GAS GENERATING DEVICE AND USE OF THE DEVICE IN CONTINUOUS LIQUID SUPPLY

• US 20050006401A1
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-WHA Fresenius Kabi Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-WHA Fresenius Kabi Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Yong-Nyun
• Granted Patent: US 7,985,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/40 Effervescence-generating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 10/28 Tabletting; Making food bars by compression of a dry powdered mixture
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0007 Effervescent A61K9/0065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2072 characterised by shape, structure or size; Tablets with holes, special break lines or identification marks; Partially coated tablets; Disintegrating flat shaped forms A61K9/0004, A61K9/0056, A61K9/0065 take precedence

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure

The present invention relates to a solid formulation, more particularly to a pellet-type formulation that produces CO₂ gas in a constant rate when contacting liquid acid. The pellet-type formulation of the invention is characterized in that the pellet is produced by the following: preparing a pellet by extrusion molding a composition that comprises a major amount of Sodium Carbonate (Na₂CO₃) and a minor amount of gelatin, and additionally a minor amount of synthetic resin that hardly reacts with acid; coating said pellet with a resin that hardly reacts with acid; and forming a recess or a hole at the center of the pellet. The present invention also relates to a process of preparing a pellet-type formulation that produces CO₂ gas in a constant rate when contacting liquid acid.

Claims

1. A gas generating device, comprising:

a body formed from a composition comprising a chemical compound which is capable of generating a gas from a reaction of the composition with an activating compound;

a coating of a material on the body, the material being substantially resistant to the activating compound; and

at least one exposed area of the body that is not covered by the coating.

2. The device of Claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises gelatin.

3. The device of Claim 2, wherein the gelatin is contained in the composition in an amount sufficient to maintain a structure of the body by absorbing at least a portion of the water generated along with the gas during the reaction.

4. The device of Claim 2, wherein the gelatin is contained in an amount from about 0.5% to about 5% of a total weight of the composition.

5. The device of Claim 2, wherein the gelatin is contained in an amount from about 1.5% to about 3% of a total weight of the composition.

6. The device of Claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a resin substantially resistant to the activating compound.

7. The device of Claim 6, wherein the resin is contained in the composition in an amount sufficient to sustain the reaction between the chemical compound and the activating compound for an extended period of time.

8. The device of Claim 6, wherein the resin is contained in an amount from about 3% to about 15% of a total weight of the composition.

9. The device of Claim 6, wherein the resin is contained in an amount from about 5% to about 10% of a total weight of the composition.

10. The device of Claim 1, wherein the chemical compound is contained in the composition in an amount from about 70% to about 95% of a total weight of the composition.

11. The device of Claim 1, wherein the composition comprises from about 87wt% to about 92wt% of the chemical compound, from about 5% to about 10% of PMMA resin, and from about 1.5% to about 3% of gelatin.

12. The device of Claim 1, wherein the exposed area is substantially smaller than the total surface area of the body.

13. The device of Claim 1, wherein prior to the reaction with the activating compound, the exposed area is less than about 20% of the total surface area of the body.

14. The device of Claim 1, wherein the body has a substantially cylindrical aperture, wherein the at least one exposed area is located on a surface of the substantially cylindrical aperture.

15. The device of Claim 1, wherein the body is substantially cylindrical and has a substantially cylindrical hollow, and wherein the at least one exposed area is located on a surface of the substantially cylindrical hollow.

16. The device of Claim 1, wherein the body is substantially elongated, and wherein the at least one exposed area is located at about an end of the substantially elongated body.

17. The device of Claim 1, wherein the chemical compound is selected from the group consisting of metal carbonates and metal hydrogen carbonates.

18. The device of Claim 17, wherein the metal carbonates comprise sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, and wherein the metal hydrogen carbonates comprise sodium hydrogen carbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate.

19. The device of Claim 1, wherein the activating compound is selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, citric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.

20. A method of making the device of Claim 1, comprising:

providing the composition comprising the chemical compound;

forming the composition into a shaped body;

coating the shaped body of the composition with a material substantially resistant to the activating compound; and

forming the at least one exposed area.

21. The method of Claim 20, further comprising designing shape, size and location of the at least one exposed area so as to accomplish a controlled generation of the gas for an extended period of time upon contacting the device with the activating compound.

22. The method of Claim 21, wherein the extended period of time is from about 3 minutes to about 24 hours.

23. A method of generating a gas, comprising:

providing the device of Claim 1;

contacting the device with the activating compound; and

allowing the activating compound to contact the at least one exposed area of the device and to react with the chemical compound of the composition, thereby generating the gas.

24. A method of moving a piston, comprising:

contacting the activating compound with the chemical compound through the at least one exposed area of the device of Claim 1, thereby generating a gas;

collecting the generated gas in an enclosed space, the gas having a pressure within the enclosed space; and

moving a piston with the pressure of the gas.

25. A method of supplying a liquid, comprising:

providing a liquid contained in a container having an outlet;

providing the device of Claim 1 and the activating compound;

contacting the activating compound with the chemical compound through the at least one exposed area of the device, thereby generating a gas;

collecting the generated gas in an enclosed space, the gas having a pressure within the enclosed space;

forcing the liquid contained in the container with the pressure of the gas, thereby discharging the liquid from the container through the outlet;

supplying the discharged liquid to a person or object in need of such supply.

26. The method of Claim 25, wherein contacting the activating compound with the chemical compound is continued for an extended period of time.

27. The method of Claim 25, wherein supplying the discharged liquid is continued for an extended period of time.

28. A liquid supplying apparatus, comprising:

a holder configured to hold the device of Claim 1;

the activating compound;

an activator configured so that the device and the activating compound are in contact with each other so as to generate a gas; and

a liquid container for containing a liquid, the liquid container having an interior volume, wherein the interior volume of the liquid container is configured to be susceptible to an amount of the generated gas such that the interior volume decreases substantially proportionally to an amount of the generated gas.

29. A solid composition for use in generating a gas, comprising gelatin and a chemical compound capable of generating a gas in a reaction with an acid.

30. The solid composition of Claim 29, wherein the gelatin is contained in an amount from about 1.5% to about 3% of a total weight of the composition.

31. (Currently Amended) The solid composition of Claim 29, further comprising a resin substantially resistant to the activating compound acid.