Patent ID: 8535276

Claim:
A topical anesthetic dispenser, comprising: a) a housing having a chamber sized to removably receive a cannister containing liquid anesthetic; b) attachment means on said housing for releasably attaching said housing to a syringe for injecting a medicament into a patient's skin; c) said cannister having an outlet for dispensing said anesthetic; d) said housing including a spray nozzle outlet fluidly connected to said outlet of said cannister and said spray nozzle outlet comprising a spray nozzle through which said anesthetic is topically sprayed onto a surface of the patient's skin when dispensed from said cannister; and e) valve means for selectively controlling flow of said anesthetic from said cannister to said spray nozzle, said valve means comprising a valve incorporated into said cannister and further including a valve actuator comprising an elongated reciprocable hollow tube mounted on said cannister and having a proximal end adjacent a valve chamber, and a distal end extending distally of said cannister and fixed to said housing, said tube having a passageway therethrough connected to said spray nozzle; said valve actuator further including an actuator button on a proximal end of said housing, whereby when said actuator button is moved distally, said cannister is moved distally with respect to said elongated hollow tube to cause said valve means to open, said valve including a spring biasing said cannister proximally with respect to said tube, whereby when said actuator button is released, said cannister moves proximally to close said valve.