TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to liquid dispensing systems of the type in which dispensing caps are fitted to bottles and liquid is dispensed by inverting a bottle with its cap, entering the cap into a dispensing station and operating the dispensing station to effect the discharge of a predetermined quantity of liquid from the cap. This invention is concerned with the dispensing caps as well as the system.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Dispensing systems of the type indicated are usually employed in liquor bars in conjunction with a liquor stock control system since they (i) prevent access to the liquor in a bottle other than by the use of the station [the caps being locked or sealed to the bottles], (ii) enable the liquor and/or bottle to be identified at the station [eg, by means of a machine-readable barcode applied to the cap], (iii) allow the number of \'nips\' or \'shots\' dispensed from a bottle to be counted and correlated with a cash- register transaction and, (iv) can be programmed to allow only identified bartenders to use the station [eg, by providing the bartenders with coded finger-rings]. A nip is taken to be 30 ml, a half nip being 15 ml.

Prior art dispensing systems of this type employ tubular dispensing caps having solenoid-operated valves, the solenoid coils being housed within the dispensing stations. The cap of a selected bottle is inserted (after inversion) into a hole in the station around which the coil is formed, and the coil is energised to effect the discharge of liquor from the cap. Systems of this type are disclosed by Ozdemir in US patent 4,598,845, Gust in US patent 3,802,606, Pooley in US patent 3,506,166 and by Fortino et al in the German Offenlegungschrift 25 48 442; the last mentioned also disclosing a computer-based stock-control system of the type indicated above. Walla Maschinen Gesellschaft MBH &Co of Vocklabruck in Austria produce and sell a fully-integrated stock-control system of this type.

While such solenoid-based caps and stations can offer the stock-control benefits indicated, they have a number of inherent disadvantages. Because the cap is concealed within the solenoid ring at the station during dispensing, there is little point

in providing a sight-glass through which a customer can observe that a metering chamber is full before dispensing starts and empty after it is completed. Because the energisation of the single solenoid coil must operate inlet, outlet and (often) vent valves at once, the speed with which these actions take place can significantly influence the volume of liquor dispensed. Variables such as the viscosity of the liquor, the fit and wear of the parts, manufacturing tolerances, the energy imparted by the coil, etc all have an effect on delivered liquor volume. Further, these systems offer no safeguard against delivery of undersized nips when the bottle is nearly empty, other than by keeping a tally on the capacity of a bottle and the number of nips dispensed from that bottle. Finally, such dispensing systems do not allow different preset volumes (eg, a full and a half nip) of liquor to be dispensed from the one cap, so that two sets of bottles and caps must be kept if both full and half nips are to be offered to customers.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid dispensing system of the type indicated which will avoid one or more of the disadvantages outlined above while still providing support for a secure stock control system in liquor bars.

OUTLINE OF INVENTION

The invention is based upon the realisation that, if a dispensing cap is provided with a connector for \'docking\' with the station, it can be located on top of the station so that it is visible to customers, its inlet and outlet valves can be independently operated so that a more precise measure is obtained, two or more measures can be dispensed from the one cap, liquid level detector means can be readily provided, and/or the valves can be operated in the most convenient and economical manner (by gas pressure, electricity or mechanical force).

From one aspect, therefore, the system of the present invention is characterised in that the cap includes: a metering chamber bounded by a sight-glass so that the level of liquid therein is visible from outside the cap, valve means within the cap operable to first admit liquid from the bottle into said chamber and then to discharge liquid from the chamber, a cap-connector for operably connecting said valve means to valve

actuator means external to the cap; and characterised in that the dispensing station includes: locating means adapted to receive, locate and releasably engage (hold) an inverted cap, a station-connector adapted to operably couple with the cap-connector when the cap is held by the locating means, and the station includes the aforesaid valve actuator means which is adapted to effect the operation of the valve means by mechanical, electrical and/or fluid pressure energy conveyed via the coupled station and cap connectors.

While it is preferable to arrange for independent actuation of the inlet and outlet valves, they may be operated jointly as the safeguard of liquid-level monitoring is available. Such monitoring may be achieved by optical means using an angled facet located within the chamber which is totally internally reflecting when interfacing with air but refracting when interfacing with liquor. Alternatively, electrodes may be included in the chamber for conductivity-based detection of the presence of liquid at predetermined levels. Float-operated switches may also be used. The optical interrogation of the chamber may be effected by the station via the cap connector or independently thereof, but the electrical level-detector signals are preferably conveyed to and/or from the station via the cap connector.

It is also envisaged that either of two predetermined quantities of liquid (usually a half nip or a full nip) can be dispensed from the one cap, either by the inclusion of two chambers of appropriate volumes (each with its own valves), or by using one chamber and (i) relying upon level detection to terminate a fill at the appropriate volume or (ii) using two inlet/vent-return valves at different levels within the chamber. The moving valve members may conveniently be in the form of flexible rubber-like boots or bellows (which may be spring assisted). Such boots can conveniently be operated by vacuum communicated to their interiors from the station actuator means via vacuum lines in the connectors. The cap may be held in the station by first being slid into a socket and the gripped by pawls or the like which are operated by the station. Alternatively, the station may include a drawer or sliding platform on which the cap is placed and by which it is carried into locking engagement with the station, the drawer being locked in place by the station during the dispensing operation and being released for withdrawal after dispensing is complete.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES

Having broadly portrayed the nature of the present invention, a number of examples will now be described by way of illustration only. In the following description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1A, 1 B and 1C are, respectively, a front elevation, a side sectional elevation and a plan view of the cap and station which comprise the first example, the valves of the cap being operated from the station by vacuum; Figures 2A and 2B are, respectively, a diagrammatic plan and elevation of the metering chamber of a dispensing cap fitted with three different types of optical level detection;

Figures 3A - 3D are illustrate a second example of a mechanically-operated dispensing cap which comprises the second example, Figure 3A being a sectional side elevation, Figure 3B being an enlarged view of the cap connector taken on plane B-B of Figure 3A, Figure 3C being a perspective view of a key for mechanically operating the valves of the cap of Figure 3A, and Figure 3D being a sectional rear elevation of the cap taken on plane D-D of Figure 3A;

Figures 4A and 4B are, respectively, a sectional side elevation and a sectional plan

(taken on plane B-B of Figure 4A) of an electrically operated cap which comprises the third example of the application of the principles of the invention.

The first example is of a dispensing system, capable of dispensing either a half or a whole nip, which employs an optical liquor level detector to ensure that full measure (for either quantity) is delivered. The valves in this example are operated (when the cap is engaged) vacuum from the station. Referring to Figures 1A, 1 B and 1C, the system comprises a cap 10 and a station 12, the cap being attached to the neck 14 of an inverted bottle. The cap comprises a tubular sight-glass 16 arranged between a top plate 18 and a bottom plate 20 to form a metering chamber 21 (portion of sight- glass 16 being shown cut-away in Figure 1A). Plates 18 and 20 may be glued or ultrasonically welded to either end of sight-glass 16. An inlet tube 22 is moulded integrally with top plate 18 so as to extend both above and below the plate. Above plate 18, it is fitted externally with a tapered plug-sleeve 24 and internally with an air- return tube 26 that extends upwards well into the bottle and terminates in a ball-valve 28 which prevents liquor from entering tube 26 but allows air to exit into the bottle.

Below top-plate 18, inlet tube 22 extends into chamber 21 to about half its depth where it terminates to form an inlet port 30, air return tube 26 also being continued downwards within inlet tube 22 to terminate with it. Inlet port 30 is normally closed by a booted and spring-loaded inlet valve 32 mounted on a tubular pedestal 34 which rises from the centre of bottom-plate 20.

Bottom plate 20 carries an outlet tube 36 which communicates with chamber 21 and extends downwardly from it. The top of tube 36 terminates flush with the top face of plate 20 to form an outlet port 37 that is normally closed by a spring-loaded and booted outlet valve 38 which hangs down from the lower end of the vertical arm of a T-tube 40. The upper end of the vertical arm of T-tube 40 supports an upwardly- extending booted and spring-loaded chamber vent valve 42 which normally closes atmospheric vent passage 44 formed in top-plate 18. T-tube 40 has a horizontal arm 46 that is supported by and communicates with a tubular pedestal 48 that stands on bottom-plate 20. Chamber 21 includes a fourth booted and spring-loaded valve 50 which stands on pedestal 52 and normally closes the opening of an air-return passage 54 in top-plate 18, passage 54 serving to connect the top of chamber 21 with air-return tube 26.

Bottom-plate 20 is extended, on the side remote from outlet tube 36, to form a tapered tongue 54 which assists in correctly locating cap 10 within station 12 and also functions as a cap-connector for vacuum lines 56, 58 and 60 (formed in bottom-plate 20 to connect respectively with pedestals 34, 48 and 52). A locating notch is formed on each side of bottom-plate 20 at the base of tongue 54 for engagement by a spring- loaded pawl 62 so that cap 10 will be held within station 12 once it has been correctly located. It may be released by the energisation of a solenoid actuator 64 in station 12 which moves pawls 62 apart against spring 65 (see Figures 1 B and 1C, the engagement mechanism being omitted from Figure 1A for clarity). When cap 10 is first inserted into station 12 and has been engaged by pawls 62, a station connector block 66 is driven by linear actuator 68 to effect coupling between three separate vacuum lines 70 in station 12 and passages 56, 58 and 60 in tongue 54, lines 70 being separately controlled by means not shown.

Station 12 is designed to be attached to the top 72 of a liquor bar and comprises a horizontal platform 74, the front of which is cut away to form a tapered entry-slot 76 for the guidance and accommodation of outlet tube 36 of cap 10. Guide wings 78 (which accommodate pawls 62) rise up from each side of platform 74 to assist in 5 guiding a cap to its correct location, wings 78 preferably overlapping the tops of the side edges of bottom-plate 20 so that the cap cannot be lifted vertically without first being substantially withdrawn horizontally from the station. The upper face of the back of station 12 carries a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen 80 which displays for the customer, information about the quantity, price and type of liquor being dispensed. 0 A narrow pillar 82 rises up from the middle of station 12 so that its vertical front face lies close to the rear of a cap located in the station. On the top of its front face, pillar 82 mounts a barcode reader 84 to read a barcode 86 stuck to the rear face of top plate 18, barcode 86 serving to identify the liquor being dispensed. At a point just below the level of top-plate 18, and at another about half way down sight-glass 16, 5 two optical liquid-level sensors 88 and 90 (respectively) are also housed in the front face of pillar 82.

To operate the dispensing system, a bottle and cap are inverted and engaged with a station, whereupon station connector 66 is automatically engaged with cap- o connector (tongue) 54 so that respective vacuum lines 70 are connected with vacuum passages 56, 58 and 60 in bottom plate 20. The bartender enters the order, using buttons (not shown) on the front of station 12, the order being displayed to the customer by LCD 80. The bartender then places a glass 92 under the outlet 36 and presses a start-button 94 on the lower front of station 12 with the knuckles of the 5 hand holding the glass. This sets in train an automatic dispensing process.

If a half nip has been ordered, only inlet valve 32 opens to allow liquor to flow down inlet tube 22 into chamber 21 and allow air to return from chamber 21 to the bottle via air-return pipe 26. When the level of liquor reaches the level of inlet port 30 0 (corresponding to a half nip), liquor inflow will slow down before ceasing altogether as the return air is cut off. As it slows, a half-nip measure will be detected by sensor 90, whereupon, inlet valve 32 is closed and outlet and vent valves 38 and 42 are simultaneously opened to allow the liquor to flow from chamber 21 into glass 92 via

outlet 36. After the passage of a discharge time-out period (or the sensing of an empty chamber) the cap is released by pawls 62. If, however, a complete half nip has not been detected after a given time-out period, air-return valve 50 is opened briefly a few times to allow a little more liquor to flow into the chamber. If the required 5 measure is still not detected, an empty bottle signal is indicated and the cap and bottle are released without dispensing any liquor into glass 92.

If a nip has been ordered, both inlet valve 32 and air-return valve 50 are opened together. When a complete nip has been detected by sensor 88, these valves are

10 closed and the vent and outlet valves (42 and 38) are opened to discharge the liquor into the glass. Again, failure to detect a complete nip at time-out will abort the operation on the presumption that the bottle is empty. An alternative configuration also envisaged (and disclosed in my Australian application No PL3802) provides for valve 50 to function as a second inlet valve with its own connections with both the

15 inlet tube 22 and air return tube 26. As noted, above, more secure engagement and location of the cap may be obtained by the use of a sliding drawer to carry the cap and bottle into the station.

The operation of the optical liquid-level detector system employed in the first example

20 is shown (together with two alternatives) in Figures 2A and 2B. An elongate right- prism 100 is formed down the inside of the back of sight-glass 16 so as to be integral with the sight-glass. This may readily achieved by injection-moulding individual sight- glasses from a transparent plastic such as Perspex® or by extruding a tube with the desired section and cutting it into the lengths required. Each of the sensors 88 and 25 90 comprise a light-emitter/detector unit. As will be seen from the plan view of Figure 2B, sensor 88 comprises light-emitter 102 which directs an output beam onto one facet of prism 100 and a light detector 104 which senses any light from emitter 102 which is reflected off both facets of the prism. Since the critical angle of incidence for total internal reflection for a Perspex/air interface is about 41.8° practically all the

30 light from emitter 102 will be reflected to detector 104 if the chamber 21 is, say, only half full (as shown). On the other hand, since the critical angle for a Perspex/water interface is about 62.4°, and about 65° for a Perspex/alcohol interface, the incident beam will be refracted into the liquor 105 and little will be returned to the detector of

sensor 90 which is below the level of the liquor. Since liquid colour does not influence refractive index, it will have little effect on performance of the sensor. Even very cloudy liquors will still allow adequate discrimination as little of the back-scattered light will be returned to the detector through the prism.

The two alternative optical level sensors shown in Figures 2A and 2B allow a more precise indication that the desired liquid level has been reached by arranging the reflecting/refracting facet horizontal. First, a short stub 110 of Perspex rod is inserted through the wall of sight-glass 16 at an angle of 45°, the outer end being finished square while the inner end is shaped as a right-prism with one facet (112) horizontal. This arrangement requires the sensor-detector unit 114 to be arranged at an angle of 45° to the horizontal also. When the liquor level in chamber 21 a rises to just cover facet 106, there will be a sharp reduction in light returned to the detector. Second, light may be conducted into and out of chamber 21 via the bottom plate (not shown), using two light pipes 116 and 118 (eg, hollow tubes or optical fibres), from a light source 120 to a light detector 122, respectively. A central facet 124 of suitable transparent material is arranged between the tops of pipes 116 and 118 at the desired level. Light from the source 120 is directed via pipe 118 onto a mirror 126 so as to be reflected onto facet 124 at an angle of 45° - 55° and from the facet (when there is air at the interface) onto a second mirror 127, from which the reflected beam is directed down pipe 116 onto detector 122. When liquor contacts facet 124, the beam from mirror 126 will be refracted (as shown) rather than reflected so that, again, a sharp drop in the light level transmitted to the detector will occur. Other forms of optical liquid level sensors are also envisaged. Some have been disc\'osed in my Australian patent application No PL7498, on which this application is partially based. For example, the chamber may be illuminated with a horizontal light beam so that light will be back-scattered from the liquid. Back-scattered light in a narrow horizontal field of view is then collected and channelled to a light detector.

The second example of a dispensing cap, illustrated in the various views of Figure 3, is one in which the valves are mechanically operated through a single push/pull rod moved by a suitable key manipulated by a station connector mechanism (not shown here). In this case, the valve operating mechanism is similar to the over-centre

rocker-beam mechanism commonly employed in electrical switches, the inlet valve being operated from one end of the beam and outlet valve from the other.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the cap 200 again comprises a tubular sight-glass 5 202 sandwiched between a top-plate 204 and a bottom-plate 206, the top plate having an inlet tube 208 and the bottom plate having an outlet tube 210. The inlet tube is again provided with a tapered sleeve 212 that allows the cap 200 to be fitted to the neck 214 of a bottle in fluid-tight manner. In this example, inlet tube 208 terminates in top-plate 204 and the inlet valve is formed by a ball 216 located in the 0 bottom of the inlet tube so as to normally rest on an O-ring 218 (ie, the inlet valve is normally closed to stop liquor entering the chamber 220 from the bottle). A vent tube 222 is again formed inside the inlet tube 208 and rises to a substantial height in the bottle, again terminating in a ball valve 224. However the lower end of vent tube 222 is vented to atmosphere (via a passage 226 cut in sleeve 212) rather than connecting 5 with chamber 220. The lower end of tube 222 also conveniently serves to retain the ball in tube 208 near top-plate 204 even when the bottle is upright.

The valve operating mechanism is housed within a hollow fluid-tight housing 226 which is secured at its base to bottom-plate 206 by screws 228. Two posts 230 rise 0 from the upper surface of housing 226 to which top-plate 204 is attached with suitable screws 232 so as to clamp sight-glass 202 in place between the plates in a fluid-tight manner. The opposing faces of the tops of posts 230 are recessed to loosely take the hinge-pin 234 of a flat floating vent-valve 236 that carries on its upper face a valve cone 238 that closes off a vent passage 240 (when chamber 220 is full of 5 liquor) that otherwise connects the chamber to the atmosphere. Float valve 236 thus serves to prevent liquor flowing from vent passage 238 when the chamber is full and inlet valve 216 is open.

The inlet valve may be opened by raising a vertical inlet valve-spindle 242 to dislodge 0 ball 216 from its seat, valve spindie 242 entering housing 226 from the top through

O-ring seals 244 and has a pair of spaced collars 246 located in the housing and having its lower end 248 guided for axial movement by the lower part of the housing. The outlet valve head 250 is located in a cut-away portion of the housing 226 above

the opening of outlet tube 210 in plate 206. It is secured to a spindle 252 which enters upwards into housing 226 via O-ring seal 254, is fitted with a pair of collars 256 and which has its upper end guided for axial movement in the upper part of the housing. Valve spindles 242 and 252 may be driven up and down (in opposite phase) 5 by a centrally-pivoted rocker-beam 258 located between them, one end of the beam being located between collars 246 and the other end being located between collars 256. Pointing down from the centre of beam 258 is a conical extension 260 located some distance below the central pivot 262. The upper end of a strong compression coil-spring 264 is located by cone 260, the lower end of spring 264 being located by 0 an upwardly-pointing cone formed on the top of a slider 268 that terminates in the push/pull rod 270 in the tongue/connector 272 of lower plate 206. Slider 268 is largely housed within a channel in bottom plate 206 but and is topped by a cone which into housing 226, via a slot 274 in the top of plate 206, to locate the lower end of spring 264. 5

In this example, cap 200 is designed to deliver one nip of liquor, but it will be appreciated that a two chamber cap could be easily provided using the same valve mechanism in each. The level detection in this example, however, is electrical being based upon the relatively high conductivity of liquor, the electrodes being provided by 0 metal plates 276 on the top of posts 230 into which screws 232 are threaded and metal plates 278 and 280 on the bottom of housing 226 into which screws 228 are threaded. Plates 276 are both connected by wires (not shown) embedded in housing 226 to connector pin 282 in cap-connector 272 (Figure 3B), while plates 278 and 280 are separately connected by conductor strips 284 and 286 (secured and connected 5 by the heads of screws 278 and 280 respectively) to pins 288 and 290 in tongue 272. This allows an empty-chamber condition to be detected (in the station) by a high resistance between pins 288 and 290 and a full-chamber condition to be detected by a low resistance between pin 282 and either of pins 288 and 290.

o Assuming that rocker beam 258 is in the position illustrated when the cap is entered into a corresponding station, the chamber 220 will be empty. A special key 292 (Figure 3C) is entered into a key-hole 294 in cap-connector 272 and turned (by a mechanism in the station connector) to engage a nob 296 on the end of push/pull rod

270. When the start button is pressed by the bartender, the key is pushed to drive slider 268 forwards until abuts with the forward end of slot 274. Beam 258 will then be flipped to its alternate position by spring 264 so that ball 216 will be dislodged from its seat and outlet valve disc will be forced onto outlet O-ring seal 276. Liquor will then flow into chamber 220 drawing air into the bottle from the atmosphere though vent tube 222 and displacing air from the chamber to the atmosphere via vent passage 240 until the latter vent is closed by float valve 236, at which time chamber 220 will be full of liquor. Assuming that a full-chamber is signalled (as indicated above), key 292 is withdrawn, gripping and pulling rod 270 to return it and rocker beam 258 to their original positions, opening the outlet valve 250 and closing inlet valve 216. Air will then flow into chamber 220 through vent passage 240 as the falling liquid level opens valve 238. If a full-chamber signal is not generated after a time out period, an alarm sounds and key 292 is withdrawn, emptying the chamber as before.

The third example of a dispensing cap (shown in the views of Figure 4) is one in which both valve operation and level detection are effected electrically via the connection to the station. While the bottle is vented to atmosphere as in the previous example, the chamber is not separately vented, reliance being placed upon the use of inlet and outlet ports of relatively large area to ensure rapid filling and emptying of the chamber.

The cap 300 again basically comprises top and bottom plates 302 and 304 and a sight-glass 306 which define a cylindrical metering chamber 308. The inlet tube 310 and outlet tube 312 are arranged coaxially with sight-glass 306. Seals 314 and 316 are fitted on the inside of plates 302 and 304 where tubes 310 and 312 (respectively) enter the chamber 308 to form valve seats. Arranged concentrically inside chamber 308 is a tubular frame 318 which supports a solenoid coil 319 and guides a single, axially-arranged valve-spindle 320 fitted with an inlet valve-head 322 at its top and an outlet valve-head 324 at its bottom end. A cylindrical solenoid armature 326 (preferably a permanent magnet) is carried by spindle 320 near its centre. Frame 318 comprises four posts 328 joined by an upper spindle guide 330 and a lower spindle guide 332. A coil spring 334, arranged between upper guide 330 and inlet valve-head

322, biases the valve-spindle 320 upwards to normally close the inlet by forcing head 322 against seal 314. A metal pin 336, threaded at each end, passes through the centre of each post, the tops of the pins having nuts 338 for clamping top-plate 302 and the bottoms of the pins having nuts 340 which clamp the bottom-plate 304.

Most of the electrical connections for solenoid operation and level detection may be conveniently provided by pins 336. The ends of solenoid coil 319 are connected to two of the pins before they are encapsulated by the material of their posts 328 together with the coil 319. After the encapsulated framework 318 has been assembled but before it is fixed to top and bottom plates 302 and 304, three metal electrode rings 342 are slipped around the four posts 328, one ring being positioned at the top of the posts, another in the middle and the third at the bottom, and each ring is fixed by a metal screw 344 to one post so as to make contact with its pin, and so that no post has more than one ring screwed to it and only the post which has bottom ring 342 secured to it is also connected to the solenoid coil 319. Finally, a flat electrode ring 346 is let into the top face of bottom plate 304, only a small part of ring 346 being shown in Figure 4B for clarity. The connections to rings 342 and solenoid 319 are provided by pins 336 via nuts 340 which connect to wires 348 that lead to connector pins 350 in cap-connector 352, flat electrode ring 346 being connected to connector pin 354.

in operation, the cap and bottle are inverted and engaged in the station, and the bar¬ tender enters the order, holds a glass in place and presses the start button as before. The solenoid coil is energised to open inlet valve 322 and close outlet valve 324 so that chamber 308 starts to fill. If a half nip has been ordered, the coil is de-energised by the station control circuit as soon as a sudden drop in the resistance between centre and lower rings 342 is detected, causing inlet valve 322 to close and outlet valve 324 to open. If a nip has been ordered, de-energisation is effected when the resistance between the top and bottom rings 342 drops. In either case, the cap is released from the station as soon as the resistance between flat ring 346 and bottom ring 342 goes high (signifying that the chamber has been emptied). Even though a single solenoid is used as in the prior art systems, much more accurate dispensing is achieved in a manner which can be visually verified by the customer.

It will be appreciated that many more examples and variations of this invention could be given without departing from the principles outlined above. Indeed, further examples and explanation are provided in my basic Australian applications (No. PL3802 relating to the dispensing system and cap mechanisms and No. PL7498 relating to optical means for detecting the level of liquor in the caps). For example, the mechanically-operated valves of the second example could easily be converted to solenoid operation, or multiple valves within one chamber can be separately operated from a station by multiple slider-rods fitted in the bottom plate of a cap. On the other hand, it is envisaged that cap can contain two or more separate chambers, each with its own valves.

Those familiar with the art will be readily able to construct the control systems within the dispensing station (and more generally) needed to integrate the system and caps of this invention into a comprehensive, computer-based stock-control system for liquor bars. Similarly, while methods of attaching dispensing caps to bottles in a manner which inhibits unauthorised removal have not been described, they may be necessary and are well disclosed in the art.