METERED DOSING CONTAINER WITH INDEPENDENTLY DEFORMABLE INTERNAL BLADDER
The present invention is a fluid dispensing device that includes a reusable outer housing that defines a bladder-receiving region. An independently deformable bladder, that contains media to be dispensed therein, resides in the bladder-receiving region. A pump, which is accessible from the outside of the housing by a user, is installed in fluid communication with the bladder to dispense media from the bladder for use. When media is depleted from the bladder, the bladder and pump arrangement can be easily replaced with a full bladder and new pump for installation into the reusable outer housing.
1 . A fluid dispensing device, comprising:
housing defining a bladder-receiving region;
a bladder residing in the bladder-receiving region; media to be dispensed residing in the bladder;
a pump in fluid communication with the bladder; the pump configured and arranged to dispense media from the bladder for use.
2 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the housing further defines at least one aperture therethrough to enable the bladder to be viewed.
3 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
means for retaining the bladder in the bladder-receiving region.
4 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the bladder has a bellows configuration.
5 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a metering pump.
6 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is rigid.
7 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is semi-rigid.
8 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the pump and bladder are permanently connected to one another.
9 . The fluid dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid dispensing device has an outer appearance that remains substantially unchanged during dispensing of media from the bladder during use.