ) made of acrylic, polycarbonate plastic, or other suitable materials. The housing  40  also includes a sliding sleeve  46 , which can made of vinyl or polycarbonate plastic. The bottom of the housing  40 , opposite the end from which the plunger protrudes (i.e., the top end of the housing  40 ), is sealed. In this embodiment, the bottom end of housing  40  is sealed, for example, with a bottom plug  48 , made of polycarbonate plastic. The bottom plug  48  may be permanently attached or be removable. In some embodiments, the bottom of the housing may be sealed, for example, by crimping the housing and eliminating the bottom plug  48 , while in still other embodiments, the bottom of the housing is left open. 
         [0026]    
       FIG. 2 
     
         [0027]    Starting at the top down is a plunger retainer  22  that slides over the top of the plunger cover  24  and the plunger  26  finally resting on top of the outer housing tube  40 . The plunger  26  is concealed by the plunger cover  24  and both the plunger  26  and plunger cover  24  are attached to the top of the cartridge  28 . The cartridge  28  carries a square cut o-ring  30  that rests just below the tongue  31 . The lower portion of the cartridge is saddled with a saddle seal  32 , which is centered over the cartridge access port  34 . 
         [0028]    The entire cartridge  28  is sealed on the bottom with a cartridge bottom plug  36 , which be made of polycarbonate plastic. A biasing member  38  is positioned inside of the outer housing tube  40  resting at the bottom on top of the inner housing bottom plug  48 . 
         [0029]    A ⅞″ deep stabilizing notch  42  is milled from the top wall of the outer housing tube  40 . The stabilizing notch serves as a groove for the tongue  31  to slide in. The housing access port  44  is bored out about 1″ from the bottom of the outer housing tube  40 . The sliding sleeve  46  rides on the outer wall of the outer housing tube  40  and is placed atop of the housing access port  44  concealing it while in its resting position. The outer housing tube  40  is sealed on the bottom with the housing bottom plug  48 . An optional magnet  54  may be attached to the inner wall of the outer housing tube  40 . 
         [0030]    
       FIG. 3 
     
         [0031]    The plunger cover  24  conceals the plunger  26 , which is bonded to the inner wall of the cartridge  28  sealing in a powdered composition. The square cut o-ring  30  wrapped around the cartridge  28  rests below the tongue  31  and the saddle seal  32  is positioned over the cartridge access port  34  within the cartridge  28  just below the cartridge access port  34  resting on the inner back wall of the cartridge  28  is a nail stop point  50 , which could be made of a composite of resins and glues or molded plastic or cork or metal, and the bottom of the cartridge  28  is sealed with the cartridge bottom plug  36 . 
         [0032]    The outer wall of the cartridge carries a square cut o-ring  30  and the saddle seal  32 , which not only functions as a seal but also provides spacing between the cartridge  28  and the outer housing tube  40  in order to reduce any caking or sticking of the cartridge to the inside wall of the outer housing tube  40  and thereby ensure fluidity of movement of the cartridge inside the outer housing when a user presses down on the plunger assembly. 
         [0033]    
       FIG. 4 
     
         [0034]    Shown at the top of the article is a plunger retainer  22  that slides over the top of the plunger cover  24  and the plunger  26 , finally resting on top of the outer housing tube  40 . The plunger  26  is concealed by the plunger cover  24  and both the plunger  26  and plunger cover  24  are attached to the top of the inside walls of the cartridge  28  which, for example, could be made of 0.5 inch outer diameter acrylic tubing, two separate half pieces of molded plastic bonded together, an extruded piece of aluminum tubing sized to fit and move within the housing, or any suitable tubing material (or combination of materials). The cartridge  28  carries an o-ring  30 . The lower portion of the cartridge is saddled with a saddle seal or bearing  32 , which is centered over the cartridge access port  34 . The entire cartridge  28  is sealed on the bottom with the cartridge bottom plug  36 , which be made of polycarbonate plastic (or any suitable material). A biasing member  38  is disposed inside of the outer housing tube  40  in order to engage the cartridge. In the embodiment shown, the open end of the housing is sealed with an inner housing bottom plug  48 , upon which the biasing member  38  rests. 
         [0035]    Those in the art will appreciate that complementary mechanical features can be used to provide registration between the housing and cartridge. 
         [0036]    The housing access port  44  is bored through the wall of the housing. In the embodiment shown, the housing access port is about 1″ from the bottom of the outer housing tube  40 . The sliding sleeve  46  rides on the outer wall of the outer housing tube  40  and is placed atop of the housing access port  44 , concealing it while in its resting position. The outer housing tube  40  is sealed on the bottom with the housing bottom plug  48 . An optional magnet  54  can be attached to the inner wall of the outer housing tube  40 . 
         [0037]    
       FIG. 5 
     
         [0038]    This figure shows a device similar to that depicted in  FIG. 4 . In the embodiment shown in this Figure, bearing  32  is replaced with bearing or saddle seal  49 , which has an opening or port therein. Bearing or saddle seal  49  is preferably is secured to cartridge  28  (as is also preferably the case for bearing  32  of the device shown in  FIG. 4 ) in manner such that its opening or port aligns with the cartridge access port  34  of cartridge  28 . 
         [0039]    
       FIG. 6 
     
         [0040]    The plunger cover  24  conceals the plunger  26 , which is bonded to the inner wall of the cartridge  28  sealing in a powdered composition. The square cut o-ring  30  wrapped around the cartridge  28  rests above the saddle seal  32 , which is positioned over the cartridge access port  34 . The bottom of the cartridge  28  is sealed with the cartridge bottom plug  36 . 
         [0041]    The outer wall of the cartridge carries a square cut o-ring  30  or a Gore sealant in another embodiment. The saddle seal  32  not only functions as a seal but also acts as a spacer to provide a gap between the cartridge  28  and the inner surface of housing tube  40  in order to reduce any caking or sticking of the cartridge and providing fluidity of movement. 
         [0042]    Operations 
         [0043]    The manner of using a powder dispenser of the invention in its intended primary use as a styptic dispenser is as shown in  FIG. 1  is straightforward. For example, a user, while cutting the toenails of a dog or other animal, inadvertently cuts into the blood supply of the nail, resulting in bleeding. The user then manually picks up the powder dispenser by the outer housing tube  40  and pushes down the sliding sleeve  46 , revealing the wall of the inner cartridge  28 . The user then proceeds to engage the top plunger  26  via the plunger cover  24  with his or her thumb, thus pushing down the inner cartridge  28  and bringing the cartridge access port  34  into alignment with the outer housing access port  44 , thereby exposing the styptic powder in the cartridge&#39;s reservoir. The user then presses the animal&#39;s bleeding nail into the nail stop stop ( 50 ), which stops the bleeding. 
         [0044]    The user then pulls the article away from the animal&#39;s paw while releasing his or her thumb from the plunger cover  24  and plunger  26 , which returns the cartridge  28  to its starting position. In this way styptic powder can be directly delivered from the gravity fed cartridge  28 , and any contaminated or used powder is fused with the nail, leaving the cartridge stocked and ready for the next needed application. 
         [0045]    In another embodiment, the user while cooking can deliver a “pinch” of, for example, spice stored in the cartridge&#39;s reservoir. To add the spice, the user simply picks up the powder dispenser by the outer housing tube  40  and pushes down the sliding sleeve  46  revealing the wall of the inner cartridge  28 . The user then proceeds to engage the top plunger  26  via the plunger cover  24  with his or her thumb thus pushing down the inner cartridge  28  and bringing the cartridge access port  34  into alignment with the outer housing access port  44 , thereby exposing the powdered spice composition, the desired amount of which the user can then dispense from the reservoir before releasing his or her thumb from the plunger cover  24  to return plunger  26  of the cartridge  28  to its starting position. 
         [0046]    In yet another embodiment, the compression spring disposed within the housing rests behind the main outer housing tube in a separate adjoining tube so as to lower the housing access port. In another embodiment the housing tube includes an access window to allow a user to visualize the cartridge in order to monitor the amount of powdered contents remaining in the cartridge&#39;s reservoir. 
         [0047]    In still another embodiment the outer housing tube has an attached magnet. In another embodiment powder is forced through a diaphragm so as to dispense an allotted amount of powder during a particular dispensing operation. Alternatively, differing amounts of powdered contents from the reservoir can be dispensed by varying the diameter of the cartridge and/or the cartridge access port size(s). 
         [0048]    All of the articles and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the articles and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and equivalents apparent to those skilled in the art, whether now existing or later developed, are deemed to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0049]    The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element(s) not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, in each instance herein any of the terms “comprising”, “consisting essentially of”, and “consisting of” may be replaced with either of the other two terms. The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention that in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.