Adjustable additive cartridge systems and methods
AssigneeCirkul, Inc.
InventorsGarrett S. Waggoner, Andrew Gay, Thomas A. Urbanik, William G. Kurth, Daniel J. Faulkner, Drew Kissinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An additive delivery system may incorporate a cartridge system, including a container cap and a reservoir assembly that provides for storage of an additive. The container cap includes a mixing nozzle for mixing of the additive with a base fluid as the base fluid flows from the base fluid container through the cartridge. A one-way valve prevents backflow of base fluid and/or mixed base fluid/additive from an area downstream of the mixing nozzle such that the base fluid supply remains in a pure state.
Claims24
An additive cartridge for adding additive to base liquid in response to the base liquid flowing through the additive cartridge from a base liquid container, the additive cartridge comprising:
- a base for securing the additive cartridge to the base liquid container;
- a mixing nozzle comprising:
- a main body portion;
- a mixing nozzle stem extending from the main body portion, the mixing nozzle stem including an opening to an interior space defined by a mixing nozzle metering surface on an interior of the mixing nozzle stem;
- a reservoir assembly interface extending from the main body portion and adapted to support a reservoir assembly;
- an additive passage extending through the mixing nozzle stem and defining an additive flow path from the reservoir assembly interface to the mixing nozzle metering surface;
- and
- at least one base liquid port extending through the mixing nozzle main body portion adjacent to the mixing nozzle stem;
- a metering component extending through the opening and within the interior space of the mixing nozzle stem and having a metering component metering surface shaped complementarily to the mixing nozzle metering surface;
- and
- an additive adjustment actuator cooperating with the metering component such that movement of the additive adjustment actuator causes movement of the metering component metering surface relative to the mixing nozzle metering surface.
A mixing nozzle for use in an additive cartridge for mixing additive with a base liquid in response to the base liquid flowing through the additive cartridge, the mixing nozzle comprising:
- a main body portion;
- a mixing nozzle stem extending from the main body portion, the mixing nozzle stem including an interior space defined in part by a mixing nozzle metering surface on an interior of the mixing nozzle stem;
- a reservoir assembly interface extending from the main body portion and adapted to support a reservoir assembly;
- an additive passage extending through the mixing nozzle stem from the reservoir assembly interface to the mixing nozzle metering surface;
- at least one base liquid port extending through the mixing nozzle main body portion adjacent to the mixing nozzle stem;
- and
- a metering component adapted to extend within the interior of the mixing nozzle stem and having a metering component metering surface shaped complementarily to the mixing nozzle metering surface,
- wherein the mixing nozzle is configured such that base liquid passing through the at least one base liquid port contacts a portion of an outer surface of the mixing nozzle between the reservoir assembly interface and the mixing nozzle metering surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.