Patent Application
20250187801
The invention relates to a container arrangement or container assembly, which is configured to maintain a predetermined moisture for storing a product in the container.
With some products, for instance of vegetable type for pharmaceutical or health purposes, it is necessary, when being stored in a container, to maintain a substantially constant moisture in the container. The products are supposed thereby to maintain their freshness and their optical appearance, their smell and their taste. The respective ideal air humidity in the container depends on the nature of the product in question and its tendency to absorb moisture. Many products can be consumed or used over a relatively long period of time, whereby it is desirable or necessary that they retain the original freshness, the taste, smell or other properties in order to maintain their storage life.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a container assembly, in which products, such as pharmaceuticals and herbs can be stored, even for a relatively long period of time, and thereby retain their original properties to the greatest possible extent.
The present invention provides a container assembly that includes a container with a container opening, a stopper or a closure cap with a preferably central hole passing through it for fastening to the container opening, and a hollow chamber, which includes an upper wall with a hole, which is also preferably central, and a lower, perforated base wall, wherein the chamber is put together with the stopper or the closure cap so that the two holes are in alignment with one another. The invention provides further that arranged in the chamber there is a substance, which, as a consequence of contact with the ambient air entering through the holes, gives off water, which passes through the perforated base wall to the stored product. The amount of the substance in the chamber, its capacity to separate water by a chemical process through contact with the ambient air flowing in through the holes and the perforation of the base wall are to be adjusted so that the necessary moisture is retained for the product in question. The duration of the storage at a substantially constant relatively air humidity depends on the chemical decomposition process of the substance introduced into the chamber.
In an embodiment, a container assembly is configured to maintain a predetermined moisture in a container for storing a product, where the container assembly includes a container with an upper container opening and a closed base, a stopper with a central hole passing through the stopper and a chamber formed by a peripheral wall, an upper wall with a central hole and a lower perforated base wall, where the chamber is connected to the stopper and a substance is arranged in the chamber, and where an inflow of ambient air moves through the central holes of the stopper and the chamber and causes the substance to give off water, wherein the water passes through the lower perforated base wall of the chamber.
In another embodiment, a container assembly is configured to maintain a predetermined moisture in a container for storing a product, where the container assembly includes a container including a chamber, where the chamber includes an upper wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between the upper wall and the bottom wall and a central hole formed in the upper wall, and a perforated base wall between the upper wall and the bottom wall. The stopper has a central hole that is aligned with the central hole of the chamber, where the chamber is connected to the stopper and a substance is arranged in the chamber, and an inflow of ambient air moves through the central holes of the stopper and the chamber and causes the substance to give off water, and where the water passes through the lower perforated base wall of the chamber. The chamber is fastened to an underside of the stopper and the central holes of the stopper and the chamber are connected together by a connecting tube, where the connecting tube is fastened to the upper wall of the chamber or to an underside of the stopper.
The product in question can accordingly be stored with the container arrangement in accordance with the invention at a constant, predetermined moisture level. Since the interior of the container is in communication with the outer surroundings of the container as a result of the central holes in the stopper/closure cap and in the chamber and due to the base wall of the chamber provided with small holes, pressure differences in the container, which can be caused e.g. by temperature variations or organic processes in the product to be stored, can also be balanced out. Due to the fact that certain ventilation of the stored product occurs, the production of unpleasant odours and potentially the production of mould, as can occur with containers hermetically sealed from the exterior, can also be prevented.
Referring to
All common closure caps and stoppers may be used, to which a chamber can be secured in any convenient manner.
In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 20 includes an upper wall 30, the bottom wall or base wall 26 and a peripheral wall 32 extending between the upper wall 30 and the base wall 26. The two holes 14 and 18 are connected together by a connecting piece, such as connecting tube 34, which is fastened to the upper wall 30 of the chamber 20 or to the underside (bottom surface) of the stopper 16.
In an embodiment, the chamber 20 consists of an upper portion 36a and a lower portion 36b, which are plugged into one another or screwed together. In this manner, the provided substance 22 can be introduced or placed into the chamber 20 when the upper and lower portions 36a and 36b are separated. In another embodiment, the chamber 20 is integrally formed as a single unit.
It is also preferred that the container 12, the stopper 16 and the chamber 20 are made with a plastic material and are cylindrical or have a circular shape. It should be appreciated that the container 12, the stopper 16 and the chamber 20 may be made with the same material, different materials or any suitable material or combination of materials.
In the above embodiments, the aligned central holes 14 and 18 in the stopper 16 and the chamber 20 forms a through channel 38 that remains open at all times during use of the container assembly, so that ambient air continually flows from the environment to the chamber 20 in the container 12, and more specifically, to the substance 22 in the hollow chamber. This air causes a chemical reaction described below in which the substance 22 decomposes into water, which drips down through the perforations 24 in the base wall 26 of the hollow chamber 20 and onto the product 28 at the bottom of the container 12 to keep the product fresh, while a gas is also formed, which is discharged out of the container 12 and to the environment through the through channel 38 formed by the central holes 14 and 18 of the stopper 16 and the chamber 20 or through the connecting tube 34 inserted in the through channel 38.
Different substances can be considered for producing the water. In accordance with a first proposal, the substance 22 consists of a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, the ratio of which is to be matched variably to the individual case. On contact with moisture from the air or from the condensed substance, which is situated in the chamber 20, the two chemicals react with moisture (H2O) to form sodium citrate, water and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide can pass out of the hole 14 in the stopper 16 and the moisture or the water released into the lower portion of the container 12. The sodium citrate remains in the chamber 20 in the form of a solid material.
In accordance with an alternative proposal, the substance 22 introduced into the chamber 20 consists of hydrogen peroxide, the concentration of which is variable. The hydrogen peroxide decomposes in the air to form oxygen and water. The oxygen escapes through the openings 14 and 18 into the surroundings and the water remains in the chamber 20, whereby it releases moisture into the lower portion of the container 12.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the chamber 20 is filled with lithium hydroxide, which reacts with carbon dioxide to form lithium carbonate and water. The water is delivered through the perforated base wall 26 while the lithium carbonate remains in the chamber 20 in the form of a solid material.
Hydrogel (based on polyvinyl alcohol or sodium alginate) is also proposed as an alternative substance, which can give up water over a period of time and crystallizes out at the hole directed towards the air and forms a gas and air barrier. The moisture thus remains in the container.
The substances mentioned above are introduced into the chamber 20 in the form of pure powder/liquid or may be incorporated in polyvinyl alcohol or in a hydrogel or in sodium alginate. The moisture supplying function can thereby be maintained for a longer period of time.
While particular embodiments of the present container assembly are shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 127 076.6 | Oct 2021 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/941,453, filed Sep. 9, 2022, which claims priority to German patent application No. DE 10 2021 127 076.6, filed Oct. 19, 2021, which are all incorporated herein in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17941453 | Sep 2022 | US |
| Child | 19061703 | US |
