GB2467174A

GB2467174A - Bottle for beverages with air intake to prevent glugging

Info

Publication number: GB2467174A
Application number: GB0901275A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel John Lantos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-27
Filing date: 2009-01-27
Publication date: 2010-07-28
Also published as: GB0901275D0

Abstract

This invention concerns a container for liquid 3, preferably beverages, comprising a chamber 5 for holding liquid, a first passageway 9 arranged to allow a flow of liquid from the chamber 5, and a second passageway 11. The second passageway 11 is arranged to allow a flow of air into the chamber 5, so as to prevent glugging, spillages, backwashes, collapses of the container, etc. Passage of the liquid through the second passageway 11 is prevented. The second passageway 11 may comprise a venous type valve (see fig 3), or a semi permeable membrane. The second passageway 11 may comprise a circumferential strip around the sides of the container. A tamper evident seal 13 extends over the second passageway 11. The tamper evident seal 13 may consist of an adhesive strip extending over the second passageway 11, or a cap that is removable from and re-attachable to the container, the cap changing shape upon first removal. Preferably the container is constructed for one-time consumption of liquid 3.

Description

A CONTAINER FOR LIQUID

The invention relates to a container for liquid and in particular, but not exclusively, a container for liquid arranged with a narrow opening through which a beverage is consumed.

Beverages, in particular sports beverages, are often stored in bottles containing a single narrow opening, through which the liquid is to be poured. Typically, the opening is of the size suitable such that it may be enclosed by a person's mouth, for example between 1 and 4 centimetres in diameter. A substantial pressure differential can be created between the interior and exterior of the bottle when a consumer drinks directly from the bottle as a result of a seal being created by the consumer's mouth and/or the liquid flowing from the bottle. This pressure differential can cause spillages, backwashes and a collapse of the bottle.

An existing method of equalizing the pressure differential, as described in US 7275665, is to insert an air vent in the way of an intricate cap device located on or in the opening from which the liquid is drawn. One problem with this solution is making the air vent large enough to cause efficient pressure equalisation whilst maintaining a large opening so that the rate at which the liquid is drawn is not substantially reduced. Another method of equalizing the pressure, as described in US 6398048, is to have a valve located away from the opening, where the valve is permeable to air but not liquid. One problem with this is that the valve can be susceptible to contamination and can also be prone to leaking when contacted by, for example, a finger or other similar sized objects.

Another existing method for preventing pressure differentials comprises puncturing a hole in the top of a drinks carton to provide an air vent for equalising pressure differentials when pouring. This method is common in the catering industry. A possible disadvantage of this method is that the punctured hole creates a risk of spillage when pouring. Also, the open hole may make the content of the carton susceptible to contamination and degradation, particularly if the contents are not immediately consumed.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a container for liquid comprising a chamber for holding liquid, a first passageway arranged to allow a flow of liquid from the chamber, a second passageway arranged to allow a flow of air into the chamber and prevent the passage of liquid from the chamber via the second passageway, and a tamper evident seal extending over the second passageway.

One advantage of the invention is that the tamper evident seal prevents the ingress of substances into the chamber via the second passageway.

The tamper evident seal therefore protects the contents of the container from contamination, for example by harmful gases such as carbon monoxide entering the chamber via the second passageway.

The tamper evident seal is arranged such it is removable and after it has been removed for the first time a visual indication is provided that the tamper evident seal has been so removed. For example, the tamper evident seal may comprise a removable non-reattachable member, such as an adhesive strip, which is removed by a consumer and then discarded. The absence of the adhesive strip provides the visual indication. It will be understood that by "non-reattachable" it is meant that the member cannot be attached to the container after removal without application of further adhesive, heat or other method or process that adheres the member to the second passageway.

A second example is that the tamper evident seal may comprise a removable cap that can be reattached to the container and that is joined to a ring, whereby upon first removal of the cap, the cap is separated from the ring leaving the ring around the second passageway. The cap may be joined to the ring by one or more areas of weakness that break upon first removal of the cap. Alternatively the cap may be joined to the ring by a strip that must be separated from the cap and ring before the cap can be removed from the container. For example, the strip may be joined to the cap by a line of weakness and joined to the ring by a line of weakness, and pulling the strip away from the container causes the strip to separate from the cap and ring. In these embodiments the ring being separated from the cap provides the visual indication that the cap has been removed at least once.

A third example is that the tamper evident seal may comprise a reusable cap which changes its shape after first removal. For example the centre of the cap may form a concave shape before the first removal and a convex shape after the first removal. Accordingly, if the cap is reattached to the container the convex shape provides a visual indication that the cap has been removed at least once.

The second passageway may be a semi-permeable membrane allowing the passage of air and preventing the passage of liquid. In one embodiment the semi-permeable membrane is arranged to prevent the passage of liquid out of the container and allow the passage of air into the container. The semi-permeable membrane may be arranged to allow the flow of air into and out of the container.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a container for liquid comprising a chamber for holding liquid, a first passageway arranged to allow a flow of liquid from the chamber and a second passageway comprising a venous type valve that allows a flow of air into the chamber and prevents the passage of liquid from the chamber via the second passageway.

It will be understood that the use of the term "venous type valve" in relation to the invention is a valve system comprising at least one movable flap, wherein the at least one movable flap is arranged such that when pressure is applied in one direction the at least one movable flap forms a barrier that does not allow liquid or air to pass through and when pressure is applied in the opposite direction the at least one movable flap allows air to pass through in the direction of the applied pressure. For example, the at least one movable flap may meet at such an angle that the above applies.

One advantage of the second embodiment is that the venous type valve may have a large capacity for the influx of air such that rapid pressure equalization is achieved when pouring.

A tamper evident seal may extend over the venous type valve to prevent the ingress of substances and is arranged such that it can be removed.

In one embodiment, the second passageway is spaced away from the first passageway. In this way the second passageway can be substantially large to allow a rapid equalization of the pressure inside the container.

Furthermore, by spacing the second passageway away from the first passageway, the first passageway can also be substantially large so that the rate at which the liquid is drawn can be optimised.

The second passageway may be located at a position directly adjacent to an area susceptible to low pressure build up when liquid is being extracted through the first passageway.

In one embodiment, the second passageway is located at the base of the container.

A possible advantage of having the second passageway located at the base of the container is that the second passageway will be adjacent to an area susceptible to low pressure build up when the container is in an inverted position, for example when a consumer wishes to rapidly drink directly from the container.

In one embodiment, the second passageway is located on a side of the container.

In one embodiment, the second passageway is located at the top of the container.

A possible advantage of having the second passageway located on a side or at the top of the container is that the second passageway may be adjacent to an area susceptible to low pressure build up when the container is in a tilted position, for example when a consumer wishes to pour drink from the container into a second container such as a drinking glass.

In one embodiment, the second passageway forms a circumferential strip around the sides of the container.

One advantage of the circumferential strip around the sides of the container is that the likelihood that at least some part of the second passageway will be adjacent to the area of low pressure is increased when pouring through the first passageway.

The second passageway may be arranged such that it prevents liquid from flowing from the chamber via the second passageway when contacted with, for example, a finger or other similar sized object. For example, the second passageway may be recessed within the bottle such that a finger or other similarly sized object is prevented from contacting the second passageway by walls of the container forming the recess. Alternatively, the second passageway may be a rigid non-movable semi-permeable membrane such as a solid macro-porous material that remains semi-permeable when contacted by a finger or other similar sized object.

Description

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a container for liquid with a second passageway located on the base according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a container for liquid with a second passageway located on the side according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a container for liquid where the second passageway is a venous type valve according to an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to figure 1 the container 1 for liquid 3 comprises a chamber 5 for holding the liquid 3. The inside of the chamber 5 is enclosed by walls 7 which encompass two passageways; a first passageway 9 and a second passageway 11. A tamper evident seal 13 extends over the second passageway 11. The container 1 also has a reusable lid 15 which extends over the first passageway 9.

The container 1 in this embodiment has a cylindrical shape and is of a size and shape suitable for a person to easily carry a beverage. Typically the container 1 has a volume capacity between 350 and 750 ml. In one embodiment the container 1 has a height of 18 cm, a diameter of 8 cm and can carry 750 ml of liquid. The container 1 is constructed preferably for one-time consumption of liquid. For example, the container 1 may be a sports beverage container for use by a person before, during or after carrying out a sporting activity and be made from a semi-rigid material such as plastic, which is cheap, easy to mould and air tight.

The first passageway 9 is arranged to allow a flow of the liquid 3 from inside the chamber 5 and is located at the top of the container 1. The first passageway 9 may be any shape and is suitably narrow such that it may be enclosed by a person's mouth. For example the first passageway 9 may be circular in shape and between 1 and 4 centimetres in diameter. The first passageway 9 has a removable returnable lid 15 which may for example be a screw off type lid.

The second passageway II is arranged to allow a flow of air into the chamber 5 in order for a pressure differential to be equalised. Additionally, the second passageway 11 is arranged to prevent the passage of the liquid 3 from the chamber 5 via the second passageway 11. In this embodiment the second passageway 11 comprises a semi-permeable membrane allowing only passage of air and preventing the passage of liquid. The semi-permeable membrane may comprise of a macroporous membrane made from a hydrophobic plastic material, where the diameters of the pores are suitably small such that air can pass through the membrane but liquid is prevented from passing through. For example, the semi-permeable membrane may be the hydrophobic sent produced by the Pore> Corporal ion oi the hydrophobic vent made by MicroPore Phastics, Inc. The second passageway 11 is recessed so that the surrounding walls prevent the second passageway 11 from being contacted by a finger or other similar sized object. Such a contact may damage the second passageway 11 causing liquid to flow from the interior of the chamber 5 through the second passageway 11.

The second passageway 11 is located at the base of the container 1 such that it is positioned away from the first passageway 9. Therefore the cross sectional area of the second passageway 11 can be increased such that rapid pressure equalisation can occur via the passage of air into the chamber 5 via the second passageway 11. In one embodiment the second passageway 11 is circular in shape such that the maximum size of the diameter is the diameter of the circular container 1.

The tamper evident seal 13 comprises an adhesive strip which extends over the second passageway 11 to prevent the ingress of substances into the chamber 5 via the second passageway 11. The adhesive strip may be glued to the outer edges of the second passageway 11 to form an air tight seal before removal. The strength of the adhesion is such that a person can remove the strip. The strip may also comprise a grip to aid a person in removing the strip. The glue that forms the adhesion also has the property that after the strip has been removed for the first time the glue is no longer adhesive such that the strip can not be replaced to its original position.

A consumer wishing to drink from the container 1 for the first time removes the tamper evident seal 13. If the tamper evident seal has already been removed, i.e. by another consumer previously, it will be apparent as the seal 13 will not be fastened to enclose the second passageway 11. For example, the tamper evident seal 13 may be completely removed or may be partially removed such that it is visually apparent to the consumer that the strip has been removed.

With the tamper evident seal 13 removed, the second passageway 11 is then exposed to the external environment. The consumer drinks from the container 1 by positioning his mouth around/by the first passageway 9 and tipping the container 1 into an inverted position, as shown in figure 1, causing the liquid 3 to flow through the first passageway 9 and into the consumer's mouth. During this process the first passageway 9 can become completely blocked by the consumer's mouth and/or the out flowing liquid such that air can not pass into the container 1 via the first passageway 9. Hence, as the liquid 3 is removed the pressure of the air which is enclosed between the liquid level and the walls 7 inside the container 1 is reduced causing an air pressure differential between the inside and outside on the container. Air pressure equalisation is achieved via the flow of air from the outside of the container 1 through the second passageway 11.

It should be understood that without the second passageway 11, the air pressure between the liquid level and the walls 7 inside the container 1 would be greatly reduced by the removal of the liquid as described above.

Such a pressure differential would greatly disrupt the flow of liquid through the first passageway 9, with possible spillages, backwashes and a collapse of the bottle occurring. Furthermore, without the tamper evident seal 13, the liquid 3 inside the container I could be contaminated before consumption via foreign substances flowing through the second passageway 11.

By positioning the second passageway 11 at the base of the container 1, the second passageway 11 will often be adjacent to an area of low/decreasing air pressure during a drinking process. In this way the second passageway 11 is optimally positioned to cause pressure equalisation when a consumer is drinking from the container 1 as described in this embodiment.

Figures 2 and 3 show other embodiments of the invention. Features of the second and third embodiment that are the same or similar to the features of the first embodiment will not be described in further detail again and have been given the same reference numerals but in a series 100/200.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in figure 2, the second passageway 111 is located on a side near the top of the container 101.

The container 101 is rectangular in shape with the first passageway 109 positioned at the top of the container close to the side opposite the side on which the second passageway 111 is housed.

The embodiment shown in figure 2 is more suited for pouring the liquid 103 from the container 101 into a separate drinks container such as a glass. The position of the first passageway 109 relative to the second passageway 111 means that as the container 101 is tilted to pour the liquid through the first passageway 109, an area of low air pressure builds up adjacent to the second passageway 111, which is equalised by air flowing from outside the container 101 through the second passageway 111.

It should be understood that the flow of liquid from the container 101 through the first passageway 109 shown in figure 2 would be susceptible to large deviations from smooth laminar flow without the second passageway 111 as the pressure of enclosed air is equalised via rapid flows or surges of liquid through the first passageway 109.

Figure 3 shows a further embodiment with a similar arrangement to figure 1 but where the second passageway 211 comprises a venous type valve 217. The venous type valve 217 is arranged such that liquid can not flow from the interior of the container 201 via the second passageway 211 but air can pass into the interior of the container 201.

In the embodiment shown in figure 3 the venous type valve 217 comprises a circular ring with at least one movable flap attached to the edges of the ring which meet at the centre of the ring. The flaps are arranged to meet at such an angle that when pressure is applied from the inside of the container 201 to the outside, as illustrated by the arrow, the flaps cannot bend and therefore form a barrier that does not allow liquid or air to pass through the second passageway 211. However, when pressure is applied in the opposite direction the flaps can bend and air can pass through in the direction of the applied pressure.

In this embodiment air pressure equalisation can occur via air passing into the container 201 through the venous type valve 217. The flaps are made from a suitably flexible material such that the barrier is opened by a small pressure differential in the necessary direction. In one embodiment the flaps are made from thin sheets of plastic.

An advantage of this embodiment is that the venous type valve 217 acts according to the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the container 201. The greater the pressure differential, the more the flaps will bend creating a larger opening. In this way, pressure equalisation can be regulated when a pressure differential is developed slowly or rapidly. For example, if the air pressure is decreased gradually by a slow consumption of the liquid the flaps will bend a small amount to maintain an air pressure near to atmosphere. However, if the air pressure is decreased rapidly via a rapid consumption of the liquid the flaps will bend a large amount causing rapid pressure equalisation.

A tamper evident seal 213 extend over the venous type valve 217 to prevent the ingress of substances. In the embodiment shown in figure 3 the tamper evident seal 213 comprises a screw off cap 219 and a ring 221, with a threaded section 223 extending from the base of the container 201.

Before the first opening of the tamper evident seal 213, the screw off cap 219 and ring 221 are joined to one another by areas of weakness, for example by a plurality of thin plastic connections. Upon the first removal of the screw off cap 219 the plurality of thin plastic connections are broken, separating the screw off cap 219 from the ring 221. The screw off cap 219 can either be partially or totally removed and the second passageway 211 is subsequently exposed. The ring 221 remains around the base of the threaded section 223, giving a visual indication that the tamper evident seal 213 has been removed for the first time.

In this embodiment the screw off cap 219 may be replaced over the second passageway 211 to prevent the ingress of substances into the container 201 through the second passageway 211 when the container is not in use.

It will be understood that modifications and alterations can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the invention as described herein. For instance, the locations of the first passageway 9,109,209 and second passageway 11,111,211 may be altered depending on the preferable drinking method. For example, for pouring the liquid into a separate drinks container the first passageway may be located on a side near the top with the second passageway on the opposite side or on the top of the container.

In a further embodiment the second passageway may form a circumferential strip around the sides of the container. In this way at least some part of the second passageway will be adjacent to the area of low pressure build up when pouring through the first passageway.

In further embodiments the circumferential strip forming the second passageway may be positioned such that the lower edge of the strip is located at the base of the container and the upper edge of the strip is located a third of the way up the total height of the container. This embodiment is more suited for a consumer drinking directly from the container, as shown in figure 1.

Alternatively the tamper evident seal may comprise a reusable cover which changes its shape after first removal. For example, the initial pressure of the air enclosed by the container before consumption of the liquid could be depressurised, causing the centre of the screw off cap to be concave-like in shape. When the screw off cap is removed for the first time the air pressure will be equalised and the centre of the screw off cap will return to it natural shape which may be simply flat or convex in shape providing a visual indication the cap has been removed at least once.

The venous type valve may comprise only one flap which forms a second passageway by resting on a ledge in such a way that the flap bends in one direction and not at all in the other.

Claims

Claims 1. A container for liquid comprising a chamber for holding liquid, a first passageway arranged to allow a flow of liquid from the chamber, a second passageway arranged to allow a flow of air into the chamber and prevent the passage of liquid from the chamber via the second passageway, and a tamper evident seal extending over the second passageway.
2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the second passageway comprises a semi-permeable membrane allowing the passage of air and preventing the passage of liquid.
3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the second passageway comprises a venous type valve that allows a flow of air into the chamber and prevents the passage of liquid from the chamber via the second passageway.
4. A container for liquid comprising a chamber for holding liquid, a first passageway arranged to allow a flow of liquid from the chamber and a second passageway comprising a venous type valve that allows a flow of air into the chamber and prevents the passage of liquid from the chamber via the second passageway.
5. A container according to claim 4 wherein a tamper evident seal extends over the second passageway to prevent the ingress of substances.
6. A container according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 5 wherein the tamper evident seal comprises a removable non-reattachable member.
7. A container according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 5 wherein the tamper evident seal comprises a cap that is removable and re-attachable to the container and that is joined to a ring, whereby upon first removal of the cap, the cap is separated from the ring leaving the ring around the second passageway.
8. A container according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 5 wherein the tamper evident seal comprises a reusable cap which changes its shape after first removal.
9. A container according to any proceeding claims wherein the second passageway is spaced away from the first passageway.
10. A container according to any proceeding claims wherein the second passageway forms a circumferential strip around the sides of the container.
11. A container according to any proceeding claims wherein the container is constructed for one-time consumption of liquid.
12. A container substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to any one of figures 1, 2 or 3.