GB2337793A

GB2337793A - Pressurised fluid dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2337793A
Application number: GB9806780A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Kershaw
Original assignee: Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd
Current assignee: Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd
Priority date: 1998-03-31
Filing date: 1998-03-31
Publication date: 1999-12-01
Also published as: GB9806780D0

Abstract

A soil drink dispenser for use in areas without a safe supply of palatable water. A container 10 holds the fluid 12 and pressure, provided by a gas, e.g. air or nitrogen or carbon dioxide, is applied to the fluid to displace some of the fluid from the container. The gas is admitted through connection means 21 ( e.g. a bayonet coupling) and one-way valve 22 lies in the gas supply tubing 20 to prevent escape of gas from the container. One-way valve 32 in tubing 30 prevents contaminated fluid re-entering the container from a dispenser head connected at 31. The container is preferably made of polyethylene terephthalate to allow easy crushing of the empty container although polyethylene or polypropylene may be used.

Description

"li.k:

1 DISPENSING FLUIDS 2337793 This invention relates to the dispensing of fluids. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of dispensing fluids from a container, to a container for use in connection with such a method and to dispensing apparatus including one or more such containers.

Although the present invention will be described herein with special reference to the dispensing of potable fluids, it As not to be 10 construed as being limited thereto.

A particular type of potable fluid with which the present invention is concerned is the so-called "soft drink", which generally comprises a flavoured syrup or similar concentrate for dilution with an aerated, carbonated or natural ly-occu rring water or with tap water to form the drink. Apparatus for dispensing such drinks, the apparatus including means to dispense the flavoured syrup and the water from a common dispensing-head, is well known and may readily be seen in hotels, restaurants, public houses, clubs and similar establishments.

Such known dispensing apparatus requires the availability of an adequate supply of water. The water must not only be palatable but must also be safe to drink. If no such supply can be made available, the known dispensing apparatus cannot be used. Instead, pre-mixed Cready-to-use") drinks must be provided and hitherto this has required the provision of "individual" bottles (each bottle containing one serving of a drink) or larger bottles (each bottle containing several servings of a drink).

Dispensing drinks from bottles is often inconvenient (particularly in a "high-demand" retail situation). Moreover, the use of single-serving 2 bottles increases production, storing and recycling costs, while the use of larger bottles, when only part of the contents are dispensed, can lead to the remaining (unused) contents losing aeration/carbonation and "going flat".

The applicants have devised a method and apparatus for dispensing fluids which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and which is espec ially useful in conditions where a supply of safe, palatable water cannot be guaranteed.

Accordingly, the present invention provides, in a first aspect, a method of dispensing a fluid comprising holding the fluid in a container and subsequently applying sufficient pressure to the fluid to displace at least a portion of the fluid from the container.

Preferably, the fluid is a potable fluid. Suitably, the potable fluid consists of a pre-mixed aerated or carbonated beverage, for example a carbonated soft drink.

Preferably, the pressure is supplied to the fluid by means of a gas.

Suitable gases include air, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Carbon dioxide is especially preferred.

use In a second aspect, the present invention provides a container for in connection with the method described in the three immediately-preceding paragraphs, the container being adapted to contain a potable fluid and being provided with means to admit a pressurising gas to the container and means for the passage of at least a portion of the fluid from the container when the pressurising gas is admitted..

3 The container may be of any convenient capacity, although we have found that a capacity of about 10 litres is especially suitable.

Preferably, the container may be made of a plastics material, for example polyethylene, polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate. A particularly preferred plastics material is polyethylene terephthalate as a container made from such a material can be relatively easily crushed when empty.

The means to admit a pressurising gas to the container may suitably comprise a tube or the like passing through the closure of the container. The tube may be provided with means for connection to a gas supply. Such a means may, for example, comprise a bayonet-coupling or similar pipecoupling. The tube may further be provided with means to prevent the escape of pressurising gas from the container, for example a one-way valve or the like.

The means for the passage of fluid from the container may also comprise a tube or the like. Preferably, the tube extends from a point near to the base of the container, that is to a point corresponding to the lowest part of the container capable of containing fluid. Further, the tube extends, at its end opposite said point, through the closure of the container, where it may suitably be provided with means for connection to a dispenser-head or the like. The tube may, in addition, be provided with means, such as a one-way valve, to prevent the re-entry of contaminated fluid back into the container.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides apparatus for dispensing a potable fluid, the apparatus comprising a container according to the second aspect of the present invention, a source of a pressurising 4 gas for connection to the container and a dispensing-head for connection to the container.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated, merely by way of example, in the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which shows a partsectional view of a container according to the second aspect of the present invention.

A container 10, made of a plastics material, is provided with a closure 11 and contains a potable liquid 12. The space 13 above the liquid is capable of being pressurised by admission of a gas through inlet tube 20. Item 21 is a schematic representation of means to connect a supply of a gas to inlet tube 20. A one-way valve, shown schematically at 22, is provided to prevent the escape of gas from the container.

Outlet tube 30 allows the passage of the fluid 12 from the container, under the pressurising action of gas admitted through inlet tube 20. Item 31 is a schematic representation of means to connect the outlet tube to a dispenser-head. A one-way valve, shown schematically at 32, is provided to prevent the re-entry of contaminated fluid back into the container.

When the container is empty, the closure 11, together with the tubes 20 and 30, is removed. The empty container may conveniently be crushed for disposal, while the closure and tubes may be used in connection with a further container of potable fluid.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a fluid comprising holding the fluid in a container and subsequently applying sufficient pressure to the fluid to 5 displace at least a portion of the fluid from the container.

2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the fluid is a potable fluid.

3. A method according to Claim 2 in which the potable fluid is a carbonated soft drink.

4 A method according to any preceding claim in which the pressure is supplied to the fluid by means of a gas.

5. A method according to Claim 4 in which the gas is any one of, or a combination of: air, and nitrogen.

6. A method according to Claim 4 in which the gas is carbon dioxide.

7. A container for use in a method according to any preceding claim in which the container is adapted to contain a potable fluid and is provided with means to admit a pressurising gas to the container and means for the passage of at least a portion of the fluid from the container 25 when the pressurising gas is admitted.

8. A container according to Claim 7 in which the container has a capacity of approximately 10 litres.

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9. A container according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 in which the container is made of a plastics material.

10. A container according to Claim 9 in which the plastics material 5 polyethylene or polypropylene.

11. A container according to Claim 9 in which the plastics material is polyethylene terephthalate.

12. A container according to any one of Claims 7 to 11 in which the means to admit a pressurising gas to the container comprises a tube or tube-like member passing through the closure of the container.

13. A container according to Claim 12 in which the tube or tube-like member is provided with means for connection to a gas supply.

14. A container according to Claim 13 in which the means for connection to a gas supply comprises a bayonet -coupling or similar pipecoupling.

15. A container according to any one of Claims 12 to 14 in which the tube or tube-like member is provided with means to prevent the escape of pressurising gas from the container.

16. A container according to Claim 15 in which the means to prevent the escape of pressuring gas from the container is a one-way valve.

17. A container according to any one of Claims 7 to 16 in which the means for the passage of fluid from the container comprises a tube or 30 tubelike member.

7

18. A container according to Claim 17 in which the tube or tube-like member extends from a point near to the base of the container, that is to a point corresponding to the lowest part of the container capable of containing fluid, to its end opposite said point, through the closure of the container, where it is provided with means for connection to a dispenserhead or the like.

19. A container according to Claim 17 or 18 in which the tube or tubelike member is provided with means to prevent the re-entry of contaminated fluid back into the container.

20. A container according to Claim 19 in which the means to prevent the re-entry of contaminated fluid back into the container is a one-way valve.

21. Apparatus for dispensing a potable fluid, the apparatus comprising a container according to any one of Claims 7 to 20, a source of a pressurising gas for connection to the container and a dispensing-head for connection to the container.

22. A method of dispensing a fluid substantially as described herein.

23. A container substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

24. Apparatus for dispensing a potable fluid substantially as described herein.