HK1083476B - Multiple applicator - Google Patents

Description

Multiple application applicator

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sealed container, in other words, a sealed container for a multi-use applicator, which can be removed one at a time for use.

Background

Applicators such as cotton swabs are commonly used to apply medications, anesthetics, alcohol, and various other liquids and viscous substances, such as: a cream. Swab applicators typically include a tubular handle having a formed absorbent tip at one or both ends of the tubular handle. The absorbent tip may be made of cotton or foam absorbent material. The tip may also be a brush. The tubular handle may be made of wood, paper, or plastic, and it may be solid or hollow.

Typically, the applicator tip of a dry swab applicator is first contacted with the liquid to be applied, allowing the applicator tip to absorb the liquid; the wetted applicator tip is then contacted with a surface to apply the absorbed liquid to the surface. In addition, the swab applicator may also be used with liquids or viscous substances, such as: cream, pre-moistened and then sealed within the container to provide for later use. Typically, pre-moistened swab applicators are individually packaged so that when one swab applicator is removed from the package, the remaining swab applicators are not affected.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a multi-application applicator in which an elongated housing is divided into a plurality of sealed compartments which can contain different or the same substances for multiple use by a person.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-application applicator with the advantages of convenience in use, portability, and simplicity in operation.

The present invention is a multi-use applicator that can be selectively opened and removed in a segment for use in a single use; the multi-application applicator includes an elongated housing divided into a plurality of sealed compartments filled with a liquid or viscous substance, each sealed compartment having a score line formed therein, wherein the elongated housing is selectively severed into shorter sections at the score lines and detached from the elongated housing; the removed segment can be used for smearing the liquid or viscous substances contained in the segment and is discarded after smearing; the remaining elongated housing with the remaining unused applicator tip and liquid may be retained for subsequent use.

In preferred embodiments, a sealed compartment also encloses an applicator tip secured within the sealed compartment, such as: a swab applicator, the applicator tip being disposed proximate to the score line; the removal section of the elongated housing is used to apply the liquid or viscous material contained therein and disposed of after application, while the remaining elongated housing with the remaining unused applicator tip and liquid or viscous material is retained for subsequent use.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the multi-use applicator of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the multi-use applicator of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the multi-use applicator of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the multi-application applicator comprises an elongated housing 1 divided along its length into a plurality of sealed compartments 2, one sealed compartment 2 being filled with liquid or viscous substance or not, and a score line 3 formed at one end face of one sealed compartment 2, wherein one sealed compartment 2 is breakable at the score line 3 and detached from the elongated housing 1; the elongate housing 1 is optionally broken into shorter segments at score lines 3; in a preferred embodiment, one end of the elongated housing 1 can be a handle 4, so that the user can hold the handle 4, so that the sealed compartment 2 of the last section can be easily broken at the scribing line 3; the sealed compartment 2 can be discarded after being disconnected for use, while other sealed compartments not being disconnected for use and the liquid or viscous substance filled therein are retained for other applications or subsequent uses.

The elongate housing 1 may be of any desired length and provided with a plurality of sealed compartments 2 of any desired length along its length; the elongated housing 1 may also be linear or curved. When the elongated housing 1 is curved, it may be formed into a spiral shape to facilitate easy and compact storage and transportation.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the multi-application applicator comprises an elongate housing 5, the elongate housing 5 being divided along its length into a plurality of sealed compartments 6; one or more of the sealed compartments 6 enclosing an elongated element 7, the elongated element 7 being fixed at one end to the sealed compartment 6 and being filled with a liquid 8 in the sealed compartment 6; and a free end of the sealed compartment 6 adjacent the elongate element 7 is formed with a score line 9 such that the sealed compartment 6 can be broken at the score line 9 and removed from the elongate housing 5.

When the diameter of the elongated housing 5 is reduced to a small size such that the liquid 8 does not actually flow out of the compartment 6 due to its surface tension, the elongated element 7 increases the capillary action and breaks the surface tension of the liquid 8 in the sealed compartment 6, such that the liquid 8 can actually flow out of the sealed compartment 6 when the sealed compartment 6 is broken; the elongate housing 5 can be selectively divided into shorter sections at the score line 9 and detached; the elongated housing 5 may be provided with a handle 10 at one end, allowing a user to hold the handle 10 to easily break the last sealed compartment 6 at the score line 9; when the sealed compartment 6 is disconnected and used, it can be discarded, while the unused remaining sealed compartment of the elongated housing 5 and any liquid or viscous substance contained therein can be retained for other applications or later use.

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the multi-application applicator comprises an elongate housing 11 divided along its length into a plurality of sealed compartments 12; the one or more sealed compartments 12 enclose the liquid 13 or viscous substance and have an end of an elongate element 14 secured to an end of the sealed compartment 12 such that the applicator tip 15 is securable to a free end of the elongate element 14 and a score line 16 is formed in a sealed compartment 12 adjacent the applicator tip 15, wherein the sealed compartment 12 can be broken at the score line 16 and disengaged from the elongate housing 11 such that a user can use the liquid 13 or viscous substance in the disengaged sealed compartment through the applicator tip 15.

When the diameter of the elongated housing 11 is reduced to a size such that the liquid 13 cannot actually flow out of the sealed compartment 12 due to its surface tension, the elongated element 14 increases its capillary action and interrupts the surface tension of the liquid 13 in the sealed compartment 12, so that the liquid 13 therein can actually flow out of the sealed compartment 12 onto the tip 15 after the sealed compartment 12 is broken; the elongate housing 11 can be selectively divided into shorter segments at score lines 16 and released; one end of the elongated housing 11 may be a handle 17 for a user to hold, so that the last section of the sealed compartment 12 can be easily broken at the score line 16. When the sealed compartment is broken and used, it may be discarded, while the unused sealed compartment of the elongated housing 11 and any liquid or viscous material contained therein are retained for further administration or later use.

Multiple combinations of the multi-application applicators disclosed above are possible. For example, the elongated housing may contain a plurality of sealed compartments having various combinations of dry, wet, elongated elements or applicator tips. The sealed compartments may all be within, all have the same contents or may have various combinations of contents.

Furthermore, if a longer length is desired, an optional holder may be used to hold the detached applicator segments. The holder may be a hollow tube or a solid tube and has one or more holes at one end thereof which are tapped to the detached applicator segment and retain it within the hollow end or hole for application. The retainer may also be a hollow end of the elongated housing extending beyond the sealed end of the last sealed compartment. After application, the detached applicator can be detached from the holder and discarded. The holder may be reused to hold the next applicator segment.

While the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of some of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.

The multi-application applicator of the present invention has the following advantages when compared with other conventional techniques:

1. the invention is to divide an elongated housing into a plurality of sealed compartments which may contain different or the same substances or no substance for multiple use by a person.

2. The invention has the advantages of convenient use, convenient carrying, simple operation and the like.

The above detailed description is specific to one possible embodiment of the present invention, but the embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and equivalent implementations or modifications without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention are intended to be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (16)

1. A multi-application applicator, characterized by: it includes:

an elongated housing longitudinally divided into a plurality of sealed compartments;

one or more sealed compartments comprising an elongate member having a free end and an opposite end secured to an end of the sealed compartment;

an opening tool located in the sealed compartment near a free end of the elongated element, the sealed compartment being openable and detachable;

wherein the elongate housing is selectively separable into shorter segments at the opening means.

2. The multi-application applicator of claim 1, wherein the end of the elongated housing carries a retainer comprising an elongated hollow tube or an elongated element having one or more holes at one end thereof for retaining a severed section of the elongated housing to facilitate application.

3. The multi-application applicator of claim 1, wherein the opening means may be a score line at which the sealed compartment may break when the elongated housing is bent.

4. The multi-use applicator of claim 1, wherein the one or more sealed compartments enclose a liquid or viscous substance therein.

5. A multi-application applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongated housing has an extension which serves as a handle for holding the user's hand so that the sealed compartment of the last section can be more easily opened.

6. The multi-use applicator of claim 3, wherein the one or more sealed compartments enclose a liquid or viscous substance therein.

7. A multi-application applicator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the elongate housing has an extension which acts as a handle for holding by a user's hand, allowing the sealed compartment of the last section to be more easily opened.

8. A multi-application applicator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elongate housing has an extension which acts as a handle for holding by a user's hand, allowing the sealed compartment of the last section to be more easily opened.

9. A multi-application applicator, characterized by: it includes:

an elongated housing longitudinally divided into a plurality of sealed compartments;

one or more sealed compartments comprising an elongate member having a free end and an opposite end secured to an end of the sealed compartment;

an applicator tip secured to the free end of the elongate element;

an opening tool located in one of the sealed compartments near the applicator tip to allow both of the sealed compartments to be opened and disengaged;

wherein the elongate housing is selectively separable into shorter segments at the opening means.

10. The multi-application applicator of claim 9, wherein the elongated housing houses a holder comprising an elongated hollow tube or an elongated element having one or more holes at one end thereof for holding a severed section of the elongated housing to facilitate application.

11. The multi-application applicator of claim 9, wherein the opening means may be a score line at which the sealed compartment may break off when the elongated housing is bent.

12. The multi-use applicator of claim 9, wherein the one or more sealed compartments enclose a liquid or viscous substance therein.

13. A multi-application applicator as defined in claim 9, wherein the elongated housing has an extension which serves as a handle for holding by a user's hand so that the last section of the sealed compartment can be more easily opened.

14. The multi-use applicator of claim 11, wherein the one or more sealed compartments enclose a liquid or viscous substance therein.

15. A multi-application applicator as defined in claim 11, wherein the elongated housing has an extension which serves as a handle for holding by a user's hand so that the last section of the sealed compartment can be more easily opened.

16. A multi-application applicator as defined in claim 12, wherein the elongated housing has an extension which serves as a handle for holding by a user's hand so that the last section of the sealed compartment can be more easily opened.