Device for delivering a spray of an ophthalmic liquid in dosage fractions, and a pump suitable for a device for delivering a spray of an ophthalmic liquid

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for delivering a dose spray of an ophthalmic liquid, the device comprising a housing, the housing comprising a holding chamber having an outlet opening for holding the dose of liquid to be delivered, a pump (200) connected to a container (30) containing multiple doses for pumping the dose of liquid into the holding chamber (92) via a dose delivery conduit (235), and air flow conduits (76, 77) for providing air flow to the holding chamber (92) to force the doses delivered by the pump (200) through the outlet opening (93) and into the holding chamber (92).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved device for delivering a spray of an ophthalmic liquid in a dosage amount, such as an ophthalmic drug or physiological saline, comprising a housing having a holding chamber with a discharge opening for holding a dosage amount of the liquid to be delivered, a pump for pumping the dosage amount of the liquid to the holding chamber via a dosage supply conduit, the pump being connected to a container containing a plurality of dosage amounts, and an air flow conduit for supplying an air flow to the holding chamber to extrude the dosage delivered by the pump through the discharge opening into the holding chamber.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a pump for pumping a very small volume of liquid, which is generally suitable for a device for delivering a spray of an ophthalmic liquid. Advantageously, many of the components of this pump can be formed by plastic injection molding.

Background Art

[0003] Documents WO15 / 114,139 and WO17 / 21,168 disclose devices of the aforementioned type.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] There is a need for a device and a pump that enable one or more of the following, namely, pumping a very small amount of ophthalmic liquid, such as an ophthalmic agent or physiological saline, corresponding to one dose, which can be, for example, about 6 microliters; performing a convenient and rapid priming of the pump; and fabricating the pump in a small size so that the pump can be disposed within the housing of a relatively small-sized device. The invention claimed in the present application solves this need by a combination of various features. The ophthalmic liquid is delivered to the user via the discharge opening of the device, optionally in a form mixed with air in a mixing chamber.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Fig. 1a

Fig. 1b

Fig. 2a

Fig. 2b

Fig. 3a

Fig. 3b

Fig. 3c

Fig. 4a

Fig. 4b

Fig. 5a

Fig. 5b

Fig. 6a

Fig. 6b

Fig. 7a

Fig. 7b

Fig. 7c

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to one embodiment.

[0009] Figures 1a - 1b show perspective views of different configurations of the device 1 of the present invention for continuously delivering a single dose of ophthalmic liquid. Each dose is carried as small droplets to the user's eye in a conveying air stream. As shown, the device 1 is sized to be held within the user's hand H.

[0010] Device 1 comprises a housing 6 having a rear wall portion 15 opposite to the front wall portion 10, and has a drive for adjusting the device 1 so that each delivery of one dose is performed by rotating the handle / head 8 of the device 1 with the user's hand H about the axis A as shown in FIG. 1b. The head 8 is rotatably attached to the rear end portion 3' of the housing 6 and defines the rear end portion 4 of the device 1. The release button 9 in the front wall portion 10 enables the user to perform each one-dose delivery in each conveying air flow via the discharge opening 20 formed in the base plate 70 that defines the front end portion 3 of the housing 6. The discharge opening 20 can be formed as a nozzle having atomizing ability.

[0011] As shown in the figure, the abutting structure portion 2 connected to the base plate 70 enables the user to position and hold the device 1 in an abutting state in the area around his / her eyes before pressing the release button 9.

[0012] The illustrated device 1 specifically has, inside the housing 6, a liquid ophthalmic drug / physiological saline container / cartridge connected to a pump, and in that each one-dose portion of this ophthalmic liquid is driven by this pump from the cartridge into the one-dose holding chamber, has some features in common with the devices disclosed in documents WO15 / 114,139 and WO17 / 21,168. Then, this one-dose portion is placed in a state prepared in the one-dose holding chamber and waits for extrusion from the one-dose chamber into the mixing chamber arranged downstream of the one-dose holding chamber by the first air flow. Therefore, the one-dose portion entering the mixing chamber is mixed with the second air flow that simultaneously enters the mixing chamber, and then the combined flow of the first air flow and the second air flow exits the mixing chamber at the discharge opening 20 together with the one-dose portion of the ophthalmic liquid. Thereby, this one-dose portion of the ophthalmic liquid is delivered to the user as an aerosol at a speed determined especially by the pressure of the air flow.

[0013] The present invention is particularly suitable when the volume of the ophthalmic liquid to be dispensed for the treatment of the human eye is very small, for example about 5 to 30 microliters, such as about 6 microliters, and the volume of the holding chamber for one dose is preferably the same or substantially the same as the volume of one dose. In conventional ophthalmic liquid dispensers, typically one or more droplets are dispensed, but these droplets have a volume of more than about 30 microliters or even more than 60 microliters, resulting in over-dispensing.

[0014] Figures 2a and 2b are partial cross-sectional views of the device 1 in its respective configurations before and after the head 8 rotates 180°, showing in detail some of the components inside the housing 6, including the upper part of the aforementioned container / cartridge indicated by reference numeral 30 and two pistons 52 configured to move back and forth (shown as up and down in the figures) parallel to the axis A inside each air chamber 50 closed at one end by the aforementioned base plate 70. These two air chambers 50 are configured to be substantially symmetric about the cartridge 30 and about the axis A.

[0015] In the context of the present invention, preferably, the cartridge 30 is a collapsible container having a flexible side wall configured such that the container contracts as the ophthalmic liquid is drawn out of the cartridge 30 without drawing air into the cartridge 30. Alternatively, the cartridge 30 may have a displaceable wall such that the internal volume of the cartridge 30 is reduced as the liquid is drawn out without drawing air into the cartridge 30. For example, the cartridge 30 can accommodate 10 to 1000 doses of ophthalmic liquid.

[0016] Each of the aforementioned air chambers 50 is partially defined by a cylindrical wall portion 51 shown in cross-section in FIGS. 2a and 2 and sealed to an annular structure portion 71 on the base plate 70. Each piston 52 has a piston head 56 that bounds the interior of each air chamber 50 together with a portion of the base plate 70 and one of the cylindrical wall portions 51. FIG. 2b shows where the two pistons 52 have been moved to the upper retracted position by the user rotating the head 8. With respect to this movement, the head 8 comprises a hollow cylindrical shaft 40 that is rotatably received within the housing 6 through an opening in the rear end portion 3' and surrounds the container 30. The shaft 40, which is part of the aforementioned drive, comprises a pair of helically extending ridges 41 located on opposite sides on its outer surface, and these ridges 41 define cams that act on corresponding cam followers (not shown) each formed on one of the respective non-rotatable piston rods 53 connected to each piston head 56. The two pistons 52 are temporarily held in the fully retracted position shown in FIG. 2b by each tab (not shown) releasably engaging the piston rod 53 in this position and are configured to be disengaged from the piston rod 53 when the user presses the button 9.

[0017] As will be appreciated, the upward movement of the piston 52 is caused by the rotation of the shaft 40 about the axis A, whereby the cam follower is seated on the ridge 41. As the piston 52 moves upward in this way, air is simultaneously drawn into the two air chambers 50 via each aperture 74 formed in the base plate 70. These apertures 74 communicate with the exterior of the device 1 and each comprises a check valve (not shown).

[0018] When the user presses button 9 to release piston 52 from its engagement with the aforementioned tab, each spring 58 positioned between piston 52 and the rear end portion 3' of housing 6 drives piston 52 back to the downward position shown in Fig. 2a. At the same time, air is pushed out of air chamber 50 via aperture 73 formed in base plate 70. The air exiting air chamber 50 in this way flows through air flow conduits 76, 77 formed in base plate 70 at the bottom of air chamber 50 and into and towards one-dose holding chamber 92. See Figs. 3a and 3b. Further details regarding base plate 70 are shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. In these figures, a manner in which base plate 70 can preferably be formed by closely combining two plates 70', 70'' having recesses that define the aforementioned aperture 73 and flow conduits 76, 77, and a further conduit and segment 235' of the required valve is shown. As shown in Fig. 6b, an elastic material sealing part consisting of a plurality of preferably interconnected strings S that can be integrally formed with one of the plates 70'' in the plate 70'' cooperates with the corresponding ridges S1. In Fig. 3b, it is shown that one of these ridges S1 is formed on the other of the plates 70'' in the plate 70''.

[0019] Preferably, as in the prior art referred to above, the air extruded from each air chamber 50 determines the first and second air flows and serves the aforementioned purpose, and flows through the respective air flow conduits 77, 78. These air flow conduits 77, 78 may branch from a primary conduit 76 extending from each air chamber 50. One of the first air flow conduits 77 is for the first air flow and is connected to the single-dose holding chamber 92, and the other second conduit 78 is for the second air flow and is connected to the mixing chamber 21. As shown in FIG. 6a, preferably, the various air flow conduits 76, 77, 78 are formed as recesses in one of the plates 70'', and the aforementioned ridge S1 is formed on the same plate 70'' along the longitudinal direction of the various air flow conduits 76, 77, 78 and seals the air flow conduits 76, 77, 78 by being pushed into the corresponding string S of the sealing material.

[0020] As shown in the figure, the single-dose holding chamber 92 has a discharge opening 93 communicating with the mixing chamber 21, whereby the first air flow pushes the liquid contained in the single-dose holding chamber 92 into the mixing chamber 21 via the discharge opening 93. This discharge opening 93 is located at the distal end of the single-dose holding chamber 92, opposite to the proximal end PE of the single-dose holding chamber 92 where the first air flow conduit opens into the holding chamber 92. As best shown in FIG. 4b, the dose supply conduit 235 for supplying the ophthalmic liquid in a dose to the single-dose holding chamber 92 has a segment 235' that also opens at the proximal end PE of the single-dose holding chamber 92.

[0021] The device 1 shown, unlike the prior art devices disclosed in documents WO15 / 114,139 and WO17 / 21,168, differs in particular in that it has a special configuration pump 200 according to the present invention. Further, a drive comprising a shaft 40 causes a stroke of the pump 200, whereby one dose of ophthalmic liquid is driven from the container 30 via a dose supply conduit into the one-dose holding chamber 92 by rotation of the shaft 40. By doing so, by rotating the head 8 once, air is drawn into the air chamber 50 and then one dose of ophthalmic liquid is further pumped from the container 30 into the holding chamber 92. Thereby, upon subsequent pressing of the button 9, this one dose is delivered to the user via the discharge opening 20 by means of a combined air flow discharged from the air chamber 50 by the action of the respective spring 58 acting as a carrier.

[0022] In particular, as will be explained hereinafter, the special configuration pump 200 of the present invention enables the pumping of a very small amount of drug, i.e., an amount corresponding to the aforementioned one dose which may be, for example, 6 microliters, enables convenient and rapid priming of the pump 200, and enables the production of a pump 200 having small dimensions such that it can be arranged within the relatively small-sized housing 6 of the device 1.

[0023] Next, referring to FIG. 3a, the pump 200 of the present invention is shown. This pump 200 is pre-assembled and is in the process of being attached to the base plate 70 of the device 1. For this purpose, the base plate 70 is provided with a plurality of upright elastic fingers 72 configured to be snap-fitted into a corresponding number of recesses 202 formed in the cylindrical wall portion 211 of the first part 210 of the pump 200. The upright fluid connector 75 attached to the base plate 70 is configured to be closely received within the large-diameter portion 234 of the dosage supply conduit 235. See FIG. 4b. This large-diameter portion 234 is formed in the first part 210, and the dosage supply conduit 235 is continuous inside the fluid connector 75. In this dosage supply conduit 235, the pump 200 includes a normally closed one-way valve (see FIG. 4b again). This one-way valve is illustrated as a ball 207 normally biased to a closed position and closing a segment of the dosage supply conduit 235 by a spring 208 held in place by the fluid connector 75. Guide slits 212 located on two opposite sides formed in the cylindrical wall portion 211 are open at one lower end and closed at the opposite end.

[0024] FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view showing the pump 200 attached to the base plate 70. A spring 150 surrounding the first part 210 presses on the base plate 70 on one hand and on the peripheral flange 226 of the second part 225 of the pump 200 on the other hand. The second part 225 is displaceable up and down in the direction P with respect to the first part 210 and thus with respect to the base plate 70. The second part 225 has a surrounding / cylindrical wall portion 229 surrounding the first part 210 when the second part 225 is in the retracted position. The second part 225 is biased by the spring 150 towards the upper forward position shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b. In FIG. 3c, the second part 225 is shown displaced to a retracted lower position near the base plate 70 in a state where it is possible to discharge one dosage of ophthalmic liquid from the pump chamber 216 in the pump 200 via the aforementioned dosage supply conduit 235 as will be described hereinafter.

[0025] More specifically, FIGS. 3b and 3c show the lower first part 210 as having a laterally annular upper wall portion 213 near the upper end of the cylindrical wall portion 211, and an elongated hollow tubular structure portion 214 extending upward and centrally from the upper wall portion 213. A seat portion 215 is located on an upper extending portion 211' of the cylindrical wall portion 211 surrounding the lower portion of the elongated tubular structure portion 214 along the tubular structure portion 214. This seat portion 215 is configured to tightly fix the neck 35 of the container 30 to the first part 210, for example, by snap-fitting to the rim of the container 30. The tubular structure portion 214 extends into the interior of the neck 35. When the container 30 is fixed to the seat portion 215, it is held against the first part 210 of the pump 200 at the fixing position with respect to the base plate 70.

[0026] The tubular structure portion 214 has a free distal end portion 214' at a position far from the upper wall portion 213, and this free distal end portion 214' is provided with a one-way valve 250 such as a duckbill valve. The one-way valve 250 allows a liquid flow to be brought from the container 30 into the elongated tubular structure portion 214 via its distal end portion 214'.

[0027] The tubular structure portion 214 defines a pump chamber 216, which is best shown in FIG. 3c. The laterally upper wall portion 213 of the first part 210 has a central opening 217 that continues into the pump chamber 216 at the position of the proximal end portion 214'' of the tubular structure portion 214. Illustrated as being attached between the layers of the upper wall portion 213, an annular seal 218, preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber, surrounds this opening 217.

[0028] The lower end of the aforementioned cylindrical wall portion 229 of the second part 225 of the pump 200 has a bridge 228 connected to two portions located on the opposite side of the flange 226. During the assembly of the pump 200, this bridge 228 is received at the open ends of the two guide slits 212 in the first part 210, so that when the second part 225 moves up and down along the direction P, the second part 225 is prevented from rotating with respect to the first part 210, and the bridge 228 moves to the closed ends of the two slits 212 within one of each of the two guide slits 212.

[0029] A solid and slender pin-shaped pump stem 238, which may have a constant diameter in the longitudinal direction, is connected to the bridge 228 in a sealing engagement with the annular seal 218 and extends into the pump chamber 216 through the opening 217. This pump stem 238 is configured to move inside the pump chamber 216 between the retracted position shown in Fig. 3c and the advanced position shown in Fig. 3b, and the free end 130 of the pump stem 238 is located near the one-way valve 250 in this advanced position.

[0030] When received via the valve 250 and when the pump stem 238 is moved to the advanced position, that is, when the second part 225 of the pump 200 is moved to the advanced position, an elongated annular fluid flow passage 230 for the ophthalmic liquid displaced from the pump chamber 216 is defined between the outside of the pump stem 238 and the inside of the tubular structure 214. When the stem 228 has a constant diameter, the annular fluid flow passage 230 preferably has a constant inner diameter and outer diameter. The stem 228 may have a polygonal cross-section without departing from the present invention.

[0031] Since the pump chamber 216 is sized such that a liquid volume of about 6 microliters is displaced in each stroke, due to its small size, the lateral support of the stem 238 at the opening 217 is sufficient to prevent the stem 228 from contacting the inner surface of the pump chamber 216 when it moves inside the pump chamber 216.

[0032] As will be understood, spring 150 serves to control the movement of pump stem 238 within pump chamber 216 between its retracted and advanced positions. The cylindrical wall portion 229 of the displaceable second part 225 of pump 200 has a structure with ribs 227 located on opposite sides that function as cam followers, and these ribs 227 engage a cam (not shown) located on the interior of the surrounding hollow shaft 40 in a manner similar to air piston 52. By doing so, by rotating head 8, i) liquid is drawn into pump chamber 216 by moving second part 225 to the position shown in FIG. 3c while compressing spring 150, and then finally, ii) when the rotation is completed such that ribs 227 are disengaged from the cam on the interior of shaft 40, second part 225 can be driven by spring 150 to the upper position shown in FIG. 3b. This latter movement corresponds to the pump stroke, whereby the liquid contained within pump chamber 216 is pushed out via the elongated flow passage 230 defined between pump stem 238 and the interior of tubular structure 214 and flows into liquid holding chamber 92 via dose supply conduit 235.

[0033] When liquid holding chamber 92 is filled, device 1 becomes ready for drug delivery by pressing button 9, and pressing button 9 results in purging air from air chamber 50 into liquid holding chamber 92 as described above. Liquid holding chamber 92 can then be refilled again in the manner described above by rotating head 8 once more.

[0034] When the liquid is being pushed out from the pump chamber 216, the valve 207 opens and then closes again after the completion of the pump stroke by the action of the valve spring 208. For example, it is thus ensured that the liquid can be drawn into the pump chamber 216 via the one-way valve 250 only when the pump stem 238 is moved back to the retracted position shown in FIG. 3c. By using a collapsible type of container 30, such as in the form of a cartridge having an inner flexible collapsible bag, the cartridge can be used up without the need for ventilation that may compromise sterility. The one-way valve 207 in the dose supply conduit 235 further functions to prevent upstream contamination by acting as a barrier positioned between the liquid in the pump chamber and the atmosphere.

[0035] FIG. 4a is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing the pump attached to the base plate 70, and FIG. 4b is a similar full cross-sectional view. In FIG. 4b, the dose supply conduit 235, the full length of which is shown, has a first segment 235''' having an inlet port located on the side of an elongated tubular structure 214 formed in the first part 210 of the pump 200 and adjacent to the opening 217 in the upper wall portion 213, and two further segments 235'', 235' formed in the upright connector 75 and in the base plate 70 respectively.

[0036] As can be understood, the volume of the pump chamber 216 corresponds to the volume of one dose, and this volume of one dose correlates to the sum of the volume of the pump stem 238 and the volume defined by the annular space between the pump stem 238 and the inner surface of the elongated tubular structure 214. Typically, when the volume of one dose is 6 microliters, the volume of the pump chamber 216 will be designed to be approximately 15 - 20 microliters.

[0037] Figures 5a and 5b are similar to Figures 3b and 3c respectively, and show the spring 150, compressed or uncompressed, depending on the position of the second part 225 relative to the first part 210, together with the assembled pump 200. Pulling the second part 225 away from the first part 210 through the open end of the slit 212 can be prevented by providing a locking structure (not shown).

[0038] Figures 7a - 7e are a sequence showing the flow of the liquid L, indicated by dots passing through the pump 200, during priming, when the user adjusts the device 1 for the first delivery of a dose of ophthalmic liquid L, i.e. in the example illustrated by rotating the head 8 a predetermined number of times, which in total causes the pump 200 to make 4 strokes, i.e. two movements of the pump stem 238 from its forward position, as the device 1 is delivered to the user (see Figure 7a), and two movements of the pump stem 238 back to the forward position. During this process, the liquid L is drawn into the pump chamber 216 and first fills this pump chamber 216. The liquid is then pushed into the horizontal segment 235''' of the dose supply conduit 235 as shown in Figure 7d and flows into the segment 235'' having the one - way valve 207, thereby finally opening the one - way valve 207 and then flowing into the final segment 235' of the dose supply conduit 235. This final segment 235' opens into the liquid holding chamber 92, and the pump 200 can be connected to this liquid holding chamber 92 as shown in Figure 4b. As will be understood, the volume of liquid initially drawn into the chamber 216 during the first stroke as the stem 238 moves towards its retracted position as shown in Figure 7b, typically corresponds to the volume of the stem 238 that can be occupied when the stem 238 is in its fully forward position inside the chamber 216 and, as a result, to the volume of the liquid holding chamber 92.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0039] 1 Device 2 Contact Structure 3 Front End 3' rear end 4 rear end 6 housing 8 handle / head 9 release button 10 front wall portion 15 rear wall portion 20 discharge opening 21 mixing chamber 30 container / cartridge 35 neck 40 hollow cylindrical shaft 41 helical extending ridge 50 air chamber 51 cylindrical wall portion 52 air piston 53 non-rotatable piston rod 56 piston head 58 spring 70 base plate 70' plate 70'' plate 71 annular structure portion 72 upright elastic finger 73 aperture 74 aperture 75 upright fluid connector 76 air flow conduit, primary conduit, flow conduit 77 air flow conduit, first air flow conduit 78 second conduit 92 single-dose holding chamber, liquid holding chamber 93 discharge opening 130 free end 150 spring 200 special configuration pump 202 recess 207 ball, valve, one-way valve 208 valve spring 210 first part 211 cylindrical wall portion 211' upward extending portion 212 guide slit 213 upper wall portion 213 lateral annular upper wall portion 214 Elongated tubular structure 214' Free distal end 214'' Proximal end 215 Seat 216 Pump chamber 217 Central opening 218 Annular seal 225 Second part 226 Flange 226 Peripheral flange 227 Rib 228 Bridge, stem 229 Peripheral / cylindrical wall 230 Elongated annular fluid flow path 234 Large-diameter part 235 Dosage supply conduit 235' Segment, final segment 235'' Segment 235''' Horizontally oriented segment, first segment 238 Solid elongated pin-shaped pump stem 250 One-way valve S1 Ridge

Claims

1. A device (1) for delivering a spray of an ophthalmic liquid in measured doses, comprising a housing (6), said housing (6) comprising a holding chamber (92) having a discharge opening (93) for holding the liquid in the measured dose to be delivered, a pump (200) for pumping the liquid in the measured dose to the holding chamber (92) via a dose supply conduit (235), the pump (200) being connected to a container (30) containing a plurality of said measured doses, an air flow conduit (76, 77) for supplying an air flow to the holding chamber (92) to extrude the measured dose through the discharge opening (93) In the device (1), the pump (200) is a first part (210), said first part (210) having a base (213), an elongated tubular structure (214) extending from the base (213), and a seat (215), said seat (215) being configured to fix the neck (35) of the container (30) to the first part (210) with the tubular structure (214) extending inside the neck (35), the tubular structure (214) having a distal end with a one-way valve (250) allowing the flow of the liquid from the container (30) into the elongated tubular structure (214), the tubular structure (214) defining a pump chamber (216), the base (213) having an opening (217) following the pump chamber (216) at the proximal end of the tubular structure (214), and a seal (218) surrounding the opening (217), the first part (210), A second part (225) that is movable relative to the first part (210) and includes a pump stem (238) that extends through the opening (217) into the pump chamber (216) in a sealed engagement with the seal (218), wherein the pump stem (238) moves relative to the first part (210) inside the pump chamber (216) between a retracted position and a forward position, and a free end (130) of the pump stem (238) is closer to the one-way valve (250) in the forward position, and an elongated flow passage (230) for the liquid displaced from the pump chamber (216) is defined between the pump stem (238) and the inside of the tubular structure (214) when moving the pump stem (238) to the forward position, and includes the second part (225). The dose supply conduit (235) connects the elongated flow passage (230) to the holding chamber (92) and includes one-way valves (207, 208) that allow the flow of the liquid to the holding chamber (92). Characterized in that Device (1).

2. The second part (225) has a peripheral wall portion (229) that surrounds the first part (210) when the pump stem (238) is in the forward position. The device (1) according to claim 1.

3. A further chamber (21) in communication with the holding chamber (92) via the discharge opening (93), and a further air flow conduit (78) for supplying a second air flow to the further chamber (21), wherein the further chamber (21) has a discharge opening (20) for discharging the dose portion extruded together with the second air flow from the device (1). The device (1) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Further comprising a spring (150) surrounding the first part (210) for controlling the movement of the pump stem (238) between the retracted position and the forward position inside the pump chamber (216). The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The dose supply conduit (235) has a liquid inlet port (EP) disposed at a proximal end of the tubular structure (214). The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The container (30) is collapsible. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An air chamber (50) connected to the air flow conduits (76, 77), a displaceable piston (52) for extruding a certain volume of air from the air chamber (50), and a drive for controlling the displacement of the piston (52). The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Further comprising a rotatable handle (8), the piston (52) comprising a piston rod (53) and a piston head (56) received within the air chamber (50), wherein rotation of the rotatable handle (8) causes the piston (52) to move to a retracted position to draw the volume of air into the air chamber (50), and wherein rotation of the rotatable handle (8) controls the movement of the second part (225) relative to the first part (210). The device (1) according to claim 7.

9. A pump (200) for delivering a liquid, such as a single dose of ophthalmic liquid having a volume of about 5 to 30 microliters, for example 5 to 7 microliters. A first part (210), the first part (210) having a base (213), an elongated tubular structure (214) extending from the base (213), and a seat (215), the seat (215) being configured to fix the neck (35) of the container (30) to the first part (210) with the tubular structure (214) extending inside the neck (35). The tubular structure (214) has a distal end portion comprising a one-way valve (250) that allows the flow of the liquid from the container (30) into the elongated tubular structure (214), the tubular structure (214) defines a pump chamber (216), the base (213) has an opening (217) following the pump chamber (216) at the proximal end portion of the tubular structure (214), and a seal (218) surrounds the opening (217), the first part (210). a second part (225) movable relative to the first part (210) and including a pump stem (238) extending through the opening (217) into the pump chamber (216) in sealing engagement with the seal (218), the pump stem (238) moving relative to the first part (210) within the pump chamber (216) between a retracted position and an advanced position, a free end (130) of the pump stem (238) positioned closer to the one-way valve (250) in the advanced position, and an elongated flow passage (230) for liquid displaced from the pump chamber (216) being defined between the pump stem (238) and the interior of the tubular structure (214) when the pump stem (238) is moved to the advanced position; Equipped with the first part (210) comprises a dose delivery conduit (235'', 235''') connected to the elongated flow passage (230) for draining the liquid displaced from the pump chamber (216); Pump (200).

10. a peripheral wall (229) of the second part (225) surrounding the first part (210) when the pump stem (238) is in the advanced position; 10. The pump (200) of claim 9.

11. a segment (235'') of said dose delivery conduit (235) comprising a normally closed one-way valve (207, 208); A pump (200) according to claim 9 or 10.

12. a spring (150) surrounding the first part (210) for controlling the movement of the pump stem (238) within the pump chamber (216) between the retracted and advanced positions; A pump (200) according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

13. the dose delivery conduit (235) has a liquid entry port (EP) at the proximal end of the tubular structure (214) and located adjacent to the opening (217), and a segment (235''') of the dose delivery conduit (235) extends transversely to the pump stem (238); A pump (200) according to any one of claims 9 to 12.

Images