# US 8,999,259 B2 · Floating dispensers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,999,259 B2 - Document ID: US8999259B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/507,114 - Filed: 2012-06-05 - Published: 2013-04-18 - Granted: 2015-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-13 - Assignees: King Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Joseph A. King; Donald Dalland; Lyle Enderson; Jeffrey D. Johnson; Paul Freeberg - Inventors: Joseph A. King; Donald Dalland; Lyle Enderson; Jeffrey D. Johnson; Paul Freeberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8999259B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/688: {Devices in which the water progressively dissolves a solid compound} - B01F 21/22: {using additional holders in conduits, containers or pools for keeping the solid material in place, e.g. supports or receptacles} - B01F 33/503: Floating mixing devices - C02F 1/76: with halogens or compounds of halogens {(C02F1/4674 takes precedence)} - C02F 1/766: {by means of halogens other than chlorine or of halogenated compounds containing halogen other than chlorine} - E04H 4/1281: {Devices for distributing chemical products in the water of swimming pools} - B01F 21/402: {characterised by the configuration, form or shape of the solid material, e.g. in the form of tablets or blocks} - B01F 21/4021: {in the form of tablets stored in containers, canisters or receptacles} - B01F 2101/305: {Treatment of water, waste water or sewage} - C02F 1/505: {by oligodynamic treatment} - C02F 2103/42: from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools - C02F 2201/006: Cartridges - C02F 2201/008: Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) ## Abstract A floating dispenser for floatingly delivering a dispersant or dispersants to a body of water with the floating dispenser floating in an upright condition when a dispersant is present in a dispenser cartridge of the floating dispenser with the dispenser self inverting 180 degrees in response to consumption of the dispersant in the dispenser cartridge to thereby provide a visual alert that one should replace the dispenser cartridge in the dispenser with a fresh dispenser cartridge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A generally spherical shaped floating dispenser having a central axis comprising: a first dispensing cartridge comprising a first generally hemi-spherical shaped cap having a pole region and a base, said first dispensing cartridge containing a float and a dispersant chamber with said base having a set of fluid openings therein for ingress and egress of water therethrough; a second dispensing cartridge comprising a second generally hemi-spherical shaped cap having a pole region and a further base, said second dispensing cartridge containing a halogen chamber therein, said further base having a set of fluid openings therein for ingress and egress of water therethrough whereby the first dispensing cartridge and the second dispensing cartridge are releasable and rotatable securable to each other to form a general spherical shaped floating dispenser that inverts in response to dissipation of a halogen therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispersant chamber contains a batch of nondissolvable minerals and the halogen chamber contains a water dissolvable halogen whereby the first dispensing cartridge rotates from an above water condition to a below water condition in response to dissipation of a halogen in the second dispensing cartridge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first dispensing cartridge includes a protrusion for grasping with a first hand and the second dispensing cartridge includes a set of recesses therein for grasping with another hand to enable rotation of the first dispensing cartridge with respect to the second dispensing cartridge to thereby select a delivery rate of the halogen from the second dispensing cartridge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispersant chamber contains a batch of undissolvable minerals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the further base includes a set of openings for ingress and egress to the halogen chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the set of fluid openings in the first dispensing cartridge are located below a water line when the floating dispenser is located in a body of water. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the base and the further base include a plurality of fluid alignable ports to permit ingress and egress of water between said first cap and said second cap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 when the first cap includes a set of vents to permit air to escape therefrom to enable the dispenser to invert 180 degrees when a halogen located in said halogen chamber is spent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 8 wherein the first cap includes a set of protrusions and an elongated opening to form a frog face. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first cap includes a set of protrusions and an elongated opening to form a frog face. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the second cap includes a stand on the pole region for storing the second dispensing cartridge in an upright condition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the second dispensing cartridge contains a halogen having a first pool life and the first dispensing cartridge contains a dispersant having a pool life at least twice as long as the first pool life. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first cap contains a flotation chamber and the second cap contains a flotation chamber with a center of buoyancy of the first flotation chamber and the second flotation chamber located along a geometric axis of the dispenser wherein the geometric axis coincides with a vertical flotation axis when the dispersant therein are in an unconsumed state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the base and the further base includes circumferential openings therein for ingress and egress of water therethrough. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the halogen chamber contains at least one puck of chlorine in solid form. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first cap comprises a buoyant material and the second cap comprises a nonbuoyant material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the first cap contains a mineral chamber is asymmetric with respect to a central axis of the dispenser. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The generally spherical shaped floating dispenser of claim 1 wherein the base of the second cap includes a set of latches for locking engagement with a shell of the second cap to prevent accidental consumer access to the halogen chamber therein and the base of the first cap includes a further set of latches for locking engagement with a shell of first cap to prevent accidental consumer access to the mineral chamber therein. ### Claim 19 A floating dispenser having a central axis comprising: a first dispensing cartridge having a base, a float, a dispersant chamber, and a set of fluid openings therein for ingress and egress of water into contact with a dispersant in the dispersant chamber; and a second dispensing cartridge containing a consumable dispersant therein having a specific gravity greater than one, said second dispensing cartridge having a base rotationally securable to the base of the first dispensing cartridge to control water access to the consumable dispersant therein with the second dispensing cartridge and the first dispensing cartridge floating as a unit with the first dispensing cartridge located above the second dispensing cartridge when the consumable dispersant is in an unconsumed state and the unit is weighted to float in a self-inverted state with the first dispensing cartridge floating below the second dispensing cartridge when the consumable dispersant has been consumed to thereby provide a visual indication that the consumable dispersant has been consumed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the consumable dispersant is a halogen and the dispersant chamber of the first dispensing cartridge contains a source of metal ions that remain in an unconsumed state. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispensing cartridge and the second dispensing cartridge each have a hemispherical shape so that when assembled in a base to base condition form a general spherical shape dispenser. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispensing cartridge and the second dispensing each contain features for a person to grasp and rotate the first dispensing cartridge with respect to the second dispensing cartridge. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispensing cartridge has a first color and the second dispensing cartridge has a second color different from said first color so an observer can visually determine if the second cartridge should be replaced. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispensing cartridge and the second dispensing cartridge invert 180 degrees when the consumable dispersant has been consumed. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The floating dispenser of claim 20 wherein the source of metal ions is silver chloride and the consumable dispersant is a halogen puck. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 including a vent in a pole region of the first dispensing cartridge and a vent in the pole region of the second dispensing cartridge. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the dispersant chamber of the first dispensing chamber contains a dispersant with at least a six month pool life and the consumable dispersant has a pool life less than six months with the second dispensing cartridge removable and replaceable by a third dispensing cartridge containing a fresh batch of consumable dispersant without a person having to come into contact with the consumable dispersant. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispensing cartridge and the second dispensing cartridge includes means for hindering rotation of the first dispensing cartridge with respect to the second dispensing cartridge. ### Claim 29 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispensable cartridge and the second dispensable cartridge each includes concealed latches to inhibit obtaining access to dispersants located therein. ### Claim 30 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the second dispensing cartridge floats below the water line when the consumable dispersant is present in the second dispensing cartridge. ### Claim 31 (depends on 19) The floating dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first dispersant cartridge is buoyant and the second dispersant cartridge is non buoyant when each of the dispensing cartridge are placed in a body of water and the second dispensing cartridge becomes more buoyant than the first dispensing cartridge when the dispersant therein has been consumed.