WO1998032670A1

WO1998032670A1 - A container for a fluid product

Info

Publication number: WO1998032670A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/000204
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Arthur Charles Chown
Original assignee: Chown Peter A C
Priority date: 1997-01-24
Filing date: 1998-01-23
Publication date: 1998-07-30
Also published as: AU5674698A

Abstract

A container (2) for a fluid product, which container comprises a body portion (4) and a cap (6), the cap comprising a first part (8) secured to the body portion (4), and a second part (10) which is located in the first part (8) and which is longitudinally movable with respect to the first part (8) from a closed position in which the cap (6) is closed to an open position in which the cap (6) is open, at least one inlet aperture (12) in the first part (8), and at least one inlet aperture (14) in the second part (10), and the inlet apertures (12, 14) being located inside the body portion (4).

Description

A CONTAINER FOR A FLUID PRODUCT

This invention relates to a container for a fluid product .

Containers for fluid products are well known. The containers usually comprise a body portion and a cap. In order to obtain the contents of the container, it is usual to have to remove the cap from the body portion. Some known containers are such that it is possible to obtain the contents of the container through the cap without the need to remove the cap from the body portion, and it is an aim of the present invention to provide a novel container of this type.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a container for a fluid product, which container comprises a body portion and a cap, the cap comprising a first part secured to the body portion, and a second part which is located in the first part and which is longitudinally movable with respect to the first part from a closed position in which the cap is closed to an open position in which the cap is open, at least one inlet aperture in the first part, and at least one inlet aperture in the second part, and the inlet apertures being located inside the body portion. The container of the present invention is thus such that the contents of the container are able to be obtained through the cap by a simple longitudinal movement of the cap. Thus, for example, the cap can be open by a simple pulling action and can be closed by a simple pushing action.

Usually, the container will be one in which the inlet aperture in the first part is openable and closable by the second part, and in which the inlet aperture in the second part is openable and closable by the first part.

The container may be one in which the first part has a female portion which extends into the container, in which the second part has a male portion which extends into the female portion, and in which the inlet apertures in the first and the second parts are in the female and the male portions .

The container may be one in which the female portion has first and second concave portions, in which the male portion has a concave portion, in which the convex portion slides from the first concave portion to the second concave portion when the second part is longitudinally moved to the open position, and in which the convex portion slides from the second concave portion to the first concave portion when the second part is longitudinally moved to the closed position.

Preferably, the first part has a single one of the inlet apertures. The first part may however have more than one of the inlet apertures if desired.

Preferably, the second part has a plurality of the inlet apertures . The second part may however only have one inlet aperture if desired.

Preferably, the second part includes gripper means for facilitating the longitudinal movement of the second part with respect to the first part. The gripper means may be gripped by a person's hand or by a person's teeth. If the fluid material in the container is a beverage, some persons may prefer to pull the gripper means with their teeth, and then drink directly from the container as the beverage passes through the cap. If it is desired to close the cap to retain beverage in the container, then the gripper means can simply be pushed back to cause the cap to become closed.

The first part may have an internally threaded skirt portion which is screwed to the body. Preferably, the body has a neck portion and the first part is secured to the neck portion. If desired, the container can be one without a neck portion, in which case the cap can be secured to an appropriate part of the container for dispensing purposes.

Advantageously, the cap has connector means for ensuring that the second part does not separate from the first part during use of the container. This is particularly advantageous where the container contains a beverage. If the beverage is being drunk through the cap, it is clearly desirable to ensure that the second part does not separate from the first part and possibly become swallowed. Also, if the beverage is a carbonated beverage, then it is also desirable to ensure that the second part does not separate from the first part under pressure of gas in the container and possibly fly off and cause injury.

Preferably, the second part has the connector means. When the second part has the connector means, then the connector means may comprise a shank which extends through the inlet aperture in the first part, and a head on an end of the shank. The head is preferably a conical head but heads of other shapes may be employed so that, for example, the head may be frusto-conical in shape.

If desired, the first and the second parts may have inter-engaging screw threaded portions for enabling the second part to be screwed to the first part in the closed position. By screwing the second part to the first part in the closed position, it will be apparent that the cap can be sealed tightly and this may be advantageous for cases where the container is to contain liquids. With fluid materials such for example as powders, it will generally not be necessary to have the screw threaded portions although they may of course be employed if desired for any type of fluid material to be contained in the container.

When the first and the second parts have the inter-engaging screw threaded portions, then the container is preferably one in which the first part has an internally threaded portion, and in which the second part has an externally threaded portion.

The cap may include sealing means for forming a seal when the first and the second parts are screwed together. Preferably, the container is one in which the first part has a groove, and in which a ring seal is located in the groove. The ring seal may be made of rubber or a plastics material . Any suitable and appropriate type of plastics material may be employed. The material for the seals should be such that it does not react adversely to the fluid material to be contained in the container.

The container may be one in which the inlet aperture in the second part leads to an outlet aperture in the second part, the outlet aperture being 98/32670 _c

closed by a sealing member having flexible opening portions which are able to be flexed to an open position by the fluid product when the fluid product is dispensed under pressure.

The container may include a cover for the cap. The cover may provide a hygiene facility. The cover may also provide a tamper-evident facility.

Advantageously, the cover is a push clip fit on the container.

The cover is preferably a transparent cover but it may be a non-transparent cover of any suitable and appropriate colour if desired. The cover will usually be made of a plastics material .

Advantageous, the cover has a pull tag for removing the cover when it is desired to open the container for the first time.

As indicated above, the container may be of any suitable shape, size and material. The container may thus be a bottle, flask, tin or box. The container may be such that the body portion is rigid or is squeezable. Squeezable body portions may be preferred for containers such as bottles containing beverages .

The container may contain any suitable and appropriate fluid product. Thus, for example, the fluid product may be a beverage. The beverage may be non-alcoholic or alcoholic. The beverage may be still or gaseous, for example carbonated. Alternative types of fluid product are shampoos, sauces, edible liquid products, oils and powders such for example as talcum powder .

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a section through a top part of a first container for a fluid product, the container having a cap in an open condition;

Figure 2 is a section like that shown in Figure 1 but with the cap in a closed condition;

Figure 3 is a side view of the part of the container shown in Figures 1 and 2 ;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second part of the cap shown in Figures 1 and 2 ;

Figure 5 is a section through a top part of a second container with the cap of the container being shown in an open condition;

Figure 6 is a section like Figure 5 but with the cap in a closed condition;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second part of the container shown in Figures 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a second part of a cap for a third container; Figure 9 is a section through part of a fourth container for a fluid product;

Figure 10 is an enlarged side view of part of the container shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a section through part of a cap for a fifth container, with the cap being in a closed position;

Figure 12 is a section like Figure 11 but shows the cap in the open position;

Figure 13 is an exploded view of the cap as shown in Figure 11;

Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of part of the cap as shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a side view of part of the cap as shown in Figure 15;

Figure 16 is a view like the bottom part of Figure 15 but shows an alternative sealing arrangement ;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of alternative biasing means to that employed in Figure 13; and

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a further alternative biasing means to that shown in Figure 13.

Referring to Figures 1 - 4, there is shown a container 2 for fluid product. The container 2 comprises a body portion 4 and a cap 6. The cap 6 comprises a first part 8 secured to the body portion 4, and a second part 10 which is located in the first part 8 as shown. The second part 10 is longitudinally movable with respect to the first part 8 from a closed position (see Figure 2) in which the cap 6 is closed to an open position (see Figure 1) in which the cap 6 is open.

The first part 8 has an inlet aperture 12 and the second part 10 has a plurality of inlet apertures 14. When the cap 6 is in its open condition as shown in Figure 1, then a fluid product in the body portion 4 is able to flow in the direction of the arrows 16 through the inlet apertures 12, 14, along a bore 18 in the second part 10 and out through the top of the second part 10 as shown.

The inlet aperture 12 in the first part 8 is opened and closed by the second part 10. The inlet apertures 14 in the second part 10 are opened and closed by the first part 8. This can be appreciated from a comparison of Figures 1 and 2.

The first part 8 has a female portion 20 which extends into the container 2. The second part 10 has a male portion 22 which extends into the female portion 20. The inlet aperture 12 is in the female portion 20. The inlet apertures 14 are in the male portion 22. The female portion 20 has first and second concave portions 24, 26 respectively. The male portion 22 has a convex portion 28. The convex portion 28 slides from the first concave portion 24 to the second concave portion 26 when the second part 10 is longitudinally moved from the closed position shown in Figure 2 to the open position shown in Figure 1. The convex portion 28 slides from the second concave portion 26 to the first concave portion 24 when the second part 10 is longitudinally moved from the open position shown in Figure 1 to the closed position shown in Figure 2.

The first part 8 only has a single inlet aperture 12 and this inlet aperture is arranged along the longitudinal axis of the cap 6. The second part 10 has four of the inlet apertures 14. These inlet apertures 14 are symmetrically disposed about the male portion 22 as shown.

The second part 10 includes gripper means 30 for facilitating the longitudinal movement of the second part 10 with respect to the first part 8. The gripper means 30 can be gripped with a person's hand or with a person's teeth.

The first part 8 has an internally screw threaded skirt portion 32 having internal threads 34. The threads 34 screw to external threads 36 in a neck portion 38 of the body portion 4.

The cap 6 has connector means 40 for ensuring that the second part 10 does not separate from the first part 8 during use of the container 2. The connector means 40 is formed as part of the second part 10. More specifically, the connector means 40 comprises a shank 42 which extends through the inlet aperture 12 in the first part 8, and a conical head 44 on the end of the shank 42 as shown.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the container 2 has a cover 46 which is made of a transparent plastics material and which is a push clip fit on the neck portion 38 of the container 2. More specifically, the cover 46 has a lower portion 48 which clips around an external bead 50 on the neck portion 38. The cover 46 firstly provides hygiene for an unopened container 2. The cover 46 secondly provides a tamper evident feature because if it is attempted to open the cap 6 without first pulling on a pull tag 52, then the pull tag 52 will tear from the rest of the cover 46 and then it will be evident that someone has tampered with the container 2. During normal use, the pull tag 52 is pulled to tear open the cover 46 so that the cover 46 can easily be removed to provide access to the cap 6. The body portion 4 of the container 2 has not been shown in detail because the body portion 4 can be of any suitable and appropriate size, shape and material . The body portion 4 can be a rigid sided body portion 4, for example as in the case of a glass bottle, or it can have squeezable sides. The body portion 4 can contain any suitable and appropriate type of fluid product including liquids and powders.

Where the fluid product is a beverage, then persons may prefer to drink the beverage direct from the container 2. This is easily done because the persons only need to pull on the gripper means 30, for example with their teeth. The cap will then move to the open position shown in Figure 1 and the beverage can be drunk directly from the container 2 as it passes through the open end of the bore 18 remote from the inlet apertures 14. There is no danger of swallowing the second part 10 because it is anchored in position with respect to the first part 8 by the connector means 40. Similarly, if the fluid product in the body portion 4 is stored under pressure, for example as in the case of a carbonated beverage, there is no danger of the second part 10 flying off and injuring somebody by hitting them because the second part 10 is anchored to the first part 8 by the connector means 40. Depending upon the type of fluid product in the container 2, then the fluid product can be dispensed by squeezing, pouring, shaking or any other suitable and appropriate method.

The cap 6 is preferably made of a plastics material . Any suitable and appropriate type of plastics material may be employed. The plastics material is easily kept clean, which is an advantage with products such for example as tomato sauce and salad cream which are intermittently dispensed from the container 2. The shape of the gripper means 30 is such that it has rounded corners which make the gripper means 30 easy to clean.

During use of the container 2, when the first and the second parts 8, 10 are pushed and pulled, the convex portion 28 moves into and out of the concave portions 24, 26 with a clicking action which can be felt. This enables a person using the container 2 easily to feel when the cap 6 is open or closed.

The first part 8 of the cap 6 has a sealing ring 54 at its closed end. This sealing ring 54 engages the upper end of the neck portion 38 when the cap 6 is screwed tightly on to the neck portion 38. This ensures that there is no leakage of fluid material between the first part 8 of the cap 6 and the neck portion 38. An advantageous feature of the container of the present invention is that the sealing of the inlet apertures 12, 14 is inside the neck portion 38 and inside the container 2. The neck portion 38 can be of a standard size employed on standard body portions. This in turn means that the cap 6 can be secured in position on standard capping machines and there is no need to employ modified capping machines for fitting the caps 6 on the body portions 4.

Referring now to Figures 5 - 7, there is shown a second container 56. The container 56 is similar to the container 2 and so similar parts as in previous Figures have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The container 6 is additionally provided with an internally threaded portion 58 on the first part 8, and an externally threaded portion 60 on the second part 10. The threaded portions 58, 60 form inter- engaging screw threaded portions which enable the second part 10 to be screwed to the first part 8 in the closed position. This provides an additional sealing facility over and above the sealing facility afforded by the location of the convex portion 28 in the second concave portion 26.

Sealing means in the form of a ring seal 62 is employed to provide an additional sealing facility. The ring seal 62 is located in a groove 64 in the first part 8 as shown.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown a second part 10 for a third container of the invention.

Similar parts as in previous Figures have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. It will be seen that the ring seal 62 is in the second part 10 and not in the first part 8 as in Figures 5 and 6. Also, the second part 10 has an insert 66 with flexible opening portions. The insert 66 is in the form of a petal insert which may be made separately, but it may be an integral part of the second part 10. The insert 66 will open when pressure is applied to the container 2, forcing the fluid product through the insert 66. The insert 66 will keep the opening of the bore 18 free from foreign bodies. It can easily be cleaned. It will work extremely well with fluid products such as gels, for example shower gels, whereby if the second part 10 were not pushed closed, the insert 66 would prevent the gel from dripping, or if the container 2 were knocked over with, for example tomato ketchup, the insert 66 would prevent spillage.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10 similar parts as in previous have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. As can be seen from Figures 9 and 10, the second part 10 is similar to the second part 10 shown in Figures 5 - 7 except that the externally threaded portion 60 has been replaced by a bayonet fitting 68 as shown. The bayonet fitting 68 has a pair of grooves 70 along which a fluid product in the container 2 is able to pass. A seal 72 is employed as shown to give good sealing in the closed position of the cap 6.

Referring now to Figures 11 - 15, similar parts as in previous Figures have again been given the same reference numerals. As can best be appreciated from Figures 11 and 12, the second part 10 requires to be pushed in the direction of arrows 74 in order to open the cap 6 and allow a fluid product in the body portion (not shown) to be able to flow in the direction of the arrows 14 through the inlet apertures 12, 14, along the bore 18 and out through the top of the second part 10 as shown. Hand pressure in the direction of the arrows 16 is against biasing means in the form of a spring 76 shown in Figure 11. In the exploded view shown in Figure 13, the spring 76 has been moved to one side to show that the biasing means could alternatively be a rubber cylinder 78 as shown in Figure 17 or a plastics foam cylinder 80 as shown in Figure 18. When the hand pressure in the direction of the arrows 74 is released, the biasing means in the form of the spring 76, the rubber cylinder 78 or the plastics foam cylinder 80 pushes the second part 10 back to the closed position shown in Figure 11.

The male portion 22 is provided with a moulded plastics integral seal 82. During operation, the male portion 22 operates like a piston in the female portion 20 which functions like a cylinder. The seal 82 rubs along the walls of the female portion 20 and acts to stop leakage of fluid between the walls of the female portion 20 and the walls of the male portion 22. Especially if the container 2 contains a liquid such as a beverage under pressure from a gas such as carbonated gas, then the seal 82 is advantageous in preventing leakage between the male portion 22 and the female portion 20 in the open condition of the cap 6.

As shown in Figure 16, the seal 82 can alternatively be an 0-ring seal 84 which fits in a groove 86 in the male portion 22 as shown.

In the closed position of the cap 6 as shown in Figure 11, a seal 88 operates to stop leakage of the contents of the container. The seal 88 is preferably a rubber seal but it may be made of another material if desired. During assembly, the seal 88 is forced over the conical head 44 from the pointed end.

As shown most clearly in Figure 14, the conical head 44 has four lugs 90. These lugs 90 are integrally formed with the conical head 44 during moulding and they are able to spring into recesses 92. Thus, during assembly, the male portion 22 can be pushed through the female portion 20 and the lugs 90 will spring into their recesses 92. Similarly, during forcing of the seal 88 over the conical head 44, the lugs 90 can spring into their recesses 92. After assembly, the lugs 90 can spring out of their recesses 92 and adopt the position shown in Figure 14. In this position, the seal 88 is securely held in position.

As shown in Figures 11 and 13, the cover 46 is not a rip cover as shown in Figure 3 but is a pull-off cover. The bead 50 upstands from the skirt portion 32 as shown in Figure 13 so that the bead 48 can clip under the bead 50 as shown in Figure 11.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shape of the neck portion 8 and the shape of the first and the second parts 8, 10 can be varied. The outside of the first part 8 can be ribbed as shown in Figure 3 or it can be provided with another surface pattern to enable the first part 8 easily to be gripped and screwed onto the neck portion 38. A different type of bayonet fitting to that shown in Figures 9 and 10 may be employed.

Claims

CLAIMS .

1. A container for a fluid product, which container comprises a body portion and a cap, the cap comprising a first part secured to the body portion, and a second part which is located in the first part and which is longitudinally movable with respect to the first part from a closed position in which the cap is closed to an open position in which the cap is open, at least one inlet aperture in the first part, and at least one inlet aperture in the second part, and the inlet apertures being located inside the body portion.

2. A container according to claim 1 in which the inlet aperture in the first part is openable and closable by the second part, and in which the inlet aperture in the second part is openable and closable by the first part.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the first part has a female portion which extends into the container, and in which the second part has a male portion which extends into the female portion, and in which the inlet apertures in the first and the second parts are in the female and the male portions .

4. A container according to claim 3 in which the female portion has first and second concave portions, in which the male portion has a convex portion, in which the convex portion slides from the first concave portion to the second concave portion when the second part is longitudinally moved to the open position, and in which the convex portion slides from the second concave portion to the first concave portion when the second part is longitudinally moved to the closed position.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first part has a single one of the inlet apertures.

6. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second part has a plurality of the inlet apertures.

7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second part includes gripper means for facilitating the longitudinal movement of the second part with respect to the first part.

8. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first part has an internally threaded skirt portion which is screwed to the body.

9. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the body has a neck portion, and in which the first part is secured to the neck portion.

10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the cap has connector means for ensuring that the second part does not separate from the first part during use of the container.

11. A container according to claim 10 in which the second part has the connector means .

12. A container according to claim 11 in which the connector means comprises a shank which extends through the inlet aperture in the first part, and a head at an end of the shank.

13. A container according to claim 12 in which the head is a conical head.

14. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and the second parts have inter-engaging screw threaded portions for enabling the second part to be screwed to the first part in the closed position.

15. A container according to claim 14 in which the first part has an internally threaded portion, and in which the second part has an externally threaded portion .

16. A container according to claim 14 or claim 15 and including sealing means for forming a seal when the first and the second parts are screwed together.

17. A container according to claim 16 in which the first part has a groove, and in which a ring seal is located in the groove.

18. A container according to claim 17 in which the ring seal is made of a rubber or a plastics material.

19. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the inlet aperture in the second part leads to an outlet aperture in the second part, the outlet aperture being closed by a sealing member having flexible opening portions which are able to be flexed to an open position by the fluid product when the fluid product is dispensed under pressure.

20. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and including a cover for the cap.

21. A container according to claim 20 in which the cover is a push fit on to the container.

22. A container according to claim 20 or claim 21 in which the cover is a transparent cover.

23. A container according to any one of claims 20 - 22 in which the cover has a pull tag for removing the cover when it is desired to open the container for the first time.

24. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and in the form of a bottle, flask, tin or box.