EP0238494B1

EP0238494B1 - Liquid container

Info

Publication number: EP0238494B1
Application number: EP86900016A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Donald Terry Goodall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-09-16
Filing date: 1985-12-04
Publication date: 1991-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 2005-12-04
Also published as: CA1250817A; ZA86669B; EP0238494B2; AU5130685A; JPH072500B2; EP0238494A1; FI872077A; FI872077A0; JPS63500934A; DK238187A; DE3583867D1; DK238187D0; WO1987001677A1; AU583076B2; EP0238494A4

Abstract

A container (1) including a conical shaped neck portion (8) leading to a circular peripheral channel (14) located outwardly of said neck and an outlet (11) from said channel located outwardly thereof, the cross sectional area of said outlet (11) being greater than the cross sectional area of said neck portion (8) thereby providing a shoulder in said neck which in a pouring operation causes liquid flowing from said container to separate from an upper portion of said outlet and a duct (13) communicating between said channel and the interior of the container whereby as liquid empties from the container in a pouring operation the resulting pressure differential arising between the interior of the container adjacent the inlet of said duct and the atmosphere draws air in an unimpeded manner into said container.

Description

This invention relates to liquid containers and in particular to a liquid container having an improved pouring neck and outlet which does not interfere with the rapid filling of the container and permits the contents of the container to be dispensed in an even stream without the gulping phenomena which occur in the dispensing of liquids from many containers currently in use.
The gulping phenomena is caused by the ingress of air into the container as the contents are dispensed therefrom. As the contents are dispensed from a container tilted to a pouring position there is a tendency to create a vacuum above the liquid level in the container, air is drawn into the container to progressively fill the vacuum. This ingress of air is opposite to the flow of contents from the container and causes a gurgling or gulping effect resulting in an uneven flow of the contents from the container.
In an attempt to overcome this problem it has been proposed to include a duct in the container which permits air to flow into the vacuum in the container as the contents are dispensed therefrom without passing through the liquid stream flowing from the container. Such arrangements have proved only partly successful and even with the provisions of the mentioned duct, the fluid flow sometimes acludes the inlet in the container and so gulping does occur.
US-A-3251514 discloses a container for liquid including a neck having a circular neck portion leading to a circular outlet, the cross-sectional area of said outlet being greater than the cross-sectional area of said neck portion, a duct forming a handle and communicating between said neck and the interior of the container, and a peripheral channel in the neck forming an area of increased cross-section relative to the cross-sectional area of the neck portion. The container disclosed in US-A-3251514 has the technical problem that the positional interrelationship between the outlet and the neck portion can cause, particuarly during intital pouring, liquid to be sucked into the inlet of the duct thereby blocking the duct and preventing smooth inflow of air into the container. In addition, the duct in the handle places the outlet of the container in communication with a lower portion of the container. This has the technical problem that liquid in the container can, during pouring, pass up the duct thereby also blocking the duct and preventing smooth inflow of air.
US-A-4412633 discloses a container in which a duct in a handle has a U-shaped passage of small cross-section which communicates with the outlet, the passage forming a restriction to enable liquid to be blown out of the passage by a Venturi effect. This container suffers from the technical problem that airflow into the container is restricted which in turn causes a slow liquid pouring rate.
FR-A-2070979 discloses a container having a pouring nozzle located in the neck of the container and a passage for the ingress of air into the container.
The object of the present invention is to provide a container of the general type referred to, which includes an air inlet duct and which permits an even flow of fluid from the container in a liquid dispensing operation.
The invention provides a container for liquid including a neck having a circular neck portion leading to a circular outlet, the cross-sectional area of said outlet being greater than the cross-sectional area of said neck portion, a duct forming a handle and communicating between said neck and the interior of the container and a peripheral channel in the neck forming an area of increased cross-section relative to the cross-sectional area of said neck portion, characterised in that the outlet is axially aligned with the neck portion, the peripheral channel extends between the neck portion and the outlet and the duct communicates between said channel and an upper portion of the interior of the container.
Preferably, the container bottom has a finger recess therein.
In a modification the neck of the container is provided with a pouring nozzle positioned in the container neck, said nozzle having a flared bottom which seals against the inner wall of the neck, the nozzle having abutment means thereon which in conjunction with the flared bottom limit the movement of the nozzle into and out of said container, the neck portion, the wall of said outlet and the wall of the nozzle forming a well for the collection of liquid remaining on the outside of the nozzle after a pouring operation.
The container may include a cap to close the container outlet.
In a preferred arrangement the said neck portion has a smaller cross-sectional area than a part of the neck which is inwardly adjacent thereto whereby the said neck portion constitutes a constricted portion of the neck between the said part and the peripheral channel.
Preferably, the outlet, the peripheral channel and the neck portion are substantially co-axial.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the container;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation;
Fig. 3 is a view of the container in a partially tilted position;
Fig. 4 is a view of the container in a fully tilted position; and
Fig. 5 is a view of the container showing a modification.

Referring now to the drawings, the container 1 is of rectangular shape, it has a bottom 2, top 3, side walls 4 and end walls 6 and 7.
End walls 6 and 7 are angled inwardly towards the centre of the container and are so shaped as to form a neck 8 defined by inwardly directed walls 9 and 10. The neck 8 has a circular neck portion 30. A circular outlet 11 leads from the neck portion 30. Spaced to one side of the neck 8 is a hollow carry handle 12 having a duct 13 passing therethrough which communicates with the neck 8 above the liquid level in the container and with the interior of the container.
The neck is formed with a circular peripheral channel 14 above the walls 9 and 10 which communicate with the inlet end 15 of the duct 13 and positioned above the channel is the circular shaped outlet 11.
The bottom of the container is provided with a finger recess 16 to facilitate the tilting of the container in a liquid dispensing operation as will be explained hereafter.
In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, a pouring nozzle 17 is positioned within the neck 8. The nozzle has a flared bottom 18 which seals against the inner wall of the neck when the nozzle is in the dispensing position.
The nozzle is circular in shape and is provided with a circular abutment 19 intermediate its end which limits the downward movement of the nozzle into the container and the free end of the nozzle is provided with a sealing bead 20 which is adapted to seal against an end cap 21. In the embodiment illustrated the side wall 22 of the end cap is threaded as at 23 and is engageable with a corresponding thread 24 on the container surrounding the outlet 11.
The length of the nozzle is such and the abutment 19 is so located that when the nozzle is pushed into the non-dispensing position it is located wholly within the container.
The nozzle 17 and the wall of the neck adjacent the outlet forms a well 25 which collects any liquid remaining on the outside surface of the nozzle after dispensing operation and the dimension of the nozzle is such that this liquid can flow from the well into the body of the container through the duct 13 when the container is in a non-dispensing position.
As the liquid empties from the container in a pouring operation in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 the resulting pressure differential arising between the interior of the container 1 adjacent the entrance 15 of the duct 13 and the atmosphere draws air back into the container as illustrated by the arrows in Figs. 3 and 4 and into the container. The air displaces the liquid flowing from the container also in the direction of the arrows illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The wall 10 causes the out flowing liquid to separate from the wall of the outlet 11 adjacent the inlet 15 of the duct 13 and the peripheral channel 14 provides an enlarged opening leading into the inlet 15 of the duct 13 thereby permitting a free uninterrupted flow of air into the container in a pouring operation and thereby avoiding the gulping phenomena. This is particularly important in those cases where the container is to accommodate petroleum products or toxic liquids.

Claims

1. A container (1) for liquid including a neck (8) having a circular neck portion (30) leading to circular outlet (11), the cross-sectional area . said outlet (11) being greater than the cross-sectional area of said neck portion (30), a duct (13) forming a handle and communicating between said neck (8) and the interior of the container (1) and a peripheral channel (14) in the neck (8) forming an area of increased cross-section relative to the cross-sectional area of said neck portion (30), characterised in that the outlet (11) is axially aligned with the neck portion (30), the peripheral channel (14) extends between the neck portion (30) and the outlet (11), and the duct (13) communicates between said channel (14) and an upper portion of the interior of the container (1).

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container bottom (2) has a finger recess (16) therein.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the neck of the container is provided with a pouring nozzle (17) positioned in the container neck, said nozzle (17) having a flared bottom (18) which seals against the inner wall of the neck, the nozzle (17) having abutment means (19) thereon which in conjunction wih the flared bottom (18) limit the movement of the nozzle (17) into and out of said container (1), the neck portion (8), the wall of said outlet (11) and the wall of the nozzle (17) forming a well (25) for the collection of liquid remaining on the outside of the nozzle (17) after a pouring operation.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 including a cap (21) to close the container outlet (11).

5. A container as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the said neck portion (30) has a smaller cross-sectional area than a part of the neck (8) which is inwardly adjacent thereto whereby the said neck portion constitutes a constricted portion of the neck (8) between the said part and the peripheral channel (14).

6. A container as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the outlet (11), the peripheral channel (14) and the neck portion are substantially co-axial.