Propellant-free pressurized material dispenser

• US 10,239,682 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GreenSpense Ltd
• Original Assignee: GreenSpense Ltd
• Inventors: Har-Shai, Gadi, Schwartz, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Angwin, David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zadeh, Bob
• Application Number:
  US14/650,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20150307258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0061 the contents of a flexible bag being expelled by the contracting forces inherent in the bag or a sleeve fitting snugly around the bag

Abstract

A device for dispensing a material under pressure, including at least one elastic portion defining at least one wall of a chamber defining a volume within which the material is to be contained; and at least one non-elastic portion coupled to the at least one elastic portion and affecting a geometry of one or both of the elastic portion and of the chamber; wherein, at least when the material is contained within the chamber, the at least one elastic portion is stretched so as to urge a reduction in volume of the chamber by at least 70%. The non-elastic portion is optionally rigid.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing a material under pressure, comprising:

at least one elastic portion defining at least one wall of a chamber defining a volume within which said material is to be contained;

at least one non-elastic portion coupled to said at least one elastic portion and affecting a geometry of one or more of;

(i) said at least one elastic portion, and (ii) said chamber; and

an outlet for dispensing said material out from said chamber;

wherein, at least when the material is contained within said chamber, said at least one elastic portion is stretched so as to apply inwardly directed compressive forces and urge a reduction in the volume of said chamber;

wherein said at least one elastic portion is still stretched to apply inwardly directed compressive forces when said chamber is empty of the material, wherein at least when said chamber is empty, said outlet, said at least one elastic portion and said at least one non-elastic portion are parallel to a longitudinal axis of said chamber, and wherein when said chamber is filled with said material, at least a portion of said at least one elastic portion and said at least one non-elastic portion moves perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one non-elastic portion is rigid.

3. The device according to claim 2, comprising the outlet from said chamber defined in said at least one elastic portion.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a valve attached at said outlet;

wherein upon opening said valve, material is dispensed from said chamber.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein said outlet is disposed on said rigid portion.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said chamber applies a compressive force on said material in a direction which is within 20 degrees of a perpendicular to said outlet, when the material is dispensed from said chamber through said outlet.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein said chamber is enclosed by said at least one elastic portion and said at least one rigid portion.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein said at least one elastic portion conforms to at least most of a chamber wall defined by said at least one rigid portion, when said at least one elastic portion is at a most relaxed state thereof.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said elastic portion is not flat when relaxed.

10. The device of claim 2, comprising a base on which said device stands;

wherein said at least one elastic portion is configured to expand, when the chamber is filled parallel to said base.

11. The device according to claim 2, wherein said chamber is defined by at least two elastic portions facing each other and wherein said at least one rigid portion maintains a shape of said chamber along at least one dimension thereof.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said rigid portion is reinforced.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein said at least two elastic portions approach each other to less than a distance of 2 mm over at least 50% of their area when said volume is empty.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein said at least one rigid portion defines a volume for said at least two elastic portions to expand into without extending past a bounding geometry defined by at least one said rigid portion, said volume being at least 3 millimeters in a direction of expansion of at least one of said at least two elastic portions.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein said at least one rigid portion is provided in two parts which clamp said at least two elastic portions therebetween.

16. The device according to claim 2, wherein said at least one elastic portion has different resistance to stretching in different directions along a wall of said chamber.

17. The device according to claim 2, wherein at least one portion of said at least one elastic portion is non-planar.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said at least one elastic portion has a varying thickness when at rest.

19. The device of claim 2, wherein a portion of at least one elastic portion is reinforced with a non-expanding element.

20. The device according to claim 2, wherein one or more of said at least one elastic portion and said at least one non-elastic portion includes an impermeable coating.

21. The device according to claim 2, comprising at least one impermeable layer between said material and said at least one elastic portion.

22. The device according to claim 2, wherein said at least one rigid portion maintains a geometry of said chamber along at least one dimension thereof.

23. The device according to claim 2, wherein said chamber is configured to apply a pressure of at least 6 bar.

24. The device according to claim 1, comprising the outlet from said chamber defined in said at least one non-elastic portion.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein said non-elastic portion is flexible.

26. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one non-elastic portion comprises two rigid portions, wherein said elastic portion connects said two rigid portions at perimeters thereof such that when said chamber is filled with said material said elastic portion stretches to increase a separation between said two rigid portions.

27. The device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of said at least one elastic portion is from about 0.5 mm to about 7 mm.