Pressurized piston pusher

The present invention relates to a pressurized piston pusher for extracting and controlling the rate of flow of viscous fluids from a container.

Containers that enclose viscous fluids to be stored and transported must be leak-proof and yet must open easily for access to its contents. When the containers are opened for access to their contents, there is no control over the rate of the extraction of the viscous fluid from the containers. There is no economical and accurate method of presetting the rate of extraction of the viscous fluid from the containers.

The present invention is a pressurized piston pusher that will controls the rate of flow of viscous fluid from the container after opening. The present invention allows the rate of flow of the viscous fluid from the container to be predetermined and controlled economically and accurately.

FIG. 1 shows the pressurized piston pusher 7 inserted in one end 4 of the container containing the viscous fluid 2 that can be opened at the predetermined location 6 near the other end 5 of the container.

FIG. 2 shows the pressurized piston pushers 12 , 13 inserted in both ends 4 , 5 of the container that can be opened at the predetermined location near the center 14 of the container.

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the pressurized piston pusher 7 . A pressurized piston pusher 7 is inserted in one end 4 of a long slender cylindrical container that can be opened at the predetermined location 6 near the other end 5 with the viscous fluid 2 . The container is partially filled with the desired viscous fluid 2 such as grease, gel, or medications with high viscosity. The pressurized piston pusher 7 is inserted at one end 4 of the container enclosing the viscous fluid 2 separated from the viscous fluid 2 by a seal 1 of a high viscosity fluid that will not mix with or dissolve in the viscous fluid 2 . A predetermined air enclosure 3 is maintained near the end 4 of the container separated from the viscous fluid 2 by the pressurized piston pusher 7 and the seal 1 .

The container is sealed in an environment with above normal air pressure which will create a pressurized air enclosure 3 . The viscous fluid 2 is incompressible. The air in the air chamber 3 will be pressurized to the same pressure as the pressurized environment it was sealed in. The pressurized piston pusher 7 and the seal 1 will maintain the separation of the air enclosure 3 and the viscous fluid 2 . The container is sealed on both ends 4 , 5 so that no leakage of the viscous fluid 2 is possible. The container can break open at predetermined location 6 in the viscous fluid 2 portion of the container by scoring the outside perimeter of the container at the predetermined location 6 .

When the viscous fluid 2 is to be release from the container, it is broken open at the predetermined location 6 determined by the scorings on the container. Once the container is opened, the viscous fluid 2 will be forced out of the container by the air pressure in the air enclosure 3 acting against the pressurized piston pusher 7 which in turn acts against the seal 1 at a rate determined by the viscosity and the length of the seal 1 . A higher viscosity and/or longer seal 1 will allow the viscous fluid 2 to flow out of the container after a predetermined delay and at a slow controlled speed. A lower viscosity and/or shorter seal 1 will allow the viscous fluid 2 to flow out of the container almost immediately and at a rapid speed. The amount of viscous fluid 2 to be release can be determined by breaking the end 5 of the container containing the viscous fluid 2 at predetermined location 6 . The end 5 containing the viscous fluid 2 that breaks off from the container will retain the viscous fluid 2 within it since it is sealed on one end 5 and atmospheric air pressure will prevent the viscous fluid 2 contained within it from being released.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the pressurized piston pusher 12 , 13 . A pressurized piston pusher 12 , 13 is inserted in each end 4 , 5 of a container that can be opened at a predetermined location near the center 14 of the container. The container is partially filled with the desired viscous fluid 2 such as grease, gel, or viscous medications. The two pressurized piston pushers 12 , 13 are inserted at both ends 4 , 5 of the container enclosing the viscous fluid 2 . A predetermined air enclosure 9 , 10 is maintained on both ends 4 , 5 of the container separated from the viscous fluid 2 by the pressurized piston pushers 12 , 13 and the seals 1 , 11 . The container is sealed on both ends 4 , 5 so that no leakage of the viscous fluid 2 is possible. The container can break open at the predetermined location 14 at the scoring placed near the center of the container at the outside perimeter of the container.

The container is sealed in an environment with above normal air pressure which will create pressurized air enclosures 9 , 10 . The viscous fluid 2 is incompressible. The air in the air enclosures 9 , 10 will be pressurized to the same pressure as the pressurized environment it was sealed in. Since there are air enclosures 9 , 10 in both ends 4 , 5 of the container, the viscous fluid 2 will maintain its position in the middle of the container. The pressurized piston pushers 12 , 13 and the seals 1 , 11 will maintain the separation of the air enclosure 9 , 10 and the viscous fluid 2 .

When the viscous fluid 2 is to be release from the container, the container may be broken open at the predetermined location near the center 14 of the container. Once the container is open, the air pressure in the air enclosure 9 , 10 will force the viscous fluid 2 out of the container at a predetermined rate after a predetermined delay. The viscous fluid 2 will flow out of the container at a rate determined by the viscosity and the length of the seals 1 , 11 . A higher viscosity and/or longer seal 1 , 11 will allow the viscous fluid 2 to flow out of the container after a predetermined delay and at a slow controlled speed. A lower viscosity and/or shorter seal 1 , 11 will allow the viscous fluid 2 to flow out of the container almost immediately and at a rapid speed.

The container may have one or more protrusions 8 , 15 in its interior surface near the predetermined location 6 , 14 such that after the viscous fluid 2 is released from the container, the pressurized piston pusher 7 , 12 , 13 is retained in the container and not ejected. The container may also have one or more indentations from its outside walls which will create the protrusions 8 , 15 in its interior surface to achieve the same result.