Hydrogen enriching containers for water, beverages, food and other mediums

Abstract

The invention is related to hydrogen-eriching containers—such as bags, jars, and bottles—designed to impart antioxidant properties to water, food, beverages, cosmetics, and other mediums for use in humans, animals, plants, microbes, or soil. It offers multiple solutions, including hydrogen-releasing units that can add hydrogen beyond normal solubility limits, release hydrogen shortly before use, and even recapture hydrogen. The hydrogen-releasing unit can be placed inside, beside, or around the container and can operate via hydrogen gas release, chemical reactions, electrolysis, or galvanic cells. The invention also includes technical features to minimize hydrogen loss, such as special materials, container shapes, and improved lids. Additionally, the design allows for marketing or display purposes, combining functionality with promotional use.

Description

HYDROGEN ENRICHING CONTAINERS FOR WATER, BEVERAGES, FOOD AND OTHER MEDIUMSFIELD OF USE

[0001] The present application relates to the field of hydrogenation utilizing a container for water and other substances such as but not limited to cosmetics, foods, and other mediums. Specifically, the present application discloses a method and apparatus or container for producing hydrogenated liquids and other substances such as gels, creams, emulsions, and solids to generate a portable and highly effective hydrogenated product.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In recent times, health and a vibrant life are much craved by everyone. To improve quality of life, maintain a healthy state, and prevent the onset of various diseases, evaluation of interventional effects for improving quality of life is important. It is known that the high metabolic rate of the brain results in the generation of disproportionate amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, leading to increased oxidative stress. Increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation may initiate a cascade of proinflammatory signals, leading to inflammation. Altered homeostasis of oxidation, inflammation, and protein aggregation has been suggested to contribute to the death of neurons, which is directly related to impairments in various cognitive domains. As such, chronic oxidative stress and inflammation may cause deteriorations in the function of the central nervous system, leading to reductions in quality of life.

[0003] It has been shown that hydrogen has antioxidant activity and may prevent inflammation. The distribution of hydrogen throughout the brain and body indicates actions both in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Published clinical studies have shown that hydrogen-rich water reduces concentrations of markers of oxidative stress in patients with metabolic syndrome, improves lipid and glucose metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes, improves mitochondrial dysfunction in patients with mitochondrial myopathies, and reduces inflammatory processes in patients with polymyositis / dermatomyositis. In another study, exercise-induced declines in muscle function among elite athletes were also improved by administering hydrogen-rich water. Such findings suggest that hydrogen-rich water may help alleviate symptoms of several diseases and increase the physical performance of athletes with ingestion of hydrogen-rich water.

[0004] There are several attempts by others to enrich water with hydrogen. Some devices include a hydrogen-enriched water generator and dispenser as shown, for example, in U.S. 10,570,031 to Zhang. Disclosed in Zhang is a hydrogen-enriched water generator and dispenser. The hydrogen water generator includes a magnetic field generator and an electrode arrangement. The magnetic field110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002generator is arranged to deliver an electromagnetic wave having ultra-long wavelength to regular water stored in its water tank. Upon electrolyzing and ionizing by the electrode arrangement, the regular water is electrolyzed and ionized to contain a predetermined amount of hydrogen ions for direct consumption. There are many drawbacks to this device. This arrangement is not portable. The device needs to be stationary and have a power source to enrich water with hydrogen.

[0005] Another known method of producing hydrogen rich water is shown in U.S. 7,189,330 to Hayashi et al. In Hayashi, disclosed is magnesium grains and silver grains inside tablets. The tablets are placed inside a bottle filled with drinking water. The magnesium and silver react to generate hydrogen inside the drinking water. This method of hydrogen generation also has many drawbacks. Even though the magnesium and silver grains are inside tablets, there is a hazard of the tablets breaking that may cause the magnesium and silver to leak out and contaminate the drinking water. Another issue is the loss of hydrogen infused into the drinking water. Because of the extraordinarily high diffusion rate of hydrogen through common plastic containers and all its components, like the walls and lid, will inevitably lead to a major loss of hydrogen within a very short time.

[0006] It is possible to enrich a watery solution filled in a container with hydrogen by simply adding hydrogen gas during the filling process. However, again, the extraordinarily high diffusion rate of hydrogen through the container and all its components (e. g. walls, lid) will inevitably lead to a major loss of hydrogen within a very short time.

[0007] This is specially the case with containers produced of polymer materials like polyethylene (PE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). But also metals like steel or aluminum or even ordinary glass are not able to keep the hydrogen gas from diffusing and getting lost within days or weeks.

[0008] At present state of the technical development, the only possible way of getting beverages, food, and other mediums, enriched with a high amount of hydrogen to customers, is the application of containers with a drastically reduced diffusion rate - considerably less than IO-14cm2 / s. This of course leads to high costs and still does not guarantee high contents of hydrogen over a period of several month or even years, as would be necessary, when wanting to use conventional distribution channels.

[0009] Another state of the art technology is the production of hydrogen from other sources directly before use, for instance from water by means of electrolysis. This requires the purchase of technical equipment, so called hydrogen generators, which are produced first and foremost on Asian markets. This is naturally accompanied by high acquisition and maintenance costs and still does not provide a possibility to take hydrogen enriched beverages on the way, for example outdoor activities.210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0010] Therefore, there exists a critical need for a novel method and apparatus for hydrogen enriching container that generates hydrogen for preservation and generating other hydrogen enriched substances without the drawbacks of current state of the art devices and methods.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Compared to the above prior attempts, the presently disclosed composition and method solves the problems of current state of the art, meets the above requirements, and provides many more benefits.

[0012] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of enriching all kinds of beverages, food, therapeutical agents or in general any mediums, advantageously containing water, with hydrogen gas in order to give it antioxidant properties to be used for the benefit of human beings, animals, and plants.

[0013] The present invention offers seven solutions for the above-mentioned problems of the current technology that can be applied singularity or in combination.

[0014] In one aspect provided is the addition of a hydrogen container added to the container of the medium to be enriched with hy drogen. This can be implemented with a small phial or vial, an additional compartment or an external container or cartridge filled with hydrogen.

[0015] The extra container allows adding many times the amount of hydrogen needed to enrich the medium over an extended period of time, constantly compensating for the inevitable loss of hydrogen caused by diffusion.

[0016] Furthermore the additional hydrogen container provides the possibility to enrich the medium with hydrogen only a short time before the actual use, avoiding the loss of hydrogen by reducing the time of diffusion drastically.

[0017] Providing the hydrogen container with a semipermeable membrane enables it not only to release but also to take back again hydrogen gas, especially when the temperature within the container rises and the medium loses its capacity to keep the hydrogen gas in solution. Since a free volume of gas evaporates immediately upon opening the container this measure reduces the loss of hydrogen significantly.

[0018] Installing additional layers of material between the hydrogen and the surrounding air reduces the loss of hydrogen by diffusion through the outer walls. Additional layers can be the walls of the hydrogen container or other applications such as for instance a bottle within a bottle.

[0019] Both the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen as well as the hydrogen container can be constructed according to a special geometry'. This can bring two advantages: First it can in general maximize the way of the hydrogen through the medium which flattens the hydrogen gradient indicating the decline of the hydrogen content from of the hydrogen container to the outer 310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002walls. Second it can suppress movement due to convection caused by heat or due to mechanical tossing which helps to reduce the diffusion of hydrogen, in both, the hydrogen container and the container of the medium.

[0020] Another important part of this invention is the chemical or physical treatment of the medium itself. This can be a rise of the viscosity of the medium for example by adding ingredients or particles that give it gel-like properties, the aim of which is the reduction or suppression of movement in the medium caused by mechanical agitation or thermal convection. Another method is the maximizing of the hydrogen content e. g. by adding certain ingredients or by physically modifying its structure or by chemically modifying the acidity / alkalinity of the medium.

[0021] The present invention foresees the production of hydrogen gas economically by means of a large-scale process, or by the customer at the point of use. Although depending upon the embodiment, point of use may be accomplished using the principles of this invention. The hydrogen gas is conveniently filled and transported within a second container and to be added to the medium to be enriched with hydrogen at any desirable point of time. The arrangement of the two containers is constructed in such a way that it allows the hydrogen gas to stream or diffundate from the one container into the other, enriching the medium in the second container with hydrogen.

[0022] This arrangement can be realized in at least three different ways further explained herein. In variant A the hydrogen container is located in or mostly within the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. In this case the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls is wanted, to enrich the surrounding medium wi th hydrogen. On the contrary, the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen advantageously has a very restricted diffusion rate to keep the loss of hydrogen through its walls as small as possible.

[0023] In variant B the hydrogen container and the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen are in principle separated but located in a suitable way near each other so that they stand, for example, over a semipermeable membrane, in contact or can be connected over a channel, for example, including but not limited to a hose, a channel, a tube, and the like, allowing the hydrogen gas to stream or diffundate into the medium to be enriched.

[0024] In variant C the hydrogen container surrounds the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. Here, of course the hydrogen container preferably has a very restricted diffusion rate, whereas the container of the medium to be enriched should let hydrogen gas diffundate rather freely.

[0025] In another aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for enriching a medium with molecular hydrogen (H2), particularly for the purpose of enhancing antioxidant properties in a wide variety of substances including, but not limited to, liquids, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, therapeutic agent, agricultural products, and other consumable or topical materials.410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0026] In one embodiment, the invention comprises an apparatus including a container configured to hold a medium and a hydrogen releasing unit operatively associated with the container. The hydrogen releasing unit is designed to generate hydrogen gas through chemical, electrochemical, or physical reactions and release it into the medium to achieve enrichment. The hydrogen may be delivered in gaseous or dissolved form, for example through a permeable membrane directly into an aqueous solution. The unit may be incorporated inside the container, integrated into the container’s lid, or externally connected, and may take various forms such as a cartridge, puck, or embedded component w ithin a double-walled structure.

[0027] To improve adaptability and ease of use, the hydrogen releasing unit may include features such as foldable or compressible structures for insertion into narrow- container openings. The unit may also support multi-container configurations, allowing one hydrogen source to simultaneously enrich several mediums. Construction materials may include metals, polymers, or composite materials capable of withstanding internal pressures greater than atmospheric levels, and the apparatus may incorporate branding or expiration indicators on its surface for user clarity.

[0028] In another aspect, the hydrogen releasing unit may utilize a variety of hydrogen generation mechanisms, including reactions involving w ater-reactive chemicals such as magnesium or zinc, or electrochemical cells such as galvanic cells using zinc oxidation. Certain implementations may also include diffusion control layers such as microporous membranes or concentric wall structures to regulate the rate and direction of hydrogen flow', ensuring optimal enrichment efficiency and stability over time.

[0029] In yet another aspect, the invention further provides a method for enriching a medium with hydrogen. The method includes providing a container with a lid, introducing a hydrogen releasing unit that initiates hydrogen production upon activation, and maintaining the enriched medium in a sealed environment to minimize hydrogen loss. The activation of the hydrogen release may be user- controlled or automated via programmable means. The method may also involve pressure or temperature regulation within the container to optimize the hydrogen solubility and retention. Collectively, the apparatus and method disclosed herein provide a versatile and scalable solution for hydrogen enrichment, adaptable for a wide range of mediums, such as but not limited to, a cosmetic, a food, a liquid, water, a cream, a gel, an emulsion, a solid, a pharmaceutical, therapeutic agent, a clothing item, a fertilizer, soil, a gardening substance, and any combination thereof and environments, while addressing key technical challenges such as hydrogen retention, material compatibility, and user customization.

[0030] Depending on which part is outside, beside or inside its counterpart, the diffusion rates of the used materials need to be chosen cautiously. At all events, a sufficient enrichment of the medium and a very restricted loss of hydrogen to the environment can be guaranteed by this invention.510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0031] The above objects and advantages are met by the present invention. In addition, the above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter-set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention and claims appended herewith. These features and other features are described and shown in the following drawings and detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] So that those having ordinary skill in the art will have a better understanding of how to make and use the disclosed composition and methods, reference is made to the accompanying figures wherein:

[0033] FIGS. 1 A-1B are exemplary embodiments of alternative A of the present invention;

[0034] FIGS. 2A-2C are further possible embodiments of alternative A of this invention wherein the hydrogen container is an integral part of the lid;

[0035] FIGS. 3A-3B are pictorial illustrations showing two other possible embodiments of alternative A, a hydrogen-filled compartment or reservoir C within the container, a jar J in FIG. 3 A or a bottle B in FIG. 3B. that lets the hydrogen gas H2 diffuse into the medium M within the container through a semipermeable membrane S;

[0036] FIGS. 4A-4B show additional embodiments of alternative B, an external cartridge filled with hydrogen standing in connection with the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen;

[0037] FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate alternative C hydrogen enriching device for beverage bottles;

[0038] FIGS. 6A-6B are hydrogen reservoirs as integral part of lid alternative B;

[0039] FIGS. 7A-7B are double action lid comprising a hydrogen reservoir alternative B;

[0040] FIG. 8 container of medium with external hydrogen tank alternative C;

[0041] FIGS. 9A-9B are combination of bottle and hydrogen tank alternative C;

[0042] FIGS. 10A-10C phials, vials compensating pressure and indicating hydrogen content;

[0043] FIGS. 11 A- 1 IE are compartments indicating hydrogen content;

[0044] FIGS. 12A-12H are lids for bottles blocking hydrogen diffusion;

[0045] FIGS. 13A-13C show measures for flow' reduction by modifying the geometry' of container and lid, additional baffles or by use of pierced bowls;

[0046] FIGS 14A-14C show a jar J in Fig. 14A or a bottle B in Fig. 14B and 14C comprises a hydrogen releasing unit on the bottom embodied as an integral part of the container;

[0047] FIG. 15 shows a hydrogen releasing unit incorporated in a hydrogen enriching device E w hich can be screwed to the container, a bottle B;

[0048] FIG. 16 shows tank T that contains a hydrogen producing button cell;610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0049] FIGS. 17A-17B show a bottle closed with a lid containing the medium to be enriched with hydrogen comprising a compartment on its bottom in which a hydrogen producing button cell HB is mounted upside down in such a way that the cathode setting free hydrogen gas through two bores - the larger, lower shell - is pointing upwards to the medium M whereas the anode of the button cell, the inner shell of which only the flat top is accessible, is on the bottom touching the bottom of the compartment;

[0050] FIGS. 18A-18B show a phial-like hydrogen releasing unit comprising a hydrogen producing button cell;

[0051] FIGS. 19A-19B show a container of the medium including a hydrogen releasing compartment;

[0052] FIGS. 20A-20B show a hydrogen releasing unit HU in form of a little rocket, filled with a hydrogen releasing substance H covered under a semipermeable membrane;

[0053] FIGS. 21A-21B show a bottle B closed with a lid L containing the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M;

[0054] FIG. 22A-22B show phial P filled with compressed hydrogen gas Hz setting it free into the medium M inside the container C; and

[0055] FIGS. 23A-23C show jars utilizing one of the principles of he invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The present disclosure is directed to a new composition, a process, and novel strategy' for infusing hydrogen into a medium such as water, other liquids, food, cosmetics, and the like. The present disclosure differs, in one aspect, from current methodologies in that it uses a container in container arrangement where one of the containers include a permeable membrane to enrich the medium with hydrogen. In summary' the present novel approach includes the following.

[0057] The present invention relates to a method of enriching all kinds of beverages, food, therapeutic agents, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, or in general any mediums, advantageously containing water, with hydrogen gas in order to give it antioxidant properties to be used for the benefit of human beings, animals and plants.

[0058] It is possible to enrich a watery' solution filled in a container with hydrogen by simply adding hydrogen gas during the filling process. However the extraordinarily high diffusion rate of hydrogen through the container and all its components (e. g. walls, lid) will inevitably lead to a major loss of hydrogen within a rather short time. This is specially the case with containers produced of polymer materials like PE or PET. But also metals like steel or aluminum or even ordinary' glass are not able to keep the hydrogen gas from diffusing and getting lost within days or weeks.710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0059] At present state of the technical development, the only possible way of getting beverages, food and other mediums, enriched with a high amount of hydrogen to customers, is the application of containers with a drastically reduced diffusion rate - considerably less than IO-12cm2 / s to 1014cm2 / s. This of course leads to high costs and still does not guarantee high contents of hydrogen over a period of several month or even years, as would be necessary, when wanting to use conventional distribution channels.

[0060] Another technology is the production of hydrogen from other sources directly before use, for instance from water by means of electrolysis. This requires the purchase of technical equipment, so called hydrogen generators, which are produced first and foremost on Asian markets. This is naturally accompanied by high acquisition and maintenance costs and still does not provide a possibility to take hydrogen enriched beverages on the way, for example to outdoor activities.

[0061] The present invention offers several solutions for the mentioned problems that can be applied as single or in combination. One novelty is the addition of a hydrogen releasing unit added to the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. This can be implemented by means of a phial or vial within the container diffusing hydrogen gas into the medium to be enriched with hydrogen or by means of an additional hydrogen releasing unit for instance in form of a hydrogen releasing compartment as part of the container or by means of an external hydrogen releasing unit as, e. g. a container or cartridge which can either be filled with hydrogen or with chemical substances that release hydrogen gas.

[0062] The hydrogen releasing unit allows adding many times the amount of hydrogen needed to enrich the medium over an extended period of time, constantly compensating the inevitable loss of hydrogen caused by diffusion.

[0063] Furthermore the additional hydrogen releasing unit can also provide the possibility to enrich the medium with hydrogen only a short time before the actual use, avoiding the loss of hydrogen by reducing the time of diffusion drastically.

[0064] Building the hydrogen releasing unit as container with a semipermeable membrane enables it not only to release but also to take back again hydrogen gas, especially when the temperature within the container rises and the medium loses its capacity to keep the hydrogen gas in solution. Since a free volume of hydrogen gas evaporates immediately upon opening the container this measure maximizes the amount of hydrogen gas the customer can effectively consume in the end.

[0065] In order to reduce the loss of hydrogen by diffusion through the outer walls of the container additional layers of material between the hydrogen releasing unit and the surrounding air can be installed to minimize the diffusion of hydrogen through the medium and the outer walls. These additional layers of material can be the walls of the hydrogen container or other applications as for instance a bottle within a bottle.810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0066] Both, the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen as well as the hydrogen releasing unit can be constructed according to a special geometry. This can bring two advantages: First it can in general maximize the way of the hydrogen through the medium which flattens the hydrogen gradient indicating the decline of the hydrogen content from of the hydrogen container to the outer walls. Second it can suppress movement in the medium due to convection caused by heat or due to mechanical tossing which helps to reduce the diffusion of hydrogen, out of both, the hydrogen container, and the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen.

[0067] . nother important part of this invention is the chemical or physical treatment of the medium itself. This can be a rise of the viscosity of the medium for example by adding ingredients or particles that give it gel-like properties, the aim of which is the reduction or suppression of movement in the medium caused by mechanical agitation or thermal convection. Another method is the maximizing of the hydrogen content e. g. by adding certain ingredients or by physically modifying its structure or by chemically modifying the acidity / alkalinity of the medium. Another possibility is the treatment of the redox-potential of the medium by other methods than adding hydrogen for instance by electrolytic treatment of the water contained in the medium.

[0068] The present invention foresees the application of a hydrogen releasing unit manufactured cheaply by means of a large-scale process, working autonomously not needing any action or application of technical methods by the user as well as an application requiring the activation of a process of enriching the medium with hydrogen by the customer. The hydrogen releasing unit is either an essential or added component of the container or can be transported w ithin a second container and can be added to the medium to be enriched with hydrogen at any desirable point of time. The arrangement of the hydrogen releasing unit and the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen is constructed in such a way that it allows the hydrogen gas to stream or diffuse from the hydrogen releasing unit into the medium, enriching it with hydrogen.

[0069] This can be realized basically in several way including ways:

[0070] In alternative A the hydrogen releasing unit is located in or mostly within the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. In this case the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls is wanted, to enrich the surrounding medium with hydrogen. On the contrary, the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen advantageously has a very' restricted diffusion rate to keep the loss of hydrogen through its walls as small as possible.

[0071] In alternative B the hydrogen releasing unit and the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen are in principle separated but located in a suitable way near each other so that they stand - e. g. over a semipermeable membrane - in contact or can be connected over a channel - e. g. a hose - allowing the hydrogen gas to stream or diffuse into the medium to be enriched.910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0072] In alternative C the hydrogen container surrounds the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. Here, of course, the hydrogen container preferably has a very restricted diffusion rate, whereas the container of the medium to be enriched should let hydrogen gas pass through rather freely.

[0073] Depending on which part is outside, beside or inside its counterpart, the diffusion rates of the used materials need to be chosen cautiously. At all events a sufficient enrichment of the medium and a very restricted loss of hydrogen to the environment can be guaranteed by this invention.

[0074] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a set of hydrogen-enriching containers such as bags, jars, bottles etc. for water, beverages, food, therapeutic agents, cosmetic products, bodily fluids or in general any organic mediums, advantageously containing water, to be transferred into human beings, animals, plants, microbes, soil, water or air, the purpose of which is to give the medium in such a closed container anti-oxidant properties to improve their quality and to extend their lifetime for the benefit of living organisms. Hydrogen gas in any form brought into the metabolic system is known to take an active role therein and to optimize the life conditions of any living organism by providing antioxidant properties. Beyond that it reduces the negative effects of oxidation und therefore extends the lifetime of products, especially perishable goods prone to oxidation. Therefore it is desirable to enrich every possible substance that is brought into a living organism - the air breathed in, the water, beverages or food digested, but also therapeutical agents or beauty products to be applied to the skin etc. - with hydrogen to extend their shelf life and improve their quality.

[0075] It is possible to enrich a watery solution filled in a container with hydrogen by simply adding a certain amount of hydrogen gas during the filling process. However the extraordinarily high diffusion rate of hydrogen through the container and all its components (e. g. walls, lid) will inevitably lead to a major loss of the hydrogen within a rather short time. This is specially the case with containers produced of polymer materials like PE or PET which lose hydrogen gas within hours or maximum a few days. But also metals like steel or aluminum or ordinary glass are not able to keep the hydrogen gas very much longer from diffusing and getting lost over several w eeks or months until the customer uses the product.

[0076] The present invention offers several - partly overlapping - solutions for the mentioned problems that can be applied as single or in combination. One aspect of the invention is addition of a hydrogen releasing unit to the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen, which can be situated at different points inside or at or outside of the container. For instance the hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as a phial or vial floating freely in the medium enriching it by setting free hydrogen gas. Possible embodiments are drawn such as but not limited to Fig. 1A-1B. But the hydrogen releasing unit can as well be designed as an extra hydrogen releasing unit mounted beside the container of the medium standing in contact with it over a hose or tube or the like as outlined for example in Fig. 4A-4B and 5A-5B. The hydrogen releasing unit may even be surrounding the container 1010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen as a whole or at least most of it as outlined for example in Fig. 9. Another possible embodiment of a hydrogen releasing unit is a reservoir or compartment as an integral part of the container or its lid diffusing hydrogen gas into the medium within the container - possibly through a gas permeable membrane, which is depicted for instance in Fig. 2A-2C and Fig. 3A-3B. However, it should be noted that the borders between these three forms of embodiments can be fluid and are to a certain extent arbitrary as a hydrogen compartment may, for instance, be situated at the inner wall of the container (and stand in contact with the medium over a semipermeable membrane) or it may be mounted outside the wall of a container and stand in contact with the medium to be enriched with hydrogen over a bore or a tube or also a semipermeable membrane or any other thinkable form of connection as depicted for instance in Fig. 7A-7B.

[0077] A container with a hydrogen releasing unit allows adding many times the amount of hydrogen needed to enrich the medium to keep it saturated over an extended period of time, constantly compensating the inevitable loss of hydrogen caused by diffusion. Furthermore the additional hydrogen releasing unit can also provide the possibility to enrich the medium with hydrogen only a short time before the actual use, avoiding the loss of hydrogen by reducing the time of diffusion drastically. In this case the hydrogen releasing unit provides technical means to activate the hydrogen releasing process at any desired point of time by the user of the product - advantageously short before use. Providing the container with a hydrogen releasing unit embodied as phial, small container or compartment with a semipermeable membrane can enable it not only to release but also to take back again hydrogen gas. Being able to take up and let go gas, the hydrogen releasing unit can compensate pressure differences caused by heat expansion of the medium in the closed container.

[0078] This construction provides in addition the possibility to fill the container to the maximum without any gas inside. A free volume of hydrogen or other gases enables more hydrogen gas to evaporate from its surface than a concrete wall of a container. The hydrogen, even when remaining mostly within that free gas volume in the container will evaporate instantaneously at the moment of opening the container and get lost. Therefore a hydrogen releasing unit with a variable volume minimizes the loss of hydrogen and maximizes the amount of hydrogen the customer can effectively consume in the end.

[0079] In order to reduce the loss of hydrogen by diffusion through the outer w alls of the container additional layers of material between the hydrogen releasing unit and the surrounding air can be installed to minimize the diffusion of hydrogen through the medium and the outer walls. These additional walls within the container are not meant to be fortifications attached to container walls - w hich is technology - but as installations in the free inner space of the container as for instance a tube or a bottle within a bottle.1110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0080] Both, the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen as well as the hydrogen releasing unit can be constructed according to a special geometry which brings two advantages: First it can in general maximize the way of the hydrogen through the medium which flattens the hydrogen gradient (indicating the decline of the hydrogen content from of the hydrogen releasing unit to the outer walls). Second it can suppress movement in the medium enclosed in the container due to convection caused by heat or due to mechanical tossing which helps to reduce the diffusion of hydrogen, advantageously out of both, the hydrogen releasing unit and the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen.

[0081] It can be advantageous to treat the medium itself with chemical or physical methods to rise its viscosity for example by adding ingredients or particles that give it gel-like properties, the aim of which is the reduction or suppression of movement in the medium caused by mechanical agitation or thermal convection.

[0082] Another method is the maximizing of the hydrogen content e. g. by adding certain ingredients or by physically modifying its structure or by chemically modifying the acidify / alkalinity of the medium. Another possibility' is the treatment of the redox potential of the medium by other methods than adding hydrogen for instance by electrolytic treatment of the water contained in the medium.

[0083] Radicals, oxidative stress, and anti-oxidants

[0084] In metabolism there are many reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydroxyl radical (OH*), super oxide radical (0-0 • ), hydroperoxyl radical (HOO*) and others. These molecules are characterized by the fact of missing an electron. In an effort to compensate their state of instability these molecules seek to acquire an electron from other substances. That is the reason why they are called radicals.

[0085] The transferring of an electron from one molecule or atom to another is characterized as the process of oxidation. A molecule left with an electron gap immediately starts oxidizing other molecules. Thus a whole cascade of other radicals lacking electrons is produced. The losers in this chain of pilferage are typically the highly complex bio-molecules such as proteins, enzymes, and DNA which, being depraved of electrons, change their geometric structure. This usually leads to a loss of their function or unwanted side reactions in metabolism. The so called oxidative stress contributes to cell damage and cell death symptomizing in severe diseases such as cancer, stroke, diabetes, myocardial infarction, auto-immuno-diseases, and others. Even reactions between radicals and DNA resulting in mutations have been witnessed.

[0086] For these reasons, the elimination of ROS in human, animal or plant metabolism is an essential factor for health and longevity. Substances having a surplus of electrons are capable of donating their extra electrons to radicals filling their need. These substances are referred to as anti- 1210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002oxidants. Many vitamins as e.g. C, D and E vitamin are characterized as anti-oxidants, also called electron-donators or "radical-killers", acting as guardians of enzymes and cells. Supplying the body with antioxidant food, beverages, air, or remedies will significantly increase people's health and drastically reduce health care costs.

[0087] Hydrogen as an antioxidant

[0088] Hydrogen gas (H2) dissolved in water is a powerful antioxidant that can provide electrons to those reactive species thus eliminating their negative effects. It is strong enough to make even ozone or hydrogen peroxide; and reduce and thus ‘disarm’ even ozone or hydrogen peroxide, showing a positive redox potential around 2000 millivolts. As hydrogen does not produce any slag substances in metabolism it is the healthiest antioxidant of all. Hydrogen gas is an approved additive for food, absolutely non-toxic and harmless and when added in only small amounts within a watery7surrounding it is not flammable.

[0089] Hydrogen is absolutely non-toxic, harmless to water and all organisms, non-teratogenic. non-carcinogenic. There is no acceptable daily intake limit given for hydrogen gas. It is permitted as a food additive (E949) and filling or propelling gas in all possible amounts and concentrations. It has absolutely no smell or flavor influencing food or beverages. So the introduction of this invention into any existing production process can happen without any legal or technical restrictions.

[0090] Hydrogen concentration and diffusion rate

[0091] Water can dissolve small amounts of all kinds of gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide etc. The maximum amount of H2 solvable in water depends on several factors as, for example, temperature, pH-value, or ion content. Hydrogen gas, being a non-polar molecule, can only be dissolved in water in amounts of typically about one milligram per liter [mg / L] or parts per million [ppm] at room temperature.

[0092] Hydrogen being the lightest and smallest of all molecules, has the tendency to diffuse quickly through literally every7material, not only plastic but also glass or metal. Therefore it is very difficult to bring hydrogen-enriched aqueous mediums to customers. The hydrogenated medium will soon lose its content of hydrogen through the walls of the bottle, container or the lid when manufactured in the conventional manner.

[0093] In the past different technical solutions have been proposed to reduce the drastic loss of hydrogen. Amongst these are certain materials or coatings with special materials for the container of the hydrogen-enriched medium or its lid. However these proposals can only reduce the loss of hydrogen but do not provide any additional amount of hydrogen to fully compensate the loss over a longer period of time.

[0094] There is another problem. Even if the container effectively holds back the hydrogen from diffusing through the walls into the surrounding air, the hydrogenated medium will still lose most 1310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002of its hydrogen. When standing for a longer time, especially when not permanently cooled, a small volume of hydrogen gas, no longer dissolved in the medium, will form within the container, or will mix with the small amount of air (or other gases) within the container. So most of the hydrogen will diffuse uselessly at the very moment, the container is opened.

[0095] Therefore the invention proposed here provides not only a method of enriching all kind of beverages, food, or therapeutic substances with many times the amount of hydrogen gas necessary for compensating the loss through diffusion. It also offers a method of taking evaporated hydrogen gas back into the medium storing it for later times. It suppresses the forming of a free volume of hydrogen gas within the container getting lost when opening the container. In addition to that, this invention offers technical solutions to enrich the medium inside the container with hydrogen only a short time before use, avoiding the problem of loss through diffusion.

[0096] Other aspects covered by this invention is a reduction of diffusion by suppressing movement through mechanical or thermal changes in the medium as well as a chemical or physical modification of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen.

[0097] Amount of Hydrogen Gas

[0098] One liter per day of drinking water with a hydrogen concentration of 0.2 to 0.5 milligrams per liter [mg / L] consumed over several weeks has showed significant positive effects on health and fitness of humans. Other hydrogen-enriched beverages or food were not yet available in the past, so resilient scientific data on the benefits of daily hydrogen intake are not yet to be found. But it can certainly be assumed, that a hydrogen intake of 0.5 - 1 milligrams per day [mg / d] - all the same if in form of water, drinks, food, air, or therapeutic agents - will surely show beneficial effects on humans.

[0099] Under ordinary atmospheric conditions (1 atm = 14.7 psi = 101 kPa, 20° Celsius = 68° Fahrenheit) hydrogen gas has a density of about 0.9 milligrams per cubic centimeter [mg / cm3]. That means a volume of one cubic centimeter of hydrogen gas can - theoretically, without any loss through diffusion - enrich one liter of water with an amount of 0.9 mg / L. Thus any medium containing mostly water can be enriched to an amount of about 0.7 to 0.9 mg / kg. So a volume of 10 cubic centimeters = 9 milligrams can tolerate a loss of 90% through the walls of the container and still provide a hydrogen content of 0.7 to 0.9 mg / kg at the moment of use. However, to make up for an even higher loss, larger amounts of the hydrogen gas up to over 100 cm3for 1 liter or kilogram of the watery medium can be realized to compensate a loss of over 99% over the time.

[0100] One way of increasing the amount of hydrogen dissolved in the medium (a watery solution) is its acidity / alkalinity. At room temperature, ordinary water can dissolve an H2-content of about 0.9 mg / 1 at pH-value 7. The amount will rise to hydrogen concentrations of about 1.3 mg / 1 at pH- value 9 or up to H2-contents of about 1.8 mg / 1 at pH-value 11.1410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0101] Volatility of Hydrogen

[0102] The dangerousness of hydrogen is in general widely overestimated, supposedly due to the spectacular Hindenburg disaster, the accident of the hydrogen-filled Zeppelin LZ129 in 1937, or by the fact that hydrogen is used as a rocket propellant. Even with cartridges of highly pressurized hydrogen gas severe accidents happen very seldom or at least proceed mildly due to its extremely high diffusion rate that prevents explosions effectively. When used in the ways described in this application accidents caused by diffusing hydrogen from the containers are simply impossible. A calculating example will make this clear.

[0103] For food and beverage a content of 1 milligram of hydrogen to be the desired content for the user at the moment of use is sufficient. 1 milligram hydrogen makes a volume of 1.1 cubic centimeters at standard atmospheric conditions. Set the case the containers lose 99% of the hydrogen over a period of 99 days, they diffuse one milligram or 1.1 cubic centimeter of hydrogen gas per day into the ambient air for every one-liter-bottle or jar. Assumed that they lose more hydrogen in the beginning but less in the end pushes the loss in the first days to even 3.3 milligrams per day per bottle. For example, take 3.3 cubic centimeters per day generously rounded up makes 4 cm3 / d for the hydrogen loss.

[0104] Now a worst case scenario can be a storage room or a refrigerator which does not allow any diffusion of hydrogen through its walls being packed to the maximum with fresh-filled bottles. If literally all hydrogen stays inside the space, how long will it take until the hydrogen content is so high that it could be ignited?

[0105] A mixture of hydrogen in air can be ignited at a hydrogen-content of more than 4% by volume (20° C / 101 kPa). It can surely be assumed that bottles in plastic trays hardly fill a maximum of 50% of the volume, whereas a minimum of 50% will always be air in the spaces between the bottles. So every one-liter-bottle is surrounded by at least one liter of air around it. An estimated diffusion maximum of 4 cubic centimeters per day from a one-liter bottle can fill - roughly - 100 cubic centimeters of air to a hydrogen-content of 4%. So even then - without the faintest loss of hydrogen through the outer walls - it would take 10 days to fill the one liter of air surrounding every bottle to a content of 4% with hydrogen. That means that with only a loss of 10 % of hydrogen per day through the walls of the storage room or the refrigerator into the air outside the gas volume inside will never come near the hazardous hydrogen content of 4%.

[0106] Hydrogen gas, when ignited, bums before detonation limits are reached. Even if the concentration of hydrogen in the air directly beside a bottle or a jar should be high enough and be ignited, the hydrogen gas will bum and thus diffuse even faster - at such a speed that further burning or detonation is effectively suppressed because the gas concentration is immediately diluted to non- hazardous levels. This aspect is the reason why in practice hydrogen does not form detonating mixtures 1510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002unless reaching hydrogen levels of more than 18% in air. That again means that a hydrogen loss of slightly more than 5% per day of hydrogen through the outer walls of whichever storage room or refrigerator will make it 100% safe for the use of beverages, food or other products produced according to this invention.

[0107] The flammability limits based on the volume percent of hydrogen in air at 14.7 psi (1 atm, 101 kPa) is 4.0 %. The limit of detonability of hydrogen in air is 18.3 % by volume.

[0108] Discussed herein in detail is a hydrogen container, compartment, or cartridge with many times the amount of hydrogen needed enrich the medium only a short time before the actual use, or stored for a duration of time with hydrogen depending on the embodiment.

[0109] In one embodiment, a hydrogen container with a semipermeable membrane to take back H2 another layer of material between or other applications is used. Special geometry' to maximize the way and suppress movement chemical or physical treatment of the medium itself(rise of the viscosity reduction or suppression of movement)(maximizing of the hydrogen content by modifying the acidity I alkalinity) is also utilized.

[0110] Adverting to the Figures, shown in FIGS. 1A-1B is a hydrogen container designed as a phial or vial P floating freely within the container of the medium. In FIG. 1A a jar J and in FIG. IB is a bottle B both closed with a lid L. Depending on the embodiment, the lid contains the hydrogen and is meant for slowly releasing its hydrogen content H2 into the medium M surrounding it. Because of the high diffusion rate of hydrogen through nearly all materials the phial can usually be regarded as being semipermeable and does not have to be constructed of special membranes. It can however have at least one part with a higher diffusion rate. Here the hydrogen releasing unit is designed as a phial or vial P setting free hydrogen gas. The phial P is floating freely within the container of the medium - in Fig. 1 a ajar J and in Fig. 1 b a bottle B both closed with a lid L - slowly releasing hydrogen H2 into the medium M surrounding it. The hydrogen releasing unit P can in the simplest way be a phial or vial filled with hydrogen gas Hz or containing one or several chemical substances that set free hydrogen by means of a chemical reaction. Because of the high diffusion rate of hydrogen through nearly all materials the hydrogen releasing phial or hydrogen releasing unit P can usually be regarded as being semipermeable and does not have to be constructed of special membranes. It can however comprise at least one part w ith a specially modified diffusion rate.

[0111]

[0112] Adverting to FIGS. 2A-2C, further possible embodiments of alternative A of this invention are shown. Here the lid L of the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. Again, a jar J in FIG. 2A or a bottle B in FIGS. 2B-2C is closed with a lid L that carries a separate hydrogen-filled compartment. The compartment may be either rather flat or long and thin as a phial that slowly lets the hydrogen gas H2 diffundate into the medium M within the container through a 1610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002semipermeable membrane S. The hydrogen compartment of the lid can be attached directly to the inner part of the lid or over an extension X as depicted in FIG. 2C, which has the advantage of holding the hydrogen phial in the optimal place for a maximum of enrichment but a minimum of loss of hydrogen. Here the lid L of the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen - again ajar J in Fig. 2a or a bottle B in Fig. 2b & 2c closed with a lid L - carries an interior but separate hydrogen releasing compartment C - either a rather flat cylinder as in Fig. 2a or long and thin as a phial as in Fig. 2b - that slowly lets the hydrogen gas H2 diffuse into the medium M within the container through its walls of which at least one is acting as semipermeable membrane S. Again the hydrogen releasing unit can be simply filled with hydrogen gas H2 or with chemical agents that release hydrogen. The hydrogen releasing compartment C of the lid L can be attached directly to the inner part of the lid or over an extension X as depicted in Fig. 2c which has the advantage of holding the source of hydrogen in the optimal place for a maximum of enrichment but a minimum of loss of hydrogen.

[0113] Adverting to FIGS. 3A-3B, shown are two other possible embodiments of alternative A, a hydrogen-filled compartment or reservoir C within the container, and the jar J in FIG. 3A or a bottle B in FIG. 3B that lets the hydrogen gas H2 diffuse into the medium M within the container through a semipermeable membrane S. Again, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B show two other possible embodiments of alternative A, a compartment filled either with hydrogen gas or chemical substances that release hydrogen H2 into the container - a jar J in Fig. 3a or a bottle B in Fig. 3b - therefore of course the wall S separating the hydrogen unit from the medium M to be enriched with hydrogen should be rather permeable for hydrogen - far more than the outer walls of the whole construction.

[0114]

[0115] FIGS. 4A-4B show another possible embodiment of alternative B. Shown is an external cartridge filled with hydrogen standing in connection with the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen that are illustrated in FIGS 4A-4B.

[0116] In the simplest case, as drawn in FIG. 4A, the hydrogen container C is connected to the bottle B containing the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M over a hose H and the flow of hydrogen gas H2 can be enabled or restricted with a valve V.

[0117] A bit more sophisticated is the hydrogen-enriching device shown in FIG. 4B. Here the external device containing hydrogen E is designed as an attachment to the container, a bottle B. The bottom of unit E has a female thread matching the male thread of the bottle and can be screwed to the bottle, forming a gas-proof connection. FIGS. 5A-5B concretize the construction.

[0118] In FIGS. 5A-5B, the hydrogen-enriching device E contains a cartridge C filled with pressurized hydrogen gas H2. Pushing the button A on the left side opens a valve V and lets the hydrogen H2 stream over a channel Y into the bottle B with the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M. As the pressure in the hydrogen cartridge C is usually much higher than the bursting pressure of1710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002the bottle there is a pressure relief valve Q on the right side of device E that opens when a maximum pressure is transcended. The pressure activating the relief valve Q lies below the bursting pressure of the container (bottle B).

[0119] For example, if the maximum pressure allowed for the bottle is 12 bars = 174 psi. a value commonly prescribed for champagne bottles made of glass, the releasing pressure of the relief valve must be situated below 10 bars = 145 psi. So the user can simply push the button A for a short time until he hears the hydrogen gas H2 stream out of the pressure relief valve Q. The bottle with the medium M stands now under a hydrogen pressure of about ten bars and will soon be enriched with hydrogen. So the user can simply push the button A for a short time until he hears the hydrogen gas H2 stream out of the pressure relief valve Q. This can be assisted by a construction that produces a loud sound like a whistle. After that the bottle with the medium M stands under a hydrogen pressure of about ten bars and will soon be enriched and even oversaturated with hydrogen.

[0120] It should be noted that this construction - like all other inventions described here - is not restricted to a cartridge containing hydrogen gas but can also be embodied as an application with one or several chemical substances releasing hydrogen by a chemical or electrochemical reaction. The chemical reaction may happen between certain substances within the unit but can just as well happen with other chemical substances as. for instance with oxygen from surrounding air or with water - again moisture from surrounding air or water from the medium to be enriched or even from water or another chemical substance the customer brings in contact with parts of the construction.

[0121] Furthermore one needs to be aware of the fact that the borders between alternative A (hydrogen releasing unit within the medium to be enriched) and variant B (hydrogen releasing unit separated from medium to be enriched) can be fluid, as FIG. 6A-6B illustrates.

[0122]

[0123] The borders between alternative A (hydrogen reservoir within the medium to be enriched) and variant B (hydrogen reservoir separated from medium to be enriched) can be fluid, as FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate. In FIGS. 6A-6B, a hydrogen reservoir R is in principle located outside of the container. A jar J , a bottle B, and lid L closing the container are shown.

[0124] A very convenient embodiment of alternative B is illustrated in FIG. 7. Here the hydrogen-containing device is designed as a “double-action-lid'’ that comprises two parts with knurled areas, a smaller on top K and a larger below it on the periphery of the lid L. As depicted in FIG. 7A the upper knurled wheel carries a needle N pointing downward and can be screwed deeper into the lid by means of a thread. So turning the upper, smaller knurled wheel K will cause the needle N to pierce the lower part of lid L, penetrating the wall that separates the hydrogen reservoir R from the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M in the bottle B.1810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0125] Here the hydrogen releasing unit Hi is again constructed as a reservoir within the lid L containing hydrogen gas located upon a bottle as a “double-action-lid” that comprises two parts with knurled areas, a smaller on top K and a larger below it on the periphery of the lid L. As depicted in FIG. 7A the upper knurled wheel carries a needle N pointing downward and can be screwed deeper into the lid by means of a thread. So turning the upper, smaller knurled wheel K will cause the needle N to pierce the lower part of lid L, penetrating the wall that separates the hydrogen releasing unit Hz from the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M in the bottle B. This is illustrated in FIG. 7B. After turning the knurled wheel K on top the hydrogen gas Hz from the reservoir within the lid L can stream into the bottle B while the lid L as such is still closed. After a prescribed period of time the user can remove the lid L as a whole by turning the second, larger knurled wheel and consume the hydrogen- enriched medium.

[0126] This is illustrated in FIG. 7B. After turning the knurled wheel K on top the hydrogen gas H2 from the reservoir R within the lid L can stream into the bottle B while the lid L as such is still closed. After a prescribed period of time the user can remove the lid L as a whole by turning the second, larger knurled wheel and consume the hydrogen-enriched medium.

[0127] In variant C the situation is inside out. The container with the medium to be enriched with hydrogen is located mostly within the hydrogen container. In this case, on the contrary, the walls of the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen may allow a large amount of diffusion of hydrogen into the medium within it, whereas the outer container should efficiently restrict the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls.

[0128] A possible embodiment of alternative C is shown in FIG. 8. Here the hydrogencontaining device is designed as a pressure chamber. A closeable tank T to be filled with pressurized hydrogen gas H2 out of a cartridge C. The tank T is closed gas-proof with a lid L and can be held under higher than atmospheric pressure. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen M, here in a bottle B, is put inside the tank T before the lid L is closed and the tank is floated with hydrogen H2. Due to the very high diffusion rate of most materials the mediums to be enriched with hydrogen can usually even be left in their closed packings and only be opened a short time before use.

[0129] FIGs. 9A-9B show a very advantageous embodiment of alternative C. Here the container for the medium to be enriched with hydrogen gas and the lid closing the tank are manufactured as one part Z. The space betw een Z and the outer walls of the tank T can be filled with hydrogen gas H2 over the valve V. Then the hydrogen diffuses into the medium M. The part of Z that functions as a lid for the tank T is covered with an inlay I that is restricting hydrogen diffusion. In the same way the lid L closing the part of Z that functions as a bottle carries the inlay I that is reducing the diffusion of hydrogen. In FIG. 9A the container for the medium M to be enriched with hydrogen gas and the lid closing the tank are manufactured as one part Z. The space between the outer and the 1910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002inner walls of the construction can be filled with hydrogen gas Hi or with hydrogen releasing chemical substances Hi .

[0130] The part of Z that functions as a lid for the tank T is covered with an inlay I restricting hydrogen diffusion. In the same way the lid L closing the part of Z that functions as a bottle carries an inlay I reducing the diffusion of hydrogen. For consuming the medium M the user only needs to open the lid L and let the rest closed. Then the hydrogen gas or the hydrogen releasing substances Hi remain in the space between the two walls of part Z and T. In case of the hydrogen releasing component Hi being pressurized hydrogen gas it can be supplied to the maximum filling pressure again over valve V e. g. from a larger hydrogen cartridge.

[0131] Using the embodiment in FIGs. 9A-9B, or consuming the medium M, the user only needs to open the lid L and let the rest closed. Then the remaining rest of the hydrogen gas in the space between the two walls of part Z and T can be supplied to the maximum filling pressure again over valve V, for example, including but not limited from a larger hydrogen cartridge. This construction has in addition the advantage of a low cooling effect. When the hydrogen gas Hi stands under higher than atmospheric pressure it cools the medium M adiabatically upon expanding due to the Joule-Thomson- effect.

[0132] In the variant depicted in FIG. 9B the hydrogen releasing unit as an essential part on the bottom of the tank T. It is filled with two chemical substances F and G which are separated by a wall D. Pressing the button U from below destroys the wall D which has formerly separated the two substances from each other, preventing their chemical reaction. When the two chemical substances get in contact with each other a chemical reaction starts that sets free hydrogen gas Hi. It diffuses through the semipermeable membrane S into the space between the parts T and Z and diffuses through the walls of the part Z which contains the Medium M, slowly enriching it with hydrogen gas.

[0133] This construction has in addition the advantage of providing a double-walled container which insulates against heat much better than a one-walled container. If the medium M is cooled it will remain cold for a much longer time. Another great advantage of that double-walled construction is, if the space between the two walls of part Z and T is filled with hydrogen the diffusing gas has an additional - low - cooling effect. When the hydrogen gas Hz stands under higher than atmospheric pressure it cools the medium M adiabatically upon expanding due to the Joule-Thomson-effect.

[0134] The present invention comprises also devices analogue to those that produce soda water (and other beverages) by enriching them with carbon dioxide. Different applications have been proposed, to enrich a watery medium with carbon dioxide. As far as these solutions comprise a cartridge filled with pressurized gas and the possibility to mount it to a bottle, a container etc. and let the gas stream into the medium and enrich it with gas, or in case these inventions comprise a CO2- releasing unit setting free carbon dioxide by means of a chemical reaction these solutions can be used 2010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002in mostly the same or a similar technical ways for hydrogen gas instead of carbon dioxide gas. The only difference to be made is a special choice of the materials used for containers, valves, fittings, hoses etc. They need to resist the diffusion of hydrogen gas best possibly.

[0135] It will, of course, be necessary to supply customers with hydrogen-cartridges in the same way as with carbon-dioxide cartridges that are sold in food stores and the like.

[0136] It is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, it should be understood to include all transformations, equivalents and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0137] Hydrogen content

[0138] Since - as mentioned already before - hydrogen sooner or later diffuses through nearly every material it is advisable to foresee an amount of hydrogen - either in form of a cartridge filled with a significantly larger amount of hydrogen or with an amount of chemical substances being able to set free a sufficient amount of hydrogen gas to compensate the inevitable loss of hydrogen over the time till the very moment of consumption of the medium. If the hydrogen gas in the phial / vial or compartment is not pressurized it can have a volume of over one fourth of the whole container, e. g. an amount of 300 cm3of hydrogen gas for 1 litre of the medium to be enriched.

[0139] Logically, pressurized hydrogen gas makes much more convenient embodiments of the present invention possible, all the same if the hydrogen reservoir is a vial within the medium, a compartment of the container, the lid or an external gas cartridge or any other embodiment shown here.

[0140] It can be useful to keep only the hydrogen reservoir under higher than atmospheric pressure but just as well it may be advantageous to put both, the hydrogen reservoir and the container of medium to be enriched under higher pressure. Pressurizing the gas allows to pack a large amount of hydrogen gas to the whole device without blowing up the volume unnecessarily.

[0141] For the storing and transport of hydrogen gas or hydrogen-enriched beverages in similar applications a variety' of constructive measures has been proposed in the past which can, of course, not be part of this invention. These comprise special materials or coatings of the container or its lid etc. However there are a few more aspects not covered in the past.

[0142] The present invention proposes additional measures to reduce the diffusing of hydrogen through the walls of the container and its lid. Amongst these measures is the possibility', to open the hydrogen containing device only a short time before the use, avoiding the loss of hydrogen over a longer period of time.

[0143] If the hydrogen-containing device is external such as a gas filled bottle to be delivered with or mounted on the outside of the container, it is constructed in such a way that it is or can be attached to the container over a gas proof connection allowing the hydrogen gas to stream into the2110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002container and enrich its content with hydrogen gas. As this can happen only a short time before use, the loss of hydrogen over the time can be kept significantly smaller.

[0144] In this case only the hy drogen-filled container has to consist of low-diffusive materials, whereas the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen can be manufactured of inexpensive, ordinary materials such as plastic or simple glass.

[0145] This is even more true with hydrogen releasing units using chemical agents that set free hydrogen due to chemical or electrochemical reactions. When the device is constructed in such a way that the enrichment with hydrogen is supposed to happen only a short time before consumption of the hydrogen enriched medium and the chemical agents do not lose hydrogen or react with ambient air the whole construction can be undertaken without any special materials or coatings restricting hydrogen, which will reduce production costs significantly compared to materials restricting the diffusion of hydrogen for months or even years.

[0146] For other embodiments of this invention - especially those with hydrogen-filled vials or compartments - the diffusion properties of the materials used play an important role and should be chosen intelligently. The materials used need to allow a certain amount of hydrogen diffusion per time, which must be high enough to enrich the medium with a sufficient amount of hydrogen to compensate the loss through the outer walls of the container. At the other hand, their diffusion rate must be low enough not to release too much hydrogen to provide a decent amount over a period of several months.

[0147] In addition to that, the hydrogen phial or compartment may only let hydrogen gas pass through, whereas w ater or other components of the medium must be kept out. Its semi permeability' for hydrogen in both directions, its ability to release and take back again hydrogen gas, is crucial for the invention. When the temperature within the container rises and the medium to be enriched with hydrogen is an aqueous solution, it will lose its capacity' to keep the hydrogen gas in solution with rising temperatures. Then the phial / vial or compartment having at least a certain area semipermeable in both directions for hydrogen gas is able to take back free hydrogen gas, which can be released again later.

[0148] The advantage of this construction becomes evident w hen opening the container. If the container of the hydrogen-enriched medium contains a certain amount of free gas - as for instance an ordinary bottle or jar - it will lose a large part of its hydrogen due to the fact that the hydrogen will diffuse from the medium into the gas volume. The hydrogen no longer kept within the watery medium will form a bubble of free gas or join other possible gases in the bottle. But free hydrogen gas will diffuse immediately - and therefore get lost uselessly - as soon as the container is opened.

[0149] Phials or compartments indicating hydrogen content

[0150] But in an ordinary' bottle or jar a certain content of free gas must be kept to allow' a little amount of expansion by heating or contraction by cooling from surrounding air temperature, sun 2210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002radiation or cooling in a refrigerator. According to this invention the hydrogen within its phial or compartment can function as a pressure-compensating gas volume. Its pressure-regulating properties do not only have to happen through the diffusion processes, but are in addition accomplished by the use of a more or less soft material such as plastic or compounds. This allows the phial / vial or compartment a certain amount of shrinking to compensate the rise of pressure within the container.

[0151] The hydrogen-filled phial or compartment makes it possible to fill the container to the very7top without any extra gases (as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen or others). This is depicted in FIGs. 2B-2C. Here only the hydrogen gas within the phial compensates upcoming pressure, when the container gets warm, preventing the walls to break due to thermal expansion of the medium. This is especially important for bottles or jars made of glass and a medium that contains mostly water, as water can hardly be compressed.

[0152] Other possible embodiments of alternative C are devices analogue to those that produce soda water and other beverages enriched with carbon dioxide. Different applications have been proposed, to enrich a watery medium with carbon dioxide. As far as these solutions comprise a cartridge filled with pressurized gas and the possibility to mount it to a bottle, a container, or the like, and let the gas stream into the medium and enrich it with gas, these solutions can be used in mostly the same or a similar technical way for hydrogen instead of carbon dioxide gas. The only difference to be made is a special choice of the materials used for containers, valves, fittings, hoses, and the like.

[0153] Another difference from the soda-like analogs discussed above is that there is also a need to resist the diffusion of hydrogen gas best possibly. It will, of course, be necessary' to supply customers with hydrogen-cartridges in the same way as with carbon-dioxide cartridges that are sold in food stores and the like.

[0154] As previously discussed, hydrogen will diffundate through literally every material so the hydrogen device must contain many times the amount of hydrogen needed to enrich the medium thus constantly compensating for the loss of hydrogen by diffusion through the walls or the lid of the container. If the hydrogen gas in the phial / vial or compartment is not pressurized it can have a volume of over one fourth of the whole container, e. g. an amount of 300 cm3of hydrogen for 1000 cm3of the medium to be enriched.

[0155] Pressurized hydrogen gas makes much more convenient embodiments of the present invention possible, all the same if the hydrogen reservoir is a vial within the medium, a compartment of the container or the lid or an external gas cartridge. It can be useful to keep only the hydrogen reservoir under higher than atmospheric pressure but just as well it may be advantageous to put both, the hydrogen reservoir, and the medium to be enriched under higher pressure. Pressurizing the gas allows to pack a large amount of hydrogen gas to the whole device without blowing up the volume unnecessarily.2310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0156] The storing and transport of hydrogen gas or hydrogen-enriched beverages brings additional challenges. These comprise special materials or coatings of the container or its lid and the like. The present invention proposes additional measures to reduce the diffusing of hydrogen through the walls of the container and its lid. Amongst these measures is the possibility, to open the hydrogen containing device only a short time before the use, avoiding the loss of hydrogen over a longer period of time.

[0157] If the hydrogen-containing device is external such as a gas filled bottle to be delivered with or mounted on the outside of the container, it is constructed in such a way that it is or can be attached to the container over a gas proof connection allowing the hydrogen gas to stream into the container and enriching its content with hydrogen gas. As this can happen only a short time before use, the loss of hydrogen over the time can be kept significantly smaller.

[0158] In this case only the hy drogen-filled container has to consist of low-diffusive materials, whereas the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen can be manufactured of inexpensive, ordinary materials such as plastic or simple glass.

[0159] Another aspect in the construction of the hy drogen-filled phial or compartment are their diffusion properties. In this embodiment, needed is to allow a certain amount of hydrogen diffusion per time, which must be high enough to enrich the medium with a sufficient amount of hydrogen to compensate the loss through the outer walls of the container. On the other hand, their diffusion rate must be low enough not to release too much hydrogen to provide a decent amount over a period of several months.

[0160] In addition to that, the hydrogen phial / vial or compartment may only let hydrogen gas pass through, whereas water or other components of the medium must be kept out. Its semipermeability for hydrogen in both directions, its ability to release and take back again hydrogen gas, is crucial for the invention. When the temperature within the container rises and the medium to be enriched with hydrogen is an aqueous solution, it will lose its capacity to keep the hydrogen gas in solution with rising temperatures.

[0161] Then the phial / vial or compartment having at least a certain area semipermeable in both directions for hydrogen gas is able to take back free hydrogen gas, which can be released again later. The advantage of this construction becomes evident when opening the container. If the container of the hydrogen-enriched medium contains a certain amount of free gas, as for instance an ordinary bottle or jar. it will lose a large part of its hydrogen due to the fact that the hydrogen will diffuse from the medium into the gas volume. The hydrogen no longer kept within the watery medium will form a bubble of free gas or join other possible gases in the bottle. But free hydrogen gas will diffuse immediately - and therefore get lost uselessly - as soon as the container is opened.2410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0162] But in an ordinary bottle or jar a certain content of free gas must be kept allowing a little amount of expansion or contraction induced by heat through surrounding air temperature or sun radiation. According to this invention the hydrogen within its phial / vial or compartment can function as a pressure-compensating gas volume. Its pressure-regulating properties do not only have to happen through diffundate or diffusion processes, but are in addition accomplished by the use of a more or less soft material such as plastic or compounds. This allows the phial / vial or compartment a certain amount of shrinking to compensate the rise of pressure within the container.

[0163] The hydrogen-filled phial / vial or compartment makes it possible to fill the container to the very top without any extra gases (as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or others). This is depicted for example in FIGS. 2B-2C. Here only the hydrogen gas within the phial compensates upcoming pressure, when the container gets warm, preventing the walls to break due to thermal expansion of the medium. This is especially important for bottles or jars made of glass and a medium that contains mostly water, as water can hardly be compressed.

[0164] In addition to that, the phial or compartment can also be used for indicating the hydrogen content. FIGS. 10A-10C depicts a phial that stands under higher than atmospheric pressure and shows its hydrogen content by a visible change of its shape, an expansion or shrinking in dependence of the hydrogen pressure inside. In FIG. 10A the phial has convex walls and indicates it is full, in FIG. 10B the phial has even walls and shows it provides just the minimum amount of hydrogen guaranteed, whereas in FIG. IOC the phial with concave walls visibly lacks pressure and indicates it contains too little hydrogen.

[0165] FIGS. 11A-11C show compartments of the container of the medium that have a semipermeable membrane S that is bent inward or outward in dependence of the compartment’s filling status. At is shown in these figures that the same filling grades, FIG. 11 A = full; FIG. 1 IB = sufficient; and FIG. 11C = empty may be accomplished as for the phial previously mentioned herein. When the container bottle B is produced of a transparent material such as glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) the user can see the semipermeable membrane S from the side and roughly estimate the filling grade of the compartment C with hydrogen H2.

[0166] FIG. 11D depicts the minimum content by means of a semipermeable membrane bent inward (concave) whereas FIG. HE shows a the maximum H2-content with a semipermeable membrane bent outw ard (convex). By the way, as on a jar the area of the lid is very large in relation to the volume of the container the lid L here comprises a hydrogen-blocking inlay I, for example a sheet of metal. The lid of the container is a point of weakness concerning gas tightness. Therefore this invention comprises a set of different layouts for lids to reduce diffusion. As mentioned in FIGS. 11D- 11E this can be a layer of material blocking hydrogen diffusion as, for example, including but not limited to a sheet of metal.2510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0167] Naturally the lid of a container is a point of weakness concerning gas tightness. Therefore this invention comprises a set of different layouts for lids to reduce diffusion. As mentioned in Fig. 1 Id & l ie this can be a layer of material blocking hydrogen diffusion as e. g. a sheet of metal. Fig. 12 shows eight different embodiments for hydrogen blocking lids closing bottles.

[0168] FIGS 12A-12H shows different embodiments for hydrogen blocking lids closing bottles. In FIGS. 12A-12H, the lid L for a bottle B has a shape that simply brings more material in form of a plug within the bottleneck to maximize the way of the hydrogen through the material of the lid. A precondition for that is, of course, that the plug within the bottleneck is a press fit, having a slightly larger diameter than the bottleneck. This naturally requires a greater force for screwing the lid which can be achieved by means of either a larger circumference of the lid, a deeper knurling on the periphery or by shapes that allow more grip as for example, a square or a hexagon, or other geometric shape depending on the embodiment.

[0169] In FIG. 12A the lid L for a bottle B has a shape that simply brings more material in form of a plug within the bottleneck to maximize the way of the hydrogen through the material of the lid. A precondition for that is, of course, that the plug within the bottleneck is a press fit, having a slightly larger diameter than the bottleneck. This naturally requires a greater force for screwing the lid which can be achieved by means of either a larger circumference of the lid, a deeper knurling on the periphery or by shapes that allow more grip as e. g. a square or a hexagon. Also a special opening tool that provides a long liver to enable high torque on the lid may be a solution.

[0170] FIG. 12B covers the same subject but here the lid 1 comprises a space within containing a gas filling F standing under a higher than atmospheric pressure which presses the plug surface against the bottleneck to make the lid gas proof. The filling gas for this type of lid should not be hydrogen but should instead consist of larger molecules as e. g. carbon dioxide or nitrogen to prevent diffusion and thus a lack of pressure.

[0171]

[0172] In FIG. 12C the lid L comprises a plug Z that consists of a naturally flexible material such as for instance rubber that can exert pressure against the bottleneck. Precondition for that is, as before, a larger diameter of the plug forming a press fit. the lid L comprises a plug Z that consists of a naturally flexible material such as for instance rubber that can exert pressure against the bottleneck. Precondition for that is, as before, a larger diameter of the plug forming a press fit.

[0173] FIG. 12D uses the same features, a flexible plug Z exerting pressure on the bottleneck. The only difference is here that the plug does not form a gasproof block within the bottleneck itself but only exerts pressure on the cylindric inner walls of the lid L causing the bottleneck to close tightly.2610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0174] FIGS. 12E-12F depict solutions with inlays, as already mentioned. The inlay I is made of a hydrogen-blocking material as, for example, a sheet of metal or another compound such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) that reduces the diffusion of hydrogen significantly.

[0175] The inlay in FIG. 12E can simply be laid inside the lid or be glued or molded to the bottleneck by a thermal or chemical process at filling. Another solution is depicted in FIG. 12F. Here the blocking inlay is molded within the structure of the lid e. g. in a mold injection process. This embodiment especially solves the problem of bringing a tight metal inlay in contact with a glass bottle and has the advantage that the blocking inlay does not get in direct contact with the medium M within the bottle.

[0176] FIG. 12G and FIG. 12H illustrate a hydrogen blocking inlay not only covering the top of the bottle but intruding deeper into the bottleneck. This reduces the area of ordinary lid material and maximizes the way of the hydrogen through the lid. This inlay has the shape of a second cap and should also guarantee a press fit. This can be achieved by two different constructions. In FIG. 12 G the blocking cap I has a slightly conic shape. The upper part of the blocking cap can strongly exert pressure against the bottleneck whereas the lower parts are less stable. To guarantee a large pressure against the bottleneck the lower part has to be produced as every flat conus with an increasingly greater diameter to compensate the bending inward of the parts further away from the top. It should be mentioned that the cap inside the lid can just as well be constructed upside down. FIG. 12H shows the higher pressure of the cap is achieved by a plug inside, consisting of a flexible material such as e. g. rubber which presses the cylindric extension of the lid against the bottleneck to form a gas proof connection.

[0177] Means to reduce flow of the medium

[0178] The diffusion coefficient of an existing medium is a given constant. However the effective coefficient in practice strongly depends on the degree of free movement of the medium due to mechanical agitation or vibration, for instance during transport. In addition to that, thermal convection of the hydrogen enriched medium within its container has a large influence on the practical diffusion coefficient. Therefore restricting the flow of the medium can significantly reduce the loss of hydrogen and expand the time until the hydrogen content falls under a level where the medium loses its antioxidant properties.

[0179] As mentioned before the additional hydrogen container when shaped as a phial / vial or compartment can bring another layer of material between the hydrogen and the surrounding air and thus reduce the loss of hydrogen by diffusion through the outer walls. This principle can be led further by bringing additional flow restrictors like walls or compartments into the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen.

[0180] All three, the hydrogen container as well as the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen and its lid can be shaped according to a special geometry or carry inner applications 2710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002extending the way of the hydrogen diffusion through the medium to the point of greatest loss of hydrogen through the outer walls. This can bring two advantages: First it can in general maximize the way of the hydrogen through the medium which flattens the hydrogen gradient, indicating the decline of the hydrogen content from of the hydrogen container to the outer walls. Second it can effectively suppress movement or convection caused by heat or mechanical factors which helps reducing the diffusion of hydrogen, in both, the hydrogen container and the container of the medium.

[0181] FIGS. 13A-13C illustrate examples of these measures for flow reduction. In FIG. 13A there is an extension of the lid in form of a tube reaching down nearly till the bottom of the bottle. Assuming that the bottle B and the inlay 1 within the lid L and the walls of the reservoir R fixed inside the lid effectively block the diffusion of hydrogen, the weakest point concerning the loss of hydrogen remains the area of contact between the mouth of the bottle and the lid. The extension W nearly doubles the way the hydrogen has to pass through the medium M until it can get lost at the mouth of the bottle.

[0182] FIG. 13B outlines a bottle B with flow restricting inner walls W that restrict the flow of the medium M within the bottle B in combination with a lid L that comprises an extension X carrying the phial P and another inner wall in form of a tube W surrounding the phial P. This construction drastically reduces flow but also maximizes the way from the hydrogen phial to the lid.

[0183] In the neck of the bottle B there is circular ring of little lash-like restrictors W. These restrictors can bend aside inwardly and open the bottleneck for the balls O from above but will stand in the way when the bottle is tilted or shaken and the bowls push from inside. It needs to be mentioned that this construction only works when the medium is a liquid and that even then the presence of the pierced balls will inevitably keep a small amount of the medium within the bottle that can hardly be poured out. Therefore it will be necessary to compensate this amount of liquid by filling in slightly more medium than the guaranteed amount.

[0184] It should be noted that the inner structures of the container restricting flow do not necessarily have to be a part of or stand in direct contact with the walls of the container or the lid. They can be loose parts put into the bottle during or even after the filling process of the medium.

[0185] An example for such loose structures is depicted in FIG. 13C. The bottle B is filled nearly completely by small balls with pierced wal Is O which effectively restrict any kind of movement w ithin the medium M, be that caused by mechanical acceleration or thermal convection. The source of hydrogen here is again a compartment C with a semipermeable membrane S and a hydrogen filling H2.

[0186] In the neck of the bottle B there is circular ring of little lash-like restrictors W. These restrictors can bend aside inwardly and open the bottleneck for the balls O from above but will stand in the way when the bottle is tilted or shaken and the bowls push from inside. It needs to be mentioned that this construction only w orks when the medium is a liquid and that even then the presence of the pierced balls will inevitably keep a small amount of the medium within the bottle that can hardly be 2810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002poured out. Therefore it will be necessary to compensate this amount of liquid by filling in slightly more medium than the guaranteed amount.

[0187] Here the container - a jar J in Fig. 14A or a bottle B in Fig. 14B and 14C - comprises a hydrogen releasing unit on the bottom embodied as an integral part of the container. As in the cases before the hydrogen releasing unit can be simply a reservoir filled with hydrogen gas H2 as illustrated in Fig. 14A or can contain hydrogen releasing substances as depicted in Fig. 14B or a hydrogen releasing galvanic cell as e.g. a hydrogen producing button cell in Fig. 14C.

[0188] Fig. 14B shows a bottle B that has a compartment C at its bottom which contains chemical agents that release hydrogen gas which diffuses into the bottle B containing the medium M through a semipermeable membrane S. The two chemical components reacting with each other are marked as Cl and C2, separated by a wall D. Pushing the button U in the bottom of the bottle B in the lower wall of compartment C breaks the separating wall D and lets the two substances Cl and C2 get in contact and react, so that the hydrogen releasing process can start.

[0189] Fig. 14C depicts a bottle B with a hydrogen releasing button cell HB in a compartment C covered with a semipermeable membrane S through which hydrogen gas can pass whereas water or other ingredients of the medium M in the bottle are kept out. As described later in detail the button cell does not require an electronic circuit with cables, a resistance and the like.

[0190] More sophisticated as compared to Fig. 4A is the device shown in Fig. 15. Here the hydrogen releasing unit is incorporated in a hydrogen enriching device E which can be screwed to the container, a bottle B. The bottom of device E has a female thread matching the male thread of the bottle and a sealing rubber ring and thus can be attached to the bottle, forming a gas-proof connection.

[0191] The hydrogen releasing unit E comprises a hydrogen-releasing button cell HB which is activated by pressing the button EB on top to press the connecting part CP on the button cell to close the electrical circuit between the lower cap and the upper shield (cathode and anode). The connecting part CP has a defined resistance that tunes the electrical load on the button cell HB in such a way that it sets free hydrogen gas H2 in the desired speed, which flows then through a channel in the device E to the bottle B underneath.

[0192] When the prescribed or desired time is over the user can stop the hydrogen releasing process by pressing the button EB on top a second time, letting the connecting part CP jump backward (with the help of a spring). Upon screwing the device E from the neck of the bottle B the customer can drink the medium M enriched with hydrogen.

[0193] Another variant of the technical solution provided herein is depicted in Fig 16. Here the tank T contains a hydrogen producing button cell HB as described herein. The compartment C in the lower part of tank T is manufactured of a plastic material that is to a certain extent conductive for electrical current. The walls of the compartment C connect the two poles of the battery, employing a 2910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002defined resistance that tunes the reaction speed of the hydrogen generating button cell. The whole construction does not need any typical electrical parts as e.g. cables, resistances, circuit board etc. the semi-conductive plastic material can take over these functions alone and slowly discharge the battery, letting it release small amounts of hydrogen over a longer period of time. When mounted together in the described way the production of hydrogen gas starts from the moment of assembly without any necessity to activate it. The present invention comprises also devices analogue to those that produce soda water (and other beverages) by enriching them with carbon dioxide CO2. Different applications have been proposed, to enrich a watery medium with CO2. As far as these solutions comprise a cartridge filled with pressurized gas and the possibility to mount it to a bottle, a container etc. and let the gas stream into the medium and enrich it with gas, or in case these inventions comprise a CC -releasing unit setting free carbon dioxide by means of a chemical reaction these solutions can be used in mostly the same or a similar technical ways for hydrogen gas instead of carbon dioxide gas. The only difference to be made is a special choice of the materials used for containers, valves, fittings, hoses etc. They need to resist the diffusion of hydrogen gas best possibly. It will, of course, be necessary to supply customers with hydrogen-cartridges in the same way as with carbon-di oxide cartridges that are sold in food stores etc. containing a gas that is at least to a certain part hydrogen. Another possibility is, of course a bottle fitting the soda device that contains a hydrogen releasing unit as described here to be sold for customers that already own a conventional soda device.

[0194] FIG 17A-17B show a bottle B closed with a lid L containing the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M comprising a compartment C on its bottom in which a hydrogen producing button cell HB is mounted upside down in such a ay that the cathode setting free hydrogen gas through two bores - the larger, lower shell - is pointing upwards to the medium M whereas the anode of the button cell, the inner shell of which only the flat top is accessible, is on the bottom touching the bottom of the compartment C. Amongst non-conductive filaments - there w as only one kind of conductive filament available that was still not suitable, the AmperTec conductive ABS (acryl-nitril-butadien-styrol) the conductivity of which was too high for our long term applications demanding a resistance of far beyond 10 k / mm (kilo-ohms per millimeter) - measured between two punctual electrodes. This conventional filament had to be modified. So we had to cut the filament into a granulate and redilute it with ordinary (non-conductive) ABS granulate in different proportions. To gain sufficient properties - especially a defined value of resistance also in small regions under 1 mm - we always had to cut and granulate the first extruded mixture once again and extrude it a second time till we finally got such homogeneous mixtures that they brought forward satisfying results in 3D-printed parts. The newly gained qualities of low7conductive ABS-filaments allowed us to manufacture the applications described in the following, starting with Figs 17A-17B.3010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0195] Fig 17A shows a bottle B closed with a lid L containing the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M comprising a compartment C on its bottom in which a hydrogen producing button cell HB is mounted upside down in such a way that the cathode setting free hydrogen gas through two bores - the larger, lower shell - is pointing upwards to the medium M whereas the anode of the button cell, the inner shell of which only the flat top is accessible, is on the bottom touching the bottom of the compartment C. The top of the compartment C is covered with a semipermeable membrane S letting through hydrogen gas but holding back water or other ingredients of the medium M to protect the button cell.

[0196] Fig. 17B shows an enlarged partial view of the bottom of bottle B with the compartment C. The compartment C is manufactured so narrow that the button cell HB sits in it tightly forming a press fit. Thus the outer rim of the button cell HB - the outer shell forming the cathode CA - touches the inner wall of the compartment C and forms an electrical contact. The bottom of the button cell HB, which is - as mounted upside down the smaller, inner shell forming the anode AN - is pointing downward and touches the bottom of the compartment C and forms an electrical contact, too.

[0197] The compartment C is manufactured of the described plastic material that has a low conductivity allowing the electric current to flow through it at a high resistance of beyond 100 k I mm (kilo-ohms per millimeter). Thus the short way in the plastic material from the anode to the cathode of the button cell HB of roughly one millimeter along the outer rim of the compartment functions as an electrical circuit - marked with a circular shaped arrow and the letters EF for ‘electron flow’. This discharges the cell and activates the release of hydrogen gas over a period of several months. The hydrogen produced diffuses through the semipermeable membrane S into the medium M and enriches it with hydrogen.

[0198] In addition, 3D-printed parts show in general a rather low - and for hydrogen a literally miserable - gas tightness so it was impossible to keep the hydrogen concentration in a one-liter-bottle higher than 1 mg / L for longer than a few weeks with one Varta V150 H2 MF cell. We had to cover the surface of the 3D-printed bottles from inside and outside with two-component epoxy resin to bring the gas tightness to values of an ordinary PET-bottle. After that we managed to guarantee a hydrogen content in the water bottles of about 2 - 4 mg / L for over half a year with one Varta VI 50 H2 MF cell. Longer times will require a better quality of extrusion or a special coating in combination with the improvements of the lid to reach values of over 12 month.

[0199] Fig. 18A-18B show the embodiment of a phial-like hydrogen releasing unit comprising a novel hydrogen producing button cell which can be used if the medium is water, liquid, or a beverage with a moderate content of minerals - or sugar or other ingredients contributing to its conductivity.

[0200] This hydrogen releasing unit consists basically of a novel hydrogen releasing button cell HB inside a rather short piece of tube TU. Fig. 18A and Fig. 18B show a nearly identic construction - 3110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002the only difference between the two is the length of the tube in which the hydrogen producing button cell HB is mounted - short in Fig. 18A, and long in Fig. 18B.

[0201] The cathode CA side of the button cell HB - the larger cup on the bottom with the two bores releasing hydrogen - is on its periphery covered by a glued-in semipermeable plastic membrane S that lets hydrogen gas H2 from inside pass through whereas water or the aqueous solution from outside is held back. The center of the lower cathode bottom CA is uncovered and stands in direct contact with the medium M when the hydrogen releasing unit is immersed into it.

[0202] The anode side AN of the button cell HB has similar properties. Its periphery is glued inside the tube in such a way that the glue IG covers the outer rim of the button cell from water and lets only the anode plate AN free so that it can stand in direct contact to the medium M, when immersed into it. The glue is electrically isolating - normally given with any chemical glue - however it is explicitly marked insulating glue IG. When the medium M on the container is water or an aqueous solution that contains a comparatively low content of minerals - or other ingredients contributing to its conductivity - the medium surrounding this hydrogen releasing unit acts as a weak ionic conductor which connects the two poles of the battery. The electrons e" (or other ions) move along the outside of the tube and as their number is relatively low the medium M exerts a comparatively high resistance which discharges the hydrogen producing button cell over a long period of several month or up to over one year. When the salinity or better the conductivity of the medium M is known, the design of the hydrogen releasing unit can be adjusted accordingly.

[0203] The speed of the chemical reaction of the button cell is depending on two factors: (l)The distance from the anode to the cathode along the periphery- of the tube(2) The specific resistance of the medium M for an electrical current.

[0204] If 1 . - the distance between the anode and the cathode - is named AC and if 2. - the specific resistance of the medium M - is called SR, the arithmetical product of these two factors shall be marked as TR = the total resistance occurring for the electrical current of the button cell HB.

[0205] AC * SR = TR

[0206] According to this formula the ideal length of the tube can be roughly calculated, if the salinity of the medium M is known. However the precise dimensions do in practice have to be measured and the length of the tube adjusted subsequently. But in an industrial scale filling process with a given medium - for instance a spring water of constant ion content - this construction allows a simple hydrogen unit to be added to the bottles at the moment of filling. Improvements of the hydrogen producing button cells include Waterproof zinc-water button cells.

[0207] With the novel button cells not being watertight but our need to bring the cell in direct contact to water we developed a novel version that we call zinc-water cells. They provide a waterproof3210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002membrane at the inner side of its outer shell - the cathode side which the bores that let out the hydrogen gas.

[0208] For the prototypes used we acquired common button cell shells that we filled then with the same ingredients as the novel cells but before we glued a watertight membrane on one side of the bottom of the outer shell - the part carrying the bore for hydrogen gas whereas the other half remains uncovered to guarantee a sufficient area of contact of the electrolyte with the plate. It was necessary to glue the membrane with a two-component-glue to the stainless steel shell to provide a strong watertight connection that could resist not only the osmotic pressure of the water being attracted by the highly hygroscopic electrolyte potassium hydroxide KOH inside the cell but also to withstand possible mechanical pressure from the medium standing under higher than atmospheric pressure in the bottle.

[0209] For the applications described here it would, however, be advantageous to have a button cell the outer housing of which consists of three parts: 1. The outer rim being manufactured of a non- conductive material only 2. Only the lower plate acting as the actual cathode, and 3. The upper plate forming the anode as in novel cells. A possible way of achieving this may be a different form of the outer and inner shell in combination with a cover of PU or other plastic on the periphery. In general a strictly cylindrical shape would be most advantageous for this application.

[0210] Button cells manufactured of a housing made of conductive plastic For our initial design, we used button cells because they offered a convenient, small source of hydrogen that could produce hydrogen steadily over a long period of time but there is actually not much sense in using a battery7in a stainless steel housing and put it into another stable housing - the hydrogen releasing compartment in the container, which has to be a rather substantial construction, because it has to be as gas-tight as possible - a waste of material and resources. That’s why we went into a simplification of the construction.

[0211] The hydrogen releasing unit can be further simplified by not applying button cells built of metal shells but by using shells produced of conductive plastic. This construction has another significant advantage. The recycling of beverage plastic bottles is an issue of growing concern. With the use of button cells in the described manner this problem would be magnified by recycling restrictions for electronic products like CPSA, CPSIA, ROHS etc. even if the electric circuit is accomplished only by conductive plastic parts.

[0212] One of many solutions proposed for the problem of beverage bottle swamping the oceans of our Earth Mother is the use of biodegradable plastic which lets plastic bottles not disposed properly to be degraded in nature much faster. Conveniently several bio-degradable plastic materials have a slightly reduced resistance - or vice versa a moderate conductivity - for electrical current already due to their use of organic fibers which provide bands of delocalized a-electrons. This can make the adjunction of carbon particles to the plastic material even superfluous - at least in high- 3310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002resistance applications. However in high-conductivity applications carbon particles can be added to gain bio-degradable plastic in the same way as to ordinary plastic based on mineral oil.

[0213] When the conductive particles added are sooth - and not graphite or graphene or even metal powder - they are absolutely environmentally friendly and bring as an additional value a much higher absorption of sunlight within the plastic which results in a significantly faster decay and thus a quicker biodegradation by microbes. This is contributed by the fact that the added carbon particles break up the structure of the plastic fibers and thus allow microorganisms to invade the plastic easier and therefore help to crack and metabolite the plastic material significantly faster than compared to conventional plastic material. These two synergetic effects are a perfect solution for bottles or similar containers for which it has to be expected that a large amount will not be properly recycled but carelessly thrown into nature.

[0214] The improvements described above allow a container of the medium including a hydrogen releasing compartment as shown in Fig. 19A-19B. Fig 19A shows again a container for the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M in form of a bottle B, closed with a lid L, comprising a compartment C with a bio-degradable cell BC under a semipermeable membrane S. Fig 19B goes more into detail and enlarges the view on the hydrogen releasing unit comprising a cell made up of zinc powder saturated with an aqueous electrolyte (KOH) marked as Z+E. Instead of a button cell as described in embodiments earlier the housing of the hydrogen generating cell consists of three plastic parts, a flat bottom made of highly conductive plastic functioning as the anode AN, a flat top also manufactured of highly conductive plastic forming the cathode CA and an outer rim in the shape of a short tube made of ordinary, non-conducting plastic. All parts are welded together tightly and have a size that exactly fits the compartment C of the bottle.

[0215] With the anode and the cathode parts being a little bit larger they build a press fit with the inner wall of the compartment C. Either the whole bottle B or at least its compartment C - indicated by a doubling of the outlining inside its walls - is manufactured of very weakly conductive plastic and thus enables a low electron flow EF from the anode to the cathode (indicated by a line of black arrows drawn on the right side of the wall of compartment C.

[0216] As the plastic - at least in the region of the compartment - puts up a high resistance against the electrical current of the cell it is discharged over along period of time e.g. one year. Plastic - and even more conductive plastic - shows a high diffusion rate for hydrogen gas and can therefore let the low amounts of hydrogen produced per time in such a long-term application diffuse out easily through the cathode plate so that it does not have to be perforated and an extra semipermeable membrane can be saved, too.

[0217] However in practice the resistance even of the best conductive plastic material is significantly lower than that of metal as stainless steel commonly used for button cells, resulting in a 3410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002slightly higher inner resistance of the cell. This problem reduces not only the nominal voltage - rather irrelevant for our applications - but the total productivity of the cell roughly by half - at least for the primitive prototypes manufactured in our private laboratory. Optimizing measures and a far more professional, large scale production process may hopefully reduce that value drastically in the future. Despite this tolerable disadvantage this invention described here is a great success that enables not only to sell antioxidant beverages or other products to customers but provides an even better biodegradability of the containers than conventional plastic.

[0218] The comparatively small hydrogen releasing compartment described here fully substitutes a conventional button cell and an electronic circuit to discharge it. It starts to work autonomously from the moment of production and can produce - depending on its size - several hundred cubic centimeters of hydrogen gas to provide one liter of a medium to remain antioxidant - with a content of minimum 2 mg / 1 till the time of consumption even when using conventional sales channels. We want to stress once again that such a construction is not to be declared as an electronic product but a beverage container with hydrogen infusing and does therefore not have to be recycled according to legal obligations like CPSA, CPSIA, ROHS as there is no battery used for an electronic application.

[0219] In case the bottle should not be recycled property but carelessly thrown into nature the whole construction will be degraded much faster than conventional bottles. The zinc powder - or after the chemical reaction hast taken place - the zinc oxide powder are absolutely harmless and no threat to the environment.

[0220] A phial in a w ater bottle - especially if it apparently is significantly larger than the neck of the botle, possibly seting free small gas bubbles, is a wonderful display area. It can be given any shape or color, for instance the shape of a three-dimensional logo of the producing company or the like. Figs. 20A-20B illustrates that principle.

[0221] Fig 20A shows a hydrogen releasing unit HU in form of a little rocket, filled with a hydrogen releasing substance H covered under a semipermeable membrane S. When immersed in an aqueous medium, water can diffuse through that membrane and start the chemical reaction seting free hydrogen gas H2 - for instance magnesium powder saturated with silver ions as catalytic. Depending on the size of the unit and the time until the consumption, the amount of gas can be so high, that visible little bubbles can be seen rising up inside the bottle B, as depicted in Fig. 20B. To keep the rocket shaped phial upright, a weight WE may be mounted inside the phial. A company logo CL "H2- ROCKET” as an example is printed on the outside of the rocket-shaped phial.

[0222] We gave prototypes of this example to hundreds of test consumers and every body was pleased by the novel approach. A vast majority of the consumers started wondering, how such a big rocket may have come into the botle through its small neck. The rising of litle gas bubbles was even 3510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002more a magnet for the attention and positively noted by all consumers. Shaking the bottle - watching the rocket “fly” and sink down or playing around with it in many other ways the bottle was by nearly all held and watched for a longer time. That's why nearly everyone took the time to read what was written on the label and was pleased to hear that hydrogen-enriched water has - scientifically proven- amazing anti-aging and health effects. More than 95 % of our test consumers, when asked, answered they would be willing to pay a significantly higher price compared to ordinary bottled water to test this water, being convinced that this is a good product w orth its price.

[0223] Figs. 21A-21B show a bottle B closed with a lid L containing the medium to be enriched with hydrogen M comprising a compartment C on its bottom in which a state-of-the-art hydrogen producing button cell HB is mounted in such a way that the cathode setting free hydrogen gas through two bores - the larger, low er shell - is pointing upwards to the medium M whereas the anode of the button cell, the inner shell of which only the flat top is accessible, is on the bottom touching the bottom of the compartment C. The top of the compartment C is covered with a semipermeable membrane S letting through hydrogen gas but holding back water or other ingredients of the medium M to protect the button cell. Fig. 21B shows an enlarged partial view of the bottom of bottle B with the compartment C. The compartment C is manufactured so narrow that the button cell HB sits in it tightly forming a press fit. Thus the outer rim of the button cell HB - the outer shell forming the cathode CA - touches the inner wall of the compartment C and forms an electrical contact. The bottom of the button cell HB, which is - as mounted upside down the smaller, inner shell forming the anode AN - pointing downward and touches the bottom of the compartment C and forms an electrical contact, too. The compartment C is manufactured of the described plastic material that has a low conductivity allow ing the electric current to flow through it at a high resistance of beyond 100 kQ I mm (kilo-ohms per millimeter). Thus the short way in the plastic material from the anode to the cathode of the button cell HB of roughly one millimeter along the outer rim of the compartment functions as an electrical circuit- marked with a circular shaped arrow' and the letters EF for ‘electron flow ’. This discharges the cell and activates the release of hydrogen gas over a period of several months. The hydrogen produced diffuses through the semipermeable membrane S into the medium M and enriches it with hydrogen. 3D-printed parts show' in general a rather low' - and for hydrogen a literally miserable - gas tightness so it was impossible to keep the hydrogen concentration in a one-liter-bottle filled with an 50% aqueous solution higher than 1 mg / L for longer than a few w eeks with one Varta V150 H2 MF cell. We had to cover the surface of the 3D-printed bottles from inside and outside with two-component epoxy resin to bring the gas tightness to values of an ordinary plastic bottle. After that we managed to guarantee a hydrogen content in the bottles of about 2 - 4 mg / L for over half a year with one Varta VI 50 H2 MF cell. Longer times will require a better quality of extrusion or a special coating in combination with the3610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002improvements of the lid to reach values of over 12 month. Hydrogen releasing phials manufactured with a button cell in a tube

[0224] It is within the scope of the invention, for the implementation of the HRU manufactured cheaply by means of a large scale process within the ordinary filling procedure of the container. This can be realized in different ways: The HRU can be located in or at least mostly in the container with the medium to be enriched with hydrogen or it can be located outside the container. In the first case the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls is wanted, to enrich the surrounding medium with hydrogen. On the contrary, the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen advantageously has a very restricted diffusion rate to keep the loss of hydrogen through its outer walls as low as possible. Exemplar}' embodiments of these HRUs are shown in Figs. 22A-22B. In Fig. 22A the HRU is designed as a phial P filled with compressed hydrogen gas Hz setting it free into the medium M inside the container C. The lid L has a special inlay I which allows a tight sealing and reduces the diffusion of hydrogen. Depending on the construction of the HRU (material, weight, pressure of hydrogen . . . ) it will swim up or sink down or be floating freely within the container of the medium. Because of the high diffusion rate of hydrogen the phial, compartment or in general unit can usually be regarded as being semipermeable. At least when it is manufactured of plastic it does not have to be designed with special membranes. The HRU can however comprise at least one part with a specially modified diffusion rate acting as a semipermeable membrane. In Fig. 22B the hydrogen releasing unit is designed as a an apparatus comprising a hydrogen producing button cell HB within a tube T, covered by a semipermeable membrane S holding out water and other substances of the medium M but letting through hydrogen gas from inside the cell into the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The electrical circuit to discharge the battery and set free the hydrogen can be implemented by using slightly conductive plastic for the housing, the tube or - as indicated with the arrow painted with a broken line as a ion flow IF - through the medium itself - depending of course on the electrochemical properties of the medium M.

[0225] Further possible embodiments of an external HRU - located outside or beside the container - are shown in Figs. 23A-23C. Here a double-walled container D provides the compartment C comprising the HRU in the space between the walls. As before, the compartment C can only be filled with possibly pressurized hydrogen gas Hz (Fig. 23A) or contain one or several hydrogen releasing substances H (Fig. 23B) or be manufactured with a hydrogen-releasing button cell HB (Fig. 23C). The inner wall of the container can either have in total comparatively high diffusion rate for hydrogen gas or at least one part of it is semipermeable S. The outer walls and the lid of the double-walled container should be as gas tight as possible. Hydrogen releasing units taking back hydrogen and compensating pressure. The hydrogen phial or compartment lets through hydrogen gas in both directions whereas water or other components of the medium are kept out. Its permeability for hydrogen in both directions, 3710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002its ability to release and take back again hydrogen gas, provides another advantage of this invention. When the temperature within the container rises and the medium to be enriched with hydrogen is an aqueous solution, it will lose its capacity to keep the hydrogen gas in solution with rising temperatures. Then the HRU having at least a certain area semipermeable in both directions for hydrogen gas is able to take back free hydrogen gas, which can be released again later. The advantage of this construction becomes evident when opening the lid of the container. If the container of the hydrogen-enriched medium contains a certain amount of free gas - as for instance an ordinary bottle or jar - it will lose a large part of its hydrogen due to the fact that the hydrogen will diffuse from the medium into the gas volume. The hydrogen no longer kept within the watery medium will form a bubble of free gas or join other possible gases in the bottle. But free hydrogen gas will diffuse immediately - and therefore get lost uselessly - as soon as the container is opened. In an ordinary7bottle or pot a certain content of free gas must be kept to allow a little amount of expansion by heating or contraction by cooling from surrounding air temperature, for instance when exposed to sun light or when cooled in a refrigerator. According to this invention the hydrogen within the HRU can function as a pressure-compensating gas volume. Its pressure regulating properties do not only have to happen through the diffusion processes, but are in addition accomplished by the use of a more or less soft material such as plastic or compounds for the HRU. This allows the phial or compartment a certain amount of expanding or shrinking to compensate the rise of pressure within the container. The hydrogen filled phial or compartment makes it possible to fill the container to the very top without any extra gases (as air, carbon dioxide or the like). The hydrogen gas within the phial or compartment compensates upcoming pressure, when the container gets warm and prevents the walls to break due to thermal expansion of the medium. This is especially important for bottles or jars made of glass and a medium that contains mostly water, as water can hardly be compressed. A chemical or physical treatment of the medium itself can be very helpful to reduce the loss of hydrogen. This can in general be achieved by modifying the physical structure or its chemical properties. To lose less hydrogen it is helpful to reduce or suppress the movement in the medium caused by mechanical agitation or thermal convection. This can be achieved by rising the viscosity of the medium, for example by adding ingredients or particles that give the medium gel-like properties. If the medium is supposed to be drunk or eaten this may be substances like e. g. gelatine, agar-agar, carrageen etc. In case the medium is supposed to be administered outwardly to the human body this may be substances like aluminates, silicates, zeolite or the like. Another possibility for the structural modification is providing the medium with a fluffy, foam-like consistence by adding and dispersing gases like, for example, air and, of course, hydrogen. The size of the gaseous bubbles should be very' small - within the nanometer-range - to prevent demixing for a time as long as possible. .Another method for maximizing of the hydrogen content at the point of use is a chemical modification of the medium. This can also be done by adding chemical ingredients or by physical treatment methods.3810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002For an aqueous solution altering its acidity / alkalinity to higher pH-values is the simplest way of maximizing its ability to dissolve hydrogen. As mentioned before, water can dissolve twice the amount of hydrogen when the pH-value is altered from 7 to 11. As long as the other ingredients take no harm, lotions, creams and other therapeutic or cosmetic products can thus be optimized in addition. In some aspects, the following the phrase '‘medium to be enriched with hydrogen” shall mean any kind of liquid, solid, gas, colloidal or paste-like product that can be applied to human beings or animals. Examples thereof may be a medicinical or cosmetical cream, lotion or a face mask. According to the claims of this invention the medium is enriched with hydrogen by a hydrogen releasing unit within a closed container. In the following the word “container” is supposed to mean a vessel as, for instance, a bottle, a bag, a jar or the like, to take up, store, transport, set free or enable the consumption of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The word “lid” will denominate a removable or hinged cover for the container of the medium which may be modified to a much larger extent than ordinary lids and can be provided with additional features to serve functions aligned with the inventions proposed here. In the following the expression “hydrogen releasing unit” will describe a technical apparatus that has the ability to set free or diffuse hydrogen gas inside or into the container as mentioned before. Its purpose is to enrich the medium in the container with hydrogen over a longer period of time. In some aspects, the medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a therapeutical or cosmetical product to be applied to a human subject as e.g. a cream, a lotion, a face mask, a beauty mask, a cosmetic tissue or wrap, an anti-aging skin lotion, a skin-smoothing cream, a tissue-tightening make-up, a natural or artificially produced fango mud, a deodorant, a toothpaste or a mouthw ash or an oral spray or the like. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a liquid, paste-like, foamy, creamy composition of substances, containing water in any convenient percentage and other helpful substances such as. e. g. natural oils, fragrances, detergents, vitamins, minerals, pharmaceutic remedies having certain therapeutic, healthsupporting, cosmetic, anti-aging, detoxifying, strengthening or similar effect on the subject. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a composition to be administered to the skin, hair, nails, mouth etc. of the subject and may be assisted by other physical measures such as sound, heat, radiation, electrophoresis, electro-stimulation etc. The medium may be enriched with hydrogen not only by the hydrogen releasing unit but in addition also before, during or after the process of filling it into the container. The hydrogen releasing unit to enrich the medium with hydrogen may use any suitable kind of process to bring forward hydrogen, for instance it may contain - possibly pressurized - hydrogen gas and set it free into the medium or it may comprise one or several substances that set free hydrogen gas for instance by means of a chemical reaction as e g. the electrolysis of water or it may contain a state-of-the-art hydrogen producing button cell. The hydrogen releasing unit may be a part of a container such as vessel, bottle, jar, bag etc. but may in general have any shape, suitable for containing, transporting and diffusing hydrogen gas into a medium and it may be serving other purposes such as 3910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002visibility, marketing, display of a logo etc. and may be transparent or have any possible color, shape or appearance, for instance, it may have a company name or logo imprinted etc. The hydrogen releasing unit may be an extra apparatus added to and situated within the medium, for instance forming a container within a container as. e.g. a phial or a tube or a bottle within a bottle and be supposed to enrich the medium with hydrogen by diffusion through its walls. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as an integral part of the container or of the lid closing the container and release hydrogen into the container over a tube or a semipermeable membrane or may protrude far into the inner space of the container or be fixed over a rather long extension positioning the hydrogen releasing unit at an advantageous place within the container, for instance in its center. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as a hydrogen containing device surrounding the medium in a double-walled container or be embodied as a second, larger container, surrounding the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen as e. g. a bottle within a bottle. The hydrogen releasing unit and / or the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen and / or its lid may be designed in such a manner that the way of the hydrogen from its source to the point of greatest loss e.g. the outer walls or the lid of the container is maximized and the movement of the medium inside the container is restricted. This may be brought about by a special geometry of the HRU, the container or its lid but as well by additional features like flow restricting baffles, tubes, plates and the like.

[0226] Physical modification of the medium

[0227] Another aspect of this invention is the chemical or physical treatment of the medium itself. To guarantee a high content of hydrogen within the medium at the point or moment of use the medium itself can be modified to take up more or to lose less hydrogen. This can in general be achieved by modifying the physical structure or its chemical properties.

[0228] To lose less hydrogen it is helpful to reduce or suppress the movement in the medium caused by mechanical agitation or thermal convection. This can be achieved by rising the viscosity of the medium, for example by adding ingredients or particles that give the medium gel-like properties. If the medium is supposed to be drunk or eaten this may be substances like, for example, gelatin, agar- agar, carrageen, and the like. In case the medium is not supposed to be administered to the human body this may be substances like aluminates, silicates, zeolite, or the like.

[0229] Another possibility for the structural modification is providing the medium with a fluffy, foam-like consistence by adding and dispersing gases like, for example, air and, of course, hydrogen. The size of the gaseous bubbles should be very small - within the nanometer-range - to prevent de-mixing for a time as long as possible.

[0230] Another method for maximizing of the hydrogen content at the point of use is a chemical modification of the medium. This can also be done by adding chemical ingredients or by physical treatment methods. For an aqueous solution altering its acidity / alkalinity to higher pH-values is the 4010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002simplest way of maximizing its ability7to dissolve hydrogen. As mentioned before, ordinary water can dissolve twice the amount of hydrogen when the pH-value is altered from 7 to 11. This is of course no drinking water anymore. But water at a pH value of below 8.5 is usually drank by most consumers without sensing an unpleasant taste and can already contain about one third more hydrogen. Water with higher pH-values - and hydrogen contents - can serve as a hydrogen water concentrate to be diluted with ordinary tap water or bottled water. In beverages or food having an intensive taste, even higher pH-values can be tuned without that consumers sense an unpleasant taste.

[0231] The current invention includes a method of enriching water, beverages, food, biological fluids, pharmaceutical agents, and the like with hydrogen gas. In the following the word “medium” shall mean either pure hydrogen gas or a composition comprising hydrogen such as, for example, a beverage, a food, a nutrient, a biological fluid, or a pharmaceutical agent, not only for human beings, but also for plants or animals. The medium contains or is supposed to be enriched with hydrogen gas.

[0232] Types of hydrogen releasing units

[0233] The proliferation of hydrogen gas by the hydrogen releasing unit in a closed container can be implemented in different ways. In the simplest way the container comprises a hydrogen releasing unit embodied as a reservoir or cartridge filled with - possibly compressed - hydrogen gas - conveniently produced by a large scale process and applied at the moment of filling. Either the container is filled with the medium plus hydrogen gas or a phial, compartment or the like is filled with hydrogen gas at a convenient point of time around the filling process of the medium - short before or afterwards. The hydrogen gas set free from then unit can stream or diffuse - possibly through a membrane - into the medium to enrich it with hydrogen within the container.

[0234] The hydrogen releasing unit may also comprise one or several chemical substances that set fee hydrogen gas triggered by a physical process e g. lithium hydride LiH or other metal hydrides activated by heat or the like.

[0235] Furthermore the hydrogen releasing unit may contain one or several chemical substances which can set free gas by means of a chemical reaction. One of the reactants may be water that is either added to the hydrogen releasing unit when manufacturing or may derive from ambient air humidity or may also be diffusing into the hydrogen releasing unit from the medium itself when it is water or an aqueous solution.

[0236] The hydrogen releasing unit can also be constructed in such a way that it sets free hydrogen from water through an electrochemical process, especially electrolysis of the H2O molecule. Again as before, the water for this may be added as an extra volume or come from ambient air or from the medium itself.

[0237] The hydrogen gas necessary for the enrichment of the medium is in the simplest and cheapest way produced by a large scale process and applied at the moment of filling - either the 4110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002container is filled with the medium plus hydrogen gas or the phial, compartment or in general hydrogen releasing unit is filled at a convenient point of time around the filling process of the medium - short before or afterwards. A second possible way is the storage of compressed hydrogen gas within an external cartridge that can be brought into contact with the medium by the consumer, preferably a relatively short time before use.

[0238] Another possibility' is the application of a hydrogen unit providing one or several chemical substances that start a chemical reaction that produces hy drogen gas which can then stream or diffuse into the medium. One typical way of doing this is for instance a tablet or similar device containing magnesium that is brought in contact to water. Standing low in the galvanic series magnesium reacts with water according to the formula:

[0239] [reaction of magnesium with water] : Mg + H2O > MgO + H2

[0240] Despite being highly exergonic this reaction does not take place at low temperatures. It needs either heat or a catalyst like for instance silver ions to be activated. For practical applications such as hydrogen producing pills or sticks to immerge in water, the extreme speed of the reaction and great amount of energy released by the oxidation of magnesium requires the coating of the metal with a material that lets diffuse only a small amount of water per time to the surface of the metal. This is usually done by a layer of porous ceramics or plastic membranes around the magnesium. Other than, for instance, calcium or sodium, magnesium builds an oxide MgO which is hardly solvable in water. That’s why it cannot form a hydroxide. That makes it a perfect solution for producing hydrogen from water or a watery' medium without changing the chemical properties of the medium significantly or without producing strangely tasting or even hazardous substances.

[0241] The hydrogen releasing units mentioned in the set of inventions proposed here can comprise either only such a magnesium reactor and directly react with the aqueous medium to be enriched with hydrogen - when the medium in the container is water or a beverage or another aqueous solution - or the hydrogen releasing unit may be activated by a stoichiometrically calculated amount of water from a separate reservoir to produce the hydrogen gas - especially when the medium in the container contains comparatively little water or is not supposed to lose any of its water content as, for example a cream or a lotion.

[0242] There are, of course, many other chemical reactions to produce hydrogen, possible, especially when there is no direct contact of the reactants with the medium. If properly separated by semipermeable membranes even toxic or strongly acidic or alkaline chemical reactions can be implemented to produce hydrogen gas for the inventions proposed here. However the metal magnesium represents - at present state of development - the optimum for this ty pe of application.

[0243] Zinc-air or zinc-oxygen button-cells4210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0244] A very elegant way of giving a watery medium antioxidant properties is the use of zinc- air button cells, better called zinc-oxygen cells. These batteries can not only produce electrical current but also hydrogen gas. They produce their energy from an oxidation process of metallic zinc to zincoxide according to the chemical formula:

[0245] [oxidation of zinc] : Zn + O -> ZnO

[0246] Depending on the source of oxygen these cells can work in two different ways - either using oxygen gas or water - both from outside the cell.

[0247] The reaction formula for the normal process with access of oxygen gas sums up as follows:

[0248] [oxidation of zinc with oxygen gas] : 2 Zn + O2 -> 2 ZnO

[0249] In this case the button cell is produced with a semipermeable membrane letting oxygen gas from ambient air diffuse into the cell to react with the zinc powder inside, whereas water (humidity ) is mostly held back outside the cell. (In practice a certain amount of humidity is needed to guarantee the function of the electrolyte, so the membranes are usually constructed in such a way that they let pass a small amount of water in addition.) These zinc-air button cells are commonly used for hearing aids, pagers, medical devices and the like.

[0250] When an electrical load is applied over a zinc-air battery without allowing oxygen to diffuse into the cell, but providing a sufficient saturation with water, for instance by humidity from ambient air, the cell generates electrical current plus hydrogen gas.

[0251] The reaction formula for this second, less common process of zinc-oxygen button-cells goes according to the following formula:

[0252] [oxidation of zinc with water] : Zn + H2O -> ZnO + H2

[0253] The hydrogen gas created and the pressure generated is commonly used in automatic lubricators or air fresheners. In this case the button cell is usually produced with a very hygroscopic electrolyte such as for example potassium hydroxide KOH to attract water from outside in combination with a semipermeable membrane letting humidity diffuse into the cell to react with the zinc powder inside, whereas oxygen gas is held back outside the cell. Beyond that, the membrane must also let hydrogen gas from inside the cell diffuse out, which is practically given with any thin plastic membrane.

[0254] These hydrogen producing button cells are commonly used in automatic lubricators or air fresheners or for medicinal applications where an injection over a longer time is needed. These button cells are also manufactured open, too - they have one or several small bores to let the hydrogen gas stream out. Watertight membranes inside help to keep the electrolyte and, of course, the other materials in. These button cells are filled with a stoichiometrically calculated amount of water - in4310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002practice they contain zinc powder saturated with water. The electrolyte commonly used is potassium hydroxide KOH.

[0255] Modification of the process speed

[0256] The reaction rate of the oxidation of zinc with water can be modified by varying the flow of the educts by means of using semipermeable membranes between the reactants but this would require a different construction and is not a very exact method. A modification of the reaction rate by restricting the release of the product - H2 gas - is possible but requires stable, pressure resistant housings and is neither very precise. However both these methods are claimed, too, for the applications herein. Very elegant the speed of the chemical reaction and by this the hydrogen production rate of a hydrogen producing button cell can be tuned precisely over the resistance of the electrical circuit that connects the two poles of the battery. The amount of hydrogen gas produced per time is roughly inverse proportional to the electrical load.

[0257] For our prototypes we used the Varta V150 H2 MF cells (A675 [blue] PR44 type, diameter: 11,5 mm / height: 5,5 mm) manufactured by Varta Micro batteries company in Germany. These cells have the advantage that both, their terminal voltage as well as their hydrogen production rate are quite stable over nearly their complete lifetime. We measured the following values in practice: (All time values: comparatively linear output till decline under 85%)

[0258] Chart of Electric Load v. Time

[0259] Electric load time to set free the total amount of H25 kQ = 4400 h = 183 d10 kQ ~ 8900 h ~ l y

[0260] (Note: these values may differ from the data published by the Varta company.) The cells have anominal capacity of 140-150 cm3(cubic centimeters) of FE gas. but the total amount of hydrogen gas produced over the time varies roughly between 125 cm3(short term, low resistance) and 165 cm3(long-term, high resistance) of hydrogen gas at normal pressure per one Varta V150 H2 MF cell. That means the closer one comes to a short circuit of the cells the less effective the process becomes due to the inner resistance of the cell and the less the reaction speed can accelerate. The Varta V150 H2 MF cell has an electrical capacity of 600 mAh (milli-ampere-hours). The total volume of hydrogen gas4410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002produced is about 140 cm3(cubic centimeters) - given at normal air pressure of one bar = 1013,25 hpa (hectopascal) = 14,5 psi. Enclosed in a smaller volume the hydrogen gas can even build up a pressure of over 20 bars = 20 000 hpa = 290 psi. The Varta V150 H2 MF cell is to our knowledge the largest cell on the market. For larger applications we could acquire double-pack cells from the Varta company comprising two cells mounted together in line or we had to arrange several single cells in a row by ourselves. It should be noted that the button cells by Varta are not to be brought in direct contact with water. The membrane under the bores does not form a waterproof connection to the outer shell and cannot hold back water. The highly hygroscopic electrolyte potassium hydroxide KOH exerts such a strong osmotic draw that the water finds a way around the membrane inside and the cell is blown up and loses its function. Therefore the cells in a phial or compartment within the container always have to covered under waterproof membranes to maintain their function when brought in contact to an aqueous medium.

[0261] When water is used as a medium the short term applications in the 1 or 10 Q-region produce visible bubbles of H2 gas whereas long term applications in the kQ-regions set free so small amounts of hydrogen per time that the gas goes into solution immediately and can usually not be seen. Roughly 150 or 160 cm3(cubic centimeters) of hydrogen gas from one button cell is under normal conditions enough to enrich one liter of water or a watery solution in an ordinary plastic bottle closed with a plastic lid for over six month with an amount of over 2 - 4 mg / 1 of hydrogen. For higher values or longer times the additional measures mentioned in this application or larger hydrogen generating cells have to be applied.

[0262] The reaction rate of the zinc-oxygen cell can be modified either by vary ing the flow of the educts through the semipermeable membrane but also - much more precisely and nearly independent from the conditions of the surrounding air - by the consumption and resistance of the electrical circuit that connects the two poles of the battery'. The amount of hydrogen gas produced per time from a zinc-oxygen cell is proportional to the electrical load. For long-term applications where only a small amount of hydrogen and current is needed over a time span of several months the tuning of the electric conditions is the best way to regulate the hydrogen and current production.

[0263] For short term applications where a large amount of hydrogen is wanted in a time of only minutes or hours the electric load of the circuit is not the limiting factor but the amount of water that can be transported into the cell. In this case it is advisable to bring a stoichiometrically sufficient amount of water from a separate reservoir in contact with the zinc-oxygen button cell - for instance by breaking open a sealed water chamber beside the cell. Another possibility - especially when the medium is water or a beverage containing mostly water - and when no other substances can interfere w ith the chemical reaction of the battery - is to bring the cell in contact with water from the medium to be enriched with hydrogen itself - e. g. by perforating a separating plastic membrane or the like.4510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0264] The chemical reaction of the zinc-oxygen cell delivers a theoretical voltage of 1.65 Volts, but practically this is reduced to 1.35 - 1.4 V in available batteries. They have the advantage that both, their terminal voltage as well as their hydrogen production rate are quite stable over nearly their complete lifetime. For cleverly taking the oxidant from outside, zinc-oxygen cells save space within, resulting in a higher energy density than many other types of batteries. Zinc-oxygen cells, when sealed before use by a plastic foil that effectively keeps out oxygen and humidity, have a shelf life of several years at room temperature with little capacity loss.

[0265] The largest type of currently available zinc-oxygen button cells - not very common anymore because modem hearing aids use much less energy - is the type A675 (blue) PR44, having a diameter of 11,56mm and a height of 5,33 millimeters. It has an electrical capacity of 600 mAh (milliampere-hours) When driven with water it produces a total volume of about 140 cm3(cubic centimeters) of hydrogen gas at normal air pressure of one bar = 1013,25 hpa (hectopascal) = 14,5 psi. Enclosed in a smaller volume the hydrogen gas can even build up a pressure of over 20 bars = 290 psi.

[0266] For the applications described here the hydrogen gas produced by a zinc-oxygen cell is not just a byproduct but used to enrich an aqueous medium with hydrogen to give it anti-oxidant properties. At the other hand, the electrical current produced by the cell is more than a byproduct either. The current can be used for treating the water containing medium by means of an electrochemical process using electrodes - e. g. to enrich the water containing medium with additional electrons, to optimize the redox-potential and to rise its pH-value giving it anti-acidic and anti-oxidant properties. Thus both products of the chemical process of a zinc-oxygen cell can be used for the desired quality improvement of the medium as described here.

[0267] Even if a zinc-oxygen cell is brought into direct contact with liquid water the use of covering membranes is still unavoidable because the chemical oxidation of zinc with w ater does not happen at room temperatures without the presence of an electrolyte allowing hydroxyl ions OH- to form and to build zincate ZnOFU2-anions as an intermediate product acting as a catalytic converter reducing the activation energy of the exergonic process of oxidation. A membrane needs to hold the electrolyte near the anode preventing liquid water to dilute it to such an extent that the reaction comes to a standstill. Nevertheless this construction allows the oxidation of zinc and the releasing of hydrogen much faster than with only humidity diffusing in from the air. Thanks to its anomaly high heat capacity water effectively cools the cell and thus prevents its overheating. In this case enormous loads can be required from the cell, condensing the discharging and hydrogen producing process of the battery to a time span of only minutes. This enables constructions where a consumer starts the hydrogen and current producing process of the cell only a short time before use and can then drink or eat a medium enriched with hydrogen - and electrochemically optimized - at any desired time and place.

[0268] Recent developments4610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0269] Due to the fact that zinc-oxygen-cells in their common applications are dependent on the diffusion of air or humidity through a membrane these batteries have been in the past restricted to small button cells. However in the recent years large scale applications were developed even reaching the size of grid energy storage technology as, e.g. car propulsion. This offers the perspective for large scale applications also for the production of hydrogen gas from this type of cells according to the constructions described here.

[0270] By intensive research another disadvantage of the zinc-oxygen cells has been successfully overcome: The irreversibility of the chemical process. In 2013 scientists found a way to optimize the process and developed a cell that can be electrically recharged up to over 300 times with an acceptable consumption of energy. Future developments may make electrical recharging cost efficient enough to claim it for this set of inventions, too. For instance a recyclable container like a bottle with a button cell in its lid or bottom that can be recharged electrically before, during or after the filling process is a reasonable way of providing the consumer with drinks or food that can be enriched with hydrogen and electrochemically optimized for health, quality, and extended shelf life.

[0271] Until this recharging process will be widely used and available at affordable prices the replacement of the whole button cell against a new one is the cheapest and easiest way of regenerating and preparing the hydrogen - and current - releasing unit it in the applications described here. Another - less convenient - possibility is the exchange of only the zinc powder anode saturated with the electrolyte inside the cell against new material.

[0272] Especially these recent achievements for zinc-oxygen cells make the applications proposed here not only possible but also lucrative. Zinc-oxygen cells are relatively inexpensive to produce as zinc is much cheaper than other metals, especially lithium. At prices of approximately $2 per kilogram, with global reserves of nearly 2 billion tons and 30 million tons produced per year zinc is a perfect material for low cost sources of hydrogen plus energy' in point-of-use applications.

[0273] Modem zinc-oxygen cells are produced free from mercury and other heavy metals. Thanks to the simplicity of their process - zinc being oxidized to zinc oxide - they do not cause environmental problems if not disposed property. Zinc oxide is harmless because it is non-toxic to plants, animals, and humans and as it is hardly water solvable it can not be eluted into groundwater easily. The recycling process is the same as the production process of certain zinc ores: The reduction of zinc oxide to elementary zinc. This process does not set free toxic substances. This makes the recycling of zinc-oxygen cells clean and cheap.

[0274] HYDROGEN DEVICE

[0275] In the following the word “hydrogen device” will mean either a vessel that can contain, transport, and release a composition comprising hydrogen or an apparatus that can release hydrogen4710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002gas. The purpose of this hydrogen device is either to enrich the medium with hydrogen or to set free hydrogen into the surrounding space.

[0276] CONTAINER OF THE MEDIUM

[0277] In the following the word “container” is supposed to mean a vessel as. for instance, a bottle, a bag, or a jar to take up the medium comprising hydrogen or to be enriched with hydrogen at a later point of time.

[0278] LID. CAP OF THE CONTAINER

[0279] In the following the word “lid” will indicate a removable or hinged cover for the container of the medium which can be modified to a large extent and be provided with additional features to serve functions going align with the enlargement of its purpose according to this invention.

[0280] MEDIUM COMPRISING HYDROGEN

[0281] The medium comprising hydrogen may contain any suitable amount and form of hydrogen gas, as, for instance, a free volume of gas (up to a content of 100% H2) simply added or hydrogen chemically bound or dissolved in a gas or liquid or hydrogen adsorbed to a solid material.

[0282] The medium comprising hydrogen may be enriched with hydrogen by different technical processes, for instance by a chemical reaction as for example electrolysis of water or by a physical process as, for example, from a cartridge that contains pressurized hydrogen.

[0283] The hydrogen gas to enrich the medium may be added to the medium over a connection as, for example, a hose or a channel but I may also be added to the medium by a diffusion process through a w all or membrane. The medium comprising hydrogen may be enriched with hydrogen at any point of time, for instance before, during or after the process of filling it into the container or only a short time before use.

[0284] The hydrogen-enriching process may happen at a single moment or over an extended period of time, for example through a device, permanently releasing hydrogen gas into the medium. Several different methods of enriching the medium with hydrogen may be applied at the same time or after each other. The medium comprising hydrogen may consist of only one or of a combination of several ingredients, comprising hydrogen and in most cases, but not necessarily, water. The medium comprising hydrogen may also comprise non-aqueous ingredients. The medium comprising hydrogen may have additional agents, such as, for example, aluminates, silicates, zeolite, or the like to adsorb and slowly diffundate hydrogen gas. The medium comprising hydrogen may comprise other gases like CO2. N2 and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be of any consistency, for example gaseous, liquid, paste-like, foam, cream, solid, a dispersion or suspension, a colloidal solution etc. The medium comprising hydrogen may be water or an aqueous solution having a pH-value higher than neutral, for example, showing basic conditions, in order to maximize its capacity of solving hydrogen.4810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0285] The medium comprising hydrogen may be a liquid of any variety of drinkable liquids, such as water, beverage, fruit juice, lemonade, energy drink, milk or other dairy products, an alcoholic drink such as wine, beer, liquor, or the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be, for example, an ingestible composition including a liquid such as water or other drinkable liquids comprising water, optionally with a variety of additives, such as, but not restricted to, sugar, salt(s), electrolytes, caffeine, flavoring, coloring, nutrition, food supplements, vitamins, herbal essences, fruit or seed extracts and the like. In some embodiments, one or more additives may be present and combinations thereof. The one or more additives may be present in any suitable amount. The medium comprising hydrogen may contain any kind of food, for example fruit, vegetables, meat, pudding, and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may contain frozen foods, either foods to be eaten frozen such as, for example, ice cream but also food to be defrosted before consumption such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and the like.

[0286] The medium comprising hydrogen may be a food supplement containing all kind of additives, such as, but not restricted to, minerals, trace minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, antioxidants, antiaging agents, or other active pharmaceutical agents. The medium comprising hydrogen may be used to increase the quality and storage life of all kinds of products prone to oxidation such as food, drinks, pharmaceutical agents, cosmetics, blood plasma, and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may have an expiration date differing from the ordinary expiration date indicating the anticipated shelflife of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients. The medium comprising hydrogen may be configured to be administered to a human subj ect. It may be designed to be brought into the body in any thinkable way, for example, it may be a drinkable, eatable or in general ingestible but also infusible, inhalable, as well as an outwardly applicated composition in gaseous, liquid, solid or suspended form, such as, for example, a drink, a food, an inhalation, ear or eye-drops, a toothpaste, a mouthwash, an oral spray, and the like.

[0287] The medium comprising hydrogen may be an active pharmaceutical agent such as for example a medicament, a pharmaceutical drug, an intravenous fluid as e.g. comprising parts of blood, plasma, serum, sputum, mucus, urine, and the like. It may contain other helpful substances such as, e. g. water, a normal saline of 0.9% NaCl-solution and the like.

[0288] The medium comprising hydrogen may be administered within the scope of a therapeutic wrap, for instance a bandage wrapped around the knee or the neck of a subj ect, to bring hydrogen or hydrogen-enriched fluids through the skin into the body. The therapeutic wrap may comprise a therapeutical agent comprising other chemical substances as, for example, a normal saline (NaCl-solution). The wrap may be assisted by physical measures such as heat, electrophoresis, and the like. The therapeutic wrap may also be used for other than medicinal purposes, for example for cosmetics, anti-aging, and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be a cosmetic composition 4910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002to be administered to the skin, hair, nails, and the like of the subject, to exert any therapeutical, healthsupporting, or cosmetic effect, as for example an anti-aging skin lotion, a skin-smoothing cream, a tissue-tightening make-up. and the like.

[0289] The medium comprising hydrogen may be administered to a subject to improve metabolism, to treat certain diseases, to accelerate recovery from illness, to strengthen physical condition for example for sports, for antiaging, convalescence or other positive effects and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be a preparation contained in a capsule, consisting of a digestible material, to be swallowed by the subject. The hydrogen gas may be embedded in a substance in form of little hydrogen bubbles or the substance may provide an agent that sets free hydrogen gas, for instance, it may be caused by a chemical reaction with water or with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach or the intestines or caused by a reaction with other substances as, for instance, digestion enzymes. Other suitable substances may be present within the preparation, such as ,for example, vitamins, minerals, and the like.

[0290] The medium comprising hydrogen may be designed as a powder or an effervescent tablet that sets free hydrogen gas, when put into water or other beverages. It may contain substances that give the fluid gel-like conditions to keep the hydrogen bubbles in the solution for a longer time. Other suitable substances may be present within the preparation, such as, for example, vitamins, minerals, and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be a preparation contained in a pastille or a candy to be sucked by a subject that sets free hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas may be contained within the pastille in form of little hydrogen bubbles or it may contain a chemical substance that sets free hydrogen gas. for instance because of a chemical reaction with water in the saliva, enriching it with hydrogen. Other suitable substances may be present within the preparation, such as ,for example, flavor, vitamins, minerals, and the like.

[0291] The medium comprising hydrogen may be designed as a small hydrogen diffusing device to be kept in the mouth but not be swallowed by the user for a longer period of time, constantly enriching the saliva with hydrogen. The medium comprising hydrogen may be designed as an electronic cigarette or an electronic pipe, evaporating not only the substances that simulate the smoking of tobacco, but hydrogen gas in addition, to saturate the water in the pulmonal alveoli with hydrogen. The hydrogen gas may be added to the process of smoking at any convenient point or point of time. For example it may be added to the liquid solution before its vaporization or may be added to the vapor after the process of vaporization.

[0292] The medium comprising hydrogen maybe an aerosol or a composition to prepare an aerosol for the aspiration or inhalation by a subject. The aerosol containing hydrogen may be administered directly to a subject (for example, for instance with a respiratory mask) or sprayed into the air for example my means of an air humidifier or similar devices. The medium comprising hydrogen 5010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002may be administered to a subject over the air resorbed by the body by means of a device such as a respiratory7mask or ventilation machine, a body-surrounding tank or tent, similar to a tank-ventilator or a warming-bed for hyperthermia.

[0293] The medium comprising hydrogen may be a bath or a composition to prepare a bath enriched with hydrogen for example, for cosmetic or therapeutical purposes or for wellness applications. The medium comprising hydrogen may be blood, plasma, serum, or an additive to these liquids to increase the quality and storage life of these blood-products. The administration of the medium comprising hydrogen may be applied in conjunction with other types of treatments to a subject, i.e. in combination with other ingestible, inhalable, infusible compositions or in combination with other treatments such as, for example, manual therapy, surgical intervention, radiotherapy, and the like.

[0294] The medium comprising hydrogen may be administered in multiple doses, also in in different amounts, over an extended period of time. The medium comprising hydrogen may be applied to maximize the storage time and to reduce the percentage of reject samples in cryogenic applications, for instance in cryogenic sperm banks or stem cell laboratories. The medium comprising hydrogen may be used for the nutrition or treatment of animals in a similar way as for humans, but also in different ways as, for example, it may be sprayed onto the animals in a stable or be dissolved in a water tank for fish and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be used for the nutrition (e.g. watering) or treatment (e.g. spraying of insecticides, herbicides) of plants, soil, growing substrate, nutritional solution, water in hydro- or aquaponics, in various ways as, for instance, by pouring, dropping, spraying and the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may be chemically or physically modified to minimize the loss of hydrogen by diffusion through the outer walls of its container or lid. In particular it may have a higher viscosity, to reduce or suppress convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the medium.

[0295] The rise in viscosity of the medium comprising hydrogen may be achieved by a chemical process, for example, by adding additives such as starch, gelatin, carrageen, activated charcoal, zeolite, or the like. The rise in viscosity of the medium comprising hydrogen may be accomplished by a physical process, for example, by warming, stirring, shock frosting or the like. The medium comprising hydrogen may show a lower content of deuterium than normal, for instance it may contain deuterium-depleted hydrogen gas or deuterium-depleted water. The medium comprising hydrogen may be a mixture of gases or may be used for modifying the atmospheric conditions of air within a storage room or refrigerator for beverages, food, therapeutical agents etc. It may be designed to enrich possible goods inside at least one part of it with hydrogen, reducing the negative effects of oxygen in the air, possibly assisted by a reduction of the oxygen content. The medium comprising hydrogen may be ice cubes to be poured into a drink or any other food. They may be sold as a produced by a large scale process and be in hydrogen proof packings or they may be produced by an extra 5110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002machine, as, for instance by a common refrigerator or by a common ice cube maker. The source of hydrogen hereby may be a cartridge of compressed gas, a chemical reaction releasing hydrogen, as, for instance, an electrolysis process in water or a watery' solution.

[0296] The medium comprising hydrogen may be applied for the modification of a water treatment process, comprising the production of drinking water but also the treatment of sewage water. It may be applied for the microbiological treatment i. e. minimizing or maximizing of the germination of microbes in water as well as for the modification of chemical ingredients of water such as pesticides, nitrate, ammonium etc. In addition to that it may be applied for the modification of physical factors of the water such as, for instance, the change of the surface tension or the wettability of water.

[0297] The medium comprising hydrogen may have a reduced amount of oxygen to support the anti oxidizing properties created by the presence of hydrogen. The medium comprising hydrogen may be produced by a high-speed vortex process, that guarantees an intensive dispersion of the substances involved down to the size on nano-particles. The container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be part of a complex apparatus or process serving other purposes. For instance it may be part of an industrial process of filling food into containers or part of a cryogenic apparatus, cooling semen down to the temperature of liquid nitrogen.

[0298] CONTAINER OF THE MEDIUM TO BE ENRICHED

[0299] The container may be a bottle, jar, vial, bag, or the like. It may be of any shape, comprising ordinary shapes of bottles, jars, and the like but it may as well be of a very special geometry or construction, supporting the storage and transport of the hydrogen-enriched medium but also serving other purposes such as marketing and the like. The container may be embodied consisting of only one part such as a bag or may be composed of several different parts in combination as. for instance, a bottle and a lid.

[0300] The container may consist of several parts, in particular it may comprise a mesh strainer or other devices letting the medium flow out but keeping the hydrogen devices inside back, so that they cannot be swallowed or get lost. The container, comprising all its parts, may be produced by an ordinary production process but also be manufactured in a special way, guaranteeing the function and visibility of the hydrogen-enriching device. All parts of the container may consist of any material typically used for the transport of drinks, food, or pharmaceutical agents such as glass, metal, compound materials etc. but it may as well comprise other materials, to be invented in the future. All parts of the container may be embodied consisting of only one or several different materials such as. for example aluminum coated with plastic. The material of all parts of the container may be constructed and manufactured in any way that helps to reduce its hydrogen permeability. It may have a relatively low hydrogen permeability, typically less than 10-12mol / cm s, preferably values of less than 10-16mol / cm s, etc. according to the actual state of technology.5210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0301] All parts of the container may be provided w ith certain agents reducing the hydrogen permeability7as, for instance, aluminum, TiCh. and the like. These agents may be embedded within the container material or added to a surface of it, inside and / or outside. The agents added to the container may be of any consistency, such as metallic (e.g. aluminum, steel, or the like), mineral (glass, ceramic, enamel, quartz or similar) or plastic (epoxides, PTFE, PE, or other polymers) or combinations thereof. For all parts of the container more than one agent may be used at the same time. The agents may be combined together or be used separately within the container material but also as coatings and the like. The agents used for the container may be present in any suitable amount or concentration. The agents may be a coating on the entirety of all parts of a surface of the container (e.g., an inner and / or outer surface), or only a portion thereof. The container material - including all parts - may have various degrees of transmittance for electromagnetic radiation such as transparency or translucency. The material may be tinted preferably in dark colors to protect the medium enclosed from electromagnetic radiation, especially from visible or ultraviolet light. For instance, it may consist of glass with an additive such as iron oxide, cobalt oxide, selenium oxide or the like.

[0302] The container may also comprise a reflecting material, for example, polished stainless steel or aluminum or it may be mirrored by a coating with a light-reflecting material such as e. g. glass with a layer of silver. The tinting or mirroring of the container material may be a surface tinting, and / or the tinting or mirroring agent may be embedded within the material. The container may stand at or under a higher than atmospheric pressure, similar to a champagne bottle. This may even go beyond the pressure of twelve bars (=174 psi), common for champagne bottles. The container may comprise certain strengthening features to enhance its ability to stand a higher than atmospheric pressure as. for instance, a polymer material with metal stripes or carbon fibers embedded.

[0303] The container may comprise a device that measures and indicates the actual content or concentration of hydrogen within the hydrogen device, the medium or the container, giving the user the possibility to control the actual amount of hydrogen gas within the container. The pressure may be exerted by hydrogen gas but also others like, for instance, CO2, N2, O2 and the like. The container may be protected by an insulating device, which can be an extra container, a bag or a layer of insulating material attached to the container as, for instance, a plastic foam coating, to prevent the worming of its content, the hydrogen-enriched medium. The container may be surrounded by another container standing under higher than atmospheric pressure providing either hydrogen or other gases as mentioned above.

[0304] The container may be constructed in a way (for example, including but not limited to w ith a valve) that allows the filling with hydrogen gas or other gases, by, for instance, a valve. The filling may happen during the filling process of the container or at any point of time later, even several times.5310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0305] The original or additional hydrogen filling of the container may be applied by the producing company or by dealers or by the user or by any other person with special technical devices to be delivered. The construction, shape or size of the valve allowing the hydrogen filling or refilling of the container to produce and sell containers and filling devices in the design are mentioned herein. In case the hydrogen-diffusing device is situated within the medium to be enriched for example, a vial within a bottle, the container may be constructed in such a way, that it holds the hydrogen-diffusing device in a certain place or position, to optimize the diffusing of hydrogen into the medium and back or to reduce the loss of hydrogen through the outer walls or the lid of the container.

[0306] The container may be constructed in a way (for example, with inner walls or compartments) to reduce or suppress the convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the medium inside, in order to reduce the loss of hydrogen through its outer walls or lid. The container may be filled with a foam of open pores or filled with single small elements, such as, for example, round bowls with pierced walls to reduce or suppress convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the medium in the container, in order to minimize the loss of hydrogen through its outer walls or lid.

[0307] The container may have imprinted an expiration date, indicating the minimum storage life, until which the hydrogen content is enough to guarantee a sufficient antioxidant condition of the medium in the container. This date may be differing (i. e. indicating an earlier or later point of time) from the ordinary expiration date indicating the anticipated shelf life of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients.

[0308] The container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be part of a complex apparatus or process serving other purposes. For instance it may be part of an industrial process of filling food into containers or part of a cryogenic apparatus, cooling semen down to the temperature of liquid nitrogen.

[0309] HYDROGEN DEVICE (general)

[0310] The hydrogen device may be an apparatus releasing hydrogen in form of a stream of gas. It may be designed to spend its hydrogen into the surrounding air for instance as a therapeutic device that enriches the air a subject breathes with hydrogen. The hydrogen device may be an apparatus releasing hydrogen in form of water or water vapor enriched with hydrogen gas. The hydrogen device may be an apparatus releasing hydrogen into an aqueous liquid such as a beverage, food, a therapeutical agent, and the like. The hydrogen device may be an apparatus releasing hydrogen into the blood of a subject to enrich its blood with hydrogen to give it antioxidant properties. The hydrogen device may be a vessel, bottle, j ar, bag etc. but may in general have any shape, suitable for containing, transporting, and diffusing hydrogen gas into a medium or serving other purposes such as visibility, marketing, and the like. The hydrogen device may comprise several parts such as, for instance a container and a lid. The hydrogen device may consist of any material as, for instance it may be made of a mineral, a metal.5410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002a polymer material, or the like. The hydrogen device may be embodied consisting of only one or several different materials such as, for example aluminum coated with plastic. Several hydrogen devices for one container comprising the medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be present at the same time. One hydrogen device may at the same time supply with hydrogen several containers comprising the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The hydrogen device may be transparent or have any possible color.

[0311] Hydrogen-Diffusing Device (Internal)

[0312] The hydrogen device may be embodied as hydrogen-diffusing device that is situated within the medium (forming a container within a container) it is supposed to enrich with hydrogen by diffusion through its walls. The hydrogen-diffusing device may be so small that it can be pushed through a comparatively small opening of the container, for instance, the neck of a bottle. The hydrogen-diffusing device may have a thin, elongated form, looking more or less like a phial / vial or a tube forming a bottle within a bottle (hydrogen inside, medium outside). The hydrogen-diffusing device may be of any thinkable shape, for instance, it may have the shape of a bowl, a star, a plant, a fruit, an animal, a three-dimensional logo of a company and the like. The hydrogen-diffusing device may have a variable outer form so that it can be folded or minimized when pushing it through the opening of the container and be meant to unfold within the container so that later, unfolded, it cannot fall out of the container. The hydrogen-diffusing device may have a shape that allows to estimate its actual content of hydrogen. In particular it may have at least one part that is or looks even, when the container has the minimal hydrogen content promised to contain is visibly bent out (looks convex) when the hydrogen content is even higher than required is visibly bent inward (looks concave) when the hydrogen content is lower than foreseen to serve the user’s purposes.

[0313] The hydrogen-diffusing device may have imprinted all kind of symbols, such as lines, circles, polygons, but also letters or numbers, for instance a company logo, a brand name, a date of expiry and the like. The hydrogen-diffusing device may comprise other items within, similar to those claimed for the hydrogen-containing device itself, such as, for example, colored particles, a three- dimensional company logo or the like. The hydrogen-diffusing device may stand at or under a higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0314] The hydrogen-diffusing device may comprise certain strengthening features to enhance its ability to stand a high pressure as, for instance, a polymer material with metal stripes or carbon fibers embedded. The hydrogen-diffusing device may be embodied as an integral part of the container or its lid. Possible embodiments of this invention can be a separate hydrogen reservoir within the container or its lid or a separate hydrogen chamber attached to the container or its lid.5510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0315] The hydrogen-diffusing device may be embodied as an integral part of lid closing the container. Possible embodiments of the hydrogen-diffusing device can be an extension on the inner side of the lid, filled entirely or partly with hydrogen, protruding into the space of the container.

[0316] Another advantageous embodiment of the hydrogen-diffusing device can be a hydrogen reservoir on top of the lid, having a hydrogen permeable connection to the volume of the container. One more advantageous embodiment of the hydrogen-diffusing device can be a hydrogen reservoir in form of one or several cartridges (for example, including but not limited to aluminum or steel gas bottles) attached to the neck of the bottle, having a hydrogen connection permeable for hydrogen, or designed to be connected to the volume of the container.

[0317] When embodied as an integral part of the lid - in particular when the lid is comparatively small (for example, the cap of a bottle) the hydrogen-diffusing device may comprise a chamber that is a rather thin and long extension of the lid protruding far into the medium. When embodied as an integral part of the lid in particular when the lid is comparatively large (for example the cap of ajar) the hydrogen-diffusing device may comprise a chamber that is a rather flat attachment to the lid.

[0318] Hydrogen-Containing Device (External)

[0319] The hydrogen device may be embodied as a hydrogen-containing device surrounding the medium it is supposed to enrich with hydrogen. The hydrogen-containing device may be embodied as a second, larger container, surrounding the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The hydrogen-containing device may be embodied as a storage room or a refrigerator for beverages, food, therapeutical agents etc. It may be designed in such a way that its inner volume can be entirely or partly - for example, only one compartment of a refrigerator - be floated with hydrogen to enrich possible goods inside with hydrogen - even through the walls of their closed vessels, bottles, jars, bags, and the like. The gas content of the hydrogen-containing device may not only be floated with hydrogen but its gas content may be modified in any possible way serving the purposes of enriching the medium or mediums inside with hydrogen or modifying its redox-potential towards antioxidant conditions. The gas modification may comprise a reduction of the oxygen content until the degree of complete absence of oxygen within the hydrogen-containing device or parts of its inner volume.

[0320] The hydrogen-containing device may be embodied as an extra device to be transported independently from the medium or the container, provided for being connected to the medium to be enriched with hydrogen only a certain time before use.

[0321] The hydrogen-containing device may be embodied as a hydrogen cartridge that stands or can be brought in contact wi th the container of the medium, such as, for instance a bottle, within a device similar way as a soda device, that enriches water or other beverages with carbon dioxide. The5610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002source of hydrogen hereby may be a hydrogen-filled pressurized cartridge or a device that produces hydrogen by means of an electrolysis process from water or an aqueous solution.

[0322] The hydrogen-device similar to a soda device may be embodied within a larger hydrogen-containing device such as, for instance, a "hydrogen-filling-station” for bottles within a refrigerator that produces or diffuses hydrogen may be embodied as a hydrogen cartridge that stands or can be brought in contact with the container of the medium, such as, for instance a bottle, within a device similar way as a soda device, that enriches water or other beverages with carbon dioxide. The source of hydrogen hereby may be a hydrogen-filled pressurized cartridge or a device that produces hydrogen by means of an electrolysis process from water or an aqueous solution.

[0323] Several hydrogen-containing devices - of identic or different appearance and construction - may be present within or at the container or may be connected to the container at the same time. The hydrogen-containing device may be designed to be produced, filled and applicated during the filling process of the container but it may as well be designed to be produced, filled and applicated at any later point of time. The hydrogen-containing device may comprise several, separated compartments or consist of concentric walls or layers to reduce the permeability for or diffusion of hydrogen.

[0324] The hydrogen-containing device may be designed in such a way that at least one part of it, for example, one wall, has a defined permeability for hydrogen - in both directions - letting hydrogen diffuse from inside the hydrogen-containing device into the medium to be enriched, but also letting hydrogen diffuse backward, in case the medium should partly lose its solvability for hydrogen, for instance, due to warming because of sunlight.

[0325] In an ideal embodiment at least one part of the wall of the hydrogen-containing device is so permeable, that it can completely suppress any hydrogen gas to be free within the medium but take back any surplus of hydrogen that cannot be dissolved in the medium anymore.

[0326] In some embodiments the vial or compartment containing hydrogen may be constructed in such a way that at least one wall has, when under high pressure, a convex curvature, and shows the tendency, to bend more and more inw ard - assuming a concave shape - the lower the pressure of the hydrogen gas falls.

[0327] The hydrogen-containing device may have a shape that allows wo estimate its actual content of hydrogen. In particular it may have at least one part that is or looks even, when the container has the optimal hydrogen content- visibly bends out (looks convex) when there is a superfluous hydrogen content - visibly bends inward (looks concave) when the hydrogen content is lower than foreseen to serve the user’s purposes.5710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0328] The hydrogen-containing device may be designed in a similar way as a soda device, used for enriching water and other beverages with carbon dioxide gas, using devices and cartridges of the same shape but of a different construction as existing CCh-devices and cartridges.

[0329] The hydrogen-containing device may be designed in a unique way - comprising shape, size, color, material, inscription, imprinting of a logo and the like - to produce and sell hydrogencontaining devices in the design mentioned. The hydrogen-containing device may be filled wi th a foam of open or closed pores or filled with single small elements, such as round bowls with walls open for hydrogen to reduce or suppress diffusion, convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the hydrogen medium, in order to minimize the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls.

[0330] The hydrogen-containing device may be constructed in a way (for example, with inner walls or compartments) to reduce or suppress the convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the medium inside, in order to reduce the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls.

[0331] The hydrogen-containing device may in addition be filled with a powder, foam, polymer, or other materials that help suppress any movement of hydrogen gas or hydrogen containing components in order to suppress diffusion, convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the hydrogen medium, in order to minimize the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls. The hydrogencontaining device may be filled with a hydrogen absorbing material such as e.g. zeolite or other mineral, metallic or polymer materials to reduce the diffusion of hydrogen through its walls.

[0332] The hydrogen-containing device may be designed in such a way that it is held in a certain position in relation to the container or its lid, as, for instance, in the very center of the container or opposite to the lid, in order to minimize the loss of hydrogen through diffusion. The hydrogencontaining device may comprise other substances to modify, in particular to reduce the diffusion of hydrogen. This may be accomplished by an actively hydrogen-absorbing material such as a metal or an alloy (forming metal -hydrides) or by stuffing a passive filling material such as charcoal, zeolite, and the like, leading to a reduction of the free flow of hydrogen due to convection or other forms of flow. The hydrogen-containing device may have imprinted an expiration date, indicating the minimum storage life, until which the hydrogen content is enough to guarantee a sufficient antioxidant condition of the medium in the container. This date may be differing (for example, indicating an earlier or later point of time) from the ordinary7expiration date indicating the anticipated shelflife of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients.

[0333] The hydrogen-containing device may be part of a complex apparatus or process serving other purposes. For instance it may be part of an industrial process of filling food into containers or part of a cryogenic apparatus, for cooling, for instance stem cells or semen dow n to the temperature of liquid nitrogen.

[0334] LID. CAP OF THE CONTAINER5810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

[0335] The lid or cap of the container may be of any shape, typically used for bottles, jars and the like, comprising the shape of screw caps, crow n corks, synthetic corks, and the like. The cap of the container may be of a special geometry or construction, for example for reducing the loss of or allowing the filling with hydrogen gas. The cap of the container may be produced by an ordinary production process but also be manufactured in a special way, guaranteeing the function and visi bi lity of the hydrogen-enriching device. The cap of the container may be embodied consisting of only one part or may be composed of several different parts in combination similar to the synthetic cork of a champagne bottle. The cap of the container may consist of any material typically used for the transport of drinks, food, or pharmaceutical agents such as glass, metal, compound materials and the like, but it may as well comprise other materials, to be invented in the future. The cap of the container may be embodied consisting of only one or several different materials such as, for example, a combination of ceramic and plastic. The cap of the container may have at least one part, for example, a special inlay as, for example, a sheet of glass or metal or any other application to lower the diffusion rate of hydrogen. The cap of the container may be mixed or coated with certain other substances (for example, aluminum, TiCh), w hich may be embedded w ithin the cap material or be coated on the surface of it.

[0336] The agents added to the cap of the container may be of any consistency , such as metallic (for example aluminum, steel, or the like), mineral (glass, ceramic, enamel, quartz or similar) or plastic (epoxides, PTFE, PE, or other polymers) or combinations thereof. The cap of the container may consist of several parts comprising a mesh strainer or other devices letting the medium flow out but keeping the hydrogen devices inside back, so that they cannot be swallowed or get lost.

[0337] In some embodiments, the cap of the container material may have various degrees of transmittance for electromagnetic radiation such as transparency or translucency. The material may be tinted preferably in dark colors to protect the medium enclosed from electromagnetic radiation, especially from visible or ultraviolet light.

[0338] The cap of the container may also consist of a reflecting material, for example, polished stainless steel or aluminum or it may be mirrored by a coating with a light-reflecting material such as, for example, plastic with a layer of silver or other metals. The tinting or mirroring of the cap material may be a surface tinting, and / or the tinting or mirroring agent may be embedded within the material.

[0339] The cap of the container material may be constructed and manufactured in any w ay that helps to reduce its hydrogen permeability. It may have a relatively low hydrogen permeability, typically less than IO-10mol / cm s, preferably values of less than IO-20mol / cm s, etc. according to the actual state of technology.

[0340] The container material may be provided with certain agents reducing the hydrogen permeability. These agents may be embedded within the cap material or added to a surface of it, inside and / or outside. The agents added to the cap may be of any consistency, such as metallic (for example.5910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002aluminum, steel, or the like), mineral (glass, ceramic, enamel, quartz or similar) or plastic (epoxides, PTFE, PE, or other polymers) or combinations thereof.

[0341] For the cap more than one agent may be used at the same time. The agents may be combined together or be used separately within the cap material but also as coatings and the like. The agents used for the cap may be present in any suitable amount or concentration. The agent may be a coating on the entirety of a surface of the cap (for example, an inner and / or outer surface), or only a portion thereof. The cap of the container may be constructed in a way to insulate, for example by the application of a foam layer on the outside or a foam inlay, to prevent the worming of its content, the hydrogen-ennched medium. The cap of the container may be constructed in a way to stand a higher than atmospheric pressure similar to a champagne bottle. This may even go beyond the pressure of twelve bars (=174 psi), common for champagne corks. The cap of the container may have certain additional features to stand a higher than atmospheric pressure as, for instance, a clamp or a wiring similar to the cork of a champagne bottle or metal sheets, rings or carbon fibers embedded. The cap of the container may comprise a device that measures and indicates the actual content or concentration of hydrogen within the hydrogen device, the medium or the container, guaranteeing the user the promised amount of hydrogen gas within the container. The cap of the container may be constructed in a way (for example, with a valve) that allows the filling of the container with hydrogen gas or other gases. The filling may happen only during the filling process of the container or at any point of time later, even several times.

[0342] The original or additional hydrogen filling of the container through the cap may be applied by the producing company or by dealers (also as a customer refill service) or by the user or by any other person with special technical devices to be delivered. The construction, shape or size of the valve allowing the hydrogen filling or refilling of the container through the cap may be of a unique design, to produce and sell containers and filling devices in the design mentioned. The cap of the container may not be a usual cap having a female thread, screwed over a male thread of the container but be designed vice versa: The cap of the container may have a male thread, screwed into a female thread of the container, so that the container, having more or less the shape of a mug, can be directly used for drinking.

[0343] In case the hydrogen-diffusing device is situated within the medium to be enriched - for example, a vial within a bottle - the lid or cap of the container may be constructed in such a way, that it holds the hydrogen-diffusing device in a certain place or position, to optimize the diffusing of hydrogen into the medium and back or to reduce the loss of hydrogen through the outer walls or the lid of the container.

[0344] The cap of the container may have imprinted an expiration date, indicating the minimum storage life, until which the hydrogen content is enough to guarantee a sufficient antioxidant condition 6010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002of the medium in the container. This date may be differing (for example, indicating an earlier or later point of time) from the ordinary expiration date indicating the anticipated shelflife of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients.

[0345] Additional V ariations Utilizing the Principles of the Invention

[0346] In the following the phrase '‘medium to be enriched with hydrogen’’ shall mean any kind of liquid, solid, gas, or any phase in between, product that can be consumed by or brought into human beings, animals, plants, microbes, soil, water or in general living organisms. Which becomes enriched with hydrogen gas within the container. Examples thereof may be a nutrient as food or a beverage, a medicinal remedy to be administered to the human body as e.g. a cream or blood plasma, as a beauty or wellness product like e. g. a skin lotion or a face mask, etc. According to the claims of this invention the medium is enriched with hydrogen by a hydrogen releasing unit within a closed container. In the following the word “container” is supposed to mean a vessel as, for instance, a bottle, a bag, ajar or the like, to take up, store, transport, set free or enable the consumption of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The word “lid” will denominate a removable or hinged cover for the container of the medium which may be modified to a much larger extent than ordinary lids and can be provided with additional features to serve functions aligned with the inventions proposed here. The “medium to be enriched with hydrogen” shall indicate any liquid or viscose mixture of - at least partly - organic material that is supposed to be brought into or applied for any living organism, e.g. as drinking water, or a beverage, as food or a nutrient, as a therapeutical or pharmaceutical substance, as a beauty or wellness product, as blood plasma or living cells etc. The purpose of the hydrogen enrichment is an improvement of the quality and an extension of the life span of the material prone to oxidation in the container. In the following the expression “hydrogen releasing unit” will describe a technical apparatus that has the ability to set free or diffuse hydrogen gas inside or into the container as mentioned before. Its purpose is to enrich the medium in the container with hydrogen on demand or at a prescribed point of times or over a longer period of time. It should be noted that the process of hydrogen enrichment in the container does not necessarily require a direct contact of the hydrogen releasing unit to the medium therein. Due to the high diffusion rate of hydrogen it may release its hydrogen through a membrane or into the air within a closed volume to enrich the medium or several mediums in it. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a gaseous composition or an aerosol comprising, amongst hydrogen possibly other gases or aerosol particles in liquid or solid form in any suitable concentration, up to a content of 100%. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a liquid composition of substances, conveniently, but not necessarily, containing water and hydrogen gas, both in any convenient percentage up to a content of 100%. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be of any consistency, e. g. gaseous, liquid, paste-like, foam, cream, solid, a dispersion or suspension, a colloidal solution etc. It may. but not necessarily must, contain one or more other substances present in any 6110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002suitable amount. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may contain any suitable amount and form of hydrogen as, for instance, a free volume of gas added (up to a content of 100% hydrogen) or hydrogen chemically bound or dissolved in a gas or liquid or hydrogen absorbed by a solid material. The container to enrich the medium with hydrogen may use any suitable kind of process, for instance a chemical reaction as e.g. an electrolysis of water or a physical process setting free hydrogen gas as, e.g. releasing hydrogen gas from a cartridge that contains - possibly pressurized - hydrogen. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be chemically or physically modified to serve the purposes described in this application. For example it may be modified to minimize the loss of hydrogen by diffusion. In special it may be treated to gain a higher viscosity or gel-like conditions to reduce or suppress convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the fluid. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be treated by a physical, chemical, or microbiological process, for example, by cooling, warming, stirring, shock-frosting, applying radiation or the like to obtain a rise in viscosity. It may comprise additives such as starch, gelatin, carrageen, activated charcoal, zeolite or the like. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may have a reduced amount of oxygen or be treated within the container in any suitable way to reduce its content of oxygen to support the anti-oxidizing properties created by the presence of hydrogen in a watery solution. The medium may be enriched with hydrogen gas over a connection as, e. g. a hose or a channel but I may also be enriched with hydrogen by a diffusion process through a wall or membrane. The medium may be enriched with hydrogen at any convenient point of time, for instance before, during or after the process of filling it into the container or only a short time before use. The hydrogen enriching process may take place at a single moment or over an extended period of time, for example through a device that permanently releases hydrogen gas into the medium. It may happen at different places and points of time at the same time or after each other. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be water or an aqueous solution or a water containing composition having a pH-value higher than neutral, i.e. showing basic conditions, in order to maximize its capacity of dissolving hydrogen. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be designed to function as a concentrate to be added to other mediums for instance water, to enrich them with hydrogen. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be any product prone to oxidation such as food, drinks, pharmaceutical agents, cosmetics, blood plasma, cryogenic material, a human organ, or other perishable goods to improve their quality7or extend their lifetime e.g. anticipated shelf life, longer then would be calculated for the product without the hydrogen treatment. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be configured to be administered to a human subject. It may be designed to be brought into the body in any thinkable way, i.e. it may be drinkable, eatable or in general ingestible but also infusible, inhalable, as well as an outwardly applied composition. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be configured to be administered to an animal. It may be designed to be brought into the body in any thinkable way, i. e. it may be drinkable, eatable or in general ingestible 6210 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002but also infusible, inhalable, as well as an outwardly applied composition which is for example sprayed onto the animals in a stable or dissolved in the water of an aquarium or a tank in the scope of hydro- or aquaponics for the breeding of fish etc. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be configured to be applied for plants. It may be designed to be brought into the metabolic system of the plant in any thinkable way, for instance it may be sprayed into the air within a greenhouse, water for pouring on plants etc. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a suspension of microbes in an aqueous solution to accelerate their germination or improve their health. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a liquid of any variety of drinkable liquids, such as water, beverage, fruit juice, lemonade, energy drink, milk or other dairy products, hot dnnks as tea, coffee, etc. or an alcoholic drink such as wine, beer, liquor or the like. And may comprise a variety of additives, such as, but not restricted to, sugar, salt(s), electrolytes, caffeine, flavoring, coloring, nutrients, food supplements, vitamins, herbal essences, fruit, or seed extracts and the like. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may comprise any kind of food, for example fruit, vegetables, meat, pudding etc. including frozen foods, either foods to be eaten frozen such as e.g. ice cream but also food to be defrosted before consumption such as vegetables, meat and the like. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a food supplement containing all kind of additives, such as, but not restricted to, minerals, trace minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, antioxidants, anti-aging agents or other active pharmaceutical agents. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a pharmaceutical or therapeutical agent comprising other chemical substances for instance it may be a remedy against any possible diseases, a normal saline (NaCl-solution) etc. and may contain other helpful substances such as, e. g. vitamins, minerals pharmaceutic remedies etc. It may be applied in combination with other treatments such as e.g. manual therapy, surgical intervention, radiotherapy etc. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be administered to a subject to improve metabolism, to treat certain diseases, to accelerate recovery from illness, to accelerate wound-healing to strengthen physical condition e. g. for sports, for anti-aging, beauty -treatment, convalescence, or other positive effects etc. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a cream to be administered to the skin of a human being or an animal to bring hydrogen through the skin into the body and may comprise any variety of other chemical substances having s certain therapeutic, health-supporting, cosmetic, anti-aging, detoxifying, strengthening or similar effect on the subject. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be administered within the scope of a, to bring hydrogen or hydrogen-enriched fluids through the skin into the body. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a composition to be administered to the skin, hair, nails etc. of the subject and may be assisted by other physical measures such as sound, heat, radiation, electrophoresis, electro-stimulation etc. It may be, for example a therapeutic wrap or a bandage wrapped around the knee or the neck of a subject to exert any therapeutical, health-supporting, or cosmetic effect, as e.g. a beauty mask, a cosmetic tissue or w rap, an anti-aging skin lotion, a skin- 6310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002smoothing cream, a tissue-tightening make-up etc. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a natural or artificially produced fango mud enriched with hydrogen to be administered to a subject to improve detoxification or to treat certain diseases. The medium to be enriched with hy drogen may be an artificial aerosol application to produce an aerosol, possibly comprising other substances as. for instance, fragrances, essential oils, therapeutical agents or the like to be inhaled by patients or customers for medicinal or anti-aging treatments. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a toothpaste or a mouthwash or an oral spray, enriching the mouth, the gingiva, and the saliva with hydrogen. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be an organ, a tissue or in general any substance taken from the human body such as e.g. blood, blood plasma, serum, sputum, mucus, urine, sperms, stem cells etc. to maximize the time of use or to reduce the percentage of reject samples for instance in the scope of organ transplantations, sperm banks or stem cell laboratories for normal as well as for cooled or cryogenic conditions. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be a cooling agent such as, e. g. ice cubes to be added to a beverage or food to not only cool but in addition improve the quality of that beverage or food by giving it antioxidant properties. The medium to be enriched with hydrogen may be tab water, drinking water or table water or be applied for a water treatment process for tab water, drinking water or table water and may be accompanied by a modification of other physical or chemical properties of the water such as. for instance, the change of the surface tension, the viscosity, the wettability, the redox-potential, pH-value or the like. The container to enrich e medium inside with hydrogen may be applied within the scope of an apparatus similar to a conventional soda device producing drinking water or beverages saturated with carbon dioxide CO2 to enrich the water or beverage not only with CO2 but in addition with hydrogen. A hydrogen releasing unit may be understood as any technical construction that can bring forward hydrogen gas. It may serve as constructive component of a container of the medium but may as well be a single apparatus that can be brought in direct contact or near the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The hydrogen releasing unit may comprise a cartridge containing hydrogen gas possibly standing under a higher than atmospheric pressure or it may comprise one or several substances that can set free hydrogen gas as a product of a chemical, electrochemical, or physical reaction. The hydrogen releasing unit may release hydrogen in form of a stream of gas or in dissolved form through a membrane e.g. dissolving the hydrogen directly into an aqueous medium. The hydrogen releasing unit may at the same time supply with hydrogen several containers containing possibly different mediums to be enriched with hydrogen. Vice versa, several hydrogen releasing units - of identical or different construction - may be present within or at one container or may be connected to the container at the same time. The hydrogen releasing unit may consist of any material as, for instance it may be made of a mineral, a metal, a polymer material or the like and may consist of only one or several different materials such as, for example aluminum coated with plastic. The hydrogen releasing unit may be a part of a container such 6410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002as vessel, botle, jar, bag etc. but may in general have any shape, suitable for containing, transporting, and diffusing hydrogen gas into a medium and it may be serving other purposes such as visibility, marketing, display of a logo etc. The hydrogen releasing unit may be transparent or have any possible color, shape, or appearance, for instance, it may have the shape of a bowl, a star, a rocket, a plant, an animal, a three-dimensional logo of a company etc. It may have imprinted all kind of symbols, such as lines, circles, polygons, but also leters or numbers, for instance a company logo, a brand name, a date of expiry or the like. The hydrogen releasing unit may also comprise other items within or on its outer surface, having imprinted all kind of symbols, such as lines, circles, polygons, but also leters or numbers, for instance a company logo, a brand name, a date of expiry or the like. The hydrogen releasing unit may have a variable outer form so that it can be folded, squeezed, or minimized in any suitable way, for instance when pushing it through the neck of a botle and be meant to unfold or in general maximize within the container so that later, unfolded, it cannot fall out of the container. For this purpose a higher than ordinary pressure may be applied at the moment of inserting the hydrogen releasing unit in the container. The hydrogen releasing unit may be situated within the medium, for instance forming a container within a container as, e.g. a botle within a botle and be supposed to enrich the medium with hydrogen by diffusion through its walls. The hydrogen releasing unit may- have a thin, elongated form, looking more or less like a phial or a tube and may in special be so small or thin that it can be pushed through a comparatively small opening of the container, for instance, the neck of a botle. The hydrogen releasing unit may have a shape that allows to estimate its actual content of hydrogen or its hydrogen pressure or its amount of hydrogen releasing agent. In particular it may- have at least one part that is visibly bent out (looks convex) when its content of hydrogen or of hydrogen releasing agent is higher than required -is visibly flat (looks even) when its content of hydrogen or of hydrogen releasing agent is as required-is visibly bent inward (looks concave) when its content of hydrogen or of hydrogen releasing agent is lower than required. The hydrogen releasing unit may comprise certain strengthening features to improve its ability to stand under a higher pressure as, for instance, a polymer material with metal stripes or carbon fibers embedded. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as an integral part of the container, for instance it may be a separate hydrogen chamber atached to or within the container. It may protrude far into the inner space of the container or be fixed over a rather long extension positioning the hydrogen releasing unit at an advantageous place within the container, for instance in its center. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as an integral part of the lid closing the container and may protrude far into the inner space of the container or be fixed over a rather long extension positioning the hydrogen releasing unit at an advantageous place within the container, for instance in its center. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied in form of one or several hydrogen reservoirs on top of or in the periphery- of the lid, comprising a direct or hydrogen permeable connection to the volume of the container or may be embodied as one or several 6510 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002hydrogen reservoirs atached to the neck of the botle, comprising a direct or hydrogen permeable connection to the medium in the container. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as a hydrogen containing device surrounding the medium it is supposed to enrich with hydrogen, that means, it may be embodied as a second, larger container, surrounding the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen. The hydrogen releasing unit may be embodied as a double walled container. It may be designed in such a way that its volume between the two walls can be floated with hydrogen. With the inner wall being rather permeable for hydrogen this construction may enrich the medium within the inner volume with hydrogen - even through the walls of their closed vessels, botles, jars, bags etc. The hydrogen releasing unit may embodied as an extra device to be transported independently from the medium or the container, provided for being connected to the medium to be enriched with hydrogen only at a certain time, for instance before use. The hydrogen releasing unit may constructed in such a way that it can enrich the medium in the container not only with hydrogen but with other ingredients, especially other gases like, e. g. carbon dioxide, in addition. The hydrogen releasing unit may be constructed in such a way that it can be brought in contact with the container of the medium by forming a gas-proof connection, for instance by providing a female thread at its lower end that fits the male thread of the container with the medium to be enriched with hydrogen, The hydrogen releasing unit may be constructed in such a way that it sets free hydrogen gas when activated by the customer at a desired point of time e.g. by pressing a button but it may as well release hydrogen gas into the container in any prescribed or programmable mode as for example controlled by e litle computer programmed by the consumer to set free a desired amount of hydrogen at a certain point of time or over a preferred period of time. The hydrogen releasing unit may be applied during the filling process of the container but it may as well be designed to be applied at any later point of time. The hydrogen releasing unit may comprise several separated compartments or may consist of several concentric walls or layers to reduce the permeability for or diffusion of hydrogen. The hydrogen releasing unit may designed in such a way that at least one part of it, e. g. one wall, has a defined permeability for hydrogen - in both directions - leting hydrogen diffuse from inside the hydrogen releasing device into the medium to be enriched, but also leting hydrogen diffuse backward, in case the medium within the container should stand under higher pressure due to thermal expansion going along with a loss of solvability7for hydrogen at higher temperatures. The hydrogen releasing unit may be designed in a unique way - comprising shape, size, color, material, imprinting of a logo etc. and to produce and sell hydrogen releasing units in the design mentioned. The hydrogen releasing unit may have imprinted an expiration date, indicating the minimum storage life, until which the hydrogen content is enough to guarantee a sufficient antioxidant condition of the medium in the container. This date may be differing (i.e. indicating a later point of time) from the ordinary7expiration date indicating the anticipated shelf life of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients. The hydrogen releasing unit may 6610 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002be constructed in such a way that it provides chemical substances enabling the oxidation of a metal with water, according to the chemical formula: metal + H2O -> metal-oxide + H2 In special it may comprise magnesium to be oxidized with water, according to the chemical formula: Mg + H2O -> MgO + H2 . There may be other suitable substances present as e.g. catalysts or phlegmatizers as e.g. silver. The hydrogen releasing unit may be constructed in such a way that it provides a layer of material around the metal as e.g. porous ceramic, concrete, zeolite, clay, activated charcoal and the like or a semipermeable, microporous plastic membrane to restrict the flow of water to the surface of the metal drastically, so that the reaction happens significantly slower than with full access of water. The hydrogen releasing unit may comprise a hydrogen producing button-cell which gains its energy from oxidizing elementary zinc with water according to the chemical formula: Zn + H2O -> ZnO + H2 . The hydrogen releasing unit may comprise a modified hydrogen producing galvanic cell which - as the cells - gains its energy from oxidizing elementary zinc with water according to the chemical formula: Zn + H2O -> ZnO + H2 and use potassium hydroxide KOH as an electrolyte but have additional features claimed further down. In the following such a modified cell will be called zinc- water cell. The zinc-water cell may contain the necessary stoichiometric amount of water from the beginning inside the cell as part of the electrolyte or in a separate compartment in or near the cell or it may derive its water from the medium itself, being an aqueous solution over a semipermeable membrane that lets water diffuse in but keeps the reactants, especially the aqueous electrolyte, inside the cell. For this purpose it may use a highly hygroscopic electrolyte such as e.g. potassium hydroxide KOH to attract the w ater. The chemical reaction of the zinc-w ater cell according to claim 63 may be modified from the educt side as well as from the product side or from the catalyst side. That means the speed of the chemical reduction may be accelerated or reduced by means of regulating the flow of hydrogen out of the cell, water into the cell or water and electrolyte inside the cell by the use of semipermeable membranes with a defined permeability rate for mentioned substances. The chemical reaction of the zinc-water cell may be started, stopped, or modified at any desired point of time and for any desired length by the user by means of regulating the load of an electrical circuit that connects the two poles - anode and cathode - of the cell for instance by turning a wheel outside the unit that indicates and tunes the reaction speed or by a programmed electronic control or the like. Not only the hydrogen released from zinc-water cell also may have the electrical current i.e. the electrons from the anode may be used in the scope of this invention to influence the medium in appropriate ways as, e.g. to optimize its redox-potential or to modify its pH-value by leading electrons into it by means of an electrode standing in contact with the medium. The zinc-water cell may be constructed in such a way that it can be restored by means of an electrical charging process, releasing the oxygen from the zinc oxide, reducing it to elementary zinc, according to the chemical formula: 2 ZnO -> 2 Zn + O2 letting the oxygen gas stream out into ambient air. This process may happen in presence of water. The container 6710 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002used to contain, transport, or consume the medium enriched with hydrogen or to be enriched with hydrogen may be of any type or shape, comprising ordinary shapes of bottles, jars and the like but it may as well be of a very special geometry or construction, supporting the storage and transport of the hydrogen-enriched medium but also serving other purposes such as marketing etc. The container for the medium may consist of only one part such as a bag or may be composed of several different parts in combination as, for instance, a bottle and a lid. It may contain other helpful items inside to reduce the movement in the medium and by this the diffusion of hydrogen. The container for the medium according to claim may comprise a mesh strainer or other devices letting the medium flow out but keeping the hydrogen devices inside back, so that they cannot be swallowed or get lost. The container for the medium may be produced by an ordinary production process but also be manufactured in a special way, for instance it may comprise special features to prevent the diffusion of hydrogen or to optimize the diffusion of hydrogen into the medium. The container for the medium may consist of only one or several different materials such as, for example aluminum coated with plastic and it may consist of any material typically used for the transport of drinks, food, or pharmaceutical agents such as glass, metal, compound materials, but it may also be manufactured of new or modified materials, especially bio-degradable polymers. The container for the medium may be manufactured from several layers of plastic as, for instance consisting of a rather stable core material like, e. g. HDPE (high-density polyethylene) or the like, which is covered with another layer of material as, for instance PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) PVC (polyvinylchloride) or the like the purpose of which is to close possible pores present in the core material, to reduce the diffusion rate of hydrogen through the walls of the container. The container for the medium may be constructed in such a way (e.g. with inner walls or compartments) that it reduces or suppresses convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the medium inside, in order to reduce the loss of hydrogen through its outer walls or lid. The container for the medium may be filled with a foam of open pores or filled with single small elements, such as, for example, round bowls with pierced walls to reduce or suppress convection or other forms of streaming or sharing of the medium in the container, in order to minimize the loss of hydrogen. The container for the medium may have imprinted an expiration date, indicating the minimum storage life, until which the hydrogen content is enough to guarantee a sufficient antioxidant condition of the medium in the container. This date may be differing (i.e. indicating an earlier or later point of time) from the ordinary' expiration date indicating the anticipated shelf life of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients. The container for the medium may be constructed and manufactured in any suitable way that helps to reduce its hydrogen permeability. It may have a relatively low hydrogen permeability, typically less than 1012mol / cm s, preferably values of less than 1016mol / cm s, etc. according to the actual state of technology. The container for the medium may be covered or fortified with other substances reducing the hydrogen permeability as, for instance, coatings with aluminum Al, titanium 6810 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002dioxide TiCh. etc. These agents may be embedded within the container material or added to a surface of it, inside, outside or on both surfaces. The coating may be applied on the entirety of all parts of a surface of the container (e.g., an inner or outer surface), or only a portion thereof. The container for the medium may have various degrees of transmittance for electromagnetic radiation such as transparency or translucency. The material may be tinted preferably in dark colors to protect the medium enclosed from electromagnetic radiation, especially from visible or ultraviolet light. For instance, it may consist of glass with an additive such as iron oxide, cobalt oxide, selenium oxide or the like. The container for the medium may have at least one part e.g. a surface tinting that absorbs or reflects visible light, by applying a coating of a light reflecting material such as e.g. a layer of silver on glass. The tinting or mirroring agent may also be embedded within the material. The container for the medium may stand at or under a higher than atmospheric pressure, similar to a champagne bottle. This may even go beyond the pressure of 12 hpa (hectopascal) or bars = 174 psi, common for champagne bottles. The container for the medium may comprise certain strengthening features to enhance its ability to stand a higher than atmospheric pressure as, for instance, a polymer material with metal stripes or carbon fibers embedded. The container for the medium may comprise a device that measures and indicates the actual content or concentration of hydrogen within the hydrogen device, the medium or the container, giving the user the possibility to control the actual amount of hydrogen gas within the container. The container for the medium may be constructed in such a way that it allows estimating its actual content of hydrogen. For instance it may be contain a compartment containing hydrogen which provides at least a part of its walls that is so flexible that it can bend in or out visibly according to the pressure of the hydrogen gas contained within. In particular it may have at least one part that is or looks even, when the container has the optimal hydrogen content-visibly bends out or looks convex when there is a superfluous hydrogen content-visibly bends inward or looks concave when the hydrogen content is lower than foreseen to serve the user’s purposes. The container for the medium may be constructed in such a way that it is protected by an insulating device, which can be an extra container, a bag or a layer of insulating material attached to the container as, for instance, a plastic foam coating, to prevent the worming of its content, the hydrogen enriched medium. The container for the medium may be surrounded by another container, possibly standing under higher than atmospheric pressure providing either hydrogen or a mixture with other gases in the space between the two containers. The container for the medium may be constructed in such a way (e.g. comprising a valve) that allows the filling with hydrogen gas or other gases. The filling may happen during the filling process of the container or at any point of time later, even several times. The container for the medium may be filled by the producing company or by dealers or by the user or by any other person with special technical devices to be delivered. The container for the medium may be constructed in such a w ay that the shape or size of the valve allowing the hydrogen filling or refilling of the container may be of a unique design. The lid or 6910 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002cap of the container mentioned above may be of any shape, typically used for bottles, jars and the like, comprising the shape of screw caps, crown corks, synthetic corks etc. but it may be of a special geometry or construction, e. g. for reducing the loss of or allowing the filling with hydrogen gas. The lid of the container mentioned above may be embodied consisting of only one part or may be composed of several different parts in combination. It may be embodied consisting of only one or several different materials such as, for example, a combination of ceramic and plastic. The lid or cap of the container may be mixed or coated with certain other substances (e.g. aluminum, TiO2), which may be embedded within the cap material or be coated on the surface of it. The lid of the container mentioned above may consist of any material typically used for the transport of drinks, food, or pharmaceutical agents such as glass, metal, compound materials etc. The lid of the container mentioned above may have at least one part, e.g. a special inlay as, for example, a sheet of glass or metal or any other application to lower the diffusion rate of hy drogen. The lid of the container mentioned above may have various degrees of transmittance for electromagnetic radiation such as transparency or translucency. The material may be tinted preferably in dark colors to protect the medium enclosed from electromagnetic radiation, especially from visible or ultraviolet light. The lid of the container mentioned above may consist of a reflecting material, for example, polished stainless steel or aluminum or it may be mirrored by a coating with a light-reflecting material such as e. g. plastic with a layer of silver or other metals. The tinting or mirroring of the cap material may be a surface tinting, and / or the tinting or mirroring agent may be embedded within the material. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed and manufactured in any way that helps to reduce its hydrogen permeability. It may comprise any suitable substance that reduces its hydrogen permeability, such as metallic (e.g. aluminum, steel or the like), mineral (glass, ceramic, enamel, quartz or similar) or plastic (epoxides. PTFE, PE. or other polymers) or combinations thereof. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed in such a way that more than one substance is present at the same time. It may consist of a variety of substances that can be present in any suitable amount or concentration. The different substances may be combined together or be used separately within the cap material but also as coatings etc. The lid of the container mentioned above may comprise a coating on the entirety of a surface of the cap, e.g., an inner or outer surface, or only a portion thereof. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed in a w ay that it insulates heat, for example by the application of a foam layer on the outside or a foam inlay, to prevent the worming of its content, the hydrogen-enriched medium. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed in such a way that it can stand under a higher than atmospheric pressure similar to a champagne bottle. This may even go beyond the pressure of twelve bars («174 psi), common for champagne corks. The lid of the container mentioned above may comprise additional features to stand a higher than atmospheric pressure as, for instance, a clamp or a wiring similar to the cork of a champagne bottle or metal sheets, rings or carbon fibers embedded. The lid of the container 7010 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002mentioned above may comprise a device that measures and indicates the actual content or concentration of hydrogen within the hydrogen device, the medium or the container, guaranteeing the user the promised amount of hydrogen gas within the container. In particular it may have at least one part that is or looks even, when the container has the optimal hydrogen content-visibly bends out or looks convex when there is a superfluous hydrogen content-visibly bends inward or looks concave when the hydrogen content is lower than foreseen to serve the user’s purposes. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed in such a way that it allows, e.g. with a valve, the filling of the container with hydrogen gas or other gases. The filling may happen only during the filling process of the container or at any point of time later, even several times. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed in such a way that the additional hydrogen filling of the container through the cap may be applied by the producing company or by dealers (also as a customer refill service) or by the user or by any other person with special technical devices to be delivered. The lid of the container mentioned above may be constructed in such a way that the shape or size of the valve allowing the hydrogen filling or refilling of the container through the cap may be of a unique design and to produce and sell containers and filling devices in the design mentioned. The lid or cap of the container mentioned above may have imprinted an expiration date, indicating the minimum storage life, until which the hydrogen content is enough to guarantee a sufficient antioxidant condition of the medium in the container. This date may be differing (i.e. indicating an earlier or later point of time) from the ordinary expiration date indicating the anticipated shelf life of the medium due to its consistency of perishable ingredients. The present invention relates to a set of hydrogen-enriching containers such as bags, jars, bottles etc. for water, beverages, food, therapeutic agents, cosmetic products or in general any mediums to be transferred into human beings, animals, plants, microbes or soil, the purpose of which is to give the medium in such a closed container antioxidant properties for the benefit of living organisms. The present invention offers several solutions that can be applied as single or in combination: a hydrogen releasing unit to the container of the medium to be enriched with H2-- the possibility to add many times the amount of hydrogen solvable in the medium-technical means to enrich the medium only a short time before the actual use- comprising a hydrogen releasing unit that can not only release but also take back H2-- additional layers of material restricting the loss of hydrogen plus other applications— a special geometry to maximize the way of hydrogen and suppress movement in the medium-the implementation of the hydrogen releasing unit to the container of the medium to be enriched with hydrogen can be realized basically in many different ways, including but not limited to:- the hydrogen releasing unit is located in or mostly in the medium to be enriched- the hydrogen releasing unit is located beside the container of the medium - the hydrogen releasing unit surrounds the medium to be enriched. Different constructions of the hydrogen releasing unit for the hydrogen enrichment of the medium are presented- filled with hydrogen gas, possibly compressed, and sets free the hydrogen 7110 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002gas into the medium- comprising at least one chemical substance that set fee hydrogen triggered by a physical process- Getting free hydrogen from an electrolysis process from water or an aqueous solution- containing several chemical substances that react with each other and set free hydrogencomprising at least one chemical substance that reacts with water to set free hydrogen- comprising at least one chemical substance that reacts with the medium to set free hydrogen- employing one or several hydrogen generating galvanic cells (as e.g. hydrogen button cells). Furthermore several technical solutions for the container are proposed to restrict the diffusion of hydrogen gas from the container or its lid:- special materials or combinations thereof (e.g. coatings, production process)- special geometrical shapes of the container reducing diffusion of hydrogen - additional technical applications in the container- modifications of the lids to guarantee tight closing and less diffusion. Finally the use of the container or the hydrogen releasing unit thereof for other purposes as display or marketing purposes.

[0347] Although the invention herein has been described with reference to embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.10 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

Claims

IN THE CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for enriching a medium with hydrogen, comprising: a container having a lid configured to hold a medium to be enriched; and a hydrogen releasing unit operatively associated with the container, the hydrogen releasing unit being capable of generating hydrogen gas via at least one of a chemical, electrochemical, or physical reaction; and wherein the hydrogen releasing unit is configured to release hydrogen gas into the medium to impart antioxidant properties.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit releases hydrogen gas in dissolved form through a permeable membrane directly into an aqueous medium.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit is configured to supply hydrogen gas to multiple containers simultaneously or multiple hydrogen releasing units are integrated with a single container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit has a foldable or compressible outer form for insertion through a narrow container opening and expands to secure its position within the container.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit is integrated into a lid or cap of the container, with features to reduce hydrogen diffusion and maintain internal pressure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a double-walled structure, with hydrogen gas contained between walls to enrich the medium via diffusion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit or container includes printed information indicating hydrogen content expiration dates or branding logos.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container and hydrogen releasing unit are constructed to withstand pressures exceeding atmospheric levels, with reinforcements such as polymer composites embedded with metal or carbon fibers.7310 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.000029. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the medium is selected from a group consisting of a cosmetic, a food, a liquid, water, a cream, a gel, an emulsion, a solid, a pharmaceutical, a therapeutic agent, a clothing item, a fertilizer, soil, a gardening substance, and any combination thereof.

10. An apparatus for enriching a medium with hydrogen, comprising: a container having a cartridge or a puck or a lid containing hydrogen gas or at least one substance configured to generate hydrogen gas upon activation; a housing adapted to be positioned within, adjacent to, or surrounding a container holding the medium to be enriched; and a membrane or diffusion mechanism for controlled release of hydrogen gas into the medium; wherein the hydrogen releasing unit is constructed from materials selected from minerals, metals, polymers, or composites to withstand pressure and optimize hydrogen diffusion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit includes chemical substances that react with water to release hydrogen slowly, regulated by a porous or semipermeable membrane.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit comprises a galvanic cell that produces hydrogen via oxidation of zinc in the presence of water.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit visually indicates hydrogen content or pressure state via deformation or color change.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit is capable of enriching the medium with additional gases, including carbon dioxide.

15. The apparatus of claim 10. wherein the hydrogen releasing unit comprises multiple concentric layers to control hydrogen diffusion rates bidirectionally.

16. A method of enriching a medium with hydrogen, comprising: providing a container having a lid holding the medium to be enriched; introducing or associating a hydrogen releasing unit with the container, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit generates hydrogen gas through a chemical, electrochemical, or physical reaction;7410 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002releasing hydrogen gas from the hydrogen releasing unit into the medium to increase hydrogen concentration beyond normal solubility limits; and maintaining the enriched medium in a closed environment configured to reduce hydrogen diffusion loss.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising activating the hydrogen releasing unit at a selected time via user interaction or programmable control.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the lid is constructed with materials and coatings to reduce hydrogen permeability and presen e hydrogen concentration.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the hydrogen releasing unit is disconnected from the container after enrichment or remains integral during storage.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling temperature or pressure within the container to optimize hydrogen solubility in the medium.75 / 17 / 2025 SL1 3819322V1 122477.00002

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