Container For Mixing

• US 20120312706A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICA TriNova, LLC
• Original Assignee: ICA TriNova, LLC
• Inventors: Tenney, Joel, Isaac, Thomas L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,622,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/222
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/32 for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture containers with removable or destructible partitions B65D25/08 ; closures combined with auxiliary containers B65D51/28; in aerosol containers B65D83/682; amalgam capsules A61C5/66; containers for pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/20, A61M5/19; medical syringes A61M3/005, resin cartridges for grouting anchoring-bolts in mines E21D20/026

Abstract

A self-contained generator/fumigator and delivery system is described herein that provides for sealed containment to store, isolate and protect two or more solid and/or liquid reactants in separate chambers. Upon activation, the container facilitates robust mixing of the reactants, the containment thereof and allows the release of a pre-determined amount of gaseous products, e.g., chlorine dioxide, carbon dioxide and others, into a targeted volume of water, air or other solution.

Claims

1. A container for allowing selective combination of a plurality of materials, the container comprising:

a base defining at least two cavities, each cavity configured to contain one of the plurality of materials;

at least one seal separating the at least two cavities and configured to hold the plurality of materials therein; and

a lid configured to rotate with respect to the base and puncture the seal so as to allow intermixing of the plurality of materials.

2. A container of claim 1, wherein the lid includes a cutter configured to puncture the seal.

3. A container of claim 2, wherein the cutter is configured to be advanced through the seal when the lid is in at least one rotational position with respect to the base.

4. A container of claim 1, wherein the lid includes a skirt configured to extend around a peripheral wall of the base.

5. A container of claim 4, wherein the skirt and peripheral wall have a cylindrical shape.

6. A container of claim 4, wherein the peripheral wall of the base includes one of a retaining ledge or a retaining clip and the lid includes another one of the retaining ledge and retaining clip, wherein the retaining clip is configured to extend over the retaining ledge so as to hold the base and lid together.

7. A container of claim 6, wherein one of the base or the lid defines at least one clip retention slot configured to receive the retaining clip therein when the cutter is advanced through the seal so as to lock the base and lid together against further movement.

8. A container of claim 7, wherein the retaining clip includes a pawl biased at its free end toward the center of the lid.

9. A container of claim 1, wherein the lid includes a lid sealing track configured to abut a base sealing rim when the lid punctures the seal.

10. A container of claim 9, wherein the seal includes a portion configured to be trapped between the lid sealing track and the base sealing rim after the cutter has punctured the seal.

11. A container of claim 10, wherein the lid includes a cutter that is configured to be advanced through the seal when the lid is in at least one rotational position with respect to the base.

12. A container of claim 11, wherein the cutter is configured to extend adjacent and to the base sealing rim and internal to a respective one of the cavities when the seal is punctured.

13. A container of claim 12, wherein the cutter has an outer surface closest to the base sealing rim and a free cutting edge positioned further from the base sealing rim than the outer surface.

14. A container of claim 13, wherein the seal, when cut, leaves a tail end extending between the cutter and the base sealing rim.

15. A container of claim 14, wherein the tail end extends onto the cutter.

16. A container of claim 15, wherein the cutter extends substantially entirely along the base sealing rim.

17. A container of claim 16, wherein the base further includes a divider positioned between the cavities.

18. A container of claim 17, wherein the cutter includes at least one gap to provide clearance for the divider.

19. A container of claim 18, wherein the cutter is a saw tooth cutter.

20. A container of claim 1, wherein the lid includes a plurality of perforations configured to let gasses escape therethrough.

21. A container of claim 20, wherein the lid includes a semi-permeable membrane covering the perforations.

22. A container of claim 1, wherein the base includes a guide track configured to guide the base for filling of the cavities.

23. A container of claim 22, wherein the base defines an alignment key configured to align the base and its guide track.

24. A container of claim 1, wherein one of the lid or the base includes a keyway and the other of the lid or the base includes a key configured to fit when the lid and base are aligned for puncture of the seal.

25. A container of claim 24, wherein the lid and base include overlapping skirt and peripheral walls.

26. A container of claim 25, wherein alignment of the key and keyway allow compression of the lid and base together to increase overlap of the skirt and peripheral walls along with puncture of the seal.

27. A container of claim 26, wherein sufficient space remains between the compressed lid and base to allow intermixing of the materials in a mixing space defined by the lid after puncture of the seal.

28. A method of mixing a plurality of materials, the method comprising:

rotating a lid with respect to a base;

puncturing at least one seal covering at least two cavities, each cavity containing one of the plurality of materials; and

mixing the materials together after they are freed from their respective cavities.

29. A method of claim 28, wherein puncturing the seal includes advancing a cutter through the seal when the lid is in at least one rotational position with respect to the base.

30. A method of claim 29, wherein rotating the lid includes sliding a retaining clip along a retaining ledge until a key fits a keyway.

31. A method of claim 30, further comprising compressing the lid and base together to puncture the seal.

32. A method of claim 31, further comprising sealing an interface between the lid and base against leakage with a portion of the punctured seal.

33. A method of claim 32, further comprising shaking the lid and base to mix the materials in a space defined in the lid.