Hand held dispensing and application apparatus

Abstract

A dispensing and application apparatus designed to contain pre-measured amounts of a flowable substance. The apparatus comprises a compartment 130 for storing the substance that is partially enclosed by a frangible seal 210 , an applicator 100 , and an expandable chamber 170 designed to accept and dissipate the hydraulic force created when pressure is applied to the compartment 130 , rupturing the frangible seal 210 , and expelling the substance into the chamber 170 . The applicator 100 is attached to the chamber 170 with an applicator bond area 180 . The expandability of the chamber 170 is conferred by expandability of the applicator 100 , and is varied in different embodiments by altering the ratio between the area of the applicator bond area 180 and the area of the applicator 100 . The frangible seal 210 , in one of many embodiments, may be a chevron shape stress riser 250 with a point of inflection 240 oriented towards the compartment 130 . A removable cap may cover the applicator.

1 - 41 . (canceled)  
   
   
       42 . An apparatus, wherein the apparatus is designed to contain and dispense a flowable substance, comprising: 
 a compartment; a frangible seal, including a stress riser oriented in the direction of the compartment; an applicator having an applicator surface area; and an expansible chamber.    
   
   
       43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the frangible seal is formed to have at least one sinusoidal shape.  
   
   
       44 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the stress riser is formed to be of a substantially chevron shape having a sharp inflection point.  
   
   
       45 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the stress riser comprises a flat area.  
   
   
       46 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the applicator is selected from the group consisting of foam pads, wovens, non-wovens, and felts.  
   
   
       47 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein said compartment is constructed of flexible laminated foil material.  
   
   
       48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the applicator is bonded to said flexible laminated foil material with a bond area between 62.5% and 87.5% of the total surface area of the applicator.  
   
   
       49 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , further including an applicator cover adapted to releasably enclose the applicator.  
   
   
       50 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the frangible seal is a thermal seal.