US3245587A

US3245587A - Container-dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3245587A
Application number: US361524A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank E Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-04-21
Filing date: 1964-04-21
Publication date: 1966-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1983-04-12

Description

April 12, 1966 F. E. BROWN GONTAINER-DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1964 INVENTOR.

FeA/v/f E. BROWN 5)/ //S ,47-70.24/55/5 HAEE/s; Mac/f, Russsu. KEN

` uct to the eyes.

United States Patent O Filed Apr. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 361,524 9 Claims. (Ci. 222-182) This invention relates to a container-dispenser device of a type particularly suitable for the dropaby-drop' or stream dispensing of a single dose or metered quantity of a medicant, alt'hough it may be used in the dispensing of other liquids or creams in single or m-ultiple increments. The liquid dispensing device of the invention is especially suitable for use as a dropper for the application of medication to a patient's eyes while insurin-g its sterility. The container-dtispenser device of vthe invention may be employed for the dispensing of a product to be taken orally and for other uses.

It is common practice for a physician to apply in his oflice the first dosage of a prescribed medicament to demonstrate i-ts application or use for the ibenefit of a patient. It is likewise common for the patient to be required to apply or use similar dosages over a period of time. If the first oflice dosage or su'bsequent dosages by the patient are taken from a bot'tle or other common container the practice may not be fully sanitary and may lead to the transmission of infection from one person to another. Thus m-any medicants including pharmaceut-ical compositions, dentifrices, etc. are sold in multidosage containers or tubes having a dispensing exit that may be open to the atmosphere or that m-ay contact various people or objects between uses with `the result that germs, bacteria, land the like may collect and be transferred to the user or from one user to another. This is especially dangerous in conjunction with the treatment of the eye, ear, mouth, or other body ori'fices. IF or example, i't is common practice to dispense or apply liquid ophth-almic products from a 'bottle lby use of a dropper attached to the underside of the bottleis closure. Such a practice invites contamina-tion with repeated applications of the ophthalmic prod- The improved liquid dispensing device of the invention permits the dispensing of a product in single individual portions and in a far more san'it'ary fashion while eliminating the likelihood of spread of infection.

The present invention has'for one of its principal ob-v jects the provision of an inexpensive and effective container by which pharm-aceuticals and the like may be dispensed under sterile conditions;

Another object of the invention is to provide a container-dispenser for ophth'almic products which dispenser may be used as a dropper for the application of the ophthalm'ic product into the eye.

Still a further object of the inventionV is to provide a container-dispenser device particularly suitable for the dispensing of a single metered dosage and which device rn'ay 'be discarded thereafter. V

It should be underst-ood 'however that the invention is n-ot limited to the storage and dispensing of such products. 'It provides in general a single-use container o-f the throw-away type for dispensing any liquid or cream material in a single dose or in multiple doses. The material may be a pharmaceutical or dermatological preparation or may be an adhesive, Shampoo, dentifrice, disinfectant, deodora-nt, sun-tan lotion or like product.

In its preferred embodiment the invention provides a container-dispenser including a squeezable plastic tube equipped With a movable closure which can be moved from closed to open position While the container-dispenser is in a sterile environment. It is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and effective structure by which this may be accomplished.

In the preferred practice of the invention the squeezable plastic tube provides an elongated valve means disposed in a passageway of the neck of the tube with a portion of the valve means extending therefrom to permit its movemen-t from closed to open position while the unit is Within a sealed fiexible container. The fiexible container can then be opened and its container-d'ispenser removed and handled without contamination of its dispensing portion. It is an object of the invention to provide a container-dispenser of this type and to seal it within a flexible container in which it can be manipulated before 'being removed therefrom. A further object of the invention is to provide a container-dispenser device which can be packaged in a sealed sterile bag and opened within the closed bag.

The foregoing objects and advan'tages of the invention, together with various other objects and advan-tages, will `become evident to those skilled in lthe art in li'ght of the following disclosure and drawings. The drawings illustrate and the disclosure describes the presently preferred embodi-ment of the device of the invention.

In the drawings:

'FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention taking the form of a kit for medication dispensing and including a squeezable container-dispenser packaged |in a closed, severa'ble plastic bag;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, partially sectional, elevational view of the first step in the opening of the containerdispenser of the invention without removal of the device from the closed plastic bag in which it is packaged;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, partially section'al, elevational view illus'trating the second step in the opening of the con- 'tainer-dispenser device of the invention Wherein a valve rnem-ber of the dispenser has been depressed inwardly of the structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, long-itudinal sectional view of the c-ontainer-dispenser of the invention with the v'alve member in its extended, closed position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view illustrating the valve member depressed into its open position;

fFIG. 6 is an enlarged, partially sectional, elevational view of the elongated v'alve member 'used in the conta-iner-dispenser device of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view illustrating the squeezable tube of the invention with the elongated valve member removed therefrom;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, partially sectional, elevational view of a plug means that can be used for subsequent'ly closing a passageway of the elongated valve member of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the plug means of FIG. 8 positioned within the passageway of the elongated valve member with the latter member being in its open second position;

FIG. 10 is .an enlarged, partially sectional, elevational view of .another embodiment of the container-dispeuser of the invention with the valve member in its extended closed position and a lremovable cap thereon;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, partially sectional, elevational view of the ldevice of FIG. 10 illustrating the valve member depressed into its open position With the removable cap thereon;

FIG. 12 is another enlarged, partially sectional, elevational view .of the embodiment of FIGS. -10 and 11 with the cap removed from the device and With the valve.

seanse? 3 the invention illustrating the dispensng of liquid therefrom.

The preferred container-dispenser is indicated by the numeral and includes generally a .hollow body element 11 and an elongated valve member 12 each molded of a pliable plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropy-lene.

The body element 1'1 is illustrated as including a squeezable tube 14 adapted |to receive a body 15 of the fluid material to be dispensed and to be then sealed at one end 16 as by bringing together and sealing the sides of the |tube 14 in any known manner. At the other end of the tube 14 and preferably molded integral therewith 'is 'a neck member 18 which while made of the same plastic material is much thicker than the tube 14 and thus relatively rigid. Molded in the neck member 18 is an aXially-extending circular valve passage 19 .having an outer portion 'terminating at an end face' 20 of the neck member 18 and an inner portion opening on the interior of the tube 14.

The elongated valve member 12 is slidable in the valve passage 19 from a first outer orclosed position shown in FIG. 4 to a second inner or open position shown in FIG. 5. vOne of the

members

12 and 18 provides a suitable dispensing opening 21, here exemplified as at the outer end of the valve member 12..

The invention provides a valve means connecting the interior of the tube -to .the dispensing opening 21 when the valve member 12 has been shifted to its inner or open position of FIG. 5, but blocking this connection When the valve member 12 is in its initial outer or closed position shown in 1FIG. 4. This valve means is of the slide-valve type and includes an outer end opening on the dispensing opening 21 and' an inner end communicating with the interior of the. tube 14 when and only when the valve member is shifted to its inner or open position.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the preferred passage means and valve porting.. A-s there shown, the valve member 12 isA of an aXial length greater than the valve passage 19 and provides an actuating member or portion 22 .normally protruding from the neck. member and a valve portion 23:v slidable within the valve passage 19. A passageway 24 is molded in the valve member and is shown as including an axial passage 25 .and a lateral passage provided by one or more lateral ports 26 extending between the axial passage 25 and the periphery of the valve member. The axial passage extends to. and forms at its outerend the dispensing openingV 21.'V Its inner end terminates short of the inner end of the valve member 12 but may eXtend slightly beyond the ports 26 as shown. Eachof these ports opens on the periphery of the valve portion 23 of the valve member at a position to be closed by the cylindrical wall of the valve passage 19 to block the passageway 24 when the v-alve member 12 is lin its outer or closed position. This is -true irrespective of the angular position of the valve member in the valve passage. The preferred position of the ports 26 is such that they open directly on the intem'or of the tube 14 immediately below the inner end face of the neck member 18 when the valve member is in its inner or open position .as suggested in `FIG. 5. Any increase in pressure in the tube 14 as a result of the inward move-ment of the valve member 12 is compensated by the resiliency of the tube or the compressib-ility of any air or gas therewith. Such increased pres- 'sure is vented through the passage 24 as the ports '26 enter the 'tube interior. Indeed by proper filing .and manipulation such venting can be made to fill some or all of the passageway 24 with the 'fluid so that less time and less squeezing pressure applied to the tube are required to start 'the actual dispensing from the opening 21.

Stop means is preferably provided to limit the inward movement of the valve member 12 and determine its inner or open position. At the same time such a means can be designed to provide a means for -impeding manual 4. movement of the valve member from its inner open position to its outer closed position. This action is particularly desirable when marketing .a throw-away unit in which the entire a'iuid content is to be dispensed as a single dose or when it is desired to avoid the contamination of -the dispensing orifice that might result from manual manipulation of the valve member after the first dosage has been eXpelled from the tube.

Serving such functions, the invention provides a head member 28 forming a part of and molded in-tcgrally with the actuator por-tion 22 of the valve member 12. This head member serves to limit theinward movement of the valve member while deterring any subsequent grasping thereof to move it to its ou-ter position. As shown, the head member 28 provides 'an outer tapered or frusto-conical face 29 around the` dispensing opening 21. A stop face 30 meets the face 29 in a relatively sharp edge 31. The stop face 30 engages the end face 20 of -the neck member 18 to limit 'the inward movement of the latter. It will be seen from FIG. 5 that the Shape of the head member 28 is such that when -thevalve member is in its innermost position the head member cannot be readily grasped to move it again to its outermost position because the outermost diameterv of the face 29 at the, edge 31 does not exceed 'the diameter of the end face 20 -and is Vpreferably equal thereto `so that the edge 31 does not protrude outwardly and the edge 31 lies so close to the end face 20 as to prevent grasping of the head member 28.

It is desirable that the elongated valve member 12 slide smoothly in the valve passage 19 of the neck member 18 while eifectively sealing the contents from the atmosphere or vice versa. If the entire cylindrical wall surface of the valve passage 19 engages .the peripheral cylindrical wall surface of the valve member 12 to perform the sealing function, it ibecomes rather difiic'ult to start the inward movement of the valve member and the latter does not move smoothly. While this arr'angement can be used, I prefer to limit `the actual sealing engagement to an area representing only a 'small portion of thelength of the valve passage. 19.` In the preferred: embodiment the external diameter of the valve member 12 isonly slightly smaller than the diameter of the .valve passage 19 to slide smoothly' therein without regard to seal formation. A separate annular sealing, means is provided to effect a localized seal of the slidably en'gaging surfaces of the neck member |18 and .the valve member 12. This localized seal is preferably efe'cted in a limited-area annular zone between the ends of the valve passage 19 with the sealing means designed t-o hold the valve member frictionally in either of its end positions.

This sealing-holding function is preferably effected by molding a slightly elevated head, protrusion or ring 38 on one of the engaging surfaces at a position to engage the other of `such surfaces in .sealing and holding relation. Preferably the head or ring 38 is molded as a part of the neck member 18v to extend inward of` the valve passage 19 at a position near its entrance to the tube 14. This head need be only a few thousandths of an inch in height and resiliently engages the periphery of the valve member 12 .to produce a line-type seal therebetween. A bead of a height lof about .005 inch will give good results and a desirable degree of resilient engagement with the outer surface of the valve member '12. The head or ring 38 is preferablyV disposedinsuch position .that the outer portions of the ports 26 sweep over it as the valve member 12 is moved between its closed and -open positions. If desired, an annular channel 39 can be molded in the wall of the valve member 12 (see FIG. 6) `at a position to register with the headv or ring 38 when the valve member 12 is in its outer closed position, ending more definitely to hold the latter in such position during marketing and shipping. Likewise, a similar annular channel, shown in FIG. 5 can be provided at a position to register with the bead or ring 38 when the valve member isin its inner open position to lock the valve member more positively against reclosing of the unit. -Neither of such annular Channels is essential and both are omitted in the preferred embodiment.

The degree of retenton imposed |by the bead or ring 38 and the wall of the valve passage 19 should be such that increased pressure within the tube 14, resulting from a normal squeezing thereof, will not move the valve member 12 from the valve passage '19 or from its open position of FIG. 5 toward its closed position of FIG. 4. To prevent the latter the'ports 26 and the axial passage 25 are preferably made large enough to provide free egress of the contents of the tube. Likewise the retention by the bead or ring 38 deters any attempt to reclose the container-dispenser by pulling outward on the outer end of the valve member 12.

The container-dispenser thus far described is preferably filled and marketed in an internally-sterile protective container. It is a feature of the invention to employ a protective container of a type in which the valve member `12 can be moved from its closed position of FIG. 4 to its open position of FIG. 5 while the container-dispenser is Within the sterile interior of the container. The preferred contailner is an edge-sealed flexible bag 40 (FIGS. 1-3) formed of a thin-film plastic material such as polyethylene. If the container-dispenser -10 and the interior of the bag 40 'are sterile, the contents of the tube 14 can be made accessible and dispensed in sterile condition by the following operation.

The eontainer-dispenser 10 is first opened while within the sterile interior of the, bag 40 by holding the elements in the position of FIG. 2. 'Finger lpressure is applied externally of the bag 40 against the head member 28 to move the valve member -12 inward to its open position, see FIG. 3. Opening pressure is thus applied through the sterile bag with a portion of the interior surface thereof providing the sole engagement with the head member 28 of the aetuating member 22 so that the opening of the valve is ef- 'fected under sterile conditions. If the tube -14 is squeezed slightly during the last portion of this opening operation no harm will result because the sterile interior .surface of the bag material will be in closing relation with the dispensing opening 21 at the Vouter end of the axial passage 25. The finger grip on the container-dispenser 10 is then released .and an edge portion of the bag 40 is severed and 'opened as by tearing or cutting. The container-dispenser can then be shook from the bag -onto a sterile surface or the user` may draw the container-dispenser from the bag by grasping the tube 14 while avoiding contact with the valve member 12, Squeezing of the withdrawn tube 14 will then expel its contents through the dispensing opening 21 in sterile condition either drop-by-drop or more clearly as a stream.

In those instances in which the container-dispenser 10 is intended for repeated use it is desirable to supply with or inside the bag 40 an auxiliary means for closing the dispensing opening 21 between uses. The closure may take the form of a' plug 44, sh-own in'FlGS. 8 and 9 as includin'g a plug portion 45 and a head portion 46 integrally molded from any suitable plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The head portion 46 is substantally larger in diameter than the outer end of the neck member 18 to protect the latter from finger or other contaminating contact when the plug member is in or approaching the axial passage 25 as shown in FIG. 9. Additionally, the underface of the head portion 46 is molded to provide an annular Vgroove 48 having walls conforming in shape to the Vdispensing opening 21 and to the shape vof the frusto-conical face 29 of the valve member to seat thereagainst when in the position shown in FIG. 9. It is desirable that the'plug portion 45 should be significantly smaller in diameter than the axial passage 25 throughout most |of its length but of larger diameter in its remainin'g length to seal the dispensing opening 2'1 and displace or deform the outer end of the valve member -12 outwardly against the wall of the axial passage. This locks or retains the valve member 12 more defini'tely in its inner or open position. To 'accomplish this result the section of the plug portion 45 near the head portion 46 is molded to provide an enlargement 50 lof a size to snugly engage and seal the dispensing opening 21 and expand the outer end of the valve member 12 within the axial passage 25.

The plug 45 if present in the bag 40 can also be used to aid in the initial movement of the valve member 12 from its closed to its open position. For example, while within the bag the head portion 46 of the plug can be grasped and positioned to move the plug portion 45 into the axial passage 25 of the valve member when still in its closed position of PIG. 4. The head portion 46 then provides a portion of `greater area than the face 29 yto apply pressure to move the'valve member inwardly into its vending position. After the bag 40 is opened, the plug can be withdrawn by grasping its head portion 46 and exercising care not to contaminate the head member 28 during the withdrawal of the plug. The forces applied to the valve member 12 holding it in open position should be larger than the force required to withdraw the plug therefrom so that the valve member remains in its open or vending position upon withdrawal of the plug.

It will be understood that the showings in FIGS. 2-9 are greatly increased in size for purpose of illustration. If drop-by-drop dispensing is desired, the axial pas- Sage 25 or the dispensing opening 21 will be of small diameter, for example in the neighborhood of a'bout .04 inch. The valve passage 19 in this instance may have a diameter of about .109 inch. The size of the tube 14 will depend on the volume of fluid to be dispensed but for -single-dose ophthal'mic products the body element 11 may be of the order of .28 inch wide and 1.3 inch long. Such dimensions are purely exemplary as the invention can readily be prod'uced in larger sizes.

The two embodiments of FIGS. 10-12 and of FIG. 13, respectively, differ principally from the foregoing described container-dispensers in that they are provided with cap members enclosing the slide valve, which cap members serve both to vclose the container and as depressible means to open the device. Referring to FIGS. 10-12 inclusive, there is illustrated a squeezable tube 65 comprising a body 66 closed at one end 67 and provided at the other end with a neck member 68. T'he tube 65, including the body 66 and neck member 68, is made preferably of the same plastic material with the wall of the neck member being 'somewhat thicker than the tube and thus relatively rigid. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10-12 the tube- 65 comprises a two-section reservoir made up of a larger' first reservoir section 70 and a second reservoir section 72 of somewhat smaller cross section with an external shoulder 74 t-herebetween. The neck member 68 has an axiallyexten-ding circular valve passage 76 which ha-s an outer portion terminating at an end face 77. The Valve passage 76 connects the interior of the tube 65 to the exterior and opens into the smaller reservoir section 72 of the tube 65. V

An elongated valve member 80 i's slidably disposed in the valve passage 76 and assumes a first outer or closed position as illustrated in FIG. 10 and is "movable to a second inner |or open position shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The valve member 80 is generally like t'hat described in the earlier embodiment and is provided with a groove or annular channel 82 which cooperate-s with a raised ring 84 formed on the interior wall of the Valve passage '76. The valve member 83 is somewhat pointed 'at its lower end to facilitate the assembly of the device. I

The container-dispenser of FIGS. 10-12 is provided with a closure or cap member 88 which encloses the seanse? neck 'member 68 and makes a snug and sliding fit with the external wall of the smaller second reservoir section 72 of the squeezable body 65. T'he cap 88ital es the form of a deep cup closed at one end and -open at the other end. The cap 88 on its interior surface |of its closed end is provided with a counterbored area 89 sized to engage a flared outer end 90 of the valve member 8%. Vhen the cap S8 is depressedtto move the valve member 80 into its open position, the cap slides downwardly over the exterior Wall of the second reservoir section 72, 'stopping short of the shoulder 74. Following depression of the slidable valve member 80 into its open position, the cap 88 is removed to permit dispensing of liquid from -t'he squeezable tube 65 through the slidable valve member S0. Following use, the cap 88 may be returned i to the tube 65 to close the tube until further use.

The container-dispen'ser devioe of FIG. 13 is generally like that of FIGS. -12 'having a tube 1M and a generally similar slidable valve member 92 with a rounded inner end 94 disposed in a passageway 96 o-f a neck member 98. It will be noticed that the device of FIG. 13 is not provided with a comparable shoulder 74 as employed in the container-dispenser of FIGS. 10-12. In the embodiment of FIG. 13, a cap 88 will snugly engage the portion of the tube 100 immediately .adjoining the neck member 98. The slidable valve member 92 is shown in FIG. 3 in its open position.

Various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A throw-away single-dose container-dispenser for dispensing a single metered dosage of ;a iluid material contained therein, said container-dispenser including in combination:

a squeezable one-piece container including a thin-walled squeezable tubular body member with its sides brought together exclusively` at one end of the body member and sealed together, said container including also a thick-walled neck member integral with the other end of said body member,

said neck member having an aXially-extending valve passage having Ian outer portion terminating at an outer end face -of said neck member and an inner portion opening on the interior of said body memberv and terminating fat aninner end face of said neck member; and

'an elongated valve member of an axial length greater than said valve passage, said valve member having a cylindrical smaller-diameter valve portion externally sized to slide with frictional restraint in sealing relation within said valve passage, said valve member having a larger-diameter actuating portion integral with the valve portion for moving said valve member from an initial outer valve-closed position to an inner dispensing valve-open position, said actuating portion being shaped to impede reverse manual actuation of said valve member toward said valve-closed position,

said actuating portion being a head member of a diameter larger than said valve portion 'and only slightly smaller than the diameter of said neck member adjacent the outer end face thereof, there being an outward-extending shoulder at the junction of said head member and said valve portion terminating inv anv outer relatively sharp edge lying against said outer end face of said neck member when said valve member is in its inner valve-open position, the top surface of said head member comprising a steep-angled conical upper surface terminating outwardly in said outer sharp edge and free of any graspable protrusion thereabove,

said valve member having a passageway within said valve portion with its upper end opening on said conical upper surface and its lower end opening 1G said container to increase the pressure therewithin sufficient to displace said fluid material through said passageway.

2. A throw-away single-dosc container-dispenser for dispensing 'a single metered dosage of a fiuid material contained therein, said container-clispenser including in combination:

a squeezable one-piece container including 'a thin-walled squeezable vtubular body member sealed at one end and a thick-walled neck member integral With the other end of said body member,

said neck member having an axially-extending valve passage having an outer portion terminating at 'an outer end face of said neck member and an inner portion opening on the nterior ,of saidl body member fand terminating at an inner end face of said neck member; and

an elongated valve member of an laxial length greater than said valve passage, said valve member having 1a cylindrical vvalve portion linsertble into said valve passage from the outer end thereof and externally sized to form a firm frictional sliding fit in said valve passage and provide a firm frictional restraint against free movement of said valve member along said valve passage, said valve member having a valve-actuating head member as its sole portion of diameter larger than said valve portion, there being an outwardextending shoulder at the junction of said head member and said valve portion engageable with said outer end face of said neck member to limit the inward movement of said valve member-in said valve pas- Sage,

said valve member having a passageway within said valve portion with its upper end opening to the atmosphere through saidhead member and its lower end opening laterally within 'said valve passage of said neck member when said valve member is in an outer valve-closed position and opening laterallyon the interior of said container when said valve member is in an innerv valve-open position determined by engagement between said shoulder and said outer end face of said neck member,

the distance between said lower end lof said passageway and said shoulder being only slightly' greater than the distance between said outer and inner end faces of said neck portion whereby said lower end of said passageway clears said valve passage and opens on the interior of said container only when said shoulder closely approaches said outer end face of said neck member, said distances being measured in a direction taxially of said valve passage, said frictional restraint on said valve member being suflicient to prevent outward movement of said valve member from its inner valve-open position to its outer valveclosed position as a result of squeezing said container to increase the pressure therewithin suflicient to displace said fluid material through said passageway.

3. A container-dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which 70 the diiferenoes in said distances is substantially equal to the width of said lower end of said passageway measured in said direction axially of said valve passage.

4. A container-dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which said container and its neck member are formed of molded 75 plastic material, said neck member having v`an annular bead of a height of only 'a few thousandths of an inch molded integrally therewith and protruding inwardly of said valve passage into engagement with said cylindrical valve portion of said valve member to provide at least a part of said frictional restraint thereof.

5. A container-dispenser as defined in claim 4 in which said cylindrical valve portion provides a peripheral annular channel positioned to receive said annular bead when said valve member is in its inner valve-open position to aid in preventing said outward movement upon said increased pressure within said container.

'6. Acontainer-dispenser' as defined in claim 5 in which said cylindrical Valve portion provides also another .peripheral annular channel positioned to receive said annular bead when said valve member is in its outer valveclosed position holding said valve member in such position but releasing same upon application of finger pressure to said lead member in :a directon inwardly of said container.

7. Apparatus for shipping and dispensing small amounts of a fluid material, said apparatus including:

a small container for said material including a thinwalled squeezable tubular body member with its sides brought together exclusively at one end of the body member and sealed together, opposed sides of said body member comprising opposed finger-pressure zones, said container including a thick-walled neck member having an axially-extending valve passage;

a slide valve member of an axial length greater than said valve passage slidable therein With frictional restraint, said valve member having an actuating portion external of said container providing a third finger-pressure zone substantially transverse to the axis of said container, one of said valve and neck members having a dispensing opening;

valve means formed by said valve member and said neck member comprising a passageway interconnecting said dispensing opening and the interior of said container when said valve member is moved to an inner valve-open position and blocking such interconnection when said valve member is in a normal outer valve-closed position with said third fingerpressure zone displaced from said neck member; and

means for enclosing said container and establishing such interconnection lbetween said dispensng opening and the interior of said container while said container is sealed from the atmosphere, said last-named means including a generally flat edge-sealed bag many times larger in projected area than said container enclosing said container and its valve member while the latter is in said outer valve-closed position, said bag being formed of thin fiexible material through which finger pressure can be applied to all of said finger pressure zones of said container and said actuatng portion -of said valve member to move the latter to its inner valve-open position while said .bag remains sealed,

said bag having -a severable edge portion severable to expose the interior of the bag to the atmosphere and provide a bag opening through which can be removed at least said neck member of the container for subsequent dispensing of said 'fluid material therefrom 'by application of finger-pressure to said opposed finger-pressure zones.

8. Appar-atus for shipping and dispensing in sterile condition small amounts of a medicament, said apparatus including:

a sterile throw-away single-dosc small container for said medicament,

said container including a squeezable one-piece container including a thin-walled squeezable tubular body member with its sides brought together exclusively at one end of the 'body member and sealed together, said container including also a thick-walled 10 neck member integral with'the other end of said body member, said neck member having an axially-extending valve passage having an outer portion terminating at an outer end face of said neck member and an inner portion opening on the interior of said body member and terminating at an inner end face of said neck member;

an elongated valve member of an axial length greater than said valve passage, said valve member having a cylindrical smaller-diameter valve portion externally sized to slide With frictional restraint within said valve passage in sealing relation therewith, said Valve member having a larger-diameter actuating portion integral with the valve portion for moving said valve member from an initial outer valve-closed position to an inner dispensing valve-open position, said actuating portion being shaped to impede reverse manual actuation of said valve member toward said valveclosed position,

said actuating portion being -a head member of a diameter larger than said valve portion and only slightly smaller than the diameter of said neck member adjacent the outer end face thereof, there being an outward-extending shoulder at the junction of said head member and said valve portion terminating in an outer relatively sharp edge lying against said outer end face of said neck member when said valve member is in its inner valve-open position, said head member being otherwise free of any graspable protruson,

said valve member having la passageway within said valve portion with its upper end extending through said head member and forming a dispensing opening therein and its lower end opening laterally within said valve passage of said neck member when said valve 'member is in its outer valve-closed position and opening laterally on the interior of said container below said inner end face of said neck me-mber when said valve member is in its inner valve-open position, said frictional restraint on said valve member being sufiicient to prevent outward movement of said valve member from its inner valve-open position to its outer valve-closed position as a result of squeezing said container to increase the pressure therewithin sufifiicient to displace said fluid material through said passageway; and

means for enclosing said sterile container and for moving said valve member from its initial outer valveclosed position to its inner dispensing valve-open position while said container is sealed from the atmosphere, said last-named means including a generally-at internally-sterile edge-sealed bag many times larger in projected area than said container enclosing said sterile container Zand its valve member while the latter is in said outer valve-closed position,

said bag being formed of thin flexible material having `an inner sterile surface engageable with said actuating portion in bridging relatonship with said dispensing opening and through which finger pressure can be applied to said actuatng portion to move said valve member from its outer valve-closed position to its inner valve-open position while said bag remains sealed,

said 'bag having a severable edge portion severable to expose the interior of the bag to the atmosphere and provide a bag lopening through which can be removed at least said neck member of said container for subsequent dispensing of said fiuid material in still-sterile form therefrom by application of finger pressure to said tubular 'body member of said container.

9. In combination:

a small container for a fluid material, said container having a neck member;

=a valve means comprising a valve member in said neck member having an actuating portion extending therefrom, one of said members having a dispensing opening, said valve member being movable by said actuating portion from a normally closed position blocking communication between said dispensing opening and pressure applied to a portion of the bag adjacent said ;actuatingportion, said valve member being movable from closed to open position by finger pressure applied to said actuating member through the material of the bag from the exterior of the bag before removing said container from the bag.

the interior of said container to an open position establishing such communication; and

means for enclosing said container and estabiishing such communication while said container is sealed 10 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS from the atmosphere said last-'iamed means includ- K/29,364 M1956 Malk 222 211 7 2,750,719 6/1956 Wandelt 53-22 mg a generally-fiat edge-sealed bag many times larger 2 961 169. 11/1960 Nyden 222, 2,11 X in projected area than said container enclosing said 2:969:168 1/1961 Newby 222 525 container and its valve means, said 'bag being .formed 15 3,032340 5/ 19.62 w Dunklee 222 525 of thin fiexible material having a severabie edge portion severable to expose the interior of said container FOREIGN PATENTS i to the atmosphere while said container remains there- 453,349 3/1937 Great Britain' in at 1a substantial distance from the severed edge porl l tion, the thin fiexible material of said bag being de- LOUIS I' DEMBQ Primary Exammer' formable to engage said actuating portion by finger 20 CHARLES R. CARTER, Examiner.

Claims

1. A THROW-AWAY SINGLE-DOSE CONTAINER-DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING A SINGLE METERED DOSAGE OF A FLUID MATERIAL CONTAINED THEREIN, SAID CONTAINER-DISPENSER INCLUDING IN COMBINATION: A SQUEEZABLE ONE-PIECE CONTAINER INCLUDING A THIN-WALLED SQUEEZABLE TUBULAR BODY MEMBER WITH ITS SIDES BROUGHT TOGETHER EXCLUSIVELY AT ONE END OF THE BODY MEMBER AND SEALED TOGETHER, SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING ALSO A THICK-WALLED NECK MEMBER INTEGRAL WITH THE OTHER END OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID NECK MEMBER HAVING AN AXIALLY-EXTENDING VALVE PASSAGE HAVING AN OUTER PORTION TERMINATING AT AN OUTER END FACE OF SAID NECK MEMBER AND AN INNER PORTION OPENING ON THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND TERMINATING AT AN INNER END FACE OF SAID NECK MEMBER; AND AN ELONGATED VALVE MEMBER OF AN AXIAL LENGTH GREATER THAN SAID VALVE PASSAGE, SAID VALVE MEMBER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SMALLER-DIAMETER VALVE PORTION EXTERNALLY SIZED TO SLIDE WITH FRICTIONAL RESTRAINT IN SEALING RELATION WITHIN SAID VALVE PASSAGE, SAID VALVE MEMBER HAVING A LARGER-DIAMETER ACTUATING PORTION INTEGRAL WITH THE VALVE PORTION FOR MOVING SAID VALVE MEMBER FROM AN INITIAL OUTER VALVE-CLOSED POSITION TO AN INNER DISPENSING VALVE-OPEN POSITION, SAID ACTUATING PORTION BEING SHAPED TO IMPEDE REVERSE MANUAL ACTUATION OF SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID VALVE-CLOSED POSITION, SAID ACTUATING PORTION BEING A HEAD MEMBER OF A DIAMETER LARGER THAN SAID VALVE PORTION AND ONLY SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID NECK MEMBER ADJACENT THE OUTER END FACE THEREOF, THERE BEING AN OUTWARD-EXTENDING SHOULDER AT THE JUNCTION OF SAID HEAD MEMBER AND SAID VALVE PORTION TERMINATING IN AN OUTER RELATIVELY SHARP EDGE LYING AGAINST SAID OUTER END FACE OF SAID NECK MEMBER WHEN SAID VALVE MEMBER IS IN ITS INNER VALVE-OPEN POSITION, THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID HEAD MEMBER COMPRISING A STEEP-ANGLED CONICAL UPPER SURFACE TERMINATING OUTWARDLY IN SAID OUTER SHARP EDGE AND FREE OF ANY GRASPABLE PROTRUSION THEREABOVE, SAID VALVE MEMBER HAVING A PASSAGEWAY WITHIN SAID VALVE PORTION WITH ITS UPPER END OPENING ON SAID CONICAL UPPER SURFACE AND ITS LOWER END OPENING LATERALLY WITHIN SAID VALVE PASSAGE OF SAID NECK MEMBER WHEN SAID VALVE MEMBER IS IN ITS OUTER VALVECLOSED POSITION AND OPENING LATERALLY ON THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER BELOW SAID INNER END FACE OF SAID NECK MEMBER WHEN SAID VALVE MEMBER IS IN ITS INNER VALVE-OPEN POSITION, SAID FRICTIONAL RESTRAINT ON SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE MEMBER FROM ITS INNER VALVE-OPEN POSITION TO ITS OUTER VALVE-CLOSED POSITION AS A RESULT OF SQUEEZING SAID CONTAINER TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE THEREWITHIN SUFFICIENT TO DISPLACE SAID FLUID MATERIAL THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY.