Claims
- 1. An aerosol system for mixing first and second materials, comprising:
a first container assembly comprising
a first container for containing the second material and a propellant material that pressurizes the second material, and a first valve assembly operable in an open configuration and a closed configuration, the first valve assembly comprising
a first valve housing defining a first housing chamber, and a first valve member defining a valve stem portion, where the first valve member is partly arranged within the first housing chamber with the valve stem portion extending out of the first valve chamber; a second container assembly comprising
a second container for containing the first material, and a second valve assembly operable in an open configuration and a closed configuration, the second valve assembly comprising
a second valve housing defining a second housing chamber, and a second valve member that defines a stem seat and is arranged substantially within the second housing chamber; and a coupler comprising first and second connecting portions, where
the first connecting portion of the coupler defines a connecting chamber adapted to receive the valve stem portion of the first valve member; and the second connecting portion of the coupler defines a coupler stem portion, where the stem seat of the second valve member is adapted to received the coupler stem portion; whereby when the first and second connecting portions engage the first and second valve assemblies and the first and second container assemblies are displaced towards each other, the first and second valve assemblies are placed in the open configuration to allow a portion of the propellant material and at least a portion of the second material to flow into the second container such that the first and second materials are mixed in the second container.
- 2. An aerosol system as recited in claim 1, in which the first container further contains a partial vacuum before the first and second connecting portions engage the first and second valve assemblies and the first and second container assemblies are displaced towards each other.
- 3. An aerosol system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an actuator member comprising a stem portion, where the stem portion engages the second valve assembly such that displacing the stem portion places the second valve assembly in the open configuration.
- 4. An aerosol system as recited in claim 1, in which the second container assembly further comprises a dip tube that allows fluid flow from a bottom of the second container to the second valve assembly.
- 5. An aerosol system as recited in claim 1, in which the second container assembly further comprises a dip tube assembly comprising:
a check valve housing secured to the second valve assembly; a dip tube that extends between the check valve housing and a bottom of the second container; and a check valve member arranged within the check valve housing to improve flow of the portion of the propellant material and the at least a portion of the second material into the second container.
- 6. An aerosol system as recited in claim 5, in which the check valve member is adapted to allow the portion of the propellant material and the at least a portion of the second material to flow through an opening in the check valve housing when a pressure within the first container assembly is higher than a pressure within the second container assembly.
- 7. An aerosol system as recited in claim 1, in which the coupler comprises a stabilizing structure for mechanically engaging the first and second container assemblies when the first and second connecting portions engage the first and second valve assemblies.
- 8. An aerosol system for repairing a surface, comprising:
a first container assembly comprising
a first container for containing a pigmented liquid and a propellant material that pressurizes the pigmented liquid, and a first valve assembly operable in an open configuration and a closed configuration; a second container assembly comprising
a second container for containing a catalyst, and a second valve assembly operable in an open configuration and a closed configuration; and a coupler comprising first and second connecting portions adapted to engage the first and second valve assemblies, respectively; and an actuator member comprising a stem portion; whereby when the first and second connecting portions engage the first and second valve assemblies, respectively, and the first and second container assemblies are displaced towards each other, the first and second valve assemblies are placed in the open configuration to allow a portion of the propellant material and at least a portion of the pigmented liquid to flow into the second container such that the catalyst and the pigmented liquid are mixed in the second container; and the mixture of the catalyst and the pigmented liquid is dispensed by engaging the stem portion of the actuator member with the second valve assembly and displacing the stem portion to place the second valve assembly in the open configuration.
- 9. An aerosol system as recited in claim 8, in which the first container further contains a partial vacuum before the first and second connecting portions engage the first and second valve assemblies and the first and second container assemblies are displaced towards each other.
- 10. An aerosol system as recited in claim 8, in which:
the first valve assembly comprises
a first valve housing defining a first housing chamber, and a first valve member defining a valve stem portion, where the first valve member is partly arranged within the first housing chamber with the valve stem portion extending out of the first valve chamber; the second valve assembly comprises
a second valve housing defining a second housing chamber, and a second valve member that defines a stem seat and is arranged substantially within the second housing chamber; wherein the first connecting portion of the coupler defines a connecting chamber adapted to receive the valve stem portion of the first valve member; and the second connecting portion of the coupler defines a coupler stem portion, where the stem seat of the second valve member is adapted to received the coupler stem portion.
- 11. An aerosol system as recited in claim 8, in which the second container assembly further comprises a dip tube that allows fluid flow from a bottom of the second container to the second valve assembly.
- 12. An aerosol system as recited in claim 8, in which the second container assembly further comprises a dip tube assembly comprising:
a check valve housing secured to the second valve assembly; a dip tube that extends between the check valve housing and a bottom of the second container; and a check valve member arranged within the check valve housing to improve flow of the portion of the propellant material and the at least a portion of the pigmented liquid into the second container.
- 13. An aerosol system as recited in claim 8, in which the coupler comprises a stabilizing structure for mechanically engaging the first and second container assemblies when the first and second connecting portions engage the first and second valve assemblies.
- 14. A method of mixing first and second materials, comprising the steps of:
providing a first container assembly comprising a first container and a first valve assembly operable in open and closed configurations, where the first valve assembly comprises
a first valve housing defining a first housing chamber, and a first valve member defining a valve stem portion, where the first valve member is partly arranged within the first housing chamber with the valve stem portion extending out of the first valve chamber; providing a second container assembly comprising a second container and a second valve assembly operable in open and closed configurations, where the second valve assembly comprises
a second valve housing defining a second housing chamber, and a second valve member that defines a stem seat and is arranged substantially within the second housing chamber; and arranging the second material and a propellant material within the first container such that the propellant material pressurizes the second material arranging the first material within the second container providing a coupler comprising first and second connecting portions, where
the first connecting portion of the coupler defines a connecting chamber adapted to receive the valve stem portion of the first valve member; and the second connecting portion of the coupler defines a coupler stem portion, where the stem seat of the second valve member is adapted to received the coupler stem portion; engaging the second connecting portion with the second valve assembly; engaging the first connecting portion with the first valve assembly; forming a mixture of the first and second materials by displacing the first and second container assemblies towards each other to place the first and second valve assemblies in the open configuration and cause a portion of the propellant material and at least a portion of the second material to flow into the second container such that the first and second materials are mixed in the second container.
- 15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of establishing a partial vacuum within the second container assembly when the first material is arranged within the second container assembly.
- 16. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:
providing an actuator member comprising a stem portion; and engaging the stem portion with the second valve assembly after the step of forming the mixture; and displacing the stem portion towards the second valve assembly to place the second valve assembly in the open configuration.
- 17. A method as recited in claim 14, in which:
the step of providing the coupler comprises the step of providing a stabilizing structure; and the steps of engaging the first and second connecting portions with the first and second valve assemblies further comprise the step of engaging the stabilizing structure with the first and second container assemblies to stabilize a connection between the first and second connecting portions and the first and second valve assemblies, respectively.
- 18. A method of repairing a surface comprising the steps of:
providing a first container assembly comprising
a first container, and a first valve assembly operable in an open configuration and a closed configuration; providing a second container assembly comprising
a second container, and a second valve assembly operable in an open configuration and a closed configuration; and arranging a pigmented liquid and a propellant material in the first container such that the propellant material pressurizes the pigmented liquid; arranging a catalyst within the second container; engaging first and second connecting portions of a coupler with the first and second valve assemblies, respectively; forming a mixture of the catalyst and the pigmented liquid by displacing the first and second container assemblies towards each other such that the first and second valve assemblies are placed in the open configuration to allow a portion of the propellant material and at least a portion of the pigmented liquid to flow into the second container; engaging a stem portion of an actuator member with the second valve assembly; and displacing the actuator member towards the second valve assembly to dispense the mixture onto the surface to be repaired.
- 19. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of establishing a partial vacuum within the second container assembly when the catalyst is arranged within the second container assembly.
- 20. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
forming a stabilizing structure on the coupler; and engaging the stabilizing structure with the first and second container assemblies to stabilize a connection between the first and second connecting portions and the first and second valve assemblies, respectively.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/364,946 filed Mar. 14, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60364946 |
Mar 2002 |
US |