Patent Publication Number: US-2011068108-A1

Title: Package devices for a drying agent

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefits of priority of Chinese application number 200920195077.3, entitled PACKAGE DEVICES FOR A DRYING AGENT, and filed in the name of Yeung Tak Shing and Dongguan VitaPac Activated Applied Material Co. Ltd. on Sep. 21, 2009. The entire content of the application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application relates to a device for packing a drying agent. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Long-term drying agents, such as calcium chloride, lithium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium bromide, magnesium bromide, lithium bromide and potassium bromide, gradually deliquesce from solid to become liquid by adsorbing moisture from the air, when they are used to make the environment in which they are placed become dry. The liquid is highly corrosive to metallic articles, thus posing high requirements to the package of the drying agent. 
     Water-retaining agents, such as modified starch, adsorbent fiber, bentonite and attapulgite clay, are currently mixed with these drying agent to adsorb the large amount of liquid generated during the use of the drying agent, in order that the liquid will not penetrate out of the package to corrode any articles to be dried. Nevertheless, there is still a small amount of liquid that penetrates out of the package. Moreover, the usage of water-retaining agents will not only decrease the adsorption efficiency of the drying agent but also increase costs of the final product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging device for drying agents comprising a first compartment for containing a drying agent and a second compartment for containing a solution. These compartments are separated by a barrier plate. The barrier plate has holes constructed thereon. A side wall of the first compartment is constructed with windows. The packaging device is made of plastic materials. 
     Preferably, a slot mortise is formed at an end of the first compartment that is away from the barrier plate. An inner wall of the slot mortise is provided with a recess. 
     Preferably, a tenon is formed at an end of the second compartment that is away from the barrier plate. Outer surface of the tenon is constructed with a protrusion. The tenon is capable of inserting into the slot mortise through the engagement of the protrusion of the tenon with the recess of the slot mortise. 
     Preferably, an anchoring plate is provided within, removably connected to and can be fixed into, the slot mortise. A hook is provided and can be mounted on the anchoring plate. 
     In an illustrative device of the present invention, the drying agent is contained in the first compartment and the solution generated by the drying agent is contained in the second compartment, said first and second compartments being separated by the central barrier plate. The barrier plate is constructed with holes and the side wall of the first compartment is constructed with windows. The window is covered with a layer of a water-proof but air-penetrable film, and a layer of water- and air-proof aluminum foil. To activate the drying agent, the aluminum foil is removed, and the humid air in the environment penetrating through the air-penetrable film into the first compartment. The drying agent placed in the first compartment adsorbs the moisture and dissolves to become liquid which flows into the second compartment through the holes on the central barrier plate. Whenever the package is unintentionally overturned, the liquid in the second compartment will not leak from the window due to the presence of the water-proof film. 
     In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the window is covered only with a layer of a water-proof but air-penetrable film without the use of water- and air-proof aluminum foil. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a slot mortise is formed at the top of the first compartment, and a tenon is formed at the bottom of the second compartment. More than one packaging device can be connected together through the engagement of the slot mortise with the tenon to form a chain. 
     In addition, a hook may be furnished at the space of the slot mortise, which can be inserted onto an anchoring plate. So, the packaging device can be hung. 
     Moreover, the package devices of the present invention are made of plastic materials which would not be corroded by the liquid resulting from the deliquescence of the drying agent. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described and illustrated in detail in reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the structure of the package device according to one embodiment of the invention, and 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the structures of the anchoring plate and the hook. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in a first preferable embodiment of the present invention, a package device for a drying agent comprising a first compartment  10  and a second compartment  30 . The first compartment  10  and the second compartment  30  are separated from each other by a barrier plate  50 . The barrier plate  50  has a plurality of hole constructed thereon. A side wall of the first compartment  10  is provided with windows  11 . The package device is made of plastic materials. 
     In a preferable embodiment, a slot mortise  70  is formed at an end of the first compartment  10  that is away from an end plate  12  opposite to the barrier plate  50 . An inner wall of the slot mortise  70  is provided with recesses  71 . A tenon  90  is formed at an end of the second compartment  30  that is away from an end plate  31  opposite to the barrier plate  50 . Outer surface of the tenon  90  is constructed with two protrusions  91 . The tenon  90  is capable of inserting into the slot mortise  70  through the engagement of the protrusions  91  of the tenon  90  with the recesses  71  of the slot mortise  70 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in a second preferable embodiment of the present invention, an anchoring plate  40  is provided within, removably connected to and can be fixed into the slot mortise  70 . A hook  41  can be mounted on the anchoring plate  40 . Specifically, protrusions  42  have been constructed at edges of the anchoring plate  40  so as to engage with the recess  71  of the slot mortise  70 , so that the anchoring plate  40  is connected to the slot mortise  70 . 
     The anchoring plate  40  is also provided with holders  43  and  44  which hold part  412  and part  414  of the hook  41  respectively so as to keep the hook  41  in place. When it is required to hang the package device, the parts  412  and  414  can be easily taken out from the holders  43  and  44  manually. A barb  413  of the hook  41  is capable of passing through the hole  45  of the anchoring plate  40  and fixing the hook of the package device, facilitating to hang the package device. 
     The windows  11  of the first compartment  10  are covered with a layer of a water-proof but air-penetrable film, and a layer of water- and air-proof aluminum foil. To activate the drying agent, the aluminum foil is removed, and the humid air in the environment penetrates through the air-penetrable film into the first compartment  10 . The drying agent placed in the first compartment  10  adsorbs the moisture and dissolves to become liquid which flows into the second compartment  30  through the holes on the central barrier plate  50 . Whenever the package is unintentionally overturned, the liquid in the second compartment  30  will not leak out from the window  11  due to the presence of the water-proof film. 
     The slot mortise  70  is formed at the top of the first compartment  10 , and the tenon  90  is formed at the bottom of the second compartment  30 . Several package devices can be connected one by one through the engagement of the slot mortise  70  with the tenon  90 , in order to form a package device chain. The protrusions  91  of the tenon  90  engage with the recesses  71  of the slot mortise  70 , such that several package devices can be used in a form of package device chain. In addition, a hook  41  is furnished at the slot mortise  70  of the first compartment  10 . The hook is mounted on the anchoring plate  40  which is fixed in the slot mortise  70 . The packaging device can be hung through the hook  41 . 
     The package devices of the present invention are made of plastic materials which would not be corroded by the liquid resulting from the deliquescence of the drying agent. 
     It is noted that the above mentioned examples are for illustration only and cannot be constructed to be a limit to the present invention. Modifications, changes and substitution made under the spirit and discipline of the present invention are within the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.