CN109661355B - 与自动售货机联用的能再灌装容器 - Google Patents

与自动售货机联用的能再灌装容器 Download PDF

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CN109661355B
CN109661355B CN201780052946.4A CN201780052946A CN109661355B CN 109661355 B CN109661355 B CN 109661355B CN 201780052946 A CN201780052946 A CN 201780052946A CN 109661355 B CN109661355 B CN 109661355B
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L·M·莱文斯坦
E·A·威廉姆斯
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CH&I Technologies Inc
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    • G07F13/00—Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs
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Abstract

公开了一种诸如洗衣再灌装瓶的再灌装瓶，其能够与消费品再灌装站联用以一遍又一遍地重复使用瓶。再灌装瓶包括自动流量控制阀，自动流量控制阀允许瓶在没有盖的情况下被无数次灌装、处理、分配和再灌装。盖的取消减轻了制造商和消费者安装、松开、紧固、移除和再安装或替换盖的任务。再灌装瓶使用流量控制阀，特别地使用自动灌装阀、自动压力排空阀、手动/自动分配阀以及自动真空通气阀。再灌装瓶能够使液体和空气在灌装、处理、分配和再灌装期间交换。

Description

与自动售货机联用的能再灌装容器
相关申请的交叉引用
本申请要求2016年8月31日递交的美国临时专利申请No.62/381,701和2017年8月23日递交的美国非临时专利申请No.15/684,295的优先权，其全部内容通过引用并入本文。
背景技术
世界经历了向更环保的产品包装的转变，随着世界开始意识到垃圾填埋场和废物处理区域中不断增长的不可生物降解废物的存在，更环保的产品包装最近有了增长势头。企业尝试探索用于控制废物量以及与日常购买的产品的容器关联的成本的新选择。包括食品、饮料、个人护理产品、家居清洁产品等的产品的包装是保护环境进一步行动的首选。
诸如乳液、乳霜、护发产品、化妆品等的个人护理产品的向更环保包装的转变已经变慢。这可能是因为该行业在很大程度上是由包装驱动的，许多产品的商业成功是公众对于伴随产品的包装的喜爱而不是对产品自身品质的喜爱的直接结果。销售古龙水、香水、眼霜、化妆品乳霜等的企业会花费更多的资金来评估潜在客户对于它们的包装而不是它们的产品的反应。结果，化妆品和个人护理产品企业抵制了向更加环保的包装的转变，导致制造商和消费者重复购买相同包装的巨大浪费和较高成本。然而，对于企业和消费者两者的趋势是需要相信节约资源和减少浪费的必要，并且在该过程中寻求新的且更好的方法来保护环境并节省资金。
能够减少浪费的一种方法是利用能重复使用的包装。本发明总体但不排它地涉及材料管理领域，并且更特别地涉及能够与再灌装站、售货亭、自动售货机等一起使用的能再灌装容器。
手持式能再灌装材料转移系统可以被构造成将高粘性材料从远程制造点移动到销售点。材料转移系统可以被构造成在没有浪费的情况下仅分配需要量的材料，这在流体或材料不易处理并且不能容易地或安全地从容器传递到容器而没有不期望的暴露时是尤其重要的。优选地，这种材料转移系统减少或消除了使用传统的一次性个人包装所带来的成本和花销以及与大多数现有系统关联的材料的浪费。能再灌装材料转移系统还可以被构造为使用诸如用于分配和转移浓稠流体和其它这种材料的非脉动溶液(non-pulsatingsolution)的低成本组分。
随着减少包装废物的需求成为道德和经济的需要，消费品的能再灌装和能重复使用的包装将继续出现并变得更加突出。从面临日益严重的垃圾填埋和废物管理问题的市政当局到因为竞争对手转向能再灌装包装而需要保持竞争力的企业，减少包装废物是企业和政府的目标。随着与消费品包装废物关联的问题恶化，该问题将继续增长并成为公众意识的最前沿。
消费品包装废物的问题的一个解决方案公开于美国专利公开No.2011/0225106，其中能再灌装消费品包装站能够用于将消费产品再灌装到特别设计的能再灌装容器中。能再灌装容器的类型的示例公开于美国专利公开No.2014/0209640。这些参考文献的内容通过引用全部并入本文。个人能再灌装容器在被耗尽之后被消费者带到再灌装站，并且再灌装站能够对容器进行再灌装或再装填，使得再灌装站能够在不需要新的包装的情况下分配新产品。制造商和消费者为减少浪费而共同节省的成本可以为数百万美元。
如并入的专利申请中所说明的，这种再灌装站的益处是多重的。除了消除浪费，再灌装站能够提供可以根据客户的偏好进行定制的各种各样的产品，而无需为各种可以想到的变化存储库存。例如，再灌装站可以提供洗衣剂产品用于再灌装个人容器。除了基本洗涤剂之外，能够在再灌装站处将气味以及诸如织物柔软剂、添加剂或其它改性剂的选择添加到洗涤剂中。消费者能够根据偏好使洗涤剂产品个性化，并且创建为该消费者专门设计的洗涤剂。洗涤剂供应商能够在减小库存的同时销售更多产品，并且能重复使用的容器确保一旦洗涤剂耗尽不会产生废物。消费者简单地返回到优选位于商场、购物中心或其它便利位置的再灌装站，并且消费者的个人偏好总是可用于再灌装包装。
发明内容
本发明是诸如洗衣再灌装瓶的再灌装瓶，该再灌装瓶能够与消费品再灌装站联用以一遍又一遍地重复使用该瓶。再灌装瓶包括自动流量控制阀，自动流量控制阀允许瓶在没有盖的情况下被无数次灌装、处理、分配和再灌装。盖的取消减轻了制造商和消费者安装、松开、紧固、移除和再安装或更换盖的任务，并且避免了与盖关联的泄漏、错位等有关的特定问题。
能再灌装瓶通过流量控制阀(特别地通过自动灌装阀、自动压力放空阀、手动/自动分配阀以及自动真空通气阀)实现本发明的目的。再灌装瓶能够使液体和空气在灌装、处理、分配和再灌装期间交换。
自动灌装阀能够使液体在灌装和再灌装期间从再灌装站上的分配口转移通过该分配口并进入再灌装瓶。该阀通过其入口与出口之间的净力操作和打开。该阀通过其出口与其入口之间的净力操作和关闭。这些净力以阀中的可平移座元件的截面材料(流体)区域上的阀入口与阀出口之间的净差压施加的力以及能够储存能量的另一个阀元件施加的力为基础。该阀不需要人为或其它干预来操作、打开、关闭。
当在灌装和再灌装期间空气被进入的材料(液体)替换时，自动压力放空阀能够使空气转移通过该阀并且使空气从再灌装瓶排出。该阀通过其入口与出口之间的净力操作和打开。该阀通过其出口与入口之间的净力操作和关闭。这些净力以阀中的可平移座元件的截面材料(流体)区域上的阀入口与阀出口之间的净差压施加的力以及能够储存能量的另一个阀元件施加的力为基础。该阀不需要人为或其它干预来操作、打开、关闭。
手动/自动分配阀能够在分配期间使液体传递通过该阀并且分配出再灌装瓶，并且当分配操作结束时自动关闭。该阀不需要人为或其它干预来操作和关闭。
自动真空通气阀能够使空气转移通过该阀并且排入再灌装瓶，利用该空气体积替换分配期间分配出瓶的液体体积，由此破坏了瓶中可能产生的真空。该阀通过其入口与出口之间的净力操作和打开。该阀通过其出口与入口之间的净力操作和关闭。这些净力以阀中的可平移座元件的截面材料(流体)区域上的阀入口与阀出口之间的净差压施加的力以及能够储存能量的另一个阀元件施加的力为基础。该阀不需要人为或其它干预来操作、打开、关闭。
本发明提供了使用无需人为或其它干预的阀将洗衣剂自动转移到再灌装瓶中。这些阀能够在容易且没有特定问题的情况下相对简单、便宜、可靠、可重复、耐用，并且对于要被无数次再灌装的瓶特别有价值。
作为比较，典型的现有大气洗衣瓶具有盖，该盖在灌装液体之后需要人为或其它干预来安装并且适当紧固、在分配液体之前松开(以使空气能够排入瓶中)、在任意后续处理之前和之后再紧固和再松开、在再灌装液体之前移除(以允许液体进入瓶中并且使空气排出瓶)、在再灌装之后再安装或替换等。
对于用作再灌装瓶并被认为是有价值的再灌装瓶的瓶来说，应当能够在容易且没有显著问题的情况下再灌装许多次。对于具有盖的再灌装瓶来说，需要多种人为或其它干预来安装、松开、紧固、移除以及再安装或替换盖易于受到特定问题的影响。这些问题包括：对于盖的人为或其它错误；丢失盖导致瓶不再适于被处理和再灌装；盖的磨损和撕裂导致液体在处理期间泄漏或溢出；在分配之前盖未被松开导致在分配期间液体流动不稳定；在处理之前盖未被紧固导致液体在处理期间泄漏或溢出。具有盖的瓶对上述和其它问题的脆弱性成为用作再灌装瓶并且被认为是有价值的再灌装瓶的具有盖的瓶的障碍。本发明消除了瓶上的盖以及与瓶上的盖关联的问题。
本发明提供了用于大气洗衣瓶的自动部件，该瓶在容易且没有显著问题的情况下被无数次灌装、处理、分配和再灌装。
附图说明
图1是本发明的呈能再灌装的洗衣剂瓶形式的第一实施方式的提升立体图；
图2是图1的实施方式的手柄下方的顶部的截面图；
图3是图1的实施方式的侧视图；并且
图4是图1的实施方式的仰视图。
具体实施方式
常见的大气洗衣瓶的范围从大约64流体盎司(1/2加仑)到128流体盎司(一加仑)，并且由适于环境温度的诸如HDPE(高密度聚乙烯)的相对轻质吹塑成型塑料制成。瓶10表示可以与诸如洗衣剂的能再灌装消费品一起使用的能再灌装容器。瓶的用途超出规定的用途，并且能够与诸如油、肥皂、香波等的大多数重质液体或粘性液体一起使用。
瓶10可以在上表面上成型有手柄12以便于携带，并且优选地包括一对或两对腿部14以稳定瓶。在瓶10的上表面18上(诸如手柄12下方)配置有一对单向阀或排气口，以在分配和灌装期间分别允许空气进入和逸出。也就是，一个阀被指定为灌装期间使用的减压阀使得空气能够在产品进入瓶10时逸出，并且另一阀在分配期间激活以允许空气在从瓶分配产品时进入。
瓶10可以形成有可移除(removable)杯28，可移除杯28通过垫片(détente)、螺纹配合件、突片和槽配置或者用于将杯安装到瓶的一些其它可拆连接安装到瓶的下表面。瓶10还可以配备有用于如下所述地分配瓶10中的流体的按钮30。虽然按钮也可以利用其它位置，分配按钮30优选地位于凸沿26附近的前表面，杯28安装到凸沿26下方。作为防窃启措施的一部分，贴膜33可以置于按钮30上方并且延伸到杯28以指示瓶先前未被使用。贴膜33优选地包括条形码或说明瓶10的内容物(包括任何添加剂、气味等)的其它机器读取标记。条形码还可以包括客户信息、支付信息或其它数据或信息以利于交易。贴膜33还可以包括当再灌装操作之后使用瓶10时允许贴膜33被撕下的穿孔。以该方式，能够辨别所使用的瓶的状态，同时再灌装站仍能够读取条形码中包括的信息以利于交易和再灌装操作。
优选地安装到瓶10的下侧的是与瓶10关联并且保持物理联接到瓶10的读/写RFID标签应答器35。RFID标签35能够与再灌装站或其它数据交换进行无线双向数据通信。
RFID应答器35允许瓶在其生命周期(从其制造日期贯穿其使用直到其最终废弃)期间记录并保留瓶的唯一序列号。与瓶关联的读/写RFID标签(应答器)35包括基于ISO/IEC14443A类型1或类型2标签的无源NFC(近场通信标签)。无源标签从所接收的RF传输接收能量并且不需要物理连接的电源(即电池)。
记录数据的能力使得能够在调取(recall)时识别和跟踪瓶，并且还允许经由序列号通过大量不同的再灌装站或数据系统访问瓶。RFID标签还允许想要定制特定规格的产品的客户记录并储存唯一产品“配方”。使用诸如香水、柔软剂、染料等的各种添加剂，客户能够定制产品并且RFID标签能够记录并储存唯一的产品组合。再灌装站将从RFID标签调取该信息，并且在客户不需要输入其它信息的情况下自动将再灌装瓶再灌装为客户的规格。
本发明还允许记录待储存的产品的唯一批次(批量)号码，这在调取的情况下允许后续识别。识别哪些再灌装瓶包括哪些调取的产品并因此限制仅调取那些再灌装瓶的能力是迄今为止在现有技术中未见的显著益处。在多种成分和能再灌装瓶的重复使用的情况下，跟踪几乎是不可能的，并且导致完美的产品的调取。RFID标签能够包括诸如批次号码、再灌装的日期以及在调取情况下重要的其它关键信息的数据，并且RFID标签能够从合适的设备无线地检索而无需物理存在于再灌装站。RFID能够在每次再灌装时重写信息覆盖之前的信息，因而维持瓶的当前内容物列表，或者RFID可以根据RFID标签的储存限制和用户需求维持每次再灌装的历史。这利于仅针对目前或之前包括调取产品的那些瓶的调取操作，显著简化了处理并且减少了这种调取操作的成本。
图2是瓶10的沿着手柄12下方的线2-2截取的截面图，该截面图示出了空气入口止回阀20和空气出口止回阀22。当液体通过再灌装站被引入瓶时，瓶中的空气被迫通过空气出口止回阀22直到所有(或几乎所有)空气被进入的流体置换。在第一示例中，止回阀22的直径为八分之一英寸并且在压力为2-4PSIG时打开。一旦瓶被带回家并且液体被分配，空气就通过空气入口止回阀20被吸入瓶10，以防止分配流体时在瓶中建立负压或真空。在第一示例中，阀20的直径为八分之一英寸，并且以-0.1英寸水柱至-0.2英寸水柱的压力(瓶中真空)自动打开。这些阀20、22允许平滑流过液体入口/出口，用于瓶的灌装和分配操作。
入口止回阀20和出口止回阀22可以是诸如由Smart Product,Inc.of MorganHill,CA提供的系列100减压阀的弹簧致动止回阀。可选地，止回阀20、22可以是诸如由Ark-Plas Product,Inc.of Flippin,AK提供的膜片型止回阀。在又一实施方式中，阀可以是磁控的，诸如由Magic Plastics,Inc.of Valencia,CA提供的智能止回阀，其中磁场储存能够用于控制阀的能量。图3以轮廓示出了瓶10，示出用于致动产品的递送的分配按钮30以及如下所述能够接收从阀16分配的产品的杯28。
图4示出了瓶的底面，其中定位有两个附加的口。分配阀16位于瓶中的凸沿26下方，产品在分配阀16处能够分配到杯28或其它容器中。分配阀16可以通过瓶10的前方/侧方的分配按钮30致动以将产品从瓶转移到杯28，并且分配阀16具有四分之三英寸的直径。虽然用于打开和关闭分配阀16的其它手段也是可用的，优选地通过按下按钮30机械地控制分配阀16。灌装口和阀32位于瓶10的底部中央。灌装口和阀32由再灌装站使用以将产品转移到瓶10。这能够利用再灌装站上的探针实现，一旦瓶定位于再灌装站转移保持器中，该探针就插入灌装口和阀32以灌装瓶。随着产品被转移到瓶10中，空气出口22排出瓶中的剩余空气以防止瓶的过压。在第一示例中，灌装口和阀32的直径为二分之一英寸并且以4-8PSIG的压力打开。
本发明的重要方面是阀20、22、32在没有人为干预的情况下自动操作。也就是，阀由压力差触发，并且能够在需要平衡瓶10内的压力时致动。此外，不存在为了使用产品要客户打开、关闭、紧固、移除或替换的盖、帽或罩。客户仅需要按下分配按钮30以将产品递送到杯或者如果期望直接递送到洗衣机中。
虽然本文已经说明和描述了发明人的优选实施方式，但是本发明不限于优选实施方式。本领域技术人员将容易地认识到前述优选实施方式的各种替代和变型，并且本发明旨在包括所有这种替换和变型。因此，除非明确限定，否则本发明的范围不被本文的任何说明或描述限制，而是本发明的范围由所附权利要求的使用与前述说明一致但不被前述说明限制的其中的词语的普通和一般含义的文字决定。

Claims (12)

1.一种能重复使用的、能再灌装的瓶，其用于分配从再灌装站获得的粘性流体，所述瓶包括：
主体，其由多个腿部支撑并且包括位于上表面的手柄；
第一单向阀，其位于所述上表面，用于当所述瓶中的压力下降到低于预定值时将空气自动引入所述瓶的主体中；
第二单向阀，其用于在产品被引入所述主体中时从所述主体的内部释放空气；
分配按钮，其邻近所述瓶的下表面，所述下表面为所述瓶的侧面的下部分；
分配阀，其位于所述瓶的底表面；以及
灌装阀，其位于所述瓶的底表面，用于用产品灌装所述瓶；
其中，所述瓶没有罩或可移除的顶部。
2.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述瓶的容量在64流体盎司与128流体盎司之间，包括端值。
3.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述第二单向阀在2-4PSIG的压力下自动打开，包括端值。
4.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述第一单向阀在-0.1英寸水柱至-0.2英寸水柱的压力下自动打开，包括端值。
5.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述第一单向阀和所述第二单向阀为弹簧致动止回阀。
6.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述第一单向阀和所述第二单向阀是膜片型止回阀。
7.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述第一单向阀和所述第二单向阀是磁止回阀。
8.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述分配按钮机械地致动所述分配阀。
9.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，显窃启贴膜置于所述分配按钮上方以证明首次使用。
10.根据权利要求9所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述显窃启贴膜包括条形码。
11.根据权利要求1所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述瓶还包括RFID标签。
12.根据权利要求11所述的瓶，其特征在于，所述RFID标签能够与远程再灌装站通信以辅助调取操作。
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