WO2003018409A1

WO2003018409A1 - Closure and valve for a collapsible container

Info

Publication number: WO2003018409A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/001174
Authority: WO
Inventors: Scott Brown
Original assignee: Scott Brown
Priority date: 2001-08-31
Filing date: 2002-08-30
Publication date: 2003-03-06

Abstract

A container (1) is provided with a closure member (6) having a removable cap (8) and a floating valve (13), which is interference fit, in a valve seat (20) associated therewith. The container walls (5) may be rigid or collapsible and the cap (8) is provided with a plunger device (21) to provide for dislodgement of the floating valve (13).

Description

CLOSURE AND VALVE FOR A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to collapsible containers and, more particularly, to collapsible containers suitable for use with liquid foodstuffs or drinks for human consumption. However, the invention is not confined to drink containers, as the containers disclosed herein may be used for a variety of other purposes - for example, for storing photographic liquids which are oxygen-sensitive.

BACKGROUND ART My international patent application no. PCT/AU 99/00035 describes collapsible fluid containers comprising a collapsible container having an internal floatable closure valve.

As the container is emptied of its contents the sidewalls if the container are able to collapse reducing the volume of the container, the closure valve providing a seal between the remaining contents of the container and the container opening.

In some instances the floating valve jams on the outlet from a container and needs to be forcibly detached.

Accordingly it is one object of the present invention to provide a cap for a container which provides means by which a floating valve can be dislodged from the outlet of a container.

The transportation of liquids sometimes results in accidental spillage which has the potential to cause considerable damage and inconvenience. Differential pressures which occur during the transportation by air of liquids increase the potential for accidental spillage. Spillages in aircraft are particularly inconvenient and sometimes costly because of the down-time which occurs during the necessary clean-up.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container which lessens the likelihood of spillages occurring from containers during transportation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a collapsible liquid container comprising a body, a neck, an opening from the neck, a collapsible wall section, and a floatable valve within the body which is adapted to seal off the opening when the body contains a liquid in an erect or partially collapsed condition, and a cap which includes a mechanism for dislodging a container valve to allow liquid to pass from the container. The valve can be a ball valve.

A collapsible wall section of the body is provided by the formation of bellows.

The bellows can be substantially Vee-section bellows. One limb of the Vee-section of each of the bellows can be larger than an adjacent other limb.

The neck can include a valve seat defined by a sealing ring. The mechanism for dislodging the ball valve from the outlet can be a plunger device.

The plunger device can be set in a removable cap for the container.

The cap can.be tethered to the outlet of the container. The cap and plunger device can be unitary. The plunger device can include a downwardly depending skirt fixed to a resilient top wall of the container. According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid container comprising a body, a neck, an opening from the neck, and a floatable valve within the body which is adapted to seal off the opening when the body contains a liquid in an erect or partially collapsed condition, and a cap which includes a mechanism for dislodging a container valve to allow liquid to pass from the container. The valve can be a ball valve. A collapsible wall a section of the body can be provided by the formation of bellows.

The bellows can be substantially Vee-section bellows. One limb of the Vee-section of each of the bellows can be larger than an adjacent other limb. The neck can include a valve seat defined by a sealing ring.

The mechanism for dislodging the ball valve from the outlet can be a plunger device.

The plunger device can be set in a removable cap for the container. The cap can be tethered to the outlet of the container.

The cap and plunger device can be unitary. The plunger device can include a downwardly depending skirt fixed to a resilient top wall of the container.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cap for a liquid container comprising a sleeve including an internal valve seat for the floatable valve, an external sleeve thread, engagement means for lockable engagement with the opening of a container and a removable threaded cap.

The floatable valve can be an interference fit with the valve seat.

BRIEF-DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Aspects of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 of the drawings is a sectional illustration of a cap for a container according to one aspect of the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a cut-away illustration of the cap of figure 1 showing a ball valve in an adjacent position in relation to the cap, and

Figure 3 shows the cap of figure 1 in a bottom perspective view, and Figure 4 is an illustration of the cap of figure 1 fitted to a partially collapsed container, and

Figures 5. 6 & 7 are further illustrations of a caps and containers according to the present invention, and

Figure 8 of the drawings is an exploded and part sectional drawing of a cap for a container according to a further aspect of the present invention. With respect to figure 1 of the drawings in one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a container generally indicated by arrow 1 the container comprising a body 2, a neck 3, an opening 4 from the neck 3.

In the instance illustrated the body 2 has a collapsible wall section 5 formed by bellows, which is similar to that described in my aforementioned International patent application.

The container 1 is provided with a two-piece cap generally indicated by arrow 6.

The cap can comprise a bottle thread mounting portion 7 and a tethered portion 8 which includes a release mechanism 9 for dislodging an internal floating valve.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows an alternative one-piece cap for the containers of the present invention.

The one-piece cap generally indicated by arrow 10 comprises a bottle neck attachment means 11 and a conjoined release mechanism 12.

A ball valve 13 is shown lodged in the outlet 14 of a container 15.

The release mechanisms 9 and 12 of the caps 6 and 10 are similarly constructed. In the instance of the cap 6 the release mechanism comprises a central disc-like contact portion 16 joined to the tethered portion 8 by a peripheral resilient membrane 8a.

In the instance of the cap 10 a similar disc-like central contact portion 18 is joined to the attachment means 11 by a peripheral resilient membrane 19.

Both the caps 6 and 10 are provided with an arcuate valve seat 20 and a plunger 21 of a shape which is complementary with the valve 13. The tethered portion 8 of the cap 6 is a snap fit on the mounting portion 7.

When the valve is engaged adjacent to the caps 6 and 10 finger or thumb pressure on the respective contact portions 16, 18 will release the valve from the neck region of containers to which they are attached via the associated plunger devices.

The attachment means 11 can have a fingergrip ringlet 19 thereto.

Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings illustrate in differing views the cap previously described in relation to figure 1.

The tethered cap 8 is a snap fit on the mounting portion 7 and the tethering can be in the alternative styles illustrated.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates a possible further form of collapsible container according to the present invention. In this embodiment substantially vertical as opposed to horizontal bellows 22 are provided by the container body.

The cap 23 may be a conventional cap, or a cap as previously described.

With respect to figure 6 of the drawings a container 24 is provided with an internal ball valve 25, a conventional cap 26 and two ringlets 27 for attachments or handling.

The container 24 is provided with horizontally orientated bellows 28.

With respect to figure 7 the container is provided in a rectilinear configuration, has collapsible wall section 29 and tensioning straps 30 and a handle 31.

The container may be provided with a bung release valve 32 at its base.

With respect to figure 8 of the drawings and in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a cap for a container comprising a cap base generally indicated by arrow 35 secured to the neck 36 of a container (not shown) and a removable closure generally indicated by arrow 37.

The base 36 provides a valve seat 38 similar to that described in relation to the previous embodiment. The valve seat 38 provides an arcuate portion 39 supported with respect to the outer rim 40 of the base 35 by special ribs 41.

The rim 40 has an external thread 42 on intermediate peripheral flange 43 and a lower skirt 44 which mounts a peripheral rim 45.

The rim 45 is designed to be a snap fit into a socket 46 moulded into the neck 36 of a container. In the event that internal pressures within the container are higher than external pressures, the arrangement illustrated will ensure that the internal pressures on a ball valve 47 engaged in the valve seat are resisted by the overall structure.

The closure 37 is also similar to that previously described and is provided with an internal thread 48 and a push down plunger 49 integrally formed with the top wall 50 of the closure.

One of the advantages of the structure described is that if the ball valve 47 is seen to be misplaced, this may be an indication of tampering. Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and modifications and additions thereto may be made without deporting from the spirit or scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A collapsible liquid container comprising a body, a neck, an opening from the neck, a collapsible wall section, and a floatable valve within the body which is adapted to seal off the opening when the body contains a liquid in an erect or partially collapsed condition, and a cap which includes a mechanism for dislodging a container valve to allow liquid to pass from the container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve is a ball valve.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein a collapsible wall a section of the body is provided by the formation of bellows.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bellows are substantially Vee-section bellows.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4 wherein one limb of the Vee- section of each of the bellows is larger than an adjacent other limb.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the neck includes a valve seat defined by a sealing ring.

7. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mechanism for dislodging the ball valve from the outlet is a plunger device.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the plunger device is set in a removable cap for the container.

9. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cap is tethered to the outlet of the container.

10. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cap and plunger device are unitary.

11. A, container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plunger device includes a downwardly depending skirt fixed to a resilient top wall of the container.

12. A liquid container comprising a body, a neck, an opening from the neck, and a floatable valve within the body which is adapted to seal off the opening when the body contains a liquid in an erect or partially collapsed condition, and a cap which includes a mechanism for dislodging the valve to allow liquid to pass from the container.

13. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the valve is a ball valve.

14. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein a collapsible wall a section of the body is provided by the formation of bellows.

15. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the bellows are substantially Vee-section bellows.

16. A container as claimed in claim 5 wherein one limb of the Vee- section of each of the bellows is larger than an adjacent other limb.

17. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the neck includes a valve seat defined by a sealing ring.

18. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the mechanism for dislodging the ball valve from the outlet is a plunger device.

19. A container as claimed in claim 18 wherein the plunger device is set in a removable cap for the container.

20. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the cap is tethered to the outlet of the container.

21. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the cap and plunger device are unitary.

22. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein the plunger device includes a downwardly depending skirt fixed to a resilient top wall of the container.

23. A closure member for a liquid container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 12 wherein the cap comprises a sleeve including an internal valve seat for the floatable valve, an external sleeve thread, engagement means for lockable engagement with the opening of a container and a removable threaded cap.

24. A closure member as claimed in claim 23 wherein the floatable valve in an interference fit with the valve seat.