Dispenser for expelling contents of collapsible tubes and method of using

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein: said plunger has a groove in its leading face for receiving said closed end of said tube.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 wherein said plunger has a protrusion on the leading end and said plunger is advanced sufficiently for the protrusion to produce a depression in the rear end of the axially compressed tube.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 wherein said tube has a conical wall at its discharge end and said plunger is advanced sufficiently for the protrusion to enter the space bounded by said conical wall.

Claim 6

An assembly for dispensing material from a collapsible tube which comprises: a sleeve having an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of said tube; said tube having a flat crimped closed end and laterally projecting ear portions formed at said closed end of said tube, the diametrical extent of said flat closed end being greater than said external diameter of said tube; axially extending groove means, open at one end for permitting insertion of and for accommodating said ear portions of said tube, provided within said sleeve; an abutment on said sleeve for engaging the discharge end of the tube; and a plunger axially movably disposed within said sleeve for engaging the other end of the tube so as to compress and collapse said tube and dispense said material therefrom when so moved.

Claim 7

An assembly for dispensing material from a collapsible tube which comprises: a sleeve having an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of said tube; said tube having a flat crimped closed end and laterally projecting ear portions formed at said closed end of said tube, the diametrical extent of said flat closed end being greater than said external diameter of said tube; axially extending groove means, open at one end for permitting insertion of and for accommodating said ear portions of said tube, provided within said sleeve; an abutment on said sleeve for engaging the discharge end of the tube; and a plunger axially movably disposed within said sleeve for engaging the other end of the tube so as to compress and collapse said tube and dispense said material therefrom when so moved.

Claim 8

An assembly comprising: a collapsible tube having at one end a shoulder surrounding a discharge orifice and the other end being flat, crimped and closed and having laterally projecting ear portions, the diametrical extent of said closed end of said tube being greater than that of said tube; a sleeve containing said tube and having an internal cross-section substantially the same as the external cross-section of said tube; a pair of opposed, inwardly opening, longitudinally extending grooves, open at one end, being provided within said sleeve for permitting insertion of and for accommodating said ear portions of said tube; an abutment upon said sleeve engaged by said shoulder on said tube; and a plunger engaging said other end of said tube; whereby movement of said plunger toward said abutment compresses said tube to expel the contents of said tube through said discharge orifice.

Claim 9

An assembly comprising: a collapsible tube having at one end a shoulder surrounding a discharge orifice and the other end being flat, crimped and closed and having laterally projecting ear portions, the diametrical extent of said closed end of said tube being greater than that of said tube; a sleeve containing said tube and having an internal cross-section substantially the same as the external cross-section of said tube; a pair of opposed, inwardly opening, longitudinally extending grooves, open at one end, being provided within said sleeve for permitting insertion of and for accommodating said ear portions of said tube; an abutment upon said sleeve engaged by said shoulder on said tube; and a plunger engaging said other end of said tube; whereby movement of said plunger toward said abutment compresses said tube to expel the contents of said tube through said discharge orifice.

Claim 10

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said sleeve is of constant wall thickness, there being ridges on the outside of said sleeve which correspond with said grooves on the inside.

Claim 11

An assembly according to claim 7 wherein said grooves have converging side walls in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve.

Claim 12

An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the angle of convergence of the side walls of each of said grooves is between about 75° and about 80°, and the distance between the crests of the grooves is approximately π times the internal radius of said sleeve.

Claim 13

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the plunger carries lugs which slide in the grooves.

Claim 14

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the face of said plunger facing said abutment is formed with a groove to receive the folded end portion of a tube.

Claim 15

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said plunger has a protuberance on the side facing said abutment.

Claim 16

An assembly according to claim 12 wherein said protuberance is dome-shaped.

Claim 17

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said abutment comprises a releasable cap having a central aperture for a discharge nozzle on the tube.

Claim 18

An assembly according to claim 14 wherein the surface of said cap facing said plunger is conical.

Claim 19

An assembly according to claim 6 which further includes a piston rod connected to said plunger and having a handle at the end remote from said plunger.

Claim 20

An assembly according to claim 16 wherein said sleeve carries finger grip means.

Claim 21

An assembly according to claim 6 which further includes a piston rod attached to said plunger and means for incrementally advancing the piston rod by means of a trigger, said incremental advancing means comprising: a one-way gripper arranged for reciprocation longitudinally of the rod by operation and release of the trigger, the gripper being arranged to tilt relative to the axis of the rod between a rod gripping position on the forward stroke of reciprocation of the gripper to advance the rod and a rod-release position on the rearward stroke of reciprocation of the gripper to allow the gripper to return without moving the rod.

Claim 22

A dispensing device comprising: a sleeve having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves in its internal surface, each of said grooves having flat converging side walls and being open at one end; a releasable cap on one end of said sleeve, the cap having a central orifice; a plunger reciprocable within said sleeve and having a pair of diametrically opposite lugs slidable in said grooves in said sleeve and a diametrical groove extending across the end surface of said plunger facing said cap and parallel with a line joining the two lugs; and a collapsible tube contained within said sleeve with its discharge nozzle projecting through said orifice and its crimped closed end received in said diametrical groove as well as said longitudinal grooves so as to be progressively concertinaed on movement of said plunger toward said cap so as to express the contents of said tube through said discharge nozzle.

Claim 23

A dispensing device comprising: a sleeve having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves in its internal surface, each of said grooves having flat converging side walls and being open at one end; a releasable cap on one end of said sleeve, the cap having a central orifice; a plunger reciprocable within said sleeve and having a pair of diametrically opposite lugs slidable in said grooves in said sleeve and a diametrical groove extending across the end surface of said plunger facing said cap and parallel with a line joining the two lugs; and a collapsible tube contained within said sleeve with its discharge nozzle projecting through said orifice and its crimped closed end received in said diametrical groove as well as said longitudinal grooves so as to be progressively concertinaed on movement of said plunger toward said cap so as to express the contents of said tube through said discharge nozzle.