VALVED NOZZLE FOR RE-USABLE RESERVOIR OF A FLOWABLE PRODUCT

摘要

A re-usable nozzle for dispensing a flowable product from a resilient container has a removable one-way valve which facilitates cleaning and sterilisation of the nozzle. When the nozzle is used for dispensing a flowable pharmaceutical, the nozzle controls the amount of suck hack of pharmaceutical into the nozzle on completion of dispensing. With a stand off of the valve float from the valve seat during dispensing of about one eighth of an inch (1) the suck back is sufficient to draw any drop of contaminated pharmaceutical at the tip of nozzle on completion of dispensing into the nozzle so as to reduce the risk of contamination of the environment and (2) the suck back is sufficiently small to minimize the risk of damage to any tissue with which the nozzle is intimately associated. Furthermore, with the distance from the valve seat to the nozzle tip being at least about three times the stand off, no contaminated pharmaceutical may enter the container so that the container may be re-used. The nozzle cavity supports an O-ring which acts as a valve seat and has an integral annular abutment which acts as a stop for the valve float. The float has a hemispherical end directed toward the valve seat and a plurality of legs directed toward the float stop. Flutes formed between legs provide fluid communication through the nozzle when the ends of the legs abut the float stop. The O-ring, and then the float, may be removed.