Method of packaging under pressure of a fluid, using a system of fermentation creating a propulsive gas

• US 5,054,651 A
• Filed: 11/05/1990
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Morane, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US07/609,367
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 222/94, 222/105, 222/106, 222/130, 222/386.5, 222/396, 222/399, 222/389, 435/171, 435/940, 435/287, 435/300
• US Class Current: 222/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/30 for aerosols aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/94 Saccharomyces

Abstract

In a packaging container (1a) provided with a distribution valve (7), a chamber is provided enclosing the starting components of a system (9) for the anaerobic fermentation of sugars using yeasts, which produce the carbon gas forming said propulsive product. The chamber is composed either of a flexible, gas-tight, hermetically closed pocket (8) or of a small rigid reservoir, which is normally closed by a valve calibrated to open only when the pressure which is established in said reservoir exceeds by a given value the pressure reigning in the interior space of the packing container.

Claims

1. A method for packing under pressure a liquid or pasty fluid intended to be distributed from a packing container (1a, 101a, 201a) provided with a distribution valve (7, 107, 207), with said fluid to be distributed (1b, 101b, 201b) being placed under pressure by means of a propulsive gas, in accordance with which method the propulsive gas is carbon gas obtained by anaerobic fermentation of a system (9, 109, 209) for fermentation of sugars using yeasts, with the components of said fermentation system (9, 109, 209) being selected qualitatively and quantitatively such that the carbon gas produced creates, inside the packing container (1a, 101a, 201a), a pressure capable of ensuring the distribution of the fluid (1b, 101b, 201b) by said valve (7, 107, 207), wherein the fermentation system is contained in a chamber (8, 108, 208) provided inside the container.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein simple sugars, such as glucose, and complex sugars, such as saccharose, in an aqueous medium can be used as the sugars.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein yeasts belonging to the Saccharomyces genus are used.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one doping agent, selected in particular from among the vitamins, such as biotine and thiamine is added to the starting components of the fermentation system (9, 109, 209).

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein, as the chamber in which the starting components of the fermentation system (9) are placed, a flexible pocket (8) is used, which is gas-tight and which is then hermetically closed, with said flexible pocket (8) being such that, once totally inflated, it is capable of occupying a volume at least equal to the internal volume of the packing container (1a).

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, enabling the distribution of liquid substances, wherein, as the chamber in which the starting components of the fermentation system (109) are placed, a small rigid reservoir (108) is used, which is normally closed by a valve (110), which is calibrated to open only when the pressure which is established in said reservoir (108) exceeds by a given amount that reigning in the interior space of the packing container (101a), with said reservoir (108) being ballasted so that the liquid phase of the fermentation system (109) is always beneath said valve (110), whatever the pressure of the packing container (101a).

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein, as the chamber in which the starting components of the fermentation system (209) are placed, a small rigid reservoir (208) is used, which in turn is contained in a hermetically closed, flexible envelope (212).