Patent Grant
10683149
This application is the national phase entry, under 35 U.S.C. Section 371(c), of International Application No. PCT/EP2016/058699, filed Apr. 20, 2016, claiming priority from European Application Nos. 15164508.2, filed Apr. 21, 2015, and 15177738.0, filed Jul. 21, 2015. The disclosures of the International Application and the European Applications from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to a container assembly for accommodating a beverage, a preform assembly for producing a container assembly and a method of producing a container assembly.
Historically, beverages have been transported from the place of production to the place of consumption in containers such as bottles made of glass or alternatively in kegs made of metal or wood. Nowadays, plastic and preferably PET is increasingly being used for transporting beverage replacing both glass bottles and metal and wooded containers.
One advantage of using plastic containers instead of glass, metal or wooden containers is the significantly less weight of plastic containers. Further, plastic containers may be blow molded out of preforms just before filling the beverage, and after the container has been emptied of beverage at the place of consumption, or even during tapping, the beverage container may be collapsed, i.e. compressed or compacted, to a much smaller size compared to the originally filled size.
Yet further, the plastic containers may be recycled in an environmentally friendly way either by melting in order to re-use the raw material, or by combustion resulting apart from generation of carbon dioxide and water in the recovery of energy. Containers made of glass, metal or wood are more difficult to recycle and typically must be transported back to the beverage producer for cleaning or alternatively to the manufacturer for being melted down under high temperature and re-used as raw material, both options resulting in environmental impact in the form of energy use and possible use of toxic substances.
In order to save on material it is desirable to use as thin walled containers as possible. Storing pressurized beverages, such as carbonated beverage, in thin walled containers will on the other hand increase the risk of rupturing the container. A rupture may in addition to the complete loss of the beverage stored in the container also result in personal injury or damage on property due to debris from the rupturing container. Ruptures may occur due to accidental piercing of the container, however, the most violent ruptures may be caused by an increase of the pressure inside the container.
As the pressure inside the container is directly dependent on the temperature of the beverage, rupture may occur as a result of a fire close to the location of the container or by leaving the container in a hot location such as in direct sunlight or inside an enclosed space which is being heated by sunlight. Further, fermented beverages such as beer release a large amount of carbon dioxide during the fermentation. When the beverage has been sealed in the container, the fermentation should have stopped or at least continue in a predictable way. In case the fermentation continues in an uncontrolled way when the beverage has been sealed within the container, the pressure increase caused by the gas produced during the uncontrolled fermentation may cause the container to rupture. Thus, there is a need to make such containers pressure safe.
Ruptures due to pressure increase within the container may be avoided by the use of an overpressure valve, which may limit the pressure within the beverage container by opening at a certain pressure limit and relieving the inner space of the beverage container of any excessive pressure. However, any additional parts will increase the overall complexity and overall cost of the beverage container. As beverage containers are produced in very high numbers, it is necessary to keep the costs as low as possible.
It is therefore an object according to the present invention to provide technologies for avoiding overpressure related rupture of beverage containers while keeping the additional cost per unit low.
US 2008/0078769 A1 discloses a high pressure gas cylinder comprising a neck having an elongated throat and a mouth at an outer end of the throat. A plug and a piercable membrane are positioned within the throat at a substantial distance from the mouth. The high pressure gas cylinder further comprising a shipping cap removably mounted on the neck. The shipping cap includes at least two gas vent ports extending radially outwardly through the cap.
If the seal provided by the plug is breached, compressed gas exiting the gas cylinder through the throat exits the cap through the opposed radial vent ports. Because the vent ports are substantially identically configured, escaping gas will exit each of the vent ports at substantially equal flow volumes and exit velocities. Accordingly, the vents of the shipping cap prevent a breached bottle assembly from becoming a missile.
CN 2378333Y relates to a beer bottle washer made of plastic. The plastic washer is pressed elastically between the bottle mouth and cap. When the pressure inside the bottle increases to near a rupture critical pressure, the plastic washer loosens microscopically and part of the gas within the bottle may be released in order to reduce the rupture probability.
At least the above advantage, need and object or at least one of numerous further advantages, needs and objects, which will be evident from the below description of the present invention, is according to a first aspect of the present invention obtained by a container assembly for accommodating a carbonated beverage, the carbonated beverage defining a temperature dependent internal carbonization pressure, the container assembly comprising:
Carbonated beverage should in the present context be understood to include both naturally carbonated beverages such as beer, cider, carbonated wine and certain natural mineral waters, and beverages which have been force-carbonated such as sodas, colas, soft drinks and certain sparkling wines. Carbonated beverages must be packaged in pressure proof containers and kept under pressure to avoid a continuous escape of carbon dioxide from the beverage which over time would result in a flat beverage. The dissolved carbon dioxide in the carbonated beverage forms equilibrium with its surrounding atmosphere and thus the pressure inside the container should correspond to the desired internal carbonization pressure of the beverage. The carbonization pressure of the beverage is temperature dependent and thus at increased temperatures, an equal amount of dissolved carbon dioxide will yield a higher internal carbonization pressure and consequently a higher pressure inside the container, in which the carbonated beverage is stored.
Typically, beverage containers define a larger cylindrical body part which is defining an inner space for accommodating most of or all of beverage stored in the container. The beverage containers also typically define a smaller and thinner cylindrical neck part which defines the opening of the beverage container. The neck part typically defines a gas filled head space comprising gaseous carbon dioxide in equilibrium with the dissolved carbon dioxide in the beverage. The head space pressure thus corresponds to the internal carbonization pressure of the beverage. The beverage container has a wall thickness and material composition for withstanding the pressure generated by the carbonated beverage under normal temperature conditions and in practice it is necessary to additionally include a safety margin so that the beverage container in reality is capable of withstanding a substantially higher pressure than the equilibrium pressure at room temperature. The burst pressure, i.e. the pressure at which the beverage container will rupture due to the pressure acting on the inner wall of the container, will vary due to manufacturing tolerances, voids in the container etc, however, for practical purposes the burst pressure is set to a theoretical “rated” pressure which an overwhelming majority of the containers will be capable of withstanding.
The closure comprises a closure plate which will form a tight fit with the rim, and a cylindrical part forming a skirt extending from the plate inherently molded to the plate to form a single part. The cylindrical part comprises a locking part which is intended to lock the closure in the right place on the neck by arresting the outwardly oriented circumferential flange on the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part. Specifically, the locking part arrests the outwardly oriented circumferential flange by grabbing the flange on the side facing away from the rim. In this way the closure will be firmly fastened to the neck part. Access to the interior of the container by the user is normally established via a piercable membrane in the closure plate and not by removing the closure altogether, although a complete removal of the closure may be an alternative option.
In order to seal the closure pressure tight to the neck, a flexible sealing ring is provided in a circumferential cavity between the rim and the circumferential flange and compressed between the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part and the cylindrical part of the closure. The sealing ring has a dual purpose. The first purpose is the above mentioned circumferential fluid and pressure tight sealing between the closure and the neck part of the container. This constitutes the first position.
Exceptionally, when the pressure for some reason increases within the container and approaches the burst pressure and thereby a risk of rupture can be expected, the flexible sealing ring will be pushed to a second position by the increased pressure. In the second position a part of the sealing ring is pushed downwardly in the direction of the force acting on the flexible sealing ring by the pressure difference between the head space and the exterior of the beverage container to a groove below the circumferential cavity. The part of the sealing ring which is located in the groove will be in a stretched and non-compressed state thus allowing excessive gas to pass from the head space of the beverage container to the exterior of the beverage container. This constitutes the second purpose of the sealing ring.
The groove may be provided either in the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part or the cylindrical part of the closure. The groove defines a greater distance between the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part or the cylindrical part of the closure than the width of the sealing ring, whereas the circumferential cavity defines a smaller distance between the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part or the cylindrical part of the closure. The groove is defined along a smaller circumference of the neck part, i.e. less than 50% of the circumference about the neck part, preferably 30% or less, more preferably 20% or less, most preferably 10% or less, such as 1%-5% or 5%-10%.
In the second position, a temporary fluid path between the inside of the container and the outside of the container is provided for releasing some gas from the head space inside the neck part of the container to the exterior of the container, thereby lowering the pressure inside the container and eliminating the risk of rupture. When the pressure has been reduced inside the beverage container, the stretched sealing ring re-assumes the first position in which the sealing ring is compressed between the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part and the cylindrical part of the closure. The movement between the first position and the second position is determined by the interaction between the pressurized gas of the head space, the sealing pressure and the elasticity, strength and flexibility of the sealing ring. The material of the O-ring should be temperature stable and capable of withstanding both low and high temperatures.
The main advantage of the present container assembly is thus that no additional parts are required for achieving the above mentioned release of overpressure, i.e. the already existing sealing ring is used together with a groove. Only the groove needs to be added to the existing containers.
When the container is in its standard use, i.e. sealed within a pressure chamber, it is fundamental that the pressure applied from the increased pressure outside the beverage container does not cause the O-ring to move from the first position to the second position, i.e. the O-ring should move due to the force caused by the relative pressure between the outside of the container and the inside of the container. The O-ring should not move in response to the absolute pressure inside of the container, or the pressure inside the container relative to the atmospheric pressure outside the pressure chamber.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the sealing ring is movable between the first position and the second position along the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part. Preferably the friction between the sealing ring and the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part allows a part of the sealing ring to move along the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the sealing ring is elastically deformable between the first position and the second position in a direction perpendicular to the outwardly oriented surface of the neck part. Preferably, the sealing ring is elastically deformable for determining a proper pressure at which the sealing ring will move from the first position to the second position.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the beverage container is collapsible. The present container assembly is preferably used together with a collapsible container as collapsible containers preferably are made thin, and thereby more prone to rupture, for allowing the containers to be compressed using a lower compression pressure,
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the room temperature is considered to be between 0° C. and 60° C., preferably between 10° C. and 40° C., more preferably between 15° C. and 30° C., most preferably between 20° C. and 25° C., such as 22° C. The above temperatures may be considered indicative for room temperature in the present circumstances.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the temperature dependent internal carbonization pressure at room temperature is between 0.5 barg and 8 barg, preferably between 1 barg and 4 barg, more preferably between 1 barg and 2 barg or alternatively between 2 barg and 3 barg or alternatively between 3 barg and 4 barg. The above pressures may be considered indicative for internal carbonization pressure for many carbonated beverages such as beer etc. at the above room temperature in the present circumstances.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the sealing ring moves from the first position to the second position when the internal carbonization pressure is between 4 barg and 12 barg, preferably between 6 barg and 10 barg, more preferably between 6 barg and 8 barg or alternatively between 8 barg and 10 barg. The above pressures are suitable in order to have a proper safety margin for the container while avoiding that pressurization gas is released from the container when the container is only heated slightly and the head space pressure is still safe, since already released gas cannot be re-introduced into the container.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the burst pressure is between 8 barg and 40 barg, preferably between 10 barg and 20 barg, more preferably between 12 barg and 14 barg or alternatively between 14 barg and 16 barg. The above pressures may be considered indicative for burst pressure in the present circumstances.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the groove has a circular, elliptic, rectangular, quadratic or superelliptic cross section. Variously shaped grooves may be used, however, typically the groove has a circular cross section.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the sealing ring has a circular, elliptic, rectangular, quadratic or superelliptic cross section. Variously shaped sealing rings may be used, however, typically the sealing ring has a circular cross section.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the groove has a cross sectional dimension in the range between 1 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 5 mm, more preferably between 3 mm and 4 mm. The groove should not be too large or extend about a too large circumference of the neck part of the container, since only a small fluid path is desired, and the sealing ring may not be sufficiently stretched to be capable to resume the first position in case the groove is too large. The above mentioned values are recommended in the present circumstances for standard sized beverage containers, i.e. containers ranging between 1 litre and 60 litres.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the outwardly oriented surface is tapered towards the rim at the location of the groove. In this way, the flexible sealing ring will be wedged into sealed position due to the pressure difference between the head space and the exterior of the beverage container.
According to a further embodiment of the first aspect, the cylindrical part of the closure is tapered towards the closure plate at the location of the groove. Alternatively or in addition, the cylindrical part of the closure may be tapered for the same purpose.
At least the above advantage, need and object or at least one of numerous further advantages, needs and objects, which will be evident from the below description of the present invention, are according to a second aspect of the present invention obtained by a preform assembly for producing a container assembly, the preform assembly comprising:
The preform assembly according to the second aspect may preferably be used to manufacture the beverage container assembly according to the first aspect.
At least the above advantage, need and object or at least one of numerous further advantages, needs and objects, which will be evident from the below description of the present invention, are according to a third aspect of the present invention obtained by a method of producing a container assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
The method according to the third aspect may preferably be used to manufacture the beverage container assembly according to the first aspect.
The neck part 12 comprises a circular rim 16 defining an opening 18 for accessing the interior of the beverage container 10. The neck part 12 further comprises a circumferential flange 20 and an optional additional flange 22. The circumferential flange 20 is used for closing off the beverage container 10 as will be described further below, whereas the optional additional flange 22 is used for handling the beverage container 10 during blow moulding, transport, etc so that the circumferential flange 20 may be preserved.
The neck part 12 defines an outwardly oriented surface 24 extending between the rim 16 and the circumferential flange 20. The outwardly oriented surface 24 comprises an optional tapering 26 encircling the greater part of the circumference defined by the outwardly oriented surface 24 and a groove 28 which occupies the remaining smaller part of the circumference defined by the outwardly oriented surface 24. The groove 28 defines an indentation in the outwardly oriented surface 24.
The cylindrical part 34 of the closure 30 further comprises a locking part 36 which is snap fitted onto the circumferential flange 20 so that the closure 30 is arrested to the beverage container 10. The locking part 36 is thereby located on the opposite side of the circumferential flange 20 as seen from the rim 16 of the beverage container 10. Access to the beverage container 10 is typically achieved by a piercable membrane 38 in the closure plate 32.
The assembly comprising the beverage container 10 and the closure 30 further comprise a sealing ring 40 which is compressed or squeezed in a circumferential cavity established between the cylindrical part 34 of the closure 30 and the outwardly oriented surface 24 of the neck part 12 and between the rim 16 and the circumferential flange 20 of the neck part 12, preferably adjacent the tapering 26. A pressure tight sealing is thereby achieved by the elastical compression of the sealing ring 40 against the surfaces establishing the above mentioned cavity.
The lack of sealing pressure between the outwardly oriented surface 24 of the neck part 12 at the location of the groove 28 will allow some gas from the head space to escape from the inside of the beverage container 10 to the exterior of the beverage container 10 as shown by the arrows. When the pressure inside the beverage container is reduced to a safe level, the elastomeric sealing ring 40 will generally not resume the first position compressed between the cylindrical part 34 of the closure 30 and the outwardly oriented surface 24 of the neck part 12 but maintain the uncompressed position within the groove 28. In this way it may be established whether or not the container has been subjected to a pressure increase caused by e.g. high temperatures or uncontrolled fermentation. It is, however, contemplated that in some embodiments it may be appreciated to allow the sealing ring 40 to resume the first position instead of a one way function of the sealing ring 40.
It is evident to the skilled person that the above described embodiments only describe one out of numerous embodiments envisaged according to the present invention and that the above embodiments may be modified in numerous ways without departing from the inventive idea as described by the appending claims. As an example, both the tapering and the groove may be part of the closure instead of the neck part.
10. Beverage container
12. Neck part
14. Body part (partial view)
16. Rim
18. Opening
20. Circumferential flange
22. Additional flange
24. Outwardly oriented surface
26. Tapering
28. Groove
30. Closure
32. Closure plate
34. Cylindrical part
36. Locking part
38. Piercable membrane
40. Flexible sealing ring
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15164508 | Apr 2015 | EP | regional |
| 15177738 | Jul 2015 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2016/058699 | 4/20/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2016/169951 | 10/27/2016 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 601698 | Backhaus | Apr 1898 | A |
| 1998646 | Yager | Apr 1935 | A |
| 2019376 | Wilhelm | Oct 1935 | A |
| 2056124 | Pierson | Sep 1936 | A |
| 2099711 | Townsend | Nov 1937 | A |
| 2138376 | Griswold | Nov 1938 | A |
| 2423295 | Crabbe | Jul 1947 | A |
| 2437515 | Glocker | Mar 1948 | A |
| 2453664 | Hohl | Nov 1948 | A |
| 2552642 | Morrison, Jr. | May 1951 | A |
| 3011671 | Waber | Dec 1961 | A |
| 3043463 | Beall, Jr. | Jul 1962 | A |
| 3181720 | N M Cassie et al. | May 1965 | A |
| 3181780 | Cassie et al. | May 1965 | A |
| 3433379 | Feofanovich | Mar 1969 | A |
| 4007848 | Snyder | Feb 1977 | A |
| 4231489 | Malone | Nov 1980 | A |
| 5465864 | McClean | Nov 1995 | A |
| 6015062 | Bachmann | Jan 2000 | A |
| 6299006 | Samonek | Oct 2001 | B1 |
| 10544026 | Rasmussen | Jan 2020 | B2 |
| 20060060554 | Garman | Mar 2006 | A1 |
| 20080078769 | Crunkleton, III et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
| 20140097184 | Hollars | Apr 2014 | A1 |
| 20180118426 | Rasmussen | May 2018 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2378333 | May 2000 | CN |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report on corresponding PCT application (PCT/EP2016/058699) from International Searching Authority (EPO) dated Jul. 1, 2016. |
| Written Opinion on corresponding PCT application (PCT/ EP2016/058699) from International Searching Authority (EPO) dated Jul. 1, 2016. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180118426 A1 | May 2018 | US |
