CA1300568C - Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure - Google Patents
Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressureInfo
- Publication number
- CA1300568C CA1300568C CA000615829A CA615829A CA1300568C CA 1300568 C CA1300568 C CA 1300568C CA 000615829 A CA000615829 A CA 000615829A CA 615829 A CA615829 A CA 615829A CA 1300568 C CA1300568 C CA 1300568C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- valve
- opening
- syphon
- container
- head
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
- Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
- Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies
- Y02W30/80—Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging
Landscapes
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
- Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
Abstract
DiV. 1 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A syphon head (304) is configured to fit over neck (350) of a bottle (352) in sealing relationship. A lever (340) is mounted to exterior surface (360) of body (362) by breakaway filaments and a spring strip. In use, the user pulls upward on lever (340) to rupture the filaments. The strip (230) pivots an end of lever (340) through opening (342) in body (362) and through actuating rod (348). Actuating rod (348) is attached to interior surface of the body (362) by a resilient diaphragm.
Raised portion (324) on resilient sealing member (318) seals an opening in syphon tube (310) until force on handle (340) moves rod (348) to allow dispensing of seltzer water (356). Head (304) may be fabricated in a single injection molding step. Head (304) is removable attached to the bottle (352). The bottle (352) is shipped with a cap over neck (350). The user removes the cap and attaches the head (304) for dispensing the seltzer water (356).
Head (304) may be reused with other bottles (352).
A syphon head (304) is configured to fit over neck (350) of a bottle (352) in sealing relationship. A lever (340) is mounted to exterior surface (360) of body (362) by breakaway filaments and a spring strip. In use, the user pulls upward on lever (340) to rupture the filaments. The strip (230) pivots an end of lever (340) through opening (342) in body (362) and through actuating rod (348). Actuating rod (348) is attached to interior surface of the body (362) by a resilient diaphragm.
Raised portion (324) on resilient sealing member (318) seals an opening in syphon tube (310) until force on handle (340) moves rod (348) to allow dispensing of seltzer water (356). Head (304) may be fabricated in a single injection molding step. Head (304) is removable attached to the bottle (352). The bottle (352) is shipped with a cap over neck (350). The user removes the cap and attaches the head (304) for dispensing the seltzer water (356).
Head (304) may be reused with other bottles (352).
Description
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SYPHON ASSEM~LY, PACKAGE, HEAD, METHOD, FILLING
APPARATUS AND FILLING PROCESS
This is a ~ivisional of Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 480,991 filed May 8, 1985.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the storage and dispensing of water or flavored beverages under gas pressure of between 90 and 150 psi (10 at~ospheresl. Such products are commonly known as syphon seltzer water, as distinguished from present day bottled sparkling waters or lightly carbonated flavored beverages which are charged to pressures of 50 to 60 psi (3 to 4 atmospheres).
For further purposes of comparison, champagne is under about 6 to 7 atmospheres o~ pressure. This in~tention ~urther relates to a simplified syphon assembly for use to dispense liquids stored in a container under pressure and to a package incorporating the syphon assembly. This invention also relates to an improved closure especially configured for fabrication in a single molding step. More particularly, it relates to such a closure that is tamper-resistant prior to actuation by an end user. In another aspect this invention relates to a modified form of a seltzer bottle filling apparatus and to a process for filling a seltzer bottle having a detachable head with the head detached. More particularly, it relates to such an apparatus and process in which such a seltzer bottle is filled through a valve mechanism that remains on the bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art Although the syphon seltzer water industry was a giant at the turn of the century and reached its zenith in the 1920s, today it is remembered mostly by the classic syphon seltzer bottle which was used as a comedy prop by the Marx Brothers and ; The Three Stooges to squirt each other in wild water fights. The New York area alone at one time had 2,000 syphon seltzer companies. Today there are about a dozen seltzer bottlers in the United States. There are only two syphon seltzer bottlers west ~13~ St,~3 of Chicago.
The syphon seltzer industry died after World War II and remains as a nostalgic, marginally profitable local business carried on by only a handful of energetic young folk who hand fill and hand deliver the old-fashioned syphon seltzer water to a fiercely loyal group of purists who want nothing more and nothing less than thrice-filtered water and carbon dioxide. There are no salts; no flavors; no preservatives, a tr:io that is sweet music to the palates of the health conscious.
Syphon seltzer water, up until now, however, because of the use of high pressures in glass bottles was a victim of several factors: (1) the high cost of products liability insurance; a heavy glass bottle exploding under a pressure of 150 psi can inflict awesome damage; (2) the high cost of heavy glass bottle manufacture; (3) the high cost of tin, rubber, and brass used in the manufacture of the pewter heads and valves; (6) the high cost of bottle delivery and pick-up of the heavy, fragile bottles; ~7) the high cost and difficulty in sanitizing the returned bottles, and especially the returned heads and valves;
20 and ultimately (8) the switch by the mass market to lightly carbonated flavored drinks in disposable cans and thin bottles.
The syphon seltzer water industry died, not for a good product, but for the variety of reasons set forth above which related to its storage, distribution and dispensing problems.
A brief background, therefore, of the seltzer industry and the syphon seltzer container is necessary to an understanding of the dramatic change this invention brings to an industry which has essentially stood still for the last sixty years.
Mineral waters with light natural carbonation were enjoyed by earliest man; the Romans knew about them but used the water more ~or bathing than drinking, witness Bath. The Germans and the French considered the mineral waters to have curatlve powers and they live today in such industries as Vichy, and Perrier. Of course, the mineral waters from the early spas could not be transported very far, because heat and lack of pressurized vessels took its toll on the taste and effervescent quality of the water. In 1772, a British scientist, Joseph ~31)~
Priestly, better known for his discovery of oxygen, succeeded in producing artificially carbonated water. He made it in barrels and the race for a container was on. The British Navy mixed the carbonated water with lime juice and later the practice was adopted through the Royal Navy to prevent the sailors from getting scurvy from their vitamin-deficient diet; hence the term "Limeys". Nicholas Paul of Geneva is creclited with starting to manufacture imitation spa waters in bulk in 1789 and one of his partners, Jacob Schweppe, four years later started making soda water.
The ma~ufacture of carbonated water in the United States began in the early part of the 19th Century. A patent was granted in 1810 for saturating water with "fixed air."
INVENTION OF THE SYPHON soTTLE
Charles Plinth is credited as being the first to preserve "aerated waters" in a reservoir which would cleliver a portion of its contents at different times. His patent on a Regency portable fountain in 1813 was identical in construction with the fountains then commonly used in which the motive force was compressed atmospheric air. Plinth substituted carbonic acid gas for air in his apparatus. It consisted of a vessel with a tube passing from an opening in the top almost to the bottom; the upper part of the tube was furnished with a stop-cock and delivery tube, from which the water was drawn off under pressure of the carbonic acid gas. -Deleuze and Dutillet, Paris jewellers, who apparentlywere adverse to consuming an entire bottle of champagne at one sitting were granted a patent in 1829 on a "siphon champenois"
which consisted of a hollow corkscrew which was passed through the cork into the bottle. The upper part of the screw terminated in a vertical tube bearing a nearly horizontal spout. A lever operated a valve, which when opened and the bottle was tipped, gave exit to the champagne under pressure of the contained gas.
The forerunner of the present day syphon seltzer bottle was patented in 1837 by Antoine Perpigna of Paris, France. The vase was made of metal, glass, china or stoneware and the head of the syphon was hollow and contained a piston, pressed down by a ~3~5~
spring into close contact with the upper end of the tube passing to the bottom of the vase. The method of attaching these early head mechanisms to the bottle or vessel is unknown to applicant but it appears from the articles that there was some sort of external collar mechanism, or perhaps the head mechanism ~hich protruded above the bottle was adhesively affixed to the bottle.
The split collar mechanism which is universally adopted and is still in use today was invented in about 1855 by the Comte de Fontainemoreau and George Rogers. They used a bottle made with a groove around the outer wall of the neck into which was fitted a ring of metal divided into two segments which formed a shoulder for securing a screwed collar.
The problem with the Rogers mechanism and virtually every mechanism for syphon seltzer water to the present day is the fact that the head mechanism, containing the valve and spout, must be assembled on the bottle before filling. The bottle is filled through the head mechanism and the entire assembly of head and filled water bottle must be transported from the factory, through the distribution chain, to the customer and then after the contents are emptied, the bottle and head must be returned through the distribution chain, back to the factory for filling.
After sanitizing, the bottle is refilled through the head.
Again, the seltzer industry as it was known for one hundred years, died because of the lack of a container system, not because any superior product replaced it. -S~MMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and fulfills the one basic commercial fact of our day; a beverage product must meet all of the requirements for distribution and sale through our present day supermarket system. These requirements are (1) Sa~ety; the container must not explode even if mishandled# (2) Inexpensive; the bottle and valve must be so inexpensive that they need not be returned and routed back through the chain of distribution to the factory. ~3) The bottle and valve must be light weight; water is already a heavy product and the container cannot add appreciably to the weight or containers of sufficient volume cannot be handled through the checkout stand and be bagged 5~
along with other grocery products. (4~ The bottle must be made of a material that can be recycled in those states which have instituted laws for the recycling of containers. ~5) The head mechanism must be simple, yet easily attached and detached from the container so that most everyone can accomplish the process without any danger or effort.
The key to the accomplishment of the above objectives is the separation of the head and valve actuation function from the valve and seal function and the selection of a high strength, non-frangible container. Specifically, the valve and seal mechanism are contained almost totally within the neck of the container, while the head, which contains the valve actuator, is a separate member which can be retained by the consumer and used over and over again. The container may be charged up to 150 psi.
To emphasize the high capacity of the container, it is to be noted that 150 psi is the bursting pressure of standard glass bottles used for lightly carbonated beverages.
- A container system for storing and dispensing a pressurized fluid in accordance with one aspect of this invention includes a substantially non-frangible container having a necked opening with an inside surface. A valve insert is fixedly attached to the inside surface of the necked opening. A
removabl~ cap is attached to the necked opening over the valve insert. A dispensing head is configured for fixed, removable engagement over the necked opening after removal of the cap. The dispensing head includes a body having an opening for discharge of the fluid and a valve actuating member in the head configured for operative engagement of the valve when the dispensing head has a means for attaching the head in fixed engagement over the necked opening, such as threads on the head body.
In practice, the non-frangible container is fitted with the valve mechanism. The container is filled with carbonated water to a pressure from about 90 to 150 psi. A standard aluminum sc~ew type cap or other simple closure is placed on the bottle. The cap is under no pressure and merely serves to protect the valve from contamination and accidental discharge if the valve should break away from the neck. The container is ~3g~P~;6~1 distributed through the standard distribution channels like any other bottled or canned beverage, without any special precautions and shelved in a supermarket along with the standard lightly carbonated flavored beverages, which are under the greatly reduced pressure of about 50 to 60 psi. The container is distributed and shelved without the head and spigot mechanism.
~he head and spigot may be sold separately or distributed free of charge with the sale of one or more containers The customer refrigerates the container of seltzer water and, before using, removes the disposable cap and attaches the head mechanism to the container. The high pressure is sufficient to discharge the entire contents of the container without appreciable loss of carbonation due to the use of the syphon tube. When the entire contents of the container have been discharged, the head may be detached and placed on a freshly refrigerated container of seltzer water. The used syphon seltzer non-frangible container may be discarded or recycled by returning it to a recycling center as desired.
When the head is tightly attached to the container, 2~ should the valve leak, the head will hold the pressure. In the unlikely event that the valve should break away from the neck of the container, the head would safely hold the damaged valve within the head.
Unlike standard syphon seltzer bottles which may be accidentally discharged while being carried by simply pressing down on the lever on the head mechanism, the present containers cannot be accidentally discharged. The head is never placed on the container until it is ready for use. The only way to discharge the container of the present invention while it is in the distribution chain is to remove the protective cap, throw it away, and then poke a small long, sharp object down through a small hole in the valve which is down inside the neck of the containerO Note that the cap may be provided with a tamper proof lower skirt.
In a further aspect of the invention, it is an object of this invention to provide a simplified valve for releasably confining beverages and other liquids under gas pressures of up to 10 atmospheres.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simplified syphon head assembly for use to actuate a valve for release of beverages and other liquids stored under gas pressures in a container at up to about 10 atmospheres.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a syphon head assembly and package of the type in which a valve and an actuating mechanism for the valve may -be separated without loss of pressure in the package, having a reduced number of parts and which can be fabricated and assembled on a low cost, high volume basis.
The attain~ent of these and related objects may be achieved through use of the novel syphon assembly and package incorporating the assembly in accordance with this aspect o~ the invention. The syphon head assembly of this invention is for use with a container having a necked opening and holding a beverage or other liquid under pressure. In one aspect of the invention, the syphon assembly has a tube dimensioned to extend from the necked opening into the liquid in the container. A valve is positioned proximate to the necked opening end of the tube. The valve has a frustoconical shaped resilient sealing member having an open base engaging the tube and a top normally biased by the resilient sealing member into sealing engagement with a passageway of the valve for the liquid to flow from the container through the necked opening. An actuating member is positioned in a syphon head to apply force to deform the resilient sealing member to move its top out o~ the sealing engagement with the passageway of the valve. The resilient sealing member has a plurality of apertures spaced around the top to allow the liquid to pass from the tube to the passageway of the valve when the resilient sealing member is deformed. A means extends from the syphon head for applying force to the actuating member to deform the sealing member. The syphon head has a body with threads or other means for attaching the syphon head to the necked opening.
In another aspect of the invention, the syphon assembly has a valve inserted in the necked opening for releasably confining a liquid under pressure in the container. A syphon head has a body configured for attachment to the necked opening.
An actuating member for opening the valve is fixedly attached to the body. The actuating member incorporates, in integrated form, a rod extending downward within the body for engaging the valve when the body is attached to the necked opening, a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to the rod, and a ring portion surrounding the resilient diaphragm for attaching the actuating member to the body.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the syphon assembly incorporates both the above novel resilient sealing member and the above novel actuating member. In this structure, the syphon head body and actuating member may be separated from the valve without releasing pressure in the container. The container holding the liquid under pressure, with the closed valve in place, and a conventional closure provided over the necked opening, are distributed separately from the syphon head with the actuating ~tember, which are attached to the package for dispensing pressurized beverage or other liquid.
In another aspect it is an object of this invention to provide an integrally formed package closure incorporating a valve actuating mechanism.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a closure which is tamper-resistant until activation by the end user.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a closure in which positioning of a part of the closure for activation is self guiding.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a closure in which part of the closure that provides the self guiding function also helps bias the closure valve in a sealed position when not in use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a closure which is sufficiently low in cost that it may be recycled or discarded after discharge of a single filling of the package.
It is a still another object of the invention to ~o~
provide such a container closure especially adapted for use as a syphon head for release of beverages and other liquids stored under gas pressures of up to about 10 atmospheres.
The attainment of these and related objects may be achieved through use of the novel container closure and package incorporating the container closure of this aspect of the invention. A container closure in accordance with this invention is a head configured to fit over a necked opening of a container in sealing relationship. There is a valve actuating means in the head. A lever for operative engagemen~ of the valve actuating means has a f~rst end and a second end. The lever is integrally formed with the head and is attached to an exterior surface of the head by at least one break away member. The head has a first opening for insertion of the first lever end operatively to engage the valve actuating means. The lever is configured so that the second lever end extends through the head opening for application of actuating force in a given direction by a user when the first lever end operatively engages the valve actuating means.
In a preferred form of the invention, the lever is further permanently attached to the exterior surface of the head by a resilient biasing member, which is configured to apply biasing force in opposition to the actuating force in the given direction. The resilient biasing member is preferably further configured to pivot the first lever end through the first opening into operative engagement with the valve actuating means when the break away member is broken away. The valve actuating means also preferably comprises an upwardly extending rod having a first end with a transversely extending opening configured to receive the first lever end. The rod has a second, valve sealing end. The rod is attached to an interior surface of the head by a resilient diaphragm, and the resilient diaphragm is configured to apply biasing force to the rod in opposition to the actuating force. The rod and diaphragm may be integrally formed with the head. In this form, the container closure of the invention is formed as one piece, including the lever attached to the exterior surface of the head, and the resilient diaphragm and rod assembly g _ .. ~
~31~S~8 attached to the interior surface of the head.
The attainment of the foregoing and related objects, advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention, taken together with the drawings in which:
BRI~F DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view oE the container of the present invention with the valve inserted and the cap and head removed.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the container of Figure 1 shown in an enlarged scale with the midsection of the container removed. Portions of the valve mechanism are not shown in section for purposes of clarity in showing their relationship with the rest of the mechanism. The preferred valve and plug apparatus is shown. One of the forms of the syphon tube is shown.
Figure 3 is a cross section of a portion of the container on an enlarged scale with the cap removed and a head member attached to the form of the valve shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the head, valve and a portion of the syphon tube shown in Figures 1 - 3.
Figure 5 is an enlarged side view of the container of the present invention with a portion in cross section. The bottle is attached to a base for convenience in standing in a vertical position. This view shows the shape of the bottle prior to filling.
Figure 6 is a side view of the container of Figure 5 with portions in cross section. The container is shown filled with carbonated water and is under pressure of between 90 to 150 psi. The valve and disposable cap are shown on the sealed and filled container.
Figure 7 is a cross-section view of another syphon head assembly and package incorporating the assembly in accordance with the invention.
Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the syphon head assembly shown in Figure 7.
3L3~
Figure 9 is a cross-section view of a portion of the package shown in Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 10 is a cross-section view similar to Figure 1, but showing the package of Figures 7-9 in use Figure 11 is an external perspective view of still another syphon head and package in accordance with the invention.
Figure 12 is a cross section view-taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a cross-section view of the syphon head and package shown in Figures 11 and 12 during activation.
Figure 14 is a cross-section view of the syphon head and package shown in Figures 11 and 12-13 after activation.
Figure 15 is a cross-section view of the syphon head and package shown in Figures 11-14 during use.
Figure 16 is an exploded perspective and partial section view of a further syphon head and package embodiment in - accordance with the invention.
Figure 17 is a cross section view of a completed package incorporating the syphon head of Figure 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to the drawings, more particularly to Figure 1, the method of the present invention for storing and dispensing fluids containered under gas pressure comprises selecting a plastic, metal, composite or other substahtially non-frangible container 1 capable of safely withstanding in excess of three atmospheres of pressure and preferably a 1.8 liter bottle capable of safely carrying liquids at 150 psi (10 atmospheres).
The container is formed with a neck portion 2 having an external attachment member 3. Preferably, the bottle is an 18 to 20 mil polyester terephthalate (PET) bottle. Polyester terephthalate (PET) is furnished by various manufacturers, including Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. One of the manufacturers of the bottle is Plaxicon Company in the City of Industry, California using equipment and molds manufactured by NISI ~SB Machine Company, Ltd. of Japan, with offices in Torrance, California. The unusually high strength is due to the bi-axial orientation of the : L3~
molecules in the plastic. Additional information on bottle manufacture is set forth in "A ~ayman's Guide to Pet Chemistry and Processing", Edward E. Dennison, Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. and "One-Stage Processing of Pet Bottles", ~astman Kodak Company. The external attachment member on the outsi~e wall of the neck may be the formation of screw threads 3 in the plastic.
A valve means 4 is selected which is mounted substantially within the container neck portion for maintalning gas pressure of at least three atmospheres and preferably up to about 150 psi or about 10 atmospheres. A tube 5, commonly known as a syphon tube, is connected to the valve and has a ~istal end 6 which extends to a point adjacent to the bottom 7. The fluid flows up through the hollow syphon tube and through the valve when opened. The container is filled with liquid 8, such as carbonated water pressurized to about 10 atmospheres.
A cap member 9 for removably covering the opening in the neck portion of the bottle is selected, which is removed prior to placing the head on the bottle and dispensing the fluid.
The cap preferably is of light weight aluminum formed with internal threads, tamper proof and recyclable or disposable.
The cap should have a thin flexible seal member 54 (Figure 2) for preventing the inside of the bottle and valve from becoming contaminated in the distribution system. The cap is not under pressurel unlike all caps for lightly carbonated beverages.
The last step in the method is to select a head member 10, which is removably affixed to the external attachment member on the neck portion of the container. A preferred means of attachment is by internal threads 11 formed on the inside of wall 12 of the head member. The head member has a manually engageable valve actuating member, such as a lever 13. A remote valve actuating member, such as a pin 14, is selectively operable by the valve actuating member and is positioned for engagement with the valve means. A substantially impermeable liquid and gas sealing means, such as a rubber membrane 15, separates the manually engageable valve actuating member 13 and the remote valve actuating member 14. The head is formed with a chamber 16 ~L3~
which receives the fluid and channels it to a channel 17 in spout 18~
In Figures 2, 3, and 4, a safety neck plug member 19 is shown which encloses the valve means and is integrally connected to the syphon tube 5. The neck plug member is preferably attached to the inside wall 20 of the container by an adhesive.
A suitable adhesive is General Electric RTV Silicon Adhesive.
Another method of attaching wall 49 of neck plug 19 is to use a solvent to soften the PET and weld the plug to the neck wall of the container. Spin welding may also be employed.
Continuing to re~er to Figures 2, 3, and 4, the valve means includes an inner chamber 21 formed in neck plug member 19 having upper and lower portions 22 and 23. A valve seat 24 is formed in the upper portion of the valve chamber. This may simply be an annular protrusion. A valve cup 25 is positioned for registration with the valve seat in a valve closed position and is movable to a valve open position away from the valve seat.
Sealing means, such as a rubber washer 26, is positioned within the cup for sealing registration with the valve seat in the valve closed position. A spring retainer member 27 is mounted in the lower portion 23 of the chamber 21 and flared portion 101 of the syphon tube and a spring member 28 is mounted in the spring retainer member and biases the valve cup to the valve closed position.
The manually operable means for selectively opening the valve for release of the contents of the container may be any member capable of depressing the valve cup 25. A suitable head member 10 is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 for actuating the valve. A guide member 29 having threads 99 is threadably inserted into an opening 30 formed in the head to engage head internal threads 31. Pin 14 is mounted for vertical reciprocation within opening 32 of the guide member. Lever 13 is formed with a protrusion 33 which bears on cup 34. Injection molded plastic washer 35 bears against annular protrusion 36 which surrounds cup 34. The lever pivots about end point 100.
~ ssembly and operation of the valve and head illustrated in Figures 2-4 is as follows. A syphon tube 5 is selected having a length which will reach to a point adjacent the bottom of the container. Since the container is plastic and will expand with increased pressure from increased temperature and shrink with the loss of pressure, it is advisable to select an end member 37 which is frictionally placed over the distal end 6 in a telescoping manner so that if the bottom of the bottle pushes up against flared end 38, the end member 37 will simply slip over the distal end 6. Note that openings 39 formed in the end member 37 permit liquid to flow into the syphon tube even though the end member is pressed tightly against the bottom wall of the bottle. syphon tube 5 is formed with an outwardly extending flange 40. An annular rib 41 registers with a matching groove 42 in the plug member 19. Spring retainer 27 snap fits into the bottom of plug 19 and is inserted into enlarged opening 43. Spring 28 is then placed in the spring retainer so that its bottom end rests on abutment 45 and the top portion encircles protrusion 4~ on valve cup 25. Rubber washer 26 is placed in valve cup 25, which in turn is placed on the spring 28. Note that washer 26 may be formed with a small opening 47 to retain the end 48 of pin 14. Safety neck plug member 19 is then adhered to flange 40 of the syphon tube thereby compressing spring 28 and forcing sealing washer 26 into sealing engagement with valve seat 24 formed in the plug member. The entire plug and syphon tube assembly is then placed into the container and the side wall 49 is adhered to the inner neck wall of the container by a suitable adhesive or by spin welding.
Filling of the container with carbonated water is as follows. A suitable filling apparatus depresses valve cup 25 and the liquid enters through opening 50 in plug member 19 and into inner chamber 21. The water is forced past openings 51 and 52 and into syphon tube 5. The water flows through end member 37 and then into the bottle. When the container is filled to the desired amount, the valve cup is released and spring 28 forces the cup and washer 26 into sealing engagement with valve seat 24.
Pressure in the container also tends to force washer 26 into sealing engagement. A cap 9 is then threaded onto the container to prevent contamination of the end surface 53 and opening 50 of ~3~ 5~
the plug. The cap member may be provided with a flexible sealing member 54 to further enhance the seal to prevent contamination.
As previously noted, the cap is not under an~ pressure since the container pressure is entirely held by the sealing washer 26 within the safety plug.
Another important feature is the fact that the entire valve means and plug member is within the neck of the bottle except for a thin flange S5 which may rest ~n the upper rim 56 of the bottle. Flange 55 mechanically prevents the plug from slipping inside the bottle when the plug is first assembled and adhered to the inside wall of the neck of the container. It may also serve to provide an abutment when the cap is screwed onto the bottle.
The container is shipped through the distribution chain with the cap on and without any head mechanism. The container is shelved in sllpermarkets and other retail stores, where it is purchased directly by the ultimate consumer and carried to a home or business place. The container is chilled in the refrigerator and, when ready for consumption, the cap 9 is removed from the bottle and the head member 10 is screwed onto the container. The guide member 25 mates with conical surface 53, which is a rigid non-compressible sealing surface, at its matching concave surface 58. Pin 14 is inserted through opening 50 in the plug member and opening 47 in washer 26. Preferably there is a detent 59 into which the end 48 of pin 14 is inserted. All of the above operations are carried out without releasing any pressure from the container. Note that there are no compressible parts. All of the parts have a fixed length for accurate mass assembly of the valve and safety plug. In order to withdraw a part or all of the contents of the container, it is simply necessary to depress lever 13 inserted through opening 102 in the head 10, which causes protrusion 33 to move downwardly against cup 34, which in turn presses downwardly on the head 60 of pin 14 through sealing membrane ~ember 15. Depression of lever 13 causes pin 14 to move downwardly and end 48 to depress valve cup 25, carrying washer 26 with it. Spring 28 is compresse~ against abutment 45 in the spring retainer 27. Gas pressure within the container forces the .~ ~, ~3~
carbonated water up through syphon tube 5, through openings 52 and 51 in the spring retainer and into inner chamber 21. The liquid is forced between seal 26 and the valve seat 24 up past the flutes 61 in pin 14 and into chamber 16 in the head. Drain opening 62 permits the liquid under pressure to be propelled through channel 98 in guide member 29 and through channel 17 in the spout 18. As soon as the lever 13 is released, spring 28 forces valve cup 25 to move upwardly and to seal washer 26 against valve seat 24. Pin 14 is forced upwardly and causes lever 13 to return to its raised position. Thus, the container remains charged with sufficient gas to completely empty the container whenever desired at a later time. There is no escape of gases while the lever is in the raised position, since the gas remains in the upper portion of the container and continues to act on the surface 63 of the water, rather than on the seal between washer 26 and seat 24.
It is standard practice in industry to provide a plastic base member for plastic bottles. The drawings illustrate such a standard base as indicated by the number 103.
The base is attached to the bottle by applying adhesive at areas 94 and 95. By applying the adhesive to the base of the bottle and an upper part of the base, the base will remain affixed to the bottle in spite of the expansion and contraction of the bottle which results from the varying pressure in the bottle, as affected by varying temperature and varying fill lévels of the bottle. The difference in shape of the bottle is shown in Figure 5 when the bottle is empty and in Figure 6, which shows the shape of the bottle when it is filled and pressurized. Note particularly the indentation along line 96 in Figure 5 at a point just above the top edge 97 of the base 103. In Figure 6, when the bottle is filled, indent 96 disappears and becomes a smooth curved line. Some vertical growth occurs in the bottle, but it is not as dramatic as the diameter expansion. The difference in vertical height is, however, of sufficient importance that is necessary to make provision for this dimensional change as has been described above in the various syphon tube end members and the provision for openings in the edge of the end member.
~3~
It is not intended that cap 9 be subject to pressure at any time. If, however the valve should leak, and build-up pressure, danger from the cap may be obviated by providing a plurality of vertical slots in the outer sidewall of the neck of the bottle which cross threads 3. Thus, when the cap is loosened, if there should accidently happen to be any pressure against the cap, the pressure would safely vent through the vertical slots to atmosphere, the instant the cap seal was broken. The vertical slot system is presently found on plastic bottles which are under li~ht carbonation.
Figure 7 shows a syphon assembly 110 and a seltzer water package 112 incorporating the syphon assembly 110, in accordance with the invention. The package 112 includes a high strength polyester terephthalate ~PET) bottle 114 of the type shown in Fiyures 1-3 and 5-6, having a wall thickness of from about 18 to 20 thousandths of an inch. The bottle 114 has a necked opening 116 with exterior threads 118. The syphon assembly 110 includes an insert assembly 120 (see also Figure 8), bonded to the inside wall 122 of the necked opening 116 and extending into the bottle 114. A head assembly 124 (see also Figure 8) is attached to the necked opening by means of threads 126 on body 128, which mate with the threads 118 on the necked opening 116. When assembled in this manner, the head assembly 124 engages the insert assembly 120 during use of the seltzer water package 112.
The insert assembly 120 includes a tube 130 which extends from the necked opening 116 into the selt7er water 132 in bottle 114 and to bottom 134 of the bottle. Openings 136 are provided at end 138 of the tube 130 to allow the seltzer water 132 to enter the tube 130.
The tube 130 has a flanged upper end 140 within the necked opening 116. A resilient, substantially frustoconical shaped valve sealing member 142 rests on end 140 of the tube 130.
Insert 144 fits over the valve sealing member 142 and is bonded to edge 146 of the tube end 140. The tube end 140 and insert 144 are both bonded in sealing engagement to the interior surface 122 of nec~ed opening 116. Valve sealing member 142 has a raised ~)~56~
portion 148, which normally seals centrally disposed passageway 150, which extends through the insert 144. ~ cruciform cross-section valve guide 152 extends upward from the raised portion 148 into the passageway 150. Openings 154 are provided around the raised portion 148 through the valve sealing member 142.
Figure 9 shows the necked portion 116 of the bottle 114 and the insert assembly as the packaged seltzer water 132 is sold. A conventional aluminum twist-off cap 156 is fastened over the necked opening 116 by means of the screw threads 118.
Pressure from the seltzer water 132 in bottle 114 is not applied to the cap 156 because passageway 150 is sealed by the raised portion 148 of the valve sealing member 142.
In use of the package 112, the purchaser removes the cap 156 and replaces it with the syphon head assembly 124, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The package 112 i5 then ready to dispense the seltzer water 132.
The head assembly 124 includes a one-piece actuator 160, consistlng of an actuating rod 162, a diaphragm 164 and a ring 166 for bonding the actuator 160 to body 128 of the head assembly 124. Bend 168 in the resilient diaphragm 164 provides spring tension in the diaphragm. Actuating rod 162 extends abov~
the diaphragm 164 and has a curved end 170, which engages curved surface 172 of lever 174. Lever 174 extends through aperture 176 in bo~y 128 and is pivotally connected to the body 128 at 178, on the opposite side of the body 128 from aperture 176. Actuating rod 162 has a cruciform cross-section portion 180 which extends downward from the diaphragm 164 to engage the cruciform cross-section projection 152 of the valve sealing member 142 within passageway 150. Ring 166 of the actuator 160 has an orifice 182 extending through the ring 166, to connect cavity 184, defined by the actuator 160 and the insert 144, to bore 186 within spigot ~88.
Figure 10 shows the syphon assembly 110 in its open position, to discharge seltzer water 132 through spigot 188. As shown, when the lever 174 is depressed, actuating rod 162 is pushed downward, exertin~ force on the valve sealing member 142, deforming it away from sealing engagement with passageway 150.
- ~8 -The seltzer water flows through apertures 154, passageway 150, cavity 184, and orifice 182 to spigot 188. When lever 174 is released, spring force from diaphragm 164 moves actuating rod 162 and lever 174 upwards, back to the position shown in Figure 7, allowing valve sealing member 142 to assume its normal position sealing passageway 150.
In practice, tube 130, valve sealing member 142, insert 144, activator 160, head body 128 and lever 174 are preferably separately fabricated from a suitable plastic material in a molding operation. For this purpose, an injection molded co-polyester plastic is preferably employed. The valve sealin~
member 142 is placed on flanged end 140 of the tube 130, and insert 14~ is then ~onded to rim 146 of the end 140, such as by spin welding. The completed insert may then be placed into 15 bottle 114 through necked opening 116. The insert assembly 120 is then bonded at insert 144 in sealing engagement to the interior wall 122 of the necked opening 116, such as by spin welding or with a suitable adhesive. Similarly, the actuator 160 is bonded at ring 166 to head body 128, such as by spin welding.
Turning now to Figures 11 and 12, there is shown another syphon head closure 210 in accordance with the invention. The head 210 includes a body 212 with tapered flanges 214 for attachment to both inside surface 213 and outside surface 215 of neck 217 of plastic bottle 219 by spin or ultrasonic 25 welding. A spigot 216 incorporates a passageway 218-through the body 212, communicating with interior surface 220 of the body 212. An actuating lever 222 is attached to exterior sur~ace 224 of the body 212 by first and second break away filaments 226 and 228 and by a thicker, resilient biasing ribbon 230. A top 232 is 30 attached to the body 212 by flexible hinge 234. The top 232 is configured to fit flange 236 of the body 212 in a snap fit. An upwardly extending actuating rod 238 is centrally dispcsed within body 212, and is attached to interior surface 220 of the body 212 by a resilient, flexible diaphragm 240. The diaphragm 240 35 divides the head 212 into an upper chamber 242 and a lower chamber 244. ~ctuating rod 238 has a cavity 246 extending into the rod 238 and dimensioned to receive end 248 of the lever 222.
P5~3 In practice, all of the parts of the head closure 210 are preferable fabricated together from a suitable plastic material in a single molding step. For this purpose, an injection molded co-polyester plastic is preferably employed.
The body 212, lever 222, cap 232 and spigot 216 are formed by a one piece mold cavity, with separate cores from above into upper chamber 242, from below into lower chamber 244 and from the side to form the rod 238, flexible diaphragm 2~0 and the passageway 218. A slider within the core used to form spigot 216 forms the passageway 218.
Prior to attachment of the body 212 to a container, the syphon tube 256 is attached to the inside surface 220 of the body 212, by spin or ultrasonic welding the flange 258 in place. Tip 257 of rod 238 engages opening 259 of tube 256 in a sealing fit when tube 256 is in place~ After the syphon tube 25~ is attached in the body 212, the top 232 is snapped into position in flange 236, as shown in Figure 12. Figure 12 shows closure 210 in place on neck 217 of a plastic bottle 219, permanently attached by welding. Flange 274 extending around the neck of the bottle 217 2~ provides support for the body 212 against lateral shearing forces, such as might occur if the bottle 219 were dropped. The bottle 219 is filled with highly carbonated water 276 through spigot 216, as is conventional in seltzer bottling, by inserting a suitable member through opening 278 in body 212 to engage rod 238 to apply force for moving end 257 of the rod away from opening 259, thus opening the valve assembly and allowing the highly carbonated water 276 to flow into the bottle 219. This procedure is explained more fully below in connection with Figures 18-22. When so filled, the bottle 219 is stored, shipped and sold in the form shown in Figure 12. Since lever 222 must be - inserted through opening 278 to engage the rod 23~ to discharge the highly carbonated water 276 from the bottle 21~, the presence of intact break away filaments 226 and 228 on the package assures the user that the package 211 has not been tampered with prior to sale. If desired, a removable label or other sealing strip may also be placed over the opening 278 during storage and shipment of the package 211.
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Figure 13 shows the syphon head closure 210 during the process of activating the syphon head closure for dispensing the seltzer 276 from bottle 219 by insertion of the lever 222 through opening 278. ~he user pulls upward on the lever handle 280, first rupturing the filament 226. Spring strip 230 guides the lever 222 with continued upward force on the handle 280, so that end 248 of the lever 222 enters the opening 278. The second break away filament 228 breaks during this travel. The spring strip 230 is configured so that it will guide the end 248 into cavity 246 in rod 238 to give the configuration shown in Figure 14. Nipples 281 on either side of the lever 222 engage inside surface 220 of the upper chamber 242 to keep the lever 222 in place once it has been inserted through opening 278. Edge 2~3 of opening 278 serves as a fulcrum for raising rod 238 when downward force is applied to handle 280.
Figure 15 shows the syphon head closure 210 actuated by a user~ Downward force on the handle 280 of the lever 222 is converted to upward force on the rod 238 by fulcrum edge 283, thus moving tip 257 out of sealing engagement with opening 259 in the syphon tube 256. The seltzer water 276 is then discharged by the carbon dioxide pressure in bottle 219 through opening 259 into lower chamber 244 and out passageway 218 of spigot 216.
When the user releases the downward force on handle 280 of lever 222, the downward biasing force of diaphragm 240 on rod 238 returns the head closure 210 to the position shown in Figure 14, with tip 257 sealing the opening 259. If desired, a compressed spring can be inserted between end 285 of rod 238 and top 232, and top 232 b~nded in place, to provide additional downward biasing force on rod 238. When the bottle 219 is empty, it and the head closure 210 are recycled or discarded.
Figures 16 and 17 show a third embodiment of a package 300 in accordance with the invention. This package 300 includes an insert assembly 302, which is inserted in the neck 350 of a bottle 352, and a head closure 304, which is screwed by threads 306 onto mating threads on the neck of ~he bottle. With this embodiment, the bottle 352 containing the seltzer water 356 is sold with the insert assembly 302 in place in the neck of the ~3~
bottle and a conventional aluminum twist off or plastic snap on cap fastened over the neck of the bottle. The end user replaces the cap with the head closure 304.
The insert assembly 302 includes a tube 310 which extends from the neck 350 of the bottle into the seltzer water 356 and to the bottom of the bottle 352. Openings 312 are provided at end 314 of the tube 310 to allow the seltzer water to enter the tube 310. The tube 310 has a flanged upper end 316 within the neck of the bottle. A resilient, substantially frustoconical shaped valve sealing member 318 rests on end 316 o~
the tube 310. Insert 320 fits over the valve sealing member 318 and is bonded to edge 322 of the tube end 316. The tube end 316 and insert 320 are both bonded in sealing engagement to interior surface 358 of the bottle neck. Valve sealing member 318 has a raised portion 324, which normally seals centrally disposed passageway 326, which extends through the insert 320. A
cruciform cross section valve guide 328 extends upward from the raised portion 324 into the passageway 326. Openings 330 are provided around the raised portion 324 through the valve sealing member 318.
As in the Figures 11-15 embodiment, the head 304 has a lever 340, mounted on exterior surface 360 of head body 362. To activate the head 304, lever 340 is extended through an opening 342 to engage a vertically disposed actuating rod 344. Cruciform cross section end 346 of the rod 344 is configured t~ engage the valve guide 328.
The head 304 is provided separately from the seltzer water package 300 including the insert assembly 302 and a conventional aluminum twist off or plastic snap on cap. After replacing the cap with the head 304, the user separates lever 340 from body 362 of the head 304 in the same manner as in the Figures 11-15 embodiment, to insert the lever 340 through opening 342, aperture 343 extending transversely through rod 344 and into socket 3~4. When the seltzer package is empty, the user may remove the head 304 ~or use with another seltzer package.
Other than as shown and described above, the construction and ~3~C~8 operation of the Figures 12-13 embodiment is the same as the Figures 11-15 embodiment.
It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various chanyes in form and details of the invention as shown and described may be made. It is intended that such changes be included within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.
SYPHON ASSEM~LY, PACKAGE, HEAD, METHOD, FILLING
APPARATUS AND FILLING PROCESS
This is a ~ivisional of Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 480,991 filed May 8, 1985.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the storage and dispensing of water or flavored beverages under gas pressure of between 90 and 150 psi (10 at~ospheresl. Such products are commonly known as syphon seltzer water, as distinguished from present day bottled sparkling waters or lightly carbonated flavored beverages which are charged to pressures of 50 to 60 psi (3 to 4 atmospheres).
For further purposes of comparison, champagne is under about 6 to 7 atmospheres o~ pressure. This in~tention ~urther relates to a simplified syphon assembly for use to dispense liquids stored in a container under pressure and to a package incorporating the syphon assembly. This invention also relates to an improved closure especially configured for fabrication in a single molding step. More particularly, it relates to such a closure that is tamper-resistant prior to actuation by an end user. In another aspect this invention relates to a modified form of a seltzer bottle filling apparatus and to a process for filling a seltzer bottle having a detachable head with the head detached. More particularly, it relates to such an apparatus and process in which such a seltzer bottle is filled through a valve mechanism that remains on the bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art Although the syphon seltzer water industry was a giant at the turn of the century and reached its zenith in the 1920s, today it is remembered mostly by the classic syphon seltzer bottle which was used as a comedy prop by the Marx Brothers and ; The Three Stooges to squirt each other in wild water fights. The New York area alone at one time had 2,000 syphon seltzer companies. Today there are about a dozen seltzer bottlers in the United States. There are only two syphon seltzer bottlers west ~13~ St,~3 of Chicago.
The syphon seltzer industry died after World War II and remains as a nostalgic, marginally profitable local business carried on by only a handful of energetic young folk who hand fill and hand deliver the old-fashioned syphon seltzer water to a fiercely loyal group of purists who want nothing more and nothing less than thrice-filtered water and carbon dioxide. There are no salts; no flavors; no preservatives, a tr:io that is sweet music to the palates of the health conscious.
Syphon seltzer water, up until now, however, because of the use of high pressures in glass bottles was a victim of several factors: (1) the high cost of products liability insurance; a heavy glass bottle exploding under a pressure of 150 psi can inflict awesome damage; (2) the high cost of heavy glass bottle manufacture; (3) the high cost of tin, rubber, and brass used in the manufacture of the pewter heads and valves; (6) the high cost of bottle delivery and pick-up of the heavy, fragile bottles; ~7) the high cost and difficulty in sanitizing the returned bottles, and especially the returned heads and valves;
20 and ultimately (8) the switch by the mass market to lightly carbonated flavored drinks in disposable cans and thin bottles.
The syphon seltzer water industry died, not for a good product, but for the variety of reasons set forth above which related to its storage, distribution and dispensing problems.
A brief background, therefore, of the seltzer industry and the syphon seltzer container is necessary to an understanding of the dramatic change this invention brings to an industry which has essentially stood still for the last sixty years.
Mineral waters with light natural carbonation were enjoyed by earliest man; the Romans knew about them but used the water more ~or bathing than drinking, witness Bath. The Germans and the French considered the mineral waters to have curatlve powers and they live today in such industries as Vichy, and Perrier. Of course, the mineral waters from the early spas could not be transported very far, because heat and lack of pressurized vessels took its toll on the taste and effervescent quality of the water. In 1772, a British scientist, Joseph ~31)~
Priestly, better known for his discovery of oxygen, succeeded in producing artificially carbonated water. He made it in barrels and the race for a container was on. The British Navy mixed the carbonated water with lime juice and later the practice was adopted through the Royal Navy to prevent the sailors from getting scurvy from their vitamin-deficient diet; hence the term "Limeys". Nicholas Paul of Geneva is creclited with starting to manufacture imitation spa waters in bulk in 1789 and one of his partners, Jacob Schweppe, four years later started making soda water.
The ma~ufacture of carbonated water in the United States began in the early part of the 19th Century. A patent was granted in 1810 for saturating water with "fixed air."
INVENTION OF THE SYPHON soTTLE
Charles Plinth is credited as being the first to preserve "aerated waters" in a reservoir which would cleliver a portion of its contents at different times. His patent on a Regency portable fountain in 1813 was identical in construction with the fountains then commonly used in which the motive force was compressed atmospheric air. Plinth substituted carbonic acid gas for air in his apparatus. It consisted of a vessel with a tube passing from an opening in the top almost to the bottom; the upper part of the tube was furnished with a stop-cock and delivery tube, from which the water was drawn off under pressure of the carbonic acid gas. -Deleuze and Dutillet, Paris jewellers, who apparentlywere adverse to consuming an entire bottle of champagne at one sitting were granted a patent in 1829 on a "siphon champenois"
which consisted of a hollow corkscrew which was passed through the cork into the bottle. The upper part of the screw terminated in a vertical tube bearing a nearly horizontal spout. A lever operated a valve, which when opened and the bottle was tipped, gave exit to the champagne under pressure of the contained gas.
The forerunner of the present day syphon seltzer bottle was patented in 1837 by Antoine Perpigna of Paris, France. The vase was made of metal, glass, china or stoneware and the head of the syphon was hollow and contained a piston, pressed down by a ~3~5~
spring into close contact with the upper end of the tube passing to the bottom of the vase. The method of attaching these early head mechanisms to the bottle or vessel is unknown to applicant but it appears from the articles that there was some sort of external collar mechanism, or perhaps the head mechanism ~hich protruded above the bottle was adhesively affixed to the bottle.
The split collar mechanism which is universally adopted and is still in use today was invented in about 1855 by the Comte de Fontainemoreau and George Rogers. They used a bottle made with a groove around the outer wall of the neck into which was fitted a ring of metal divided into two segments which formed a shoulder for securing a screwed collar.
The problem with the Rogers mechanism and virtually every mechanism for syphon seltzer water to the present day is the fact that the head mechanism, containing the valve and spout, must be assembled on the bottle before filling. The bottle is filled through the head mechanism and the entire assembly of head and filled water bottle must be transported from the factory, through the distribution chain, to the customer and then after the contents are emptied, the bottle and head must be returned through the distribution chain, back to the factory for filling.
After sanitizing, the bottle is refilled through the head.
Again, the seltzer industry as it was known for one hundred years, died because of the lack of a container system, not because any superior product replaced it. -S~MMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and fulfills the one basic commercial fact of our day; a beverage product must meet all of the requirements for distribution and sale through our present day supermarket system. These requirements are (1) Sa~ety; the container must not explode even if mishandled# (2) Inexpensive; the bottle and valve must be so inexpensive that they need not be returned and routed back through the chain of distribution to the factory. ~3) The bottle and valve must be light weight; water is already a heavy product and the container cannot add appreciably to the weight or containers of sufficient volume cannot be handled through the checkout stand and be bagged 5~
along with other grocery products. (4~ The bottle must be made of a material that can be recycled in those states which have instituted laws for the recycling of containers. ~5) The head mechanism must be simple, yet easily attached and detached from the container so that most everyone can accomplish the process without any danger or effort.
The key to the accomplishment of the above objectives is the separation of the head and valve actuation function from the valve and seal function and the selection of a high strength, non-frangible container. Specifically, the valve and seal mechanism are contained almost totally within the neck of the container, while the head, which contains the valve actuator, is a separate member which can be retained by the consumer and used over and over again. The container may be charged up to 150 psi.
To emphasize the high capacity of the container, it is to be noted that 150 psi is the bursting pressure of standard glass bottles used for lightly carbonated beverages.
- A container system for storing and dispensing a pressurized fluid in accordance with one aspect of this invention includes a substantially non-frangible container having a necked opening with an inside surface. A valve insert is fixedly attached to the inside surface of the necked opening. A
removabl~ cap is attached to the necked opening over the valve insert. A dispensing head is configured for fixed, removable engagement over the necked opening after removal of the cap. The dispensing head includes a body having an opening for discharge of the fluid and a valve actuating member in the head configured for operative engagement of the valve when the dispensing head has a means for attaching the head in fixed engagement over the necked opening, such as threads on the head body.
In practice, the non-frangible container is fitted with the valve mechanism. The container is filled with carbonated water to a pressure from about 90 to 150 psi. A standard aluminum sc~ew type cap or other simple closure is placed on the bottle. The cap is under no pressure and merely serves to protect the valve from contamination and accidental discharge if the valve should break away from the neck. The container is ~3g~P~;6~1 distributed through the standard distribution channels like any other bottled or canned beverage, without any special precautions and shelved in a supermarket along with the standard lightly carbonated flavored beverages, which are under the greatly reduced pressure of about 50 to 60 psi. The container is distributed and shelved without the head and spigot mechanism.
~he head and spigot may be sold separately or distributed free of charge with the sale of one or more containers The customer refrigerates the container of seltzer water and, before using, removes the disposable cap and attaches the head mechanism to the container. The high pressure is sufficient to discharge the entire contents of the container without appreciable loss of carbonation due to the use of the syphon tube. When the entire contents of the container have been discharged, the head may be detached and placed on a freshly refrigerated container of seltzer water. The used syphon seltzer non-frangible container may be discarded or recycled by returning it to a recycling center as desired.
When the head is tightly attached to the container, 2~ should the valve leak, the head will hold the pressure. In the unlikely event that the valve should break away from the neck of the container, the head would safely hold the damaged valve within the head.
Unlike standard syphon seltzer bottles which may be accidentally discharged while being carried by simply pressing down on the lever on the head mechanism, the present containers cannot be accidentally discharged. The head is never placed on the container until it is ready for use. The only way to discharge the container of the present invention while it is in the distribution chain is to remove the protective cap, throw it away, and then poke a small long, sharp object down through a small hole in the valve which is down inside the neck of the containerO Note that the cap may be provided with a tamper proof lower skirt.
In a further aspect of the invention, it is an object of this invention to provide a simplified valve for releasably confining beverages and other liquids under gas pressures of up to 10 atmospheres.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simplified syphon head assembly for use to actuate a valve for release of beverages and other liquids stored under gas pressures in a container at up to about 10 atmospheres.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a syphon head assembly and package of the type in which a valve and an actuating mechanism for the valve may -be separated without loss of pressure in the package, having a reduced number of parts and which can be fabricated and assembled on a low cost, high volume basis.
The attain~ent of these and related objects may be achieved through use of the novel syphon assembly and package incorporating the assembly in accordance with this aspect o~ the invention. The syphon head assembly of this invention is for use with a container having a necked opening and holding a beverage or other liquid under pressure. In one aspect of the invention, the syphon assembly has a tube dimensioned to extend from the necked opening into the liquid in the container. A valve is positioned proximate to the necked opening end of the tube. The valve has a frustoconical shaped resilient sealing member having an open base engaging the tube and a top normally biased by the resilient sealing member into sealing engagement with a passageway of the valve for the liquid to flow from the container through the necked opening. An actuating member is positioned in a syphon head to apply force to deform the resilient sealing member to move its top out o~ the sealing engagement with the passageway of the valve. The resilient sealing member has a plurality of apertures spaced around the top to allow the liquid to pass from the tube to the passageway of the valve when the resilient sealing member is deformed. A means extends from the syphon head for applying force to the actuating member to deform the sealing member. The syphon head has a body with threads or other means for attaching the syphon head to the necked opening.
In another aspect of the invention, the syphon assembly has a valve inserted in the necked opening for releasably confining a liquid under pressure in the container. A syphon head has a body configured for attachment to the necked opening.
An actuating member for opening the valve is fixedly attached to the body. The actuating member incorporates, in integrated form, a rod extending downward within the body for engaging the valve when the body is attached to the necked opening, a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to the rod, and a ring portion surrounding the resilient diaphragm for attaching the actuating member to the body.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the syphon assembly incorporates both the above novel resilient sealing member and the above novel actuating member. In this structure, the syphon head body and actuating member may be separated from the valve without releasing pressure in the container. The container holding the liquid under pressure, with the closed valve in place, and a conventional closure provided over the necked opening, are distributed separately from the syphon head with the actuating ~tember, which are attached to the package for dispensing pressurized beverage or other liquid.
In another aspect it is an object of this invention to provide an integrally formed package closure incorporating a valve actuating mechanism.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a closure which is tamper-resistant until activation by the end user.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a closure in which positioning of a part of the closure for activation is self guiding.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a closure in which part of the closure that provides the self guiding function also helps bias the closure valve in a sealed position when not in use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a closure which is sufficiently low in cost that it may be recycled or discarded after discharge of a single filling of the package.
It is a still another object of the invention to ~o~
provide such a container closure especially adapted for use as a syphon head for release of beverages and other liquids stored under gas pressures of up to about 10 atmospheres.
The attainment of these and related objects may be achieved through use of the novel container closure and package incorporating the container closure of this aspect of the invention. A container closure in accordance with this invention is a head configured to fit over a necked opening of a container in sealing relationship. There is a valve actuating means in the head. A lever for operative engagemen~ of the valve actuating means has a f~rst end and a second end. The lever is integrally formed with the head and is attached to an exterior surface of the head by at least one break away member. The head has a first opening for insertion of the first lever end operatively to engage the valve actuating means. The lever is configured so that the second lever end extends through the head opening for application of actuating force in a given direction by a user when the first lever end operatively engages the valve actuating means.
In a preferred form of the invention, the lever is further permanently attached to the exterior surface of the head by a resilient biasing member, which is configured to apply biasing force in opposition to the actuating force in the given direction. The resilient biasing member is preferably further configured to pivot the first lever end through the first opening into operative engagement with the valve actuating means when the break away member is broken away. The valve actuating means also preferably comprises an upwardly extending rod having a first end with a transversely extending opening configured to receive the first lever end. The rod has a second, valve sealing end. The rod is attached to an interior surface of the head by a resilient diaphragm, and the resilient diaphragm is configured to apply biasing force to the rod in opposition to the actuating force. The rod and diaphragm may be integrally formed with the head. In this form, the container closure of the invention is formed as one piece, including the lever attached to the exterior surface of the head, and the resilient diaphragm and rod assembly g _ .. ~
~31~S~8 attached to the interior surface of the head.
The attainment of the foregoing and related objects, advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention, taken together with the drawings in which:
BRI~F DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view oE the container of the present invention with the valve inserted and the cap and head removed.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the container of Figure 1 shown in an enlarged scale with the midsection of the container removed. Portions of the valve mechanism are not shown in section for purposes of clarity in showing their relationship with the rest of the mechanism. The preferred valve and plug apparatus is shown. One of the forms of the syphon tube is shown.
Figure 3 is a cross section of a portion of the container on an enlarged scale with the cap removed and a head member attached to the form of the valve shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the head, valve and a portion of the syphon tube shown in Figures 1 - 3.
Figure 5 is an enlarged side view of the container of the present invention with a portion in cross section. The bottle is attached to a base for convenience in standing in a vertical position. This view shows the shape of the bottle prior to filling.
Figure 6 is a side view of the container of Figure 5 with portions in cross section. The container is shown filled with carbonated water and is under pressure of between 90 to 150 psi. The valve and disposable cap are shown on the sealed and filled container.
Figure 7 is a cross-section view of another syphon head assembly and package incorporating the assembly in accordance with the invention.
Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the syphon head assembly shown in Figure 7.
3L3~
Figure 9 is a cross-section view of a portion of the package shown in Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 10 is a cross-section view similar to Figure 1, but showing the package of Figures 7-9 in use Figure 11 is an external perspective view of still another syphon head and package in accordance with the invention.
Figure 12 is a cross section view-taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a cross-section view of the syphon head and package shown in Figures 11 and 12 during activation.
Figure 14 is a cross-section view of the syphon head and package shown in Figures 11 and 12-13 after activation.
Figure 15 is a cross-section view of the syphon head and package shown in Figures 11-14 during use.
Figure 16 is an exploded perspective and partial section view of a further syphon head and package embodiment in - accordance with the invention.
Figure 17 is a cross section view of a completed package incorporating the syphon head of Figure 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to the drawings, more particularly to Figure 1, the method of the present invention for storing and dispensing fluids containered under gas pressure comprises selecting a plastic, metal, composite or other substahtially non-frangible container 1 capable of safely withstanding in excess of three atmospheres of pressure and preferably a 1.8 liter bottle capable of safely carrying liquids at 150 psi (10 atmospheres).
The container is formed with a neck portion 2 having an external attachment member 3. Preferably, the bottle is an 18 to 20 mil polyester terephthalate (PET) bottle. Polyester terephthalate (PET) is furnished by various manufacturers, including Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. One of the manufacturers of the bottle is Plaxicon Company in the City of Industry, California using equipment and molds manufactured by NISI ~SB Machine Company, Ltd. of Japan, with offices in Torrance, California. The unusually high strength is due to the bi-axial orientation of the : L3~
molecules in the plastic. Additional information on bottle manufacture is set forth in "A ~ayman's Guide to Pet Chemistry and Processing", Edward E. Dennison, Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. and "One-Stage Processing of Pet Bottles", ~astman Kodak Company. The external attachment member on the outsi~e wall of the neck may be the formation of screw threads 3 in the plastic.
A valve means 4 is selected which is mounted substantially within the container neck portion for maintalning gas pressure of at least three atmospheres and preferably up to about 150 psi or about 10 atmospheres. A tube 5, commonly known as a syphon tube, is connected to the valve and has a ~istal end 6 which extends to a point adjacent to the bottom 7. The fluid flows up through the hollow syphon tube and through the valve when opened. The container is filled with liquid 8, such as carbonated water pressurized to about 10 atmospheres.
A cap member 9 for removably covering the opening in the neck portion of the bottle is selected, which is removed prior to placing the head on the bottle and dispensing the fluid.
The cap preferably is of light weight aluminum formed with internal threads, tamper proof and recyclable or disposable.
The cap should have a thin flexible seal member 54 (Figure 2) for preventing the inside of the bottle and valve from becoming contaminated in the distribution system. The cap is not under pressurel unlike all caps for lightly carbonated beverages.
The last step in the method is to select a head member 10, which is removably affixed to the external attachment member on the neck portion of the container. A preferred means of attachment is by internal threads 11 formed on the inside of wall 12 of the head member. The head member has a manually engageable valve actuating member, such as a lever 13. A remote valve actuating member, such as a pin 14, is selectively operable by the valve actuating member and is positioned for engagement with the valve means. A substantially impermeable liquid and gas sealing means, such as a rubber membrane 15, separates the manually engageable valve actuating member 13 and the remote valve actuating member 14. The head is formed with a chamber 16 ~L3~
which receives the fluid and channels it to a channel 17 in spout 18~
In Figures 2, 3, and 4, a safety neck plug member 19 is shown which encloses the valve means and is integrally connected to the syphon tube 5. The neck plug member is preferably attached to the inside wall 20 of the container by an adhesive.
A suitable adhesive is General Electric RTV Silicon Adhesive.
Another method of attaching wall 49 of neck plug 19 is to use a solvent to soften the PET and weld the plug to the neck wall of the container. Spin welding may also be employed.
Continuing to re~er to Figures 2, 3, and 4, the valve means includes an inner chamber 21 formed in neck plug member 19 having upper and lower portions 22 and 23. A valve seat 24 is formed in the upper portion of the valve chamber. This may simply be an annular protrusion. A valve cup 25 is positioned for registration with the valve seat in a valve closed position and is movable to a valve open position away from the valve seat.
Sealing means, such as a rubber washer 26, is positioned within the cup for sealing registration with the valve seat in the valve closed position. A spring retainer member 27 is mounted in the lower portion 23 of the chamber 21 and flared portion 101 of the syphon tube and a spring member 28 is mounted in the spring retainer member and biases the valve cup to the valve closed position.
The manually operable means for selectively opening the valve for release of the contents of the container may be any member capable of depressing the valve cup 25. A suitable head member 10 is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 for actuating the valve. A guide member 29 having threads 99 is threadably inserted into an opening 30 formed in the head to engage head internal threads 31. Pin 14 is mounted for vertical reciprocation within opening 32 of the guide member. Lever 13 is formed with a protrusion 33 which bears on cup 34. Injection molded plastic washer 35 bears against annular protrusion 36 which surrounds cup 34. The lever pivots about end point 100.
~ ssembly and operation of the valve and head illustrated in Figures 2-4 is as follows. A syphon tube 5 is selected having a length which will reach to a point adjacent the bottom of the container. Since the container is plastic and will expand with increased pressure from increased temperature and shrink with the loss of pressure, it is advisable to select an end member 37 which is frictionally placed over the distal end 6 in a telescoping manner so that if the bottom of the bottle pushes up against flared end 38, the end member 37 will simply slip over the distal end 6. Note that openings 39 formed in the end member 37 permit liquid to flow into the syphon tube even though the end member is pressed tightly against the bottom wall of the bottle. syphon tube 5 is formed with an outwardly extending flange 40. An annular rib 41 registers with a matching groove 42 in the plug member 19. Spring retainer 27 snap fits into the bottom of plug 19 and is inserted into enlarged opening 43. Spring 28 is then placed in the spring retainer so that its bottom end rests on abutment 45 and the top portion encircles protrusion 4~ on valve cup 25. Rubber washer 26 is placed in valve cup 25, which in turn is placed on the spring 28. Note that washer 26 may be formed with a small opening 47 to retain the end 48 of pin 14. Safety neck plug member 19 is then adhered to flange 40 of the syphon tube thereby compressing spring 28 and forcing sealing washer 26 into sealing engagement with valve seat 24 formed in the plug member. The entire plug and syphon tube assembly is then placed into the container and the side wall 49 is adhered to the inner neck wall of the container by a suitable adhesive or by spin welding.
Filling of the container with carbonated water is as follows. A suitable filling apparatus depresses valve cup 25 and the liquid enters through opening 50 in plug member 19 and into inner chamber 21. The water is forced past openings 51 and 52 and into syphon tube 5. The water flows through end member 37 and then into the bottle. When the container is filled to the desired amount, the valve cup is released and spring 28 forces the cup and washer 26 into sealing engagement with valve seat 24.
Pressure in the container also tends to force washer 26 into sealing engagement. A cap 9 is then threaded onto the container to prevent contamination of the end surface 53 and opening 50 of ~3~ 5~
the plug. The cap member may be provided with a flexible sealing member 54 to further enhance the seal to prevent contamination.
As previously noted, the cap is not under an~ pressure since the container pressure is entirely held by the sealing washer 26 within the safety plug.
Another important feature is the fact that the entire valve means and plug member is within the neck of the bottle except for a thin flange S5 which may rest ~n the upper rim 56 of the bottle. Flange 55 mechanically prevents the plug from slipping inside the bottle when the plug is first assembled and adhered to the inside wall of the neck of the container. It may also serve to provide an abutment when the cap is screwed onto the bottle.
The container is shipped through the distribution chain with the cap on and without any head mechanism. The container is shelved in sllpermarkets and other retail stores, where it is purchased directly by the ultimate consumer and carried to a home or business place. The container is chilled in the refrigerator and, when ready for consumption, the cap 9 is removed from the bottle and the head member 10 is screwed onto the container. The guide member 25 mates with conical surface 53, which is a rigid non-compressible sealing surface, at its matching concave surface 58. Pin 14 is inserted through opening 50 in the plug member and opening 47 in washer 26. Preferably there is a detent 59 into which the end 48 of pin 14 is inserted. All of the above operations are carried out without releasing any pressure from the container. Note that there are no compressible parts. All of the parts have a fixed length for accurate mass assembly of the valve and safety plug. In order to withdraw a part or all of the contents of the container, it is simply necessary to depress lever 13 inserted through opening 102 in the head 10, which causes protrusion 33 to move downwardly against cup 34, which in turn presses downwardly on the head 60 of pin 14 through sealing membrane ~ember 15. Depression of lever 13 causes pin 14 to move downwardly and end 48 to depress valve cup 25, carrying washer 26 with it. Spring 28 is compresse~ against abutment 45 in the spring retainer 27. Gas pressure within the container forces the .~ ~, ~3~
carbonated water up through syphon tube 5, through openings 52 and 51 in the spring retainer and into inner chamber 21. The liquid is forced between seal 26 and the valve seat 24 up past the flutes 61 in pin 14 and into chamber 16 in the head. Drain opening 62 permits the liquid under pressure to be propelled through channel 98 in guide member 29 and through channel 17 in the spout 18. As soon as the lever 13 is released, spring 28 forces valve cup 25 to move upwardly and to seal washer 26 against valve seat 24. Pin 14 is forced upwardly and causes lever 13 to return to its raised position. Thus, the container remains charged with sufficient gas to completely empty the container whenever desired at a later time. There is no escape of gases while the lever is in the raised position, since the gas remains in the upper portion of the container and continues to act on the surface 63 of the water, rather than on the seal between washer 26 and seat 24.
It is standard practice in industry to provide a plastic base member for plastic bottles. The drawings illustrate such a standard base as indicated by the number 103.
The base is attached to the bottle by applying adhesive at areas 94 and 95. By applying the adhesive to the base of the bottle and an upper part of the base, the base will remain affixed to the bottle in spite of the expansion and contraction of the bottle which results from the varying pressure in the bottle, as affected by varying temperature and varying fill lévels of the bottle. The difference in shape of the bottle is shown in Figure 5 when the bottle is empty and in Figure 6, which shows the shape of the bottle when it is filled and pressurized. Note particularly the indentation along line 96 in Figure 5 at a point just above the top edge 97 of the base 103. In Figure 6, when the bottle is filled, indent 96 disappears and becomes a smooth curved line. Some vertical growth occurs in the bottle, but it is not as dramatic as the diameter expansion. The difference in vertical height is, however, of sufficient importance that is necessary to make provision for this dimensional change as has been described above in the various syphon tube end members and the provision for openings in the edge of the end member.
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It is not intended that cap 9 be subject to pressure at any time. If, however the valve should leak, and build-up pressure, danger from the cap may be obviated by providing a plurality of vertical slots in the outer sidewall of the neck of the bottle which cross threads 3. Thus, when the cap is loosened, if there should accidently happen to be any pressure against the cap, the pressure would safely vent through the vertical slots to atmosphere, the instant the cap seal was broken. The vertical slot system is presently found on plastic bottles which are under li~ht carbonation.
Figure 7 shows a syphon assembly 110 and a seltzer water package 112 incorporating the syphon assembly 110, in accordance with the invention. The package 112 includes a high strength polyester terephthalate ~PET) bottle 114 of the type shown in Fiyures 1-3 and 5-6, having a wall thickness of from about 18 to 20 thousandths of an inch. The bottle 114 has a necked opening 116 with exterior threads 118. The syphon assembly 110 includes an insert assembly 120 (see also Figure 8), bonded to the inside wall 122 of the necked opening 116 and extending into the bottle 114. A head assembly 124 (see also Figure 8) is attached to the necked opening by means of threads 126 on body 128, which mate with the threads 118 on the necked opening 116. When assembled in this manner, the head assembly 124 engages the insert assembly 120 during use of the seltzer water package 112.
The insert assembly 120 includes a tube 130 which extends from the necked opening 116 into the selt7er water 132 in bottle 114 and to bottom 134 of the bottle. Openings 136 are provided at end 138 of the tube 130 to allow the seltzer water 132 to enter the tube 130.
The tube 130 has a flanged upper end 140 within the necked opening 116. A resilient, substantially frustoconical shaped valve sealing member 142 rests on end 140 of the tube 130.
Insert 144 fits over the valve sealing member 142 and is bonded to edge 146 of the tube end 140. The tube end 140 and insert 144 are both bonded in sealing engagement to the interior surface 122 of nec~ed opening 116. Valve sealing member 142 has a raised ~)~56~
portion 148, which normally seals centrally disposed passageway 150, which extends through the insert 144. ~ cruciform cross-section valve guide 152 extends upward from the raised portion 148 into the passageway 150. Openings 154 are provided around the raised portion 148 through the valve sealing member 142.
Figure 9 shows the necked portion 116 of the bottle 114 and the insert assembly as the packaged seltzer water 132 is sold. A conventional aluminum twist-off cap 156 is fastened over the necked opening 116 by means of the screw threads 118.
Pressure from the seltzer water 132 in bottle 114 is not applied to the cap 156 because passageway 150 is sealed by the raised portion 148 of the valve sealing member 142.
In use of the package 112, the purchaser removes the cap 156 and replaces it with the syphon head assembly 124, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The package 112 i5 then ready to dispense the seltzer water 132.
The head assembly 124 includes a one-piece actuator 160, consistlng of an actuating rod 162, a diaphragm 164 and a ring 166 for bonding the actuator 160 to body 128 of the head assembly 124. Bend 168 in the resilient diaphragm 164 provides spring tension in the diaphragm. Actuating rod 162 extends abov~
the diaphragm 164 and has a curved end 170, which engages curved surface 172 of lever 174. Lever 174 extends through aperture 176 in bo~y 128 and is pivotally connected to the body 128 at 178, on the opposite side of the body 128 from aperture 176. Actuating rod 162 has a cruciform cross-section portion 180 which extends downward from the diaphragm 164 to engage the cruciform cross-section projection 152 of the valve sealing member 142 within passageway 150. Ring 166 of the actuator 160 has an orifice 182 extending through the ring 166, to connect cavity 184, defined by the actuator 160 and the insert 144, to bore 186 within spigot ~88.
Figure 10 shows the syphon assembly 110 in its open position, to discharge seltzer water 132 through spigot 188. As shown, when the lever 174 is depressed, actuating rod 162 is pushed downward, exertin~ force on the valve sealing member 142, deforming it away from sealing engagement with passageway 150.
- ~8 -The seltzer water flows through apertures 154, passageway 150, cavity 184, and orifice 182 to spigot 188. When lever 174 is released, spring force from diaphragm 164 moves actuating rod 162 and lever 174 upwards, back to the position shown in Figure 7, allowing valve sealing member 142 to assume its normal position sealing passageway 150.
In practice, tube 130, valve sealing member 142, insert 144, activator 160, head body 128 and lever 174 are preferably separately fabricated from a suitable plastic material in a molding operation. For this purpose, an injection molded co-polyester plastic is preferably employed. The valve sealin~
member 142 is placed on flanged end 140 of the tube 130, and insert 14~ is then ~onded to rim 146 of the end 140, such as by spin welding. The completed insert may then be placed into 15 bottle 114 through necked opening 116. The insert assembly 120 is then bonded at insert 144 in sealing engagement to the interior wall 122 of the necked opening 116, such as by spin welding or with a suitable adhesive. Similarly, the actuator 160 is bonded at ring 166 to head body 128, such as by spin welding.
Turning now to Figures 11 and 12, there is shown another syphon head closure 210 in accordance with the invention. The head 210 includes a body 212 with tapered flanges 214 for attachment to both inside surface 213 and outside surface 215 of neck 217 of plastic bottle 219 by spin or ultrasonic 25 welding. A spigot 216 incorporates a passageway 218-through the body 212, communicating with interior surface 220 of the body 212. An actuating lever 222 is attached to exterior sur~ace 224 of the body 212 by first and second break away filaments 226 and 228 and by a thicker, resilient biasing ribbon 230. A top 232 is 30 attached to the body 212 by flexible hinge 234. The top 232 is configured to fit flange 236 of the body 212 in a snap fit. An upwardly extending actuating rod 238 is centrally dispcsed within body 212, and is attached to interior surface 220 of the body 212 by a resilient, flexible diaphragm 240. The diaphragm 240 35 divides the head 212 into an upper chamber 242 and a lower chamber 244. ~ctuating rod 238 has a cavity 246 extending into the rod 238 and dimensioned to receive end 248 of the lever 222.
P5~3 In practice, all of the parts of the head closure 210 are preferable fabricated together from a suitable plastic material in a single molding step. For this purpose, an injection molded co-polyester plastic is preferably employed.
The body 212, lever 222, cap 232 and spigot 216 are formed by a one piece mold cavity, with separate cores from above into upper chamber 242, from below into lower chamber 244 and from the side to form the rod 238, flexible diaphragm 2~0 and the passageway 218. A slider within the core used to form spigot 216 forms the passageway 218.
Prior to attachment of the body 212 to a container, the syphon tube 256 is attached to the inside surface 220 of the body 212, by spin or ultrasonic welding the flange 258 in place. Tip 257 of rod 238 engages opening 259 of tube 256 in a sealing fit when tube 256 is in place~ After the syphon tube 25~ is attached in the body 212, the top 232 is snapped into position in flange 236, as shown in Figure 12. Figure 12 shows closure 210 in place on neck 217 of a plastic bottle 219, permanently attached by welding. Flange 274 extending around the neck of the bottle 217 2~ provides support for the body 212 against lateral shearing forces, such as might occur if the bottle 219 were dropped. The bottle 219 is filled with highly carbonated water 276 through spigot 216, as is conventional in seltzer bottling, by inserting a suitable member through opening 278 in body 212 to engage rod 238 to apply force for moving end 257 of the rod away from opening 259, thus opening the valve assembly and allowing the highly carbonated water 276 to flow into the bottle 219. This procedure is explained more fully below in connection with Figures 18-22. When so filled, the bottle 219 is stored, shipped and sold in the form shown in Figure 12. Since lever 222 must be - inserted through opening 278 to engage the rod 23~ to discharge the highly carbonated water 276 from the bottle 21~, the presence of intact break away filaments 226 and 228 on the package assures the user that the package 211 has not been tampered with prior to sale. If desired, a removable label or other sealing strip may also be placed over the opening 278 during storage and shipment of the package 211.
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Figure 13 shows the syphon head closure 210 during the process of activating the syphon head closure for dispensing the seltzer 276 from bottle 219 by insertion of the lever 222 through opening 278. ~he user pulls upward on the lever handle 280, first rupturing the filament 226. Spring strip 230 guides the lever 222 with continued upward force on the handle 280, so that end 248 of the lever 222 enters the opening 278. The second break away filament 228 breaks during this travel. The spring strip 230 is configured so that it will guide the end 248 into cavity 246 in rod 238 to give the configuration shown in Figure 14. Nipples 281 on either side of the lever 222 engage inside surface 220 of the upper chamber 242 to keep the lever 222 in place once it has been inserted through opening 278. Edge 2~3 of opening 278 serves as a fulcrum for raising rod 238 when downward force is applied to handle 280.
Figure 15 shows the syphon head closure 210 actuated by a user~ Downward force on the handle 280 of the lever 222 is converted to upward force on the rod 238 by fulcrum edge 283, thus moving tip 257 out of sealing engagement with opening 259 in the syphon tube 256. The seltzer water 276 is then discharged by the carbon dioxide pressure in bottle 219 through opening 259 into lower chamber 244 and out passageway 218 of spigot 216.
When the user releases the downward force on handle 280 of lever 222, the downward biasing force of diaphragm 240 on rod 238 returns the head closure 210 to the position shown in Figure 14, with tip 257 sealing the opening 259. If desired, a compressed spring can be inserted between end 285 of rod 238 and top 232, and top 232 b~nded in place, to provide additional downward biasing force on rod 238. When the bottle 219 is empty, it and the head closure 210 are recycled or discarded.
Figures 16 and 17 show a third embodiment of a package 300 in accordance with the invention. This package 300 includes an insert assembly 302, which is inserted in the neck 350 of a bottle 352, and a head closure 304, which is screwed by threads 306 onto mating threads on the neck of ~he bottle. With this embodiment, the bottle 352 containing the seltzer water 356 is sold with the insert assembly 302 in place in the neck of the ~3~
bottle and a conventional aluminum twist off or plastic snap on cap fastened over the neck of the bottle. The end user replaces the cap with the head closure 304.
The insert assembly 302 includes a tube 310 which extends from the neck 350 of the bottle into the seltzer water 356 and to the bottom of the bottle 352. Openings 312 are provided at end 314 of the tube 310 to allow the seltzer water to enter the tube 310. The tube 310 has a flanged upper end 316 within the neck of the bottle. A resilient, substantially frustoconical shaped valve sealing member 318 rests on end 316 o~
the tube 310. Insert 320 fits over the valve sealing member 318 and is bonded to edge 322 of the tube end 316. The tube end 316 and insert 320 are both bonded in sealing engagement to interior surface 358 of the bottle neck. Valve sealing member 318 has a raised portion 324, which normally seals centrally disposed passageway 326, which extends through the insert 320. A
cruciform cross section valve guide 328 extends upward from the raised portion 324 into the passageway 326. Openings 330 are provided around the raised portion 324 through the valve sealing member 318.
As in the Figures 11-15 embodiment, the head 304 has a lever 340, mounted on exterior surface 360 of head body 362. To activate the head 304, lever 340 is extended through an opening 342 to engage a vertically disposed actuating rod 344. Cruciform cross section end 346 of the rod 344 is configured t~ engage the valve guide 328.
The head 304 is provided separately from the seltzer water package 300 including the insert assembly 302 and a conventional aluminum twist off or plastic snap on cap. After replacing the cap with the head 304, the user separates lever 340 from body 362 of the head 304 in the same manner as in the Figures 11-15 embodiment, to insert the lever 340 through opening 342, aperture 343 extending transversely through rod 344 and into socket 3~4. When the seltzer package is empty, the user may remove the head 304 ~or use with another seltzer package.
Other than as shown and described above, the construction and ~3~C~8 operation of the Figures 12-13 embodiment is the same as the Figures 11-15 embodiment.
It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various chanyes in form and details of the invention as shown and described may be made. It is intended that such changes be included within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
CLAIMS:
1. A syphon assembly for use with a container having a necked opening and holding a liquid under pressure, which comprises a tube dimensioned to extend from the necked opening into the liquid in the container, a valve positioned proximate to the necked opening end of the said tube and having a passageway for the liquid to flow from said container through the necked opening, said valve having a frustoconical shaped resilient sealing member having an open base engaging said tube and a top normally biased by the resilient sealing member into sealing engagement with the passageway of said valve, an actuating member positioned in a syphon head to apply force to deform said resilient sealing member to move its top out of the sealing engagement with the passageway of said valve, said resilient sealing member having a plurality of apertures spaced around the top to allow the liquid to pass from said tube to the passageway of said valve when said resilient sealing member is deformed, means extending from said syphon head for applying force to said actuating member to deform said resilient sealing member, a body having a means for attaching said syphon head to the necked opening, said valve comprising an insert member positioned over said sealing member and bonded to the necked opening end of said tube around said sealing member, said insert having a side configured for bonding in a sealing fit to an interior surface of the necked opening of the container, said insert having a centrally disposed opening comprising the passageway of said valve, through which said actuating member contacts said sealing member, said actuating member comprising, in integral form, a rod extending into said centrally disposed opening and a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to said rod, said resilient diaphragm being fixedly attached around its periphery to said body, and said rod extending below said diaphragm to contact said sealing member.
2. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in which said force applying means comprises a lever extending through an opening in said syphon head body and pivotally mounted to an interior surface opposite to the opening, an upper end of said actuating member rod and said lever being connected by mating curved surfaces.
3. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in which said resilient diaphragm is fixedly attached to said body by a wall, said wall has an orifice extending from beneath said resilient diaphragm through said wall and said syphon head body has a spigot in mating relationship to the ring orifice of said actuating member.
4. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in which said syphon head body is threaded on its interior surface below the attachment of said actuating member for attachment to the mating threads on an exterior surface of the necked opening of the container, said actuating member is separable from said insert with said syphon head body without release of pressure in the container, and said insert is configured so that a threaded cap closure may be screwed to the threads on the necked opening.
5. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in combination with a container having a necked opening.
6. A syphon head assembly for use with a container having a necked opening and a valve inserted in the necked opening, for releasably confining a liquid under pressure in the container, which comprises a body configured for attachment to the necked opening, an actuating member for opening the valve attached to said body, said actuating member comprising, in integrated form, a rod extending downward within said body for engaging the valve when said body is attached to the necked opening, a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to said rod, said resilient diaphragm being fixedly attached around its periphery to said body by means of a wall having an orifice connecting an interior of said body beneath said resilient diaphragm to a spigot on said body in mating engagement with the orifice for discharge of the liquid from the container, said rod extending below said resilient diaphragm and being configured to engage the valve.
7. The syphon head assembly of Claim 6 in which said body is configured for attachment to said necked opening by means of threads on an interior surface of said body below the attachment of said actuating member to said body.
8. The syphon head assembly of Claim 7 in combination with a container having a necked opening, mating threads at said necked opening engaged by the threads on said body, and a valve positioned in the necked opening confining a liquid under pressure for release when said valve is opened by said actuating means.
9. The combination of Claim 8 in which the mating threads are on an exterior surface of the necked opening.
10. The combination of Claim 8 in which said valve is provided in an insert fixedly mounted to seal said necked opening and having a portion extending upwardly beyond said necked opening and the mating threads are on the upwardly extending portion of said insert.
11. The combination of Claim 8 in which said valve is provided in an insert mounted in the necked opening, said insert has a tube with one end extending into the liquid and another end fixedly attached to the insert, the valve includes a resilient, substantially frustoconical sealing member having an open base contacting the insert end of the tube, a top biased into a sealing engagement with a passageway extending upward within said insert, and a plurality of apertures for passage of liquid from the tube through said sealing member for flow through said passageway when said top is moved from sealing engagement with the passageway.
12. A package for holding a liquid under pressure, which comprises a container capable of withstanding a pressure of at least about three atmospheres and having a necked opening at a top of said container, a plastic syphon tube having a first end proximate to a bottom of said bottle and terminating in a flanged, second end extending into the neck of said opening, a plastic insert extending in sealed engagement along an interior wall of said opening to engage a periphery of the flange of said second tube end, said insert having a centrally disposed passageway positioned above said second tube end and leading out of said necked opening, a deformable, resilient plastic sealing member resting on the flange and having a top in sealing engagement with the centrally disposed passageway of said insert, the top of said resilient sealing member being movable out of sealing engagement with the centrally disposed passageway of said insert in response to downward force applied through the centrally disposed passageway, said resilient sealing member being configured to allow a pressurized liquid to pass from said second tube end through the passageway of said insert when said sealing member is deformed to move its top from the sealing engagement with the opening, a syphon head having a body attached to said necked opening, and an actuating member within said syphon head body and extending into said centrally disposed passageway to engage the top of said resilient sealing member, said actuating member comprising, in integral form, a rod extending into said centrally disposed passageway and a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to said rod, said resilient diaphragm being fixedly attached around its periphery to said body and said rod extending below said diaphragm to contact said sealing member.
13. The package of Claim 12 additionally comprising a closure over said necked opening.
14. The package of Claim 12 in which said actuating member further includes a ring portion around the resilient diaphragm and fixedly attached to said syphon head body.
1. A syphon assembly for use with a container having a necked opening and holding a liquid under pressure, which comprises a tube dimensioned to extend from the necked opening into the liquid in the container, a valve positioned proximate to the necked opening end of the said tube and having a passageway for the liquid to flow from said container through the necked opening, said valve having a frustoconical shaped resilient sealing member having an open base engaging said tube and a top normally biased by the resilient sealing member into sealing engagement with the passageway of said valve, an actuating member positioned in a syphon head to apply force to deform said resilient sealing member to move its top out of the sealing engagement with the passageway of said valve, said resilient sealing member having a plurality of apertures spaced around the top to allow the liquid to pass from said tube to the passageway of said valve when said resilient sealing member is deformed, means extending from said syphon head for applying force to said actuating member to deform said resilient sealing member, a body having a means for attaching said syphon head to the necked opening, said valve comprising an insert member positioned over said sealing member and bonded to the necked opening end of said tube around said sealing member, said insert having a side configured for bonding in a sealing fit to an interior surface of the necked opening of the container, said insert having a centrally disposed opening comprising the passageway of said valve, through which said actuating member contacts said sealing member, said actuating member comprising, in integral form, a rod extending into said centrally disposed opening and a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to said rod, said resilient diaphragm being fixedly attached around its periphery to said body, and said rod extending below said diaphragm to contact said sealing member.
2. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in which said force applying means comprises a lever extending through an opening in said syphon head body and pivotally mounted to an interior surface opposite to the opening, an upper end of said actuating member rod and said lever being connected by mating curved surfaces.
3. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in which said resilient diaphragm is fixedly attached to said body by a wall, said wall has an orifice extending from beneath said resilient diaphragm through said wall and said syphon head body has a spigot in mating relationship to the ring orifice of said actuating member.
4. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in which said syphon head body is threaded on its interior surface below the attachment of said actuating member for attachment to the mating threads on an exterior surface of the necked opening of the container, said actuating member is separable from said insert with said syphon head body without release of pressure in the container, and said insert is configured so that a threaded cap closure may be screwed to the threads on the necked opening.
5. The syphon assembly of Claim 1 in combination with a container having a necked opening.
6. A syphon head assembly for use with a container having a necked opening and a valve inserted in the necked opening, for releasably confining a liquid under pressure in the container, which comprises a body configured for attachment to the necked opening, an actuating member for opening the valve attached to said body, said actuating member comprising, in integrated form, a rod extending downward within said body for engaging the valve when said body is attached to the necked opening, a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to said rod, said resilient diaphragm being fixedly attached around its periphery to said body by means of a wall having an orifice connecting an interior of said body beneath said resilient diaphragm to a spigot on said body in mating engagement with the orifice for discharge of the liquid from the container, said rod extending below said resilient diaphragm and being configured to engage the valve.
7. The syphon head assembly of Claim 6 in which said body is configured for attachment to said necked opening by means of threads on an interior surface of said body below the attachment of said actuating member to said body.
8. The syphon head assembly of Claim 7 in combination with a container having a necked opening, mating threads at said necked opening engaged by the threads on said body, and a valve positioned in the necked opening confining a liquid under pressure for release when said valve is opened by said actuating means.
9. The combination of Claim 8 in which the mating threads are on an exterior surface of the necked opening.
10. The combination of Claim 8 in which said valve is provided in an insert fixedly mounted to seal said necked opening and having a portion extending upwardly beyond said necked opening and the mating threads are on the upwardly extending portion of said insert.
11. The combination of Claim 8 in which said valve is provided in an insert mounted in the necked opening, said insert has a tube with one end extending into the liquid and another end fixedly attached to the insert, the valve includes a resilient, substantially frustoconical sealing member having an open base contacting the insert end of the tube, a top biased into a sealing engagement with a passageway extending upward within said insert, and a plurality of apertures for passage of liquid from the tube through said sealing member for flow through said passageway when said top is moved from sealing engagement with the passageway.
12. A package for holding a liquid under pressure, which comprises a container capable of withstanding a pressure of at least about three atmospheres and having a necked opening at a top of said container, a plastic syphon tube having a first end proximate to a bottom of said bottle and terminating in a flanged, second end extending into the neck of said opening, a plastic insert extending in sealed engagement along an interior wall of said opening to engage a periphery of the flange of said second tube end, said insert having a centrally disposed passageway positioned above said second tube end and leading out of said necked opening, a deformable, resilient plastic sealing member resting on the flange and having a top in sealing engagement with the centrally disposed passageway of said insert, the top of said resilient sealing member being movable out of sealing engagement with the centrally disposed passageway of said insert in response to downward force applied through the centrally disposed passageway, said resilient sealing member being configured to allow a pressurized liquid to pass from said second tube end through the passageway of said insert when said sealing member is deformed to move its top from the sealing engagement with the opening, a syphon head having a body attached to said necked opening, and an actuating member within said syphon head body and extending into said centrally disposed passageway to engage the top of said resilient sealing member, said actuating member comprising, in integral form, a rod extending into said centrally disposed passageway and a resilient diaphragm extending substantially normal to said rod, said resilient diaphragm being fixedly attached around its periphery to said body and said rod extending below said diaphragm to contact said sealing member.
13. The package of Claim 12 additionally comprising a closure over said necked opening.
14. The package of Claim 12 in which said actuating member further includes a ring portion around the resilient diaphragm and fixedly attached to said syphon head body.
Applications Claiming Priority (8)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US60928084A | 1984-05-10 | 1984-05-10 | |
| US609,280 | 1984-05-10 | ||
| US635,450 | 1984-07-31 | ||
| US06/635,450 US4671436A (en) | 1984-07-31 | 1984-07-31 | Syphon assembly and package incorporating the assembly |
| US68591284A | 1984-12-27 | 1984-12-27 | |
| US685,912 | 1984-12-27 | ||
| US06/687,296 US4660748A (en) | 1984-12-28 | 1984-12-28 | Integral syphon package head |
| US687,296 | 1984-12-28 |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 480991 Division CA1277966C (en) | 1984-05-10 | 1985-05-08 | Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1300568C true CA1300568C (en) | 1992-05-12 |
Family
ID=27505090
Family Applications (3)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 480991 Expired - Lifetime CA1277966C (en) | 1984-05-10 | 1985-05-08 | Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure |
| CA000615830A Expired - Fee Related CA1300569C (en) | 1984-05-10 | 1990-08-15 | Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure |
| CA000615829A Expired - Fee Related CA1300568C (en) | 1984-05-10 | 1990-08-15 | Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure |
Family Applications Before (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 480991 Expired - Lifetime CA1277966C (en) | 1984-05-10 | 1985-05-08 | Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure |
| CA000615830A Expired - Fee Related CA1300569C (en) | 1984-05-10 | 1990-08-15 | Syphon assembly and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids under pressure |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU583506B2 (en) |
| CA (3) | CA1277966C (en) |
| ES (3) | ES8702860A1 (en) |
| IN (1) | IN163813B (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ211998A (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES2168878B1 (en) * | 1997-10-31 | 2003-11-01 | Sidel Sa | IMPROVEMENTS IN SERVICE VALVES, CONNECTABLE TO GAS BOTTLES AND OTHER USES. |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2185290A (en) * | 1936-11-10 | 1940-01-02 | Bravo Hilario Sanchez | Closure for containers for aerated beverages |
| US2372392A (en) * | 1940-05-28 | 1945-03-27 | Harry Kornreich | Charged liquid dispensing device |
| US2830745A (en) * | 1954-10-12 | 1958-04-15 | Aicart Eduardo Bartoll | Demountable siphon heads |
-
1985
- 1985-05-07 NZ NZ211998A patent/NZ211998A/en unknown
- 1985-05-08 CA CA 480991 patent/CA1277966C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-05-09 AU AU42215/85A patent/AU583506B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1985-05-09 ES ES542974A patent/ES8702860A1/en not_active Expired
- 1985-05-18 IN IN415/DEL/85A patent/IN163813B/en unknown
-
1986
- 1986-07-01 ES ES556872A patent/ES8704426A1/en not_active Expired
- 1986-07-01 ES ES556869A patent/ES8704417A1/en not_active Expired
-
1990
- 1990-08-15 CA CA000615830A patent/CA1300569C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1990-08-15 CA CA000615829A patent/CA1300568C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NZ211998A (en) | 1987-09-30 |
| AU4221585A (en) | 1985-11-14 |
| CA1300569C (en) | 1992-05-12 |
| ES8704417A1 (en) | 1987-04-01 |
| ES542974A0 (en) | 1987-01-16 |
| ES556872A0 (en) | 1987-04-01 |
| AU583506B2 (en) | 1989-05-04 |
| CA1277966C (en) | 1990-12-18 |
| ES8704426A1 (en) | 1987-04-01 |
| ES556869A0 (en) | 1987-04-01 |
| ES8702860A1 (en) | 1987-01-16 |
| IN163813B (en) | 1988-11-12 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |