Liquid additive delivery system and methods for ensuring substantially only a liquid is disposed within a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11207810-B2
Application number	US-201816621420-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2018
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed including a method of filling a container with substantially only a liquid. The method can include the removal of a gas from the container prior to, during or after the filling of the container with the liquid. According to one embodiment, the container includes an inner liner and a lid. The method includes providing a volume defined by at least the inner liner and the lid of the container. In such embodiment, the liquid can initially be contained within a first portion of the volume and a remaining portion of the volume can contain a gas. The method can include removing substantially all the gas from the volume via one or more ports that communicate with the volume while retaining substantially only the liquid within the volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for dispensing a liquid comprising:
a first liquid container;
a second liquid container;
a dispensing device configured to couple to both the first liquid container and the second liquid container, the dispensing device configured to actuate dispensing of a specific amount of liquid from either container as desired;
wherein the first liquid container and the second liquid container each comprise a lid that comprises an integrated pump cap further comprising a pump;
wherein the dispensing device comprises a motor configured to drive the pump in each container to dispense the specified amount of the liquid.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing device is configured to switch dispensing from the first liquid container to dispensing from the second liquid container upon a sensed condition related to the amount of liquid remaining in the first liquid container.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid container and second liquid container each have gas removed from the first liquid container or second liquid prior container such that substantially only liquid remains within the container.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing device is configured to allow the replacement of either the first liquid container or the second liquid container with a third container including during dispensing.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the dispensing device is configured such that the replacement of either the first liquid container or the second liquid container occurs simultaneous with the dispensing device dispensing the specific amount of liquid from the other of the first liquid container or the second liquid container.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the dispensing device is configured to dispense from both the first liquid container and the second liquid container simultaneously or sequentially.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid container or second liquid container comprises an inner liner, wherein a volume of the first liquid container is defined by portions of the lid and the inner liner.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a member configured to be movable to contact and apply a mechanical pressure to an outer surface of the inner liner to displace substantially all the gas from the volume.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the lid comprises a projection that extends downward into the volume when the lid is disposed on the container, wherein the projection facilitate the movement of substantially all the gas from the volume upon coupling of the lid to the container.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the lid comprises a first port configured to receive and dispense the liquid and a second port configured to vent gas from the volume.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Schulz Mark F
• Boothman Brian S
• Gullicks Scott D

Classifications

• B65D83/7713

  the contents of a flexible bag being expelled by a piston, or a movable bottom or partition provided in the container or the package · CPC title

• B65D83/771

  for dispensing fluent contents by means of a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm · CPC title

• B65B3/18 Primary

  Controlling escape of air from containers or receptacles during filling · CPC title

• B65B3/16

  for filling collapsible tubes (for filling valve bags B65B3/17) · CPC title

• B05B9/0861

  the motor being electric · CPC title