US2898911A - Ophthalmic dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1959 s. TAYLOR OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER Filed March 31, 1958 INVENTOR seymourl'a ylor BY ATTORNEY OPHTHALNIIC DISPENSER Seymour Taylor, Mount Vernon, N.Y., assignor to Chas.

Pfizer 8: 60., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1958, Serial No. 725,330

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-249) This invention relates to a device for dispensing drops of a medicament into the eye and more particularly relates to such a device in which the medicament is stored within a dispensing container.

Devices have been proposed which combine the function of an eye dropper and an eye cup for conveniently dispensing drops of medicament to the eye without danger of poking the end of the eye dropper into the eye. Examples of such devices are described in US. Letters Patent 1,750,530 and 2,516,818. However, when the devices shown in these patents are used, it is almost imperative that the drops are dispensed directly upon the pupil of the eye which blinds the user at least momentarily.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for dispensing drops of medicament into the eye without blinding the user even momentarily.

In accordance with this invention, an eye cup is mounted upon a dispensing container including a nozzle which extends a short distance within the eye cup. This permits the nozzle to assume a position a short distance away from the eye ball when the cup is placed into contact with the face of the user about the periphery of his eye ball. The outer lip of the eye cup is eccentrically disposed relative to the nozzle to cause the drops to be dispensed into a corner of the eye. This directs the falling drops away from the pupil of the eye which prevents even momentary blinding of the user.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the embod'gent of this invention as inverted in use and partially broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of a cap for use with the embodiments shown in Figs. 1-3.

In Fig. 1 is shown an ophthalmic dispenser in- 2,898,431 1 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 eluding an outlet nozzle 12. Container 10 is constructed and arranged for ejecting drops of medicament through nozzle 12 and incorporates, for example, a plastic squeeze bottle 14 made, for example, of polyethylene.

Suitable screw threads or other fastening devices 16 are disposed about the end of squeeze bottle 14 to permit a cap 15 (Fig. 4) to be secured over the nozzle 12 to seal it.

An eye cup 18 having a base 20 and an outer lip 22, which is shaped to conform to the portion of a users face about the periphery of his eye ball, is attached to squeeze bottle 14 adjacent nozzle 12. Base 20 of eye cup 18 is connected to the outer surface 24 of bottle 14, for example by a force fit with the nozzle 12 extending a short distance into eye cup 18. This permits the nozzle to assume a position a short distance away from the eye ball when the cup is put into use as shown in Fig. 1 with the periphery of outer lip 22-. placed in contact with the face of the user about the periphery of his eye ball.

Eye cup 18 is, for example, made of a relatively hard plastic, for example, a hardened polyethylene or polystyrene, and base 20 is, for example, made sufliciently elastic to snap around the outer periphery 24 of bottle 14 adjacent nozzle 12.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, outer lip 22 of eye cup 18 is eccentrically disposed relative to nozzle 12 to cause drops 26 to be dispensed into a corner of the eye ball which avoids discomfort and blinding even momentarily.

What is claimed is:

An ophthalmic dispenser comprising a medicament container having an outlet nozzle, said container being constructed and arranged for ejecting drops of the medicament through said nozzle, an eye cup having a base and an outer lip which is shaped to conform to the portion of the users face about the periphery of his eye ball, said base of said eye cup being connected to said container with said nozzle extending a short distance into said eye cup to permit said nozzle to assume a position a short distance away from the eye ball when said cup is placed in contact with the portion of the users face about the periphery of his eye ball, said outer lip of said eye cup being eccentrically disposed relative to said nozzle to cause said drops to be dispensed into a corner of the eye ball thereby preventing even momentary blinding of the user, said container being a plastic squeeze bottle, said base of said eye cup being made of an elastic material, and said base being snap fitted over a portion of said bottle adjacent said nozzle.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,244,498 Heath Oct. 30, 1917 2,482,431 Okawa Sept. 20, 1949 2,589,178 Wintle Mar. 11, 1952 2,626,606 Campbell Jan. 27, 1953

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