Dosing cap and system and method of using same

A dosing cap for dispensing a measured dose from a source container to a receiving vessel, the dosing cap comprising:

• a) a housing including an inlet end having an inlet aperture configured to reside within a container opening formed on the source container and receive the measured dose from the source container, and an outlet end having an outlet orifice configured to couple with the receiving vessel, wherein the housing further defines a dosage region interposed between the inlet end and outlet end, the dosage region defining the measured dose, and wherein the housing further includes a weep hole located an intermediate distance between the inlet aperture and the outlet orifice, and wherein the sealing member further includes a third seal;
• b) a sealing member including a shaft slidingly received within the housing and extending from the inlet end to the outlet end of the housing, wherein the sealing member includes a first seal proximate the inlet end wherein the first seal is reciprocally coupled with and decoupled from the inlet aperture to selectively open or close the inlet aperture, and a second seal proximate the outlet end wherein the second seal is reciprocally coupled with and decoupled from the outlet orifice to selectively open or close the outlet orifice;
• and
• c) a spring to selectively bias the sealing member from a biased compressed condition to an unbiased resting condition wherein, when the spring is in the unbiased resting condition, the inlet aperture is open, the outlet orifice is closed and the dosage region is configured to be charged with the measured dose, and wherein, when the spring is biased to the compressed condition, the inlet aperture is closed and the outlet orifice is open whereby the measured dose is dispensed from the dosage region,
• wherein the third seal is a longitudinally spaced distance from the weep hole when the spring is in the unbiased resting condition and wherein the third seal overlaps and seals the weep hole when the spring is in the compressed condition.

A dosing apparatus configured to dispense a measured dose of a source material from a source container to a receiving vessel, the source container including a sidewall defining a cavity configured to hold the source material and wherein the sidewall further defines an opening to permit transfer of the source material therethrough, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a dosing cap configured to be mounted to the source container, the dosing cap comprising:
• i) a housing including an inlet end having an inlet aperture configured to reside within the source container opening and receive the measured dose from the source container, and an outlet end having an outlet orifice configured to couple with the receiving vessel, wherein the housing further defines a dosage region interposed between the inlet end and outlet end, the dosage region defining the measured dose;
• ii) a sealing member including a shaft slidingly received within the housing and extending from the inlet end to the outlet end of the housing, wherein the sealing member includes a first seal proximate the inlet end that is reciprocally coupled with and decoupled from the inlet aperture to selectively open or close the inlet aperture, and a second seal proximate the outlet end that is reciprocally coupled with and decoupled from the outlet orifice to selectively open or close the outlet orifice;
• and
• iii) a spring to selectively bias the sealing member from a biased compressed condition to an unbiased resting condition wherein, when the spring is in the unbiased resting condition, the inlet aperture is open, the outlet orifice is closed and the dosage region is configured to be charged with the measured dose, and wherein, when the spring is biased to the compressed condition, the inlet aperture is closed and the outlet orifice is open whereby the measured dose is dispensed from the dosage region;
• and
• b) a receiving fitment configured to be mounted in communication with a fitment aperture defined within the receiving vessel, the receiving fitment including a fitment housing having an actuator post configured to engage the sealing member of the dosing cap to actuate the spring to the compressed condition upon application of an actuation force to the dosing cap whereby the measured dose is dispensed from the dosage region into the receiving vessel, and wherein the fitment housing includes a tubular sidewall having an open top edge, open bottom edge and an annular collar located on an external surface of the tubular sidewall an intermediate distance between the top end and bottom edge thereby dividing the fitment housing into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the receiving fitment is mounted within the fitment aperture and the annular collar engages the receiving vessel whereby the lower portion resides within the receiving vessel and the upper portion extends outwardly from the receiving vessel, the receiving fitment further including a locking nut having first threading configured to engage corresponding second threading defined on the lower portion of the tubular sidewall whereby the locking nut releasably secures the receiving housing to the receiving vessel.

A dosing system configured to dispense a measured dose of a source material, the dosing system comprising:

• a) a source container having a sidewall defining a cavity configured to hold the source material, wherein the sidewall further defines an opening to permit transfer of the source material therethrough;
• b) a dosing cap configured to be mounted to the source container, the dosing cap comprising:
• i) a housing including an inlet end having an inlet aperture configured to reside within the source container opening and receive the measured dose from the source container, and an outlet end having an outlet orifice configured to couple with the receiving vessel, wherein the housing further defines a dosage region interposed between the inlet end and outlet end, the dosage region defining the measured dose;
• ii) a sealing member including a shaft slidingly received within the housing and extending from the inlet end to the outlet end of the housing, wherein the sealing member includes a first seal proximate the inlet end that is reciprocally coupled with and decoupled from the inlet aperture to selectively open or close the inlet aperture, and a second seal proximate the outlet end that is reciprocally coupled with and decoupled from the outlet orifice to selectively open or close the outlet orifice;
• and
• iii) a spring to selectively bias the sealing member from a biased compressed condition to an unbiased resting condition wherein, when the spring is in the unbiased resting condition, the inlet aperture is open, the outlet orifice is closed and the dosage region is configured to be charged with the measured dose, and wherein, when the spring is biased to the compressed condition, the inlet aperture is closed and the outlet orifice is open whereby the measured dose is dispensed from the dosage region;
• c) a receiving vessel having a receiving fitment configured to be mounted in communication with a fitment aperture defined within the receiving vessel, the receiving fitment including a fitment housing having an actuator post configured to engage the sealing member of the dosing cap to actuate the spring to the compressed condition upon application of an actuation force to the dosing cap whereby the measured dose is dispensed from the dosage region into the receiving vessel, wherein the receiving vessel further includes a discharge port a spaced distance from the fitment aperture, the discharge port configured to receive a fluid delivery mechanism whereby a fluid within the receiving vessel is discharged through the fluid delivery mechanism, and wherein the receiving fitment may be selectively removed from the receiving vessel without requiring removal of the fluid delivery mechanism whereby the receiving vessel may be filled with a recharge fluid through the fitment aperture.