Pressure generating system for a disposable container
AssigneeAdolph Coors Company
InventorPaul H. LeFevre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-generating gas pressure apparatus such as an expandable closed pouch for placement within a container from which a fluid therein is to be dispensed under pressure. The apparatus has a plurality of internal compartments formed by pressure-rupturable seals and containing respective chemical compounds which when mixed upon adjacent-compartment seal rupture produce a gas. At least one of two adjacently-housed chemical compounds has in addition thereto a nucleating agent such as diatomaceous earth which acts to more rapidly force gas generated in the reaction of the adjacently-housed chemical compounds out of solution and thereby provide an operative pressure to the apparatus more quickly.
Claims36
A self-generating gas pressure apparatus for placement within a container from which a fluid in the container is to be dispensed under pressure exerted on the fluid by the gas pressure apparatus and wherein said gas pressure apparatus comprises a closed expandable vessel having a plurality of individual compartments formed by respective pressure-rupturable seal means therebetween, said compartments containing respective chemical compounds which when mixed upon the rupture of respective interfacing seal means produce a gas, and wherein at least two adjacent compartments respectively contain a first chemical compound aqueous solution and a second chemical compound aqueous solution which, when mixed upon the rupture of the seal means between said adjacent compartments, react with each other to produce a gas, and wherein an insoluble nucleating agent is included with at least one of the first and second chemical compound aqueous solutions.
A self-generating gas pressure apparatus which is inserted into a container means having material contained therein so as to apply a pressure on the material so that is may be readily dispensed from the container means comprising:
- an expandable pouch means comprising at least two relatively flat sheets of a gas and liquid impermeable material in superposed relationship and having a length and a width;
- said expandable pouch means having a plurality of linearly extending edge portions;
- permanent sealing means for joining said superposed flat sheets along said edge portions so as to form an enclosed space therebetween;
- compartment forming means between said superposed flat sheets for forming a plurality of compartments in said expandable pouch means;
- said compartment forming means comprising lengthwise extending strips of a semipermanent pressure-rupturable sealing means securing together superposed portions of said superposed flat sheets;
- said semipermanent rupturable sealing means permitting separation of said superposed flat sheets in response to pressure applied thereto;
- gas pressure generating means in one of said compartments to increase the gas pressure in said one compartment so that the portions of said superposed flat sheets forming said one compartment are forced apart to apply pressure to separate said semipermanent rupturable sealing means between said one compartment and the next adjacent compartment so that said one compartment and said next adjacent compartment are joined together to form a combined compartment;
- gas pressure generating means in said next adjacent compartment to continue the generation of gas pressure to force apart the portions of said superposed sheets forming said combined compartment as said material is dispensed from said container means;
- and
- a nucleating agent included with at least a portion of said gas pressure generating means.
A self-pressurizing dispensing container means for beverages such as beer or a soft drink of the type having a container means, a beverage dispensing means mounted on the container means, a beverage within the container means and a self-generating gas pressure apparatus within the container means for applying pressure on the beverage comprising:
- a hollow plastic container means made of one piece of integrally molded plastic material for holding a beverage to be selectively dispensed therefrom when located in a dispensing position;
- beverage dispensing means mounted on said container means;
- said container means having an elongated central generally cylindrical wall portion, an integral generally hemispherical closed first end wall portion, and an integral generally hemispherical second end wall portion having a central longitudinally extending neck portion with a relatively large diameter central opening of sufficient size for filling said container means with a beverage and for inserting said gas pressure apparatus and having means for securing said dispensing means thereto and having a longitudinal axis extending through said central opening;
- support means fixedly attached to said container means supporting and maintaining said container means in said dispensing position;
- self-generating gas pressure apparatus in said container means comprising:
- an expandable pouch means comprising at least two relatively flat sheets of a gas and liquid impermeable material in superposed relationship and having a length and a width;
- said expandable pouch means having a plurality of linearly extending edge portions;
- permanent sealing means for joining said superposed flat sheets along said edge portions so as to form an enclosed space therebetween;
- compartment forming means between said superposed flat sheets for forming a plurality of compartments in said expandable pouch means;
- said compartment forming means comprising lengthwise extending strips of a semipermanent rupturable sealing means securing together superposed portions of said superposed flat sheet;
- said semipermanent rupturable sealing means permitting separation of said superposed flat sheets in response to pressure applied thereto;
- gas pressure generating means in one of said compartments to increase the gas pressure in said one compartment so that the portions of said superposed flat sheets forming said one compartment are forced apart to apply pressure to separate said semipermanent rupturable sealing means between said one compartment and the next adjacent compartment so that said one compartment and said next adjacent compartment are joined together to form a combined compartment;
- gas pressure generating means in said next adjacent compartment to continue the generation of gas pressure to force apart the portions of said superposed sheets forming said combined compartment as said beverage is dispensed from said container means;
- a nucleating agent included with at least a portion of said gas pressure generating means;
- and
- said expandable pouch means being located within said container means so that said lengthwise extending strips extend generally in the same direction as said longitudinal axis of said container means.
A method for producing gas in a gas pressure generation apparatus for placement within a container from which a fluid in the container is to be dispensed under pressure exerted by the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a closed expandable vessel having a plurality of individual compartments formed by pressure-rupturable seal means therebetween, the method comprising:
- (a) placing a first chemical compound and a nucleating agent in a first compartment, and placing a second chemical compound in a second compartment disposed adjacent the first compartment, with said first and second chemical compounds reactable with each other when mixed to produce a gas;
- and
- (b) causing the rupture of the seal means between the first and second compartments to thereby mix the first and second chemical compounds and produce gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.