REFILLABLE MASTIC CARTRIDGE, DISPENSER, FILLING STATION AND SYSTEM COMPRISING A MASTIC CARTRIDGE, A DISPENSER AND A FILLING STATION, AS WELL AS CARTRIDGE AND CONNECTOR FOR A CARTRIDGE
A refillable mastic cartridge for a mastic medium to be dispensed includes a rigid head part having a dispensing outlet, and a mastic cartridge chamber configured to store a component of the mastic medium to be dispensed from the mastic cartridge via the dispensing outlet.
1 . A refillable mastic cartridge for a mastic medium to be dispensed, the mastic cartridge comprising:
a rigid head part having a dispensing outlet; and
mastic cartridge chamber configured to store a component of the mastic medium to be dispensed from the mastic cartridge via the dispensing outlet.
2 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the mastic cartridge is capable of being refilled 5 or more times.
3 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising an Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) element.
4 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the AIDC element is an RFID element.
5 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the AIDC element comprises information relating to a material stored in the mastic cartridge chamber; or
the AIDC element comprises information relating to a number of times the mastic cartridge has been filled; or
the AIDC element comprises information relating to a date of a last filling of the mastic cartridge; or
the AIDC element comprises information relating to a maximum storage life of media stored in the mastic cartridge chamber; or
the AIDC element comprises information relating to a correct installation of the mastic cartridge at one of a dispenser and a filling station; or
the AIDC element comprises information relating to dispenser specific dispensing information correlated to the material stored in the mastic cartridge; or
the AIDC element comprises information relating to a maximum number of filling cycles for the mastic cartridge.
6 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the AIDC element comprises information on dispensing behavior of the mastic cartridge.
7 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rigid head part comprises alignment members configured to ensure a correct mechanical alignment of the rigid head part at a filling station.
8 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a flexible film, the flexible film forming a mastic cartridge wall, with the flexible film bounding the mastic cartridge chamber and extending at least partially in a longitudinal direction of the mastic cartridge, the flexible film having a front end that is sealingly and non-releasably connected to the rigid head part.
9 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a rigid mastic cartridge wall bounding the cartridge chamber and extending at least partially in a longitudinal direction of the mastic cartridge, the rigid mastic cartridge wall having a front end that is sealingly and non-releasably connected to the rigid head part.
10 . A dispenser for dispensing a medium from a mastic cartridge, the dispenser comprising:
a control and evaluation unit configured to communicate with an AIDC element of the mastic cartridge.
11 . A filling station configured to fill a mastic cartridge, the filling station comprising:
a control and evaluation unit configured to communicate with an AIDC element of the mastic cartridge.
12 . The filling station in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising counter alignment members that are formed complementary to alignment members present at the mastic cartridge, with the counter alignment members being configured to ensure a correct mechanical alignment of rigid head part at the filling station.
13 . A system comprising:
a mastic cartridge for a medium to be dispensed;
a dispenser configured to dispense the medium from the mastic cartridge; and
a filling station configured to fill the mastic cartridge with the medium, the mastic cartridge comprising an Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) element configured to communicate with a corresponding element arranged at the dispenser and at the filling station.
14 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the head part includes an aperture leading from an outer side of the head part to the cartridge chamber, the cartridge further comprising a connector sealingly insertable into and removable from the aperture, the connector further having a film extending over a surface of the connector with the surface facing the cartridge chamber.
15 . A connector for the mastic cartridge according to claim 1 , the connector being sealingly insertable into and removable from an aperture of the rigid head part.
16 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the dispensing behavior of the mastic cartridge comprises information relating to a dispensing pressure or a clamping of the film.
17 . The mastic cartridge in accordance with claim 6 , wherein accepted values relating to the dispensing behavior of the mastic cartridge are stored in the AIDC element and when a determination is made that the dispensing behavior deviates from the accepted values then a decision is taken to not permit a refilling of the mastic cartridge.
18 . A connector for the mastic cartridge according to claim 15 , wherein the connector has a film extending over a surface of the connector with the surface facing the cartridge chamber when connected to the cartridge.