U.S. patent number 3,690,563 [Application Number 05/107,374] was granted by the patent office on 1972-09-12 for aspirator assembly.
Invention is credited to 07726, Allan P. Farrington, 1 Portsmith Rd., Anthony J. Nastus, 79 Loretta St..
United States Patent |
3,690,563 |
|
September 12, 1972 |
ASPIRATOR ASSEMBLY
Abstract
An aspirator assembly for use with a propellent gas source and
small liquid containers is formed of such design that the same can
be readily prepared by mass production, the same having a minimum
of parts so that the cost can be kept low. The aspirator assembly
is formed of two stainless steel tubes, one of which is adapted to
conduct a propellent gas and the other of which is adapted to
conduct the liquid to be sprayed. The gas-conducting tube, which
has a gas-inlet end and a gas-outlet end, is a straight tube of
somewhat larger diameter than the liquid-conducting tube. The
liquid-conducting tube is more flexible than the gas-conducting
tube and has two substantially right angle bends with one being
near the liquid-entrance end and the other being near the
liquid-exit end. The two tubes are positioned with respect to each
other so that they lie in a single plane with their exit ends being
in close relationship to each other and their entrance ends spaced
apart the portion of the liquid-conducting tube which lies between
the two bends being positioned at a slight angle with respect to
the gas-conducting tube. The tubes are held in this position by
molding a collar around the same, the collar completely covering
the substantially right angle bend in the liquid-conducting tube
which is located nearest its liquid-entrance end. By this
construction the liquid-conducting tube is prevented from rotating
with respect to the gas-conducting tube. Also, there is molded
around the two tubes, in a position between the collar and the tube
ends, a slide member which is adapted to slide along the tubes,
such sliding moving the exit ends of the tubes relative to each
other for regulating the spray pattern when in use. Both the
positioning collar and the slide member can be molded
simultaneously. They are preferably formed of polypropylene so that
the aspirator assembly can be steam sterilized if desired. In use
the entrance end of the propellent gas-conducting tube is fitted
into the gas-outlet opening of a conventional aerosol propellent
can or some other suitable supply of gas. The two are held together
by friction. The entrance end of the liquid-conducting tube is
inserted into the mouth of a vial containing liquid to be
dispensed. Preferably, the entrance end of the liquid-conducting
tube is sharpened so that the same can pierce the covering diaphram
of a liquid-containing vial where such diaphram is used. In such
case friction between the resilient diaphram and the
liquid-containing tube holds the vial in place. Where the vial does
not have a diaphram cover the vial is opened and placed in a small
container adapted to screw into a flange which is molded as part of
the restraining collar.
Inventors: |
Allan P. Farrington, 1 Portsmith
Rd. (Englishtown, NJ), 07726 (N/A), Anthony J.
Nastus, 79 Loretta St. (New Brunswick, NJ 08902) |
Family
ID: |
22316307 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/107,374 |
Filed: |
January 18, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
239/346; 239/420;
239/434; 239/306; 239/341; 239/426; 239/587.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
7/2429 (20130101); B05B 7/2421 (20130101); B65D
83/60 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
7/24 (20060101); B65D 83/14 (20060101); B05b
007/30 () |
Field of
Search: |
;239/304,306,307,314,318,341,344,346,420,426,434,543,587,292,294,308,316,418,458
;24/260 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: M. Henson Wood, Jr.
Assistant Examiner: Thomas C. Culp, Jr.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Harold L. Warner Robert L.
Minier
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An adjustable aspirator assembly for atomizing liquids
comprising a gas conducting tube, having an air-inlet end and an
air-outlet end, a liquid-conducting tube having a liquid-inlet end
and a liquid-outlet end, a first bend in said liquid-conducting
tube directing said liquid-inlet end away from said air-inlet end,
a second bend in said liquid-conducting tube directing said
liquid-outlet end towards said air-outlet end, securing means for
fixing said tubes in fixed relationship with respect to each other
so as to prevent rotation of said liquid-conducting tube with
respect to said gas-conducting tube with at least a portion of said
tubes extending between said securing means and their exit ends
being straight and non-parallel with respect to each other and
being contained within a single plane, and a slide member
positioned on said tubes and in frictional engagement therewith
holding said tubes in the area of said slide member a fixed
distance apart so that on movement of said yoke lengthwise of said
tubes the exit ends of said tubes are moved with respect to each
other.
2. An aspirator assembly of claim 1 in which said first bend and
said second bend in said liquid-conducting tube are substantially
right-angular bends and in which said securing means secures said
tubes with respect to each other in the area of said first
bend.
3. An aspirator assembly of claim 2 in which said securing means is
in the form of a collar molded around said tubes so as to
completely cover said first bend with the inlet end of said
gas-conducting tube and the inlet end of said liquid-conducting
tube extending from said molded collar at substantially right
angles to each other.
4. An aspirator assembly of claim 3 in which said molded collar
contains a vent opening for venting air into a liquid container
attached thereto.
5. An aspirator assembly of claim 4 in which said molded collar
contains a vent tube with one end extending into said collar and
terminating in an opening passing through the same and the other
end exits from said collar said vent tube being substantially
parallel with the portion of said liquid tube containing the liquid
inlet end.
6. An aspirator assembly of claim 5 in which the end of said vent
tube which exits from said collar and the inlet end of said
liquid-conducting tube are sharpened.
7. An aspirator assembly of claim 3 in which said gas-conducting
tube and liquid-conducting tube are made of stainless steel and
said collar is made of polypropylene.
8. An aspirator assembly of claim 4 in which said molded collar
contains a flange surrounding the liquid-conducting tube in the
area where it exits from the collar towards its liquid-inlet end
said flange adapted to enclose the upper portion of a liquid
container when attached to said aspirator assembly.
9. An aspirator assembly of claim 8 wherein said flange contains
means for securing a container to said aspirator assembly.
Description
The present invention relates to the spray dispensing of liquids
and more particularly to an improved aspirator assembly for the
controlled dispensing of liquids in small amounts where the liquid
to be dispensed and the air source for dispensing are connected
separately to the aspirator assembly. Spray-pack systems wherein a
single propellent container is to be used with each of a number of
different product containers have been suggested over a period of
many years as represented by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 77,286;
2,982,317; 2,895,651; 3,085,752; 3,107,058; 3,162,370; 3,454,228;
and 3,508,710.
These prior art systems, however, generally fail to provide for any
adjustment or regulation of the spray pattern obtained, or are
relatively expensive to manufacture or require special brackets or
the like for connecting to the propellent gas source and
liquid-containing container.
In accordance with the present invention an aspirator assembly is
provided which is relatively inexpensive to construct, is simple
and attractive in design and which permits adjustment by the
operator for controlling the spray obtained. Also, the aspirator
assembly is readily connected with different small containers
containing the liquid to be sprayed and with a propellent gas
source, assembly with the liquid and propellent gas sources being
rapid and easy. As the aspirator is relatively inexpensive, it can,
if desired, be disposed of after a single use or separate aspirator
assemblies can be used with small vials of liquid to be dispensed
using a single source of propellent gas, the vial with its
individual dispenser being stored in assembled position during
periods of nonuse.
The aspirator assembly or atomizer comprises a tube for propellent
gas having a gas-inlet end and a gas-outlet end, a tube for
conducting liquid to be atomized having a liquid-inlet end and a
liquid-outlet end, the two tubes being firmly held together in
position one with respect to the other by securing means which
prevent rotation of the liquid-conducting tube with respect to the
gas-conducting tube, the liquid-conducting tube having a
substantially right angle bend near its inlet end so that its inlet
end extends at substantially right angles to the inlet end portion
of the propellent gas-conducting tube and having a second bend near
the exit end of the liquid-conducting tube to position the exit end
of the liquid-conducting tube at substantially right angles to the
exit end of the air-conducting tube, at least one of the tubes
being flexible, the securing means positioning said tubes with
respect to each other so that the portions of said tubes extending
from said securing means to the exit ends of said tubes lies in a
substantially single plane but taper with respect to each other
through a portion thereof, and a yoke slidably positioned on said
propellent gas-conducting tube and said liquid-conducting tube on
said portion of said tubes where they taper with respect to each
other so that on movement of said yoke lengthwise of said tubes the
exit ends of said tubes are moved with respect to each other.
In use, the inlet end of the tube for propellent gas is adapted to
slip into the gas exit opening of a conventional aerosol propellent
air-valve assembly. The gas-conducting tube is held in place by
friction. The container for the liquid to be sprayed is then
attached to the aspirator assembly by passing the inlet end of the
liquid-conducting tube down through the resilient diaphragm cover
of the liquid container if the liquid container is of a type having
such a cover assembly, or the liquid container is opened and placed
in a separate small container which is then attached to the
aspirator assembly with the inlet end of the liquid-conducting tube
passing down into the container for withdrawing liquid from the
same.
The aspirator assembly is particularly useful in applications where
the liquids to be sprayed are used in small volumes, and special
handling conditions are required to assure their safety in use and
efficacy. Thus, for example, the aspirator assembly system is
particularly suitable for the spraying of cyanoacrylate adhesives
in the performance of oral surgery where tissues are to be adhered
together after a periodontal operation such as would be performed
by a dental surgeon. The cyanoacrylate-containing vial can be
quickly and securely attached to the aspirator assembly and the
same then attached to the source of propellent gas. The spray
obtained can be readily adjusted by simply sliding the adjusting
yoke along the propellent gas and liquid-conducting tubes. When the
surgeon is through using the cyanoacrylate, the aspirator assembly
together with the attached vial containing the cyanoacrylate can be
readily stored while still assembled under conditions most suitable
for preventing contamination and possible pre-polymerization of the
cyanoacrylate adhesive monomer. As the aspirator assembly is
relatively inexpensive, the same can be disposed of after use with
a patient, so as to avoid any contamination from one patient to
another. Also, should any clogging of the tubes occur after
repeated use due to polymerization of the cyanoacrylate in or near
the exit end of the tube, the aspirator assembly can be disposed of
and another readily inserted in its place. Where small vials of
different materials are to be dispensed, a single source of
propellent gas can be used and a different aspirator assembly can
be attached to each vial with its different contents to avoid
cross-contamination of one with respect to the other. Not only is
this desirable in the dispensing of medications and tissue
adhesives, but it is also desirable in the spraying of small
quantities of special pigments where it is desired that the same
not be mixed. Other features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following description taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of
illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification,
and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts
throughout the same:
FIG. 1 is a side view of the aspirator assembly of the present
invention showing it attached to an aerosol-propellent gas source
and to a container with liquid to be sprayed;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the aspirator assembly;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the aspirator of FIG. 4 with
liquid container of FIG. 7 attached taken along line 3--3 of FIG.
4;
FIG. 4 is a top plane view of the aspirator assembly;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the aspirator assembly;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the adjustment slide;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sealed vial containing liquid to
be dispensed the vial being sealed with a resilient diaphragm
FIGS. 8a, 8b and 8c show respectively a vial with the top adapted
to be broken away and placed in a container for attachment to the
aspirator assembly; and
FIG. 9 illustrates the container of FIG. 8c attached to the
aspirator assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, in FIG. 1 is illustrated a typical
manner of using the aspirator assembly of the present invention
together with a propellent gas source and a container of liquid to
be dispensed. In use, the aspirator assembly 10 is attached to the
propellent gas exit channel 11 of a conventional
propellent-containing dispenser 12, through connection with the
inlet end 13, air-inlet tube 14 of the aspirator assembly while a
small vial 15 containing the liquid to be dispensed is attached
through connection with the inlet end of the liquid-conducting tube
16 of the aspirator assembly.
The propellent-gas container 12 is of the conventional type having
a pressure operated valve 18 and a cap 19 which when depressed
opens the valve 18 to permit propellent gases to exit through the
exit passageway 11.
The aspirator assembly 10 best illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5
where it is shown prior to connecting to a propellent gas source or
a container for liquid, has an air-conducting tube 14 with an
air-inlet end 13 which is adapted to slide into the exit chamber 11
of a propellent gas source as illustrated in FIG. 1. The aspirator
assembly 10 is also provided with a liquid-conducting tube 16 for
conducting liquid to be atomized. The liquid-conducting tube has a
substantially right angular bend 20 near its inlet end 17 which
positions its inlet end at substantially right angles to the inlet
end 13 of the propellent gas-conducting tube 14. The tubes 14 and
16 are rigidly secured to each other by securing means such as a
molded collar or brace 21 which also includes a cover in the form
of a circular downwardly extending flange 22 for receiving the
upper portion of a liquid-containing vial 15 as illustrated in FIG.
1.
It should be noted that the collar or brace 21 secures the
propellent gas-conducting tube 14 and the liquid-containing tube 16
firmly with respect to each other in such a way that one cannot
rotate with respect to the other. In the embodiment illustrated
this is done by molding the collar 21 around the portion of
liquid-conducting tube containing the right-angular bend 20.
Near the exit end 23 of liquid-conducting tube 16 is a second
substantially right-angular bend 24 which positions the exit end 23
of the liquid-conducting tube 16 at substantially right angles to
the exit end 25 of the air-conducting tube 14. The portions of the
propellent gas-conducting tube 14 and the liquid-conducting tube 16
extending from the securing collar 21 to the ends 23 and 25
thereof, lie in a single plane best illustrated in FIG. 4. The
tubes, however, are not parallel but extend at an angle to each
other as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Liquid-conducting tube
16 in the embodiment illustrated is of smaller diameter than
air-conducting tube 14 and is appreciably more flexible than the
air-conducting tube 14. A slide member 26 is secured to tubes 14
and 16 in the portion thereof extending between the collar 21 and
the bend 24 in liquid-conducting tube 16. This slide member which
is in the form of a yoke is best illustrated in FIG. 6, contains
holes 27 and 28 passing therethrough through which the respective
tubes 14 and 16 pass. The holes 27 and 28 should be of
substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the tube
passing through the same so as to provide a close frictional fit.
In the preferred manufacture of the aspirator assembly the
respective tubes 14 and 16 are formed of stainless steel and the
collar 21 and slide member 26 are molded into position around the
tubes after the tubes have been placed in the proper position
relative to each other. As the aspirator assembly is constructed of
stainless steel and polypropylene the same can be readily
sterilized when this is desirable.
By molding the slide member 26 around the stainless steel tubes 14
and 16 a close engagement of the surface areas of the inner
surfaces of the openings 27 and 28 of the slide member 26 with the
respective outer surfaces of the tubes 14 and 16 is obtained. After
molding, the slide member 26 can be moved along the tubes 14 and 16
but with good frictional holding in any position to which it is
moved. The flexibility of tube 16 and its taper with respect to
tube 14 in the area of the slide member results in the exit end 23
of liquid-conducting tube 16 being moved relative to and positioned
relative to the exit end 25 of propellent-conducting tube 14. By
adjusting the relative position of the ends 23 and 25 with respect
to each other, the type and pattern of the spray obtained can be
varied.
In the preferred packaging of liquids so as to avoid contamination,
such as alkyl .alpha. -cyanoacrylate monomers to be used as tissue
adhesives and the packaging of medicaments for application to open
wounds the same are provided in sealed vials such, for example, as
illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the sealed vial of FIG. 7 the vial
15 formed for example of an amber tinted glass, is sealed with a
resilient cover or membrane 29 which extends across the top
thereof. This cover 29 may be made of a laminate of rubber and
Teflon, for example, where the content of the vial is a tissue
adhesive such as isobutyl .alpha.-cyanoacrylate monomer the Teflon
being on the inner side of the container 15 so as to protect the
rubber from being attacked by the cyanoacrylate monomer contained
therein. This diaphragm 29 is then sealed to the top of the vial 15
by a metal collar 30 clamped in place. Where the liquid to be
dispensed is so packaged access to the contents of the vial 15 is
by a hollow needle such, for example, as a hypodermic needle which
is pushed through the resilient cover 29. After the needle is
withdrawn the resilient cover 29 seals the opening reducing the
possibility of contamination. The liquid-inlet end 17 of the
liquid-conducting tube 16 of the aspirator assembly is formed with
a sharp point 31 as illustrated in in FIG. 2 in essentially the
same manner as is formed the sharp end of a conventional hypodermic
needle. In use the tip 17 is inserted through the diaphragm 29 so
that the same enters the contents of the vial 15. The collar 30
fits up into the flange or cover 22 of the securing means 21. In
order to aid in the removal of the cyanoacrylate a vent tube 32 is
provided in the collar 21 with a vent end 33 terminating in an
opening 34 provided in the collar 21 and the other end 35 ending in
a sharp point so that the same can also readily pierce the
resilient cover 29 of the liquid-containing vial 15. As the vial 15
is relatively small, the friction between the tubes and the
resilient cover 29 is sufficient to hold the vial 15 in place
during use. However, if desired the flange or cover may be so
designed with respect to size, or contour with raised portions or
the like so as to provide a frictional or firm engagement with the
outer rim or metal collar 30 of vial 15 to firmly hold it in
assembled relation with the aspirator assembly.
Another form of sealed vial that may be used for containing the
liquid to be dispensed is illustrated in FIGS. 8a, 8b, and 8c.
Referring to FIG. 8a the vial 36 after having been filled has its
neck drawn in and sealed by heat sealing the glass as illustrated
at 37. In order to open the vial the top portion of the vial
containing the seal is broken off along a weakened portion 38
giving an open vial such as that illustrated in FIG. 8b. Where
vials or liquid containers of this type are used as a separate
container 39 is used and the flange 22 is provided with screw
threads or the like for engaging matching threads 40 on the upper
portion of the molded container 39. In use the capsule or container
36 would be dropped into the plastic container 39 after the top
portion 37 is broken off. The container 39 is then screwed into
place into the flange 22 with the liquid-inlet end 17 of the
liquid-conducting tube 16 extending down into the contents of the
capsule 36 as best illustrated in FIG. 9. When containers of this
type are used or any open container, it is not necessary to have a
sharp end on the inlet end 17 of the liquid-conducting tube 16 nor
is it necessary to have a vent tube such as 32. However, there
should be provided a vent hole 41 through the top so air can enter
to replace the liquid withdrawn so as to make its withdrawal
easier.
FIG. 9 best illustrates the appearance of that portion of the
aspirator assembly containing the liquid to be dispensed when
containers such as that illustrated in FIGS. 8a through 8c are
employed.
Particular embodiments of the invention have been used to
illustrate the same. The invention, however, is not limited to
these specific embodiments. In view of the foregoing disclosure
variations and modifications thereof will be apparent, and it is
intended to include within the invention all such variations and
modifications except as do not come within the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *