Non-aspirating transport gel dispenser

Abstract

A non-aspirating dispenser containing a gel therein for delivery to a desired surface such as a medical article. More specifically, a gel that is dispensed in the form of droplets that are free of air or a gas therein and with reduced drift potential. The dispenser has a container having a flexible bag therein enclosing a thixotropic gel, and has a pressurized gas that is capable of exerting pressure on the bag and forcing the gel out of said bag in a steady stream upon pressing an actuator that is operatively connected to an ejection valve. The bag is free of propellants, and does not produce an aerosol. The gel is thixotropic and is utilized for keeping medical instruments moist in order to prevent soils present thereon from drying out, which can make reprocessing of medical instruments more difficult and less effective. The dispenser implemented at a point of use for transport or prior to delayed reprocessing in the reprocessing area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-aspirating dispenser for a transport gel, comprising:
 a thixotropic gel; said thixotropic gel having a viscosity of less than about 2,000 centipoises;   said dispenser having walls forming a container and a flexible bag therein, said bag containing said thixotropic gel; a non-bag volume located between said dispenser walls and said flexible bag, said non-bag volume having a pressurized gas therein, said non-bag volume being substantially free of a propellant, a volatilizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof;   said dispenser having a valve, an actuator operatively connected to said valve, said actuator upon activation thereof being capable of opening said valve so that said pressurized gas will exert pressure on said bag and force said thixotropic gel out of said dispenser container in the form of non-aspirated droplets; and   said droplets having a mean volume diameter that reduces drift potential.   
     
     
         2 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said droplet mean volume diameter is from about 80 to about 500 microns; and wherein said flexible bag volume is from about 50% to about 90% based on the total volume of said dispenser container. 
     
     
         3 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 2 , wherein said viscosity of said thixotropic gel is from about 100 to about 1,700 centipoise; wherein said non-bag volume is from about 60% to about 80% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container; and wherein the amount of any propellant, volatilizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof is less than about 5% of said non-bag volume. 
     
     
         4 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is from about 150 to about 400 microns. 
     
     
         5 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 4 , wherein said viscosity of said thixotropic gel is from about 50 to about 1,500 centipoise; and wherein said thixotropic gel comprises cellulose, hydrophobically modified cellulose, guar gum, quaternized guar gum, alginate, or cationated alginate comprising calcium, magnesium, or sodium cations, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein said pressurized gas comprises air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen, or any combination thereof; and wherein the amount of any said propellant, volatizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof is less than about 3% by volume of said non-bag volume. 
     
     
         7 . The non-aspirating dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is about 250 microns; wherein the volume of said bag is from about 65 to about 75% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container. 
     
     
         8 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing pressure of said thixotropic gel is at least about 2 psi greater than the pressure of the environment into which it is ejected. 
     
     
         9 . The non-aspirating dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the dispensing pressure of said thixotropic gel is at least about 2 psi greater than the pressure of the environment into which it is ejected. 
     
     
         10 . A medical instrument, having the thixotropic gel of  claim 1  applied thereon. 
     
     
         11 . A medical instrument, having the thixotropic gel of  claim 4  applied thereon. 
     
     
         12 . A medical instrument, having the thixotropic gel of  claim 9  applied thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The process for dispensing a non-aspirated gel, comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a dispenser having walls forming a container and a flexible bag therein, said bag containing a thixotropic gel, said thixotropic gel having a viscosity of less than about 2,000 centipoises, a non-bag volume located between said dispenser walls and said flexible bag, said non-bag volume having a pressurized gas therein; said non-bag volume being substantially free of a propellant, a volatizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof; said dispenser having a valve, an actuator operatively connected to said valve and to a nozzle;   activating said actuator and flowing said thixotropic gel therethrough and through said nozzle an out of said dispenser in the form of non-aspirated droplets, said droplets having a mean volume diameter of from about 80 to about 500 microns.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said bag volume is from about 50% to about 90% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container; wherein the amount of any propellant, a volatizable liquid, or a foam forming gas, or any combination thereof, is less than about 5% by volume based upon the total volume of said bag volume. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said viscosity of said thixotropic gel is from about 100 to about 1,700 centipoises; wherein the amount of any said propellant, said volatizable liquid, or said foam forming gas, or any combination thereof is less than about 3% by volume based upon the total volume of said non-bag volume. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein said bag volume is from about 60% to about 80% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container; wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is from about 100 to about 450 microns; wherein said pressurized gas comprises air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein said bag volume is from about 65% to about 75% based upon the total volume of said dispenser container; wherein said mean volume diameter of said droplets is from about 150 to about 400 microns; wherein said viscosity of said thixotropic gel is from about 50 to about 1,500 centipoises; wherein said amount of said propellant, said volatizable liquid, or said foam forming gas, or any combination thereof is none; and wherein said thixotropic gel comprises cellulose, hydrophobically modified cellulose, guar gum, quaternized guar gum, alginate, or cationated alginate comprising calcium, magnesium, or sodium cations, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , including releasing said non-aspirated thixotropic droplets on an instrument, or soil, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 15 , including releasing said non-aspirated thixotropic droplets on a medical instrument, or a soil, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 17 , including releasing said non-aspirated thixotropic droplets on a medical instrument, or a soil, or any combination thereof.