Patent ID: 7455199

Claim:
A frozen aerated product in a container, the frozen aerated product being under a pressure of between 4 and 18 barg, the container being provided with a valve; characterised in that the valve has a flow rate between 10 and 30 g s −1 , an opening force between 20 and 200 N and is provided with an actuating member having an actuation force between 20 to 35 N; wherein the valve comprises: a valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) having one or more apertures ( 66 , 266 , 323 ) therein, the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) having a product outlet ( 64 , 264 , 324 ), a bore ( 65 , 265 , 322 ) extending from the product outlet ( 64 , 264 , 324 ) to the apertures ( 66 , 266 , 323 ), and a longitudinal axis; a first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ) having one or more apertures ( 75 , 275 , 328 ) therein; and a resiliently biasable second member ( 46 , 246 , 344 ); one or other of the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) and the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ) being slidably and coaxially mountable on or in the other of the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) and the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ); the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) and the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ) being arranged such that on application of an opening force on the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) or the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ), the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) and the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ) slide relative to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem, and one or more of the apertures ( 75 , 275 , 328 ) in the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ) are brought into fluid communication with one or more of the apertures ( 66 , 266 , 323 ) in the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ); the second member ( 46 , 246 , 344 ) being arranged to force the apertures ( 75 , 275 , 328 , 66 , 266 , 323 ) in the first member ( 42 , 242 , 327 ) and the valve stem ( 40 , 240 , 300 ) out of said fluid communication when the opening force is released; characterised in that a ratio R is less than 2.0; and wherein the second member ( 46 , 246 , 344 ) is substantially free from contact with the frozen aerated product in the container.