EP1534610A2

EP1534610A2 - Dip tube and container

Info

Publication number: EP1534610A2
Application number: EP03748253A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Keith Laidler; Timothy Rodd
Original assignee: Leafgreen Ltd
Current assignee: Leafgreen Ltd
Priority date: 2002-09-06
Filing date: 2003-09-08
Publication date: 2005-06-01
Also published as: US20050189382A1; JP2005537998A; MXPA05002483A; AU2003267561A1; WO2004022451A2; BR0313996A; WO2004022451A3; CA2497893A1

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 of the present invention has a body which defines an internal chamber (102), an inlet (103) through which liquid may be drawn into said chamber (102), and an outlet (105) through which liquid can be drawn out of said chamber (102). The inlet (103) of the device is adapted to at least restrict the access of liquid to said chamber at least when said device is inverted from an 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.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO DIP TUBES

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to dip tubes

for use in pressurised and non-pressurised containers to permit fluid to be

drawn to, and dispensed through, an outlet of the container during use.

Nozzle arrangements are often fitted to, or over, the outlet valves of

pressurised fluid filled containers, such as, for example, a hand-held aerosol

canister. Such nozzle arrangements typically comprise an actuator portion that

can be depressed by an operator to cause the outlet valve of the container to

open and thereby actuate the release of fluid stored in the container through the

nozzle arrangement. Similarly, nozzle arrangements provided with a manually

operable pump or trigger actuator which operates a pump chamber in order to

cause fluid to be dispensed through the nozzle arrangement (hereinafter

referred to as "pump or trigger actuated nozzle arrangements" or just "pump or

trigger nozzle arrangements") are also widely used in conjunction with non-

pressurised containers. Pump or trigger-actuated nozzle arrangements are fitted

to an outlet opening of the container, typically by means of a screw thread, and

enable a fluid present in the container to be dispensed through the nozzle

arrangement by the operation of the pump or trigger actuator.

The fluid products stored in containers are usually various forms of

liquid and, to enable the liquid product stored in the container to be drawn to,

and dispensed through, a nozzle arrangement during use, it is known to provide a dip tube positioned inside the container. A typical dip tube has a free or open

end disposed proximate to the bottom of the container and an opposing end

which is typically connected to the outlet valve (in the case of pressurised

containers) or directly to the pump or trigger actuated nozzle arrangement (in

the case of non-pressurised containers). During use, i.e. following the

operation of the actuator of the nozzle arrangement, the liquid product is drawn

into the dip tube from the bottom of the container through its free/open end, and

along the dip tube to the outlet valve of the container, or the pump or trigger

actuated nozzle arrangement (in the case of non-pressurised containers) where

it is dispensed from the container.

These conventional dip tubes function well if the liquid is being

dispensed while the container is upright. This is because the free/open end of

the dip tube is positioned at the bottom of the container where it is immersed in

the liquid product and will remain so until all, or nearly all, of the product had

been dispensed. However, problems can arise when the container is inverted or

tilted during use because the liquid product present is the container will flow

towards the inverted or tilted upper end of the container under the influence of

gravity and this may leave the free end of the dip tube extending into an upper

fraction of gas (which may be air at atmospheric pressure in the case of a non-

pressurised container, or compressed air or an alternative gaseous propellant in

the case of a pressurised container). As a consequence, the operation of the

nozzle while the container is inverted or tilted can result in the expulsion of this gas rather than the liquid product stored in the container. This creates a

problem because it disrupts the dispensing of the desired liquid product.

Furthermore, it is a particular problem when the container is a pressurised

container and compressed air or gas is used as the propellant because the

expulsion of this air or gas instead of the liquid product results in the depletion

of the propellant from the container. Ultimately this can result in the

exhaustion of the propellant before all the product present in the container has

been dispensed, which is clearly undesirable.

For these reasons, it is an object of the present invention to provide a

simple and inexpensive means for enabling a liquid product stored within a

container to be dispensed continuously through a nozzle arrangement fitted to

an outlet of the container, even if the container is held at an angle where the

open end of the dip tube is not usually immersed in the product (i.e. when it is

shaken, tilted or inverted), or when the product is product stored in the

container is nearly exhausted.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device,

container and modified dip tube in which the expulsion of gas or air instead of

product is minimised while the container is inverted, shaken or held at a tilted

orientation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided 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 having 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.

The expression "upright position" is used herein to denote an orientation

which the device assumes when it is suspended in a container by its outlet and

can hang freely. In preferred embodiments of the invention the outlet is

positioned on the upper surface of the device and the inlet is positioned on the

bottom of the device. Hence, the upright position in such cases will be the

orientation assumed by the device when it is suspended by its outlet and hangs

freely with the inlet forming the bottom or lowermost part of the device.

Preferably, the inlet is further adapted to at least restrict the access of

liquid when said device is tilted or shaken.

By "tilted", we mean that the device is displaced from the upright

position, but is not full inverted, i.e. it orientation is some where between a

fully upright or fully inverted position. It is especially preferable that the 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.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the device is adapted to at least

restrict access to the chamber when the device is titled through ninety degrees

or more from the upright position.

It has been found that the utilisation of the device of the present

invention circumvents, or at least minimises, the problem of gas or air being

dispensed through the outlet of the container instead of the product when the

device is inverted or tilted so that the inlet is not immersed in the product

present in the container. Specifically, the chamber of the device enables a

reservoir of the product present the container to be stored witliin the device.

This reservoir of product is available for dispensing regardless of the

orientation of the device (and hence, the container in which it is placed).

Furthermore, the provision of an inlet which is adapted to restrict access to the

chamber at least when the device is inverted or held at a tilted angle where the

inlet is not immersed in the product prevents, or at least minimises, the volume

of gas or air that can be drawn into the device and, ultimately, dispensed

through the nozzle arrangement during use. Accordingly, an operator using a

container with the device of the present invention placed inside will not notice

any significant difference in the quantity of product dispensed through the outlet when the container if it is operated while the container is inverted,

upright, shaken or held at a tilted orientation.

The device of the present invention may be placed within any suitable

container which is provided with a nozzle arrangement to actuate and control

the release of the product stored in the container. It shall be appreciated,

therefore, that the container may be a non-pressurised container which is

provided with a pump or trigger-actuated nozzle arrangement fitted to its outlet.

In such cases, the outlet of the device is usually connected to the nozzle

arrangement so that liquid drawn through the device during use passes directly

into the nozzle arrangement when the trigger or pump actuator is operated.

Alternatively, the container may be a pressurised container provided with a

valve at its outlet (hereinafter referred to as an outlet valve) having a nozzle

arrangement fitted to the container which has an actuator adapted to releasably

engage with the outlet valve to open it and actuate the release of the liquid'

product stored in the contamer. In this case, the outlet of the device is adapted

to be connected to the internal surface of the so that, when the outlet valve is

open, liquid is drawn to the outlet valve through the device of the present of the

invention. In some cases the propellant present in the pressurised container will

be a compressed gas, such as compressed air, which is a particularly desirable

propellant to use.

The chamber of the device may be prepared from a rigid material. For

example, the wall of the chamber may be in the form of a bellows, which can collapse inwards to reduce the volume of the chamber when fluid is drawn out

of the chamber through the outlet faster than it is replenished through the inlet

during use, and then return to its original non-deformed configuration and

thereby cause liquid to be drawn into the chamber through the inlet. Preferably,

however, at least a portion of said body forming a wall of said chamber is

resiliently deformable and configured to assume a resiliently biased or "non-

deformed" configuration in the absence of any pressure differential between the

chamber and the external environment and deform inwards to a collapsed

configuration and thereby reduce the volume of the chamber when the pressure

within the chamber is lower than the external pressure. This enables the

resiliently de ormable portion of the wall of the chamber to deform inwards and

cause the volume of the chamber to decrease as product is drawn out of the

chamber during use and subsequently return to its original resiliently biased

configuration and drawn in more liquid through the inlet. It is especially

preferred that the entire wall of the chamber is resiliently deformable. Most

preferably, the entire body of the chamber is resiliently deformable.

Any suitable resiliently deformable material may be used, such as a

flexible rubber or flexible plastic material (e.g. flexible polyethylene of

polypropylene compositions).

The device of the present invention may be readily manufactured by

conventional moulding techniques and as such are relatively inexpensive to

produce. Prior to its initial insertion into the container, it is preferable to crush the

device so that, once it is placed inside the container, it will return to its original

"non-deformed" configuration and, in doing so, will draw the product from the

container into the chamber of the device ready for use. The body may be

pleated to enhance the crushing of the device.

Preferably, when the device is placed in a container, the inlet of the

device is adapted to be positioned proximate to the bottom of the container in a

similar manner to the opening of a standard dip tube. This results in fluid being

drawn into the device from the bottom of the container and enables virtually all

of the product stored in the container to be drawn into the device and dispensed

through the nozzle arrangement.

The inlet of the device is adapted to restrict access to the chamber at

least when the device is inverted from an upright position during use (i.e. when

the container in which it is placed is inverted). It shall be appreciated that the

opening of the inlet will invariably become exposed to the gas fraction present

in the container when it is tilted or inverted, and hence, the inlet serves to

restrict the amount of gas that may access the device and thus, be expelled

through the nozzle arrangement under these circumstances.

In its simplest form the inlet of the device comprises a constricted

opening. By "constricted opening" we mean that the opening defined by the

inlet has a maximum dimension which is less than that of the outlet of the device so that the flow into the chamber through the inlet is less than the flow

which is possible through the outlet. In some embodiments, the inlet will be a

fine hole formed in the wall of ύie chamber. In other embodiments, the inlet of

the device may comprise a tube which is open to the chamber at one end and

the constricted opening may be disposed at any position along the length of the

tube. The constricted opening impedes the flow of gas or air into the device

when the container is inverted or tilted so that the inlet is not immersed in any

liquid present in the container. Preferably, the constricted opening reduces the

flow through the inlet to between 0 and 20% of the flow which is possible

through the outlet. More preferably, the constricted inlet is adapted to restrict

the flow through the inlet to between 1 and 10% of the flow which is possible

through the outlet. Most preferably, the constricted inlet is adapted to restrict

the flow through the inlet to between 5 and 10% of the flow which is possible

through the outlet. This is achieved by controlling the relative sizes of the

constricted inlet opening and the outlet, i.e. it is preferable that the inlet is

between 1 and 20%, more preferably 1 and 10%, and most preferably 5 and

10%, of the size of the outlet. Accordingly, when the liquid is being dispensed

through the container it is usually drawn from the reservoir held within the

chamber of the device faster than it can be replaced with either more product

present in the container (if the inlet opening is immersed in the product) or gas

or air (if the product is inclined at an angle where the inlet is not immersed in

the product). In preferred embodiments where the chamber has a resiliently deformable wall, the wall will deform inwards and the volume of the chamber

will reduce if the product is dispensed through the outlet of the chamber at a

rate which is faster than it is replenished by the contents of the container

through the inlet. Once the release of fluid from the container ceases, the

container, and hence the device placed therein, will usually be returned to its

upright position in which the inlet will be immersed in the liquid stored in the

container. As the chamber deforms back to its resiliently biased configuration,

liquid from the container will be drawn into the chamber of the device through

the inlet. Although a proportion of the gas present in the container may still

access the chamber of the device if the inlet is not immersed in the product, i.e.

if the device is tilted, shaken or inverted, the provision of a reservoir of product

at least ensures that a proportion of the product will be dispensed and the

provision of the constricted opening ensures that the amount of gas expelled

through the outlet will be significantly reduced when compared with a standard

dip tube.

It is preferred, however, that the inlet comprises a valve which is adapted

to close off the inlet to form at least a partial seal when the device is inverted or

tilted through 90 degrees or more from the upright position, and open the inlet

when the device is placed in the upright position (when the inlet is normally

immersed in the product at the bottom of the container). Preferably, the valve is adapted to completely seal the inlet when the

device is inverted or tilted through 90 degrees or more from the upright

position.

Any suitable valve may be used. Preferably, the valve comprises a

cavity defined by the inlet, said cavity having a ball (e.g. a ball bearing) 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. Usually, the

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.

Preferably, the valve is completely closed when the ball or other

moveable body is in the second position.

Accordingly, when the container and the device are upright, the ball

bearing resides in the first or lower position in the cavity defined by the inlet

and the actuation of the release of the contents of the container by the operation

of a nozzle at the outlet of the container results in product being drawn into the

device through the inlet and passing through the chamber and the outlet of the device into the nozzle arrangement. In effect, the device functions just like a

standard dip tube in this position. However, when the device is inverted, or

tilted through 90 degrees or more from the upright position so as to cause the

movement of the ball bearing or similar structure to the second/upper position

within the cavity under the influence of gravity and thereby form a seal in the

inlet, then the influx of liquid product or gas/air (depending whether or not the

inlet is immersed in the liquid product) is restricted.

The provision of a partial or complete seal of the inlet will result in

liquid being expelled through the outlet of the chamber of the device at a

greater rate than the rate at which the contents of the container are drawn into

the chamber through the inlet. Hence, in embodiments where the chamber has

a resiliently deformable wall, this will cause the resiliently deformable wall to

be sucked inwards, effectively reducing the internal volume of the chamber.

Once actuation of the release of the product is terminated by stopping the

operation of the nozzle arrangement, then the elastic recoil forces present in the

resiliently deformed walls of the chamber will create a vacuum pressure within

the chamber which in turn generates a suction force in the inlet to the device.

This suction force can cause the ball or similar body to be retained in the

second/upper position once the device is returned to its upright standing

position. For this reason, it is also preferable that the valve is provided with

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. In certain embodiments of the invention, the means for dislodging the

ball is the provision of a partial seal when the ball or other moveable body is in

the second position. This permits a degree of leakage to occur around the ball

or body and enables contents of the container (which is usually product if the

container is stood upright and the inlet is immersed in the product) to access the

chamber of the device to equalise any pressure differential that may exist.

Hence, once the suction force has been removed, the ball or other body will

become dislodged from the second position. The pressure differential will

usually be equalised once the resilientiy deformable wall of the chamber has

retained it original non-deformed or resiliently biased configuration.

Preferably, the amount of leakage through the partial seal is between 1

and 20% of the flow possible through the outlet of the device. Most preferably,

the amount of leakage through the partial seal is between 5 and 20% of the flow

possible through the outlet of the device.

If the partial seal is only weak then the ball or other body could be

dislodged to the first position by simply shaking the device/container, or it may

just drop back to the first position by the effect of gravity.

The provision of a partial seal may be preferable when the product

contained within the container is a product that is likely to block or clog the

valve during use. Examples of such products include various polishes, paints,

starches etc. The recess comprising the ball bearing is much less likely to block or clog during use and every time the ball bearing moves any residue that has

built up and will become dislodged.

Alternatively, the means for dislodging the ball or other moveable body

may be a leak provided in some other part of the device.

The ball valve may also be provided with an alternative means for

ensuring that the ball is dislodged when the device is returned to the upright

position after use at a tilted/inverted angle. One example of such a means

involves the provision of a small protrusion or post in the internal wall of the

valve of the device which, when the ball is in the upper position, either pushes

the ball away (towards the lower position) or pushes between the ball and the

internal wall of the valve as the chamber/device collapses during use.

Alternatively, the device may be configured so that once it is virtually

empty the deformation caused in the device either pushes the ball out from the

partial seal position or deforms the valve in the vicinity of the ball so that it can

fall back to its original position in which the valve is open under the influence

of gravity.

If the inlet is either in the form of a constricted opening or comprises a

valve capable of forming only a partial seal, it is possible that a small amount of

gas may access the device when the container is inverted, tilted or shaken,

although it will still be significantly less than if the partial seal was not formed.

For example, if an aerosol canister can spray 1 millilitre/second through its outlet and is usually used for between 3 and 5 seconds per actuation, then it will

be possible for gas to be expelled through the outlet at the same rate when the

dip tube is not immersed in the product. However, if the inlet is adapted to

restrict access to the chamber when the container is tilted or inverted to, for

example, only 10% of that which is possible through the outlet of the device,

then the amount of gas that can be ejected through the outlet of the container

during actuation is only 0.1 millimetres/second, i.e. the amount of gas that

could be ejected through the nozzle is effectively reduced by 90%. In practice,

the actual amount of gas expelled through the outlet in preferred embodiments

of the invention where the entire device is formed from a flexible material will

be much less because, by virtue of the weight of the liquid present in the

chamber, the device will tend to remain immersed in the liquid product present

in the container, especially when the container is only tilted slightly from the

upright position. For example, if the container is placed on its side, then the

device will tend to float on the surface of the liquid product and the weight of

the liquid present in the device tends to cause the lower inlet end to be

submerged in the liquid.

However, as previously mentioned, it is especially preferred that the

valve forms a complete seal to prevent any gas or air being expelled when the

container is tilted or inverted.

In addition to, or instead of, either of these aforementioned forms of

inlet, an alternative valve could be provided at the inlet. A suitable example of one such additional valve is a so-called "flap valve". It is especially preferred

that 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. In certain preferred embodiments of the invention the inlet is

a tube and the open end of said tube through which fluid accesses the tube

during use forms the weighted flap which is adapted to hang downwards when

the device is upright so at 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 minimise the ingress of fluid into the device while it is inverted or

tilted. Effectively, the weighted end of the tube is adapted to fall over and form

a kink in the inverted inlet tube to form a seal in the tube when the device is

inverted, and fall back to form an open tube when the device is returned to the

upright position. It is preferable that a complete seal is formed by the kink in

the inlet tube, rather than just a partial seal.

The outlet of the device may enable the product to be drawn from the

bottom or the top of the chamber of the device when the container (and hence,

the device) is in the upright position. In some embodiments of the invention

the outlet of the device is an opening in the chamber wall that can receive a dip

tube which connects the chamber of the device with the outlet of the container.

In other embodiments, the outlet is an open end of an outlet tube, which is integrally formed with the device, and is open to the chamber at one end and

connected to the container outlet at the other end.

In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the body of the

device may define two or more separate chambers. A first chamber of said

chambers will be as defined above and possess the inlet and outlet, whereas a

second of said chambers will posses an outlet. The second chamber may just

have an outlet or may further comprise an inlet so that fluid may be drawn into

the second chamber. It is generally preferred that the second chamber is a

sealed chamber only having an outlet and a fluid product, which may be a

liquid or a gas, can be placed in the second chamber and drawn out through its

outlet in a similar manner to the way fluid is drawn from the first chamber. The

outlets of the first and second chambers may join so that the fluid drawn out of

each chamber mix with each other before reaching the outlet valve or nozzle

arrangement of the container. Alternatively, the outlets of each chamber may

be separate and each outlet may form a separate connection with the outlet

valve or pump or trigger nozzle arrangement. In the case of pressurised

containers, the fluid from each chamber may mix within the outlet valve or

within a nozzle arrangement fitted to thereto. In the case of non-pressurised

containers, the contents of each chamber may be mixed within the pump or

trigger actuated nozzle arrangement. Alternatively, the fluids may be ejected

separately from the nozzle arrangements. The dimensions of the outlets of said first and second chambers can be

modified to control the relative rates at which fluid is drawn from each

chamber.

The two or more chambers of the device may be separate, adjacent to

one another or arranged in any other suitable configuration. In a preferred

embodiment of the invention a first chamber is surrounded by a second

chamber in a concentric arrangement.

In situations where the device is placed in a pressurised container, such

as hand-held aerosol canister, it is desirable for the second chamber to contain a

propellant in certain cases. The propellant can mix with the liquid drawn from

the first chamber and can assist the atomisation of the liquid into small droplets.

In such cases, it may be preferable to provide a constricted opening, such as a

fine hole, in the wall of the device so that gas present in the container can be

slowly drawn into the second chamber from the container when it is in the

upright position (i.e. the opening must be positioned above the hquid level in

the upright position). This will enable the propellant depleted from the second

chamber during use to be replenished with more propellant from the interior of

the container.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the chamber is. divided into two

separate compartments, an upper compartment and a lower compartment, with a

hole formed in the interface between them. Preferably, the hole formed in the interface is sufficiently small to restrict the movement of the contents of the

chamber between the upper and lower compartments when the container (and

hence, the device) is inverted. It is also preferable that the lower compartment

is three to four times the size of the upper compartment. In such embodiments,

it also preferred that the inlet of the device is a tube which opens into the upper

chamber of the device so that the contents of the container that are drawn into

the chamber through the inlet initially access the upper chamber. It is also

preferred that the outlet of the device is a tube which is open to the chamber at

the bottom of the lower compartment and extends upwards from the device to

form a connection with the outlet of the container. Preferably, the outlet tube is

provided with a hole positioned approximately half way up the chamber, which

connects the interior of the chamber to a position along the length of the outlet

tube. The significance of this hole is discussed further below in reference to

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

The device of the present invention can be placed inside a container

instead of, or as an attachment to, a standard dip tube. Accordingly, the present

invention also provides, in a further aspect, a dip tube comprising a device as

defined herein fitted thereto.

Preferably, however, the device is fitted to the end of the dip tube via its

outlet, i.e. the dip tube forms the connection between the chamber outlet and

the outlet of the container. Where this is the case, the outlet of the device may

be in the form of a tube which connects to the end of the dip tube or, alternatively, an opening in the chamber which is adapted to receive the end of

the dip tube. Alternatively, the device may be connected directly to the

container outlet and the dip tube may be connected to the inlet of the device.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a

pressurised container having an interior in which a liquid may be 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

defined herein 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.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a

pressurised container having an interior in which a liquid may be 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 stored therein under pressure, wherein said container

comprises a dip tube as defined herein 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.

According to a further aspect there is provided a non-pressurised

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 defined herein 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.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a

non-pressurised 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 dip tube as defined herein 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.

According to a further aspect the present invention there is provided a

container having an interior in which liquid may be stored, an outlet having a

nozzle arrangement fitted thereto and a device placed in the interior of the

container, said device being adapted 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 having 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 device is suspended in said container by its outlet so that it

can swing within the container as it is tilted or inverted.

Preferably, the device is as defined above.

The suspension of the device permits the device to swing within the

container. Therefore, the device, by virtue of the weight of the liquid present in

the chamber, will tend to remain immersed in any hquid product present in the

container, especially when the container is only tilted slightly from the upright

position. For example, if the container is placed on its side, then the device will

tend to float on the surface of the liquid product and the weight of the liquid

present in the device tends to cause the lower inlet end to be submerged in the

liquid.

According to a further aspect the present invention there is provided a

pressurised container having a sealed interior, an outlet valve, an internal wall

defining an internal compartment positioned at or proximate to the bottom of

the interior of said container and a 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 compartment further comprises an inlet through which fluid can access

said compartment from the interior of the container, said inlet being further adapted to at least restrict the access to said compartment when said container

is inverted.

According to a further aspect the present invention provides a non-

pressurised container having an interior, an outlet with a pump or trigger

actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto, an internal wall defining an internal

compartment positioned at or proximate to the bottom 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 compartment

further comprises an inlet through which fluid can access said compartment

from the interior of the container, said inlet being further adapted to at least

restrict the access to said compartment when said container is inverted.

The inlet may comprise a constricted opening or a valve, as defined

above.

In a preferred embodiment, the inlet comprises a constricted opening

formed around the dip tube where it extends into the compartment. The

contents of the container may flow slowly from the remainder of the container

into the compartment through this constricted opening. Preferably, the rate of

flow is between 5 and 20% of the rate of flow through the dip tube.

The inlet is preferably positioned so that it is immersed in any liquid

present in the container while the container is stood in its upright position. Preferably, 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. Most preferably, the

entire internal wall of the chamber is resiliently deformable. The resiliently

deformable wall may be made of any suitable resiliently deformable material,

as described above.

The compartment may be formed across the entire bottom of the

container or just a portion thereof. It is especially preferred that the

compartment extends across the entire bottom of the interior of the container

and the internal wall forms the bottom or floor of the remainder of the interior

of the container.

During use, the contents of the compartment are drawn to the outlet

through the dip tube during use in response to the opening of the outlet valve

or, in the case of a non-pressurised container, the operation of the pump or

trigger of the nozzle arrangement. As the contents of the compartment are

drawn into the dip tube, the resiliently deformable wall will deform inwards,

effectively reducing the volume of the compartment, because the rate at which

the product is replenished with the contents of the container will be less than

that rate at which it is drawn out through the dip tube. After use, the container is returned to the upright position and liquid is then drawn into the

compartment from the interior of the container to through the inlet. This

replenishment will continue until the resiliently deformable wall returns to its

initial resiliently biased or "non-deformed" configuration.

If the container is tilted, shaken or inverted, then liquid will still be

dispensed through the outlet during use because the liquid present in the

compartment is prevented from leaking out into the remainder of the container

to any significant degree by the constricted opening. Furthermore, the influx of

any gas or air from the container into the compartment while the container is

tilted, inverted or shaken (and the inlet of the compartment is not immersed in

the product present in the container) is also rninimised by the constricted

opening.

The container may comprise two or more internal compartments. Each

compartment may be provided with a separate dip tube or receive a branch of a

single dip tube.

It has also been found that the problem of maintaining the continuous

release of product from a container when it is shaken or held at an angle where

the open end of the dip tube is not immersed in the product can also be

minimised by using a modified dip tube.

Hence, the present invention also provides, in a further aspect, a

container having an interior in which a liquid may be stored during use, said container comprising an outlet having a manually-operable pump or trigger

actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto and a dip tube positioned in the

interior of said container, said dip tube having an inlet end through which fluid

present in the container may access the dip tube and an opposing end which is

connected to the nozzle arrangement so that liquid stored in the container can

be drawn to, and dispensed through, the nozzle arrangement following the

operation of the pump or trigger, wherein the internal volume of the dip tube is

at least five times the volume of product that is dispensed through the nozzle

arrangement following a single full actuation.

It shall be appreciated that by "full actuation" we mean that trigger or

pump of the nozzle device is actuated to its maximum extent so that the

maximum possible volume of product is dispensed through the nozzle in

response to a single actuation.

Conventional dip tubes fitted to pump or trigger nozzle devices typically

have an internal volume that is, at most, only one to two times the volume that

is dispensed through a pump or trigger nozzle following a single full actuation.

This low internal volume is specif ically desired by manufacturers of pump and

trigger spray devices because it reduces the number of actuations of the pump

or trigger required to initially fill the dip tube before the liquid product can be

dispensed through the nozzle. As a consequence, however, only a limited

volume of Hquid product can be retained within the dip tube and this will be

rapidly exhausted if the nozzle device is operated while the container is held at an angle where the open end of the dip tube through which the contents of the

container are drawn is not immersed in the product present in the container, i.e.

if the nozzle device is actuated while the container is shaken, inverted or tilted.

However, it has been found that providing a dip tube with a volume that is at

least five times the volume dispensed through the nozzle device following a

single full actuation enables the product to be dispensed through the nozzle for

longer periods when the open end of the dip tube is not immersed in the

product.

It will be appreciated that if the container remains inverted, for example,

then ah present in the container will eventually be ejected through the nozzle

instead of product once the product stored in the dip tube has been exhausted.

For this reason, the intemal volume of the dip tube is preferably sufficient to

store enough of the product therein to enable above average usage of the

product concerned. Hence, the volume required will vary depending on the

type and nature of the product, but it should be at least five times the volume of

product which is dispensed through the nozzle following a single full actuation

for each case.

Preferably, the internal volume of the dip tube is between fifteen and

twenty times the volume of product that is dispensed through the nozzle

arrangement following a single full actuation so that at least twenty full

actuations of product can be dispensed if the container is held at an angle where

the end of the dip tube is not immersed in the product present in the container. It is especially preferred that the volume is between twenty and thirty times the

volume the volume of product that is dispensed through the nozzle arrangement

following a single full actuation.

The open end of the dip tube is preferably positioned proximate to the

bottom of the interior of the container so that it is immersed in the liquid

product stored therein when the container is upright. However, if the container

is held at an angle where the end of the dip tube is not immersed in the product

present in the container, it will be appreciated that some ah present in the

container will be drawn into the dip tube following each actuation of the pump

or trigger nozzle. This air can be replaced with product by returning the

container to its upright position whereby the open end of the dip tube will be

immersed in the liquid product present within the container and operating the

pump or trigger actuated nozzle arrangement to draw more of the liquid product

into the dip tube and expel any ah present therein.

This mode of operation is not desirable, however, and for this reason, it

is preferable that that the open end of the dip tube through which the contents

of the container are drawn into the dip tube during use is adapted to restrict

access to the dip tube at least when the device is held at an angle where the

open end of the dip tube is not immersed in the product present in the container,

i.e. when it is tilted, inverted, or shaken. Hence, it especially preferred that the

inlet end of the dip tube comprises a constricted opening or valve arrangement

as hereinbefore defined. The dip tube is preferably resiliently deformable, although it may be

formed of rigid material (but would not work as well). This provides two main

advantages. Firstly, it enables the dip tube to move within the container under

the effect of gravity, which means that the dip tube will, at least to a certain

extent, tend to follow and remain immersed within the product present in the

container as the container is tilted, shaken or inverted. Secondly, by collapsing

the resiliently deformable tube before it is initially placed into the container,

then the product present in the container can be drawn into the dip tube as it

returns to its original resiliently biased /"non-deformed" configuration and

hence, the dip tube is filled ready for the f irst use.

In yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a dip

tube adapted to be placed inside a pressurised container having an interior

adapted to store a liquid therein and an outlet valve, said dip tube having an

inlet end through which the contents of the container are drawn into the dip

tube during use and an opposing end which is adapted to be connected to the

outlet valve of the container, wherein the inlet end of the dip tube is adapted to

at least restrict access of fluid into the to the dip tube when the dip tube is

inverted from an upright position.

Conventional dip tubes used in pressurised containers only have a small

internal volume and hence, any product present therein is rapidly exhausted if

the container is held at an angle where the open end of the dip tube is not

immersed in the product present in the container into which it is placed. Preferably, the dip tubes of the present aspect of the invention has an internal

volume sufficient to enable at least five seconds of continuous actuation of

liquid product to be dispensed, even if the container is held at an angle where

the open end of the dip tube is not immersed in the product present in the

container in which it is placed.

Of course, it will be appreciated that once the product stored in the dip

tube is exhausted when the container is inverted, for example, then gas or ah

present in the container may be ejected instead of product. For this reason, the

internal volume of the dip tube is preferably sufficient to retain sufficient

product therein to enable above average usage of the product while the

container is inverted, tilted or shaken. Hence, the volume required in practice

will vary depending on the application.

Preferably, the internal volume of the dip tube is sufficient to enable

between ten and twenty seconds of continuous actuation if the container is held

at and angle whereby the open end of the dip tube is not immersed in the

product, with an internal volume sufficient to enable between ten and forty

seconds of continuous use being especially preferred.

As previously discussed herein, the provision of the an inlet end of the

dip tube which is adapted to restrict access to the dip tube at least when the

device is held at an angle where the open end of the dip tube is not immersed in

the product present in the container, i.e. when it is tilted, inverted, or shaken, limits the amount of gas or ah that accesses the dip tube while the open end

thereof is not immersed in the product present in the container into which it is

placed. Hence, it is preferred that the inlet end of the dip tube is provided with

either a constricted opening or, more preferably, a valve arrangement as

hereinbefore defined.

The dip tube may be crushed prior to its initial insertion into the

container so that, once placed in the container, it returns to its original "non-

deformed" configuration and in doing so it fills up with product aheady present

in the container.

The dip tube is also preferably resiliently deformable, as discussed

above, although it may be prepared from rigid material.

How the invention may be put into practice will now be described by

way of example only in reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of a device of

the present invention, in diagrammatic form;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a device of

the present invention, in diagrammatic form;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a device of

the present invention, in diagrammatic form;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a device of

the present invention, in diagrammatic form; Figure 5A is an external view of a fifth embodiment of the device of the

present invention, in diagrammatic form;

Figure 5B is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 5A;

Figure 5C is a perspective view of the outlet end of the device shown in

Figure 5A; and

Figure 5D is a perspective view of an adaptor for fitting the outlet end of

the device shown in Figure 5C to a nozzle arrangement or outlet valve of a

container.

In the following description of the Figures, like reference numerals are

used to denote like or corresponding parts in different Figures.

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment 101 of a device according to the

present invention, which is 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 can be dispensed through a nozzle arrangement (not shown).

The device 101 is formed from a flexible and resiliently deformable

plastic material and comprises a body which defines an internal chamber 102,

an inlet 103 having an opening 103a through which the contents of said

container may access the interior of the chamber, and an outlet tube 105, which

connects the device to an outlet valve or pump or trigger actuate nozzle arrangement so that liquid can be drawn from the chamber 102 to the outlet of

the container (not shown).

The chamber 102 comprises an upper compartment 102b and a lower

compartment 102a. The compartments are linked by a constricted aperture

102c to enable a restricted flow of fluid to occur between them.

The outlet tube 105 extends through an aperture 104 formed on the

upper surface of the device and the aperture 102c into the lower compartment

102a of the chamber where its inlet end 105a is positioned. The opposing end

of the outlet tube 105 is connected to the container outlet (not shown) so that

fluid is drawn out of the device from the bottom portion of the lower

compartment 102a to the outlet during use.

The inlet 103 is comprises a ball valve, which consists of an internal

cavity 103b having a ball bearing 103c present therein. The ball bearing 103c

is capable of movement between a lower position in which the inlet 103 is open

and an upper position in which sit in the opening 103d and forms a seal.

Movement between the lower and upper positions occurs by the effect of

gravity when the device is inverted or tilted from its upright position (as shown

in Figure 1). Hence, when the device is tilted or inverted so that the ball

bearing 103 c moves to the upper position, the inlet becomes sealed and this

prevents the ingress of gas or air from the container in which the device 101 is

placed. When the container and hence the device 101 placed therein are upright,

fluid is dawn into the device through the inlet and accesses the chamber 102,

where it is then drawn through the outlet tube to the outlet/nozzle arrangement

of die container. If the container is inverted or tilted, the ball bearing 103 c

becomes displaced from the lower position to the upper position and seals the

inlet 102, thereby preventing any gas or ah in the container to which the inlet

has become exposed from accessing the chamber 102. Fluid can continue to be

drawn from the chamber 102 through the outlet tube 105, so product can still be

dispensed from the container. If the dispensing of liquid from the container

continues while the device is inverted of tilted so that the inlet is sealed, the

walls of the chamber will resiliently deform inwards to effectively reduce the

volume of the chamber 102. Once the dispensing of fluid ceases and the

container and the device 101 are returned to the upright position the ball

bearing can be dislodged back to the lower position and liquid can be drawn

into the chamber 102 as the resiliently deformed wall returns to its initial

resiliently biased or non-deformed configuration to replenish that which has

been dispensed.

The reduced pressure within the chamber 102 caused by the resiliently

deformable wall can result in the ball bearing 103c becoming stuck in the upper

position. For this reason, the ball bearing may have to be dislodged from the

upper position by a suitable means. The cavity can be shaped around the

opening 103d so that the ball bearing 103c is only weakly held in the upper position and thus can readily drop down when it is returned to the upright

position. The ball may also be dislodged by simply shaking the container and

hence, the device placed therein, to cause the ball to drop down to the lower

position. Alternatively, the cavity could be arranged so that there is a small

leak around the ball bearing 103c so that some liquid can seep through the seal

into the chamber to equalise the pressure differential, although this is generally

not preferred because small amounts of gas or ah could seep into the chamber

when the device is inverted or tilted.

The opening 103a is preferably positioned adjacent to the bottom surface

of the container into which it is placed so as to enable virtually all the product

stored in the container to be drawn through the device during use. A further

length of tαbe may be fitted to the opening of the inlet 103a if necessary to

achieve this objective.

The open end of the outlet tube 105a is offset with respect to the inlet

102 so that any gas which accesses the chamber through the inlet (while the

device is upright) rises up past the open end 105 a of the outlet tube and

accesses the upper chamber 102b through the fine aperture 102c. If the

container and the device placed therein are inverted or tilted, then the flow of

any gas or ah present in the upper compartment 102b to the vicinity of the

opening 105a of the outlet tube 105 is impeded by the restricted aperture 102c.

Even if some gas is present and accumulates around the opening o 105a of the

outlet tube 105 when the device is inverted, at least some liquid product will still access the outlet tube 105 through the hole 106. Thus, some product at

least will be continuously dispensed.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2.

The device 201 shown in Figure 2 is essentially the same as that shown in

Figure 1 except the inlet 103 is provided with a tube extension 202 which

extends into the upper compartment 102b. Hence, fluid drawn in through the

inlet is introduced into the upper compartment 102b and will access the lower

compartment 102a through the constricted aperture 102c. The advantage of this

construction is that any ah or gas that does manage to access the device through

the inlet will accumulate in the upper compartment 102b when the device is

upright. Furthermore, when the device 201 is inverted or tilted during use, the

flow of gas towards the opening of the outlet tube 105a is inhibited by the

constricted opening 102c. This arrangement would also prevent the device

emptying under effect of gravity, which could theoretically occur with the

device 101 shown in Figure 1.

A simplified device 301 of the present invention is shown in Figure 3.

The device 301 has a chamber 102, which, unlike the embodiments shown in

Figures 1 and 2, does not have upper and lower compartments, an inlet 103 and

an outlet tube 105. As before, the outlet tube 105 extends into the bottom of

the chamber 102. However, in a preferred form of this embodiment, the outlet

tube does not extend into the chamber, but instead is merely received by the

aperture 104, in a similar manner to the arrangement shown in Figure 4 below. The outlet tube 105 is provided with a hole 106, the function of which is

described above in reference to Figures 1 and 2. The inlet 103 in this

embodiment comprises a constricted opening, which restricts the amount of

product or gas (depending on whether the inlet is immersed in the product or

gas) from the container that can be drawn into the chamber 102. In use, the

contents of the chamber are drawn to the outlet of the container through the

outlet tube 105. This causes the wall of the chamber 102 to resiliently deform

inwards and effectively reduces the volume of the chamber because the

contents of the chamber are not replenished at the same rate through the inlet

103. The chamber then returns to its original configuration after use and the

contents from the container are drawn into the chamber 102 through the inlet

103. It will be appreciated that the constricted opening of the inlet 103 limits

the amount of any gas, which may access the chamber 203 when the container

and the device 301 placed therein is inverted. Likewise, however, the ingress

of liquid while the container and hence, the device 301, are upright is also

restricted. It may therefore take some time for the chamber 102 to refill. The

dimensions of the constricted inlet opening can be selected to control the

amount of time requhed, which may vary from application to application.

The hole 106 provided in the outlet tube of the aforementioned

embodiments described in Figures 1 to 3 is preferable insofar as it improves the

functioning of the device by ensuring that at least a proportion of the product is

dispensed through the outlet at all times, but it shall be appreciated that the provision of such a hole is not essential and simpler devices could be prepared

without this hole being present.

Furthermore, the outlet tube 105 could be a dip tube to which the device

is attached.

A fourth embodiment of a device of the present invention is shown in

Figure 4. This device 401 is adapted to be fitted to the end of a dip tube 105

via its outlet 104. The dip tube 105 connects a resiliently deformable chamber

102 to an outlet of a container into which the device is placed (not shown). The

chamber 102 is provided with an inlet 103 through which the contents of the

container may access the interior of the chamber 102. The inlet 103 comprises

a ball valve arrangement as previously described above.

In an alternative embodiment, the inlet 103 of the device 401 may be a

constricted opening which serves to restrict the flow of the contents of the

container into the interior of the chamber 102, as described in reference to

Figure 3.

A further alternative embodiment would comprise an outlet tube

(equivalent to tube 204) which is provided with a resiliently deformable

expanded end (bulrush) having a constricted opening thereto.

In yet a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, the

device is in the form of a standard dip tube, equivalent to the dip tube 105,

which is provided with an expanded chamber formed therein or fitted thereto. This chamber is provided with an inlet opening of equivalent dimensions to the

bore of the dip tube. This device is especially suited for a connection to a pump

or trigger nozzle device. During use, i.e. when the pump or trigger nozzle

device is being operated to actuate the release of the contents stored in the

container, liquid is drawn into the expanded chamber through the inlet and exits

the chamber into the dip tube. If the device is subsequently inverted, tilted or

shaken, then a reservoir of product stored in the expanded chamber will

continue to be dispensed through the outlet following the operation of the pump

or trigger nozzle device. After use, the product dispensed from the expanded

chamber can be replenished by returning the container to an upright position in

which the inlet of the expanded chamber is immersed in the product present in

the container and the operation of the pump or trigger device causes the product

to be drawn into the expanded chamber.

Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a separate

internal compartment formed by placing a resiliently deformable wall in the

bottom of the interior of the container. This compartment has an opening

through which a dip tube extends to draw the contents of the compartment to

the outlet of the container during use. A slow feed of the contents of the

container into the or compartment is provided by a constricted inlet opening,

i.e. a small gap, formed between the edge of the opening and the dip tube,

which connects the compartment to the remainder of the interior of the

container. The hquid product present in the container will flow into the separate compartment when the container is upright. If the device is tilted or

inverted, the flow of product out of the compartment into the remainder of the

container is restricted. Hence, the product should be continuously dispensed

through the outlet. After use, the product dispensed from the compartment is

replenished by the flow of fluid from the interior of the container into the

compartment through the small gap.

Yet another alternative embodiment is shown in Figures 5A to 5C. This

embodiment of the device 501 comprises an inlet 103, an internal chamber 102

and outlet end 104. The inlet 103 comprises a ball valve (not shown), which

functions in an identical manner to the ball valves described above. In contrast

to the previously described embodiments, however, a separate second chamber

502 is provided around the outside of the chamber 102, as shown in Figure 5C.

The chamber 102 and the second chamber 502 are arranged concentrically. The

chamber 102 is exactly the same in principle as the chambers 102 of the

previously described in reference to Figure 3 and 4. The second chamber 502,

in contiast, is a sealed chamber, which does not have an inlet. Fluid can be

placed in the second chamber 502 and then drawn out of the chamber together

with the product drawn from the chamber 102. The contents drawn out of the

first and second chambers may be mixed prior to entering the outlet valve or

pump or trigger nozzle arrangement to which the device is attached, or,

alternatively, the contents could mix within the outlet valve/nozzle

arrangement, or even expelled separately. In the latter case, however, a separate pump chamber would be requhed for each chamber that is present in

order to propel its contents to and through the nozzle arrangement. Varying the

dimensions of the outlet of the second chamber 502 can control the rate at

which fluid is drawn out of it during use. A narrow or constricted outlet will

provide a slow rate of flow out of the second chamber, whereas a wider outlet

will enable a higher flow to occur.

Fluid from the second chamber may be drawn out by a venturi effect

caused by fluid flowing from the chamber 102, or may be drawn directly by the

opening of the outlet valve or the actuation of a pump or trigger actuator of a

nozzle arrangement, depending on the circumstances of use.

The walls of both the chamber 102 and the second chamber 502 are

resiliently deformable. However, the second chamber will gradually collapse

over time because fluid is only drawn out of it and is not replenished in the

same way as for the chamber 102.

The outlet end 104 of the device 501 is directly connected to an outlet

valve of a pressurised container, or a pump or trigger nozzle arrangement (in

the case of non-pressurised containers) by means of a suitable adaptor, such as

the adaptor 510 shown in Figure 5D. The adaptor 510 may be a separate

article, which is fitted to the outlet end of the device 501, as shown in Figure

5D, or, alternatively, may be integrally formed with either the device 501 or the

outlet valve or pump/trigger nozzle arrangement to which it is to be attached. The adaptor 510 is configured to be received within the outlet end 104 of

the device 501. Referring to Figure 5C (which only shows the upper portion of

the device), it can be seen that support segments 505 are provided at the outlet

end of the chamber 502. Theses support segments 505 provide greater rigidity

to the resiliently deformable walls at the outlet end of the device 501, so that

the necessary engagement between the adaptor and the outlet end of the device

can be made. The adaptor 510 comprises a circular protrusion 511, which is

received within the outlet end of chamber 502. An outlet aperture 512 is then

aligned over the outlet end of the chamber 102. An additional outlet aperture

may be provided so that fluid from the second chamber 502 may be drawn into

the outlet valve or pump or trigger nozzle arrangement, or, alternatively, a

passageway connecting this chamber to the outlet /aperture 512 may be

provided.

It shall be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described

in reference to the Figures are intended to be by way of example only and

should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims

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 having 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.

2. A device according to claiml, wherein said inlet is further adapted to at

least restrict the access of liquid when said device is tilted or shaken.

3. A device according to claim 2, 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.

4. A device according to claims 2 or 3, wherein said device is adapted to at

least restrict access to the chamber when the device is titled through ninety

degrees or more from the upright position.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said inlet is a

constricted opening configured to restrict the access of fluid to the chamber

regardless of the orientation of the device.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said inlet is a fine hole in the

wall of the chamber.

7. A device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said constricted inlet is

adapted to restrict the flow through the inlet to between 0 and 20% of the flow

which is possible through the outlet.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said constricted inlet is adapted

to restrict the flow through the inlet to between 1 and 10% of the flow which is

possible through the outlet.

9. A device according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein said constricted inlet

is adapted to restrict the flow through the inlet to between 5 and 10% of the

flow which is possible through the outlet.

10. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said mlet

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.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said valve is adapted to

completely seal the inlet when the device is inverted.

12. A device according to claim 10, 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.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein said valve is completely

closed when the ball or other moveable body is in the second position.

14. A device according to claim 13, 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.

15. A device according to any one of claims 12 to 15, 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.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said means is the provision

of a partial seal when said ball or other moveable object is in the second

position so that a degree of leakage can occur.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the amount of leakage through

the partial seal is between 1 and 20% of the flow possible through the outlet of

the device.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein the amount of leakage through

the partial seal is between 5 and 20% of the flow possible through the outlet of

the device.

19. A device according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein said valve is a flap

valve.

20. A device according to claim 19 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.

21. A device according to claim 20, 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 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 rninimise

the ingress of fluid into the device while it is inverted or tilted.

22. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of

said body forming a wall of said chamber is resiliently deformable and

configured to assume a resiliently biased configuration in the absence of any

pressure differential between the 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.

23. A device according to claim 22 wherein the entire wall of the chamber is

resiliently deformable.

24. A device according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the entire body of the

device is resiliently deformable.

25. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the inlet of said

device is adapted to be positioned proximate or directly adjacent to the bottom

of the container.

26. A device according to any preceding claim, 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.

27. A device according to claim 26, 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.

28. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said body defines a

fhst 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.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein said second chamber further

comprises an inlet so that fluid may be drawn into the second chamber.

30. A device according to claim 28 or claim 29, wherein the outlet of said

fhst and second chambers join so that the fluid drawn out of said chambers

mixes before it reaches the outlet of the container.

31. A device according to claim 28 or claim 29, 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.

32. A device according to any one of claims 28 to 31, 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.

33. A dip tube comprising a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 33

fitted thereto.

34. A dip tube as claimed in claim 33, wherein said device is fitted to an end

of said dip tube by its inlet.

35. A dip tube according to claim 33, wherein said device is fitted to an end

of said dip tube at its outlet.

36. A dip tube according to claim 35, wherein said outlet is an aperture

adapted to receive said dip tube.

37. A pressurised 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

defined herein 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.

38. A pressurised container having an interior in which a liquid may be

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 stored therein under pressure, wherein said

container comprises a dip tube as defined herein 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.

39. A non-pressurised 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 defined herein 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.

40. A non-pressurised 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 dip tube as defined herein 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.

41. A pressurised container having a sealed interior, an outlet valve, an

internal wall defining an internal compartment positioned at or proximate to the

bottom of the interior of said container and a 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 compartment further comprises an inlet through which fluid can

access said compartment from the interior of the container, said inlet being

further adapted to at least restrict the access to said compartment when said

container is inverted.

42. A non-pressurised container having an interior, an outlet with a pump or

trigger actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto, an internal wall defining an

internal compartment positioned at or proximate to the bottom 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

compartment further comprises an inlet through which fluid can access said

compartment from the interior of the container, said inlet being further adapted

to at least restrict the access to said compartment when said container is

inverted.

43. A container as claimed in claim 41 or claim 42, wherein said inlet is

further adapted to at least restrict the access of liquid when said device is tilted

or shaken.

44. A container according to claim 43, wherein said inlet is positioned so

that it is usually immersed in said liquid when the container is upright.

45. A container according to claim 43 or claim 44, wherein said inlet is

adapted to at least restrict access to the compartment when the device is titled

through ninety degrees or more from the upright position.

46. A container according to any one of claims 41 to 45, wherein said inlet is

a constricted opening configured to restrict the access of fluid to the

compartment regardless of the orientation of the container.

47. A container according to claim 5, wherein said inlet is a fine hole in the

wall of the chamber.

48. A container according to claim 46 or 47, wherein said constricted inlet is

formed around the dip tube extending into the compartment.

49. A container according to any one of claims 41 to 45, 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.

50. A container according to any one of claims 41 to 49, 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.

51. A container according to claim 50, wherein the entire internal wall of the

chamber is resiliently deformable.

52. A container according to any one of claims 41 to 51, wherein said

internal wall forms the bottom or floor of the remainder of the interior of the

container.

53. A container according to any one of claims 41 to 51, 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.

54. A container having an interior in which a liquid may be stored during

use, said container comprising an outlet having a manually-operable pump or

trigger actuated nozzle arrangement fitted thereto and a dip tube positioned in

the interior of said container, said dip tube having an inlet end through which

fluid present in the container may access the dip tube and an opposing end

which is connected to the nozzle arrangement so that liquid stored in the

container can be drawn to, and dispensed through, the nozzle arrangement

following the operation of the pump or trigger, wherein the internal volume of the dip tube is at least five times the volume of product that is dispensed

through the nozzle arrangement following a single full actuation.

55. A container according to claim 54, wherein the internal volume of the

dip tube is between fifteen and twenty times the volume of product that is

dispensed through the nozzle arrangement following a single full actuation.

56. A container according to claim 54 or claim 55, wherein the internal

volume of the dip tube is between twenty and thirty times the volume of

product that is dispensed through the nozzle arrangement following a single full

actuation.

57. A container according to any one of claims 54 to 56, wherein the inlet

end of the dip tube is constricted or is provided with a valve which is adapted to

at least restrict the access of fluid to the dip tube when the container is inverted

or tilted.

58. The dip tube defined in any one of claims 54 to 57.

59. A dip tube adapted to be placed inside a pressurised container having an

interior adapted to store a liquid therein and an outiet valve, said dip tube

having an inlet end through which the contents of the container are drawn into

the dip tube during use and an opposing end which is adapted to be connected

to the outlet valve of the container, wherein the inlet end of the dip tube is

adapted to at least restrict access of fluid into the to the dip tube when the dip

tube is inverted from an upright position.

60. A dip tube according to claim 59, wherein said inlet end is further

adapted to at least restrict the access of liquid when said dip tube is tilted or

shaken.

61. A dip tube according to claim 60, wherein said inlet is adapted to at least

restrict access to said chamber when said dip tube is tilted so that the inlet is no

longer immersed within liquid present within said container.

62. A dip tube according to claims 60 or 61, wherein said dip tube is adapted

to at least restrict access to the chamber when the dip tube is titled through

ninety degrees or more from the upright position.

63. A dip tube according to any one of claims 59 to 62, wherein said inlet is

a constricted opening configured to restrict the access of fluid to the chamber

regardless of the orientation of the din tube.

64. A dip tube according to any one of claims 59 to 62, wherein said inlet

comprises a valve adapted to open the inlet when the dip tube is upright and at

least partially seals the inlet when the dip tube is inverted.

65. A dip tube according to claim 64, wherein said valve is adapted to

completely seal the inlet when the dip tube is inverted.

66. A dip tube according to any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion

of said 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.

67. A dip tube according to claim 66 wherein the entire dip tube is resiliently

deformable.

68. A dip tube according to any one of claims 59 to 67, wherein the volume

of the dip tube is sufficient to enable 5 seconds of liquid to be continuously

dispensed.

69. A dip tube according to any one of claims 59 to 67, wherein the volume

of the dip tube is sufficient to enable 10 to 20 seconds of liquid to be

continuously dispensed when the dip tube is inverted.

70. A dip tube according to claim 69, wherein the volume of the dip tube is

sufficient to enable 10 to 40 seconds of liquid to be continuously dispensed.

71. A container comprising a dip tube as claimed in any one of claims 59 to

70.

72. A container having an interior in which liquid may be stored, an outlet

having a nozzle arrangement fitted thereto, and a device placed in the interior

of the container, said device being adapted 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 outiet of the container where it is dispensed through a

nozzle arrangement, said device having 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 device is suspended in said container by its outlet so that it

can swing or move under the effect of gravity within the interior of the

container as it is tilted or inverted from the upright position.