Fluid delivery device

Abstract

A fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle includes a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housing. The dispensing device includes a motor, a shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the shaft, and at least one strap configured to surround at least a portion of the bottle. At least one of first and strap ends of the at least one strap is operably connected to the shaft such that selective rotation of the shaft responsively winds at least one of the first and second strap ends around the shaft. The bottle is compressed as at least one of the first and second strap ends is selectively wound around the shaft. The fluid is urged out through the outlet opening as the bottle is selectively compressed.

Description

FLUID DELIVERY DEVICERelated Application

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 467,236, filed 17 May 2023, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to fluid delivery devices. More specifically, this disclosure generally relates to fluid delivery devices for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid. This disclosure also generally relates to methods for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid using a fluid delivery device.Background

[0003] Patients may have difficulty applying prescribed eye drop medication to their eyes, in particular confirming that the application of drops was successful and following the application protocol (e.g., time of day, number of drops, etc.). Missed or ineffective eye drop application leads to worsened treatment outcomes and discourages doctors from prescribing optimal treatment protocols. Further, desired positioning of an eye drop bottle can be difficult for patients, leading to wasted medication or incomplete application of the medication to the eye.Summary

[0004] In an aspect, alone or in combination with any other aspect, a fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housing. The dispensing device includes a motor, a shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the shaft, and at least one strap configured to surround at least a portion ofthe bottle. The at least one strap having a first and second strap ends. At least one of the first and strap ends is operably connected to the shaft such that selective rotation of the shaft responsively winds at least one of the first and second strap ends around the shaft. The bottle is compressed as at least one of the first and second strap ends is selectively wound around the shaft. The fluid is urged out through the outlet opening as the bottle is selectively compressed.

[0005] In an aspect, alone or in combination with any other aspect, a fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housing and includes a motor, a threaded shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the threaded shaft, a connector threadably engaged to the threaded shaft such that selective rotation of the threaded shaft responsively causes the connector to move along the threaded shaft, and a compression arm operably connected to the connector such that selective movement of the connector along the threaded shaft responsively causes the compression arm to rotate in a compression direction. Selective rotation of the compression arm in the compression direction responsively causes the compression arm to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0006] In an aspect, alone or in combination with any other aspect, a fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housing and includes a motor, a shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the shaft, at least one compression arm rotatably mounted in the housing, and at least one strap having a first strap end operably connected to the shaft and a second strap end connected to the at least one compression arm. Selective rotation of the shaft responsively winds the first strap end around the shaft. The winding strap urges the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] For a better understanding, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a fluid delivery device according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0009] Figs. 2A-C schematically illustrate example use conditions of an element of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 , including the element in a first configuration;

[0010] Figs. 3A-C schematically illustrate example use conditions of the element Figs. 2a-c, including the element in a second configuration;

[0011] Figs. 4A-C schematically illustrate example use conditions of the element Figs. 2a-c, including the element in a third configuration;

[0012] Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for delivering fluid to an eye of a user;

[0013] Fig. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for determining a probability that fluid released from a bottle will land in an eye of a user;

[0014] Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for determining if fluid has been released from a bottle;

[0015] Fig. 8 is a perspective side view of a fluid delivery system having a first example hardware implementation of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 , include the fluid delivery device in a first configuration;

[0016] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the aspect of Fig. 8.

[0017] Fig. 10 is a perspective side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0018] Fig. 11 is a bottom view of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0019] Fig. 12 is a perspective side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0020] Fig. 13 is a perspective side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0021] Fig. 14 is a perspective rear view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0022] Fig. 15 schematically illustrates another example configuration for the fluid delivery device of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0023] Fig. 16 schematically illustrates another example configuration for the fluid delivery device of the aspect of Fig. 8;

[0024] Fig. 17 is a side view of a fluid delivery system having another example hardware implementation of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 , include the fluid delivery device in a first configuration;

[0025] Fig. 18 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 17;

[0026] Fig. 19 is a bottom view of the aspect of Fig. 17;

[0027] Fig. 20 is a perspective bottom view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 17;

[0028] Fig. 21 is a perspective side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 17;

[0029] Fig. 22 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 17;

[0030] Fig. 23 schematically illustrates another example configuration for the fluid delivery device of the aspect of Fig. 17;

[0031] Fig. 24 is a perspective side view of a fluid delivery system having another example hardware implementation of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 ;

[0032] Fig. 25 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 23;

[0033] Fig. 26 is a bottom view of the aspect of Fig. 24;

[0034] Fig. 27 is a perspective front view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 24;

[0035] Fig. 28 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 24;

[0036] Fig. 29 is a perspective top view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 24;

[0037] Fig. 30 is a top view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 24;

[0038] Fig. 31 is a perspective side view of a fluid delivery system having another example hardware implementation of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 ;

[0039] Fig. 32 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 31 ;

[0040] Fig. 33 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 31 ;

[0041] Fig. 34 is a perspective top view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 31 ;

[0042] Fig. 35 is a top view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 31 ;

[0043] Fig. 36 is a cross-sectional view of the aspect of Fig. 35;

[0044] Fig. 37 is a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the aspect of Fig. 36;

[0045] Fig. 38 is a perspective side view of a fluid delivery system having another example hardware implementation of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 ;

[0046] Fig. 39 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 38;

[0047] Fig. 40 is a perspective top view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 38;

[0048] Fig. 41 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 38;

[0049] Fig. 42 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 38;

[0050] Fig. 43 is a perspective side view of a fluid delivery system having another example hardware implementation of the fluid delivery device of Fig. 1 ;

[0051] Fig. 44 is a side view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 43;

[0052] Fig. 45 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 43; and

[0053] Fig. 46 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the aspect of Fig. 43.Description of Aspects of the Disclosure

[0054] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

[0055] As used herein, subtracting a first image from a second image refers to a pixel-by-pixel subtraction of one or more chromaticity values associated with each pixel in the first image from the associated value or values of a corresponding pixel in the second image.

[0056] As used herein, the term “user” can be used interchangeably to refer to an individual who prepares for, assists with, and / or performs the operation of a tool.

[0057] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” can include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” as used herein, can specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0058] As used herein, the term “and / or” can include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0059] As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” can be interpreted to include X and Y.

[0060] As used herein, the phrase “at least one of X and Y” can be interpreted to include X, Y, or a combination of X and Y. For example, if an element is described as having at least one of X and Y, the element may, at a particular time, include X, Y, or a combination of X and Y, the selection of which could vary from time to time. In contrast, the phrase “at least one of X” can be interpreted to include one or more Xs.

[0061] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting,” etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may not have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

[0062] It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. Thus, a “first” element discussed below could also be termed a “second” element without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. The sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or Figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0063] The invention comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of the following features, in any combination.

[0064] Fig. 1 illustrates a fluid delivery device 100 for delivering fluid (e.g., a small portion or “drop” of fluid) to the user’s eye, though the device 100 may be configured to deliver fluid to any other target site on the user. It will be appreciated that the device 100 can be configured to selectively receive a bottle containing fluid (medicinal or otherwise) intended for application to the user’s eye or can be configured to be integrally formed with the bottle as a single monolithic piece. For example, the device 100 may be configured to selectively receive a “standard”commercially available eye dropper bottle and / or a preservative-free eye dropper bottle.

[0065] The device 100 may include one or more sensors 102 and one or more instruments 104 that are connected electrically to an electronic control unit (“ECU”) 106 of the device 100 for use by the ECU 106 to guide the user in properly aligning the device / bottle relative to their eye, cause the dispensing of fluid from the bottle, and / or verify the release of fluid from the bottle. For example, the sensor(s) 102 may include at least one of an inertial measurement unit (“IMU”) 108, a camera 1 10, a force sensor 1 12, and a touch sensor 1 14. The instrument(s) 104 may include at least one of an illumination source 1 16, an alignment feedback device 118, a dispensing device 120, and a communications device 122.

[0066] The inertial measurement unit (“IMU”) 108 is configured to track an orientation of the device 100 in space relative to a reference direction, for example, relative to the direction of gravitational force.

[0067] The camera 1 10 is in a position in which both of the user’s eye and the area proximate the outlet opening of the bottle (e.g., a bottle tip of the bottle) are concurrently imageable via the camera 1 10. In other words, the camera 1 10 is positioned such that the camera’s field of view includes both of the bottle tip and the user’s eye when the device 100 and the bottle are in an appropriate position to deliver fluid to the user’s eye.

[0068] The device 100 may include a spectral filter that is associated with the camera 1 10. The spectral filter, when provided, attenuates light outside of a narrow band of wavelengths. When the spectral filter is provided, the illumination source 116 may be positioned to illuminate each of the bottle tip and the user’s eye with light having a predetermined wavelength that is within the narrow band of wavelengths. For example, the illumination source 116 may provide infrared light of a predetermined wavelength, and the spectral filter may be selected to attenuate light within the visible spectrum.

[0069] Regardless of whether a spectral filter is provided, the illumination source 116 may be modulated to pulse in synchrony with a frame acquisition rate of the camera 1 10, with unilluminated frames subtracted from illuminated frames to remove the contribution of other portions of the spectrum as part of a background subtractionprocess. For example, for a camera operating at forty frames per second, the illumination source 116 can be pulsed at a rate of twenty hertz with a pulse length of twenty-five milliseconds, and alternate frames can be subtracted from an adjacent, illuminated frame to provide the background subtraction. It will be appreciated that the illumination source 116 may include multiple individual light sources (e.g., multiple individual infrared light emitting diodes) that are controlled independently to illuminate the bottle tip and the user’s eye at different times and intensities.

[0070] The ECU 106 may include an alignment module 124 that processes images received from the camera 110 to determine an alignment of the bottle tip with the user's eye. In other words, the alignment module 124 is configured to determine a probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye, responsive to factors such as, but not limited to, input from the camera 110, input from the IMU 108, any other desired inputs, and / or any combination thereof. The alignment module 124 may be implemented as dedicated hardware components. For example, the alignment module 124 could be implemented as an application-specific integrated circuit, that utilizes one or more images from the camera 110 in combination with an output of the IMU 108 to determine the alignment / probability. Alternatively, the alignment module 124 may be implemented as a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores executable instructions for determining the alignment / probability from the output of the IMU 108 and the camera 110, and / or from any other desired input source(s).

[0071] While the alignment module 124 is shown in Fig. 1 as being implemented on the device 100, the alignment module 124 can be implemented on another device-for example, on a mobile device carried by the user. In such a remotely located configuration, data from the camera 110 and the IMU 108 can be transmitted to the separately located alignment module 124 via the communications device 122. The communications device 122 may include a short-range wireless communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, internet connectivity, such as WiFi, or any other communication protocol / connectivity for transmitting data.

[0072] In another example, the alignment module 124 includes an image processing algorithm that determines the probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye given the outputs of the IMU 108 and the camera 110. For example, the image processing algorithm can apply a number of imageprocessing techniques to one or more images to identify a reflection of the illumination source 116 in the cornea of the user’s eye, including a normalization process, morphological processing, filtering, and clustering. Alternatively or additionally, the alignment module 124 can apply a landmark fitting algorithm to locate the boundary of the eyelid and the iris, with the size and shape of the iris used to establish a location for the user’s eye. Once a location for the user’s eye relative to the bottle tip is established, the location of the user’s eye and the position of the bottle and / or bottle tip relative to gravity can be used to determine the probability that released fluid will land within the user’s eye if fluid is released while the bottle tip is in its current position. This methodology can take into account both the expected direction for the released fluid to fall, given the orientation detected at the IMU 108 as well as the stability of the bottle, based on a window of data collected at the IMU 108. Via this methodology, tremors or other unsteadiness in the hands of the user delivering the fluid that might negatively impact the probability that the fluid will land within the user’s eye can also be detected. The tremors / unsteadiness may be represented, for example, as a decreased confidence in the trajectory of the released fluid, such that alignment of the bottle with the user’s eye near a boundary of the exposed area of the user’s eye can be penalized.

[0073] As another example, the output of the IMU 108 and one or more images from the camera 110 may be provided to a machine learning model that outputs the probability that the released fluid will land within the user’s eye if fluid is released while the bottle / bottle tip is in its current position. It will be appreciated that the alignment module 124 can update the probability continually as new information is received from the camera 110 and the IMU 108, to provide a time series of probabilities that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. The machine learning model can utilize one or more pattern recognition algorithms, each of which may analyze images from the camera 110 or numerical features extracted from the images with orientation data provided via the IMU 108 to assign a continuous or categorical parameter to the probability that released fluid would land in the user’s eye. Where multiple classification or regression models are used, an arbitration element can be utilized to provide a coherent result from the plurality of models. The training process of a given classifier will vary with its implementation, but training generally involves a statistical aggregation of training data into one or moreparameters associated with the output class. For rule-based models, such as decision trees, domain knowledge, for example, as provided by one or more human experts, can be used in place of or to supplement training data in selecting rules for classifying a user using the extracted features. Any of a variety of techniques can be utilized for the classification algorithm, including support vector machines (“SVM”), regression models, self-organized maps, fuzzy logic systems, data fusion processes, boosting and bagging methods, rule-based systems, or artificial neural networks (“ANN”).

[0074] For example, an SVM classifier can utilize a plurality of functions, referred to as hyperplanes, to conceptually divide boundaries in the N-dimensional feature space, where each of the N dimensions represents one associated feature of the feature vector. The boundaries may define a range of feature values associated with each class. Accordingly, a continuous or categorical output value can be determined for a given input feature vector according to its position in feature space relative to the boundaries. In one implementation, the SVM can be implemented via a kernel method using a linear or non-linear kernel. A trained SVM classifier may converge to a solution where the optimal hyperplanes have a maximized margin to the associated features.

[0075] An ANN classifier may include a plurality of nodes having a plurality of interconnections. The values from the feature vector may be provided to a plurality of input nodes. The input nodes may each provide these input values to layers of one or more intermediate nodes. A given intermediate node may receive one or more output values from previous nodes. The received values may be weighted according to a series of weights established during the training of the classifier. An intermediate node may translate its received values into a single output according to a transfer function at the node. For example, the intermediate node can sum the received values and subject the sum to a rectifier function. The output of the ANN can be a continuous or categorical output value. In one example, a final layer of nodes provides the confidence values for the output classes of the ANN, with each node having an associated value representing a confidence for one of the associated output classes of the classifier. The confidence values can be based on a loss function such as a cross-entropy loss function. The loss function can be used tooptimize the ANN. In an example, the ANN can be optimized to minimize the loss function.

[0076] Many ANN classifiers are fully connected and feedforward. A convolutional neural network, however, includes convolutional layers in which nodes from a previous layer are only connected to a subset of the nodes in the convolutional layer. Recurrent neural networks are a class of neural networks in which connections between nodes form a directed graph along a temporal sequence. Unlike a feedforward network, recurrent neural networks can incorporate feedback from states caused by earlier inputs, such that an output of the recurrent neural network for a given input can be a function of not only the input but one or more previous inputs. As an example, Long Short-Term Memory (“LSTM”) networks are a modified version of recurrent neural networks, which makes it easier to remember past data in memory.

[0077] A rule-based classifier may apply a set of logical rules to the extracted features to select an output class. The rules may be applied in order, with the logical result at each step influencing the analysis at later steps. The specific rules and their sequence can be determined from any or all of training data, analogical reasoning from previous cases, or existing domain knowledge. One example of a rule-based classifier is a decision tree algorithm, in which the values of features in a feature set are compared to corresponding threshold in a hierarchical tree structure to select a class for the feature vector. A random forest classifier is a modification of the decision tree algorithm using a bootstrap aggregating, or "bagging" approach. In this approach, multiple decision trees may be trained on random samples of the training set, and an average (e.g., mean, median, or mode) result across the plurality of decision trees is returned. For a classification task, the result from each tree would be categorical, and thus a modal outcome can be used.

[0078] The alignment module 124 may provide the determined likelihood to the alignment feedback device 1 18. The alignment feedback device 118 may provide at least one of an audible, a visible, and a tactile / haptic signal to the user representing the probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the user's eye. For example, the alignment feedback device 118 may be implemented as one or more light sources (e.g., one or more RGB light emitting diodes) positioned such that emitted light is visible to a user. An intensity, hue, and / or blink frequency of the lightcan be altered, for example, to indicate the probability that released fluid will land in the user's eye. For example, the determined probability can be mapped to a series of colors that represent the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye, with one color (e.g., green) indicating a high probability (and, thus, a suitable alignment), a second color (e.g., red) indicating a low probability (and, thus, an unsuitable alignment), and a third color (e.g., yellow) representing an probability intermediate between a high probability and a low probability. It will be appreciated that gradations between these colors may be displayed to allow for a more granular display of the determined likelihood.

[0079] As another example, as is shown in Figs. 2A-4C, the determined probability can be mapped to a series of illuminable areas 226 that represent the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. As shown in the example configurations of Figs. 2A-4C, the alignment feedback device may have three illuminable areas 226, though the alignment feedback device 118 may have any number of illuminable areas 226. When the probability is high (e.g., , all the illuminable areas 226 may be illuminated via one or more light sources (e.g., one or more RGB LEDs). When the probability is low, only one illuminable area 226 may be illuminated. Two illuminable areas 226 (or any number less than the total number of illuminable areas 226) may be illuminated when the probability is intermediate between a high probability and a low probability.

[0080] In another example, the alignment feedback device 118 may be implemented as a display screen that provide the probability or a categorical parameter representing the probability via text or images.

[0081] In a further example, the alignment feedback device 118 may be implemented as a speaker that provides audible feedback representing the determined probability, for example, by varying a volume, pitch, pulse width, or pulse rate of an audio tone, or by providing synthesized speech output. In a still further example, tactile or haptic feedback may be provided, with an intensity or frequency of the tactile or haptic feedback provided or altered in accordance with the determined probability. It will be appreciated that any of tactile / haptic, visual, and / or auditory feedback may be provided in a binary fashion with feedback provided only when the probability determination indicates a likelihood, of a predetermined level, that a released drop will land in the eye.

[0082] Returning to Fig. 1 , the ECU 106 may include a dispenser control module 128 via which the ECU 106 may control / operate the dispensing device 1 0. In particular, the dispensing device 120 may be configured to apply an ejecting force to the bottle that responsively causes the bottle to release fluid. In one example, the dispensing device 120 may be configured to compress the bottle to selectively urge fluid out through the outlet opening. The dispenser control module 128 may be configured to send a command signal to the dispensing device 120 to cause the dispensing device 120 to apply the ejecting force. In one example, the dispenser control module 128 may send the command signal to the dispensing device 120 directly in response to the user pressing an actuation button (see, e.g., actuation button 24149 in Fig. 24) of the device 100. The user may, for example, press the actuation button after receiving feedback from the alignment feedback device 118 that there is a high probability (e.g., equal to or above a predetermined probability threshold) that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. The predetermined probability threshold may be set at, e.g., 90% so that a “high probability” is at least a 90% chance that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the user's eye. However, the predetermined probability threshold may be set any other desired value.

[0083] In another example, the dispenser control module 128 may send the command signal to the dispensing device 120 in response to the user pressing an actuation button of the device 100 only after the alignment module 124 determines that there is a high probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. In such a configuration, the alignment module 124 may send signals to the dispenser control module 128 that indicates the probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. It will be appreciated that the alignment module 124 can continually provide updates to the dispenser control module 128 regarding the probability as the alignment module 124 receives new information. Therefore, in response to the user pressing the actuation button, the dispenser control module 128 may first check the current probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye, and then send the command signal to the dispensing device 120 when the probability is high.

[0084] In yet another example, the dispenser control module 128 may send the command signal to the dispensing device 120 in response to the alignment module124 determining that there is a high probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. In such a configuration, the alignment module 124 may send signals to the dispenser control module 128 that indicate the probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. It will be appreciated that the alignment module 124 can continually provide updates to the dispenser control module 128 regarding the probability as the alignment module 124 receives new information. Upon receiving signals indicating that the current probability is high, the dispenser control module 128 may send the command signal to the dispensing device 120 without the user having to specifically press an actuation button and thus risk shifting a position of the bottle due to the actuation hand motion.

[0085] Bottle-specific parameters (e.g., the material the bottle is formed from, characteristics of the included fluid, and / or how much fluid is in the bottle) and / or environmental parameters (e.g., atmospheric pressure, humidity, and / or ambient temperature) may provide challenges in operating the dispensing device 120 to release an accurate predetermined amount of fluid every dispensing event. Therefore, applying the same ejecting force for every dispensing event (regardless of the bottle-specific, environmental, and / or other relevant parameters) may not reliably result in the ejection of the desired predetermined amount of fluid. In view of at least these parameters, the ECU 106 may include a fluid detection module 130 to help produce the predetermined amount of fluid each use.

[0086] The fluid detection module 130 processes images received from the camera 110 to determine if fluid has been released from the bottle. In one implementation, the fluid detection module 130 segments a region of interest (“ROI”) containing the bottle tip from each image provided by the camera 110. The region of interest is blurred, for example, via convolution with a gaussian or uniform structuring element and subtracted from the original ROI, leaving only features with high spatial frequencies. A thresholding process is applied to separate the regions corresponding to the LED reflections in the fluid, and each processed ROI is then convolved with a predefined weight matrix and summed over all pixels to get a score. The score for each image is processed in real-time by passing it through a peakdetection algorithm, with peaks in the score trace corresponding to the times at which fluid was released from the bottle. A time value representing a time at which fluid was released may be recorded in a non-transitory storage medium (not shown)associated with the device 100 or may be transmitted via the communications module 122 to another device.

[0087] Therefore, upon application of the ejecting force, a set of image processing techniques can be applied to one or more images taken by the camera 110 to determine if fluid has been released from the bottle by locating a reflection of an illumination source in the released fluid. The fluid detection module 130 may then transmit a signal representing a status of the fluid release to the dispenser control module 128, and continually update the fluid release status. If the fluid detection module 130 determines that the fluid has been released, the dispenser control module 128 (upon receiving the appropriate signal from the fluid detection module 130) may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. If the fluid detection module 130 determines that the fluid has not yet been released, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to continue its application of ejection force and / or increase the amount of applied ejecting force until the fluid detection module 130 determines that the fluid has been released. Therefore, via the cooperation of the dispenser control module 128, the fluid detection module 130, and the dispensing device 120, the predetermined amount of fluid (or an amount of fluid within an acceptable range of the predetermined amount) may be reliably dispensed every dispensing event.

[0088] At least one of the ECU 106, the alignment module 124, the dispenser control module 128, and the fluid detection module 130 may be, may be implemented within, and / or may include, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (“ASIC”), digital signal processors (“DSP”), digital signal processing devices (“DSPD”), programmable logic devices (“PLD”), field programmable gate arrays (“FPGA”), processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, computing devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, and / or a combination thereof.

[0089] The force sensor 1 12 may be, e.g., a force-sensing resistor having a resistance that varies based on the amount of pressure / force that is applied to a sensing area. The force sensor 1 12 may provide feedback to the ECU 106 (e.g., to the dispenser control module 128) indicating the amount of ejecting force that the dispensing device 120 is applying to the bottle. The feedback from the force sensor 1 12 may be useful to help prevent the dispensing device 120 from applying anundesirably high amount of ejecting force to the bottle. For example, the feedback from the force sensor 112 may help prevent the dispensing device 120 from applying an undesirably high amount of ejecting force to the bottle when the fluid detection module 130 is not functioning properly.

[0090] The touch sensor 114 may be, e.g., a capacitive touch sensor that measures changes in capacitance when the user brings their hand / finger in proximity to dedicated electrodes mounted on the device 100. The touch sensor 1 14, e.g., can be used to detect when the user is holding the device 100 so that the device 100 may be turned on and / or preconditioned for use of the dispensing mechanism 120 in response to user touch. The touch sensor 1 14 (and / or the dedicated electrodes thereof) may also or instead be used as or as a part of the actuation button of the device 100.

[0091] The device 100 may include a power source 132 for use in powering at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106, and the instrument(s) 104. The power source 132 may be a rechargeable battery, such as a small coin cell or LiPo battery. Alternatively, the power source 132 may be a non-rechargeable (“single-use”) battery, a corded electrical source, an onboard generator (e.g., an inertial or solar cell), or may be of any other suitable configuration for a particular use environment.

[0092] Fig. 5 illustrates an example method 534 for using the device 100 to deliver fluid to the user’s eye from the bottle. The method 534 may commence manually (e.g., via the user depressing an actuation button of the device 100) and / or automatically (e.g., via the camera / ECU 1 10 / 106 detecting an eye of the user in the camera’s field of view). At step 536, the ECU 106 determines the probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. The determined probability is then outputted to the user via the alignment feedback device 118 at step 538. Fig. 6 provides an example method 648 for accomplishing steps 536 and 538 of the method 534.

[0093] At step 650, both of the user’s eye and the area proximate the outlet opening of the bottle (e.g., the bottle tip) are concurrently illuminated via the illumination source 116. At step 652, both of the user’s eye and the bottle tip are concurrently imaged with the camera 110 to provide at least one image. In one example, both of the user’s eye and the bottle tip are illuminated with the light of apredetermined wavelength, and imaged through the spectral filter that attenuates light outside of a band of wavelengths including the predetermined wavelength. In another example, the illumination source 116 is pulsed in synchrony with a frame acquisition rate of the camera 110 to produce a plurality of illuminated images and a plurality of non-illuminated images, with an unilluminated image from each illuminated image to provide a background subtracted image during image processing. In a further example, the illumination source 116 includes first and second infrared light emitting diodes (“IR LEDs"). In such a configuration, the user’s eye is illuminated with the first IR LED and the bottle tip is illuminated with the second IR LED, with the first IR LED being inactive at least a portion of a time for which the second IR LED is active. For example, the bottle tip can be illuminated and imaged while the eye is not illuminated to reduce the effects of background illumination on images of the bottle.

[0094] At step 654, an orientation of the bottle is determined via the I MU 108. At step 656, the alignment module 124 determines a probability that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye in response to the determined orientation of the bottle and the at least one image. In one implementation, the at least one image and the determined orientation are provided to a machine learning model trained on previous data labelled with known outcomes to provide the probability that the released fluid will land in the user’s eye. In another implementation, a relative location of the user’s eye and the bottle tip from the at least one image, and that relative location and the orientation of the bottle are used to determine the probability. At step 658, the probability of the drop landing in the eye is provided to the alignment feedback device 118. The alignment feedback device 118 provides at least one of an audible, visible, or tactile signal to the user representing the likelihood that fluid released from the bottle will land in the user’s eye. For example, at least one LED (e.g., at least one RGB LED) on the device 100 can vary in color based on the determined probability to alert the user when fluid can be released with a high probability of successfully landing in the eye. Alternatively, illuminable areas 226 on the device 100 may each be selectively illuminated via at least one LED (e.g., at least one RGB LED) based on the determined probability to alert the user when fluid can be released with a high probability of successfully landing in the eye.

[0095] Returning to Fig. 5, at step 540, if the probability is less than the predetermined probability threshold (e.g., if the probability is low or otherwise not high), the method 534 returns to step 536. Providing the user with the current probability via the alignment feedback device 118 and returning to the step 536 gives the user the opportunity to adjust the alignment of the device / bottle relative to their eye and then confirm that their adjustment was successful via another probability determination. Therefore, the alignment feedback device 118 is continually updated via cycling through steps 536, 538, and 538 to help guide the user in properly aligning the bottle / device relative to their eye. Even after the probability is determined to be high, the alignment feedback device 118 may continue to be updated throughout the remainder of the fluid dispensing process to help guide the user in maintaining the proper alignment.

[0096] If the probability is greater than or equal to the predetermined probability threshold (e.g., if the probability is high), the method 534 proceeds to step 542. At step 542, the dispensing device 120 is controlled via the dispenser control module 128 to apply an ejecting force to the bottle to urge a predetermined amount of fluid to be released from the bottle. The dispensing device 120 thus may be controlled via the dispenser control module 128 to apply the ejecting force to the bottle when (e.g., only when) there is a high probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user. At step 544, a determination is made whether fluid has been released from the bottle in response to the applied ejecting force from step 542. Fig. 7 provides an example method 760 for accomplishing determination step 544 of the method 534.

[0097] Similarly to the procedures previously described, both of the user’s eye and the bottle tip are concurrently illuminated via the illumination source 116 at step 762, and both the user’s eye and the bottle tip are concurrently imaged with the camera 110 to provide at least one image at step 764. The illumination event of step 762 may be the same illumination event of step 650 or a separate illumination event. Similarly, the imaging event of step 764 may be the same imaging event of step 752 or a separate imaging event.

[0098] At step 766, the fluid detection module 130 determines from the at least one image if fluid has been released from the bottle in response to the applied ejecting force. For example, a set of image processing techniques can be applied tothe image to locate a reflection of light from the illumination source 116 in the released fluid. Alternatively, the images can be evaluated on a machine learning model trained on previous images or features extracted from images labeled with known outcomes.

[0099] Returning to Fig. 5, if no fluid is detected at step 544, the method 534 returns to step 542, in which the dispensing device 120 is controlled to continue the application of the ejecting force or to increase the amount of ejecting force, and then proceeds to step 544 to once again determine if fluid has been released from the bottle in response to the continued or increased ejecting force.

[0100] Once a released fluid has been detected by the fluid detection module 130, the method 534 advances to step 546, where the dispenser control module 128 responsively causes the dispensing device 120 to cease its application of the ejecting force. The termination of the ejecting force functionally “releases” the bottle from compressive force to return to an original configuration via elastic deformation recovery, which in turn may allow ambient air (which may be filtered by the device 100) to enter the bottle for pressure-equalization purposes.

[0101] The determined probability and / or a time value representing a time at which fluid was released can be stored in a local memory and / or transmitted via the communications device 122 to a remote memory or server to assist with quantifying compliance with a course of care.

[0102] While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the example methods of Figs. 5-7 are shown and described as executing serially, it is to be understood and appreciated that the present examples are not limited by the illustrated order, as some actions could in other examples occur in different orders, multiple times and / or concurrently from that shown and described herein. Moreover, it is not necessary that all described actions be performed to implement a method.

[0103] Furthermore, it is contemplated that a pre-ejecting force may be applied to the bottle via the dispensing device 120 prior to the probability determination of step 536. In such case, the pre-ejecting force may commence via the user pressing the actuation button, upon the user’s eye entering the camera’s field of view, and / or after the ECU 106 determines, based off one or more images provided by the camera 110, that a cap covering the outlet opening of the bottle has been removed from thebottle. Alternatively, the pre-ejecting force may commence directly following a previous dispensing event. The pre-ejecting force is less than the ejecting force such that the pre-ejecting force is configured to responsively cause a portion of fluid to be urged through the outlet opening and be visible at the bottle tip (while still being connected at least partially to the bottle tip and / or outlet opening), but not such that the fluid is ejected away from the bottle. This pre-ejecting step may be provided to help shorten the time it takes to dispense the predetermined amount of fluid once the probability is determined to be at least equal to the predetermined probability threshold.

[0104] Furthermore, the method for using the device 100 to deliver fluid to the user’s eye from the bottle may be simplified by having the dispenser control module 128 send the command signal to the dispensing device 120 directly in response to the user pressing an actuation button of the device 100. The dispenser control module 128 may then cause the dispensing device 120 to cease its application of the ejecting force after the user stops pressing the actuation button, after a predetermined amount of time, and / or after a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle.

[0105] Figs. 8-14 depict a first example hardware implementation of the device 100 (indicated at reference character 100a in Figs. 8-14) described above. The device 100a may thus include hardware for implementing any one or more of the various functions, methods, and / or device configurations of the device 100 described above. The device 100a may be a part of a fluid delivery system 868 that may also include the bottle 870. The bottle 870 is configured to hold fluid therein and includes a bottle tip 872 having an outlet opening 874. The bottle 870 may be a “standard” or preservative-free eye dropper bottle that is commercially available, such as via prescription or over-the-counter.

[0106] The device 100a includes a housing 876 that defines a receiving mouth 978 configured to selectively receive a portion of the bottle 870. In particular, the receiving mouth 978 is configured such that a portion of the bottle 870 is located within the housing 876 and a portion of the bottle 870 that includes the bottle tip 872 is located outside of the housing 876 when the bottle 870 is inserted in the receiving mouth 978. The housing 876 may include a retention assembly 980 for selectively maintaining the bottle 870 in the housing 876. The retention assembly 980 mayinclude one or more plates 982 (pivotable or otherwise), springs 984 (e.g., compression and / or torsion springs), and prongs 1086 (pivotable or otherwise) cooperating with one another to selectively permit the insertion of the bottle 870 into the receiving mouth 978 (e.g., via pivoting the one or more plates 982 to an open condition against the one or more prongs 1086 and / or against the bias of the one or more springs 984) and to selectively prevent the bottle 870 from undesirably egressing from the housing 876 once inserted therein (e.g., via pivoting the one or more plates 982 to a closed condition via the bias of one or more springs 984). One of ordinary skill in the art can readily configure a suitable housing 876 for receiving any desired bottle 870, or other source of the fluid to be dispensed, for a particular use environment. When provided, the touch sensor 114 and / or the dedicated electrodes of the touch sensor 114 may be located on the housing 876.

[0107] The housing 876 may include first and second housing portions 876a, 876b. The first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be integrally formed as a single monolithic piece, or may be formed separately from one another and subsequently connected together. Either of the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed as a single monolithic piece or assembled from separate subcomponents. The first housing portion 876a may have a first printed circuit board assembly (“PCBA”) 988 located therein, and the second housing portion 876b may have a second PCBA 990 located therein. The first and second PCBAs 988, 990 may be connected to one another, e.g., via a flexible printed circuit that extends inside the housing 876 between the first and second PCBAs 988, 990. It will be appreciated that the first PCBA 988, the second PCBA 990, and the flexible printed circuit (when provided) can collectively implement all or part of at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106 and its modules, and the instrument(s) 104.

[0108] The camera 110 is connected to the second housing portion 876b in a position in which a field of view of the camera 110 encompasses the bottle tip 872 of any bottle maintained within the device 100a. The camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990 (Fig. 10), though the camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. A spectral filter, such as the spectral filter 992 described above, may also be connected to the second housing 876b. As shown in Figs. 11 -12, the spectral filter 992 may be associated with the camera 110 andattenuate light outside of a predetermined band of wavelengths, generally centered around a wavelength associated with the illumination source 116 of the device 100a. The illumination source 116 of the device 100a is implemented as first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b that are connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b may be positioned such that the first and second IR LEDS 116a, 116b selectively illuminate each of the bottle tip 872 and the user’s eye with light when in use.

[0109] The alignment feedback device 118 of the device 100a is implemented as first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 1 18b for providing visual feedback to the user, though the alignment feedback device 118 of the device 100a may have any number of RGB LEDs 118a, 118b. The first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 118b may be configured such that the intensity, hue, blink frequency, or any other characteristic of the light provided by the first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 1 18b can be altered to indicate a probability that released fluid will land in the user's eye. Alternatively or additionally, the first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 118b may be configured to selectively illuminate illuminable areas 226 to indicate this probability.

[0110] The first and second RGB LEDs 1 18a, 118b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 1 18b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 118b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second RGB LEDs 118a, 118b may be positioned such that emitted light may be visible to the user when in use in order to appropriately provide the alignment / probability feedback to the user. Although the device 100a is shown as only having a visually-based alignment feedback device 118, the device 100a may be configured to alternatively or additionally include features for providing the alignment / probability feedback to the user in an auditory and / or tactile manner.

[0111] As shown in Figs. 9-10 and 13-14, the dispensing device 120 of the device 100a is mounted inside the housing 876 (e.g., in the first housing portion 876a). Thedispensing device 120 includes a motor 994 (e.g., an electric motor) operably connected to a shaft 996 such that an output of the motor 994 selectively rotates the shaft 996 about a rotational axis 998 defined by the shaft 996. As shown in Fig. 9, the rotational axis 998 of the shaft 996 extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 9100 defined by the bottle 870.

[0112] Returning to Figs. 9-10 and 13-14, the dispensing device 120 may include a gearbox 9102 interposed between the motor 994 and the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102, when provided, operably connects the motor 994 (or the output of the motor 994) to the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102 may include one or more gears and / or other features for providing a predetermined gear reduction ratio between the output of the motor 994 and the shaft 996.

[0113] A connector 9104 may be engaged to the shaft 996 such that selective rotation of the shaft 996 responsively causes the connector 9104 to move along the shaft 996. For example, the shaft 996 may be threaded, and the connector 9104 may be threadably engaged to the threaded shaft 996 via a threaded opening 9106 that extends through the connector 9104.

[0114] A compression arm 9108 may be operably connected to the connector 9104 such that selective movement of the connector 9104 along the shaft 996 responsively causes the compression arm 9108 to rotate relative to the housing 876. In particular, the compression arm 9108 has a first arm end 9110, an opposite second arm end 9112, and an intermediate arm portion 9114 extending between the first and second arm ends 9110, 91 12. The intermediate arm portion 9114 may include a primary pin aperture 9116 extending therethrough. A first pivot pin 9118 is mounted (e.g., fixedly mounted) to the first housing portion 876a and extends through the primary pin aperture 9116. The first pivot pin 9118 thus defines a primary rotational axis about which the compression arm 9108 selectively rotates relative to the housing 876.

[0115] As shown in Figs. 9-10 and 13-14, the first arm end 9110 of the compression arm 9108 includes first and second connecting projections 10120a, 10120b. Each of the first and second connecting projections 10120a, 10120b include a secondary pin aperture 14122a, 14122b, extending therethrough. The connector 9104 is positioned between the first and second connecting projections10120a, 10120b in such a manner that a connecting opening 9124 of the connector 9104 is aligned with both secondary pin apertures 14122a, 14122b. The connecting opening 9124 may extend substantially perpendicular to the threaded opening 9106 such that shaft 996 may at least partially intersect the connecting opening 9124 when engaged to the connector 9104.

[0116] Second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 may extend in opposite directions through the secondary pivot apertures 14122a, 14122b of the first and second connecting projections 10120a, 10120b and into the connecting opening 9124. The second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 may be threadably engaged to the connector 9104 via complementary threading of the second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 and the connecting opening 9124. Such threaded engagement selectively rotationally fixes the second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 to the connector 9104. The second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 thus may define a secondary rotational axis about which the compression arm 9108 may selectively rotate relative to the connector 9104 as the compression arm 9108 rotates about the primary pivot axis.Accordingly, the secondary rotational axis (and the compression arm’s ability to rotate about the secondary pivot axis) allows for a loose fit having some “play” between the connector 9104 and the compression arm 9108 so that the compression arm may selectively rotate about the primary axis as desired. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 14, the secondary pin apertures 14122a, 14122b may be elongated and, thus, larger than the portions of the second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 that extend therethrough. The elongated secondary pivot apertures 14122a, 14122b allow for some additional “play” between the connector 9104 and the compression arm 9108 so that the compression arm 9108 may selectively rotate about the primary axis as desired without binding.

[0117] The threaded engagement between the second and third pivot pins 9126, 9128 and the connector 9104 may also help secure (and thus, operably and rotatably connect) the compression arm 9108 to the connector 9104. Via this connection and the extension of the fixed first pivot pin 9118 through the compression arm 9108, the connector 9104 may be substantially prevented from rotating about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. Therefore, when the shaft 996 is rotated, the connector 9104 travels along the shaft 996 instead of rotating with the shaft 996 about the shaft’s rotational axis 998.

[0118] As shown in Figs. 9-10 and 13, the second arm end 9112 of the compression arm 9108 includes a compression projection 9130. The compression projection 9130 is configured to extend toward the bottle 870 when the bottle 870 is in the housing 876. The force sensor 112, when provided, may be located on the compression arm 9108 (e.g., on the compression projection 9130) or otherwise located between the bottle 870 and the compression arm 9108 (e.g., between the bottle 870 and the compression projection 9130).

[0119] In use, the dispenser control module 128 may selectively operate the dispensing device 120 to apply an ejecting force (or, in certain situations, a preejecting force) to the bottle 870. In particular, when the dispensing of fluid from the bottle 870 is appropriate (e.g., based on user desire and / or the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye), the dispenser control module 128 actuates the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a first rotational direction about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively causes the connector 9104 to travel in a first translational direction along the shaft 996 away from the gearbox 9102. The moving connector 9104 responsively causes the compression arm 9108 to rotate in a compression direction about the first pivot pin 9118 (i.e., about the primary rotational axis). The rotating compression arm 9108 applies an ejecting force to the bottle 870 (e.g., via the compression projection 9130) that compresses the bottle 870 and urges fluid from the bottle 870 out through the outlet opening 874.

[0120] Once the fluid detection device 130 determines that fluid (e.g., a predetermined amount of fluid) has been released and communicates a corresponding signal to the dispenser control module 128, the user stops depressing the actuation button 24149, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user pressed the actuation button 24149, and / or a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle 870, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. In particular, when appropriate, the dispenser control module 128 may cause the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The connector 9104 thus is responsively caused to travel in a second translational direction, opposite the first translational direction, along the shaft 996. The compression arm 9108 is responsively rotated in a decompression direction, opposite the compressiondirection, to reduce and / or substantially terminate its application of ejecting force to the bottle 870. The bottle 870 (via its innate resiliency, for example) may responsively return to an original uncompressed state upon termination of the ejecting force, drawing in air as it does so for pressure equalization purposes. It is contemplated that a cam, follower arm, or other structure (not shown) may be provided to permit the connector 9104 to travel in the second translational direction even as the shaft 996 continues to rotate further in the first rotational direction; one of ordinary skill in the art can readily configure a mechanical linkage as desired for a particular use environment.

[0121] Although the primary pin aperture 9116 has been shown as extending through the intermediate arm portion 9114 of the compression arm 9108, as shown in Fig. 15, the primary pin aperture 9116 may extend through the second arm end 9112. In such a configuration, the intermediate arm portion 9114 may include, or include at least a portion of, the compression projection 9130. Furthermore, although the compression arm 9108 has been shown as being substantially arcuate, as shown in Fig. 16, the compression arm 9108 may be substantially straight.

[0122] Figs. 17-22 depict a second example hardware implementation of the device 100 (indicated at reference character 100b in Figs. 17-22) described above. The device 100b thus may include hardware for implementing any one or more of the various functions, methods, and / or device configurations of the device 100 described above. The device 100b of the second example hardware configuration may be substantially similar to the device 100a of the first example hardware configuration. Therefore, structures of the device 100b of Figs. 17-22 that are the same as or similar to those described with reference to the device 100a of Figs. 8-14 are either unnumbered or have the same reference numbers.

[0123] The device 100b may be a part of a fluid delivery system 868 that may also include the bottle 870. The bottle 870 is configured to hold fluid therein and includes a bottle tip 872 having an outlet opening 874. The bottle 870 may be a “standard” or preservative-free eye dropper bottle that is commercially available, such as via prescription or over-the-counter.

[0124] The device 100b includes a housing 876 that defines a receiving mouth 978 configured to selectively receive a portion of the bottle 870. In particular, the rereceiving mouth 978 is configured such that a portion of the bottle 870 is located within the housing 876 and a portion of the bottle 870 that includes the bottle tip 872 is located outside of the housing 876 when the bottle 870 is inserted in the receiving mouth 978. One of ordinary skill in the art can readily configure a suitable housing 876 for receiving any desired bottle 870, or other source of the fluid to be dispensed, for a particular use environment. When provided, the touch sensor 114 and / or the dedicated electrodes of the touch sensor 1 14 may be located on the housing 876.

[0125] The housing 876 may include first and second housing portions 876a, 876b. The first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be integrally formed as a single monolithic piece, or may be formed separately from one another and subsequently connected together. Either of the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed as a single monolithic piece or assembled from separate subcomponents. The first housing portion 876a may have a first PCBA 988 located therein, and the second housing portion 876b may have a second PCBA 990 located therein. The first and second PCBAs 988, 990 may be connected to one another, e.g., via a flexible printed circuit 18132 that extends inside the housing 876 between the first and second PCBAs 988, 990. It will be appreciated that the first PCBA 988, the second PCBA 990, and the flexible printed circuit 18132 (when provided) can collectively implement all or part of at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106 and its modules, and the instrument(s) 104.

[0126] The camera 110 is connected to the second housing portion 876b in a position in which a field of view of the camera 110 encompasses the bottle tip 872 of any bottle maintained within the device 100b. The camera 110 of the device 100b is connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990, though the camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. A spectral filter, such as the spectral filter 992 described above, may also be connected to the second housing 876b. As shown in Figs. 18-20, the spectral filter 992 may be associated with the camera 1 10 and attenuate light outside of a predetermined band of wavelengths, generally centered around a wavelength associated with the illumination source 116 of the device 100b. The illumination source 116 of the device 100b is implemented as first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b that are connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second IR LEDs116a, 116b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b may be positioned such that the first and second IR LEDS 116a, 1 16b selectively illuminate each of the bottle tip 872 and the user’s eye with light when in use.

[0127] The alignment feedback device 118 of the device 100b is implemented as a RGB LED for providing visual feedback to the user, though the alignment feedback device 118 of the device 100b may have any number of RGB LEDs. The RGB LED 118 may be configured such that the intensity, hue, blink frequency, or any other characteristic of the light provided by the RGB LED 118 can be altered to indicate a probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. Alternatively or additionally, the RGB LED 118 may be configured to selectively illuminate illuminable areas 226 to indicate this probability.

[0128] The RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the RGB LED 118 is connected to the second housing portion 876b, the RGB LED 118 may be positioned such that emitted light may be visible to the user when in use in order to appropriately provide the alignment / probability feedback to the user.

[0129] The device 110b may also include a lightguide 18134 formed of a transparent, translucent, or semi-translucent material. The lightguide 18134 is configured to guide light emitted from the RGB LED 118 through the second housing portion 876b so that the light is visible to the user. When the illuminable areas are provided 226 in the device 100b, the illuminable areas 226 may be included on the lightguide 18134. Although the device 100b is shown as only having a visually- based alignment feedback device 118, the device 100b may be configured to alternatively or additionally include features for providing the alignment / probability feedback to the user in an auditory and / or tactile manner.

[0130] As shown in Figs. 17-18 and 21 , the dispensing device 120 of the device 100b is mounted inside the housing 876 (e.g., in the first housing portion 876a). Thedispensing device 120 includes a motor 994 (e.g., an electric motor) operably connected to a shaft 996 such that an output of the motor 994 selectively rotates the shaft 996 about a rotational axis 998 defined by the shaft 996. As shown in Fig. 18, the rotational axis 998 of the shaft 996 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 9100 defined by the bottle 870.

[0131] Returning to Figs. 18 and 21 , the dispensing device 120 may include a gearbox 9102 interposed between the motor 994 and the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102, when provided, operably connects the motor 994 (or the output of the motor 994) to the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102 may include one or more gears and / or other features for providing a predetermined gear reduction ratio between the output of the motor 994 and the shaft 996.

[0132] A connector 9104 may be engaged to the shaft 996 such that selective rotation of the shaft 996 responsively causes the connector 9104 to move along the shaft 996. For example, the shaft 996 may be threaded, and the connector 9104 may be threadably engaged to the threaded shaft 996 via a threaded opening 9106 that extends through the connector 9104.

[0133] A compression arm 9108 may be operably connected to the connector 9104 such that selective movement of the connector 9104 along the shaft 996 responsively causes the compression arm 9108 to rotate relative to the housing 876. In particular, the compression arm 9108 has first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21 136b and an arm compressing portion 21138 interconnecting the first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21136b. The arm compressing portion 21138 is configured to be located adjacent to the bottle 870 when the bottle 870 is in the housing 876. The force sensor 112, when provided, may be located on the compression arm 9108 (e.g., on the compressing portion 21138) or otherwise located between the bottle 870 and the compression arm 9108 (e.g., between the bottle 870 and the compressing portion 21138).

[0134] Each of the first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21136b include pin apertures 14122a, 14122b, extending therethrough. The connector 9104 is positioned between the first and first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21136b in such a manner that a connecting opening 9124 of the connector 9104 is aligned with both pin apertures 14122a, 14122b. The connecting opening 9124 mayextend substantially perpendicular to the threaded opening 9106 such that shaft 996 may at least partially intersect the connecting opening 9124 when engaged to the connector 9104.

[0135] First and second pivot pins 9126, 9128 may extend in opposite directions through the pivot apertures 14122a, 14122b of the first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21 136b and into the connecting opening 9124. The first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128 may be engaged to the connector 9104. For example, the first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128 may be engaged to the connector 9104 via a threading engagement, via a press-fit or frictional fit engagement, or by being integrally formed with the connector 9104. Such engagement selectively rotationally fixes the first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128 to the connector 9104. The first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128 thus may define a rotational axis about which the compression arm 9108 may selectively rotate relative to each of the connector 9104 and the housing 876.

[0136] The engagement between the first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128 and the connector 9104 may also help secure (and thus, operably and rotatably connect) the compression arm 9108 to the connector 9104. Via this connection and a predetermined amount of clearance between the first housing portion 876 and at least one of the compression arm 9108, the first pivot pin 9126, and the second pivot pin 9128, the connector 9104 may be substantially prevented from rotating about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. Therefore, when the shaft 996 is rotated, the connector 9104 travels longitudinally along the shaft 996 instead of rotating with the shaft 996 about the shaft’s rotational axis 998.

[0137] In use, the dispenser control module 128 may selectively operate the dispensing device 120 to apply an ejecting force (or, in certain situations, a preejecting force) to the bottle 870. In particular, when the dispensing of fluid from the bottle 870 is appropriate (e.g., based on user desire and / or the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye), the dispenser control module 128 actuates the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a first rotational direction about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively causes the connector 9104 to travel in a first translational direction along the shaft 996 toward the gearbox 9102. The moving connector 9104 responsively urges the compression arm 9108 in the first translational direction. Contact between the compression arm 9108 and thegearbox 9102 responsively urges the compression arm 9108 to rotate in a compression direction about the first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128. In particular, the first and second arm connecting portions 21 136a, 21146b may be substantially arcuate, and thus the contact between the gearbox 9102 and the arcuate first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21146b responsively urges the compression arm 9108 to rotate about the first and second pivot pins 9126, 9128. The rotating compression arm 9108 applies an ejecting force to the bottle 870 (e.g., via the arm compression portion 21 138) that compresses the bottle 870 and urges fluid from the bottle 870 out through the outlet opening 874.

[0138] Once the fluid detection device 130 determines that fluid (e.g., a predetermined amount of fluid) has been released and communicates a corresponding signal to the dispenser control module 128, the user stops depressing the actuation button 24149, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user pressed the actuation button 24149, and / or a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle 870, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. In particular, when appropriate, the dispenser control module 128 may cause the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The connector 9104 thus is responsively caused to travel in a second translational direction, opposite the first translational direction, along the shaft 996. The compression arm 9108 is responsively pulled in the second translational direction by the connector 9104. The compression arm 9108 rotates in a decompression direction, opposite the compression direction, as the compression arm 9108 is pulled in the second translational direction, which responsively reduces and / or substantially terminate its application of ejecting force to the bottle 870. The bottle 870 (via its innate resiliency, for example) may responsively return to an original uncompressed state upon termination of the ejecting force, drawing in air as it does so for pressure equalization purposes. It is contemplated that a cam, follower arm, or other structure (not shown) may be provided to permit the connector 9104 to travel in the second translational direction even as the shaft 996 continues to rotate further in the first rotational direction; one of ordinary skill in the art can readily configure a mechanical linkage as desired for a particular use environment.

[0139] The receiving mouth 978 of the housing 876 may be configured to selectively receive a bottle 870 having a predetermined exterior diameter. The predetermined sized bottle 870 may be selectively retained in the receiving mouth 978 via a press-fit or frictional engagement. The receiving mouth 978, however, may still be able to receive and retain bottles 870 having exterior diameters that are differently sized (e.g., smaller or substantially smaller, as will be discussed herein) than the predetermined exterior diameter via the use of a bottle adapter 22140. As shown in Fig. 22, the bottle adapter 22140 may an at least partially cylindrical sleeve that may be selectively received in the housing 876 prior to insertion of the smaller bottle 870, though the bottle adapter 22140 may be selectively coupled to the smaller bottle 870 and inserted into the receiving mouth 978 together with the smaller bottle 870 as a single unit. A bottle adapter 22140-which can be used with any embodiment or implementation of the device 100-may be configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing 876 and the smaller bottle 870 in the receiving mouth 978.

[0140] As shown in Figs. 17-18 and 22, the bottle adapter 22140 may have a first retention element 17142 (e.g., at least one elastic prong) configured to cooperate with a second retention element 17144 (e.g., at least one slot configured to selectively receive the at least one elastic prong) of the housing 876 to maintain at least one of the bottle adapter 22140 and the smaller bottle 870 in the receiving mouth 978. The smaller bottle 870 may be retained in the bottle adapter 22140 via a press-fit or frictional engagement.

[0141] Although the first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21 136b and the arm compression portion 21138 have been shown as being a single monolithic piece, at least one of the first arm connecting portion 21136a, the second arm connecting portion 21136b, and the arm compression portion 21 138 may be separately formed from and subsequently connected to at least one other of the first arm connecting portion 21136a, the second arm connecting portion 21136b, and the arm compression portion 21138. For example, in the configuration shown in Fig. 23, the first arm connecting portion 21136a, the second arm connecting portion 21136b, and the arm compression portion 21138 are separately formed and connected to one another to form the compression arm 9108. The first and second arm connecting portions 21136a, 21 136b may be substantially straight and pivotably connected tothe arm compression portion 21138, which is also substantially straight, via one or more secondary pins 23146. The straight arm compression portion 21 138 may be configured to translate in substantially a straight line toward and away from the bottle 870. Therefore, movement of the first and second arm connecting portions 21 136a, 21136b in the first translational direction responsively causes the straight arm compression portion 21 138 to move toward the bottle 870 to apply the ejecting force (or, when appropriate, the pre-ejecting force) to the bottle 870. Similarly, movement of the first and second arm connecting portions 21 136a, 21 136b in the second translational direction responsively causes the straight arm compression portion 21138 to move away from the bottle 870 and at least partially reduce or cease its application of the ejecting force.

[0142] Figs. 24-30 depict a third example hardware implementation of the device 100 (indicated at reference character 100c in Figs. 24-30) described above. The device 100c thus may include hardware for implementing any one or more of the various functions, methods, and / or device configurations of the device 100 described above. The device 100c of the third example hardware configuration may be similar to the devices 100a, 100b of the first and second example hardware configurations. Therefore, structures of the device 100c of Figs. 24-30 that are the same as or similar to those described with reference to the device 100a of Figs. 8-14 and / or the device 100b of Figs. 17-22 are either unnumbered or have the same reference numbers.

[0143] The device 100c may be a part of a fluid delivery system 868 that may also include the bottle 870. The bottle 870 is configured to hold fluid therein and includes a bottle tip 872 having an outlet opening 874. The bottle 870 may be a “standard” or preservative-free eye dropper bottle that is commercially available, such as via prescription or over-the-counter.

[0144] The device 100c includes a housing 876 that defines a receiving mouth 978 configured to selectively receive a portion of the bottle 870. In particular, the receiving mouth 978 is configured such that a portion of the bottle 870 is located within the housing 876 and a portion of the bottle 870 that includes the bottle tip 872 is located outside of the housing 876 when the bottle 870 is inserted in the receiving mouth 978. The bottle 870 may be selectively retained in the receiving mouth 978 via a press-fit or frictional engagement. For example, the housing 876 may have atleast one (shown here as a plurality) of retention projections 26148 configured to provide a press-fit or frictional engagement between the bottle 870 and the housing 876 (Fig. 26). One of ordinary skill in the art can readily configure a suitable housing 876 for receiving any desired bottle 870, or other source of the fluid to be dispensed, for a particular use environment. When provided, the touch sensor 114 and / or the dedicated electrodes of the touch sensor 1 14 may be located on the housing 876.

[0145] The housing 876 may include first and second housing portions 876a, 876b. The first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be integrally formed as a single monolithic piece, or may be formed separately from one another and subsequently connected together. Either of the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed as a single monolithic piece or assembled from separate subcomponents. The second housing portion 876b may have first and second PCBAs 988, 990 located therein, though it is contemplated that the first PCBA 988 may be located in the first housing portion 876a instead. The first and second PCBAs 988, 990 may be connected to one another, e.g., via a flexible printed circuit 18132 that extends inside the housing 876 between the first and second PCBAs 988, 990. It will be appreciated that the first PCBA 988, the second PCBA 990, and the flexible printed circuit 18132 (when provided) can collectively implement all or part of at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106 and its modules, and the instrument(s) 104.

[0146] The camera 110 is connected to the second housing portion 876b in a position in which a field of view of the camera 110 encompasses the bottle tip 872 of any bottle 870 maintained within the device 100c. The camera 110 of the device 100c is connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990, though the camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. A spectral filter, such as the spectral filter 992 described above, may also be connected to the second housing 876b. As shown in Fig. 26, the spectral filter 992 may be associated with the camera 110 and attenuate light outside of a predetermined band of wavelengths, generally centered around a wavelength associated with the illumination source 116 of the device 100c. The illumination source 116 of the device 100c is implemented as first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b that are connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 1 16b maybe connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 1 16b may be positioned such that the first and second IR LEDS 1 16a, 1 16b selectively illuminate each of the bottle tip 872 and the user’s eye with light when in use.

[0147] The alignment feedback device 118 of the device 100c is implemented as a RGB LED for providing visual feedback to the user, though the alignment feedback device 118 of the device 100c may have any number of RGB LEDs. The RGB LED 118 may be configured such that the intensity, hue, blink frequency, or any other characteristic of the light provided by the RGB LED 118 can be altered to indicate a probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. Alternatively or additionally, the RGB LED 118 may be configured to selectively illuminate illuminable areas 226 to indicate this probability.

[0148] The RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the RGB LED 118 is connected to the second housing portion 876b, the RGB LED 118 may be positioned such that emitted light may be visible to the user when in use in order to appropriately provide the alignment / probability feedback to the user.

[0149] An area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may function as a lightguide. In such case, at least the area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may be formed of a transparent, translucent, or semi-translucent material. The lightguide portion of the second housing portion 876b thus may be configured to guide light emitted from the RGB LED 118 through the second housing portion 876b so that the light is visible to the user. When the illuminable areas are provided 226 in the device 100c, the illuminable areas 226 may be included on the lightguide portion of the second housing 876b. Alternatively or additionally, the device 100b may include a lightguide similar to that of the lightguide 18134 of the device 100b. Such a lightguide 18134 in the device 100c may be separate from the second housing portion 876b and inserted or otherwise embedded in the second housing portion 876b. Although the device 100c is shown as only having a visually-based alignment feedback device 118, thedevice 100c may be configured to alternatively or additionally include features for providing the alignment / probability feedback to the user in an auditory and / or tactile manner.

[0150] As shown in Fig. 24, the dispensing device 120 of the device 100c is mounted inside the housing 876 (e.g., in the first housing portion 876a). The housing 876 also includes the actuation button 24149 discussed above, which may be connected electrically to dispenser control module 128. Although the actuation button 2419 is shown and discussed here with reference to the device 100c, the actuation button 24149 may be implemented in any embodiment or implementation of the device 100. As shown in Figs. 25 and 29, the dispensing device 120 includes a motor 994 (e.g., an electric motor) operably connected to a shaft 996 such that an output of the motor 994 selectively rotates the shaft 996 about a rotational axis 998 defined by the shaft 996. As shown in Fig. 25, the rotational axis 998 of the shaft 996 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 9100 defined by the bottle 870.

[0151] Returning to Figs. 25 and 29, the dispensing device 120 may include a gearbox 9102 interposed between the motor 994 and the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102, when provided, operably connects the motor 994 (or the output of the motor 994) to the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102 may include one or more gears and / or other features for providing a predetermined gear reduction ratio between the output of the motor 994 and the shaft 996.

[0152] A connector 9104 may be rotationally fixed to the shaft 996 such that the connector 9104 rotates together with the shaft 996 about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. For example, connector 9104 may be selectively maintained rotatably fixed to the shaft 996 via one or more fasteners, a press-fit or frictional engagement, or via being formed integrally with the shaft 996 as a single monolithic piece. Therefore, unlike the shafts 996 and connectors 9104 previously described with reference to the devices 100a, 100b, the shaft 996 and the connector 9104 of the device 100c of Figs. 24-30 may omit threads for threadably engaging one another, and instead rely upon the press-fit or frictional engagement.

[0153] As shown in Figs. 24-25 and 28-30, the device 100c includes at least one compression arm 9108 (shown here as first and second compression arms 9108a,9108b) operably connected to the connector 9104 such that selective rotational of the connector 9104 responsively causes the compression arms 9108a, 9108b to rotate relative to the housing 876. In particular, each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b includes a base portion 24150 at which each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b are rotatably mounted to the housing via one or more pivot pins 91 18. The first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b thus selectively rotate relative to the housing 876 about pivot axes that are defined by their respective pivot pin(s) 9118.

[0154] Each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b also includes an extension portion 24152 slidably mounted to the base portion 24150. For example, each extension portion 24152 may include an elongate opening 24154 extending therethrough. At least one connecting fastener 24156 may selectively extend through each elongate opening 24154 and into an associated base portion 24150 to slidably connect each extension portion 24152 to its respective base portion 24150. The connecting fasteners 24156 travel along the elongate openings 24154 as the extension portions 24152 slide relative to the base portions 24150. The sliding movements of the extension portions 24152 are limited by their associated connecting fasteners 24156 contacting end portions of their associated elongate openings 24154.

[0155] Each extension portion 24152 may be operably connected to the connector 9104 (and, accordingly, to the shaft 996) via a strap 29158, though at least one of the extension portions 24152 may be connected directly to the shaft 996 via a strap 29158 in a configuration of the device 100c in which the connector 9104 is omitted. For example, each strap 29158 includes a first strap end 29160 selectively fixed to the connector 9104 such that the first strap end 29160 is operably connected to the shaft 996 via the connector 9104, though at least one of the first strap ends 29160 may be selectively fixed directly to the shaft 996 in the connector 9104 free configuration of the device 100c. A second strap end 29162 of each strap 29158 is fixed to an associated extension portion 24152. The straps 29158 and the bottle 870 may be arranged such that the straps 29158 surround at least a portion of the bottle 870.

[0156] Although the device 100c is shown as having a separate strap 29158 for each compression arm 9108a, 9108b, the device 100c may be configured to haveonly a single strap 29158. The single strap 29158 (when provided) may be connected to all of the first compression arm 9108a, the second compression arm 9108b, and the connector 9104.

[0157] The force sensor 1 12, when provided, may be located on at least one of the compression arms 9108 (e.g., on the extension portion 24152 and / or the base portion 24150 of at least one of the compression arms 9108) or otherwise located between the bottle 870 and at least one of the compression arms 9108 (e.g., between the bottle 870 and the extension portion 24152 and / or the base portion 24150 of at least one of the compression arms 9108).

[0158] In use, the dispenser control module 128 may selectively operate the dispensing device 120 to apply an ejecting force (or, in certain situations, a preejecting force) to the bottle 870. In particular, when the dispensing of fluid from the bottle 870 is appropriate (e.g., based on user desire and / or the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye), the dispenser control module 128 actuates the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 and the attached connector 9104 in a first rotational direction about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating connector 9104 responsively winds the first strap ends 29160 around the connector 9104 and / or the shaft 996. The winding straps 29158 urge each compression arm 9108a, 9108b to rotate in a compression direction about their respective pivot pins 9118.

[0159] As shown in Figs. 29-30, the device 100c may include at least one rod 29164a, 29164b for at least partially redirecting the straps 29158 so that the straps 29158, when selectively wound, urge the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b to rotate in their respective compression directions. For example, the device 100c may include first and second rods 29164a, 29164b that are separated from one another to define a passage 29166 therebetween. The straps 29158 are urged through the passage 29166 as the straps 29158 are selectively wound. Each of a longitudinal extension of the passage 29166, the shaft’s rotational axis 998, and the bottle’s longitudinal axis 9100 intersect a singular alignment axis 30168 that extends perpendicularly to the bottle’s longitudinal axis 9100. Because of this alignment, each strap 29158 urges its associated compression arm 9108a, 9108b toward the longitudinal axis 9100 of the bottle 870 (i.e., in the associated compression arm’s compression direction) as the strap 29158 is urged through the passage 29166.

[0160] The rotating first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b apply an ejecting force to the bottle 870 that compresses the bottle 870 and urges fluid from the bottle 870 out through the outlet opening 874. It should be appreciated that the compression directions of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may be opposite one another. Therefore, the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may compress or “squeeze” the bottle 870 on opposing sides of the bottle 870.

[0161] The winding straps 29158 not only urge the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b in their respective compression directions, they also urge each extension portion 24152 to slide in a first sliding direction along their associated base portion 24150. Sliding the extension portions 24152 in the first sliding direction(s) increases the lengths of the compression arms 9108a, 9108b and, thus, responsively increases the contact area between each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b and the bottle 870. Increasing the lengths of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b also increases the mechanical leverage of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b.

[0162] Once the fluid detection device 130 determines that fluid (e.g., a predetermined amount of fluid) has been released and communicates a corresponding signal to the dispenser control module 128, the user stops depressing the actuation button 24149, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user pressed the actuation button 24149, and / or a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle 870, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. In particular, when appropriate, the dispenser control module 128 may cause the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 and the attached connector 9104 in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating connector 9104 responsively unwinds the first strap ends 29160 from around the connector 9104 and / or the shaft 996. The unwinding straps 29158 may urge each compression arm 9108a, 9108b to rotate in a respective decompression direction, opposite their respective compression directions, about their respective pivot pins 9118. The unwinding straps 29158 may also urge each extension portion 24152 to slide in a second sliding direction, opposite the first sliding direction, along their associated base portion 24150 to reduce the lengths ofthe compression arms 9108a, 9108b. Alternatively or additionally, the device 100c may include one or more biasing elements (e.g., one or more springs) for at least partially causing the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b to rotate in their decompression directions and / or the extension portions 24152 to slide in the second sliding direction as the straps 29158 are unwound.

[0163] The application of ejecting force to the bottle 870 is reduced and / or substantially terminated as the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b rotate in their respective compression directions and decrease in length. The bottle 870 (via its innate resiliency, for example) may responsively return to an original uncompressed state upon termination of the ejecting force, drawing in air as it does so for pressure equalization purposes.

[0164] Figs. 31 -36 depict a fourth example hardware implementation of the device 100 (indicated at reference character 100d in Figs. 31 -36) described above. The device 100d thus may include hardware for implementing any one or more of the various functions, methods, and / or device configurations of the device 100 described above. The device 100d of the fourth example hardware configuration may be similar to the devices 100a, 100b, 100c of the first, second, and third example hardware configurations. Therefore, structures of the device 100d of Figs. 31 -36 that are the same as or similar to those described with reference to the device 100a of Figs. 8-14, the device 100b of Figs. 17-22, and / or the device 100c of Figs. 24-30 are either unnumbered or have the same reference numbers.

[0165] As shown in Figs. 31 -36, the device 10Od may be a part of a fluid delivery system 868 that may also include the bottle 870. The bottle 870 is configured to hold fluid therein and includes a bottle tip 872 having an outlet opening 874. The bottle 870 may be a “standard” or preservative-free eye dropper bottle that is commercially available, such as via prescription or over-the-counter.

[0166] The device 100d includes a housing 876 that defines a receiving mouth 978 configured to selectively receive a portion a bottle 870 having a predetermined exterior diameter. The predetermined sized bottle 870 may be selectively retained in the receiving mouth 978 via a press-fit or frictional engagement. The receiving mouth 978, however, may still be able to receive and retain bottles 870 having exterior diameters that are differently sized (e.g., smaller or substantially smaller, aswill be discussed herein) than the predetermined exterior diameter via the use of a bottle adapter 22140. As shown in Fig. 32, the bottle adapter 22140 may be a two- piece bottle adapter having first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b. At least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b may be selectively received in the housing 876 prior to insertion of the smaller bottle 870, though at least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b may be selectively coupled to the smaller bottle 870 and inserted into the receiving mouth 978 together with the smaller bottle 870 as a single unit. The bottle adapter 22140 may be configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing 876 and the smaller bottle 870 in the receiving mouth 978. The smaller bottle 870 may be retained in the bottle adapter 22140 (e.g., in at least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b) via a press-fit or frictional engagement.

[0167] Returning to Figs. 31-36, the housing 876 may include first and second housing portions 876a, 876b. The first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be integrally formed as a single monolithic piece, or may be formed separately from one another and subsequently connected together. Either of the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed as a single monolithic piece or assembled from separate subcomponents. Although not shown in Figs. 31 -36, similarly to that of the device 100c, the second housing portion 876b of the device 100d may have first and second PCBAs 988, 990 located therein, though it is contemplated that the first PCBA 988 may be located in the first housing portion 876a instead. The first and second PCBAs 988, 990 may be connected to one another, e.g., via a flexible printed circuit 18132 that extends inside the housing 876 between the first and second PCBAs 988, 990. It will be appreciated that the first PCBA 988, the second PCBA 990, and the flexible printed circuit 18132 (when provided) can collectively implement all or part of at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106 and its modules, and the instrument(s) 104.

[0168] The camera 110 is connected to the second housing portion 876b in a position in which a field of view of the camera 110 encompasses the bottle tip 872 of any bottle 870 maintained within the device 100d. The camera 110 of the device 10Od is connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990, though the camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876bseparately from the second PCBA 990. A spectral filter, such as the spectral filter 992 described above, may also be connected to the second housing 876b. The illumination source 116 of the device 10Od is implemented as first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b that are connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 1 16b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 1 16b may be positioned such that the first and second IR LEDS 1 16a, 1 16b selectively illuminate each of the bottle tip 872 and the user’s eye with light when in use.

[0169] Although not shown in Figs. 31 -36, similarly to that of the device 100c, the alignment feedback device 1 18 of the device 10Od may be implemented as a RGB LED for providing visual feedback to the user, though the alignment feedback device 118 of the device 10Od may have any number of RGB LEDs. The RGB LED 118 may be configured such that the intensity, hue, blink frequency, or any other characteristic of the light provided by the RGB LED 118 can be altered to indicate a probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. Alternatively or additionally, the RGB LED 118 may be configured to selectively illuminate illuminable areas 226 to indicate this probability.

[0170] The RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the RGB LED 118 is connected to the second housing portion 876b, the RGB LED 118 may be positioned such that emitted light may be visible to the user when in use in order to appropriately provide the alignment / probability feedback to the user.

[0171] An area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may function as a lightguide. In such case, at least the area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may be formed of a transparent, translucent, or semi-translucent material. The lightguide portion of the second housing portion 876b thus may be configured to guide light emitted from the RGB LED 118 through the second housing portion 876b so that the light is visible to the user. When the illuminable areas are provided 226 in the device 100d, theillum inable areas 226 may be included on the lightguide portion of the second housing 876b. Alternatively or additionally, the device 100d may include a lightguide similar to that of the lightguide 18134 of the device 100b. Such a lightguide 18134 in the device 100d may be separate from the second housing portion 876b and inserted or otherwise embedded in the second housing portion 876b. Although the device 100d is described as only having a visually-based alignment feedback device 118, the device 100d may be configured to alternatively or additionally include features for providing the alignment / probability feedback to the user in an auditory and / or tactile manner.

[0172] As shown in Fig. 31 , the dispensing device 120 of the device 10Od is mounted inside the housing 876 (e.g., in the first housing portion 876a). As shown in Figs. 32 and 34, the dispensing device 120 includes a motor 994 (e.g., an electric motor) operably connected to a shaft 996 such that an output of the motor 994 selectively rotates the shaft 996 about a rotational axis 998 defined by the shaft 996. As shown in Fig. 32, the rotational axis 998 of the shaft 996 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 9100 defined by the bottle 870.

[0173] Returning to Figs. 32 and 34, the dispensing device 120 may include a gearbox 9102 interposed between the motor 994 and the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102, when provided, operably connects the motor 994 (or the output of the motor 994) to the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102 may include one or more gears and / or other features for providing a predetermined gear reduction ratio between the output of the motor 994 and the shaft 996.

[0174] As shown in Figs. 31 -36, the device 10Od includes at least one compression arm 9108 (shown here as first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b) operably connected to the shaft 996 (and / or to a connector 9104 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 996 when the connector 9104 is provided) such that selective rotational of the shaft 996 responsively causes the compression arms 9108a, 9108b to move relative to the housing 876. In particular, each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b includes a base portion 24150 at which each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b are rotatably mounted to the housing via one or more pivot pins 9118. The first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may thus selectively rotate relative to the housing 876 about pivot axes that are defined by their respective pivot pin(s) 9118.

[0175] Each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b also includes a flexible or vertebral portion 31170 connected to the base portion 24150. For example, each vertebral portion 31 170 may include a vertebrae support 36172 having a first support end 36174 connected to the base portion 24150 and an opposite and free second support end 36176. The vertebrae support 36172 also includes a first support surface 36178 configured to contact the bottle 870 and an opposite second support surface 36180. Each vertebral portion 31170 also includes a plurality of vertebrae 31182. The vertebrae 31182 include first vertebrae ends 35184 connected to the second support surface 36180 of the vertebrae support 36172 and opposite and free second vertebrae ends 35186. Therefore, the vertebrae 31182 are all connected to one another via the vertebrae support 36172. At least one of the vertebrae 31182 may inwardly taper from the first vertebrae end 35184 to the second vertebrae end 35186 such that opposite first and second vertebrae side surfaces 35188, 35190 of the vertebrae 31182 (which interconnect the first and second vertebrae ends 35184, 35186) are nonparallel.

[0176] The first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may be operably connected to the shaft 996 (and / or to a connector 9104 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 996 when the connector 9104 is provided) via straps 29158. In particular, each strap 29158 includes a first strap end 29160 selectively fixed to the shaft 996. A strap body 36192 of each strap 29158 extends from the first strap end 29160, is routed through one or more vertebrae holes 36194 (which extend between the first and second vertebrae side surfaces 35188, 35190) of each vertebrae 31182, and terminates at the second strap end 29162. The straps 29158 and the bottle 870 may be arranged such that the straps 29158 surround at least a portion of the bottle 870.

[0177] The strap body 36192 may also be routed in a first direction away from the first strap end 29160 through a first base hole 36196a in the base portion 24150 to an inflection point 36198, and then in a second direction (substantially opposite the first direction) from the inflection point 36198 through a second base hole 36196b in the base portion 24150 to the second strap end 29160. The term “inflection point” is used herein to indicate an area of the strap body 36192 wherein a change of extension direction of at least 45° occurs; an inflection “point” need not be a sudden change of direction, but could be a gradual change over a predetermined area of the strap body 36192. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 36, a first body portion 36192a of thestrap body 36192 extends in the first direction substantially away from the shaft 996 to the inflection point 36198, and a second body portion 36192b of the strap body 36192 extends in the second direction substantially toward the shaft 996 away from the inflection point 36198. The inflection point 36198 thus denotes a substantial reversal of the extension direction of the strap body 36192 at a location which is spaced apart from both the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162. Furthermore, the second strap end 29162 may be spaced closer to the first strap end 29160, the shaft 996 than the inflection point 36198. The second strap end 29162 may also be longitudinally longer than the vertebrae holes 36194 and at least the strap body 36192 such that the second strap end 29162 may be prevented from being undesirable forced through the vertebrae holes 36194.

[0178] Although the device 100d is shown as having a separate strap 29158 for each compression arm 9108a, 9108b, the device 100d may be configured to have only a single strap 29158. The single strap 29158 (when provided) may be connected to all of the first compression arm 9108a, the second compression arm 9108b, and the shaft 996.

[0179] The force sensor 112, when provided, may be located on at least one of the compression arms 9108 (e.g., on the vertebral portion 31170 and / or the base portion 24150 of at least one of the compression arms 9108) or otherwise located between the bottle 870 and at least one of the compression arms 9108 (e.g., between the bottle 870 and the vertebrae support 36172 of at least one of the compression arms 9108).

[0180] In use, the dispenser control module 128 may selectively operate the dispensing device 120 to apply an ejecting force (or, in certain situations, a preejecting force) to the bottle 870. In particular, when the dispensing of fluid from the bottle 870 is appropriate (e.g., based on user desire via the user depressing the actuation button 24149 and / or the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye), the dispenser control module 128 actuates the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a first rotational direction about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively winds the first strap ends 29160 around the shaft 996. Tension in the straps 29158 increases as the first strap ends 29160 are wound. The increasingly tensioned straps 29158 urge the vertebral portions 31170 of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b to flex and at least partially straighten fromtheir arcuate or curved conditions shown in Figs. 35-36. Spaces between adjacent first and second vertebrae side surfaces 35188, 35190 of adjacent vertebrae 31182 are reduced as the vertebral portions 31170 are urged to straighten.

[0181] It should be appreciated that the straightening of the vertebral portions 31170 may be at least partially permitted or assisted via the rotatability of the base portions of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b. Therefore, the at least a portion of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may be urged to rotate about their respective pivot pins 9118 in respective compression directions as the straps 29158 are wound.

[0182] The straightening (and, possibly, rotating) vertebral portions 31170 apply an ejecting force (e.g., via the first support surfaces 36178 of the vertebrae supports 36172) to the bottle 870 that compresses the bottle 870 and urges fluid from the bottle 870 out through the outlet opening 874. For example, the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may compress or “squeeze” the bottle 870 on opposing sides of the bottle 870 to urge the fluid from the bottle 870.

[0183] Once the fluid detection device 130 determines that fluid (e.g., a predetermined amount of fluid) has been released and communicates a corresponding signal to the dispenser control module 128, the user stops depressing the actuation button 24149, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user pressed the actuation button 24149, and / or a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle 870, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. In particular, when appropriate, the dispenser control module 128 may cause the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively unwinds the first strap ends 29160 from around the shaft 996. The unwinding straps 29158 may urge the vertebral portions 31 170 to bend and return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Figs. 35-36. The unwinding straps 29158 may also urge at least a portion of each compression arm 9108a, 9108b to rotate in a respective decompression direction, opposite their respective compression directions, about their respective pivot pins 9118. Alternatively or additionally, as is shown in Fig. 37, the device 100c may include one or more biasing elements 37200 (e.g., one or more springs) that urge the vertebral portions 31170 to return to ortoward their curved conditions shown in Fig. 35-37. As another alternative or addition, at least a portion of the vertebral portions 31170 may be formed from an elastically deformable material such that the innate elasticity of the elastically deformable portions of the vertebral portions 31 170 bias the vertebral portions 31170 to return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Figs. 35-36.

[0184] The application of ejecting force to the bottle 870 is reduced and / or substantially terminated as the vertebral portions 31 170 return to their curved conditions shown in Figs. 35-36. The bottle 870 (via its innate resiliency, for example) may responsively return to an original uncompressed state upon termination of the ejecting force, drawing in air as it does so for pressure equalization purposes.

[0185] Figs. 38-42 depict a fifth example hardware implementation of the device 100 (indicated at reference character 100e in Figs. 38-42) described above. The device 100e thus may include hardware for implementing any one or more of the various functions, methods, and / or device configurations of the device 100 described above. The device 100e of the fifth example hardware configuration may be similar to the devices 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d of the first, second, third, and fourth example hardware configurations. Therefore, structures of the device 100e of Figs. 38-42 that are the same as or similar to those described with reference to the device 100a of Figs. 8-14, the device 100b of Figs. 17-22, the device 100c of Figs. 24-30, and / or the device 100d of Figs. 31 -36 are either unnumbered or have the same reference numbers.

[0186] As shown in Figs. 38-42, the device 10Oe may be a part of a fluid delivery system 868 that may also include the bottle 870. The bottle 870 is configured to hold fluid therein and includes a bottle tip 872 having an outlet opening 874. The bottle 870 may be a “standard” or preservative-free eye dropper bottle that is commercially available, such as via prescription or over-the-counter.

[0187] The device 10Oe includes a housing 876 that defines a receiving mouth 978 configured to selectively receive and hold therein a portion a predetermined sized bottle 870 via the use of a bottle adapter 22140. Therefore, bottles 870 of differing exterior diameters may be selectively received in the receiving mouth 978 via the use of correspondingly sized bottle adapters 22140. An example bottleadapter 22140 of the device 100e is shown in Figs. 39-41. The bottle adapter 22140 of Figs. 39-41 may be a two-piece bottle adapter having first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b, though the bottle adapter 22140 may be formed as a single monolithic piece. The first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b may define an at least partially cylindrical sleeve that may be selectively received in the housing 876 prior to insertion of the bottle 870, though at least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b may be selectively coupled to the bottle 870 and inserted into the receiving mouth 978 together with the bottle 870 as a single unit. The bottle adapter 22140 may be configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing 876 and the bottle 870 in the receiving mouth 978. The bottle 870 may be retained in the bottle adapter 22140 (e.g., between the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b) via a press-fit or frictional engagement.

[0188] Returning to Figs. 38-42, the housing 876 may include first and second housing portions 876a, 876b. The first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be integrally formed as a single monolithic piece, or may be formed separately from one another and subsequently connected together. Either of the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed as a single monolithic piece or assembled from separate subcomponents. For example, as shown in Figs. 38, the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed from separate first and second housing subcomponents 876c, 876d. The first and second housing subcomponents 876c, 876d may be connected via one or more hinge pins 39202 (see, e.g., the hinge pin 38202 in Fig. 39) such that the housing 876 may be selectively opened and closed via rotating at least one of the first and second housing subcomponents 876c, 876d relative to the other of the first and second housing subcomponents 876c, 876d.

[0189] Although not shown in Figs. 38-42, similarly to that of the device 100c, the second housing portion 876b of the device 100e may have first and second PCBAs 988, 990 located therein, though it is contemplated that the first PCBA 988 may be located in the first housing portion 876a instead. The first and second PCBAs 988, 990 may be connected to one another, e.g., via a flexible printed circuit 18132 that extends inside the housing 876 between the first and second PCBAs 988, 990. It will be appreciated that the first PCBA 988, the second PCBA 990, and the flexibleprinted circuit 18132 (when provided) can collectively implement all or part of at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106 and its modules, and the instrument(s) 104.

[0190] Although not shown clearly in Figs. 38-42, similarly to that of the device 100c, the device 100e includes a camera 1 10 connected to the second housing portion 876b in a position in which a field of view of the camera 110 encompasses the bottle tip 872 of any bottle 870 maintained within the device 100e. The camera 110 of the device 100e is connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990, though the camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. A spectral filter, such as the spectral filter 992 described above, may also be connected to the second housing 876b. The illumination source 116 of the device 10Oe is implemented as first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b that are connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b may be positioned such that the first and second IR LEDS 116a, 116b selectively illuminate each of the bottle tip 872 and the user’s eye with light when in use.

[0191] Although not shown in Figs. 38-42, similarly to that of the device 100c, the alignment feedback device 1 18 of the device 10Oe may be implemented as a RGB LED for providing visual feedback to the user, though the alignment feedback device 118 of the device 10Od may have any number of RGB LEDs. The RGB LED 118 may be configured such that the intensity, hue, blink frequency, or any other characteristic of the light provided by the RGB LED 118 can be altered to indicate a probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. Alternatively or additionally, the RGB LED 118 may be configured to selectively illuminate illuminable areas 226 to indicate this probability.

[0192] The RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the RGB LED 118 is connected to the second housing portion 876b, the RGB LED 118 may be positioned such that emitted light may bevisible to the user when in use in order to appropriately provide the alignment / probability feedback to the user.

[0193] An area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may function as a lightguide. In such case, at least the area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may be formed of a transparent, translucent, or semi-translucent material. The lightguide portion of the second housing portion 876b thus may be configured to guide light emitted from the RGB LED 118 through the second housing portion 876b so that the light is visible to the user. When the illuminable areas are provided 226 in the device 100e, the illuminable areas 226 may be included on the lightguide portion of the second housing 876b. Alternatively or additionally, the device 100e may include a lightguide similar to that of the lightguide 18134 of the device 100b. Such a lightguide 18134 in the device 100e may be separate from the second housing portion 876b and inserted or otherwise embedded in the second housing portion 876b. Although the device 100e is described as only having a visually-based alignment feedback device 118, the device 100e may be configured to alternatively or additionally include features for providing the alignment / probability feedback to the user in an auditory and / or tactile manner.

[0194] The dispensing device 120 of the device 10Od is mounted inside the housing 876 (e.g., in the first housing portion 876a). As shown in Figs. 39-40, the dispensing device 120 includes a motor 994 (e.g., an electric motor) operably connected to a shaft 996 such that an output of the motor 994 selectively rotates the shaft 996 about a rotational axis 998 defined by the shaft 996. As shown in Fig. 39, the rotational axis 998 of the shaft 996 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 9100 defined by the bottle 870.

[0195] Returning to Figs. 39-40, the dispensing device 120 may include a gearbox 9102 interposed between the motor 994 and the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102, when provided, operably connects the motor 994 (or the output of the motor 994) to the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102 may include one or more gears and / or other features for providing a predetermined gear reduction ratio between the output of the motor 994 and the shaft 996.

[0196] As shown in Figs. 39-42, the device 100d includes at least one compression arm 9108 (shown here as first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b) operably connected to the shaft 996 (and / or to a connector 9104 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 996 when the connector 9104 is provided) such that selective rotational of the shaft 996 responsively causes the compression arms 9108a, 9108b to move relative to the housing 876. Each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b are each connected to a frame 41204 of a respective one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b such that the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b form a portion of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b. The first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b are thus mountable in the housing as a part of the bottle adapter 22140.

[0197] In particular, each of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b includes a flexible or vertebral portion 31170. Each vertebral portion 31170 may include a vertebrae support 36172 having a first and second support ends 36174, 36176 connected to an associated frame 41204. The vertebrae support 36172 also includes a first support surface 36178 configured to contact the bottle 870 and an opposite second support surface 36180. Each vertebral portion 31170 also includes a plurality of vertebrae 31182. The vertebrae 31182 include first vertebrae ends 35184 connected to the second support surface 36180 of the vertebrae support 36172 and opposite second vertebrae ends 35186. Therefore, the vertebrae 31182 are all connected to one another via the vertebrae support 36172. At least one of the vertebrae 31182 may inwardly taper from the first vertebrae end 35184 to the second vertebrae end 35186 such that opposite first and second vertebrae side surfaces 35188, 35190 of the vertebrae 31182 (which interconnect the first and second vertebrae ends 35184, 35186) are nonparallel. Furthermore, at least one of (here, each of) the vertebrae 31182 may include a vertebrae projection 42206 extending from the second vertebrae end 35186 to a free projection end 42208.

[0198] The first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may be operably connected to the shaft 996 (and / or to a connector 9104 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 996 when the connector 9104 is provided) via a single strap 29158. In particular, the strap 29158 includes a first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 selectively fixed to the shaft 996. A strap body 36192 of the strap 29158 extendsfrom the first strap end 29160, is routed about the second vertebrae ends 35186 of the vertebrae 31182 of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b, and terminates at the second strap end 29162. The strap 29158 and the bottle 870 may be arranged such that the strap 29158 surround at least a portion of the bottle 870.

[0199] The strap body 36192 may also be routed in a first direction away from the first strap end 29160 to an inflection point 36198 (at which the strap 29158 is supported on the hinge pin 39202), and then in a second direction (substantially opposite the first direction) from the inflection point 36198 to the second strap end 29160. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 42, a first body portion 36192a of the strap body 36192 extends in the first direction substantially away from the shaft 996, and a second body portion 36192b of the strap body 36192 extends in the second direction substantially toward the shaft 996. The inflection point 36198 thus denotes a substantial reversal of the extension direction of the strap body 36192 at a location which is spaced apart from both the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162.

[0200] The strap 29158 and the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b of the bottle adapter 22140 may be arranged such that the strap 29158 contacts the free projection ends 42208 of the vertebrae projections 42206. In particular, the first body portion 36192a of the strap body 36192 may contact the free projection ends of the vertebrae projections 42206 of the first compression arm 9108a, while the second body portion 36192b of the strap body 36192 contacts the free projection ends of the vertebrae projections 42206 of the second compression arm 9108b.

[0201] Although the device 10Oe is shown as having a single strap 29158 surrounding both compression arms 9108a, 9108b, the device 100e may be configured to have a separate strap 29158 for each compression arm 9108a, 9108b. Each separate strap 29158 (in the multi-strap 29158 configuration) may be connected to the shaft 996 and the hinge pin 39202 and may contact a respective one of the compression arms 9108a, 9108b.

[0202] The force sensor 112, when provided, may be located on at least one of the compression arms 9108 (e.g., on the vertebral portion 31170 of at least one of the compression arms 9108) or otherwise located between the bottle 870 and atleast one of the compression arms 9108 (e.g., between the bottle 870 and the vertebrae support 36172 of at least one of the compression arms 9108).

[0203] In use, the dispenser control module 128 may selectively operate the dispensing device 120 to apply an ejecting force (or, in certain situations, a preejecting force) to the bottle 870. In particular, when the dispensing of fluid from the bottle 870 is appropriate (e.g., based on user desire via the user depressing the actuation button 24149 and / or the probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye), the dispenser control module 128 actuates the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a first rotational direction about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively winds the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 around the shaft 996. Tension in the strap 29158 increases as the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 are wound. The increasingly tensioned strap 29158 urge the vertebral portions 31170 of the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b to flex and at least partially straighten from their arcuate or curved conditions shown in Fig. 42. Spaces between adjacent first and second vertebrae side surfaces 35188, 35190 of adjacent vertebrae 31182 are reduced as the vertebral portions 31170 are urged to straighten.

[0204] The straightening vertebral portions 31170 apply an ejecting force (e.g., via the first support surfaces 36178 of the vertebrae supports 36172) to the bottle 870 that compresses the bottle 870 and urges fluid from the bottle 870 out through the outlet opening 874. For example, the first and second compression arms 9108a, 9108b may compress or “squeeze” the bottle 870 on opposing sides of the bottle 870 to urge the fluid from the bottle 870.

[0205] Once the fluid detection device 130 determines that fluid (e.g., a predetermined amount of fluid) has been released and communicates a corresponding signal to the dispenser control module 128, the user stops depressing the actuation button 24149, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user pressed the actuation button 24149, and / or a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle 870, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. In particular, when appropriate, the dispenser control module 128 may cause the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996responsively unwinds the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 from around the shaft 996. Unwinding the strap 29158 may responsively cause the vertebral portions 31170 to bend and return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Fig. 42. In particular, at least a portion of the vertebral portions 31 170 may be formed from an elastically deformable material such that the innate elasticity of the elastically deformable portions of the vertebral portions 31 170 may bias the vertebral portions 31170 to return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Figs. 42. Alternatively or additionally, the device 100c may include one or more biasing elements 37200 (e.g., one or more springs) that urge the vertebral portions 31170 to return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Fig. 42.

[0206] The application of ejecting force to the bottle 870 is reduced and / or substantially terminated as the vertebral portions 31 170 return to their curved conditions shown in Fig. 42. The bottle 870 (via its innate resiliency, for example) may responsively return to an original uncompressed state upon termination of the ejecting force, drawing in air as it does so for pressure equalization purposes.

[0207] Figs. 43-46 depict a sixth example hardware implementation of the device 100 (indicated at reference character 10Of in Figs. 43-46) described above. The device 10Of thus may include hardware for implementing any one or more of the various functions, methods, and / or device configurations of the device 100 described above. The device 10Of of the sixth example hardware configuration may be similar to the devices 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth example hardware configurations. Therefore, structures of the device 10Of of Figs. 43-46 that are the same as or similar to those described with reference to the device 100a of Figs. 8-14, the device 100b of Figs. 17-22, the device 100c of Figs. 24-30, the device 100d of Figs. 31 -36, and / or the device 100e of Figs. 38-42 are either unnumbered or have the same reference numbers.

[0208] As shown in Figs. 43-46, the device 10Of may be a part of a fluid delivery system 868 that may also include the bottle 870. The bottle 870 is configured to hold fluid therein and includes a bottle tip 872 having an outlet opening 874. The bottle 870 may be a “standard” or preservative-free eye dropper bottle that is commercially available, such as via prescription or over-the-counter.

[0209] The device 10Of includes a housing 876 that defines a receiving mouth 978 configured to selectively receive a portion a bottle 870 having a predetermined exterior diameter. The predetermined-size bottle 870 may be selectively retained in the receiving mouth 978 via a press-fit or frictional engagement. The receiving mouth 978, however, may still be able to receive and retain bottles 870 having exterior diameters that are differently sized (e.g., smaller or substantially smaller, as will be discussed herein) than the predetermined exterior diameter via the use of a bottle adapter 22140. As shown in Fig. 44, the bottle adapter 22140 may be a two- piece bottle adapter having first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b. At least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b may be selectively received in the housing 876 prior to insertion of the smaller bottle 870, though at least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b may be selectively coupled to the smaller bottle 870 and inserted into the receiving mouth 978 together with the smaller bottle 870 as a single unit. The bottle adapter 22140 may be configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing 876 and the smaller bottle 870 in the receiving mouth 978. The smaller bottle 870 may be retained in the bottle adapter 22140 (e.g., in at least one of the first and second adapter portions 22140a, 22140b) via a press-fit or frictional engagement.

[0210] Returning to Figs. 43-46, the housing 876 may include first and second housing portions 876a, 876b. The first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be integrally formed as a single monolithic piece, or may be formed separately from one another and subsequently connected together. Either of the first and second housing portions 876a, 876b may be formed as a single monolithic piece or assembled from separate subcomponents. Although not shown in Figs. 43-46, similarly to that of the device 100c, the second housing portion 876b of the device 10Od may have first and second PCBAs 988, 990 located therein, though it is contemplated that the first PCBA 988 may be located in the first housing portion 876a instead. The first and second PCBAs 988, 990 may be connected to one another, e.g., via a flexible printed circuit 18132 that extends inside the housing 876 between the first and second PCBAs 988, 990. It will be appreciated that the first PCBA 988, the second PCBA 990, and the flexible printed circuit 18132 (whenprovided) can collectively implement all or part of at least one of the sensor(s) 102, the ECU 106 and its modules, and the instrument(s) 104.

[0211] The camera 110 is connected to the second housing portion 876b in a position in which a field of view of the camera 110 encompasses the bottle tip 872 of any bottle 870 maintained within the device 100d. The camera 110 of the device 10Od is connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990, though the camera 110 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. A spectral filter, such as the spectral filter 992 described above, may also be connected to the second housing 876b. The illumination source 116 of the device 10Of is implemented as first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b that are connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 1 16b may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b are connected to the second housing portion 876b, the first and second IR LEDs 116a, 116b may be positioned such that the first and second IR LEDS 116a, 1 16b selectively illuminate each of the bottle tip 872 and the user’s eye with light when in use.

[0212] Although not shown in Figs. 43-46, similarly to that of the device 100c, the alignment feedback device 1 18 of the device 10Of may be implemented as a RGB LED for providing visual feedback to the user, though the alignment feedback device 118 of the device 10Of may have any number of RGB LEDs. The RGB LED 1 18 may be configured such that the intensity, hue, blink frequency, or any other characteristic of the light provided by the RGB LED 118 can be altered to indicate a probability that released fluid will land in the user’s eye. Alternatively or additionally, the RGB LED 118 may be configured to selectively illuminate illuminable areas 226 to indicate this probability.

[0213] The RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b as a part of the second PCBA 990. Alternatively, the RGB LED 118 may be connected to the second housing portion 876b separately from the second PCBA 990. Regardless of how the RGB LED 118 is connected to the second housing portion 876b, the RGB LED 118 may be positioned such that emitted light may be visible to the user when in use in order to appropriately provide the alignment / probability feedback to the user.

[0214] An area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may function as a lightguide. In such case, at least the area of the second housing portion 876b proximate to the RGB LED 118 may be formed of a transparent, translucent, or semi-translucent material. The lightguide portion of the second housing portion 876b thus may be configured to guide light emitted from the RGB LED 118 through the second housing portion 876b so that the light is visible to the user. When the illuminable areas are provided 226 in the device 10Of, the illuminable areas 226 may be included on the lightguide portion of the second housing 876b. Alternatively or additionally, the device 10Of may include a lightguide similar to that of the lightguide 18134 of the device 100b. Such a lightguide 18134 in the device 10Of may be separate from the second housing portion 876b and inserted or otherwise embedded in the second housing portion 876b. Although the device 10Of is described as only having a visually-based alignment feedback device 118, the device 10Of may be configured to alternatively or additionally include features for providing the alignment / probability feedback to the user in an auditory and / or tactile manner.

[0215] As shown in Fig. 43, the dispensing device 120 of the device 10Of is mounted inside the housing 876 (e.g., in the first housing portion 876a). As shown in Figs. 44-45, the dispensing device 120 includes a motor 994 (e.g., an electric motor) operably connected to a shaft 996 such that an output of the motor 994 selectively rotates the shaft 996 about a rotational axis 998 defined by the shaft 996. As shown in Fig. 43, the rotational axis 998 of the shaft 996 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 9100 defined by the bottle 870.

[0216] Returning to Figs. 44-45, the dispensing device 120 may include a gearbox 9102 interposed between the motor 994 and the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102, when provided, operably connects the motor 994 (or the output of the motor 994) to the shaft 996. The gearbox 9102 may include one or more gears and / or other features for providing a predetermined gear reduction ratio between the output of the motor 994 and the shaft 996.

[0217] As shown in Figs. 43-46, the device 10Od includes a strap 29158 having first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 selectively fixed to the shaft 996 (and / or to a connector 9104 that is rotationally fixed to the shaft 996 when the connector 9104 is provided). A strap body 36192 of the strap 29158 extends from the first strap end29160 and terminates at the second strap end 29162. The strap body 36192 may also be routed in a first direction away from the first strap end 29160 to an inflection point 36198 (at which the strap 29158 is supported on the housing 876), and then in a second direction (substantially opposite the first direction) from the inflection point 36198 to the second strap end 29160. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 45, a first body portion 36192a of the strap body 36192 extends in the first direction substantially away from the shaft 996, and a second body portion 36192b of the strap body 36192 extends in the second direction substantially toward the shaft 996. The inflection point 36198 thus denotes a substantial reversal of the extension direction of the strap body 36192 at a location which is spaced apart from both the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 46, the first body portion 36192a may be routed through a first housing hole 46208a toward the inflection point 36198 and the second body portion 36192b may be routed through a second housing hole 46208b away from the inflection point 36198.

[0218] The strap 29158 and the bottle 870 may be arranged such that the strap 29158 (e.g., at least the strap body 36192) extends about the bottle 870 (i.e., about the longitudinal axis 9100 of the bottle 870). While the strap 29158 is shown in Fig. 45 as being spaced from the bottle 870 prior to the application of the ejection force, at least a portion of the strap 29158 may contact the bottle 870 even prior to the application of the ejection force.

[0219] Although the device 10Of is shown as having a single strap 29158 surrounding the bottle 870, the device 10Of may be configured to have a separate strap surrounding opposing sides of the bottle 870. Each separate strap 29158 (in the multi-strap 29158 configuration) may be connected to the connector 9104 and the housing 876 and may contact a respective side of the bottle 870.

[0220] The force sensor 112, when provided, may be located on the strap 29158 or otherwise located between the bottle 870 and the strap 29158.

[0221] In use, the dispenser control module 128 may selectively operate the dispensing device 120 to apply an ejecting force (or, in certain situations, a preejecting force) to the bottle 870. In particular, when the dispensing of fluid from the bottle 870 is appropriate (e.g., based on user desire via the user depressing the actuation button 24149 and / or the probability that released fluid will land in the user’seye), the dispenser control module 128 actuates the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a first rotational direction about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively winds the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 around the shaft 996. Tension in the strap 29158 increases as the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 are wound. The increasingly tensioned strap 29158 urge the first and second body portions 36192a, 36192b of the strap 29158 to at least partially straighten from their arcuate or curved conditions shown in Fig. 45.

[0222] The straightening first and second body portions 36192a, 36192b apply an ejecting force to the bottle 870 that compresses the bottle 870 and urges fluid from the bottle 870 out through the outlet opening 874. In particular, the straightening first and second body portions 36192a, 36192b may be urged into or further into contact with the bottle to compress or “squeeze” the bottle 870 on opposing sides of the bottle 870 to urge the fluid from the bottle 870.

[0223] Once the fluid detection device 130 determines that fluid (e.g., a predetermined amount of fluid) has been released and communicates a corresponding signal to the dispenser control module 128, the user stops depressing the actuation button 24149, a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user pressed the actuation button 24149, and / or a predetermined amount of ejecting force has been applied to the bottle 870, the dispenser control module 128 may responsively cause the dispensing device 120 to terminate its application of ejecting force. In particular, when appropriate, the dispenser control module 128 may cause the motor 994 to rotate the shaft 996 in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, about the shaft’s rotational axis 998. The rotating shaft 996 responsively unwinds the first and second strap ends 29160, 29162 from around the shaft 996. Unwinding the strap 29158 responsively decreases the tension and increases the slack in the strap 29158. The reduction in tension and increase in slack may cause the first and second body portions 36192a, 26192b to bend and return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Fig. 45. Alternatively or additionally, the device 100c may include one or more biasing elements 37200 (e.g., one or more springs) that urge the first and second body portions 36192a, 26192b to return to or toward their curved conditions shown in Fig. 45.

[0224] The application of ejecting force to the bottle 870 is reduced and / or substantially terminated as the tension in the strap 29158 is reduced and / or as thefirst and second body portions 36192a, 26192b return to their curved conditions shown in Fig. 45. The bottle 870 (via its innate resiliency, for example) may responsively return to an original uncompressed state upon termination of the ejecting force, drawing in air as it does so for pressure equalization purposes.

[0225] Although certain features have only been shown and described in regard to one example hardware implementation of the device 100, it should be appreciated that the each feature of one of the example hardware configurations may be imported into any other example hardware configuration. As one example, while device 100a of Figs. 8-14 and the device 100c of Figs. 24-30 have not been described above as utilizing the bottle adapter 22140, at least one of the device 100a of Figs. 8-14 and the device 100c of Figs. 24-30 may be configured to include the bottle adapter 22140 and its accompanying functionality.Exemplary Aspects

[0226] In view of the described devices, methods and variations thereof, herein below are certain more particularly described aspects of the present disclosure. These particularly recited aspects should not, however, be interpreted to have any limiting effect on any different claims containing different or more general teachings described herein, or that the “particular” aspects are somehow limited in some way other than the inherent meanings of the language literally used therein.

[0227] Aspect 1 : A fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housing. The dispensing device includes a motor, a shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the shaft, and at least one strap configured to surround at least a portion of the bottle. The at least one strap having a first and second strap ends. At least one of the first and strap ends is operably connected to the shaft such that selective rotation of the shaft responsively winds at least one of the first and second strap ends around the shaft. The bottle is compressed as at least one of the first and second strap ends is selectively wound around the shaft. The fluid is urged out through the outlet opening as the bottle is selectively compressed.

[0228] Aspect 2: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 1 , wherein the dispensing device includes a connector rotationally fixed to the shaft. The first strap end is connected to the connector such that the first strap end is operably connected to the shaft via the connector.

[0229] Aspect 3: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2, further comprising first and second rod portions that are separated from one another to define a passage therebetween. The at least one strap being urged through the passage as the at least one strap is selectively wound, the at least one strap being at least partially redirected as the at least one strap is urged through the passage.

[0230] Aspect 4: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -3, wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm rotatably mounted in the housing. The first strap end is operably connected to the shaft and the second strap end is connected to the at least one compression arm. Selective rotation of the shaft responsively winding the first strap end around the shaft. The winding of the at least one strap urging the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening. Each of a longitudinal extension of the passage, a rotational axis of the shaft, and a longitudinal axis of the bottle intersect a singular alignment axis that extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bottle. The at least one strap urges the at least one compression arm toward the longitudinal axis of the bottle as the at least one strap is urged through the passage.

[0231] Aspect 5: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2, wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm mounted in the housing. The first strap end is operably connected to the shaft and the second strap end is operably connected to the at least one compression arm. Selective rotation of the shaft responsively winding the first strap end around the shaft. The winding of the at least one strap urges the at least one compression arm to move relative to the housing to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0232] Aspect 6: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1-2 and 5, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a base portion and an extension portion that is slidably mounted to the base portion. The at least one compression arm isrotatably mounted to the housing at the base portion. The at least one compression arm is connected to the second strap end at the extension portion. The winding of the at least one strap urges (1 ) the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening, and (2) the extension portion to slide along the base portion so as to increase a length of the at least one compression arm and responsively increase a contact area between the at least one compression arm and the bottle.

[0233] Aspect 7: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2 and 5-6, further comprising at least one rod for at least partially redirecting the at least one strap so that the at least one strap, when selectively wound, urges the at least one compression arm to rotate in the compression direction.

[0234] Aspect 8: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2 and 5, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a base portion via which the at least one compression arm is mounted to the housing. The at least one compression arm further includes a flexible portion connected to the base portion. The winding of the at least one strap urges the flexible portion to flex relative to the housing to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0235] Aspect 9: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2, 5, and 8, wherein the flexible portion comprises a vertebrae support connected to the base portion. The vertebrae support has a first support surface configured to contact the bottle and an opposite second support surface. A plurality of vertebrae has first vertebrae ends connected to the second support surface and opposite second vertebrae ends. The winding of the at least one strap urges the flexible portion of the at least one compression arm to flex and at least partially straighten from a curved condition to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening. Spaces between adjacent vertebrae are reduced as the flexible portions are urged to straighten.

[0236] Aspect 10: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 8-9, wherein the at least one compression arm is rotatably mounted to the housing at the base portion. The winding strap urges the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction.

[0237] Aspect 11 : The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2, 5, and 8-10, wherein the at least one strap includes a strap body that extends from the first strap end, is routed through one or more vertebrae holes of each vertebrae, and terminates at the second strap end.

[0238] Aspect 12: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -2, 5, and 8-11 , wherein the strap body includes a first body portion that extends in a first direction substantially away from the shaft to an inflection point, and a second body portion that extends in a second direction, which is different than the first direction, substantially toward the shaft away from the inflection point. The inflection point changes an extension direction of the strap body at a location spaced apart from both the first and second strap ends.

[0239] Aspect 13: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -12, further comprising a bottle adapter via which a portion of the bottle is selectively held within a receiving mouth of the housing, the bottle adapter being configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing and the bottle in the receiving mouth.

[0240] Aspect 14: The fluid delivery device of Aspects 13, wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm. The at least one compression arm is connected to a frame of the bottle adapter such that the at least one compression arm forms a portion of the bottle adapter and is selectively mounted in the housing a part of the bottle adapter. The at least one compression arm is operably connected to the shaft via the at least one strap. The winding of the at least one strap urges the at least one compression arm to move relative to both the housing and the frame to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0241] Aspect 15: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 14, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a vertebral portion. The vertebral portion comprises a vertebrae support connected to the frame and having a first support surface configured to contact the bottle and an opposite second support surface. A plurality of vertebrae has first vertebrae ends connected to the second support surface and opposite second vertebrae ends. A portion of the at least one strap is routed about the second vertebrae ends of the vertebrae. The winding of the at least one strapurges the flexible portion of the at least one compression arm to flex and at least partially straighten from a curved condition to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening. Spaces between adjacent vertebrae are reduced as the flexible portions are urged to straighten.

[0242] Aspect 16: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 13-15, wherein the bottle adapter is a multi-piece bottle adapter having first and second adapter portions that define an at least partially cylindrical sleeve in which the bottle is selectively retained. Each of the first and second adapter portions having an associated frame and an associated compression arm.

[0243] Aspect 17: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 16, wherein the at least one strap is a single strap that extends about each of the compression arms.

[0244] Aspect 18: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 1 , wherein the at least one strap is a single strap that has first and second strap ends selectively fixed to the shaft and a strap body extending between the first and second strap ends. At least the strap body of the strap extending about the bottle when the bottle is received in the housing. Selectively winding the first and second strap ends around the shaft tensioning the strap to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0245] Aspect 19: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -18, wherein the housing has a receiving mouth for selectively receiving at least a portion of the bottle. The receiving mouth being configured to receive and retain a bottle having a predetermined exterior diameter therein. The receiving mouth being configured to receive and retain a bottle having an exterior diameter different than the predetermined exterior diameter via a / the bottle adapter.

[0246] Aspect 20: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -19, wherein the bottle defines a longitudinal axis. The shaft defines a rotational axis about which the shaft rotates. The longitudinal axis and the rotational axis are substantially parallel to one another.

[0247] Aspect 21 : A method for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises providing the fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -20. The dispensing device is actuated such that the at least one of the first and second strap ends is wound about the shaft. Thebottle is compressed via the winding of at least one of the first and second strap ends about the shaft. The fluid is urged out through the outlet opening as the bottle is compressed.

[0248] Aspect 22: The method of Aspect 21 , wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm mounted in the housing. The strap is operably connected to the compression arm. The winding of at least one of the first and second strap ends about the shaft urges the at least one compression arm to move relative to the housing to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0249] Aspect 23: The method of Aspect 21 , wherein the fluid delivery device further comprises a bottle adapter via which a portion of the bottle is held within a receiving mouth of the housing. The bottle adapter is configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing and the bottle in the receiving mouth. The dispensing device includes at least one compression arm. The at least one housing is connected to a frame of the bottle adapter such that the at least one compression arm forms a portion of the bottle adapter and is selectively mounted in the housing a part of the bottle adapter. The at least one compression arm is operably connected to the shaft via the at least one strap. The winding of at least one of the first and second strap ends about the shaft urges the at least one compression arm to move relative to both the housing and the frame to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0250] Aspect 24: A fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housing and includes a motor, a threaded shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the threaded shaft, a connector threadably engaged to the threaded shaft such that selective rotation of the threaded shaft responsively causes the connector to move along the threaded shaft, and a compression arm operably connected to the connector such that selective movement of the connector along the threaded shaft responsively causes the compression arm to rotate in a compression direction. Selective rotation of the compression arm in the compression direction responsively causes the compression arm to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0251] Aspect 25: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 24, wherein the compression arm is rotatably connected to the connector for rotation relative thereto.

[0252] Aspect 26: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 24-25, further comprising a pivot pin mounted to the housing, the pivot pin extending through an aperture in the compression arm such that the compression arm rotates about the pivot pin.

[0253] Aspect 27: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1-26, wherein the motor is operably connected to the threaded shaft via a gearbox.

[0254] Aspect 28: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1-27, further comprising a retention assembly for selectively maintaining the bottle in the housing.

[0255] Aspect 29: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 24-28, wherein the bottle defines a longitudinal axis. The threaded shaft defines a rotational axis about which the threaded shaft rotates. The longitudinal axis and the rotational axis are substantially parallel to one another.

[0256] Aspect 30: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 24-28, wherein the bottle defines a longitudinal axis, the threaded shaft defines a rotational axis about which the threaded shaft rotates, and the longitudinal axis and the rotational axis are substantially perpendicular to one another.

[0257] Aspect 31 : The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 24-30, wherein the housing has a receiving mouth for receiving at least a portion of the bottle. The receiving mouth is configured to receive and retain a bottle having a predetermined exterior diameter therein. The receiving mouth is configured to receive and retain a bottle having an exterior diameter different than the predetermined exterior diameter via a bottle adapter.

[0258] Aspect 32: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 31 , wherein the bottle adapter has a first retention element configured to cooperate with a second retention element of the housing to maintain at least one of the bottle adapter and the bottle having the different exterior diameter in the receiving mouth of the housing.

[0259] Aspect 33: A fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises a housing for selectively receiving the bottle. A dispensing device is in the housingand includes a motor, a shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the shaft, at least one compression arm rotatably mounted in the housing, and at least one strap having a first strap end operably connected to the shaft and a second strap end connected to the at least one compression arm. Selective rotation of the shaft responsively winds the first strap end around the shaft. The winding strap urges the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

[0260] Aspect 34: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 33, further comprising a connector rotationally fixed to the shaft. The first strap end is connected to the connector such that the first strap end is operably connected to the shaft via the connector.

[0261] Aspect 35: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 33-34, further comprising at least one rod for at least partially redirecting the at least one strap so that the at least one strap, when selectively wound, urges the at least one compression arm to rotate in the compression direction.

[0262] Aspect 36: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 35, wherein the at least one rod comprises first and second rod portions that are separated from one another to define a passage therebetween. The at least one strap is urged through the passage as the at least one strap is selectively wound.

[0263] Aspect 37: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 36, wherein each of a longitudinal extension of the passage, a rotational axis of the shaft, and a longitudinal axis of the bottle intersect a singular alignment axis that extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bottle. The at least one strap urges the at least one compression arm toward the longitudinal axis of the bottle as the at least one strap is urged through the passage.

[0264] Aspect 38: The fluid delivery device of any of the Aspects 33-37, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a base portion and an extension portion that is slidably mounted to the base portion. The at least one compression arm is rotatably mounted to the housing at the base portion. The at least one compression arm is connected to the second strap end at the extension portion.

[0265] Aspect 39: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 38, wherein the winding strap urges the extension portion to slide along the base portion so as to increase a length of the compression arm and responsively increase a contact area between the at least one compression arm and the bottle.

[0266] Aspect 40: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 33-39, wherein the motor is operably connected to the threaded shaft via a gearbox.

[0267] Aspect 41 : The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 33-40, wherein the bottle defines a longitudinal axis, the threaded shaft defines a rotational axis about which the threaded shaft rotates, and the longitudinal axis and the rotational axis are substantially parallel to one another.

[0268] Aspect 42: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1-41 , further comprising a camera connected to the housing in a position in which both an eye of the user and an area proximate the outlet opening of the bottle are concurrently imageable via the camera. A probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user is determined responsive to at least one image captured by the camera.

[0269] Aspect 43: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1-42, further comprising an illumination source associated with the housing for concurrently illuminating the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening.

[0270] Aspect 44: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 43, wherein the illumination source provides light of a predetermined wavelength. The fluid delivery device further comprises a spectral filter associated with the camera. The spectral filter attenuates light outside of a band of wavelengths including the predetermined wavelength.

[0271] Aspect 44: The fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 42-43, further comprising an alignment feedback device for providing at least one of an audible, a visible, a haptic, and a tactile signal to the user representing the probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user.

[0272] Aspect 45: The fluid delivery device of Aspect 44, wherein the alignment feedback device comprises at least one RGB LED.

[0273] Aspect 46: A fluid delivery system comprises the fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -20 and 24-45 and the bottle selectively receivable in the housing. The bottle is configured to hold a fluid therein. The bottle has the outlet opening through which the fluid is selectively dispensed from the bottle.

[0274] Aspect 48: A method for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid comprises providing the fluid delivery device of any of Aspects 1 -20 and 24-46. The fluid delivery device further comprises a camera, an illumination source, and an inertia measurement unit. Both of an eye of a user and an area proximate the outlet opening of the bottle are concurrently illuminated via the illumination source. Both of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening are concurrently imaged with the camera to provide at least one image. An orientation of the bottle is determined via the inertia measurement unit. A probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user is determined responsive to at least one of the determined orientation of the bottle and the at least one image. An ejecting force is applied to the bottle via the dispensing device to urge the bottle to release a predetermined amount of the fluid via the dispensing device when the probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user is at least equal to a predetermined probability threshold.

[0275] Aspect 49: The method of Aspect 48, further comprising detecting, responsive to the at least one image, a release of the fluid from the bottle. The application of the ejecting force is ceased when the release of the fluid is detected.

[0276] Aspect 50: The method of any of Aspects 48-49, further comprising storing a time value representing a time at which the fluid was released and the determined probability that the fluid released will land in the eye of the user.

[0277] Aspect 51 : The method of any of Aspects 48-50, wherein illuminating each of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening comprises illuminating each of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening with light of a predetermined wavelength. Imaging each of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening comprises imaging each of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening through a spectral filter that attenuates light outside of a band of wavelengths including the predetermined wavelength.

[0278] Aspect 52: The method of any of Aspects 48-50, wherein illuminating each of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening comprises modulating an illumination source to pulse in synchrony with a frame acquisition rate of the camera to produce a plurality of illuminated images and a plurality of nonilluminated images. Determining a probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user comprises subtracting an unilluminated image from each illuminated image to provide a background subtracted image.

[0279] Aspect 53: The method of any of Aspects 48-52, wherein the illumination source includes first and second IR LEDs. Illuminating each of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening comprises illuminating the eye of the user with the first IR LED and illuminating the area proximate the outlet opening with the second IR LED. The first IR LED is inactive at least a portion of a time for which the second IR LED is active.

[0280] Aspect 54: The method of any of Aspects 48-53, wherein determining the probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user comprises providing the at least one image and the determined orientation to a machine learning model.

[0281] Aspect 55: The method of any of Aspects 48-53, wherein determining the probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user comprises determining a relative location of the eye of the user and the area proximate the outlet opening from the at least one image.

[0282] Aspect 56: The method of any of Aspects 48-55, further comprising providing at least one of an audible, visible, a haptic, and tactile signal to the user representing the probability that the fluid released from the bottle will land in the eye of the user.

[0283] While aspects of this disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the example aspects above, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various additional aspects may be contemplated. For example, the specific methods described above for using the apparatus are merely illustrative; one of ordinary skill in the art could readily determine any number of tools, sequences of steps, or other means / options for placing the above-described apparatus, or components thereof, into positions substantively similar to thoseshown and described herein. In an effort to maintain clarity in the Figures, certain ones of duplicative components shown have not been specifically numbered, but one of ordinary skill in the art will realize, based upon the components that were numbered, the element numbers which should be associated with the unnumbered components; no differentiation between similar components is intended or implied solely by the presence or absence of an element number in the Figures. Any of the described structures and components could be integrally formed as a single unitary or monolithic piece or made up of separate sub-components, with either of these formations involving any suitable stock or bespoke components and / or any suitable material or combinations of materials. Any of the described structures and components could be disposable or reusable as desired for a particular use environment. Any component could be provided with a user-perceptible marking to indicate a material, configuration, at least one dimension, or the like pertaining to that component, the user-perceptible marking potentially aiding a user in selecting one component from an array of similar components for a particular use environment. A “predetermined” status may be determined at any time before the structures being manipulated actually reach that status, the “predetermination” being made as late as immediately before the structure achieves the predetermined status. The term “substantially” is used herein to indicate a quality that is largely, but not necessarily wholly, that which is specified — a “substantial” quality admits of the potential for some relatively minor inclusion of a non-quality item. Though certain components described herein are shown as having specific geometric shapes, all structures of this disclosure may have any suitable shapes, sizes, configurations, relative relationships, cross-sectional areas, or any other physical characteristics as desirable for a particular application. Any structures or features described with reference to one aspect or configuration could be provided, singly or in combination with other structures or features, to any other aspect or configuration, as it would be impractical to describe each of the aspects and configurations discussed herein as having all of the options discussed with respect to all of the other aspects and configurations. A device or method incorporating any of these features should be understood to fall under the scope of this disclosure as determined based upon the claims below and any equivalents thereof.

[0284] Other aspects, objects, and advantages may be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

Claims

We claim:1 . A fluid delivery device for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid, the fluid delivery device comprising: a housing for selectively receiving the bottle; and a dispensing device in the housing, the dispensing device including a motor, a shaft operably connected to the motor such that the motor selectively rotates the shaft, and at least one strap configured to surround at least a portion of the bottle, the at least one strap having a first and second strap ends, at least one of the first and strap ends being operably connected to the shaft such that selective rotation of the shaft responsively winds at least one of the first and second strap ends around the shaft, the bottle being compressed as at least one of the first and second strap ends is selectively wound around the shaft, the fluid being urged out through the outlet opening as the bottle is selectively compressed.

2. The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing device includes a connector rotationally fixed to the shaft, the first strap end being connected to the connector such that the first strap end is operably connected to the shaft via the connector.

3. The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising first and second rod portions that are separated from one another to define a passage therebetween, the at least one strap being urged through the passage as the at least one strap is selectively wound, the at least one strap being at least partially redirected as the at least one strap is urged through the passage.

4. The fluid delivery device of claim 3, wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm rotatably mounted in the housing, the first strap end being operably connected to the shaft and the second strap end being connected tothe at least one compression arm, selective rotation of the shaft responsively winding the first strap end around the shaft, the winding of the at least one strap urging the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening, and wherein each of a longitudinal extension of the passage, a rotational axis of the shaft, and a longitudinal axis of the bottle intersect a singular alignment axis that extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bottle, the at least one strap urging the at least one compression arm toward the longitudinal axis of the bottle as the at least one strap is urged through the passage.

5. The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm mounted in the housing, the first strap end being operably connected to the shaft and the second strap end being operably connected to the at least one compression arm, selective rotation of the shaft responsively winding the first strap end around the shaft, the winding of the at least one strap urging the at least one compression arm to move relative to the housing to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

6. The fluid delivery device of claim 5, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a base portion and an extension portion that is slidably mounted to the base portion, the at least one compression arm being rotatably mounted to the housing at the base portion, the at least one compression arm being connected to the second strap end at the extension portion, the winding of the at least one strap urging the at least one compression arm to rotate in a compression direction to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening, and the extension portion to slide along the base portion so as to increase a length of the at least one compression arm and responsively increase a contact area between the at least one compression arm and the bottle.

7. The fluid delivery device of claim 5, further comprising at least one rod for at least partially redirecting the at least one strap so that the at least one strap, when selectively wound, urges the at least one compression arm to rotate in the compression direction.

8. The fluid delivery device of claim 5, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a base portion via which the at least one compression arm is mounted to the housing, the at least one compression arm further including a flexible portion connected to the base portion, the winding of the at least one strap urging the flexible portion to flex relative to the housing to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

9. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, wherein the flexible portion comprises: a vertebrae support connected to the base portion and having a first support surface configured to contact the bottle and an opposite second support surface; and a plurality of vertebrae having first vertebrae ends connected to the second support surface and opposite second vertebrae ends; wherein the winding of the at least one strap urges the flexible portion of the at least one compression arm to flex and at least partially straighten from a curved condition to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening, spaces between adjacent vertebrae being reduced as the flexible portions are urged to straighten.

10. The fluid delivery device of claim 9, wherein the at least one strap includes a strap body that extends from the first strap end, is routed through one or more vertebrae holes of each vertebrae, and terminates at the second strap end.11 . The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising a bottle adapter via which a portion of the bottle is selectively held within a receiving mouth of the housing, the bottle adapter being configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing and the bottle in the receiving mouth.

12. The fluid delivery device of claim 11 , wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm, the at least one compression arm being connected to a frame of the bottle adapter such that the at least one compression arm forms a portion of the bottle adapter and is selectively mounted in the housing a part of the bottle adapter, the at least one compression arm being operably connected to the shaft via the at least one strap, the winding of the at least one strap urging the at least one compression arm to move relative to both the housing and the frame to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

13. The fluid delivery device of claim 12, wherein the at least one compression arm includes a vertebral portion, the vertebral portion comprising: a vertebrae support connected to the frame and having a first support surface configured to contact the bottle and an opposite second support surface; and a plurality of vertebrae having first vertebrae ends connected to the second support surface and opposite second vertebrae ends, a portion of the at least one strap being routed about the second vertebrae ends of the vertebrae; wherein the winding of the at least one strap urges the flexible portion of the at least one compression arm to flex and at least partially straighten from a curved condition to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening, spaces between adjacent vertebrae being reduced as the flexible portions are urged to straighten.

14. The fluid delivery device of claim 12, wherein the bottle adapter is a multipiece bottle adapter having first and second adapter portions that define an at least partially cylindrical sleeve in which the bottle is selectively retained, each of the first and second adapter portions having an associated frame and an associated compression arm.

15. The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one strap is a single strap that has first and second strap ends selectively fixed to the shaft and a strap body extending between the first and second strap ends, at least the strap body of the strap extending about the bottle when the bottle is received in thehousing, selectively winding the first and second strap ends around the shaft tensioning the strap to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

16. The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a receiving mouth for selectively receiving at least a portion of the bottle, the receiving mouth being configured to receive and retain a bottle having a predetermined exterior diameter therein, the receiving mouth being configured to receive and retain a bottle having an exterior diameter different than the predetermined exterior diameter via a bottle adapter.

17. The fluid delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the bottle defines a longitudinal axis, the shaft defines a rotational axis about which the shaft rotates, and the longitudinal axis and the rotational axis are substantially parallel to one another.

18. A method for delivering fluid to an eye of a user from a bottle having an outlet opening to selectively release the fluid, the method comprising: providing the fluid delivery device of claim 1 ; actuating the dispensing device such that the at least one of the first and second strap ends is wound about the shaft; and compressing the bottle via the winding of at least one of the first and second strap ends about the shaft, the fluid being urged out through the outlet opening as the bottle is compressed.

19. The method of claim 19, wherein the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm mounted in the housing, the strap being operably connected to the compression arm, the winding of at least one of the first and second strap ends about the shaft urging the at least one compression arm to move relative to the housing to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the fluid delivery device further comprises a bottle adapter via which a portion of the bottle is held within a receiving mouth of the housing, the bottle adapter being configured to occupy space that would have otherwise been interposed between the housing and the bottle in the receiving mouth, and the dispensing device includes at least one compression arm, the at least one housing being connected to a frame of the bottle adapter such that the at least one compression arm forms a portion of the bottle adapter and is selectively mounted in the housing a part of the bottle adapter, the at least one compression arm being operably connected to the shaft via the at least one strap, the winding of at least one of the first and second strap ends about the shaft urging the at least one compression arm to move relative to both the housing and the frame to compress the bottle and selectively urge the fluid out through the outlet opening.

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