Multicompartmented squeezable bottle with selective dispensing
United States Patent n91 Kramer 1 1 MULTICOMPARTMENTED SQUEEZABLE BOTTLE WITH SELECTIVE DISPENSING [76] Inventor: Steven G. Kramer, 355 Serrano Dr.,  
 San Francisco, Calif. 94132 22 Filed: Jan. 7, 1974 21 Appl.No.:43l.356  
 [52] US. Cl. 222/132; ZZZ/144.5; 220/23.4 [51 Int. Cl 565d 25/04 [58] Field of Search 222/144, 144.5. 132, 214. 222/94, 215, 142.3, 142.6; 220/234, 23.2  
 [561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.092.433 4/1914 Cox 222/1445 2.890.816 1/1959 Horland ZZZ/142.3 3.003.665 111/1961 Peters 222/1426 3.682.356 8/1972 Kurlc r 222/132 3.718.234 2/1973 Baggully 222/1445 1 Apr. 8, 1975 Primar)- Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant E.\&#39;aminerThomas E. Kocovsky Attorney. Agent, or FirmRoot &amp; O&#39;Keefe [S71 ABSTRACT 14 Claims. 6 Drawing Figures MULTICOMPARTMENTED SQUEEZABLE BOTTLE WITH SELECTIVE DISPENSING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dispenser bottles, and more particularly, to dispenser bottles of the type from which a plurality of different materials may be selectively dispensed.  
  It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel dispenser bottle.  
  Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle from which may be selectively dispensed a plurality of materials, such as, for example, eye drops, medications, sequentially used photographic chemicals, or salad dressing ingredients, and the like.  
  Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle of the type which may be manually squeezed to dispense material therefrom Dispenser units of the type which may be manually squeezed to dispense material therefrom, and from which a plurality of different materials may be selectively so dispensed have been heretofore known in the art. Examples of such dispenser units, which have heretofore been known in the art, comprise the oil can shown in Thomas U.S. Pat. No. 805,893; the multi-tube dispenser unit shown in the Henriksen US. Pat. No. 3,l00,063; and the two-compartment bottle shown in the Donoghue Pat. No. 3,347,420.  
  However, dispenser units of the aforementioned type, heretofore known in the art, wherein a plurality of different materials may be selectively dispensed therefrom by manually squeezing the units, commonly have had several inherent disadvantages, such as, for example, being difficult to fill or re-fill; being expensive to manufacture; being unreliable in operation; or being complicated in construction and operation, and the like. It is an important object of the present invention to ovecome such disadvantages.  
  Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser unit of the squeeze bottle&#34; type wherein the parts thereof are constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner which renders it substantially foolproof against the accidental discharge therefrom of anything other than the material selected to be discharged.  
  Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle which is quickly and easily fillable and re-fillable.  
  Yet another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle of the aforementioned squeeze bottle type, which embodies a novel cover or shell, constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner wherein it affords a novel selector-device, which is readily operable to select the material to be discharged from the bottle.  
  A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle of the aforementioned type which embodies a novel cover member which is opera ble to effectively protect against the accidental squeezing of portions of the bottle not intended to be squeezed and thus to effectively protect against the accidental discharge of material not intended to be discharged from the bottle.  
  Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle of the aforementioned type wherein a novel cover member of the aforementioned type is removably mounted thereon in a novel and expeditious manner.  
  Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel dispenser bottle of the aforementioned type which is practical and efficient in construction and operation, and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.  
  Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof, and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention, embodying the same or equivalent principles, may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:  
  FIG. I is a side elevational view of a dispenser bottle embodying the principles of the present invention;  
  FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevational view ofthe bottle shown in FIG. I, with certain parts broken away to show underlying parts;  
  FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 in FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view take substantially along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 5 is an exploded view, somewhat similar to FIG. 2, but showing a modified form of the present invention; and  
  FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 5, with the dispenser bottle in assembled condition.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS SHOWN HEREIN A dispenser unit in the form of a dispenser bottle I embodying the principles of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 4 of the drawings to illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
  The dispenser bottle I embodies, in general, an elongated body portion 2 having a cap 3 removably mounted on one end thereof, and a cover member or shell 4 removably mounted on the other end thereof, FIGS. I and 3.  
  The body portion Zembodies an upper end portion or neck 5 and a substantially cylindricalshaped, lower end portion 6, with an intermediate portion 7 sloping outwardly and downwardly from the upper end portion 5 and interconnecting the end portions 5 and 6. The end portions 5 and 6 and the intermediate portion 7 preferably are circular in transverse cross section. and the neck 5 is of substantially smaller cross-sectional size than the lower end portion 6.  
  The body portion 2 embodies an outer or peripheral side wall 8, extending the full length thereof, and partition walls 9, 10, II and 12 extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the body member 2 of the side wall 8, and dividing the body member 2 into four compartments, l3, 14, I5 and 16. The partition walls 9 12 extend the full length of the body member 2, with the walls 10 and I2 disposed perpendicular to the walls 9 and 11, so that the compartments l3 l6 are of equal size and extend the full length of the body portion.  
  A top wall l7 extends across the upper or outer end of the upper portion and includes four nozzles or nipples l8, 19, and 2], which project upwardly therefrom. FIG. 2. The nipples l8-2l are open throughout their length and open into the compartments l3 16 respectively. The upper end portion 5 of the body member 2 has external threads 22 thereon. and an internally threaded closure member or cap 23 is removably mounted on the upper end portion 5 for closing the top of the body member 2 when the dispenser bottle l is in fully assembled position. as shown in FIGS. l and 3.  
  The lower edge portion 24 of the side wall 8 of the body portion 2, preferably. is of greater thickness than the remainder thereof, FIG. 3. and embodies an annular indentation or groove 25 extending around the inner face thereof. A bottom closure member in the form of a plug 26 is removably mounted in the lower end portion of the side wall 8 for closing the lower end of the body member 2. FIG. 3. The plug 26 embodies a bottom wall 27 having an annular body member 28 projecting upwardly therefrom. the body member 28 being disposed inwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall 27, thereby affording an annular flange 29 on the bottom wall 27. A bead 30 extends outwardly from the outer periphery of the body member 28, and when the plug 26 is disposed in operative position in the lower end of the body member 2, the body member 28 is disposed in the lower end portion 24 of the side wall 8 with a relatively snug but freely slidable forced fit. with the bead 30 latchingly disposed in the annular groove 25 and with the flange 29 disposed in underlying. abutting engagement with the lower edge of the side wall 8. In the preferred form of the dispenser bottle shown in FIGS. 1 4. four pairs of transverse flanges 3i and 32 project upwardly from the bottom wall 27 and extend transversely thereacross in position to clampingly receive each of the partition walls 9 l2, respectively, therebetween with a snug but freely slidable fit.  
  It will be seen that with this construction, the filling of the compartments l3 16 with materials to be dispensed therefrom may be performed either by removing the cap 3 and feeding material inwardly through the respective one of the nipples l8 2], while retaining the plug 26 in closed position on the body member 2, or by removing the plug 26 and feeding the material into the compartments 13 16 through the opening thus afforded in the bottom of the body member 2, the cap 3 in the latter operation. preferably. being disposed in normal closed position on the upper end portion 5 of the body member 2.  
  As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. the body portion 2 is shown herein divided into the four compartments l3 merely by way of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. and body portions divided into larger or smaller pluralities of compartments may be used without departing from the purview of the broader aspects of the present invention.  
  The side wall 8 of the body member 2 is flexible and resilient in nature. so that it may be manually squeezed to force the material in the compartments l3 16 outwardly through the nipples l8 21 respectively. the re siliency of the side wall 8 preferably being such that the latter will return to its normal, uncompressed condition when such squeezing force. which has been applied thereto. is released. The side wall 8 may be made of any suitable material. but preferably is made of a suitable plastic material, such as. for example, polyethylene.  
  The partition walls 9 12 while preferably being formed integrally with the side wall 8 and being formed of the same material. preferably are of such thickness that they are substantially rigid and inflexible under the application of manual squeezing pressure to the side wall 8.  
 The body member 2, the cap 3 and the plug 26 all may be made of any suitable material and in any suit-.  
 able manner. but preferably. they are made by a suitable process, such as injection molding. and with the cap 3 and plug 26 preferably made of relatively hard, stiffer material. such as, for example. polyproylene.  
  The cover 4 is substantially cup-shaped in construction. embodying a substantially cylindrical-shaped outer side wall portion 33, having an upwardly and inwardly sloping upper edge portion 34, and a bottom wall 35 extending across and closing the lower end of the side wall portion 33, FIG. 3.  
  in the assembled form of the dispenser bottle 1, the cover 4 is disposed on the body portion 2 with the bottom wall 35 disposed in underlying. abutting relation to the bottom face of the bottom wall 27 of the plug 26; the side wall portion 33 disposed in snug-fitting, but freely slid-able. surrounding relation to the lower end portion 6 of the body portion 2; and with the upper edge portion 34 of the side wall portion 33 disposed in overlying juxtaposition to the lower edge portion of the intermediate portion 7 of the body portion 2. The shell 4 is rotatable on the body portion 2 around the longitudinal axii of the body portion 2 and the shell 4, and embodies an opening or window 36. FIGS. 1 and 2. extending through one portion of the side wall portion 33. The opening 36 may be disposed in various selected po sitions on the body portion 2. by the rotation of the shell 4, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.  
  Preferably. the side wall portion 33 of the cover 4 is made of such material. and embodies such a wall thickness. below the upper edge portion 34 thereof, that it is substantially incompressible by finger pressure. where it is mounted in the aforementioned operative position on the body portion 2 of the dispenser bottle I.  
  The upper edge portion 34 of the side wall portion 33 has a plurality of slits 37, equally spaced therearound and extending transversely thereacross. to afford a plurality of upwardly extending flanges or tabs 38. FIGS. 1 and 2. The tabs 38 are substantially stiff and rigid. so that they effectively yieldingly clamp the bottom wall 35 of the shell 4 against the bottom wall 27 of the plug 26, but are sufficiently flexible that by grasping the upper end portion 5 of the body portion 2 in one hand and the side wall portion 33 of the shell 4 in the other hand. the body portion 2 may be manually removed upwardly from the shell 4, the tabs 38 flexing outwardly to permit the body portion 2 to pass through the upper end portion of the cover 4. When the body portion 2 is so removed from the shell 4, the plug 26 may be manually removed from the lower end portion thereof for refilling the compartments l3 16, or for other servicing of the dispenser bottle I.  
  The shell 4 may be made of any suitable material. such as. for example. a suitable metal or the proper thickness and having the characteristics necessary for affording the aforementioned resiliency of the tabs 38 and the aforementioned relative rigidity of the balance of the side wall portion 33. However. I prefer that the cover member 4 be constructed in a suitable manner. such as. for example, injection molding from a suitable plastic material, such as, for example. the aforementioned polypropylene.  
  With the dispenser bottle I constructed in the aforementioned manner. the compartments I3 16, if desired, may be filled through the nipples l8 21, with the cap 23 removed and with the body portion 2 remaining within the cover 4. On the other hand. if desired, or if the materials to be placed in the compartments l3 16 do not lend themselves to feeding into the compartments through the nipples l8 21, the body portion 2 may be removed from the cover member 4 in the aforementioned manner, the plug 26 may be manually removed from the lower end portion of the body portion 2, and the compartments l3 16 may be filled from the botton thereof. Thereafter, the plug 26 may be re-inserted into closing relation to the lower end of the body portion 2 and the tab 38 may be flexed outwardly to permit the body portion 2 to again be inserted downwardly into the operative position thereof in the cover member 4, shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.  
  In the use of the dispenser bottle I as a dispenser of the materials contained in the compartments 13 16, the cover member 4 may be rotated around the lower end portion 6 of the body portion 2 into position to selectively dispose the opening 36 in overlying relation to a portion, only, of the side wall portion 8 which constitutes a portion of the outer side wall of the particular one of the compartments l3 16 from which it is desired to dispense the material. The opening 36, preferably, is of such size that it may be thus selectively disposed over a selected one of the compartments l3 l6 without overlapping onto any of the other compartments.  
  When the opening 36 is thus disposed in the selected position thereof. the dispenser bottle I may be manually supported in the desired position for dispensing material therefrom by grasping the cover member 4 in the hand. It will be seen that the cover 4 and body portion 2 of the dispenser bottle I are so constituted and arranged relative to each other that. manually supporting the cover 4 is effective to support the body portion 2 irrespective of whether the dispenser bottle 1 is disposed in the normal upright position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or in a completely inverted position, or in any position between such upright and inverted positions. Thus. the tabs 38 are effective to hold the body portion 2 from accidental displacement through the top of the cover 4, and the bottom wall 35 is effective to prevent accidental displacement of the body portion 2 through the bottom of the cover 4.  
  When it is desired to dispense material from the aforementioned selected compartment. this may be readily accomplished by applying thumb or finger pressure to the portion of the side wall portion 8 of the body portion 2, which is disposed in directly underlying relation to the opening 36, while the dispenser bottle I is held, by hand, in suitable dispensing position, such as, for example. the fully inverted position. Such manually applied pressure is effective to flex the aforementioned portion of the side wall portion 8, which directly underlies the opening 36, inwardly to thereby force material outwardly from the aforementioned selected one of the compartments l3 16 through the respective opening or nipple l8 21 in communication therewith. When it is desired to discharge material from any other one of the compartments l3 16, the cover 4 may be rotated into position to dispose the opening 36 in overlying relation to that compartment, and the material may be dispensed therefrom by applying the aforementioned thumb or finger pressure to the directly underlying portion of the side wall 8 of the body portion 2.  
  It will be remembered that the partition walls 9 l2 preferably are of such thickness that they are relatively rigid and can not be compressed or flexed by the application of manual thumb or finger pressure thereto through the opening 36. This is for the purpose of affording insurance that application of such thumb or finger pressure to the side wall of one of the compartments l3 16 will not cause either one of the adjacent ones of the partition walls 9 12 to be flexed and thus cause accidental discharge of material from an adjacent one of the compartments l3 16.  
  In FIGS. 5 and 6, a modified form of the present invention is shown, and parts which are the same as parts shown in FIGS. I 4 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and parts which are similar to, but have been substituted for parts shown in FIGS. I 4 are indicated by the same reference numerals with the suffix u added thereto.  
  The dispenser bottle la. shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, cmbodies a body portion 2a mounted in a cover member or shell 4 and having a cap or closure member 3 threaded onto the upper end portion thereof. The dispenser bottle la is the same in construction as the dispenser bottle I, shown in FIGS. I 4, except that the body portion 2a is made up from a plurality of sections 39, 40. 41 and 42, which are separable from each other. when the body member 2a is disposed out of the cover member 4, so that the compartments l3 I6 are separable from each other, FIG. 5. Sections 39 42. like the body portion 2, each embody an upper end portion 5a and a lower end portion 6a. interconnected by an upwardly and inwardly sloping intermediate portion 7a, and each is closed, at its bottom. by an individual plug 26a. The plugs 260 each embody outwardly projecting flanges 29a and outwardly projecting beads 30a engagable with the lower end portions of the respective individual sections 39-42 in the same manner as the plug 26 is engagable with the lower end portion of the body portion 2.  
  In its assembled form, the body portion 2a of the dispenser bottle la has the same shape and configuration as the body portion 2 of the dispenser bottle 1, FIG. 6, the sections 39-42 being of equal size and affording longitudinally extending quadrants of the body portion 2a. In the assembled dispenser bottle la, the cover member or shell 4 may be rotated around the body portion 2a in the same manner as the cover member 4 may be rotated around the body portion 2 of the dispenser bottle 1, to selectively dispose the opening 36 therein in overlying relation to selected ones of the compartments l3 l6 of the dispenser bottle la; and, with the cap 3 removed, material may be dispensed from individual selected ones of the sections 39 42 through the discharge openings or nipples l8 21 thereof in the same manner as heretofore discussed with respect to the dispenser bottle I as shown in FIGS. 1 4.  
  With the cap 3 threaded onto the threads 220 formed on the upper end portion of the assembled body portion In. the body portion may be manually withdrawn. as a unit. from the cover 4 of the dispenser bottle la in the same manner as that in which the body portion 2 may be withdrawn from the cover member 4 of the dispenser bottle 1. Thereafter. the cap 3 may be removed from the body portion 2a and the individual sections 39-42 thereof may be separated from each other for servicing, such as. for example. for refilling. washing or sterilizing, and the like.  
  When it is desired to again re-assemble the dispenser bottle la. the sections 39 42 may be disposed in assembled relation to each other. the cap 3 may again be screwed on to the upper end portion or the thus assembled body portion 2a. and the assembled body portion 2a may be inserted downwardly between outwardly flexed tabs 38 into operative position in the cover 4 of the dispenser bottle la.  
  Dispensing of material from the bottle la may be accomplished in the same manner as previously described with respect to the bottle 1. the cover 4 of the bottle la being rotated into position to dispose the opening 36 thereof in proper position. and finger or thumb pressure being applied to the portion of the side wall portion 80. which is disposed in directly underlying relation to the opening 36.  
  From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel dispenser bottle from which a plurality of materials may be selectively dispensed.  
  Also. it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel dispenser bottle wherein the parts thereof are constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner.  
  In addition. it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel dispenser bottle which is practical and efficient in operation, and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.  
  Thus. while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification. and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth. but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.  
 I claim:  
 1. A dispenser unit comprising a. an elongated body portion having 1. a closed end. and 2. a resilient. manually compressible side wall portion extending from said closed end,  
 b. partition means i. disposed within said body portion. and  
 2. dividing said body portion longitudinally into a plurality of separate compartments for storing material to be dispensed.  
 c. each of said compartments having an opening in the other end of said body portion. and  
 d. an elongated cover mounted on said body portion in co-axial relation thereto.  
 c. said cover I. having an opening therethrough. and  
 2. being rotatable around the axis of said body portion and said cover for selectively disposing said opening in overlying relation to said compart ments,  
 f. said side wall portion being manually compressible through said opening for forcing such material in said compartment, with respect to which said opening is disposed in said overlying relation, outwardly through said opening of said compartment.  
 2. A dispenser bottle comprising a. a body portion having a. a top,  
 2. a bottom 3. an outer; flexible side wall portion extending between said top and said bottom, and 4. partition means (a) extending between said top and said bottom,  
  and (b) dividing said body portion into a plurality of compartments, b. each of said compartments being adapted to hold a supply of material therein to be dispensed therefrom, c. a cover member I. mounted on said body portion. and 2. extending around said side wall portion. d. said cover member 1. having an opening therethrough adjacent to the said side wall portion for the application through said opening of manually applied. inwardly flexing force to said side wall portion. and  
 2. being rotatable on said body portion in a direction to selectively dispose said opening in directly overlying relation to the portion of said side wall portion defining the outer side wall portion of a selected one of said compartments. and  
 c. means on said top of said body portion for the ejection of such material therethrough from said selected one compartment upon the application of such inwardly flexing force to said portion of said side wall portion.  
 3. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 2. and in which a. said bottom of said body member is removable therefrom.  
 4. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 2. and in which a. said cover member includes a. a bottom member disposed in udnerlying juxtaposition to said bottom of said body portion. and  
 2. a top portion disposed in overlying relation to a portion of said body portion in position to hold said bottom in said underlying relation to said bottom member.  
 5. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 4, and in which a. said top portion of said cover member is movable out of said overlying relation to said portion of said body portion so as to permit said body portion to be removed upwardly therethrough.  
 6. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 2, and in which a. said means for the ejection of material comprises nozzles on said tip of said body portion. and  
 b. each of said nozzles opens into a respective one of said compartments.  
 7. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 2, and in which a. said cover is removable from said body portion,  
 and.  
 b. said compartments are removable from each other when said cover is removed from said body portion.  
 8. A dispenser bottle comprising a. an elongated body portion comprising l. a side wall portion defining the exterior of (a) an upper end portion (b) a lower end portion which is of greater transversal cross-sectional size than said upper end portion and (c) an intermediate portion extending outwardly from said upper end portion to said lower end portion and interconnecting said end portions 2. partition members dividing said body portion into compartments for holding individual supplies of material to be dispensed from said bottle.  
 3. said compartments (a) extending the length of said body portion,  
 and  
 (b) having openings through said upper end portion for the discharge of such material from said compartments, and  
 4. means removably mounted in the bottom of said lower end portion for closing the bottom of each of said compartments and b. the portions of said side wall portions defining the exteriors of the respective ones of said compartments being manually flexible by the application of finger pressure thereto for forcing such material from said respective compartments through the respective ones of said openings in communication therewith.  
 c a cover member mounted on said body portion and comprising I. an elongated substantially tubular-shaped body portion.  
 2. abutment means on one end portion of said last mentioned body portion and disposed in underlying relation to said lower end portion and 3. other abutment means on the other end portion of said second mentioned body portion and disposed in overlying relation to said intermediate portion.  
 d. said body portion of said cover member having an opening through a longitudinally extending said thereof for the application of said finger pressure therethrough against said side wall portion. and  
 e. said cover member being rotatable around said lower end portion for selectively disposing said opening in overlying relation to respective ones of said compartments. 9. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 8, and in which a. said other abutment means comprises a resilient upper end portion of said cover member 1. sloping inwardly from said body portion of said cover member in overlying relation to said intermediate portion, and 2. flexible outwardly from said overlying relation to thereby free said cover for removal from said first-mentioned body portion downwardly over said lower end portion 10. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 9, and in which a. said other abutment means comprises an annular member extending around said first mentioned body portion.  
 ll. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 9, and in which a. said other abutment member comprises a wall closing said one end of said body portion of said cover member.  
 12. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 8, and in which which a. said cover is removable from said first mentioned body portion, and  
 b. said compartments are separable from each other when said cover is so removed.  
 14. A dispenser bottle as defined in claim 13, and in which a. said plug-means comprise individual plugs mounted in respective ones of said compartments.