Modular microbarrier™ cap delivery system for attachment to the neck of a container
First Claim
1. A modular MicroBarrier cap delivery system for integration in the neck of a container for contamination-free delivery of a flowable material residing in the container comprising:
- a cap including a seat operatively connected with the reservoir for defining a flow path for the flowable material;
said seat comprising one or more vanes, each vane having a major surface aligned for imparting unidirectional laminar flow in the flow path, and a blocking portion for preventing flow when an adjacent seal is conformably mated with the seat in a first or closed state;
said seal responsive to an applied pressure comprising a sealing surface for conformably mating with the seat to prevent flow in said first state, said sealing surface defining a bore coaxially aligned with the blocking portion of the seat for enabling unidirectional flow through the bore when the seal and seat are in a second or open state;
means for activating and deactivating the pressure to enable said seal to transition reversibly between the first and second states;
means for attaching the modular cap to the neck of a container;
a closure that movably attaches to the modular cap for sealing the bore of the said seal when not in use.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A modular cap delivery system comprising an elastomeric seal and conformably engaging seat can be affixed to or integrated in the neck of a container such as a bottle, flexible bag, tube, or any container having a neck and holding a quantity of a flowable medium. The configuration of the seal and seat eliminate the influx of air, airborne pathogens, or any contaminant into the container of flowable medium to which the delivery device is attached, thereby maintaining the integrity and sterility of a flowable material, even when challenged by direct contact through immersion in suspensions of bacteria or viruses. The delivery device is highly scalable in size, can work for viscous fluids that are difficult to flow, and enables a flowable material to be reformulated without preservatives or antioxidants. This provides the advantage of an enhanced therapeutic effect for many medications, particularly eye care solutions. The sterility of a product such as Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk and other dairy products can be maintained without the need for refrigeration. When used as a cap for fitment over a bottle of wine, it can substantially prevent oxidation and degradation of wine after the container is opened. The delivery system also can be used to maintain the carbonation of soft drinks, beer, or the like, even over repeated usage thereby prolonging the useful life of a carbonated beverage substantially to that of the beverage'"'"'s shelf life.
144 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A modular MicroBarrier cap delivery system for integration in the neck of a container for contamination-free delivery of a flowable material residing in the container comprising:
-
a cap including a seat operatively connected with the reservoir for defining a flow path for the flowable material;
said seat comprising one or more vanes, each vane having a major surface aligned for imparting unidirectional laminar flow in the flow path, and a blocking portion for preventing flow when an adjacent seal is conformably mated with the seat in a first or closed state;
said seal responsive to an applied pressure comprising a sealing surface for conformably mating with the seat to prevent flow in said first state, said sealing surface defining a bore coaxially aligned with the blocking portion of the seat for enabling unidirectional flow through the bore when the seal and seat are in a second or open state;
means for activating and deactivating the pressure to enable said seal to transition reversibly between the first and second states;
means for attaching the modular cap to the neck of a container;
a closure that movably attaches to the modular cap for sealing the bore of the said seal when not in use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
a fluid reservoir; and
a volumetrically reducible container pre-sealed with a volume of flowable material reformulated without preservatives or other additives and an automatic means for piercing the seal as said modular cap is installed.
-
-
5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the modular cap maintains the integrity of a beverage from such effects as biological degradation, oxidation, chemical degradation, carbonation escape, evaporation and entrance of microbes.
-
6. A modular cap delivery system including a MicroBarrier™
- seal for integration in the neck of a container of flowable medium for contamination-free delivery and maintenance of the integrity of the flowable medium in the container, said modular cap delivery system comprising;
a cap comprising a first surface including an outlet, a peripheral wall having an inner surface and outer surface extending continuously from the first surface to a rim;
sealing means provided in the inner surface of the peripheral wall for seal-tight engagement of the cap and neck of the container of flowable medium;
a seat having a solid portion and a reversibly deformable seal having a perforation coextensive with the solid portion of the seat, said seal and seat being held in operative engagement by the peripheral wall of the cap for defining a flow path of flowable medium from the neck of the container through the cap outlet, and wherein the seal and seat are movable between a closed position and open position upon deformation of the seal by a mechanical force, electromagnetic field, thermal variation, or other action sufficient to cause said deformation;
and wherein the seat constrains the flowable material to assume a tube of flow through the seat; and
the perforation of the seal conformably engages against the solid portion of the seat in the closed position to create a sealing surface between the seal and seat;
such that flowable material at the sealing surface is entrapped as one or more layers for bonding the seal and seat, and said entrapped material is unavailable for back flow migration of contaminating matter.
- seal for integration in the neck of a container of flowable medium for contamination-free delivery and maintenance of the integrity of the flowable medium in the container, said modular cap delivery system comprising;
-
7. A modular cap delivery system for integration with the neck of a container of a flowable medium for providing contamination-free delivery and maintenance of the sterility and integrity of the flowable medium without back flow or entry of microorganisms, comprising:
-
a cap surface having an outlet port, a peripheral wall extending continuously from the cap surface to a rim for engagement with the neck of the container;
means provided in the peripheral wall for holding a seal and seat in operative engagement for reversibly transitioning between an open and closed state;
the seat comprising a sealing surface including a first solid portion and a peripheral surface coterminous with the peripheral wall for producing a tube of flow of the flowable material along a flow path from the neck of the container;
the seal defining a sealing surface and a bore coextensive with the solid portion of the seat, said bore including an outlet for conducting the tube of flow along the flow path to the outlet port of the cap when the seal and seat are in the open state;
wherein the sealing surfaces of seat and seal are characterized by surface imperfections limited to a range of less than 5 μ
m and the sealing surface of the seat comprises an arcuate shape for imparting a bias to the seal when conformably engaged against the seat, thereby providing a predetermined cracking pressure or strong restorative force for transitioning between closed and open states such that the open state discharges fluid out of the cap outlet port, while preventing backflow of matter, including microorganisms, into the container; and
,means for effecting a transition of the seal and seat between the closed and open state. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
Specification