Technical Field

The present invention relates to containers for storing and dispensing liquids.

Background to the Invention

Most liquid storage containers have a sealed opening in their upper region. To dispense liquid from the container the opening is unsealed and then the container is tipped to cause the contents of the container to pour out of the opening. This arrangement is well known and is seen in beverage containers such as cans and bottles, and in larger containers such as drum type containers for storing larger volumes of fluids.

Dispensing liquids from a container by tipping the container does bring several drawbacks. In the case of a beverage being drunk from a can or bottle, many have found that the experience of drinking the beverage is inferior to the experience of drinking the same beverage from a glass. In the case of dispensing liquids from larger drum type containers, it is often the case that spillage occurs which brings a risk of personal injury, fluid loss and local contamination.

There remains a need for improved containers for storing and dispensing liquids.

Summary of the Invention

In a first aspect the present invention provides a container for storing and dispensing liquids including: a base portion; a top portion; a circumferential wall extending between the base portion and the top portion; an opening is provided in the top portion; a circumferential inwardly directed formation is provided on the container wall in proximity to the opening.

The inwardly directed formation may be provided in the top 30% of the container wall.

The inwardly directed formation may be provided in the top 20% of the container wall.

The inwardly directed formation may be provided in the top 10% of the container wall. The inwardly directed formation may be in the form of an inwardly directed depression in the container wall.

The container may be substantially cylindrical.

The ratio of the diameter of the container at the deepest part of the depression to the diameter at the cylindrical wall may be between 0.8 and 0.9.

The ratio of the diameter of the container at the deepest part of the depression to the diameter at the cylindrical wall may be about 0.83.

The ratio of the vertical height of the depression to the diameter at the depression may be between 0.15 and 0.4.

The ratio of the vertical height of the depression to the diameter at the depression may be about 0.2.

The opening may have a maximum height dimension extending in a direction inwardly of the container wall, and a maximum width dimension extending transversely to the height dimension, and the maximum width dimension may intersect the maximum height dimension at a point which is located more than 50% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall.

The maximum width dimension may intersect the maximum height dimension at a point which is located more than 75% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall.

The maximum width dimension may intersect the maximum height dimension at a point which is located about 90% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall.

The container may be a can.

The container may be bottle.

The container may be a drum.

In a second aspect the present invention provides a container for storing and dispensing liquids including: a base portion; a top portion; a circumferential wall extending between the base portion and the top portion; an opening is provided in the top portion; wherein the opening has a maximum height dimension extending in a direction inwardly of the container wall, and a maximum width dimension extending transversely to the height dimension, and wherein the maximum width dimension intersects the maximum height dimension at a point which is located more than 50% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall. Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drink can according to an embodiment;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the can of figure 1 shown open, and in the process of dispensing liquid from the can;

Figure 3 is a front on view of the drink can of figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 show two styles of holding the can of figure 1 in the hand;

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate alternative shapes of opening that can be used in other embodiments of cans;

Figures 8 to 13 illustrate processing steps in a method of forming the can of figure 1;

Figures 14 and 15 show two bottles according to two further embodiments; and Figure 16 shows a drum for storing chemicals according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring to figure 1, a container for storing and dispensing liquids is shown in the form of a beverage can 10. Can 10 includes a circumferential wall in the form of cylindrical side wall 12 and a base portion in the form of base 14. Can 10 also includes a top portion in the form of cap 20 which includes an opening 22. Opening 22 is shown in figure 1 in the sealed state in which it is occupied by a frangible region 28 which is defined by score lines. The can is opened by lifting ring pull 24 which causes the frangible region 28 to become partially separated and bent inwardly of cap 20 to thereby form opening 22. The side wall 12 of can 10 includes a circumferential inwardly directed formation (see also fig 2) formed by the annular depression 30 in the wall.

Referring to figure 2, can 10 has been opened and is shown part way through dispensing the liquid contents 40 of the can by tipping the can on its side. Liquid 40 emanates from opening 22 as indicated by arrows F. As liquid 40 leaves the can 10 it is replaced by air entering the can indicated by arrow E. As the liquid 40 nears the opening it passes over the formation being the inside surface of annular depression 30. It has been found that providing an annular depression near to the container opening greatly improves the flow characteristics of the liquid emanating from the container by making the flow laminar rather than turbulent.

Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the annular groove creates what may be termed a convex transfer hump internally of the can. This promotes liquid to stay relatively motionless within the can on either side of the convex hump. This then promotes the liquid above to float in a more laminar (and less turbulent) stream above the convex hump directly to the outlet. This reduces the moving liquid's friction against the wall of the can, which is a source of turbulent flow.

Referring now to figure 3, container 10 is shown in end view in the same configuration as shown in figure 2. The liquid level 40 is visible through opening 22. For ease of illustration, the stream of liquid F which would be emanating from the container in this configuration is not shown.

It can be seen that opening 22 is somewhat wider at its upper region as seen in fig 3 when compared with its lower region. Opening 22 has a maximum height dimension D extending from construction line A to construction line B in a direction inwardly of the container wall, and a maximum width dimension C extending transversely to the height dimension D. The maximum width dimension C intersects the maximum height dimension D at a point which is located 90% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall. That is to say, the distance from construction line A to the point of intersection of lines C and D is nine times the distance from construction line B to the point of intersection of lines C and D.

The shape of the outlet 22 further supports laminar flow from the can and lessens the tendency for turbulent flow and glugging at the opening. Air enters through the top wide section over the top of the liquid 40. The annular depression 30 provides a convenient formation to facilitate holding of the can 10 in a manner which minimises heat transfer into the can which may otherwise warm the beverage stored in the can. In figure 4 can 10 is shown being held in a hand between thumb and forefinger. In contrast, a user would normally hold a regular straight sided cylindrical can in the palm of their hand and wrapping many fingers around the can. The grip shown in figure 4 results in a far lower surface area of contact between the warm skin of a user's hand and the outer surface of the can, reducing heat transfer into the can.

Similarly, in figure 5, can 10 is shown in an overhand style of grip between thumb and fingertips. This grip also results in a far lower surface area of contact between the skin of a user's hand and the outer surface of the can, reducing heat transfer into the can.

In the embodiment described above the annular depression was provided in the top 20% of the height of the container. In other embodiments the annular groove may be provided in the top 30% of the height of the container.

In the embodiment described above the ratio of the diameter of the container at the deepest part of the depression to the diameter at the cylindrical wall is 0.83. In other embodiments it may be between 0.8 and 0.9.

In the embodiment above the ratio of the vertical height of the annular depression to the diameter of the container measured at the deepest part of the depression is 0.2. In other embodiments it may be between 0.15 and 0.4.

With regards to variations in the shape of the opening 22 of the can, in the embodiment described above the maximum width dimension D intersected the maximum height dimension at a point which is located 90% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall. In other embodiments the maximum width dimension may intersect the maximum height dimension at a point which is located more than 50% or 75% of the way along the height dimension in a direction inwardly of the container wall.

Some possible alternative outline shapes of outlets for cans are shown labelled 122 in figure 6 and 222 in figure 7.

Referring to figures 8 to 1 1, a sequence of operations for forming can 10 from aluminium will now be described. Preformed can bodies are conveyed into a necking machine with a rotating turret. The turret holds a series of dies to create the annular depression in the can's body, which is formed parallel to the base of the can. The partly formed can's body has a gradual radius (chamfer) drawn into the circumference (outside diameter) by a tooling arrangement 60 (see fig 8) which includes a die assembly 62 to make the diameter smaller. The tooling arrangement has an internal support shaft 64, inserted to maintain a new internal diameter that is drawn in the can's body by the addition of the gradual radius. The tooling arrangement shrouds the can's body and draws inward the external circumference. A series of dies pass onto the can and each reduce the diameter and vary the external angles to result in a partly formed can body as seen in fig 9.

Now referring to figure 10, a series of internal expansion dies of steadily increasing diameter 66 (one of which is shown in fig 10) are brought to bear on the partially formed can body 10a to then increase the size of the diameter of the top region of the can body to create the depression. The dies shrouds 68 protect the increasing outside diameter of the can.

The integrity of depression angle that was drawn into the can is protected by an integrity ring 70. Integrity ring 70 is best seen in figures 11 and 12. It is provided in two halves 70a, 70b which are brought around the partly formed can body to form the shape of the depression. The series of internal expansion dies 66 increases the internal diameter gradually back to the external outside diameter, this is supported by the external expansion shroud (see fig 13). The expansion dies shaft has a dual action to also create the reverse angle of the depression. On completion there is ample can body material remaining above the depression for edge trimming, necking and crimping to complete the can body in preparation for filling and closing with a cap.

Caps 12 are die cut and stamped to produce an outlet of the desired shape. The can body is closed by applying a cap 12 in a conventional manner.

A sequence of operations similar to that described above can be carried out using a set of dies prepared for use with existing can making machinery, such as the Vertical Sidewall Shaper™ machine produced by Belvac Production Machinery, Inc (www .belvac . com) .

Cans 10 can alternatively be formed from steel. In a manufacturing process using steel, after the can's wall is ironed the steel can enters a header to add the annular depression into the can's exterior. A somewhat wedge shaped roller is used to score the annular groove into the exterior of the can's body.

Containers may also be provided in the form of bottles, examples of which are labelled 100, 200 in figures 14, 15. Bottles 100, 200 may be formed from either plastic (i.e. PET) or glass by moulding in a traditional manner. The annular depressions 130, 230 are formed by preparing a suitably shaped mould. Containers may also be provided in the form of drums. Figure 16 illustrates a steel drum 300 according to an embodiment of the invention. The depression 330 has been formed by shaping into the drum at the point of production on the drums header. The header adds two to three rolling hoops (depending on the drums volume) to the drum's shell for rigidity. A further wedge shaped roller is incorporated in this process to simultaneously form the depression 330 in the shell as the rolling hoops are added.

Drums can also be formed from plastics by moulding and blowing in a known manner using a mould prepared for the purpose.

Drums and bottles according to embodiments of the invention can be used to store a range of liquids including liquids which are hazardous such as by being toxic, radioactive, acidic, alkaline and/or biomedical in nature. It can be seen that embodiments of the invention have at least one of the following advantages:

1. Ease of Hold - improved comfortable grip and safety. The hand naturally reaches for the groove which firms the grip on the container reducing the risk of slippage, even when moisture is present.

2. Reduced Heat Transfer - energy savings and improved enjoyment. The movement of the hand to grip the groove lessens the surface area of the hand in contact with a cold beverage. This reduces heat flow to a colder fluid and potentially means a beverage can be delivered at a slightly higher temperature because it won't warm as quickly in the hand. This reduces the initial cost of energy to cool cans. 3. Improved Fluid Dynamics - increased laminar and reduced turbulent flow.

Fluid Dynamics, is the science of how liquids flow. Fluids broadly flow in two ways; laminar and turbulent. In the majority of beverage containers, in particular cans (aluminium or steel) and bottles, fluid flow has a significant component that is turbulent. The turbulence in the liquid changes the properties of all liquid types may they be carbonated or still (beverages) and even hazardous fluids.

The circumferential inwardly directed formation allows liquid to stay in predominately laminar flow during tilt and pour of the container. Those with an outlet as in the beverage can, the outlet has been specifically shaped to promote this internal laminar flow across the majority of the pour.

4. Reduced Glug / Chug - reduced aeration, burping and improved digestion.

Aeration disturbs many natural properties of any liquid, though in carbonated drinks, the carbonation is a major characteristic of the drink.

At a minor level when a carbonated soft drink, water or alcoholic beverages are consumed from existing cans they experience turbulence as the liquid exits the can's outlet. This promotes glug (chug) and increases aeration of the liquid, decreasing the properties of carbonation and as the consumer is forced to gulp air. The end result is to create excess gas consumption that may result in burping (belching), stomach cramps, flatulence or other digestive disruption. Embodiments of the invention reduce the chances of glug and aeration by the internal liquid transfer hump (promoting increased laminar flow) and the top wide section of the outlet allowing airflow to flow over the outflow of liquid.

In the case of flammable liquids, aeration from turbulent flow increases flammability across flammable substances. Therefore, reduction of aeration reduces the risk of fire.

5. Sustained carbonation (effervescence / fizz) - improved product taste.

6. Reduction in sugar - without loss of flavour.

Embodiments of the invention can bring forth a change in the taste of a canned beverage because the liquid experiences higher laminar flow, reduced glug and reduced aeration. It has been experimented that sweetened liquids consumed in this more laminar way encourages the human palate to not notice a modest reduction in sugar or artificial sweetener as part of the formulation of the brands product. This is because sweet tasting products tend to taste less sweet from existing cans due to the negative impact of turbulent flow on mouthfeel and taste. This opens the way for manufacturers of sweet drinks to actually reduce sugar content and the user experiences no reduction in sweetness. This saves on raw material cost and appeals to consumers/government desiring reduced sugar intake.

7. Mouthfeel improved and can be tailored - enhancing user experience.

Mouthfeel is the sensation that is the precursor to taste, it's what consumers recognise as being regular to the preference and satisfaction. As mouthfeel is an initial response to consumption, mouthfeel can be modified or designed through flow rate and improved laminar flow pour.

8. Faster consumption rate - via increased laminar flow and reduced aeration.

Increased laminar flow, reduced aeration and other factors allow fluid to flow out of a can or bottle faster.

Any reference to prior art contained herein is not to be taken as an admission that the information is common general knowledge, unless otherwise indicated.

Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations or additions may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.