Improvements in and relating to taps

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TAPS

0002Field of the Invention

0003The present invention relates to taps, to containers to which such taps are attached and to methods of using such taps.

0004Background to the Invention

0005Bag-in-box technology is used commonly to provide bulk domestic liquid storage. For instance, wine is sold in cardboard containers enclosing ' a laminated flexible plastics bag containing wine. Taps are attached to the bags to enable access to the wine via actuation of a valve. Such wine products can be stored for several months before consumption. During this time, degradation of the wine products can occur. It has been found that this degradation is particularly concentrated in the region of the tap.

0006Presently, a tap is located in the wall of the bag, secured to the bag around a hole therethrough. The tap is self-closing and may be tamper proof (and/or tamper evident) which is the preferred arrangement.

0007It is believed that this arrangement causes degradation of wine in such a container in two ways. First, while the inner layer of the laminated bag generally has no deleterious effect on the wine, the intermediate layer of the laminate (usually metallised polyester between layers of polyethylene) can react with the wine negatively. When a hole is cut through the bag it exposes the wine to such an intermediate layer enabling a deleterious chemical reaction to occur in that aluminium is dissolved by and into the wine resulting in the loss of barrier and resulting in oxidation of the wine. Over the months while the product is stored before consumption, this can cause serious degradation of the wine product .

0008The second cause of degradation arises from reaction with residual oxygen in the body of the tap and/or oxygen that leaks into the tap while the product is in storage. Once into the tap oxygen is in contact with the wine.

0009A further disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the anti-tamper mechanism on the tap must prevent actuation of the tap mechanism in storage otherwise wine can be drained from the container prior to use. This requirement makes for a complex anti-tamper arrangement.

0010It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to obviate or overcome disadvantages encountered in relation to the prior art, whether referred to herein or otherwise.

0011Summary of the invention

0012According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a tap comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising a port for attachment to a container, the port having an inlet, the second portion including means for sliding engagement with the first portion and cutting means for cutting into said container, and in which a portion includes a valve; whereby the second portion is capable of linear sliding movement relative to the first portion and there is a path of fluid communication from the inlet of the first portion to the valve.

0013Suitably, the tap is constructed and arranged whereby movement of the second portion relative to the first portion moves the cutting means from one side of the inlet of the port to the other side thereof .

0014Suitably, the tap is constructed and arranged whereby movement of the second portion relative to the first portion causes the cutting action, in use.

0015Suitably, the second portion is configured to slide within the first portion.

0016Suitably, the second portion comprises a generally tubular body in fluid communication with the valve.

0017Suitably, the cutting means is at an end of the tubular body.

0018Suitably, the cutting means comprises a serrated edge.

0019Suitably, the cutting means comprises means for cutting out a non-continuous shape, whereby the centrally cut portion is not entirely removed.

0020Suitably, the tap further comprises means to secure the first and second portions relative to one another.

0021Suitably, the securing means comprises first securing means to secure the tap in a first configuration in which the tap is inoperative whereby the movement of the second portion relative to the first portion moves the tap from the first configuration to the second configuration. In this context, the first portion is secured relative to the second portion against free-sliding movement, but can, at least, be moved from its inoperative to the operative configuration manually.

0022Suitably, the securing means comprises a rib on one portion and a corresponding groove on the other portion.

0023Suitably, the first portion comprises means to attach the tap to a container. Suitably the attaching means comprises a flange.

0024Suitably, the first portion comprises a generally tubular body.

0025Suitably, the first portion additionally comprises a fingergrip. Suitably the fingergrip comprises a wing projecting from the tubular body of the first portion.

0026Suitably, the tap additionally comprises tamper proof means, whereby with the tamper proof means in place, the tap cannot be actuated. Suitably, the tamper proof means comprises a removable strip, which strip prevents relative movement of the first and second portions in at least one direction.

0027Suitably, the valve comprises biassing means whereby the valve is biassed towards its closed configuration. According to the present invention in a second aspect there is provided a container to which is attached a tap according to the first aspect of the invention.

0028Suitably, the container comprises a bag, typically a plastics bag. The present invention is particularly advantageous when used with bags intended to hold liquid for drinking, the bags being made from laminated or co- extruded plastics material .

0029According to the present invention in a third aspect, there is provided a method of using a tap, the method comprising the steps of :

0030(i) providing a tap according to the first aspect of the invention;

0031(ii) attaching the first portion to a container; and

0032(iii) moving the second portion linearly relative to the first portion to cut open the container, thereby to open a path of fluid communication from the interior of the container to the valve.

0033Suitably, the second portion is pushed relative to the first portion.

0034Suitably, the method additionally comprises the step of removing a tamper evident or tamper proof means before step (iii) . Brief Description of the Drawings

0035The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that follow; in which:

0036Figure 1 is an exploded plan view of a tap according to the present invention.

0037Figure 2 is a side view of the tap according to Figure 1 with its components assembled.

0038Figure 3 is another side view of the tap shown in Figure 1 from the opposite side from the Figure 2 view.

0039Figure 4 is a partly cutaway plan view of the tap of Figure 1 in an inoperative configuration.

0040Figure 5 is a partly cutaway plan view corresponding to Figure 4, but with the tap in an operative configuration.

0041Description of the Preferred Embodiment

0042Referring to Figures 1-5 of the drawings that follow, there is shown a tap 2 having a first portion 4 generally comprising a circular cylindrical tubular body 6 having flanges at either end thereof. At one end is a generally L-shaped annular flange 8 defining an inlet 9, and at the other end is a pair of wings 10 comprising finger grips. On the interior of the tubular body 4 is an annular groove 12. First portion 4 forms a part for attachment to a container. Also shown in Figures 1-5 is a second portion 14 including a valve indicated generally at 16 in fluid communication with a generally circular cylindrical tubular body 18. The tubular body 18 having on the exterior thereof two annular ribs 20, 22 respectively spaced apart by approximately half the length of tubular body 6. At the end of tubular body 18 distant from valve 16 is an annular serrated cutting edge 24. The cutting edge 24 includes gaps 26.

0043The valve 16 can be of any desired construction. Generally it is of self-closing type with, for instance, a spring biassing it to the closed position. It is opened by pressing the top 28 of the valve 16. For instance a valve according to United Kingdom patent 1,471,039 (the content of which is incorporated herein by reference) can be used.

0044The tubular body 18 of second portion 14 is dimensioned to slidingly engage within the tubular body 6 of first portion 4.

0045Referring specifically to Figure 4 of the drawings that follow, the tap 2 is shown in its inoperative (storage) configuration. The first portion 4 is partly cut away for clarity. That is, it is shown in the configuration in which it is attached to a container bag 30 while the container is in storage. It is noted that the container bag 30 is whole (ie not pierced) at this stage.

0046Distal edges of flanges 8 define between them a container attachment region. The hole defined by flanges 8 is an inlet plane in which the container 30 when attached to tap 2. Adjacent the valve 16 and between the valve 16 and first portion 4 is a plastics strip 32 around the tubular body 18. The strip 32 is continuous around the tubular body 18 and prevents the second portion 14 being pushed into the first portion 4. It therefore acts as a tamper proof strip 32. That is, as will be apparent from the description below, until the tamper proof strip 32 is removed, the tap 2 cannot be used to access the bag 30.

0047The annular flange 8 of first portion 4 is welded to the outer surface of the container bag 30.

0048In the inoperative configuration shown in Figure 4, rib 20 of second portion 14 lies in groove 12 of first portion 4 thereby to secure the two portions relative to one another so that they do not fall apart. The serrated cutting edge 24 lies completely within the tubular body 6 of first portion 4.

0049Normally there will be a cardboard box (not shown) around the container bag 30. The tap 2 will project through the cardboard box, with box panels between the annular flange 8 and wings 10.

0050To open the container bag 30 and use the tap 2, the second portion 14 is moved relative to the first portion 4 to the configuration shown in Figure 5 of the drawings that follow. This is achieved by linear sliding movement of second portion 14 relative to first portion 4. The first portion 4 is partly cut away for clarity. In this configuration, second rib 22 lies in groove 12 thereby to secure the first and second portions relative to one another and provide a positive snap-locking feel for the user. The movement is achieved by the user placing fingers about wings 10 and using the palm of their hand or thumb to push the second portion 14 into the first portion 4. Other ways of moving the portions 4, 14 relative to one another can be used. While relative movement of the two portions 4, 14 is all that is required, it will be appreciated that normally the first portion 4 will remain stationary with the bag 30 and box (not shown) .

0051As the second portion 14 is moved relative to the first portion 4, the cutting edge 24 passes the inlet 9 and the serrated edges enter the bag 30 (ie pass the inlet plane) . The bag 30 is thus pierced and liquid (normally wine) can flow therefrom through inlet 9, through tubular body 18 of second portion 14 to valve 16. The gaps 26 in the cutting edge 24 prevent a piece of bag 30 being separated from the remainder thereof to block the valve 16.

0052In this configuration the valve 16 can be operated to open and close the tap 2.

0053Using this tap 2 the bag 30 is only opened at the time the drink is to be consumed. The drink is therefore not exposed to atmospheric oxygen or to intermediate layers of the bag 30 for prolonged periods prior to consumption. Furthermore, it does not matter whether the valve 16 is opened prior to the bag 30 being opened, so the tamper- proof arrangement can be simpler and in certain circumstances not be necessary.

0054Normally the tap 2 is made from a moulded plastics material . In an improvement to avoid the possibility of an air bubble, the body 6 may include an air hole (not shown) which is closed by the cutting action of body 18.

0055The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference .

0056All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

0057Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features .

0058The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.