GB2436560A

GB2436560A - Closure for a non-refilling device for a container

Info

Publication number: GB2436560A
Application number: GB0606107A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Donald Mei Mcpherson
Original assignee: Obrist Closures Switzerland GmbH
Current assignee: Obrist Closures Switzerland GmbH
Priority date: 2006-03-28
Filing date: 2006-03-28
Publication date: 2007-10-03
Also published as: GB0606107D0

Abstract

The invention relates to non-refilling devices for preventing tampering with contents of containers such as bottles (11). The device (10) comprises a housing (12, 14) having a valve (16) therein, and a closure disc (18). The housing has a body (12) with a flange (60) that is arranged to seal against the rim of a container in which the housing is fitted, and the flange has an upstanding rim (62) designed to prevent fluid dripping from the container, after pouring fluid therefrom. The flange is also provided at its perimeter with a downwardly and radially extending tongue portion (67) that seals against the rim of a container. The housing is provided with engagement fins (26,28) to maintain the housing in position, a valve seat (22) and apertures (21,41,50). The closure comprises a disc (18) having a centre position (20) separably engageable with an outer end of the housing and having a peripheral margin (72) by which it is permanently engageable with a closure cap (19). The closure disc is provided with an annular portion (71) between the centre portion and the peripheral margin, which is of undulating radial cross-section permitting the annular portion to flex and be compressed when the disc closure cap is closed on the container.

Description

NON-REFILLING DEVICES FOR CONTAINERS

This invention relates to non-refilling devices for containers of liquids such as fine spirits. The invention especially (but not necessarily) relates to such devices which are designed to be substantially or wholly received in the mouth region of the container; for brevity they are accordingly referred to hereinafter as in-bore non-refilling devices.

In-bore non-refilling devices may be used in association with a cap or closure which has a generally plane crown to overlie the container mouth, and a tubular skirt which depends peripherally from the crown and is adapted to embrace the container outside the non-refilling device. Often, the cap is of thin metal, and, to attach it removably to the container, has thread formations rolled into its skirt when it is in its fitted position on the container. The threads are conformed automatically to underlying threads on the container to provide a required threaded engagement: between the two.

Usually, at the same time as the thread is formed, the free edge of the skirt is rolled inwardly under an annular shoulder of the container so as in combination with a line of weakening formed around the skirt to form a tamper-evident or security * band. When the closure is unscrewed for the first time this band separates from the * * remainder of the closure, thereby leaving visual evidence that an attempt has been S...

made to open the container. A closure of this kind is usually referred to as a ROPP..:.

(Roll-On Pilfer-Proof) closure. . SS* S... S.

S S S *

Whilst such a tamper-evident arrangement may provide a high degree of security for a ROPP closure, it may be possible for a potential tamperer to remove the closure leaving the tamper-evident band intact, and to reinstate the closure to visually its original state after adulterating or otherwise changing the liquid contents of the container. In-bore non-refilling devices are intended to avoid this possibility by preventing the addition of a liquid or solid substance through the container mouth.

Some prior proposals of in-bore non-refilling devices are shown in Patent Publications US 4258854, GB 2026428A, W096/04179 and EP1012059. From those and other similar publications it will be seen that the device essentially comprises a hollow housing which can be push-fitted into the container mouth and suitably retained in position, with a valve member received and held movably captive within the housing and capable of engaging a valve seat provided by the housing so as to prevent an adulterant from being introduced into the container, whilst allowing liquid flow in the other direction for dispensing in the normal way.

In WO 96/04179 the device has a closure disc having a peripheral margin which is arranged to overlie the rim of the container in sealing relation and is capable of being engaged at its free edge with a closure or cap so that the device and the,. S...

closure or cap can be applied as one when the container is closed initially at a * . bottling plant. The closure disc is removably attached to the housing of the device *...

so that removal of the closure or cap also removes the disc, leaving the housing..:.

with the valve member still retained in the container. Furthermore, in WO. S...

* * *. S * S S. S

96/04179 the housing is arranged to provide a valve guard by which to prevent direct access to the valve member by an implement (e.g. tweezers or wire) or a water jet in an attempt to dislodge the valve member.

A further proposal for an in-bore non-refilling device is described and claimed in GB patent specification No. 200853 lB. In that specification the device has a housing, valve member and valve guard as previously discussed. In addition it has, as an additional anti-tampering feature, an arrangement of the housing in two parts which are integrally formed by frangible bridges.

Any attempt to remove the device from the container, for example by engaging a hooked wire with the accessible upper part of the device, will result in fracturing of the bridges, so leaving evidence of the tampering.

The present invention seeks to provide a non-refilling device having desirable features such as are variously described above but integrated together in a manner which in relative terms is cheap to mould and easy to assemble and apply to a container, and which furthermore provides in use a high degree of security against tampering, and satisfactory pouring. It also seeks to provide improved sealing of the housing within the neck of a bottle and to impart improved non-drip capability * *.e.

as and after liquid is poured from the container.

In accordance with the invention, from a first aspect, there is therefore provided a. . closure for a non-refilling device for a container neck according to Claim 1. S S.* S... S * *S S

The undulating radial cross section of the annular portion, which is intermediate the centre portion and the peripheral edge, may be of any suitable cross-section though it has been found that a cross-section which is of a generally waveform shape, for example sinusoidal, is suitable. The annular portion is relatively thin when compared with the remainder of the housing so that it can readily flex when compressed between a cap and the rim of a container, and seal against the cap.

The present invention also seeks to provide, in a second aspect, a tubular housing for a non-refilling device for a container neck according to Claim 9.

It has been found by experiment that the provision of an axially-raised perimeter, preferably one of bulbous shape to avoid sharp edges does assist in preventing dripping from the mouth of the container both during pouring of liquid from a container such as a bottle, and thereafter.

The present invention also seeks to provide, in a third aspect of the invention, a tubular housing for a non-refilling device for a container neck according to Claim 15.

The present invention provides in a further, fourth, aspect, a tubular housing for a *.

non-refilling device for a container neck according to Claim 16.

The present invention also seeks to provide, in a fifth aspect, a non-refilling device..:.

for a container neck according to Claim 17. .. a. a

The valve member may be a glass bead or may be in the form of a conic having two frusto-conical portions joined by a central portion, the valve member being able to slide within the housing between valve heads provided thereby.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section of a device formed according to the present invention shown fitted in the bore of a glass bottle; Figure 2 shows a cross- section of the device of Figure 1, the device including a closure according to the present invention and a tubular housing according to the invention; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of a closure according to the invention as deployed in the device of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view of the closure shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a section of the device of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 2, showing only the tubular housing thereof, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 6, showing a modified housing according to the present invention; and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Figures 6 and 7, showing a * further modified housing according to the present invention; and * S..

Figure 9 is a cross-section of an alternative valve member for use the..:. ***

device shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5. . S... a... S. *

Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown, in cross-section, a glass bottle 11 fitted with an in-bore non-return fitment device 10 and capped with a roll-on-pilfer-proof (ROPP) metal shell 19.

Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown, in cross-section, the in-bore non-refilling device 10 fitted in the glass bottle 11, which in this embodiment is a bottle for fine spirits such as Scotch Whisky. The device 10 is formed of four plastics components which are respectively numbered 12, 14, 16 and 18. The device 10 is associated with the shell 19 which forms part of a screw-on cap for the bottle 11 as will be described.

The cap 19 is stamped from aluminium, and has a generally plane crown 1 9A and a tubular skirt 19B. Near its free end the skirt is formed with a circumferential line of weakening as is known in the art and is formed by spaced slits defining a tamper-evident band. In addition, an inwardly extending retaining bead 24 is formed around the skirt at a small distance from the crown 19A.

The bottle neck is represented on the left hand side of the Figure and denoted by the reference numeral 20. On its generally cylindrical exterior surface it is formed with a stop bead 91 for engagement with the retaining bead 24 on the cap 19 to S....

define the axial position of the cap on application and with screw threads as is.

known in the art. S... S... S... *5S* I...

The four components of the device 10 are: a hollow housing body 12 having an open bottom (as shown) end, an end closure member 14 snap-engaged over the bottom end of the body 12 and having a circular (in plan elevation) central hole 21 defined by a valve seat 22, a valve member 16 (in the form of a plastic sphere, although a glass sphere could also be used) disposed inside the body and held captive there by the end closure member for sealing engagement with the valve seat, and a generally plane closure disc 18 snap-engaged with the body but held captive by the cap 19 by means of the bead 24. The body and the end closure member together form a housing for the valve member.

The present invention is concerned specifically with the design and construction and function of the hollow housing body 12 and the closure disc 18. Further details of the end closure member 14 and of the valve member 16 are as disclosed in European Patent 1012059, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The body 12 is injection-moulded from polypropylene. It is generally cylindrical, having an axis of symmetry A-A, and has flexible and outwardly projecting axially-spaced annular fins 26 formed integrally around its circumference adjacent its lower end. Adjacent its upper end, it has two further axially-spaced annular fins 28Aand28B. ... *.* * * * S.

The two fins 26, near the lower end of the body, are identical and taper *5** progressively towards their free ends, while the two further fins 28A and 28B are..:.

disposed in close axial relationship near the upper end of the body but at a *

S S S S. *

substantially greater spacing from the uppermost fin 26 than the spacing of the fins 26 themselves. The fins 28A and 28B have a smaller diameter than the fins 26, and in cross-section are seen to have a relatively rigid root portion 30 and a much thinner and flexible outer margin 32 than the fins 26. The upper fin 28A has a smaller diameter than the lower fin 28B.

The fins 26 and 28A, 28B provide engagement means which, when the device is pressed into the neck of a bottle, flex against the inside surface of the neck of the bottle and assist in retaining the device in the neck. Though not shown in Figure 1, it is to be understood that each of the fins will bend, upwardly as shown in the Figure as the device is pressed into the bottle neck.

The two fins 26 on the one hand and the fins 28A and 28B on the other hand are formed on respective lower and upper parts 34, 36 of the body 12 which are joined frangibly together by four rupturable bridges 38 of small cross-sectional dimensions. The bridges are formed on four vertical (i.e. axially extending) posts which are spaced regularly and widely apart around the lower body part 34 with their bases on a transverse plane slightly below the upper flank 42 of the lowermost fin 26. Spaces 41 between the posts form part of the dispensing flow path for whisky to leave the bottle. * . * * S.

The bridges 38 are formed on the inner edges of the posts 40, and they are joined to the upper body part 36 around the base of a conical central portion 44 of the *.

latter. This central portion is imperforate; in use of the device 10 it provides an * S...

anti-tamper guard for the valve member 16, its conical upper surface 46 tending to deflect outwardly out of harm's way any wire or other implement used for tampering.

Radially outside the bridges 38 the central portion 44 is extended outwardly as a continuous annular flange 48, and four posts 49 spaced by gaps 50 rise from the outer periphery of this flange in axial alignment with the posts 40 of the lower body part 34. The posts 49 terminate at the lower flank 51 of the lower fin 28B of the two upper fins 28.

Above the lower 28A of the two fins 28A and 28B, the upper body part 36 continues as a short unbroken collar 52 which extends upwardly beyond the apex of the central portion 44 to an axial end face 53 where the upper body part 36 is formed with an annular flange 60 which projects radially outwardly from the top end of the collar 52 so as to be urged downwardly by the closure disc 18 (as hereinafter described) into sealing relation against the bottle rim.

The flange 60 is formed around the periphery of the axial end of the upper body part while the fins 28 lying below it axially are located and dimensioned so as to engage the inner surface 106 of the bottle neck bore, that is to say, immediately.. S.. *

beneath the bottle rim. * . *.*S S... S... * S...

S S *5 S

The annular flange 60 is compliant in that it can flex under axial pressure that is exerted when a cap is applied to the neck of the container and screwed down. The flange 60 has a body portion 61 which is very slightly frusto-conical in shape and has an axially-raised bulbous outer perimeter 62 which rises above the upper surface of the flange body and is curved over to an edge 63. At the edge 63, the perimeter is undercut as shown at 64 to provide a lip 65 and is stepped as at 66.

Below the step 66 and at the end of the frusto-conical flange body portion 61, an annular tongue portion 67 extends radially outwardly and away from an underside surface 66A of the step 66 at an angle of approximately 30 relative to that surface, the tongue portion 67 extending radially outwardly to be coextensive radially with the radially outer edge of the step 66. When the device is fitted onto the neck of a container, the tongue portion 67 bears against the rim of the container.

The provision of the bulbous outer perimeter 62 having the edge 63 acts to prevent dripping of product from the neck of the bottle. Instead, any liquid droplets remaining at the open end of the housing 12, after pouring contents from the bottle, drain back into the bottle due to the shallow inclination of the flange body 60 and the barrier presented by the bulbous outer perimeter 62.

The closure disc 18 is injection moulded from low-density polyethylene so as to have a substantially soft and conforming nature. It has the external form of a * substantially plane disc with a centre portion 70, an intermediate portion 71 and an outer rim portion 72 which has an annular upper surface 73 and a downturned free *:. S...

edgeportion74. *S.S * * .

The centre portion 70 of the closure disc 18 has an axially extending annular collar portion 75 which is dimensioned to fit snugly within the upper part 36 of the housing 12 and extends downwardly from integral attachment to the closure disc at its top end.

The collar portion 75 is formed as a skirt 75A having a plurality of nine radially-outwardly-facing catch members 76 spaced regularly around the axis of the device and depending from the lower edge of the skirt 75A so that collectively they have the overall appearance of an inverted castellation. As shown in Figure 3 especially, each catch member 76 is formed at the end of a leg portion 77A formed by the collar portion, the leg portions 77A being integral with alternate spacing portions 77B which, together with the leg portions, form the skirt 75A (see Figure 3). Each leg portion 77A is supported by a reinforcing rib 77C.

Each catch member is formed by a head 78 which projects radially outwardly beyond the collar at an upwardly facing shoulder 79.

The catch members 76 are resiliently deformable, and their shoulders 79 are capable of snap-engaging beneath the free lower flank 51 of the lower fin 28B between the posts 49, to attach the closure disc 18 and the body 12 releasably..

together. * * * I I ** *

Within the collar portion 75 and its catch members 76, the closure disc 18 has, in succession in the radially inward direction, an upper annulus 80, a lower frusto-conical portion 81 having its outer periphery joined to the annulus 80 by a generally cylindrical ring 82, and a boss 83 upstanding from the inside of the frusto-conical portion 81 at the centre of the closure disc.

The top surface 84 of the boss 83 lies at a lower level than the upper surface of the annulus 80. When, as shown in Figure 1, the closure disc 18 is snap-engaged with the body 12, the frusto-conical portion 81 conforms and lies closely adjacent to the central portion 44 of the body so as to cushion the central portion, and thereby the upper part 36 of the body, against any shock loading of product when, for example, the bottle is inverted.

Between the centre portion 70 and the outer rim portion 72, the intermediate portion 71 is formed as an annulus which has an undulating profile defining a somewhat sinusoidal cross-section, forming annuli of two coaxial spaced recesses 85, 86 on its exterior surface, the radially outer 86 of which is shallower than the inner recess 85.

The part of the intermediate portion 71 which defines the deeper recess 85 seals *.

against the upper surface of the flange 60 at sealing point 88. I. -S..

I I... S.'.

I I.

The intermediate portion 71 is of slightly thinner section than the outer rim portion 72 and is flexibly compliant to an extent that when it is located in a container cap, for example a bottle cap, it is readily compressible between them to form a liquid tight seal.

The radially outer portion of the intermediate portion 71 which defines the outer annular recess itself defines a shoulder 87 which, when the closure member 18 is assembled with the housing 12 seats against the upper surface of the bulbous perimeter 62 of the flange 60 of the housing. Thus, when the intermediate portion is compressed between the crown of the cap and the flange, the intermediate portion conforms to the space available to provide a seal between the crown of the cap and the flange 60.

As described in the aforementioned European Patent 1012059, the device 10 is assembled by inserting the valve member 16 into the body 12 and by snap-engaging the end closure member 14 onto the body to complete the housing for the valve member and hold the valve member loosely captive. No angular orientation is required for any of the components, and the valve member can be inserted with either end portion 62 leading. At a suitable time the body is snap-engaged with the closure disc 18 to complete the device; again no angular orientation of either component is required. S. S *I)

S aS. S...

S S *SSS S...

The device is pushed into the ROPP cap 19 with its closure disc 18 leading. The downturned edge 68 of the closure disc thereby becomes snap-engaged behind the bead 24 which has been preformed on the cap for that purpose. The assembly of device 10 and cap 19 is then as it appears on the right hand side of Figure 1, and is ready for use in a bottling plant.

In the bottling plant, the device 10 fitted with the cap 19 is pushed into the neck of a product-filled bottle, and becomes lodged there by frictional and wedging engagement of the fins 26, 28 with the bottle neck bore as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In conventional manner, screw threads (not shown) are then rolled into the cap in conformity with the screw threads, and the free edge of the cap is rolled under a shoulder of the bottle neck to secure the aforementioned tamper-evident band to the bottle.

To open the bottle for consumption the user unscrews the cap 19, thereby leaving the tamper-evident band on the bottle and separating the closure disc 18 from the remainder of the device 10 for removal with the cap.

Product can then be dispensed in the normal way by inverting the bottle, the valve member 16 lifting off its seat 22 to allow product flow. The upwardly flaring shape: : * of the bucket 14 and the substantial clearance allowed by the interior of the housing body 12 enable product to flow freely around the valve member 16 after ** S passing the valve seat. .:. S... * * ***. S... S * * a. S

After leaving the valve member the product passes outwardly between the posts 40 to the exterior of the device, moves around the outside edge of the annular flange 48, and returns to the interior of the device via the gaps 50 between the posts 49.

After the posts 49, it is recombined as a coherent product stream by the conical upper surface of the central portion 44 and the cylindrical inside surface of the collar 52.

The thin outer margins 32 of the upper fins 28 act as compliant feather edges capable of forming liquid-tight seals with the bottle neck bore. Product flow from the bottle is thereby limited to the coherent stream emerging from the collar 52.

After dispensing has been completed, the bottle is inverted again to its upright position and the cap 19 is screwed back on the bottle, thereby snap-engaging the closure disc 18 again with the body 12 and reforming the liquid seal which the closure disc makes with the bottle by compression of the intermediate portion 71 of the closure disc between the crown 1 9A of the cap 19 and the flange 60, with the shoulder 87 being pressed firmly against the bulbous outer perimeter 62 of the flange. The re-inversion of the bottle allows the valve member to fall back onto its seat 22, assisted by the weight of any product which collects in the housing body 12 on top of the valve member after returning via the spaces 41. The difficulty of S...

refilling the bottle with a substitute product is therefore re-established. ** ,. *

S S.

For seal security, the bottom end of the valve member 16 is centralised by the S *S* downwardly inclined inner surface of the conical shape of the end closure member * I... 14 *

1'I. S... *0** S * S S. S

Tamper-resistance for the illustrated device is provided in known manner by the bridges 38, at which the body breaks in two if any attempt is made to remove the device by an implement inserted into the bottle neck after the cap 19 and, with it, the closure disc 18 has been removed.

Referring now to Figure 5 the housing 12 and closure member 18 are again shown connected together.

When the device 10 is fitted to a bottle there are two sealing points: the first is between the top of the bottle neck and the housing 12 by the virtue of the tongue portion 67; and the second is between the housing 12 and the closure member at the sealing point 88 by virtue of the recess 85.

In addition, the outer rim portion 72 of the closure member 18 is wrapped around the bulbous outer perimeter 62 of the housing during capping as the metal shell is fitted.

As the device 10 is applied to the bottle neck the undulating and compliant nature of the closure member 18 allows it to compensate for inconsistencies and angular a *s variations (out of squareness) on the neck and misalignment to provide an accurate * a.. S seal at point 88.

* SS *

S *55* S... * a **.. * * S. S

Although the above-described embodiments of the invention has been explained with reference to a valve member that is provided in the form of a spherical bead or ball, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention can be implemented using a valve member of different form such as for example the valve 95 shown and described in our aforementioned European Patent 1012059 and which has two valve heads 96, 97 arranged back-to-back and each having a circular sealing face 98, 99 which may serve for sealing as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 7 is a section of the housing 12 isolated from the closure member 18.

Figure 8 shows a housing body 112 comprising a modification of the housing body 12 shown in Figure 7. The tongue portion 67 of the Figure 7 embodiment is omitted, and it can be seen that the step 166 underlying the bulbous portion 162 is deeper axially than in the previous embodiment such that its underside surface 166A is in the same plane as the underside of the flange 160.

Figure 9 shows a housing body 212 comprising a further modification of the housing body 12 shown in Figure 7. The bulbous portion 62 of Figure 7 is omitted and the flange 260 has a planar upper surface to its perimeter. In this embodiment, S..' the tongue portion 267 extends radially outwardly and away from the flange 260 to *1 S.. * be coextensive radially with the radially outer edge of the flange. When the device is fitted onto the neck of a container, the tongue portion 267 bears against the rim *5I S of the container. ..:. S...

S S... S... ** :

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A closure for a non-refilling device for a container neck, which device comprises: (a) a tubular housing (12) insertable into the container neck and having engagement means (26, 28) to maintain it in that position, the housing being hollow and having apertures (21, 41, 50) at inner and outer ends thereof to allow product to flow along the housing for dispensing, the inner end having an aperture (21) surrounded by a valve seat (22) and the other end having a radially extending flange (60); and (b) a valve member (16) held loosely captive within the housing for sealing engagement with the valve seat; the closure comprising a disc (18) having a centre portion (70) separably engageable with the outer end of the housing and having a peripheral margin (72) by which it is permanently engageable with a closure cap (19) to be located over the container neck, when the closure is in closing relation with the container, the peripheral margin of the closure disc overlying the container rim but the centre portion of the closure disc being separable from the housing so that the closure cap can be removed together with the closure disc leaving the housing and valve S...

member in place for dispensing product, the closure disc having an annular portion.... 5.5 5

(71) between the centre portion (70) and the peripheral margin (72) which is of 5: undulating radial cross-section permitting the annular portion to flex and be S..

compressed when the closure cap is closed on the container neck. S... S... S * * *0 S

2. A closure according to claim 1 and formed of a low density polyethylene.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the annular portion (71) is of thinner cross section than the peripheral margin (72).

4. A closure according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein at least one undulation is sufficiently pronounced that it can be accommodated in a corresponding annular recess (YY) formed in the flange (60) of the housing (12).

5. A closure according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the centre portion defines an annular collar portion (75) for forming a sliding fit with the interior of the tubular housing (12).

6. A closure according to claim 5 wherein the annular collar portion is formed as a skirt (75A), the skirt comprising a plurality of alternate leg portions (77A) and spacing portions (77B) which are arranged in an annulus, each leg portion (77A) having an outwardly facing catch member (76) which is arranged to engage with the tubular housing (12).

7. A closure according to claim 6 wherein each leg portion (77A) is formed. . * . with a reinforcing rib (77C) on its radially inner surface. I... *I.. 0S *

8. A closure according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the annular housing provides a collar (52) and the catch members (76) are arranged such that they can engage with the collar.

9. A tubular housing for a non-refilling device for a container neck, the housing (12) being insertable into the container neck and having engagement means (26, 28) to maintain it in that position, the housing being hollow and having apertures (21, 41, 50) at inner and outer ends thereof to allow product to flow along the housing for dispensing, the inner end being adapted to provide for a valve seat at said aperture (21); the tubular housing having an outwardly projecting annular compliant flange (60) formed around the housing at a position to be interposed between the container rim and a closure cap to be located over the container neck, the compliant flange (60) having an axially-raised perimeter (62) and a dependent tongue portion (67) below the axially-raised portion arranged to engage the container rim in sealing engagement therewith.

10. A tubular housing according to claim 9 wherein the axially-raised portion of the compliant flange is of bulbous shape and is undercut to provide an edge around the flange. U. a a

LU a... U.S U

11. A tubular housing according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the annular compliant flange (60) has an annular frusto-conical surface which is shaped to cause any product at the outlet of the container to drain back into the container. U * a.. a S S.. 0* S

12. A tubular housing according to any of claims 9 to 11 and formed of a polypropylene.

13. A tubular housing according to any of claims 9 to 12 wherein the tongue portion (67) extends from the axially-raised portion at an angle of approximately 300 to 45 .

14. A tubular housing according to any of claims 9 to 13 wherein the housing is formed in an upper part (36) and a lower part (34) which are connected by frangible bridges (38), each of the two parts (34, 36) being provided with respective engagement means (26, 28), the engagement means comprising two annular fins (26) extending around the lower part (34) and two annular fins (28A, 28B) extending around the upper part.

15. A tubular housing for a non-refilling device for a container neck, the housing (12) being insertable into the container neck and having engagement means (26, 28) to maintain it in that position, the housing (12) being hollow and having apertures at inner and outer ends thereof to allow product to flow along the housing for dispensing, the inner end being adapted to provide for a valve seat at S. *S said aperture (21); the tubular housing having an outwardly projecting annular. . S.. * compliant flange (60) formed around the housing at a position to be interposed between the container rim and a closure cap to be located over the container neck, : the compliant flange (60) having an axially-raised perimeter (62) arranged to S... * 0e* *5P* S. *

engage the container rim in sealing engagement therewith to provide an anti-drip facility.

16. A tubular housing for a non-refilling device for a container neck, the housing (12) being insertable into the container neck and having engagement means (26, 28) to maintain it in that position, the housing (12) being hollow and having apertures at inner and outer ends thereof to allow product to flow along the housing for dispensing, the inner end being adapted to provide for a valve seat at said aperture (21); the tubular housing having an outwardly projecting annular compliant flange (60) formed around the housing at a position to be interposed between the container rim and a closure cap to be located over the container neck, the compliant flange (60) having a peripheral dependent tongue portion (67) arranged to engage the container rim in sealing engagement therewith.

17. A non-refilling device for a container neck, comprising: a) a tubular housing (12) insertable into the container neck and having engagement means (26, 28) to maintain it in that position, the housing being hollow and having apertures (21, 41, 50) at inner and outer ends thereof to allow product to flow along the housing for dispensing, the inner end being adapted for providing a valve seat at said aperture (21) for a valve member (16) held loosely captive within the housing for sealing engagement with the valve seat; and *0** b) a closure (18) having a centre portion separably engageable with the outer end of the housing and having a peripheral margin (72) by which it is permanently engageable with a closure cap (19) to be located over the container neck, when the closure and housing are in closing relation with the container, the peripheral margin of the closure overlying the container rim but the centre portion of the closure disc being separable from the housing so that the closure cap can be removed together with the closure disc leaving the housing and valve member in place for dispensing product, and the housing having an outwardly projecting annular compliant flange (60) formed around the housing at a position to be interposed between the container rim and a closure cap to be located over the container neck, the compliant flange (60) having an axially-raised perimeter and a dependent tongue portion below the axially-raised perimeter arranged to engage the container rim in sealing engagement therewith, and the closure having an annular portion between the centre portion and the peripheral margin which is of undulating radial cross-section permitting the annular portion to flex and be compressed between the compliant flange and a closure cap when the closure cap is closed on the container neck.

18. A device according to claim 17 and comprising a closure member.:.

according to any of claims 1 to 8.

19. A device according to claim 17 or claim 18 and comprising a housing S. according to any of claims 9 to 16. *. *

20. A non-refilling device according to any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the valve member (16) of the device comprises a spherical bead.

21. A non-refilling device according to any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the valve member has two valve heads arranged back-to-back, each having a circular sealing face which may serve for sealing. S. *S S... *55 * * . * S... a... *S.. * S S... S... S * S