LT6581B - Filter with air permeability in a bottle cork - Google Patents

Abstract

This description provides a cork for a liquid container with solid, rigid walls (in the case of the present invention, it is a beverage bottle) containing a filter with air permeability for filtering solid impurities placed in a bottleneck. The filter has at least the following components: a sleeve, a body, a filtering element, and an air intake tube. The present construction of the filter with air permeability, which allows the filtered liquid to run out of the bottle (without changing its shape or compressing) itself emitting a stable, adjustable stream, and it enables faster than other known solutions. This is achieved by utilizing the filtering element of appropriate density and the air intake tube with a few degrees of different inner diameter, which protrudes a certain distance into the container in respect of the filtering element.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of liquid filters used in bottles as a component of a bottle stopper, and more particularly to the construction of the components of said filters.

TECHNICAL LEVEL

This description describes the design of a beverage bottle filter. The filter is fitted in the neck of the bottle at the end of the bottle, filled with beverage, usually industrially mass-produced equipment. The filter is not designed for multiple use, but a filter of similar design can be used multiple times. The filter filter element is a grid. Small mesh openings are required to filter out extremely small impurities in the free-running beverage. If such a mesh covers the entire area of the bottle neck outflow, due to the capillary action and pressure differences between the bottle and the outside of the bottle, the beverage will not run or run out over a very long period (eg 500 ml of liquid in 2 minutes or more). In order to equalize the pressures inside and outside the rigid walls of the bottle, a tube is used in which the air enters the inside of the bottle when the beverage is discharged; thus eliminating the root causes that prevent drinking. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is the aforementioned air inlet tube, its shape, size and position with respect to the filter allowing accelerated filtration and dispensing of the beverage by self-flow, stable, adjustable flow.

US2010288129A1 (issued November 18, 2010) discloses a filter used in a beverage bottle with an air intake tube. However, nothing in this document refers to the shape of the air inlet tube. Also, US3966099A (published June 29, 1976) describes the air inlet tube and its location in the bottle stopper, but provides nothing about the shape of that tube, nor does it provide for fluid filtration.

US5799836A (published September 1, 1989) describes a bottle stopper with a filter and a vent tube. However, the document does not provide any information about the air inlet tube and its shape, nor does it provide information about their influence on the rate at which the fluid escapes. In addition, the design shown will only allow the liquid to drain when the vent hole is in the upper position.

US2011210092 (A1) (published September 1, 2011) discloses many variants of an air tube that allows for the discharge of liquids from containers, but does not provide for filtration of the discharge fluid.

Some of the documents listed above provide filters for bottles, but none of the prior art analogues address the problem of self-flow of liquid from a bottle and its solution through the shape of an air inlet tube in relation to a filter element.

This description describes the shape and position of the air inlet tube relative to the filter, allowing the filtered fluid to escape from the bottle (without changing its shape, without crushing), at a steady, controlled flow rate and faster than other known solutions. At the same time, a small-mesh (~ 150 pm) filtering element - a mesh - can be used for the filter.

THE SUBSTANCE OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a filter for solid impurities in a fluid outlet hole of a fluid container with hard, rigid walls (in the present invention, a beverage bottle). The filter has at least the following components: bushing, housing, filter element, air intake (air intake tube). The filter in question is an element of the bottle stopper in the present case.

With the small mesh holes in the filter element of the bottle filter, the air inlet to the bottle is required to equalize the outside and inside pressures of the bottle. This disclosure provides the shape, size, and position of the air inlet tubing relative to the filter, allowing the fluid to escape from the bottle at a steady, controlled rate of flow and in less time than is possible using the solutions discussed above for similar applications. Other forms of tube, dimensions and structural features of the stopper interfere with the process of self-draining of the fluid to be filtered, so that the configuration and dimensions of these components are suitably matched in the present case. In addition, it is possible to adjust the flow rate of the fluid being filtered by adjusting the angle of inclination of the bottle. A smooth, splash-free current is important when dispensing drinks in small, precise doses. For this purpose, special bottles are used for bottling (eg in bars, restaurants, etc.), which are attached to the neck of the bottle by removing the top of the stopper, but are not intended for filtration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. depicts the outside of the filter at different angles.

Fig. represents a cross-section of the filter contained in the stopper parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter.

The illustrations presented are more illustrative, the scale, proportions and other aspects do not necessarily correspond to the actual technical solution.

PREFERRED {LIVING OPTIONS

Bottled or other beverages, because of their formulation, may naturally contain varying amounts of solid impurities that must be removed before use. Therefore, the liquid escaping from the container must be filtered. One way of filtering would be to install a filter in the exit hole of such a container that filters out the fluid that is escaping. A possible fluid filtering element is a mesh with apertures of appropriate size, which will penetrate the liquid but will retain impurities in the liquid. For small impurities, small mesh holes are required. In this case, to properly filter out impurities, the mesh orifice has a diameter of about 150 μητ At this mesh aperture, using only the mesh itself, covering the entire area of the bottle's fluid outlet, certain liquids (e.g., water, ethyl alcohol, etc.) does not run out of the bottle (unless the inside volume of the bottle remains the same). This is due to the capillary phenomena and to the difference in pressure inside and outside the bottle resulting from the discharge of the liquid. If no air enters the bottle during dispensing, the pressure in the bottle gradually decreases below the atmospheric pressure on the outside of the bottle, which causes the liquid to stop flowing. In order to allow air from outside to enter the bottle, filters, tubes, openings, openings, channels, or other similar elements are provided to allow air from the outside of the bottle to enter the inside of the bottle. The design of these elements, their arrangement with each other, and their interactions determine the parameters of the fluid filtration and expulsion process (self-flow, run-time and control, fluid flow continuity, etc.)

The term "bottle", as used herein, may otherwise refer to any container for a liquid with a single fluid in / out, with rigid, rigid walls.

The bottle filter may contain at least the following components:

- a sleeve (1) on which the filter rests and secures to the inside wall of the neck of the bottle,

- a tube housing (2), wherein the housing secures all the components of the filter into a single system, and the tube passes air from the outside of the bottle to the inside of the bottle; in the case of the present invention, the housing and tube (2) are formed of a single material, in other cases of the invention the housing and tube (2) may be separate parts,

- a filtering element (3) (in this case, a mesh), which traps impurities and / or other constituents in the liquid.

Said bottle filter may be formed as an integral part of a bottle stopper which may comprise a cap (4), a seal (5), and other elements. The stopper cap (4) surrounds the top of the neck of the bottle. As usual, the cap (4) is formed of a metal tin such that, by unscrewing the upper part of the cap (4) with a thread, said upper part is detached from the lower part. When the open top is completely unscrewed, it is removed with the seal, the bottle is opened and liquid can be emptied. A seal (5) is provided between the cap (4) and the neck of the bottle, which seals the gap between the cap (4) and the neck of the bottle, preventing the liquid from leaking.

In the case of the present invention, to properly filter the beverage flowing from the bottle, the diameter / size of the filter mesh apertures should be about 150 μητ With such a filter mesh, the entire orifice of the bottle, regardless of the inclination of the bottle, very slowly with large flashes; nor will all liquid flow out of the bottle. Under these circumstances, a technical solution is needed to ensure proper dispensing of the beverage from the bottle, i.e. the flow rate of the effluent should be stable and the liquid should be discharged at maximum flow rate in a reasonably short time (500 ml in not more than 50 seconds). In order to fulfill the requirements for proper bottle dispensing, it is necessary to ensure that the air pressure inside the bottle is as close as possible to atmospheric pressure. In the case of the present invention, the beverage filter comprises an air-impermeable element (hereinafter referred to as "the tube" (2)) which resembles the shape of a hollow tube, by which air flows from the outside of the bottle to the inside of the bottle

The shape of the whole bottle filter resembles a cylindrical shape, and the tube (2) is oriented in the direction of the central axis of said cylindrical filter; in other embodiments, the axis of the tube (2) may coincide with the central axis of the filter. In the latter case, the magnitude of the flow of fluid flowing depends on the angle of inclination of the bottle but does not depend on the position (rotation) of the bottle body relative to its longitudinal axis. The shape, size and position of the tube (2) relative to the filter determine the rate at which the air enters the bottle and thus the rate at which the liquid escapes from the bottle. In selecting the shape and size of the end of the tube (2) facing the bottle, it is necessary to adjust the parameters of the tube (2) so that the flow of air to the bottle prevents unfiltered liquid from flowing through the tube (2). This can be achieved by reducing the inside diameter of the tube (2) or the size of the opening of the tube (2) facing the inside of the bottle. On the other hand, decreasing the above mentioned values reduces the flow of air entering the bottle, which will cause the liquid to flow out of the bottle more slowly. An appropriate combination of parameters must be found to prevent the liquid from flowing from the bottle passing through the tube (2), while ensuring an acceptable flow rate from the bottle.

In the case of the present invention, the filter element of the bottle is a sleeve (1) which is secured to the inside of the neck of the bottle and performs the technical function of attaching other filter components to the bottle made of plastic or other material with similar chemical and physical properties. The substance in question must be harmless in contact with the foodstuffs concerned. The sleeve (1) resembles a cylinder in its shape, which contacts its inner walls with the inner walls of the bottle neck, while the inner sleeve (1) walls are intended for fixing other filter elements. In the case of the present invention, the sleeve (1) facing the interior of the bottle has longitudinal edges formed on its inner surface for sealing the filtering element (3) to a step on the outer wall of the tube (2). Said ribs extend from the inner walls of the sleeve to the inner part of the sleeve (1) and extend along the longitudinal axis of the bottle.

The filtering function of the fluid is performed by the filtering element (3). The filter element (3), together with the element supporting its shape and strength, is fixed in the filter structure. The filter element (3) completely covers the entire cross section through which the beverage flows from the bottle, so that the beverage cannot escape from the bottle bypassing the filter element (3) and can only flow through it. , i.e. cannot run through the filtering element (3). The filtering element (3) may be made of a variety of paper, non-woven and netting fabric or other materials. The present invention utilizes a mesh fabric (a polyamide mesh obtained on the basis of biocompatible materials) that meets the requirements for materials that are capable of contacting food. In the present invention, said mesh hole has a mesh size of not more than 150 μηη. In the case of the present invention, the filtering element (3) is used in combination with its shape-supporting structure. Together with the rigidity supporting element, the filtering element (3) is sealed on the inside of the tube (2) at its inner circumference and is supported by a step formed on the outside thereof close to the portion of the tube (2) having the largest diameter. The outer perimeter of the filtering element (3) is supported by longitudinal edges on the inner side of the sleeve (1) which, together with the step on the outer wall of the tube (2), tightly anchor the filtering element in the filter construction.

In one embodiment, the other component of the bottle filter is a housing, which, depending on the shape of the filtering element (3) and other parameters, can take various forms. In other embodiments, the shell may be called in different terms to perform a slightly different function. The possible function of the casing is to fix the filter element (3) in the filter, to connect all the filter components into one system. The housing can be secured to the inner walls of the bushing (1). In other embodiments, the filter housing may be made integral with a sleeve (1). In the case of the present invention, the housing is made integral with the tube (2), so that in this description the housing is not separately distinguished and is referred to as the tube (2).

The air filter tube (2) of the bottle filter of the present invention may have various cross-sectional shapes, but the present invention utilizes a circular cross-section tube (2). The tube (2) has at least three portions along its length in which the inside diameter of the tube (2) is different from that of the other portions, and the diameter in one of the portions is uniformly distributed along the tube (2).

The diameter of the tube (2) at the outlet of the liquid from the bottle, i.e. at the point where the tube (2) is fitted with other filter parts (in the case of the present invention), is the largest. In the case of the present invention, said diameter is about 6 mm. The expansion of the tube (2) is required to prevent air flowing inside the tube (2) from entering the bottle through the openings in the vicinity of the tube (2) and preventing the flow of fluid from being disturbed. Further, the inner diameter of the tube (2) decreases to 44 mm (in the case of the present invention) as it extends towards the air inlet of the bottle in the tube (2) (i.e. towards the inside of the bottle). Approaching the supply of air into the bottle through the opening in the tube (2), ie: at the end of the tube (2) facing the inside of the bottle, the inside diameter of the tube (2) begins to shrink sharply. form. In the case of the present invention, the angle of the triangle obtained at the exit of the cone, perpendicular to its apparent base, through the axis of the cone, is 74 °. In other embodiments of the invention, said reduction in diameter, i.e., said cone angle may be different. The diameter of the tube (2) at the top of said cone ceases to decrease, forming a hole through which the internal volume of the tube (2) contacts the internal volume of the bottle. In the case of the present invention, said hole has a diameter of 1-2 mm and a height of 1-2 mm. When the minimum set diameter is reached, the inside diameter of the opening of the tube (2) slightly increases and forms the edges of the walls of the tube (2). In other words, the tip of the cone of said tube (2) ends in a hole with rounded angles. In this way, the diameter of the air inlet tube (2) along the tube (2) is different: maximum at the outside of the bottle, ie: closest to the openings through which the liquid flows out of the bottle, then approaching the other end facing the bottle. or decreases and continues to a constant diameter, forming a cone with its apex ending in a hole 1 to 2 mm in diameter, which is close to the end facing the inside of the bottle but does not allow the liquid in the bottle to enter the tube ( 2) Inside.

The minimum length of the tube (2) is limited by the requirement that the air passage through the tube (2) into the inside of the bottle be at least 10 mm. that is, the length of the tube which, in the present invention, creates a differential pressure in the filter area sufficient to overcome the capillary forces of the filtering element (3) so that all liquid can automatically escape from the bottle through said filtering element (3). The larger the length of the tube (2), the greater the draft of air suction to the inside of the bottle at the same angle of inclination of the bottle relative to the bottle and facilitates the smooth adjustment of the flow and accuracy of the effluent. In this case, the current intensity and dosing accuracy are controlled by manually changing the angle of the bottle within a convenient hand wrist range. The maximum length of the tube (2) is not limited and in the case of the present invention the tube (2) protrudes about 32 mm beyond the filter. This distance ensures a smooth dispensing of the fluid to be filtered, without the end of the tube protruding from the cap around the bottle neck (4), i.e. the cap (4) conceals the end of the tube (3) facing the inside of the bottle completely. This is important in real liquid packing technology for automatically orienting these stoppers and placing them in the stopper position of the bottle, as well as the particularities of the process of inserting the stopper into the bottle. Depending on the fluid, bottle and other parameters, the lengths of the tube (2) and protrusions inside the bottle may be different. However, parameters (e.g. filter element hole size, air tube dimensions, bottle neck inside diameter, bottle size, etc.) need to be matched, otherwise changing only one of the parameters and not adjusting the other parameters may result in different fluid outflow parameters (e.g. ., the liquid may not run out of the bottle) than in the present invention.

The position of the tube relative to the entire filter is so important. In the present invention, the central longitudinal axis of the tube (2) coincides with the longitudinal central axis of the bottle neck, i.e. the tube (2) is located in the middle of the bottle neck and is equally spaced from the bottle neck walls. This ensures that the liquid can be discharged from the bottle by self-flow and with an equal intensity of flow regardless of the rotation of the bottle relative to its longitudinal axis. This is not guaranteed by solutions where the air intake is located outside the center of the bottle neck.

In order to illustrate and describe the present invention, the following description of preferred embodiments is provided. It is not a detailed or restrictive description to determine the exact form or embodiment. The above description should be viewed as an illustration rather than as a limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations may be apparent to those skilled in the art. An embodiment is selected and described so that those skilled in the art will readily understand the principles of the invention and their best practical application for different embodiments with different modifications suitable for a particular application or application. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended definition and its equivalents, in which all the foregoing terms have the widest possible meaning, unless otherwise stated.

Embodiments described by those skilled in the art can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following definition.

Claims (12)

DEFINITION OF INVENTION 1. The solid impurity filter installed in the bottle outlet shall: a bushing (1) for securing the other components of the filter to the fluid outlet; a filtering element (3) for retaining solid impurities in the escaping fluid; a housing with an air inlet tubing (2), wherein the housing and the tubing (2) may be formed of a single material or may be separate structural members; characterized in that said tube (2) has a different internal diameter along its longitudinal axis and protrudes deeper into the interior of the container relative to the filter element (3). 2. A solid impurity filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the inside diameter of the tube (2) closest to the end of the tube (2) facing the outside of the bottle is the largest relative to the other inside diameters of the tube (2). 3. A solid impurity filter in accordance with claim 2, wherein the inside diameter of the tube (2) closest to the end of the tube (2) facing the outside of the bottle is about 6 mm. 4. A solid impurity filter according to claim 1, wherein the inner portion of the tube (2) closest to the end of the tube (2) facing the inside of the bottle is conical with an air inlet at the top of the cone. 5. A solid impurity filter according to claim 4, characterized in that the inner shape of the tube (2) closest to the end of the tube (2) facing the inside of the bottle is conical with an air inlet into the bottle, preferably 1-2 mm. in diameter, at the apex of the cone. 6. A solid impurity filter in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the inner diameter of the tube (2) at the center of the tube, i.e. between the end facing the inside of the bottle and the end facing the outside of the bottle is smaller than the end facing toward the outside of the bottle, but larger than the opening of air into the bottle. 7. A solid impurity filter in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that the inner diameter of the tube (2) at the center of the tube, i.e. between the tip facing the inside of the bottle and between the tip facing the outside of the bottle is 2.5-4 mm. 8. The solid impurity filter of claim 1, wherein said filter element (3) is fabricated with a mesh fabric, a polyamide mesh obtained from a biocompatible material. 9. A solid impurity filter according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the opening of the tube (2) through which the tube (2) enters the interior of the bottle to the filtering element (3) is at least 10 mm. A solid impurity filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the end of the tube (2) with the orifice through which the air enters the inside of the bottle (2) does not protrude from the dimensions of the bottle stopper (4). ). 11. A solid impurity filter according to claim 1, characterized in that the end of the tube (2) with air through which the tube (2) enters the interior of the bottle protrudes by no more than 32 mm. 12. A solid impurity filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tube (2) is located in the center of the container fluid outlet, i.e. the distance from the neck walls to the tube (2) is the same.