GB2329173A

GB2329173A - Liquid dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2329173A
Application number: GB9819969A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Peter House
Original assignee: BEAUMONT HOUSE Ltd
Current assignee: BEAUMONT HOUSE Ltd
Priority date: 1997-09-15
Filing date: 1998-09-15
Publication date: 1999-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2018-09-15
Also published as: GB9819969D0; GB2329173B; GB9719567D0

Abstract

A hand holdable dispenser for dispensing a metered volume of liquid from an inverted bottle, the dispenser including a metering chamber 10 containing a control valve element 4 operated by an operating lever 29. A non-return valve 39 prevents back flow of liquid from the metering chamber 10 into the bottle.

Description

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS This invention relates to the dispensing of liquids from containers.

It is frequently necessary to be able to dispense from a container such as a bottle known quantities of a liquid less than a total content of the container.

In particular, in relation to the marketing of spirit beverages such as whisky, gin, vodka etc., it is a general practice to market such spirits by the unopened bottle or otherwise by dispensing and selling very carefully measured or otherwise controlled liquid amounts from an opened bottle.

Many forms of devices for dispensing controlled amounts of spirits or whatever type of liquid is required to be dispensed from an opened bottle are known.

Generally speaking, a dispensing apparatus or dispenser is mounted to the open mouth of the bottle and includes a control valve mechanism which controls the discharge of liquid from the dispenser.

When it is required to discharge a predetermined quantity of the liquid from the bottle the valve mechanism is operated to enable discharge of the liquid from the reservoir whilst at the same time preventing further liquid flow from the bottle into the reservoir whilst liquid is still leaving the reservoir. The valve mechanism, during liquid discharge from the reservoir, conventionally allows air to enter into the reservoir to facilitate gravity feed of the liquid into the reservoir.

In one major mode of use of a liquid dispenser a bottle is mounted from a support in an upside down vertical position.

Such mounting can be regarded as static use of the dispenser and the liquid dispenser can be regarded as a static dispenser.

A further major requirement is to be able to dispense liquid from an opened bottle whilst the bottle is hand held throughout the liquid dispensing operation. In other words a use which enables a controlled amount/measure of the liquid to be dispensed from a bottle which is not in an angularly fixed pouring position. Such mode of use can be regarded as a dynamic dispenser.

In practice, with such dynamic dispensers it is usually essential for official regulation purposes that the construction of the dispenser ensures that the correct amount of liquid is dispensed whether or not the bottle is subjected, during a pouring operation, to tilting movements which could affect the amount of liquid discharged. In relation to this it is important to bear in mind that a back flow of, for example, 0.5 cubic centimetres of liquid could represent a significant percentage of the amount of liquid, for example 25 cubic centimetres, available in a full reservoir.

With the known dynamic dispensers it has been found that the extent of liquid flow can be jeopardised by abrupt movements of the hand held bottle to which the dispenser has been mounted whereby it is possible for a person holding the bottle to so jerk or otherwise move the bottle as to create a back flow condition whereby an incorrect amount of liquid would be dispensed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide dispenser device for facilitating the pouring of liquids from hand held bottles the construction of which dispenser at least reduces the risk of induced liquid flow interuption during liquid dispensing.

Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention there a dispenser for controlling the discharge of liquid from a hand holdable liquid container such as a bottle, the dispenser including a reservoir for receiving a measured quantity of the liquid from the container, means for connecting the dispenser to an open liquid discharge mouth of the container, means for controlling the discharge of liquid from the reservoir, a liquid flow path between the container open mouth and the reservoir, and liquid flow control means for preventing back flow of liquid in a direction from the reservoir to the container.

Preferably, the liquid flow path includes a tubular part leading from the container to the reservoir, and wherein the liquid from control means includes a non-return valve operationally provided in said tubular part.

Preferably, the non-return valve is located adjacent to the discharge end of said tubular part.

Preferably, said non-return valve comprises a ball valve operationally displaceable with respect to a valve seating provided at the liquid discharge end of the tubular part, and wherein the ball valve is arranged to move relative to the valve seating along ball support and guide means defining a ball displacement path that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the tubular part.

In a preferred construction the formation and arrangement of the support and guide means in conjunction with the weight and dimensions of the associated ball valve are such that the ball valve automatically commences to move under the action of gravity from its open position towards its closed position whenever the tilting of the container is such that the direction of ball displacement passes through a critical angle with respect to the horizontal.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing in which the single Figure shown is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the pouring control device of the invention when the pouring control device is in its liquid reservoir filling operational setting.

Referring now to the drawing the liquid dispensing device/ apparatus 1 includes a main body 2 including a vertically arranged (as shown in the drawing) cylindrical sleeve 3 which acts as a slide guide for a valve elememt 4, and second cylindrical sleeve 5 whose axis is inclined to the sleeve 3 at an angle and thus the horizontal. This angle is preferably 75 degrees although it could be for within an annular range of some 5 to 7 degrees to either side of the preferred angle of 75 degrees.

This second cylindrical sleeve serves to mount a means 6 by which the dispenser 1 may be connected with the mouth of a bottle neck (not shown).

The main body 2 is adapted to provide a seating 7 for receiving the upper annular rim 8 of a bowl 9 which provides the major part of a liquid reservoir 10 of the dispenser 1.

The bowl rim 8 is firmly attached to the associated seating 7 by, for example, an ultrasonic welding operation. The connection between the bowl rim and associated seating is such as to avoid the establishment of air bubbles or otherwise prevent flow of liquid within the dispenser.

The main body 2 is shaped to provide a downwardly facing area forming a valve seating 11 which is intended to cooperate with a first valve part 12 of the valve element 4.

The lower end 13 of the bowl 9 is open and terminates in a short downwardly depending skirt 14 whose inside surface provides an annular region 14A serving as a valve seating for a second valve part 15 provided on the valve element 4.

The inner surface of the bowl at least in the vicinity of the seating is sufficiently smooth and suitably angled and shaped over the annular region 14A to ensure a clean delivery of liquid through the valve when the second valve part 15 is in its open position. In otherwords, it is desirable that the formation of the valve and associated seating 14A do not unnecessarily impede liquid discharge from the reservoir.

The construction of the valve element 4 comprises upper and lower sections 17 and 18 respectively. The upper section 17 includes a valve stem 19 that slidably engages in the cylindrical slide guide sleeve 3. '0' ring type seals 20 serve to provide for an air and liquid tight sealing between the stem 19 and the guide 3.

An outwardly extending annular flange 21 is located at the lower end of the section 17, the flange 21 forms part of the first valve part 12. An annular seal 22 is provided upon the flange.

An axially directed bore 23 is provided in the stem 19, the lower end of the bore 23 being open and the upper end closed. A transverse through bore 24 is provided in the guide 3 and connects with the axial bore 23.

The upper end of the lower section 18 is provided with an annular flange 25 dimensioned as to be cooperable with the annular flange 21. A radially directed groove 26 is formed in the upper surface of the flange 25, the groove intersecting the bore 23.

The two flanges 21 and 25 are secured one to the other as indicated in the Figure.

The lower end of the lower section 18 provides the second valve part 16, and includes a seal 27 which operationally co-operates with the valve seating 14A of the bowl 9.

The interior of the bowl 9, in practice, forms a reservoir for receiving a predetermined quantity of liquid from the bottle to be emptied (not shown). In order that the content of the reservoir can be seen the bowl is invariably formed from a transparent material.

The valve element 4 is connected by a pivot 28 to an operating lever arrangement 29 which incorporates an operating part 30 which is intended to be gripped by the fingers of the hand used to hold the bottle in an inclined pouring position.

The lever arrangement 29 is resiliently loaded by spring means 31 which is operationally such that the rest position of the valve element results in the valve part 15/16 being in sealing contact with the associated sealing region 14A to seal off the liquid outlet from the bowl, and also to open the upper valve 12 to allow liquid to enter the bowl.

The spring means 31 also incorporates means 31A for producing a snap action during its operational movements.

The means 6 for mounting the bottle includes an outer skirt 32 and an inner sleeve 33 which is axially longer than the skirt. The relative dimensions and separation of the skirt 32 and sleeve 33 are such the the means 6 can accommodate a sealing element 34 including an inner conical sleeve 35 and a cylindrical outer sleeve 36. These sleeves are of such dimensions relative to each other as to be able to receive therein the neck of a bottle in such manner that a firm liquid tight is obtained between the bottle neck and the sleeve 35 when the bottle neck is engaged with the bottle mounting means 6.

The inner end 37 of the mounting means 6 is adapted to provide a valve seating 38 for a non-return valve 39 which can be of any suitable form but which in the Figure is represented by a ball valve which is able to displace lengthwise of the second cylindrical sleeve 5 along ball support and guide means 40. The formation of the support and guide means 40 and the weight and dimensions of the associated ball valve 39 is such that the valve 39 automatically moves under the action of gravity to the position shown in the Figure when the dispenser is moved from a vertical position as would be the case when a bottle is standing on its base into the liquid dispensing position as is shown in the Figure.

The angular relationship between the axis of the valve element 4 and the sleeve 5 is such that if the bottle and thus the attached dispenser is tilted clockwise from a position as seen in the Figure greater than an angle which can be regarded as the critical angle of tilt, the ball valve 39 will under the action of gravity be caused to move along its support and guide 40 in a direction necessary for the ball to co-operate with the seating 38 and thus prevent any flow of liquid from the reservoir 10 back towards the interior of the bottle which back flow would have the effect of reducing the amount of liquid in the reservoir thereby resulting in the volume of liquid discharged from the reservoir being less than the amount that would be discharged in the absence of said back flow. In other words if a back flow of liquid occurs the measure of liquid discharged from the reservoir would represent a so-called 'short measure'.

In practice, a predetermined angular setting for the above mentioned criticality condition is set as to be from, for example, 45 degrees upwards.

As a further aspect of the invention the relative dimensions of the ball and the interior of the sleve 33 are such that the flow of liquid from the bottle is not unduly impeded so that a fast as possible reservoir refilling rate is obtained.

In the specific embodiment the formation of the non-return valve 39 and its associated seating and travel path are so inter-related with the general construction of the dispenser that the non-return valve 39 is able to commence its opening movement to the position shown in the Figure immediately upon tilting the bottle towards the liquid discharge position whereby by the time the bottle is tilted to a position in which liquid can be discharged from the reservoir the valve is completely open and the reservoir filled. When the bottle has been tilted sufficiently to position the dispenser of the invention in the position shown with the valve 39 fully open the discharge of the liquid from the bowl is initiated by operating the operating lever 29. That is to say the valve 39 is fully open before the displacement of the valve element 4 reaches the position in which the duct 23 moves clear of the sleeve 3 to permit an air flow communication between the region above the valve element 12 and the ambient air which inter-alia allows air to bubble into the dispenser.

The ball can be formed of any material which does not become readily coated with liquid residues such as to impede its operation. In a particular embodiment the ball comprised of stainless steel having a diameter of some 12.7 millimetres with the bore of the sleeve 33 mouth having a diameter of some 12 millimetres. The relationship between the ball diameter and its seating was such that the sealing overlap was of the order of 0.35 millimetres.

A further feature of the proposal of the invention is that by providing a valve in the form of a ball the sealing effect critical angle condition can be established for movements not only in a purely clockwise backward tilt but additionally to respond to sideways tilting (as seen from the Figure) displacements of the bottle.

31n other words, the proposals of the invention make it possible for prevention of back flow during a dispenser operation irrespective of the angle of non-acceptable tilt.

Claims

1. A dispenser for controlling the discharge of liquid from a hand holdable liquid container such as a bottle, the dispenser including a reservoir for receiving a measured quantity of the liquid from the container, means for connecting the dispenser to an open liquid discharge mouth of the container, means for controlling the discharge of liquid from the reservoir, a liquid flow path between the container open mouth and the reservoir, and liquid flow control means for preventing back flow of liquid in a direction from the reservoir to the container.

2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the liquid flow path includes a tubular part leading from the container to the reservoir, and wherein the liquid flow control means includes a non-return valve operationally provided in said tubular part.

3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the non-return valve is located adjacent to the discharge end of said tubular part.

4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 or 3, and wherein non-return valve comprises a ball valve, slit valve or a flap valve.

5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4, and wherein said non-return valve comprises a ball valve operationally displaceable with respect to a valve seating provided at the liquid discharge end of the tubular part, and wherein the ball valve is arranged to move relative to the valve seating along ball support and guide means defining a ball displacement path that is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the tubular part.

6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the formation and arrangement of the support and guide means in conjunction with the weight and dimensions of the associated ball valve are such that the ball valve automatically commences to move under the action of gravity from its closed or open position towards its open or closed position whenever the tilting of the container is such that the direction of ball displacement passes through a critical angle with respect to the horizontal.

7. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for controlling the discharge of liquid from the reservoir includes a valve construction including a first valve part for controlling flow of liquid into the reservoir, and a second part for controlling flow of liquid from the reservoir, the arrangement being such that when the first valve part is open to liquid flow for the filling of the reservoir the second part is closed to prevent discharge of liquid from the reservoir and vice versa.

8. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the valve construction is adapted to provide an air flow path into the dispenser when the second valve part is in its discharge of liquid from the reservoir setting.

9. A dispenser as claimed in claim 7 or 8, and wherein the valve construction is connected by a pivot to an operating lever arrangement which incorporates an operating part which is intended to be gripped by the fingers of the hand used to hold the bottle in an inclined pouring position.

10. A dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating lever arrangement is arranged to be automatically reset to the reservoir outlet closed position to allow reservoir filling after a discharge of the reservoir content.

11. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9 or 10, and wherein the lever arrangement is resiliently loaded by spring means which is operationally such that the rest position of the valve construction results in the second valve part being in sealing contact with its associated sealing region to prevent the discharge of liquid from the reservoir.

12. A dispenser as claimed in claim 11, and wherein the the spring means incorporates means for producing a snap action during its operational movements.

13. A dispenser for controlling the discharge of liquid from a hand holdable liquid container such as a bottle, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.