Mixing apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for separately storing and selectively mixing two components, comprising: (a) a compressible chamber containing a liquid, first component and including (i) a selectively gas-trapping compartment, (ii) a reservoir compartment, and (iii) an open flow path between said gas-trapping and reservoir compartments; (b) a container containing a second component, at least one of said container and said compressible chamber also containing a gas; (c) a selectively opened pathway between said container and said gas-trapping compartment of said compressible chamber; (d) whereupon after said pathway is opened, said gas-trapping and reservoir compartments may be selectively positioned relative to each other to facilitate proper mixing of the first and second mixing components.

Claim 7

The apparatus as in claims 1 or 4, further including an internal wall in said compressible chamber, said internal wall having a closed end and an open end, defining said gas-trapping and reservoir compartments, segregating said gas-trapping and reservoir compartments along the length of said internal wall and at said closed end, and defining said open flow path between said gas-trapping and reservoir compartments, whereupon after opening said pathway said internal wall enables selective entrapment of at least a portion of said gas in said gas-trapping compartment adjacent said open pathway, upon the selective movement of said gas-trapping and reservoir compartments.

Claim 10

The apparatus as in claims 1 or 4, wherein said compressible chamber is defined by two flexible, plastic sheets sealed together to form an external seal about said compressible chamber.

Claim 11

A method for separately storing and selectively mixing two components in an apparatus, the apparatus including a compressible chamber having a selectively gas-trapping compartment and a reservoir compartment in open communication with the gas-trapping compartment, the compressible chamber further including an internal wall having a closed end and an open end and segregating the gas-trapping and reservoir compartments except for an open flow path between the compartments adjacent the open end, the compressible chamber containing a liquid, first component, the apparatus further including a container containing a second component, at least one of the compressible chamber and the container also containing a gas, the apparatus also including a selectively opened pathway between the container and the gas-trapping compartment, the steps comprising: (a) opening the pathway between the compressible chamber and the container; (b) transferring some of the liquid first component into the container through the pathway after some gas is in the container; (c) exchanging some of the liquid in the container with some of the liquid in the chamber by (i) manipulating the chamber until liquid in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into the container, and (iii) stopping said compression, thereby urging some liquid from the container into the chamber; and (d) emptying the liquid in the container into the chamber.

Claim 12

A method for separately storing and selectively mixing two components in an apparatus, the apparatus including a compressible chamber having a selectively gas-trapping compartment and a reservoir compartment in open communication with the gas-trapping compartment, the compressible chamber further including an internal wall having a closed end and an open end and segregating the gas-trapping and reservoir compartments except for an open flow path between the compartments adjacent the open end, the compressible chamber containing a liquid, first component, the apparatus further including a container containing a second component, at least one of the compressible chamber and the container also containing a gas, the apparatus also including a selectively opened pathway between the container and the gas-trapping compartment, the steps comprising: (a) opening the pathway between the compressible chamber and the container; (b) transferring some of the liquid first component into the container through the pathway after some gas is in the container; (c) exchanging some of the liquid in the container with some of the liquid in the chamber by (i) manipulating the chamber until liquid in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into the container, and (iii) stopping said compression, thereby urging some liquid from the container into the chamber; and (d) emptying the liquid in the container into the chamber.

Claim 13

A method for selectively mixing a liquid first component in an apparatus with a second component in a container, the apparatus including a compressible chamber having a selectively gas-trapping compartment and a reservoir compartment in open communication with the gas-trapping compartment, the compressible chamber further including an internal wall, having a closed end and an open end and segregating the gas-trapping and reservoir compartments except for an open flow path between the compartments adjacent the open end, the apparatus further including means to access the gas-trapping compartment of the compressible chamber such that the access means may be connected to the container to form a selectively opened pathway between the container and the apparatus, the steps comprising: (a) connecting the chamber access means to the container; (b) opening the pathway between the compressible chamber and the container; (c) transferring some of the liquid first component into the container through the pathway after some gas is in the container; (d) exchanging some of the liquid in the container with some of the liquid in the chamber by (i) manipulating the chamber until liquid in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into the container, and (iii) stopping said compression, thereby urging some liquid from the container into the chamber; and (e) emptying the liquid in the container into the chamber.

Claim 14

A method for selectively mixing a liquid first component in an apparatus with a second component in a container, the apparatus including a compressible chamber having a selectively gas-trapping compartment and a reservoir compartment in open communication with the gas-trapping compartment, the compressible chamber further including an internal wall, having a closed end and an open end and segregating the gas-trapping and reservoir compartments except for an open flow path between the compartments adjacent the open end, the apparatus further including means to access the gas-trapping compartment of the compressible chamber such that the access means may be connected to the container to form a selectively opened pathway between the container and the apparatus, the steps comprising: (a) connecting the chamber access means to the container; (b) opening the pathway between the compressible chamber and the container; (c) transferring some of the liquid first component into the container through the pathway after some gas is in the container; (d) exchanging some of the liquid in the container with some of the liquid in the chamber by (i) manipulating the chamber until liquid in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into the container, and (iii) stopping said compression, thereby urging some liquid from the container into the chamber; and (e) emptying the liquid in the container into the chamber.

Claim 17

The method as in claims 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein said liquid emptying step includes further steps, comprising: (a) manipulating the chamber such that at least some of the gas in the reservoir compartment enters the gas-trapping compartment through the flow path; (b) manipulating the chamber until the gas in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the selectively opened pathway and the selectively opened pathway is above the gas-trapping compartment; (c) compressing the chamber, thereby urging at least some of the gas from the gas-trapping compartment into the container, thus pressurizing the gas, above the liquid in the container; and (d) stopping said compression of the chamber, the pressurized gas in the container expelling the liquid in the container through the pathway into the chamber.

Claim 18

A method for separately storing and selectively mixing two components in an apparatus, the apparatus including a compressible chamber having a selectively gas-trapping compartment and a reservoir compartment in open communication with the gas-trapping compartment, the compressible chamber further including an internal wall having a closed end and an open end and segregating the gas-trapping and reservoir compartments except for an open flow path between the compartments adjacent the open end, the compressible chamber containing a liquid, first component, the apparatus further including a container containing a second component, at least one of the compressible chamber and the container also containing a gas, the apparatus also including a selectively opened pathway between the container and the gas-trapping compartment, the steps comprising: (a) opening the pathway between the compressible chamber and the container; (b) transferring some of the liquid first component into the container through the pathway after some gas is in the container, said liquid transfer including, (i) manipulating the chamber until the liquid first component is adjacent the chamber access means, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into contact with the second component in the container, and (iii) stopping said compression before the container is filled with liquid; (c) exchanging some of the liquid in the container with some of the liquid in the chamber by, (i) manipulating the chamber until liquid in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into the container, and (iii) stopping said compression, thereby urging some liquid from the container into the chamber; and (d) emptying the liquid in the container into the chamber, said liquid emptying step including, (i) manipulating the chamber such that at least some of the gas in the reservoir compartment enters the gas-trapping compartment through the flow path, (ii) manipulating the chamber until the gas in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (iii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging at least some of the gas from the gas-trapping compartment into the container, thus pressurizing the gas, above the liquid in the container, and (iv) stopping said compression of the chamber, the pressurized gas in the container expelling the liquid in the container through the pathway into the chamber.

Claim 19

A method for separately storing and selectively mixing two components in an apparatus, the apparatus including a compressible chamber having a selectively gas-trapping compartment and a reservoir compartment in open communication with the gas-trapping compartment, the compressible chamber further including an internal wall having a closed end and an open end and segregating the gas-trapping and reservoir compartments except for an open flow path between the compartments adjacent the open end, the compressible chamber containing a liquid, first component, the apparatus further including a container containing a second component, at least one of the compressible chamber and the container also containing a gas, the apparatus also including a selectively opened pathway between the container and the gas-trapping compartment, the steps comprising: (a) opening the pathway between the compressible chamber and the container; (b) transferring some of the liquid first component into the container through the pathway after some gas is in the container, said liquid transfer including, (i) manipulating the chamber until the liquid first component is adjacent the chamber access means, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into contact with the second component in the container, and (iii) stopping said compression before the container is filled with liquid; (c) exchanging some of the liquid in the container with some of the liquid in the chamber by, (i) manipulating the chamber until liquid in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (ii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging some liquid from the chamber into the container, and (iii) stopping said compression, thereby urging some liquid from the container into the chamber; and (d) emptying the liquid in the container into the chamber, said liquid emptying step including, (i) manipulating the chamber such that at least some of the gas in the reservoir compartment enters the gas-trapping compartment through the flow path, (ii) manipulating the chamber until the gas in the gas-trapping compartment is adjacent the chamber access means and the chamber access means is above the gas-trapping compartment, (iii) compressing the chamber, thereby urging at least some of the gas from the gas-trapping compartment into the container, thus pressurizing the gas, above the liquid in the container, and (iv) stopping said compression of the chamber, the pressurized gas in the container expelling the liquid in the container through the pathway into the chamber.