GB2640283A - Container, system and method for filling container - Google Patents

Abstract

A container 2 comprising a closure 1 for controlling the flow of liquid into and out from the container. The closure is tamper-proof or tamper-evident to deter or prevent removal of the closure by an unauthorised person. The closure comprises a liquid passage 26, and a liquid valve 28 moveable between open and closed positions, the liquid passage is arranged to permit the flow of liquid under the action of gravity when the liquid valve is in the open position. The liquid passage comprises a directing surface 46 arranged to receive liquid entering the closure through the opening of the liquid passage and defining a pathway for the flow of liquid along the directing surface, the pathway extends into the container to a position beyond a neck 4 of the container. The closure further comprises a vent pathway 56 to permit a counterflow of air through the closure from an internal space of the container, when the liquid valve is in the open position. A system and method for filling or refilling a container is also claimed.

Description

Container, system and method for filling container The present invention relates to a container comprising a tamper-proof or tamper-evident closure, and, in particular, to a closure permitting a container to be filled without removal of the closure. The present invention further relates to a system and method for filling a liquid container, wherein containers for storing and transporting liquids can be reused a number of times, with minimal processing of the containers being required between uses and with minimal wastage of material.

The supply of liquids for industrial, commercial and/or retail applications, such as concentrated chemical cleaning systems, requires the liquid to be stored in appropriate containers for distribution from the supplier to the user. Reusability of such containers is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, as the supplier (or whoever is responsible for placing the container into the market) is becoming increasingly responsible for the entire lifecycle of the container. Thus, it is desirable for the supplier to retrieve empty containers from the user, such that the container can be refilled and redistributed. This reduces the number of used containers being sent to landfill or being recycled and thus has obvious environmental benefits.

A problem arises from the fact that the supplier has little or no control over how a container is used whilst in the possession of a user. It is possible that the container may be used for other purposes, such as to store and/or transport liquids other than the liquid originally supplied in the container. Furthermore, the container may be used carelessly leading to contamination of the container. For example, the container may be left uncovered (e.g. with a cap of the container removed), thus introducing the possibility of liquids or other contaminants entering the container.

Since the supplier has little or no control over the use of the container, when processing the container for reuse the supplier must decontaminate the container by washing, rinsing or otherwise removing residual liquid from the container before the container can be refilled and redistributed. This creates a significant burden on the supplier and increases the costs involved with reusing containers. Furthermore, the necessary processing can be energy intensive, and thus the environmental benefits of reusing containers are diminished. Still further, when decontaminating the container, the supplier must ensure that waste chemicals are appropriately disposed of. These factors reduce the motivation for suppliers to reuse containers.

Various closure systems are known which seal the container to prevent contamination during transport and storage, and to limit the user's ability to remove the closure. In extreme example, the closure may be formed integrally with or permanently fixed to the container, such that removal by the end user is not possible. Valve arrangements within the closure permit the end user to access the contents of the container, for example by attachment of a pump to withdraw liquid from the container via a dip tube extending into the container, without the need for the end user to remove the closure. Accordingly, it becomes very difficult for the container to become contaminated, allowing the majority of containers to be returned to the supplier and refilled for subsequent redistribution.

Whilst the use of such containers allows the supplier to restrict the end user from opening the container, thus limiting or preventing contamination of the container whilst outside of the supplier's possession, refilling of the container at the supplier end is complicated, even if the burden of processing (washing/decontaminating) is reduced. Typically, where a tamper-evident closure is used, the closure can be removed from the container by destruction of the tamper-evident mechanism. The container is then refilled, and the closure can be refitted with a new tamper-evident mechanism, or an entirely new closure can be fitted altogether. In either case, processing time is increased and materials are wasted, which increases the cost to the supplier.

It is an object of the present invention to address the above problems.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container comprising a closure for controlling the passage of liquid into and out from the container, wherein the closure is a tamper-proof or tamper-evident closure arranged to deter or prevent removal of the closure by an unauthorised person, the closure comprising a liquid passage arranged to permit the passage of liquid through the closure, in use, and a liquid valve moveable between an open position, in which liquid is permitted to flow through the closure via an opening of the liquid passage, and a closed position, in which liquid is prevented from flowing through the closure via the opening of the liquid passage, wherein the liquid passage is arranged to permit the flow of liquid therethrough under the action of gravity when the liquid valve is in the open position, wherein the liquid passage comprises a directing surface arranged, in use, to receive liquid entering the closure through the opening of the liquid passage and defining a pathway, preferably a continuous pathway, for the flow of liquid along the directing surface, said pathway extending into the container to a position beyond a neck of the container, the closure further comprising a vent pathway arranged to permit a counterflow of air through the closure from an internal space of the container, when the liquid valve is in the open position.

Within the context of this specification, including the appended claims, the terms "tamper-proof closure" and "tamper-evident closure" are to be construed as follows. The term "tamper-proof closure" refers to a closure which is arranged to engage with the container so as to prevent removal of the closure from the container by an unauthorised person. For example, a "tamper-proof closure" may be engaged with the neck of a container by a locking mechanism, requiring a specific tool to remove the closure. Such a tool may only be available to the supplier, meaning that only the supplier is able to remove the closure, and a user is not able to remove the closure when the container is in their possession. The term "tamper-evident closure" refers to a closure which is removable from the container by any person, however any such removal is immediately evident.

Thus, it can readily be determined if the closure has been removed.

With the arrangement of the present invention, the container can be refilled by passing liquid through the liquid passage of the closure. The liquid passage is arranged to permit the flow of liquid therethrough under the action of gravity, allowing the container to be refilled by transferring liquid under gravity. Even where liquid is pumped into the container, by arranging the liquid passage to permit the flow of liquid under the action of gravity alone, fast refilling times can be achieved. Importantly, however, the liquid passage also permitted liquid to be dispensed from the container through the same opening (i.e. through the same liquid passage used to fill the container) under the action of gravity, for example by pouring. Liquid could alternatively be pumped out of the container through the liquid passage (or another passage). The container of the present invention therefore has a common closure that permits liquid to be dispensed from the container in a variety of modes, depending on the application. At the same time, the container can be easily refilled with liquid without the need to remove the closure, thus reducing processing time at the supplier end.

Filling a container through the closure may be problematic where the liquid being transferred is a foaming liquid, such as a detergent or detergent solution, for example. Since the liquid enters the container at the closure, and therefore at the top of the container, the liquid typically falls to the bottom of the container, wherein the turbulence experienced by the liquid when hitting the bottom of the container (or hitting the surface of liquid already dispensed into the container) causes the generation of a foam head. It will be appreciated that this is undesirable. To address this issue, in the present invention, the liquid passage of the closure comprises a directing surface arranged to receive the liquid entering the container through the closure and provide a pathway for the flow of liquid along the directing surface into the container.

The pathway defined by the directing surface extends at least to a position beyond the neck of the container, however it will be appreciated that it is desirable that the directing surface extends as far towards the bottom of the container as possible. By directing the liquid along a continuous surface, a laminar flow of liquid is produced, thus reducing the turbulence experienced by the liquid on entering the container and minimising foaming.

The directing surface is preferably a continuous surface, but could conceivably comprise a plurality of surfaces arranged to collectively define a pathway extending towards the bottom of the container. For example, the directing surface may comprise a portion that is part of the closure, and that defines a pathway to an internal surface of the container, such as an internal wall. Liquid can thus travel along the directing surface towards the internal surface, and subsequently travel along the internal surface of the container to or towards the bottom of the container. By travelling substantially continuously along the pathway defined by the directing surface and the internal surface of the container, turbulence experienced by the liquid is minimised, thus reducing foaming.

However, it is preferred that the directing surface of the closure is a substantially continuous surface extending to a position at or near to the bottom of the container.

At the same time, the closure maintains a vent pathway permitting a counterflow of air through the closure from an internal space of the container, when the liquid valve is in the open position. Thus, with the arrangement of the present invention, foaming of liquid entering the container is minimised, whilst also allowing for the necessary equilibration of pressure within the container during a filling operation.

The vent pathway is preferably arranged to permit a counterflow of air from an internal space of the container, through the opening of the liquid passage. Accordingly, the same opening of the closure allows for the passage of liquid into the container and the passage of displaced air out of the closure.

Preferably, a portion of the vent pathway is located upstream relative to an upstream end of the directing surface. In this regard, the terms upstream and downstream herein refer to the direction of the flow of liquid into the container through the liquid passage. By locating a portion of the vent pathway upstream of the directing surface, liquid can be directed from the opening of the liquid passage onto the directing surface to be transferred to the bottom of the container, whilst air can be vented out of the container through the same liquid opening. A separate vent opening in the closure is not required.

As discussed, it will be appreciated that the greater the extent to which the directing surface extends into the container, the less turbulence that liquid entering the container will experience. Therefore, in preferred embodiments, the container has a maximum internal height and the pathway defined by the directing surface extends to a position beneath a halfway point along the maximum internal height of the container. Put another way, the container has an internal upper surface and an internal lower surface, and the pathway defined by the directing surface extends to a position that is closer to the internal lower surface than the internal upper surface. In this regard, it will be appreciated that the upper and lower surfaces may not be flat, and that the position of the upper and lower surfaces in a height direction are defined by the uppermost part of the internal upper surface, or the lowermost part of the internal lower surface, respectively. This helps to minimise foaming of liquid entering the container.

The pathway defined by the directing surface may preferably extend to a position less than cm from an internal lower surface of the container, more preferably less than 5 cm from an internal lower surface of the container.

At least a portion of the directing surface may have a substantially concave form. The concave form may be an arc and may be, for example, an internal surface of a tubular member. This configuration assists the directing surface in receiving, retaining and directing liquid within the container.

Preferably, the liquid passage comprises a tubular member in fluid communication with the opening, and the directing surface is defined by an internal surface of the tubular member. The tubular member may be flexible or rigid. The tubular member may be cylindrical.

The tubular member preferably has an internal diameter that is larger than a diameter of the opening of the liquid passage to facilitate transfer of liquid from the liquid opening to the directing surface.

The tubular member may at least partially accommodate the liquid valve, when the liquid valve is in the open position.

The vent pathway may extend from a position external to the tubular member to the opening of the liquid passage. This allows for a counterflow of air from the internal space of the container through the opening of the liquid passage, while liquid is also flowing through the same opening, into the tubular member, to be directed by the internal surface of the tubular member.

Foaming of liquid is minimised, whilst also allowing air to be easily displaced from the container during a filling operation. Fast filling speeds can therefore be achieved, with minimum foam being generated. To achieve this, the closure may comprise an aperture located upstream relative to a position at which liquid is received by the internal surface of the tubular member, said aperture providing the vent pathway extending from a position external to the tubular member to the opening of the liquid passage. The closure may comprise one or more gaps provided between an upstream end of the tubular member and an upper internal surface of the closure, the opening of the liquid passage being provided in said upper internal surface of the closure, said gap or gaps providing a vent pathway from a position external to the tubular member to the opening of the liquid passage. In one particular embodiment, the closure comprises a downwardly projecting connecting portion surrounding the opening of the liquid passage, an upstream end of the tubular member being connected to or formed integrally with said connecting portion so as to secure the tubular member to the closure (the tubular member extending into the internal space of the container), wherein one or more gaps are provided in the connecting portion or in the upstream end of the tubular member to define a vent pathway extending from a position external to the tubular member to the opening of the liquid passage. The connecting portion may be an annular portion extending around a circumference of the opening of the liquid passage.

The closure may further comprise an additional fluid passage, separate to the liquid passage, the fluid passage arranged to permit fluid flow through the closure via an opening of the fluid passage, in use, and a fluid valve moveable between an open position and a closed position to control the passage of fluid through opening of the fluid passage, wherein the fluid passage is located radially inwardly of the liquid passage. The fluid passage provides an additional pathway for the transfer of fluid into or out from the container. The fluid passage may, for example, comprise a dip tube arranged to extend towards a bottom of the container. The fluid passage can thus be used to draw liquid from the container in a dispensing operation, by drawing or forcing liquid up the dip tube and out of the opening of the fluid passage, which may be connected to an appropriate duct of a dispensing mechanism to direct the dispensed liquid as desired. In such embodiments, the liquid passage (which is used for the transfer of liquid into the container when filling the container), may be used as a vent passage in a dispensing operation (i.e. when liquid is being transferred out of the container), to allow air to be drawn into the container to replace dispensed liquid and maintain equilibrium pressure within the container during a dispensing operation.

In other embodiments, the liquid passage may serve as a liquid passage both when filling the container with liquid and when dispensing liquid from the container. This may be the case particularly where the container is arranged to dispense liquid under the action of gravity, for example by upturning the container to pour liquid out of the container. In such embodiments, the fluid passage may serve as a vent passage during a dispensing operation, allowing air to be drawn into the container to replace liquid dispensed through the liquid passage.

In either case, by locating the fluid passage radially inwardly of the liquid passage, the dimensions of the liquid passage can be made sufficiently large to allow the container to be refilled by passing liquid through the liquid passage, with fast flow rates and minimum turbulence. Also, the arrangement permits the flow of liquid through the liquid valve under the action of gravity when dispensing liquid from the container, without necessarily requiring additional means to draw liquid from the container, such as an external pump and/or pressurisation of the headspace within the container. Accordingly, liquid can be dispensed from the container under the action of gravity alone, or using additional means (e.g. pump or headspace pressurization), permitting the same container and closure to be used for a wide range of dispensing modes.

Preferably, the fluid valve is housed within the liquid valve. The fluid passage and liquid passage are preferably concentric. Such arrangements further facilitate achieving the desired dimensions of the liquid passage to allow the flow of liquid therethrough when filling the container or when dispensing liquid from the container through the liquid passage under the action of gravity.

Preferably, a ratio of the total area of the liquid passage at a point of maximum restriction within the liquid passage to the total area of the fluid passage at the point of maximum restriction within the fluid passage is at least 5 to 1, preferably at least 10 to 1 and in some embodiments may be at least 20 to 1.

The location of the point of maximum restriction in the liquid passage and/or the area of the liquid passage at the point of maximum restriction in the liquid passage, when the liquid valve is in the open position, may be variable depending on the extent to which the liquid valve is opened.

Accordingly, the liquid valve can be opened to varying extents depending on the required flow rates of the filling or dispensing operation and the particular liquid being transferred through the liquid passage. For example, the closure may comprise a liquid opening and a liquid valve member arranged to close the opening. As the liquid valve member is moved to the open position, an annular gap will be created between the inner circumference of the opening and the outer circumference of the liquid valve member. This annular gap may form the point of maximum restriction within the liquid passage. As the liquid valve member is moved further relative to the opening, the separation between the inner circumference of the opening and the outer circumference of the liquid valve member increases, and thus the position and total area of the annular gap also increased. Accordingly, the location of the point of maximum restriction will varying according to the extent to which the liquid valve is opened.

The liquid passage and liquid valve may be arranged such that the liquid valve is moveable to an open position in which the point of maximum restriction in the liquid passage is located at an opening of the liquid passage, said opening representing, in use, a final point of exit for liquid passing through the liquid passage of the closure from a container to which the container is fitted.

Such an arrangement allows the area of the liquid passage at the point of maximum restriction, and thus the flow rate of liquid through the closure, to be varied according to extent to which the liquid valve is opened. Accordingly, the same closure may be suitable for a range of filling or dispensing operations depending on the specific application.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for filling a liquid container with liquid, the system comprising a container according to the first aspect, the system further comprising a filling element arranged to engage with the closure so as to open the liquid valve of the closure, wherein the filling element comprises a liquid duct and a separate vent duct, wherein, when the filling element is engaged with the closure, the liquid duct is in fluid communication with the liquid passage of the closure, and the vent duct is in fluid communication with the vent pathway.

Preferably, in use, an exit of the liquid duct is located beneath the opening of the liquid passage. That is to say, an exit of the liquid duct is located within an internal space of the container, defined by internal surfaces of the closure. This allows liquid to be more easily directed to the directing surface of the closure, which is also located internally within the container.

The liquid duct may comprise a diverter arranged to divert the flow of liquid towards the directing surface of the closure. The diverter may take any appropriate form and may, in some embodiments, have a substantially conical shape, wherein an apex of the conical diverter is located in an upstream position and a base of the conical diverter is located in a downstream position, relative to the flow of liquid from the liquid duct of the dispensing element into the container via the liquid passage of the closure. In this regard, the terms upstream and downstream will be understood to be relative positions in a direction of flow of liquid out of the filling element and into the container via the closure. The conical arrangement acts to divert liquid in a direction having a radial component, which assists in directing liquid to the directing surface of the closure. It will be appreciated that the diverter may not be a complete cone. Other shapes and arrangements of the diverter that permit liquid to be directed towards a directing surface internal to the closure will be conceivable to the skilled person.

Where the container is a container having an additional fluid passage, as described above, the fluid valve may be arranged to remain in the closed position when the filling element is engaged with the closure so as to open the liquid valve. Accordingly, the fluid passage remains closed during filling of the container.

The filling element may comprise a shield arranged to cover an opening of the fluid valve, when the filling element is engaged with the closure so as to move the liquid valve into the open position. The shield may be the same component as the diverter. In particular, where the diverter has a conical form, the base of the cone may be arranged, in use, to cover the opening of the fluid passage so as to shield the opening of the fluid passage.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of filling a liquid container according to the first aspect, the method comprising: opening the liquid valve of the closure; passing liquid into the container via the opening of the liquid passage; and directing the liquid onto the directing surface of the closure.

This method allows the container to be filled or refilled, without removal of the closure, whilst minimising or preventing foaming of liquid within the container.

The container may be a container of a system according to the second aspect, wherein the step of opening the liquid valve of the closure comprises engaging the filling element with the closure so as to move the liquid valve into the open position, and the step of passing liquid into the container comprises passing liquid through the liquid duct of the filling element into the liquid passage of the closure.

Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section of a container in accordance with and aspect of the present invention; Figures 2A and 2B are enlarged cross-sections of the closure of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section of a filling element of a system for filling a container, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-section of the container of Figure 1 with the filling element of Figure 3 engaged, so as to open a liquid passage of the closure; and Figures 5 to 7 are schematic cross-sections illustrating a filling operation of a system in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a closure 1 fitted to a liquid container 2. The closure 1 is a tamperproof or tamper evident closure arranged to deter or prevent removal of the closure 1 from the container 2 by an unauthorised person.

The mechanism by which the closure 1 is tamperproof or tamper evident is not particularly critical to the present invention. In the present arrangement, a tamper evident ring 6 is provided at a base portion of a neck 4 of the container 2, the ring 6 being arranged to engage with the base of the neck 4 of the container 2 by means of a ratchet mechanism. The closure 1 is arranged to engage with the tamper evident ring 6, such that the closure 1 cannot be removed from the container 2 without destroying the integrity of the tamper evident ring 6. However, it will be appreciated that a number of tamperproof or tamper evident closure mechanisms may be adopted, without deviating from the inventive concept of the present invention. In one embodiment, for example, the closure 1 may be formed integrally with the container 2 or permanently attached to the neck 4 of the container 2 such that removal of the closure 1 is not permitted and the closure 1 is thereby tamperproof Figure 1 shows the closure 1 fitted to an empty container 2. The container 2 is intended to be filled with liquid, as will be described, to allow use of the liquid by the end user. The liquid may be a cleaning liquid, such as a detergent or detergent solution, for example. Since the tamperproof or tamper evident closure 1 is not intended to be removed by the user, the closure 1 comprises a valve arrangement arranged to permit liquid to be dispensed from the container 2 and transferred into the container, when filling or refilling the container, without the need to remove the closure 1 from the container 2.

Figures 2A and 2B show enlarged views of the closure 1 when engaged with the neck 4 of the container 2. The closure 1 comprises a threaded inner surface 8 arranged to engage with a corresponding threaded outer surface 10 of the container neck 4, such that the closure 1 can be fitted to the container in a conventional manner.

The closure 1 comprises a fluid passage 12 arranged to permit the flow of fluid through the closure 1, in use, and a fluid valve 14 moveable between an open position and a closed position to control the passage of fluid through the fluid passage 12. Figures 2A and 2B shows the fluid valve 14 in the closed position.

The fluid valve 14 comprises a valve member 16 having a seal 18, which engages with an opening 20 of the fluid passage 12 so as to prevent any fluid (liquid or gas) from passing through the opening 12 when the fluid valve 14 is in the closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the seal 18 engages against an inner circumference 22 of the opening 20, however it will be appreciated that the seal 18 may engage with the fluid passage 12 at alternative positions, such that fluid is prevented from passing through the closure 1 via the fluid passage 12.

The fluid valve member 16 is biased to the closed position by a spring 24.

The nature of fluid flow through the fluid passage will depend on the particular application and the method by which liquid is intended to be dispensed from the container 2 during use by the end user. In the illustrated example, the fluid passage 12 is coupled to a dip tube 13 that extends into the container 2 to a position in which an open end of the dip tube 13 is submerged in liquid within the container 2, during normal use. Normally, the dip tube 13 will extend to the bottom of the container 2. When the fluid valve 14 is moved to the open position, liquid can be withdrawn from the container 2 by means of a pump connected to the fluid passage 12, or by generating a positive pressure within the headspace of the container 2, forcing liquid up the dip tube 13 and out through the fluid passage 12, which will be connected to an appropriate dispensing means.

Alternatively, the fluid passage 12 may be a vent passage, arranged to permit air to be returned to the internal space of the container 2, whilst liquid is dispensed from the container 2 through a liquid passage 26 (described below) under the action of gravity. In such embodiments, the dip tube 13 may be omitted.

The particular function of the fluid passage 12 is not particularly limited, and the fluid arranged to pass through the fluid passage may be a gas or a liquid.

The closure 1 further comprises a liquid passage 26 arranged to permit the passage of liquid through the closure 1 in use. A liquid valve 28 is provided which is moveable between an open position and a closed position to control the passage of fluid through the liquid passage 28. Figure 2A shows the liquid valve 28 in the closed position.

The liquid valve 28 comprises a valve member 30 having a seal 32, which engages with an opening 34 of the liquid passage 26, so as to prevent liquid or other fluid from passing through the closure 1 via the liquid passage 26 when the liquid valve 28 is in the closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the seal 32 engages against an inner circumference 33 of the opening 34, so as to seal the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26, however it will be appreciated that the seal 32 may engage with the liquid passage 26 at alternative positions, such that fluid is prevented from passing through the closure 1 via the liquid passage 26.

The liquid valve member 30 defines a housing 38 having a substantially cylindrical internal volume forming a portion of the vent passage 12. The fluid valve member 16 is provided within the internal volume of the liquid valve member 30, such that the fluid valve 14 is housed within the liquid valve 28.

The liquid valve member 30 is biased to the closed position by a spring 44.

When each of the liquid valve 28 and the fluid valve 14 are in the closed position, as shown in Figure 2A, the closure 1 provides a continuous barrier sealing an opening defined by the neck 4 of the container 2, so as to prevent the ingress or egress of liquid (or other fluid) to/from the container 2. Accordingly, the contents of the liquid container 2 are sealed within the container 2 by the closure 1, without the need for an additional cap. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the threaded outer surface 8 of the closure may be used to engage with a further cap if an additional barrier to ingress or egress of liquid is desired.

In the illustrated embodiment, the fluid passage 12 and liquid passage 26 are concentric and each is symmetrical about a central axis A of the closure 1. The closure 1 is screw threaded and the fluid passage 12 is located radially inwardly of the liquid passage 26. With this arrangement, both valves can be opened by engagement of a screw threaded dispensing cap with the screw threaded outer surface 8 of the closure 1.

Figure 2B shows the closure 1 with the liquid valve 28 in the open position, whilst the fluid valve 14 remains in the closed position. This configuration is used for filling of the container 2 via the liquid passage 12, as will be described in detail below. The liquid valve member 30 (housing the vent valve 14) is moved against the bias of its spring 44, so as to disengage the seal 32 with inner circumference 33 of the liquid passage opening 34, providing a path for the flow of liquid into the liquid passage 12 from the opening 34, and into the container 2.

In order to facilitate the transfer of liquid into the container 2, the closure 1 comprises a directing surface in the form of an internal surface 46 of a cylindrical tubular member 48 that surrounds the liquid valve member 30. The internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48 is arranged to receive liquid that enters the closure 1 via the liquid passage opening 34 and defines a continuous pathway/surface along which liquid can flow into the container 2. The directing surface defined by the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48 extends to a position within the container that is beyond the neck 4 of the container 2. The extent to which the directing surface extends into the container 2, and the direction in which the directing surface extends within the container 2, may vary. However, it is preferable that the directing surface extends to a position close to the bottom of the container 2.

In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the container 2 has a maximum internal height H defined between an uppermost internal surface 50 and a lowermost internal surface 52 of the container 2. The pathway defined by the directing surface 46 extends to a position beneath a halfway point H/2 of the container 2, along the maximum internal height H of the container 2. A terminal end 54 of the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48 (i.e. the directing surface) is preferably less than 10 cm, more preferably less than 5 cm, from the lowermost internal surface 52 of the container 2. This allows liquid to run down the directing surface (the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48) to a position close to the bottom of the container 2. This provides a laminar flow of liquid along the directing surface, substantially all the way from the closure 1 to the bottom of the container 2. This limits the turbulence experienced by the liquid on entering the container 2, thus reducing foaming of the liquid during a filling/refilling operation.

The internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48 defines, in part, the liquid passage 26 of the closure 1. The tubular member 48 has an internal diameter D1 that is larger than a diameter D2 of the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26. This arrangement facilitates transfer of liquid from the opening to the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48, as will be described in greater detail below.

The dip tube 13 is accommodated within the tubular member 48 and extends to a position near to but remote from the bottom of the container 2, when the liquid valve 28 is in the closed position (Figure 1). When the liquid valve 28 is open, the dip tube 13 extends to the bottom of the container 2 (see e.g. Figures 5 to 7, which will be described in more detail below), so as to allow substantially all of the liquid in the container 2 to be dispensed via the dip tube 13.

Referring again to Figure 2B, when the liquid valve 28 is in the open position, the closure 1 comprises a vent pathway 56 to permit a counterflow of air from the internal space 58 of the container 2, through the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26, while liquid is flowing into the container 2 through the liquid passage 26. The vent pathway 56 is separate to the fluid passage 12.

A portion of the vent pathway 56 is defined by a gap 60 between an upstream end 62 of the tubular member 48 (representing an upstream end of the directing surface) and the internal components located on an internal upper surface of the closure 1. The gap 60 therefore provides a vent pathway 56 that extends from a position external to the tubular member 48, to the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26. Therefore, during filling of the container 2, as liquid enters the container 2 through the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26 and into the tubular member 48 to be directed towards the bottom of the container 2 by the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48, air displaced from the internal space 58 of the container 2 is permitted to exit the container 2 from outside the tubular member 48, through the vent pathway 56 and through the same opening 34 (i.e. the opening of the liquid passage). This arrangement permits the container 2 to be refilled by opening a single valve (the liquid valve 28) by means of an appropriately configured filling element, whilst providing the necessary liquid and air flow paths to displace air within the container 2 with liquid to be contained.

In the illustrated embodiment, the closure 1 comprises a downwardly projecting connecting portion 64 surrounding the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26. The connecting portion 64 is substantially annular surrounding a circumference of the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26. The upstream end 62 of the tubular member 48 is connected to the annular connecting portion 64 so as to secure the tubular member 48 to the closure 1, with the tubular member 48 extending into the internal space 58 of the container 2. One or more gaps 60 are provided in the connecting portion 64 to define the vent pathway 56 extending from a position external to the tubular member 48 to the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26. It will be appreciated that the gaps may alternatively be formed in the upstream end 62 of the tubular member 48, for example as apertures in the tubular member 48 that are located upstream of a position at which liquid is received by the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48.

Depending on the mode by which liquid is to be dispensed from the container 2 by the end user, the liquid passage 26 and/or vent pathway 56 may also function as a pathway for air to enter into the container 2 during dispensing of liquid from the container 2. For example, where the fluid passage 12 is opened and connected to a pump for withdrawing liquid from the container 2 via the dip tube 13, air may enter into the container 2 via the liquid passage 26 and/or vent pathway 56 to replace dispensed liquid, thus maintaining equilibrium pressure within the container 2. Similarly, if the container 2 were to be used to dispense liquid by gravity (for example, by upturning the container 2 to pour liquid out of the container 2), liquid would exit the container 2 via the liquid passage 26 (including the internal space of the tubular member 48) and also through the vent pathway 56. In this case, the fluid passage 12 would be used to provide an air return into the container 2 to replace dispensed liquid and maintain equilibrium pressure within the container 2, in which case the dip tube 13 could be omitted.

The fluid passage 12 comprises a restriction 66, which represents a point of maximum restriction in the fluid passage 12. Similarly, the liquid passage 26 comprises a point of maximum restriction when the liquid valve 28 is in the open position (Figure 2B), at which point the passage of fluid through the liquid passage 26 is most restricted. The point of maximum restriction within the liquid passage 26 may vary depending on the extent to which the liquid valve 28 is opened (that is, the distance to which the liquid valve member 30 extends into the closure 1). In Figure 2B, the total area of an annular gap 27 between the liquid valve member 30 and the connecting portion 64 of the closure 1 is greater than the total area of the opening 34, such that the opening 34 represents the point of maximum restriction. However, it will be appreciated that the liquid valve member 30 may extend into the closure 1 by a lesser distance, such that the annular gap 27 has an area smaller than that of the opening 34, making the annular gap 27 the point of maximum restriction.

A total area of the liquid passage 12 at the point of maximum restriction in the liquid passage 12 (represented in this embodiment by the opening 34) is greater than the total area of the fluid passage 12 at the point of maximum restriction in the fluid passage 12 (represented in this embodiment by the restriction 66). This arrangement ensures that liquid is permitted to pass through the liquid passage 26 from the container 2 under the action of gravity, without passing through the fluid passage 12. At the same time, air can be directed into the fluid passage 12 to return into the container 2 through the fluid passage 12, via the restriction 66, so as to equilibrate pressure within the container 2 and permit the flow of liquid out of the container 2. Accordingly, the arrangement of the fluid valve 14 and liquid valve 38 in the closure 1 of the present invention permits liquid to be efficiently dispensed from the container 2 under the action of gravity, with air return into the container through the fluid passage 12. The container 2 is therefore suitable for (but not limited to) use for dispensing liquids from the container 2 under the action of gravity, for example by pouring.

It will be appreciated that the points of maximum restriction within the fluid passage 12 and liquid passage 26 may be at alternative locations to those shown in Figure 2B.

Turning now to Figure 3, there is shown a filling element 68 arranged to be used with the container 2 and closure 1 to form a system for filling the container 2 with liquid. The filling element 68 comprises a cap portion 70 arranged to accommodate the closure 1. The cap portion 70 may be arranged to releasably engage with the external surface of the closure 1, for example by mutually engaging screw threads, however in basic embodiments the cap portion 70 need only be placed over the closure 1.

The filling element 68 comprises a liquid duct 72 and a separate vent duct 74. An actuator portion 76 extends below an internal upper surface 78 of the cap portion 70, such that when the internal upper surface 78 of the cap portion 70 is brought into engagement with the top of the closure 1, the actuator portion 76 acts to depress the liquid valve 28 so as to move the liquid valve 28 into the open position, thus opening the liquid passage 26 of the closure 1 to permit the container 2 to be filled with liquid. The liquid duct 72 forms a part of the actuator portion 76. The internal upper surface 78 of the cap portion 70 comprises a seal 80 to engage with a top surface of the closure 1, so as to prevent egress of liquid between the cap portion 70 and the top of the closure 1 during filling of the container 2 with liquid.

An exit 82 of the liquid duct 72 is located beneath the internal upper surface 78 of the cap portion 70.

The actuator portion 76 comprises a substantially conical diverter 84 that acts both to divert liquid passing through the exit 82 of the liquid duct 72 towards the directing surface 46 of the closure 2, and also as a shield for covering the fluid valve 14 of the closure 1, as described below.

It will be appreciated that liquid flow through the liquid duct 72 is arranged to flow in a downward direction, as illustrated in the Figures, with the exit 82 of the liquid duct 72 being the most downstream point of the liquid duct 72, relative to the direction of liquid flow within the liquid duct 72. The conical diverter 84 comprises an apex 84a that is located in an upstream position, and a base portion 84b that is located in a downstream position, relative to the direction of liquid flow within the liquid duct 72. This arrangement acts to divert liquid in a direction having a radial component, relative to an axis of the liquid duct 72, which allows liquid to be diverted towards the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48 of the closure, as will be described below. It will be appreciated that the diverter 84 may not be a complete cone. Other shapes and arrangements of the diverter 84 that permit liquid to be directed towards a directing surface internal to the closure 1 will be conceivable to the skilled person.

Figure 4 shows the filling element 68 engaged with the closure 1. The actuator portion 76 of the filling element 68 depresses the liquid valve member 30 of the liquid valve 28 so as to open the liquid passage 26. The liquid duct 72 is in fluid communication with the liquid passage 26 of the closure 1, such that the passage of liquid from the liquid duct 72, through the exit 82 thereof, and into the liquid passage 26 of the closure 1 is permitted. The vent duct 74 is in fluid communication with the vent pathway 56 of the closure 1, to allow air to be displaced from the container 2 while being filled with liquid.

The actuator portion 76 is arranged to open the liquid valve 28, whilst maintaining the fluid valve 14 in the closed position. As can be seen, the exit of the liquid duct 82 is located beneath the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26, such that liquid exits the liquid duct 72 of the filling element 68 at a position that is internal to the container 2 (that is, at a position beneath the top of the closure 1).

Filling of the container 2 through the closure 1 will now be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Liquid flow is indicated with arrows pointing in a generally downward direction, while air flow is indicated with arrows pointing in a generally upward direction.

Liquid is supplied into the liquid duct 72 of the filling element by an appropriate means. Liquid may be supplied to the liquid duct 72 by gravity or may be pumped into the liquid duct 72, for example. Liquid passes through the liquid duct 72 and exits the liquid duct 72 into the liquid passage 26 of the closure 1. The diverter 84 directs the liquid towards the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48, the internal surface 46 acting as a directing surface providing a continuous pathway for the flow of liquid into the container 2. As discussed in detail above, the tubular member 48 (and internal surface 46 thereof) terminates at a position close to the bottom of the container 2, such that liquid is directed along the internal surface 46 of the container 2 substantially all the way from the closure 1 to the bottom of the container 2, thereby reducing foaming of the liquid.

At the same time, air within the container 2 is displaced and travels along the vent pathway 56, from a position external to the tubular member 48, and through the opening 34 of the liquid passage 26 via the vent duct 74 of the filling element 68. The air is vented to the atmosphere at an exit of the vent duct 74.

Liquid continues to flow into the container 2, via the directing surface defined by the internal surface 46 of the tubular member 48, until the desired liquid level is reached (Figure 7). The filling element 68 is then disengaged from the closure 1, allowing the liquid valve 28 to move back to the closed position by the bias of the spring 44. The container 2 is thereby closed and is ready to be supplied to an end user, for dispensing liquid from the container 2 by any appropriate means.

The invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, given by way of example only. It will be appreciated that different arrangements of the system are possible, which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (22)

1. Claims 1. A container comprising a closure for controlling the passage of liquid into and out from the container, wherein the closure is a tamper-proof or tamper-evident closure arranged to deter or prevent removal of the closure by an unauthorised person, the closure comprising a liquid passage arranged to permit the passage of liquid through the closure, in use, and a liquid valve moveable between an open position, in which liquid is permitted to flow through the closure via an opening of the liquid passage, and a closed position, in which liquid is prevented from flowing through the closure via the opening of the liquid passage, wherein the liquid passage is arranged to permit the flow of liquid therethrough under the action of gravity when the liquid valve is in the open position, wherein the liquid passage comprises a directing surface arranged, in use, to receive liquid entering the closure through the opening of the liquid passage and defining a pathway for the flow of liquid along the directing surface, said pathway extending into the container to a position beyond a neck of the container, the closure further comprising a vent pathway arranged to permit a counterflow of air through the closure from an internal space of the container, when the liquid valve is in the open position.
2. 2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the vent pathway is arranged to permit a counterflow of air from an internal space of the container, through the opening of the liquid passage.
3. 3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a portion of the vent pathway is located upstream relative to an upstream end of the directing surface.
4. 4. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container has a maximum internal height and the pathway defined by the directing surface extends to a position beneath a halfway point along the maximum internal height of the container.
5. 5. A container according to claim 4, wherein the pathway defined by the directing surface extends to a position less than 10 cm from an internal lower surface of the container.
6. 6. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the directing surface has a substantially concave form.
7. 7. A container according to any preceding claim, the liquid passage comprises a tubular member in fluid communication with the opening, wherein the directing surface is defined by an internal surface of a tubular member.
8. 8. A container according to claim 7, wherein the tubular member has an internal diameter larger than a diameter of the opening of the liquid passage.
9. 9. A container according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the tubular member at least partially accommodates the liquid valve, when the liquid valve is in the open position.
10. 10. A container according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the vent pathway extends from a position external to the tubular member to the opening of the liquid passage.
11. 11. A container according to claim 10, wherein the closure comprises a downwardly projecting connecting portion surrounding the opening of the liquid passage, an upstream end of the tubular member being connected to or formed integrally with said connecting portion so as to secure the tubular member on the closure, wherein one or more gaps are provided in the connecting portion or in the upstream end of the tubular member to define a vent pathway extending from a position external to the tubular member to the opening of the liquid passage.
12. 12. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the closure further comprises a fluid passage separate to the liquid passage, the fluid passage arranged to permit fluid flow through the closure via an opening of the fluid passage, in use, and a fluid valve moveable between an open position and a closed position to control the passage of fluid through opening of the fluid passage, wherein the fluid passage is located radially inwardly of the liquid passage.
13. 13. A container according to claim 12, wherein the fluid valve is housed within the liquid valve.
14. 14. A container according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a ratio of the total area of the liquid passage at a point of maximum restriction within the liquid passage to the total area of the fluid passage at the point of maximum restriction within the fluid passage is at least 10 to 1.
15. 15. A system for filling a liquid container with liquid, the system comprising a container according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the system further comprising a filling element arranged to engage with the closure so as to open the liquid valve of the closure, wherein the filling element comprises a liquid duct and a separate vent duct, wherein, when the filling element is engaged with the closure, the liquid duct is in fluid communication with the liquid passage of the closure, and the vent duct is in fluid communication with the vent pathway.
16. 16. A system according to claim 15, wherein, in use, an exit of the liquid duct is located beneath the opening of the liquid passage.
17. 17. A system according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the liquid duct comprises a diverter arranged to divert the flow of liquid towards the directing surface of the closure.
18. 18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the diverter has a substantially conical shape, wherein an apex of the conical diverter is located in an upstream position and a base of the conical diverter is located in a downstream position, relative to the flow of liquid from the liquid duct of the filling element into the container via the liquid passage of the closure.
19. 19. A system according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the container is a container according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the fluid valve is arranged to remain in the closed position when the filling element is engaged with the closure so as to open the liquid valve.
20. 20. A system according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the container is a container according to any one of claims 12 to 14, and wherein the filling element comprises a shield arranged to cover an opening of the fluid passage, when the filling element is engaged with the closure so as to move the liquid valve into the open position.
21. 21. A method of filling a liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the method comprising: opening the liquid valve of the closure; passing liquid into the container via the opening of the liquid passage; and directing the liquid onto the directing surface of the closure.
22. 22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the container is a container of a system according to any one of claims 15 to 20, wherein the step of opening the liquid valve of the closure comprises engaging the filling element with the closure so as to move the liquid valve into the open position, and the step of passing liquid into the container comprises passing liquid through the liquid duct of the filling element into the liquid passage of the closure.