Squeeze Bottle and Eye Dropper Using the Same
To provide a squeeze bottle with reduced pressing force required to delivery a liquid, and particularly a squeeze bottle wherein the pressing force is reduced to such an extent that allows easy control of the discharge of liquid drops even when a valve operated by the liquid pressure is provided. In a squeeze bottle comprising the bottle body 10 for containing a liquid, and a neck 11 that leads to the opening end 10a of the bottle body 10, the bottle body 10 has a bellows 12 which is contracted and expanded in the direction y generally perpendicular to the direction x of delivering liquid. The bellows 12 has a plurality of pleated portions 13 disposed in the direction of delivery x. The pleated portions 13 are disposed at intervals in the direction of contraction y. Further, the width of the convex edge of the pleated portion 13 in the direction of width Z, that is, the distance between the both edges 14, is made to decrease from the middle to the both ends in the direction of contraction y. With respect to the concave edge of the pleated portion 13, the distance between the both edges 18 in the direction of width z is also made to decrease from the middle to the both ends in the direction of contraction y.
The present invention relates to a squeeze bottle with reduced pressing force required to delivery a liquid, and to an eye dropper that uses the same.
BACKGROUND ARTAn ophthalmic solution contained in an eye dropper includes an antiseptic agent added therein so as to prevent the liquid from becoming corrupt, degenerating or otherwise degrading. However, there are such problems that some types of ophthalmic solution prohibit the addition of an antiseptic agent, and that the antiseptic agent may become an allergen. Accordingly, it has been called for to either discontinue the use of the antiseptic agent or significantly reduce the quantity thereof.
The present applicant previously proposed a delivery container provided with, at a mouth of the container body, a delivery port having a valve that operates in response to liquid pressure (Patent Document 1). With this container, when the container body is pressed so as to deform the valve that blocks the delivery port by means of liquid pressure, a liquid drop is delivered. When the pressure applied to the container body is removed, the valve restores itself to the original shape and the delivery port is blocked up, so that backflow of the discharged liquid and infiltration of microorganisms and the like from the outside of the container can be prevented. Accordingly, use of this container as an eye dropper enables it to either discontinue the use of the antiseptic agent or significantly reduce the quantity thereof.
Meanwhile there is a demand for such a container having a delivery port with a valve, to reduce the pressing force required to discharge a liquid drop. Moreover, there is such a demand that it should be easy to control the force of pressing the container body so as to freely control the discharge of liquid drops, specifically, it should be easy to control the liquid drop to be delivered one by one, while preventing the problem of continuous flow of the liquid under an excessive force.
However, for example, in the case of a cylindrical squeeze bottle 90, since a width Wa of plane of projection of a bottle body 91 when the bottle body 91 is pressed and deformed is larger than a width Wb of the plane of projection before the bottle body 91 is pressed (
On the other hand, patent document 2 describes an application tool having at least one bellows that has folding lines running vertically, provided on a side surface of the container body.
[Patent Document 1] WO2004/011345 A1 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-107673 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the InventionIn the container body of the application tool described in Patent Document 2, the pressing surface of the pleated portions disposed on both ends of the bellows in the contracting direction thereof are formed with a width comparable to that of the container body, so that projection of the pleated portion that constitutes the pressing surface onto a plane perpendicular to the direction of contraction substantially coincides with the projection of the container body onto a plane perpendicular to the direction of contraction (refer to FIGS. 1 to 8 of said Patent Document). Therefore, the problem that the force which fingers receive increases as the container body is deformed when the container body is pressed with fingers can be prevented.
However, in the application tool described in Patent Document 2, a width of the pleated portion, which forms the bellows, in direction perpendicular to the contracting direction of the bellows, is substantially constant between the middle and ends along the contracting direction. As a result, when the container body is pressed for compression, pleated portions are put one on another, thus generating a large reactive force.
Further, in case the container body is formed by blow molding, a parison 92 is expanded with greatly different expansion ratios depending on the portion thereof that would make different wall portions 94 of the container body 93 (refer to
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a squeeze bottle with reduced force of pressing the container body required to deliver a liquid, and particularly a squeeze bottle that allows it to easily control the discharge of liquid drops, even when a valve operated by the liquid pressure is provided in the delivery port of the container that utilizes the squeeze bottle.
Means for Solving the ProblemsIn order to achieve the object described above, the present invention provides the following devices:
(1) a squeeze bottle comprising a bottle body for containing a liquid, and a neck that leads to an opening end of the bottle body, wherein the bottle body has a bellows that contracts and expands in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of delivering the liquid that is discharged through the neck, the bellows has a plurality of pleated portions disposed in the direction of delivery, each pleated portion is disposed at intervals from each other in the direction of contraction, the width of the pleated portion at the convex edge in a direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction is made to decrease from the middle to the both ends in the direction of contraction, and
the width of the pleated portion at the concave edge in the direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction is made to decrease from the middle to the both ends in the direction of contraction;
(2) the squeeze bottle according to above (1), wherein the both edges at the convex edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the contracting direction are disposed generally along a circle when viewed in the direction of delivery, and the both edges at the concave edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the contracting direction are disposed along a generally concentric circle of a radius smaller than that of the former circle when viewed in the direction of delivery;
(3) the squeeze bottle according to above (1), wherein the bottle body has a cylindrical portion that adjoins the bellows in the direction of delivery, the both edges at the convex edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the contracting direction are disposed along the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion when viewed in the direction of delivery, and the both edges at the concave edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the contracting direction are disposed along a generally concentric circle of a radius smaller than the circumference of the cylindrical portion when viewed in the direction of delivery;
(4) the squeeze bottle according to above (1) that is formed by blow molding;
(5) the squeeze bottle according to above (1), which is provided with a delivery member that is connected detachably to the neck and has a valve operated by liquid pressure; and
(6) an eye dropper that utilizes the squeeze bottle according to above (1).
EFFECT OF THE INVENTIONWith the squeeze bottle of the present invention, since the bottle body is provided with the bellows, fingers that press the bottle body do not receive reactive force from the entire bottle body.
The bellows has a plurality of pleated portions disposed in the direction of delivery of the squeeze bottle, while the widths of the convex edges of the pleated portions perpendicular to the contracting direction decreases from the middle toward the both ends in the contracting direction, and widths of the concave edges of the pleated portions perpendicular to the contracting direction also decreases from the middle toward the both ends in the contracting direction, so that the pleated portions are not put one on another so much when the container body is pressed to deform, thus reducing the reactive force received by the fingers. Moreover, with the constitution described above, since the projection of the pleated portion, located at both ends among the pleated portions in the direction of contraction, onto a plane perpendicular to the direction of contraction falls within the projection of a pleated portion, other than the pleated portions located at the both ends, onto a plane perpendicular to the direction of contraction, the pressing force required to deliver the liquid from the squeeze bottle can be greatly reduced.
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- 10, 20, 30: Bottle body
- 10a, 20a, 30a: Opening end
- 11, 21, 31: Neck
- 12, 22, 32: Bellows
- 13, 23, 33: Pleated portion
- 14, 24, 34: Both edges
- 16, 36: Cylindrical portion
- 17, 37: Circumferential surface
- 80, 80′: Delivery member
- 81: Valve
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The bottle body 10 has a bellows 12 which can be freely contracted and expanded in a direction (direction of contraction y) generally perpendicular to the direction x of delivering liquid from the neck 11 of the bottle body 10. The bellows 12 has a plurality of pleated portions 13 disposed in the direction of delivery x. The pleated portions 13 are disposed at intervals in the direction of contraction y of the bellows 12. The bottle body 10 further comprises a cylindrical portion 16 that is disposed adjacent to the bellows 12 in the direction of delivery x.
In the squeeze bottle shown in
Moreover, both edges 14 at the convex edge of the pleated portion 13 in a direction (direction of width) z perpendicular to the direction of contraction y are disposed along the circumferential surface 17 of the cylindrical portion 16, and width of the convex edge in the direction of width z, namely the distance between the both edges 14 is made to decrease from the middle to the ends in the direction of contraction y.
Both edges 18 at the concave edge of the pleated portion 13 in the direction of width z are also disposed substantially along a circle 19 shown in
Therefore, in the squeeze bottle shown in
While width of the projection A is denoted by WA and width of the projection B which has the largest area is denoted by WB in
As a result, area of the pressing surface 15 can be prevented from increasing when the pressing surface 15 is pressed so as to deform the bottle body 10, and the pressing force required to deform the bottle body 10 can also be restricted from increasing.
Further, according to the squeeze bottle shown in
Moreover, according to the squeeze bottle shown in
While there are no limitations on the shape, structure, method of operation and the like of the valve 81 of the delivery member 80, various known valves including, for example, the valve described in Patent Document 1 may be used. In the case of the delivery member 80 shown in
In the squeeze bottle shown in
According to the squeeze bottle shown in
The bottle body 20 has a bellows 22 which can be freely contracted and expanded in the direction (direction of contraction y) generally perpendicular to the direction x of delivering liquid from the neck 21 of the bottle body 20. The bellows 22 has a plurality of pleated portions 23 disposed in the direction of delivery x. The pleated portions 23 are disposed at intervals in the direction of contraction y of the bellows 22.
In the squeeze bottle shown in
Moreover, distance between the both edges 24 at the convex edge of the pleated portions 23 in the direction (direction of width) z perpendicular to the contracting direction y is made to decrease from the middle to the ends in the direction of contraction y, and distance between the both edges at the concave edge of the pleated portions 23 is also made to decrease from the middle to the ends in the direction of contraction y.
Therefore, in the squeeze bottle shown in
While width of the projection C is denoted by Wc and width of the projection D which has the largest area is denoted by WD in
As a result, area of the pressing surface 25 can be restricted from increasing when the pressing surface 25 is pressed to deform the bottle body 20, and the pressing force required to deform the bottle body 20 can also be restricted from increasing.
Further, according to the squeeze bottle shown in
Moreover, according to the squeeze bottle shown in
The shape, structure, method of operation and the like of the valve 81 of the delivery port 80′ are similar to those of the first embodiment.
In the squeeze bottle shown in
According to the squeeze bottle shown in
The bottle body 30 has a bellows 32 which can be freely contracted and expanded in the direction (direction of contraction y) generally perpendicular to the direction x of delivering liquid from the neck 31 of the bottle body 30. The bellows 32 has a plurality of pleated portions 33 disposed in the direction of delivery x. The pleated portions 33 are disposed at intervals in the direction of contraction y of the bellows 32.
In the squeeze bottle shown in
Moreover, the both edges 34 of the pleated portions 33 at the convex edge in the direction (direction of width) z perpendicular to the direction of contraction y are disposed along circumferential surface 37 of the cylindrical portion 36, and width of the convex edge in the direction of width z, namely the distance between the both edges 34, is made to decrease from the middle to the both ends in the direction of contraction y.
The both edges 38 of the pleated portions 33 at the concave edge in the direction of width z are also disposed along a circle 39 shown in
Therefore, in the squeeze bottle shown in
While width of the projection E is denoted by WE and width of the projection F which has the largest area is denoted by WF in
As a result, area of the pressing surface 35 can be restricted from increasing when the pressing surface 35 is pressed to deform the bottle body 30, and the pressing force required to deform the bottle 30 can also be restricted from increasing.
Further, according to the squeeze bottle shown in
Moreover, according to the squeeze bottle shown in
The shape, structure, method of operation and the like of the valve 81 of the delivery member 80 are similar to those of the first embodiment. Further, the delivery member 80 is fastened by being screwed onto a threaded portion 31a formed on the neck 31 of the bottle 30, similarly to the first embodiment.
According to the squeeze bottle shown in
While there is no restriction on the material used to form the bottle body of the squeeze bottle according to the present invention, a thermoplastic resin is preferably used in order to form the entire bottle body including the bellows and the neck as a single piece. In case a liquid medicine such as ophthalmic medicine is contained in the bottle body, it is preferable to form the bottle body from a polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene that is approved for use in medical applications.
There are no particular requirements on a liquid contained in the bottle, except that the liquid should have fluidity, specifically the liquid must be able to move from within the bottle toward the valve when the pressing surface of the squeeze bottle is pressed, so that liquid pressure can be applied to the valve in the delivery member whereby the liquid is delivered through the delivery orifice to the outside of the squeeze bottle. Further, there are no restriction on the composition and physical properties including the viscosity of the liquid. Specific examples of the liquid include, but are not limited to, liquid medicines such as eye drop and nasal drop.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYThe squeeze bottle can be used in such applications as eye dropper, by providing the neck of the squeeze bottle with the delivery member having a valve operated by the liquid pressure that allows liquid drops to be delivered with a small force that can be freely controlled.
Claims
1. A squeeze bottle comprising a bottle body for containing a liquid, and a neck that leads to an opening end of the bottle body,
- wherein the bottle body has a bellows that contracts and expands in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of delivery of the liquid that is discharged through the neck,
- the bellows has a plurality of pleated portions disposed in the direction of delivery,
- each of the pleated portions is disposed at intervals from each other in the direction of contraction,
- a width of the pleated portion at a convex edge in a direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction is made to decrease from a middle to both ends in the direction of contraction, and
- a width of the pleated portion at a concave edge in the direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction is made to decrease from the middle to the both ends in the direction of contraction.
2. The squeeze bottle according to claim 1,
- wherein the both edges at the convex edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction are disposed generally along a circle when viewed in the direction of delivery, and
- the both edges at the concave edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction are disposed along a generally concentric circle of a radius smaller than that of the former circle when viewed in the direction of delivery.
3. The squeeze bottle according to claim 1,
- wherein the bottle body has a cylindrical portion that adjoins the bellows in the direction of delivery,
- the both edges at the convex edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction are disposed along a circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion when viewed in the direction of delivery, and
- the both edges at the concave edges of the pleated portion in the direction perpendicular to the direction of contraction are disposed along a generally concentric circle of a radius smaller than the circumference of the cylindrical portion when viewed in the direction of delivery.
4. The squeeze bottle according to claim 1 that is formed by blow molding.
5. The squeeze bottle according to claim 1, which is provided with a delivery member that is connected detachably to the neck and has a valve operated by liquid pressure.
6. An eye dropper that utilizes the squeeze bottle according to claim 1.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 26, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 11, 2008
Inventor: Hartmut Loth-Krausser (Stockstadt am Rhein)
Application Number: 11/658,557
International Classification: B65D 37/00 (20060101); B65D 47/18 (20060101); B65D 35/38 (20060101);