AU773386B2 - A container for separately storing flowable materials but allowing mixing of materials when required - Google Patents

Description

P/0o/01Il Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD PATENT *.*.Invention Title: A container for separately storing flowable materials but allowing mixing of materials when required The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best V, method of performing it known to us: Freehille Cloar a 1.,t AI. *A.Ik.......ftAfftnn ead e 8 bournew-woueo Printed 22 March 2002 (14:30) page 2 1A A CONTAINER FOR SEPARATELY STORING FLOWABLE MATERIALS BUT ALLOWING MIXING OF MATERIALS WHEN REQUIRED Field of the Invention The present invention is concerned with containers for flowable materials, and, more particularly, with containers for liquids in which the pressure is greater than atmospheric. It will be appreciated that carbonated beverages such as the socalled soft drinks and brewed beverages such as beer and cider are contained at super-atmospheric pressure, but the present invention is also concerned with flowable materials (including other liquids) that are, or can be, contained at superatmospheric pressure. In particular, it is not uncommon for a number of "stillu 10 drinks to be packaged in a container containing an atmosphere of nitrogen at :o e. super-atmospheric pressure. Examples of the goods which are, or can be, packaged in this way include juices and juice-drinks, milk and milk-based drinks, spirits, wines, iced teas and tea drinks and even medicines and pharmaceuticals delivered in liquid form.

15 Background to the Invention In certain alcoholic beverages, particularly stouts, a thick head of creamy froth has long been considered desirable. This head is readily generated when a stout is poured from conventional beer-dispensing apparatus but when stouts are contained in cans (as many other alcoholic beverages frequently are) a head of the same quality is often not produced upon opening the can. This has provided a disincentive to the sale of such beverages in cans but Australian patent No.

577486 provides a solution to this problem. The can described in Australian patent No. 577486 includes an insert which is a gas-filled chamber in communication with the beverage in the can through a restricted orifice. Since the chamber is immersed in the beverage contained in the can a small amount of the beverage will enter the chamber through the restricted orifice so as to equilibrate the pressure in the head space of the chamber and the pressure in the head space of the can. Upon opening the can, the pressure in the head space of the can will immediately be reduced to atmospheric while the pressure in the head space of the secondary chamber will remain, momentarily at least, at a pressure greater than atmosph,. ic, hence the gas and/or beverage in the chamber will be ejected through the restricted orifice. This causes gas in the solution to be evolved and form a head of creamy froth on the beverage. The patent does not, however, envisage the introduction of a second liquid into the beverage upon opening of the can, and this would not be possible with the arrangement described since the beverage and any liquid contained in the secondary chamber would be free to mix whilst the can remained sealed.

There are numerous patents and patent applications filed subsequent to Australian patent No. 577486 concerned with the introduction of a head of froth to beer in a container, but none envisages a container suitable for the introduction of -a second liquid to the packaged beverage. However, it would be desirable for a S• container to be able to contain a second flowable material (such as a powder, suspension or liquid) in a chamber separate to the main chamber of a pressurised container so that it may be introduced subsequently to the beverage in the container. It will be appreciated that such a container, although adapted to introduce a second flowable material to the packaged beverage, could also introduce gas or a separately contained, pressurised beverage into the container so as to cause the beverage to foam.

Such a container is described in international application No. PCT/GB95/01185 in 20 which two such compartments are separated by a membrane capable of being grossly ruptured by the release of pressure when the contaRier is opened. In this case, one compartment contains whisky and the other soda water, hence when the membrane is ruptured a whisky and soda drink is produced. Similarly, US patent No. 4524078 describes a container including a capsule which either has a separable cap, a frangible wall or in which one wall comprises a wall of the container and the capsule is forced away from the wall of the container when the container is opened. In each case either a wall ruptures, a component of the capsule separates from the capsule or the entire capsule separates explosively from its anchor and may fragment, so in each case there is a potential choking hazard created by the formation of small pieces of the capsule within the beverage in the can. Furthermore, in each case the encapsulated liquid will be released relatively gem,, through a large orifice into the beverage in the container, so it will diffuse relatively gradually into the beverage. This may result in incomplete mixing and does not provide for spectacular visual effects.

International patent application No. PCT/EP94/02491 describes an arrangement in which a capsule with an orifice in its bottom face is secured in the lower portion of a pressurised beverage can. The capsule contains a second liquid miscible with the primary liquid contained in the can and, to avoid mixing of the two liquids prior to opening of the can, includes a valve stem which seals the orifice in the bottom face of the capsule. The bottom face of the capsule is, however, flexible and when a pressure differential is created by opening the can, the bottom face of the capsule flexes downwardly and the valve stem is dislodged. This allows the second liquid to enter the can through the orifice and mix with the primary liquid. It would be difficult to insert the capsule since it must be pressurised prior to insertion but the open can into which it is inserted will not be pressurised until after it is sealed. Thus there would be practical difficulties in ensuring that the second liquid does not leak through the orifice during insertion. Furthermore, such an arrangement is likely to be subject to pressure fluctuations, for example due to temperature change, in the head space within the capsule. Since there is no S means of equalising the pressure within the head space in the capsule with the pressure in the head space within the can, such minor pressure fluctuations will S. create a pressure differential whenever the temperature of the can changes. This differential will result in small fluctuations in the position of the bottom wall of the capsule and may result in leakage, since it is critical that the orifice remain hard against the valve seat at all times to avoid leakage.

The present invention aims to provide an arrangement for containing a first flowable material and a second flowable material separately in a pressurised container and for injecting the second flowable material into the first flowable material when the pressurised container is opened. Moreover, having provided such an arrangement, it was recognised that it could also be applicable to injecting gas or a separately contained, pressurised second flowable material into the first flowable material.

Summary of the Invention The invention generally provides a container for separately containing a first flowable material and a second flowable material until mixing of the first and second flowable materials is desired comprising: a first chamber containing the first flowable material and having a first head space comprising gas at a pressure greater than or equal to atmosphere pressure; (ii) a second chamber containing the second flowable material, the second flowable material containing gas, and the second chamber having above the second flowable material therein a second head space comprising gas at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure; (iii) means for opening the first chamber to an environment external to that chamber, for reducing pressure in the first chamber; o•* e• S• (iv) means for transferring the second flowable material into the first 15 chamber for mixing with the first flowable material, when the pressure in the first chamber is reduced, which transferring means comprises conduit means extending upwardly from a lower opening into the second flowable material below the second head space, to an upper opening in said first flowable material, which conduit means contains an airlock releasable on said reduction of pressure in the first chamber to allow transfer of the second flowable material along the conduit means to mix with the first flowable material.

Oleo Preferably, the means for reducing the pressure in the first chamber take the form of means for opening the first chamber to an environment external to that chamber, the external environment being at a pressure lower than the pressure in the first chamber before the first chamber is exposed to that external environment.

The pressure reduction means may be means for opening the first chamber to the atmosphere. Such means could take the form of, for example, a screwable/unscrewable cap fitted to a bottle, a lift off tab for a bottle or can, or a structure located on a wall of the container which is able to be pushed in so as to create an opening in the container communicating between the first chamber and its external environment. Such means would readily be comprehended by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, wherever reference is made in this specification and the appended claims to "means for reducing the pressure in the first chamber" it is to be understood that such references include a reference to all means of the type discussed in this paragraph.

In a typical embodiment of the invention, the arrangement would thus be that the pressure in the first chamber (prior to it being opened to its external environment), 10 would be a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. It is preferred that prior to activating the mixing of the first flowable material and the second flowable material, the pressure in the first and second head spaces is about equal. ,As explained above however, in other forms of the invention, there may be a difference between the pressure in the first and second head spaces. In 15 embodiments of the invention where such a pressure differential applies, preferably, the difference between the first and second head spaces lies in the range of from about 0.1 to 10 atmospheres.

Preferably, the pressure in each of the first and second head spaces is at least 0.1 atmosphere, gauge pressure, prior to activation of the container and in order to mix the first and second flowable materials. It is particularly preferred that pressure is at least 0.5 atmosphere, and even more preferably, at least 1 atmosphere. Therefore, the pressure in each of the first and second head spaces is preferably at least one atmosphere above atmospheric pressure, prior to the mixing of the first and second flowable materials.

It is to be understood that unless the context otherwise requires, wherever used in this specification, the term "flowable material" includes liquids, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, gases and any other forms of matter colloquially referred to or known as a "liquid" or a "fluid", as well as other flowable materials, such as powders. The first and the second flowable materials may be materials of the same physical character, or of different kinds. In one preferred form of the invention, each of the first and second flowable materials would comprise true liquids. In yet other forms of the invention however, the first flowable material could take the form of a true liquid, and the second flowable material could (for example) take the form of a powder. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many other combinations are possible, and are embraced within the scope of the present invention. Such persons would also readily appreciate that the flowable material in either chamber could prior to mixing with the flowable material in the other chamber also constitute a combination of two or more flowable materials (eg, a liquid containing a gas).

Preferably, the means for transferring the second flowable material comprise a 15 conduit means extending from within the reservoir of the second flowable material the second chamber into the first head space. Alternatively, the conduit may terminate within the first flowable material. More preferably, the conduit means passes through the second head space.

Preferably, the conduit means comprise a structure through which the flowable material may travel. Preferred structures for this purpose include tubes, and channels (including enclosed and open channels). Alternatively, the structure could take the form of one or more bores formed through a wall or like partition separating the two chambers of the apparatus. A particularly preferred conduit means would include a capillary structure, such as (for example), a capillary tube.

In this regard, it is to be understood that wherever used in this specification, the term "capillary" includes not only structures or apparatus which are thin or of hairlike configuration, but also, other structures or apparatus which are capable of employing a capillary action.

Advantageously, back flow prevention means are provided in the capillary to ensure that the first flowable material does not flow through the capillary into the second chamber, for example, when the container is laid on its side. Such back flow prevention means may comprise a simple flap of a suitable material secured within the capillary in such a manner as to prevent flow of the flowable material from the first chamber into the second chamber but to allow the flow of the second flowable material from the second chamber into the first chamber. Typically the flap is located in the second vertical portion of the capillary very near its opening to the first chamber. If desired, a one-way valve could be used in place of the flap of material.

The present invention also provides a method of filling a container in accordance with the present invention, comprising the steps of: introducing the second flowable material into the second chamber; go pressurising the second chamber; 15 freezing at least a portion of the second flowable material so as to close the conduit means with frozen second flowable material; inserting the second chamber in the first chamber and introducing the first flowable material into the first chamber; sealing the first chamber; and heating the container.

8 It will be appreciated that upon he'ating, for example in the pasteurisation process, the plug of the second flowable material closing the conduit means melts.

However, an air lock barrier will be set up within the conduit means to partition the second flowable material from the first flowable material, thereby preventing mixing.

Alternatively, a thermoplastic material could be used to form a plug which will melt when the container is heated, or a burstable seal could be provided to close off the conduit means, provided that the seal will burst upon a pressure differential being established between the second chamber, and the first chamber, upon opening of the first chamber to the atmosphere.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that any of the embodiments of the invention described above may include a plurality of chambers (rather than a single second chamber), capable of delivering a plurality of different flowable materials. It will also be appreciated that different flowable materials could be transferred from different chambers in the same insert or could be transferred from separate inserts.

Typically the second chamber is substantially smaller in volume than the first chamber. In general, it is only necessary to deliver small volumes of the second flowable material to the first flowable material. In general, in the context of a beverage container, between 1 and 90% of the second head space is occupied by the second flowable material.

Typically the first flowable material is a beverage.

In one embodiment of the invention, (in which the container contains a beverage), the second flowable material comprises a colouring such as a 1% solution of tartrazine, sunset yellow, carmoisine or brilliant blue. Advantageously when the container con....ing the beverage and the tartrazine solution is opened, a colour change to the first liquid (ie, the beverage) occurs, providing a dramatic visual effect which may be transient, persisting only for a few seconds after the bottle is opened, or may be relatively long-lasting. An example of the latter would be a situation where a twist or pattern of colour is produced in the liquid. Alternatively, a substantial volume of coloured liquid may be transferred, so as to create a twolayer effect in the container. Clearly the creation of a two-layer effect is reliant on the second liquid having a density very different from that of the first liquid. In general, the second liquid would be floated on top of the first liquid but if injected from the bottom of the container, the second liquid may constitute the bottom layer of liquid.

The second liquid could also be or contain a flavouring, which may or may not be colourless. Suitable flavouring systems are essential oils in ethyl alcohol compounded flavour chemicals and essential oils with ethyl alcohol and water compounded flavour chemical with propylene glycol and essential oils wetted with wetting agents in aqueous solution with surfactants. Typically the flavours are present in 0.01-0.2% v/v. Examples of essential oils are citrus oils such as lemon, lime and orange (distilled and cold pressed), and natural spice oils such as cinnamon, buchu, peppermint and the like. Suitable flavour chemicals are in 20 general esters, aldehydes, fatty acids, lactones, and terpene alcohols. Vanillin (4-

S.

hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) is one example but other suitable flavourings would be well known to the person skilled in the art.

Where two or more liquids are delivered to the beverage the two liquids could, for example, both be colourings, in which case a spectacular visual effect would be created. This would be particularly so if they are injected into the beverage in different positions. Alteratively, both such liquids could be the flavourings, in which case gradients of flavourings could be created, particularly if a thixotropic or thickening agent is also injected into the beverage either together with one or more of the flavourings or separately. Alternatively, each liquid could be a different class of liquid, for example a flavouring and a colouring could be injected at the same time, or at different times, as desired.

It is also poss,,,e that a coloured twist, as described above, is also flavoured in which case the flavour will not permeate the entire drink immediately. Thus, gradients of flavour may be created. A typical twist is a twist of juice or juice concentrate.

Colour changes may also be induced in other ways. For example, colour formation by certain food dyes such as cochineal and anthocyanins is pH dependent, and will form different colours depending on whether they are in an acid or alkaline environment. This property could be exploited by containing a beverage at, pH, say, below 7 and using a dye in a weak basic solution as the second liquid.

When the container is opened the basic dye solution will be injected into the acidic solution in the container, and will lower the pH of the dye to somewhere below 7, initiating a colour change in the dye. A similar effect could be created by using a chelating agent as the second liquid where the presence or absence of metal ions in the dye effects the colour change in that dye.

Flavour enhancing agents could also be incorporated into the second liquid, for 9. example, the second liquid could constitute an aqueous solution of sugar, a formulated flavour or an artificial sweetener, such as phenylalanine. Whilst this is not particularly advantageous with compounds that are stable in aqueous solution, flavouring agents that are unstable in aqueous solution or flavour enhancers that are unstable in aqueous solution can be added to beverages. This enables these f agents to be used when they could not previously be used at all, or had to be added in sufficient quantities to allow for breakdown of a substantial proportion of the compound.

The second flowable material may be any other liquid or other kind of flowable material which it would be desirable to introduce into a beverage. For example, it could be a tea concentrate to be introduced into a juice drink, or vice versa Another example is the mixing of spirits and a soft drink The second liquid could also be a thixotropic or thickening agent, a pharmaceutical (and this will be advantageous when, for example, a drug is unstable in aqueous solution but can be stored as a concentrate in ethanol or some other liquid and where it is desirable to administer it by mouth as a dilute aqueous solution or where an 11 undesirable in a medicine needs to be masked), quinine concentrate for mixing with carbonated water to create tonic water, or like mixtures.

In some cases where two liquids are mixed, some people prefer more of one liquid and less of the other, or even that one liquid be excluded from the mixture.

Accordingly, the present invention also provides a container in which the concentration of the second liquid in the first liquid can be varied. One means of doing this in the embodiments of the invention where there are means for equilibrating the pressure between the first head space and the second head space, is to provide a bleed hole or valve arrangement in the cap of a bottle. This allows some of the gas from either the first head space or the second head space to be bled gradually. Irrespective of which chamber is bled, the slight pressure differential created will quickly equilibrate so there will be no discharge of the second liquid but the pressure within both head spaces is reduced. Accordingly when the first chamber is opened to the atmosphere there will be created a lesser pressure differential between the second head space and the first head space than would have been created if no gas had been bled. Accordingly, there is a lesser driving force for the second liquid to be expelled from the second chamber.

If the pressure in the container has been reduced sufficiently, not all of the second liquid will be expelled from the second chamber so the concentration of the second liquid in first liquid will be less.

Altematively, if the orifice used to equilibrate pressure between the first head space and the second head space is relatively large, the second liquid will not fully discharge. In this case there will be a tendency to rapid equalisation of pressure when the first chamber is opened to the atmosphere and this will occur to some extent before the orifice is blocked, thus reducing the pressure in the second head space.

Where the second chamber is mounted on the underside of the cap of a bottle it will be appreciated that no opportunity for any further discharge of the second liquid is available if the cap is removed or disposed of. However, if the container is sealed by replacing the cap or if the second chamber is secured within the container, pla..,ig a finger over the bottle top and shaking, the second chamber will be pressurised to some extent. When the container is reopened to the atmosphere the second liquid will discharge once again thus, if an extra strong mixture is required instructions could be included on the container to proceed in the manner described above.

Furthermore, one component of a mixture, for example an iced tea concentrate, could be excluded from a juice drink by an arrangement in which, for example, removal of a tab from the bottle cap prior to opening the bottle removes a mechanical blockage from the capillary.

The second liquid may include foaming promoters if it would be advantageous to cause foaming in the first chamber when the second liquid is injected therein.

Alternatively, the second liquid may contain foaming inhibitors if it is likely that excessive foaming would occur when the second liquid is injected into the first liquid. Suitable foaming inhibitors are lipids, fatty acids, for example oleic acid, and fatty alcohols, for example octanol, and suitable foaming promoters are finely divided salts and powders, proteinaceous materials such as may be derived from barley, and extracts from soapwoods and hops.

Advantageously, the first chamber and/or the second chamber could include active surfaces which promote nucleation. Typically these active surfaces are 20 surfaces on polyolefin structures inserted in the chamber but the entire interior of the chamber could be coated with a polyolefin. In the case of the first chamber, the provision of active surfaces enhances foaming in a beverage contained therein. In the case of the second chamber, the active surfaces maximise decarbonation of the second liquid which provides an additional driving force for discharge of the second liquid.

Tamper proof caps may also overcome the problem of excessive foaming in those beverages prone to this, by allowing the pressure to be released by partially opening the bottle, followed by a separate action to remove the cap fully Having provided an arrangement for effectively containing a first flowable material 004012139 13 and a second flowable material separately in a pressurised container, and for transferring the second flowable material into the first when the pressurised container is opened, it was found that such an arrangement could also be used to inject gas or a separately contained aliquot of the first flowable material into the major portion of the first flowable material.

Some of the arrangements described above are suitable for delivering a second liquid into a first liquid, a minor portion of the first liquid into major portion of the first liquid, or a gas into the first liquid in arrangements which do not have means for equilibrating the pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber. That is to say, a prepressurised second chamber can be inserted in a bottle or other form of container suitable for use in the invention, and can deliver its contents via the arrangements described above, and such arrangements also constitute a part of the present invention.

Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a cross-section through the upper portion of a container (in the form of a bottle) and illustrates an embodiment of the invention the subject of the 0ee** parent application with respect to the present application; o Figs. 2a-c illustrate discharge of the insert shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the bottom portion of a bottle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the bottom portion of a bottle in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and Figs. 5a-c illustrate the manner of discharge of the insert shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

004012139 14 Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention Fig 1 illustrates a bottle 10, which constitutes a first chamber, with a screw thread 11 for receiving a screw cap (not shown) formed above flange 13 so as to seal the opening 12 to the bottle. The bottle is filled close to the bottom of flange 13 with a first flowable material (in the form of a liquid 15), but a first head space 14, comprising gas at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure when the bottle is sealed, is left above the first liquid 15. In general, the first liquid 15 is a carbonated beverage and so the head space 14 pressurises upon sealing of the bottle due to evolution of gas from the first liquid 15 but if the first liquid 15 is a "still" beverage it is common practice to pressurise the bottle with nitrogen or the In this embodiment of the invention now claimed in the parent application, e an insert 16 floats on first liquid 15. The insert 16, which constitutes a second chamber, generally has a thermoplastic wall 19 enclosing a space which 15 comprises a second flowable material (in the form of a liquid 17) and second head space 18. The insert 16 has conduit means, in this case, in the form of a gooseneck capillary 20, extending from the first head space 14 through wall 19 and into the interior thereof. The gooseneck capillary comprises a first vertical portion 23, a horizontal portion 22, which extends through the wall 19 of the insert 20 16, and a second vertical portion 21. Second vertical portion 21 has an opening to the first head space 14. Furthermore, the gooseneck capillary 20 includes a small orifice 24, and the ratio of the diameter of the gooseneck capillary 20 to the diameter of orifice 24 is about 15:1. The orifice 24 is in the first vertical portion 23 of the gooseneck 20, and this portion of the gooseneck capillary 20 also includes orifice 26 opening into the second liquid 17.

The manner of discharge of the insert 16 shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated in Figs. 2a-c. In Fig. 2a the bottle is shown capped with cap 27, hence the bottle is pressurised. The pressure within the bottle 10 may be anything up to atmospheres in normal use, dependent on the beverage contained therein. With the bottle 10 in the sealed condition, as shown in Fig. 2a, the pressure in the head 004012139 1 space 14 of the bottle 10 is in fluid connection with the second head space 18 in the insert 16 by way of inlet 25 to the gooseneck capillary 20, the gooseneck capillary 20 and the small orifice 24 formed in the gooseneck capillary 20. This small orifice is sufficiently small that any pressure differential between the first and second head spaces is not equilibrated immediately, but equilibrates gradually over time. However, where there are small fluctuations in the pressure in first head space 14, perhaps as a result of minor temperature changes when a cold room or refrigerator is closed or opened, such changes are readily equilibrated without discharge of the second liquid 17.

As shown in Fig. 2b, when the cap 27 is removed the pressure in first head space 14 immediately drops to atmospheric pressure. The small orifice 24 cannot :e :equilibrate such a large pressure differential immediately. Thus, the pressure differential created by opening the bottle 10 to the atmosphere initiates a flow of .e.e the second liquid 17 through orifice 20. The second liquid 17 quickly reaches small orifice 24 and blocks any further exchange of gases through this orifice. There now remains no means of equalising the pressure differential between the first head space 14 and the second head space 18 other than by discharge of the second liquid 17. Accordingly, discharge of the second liquid 17 continues until the pressure differential no longer exists.

20 As best seen in Fig. 2c, the second liquid 17 quickly flow through outlet 24 from gooseneck capillary 20 and does so as a jet of liquid since there is a substantial driving force created by the large pressure differential generated. Thus the second liquid 17 surges through the first liquid 15, and if it is relatively miscible therewith, mixes rapidly. On the other hand, if the second liquid is not particularly miscible (perhaps as it has minimal solubility in the first liquid or because it is substantially more viscous than the first liquid), visual effects can be created where the second liquid is a colouring, or gradients of flavour can be created where the second liquid is a flavouring. Typically, a twist of a coloured flavouring agent such as a juice or cordial can be created. Alternatively, a formerly transparent drink can be coloured if a miscible colouring is added or a drink can be coloured changed if a colour change additive, as described previously, is injected.

004012139 16 Fig. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the bottom of a first chamber, in this case bottle 60, includes an insert 61 constituting a second chamber. Chambers 60, 61 correspond to chambers 11, 16 of Figures 1 and 2a- 2c, and the description above in relation to these chambers, and to the contents thereof, apply to this embodiment of the invention. The insert 61 has a wall 62 which allows it to contain second liquid 63 within its base portion 64. The insert 61 also has conduit means, in this case capillary 65 extending upwardly from the base part. The capillary 65 is straight and is in communication with the second liquid 63 through orifice 66. At its upper end, it has an orifice 67 in communication with the first liquid but the end also has back flow prevention means, in this case a flap of material 68, which acts to prevent the influx of first liquid into the capillary, **at its end. The pressure in the second head space 69 and the first head space (not shown) above the first liquid 64 is substantially equal but there is no means of allowing these pressures to equilibrate.

In order to place the insert 61 in the bottle 60, the insert is allowed to suck up a second liquid 63 through capillary action and this is done in a pressurised atmosphere with the pressure being substantially what would be expected in the sealed bottle. The second liquid 63 is frozen whilst the insert 61 is pressurised and inserted into the bottle 60. The bottle 60 is then filled and sealed. During the 20 pasteurisation process, the bottle 60 is heated whereupon the plug of frozen second liquid melts. Since the pressure inside the insert 61 has been chosen to be substantially equal to the pressure within the bottle 60, there is no substantial driving force for the second liquid to be injected into the first liquid 64 even after the plug melts. Instead, an airlock will be created within the capillary 65 and this prevents mixing with the first and second liquids. The flap of material 68 provides a backup system to prevent first liquid 64 following into the insert 61 in the event that temperature fluctuations cause a relatively large increase in the pressure in the first head space.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 3 except that the flap 68 of material is omitted.

004012139 17 As shown in Figs. 5a-c, discharge of the contents of the bottle 60 occurs when the cap (not shown) is removed. The pressure in the bottle head space will be quickly reduced to atmospheric with the result that the airlock in the capillary will no longer resist the second liquid 63, which will be injected into the first liquid 64 from the base of the bottle Variations and modifications of the invention apparent to those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of this invention.

It is also to be understood that wherever used in this specification, forms of the word "comprise" are equivalent in meaning to forms of the word "include", and 10 are not to be taken as excluding the presence of any element or feature.

o

*S