GB2077243A

GB2077243A - Taphole closures

Info

Publication number: GB2077243A
Application number: GB8113710A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Diemoulders Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Diemoulders Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1980-05-19
Filing date: 1981-05-05
Publication date: 1981-12-16
Also published as: GB2077243B; FR2482567A1; PT73038A; DE3119547A1; CA1165730A; JPS5717746A; IT1147218B; PT73038B; IT8112527A0; DK212681A; AR225670A1; BR8103153A; FR2482567B1; NZ197128A; BE888801A; ZA813209B

Abstract

A taphole closure and dispensing device for engagement with the outer end 24 of a filling socket 20 for a bag- like container 21 in a leak-free manner, the closure being adapted to receive and retain therein a dispensing tap, comprises a frangible diaphragm 29 adapted to be engaged and fractured by the tap so as to permit flow of contents from the bag-like container. The closure may be provided with means preventing rotative movement of the tap and preventing or limiting axial movement thereof once the tap has been engaged with the closure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in containers for liquids This invention relates to improvements in containers and it refers particularly, but not exclusively, to improvements in containers for liquids and/or particulate material.

So-called composite containers of the type under consideration are enjoying usage nowadays on an ever-increasing scale for the storage of beverages such as, for example, fortified or unfortified wines, spirits, fruit juices, cordials and even milk. For purposes of simplicity of explanation the ensuing description will refer in particular to containers of the "bag and box" type, now normally employed as so-called "wine casks" for the storage and packaging of wines and other alcoholic beverages. However, it should be understood that this represents merely a preferred usage for containers of the type under consideration, and that the present invention is not to be restricted solely to such a preferred usage.

It is a common practice nowadays to package wine or the pike in a bag like container having a neck fitting or socket to which a dispensing tap or the like may be connected. In general such bag like containers are first filled with wine and then an open end of the bag itself is sealed. When the present applicant's "AIRLESFLO" (Registered Trade Mark) wine cask was first introduced into the market-place some years ago it included an outer container of a relatively rigid material, for example in the form of a cardboard box or a metal can, and an inner bag-like container of a suitable plastics material wherein the wine would be placed. The inner container would first be filled with wine and then sealed across the previously opened edge or end, thereby preventing escape of wine from that inner container.The inner container was furthermore provided with a dispensing fitting or neck member which would be engaged in the outer container and which was adapted to receive a so-called dispensing tap by which the contents of the inner container itself could be dispensed.

In an alternative arrangement it was proposed to provide an inner container in the form of a sealed bag and including thereon a filler fitting or socket and a dispensing fitting or socket, with the two fittings or sockets being spaced from each other such that the bag-like contairier may be filled through the filling socket which is then sealed off to provide a secure container for the wine, which wine will be subsequently be dispensed through the second or dispensing socket having a tap or the like dispensing means connected thereto. To be more specific, once the container was filled and sealed the dispensing fitting or socket would be engaged in any known manner in the outer container and, when it was desired to dispense wine from within the inner container, a tap or the like could be inserted in the dispensing socket.

In yet a further alternative arrangement it has been known to provide an inner container incorporating therewith a dispensing tap, which tap may only be released to an operative or dispensing position relative to the outer container by opening out a slot or the like provided in the outer container and then engaging the tap in that slot.

The present invention seeks to provide an improvement in the previously mentions "AIRLESFLO" (Registered Trade Mark) type of container so as to provide an inner container having a fitting assembly through which liquid may both be fed into the inner container and subsequently dispensed from that container, with the inner container in fact initially at least being sealed by the attachment thereto of the fitting assembly previously mentioned.

The present invention furthermore seeks to provide a filling-dispensing assembly for use in and with a composite container for fluids and the like.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a bag-like inner container, for the reception and retention of liquid, having a single socket or fitting through which the bay may be filled with liquid and through which the liquid may be dispensed, and frangible diaphragm means for sealing that filling-and-dispensing socket against escape of liquid until such time as a dispensing tap has been fitted to it.

Another object is to provide a bag-like container, for the reception and retention of liquid, having a single fitting or socket through which the bag may be filled with liquid with a desired rapidity and through which the liquid may be subsequently dispensed, and means for closing the neck after filling of the bag so as to prevent the escape of liquid through it, said closoure means being adapted to receive and hold a dispensing tap in position.

A further object is to provide means for closing the opening through a filling socket of a container for liquids such that leakage or escape of liquid through the filling socket will be prevented or inhibited, the closure means being adpated to receive and hold in position a tap for dispensing the liquid contents of the container.

Yet another object is to provide a bag-like container having a filling fitting or socket, through which it may be readily filled with liquid, and a closure for that filling socket to prevent the flow of liquid from the bag, said closure being adpated to receive and hold in position a tap for the dispensing of the liquid contents of the bag and having a frangible diaphragm which will be fractured upon engagement of the tap in the closure whereby liquid will be permitted to flow from the bag through the filling socket and tap when said tap is operated.

Yet another object is to provide means for inhibiting the passage of oxygen/air to the contents of the inner container so as to increase the life of those contents should they be such that oxygen or air causes deterioration thereof.

The present invention is intended to be used in conjunction with a dispensing tap in accordance with U.S.A. Patent Number 3,448,889, although without being limited to such a tap.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying illustrative drawings, wherein: Figures 1 and 2 represent a top plan view and a side elevation respectively of a first embodiment of a filling socket for a bag-iike container; Figures 3 and 4 are a top plan view and a side elevation respectively of a first embodiment of a closure means in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the closure of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the closure of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a sectional view of a modified form of the closure of Figure 3; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention, showing the filler socket and closure in their assembly or interconnected condition; and Figure 9 is a view, similar to Figure 7, of yet a further embodiment of the invention.

The enclosed drawings illustrate a number of possible embodiments of the arrangement in accordance with the invention.

In accordance with a first embodiment, and as illustrated for example in Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a filler-dispensing socket 1 of substantially tubular cylindrical shape, of a diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the nozzle of a filling machine by which wine or the like contents is to be passed into an inner container.

At the innermost end of the socket 1 there is provided a relatively large diameter external flange 2, by means of which the socket itself may be secured to the inner bag of a composite container.

Such securement may be achieved in any known manner, as for example by means of adhesives or alternatively be welding as by the application pf heat or by the use of ultrasonics.

At the outermost end of the socket 1 there is provided a second external flange 3, of somewhat lesser radial dimension than the previously mentioned flange 2. In an especially preferred embodiment as illustrated the central portion of the first mentioned flange 2 is thickened whereby to provide, in effect, a further flange 4 of substantially the same radial dimension as the second-mentioned flange 3, with the secondmentioned flange 3 and the further flange 4 in fact being separated by a space, constituting a neck portion 5, sufficient to accommodate the material of the outer container.

At or in the vicinity of the outer end portion of the socket 1 there is provided an internal flange or rib (not shown) which is operable-to provide means for holding in position a second socket member 6 (Figures 3 to 6) for reception of a dispensing tap or the like. In an alternative arrangement the socket 1 may be provided with internal corrugations or threads for co-operation with complementary threads or corrugations provided on a means for holding in position a fitting 6 for reception of a dispensing tap.

The second socket member 6 preferably includes two substantially cylindrical concentric members 7 and 8 adapted to be interconnected at one end thereof, as for example by means of an outwardly extending flange 9. Such a flange 9 will extend outwardly from the outer rim of the innermost substantially cylindrical member 8 acrossto the adjacent end of the external substantially cylindrical member 7 and then externally of said external or outer cylindrical member 7.

As illustrated the inner substantially cylindrical member is tubular in shape, having a centrally aligned passageway 10 extending therethrough, with that passageway 10 being adapted to receive and retain a dispensing tap or the like. The external substantially cylindrical member 7 includes an external rib or projection 11 thereon adapted to engage with the internal rib of the first filler socket member 1 whereby to allow for said dispensing socket member 6 to be retained in position relative to said first socket member 1.

In the outer surface of the ouwardly extending external flange 9 of the second socket member 6 there is provided a non-circular recess 12 for engagement with a non-circular flange provided on the external surface of a barrel of a dispensing tap whereby said dispensing tap may be engaged within the filler-dispensing assembly in such a manner as to prevent rotation thereof relative tb said filler-dispensing assembly. In this regard attention is directed to Australian Patent No.

407456 of the present application relating to dispensing taps for containers for this type.

In an especially preferred embodiment, and again as illustrated in Figures 3 to 6, on the undersurface of the external flange 9 of the second socket member 6 there are provided a plurality of transverse members 13 adapted to project a sufficient distance from the surface of the flange 9 so as to engage with the external surface of the external flange at the outer end of the first socket member such that said external flange of said second socket member will be spaced from the external flange of said first socket member.

Across the end of the inner substantially cylindrical member 8 there may be provided a film or membrane 14 of plastics or other material, said film 14 serving to provide a frangible barrier against escape of contents from the container once the second socket member 6 has been interconnected with the first socket member 1.

The film 14 is preferably of a sufficient thickness that, on insertion of a dispensing tap into the inner member 8 of the second socket member 6 the film 14 will be broken whereby to permit the contents of the container to flow into the tap and from thence be dispensed. In an especially preferred embodiment both the first and second socket members 1 and 6 may be constructed of polyethylene, with the frangible film 1 4 also being constructed of that material. However it should be understood that other materials may prove equally suitable.

The film 14 may be formed integrally with the inner member 8 or may be manufactured separately and attached subsequently by gluing, welding or other suitable methods. Alternatively, or in addition, a further film (not illustrated) may be placed across the inner end of member 7. Such film would be attached by gluing, welding or other suitable methods.

In an especially preferred embodiment a flexible inner container is provided, with that inner container being constructed of what may by termed a ply-plastics material. Preferably, on the innermost surface of the ply is a plastics material of a type which will not react with the contents to be stored in the flexible bag or container. A second layer of the ply may be constructed of a plastics material of a type which will constitute a barrier to the passage, as by permeation, of air or oxygen.

There may aslo be included a third and preferably outermost layer of a relatively strong plastics material, with this third outermost layer providing strength for the composite ply. The materials desirable to achieve such results are well known and, in an especially preferred arrangement, a flexible container of the aforementioned type will include layers of polyethylene, polyvinylacetate, nylon, polyvinylalcohol, aluminium metalized polyester, or pure aluminium foil sheet, polyester or polyvinylchloride in any number of combinations or permutations.

In practice themateriai from which the bag is formed is made to the desired shape and is then sealed around the peripheral edges thereof. The bag thus formed is provided at one location with an opening of a size sufficient to accommodate the first socket member 1, which socket member 1 is inserted through that opening or placed over that opening and attached thereto by any known means, as for example by welding of the external flange 2. Thereafter the bag with first socket or filling member 1 attached thereto is filled with wine or the like to the required extent. Once filled the second socket member 6 is brought into contact with the first socket member 1 whereby to constitute a closure for that first socket member 1 and prevent escape of liquid therethrough.

When it is required to dispense contents from the container it is merely necessary to fit a tap into the passageway 10 provided by the inner substantially cylindrical member 8 to an extent such that the inner end of the tap in itself engages with and penetrates the frangible film 14 provided at the inner end of said inner substantially cylindrical member 8. Thereafter, by pushing the tap firmly home into the socket member such that the external flange provided on the surface of that tap is brought into engagement with the complementary shaped recess 12 in the external flange 9 of the second socket member 6, the tap will be firmly located such that it will be effectively non-rotatable relative to the container-fillerdispenser assembly. The tap may then be employed in the usual manner whereby to allow for dispensing of the contents of the container itself.

If desired, a removable or frangible barrier (not illustrated) may be placed across the other end of member 8 so as to prevent the ingress of dirt or other contaminants into the member 8. This barrier may be in the form of a removable closure cap; a removable label of suitable material attached to the outer surface of flange 9; an integrally moulded diaphragm across the outer end of member 8; a further diaphragm across the outer end of member 8 which would be secured by gluing or welding or other suitable methods; or any other suitable closure device.

In a further preferred embodiment a single frangible diaphragm may be positioned so as to achieve both desired results, namely to prevent unwanted outflow of liquid contents of the container during storage etc. and to prevent ingress of unwanted foreign matter and oxygen to the filling-dispensing assembly.

To refer now to Figure 7, there is shown a variation of the socket 6 of Figures 3 to 6.

Here, the socket 6' is adapted to receive and retain a dispensing tap or the like (not shown) in two separate and distinct positions, namely a first or storage position and a second or dispensing position. In the first position, the dispensing tap is located and retained in the concentric passageway of the inner substantially cylindrical member 8' of said fitting 6' without piercing or fracturing the frangible plastics material film 14'. In the second position the tap is pushed further into the fitting itself whereby to fracture the film 14' and allow for dispensing of container contents. To assist in the achieving of the abovementioned result the fitting member may be extended in the longitudinal dimension thereof and, preferably have two internal ribs 40 co-operable with complementary external ribs, slots or grooves on the barrel of a dispensing tap.

When in the first or storage position, the tap will be rotatable relative to the fitting. On the other hand, when in the second or dispensing position, once again engagement between the non-circular recess 12' of the outwardly extending flange 9' of the fitting 6' and the non-circular flange of the tap will prevent relative rotation between fitting and tap.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the subject invention, as illustrated for example in Figure 8, a filler-dispenser assembly for containers of the type under consideration takes the form of a first socket member 20 adapted to be attached to the inner container 21 and a second socket member 22 in the form of a plug adapted for insertion in the first socket member 20. In accordance with the arrangement of Figure 8 the inside surface of the first socket member 20 may be corrugated, with the external surface of the second socket member being of complementary shape whereby to allow for the provision of an effectively leak-proof connection therebetween, thus inhibiting undesirable leakage of liquid contents from the container.Alternatively the first and second socket members 20 and 22 may respectively be provided with complementary grooves or threads whereby to provide the desired interconnection therebetween. In yet a further preferred embodiment, an appropriate interconnection may be achieved merely as a result of sizing of the respective first and second socket members 20 and 22 such as to allow for a pressure of interference type fit therebetween.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 8 what may be termed the skirt portion 23 of the second socket member 22 is longer than the neck portion 24 of the first socket member 20 such that, when in position, the skirt portion 23 will extend outwardly of the first socket member 20. As illustrated the skirt portion 23 of the second socket member 22 is provided at its outermost end with an external flange 25. The second socket member 22 preferably includes a centrally located passageway 26 defined by a substantially cylindrical inner tubular member 27. The inner tubular member 27 thus provided is adapted to receive the barrel of a tap such as that made and sold under the registered trade mark "AIRLESFLO" and the subject of Australian Patent No. 407456.

At the innermost end of the second socket member 22, and extending laterally thereacross, is an end wall 28. Fastened to that end wall, in any known means as for example by welding, is a disc 29 of a suitable air-impervious plastics material, preferably of the same composition as the threeply plastics material from which the container itself is made. That disc 29 is of a thickness which will fracture when the barrel of a tap or the like is pressed into the socket member 22. Across the outer end of the socket member 22 there is provided, in an especially preferred embodiment, a film 30 of a suitable material whereby to constitute a barrier to the ingress of foreign matter into the container or the socket member.

The inner cylindrical tubular member 27 of the second socket member 22 may be constructed of any suitable length, and the length of the skirt portion 23 of the socket member 22 will be such that the material of an outer container into which the inner container 21 is to be placed will engage between the inner or lower surface of the external flange 25 and the outer end of the neck portion 24 of the first socket member 20 whereby to hold the filler-dispensing assembly against linear movement relative to the outer container.In order to hold the assembly against rotation the external surface of the skirt portion 23 of the second socket member 22, where it extends beyond the outermost end of the first socket member 20, may preferably be formed with two opposed "flats" or alternatively made of square section such that said "flats" or the opposed sides of the square section will engage with the opposite sides of a suitable slot provided in the side of the outer container.

In a modified construction of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 9, the second socket member 32, rather than be in the form of a plug for insertion into the first socket member 20, may be constructed in the form of a cap to fit over the first socket member 20. In such an arrangement interconnection between the first and second socket members 20 and 32 may be achieved in like manner to the embodiment of Figure 8, that is by means of complementary slots, grooves, ribs, threads or the like on the neck portion 33 of member 20 and the downwardly extending skirt portion 34 of member 32. In such an embodiment the second socket member 32 includes a portion 35 extending outwardly thereof, with a film 36of air-impervious plastics material being interposed between the respective members 30 and 32.

Once again in this construction the external surface of the second socket member 32 may be made of square section so as to engage nonrotatably in a slot provided in an outer container.

If the tap is of the type having a rotatable spigot it may be found necessary to provide means for preventing rotation of the barrel of that tap relative to the socket members. It may furthermore be desirable to provide means for locating the second socket or dispensing member relative to the first or filler socket member.

In the various embodiments illustrated and described, the air-imprevious plastics material employed for the barriers, films, diaphragms and so forth may be a two-layer material rather than the three-layer material previously described, including a first layer of polyethylene and a second layer of a substantially air-impervious material such as polyester or nylon. Alternatively to or in additon to the multi-ply material, it may be preferred to employ a thin layer of a material such as metallized (e.g. aluminium) foil, or suitably coated or laminated pure aluminium sheet depending on the contents to be protected, which may be fastened adhesively ta the inner end of the second or dispensing socket member. This multiply construction allows the frangible films or diaphragms to seal around the entry or piercing portion of the tap as the diaphragm or film is being ruptured. This prevents any unwanted leakages and oxygen ingress. A further modification would be to coat the outer surface of the second socket member with a very thin layer of a suitable substantially air-impervious material.

Finally, it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.

Claims

1. A closure and dispensing means for engagement with the outer end of a filling socket for a bag-like container, said closure means being adapted for engagement with said filling socket in a substantially leak-free manner, said closure means including means for receiving and retaining therein a dispensing tap, and at least one frangible diaphragm across at least part of said closure means, said at least one diaphragm being adapted to be engaged and fractured by said tap so as to permit flow of contents from bag-like container.

2. A closure and dispensing means as claimed in Claim 1, including means for restraining said tap against rotational movement relative thereto.

3. A closure and dispensing means as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further including means for restraining said tap against longitudinal movement relative to said closure and dispensing means.

4. A closure and dispensing means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said frangible diaphragm is constructed of an air-impervious material.

5. A closure and dispensing means as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said closure further includes a second restraining means for restraining said tap against unwanted longitudinal movement, said second restraining means being adapted to retain said tap in an interim position prior to said tap fracturing said diaphragm.

6. A closure and dispensing means as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said frangible diaphragm is formed integrally with said closure.

7. A closure and dispensing means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein there is provided a removable film in addition to said frangible diaphragm.

8. A filler-dispenser assembly for containers for fluids and/or particulate material, said assembly including: a first socket member adapted to be located on said container whereby to allow for filling thereof with said fluid or particulate material; and a second socket member adapted to co-operate with said first socket member whereby to seal the container when filled, said second socket member further including means allowing for receiving and retaining therein of a dispensing means whereby to allow for dispensing of the contents of said container.

9. The assembly as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said second socket member includes a frangible diaphragm at or in the vicinity of the inner end thereof, said frangible diaphragm being adapted in use to be pierced by said dispensing means.

10. The assembly as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein said dispensing means is in the form of a tap having a ndn-circular outer flange thereon, and wherein said second socket member includes a recessed portion of a shape complementary to said flange of said tap whereby to retain said tap against rotational movement relative to said second socket member.

11. A dispensing socket for containers for fluids and the like, said socket being adapted to be positioned on said container whereby to allow for dispensing of the contents thereof, said socket including a frangible diaphragm across the inner end thereof and means for receiving and retaining a dispensing means therein whereby to pierce said frangible diaphragm and allow for passage of the container contents therethrough.

12. A bag-like container incorporating a fillingand dispensing socket having a passageway through which liquid may be caused to flow into the bag-like container and through which liquid may be dispensed, and fitted to the outer end of the socket a closure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 inclusive.

1 3. A bag-like container having a filling-anddispensing socket with, engaged thereon, a substantially leak-free closure for the outer end of the socket, said closure having a means associated therewith for the reception of a tap in a substantially leak-free manner, a frangible diaphragm across the closure so as to constitute a barrier to the flow of liquid through the closure, the diaphragm being so arranged that upon insertion of a suitable tap into the closure the diaphragm will be fractured to permit flow of liquid from the container into and through the tap, and means for retaining the tap in correct position relative to the closure.