Patent Publication Number: US-7909197-B2

Title: High volume docking seal for bulk liquid dispensing cartridge

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In substrate treating appliances, such as laundry appliances, oftentimes different chemistries are added to the appliance during different treatment cycles or at different times during a given treatment cycle, depending on the treatment function to be performed, and depending on the item being treated, for example. It is known to provide different containers containing different chemistries, such that during operation of the appliance, the appropriate chemistries can be selected and introduced to the appliance. U.S. Published application 2006/0081016 discloses an automatic washer with several different containers with different chemistries to be dosed to the washer. 
     Dispensing high volumes of liquid from a cartridge or bottle into an automated appliance requires a docking system to join the two together. The industry standard seals presently used to prevent liquids from leaking into the surrounding environment when the two mechanisms are joined are meant for low volume transfer. These low volume docking mechanisms use a small diameter hollow needle to puncture through a soft membrane seal attached to the orifice of the bottle. When the small needle is removed, the soft membrane self-heals itself to prevent the liquid from leaking out of the bottle. When a large diameter needle is used to transfer high volumes of liquid quickly, the standard membrane seal cannot self-heal when the needle is removed because the membrane material is ripped beyond its capacity for its natural “plastic memory” to return to its static state before being punctured. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,388 discloses a docking system for a bottle in which a transfer needle punctures a frangible membrane which will not thereafter reseal. 
     Therefore some type of mechanical mechanism must be used to force the large hole in the membrane closed. 
     It would be an improvement in the art if there were provided an arrangement for assuring that the chemistry cartridges have seal members that effectively reseal themselves even when high volume needles are used to puncture the seals. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a seal member for a bulk liquid dispensing cartridge. The seal member includes a flat circular seal disk, a frustoconical wall extending away and outwardly from an intermediate portion of the seal disk, and a ring positioned at an open end of the frustoconical wall. 
     In an embodiment, the seal disk has a central area with a reduced thickness as compared to a remainder of the seal disk. 
     In an embodiment, the ring has a larger outer diameter than a diameter of the seal disk. 
     In an embodiment, the seal is integrally formed as one piece of a pliable material having a plastic memory. 
     In an embodiment, the ring extends radially outwardly of the free end of the frustoconical wall. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the seal member is assembled with a cap. The assembly includes the seal member as described above and a cap having an end wall and a depending cylindrical skirt wall. The cylindrical skirt wall has an internal diameter, and the ring of the seal member has an outer diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the skirt wall. The ring is positioned in an abutting relationship with an interior surface of the end wall of the cap. The cap has a central opening through the end wall with a diameter no larger than an inner diameter of the ring. 
     In an embodiment, the central opening through the end wall of the cap is beveled. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the cap and seal member assembly is for use with a bulk liquid dispensing cartridge having a cylindrical mouth wall with an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The cap and the seal member are constructed as described above, further including that the internal diameter of the cylindrical skirt wall of the cap is sized to receive the outer diameter of the cartridge mouth wall and the diameter of the seal disk is larger than the inner diameter of the cartridge mouth wall. The ring on the seal member has an outer diameter less than the internal diameter of the skirt wall and at least equal to the outer diameter of the cartridge mouth wall. 
     In an embodiment, the cap includes a helical thread to engage with a complementary helical thread on the cylindrical mouth wall of the cartridge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a side sectional view of a seal member embodying the principles of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective side sectional view of a seal member and cap assembly. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective side sectional view of a seal member and cap assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective side sectional view of the seal member and cap assembly on a cartridge with the seal member intact. 
         FIG. 5  is an isolated side sectional view of the seal member in the condition of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective side sectional view of the seal member and cap assembly of  FIG. 4  after the seal member has been punctured. 
         FIG. 7  is an isolated side sectional view of the seal member in the condition of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In an embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a seal member  20  for a bulk liquid dispensing cartridge  22  ( FIG. 4 ). The seal member  20 , which is shown in isolation in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  7 , includes a flat circular seal disk  24 , a frustoconical side wall  26  extending away (axially) and outwardly (radially) from an intermediate portion  28  of the seal disk (the smaller end of the wall is located at the seal disk), and a ring  30  positioned at an open end  32  of the frustoconical wall. 
     In the embodiment illustrated, the seal disk  24  has a central area  34  which has a reduced thickness as compared to a remainder of the seal disk. In use, as discussed below, this central area  34  will be punctured ( FIG. 6 ), and the reduced thickness assists in the puncturing action. In other embodiments, the thinning of the central area  34  may not be necessary. 
     Also in the embodiment illustrated, the ring  30  has a larger outer diameter D 1  than a diameter D 2  of the seal disk  24 . In other embodiments, the diameter D 2  of the seal disk  24  may be equal to or larger than the outer diameter D 1  of the ring  30 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated, the seal member  20  is integrally formed as one piece of a pliable material having a plastic memory. For example, the seal member  20  may be molded of a plastic material preferably elastomers of various durometers and more preferably silicones of various durometers. In other embodiments, the seal member  20  may be fabricated in separate parts which are later secured together, such as with adhesives or plastic welding. In such an embodiment, the ring  30  may be fabricated of a material different than the seal disk or the frustoconical wall. 
     In the embodiment illustrated, the ring  30  extends radially outwardly of the free end  32  of the frustoconical wall  26 . In other embodiments, the ring may terminate flush with the frustoconical wall. In still other embodiments, the ring  30  may merely constitute the open end  32  of the frustoconical wall. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIGS. 2-4  the seal member  20  is assembled with a cap  40 , and the resulting assembly  42  is used with the bulk liquid dispensing cartridge  22 . The assembly  42  includes the seal member  20  as described above and the cap  40  having an end wall  44  and a depending cylindrical skirt wall  46 . The cylindrical skirt wall  46  has a first internal diameter D 3  adjacent to the end wall  44 , and the outer diameter D 1  of the ring  30  of the seal member  20  is slightly less than the first internal diameter of the skirt wall so that the seal member can be received in the cap  40 . The ring  30  is positioned in an abutting relationship with an interior surface  48  of the end wall  44  of the cap  40 . The cap  40  has a central opening  50  through the end wall  44  with a diameter D 4  no larger than an inner diameter D 5  of the ring  30 . 
     In an embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2-3 , the central opening  50  through the end wall  44  of the cap  40  is beveled inwardly towards the interior surface  48  of the end wall. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the cap and seal member assembly  42  is used with the bulk liquid dispensing cartridge  22  having a cylindrical mouth wall  60  with an inner diameter D 6  and an outer diameter D 7 . The cap  40  and the seal member  22  are constructed as described above, further including that the cylindrical skirt wall  46  of the cap has its internal diameter D 3  sized to receive the outer diameter D 7  of the cartridge mouth wall  60 . This will allow the cap  40  to be received on the outside of the mouth wall  60 . 
     The diameter D 2  of the seal disk  24  is larger than the inner diameter D 6  of the cartridge mouth wall  60 . This causes the seal disk  24  to be deflected downwardly (as viewed in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) as the cap  40  is moved onto the mouth wall  60 . The deflection of the seal disk  24 , in combination with the frustoconical shape of the side wall  26 , results in a radially inwardly directed force (arrows  61 ,  FIG. 5 ) on the seal disk, in the central area  34 , due to the narrow end of the frustoconical wall  26  being urged inwardly. 
     The outer diameter D 1  of the ring  30  on the seal member  20  is smaller than the internal diameter D 3  of the skirt wall  46 , which allows the seal member to be inserted into the cap  40 , and is at least equal to the outer diameter D 7  of the cartridge mouth wall  60 . The outer diameter D 1  of the ring  30  may extend radially outwardly of the free end  32  of the frustoconical wall  26 . In such an embodiment, the ring  30 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , will be clamped between an end of the mouth wall  60  and the inside surface of the cap  40 . 
     In an embodiment, the cap  40  includes a helical thread  62  at a second internal diameter D 8  near an open end  63  of the cap to engage with a complementary helical thread  64  on the cylindrical mouth wall  60  of the cartridge  22 . In this manner, the cap  40  can be securely attached to the cartridge  22 , and the resiliency of the ring  30 , engaged by the end of the mouth wall  60 , will snuggly hold the cap on the cartridge. In other embodiments, the cap  40  might have a snap fit or other mating arrangement with the cartridge  22 . 
     With the cap  40  held on the cartridge  22 , the seal member  20 , and particularly the seal disk  24 , will prevent any of the contents of the cartridge from escaping, such as through the opening  50  in the cap. In order to allow the contents of the cartridge  22  to be dispensed, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a hollow needle  70 , with a sharp puncturing probe or lance  72  is directed in through the opening  50  in the cap to engage with the central portion  34  of the seal disk  24 . The bevel of the opening  50 , if provided, will assist in guiding the probe  72  into the opening  50  towards the seal disk  24 . The needle  70  and the probe  72  may form a portion of a docking receptacle for the cartridge  22  or may be formed at an end of a conduit used to transport the contents of the cartridge to a point of utilization. 
     The central area  34  of the seal disk  24  may be thinner than the thickness of a remainder of the seal disk, if necessary, to assist in the puncturing of the seal disk by the probe  72 . In some embodiments, the thinning may not be necessary. The probe  72  will puncture the central area  34 , and the wall of the hollow needle  70  will force open the puncture aperture to result in a fairly large opening  74  in the seal disk  24 , as best seen in isolation in  FIG. 7 . The inwardly directed forces (arrows  61 ,  FIG. 7 ) provided by the frustoconical wall  26  and the deflection of the outer portion of the seal disk  24  by the mouth wall  60 , as described above, will urge the edge of the seal disk opening  74  into tight engagement with the hollow needle  70 , preventing any of the contents of the cartridge  22  from leaking out between the seal disk and the needle. 
     When the cartridge  22  and cap  40  are removed from engagement with the hollow needle  70 , the inwardly directed forces provided by the frustoconical wall  26  and the deflected seal disk  24 , as well as the plastic memory of the material of the seal member  20 , will constrict the opening  74  in the seal disk, essentially resealing the opening, and preventing further dispensing or leaking of the contents of the cartridge  22 . 
     Various features of the receptacles and cartridges have been described which may be incorporated singly or in various combinations into a desired system, even though only certain combinations are described herein. The described combinations should not be viewed in a limiting way, but only as illustrative examples of particular possible combinations of features. 
     As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.