US2673661A - Container - Google Patents

Description

March 30, 1954 M. M. BARTON CONTAINER Filed Jan. 15, 1949 lhmentor Gttorncg 25 Patented Mar. 30, 1954 CONTAINER Murray M. Barton, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Injection Molding Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 15, 1949, Serial No. 71,087

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bottle or container particularly for dispensing liquids by the drop, the principal object of the invention being to provide a container of this character having the body portion formed of a resilient plastic material whereby pressure applied on opposite sides creates suihcient pressure to discharge the contents by the drop.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a container or bottle with means for restricting the extent of movement of the sides so as to discharge a single drop or a given number of drops with each application of pressure; to provide a dropper type bottle with a removable top or stopper which facilitates filling thereof; to provide a leak-tight connection between the body of the bottle and stopper incidental to the resiliency of the material from which the body of the bottle is constructed; and to provide the stopper with an integral dispensing nozzle covered by a removable cap also formed of resilient material for keeping the nozzle in sanitary condition and for preventing leakage through the dispensing aperture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle type container constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cap removed and the bottle inverted with a squeezing pressure being applied to the sides thereof for effecting discharge of the contents in drops.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the bottle.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the parts of the bottle shown in disassembled spaced relation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a modified form of the invention, particularly designed for dispensing medicaments into body cavities and showing the bottle equipped with means for limiting flexure of the body portion to effect dispensing a measured number of drops.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a portion of the bottle illustrated in Fig. 5, particularly illustrating anchorage of the fiexure limiting means.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a bottle type container constructed in accordance with the present invention and which includes a body portion 2 and a top or stopper 3 having a dispensing neck or nozzle 4 covered by acap 5.

In carrying out the present invention the body 2 is formed of an elastomeric material, for example, a polyethylene plastic, preferably clear or of suficient transparency to show the contents therethrough. The body portion may be of any desired shape but is shown in the drawing as comprising acylindrical wall 6 and an integral bottom 1 on which the bottle is adapted to be supported in upright position. The opposite end is open to receive the stopper 3. In order to retain and anchor the stopper, the body member has an internal annular rib 8 that projects inwardly from the inner surface 9 of thewall 5 and which is spaced downwardly from the rim it of the wall.

The top or stopper 3 is formed of a rigid material, for example, a polystyrene plastic, preferably of transparent character, although it may be colored, if desired. The stopper includes a conical top portion ll substantially conforming at its base with the outer diameter of the body portion and depending therefrom is an annular skirt l2 of slightly larger outer diameter than the inner diameter of thewall 6 so that when the stopper is inserted within the open end of the bottle the wall 8 stretches slightly thereover to assure firm engagement of the rib 8 within an annular groove l3 of the skirt. forms an annular shoulder portion [4 to seat on; the rim I0 as shown in Fig. 3 when the rib engages in the groove. The stopper carries a. dispensing neck i5 that includes a substantiallycylindrical portion [6 joining with the conicali portion and terminating in a rounded end I11 having a dispensing aperture l8 therein through; which a liquid is dispensed from the bottle.

To facilitate insertion of the stopper and effect; movement thereof past the rib 8, the lower edge: of the skirt is preferably rounded as indicated! at l9.

Thecap 5 is also formed of an elastomeric material to provide elasticity for gripping the dispensing neck andincludes a cylindrical wall.portion 20 of slightly smaller diameter than the, cylindrical portion of the dispensing means to assure retention thereof when the cap is placed on the stopper. The base portion of the cap is preferably provided with an internal annular bevel 2| conforming with the conical portion of the stopper so that it seats closely thereagainst. Theupper portion 22 of the cap is of dome shape to closely cover the dispensing aperture and the periphery of the cylindrical portion may be provided withsuitable ribs 23 or the like for facilitating removal of the cap.

The form of invention shown in Fig. 5 includes The skirt.

body andstopper members 24 and 25 corresponding with the same parts of the bottle first described, however, the dispensing nozzle is of elongated shape whereby the bottle is adapted for dispensing nose drops or similar medicaments for injection by drops into body cavities. Thecap 26 also conforms to the shape of the nozzle and has a cylindrical inner base portion 21 adapted to engage acylindrical collar portion 28 at the base of the nozzle. In order that the bottle may be utilized for dispensing a single drop or a given number of drops, the interior of thebody member 24 is provided with a sleeve-like member 29 that is formed of rigid material and has a somewhat smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the body portion to provide a limited space 30 therebetween for accommodating a limited inward flexure of the walls to eiiect discharge of a given amount of liquid upon each pressure application. The base portion of thesleeve 29 is anchored within the body member by a circumferential flange 3| engaging under anannular rib 32 that is spaced sli htly above the bottom of the bottle and which extends inwardly from the wall thereof as best illustrated in Fig. 6. If the space 30 is relatively narrow, the bottle will dispense only a single drop upon each pressure application but by providing a wider space two or more drops are dispensed. It is thus obvious that the bottle may be designed to dispense a given number of drops by providing inserts of size to give the required wall movement.

The bottle may be filled prior to insertion of the top or stopper, after which the skirt portion of the stopper is passed within the open end of the body member to cause the rib 8 to spring into the groove l3 and effect a liquid-tight seal at the time theshoulder 14 seats against the rim of thewall 6. Thecap 5 is applied over the neck of the stopper so as to effect closure of the dispensing aperture I8.

In using the bottle to dispense the contents by drops, thecap 5 is removed and the bottle is inverted with the body portion being held between the thumb and finger as shown in Fig. 2, soas to apply pressure'on opposite sides of thewall 6, which pressure acts on the liquid to effect discharge thereof in drops through the aperture l8.

In.the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the walls are flexed inwardly until stopped by the rigid insert, which movement is sufficient to effect dispensing of one or a given number of drops with each application of pressure depending upon the space 30.

From the foregoing it is ObVlOllS that I have provided a bottle of simple and inexpensive construction and which may be used for dispensing medicaments and the like by drops directly from the bottle without the use of the conventional dropper. It is also obvious that the parts of the bottle may be constructed of various colored 4 plastics to provide an attractive container in which medicaments or the like may be packaged. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

5 1. A container including a body member adapted to contain a liquid to be dispensed and having a resilient wall portion defining an open top and capable of being flexed inwardly to eject said liquid, a rigid stopper closing said open top and having a portion engaging within said open top and gripped by said wall portion to retain said stopper, and a rigid insert in said body for limiting inward fiexure of said wall portion, said insert comprising a sleeve spaced from the resilient wall portion and having a flange interengaging an inwardly extending rib on said body member.

2. A container including, a body member formed of resilient material and having a cylindrical wall terminating at one end in a closed bottom and at the other end in an annular rim encircling an opening substantially conforming to the inner diameter of said cylindrical wall, said cylindrical wall having an annular rib projecting inwardly within the container and spaced from said annular rim to provide a cylindrical face portion between said rim and said rib, a stopper having a cylindrical skirt provided with a cylindrical face portion conforming to the cylindrical face portion of the container and in contact therewith to form a liquid-tight joint and having an annular groove conforming with and receiving the annular rib therein for retaining said contact of the cylindrical face portions and to stiffen the portion of the wall in contact with said skirt whereby the flexibility of said wall is substantially confined between said skirt portion and the closed bottom, said stopper having an annular stop shoulder seating against the rim of said wall when the rib is engaged in said groove, and a rigid insert located within the body member and spaced inwardly from said wall for limiting inward flexing movement of said flexible portion of the wall.

lVIURRAY M. BARTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 630,277 Weitling Aug. 1, 1899 694,530 Comer Mar. 4, 1902 811,801 Smith Feb. 6, 1906 1,748,682 Smith Feb. 25, 1930 1,760,841 Carhart May 27, 1930 1,956,146 Burton Apr. 24, 1934 2,207,294 Hubner et al. July 9, 1940 2,500,639 Lermer Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,099 Great Britain June 20, 1893 719,104 France Nov. 13, 1931

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