GB2317882A

GB2317882A - A container for a pressurised food or drink product

Info

Publication number: GB2317882A
Application number: GB9620781A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Arthur Charles Chown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-04
Filing date: 1996-10-04
Publication date: 1998-04-08
Also published as: GB9620781D0

Abstract

A container (2) for a food or drink product (4) which is stored in the container (2) at a predetermined positive or negative pressure in order to maintain the product (4) in an optimum condition prior to opening of the container (2) for the consumption of the product (4) comprises pressure indicator means (16) for continually indicating the pressure in the container (2) prior to the opening of the container (2). The indicator means (16) may comprise a deformable rubber seal (18) which is subjected to the pressure.

Description

A CONTAINER COMPRISING A PRESSURISED FOOD OR DRINK PRODUCT This invention relates to a container comprising a pressurised food or drink product.

It is well known to store food or drink products in containers at predetermined positive or negative pressures in order to maintain the products in an optimum condition prior to opening of the containers for the consumption of the products. For example, containers such as bottles and cans for containing carbonated beverages are extremely well known. The carbonated beverage only stays in an optimum condition for drinking providing the container has initially been provided with the required gas pressure and providing the container retains this required gas pressure.

In the manufacture of the containers, a problem exists in easily and efficiently telling if the container has been provided with the required predetermined positive or negative pressure required to maintain the product in an optimum condition. When the container is displayed for sale, another problem arises in that it is often not possible for the end user to check with simplicity and certainty as to whether the food or drink product which is stored in the container is at the required positive or negative pressure; For example, the container could have been tampered with or it may perhaps not have been sealed correctly during manufacture.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce both of the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a container comprising a food or a drink product which is stored in the container at a predetermined positive or negative pressure in order to maintain the product in an optimum condition prior to opening of the container for the consumption of the product, and the container being such that it comprises pressure indicator means for continually indicating the pressure in the container prior to the opening of the container.

The provision of the container with the pressure indicator means provides a simple, efficient and easily noticeable way for both manufacturers and end users to check the pressurised condition of the container.

The container will usually be one in which the pressure indicator means is such that it changes when the pressure in the container is inadequate.

The pressure indicator means may change by deforming from a first condition to a second condition.

Alternatively, the pressure indicator means may change by moving from a first position to a second position.

Usually, the container will be one in which the pressure indicator means is positioned in an upper part of the container. The pressure indicator means can however be positioned in other parts of the container as may be suitable and appropriate. The provision of the pressure indicator means in the upper part of the container is preferred since it will normally permit easy viewing of the pressure indicator means both for manufacturers and end users.

The pressure indicator means can be in any suitable and appropriate size, shape and colour. Generally, the pressure indicator means will be such as to be easily noticeable both by manufacturers and end users.

The container may be one in which the container has a body part and a closure member1 and in which the pressure indicator means is in the closure member.

The closure member may be a cap. In this case, the container may be a bottle. The bottle may be made of glass or a plastics material. The cap is preferably a screw cap but other types of caps may be employed.

The closure member may alternatively be a lid. If the lid is integrally formed with the body part, then the container will usually be a can. If the lid is separately formed from the body part, then the container may be a container having a recloseable lid. Such a recloseable lid is preferably a screw lid but other types of lid may be employed.

When the pressure in the container is a positive pressure, then the positive pressure will usually be caused by a gas. A preferred gas is carbon dioxide but other gases may be employed. The pressurising gas should be such as not to harm the food or drink product, or the end user consuming the food or drink product.

The end user may be a human end user or an animal end user.

When the pressure in the container is a negative pressure, then the negative pressure may be caused by evacuating air from the container prior to sealing the container for the storage of the product.

The container will usually be one which has upstanding side walls. Thus the container may be, for example, a bottle or a can. If desired, the container may be a flat pack container made of a plastics material. Such flat pack containers often contain sliced meat food products.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 schematically shows the top part of a first container in the form of a bottle, the bottle having a cap which is provided with pressure indicator means; Figure 2 shows a second cap; Figure 3 shows a third cap; Figure 4 shows a fourth cap; Figure 5 shows a fifth cap on a bottle which is shaped differently to the bottle shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a container in the form of a can; and Figure 7 is a section through part of the can shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a container 2 which is in the form of a bottle. The container 2 comprises a drink product 4 in the form of a carbonated beverage. The product 4 is stored in the container 2 at a predetermined positive pressure in order to maintain the product in an optimum condition prior to opening of the container 2 for the consumption of the product 4.

The required positive pressure is provided by carbon dioxide gas in the container 2.

The container 2 in the form of the bottle has a body portion 6 and a closure member in the form of a cap 8. The cap 8 is provided with a screw threaded portion 10 which screws over a screw threaded portion 12 of a neck part 14 of the container 2. The cap 8 is provided with pressure indicator means 16 for continually indicating the pressure in the container 2 prior to the opening of the container 2.

The pressure indicator means 16 comprises a rubber seal 18 which is secured as shown inside the cap 8.

When the container 2 is at the required positive pressure, the pressure will cause the rubber seal 18 to change by deforming from a first position indicated by dotted lines 20 to a second position indicated by dotted lines 22. In the second position shown by the dotted lines 22, the rubber seal 18 has deformed into a domed part 24 of the cap 8. The domed part 24 of the cap 8 is made of a transparent material so that the rubber seal 18 is visible through the domed part 24. If the rubber seal 18 is in the position shown by dotted lines 24, then it is apparent to a manufacturer and an end user that the correct pressure is in the container 2. If the rubber seal 18 is at the position shown by the dotted lines 20, then it is apparent to the manufacturer and the end user that the pressure in the container 2 is not adequate and is too low.

The simple deformation of the rubber seal 18 thus provides an easy visual check on the pressurised condition of the container 2. The check can be effected both by the manufacturer and by the customer. If desired, the deformation of. the rubber seal 18 can be checked by a manufacturer in an automated manner on a production line. Thus, for example, an electronic beam or other means can be arranged to check for the presence or absence of the rubber seal 18 in the position shown by the dotted lines 22 in the domed part 24 of the cap 8. If the rubber seal 18 is not in the position shown by the dotted lines 22, then the electronic beam or other means used will cause a warning to be given that the particular container 2 under test is faulty. The container 2 can then be rejected. Thus the pressure indicator means 16 provides a simple way for manufacturers to check the condition of their containers 2 on the production line. The pressure indicator means 16 also provides a simple way for retailers and end users to check visually that the required pressure level in the container 2 is present, and then it will be known that the container 2 has been sealed properly and/or has not been tampered with.

The rubber seal 18 can be made of any suitable and appropriate thickness to ensure that it flexes or deforms as required by the appropriate pressure in the container 2. The rubber seal 18 can be made of an alternative material that still allows the required deformation. The domed part 24 can be of any suitable and appropriate size. The domed part 24 only needs to be relatively small and sor for example, it may only need to project 2mm beyond the surrounding surface of the cap 8.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a cap 8 with a similar pressure indicator means 16 to that shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the domed part 18 is formed integrally with the remainder of the cap 8. In Figure 2, the cap 8 is provided with an aperture 26. The domed part 24 is provided with a flanged portion 28 which extends outwardly and under the cap 8 surrounding the aperture 26. The rubber seal 18 is then attached to the flanged portion 28, also as shown.

The rubber seal 18 shown in Figures 1 and 2 can be of any suitable colour. The rubber seal 18 can also be provided with any suitable and appropriate wording.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a third cap 8. The cap 8 shown in Figure 3 has a flexible coloured plastics seal 30. The plastics seal 30 is able to move from the concave condition 32 into a convex condition when it will protrude into the domed part 24.

The domed part 24 is formed by a clear plastics protective seal member 34.

Figure 4 shows a cap 8 in which the pressure indicator means 16 has a flexible member 36 which changes from the concave position 32 shown in Figure 4 to a straight position adjacent a flat top part 38 of the cap 8. Thus, in Figure 4, it has not been necessary to provide the cap 8 with a domed part 24.

Figure 5 shows a cap 8 on a container 2 in the form of a bottle. The cap 8 has a flat top part 38. The pressure indicator means 16 comprises a member 40 which is shaped as shown and which changes by moving from a first position as shown in Figure 5 to a second position close to the flat top part 38 of the cap 8 when the appropriate pressure is in the container 2.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, there is shown a container 42 in the form of a can. The can 42 has pressure indicator means 16 in its lid 44. The pressure indicator means 16 comprises a transparent seal member 46 which projects through the lid 44, and a coloured indicator member 48 bonded to the seal member 46. The indicator member 48 moves into the domed part 24 when the required pressure is in the container 2. When the required pressure is not in the container 2, then the indicator member 48 adopts the position shown in Figure 7.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the inventions described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the container 2 may be a vacuum packed container, in which case the pressure in the container will be a negative pressure. With a negative pressure, the pressure indicator means 16 may be arranged to change in the reverse manner to when there is a positive pressure in the container. The pressure indicator means can be used on any suitable and appropriate containers for containing any suitable and appropriate food or drink products. If a product, for example grape juice, carrot juice or vegetable juice, ferments in the container, pressure will build up and the pressure indicator means will then indicate that the product has become bad.

Claims

1. A container comprising a food or drink product which is stored in the container at a predetermined positive or negative pressure in order to maintain the product in an optimum condition prior to opening of the container for the consumption of the product, and the container being such that it comprises pressure indicator means for continually indicating the pressure in the container prior to the opening of the container.

2. A container according to claim 1 in which the pressure indicator means is such that it changes when the pressure in the container is inadequate.

3. A container according to claim 2 in which the pressure indicator means deforms from a first condition to a second condition.

4. A container according to claim 2 in which the pressure indicator means moves from a first position to a second position.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pressure indicator means is positioned in an upper part of the container.

6. A container according to claim 5 in which the container has a body part and a closure member, and in which the pressure indicator means is in the closure member.

7. A container according to claim 6 in which the closure member is a cap.

8. A container according to claim 7 in which the container is a bottle.

9. A container according claim 6 in which the closure member is a lid.

10. A container according to claim 9 in which the lid is integrally formed with the body part, the container then being a can.

11. A container according to claim 9 in which the lid is separately formed from the body part, the container then being a container having a recloseable lid.

12. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pressure is a positive pressure, and in which the positive pressure is caused by a gas.

13. A container according to claim 12 in which the gas is carbon dioxide.

14. A container according to any one of claims 1-11 in which the pressure is a negative pressure, and in which the negative pressure is caused by evacuating air from the container prior to sealing the container for the storage of the product.

15. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the container has upstanding side walls.

16. A container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.