Liquid dispensing and methods for dispensing liquids

Abstract

A dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device. The dispenser may include a container having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the container is configured to store a volume of liquid medicament. The dispenser may also include a dispensing mechanism coupled to the distal end of the container. The dispensing mechanism may have a distal end terminating in a tip through which the liquid medicament is dispensed. The dispensing mechanism operates to dispense a metered volume of the liquid medicament from the tip each time the dispensing mechanism is operated. The distal end of the dispensing mechanism includes an interface that interacts with a housing of an inhaler to limit an insertion depth of the tip into an opening the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device comprising:
 a container having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the container is configured to store a volume of liquid medicament; and   a dispensing mechanism coupled to the distal end of the container, the dispensing mechanism comprising a distal end terminating in a tip through which the liquid medicament is dispensed, wherein:
 the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense a metered volume of the liquid medicament from the tip each time the dispensing mechanism is actuated; 
 an exterior surface of the distal end of the dispensing mechanism comprises an interface having a larger diameter than the tip, the interface being configured to interact with an exterior surface of a housing of an inhaler to limit an insertion depth of the tip into an opening of the housing; and 
 the dispensing mechanism is actuated by compressing the dispensing mechanism along a longitudinal axis of the container and the dispenser. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the dispensing mechanism further comprises a flange that is configured to receive a force applied by a user to actuate the dispensing mechanism.   
     
     
         3 . The dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the exterior surface of the distal end of the dispensing mechanism tapers from the interface to the tip.   
     
     
         4 . The dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the dispensing mechanism comprises a fixed portion that is coupled with a slidable portion, the fixed portion being more proximal to the container than the slidable portion; and   an interface formed between the fixed portion and the slidable portion comprises a spring that biases the slidable portion away from the container.   
     
     
         5 . The dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the dispensing mechanism further comprises a valve and a metering chamber; and   the valve is opened upon the slidable portion being compressed toward the fixed portion, thereby priming the dispensing mechanism by allowing the metered volume of the liquid medicament to fill the metering chamber.   
     
     
         6 . The dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the dispensing mechanism further comprises a housing cap that is configured to couple the dispensing mechanism to the container, the housing cap comprising an interior bottom surface that comprises a sloped portion, the sloped portion being sloped toward an aperture and terminating proximate the aperture so as to direct the liquid medicament into the aperture.   
     
     
         7 . The dispenser for supplying a metered volume of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a sealing element disposed at a junction of the container and the housing cap, the sealing element being configured to form an airtight seal between the container and the housing cap.   
     
     
         8 . An aerosolization system, comprising:
 an inhaler comprising:
 a housing having a mouthpiece, the housing comprising an exterior surface that defines an outer periphery of the inhaler; 
 an opening in the exterior surface of the housing; and 
 a vibratable mesh disposed within the housing that is configured to aerosolize a metered volume of liquid medicament and that spaced a distance from the opening; and 
   a dispenser comprising:
 a container having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the container is configured to store a volume of liquid medicament; and 
 a dispensing mechanism coupled to the distal end of the container, the dispensing mechanism comprising a distal end terminating in a tip through which the liquid medicament is dispensed, wherein:
 the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the metered volume of the liquid medicament from the tip each time the dispensing mechanism is actuated; 
 an exterior surface of the distal end of the dispensing mechanism comprises an interface having a larger diameter than the tip, the interface being configured to interact with the exterior surface of the housing of the inhaler to limit an insertion depth of the tip into the opening while the container of the dispenser remains external to the exterior surface of the housing; and 
 the dispensing mechanism is actuated by compressing the dispensing mechanism along a longitudinal axis of the container and the dispenser. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The aerosolization system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the inhaler further comprises a reservoir having tapered walls that are configured to direct the liquid medicament onto the vibratable mesh.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosolization system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the exterior surface of the distal end of the dispensing mechanism has a taper that matches a taper of the reservoir.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosolization system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the tapered walls are wider than the opening and the tip of the dispensing mechanism.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosolization system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the interface is disposed a first distance from the tip such that when the interface is engaged with the exterior surface of the housing of the inhaler, the tip is spaced-apart from the vibratable mesh at a second distance to prevent the tip from coming into contact with the metered volume of the liquid is dispensed into the reservoir.   
     
     
         13 . The aerosolization system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the second distance is between about 5 mm and about 20 mm.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosolization system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the inhaler further comprises a cover that is positionable over the opening in a closed position, the cover being movable to expose the opening in an open position.   
     
     
         15 . A method for supplying a metered volume of liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device, the method comprising:
 providing an inhaler comprising:
 a housing having a mouthpiece, the housing comprising an exterior surface that defines an outer periphery of the inhaler; 
 an opening in the exterior surface of the housing; and 
 a vibratable mesh disposed within the housing that is configured to aerosolize the metered volume of liquid medicament and that spaced a distance from the opening; and 
   providing a dispenser comprising:
 a container having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the container is configured to store a volume of liquid medicament; and 
 a dispensing mechanism coupled to the distal end of the container, the dispensing mechanism comprising a distal end terminating in a tip through which the liquid medicament is dispensed, wherein:
 an exterior surface of the distal end of the dispensing mechanism comprises an interface having a larger diameter than the tip; 
 
   inserting the tip into the opening of the inhaler until the interface of the distal end contacts the exterior surface of the housing outside of the opening to limit an insertion depth of the tip while the container of the dispenser remains external to the exterior surface of the housing; and   compressing the dispenser to deliver a metered volume of the liquid medicament from the tip to the vibratable mesh while the tip remains spaced apart by the distance.   
     
     
         16 . The method for supplying a metered volume of liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the inhaler further comprises a cover that seals the opening and the vibratable mesh; and   the method further comprises moving the cover to expose the opening and the vibratable mesh.   
     
     
         17 . The method for supplying a metered volume of liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the inhaler further comprises a reservoir having tapered walls that are configured to direct the liquid medicament onto the vibratable mesh, the tapered walls being wider than the opening and the tip of the dispensing mechanism.   
     
     
         18 . The method for supplying a metered volume of liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 compressing the dispenser comprises applying pressure solely to the proximal end of the container when the tip is engaged with the exterior surface of the inhaler.   
     
     
         19 . The method for supplying a metered volume of liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the interface of the exterior surface of the distal end of the dispensing mechanism has a larger diameter than the opening in the exterior surface of the housing of the inhaler to limit the insertion depth of the tip into the opening of the housing such that the tip remains spaced apart by a distance from the vibratable mesh.   
     
     
         20 . The method for supplying a metered volume of liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the distance is between about 5 and 20 mm.