IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,402,557
Granted Patent B2
US 12,402,557 · App. 18/583,053 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Method and device for delivering biological material to liquid medium

Inventor: Mitchell Eviston (Woodbury, MN)
Assignee: Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC
A01C1/06A01C1/08C12N1/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,402,557
App. No.
18/583,053
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device and method for delivering biological material and/or synthetic chemistries to a liquid medium comprising securing a capsule to an opening of a container, the capsule comprising a cap portion for securing the capsule to the container and an elongate portion comprising a cavity defined by a frangible bottom, wherein the cavity comprises live biological material therein and a plunger comprising a disrupting mechanism, suspending the elongate portion of the capsule into an interior cavity of the container, depressing the plunger, cutting or disrupting the frangible bottom of the capsule, and releasing the material into the liquid medium.

Claims (32)

1. A device for delivering biological material to a liquid medium comprising:

a capsule comprising a cap portion for removably securing the capsule to a mouth of a container and an elongate portion comprising a cavity defined by a frangible bottom, wherein the cavity comprises biological material therein; and

a plunger comprising first and second ends, wherein the first end is received within the cavity of the capsule and has a cutting or disrupting mechanism configured to cut or disrupt the frangible bottom when the plunger is depressed;

wherein the second end of the plunger is exposed beyond the cavity such that the second end extends beyond the elongate portion of the capsule; and

wherein the second end of the plunger is configured to interact with a locking mechanism such that removal of the locking mechanism allows the plunger to be depressed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism is a ring configured to engage a portion of the second end of the plunger.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising a plunger cap to cap the second end of the plunger—and wherein the locking mechanism engages the second end of the plunger between the plunger cap and the elongate portion of the capsule.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein a diameter of the plunger cap is greater than a diameter of the plunger.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the second end of the plunger is configured to be engaged by a user to release the biological material stored in the cavity.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the cap portion is threadably securable to the mouth of the container, thus replacing a factory cap.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the biological material comprises a bio-fungicide, bio-herbicide, bio-fertilizer, and/or bio-insecticide/pesticide.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the container is not configured for growth and/or culture of the biological material.

9. A system for delivering biological material to a liquid medium comprising:

a container comprising a mouth and an interior cavity;

a capsule comprising a cap portion threadably secured to the mouth of the container and an elongate portion comprising a cavity defined by a frangible bottom, wherein the cavity comprises biological material therein, and wherein the elongate portion is suspended from the mouth of the container into the interior cavity of the container; and

a plunger comprising first and second ends, wherein the first end is received within the cavity and has a cutting or disrupting mechanism configured to cut or disrupt the frangible bottom when the plunger is depressed and wherein the second end of the plunger is exposed beyond the cavity such that the second end extends beyond the elongate portion of the capsule, and wherein the second end of the plunger is configured to interact with a locking mechanism such that removal of the locking mechanism allows the plunger to be depressed.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the container is a plastic F-Style container.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein a volume of the container is 2.5 gallons.

12. The system of claim 9 said locking mechanism comprising a removable ring configured to engage a portion of the second end of the plunger and to prevent depression of the plunger.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a plunger cap configured to cap the second end of the plunger and wherein the removable ring engages the second end of the plunger between the plunger cap and the elongate portion of the capsule.

14. A method for delivering biological material to a liquid medium comprising:

securing a capsule to an opening of a container, the capsule comprising an elongate portion comprising a cavity defined by a frangible bottom, wherein the cavity comprises biological material therein, and a plunger having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the plunger is received within the cavity and has a cutting or disrupting mechanism and the second end of the plunger is exposed beyond the cavity such that the second end extends beyond the elongate portion of the capsule and wherein the second end of the plunger is configured to interact with a locking mechanism such that removal of the locking mechanism allows the plunger to be depressed;

suspending the elongate portion of the capsule into an interior cavity of the container;

depressing the plunger, wherein depressing the plunger causes the second end of the plunger to be received within the cavity of the elongate portion;

cutting or disrupting the frangible bottom of the capsule; and

releasing the material into the container.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing the locking mechanism to allow depressing the plunger.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the locking mechanism is a ring configured to engage a portion of the second end of the plunger.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising depressing a plunger cap to depress the plunger, wherein the plunger cap caps the second end of the plunger.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising shaking the container to combine the biological material with contents provided in the container.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing the capsule from the container.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the biological material comprises a bio-fungicide, bio-herbicide, bio-fertilizer, and/or bio-insecticide/pesticide and wherein the container is not configured for growth and/or culture of the biological material.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2024
From: MERISTEM CROP PERFORMANCE GROUP, LLC
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 068800/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2024
From: EVISTON, MITCHELL
To: MERISTEM CROP PERFORMANCE GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 066776/0739 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 18503899 · Nov 7, 2023
Continuation 18197578 · May 15, 2023
Continuation PCTUS2023012628 · Feb 8, 2023
Provisional Application 63434588 · Dec 22, 2022
Related Publication 20240206368A1 · Jun 27, 2024
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Cited By (2)
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