Dispensing pump accessories for preventing the ingress of air and for aiding in alignment

Accessories are provided for preventing the ingress of air into a dispensing pump (P) and to align a discharge aperture of the dispensing pump with a target, such as an eye (E). A dip tube (10) is disclosed that is sealed with a sealing plug (22) to serve as a liquid reservoir for the dispensing pump. A pliant dip tube (100) is also disclosed to which is mounted an anchor (108) that causes the dip tube (100) to be responsive to gravitational orientation of a dispensing pump (P). In a third embodiment of the invention, a liquid reservoir (200) is formed with a recess (208) that is covered by a semi-permeable membrane (212). The semi-permeable membrane restricts flow in and out of the recess (208) to maintain a supply of liquid (L) about an end (210) of a dip tube (206). In a fourth embodiment, a safety is provided that comprises a safety ball (304), a blind aperture (306) defined in a nozzle cap (302), and a conical depression (308) defined in the dispensing pump (P). The safety ensures that the dispensing pump (P) is only actuated with the discharge aperture (300) of the dispensing pump (P) being oriented within a predetermined angular range of operation (α, β). In a fifth embodiment, a dispensing pump (P) includes a pump cylinder (400) that has one end thereof in close proximity to a base (402) of a liquid reservoir (404). A capillary action is created to cause liquid (L) to be drawn into the inlet opening (406) of the pump cylinder (400). Alignment aids (502; 600) are also disclosed to allow for proper alignment of a discharge aperture (500; 602) of a dispensing pump (P) with the eye (E) of a user.