Dip tubes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device that is adapted to be placed inside a container and to permit the continuous dispensing of a liquid stored in a container by enabling the fluid to be drawn from the interior of the container into the device and from the device to the outlet of the container. The device has a body which defines an internal chamber, an inlet through which liquid may be drawn into the chamber, and an outlet through which liquid can be drawing out of the chamber. The inlet of the device is adapted to restrict the access of liquid to the chamber when the device is inverted from a upright position. The present invention also relates to a dip tube and various container assemblies that are likewise adapted to permit the continuous dispensing of a liquid stored in a container.

1 . A device adapted to be placed inside a container and to permit a liquid stored in said container to be drawn from the interior of the container into said device and from said device to the outlet of the container where it is dispensed through a nozzle arrangement, said device comprising: 
 a body which defines an internal chamber, an inlet through which liquid may be drawn into said chamber, and an outlet through which liquid can be drawn out of said chamber;    wherein said inlet is adapted to at least restrict the access of liquid to said chamber at least when said device is inverted from an upright position,    wherein at least a portion of said body forms a wall of said chamber and is resiliently deformable and configured to: (i) assume a resiliently-biased configuration in the absence of any pressure differential between the chamber and the external environment and (ii) deform inwards and reduce the volume of the chamber when the pressure within the chamber is lower than the external pressure.    
   
   
       2 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the entire wall of the chamber is resiliently deformable.  
   
   
       3 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein the entire body of the device is resiliently deformable.  
   
   
       4 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said inlet is further adapted to at least restrict the access of liquid when said device is tilted or shaken.  
   
   
       5 . A device according to  claim 4 , wherein said inlet is adapted to at least restrict access to said chamber when said device is tilted so that the inlet is no longer immersed within liquid present within said container.  
   
   
       6 . A device according to claims  4 , wherein said device is adapted to at least restrict access to the chamber when the device is tilted through ninety degrees or more from the upright position.  
   
   
       7 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said inlet is a constricted opening configured to restrict the access of fluid to the chamber regardless of the orientation of the device.  
   
   
       8 . A device according to  claim 7 , wherein said inlet is a hole in the wall of the chamber.  
   
   
       9 . A device according to  claim 7 , wherein said constricted inlet is adapted to restrict the flow through the inlet to between about 0 and about 20% of the flow which is possible through the outlet.  
   
   
       10 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein said constricted inlet is adapted to restrict the flow through the inlet to between about 1 and about 10% of the flow which is possible through the outlet.  
   
   
       11 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein said constricted inlet is adapted to restrict the flow through the inlet to between about 5 and about 10% of the flow which is possible through the outlet.  
   
   
       12 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said inlet comprises a valve adapted to open the inlet when the device is upright and at least partially seals the inlet when the device is inverted.  
   
   
       13 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein said valve is adapted to completely seal the inlet when the device is inverted.  
   
   
       14 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein said valve comprises a cavity defined by the inlet, said cavity having a ball or other moveable body retained therein and being configured such that said ball or other moveable body occupies a first position within the cavity when said device is upright and becomes displaced to a second position when said device is inverted or tilted, whereby said valve is open when said ball or other moveable body is in the first position and said valve at least partially closed when said ball or other moveable body is in the second position.  
   
   
       15 . A device according to  claim 14 , wherein said valve is completely closed when the ball or other moveable body is in the second position.  
   
   
       16 . A device according to  claim 15 , wherein said first position is a lower position and said second position is an upper position and said ball or other body moves between said lower and upper positions by the effect of gravity.  
   
   
       17 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is provided with a means to dislodge the ball or other moveable body from the second position back to the first position when said device is returned to the upright position.  
   
   
       18 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein said means includes a partial seal when said ball or other moveable object is in the second position so that a degree of leakage can occur.  
   
   
       19 . A device according to  claim 18 , wherein the amount of leakage through the partial seal is between about 1 and about 20% of the flow possible through the outlet of the device.  
   
   
       20 . A device according to  claim 19 , wherein the amount of leakage through the partial seal is between about 5 and about 20% of the flow possible through the outlet of the device.  
   
   
       21 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein said valve is a flap valve.  
   
   
       22 . A device according to  claim 21  wherein the flap of said valve is weighted and adapted to move under the influence of gravity between an initial position in which the valve is open when the device is upright and a position in which the valve is closed when the device is inverted or tilted.  
   
   
       23 . A device according to  claim 22 , wherein said inlet is a tube and the open end of said tube through which fluid accesses the tube during use form the weighted flap which is adapted to hang downwards when the device is upright so at as to form an open tube and fold over when the device is inverted so as to form a kink at a position along the length of the inlet tube when the device is inverted or tilted, said kink forming at least a partial seal to prevent or minimize the ingress of fluid into the device while it is inverted or tiled.  
   
   
       24 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of said device is adapted to be positioned proximate or directly adjacent to the bottom of the container.  
   
   
       25 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is adapted to connect the chamber of the device to an outlet valve of said container or a nozzle arrangement fitted to said container.  
   
   
       26 . A device according to  claim 25 , wherein the outlet is adapted to enable said device to be fitted to a dip tube so that fluid drawn out of the chamber through said outlet during use flows through said dip tube to the outlet valve or inlet of a nozzle arrangement.  
   
   
       27 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein said body defines a first chamber having said inlet and said outlet and a second chamber having an outlet through which fluid stored therein may can be drawn out of said second chamber.  
   
   
       28 . A device according to  claim 27 , wherein said second chamber further comprises an inlet so that fluid may be drawn into the second chamber.  
   
   
       29 . A device according to  claim 27 , wherein the outlet of said first and second chambers join so that the fluid drawing of said chambers mixes before it reaches the outlet of the container.  
   
   
       30 . A device according to  claim 27 , wherein said outlets are separate and each of said outlets is adapted to permit fluid to be drawn from each of said respective chambers to the outlet valve or nozzle arrangement fitted to the container.  
   
   
       31 . A device according to  claim 27 , wherein the dimensions of the outlets of said first and second chambers are modified to control the relative rates at which fluid is drawn from each chamber.  
   
   
       32 . A flexible dip tub comprising a device as claimed in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       33 . A dip tube as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein said device is fitted to an end of said dip tube by its inlet.  
   
   
       34 . A dip tube according to  claim 32 , wherein said device is fitted to an end of said dip tube at its outlet.  
   
   
       35 . A dip tube according to  claim 34 , wherein said outlet is an aperture adapted to receive said dip tube.  
   
   
       36 . A pressurized container having an interior in which a liquid is stored, an outlet valve, a nozzle arrangement having an actuator adapted to selectively engage and open said outlet valve upon operation and thereby actuate the release of liquid under pressure, wherein said container comprises a device as claimed in  claim 1  placed therein and fitted to said outlet valve via its outlet so that fluid is drawn from said device when said actuator of said nozzle arrangement is operated.  
   
   
       37 . A pressurized container having an interior in which a liquid may be stored, at outlet valve, a nozzle arrangement having an actuator adapted to selectively engage and open said outlet valve upon operation and thereby actuate the release of liquid stored therein under pressure, wherein said container comprises a flexible dip tube as claimed in  claim 32  placed therein and fitted to said outlet valve so that fluid is drawn from said dip tube when said actuator of said nozzle arrangement is operated.  
   
   
       38 . A non-pressurized container having an interior in which a liquid may be stored, an outlet having a pump or trigger actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto and comprising a device as claimed in  claim 1  placed therein, said device being connected to said nozzle arrangement via its outlet such that liquid is drawn into said nozzle arrangement from said device when the trigger or pump actuator is operated.  
   
   
       39 . A non-pressurized container having an interior in which a liquid may be stored, an outlet having a pump or trigger actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto and comprising a flexible dip tube as claimed in  claim 32  to  35  placed therein, said dip tube being connected to said nozzle arrangement via its outlet such that liquid is drawn into said nozzle from said dip tube when the trigger or pump actuator is operated.  
   
   
       40 . A pressurized container comprising: 
 a sealed interior;    an outlet valve;    an internal wall defining a internal compartment positioned at or proximate to the bottom of the interior of said container, said internal compartment including an inlet through which fluid can access said compartment from the interior of the container; and    a flexible dip tube positioned within the interior of said container, said dip tube being connected to said outlet valve and extending from said valve to said internal compartment such that fluid is drawn to said outlet valve from said compartment when the outlet valve is opened,    wherein said inlet is adapted to at least restrict the access to said compartment when said container is inverted.    
   
   
       41 . A non-pressurized container comprising: 
 an interior;    an outlet with a pump or trigger actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto;    an internal wall defining an internal compartment position at or proximate to the bottom of the container, said internal compartment including an inlet though which fluid can access said compartment from the interior of the container; and    a dip tube extending from said nozzle arrangement into said internal compartment such that fluid is drawn to said nozzle arrangement from said compartment when the pump or trigger actuator is operated,    wherein said inlet is adapted to at least restrict the access to said compartment when said container is inverted.    
   
   
       42 . A container as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein said inlet is further adapted to at least restrict the access of liquid when said device is tilted or shaken.  
   
   
       43 . A container according to  claim 42 , wherein said inlet is positioned so that it is usually immersed in said liquid when the container is upright.  
   
   
       44 . A container according to  claim 42 , wherein said inlet is adapted to at least restrict access to the compartment when the device is tilted through ninety degrees or more from the upright position.  
   
   
       45 . A container according to  claim 40 , wherein said inlet is a constricted opening configured to restrict the access of fluid to the compartment regardless of the orientation of the container.  
   
   
       46 . A container according to  claim 45 , wherein said inlet is a hole in the wall of the chamber.  
   
   
       47 . A container according to  claim 45 , wherein said constricted inlet is formed around the dip tube extending into the compartment.  
   
   
       48 . A container according to  claim 40 , wherein said inlet comprises a valve adapted to open the inlet when the device is upright and at least partially seal the inlet when the device is inverted.  
   
   
       49 . A container according to  claim 40 , wherein at least a portion of said internal wall defining said internal compartment is resiliently deformable and configured to assume a resiliently biased configuration in the absence of any pressure differential between the compartment and the interior of the container and deform inwards and reduce the volume of the compartment when the pressure within the compartment is lower than the pressure in the interior of the chamber.  
   
   
       50 . A container according to  claim 49 , wherein the entire internal wall of the chamber is resiliently deformable.  
   
   
       51 . A container according to  claim 40 , wherein said internal wall forms the bottom or floor of the remainder of the interior of the container.  
   
   
       52 . A container according to  claim 40 , wherein said container comprises two or more internal compartments, each compartment receiving a separate dip tube or receiving a separate branch of a single dip tube.  
   
   
       53 . A dip tube according to  claim 32 , wherein at least a portion of said tube is resiliently deformable and configured to assume a resiliently-biased configuration in the absence of any pressure differential between the interior of the dip tube chamber and the external environment and deform inwards and reduce the volume of the chamber when the pressure within the chamber is lower than the external pressure.  
   
   
       54 . A dip tube according to  claim 53  wherein the entire dip tube is resiliently deformable.  
   
   
       55 . A dip tube according to  claim 53 , wherein the volume of the dip tube is sufficient to enable about 5 seconds of liquid to be continuously dispensed.  
   
   
       56 . A dip tube according to  claim 53 , wherein the volume of the dip tube is sufficient to enable about 10 to 20 seconds of liquid to be continuously dispensed when the dip tube is inverted.  
   
   
       57 . A dip tube according to  claim 56 , wherein the volume of the dip tube is sufficient to enable about 10 to 40 seconds of liquid to be continuously dispensed.