ES2361946T4 - CLOSURE OF CONTAINER THAT HAS A MEANS TO INTRODUCE AN ADDITIVE IN THE CONTENT OF THE CONTAINER. - Google Patents

Abstract

A closure device (10) mounted before adjustment to a container (12) to release an additive liquid (120) into a main liquid compartment (14) of the container (12) having an opening with a neck (16) , the closure device (10) comprising a cover member (20) comprising a pressurized fluid chamber (22) containing the additive liquid (120), and a casing body (40), having a member of plug (42) applicable with sealing effect in an opening (25) in a bottom wall (24) of the fluid chamber (22), including the cap member (42) a nozzle (60) directed away from the chamber of fluid (22), wherein the cover member (20) is provided with primary application means (30) which are applied with corresponding primary application means disposed on the housing (40) to allow the member of cover (20) is raised relative to the enclosure body (40) from a closed position a, in which the cap member (42) closes the opening (25), to an open position, in which the cap member (42) is at least partially removed from the opening (25) to provide a communication path, in use, from the fluid chamber (22) through the nozzle (60) to the main liquid compartment (14).

Description

The present invention relates to a closing device for releasing an additive liquid in a liquid from a container by actuating the closing device and to a container that includes such a closing device. The invention also relates to a method for mounting a closing device and to a method for introducing an additive liquid by means of actuating a closing device.

In several applications, such as mixtures of different liquids, it may be necessary to release and mix an additive 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 in a way that is not desired between them when stored as a mixture for a period of time. An example of this may be the case of two component drugs that have a longer shelf life when they are unmixed than when they are mixed. However, it can also be applied to other liquids or mixtures of liquids and gases, such as water, alcoholic beverages, other beverages, and other solvents or solutions. The liquid into which the additive liquid is introduced can be a liquid with gas or without gas.

An assembly for releasing an additive liquid in a liquid from a container upon release of a container closure is known from the prior art. International patent application WO97 / 05039 describes a device for releasing a liquid in another liquid contained in a container. The known device is for use with containers that have releasable closures. The device according to the prior art comprises a fluid chamber for storing a fluid. The fluid chamber is located adjacent to an opening in the container. The fluid chamber comprises a fluid outlet to release fluid in the liquid.

Said known device has the disadvantage that the closure must be opened, at least partially, to allow the mixing of the fluid stored in the fluid chamber with the liquid in the container. In addition, the device is complex to manufacture and requires many parts.

US Patent No. 6,843,368 B1 describes a closure device for introducing a pressure additive for liquid into a container by means of a tube or a submerged conduit. The described closure can only be mounted when it is being adjusted to the container.

International patent application WO 01/83313 A describes a closure device that releases dust in a bottle when it is open. The device is not pressurized and simply relies on gravity to allow dust to enter the container when the closure is opened.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a closure device is provided mounted prior to its adjustment to a container, which has a main liquid compartment and an opening with a neck,

the closure device comprising a lid member, which defines a pressurized fluid chamber containing an additive liquid, and a wrapping body, which has a plug-in plug member with sealing effect in an opening in a bottom wall of the fluid chamber,

the cap member including a nozzle directed away from the fluid chamber, in which the cap member is provided with a primary coupling means that engages with a corresponding primary coupling means disposed on the shell to allow the member The lid is lifted relative to the housing from a closed position, in which the cap member closes the opening, to an open position, in which the cap member is removed, at least partially, from the opening to provide a communication path, in use, from the fluid chamber through the nozzle to the main liquid compartment.

The wrapping body can include an inner wall of the wrapping body adapted to fit inside the neck of the opening and the closing device includes sealing means that make a tight seal between the fluid chamber and the inner wall of the wrapping body. This maintains a seal between the fluid chamber and the inner wall of the shell and, therefore, between the fluid chamber and the neck as the cap member and the fluid chamber are lifted relative to the shell and to the container, in both closed and open positions. The contents of the fluid chamber can thus enter the main liquid compartment and be mixed, for example by shaking the container, without running the risk of the content escaping between the closure member and the container.

In a preferred embodiment, the primary coupling means on the cover member includes an internal thread and the primary coupling means on the housing includes an external thread, so that the cover member is lifted relative to the housing by rotation. of the cover member. However, other forms of primary coupling means are possible, for example a bayonet-type coupling, a frictional traction coupling, a longitudinal sliding coupling or any other suitable form of coupling. The primary coupling means can prevent the cover member from becoming completely separated.

The cover member may include an upper wall of the lid, an outer wall of the lid, on which the internal thread is disposed, and an inner wall of the lid, which extends from the upper wall of the lid to the wall bottom and which is arranged inside the outer wall of the lid. The bottom wall can be formed independently of the rest of the cover member, which can be made as a single molded element.

The fluid chamber may be defined by the top wall of the lid, the inner wall of the lid and the bottom wall.

The wrapping body may comprise an outer wall of the wrapping body on which the outer thread is disposed. The thread can have an angle with a relatively strong slope, so that the cover member rises quickly when it is rotated.

The outer wall of the housing can be provided with an internal secondary thread adapted to engage, in use, with an external secondary thread disposed on a neck of an opening of the container. Therefore, in use, the outer wall of the wrapping body may be screwed on the outside of the neck.

In one embodiment, the primary coupling means on the wrapping body may comprise an external thread disposed on an upper portion of the wrapping body, which, in use, extends above the neck of the opening.

The wrapping body may further comprise an inner wall of the wrapping body disposed inside the outer wall of the wrapping body and provided with internal sealing means for sealing against an outer surface of the inner wall of the lid and external sealing means for Close tightly against an inner surface of the neck of the opening. The inner wall of the surrounding body can be connected to the outer wall of the surrounding body by a band that, in use, sits on the upper part of the neck. The band can be an open, closed, solid construction or any other construction suitable for connecting the inner wall of the enclosure body to the outer wall thereof.

The wrapping body may further comprise a frame that supports the plug member, so that said member is disposed inside the inner wall of the wrapping body and, in use, extends upwardly towards the fluid chamber. The frame may include openings that allow the passage of fluid therethrough, to prevent the creation of a vacuum between the fluid chamber and the wrapping body, so that the wrapping body is free to slide relative to the cover member when said member It is introduced into the enclosure or removed from it. The openings also prevent liquid from being disposed in the frame after discharge, which minimizes any liquid residue in said frame.

The plug member includes a nozzle directed away from the fluid chamber.

The cap member may include a cylindrical outer surface that engages with a sealing means disposed in the bottom wall. The sealing means must be able to retain pressurized fluid in the fluid chamber when said fluid is at a pressure higher than the contents of the container.

The sealing means may comprise an upper sealing element that is tightly closed against the cylindrical outer surface of the stopper member when the cover member is in the closed position and which allows the passage of fluid between the upper sealing element and the member of cap when the cap member is in the open position.

The sealing means may comprise a lower sealing element that is tightly closed against the cylindrical outer surface of the stopper member when the cover member is in the closed and open positions. This ensures that, in the open position, the pressurized fluid can only escape entering the container through the communication path and the nozzle, and does not leak around the plug member.

The plug member may include an internal fluid passage extending to the cylindrical outer surface in a position below the upper sealing element when the cover member is in the closed position, the internal fluid passage being in communication with the nozzle.

The cover member may include an anti-tampering strip disposed on said member to prevent rotation of the cover member relative to the enclosure body without at least partial removal of the anti-tampering strip.

The tamper-proof strip may comprise an extension of the outer wall of the lid connected to said wall by a portion of the neck thinner than the outer wall of the lid, the extension being provided with a flange that engages below the outer wall of the wrapping body to prevent the lifting of the cover member relative to said body. The strip may have a pin on which traction can be exerted to tear the strip from the outer wall of the cap along the neck.

The primary coupling means of the cover member and of the wrapping body may include mutually engaging locking means to prevent rotation of the cover member relative to the wrapping body beyond a predetermined limiting angle of rotation. When the cover member is rotated, it will initially do so in relation to the wrapping body, but once the securing means are coupled, the cover member and the wrapping body rotate together.

The wrapping body may include an anti-tampering device that prevents rotation of the lid member and of the wrapping body relative to the neck of the container until a predetermined torque is applied to the lid member.

The anti-tamper device may comprise an extension of the outer wall of the enclosure body connected to the outer wall of said body by means of at least a portion of the neck of reduced area in cross section relative to the outer wall of the enclosure body, the extension being provided of a securing means adapted to engage, in use, with a securing means arranged on the neck of the container, to prevent the elevation of the enveloping body relative to the neck without breaking said at least a portion of the neck.

The fluid chamber may contain an additive liquid and an upper gas pressure space.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a container is provided that has a main liquid compartment, an opening that has a neck, and a closing device that closes said opening, in which the closing device is mounted before Fitting it to the container, the assembled closure device comprises a lid member, which defines a pressurized fluid chamber containing an additive liquid, and a wrapping body, which has a pluggable plug member with sealing effect in an opening of a bottom wall of the fluid chamber, including the cap member a nozzle directed away from the fluid chamber, in which the cap member is provided with a primary coupling means that engages with a corresponding primary coupling means disposed on the wrapping body to allow the cover member to be lifted relative to the wrapping body from a closed position, in which the member cap closes the opening, to an open position, in which the cap member is removed, at least partially, from the opening to provide a communication path, in use, from the fluid chamber through the nozzle to the main liquid compartment, and in which the enclosure body of the closure device is secured to the neck of the container.

The wrapping body can include an inner wall of the wrapping body disposed within the neck of the opening and the closing device includes sealing means that make a tight seal between the fluid chamber and the inner wall of the wrapping body. This keeps the seal between the fluid chamber and the inner wall of the enclosure in both closed and open positions.

The primary coupling means on the cover member may include an internal thread and the primary coupling means on the housing includes an external thread, to allow the cover member to be lifted relative to the housing by rotation of the cover member .

The main liquid compartment may contain a primary liquid, which may contain water or be a beverage. However, the primary liquid could be an alcoholic beverage, a cosmetic preparation, a pharmaceutical product, a dairy product, an agricultural food or other product, or any other suitable liquid or suitable semi-liquid substance.

The fluid chamber contains an additive liquid and may contain an upper space of gas under pressure.

The cover member may include an upper wall of the lid, an outer wall of the lid, on which the internal thread is disposed, and an inner wall of the lid, which extends from the upper wall of the lid to the wall bottom and which is arranged inside the outer wall of the lid.

The fluid chamber may be defined by the top wall of the lid, the inner wall of the lid and the bottom wall.

The wrapping body may comprise an outer wall of the wrapping body on which the outer thread is disposed. The outer wall of the wrapping body may be located on the outside of the neck of the container and may be provided with an internal secondary thread coupled with an external secondary thread disposed on the neck of the container.

In one embodiment, the primary coupling means on the wrapping body may comprise an external thread disposed on an upper portion of the wrapping body that extends above the neck of the container.

The wrapping body may further comprise an inner wall of the wrapping body disposed inside the neck of the container and provided with internal sealing means to seal tightly against an outer surface of the inner wall of the lid and external sealing means to seal tightly against an internal surface of the neck of the opening.

The wrapping body may further comprise a frame that supports the plug member, so that said member is disposed inside the inner wall of the wrapping body and, in use, extends upwardly towards the fluid chamber.

The plug member includes a nozzle directed away from the fluid chamber.

The cap member may include a cylindrical outer surface that engages with a sealing means disposed in the bottom wall.

The sealing means may comprise an upper sealing element that is tightly closed against the cylindrical outer surface of the stopper member when the cover member is in the closed position and which allows the passage of fluid between the upper sealing element and the member of cap when the cap member is in the open position. The sealing means may comprise a lower sealing element that is tightly closed against the cylindrical outer surface of the stopper member when the cover member is in the closed and open positions.

The plug member may include an internal fluid passage extending to the cylindrical outer surface in a position below the upper sealing element when the cover member is in the closed position, the internal fluid passage being in communication with the nozzle.

The cover member may include an anti-tamper strip to prevent rotation of the cover member relative to the enclosure body without at least partial removal of the anti-tamper strip. The tamper-proof strip may comprise an extension of the outer wall of the lid connected to said wall by a portion of the neck thinner than the outer wall of the lid, the extension being provided with a flange that engages below the outer wall of the wrapping body to prevent the lifting of the cover member relative to said body.

The primary coupling means of the cover member and of the wrapping body may include mutually engaging locking means to prevent rotation of the cover member relative to the wrapping body beyond a predetermined limiting angle of rotation.

The wrapping body may include an anti-tampering device that prevents rotation of the lid member and of the wrapping body relative to the neck of the container until a predetermined torque is applied to the lid member. The anti-tamper device may comprise an extension of the outer wall of the enclosure body connected to the outer wall of said body by means of at least a portion of the neck of reduced area in cross section relative to the outer wall of the enclosure body, the extension being provided of a securing means adapted to engage, in use, with a securing means arranged on the neck of the container, to prevent the elevation of the enveloping body relative to the neck without breaking said at least a portion of the neck.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method is provided for mounting a closure device containing additive liquid for introduction into a main liquid compartment of a container, the method comprising the following steps:

arrange a cover member,

securing a bottom wall to said cover member to define a fluid chamber that can be pressurized,

invert the cover member and introduce an additive liquid into the fluid chamber through an opening in the bottom wall,

disposing a wrapping body having a plug member, including the plug member a nozzle directed away from the fluid chamber,

fix the housing body to the cover member by the relative axial movement of the housing body and the cover member, both having corresponding primary coupling means for this purpose, so that the stopper member enters and closes the opening in the lower wall of the fluid chamber,

pressurize the fluid chamber, and

Store the closing device with the pressure chamber containing the additive liquid for subsequent adjustment to the container.

An inner wall of the enclosing body can enclose the fluid chamber and close tightly against it.

The relative axial movement of the cover member and the housing can be achieved by coupling an external thread on the housing with an internal thread on the cover member.

The method may include the additional step of purging the fluid chamber before introducing the additive liquid, for example by purging with nitrogen or any other suitable gas.

The pressure setting step can be achieved by providing pressurized fluid at a passage in said plug member, the passage being in communication with a valve means that prevents the release of pressurized fluid from the fluid chamber. The valve means may comprise a sealing element that engages with the cap member when it closes the opening. The upper sealing element is arranged to function as a butterfly valve so as to allow the introduction of pressurized fluid into the fluid chamber, but once it is under pressure, the sealing element is pushed against the plug member for leave the fluid chamber sealed.

The pressurized fluid may be a gas that forms an upper space in the fluid chamber of between 0% and 60% of the volume of said chamber.

The step of securing the bottom wall to the cover member may include sealing the bottom wall to a free edge of an inner cylindrical wall of the cover member.

The method may include the additional step of securing the closure device to a neck of a container having a main liquid compartment by coupling an internal thread on the housing with an external thread on the neck of the container.

The closure device may be a tight fit on the neck of a container to lock said device on the container.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method is provided for introducing an additive liquid into a main liquid compartment of a container having an opening with a neck, the neck fixed thereto a closure device comprising a wrapping body fixed to the neck and a cover member, which defines a pressurized fluid chamber fixed to the housing, in which the closing device is mounted and filled with the additive liquid before being fixed to the neck, the method comprising the steps from

raising the cover member with respect to the housing, both having corresponding primary coupling means for this purpose,

causing a cap member disposed on said enclosure body to move relative to the cap member from a closed position, in which an opening disposed in a bottom wall of said fluid chamber is closed by said cap member, to a position open, in which the cap member is at least partially removed from the opening to provide a communication path from the fluid chamber through a nozzle disposed in the cap member and directed away from the fluid chamber to the main liquid compartment, and

releasing the additive liquid under pressure from said fluid chamber along said communication path to said main liquid compartment.

Optionally, during the lifting of the fluid chamber in relation to the enclosure, the seal between the fluid chamber and an inner wall of the enclosure disposed in the neck of the vessel is maintained.

The cover member can be lifted by rotating said member, so that the fluid chamber is lifted by screw thread action relative to the housing.

The cover member can be rotated a first angle between 0o and 90o, optimally approximately 45o, from the closed position to the open position. An additional rotation of the cover member may be limited to a second angle between 0 ° and 90 °, optimally approximately 45 °, by the mutual coupling of securing means arranged on the cover member and the housing. The second angle is predetermined by the position of the securing means. Said angle is selected so that it is sufficient to ensure the opening of the cap member and the consequent mixing of the additive liquid, allowing manufacturing tolerances.

The elevation of said cover member in relation to the housing can be achieved by coupling an internal thread on the cover member with an external thread on the housing.

The internal thread may be arranged on an outer wall of the lid member lid.

The fluid chamber may be defined by an upper wall of the lid, a lower wall and an inner wall of the lid, which extends from the upper wall of the lid to the lower wall and which is arranged inside the wall. outside of the lid.

The external thread can be arranged on the outer face of an outer wall of the housing.

The rotation of the cover member, additionally to remove said member and the wrapper body from the container, can be achieved by coupling an internal secondary thread on the housing with an external secondary thread arranged on a neck of an opening of the container.

The internal secondary thread can be arranged on the inner face of the outer wall of the housing.

The inner wall of the lid can be extended inside the neck of the container.

The wrapping body may include an inner wall of the wrapping body, arranged inside the neck of the container and provided with sealing means for sealing between an outer surface of the inner wall of the wrapping body and an inner surface of the neck of the container.

Optionally, during the lifting of said cover member relative to the enclosure body, a sealing means performs a tight seal between an external surface of the inner wall of the lid and an internal surface of the inner wall of the enclosure.

Optionally, the communication path includes a nozzle in the plug member and an internal fluid passage extending from the nozzle to a position on the surface of said member that is in communication with the fluid chamber when the plug member is in the open position.

The method may also include the step of removing, at least partially, an anti-tampering strip disposed on the outer wall of the lid, thereby allowing rotation of the lid member relative to the housing.

The method may further include the step of applying sufficient torque to the lid member, during the step of rotating the lid member further to remove the lid member and the shell from the container, in order to remove an anti-tamper device.

The invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a cross section through a closure device, according to the invention, secured to the neck of a container;

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the closure device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross section along the line III-III in Figure 2;

Figures 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are sequential cross-sectional drawings showing the actuation of the closure device of Figure 1 for introducing additive liquid into a container and for removing the closure device therefrom;

Figures 5A and 5B are sequential cross-sectional drawings showing the assembly and filling of the closure device of Figure 1;

Figures 6A and 6B are views from below and from above, respectively, of the components of a modified closure device, according to Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a closure device according to the invention;

Figure 8 is a cross section through an example of a bottom wall of the cover member of the closure device of Figure 1;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view from one side of an additional alternative housing;

Figure 10 is a cross section through a closure device that includes the housing of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a schematic view of the closure of Figure 10 in a bottle;

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view through a further embodiment of a closure device;

Figure 13 is a schematic view of the closure of Figure 12 in a bottle; Y

Figure 14 is a schematic view of another additional embodiment of a closure device in a bottle.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, a closure device 10 is shown along with the top of a container

12. The container is a standard PET bottle having a main liquid compartment 14 and a standard 30 mm neck 16 with an external thread 18. For the purposes of this invention, the thread is described as a secondary thread 18.

The closure device 10 comprises two main parts, a cover member 20, which defines a fluid chamber 22, and a housing 40. The cover member 20 includes a bottom wall 24 which, although it may be made of a different material , is secured to the rest of the cover member 20 to form a unitary member. An opening 25 is arranged in the lower wall 24. The cover member 20 includes an upper wall 26 of the cover, an outer wall 28 of the cover and an inner wall 32 of the cover, which may all be formed as a single element molded from polypropylene or any other suitable plastic. The outer wall of the cover includes an internal primary thread 30 adapted to engage a corresponding external primary thread on the housing 40, as will be described below. The internal and external primary threads form part, together, of the primary coupling means that allow the cover member 20 to be lifted relative to the housing 40. The outer wall 28 of the cover also includes surface depressions 34 on the outer surface to help hold the outer wall of the lid. Any suitable surface feature may be arranged instead of the depressions 34 shown.

The wrapping body 40 is also preferably formed as a unitary molded polypropylene element, although it may be formed from any other suitable material. Said body comprises a cap member 42 disposed on the central axis of the closure member 10, an outer wall 44 of the housing adapted to adjust outside the neck 16, a band 45 that sits on the top of the neck 16, a inner wall 46 of the enclosing body, which extends downwardly from the band 45 inside the neck and closes tightly against the neck 16, and a frame 48 extending from the inner wall 46 of the enclosing body and supports the member of cap 42.

The outer wall 44 of the casing body has an external primary thread 50 that is coupled to the internal primary thread 30 on the cover member as part of the primary coupling means. Said wall also has an internal secondary thread 52 which is coupled to the external secondary thread 18 on the neck 16 of the container.

Internal sealing means 54 are arranged to seal between the inner wall 32 of the lid and the inner wall 44 of the housing. In the illustrated example, the internal sealing means 54 are formed as ribs on the outer surface of the inner wall of the lid, but could be formed as ribs on the inner surface of the inner wall of the housing, or like any other means adequate sealing. The internal sealing means 54 prevents the contents of the container 12 from passing between the inner wall 32 of the lid and the inner wall 44 of the shell during storage and while the lid member 20 is lifted relative to the shell 40, as will be described later.

External sealing means are provided in the form of an inclination 56 and a rib 58 for sealing between the inner wall 44 of the housing and the neck 16 of the container 12. Such sealing elements are well known in the art and serve to prevent the Contents of the container 12 pass between the inner wall 44 of the housing and the neck during storage. Also, an inclination sealing element can be used for internal sealing means 54.

The plug member 42 has a nozzle 60 extending below it. A passage 61 of the nozzle is arranged to transport pressurized liquid from the fluid chamber 22 when the closure device is opened. The plug member 42 is formed with a cylindrical outer surface 62, which engages with sealing effect with sealing means 64 disposed in the opening 25 in the bottom wall 24. In the example, the sealing means comprise an upper element of seal 66 which, when the cap member 42 is in the closed position of figure 1, is coupled with the cylindrical outer surface 62 above an internal fluid passage 70, while a lower sealing element 68 is coupled with the cylindrical outer surface 62 below the internal fluid passage 70.

The upper surface 76 of the lower wall 24 tilts towards the plug member 42, so that all the liquid is drained from the fluid chamber 22 when the plug member is in the open position. The lower sealing element 68 is held by a collar 72 disposed on the frame 48 that pushes the lower sealing element 68 against the cap member 42.

In the illustrated example, the bottom wall 24 includes a flange 74 that locks onto a corresponding flange at the edge of the inner wall 32 of the lid when the lid member is mounted. However, any other suitable method of vapor tight connection, such as laser welding, can be used.

An anti-tampering strip 80 is on the lower edge of the outer wall 28 of the lid, with a pin 81 from which it can be pulled to remove the strip. The strip is an extension 82 of the outer wall 28 of the cover, connected by a portion 84 of the neck, and which is coupled to the lower side 88 of the outer wall 44 of the housing by means of a locking flange 86. Such anti-tamper strips are known in the art and not described further. Until the tamper strip 80 is removed, at least partially, the cover member 20 cannot be unscrewed from the housing 40. Once the tamper strip 80 is removed, at least partially, the lid member 20 can be unscrewed from the enclosure 40 by interaction of the internal thread 30 on the cover and the external thread 50 on the enclosure. The threads include mutual coupling securing means 90, 92, as best seen in Figure 4, which serve to limit the relative rotation of the cover member 20 and the housing 40. It should be understood that any suitable form or projection of engagement Mutual can be used to limit this movement. The anti-tamper strip can be replaced by any other suitable anti-tamper means, or it can be omitted.

An additional anti-tamper device 100 is disposed on the lower edge of the outer wall 44 of the housing. The device is an extension 102 of the outer wall 44 of the wrapping body, connected by one or more portions 104 of the neck, and includes a locking flange 106 that is coupled to a corresponding securing means 108 disposed on the neck 16 of the container. Such anti-tamper devices are known in the art and are not further described. A predetermined pair of forces applied to the cover member 20 is required to break the portions 104 of the neck and allows the housing 40 to be lifted over the secondary threads 18, 52 relative to the neck 16. The tamper device 100 is held over the neck 16 of the container 12 below the catch 108. Instead, any other suitable anti-tampering device may be used, or it may be omitted under certain circumstances.

Figures 4A to 4D show the actuation of the closing device of the invention.

In Fig. 4A, the closure device 10 is secured to a container 12 containing a primary liquid (not shown), for example water, in its main liquid compartment 14. The fluid chamber 22 in the lid member contains a liquid additive 120 and a space 122 in the upper part of pressurized gas. The closure device 10 is in the closed position, in which the fluid chamber 22 is left sealed by the plug member 42 which is coupled in the opening 25 in the bottom wall 24. The housing 40 is completely screwed into the neck 16 through the secondary threads 18, 52, and the cover member 20 is completely screwed into the outer wall 44 of the housing body through the inner and outer primary threads 30, 50. The contents of the container 12 may be at atmospheric pressure, or it can be set at a pressure lower than that of the fluid chamber 22. There is a sealing element 54 disposed between the fluid chamber 22 and the inner wall 46 of the housing, and additional sealing elements are disposed between the inner wall 46 of the shell and the neck 16 so that the contents of the container are sealed with respect to the outside atmosphere.

To activate the discharge of the liquid additive 120 into the main liquid compartment 14 of the container 12, the cover member 20 must be unscrewed in relation to the housing 40 to the position shown in Figure 4B, a first angle of 45 ° according to the embodiment preferential. However, it should be understood that this first angle can be any desired angle by an appropriate selection of the thread and the pitch. First, the anti-tampering strip 80 is removed, at least partially, so that the outer wall 28 of the lid is free to be raised relative to the outer wall 44 of the housing. Next, the cover member 20 is grasped and rotated. The primary threads 30, 50 have a relatively large thread angle, so that a relatively large vertical displacement is effected by a relatively small rotation. As the cover member rises, the fluid chamber 22 rises away from the cap member 42. When the upper sealing element 66 of the lower wall 24 passes over the top of the cap member 42, as shown in FIG. 4B, the main liquid compartment 14 enters into fluid communication with the fluid chamber 22, and the pressure additive liquid 120 is free to pass between the upper sealing element 66 and the outer surface 62 of the member of cap 42, entering the internal fluid passage 70, along the passage 61 of the nozzle and leaving the nozzle 60 to the main liquid compartment 14. The lower sealing element 68 in the lower wall 24 continues to make a closure airtight between the bottom wall 24 and the plug member 42, so that the additive liquid 120 cannot leak to the main liquid compartment 14 along any other path. Typically, the primary thread 30, 50 is a standard PET bottle thread 30/25 with a pitch of 9 mm, of the type used with PET water bottles, and the closure device 10 is arranged so that the additive liquid 120 is discharged into the main liquid compartment 14 when the cover member is rotated 45 ° from the closed position under optimum tolerances. In practice, this angle could be smaller or larger, in the range of 0o to 90o.

The volume of the space 122 in the upper part is chosen to be large enough so that all the additive liquid 120 is ejected to the main liquid compartment 14. The upper surface 76 of the lower wall 24 tilts down in the direction of the opening 25, so that by gravity all the additive liquid circulates to the opening. The upper end of the cap member 42 is also shaped to ensure that any amount of liquid on it drains to the perimeter of the cap member 42.

Referring next to Figure 4C, after the release of the additive liquid 120, the cover member 20 is further rotated a second angle of 45 ° according to the preferred embodiment, until the securing means 90, 92 mutually attachable on the lid 20 and the housing 40 engage with each other and prevent additional relative rotation. Typically, this happens when the cover member 20 is rotated a total of 90 ° from the closed position. At this point, the pair on the cover member 20 is transferred to the outer wall 44 of the shell and the shell 40 begins to rotate relative to the neck 16 of the container. In the illustrated embodiment, an anti-tamper device 100 is disposed in the enclosure 40, therefore an increased torque must be applied to first break the portions 104 of the neck of the tamper 100 before the shell can be lifted in relation to to the container 12 by coupling the secondary threads 18, 52. The secondary threads 18, 52 are typically MCA2 threads of a 3.2 mm pitch. Figure 4C shows the closing device in a partially raised position. As the lid member 20 is rotated, the entire closure device 10 is lifted from the container 12, until it is as shown in Figure 4D, removed from the container 12.

If required, the closure device 10 can be screwed back into the container 12, to close it. As the cover member is rotated, the cover member 20 will rotate back to its original position relative to the housing 40, and then the cover member 20 and the housing 40 will rotate together on the secondary thread external 18 arranged in the neck 16, until they can no longer be rotated and the container 12 is left sealed.

Referring to Figures 5A and 5B, a method for mounting a closing device 10 according to the invention is shown. The cover member 20, without the bottom wall 24, is formed by molding, for example, polypropylene. The shell 40 is also independently formed by molding, for example, polypropylene.

The bottom wall 24 is shown in more detail in Figure 8. Said wall can be formed of any suitable material and is formed so that it can be easily secured to the inner wall 32 of the lid member lid 20 to form the chamber of fluid 22. Although it may be formed by a single material, in figure 8 it is shown formed by two materials, a frame 77 of a relatively rigid plastic and a sealing portion of relatively flexible material. In the example of Fig. 8 there is a first sealing portion 64 of softer sealing material to provide the upper and lower sealing elements 66, 68 that mate with the cap member 42. There is also a second sealing portion 78 which provides a secure sealing element against the inner face of the inner wall 32 of the lid. The frame 77 provides the required structural strength and stiffness of the bottom wall 24 to resist the pressure that arises from the pressurized fluid chamber 22 in use. Since the material of the frame 77 is relatively strong and rigid, the weight can be reduced by forming trimmed areas 79. A suitable technique for manufacturing the bottom wall 24 is insert molding, in which the frame 77 is first formed by molding and is It is then placed in a second mold and has the sealing portions 64, 78 formed around it. Suitable materials for the sealing portion are natural or synthetic rubber or thermoplastic elastomers. Suitable materials for the frame are metal or rigid plastics.

The lower wall 24 is secured to the inner wall 32 of the lid by any appropriate technique, for example by coupling a locking flange 74 in a corresponding groove on the outer face of the inner wall 32 of the lid, or by laser welding, ultrasonic welding or rotary rub welding. The fluid chamber 22 is then defined by the lower wall 24, the upper wall 26 of the lid and the inner wall 32 of the lid.

The cover member 20 is placed in the inverted position shown in Figure 5A and, after purging with nitrogen or other purge means suitable for removing impurities, the additive liquid 120 is then introduced into the fluid chamber 22 through the opening 25 in the bottom wall 24.

The housing 40 is then placed on the cover member 20 by coupling of the external primary thread 50 on the housing 40 with the internal primary thread 30 on the cover member 20 such that the plug member 42 enters and closes the opening 25 in the lower wall 24, thereby making a tight seal of the additive liquid 120 in the fluid chamber 22, as shown in Figure 5B.

The fluid chamber 22 can be pressurized at the time of filling or at any other time before using the closure device 10 to close a container 12. The pressure stage can be achieved by providing pressurized gas to step 61 of the nozzle. The passage 61 of the nozzle is in communication with an internal fluid passage 70 that exits on the cylindrical outer surface 62 of the plug member 42 and, thus, is in communication with the volume 63 between the upper 66 and lower sealing elements 68 The lower sealing element 68 is held against the cap member 42 by means of a collar 72 on the housing 40, and continues to seal against the cap member 42 even when the volume 63 is pressed under pressure. The upper sealing element 66 provides a one-way valve means to allow the fluid chamber 22 to be under pressure. The upper sealing element 66 functions as a butterfly valve. When the pressure in volume 63 is greater than the pressure in the fluid chamber 22, the upper sealing element is pushed away from the plug member 42 so that the pressurized gas can circulate from volume 63 to beyond the element upper seal 66 to the fluid chamber 22. When the source of pressurized gas is removed, and the pressure in volume 63 and the passage 61 of the nozzle returns to atmospheric pressure, the upper sealing element 66 is pushed against the cap member 42 to leave the fluid chamber 22 sealed.

Typically, the gas forms a space 122 in the upper part of the fluid chamber 22 of between 0% and 60% of the volume of the fluid chamber 22.

After the fluid chamber 22 has been pressed under pressure, the closure device 10 is secured to the neck 16 of a container 12 by coupling the internal secondary thread 52 on the housing 40 with the external secondary thread 18 on the neck 16 of the container, to seal the contents of the container.

In an alternative embodiment, which is not part of the invention, when used with a pressure vessel 10, for example a vessel containing a carbonated beverage, the fluid chamber does not have to be pressurized before securing it to the neck of the vessel. . The internal pressure of a carbonated beverage can typically be 310 kPa (45 psi), and the one-way valve described above will allow the fluid chamber 22 to reach the same pressure. If the pressure in the main liquid compartment 14 is temporarily increased further, for example to 480 kPa (70 psi) by pasteurization, then the pressure in the fluid chamber 22 will also reach this pressure by removing pressure from the upper space of the main compartment of liquid 14 through the one-way valve. However, when the pressure in the main liquid compartment 14 returns to its previous pressure, say 310 kPa (45 psi), the pressure in the fluid chamber 22 will remain at the highest pressure, say 480 kPa (70 psi) , since the sealing element 66 will impede the flow of fluid from the fluid chamber 22. If the space 122 at the top of the fluid chamber 22 is large enough, this pressure difference will be sufficient to discharge the liquid additive to the actuate the closing device.

Although the cap member 42 may be formed as a unit molded element with the rest of the shell 40, Figures 6A and 6B illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the cap member 142 is independently formed and inserted by an elastic jump adjustment in an opening 143 disposed in the housing. Other components of the closure device are the same as those illustrated with respect to Figures 1 to 5 and, therefore, are not further described. The cap member 142 may be formed of a material other than the rest of the shell 142. This is beneficial if the shell material is incompatible with the liquid additive 120, and it is desired to make the cap member 142 of a different material than is compatible, since the plug member 142 remains in contact with the liquid additive 120 during storage. The cap member 142 may be made of metal or any suitable molded plastic material.

Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the invention similar to that of Figures 1 to 5. Parts that are the same as those described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 are indicated by the same reference signs. They differ in that the internal primary thread 30 on the cover member 20 and the external primary thread 50 on the housing 40 are replaced by a pair of thrust elements 458 on the inside of the cover member 20 and a pair of bayonet grooves 450 arranged on the outer wall 44 of the housing. The pushing elements 458 are engaged in the grooves 450 to form the primary coupling means that allow the cover member 20 to be lifted relative to the housing 40.

Although only one thrust element and one groove are illustrated, it will be understood that two or more may be arranged around the circumference of the cover member 20 and the enclosure 40. If required, the thrust element may be disposed on the body envelope and slots on the cover member. Each bayonet slot includes a first horizontal section 452 that allows the relative rotation of the cover member 20 and the enclosure 40 in the closed position, a vertical section 454 that allows the cover member 20 to slide relative to the enclosure 40 from the closed position to the open position, and a second horizontal section 456 which allows the relative rotation of the cover member 20 and the housing 40 in the open position. The vertical section 454 and the thrust elements 458 form a longitudinal guiding means.

The first horizontal section 452 can be omitted, so that when the tamper strip 80 is removed, no rotation of the cover member 20 is required to allow the cover member 20 to slide relative to the housing 40 from the closed position to The open position. In fact, the internal pressure in the fluid chamber 22 acting on the upper part of the plug portion 42 may be sufficient to automatically effect this movement.

The second horizontal section 456 can be omitted, if required, so that the cover member 20 and the housing 40 rotate together to immediately remove the closure member 10 from the container 12. The thrust element 458 and the groove 450 will thus act. as a securing means for mutual engagement to rotatably lock the cover member 20 and the housing 40 together.

Figures 9 to 14 show additional embodiments of the invention in which parts that are the same as those described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 are indicated by the same reference signs.

Figures 9 to 11 illustrate an embodiment in which a similar reduction in the diameter of the cover member is achieved by providing an upper portion 401 of the shell having an area of reduced diameter above the band 45 of the shell. The upper portion of the wrapping body may be integrally formed with the rest of the wrapping body 40. In this embodiment, the primary coupling means is an external thread 404 over the reduced diameter area of the wrapping body and a corresponding internal thread 405 over the wall outside of the lid.

In this embodiment, the tamper strip 80 of the outer wall 28 of the lid extends downward towards the skirt-shaped container 12.

Figures 12 and 13 show a further embodiment of the invention similar to that of Figures 8 to 11, in which the height of the lid is increased to accommodate the primary coupling means between the lid and the wrapping body at the top of the shell 401 above the band 45. In this embodiment, the shell is similar in shape to that shown in Figure 9 with the primary coupling means provided by an external thread 404 on the upper portion of reduced diameter of the body envelope and an internal thread 405 on the outer wall of the lid. By increasing the height of the cap member, the volume of the fluid chamber can be increased, so that additional additive can be carried inside the cap member.

The outer surface of the cover member is staggered in this embodiment. The upper part of the cover member 20a surrounding the upper part of the housing 401 has a reduced diameter with respect to the main part of the cover member 20b reflecting the reduced diameter of the upper part of the housing.

The anti-tampering strip 80 has an increased diameter with respect to the main part of the cover member 20b and may be increased towards the container 12 as in the previous embodiment. After removing the tamper strip, a skirt would be left surrounding the container 12.

Figure 14 shows an embodiment of the present invention which is a further development of the embodiment of Figures 12 and 13. In this embodiment, the outer wall 281 of the lid is gradually narrowed from the top surface to the bottom of the strip anti-tamper 80 to provide a more aesthetic closure that can be stacked to reduce storage space within a bottling facility. The actuation of this embodiment would be similar to that shown in the embodiments of Figures 12 and 13.

The present invention provides a closure device that requires fewer components than prior art devices. The closing device is simple to manufacture, since in one embodiment it requires only three molded components; the cap member 20, the bottom wall 24 of the cap member and the housing

40. The closure device is mounted and filled with liquid additive 120 and then stored or transported before use in a standard container 12. Said device does not require independent filling at the bottling site.

The closing device allows the introduction and mixing of the additive liquid 120 into the contents of the main liquid compartment 14 of a container 12 without removing the closing device 10 from the container 12.

The closure device can be used with any standard container 12, of any shape or volume, of any material, for example PET, glass, metal or any suitable plastic. The external secondary thread 18 on the neck 16 of the container 12 can be any standard thread.

The closing device optimizes the use of the volume within the neck 16 of the container 12, since the fluid chamber extends through the entire available area of the neck 16. The internal diameter of the fluid chamber 22 is limited only by the thickness of the inner wall 46 of the housing and the inner wall 32 of the lid. The volume of the fluid chamber 22 can be modified by varying the length of the fluid chamber.

The closing device cannot be operated to introduce the liquid additive 120 into the main liquid compartment 14 unless the anti-tampering strip 80 is removed, at least partially, thereby providing the consumer with certainty that the additive has not been mixed. prematurely with the contents of the container, for example while sitting on a store shelf.

The inner shape of the fluid chamber 22, which has an upper surface 76 of the lower wall 24 that slopes downwardly towards the opening 25 and the cap member 42, ensures that only a minimum amount of residual liquid additive is keeps in the fluid chamber after the release of the additive. Accordingly, the closure device 190 can be removed and placed on a surface without significant deposition of additive thereon. The inclined shape allows the full amount of liquid additive 120 to be supplied even if the container is inclined relative to the vertical during actuation of the closing device to discharge the additive.

The materials of the closure device can be selected to avoid any compatibility problem with the liquid additive 120. During storage, the liquid additive is only in contact with the cap member 20 and the cap member 42. If required, the Cap member may be independently made from a different material than the rest of the housing. If required, an inner liner, for example stainless steel, can be used inside the fluid chamber to avoid any contact with the molded lid member 20. Certain flavoring additives or dyes are not compatible with sealing materials. Therefore, the lower wall 24 may be manufactured, for example by insert molding, so that the upper surface 76 of the lower wall 24 is polypropylene or other suitable inert material, while the sealing elements 64, 78 are protected by under the upper surface material.

The closure device of the invention offers a simplified method for filling and assembling the closure device, and can be mounted in a container and adjusted thereto without the need for adhesive. The fluid chamber 22 can be easily put under pressure, using any appropriate source of pressurized gas, which can simply fit the nozzle 60 on the housing 40 once the closure device has been mounted. No specialized aerosol technology is necessary. The liquid additive 120 may be denser or more viscous, and the area of the passage 61 of the nozzle and the passage 70 of the internal fluid may be increased, if required, to improve the flow of a more viscous additive. Additives that require agitation for dissolution can be used with the closure device of the invention, since it allows agitation of the container after unloading, without risk of spillage therebetween between the closure device and the container, placed that the closure device is kept sealed to the neck.

The closing device is held in one piece when removed, and can be recycled. The recyclable character is improved if the closure and the enveloping body are made of the same material.

Modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition to the modifications and variations described above, the liquid additive can be replaced by a gel or a free flowing powder or the like. The bottom wall 24 may be integrally formed with the rest of the lid member 20. The closure member may be used with a container containing a carbonated beverage, provided that the pressure of the main liquid compartment 14 is less than the pressure of the fluid chamber 22. The primary threads 30, 50 may have any suitable thread design and be arranged so that the closure device discharges, i.e., expels the liquid additive 120 to the main liquid compartment 14, after any angle of suitable rotation, for example 45 °, and allows the withdrawal of the closure device from the container after any additional suitable rotation angle, for example from 270 ° to 450 °.

Claims (27)

one.

 A closure device (10) mounted before adjustment to a container (12) to release an additive liquid (120) into a main liquid compartment (14) of the container (12) having an opening with a neck (16) , the closure device (10) comprising a cover member (20) comprising a pressurized fluid chamber (22) containing the additive liquid (120), and a casing body (40), having a member of plug (42) attachable with sealing effect in an opening (25) in a bottom wall (24) of the fluid chamber (22), including the cap member (42) a nozzle (60) directed away from the chamber of fluid (22), wherein the cover member (20) is provided with a primary coupling means (30) that is coupled with a corresponding primary coupling means disposed on the housing (40) to allow the member of cover (20) is raised relative to the enclosure body (40) from a closed position, in the that the cap member (42) closes the opening (25), to an open position, in which the cap member (42) is at least partially removed from the opening (25) to provide a communication path, in use, from the fluid chamber (22) through the nozzle (60) to the main liquid compartment (14).

2.

 A closure device according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure (40) includes an inner wall

(46) of the housing adapted to fit inside the neck (16) of the opening and in which the closing device (10) includes sealing means (54) that make a tight seal between the fluid chamber (22) and the inner wall (46) of the surrounding body, and wherein the primary coupling means on the cover member (20) includes an internal thread (30) and the primary coupling means on the housing (40) includes an external thread (50).

3.

 A closure device (10) according to claim 2, wherein the cover member (20) includes an upper wall (26) of the cover, an outer wall (28) of the cover, on which the thread is arranged internal (30), and an inner wall (32) of the lid, which extends from the upper wall (26) of the lid to the lower wall (24) and which is arranged inside the outer wall (28) of the lid, the fluid chamber (22) being defined by the upper wall (26) of the lid, the inner wall (32) of the lid and the lower wall (24), and in which the housing (40) ) comprises an outer wall (44) of the housing on which the external thread (50) is arranged.

Four.

 A closure device according to claim 3, wherein the outer wall (44) of the housing is provided with an internal secondary thread (52) adapted to engage, in use, with an external secondary thread

(18) arranged on the neck (16) of the opening of the container (12). 5. A closure device according to any of claims 3 to 4, wherein the casing body (40) further comprises a frame (48) supporting the plug member (42), such that the plug member (42) is disposed inside the inner wall (46) of the enclosure and, in use, extends upward in the direction of the fluid chamber (22).

6.

 A closure device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cap member (42) includes an internal fluid passage (70) that is sealed relative to the fluid chamber (22) in the closed position and that is in communication from fluid with the fluid chamber (22) in the open position.

7.

 A closure device according to claim 6, wherein the cap member (42) includes a cylindrical outer surface (62) that engages with a sealing means disposed on the bottom wall (24).

8.

 A closure device according to claim 7, wherein the sealing means comprises:

an upper sealing element (66) that closes tightly against the cylindrical outer surface (62) of the cap member (42) when the cap member (20) is in the closed position and which allows fluid to pass between the element upper seal (66) and cap member (42) when the cap member (20) is in the open position, and a lower sealing element (68) that closes tightly against the cylindrical outer surface (62) of the cap member (42) when the cap member (20) is in the closed and open positions.

9.

 A closure device according to claim 8, wherein the plug member (42) includes an internal fluid passage (70) extending to the cylindrical outer surface (62) in a position below the upper sealing element ( 66) when the cover member (20) is in the closed position, the internal fluid passage (70) being in communication with the nozzle (60).

10.

 A closure device according to any preceding claim, wherein the primary coupling means of the cover member (20) and of the enclosure body (40) include mutually engaging securing means (86; 88) to prevent rotation of the cover member ( 20) in relation to the housing (40) beyond a predetermined angle of rotation rotation.

eleven.

 A closure device according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid chamber (22) contains a larger space of pressurized gas.

12.

 A container (12) having a main liquid compartment (14), an opening having a neck (16), and a closing device (10) according to any preceding claim, which closes said opening, in which the wrapping body (40) of the closing device is secured to the neck (16) of the container (12).

13.

 A container according to claim 12, wherein the wrapping body (40) comprises an outer wall (44) of the wrapping body located outside the neck (16) of the container (12) and provided with an internal secondary thread (52) coupled with an external secondary thread (18) arranged on the neck (16) of the container (12).

14.

 A container according to any of claims 12 to 13, wherein the wrapping body (40) further comprises an inner wall (46) of the wrapping body disposed within the neck (16) of the container (12) and provided with internal sealing means (54) to seal tightly against an outer surface of the inner wall (32) of the lid and external sealing means (56; 58) to seal tightly against an inner surface of the neck

(16) of the opening. 15. A method for mounting a closure device (10) containing additive liquid for introduction into a main liquid compartment (14) of a container (12), the method comprising the following steps: arrange a cover member (20), securing a bottom wall (24) to said cover member (20) to define a fluid chamber (22) that can be pressurized, invert the cover member (20) and introduce an additive liquid (120) into the fluid chamber (22) through an opening (25) in the bottom wall (24), disposing a wrapping body (40) having a plug member (42), including the plug member (42) a nozzle (60) directed away from the fluid chamber (22), fix the housing (40) to the cover member (20) by the relative axial movement of the housing (40) and the cover member (20), both having corresponding primary coupling means (30, 50) for this purpose , so that the plug member (42) enters and closes the opening (25) in the bottom wall (24) of the fluid chamber (22), pressurize the fluid chamber (22), and Store the closing device (10) with the pressure chamber (22) containing the additive liquid (120) for subsequent adjustment to the container (12).

16.

 A method according to claim 15, whereby the relative axial movement of the housing (40) and the cover member (20) is achieved by coupling an external thread (50) on the housing (40) with an internal thread (30) on the cover member (20).

17.

 A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the step of pressing is achieved by providing pressurized fluid to a passage (61) in said stopper member (42), the passage (61) being in communication with a means valve that prevents the release of pressurized fluid from the fluid chamber (22).

18.

 A method according to claim 17, wherein the valve means comprise a sealing element that engages with the cap member (42), when the cap member (42) closes the opening (25).

19.

 A method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the pressurized fluid is a gas and the gas forms an upper space in the fluid chamber (22) of between 0% and 60% of the volume of said chamber (22 ).

twenty.

 A method according to any of claims 15 to 19, which includes the additional step of securing the closure device (10) to a neck (16) of a container (12) having a main liquid compartment (14) by coupling of an internal thread (30) on the housing (40) with an external thread (50) on the neck (16) of the container (12).

twenty-one.

 A method according to any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the closing device is a closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

22

 A method of introducing an additive liquid (120) into a main liquid compartment (14) of a container

(12)

 having an opening with a neck (16), the neck (16) having attached to it a closing device (10) comprising a wrapping body (40) fixed to the neck (16) and a cover member (20), defining a pressurized fluid chamber (22) fixed to the housing (40), in which the closing device (10) is mounted and filled with the additive liquid (120) before being fixed to the neck (16) , the method comprising the steps of raising the cover member (20) with respect to the housing (40), both having corresponding primary coupling means (30, 50) for this purpose, making a stopper member (42) arranged on said enveloping body

(40)

 it moves relative to the cover member (20) from a closed position, in which an opening (25) disposed in a bottom wall (24) of said fluid chamber (22) is closed by said stopper member (42) , to an open position, in which the cap member (42) is removed, at least partially, from the opening

(25)

 to provide a communication path from the fluid chamber (22) through a nozzle (60) disposed in the plug member (42) and directed away from the fluid chamber (22) to the main compartment

of fluid (14), and releasing the additive liquid under pressure (120) from said fluid chamber (22) along said communication path (61) to said main liquid compartment (14). 23. A method according to claim 22, wherein during the lifting of the fluid chamber (22) relative to the The wrapping body (40) keeps the seal between the fluid chamber (22) and an inner wall (46) of the wrapping body 5 (40) arranged in the neck (16) of the container (12).

24.

 A method according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the cover member (20) is lifted by rotating said member (20) a first angle, so that the fluid chamber (22) is lifted by thread action of screw relative to the housing (40).

25.

 A method according to claim 24, wherein further rotation of the cover member (20) is prevented more

10 beyond the first angle in relation to the enclosure body (40) by the mutual coupling of securing means (86; 88) arranged on the cover member (20) and the enclosure body (40). 26. A method according to any of claims 22 to 25, wherein the elevation of said cover member (20) in relation to the housing (40) is achieved by coupling an internal thread (30) on the cover member (20) with an external thread (50) on the housing (40). A method according to any one of claims 22 to 26, which includes the additional step of rotating the cover member (20) further to remove said member (20) and the shell (40) from the container (12), by coupling an internal secondary thread (52) on the housing with an external secondary thread (18) arranged on the neck (16) of the opening of the container (12). 28. A method according to any of claims 22 to 27, wherein the communication path includes a 20 internal fluid passage (70) in the cap member (42) extending from the nozzle (60) to a position on the surface of said cap member (42) that is in communication with the fluid chamber (22 ) when the cap member (42) is in the open position.