Dosing System and Method
A method for introducing a bittering agent into an aerosol container. The method can include the steps of: adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container, positioning a valve on the container, crimping the valve to the container, and adding an aerosol propellant to the container. The method can further include the step of adding an actuator to the container. The method can further include the step of testing the container in a bath. The steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container can be performed by an automated device.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/891,426, filed on Feb. 23, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for introducing chemical agents into aerosol containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONLiquefied-gas aerosol dusters provide a safe, useful, convenient, and economically efficient means of cleaning dust and debris from hard to reach places, where it can be harmful or detrimental. This can be especially true for the multitude of electronic equipment used today, where small foreign particles can render expensive equipment inoperable or shorten its useful life. These aerosol dusters provide an easily available source of pressurized gas that can be used to remove such debris. Packaged in appropriately designed aerosol cans, the liquefied gas and aerosol package components can be chosen so as to deliver a pressurized burst of gas in a preferred cleaning pattern. The aerosol valve and actuator can be configured to deliver the appropriate amount of gas at the right pressure in a range from broad to pinpoint spray patterns. Using liquefied gases provides an ample supply of material for a large number of cleaning tasks in a compact package.
Manufacturers and suppliers of these products expend significant resources and energy toward good product stewardship with goals of providing products that are safe when used as intended. Thus, these duster products provide a safe and valuable function to the consumer, but sometimes are involved in inhalation abuse incidents, like numerous other consumer products.
Accordingly, there is a need for a liquefied-gas aerosol dusting composition with a bittering additive agent (also referred to herein as a bittering agent, or bitterant) that does not interfere with normal product use but is detectable in an inhalation abusive scenario so as to potentially discourage the practice. Consequently, there is a need in the art for a system and method for successfully adding bittering agents to an aerosol container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe above-described problems are addressed and a technical solution is achieved in the art by systems and methods for introducing a chemical agent into a container.
Beneficially, a dosing module, valve module and crimping module are all included on a single, automated apparatus. Because of this orientation, the time from when the bittering agent is added to the container, until a valve is placed on the container and subsequently crimped, is relatively short. For this reason, there is relatively little time when the bittering agent is exposed to the ambient environment. The bittering agent, by its nature, has a unsavory aroma and/or taste, and minimizing such exposure reduces the unwanted introduction of bittering agent to facility workers and the general facility environment. In addition, embodiments of the invention provide for an efficient system and method for adding a bittering agent to aerosol containers.
Embodiments can include a method for introducing a bittering agent into an aerosol container. The method can include the steps of: adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container, positioning a valve on the container, crimping the valve to the container, and adding an aerosol propellant to the container. The method can further include the step of adding an actuator to the container. The method can further include the step of testing the container in a bath. The steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container, positioning a valve on the container and crimping the valve onto the container can be performed by an automated device.
The time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container can be in the range of about 1 to 5 seconds.
A distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container can be in the range of about 2 to 16 inches.
Embodiments can include an apparatus for introducing a bittering agent into an aerosol container. The apparatus can include a turntable for positioning the container, a dosing module for adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container when the turntable positions the container proximate the dosing module, a valve module for positioning a valve on the container when the turntable positions the container proximate the valve module, and a crimping module for crimping the valve to the container when the turntable positions the container proximate the valve module.
The time interval between when the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and when the container is positioned proximate the valve module can be in the range of about 1 to 5 seconds.
A distance between where the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and where the container is positioned proximate the valve module can be in the range of about 2 to 16 inches.
Embodiments of the invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments presented below considered in conjunction with the attached drawings, of which:
It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and may not be to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for introducing a chemical agent into a container.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
In some embodiments, dose module 224 can include two dispensers 224, two syringes 222 and two position sensor mechanisms 226 such that two containers can be dosed with bitterent simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously.
With reference to
Thus, the syringe 222 of dosing module 220, valve placer module 230 and crimper module 240 are all included on a single, automated apparatus. Because of this orientation, the time from when the bittering agent is added to the container 221, until a valve is placed on the container and subsequently crimped, is relatively short. For this reason, there is relatively little time when the bittering agent is exposed to the ambient environment. The bittering agent, by its nature, has an unsavory aroma and/or taste, and minimizing such exposure reduces the unwanted introduction of bittering agent to facility workers and the general facility environment.
Specifically, with reference to
Distance D1 (the distance between when the container 221 is at the dosing module 220 to when the container is at the valve placer module 230) can preferably be in the range of 2 to 16 inches, more preferably in the range of 4 to 8 inches, and most preferably, about 6.25 inches. Distance D2 (the distance between when the container 221 is at the dosing module 220 to when the container is at the crimper module 240) can preferably be in the range of 5 to 11 inches, more preferably in the range of 7 to 9 inches, and most preferably, about 8.75 inches. In other embodiments, other distances can be used. These distances are measured along the generally arcuate path traveled by the containers while moving about the turntable.
Container 221 can be made of tinplate, aluminum, glass, or other materials as is known to those of skill in the art. The bittering agent can be denatonium benzoate, or other bittering agents, as are known to those of skill in the art. The propellant can be a liquefied gas, for use with aerosol spray containers, as is known to those of skill in the art. In some embodiments, a liquefied aerosol dusting composition can be used, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/895,070, filed on Aug. 22, 2007, and titled “A liquefied-gas Aerosol Dusting Composition Containing Denatonium Benzoate,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
In some embodiments, the dispenser 224 of dose module 220 can be an Ultra 2400 workstation dispenser, as produced by EFD Inc., of East Providence, R.I. As is known to those of skill in the art, the Ultra 2400 workstation includes a digital display, an air management system, and precision time increment adjustment capabilities for precise dose deposit controls.
In some embodiments, turntable 300 can use a rotary index mechanism and aerosol filling system as provided by Terco Inc., of Bloomington, Ill.
By way of sensor mechanism 226 (see
With reference to
It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention and that many variations of the above-described embodiments may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that all such variations be included within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A method for introducing a bittering agent into an aerosol container, the method comprising the steps of:
- adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container;
- positioning a valve on the container;
- crimping the valve to the container; and
- adding an aerosol propellant to the container.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding an actuator to the container.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising testing the container in a bath.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container is about 1 to 5 seconds.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container is about 1 to 3 seconds.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container is about 2.5 seconds.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container is about 2 to 16 inches.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container is about 4 to 8 inches.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container is about 6.25 inches.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and crimping the valve to the container is about 4 to 10 seconds.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and crimping the valve to the container is about 6 to 8 seconds.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval between adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and crimping the valve to the container is about 7 seconds.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and crimping the valve to the container is about 5 to 11 inches.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and crimping the valve to the container is about 7 to 9 inches.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance that the container travels between the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and crimping the valve to the container is about 8.75 inches.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the bittering agent comprises denatonium benzoate.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerosol propellant comprises a liquefied gas.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerosol propellant and the bittering agent form a liquefied-gas aerosol dusting composition.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container are performed by an automated device.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container and positioning a valve on the container are performed by an automated device.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the automated device comprises an indexing turntable.
22. An apparatus for introducing a bittering agent into an aerosol container comprising:
- a turntable for positioning the container;
- a dosing module for adding a dose of the bittering agent in the container when the turntable positions the container proximate the dosing module; and
- a valve module for positioning a valve on the container when the turntable positions the container proximate the valve module.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the time interval between when the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and when the container is positioned proximate the valve module is about 1 to 5 seconds.
24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the time interval between when the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and when the container is positioned proximate the valve module is about 1 to 3 seconds.
25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the time interval between when the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and when the container is positioned proximate the valve module is about 2.5 seconds.
26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a distance between where the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and where the container is positioned proximate the valve module is about 2 to 16 inches.
27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a distance between where the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and where the container is positioned proximate the valve module is about 4 to 8 inches.
28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a distance between where the container is positioned proximate the dosing module and where the container is positioned proximate the valve module is about 6.25 inches.
29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the bittering agent comprises denatonium benzoate.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 25, 2008
Publication Date: Aug 28, 2008
Inventors: Gregory V. Mas (Green Brook, NJ), Dermot Nolan McLeer (Springfield, NJ)
Application Number: 12/020,029
International Classification: B65B 1/04 (20060101);