[0001] This invention rebates to a dispensing device. In particular, this invention relates to a device for dispensing and accurately applying a measured volume of a fluid, for example a plant growth regulator, onto a plant to be treated,

[0002] Generally, there is a problem, when a fluid pesticide regulator or fertiliser is applied to a plant, in that the fluid is not applied in a precise amount to a precise location. This results in excessive use of the fluid which leads to run off, This has cost and environmental consequences.

[0003] A specific problem Is in the use of plant growth regulators which are widely used in the farming of crop plants such as tobacco plants. Typically, tobacco growers remove a tobacco plant's apical meristem in a process known in the art as "topping". This topping process ensures that the plant's energy is directed towards leaf development which increases yield and leaf quality which in turn improves the grower's profits.

[0004] As topping removes the source of a plant's apical dominance, axillary buds _: known as "suckers", usually develop in the leaf axils of the plant. If left uncontrolled, the presence of suckers can reduce crop yield and quality,

[000SJ The usual practice is to use plant growth regulator chemicals known as "suckercides" to control the growth of suckers. Two types of suckercides are commonly used in the art, contact suckercides as well as locai systematic suckercides. Contact suckercides physically burn the meristernatsc tissue in the leaf axils where the suckers develop. Local systematic chemicals also contact the teaf axils but are translocated at that location and inhibit cell division thereby retarding sucker growth,

[000S] in order to ensure proper sucker growth contro , it is essential that the correct volume and concentration of the suckercide is used and that it is accurately placed on the plant. An uncontrolled volume of a suckercide can lead to undesirable effects such as damage to the upper leaves, chemical residue in the leaves and run-off into the soil, which penetrates the soil thereb inhibiting further plant growth. Similarly, if not enough suckerdde is applied to the piant, s cker growth is uncontrolled and this leads to a decreased crop yield and leaf quality. It is also advantageous to ensure that a sufficient volume of the suckerdde is applied to the leaf axil to allow the suckercide to move down the stem of the plant in a whori action.

[0007] A need therefore exists for a device which accurately delivers the required amount of a suckercide to the leaf axil of a plant to address sucker growth, while ensuring that the disadvantages associated with uncontrolled volumes of suckercide are substantially obviated.

[0008] The invention aims, at least partially, to address these requirements, SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0009] The invention provides a dispensing applicator which is mountable to a fluid reservoir, for dispensing a measured volume of a fluid from the reservoir to a specific locality, the dispensing applicator including a dispensing body, a fluid receiving chamber within the body determining the measured volume, an inlet to the chamber and an outlet from the chamber, an obstructing member nested within the fluid receiving chamber and which is moveable therein when the body is tilted beyond a predetermined angle from the vertical, from a first position, in which the inlet and the outlet are open, to allow the fluid to flow from the reservoir through the inlet info the chamber to fill the measured volume, to a second position in which the outiet is dosed, wherein, as the obstructing member moves from tbe first position to tbe second position, fluid is dispensed from the reservoir through the outlet in the measured volume.

[001 ] The fluid may be, for example, a plant growth regulator fluid.

[0011] The obstructing member may be of any suitabie kind to close the outiet, Preferably the obstructing member is a bali formed from a corrosion resistant material e.g. stainless steel. The diameter of the obstructing member may be greater than the diameter of the outlet.

[0012] Additionally, the fluid receiving chamber may be tapered towards the outlet to prevent movement of the obstructing member through the outlet.

£9013] A stopper ma be engageabte at one end, with the fluid receiving chamber to prevent movement of tbe obstructing member out of the chamber. The obstructing member may be seated on an inner surface of the stopper at least in the first position.

[0014] The dispensing body may Include at least one air discharge passage in airflow communication with the fluid receiving chamber to remove any air from the fluid receiving chamber. |0915] The air discharge passage may include an opening at an end thereof such that, in use, it is in airflow communicstion with the reservoir to remove any air from the reservoir thereby ensuring an even flow of fluid out of the outiet.

[0018] The applicator may include a nozzle conduit which is in fluid communication with the outlet.

[0017] The nozzle may be disposed at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the dispensing body to facilitate the accurate pouring of the fluid.

[0018] The dispensing body may be formed from any suitable material e.g. plastics, metal or the like. This is not limiting.

[0019] The measured volume of the fluid may be varied according to requirement. Preferably the measured volume is between 4ml to 12ml, more preferably between 4ml to 8ml.

[0020] Optionally, the stopper may include an aperture formed there-through which is sized such that when the obstructing member is in the first position, the aperture is closed.

[0021] The aperture may be between 1mm and 2mm in diameter. Preferably the aperture is 1.5mm in diameter,

[0022] The aperture in the stopper ensures that a smaller volume, of say 4ml to 6ml of fluid is dispensed. However, if a larger volume, of say 7ml to 9ml of fluid is required, then a stopper having no ρβή ίβ formed there-through is provided. [0023] The stopper may be formed from any suitable materia? e.g. rubber or plastic. This ES not limiting,

| 024| The dispensing body may include a mounting means for removably mounting the body to an opening to a reservoir containing the fluid e.g. a container or the like.

[002$] The mounting means may include a base being mountable to the opening to the reservoir and a securing member for securing the body to the opening. A seai may be provided to ensure a leak proof communication,

[0026] The base may have any suitable shape to facilitate the mounting thereof to an opening e.g, oval, square. Preferably the base is disc shaped.

The base may be integral with the dispensing body.

[0027] The securing member may be of any suitable kind to secure the dispensing body to the opening e.g. a threaded cap, dip or the like.

[0028] The invention also provides a reservoir container for use with the dispensing applicator the container including a body defining an internal volume for receiving the fluid, an opening to the body in fluid communication with the internal volume wherein the body includes a neck portion which is disposed at an angle relative to a remaining portion of the body.

[0029] The container may be formed from a rigid material to withstand a predetermined maximum pressure if applied thereto.

[0030] The container may volumetrically calibrated to indicate a volume of the fiuid in the container. [0031] The opening to the body may be threaded such that it is complementary to the thread of the securing member of the mounting means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a dispensing applicator according to a first aspect of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view, partially sectioned, of the dispensing applicator in Figure 1 with an obstructing member in a first position;

Figure 3 is a side view, partially sectioned of the dispensing appHcator in

Figure 1 illustrating the obstructing member in a second position;

Figure 4 is an exploded view, in perspective, of a mounting means usabie with the dispensing applicator of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a container according to a second aspect of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0033] Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view of a dispensing applicator 10 according to a first aspect of the invention. The dispensing applicator 10 includes a dispensing body 12 made from an appropriate material or materials, A fluid receiving chamber 18, for receiving a predetermined volume of fluid in use, is formed inside the body 12. An inlet 18 to (shown here as two inlet openings 18A and 18B), and outlet 20 from, the fluid receiving chamber 18 are provided. [0034] An obstructing member 22, shown here as a ball is formed from any suitable corrosion resistant material e.g. stainless steel, The obstructing member 22 is nested with n the fluid receiving chamber 16 between the outlet 20 and a stopper 24. The stopper 24 is engaged with an end of the fluid receiving chamber 18 to provide a leak proof seal.

[0035] A nozzle conduit 26 is in fluid communication with the outlet 20 and is disposed at an angle to the body 12 to facilitate the accurate pouring of a piant growth regulating fluid,

|0038] Figure 2 shows a partially sectioned side view of the dispensing applicator 10 in fluid communication with a reservoir 30 of plant growth regulator fluid 32, An air discharge passage 34 is mounted to, and extends at least partially along, the length of the body. The air discharge passage 34 is in airflow communication with the fluid receiving chamber 18, shown by openings 38 and 38. An opening 40 is also provided such that the air discharge passage 34 is also in airflow communication with the reservoir 30 of plant growth regulator fluid 32. In both instances, any air within the chamber 18 and the reservoir 30 is expelled from the opening 38. This ensures that no vacuum or airlock is formed inside the reservoir 30 and the chamber 18, thereby ensuring an even uninhibited flow of fluid, in use.

[0037] The obstructing member 22 is nested within the fluid receiving chamber 18 between the stopper 24 and the outlet 20. The obstructing member 22 is sized with a diameter D that is greater than a diameter d of the outiet 20. Additionally, the fluid receiving chamber 18 tapers inwardly towards the outlet 20 to prevent movement of the obstructing member out of the outlet

[0038] In Figure 2, the body 12 is in a vertical orientation, shown by the axis 14, and the obstructing member 22 is in a first position, wherein the obstructing member 22 is resting on the stopper 24. The inlet 18 and the outlet 20 are open and fluid 32 is able to flow through the inlet 18 into the fluid receiving chamber 18. Preferably, each inlet 18A and 18B has a diameter of 4,5mm. Due to the vertical orientation of the body 12, fluid cannot flow through the outlet 20. [0039] When a measured volume of fiuid 32 is required to be dispensed, the dispensing body 12 is titled at a predetermined angle in a direction shown by the arrow A on Figure 2, from the vertical. This movement causes the fluid 32 wsthin the chamber 16 to flow out of the outlet 20 into the nozzle conduit 28 to be dispensed. The obstructing member 22 then moves into a second position, shown in Figure 3, wherein the outlet 20 Is closed, No further fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet can then occur. The diameter of the opening 38 should be sufficiently small in order to prevent fiuid from flowing out of the opening 38 when the body is tilted. Preferably the dimeter of the opening 38 is 1.5mm. [0040] The volume of fluid to be dispensed oan be varied according to requirement. If a smaller volume of the fluid, e.g. 4ml to 5ml is to be dispensed, a stopper 24 having an aperture 42 (shown by dotted lines in Figure 2) formed there-through is provided. The aperture 42 is sized such that when the obstructing member 22 is resting on an inner surface of the stopper 24, the aperture 42 is closed. The diameter of the aperture 42 is varied according to requirement. Preferably the aperture is 1.5mm in diameter,

[0041] If a larger volume of fluid e.g. 6mi to 9ml is to be dispensed, then a stopper having no aperture formed there-through is provided.

[0042] As the dispensing member Is titled from the vertical 14 such thai it is in the position shown in Figure 3, fluid flows through the aperture 42 _s forcing the obstructing member 22 towards the outlet 20. The action of the fluid flow through the aperture 42 together with the normai movement of the obstructing member 22 from the first position to the second position, due to the action of gravity, causes the obstructing member 22 to reach the outlet at a faster rate. A smaller volume of fluid therefore flows from the chamber 18 through the outlet 20 before the outlet 20 is closed, This ensures that a smaller volume of fluid is dispensed.

[0043] Converseiy, the absence of an aperture in the stopper 24 allows a larger volume of fluid to flow through the outlet 20 before the obstructing member 22 reaches the second position, wherein the outlet is closed,

[0044] Preferably two stoppers, one having an aperture and another having no apertures formed there-through are provided such that they can be used interchangeably according to requirement.

[004S] The size of the fluid receiving chamber 16 may be varied according to requirement However in a preferred form of the invention, the chamber has an internal diameter between 7mm to 12mm and is sized to hold a volume of 8mi to 12ml. The applicant has found that a dispensing volume of 4ml to 9ml provides the most effective treatment for sucker growth. The angle of the nozzle also ensures that the plant growth regulator fiuid is directed accurately onto the leaf axil to be treated.

[0948] For ease of use, the dispensing applicator 10 is mounted to the reservoir of fluid using a mounting means 44 _f shown in Figure 4. A base 48 is provided on the dispensing applicator and is preferably integral therewith to mount the dispensing applicator 10 to an opening of the reservoir. A securing member 48, shown here as screw cap which is of complementary thread to the reservoir in which the fluid is held, secures the base to the opening, A seal 50 is provided between the opening and the base to ensure a leak proof seal.

[0047] Figure 5 illustrates a container 52 for use with a dispensing applicator according to a second aspect of the invention. The container 52 has a body 54 which is formed from a suitably rigid material to ensure that the body 54 cannot be depressed when pressure are a predetermined magnitude is applied thereto. The bod 54 defines an internal volume 58 for receiving a plant growth regulating fluid in use and an opening 58 to the volume. The opening is preferably of a complementary thread to the securing member 48 of the mounting means 44. The body 54 includes a neck portion 60 which is disposed at an angle to the rest of the body. This facilitates the dispensing of a fluid through the dispensing applicator 10. Markings 82 are aiso provided to volumetrically calibrate the container.