Background Of The Invention
[0001] The present invention is directed to an improved dropper applicator which has a bellows-like
pump member according to the first part of Claim 1 and known from US-A-3,379,196.
The dropper applicator of the invention is useful for applying drops of liquid compositions
(e.g., cosmetic or medicinal compositions) onto parts of the body.
[0002] Medicine droppers which include a pump member having a bellows-like configuration
are known in the art. Such medicine droppers also include an annular barrel having
an open top end and an open bottom end, the interior of the annular barrel being in
fluid communication with the interior of the bellows. In use, a liquid is drawn into
the interior of the annular barrel and expelled therefrom in a process comprising
at least three steps: (a) first, the user compresses the bellows to expel air from
its interior and the interior of the annular barrel; (b) then, the user releases the
bellows while at least the open bottom end of the annular barrel is inserted into
a liquid, thereby permitting the bellows to expand to draw liquid into the interior
of the annular barrel; and (c) the user then positions the open bottom end of the
annular barrel adjacent to the part of the body onto which the liquid is to be applied
and squeezes the bellows to expel the liquid from the interior of the annular barrel
onto that part of the body.
[0003] A number of different medicine dropper structures of the type described above have
been proposed by prior art workers. Such structures are depicted, for example, in
US-A-3,124,171; US-A-3,154,116; US-A-3,215,171 and US-A-3,379,196, Mitchell United
States Design Patents 195,238 and 195,611 and Dash United States Design Patent 243,122.
The medicine droppers depicted in the above patents are characterized by a common
feature, namely, that in use each bellows-like pump member is compressed by pushing
one side of the bellows downwardly in the direction of the axis of the dropper's annular
barrel.
[0004] The medicine droppers depicted in the above patents are awkward to use. For example,
with the medicine dropper depicted in the Mitchell '116 patent, the user must push
bellows 12 downwardly with a first finger (or thumb) and at the same time grasp portions
of the remainder of the medicine dropper (e.g., the cap 24) to offset the force exerted
by the first finger (orthumb) and to prevent the medicine dropper from being pushed
out of the user's grasp.
[0005] Some of the prior art medicine droppers include additional structure for the user
to grasp in order to offset the force exerted when the bellows is pushed downwardly.
For example, the medicine dropper depicted in Mitchell United States Patent 3,124,171
includes "a pair of integrally molded and diametrically positioned circular finger
holds ... through which the index and next adjacent finger are to be inserted in the
operation of the device, as in a hypodermic syringe." Similarly, the device shown
in Fig. 8 of Mitchell United States Patent 3,215,171 includes "outstanding members
54 which act as finger holds when the thumb is pressed downwards ... to evacuate the
air in the bellows for easier operation of the dropper."
[0006] Even the medicine droppers of the two patents described in the preceding paragraph
are awkward to use, requiring, in their intended mode of operation, the use of three
fingers (or two fingers and a thumb). Moreover, the additional structure provided
in those medicine droppers for "easier operation" not only adds to their expense and
bulk, but also detracts from their aesthetic appearance.
Summary Of The Invention
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved dropper applicator which
has a bellows-like pump member and is relatively easy to use as compared to the prior
art structures described above.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dropper applicator
which has a bellows-like pump member and may be readily used with two fingers.
[0009] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dropper applicator which
has a bellows-like pump member, is aesthetically pleasing and does not include extraneous
structure to facilitate its use.
[0010] The above objects are achieved by the dropper applicator of the present invention,
which comprises: (a) a cap, (b) a pump member which extends above the cap and comprises
a bellows, and (c) an annular barrel which extends downwardly from the cap, the interior
of the annular barrel being in fluid communication with the interior of the bellows.
[0011] The bellows, which comprises at least part of the pump member, has pleats and two
ends opposite to each other that are adapted to be squeezed by a person in order to
compress the bellows and to expel fluid (i.e., air) from the interior of the bellows
to outside the bellows via an opening provided in the bellows. The bellows is made
of a flexible and resilient material so that when the bellows, in its compressed state,
is released it expands back to the configuration it had before it was compressed by
the user.
[0012] The annular barrel that extends downwardly from the cap has an open upper end and
an open lower end. The interior of the pump member is in fluid communication with
the interior of the annular barrel so that:
(a) when the bellows of the pump member is compressed: (i) fluid is passed from the
interior of the pump member into the interior of the annular barrel via the open upper
end of the annular barrel and (ii) fluid is passed from the interior of the annular
barrel to the exterior of the dropper applicator via the open lower end of the annular
barrel, and
(b) when the bellows in its compressed state is released, the bellows expands to draw
fluid from the exterior of the dropper applicator into the interior of the annular
barrel via the open lower end of the annular barrel.
[0013] The direction of the pleats of the bellows is at an angle of about 45-90° with respect
to the plane of the top of the cap. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the pleats
are vertical, i.e., their direction is at an angle of 90° with respect to the plane
of the top of the cap. In other particularly preferred embodiments, the direction
of the pleats is at an angle of about 55-65° with respect to the plane of the top
of the cap.
[0014] Thus, in use, a person may squeeze the opposite ends of the bellows using two fingers
to evacuate air from the interiors of the pump member and annular barrel. Thereafter,
the user, with the open lower end of the annular barrel placed into a liquid, may
release the bellows to draw the liquid into the interior of the annular barrel. Then,
the user may place the open lower end of the annular barrel adjacent to the part of
the body onto which the liquid is to be applied and again using two fingers may squeeze
the bellows to apply the liquid onto that part of the body.
[0015] The pump member of the present invention preferably includes an annular shaft that
extends between the bellows and the cap of the dropper applicator. The interior of
the annular shaft is in fluid communication with the interior of the bellows and the
interior of the annular barrel.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
[0016]
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention from a position
above its top.
Fig. 2 shows a front view of the first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3 shows a side view of the first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 4 shows a front view of the pump member of the first embodiment of the invention,
with the dropper applicator's barrel positioned in it.
Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of a portion of Fig 4.
Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention from a position
above its top.
Fig. 7 shows a front view of the second embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 9 shows a bottom view of the cap of the third embodiment of the invention.
Description Of The Preferred Embodiments
[0017] Referring now to Figs. 1-3, there are shown various views of a first embodiment of
the invention. As shown, the dropper applicator of the first embodiment comprises
pump member 10, cap 11 and annular barrel 12.
[0018] Pump member 10 comprises bellows 13 and annular shaft 14. The bellows 13 has two
opposite ends 16 and 17 which are adapted to be squeezed by the user to compress the
bellows. As shown in . Figs. 1 and 3, ends 16 and 17 are oval in shape. However, other
shapes of ends 16 and 17 may be utilized.
[0019] Bellows 13 is made of a flexible, resilient material which permits it to be squeezed
by the user to evacuate air from its interior and to spring back to its original shape
when the user releases its ends 16 and 17. For example, the bellows may be molded
from a number of different plastic and rubber materials.
[0020] Cap 11 may be made from a number of materials, e.g., phenolic resins. As depicted
by the dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, the inside surface of the cap is threaded so
that the cap may be screwed onto a container. However, it should be understood that
non-threaded caps, which are suitable for closing containers, may also be used in
the present invention.
[0021] The cap may also be provided with a decorative overshell (not shown). The overshell,
which may be made from a more expensive material than the remainder of the cap, may
be glued onto the remainder of the cap by any suitable technique. The overshell may
include printed matter and/or it may be constructed from a material having an aesthetically
pleasing, lustrous finish.
[0022] The annular barrel, which suitably may be made from glass or a plastic material,
has an open bottom end 18 and an open top end 19. The annulus of the annular barrel,
which is depicted in Figs. 2 and 3 by dotted lines 20, is in fluid communication with
the interior of pump member 10.
[0023] As best seen in Fig. 2, the bottom end of the barrel projects outwardly from the
axis of the barrel. Such an arrangement facilitates drawing a liquid into the annular
barrel when only a small amount of the liquid remains in the bottle.
[0024] Referring now to Fig. 4, there is depicted a front view of the pump member of the
first embodiment with the dropper applicator's annular barrel positioned in it.
[0025] As shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 14 of the molded pump member 10 has a number of parts
which, as will be described in more detail below, are engaged with and interact with
the annular barrel 12 and cap 11 during the construction of the dropper applicator.
Moving downwardly from the top of the shaft 14, the shaft comprises flared portion
23, indented portion 24, and lip portion 26. The annulus in shaft 14 is depicted by
dotted lines 25.
[0026] Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the subassembly depicted in Fig. 4.
As can best be seen from Fig. 5, the flared portion 23 and the annular barrel 12 are
dimensioned and constructed so that: (a) the annular barrel may be inserted into the
pump member by forcing the barrel's lip 22 through a hole provided in the pump member
to the position depicted in Fig. 5; and (b) when the lip 22 is positioned as shown
in Fig. 5, its underside rests on a ledge 28 which is provided in the interior of
the flared portion 23 of the pump member. The ledge 28 and lip 22 cooperate, together
with other structure of the dropper applicator, to maintain the barrel 12 in the position
depicted in Figs. 4 and 5 during the normal use of the dropper applicator.
[0027] The top surface 21 of cap 11 is provided with a hole (not shown) for receiving the
subassembly of the pump member 10 and barrel 12 depicted in Figs. 4 and 5. The hole
in the cap is dimensioned so that, when the dropper applicator is assembled, the inside
surface of the hole closely abuts indented portion 24 of the pump member.
[0028] In the preferred procedure for assembling the dropper applicator of the first embodiment,
the upper end of the annular barrel 12 is inserted into the pump member 10 to the
position depicted in Figs. 4 and 5. Then, the resulting subassembly comprising the
pump member 10 and annular barrel 12 is pushed upwardly through the hole in the cap.
The bellows 13 may be compressed during at least part of the upward movement to facilitate
the passage of the bellows through the hole in the cap.
[0029] During the upward movement of the subassembly through the cap's hole, the inside
edges of that hole ride over the flared portion 23 of the pump member, pushing the
flared portion inwardly. Continued upward movement of the subassembly results in the
flared portion 23 being pushed entirely past the cap to a position where the inside
surface of the hole in the cap closely abuts indented portion 24 of the pump member.
Thereafter, in normal use of the dropper applicator, the cap is held in that position
by the bottom outside surface 31 of the flared portion 23 and by the top surface 32
of lip portion 26.
[0030] In the embodiment depicted in Fig. 1, the direction of the pleats of the bellows
is vertical, i.e., the direction of the pleats is at an angle of 90° with respect
to the plane defined by the top surface 21 of the cap. In a second embodiment of the
invention, which is depicted in Figs. 6 and 7, the direction of the pleats of the
bellows 33 is at an angle of about 60° with respect to the plane defined by the top
surface of the cap. Depending on the individual and the part of the body onto which
a liquid is being applied, the dropper applicator of the second embodiment may be
easier to use than the dropper applicator of the first embodiment.
[0031] With the exception of the direction of the pleats of the bellows, the construction
of the second embodiment of the invention is substantially the same as the construction
of the first embodiment. More particularly, like the first embodiment, the pump member
30 of the second embodiment comprises the bellows 33, having opposite ends 36 and
37, and an annular shaft 34 that extends between the dropper applicator's bellows
and cap 31. The dropper applicator of the second embodiment also includes an annular
barrel 32, which is identical or similar to the annular barrel of the first embodiment.
[0032] The manner in which the components of the second embodiment are joined together and
how those components function are the same as inthe first embodiment.
[0033] Referring now to Fig. 8, there is shown a perspective view of a third embodiment
of the invention. Unlike the first two embodiments, the pump member 40 and cap 41
of the third embodiment is an integral structure. Such an integral structure may be
made from suitable plastic materials by an appropriate injection molding technique.
[0034] Another difference between the third embodiment of the invention and the other embodiments
described above is that the third embodiment of the invention does not include an
annular shaft that extends between the bellows 43 and cap 41. Rather, the bellows
43 is molded directly adjacent to the cap 41.
[0035] It is, of course, not essential that the bellows 43 and cap 41 be injection molded
as an integral structure. Rather, the bellows 43 and cap 41 may be separately formed
and then joined together in a suitable manner.
[0036] Like the previous embodiments, bellows 43 includes two ends 46 and 47 which are opposite
to each other and which are adapted to be squeezed to expel air from the interior
of the bellows. Also like the previous embodiments, the inside surface of cap 41 includes
screw threads for screwing the cap onto an appropriate container.
[0037] As can be seen from Fig. 9, the bottom surface of the cap has a hole 48 for receiving
annular barrel 42. The construction and function of the annular barrel 42 are the
same as the construction and function of the annular barrels utilized in the first
and second embodiments described above.
1. A dropper applicator characterized by:
(a) a cap (11; 31; 41);
(b) a pump member (10; 30; 40) which extends above the cap (11; 31; 41) and comprises
a bellows (13; 33; 43), said bellows being made of a flexible, resilient material
and having:
(i) pleats, and (ii) two ends (16; 17; 36; 37; 46; 47) opposite to each other that
are adapted to be squeezed by a person in order to compress the bellows; and
(c) an annular barrel (12; 32; 42) extending downwardly from the cap (11; 31; 41)
and having an open upper end (19) and an open lower end (18), the interior of the
pump member (10; 30; 40) being in fluid communication with the interior of the annular
barrel so that in use: (i) when the bellows (13; 33; 43) of the pump member (10; 30;
40) is compressed, fluid is passed from the interior of the pump member into the interior
of the annular barrel via the open upper end of the annular barrel and fluid is passed
from the interior of the annular barrel to the exterior of the dropper applicator
via the open lower end of the annular barrel, and (ii) when the bellows in its compressed
state is released the bellows expands to draw fluid from the exterior of the dropper
applicator into the interior of the annular barrel via the open lower end of the annular
barrel, characterized in that the direction of the pleats is at an angle of about
45-90° with respect to the plane of the top of the cap (11; 31; 41).
2. The dropper applicator of claim 1 characterized in that the pump member (10; 30)
further, comprises an annular shaft (14; 34) that extends between the bellows (13;
33) and container cap (11; 31) the interior of the annular shaft being in fluid communication
with: (i) the interior of the bellows, and (ii) the interior of the annular barrel
(12; 32).
3. The dropper applicator of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the cap (41) and pump
member (40) are integral.
4. The dropper applicator of claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the cap (11; 31) and
pump member (10; 30) are constructed of separately made parts.
5. The dropper applicator of any of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the cap (11;
31; 41) has an inside surface that is threaded for screwing the cap onto a container.
6. The dropper applicator of any of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the angle
is about 90°.
7. The dropper applicator of any of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the angle
is about 55-65°.
1. Tropfenapplikator, mit:
(a) einer Kappe (11; 31; 41);
(b) einem Pumpglied (10; 30; 40), welches sich oberhalb der Kappe (11; 31;41) erstreckt
und einen Faltenbalg (13; 33; 43) aufweist, wobei der Faltenbalg aus einem flexiblen
elastischen Material besteht und aufweist:
(i) Falten und (ii) zwei Enden (16; 17; 36; 37; 46; 47), die einander entgegengesetzt
angeordnet sind, so daß sie von einer Person zusammengedrückt werden können, um den
Faltenbalg zusammenzupressen; und
(c) einem Röhrchen (12; 32; 42), das sich von der Kappe (11; 31; 41) nach unten erstreckt
und ein offenes oberes Ende (19) und ein offenes unteres Ende (18) aufweist, wobei
das Innere des Pumpgliedes (10; 30; 40) in Fluidverbindung mit dem Inneren des Röhrchens
steht, so daß bei Gebrauch folgendes geschieht: (i) beim Zusammenpressen des Faltenbalges
(13; 33; 43) des Pumpgliedes (10; 30; 40) wird ein Fluid aus dem Inneren des Pumpgliedes
in das Innere des Röhrchens über das offene obere Ende des Röhrchens und aus dem Inneren
des Röhrchens über das offene untere Ende des Röhrchens aus dem Tropfenapplikator
hinausgedrückt, und (ii) wird der Faltenbalg aus seinem zusammengedrückten Zustand
freigegeben, so dehnt sich der Faltenbalg aus und zieht Fluid von außerhalb des Tropfenapplikators
in das Innere des Röhrchens über dessen offenes unteres Ende,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Richtung der Falten in einem Winkel von ungefähr 45
bis 90° bezüglich der Ebene des Deckels der Kappe (11; 31; 41) liegt.
2. Tropfenapplikator nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Pumpenglied
(10; 30) ferner einen ringförmigen Schaft (14; 34) aufweist, der sich zwischen dem
Faltenbalg (13; 33) und der Behälterkappe (11; 31) erstreckt; wobei das Innere des
ringförmigen Schaftes mit (i) dem Inneren des Faltenbalges und (ii) dem Inneren des
ringförmigen Rohres (12; 32) in Fluidverbindung steht.
3. Tropfenapplikator nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Kappe
(41) und das Pumpglied (40) einstückig sind.
4. Tropfenapplikator nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Kappe
(11; 31) und das Pumpglied (10; 30) zwei getrennt hergestellte Teile sind.
5. Tropfenapplikator nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
die Kappe (11; 31; 41) eine Innenfläche mit einem Schraubengewinde aufweist, so daß
die Kappe auf einen Behälter aufgeschraubt werden kann.
6. Tropfenapplikator nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
der Winkel ungefähr 90° beträgt.
7. Tropfenapplikator nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
der Winkel ungefähr 55 bis 65° beträgt.
1. Applicateur à compte-gouttes avec (a) un capuchon (11; 31; 41);
(b) un élément de pompe (10; 30; 40), qui s'étend au dessus du capuchon (11; 31; 41)
et est muni d'un soufflet à plis (13; 33; 43), ledit soufflet à plis étant constitué
par un matériau flexible élastique et qui comprend:
(i) des plis et (ii) deux extrémités (16; 17; 36; 37; 46; 47), qui sont disposées
opposées l'une à l'autre de telle sorte qu'elles puissent être pressées par une personne
pour comprimer le soufflet à plis; et
(c) un tube (12; 32; 42) qui s'étend du capuchon (11; 31; 41) vers le bas et qui es
muni d'une extrémité supérieure ouverte (19) et d'une extrémité inférieure ouverte
(18), tandis que l'intérieur de l'élément de pompe (10; 30; 40) est en contact liquide
avec l'intérieur du tube de telle sorte qu'à l'emploi: (i) quand le soufflet à plis
(13; 33; 43) de l'élément de pompe (10; 30; 40) est comprimé, un liquide passe de
l'intérieur de l'élément de pompe à l'intérieur du tube par l'extrémité supérieure
ouverte du tube et de l'intérieur du tube par l'extrémité inférieure ouverte du tube
à l'extérieur de l'applicateur à compte-gouttes, et (ii) quand le soufflet à plis
est liberé de son état comprimé il se détend pour aspirer du liquide venant de l'extérieur
de l'applicateur à compte-gouttes à l'intérieur du tube par son extrémité inférieure
ouverte, caractérisé en ce que la direction des plis se trouve en angle d'environ
45 à 90° par rapport à la surface plane du bouchon du capuchon (11; 31; 41).
2. Applicateur à compte-gouttes selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'élément
de pompe (10; 30) comprend également une tige annulaire (14; 34) qui s'étend entre
le soufflet à plis (13; 33) et le capuchon du récipient (11; 31), l'intérieur de la
tige annulaire étant en communication liquide avec:
(i) l'intérieur du soufflet à plis et (ii) l'intérieur du tube annulaire (12; 32).
3. Applicateur à compte-gouttes selon les revendications 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce
que le capuchon (41) et l'élément de pompe (40) forment une seule pièce.
4. Applicateur à compte-gouttes selon les revendications 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce
que le capuchon (11; 31) et l'élément de pompe (10; 30) sont formés par deux pièces
fabriquées séparément.
5. Applicateur à compte-gouttes selon l'une des revendications de 1 à 4, caractérisé
en ce que le capuchon (11; 31; 41) présente une surface intérieure pourvue d'un pas
de vis, pour permettre de visser le capuchon sur un récipient.
6. Applicateur à compte-gouttes selon l'une des revendications de 1 à 5, caractérisé
en ce que l'angle est d'environ 90°.
7. Applicateur à compte-gouttes selon l'une des revendications de 1 à 5, caractérisé
en ce que l'angle est d'environ 55 à 65°.