CA2026173A1 - Container for dispensing carbonated liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING CARBONATED LIQUIDS

A container, such as a soda siphon, comprises a vessel (2) of blow-moulded plastics material, such as PET. A valve assembly (20), similar to those commonly used with aerosol containers, is received in a neck (6) of the vessel (2). A dispensing head (8) is fitted to the neck (6) over the valve assembly (20). The head (8) has an actuating element (28) which fits over an outlet tube (24) of the valve assembly (20). The actuating element (28) is hinged (at 34) to the rest of the dispensing head (8) and has a passageway (32) which communicates with an outlet nozzle (12). Depression of the actuating element (28) causes the valve to open, and the carbonated liquid flows through the outlet tube (24), the passageway (32) and the outlet nozzle (12).
The construction of the container means that its components can be made economically, so that at least the vessel (2) and the valve assembly (28) (and possibly also the dispensing head (8) may be disposable when the contents have been used.

Description

2~6173 ~hi~ in~rentlon x~l~te~ to oontal~er~ ~o~
5 ~i~pen~ g carbon~t~d ll~uid~ and i~ p rticularly, ~ltho~gh not exclu~ivaly, e~noe~rled wl~h ~od~ siphon~
~nd ~milar di~pen~er~ for c~rbon~t~d ~o~t drlnka.
Conv~ntionally, h~7y glA~ bottle~ hav;a been emplo~ed f~r uY~ ~a soda ~iphon~, i n order to with~tand 10 the hlgh in exnal pre~sure~ ~up ~co app~oxlm~tely ten atmosph~re~) which axe u~ed. ~owevex, r~lox~ xe~erltly, ~t has been pr~po~ed, or ox~pl~ in ~P-A-0164~18, that blow-moulded pla~tics contalrlero, ~or ex~le o~
polyethyl~netere~h~chal~e ~P~T~ ~ould be u~ed.
15 ~ow~vex, both o~nvontional ~od~ ~iphon~ ~nd tbo~
p~opoRed in ~P~ 0154~18 e~np~oy relatlve~y c~plax valv~ mechanism3 or ~ n~ the ~onton~, an~
oone~u~ntly the oYerall ~08t ol~ th~ ~o~t~iner rem~inn ~o~awha~ hi~h. ~he xa~ult o~ th~ iq ~hat ~t 1~
20 ~o~wh~t uD~cono~ to p~odua~ a wholly diaposa~ oda slphon. ln~t~d, ~h~ v~lve m~chanla~, ~nd poouibly al~o the bottle, h~ to b3 rou~bl~
Accordl7~g to the pr~6nt invention ther~ 1~
2S provided a oor~tainer ~or dispen~ing carl~on~t~d liq7~ld~, ~ompriain~ ~ ve~el which i~ form~d by blow ~oulding e pl~ti~ t~ial. ~he v~el h~ ~ n~qk whlab l~
clo~d b~ lve Aa~o~ly h~ving ~n op~r~t~ng ~ ent wh~h 1~ axlally di~pl~ bl~ to op~n the val~e. ~he 30 conta~n~r ~loo h~ dn~ing h3ad 3~0u~d on ~b~
n~clc. ~he diap~ lng h~a~ has ~n ou~le~ ~o~zl~
con~un~tinq w1th the v~ ou'$19'c, ~nd an ~o~u~tçr alem~nt which ia ~nanuglly ~p~r~b'le So di4pl~ th~
v~lvo outlet to open the vdlve. ~h~ a~tuator ~lem~nt 35 h~ ~ pa~agaway provlding ooa~un~a~tion betwo~n th~
lnte~io~ o th~ ~e~el ~n~ th~ out~t no~%le whsn ~h~

.

2~)2~73 ve 1B o~?en .
q'he ~lve a~eml:~ly m~, for ~x~ple, c~r~e ~
valvo of tha ty~ co~unonly uoed lr~ ~ero~ol ~ pens~a, in whiah the oper~tiny m~Dbe~ ie ln the orm o~ ar~
5 outlet tu~e whiah i~ c~le~ed at i~ low~r ond and h~
on~ or ~nore hole3 in 1~ ~lde w~11 whlch hole~ ~rs nox~ally aloaed by an ~laatomeric~ ling e~e~ent .
~urroundl;lg ~he ~ube. Wh~n the outle~ tub~ 1~
d~pr~s~d, ths hola~ in th~ ~id~ w~ r~ opened to thb 10 interior o~ tha ~s~ nd the aonkont~ c~n ~low 1~to th~ outle~ tube to b~ di~p~n~e~.
In an e~lt~ tivo emboti~en~, the ~p~ratlng nt ~nay ~ a o1O~ure ~eml:er dl~po2ed wi~hln the body o~ th~ Ya1Ye, ~he ~tu~'clr~g ~ nt oxtendin~
15 thr~ugh ar~ oponin~ in th~ ~alve ~ to angag~ the c~lo~u2~e ~nem~er .
pr~r~d oDIbodim~nt~ ~h~ valv~ ~ly h~
A ~e~ la~ge whl~h ~ crlmp~d to thH n~ c o~ th~
v~ l, for ~x~ple ov~ ~ b~d form~d ~t the neck.
20 ~h~ di~pen~lng h~d ~ay be ~ cn~p 21t o~r~x the ~lve ~o~e~bly, $or oxuoplc over ~he c~lmp~l.p~rt o~ the flan~ h~ gQW~y ~ay ~ provlded lr~ a hollow pro~ectloTl o~ th~ aatu 'c~r ~le~er~, whl~h p~o~octlon ~n~age~ th~ Y~lV~ op~rating ~l~merlt~ ~hu~, when th~3 ~5 actue.to~ eloment 1}~ do~e~ad~ th~ op~3rat~ng elo~oT~t 1 also dap~G~e~ ao Bl~ tC) op~n the ~lv~ ~Ind allow ~h~
~ontan~ of the VOf~8~3l to $10w to tho outl~t no~lo.
~h~ aotuAtor ~l~m~nt 1~ ~pro~ bly h~ng~d to the r~8t o~ ~he h~s.d, ~or ~x~mplo by ~e~ns OI ~ h~ngQ ~itu~t~d 30 At the ~unc~ion ba~w~ h~ p~qsag~ ln th~ a~tuAtor ~le~nt ~nd the outl~t nozxle, ~rh~ n~tuato~ n~
~y inlti~lly s.l~o be ~oImsotGd to tho ~o~ P th~ h~lAd ~y a breakoble b~ ot whlch ~e~ Ac~ n~l op~r~tlon o4 the y~ b~ox~ tha~corlt~lnor ~aohoo th~
35 end ~on~ r, and ~l~o provld~s an lnd~c~tlon o~
t~mp~ring.
.

~' .
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~02~ 3 ~..
A a~p 2~ay be provided on the ~1MPenB1ng h~d, ~r prote~tin~ the ~tuak~r ~le~ent during tran~port ænd r~t~il dl~play o~ th~ ~ontain~r, ~nd po~ ly ~ a~
~l~e~ when the oontaLr~r i~ n~t b~ing u~ed to dl~pe~n~a S 1 lqul.d Figur~ do v~ow oi~ ~ soda ~phon~
Figur~ 2 i8 a top vlcw o~ h~ ~o~la Hiphon o:~
Fi~ur~ l with a du~t a~p ~mov~d;
~iguro 3 i~ a p~tial ~ctiorlal view o~ Q
~i~pQnain~ head o~ ~he sod~ hon, again wl~h th~ ~u~t cap retnoved; arld Flyur~3 4 ~hc~ws ~ alterrlatlvo embod~mer~t og the dispen6 ~ n~ h~ad .
Th~ soda ~ipho~ of Flg~ 1 ao~pr~ A Ye~B~el ln the orm o~ ~ ~o~tle ~ ~ormed ~o~ P~ y ~low-mouldlngO AB a reaul~ Or th~ blow-mouldin~ proo~
th~ low~r r~ n o~ th~ bottl~ ho~ ph3rlcnl~ ~nd 20 30 ~q base oup 4 1~3 pxo~rided to enabl~ the ood~ ~lE;hon to ~tand uprlght. ~t ~h~ t~p~ th~ ~ott~ 2 L~ for~d ~nto ~ neck 6, and thi~ ne~k 1~ ~3rovld~d w~th A
dispen~ g ho~d ~. ~he ~i~p~nsing h~ad ~ w~ e de~crib~d in moro dot 11 ~l'ch r~eræn~ to ~igur~ 3, 2~ but, as ~hown ~n Fl~ur~ co~ri~e3 ~ ~Xlr~ lO rom wh$oh pro~ect~ an outlot nozzle 12 .
~ he d~ en~ng heAd 8 pArtlally enclo~s D. ~Alve a~a~bly ha~r3.ng 4r~ inl~t ~pigot 14 to which 1~
ooJ~n~oted a dip tuba 15 ~xtendin~ to th~ bot~co~ o~ the 30 bottl~
~ he di~p~noin~ h~ad 8 i~ p~o~ ed with ~ ~nap~on oap la.
R~errln~ to Fl~ur~ 2 land 3 lt ~An ~ n th~t the valv~ a~ombly 20 ~lt~ w~thin tho ff~ak 6 o~ th~
35 bot~l~ 2, and haa n ~lan~ a2 whtch 1~ ~rlmped o~er d b~ad $orD)ed at th~ ~outh o~ the bottl~. ~be ~al~70 h~

, ` ` :

:

2~2~3 ~ outlet tube ~4 . 7~h~ valv~ a~em~ly ~0 i~ of the~
typ~ commonly u~ed lr~ aero~ol di~pen~ers, ~lthough lt lleed~ to be modifi~d in o~dex l;o a~o~pt ~he relatlvely lf~rg~ ~low rAte~ requlx~d o:~ o, ood& ~lph~n. ~oro 5 sp~3cifica~11y~ the outl~t t~b~ 24 i8 p~o~id~d with one ox moxe hole~ ln lt~ ~Lde wall whioh, wh~n th~ v~lve i~
olo~ed, ars ~losç~d by e,n al~com~rlc ~e~lih~ rinq acco~od~t~d wlthin the ~ody o~ th~ vælv~ A~ bly. ~y depxe~ g the ou1:1&t ~ube 2~, ~ho hol~ or hole~ in the 10 outlet ku~ ~o~ Away from the ~eallnq ring, ~r~d ~llow li~uid to ~w up th-a dip tUbQ 1~;, throu~}~ the hole o~
hole~ lnto the outlRt tube ~ t~ b~ di~p~ ed fx~m ~he o~tl~t ~oæ~le 12.
æhe outlot tub~ 2~ ~its within a bo~e~ 26 ~ormed ~ n 15 a pro~ectiI~g portion ~a 0~ ~n elctuator ~l~ml3nt 30 o~
the dl~pen~ing he~d 8. ~h~ bore 26 ~o~us~i~ate~ wa.th A
p~BB~lgO 32 whlah~ ln turrl~ ~on~ur~lc~e~ with thR.
~n~er~or o~ ~ch~ outlot noz~l~3 12.. ~h~ p~ag~ 32 and the lnt~lo~ of kh~ outlet Tloæ~l~ 12 have d~vorg~n~
20 wall~ to ~nnble tho c~srkon~t~d ~ont~nt~ o~ th~ bottl~
~o ~xp~nd a~ ~bey ~r~ di~perl~d.
Althc~u~h ~-h~ to~:ior o~ the nozzle 12 i8 ~howr~ ~a ~e$n~ ~oothly dlv~rq~nl:, ~h~ ~A~lat~on ln ~ro~
se~tlor~ ~ay occur ln A ~epp~d ~anner.
~S At l;he po~:ion 34 wher~ th~ pa3~ag~ 32 ad~oin~
tho ~kirt 10, ~d oonnoqu~ntly th~ outlot nozzl~
t~ wall o~E ~h-3 paD~e ~2 ~ n~ok~d to ~7rov~de a hlnge ~o that thc Aotuator 01e~ent 30, lnoludi~g ~ho pro~tior~ 28, oæ~n ~e d~pr~ed m~nually rol~tiY01y to 30 thd ~klr~ 10 and tl~ outl~t 3~0zzl~ 12 A~ ~how~ in ~use 3~ 3 ~ad 36 mn0 part~
~und the top o~ tb~ skirt 10. ~h~ $~ ~o~ ring ~he oap la.
In UBe, the bo~ 2 will aontRin ~ aarb~na'ced 35 drlt~k, ~uoh a~ ~oda wAt¢r. ~h~ oap 18 w~ a ~i~ct~dl a~ter the ~oda ~lphon ha~ b~or~ d, in ord~ to .. . .. .

2~32~.1173 _5--~?rote~t ~he actuator ~la~n~ 3~ ~rom c~on~z~ina~ion. ~t rlal~ Eup~l~meslt~ 'che l~e~kable brid~o 3~ in avoiding a~41del1t~1 o~or~tlon o~ tho ~uator elem~nt 30, Th~
¢ap will ;~main Oll the ooda ~l~hon du~ln~ t~nuport ~Ind S re'c~11 di~play~ but will b~ removed by the pu~çh~er be~ore ~lr~t u~e o~ tho ~oda ~iphon.
Upon fi~st u~ th~ ua~r wlll nQed to eXert enough preeeuXe ~ the aC:tUfltor el~nent 30 to ~re~lc the 2~ridge ~ ~o as to allow ~-h~ 2ctuator al~aent 30 to be 10 depres~ed. Thi0~ ill turn~ Will depre~3 th~ outl~t tUb~
34 of tha ralv~ 20, allowlng the ~on'cent~ o tho ~oda ~i~hon to be di~h~:~g~d throu~h the c~utl~t r~o~æle 12 .
~he drop ln pr~sur~ a~ the ~aodzl w~t~r 3xpand~ duxing it~ tr~el throu~h tha o~tlet nozzl~ 12 to the ~mbio~t su~oundin~s will ~u~e bu~ble~ of c~rbon dloxi~ to ~orm, BO givi~g th~ Rod~ w~t~x ~t~ ~h~ terl~ia ~parkling ~uality.
The di~pen~in~ head 8, lncludln~ tha ~kir~ lO~ ~h~
outlet nozzl~ 12 And the A~uator olo~ent 30, 60n~t~ua~0d 3~ ~ onQ-plec~ ~oulding Pxo~ plaatl~
mat~ial. Al~o, boc~u~ th~ valv0 20 1~ o~ ~
conventional ~a~lgn lalb~it alightly ~odifiod), l~ a~n be manuPactured in large qua~ti~le~ ~t l~w co~t. ~ho entlxQ ~od~ sipho~ can tb~ b~ ~anufa~tured ~t ~n ~conomio c~3t ~o AB ko b~ di~pos~le ln it~ entlrety ~hen the 04ntont~ ax~ ~lnl~hed.
In th~ ~mbodlm~nt shown ln Piyure 4, th~ actua~or ~loment 30 l~ for~d with a levar 4~ whi~h 1~ dep~e~e~
by ~he u~r to di~harge the oonten~ Th~ lov~r 30 i~
inltially ~onn~ctod to ~ top wAll 42 o~ ~h~ p~sln~
head B by A broa~b10 b~id~ 38. Upon ~ir~t u~ o th~
~od~ ~ip~on, the br~d~ 38 1~ tor~ away by the u~
~n other re~pe~t~, ~he ~bo~Lm~nt o~ ~igure 4 1 gen~lly ~imilar to thAt o~ Plgure~ 1 to 3 Xn the e~bodlmont~ do~a~lbod, th~ ~o~t~nt~ o~ th~
oontaLner 1~ ~ aArbonat~d dx~nk, ~nd th~ ~rbon dloxlde -202~1 73 ln ~uch llqul~ 0erv0~ to p~ url~e the ao~lt~lner to dl~per~e the c:oJ~t~n~ lto~natiYely~ other pre~surlzln~ ~gents, ~uch A~ rlitrogen may be u~sd.
Thu~, ~h~ ~ont~lnqx may bo u~od ~or di~p~ ng 1uld3 5 other ~harl o~rbon~ted drin~c~, for ex~mple crea~, yogh~rt and o'chor vi~aou~ ox ~ Y~ ou ~ tancea-

Claims (10)

1. A container for dispensing carbonated liquids, the container comprising:
a vessel which is formed by blow-moulding a plastics material, the vessel having a neck;
a valve assembly situated in the neck and having an outlet and an operating element which is axially displaceable to open the valve for flow through the valve outlet;
a dispensing head mounted on the neck, the dispensing head having an outlet nozzle communicating with the valve outlet, and having an actuator element which is manually operable to displace the valve outlet to open the valve;
the actuator element having a passageway providing communication between the interior of the vessel and the outlet nozzle when the valve is open.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the operating member is in the form of an outlet tube, the interior of which constitutes the valve outlet.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, in which the outlet tube is received within the passageway in the actuator element.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the valve assembly comprises a metal flange which is crimped to the neck of the vessel.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the dispensing head is a snap fit over the neck of the vessel.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the actuator element is hinged to the outlet nozzle.

7. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the dispensing head comprises a main body, the outlet nozzle projecting outwardly of the main body, and the actuating element being hinged to the main body in the region of the junction between the passageway in the actuating element and the outlet nozzle.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7, in which the hinge is defined by a narrowed region of the material of the dispensing head.

9. A container as claimed in claim 7, in which the actuating element is initially connected to the main body by a breakable bridge.

10. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the dispensing head is a one-piece moulding.