A DEVICE FOR RELEASING A FLUID INTO A LIQUID IN A CONTAINER

Abstract: A device (5) for releasing a fluid (6) into a liquid (2) in a container (1) includes a housing (7). At least a portion of the housing (7) is adapted to be inserted into an opening (3) in the container (1). The portion of the housing (7) has a fluid outlet (17). A puncturing device (18) is mounted on the housing (7) and a fluid chamber (11) is movably mounted on the housing (7) for movement between a storage position, in which fluid (6) is retained within the fluid chamber (11), and a release position in which the fluid chamber (11) is punctured by the puncturing device (18) and the fluid (6) is released from the fluid chamber (11) to exit from the device through the fluid outlet (17).

Description: "A Device for Releasing a Fluid into a Liquid in a Container" The invention relates to a device for releasing a fluid into a first liquid in a container. In a number of applications, such as mixtures of different liquids, it may be necessary to release and mix a liquid into another liquid shortly before the liquid mixture is used. It may not be possible or desirable to store the liquids in a premixed form, as they may react undesirably with each other when stored as the mixture for a period of time. An example of this may be mixtures of alcoholic drinks and non- alcoholic drinks. However, it can also apply to other liquids or to mixtures of liquids and gases. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a device for releasing a fluid into a liquid in a container comprises a housing, at least a portion of which is adapted to be inserted into an opening in the container and the portion having a fluid outlet therein; a puncturing device mounted on the housing; a fluid chamber movably mounted on the housing for movement between a storage position, in which fluid is retained within the fluid chamber, and a release position, in which the fluid chamber is punctured by the puncturing device and fluid is released from the fluid chamber to exit from the device through the fluid outlet. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a container of a liquid comprises an opening closed by a releasable closure and a device for releasing a fluid into the liquid in the container, the device being mounted in the container adjacent the opening, and the device being in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. An advantage of the invention is that by having a fluid chamber which releases fluid when it is punctured it is possible to delay puncturing the fluid chamber until the fluid is to be released into the liquid in the container, just before the liquid is to be used. The housing may include a conduit into which the fluid passes after passing through the fluid outlet and the conduit extends below the surface of the liquid in the container. Typically, the conduit extends to at least adjacent the mid-section of the first liquid in the first container and preferably, extends to adjacent the bottom of the first container. Alternatively, the fluid may be released onto the surface of the liquid in the container by the device. Typically, the fluid chamber may contain a liquid and/or a gas. Preferably, the fluid in the chamber is pressurised prior to puncturing of the chamber. Pressurisation of the fluid would aid expulsion of the fluid from the fluid chamber on release of the closure. Preferably, the fluid chamber includes a rupturable member which is punctured by the puncturing device to release the fluid from the fluid chamber. Typically, the rupturable member may be a membrane. In a first example, the fluid chamber may be manually movable to the release position. In a second example, the device could be located inside the container and the fluid chamber moves to the release position on opening of the container. An advantage of the manually operable fluid chamber is that a user can choose whether to introduce the fluid into the liquid in the container, if addition of the fluid is optional to use of the liquid. In the second example, the housing may comprise two portions, a pressurisable portion and the portion having the fluid outlet, and a valve device may be fitted to permit the pressure within the pressurisable portion to equalise with the pressure within the container, the valve device substantially preventing release of pressure from the pressurisable portion when the releasable closure is removed to open the container. The advantage of this feature is that when the pressure within the container is greater than ambient pressure or atmospheric pressure when the container is closed, the pressurisable portion will equalise to the same pressure as the container. When the container is opened a pressure differential will be created between the container and the pressurisable portion because pressure is not released from the pressurisable portion, and the pressure differential can be used to move the fluid chamber to the release position. The valve device may be a semi-permeable membrane which permits gas into the pressurisable portion of housing but is not sufficiently permeable to permit the gas to escape from the pressurisable portion when the container is opened and before the fluid chamber moves to the release position. Alternatively, the valve device may be a one-way valve. Preferably, the pressurisable portion may be sealed from the portion having the fluid outlet by the fluid chamber which co-operates with the housing to effect a seal between the fluid chamber and the housing. A sealing device may be located on one or both of the fluid chambers and the housing to help effect the seal. Preferably, the fluid and the liquid may be any combination. Examples of combinations are the fluid being lime juice and the liquid being lager, or the fluid being chocolate flavouring and gas and the liquid being milk. The first combination would give the user a lager and lime drink, the second combination would give a chocolate milk shake with the gas helping to generate the froth on the shake. Examples of a device for releasing a fluid into a liquid in a container in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through an upper portion of a container with a first example of a device for releasing a fluid into a liquid in the container with the device in a first position in the container; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the container of Fig. 1 showing the device mounted in the container and the closure of the container removed; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 1 with the device in a release position; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 1 with the device removed from the container; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through a container showing a second example of a device for releasing fluid into a liquid in the container with the device in a first position; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the container of Fig. 5 with the closure removed; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view through the container of Fig. 5 with the device in a release position; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view through the container of Fig. 5 showing the device being removed from the container; Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view through an upper portion of a container, showing a third example of a device for releasing fluid into liquid in the container with the device in a first position; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the container shown in Fig. 9, with the closure of the container removed and the device in a second position; Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 9, with the device in a release position; Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 9 showing the device being removed from the container; Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view through an upper portion of a container showing a fourth example of a device for releasing fluid into liquid in the container; Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view through an upper portion of a container showing a fifth example of a device for releasing fluid into liquid in the container; Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view through an upper portion of a container showing a sixth example of a device for releasing fluid into liquid in the container; Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view through a seventh example of a device for releasing fluid into liquid in a container with a fluid chamber in a first position; Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view through the device of Fig. 16 showing the fluid chamber in an intermediate release position; and, Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view through the device of Figs. 16 and 17 showing the fluid chamber in a final release position. Fig. 1 shows an upper portion of a container 1 which has a liquid 2 within it. The container 1 also has a threaded opening 3 on which a closure 4 is located. Located within the threaded opening 3 is a device 5 for releasing a fluid 6 into the liquid 2 in the container 1. The device 5 comprises an outer housing 7 which has spaced apart spurs 8, 9 between which a head 10 of a fluid chamber 11 is located. The head 10 has an opening 12 which is sealed by a foil cap 13. The opposite end of the fluid chamber 11 has a vent hole 14 which is sealed in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a seal 15 located on the inside of the closure 4. The housing 7 has a lip section 16 which rests on the upper end of the threaded opening 3 and is held in position by the closure 4, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the housing 7 has a fluid outlet 17 which passes through the centre of a rupturing portion 18 which points upwards towards the foil cap 13 covering the opening 12 of the fluid chamber 11. The position shown in Fig. 1, is the position in which the device 5 would be located when the container 1 is retailed or stored. When a user wishes to use the contents of the container 1, the closure 4 is removed, as shown in Fig. 2, which also removes the seal 15 from the vent hole 14. A user then presses upper end 19 of the chamber 11 downwards, as indicated by arrow 20 in Fig. 3. This causes the head 10 to deflect the spurs 8 and spiked portion 18 of the housing 7 ruptures the foil cap 13. The fluid 6 within the fluid chamber 11 exits the chamber and the housing 7 through the fluid outlet 17 in the spike 18 thereby releasing the fluid 6 on to the surface of the liquid 2 in the container 1. The fluid 6 empties from the chamber 11 because air can enter the chamber 11 simultaneously through the vent hole 4. The combination of the liquid 2 and the liquid 6 forms a mixed liquid 21 in the container 1. The device 5 may then be removed from the opening 3 (see Fig. 4) by a user grasping nibs 22 on the upper end of the chamber 11 to remove the device from the container 1. The housing 7 is removed from the container 1 simultaneously with the chamber 11 because the chamber 11 is locked to the housing 7 by spurs 8 which engage behind head 10 on the chamber 11. A second example of a device for releasing fluid into a liquid 2 in a container 1, is shown in Figs. 5 to 8. The device 24 is similar to the device 5 shown in Figs. 1 to 4, except that the device 24 includes a chamber 23 which does not have a vent hole 14 and has a sealing gasket 25 at opening 26, which is sealed by a foil membrane 27. In addition, the chamber 23 contains a liquid 28 and a pressurised gas 56. Also, the lower section of housing 7 is modified in that it has a rupturing portion 29 and a connector section 30 depending therefrom. The connector section 30 is connected to a dip tube 31. A fluid outlet 32 extends through the rupturing portion 29 and communicates with the inside of the dip tube 31. In use, the position of the device 24, as shown in Fig. 5 is the position in which the container 1 would be retailed or stored. When a user wishes to use the contents of the container 1, the closure 4 is removed (see Fig. 6) and end 24 of the container 23 is pushed downwards to move the chamber 23 towards the rupturing portion 29 causing the rupture portion 29 to rupture the foil closure 27 (see Fig. 7). When this occurs, the liquid 28 is expelled from the chamber 23, by the pressure of the gas 56, through the outlet 32 and into the liquid 2 in the container 1, via the dip tube 31. The liquid 28 mixes with the liquid 2 to form a mixed liquid 59 in the container 1. The device 24 may then be removed from the container 1, as with device 5, by grasping nibs 22 on the upper end of the chamber 23 and pulling upwards. Removal of the device 24, also removes dip tube 31 from the container 1. Fig. 9 shows a third example of a device 54 for releasing a fluid 58 into a liquid in a container 1. The device 54 comprises a housing 57 which has spurs 33, 34 which hold a head 35 of a fluid chamber 36. The chamber 36 has a sealing gasket 37 which defines an opening 38 which is closed by a foil membrane and plastic seal 39. The opposite end of the chamber 36 has a hole which is covered by a membrane 40. The lower portion of the housing 57 has a rupture portion 41 with a fluid passageway 42 therein. Depending from the rupture portion 41 is a connector 43 to which a dip tube 44 is attached. Hence, the fluid passageway 42 communicates with the interior of the dip tube 44. The upper section of the housing 32 has a telescopic section 45 in which is located a plunger 46. Bleed holes 47 in the housing 57 and the telescopic section 45 permit gas to bleed into void 48 between the plunger 46 and the upper end of the fluid chamber 36 from air space 49 in the container 1. In addition, an optional spring 50 may be located between the upper end of the chamber 36 and the inside of the plunger 46 (see Fig. 10). The spring 50 is optional and is preferably used where the liquid in the container 1 is a still liquid. However, the spring 50 may also be used where the liquid is aerated or naturally produces a gas. In use, the device 54 is located in the container 1 in the neck 3 and is secured in position by a threaded cap 51 which also seals the container 1. The cap 51 threadedly attaches to the opening 3, as shown in Fig. 9. The position of the device shown in Fig. 9 is the position in which the container 1 would be retailed or stored. When a user wishes to use a liquid within a container 1, the threaded cap 51 is removed and either pressure of the spring 50 and/or the pressure of gas in the void 48, which has entered the void 48 through the bleed holes 47, forces the telescopic section 45 upwards to the position shown in Fig. 10. When the device 54 reaches the position shown in Fig. 10, a user may press the plunger 46 downwards in the direction of the arrow 52. This causes the telescopic section 45 to move downwards, forcing the chamber 36 downwards by spurs 53 which are engaged against the upper end of the chamber 36. As the chamber 36 is forced downwards within the housing 54, the rupture portion 41 ruptures the foil membrane 39 which releases fluid 58 through the fluid outlet 42 into the dip tube 44. The fluid 58 is either pressurised on insertion of the fluid 58 into the chamber 36, or else gas from the void 49 in the container 1 has pressurised the fluid 32 by entering the chamber 36 through bleed holes 37, void 48 and the semi-permeable membrane 40. The pressurised fluid 58 is expelled from the chamber 36 through the dip tube 44 into the liquid in the container 1 by this pressure. After the fluid 58 has been expelled from the chamber 36, the device 54 may be removed from the container 1 (see Fig. 12) by a user grasping nibs 55 on the top end of the telescopic section 45. A fourth example of a device 60 for introducing a liquid 61 into liquid 2 in the container 1 is shown in Fig. 13. Device 60 is similar to the device 24, except that the device 60 has a chamber 62 which incorporates a one-way valve 63 which permits gas from air space 49 in the container 1 to enter chamber 62 and pressurise the liquid 61. Apart from this modification, the chamber 62 is identical to the chamber 23 of device 24 shown in Figs. 5 to 8. In use, the device 60 operates in a similar manner to the device 24 and it is gas which enters chamber 62 during storage via the one-way valve 63 which expels the liquid 61 from the chamber 62 through outlet 32 into the dip tube 31 to enter liquid 64 in the container 1. Fig. 14 shows a fifth example of a device 65 for releasing fluid 66 into a liquid in the container 1. The device 65 is similar to the device 54 shown in Figs. 9 to 12, except that the device 65 does not have a membrane 40 on its upper end and contains no holes in its upper end. In the device 65, the liquid 66 is pressurised when it is inserted into chamber 67 and before the chamber 67 is sealed. However, the device 65 operates in a similar manner to the device 54 and could use an optional spring 50 located between the upper end of the chamber 67 and the inside of the plunger 46. A sixth example of the device 68 for releasing fluid 69 into liquid in a container 1 is shown in Fig. 15. The device 68 is similar to the device 54 shown in Figs. 9 to 12, except that chamber 70 does not have a seal gasket 39 and only has an opening 71 sealed by a foil membrane 72. In addition, housing 73 of the device 68 is identical to housing 57, except that it has a slightly modified rupture portion 74 and no connector 43 or dip tube 44. Hence, fluid outlet 75 permits fluid 69 to be expelled from the chamber 70 directly onto the surface of the liquid in the container 1, when chamber 70 is urged downwards so that the rupturing portion 74 ruptures the foil membrane 72. Operation of the device 68 is similar to the device 54 shown in Figs. 9 to 12 and if desired, an optional spring 50 can be fitted between the top of the chamber 70 and the inside of plunger 46 to aid lifting of the telescopic section 45 and plunger 46 when the threaded cap 51 is removed from the container 1. A seventh example of a device 80 for releasing a fluid 81 into a liquid in a container (not shown) is shown in Fig. 16. The device 80 comprises a housing 82 which has an upper section 83 and a lower section 84. Attached to the upper section 83 is a cap 85 which has a number of ridges 86 on its top surface. In addition, there is a vent hole 87 in the cap 85 and the hole 87 is covered by a semi-permeable membrane 88. Located within the housing 82 is a fluid chamber 89 in which the liquid 81 is contained. The fluid chamber 89 has an open end 90 which is sealed by an annular gasket 91 and a central aperture 92 of the gasket 91 is sealed by a foil membrane 93. A protective cap 94 covers the gasket 91 and the cap 94 has a central aperture therein which coincides with the aperture 92 in the gasket 91. The cap 94 is snapped over open end 90 of the fluid chamber 89 and the cap 94 terminates in sprung legs 95 at the side of the fluid chamber 89. The lower portion 84 of housing 82 has a central rupturing portion 96 in which grooves 97 are formed. The lower portion 84 of the housing 82 is formed by arms 98 which extend from upper portion 83 downwards and then radially inwards to join the rupturing portion 96 and there are gaps between the arms 98. In use, the device 80 may for example be filled with a liquid which is super-saturated with nitrogen. The device 80 may then be attached to the underside of the cap of a drink can, in which the ring pull of the drink can is located. The device 80 may be attached to the underside of the cap of the drink can by adhesive which attaches ribs 86 to the underside of the drink can. The ridges 86 are not continuous thus permitting gas within the drink can to pass from the drink can, after it is sealed, through membrane 88 and vent hole 87 into air gap 99 between the top of the chamber 89 and the underside of the cap 85. Typically, the drink can may be a can for beer or another drink in which the contents of the can are pressurised. When a user opens the can by pulling the ring pull, the pressure within the can will drop to atmospheric pressure. However, the membrane 88 prevents immediate equalisation of the pressure between the air gap 99 and the rest of the can and therefore prevents the pressure in the air gap 99 falling to atmospheric pressure. This pressure differential acts against the upper end of the chamber 89 which forces the chamber 89 downwards and against the rupturing portion 96 which ruptures the foil membrane closure 93. The chamber 89 is then in the position shown in Fig. 17 in which the rupturing portion 96 has pierced the membrane 93. Fluid 81 in the chamber 89, which is pressurised, is then expelled through grooves 97 in the rupturing member 96 and out of the housing 82 via the gaps in the arms 98 in the lower section 84 of the housing 82, and into contact with the liquid in the can. As the excess pressure in the air gap 99 bleeds through the vent hole 87 and membrane 88, the pressure on the upper end of the chamber 89 reduces to atmospheric pressure and the chamber 89 relaxes to the position shown in Fig. 18. When the rupturing member 96 ruptures the foil membrane 93, spring arms 95 are already engaged below lugs 100 which prevents the pressure within the chamber 89 pushing the chamber 89 back upwards to the position shown in Fig. 16. An advantage of the device 80 shown in Figs. 16 to 18 is that the fluid 81 within the chamber 89 can be released into the contents of the liquid in the container, for example a drink can or a bottle, without requiring a user to activate the device 80. However, in certain instances devices 5, 24, 54, 60, 65 or 68 may be more desirable as this would give a user the option of whether or not to release the fluid within the fluid chamber into contact with the liquid in the container. A user may then decide, if they wish, not to mix the fluid with the liquid if use of the fluid is optional. A further advantage of the invention is that the fluid chamber is only punctured or ruptured, when the fluid needs to be released into the liquid in the container. The use of a dip tube, such as dip tubes 31 on the devices 24 and 60 and the dip tube 44 on devices 54 and 65, permit the fluid to be introduced into the body of the liquid, rather than the surface. This has the advantage that gas in the fluid may be used, for example, to froth the liquid or generate a head on the mixed liquid. An example of such a mixed liquid may be a flavoured milkshake, in which case the fluid may be a mixture of a flavour concentrate and a gas. A further advantage of the invention is that the devices can be used with containers which are pressurised or non-pressurised and with fluid which may be a liquid, gas or a liquid/gas mixture. Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for releasing a fluid into a liquid in a container comprising a housing, at least a portion of which is adapted to be inserted into an opening in the container and the portion having a fluid outlet therein; a puncturing device mounted on the housing; a fluid chamber movably mounted on the housing for movement between a storage position, in which fluid is retained within the fluid chamber, and a release position, in which the fluid chamber is punctured by the puncturing device and fluid is released from the fluid chamber to exit from the device through the fluid outlet. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a conduit into which the fluid passes after passing through the fluid outlet. 3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fluid in the chamber is pressurised prior to puncturing of the chamber. 4. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid container contains a liquid and/or a gas. 5. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid chamber includes a rupturable member which is punctured by the puncturing device to release the fluid from the fluid chamber. 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the rupturable member comprises a membrane. 7. A container of a liquid comprises an opening closed by a releasable closure and a device according to any of the preceding claims, the device releasing a fluid into the liquid in the container, and the device being mounted in the container adjacent the opening. 8. A container according to claim 7 when dependant on claim 2, wherein the conduit extends below the surface of the liquid in the container.

Inventors: FRUTIN BERNARD DEREK, FRUTIN, BERNARD, DEREK
Applicants: FRUTIN BERNARD D, ROCEP LUSOL HOLDINGS, FRUTIN, BERNARD, DEREK, ROCEP LUSOL HOLDINGS LIMITED
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D51
IPC codes: B65D51, B65D81