This invention relates to a tamper-resistant bottle closure. In particular, it relates to a bottle closure that resists an attempt to introduce foreign substances into a drink bottle.

There is, at present, awareness of the problem of "spiking" of drinks; that is, the introduction of illicit substances into a drink with the aim of rendering its owner insensible and therefore vulnerable to assault. This is a particular problem in clubs, where the general clamour allows an individual to spike a drink without being noticed. One result of this is that people do not wish to leave their drinks unattended, for example while dancing. This tends to an increased consumption of alcohol.

One approach is to provide a test kit that can be used to detect the presence of various substances. However, this is unsatisfactory because the typical environment in which drink spiking occurs is not one in which a sensitive test can be carried out, especially after the user has consumed a considerable amount of alcohol.

Another approach to this problem has been proposed by Ray Lockett, and sold under the trade name "SPIKEY" (see "Bottle bung plan to thwart drug rape", The Guardian, 12 November 2004). This device has a closure that can be permanently fixed into the neck of a bottle once it has been opened and allows a user to drink through a straw that is permanently fixed in the closure. However, this relies upon a user obtaining and correctly installing the device in their bottle; again, this becoming less likely as more drinks are consumed. It also requires a drinker to use a drinking straw, which is not to everyone's preference. It is also noted that it would be possible to introduce a substantial amount of a liquid into the bottle through the straw using, for example, a syringe.

An aim of this invention is to provide apparatus that is effective to resist introduction of foreign substances into a drink bottle without the disadvantages of known proposals.

From a first aspect, this invention provides a closure for a drink container comprising a body component that can be secured in the neck of a bottle, there being a flow passage through the body component through which the contents of a bottle to which the closure is applied can be extracted; and a valve component located within the flow passage, the valve components being disposed to move to a closed position to close the flow passage when the bottle is in an upright orientation.

The action of the valve component in closing the flow passage when the bottle is upright prevents the introduction of any substance when the bottle is upright - that is, when it is in the position that it will most commonly be when unattended.

Preferably, the valve component moves to the closed position under the action of its own weight. Such movement can be assisted by a user pressing on an exposed part of the valve component. Moreover, after a user takes a drink from the bottle, in-rushing air will tend to close the valve. This avoids the need to provide additional components, such as a spring, to achieve this, with consequent benefits to ease of manufacturing and compatibility with the bottle contents. It is preferable that there is an amount resistance in the movement of the valve component to prevent its movement under its own weight and/or the weight of liquid within the bottle. To open the valve, a person must put the bottle to his or her lips and suck, or, in the case of a plastic bottle, squeeze the bottle. This frustrates surreptitious attempts to open the valve to introduce anything into the bottle, and also helps to prevent spillage. For example, the resistance may arise due to friction between the valve component and the body. Alternatively, the valve component can move to open the flow passage under the action of its own weight optionally supplemented by the weight of the bottle contents. Access to the content of the bottle can therefore be achieved when it is tilted to pour liquid - a condition in which it is difficult to introduce anything into the bottle. This can be useful for those who do not wish to drink direct from the bottle, albeit with a slight reduction in security.

The valve component does not open so as to provide a straight line path for flow through the flow passage. This ensures that there is no clear path along which a substance could be introduced into the bottle when the valve component is open. For example, liquid exiting the flow passage may have a large component of motion that is normal to a main axis of the closure.

It is strongly to be preferred that the surfaces of the valve component and the body that are uppermost when the bottle is in an upright orientation are flat or convex. This tends to cast

off any liquid placed upon these surfaces. It is yet more preferable that the surface of the valve component does not project beyond that of the body component. This resists manual opening of the closure by lifting the valve component up from the body component.

The closure most typically additionally comprises a cap that must be removed in order to access the content of the bottle. The cap may be formed integrally with another component of the closure. For example, it may be formed as a moulding with a component, opening the closure being achieved by fracture of material from which the component is moulded.

Alternatively, the closure may be intended for use with a separate cap. For example, it may be suitable for use below a removable cap such as a foil cap, a screw cap or a crown cap.

From a second aspect, this invention provides a bottle that has a neck, the bottle having a closure according to the first aspect of the invention secured within the neck.

In typical embodiments, the capacity of the bottle is in the range 200 ml to 500 ml.

For example, the closure may be secured in place by an adhesive. Alternatively, the closure may be welded to the material of the bottle. This is particularly appropriate for use in the case where the bottle is a plastic bottle.

From a third aspect, this invention provides a packaged product comprising a bottle according to the second aspect of the invention containing a liquid drink product.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 3 are views of a bottle closure being a first embodiment of the invention being, respectively, an exploded view, a cross-sectional view in a closed condition and a cross- sectional view in an open condition;

Figures 4 to 6 are views of a bottle closure being a second embodiment of the invention being, respectively, an exploded view, a cross-sectional view in a closed condition and a cross- sectional view in an open condition;; and

Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of a bottle closure being a third embodiment of the invention.

A-

In the following description, terms such as "top" and "bottom" assume that the closure is present in a bottle that is standing upright on its base with its neck uppermost.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, a first embodiment of the invention is a closure for a drink bottle. The embodiment has particular (but not exclusive) application to a bottle that is glass and has a capacity of one drink; typically in the range of 200 ml to 500 ml.

The closure comprises a moulded plastic body 10 and a valve component 12.

The body 10 is a rotationally symmetrical about an axis that is generally coincidental with a central axis of the neck of a bottle 14 to which it is fitted. A flow channel 16 extends axially through the body 10. Close to its outer open end, a portion of the flow channel 16 is formed as a concave frusto-conical valve surface 18. Surrounding the open end of the flow channel 16 is a generally upwardly directed convex surface 20.

The valve component 12 is located within the flow channel 16. The valve component 12 has a sealing head portion 26 and a locating tail portion 28. The head portion 26 has a frusto- conical lower surface 30 and a flat or convex upper surface 32. When the valve component 12 is in a sealing position (as shown in Figure 2), the lower surface 30 abuts the frusto-conical valve surface 18 of the flow channel 16 to form a fluid-resistant seal with it and its convex upper surface forms a substantially continuous surface with the surrounding convex surface 20 of the body 10.

The tail portion 28 includes several spaced legs that extend downwardly from the head portion 26. A lower portion of each leg is formed with a barb 36 that has a tapered outer surface and a radial upper surface. The legs are resilient such that they can be deflected radially inwardly towards the axis of the closure.

To assemble the closure, tail portion 28 is passed into the flow channel 16. The dimensions of the barbs 36 are such that the legs are caused to deflect inwardly as their tapered outer surfaces engage with the periphery of the flow channel 16. The legs are of sufficient length that the barbs 36 can pass through the length of the flow channel 16 whereupon the legs can spring outwardly, so retaining the valve component 12 within the body 10. Moreover, the legs are long enough to allow the valve component 12 it to slide axially between the sealing position and an open position in which there is a space between the lower surface 30 of the valve component 12 is spaced from the frusto-conical surface 18 of the body 10, as shown in

Figure 3. Fluid can therefore flow through the flow channel 16, enabling the contents to be drunk directly from the bottle.

If it is intended that the valve body be not free to move under its own weight, the relative dimensions of the legs and the flow channel 16 are such that the legs are in rubbing contact with the periphery of the flow channel 16. Otherwise, there is clearance between the legs and the flow channel.

The closure is further provided with a sealing cap 34. This is applied during manufacture to completely cover and seal the upper surfaces of the body 10 and valve component 12. This must be removed before the contents of the bottle can be accessed. Such removal causes an irreversible fracture of locating formations to provide evidence that the closure has not previously been opened.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the body 10 has a lower portion that surrounds the neck of the bottle, and can be secured in place by abutting with formations 40 in the region of the bottle neck, such as may be provided to secure a cap. Such a closure can be applied to the bottle 14 by pushing it onto the bottle neck, the body undergoing resilient deformation to enable it to fit securely into place.

The closure of Figures 3 to 5 operates using similar principles to that of Figures 1 to 3. However, it has detail differences, as will now be described.

In this embodiment, the body 50 is secured within the neck of a bottle 52. A flange 54 extends radially from the upper end portion of the body 50 to prevent the closure falling into the bottle. The body 50 is secured in place by adhesive, by welding or by other suitable means.

The closure comprises a valve component 56, located within a flow channel 58, that can, as in the first embodiment, move under gravity to a closed position (Figure 5) when the bottle is upright and to an open position (Figure 6) when the bottle is tilted to pour liquid from it. In this embodiment, the seal is formed between a radial flange 60 carried on the valve component 56 and a complementary formation 62 of the body 50. The flange 60 has a frusto-conical lower sealing surface and a generally radial upper surface. When the valve component 56 is in its open position, the upper surface of the flange is substantially level with the surrounding upper surface of the body 50. A flow channel 64 is formed through the valve component 56

through which fluid can pass out of the bottle when the valve component 56 is in its open position. It will be seen from Figure 6, in particular, that the flow path that is created when the valve body 50 is open is not straight - the fluid flow passes through almost a right angle. This protects against introduction of matter into the bottle by dropping from above. Thus, when it exits the closure is is moving in a direction close to normal to the axis. This means that the flow path does not open in an axially upward direction, so presenting further resistance to introduction of substances into the bottle.

The embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 might be considered as a combination of features of the previous two embodiments. The arrangement of the valve component 70 and its sealing surfaces corresponds to that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, while the location of the body 72 in the neck of a bottle corresponds to the arrangement in the embodiment of Figures 4 to 6.

It will be noted that the latter two embodiments are largely located within the neck of the bottle and can, therefore, be used in conjunction with a conventional cap for the bottle, such as a screw cap or a crown cap.