Container assembly and method for humidity control

Abstract

A container assembly has a material storage container defining a sealed chamber therein. A quantity of moisture-sensitive material is disposed in the chamber. The moisture-sensitive material has a desired range of moisture content. A hydrated humidity control substance is also disposed within the chamber, and the humidity control substance is in humidity-transferable communication with the chamber. The humidity control substance regulates a relative humidity within the chamber in order to maintain a moisture content of the moisture-sensitive material within the desired range of moisture content.

1 . A container assembly comprising: 
 a container defining a sealed chamber therein;    a quantity of moisture-sensitive material for healthcare use disposed in the chamber, wherein the moisture-sensitive material has a desired range of moisture content; and    a hydrated humidity control substance, wherein the humidity control substance is disposed within the chamber and is in humidity-transferable communication with the chamber, and wherein the humidity control substance regulates a relative humidity within the chamber in order to maintain a moisture content of the moisture-sensitive material within the desired range of moisture content.    
   
   
       2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the humidity control substance is a silica gel.  
   
   
       3 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the silica gel is a buffered silica gel.  
   
   
       4 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the humidity control substance has a preferred buffering range of between 10 percent to about 100 percent relative humidity.  
   
   
       5 . The container assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the humidity control substance has a preferred buffering range of between 30 percent to about 75 percent relative humidity.  
   
   
       6 . The container assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the humidity control substance has a preferred buffering range of between about 30 percent to about 60 percent relative humidity.  
   
   
       7 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-sensitive material is a dental material.  
   
   
       8 . The container assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the dental material is selected from a group consisting of glass ionomers, resin modified glass ionomers, dental adhesives, orthodontic adhesives, cements, restoratives, coatings, varnishes, sealants, and composite crowns.  
   
   
       9 . The container assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the moisture-sensitive material is one or more capsules, each capsule containing a dental composition therein.  
   
   
       10 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container can be opened and is selectively resealable.  
   
   
       11 . The container assembly of  claim 1  wherein the container has a single opening for access to the chamber therein, and wherein the container has a cap for resealably covering the opening.  
   
   
       12 . The container assembly of  claim 11  wherein the cap is flexibly attached to the container.  
   
   
       13 . A method for controlling a relative humidity inside a container, where the container is for retaining a moisture-sensitive material for healthcare use, the method comprising: 
 hydrating a humidity control substance to a desired moisture content;    introducing the humidity control substance into a chamber of the container in a humidity controlled environment;    introducing the moisture-sensitive material into the chamber of the container in the humidity controlled environment; and    sealing the container.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of hydrating comprises: 
 selecting a desired relative humidity of the chamber of the container as a function of the moisture-sensitive material to be stored in the chamber of the container;    selecting a desired moisture content of the humidity control substance as a function of the desired relative humidity of the chamber of the container;    placing the humidity control substance in a constant humidity environment, where the environment is set at the desired relative humidity;    removing the humidity control substance from the constant humidity environment and placing the humidity control substance in a sealed space; and    testing a moisture content of the humidity control substance to determine whether the humidity control substance has the desired moisture content.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, prior to introducing the humidity control substance into the chamber of the container, an amount of humidity control substance that should be used in the container is determined by estimating a potential moisture loss from the container.