US2807288A - Sterile drop assembly - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 24, 1957 R. F. SHEA STERILE DROP ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 1, .1954

ATTEI RN EYE Sept. 24, 1957 R. F. SHEA STERILE DROP ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1954 INVENTOR. falerilflslea ATTCI RN EYS United 1:

rates Pater Oflfice 2,807,288 Patented Sept. 24, 1957 container as the container is filled and which is crimped to avoid contamination as the container is sealed with a stand cover.

ear and nose drop use.

Various methods have been used for filling containers with bacteria-free solutions, however, it is difiicult to preand substantially sealed therein.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a vessel and a method for filling the same in which a Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section with parts broken away showing the improved bacteria-free container positioned in a pocket in a stand and threaded on a neck at the upper end with parts of the supply container and a weight positioned therein broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical section, similar to that shown in Figure 1, also with parts broken away and showing the assembly with the solution deposited into the lower container.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the container with parts broken away showing the lower part of the container, filter elements, and a stand cap threaded on the neck of the container in section.

Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 5 with the lower part of the container and stand cap shown in elevation and with the body of the container shown in section.

in a supporting stand.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating a stand adapted to hold a plurality of the containers.

Figure 9 is a plan view looking downwardly upon the upper end of one of the containers.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved method and the equipment for the extemporaneous preparation of bacterially free solutions of this invention include a resilient or squeezable container 10 having a dropper tip 11 extended from one side and a threaded neck 12 extended from the upper end, a filter 13 mounted in the neck and positioned above a perforated disc 14, a fillstand 17 adapted to be threaded on the neck 12 of the container, filling containers 18 and 19 adapted to be positioned on the threaded neck of the container 10 and a stand 20 having open recesses or pockets 21 and 22 therein which are positioned to receive the lower ends of the containers 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Although the container 10 is illustrated as being cylindrical, it will be understood that it may be of any other suitable shape in cross section and the container may also be of any suitable size. With the parts as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the dropper tip or spout 11 extends To place the solutions in the containers, the containers are positioned in pockets, such asthe pockets 21 and 22 in the stand 2%, the extended end of the dropper tip being snipped off with sterile shears to allow exit of the pressure created in the container and a bacteria-free be dropped from the dropper tip drops 29.

When a sufficient amount of the solution is dropped from the dropper tip, the cap 30 is secured over the end of the tip thereby sealing the opening.

The bacterially free solution is also adapted to be supplied to a container 31, similar to the container 10, with the containers 18 and 19, the walls of which are adapted to be forced together to force a solution, such as the solution 32 therein, through a filtering element 33 on the end of a neck 34 upon which a neck 35 'of the container 19 is threaded and upon forcing the walls of the container 19 toward the center the solution therein is forced through the filtering element 33 and into the container 31.

By the same means, additional material may be supplied by a container 36, an annular flange 37 of which is threaded on a nipple 38 at the upper end of the container 19.

It will be understood that other means may be used for depositing the bacteria-free solutions into the lower container, such as the containers 10 and 31, and with a suitable quantity of the solution in the lower containers, the containers 15, 18 and 19 are removed and the stand cover 17 threaded on the open upper end of a container. The containers may then be placed in the recesses or pockets 21 and 22, or the container may be inverted, as shown in Figures and 6, whereby the material may be dropped through the spout 11.

The recesses or pockets 21 and 22 in the stand 20 are illustrated as being square, however, it will be understood that these recesses may be of any suitable shape or design and, particularly as shown in Figure 7, openings 40 and 41 are positioned in the centers of the recesses and extend to the lower portion of the stand.

With the parts designed and assembled in this manner, it will be understood that the method and equipment of this invention are particularly useful for the externporaneous preparation of bacterially free solutions, and the solutions may be placed in the container and removed therefrom as desired.

If desired, sterile thickening agents which could not be filtered, such as methyl cellulose or other acceptable agents, could be added, sterile at the time of manufacture, and the volume of the agent specified to allow the proper strength of medicament or other chemical when the solution had been filtered into the container.

The containers may be calibrated as indicated by the numeral 42 in Figure 7, to denote the correct volume content, if desired.

Although the dropper tip 11 is illustrated as extending upwardly from one side of the container 10, it will be understood that it may be positioned at any other suitable point on the container.

With the product used in the container sterile at the time of manufacture and with the container pre-sterilized at manufacture and sealed until products therein are used, any possibility of contamination of the products is substantially obviated.

The container is used, primarily, for the extemporaneous preparation of bacterially free solutions which com-' prises a first step of forcing a solution from a supply thereof into a container of resilient material, a second step of filtering the solution as it passes from the supply to the container, the container, which is of resilient material, being sterilized at the time of manufacture, and the third step of providing the escape of air from said container.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the de- 6 sign and arrangement of the parts without departing from 5 the, spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: e

1. A container filler for bacterially free solutions comprising a container of resilient material having a dropper tip extended therefrom and having an exteriorly threaded neck on the upper end, a perforated disc extended across said neck, a filter positioned in the neck and spaced from the perforated disc, a cap for sealing the dropper tip, a vessel threaded on the threaded neck of the container and extended upwardly therefrom, said vessel having a relatively small opening in the lower end for supplying liquid from the interior thereof to the filter, and pressure means for forcing material from the vessel through the filter.

2. In a container filler, the combination which comprises a container having a dropper tip extended upwardly at an angle from one side and having a threaded neck extended from the upper end, said container being of bendable material, a perforated disc extended across the interior of said neck, a filter positioned in the neck, a vessel threaded on said neck and extended upwardly from the container, said vessel having a comparatively small orifice in the lower end, and a weight positioned in said vessel.

3. In a container filler, the combination which comprises a tubular container of resilient material having a dropper tip extended therefrom, said container being sterilized at the time of manufacture having an upwardly extended threaded neck, a stand having a recess adapted to receive said container and having an opening extended from the recess through the lower surface, and a plurality of vessels of bendable material extended upwardly from said container, one of said vessels being threaded upon the threaded neck of the container and another of said vessels being threaded upon the upper end of the former vessel, the said connections between the containers and vessels being enclosed.

4. In a container filler, the combination which comprises a container having a dropper tip extended therefrom and having a threaded neck on the upper end, said containing being of bendable material, a perforated disc extended across the interior of said neck, a filter positioned in the neck, a vessel threaded on said neck and extended upwardly from the container, said vessel having a comparatively small orifice in the lower end, a Weight positioned in said vessel, and a stand and having a recess therein for receiving the container for supporting the container in an upright position.

5. A container formed of squeezable material presterilized at manufacture and having a bacterial filter fitted in an inlet passage therein, said container having a dropper tip with an unobstructed passage therethrough extended therefrom and the walls of said container being adapted to be squeezed together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 855,525 McNutt June 4, 1907 1,191,831 Royer et al. July 18, 1916 1,967,439 Heineman July 24, 1934 2,011,891 Bowen et al Aug. 20', 1935 2,300,066 Schwab Oct. 27, 1942 2,431,192 Munson Nov. 18, 1947 2,497,980 Soares Feb. 21, 1950 2,502,298 White Mar. 28, 1950 2,541,272 Murphy Feb. 13, 1951 2,564,163 Leperre Aug. 14, 1951 2,655,152 Turner et al Oct. 13, 1953 2,684,789 Marchant July 27, 1954 2,773,521 Persson Dec. 11, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,495 Great Britain Nov. 15, 1911 605,345 Germany Nov. 9, 1934

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