EP0770562A1 - Récipient pour boisson comprenant des moyens pour faire mousser ladite boisson et procédé pour préparer un tel récipient - Google Patents

Récipient pour boisson comprenant des moyens pour faire mousser ladite boisson et procédé pour préparer un tel récipient Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0770562A1
EP0770562A1 EP96306051A EP96306051A EP0770562A1 EP 0770562 A1 EP0770562 A1 EP 0770562A1 EP 96306051 A EP96306051 A EP 96306051A EP 96306051 A EP96306051 A EP 96306051A EP 0770562 A1 EP0770562 A1 EP 0770562A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
socket
head
spigot
package
container
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96306051A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0770562B1 (fr
Inventor
Francis Joseph Dr. Lynch
Thomas Patrick Quinn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Guinness Ltd
Original Assignee
Guinness Brewing Worldwide Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Guinness Brewing Worldwide Ltd filed Critical Guinness Brewing Worldwide Ltd
Publication of EP0770562A1 publication Critical patent/EP0770562A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0770562B1 publication Critical patent/EP0770562B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
    • B65D85/70—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for
    • B65D85/72—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials
    • B65D85/73—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials with means specially adapted for effervescing the liquids, e.g. for forming bubbles or beer head

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sealed beverage package and a method of forming such a package. More particularly it concerns a sealed package of the kind containing beverage having gas in solution and within which package is located a froth developing means, typically a hollow insert containing gas under pressure which, upon opening of the package and in response to a pressure differential developed thereby, causes fluid in the form of a gas or a liquid and gas, to be ejected from the insert to cause, or assist in, the formation of a head of froth on the beverage by the evolution of gas dissolved in the beverage.
  • Froth developing means are now well known in the art and can take many forms of structure and operation and an example of which is discussed in our Patent Specification G.B.-A-2,183,592.
  • Our Patent Specification G.B.-A-1,266,351 discloses a sealed beverage package in which the froth developing means is carried within a container having an openable top by a removable closure or cap for that top.
  • the carriage of the froth developing means by the removable closure of the container is particularly convenient for some beverage packaging lines, for example where the container is in the form of a narrow necked open topped bottle, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sealed beverage package and a method of forming such a package where the froth developing means is carried by a closure for an openable top of the package.
  • a sealed beverage package comprising a container having an openable top and a closure part for said top; the container containing beverage which has gas in solution and forms a headspace that is at a pressure greater than atmospheric; froth developing means comprising an insert part carried within the container by said closure, said froth developing means reacting when the top of the container is opened and in response to a pressure differential developed thereby to cause gas to be liberated from solution in the beverage for froth development, and wherein the insert part is carried by the closure part through a coupling which comprises a spigot on one of said parts engaging in a socket on the other of said parts, said spigot having a head and said socket engaging over the head to retain it from withdrawal from the socket and to capture the head in the event of its separation from the part on which it is located.
  • a method of forming a sealed beverage package as specified in the immediately preceding paragraph which comprises providing one of a socket and spigot on a closure part; providing the other of said socket and spigot on an insert part of froth developing means; press fitting the socket to the spigot to form a coupling in which the socket engages over a head of the spigot to retain the head from withdrawal from the socket and to capture the head in the socket in the event of the head becoming separated from the part on which it is located and so that the insert part is carried through the coupling by the closure part; moving the insert part into an open topped container through the open top thereof and which container contains beverage having gas in solution and sealing the closure part to the container to close the open top whilst providing pressure greater than atmospheric in a headspace formed by the beverage in the container.
  • the socket and spigot engagement between the closure part and the insert part provides a coupling which may be regarded as inseparable other than for when excessive separation forces are applied to the coupling (to the extent that such separation forces would result in identifiable damage being caused to components in the package, particularly the coupling, the insert part or the closure part).
  • the froth developing means does not separate from the closure part which carries it to become a free body within the beverage; whilst such separation may not hinder the reaction of the froth developing means when the package is opened, the free body may be dispensed along with the beverage with undesirable consequences.
  • the froth developing means will comprise a hollow insert part which contains at least gas at a pressure greater than atmospheric (and may contain both such gas and liquid/beverage) and have a restricted aperture so that when the top of the container is opened for the headspace to communicate with atmosphere, the pressure differential which develops causes fluid (gas or gas and liquid) in the insert to be ejected through the restricted aperture into the beverage for the development of a head of froth on the beverage by the evolution of gas from solution in the beverage.
  • the package typically by removal of the closure part as in the case of a crown-type cap, it is possible for the package to be tilted and/or the hollow insert to be tilted to an extent where the restricted aperture is exposed from the beverage thereby reducing or negating the froth developing characteristics.
  • the insert part is carried by the coupling pendulously relative to the closure part.
  • the head of the spigot may be a loose fit within the socket whilst clearance is provided between a neck of the spigot on which the head is carried and the socket to permit the insert part to hang from, and swing relative to, the closure part so that if the container is tilted (within reason) from the vertical, a vertical orientation can be maintained for the insert to retain the restricted aperture submerged.
  • the head is simply press fitted to the socket to snap engage therewith.
  • at least one of the head and socket may be provided with a tapered lead-in surface for facilitating the location of the head in the socket and the press fitting engagement.
  • such head may have a barb which engages with a shoulder of the socket to restrain withdrawl of the head from the socket.
  • the components of the beverage package must be available for inspection and if the neck is broken purposely as aforementioned (as compared with such breakage as may occur naturally following normal packaging and handling), this will become apparent by stress form analysis of the break surfaces presented on the neck, particularly by the material of the head that is retained in the socket.
  • the neck on which the head is located may be provided with a weakened region at which the head can be broken off to be retained in the socket in response to a manual bending force applied between the insert part and the closure part so that following such a break the head captured by the socket can again be subjected to stress form analysis.
  • Either or both of the socket and spigot will usually be formed as a plastics moulding.
  • the insert part will be formed as a plastics moulding and the socket or spigot on that part is conveniently moulded integral therewith.
  • the present invention was primarily, but not essentially, developed for a beverage package formed with an open topped bottle having a closure part which carries a sealant for effecting a seal between that part and the bottle.
  • This sealant is usually thermo-formed, hot plate welded or glued on to the closure part and may itself be moulded to present the socket or spigot.
  • sealant materials will usually be too resilient to define and serve for the socket or spigot, particularly the latter. It is preferred therefore that when the closure part comprises a sealant as aforementioned, the socket or spigot on the closure part is formed as a plastics moulding and that moulding is captured on the closure part by the sealant.
  • the spigot is on the insert part and the socket is on the closure part, this is particularly convenient for open topped bottles where the closure part is in the form of a crown cap but it will be realised that the reverse arrangement can be employed.
  • the closure part and froth developing means carried thereby will usually be completely removed from the container on opening of the container for dispensing the beverage, such complete removal is not essential, for example where the closure part may be partially removed or an opening otherwise formed in the beverage package for dispensing purposes.
  • the sealed beverage package is formed with a container 1 which consists of a conventionally shaped bottle, usually of glass, ceramic or plastics having a base 2 and an upwardly extending cylindrical side wall 3 that converges to a neck 4 which defines an open top 5 for a chamber 6 within the bottle.
  • a container 1 which consists of a conventionally shaped bottle, usually of glass, ceramic or plastics having a base 2 and an upwardly extending cylindrical side wall 3 that converges to a neck 4 which defines an open top 5 for a chamber 6 within the bottle.
  • a hollow plastics insert 7 which contains gas under pressure and has a restricted aperture 8 through which gas and/or liquid/beverage in the insert 7 is to be ejected for the purpose of developing a head of froth on beverage 23 contained in the chamber 6.
  • the insert 7 is carried through a coupling 9 by a closure 10 for the open top 5.
  • the closure is in the form of a crown cap 10 which is retained in conventional manner by crimping over an external annular lip 11 at the mouth of the bottle neck 4 so that the crown cap 10 can be removed with the aid of a bottle opener or by twisting.
  • the hollow insert 7 is conveniently formed as a two part moulding 7A, 7B of which an upper part 7A has an external annular rib 12 and a lower part 7B has an internal annular groove 13 and includes, at its bottom end, the aperture 8.
  • the insert 7 is assembled by snap fitting the rib 12 within the groove 13 and heat sealing the parts 7A and 7B together to form a chamber in the insert which is sealed other than for the aperture 8.
  • the insert 7 is elongated along an axis 7C for convenience of fitting co-axially within the neck 4 of the bottle and to provide clearance with the neck.
  • the upper end of the insert part 7A has integrally moulded therewith an upwardly extending spigot 14 of the coupling 9.
  • the spigot 14 is co-axial with the axis 7C and has a barbed head 15 carried on a neck 16.
  • a plastics moulded socket 17 of tubular form which has an internal shoulder 18 and an external flange 19.
  • a tapered mouth 20 of the socket provides a lead-in surface to a necked region 18A formed in the bore of the socket adjacent to the shoulder 18.
  • the socket 17 is secured to the underside of the cap 10 substantially centrally thereof.
  • crown caps 10 particularly when of metal, are provided on their underside face with a sealant 22 ( Figure 1) which forms a seal between the cap and the lip 11 during the crimping operation.
  • the socket 17 is secured to the underside of the cap 10 by the sealant 22 as the latter is thermo formed, welded or glued on the cap to capture the flange 19.
  • alternative techniques may be employed for securing the socket 17 on the underside of the cap 10, for example by adhesive or welding and it is also possible for the socket 17 to be formed integral with the cap 10 or with the sealant 22.
  • the insert 7 assembled from the parts 7A and 7B heat seal together as aforementioned will usually be supplied separately from the cap 10 having the socket 17 already secured thereto by the sealant 22. Whilst an empty bottle 1 in an upstanding condition is moving along a bottle filling line (on which it is charged with an appropriate volume of beverage 23 containing gas in solution) the cap 10/socket 17 assembly and the insert 7 are conveniently moving parallel with the bottle and being connected together through the coupling 9.
  • the head 15 of the spigot is press fitted co-axially into the socket 17 through the mouth 20 and necked region 18A thereof so that its barbs snap engage over the shoulder 18 and thereby the head is captured in the socket and prevented from being withdrawn.
  • the barbed head 15 is conveniently tapered to provide a lead-in surface which cooperates with the lead-in surface 20 of the socket to facilitate the engagement of the coupling co-axially.
  • the coupling 9 that is formed may be relatively rigid.
  • the head 15 is a loose fit within the socket 17 whilst a clearance is provided between the necked region 18A in the bore of the socket 17 and the neck 16 of the spigot 14 so that the insert 7 will hang from the cap 10 in pendulous manner (whereby the insert 7 is permitted to swing through the coupling 9 relative to the cap 10).
  • the tapered lead-in surface 20 also provides clearance to permit for the aforementioned swinging movement.
  • the insert 7 Following coupling of the insert 7 to the cap 10 and charging of the bottle chamber 6 with the required beverage 23 (containing gas such as carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen in solution) to form a headspace 24, the insert 7 is located co-axially within the neck 4.
  • the beverage 23 will usually be alcoholic such as fermented stout, ale, lager or cider or non-alcoholic such as so-called soft drinks.
  • the headspace 24 is pressurised conveniently by liquid nitrogen dosing or within a pressure chamber and the open top 5 of the bottle sealed by crimping the crown or screw cap to the lip 11 as aforementioned to form the beverage package with its headspace at pressure greater than atmospheric.
  • the hollow insert 7 will contain gas under pressure which is maintained by the pressurisation of the headspace 24.
  • the headspace 24 reduces to atmospheric pressure and, in known manner, a pressure differential results which causes pressurised gas and/or liquid in the insert 7 to be ejected therefrom through the restricted aperture 8 for the development of a head of froth on the beverage 23 (for example in the manner discussed in our Patent Specification G.B.-A-2,183,592).
  • the aperture 8 is submerged in the beverage 23 for optimum froth development. It is possible that during removal of the cap 10 the bottle will be tilted from an upright condition. With a rigid coupling between the cap 10 and the insert 7, this tilting can result in the aperture 8 being exposed from the beverage or have its depths of submersion reduced to an extent that the froth development characteristics are less effective. However, by pendulously mounting the insert 7 through the coupling 9 as aforementioned, if the bottle 1 is tilted (within reason) from its upright condition, the insert 7 can swing on the cap 10 to maintain an upright condition and alleviate the likelihood of the aperture 8 becoming exposed from, or too shallow in, the beverage 23.
  • the cap 10 together with the insert 7 carried thereby is removed fully from the bottle 1 for dispensing of the beverage after the initiation of the froth development.
  • the insert 7 may be purposely broken off from the cap 10 with the intention of making an unjustified claim for compensation as a result of damage allegedly caused by the insert being a free body within the beverage 23 during its dispersion and consumption.
  • the neck 16 of the spigot 14 is frangible and/or has a weakened region whereby the barbed head 15 can break off from the insert 7 in response to a manual bending force applied between the insert 7 and the cap 10. Upon such breakage the head 15 is captured to be retained within the socket 17.
  • the beverage package can have the coupling reversed by forming the socket 17 integral with the insert 7 and securing the spigot 14 to the underside of the cap 10.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
EP19960306051 1995-10-23 1996-08-20 Récipient pour boisson comprenant des moyens pour faire mousser ladite boisson et procédé pour préparer un tel récipient Expired - Lifetime EP0770562B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9521671A GB2306430B (en) 1995-10-23 1995-10-23 A sealed beverage package and a method of forming such a package
GB9521671 1995-10-23

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0770562A1 true EP0770562A1 (fr) 1997-05-02
EP0770562B1 EP0770562B1 (fr) 1999-10-20

Family

ID=10782751

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19960306051 Expired - Lifetime EP0770562B1 (fr) 1995-10-23 1996-08-20 Récipient pour boisson comprenant des moyens pour faire mousser ladite boisson et procédé pour préparer un tel récipient

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0770562B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU708481B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2188177A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69604764T2 (fr)
DK (1) DK0770562T3 (fr)
ES (1) ES2138793T3 (fr)
GB (1) GB2306430B (fr)
NZ (1) NZ299258A (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015025128A1 (fr) * 2013-08-19 2015-02-26 Carbonite Corporation Dispositif de moussage de boisson et récipient de boisson hermétiquement scellé avec ce dernier
EP2617664A4 (fr) * 2010-09-13 2015-04-29 Beking Ind Product Design Shanghai Inc Dispositif de commande et structure de contenant pour la pulvérisation d'une boisson et procédé de commande pour la pulvérisation d'une boisson à l'aide de ceci

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NZ501712A (en) * 1997-06-11 2002-03-28 Carlton & United Breweries A container for separately storing flowable materials but allowing mixing of materials when required
GB2350097B (en) * 1999-05-17 2002-11-13 Guinness Ltd Packaging for beverage containing gas in solution

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1266351A (fr) * 1969-01-27 1972-03-08

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2206095B (en) * 1987-06-16 1991-01-02 Metal Box Co Ltd Securing handles to plastics containers
GB2256628B (en) * 1991-06-12 1994-12-07 Guinness Brewing Worldwide A beverage package and a method of forming such a package
DK0680448T3 (da) * 1993-01-25 1997-12-29 Cpb Innovative Tech Ltd Emballage til kulsyreholdige drikkevarer

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1266351A (fr) * 1969-01-27 1972-03-08

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2617664A4 (fr) * 2010-09-13 2015-04-29 Beking Ind Product Design Shanghai Inc Dispositif de commande et structure de contenant pour la pulvérisation d'une boisson et procédé de commande pour la pulvérisation d'une boisson à l'aide de ceci
WO2015025128A1 (fr) * 2013-08-19 2015-02-26 Carbonite Corporation Dispositif de moussage de boisson et récipient de boisson hermétiquement scellé avec ce dernier

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2306430A (en) 1997-05-07
DE69604764D1 (de) 1999-11-25
DE69604764T2 (de) 2000-06-29
GB9521671D0 (en) 1996-01-03
AU708481B2 (en) 1999-08-05
ES2138793T3 (es) 2000-01-16
DK0770562T3 (da) 2000-04-10
EP0770562B1 (fr) 1999-10-20
CA2188177A1 (fr) 1997-04-24
HK1001219A1 (en) 1998-06-05
NZ299258A (en) 1998-03-25
GB2306430B (en) 1999-02-24
AU7030696A (en) 1997-05-01

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