AU2006214789B2 - Dispensing spigot - Google Patents

Description

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 DISPENSING SPIGOT Field of the Invention The present invention relates to dispensing spigots for use in conjunction with 5 the spout of a fluid package or container, particularly a package of the bag-in box type. Background of the Invention 10 Bag-in-box packaging is now commonplace for a variety of commodities due to its economy, convenience and storage capabilities. Typically, such packaging consists of a flexible bag for reception of the commodity, and a paperboard box for reception of the filled bag. The bag is equipped with a tubular spout through which the bag may be filled and the contents subsequently dispensed. The box 15 is provided with perforated tabs adjacent the location of the spout within the box to facilitate access to, removal of and mounting of the spout in a wall of the box (near the bottom thereof) for convenient gravity dispensing of the contents. Examples of commodities economically packaged in this manner include milk, 20 juice and wine, together with more viscous products such as tomato sauce (ketchup). In Australia, perhaps the best known of this type of packaging is the wine cask. The spout of a bag-in-box package is normally equipped with a valve for 25 controlling dispensing of the contents by the user, the valve typically being referred to in the art as a "spigot". One form of spigot is an integral elastomeric member having a diaphragmatic transverse wall of generally concave shape, the spigot being adapted to be inserted into the spout in sealing engagement with the interior of the outer end of the spout. The transverse wall includes a 30 finger manipulatable means (now normally referred to in the art as a "toggle") for distorting at least a portion of the spigot to disengage that portion from the interior of the spout (adjacent a dispensing aperture), forming a path of fluid egress to permit dispensing of the contents. After manipulation of the toggle, WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -2 and the dispensing of the required amount of fluid, the spigot returns to its sealing position. Before turning to a discussion of various prior art spigots, it is useful to provide 5 an explanation of some of the terms often used to define the spatial relationship of various spigot parts. This will be useful not only for an understanding of the prior art, but also for a proper understanding of the spigot of the present invention. 10 In this respect, spatial references throughout this specification will be based upon a normal in-use, at-rest environment for spigots of this type, namely spigots mounted on a spout in a typical bag-in-box package such as that illustrated in Figure 1. 15 With this environment as the basis, some parts of the spigot may then be defined with reference to the "horizontal", allowing further references to "upper" and "lower", and also the "vertical". Also, the spout is tubular and has a longitudinal central axis, which dictates that the spigot will also have a longitudinal central axis. A reference to the axial or radial directions will thus be 20 a reference utilizing the central axis of the spigot as the base reference. Further, the well accepted reference to a "transverse wall" in the art is a reference to a wall that is generally transverse to this central axis. Finally, it is normal in the art to refer to the dispensing side (the external or outer 25 side) of the spigot as being the forward or front side. Therefore, the fluid side (the internal or inner side) of the spigot becomes the rearward or rear side. A reference to "projecting axially inwardly", for example, is thus a reference to something projecting in the axial direction towards the fluid side of the spigot when the spigot is in-use on a bag-on-box package of the type illustrated in 30 Figure 1.

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -3 Of course, it must be appreciated that the use of such spatial relationships to define parts of the spigot of the present invention is not to be seen as a limitation only to the in-use environment. 5 Returning now to the prior art attempts at providing suitable spigots for bag-in box packaging, one of the earliest forms of spigot is that provided by L.A. Fattori in United States patent 3,400,866. The Fattori spigot has a concave, diaphragmatic transverse wall that is said to taper radially in cross-section from a relatively thicker and substantially flat central portion to a thinner frusto 10 conical portion. It is the central portion that carries the toggle, and the frusto conical portion of the transverse wall is continuous (and symmetrical) about the central axis of the spigot to entirely surround the toggle. United States patents 3,443,728 (W. R. Scholle), 3,972,452 (W.C. Welsh) and 15 5,000,359 (W.R. Scholle et al) each also generally describe a spigot, at least in terms of the configuration of its transverse wall, similar to the Fattori spigot. Of these, the Welsh spigot is though somewhat different in that its transverse wall omits the central flat portion such that the transverse wall is entirely smoothly concave, again symmetrically about the central axis of the spigot, and again 20 with the toggle centrally located and entirely surrounded thereby. Primarily there have been two further fundamental variations of the configuration of the transverse walls of spigots of this type, amongst of course other variations to other aspects of the spigots. 25 The first variation is apparent in United States patent 4,248,362 to W.C. Welsh et al. which varies the transverse wall by modifying it from being smoothly concave to being wedge shaped, again with the toggle located centrally. The wedge shaped transverse wall defines a rearwardly projecting apex arranged 30 horizontally across the transverse wall, which apex provides a hinge line about which the toggle can pivot.

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -4 The second variation is apparent in United States patents 4,211,348 (W.R. Scholle), 4,444,340 (C.J. Bond et al) and 4,645,100 (P.R. Wells) which each illustrate (amongst other things) a generally flat transverse wall having a toggle arranged in the lower half thereof, such that the juncture between the top of the 5 toggle and the transverse wall (about which the toggle will pivot) is at about a horizontal centre-line. This generally flat transverse wall does not have concave, frusto-conical or inclined portions. While most of these prior art spigots were developed to specifically address 10 sealing effectiveness, each is inherently required to exhibit a degree of dispensing effectiveness. Such dispensing effectiveness relates primarily to the ease of use of the spigot, the rate of dispensing of fluid, and the turbulence of the fluid during dispensing. 15 In terms of ease of use, it is generally an aim to minimize the pressure that a user needs to exert on the toggle to maintain the toggle in a fully (or nearly fully) open position. This of course provides some design tension given the conflicting aim of ensuring sufficient stiffness/resilience in the configuration of the spigot to promptly and strongly return the toggle to its at-rest (sealing) 20 position. Also, in the fully open position, it is generally an aim that the configuration of the fluid path from the bulk of the fluid to the dispensing aperture provides minimum resistance to fluid flow, permitting a smooth and rapid flow of fluid through the aperture. It is with these aims in mind that the present invention has been developed. 25 Before turning to a summary of the present invention, it must be appreciated that the above description of the prior art has been provided merely as background to explain the context of the invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published or known, or was a 30 part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -5 Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a dispensing spigot for a fluid container having a spout, the spigot including a peripheral wall adapted to, in use, fit within and 5 seal against the spout, and a transverse wall for closing off the spigot, and, in use, the spout, the spigot also including a toggle member extending forward of the transverse wall, wherein the transverse wall of the spigot includes a radial portion and a portion radially inclined forwardly of the radial portion, the toggle member occupying the radial portion such that the toggle member, when 10 manipulated by a user, pivots at the juncture of the radial portion with the inclined portion, the juncture being at about the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall, to distort the transverse wall and a front portion of the peripheral wall to, in use, permit dispensing of the fluid within the container. The radial portion of the transverse wall is preferably a flat portion, being in a 15 radial plane with respect to the central axis of the spigot. In one form of the invention, the radial portion of the transverse wall will be semi-circular (or at least partially semi-circular), with the juncture of the peripheral and transverse walls forming the arc of the semi-circle. The chord of 20 the semi-circle will then ideally be the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall (namely, a diameter of the transverse wall). However, the chord may be less than a diameter of the transverse wall, which would result in the radial portion only being partially semi-circular. In this form, with either a semi-circular or a partially semi-circular radial portion, the inclined portion will likely have a 25 simple inclined surface, with a constant angle of radial inclination thereacross. In another form of the invention, the chord of the radial portion will be curved, with the chord being replaced by an arc, the radial portion then having an upper arc and a lower arc, the lower arc being the juncture of the peripheral and 30 transverse walls. In this form, the upper arc may be a circular arc, having the same or greater radius as the transverse wall, or may be an elliptical arc, or (less preferably) may be an arc of a complex shape. The upper arc of the radial portion in this form of the invention preferably passes through or near the centre WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -6 of the transverse wall. In this form of the invention, the radial portion will thus have a shape that might be said to be elliptical or "eye-shaped", although not necessarily being symmetrical from top to bottom as would be envisaged by something said to be "eye-shaped". For the purposes of further description, the 5 radial portion in this form of the invention will thus be referred to as being generally elliptical. When the radial portion is generally elliptical, the juncture of the radial portion and the inclined portion will itself be arcuate. This results in the inclined portion 10 having a reasonably complex surface geometry that will now be described. In this form, the upper juncture between the inclined portion and the peripheral wall will be an arc (the upper arc of the inclined portion) that is circular, having a radius the same as the radius of the transverse wall. The lower juncture 15 between the inclined portion and the generally elliptical radial portion is curved in the manner described above, and thus will be an arc (the lower arc of the inclined portion, but the upper arc of the radial portion) that may be circular, with a radius the same as or greater than the radius of the transverse wall, or that may be elliptical. 20 Given that the inclined portion is inclined radially away from (and forward of) the radial portion, it follows that the upper and lower arcs of the inclined potion are displaced axially, with the upper arc forward of the lower arc. The inclined portion thus defines a surface that joins those two arcs. Preferably, the surface 25 will smoothly join those two arcs, in a manner such that the angle of radial inclination varies across the surface. In a preferred form, the angle of radial inclination will vary gradually across the surface, and will vary symmetrically about a vertical centre-line. The resultant surface joining the upper and lower junctures (and thus the upper and lower arcs) of the inclined portion in this form 30 of the invention (the form having a generally elliptical radial portion) will be further referred to herein as a complex inclined portion.

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -7 In either form of the invention (namely, with either a semi-circular radial portion or a generally elliptical radial portion), the toggle member preferably includes a base. In one form, the base ideally occupies a generally rectangular area of the radial portion, from a lowermost arcuate section of the juncture of the peripheral 5 and transverse walls, which section is generally aligned with and adjacent to a dispensing aperture, uppermost to the juncture of the radial portion (whatever its configuration) with the inclined portion. It has been found that such an arrangement of a radial portion and an inclined 10 portion, with the toggle member occupying the radial portion in the manner described, assists in maintaining the fulcrum of a toggle member in a reasonably fixed spatial position during manipulation, assisting in maximizing (and maintaining reasonably constant), the size and configuration of the fluid path for dispensing purposes. This arrangement also provides some rigidity to 15 the toggle member which assists in forming a "soft-lock" position for the toggle member at or near the top of its pivoting action, as will now be described, to reduce the pressure that a user needs to maintain on the toggle member during dispensing. 20 In use, as the toggle member is pressed upwardly by a user, the lowermost arcuate section of the juncture between the peripheral wall and the transverse wall, being that section adjacent the base of the toggle member, moves in an arcuate path radially inwardly and axially outwardly, away from the spout against which the peripheral wall is sealed. This opens a fluid path from the 25 bulk of the container to the dispensing aperture. For this upward movement, there is resistance to the movement of the lowermost arcuate section, the resistance requiring a generally increasing pressure to overcome. However, near the top of the movement of the toggle member, it has been found that there is a reduction in the pressure required, which feels to a user like a point of 30 resistance has been passed. After overcoming this point of resistance, somewhat less pressure is required to maintain the toggle member in its uppermost position (fully open or near fully open), which will likely be a position WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -8 where the toggle member has been raised to a point where it contacts the inclined portion thereabove. Given the small range of movement for the toggle member from its at rest 5 position to its uppermost position, the overcoming of this point of resistance tends to act as a soft-lock for dispensing. By way of explanation, although no actual locking mechanism is provided (nor is there a "locking" action in the normal meaning of the word), merely the reduction of the pressure required by a user to maintain the toggle member in the uppermost position serves to give the 10 impression that the toggle member is at least partially being retained in the position by the spigot configuration itself. A more comfortable dispensing position is thus provided, with the requirement of somewhat less pressure, for the user in holding the toggle member in its uppermost position. 15 Other modifications can be made to the configuration of the transverse wall and/or the toggle member that will further improve the functioning of the spigot, particularly in relation to the soft-lock aspect. For example, stiffening webs may be provided in conjunction with either the toggle member or the inclined portion of the transverse wall that tend to improve the configuration of the fluid flow 20 path, and also the emphasis and feel of the soft-lock position. Furthermore, droplet control ribs may be included either side of the dispensing aperture to reduce the volume of fluid retained adjacent the aperture after operation of the toggle member, and to increase the available surface tension thereabout to assist in preventing that retained fluid from forming and releasing droplets after 25 the dispensing action has finished. These modifications will be described below in relation to the preferred embodiment. Brief Description of the Drawings 30 Having briefly described the general concepts involved with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of a dispensing spigot will now be described that is in accordance with the present invention. However, it is to be understood WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -9 that the following description is not to limit the generality of the above description. In the drawings: 5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical bag-in-box package with which the dispensing spigot of the present invention will find use; Figure 2 is a perspective view (from below) of a dispensing spigot in 10 accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, mounted to a spout; Figures 3a and 3b are front and rear elevation views of the dispensing spigot of the preferred embodiment; 15 Figure 3c is a rear elevation view of the preferred embodiment showing an additional feature, and Figure 3d is a cutaway view of Figure 3c showing that same additional feature; 20 Figure 4 is a section view of the dispensing spigot of the preferred embodiment, taken through section A-A of Figure 3a; Figure 5 is a perspective view from below of the dispensing spigot of the preferred embodiment; and 25 Figures 6, 7 and 8 are section views of the dispensing spigot of the preferred embodiment showing the operation of the spigot sequentially. Illustrated in Figure 1 is a typical bag-in-box package 10 having a flexible bag 30 (not shown) within a paperboard box 12 of generally rectangular configuration. The package 10 includes a tubular spout 14 that is typically heat welded or glued to the flexible bag, through which the bag may be filled with fluid and the contents subsequently dispensed. The spout 14 is closed by a valve, the valve WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -10 being in the general form of a spigot 16 of the type addressed by the present invention. The package 10 shown in Figure 1 is typical of the general configuration of wine 5 casks in Australia. The orientation shown is the typical, in-use environment described above for the purposes of establishing reference points for the spatial relationship of the various parts of the spigot 16, which will now be used for the further description of the following embodiments. 10 Figure 2 shows a spout 14, from below, having a spigot 16 in sealing engagement therewith, for the simple purpose of showing the general relationship of spout to spigot. The spout 14 includes a wide flange 18 that is used to secure the spout 14 to the bag (not shown), together with locating rims 20a and 20b between which the wall of the box 12 may be located for securely 15 mounting the spout 14 thereto. The outermost rim 20a serves the dual purpose of providing an abutment for the spigot 16 to abut against in the normal manner. It will be appreciated that the spigot 16 is ideally an integral elastomeric member formed from a suitable plastic resinous material having elastomeric 20 properties, such as polyolefins, polyvinyls and polyurethanes. Illustrated in Figures 3a, 3b, 4 and 5 is a preferred embodiment of the spigot 16. Referring generally to each of these Figures, but mainly to Figure 4, there is shown a spigot 16 of the general type that includes a peripheral wall (shown 25 generally by the reference numeral 22) adapted to, in use, fit within and seal against the interior of the spout 14 of Figure 2, and a transverse wall (shown generally by the reference numeral 24) for closing off the spigot 16, and, in use, the spout 14. 30 The peripheral wall 22 requires some explanation, given the complex nature of what is being referred to. The peripheral wall 22 in this embodiment includes an internal portion 23a that is that part of the spigot 16 that seals within the spout 14. In the art, it is often this internal portion 23a that will be referred to as the WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 - 11 'peripheral wall'. However, it can be seen from Figure 4 that the peripheral wall 22 also includes an external portion 23b in the form of a skirt that extends around the inner portion 23a. Provided between the internal portion 23a and the external portion 23b of the peripheral wall 22 is a spout receiving space 25, 5 within which the spout 14 of Figure 2 will tightly fit in a sealing relationship. Furthermore, the peripheral wall 22 then effectively continues beyond the transverse wall 24 to provide an outer lip 23c that will advantageously include thereon suitable gripping members in the form of gripping flanges 27 (shown in 10 Figure 3b). It is however to be understood that the dispensing spigot of the present invention is not to be limited only to the situation where there are both internal and external portions of a peripheral wall. Configurations of the peripheral wall 15 that do not have an external portion, and thus give rise to the spigot being a plug (rather then the 'cap'-type configuration shown here), are also envisaged. The spigot 16 includes a toggle member 26 extending forward of the transverse wall 24 for distorting the transverse wall 24 and a front portion 28 of the 20 peripheral wall 22 to, in use, disengage the front portion 28 from the spout 14 at a location adjacent a dispensing aperture 30 to permit dispensing of the fluid within the container. This operation, including the pivoting of the toggle member 26 and the distortion of the front portion 28 of the peripheral wall 22, will be described in better detail below. The toggle member 26 includes a base 29 and 25 a finger-engaging lever portion 29a. The transverse wall 24 of the spigot includes a radial portion 32 and a portion 34 radially inclined forwardly of the radial portion, which will hereafter be referred to as the inclined portion 34. The toggle member 26 occupies the radial 30 portion 32 such that the toggle member 26, when manipulated by a user, pivots at the juncture X of the radial portion 32 with the inclined portion 34, the juncture X being at about the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall 24. In this respect, and as will be further explained below, in this embodiment, the juncture WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -12 X is a curved juncture, and thus only a portion thereof is actually at the horizontal centre-line. The radial portion 32 of the transverse wall 24 is a flat portion, being in a radial 5 plane with respect to the central axis of the spigot 16. This is most evident from the view shown in Figure 3a. The sectional view in Figure 4 is taken through the bulk of the toggle member 26 and thus does not accurately show the flat nature of the radial portion 32. 10 In order to more clearly explain the various features of the embodiment illustrated in these Figures, reference will briefly be made to an alternative embodiment that is not illustrated, being an embodiment that is somewhat simpler in its geometry. In this alternate form (and, for ease of understanding, using the same reference numerals as used for corresponding parts of the 15 embodiment in Figures 3a, 3b, 4 and 5), the radial portion of the transverse wall 24 will be semi-circular (or at least partially semi-circular), with its upper juncture (between the peripheral wall 22 and the transverse wall 24) forming the arc of the semi-circle. In this form, the chord of the semi-circle will then be the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall 24 (namely, a diameter of the 20 transverse wall 24), and the inclined portion will have a simple inclined surface, with a constant angle of radial inclination thereacross. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 3a, 3b, 4 and 5, the chord of the radial portion 32 (namely the juncture X) is curved rather than straight, and 25 is thus itself an arc, the radial portion 32 thus having an upper arc and a lower arc. In this form, the upper arc of the radial portion 32 may be a circular arc, having the same or greater radius as the transverse wall 24, or may be an elliptical arc, or (less preferably) may be an arc of a complex shape. The upper arc (juncture X) of the radial portion 32 in this form of the invention preferably 30 passes through or near the centre of the transverse wall 24. In this form of the invention, the radial portion 32 is thus a shape that might be said to be "eye shaped", although not necessarily being symmetrical from top to bottom as WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -13 would be envisaged by such a shape, or may simply be referred to as being generally elliptical. When the radial portion 32 is generally elliptical, the juncture X of the radial 5 portion 32 and the inclined portion 34 is thus arcuate. This results in the inclined portion 34 having a reasonably complex surface geometry that will now be described. In this respect, it should be noted that the section view in Figure 4 of the inclined portion 34 is taken through line A-A in Figure 3a, which section dissects a central stiffening web 40 (shown in Figure 3b, and being one of 10 multiple stiffening webs) that is provided (in this preferred form) on the rear surface 34a of the inclined portion 34. Therefore, the section of the inclined portion 34 shown in Figure 4 does not clearly represent a section of the inclined portion itself, which is shown by a dotted line in Figure 4. 15 The upper juncture Y between the inclined portion 34 and the peripheral wall 22 will be an arc (the upper arc of the inclined portion 34) that is circular, having a radius the same as the radius of the transverse wall 24. The lower juncture (being juncture X) between the inclined portion 34 and the generally elliptical radial portion 32 is curved in the manner described above, and thus will be an 20 arc (the lower arc of the inclined portion 34, but the upper arc of the radial portion 32) that may be circular, with a radius the same as or greater than the radius of the transverse wall 24, or that may be elliptical. Given that the inclined portion 34 is inclined radially away from (and forward of) 25 the radial portion 32, it follows that the upper and lower arcs (being junctures X and Y) of the inclined potion 34 are displaced axially, with the upper arc (Y) forward of the lower arc (X), as is apparent from Figure 4. The inclined portion 34 thus defines a surface that joins those two arcs. Preferably, the surface will smoothly join those two arcs, in a manner such that the angle of radial 30 inclination varies across the surface. In a preferred form, the angle of radial inclination will vary gradually across the surface, and will vary symmetrically about a vertical centre-line (which is also indicated by the line A-A in Figure 3a). The resultant surface joining the upper Y and lower X junctures (and thus the WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -14 upper and lower arcs) of the inclined portion 34 in this form of the invention (the form having a generally elliptical radial portion 32) will be further referred to herein as a complex inclined portion 34. 5 In either embodiment (namely, with either a semi-circular radial portion or a generally elliptical radial portion 32), the toggle member 26 includes a base 29 that occupies a generally rectangular area of the radial portion 32, from a lowermost arcuate section of the juncture Z of the peripheral wall 22 and the transverse wall 24, which section is generally aligned with and adjacent to the 10 dispensing aperture 30, uppermost to the juncture X of the radial portion 32 (whatever its configuration) with the inclined portion 34. The fulcrum of a toggle member 26 will then generally be at the juncture X of the toggle member 26 with the inclined portion 34, and will remain in a 15 reasonably fixed spatial position during manipulation, assisting in maximizing (and maintaining reasonably constant), the size and configuration of the fluid path for dispensing purposes. This operation will generally be described below in relation to Figures 6, 7 and 8. 20 Illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of the spigot 16 in operation and sealingly engaged with a spout 14. In this respect, it can be seen that Figure 6 shows the spigot 16 with the toggle member 26 in its at rest position, before it has been manipulated. Figure 7 shows the spigot 16 shortly after the toggle member 26 has first been manipulated, by the raising thereof, resulting in 25 the opening of a fluid path (designated by arrow P) from the bulk 50 of the fluid through the dispensing aperture 30, to cause dispensing of the fluid. Figure 8 shows the spigot 16 with the toggle member 26 near to its fully raised position, such that it is about to contact the inclined portion 34 of the transverse wall. In this position, the fluid path P through to the dispensing aperture 30 is at its 30 widest extent, providing nearly the maximum available flow-rate with the minimum degree of obstruction.

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -15 In use, as the toggle member 26 is pressed upwardly by a user, the lowermost arcuate section of the juncture Z between the internal portion 23a of the peripheral wall 22 and the transverse wall, being that section adjacent the base 29 of the toggle member 26, moves in an arcuate path radially inwardly and 5 axially outwardly, away from the spout 14 against which the internal portion 23a peripheral wall 22 is sealed. This opens the fluid path P from the bulk 50 of the container to the dispensing aperture 30. For this upward movement, there is resistance to the movement of the lowermost arcuate section, the resistance requiring an increasing pressure to overcome. However, as mentioned above, 10 near the top of the movement of the toggle member 26 (as shown in Figure 8), it has been found that there is a reduction in the pressure required, which feels to a user like a point of resistance has been passed. After overcoming this point of resistance, somewhat less pressure is required to maintain the toggle member 26 in its uppermost position (fully open or near fully open), which will 15 likely be a position where the toggle member 26 has been raised to a point where its level portion contacts (or very nearly contacts) the inclined portion 34 of the transverse wall thereabove. Given the small range of movement for the toggle member 26 from its at rest 20 position (Figure 6) to its uppermost position (Figure 8), the overcoming of this point of resistance tends to act as a "soft-lock" for dispensing. Also evident from the sequential section views of Figures 6 to 8 is the relatively fixed location of the fulcrum for the toggle member 26. The fulcrum will be the 25 point (or line of points) about which the toggle member 26 pivots when a user moves it upwardly. In this form, the fulcrum will be formed at the juncture X between the inclined portion 34 and the toggle member 26. As is evident from Figure 3a, this juncture is curved. The juncture X remains in a reasonably fixed spatial location as the toggle member 26 pivots through its range of motion, 30 which assists in providing a smoothly (and gradually) increasing pressure for a user to overcome, until the toggle member 26 approaches its uppermost position as illustrated in Figure 8. This also assists in maintaining the opening WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -16 to the dispensing aperture 30 with a reasonably rigid configuration to assist in providing a constant and smooth fluid flow. In this respect, it will also be noted that the preferred embodiment illustrated in 5 Figures 3a, 3b, 4 and 5 includes additional stiffening means in the form of stiffening webs (40 and 42) on the rear of the inclined portion 34 and also in a cut-away portion 41 at the rear of the toggle member 26. The stiffening webs shown on the rear of the inclined portion 34 (only one of which is designated with reference numeral 40) have been found to assist in maintaining the fulcrum 10 of the toggle member 26 in its reasonably fixed spatial position (as mentioned above) and also in providing the advantageous 'soft-lock' mechanism. Similarly, while cut-away portion 41 at the rear of the toggle member 26 is provided to save on material, the location of the stiffening web 42 therein then returns to the toggle member 26 some additional stiffening to assist in its 15 operation as described above. It should however be noted that none of these stiffening members are essential to the configuration or operation of the dispensing spigot of the present invention. The embodiment illustrated also includes a dispensing aperture 30 that has a 20 smoothly curved opening, which also assists in providing a constant and smooth fluid flow as the fluid is dispensed. In this respect, and as is evident from Figure 5, the lowermost lip 31 of the aperture 30 is itself curved to assist with this. 25 Turning to the additional features shown in Figures 3c and 3d, droplet control ribs 36 are shown provided on either side of the aperture 30 to reduce the volume of fluid retained adjacent the aperture 30 after operation of the toggle member 26. This assists in increasing the available surface tension about the aperture 30, to prevent any retained fluid from forming and releasing droplets 30 after the dispensing action is finished.

WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -17 Finally, there may be other variations and modifications made to the configurations described herein that are also within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (23)

1. A dispensing spigot for a fluid container having a spout, the spigot including a peripheral wall adapted to, in use, fit within and seal against the 5 spout, and a transverse wall for closing off the spigot, and, in use, the spout, the spigot also including a toggle member extending forward of the transverse wall, wherein the transverse wall of the spigot includes a radial portion and a portion radially inclined forwardly of the radial portion, the toggle member occupying the radial portion such that the toggle member, when manipulated by a user, pivots 10 at the juncture of the radial portion with the inclined portion, the juncture being at about the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall, to distort the transverse wall and a front portion of the peripheral wall to, in use, permit dispensing of the fluid within the container. 15

2. A dispensing spigot according to claim 1, wherein the distortion of the transverse wall and the front portion of the peripheral wall disengages the front portion from the spout at a location adjacent a dispensing aperture to permit dispensing of the fluid within the container. 20

3. A dispensing spigot according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the radial portion of the transverse wall is a flat portion, being in a radial plane with respect to the central axis of the spigot.

4. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the 25 radial portion of the transverse wall is semi-circular, such that the chord of the semi-circle is the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall.

5. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the radial portion of the transverse wall is partially semi-circular, with the juncture of 30 the peripheral wall and the radial portion of the transverse wall forming the arc of the semi-circle. WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -19

6. A dispensing spigot according to claim 5, wherein the chord of the semi circle is part of the horizontal centre-line of the transverse wall.

7. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the 5 radial portion has an upper arc and a lower arc, the lower arc being the juncture of the peripheral and transverse walls.

8. A dispensing spigot according to claim 7, wherein the upper arc of the radial portion is a circular arc, having the same or greater radius as the 10 transverse wall, or is an elliptical arc, or is an arc of a complex shape.

9. A dispensing spigot according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the upper arc of the radial portion passes through or near the centre of the transverse wall. 15

10. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the juncture of the radial portion and the inclined portion is arcuate.

11. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the 20 juncture between the inclined portion and the peripheral wall is a circular arc, having a radius the same as the radius of the transverse wall.

12. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the inclined portion has a simple inclined surface, with a constant angle of radial 25 inclination thereacross

13. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the inclined portion is inclined radially away from (and forward of) the radial portion, the upper and lower arcs of the inclined potion are displaced axially, with the 30 upper arc forward of the lower arc, the inclined portion defining a surface that joins those two arcs, and wherein the surface smoothly joins those two arcs in a manner such that the angle of radial inclination varies across the surface. WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 - 20

14. A dispensing spigot according to claim 13, wherein the angle of radial inclination varies gradually across the surface, and varies symmetrically about a vertical centre-line. 5

15. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the toggle member includes a base.

16. A dispensing spigot according to claim 15, wherein the base occupies a generally rectangular area of the radial portion, from a lowermost arcuate 10 section of the juncture of the peripheral and transverse walls, which section is generally aligned with and adjacent to a dispensing aperture, uppermost to the juncture of the radial portion with the inclined portion.

17. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the 15 occupation by the toggle member of the radial portion assists in maintaining a toggle member fulcrum in a reasonably fixed spatial position during manipulation, assisting in maximizing (and maintaining reasonably constant), the size and configuration of the fluid path for dispensing purposes. 20

18. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the occupation by the toggle member of the radial portion provides rigidity to the toggle member which assists in forming a "soft-lock" position for the toggle member at or near the top of its pivoting action to reduce the pressure that a user needs to maintain on the toggle member during dispensing. 25

19. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein, in use, as the toggle member is pressed upwardly by a user, the lowermost section of the juncture between the peripheral wall and the transverse wall, being that section adjacent the base of the toggle member, moves in an arcuate 30 path radially inwardly and axially outwardly, away from the spout against which the peripheral wall is sealed, opening a fluid path from within the container to the dispensing aperture. WO 2006/086835 PCT/AU2006/000191 -21

20. A dispensing spigot according to claim 19, wherein, for the upward movement of the toggle member, there is resistance to the movement of the lowermost section, the resistance requiring a generally constant pressure to overcome, and wherein, near the top of the movement of the toggle member, 5 there is a slight reduction in the pressure required to maintain the toggle member in its uppermost position (either fully open or near fully open).

21. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein stiffening webs are provided in conjunction with the rear of the toggle member. 10

22. A dispensing spigot according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein stiffening webs are provided in conjunction with rear of the inclined portion of the transverse wall. 15

23. A dispensing spigot according to claim 1 substantially as herein described in relation to the drawings of Figures 2 to 8.