US2090354A - Combined medicine dropper and swab - Google Patents

Description

79 A. E. MASSMAN EDICINE DROPPER AND SWB COMBINED Filed May 14, 1956 Patented Aug. 17, 1937 Abraham E.l Massman, Lufkin, Tex.

Application May 14, 1936, Serial No.y '19,819 s claims. (ci. 12s-269) This invention relates to medicine applicators and more particularly to a device especially designed for use in the treatment of nasal ailments such as head colds, hay fever, sinusitus and for nasal hygiene in general,-

The object of the invention is to provide an I applicator of simple and inexpensive construction which may be used with equally good results either as an ordinary medicine dropper or as a nasal swab for washing and cleaning the nasal passages and for applying medicament in liquid form directly to the mucous membrane of the affected parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a medicine applicator which may be charged with a predetermined quantity of liquid medicament for delivery to the swab when required, thereby keeping the swab saturated with medicine and permitting continued use thereof with. out the necessity of constantly dipping or immersing the swab within a medicine container.

A further object is to provide a medicine applicator including a, tube having a compressible bulb at one end thereof and a perforated substantially spherical tip at the other adapted to receive a quantity of cotton or other absorbent material; means being provided for .detachably securing the cotton in position on the tip to permit ready removal of said cotton when it Ais desired to convert the swab into a medicine dropper. ,Y

A further object is to provide novel means for clamping the cotton or absorbent material on the perforated tipof the tube, said means comprising' a collar slidably mounted on thetube and movable into engagement with the absorbent material for forcing said absorbent material around a constricted neck of the tube.

A still further object of the invention is generally' to improve this class oi devices so as to increase .their utility, durability and efilciency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part oi this invention and in which similar numerals of Areference indicate correspondingparts in lall the ilgures of the drawing,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a meditl of standard construction, in which 5 designates the body of the bottle and 6 the neck, the exterior walls of which are threaded, at 1, for engagement with a detachable cap, indicated at 8. The cap 8 is provided with a compressible bulb 9, and fitted in a groove I0 in the inner wall of the bulb 8 is the anged end II of a depending tube I2.

The tube I2 is preferably lformed of glass and of ysufficient length to extend to a point near the bottom of the bottle so that the lower end thereof will be immersed in the liquid medicament at practically all times. The lower end of the tube I2 is pressed, fmlolded or otherwise formed-with a substantially spherical tip I3 provided with a. central perforation M- through which thel medicament or other liquidfwithinthe container 5 may be .discharged within the nasal passages when the device is to be used as a medicine.

dropper. The exterior walls of the globular tip I3 Iare smooth and unobstructed so that the tip will not lacerate or irritate the delicate lining oi the nasal passages when the applicator is inserted therein for the purpose of applying medicament to' the effected parts. The side walls of the tube I2 at a point immediately above the tip -I3 are pressed inwardly to form a constricted neck I5 adapted to receive a strip of cotton gauze cine bottle vequipped. with an applicator consi ;ructed. in accordance with the present inven- Figure 3 is a similar view showing, the position of the parts when the device is used as a swab. The improved medicine applicator forming the subject-matter oi thepresent invention is especially designed for use in connection with botl andcleaning the nasal passages or for applying tles and other medicine containers and by way or illustration is shown applied to a medicine botor other absorbent material I 6 when the device is to be used as a swab.

Slidably mounted on the tube I2 is a clamping collar II preferably formed o! silver or other material not affected by the medicine within the bottle 5. The lower end of the collar Il is ilared ,laterally to form a bell-shaped mouth I8 and the' sidewalls of said collar are provided with tapered ribs I9 which coact 'with a clampingring 20 for the purpose of holding the collar in a set position on the tube. I

The cotton or gauze strip I i extends over the perforation I l in the tip and entirely surrounds said tip with the Vend portion of the strip seated within the neck I5 so that when the collar I1 is moved longitudinally of the tube, the bell-shaped mouth thereof will t over` the'absorbent material and press the latter within the neck' I5 and in which vposition it will be securely clamped by sliding the ring 20 -over the ribs 4I9 of the collar.

When the device is to be usedas a medicine dropperI` inward pressure is exerted .on the bulb 9 which sucks some of the liquid within'the end 0 1 the tube, mer which the cap s with the tube 'in position 'thereon is removed from the bottle I. The head is" then thrown back and thejtip introduced within the nasal e and the nq-A .uid deposited therein by pressing thebulb '9 as will be readily understood.

When the device is used as a swab for washing y medicament in liquid form directly to the mucous membrane of the affected parts, the bulb 9 is compressed so as to fill or partially fill the tube I2 with medicament. The tube is then removed from the bottle 5 and the tip of the tube covered with the absorbent material IG, the collar I1 being then adjusted longitudinally of the tube I2 so as to clamp the absorbent material within the neck I5 and inrwhich position it is retained by the ring 2n, asv/previously stated. 'I'he applicat'or with the absorbent cotton in position thereon is then inserted within each nasal passage and rotated, or partially rotated, so as to thoroughly clean said passages andapply the medicament to the mucous membrane thereof. By compressing'the bulb 9, the charge of medicine within the tube I2 may be deposited on the absorbent material at will so that the absorbent material or swab will be kept continuously saturated without the necessity of dipping the swab Within the liquid in the bottle from time to time to accomplish this purpose. If desired, however, instead of lling the tube I2 with medicament before applying the absorbent material, said tube may be removed from the bottle 5 and the absorbent material then applied to the tip, in which event the liquid will be drawn within the tube through the absorbent material. .After the swab I6 has seryed its purpose, the clamping ring 20 is slid off the collar I1 and the latter moved longitudinally of the tube I2 until the flared end I8 of the collar clears the absorbent material when said absorbent material may be readily detached from the tip and thrown away. Inasmuch as the ring 20'serves to clamp the collar on the tube, it follows that said collar may be held at any desired position of longitudinal adjustment on the tube so as not to interfere with the device when used as medicine dropper.

Attention is here called to the fact that the diameter of the tip I3 is slightly greater than the diameter of the body of the tube I2 so that the tip I3 acts as stop and prevents the collar and its associated parts from being accidentally detached from the tube.

It will thus be seen that the applicator serves the dual function of a medicine dropper and as a. swab for washing and cleaning out the nasal passages vand in addition thereto provides a means for applying medicament in the desired.

quantities on the surface of the affected parts. It will, of course, be understood that the devices may be made in different sizes andshapes `and constructed from any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

for clampingthe latter in position on the tip.

2. A medicine applicator comprising a tube having one end thereof provided with a substantially globular tip having a discharge perforation therein, a compressible bulb at the other end of the tube, exterior' walls of the tip and the perforation therein being adapted to be covered by absorbent materiaLvand means mounted on the tube and engaging the absorbent material for holding the latter in position on the tip.

3. A medicine applicator comprising a tube ,having a substantially globular tip provided with a discharge perforation the tip and adjacent portions of the tube being adapted to be enclosed with absorbent material covering the tip and the perforation therein, and a clamping device slidably mounted on the tube for engaging the absorbent material, /said clamping'member being movable to inoperative position to release the absorbent material and expose the discharge perforation to permit the tube to be used as a medicine dropper.

4. A medicine applicator comprising a tube adapted to receive a predetermined charge of medicine, an enlarged substantially spherical shaped tip disposed at one end ofthe tube and provided with a discharge perforation, exterior walls of the tip and the perforation therein being adapted to be covered by absorbent material, means slidably mounted on the tube for engaging the absorbent material and holding the absorbent material on the tip, and a compressible bulb at the other end of the tube for feeding the-charge of medicine through said perforation to the absorbent material.

5. A medicine applicator including a tube hav" ing one end thereof provided with a constricted neck terminating in a substantially spherical perforated tip, whereby absorbent material covering the tip and said neck may have a portion engaged in the neck, a collar slidably mounted on the tube for engaging the absorbent material and forcing l the latter within the constricted neck, and means for holding the collar in a, set position on the tube, Athe diameter of the tip being greater than the tube to prevent displacement of the collar.

6. A combined swab and medicine dropper including a tube adapted to receive a charge .of medicine, a perforated tip at one end of the tube adapted to be covered by absorbent material extending over the perforation therein, a collar slidably mounted on the tube and adapted to engage the absorbent material for clamping the material in position on the tube, and means at the otherv end of the tube for feeding the medicine through said perforation to the absorbent material.

7. A medicine applicator comprising a tube, a compressible bulb at one end of the tube, a perforated tip at the other end of said tube, a. collar slidably mounted on the`tubc`y and movable into position to engage about absorbent material and hold the absorbent material about the perforated tip of the tube, inclined ribs formed on the collar. and a clamping ring adapted to engage theK ribs for holding the collar in a set position on the tube.

8. A medicine applicator comprising a tube, a compressible bulb at oneend of the tube, a substantially spherical perforated tip at.the other end of said tube and defining a constricted neck adapted to receive a portion of absorbent material entirely covering the tip and the perforation therein, a collar slidablymounted on the tube having its lower end flared laterally to form a bell-shaped mouth and its sidewalls provided with inclined longitudinal ribs, said collar being movable into position to engage about the absorbent material for clamping the latter within the neck, and a ring fitted 4over the) collar and adapted to engage the ribs for holding said collar in a set position.

ABRAHAM E. MASSMAN.

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