A CONTAINERWITH END CLOSURE REACTIVE TO THE LOAD

The present invention relates to a container.

The present invention has been developed in relation to wine containers of the kind commonly known as bag-in-box containers that have an outer box and an inner bag. It will be convenient to describe the invention in relation to containers of that kind which are employed for containing wine, although it is to be appreciated that the invention can be employed as a general container for containing other liquids or non-liquid objects.

Bag-in-box containers have been employed for containing wine for many years, it is normal for the box of the container to be formed as a carton having a body of generally square or rectangular cross-section and flaps which are integrally connected at either end and which are folded over each other to close each end. The carton is typically made from a blank of corrugated cardboard.

Bag-in-box containers of the above kind are convenient and cheap to manufacture, however they suffer from various disadvantages. A major disadvantage is that the stacking strength of the bag-in-box container is low. Typically about 360 bag-in-box containers can be loaded onto a pallet, stacked four or five levels high. However, such pallets cannot be stacked beyond two pallets high. This is disadvantageous during bulk transport and warehouse storage because warehousing or transport space can be wasted. Additionally, the limited ability to stack pallets of this type of carton is also a disadvantage for retail outlets, as many outlets would prefer to stack the pallets several high to reduce storage.

A further disadvantage of the above kind of prior cartons is that they are readily damaged during normal handling, because the cartons offer little protection to the bag within the carton against impacts that occur during transport and handling. Often such impacts can result in the bag being ruptured, so that the wine contained within the bag leaks and is spoiled by

contact with air. Often the entire quantity of wine will leak out of the bag, saturating at least a portion of the carton, usually the base, so that the carton no longer provides any structural support. Where leakage of one carton occurs amongst other cartons, the leakage can also affect the structural integrity of the cartons of the other containers. Additionally, any leakage usually renders the carton unfit for sale. This problem causes the loss of a significant amount of wine sold in bag-in-box containers. It is estimated that in Australia, the loss is approximately 17% of the total amount of wine sold in this form of container. While not all of this loss can be attributed to bag failure, for example the tap can fail and allow leakage, the majority of leakage is attributable to bag failure.

A further disadvantage of the bag-in-box type of wine container is that the aesthetic appeal of the container is low. For this reason, such containers have only usually been employed for low quality wines and retail outlets rarely place the containers in positions of prominence.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least alleviate one or more of the foregoing disadvantages. The present invention provides a container including: a tubular body having open ends, first and second end closures being formed separately from the body and being engaged with the body at each open end to close each end, the first end closure closing a bottom end of the container and being arranged to support a load contained within the container, the first end closure being reactive to the load to vary the engagement load between the closure and the bottom end of the tubular body proportional to the load.

By "reactive", it is meant that the closure reacts in some way to the load within the container, in order to vary the engagement load between the closure and the bottom end of the body in proportion to the load. The closure is thus not rigidly formed or static, but rather, it is formed in a manner that, when it is exposed to a load which it is to support, it reacts to that load, and the reaction is to vary the engagement load between the closure and the bottom end of the

tubular body proportional to the load. Because of this reactive characteristic, the closure can be described as a dynamic closure, rather than a static closure. The first end closure can be reactive to the load within the container in any suitable manner, such as in accordance with examples given below.

Advantageously, in containers according to the invention the first end closure can be somewhat self-locking, such that the load within the container contributes to the security of the connection between the body and the first end closure, and such that that security increases as the load increases. In other words, the first end closure can support the load contained within the container in a manner such that the engagement load between the first end closure and the internal surface of the body, or the firmness of that engagement, is proportional to the load contained within the container so that as the supported load increases, so does the firmness of the engagement between the first end closure and the internal surface of the body.

While this form of container is appropriate for containing a bag of liquid such as wine, it is also appropriate for containing other objects and thus this aspect of the invention is not limited to a form of the container of the invention which is a liquid container.

The first end closure can be arranged to engage the inner surface of the tubular body to close the bottom thereof and this can be done in any suitable manner. In one arrangement, there is a force re-direction laterally from generally vertical. This lateral re-direction can be achieved by a portion of the first end closure being displaced laterally to the vertical load supported on the first end closure.

In one arrangement, the end closure includes a flexible concave base which extends across an end of the body. In this arrangement, the curve of the concave base extends axially inwardly of the body, i.e. away from the open end, so that the weight of an object or objects supported by the first end closure during use of a container according to the invention, tends to cause the concave base to flatten and therefore to increase the diameter of the end

closure slightly, to shift the portion of the end closure that engages the internal surface of the body more firmly into engagement with that internal surface. Other arrangements to achieve the force redirection can also be employed.

The present invention further provides a container including: a tubular body having open ends, first and second end closures formed separately from the body and attached to the body at each open end to close each end. a bag enclosed within the body for containing liquid, the bag including a tap for dispensing liquid from within the bag, the container being formed to enable the tap to project from the interior of the container to the exterior.

Projection of the tap from the interior of the container to the exterior can be made through the body of the container, or through one of the end closures.

Where the tap projects through the body of the container, the container will preferably be oriented with the longitudinal axis of the body generally vertical when liquid is dispensed from the bag, whereas where the tap projects through one of the end closures, the longitudinal axis of the body will generally be horizontal during dispensing of liquid. This latter arrangement is considered to be advantageous for containers that are to be stored in domestic refrigerators, as the vertical space required in the refrigerator is minimised and the liquid contents of the bag within the container can be dispensed through the end closure with the longitudinal axis of the body of the container remaining horizontal, i.e. the container does not have to be shifted to a vertical orientation to dispense the liquid.

The present invention also provides a container including a tubular body having open ends, first and second end closures formed separately from the body and attached to the body at each open end to close each end, the container being formed to enable a dispensing tap of a bag for containing liquid to project through the container from the interior to the exterior. The container can be formed to enable the dispensing tap to project through the body, or one of the end closures. Indeed each of the end closures can be

formed to enable the dispensing tap to project therethrough, so that the consumer can select which of the end closures the tap is to project through and so that the manufacturer is not required to position the bag with the tap adjacent to a particular end of the container.

In the above described containers, the first end closure can support the load of the wine bag within the container, in the manner described in relation to the earlier containers, so that the engagement load between the first end closure and the tubular body, or the firmness of that engagement, is proportional to the load of the wine bag and so that as the supported load increases, so does the firmness of the engagement between the first end closure and the internal surface of the body. The supported load can increase by an increase in the weight of the wine bag, or by movement of the container, such as lifting movement.

Preferably the first end closure is formed as described above to achieve a force re-direction laterally from generally vertical. The arrangement described earlier to achieve this can be employed in a liquid container according to the invention.

In containers according to the invention, the tubular body can be a cylinder, although the body could alternatively be elliptical in cross-section, or oval, or other suitable shape. The tubular body could for example be triangular, square or rectangular in cross-section, although a cylindrical body is preferred for structural strength, in particular stacking strength, and ease of manufacture. In this latter respect, the tubular body can be manufactured by rolling or winding a suitable material into an elongate cylinder and cutting the cylinder into lengths suitable for a liquid container according to the invention. For example, an elongate cylinder of up to 950 mm can be produced and thereafter cut into shorter lengths. The cylinder can be labelled or printed prior to being cut into shorter lengths. Advantageously, in a liquid container according to the invention, labelling or printing can take place at the premises at which the bag is inserted into the container. Thus, labelling or printing can be conducted at a winery for example.

The body of the container can be manufactured from any suitable material. The preferred material is solid cardboard sheet or spiral wound cardboard, although corrugated cardboard or plastic, plastic sheet, metal sheet, or even timber could be employed. Advantageously, spiral wound cardboard is readily available in cylindrical form, in various grades of thickness, i.e. 0.5 mm to 4 mm and strength. Spiral wound cardboard can provide significant protection for an object contained within the tubular body of the container. Spiral wound cardboard is resistant to puncture and can have significant column strength, so resisting collapse. Compared to the corrugated cardboard that is used in prior bag-in-box arrangements, spiral wound cardboard significantly improves protection for a liquid containing bag and facilitates stacking in a manner not available to prior art bag-in-box containers.

Containers according to the invention can be stacked to a significant height. In relation to 2 litre versions of the liquid container, a cylindrical container formed of spiral wound cardboard can be constructed for stacking to 5 pallets high or more, with the number of levels of containers stacked on each pallet being to 5 levels or more.

At least one of the first and second end closures is preferably attached to an end of the body by engagement with the internal surface of the body at that end and in each embodiment of the invention preferably each of the first and second end closures attaches to the ends of the body by engagement with the internal surface thereof. For this purpose, preferably one or each of the first and second end closures has a side wall which extends substantially parallel to the internal surface of the body and which frictionally engages the internal surface. By this arrangement, the end closures can be secured to each end of the tubular body and in addition, advantageously, the end closures can significantly improve the strength of the container by supporting each end of the body against inboard deflection or collapse. The end closures can be made of relatively stiff material, such as plastic.

Frictional engagement with the internal surface of the body can be sufficient to maintain the or each end closure attached to a respective body end. However,

to improve the security of connection, one or each end closure can include a peripheral channel within which a bottom edge of the body is received. The opposed faces of the channel are spaced apart sufficient for those faces to frictionally engage opposed surfaces of the bottom edge. In a container in which the tubular body is a cylinder and each end closure is circular, the channel can be annular.

To further improve the security of connection, the channel can include a plurality of projections each of which projects into the channel from an opposed face of the channel to engage the bottom edge of the body.

To further improve the security of connection, at least the first end closure can include a flange or groove that is arranged to engage within a groove, or cooperate with a step or projection or other suitable arrangement formed or provided in or on the internal surface of the body. This arrangement can be applied to one or each end closure as required. The preferred arrangement is to provide one or each end closure with a flange, which is preferably an annular flange.

Where one or each end closure attaches to an end of the body by engagement with the internal surface of the body only, the or each end closure preferably has a lip to overly an end rim of the body, to limit the extent to which the respective end closure can be inserted into the body. Where one or each end closure includes a channel into which the bottom end of the tubular body is received, the depth of the channel limits the extent to which the respective end closure can be inserted into the body.

In the arrangement in which the tubular body is an elongate cylinder, the end closures are circular. In this arrangement, the flange, the lip and the channel are preferably annular.

The second end closure can be formed the same as or similar to the first end closure described above in order to operate in the same manner when subject to a load contained within the container, so that the engagement load between

the second end closure and the tubular body, or the firmness of that engagement, is proportional to the load. The second end closure can include a handle and be subject to a lifting load proportional to the load within the container. Thus, second end closure can engage against an internal surface of the body at the end of the body opposite the first end closure and like the first end closure, the second end closure can include a concave base which extends across the end of the body. The curve of the base will extend inwardly and the carrying handle can extend from the base. When the container is lifted by the carrying handle, the concave shape of the second end closure will flatten and more firmly engage the internal surface of the body and thus secure the closure more firmly to the body at that end. Like the first end closure, the second end closure is reactive in the same manner as the first end closure, although it is to be appreciated that in a container according to the invention, only one of the first and second enclosures is required to be reactive.

In the preferred arrangement of the invention, one or each of the end closures includes a concave base and further includes an annular wall which is formed to extend generally parallel to the internal surface of the body and from the periphery of the base. Further, the annular wall preferably includes the flange and/or lip described above. The channel can depend from the annular wall or the annular wall can be part of the channel. The annular wall is arranged to engage the internal surface of the body.

It is preferred that the end closures are formed for nesting between stacked containers. Thus, the bottom end closure of one container is preferably able to nest with the top end closure of a container immediately below.

The end closures can be formed of any suitable material, although moulded plastic is preferred. One or each end could alternatively be metal, which could be stamped or pressed into shape.

One benefit provided by the use of end closures, is that the container is not closed by flaps which are employed in prior art containers. Thus, the use of

separate end closures enables the end closures to be of different material to the body of the container and this can result in significant benefits given the different performance requirements of the end closures compared to the body. A benefit of plastic or metal end closures is that they will not be affected by exposure to moisture or liquid in the same way corrugated cardboard would be. In prior art containers, the end flaps are of the same material as the container walls, because they are formed integrally, and so the end flaps are of corrugated cardboard. In the event that a prior art container is placed on wet ground for example, the flaps may absorb moisture and become incapable of supporting the weight of the bag within the container. In contrast, a container according to the invention might not be affected if the end closures are resistant to moisture absorption.

A further benefit of separate end closures is that the shape of the body of the container can be other than square or rectangular, because integral flaps are no longer employed. Thus the invention facilitates the production of cylindrical bag-in-box containers.

In a liquid container according to the invention, it is expected that the tap of the bag will be positioned within the body prior to initial dispensing of liquid from within the bag. The tap is therefore required to be repositioned from within the body for liquid dispensing. Accordingly, the container is formed to enable the tap to extend through the body or one of the end closures and in the preferred arrangement, either the body or one of the end closures includes a semi or fully removable portion (hereinafter "removable portion") to facilitate extension of the tap to project from the container. That removable portion can be a portion that is defined by a perforated line or section that permits the portion to remain in place or connected to the body or end closure until such time as liquid dispensing is to occur. At that time, the removable portion can be removed or severed from the body or end closure and the tap shifted to a dispensing position within the space from which the removable portion has been removed or severed. By this arrangement, the removable portion provides protection to the bag during transport and storage, but can be easily removed when liquid dispensing is required.

The removable portion might not be completeiy removable but rather, it might be partially removable so that it remains connected to the body or end closure, such as by a hinge. Partial removal may facilitate access to the tap for positioning the tap for dispensing liquid, whereafter the removable portion may be returned to its earlier position to dose the access opening.

Sn the preferred arrangement, at least one end closure is removable to faciiitate access to the tap for extension of the tap through the body or one of the end closures. Preferably the first end closure is removabie. Alternatively, a portion of one of the end closures can be removabie or dispiaceable to facilitate access to the tap. A finger hole, a ring grip or a tab can be provided to facilitate removal or displacement of the end closure or a portion thereof.

As indicated above, the second end closure which is in use at the top end of the tubular body can include a handle for carrying the liquid container. This can be formed integrally with the end closure, or can be connected to it. The handle can have lowered and raised positions, such that the handle is raised for carrying the container and is lowered at other times. The handle may be releasabiy fixed in the lowered position to retain it in that position unti! it is raised to the carrying position. This will prevent unwanted movement of the handle, such as during manufacture and transport of the container.

Advantageously, an end closure that is formed as described above to react to the load within the container and provide for force re-direction can achieve force re-direction by incorporating the handle as part of the end closure. When the handle is employed to lift the container, the end closure can be arranged to more firmly engage the body of the container, thereby more securely attaching the end closure to the body. The end closure thus operates in the same manner as the first end closure discussed above, but in response to a lifting load rather than a weight load.

Alternative to a handle, the body can include one or more finger holes for carrying the container. Each finger hole can be provided by a removable portion that is removable by the consumer after purchase of the container.

The removable portion can be defined by a perforated line that facilitates removal The or each finger hole would be positioned toward the top end of the container.

The present invention also provides a method of dispensing liquid, including providing a liquid container including a tubular body having open ends, first and second end closures formed separately from the body and attached to the body at each open end to close each end, a bag enclosed within the body for containing liquid, the bag including a tap for dispensing liquid from within the bag, the container being formed to enable the tap to project from the interior of the container to the exterior, removing the first end closure and shifting the tap to a position to project from the interior of the container to the exterior, replacing the first end closure and dispensing liquid through the tap.

St is to be noted that the liquid container of the invention has been developed principally for containing wine. However it is considered appropriate that the container couid be employed for other liquids such as potable water, alcoholic spirits, long life milk, fruit juices and cordials, or liquid foods such as soup.

St is also to be noted that the liquid container of the invention can be arranged to enclose other components within the tubular body. For example, the body can be of a length suitable to accommodate wine glasses in addition to the bag, or room Gould be available for accommodating snacks such as packaged chips or nuts. Alternatively, room couid be available for the insertion of ice by the consumer, in this latter arrangement, the bottom or first end closure can be removable to access the tap, while the top or second end ciosure can be removable to add ice.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be performed, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views of a liquid container according to the invention.

Figures 3 and 3a show cross-sectional views of alternative versions of the bottom end of the liquid container of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the circled section of Figure 3.

Figures 5a to 5c show a handle arrangement for a container according to the invention.

Figure 5d shows an underneath plan view of an end closure for use in closing the bottom end of a container according to the invention.

Figures 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b show top and bottom end closures suitable for use in a container according to the invention.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to the invention with

Figure 9 is a cross-sectionai view of the container of Figure 8 with the top of the bag in an in-use position.

Figure 10 is an underneath plan view of an end closure for use in closing the bottom end of a container according to the invention.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate one form of opening arrangement for positioning a tap.

Figures 13 to 15 illustrate an alternative container according to the invention.

Figure 16 illustrates a tamper evident end closure.

Figures 1 and 2 show a liquid container 10 of the type suitable for holding a liquid filled bag having a tap to enable dispensing of the liquid. The liquid filled bag is not shown in the figures. The liquid container 10 includes a spiral wound cardboard body 11 having opposite open ends 12 and 13. Plastic end

closures 14 are formed separately from the body 11 and are attached or secured to the body at each of the open ends 12 and 13 to dose those ends. Figures 1 and 2 only illustrate one end closure 14 but it should be understood that the container 10 will include two such end closures 14. In Figure 1 , the end closure 14 is attached to the open end 13 of the body 11 , while in Figure 2, the end closure 14 is displaced from the open end 13, For the purposes of this discussion, the end 12 of the body 11 is the top end of the container 10, while the end 13 of the body 11 is the bottom end on which the container 10 would normally stand.

The end closure 14 is a push fit into the open end 13 and Figure 3 illustrates the cooperation between the end closure 14 and the open end 13. In Figure 3, the end closure 14 is shown to have an annular side wall 15 which is in engagement with the internal surface 16 of the body 11 and a dish like or concave base 17 which extends from the side wall 15.

Extending outwardly from the side wal! 15 and shown in more detail in Figure 4 is a flange 18 which is preferably annular. The flange 18 is received within a groove 19 formed in the internal surface 16 of the body 11. A return Sip 20 forms a channel 21 with the side wall 15 to accept the bottom end 22 of the body 11. A similar but alternative arrangement is illustrated in Figure 3a, in which like parts from Figure 3 are given the same reference numera! plus prime'. Sn Figure 3a, the lip 20 of Figure 3 is omitted. Instead, each closure 14 ^' of Figure 3a includes a radial projection 27 that underlies the distal end of the bottom end 22 ^' ,

Returning to Figure 3, the external diameter of the side substantially the same size as the internal diameter of the internal surface 16. By that arrangement, the side wall 15 engages the interna! surface 16 frictionally. Moreover, the depth of insertion of the end closure 14 into the body 11 is controSSed by the depth of the channeS 21 (or by the radial projection 22 in the Figure 3a arrangement).

The frictional engagement between the side wall 15 and the internal surface 16 can provide sufficient engagement load to retain the end closure 14 in place closing the open end 13. However, use of the cooperating flange 18 and the groove 19 enhances the connection between the end closure 14 and the open S end 13 and therefore reduces the likelihood of the end closure 14 becoming disengaged from the open end 13.

Likewise, the use of the channel 21 , either in addition to the cooperating flange 18 and the groove 19, or separately from the flange and groove arrangement,0 also reduces the likelihood of the end closure 14 disengaging from the open end 13 by generally increasing the frictional or gripping load between the end closure 13 and the bottom end 22 of the body 11.

The concave or domed construction of the base 17 is highly advantageous, 5 because it causes the side wall 15 of the end closure 14 to more firmly engage the internal surface 16 of the open end 13 when a load is placed on the base

17. Thus, the weight of a liquid filled bag or other object or objects which rests on the base 17 will deform the base 17 towards a less concave or flatter shape and that will cause the side wall 15 to be displaced outwardly and to therefore0 to be forced more firmly into frictional engagement with the internal surface 16 of the body 11. By this mechanism, the flange 18 is also more firmly retained within the groove 19. This arrangement advantageously is a self-generating arrangement, in that the greater the load to be supported by the end closure

14, the more firmly it is that the side wall 15 engages the internal surface 16 of5 the body 11.

The Figure 3a arrangement has been employed successfully in a container according to the invention to support a liquid filled bag, although the arrangement of Figure 3 is considered to provide greater security of0 connection between the end closure 13 and the container 11. In addition to the greater frictional or gripping load, the Figure 3 arrangement provides other advantages as follows:

• Because a liquid container 10 can be exposed to high temperatures during shipping and the high temperatures can relax the stresses or memory in the plastic of the closure, the closure can shrink and thus reduce the frictional engagement between the closure and the body. By employing the lip 20, the closure is less prone to shrink because the lip resists shrinking or contracting movement of the closure.

• Likewise, if the container is refrigerated, again, the closure tends to shrink, but the use of the lip tends to resist shrinkage or contraction.

• The closure can be applied to a cardboard body when the body has just been fabricated and is wet or moist, such that the board is more pliable than when it has dried. Accordingly, the portion of the board that is received within the channel 21 will form closely to the shape of the channel, thus increasing the frictional or gripping load between the end closure and the body.

• As liquid in the bag is consumed, the load bearing on the bottom end closure 13 decreases. The extra gripping load provided by channel 21 , improves the connection between the end closure and the body thus providing greater security of connection as the load decreases.

In arrangements of the invention, loads of about 14kg have been supported in containers suitable for containing 2 litres of wine. Clearly this is far in excess of the weight of the wine, so the likelihood of container failure is remote. However, because the container is subject to dynamic impact loads (upon dropping or bumping, particularly during transport), the capability of the container to absorb loads much higher than the static weight of the wine is extremely advantageous and makes the container very robust and applicable to wide use.

The end closure 14, or an end closure of similar construction can be employed to close the open or top end 12 of the body 11. The form and operation of the end closure 14 has benefits for closure of the open end 12, particularly in a

form of the container 10 in which a handle is formed as part of the end closure and the ioad within the container is lifted through the handle. In that arrangement, the end closure 14 will act in the same manner as described earlier, such that when the container 10 is lifted by an end closure 14 at the open end 12, the ioad within of the container will cause the concave base of the end closure to flatten and thus to engage the internal surface 16 or top end of the container 10 more firmly. As the container load increases, so does the firmness of engagement between the end closure and the top end or internal surface 16.

Disposed within the channel 21 of Figure 3, is a plurality of projections 28 that extend or bite into the bottom end 22 of the body 11. This arrangement is more readily illustrated in Figure 4. The projections can be positioned on either of the facing side wails of the channel 21 , or on each of the facing walls. The projections can facilitate greater frictional or gripping connection between the end closure 14 and the bottom end 22 of the body 11.

As shown in Figure 4, in the region where the flange 18 is received within a groove 19, the wall of the body 11 bulges outwardiy. This advantageously facilitates better grip between the end closure 14 and the bottom end 22 of the body 11 , by creating a reduction in the diameter of the bottom end 22 compared to the diameter immediately above it. The reduction in the diameter thus tends to restrain the end closure 14 against disengagement from the bottom end 22.

A handled end closure 30 is illustrated in Figures 5a to 5c. Figures 5a and 5b show the end closure 30 with the handle 31 in a lowered position, while Figure 5c shows the handle 31 in a raised or carrying position. The handle 31 is a semi-circular member which is hingediy connected to the base 32 of the closure 30, at each of the ends 33 and 34. The hinged connection is an integral hinge formed between the handle 31 and the base 32. The handle 31 is formed as part of the base 32 and lifting the handle 31 from the lowered position to the raised position leaves a semi-circular opening in the base 32. In

an alternative arrangement, the handle 31 is formed separately from the base 32 and is pivotably connected to the base by any suitable means.

Figures 5a to 5c illustrate a depressible portion 36 which is employed to assist lifting of the handle 31 from the lowered position of Figures 5a and 5b. The depressible portion 36 can be pressed downward to allow a finger to be inserted underneath the handle 31 to raise the handle 31.

In other respects, the end closure 30 is of similar construction to the end closure 14 of the earlier figures. Thus, the end closure 30 has a side wall 37 which extends to a base 32. The base 32 domed or is concave. A return lip

38 extends generally parallel to the side wall 37, to form a channel 39, while a flange 40 is provided for receipt within a groove 41 (Figure 5c) formed in the internal surface 16 of the body 11. These parts have the same function as the corresponding parts of the end closure 14.

One difference between the respective end closures 14 and 30 is the difference in the number and positioning of the stiffening ribs 42, 43 (compare Figures 5b and 5d), while a further difference relates to the stiffness of the respective closures. These differences between the end closures relate to the different operating requirements of each closure. The end closure 14 can be considered as a "static" closure, in that, apart from the reduction in load bearing on the closure as the contents of the liquid bag is emptied, the closure 14 is generally always subject to a load causing its base 17 to flatten. In contrast, the end closure 30 is a "dynamic" closure, because when the container 10 is at rest, the closure is not subject to a load which tends to flatten the domed base 32. However, when the container 10 is lifted via the handle 31 , the base 32 is immediately subject to a load relative to the weight of the container. While both closures 14 and 30 are reactive to loads to which they are exposed, it is desirable for the closure 30 to be more reactive than the closure 14, due to the different operating conditions under which they operate. To provide this, the closure 30 can be of a lighter weight plastic than the closure 14, or the wall thickness of the closure 30 can be thinner than that of the closure 14. Moreover, the number and placement of the stiffening ribs 42,

43 can be arranged to make the closure 30 less stiff and therefore more reactive than the closure 14. In relation to the ribs 42 of the end closure 30, the ribs can assist to disperse the lifting force radially towards the tubular body.

Figures 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b illustrate the manner in which the respective end closures 14 and 30 flatten when a weight or load is applied to them. Figure 6a shows the handle 31 in the raised position, but before it is employed to lift a container to which the closure 30 is applied. Thus, the base 32 is angled to the side wall 37 at an angle β. When a lifting load is applied to the end closure 30 through the handle 31 , the closure 30 reacts such that angle β reduces as the concavity of the base 32 reduces or flattens. Additionally and importantly, the side wall 37 deflects outwardly as shown by the arrows, as the base 32 flattens. It will be appreciated that this outward deflection is the mechanism by which the closure 30 reacts to more firmly engage the internal surface of the container body to which the closure is fitted. Moreover, the greater the lifting load, the greater the reaction so that the more the base 32 will tend to flatten and the more the side wall 37 will tend to shift outwardly. Clearly, because the cylindrical container body resists outward deflections, the tendency of the side wall 37 to shift outwardly is resisted by the container body, with the result that the engagement load between the side wall 37 and the container body increases as the lifting load increases. In other words, the firmness of the engagement increases with increased lifting load.

The end closure 14 of Figures 7a and 7b acts in the same manner as the end closure 30, but in response to a weight load rather than a lifting load. Thus, the angle α between the side wall 15 and the base 17 reduces when a load is placed on it, from the position shown in Figure 7a to that shown in Figure 7b so that the base 17 flattens and so that the side wall 15 shifts outwardly.

It will be appreciated that once a load is placed onto the closure 14, that load will constantly bear against the closure 14, potentially reducing over time, for example as the wine in a wine bag is dispensed. In contrast, the closure 30 is subject to load only when the container 10 is lifted, while at other times, the

closure 30 will be unioaded. This iilustrates the static versus dynamic loading arrangements that the respective closures 14 and 30 are subject to.

The deflection that occurs in the side walls 15 and 37 occurs at or toward the § junction between the respective bases 17 and 32 and the side walls 15 and 37. As shown in Figures 6b and 7b, the ends of the walls 15 and 37 remote from the junction are not generally deflected. With reference to Figure 4, in which the bulge in the region where the flange 18 is received within a groove 19 is discussed, and Figures 6b and 7b, it can be seen how the bulge assists to0 restrain the end closure 14 against disengagement from the bottom end 22. This is because, as the junction between the respective bases 17 and 32 and the side wails 15 and 37 deflects outwardly under load, the diameter of the closures increases, thus making it more difficult for the closure to shift past the reduced diameter section of the bottom end 22. 5

Returning to Figures 1 and 2 those figures also show perforated sections of the body 11. The perforated section 23 defines a removable portion which can be removed to accommodate the tap of the liquid filled bag which is initially enclosed within the body 11. The tap can be repositioned to extend through0 the body 11 for dispensing liquid therefrom when the portion defined by the perforated section 23 is removed. To access the tap, in the embodiment illustrated, the end closure 14 can be removed from open end 13. A tab 26 can be provided to facilitate removal of the end closure 14. Once the end closure 14 is removed, the portion defined by the perforated section 23 is also5 removed and the tap is accessed and repositioned to extend through the body 11.

It is possible to access the tap without removing the end closure 14 and this can be done by accessing the tap through the opening formed by removing the0 portion defined by the perforated section 23. Either approach can be adopted.

The perforated section 24 defines a further removable portion which can be removed to create finger holes for carrying the container 10. The finger holes can be employed in place of the handle 31 of the later figures. The perforated

section 24 can facilitate fυi! remova! of the portion it defines, or it can allow a flap to be created instead, by having the portion 25 of the perforated section 24 formed as a hinge rather than a perforation,

The shape of the perforated section 23 can be any suitable shape, but preferably the shape is such as to locate the tap which wii! extend through the opening formed in the body 11 when the removable portion within the perforated section is removed.

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectionai views of a container 50 according to the invention with a bag 51 disposed therein. In Figure 8, the bag 51 is in a transport and storage condition, while in Figure 9, the tap 52 of the bag has been extended through the body 53 of the container 50, ready for dispensing the contents of the bag 51.

The container 50 includes end closures 54 and 55. The end closures are similar to those described in relation to Figures 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b. The end closure 55 includes a support ring 45 (see also Figures 7a and 7b) which supports the bottom end closure 55 when the container is resting on a surface, as opposed to when the container has been lifted from the surface and is being carried.

The end closure 55 also includes a ring 56 which has the same purpose as the tab 26 of Figure 2, i.e. to facilitate or assist removal of the end closure 55 from attachment to the body 53. Figure 10 shows an end view of the end closure 55. The ring 56 is connected to the base 57 by a pair of connectors 58 and can be grasped and pulled to detach the end closure 55 from the body 53. As an alternative, the end closure 55 can include an opening (not shown) in the base 57 through which a finger can be inserted to remove the end closure 55. The opening could be closed by a removable portion which is defined by a perforated line.

Removal of the end closure 55 facilitates manipulation of the tap 52 so that the tap 52 can be extended through an opening in the body 53. While the opening

could be of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2, an alternative opening is shown in Figures 11 and 12. Those figures show a partial view of the outside of the container 50 and Figure 11 shows the outline of an opening 60 having first and second portions 61 and 62. The portion 61 is a completely removable portion, while the portion 62 is partially removable. The Sine defining the portion 61 is completely perforated, while the Sine defining the portion 62 is perforated apart from the hinge line 63.

To move the tap 52 from within the body 53 of the container 50 (Figure 8) to the position shown in figure 9, the portion 61 is completely detached and the portion 62 is partially detached and pivoted outwardly along the hinge line 62, The end closure 55 can also be removed if desired. Thereafter, the tap 52 can be fed through the opening 60, and is inserted into position in the portion of the opening 60 left vacant by removal of the portion 61. The edges 64 of the opening about the portion 61 are a snug fit about the neck 65 of the tap 52 as shown in Figure 9. With the tap 52 positioned as shown in Figure 12, the portion 62 can be returned so that the edge 66 thereof (Figure 11 ) engages against the neck 65 of the tap 52, to securely hold the tap in the position shown in Figures 9 and 12. Liquid can now be dispensed from the tap 52.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the container 50 with the longitudinal axis upright or vertical. An alternative arrangement is to allow the container to be employed for dispensing liquid with the longitudinal axis horizontal and Figures 13 to 15 illustrate one embodiment of that kind.

Figure 13 shows a container 70 having a body 71 , end closures 72 and 73 and a bag 74 inserted within the container 70 and with a tap 75 connected to the bag 74 and extending through the end closure 73.

Figure 14 shows an opening 76 formed to a similar shape as the opening 60 of Figure 11. The opening 76 thus consists of first and second portions 77 and 78, of which the portion 78 is completely removable and the portion 77 is partially removable and is hingediy connected to the base 79 at hinge 80.

With the portion 78 removed and the portion 77 manipulated in the manner of the portion 62 of Figure 11 discussed earlier, the tap 75 can be secured projecting through the base 79 of the end closure 73, as shown in figures 13 and 15.

Figure 16 shows a tamper evident arrangement for the base 14 of the earlier figures, in which the lip 20 is connected to the side wall 15 of the end closure 14 by a thin and easily broken bridge 81.If an attempt is made to remove the end closure 14 from connection with the tubular body of the container, the bridge 81 will break. Unauthorised removal is thus evident by separation of the lip 20 from the side wall 15. This tamper evidence arrangement can be employed on any end closure according to the invention.

The invention described in relation to the accompanying figures is directed to a container for containing a bag which contains liquid such as wine. It will be appreciated that the invention could have other uses, such as a general container for:

• jig saw pieces; • spare parts for various equipment

• food items other than liquids;

• compact discs or DVDs;

• medical equipment.

The end closures which have been disclosed as forming part of the invention provide a particularly secure connection to the body of the container and thus could be useful for posting objects without requiring the container ends to be taped up with adhesive, which is often done with known post containers which have end closures that are not so securely connected. Thus, a container according to the invention could be used to contain bottled goods, such as bottled wine, spirits, olive oil and sauces, etc, or a wide variety of other goods. Where the container of the invention is used for non-liquid goods, the need for openings in the body of the container will generally be unnecessary.

The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specificaily described and it is to be understood that the invention includes a!i such variations, modifications and/or additions which faϋ within the spirit and scope of the above description.