Patent ID: 7971755

Claim:
A container for packaging a liquid that is to be dispensed drop by drop, said container comprising: a reservoir defining a volume ( 15 ) suitable for storing liquid, said reservoir having walls ( 2 ) that are reversibly elastically deformable whereby liquid ( 1 ) in said volume ( 15 ) can be discharged from said reservoir by application of pressure exerted against said walls ( 2 ) and said container can return spontaneously to its initial shape, after liquid ( 1 ) is delivered, through intake of air into said container; a neck ( 10 ) connected to said reservoir; a dispensing head ( 3 ) comprising a hollowed-out body ( 4 ) having a nozzle ( 5 ) for delivering liquid ( 1 ) out from said volume, a hydrophobic microporous pad ( 8 ) placed within said body ( 4 ) between said nozzle ( 5 ) and said reservoir, and an antibacterial filter membrane ( 7 ) positioned upstream of said nozzle ( 5 ) between said nozzle ( 5 ) and said pad ( 8 ), said body ( 4 ) being assembled irreversibly inside said neck ( 10 ) of said container, wherein said filter membrane ( 7 ) is partially hydrophilic to allow liquid to pass through said filter membrane under the effect of raised pressure created in said container by pressing of said walls, and wherein said filter membrane is partially hydrophobic to allow air to pass through said filter membrane under the effect of the depression created in said container when pressure exerted against said walls has been released, said container further comprising a removable cap ( 6 ) for sealing said nozzle ( 5 ) wherein said cap ( 6 ), in combination with said hydrophobic microporous pad ( 8 ) and said filter membrane ( 7 ), impedes spontaneous flow of liquid ( 1 ) towards said nozzle ( 5 ) from the volume ( 15 ) suitable for storing liquid so that: (a) spontaneous passage of liquid ( 1 ) through said microporous pad ( 8 ) is prevented when said cap ( 6 ) is sealing said nozzle ( 5 ), (b) free flow of liquid ( 1 ) from said volume ( 15 ) suitable for storing liquid and through said hydrophobic microporous pad ( 8 ) is allowed when said nozzle ( 5 ) is uncovered, and (c) air is permitted to be drawn in through said hydrophobic microporous pad ( 8 ) to pass into said volume ( 15 ), after liquid ( 1 ) is delivered, by elastic return of said container to its initial shape.