Double expansible bladder container

Claim 2

A non-aerosol container having an outer, substantially rigid exterior body to store fluids having a first inner conformable resilient member adapted to hold fluid therein and having the ability to resist molecular or other fluid migration therethrough; a second outer conformable member in the unstressed, unfilled state being substantially congruent in configuration to, juxtapositioned and contacting said first inner member at the interface formed by the exterior walls of each of said first and second members and having an elasticity thereof sufficient to exert an expelling force on the stored fluid and to drive same from said first member, each of said first and second members having an open end and a closed end, said first member being nested within said second member.

Claim 3

The container in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first member is fabricated of a material that is compatible with the fluid to be stored.

Claim 4

The container in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first member is inert to the stored material and comprises a butyl-type elastomer and said second member is fabricated of a latex-type elastomer having high elastic memory.

Claim 5

The container in accordance with claim 2 wherein the force exerted by said second member is sufficient to expel substantially all of stored fluid.

Claim 6

The container in accordance with claim 4 wherein the wall construction of said second member is of multi-layered construction and the wall construction of said first member is of integrally molded construction.

Claim 7

The container in accordance with claim 5 wherein in the normal unfilled state said first member is of smaller size to nest within said second member.

Claim 8

The container in accordance with claim 6 wherein the wall thickness of said first member lies within the range of about 0.040 to 0.060 inch.

Claim 9

The container in accordance with claim 7 wherein the wall thickness of said second member lies within the range of about 0.030 to 0.070 inch.

Claim 10

The container in accordance with claim 6 wherein a layer of friction reducing material is positioned at said interface to facilitate nesting of said first and second members.

Claim 11

The container in accordance with claim 9 wherein the upper portion of said first member is provided with a flange of relatively square cross-section.

Claim 12

The container in accordance with claim 10 wherein the upper portion of said second member is provided with a frusto-conical configuration.

Claim 13

The container in accordance with claim 11 wherein said first and second members are prestressed prior to filling with said fluid to be stored.

Claim 14

The container in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first and second members are longitudinally and radially stressed.

Claim 15

A non-aerosol fluid dispenser comprising the combination of: a substantially rigid container body and cover therefor, including a fluid passageway communicating the exterior thereof to a valve member supported within said container body; a valve member; a first inner resilient expansible member of fluid impermeable character having an open end and a closed end, the diameter proximate said open end being larger than the diameter of said closed end, said first expansible member being adapted to be retained within said container body and store fluid therein; a second outer expansible member in the unstressed, unfilled state being substantially congruent to, coextensive with and contacting said first member in juxtarelationship and having an open end and a closed end, said exterior walls of said first and second members being in substantial contact and forming an interface substantially coincident with said first and second members; a valve seating member disposed in axially shiftable relationship within said valve member and adapted to open and close the communication between said fluid passageway and the interior of said first expansible member; a mandrel within said first expansible member forming a dispensing flow path for fluid to be stored within said first expansible member and pretensioning said first and second expansible members and said second expansible member overlying said first expansible member having high elastic memory and being conformable with said first expansible member when same is filled with a fluid exerting a dispensing force thereon to expel said fluid when said valve seating member is unseated.

Claim 16

A non-aerosol fluid dispenser comprising the combination of: a substantially rigid container body and cover therefor, including a fluid passageway communicating the exterior thereof to a valve member supported within said container body; a valve member; a first inner resilient expansible member of fluid impermeable character having an open end and a closed end, the diameter proximate said open end being larger than the diameter of said closed end, said first expansible member being adapted to be retained within said container body and store fluid therein; a second outer expansible member in the unstressed, unfilled state being substantially congruent to, coextensive with and contacting said first member in juxtarelationship and having an open end and a closed end, said exterior walls of said first and second members being in substantial contact and forming an interface substantially coincident with said first and second members; a valve seating member disposed in axially shiftable relationship within said valve member and adapted to open and close the communication between said fluid passageway and the interior of said first expansible member; a mandrel within said first expansible member forming a dispensing flow path for fluid to be stored within said first expansible member and pretensioning said first and second expansible members and said second expansible member overlying said first expansible member having high elastic memory and being conformable with said first expansible member when same is filled with a fluid exerting a dispensing force thereon to expel said fluid when said valve seating member is unseated.

Claim 17

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 14 wherein said mandrel and said first and second expansible members are about coextensive in the unfilled state.

Claim 18

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first expansible member is compatible with and substantially impermeable to said fluids to be stored therein for a sufficient time to provide an acceptable shelf life.

Claim 19

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 16 wherein said first and second expansible members are retained in secured relationship proximate their upper portions.

Claim 20

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 17 wherein the upper portion of said second member terminates in a frusto-conical configuration.

Claim 21

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 18 wherein the upper portion of said first expansible member terminates in a flange of substantially square cross-section.

Claim 22

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 19 wherein said first and second expansible members form a substantially smooth interface therebetween.

Claim 23

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 20 wherein said first expansible member comprises a butyl-like material.

Claim 24

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 21 wherein said second expansible member comprises a latex-like material of relatively high elastic memory.

Claim 25

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 19 wherein said mandrel is cruci-form in cross-section.

Claim 26

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 19 wherein said mandrel is oval in cross-section.

Claim 27

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 19 wherein said valve member includes a valve body member having a valve seat and said valve seating member acts thereagainst to close said communication between said fluid passageway and the interior of said first expansible member.

Claim 28

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 25 wherein said valve seating member is normally spring biased into the closed position.

Claim 29

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 26 wherein said mandrel has a plurality of spaced grooves extending substantially the length thereof and the upper portion is adapted to form fluid paths for the fluid stored in said first expansible member to said fluid passageway.

Claim 30

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 27 wherein said valve seating member comprises an annular head with spaced peripheral protuberances thereabout, and a depending spring centering portion limits the downward movement thereof by abutting an upper surface of said mandrel.

Claim 31

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 28 wherein said spring is coil-shaped and is positioned to react against the under surface of said annular head and the upper surface of said mandrel.

Claim 32

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 29 wherein the upper surface of said head forms a sealing lip to engage the under surface of said valve seat in fluid-tight relationship.

Claim 33

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 30 wherein said valve seat and valve body member are received in nestled relationship by a ferrule member of deformable character and said valve seat is a disc of conformable material having an annular passageway of the same size as said fluid passageway and communicating thereto.

Claim 34

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 31 wherein said disc is retained in position with said valve body member by said overlying ferrule member and said ferrule member has an aligned aperture accommodating said fluid passageway and said annular passageway.

Claim 35

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 32 wherein the open ends of said first and second expansible members are retained in fluid-tight relationship in the assembly and a locking collar member received within said ferrule member is adapted to engage the interior wall of said container body and position the assembly within the neck of said container body with the coaction of said ferrule member.

Claim 36

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 30 wherein the open ends of said first and second expansible members are received by the lower portion of said valve body member and said valve seat and valve body member are received in nestled relationship by a ferrule member of deformable character to form an assembly and said valve seat is a disc of conformable material having an annular passageway of the same size as said fluid passageway and communicating thereto and the neck of said container body is adapted to support said assembly and expansible members in retained, fluid-tight relationship.

Claim 37

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 34 which includes a snap ring member received within said ferrule member with said open ends of said expansible members being retained in fluid-tight relationship therebetween and is adapted to engage the interior wall of said container body and position the assembly within the neck of said container body with the cooperation of said ferrule member in locked relationship.

Claim 38

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 35 wherein the depending wall portion of said valve body member and the opposed exterior surface of said snap ring member forms a sinuousity within which the open end of said second expansible member is received in retained relationship.

Claim 39

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 36 wherein a secondary ferrule is disposed within said ferrule member and engages the upper portion of said mandrel member and lateral contiguous portions of said valve body member and the lower portion of said snap ring member to form an initial sub-assembly prior to insertion into nested relationship with said ferrule member.

Claim 40

The fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 35 wherein the upper surface of said mandrel forms a receiving recess for said valve seat and is retained therein by an annular retaining member disposed between it and an upper crimped over portion of said ferrule member.