Abstract:
The present invention relates to swimming pools, spas, and other pools of standing water, and in particular to a dispensing unit in the form of a capsule which is formed with a novel frangible seal which seal is puncturable by a blunt puncture device which allows for the improved time release of the chemicals within the capsule once the capsule is positioned in the skimmer of a pool, spa, or pool of standing water.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Applicant claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/132,475, filed Jun. 20, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to swimming pools, spas, and other pools of standing water, and in particular to a dispensing unit and improved seal that distributes a chemical solution into the swimming pool, spa, or other pool of water. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    This invention relates to water quality, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for feeding controlled amounts of chemicals into swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, cooling towers and other standing water ponds. 
         [0006]    In home swimming pools and in newly popular hot tubs, spas, and other water pools, it is almost always necessary to filter and recirculate the water and to add certain chemicals, such as organic flocculating agents, algaecides, etc., which greatly improved the effectiveness of the filters in removing impurities. 
         [0007]    Still further, chlorination is undertaken in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas in order to improve the quality of water and in some instances, chelating agents are positioned in the water to prevent the formation of scale in boilers. 
         [0008]    In large public and commercial systems, apparatus know as “feeders” are used to meter predetermined amounts of such chemicals into the water. This is practical from the stand point of large industrial and public treatment facilities, but the necessary capital investment for such equipment makes it impractical for a home pool, spa, hot tub or small cooling tower. 
         [0009]    It has been discovered that many of the desired water treatment chemicals needed for relatively small swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, can be packaged and shipped in closed and sealed plastic spheres of handy size. In use, one or more apertures are punctured in the shell of the sphere and the chemical enclosed is dropped in the water, most often in the skimmer of the pool or spa. It has further been discovered that the motion of the water and of the sphere in the water can produce the desired rate of chemical feeding. A dispenser of this type and suitable for dispensing Applicant&#39;s formulation is disclosed by Etani in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,814, which is incorporated by reference. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the capsule is used to add alum to the water of a backyard swimming pool. Dropped into the skimmer basket it introduces alum at a substantially constant rate proportional to the rate of flow and independent of the amount of undissolved alum remaining in the capsule. Although at any instant the dispensing rate from the capsule will depend upon the position of the tiny apertures relative to the flow, the positioned effect is eliminated, on the average, because of the movement of the capsule. This type of chemical feeding provides a cleaner pool and a more economical method of introducing the chemicals into the pool. 
         [0011]    Capsules of the type described disburse the chemicals through a plurality of puncture holes in the shell of the capsule, the puncture holes being made by a push-pin having a relatively sharp pointed end, the push-pin being supplied with the capsule in the packaging and at the point of sale. 
         [0012]    The capsules of the type previously described in which puncture holes are made with a push pin or other sharp instrument, are designed to release their chemical contents over a period of days. In some instances depending upon the chemical to be released, it is preferable that the release take place over several days. In other instances, the chemicals can be released more quickly. One problem associated with the capsules described in the prior art is that they occupy space within the skimmer basket and in many instances, home pools and spas utilize chlorine tablets for the chlorination of the pool, these tablets also occupying space within the skimmer basket. Therefore a capsule which requires several days to release its chemical contents interferes with the chlorination of the pool. Therefore there is need for an improved capsule with a seal and a release mechanism which will allow the chemical content of the capsule to be released into the pool based upon the motion of the water in the pool within a period of several hours as opposed to days. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel delivery system for water treatment chemicals for swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. 
         [0014]    Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel delivery system in the form of a safe container for storage, shipment and introduction of water chemicals that both simple and safe. 
         [0015]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel delivery system for a chemical solution for a swimming pool, hot tub or spa, which has an improved frangible seal which is puncturable with a blunt puncturing device. 
         [0016]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel delivery system for a chemical solution to a swimming pool, hot tub, or spa, which allows for the delivery of the chemical contents over a period of hours, and thus not occupying a skimmer basket unduly or interfering with the chlorination of the pool. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The present invention relates to swimming pools, spas, and other pools of standing water, and in particular to a dispensing unit in the form of a capsule which is formed with a novel frangible seal which seal is puncturable by a blunt puncture device which allows for the improved time release of the chemicals within the capsule once the capsule is positioned in the skimmer of a pool, spa, or pool of standing water. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0018]    These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent, particularly when taken in light of the following illustrations wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a dispensing container of the prior art; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a dispensing container of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a close up top plan view of the seal or plug of the dispensing container of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the seal or plug along Plane  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a puncture instrument cooperative with the improved seal of the present invention; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the puncture instrument of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  is representative of the prior art dispensing container for chemicals for pools or spas. The dispenser or capsule  10  comprises two plastic hemispheres  12  and  14  which are joined together. The manner of joining can be by means of cement or adhesive or the hemispheres  12  and  14  can be molded or formed with complimentary flanges, which flanges can be secured by ultrasonic welding. Hemisphere  12  has a filling aperture  16  which is closed by a plug  18 . Plug  18  is formed with a buoyant portion  20 . The prior art required that a number of small holes or apertures be formed in hemisphere  12  to release the contents. The location of these small holes were identified by indicia  13  on hemisphere  12  and the actual capsule was sold or marketed with a push pin  15  contained in the packaging, push pin  15  to be utilized to form the puncture holes or apertures at the indicia points prior to insertion of the capsule into the body of water. 
         [0026]    Capsules of this design would be placed in the skimmer of the pool, hot tub or spa, and would release the contents of the capsule responsive to the movement of the water based on the number of people using the pool, hot tub or spa over a period of days. In many instances it is not desirable that the capsule occupies space in skimmer basket for such a long time, in that it may interfere with other pool requirements, such as chlorination. Therefore, there is a need for a capsule which can dispense its chemical contents in a time release manner, but much quicker that that of the prior art. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dispensing container of the present invention. The dispensing container or capsule  40  is formed of two hemispheres  42  and  44  which are joined together and secured by any suitable method, including those identified in the prior art. Hemisphere  42  is formed with a filling aperture  46  which is secured by a plug  48 . Plug  48  serves not only to seal the chemical within the capsule  40 , but it also serves as the release mechanism for the release of the chemical into the body of water. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a close up top plan view of plug  48  of dispensing container  40  and  FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of plug  48  and the puncture instrument. Seal  48  is formed with an annular upper surface  50 , a circumferential side wall  52 , terminating in an inwardly depending shoulder  54  and a depending cylindrical body member  56 , the circumference of which is complimentary with the filling aperture  46  on hemisphere  42 . The configuration of plug  48  defines an axial bore  58  extending from annular upper surface  50  to a frangible bottom wall  60  defining the terminus  62  of axial bore  58 . Bottom wall  60  is molded or formed with two intersecting embossed ribs  64  and  66  which are perpendicular to each other and extend across the bottom wall  60  of axial bore  58 . Ribs  64  and  66  are cooperative with the puncture instrument as will be described hereafter and provide a degree of rigidity to frangible bottomw all  60  during transport and storage. 
         [0029]    Seal  48  is also formed with an annular shoulder portion  51  about the upper portion of axial bore  58  in order to accommodate a circumferential weight ring  53  which is pressure fit into the axial bore  58  and sits on shoulder  51 . Weight ring  53  maintains seal  48  and axial bore  58  in a downward, submerged position once the frangible bottom wall  60  has been breached and the capsule has been placed into a skimmer. The submergence of the axial bore  58  insures the discharge of the chemical bet it liquid or solid into the pool under the influence of wave motion. Still further, the evacuation of the chemicals contained in the capsule can be assisted by providing for a pin hole puncture  55  in hemisphere  44 , approximately  180  degrees opposite of the seal  48 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the puncture instrument  70  of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the puncture instrument  70 . Puncture instrument  70  is of one piece integral construction preferably molded of PVC or ABS. The puncture instrument  70  has a finger pressure engageable upper end  72  having an upper surface  74  and lower surface  76  and a peripheral side wall  78 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the finger pressure engageable upper end  72  is circular and has a centrally positioned cylindrical shaft  80  depending from lower surface  76 . The terminus of cylindrical shaft  80  is formed with a V-cut  82  which results in two depending fingers  84  and  86  defined by an angled planar inner surface  88  and  90  and a semi-cylindrical outer surface. The length of depending cylindrical shaft  80  of puncture instrument  70  is slightly greater than the depth of the axial bore  58  in plug  48 . The diameter of depending cylindrical shaft  80  is slightly less than the diameter of the axial bore  58  in plug  48 . 
         [0031]    The opposing fingers  84  and  86  of puncture instrument  70  and their elliptical periphery present no sharp, pointed ends such as the puncture instrument of the prior art which could cause injury if left unattended. Still further, the fingers  84  and  86  of plunger instrument  70  are cooperative with the bottom wall  60  of plug  48  which serves as the manner of dispensing the liquid contained in the capsule  40 . 
         [0032]    Puncture instrument  70  is inserted into axial bore  58  of plug  48  and the opposing fingers  84  and  86  will contact the bottom wall  60 . If the two opposing fingers come in contact with the embossed ribs  64  and  66  formed in bottom wall  60  of plug  48 , they will be unable to puncture the lower wall. However, because of their elliptical edges, the fingers  84  and  86  are designed to slide off of the embossed ribs  64  and  66  if contacted so as to rest firmly against the frangible portion of the bottom wall  60  which consists of the four quadrants defined by the intersecting embossed ribs  64  and  66 . When the plunger instrument  70  finds itself in this position with the opposing fingers in contact with the quadrant surface of the bottom wall  60  of axial bore  50 , a firm but slight pressure applied to the finger pressure end  72  of plunger instrument  70  will cause the opposing fingers to penetrate or rupture the frangible bottom wall  60 . 
         [0033]    The capsule  40  is then placed into a pool of water such as the skimmer of a pool, and become subject to the wave motion of the pool, the chemicals contained within the capsule will be released due to the weight ring  53  positioning the axial bore  58  of seal  48  vertically downwardly in a submerged orientation. Since the size of the hole is greater than that of the apertures utilized in the prior art, the chemicals contained within the capsule will be time released, but the time release will take place over a period of hours as opposed to days, thereby allowing chlorination tablets to be placed in the skimmer when required. Still further, to improved the release of the chemicals, a small aperture  55  may be made in the spherical capsule opposite the seal to improve the flow of chemicals. 
         [0034]    Therefore, while the present invention has been disclosed with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalence thereof.