Closed system chemical handling and delivery system and method

{
  "publication_number": "US10029258B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Closed system chemical handling and delivery system and method",
  "abstract": "A closed system chemical handling and delivery system includes an enclosure having a sealable opening accommodating the ingress and egress of chemical containers with an interior of the enclosure, a glove opening formed in the enclosure to which a glove is attached to and extends into the interior of the enclosure, a viewing window coupled to the enclosure providing a view into the interior of the enclosure, a chemical delivery drain in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure, and a mixing valve in selective fluid communication with the chemical delivery drain.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A closed system chemical handling and delivery system, comprising: an enclosure having a sealable opening accommodating ingress and egress of chemical containers with an interior of the enclosure; a glove opening formed in the enclosure to which a glove is attached to and extends into the interior of the enclosure; a viewing window coupled to the enclosure providing a view into the interior of the enclosure; a chemical delivery drain in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure and comprising an upper portion that is sloped downward and defines an arcuate ridge that transitions from the upper portion into an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion is cylindrical and defines a ledge surface, wherein the ledge surface forms into a cylindrical portion defining a vertical annular wall, and an arcuate recess formed in the vertical annular wall, wherein the arcuate recess is contoured to transition into a curvature of the vertical annular wall of the cylindrical portion; and a mixing valve in selective fluid communication with the chemical delivery drain.",
    "2. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 wherein the mixing valve is a venturi-type mixing valve.",
    "3. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 further comprising a rinse nozzle assembly integrated into the chemical delivery drain.",
    "4. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 3 wherein the rinse nozzle assembly is integrated into an upper portion of the chemical delivery drain that is formed in a lower surface of the enclosure.",
    "5. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 wherein the chemical delivery drain includes an upper portion sloped downward and defining an integral flat oriented horizontally.",
    "6. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 further comprising a grate seated on the ledge surface.",
    "7. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 further comprising a mixing nozzle assembly seated in the arcuate recess and oriented to introduce fluid tangentially to the vertical annular wall.",
    "8. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical portion transitions into a conical portion having a downstream end defining a drain opening.",
    "9. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 8 wherein the cylindrical portion defines a down-sloped surface that is oriented approximately thirty degrees from a horizontal reference.",
    "10. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 1 further comprising: a check valve mounted to the enclosure; and an air filter mounted to the enclosure.",
    "11. A closed system chemical handling and delivery system, comprising: an enclosure having a sloped top-front surface defining a sealable opening accommodating ingress and egress of chemical containers with an interior of the enclosure; a pair of glove openings formed in a front surface of the enclosure to which a pair of gloves are attached to and extend into the interior of the enclosure; a viewing window moveably coupled to the enclosure between an open position and a closed position; a fastener engaged with the enclosure and the viewing window when the viewing window is in the closed position to seal the viewing window to the enclosure; a chemical delivery drain in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure, the chemical delivery drain including a cylindrical portion having a generally vertical annular wall defining an arcuate recess that is contoured to transition into a curvature of the vertical annular wall, the cylindrical portion transitions into a conical portion that defines a downstream portion of the chemical delivery drain having a drain opening; a mixing nozzle assembly is mounted in the arcuate recess to introduce fluid from the mixing nozzle assembly cyclonically into the cylindrical portion to spiral downward into the conical portion; and a mixing valve coupled to the drain opening and in selective fluid communication with the chemical delivery drain.",
    "12. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 11 further comprising a molded-in flat in an upper portion of the chemical delivery drain.",
    "13. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 11 wherein the mixing valve is a venturi-type mixing valve.",
    "14. A closed system chemical handling and delivery method, comprising the steps of: placing a chemical container having chemical product therein inside a closed system chemical handling and delivery system, the system comprising: an enclosure with a sealable opening accommodating ingress and egress of the chemical container with an interior of the enclosure; a glove opening formed in the enclosure to which a glove is attached to and extends into the interior of the enclosure; a viewing window coupled to the enclosure providing a view into the interior of the enclosure; a chemical delivery drain in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure; and a mixing valve in selective fluid communication with the chemical deliver drain; sealing the sealable opening such that the interior of the enclosure is substantially quarantined from an external environment; introducing a desired amount of the chemical product to the chemical delivery drain; actuating a mixing nozzle assembly mounted in an arcuate recess of the chemical delivery drain to introduce fluid tangentially into the chemical delivery drain to mix with the desired amount of chemical products introduced to the chemical delivery drain; and selectively actuating the mixing valve to dispense the chemical product through the mixing valve.",
    "15. The closed system chemical handling and delivery method of claim 14 wherein the step of sealing the sealable opening comprises placing the viewing window over the sealable opening to hermetically engage with the enclosure.",
    "16. A closed system chemical handling and delivery system, comprising: an enclosure having a sealable opening accommodating ingress and egress of chemical containers with an interior of the enclosure; a glove opening formed in the enclosure to which a glove is attached to and extends into the interior of the enclosure; a viewing window coupled to the enclosure providing a view into the interior of the enclosure; a chemical delivery drain in fluid communication with the interior of the enclosure, the chemical delivery drain including a cylindrical portion having a generally vertical annular wall defining an arcuate recess that is contoured to transition into a curvature of the vertical annular wall; and a mixing valve in selective fluid communication with the chemical delivery drain.",
    "17. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 16 wherein the chemical delivery drain comprises an upper portion that is sloped downward and defines an arcuate ridge that transitions from the upper portion into an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion is cylindrical and defines a ledge surface.",
    "18. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 17 wherein the ledge surface forms into the cylindrical portion.",
    "19. The closed system chemical handling and delivery system of claim 16 further comprising a mixing nozzle assembly seated in the arcuate recess and oriented to introduce fluid tangentially to the vertical annular wall."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to a closed system chemical handling and delivery system and method. More particularly, this invention relates to devices and methods for handling, mixing, diluting, and/or delivering chemicals under vacuum into a streamline. The use and handling of various chemicals, such as agricultural chemicals, are subject to a range of regulations and best practices. Direct or prolonged exposure to certain chemicals may have adverse effects on the handlers of these chemicals, such that excessive exposure is typically minimized. In addition, contamination of the surrounding environment with these chemicals is preferably minimized or eliminated. One particular issue arises when these chemicals are being prepared for introduction into a streamline for downstream application. “Closed systems” for chemical mixing and diluting have been proposed to minimize a handler's exposure to the chemicals being handled, and any ensuing undesirable environmental contamination. For example, one type of “closed system” is commonly referred to as a Goodwin-type box. Goodwin-type boxes provide a sealed-off environment, typically in the form of a metal enclosure, allowing a handler to place entire containers of chemicals inside the enclosure before sealing off the enclosure. The handler can then actuate a handle or lever that causes a series of knives/blades to move within the enclosure puncturing the containers, thus allowing the chemicals to mix within the enclosure. This approach disadvantageously requires use of an entire chemical container as there is no reasonably practical way to reseal a punctured chemical container.",
  "cpc": [
    "B01L 3/523",
    "B01L 2200/082",
    "B01L 2200/141",
    "B01L 2300/0681",
    "B01L 2400/0605",
    "B01L 2400/0644",
    "B01L 3/56",
    "B01L 3/567",
    "B08B 15/026",
    "B25J 21/00",
    "B25J 21/02",
    "G03D 17/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01L 3/00",
    "B08B 15/02",
    "B25J 21/00",
    "B25J 21/02",
    "G03D 17/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "PENTAIR FLOW TECH LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "LANG JOHN PHILIP",
    "JOHNSON ANDREW LEE",
    "Larson Benjamin Carl"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-03-31",
  "publication_date": "2018-07-24",
  "grant_date": "2018-07-24",
  "priority_date": "2015-03-31",
  "application_number": "US-201615087530-A",
  "family_id": "57016213",
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}