AU2008200431B2

AU2008200431B2 - A Closure Incorporating a Valve

Info

Publication number: AU2008200431B2
Application number: AU2008200431A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stephen Johnston
Original assignee: Schutz Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Schutz Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-01-29
Filing date: 2008-01-29
Publication date: 2015-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2028-01-29
Also published as: NZ565621A; AU2008200431A1

Abstract

Abstract A container closure comprising of body adapted to be received in the opening of a container and adapted to close the opening, the body having an outlet and defining a first valve seat (13) around the outlet, the body further incorporating a 5 shroud (15) concentric with the opening and intended in use to extend into the interior of the container, a stem (27) having a collar (29) supported concentrically within the shroud. the stem and having an outer end (37) located within the outlet, a second valve seat (39) located at the outer end, an annular valve member (21) slidably supported within the shroud between the outlet and the collar to be 10 movable between a closed position with the inner valve seat and an open position out of engagement with the inner valve seat, a biasing means (33) provided between the valve member and the collar to bias the valve member to the closed position, the inner face of the shroud at a position inward of the free end being formed at with a set of recesses (17) at angularly spaced intervals around the 15 shroud, the collar formed with a set of bosses (31) around its periphery which are adapted to be received within the recesses, the bosses having a transverse extent which is less than the external diameter of the shroud, each recess being associated with a groove (35a) formed on the inner face of the shroud, each groove extending between a position proximate the recess and the free end of the 20 shroud, the axially inner most end of the groove provided with a transverse portion (35b), wherein the end of the transverse portion remote from the groove opens into the recess, the groove and transverse portion having a width and depth to permit the slidable movement of the respective bosses along the groove.

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Schutz DSL (Australia) Pty Ltd Actual Inventor Mr Stephen Johnston Address for service is: WRAY & ASSOCIATES Level 4, The Quadrant 1 William Street Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: A Closure Incorporating a Valve The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 -2 "A Closure Incorporating a Valve" Field of the Invention This invention relates to a closure which can be utilised with a closed container where the closure incorporates a valve which enables selective control of fluid 5 flow from a container. Background Art The invention relates to closures incorporating a valve. The closures are used to close containers and the valve is such that it is able to cooperate with a suitable fitting such that the contents of the container can be emptied from the container 10 through the valve. It is an important requirement of the closure that the closure itself and the valve is such that they be able to withstand the mechanical forces that are likely to be exerted upon the container whilst in transport, or use, or in storage and under conditions which can be expected throughout the lifetime of the container 15 Disclosure of the Invention Throughout the specification and claim, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. 20 Accordingly the invention resides in container closure comprising of body adapted to be received in the opening of a container and adapted to close the opening, the body having an outlet and defining a first valve seat around the outlet, the body further incorporating a shroud concentric with the opening and intended in use to extend into the interior of the container, a stem having a collar 25 supported concentrically within the shroud, the stem having an outer end located within the outlet, a second valve seat located at the outer end, an annular valve member slidably supported within the shroud between the outlet and the collar to - 3 be movable between a closed position with the second valve seat and an open position out of engagement with the second valve seat, a biasing means provided between the valve member and the collar to bias the valve member to the closed position, the inner face of the shroud at a position inward of the free 5 end being formed at with a set of recesses at angularly spaced intervals around the shroud, the collar formed with a set of bosses around its periphery which are adapted to be received within the recesses, the bosses having a transverse extent which is less than the external diameter of the shroud, each recess being associated with a groove formed on the inner face of the shroud, each groove 10 extending between a position proximate the recess and the free end of the shroud, the axially inner most end of the groove provided with a transverse portion, wherein the end of the transverse portion remote from the groove opens into the recess, the groove and transverse portion having a width and depth to permit the slidable movement of the respective bosses along the groove. 15 According to a preferred feature of the invention the recesses comprise apertures formed through the wall of the shroud. According to a preferred feature of the invention the transverse portion is formed 20 at least in part by the recess. According to a preferred feature of the invention the recess has greater axial width than the transverse portion and wherein the spacing between the free end of the shroud and the most proximate axial face of the recess is less than the 25 spacing between the free end of the shroud and the most proximate axial face of the transverse portion. According to a preferred feature of the invention the radial extent of the bosses and depth of the grooves is such that the bosses are frictionally engaged by the 30 grooves when located with the grooves and the frictional engagement between the bosses and the recesses is less than that between the bosses and the grooves.

-4 According to a preferred feature of the invention the stem is tubular and is provided proximate its outer end with a set of openings which on movement of the valve member from the closed position are able to communicate with the outlet. 5 According to a preferred feature of the invention the inner end of the stem is adapted to be engaged by a tubular extension which in use is to extend into the interior of the container. According to a preferred feature of the invention the inner face of the one end of the stem in the region of the openings is shaped to provide for a smooth flow of 10 fluid from the stem to the outlet. The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of several specific embodiments. Brief Description of the Drawings The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: 15 Figure 1 is an inverted isometric view of the closure according to the first embodiment; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the closure according to the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the closure according to the first embodiment; and 20 Figure 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the inner face of the shroud according to the first embodiment showing the configuration of the groove. Detailed Description of Specific Embodiment: The first embodiment comprises a closure which is to be used with a container (not shown) having an opening whereby the closure engages with the opening of - 5 the container to serve as a closure and incorporates a valve which controls the flow of fluid into and from the container. The closure compromises a body having a threaded portion 11 which is intended to be threadably and sealing received within the opening of the container. The threaded portion is of an 5 angular configuration and supports around its inner face a first, outer valve seat 13. The body is further provided with cylindrical shroud 15 which is concentric to the outer valve seat 13. At a position inward of the free end 19 the shroud is provided with a set of apertures 17 which are angularly spaced around the shroud 15. 10 The shroud 15 supports a tubular stem 27 having collar 29. The stem is supported from the shroud through the collar. The outer end of the stem which is located within the shroud is closed by an end wall 37 and the perimeter of the end wall is formed as a second, inner valve seat 39 which is radially spaced 15 from and is concentric with the outer valve seat 13. The outer end portion of the side wall of the stem is formed with a set of angularly spaced openings 41 (see Figure 3) which enable communication between the exterior interior of the stem in the region of the outer end of the stem. The inner face of the end wall 37 the of the stem is contoured to be curved to provide for a smooth flow 20 of fluid from the interior of the stem through the openings 41 and to the exterior of the stem. The support for the collar from the shroud is effected through a set of bosses located at spaced intervals around the outer periphery of the collar 29. The 25 bosses are dimensioned such that they are receivable within apertures 17 provided in the shroud 15 which are in one to one correspondence with the bosses. The radial extent of the bosses 31 from the outer periphery of the collar is less than the outer diameter of the shroud 15 but greater than the inner diameter of the shroud 15. 30 The shroud 15 slidably supports an annular valve member 21 which comprises a seal 23 and a support ring 25 and which is received within the shroud 15 and around the stem 27 and which is to be engagable with both the outer valve seat 13 and the inner valve seat 39. The valve member is slidable over the valve seat 35 - 6 between a sealed closed position with the valve seat 13 and 39 and an open position at which it is spaced axially from the valve seats 13 and 39. A coil spring33 is supported within the shroud 15 between the collar 29 and the valve member 21 and serves bear on the valve member to bias the valve member 21 into 5 sealing engagement with the valve seats 13, 39. The outer radial face of the valve member maintains sealing engagement with the inner face of the shroud throughout the movement of the valve member 21 between the open and closed positions while the inner radial face of the valve member maintains sealing engagement with the outer face of the stem throughout the movement of the 10 valve member 21 between the open and closed positions. On movement of the valve member 21 from the closed to the open position, the openings 41 at the outer end portion 37 of the stem 27 are open to the space between the valve seats 13 and 39 and thus the outlet to permit flow from the valve. 15 The inner face of the shroud 15 is provided with a set of grooves 35 which are in one to one correspondence with the apertures 17. The depth and width of the grooves is such as to enable the bosses 31 of the collar 29 to slide through the grooves. Each groove is formed with an axial portion 35a which extends from a position proximate the aperture 17 to the free end 19 of the shroud 15. Each 20 groove is further provided with a transverse portion 35b which extends around the shroud from the axial portion 35a to the respective aperture 17 and incorporates the aperture 17. In assembling the closure according to the embodiment the valve member 21 is 25 located in position within the shroud 15 and the stem 27 is inserted into the shroud with the biasing spring 33 is located over the stem and to be received between the collar and the valve member 21. On inserting the stem 27 into the shroud, the bosses 31 on the collar 29 are aligned with the axial portion 35a of the grooves of each aperture and as a result the collar is able to move axially into the 30 shroud until it reaches the inner most extent of the axial portion 35a of the grooves. When at this position the collar can be caused to rotate within the shroud such that the bosses will move within the transverse portion 35a of the grooves and into alignment with the apertures 17. On releasing the stem, the -7 bosses are received against the axial faces of the apertures 17 which are most proximate the free end of the shroud as result of the influence of the biasing spring,. The presence of the grooves 35a and 35b permits the ready assembly and 5 disassembly of the valve member for purposes of cleaning and maintenance and/or replacement of items. In addition the provision of the grooves 35a and 35b in the inner face of the shroud which serve to enable the positive engagement of the bosses with the apertures also ensures that wall of the shroud accommodating the grooves remain closed. This enables the shroud to 10 be structured such that it includes a closed ring being provided by the body of shroud between its fee end and the apertures 17 which ensures that there is adequate strength provided around the body of the shroud to be able to withstand any mechanical forces which may be exerted on the shroud by the collar or the stem which may cause the damage to the integrity of the closure. 15 According to a second embodiment (which is a variation of the first embodiment) the radial extent of the bosses 31 and depth of the grooves 35 is such that the bosses are frictionally engaged by the grooves when located within the grooves. According to a third embodiment (which is also a variation of the first embodiment) the axial width of the aperture 17 is greater than the axial width of 20 the grooves transverse portion 35b of the groove and the spacing between the free end 19 of the shroud 27 and the most proximate axial face of the aperture 17 is less than the spacing between the free end 19 of the shroud 27 and the most proximate axial face of the transverse portion 35b. When the collar is caused to rotate within the shroud such that the bosses move within the 25 transverse portion 35a of the grooves and into alignment with the apertures 17, the bosses under the influence of the biasing spring will be received against the axial faces of the apertures 17 most proximate the free end of the shroud. This serves to positively locate the bosses within the apertures and prevent their inadvertent displacement form the apertures.

-8 The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. The embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent elements and structures are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein

Claims

1. A container closure comprising of body adapted to be received in the opening of a container and adapted to close the opening, the body having an outlet and defining a first valve seat around the outlet, the body further 10 incorporating a shroud concentric with the opening and intended in use to extend into the interior of the container, a stem having a collar supported concentrically within the shroud, the stem having an outer end located within the outlet, a second valve seat located at the outer end, an annular valve member slidably supported within the shroud between the outlet and 15 the collar to be movable between a closed position with the second valve seat and an open position out of engagement with the second valve seat, a biasing means provided between the valve member and the collar to bias the valve member to the closed position, the inner face of the shroud at position inward of the free end being formed at with a set of recesses at 20 angularly spaced intervals around the shroud. the collar formed with a set of bosses around its periphery which are adapted to be received within the recesses, the bosses having a transverse extent which is less than the external diameter of the shroud, each recess being associated with a groove formed on the inner face of the shroud, each groove extending 25 between a position proximate the recess and the free end of the shroud, the axially inner most end of the groove provided with a transverse portion, wherein the end of the transverse portion remote from the groove opens into the recess, the groove and transverse portion having a width and depth to permit the slidable movement of the respective bosses along the groove. 30

2. A container closure as claimed at claim 1 wherein the recesses comprise apertures formed through the wall of the shroud. -10

3. A container closure as claimed at claim 1 or 2 wherein the transverse portion is formed at least in part by the recess.

4. A container closure as claimed at claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein the recess has greater axial width than the transverse portion and wherein the spacing 5 between the free end of the shroud and the most proximate axial face of the recess is less than the spacing between the free end of the shroud and the most proximate axial face of the transverse portion.

5. A container closure as claimed at claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the radial extent of the bosses and depth of the grooves is such that the bosses are 10 frictionally engaged by the grooves when located with the grooves and the frictional engagement between the bosses and the recesses is less than that between the bosses and the grooves.

6. A container closure as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the stem is tubular and is provided proximate its outer end with a set of 15 openings which on movement of the valve member from the closed position are able to communicate with the outlet.

7. A container closure as claimed at claim 6 wherein the inner end of the stem is adapted to be engaged by a tubular extension which in use is to extend into the interior of the container. 20

8. A container closure as claimed at claim 6 or 7 wherein the inner face of the one end of the stem in the region of the openings is shaped to provide for a smooth flow of fluid from the stem to the outlet.

9. A container closure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.