WO1994021550A1

WO1994021550A1 - Closure for fluid containers

Info

Publication number: WO1994021550A1
Application number: PCT/GB1994/000516
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Colville Hibbert; Laurence Geoffrey Hibbert; Stephen Desmond Skerratt
Original assignee: John Colville Hibbert; Laurence Geoffrey Hibbert; Stephen Desmond Skerratt
Priority date: 1993-03-15
Filing date: 1994-03-15
Publication date: 1994-09-29
Also published as: GB9305262D0

Abstract

A closure (1) for a fluid container, particularly for water bottles (9) in driking water dispensers has an aperture (3) and a remobable hollow plug (4) of resilient plastics material fitting into the aperture in a sealing position and displaceable from the aperture, under pressure of an elongate member (11) of the dispensing apparatus, to an open position in which the fluid in the container can flow out through the elongate member. Preferably the elongate dispensing member fits into the hollow plug and is gripped and carried thereby so that when the elongate member is withdrawn, the plug is drawn back into the aperture to seal the container again.

Description

CLOSURE FOR FLUID CONTAINERS

DESCRIPTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a closure for fluid containers and is particularly useful for, though not restricted to, closures for water bottles such as are used in drinking water dispensers. Background Art

Fluid containers are conventionally closed by means such as metal caps, cork stoppers and screw lids. All need to be removed before the fluid in the container can be drawn off and many cannot easily be used to re-close the container.

There are many applications where it is desired to extract fluid from a container continuously and automatically, and this is most cheaply and simply done by using gravity. For example, a container is mounted upside-down on a dispenser which incorporates a valve or similar means to control the flow of the fluid. However, a problem arises in mounting a container upside-down when it is full of a fluid. One solution is to turn the dispenser upside-down, to mount it in the neck or opening of the container, and then to turn the container thus mounted upside-down. This procedure is used for mounting spirits bottles on optics in bars. However, it is laborious and becomes impractical for bulky dispensers such as drinking water machines. In these cases, an operator generally removes a closure from a water bottle and relies on speed to avoid spillage as it is up-ended and mounted in the dispenser.

Another solution to the problem lies in subjecting the neck of a bottle to sub-zero temperatures so as to form an ice plug to seal the neck. The bottle can thus be turned upside- down relatively safely, mounted appropriately and the fluid will be dispensed in due course when the ice plug melts. However, this is impractical where, for example, replacement containers need to be transported long distances before they are mounted in dispensers (or when the delivery vehicles are caught in traffic holdups). It is also not appropriate for all fluids - some may suffer adversely at low temperatures or it may not be acceptable to have even an initial dispensement of fluid at a low temperature, or to wait for the ice-plug to melt.

The present invention accordingly seeks to provide a closure for a fluid container which overcomes the disadvantages of known closures. Disclosure of the Invention

Thus according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a closure for fitting onto an opening of a container, the closure comprising an aperture for enabling fluid communication through the closure with the inside of the container, and a removable plug dimensioned and constructed to provide a fluid-tight seal in a sealing position when seated in the aperture and to be selectively removable, under action of a dispensing member, for example when pressure is applied to an open position enabling fluid communication with the inside of the container, through the dispensing member.

Preferably, the plug is adapted to reseat in the aperture under reverse action of the dispensing member, for example when pressure is withdrawn so that the container can be resealed. The plug may be hollow to receive an elongate dispensing member from a dispensing apparatus and a flange may be provided to resiliently grip such a dispensing member so that when the dispensing member is withdrawn from the container, the plug is drawn back into the aperture.

The aperture is preferably in the form of a hollow tube of substantially the same diameter as the plug to ensure a fluid-tight seal. The plug and the tube may have co-operating grooves to improve the fluid seal. A lip protruding from the closed end of the plug so as to sit on the edge of the tube will prevent the plug from being expelled, or pulled right out of the closure during the sealed phase, or during the re- sealing procedure.

The closure is preferably formed of a plastics material though any strong material with some resiliency would be suitable, including a variety of metals. According to a second aspect, the invention provides a method of placing the interior of a fluid container in fluid communication with a fluid dispensing apparatus, the container being fitted with a closure comprising an aperture through which fluid may pass and a removable plug dimensioned and constructed to provide a fluid-tight seal in the aperture; the method comprising displacing the plug out of sealing engagement with the aperture to thereby permit fluid flow through the aperture.

The plug is preferably displaced into the interior of the container and is preferably displaced, and simultaneously retained, by a projecting member of dispensing apparatus, which, in the performance of the method, is displaced through the aperture. The projecting dispensing member preferably slidably engages, and seals against, the aperture as the plug is displaced from the aperture.

Preferably the method further comprises relocating the plug in sealing engagement with the aperture as the projecting dispensing member is withdrawn from the container.

The action of disengaging the plug from the apertures, and re-engaging the plug with the aperture may be effected while mounting and dismounting, respectively, the fluid container on a dispenser comprising the projecting member.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Brief Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a closure according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the closure of Fig. 1 in two parts.

Fig. 3 shows the closure of Fig. 1 fitted on a bottle.

Fig. 4 shows the closure of Fig. 3 in operation when the bottle is mounted on a dispensing apparatus. Detailed Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a cap 1 with an internal screw thread at 2 for mounting it on the opening of a bottle. An aperture formed by a hollow tube 3 in the middle of the cap 1 is sealed by a plug 4. An overlapping lip 5 on plug 4 seats on the edge of tube 3. A gasket 6 is provided in the cap 1 to ensure the cap is fluid-tight when screwed onto the top of a bottle.

Fig. 2 shows in cross-section the plug 4 detached from cap 1. A flange 7 is provided on the cap 1 to cooperate with a groove 8 on plug 4 to ensure that the plug 4 is retained in fluid-tight relationship with cap 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates the cap 1 when screwed onto a bottle

9 almost full of fluid 15. The cooperation of the flange 7 and a groove 8 can be seen together with the abutment of lip 5 on plug 4 with the edge of tube 3.

In Fig. 4 the bottle 9 full of fluid such as for example water 15 and with closure 1 sealing the neck of the bottle, is turned upside-down and mounted on dispenser 10 which may be the operative part of a drinking water dispenser. Dispenser

10 comprises a projecting member 11 which engages plug 4 to slide it out of aperture 3. Hence fluid from bottle 8 can flow in the direction of the arrows shown through holes 12 in the projecting member 11 so as to be dispensed. Valve means, for example a twist valve as on pipettes, may be provided in the dispenser to control the flow of fluid. The projecting member 11 slidably engages and continually seals against the walls of aperture 3 to prevent any leakage of fluid from the container. For this purpose, it may taper or have a flange or groove to co-operate with an appropriately shaped aperture wall. The projecting member 11 is shown in Figure 4 with a reduced diameter at its tip to engage plug 4. The projecting member 11 may alternatively have a groove at 13 which engages an inwardly projecting flange which would be at 14 on plug 4 so as to retain the plug 4 on the end of the projecting member

11 while the dispenser 10 is in use. Thus when re-closure of the bottle 9 is required, the bottle 9 may be lifted off dispenser 10 whereby the projecting member 11 reseats plug 4 in tube 3 to reseal cap 1.

The cap 1 is preferably made of a plastics material with, for example a polystyrene gasket 6.

A closure according to the present invention could have many applications. Apart from drinking water dispensers and optics for dispensing spirits, any such a closure could be used in any situation where spillage or contamination of the fluid in the container is undesirable, for example the transfer of dangerous chemicals or of sterile fluids. It will be seen that such a closure can be used either for the extraction of a fluid from a container or for filling a container with fluid. Such a closure can be made in a variety of sizes and strengths so as to be useful for anything from oil deliveries to the transfer of chemicals to or from a pipette.

It is also envisaged that the invention will be used to mix different liquids in a container during filling which is some applications such as handling hazardous chemicals, is preferable to mixing them before filling. For this purpose the projecting member 11 would be constructed so that several different supply tubes run through it to keep several different liquids separate until they reach the container. This embodiment could be adapted so that one of the supply tubes provides a pressure release, i.e. is an air feed/remover, to ensure that free-flow of fluids is not inhibited by pressure differentials.

The invention also has applications in retail packaging and could provide a non-leak pourer for any liquid from motor oil to washing liquid. One end of the projecting member is pushed into a bottle sealed with a closure according to the present invention. The other end may be a pouring spout for the oil or washing liquid or the like.

Alternatively, the projecting member could comprise a funnel at one end such that liquid can be transferred into the container rather than out.

It will also be seen that the invention can be used for the extraction of vapour from, or the supply of gas to a container.

Claims

1. A closure for fitting onto an opening of a container, the closure comprising an aperture for enabling fluid communication through the closure with the inside of the container, and a removable plug dimensioned and constructed to provide a fluid-tight seal in a sealing position when seated in the aperture and to be selectively removable, under action of a dispensing member, to an open position enabling fluid communication with the inside of the container through the dispensing member.

2. A closure according to claim 1, characterised in that the plug is displaceable between the sealing position and the open position by means of pressure applied to the plug by the dispensing member.

3. A closure according to claim 1, or 2, characterised in that the plug is adapted to reseat in the aperture under a reverse action of the dispensing member.

4. A closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the plug has a recess for receiving the dispensing member.

5. A closure according to claim 4, characterised in that the plug is hollow with an internal shape corresponding to the shape of the dispensing member.

6. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plug comprises a resilient flange arranged to resiliently grip the dispensing member.

7. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the flange grips the dispensing member so that when the dispensing member is moved from the communicating position to the sealing position, the plus is carried thereby from the communicating position to the sealing position.

8. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the aperture comprises a hollow tube of substantially the same diameter as the plug so as to achieve a fluid seal.

9. A closure according to claim 8, characterised in that the plug and the hollow tube are provided with co- operating peripheral grooves and flanges to improve the hollow seal.

10. A closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the plug comprises a lip protruding radially around a circumference of the plug so as to abut a surface surrounding the aperture to limit the movement of the plug when it is being drawn into the sealing position.

11. A closure according to any preceding claim, when formed of a resilient plastics material.

12. A method of placing the interior of a fluid container in fluid communication with a fluid dispensing apparatus, the container being fitted with a closure comprising an aperture through which fluid may pass and a removable plug dimensioned and constructed to provide a fluid- tight seal in the aperture; the method comprising displacing the plug out of sealing engagement with the aperture to thereby permit fluid flow through the aperture.

13. A method according to claim 12 comprising moving an elongate dispensing member longitudinally through the aperture to engage the plug and to displace the plug into the interior of the container.

14. A method according to claim 12 or 13, for subsequently re-sealing the container characterised by the step of relocating the plug in sealing engagement with the aperture by withdrawing the dispensing member from the aperture.

15. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the step of displacing the plug is effected by mounting the container on a dispensing apparatus comprising the dispensing member.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of withdrawing the dispensing member comprises dismounting the container from dispensing apparatus comprising the dispensing member.

17. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 16 comprising using a closure according to any one of claims 1 to 11.