Electrolysis device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618957-B2
Application number	US-201916578486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2019
Priority date	Oct 18, 2018
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

An electrolysis device may include: a housing comprising a container having an open end, the container configured to contain a liquid when the container is oriented in an upright position; and an electrolysis circuit comprising: a power source; a plurality of electrodes disposed within the container and electrically coupled to the power source; an orientation switch electrically coupled to the power source, coupled to the housing, and oriented to switch when the container is oriented in the upright position; and a control circuit electrically coupled to the power source, the electrodes, and the orientation switch, wherein the electrolysis circuit is configured to operate when the electrodes pass an electric current above a predetermined current threshold and the container is oriented in the upright position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrolysis device comprising: a housing comprising a container having an open end, the container is filled with a precursor solution when the container is oriented in an upright position; and an electrolysis circuit comprising: a power source; a plurality of electrodes disposed within the container and electrically coupled to the power source; an orientation switch electrically coupled to the power source, coupled to the housing, and oriented to switch to a closed position when the container is oriented in the upright position; and a control circuit electrically coupled to the power source, the electrodes, and the orientation switch, wherein the electrolysis circuit is configured to operate when the electrodes pass an electric current above a predetermined current threshold and the container is oriented in the upright position; wherein the precursor solution comprises NaCl.

2. The electrolysis device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an enclosure, and the power source, the orientation switch, and the control circuit are located within the enclosure.

3. The electrolysis device of claim 1 , wherein the precursor solution has a pH of between about 6.0-7.0.

4. The electrolysis device of claim 1 , wherein the electrolysis circuit is configured to operate for a predetermined time period when the electrodes pass the electric current above the predetermined current threshold and the container is oriented in the upright position.

5. The electrolysis device of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined time period is 60 seconds.

6. The electrolysis device of claim 4 , further comprising an LED coupled to the housing and positioned to be externally visible, the LED electrically coupled to the control circuit, and the control circuit configured to illuminate the LED during the predetermined time period.

7. The electrolysis device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit electrically couples the electrodes to the power source when the container is oriented in the upright position.

8. A system for delivering an oral care solution, the system comprising:
an electrolysis device comprising:
a housing comprising a first container having an open end, the first container configured to contain a liquid when the first container is oriented in an upright position; and
an electrolysis circuit comprising:
a power source;
a plurality of electrodes disposed within the container and electrically coupled to the power source;
an orientation switch electrically coupled to the power source, coupled to the housing, and oriented to switch to a closed position when the first container is oriented in the upright position; and
a control circuit electrically coupled to the power source, the electrodes, and the orientation switch, wherein the electrolysis circuit is configured to operate when the electrodes pass an electric current above a predetermined current threshold and the first container is oriented in the upright position; and
a second container configured to contain a precursor solution, wherein the housing of the electrolysis device comprises a first threaded coupling, and an opening of the second container comprises a second threaded coupling, the first threaded coupling configured to threadably engage the second threaded coupling such that the housing seals the second container.

9. The electrolysis device of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises an enclosure, and the power source, the orientation switch, and the control circuit are located within the enclosure.

10. The electrolysis device of claim 8 , wherein the electrodes are configured to pass the electric current above the predetermined current threshold when the first container is filled with a precursor solution.

11. The electrolysis device of claim 10 , wherein the precursor solution comprises NaCl.

12. The electrolysis device of claim 10 , wherein the precursor solution comprises a solution of 3% NaCl.

13. The electrolysis device of claim 10 , wherein the precursor solution has a pH of between about 6.5-7.

14. The electrolysis device of claim 8 , wherein the electrolysis circuit is configured to operate for a predetermined time period when the electrodes pass the electric current above the predetermined current threshold and the container is oriented in the upright position.

15. The electrolysis device of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined time period is at least 60 seconds.

16. The electrolysis device of claim 14 , further comprising an LED coupled to the housing and positioned to be externally visible, the LED electrically coupled to the control circuit, and the control circuit configured to illuminate the LED during the predetermined time period.

17. The electrolysis device of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit electrically couples the electrodes to the power source when the first container is oriented in the upright position.

18. A system for delivering an oral care solution, the system comprising:
a bottle comprising a first container, a second container positioned above the first container, and a tube fluidically coupling the first container to the second container, wherein the second container includes an open end;
a cap comprising an electrolysis circuit and a housing, the housing configured to couple to the second container at the open end, the electrolysis circuit comprising:
a power source;
a plurality of electrodes extending away from the housing and electrically coupled to the power source;

a pressure switch electrically coupled to the power source and positioned to be switched to a closed position when the cap is coupled to the second container; and
a control circuit electrically coupled to the power source, the electrodes, and the pressure switch, wherein the electrolysis circuit is configured to operate when the electrodes pass an electric current above a predetermined current threshold and the pressure switch is in the closed position.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Huang Chun
• Pimenta Paloma
• Xu Guofeng
• Kolb Matthew Lee

Classifications

• B05B11/04

  Deformable containers producing the flow, e.g. squeeze bottles · CPC title

• A61K8/20

  Halogens; Compounds thereof · CPC title

• C25B9/17 Primary

  Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C25B1/26

  Chlorine; Compounds thereof (by simultaneous production of alkali metal hydroxides and chlorine, oxyacids or salts of chlorine C25B1/34) · CPC title