Container, chime and assembly of both

Container assembly comprising a container and a top chime fixed to each other, the container having a top part and a peripheral side wall, characterized in that the fixation between the chime and the container is situated at the top part of the container and at a distance from said peripheral side wall.

The Applicants claim priority to International Application Number PCT/EP2008/051689, filed on Feb. 12, 2008, Great Britain Application Number 0724456.9, filed on Dec. 14, 2007, and Great Britain Application Number 0702670.1, filed on Feb. 12, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to containers, particularly kegs and to chimes provided at the top part of said containers as well as to the chime itself.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is general practice to provide a container or keg with bottom and top chimes. These chimes usually perform several functions. A first function is purely protection of the base and top part of the kegs such that they are not damaged during handling. The base chime also provides a flat base for the keg, such that this can easily be placed in an upright position. In most cases, the top and bottom chime are designed to make kegs stackable and as such simplify transport and storage of the kegs. A further important function of chimes is to facilitate handling of the kegs. Indeed, most chimes are provided with a skirt that in a mounted position is situated at the periphery of the keg and that forms a rolling ring, such that when kegs are provided with bottom and top chimes, the kegs can be rolled easily when placed on their side, without the kegs sidewall touching ground.

In order to fix the chimes on a keg, several options are known. In most cases however the chimes are welded to the sidewall of the keg, which has the drawback that once applied, the chimes can not be removed, making the assembly of keg and chime difficult to recycle, especially since the chime and keg are usually manufactured in different materials.

This drawback has been overcome by DE3336681, wherein a chime is described that is snap-fitted behind protrusions provided at the periphery of a corresponding keg. In this case the chimes can be readily removed and replaced from the keg which simplifies both repair and recycling of both chimes and kegs. A drawback of this chimes however is that the snap fit is located quite distant from the center of the chime, such that the when tilting the keg by the chime on one side, the snap fit is subject of large stress and may loose and hence creates a safety problem.

With the growing demand for plastic kegs and the growing need for recycling and cost reducing processing, the application of the chimes on the kegs and the removal of said chimes off the kegs needs to be further simplified whilst assuring maximal safety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention nuts the above objectives by providing a container assembly comprising a container and a top chime fixed to each other, the container having a top part and a peripheral side wall, characterized in that the fixation between the chime and the container is situated at the top part of the container and at a distance from said peripheral side wall.

By redesigning the fixation of the chimes to the container, the applicant moved the attachment means to a central part of the base of the container. By doing so, the fixation of the chimes is no longer dependent on the peripheral circumference of the container. This offers the advantage that the fixation of the chime to the container can be made equal for containers of different dimensions, which clearly simplifies automation and processability, especially with regard to recycling.

Further advantages associated with various embodiments of the present invention include the snap on assembly of the chime, as it engages the keg neck finish, (which of course, lends itself to automated production). Moreover, in cases where no other means of fixation is employed, the top chime can be readily removed and recycled separately from the keg, and if appropriate easily replaced by another replacement chime so that the keg can be returned to production. In addition, the top chime provides for ease of handling, and its resilient flexibility provides for drop resistance benefits.

Preferably, the fixation between chime and container is releasable, such that the chimes can easily be replaced when damaged. In the most preferred embodiment, the fixation is achieved by a snap fit between the chime and the container.

The present invention also relates to the container itself, as in order to enable the above fixation, the container according to the invention has a base that is provided with attachment means situated at a distance from the containers peripheral sidewall.

A chime according to the invention comprises at least a inner hub provided with fixation means and an outer skirt that is designed to engage part of the peripheral sidewall of a container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring in general toFIGS. 1 and 2of the appended drawings, there is provided a preferred keg (or container) top chime1according to the present invention. Keg top chime1comprises a keg neck finish surround10. Surround10is specifically adapted to engage a cooperating keg neck finish (not shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, but refer instead toFIGS. 3 and 4). That engagement sustains a mutually inter-fitting secured relation to thereby at least partially secure the chime to the keg.

In this preferred form of the chime1according to the present invention, surround10comprises an opening10a, which is circumscribed by respective free ends10dof a plurality of resilient, flexible tines10b. Tines10bextend radially inwardly into opening10a, from fixed ends of said tines10bthat are rooted on a inner, preferably central hub3.

Note that at least one of said free ends10d, and preferably a plurality thereof, include a tab extension10c, adapted to engage in corresponding register with a complementary slot (not shown) in a keg neck finish. Although the function of this arrangement could be accomplished in other ways that still fall within the scope of the present invention (i.e. merely by engaging respective tines in respective individual slots in the neck finish), the tabs are well suited to interfering with any rotation that might otherwise be possible between chime1and the neck finish, relative to the keg body.

Chime1includes a “spider”2for engaging a top portion of a keg body (again, not shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, refer toFIGS. 3 and 4and the description that follows below), in surmounted relation by chime1. The spider2in turn comprises the central hub3with a plurality of radially outwardly extending legs or spoke girders4. These spoke girders terminate at a rim wall5, of a downwardly depending chime skirt7.

Spoke girders4, have channel cross-sections including said walls C that provide a stiffened girder effect and function as support fillets between the central hub3and the chime skirt7.

A handle ring6is also arranged to interconnect the radially outmost extent of the spokes, and is spaced above and apart from chime skirt7. Handle ring6has a curved underside6aadapted to facilitate hand holds, and a plurality of raised fins6bon an opposed surface that function to facilitate hand grips and as a continuation of the supporting surfaces6cthat form the roots for respective spoke girders4where they join with skirt7. Additionally, any liquids that fall onto the handle ring is channeled downwardly between fins6band away from the handhold portion of the chime, to help ensure a non-slippery grip.

Chime skirt7supports a peripheral bead12adapted to engage adjacent surfaces of the secured keg body.

Chime skirt7also includes hand holes7a, positioned below raised fins6b, and forming an opening into a “pocket” between the top side of the keg body in between girder side walls C of adjacent pairs of spokes, to thereby permit the handle ring6to be griped from between chime1and proximal but spaced apart portions of the keg body top15a.

Skirt7also includes keg body drains9for draining liquids accumulating between the skirt7and an associated keg body wall. When in use, keg assemblies according to the present invention can accumulate water or other liquids that would remain trapped between the chime and the keg when the assembly is oriented in its normal upright position, but which is permitted to drain away through these drains9.

Similarly, handle ring6includes channel drains11for draining liquids accumulating within the interior of the girder cross sections of spokes4.

Notably, keg assemblies according to the present invention are often washed and filled in an inverted orientation, during which time water might otherwise accumulate unless permitted to drain away through these drains. Note in this connection that the keg of the present invention and assemblies comprising same are preferably closed-system kegs.

Referring nowFIG. 3the chime1is illustrated in mounted relation on keg body15.

Note in particular the engagement of tines10bwith the portion of keg neck finish16that extends through surround10—and in particular, the engagement of the free ends of tines10bbelow neck finish abutment16b. Also note that peripheral bead12engages keg body15proximal to the transition between the top shoulders and cylindrical or peripheral side wall of the keg. The keg and chime assembly as illustrated inFIG. 3comprises keg body15having a top15abearing a keg neck finish16. Keg top chime1comprises a keg neck finish surround10. The keg top finish surround10and the keg neck finish16are mutually adapted to engage a cooperating, inter-fitting secured relation to thereby at least partially secure said chime and keg in mutually assembled relation. In the variously illustrated embodiments, the inter-fitting secured relation is a resiliently biased mechanically interfering registration between the salient portions of keg15and said chime1.

Referring now toFIG. 4in particular, there is shown a cut away section through a stacked pair of kegs, illustrating in greater detail the engagement of the chime1with keg body15, and a complementary stacking relationship of chime1with a top chime of the surmounted keg assembly above it. Although not visible in eitherFIG. 3or4, tabs10cextend into tab receiving mouths located in the neck finish, to secure the chime1against rotation relative to the keg body15.

Keg body15comprises a shoulder shaped top15aextending upwardly from the rest of the kegs cylindrical body. Top15ahas a keg neck finish16, which is adapted to engage a complementary keg neck finish surround10of keg top chime1, (also illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2).

Neck finish16includes generally upstanding side walls16aextending proud of the adjacent periphery of the keg body15top15aand terminating in an overhanging annular abutment16bthat is particularly suited to engage in snap-on inter-fitting secured relation with the complementary features of top chime1as described elsewhere herein.

Spoke girders4are curved along edges of side walls C to conform in shape along adjacent surfaces of keg top portion15a, to be supported in contacting relation there along.

The resulting chime1is a particularly light weight design, and introduces relatively low material costs to the overall keg assembly.

It is clear that in order to fix a chime1according to the invention to a keg, it suffices to position the chime1with the opening10over the keg neck finish and to press it down such that the flexible tines snap into the slot in the keg neck finish.

In the case the keg is a plastic keg, it is preferred to provide an internal overpressure in the keg in order to avoid any deformation thereof during fixation of the chime1.

For removal of the chime1, one can tear of the chime1, although the removal can easily be automated by use of a cylindrical drill, breaking the tines10b, whereby the chime1will fall of the keg as are the tines10b. Such automated and simple removal of the chime obviously simplifies recycling the keg assemblies.

Finally it is remarked that both the keg and the chime can have various forms. The kegs for example can have a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section or a cross section in any other shape.