Container closure having a spout and means for introducing an additive into the contents of the container

Abstract

A closure device which includes a fluid chamber containing an additive such as a liquid and a housing having a plug member. The cap member is provided with a primary engagement means, such as an internal thread, which engages with a corresponding primary engagement means provided on the housing, such as an external thread, to allow the cap member to be lifted relative to the housing from a closed position in which the plug member closes a bottom aperture and a spout aperture in the fluid chamber, through a first open position in which the plug member is at least partially withdrawn from the bottom aperture while still closing the spout aperture, thereby allowing the additive to pass from the fluid chamber, and to a second open position in which the spout aperture is at least partially open.

1 . A closure device for use with a container having a main liquid compartment and an opening with a neck,
 the closure device comprising a cap member defining a fluid chamber and a plug member having a first plug portion sealingly engageable in an aperture in a bottom wall of the fluid chamber and a second plug portion sealingly engageable in a spout aperture,   
     wherein the cap member is movable relative to the plug member to raise the cap member
 from a closed position in which the first plug portion closes the bottom wall aperture and the second plug portion closes the spout aperture, 
 through a first open position in which the first plug portion is at least partially withdrawn from the bottom wall aperture to provide a communication path in use from the fluid chamber to the main liquid compartment and in which the second plug portion closes the spout aperture, 
 to a second open position in which the second plug portion is at least partially withdrawn from the spout aperture. 
 
   
   
       2 . A closure device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plug member is provided on a housing having an inner housing wall adapted to fit inside the neck of the opening and wherein the closure device includes sealing means which seals between the fluid chamber and the inner housing wall. 
   
   
       3 . A closure device according to  claim 2 , wherein the cap member includes an internal thread which engages with an external thread on the housing. 
   
   
       4 . A closure device according to  claim 3 , wherein the cap member includes a top cap wall, an outer cap wall on which is provided the internal thread and an inner cap wall extending from the top cap wall to the bottom wall and arranged inside the outer cap wall, the fluid chamber being defined by the top cap wall, the inner cap wall and the bottom wall. 
   
   
       5 . A closure device according to any of  claims 4 , wherein the housing comprises an outer housing wall on which is provided the external thread. 
   
   
       6 . A closure device according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer housing wall is provided with an internal secondary thread adapted in use to engage with an external secondary thread provided on the neck of the opening of the container. 
   
   
       7 . A closure device according to  claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises an inner housing wall arranged inside the outer housing wall and provided with internal sealing means to seal against an outer surface of the inner cap wall and external sealing means to seal against an internal surface of the neck of the opening. 
   
   
       8 . A closure device according to  claim 5 , wherein the housing further comprises a frame which supports the plug member so that the plug member is arranged inside the inner housing wall and extends upwardly into the fluid chamber in use. 
   
   
       9 . A closure device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first plug portion includes a cylindrical outer surface which engages with a sealing means provided in the bottom wall. 
   
   
       10 . A closure device according to  claim 1 , further including a spout connected to the spout aperture, wherein the spout includes a drinking tube and a closeable cap. 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . A closure device according to  claim 1 , wherein the spout aperture is provided in a top cap wall of the cap member and the second plug portion includes a cylindrical outer surface which engages with a sealing means provided in the top wall. 
   
   
       13 . A closure device according to  claim 12 , wherein the plug member includes a reduced portion above the second plug portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the second plug portion, such that in the second open position the reduced portion extends through the spout aperture to provide a communication path in use from the fluid chamber through the spout aperture. 
   
   
       14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . A closure device according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid chamber contains an additive liquid and a head space of pressurised gas. 
   
   
       17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A container having a main liquid compartment, an opening having a neck, and a closure device closing said opening,
 wherein the closure device comprises a cap member defining a fluid chamber and plug member provided in the neck of the container, the plug member having a first plug portion sealingly engageable in an aperture in a bottom wall of the fluid chamber and a second plug portion sealingly engageable in a spout aperture,   
     wherein the cap member is moveable relative to the plug member to raise the cap member
 from a closed position in which the first plug portion closes the bottom wall aperture and the second plug portion closes the spout aperture, 
 through a first open position in which the first plug portion is at least partially withdrawn from the bottom wall aperture to provide a communication path from the fluid chamber to the main liquid compartment and in which the second plug portion closes the spout aperture, 
 to a second open position in which the second plug portion is at least partially withdrawn from the spout aperture. 
 
   
   
       20 . A container according to  claim 19 , wherein the plug member is provided on a housing having an inner housing wall arranged inside the neck of the opening and wherein the closure device includes sealing means which seals between the fluid chamber and the inner housing wall. 
   
   
       21 . A container according to  claim 20 , wherein the cap member includes an internal thread which engages with an external thread on the housing. 
   
   
       22 . A container according to  claim 19 , wherein the main liquid compartment contains a beverage. 
   
   
       23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . A container according to  claim 19 , wherein the fluid chamber contains an additive liquid and a head space of pressurised gas. 
   
   
       25 . (canceled) 
   
   
       26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . (canceled) 
   
   
       29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . (canceled) 
   
   
       32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . A container according to  claim 19 , further including a spout connected to the spout aperture, wherein the spout includes a drinking tube and a closeable cap. 
   
   
       34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . (canceled) 
   
   
       36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . (canceled) 
   
   
       38 . (canceled) 
   
   
       39 . A method of introducing an additive liquid into a main liquid compartment of a container having an opening with a neck, the method comprising the steps of
 raising a cap member of a closure device and a fluid chamber defined by said cap member relative to a plug member from a closed position, in which an aperture provided in a bottom wall of said fluid chamber is closed by a first plug portion of said plug member and a spout aperture provided in said fluid chamber is closed by a second plug portion of said plug member, to a first open position, in which said first plug portion is at least partially withdrawn from said bottom wall aperture to provide a communication path from said fluid chamber to said main liquid compartment and in which said spout aperture remains closed by said second plug portion,   releasing pressurised additive liquid from said fluid chamber along said communication path into said main liquid compartment, and   raising said cap member further relative to said plug member to a second open position, in which said second plug portion is at least partially withdrawn from said spout aperture to provide a communication path from said fluid chamber through said spout aperture.   
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 39 , including the further step of causing liquid from the main liquid compartment together with the additive liquid released from the fluid chamber to pass from the main liquid compartment through the bottom wall aperture into the fluid chamber and from the fluid chamber through the spout aperture to a spout. 
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the plug member is provided on a housing, and wherein during the raising of the fluid chamber relative to the plug member a seal is maintained between the fluid chamber and an inner housing wall of the housing arranged in the neck of the container. 
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the cap member is raised by rotating the cap member such that the fluid chamber is raised by screw thread action relative to the plug member. 
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 39 , further including the step of at least partially removing an anti-tamper strip provided on the cap member, thereby allowing raising of the cap member relative to the plug member.