Rieke Corporation

Rieke Packaging Systems Limited

David John Pritchett

Brian Robert Law

Jeffrey William Spencer

Simon Christopher Knight

Robert Dale Rohr

Joseph Stanley Brunton

Thomas P Kasting

Raymond Yu

Roy Cox

Mark Edward Box

A dispenser for dispensing a flowable product from a container has a pump module mounted on the container at an opening thereof. The pump module includes a pump body, which defines a pump chamber and a pump chamber inlet for product to flow from the container interior into the pump chamber. A pump actuator is operable in a pumping stroke relative to the pump body to vary the volume of the pump chamber and dispense the product. The pump includes a movable body portion which is operable in a displacement stroke into the container. The movable portion has a displacement body with a product-engaging face directed onto an interior product space of the container upstream of the pump chamber inlet, to assist priming. Below this a disrupter member, a grid of narrow bars, projects to penetrate the product.

Pump dispensers

A 'smart' closure system, apparatus, and method are contemplated. The closure includes mechanical capture and release mechanisms, electromechanical and/or optical indicators, wireless technologies, and/or web-based or remote authentication, verification, and serialization via remotely located data servers. A mobile computing device may further augment certain functions. The resulting system allows for anti-counterfeiting, authentication, serialization, and other capabilities.

Closure for container with informational and/or anti-counterfeiting capabilities

Airless pump dispensers

A dosing device for dispensing liquid from a container () in which flow through flow openings () to an outlet tube () is blocked after controlled delay by an obturator () moveable within a control chamber () mounted in a container neck () behind the outlet tube (). Movement of the obturator () is governed by restricted flow through control openings () at the rear of the control chamber. Restoration of the obturator to the back of the control chamber facilitates repeated dosing. An elastomeric element () of resiliently deformable material promotes a seal to achieve a cleanly defined dose. In one proposal the elastomeric element coats the surface of the obturator and/or the outlet tube () to cut off the flow. Another proposal provides a one-way elastomeric valve element () for blocking the flow openings to enable rapid recovery after a dosing operation.

Liquid dosing devices

The invention relates to dispensers for fluid products, particularly oral dosing of medicines. The dispenser is a pump dispenser and has a separate nozzle attachment. The nozzle and dispenser may be uncoupled in a holding position or coupled position. A child resistance feature is disclosed which prevents unauthorized coupling of the dispenser and nozzle, thereby preventing unauthorized dispensing of product. The child resistance feature only allows coupling of the dispenser and nozzle when a coupling control element is triggered and then maintains this coupling with additional features. A protective cover for the dispenser is also disclosed, which covers the nozzle attachment and pump plunger button.

Dispensers

Pump dispenser, particularly a movable-nozzle pump dispenser, is intended especially for use in dispensing oral medicines e.g. to children. One feature disclosed is a tooth or ratchet structure engageable between the plunger head and the pump cylinder body. This enables optional holding of the plunger at an intermediate position during a dispensing stroke, so that a dose can be given bit by bit. Other proposals are formations around the top of the cylinder body which interact with the inside of the plunger to control or limit movement of the plunger according to their relative rotational orientation. For example the plunger may be locked up unless turned forcibly past a rotational stop. A related feature is a spring lock tab preventing rotation of the plunger unless the tab is pressed to release it. The product container may contain balls to cause agitation.

A pump dispenser includes a container whose top opening is closed off by a base structure of a pump module. The structure is shaped to guide air to an air pocket region adjacent the wall. This air pocket region communicates with the pump inlet opening so that air can be discharged. The pump may include a pump body and a plunger which incorporate respective different ones of a click projection and a click actuating formation, constituting a click indicator.

Applicators are described suitable for the application of liquid to patient's skin. An applicator pad () is supported on a support flange () of an applicator housing (), which receives a liquid cartridge (). To moderate the rush of liquid on to the back of the applicator pad a flow distributor plate () is positioned on the rear position of the pad (), restricting flow onto the pad to an annular slit opening around the plate (). The front surface of the plate (), opposing the pad (), may have one or more grooves so that liquid can flow from the edge towards the center. Also disclosed, as an alternative, is the use of a projecting cantilevered tongue structure to distribute liquid across the rear surface of the sponge pad. The pad may have a hooked lobe shape for a front end of the applicator pad.

Applicators

A pump dispenser is intended for oral administration of medicines. A pump receives fluid product through a valved inlet from a container, preferably of the airless type with a follower piston. The dispenser may be a movable-nozzle or fixed-nozzle dispenser. The discharge outlet of the dispenser has a stub nozzle incorporating a closure valve. A spring urges the closure valve forward to close a discharge opening of the stub nozzle. The nozzle attachment is shaped for oral dosing and has an internal rearwardly-projecting actuating structure which, when the nozzle attachment is coupled onto the stub nozzle, pushes the closure valve open. When the nozzle attachment is removed the spring closes the outlet again. Child-resistant features are described for fitting the nozzle attachment to the stub nozzle.

A dispenser pump is disclosed of the moveable-nozzle type, arranged for sealing a vent path in the extended position of the pump plunger. A pump body includes an internal collar formed at the lower end of a tubular insert, through which the vent path passes. This collar has a seal portion. The plunger has a complementary seal portion which makes a guided and fitting engagement with the collar seal portion. One or both of the plunger seal portion and the collar seal portion is formed as an annular taper, so that the seal portions are guided into close engagement with one another. Plunger lock-down formations are constructed to engage at the bottom of the body insert and remain below the top opening of the body.

Dispenser pumps

An applicator includes an applicator body, an applicator pad attached at a front part of the applicator body, and a pre-loaded container of liquid received in \ the applicator body. The applicator body defines a flow path from the container to the applicator pad. The container includes a front closure portion which is openable to allow liquid to flow from the container into the flow path. The applicator body has a structure which interacts with the front of the container when the container is moved to an opening position relative to the applicator body to open the openable front closure portion. Wherein the container defines a front chamber and a rear chamber with a liquid-impermeable intermediate barrier therebetween. Wherein the container includes a longitudinal pusher element extending relatively movably between the ends of the front chamber.

A pump dispenser in which the associated container interior reduces its volume progressively as product is dispensed to avoid air contact with the product. An air trap member having a downwardly-convex dish form is provided below a floor of the associated dispenser module around an inlet to guide any such air away from the inlet. A peripheral portion forms a retaining lip for flexible wiping contact with the container wall interior, allowing air passage on assembly of the dispenser. A central tubular formation of the trap member separates the trapped air from the inlet and can be used to plug the trap member into the inlet.

An inverted dispenser pump is used to dispense foam. The dispenser pump includes an air cylinder with an air piston to pump air to form the foam along with a liquid cylinder that has a liquid cylinder piston to pump liquid to form the foam. A conduit shell is received over the liquid cylinder in order to draw fluid when in an inverted state. An intake valve member is received around the opening of the conduit shell. The intake valve member has a seal flap configured to seal against the conduit shell opening in order to reduce flow restrictions of liquid drawn into the liquid cylinder.

Growing community of inventors

Ashby de la Zouch, United Kingdom

David John Pritchett