Method and apparatus for maintaining a pressure within a product dispenser

• US 5,035,351 A
• Filed: 01/26/1990
• Issued: 07/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CCL Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CCL Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Moran, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Application Number:
  US07/470,911
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 222/386.5, 222/389, 222/94, 222/130, 222/394, 222/80, 222/82
• US Class Current: 222/394
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/625 the propellant being generated by a chemical or electrochemical reaction for pressure gas in portable fire extinguishers A62C13/02

Abstract

An apparatus reestablishes an initial dispensing pressure after each spray down or dispensing of product. A hollow member contains a gas and a liquid reactant. The member has a walled portion with a gas permeable opening. At a pressure equilibrium, where the pressure inside the member equals that outside of the member, substantially no gas or liquid passes in or out of the member through the opening. When product is dispensed the pressure outside of the tube decreases. With this pressure differential the gas in the member forces the liquid reactant out of the tube and into the surrounding environment. A second reactant, disposed outside of the member, mixes with the first reactant to regenerate a pressure outside of the tube, thereby reestablishing an initial dispensing pressure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating a pressure and substantially maintaining that pressure, comprising:

a first enclosure;

a first reactant disposed in said first enclosure;

a second enclosure, disposed within said first enclosure, comprising a walled structure including a permeable opening in one portion of said walled structure;

a liquid reactant disposed in said second enclosure; and

a first gas disposed in said second enclosure in an amount sufficient to overcome the surface tension of said liquid reactant at said permeable opening when the pressure within said second enclosure is not in substantial equilibrium with the pressure in said first enclosure surrounding said second enclosure, said liquid reactant being disposed between said first gas and said permeable opening;

wherein the size of said permeable opening is such that at a pressure equilibrium where a pressure within said second enclosure equals a pressure in said first enclosure surrounding said second enclosure, said liquid reactant does not substantially pass through said permeable opening into said first enclosure region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second enclosure comprises a plurality of permeable openings in said walled structure, each permeable opening having a size such that when a pressure within said second enclosure equals a pressure in said first enclosure surrounding said second enclosure, said second reactant does not substantially pass through said permeable opening into said first enclosure region.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second enclosure is oriented in said first enclosure to maintain said permeable opening out of contact with said first reactant.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said second enclosure is oriented in said first enclosure to maintain said permeable opening out of contact with said first reactant.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second enclosure further comprises a stem portion, disposed in said first reactant to maintain said permeable opening out of contact with said first reactant.

6. An apparatus for generating a pressure and substantially maintaining that pressure, comprising:

a first enclosure;

a first reactant disposed in said first enclosure;

a second enclosure, disposed within said first enclosure, comprising a walled structure including a permeable opening in one portion of said walled structure;

a second reactant disposed in said second enclosure; and

a first gas disposed in said second enclosure, said second reactant being disposed between said first gas and said permeable opening;

wherein the size of said permeable opening is such that at a pressure equilibrium where a pressure within said second enclosure equals a pressure in said first enclosure surrounding said second enclosure, said second reactant does not substantially pass through said permeable opening into said first enclosure region; and

a non-reacting solid disposed in said second enclosure and said permeable opening being disposed along a central section of said second enclosure.

7. An apparatus for generating a pressure and substantially maintaining that pressure, comprising:

a first enclosure;

a first reactant disposed in said first enclosure;

a second enclosure, disposed within said first enclosure, comprising a walled structure including a permeable opening in one portion of said walled structure;

a second reactant disposed in said second enclosure; and

a first gas disposed in said second enclosure, said second reactant being disposed between said first gas and said permeable opening;

wherein the size of said permeable opening is such that at a pressure equilibrium where a pressure within said second enclosure equals a pressure in said first enclosure surrounding said second enclosure, said second reactant does not substantially pass through said permeable opening into said first enclosure region; and

an immiscible liquid disposed in said second enclosure between said first gas and said second reactant.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said immiscible liquid has a density less than said second reactant.

9. An apparatus for generating a pressure and substantially maintaining that pressure, comprising:

a first enclosure;

a first reactant disposed in said first enclosure;

a second enclosure, disposed within said first enclosure, comprising a walled structure including a permeable opening in one portion of said walled structure;

a second reactant disposed in said second enclosure; and

a first gas disposed in said second enclosure, said second reactant being disposed between said first gas and said permeable opening;

wherein the size of said permeable opening is such that at a pressure equilibrium where a pressure within said second enclosure equals a pressure in said first enclosure surrounding said second enclosure, said second reactant does not substantially pass through said permeable opening into said first enclosure region; and

a float disposed in said second enclosure between said first gas and said second reactant.

10. A system for maintaining and dispensing pressure in a container for dispensing product, comprising:

a first enclosure;

a bag disposed in said first enclosure;

a first reactant disposed in said bag;

a hollow tubular member disposed in said bag, said hollow tubular member including an aperture disposed in a first position of said hollow tubular member;

a gas disposed in said hollow tubular member; and

a second reactant disposed in said hollow tubular member between said gas and said aperture wherein said aperture is sized to permit a flow of gas into said hollow tubular member when the pressure in said bag and external to said tubular member exceeds the pressure within said tubular member and permits a flow of said second reactant out of said tubular member when said pressure in said bag, external to said tubular member, is less than the pressure within said tubular member; and

means within said hollow tubular member to prevent said gas from directly contacting said aperture to facilitate product dispensing from said container when held at different various orientations.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said hollow tubular member is oriented in said bag in such a manner as to maintain said aperture out of contact with said first reactant.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said hollow tubular member comprises a stem portion, disposed in said first reactant and having sufficient length to maintain said aperture out of contact with said first reactant.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said means to prevent said gas from contacting said aperture comprises a non-reacting solid disposed in said hollow tubular member and wherein said aperture is disposed along a central section of said hollow tubular member.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said means to prevent said gas from contacting said aperture comprises an immiscible liquid disposed in said hollow tubular member between said gas and said second reactant.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said immiscible liquid has a density less than said second reactant.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein said means to prevent said gas from contacting said aperture comprises a float disposed in said hollow tubular member between said gas and said second reactant.

17. A method for maintaining a pressure in a product dispensing container comprising the steps of:

disposing a first reactant in a first enclosure;

disposing a liquid reactant and a gas in a hollow body that includes at least two apertures;

disposing said hollow body in said first enclosure with said apertures located above said first reactant;

generating a starting pressure in said first enclosure, said starting pressure being greater than an initial pressure in said hollow body thereby causing gas to enter said hollow body through one of said apertures;

utilizing said gas entering said hollow body to overcome the surface tension of said liquid reactant to force said liquid reactant out of said hollow body downwardly through the other of said apertures when a pressure in said first enclosure falls below a pressure in said hollow body; and

creating compensating pressure in said first enclosure by the reaction of a combination of said first and liquid reactants; and

regulating the amount of liquid reactant to be forced from said hollow body so as to reestablish a pressure in said first enclosure substantially equal to said starting pressure after a dispensing of product from the container.

18. A method for producing a product dispensing container that maintains a substantially constant dispensing pressure, comprising the steps of:

producing a hollow enclosure containing a liquid reactant and a gas, said hollow enclosure comprising a walled member having at least one aperture;

separating said liquid reactant and gas to prevent said gas from directly contacting said aperture at different orientations of said product dispensing container;

inserting said hollow enclosure into a pouch;

disposing a second reactant in said pouch;

inserting said pouch in a container;

activating a pressurization mechanism to produce a first pressure in said pouch; and

filling said container with product after said first pressure is attained wherein as the pressure inside of said pouch increases the gas pressure inside said hollow enclosure is also increased to establish a pressure equilibrium.

19. A method for maintaining a pressure in a product dispenser during a successive dispensing operation comprising the steps of:

disposing a gas and a liquid reactant in an enclosure having gas permeable and liquid permeable apertures;

establishing an initial equilibrium pressure within said dispenser;

providing sufficient apertures in said enclosure to facilitate that the pressure in said gas permeable enclosure is equal to a pressure in an area immediately surrounding said enclosure;

reducing pressure in said area immediately surrounding said enclosure;

forcing said liquid reactant from said enclosure through said liquid permeable aperture in response to the step of reducing pressure;

reestablishing said initial pressure by mixing said liquid reactant forced from said enclosure, with a second reactant; and

regulating the amount of liquid reactant forced through said liquid permeable aperture from said enclosure to produce a second pressure in said dispenser substantially equal to said equilibrium pressure.

20. A product dispenser comprising:

a first container;

an inflatable pouch inserted in said first container;

first means, disposed in said inflatable pouch and responsive to an initialization procedure for generating a starting pressure within said inflatable pouch; and

second means, disposed in said inflatable pouch, for establishing a pressure substantially equal to said starting pressure after product is dispensed, said second means comprising;

a second container including a gas, an aperture, and a gas permeable wall portion;

a first reactant disposed in said second container;

a second reactant disposed in said inflatable pouch and proximate to said second container wherein said second container includes means, responsive to a depressurization in said inflatable pouch, for forcing said first reactant out of said second container via said aperture and into said inflatable pouch to mix with said second reactant to repressurize said inflatable pouch; and

means disposed within said second container to prevent said gas from directly contacting said aperture.

21. A product dispenser comprising:

a first container;

an inflatable pouch inserted in said first container;

first means, disposed in said inflatable pouch and responsive to an initialization procedure for generating a starting pressure within said inflatable pouch; and

second means, disposed in said inflatable pouch, for establishing a pressure substantially equal to said starting pressure after product is dispensed, said second means comprising;

a second container including a gas permeable wall portion;

a first reactant disposed in said second container; and

a second reactant disposed in said inflatable pouch and proximate to said second container wherein said second container includes means, responsive to a depressurization in said inflatable pouch, for forcing said first reactant out of said second container and into said inflatable pouch to mix with said second reactant to repressurize said inflatable pouch; and

wherein said second container comprises;

a hollow tubular member having a first and second end;

first means responsive to a pressure imbalance between a first pressure inside said second container and a second pressure surrounding said second container for permitting a flow of gas into said second container when said pressure exceeds said first pressure; and

second means responsive to a pressure imbalance between said first and second pressure for permitting a flow of said first reactant out of said second container when said first pressure exceeds said second pressure.

22. The product dispenser of claim 21 wherein said first means is a first pneumatic valve disposed at said first end of said hollow tubular member and said second means is a second pneumatic valve disposed at a said second end of said hollow tubular member.

23. The product dispenser of claim 22 wherein said second end of said hollow tubular member is disposed in contact with said second reactant.

24. A system for dispensing viscous product from a container under pressure which comprises:

a container including a gas generating chamber and a product holding chamber therein;

a first reactant disposed in said gas generating chamber for creating a gas pressure to be exerted on the product to be dispensed;

a pressure regulating mechanism for insertion into said gas generating chamber of said container, said pressure regulating mechanism comprising a hollow elongated member having a first portion and a second portion, and including a second reactant and a gas disposed therein;

gas entry means disposed in said first portion of said hollow elongated member;

exit means disposed in said second portion to allow for discharging said second reactant from said hollow elongated member when a pressure in said hollow elongated member exceeds a pressure outside of said hollow elongated member; and

means disposed within said hollow elongated member to prevent said gas from directly contacting said exit means to facilitate product dispensing from said container when held at different orientations.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said means to prevent said gas from contacting said exit means comprises a non-reacting solid disposed in said hollow elongated member and wherein said exit means is an aperture disposed along a central section of said hollow elongated member.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein said means to prevent said gas from contacting said exit means comprises an immiscible liquid disposed in said hollow elongated member between said gas and said second reactant.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said immiscible liquid has a density less than said second reactant.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein said means to prevent said gas from contacting said exit means comprises a float disposed in said hollow tubular member between said gas and said second reactant.

29. A system for dispensing viscous product from a container under pressure which comprises:

a container including therein a gas generating chamber and a product holding chamber in communication therewith;

a pressure regulating mechanism for insertion into said gas generating chamber that includes a gas permeable wall and a liquid reactant therein, said pressure regulating mechanism being responsive to an initialization procedure for generating a starting pressure within said gas generating chamber and including means for establishing a pressure substantially equal to said starting pressure after product is dispensed from said container;

a reactant disposed in said gas generating chamber to create a gas pressure to be exerted on the product being dispensed, said reactant being disposed proximate to said pressure regulating mechanism, wherein said pressure regulating mechanism includes means, responsive to a depressurization in said gas generating chamber, for forcing said liquid reactant out of said pressure regulating mechanism and into said gas generating chamber to mix with said reactant therein to repressurize said gas generating chamber; and

wherein said pressure regulating mechanism comprises;

a hollow tubular member having a first and a second end;

first means responsive to a pressure imbalance between a first pressure inside said pressure regulating mechanism and a second pressure surrounding said pressure regulating mechanism for permitting a flow of gas into said pressure regulating mechanism when said surrounding pressure exceeds said first pressure; and

second means responsive to a pressure imbalance between said first and second pressure for permitting a flow of said liquid reactant out of said pressure regulating mechanism when said first pressure exceeds said second surrounding pressure.