Technical field

The present invention relates to an arrangement for dosing a fluid from a container. The present invention also relates to a container comprising said

arrangement, and a dosing device adapted to utilize said arrangement.

Background

To provide a user-friendly and to provide dressing or sauce to a food-product at a restaurant or a diner squeeze bottles or bags in a squeezing fixture are commonly used. The usage of said items allows for the guests and the employees to quickly apply a sauce or dressing to a food-product.

However, such solutions provides the user no help in applying a selected dose of the sauce or dressing, instead the user may push the lever arm of the fixture or the squeeze bottle too hard resulting in too much dressing or sauce being applied, or to soft resulting in that the amount of dressing or sauce not being sufficient to achieve the desired taste.

This problem is especially relevant for larger chains of restaurants where it is required that each single restaurant of the chain can provide the same tasting experience to the customer. To guarantee the same taste for each dish differing dosing

arrangements has been used in the past, in an attempt to allow for the same amounts of dressing/sauce to be applied each time. Thereby, the customer is guaranteed a similar tasting experience each time he or she orders the same dish.

A common dosing arrangement comprises a piston member movable along a piston shaft inside a container, the piston member being controllable by a lever. Upon pushing of the lever, dressing or sauce is pushed towards and through an opening in the container. The dosing is provided by a tinplate and spring mechanism allowing for a step-by-step movement of the plunger, each step corresponding to a desired dose of the dressing or sauce inside the container. Such an arrangement is mechanically

complicated due to the spring and tinplate mechanism. The mechanical complexity leads to a high production cost, it also leads to a dosing arrangement less robust in comparison to a conventional squeezing bottle.

Hence, there is a need to provide a dosing arrangement which addresses the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a dosing arrangement which can be manufactured to a lesser cost and has a more robust dosing function. Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention preferably seeks to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies in the art and disadvantages singly or in any combination and solves at least the above mentioned problems by providing a dosing arrangement for dosing a fluid from a container, the dosing arrangement comprising a proximal cap element adapted to be mounted in a fluid-tight connection with said container. The cap element is provided with a valve opening in communication with the container. The dosing arrangement further comprises a flexible dome member provided with at least one dosing nozzle, the flexible dome member being adapted to be fitted onto said cap element distally of said cap element.

The dosing functionality is provided by a valve member arranged to close the valve opening in a closed position and allow for fluid flow in distal direction in an open position. In the closed position the valve member defines a sealed volume inside said flexible dome member and cap element. The valve member enables the fluid of the container to be hindered from exiting the sealed volume into the container upon application of a squeezing force in a proximal direction onto the flexible dome member, such that the fluid instead exits the dome member in the distal direction through the at least one dosing nozzle. The valve member further enables the fluid of the container to be sucked into and subsequently being kept inside the sealed volume upon release of a squeezing force applied in a proximal direction onto the flexible dome member. Hence, a dosing arrangement without any mechanical springs or moving piston members is achieved, which results in a more cost-efficient and robust solution.

The flexible dome member comprises the valve member, which further may be an integral portion of the flexible dome member. In comparison to a valve member provided on for example the cap element the valve member allows for a more stable valve release behavior and less turbulence due to pressure differences occurring around the valve opening. The more stable valve release behavior of the valve member increases the precision of the dosage, which is of great importance in the field of sauce and dressing dispensing where a similar tasting experience is desired even for large numbers of servings.

This further enables the valve member to be manufactured as a component of the flexible dome member, for example via molding or injection molding, whereby a more cost-efficient and less complex dosing arrangement can be achieved.

To reduce the risk for leakage through the valve opening the proximal cap element may comprise an intermediate supporting member for connection to the container, the intermediate supporting member comprising said valve opening.

According to a second aspect of the invention a container assembly is provided. The container assembly comprising a container adapted to contain a fluid and a dosing arrangement according to the previously presented first aspect, the dosing arrangement being mounted on the container.

According to a third aspect of the invention a dosing device for receiving a container assembly is provided. The dosing device preferably being adapted to retain the container assembly according to previously presented second aspect, the dosing device further comprising a proximal lever arm pivotally connected to a distally extending squeezing clamp having a distal clamp portion comprising a proximal clamp portion surface adapted to exert a squeezing force on an distal surface of the flexible dome member upon movement of the lever arm.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention a container for providing fluid for dosing is provided, the container is adapted to contain a fluid and comprises an opening apparatus. The container has a parallel trapezoid transversal cross-section having a first phase and an opposite second phase connected by a pair of opposing phases, the first phase being smaller than the second phase.

Further advantages will be apparent from the detailed description as well as the appended dependent claims.

Brief description of drawings

These and other aspects, features and advantages of which the invention is capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 discloses a cross-section view of a dosing arrangement according to an embodiment;

Fig. 2 discloses a cross-section view of a flexible dome member according to an embodiment;

Fig. 3 discloses a side view of an flexible dome member according to an embodiment;

Fig. 4 discloses a top view of the flexible dome member according to an embodiment;

Fig. 5 discloses a cross-section view of an intermediate supporting member according to an embodiment;

Fig. 6 discloses a side view of an intermediate supporting member according to an embodiment;

Fig. 7 discloses a side view of a cap element according to an embodiment; and Fig. 8 discloses a bottom view of a cap element according to an embodiment; Fig. 9 discloses a cross-section view of a cap element according to an embodiment; and

Fig. 10 discloses a cross section view of a flexible dome member and container according to an embodiment.

Fig. 1 1 discloses a cross-section view of a flexible dome member according to an embodiment.

Fig. 12 discloses a dosing device for utilizing the dosing arrangement according to an embodiment.

Fig. 13 discloses a lever arm and handle of the dosing arrangement according to an embodiment.

Fig. 14 discloses a cross-section view of a container for providing fluid for dosing according to an embodiment.

Fig. 15 discloses a back view of a dosing device and container according to an embodiment.

Fig. 16 discloses a cross-section view of a dosing device and container for providing fluid for dosing according to an embodiment.

Fig. 17a-b discloses a refill opening for a container according to an

embodiment.

Detailed Description

Referring to Fig. 1, a dosing arrangement 10 for dosing a fluid from a container 1 is exemplified. Said dosing arrangement 10 may be adapted to be mounted to any type of container suitable for containing a fluid, preferably a fluid food media, such as dressing or sauce. The container may for example be a bag or bottle, preferably comprising an opening apparatus 2 onto which the dosing arrangement 10 is adapted to be mounted. Said dosing arrangement comprises a proximal cap element 20 adapted to be mounted in fluid-tight connection with the container 1 via a press fitting or a threaded connection, however as the skilled person recognizes, the fluid-tight connection can be achieved in multiple ways.

Further referring to said figure, the proximal cap element 20 comprises a valve opening 61 for communicating with the container 1.

The dosing arrangement 10 may further comprise a flexible dome member 30 provided with at least one dosing nozzle 15, the flexible dome member 30

advantageously being adapted to be fitted onto the cap element 20 distally of said cap element 20. To ensure the dosing, the dosing arrangement 10 further comprises a valve member 50.

Said valve member 50 preferably being arranged to allow closing of the valve opening 61 in a closed position and allow for fluid flow through the valve opening 61 in distal direction in an open position. The valve member 50 and the cap element 20 defining a sealed volume V inside said proximal cap element 20 and said distal flexible dome member 30 in the closed position, the valve member 50 being adapted to control the fluid communication between the sealed volume V and the container 1.

Advantageously, the fluid communication between said valve member 50 and the container 1 is controlled such that the valve member 50 enables fluid to be hindered from exiting the volume V into the container 1 upon application of a squeezing force in a proximal direction onto the flexible dome member 30, such that the fluid instead exits the distal flexible dome member 30 in a distal direction through the at least one dosing nozzle 15, and the valve member 50 further enables fluid in the container 1 to be sucked into the volume V upon release of said squeezing force.

The dosing is provided by the flexible dome member 30 being in a resilient material which upon squeezing compresses the sealed volume V greatly and with the release of the squeezing force and subsequent expansion generates a suction forcing fluid media from the container 1 to enter and fill said volume V. The valve member 50 is preferably adapted to prevent fluid media from moving from the sealed volume V to the container 1, i.e. being a check valve which requires the pressure to exceed a certain threshold pressure value to open. Thus, a desired dosing volume of the fluid media can be contained inside the flexible dome member 30 until next dosing is achieved by the user squeezing the flexible dome member 30 forcing the content of said flexible dome member 30 out through the at least one dosing nozzle 15. Thus a negative pressure is generated which forces the valve member 50 to open, whereby the sealed volume V becomes filled with the fluid media once again, enabling fast and repeatable dosing.

Hence, a dosing arrangement which is user-friendly is achieved. Said dosing arrangement also provides a less complex and more cost-efficient solution in comparison to conventional dosing arrangements. Notably, the dosing arrangement does not require any moving parts or springs to be operated, which makes for a more robust dosing function.

Again referring to Fig. 1 the distal flexible dome member 30 may extend outwardly from the distal edge of the proximal cap element 20. Said distal flexible dome member 30 may further be adapted to be fitted onto the proximal cap element 20 via the distal flexible member 30 being press-fitted with a distal aperture 21 in the proximal cap element 20.

To ensure that the flexible dome member 30 is safely anchored in position when a squeezing force is applied, said flexible dome member 30 may comprise a radially extending proximal flange 31 having a distal surface 32 adapted to abut to a proximal surface 22 of a radially inwardly extending cap flange 21 of the proximal cap element 20. Hence, a more robust solution is achieved.

The dosing arrangement 10 may further comprise an intermediate supporting member 60 for connection to the container 1, for example by fitting of said supporting member 60 inside the opening apparatus 2 of the container 1, i.e. an orifice of the opening apparatus 2. The intermediate supporting member 60 preferably comprises the valve opening 61. In such an arrangement, the valve member 50 is adapted to cover said valve opening 61. The intermediate supporting member 60 serves to ensure that the valve member 50 can properly seal off the sealed volume V, however it should be noted that it may not be required depending on the dimensions and structure of the cap element 20, the orifice of the opening apparatus 2 and/or the valve member 50.

Again referring to Fig. 1 said intermediate supporting member 60 is adapted to be fitted inside an orifice of the container 1, the intermediate supporting member 60 having a distal surface abutting to a proximal surface 36 of the distal flexible dome member 30, thus providing support for the flexible dome member 30 locked between the inwardly extending cap flange 21 and the intermediate supporting member 60.

The valve member 50 may be disposed on either the proximal cap member 20, the intermediate supporting member 60 or the distal flexible dome member 30 as long as said valve member 60 covers the valve opening 61 thereby providing a sealed volume V. It is however advantageous that the distal flexible dome member 30 comprises the valve member 50 since it enables the valve member to be an integral portion of the distal flexible dome member 30. Hence, the valve member 50 can simply be an extension of the flexible material of the flexible dome member 30, allowing for a dosing arrangement which is cheaper to manufacture and more robust. Also, since the valve member 50 then is attached to the dome member 30 at a distance from the valve opening 61, the opening of the valve opening 61 is performed with an opening force more evenly distributed over the valve member 50. The valve member 50 then yields more uniformly from the valve opening 61, also allowing for decreased risk of air trapping inside sealed volume V, affecting the accuracy of the dosing volume.

A maintained accuracy of the dosing volume is particularly important when serving sauces or dressings for a large number of customers. During such circumstances each customer expects a similar tasting experience. The provision of a precise and accurate dosing of sauce or dressing is thus of great importance.

Referring to Fig. 1 the proximal cap element 20 may have a distal portion 27 with an inner surface 23 provided with threads 24, the threads 24 being adapted to be in engagement with a threaded portion 5 of the intermediate supporting member (60).

With further reference to Fig. 1 as well as Fig. 6-9, the proximal cap element 20 may comprise a retaining shoulder 28 extending radially outwards. Said retaining shoulder 28 may be adapted to abut against a corresponding retaining shoulder 122 of a dosing device 100, whereby the dosing arrangement 100 is held in position when a squeezing force is applied to the distal surface of the flexible dome member 30.

Preferably, the cap element 20 may be in a rigid material, such as polyamide (PA) or polypropylene (PP), since the cap element is subjected to pressure when a squeezing force is applied to the distal surface of the flexible dome member 30. As presented in Fig. 5, the intermediate supporting member 60 may comprise a sloped section 65 extending radially inwardly and distally into said valve opening 61. Hence, a more optimal flow of the fluid moving through the valve and the valve opening can be achieved due to the shape of said surface directing all of the fluid towards the valve opening, decreasing the risk for the fluid to be stuck in "dead-zones" which may occur close to the proximal surface of the intermediate supporting member with usage of a substantially annularly shaped intermediate supporting member.

Accordingly, said sloped section 65 may be substantially dome-shaped and extending in a distal direction. According to other examples it may also be substantially conically shaped. However, a dome-shaped sloped section 65 extending in a distal direction into the valve opening 61 allows for a more robust and less costly

manufacturing process. This being due to the rounded shape of the dome making it easier to remove the intermediate supporting member from the molding tool during manufacturing, thus reducing the risk for damaging the supporting member.

Referring to Fig. 2-4 more detailed views of the flexible dome member 30 are presented. The flexible dome member 30, which may be in a rubber material, advantageously comprises a hollow dome shaped member 39, whereby the at least one dosing nozzle 15 is disposed on the distal surface of said hollow dome shaped member 39. The number of dosing nozzles may vary from one to multiple, notably a plurality of dosing nozzles provides a greater spread of the sauce or dressing which may be advantageous in several applications.

Said at least one dosing nozzle 15 comprises a hollow tapered element 16 having a tip comprising a slit 17 , the hollow tapered element 16 being in a resilient material. The retaining material of the dosing nozzle allows for the slit to expand when a pressuring force is applied to hollow tapered element 16 via the flexible dome member 30, whereby fluid is allowed to move through the slit 17. Hence, a dosing arrangement which reduces the risk of leakage is provided.

To further ensure a more cost-efficient manufacturing process, the hollow tapered element 16 may be an integral portion of the flexible dome member 30. Thus, it is enabled for the flexible dome member 30 and the at least one dosing nozzle 15 to be manufactured together in the same process, for example via a molding process.

Referring to Fig. 2-3, an example of a valve member 50 is shown. According to the presented example, the valve member comprises a flap 51 member in a flexible material adapted to be bent so as to allow fluid communication to the sealed volume V when the pressure exceeds a threshold pressure. Accordingly, the flap 51 may be fixed to an inner wall of the intermediate supporting member 60, the flexible dome member 30 or the cap member 20.

With reference to said figures, the flap 51 is fixed to an inner radial wall of the flexible dome member 30, preferably adjacent to the proximal surface 36 of said flexible dome member 30. Preferably, the flap 51 is an integral portion of said flexible dome member 30 and may thus be in a rubber material.

Said flap 51 may comprise a an elongated portion 52 extending radially from the inner wall of the flexible dome member 30, said elongated portion 52 extending into a cover portion 53. The cover portion 53 is advantageously adapted to cover the fluid path into the sealed volume V by covering the valve opening 61. According to the depicted example, said cover portion 53 is adapted to cover a valve opening 61 comprised on the intermediate supporting member 60.

The distal flexible dome member 30 may have a distal phase 71 which is substantially flat, i.e. being substantially perpendicular to a distal proximal direction of the dosing arrangement 10. The flat surface of said distal phase 71 provides a more even squeezing pressure when subjected to a squeezing force from for example a clamping device. The flat surface allows for a more uniform deformation of the dome member and a more evenly distributed pressure which results in a more accurate dosage of fluid.

The flat distal phase 71 further provides a more constant pressure during the squeezing of the dome member when a squeezing force is applied to said phase, which also positively impacts the accuracy of the dosage.

Sauce and dressing containers are often kept in inclined racks between uses in order to allow for easy and ergonomic access for the user. Due to the inclined storage and potential high viscosity of the sauce or dressing stored in the container, the dressing or sauce may not be uniformly distributed across the cross-section of the container.

Fig. 10-1 1 discloses a flexible dome member according to one embodiment for addressing the aforementioned challenge. The flexible dome member 30 shares the essential features of the flexible dome member depicted in fig. 2-3. However, the valve opening 61 is offset.

Thus, the valve opening 61 is disposed at a substantially perpendicular offset distance do from a centrum axis C of the flexible dome member 30. Thereby, it is possible to arrange the container 1 and the dosing arrangement 10 so as to provide the valve opening 61 at a relatively lower vertical position. The risk for the sauce or dressing fluid level not extending above the valve opening 61 is thus reduced, resulting in a more precise dosing.

The valve opening 61 may be disposed on the intermediate supporting member 60. The intermediate supporting member 60 preferably comprises the valve opening 61, whereby said valve opening 61 is disposed on said intermediate supporting member 60 such that the valve opening is disposed at the offset distance do from the centrum axis C of the flexible dome member 30.

The flexible dome member 30 may comprise the hollow dome shaped member 39. The valve member 50 may be arranged to extend from said hollow dome shaped member 39 across the centrum axis C. This allows for a more elongated valve member 50, i.e. flap, which extend a greater distance until reaching the valve opening. The increased length allows for a more stable yielding of the valve member 50 without requiring a larger dosing arrangement. The more stable yielding leads to less turbulence due to pressure differences adjacent to the valve opening 61 and air entering through said valve opening, whereby a more precise dosage is provided.

According to one aspect of the invention a container assembly is provided.

Again referring to Fig. 1 the container assembly 7 comprises a container 1 adapted to contain a fluid, such as sauce or dressing, and a dosing arrangement according to any of the previously described embodiments, the dosing arrangement being mounted on the container 1. The container 1 may for example be a bag or a bottle, preferably in a plastic material. Said container may comprise an opening apparatus 2 providing fluid communication between the container 1 and the dosing arrangement 10, the opening apparatus may be molded onto a section of a plastic bag or extend from a main container body of a bottle. To prevent negative pressure inside a bottle or bag of the container assembly said bottle may comprise an air release port 9, which preferably may be disposed in the bottom of the bottle. As will be described further the container 1 may have a particularly advantageous shape and cross-section.

In one embodiment, the air release port 9 may be further adapted to be a refill opening, i.e. an opening for receiving fluid.

An embodiment of another aspect of the invention is shown in Fig. 12.

According to said aspect a dosing device for receiving a container assembly is provided. The dosing device 100 is adapted to retain the container assembly 7 and comprises a proximal lever arm 102 pivotally connected to a distally extending squeezing clamp 103.

The squeezing clamp 103, which may be substantially U-shaped, has a distal clamp portion 105 comprising a proximal clamp portion surface 106 adapted to exert a squeezing force on a distal surface of the flexible dome member 30 upon movement of the proximal lever arm 102.

Advantageously, the lever arm 102 may be pivotally connected to a retaining structure 107 for holding the container assembly 7. Said retaining structure 107 comprising a guiding track 109 extending along the retaining structure, the guiding track 109 being adapted to receive the squeezing clamp 103, i.e. distally extending flanges 109 of the substantially U-shaped squeezing clamp 103. The retaining structure 107 being movable along said guiding track 109.

To achieve a more user friendly dosing device, the retaining structure 107 may extend into a handle 1 10, said handle 1 10 extending in a proximal direction.

The viscosity and consistency of the fluid, i.e. sauce or dressing, may vary. Thus, there may be a need alter the squeezing force and degree of squeezing of the dosing arrangement based on the properties of the sauce or dressing.

Referring to Fig. 13, an arrangement for alteration of the squeezing force and/or the degree of squeezing of the dosing arrangement is schematically depicted. The dosing device 100 comprises an interchangeable pin 1 14 releasably attached to the handle 1 10 or the lever arm 102. The interchangeable pin 114 is arranged to abut to the facing handle 110 or the lever arm 102 during levering of the lever arm 102 towards the handle 1 10 so as to prohibit further movement of the lever arm 102 towards the handle 1 10.

Thus, interchangeable pins 1 14 may be utilized to alter the squeezing force and degree of squeezing provided by the dosing device 100 for different sauces or dressings. The different interchangeable pins 114 may accordingly have different lengths so as to prohibit movement of the lever arm 102 beyond different respective angles.

The interchangeable pin 1 14 may as the skilled person realizes, be releasably attached to the lever arm 102 or the handle 1 10 in a number of ways. For example, the pin 1 14 may be press-fitted to the lever arm 102 or the handle 110. The pin lever arm 102 or the handle 110 may be provided with a recessed portion adapted to receive said pin 1 14.

As previously described, there may be a risk for the sauce or dressing fluid level not extending above the valve opening 61, which may result in pressure difference induced turbulence or insufficient filling of the flexible dome member 30 causing a less precise dosing.

Referring to Fig. 14, a further aspect of the invention is shown. According to said aspect a container 1 is provided. The container 1 has a parallel trapezoid cross- section. The container 1 thus has a first phase 201 and an opposite second phase 202, connected by a pair of opposing side phases 203 and 204. The first phase 201 may form a base section whereby the second phase forms a top section of the container 1.

The first phase 201 may be shorter than the second phase 202. The opposing phases 203 and 204 may have an inwardly inclined orientation in a direction extending from the second phase 202 towards the first phase 201.

The shape of the cross-section allows for a higher fluid level in the container during the inclined storage in the rack, since the container 1 can be positioned so as to have the first phase 201 at the bottom. The higher fluid level increases the precision of the dosage due to the reduced risk for the fluid not extending above a potential opening for a dosing arrangement.

Preferably, the container 1 according to said aspect comprises the dosing arrangement 10. To further increase the precision of the dosage the offset distance may extend from the centrum axis C towards the first phase 201. Thereby, the risk of the fluid level not extending above the valve opening 61 is further reduced. However, a container according to the above may be provided with a conventional dosing arrangement as well.

Turning to Fig. 15-16, , the container 1 may comprise the refill opening 1 1. The refill opening 1 1 is preferably arranged at the bottom of the container 1. The refill opening 1 1 is provided with a valve membrane 12, to decrease leakage. In this way, the container 1 may be refilled with for example sauce, without decoupling the dosing arrangement 10 from the container 1. The refill opening may be further adapted to serve as an air release port. The valve membrane 12 is adapted to selectively allow for fluid passage into the container 1. The container 1 comprises the opening apparatus 2 (as shown in Fig. 1) for providing dosage.

Preferably, the refill opening 11 is disposed on the bottom of the container 1 closer to the first phase 201 than the second phase 202. The placement of the refill opening 1 1 enables easier access to refill opening 11 since it may allow refilling without a removal of for example a dosing arrangement due to the retaining structure of the dosing device being in the way.

Also, the placement of the refill opening 1 1 enables filling at a position closer to inner phase of the container which reduces the risk for the dressing or sauce sticking to the bottom during refilling. This is achieved by a relatively reduced area of the bottom of the container being subjected to contact with the downwards flowing sauce or dressings during refilling. The dressing or sauce sticking to the bottom during refilling may result in non-uniform distribution of the sauce or dressing in the container, which may cause more air being sucked through the dosing arrangement during dosage. Thus, the reduced risk for non-uniform distribution of the sauce or dressing increases the accuracy of the dosing.

To further provide easier access for refilling, the refill opening 1 1 may be disposed on the bottom of the container 1 closer to one of the opposing phases 203 than the other opposing phase 204.

Fig. 17a-b shows schematic views of the valve membrane 12 according to different embodiments. The valve membrane 12 is preferably in a resilient material and may be a hollow tapered element. The valve membrane 12 may be substantially conical. The valve membrane 12 may have a tip portion 13 extending distally from the bottom of the container 1. The valve membrane 12 may comprise a flap valve arrangement.

The valve membrane 12 may comprise a slit arrangement 224 for forming the flap valve arrangement. Preferably, the tip portion 13 of the valve membrane is provided with the slit arrangement 224. The resilient material of the valve membrane allows for the slit arrangement 224 to expand when a pressuring force is applied to the valve membrane in a distal direction. I.e. a distally directed force directed towards the bottom of the container during the filling of fluid in the form of sauce or dressing, whereby fluid as well as air is allowed to move through the slit arrangement 224.

As seen in Fig. 17a-b, the slit arrangement 224 is for forming at least two flap valve members 221, 222 and 223. When receiving for example a dispenser for refilling the container, the flap members will deform outwardly allowing access due to the resilient material of valve membrane.

The deformation of the flap members further allows for air flow passing through the valve membrane 12 during filling. The air flow during the filling counteracts building of negative pressure in the container during filling, whereby the risk for deformation of the container is reduced. Further, the precision of a potential dosing of the content of the container is increased due to a more stable pressure being maintained inside the said container.

Referring to Fig. 17a, the slit arrangement 224 may form three flap valve members 221, 222, 223. The additional flap valve member 223 makes for a more stable yielding behavior compared to a flap valve arrangement two flap valve members, reducing the risk for unwanted leakages and undesired pressure changes in the container.

Referring to Fig. 17b, the slit arrangement 224 may form two flap valve members. This allows for the flap valve members to be deformed so as to create larger gaps when a refill nozzle is inserted into the valve membrane, thereby more air is allowed to pass through the valve membrane during refilling. The risk for building a negative pressure during refilling in the container is thus reduced.

Further, the invention has mainly been described with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily understood by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.