Container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing substances, and related method

Abstract

A container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing substances including edible substances. The container has a body that has a storage chamber for storing the substance and a head portion for holding the valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve body and a valve seat surrounded by a flexible outer cover that includes a valve portion. A seam between the valve portion and valve seat form a one-way release valve wherein a portion of the seam remains closed when the substance is dispensed. To dispense the substance, pressure is applied to the body forcing the substance into the valve assembly, which in turn, controls the flow and release of the substance without exposing the remaining substance to the external atmosphere; thus, the sterility of the storage chamber and remaining substance is maintained, and the shelf life of the substance is increased.

1 . A device for storing and dispensing a substance therefrom, comprising:
 a device body including therein a variable-volume storage chamber for receiving and storing a substance; and   a one-way valve assembly in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber mounted on the device body comprising:
 a valve seat; 
 a valve shield having a surface shaped to receive thereon a user's mouth to consume the substance from the storage chamber, wherein the valve shield supports the surface when a user applies pressure thereto; and 
 a flexible valve portion overlying the valve seat, wherein the valve portion and valve seat define a normally closed, annular, axially extending valve opening therebetween, and the valve portion is movable radially between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat and an open position with a segment of the valve portion spaced radially away from the valve seat to allow the passage of substance from the variable-volume storage chamber therebetween; and 
 wherein at least part of the valve shield is spaced away from the valve portion so as not to interfere with the valve opening. 
   
   
   
       2 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the valve seat diameter, a degree of interference between the valve portion and valve seat, the predetermined radial thickness of the valve portion, and a predetermined modulus of elasticity of the valve portion material is selected to (1) define a predetermined valve opening pressure generated upon at least one of (i) squeezing the device body and (ii) pumping the substance from the device body that allows passage of the substance from the variable-volume storage chamber through the valve opening, and (2) hermetically seal the valve and prevent the ingress of bacteria through the valve and into the device in the normally closed position. 
   
   
       3 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a substantially annular segment of the valve portion engages the valve seat substantially throughout any period of dispensing substance through the valve opening to maintain a hermetic seal between the variable-volume storage chamber and ambient atmosphere. 
   
   
       4 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of (i) the valve portion and valve body define—a decreasing degree of interference therebetween in a direction from the interior to the exterior of the valve assembly, and (ii) the valve portion defines a decreasing radial thickness when moving axially in a direction from an inner end toward a distal end of the valve seat. 
   
   
       5 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the device body is one of (i) a squeezable body, and (ii) a relatively rigid body having a flexible bladder located therein, the flexible bladder defining the variable-volume storage chamber. 
   
   
       6 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the device body comprises a head located at one end of the body, and the head defines a neck portion and a first axially extending passageway formed therethrough that is coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and defines an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween. 
   
   
       7 . A device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the device body is formed integral with the head and the head forms the valve body. 
   
   
       8 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , the one-way valve assembly further comprising a valve body including a body base defining a passageway coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber; at least one flow aperture extending through the valve body, and wherein the valve body defines the valve seat. 
   
   
       9 . A device as defined in  claim 8 , further defining an unobstructed, substantially axially extending flow path between the variable-volume storage chamber and at least one flow aperture. 
   
   
       10 . A device as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the device body comprises a head located at one end of the body, and the head defines a neck portion and a first axially extending passageway formed therethrough that is coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and defines an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween. 
   
   
       11 . A container and valve assembly as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the passageway defined by the body base is a second axially extending passageway coupled in fluid communication with the first axially extending passageway and defining an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween, and the valve seat is axially-extending. 
   
   
       12 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the variable volume storage chamber is configured to maintain the substance in at least one of (i) a sterile, hermetically scaled condition, (ii) a substantially airless condition, and (iii) a substantially preservative-free form, throughout the storing and dispensing of the substance. 
   
   
       13 . A container and valve assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the valve portion defines a predetermined radial thickness and a diameter less than a diameter of the valve seat to thereby form an interference fit therebetween. 
   
   
       14 . A container and valve assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the valve seat is movable radially between the normally closed position and the open position at a predetermined valve opening pressure. 
   
   
       15 . A device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the variable-volume storage chamber and one-way valve assembly is penetrable by a needle for filling the variable-volume storage chamber through the needle with the substance to be stored therein, and a resulting penetration aperture is thermally resealable by applying thermal energy thereto. 
   
   
       16 . A device for storing and dispensing a substance therefrom, comprising:
 a device body including therein a variable-volume storage chamber for receiving and storing a substance; and   a one-way valve assembly in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber mounted on the device body comprising:
 a valve seat; 
 a valve shield having a surface shaped to receive thereon a user's mouth to consume the substance from the storage chamber, wherein the valve shield supports the surface when a user applies pressure thereto; and 
 a flexible valve portion overlying the valve seat, wherein the valve portion and valve seat define a normally closed, annular, axially extending valve opening therebetween, and the valve portion is movable radially between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat and an open position with a segment of the valve portion spaced radially away from the valve seat to allow the passage of substance from the variable-volume storage chamber therebetween; 
 wherein at least part of the valve shield is spaced away from the valve portion so as not to interfere with the valve opening; and 
   wherein the valve assembly further includes first means for progressively opening the valve opening and allowing the passage of substance from the variable-volume storage chamber through the valve opening upon at least one of (i) squeezing the device body and (ii) pumping substance from the device body, and second means for hermetically sealing the valve assembly and preventing ingress of bacteria through the valve assembly and into the device in the normally closed position.   
   
   
       17 . A device as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the first means is defined by at least one of the valve seat diameter, a degree of interference between the valve portion and valve seat, the predetermined radial thickness of the valve portion, and a predetermined modulus of elasticity of the valve portion material being selected to define a predetermined valve opening pressure generated upon at least one of (i) squeezing the device body and (ii) pumping the substance from the device body that allows passage of the substance from the variable-volume storage chamber through the valve opening. 
   
   
       18 . A device as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the second means is defined by at least one of the valve seat diameter, a degree of interference between the valve portion and valve seat, the predetermined radial thickness of the valve portion, and a predetermined modulus of elasticity of the valve cover material being selected to hermetically seal the valve and prevent the ingress of bacteria through the valve and into the device in the normally closed position. 
   
   
       19 . A device as defined in  claim 16 , the one-way valve assembly further comprising a valve body including a body base defining a passageway coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber; at least one flow aperture extending through the valve body, and wherein the valve body defines the a valve seat. 
   
   
       20 . A method for storing and dispensing a sterile substance comprising the steps of:
 providing a device including a device body including therein a variable-volume storage chamber for receiving and storing a substance;   providing a one-way valve assembly in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber mounted on the device body comprising:
 a valve seat; 
 a valve shield having a surface shaped to receive thereon a user's mouth to consume the substance from the storage chamber, wherein the valve shield supports the surface when a user applies pressure thereto; and 
 a flexible valve portion overlying the valve seat, wherein the valve portion and valve seat define a normally closed, annular, axially extending valve opening therebetween, and the valve portion is movable radially between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat and an open position with a segment of the valve portion spaced radially away from the valve seat to allow the passage of substance from the variable-volume storage chamber therebetween; 
 wherein at least part of the valve shield is spaced away from the valve portion so as not to interfere with the valve opening and allow the valve portion to move between the valve seat and shield; 
   storing within the storage chamber a quantity of substance; and   dispensing an amount of the substance by at least one of squeezing the device body and pumping the substance from the storage chamber to dispense the substance through the valve opening and into the user's mouth.   
   
   
       21 . A method as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one of the variable-volume storage chamber and one-way valve assembly with a needle penetrable portion and thermally resealable portion; and   filling the variable-volume storage chamber with the substance by penetrating the needle penetrable and thermally resealable portion with a needle, introducing the substance through the needle and into the variable-volume storage chamber, withdrawing the needle and hermetically resealing a resulting needle hole in the needle penetrable and thermally resealable portion by applying thermal energy thereto.   
   
   
       22 . A method as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of maintaining the substance in at least one of: (i) a sterile, hermetically sealed condition, (ii) a substantially airless condition, and (iii) a substantially preservative-free form, throughout the storing and dispensing of the substance. 
   
   
       23 . A device as defined in  claim 20 , the one-way valve assembly further comprising a valve body including a body base defining a passageway coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber; at least one flow aperture extending through the valve body, and wherein the valve body defines the valve seat. 
   
   
       24 . A method as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of maintaining the substance at ambient temperature throughout the storing and dispensing of multiple doses of the substance.