Special receptacle or package – For mixing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2002-05-21
Bui, Luan K. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For mixing
C206S568000, C206S221000, C215SDIG008, C446S112000, C446S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06390292
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concerned with containers for flowable materials, and, more particularly, with containers for liquids in which the pressure is greater than atmospheric. It will be appreciated that carbonated beverages such as the so-called soft drinks and brewed beverages such as beer and cider are contained at super-atmospheric pressure, but the present invention is also concerned with flowable materials (including other liquids) that are, or can be, contained at super-atmospheric pressure. In particular, it is not uncommon for a number of “still” drinks to be packaged in a container containing an atmosphere of nitrogen at super-atmospheric pressure. Examples of the goods which are, or can be, packaged in this way include juices and juice-drinks, milk and milk-based drinks, spirits, wines, iced teas and tea drinks and even medicines and pharmaceuticals delivered in liquid form.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In certain alcoholic beverages, particularly stouts, a thick head of creamy froth has long been considered desirable. This head is readily generated when a stout is poured from conventional beer-dispensing apparatus but when stouts are contained in cans (as many other alcoholic beverages frequently are) a head of the same quality is often not produced upon opening the can. This has provided a disincentive to the sale of such beverages in cans but Australian patent No. 577486 provides a solution to this problem. The can described in Australian patent No. 577486 includes an insert which is a gas-filled chamber in communication with the beverage in the can through a restricted orifice. Since the chamber is immersed in the beverage contained in the can a small amount of the beverage will enter the chamber through the restricted orifice so as to equilibrate the pressure in the head space of the chamber and the pressure in the head space of the can. Upon opening the can, the pressure in the head space of the can will immediately be reduced to atmospheric while the procure in the head space of the secondary chamber will remain, momentarily at least, at a pressure greater than atmospheric, hence the gas and/or beverage in the chamber will be ejected through the restricted orifice. This causes gas in the solution to be evolved and form a head of creamy froth on the beverage. The patent does not, however, envisage the introduction of a second liquid into the beverage upon opening of the can, and this would not be possible with the arrangement described since the beverage and any liquid contained in the secondary chamber would be free to mix whilst the can remained sealed.
There are numerous patents and patent applications filed subsequent to Australian patent No. 577486 concerned with the introduction of a head of froth to, beer in a container, but none envisages a container suitable for the introduction of a second liquid to the packaged beverage. However, it would be desirable for a container to be able to contain a second flowable material (such as a powder, suspension or liquid) in a chamber separate to the main chamber of a pressurised container so that it may be introduced subsequently to the beverage in the container. It will be appreciated that such a container, although adapted to introduce a second flowable material to the packaged beverage, could also introduce gas or a separately contained, pressurised beverage into the container so as to cause the beverage to foam.
Such a container is described in international application No. PCT/GB95/01185 in which two such compartments are separated by a membrane capable of being grossly ruptured by the release of pressure when the container is opened. In this case, one compartment contains whisky and the other soda water, hence when the membrane is ruptured a whisky and soda drink is produced. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,078 describes a container including a capsule which either has a separable cap, a frangible wall or in which one wall comprises a wall of the container and the capsule is forced away from the wall of the container when the container is opened. In each case either a wall ruptures, a component of the capsule separates from the capsule or the entire capsule separates explosively from its anchor and may fragment, so in each case there is a potential choking hazard created by the formation of small pieces of the capsule within the beverage in the can. Furthermore, in each case the encapsulated liquid will be released relatively gently through a large orifice into the beverage in the container, so it will diffuse relatively gradually into the beverage. This may result in incomplete mixing and does not provide for spectacular visual effects.
International patent application No. PCT/EP94/02491 describes an arrangement in which a capsule with an orifice in its bottom face is secured in the lower portion of a pressurised beverage can. The capsule contains a second liquid miscible with the primary liquid contained in the can and, to avoid mixing of the two liquids prior to opening of the can, includes a valve stem which seals the orifice in the bottom face of the capsule. The bottom face of the capsule is, however, flexible and when a pressure differential is created by opening the can, the bottom face of the capsule flexes downwardly and the valve stem is dislodged. This allows the second liquid to enter the can through the orifice and mix with the primary liquid. It would be difficult to insert the capsule since it must be pressurised prior to insertion but the open can into which it is inserted will not be pressurised until after it is sealed. Thus there would be practical difficulties in ensuring that the second liquid does not leak through the orifice during insertion. Furthermore, such an arrangement is likely to be subject to pressure fluctuations, for example due to temperature change, in the head space within the capsule. Since there is no means of equalising the pressure within the head space in the capsule with the pressure in the head space within the can, such minor pressure fluctuations will create a pressure differential whenever the temperature of the can changes. This differential will result in small fluctuations in the position of the bottom wall of the capsule and may result in leakage, since it is critical that the orifice remain hard against the valve seat at all times to avoid leakage.
The present invention aims to provide an arrangement for containing a fist flowable material and a second flowable material separately in a pressurised container and for injecting the second flowable material into the first flowable material when the pressurised container is opened. Moreover, having provided such an arrangement, it was recognised that it could also be applicable to injecting gas or a separately contained, pressurised second flowable material into the first flowable material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally provides a container for separately containing a first flowable material and a second flowable material until mixing of the first and second flowable materials is desired comprising:
(i) a first chamber containing the first flowable material and having a first head space comprising gas at a pressure greater than or equal to atmosphere pressure;
(ii) a second chamber containing the second flowable material, the second flowable material containing gas, and optionally, the second chamber comprising a second head space containing gas at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure;
(ii) means for reducing the pressure in the first chamber;
(iv) means for transferring gas between the first and second chambers; and
(v) means for transferring the second flowable material into the first flowable material when the pressure in the first chamber is reduced.
Preferably, the means for reducing the pressure in the first chamber take the form of means for opening the first chamber to an environment external to that chamber, the external environment being at a pressure lower than the pressure in the first chamber before the first chamber is exposed to that external envi
Bui Luan K.
Carlton and United Breweries Limited
Collard & Roe P.C.
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