NL2003269C2

NL2003269C2 - A valve for a beverage package.

Info

Publication number: NL2003269C2
Application number: NL2003269A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Hendrik Johan Dees
Original assignee: Sara Lee De Nv
Priority date: 2009-07-23
Filing date: 2009-07-23
Publication date: 2011-01-25
Also published as: WO2011010920A3; WO2011010920A2

Description

P88512NL00 A Valve for a Beverage Package

The present invention relates to a valve for a beverage package.

Beverage packages are used to store various beverage-related fluid substances for subsequent dispensing. The fluid substances may include but are not 5 limited to coffee extracts, tea extracts, chocolate beverages or concentrates for their preparation, milk, flavours, and the like. Since the fluid substances are ultimately for human consumption, the conduciveness of the valve to maintaining an aseptic environment within the valve and the associated package is a key design concern.

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The present invention aims generally to address such concerns.

W02004/014778 discloses a container having a nozzle which acts as a one-way valve through which product within the container may be dispensed. The one-15 way valve is formed by an inner body portion and an overlying flexible cover.

With this in mind, according to a first aspect, the present invention may provide a valve for a beverage package, comprising: an inner body portion having an outer surface and an outer body 20 portion having an inner surface, wherein one of said surfaces comprises a flexible region and the other of said surfaces is rigid, the inner body portion and the outer body portion being mounted together such that the flexible region engages in an interference fit with a corresponding region of the other rigid surface so as to form an elongate body 25 having an inlet at one end, an outlet at the other end, and a sealed channel, defined by said flexible region and the corresponding region of the other rigid surface, that extends between the inlet and outlet, the flexibility of the flexible 2 region permitting fluid substance, under pressure, to pass from the inlet along the channel to the outlet, wherein the interference fit between the flexible region and the corresponding region of the other rigid surface is such that the pressure 5 applied to the flexible region continuously decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

The existence of a pressure gradient along the channel creates the advantage that, after the supply of pressurised fluid substance to the inlet is 10 discontinued, any fluid substance still remaining within the channel will tend to be pushed towards and discharged from the outlet. The prevention of the formation of a dead-zone within the valve is beneficial to maintaining an aseptic environment. The existence of a pressure gradient also provides an inherent impediment to back flow which is also beneficial to maintaining an 15 aseptic environment.

The valve in accordance with the present invention has application, inter alia, to stand alone beverage packages and beverage packages in the form of cartridges for use in a beverage dispensing system.

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Other aspects and preferred features of the present invention are described in the following description and defined in the appended claims.

In the context of the present invention, the term “fluid substance” is to be 25 construed broadly to cover any substance which can be made to flow.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a first beverage cartridge 30 including a valve assembly; 3

Figures 2 (a-e) show schematic views of alternative valve structures suitable for use in the valve assembly of Figure 1; and

Figures 3 (a) and 3 (b) show schematically a cross-sectional view and an end view, respectively, of a second beverage cartridge including an integrated 5 pump and valve assembly.

A first disposable beverage cartridge for use in a beverage dispensing system is shown in Figure 1 and is generally designated 10. The cartridge 10 comprises a container 12 (only partially shown) which stores a beverage-related fluid 10 substance. In Figures and 1 and 3(a), the presence of the fluid substance is indicated by a dotted patterning. The fluid substance may include coffee extracts, tea extracts, chocolate beverages or concentrates for their preparation, milk, flavours, or other ingredients for human consumption. The container 12 includes an aperture 14 within which is fitted a valve assembly 15 16 through which the fluid substance is to be dispensed. The valve assembly 16 comprises a housing 18 which projects from the aperture 14. The housing 18 comprises a generally cylindrical, rigid, inner housing component 20 that defines a central cavity 21, which at one end 20a proximal to the container 12 is open to the aperture 14 and which at the other distal end 20b is closed. The 20 open end 20a of the inner housing component 20 thus serves as an inlet to the valve assembly 16 through which fluid substance from the container 12 is allowed to flow and collect in the cavity 21 as shown in Figure 1. The inner housing component 20 further comprises a plurality of holes 22 formed around the circumference of one cross-sectional portion of the inner housing 25 component 20. In the cross-sectional view afforded by Figure 1, two such holes 22 are visible.

The housing 18 further comprises a flexible outer housing component 24. The outer housing component comprises a sleeve 26 in the form of a length of 30 silicone tubing. In other embodiments, the sleeve 26 is injection moulded. The 4 sleeve 26 is sized to encase the inner housing component 20 in an interference fit along substantially its whole length from one end 26a retained within the aperture 14 to the other exposed end 26b adjacent the closed end 20b of the inner housing component 20. The interference fit between the inner housing 5 component 20 and the sleeve 26 is arranged to be such that the pressure applied to the sleeve 26 by the inner housing component 20 decreases continuously and non-linearly from the open end 20a to the closed end 20b of the inner housing component 20. Of course, the same pressure is experienced by the inner housing component 20 and this is illustrated schematically by the 10 magnitude of the arrows F.

The portion of the sleeve 26 extending from the holes 22 to the exposed end 26b of the sleeve 26 and the abutting, adjacent portion of the wall of the inner component 20 together form an elongate valve body generally designated 30 15 (and shown within a dashed box in Figure 1) having inlets 30a at the holes 22 and an outlet 30b which are connected by the sealed channel 30c extending there between defined by sealing surfaces 26v, 20v.

When no pressure is applied to the fluid substance in the cavity 21, the 20 surfaces 26v, 20v remain sealed together, keeping the fluid substance in the cavity 21. Because the sealed channel 30c extends along the length of the housing 18, it is a relatively long structure which means that it provides a substantial barrier to the contamination of the fluid substance from outside the housing 18.

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When pressure is applied to the fluid substance, for example, by compressing the container 12, the resulting fluid pressure exerted on the sleeve 26 via the fluid substance at the holes 22 causes its forced widening which permits the fluid substance first to open the valve 30 entering between the sealing surfaces 30 26v, 20v at the inlet 30a, then to progressively flow along the length of the 5 sealing surfaces 26v, 20v, and finally to exit by the outlet 30b. The forced widening of the sleeve 26 opens up only a narrow passageway along the channel 30c. As a result, the fluid substance is tightly confined and tends to flow in a laminar manner. The laminar flow promotes the smooth and direct 5 passage of the fluid substance through the valve 30 discouraging the accumulation of fluid substance within the valve 30. From a materials specification standpoint, it is desirable if the fluid pressure necessary to open the valve 10 is kept low. The opening fluid pressure decreases with the distance between the opening 22 to the outlet 30b. However, this design 10 consideration must be traded against the need to keep the channel 30c relatively long in order to maintain its efficacy as a barrier to contamination.

When the pressure applied to the fluid substance is discontinued, no further fluid substance in the cavity enters the channel 30c via the inlet 30a.

15 However, because of the continuously decreasing pressure experienced by the fluid substance within the channel 30c from open end 30a to the closed end 30b, a monotonie pressure gradient is established along the channel 30c. As a result, even as the pressure applied to the fluid substance in the container 12 is discontinued, any fluid substance still remaining within the channel 30c is 20 drawn along the channel 30c to the outlet 30b and is discharged therefrom under the action of the pressure gradient. Thus, the valve 30 contains no dead-zone within which fluid substance can accumulate. Further, it will be appreciated that the presence of the pressure gradient provides a bias against unwanted back flow into the valve assembly 16.

25

Establishing the desired pressure gradient along the channel 30c can be achieved in numerous ways.

Generally speaking in the context of an interference fit, interference refers to 30 the fact that one mechanical part slightly interferes with the shape that the 6 other mechanical part naturally would adopt. In the context of inner and outer parts, this means that either the inner part is slightly oversized or the outer part is slightly undersized.

5 In the Figure 1 embodiment, the outer surface of the inner housing component 20 is cylindrical and the sleeve 16 is frusto-conical with the wall of the sleeve 16 being of uniform thickness.

This more clearly illustrated in Figure 2 (a) which features only the sections of 10 the inner housing component 20 and the sleeve 26 which form part of the valve structure. The dotted lines 26d show the relaxed or un-interfered with shape of the sleeve 26. It will be appreciated that there is a relative taper between the outer surface of the inner housing component and inner surface of the sleeve. As result of this taper, the extent to which the natural shape of the 15 sleeve 26 is interfered with along its length from the outlet end to the inlet end increases and hence the pressure that these parts exert upon one another increases. As before, this is illustrated by the magnitude of the arrows F. It will be noted, in this example, that the overall width of the wall of the sleeve remains substantially the same although its flexibility has allowed its position 20 to be interfered with.

In an alternative example in Figure 2(b), the inner housing component is frusto-conical and the sleeve is cylindrical. Both the inner housing component and the sleeve have a uniform wall thickness. The dotted lines 26d show the 25 relaxed or un-interfered with shape of the sleeve 26. Again, there is a relative taper between the outer surface of the inner housing component and the inner surface of the sleeve. As a result of this taper, the extent to which the natural shape of the sleeve 26 is interfered with along its length from the outlet end to the inlet end increases and hence the pressure that these parts exert upon one 30 another increases. It will be noted, in this example, that the overall width of 7 the wall of the sleeve remains substantially the same although its flexibility has allowed its position to be interfered with.

In an alternative example in Figure 2(c), the outer surface of the inner housing 5 component is cylindrical, but, in this instance, while the inner surface of the sleeve defines a frusto-conical volume, its outer surface is cylindrical. The dotted lines 26d show the relaxed or un-interfered with position of the inner surface of the sleeve 26. It will be appreciated that there is a relative taper between outer surface of the inner housing component and inner surface of the 10 sleeve. As result of this taper, the extent to which the natural shape of the sleeve 26 is interfered along its length as the dimensional mismatch between it and the inner housing component 20 increases towards the inlet end again causes the pressure that these parts exert upon one another to increase toward the inlet end. It will be noted that, in this example, the flexibility of the sleeve 15 26 is such that the interference which it is subjected to by the inner housing component 20 manifests itself by the compression of the inner surface of the sleeve 20.

In another alternative example in Figure 2(d), the outer surface of the inner 20 housing component is again cylindrical, but, in this instance, the outer surface of the sleeve defines a frusto-conical volume and the inner surface is cylindrical. The dotted lines 26d show the natural or un-interfered with position of the inner surface of the sleeve 26. The extent to which the natural shape of the sleeve 26 is interfered along its length is constant. However, in 25 this instance, the increasing rigidity of the sleeve, caused by the increasing mass of the sleeve which is being displaced from its natural or un-interfered with position, as it thickens towards the inlet end results in the pressure that these parts exert upon one increasing towards the inlet end.

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Figure 2(e) is a still further example similar to Figure 2(a) that the inner housing component also has an outer surface which defines a frusto-conical volume, but has a slightly different conic angle to the inner surface of the sleeve.

5

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown), the sleeve 26 or any other form of outer housing component 24 may be rigid and the inner housing component 20 may be flexible or include a flexible portion.

10 Figure 3(a) and Figure 3(b) show a second disposable beverage cartridge. In instances in which like parts exist, the same reference numbers have been used. Referring to Figure 3(a), the disposable cartridge 10 comprises an outer casing 11 within which is accommodated a container 12. The container 12 comprises an outlet aperture 14 to which is mounted an integrated pump and 15 valve arrangement. The pump is generally designated 40 and the valve is generally designated 30. A full disclosure of the structure and operation of the pump 40 is given in co-pending patent application (Our Ref:P86346NL00) which is incorporated herein by reference.

20 For the sake of clarity and by way of brief explanation, the pump 40 comprises an axially extending outer component 42 which is of elongate and conical shape and an inner component 44 co-axially extending within the outer component 42. The outer component 42 acts as a cover for the inner component 44, which may be referred to as a spout. The spout 44 includes a 25 tip portion 50. The cover 42 is provided with a resilient elastic portion 46 which confronts a helical grove 48 in the spout 44. The resilient elastic portion 46 extends to the end of the spout 44 and engages in an interference fit with the tip portion 50 of the spout to form a valve generally designated 30 having an inlet 30a at the start of the tip portion 50 and an outlet 30b as shown. The 30 interference fit is such that the pressure experienced between the elastic 9 portion 46 and the tip portion 50 decreases from the inlet 30a to the outlet 30b i.e. a pressure gradient is established. The spout 44 further comprises a pump inlet opening 52 allowing the passage of fluid substance from the container 12 to the pump 40.

5

In use, the cover 42 is rotated relative to the spout 44. The resilient portion 46 pressing into the groove 48 of the spout 44 provides a volume displacement which pumps the fluid substance from the opening 52 along the pump 40 and the valve 30. The flexibility of the resilient portion 46 permits the fluid to 10 pass, under pressure, through valve from the inlet 30a to the outlet 30b. When the pumping is discontinued, the pressure gradient ensures that any fluid substance still residually within the valve is discharged from the outlet 30b.

It will be noted from Figure 3(b) that the resilient portion 46 comprises a small 15 angular section of the outer component, the rest of the outer component being rigid.

Claims

A drink packaging valve, comprising: an inner body portion with an outer surface and an outer body portion with an inner surface, one of said surfaces comprising a flexible area and the other of said surfaces being rigid, the inner body portion and the outer body portion that together be mounted such that the flexible region engages in an interference fit with a corresponding region of the other rigid surface to form an elongated body that has an inlet on one side, an outlet on the other side, and a sealed channel that passes through said flexible area and the corresponding area of the other rigid surface area is defined, and which extends between the inlet and the outlet, the flexibility of the flexible area allows liquid substance, under pressure, to travel from the inlet along the channel to the outlet can move, the interference fit between h The flexible area and the corresponding area of the other rigid surface is such that the pressure exerted on the flexible area decreases continuously from the inlet to the outlet.

A valve according to claim 1, wherein the pressure applied to the flexible area decreases from the inlet to the outlet in a non-linear manner. 25

A valve according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a relative taper between the surface of the flexible region in its relaxed or form-non-interference state and the corresponding region of the other rigid surface. 30

A valve according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer body portion comprises a sleeve that has a cylindrical or frusto-cone inner surface and wherein the inner body portion has a cylindrical or frusto-cone outer surface. 35

A valve according to claim 4, wherein the sleeve has a non-uniform wall thickness along its length.

6. A valve according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner body portion is rigid and the outer body portion comprises a sleeve with an inner surface that has a rigid area and a flexible area.

7. A beverage package provided with a container for a beverage-related liquid substance and a valve according to any of claims 1 to 6 for dispensing the liquid substance from the package.

A beverage package according to claim 7, wherein the container comprises an outlet opening, and wherein the valve forms part of a valve assembly that has an inlet, the container outlet and the assembly inlet that are in fluid communication.

A beverage package according to claim 8, wherein the inner body portion of the valve has a central cavity that serves as a container for liquid of the container. 20

A beverage package according to claim 9, wherein the inner body portion is adapted to provide fluid communication between the central cavity and the inlet of the valve.

A beverage package according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the valve assembly comprises a housing in which the valve is integrated.

12. A beverage package according to claim 7, wherein the container comprises an outlet opening, and the valve forms part of an integrated pump and valve assembly, the assembly comprising a pump having a pump inlet in fluid communication with the outlet opening of the container, and a pump outlet in fluid communication with the valve inlet.

A beverage package according to any of claims 7 to 12, wherein the container is filled with a liquid-related liquid substance.

A beverage package according to any of claims 7 to 13, wherein the beverage package comprises a disposable beverage cartridge for use in a beverage delivery system.