APPLICATION DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, before surgery, the patient is required to be disinfected on his/her region of the body where the operation will be perfomed by a liquid disinfectant.

Previously, doctors in many hospitals wipe over and disinfect the patient's skins by using a conventional wipe. However, recently, more and more simple tools are used to control a release of a liquid disinfectant and to accelerate the disinfection process. For example, 3M Company has developed a Duraprep skin antiseptic applicator product which provides a very effective and convenient method for controlling the release of a liquid disinfectant for the surgical prep solutions. At the same time, a great deal of research and development has been made in this field, and several successful improvements on application devices have been achieved in the past few years, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US2003/041666, US 2007020029 and US 20040162533; U.S. Patent No. 5,769,551; and PCT Publication

No. WO9963934.

In a conventional disinfectant liquid applicator, a glass bottle containing the disinfectant is crushed by pressing a plastic handle on the applicator by the hand, so that the disinfectant is released. However, since the liquid applicator employs a design with the glass bottle nested in the plastic structure, the structure of the applicator is complicated and the production cost is high.

Another plastic applicator has also been known to those skilled in the art. The applicator consists of a container, a container lid and a connector. The applicator has a complicated construction and a high manufacture cost. In addition, there is a high possibility that the liquids contained in the applicator may leak out during the usage due to its design deficiency. Moreover, there is a high risk that a seal of the container will be damaged if the container and the container lid are fitted together during transportation and storage.

In another application device of the prior art, the applicator includes an additional cap to protect a seal of a container, which results in waste of material to a certain extent.

In still another example of an application device in the art, the container can be located at two different positions with respect to a container lid by means of a locking mechanism and a thread structure. However, the container moves with respect to the container lid before use, and blockage of liquid flow due to vacuum still exists during usage of the applicator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made to overcome at least one of the disadvantages and problems existing in the art. The present invention mainly relates to an application device which prevents or minimizes blockage of liquid flow due to vacuum during usage of the application device. In view of the above, at least one object of the present invention is to provide an application device which has a simple structure and a low manufacture cost and can effectively minimize or prevent blockage of liquid flow due to vacuum during usage of the application device.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an application device, comprising a container for containing an antiseptic and a container lid. The container has an open end and a closed end, and a mouth part is provided at the open end of the container. The container lid comprises: a connecting part, which is connectable with the mouth part so as to introduce the antiseptic from the container; a wiping part for applying the antiseptic; and a guiding part located between the connecting part and the wiping part, comprising an inner space through which the antiseptic introduced from the connecting part flows to the wiping part. The guiding part is provided with a venting member configured such that the inner space of the guiding part communicates with the outside air, without the antiseptic leaking out from the venting member.

Alternatively, the container further comprises the mouth part and a seal for sealing the mouth part; and a projecting member provided in the container lid can rupture the seal through movement of the container lid with respect to the container after the container lid is fixed onto the container. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mouth part is provided with a locking ring portion and an external thread portion, and the connecting part is provided with a locking port portion engageable with the locking ring portion and an internal thread portion engageable with the external thread portion. Thus, the container lid can move with respect to the container. Therefore, before use, the container lid is secured on the container by fitting the locking port portion onto the locking ring portion, and there is a distance maintained between the seal and the sharp piece until use. When in use, the sharp piece moves together with the container lid through the engagement between the external thread portion and the internal thread portion so as to rupture the seal to allow the application antiseptic in the container to exude into the wiping part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an application device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view showing a container lid of the application device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a cutaway view of the container lid in figure 2, taken along a line i-i;

Figure 4 is a partially enlarged cutaway view of the application device in Figure 1, showing an engagement state of the container lid and the container before use; and

Figure 5 is a partially enlarged cutaway view of the application device in Figure 1, showing an engagement state of the container lid and the container in use.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of an application device according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a cutaway view of the container lid in figure 6, taken along a line 1-1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments in accordance with the invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout.

Figures 1-3 illustrate embodiments of the application device in accordance with the invention. However, the features described in Figures 1-3 are not necessarily indispensable. In other words, the features described in Figures 1-3 can be used to construct an application device of the invention alone or by way of different combinations thereof.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an application device in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a front view showing a container lid of the application device in accordance with the invention, and Figure 3 is a cutaway view of the container lid in figure 2, taken along the line 1-1.

As shown in Figure 1 , the application device 1 comprises a container 2 for containing application antiseptic and a container lid 3, and the container 2 comprises a container body 4 and a mouth part 5. The container 2 further comprises a container neck 4', and the container body 4 is connected with the mouth part 5 through the container neck 4'. The container neck 4' is oblique to the container body 4 at an inclination angle. Preferably, the neck 4' is oblique to the container body at an inclination angle of 10 to 75 degrees, so that when the container 2 is engaged in the container lid 3, the neck 4' can endure a certain pressure, and thus the shrinkage of the neck 4' will not occur.

The application antiseptic can be a powder, a liquid or the like with certain liquidity. Preferably, the application antiseptic is a liquid disinfectant for medical use. Suitable skin antiseptic compositions include (as the antimicrobial agent) iodine, an iodine complex, chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine salts, or combinations thereof.

Preferred iodine complexes may include iodophors, e.g., povidone -iodine USP. Preferred chlorhexidine salts may include, e.g., chlorhexidine digluconate and chlorhexidine diacetate. Other suitable antimicrobial agents may include C2-C5 lower alkyl alcohols (including, e.g., ethyl alcohol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol), parachlorometaxylenol (PCMX), triclosan, hexachlorophene, fatty acid monoesters of glycerin and propylene glycol such as glycerol monolaurate, glycerol monocaprylate, glycerol monocaprate, propylene glycol monolaurate, propylene glycol monocaprylate, propylene glycol moncaprate, phenols, surfactants, and polymers that include a (C12-C22)hydrophobe and a quaternary ammonium group, polyquaternary amines such as polyhexamethylene biguanide, quaternary ammonium silanes, silver, silver salts

(such as silver chloride), silver oxide and silver sulfadiazine, methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl parabens, octenidene, peroxides (e.g., hydrogen peroxide and benzoyl peroxide), and the like, as well as combinations thereof.

The container 2 and the container lid 3 can be made through plastic molding. The container body 4 may be flexible, so that the container body 4 can be compressed by the user. Alternatively, the container body 4 also can have relatively more rigidity. The capacity of the container body 4 is suitable to contain an appropriate amount of the application antiseptic necessary for one usage. For example, the container body 4 can contain about 5 ml to 30 ml liquid disinfectant for medical use in the case of disinfecting a skin surface. In other uses, the container body 4 can have different capacities as required, so that it can contain about 30 ml to 120 ml or even more application antiseptic.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the container lid 3 substantially comprises: a connecting part 6, which is connectable with the mouth part 5, such that the container lid 3 may be connected onto the container, and the antiseptic may be introduced from the container 2; a wiping part 7 for applying the antiseptic; and a guiding part 8 located between the connecting part 6 and the wiping part 7, and the guiding part 8 can have different lengths and shapes as required. The guiding part 8 comprises an inner space

through which the antiseptic introduced from the connecting part 6 flows to the wiping part 7.

Herein, the connecting part 6 can be connected to the mouth part 5 of the container 2 by one or more means of bayonet fitting, thread fitting and snap fitting etc. However, it should be ensured that there is no application antiseptic leaking out between the connecting part 6 and the mouth part 5.

Further, as shown in Figures 3-5, the guiding part 8 is provided with a venting member 9, which is configured so that the inner space of the guiding part 8 is in communication with outside air while no antiseptic leaks out from the venting member 9. In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figs. 3-5, the venting member 9 is in communication with outside air through an inlet of the container lid 3. However, the position where the venting member 9 communicates with the outside air is not limited but can be any suitable position on the guiding part 8 or the connecting part 6. For example, the venting member 9 can be disposed on an outer wall of the guiding part 8, or be constructed between the guiding part 8 and the connecting part 6, or arranged on the connecting part 6.

The construction of the venting member is not limited. According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 4, the venting member 9 is a tapered hole which is disposed between a space between the guiding part 8 and the connecting part 6 and sized to prevent the application antiseptic such as a liquid disinfectant from leaking out of the container, while allowing the inner space of the guiding part 8 to communicate with outside air to minimize or prevent blockage of liquid due to vacuum during application. For example, the diameter of the taper hole may vary in the range from 0.5mm to 1.Omm. Of course, the venting member 9 can employ other variant forms as long as it can bring forth similar function of the tapered hole. For example, the venting member can be labyrinth sized to prevent the antiseptic leaking therefrom, or a one-way valve which allows the air but prevents the application antiseptic to flow therethrough in the container 2. In another embodiment of the present invention, the venting member is configured to be a gap between the threads (will be

described later in detail) arranged between the connecting part 6 of the container lid 3 and the mouth part 5 of the container 2.

The venting member 9 may be provided on a side wall of the guiding part 8 in addition to the position provided in Figures 3-5, and preferably, the venting member 9 is provided on the side wall of the guiding part 8 away from the wiping part 7.

The wiping part 7 itself can be used as a daubing member, for example, an end of the wiping part 7 away from the guiding part 8 can be a soft platelet. The application antiseptic can flow to the platelet through a discharging hole 10 which communicates the wiping part 7 with the inner space of the guiding part 8. As shown in Figure 1, a daubing member 11 can be provided on the wiping part 7 as required. In the case that the application antiseptic is a liquid, the daubing member 11 can be made of a soft material for absorbing a liquid, such as a sponge, gauze, a wipe, etc. Further, the daubing member 11 can be an absorbent pad. Furthermore, a rim 12 and a plurality of ribs 12' for bonding the wiping part 7 can be provided on a top surface of the wiping part 7. In some embodiments, the top surface of the wiping part 7 can also include a resistive element to aid in control of liquid flow to the daubing member 11. The resistive element can be any form that at least partially blocks the path of liquid flow between the inner sprace of the guiding part 8 or discharge hole 10, and the wiping part 7. At the same time, the ribs 12' can guide the liquid so that the liquid flows evenly to different parts of the daubing member 11. Herein, the side walls of the rim 12 and the side walls of the plurality of ribs 12' are not perpendicular to the top surface of the wiping part 7, but are in a direction the same as the axial direction of the connecting part 6 to provide that a core-releasing direction of a mold is in conformity with a core-releasing direction of a main passage of the connecting part 6, and thus the production cost of the mold is decreased.

Next, the structures of the connecting part 6 of the container lid 3 and the mouth part 5 of the container 2 will be further described by referring to Figures 1-5. The mouth part 5 of the container 2 is longer than that of a usual container, and a locking

ring portion 14 connected with the neck 4' and an external thread portion 15 connected with the locking ring portion 14 are simultaneously provided at an outer circumference surface of the mouth part 5. The locking ring portion 14 comprises a locking ring protrusion 13 provided at a junction of the locking ring portion 14 and the external thread portion 15, and the locking ring protrusion 13 is arranged in a circumference direction of the locking ring portion 14 to be slightly higher than a circumference surface of the locking ring portion 14. Herein, an outer diameter of the locking ring portion 14 is larger than that of the external thread portion 15.

The mouth part 5 is preferably sealed by a seal 16 (see Figure l).The seal 16 may be a sealing member suitable to seal the container to prevent the application antiseptic therein from leaking out, and the seal 16 can be ruptured by a sharp piece. For example, in the case that the application antiseptic is a liquid disinfectant (such as ethylene oxide), and considering compatibility with the liquid disinfectant, and in order to prevent the liquid disinfectant from permeating the seal 16 before use or during the transportation and/or storage, the seal 16 may preferably be designed to have a metal layer and a high molecular material layer, and keep the high molecular material layer contacting with the inner liquid disinfectant and the metal layer facing outward.

As shown in Figure 3, the connecting part 6 is provided with a guiding structure 17 at an inlet thereof, and comprises a locking port portion 18 and an internal thread portion 19 provided therein sequentially in a direction from the inlet to the inside of the connecting part 6. The locking port portion 18 is provided with a locking port protrusion 20 at the inlet thereof, and the locking port protrusion 20 is provided to slightly protrude inwardly in an inner circumferential direction of the locking port portion 18 so as to fit with the locking ring protrusion 13 on the locking ring portion 14. The internal thread portion 19 can be threadedly engaged with the external thread portion 15, and preferably, the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19 are helical. When the locking port portion 18 and the locking ring portion 14 are fitted together, the locking port protrusion 20 supports the locking ring portion 14 (a

portion below the locking ring protrusion 13) whose outer diameter is slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the locking port protrusion 20.

Of course, the locking port protrusion 20 can be configured as other structures, such as a one-way clasp, so that the container lid 3 can not fall off from the container mouth part 5 after the locking ring protrusion 13 passes through the one-way clasp.

Moreover, the fitting between the locking port protrusion 20 and the locking ring protrusion 13 can be realized through a fitting between a protrusion 30 and a recess 33. As shown on Figures 6 and 7, the locking ring portion 14 comprises protrusion 30. As shown, the protrusion 30 protrudes from the locking ring portion 14 connected to and in a manner perpendicular to locking ring protrusion 13. Other angles and locations of protrusion 30 on locking ring portion 14 of mouth part 5 are also contemplated to fit the container 2 in container lid 3. The locking port protrusion 20 further comprises recess 33 to form a fitting between locking port protrusion 20 and protrusion 30 on locking ring protrusion 13. In Figure 6, a rib stop 31 is also provided on mouth part 5. The rib stop 31 is provided to avoid the draw back of container 2 during use.

Referring back to Figure 3, when the seal 16 is provided on the mouth part 5, the projecting member 21 is provided correspondingly inside the internal thread portion 19. The projecting member 21 is provided inside the internal thread portion 19, and protruded axially downward from a position, preferably near a top center, within the connecting part 6 at a distance which does not exceed an axial length of the internal thread portion 19. If the container lid 3 is mounted on the container mouth part 5, the projecting member 21 faces the seal 16. In addition, those skilled in the art may know that a total axial length of the mouth part 5 is longer than an inner depth of the connecting part 6 from the inlet of the connecting part 6 to the top of the connecting part 6, and a length of a threaded- fitting between the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19 is sufficient for the projecting member 21 to rupture the seal 16.

Note that the external thread portion 15 preferably starts from the outmost opening end 22 of the mouth part 5 as shown in Figure 1. Of course, the external thread portion 15 may not start from the outmost opening end 22 of the mouth part 5, as long as there is a safe distance between the seal 16 and the projecting member 21 before the external thread portion 15 comes to threadedly engage with the internal thread portion

19.

The connecting part 6 further comprises a top hole 23, preferably provided at the top center, in the connecting part 6, and the top hole 23 is in communication with the inner space of the guiding part 8. As shown in Figure 3, the projecting member 21 has a sharp protruding wall shape extended downward from a portion of a periphery of the top hole 23. In that case, there is no opening provided in the protruding wall, and the liquid in the container 2 is discharged directly through the top hole 23. However, the projecting member 21 can alternatively be of a substantially conical shape, and at this point, an opening (not shown) is provided in the projecting member 21, so that the application antiseptic in the container 2 can be guided into the inner space of the guiding part 8 through the opening and the top hole 23 and then be discharged to the wiping part 7 through the discharging hole 10 after the projecting member 21 ruptures the seal 16. The opening or the top hole 23 may be one aperture or a number of apertures, and a diameter of the aperture or apertures can be varied slightly according to flowability of the contained application antiseptic (such as a viscosity of a liquid) so as to control the application antiseptic to be effused uniformly and evenly.

In the case that the external thread portion 15 starts from the outmost opening end 22 of the mouth part 5, as shown in Figure 3, a step portion 24 is further arranged at the junction of the locking port portion 18 and the internal thread portion 19 in an inner circumferential direction of the locking port portion 18, preferably, the step portion 24 has a substantially cylinder shape. Alternatively, the step portion 24 can also be a plurality of protruding shoulders arranged in an inner circumferential of the locking port portion 18.

The step portion 24 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the external thread portion 15, so that the step portion 24 supports a circumference surface of the opening end 22 of the mouth part 5, that is, an end of the external thread portion 15, when the locking ring portion 14 and the locking port portion 18 are fitted with each other. Further, the step portion 24 may not be arranged at the junction of the locking port portion 18 and the internal thread portion 19, that is, the step portion 24 can be provided a distance away from the internal thread portion 19.

Hereinafter, a state during the transportation or before use of the application device of the invention will be described by referring to Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, when the locking ring portion 14 of the container 2 is fitted into the locking port portion 18 of the container lid 3, the step portion 24 supports the circumference surface of the opening end 22 of the container mouth part 5, that is, the end of the external thread portion 15, and the locking port protrusion 20 supports the locking ring portion 14 (a portion below the locking ring protrusion 13) whose outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the locking port protrusion 20. Therefore, the locking port protrusion 20 and the step portion 24 together prevent effectively the container mouth part 5 from radially moving and axially moving in the container lid 3. Because the external thread portion 15 starts from the opening end 22 of the mouth part 5, and the projecting member 21 is protruded downward at a distance which does not exceed an axial length of the internal thread portion 19, in the case that the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19 are not in threaded-engagement, the projecting member 21 will not contact and rupture the seal 16. In other words, there is a safe distance between the seal 16 and the projecting member 21. Therefore, the application antiseptic leakage before use caused by penetrating of the seal 16 can be effectively prevented.

Next, use of the application device of the invention in which the seal is ruptured by the sharp piece will be further described by referring to Figure 5. In order to rupture the seal 16, a user first compresses and rotates the container lid 3 so that the external thread portion 15 is threadedly engaged with the internal thread portion 19,

and thus the projecting member 21 inside the container lid 3 moves towards the seal 16 and finally ruptures the seal 16. Then, the user continues to screw down the container lid 3 so as to prevent application antiseptic from leaking out during usage by means of the thread fitting. As described above, in an exemplified embodiment, a gap is provided between the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19 so that the guiding part 8 of the container lid 3 can be in communication with the outside air while preventing leakage of liquid during usage. With this construction, the blockage of liquid due to vacuum can be minimized or avoided. In the state shown in Figure 5, the seal 16 of the container 2 has been ruptured by the projecting member 21 in the container lid 3. From the state in Figure 4 to the state in Figure 5, the user only needs to screw down the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19 so that the projecting member 21 ruptures the seal 16.

After screwing down the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19, the user can turn the application device 1 upside down. Then the application antiseptic in the container 2 can flow to the inner space of the guiding part 8 through the top hole 23 and be discharged from the top hole 23 to the daubing member 11. In the course of applying the application antiseptic, the user can compress or shake the container 2 so as to accelerate or facilitate flowing of the liquid from the container 2 to the daubing member 11 on the wiping part 7. And at the same time, when the application antiseptic flows to the wiping part 7, the outside air also can flow into the container 2 by means of the venting member 9 without application antiseptic flowing therefrom, so the blockage of liquid due to vacuum is minimized or avoided and the application antiseptic can flow out uniformly and quickly.

In the foregoing embodiments, the locking port protrusion 20 and the internal thread portion 19 on the connecting part 6 are fitted with the locking ring protrusion 13 and the external thread portion 15 on the mouth part 5, respectively. In that configuration, the container lid 3 is connected to the container 2 through the fitting between the locking port protrusion 20 and the locking ring protrusion 13, and the

container lid 3 moves with respect to the container 2 by means of the fitting between the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19.

However, it should be noted that the connecting part 6 and the mouth part 5 can have no locking structures such as the locking port protrusion 20 and the locking ring protrusion 13. In that embodiment, the container lid 3 can be connected to the container 2 by means of a preliminary fitting between the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19 (herein, there is a safe distance between the projecting member 21 and the seal 16). The relative movement between the container lid 3 and the container 2 is obtained by a further fitting between the external thread portion 15 and the internal thread portion 19. In addition, the connecting part 6 and the mouth part 5 can also have no thread portions, but have locking structures that can perform a snap-fit function twice. With a snap-fit function, when a first snap fit is performed, the container lid 3 is connected to the container 2, and there is a safe distance between the projecting member 21 and the seal 16, and when the container lid 3 moves with respect to the container 2 so that a second snap fit is performed, the projecting member 21 ruptures the seal 16.

Further, in the above embodiments, in the case that the connecting part 6 and the mouth part 5 are both provided with thread portions, the connecting part 6 and the mouth part 5 can also be provided with locking structures capable of performing a snap-fit twice. Specially, when a first snap fit is performed, there is a safe distance between the projecting member 21 and the seal 16 (herein, the thread portions are preliminarily fitted with each other or are not fitted with each other yet), and when or after the projecting member 21 ruptures the seal 16 by a further movement of the container lid 3 relative to the container 2 through a thread fit of the thread portions, a second snap fit is performed. For example, the mouth part 5 is provided thereon with two locking ring protrusions 13 spaced apart from each other with an appropriate distance, and the connecting part 6 is provided therein with one locking port protrusion 20. When one of the two locking ring protrusions 13 first fits with the locking port protrusion 20, the container lid 3 is connected onto the container 2, and when the other

locking ring protrusion 13 then fits with the locking ring protrusion 13 by means of the thread fitting of the thread portions, the projecting member 21 will rupture the seal 16.

Further, alternatively, the locking port portion 18 has two or four slits 25 (see Figure 3) extended upwardly from an inlet of the locking port portion 18 in a fitting direction of the locking port portion 18 and the locking ring portion 14. The slits 25 are used to facilitate demolding during production.

Additionally, as shown in the Figures, the container lid 3 has a double-layer structure, that is, a cylinder structure, which surrounds the locking port portion 18 and is spaced from the locking port portion 18 by a predetermined distance, provided outside the locking port portion 18. The cylinder structure is used as a housing of the connecting part 6. And also, the container lid 3 may have a single layer structure, that is, the locking port portion 18 serves as a housing of the connecting part 6.

Further, the venting member 9 does not have to be provided on the guiding part 8, it can also be provided on the connecting part 6, and can be implemented in a good variety of forms as long as it can be ensured that the application antiseptic in the container 2 can not leak out therefrom and the outside air can flow into the inner space of the guiding part 8 or can flow into the container 2.

All these modifications and changes are intended to fall into the scope of the invention. Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and variants may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claimed and their equivalents.