Portable device for dispensing hand treatments

Abstract

The present invention comprises an arm-mountable device for the discharge of hand treatment medications into the palm of the hand. In it simplest embodiment, the device is a compressible squeeze bladder with nozzle that is affixed to the underside of the wrist with a wristband. The contents of the bladder are ejected in a small burst to the palm of the hand upon initiation of compression of the bladder by the free hand. Features of various advanced embodiments include pressure multiplying squeeze bladders, plunger-based devices, and adjustable nozzles.

1 . A device for discharging hand treatment material from a user's forearm into said user's hand, the device comprising in combination: 
 (a) a dispenser containing said material;    (b) actuation means for dispensing said material; and    (c) attachment means for affixing said dispenser to the underside of said user's forearm.    said device attachable to said user's forearm in the proximity of the underside of said user's wrist and ejecting an amount of said hand treatment material to said user's hand when said actuation means is exercised by said user, said dispenser thereby providing the capability of convenient, but relatively covert application of said hand treatment material to said user's hand.    
     
     
         2 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser is a squeeze bottle and said actuation means comprises compressive deformation of said squeeze bottle.  
     
     
         3 . A device as recited in  claim 2  wherein said dispenser contains an internal bladder for segregating an air volume internal to said dispenser from the volume of said hand treatment material, thereby allowing the use of said dispenser at arbitrary orientations with respect to gravity.  
     
     
         4 . A device as recited in  claim 2  wherein said dispenser includes check valve means for preventing the leakage of said hand treatment material.  
     
     
         5 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser is a pressure-multiplying dispenser providing relatively high pressure ejection of said hand treatment material upon application of light compressive force to said dispenser.  
     
     
         6 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser is plunger-based dispenser.  
     
     
         7 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser is a drip dispenser including leak control means.  
     
     
         8 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser is a gas-pressurized dispenser.  
     
     
         9 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said actuation means includes an electric pump.  
     
     
         10 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said actuation means includes a piezoelectric pump.  
     
     
         11 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said actuation means includes a solenoid pump.  
     
     
         12 . A device as recited in  claim 1  which includes means for adjusting the type of said ejection from streaming flow to spray.  
     
     
         13 . A device as recited in  claim 1  which is disposable.  
     
     
         12 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser is removably attached to said attachment means.  
     
     
         14 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said dispenser includes adjustable nozzle means.  
     
     
         15 . A device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said attachment means contains a working fluid volume in fluid communication with the interior of said dispenser so that said dispenser can be compressively-actuated by depression of said attachment means at a location on top of said user's wrist.  
     
     
         16 . A method for discharging hand treatment material from a user's forearm into said user's hand, the method comprising the following steps: 
 (a) attaching a dispenser containing said hand treatment material to the underside of said user's forearm;    (b) actuating said dispenser to eject said hand treatment material into said user's hand.