초록 ▼

Several embodiments of small volume containers for use to feed liquid to a gravity feed liquid spraying device. Each container comprises a body portion having axially spaced first and second ends, means for closing the second end of the body portion, and a first adapter attached to the first end of

Several embodiments of small volume containers for use to feed liquid to a gravity feed liquid spraying device. Each container comprises a body portion having axially spaced first and second ends, means for closing the second end of the body portion, and a first adapter attached to the first end of the body portion. The body portion, means for closing, and first adapter have inner surfaces defining a cavity in the container having a small volume. The adapter comprises an engagement portion having a through opening communicating with the cavity in the body portion, which engagement portion is adapted for liquid and air tight engagement an inlet port of the spraying device. The container includes vacuum restricting means for restricting vacuum within its cavity as liquid moves out of its cavity into a spraying device through the opening in the first adapter with the second end of the container uppermost.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container for use with a gravity feed liquid spraying device having a liquid inlet port, said container comprising:an elongate body portion formed of thin flexible polymeric material, said body portion having a central axis, and having axially spaced first and second ends;means for closing the

1. A container for use with a gravity feed liquid spraying device having a liquid inlet port, said container comprising:an elongate body portion formed of thin flexible polymeric material, said body portion having a central axis, and having axially spaced first and second ends;means for closing the second end of said body portion;a first adapter attached to said first end of said body portion, said body portion, means for closing, and first adapter having inner surfaces defining a cavity in said container, said first adapter comprising a engagement portion having a through opening communicating with the cavity in said container and being adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the inlet port of the liquid spraying device; anda plurality of stiff rings fixed to and spaced axially along said body portion;the container being capable of being filled with liquid by manually collapsing the body portion of the container between the rings, engaging one end portion of a transfer pipette with an inner surface of the engagement portion and immersing an opposite end portion of the transfer pipette in the liquid, and pulling the second end of the body portion away from the first end of the body portion to cause the cavity to expand in volume so that atmospheric pressure pushes liquid into the cavity in the container through the transfer pipette, andsaid body portion being collapsible between said rings to afford movement of said rings to positions closely adjacent each other to decrease the volume of said cavity in the container as liquid in the container moves through the opening in said first adapter with said second end of said container uppermost, thereby restricting formation of a vacuum in the cavity. 2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the liquid inlet port on the spraying device is provided by a reusable adapter with a distal end and a through passageway opening through said distal end for receiving liquid to be sprayed by the spraying device, which reusable adapter has a cylindrical inner surface of a predetermined diameter adjacent said distal end, and the engagement portion of said first adapter has an outer surface adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the cylindrical inner surface of the reusable adapter. 3. A container according to claim 1 wherein said cavity in said container has a volume of less than about 2.3 fluid ounces or 70 ml. 4. A container for use with a gravity feed liquid spraying device having a liquid inlet port, said container comprising:an elongate body portion comprising thin flexible polymeric material, said body portion having a central axis and axially spaced first and second ends;means for closing the second end of said body portion; anda first adapter attached to said first end of said body portion;said body portion, means for closing, and first adapter having inner surfaces defining a cavity in said container;said first adapter comprising a engagement portion having a through opening communicating with the cavity in said container and being adapted for liquid and air-tight engagement with the inlet port of the liquid spraying device;said container including means for opening said body portion at one of said ends to allow filling the cavity with liquid through the opened end of said body portion; andsaid thin flexible polymeric material of said body portion being collapsible as liquid in the container moves through the opening in said first adapter with said second end of said container uppermost to restrict formation of a vacuum in the cavity. 5. A container according to claim 4 wherein said means for opening said body portion at one of said ends to facilitate filling the cavity with liquid through the opened end of said body portion and said means for closing the second end of said body portion are both provided by a fastener releasably attaching together opposed inner surface portions of the body portion at said second end, said fastener including a longitudinal rib on one of said inner surface portions and two parallel projections on the other of said inner surface portions receiving the rib in liquid tight engagement there between; said rib being manually removable from between said projections to open the second end of said body portion and allow filling the cavity with liquid through said second end of said body portion. 6. A container according to claim 4 wherein said body portion comprising a stiff body part having an first end defining the first end of said body portion and an opposite second end, and a flexible body part formed by thin flexible polymeric material extending from the second end of said stiff body part and defining the second end of said body portion; and said first adapter includes a cap fixed to the end of said engagement portion adjacent said body portion, said cap having a groove releasably receiving the first end of said stiff body member in liquid tight engagement, said cap being separable from said stiff body part to provide said means for opening said body portion to allow filling the cavity with liquid through said first end of said body portion. 7. A container according to claim 4 wherein the liquid inlet port on the spraying device is provided by a reusable adapter with a distal end and a through passageway opening through said distal end for receiving liquid to be sprayed by the spraying device, which reusable adapter has a cylindrical inner surface of a predetermined diameter adjacent said distal end, and the engagement portion of said first adapter has an outer surface adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the cylindrical inner surface of the reusable adapter. 8. A container according to claim 4 wherein said cavity in said container has a volume of less than about 2.8 fluid ounces or 80 ml. 9. A container for use with a gravity feed liquid spraying device having a liquid inlet port, said container comprising:an elongate generally cylindrical body portion having a central axis, and having axially spaced first and second ends;an end wall closing the second end of said body portion; anda first adapter attached to said first end of said body portion;said body portion, end wall, and first adapter having inner surfaces defining a cavity in said container;said first adapter comprising a engagement portion having a through opening communicating with the cavity in said container and being adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the inlet port of the liquid spraying device; andsaid body portion being formed of stiff resiliently flexible polymeric material so that said container upon being collapsed by application of outside force and then released will return to its original shape, said container being capable of being filled with liquid by manually collapsing the container, engaging one end portion of a transfer pipette with an inner surface of the engagement portion and immersing an opposite end portion of the transfer pipette in the liquid, and allowing the container to return to its original shape, and said body portion of said container being collapsible as liquid in the container moves through the opening in said first adapter with said second end of said container uppermost to restrict formation of a vacuum in the cavity. 10. A container according to claim 9 wherein said generally cylindrical body portion has axially spaced annular recesses to cause bending of said body portion at or between said recesses to collapse said container when said second end of said body portion is moved axially toward the first end of said body portion. 11. A container according to claim 9 wherein the liquid inlet port on the spraying device is provided by a reusable adapter with a distal end and a through passageway opening through said distal end for receiving liquid to be sprayed by the spraying device, which reusable adapter has a cylindrical inner surface of a predetermined diameter adjacent said distal end, and the engagement portion of said first adapter ha s an outer surface adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the cylindrical inner surface of the reusable adapter. 12. A container for use with a gravity feed liquid spraying device having an inlet port, said container comprising:a body portion having a central axis, and having axially spaced first and second ends;means for closing the second end of said body; anda first adapter attached to said first end of said body portion;said body portion, means for closing, and first adapter having inner surfaces defining a cavity in said container;said first adapter comprising a engagement portion having a through opening communicating with the cavity in said container and being adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the inlet port of the liquid spraying device;said body portion being formed of stiff polymeric material and having an annular lip at the second end of said body portion, andsaid means for closing the second end of said body portion is a cap releasably engaged with said body portion adjacent said second end, said cap being separable from said body portion to thereby open the second end of said body portion to facilitate filing the container with liquid through said second end of said body portion, andsaid container including means for providing a vent opening into said chamber to restrict forming a vacuum in the cavity as liquid within the cavity in said container moves through the through opening in said first adapter with said second end of said container uppermost. 13. A container according to claim 12 wherein said body portion is elongate, and said cap for closing the second end of said body portion has a peripheral flange releasably receiving a part of said body adjacent said second end. 14. A container according to claim 12 wherein said inner surface defining the cavity comprises a frusto conical inner surface portion adjacent and diverging away from said engagement portion, and a cylindrical portion at the end of said frusto conical inner surface portion opposite said engagement portion, and said cap for closing the second end of said body portion has a cylindrical flange engaged around said body portion adjacent said second end. 15. A container according to claim 12 wherein the liquid inlet port on the spraying device is provided by a reusable adapter with a distal end and a through passageway opening through said distal end for receiving liquid to be sprayed by the spraying device, which reusable adapter has a cylindrical inner surface of a predetermined diameter adjacent said distal end, and an outer surface of the engagement portion of said first adapter is adapted for liquid and air tight engagement with the cylindrical inner surface of the reusable adapter. 16. A container according to claim 12 wherein said cavity in said container has a volume of less than about 2.3 fluid ounces or 70 ml. 17. A container according to claim 12 wherein said means for providing a vent opening into said chamber to restrict forming a vacuum in the cavity as liquid within the cavity in said container moves through the through opening in said first adapter with said second end of said container uppermost comprises a vent opening through said cap. 18. A container according to claim 12 wherein said body portion and said cap have threads releasably engaging said cap with said body portion, and said means for providing a vent opening into said chamber to restrict forming a vacuum in the cavity as liquid within the cavity in said container moves through the through opening in said first adapter with said second end of said container uppermost comprises the ability to manually loosen said cap with respect to said body portion.