GB2172663A - Liquid containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid container comprises an inner flexible bag 5 for containing the liquid and supported by an outer, relatively rigid casing. The bag is provided with a tap 15 in a position so that, in use, the dispensation of the liquid through the tap is assisted by gravity. The bag is additionally provided with a device 14 for supplying gas under super- atmospheric pressure to the top surface of the liquid in the container when in dispensing use thereby further facilitating dispensation. The outercasing is so constructed that it restrains the bag against over- inflation. Such liquid containers can be used for storing and dispensing liquid foods and beverages. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvemer;ts in and relating to liquid containers This invention relates to liquid containers of the type comprising an inner flexible bag or pouch for containing the liquid supported by an outer relatively rigid casing and often referred to as the bag-in-box type.

In particular, the invention relates to a container of the said type adapted for. pressure dispensing of the liquid.

The concept of the bag-in-box type system has been known for many years as providing convenient sterile linings for containers for liquid foods and beverages. The containers have generally been one of two main kinds.

The first of these is that wherein dispensing of the contents is by pouring from the inner bag which is permitted to collapse within the more rigid outer casing whereby ingress of air into contact with the container contents may be avoided.

The second kind is that wherein dispensing is effected by pressurising the space between the inner bag and the outer casing necessitating that the outer casing be substantially gastight.

The first kind has been applied to soups and wines for example and the second to beer bulk stored in cellars for direct dispensing to retail counters.

The use of an inner flexible bag or pouch provided a simple means of achieving not only a sterile container but a container having suitable barrier properties against the undesirable transmission of gases, thus permitting the use of more economic materials and constructions to provide the requirements of strength and rigidity in the overall container.

While the inner flexible bag or pouch has in instances been replaceable, the cheapness of the overall construction has made it feasible for retailed containers to be disposable after a single use and such disposable containers for still wines are commonplace.

Also common to the retail market place are disposable cans containing beverages such as beer. The cans are required to be made liquid and gas tight in manufacture and sealing, the metal of the can being covered with a lacquer or plastic coating to provide a sterile or sterilizable non-tainting surface for contacting the beverage.

To facilitate the dispensing of the contents of such cans they are generally adapted to be connectable to a re-usable unitary combination of a gas supply device, delivery tube and tap whereby gas pressure may be applied to the surface of the liquid contents causing it to be dispensed via the delivery tube on opening the tap.

Difficulties can arise in the manufacture of such cans in achieving satisfactory coatings and seals and in the satisfactory filling and sealing of such cans particularly when the contents are aerated or carbonated. Further, because these containers are largely incombustible they are not readily disposed of when empty.

An attempt has been made to employ a bag-in-box type system to replace the above cans, wherein a gassy beverage is contained in a flexible bag supported by an outer casing.

The bag is provided with a tap and in order to maintain the void volume above the beverage small and the dissolution of gas from the beverage correspondingly small, the outer casing is provided with a manually adjustable end wa!l to enable the volume occupied by the bag to be intermittently reduced as the liquid is dispensed from the bag. Satisfactory operation of this device ensures to a large extent that the degree of aeration or carbonation of the beverage is maintained correspondingly high throughout the dispensing of contents of the container. However, such satisfactory operation requires end wall adjustments during or after each quantity of the liquid is dispensed. This device is cumbersome and its use too onerous to be sufficiently satisfactory to avoid failure of operation with consequent spoilage of the contents.Further, the filling of a flexible bag or pouch with a gassy beverage is required to be done under conditions of controlled back pressure to avoid frothing, making such filling operation difficult and requiring complex equipment.

One means whereby a bag-in-box type system can be employed for the packaging of liquids, such as liquid beverages, to be dispensed in aerated or carbonated form while minimising the above disadvantages is described and claimed in our co-pending British Patent Application 8504530. The invention therein described provides a liquid container of the type comprising an inner flexible bag or pouch for containing the liquid and supported by an outer relatively rigid casing characterised in that the bag or pouch is adapted to receive in sealing engagement a dispensing assembly comprising a gas supply device, liquid delivery tube and tap or outlet valve such that in use the surface of liquid contained in said bag or pouch may be pressurised and/or a pressure above said surface maintained by said gas to cause the liquid to be dispensed via the delivery tube on opening the tap or valve and in that the outer casing is constructed to restrain the bag or pouch against over-inflation and to thereby maintain the integrity of the container in use. Also provided by the invention of said co-pending Application is a bag or pouch adapted for use in the container therein described.

The invention of co-pending British Patent Application 8504530, however, is restricting in that the container in dispensing use is required to be in sealing engagement with a dispensing assembly comprising a gas supply device, delivery tube and a tap or outlet valve.

Such dispensing assemblies are complex and are usually designed to be located on or near the top of the container which is not always convenient. Further, in the event of the gas supply device failing, some considerable difficulty can be experienced in dispensing any further quantities of liquid from the container.

We have now devised an alternative system whereby the above disadvantages may be overcome.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a liquid container of the type comprising an inner flexible bag or pouch for containing the liquid and supported by an outer, relatively rigid casing characterised in that the bag or pouch is provided with or adapted to receive in sealing engagement therewith a tap or outlet valve preferably at a position so that in normal orientation of the container in dispensing use liquid contained may be dispensed thereby with the assisting influence of gravity acting on the liquid within the bag or pouch and in that the bag or pouch is additionally adapted to receive in sealing engagement a gas supply device for supplying gas under super-atmospheric pressure whereby with the container in said orientation and said use the top surface of the liquid contained in said bag or pouch may be pressurised and/or a pressure above said surface maintained by said gas to thereby cause or further assist dispensing on opening said tap or outlet valve and further characterised in that the outer casing is constructed to restrain the bag or pouch against over-inflation and to thereby maintain the integrity of the container in use. Also provided is a bag or pouch adapted for use in the container of this invention.

The bag or pouch, for the sake of brevity hereinafter referred to as the bag, of this invention may comprise any bag of moulded or welded construction which may be made liquid-and gas-tight and which has a flexibility and dimensions whereby adequate support to prevent failure in use can be gained from contact with the wails of the outer casing of the container of this invention. It will be appreciated that as a consequence of the bag having flexibility, its dimensions may not be critical.

The walls of the bag are preferably substantially impermeable to the pressurising gas and preferably also to atmospheric oxygen thus permitting ease of retention of pressure within the bag and the maintenance of quality of its liquid contents particularly where these may be adversely affected by ingress of oxygen. A considerable range of films, foils and sheet materials including laminates have been developed from which materials for the walls of the bag may be chosen in order to achieve the desired strength and barrier properties. The materials employed heretofore for the walls of bags for use in bag-in-box systems for still wines may be considered for use for the walls of the bags of the present invention, subject to strength and other requirements being met, for contact with sparkling wines and beers for example.In the majority of cases it has been the practice to employ a multi-laminae and/or laminated structure of two or more different materials in order to gain the desired combination of properties. For example, bag walls have been constructed of an inner film layer of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer overlaid by an outer film laminate of metallized polyester adhesively bonded between low density polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer layers. Nylon film has replaced the metallized polyester in some structures. Aluminium foil and polyolefins co-extrusion coated with polyvinylidene chloride are further alternatives.

A class of materials developed and sold by BXL Plastics Limited under the Trade Mark HY-BAR and generally comprising multi-layer co-extruded laminated structures have been advantageously employed. These laminates generally comprise a central barrier layer of an ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer (i.e. hydrolysed ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer) bonded to polyolefin layers on each side via adhesive layers.

The polyolefin layers, however, may be replaced in such structures by layers of any thermoplastic. The bond between the thermoplastic layers and the central layers may be a direct heat bond but is preferably via an adhesive layer which in the case of polyolefin layers such as branched or linear low density polyethylene layers advantageously comprises a modified polyolefin resin such as that sold under the Trade Name Admer or such as that sold under the Trade Name Novatek. These materials may also be advantageously considered for use for the walls of the bags of the present invention amongst the considerable variety of alternatives.

However, as described and claimed in our British Patent Application 8418863, it is particularly preferred that, when the outer casing of the container of the present invention is of generally cylindrical or barrel shape, the walls of the bag comprise a laminate of an ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer layer as hereinbefore defined bonded between thermoplastic layers of different material or materials.

Where the containers of this invention are intended for wine, beer and similar beverages, it is preferred that the bag surfaces contacted by the beverage comprise an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (having from 6 to 8) by weight vinyl acetate units) or a linear low density polyethylene.

The bag may be produced by any conventional technique such as welding or blowing techniques or any combination of such techniques. If the wall of the bag is to include a film lining, this may be interposed prior to seam welding of superimposed layers bf the material for the main walls. While it is preferred that the main body of a lining film layer is not bonded to the main walls, the lining film is preferably such as to in use gain support from the main walls sufficient satisfactorily to resist the internal gas pressure against undesirable influences. In any event a lining film layer may be bonded to the main walls in relatively small areas.

The bag may be provided with a tap or outlet valve hereinafter for the sake of brevity referred to as a tap which is made integral with the bag for example by welding, or alternatively the bag may be adapted to receive a tap in sealing engagement therewith by the attachment or incorporation of a suitable tap adaptor to which the tap may be readily secured. In both cases the tap will, in dispensing use of the container of this invention communicate with the inside of the bag below the surface of c'ontained liquid the tap body or tap adaptor being provided with an extension or delivery tube for this purpose if necessary.

The tap adaptor may comprise a tubular sleeve or gland which may be for example welded to the bag wall in known manner.

Such sleeve or other tap adaptor should permit the tap to be sealingly engaged with the bag simply, for example through a simple force fitting or threaded fitting on the adaptor.

The tap or tap adaptor is prefereably arranged to be initially sealed from communication with the inside of the bag. This may be achieved by arranging for a membrane to extend across the passage in the tap body or tap adaptor, which membrane may be penetrated in known manner by the first-time operation of the tap of appropriate design. The membrane may comprise a portion of the bag wall not removed in attaching the tap or tap adaptor for example. However, such known sealing arrangements have certain disadvantages as described in British patent specification 2101275, An alternative is to incorporate in the tap or tap adaptor a secondary valve which serves to provide the preferred seal and which is caused to be permanently opened by the first-time operation of the tap. Such an alternative is described in British patent specification 2101275.

Consistent with the preference that the tap is at a position so that in normal orientation of the container in dispensing use liquid contained may be dispensed with the assisting influence of gravity acting on the liquid within the bag, it will be appreciated that the tap should be positioned so that in such use its outlet will, at least for the most part, always bebelow the top surface of the liquid. Accordingly, the tap will usually be positioned preferably so that it will be situated at or near the bottom of the container of this invention, more preferably near the bottom of a side wall. To assist drainage of the container under gas pressure for example, the tap body may be provided with an extension tube reaching to the inside bottom of the bag. The tap, tap adaptor or extension or delivery tube may incorporate a filter or other means to avoid the dispensing of sediment.

It will be appreciated that the tap will be provided on or engaged with the bag before the container of this invention is brought into dispensing use. However, a bag merely adapted to receive the tap may by employed in the container of this invention for the transport of contained liquid provided the tap adaptor is suitably sealed against leakage by for example the use of a membrane as earlier described or by the addition of a temporary sealing cap.

The tap will normally be situated externally of the outer casing during dispensing use of the container and the tap and/ ortap adaptor is preferably firmly attached or interlocked with the outer casing during such use. For greater security the tap adaptor may alternatively be permanently secured to the outer casing and may be for example integrally moulded with at least a portion thereof.

The bag of this invention may be adapted to receive in sealing engagement a gas supply device by the attachment or incorporation of a suitable gas adaptor to which the gas supply device may be readily secured.

Such gas adaptor provides for communication with the inside of the bag and for example may comprise a tubular sleeve or gland which may be for example welded to the bag wall in known manner. Such a gas adaptor is preferably threaded externally or otherwise designed to permit a sealing cap to be fitted for example after filling of the bag with liquid and which sealing cap may be replaced by a threaded nut or other appropriate fitting on the gas supply device whereby the latter may be sealingly engaged with the bag via the adaptor. Other forms of adaptor and modes of fitting will readily suggest themselves to the skilled addressee as will other forms of temporary sealing cap.

Clearly special features might be incorporated in one or both of the tap adaptor and gas adaptor. For example, a sleeve might be constructed in collapsed concertina-like fashion, being extendable by application of pressure within the bag. Such a device may be employed to permit an adaptor and if desired also an attached tap or gas supply device, before activation of the latter, to be packaged within the confines of the outer casing for protection during transit. Suitable bag dimensioning may likewise accommodate such protective packaging but depending on the material of the bag a greater risk to the integrity of the bag may result and therefore it is preferred to employ the special adaptor in such cases.

The gas supply device is preferably situated externally of the outer casing during dispensing use of the container of this invention to avoid undesirable interference with the bag, but this is not essential.

With a view to assisting the sealing engagement of the gas supply device with the bag and give the assembly a degree of rigidity, the gas adaptor may be integral with or firmly attached to or interlocked with the outer casing of the container.

When a sealing cap is employed this may form part of the gas adaptor if a portion, for example a central portion is removable or piercable. In the latter case the piercable portion may comprise the material of the bag wall which when pierced will allow the gas supplied via the gas adaptor to pass into the bag.

The cap may also be provided with a fitting of bayonet or other type to permit quick attachment of the gas supply device via a complementary fitting and appropriate seals.

The gas adaptor is preferably arranged to be located at the top of the container when the latter is in its position for normal dispensing use.

It should be appreciated, however, that while maintaining a distinction between the present invention and that of our co-pending British Patent Application 8504530 to which no claim is made herein, the tap adaptor and the gas adaptor may be combined in a single adaptor, but this is not a preferred arrangement. Indeed it is preferred that the tap adaptor and the gas adaptor are distinct whereby advantage may, at least in some instances, be taken of their interchangeability in use. For example, subject to suitable compatibility of fittings, if one of the adaptors is positioned in an end wall of a cylindrical bag and the other in a side wall, bags so adapted may be employed in a cylindrical container arranged to have its major axis either horizontal or vertical making bag manufacture for alternative container forms more economical.It- will be appreciated that a change in orientation of the container may require a reversal of the roles of the respective adaptors.

The outer casing of the container of the invention may comprise any suitably constructed housing to accommodate the bag and to give it the necessary support during transit and in use with the gas supply device in position and activated, to maintain the integrity of the container and provide necessary access to the tap or tap adaptor and gas adaptor and to the gas supply device when fitted.

Bearing in mind the need to reconcile the physical requirements of the bag with those of the outer casing and vice versa, the outer casing may be any practical shape. Thus it may be in the shape of a parallelepiped, pyramid or sphere for example but it is preferably of cylindrical shape. This latter shape combines the advantages of curved surfaces for efficient pressure restraint with ease of construction and assembly of the container.

The material selected for the outer casing is determined primarily by its physical requirements, in relation to the casing design and may be of any material such as wood, plastic, cardboard for example and, where combustibility is not a requirement, metal.

The method of manufacture of the outer casing will be determined largely by the material selected. However, when the casing is of cylindrical shape the main body is conveniently cut from extruded tubular lengths of plastic or other material. The wall thickness of the tube will be selected to have suitable strength in use but may be sufficiently thin to permit collapsing before or after cutting.

Where it is desired to incorporate one or both integrally moulded ends, the casing body may be blow moulded for example.

Open ends of a casing body may be closed off to complete the outer casing by closures of moulded plastic or of other material and secured by any means such as welding, tacking, screwing or by bayonet or other fitting.

Access to the tap or tap adaptor, the gas adaptor and to the gas supply device when attached may be provided by one or more holes made in the outer casing through which the tap and/or adaptors may protrude. When the tap or an adaptor with or without its tap or gas supply device attached is initially packaged within the outer casing a perforated knock-out portion of the outer casing may be provided to give access to and the means for suitable relocation of the tap or adaptor. It is preferred, however, that the tap, tap adaptor and gas adaptor are finally positioned in relation to the outer casing during manufacture of the container of this invention.

Insertion of the bag into the outer casing may be before the casing is completed, for example before applying an end closure or alternatively, by inserting the folded bag through a tap or adaptor-access hole. The latter method may not always be very practical when two adaptors need to be located with the outer casing. When the bag is blow moulded it may be blow moulded insitu using the casing as a blow moulding tool. In such a case it may be convenient to mould one or more adaptors integrally with the bag in the same process.

When the bag is inserted prior to completion of the outer casing it may be filled beforehand provided the bag alone has sufficient strength. However, when the bag is filled with pre-aerated or carbonated liquid for example it is preferably done within the outer casing and with provision being made for controlling the volume increase of the bag during the operation to prevent frothing. To this end the space between the bag and the outer casing may be pressurised in controlled fashion or if the outer casing is perforated or otherwise readily gas permeable, gas pressure may be applied externally of the container and controlled to the same effect.

However, one of the advantages of the present invention is that the liquid to be dispensed in aerated or carbonated condition may be introduced into the bag in the filling operation, for example through an adaptor, in the non-gasified state whereby the abovementioned problem of frothing is obviated.

Subsequently, in using the container of this invention, gas pressurization of the surface of the liquid with a gas which is to a degree dissolved by the liquid under such pressure results in gasification, for example aeration or carbonation, of the liquid.

The gas supply device may be any means by which pressurised gas may be supplied to the surface of the liquid in the container of this invention when it is sealingly engaged with the bag. Conveniently, particularly for personally portable containers for domestic use, the device comprises a holder for a compressed gas cylinder or capsule in combination with gas release means such as is commonly employed in known domestic soda siphon chargers.

The gas supply device should be such as to direct the gas under pressure to the surface of the liquid in the container. While this may be done via the liquid, if necessary or desired with the use of suitable conduit, through which the gas may be allowed to bubble and initially saturate, it is preferred that the gas under pressure is directly supplied to the surface of the liquid.

Preferably, the gas is supplied via a needle valve or similar device which serves to control the gas flow such as to maintain the pressure in the space above the surface of the liquid substantially constant.

It is preferred that the gas supply to the surface of the liquid is permanently connected during dispensing of the contents of the container subject to any intermittent interruption as a result of pressure control.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the container of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates the embodiment shown in Figure 1 wherein a gas supply deviceand a tap have each been sealingly engaged with the bag.

In Figures 1 and 2 identical components are correspondingly numbered.

In Figures 1 and 2 which are largely diagramatic, 1 indicates generally a container of this invention comprising an outer casing 2 of cylindrical shape closed off at its ends by end closures 3 and 4. The outer casing holds an inner flexible bag 5 to which is welded tubular gas adaptor sleeve 6 via annular weld 7 and tubular tap adaptor sleeve 6' via annular weld 7'. The gas adaptor passes through a hole in end closure 4 which is of diameter substantially matching that of the main body of the sleeve but which is made resiliently expandable by means of radial slots (not shown) cut around its periphery. In this way the hole permits an annular rib 8a on the surface of sleeve 6 to be forced through whereby the sleeve becomes axially interlocked with the end closure.At least one longitudinal rib 8b (shown in dotted line) provided on the surface of the sleeve is dimensioned so as to fit at least one of the slots whereby the sleeve becomes also interlocked with the end closure in a manner preventing relative rotation. 9 is a screw threaded closure for the bag and is screwed onto the gas adaptor sleeve when the gas supply device indicated generally by 10 in Figure 2 is not in position, as in Figure 1.

The gas supply device 10 shown in Figure 2 comprises housing 11 for a compressed gas cylinder or capsule (not shown) and housing extension 12 containing a hollow needle (not shown) for penetration of seal in the cylinder or capsule and transmission of released gas via a pressure control valve (not shown) to the gas adaptor sleeve 6 and thereby into the top of the bag 5. Body 14 of the gas supply device is connected via a sealing washer (not shown) to the gas adaptor sleeve 6 with the aid of screw fitting 13 acting on a flange (not shown) on the base of body 14.

Tap adaptor 6' is shown in Figure 1 to be passing through the wall of the outer casing 2. While a circular hole through the wall serves well it can sometimes be advantageous in the assembly of the container if the hole is extended to a free edge of the outer casing wall component to permit the adaptor to be laterally inserted. Thus the hole shown for the tap adaptor in Figures 1 and 2 may be extended downwards in an inverted U-shape (which would be seen side-ways-on in the drawings) whereby before end closure 3 is located and secured, the tap adaptor may be slid into position. Such an arrangement permits the use of closer tolerances on the hole dimensions whereby the adaptor, and thereby the tap, may be firmly held by a side-ways push fit while readily accommodating any desirable strengthening flanges on the adaptor for example.Further, of course, such an arrangement permits the simple location of a tap already provided on a bag or fitted to a tap adaptor with a wall of the outer casing.

The tap adaptor 6' is shown in Figure 1 free of any fitted tap or sealing cap for the sake of clarity. However, to maintain sterility of the inside of a bag after manufacture such closure or tap would usually be applied as soon as convenient. This may not be before filling the bag with liquid, however, if the tap adaptor is usedY for this purpose. Figure 2 shows a tap 15 of the pressure valve type sealingly engaged with bag 5 through tap body 16 being push fitted into adaptor sleeve 6'.

To exemplify further the present invention but in no way intending to limit the scope thereof: Outer casing 2 may comprise a section of extruded high density polyethylene tubing of 1 mm wall thickness and internal volume of approximately 5 litres. At one end of the tube section a U-shaped hole may be cut of such size as to permit a tap adaptor 6' to be slotted-in with push-fit tightness.

Bag 5 may be of welded cylindrical construction of dimensions substantially matching those of the inside of the outer casing 2, the walls comprising for example an ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer layer coextruded in laminated form between layers of linear low density polyolefin with intermediate modified polyolefin adhesive layers. During construction of the bag the gas adaptor sleeve 6 and the tap adaptor sleeve 6' which may each be of moulded high density polyethylene may be inserted through respective apertures made in an end wall and side wail of the bag 5 and welded thereto. Tap 15 may then be fitted as previously described to tap adaptor 6', the tap being in its closed position.

The bag 5 may than be inserted into the tube section of casing 2 and the tap adaptor 6' slotted into the U-shaped hole provided (not shown in Figures 1 and 2) with the major proportion of the bag extending along the inside of the tube section. Injection moulded end closure 3 of similar material to the tube section and 1.5 mm thickness, having an integral lip may then be riveted to the tubing thereby closing off one end and retaining the adaptor 6' in position. Casing 2 may be then completed by applying and securing end closure 4 moulded similarly to closure 3 but with an aperture through which the gas adaptor 6 is passed and by means of which the adaptor may be interlocked with end closure 4 as ear lier described.

Conveniently, the bag may then be filled with the liquid to be subsequently dispensed such as a completely fermented beer or cider for example. The closure 9 is then applied.

The container of this invention duly filled may then be conveniently transported to its destination whereupon removal of closure 9 permits the gas supply device to be attached.

A gas capsule containing carbon dioxide may then be inserted into housing 11 and the seal penetrated with release of gas which enters the space above the liquid via the pressure control valve. The liquid may dissolve some of the gas delaying pressure build up in the space above the liquid and cessation of gas flow through the action of back pressure acting on the pressure control valve.

The container of the present invention is then ready for dispensing its contents via the tap.

When the container is empty and the gas stopped by for example manual closure of the pressure control valve the gas supply device may be removed for re-use with a fresh container.

Claims (24)

1. A liquid container of the type comprising an inner flexible bag or pouch for containing the liquid and supported by an outer relatively rigid casing characterised in that the bag or pouch is provided with or adapted to receive in sealing engagement therewith a tap or outlet valve preferably at a position so that in normal orientation of the container in dispensing use liquid contained may be dispensed thereby with the assisting influence of gravity acting on the liquid within the bag or pouch and in that the bag or pouch is additionally adapted to receive in sealing engagement a gas supply device for supplying gas under super-atmospheric pressure whereby with the container in said orientation and said use the top surface of the liquid contained in said bag or pouch may be pressurised and/or a pressure above said surface maintained by said gas to thereby cause or further assist dispensing on opening said tap or outlet valve and further characterised in that the outer casing is constructed to restrain the bag or pouch against over-inflation and to thereby maintain the integrity of the container in use.

2. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bag or pouch is substantially impermeable to the pressuring gas.

3. A liquid container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bag or pouch is substantially impermeable to carbon dioxide.

4. A liquid container is claimed in either of claims 2 and 3 wherein the bag or pouch is substantially impermeable to atmospheric oxygen.

5. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the material of the bag or pouch comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol and polyolefin layers.

6. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the bag or pouch surface to contact the liquid comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or a linear low density polyethylene.

7. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the wall of the bag or pouch includes a lining film.

8. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bag or pouch is adapted to receive in sealing engagement therewith a tap by the attachme'nt or incorporation of tap adaptor.

9. A liquid container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bag or pouch is adapted to receive in sealing engagement a gas supply device by the attachment or incorporation of a gas adaptor.

10. A liquid container as claimed in either claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the adaptor is a sleeve.

11. A liquid container as claimed in claim 10 wherein the sleeve is welded to the bag or pouch by an annular weld.

12. A liquid container as claimed in either claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the adaptor is integral with or firmly attached to or interlocked with the outer casing.

13. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the outer casing is cylindrical in shape.

14. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims with the bag or pouch of which a gas supply device and tap or outlet valve is sealingly engaged.

15. A liquid container as claimed in claim 14 wherein the gas supply device includes a holder for a compressed gas cylinder or capsule in combination with gas release means.

16. A liquid container as claimed in claim 15 wherein the compressed gas cylinder or capsule contains carbon dioxide.

17. A liquid container as claimed in any one of claims 14, 15 and 16 wherein the gas supply device includes a pressure control valve.

18. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims containing a beverage.

19. A liquid container as claimed in claim 18 wherein the beverage is carbonated.

20. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims which is personally portable.

21. A liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims as described and as exemplified with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings herewith.

22. A bag or pouch adapted to receive in sealing engagement a gas supply device and a tap oroutlet valve for use in the liquid container as claimed in any one of the previous claims.

23. A bag or pouch as claimed in Claim 22 adapted to receive in sealing engagement a gas supply device and a tap or outlet valve at respective positions.

24. A bag or pouch as claimed in Claim 23 adapted such that the respective positions are interchangeable.