This invention relates to containers and in particular to refillable containers.

It is often desirable that some arrangement is provided whereby the past history of a container is recorded so that container that have served a certain service,eg. a certain number of trips, or are of a certain age, or have been subjected to certain conditions, can be discarded or subjected to testing before refilling. Thus with containers for some chemicals it may be desirable, eg. for safety reasons, that a container is not filled with a material A if it was last, or had ever been,filled with material B.

We have devised a system for making such a record. Accordingly the present invention provides apparatus for checking a refillable container having associated therewith a memory device containing information relating to the previous history of the container, the apparatus comprising means for reading informa¬ tion stored by said memory device, means for storing information relating to the suitability of a container for refilling, means responsive to the read information and the stored information to generate an output representing acceptance or rejection of the container as being suitable for refilling, and means for up-dating the information stored in the memory device so as to record refilling of the container.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for

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dispensing fluid material into accepted containers, and means for applying the said output to the dispensing means, whereby upon generating of an output representing acceptance of a container as suitable for refilling the dispensing means are actuated to supply 5 the said fluid material to the container.

The fluid material may be any liquid, gas, or flowable solid, including paste like materials.

It is seen that an important feature of the invention is the provision of an information carrying memory device associated - ^• •0 with, and preferably, attached to, the container. In addition to information relating to the history of the container, the memory device may also carry information relating to the contents of the container. Such containers with associated memory devices are described in our co-pending European Patent Application No. 83300035, 15 (Publication No. 00086029) the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The memory device is preferably an active electronic, particularly digital, memory device, for example a micro-chip, such as a PROM. 20 The invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whic :-

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to the invention for filling a refillable container; and

Figure 2 is an axial section of a container suitable for 25 filling by the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 1 of the drawings, shows a container 1 having a memory device 2 associated therewith. The device 2 is shown at one side of the container but it will be appreciated that the device is more suitably carried by a closure member of the container, as hereinafter described with reference to Figure 2.

The memory device 2 stores information relating to the history of the container, such as age, date of last filling or dates of all previous fillings, information relating to previous testing of the container, such as date(s) and test results, and details of present and previous contents of the container. In addition, the device 2 stores information regarding incidents likely to affect the suitability of the container 1 for further use, such as previous exposure to high temperature or high impact forces. Information regarding such incidents is applied to the device 2 from one or more sensing elements 3 mounted inside or outside the container. Information relating to parameters which determine the suitability of a container 1 for further use is stored in a storage device 4. Such information may include data representing the date of manufacture of the oldest container now suitable for use, data representing the maximum temperature and impact forces which the container can safely withstand, and data concerning fluids which should 'not be applied sequentially to the same container.

A processing unit 5 is connected to the memory device 2 and to the storage device 4 for reading information stored in each of these devices. The unit 5 operates in accordance with a program

stored therein, as hereinafter described.

An output from the processing unit 5 is connected to a control valve 6 which is located in a supply line 7 between an output of a storage vessel for fluid material (not shown) and an input to the container 1. The valve 6, the line 7 and the storage vessel form dispensing means for supplying fluid material to refill the container 1; A second, up-dating output from the unit 5 is connected to the memory device 2.

When the container 1 is to be refilled, the memory device 2 is connected to the processing unit 5, the line 7 of the dispensing means is connected to the input to the container 1, and the output of the unit 5 is connected to the control valve 6.

Upon actuation of the processing unit 5, the unit reads information stored in the memory device 2 and in the storage device 5 and then performs a sequence of checking operations in accordance with the program stored in the unit. For example, a check is made between the age of the container 1, as Indicated by data from the device 2, and the date of manufacture of the oldest container suitable for use, as indicated by data from the storage device 4. A second check is made between the temperatures and Impact forces to which the container 2 has been subjected, indicated by data from the device 2, aricT the maximum permissible values for these parameters, indicated by data from the device 4. Further checks may be performed, as indicated above. Having completed the checks determined by the program

therein, the unit 5 generates an output signal representing accept¬ ance or rejection of the container 1 as being suitable for further use. In the event of acceptance, the output signal is such that the valve 6 is opened and a fresh supply of fluid material is applied to the container from the storage vessel. In the event of rejection, the output signal is such that the valve 6 remains closed.

Once the container 1 has been refilled and the valve 6 has been closed, the unit 5 applies signals from the up-dating output thereof to the memory device 2. These signals represent the date of the present refilling and the nature of the fluid material supplied to the container 1. Data representing the Information contained in the signals is stored in the device 2 along with the data already stored therein.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows a container 209 which is suitable for use as the container 1 of Figure 1.

In Figure 2 the container 209 is shown inverted, having a cap 229 which is of a resilient plastic material which can sealingly grip the edge 223 of the container opening. The cap is fitted with an inlet/outlet port 234 and a vent inlet 235. Inside the port 234 is a shaped sealed ring 236, formed of rubber or like material. A sealing plate 237 is urged against sealing ring 236 by compression spring 239 the other end of which about a circumferential flange 240 ^• within the upper end of outlet 234. Secured inside the vent inlet 235 and extending toward the upper end of the container 209 is an elongate duct 241, at the inner end of which is a spring-loaded ball

valve 242, sealing the duct 241 against leakage of fluid from within container 209, but permitting air to enter container 209 when the pressure differential is sufficient to overcome the spring-loading of ball valve 242. The cap 229 also carries a memory device in the form of a pre-coded microcircuit chip 214 mounted to communicate via external conductive socket connections 243. The outer edge of cap 229 carries a thread 247, and for transport and storage carries a protective threaded cap lid (not shown).

The container 209 is mounted on the dispenser via the connector 230. This comprises a cover member 244 formed with a flanged edge 245 supporting a freely rotatable threaded collar 246 which can engage with thread 247 to hold cover member 244 and cap 229 tightly together. Cover memeber 244 Is formed with a projecting supply pipe 248 to mate with outlet 234, a projecting vent pipe 249 to mate with vent outlet 235 and female electrical contacts 251 to mate with male sockets 243. Connections 215 from contacts 251 lead to a memory reading device (not shown) corresponding to the unit 5 and storage device 4 of Figure 1. Pipe 248 projects to a height sufficient so that, when cap 229 ^" and cover 244 are in close contact, sealing plate 237 is lifted off sealing ring 236 so fluid can flow past the edges of plate 237 (which, for this purpose are preferably partly ^* cut away) into container 209.

As described, the memory reading device is a read/write device and is arranged so that if the read information is acceptable for the container to be filled, then the dispensing means is operated

to fill the container 209 with the fluid material. At the same time the memory device 214 is up-dated by the read/write device to add the appropriate information to the memory to record the filling. If the read information is such that the container is unacceptable for filling, the container 209 is rejected and the dispensing means is not activated to supply fluid to the container. It will be appreciated that the apparatus described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings can be modified by removing the connection between the first output of the processing unit 5 and the valve 6 and providing a visual display for indicating whether the checking operations performed by the unit have indicated acceptance or rejection of a container. Assuming acceptance, an operator then opens the valve 6 manually to refill the container. Likewise, the connection between the up-dating ouput of the unit 5 and the memory device 2 can be dispensed with.

Up-dating of the memory is then effected by a separate, manually operated device.