Abstract:
A self-contained mixing and dispensing container having at least two chambers, includes a valving combination of two oppositely installed one-way valves by which fluid may be transferred from one chamber to another by deforming one chamber. One of the valves permits the transfer of fluid and the other valve, communicates with the ambient atmosphere, to permit air into the deformed chamber to replace the removed fluid.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part of the continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 11/835,344, Filed: Aug. 7, 2007 from parent application Ser. No. 11/463,549 filed Aug. 9, 2006 and entitled “Refillable/Reusable Mixer Bottle”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to improved valving for a container for storing, mixing, and dispensing measured volumes of liquid and a method of using the container. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The present state of the art involves the use of “pump sprayers” attached to a container to apply liquids of varying functions to a desired area to be treated with the liquid. Various liquids may be used for cleaning, as pesticides, fertilizers, and for other functions. Upon using the contents of the container, the present state of the art teaches to either: dispose of the container and purchase a new one, or to refill the container after use, using a mixture of concentrate and water or a similarly pre-mixed solution or from a larger, bulk storage container. 
     The problems with the prior art are twofold. By disposing of the containers, an increased amount of waste is produced, adding to the global problem of waste management. By refilling the container with a concentrate, the end user is forced into contact with a potentially hazardous material in its concentrated form. The storage of the concentrate is also an issue as concentrated liquids have a shorter shelf life and are often hazardous and poisonous. This problem is further complicated by forcing the end user to measure the ideal ratio of concentrate to diluent to reproduce the desired effective mixture. 
     A number of containers have been developed which separately store two substances, and allow the two substances to be introduced to one another prior to being dispensed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,305,576, 6,152,296 and 6,073,803 all utilize the use of a puncturing or breaking device to allow the contents in the two containers to be mixed with one another. However, the use of the puncturing device renders the containers non-reusable. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,580 teaches a reusable container containing a small bottle positioned within a larger bottle, whereas the small bottle empties its contents into the large bottle using a release mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,646,948, 6,290,102 and 4,893,732 disclose containers having at least two chambers or compartments. One chamber acts as a reservoir for storing a liquid and the other chamber is a measuring and dispensing chamber arranged to receive a predetermined volume of liquid from the reservoir chamber and then to dispense the measured volume. All three prior patents disclose the transfer of liquid from the reservoir chamber to the measuring chamber by tilting the container or by squeezing the reservoir chamber to force the liquid into the measuring chamber. However, none of the prior patents disclose the mixing of liquids in the second chamber to form a third liquid. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved valving for a self-contained mixing and dispensing container which has a mechanism with which to measure and introduce the liquids to one another. It is another object of this invention to provide a mixing and dispensing container which is easy to manufacture and use. It is further an object of this invention to produce a mixing and dispensing container capable of having all chambers refillable, thus rendering the container reusable. 
     The present invention consists of a self contained mixing and dispensing container having at least two separable chambers, a mechanism by which fluid may be transferred from one chamber to another, a mechanism by which to dispense the mixture, and in one embodiment, openings on each of the chambers for refilling the chambers with the appropriate fluid. 
     The first chamber contains a concentration of the active solution and an outlet which can be connected to the second chamber. The first chamber is designed to either transfer a pre-determined amount of fluid per activation or a pre-determined amount after more than one activation, thus ensuring an accurate concentrate to diluent ratio. Transfer is initiated by manual deformation of the first chamber which creates a pressure differential between the first and second chambers, driving liquid out of the first chamber. 
     After the desired amount of concentrate has been transferred to the second chamber, the diluent is added to the second chamber through an aperture or through the top of the container. Once the second chamber is filled, the container is closed and the container is shaken to ensure thorough mixing of the component liquids. This process may be repeated, allowing the end user to increase or decrease the strength of the mixture. 
     In one embodiment, the concentrate is provided in a collapsible concentrate bag. Once the concentrate is empty the user may replace the concentrate bag or chamber with a new full bag. 
     In an alternative, preferred embodiment, the concentrate is maintained in a deformable chamber which communicates with the main chamber through a one way valve. A second, one way valve permits the introduction of air into the deformable chamber so that pressure can equalize and the chamber returns to its undeformed shape. 
     Each of the embodiments may include measurement means, built into the second chamber to allow the user to measure the amount of liquid added to the chamber. These measurement means allow users to adequately gauge the quantity of concentrate liquid prior to introducing a diluent. 
     These and other objects of the invention, as well as many of the intended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side sectional view of a mixer container according to the present invention with a pump in the retracted position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a mixer container showing a second chamber attached to the first chamber. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the mixer container of  FIG. 2  without the second chamber and showing the valving according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the second chamber of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional perspective view of the connected first and second chambers positioned to add concentrate to the mixing container of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     The descriptions which follow are to be understood as illustrative and exemplary of specific structures, aspects and features within the broad scope of the present invention and not as limiting of such broad scope. Like numbers refer to similar features of like elements throughout. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1 , which illustrates in side view, the mixer container  30 . The mixer container  30  includes the lower chamber  32  containing a liquid, an upper chamber  34  that is provided with a pump mechanism  36  which functions to pump fluid or liquid from the lower chamber  32  to the upper chamber  34 . The pump mechanism  36  is provided with a pump cylinder  38 , a piston  40 , pump actuator  42 , a coil spring  44  and a feed pipe  46  reaching the bottom of the lower chamber  32 . 
     The pump mechanism  36  has a one way inlet valve  48  connected to the feed pipe  46  and an exit pipe  50  leading to an opening  52  containing a one way valve ball  54 . The exit pipe  50  leads to a measurement container  56  having measurement graduations  58  thereon. 
     The mixer container  30  also has a dispensing mechanism  60 . The upper chamber  34  has an aperture  62  as does the lower chamber  32 , aperture  64 . Aperture  62  and aperture  64  allow easy refilling of the independent upper chamber  34  and lower chamber  32 . 
     In operation, the pump mechanism  36  is operated by manually pushing down the pump actuator  42 , forcing the piston  40  down. This causes any liquid in the pump mechanism  36  to enter the measurement container  56  within the upper chamber  34 . Once depressed, the piston rises, through action of the coil spring, causing liquid to enter the pump mechanism  36 . This causes the flow of fluid or liquid from the lower chamber  32  through the feed pipe  46 , past the one way valve  48 , through the exit pipe  50  and one way valve ball  54 , through the opening  52  and into the measurement container  56 . The pump actuator  42  acts against a coil spring  44  located in the pump cylinder  38 , which returns the pump actuator to its outward position for additional pumping. Upon completion of pumping, the pump actuator  42  returns to the outward position. 
     Turning next to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention in an alternative mixer bottle  70 . As shown, an upper chamber  72  is adapted to connect to a separable lower chamber  74  to which a concentrate can be supplied. A measurement container  76  is created in the interior of the upper chamber  72  and is positioned to receive fluid from the lower chamber  74 . A removable spray nozzle and siphon tube assembly  78  is also shown. 
     In  FIG. 3 , there can be seen the improved valving assembly  80  in a recess  82  that is created to receive the lower chamber  74 , best seen in  FIG. 4 , below. The valving assembly  80  includes a first one way valve  84  that admits fluid from the lower chamber  74  into the upper chamber  72 . A second one way valve  86  blocks fluid from the lower chamber  74  but communicates with the surrounding environment to admit air into the lower chamber  74 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , there is shown a preferred embodiment of the lower chamber  74  which is made of a clear, deformable material. The lower chamber  74  is preferably filled with a concentrate and supplied separately from the upper chamber  72 . The lower chamber  74  has an elongated neck structure  86  which has exterior threads  88  which are received in a threaded opening in the upper chamber  72 . When it necessary to fill the upper chamber  72 , the neck  86  of the lower chamber  74  is inserted into the opening, engaging the threads  88  and rotating the lower chamber  86  until the fit is secure. To add the contents of the lower chamber  74 , the combination is inverted, as shown in the cutaway perspective view of  FIG. 5 , below. 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the valving assembly  80  includes the first valve  84  through which concentrate is supplied from the lower container into the measurement container  76 . The first valve  84  is a one way valve and permits fluid flow only from the lower chamber  74  into the upper chamber  72 . There is also a second valve  90 , also a one way valve but oppositely oriented which permits air flow from the exterior surroundings through a passage  92  into the interior of the lower chamber  74 . 
     When transferring concentrate to the upper chamber  72 , the passage  92  will contain concentrate that is ultimately returned to the lower chamber when the combined chambers are inverted to the normally upright orientation. In order to transfer concentrate to the upper chamber, manual pressure is exerted upon the lower chamber  74 , deforming it and forcing the liquid concentrate through the first valve  84 . However, when the pressure is relieved, the lower chamber  74  regains its shape, thereby reducing the pressure in its interior. 
     The second valve  90 , which is opened by the greater pressure of the atmosphere, permits a flow of air into the lower chamber  74  through the passage  92 , equalizing the pressure of the lower chamber  74  interior with the exterior atmospheric pressure. Depending upon how much concentrate is desired in the upper chamber  72 , more than one cycle of applied and released pressure on the lower chamber  74  may be required. Equalizing the interior and exterior pressure permits repeated incremental amounts of concentrate to be added to the upper chamber  72 . 
     It is intended that the container of the present invention be reusable such that each of the components other than the replaceable lower chamber may be used a number of times prior to their disposal. In this way, the mixer container acts as an appliance, accepting various types of input liquids. For example, the mixer container may be used in conjunction with one cleaning product until exhaustion of the diluted contents, whereupon a user may purchase and use an alternative cleaning product for use with the same mixer container, simply by replacing the replaceable lower chamber with one filled with a different product concentrate and suitably mixing the contents. 
     Similarly, the apparatus of this invention may be used for various types of products. Replacing only a portion of the container combination results in substantially less waste, over the long run than would be the case of replacing the entire container each time it is depleted. This results in benefits for the environment and less expense in disposing of the waste products created when the containers are discarded after several use cycles for each container. When each container has reached the end of its useful life, it may be discarded and recycled. 
     The cost to ship concentrate, as opposed to fully-diluted chemical mixtures, for example cleaners, drink and food additives, pesticides or herbicides, is substantially less. This results in substantial shipping cost savings for manufacturers of the products which must be used in diluted form and comparable savings to the users of the combined mixer container. 
     While the foregoing detailed description has described a preferred embodiment of a mixer container in accordance with the present invention, it is to be understood that the above description is illustrative only and not limiting of the disclosed invention. Indeed, it will be appreciated that the embodiment discussed above and the virtually infinite embodiments that are not mentioned could easily be within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is to be limited only by the claims as set forth below.