Beverage Foaming Devices

Abstract

A closure for a beverage container ( 2 ), such as a beer bottle, includes a closure plate ( 10 ), connected to which is a diaphragm ( 20 ), which together with the closure plate defines a gas reservoir ( 22 ). A movable portion ( 24 ) of flexible material is integrally connected to the diaphragm ( 22 ). The upper end of the 10 movable portion, which may be in the form of a tube ( 24 ) or pocket ( 3 ), is open and communicates with the gas reservoir and the other end is substantially closed and has a gas charge/discharge orifice ( 28 ) formed in it. The movable portion is connected to the remainder of the diaphragm by at least one pair of fold lines of opposite sense. When the closure is applied to a container, the gas charge/discharge orifice ( 28 ) is above the liquid level. The headspace of the container and the reservoir ( 22 ) are filled with pressurised gas and when the pressure is released the pressure differential across the movable portion results in rotation about the fold lines with the result that the movable portion moves away from the closure plate so that the gas charge/discharge orifice is situated beneath the liquid surface and the pressurised gas in the gas reservoir ( 22 ) is injected into the liquid in the container.

1 . A closure for a beverage container including a closure plate and a diaphragm, which together with the closure plate defines a fluid reservoir, the diaphragm including a relatively movable portion in which a gas charge/discharge orifice is formed, the relatively movable portion being connected to the remainder of the diaphragm by at least two spaced annular fold lines of opposite sense, whereby the application of a greater pressure to the interior of the reservoir than to its exterior results in rotational movement about the fold lines and thus in movement of the relatively movable portion away from the remainder of the diaphragm. 
     
     
         2 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which there are at least two pairs of concentric, spaced annular fold lines of opposite sense. 
     
     
         3 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the relatively movable portion is connected to the remainder of the diaphragm by a tubular portion which projects from the diaphragm in the direction away from the closure plate. 
     
     
         4 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the relatively movable portion constitutes a tube, the end of which remote from the closure plate is substantially closed but has the gas charge/discharge orifice formed in it and the wall of which has a plurality of pairs of fold lines of opposite sense formed in it and is thus of concertina construction. 
     
     
         5 . A closure as claimed in  claim 2  in which the movable portion constitutes a pocket or depression extending away from the closure plate with respect to the remainder of the diaphragm. 
     
     
         6 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the movable portion is made of plastic material. 
     
     
         7 . A closure as claimed in  claim 6  in which the movable portion and diaphragm constitute a one-piece injection moulding. 
     
     
         8 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the gas charge/discharge orifice has a diameter between 0.1 and 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the volume of the gas reservoir is between 1.5 and 40 cm 3 . 
     
     
         10 . A beverage container containing a carbonated beverage and sealed by a closure as claimed in  claim 1 , the gas reservoir containing pressurised gas and the gas charge/discharge orifice being situated above the liquid level and the movable portion being so constructed and arranged that the application of a greater pressure to the interior of the reservoir than its exterior results in the movable portion moving away from the closure plate such that the gas charge/discharge orifice is situated below the liquid level. 
     
     
         11 . A closure as claimed in  claim 2  in which the relatively movable portion is connected to the remainder of the diaphragm by a tubular portion which projects from the diaphragm in the direction away from the closure plate.