Multi-component mixing

Abstract

A packaging system or a closure ( 1 ) or base ( 3 ) for a packaging system which provides for a positive displacement (or “pumping”) of at least some of each of one or more components out of their separate and hermetically sealed chambers, using a twisting motion of the respective chambers, to combine them into a single main chamber ( 2 ) or separate container.

1 . A packaging system which provides for a positive displacement of at least some of each of one or more components out of their separate and hermetically sealed chambers, combining them into a single main chamber or a separate container to which the packaging system is attached.  
     
     
         2 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 1  which provides a swirling and/or eddy current action during the positive displacement of the component(s) out of the chamber(s) so assisting homogenous mixing.  
     
     
         3 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the positive displacement combination is created in a container that is constructed out of at least three parts and where the completely assembled container creates one or more hermetically sealed internal chambers and/or sub-chambers, and where the volume of at least one of the internal chambers can be decreased by rotating two outer interlocked parts with respect to each other.  
     
     
         4 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the container is an assembly of the type in which one or more of the following are included: 
 a first part of the container is interlocked with a second part of the container in such a way as to allow the two parts to rotate with respect to each other while not substantially changing the internal volume enclosed within the two rotating parts,    a third inner part is keyed to the first part and threadingly engaged with the second part, creating one or more internal and hermetically sealed chambers,    alternatively, a third part is keyed to the first part and threadingly engaged with the second part, creating one or more internal chambers that house separate and fully hermetically sealed sub-chambers,    two or more components are kept totally separate from each other prior to mixing in the hermetically sealed chambers and/or sub-chambers,    combination of the components is achieved mechanistically by a positive displacement, or “pumping”, action, effected by rotating the first part with respect to the second part, causing the first part to move due to the keyway/thread so as to reduce the volume of one internal chamber,    this positively displaces the component or components out of the chamber as the volume reduces,    if a second chamber is present, the volume of this second chamber increases directly in proportion to the reduction in volume in the first chamber so that the overall internal volume of the assembly remains substantially constant,    if sub-chambers are present, the reduction in volume of the chamber exposes the sub-chambers enclosed, which can then be manually operated by the user, or the mechanism can automatically cause the sub-chambers to operate,    combination can be either the total combination of the two or more components at once, or the dosing of one or more components into the first component as required,    and where, due to the rotating action, a mixing/stirring action may also be generated to aid homogenous mixing.    
     
     
         5 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first and second parts are outer parts of the container and the third part is an inner part.  
     
     
         6 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 3  to  5  wherein the one or more adjustable volume chambers is created by the use of a keyway and a thread and optionally an interlock.  
     
     
         7 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the two parts that rotate with respect to each other typically form part, or all, of the exterior of the container, and they are interlocked together such that they are inseparable and at no time during rotation of the two interlocked parts does the internal volume enclosed by the two parts either substantially increase or decrease.  
     
     
         8 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the interlock is specifically designed to allow unlocking at the discretion of a user.  
     
     
         9 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 2  to  7  wherein the third part typically forms part of the internals of the container and is threaded to one rotating part and keyed to the second rotating part.  
     
     
         10 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the third part may or may not have hermetic sealing surfaces between itself and either/and/or the two exterior rotating parts.  
     
     
         11 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the third part is not hermetically sealed to either of the interlocked and rotating parts, and the chamber created between the third part and either/and/or the two interlocked rotating parts enclose one or more hermetically sealed sub-chambers.  
     
     
         12 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 9  to  11  wherein the assembly of the three parts creates a container where the rotating of the two interlocked parts causes the third part to move in a linear fashion with respect to the part it is keyed to, driven by the part it is threaded to.  
     
     
         13 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the linear movement of the third part creates an internal adjustable volume chamber so enabling a component or components in the chamber to be positively displaced, or “pumped”, out of the chamber as the volume decreases.  
     
     
         14 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the positive displacement is: directly out of the container, or into another chamber of the same container, where the second chamber volume is increased in direct proportion to the reducing volume chamber, such that the overall volume of the container does not substantially change at any time.  
     
     
         15 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the positive displacement is out of a cap of into a separate bottle.  
     
     
         16 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the at least two parts that rotate with respect to each other allow integral stirring devices to be mounted on to one or more of the rotating surfaces so that during rotation, the stirring devices generate a swirling and/or eddy current action to assist in the homogeneous mixing of the two or more components as they combine.  
     
     
         17 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein all of the components are enclosed in the chamber of reducing volume, or if two chambers are present, the second and any subsequent components are enclosed in the chamber of reducing volume while the first component is enclosed directly in the main chamber of the container.  
     
     
         18 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the two or more components are kept separate from each other prior to combination.  
     
     
         19 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the components are kept separate by one of the following methods, including but not limited to:all of the components being enclosed in separate thin-walled receptacles and placed inside the hermetically sealed chamber of reducing volume or hermetically sealed sub-chambers; one or more of the components being enclosed in separate thin-walled receptacles inside the hermetically sealed chamber of reducing volume or hermetically sealed sub-chambers, with the first component enclosed directly inside the main section of the container; one component enclosed directly inside the hermetically sealed chamber of reducing volume or hermetically sealed sub-chambers, and the first component enclosed directly inside the main section of the container; one or more of the components enclosed in separate thin-walled receptacles and placed inside the hermetically sealed chamber of reducing volume or hermetically sealed sub-chambers, one component enclosed directly inside the hermetically sealed chamber of reducing volume or hermetically sealed sub-chambers on the outside of the thin-walled receptacle(s) and the first component enclosed directly inside the main section of the container; or any combination of the above.  
     
     
         20 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 19  in which the-receptacles are thin-walled and as the two external and interlocked parts of the container are rotated with respect to each other, the linearly moving third part causes the volume of the chamber to decrease, resulting in the thin-walled receptacle being squashed, so increasing it's internal pressure, leading to its rupture.  
     
     
         21 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 20  with a hermetically sealed reducing volume chamber or sub-chambers, the component(s) inside the chamber can be dispensed out of the container, or where there are two chambers, into the larger chamber.  
     
     
         22 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the components are dispensed by one of the following methods: by the dislodging of a plug, caused by a build-up in pressure in the chamber or sub-chamber as the volume is reduced, by the dislodging of a plug by internal or external mechanical means, by the rupturing of a membrane, caused by a build-up in pressure in the chamber or sub-chamber as the volume is reduced, by the rupturing of a membrane by internal or external mechanical means, by the linearly moving piece effectively being a plug in itself, such that as it starts to move due to the rotational action, it's movement causes an “unplugging” effect and allows component(s) to be positively displaced out of the chamber or sub-chamber as its internal volume is reduced, through a one-way valve, or through a small constriction.  
     
     
         23 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 22  wherein continued rotation of the two external parts ultimately reduces the volume of the internal chamber to zero allowing the full displacement of all the component material(s) out of the chamber, or the full exposure or activation of the sub-chambers.  
     
     
         24 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  23  wherein the rupture point(s) of the thin-walled receptaclel(s) and/or membrane section(s) can be in one or more places, including but not limited to: a physical stress fracture of the wall surface, along a weld or joint line, along a physical cut or tear, a tear or fracture along a surface weakness designed or engineered into the wall for this expressed purpose, via an integrated closure in the wall surface, or by any combination of the above.  
     
     
         25 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  23  wherein the rupturing of the thin-walled receptacle(s) and/or membrane section(s) can by one or more methods, including but not limited to: an external object inserted down into the container, or a physical object integrated in to the container design.  
     
     
         26 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 25  wherein the physical object integrated into the design can be, but by no means is limited to: a column or up-stand, shaped at the end to aid rupture, for example pointed, solid or of hollow construction, designed to rupture such that the membrane rents open causing a permanent opening, designed to rupture such that the membrane continues to seal around the physical object, thereby forming a one-way valve.  
     
     
         27 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  26  wherein the thin-walled membrane can have or be, but is by no means limited to: of continuous thickness, a thinner section at the rupture point, designed to have thin and thick sections to control the rupture such that the rent membrane remains attached rather than is rent off completely, a constriction moulded, punched or cut into its surface to generate a one-way or self sealing valve configuration, one or more slits moulded, punched or cut into its surface to generate a one-way or self-sealing valve, of another shape or attachment that is generates a one-way of self-sealing valve configuration.  
     
     
         28 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  27  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) and/or membrane section(s) is constructed from any flexible or rigid material that has suitable barrier properties to contain the component prior to combining and that can be readily torn, cut or ruptured.  
     
     
         29 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 28  wherein the flexible or rigid materials include, but are not limited to, cardboard, plastic, metal foils (for example aluminium), rubbers, plastic/rubber blends and any laminate combination thereof.  
     
     
         30 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) can be a pouch or sachet-style format.  
     
     
         31 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) is a very thin-walled blow moulded bottle.  
     
     
         32 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) is a very thin-walled injection moulded bottle.  
     
     
         33 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  32  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) is any formed, fabricated or moulded box, pocket, envelope, bag, container, with a wall section thin enough to be readily ruptured for combination and mixing but strong enough and of high enough barrier properties to ensure the enclosed flowable material is kept fully separate prior to combination and mixing.  
     
     
         34 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  33  wherein the one or more thin-walled receptacles can be either separate from each other or attached together, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         35 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  34  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) and/ membrane section(s) have one or more integral closures with the purpose of being a filling point and/or exit flow path(s) of a flowable component material.  
     
     
         36 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 35  wherein the filling or exit flow path can be of a one-way valve nature or a constriction.  
     
     
         37 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of  claims 19  to  36  wherein the thin-walled receptacle(s) and/or membrane section(s) can have one or more weak points engineered into the wall surface, joint or weld line with the specific intent of forming the failure point(s) upon rupture.  
     
     
         38 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of the  claims 19  to  37  wherein the filling of the main chamber of the container is typically be achieved on a bottle filling line, filling of the thin-walled receptacle(s) can typically be achieved on a sachet or pouch filling machine, and direct filling of the internal chamber of reducing volume can typically be achieve through: a valve or closure in the base, through the main container aperture and a plug or cover inserted, or filled prior to final assembly of the container.  
     
     
         39 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 38  wherein the container has a linear moving part providing positive displacement combination without having integral stirring devices for generation of homogenous mixing.  
     
     
         40 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 38  wherein the container has a linear moving part that does not provide positive displacement combination however it does have integral stirring devices to generate homogenous mixing.  
     
     
         41 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the container is any form of box, bottle, jar, flask, jug, decanter, cap, closure, syringe, phial, cruet, glass, canteen or carton with any form of threaded or non-threaded closure.  
     
     
         42 . A packaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the relative motion of the third part relative to the part to which it is keyed is effected by a combination of a thread form on the surface of the third part and one or more male thread form flanges or lugs moulded on to a mating surface of the other part so that during assembly, the third part is first inserted and as the third part is pushed into the other part, the one or more free-standing male thread form flanges or lugs flex backwards as the thread form on the third part moves past them and when the third part has been fully inserted the one or more male thread form flanges or lugs are fully engaged at or near the lowest part of the thread form in which position a shoulder section of the other part acts so that the flanges or lugs can no longer flex to thereby create a functional thread form between the third part and the other part.  
     
     
         43 . A packaging system as claimed in  claim 1  and substantially as herein described with reference to any one the examples and as shown in the drawings.  
     
     
         44 . A packaging system closure or base incorporating means which provides for a positive displacement of at least some of each of one or more components out of their separate and hermetically sealed chambers, combining them into a single main chamber to which a bottle or container is in use attached.  
     
     
         45 . A packaging system closure or base as claimed in  claim 44  and wherein the closure or base is an assembly of the type in which one or more of the following are included: 
 a first part of the assembly is interlocked with a second part of the assembly in such a way as to allow the two parts to rotate with respect to each other while not substantially changing the internal volume enclosed within the two rotating parts,  
 a third inner part is keyed to the first part and threadingly engaged with the second part, creating one or more internal and hermetically sealed chambers,  
 alternatively, a third part is keyed to the first part and threadingly engaged with the second part, creating one or more internal chambers that house separate and fully hermetically sealed sub-chambers,  
 two or more components are kept totally separate from each other prior to mixing in the hermetically sealed chambers and/or sub-chambers,  
 combination of the components is achieved mechanistically by a positive displacement, or “pumping”, action, effected by rotating the first part with respect to the second part, causing the first part to move due to the keyway/thread so as to reduce the volume of one internal chamber,  
 this positively displaces the component or components out of the chamber as the volume reduces,  
 if a second chamber is present, the volume of this second chamber increases directly in proportion to the reduction in volume in the first chamber so that the overall internal volume of the assembly remains substantially constant,  
 if sub-chambers are present, the reduction in volume of the chamber exposes the sub-chambers enclosed, which can then be manually operated by the user, or the mechanism can automatically cause the sub-chambers to operate,  
 combination can be either the total combination of the two or more components at once, or the dosing of one or more components into the first component as required, and where, due to the rotating action, a mixing/stirring action may also be generated to aid homogenous mixing when the assembly is fitted to a bottle or container.