US20040040985A1

US20040040985A1 - Medicament dispensing container closure assembly

Info

Publication number: US20040040985A1
Application number: US10/457,675
Authority: US
Inventors: Brian Gatton; John Buehler
Original assignee: Comar Inc
Current assignee: Comar Inc
Priority date: 2002-06-10
Filing date: 2003-06-09
Publication date: 2004-03-04

Abstract

A container-closure assembly comprising a container having a body portion and a neck finish having external threads, a cap of cup-like form having a top and a skirt with internal threads to mate with the container threads for application and removal of the cap from the container, an elongated tubular dispensing member having a discharge opening at one end and mounting a bulbous member at the other end to draw liquid products in the container into the dispensing member, the body portion of the container having a downwardly dished bottom defining the lowest point at about the center of the bottom and means defining a series of circumferentially spaced protrusions projecting downwardly from the bottom wall defining support pads for supporting the container on a flat surface, the lowest point of the pads disposed in a common plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container and wherein the peak or apex of the slanted bottom wall is disposed above said common plane.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The container-closure assembly of the present invention is particularly adapted for dispensing medications taken orally, such as children's liquid baby aspirin. These assemblies comprise a container for the liquid medicament and a dispensing assembly comprising an elongated hollow tubular member having a discharge opening at one end and mounting a squeezable bulb at the opposite end. By this arrangement. By this arrangement a quantity of the medicament can be drawn into the dispensing member and discharged into the child's mouth very easily.

The container-closure assembly of the present invention is characterized by novel features of construction and arrangement including a novel container base which incorporates a downwardly dished conical bottom wall and a series of downwardly projecting protrusions defining pads or feet that project below a plane through the peak of the downwardly indented bottom wall so that the container can be supported in an upright position on a support surface, such as the shelf of a medicine cabinet. The dispensing member is aligned generally with the central portion of the conical bottom wall so that substantially all of the medicament product can be withdrawn and thereby minimize waste of expensive medications and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a medicament dispensing container closure assembly; [0003]
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly; [0004]
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the container; [0005]
FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the container as viewed along lines [0006] 4-4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on lines [0007] 5-5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing the medicament being completely drawn into the dispensing element; and [0008]
FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion circled in FIG. 6 identified by the numerals [0009] 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. [0010] 1-4 thereof, there is shown a medicament dispensing assembly in accordance with the present invention generally designated by the number 10. The assembly as illustrated comprises a container 12 which may be blow molded to the shape shown of a suitable plastic material comprising an enlarged generally cylindrical body portion 14 having a reduced neck portion 16 with external spiral threads 18 to accommodate a cap 20 having a skirt 23 for holding the medicament dispensing member in the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The cap 20 compromise a top 21 having a skirt 23.
The dispensing element comprises an elongated hollow [0011] tubular member 30 having a discharge opening 32 at its outer terminal end and a squeeze bulb 36 at its opposite end engaging through an opening 25 in the top of the cap 20. The bulb 36 has a radially outwardly projecting flange 37 which is pressed against the axial end face 39 of the container neck 16 to seal the assembly. An overcap 40 engages over the inner cap 20 in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The overcap 40 and main cap 20 are provided with interengaging lugs and ribs whereby rotation of the overcap in one direction seats cap 20 on the container and rotation in the opposite direction removes the cap.
The [0012] container 12 has a series of nub-like projections 42 in its base 44 so that the container 12 can be seated on a flat surface. The base or bottom wall 44 of the container 12 as illustrated is of dished shape so that the dispensing element 30 engages at the lowest point to thereby permit withdrawal of substantially all of the medicament contents in the container.
Specifically as illustrated in FIG. 7, the downwardly dished [0013] bottom wall 44 is of generally conical shape wherein the central lowest point 46 of the bottom wall lies above a plane P-P through the lowest point 42 a of the pads or feet 42 and transverse to the longitudinal axis A-A of the container to support the container-closure assembly in an upright position on a support surface, such as the shelf of a medicine cabinet or the like. The web-like projections or protrusions 42 are formed integrally with the base at a series of circumferentially equi-spaced locations as illustrated in FIG. 4 adjacent the side wall (14 a).
Even though a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the following claims. [0014]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A container-closure assembly comprising a container having a body portion and a neck finish having external threads, a cap of cup-like form having a top and a skirt with internal threads to mate with the container threads for application and removal of the cap from the container, an elongated tubular dispensing member having a discharge opening at one end and mounting a bulbous member at the other end to draw liquid products in the container into the dispensing member, the body portion of the container having a downwardly dished bottom defining the lowest point at about the center of the bottom and means defining a series of circumferentially spaced protrusions projecting downwardly from the bottom wall defining support pads for supporting the container on a flat surface, the lowest point of the pads disposed in a common plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container and wherein the peak or apex of the slanted bottom wall is disposed above said common plane.

2. A container for liquid products having a body portion and a neck finish having external threads for a cap of cup-like form having a top and skirt with internal threads to mate with the container threads for application and removal of the cap from the container, the body portion of the container having a downwardly dished bottom defining the lowest point at about the center of the bottom and means defining a series of circumferentially spaced protrusions projecting downwardly from the bottom wall defining support pads for supporting the container on a flat surface, the lowest point of the pads disposed in a common plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container and wherein the peak or apex of the slanted bottom wall is disposed above said common plane.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pads are disposed in a circular array and are equi-spaced.