Floating multi-chambered insert for liquid containers

• US 8,469,221 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernd Ullmann
• Original Assignee: Ball Packaging Europe GmbH
• Inventors: Ullmann, Bernd, Lieberz, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELOSHWAY, NIKI MARINA
• Application Number:
  US11/632,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,919 Days
• Field of Search: 220/792, 220/506, 220/526, 220/23.87, 220/23.89, 220/523, 215/6
• US Class Current: 220/506
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3222 with additional means facilitating admixture

Abstract

The invention relates to an insert for a pressurized liquid container, comprising a product chamber (9), for holding an additive and a pressure chamber (11), with at least one opening to the exterior of small diameter and a lid (3) for sealing both chambers (9,11), whereby the geometry of the pressure and product chambers are selected such that said opening lies above the fluid level on floating and viewed from the side of the lid, the product chamber (9) is surrounded on the lid side by the pressure chamber (11), characterized in that the lid (3) comprises sealing means (4,5), engaging with each of the side walls (1,2c) of both chambers (9,11) at a uniform separation from each wall end and a separation a, between a sealing line (5) of the lid (3) on the lateral wall (2c) of the pressure chamber and the end of said wall, is greater than a separation b between the or the furthest sealing line (4b) of the lid on the side wall (1) of the product chamber (9) and a line in the region of the upper end of said product chamber side wall (1), from which the seal no longer touches.

Claims

1. An insert for a pressurized fluid container comprising a product chamber for receiving an additive, said product chamber being laterally surrounded by a pressure chamber in at least a region of the pressure chamber proximate to a cover,

the pressure chamber having an opening oriented toward the outside of the pressure chamber, said opening being located above the fluid level of the pressurized fluid container when the fluid container contains fluid and the insert is floating in the fluid container,

the cover for closing the product and pressure chambers, said cover including seals which engage side walls of the pressure and product chambers at a constant distance from a respective side wall end, said engagement creating a sealing line on the side wall of the pressure chamber and a sealing line on the side wall of the product chamber,

wherein a first distance between the sealing line on the side wall of the pressure chamber and the pressure chamber side wall end is greater than a second distance between the sealing line on the side wall of the product chamber and the product chamber side wall end,

wherein the seals between the cover and the product chamber wall and between the cover and an exterior wall of the pressure chamber extend in a circular fashion at a substantially constant height around the respective walls, and

wherein the product chamber and the pressure chamber are fixed to each other so they maintain a relatively fixed geometrical position.

2. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the seals which engage side walls of the pressure and product chambers are disposed on an interior of the side walls of the pressure and product chambers.

3. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the seals are arranged concentrically with respect to one another.

4. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the seals comprise circumferential bulges.

5. An insert according to claim 4, wherein the seal between the cover and the exterior wall of the pressure chamber engages with a groove disposed in the exterior wall of the pressure chamber.

6. An insert according to claim 4, wherein the seal(s) between the cover and the product chamber wall are one or two circumferential barrel-shaped seals, between which a sealing fluid is disposed.

7. An insert according to claim 1, wherein the product chamber wall has a region denoted by an inwardly rounded shape projecting towards the cover, wherein the spacing between the sealing line of the cover on the side wall of the pressure chamber and the end of the wall is greater than the sum of (a) the spacing between a sealing line of the cover on the side wall of the product chamber and a line in the region of the upper end of the product chamber sidewall no longer engaged by the seal, and (b) the region denoted by the inwardly rounded shape.

8. An insert according to claim 7, wherein the length of the region denoted by the inwardly rounded shape is approximately equal to the thickness of the product chamber wall.

9. An insert according to claim 7, wherein a spacing exists between the end of the product chamber wall and the cover.

10. An insert according to claim 9, wherein the spacing between the sealing line of the cover on the side wall of the pressure chamber and the end of the wall is greater than the sum of (a) the spacing between a sealing line of the cover on the side wall of the product chamber and a line in the region of the upper end of the product chamber sidewall no longer engaged by the seal, (b) the region denoted by the inwardly rounded shape, and (c) the spacing between the product cover wall and the cover.

11. An insert according to claim 1 wherein the product chamber is filled with an additive.

12. A fluid container comprising a fluid and floating thereon an insert according to claim 1.

13. The fluid container according to claim 12 which is a beverage can.

14. An insert for a pressurized fluid container comprising a product chamber for receiving an additive, said product chamber being laterally surrounded by a pressure chamber in at least a region of the pressure chamber proximate to a cover,

the pressure chamber having an opening oriented toward the outside of the pressure chamber, said opening being located above the fluid level of the pressurized fluid container when the fluid container contains fluid and the insert is floating in the fluid container,

the cover for closing the product and pressure chambers, said cover comprising one or more circumferential sealing members engaging a side wall of the pressure chamber and one or more circumferential sealing members engaging a side wall of the product chamber,

said circumferential sealing members creating at least one seal between said cover and said side wall of the pressure chamber and at least one seal between said cover and side wall of the product chamber when the insert is in a closed position,

wherein said seals extend in a circular fashion at a constant height around the respective walls, and

wherein during axial movement of the cover, the at least one seal between said cap and said side wall of said product chamber is disengaged upon moving the cap a first axial distance, and the at least one seal between said cap and said side wall of said pressure chamber is disengaged upon moving the cap a second axial distance, said second axial distance being greater than said first axial distance.