Method for creating a ready-to-use product from a concentrated form

• US 7,131,468 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Olson, Keith E., Outlaw, Tina O., Skavnak, James E., Schuman, Allan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douyon, Lorna M.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 141/9, 141/100, 141/104, 141/2, 141/18, 141/94, 534/68, 534/74, 510/406
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/483 using water for diluting a liquid ingredient, obtaining a predetermined concentration or making an aqueous solution of a concentrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/84 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles receiving material dispensed from several component receptacles, e.g. paint tins
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/02 for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/741 mechanically operated

Abstract

A method for creating a ready-to-use product from a concentrated form comprises providing a source of locally supplied diluent to a dispenser having a fill station, providing a container of first concentrate at a remote site, providing a first product container, identifying the container by the dispenser, placing indicia with the fill date on the first product container and filling the container with the diluent and the concentrate.

Claims

1. A method of diluting a cleaning concentrate to form a ready-to-use consumer product for consumer markets, comprising:

a) providing a source of locally supplied diluent, that is not shipped in, to a dispenser having a fill station;

b) providing a container of first concentrate at a remote site, the supply of first concentrate is located in an area out a visual line of sight from the dispenser;

c) providing a first product container;

d) picking one of the containers;

e) placing said container in fill station;

f) identifying the container by the dispenser;

g) determining fill date and placing indicia with the fill date on the first product container; and

h) filling at the filling station the product container with an amount of diluent and concentrated cleaning in a predetermined amount.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a) removing a fitment from the first container prior to placing in the dispenser; and

b) reapplying the fitment to the first container after filling.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the dispenser has two or more filling stations.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein there are two or more concentrates.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein there are the same number of fill stations as concentrates.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein there is a single fill station servicing multiple concentrates.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a filling nozzle at the filling station containing the ready-to-use consumer product is rinsed between each dispensing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the diluent is water.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the water is pretreated prior to mixing with said concentrate and the identifying occurs by a scannable code.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying occurs as a result of the shape of the footprint of the container.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying results from an indentation of the container.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying occurs as a result of a projection from the container.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is able to dispenser more concentrates than if the concentrate were proximate the dispenser.

14. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the dispenser has fewer fluid connections in the store when the concentrates are located in the area out of visual line of sight from the dispenser.