GB2119772A

GB2119772A - Valved liquid container

Info

Publication number: GB2119772A
Application number: GB08228589A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard Burns
Original assignee: K P L Ltd
Current assignee: K P L Ltd
Priority date: 1981-10-06
Filing date: 1982-10-06
Publication date: 1983-11-23

Abstract

A liquid container 10 having a neck 11 has an aperture 20 therethrough to allow the liquid contents of the container to pass and a cap 19, rotation of the cap allowing fluid flow through the aperture when plug 34 is removed, there being provided upper 15, 30 and lower bearing surfaces 20, 27 between the cap and the neck to maintain the various parts of the liquid dispenser in alignment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Liquid container The present invention relates to a liquid container.

Reference may be had, for example, to British Patent No. 1,502,942 and British Patent Applications Nos. 7,905,015 and 7,905,378, all of which were applied for in the name of companies associated with the present applicant.

There are many practical problems in providing a liquid dispenser for attachment to or forming part of a liquid container which can be simply and cheaply manufactured, which seals properly to prevent loss of liquid, and provides a proper controlled flow of fluid to the dispenser.

Furthermore, there can sometimes be some difficulty in providing a container which has a proper seal particularly when some part of the dispenser requires movement to open and close it.

The present applicants have realised that it is essential to maintain the various parts in correct alignment. Hitherto it has generally been assumed where two parts are screw threadedly engaged with one another that the screw thread maintains the parts in sufficiently correct alignment but the applicants have found that this is not necessarily so particularly where the liquid dispenser or container must be mass produced in a relatively cheap material.

The present invention provides a liquid container comprising a container body, carrying an upstanding neck means, the neck means including; an aperture therethrough to allow the liquid contents of the container to pass therethrough, a screw threaded portion on its outer surface, an upper bearing surface provided on its outer surface adjacent its upper end, and, a lower bearing surface provided on its outer surface below the screw threaded portion, a cap extending generally around and over the neck means, the cap including;; a plug to engage and sealing close the aperture in the neck means, a screw threaded portion on an inner surface to engage the screw threaded portion of the neck means, an upper bearing surface on an inner surface thereof engaging and abutting the upper bearing surface of the neck means, the two upper bearing surfaces sealingly engaging with one another to prevent passage of liquid between them, a lower bearing surface on an inner surface thereof engaging and abutting the lower bearing surface of the neck means, the arrangement being such that rotation of the cap with respect of the neck means causes axial movement of the cap with respect of the neck means to thereby engage and disengage the plug with the aperture in the neck means, the engagement of the upper bearing surfaces and the lower bearing surfaces maintaining radial alignment of the cap and neck means and radial alignment of the plug and aperture means.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through the neck and associated parts of a liquid container according to this invention, and, FIGURE 2 is a vertical section, generally corresponding to FIGURE 1, of a different container according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown, in part, the top surface of a container 10 particularly adapted for containing a liquid for cleaning dentures, or for containing paint, or ink, or for containing perfumes, shampoos and the like. The container 10 is of a flexible plastics material and includes a neck portion 11 having a screw thread 12 on its outer surface and, below the screw thread 12, a cylindrical bearing surface 27.

Mounted within the neck portion 11 is a bung 13 of a generally cylindrical cross section.

Concentric lips 14 are provided on the outer surface of the portion of the bung 13 within the neck portion 11, which mate with corresponding grooves on the inside surface of the neck portion 11 to provide a liquid tight seal. The outer surface of the bung 13, which is of a plastics material, is of a slightly larger diameter than the inner diameter of the neck portion 11 so that the outer surface of the bung 13 and inner surface of the neck portion 11 tightly engage to provide a sealing surface. An upper surface 1 7 of the bung 1 3 extends across the top of the neck portion, the upper surface 1 7 including an upwardly extending tubular portion 1 8. The tubular portion 18 is hollow and includes a bore 20 through its length.The tubular portion 1 8 is cylindrical and includes on its outer surface, a cylindrical bearing surface 1 5.

Mounted to surround and cover the neck portion 11 is a cap comprising a brush holder 1 9 mounting a brush 21 in a upper bore 22. Brush holder 1 9 incorporates a downwardly depending cylindrical skirt portion 23 which includes on its inner surface a screw thread 24 to engage with the screw thread 12. It will be noted particularly that below the screw thread 24 there is provided a lower downwardly depending lower skirt portion 26, including, on its inner surface, a cylindrical bearing surface 20, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the corresponding bearing surface 27 of the neck portion 11.Although not necessarily sealing surfaces the close co-operation between the surfaces 20 and 27 prevent free play in a radial direction between the skirt portion 23 and the neck portion 11 whilst allowing relative axial motion.

The upper end of the skirt portion 23 includes, in its outer surface a knurled portion 28, which enables the fingers to easily grip the skirt portion to rotate it, and the inner face of the upper part of the skirt portion 23 includes an annular stop shoulder 29 which engages with a corresponding annular shoulder 31 on the outer end of the neck portion 11. Engagements of these two annular shoulders 29 and 31 limit the outward movement of brush holder 1 9 with respect to the neck portion 11.

The upper part of the brush holder 1 9 which contains the brush 21 includes, adjacent to its lower end, an inner bore 32 having a surface 30 which has a diameter slightly less than the cylindrical bearing surface 1 5 of the tubular portion 1 8 with which it engages. In this way the bearing surface 1 5 of the tubular portion 18 and the bearing surface 30 of the bore 32 sealingly engage with one another. The transverse closed end surface 33 or the bore 32 includes a plug 34 which depends downwardly and is arranged to engage in the bore 20 in the tubular portion 18.

The outer diameter of the plug 34 is arranged to be slightly greater than the inner diameter of the bore 20 so that the two members sealingly engage. The lower end of the plug 34 includes a chamfered leading portion. The engagement of sealing surfaces 1 5 and 30 prevent radial movement therebetween so that the plug 34 and the bore 20 are maintained in radial alignment.

Channels 36 are provided between the base of the brush 21 and the bore 32, the inner end of the channels 36 including restricted narrow bores 37.

The exact positions of the various parts will be clear from the figure in which the right-hand half shows the liquid dispenser when screwed down into closed engagement with the neck of the container and the left-hand portion shows a liquid dispenser when unscrewed to the maximum extent.

In use, therefore, with the liquid dispenser screwed firmly down on the container, as shown in the right-hand portion of the drawing, the plug 34 is in engagement with the bore 20. A liquid cannot escape from the container since the outer surface of the plug 34 is in sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bore 20 and also the end surface 33 of the inner bore 32 is in sealing engagement with the outer surface of the tubular portion 18. Furthermore the grooves 1 6 and associated lips 1 4 and adjacent sealing surfaces provide a seal to prevent passage of liquid around the outer surface of the bung 13. These sealing surfaces are maintained in proper engagement with one another by the engagement of bearing surfaces 15 and 30 and bearing surfaces 20 and 27 which prevent any radial movement.

The brush holder may be unscrewed with relation to the neck portion 11 to the position shown at the left of the drawing in which the shoulders 29 and 31 engage. This unscrewing motion is assisted by the knurled portion 28. It will be noted that even in this position the bearing surfaces 1 5 and 30 and bearing surfaces 20 and 27 engage to prevent relative radial movement between the brush holder and the neck portion 11.

In this position, however, the plug 34 is no longer in engagement with the bore 20 and thus liquid can pass from within the container, through the bore 20, through the bores 37 and channels 36 to the base of the brush 21 and hence be applied by the brush. Liquid is prevented from passing around the bung 13 in the same way as before and is also prevented from passing around the outer surface of the tubular portion 1 8, down to the threads 1 2 by means of the seal between the bearing surfaces 1 5 and 30.

Referring to Figure 2 there is disclosed a liquid dispenser comprising a part of the liquid container of the second embodiment of the invention. In general terms the second embodiment is similar to that of Figure 1 and therefore where similar parts appear they have been given the same reference numerals and will not be described further.

In place of the concentric lips 14 on the outer surface of the bung 13 there is provided an annular ring 114 which mates with a corresponding groove on the inner surface of the neck portion 11. The outer surface of the bung and the inner surface of the neck portion are sealingly fixed within one another.

The bore 20 through the tubular portion 18 comprises an upper narrower portion 120 which engages with the plug 34. Furthermore, the plug 34 includes, above the bore portion 120 a widened portion 134. The shaping of the parts of the plug and bore means that control of the fluid flow can be exercised by controlling the relative movement of the plug 34 and bore 20.

Figure 2 shows two alternative arrangements for the bearing surface 15. In the solid lines is shown a complete sealing surface 1 5 corresponding to the surface 1 5 in Figure 1 but in chain lines there is illustrated an alternative arrangement in which the bearing and sealing surface is provided by an annular ring 11 5 adjacent the top of the tubular portion 18.

Because of the possibility of controlling the flow more readily in the arrangement of Figure 2, the narrow bores 37 are not provided.

Otherwise, the arrangement in Figure 2 works in substantially the same manner as that in Figure 1.

The present invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing examples. For example it may be possible in place of the bung 13 to provide a tubular portion 1 8 directly moulded onto the neck portion 11 of the container. Though all of the parts are made of a resilient plastics material, other materials might be used.

We refer through the specification to "upper", "lower", "upstanding", and the like. This is because in most cases the liquid dispenser will be on the top of the container but in the case of some containers it will not be in which case the words "upper", "lower", and "upstanding", should be interpreted on the basis that the container is turned so that the liquid dispenser is upright on the top of the container.

Also, it should be understood that the expression "bearing surfaces" does not necessarily mean that the surfaces have a high finish but that they bear on one another to prevent relative radial movement.

Claims

1. A liquid container comprising a container body, carrying an upstanding neck means, the neck means including; an aperture therethrough to allow the liquid contents of the container to pass therethrough, a screw threaded portion on its outer surface, an upper bearing surface provided on its outer surface adjacent its upper end, and, a lower bearing surface provided on its outer surface below the screw threaded portion, a cap extending generally around and over the neck means, the cap including;; a plug to engage and sealing close the aperture in the neck means, a screw threaded portion on an inner surface to engage the screw threaded portion of the neck means, an upper bearing surface on an inner surface thereof engaging and abutting the upper bearing surface of the neck means, the two upper bearing surfaces sealingly engaging with one another to prevent passage of liquid between them.

a lower bearing surface on an inner surface thereof engaging and abutting the lower bearing surface of the neck means the arrangement being such that rotation of the cap with respect to the neck means causes axial movement of the cap with respect to the neck means to thereby engage and disengage the plug with the aperture in the neck means, the engagement of the upper bearing surfaces and the lower bearing surfaces maintaining radial alignment of the cap and neck means and radial alignment of the plug and aperture means.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the aperture is provided in a separate bung forming part of the neck means, the separate bung being sealingly engaged with the neck of the container.

3. A fluid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which means for restricting the flow of liquid through the aperture is provided by a flow restriction means provided in the cap.

4. A fluid container as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which means for restricting the flow of liquid through the aperture is provided between the plug and aperture.

5. A fluid container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the neck means and cap are of a resilient plastics material and the bearing surfaces are provided by surfaces whereby the inner surface of a respective pair is of a larger diameter than the outer surface so that the surrounding material distorts to maintain a positive engagement between the two surfaces.

6. A fluid container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.