Method of propellant gas generation

A method for dispensing a product confined in an enclosed volume of a container, said enclosed volume having a passage in fluid communication with an atmosphere outside said container, comprising the steps of:

• sensing a pressure of an electrochemically generated gas to obtain a sensed value representative of said pressure;
• electrochemically generating gas in response to said sensed value by passing an electrical current through an electrolyte mixture capable of reacting in the presence of said electrical current to form at least one gas;
• dispensing a product using the pressure of the electrochemically generated gas to force said confined product through said passage and outside said container;
• and
• controlling the electrochemical generation of said gas in accordance with said sensed value by closing a switch in series with an electrical source supplying the electrical current when the pressure of said electrochemically generated gas falls below a minimum predetermined limit and opening said switch to stop formation of said electrochemically generated gas when said pressure of said electrochemically generated gas exceeds a maximum predetermined limit.

An apparatus for dispensing a product comprising:

• a container with a dispensable product therein;
• means for electrochemically generating a gas comprising an electrolyte mixture capable of reacting in the presence of an electrical current to form at least one gas and means for passing an electrical current through said electrolyte mixture to form said gas;
• means for dispensing said product from said container using the pressure of a gas generated by said electrochemical gas generation means;
• and
• means for controlling said electrochemical gas generation means in accordance with a sensed value of a variable physical condition, said control means comprising a pressure switch provided in series with a means for supplying electrical current, said pressure switch sensing the pressure of the electrochemically generated gas to provide said sensed value, wherein said pressure switch closes to supply current to the electrolyte mixture to generate gas when the pressure of said electrochemically generated gas falls below a minimum predetermined level and opens to interrupt the flow of said electrical current when the pressure of said electrochemically generated gas exceeds a maximum predetermined level.

An apparatus for dispensing a product comprising:

• a container with a dispensable product therein;
• means for sensing a variable physical condition to obtain a sensed value representing said physical condition;
• means for electrochemically generating a non-flammable gas comprising an electrolyte mixture capable of reacting in the presence of an electrical current to form at least one non-flammable gas and means for passing an electrical current through said electrolyte mixture to form at least one non-flammable gas;
• means for dispensing said product from said container using the pressure of a non-flammable gas generated by said electrochemical gas generation means;
• and
• means for controlling said electrochemical gas generation means in accordance with said sensed value, said control means comprising a switch in series with a means for supplying the electrical current, said control means closing said switch to supply the electrical current to the electrolyte mixture to generate gas when said sensed value reaches a first predetermined limit and opening said switch to interrupt the flow of said electrical current when said sensed value reaches a second predetermined limit.