Abstract: A fluid dispenser closure includes a tube having a distal end. The tube has a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. The hydrophobic portion has an exit orifice at the distal end.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser has a fluid outlet and an ambient inlet. The dispenser includes a container having a cavity, and a regulator device within the container cavity for regulating liquid flow out of the fluid outlet. The regulator device has a cavity in fluid communication with the ambient inlet, and an air transfer orifice for placing the device cavity in fluid communication with the container cavity. The air transfer orifice is spaced apart from the ambient inlet. The regulator device also has a fluid inlet. Location of the air transfer orifice with respect to the fluid inlet is such that flow of liquid from the container cavity into the device cavity stops when the liquid in the device cavity reaches the air transfer orifice.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser has a fluid outlet and an ambient inlet. The dispenser includes a container having a cavity, and a regulator device within the container cavity for regulating liquid flow out of the fluid outlet. The regulator device has a cavity in fluid communication with the ambient inlet, and an air transfer orifice for placing the device cavity in fluid communication with the container cavity. The air transfer orifice is spaced apart from the ambient inlet. The regulator device also has a fluid inlet. Location of the air transfer orifice with respect to the fluid inlet is such that flow of liquid from the container cavity into the device cavity stops when the liquid in the device cavity reaches the air transfer orifice.

Abstract: A device for dispensing a controlled volume of liquid includes a container and a dispensing tube for the container. A first section of the tube is made of a hydrophilic material, and a second section of the tube is made of a hydrophobic material.

Abstract: A handheld cleaning device includes a cleaning section having discharge and suction ports; and a pump for causing fluid to be discharged through the discharge port of the cleaning section and for simultaneously creating suction at the suction port of the cleaning section.

Abstract: A hand pump for a spray bottle permits upright or inverted operation while eliminating the need for a check valve or valves. An annular gap in the entrance section of the hand pump is so proportioned that when wet it will have the property to permit flow of liquid from the container to the dispenser, and to prevent flow of gas from the container to the dispenser. The entrance section has an axial slot therethrough and an axial groove in communication with the interior of the container and with the dispenser--the gap may be formed by a pair of circumferentially spacers. When the container is upright liquid can be removed through a distal end of a feed tube supported on the entrance section. When the container is inverted with the distal end out of the liquid and the entrance section submerged in the liquid, the liquid can be removed from the container through the axial slot, the axial groove and the annular gap.

Abstract: A self-contained hand-operated oral irrigation device for dispensing a pulsing stream of water or therapeutic fluid to the surfaces of the user's oral cavity. The irrigation device has the capability of lavaging at controlled values of pressure and volume of the dispensed fluid and withdrawing the fluid from user's oral cavity for convenient disposal. The irrigation device has a detachable section. Different types of discharge sections include a tooth brush, plaque removal brush and a gum stimulator having lavaging capabilities are provided.

Abstract: A manually operated pump sprayer that does not leak contents through the air inlet vent port during operation when the bottle is oriented so that the inlet vent port would be covered with liquid in a spray bottle to which the sprayer is mounted. The pump sprayer is devised as having an air inlet unit which includes the air inlet vent port in liquid communication with an extension tube which in turn is in liquid communication with a storage volume which in turn is in liquid communication with a liquid control orifice. An entrance end to the tube is positioned at a location farthest from the discharge exit opening of the sprayer, and the liquid control orifice is positioned closer to the exit opening such that when spraying in a downward direction such entrance end is always above the liquid level in the storage volume.

Abstract: A hand pump spray bottle does not leak the liquid contents through the air inlet port during operation when the bottle is oriented so that the inlet port is covered with liquid. The air inlet port is in circuit with an optional void volume which in turn is in fluid communication with the interior of the bottle through a tubular section. The void volume, where present, and the tubular section act as a reservoir to store the liquid from the bottle that would normally reach the air inlet port. When the hand pump is operated, liquid is removed from the bottle and the pressure therein decreases.

Abstract: This invention is a spray bottle having unique flow passages that when wetted provide restrictions that allow only liquid to be dispensed either in the upright or inverted position. A gas rejection device of numerous configurations are incorporated into the spray bottle with minimum or no additional cost to manufacturing the spray bottle. Liquid rejection devices permit air to replace the dispensed liquid in order to prevent the collapse of the plastic bottle without leaking liquid in the inverted position.

Abstract: A dispensing spray container which delivers only liquid whether in the upright or inverted position. A container with an exit port from a storage cavity is fitted with an imperforate dip tube having an open-end located farthest from the exit port to feed the liquid when the container is in the upright position. In circuit with the dip tube is a porous element located nearest to the exit port whose surface conditions are such that when wetted by the liquid will from a force resulting from the liquid surface tension to prevent the gas from passing when the container is in the upright position and which will pass liquid when held in the inverted position.

Abstract: An adjustable beam flashlight according to this invention is based in part on the teachings of Ellion U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,984,140 and 5,459,649 but adds important new concepts to describe a theoretical reflector having a broad beam that is uniformly illuminated with no bright and dull rings and no unilluminated center disc. This theoretical reflector requires manufacturing tolerances that are not available with conventional machine tools. A method is described to modify this theoretical reflector so that a practical reflector can be produced using existing machine tools. In one embodiment, the practical reflector surface is made up of a multitude of small concentric cones which reflect the light in the form of small fans. A uniformly illuminated broad beam is formed by fabricating specific groups of these cones of varying size and slope to form the reflector surface in order to project the light so as to overlap the required number of fans to produce the uniformity of illumination.

Abstract: In a dispensing system such as a pressurized can or hand-pumped bottle, a liquid to be dispensed from a container flows through a composite dip tube that feeds an inlet of a liquid transfer device. The dip tube includes a straight dip tube that extends from the inlet to the bottom of the container and a U-shaped tube that extends from the inlet to the bottom of the container and then returns to the top of the interior of the container. The U-shaped tube acts as a siphon that, in combination with the conventional tip tube, provides liquid to the liquid transfer device when the container is upright, inverted, or oriented in any other position as long as one of the two open ends of the dip tube is in communication with the liquid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hand-pump or pressurized container that can dispense the contents when held at any orientation. A flexible bladder with a dip tube having multiple openings in order to provide a flow path for the liquid regardless of the orientation of the container. In another embodiment, the liquid path is provided by the configuration of the inner surface of the bladder without the need of a dip tube.

Abstract: A flashlight which selectively provides an enhanced spot beam and fully illuminated broad beam. The modified parabolic reflector produces with either a point source of light or an extended filament source of light a spot beam which is substantially more uniform across its disc as is produced by a conventional parabolic reflector, and a greatly improved broad beam without unilluminated areas. Further, the range of distance in which these effects are provided is importantly increased.

Abstract: A unique two filament flashlight lamp in which one filament is energized to produce a spot beam and the second filament is energized to produce a broad beam. A spot beam is formed when the filament is energized whose axis is perpendicular to the reflector axis and whose center is at the reflector focal point, a broad beam is formed when the second filament is energized whose axis coincides with the reflector axis and has one end located close to the focal point.In the second embodiment, a lamp having a single filament whose center is located at the reflector focal point and whose axis is perpendicular to the reflector axis will produce a spot beam. The lamp and filament can be reoriented so that the filament axis coincides with the reflector axis and one end of the filament is close to the reflector focal point to produce a broad beam.

Abstract: This invention produces a spot beam or a broad beam having no unilluminated regions within the beam. In one case, the size of the beam is established by the relative position of the light bulb and a uniquely shaped reflector. The apparent brightness of the beam is established by oscillating the beam in a controlled fashion. In another case, both the size of the beam and the apparent brightness are established by oscillating the beam in a controlled fashion. The result of this invention is a spot beam that can be made into a broad beam without the dark regions that result from the existing adjustment techniques and also a broad beam having an apparent brightness greater than that attainable by other techniques.

Abstract: A fluid filter element, filter, and process for its fabrication, wherein the filter element includes a flat base and a thin layer deposited thereupon having a pattern of channels through which a fluid may flow. In operation, the element is pressed against a flat surface, preferably the back side of another element in a stack of filter elements, whereupon the channels become closed conduits. The channels have a minimum dimension of the thickness of the layer, so that larger particles may not pass therethrough. Fabrication of the thin layer with the channels therein is preferably accomplished by masking a pattern corresponding to the channels and then vapor depositing the remainder of the thin layer, as masking and deposition permits accurate control of the height of the deposited layer, and, then, the minimum dimension of the channels.

Abstract: An inexpensive, reliable, accurate, high speed powder dispensing apparatus is disclosed which includes a barrel for transferring powder from a first retainer to a second retainer. The barrel is vibrated to cause the powder to translate on a surface thereof. The vibration is controlled to cause a measured amount of powder to be dispensed. In a specific embodiment, two barrels are included to provide coarse and fine rates of powder dispensation. A specific embodiment includes a scale for weighing the discharged powder. The scale is equipped with a sensor, the output of which is used to control and limit the rate of powder flow up to a preselected amount. A additional novel feature of the invention is the use of a mechanism to assist in overcoming the inertia of the scale.The invention provides an inexpensive, reliable, accurate, high speed powder dispensing apparatus. As the need to rotate barrels of the prior art is eliminated, the likelihood of occasional jamming is minimized.

Abstract: This invention produces a spot beam or a broad beam having no unilluminated regions within the beam. In one case, the size of the beam is established by the relative position of the light bulb and a uniquely shaped reflector. The apparaent brightness of the beam is established by oscillating the beam in a controlled fashion. In another case, both the size of the beam and the apparent brightness are established by oscillating the beam in a controlled fashion. The result of this invention is a spot beam that can be made into a broad beam without the dark regions that result from the existing adjustment techniques and also a broad beam having an apparent brightness greater than that attainable by other techniques.