Containers having separate chambers for storing and dispensing of liquids are well known. It is known in the art to use flexible"squeeze bottles"having a pipe to connect the storage chamber with the dispensing chamber. However with such containers it is often difficult to dispense the last drops of liquid as they are out of reach of the end of the connecting pipe or the container cannot be squeezed hard enough to force the remaining liquid up the connecting pipe into the dispensing chamber.

It is also known in the art to use more rigid containers and to fill the dispensing chamber by tipping the container to allow the liquid to flow from the storage chamber to the dispensing chamber. Containers of this type must generally be lifted and manoeuvred in order to fill the dispensing chamber and the ease with which this is done varies largely with the size and shape of the container. Both types of known containers generally involve complex manufacturing processes.

With the above problems in mind we have now developed a principally non-rigid container for storing liquid and dispensing of a predetermined volume of liquid which is easy to manipulate and manufacture and is easy and quick to fill.

Accordingly from one aspect the present invention provides a container for dispensing predetermined volumes of liquid comprising a non rigid first chamber and a rigid second chamber isolated therefrom by the walls of the second chamber and having a fluid communication means

between a region of the first chamber and a region of the second chamber, said first chamber having a closable filling means and said second chamber having a dispensing means, closure means being provided for the said dispensing means when not in use.

Preferably the second chamber is located within the first chamber.

The first chamber of the dispensing container is preferably formed from two sheets of non-rigid plastics material such as polyethylene sheet joined around the edges by seams. The formation of the first chamber and insertion of the second chamber can be undertaken simultaneously.

In the context of this application a seam is taken to mean an area where two or more surfaces of non-rigid plastics material are joined by welding, adhesive or other suitable means.

In the context of this application non-rigid is taken to mean incapable of holding its own shape.

The second chamber is preferably formed from a rigid plastics material, such as high density polyethylene, the second chamber may be formed by injection moulding.

In a preferred embodiment a wing portion is formed integrally with an edge of the second chamber to extend outwardly therefrom. The wing portion is preferably an extension of the second chamber made during the manufacture thereof. The extending wing portion may alternatively be a membrane made from a non-rigid plastics material such as polyethylene sheet welded to the second chamber.

The second chamber is conveniently secured inside the first chamber by inserting the extending wing portion between the two sheets of non-rigid plastics material making up the first chamber before the sheets are joined, such that the extending wing portion is secured between the two sheets of non-rigid plastics material.

The fluid communication means is preferably an aperture formed in the wall of the second chamber and communicating with the first chamber.

The means for filling the container is preferably an unseamed portion of the top edge of the first chamber forming an aperture in the edge seam. The aperture is preferably of a size suitable for a nozzle or a funnel to be inserted therein. The aperture is sealed after the container has been filled and the nozzle or funnel has been removed.

Preferably a tuck is provided in the base of the first chamber between the two pieces of non-rigid plastics material. On filling the container the presence of this tuck allows greater expansion of the first chamber and furthermore provides a flat base which allows the container to stand upright. The tuck may be formed from a separate piece of plastics material or, alternatively, it may be an extension of one or both of the pieces of plastics material from which the first chamber is formed.

The dispensing means may comprise a block of plastics material having a closable outlet or may alternatively be a closable tube extending outwardly of the second chamber.

The dispensing means is preferably integral with the second chamber and includes a portion sealed into an edge seam of the first container thereby further holding the second chamber in position. The

dispensing means may be closed by any suitable means, for example, a screw cap or a push-in plug.

From a second aspect the present invention provides a method of manufacturing the dispensing container of the present invention wherein two sheets of flexible plastics material are placed one on top of the other edge to edge, a pre-formed rigid chamber including an outlet means is positioned between the edge portions of adjacent sheets and the edge portions sealed together to form a first chamber within which the pre- formed chamber is located, retaining an unsealed portion of the edges to provide an aperture for filling the container.

Preferably the pre-formed second chamber is provided with at least one extending wing portion which can be sealed between the edges of the thermoplastic sheet material forming the first chamber.

Preferably the dispensing means is integral with the pre-formed second chamber and is sealed between the edge portions of the thermoplastic material forming the first chamber.

Preferably the sealing of the said seam is carried out by welding, most preferably in a single operation. Alternatively an adhesive may be used.

The aperture in the seam is sealed by welding or adhesive when the container has been filled.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail as example only and with reference to the figures wherein:-

Figure 1 shows a cross section through a dispensing container of one embodiment of the present invention; Figure la shows an end view of an empty container of Figure 1: Figure 1 shows a dispensing container 1 which is formed from two sheets of non-rigid plastics material such as polyethylene sheet having edge seams 9 which are formed by welding together the edge portions of the two sheets of plastics material to form a first chamber 2 within which is located a second rigid chamber 3 secured between the edge portions of the sheets of plastics material. The larger chamber 2 is used to store the liquid and the smaller chamber 3, is the dispensing chamber dimensioned to hold a predetermined volume of liquid.

The dispensing chamber 3 has a membrane 5 secured thereto by welding, or adhesive, and an aperture 4 is provided in the wall of the dispensing container 3 to provide a fluid communication means between the storage chamber 2 and the dispensing chamber 3.

A tuck 14 of the plastics material is provided in the base of the storage chamber 2 between the two pieces of non-rigid plastics material and is forced downwards to form a substantially horizontal base when the storage chamber is filled.

Dispensing means 13 having a cap 8 (figure lb) extends from a plastics block 14 integral with the chamber 3 is secured into the edge seam 9 of the container 1 remote from the aperture 4. In this embodiment the dispensing means 13 is a tube (not shown) which protrudes from the plastics block 14 and has a screw-thread so that it can be closed by using a screw cap 8.

The dispensing chamber 3, dispensing means 13 and a wing portion 5 are formed by injection moulding of a plastics material such as high density polyethylene. The wing portion 5 is welded between the sheets of plastics material forming chamber 2 to further secure the dispensing chamber 3 without storage container 2.

An aperture 16 is provided in the edge seam 9 near the top of the storage chamber 2.

In manufacture of the dispensing container 1 the edge seams 9 are formed by welding together the edge portions of two sheets of polyethylene sheet material. Welding is done in a single operation with the plastics block 14 containing the dispensing means 13, the dispensing container 3 and wing portion 5 in place. Alternatively, the welding can be carried out in stages.

The container 1 is filled by inserting a nozzle or a funnel into the aperture 16 in the edge seam 9, when the storage chamber 2 is full the funnel or nozzle can be removed and the aperture 16 can be sealed by welding or an adhesive to provide a liquid tight edge seam 9.

A predetermined volume of liquid is dispensed from the container 1 by loosening the screw cap 8 covering the dispensing means 13 to allow air to escape, applying pressure, such as squeezing, to the storage chamber 2 which forces liquid to move through the aperture 4 into the dispensing chamber 3. When the dispensing chamber 3 contains the required volume of liquid the screw cap 8 covering the dispensing means 13 can be removed completely and the predetermined volume of liquid can be poured out.

Alternatively the container 1 can be lifted and manoeuvred in order to fill the dispensing container 3 with the liquid held in the storage container 2.