Patent attributes
A device (10) for non-gravity presentation of a droplet (16) of a liquid (12). The device includes an applicator (20) for forming the droplet and a squeeze-type bottle (18) that contains the liquid used to form the droplet. The applicator includes an upwardly-facing presentation surface (36) upon which the droplet is formed. One or more capillary tubes (38) communicate liquid from inside the bottle to the presentation surface via an uptake tube (40) when a user squeezes the bottle. Each capillary tube has a diameter of no greater than about 0.0787 inch (2 mm). Once the droplet has been formed, the user may tilt the device up to a critical tilt angle αcritical, above which the droplet will fall from the presentation surface. When the device is tilted to a tilt angle α less than or equal to the critical tilt angle, capillary attraction between the droplet and the capillary tube(s) retains the droplet on the presentation surface. The device may be used to deliver a liquid agent to an eye (14) and eliminates the need for the person receiving the agent to tilt his/her head backward. Rather, the person may tilt his/her head forward, and optionally tilt the device to a tilt angle less than or equal to the critical tilt angle, to contact the droplet with the eye.
