Dispensing – With cutter and/or punch – To form dispensing opening in container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2001-11-20
Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With cutter and/or punch
To form dispensing opening in container
C222S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a container for bulk matter, to a use of a container, to a cartridge with a powdered filling, and to a method of manufacturing a cartridge with a powdered filling.
The invention is particularly relevant in the field of packaging and handling of powdered chemicals which need a sealed enclosure in order to prevent degrading interaction with ambient air.
The invention still more particularly relates to the field of handling of photographic chemicals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,034 provides a sealed pouch for a powdered filling wherein the pouch, subsequent to the filling in of the powder, is evacuated and then sealed with the effect that the powder is immobilized. This publication also suggests to adapt the pouch with an extra length, which length subsequent to sealing and evacuation provides a collapsed neck section, providing a means for the user by which he may manipulate and guide pouring of the powder, once the neck has been cut open.
With a packaging of this kind, the evacuation has the effect that the powder is totally immobilized and that the package may be handled and piled like a brick. Once the seal has been cut open and air admitted into the pouch, the powder is relieved, and the package no longer maintains its shape.
One container available on the market for photographic chemicals comprises a plastic bottle with a reduced neck sealed by a sealing means, said package being adapted for automatic dispensing in a dispensing apparatus.
A dispensing apparatus available on the market comprises a fixture wherein the bottle is entered, flipped to present the neck downwards and retained, while a movable knife strikes from below to pierce the membrane and tear it loose along the greater part of the periphery in order that the center area of the membrane forms a flap secured along part of the edge. In case of photographic powdered chemicals, there may however be a tendency for the powder to form bridges inside a bottle with a reduced neck section, thus holding back the powder and making it difficult to empty the bottle completely. Besides, a bottle of this kind does not lend itself easily to collapsing following discharge of the filling. Therefore, the empty bottle occupies a substantial volume which adds to the cost of removing the scrap. A reduced neck bottle is furthermore difficult to clean on the inside, and in case the bottle has been utilized for chemicals, some regulations may require added precautions in handling the scrap in view of the chemical residues.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,069 provides a package of solid particulate photographic materials, comprising a sealed, evacuated envelope that defines a single chamber and at least three immobilized layers of solid particulate photographic materials contained in the envelope. At least two of the materials are mutually reactive and at least one of the materials is inert relative to the two which are mutually reactive, the layers of the at least two mutually reactive materials being separated by at least one intervening layer of the inert material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention, in a first aspect, provides a container for bulk matter, comprising a substantially rigid mouthpiece, a pouch of flexible material in sealing connection with said mouthpiece, and a seal means adapted for sealing off said mouthpiece, said mouthpiece defining a lumen matched to said pouch in order that said seal means may be pierced to free an opening communicated with said pouch, and said mouthpiece defining a substantially circular spout with an exterior guiding surface, in order that said spout may be registered with and introduced into a suitable socket so as to be retained therein in a non-rotatable fashion.
This container is well suited for handling in automatic dispensing equipment, and it provides optimum conditions for discharging the contents and minimizes any risk of bridging inside the filling. The full size lumen in the mouthpiece provides convenient access for cleaning the pouch inside. The mouthpiece also provides a base by which the container may stand during discharge without any danger of forming folds or wrinkles which might otherwise intercept the unhindered discharge of the contents. Once the discharge has been completed, the flexible pouch may be collapsed to a minimum volume.
According to a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises a section of a hose or a tube which is sealed off in the end opposite the mouthpiece by a transverse weld. This provides a possibility for manually opening the cartridge by cutting the outermost portion of the end opposite the mouthpiece, and thus provides a dual use cartridge, equally well suited for emptying in automatic dispensing apparatuses as well as for manual dispensing.
According to a preferred embodiment the mouthpiece provides a substantially circular spout with an exterior guiding surface adapted for axially mating with a suitable socket and for being retained therein in a non-rotatable fashion. In this context, the term non-rotatable signifies that the spout is retained with sufficient grip to allow cutting open the seal means by piercing the seal means by a knife and rotating the socket to cut a slit in the seal means, without causing the spout to disengage the socket. This does not exclude that the grip may be overcome e.g. by rotation in an opposed direction or by overcoming a spring-loaded lock means for the purpose of removing the spout from the socket.
The seal means preferably comprises a seal membrane, structurally supported by the mouthpiece, in order not to deflect under the action by the knife.
This facilitates the process of opening the container in that a knife may be pierced through a part of the membrane and e.g. moved to form a slit adjacent a peripheral edge of the mouthpiece in order that the mouthpiece will support the seal membrane firmly during the cutting operation.
In other preferred embodiments the seal means comprises a peripheral surface. With this embodiment a cut may be performed by entering a knife in a radial direction of the mouthpiece and by rotating the mouthpiece relative to the knife. In this embodiment the bottom part of the cartridge may comprise a more sturdy quality of septum, as this part is not intended to be cut. This has the advantage that the bottom surface is well adapted for standing the container and minimizes the risk that normal wear of this surface might cause leakages in the container. The seal means may comprise a part with a reduced wall thickness, structurally supported by adjacent parts of the peripheral surface and by an adjacent container bottom wall. The section with reduced wall thickness facilitates the cutting open of the seal means.
The invention in a second aspect provides a use of a container for the packaging of a powdered chemical ingredient of a kind adapted for the preparation of a photographic bath. The container is well adapted for this use, since full discharge of the contents and cleaning of the inside is easily accomplished, whether by automatic means or by manual operation.
The invention, in a second aspect, provides a cartridge with a powdered filling, comprising a container with a substantially rigid mouthpiece, a pouch of flexible material in sealing connection with said mouthpiece, and a seal means adapted for sealing off said mouthpiece, said mouthpiece defining a lumen matched to said pouch in order that said seal means may be pierced to free an opening communicated with said pouch, and said mouthpiece defining a substantially circular spout with an exterior guiding surface, said container holding a filling of solid particulate materials comprising at least three layers, a first one and a second one of said layers comprising respective mutually reactive materials and a third one of said layers comprising a material, which is inert relative to the materials of said first and said second layer, said container being evacuated of air so as to immobilize said particulate materials and sealed.
This cart
Josephsen Birger
Nielsen Kaj
Deltagraph A/S
Kaufman Joseph A.
Vigil Thomas R.
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