Outlet device for a fluid container

The outlet device for a fluid container comprises an outlet pipe and an outlet hose attached with the outlet pipe so that the outlet hose is replaceable. The outlet hose can be a foldable rubber or plastic hose and is attached inside the outlet pipe. The outlet pipe is closable exteriorly by a cover. The outlet hose folded together in front of the cover is lockable inside the outlet pipe by a clamping device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
Our present invention relates to an outlet device for a fluid container 
and, more particularly, to an outlet device for a fluid container with an 
outlet hose which is replaceable. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In one known outlet device there is provided a hose which is generally a 
conventional scarcely foldable rubber tube with a fabric reinforcement. 
This tube is attached to the outlet pipe by a screw cap or retaining nut 
and is generally provided with a tap at its free end which can be opened 
and closed. This outlet device is little suited for a fluid container 
which is designed simultaneously as a transporting and storing container 
as well as a delivery container for the fluid filled in it. 
For that purpose many containers are provided with a metal tap which is 
attached to the outlet pipe. That is expensive, especially when the fluid 
containers are disposable plastic (synthetic resin) containers. 
Furthermore the use of a tap or cock causes difficulties when the outlet 
pipe has a large cross section as is required when the fluid in the 
container has a comparatively high viscosity and the emptying or 
dispensing time should be small. Taps of correspondingly large diameters 
are scarcely conventional. They are made from metal so that heavy space 
consuming components may have to be used although they are little suited 
for connection with a plastic fluid container. To an increasing degree 
such a container is being used directly for transport and storage of 
fluids, especially high viscosity fluids. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of our invention to provide an improved outlet device for a 
fluid container which avoids these drawbacks. 
It is another object of our invention to provide an improved outlet device 
for a fluid container which is usable as a transporting and storing 
container and simultaneously as a dispensing container which can have 
large and very large outlet cross sections without accompanying 
difficulties. 
It is a further object of our invention to provide an improved economical 
outlet device for a fluid container which is easily usable as a 
transporting, dispensing and storing container especially for a high 
viscosity fluid. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These objects and others which will become more readily apparent 
hereinafter are attained in accordance with our invention in an outlet 
device for a fluid container with an outlet pipe and with an outlet 
hoseconnected to the outlet pipe, the outlet hose being replaceable. 
According to our invention the film or foil outlet hose has no intrinsic 
stiffness, is readily foldable, and is made of rubber or plastic and is 
attached to the inside of the outlet pipe, the outlet pipe is closable 
exteriorly by a cover and the outlet hose folded together in front of the 
cover is clamped by a releasable closure inside in the outlet pipe on 
which the open end of the hose is affixed by a clamping device. 
Our invention uses the fact that in this outlet device the outlet hose 
which has no tap can fulfill an additional function, namely it can act as 
a hose plug during the transport and storage of a filled fluid container. 
To cause an outflow it is only required that the cover of the outlet device 
according to our invention be removed. The folded together outlet hose is 
pressed outwardly under the influenoe of the hydrostatic pressure of the 
fluid in it. The free end of the hose can be taken and put in a receiving 
vessel or the like into which the fluid being dispensed flows. The 
clamping device can be easily removed or can be adjusted so that it 
springs or pops off. 
In a desirable example of our invention the outlet hose has a length which 
is greater than the maximum height of the fluid level in the fluid 
container. Then the mouth of the outlet hose can be lifted until it is 
over the level of the fluid in the fluid container so that the discharge 
can be interrupted. It is understood that by compressing the mouth of the 
outlet hose in each dispensing configuration metering of the fluid flow is 
possible. 
An especially simple construction and great ease of manufacture with high 
reliability is achieved when the outlet hose has a connecting edge 
inserted in a gap between the inner wall of the outlet pipe and a mounting 
ring and is held thereon together by a sealing ring placed on the front 
surface of the outlet pipe which for its part is held by an exteriorly 
directed clamping collar on the mounting ring. 
A screw collar ring which holds the mounting ring with an interior collar 
is exteriorly screwed on the outlet pipe. The cover can be screwed into 
the mounting ring. Generally the mounting ring, the screw collar ring and 
the cover can be made from plastic. The fluid container for its part is 
made of plastic so that the outlet pipe is generally molded directly 
therein.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION 
In FIG. 1 as well as FIGS. 6 and 7 is illustrated a fluid container 1 which 
is blown from a synthetic resin material or thermoplastic and is inserted 
in a special reinforcing cage 2. 
The reinforcing cage 2 is provided on a pallet 3 so that the fluid 
container 1 can be used as a transporting and storing container (see, for 
example, European Patent 86 440 071.8). 
The fluid container 1 is provided with an outlet device 4. The outlet 
device 4 basically comprises an outlet pipe 5 and an outlet hose 6 
connected with the outlet pipe 5. The outlet hose 6 is replaceable. 
FIGS. 2 to 5 show that the outlet hose 6 is a multiply foldable hose made 
of flaccid rubber or plastic and is attached to the interior or inside of 
the outlet pipe 5. The outlet pipe 5 is exteriorly closable by a cover 7. 
The folded together outlet hose 6 (see particularly FIGS. 2 to 4) in front 
of the cover 7 inside in the outlet pipe 5 is sealable or closable by a 
clamping device 8. The outlet hose 6 has a length 1 which is greater than 
the corresponding maximum height h of the fluid level in the fluid 
container 1 referring to FIG. 7. A clamp 20 may be provided on the hose 6 
if desired although the folding may be sufficient to provide the desired 
sealing effect. 
The outlet hose 6 is inserted with a connecting edge 9 in a gap between the 
interior wall 5i of the outlet pipe 5 and a mounting ring 10. It is held 
by a sealing ring 11 placed on the front surface 5f of the outlet pipe 5. 
The sealing ring 11 for its part together with the substantially 
interposed connecting edge 9 is held by an exteriorly directed clamping 
collar 12 on the mounting ring 10. A screw collar ring 13 which locks the 
mounting ring 10 with an interior collar 14 is screwed on the outside of 
the outlet pipe 5. The cover 7 is screwed in the mounting ring 10. The 
mounting ring 10, the screw collar ring 13 and the cover 7 are 
appropriately made from plastic. In this example also the fluid container 
1 is a plastic container with the outlet pipe 5 molded on it. 
When the cover 7 is removed the outlet hose 6 is driven out of the pipe 5 
under the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid. 
Furthermore the mouth of the outlet hose 6 can be taken and put in a 
receiving vessel 15. That is shown in FIG. 6. As has already been 
indicated in FIG. 7 the mouth of the outlet hose 6 can be lifted up so 
that the fluid discharge process can be interrupted hydrostatically. The 
clamp 20 can be removed or simply shifted so that its eye surrounds the 
hose (FIG. 5). 
By "hydrostatically flexible outlet hose" in the following claims we mean a 
hose which can be folded up when not filled with a fluid but will expand 
and fill up to form a cylindrical tube under the hydrostatic pressure of 
an applied fluid without leaking the fluid. A hose of this nature can be 
made of rubber or plastic film or foil.