Non-aspirating transport gel dispenser

Abstract

A non-aspirating dispenser containing a gel therein for delivery to a desired surface such as a medical article. More specifically, a gel that is dispensed in the form of droplets that are free of air or a gas therein and with reduced drift potential. The dispenser has a container having a flexible bag therein enclosing a thixotropic gel, and has a pressurized gas that is capable of exerting pressure on the bag and forcing the gel out of said bag in a steady stream upon pressing an actuator that is operatively connected to an ejection valve. The bag is free of propellants, and does not produce an aerosol. The gel is thixotropic and is utilized for keeping medical instruments moist in order to prevent soils present thereon from drying out, which can make reprocessing of medical instruments more difficult and less effective. The dispenser implemented at a point of use for transport or prior to delayed reprocessing in the reprocessing area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ergonomic friendly non-aspirating dispenser for ejecting a thixotropic gel, comprising:
 a dispenser, said dispenser having walls forming a container and a flexible bag therein, a non-bag volume located between said dispenser walls and said flexible bag,   said dispenser adapted to eject a thixotropic gel in the form of non-aspirated, reduced drift, non-foam gel, droplets having a mean volume diameter from about 80 to about 500 microns, formed by said thixotropic gel located in said flexible bag and having a viscosity of from about 100 to about 1,500 centipoises, a pressurized gas in said non-bag volume of from about 25 to about 50 psi, and with said flexible bag having a volume of from about 65% to about 90% based on the total volume of said dispenser container;   said non-bag volume being substantially free of a propellant, a volatilizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof; and   said dispenser having a valve operatively connected to said flexible bag so that upon opening said valve said pressurized gas will continuously force said thixotropic gel out of said flexible bag and said dispenser container in the form of said non-aspirated droplets.   
     
     
         2 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said viscosity of said thixotropic gel is from about 150 to less than 1,500 centipoises. 
     
     
         3 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 2 , wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is from about 150 to about 400 microns. 
     
     
         4 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein said thixotropic gel comprises cellulose, hydrophobically modified cellulose, guar gum, quaternized guar gum, alginate, or cationated alginate comprising calcium, magnesium, or sodium cations, or any combination thereof; and wherein the amount of any propellant, volatilizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof in said pressurized gas is less than about 5% of said non-bag volume. 
     
     
         5 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 4 , wherein said pressurized gas comprises air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen, or any combination thereof; and wherein the amount of any said propellant, volatizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof in said pressurized gas is less than about 3% by volume of said non-bag volume. 
     
     
         6 . The non-aspirating dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is about 250 microns; and wherein the volume of said bag is from about 65% to about 80% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 1  that is capable of applying said thixotropic gel to a medical instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 4  that is capable of applying said thixotropic gel to a medical instrument. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 6  that is capable of applying said thixotropic gel to a medical instrument. 
     
     
         10 . A process for dispensing a non-aspirated gel, comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a dispenser having walls forming a container and a flexible bag therein, a non-bag volume located between said dispenser walls and said flexible bag; a thixotropic gel having a viscosity of from about 100 to about 1,500 centipoises located in said flexible bag, said non-bag volume having from about 25 to about 50 psi of a pressurized gas therein, said flexible bag having a volume of from about 65% to about 90% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container, said non-bag volume being substantially free of a propellant, a volatilizable liquid, or a foam-forming gas, or any combination thereof,   said dispenser having a valve, an actuator operatively connected to said valve and to a nozzle;   activating said actuator and flowing said thixotropic gel therethrough and through said nozzle, and ejecting said thixotropic gel in the form of non-aspirated, reduced drift, non-foam gel, droplets having a mean volume diameter of from about 80 to about 500 microns.   
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the amount of any propellant, a volatizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof, in said pressurized gas is less than about 5% by volume based upon the total volume of said non-bag volume. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein said viscosity of said thixotropic gel is from about 150 to less than 1,500 centipoises; and wherein the amount of any said propellant, said volatizable liquid, or said foam forming gas, or any combination thereof in said pressurized gas is less than about 3% by volume based upon the total volume of said non-bag volume, 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein said bag volume is from about 65% to about 80% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container; wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is from about 100 to about 450 microns; and wherein said pressurized gas comprises air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is from about 150 to about 400 microns; wherein said amount of said propellant, said volatizable liquid, or said foam forming gas, or any combination thereof in said pressurized gas is none; and wherein said thixotropic gel comprises cellulose, hydrophobically modified cellulose, guar gum, quaternized guar gum, alginate, or cationated alginate comprising calcium, magnesium, or sodium cations, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 10 , including releasing said non-aspirated thixotropic droplets on an instrument, or soil, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12 , including releasing said non-aspirated thixotropic droplets on a medical instrument, or a soil, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14 , including releasing said non-aspirated thixotropic droplets on a medical instrument, or a soil, or any combination thereof.