Insert for beverage container

Abstract

An insert for disposal in a beverage container includes a chamber for containing a volume of fluid, e.g. a flavor component, an inlet valve to permit gas to enter the chamber, an outlet valve to permit fluid to exit the chamber. In a preferred form, the insert is connected to suspend from a lid or crown closure of a beverage container.

1 . An insert for disposal in a beverage container including:
 a chamber for containing a volume of fluid;   a permeable material to permit gas to enter the chamber; and   an outlet valve to permit fluid to exit the chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein the outlet valve is a stop valve. 
   
   
       3 . The insert of  claim 2  wherein the valve opens against a bias. 
   
   
       4 . The insert of  claim 3  wherein the stop valve includes a stem moulded from resilient material to provide the bias. 
   
   
       5 . The insert of  claim 4  wherein the stem is tubular. 
   
   
       6 . The insert of  claim 4  wherein the resilient material is a Thermo Plastic Elastomer (TPE). 
   
   
       7 . The insert of  claim 2  wherein the stop valve includes a stem and a skirt. 
   
   
       8 . The insert of  claim 7  wherein the skirt is annular. 
   
   
       9 . The insert of  claim 8  wherein the stop valve includes a guide means at the base of which is the annular skirt then extending to the stem. 
   
   
       10 . The insert of  claim 7  wherein there is a cap to provide an abutment for the stem and a receiving part to provide an abutment for the skirt. 
   
   
       11 . The insert of  claim 10  wherein the cap has a protrusion to locate the stem. 
   
   
       12 . The insert of  claim 11  wherein the guide means is cruciform or block shaped. 
   
   
       13 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein the insert includes a catch means so it can be attached to a beverage container package, e.g. under a lid. 
   
   
       14 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein the gas-permeable material is located at or forms a wall of the chamber. 
   
   
       15 . The insert of  claim 1  wherein the insert is formed substantially from the gas permeable material. 
   
   
       16 . A method of filling an insert according to  claim 1 , and disposing same in a beverage container, including: flushing oxygen from the insert chamber in an oxygen-free environment, filling a volume of liquid into the chamber, leaving a headspace, sealing the chamber, disposing the insert inside a beverage container, temporarily sealing a shroud over the container opening and pressurising a headspace of the container, sealing a closure on the container.