Patent Publication Number: US-2021162440-A1

Title: Dual compartment container adapter

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present invention relates generally to adapters for use with a dual compartment container that stores two different fluids, and more particularly, to an adapter that receives the two separate fluids and combines the two fluids into a single fluid stream for delivery to a spray head dispenser for application of the combined fluids to a surface. 
     The present disclosure provides for an adapter having a manifold that allows for the combination of two different fluids, packaged separately in a dual compartment container, to be drawn into and combined into a single channel and dispensed from the container into a single stream for application in the form of a spray by a standard spray head dispenser. 
     There is a need for an adapter that easily combines two different fluids in a manner having accuracy of mixing and that does not require consumers to mix the fluids, thereby saving them time. For example, the different fluids may be fluids that are incompatible when formulated together due to chemically reactivity. Alternatively, the fluids could be fluids that can be compatibly stored together where it is beneficial to mix the fluids only immediately before use. 
     While there are several examples in the prior art of devices that allow multiple solutions to be combined into one stream, most of these devices are multi-component and cumbersome in design. There is a need for an adapter that comprises a single piece, thereby reducing the complication of assembly. There is a further need for an adapter having a simple single piece design that is efficient to manufacture through injection molding technology. 
     The present disclosure provides an adapter having a manifold for receiving two separate fluids from a container having two separate fluid compartments and for combining the fluids into a single fluid stream for delivery to a spray fluid dispenser. The adapter comprises a single housing with a manifold formed therein having two separate first conduits and a second conduit. Each of the first conduits receives one of the two respective fluids from the container. The first conduits connect to the second conduit for receiving and combining the two fluids. The second conduit leads to a spray dispenser which can apply the combined fluids to a surface. 
     In an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an adapter for receiving two separate fluids from a container having two separate fluid compartments and for combining the fluids into a single mixed fluid stream for delivery to a spray head dispenser. The adapter comprises a unitary housing having a first end for fluid connection to the container and a second end for fluid connection to the spray head dispenser. The housing defines a manifold forming a fluid passageway therein between the first end and the second end. The manifold includes two separate substantially straight first conduits formed at the first end. Each of the substantially straight first conduits is connectable to a respective one of the fluid compartments for receiving fluid therefrom. The manifold further includes a second conduit in fluid communication with the second end for delivery of the combined fluids to the spray head dispenser. The first conduits each are in fluid communication with the second conduit. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an adapter for receiving two separate fluids from a container having two separate fluid compartments and for combining the fluids into a single mixed fluid stream for delivery to a spray head dispenser. The adapter comprises a unitary housing having a first end for fluid connection to the container and a second end for fluid connection to said spray head dispenser. The housing defines a manifold forming a fluid passageway therein between the first end and the second end. The manifold includes two separate first conduits formed at the first end. Each of the first conduits is connectable to a respective one of the fluid compartments for receiving fluid therefrom. The manifold further includes a second conduit in fluid communication with the second end for delivery of the combined fluids to the spray head dispenser. The first conduits are each in fluid communication with the second conduit. 
     According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an assembly for combining and dispensing two separate fluids. The assembly comprises a container comprising a first compartment for storing a first fluid and a separate second compartment for storing a second fluid; a spray head dispenser; and an adapter comprising a housing defining a manifold for receiving the first and second fluids from the container and for combining the fluids into a single fluid stream for delivery to the spray head dispenser. The housing has a first end connected to the container and a second end connected to said spray head dispenser. The manifold forms a fluid passageway between the first end and the second end. The manifold includes two separate substantially straight first conduits formed at the first end. Each of the substantially straight first conduits is fluidly connected to a respective one of the fluid compartments of the container. The manifold further includes a second conduit being connected to the second end for delivery of the combined fluids to the spray head dispenser. The first conduits each are in fluid communication with the second conduit. 
     Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of an illustrative adapter; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  a cross-sectional view of the adapter of  FIG. 1  showing an alternate embodiment of the adapter of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  a cross-sectional view of the adapter of  FIG. 1  showing a second alternate embodiment of the adapter of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an assembly of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the assembly of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to precise forms disclosed. Rather, the embodiments elected for description have been chosen to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. 
     With reference initially to  FIG. 1 , an illustrative adapter  2  according to the present disclosure is shown as including a housing  4 . The housing  4  has a first end  10  for connection to a container  26  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The first end  10  of the housing  4  is attachable to a collar  6  as shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7  for attachment to a neck  40  of a container  26  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The adapter  2  has a second end  12  for attachment to a conventional spray head dispenser  32  as shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 . The adapter  2  preferably includes fins  8 . The adapter  2  includes a lip  7  around an outer circumference of the adapter  2  at the first end  10  of the housing  4  in order to force greater compression on a gasket  62  as shown in  FIG. 7  to ensure a better seal with the container  26 . The adapter  2  includes openings  64  in communication with first conduits  16  to receive dip tubes  20 ,  22  as shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 . 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the housing defines a manifold  14  therein. The manifold  14  forms a fluid passageway between the first end  10  and the second end  12  of the adapter  2 . The manifold  14  comprises two separate substantially straight first conduits  16 . Each of the first conduits  16  communicates with an opening  64  for receiving fluid through the first end  10  of the housing  4 . The manifold  14  further comprises a second conduit  18  in fluid communication with the second end  12  for delivery of fluids through an opening in the second end  12 . The first conduits  16  are each in fluid communication with the second conduit  18 . The first conduits  16  each have an opening (not shown) at a point of contact between each respective first conduit  16  and the second conduit  18 . Similarly, the second conduit  18  has openings (not shown) at the points of contact with each of the respective first conduits  16 . In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the respective first conduits  16  are substantially straight and angled relative to each other. In addition, the first conduits  16  are angled relative to the second conduit  18 . Preferably, the angle between the two first conduits is in the range of about 15 degrees and about 35 degrees. Most preferably, the angle between the two first conduits is about 21 degrees. The first conduits  16  each have a lower portion  48  and an upper portion  50 . The lower portions  48  are offset from the upper portions  50  to create separation between the two first conduits in order to accommodate the thickness of a division in the dual compartment container. The center of each of the first conduits  16  is offset by approximately 5.5 mm from the center of the second conduit  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 . There is preferably a gasket  62 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , on the bottom of the adapter  2 . The gasket preferably provides a seal between a division of the dual compartment container and the area between the two angled first conduits  16  that prevents the two liquids from mixing together. 
     The second conduit  18  forms a step  52  where the second conduit  18  connects to the first conduits  16 . The step  52  is a difference in diameter between a portion of the second conduit  18  that leads to the spray dispenser and the part of the second conduit where the second conduit  18  meets the first conduits  16 . The step  52  is beneficial so that a trigger tube, when inserted, will stop at a point that does not block the angled first conduits  16 . 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the angled first and second conduits eliminate any undercut areas below the conduits which is beneficial for injection molding processes for manufacturing the adapter. The housing of the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  also preferably does not include any hollow areas. This feature also provides for efficiency in manufacturing through injection molding processes. The housing  4  has fins  8  that improve cycle time in manufacturing through injection molding procedures. 
     Preferably, the height of the adapter of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  is in the range of from about 23 mm to about 33 mm. Most preferably, the height of the adapter is 32.46 mm. The collar  6  is preferably in the range of from about 17.8 mm to about 25.5 mm in diameter. The diameter of the openings  64  is preferably about 4.4 mm. 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing  4  defines a manifold  14  therein. The manifold  14  forms a fluid passageway between the first end  10  and the second end  12 . The manifold  14  comprises two separate substantially straight first conduits  16 . Each of the first conduits  16  have open ends communicating with an opening  64  as shown in  FIG. 1  for receiving fluid through the first end  10  of the housing  4 . The manifold  14  further comprises a second conduit  18  in fluid communication with the second end  12  for delivery of fluids through the second end  12 . The first conduits  16  are each in fluid communication with the second conduit  18 . The first conduits  16  each have an opening (not shown) at a point of contact between each respective first conduit  16  and the second conduit  18 . Similarly, the second conduit  18  has openings (not shown) at the points of contact with each of the respective first conduits  16 . In this illustrative embodiment, the respective first conduits  16  are substantially parallel to each other. In addition, the first conduits  16  are substantially parallel to the second conduit  18 . 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the housing  4  defines a manifold  14  therein. The manifold  14  forms a fluid passageway between the first end  10  and the second end  12 . The manifold  14  comprises two separate first conduits  16 . The first conduits  16  each have a curved portion and join to form a U-shape. Each of the first conduits  16  have open ends communicating with an opening  64  as shown in  FIG. 1  for receiving fluid through the first open end  10  of the housing  4 . The manifold  14  further comprises a second conduit  18  in fluid communication with the second end  12  for delivering fluids through an opening in the second end  12 . The first conduits  16  join to form a junction  36 . The first conduits  16  join with the second conduit  18  at junction  36 . 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 , the adapter  2  is shown as part of an assembly comprising the adapter  2  as connected to the container  26  having a separate first compartment  28  and second compartment  30 , and a standard spray nozzle  32  which functions as a spray head dispenser. The adapter  2  is shown in  FIG. 6  as having the first conduits  16  and the second conduit  18  angled relative to each other as shown in  FIG. 2 . However other embodiments of the adapter  2  can be used as part of the assembly  1  including the embodiments shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . The adapter  2  is fluidly connected to the container  26  at the first end  10 . The first end  10  is attached to a neck  40  of the container  26 . The collar  6  secures the first end  10  to the neck  40 . A first dip tube  20  is received in one of the first conduits  16  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . A second dip tube  22  is received in the other of the first conduits  16  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The first dip tube  20  extends from the first conduit  16  into the first compartment  28 . The second dip tube  22  extends from the other first conduit  16  into the second compartment  30 . 
     The second end  12  of the housing  4  of the adapter  2  is fluidly connected to the spray dispenser  32 . The housing  4  is attachable to a collar  42  of the spray nozzle  32  for securing the adapter  2  to the spray nozzle  32 . A third tube  24  extends from the second conduit  18  into the spray nozzle  32  as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , in operation, the dual compartment container  26  stores two liquids separately. A first liquid is stored in a first compartment  28  and a second liquid is stored in a second compartment  30 . The two liquids may be chemically reactive liquids which cannot be stored after mixing due to chemical degradation. Alternatively, the two liquids could be liquids that could be stored together without degradation where it is nevertheless preferable to mix the liquids only immediately before use. It is necessary to combine these liquids only immediately before application to surface with a spray head dispenser. The adapter  2  fluidly connects the dual compartment container  26  to a standard spray nozzle  32  and combines the two fluids into a single fluid stream prior to delivery of the fluid stream to spray nozzle  32  for application of the combined fluid stream to a surface. 
     The actuation of the spray nozzle  32  is accomplished by pulling a lever  44  which generates suction through the third tube  24  which in turn generates suction through the first dip tube  20  and the second dip tube  22 . The suction applied draws fluid from the first compartment  28  into the first dip tube  20 . Likewise, the suction applied draws fluid from the second compartment  30  into the second dip tube  22 . The fluid from the first dip tube  20  then flows into the first conduit  16 . Likewise, the fluid from the second dip tube  22  then flows into the other first conduit  16 . The fluids from the first conduits  16  both flow into the second conduit  18  by virtue of the fluid connection between the first conduits  16  and the second conduit  18 . The two fluid streams from the first compartment  28  and second compartment  30  are therefore combined in the second conduit  18 . 
     The suction generated by the spray nozzle  32  causes the combined fluid stream from the second conduit  18  to flow into the third tube  24 . The fluid from the third tube  24  then enters the spray nozzle  32  and is dispensed onto a surface. 
     The design of the adapter of the present disclosure permits for efficient manufacturing of the adapter through injection molding techniques or by additive manufacturing processes including 3D printing. 
     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.