WO2001015986A1

WO2001015986A1 - Valve for a bottle

Info

Publication number: WO2001015986A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/021797
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dan R. St. George; Jon L. Kaniewski
Original assignee: Reid Plastics, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-09-02
Filing date: 2000-08-09
Publication date: 2001-03-08
Also published as: AU7056400A

Abstract

A two-piece valve for dispensing liquids from a container includes a body and a spout. The body has a hollow neck (26) that is contiguous with the liquid storage area of the container. The body has a flange (14) with grooves (18, 20) that form a liquid-tight seal with corresponding ridges on the container, when the body is attached to the container. The spout has an orifice in the exterior thereof for the passage of liquid, the spout (40) being slidable within the hollow neck of the body (12).

Description

DESCRIPTION Valve for a Bottle

Background of the Invention The field of the invention is valves for dispensing liquids from bottles.

Bottles are increasingly being used by consumers to store a variety of liquids. For example, purified or spring water is often stored and carried in a variety of bottles. Many of these bottles include a valve that allows a user to control the rate of flow and the amount of liquid dispensed from the bottle or container. Often such valves are a separate structure from the container and are attached at some point during the production process. Any valve that is to be used with such a container must meet several criteria. For example, a valve preferably permits easy assembly onto the container. A valve should also provide a liquid-tight seal that prevents liquid from exiting the container. Valves must also be sturdy enough that a consumer cannot accidentally invert the valve, i.e., push the valve inside the liquid storage compartment of the container. It is also preferable to reduce the amount of material used in the valve construction. Consequently, the overall costs of the valve can be reduced. Unfortunately, previous valve designs have suffered from one or more of these limitations. For example, some valves were prone to leak from the seal formed between the valve and the storage container. Still other valves could be accidentally inverted and opened during the transport of the container.

Consequently, there remains a need for a sturdy, leak-proof valve capable of dispensing the desired amount of liquid from a container.

Summary of the Invention

In a first aspect of the present invention, a bottle has a valve for dispensing liquids, the valve including a body and a spout. The body is attachable to the bottle and preferably includes a hollow neck and a flange. The hollow neck is advantageously contiguous with a liquid storage compartment or interior of the bottle. In the preferred embodiment, the flange further includes a first groove and a second groove forming a seal with corresponding ridges on the bottle, when the body is attached to the bottle. The spout has an orifice for the passage of liquid. The spout is preferably slidable within the hollow neck of the body.

In a second separate aspect of the invention, a bottle has a valve according to the first aspect and further includes the first groove having a v-shaped profile while the second groove has a radial shaped profile. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bottle, for example, a water bottle, having a sturdy yet leak-proof two-piece valve. Other and further objects and advantages will appear hereafter.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is an end-assembly view of the valve located within a bottle or container.

FIG. 2 is a side-assembly view of the valve located within a container. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the body of the two-part valve .

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the area A of Figure 3 illustrating the flange of body.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view of the spout of the two-part valve.

FIG. 6 is another cross-sectional plan view of the spout illustrating the retaining tab connected to the body.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the valve showing the spout fully inserted into the body. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional end view of the spout of Figure 5. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional plan view showing the two-piece valve with the spout inserted and attached via the retaining tab to the body portion of the valve .

Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment

Turning now in detail to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a bottle or container 2 for the storage of liquids including an assembled two-piece valve 10. The container 2 includes a liquid storage compartment 4 for the storage of liquids such as water or the like. The valve 10 is preferably located on the lower portion of a vertical wall of the container 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The valve 10 is thus positioned in a horizontal fashion when the container 10 is in its normal storage position as shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 3, the body 12 of the valve includes a flange 14 and a hollow neck 26. The hollow neck 26 of the valve 10 is contiguous with the liquid storage compartment 4 of the container. That is, the liquid passes through the hollow neck 26 during operation of the valve 10. Referring to Figure 3, the hollow neck 26 has at the interior thereof a plurality of ridges 28 that form a seal with the spout 40 (shown in Figure 5) that is slidable within the hollow neck 26 of the body 12. The resilient plastic body 12 further includes a flange 14 that is fixedly attached or integral to the hollow neck 26. The flange 14 snaps onto or over an opening of the container 2 to create a liquid-tight seal. The flange 14 includes an angular brace 16. The angular brace 16 structure advantageously prevents the valve 10 from inverting due to excessive pressures being placed on the valve 10. Excessive force can be placed on the valve 10 in the horizontal direction during transport of the container 2 or by operator accident, i.e., the container falling from a table or the like. In prior designs, the excessive force would cause the valve 10 to invert. However, the angular brace 16 prevents this by reducing the stress on the flange 14.

Located outwardly of the angular brace 16 on the flange 14 is a first groove 18 and a second groove 20. The first and second grooves 18, 20 engage corresponding ridges 6 located on the bottle or container 2. The ridges 6 and the corresponding grooves 18, 20 thus create a liquid-tight seal between the valve 10 and the container 2. Also located on the flange 14 is a guide 22. The guide 22 assists in mounting of the valve 10 onto the container 2 (by engaging the inside walls of the container opening) as well as providing an additional seal between the valve 10 and the container 2.

Now referring to Figure 4, the profile of the grooves 18, 20 will now be described. In the preferred embodiment, the first groove 18 has a v-shaped profile while the second groove 20 has a round or radial profile. This configuration allows the valve 10 to be easily pressed on the container 2 during assembly while also providing a secure and liquid-tight seal. While is it preferred that the first groove 18 has a v-shaped profile and the second groove 20 has a radial profile, any combination of the two could be employed.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, the spout 40 has a detent 42 at its inner end that aids in sealing the spout 40 with the hollow neck 26 of the body 12. In addition, the detent 42 prevents the spout 40 from detaching from the body 12 of the valve 10 when opened. The spout 40 further includes an orifice 44 towards its outer end, in the cylindrical wall of the spout 40, for use in dispensing the liquid.

The spout 40 is slidable within the hollow neck 26 of the valve 10. To open the valve 10, the spout 40 is pulled outward to expose the orifice 44 to the atmosphere so the liquid can leave the container 2.

Preferably, the spout 40 includes a retaining tab 46 that attaches to the body 12. The retaining tab 46 acts not only to keep the valve 10 closed prior to use, but also acts as a tampering indicator.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 9, the spout 40 is shown in the closed position. The opening or orifice 44 is closed and sealed off by the inner cylindrical walls of the hollow neck 26. To open the valve, the spout 40 is pulled away from the body 12 to expose the orifice 44 in the spout 40. Figure 9 shows the retaining tab 46 connecting the body 12 to the spout 40. As shown in Figure 8, the spout 40 has a gripping face 48 that permits an operator to open and close the valve 10 with ease. Preferably, the spout 40 has a raised surface that contains desired lettering, designs, or the like that creates a frictional anti-slipping surface that aids in opening or closing the valve.

The valve 10 is made of plastic with the most preferred material being polyethylene.

Thus, a two-piece valve has been disclosed that provides a liquid-tight seal for a container. The valve uses substantially less material than other valves while still maintaining enough rigidity to prevent the inversion of the valve. While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications and substitutions of known equivalents are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention, therefore is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A valve for dispensing liquids from a container comprising: a body attachable to the container including a hollow neck and a flange, the flange further including a first groove and second groove, the first groove and the second groove forming a seal with corresponding ridges on the container when the body is attached to the container, and a spout having an orifice, the spout slidable within the hollow neck of the body.

2. The valve according to claim 1, the flange further including an angled guide around the hollow neck.

3. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the first groove and the second groove are radial grooves .

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second grooves is v-shaped.

5. A valve according to claim 1, wherein the first groove is v-shaped and the second groove is radially shaped.

6. A valve according to claim 1, the first groove being radial while the second groove is v-shaped.

7. A valve according to claim 1, further comprising an angular brace on the flange of the body connecting to the hollow neck of the body.

8. A valve according to claim 1, the hollow neck further comprising a plurality of ridges on the inner side of the body, for frictionally engaging said spout to form a liquid-tight seal.

9. A valve according to claim 1, the spout further including a retaining tab fixedly mounted to the body.

10. A container for containing and dispensing liquids, comprising: a bottle; a body attached to the bottle and including a hollow neck and a flange, the hollow neck connecting into the interior of the bottle, the flange further including a first groove having a v-shaped profile and second groove having a radially shaped profile, the first groove and the second groove forming a liquid-tight seal with corresponding ridges on the bottle when the body is attached to the bottle, and a spout having an orifice in the exterior thereof for the passage of liquid, the spout slidable within the hollow neck of the body.

11. A valve according to claim 10, the flange of the body having an angular brace connecting to the hollow neck of the body.

12. A valve according to claim 10, the hollow neck of the body further including on the inner side thereof a plurality of ridges that frictionally engage said spout to form a liquid-tight seal.

13. A valve according to claim 10, the spout further including a retaining tab fixedly mounted to the body.

14. A container for containing and dispensing liquids, comprising: a bottle; a body attached to the bottle and including a hollow neck and a flange, the flange further including a first groove and second groove, the first groove and the second groove forming a seal with corresponding ridges on the bottle when the body is attached to the bottle, and a spout having an orifice, the spout slidable within the hollow neck of the body.