HK1189858A - Aerosol container filling system - Google Patents

Description

Aerosol container filling system

Cross reference to related applications

This application claims the benefit of U.S. application serial No. 12/961,982, filed on 7/12/2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

Background

The present invention relates to a device and system for a pressurized container to allow preparation of a paint formulation of a desired color and gloss at retail to an end user. In particular, the present invention relates to a system for injecting a coating composition into a pressurized container, and more particularly to an improved filling system for filling an aerosol can that uses a syringe assembly to measure and hold a desired coating formulation and inject it into a pressurized container.

One of the most significant developments in the area of coatings and other protective coatings is the introduction and development of aerosolized coatings (most commonly referred to as "spray coatings"). Retail stores have these pre-filled pressurized containers in a shelf ready for use with complete paint and coating formulations of each conceivable color and gloss. These complete pre-packaged spray paint containers provide the customer with a convenient way to purchase small amounts of paint in a ready-to-use spray container for easy application. Unfortunately, in situations where the end user has thought of a particular color or wishes to match a particular existing color, the current state of the art in spraying paint forces the end user to select a paint color that is the exact color that the user desires in most cases. This is because there is no convenient way to allow a consumer to select a color and have that exact color made at the time of purchase. Rather, the user must search for a large number of brands of spray paint in the hope of finding a color that is at least close to the desired color. Oftentimes, this results in the end user traveling store by store to search for this match. Another drawback of conventional spray paint products is the inability to prepare the final paint color at the point of sale, which directly affects the retailer. Since only conventional spray paints in a preselected and predetermined color and gloss can be purchased from the manufacturer, this forces the retailer to stock and ship inventory for a large number of cans to accommodate a large number of color and gloss finishes. This further requires the use of an inordinate amount of shelf space in the store, thus limiting the amount of other products that can be displayed.

A convenient solution to the above-mentioned problem would be to allow the retail outlet to formulate the final color of the spray paint at the point of sale based on the end user's selection of color and gloss at the time of sale. In this way, the retailer need only stock and shelve a very limited number of spray containers containing clear or neutral matrix coating formulations. The end user may then select the final paint formulation that exactly matches his or her needs. Of course, once the final color is selected, there is a problem of injecting the final paint formulation into the can. In a manufacturing setting, large non-portable paint filling machines are conventionally used to inject paint formulations into pre-pressurized containers. However, at the retail level, such machines do not exist or are very rare. Existing paint filling machines are currently available as large bench-top mounting machines that are pneumatically operated to inject paint and the like into pre-filled aerosol cans. Some examples of these machines are described in the united states patents 6,302,163 and 6,138,720 and the references cited in both. Similarly, No. 5,740,841; 5,647,408 No; des.361, 581; each of us patent nos. 4,938,260 and 5,535,790 describes various filling machine designs that can inject a complete "custom" paint formulation into a pressurized tank. Such machines typically include a large manually operated lever connected to a piston assembly that injects a coating formulation from a reservoir through an aerosol valve and into a canister. One drawback of these prior machines is that cleaning of the various components after implantation is tedious and time consuming.

While improvements have been made in the design of paint filling machines in this technology, this technology does not correlate with the size, portability, or the need to efficiently prepare many final paint formulations at retail locations in a short period of time. Although U.S. Pat. nos. 6,705,359 and 6,135,165, issued earlier by the inventors, describe a pressurized container containing a particular coating additive that is eventually filled at the point-of-sale with a final water-borne coating composition of a selected color, the patents do not describe in detail any particular type of coating filling system that can be readily used at the point-of-sale location. The present invention now provides a new and improved compact aerosol canister filling apparatus including a disposable syringe assembly which eliminates the need to clean the filling machine after each use.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention comprises a system for injecting paint formulations and similar materials into pre-pressurized containers or cans at the point of sale under the retail level. The system of the invention comprises, in combination: a housing comprising a drive mechanism and an adjustable platform, wherein the housing is self-supporting and sized to easily fit on a counter of a retail store (e.g., a hardware store or a paint store). Attached to the drive mechanism is a drive shaft. The system further includes a rigid cup operatively located within the housing and preferably removable from the housing to allow insertion of a syringe assembly within the cup. The syringe assembly has two uses. The first use allows a user to accurately measure a coating formulation to be injected into a pressurized container containing an initial coating formulation and to withdraw the coating formulation from an external container or other source. A second use of the syringe is to deliver a paint formulation contained within a syringe barrel with the aid of a drive shaft or to inject the paint formulation into a pressurized container to produce a final pressurized spray paint product. Although the present invention is described herein as preparing pressurized spray paint containers at the point-of-sale, the present system can be used to prepare any pressurized spray container containing liquids other than paint (for example, air fresheners, cleaners, polishes, insecticides, protectants, lubricants, and similar pressurized spray products sold to consumers at retail stores). For clarity and ease of understanding, the following description will be related to the preparation of spray paint containers.

The syringe assembly of the present system is preferably disposable and manufactured using biodegradable materials. The syringe has a distal end and a proximal end. Unlike medical syringes, the syringe of the present invention does not use a sharp metal needle cannula, however, it may have a distal end that tapers to an opening of smaller diameter than the opening at the proximal end that is configured to receive a plunger having a piston configured to slidably and sealably fit within the syringe barrel. The distal end of the syringe barrel may have a tube or other smaller diameter extension that allows the syringe to more accurately withdraw paint formulation or other liquid from an external container or receptacle. At the proximal end of the syringe is an opening to the syringe barrel that is larger than the diameter of the distal end. The plunger is inserted in the proximal end and is preferably made of the same biodegradable material as the syringe barrel so that the entire syringe assembly can be safely and easily disposed of at the time of use. Filling of the syringe barrel may be performed by adding the paint formulation or individual components making up the paint formulation into the proximal opening of the barrel (as opposed to drawing liquid back distally through the narrower opening of the barrel). Most preferably, the syringe assembly will be made using clear or opaque plastic (preferably recycled plastic) so that the user can easily see the level of liquid and the plunger position within the syringe barrel.

In one possible use of the invention, a new and unused syringe is used for each preparation of the final spray container sold at the retail location. For example, first the customer selects the end product color he desires from a color chart or by matching existing colors depending on the sample. Next, the retail store employee determines the recipe of the paint formulation that, when injected into the pressurized canister containing the initial paint formulation (or other initial formulation), will produce a spray paint product that matches the color and gloss requested by the customer (or determines the recipe of other liquid formulations if the final product is not a spray paint product). Then, the employee uses the new cleaning syringe assembly to withdraw (i.e., aspirate) the paint formulation (or in some cases each of the individual components that would make up the paint formulation) from the external container. The graduated markings on the side of the syringe barrel allow the user to accurately draw liquid back into the syringe barrel. In some cases, an automatic filling machine may be used to add the paint formulation to the syringe barrel. A preferred configuration of the syringe assembly will include a cap that can cover the proximal end of the syringe to form a hermetic seal. This would allow the storage of the paint formulation placed in the syringe for future use. Most preferably, the cap is tethered or otherwise connected to the proximal end of the syringe such that it is readily accessible for connection thereto. The tether may be permanent or removable.

Once the correct amount of paint formulation is loaded into the syringe, the user then transfers the syringe to the rigid cup. This can be done with the cup installed in the housing or by first removing the cup from the housing. A loaded syringe is placed within the cup such that the distal end of the syringe protrudes through an opening in the bottom (i.e., distal end) of the cup. Preferably, the syringe barrel is configured to provide a secure fit within the rigid cup. Next, the cup with the syringe inside is mounted in the housing of the filling machine so that the distal end of the syringe can connect with the valve in the top of the pressurized container containing the initial paint formulation. Importantly, the rigid cup is completely isolated from the coating formulation and does not require cleaning after each use.

The connection between the syringe and the pressurised container is preferably achieved using an adapter or other fitting which ensures a fluid seal to allow transfer of the liquid in the syringe into the container. Such an adapter may be configured to be disposable or reusable. Preferably, the adapter provides a proprietary connection to the pressurized container such that no other manufacturer's container will connect with the adapter. This prevents the operator of the filling system from using the wrong or improper container in the filling machine. To achieve this keyed connection between the adapter and the pressurized container, the distal end of the adapter and the valve opening in the container have mating connectors such as grooves, slots, splines, thread pitches, bayonet fittings or similar keying features that work similar to a key and lock combination.

The user then connects the syringe plunger to the drive shaft, preferably via a bushing or similar connector. The bushing allows the plunger of the syringe to be easily and securely attached to the drive shaft of the drive mechanism, preferably the bushing is a quick disconnect type fitting to allow the operator of the system of the present invention to easily and quickly connect the syringe plunger to the drive shaft. The drive mechanism may be any device capable of driving the plunger toward the distal end of the syringe to cause the liquid contained in the syringe barrel to be injected into the pressurized container. For example, a hydraulic drive mechanism using a telescoping piston rod or a motor or manually operated crank that rotates a threaded rod that moves the drive shaft (and bushing) axially downward in the distal direction may be used as the drive mechanism.

The pressurized containers to be filled using the system of the present invention are preferably manufactured and offered to retail stores as so-called "blanks" (i.e., pre-pressurized cans containing the initial paint formulation but not having a color). These canisters, which contain several different initial liquid formulations compatible with the liquid formulation injected via the syringe, may be made available to the manufacturer. In the case of preparing a finished spray paint product, the pressurized container includes an initial paint formulation including a propellant and at least one of a clear unpigmented substrate or a clear pigmented substrate.

Once the pressurized container of the initial paint formulation is prepared and provided to the retail store, the container is ready for display and sale at the retail level. Immediately prior to sale, the end user or customer selects the final color and gloss to complete the final paint formulation. Store employees use prescriptions or look-up tables to determine the exact volume or weighed amount of the colorant and/or pigment dispersion that needs to be added to the pressurized container through the fill opening in the pressurized container to achieve the desired final color. These colorants and/or pigment dispersions may be added individually or preferably as a single mixture or formulation. Whether an ingredient or ingredients are added individually or as a mixture, the additives used for the purposes of the present invention should be regarded as liquid formulations or coating formulations.

Typically, the desired final color is based on a match of an existing color or type of paint previously purchased by the user. The end user will select the final color of the aerosol container of the present invention by one of several methods. The user may manually refer to a color wheel, paint swatch, or paint chip to select the final color and will also select or request the preferred gloss level. For each color that is selectable, there will be a corresponding predetermined recipe or recipe of tints and/or dyed dispersions that will produce the final desired color when followed and the ingredients mixed with one of the three possible initial paint formulations.

Alternatively, the user may wish to match the existing color based on a sample of the color that the user would bring to the point of sale. This is simply performed by comparing the known color provided by the user with a color wheel or paint sample or by matching colors using a spectrophotometer or other automated system. Typically, this automated procedure involves providing a sample of known color for analysis by a spectrometer, thereby determining and reporting the exact sample color to the end user or retail store operator or directly to a computer-controlled filling machine.

Once the final sample color is determined and the formulation of the additive is determined, the ingredients are mixed together (or added separately) according to the formulation and drawn into the syringe. This formulation, including the dyed dispersion and/or stain, is injected into the pressurized container using a syringe to achieve the desired color of the final paint formulation. In addition, a planarizing dispersion can be added to achieve a desired gloss level, preferably at 60 °, as typically determined using a gloss meter. The planarizing dispersion is added to modify the gloss to a desired finish. The filling device of the present invention has an adjustable platform that can be set to accommodate pressurized containers having sizes of 8 ounces, 16 ounces, and 20 ounces.

Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

Drawings

The advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following more detailed description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like numerals, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of various components of the filling system of the present invention; and is

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a syringe assembly used in the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring now to fig. 1, a schematic diagram of one possible embodiment of the container filling system of the present invention is shown. The system is preferably contained in an enclosure 1 and designed for desktop installation in a retail store. Within the housing is an upper platform 14 supporting the drive mechanism 2 with the drive shaft 3. The drive shaft 3 may be motor or hydraulically driven. As shown in the figures, the drive mechanism 2 drives a coupling 30 threadedly engaged to the drive shaft 3, the drive shaft 3 being allowed to move axially but prevented from rotating by the upper platform 14. This may be achieved through the use of a groove and groove engagement between the platform and the drive shaft. When the coupling 30 is flipped or rotated about the threads on the drive shaft 3, the shaft will move up (proximally) or down (distally). A bushing 4 may be used at the distal end of the shaft to engage a syringe plunger head 5. The bushing should be configured so that the head 5 of the plunger 6 can be easily attached to the bushing 4 and easily removed from the bushing 4 by a user of the present system, preferably without the use of tools (for example, most preferably via a snap-fit type connection). When the drive shaft is caused to move axially downward by the drive mechanism 2, the attached bushing 4 also moves downward, forcing the syringe plunger 6 to move distally in the same manner. The drive mechanism must supply sufficient force to overcome the initial pressure of the container to be filled with the coating formulation contained within the syringe barrel.

The syringe assembly 8 is made up of several components as best illustrated in fig. 2. There is a removable plunger 6 with a piston 7 attached at the distal end. This piston may be configured to be removed from the plunger. The syringe barrel 18 is marked with graduations 19 and may have finger grips 2 to assist the user when using the syringe to withdraw (aspirate) liquid. Attached to the proximal end of the syringe is a cap 9 connected by a tether 22. The cap 22 may be used to seal the liquid formulation within the syringe barrel. This may be necessary when the paint formulation is pre-supplied by the manufacturer rather than being dispensed in a retail store. The cap may also provide a means for adding the paint formulation ingredients to the proximal end of the syringe barrel. The cover may be manufactured using a material similar to that used for the septum and that will allow a needle or other port from an automated device to penetrate the cover, where the automated device may be programmed with a particular color and/or gloss. Of course, the syringe assembly may also be filled in a conventional manner as a medical syringe by filling through the distal end with the formulated coating mixture or the individual components making up the coating formulation. The end cap 31 may be used to seal the distal opening of the syringe 8.

The syringe barrel 18 is configured and manufactured to provide a secure fit inside the rigid cup 10. The rigid cup 10 has an opening 32 at its distal end, the opening 32 receiving the distal end 11 of the syringe 8 and allowing the distal end 11 to project downwardly through an opening 33 in the intermediate platform 13, the intermediate platform 13 supporting the rigid cup 10 and holding the rigid cup 10 in place during filling of the container 15. The rigid cup 10 and intermediate platform 13 are configured to allow removal of the cup 10 with or without loading of the syringe 8. Preferably, the empty cup 10 is first removed from the housing 1 and then the syringe 8 is loaded inside the cup. The adapter 12 may be attached to the distal end 11 of the syringe before the assembly is positioned back into the housing 1 and secured to the intermediate platform 13. The adapter 12 is configured to connect with the valve 16 of the canister 15 and provide a sealed fluid passage between the syringe and the interior of the canister 15. The sealed connection between the valve 16 and the adapter 12 must be sufficient to prevent leakage when the pressure in the syringe barrel exceeds the initial pressure in the canister 15 during injection of the paint formulation into the canister. Different sized pressurized containers containing the initial liquid or paint formulation are accommodated within the housing 1 by raising and lowering the adjustable platform 17. Conventional aerosols may have either an externally threaded valve or an internally threaded valve, as either will work in the present system.

Once the paint formulation has been injected into the canister 15, the syringe assembly 8, preferably including the adapter 12, is removed from the rigid cup 10 and disposed for recycling. Since the dopeless formulation is in contact with the rigid cup, bushing or drive shaft, there is no need to clean any parts before the next use of the filling system. All that is required is a new syringe assembly.

The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such alterations and modifications insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims (10)

1. A system for filling a container with a coating formulation comprising, in combination,

a. a housing comprising a drive mechanism and an adjustable platform;

b. a rigid cup operatively located within the housing;

c. a drive shaft operatively connected to the drive mechanism; and

d. a syringe having a distal end and a proximal end and configured to fit inside the rigid cup, wherein the syringe has a plunger at the proximal end configured to operably engage the drive shaft.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bushing attached to the drive shaft and configured to connect to the plunger.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pressurized container containing an initial paint formulation comprising a propellant and at least one of a clear un-pigmented base or a clear pigmented base.

4. The system of claim 1, characterized in that the rigid cup is configured to be removable from the housing.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an adapter configured to connect to the distal end of the syringe to provide a fluid seal against an aerosol container positioned on the adjustable platform.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rigid cup has an opening to receive the distal end of the syringe.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the syringe comprises an attached storage cap configured to seal the proximal end.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: motor, hand crank and hydraulic piston.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable platform is configured to support 8-, 16-, and 20-ounce containers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the syringe is disposable and constructed of a biodegradable material.