Hypochlorous Acid And Complementary Substance Dispensing System

A hypochlorous acid dispensing system having a first cartridge or compartment containing pure hypochlorous acid. A second cartridge or compartment, separate from the first cartridge or compartment, contains a substance that can be mixed with or used with the pure hypochlorous acid. A dispensing structure is associated with each of the first and second cartridges or compartments and is constructed and arranged to cause dispensing of the pure hypochlorous acid and the substance separately or simultaneously. A kit including at least one of the first cartridges and at last one of the second cartridges is also provided.

BACKGROUND

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), also known as electrolyzed water, is a known organic disinfectant and is typically packaged for industrial use to disinfect surfaces in restrooms and hospitals. Hypochlorous acid has a relatively short shelf life when exposed to the environment. Thus, there hypochlorous acid has not been widely used in other environments such as in a small business or in a household to disinfect a person's skin, or to disinfect any other item in these environments such as kitchen countertops, utensils, skin contact tools such as barber razors and tattoo equipment, etc.

Thus, there is a need for a dispensing system for dispensing pure hypochlorous acid along with another substance that compliments the hypochlorous acid to disinfect and treat items in a variety of environments.

SUMMARY

An objective of the embodiment is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with an embodiment, this objective is obtained by a hypochlorous acid dispensing system having a first cartridge containing pure hypochlorous acid. A second cartridge, separate from the first cartridge, contains a substance that can be mixed with or used with the pure hypochlorous acid. A dispensing structure is associated with each of the first and second cartridges and is constructed and arranged to cause dispensing of the pure hypochlorous acid and the substance separately or simultaneously. A kit including at least one of the first cartridges and at last one of the second cartridges is also provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a typically used in industry to disinfect surfaces in restrooms and hospitals. However, if used as a disinfectant on human skin, pure HOCl acid in such a concentration could irritate the skin and would have an unsatisfactory high chlorine odor.

Applicant found that the use of pure or 100% HOCl with a chlorine concentration in the range of 5 ppm to 50 ppm with a PH preferably in a range between 4 and 7 for skin disinfecting use. For use in disinfecting on non-human objects such as surfaces, the chlorine concentration is in the range of 50-100 ppm. The HOCl can be provided in liquid or gel form. Advantageously since the pure HOCL is organic, it remains inert, stable and non-toxic.

To enable such HOCl acid to be used by a typical consumer, with reference toFIG. 1, a HOCl acid dispensing system is shown, generally indicated at10, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system10comprises a first container or cartridge12containing HOCl acid14and a second container or cartridge16containing any substance18that can be mixed with or used with the HOCl acid14. The terms container and cartridge can be used interchangeably and in the broadest aspect of the invention can be any reservoir that can hold a liquid, gel or a solid substance. In the embodiment, each cartridge preferably has a sealed top and has a cover (not shown) over the seal. The cover is preferably threaded onto male threads19on end of the cartridge. Prior to use, the seal and cover is removed and the cartridge12,16is threaded into female threads in a respective container receiver20,21, each of which is disposed at end of a dispensing structure, generally indicated at22.

A first suction tube24extends from container receiver20into the interior of the cartridge12and a second suction tube26extends from container receiver21into the interior of the cartridge16. Within housing27, a first intermediate tube28, in communication with tube24, is connected between the container receiver20and a valve30and a second intermediate tube32, in communication with tube26, is connected between the container receiver21and the valve30. The first suction tube24and the first intermediate tube28can be considered to be a first tube structure of the system10and the second suction tube26and the second intermediate tube32can be considered to be a second tube structure of the system10.

The valve30is constructed and arranged to restrict the flow for each intermediate tubes28and32between 0% (closed) and 100% (fully open) flow. A manually actuated control knob34is associated with the valve to control regulate the restriction of flow from the intermediate tubes28and32. A delivery tube36is connected between the output of the valve30and an outlet or nozzle38of the dispensing structure22. The nozzle38is housed in an adjustable nozzle head40which may be rotated to adjust the liquid output between a jet and a spray of liquid or gel droplets.

In the embodiment, if the valve30is at least partially open to each intermediate tube28,32, operation of a single actuator or trigger42causes a volume of liquid or gel to be pumped via pumping structure44from each cartridge12and16simultaneously via the dip tubes24and26and nozzle38. The pumping structure44is shown schematically inFIG. 1connected with the trigger42and may be a conventional piston/cylinder pumping mechanism of the type described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,157, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Since the adjustable valve30is provided, the HOCl acid14in cartridge12can be dispensed alone by closing off dispensing of the substance18in the second cartridge16. In a similar manner, substance18in the second cartridge16can be dispensed alone by closing off dispensing of the HOCl acid14in cartridge12. As noted above, by adjusting the valve, the HOCl acid14in cartridge12and the substance18in cartridge16can be controllably mixed and then dispensed through the nozzle38via the delivery tube36.

In the system10, one of the cartridges (in the embodiment cartridge12) must contain HOCl acid14. As noted above, the other cartridge16can contain any other substance18that can be mixed or used with the HOCl acid14. For example, if the system10is to be used as a bodily disinfectant, the HOCl acid14can be used to disinfect the skin, killing bacteria. The organic HOCl acid disinfectant can be applied to bodily tissue such as underarm skin, vaginal tissue, skin folds or cavities of an obese person and acne areas on the skin. The HOCl acid disinfectant is not suitable for use in the mouth. With the above chlorine concentration, no bleaching of clothes will occur.

For deodorant use, the second cartridge16can contain the substance18in the form of a conventional antiperspirant containing, for example, aluminium chlorohydrate or aluminium-zirconium tetrachlorohydrate gly. If antiperspirant is not desired, the second cartridge14can contain a perfume or fragrance, a cream or liquid moisturizer, a liquid soap or other desired substance.

The second cartridge14can contain a medication. For example, for use in treating acne, the second cartridge16can contain an acne treatment substance such as retinoids, salicylic acid or glycolic acid. For treating diaper rash, the medication can be an ointment such as zinc oxide. The medication can be a steroid, or an antibiotic or any other medication that can be used externally on the human body.

The system10can be used in disinfecting tools/devices that contact the skin, such as razors used in barber shops, tattoo and/or piercing equipment. For example, for razor applications, the HOCl acid14in cartridge12can be applied simultaneously with or separate from alcohol or a lubricant in cartridge16, and for tattoo and/or piercing equipment, the HOCl acid14in cartridge12can be applied simultaneously with or separate from alcohol in cartridge16for quick drying. Regarding tattooing or piercing, after such a procedure, the system10can be used by applying the HOCl acid14in cartridge12to the skin to maintain a clean and disinfected skin area. The substance18in the second cartridge16can be a skin treatment substance such as a moisturizer, petroleum jelly, an antibiotic, a liquid bandage, an adhesive to aid in a bandage adhering to skin, or other substance that promotes skin healing such as at least one of a skin cell growth substance, a scar preventing substance, aloe, zinc, vitamins A, B, D, and E or a combination thereof.

The system10can be used to disinfect vaping devices, hookah equipment, beverage dispensing (e.g., beer tap) equipment, as well as medical devices such as CPAP machines. For example, HOCl acid14in cartridge12can be applied to such equipment/devices as a disinfectant simultaneously with or separate from applying alcohol or other drying agent as the substance18dispensed from cartridge16.

The system10has use in disinfecting and lubricating sex toys. For example, HOCl acid14in cartridge12can be applied to a sex toy to disinfect the toy simultaneously with or separate from applying a lubricant or alcohol to the toy as the substance dispensed from cartridge16.

The system10can be used in disinfecting household areas such as the kitchen and the bathroom by applying the HOCl acid14in cartridge12to disinfect surfaces. The substance18in the second cartridge16can be a fragrance such an orange or lemon fragrance to provide a “clean” odor. Instead of using dispenser structure22ofFIG. 1, the two cartridges14,16can be employed in a plug-in type dispenser structure that plugs into an electrical socket, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,5770,72, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. This type of dispenser structure would need to be modified to accept and dispense two cartridges simultaneously, namely a first cartridge containing the HOCl acid14and a second cartridge containing a fragrance.

For best shelf life of the pure HOCl acid14, the cartridge12can be of opaque PET material to prevent light penetration. It is noted thatFIG. 1shows transparent cartridges12,16for illustration clarity. If the cartridge12remains unopened, the shelf life can be up to one year. A kit of preferably 3, 6, or 12 cartridges12of the HOCl acid14can be provided to the consumer. Also, a kit of various cartridges12and16can be provided. For example, the kit can contain one or more HOCl acid cartridges12, and a variety of cartridges16, each containing a different substance. For example, an antiperspirant, a moisturizer, petroleum jelly, a soap, a perfume or fragrance, or a skin healing or acne treatment substance can be provided in cartridge16.

Although an example of a dispenser structure22is disclosed for non-pressurized cartridges12and16, it can be appreciated that the capsules can be pressurized and be dispensed by appropriate dispensing structure such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,351,334, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. Also, the dispenser structure22can be an electrostatic-type sprayer.

Another embodiment can provide the cartridge or container12containing liquid or gel HOCl acid14together with the second cartridge or container16containing a solid, such as a deodorant or antiperspirant stick, as the substance18. The HOCl acid14can be dispensed on the skin simultaneously with or separate from the solid of the stick. An example of dispensing structure for such containers12,16can be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,930, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. Alternatively, to apply the HOCl acid14and solid substance18simultaneously, the dispenser structure can be configured to cause a portion of the solid in cartridge16to pass through or be soaked with the HOCl acid disposed in a separate reservoir.

Although the dispensing structure22is disclosed as spraying the contends from cartridges12,16, a dispensing structure can be configured to cause the content of the cartridges12,16to be rolled-on, bushed on dripped on or otherwise dispensed.

With reference toFIG. 2, instead of employing two separate cartridges12,16, a single container46can be provided having two separate, internal compartments. The first compartment48can contain the HOCl acid14and the second compartment50can contain any substance18that can be mixed with or used with the HOCl acid14. The container46can be configured to accommodate the dispenser structure22for dispensing the HOCl acid14alone or simultaneously with substance18.

In yet another application, the HOCl acid14in cartridge12can be sprayed or applied onto a growing consumable plant such as a marijuana plant, tobacco or on other plants that are not consumable but that produce a consumable fruit or vegetable. Spraying can include delivering a fog or a mist. The substance18in cartridge16can be a plant fertilizer or plant growth hormones, or a in some cases, an insecticide.

Thus, the embodiment provides an effective way to disinfect skin or other surfaces by employing organic HOCl acid14which is 100% effective against all pathogens in combination with a wide variety of complimentary substances.