Abstract:
A universal cartridge that is useable in either a stagnant fluid environment or in a moving fluid environment with the universal cartridge floatable in a stagnant fluid environment and securable in a moving fluid environment with the universal cartridge having an inner housing having a diffusion port and an outer sleeve having a diffusion port with the housing and the sleeve mateable engaged with each other through frictional engagement to inhibit flow therebetween while permitting rotational displacement of the housing with respect to the sleeve to allow one to increase or decrease a dispersant transport area between a zone within the housing to a zone exterior to the housing through aligning a recessed diffusion port of the housing with a diffusion port of the sleeve with the diffusion ports inhibiting fluid flow therethrough but permitting dispersant transfer therethrough.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to dispensers and, more specifically, to a universal cartridge dispenser that is usable in either a stagnant fluid environment or in a moving fluid environment to provide a predictable control of the rate of dispersant from a zone within the dispenser to a zone exterior of the dispenser. 
   CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   None 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   None 
   REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   None 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The concept of inline dispensers and floating dispensers for dispensing a dispersant into a body of fluid such as a body of water is known in the art. In general, two types of dispensers exist, one for use in stagnant bodies of fluids and one for use in moving fluid streams. 
   An example of a floating dispenser for use in stagnant fluid such as found in an open spa, a hot tub or a swimming pool is shown in King U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,270. The floating dispenser incudes an outer rotatable cylindrical housing located around a cylindrical container. To adjust the amount of dispersant released the inner housing and the outer housing are rotated with respect to one another to either increase or decrease the fluid flow area or the hole area in the side wall of the dispenser. 
   An example of an inline dispenser for use in dispensing materials into a moving fluid environment, such as in an inline system, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,565. The dispenser comprises a container with openings spaced circumferentially around the bottom of the container, which is normally shielded by an outer sleeve. In operation, the container is lowered into a fluid stream to allow the fluid stream to flow directly through the container. By raising or lowering the portion of the container in contact with the fluid stream one can allow more or less of the fluid stream to flow through the container. In this type of system, one can control the release of dispersant into the inline system by controlling either the size of the fluid stream flowing through the dispenser or the velocity of the fluid stream. 
   In general, a user having both an inline system with a moving fluid environment and an open system with a stagnant fluid environment requires two different types of dispensers in order to controllable release the dispersant in each system. That is, one type of dispenser for the stagnant fluid environment and a second type for the inline system, which has a moving fluid environment. The present invention comprises a universal cartridge that can be adjusted to controllable release the proper amount of dispersant in either a stagnant fluid environment or a moving fluid environment. 
   Each of the above type of dispensing member works well when used in the proper fluid environment that it was designed for. However, it is difficult to use a dispenser, which works well in a stagnant fluid, in a moving fluid or conversely to use a dispenser, which works well in moving fluid, in a stagnant fluid and still obtain the proper dispersal rates. If one can not obtain the proper dispersal rates one can not achieve the proper concentration of the dispersant in the surrounding fluid. That is, the concentration of dispersant in the fluid may be either to high or to low. If the concentration of dispersant is a material, such as a bactericide, is to low it will not kill the bacteria in the fluid and if the concentration of the dispersant is to high it may be obnoxious or harmful. Either condition is unsatisfactory. 
   One of the difficulties with having a dispenser operate in either a stagnant fluid environment or in a moving fluid environment is that it appears that fluid flow conditions and, more particularly, it appears that fluid perturbations can have a substantial effect on the dispersal rate of a dispersant contained within a cartridge dispenser. Consequently, a cartridge dispenser that suitably dispenses a dispersant in a stagnant fluid environment can yield unpredictable dispersion rates when placed in a moving fluid environment even though the fluid velocity and flow rate remains the same. 
   Generally, the dispersant rate of a dispersant in a stagnant fluid is dependent on the difference in concentrations of the dispersant in different regions of the fluid. With a larger difference in dispersant concentrations between a dispersant in one part of the fluid and a dispersant in another part of the fluid one has a more rapid dispersant dispersal rate and with a lower difference in concentration between a dispersant in one part of the fluid and a dispersant in another part of the fluid the dispersant dispersal rate is less. 
   It is known that changing fluid conditions, such as changing the velocity of the fluid through a dispersant can alter the dispersant rate, i.e. the rate that a dispersant is transferred to the surrounding fluid. However, one of the problem that occurs is that if one increases the fluid velocity around a dispenser for stagnant fluids one does not always produce consistent dispensing results. That is, at one time a first velocity of fluid may produce one dispersant rate and at a later time the same fluid velocity may produce an entirely different dispersant rate. While not fully understood it is believed that fluid perturbations are present that can have a substantial effect on the dispersant dispersal rate. That is, the fluid perturbations can produce an unstable flow condition that cause the dispersant dispersal rate to fluctuate unpredictably over a wide range even though the flow rate might remain constant in the region of the dispenser. 
   The present invention provide a universal cartridge dispenser that allows one to maintain predictable dispersant dispersal rates in either a stagnant fluid environment or a moving fluid environment when a moving fluid is directed around the universal cartridge dispenser. In the moving fluid environment one can position the universal cartridge proximate a moving fluid stream and obtain predicable results based on the dispersant transport area between the interior of the dispenser and the exterior of the dispenser. Similarly, in a stagnant fluid environment one can position the universal cartridge in a body of fluid and obtain consistent results based on the dispersant transport area in the universal cartridge dispenser. That is, it has been found that under either a stagnant fluid environment or a moving fluid environment one can effectively control the dispersant rate of the dispersant and hence the concentration of dispersant in the surrounding fluid. By allowing one to obtain a predictable and repeatable dispersal dispersant rate it allows one to use the universal cartridge dispenser in either a stagnant fluid environment or a moving fluid environment. 
   The present invention provides a universal cartridge that one can predictably determine the dispersal rate whether the cartridge is in a stagnant fluid or is proximate to a moving fluid. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly, the invention comprises a universal cartridge that is useable in either a stagnant fluid environment or in a moving fluid environment with the universal cartridge floatable in a stagnant fluid environment and securable in a moving fluid environment with the universal cartridge having an inner housing having a diffusion port and an outer sleeve having a diffusion port with the housing and the sleeve mateable engaged with each other through frictional engagement to inhibit flow therebetween while permitting rotational displacement of the housing with respect to the sleeve to allow one to increase or decrease a dispersant transport area between a zone within the housing to a zone exterior to the housing through aligning a recessed diffusion port of the housing with a diffusion port of the sleeve with the diffusion ports inhibiting fluid flow therethrough. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a partial sectional view of the universal cartridge; 
       FIG. 1   a  is a partial view of the housing and sleeve of the universal cartridge of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross section view taken along lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1  with the universal cartridge positioned in a stagnant fluid environment; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross section view of the cartridge located in a cartridge holder positioned within a fluid containment chamber in a moving fluid environment; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of the housing showing the diffusion port with a grid therein; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross section view taken along lines  5 — 5  of  FIG. 4  to showing the recessed grid in the housing; 
       FIG. 6  shows a portion of the housing proximate a portion of the sleeve to show the transport area from the dispensing zone in the chamber in the housing to the receiving zone external to the chamber; 
       FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of the cartridge container of the cartridge dispenser; and 
       FIG. 8  is a partial cutaway view of a container containing a liquid in a stagnant environment. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  is a partial sectional view of the universal cartridge  10  of the present invention. Universal cartridge  10  comprises an outer cup-like frusto conical sleeve  11  having an open top  11   a  and a closed bottom  11   b . Extending in a circumferential direction partially around sleeve  11  is a housing guide slot  11   c . Extending in an axial direction and located along an axial surface element of sleeve  11  is a first elongated diffusion port  11   d  and a second elongated diffusion port  11   e . In the embodiment shown the diffusion port  11   d  and  11   e  are shown on one side of housing  11  and a second set of identical diffusion ports are located diametrically opposite from the first set of diffusion ports. In general, housing  11  is made from a rigid material which is resistant to the fluid requiring dispensing therein. A preferred material is a polymer plastic such as Exxon Mobil PP1024 E4 which is a resin that is sold by Exxon Mobil Corporation. 
   Located at the top portion of cartridge  10  is a float  15  that has sufficient buoyancy to maintain at least part of the universal cartridge  10  in a submerged condition and part of the universal dispenser in an unsubmerged condition. Float  10  can comprise an air chamber  15   a  that provides buoyancy to the cartridge. If desired the chamber  15   a  can be filled with a buoyant material other than air. Float  15  allows the universal cartridge dispenser  10  to float in either a free floating or fixed position in stagnant fluid system. 
   Extending around the peripheral region of float  15  is a lip  15   b  for securement of the universal cartridge  10  in a fixed position in a cartridge carrier or the like. The lip enables one to secure the universal cartridge  10  in a moving fluid environment to enable dispensing of a dispersant from the universal cartridge  10  to a surrounding fluid environment. 
   Located within sleeve  11  is a frusto conical housing  12  having a dispersant chamber  13  therein for containing a dispersant  14  therein. Housing  12  has an outer mateable surface  12   a  that forms a frictional engagement with an inner mateable surface  11   a  of sleeve  11  (see  FIG. 1   a ). A radially protrusion  12   b  having a length less than the length of the circumferential slot  11   c  allows one to partially rotate the housing  12  with respect to the sleeve  11 . That is, the protrusion  12   b  limits the circumferential rotation through engagement with the ends of circumferential slot  11   c . In addition, the protrusion  12   b  can maintain the housing  12  and sleeve  11  in axial operating condition with respect to each other since axial displacement is limited. Thus the housing  12  includes a circumferential protrusion  12   b  and the sleeve  11  includes a circumferential recess  11   c  with the circumferential protrusion  12   b  and recess  11   c  coacting to prevent an axial displacement of the housing with respect to the sleeve so as to maintain the sleeve and housing in proximate position to each other but to permit at least partial rotation of the sleeve  11  with respect to the housing  12 . Housing  12  comprises a rigid material which is resistant to the fluid requiring dispensing therein. A preferred material for housing  12  is a polymer plastic. 
   In the embodiment shown the diffusion port  11   e  and diffusion port  11   e  in sleeve  11  extend in an axially or longitudinal direction and the housing diffusion ports  12   d  extend in lateral or a circumferential direction around housing  12 . The housing  12  contains a set of reference marks  20  and the sleeve contains an opening  21  with only one of the set of reference marks visible therein so as to let a user know a dispersant setting of the universal cartridge. That is, as the sleeve  11  is rotated with respect to the housing  12  more of the circumferential diffusion ports  12   d  on housing  12  become visible through the elongated diffusion ports  11   d  and  11   e  and the reference mark  20  allows the user to know the relative rotational position of the housing with respect to the sleeve and hence the diffusion transport area from the interior or the universal dispenser cartridge to the exterior of the cartridge. 
   In order to maintain the housing  12  and the sleeve  11  in fixed position with respect to each other under fluid conditions the housing mateable surface  11   a  and the sleeve mateable surface  12   a  are placed in sufficient frictional engagement with each other so as to remain in a fixed rotational position with respect each other when the universal cartridge is placed in either a stagnant body of fluid or a moving fluid. However, once the universal cartridge is removed an operator can overcome the frictional resistance and rotate sleeve  11  with respect to housing  12  in order to change the transport area from within the dispenser to outside the dispenser. 
   A feature of the present invention is that the housing  12  has a frusto conical shape and the sleeve  11  has a frusto conical shape. Consequently, a full frictional engagement between the mateable surface  12   a  of housing  12  and mateable surface  11   a  of sleeve  11  does not occur until the sleeve  11  and housing  12  are in the axially fixed position with respect to each other as shown in  FIG. 1 . As a result the configuration of the housing and the sleeve allow for substantial unhindered assembly of the housing and the sleeve since a diametrical clearance between the housing and the sleeve is maintained until the sleeve and housing are almost in their axial operating position. Consequently, only during the last axial displacement of the housing with respect to the sleeve brings the sleeve  11  and housing  12  into the frictional engagement with each other, which enhances assembly of the universal cartridge. 
     FIG. 1   a  is a cutaway view showing the housing  12  and the sleeve  11  to illustrate the interaction of mateable surface  11   a  of sleeve  11  which is in frictional engagement with mateable surface  12   a  of housing  12 . In this condition the two mateable surfaces engage each other to prevent or impede flow flowing therebetween. Consequently, the access of fluid into chamber  13  is limited to the transport passage defined by the alignment of the diffusion ports in sleeve  11  and the diffusion ports in housing  12 . 
   In order to illustrate the operation of the universal cartridge dispersant in a stagnant fluid system a sectional view taken along lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1  is shown with the universal cartridge  10  surrounded by a stagnant body of fluid. By stagnant fluid it is meant fluid that has no consistent movement of fluid therepast. Examples of stagnant fluid locations would be in a hot tub or other container wherein the circulation of a fluid past the dispenser is due to random conditions rather than to a moving fluid stream. 
   Housing  12  has a chamber  13  therein with dispersant located in the chamber. Typically, the dispersant can be any of the halogens or minerals or the like that yield a material that provides the necessary fluid treatment. Examples of minerals include ion yielding materials that can be used to treat water in hot tubs or swimming pools to rid the water their of unwanted organisms. One particularly well suited dispersant material uses silver chloride as an ion yielding material. 
   In use of the universal cartridge of the present invention the zone of highest concentration of dispersant is located in chamber  13  and is designated by Z 0 . Located external to dispenser  10  and the diffusion ports  11   d  and  12   d  is an exterior zone Z 3 . In stagnant operation of the dispenser  10  the dispersant  10  diffuses or disperses from the zone of higher concentration Z 0  to the zone of lower concentration Z 3  as indicated by the dashed arrows. The dispersant then continues to diffuse throughout the body of fluid. In general concentration dispersion from one zone to another zone does not require a moving fluid to transport the dispersant. As a consequence the setting of the housing  12  and sleeve  11  so as to maintain a fixed transport path between the chamber  13  and the exterior of the cartridge  10  allows the dispersant contained therein to disperse from zone Z 0  to zone Z 3  at a predictable rate. Consequently, one can obtain the desired level of dispersant in the body of fluid. 
   In order to illustrate the operation of the universal cartridge  10  in the presence of a moving fluid reference should be made to  FIG. 3  which shows a cylindrical housing  40  having a tangential inlet  41  for directing fluid into the annular chamber  43  located between housing  40  and the universal cartridge  10 . The universal cartridge shown in  FIG. 3  is identical to the universal cartridge shown in  FIG. 2  except that a cartridge career  44  is shown holding the universal dispenser in a concentric position within cylindrical housing  40 . An exit port (not shown) is located below the universal cartridge  10  to allow the fluid therein to be discharged. 
   In operation the fluid enters on port  41  and flows laterally around the periphery of dispenser  10  with the fluid flow indicated by the solid arrows and reference V 1 . The interior of the dispenser  10  contains a zone Z 0  where the dispersant  14  is at the highest concentration. Located immediately exterior to the diffusion ports are the zones Z 1  which are slightly distorted by the moving fluid. The diffusion of dispersant from the zone Z 0  to the zones Z 1  occurs substantially independent of the fluid motion since the fluid circulates laterally past the universal cartridge  10 . Thus even though the fluid external to the dispenser may have perturbations or go from laminar to turbulent or vice versa one is able to maintain a dispersion rate substantially a function of the velocity of the fluid stream. That is, the diffusion ports  11   d  and  12   d  allow migration or diffusion of dispersant from one zone to another zone without the need for direct flow from the dispersant chamber  13  to the exterior of dispenser  10 . As the dispersant in zone Z 1  is carried away by the moving fluid stream it reduces the dispersant concentration in zone Z 1  thus allowing the dispersant to diffuse at a rate dependent on the difference in dispersant concentrations between Z 1  and Z 3 . 
     FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of housing  12  showing two of the recessed diffusion ports  12   d . As can be seen the lower diffusion port has a length L 1  which is longer than the adjacent diffusion port which has a length L 2 . The purpose of having diffusion ports of different lengths is to provide for one to adjust the transport area from within the housing by sealing off some of the diffusion ports. Each of the diffusion ports is shown with a grid  30  that extends laterally and transversely to the elongated diffusion ports  12   d . The transport area comprises the open areas  30   a  in the grid  30 . Thus any fluid flowing though diffusion port  12   d  faces frictional sidewall resistance due to the grid sidewalls that surround each of the open areas  30   a.    
     FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along lines  5 — 5  of  FIG. 4  and shows the elongated recessed diffusion ports  12   d  with the grid  30  therein. Each of the grids  30  are characterized by having a front face recessed from the mateable surface  12   a  and a back face substantially coplanar with the housing rear surface  12   f . Thus the recessed diffusion ports  12   d  include multiple passages  30   a  that are not the full width of the elongated diffusion port  12   d.    
     FIG. 6  shows the section view of  FIG. 5  with a portion of the sleeve and the dispersant positioned proximate thereto to illustrate the diffusion path from the zone Z 0  to the exterior zone Z 3 . The diffusion from zone Z 0  to Zone Z 3  must pass through the openings  30   a  and the opening  11   d  in sleeve  11 . The dashed lines with arrows indicate the diffusion of the dispersant from the area of higher concentration Z 0  to the area of lower concentration Z 3  without the aid of any fluid transport. That is, with the present invention the separation of the interior of the housing from the exterior region of the sleeve  11  provides a transport area which has its minimum dimension at the interior surface  12   f  and its maximum dimension at the surface  11 L. A feature of the present invention is that fluid motion between the interior of housing  12  and the exterior region of zone Z 3  is not necessary to dispense material. In fact, the arrangement of a grid like structure functions to provide resistance to fluid flowing therethrough by providing a large sidewall surface area that can introduce frictional resistance to fluid flow therethrough. That is, for a given flow area the amount of resistance to flow therethrough can be increased by increasing the sidewall area and hence the frictional resistance. Thus the universal cartridge includes a discouragement for direct flow therethrough but yet allows for diffusion of the dispersant therethrough which can occur independent of any fluid transfer. 
     FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the dispersant container  50  of a cartridge dispenser. Dispenser container  50  has a chamber therein that allows one to contain and hold the dispersant material in a dispersible condition therein. In the embodiments shown the open top cup-like dispersant container  50  comprises a tapered outer sidewall surface  50   a , i.e. a frusto-conical shape. Sidewall surface  50   a  is sufficiently smooth so as to permit sliding engagement with an inner housing surface on the cartridge dispenser that has the same taper to it&#39;s surface. Located vertically along a longitudinal surface element of dispersant container  50  is a set of openings  54   a ,  54   b ,  54   c ,  54   d ,  54   e ,  54   f ,  54   g , and  54   h  of equal height that gradually increase in length. In the embodiment shown each of the openings contain a grid and each are of different length but all are of the same width. The openings each have the right edge located along a vertical line L 1  that extends in an axial direction. The set of openings permit the dispersant in a dispersant chamber in dispersant container  50  to be dispersed through the set of opening therein. The top of dispersant container  50  includes an annular band  51  having raised ribs or gripping members  50   b  thereon that encompasses the peripheral region of the dispersant container  50  to provide a grasping region for a user. Located on band  51  is an elongated slot  52  for forming mating engagement with a protrusion on one side of a float and similarly located on the oppose side of band  51  is a second elongated slot (not shown) for forming supporting engagement with a protrusion on the opposite side of the float. 
   In the present invention the container  50  has a tapered outer surface that is identical to the taper of the inner surface of housing  11  which allows it to tightly mates with the inner tapered mating surface of housing  11 . As a consequence one can form a leak resistant barrier between the housing  11  and an inner container  50 . in addition, with the openings in alignment one can provide for a uniform and substantially linear increase of the dispersant into a liquid exterior to the dispenser whether the dispenser is used in a stagnant liquid environment or a moving fluid environment. 
     FIG. 8  shows a container  60 , such as hot tub or the like which contains a liquid  61  with the dispenser  10  floating in the liquid. In this embodiment the dispenser is dispensing material in a stagnant environment. 
   Thus, the invention includes a universal cartridge for controllable delivery of a dispersant in either a stagnant liquid or a moving liquid environment such as found in a hot tub, spa or swimming pool. The universal cartridge includes a housing  12  having a dispersant holding chamber  13  therein and a dispersant  14  which is dispersant located in said dispersant holding chamber  13 . In operation the dispersant generates a first dispersant concentration in chamber  13  in the presence of a liquid such as water in dispersant holding chamber  13 . A support member  15   b  on the universal cartridge for maintaining the universal cartridge  10  in a fixed condition proximate a moving liquid stream. A body of liquid  9  located outside chamber  13  with at least a portion of the body of liquid located within chamber  13  with the body of liquid  9  comprising a liquid for supporting transfer of a liquid treatment dispersant  14  from the dispersant holding chamber  13  to the body of liquid  9  located outside chamber  13 . A float  15  on the universal cartridge for maintaining the universal cartridge  10  in a partially unsubmerged condition in the body of liquid. A set ports  12   d  extending through said housing to form a liquid passage to connect the liquid in the chamber  13  with the body of liquid  9  located outside the chamber to enable the dispersant  14  in the chamber  13  to be transferred into the body of liquid located outside the chamber to thereby increase the concentration of dispersant in the body of liquid outside the chamber whether the body of liquid outside of chamber is  13  stagnant body of liquid  9  in a moving liquid stream  9 ′.