US 5,705,066 A · Apparatus for opening a vessel

Abstract

An apparatus is described for automatically opening and dispensing the contents of a vessel, for example, a vessel containing dialysate chemicals for dispersion into a dialysate preparation tank. The apparatus comprises a housing having an open interior region, with the vessel mounted above the housing, and a spike reciprocable within the interior of the housing between upper and lower positions. The spike pierces the vessel when the spike is moved to the upper position. The spike has an upper spike element that pierces the bottle and an integral spike body concentric with the housing permitting passage of dialysate chemicals therethrough after the spike has pierced the vessel. A drive means is proved for moving the spike relative to the housing between the upper and lower positions, so as to control the operation of the spike and the automatic release of the contents of the vessel.

Claims5

Dependent claims

Apparatus for opening a vessel containing a batch of dialysate chemicals, comprising:

a housing having an open interior region, said vessel mounted above said housing;
a spike reciprocable within said interior region of said housing between upper and lower positions, and spike piercing said vessel when said spike is moved to said upper position;
said spike comprising an upper spike element, an integral spike body concentric with said housing permitting passage of dialysate chemicals therefore after said spike has pierced said vessel, and
means for moving said spike relative to said housing between said upper and lower positions, wherein said means for moving comprises a collar mounted to said housing and a threaded member on the exterior surface of said spike body threadably engaging said collar;
and wherein said apparatus further comprises a drive means for rotating said collar, causing said spike to move between upper and lower positions.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for opening a vessel

Life of this patent

Apparatus for opening a vessel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5