Coupling assembly

• US 20070289670A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JPro Dairy International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: JPro Dairy International, Inc.
• Inventors: Johns, Corey N., Kuitems, Tim, Johns, Garry P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,607,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/383
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a mixing unit comprising a sealed container joined to a second container. When the second container is fully united with the sealed container, a seal in the sealed container is breached and the contents of the first container and the second container can be mixed. The seal is breached by a bushing enclosed within the sealed container or enclosed in a coupler between the sealed container and the second container which is advanced against the seal, and ruptures the seal when the second container is advanced into the coupler of the coupler portion of the sealed container.

Claims

1. A coupling assembly for connecting first and second containers comprising:

a hollow housing having a conduit with a wall, a first open end and a second open end, and a seal extending across the conduit separating the two open ends, the first end adapted to receive a first container; and

a hollow bushing positioned in the conduit and adapted to be advanced toward the second end when the housing receives the first container in the first open end to breach the seal and open communication between the two open ends.

2. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 wherein the second open end is adapted to receive a second container.

3. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 wherein the conduit is joined at its second open end with a second container.

4. The coupling assembly according to claim 3 wherein second container has a first opening in communication with the conduit.

5. The coupling assembly according to claim 3 wherein the second container has a second opening.

6. The coupling assembly according to claim 5 wherein the second opening is closed off with a closure.

7. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 wherein the conduit, and the first open end have a common longitudinal axis.

8. The coupling assembly according to claim 7 wherein the seal is connected by its periphery to the conduit.

9. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the seal comprises a membrane.

10. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the seal extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

11. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the seal extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

12. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the hollow bushing has an open breaching end and an opposing open working end, the longitudinal axis of the bushing, the conduit, the open breaching end, and the open working end having a common longitudinal axis.

13. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

14. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis.

15. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing has a cutting edge.

16. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis.

17. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the seal is adapted to be torn around the greater portion of its periphery connected to the conduit when the seal is breached leaving at least a portion of its periphery connected to the wall of the conduit.

18. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the seal is adapted to be torn across its diameter and around two opposing peripheral sides connected to the conduit when the seal is breached leaving at least a portion of its periphery connected to the wall of the conduit.

19. The coupling assembly according to claim 8 wherein the seal is adapted to be torn into at least three pie-shaped segments extending from its center to its periphery and around a greater portion of the peripheral side of each pie-shaped segment connected to the wall of the conduit when the seal is breached leaving at least a portion of each peripheral side connected to the wall of the conduit.

20. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first open end of the conduit is threaded to receive the threaded nozzle of a first container.

21. The coupling assembly according to claim 20 wherein the open working end of the hollow bushing is adapted to form a sealing contact with the end of the threaded nozzle of the first container.

22. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 wherein the second open end of the conduit is threaded to receive the threaded nozzle of a second container.

23. The coupling assembly according to claim 1 wherein the open breaching end of the bushing is adapted to form a seal with the interior wall of the conduit when the bushing is full advanced into the conduit

27. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 23 wherein the conduit, the hollowing bushing, and the first open end have a common longitudinal axis.

28. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

29. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis.

30. The coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the seal extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

31. The coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the seal extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis.

32. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing has cutting edge.

33. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the open breaching end of the hollow bushing is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis.

34. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 27 wherein the seal is connected by its periphery to the conduit.

35. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the seal is a membrane.

36. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the seal extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the hollow housing.

37. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the seal extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the hollow housing.

38. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the hollow bushing has an open breaching end and an opposing open working end, the longitudinal axis of the bushing, the conduit, the open breaching end, and the open working end having a common longitudinal axis.

39. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the seal is adapted to be torn around the greater portion of its periphery connected to the conduit when the seal is breached leaving at least a portion of its periphery connected to the conduit.

40. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 where the portion of the periphery of the seal connected to the conduit after the seal is breached is thicker than the portion of the periphery of the seal torn when the seal is breached.

41. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the seal is adapted to be torn across its diameter and around two opposing peripheral sides connected to the conduit when the seal is breached leaving at least two portions of its periphery connected to the wall of the conduit.

42. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 where the two portions of the periphery of the seal connected to the conduit after the seal is breached are thicker than the two opposing peripheral sides.

43. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 28 wherein the seal is adapted to be torn into at least three pie-shaped segments extending from its center to its periphery and around a greater portion of the peripheral side of each pie-shaped segment connected to the wall of the conduit when the seal is breached leaving at least a portion of each peripheral side connected to the wall of the conduit.

44. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 43 where the portion of the peripheral side of each pie-shaped segment connected to the conduit after the seal is breached is thicker than the greater portion of the peripheral side of each pie-shaped segment.

24. A storage container with a coupling assembly for connecting to a first container comprising:

a hollow housing having a storage plenum with a first opening, a conduit in communication with the first opening, the conduit having an annular wall, and a first open end, and a seal extending across the conduit separating the first opening from the first open end, the first open end adapted to receive a first container; and

a hollow bushing positioned in the conduit between the first open end and the seal and adapted to be advanced toward the first opening when the housing receives the first container to breach the seal and open communication between the storage plenum and the first open end.

25. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the plenum storage has a second opening.

26. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 25 wherein the second opening is closed off with a cap.

45. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the first open end of the conduit is threaded to receive the threaded nozzle of a first container.

46. The storage container with a coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the open working end of the hollow bushing is adapted to form a sealing contact with the end of the threaded nozzle of the first container.

47. The coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the open breaching end of the bushing is adapted to form a seal with the interior wall of the conduit when the bushing is full advanced into the conduit.

48. The coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the seal comprises a clip seal.

49. The coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the seal comprises a recessed hinge.

50. The coupling assembly according to claim 24 wherein the bushing is tapered.

51. The coupling assembly according to claim 24 further comprising a second container having a threaded neck, wherein the bushing is integral with the threaded neck.