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US4946072A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Container for surgical soap dispenser

Assignee: Ethicon Inc
•
Filing: 1989-02-16
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Granted: 1990-08-07
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Expires: 2009-02-16
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus is disclosed which dispenses a metered quantity of a liquid. The apparatus uses a roller and base pad to form a nip which receives a dispensing leg of a container. Movement of the roller along the base pad causes liquid within the dispensing leg to be dispensed through a pressure responsive valve. The roller travels along a D-shaped path, the straight portion of the path is the nip forming portion. The apparatus operates in response to an object reflecting a beam of electromagnetic energy in the form of infrared light. A container is also disclosed which has a housing, preferably cardboard, and an envelope of flexible plastic contained therein. The envelope holds the liquid and the dispensing leg is accessed through a tear-away opening in the cardboard housing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stephen B. Albert
  • 👤 W. Benjamin Thomas

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 15:30
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47K; A47K5/00; A47K5/06; A47K5/12; A47K5/122; A47K5/1211; A47K5/1215; A47K5/1217

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A container, for holding product to be dispensed from a dispenser, comprising: (a) a pair of thin flexible walls in face-to-face position having a top and bottom wherein: (i) said walls have a first width adjacent their top; and (ii) a second width less than 30 percent of said first width adjacent their bottom; (b) said walls being sealed about their perimeter to define a reservoir portion at their top and a depending dispensing leg in communication with said reservoir portion defined by said second width at their bottom; and (c) a normally closed valve means comprising a plastic clip having a body which surrounds said depending leg and an integrally formed plastic tongue which is cantilevered resiliently from said body and cooperates with said body to pinch a portion of the depending leg between a lip on the distal end of said tongue and said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 147 words
A container, for holding product to be dispensed from a dispenser, comprising: (a) a pair of thin flexible walls in face-to-face position having a top and bottom wherein: (i) said walls have a first width adjacent their top; and (ii) a second width less than 30 percent of said first width adjacent their bottom; (b) said walls being sealed about their perimeter to define a reservoir portion at their top and a depending dispensing leg in communication with said reservoir portion defined by said second width at their bottom; and (c) a normally closed valve means comprising a plastic clip having a body which surrounds said depending leg and an integrally formed plastic tongue which is cantilevered resiliently from said body and cooperates with said body to pinch a portion of the depending leg between a lip on the distal end of said tongue and said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
A container according to claim 1 wherein: (a) a top marginal portion of said walls defines a pair of openings for receiving pins to suspend said container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
A container according to claim 2 wherein: (a) a valve means is provided adjacent the bottom of said depending leg and said valve means is biased into a closed position to prevent passage of said product from said depending leg.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
A container according to claim 3 wherein: (a) said valve means opens to permit passage of product in response to increased pressure within the depending leg above a predetermined level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
A container according to claim 4 wherein: (a) said valve means has lugs for engaging positioning means on a dispenser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A container according to claim 1 wherein: (a) said walls are encased substantially within a housing and said depending leg extends from said housing through an opening defined therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
A container according to claim 6 wherein: (a) said opening is provided by a tear-away wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 202 words
A container, for holding product to be dispensed from a dispenser, comprising: (a) a pair of thin flat flexible walls in face-to-face position having a top and bottom wherein: (i) said walls have a first width adjacent their top; and (ii) a second width less than 30 percent of said first width adjacent their bottom; (b) said walls being sealed about their perimeter to define a reservoir portion at their top and a depending dispensing leg in communication with said reservoir portion defined by said second width at their bottom; (c) a top marginal portion of said walls defining a pair of openings for receiving pins to suspend said container; (d) a valve means provided adjacent the bottom of said depending leg having lugs for engaging positioning means on a dispenser, and being a plastic clip having a body which surrounds said depending leg and an integrally formed plastic cantilevered resilient tongue having a lip on the distal end thereof which is biased into a position where it cooperates with the body to pinch a portion of the legged closed and said tongue is resilient to bend to an open position in response to an increase in pressure within the depending leg.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 202 words
A container, for holding product to be dispensed from a dispenser, comprising: (a) a pair of thin flat flexible walls in face-to-face position having a top and bottom wherein: (i) said walls have a first width adjacent their top; and (ii) a second width less than 30 percent of said first width adjacent their bottom; (b) said walls being sealed about their perimeter to define a reservoir portion at their top and a depending dispensing leg in communication with said reservoir portion defined by said second width at their bottom; (c) a top marginal portion of said walls defining a pair of openings for receiving pins to suspend said container; (d) a valve means provided adjacent the bottom of said depending leg having lugs for engaging positioning means on a dispenser, and being a plastic clip having a body which surrounds said depending leg and an integrally formed plastic cantilevered resilient tongue having a lip on the distal end thereof which is biased into a position where it cooperates with the body to pinch a portion of the legged closed and said tongue is resilient to bend to an open position in response to an increase in pressure within the depending leg.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1945612A Cited
US2665033A Cited
US4564127A Cited
US4570827A Cited
US4667854A Cited
US4634022A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-08-06 1994-02-05 1994-08-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-08-06 1998-02-05 1998-08-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-08-06 2002-02-05 2002-08-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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