Patent ID: 8348104

Claim:
An apparatus for storing fluid and dispensing multiple portions of the stored fluid therefrom, comprising: a container defining a variable-volume storage chamber for hermetically sealing and storing therein multiple portions of the fluid; a housing receiving therein the variable-volume storage chamber; a one-way dispensing valve, movable relative to the housing between (i) a storage position located at least partially within the housing, and (ii) a dispensing position located at least partially outside of the housing, including a valve body defining a valve seat and at least one flow aperture extending through at least one of the valve body and valve seat, a valve inlet coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber, and an elastic valve member overlying the valve seat in fluid communication with the valve inlet defining a normally-closed valve opening, wherein in the dispensing position the elastic valve member is responsive to fluid at the valve inlet exceeding a valve opening pressure to move between (i) a normally closed position with the elastic valve member engaging the valve seat and hermetically sealing the one-way dispensing valve and variable-volume storage chamber with respect to ambient atmosphere, and (ii) an open position with at least a segment of the elastic valve member spaced away from the valve seat permitting the flow of fluid through the valve opening; a manually engageable actuator; and a pump including a compressible member defining a compression chamber coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and the one-way dispensing valve and movable in response to movement of the actuator between (i) a first position wherein the compression chamber defines a first volume, and (ii) a second position wherein the compression chamber defines a second volume less than the first volume, wherein movement of the compressible member from the first position to the second position pressurizes fluid in the compression chamber above the valve opening pressure and moves the elastic valve member to the open position to dispense fluid therethrough.