EP0958187B1

EP0958187B1 - A device for releasing a fluid into a liquid in a container

Info

Publication number: EP0958187B1
Application number: EP96942452A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernard Derek Frutin
Original assignee: Rocep Lusol Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Rocep Lusol Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1995-12-13
Filing date: 1996-12-13
Publication date: 2003-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-13
Also published as: DE69626701D1; DK0958187T3; PT958187E; ES2194124T3; AU1182197A; ATE234236T1; EP0958187A1; WO1997021605A1; DE69626701T2; GB9525414D0

Abstract

A device (5) for releasing a fluid (6) into a liquid (2) in a container (1) includes a housing (7). At least a portion of the housing (7) is adapted to be inserted into an opening (3) in the container (1). The portion of the housing (7) has a fluid outlet (17). A puncturing device (18) is mounted on the housing (7) and a fluid chamber (11) is movably mounted on the housing (7) for movement between a storage position, in which fluid (6) is retained within the fluid chamber (11), and a release position in which the fluid chamber (11) is punctured by the puncturing device (18) and the fluid (6) is released from the fluid chamber (11) to exit from the device through the fluid outlet (17).

Description

The invention relates to a device for releasing a fluid into a first liquid in a container.

In a number of applications, such as mixtures of different liquids, it may be necessary to release and mix a liquid into another liquid shortly before the liquid mixture is used. It may not be possible or desirable to store the liquids in a premixed form, as they may react undesirably with each other when stored as the mixture for a period of time. An example of this may be mixtures of alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks. However, it can also apply to other liquids or to mixtures of liquids and gases.

Devices are known for releasing a liquid into another held in a container. Such devices are disclosed in Patent documents US 4201316 and DE 2432290. These devices are for use with containers having screw-threaded closures, and have the disadvantage that they require the closures to be screwed down, to release the contents of the device, then screwed up again and off in order to open the container.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for releasing a fluid into a liquid according to Claim 1.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a container of a liquid comprises an opening closed by a releasable closure and a device for releasing a fluid into the liquid in the container, the device being mounted in the container adjacent the opening, and the device being in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

An advantage of the invention is that by having a fluid chamber which releases fluid when it is punctured it is possible to delay puncturing the fluid chamber until the fluid is to be released into the liquid in the container, just before the liquid is to be used.

A further advantage is that when the pressure within the container is greater than ambient pressure or atmospheric pressure when the container is closed, the pressurisable portion will equalise to the same pressure as the container. When the container is opened a pressure differential will be created between the container and the pressurisable portion because pressure is not released from the pressurisable portion, and the pressure differential can be used to move the fluid chamber to the release position.

The housing may include a conduit into which the fluid passes after passing through the fluid outlet and the conduit extends below the surface of the liquid in the container. Typically, the conduit extends to at least adjacent the mid-section of the first liquid in the first container and preferably, extends to adjacent the bottom of the first container.

Alternatively, the fluid may be released onto the surface of the liquid in the container by the device.

Typically, the fluid chamber may contain a liquid and/or a gas. Preferably, the fluid in the chamber is pressurised prior to puncturing of the chamber. Pressurisation of the fluid would aid expulsion of the fluid from the fluid chamber on release of the closure.

Preferably, the fluid chamber includes a rupturable member which is punctured by the puncturing device to release the fluid from the fluid chamber. Typically, the rupturable member may be a membrane.

The valve device may be a semi-permeable membrane which permits gas into the pressurisable portion of the housing but is not sufficiently permeable to permit the gas to escape from the pressurisable portion when the container is opened and before the fluid chamber moves to the release position. Alternatively, the valve device may be a one-way valve.

Preferably, the pressurisable portion may be sealed from the portion having the fluid outlet by the fluid chamber which co-operates with the housing to effect a seal between the fluid chamber and the housing. A sealing device may be located on one or both of the fluid chambers and the housing to help effect the seal.

Preferably, the fluid and the liquid may be any combination. Examples of combinations are the fluid being lime juice and the liquid being lager, or the fluid being chocolate flavouring and gas and the liquid being milk. The first combination would give the user a lager and lime drink, the second combination would give a chocolate milk shake with the gas helping to generate the froth on the shake.

Examples of a device for releasing a fluid into a liquid in a container in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through an upper portion of a container, showing an example of a device for releasing fluid into liquid in the container with the device in a first position, this example not being according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container shown in Fig. 1, with the closure of the container removed and the device in a second position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 1, with the device in a release position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 1 showing the device being removed from the container;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through an example of a device according to the invention for releasing fluid into liquid in a container with a fluid chamber in a first position;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the device of Fig. 5 showing the fluid chamber in an intermediate release position; and,

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view through the device of Figs. 5 and 6 showing the fluid chamber in a final release position.

Fig. 1 shows an example of a device 54, not according to the present invention, for releasing a fluid 58 into a liquid in a container 1. The device 54 comprises a housing 57 which has

spurs

33, 34 which hold a head 35 of a fluid chamber 36. The chamber 36 has a sealing gasket 37 which defines an opening 38 which is closed by a foil membrane and plastic seal 39. The opposite end of the chamber 36 has a hole which is covered by a membrane 40. The lower portion of the housing 57 has a rupture portion 41 with a fluid passageway 42 therein. Depending from the rupture portion 41 is a connector 43 to which a dip tube 44 is attached. Hence, the fluid passageway 42 communicates with the interior of the dip tube 44.

The upper section of the housing 32 has a telescopic section 45 in which is located a plunger 46. Bleed holes 47 in the housing 57 and the telescopic section 45 permit gas to bleed into void 48 between the plunger 46 and the upper end of the fluid chamber 36 from air space 49 in the container 1. In addition, an optional spring 50 may be located between the upper end of the chamber 36 and the inside of the plunger 46 (see Fig. 2). The spring 50 is optional and is preferably used where the liquid in the container 1 is a still liquid. However, the spring 50 may also be used where the liquid is aerated or naturally produces a gas.

In use, the device 54 is located in the container 1 in the neck 3 and is secured in position by a threaded cap 51 which also seals the container 1.
The cap 51 threadedly attaches to the opening 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The position of the device shown in Fig. 1 is the position in which the container 1 would be retailed or stored.

When a user wishes to use a liquid within a container 1, the threaded cap 51 is removed and either pressure of the spring 50 and/or the pressure of gas in the void 48, which has entered the void 48 through the bleed holes 47, forces the telescopic section 45 upwards to the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the device 54 reaches the position shown in Fig. 2, a user may press the plunger 46 downwards in the direction of the arrow 52. This causes the telescopic section 45 to move downwards, forcing the chamber 36 downwards by spurs 53 which are engaged against the upper end of the chamber 36. As the chamber 36 is forced downwards within the housing 54, the rupture portion 41 ruptures the foil membrane 39 which releases fluid 58 through the fluid outlet 42 into the dip tube 44. The fluid 58 is either pressurised on insertion of the fluid 58 into the chamber 36, or else gas from the void 49 in the container 1 has pressurised the fluid 32 by entering the chamber 36 through bleed holes 37, void 48 and the semi-permeable membrane 40. The pressurised fluid 58 is expelled from the chamber 36 through the dip tube 44 into the liquid in the container 1 by this pressure.

After the fluid 58 has been expelled from the chamber 36, the device 54 may be removed from the container 1 (see Fig. 4) by a user grasping nibs 55 on the top end of the telescopic section 45.

An example of a device 80 according to the present invention for releasing a fluid 81 into a liquid in a container (not shown) is shown in Fig. 5. The device 80 comprises a housing 82 which has an upper section 83 and a lower section 84. Attached to the upper section 83 is a cap 85 which has a number of ridges 86 on its top surface. In addition, there is a vent hole 87 in the cap 85 and the hole 87 is covered by a semi-permeable membrane 88. Located within the housing 82 is a fluid chamber 89 in which the liquid 81 is contained. The fluid chamber 89 has an open end 90 which is sealed by an annular gasket 91 and a central aperture 92 of the gasket 91 is sealed by a foil membrane 93. A protective cap 94 covers the gasket 91 and the cap 94 has a central aperture therein which coincides with the aperture 92 in the gasket 91. The cap 94 is snapped over open end 90 of the fluid chamber 89 and the cap 94 terminates in sprung legs 95 at the side of the fluid chamber 89.

The lower portion 84 of housing 82 has a central rupturing portion 96 in which grooves 97 are formed. The lower portion 84 of the housing 82 is formed by arms 98 which extend from upper portion 83 downwards and then radially inwards to join the rupturing portion 96 and there are gaps between the arms 98.

In use, the device 80 may for example be filled with a liquid which is super-saturated with nitrogen. The device 80 may then be attached to the underside of the cap of a drink can, in which the ring pull of the drink can is located. The device 80 may be attached to the underside of the cap of the drink can by adhesive which attaches ribs 86 to the underside of the drink can. The ridges 86 are not continuous thus permitting gas within the drink can to pass from the drink can, after it is sealed, through membrane 88 and vent hole 87 into air gap 99 between the top of the chamber 89 and the underside of the cap 85.

Typically, the drink can may be a can for beer or another drink in which the contents of the can are pressurised.

When a user opens the can by pulling the ring pull, the pressure within the can will drop to atmospheric pressure. However, the membrane 88 prevents immediate equalisation of the pressure between the air gap 99 and the rest of the can and therefore prevents the pressure in the air gap 99 falling to atmospheric pressure. This pressure differential acts against the upper end of the chamber 89 which forces the chamber 89 downwards and against the rupturing portion 96 which ruptures the foil membrane closure 93. The chamber 89 is then in the position shown in Fig. 6 in which the rupturing portion 96 has pierced the membrane 93. Fluid 81 in the chamber 89, which is pressurised, is then expelled through grooves 97 in the rupturing member 96 and out of the housing 82 via the gaps in the arms 98 in the lower section 84 of the housing 82, and into contact with the liquid in the can. As the excess pressure in the air gap 99 bleeds through the vent hole 87 and membrane 88, the pressure on the upper end of the chamber 89 reduces to atmospheric pressure and the chamber 89 relaxes to the position shown in Fig. 7.

When the rupturing member 96 ruptures the foil membrane 93, spring arms 95 are already engaged below lugs 100 which prevents the pressure within the chamber 89 pushing the chamber 89 back upwards to the position shown in Fig. 5.

An advantage of the device 80 shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is that the fluid 81 within the chamber 89 can be released into the contents of the liquid in the container, for example a drink can or a bottle, without requiring a user to activate the device 80.

A further advantage of the invention is that the fluid chamber is only punctured or ruptured, when the fluid needs to be released into the liquid in the container.

The use of a dip tube, such as the dip tube 44 on device 54, permits the fluid to be introduced into the body of the liquid, rather than the surface.
This has the advantage that gas in the fluid may be used, for example, to froth the liquid or generate a head on the mixed liquid. An example of such a mixed liquid may be a flavoured milkshake, in which case the fluid may be a mixture of a flavour concentrate and a gas.

A further advantage of the invention is that the devices can be used with containers which are pressurised or non-pressurised and with fluid which may be a liquid, gas or a liquid/gas mixture.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims

A device (80) for releasing a fluid into a liquid in a container having a releasable closure, the device comprising a housing (82); a puncturing device (96) mounted on the housing (82); a fluid chamber (89) movably mounted within the housing (82) for movement between a storage position, in which fluid (81) is retained within the fluid chamber (89), and a release position, in which the fluid chamber (89) is punctured by the puncturing device (96) and fluid is released from the fluid chamber (89) to exit from the device through a fluid outlet (92) in said fluid chamber,
characterised in that:

the housing comprises two portions, a pressurisable portion (83) within which the fluid chamber (89) is mounted and a portion (84) having the puncturing device (96), and a valve device (88) is fitted on the pressurisable portion (83) to permit the pressure within the pressurisable portion (83) to equalise slowly with the pressure within the container, the valve device (88) substantially preventing immediate release of pressure from the pressurisable portion (83) when the releasable closure is removed to open the container, such that pressure within the pressurisable portion (83) acts to cause movement of the fluid chamber (89) to the release position.
A device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid (81) in the fluid chamber (89) is pressurised.
A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid chamber (89) contains a liquid (81) and/or a gas.
A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid chamber (89) includes a rupturable member (93) which is punctured by the puncturing device (96) to release the fluid (81) from the fluid chamber (89).
A device according to claim 4, wherein the rupturable member (93) comprises a membrane.
A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the valve device is a semi-permeable membrane (88).
A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the pressurisable portion (83) is sealed from the portion (84) having the puncturing device (96) by the fluid chamber (89) which co-operates with the housing (82) to effect a seal between the fluid chamber (89) and the housing (82).
A container (1) of a liquid comprising an opening closed by a releasable closure and a device (80) according to any of the preceding claims, the device releasing a fluid (81) into the liquid (64) in the container, and the device being mounted in the container adjacent the opening.