TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to containers, particularly kegs, which are suitable for holding beverages such as beer or fruit juices as well as other liquids.

BACKGROUND

Kegs for holding beverages such as beer are increasingly being manufactured of plastics. They are cheaper to manufacture and transport compared with traditional metal kegs, and they can be recycled without having to be returned over long distances for re-filling . Such kegs include a main container which is formed by blow moulding, and at least one injection moulded chime secured to the top end, or both the top and bottom ends, of the container.

In a known form of container a bottom chime is secured to the container using a hot melt adhesive as the primary means of attachment. This fixing method is quick and inexpensive, and the points of attachment can be distributed over a substantial area rather than being concentrated in a small region of the bottom wall. As a result, the kegs are better able to withstand rough handling without detachment of the chimes. The use of a hot melt adhesive is also compatible with current re-cycling methods.

It has been found that in a small number of cases, when the kegs have been stored under certain conditions, the container can become tilted over within the bottom chime so that the container no longer stands upright. This means that the dip tube which is used to withdraw the contents of the keg is no longer at the lowest part of the container and a small residual volume of liquid may remain in the keg.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of attachment which retains the advantages of adhesive fixing but which enables a larger quantity of liquid to be withdrawn under a wider range of conditions leaving a smaller residual volume.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a container assembly including a container and a chime fixed to each other by means of an adhesive;

the container having :

- a peripheral side wall,

- a top wall formed with a central neck containing a valve fitting provided with a dip tube which extends into the container, and - a bottom wall formed with a central projection, said central projection defining an internal well inside the container; and

the chime having :

- an inner hub with a central opening,

- a plurality of legs extending outwardly from the inner hub, and

- an outer skirt joined to outer ends of the plurality of legs; in which the central opening of the inner hub receives the central projection to locate the inner hub against lateral movement without fixation between the inner hub and the central projection, and a bottom end of the dip tube extends into the internal well of the central projection.

The invention also provides a container assembly including a container and a chime fixed to each other by means of an adhesive, in which an end of the container has a central projection and the chime has an inner hub with a central opening having the same internal profile as the outer profile of the central projection to locate the inner hub against lateral movement without fixation between the inner hub and the central projection.

The invention also provides a container assembly including a container and a chime fixed to each other by means of an adhesive, in which an end of the container has a central projection and the chime has an inner hub with a central opening having a plurality of slots which radiate outwardly from the central projection and the plurality of slots define a plurality of flexible inwardly-directed fingers which locate the inner hub against lateral movement without fixation between the inner hub and the central projection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a known keg as stood on a level surface;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the same keg which has been subject to heating under certain conditions;

Figure 3 is an exploded general view of a modified bottom part of the keg;

Figure 4 is a general view of the modified bottom part in the assembled keg;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the modified bottom part of the assembled keg; and

Figure 6 is a general view of the bottom part of the assembled keg which incorporates a further modification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, a known form of keg for holding beverages such as beer includes a container 1 which is formed from plastics by blow moulding. An injection moulded top chime 2 is fixed to the top end of the container and an injection moulded bottom chime 3 fixed to the opposite end. The container 1 has a cylindrical side wall 4, a top wall 5 formed with a central neck 6 containing a valve fitting 7 provided with a dip tube 8. The dip tube terminates at the lowest part of a bottom wall 9 which is of plain rounded shape. The bottom chime 3 is fixed to the bottom wall of the container using a hot melt adhesive as the primary means of attachment.

Sometimes, for example if the kegs are stored at elevated temperatures when the kegs are tightly wrapped on a pallet, the adhesive can soften. The container 1 can then become tilted over within the bottom chime 3, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the container no longer stands upright. This means that the dip tube 8, which is used to withdraw the contents of the keg, is no longer at the lowest part of the container and a small residual volume of liquid may remain in the keg.

In the modified keg shown in Fig. 3, during blow moulding the bottom wall 9 of the container 1 is formed with a circular central projection or boss 10 which defines an internal well 11 inside the container (see Fig. 5). The bottom chime 3 has an inner hub 12 with a central opening 13 and a plurality of legs 14 which extend outwardly from the inner hub. An outer skirt 15 fits over the side wall 4 of the container, with a bottom rim 16 upon which the container stands, and an inner rim 17 which is joined to the outer ends of the legs 14. The central opening 13 of the inner hub 12 has the same internal profile as the outer profile of the central projection 10. When the bottom chime 3 is received on the bottom of the container 1 as shown in Fig. 4, the central opening 13 receives the central projection 10, without fixation or interference, to locate the inner hub against lateral movement. Referring to Fig. 5, the bottom chime 3 is fixed to the bottom end of the container using a hot melt adhesive as the primary means of attachment which is applied to areas 20 of the bottom chime adjacent to the inner rim 17 of the outer skirt 12 and spaced from the central projection 10. As can also be seen in Fig. 5, the bottom end of the dip tube 8 extends into the internal well 11 of formed by central projection 10, which acts as a kind of sump. The lateral location provided by the central projection 10 thus prevents the container 1 from tilting over within the bottom chime 3 and, even if no tilting has occurred, enables a greater quantity of liquid to be withdrawn via the dip tube 8 with little or no residual volume remaining, e.g. if the container is not stood on a level surface.

Due to manufacturing tolerances, or variations in pressure within the container, there may be axial variations between the positions of the central projection 10 and the inner hub 12. In order to accommodate these variations and ensure that the central projection 10 is always fully located within the inner hub, the central opening 13 may be modified as shown in Fig. 6. The central opening 13 incorporates a plurality of slots 21 which radiate outwardly from the central projection 10, so that the slots define a plurality of flexible inwardly-directed fingers 22 which again locate the inner hub against lateral movement without fixation or interference. During assembly and adhesive fixation of the chime 3, the bottom wall 9 of the container may deform the fingers 22 in a downward direction to maintain a slight upward pressure on the bottom wall 9, thus ensuring that the central projection 10 is always properly located within the central opening 13.

It will be appreciated that the modified container retains the advantages of adhesive fixation whilst ensuring that the keg remains stable and upright under all conditions. The modification also enables a greater volume of liquid to be withdrawn under a wider range of conditions leaving a smaller residual volume.

Whilst the above description places emphasis on the areas which are believed to be new and addresses specific problems which have been identified, it is intended that the features disclosed herein may be used in any combination which is capable of providing a new and useful advance in the art.