Container with filter

Abstract

A container is disclosed that includes a pre-formed tear line defining a dispensing aperture that tears with appropriate mechanical manipulation, to form a dispensing aperture with the container portion corresponding to the dispensing aperture being bent inside the container; and a filter attached to the inside of the container and located at least partly adjacent the dispensing aperture such that the filter allows egress of fluid through the dispensing aperture whilst preventing ingress of contaminants. In one embodiment, the filter comprises a safety portion which makes it impossible for the filter to fall through the dispensing aperture. In another embodiment, the filter is resilient and deforms during the bending of the container portion corresponding to the dispensing aperture, and subsequently returns to its initial configuration; and wherein the filter includes at least two limbs which may deform independently so to assist the filter in returning to its initial configuration.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to a container and, in particular, to a container comprising a portion with a pre-formed tear line corresponding to a dispensing aperture and which will tear with appropriate mechanical manipulation, thereby forming a dispensing aperture such that the container portion corresponding to the dispensing aperture is bent inside the container; and a filter attached to the inside of the container and located at least partly adjacent the dispensing aperture such that the filter allows egress of fluid from the container through the dispensing aperture whilst preventing ingress of at least some contaminants.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0002]European patent EP0865385B1 discloses a “stay tab” container and, in particular, attention is drawn to the embodiment described in FIGS. 16 to 23 with reference to the corresponding portion of the description from paragraph [0060] to paragraph [0072]. This embodiment shows a resilient, planar filter attac...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container comprising a portion with a pre-formed tear line corresponding to a dispensing aperture and which will tear with appropriate mechanical manipulation, thereby forming a dispensing aperture such that the container portion corresponding to the dispensing aperture is bent inside the container; and a filter attached to the inside of the container and located at least partly adjacent the dispensing aperture such that the filter allows egress of fluid from the container through the dispensing aperture whilst preventing ingress of at least some contaminants, wherein the filter comprising a safety portion of a size and / or shape which, should the filter become detached from the inside of the container, makes it impossible for the filter to fall through the dispensing aperture of the container.

[0007]With a container having a filter comprising a safety portion as described above, the choking risk is inherently reduced.

[0010]The safety portion may coincide with the portion of the filter attached to the container with the advantage that one would generally not expect much deformation in the area of attachment. Hence, the existence of a bulky safety portion in this area does not preclude the provision elsewhere of an area of weakness (typically an area with a narrow cross section) which renders the filter readily deformable.

[0011]In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a further container comprising a portion with a pre-formed tear line corresponding to a dispensing aperture and which will tear with appropriate mechanical manipulation, thereby forming a dispensing aperture such that the container portion corresponding to the dispensing aperture is bent inside the container; and a filter attached to the inside of the container and located at least partly adjacent the dispensing aperture such that the filter allows egress of fluid from the container through the dispensing aperture whilst preventing ingress of at least some contaminants, wherein the filter is resilient so as to first deform during forming of the dispensing aperture from an initial configuration adjacent the dispensing aperture to accommodate the initial bending inside the container of the container portion corresponding to the dispensing aperture, and subsequently to return to its initial configuration; and wherein the filter comprises at least two limbs which may deform, at least to some extent, independently so to assist the filter in returning to its initial configuration.

Problems solved by technology

This can result in detachment of the filter which might pose a choking risk to a consumer of beverage from such a container, especially when the container is turned upside down to effect egress of the last remaining beverage.

Furthermore, this risk is increased if the filter has to very substantially deform to accommodate the bending inside the container of a large container portion corresponding to a large dispensing aperture.

Images