GB2318110A - Device preventing refilling of container - Google Patents

Abstract

A flow control device 16 comprises a body member 17, suitable for mounting the device in a container 11, a barrier 18 provided on the body member and extending across its axis A, a first duct 22 through which liquid flows and a second duct 23 through which air flows, the ducts extending substantially along the axis A of the body member. One side of the body member and its barrier forms a first location and the other side forms a second location and the ducts extend through the body member/barrier with the air duct extending further into the first location (ie within the container) than the liquid duct and the liquid duct extending further into the second location (ie out of the container) than the air duct. Preferably the barrier is cup-shaped with a base 18, side-walls 19 and a top perimeter 20. The body member or the barrier may serve to locate a liquid deflecting baffle 30 near the inlet of the liquid duct. The device may be mounted in a bottle, a can, or a container formed of metal, plastic or card material.

Description

FLOW CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTAINERS EQUIPPED THEREWITH The invention relates to a flow control device and to containers equipped therewith.

In my co-pending application 9523359.9 (the 'earlier Application') there is described a a flow control device comprising: a body member for mounting the device in a container the body member defining thereon a first location and a second location; a first duct extending through the body member from the first location to the second location, the first duct having a first cross section and a first length; a second air duct extending through the body member from the second location to t he first location, the second duct having a second cross section and a second length; the cumulative effect of the relationship between the first cross section and first length of the first duct, and the second cross section and second length of the second duct being such as to offer: relatively low impedance to flow of liquid along the first duct from the first location to the second location and a consequent flow of air along the second duct from the second location to the first location; and relatively high impedance to flow of liquid along the first duct from the second location to the first location with a consequent flow of air along the second duct from the first location to the second location. Hereinafter such a flow control device will be described as 'a flow control device of the type described'.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a flow control device of the type described characterised in that: the body member has a longitudinal axis and is provided with a barrier extending across the axis to define a first location on one side of the barrier and the second location on the other side of the barrier; the first duct extending through the barrier and being provided with a flow inlet at the first location and a flow outlet at the second location; the second duct is provided with an air inlet at the second location and an air outlet at the first location; the air outlet and the flow outlet lying on the axis; the air outlet extending further into the first location from the barrier than the flow inlet; the flow outlet extending further into the second location from the barrier than the air inlet.

According to a first preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention the barrier is in the form of a cup shaped component having a base region, walls extending from the base region to provide an internal volume and an open top; a major proportion of the first duct extending through the internal volume. Typically the cup shaped component serves to define a pouring lip in a flow path from the flow outlet to the second location.

According to a second preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention or of the first preferred version thereof the body member has an external configuration comprising one or more deformable members located about the axis and adapted to resiliently conform to a port into or out of a container so as to inhibit the passage of air or liquid into or out of the container by way of the port except through the first or second ducts. Typically the or each deformable member comprises an annular ring.

According to a third preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention or any preceding preferred version thereof the body member or the barrier- serves to locate a baffle in a flow path from the first location to the vicinity of the flow inlet so that liquid in the first location downstream of the baffle is caused to be deflected so as not to enter the flow inlet directly from the flow path but firstly to dissipate kinetic energy by interaction with the baffle.

According to a fourth preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention or any preceding preferred version thereof the body member or the barrier of an extension thereof serves to locate a pouring lip in a flow path from the flow outlet to the second location. Typically the lip comprises an annular member co-axial with the axis.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a container equipped with a flow control device according to the first aspect.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a closure for a bottle comprising a capsule for forming around the neck of the bottle and including a flow control device according to the first aspect.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of a flow control device for a bottle of which: Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation; and Figure 2 is a front sectional view at right angles to that of Figure 1.

Part of a bottle 11 containing an alcoholic beverage is shown with a neck 12 shrouded once the bottle 11 has been filled by means of a capsule 13. Normally open end 14 of bore 15 of the neck 12 is shown closed by a flow control device 16. Inspection of a number of current bottle designs suggests that in manufacture bottles external dimensions are held to conform to relatively tight tolerances whilst internal dimensions, typically those of bore 15, are not held to the same tightness of tolerances nor is the bore of regular cylindrical form.

The device 16 is made up of body member 17 with a central longitudinal axis A. The body member 17 incorporates a barrier in the form of a cup with a base 18, frusto conical side wall 19 and an top perimeter 20 which has a lip section to facilitate pouring a controlled stream of beverage from the bottle 11 especially when the bottle is only part filled.

The body member 17 is of relatively rigid plastics material is provided with a sleeve 18 of relatively soft plastics material and incorporates a sequence of integral annular rings 18A to 18G with tapered outer faces (typically outer face 19 of ring 18A) so that the device 16 can be driven into the bore 15 and jammed therein in the axial location shown. The use of a sequence of rings 18A to 18G of flexible plastics material enables the device 16 to be introduced into and then forced down into bore 15 in a readily adapted filling operation. The rings 18A to 18F provide for the device once inserted in the bore to be accommodated in the neck with a bore 15 having a profile varying substantially from cylindrical and without tight tolerancing of the bore being needed.

Once inserted the device 16 cannot be removed with virtually destroying it.

The device 16 is provided with a first, liquid, duct 22 and a second, air, duct 23.

The first duct 22 extends from flow inlet end 24 within the bottle 11 through the base 18 of the barrier and up to plane P shared by top perimeter 20 where the first duct 22 opens to atmosphere by way of flow outlet 25 lying symmetrically transversely across axis A.

The second duct 23 extends from air inlet end 27 outside the bottle 11 downwardly through the base 18 of the barrier and opens into the bottle 11 by way of air outlet 28 which lies symmetrically transversely across axis A.

The first duct 22 and the second 23 lie at an angle to axis a to provide for the liquid flow outlet 25 to lie co-axial with, though off-set from, air outlet 28. This has been found to provide for greater control of pouring liquid from the bottle 11.

The first duct 22, second duct 23 and body member 17 are formed as an integral unit to facilitate manufacture. Amongst other features the relative dimensions and locations of the ducts 22, 23 provide for controlled flow of liquid from the bottle through the first duct 22 and a flow of air into the bottle to replace the displaced liquid.

A further liquid flow control feature is provided by a baffle 30 located beneath the device 16 when located in the bore 15 as shown. The baffle 30 has lower face 31 directed towards the interior of bottle 11; and upper face 32 directed towards the flow inlet end 24 of the first duct 22. The baffle 30 has outer edge 33 which provides for an annular flow passage between the baffle and the inner wall of the bottle in the vicinity of the device 16. The second duct 23 extends downwardly beneath the baffle 30so that the baffle 30 is located between air outlet 28 and liquid inlet 24. To facilitate manufacture the second duct 23 is of minimum bore for a short length in the vicinity of the air outlet 28.

In the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2 the bottle 11 is shown with the device 16 secured in place by the capsule 13 in a known manner. This can be readily achieved in a conventional bottle filling and sealing line by holding the perimeter 20 of the device 16 in a recess 40 in a rigid disc 41 mounted in the capsule 13. The machine in the bottling line whereby the capsule is located on the bottle and compressed around the neck 12 can readily cope with the loading necessary to drive the device 16 home into the neck 12. The neck 12 is configured on its outer surface to receive the capsule and hold it in place against inadvertent axial or rotary displacement. Typically the bottle 12 is provided with a recess 43 into which recessed ring 44 is driven. Region 45 of the capsule provides a deliberately weakened section of the capsule so that when the bottle 12 is to be opened relative twisting of the upper part 46 and lower part 47 of the capsule to be separated allowing for the use of upper part 46 as a screw cap for the bottle when in use. In removing the upper part the disc 41 is separated from the device 16 to leave the rim 20 exposed and allow the ready pouring of a steady flow of liquid from the bottle.

From the point of view of pouring the device 16 provides a number of advantages. In particular liquid is not dispensed from the bottle by way of the device 16 until axis a of the bottle 11 has been tilted from the vertical by about 90 degrees. In addition the baffle 30 limits the ability of the contents of the bottle, especially when half full or less, to surge towards and through liquid flow inlet end 24 of the first duct 22. Any moving liquid hitting the barrier 30 is constrained to flow around it so dissipating kinetic energy.

While the exemplary embodiment describes a container in the form of a bottle for a liquid comprising an alcoholic beverage the invention is capable of application towards many types of container apart from bottles, such as cans and containers of metal, plastics material or treated card, and for many types of liquid apart from alcoholic beverages such as non-alcoholic beverages and essences, flavourings liquid foods, oils (both edible and those intended for oils and lubricants for machinery) and additives.

The invention provides a means whereby liquids can be readily dispensed in a controlled manner from a contained equipped with the flow control device. However in addition, as was particularly discussed in the Earlier application, the invention provides for a liquid container which while providing for the ready dispensing of the contents resists the refilling of the bottles and in particular resists the ready introduction of bogus liquids. It is a common practice in certain parts of the world to take advantage of brand or other identity on a given bottle by retaining the displayed identity while filling the bottle with a cheap imitation. The present invention provides a device which is cheap to manufacture and readily adopted for existing bottling or container filling processes but provides readily provides substantial resistance to illicit filling.

Claims (11)

1A flow control device of the type described characterised in that: the body member has a longitudinal axis and is provided with a barrier extending across the axis to define a first location on one side of the barrier and the second location on the other side of the barrier; the first duct extending through the barrier and being provided with a flow inlet at the first location and a flow outlet at the second location; the second duct is provided with an air inlet at the second location and an air outlet at the first location; the air outlet and the flow outlet lying on the axis; the air outlet extending further into the first location from the barrier than the flow inlet; the flow outlet extending further into the second location from the barrier than the air inlet.

2 A flow control device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the barrier is in the form of a cup shaped component having a base region, walls extending from the base region to provide an internal volume and an open top; a major proportion of the first duct extending through the internal volume.

3 A flow control device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the body member has an external configuration comprising one or more deformable members located about the axis and adapted to resiliently conform to a port into or out of a container so as to inhibit the passage of air or liquid into or out of the container by way of the port except through the first or second ducts.

4 A flow control device as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the or each deformable member comprises an annular ring.

5 A flow control member as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body member or the barrier serves to locate a baffle in a flow path from the first location to the vicinity of the flow inlet so that liquid in the first location downstream of the baffle is caused to be deflected so as not to enter the flow inlet directly from the flow path but firstly to dissipate kinetic energy by interaction with the baffle.

6 A flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body member or the barrier of an extension thereof serves to locate a pouring lip in a flow path from the flow outlet to the second location.

7 A flow control device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the cup shaped component serves to define a pouring lip in a flow path from the flow outlet to the second location.

8 A flow control device as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the lip comprises an annular member co-axial with the axis.

9 A container equipped with a flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim.

10 A closure for a bottle comprising a capsule for forming around the neck of the bottle and including a flow control device as claimed in any of preceding claims

1 to 7.

11 A flow control device as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.