Liquid container seal unit

Abstract

A seal unit (200) for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening (101) of a liquid container (100) for holding a liquid, said seal unit (200) comprising: - a tubular element (210) including a liquid passage (211); - a valve (220) arranged in the liquid passage (211); said valve (220) comprising: - a tubular valve portion (229) axially movable between a closed position and an open position within said liquid passage (211); and - a valve skirt portion (219) including a flexible skirt portion (224), said flexible skirt portion (224) being adapted to withstand the force of an external axial force. a valve skirt portion (219) configured to bend when the tubular valve portion (229) is affected by the external axial force and to return the tubular valve portion (229) from the open position to the closed position when the external axial force is removed or reduced; and the tubular element (210) further includes an air flow opening (259) that is covered by the valve skirt portion (219) when the tubular valve portion (229) is in the closed position and that is arranged to be opened when the tubular valve portion (229) is in the open position.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a seal unit for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening in a liquid container that holds a liquid. The disclosure also relates to a seal unit actuation unit for selectively actuating the seal unit, an assembly of the seal unit and the container, uses of the seal unit and / or the seal unit actuation unit, and a method for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening in a liquid container with the seal unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Liquid containers are commonly used in various industries, such as food service and healthcare, as well as in homes. There are many different types of liquid containers, ranging from soft-walled containers such as pouches (with spouts) to hard-walled containers such as cans and canisters.

[0003] Typically, a liquid container may contain parts made of multiple types of materials, such as metal and plastic, or multiple different types of plastic, etc. Different parts may have different durability and may experience different levels of wear depending on their location and function.

[0004] Liquid containers are typically supplied full and used until empty, resulting in a limited service life. However, at least some components have a long technical lifespan, and their use leads to the accumulation of waste. This waste is often difficult to recycle due to the multiple materials used. It is desirable to provide containers that have a long lifespan, are easily recyclable, and are reusable.

[0005] To provide a reusable liquid container, it is desirable to be able to fill and / or refill the container through the same opening that is used to dispense the liquid. To enable this, a male-female connection can be used.

[0006] Such a system is known from Australian Patent Specification No. 775552, in which a rigid male element and a rigid female element are movable relative to each other between two extreme positions. The male element is coupled to a rigid plug element which is connected to the female element via a flexible arm. The elements are arranged such that in one extreme position of the male element the liquid passage through the female element is closed by the plug element, and in the other extreme position the liquid passage is open. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In practice, known systems with rigid-to-rigid connections often fail to completely seal the liquid passages, which can lead to liquid spoilage in the container, the sealing unit, or into the environment, which is undesirable for many reasons, including waste, hygiene issues, and an overall poor user experience.

[0008] Furthermore, in practice it has been found that known systems experience significant wear as a result of temperature changes, such as when processing high pH substances or when processing high temperature substances, which reduces the lifespan of the container and sealing unit and also increases the likelihood that the closure will no longer be completely liquid-tight.

[0009] Furthermore, known systems have the disadvantage that they can only be used to seal flexible containers, i.e., containers with flexible walls. Known systems are not, or appear to be, suitable for sealing (and opening) more rigid containers, such as cans, bottles, etc. Generally, when a container is filled with liquid, air inside the container must be forced out and escape the container to prevent excessive pressure buildup. Similarly, when liquid is emptied from the container, air must be able to enter to prevent the development of low or negative pressure (relative to ambient pressure). Known systems fail to provide an adequate way for air to escape the container when it is filled, nor do they allow air to enter the container when its contents are emptied. For sufficiently flexible containers, such as bags or pouches, this ventilation issue may not occur or may not play a significant role, since such flexible containers may collapse and expand somewhat freely when filled or emptied, and the amount of air contained therein is negligible. However, for rigid containers, i.e., containers with rigid walls that essentially prevent air from escaping or entering the container when it is filled at a filling station or emptied by a user, air evacuation can be an issue, affecting overall filling and dispensing and negatively impacting the performance and speed of these operations.

[0010] Furthermore, in the case of liquids formed from beverages and other consumable products, which are to be kept and stored in their containers in sterile conditions, i.e. free from contamination that may be caused by harmful bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms, additional hygiene requirements apply to the operations of filling and dispensing from the containers. Care must be taken to ensure that no liquid, or only a minimum amount of liquid, remains in the sealing unit after the filling or dispensing operation.

[0011] Furthermore, the consumer-driven trend towards sustainable consumption, whereby consumers bring back previously purchased packaging and containers, is driving the demand for reusable and especially refillable containers, both flexible and rigid. In particular, consumers may wish to only partially refill a container. As a result, stores that allow consumers to bring in refillable containers must be able to ensure hygienic and environmental considerations to enable this refill. This places additional requirements on the sealing units of such containers.

[0012] It is an object of the present disclosure to solve at least part of at least one of the above problems.

[0013] It is a further object to provide a sealing unit and / or a sealing unit actuation unit that can be used to selectively seal and open rigid-walled containers.

[0014] A further object is to provide a sealing unit that provides a reliable liquid-tight and gas-tight seal of the container.

[0015] Furthermore, the aim is to provide sealing units and containers suitable for a wide range of practices of refilling and reusing containers in-store, at work and / or at home, to provide a technology platform that supports a convenient and engaging user experience, and to support new ways of charging for usage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] According to a first aspect, there is provided a sealing unit for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening in a liquid container for holding a liquid, the sealing unit comprising: a tubular element including a liquid passage extending axially between an inner opening and an outer opening, the tubular element being configured to be fixedly positioned relative to the vessel liquid opening and providing a liquid connection between the inner opening of the tubular element and the interior of the vessel via the vessel opening; a valve arranged in the liquid passage of the tubular element; Including, The valve is a tubular valve portion configured to be axially movable within the liquid passage relative to the tubular element between a closed position in which the tubular valve portion closes the liquid passage and an open position in which the tubular valve portion opens the liquid passage; and a valve skirt extending around the circumference of the tubular valve portion, the first side being connected to or integrally formed with the tubular valve portion and the second side being connected to or connectable to the tubular element, the valve skirt comprising a flexible skirt configured to bend when the tubular valve portion is moved from a closed position to an open position under the influence of an external axial force acting on a force-receiving portion of the tubular valve portion, and to return the tubular valve portion from the open position to the closed position when the external axial force is removed or reduced; Including, The tubular element further includes at least one air flow opening arranged to provide an air passageway, the at least one air flow opening being covered by the valve skirt when the tubular valve portion is in the closed position and being opened by the valve skirt when the tubular valve portion is in the open position.

[0017] Thus, the sealing unit selectively prohibits the flow of air into and liquid from the container when the valve is closed, while both air and liquid flows can occur when the valve is open. In practice, air flow generally occurs in the opposite direction to liquid flow. That is, when the sealing unit is connected to a filling machine and the filling machine begins filling the container (i.e., liquid flows into the container), the sealing unit simultaneously allows liquid to flow out of the container. Similarly, when a user wishes to dispense a certain amount of liquid from a container, the sealing unit allows liquid to move out of the container while simultaneously allowing air to enter and compensate for the volume of liquid being expelled from the container. Furthermore, the bending characteristics of the flexible valve skirt not only generate a bias force that automatically returns the valve to the closed position when the external force decreases, but also cover and uncover the air opening in the closed and open positions, preventing or allowing air flow into the container.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one flow opening is arranged in the cylindrical wall of the tubular element in a position such that, in an operating state, with the tubular valve portion in an open position, the at least one air flow opening allows air to flow between the interior of the container and the liquid passage of the tubular element.

[0019] The sealing unit allows air to flow from the liquid passageway to the interior of the container during a dispensing operation, and allows air to flow from the interior of the container to the liquid passageway during a filling operation.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular element includes a tubular attachment element having a tubular interface element disposed therein, and the airflow openings in the tubular element are comprised of one or more interface element openings in the tubular interface element of the tubular element and one or more attachment element openings in the tubular attachment element of the tubular element.

[0021] The tubular interface element comprises a generally cylindrical wall having an outer diameter, and the tubular attachment element comprises a generally cylindrical wall having an inner diameter, the outer diameter being equal to or smaller than the inner diameter, and preferably the tubular interface element is sized to fit snugly within the tubular attachment element.

[0022] The valve skirt described above may be configured to be removably connected to the interface element (215) of the tubular element (210), however, in other embodiments, the valve skirt may be permanently connected to the interface element, for example, by welding.

[0023] The valve skirt may include a fastening portion, such as a circumferential flange, on a second side thereof configured to hook behind the free end of the tubular interface element to connect the valve to the tubular element, and preferably the tubular attachment element includes a recessed circumferential portion for receiving at least one of the fastening portion and the free end of the tubular interface element.

[0024] In embodiments of the present disclosure, when the tubular interface element is disposed within the tubular attachment element, at least one of the interface element openings at least partially overlaps with at least one of the attachment element openings, which overlap creates an air passageway through the walls of the tubular element, i.e., the adjacent walls of the tubular attachment element and the tubular interface element.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the seal unit includes an additional air passageway extending between the opening of the attachment element and the opening of the interface element. The additional air passageway is formed by a wall portion of at least one of the walls of the tubular attachment element and the tubular interface element, the wall portion having a reduced thickness relative to the initial thickness of the wall. For example, the outer diameter of the tubular interface element may be locally smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular attachment element. This creates an air gap between the tubular interface element and the tubular attachment element, and the diameter of the tubular interface element is preferably 0.1 to 2 mm, more preferably 0.5 to 1.0 mm, smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular attachment element.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular interface element includes a circumferential recessed wall portion for providing a circumferential air gap between the tubular interface element and the tubular attachment element.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular element, preferably the tubular attachment element, includes a closure portion radially surrounding the first opening of the tubular element, the closure portion configured to receive the end of the tubular valve portion to selectively close and open the liquid passageway.

[0028] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the end of the tubular valve portion includes a circumferential radial flange shaped to sealingly rest against a closure portion of a tubular element, such as its attachment element, to seal the liquid passage when the valve is in the closed position.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular valve portion includes a circumferential contact surface located at a position spaced from the circumferential radial flange configured to sealingly abut against a closure portion of the tubular element, e.g., its attachment element, when the valve is in an open position.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular valve portion includes a skirt portion, which is preferably a cylindrical wall portion, and optionally the aforementioned circumferential contact surface is disposed at the free end of the skirt portion. The tubular valve portion, more specifically the circumferential contact surface of the skirt portion of the tubular valve portion, allows sealing of a liquid passage between a central cavity inside the tube of the tubular valve portion and a radially outer cavity between the tube and the valve skirt portion when the valve is in the open position (in the closed position, liquid passage is still possible in principle, but this situation does not occur if the container is already filled). Sealing the radially outer cavity prevents liquid from remaining in the radially outer cavity after the user has dispensed a dose, thus reducing the risk of contamination and other hygiene problems.

[0031] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular valve portion includes one or more side openings axially disposed between the circumferential radial flange and the circumferential contact surface.

[0032] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular valve portion comprises a tube closed at one end by an end wall, the side wall of the tube having one or more side openings.

[0033] A central cavity is provided inside the tube and a radially outer cavity is provided outside the tube between the tube and the valve skirt. One or more side openings are provided between the central cavity and the radially outer cavity. The valve may be further configured to selectively permit liquid flow between the inner and outer openings of the tubular element via the central liquid cavity and the radially outer cavity when the valve is in an open position.

[0034] In an embodiment of the invention, the valve skirt is made of a more flexible material than the material of the remainder of the valve.Furthermore, the tubular element may comprise a polymeric material.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular element is configured to removably accommodate a rigid operating tube of the seal unit actuation unit within the liquid passage, and the rigid operating tube is configured to be axially movable within the liquid passage of the tubular element and to engage the force receiving portion of the tubular valve portion and apply an external axial force to displace the valve to an open position.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the force-receiving portion of the tubular valve portion of the valve comprises a ring-shaped flat surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the tubular element.

[0037] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular element includes connection means configured to releasably connect the seal unit to a fitting formed on or connected to the container and to fixedly position the tubular element relative to the liquid opening of the container. The connection means may include threads (e.g., screw threads), a bayonet-type connection, etc.

[0038] In some embodiments, the tubular element, or one or more portions thereof, may be combined with or integrally formed with the container, for example, the closure described above may be embodied as part of the container's fitting.

[0039] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the tubular element is permanently connected to a fitting formed with or connected to the container so as to fixedly position the tubular element relative to the liquid opening of the container. This permanent connection may be formed, for example, by welding. An advantage of these embodiments is that the overall weight and / or size of the sealing unit can be significantly reduced.

[0040] According to a second aspect, there is provided a seal unit actuation unit for selectively actuating a seal unit. The seal unit actuation unit may include a rigid actuation tube configured to be inserted into a liquid passage of a tubular element, the rigid actuation tube including an actuation tube liquid passage extending axially between an inner opening and an outer opening, the rigid actuation tube being configured to be inserted into the liquid passage of the tubular element of the seal unit and to apply an external axial force to a force-receiving portion (225) of a valve (220), thereby moving the valve from a closed position to an open position.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the seal unit actuation unit further includes an inner tube configured to be inserted into the operator tube liquid passage and defining the inner tube liquid passage between at least one inner opening (preferably a radial side opening) and at least one outer opening (preferably an axial opening). The inserted inner tube may be configured to be axially movable between a closed position and an open position to open and close the inner tube liquid passage, respectively.

[0042] The sealing unit actuation unit may be a dispensing unit or a filling unit for dispensing liquid from and filling liquid into a container. In some embodiments, the sealing unit actuation unit is suitable for both filling and dispensing operations, while in other embodiments the sealing unit actuation unit is a dedicated unit, i.e., particularly suitable for filling or dispensing operations, respectively.

[0043] According to another aspect, there is provided an assembly including a liquid container for holding a liquid, the liquid container including a container opening, in combination with at least one of a seal unit and a seal unit actuation unit.

[0044] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening in a liquid container including a seal unit, the method comprising: - applying an external force to a tubular valve portion disposed within the liquid passage of the tubular element to move the tubular valve portion axially between a closed position in which the tubular valve portion seals both the liquid passage and the air passage, and an open position in which both the liquid passage and the air passage are open, wherein movement of the tubular valve portion further causes bending of the flexible skirt portion; - reducing the external force applied to the tubular valve portion, causing the bent flexible skirt portion to return to its original shape and move the tubular valve portion from the open position to the closed position; Includes.

[0045] This method ensures that when the valve is in the open position, - filling the container with liquid through the liquid passage and simultaneously evacuating air from the container through the air passage; or - dispensing liquid from the container via the liquid passage while simultaneously allowing air to enter the container via the air passage; may include:

[0046] Applying an external force to the tubular valve portion may further include moving the rigid operating tube axially into the liquid passage of the seal unit to apply a pressing force to the force receiving portion of the tubular valve portion.

[0047] Reducing the external force applied to the tubular valve portion may include moving the rigid actuator tube in an opposite axial direction.

[0048] The present disclosure will now be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0049] [Figure 1A] 1A-B show an embodiment of a seal unit 200 in cross section. [Figure 1B] 1A-B show an embodiment of a seal unit 200 in cross section. [Figure 2A]2A-2C are longitudinal cross-sectional views of embodiments of a tubular interface element 215 (or interface ring), a valve 220, and a tubular attachment element 230 (or cap or cap shell), respectively, of a seal unit 210. FIG. [Figure 2B] 2A-2C are longitudinal cross-sectional views of embodiments of a tubular interface element 215 (or interface ring), a valve 220, and a tubular attachment element 230 (or cap or cap shell), respectively, of a seal unit 210. FIG. [Figure 2C] 2A-2C are longitudinal cross-sectional views of embodiments of a tubular interface element 215 (or interface ring), a valve 220, and a tubular attachment element 230 (or cap or cap shell), respectively, of a seal unit 210. FIG. [Figure 3A] 3A and 3B are exploded views of the seal unit and the seal unit actuation unit as seen from below and above, respectively. [Figure 3B] 3A and 3B are exploded views of the seal unit and the seal unit actuation unit as seen from below and above, respectively. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a seal unit actuator. [Figure 5A] 5A-5B are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the various components that form a second embodiment of the seal unit actuator. [Figure 5B] 5A-5B are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the various components that form a second embodiment of the seal unit actuator. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of valve 220. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded side view of a container with a fitting that can be selectively sealed by the sealing unit of FIGS. [Figure 8A]8A to 8C are longitudinal cross-sectional side views of a seal unit connected to a container, respectively in the absence of a seal unit actuation unit, in the presence of a rigid operation tube of the seal unit actuation unit, and in the presence of a rigid operation tube of the dispensing unit. [Figure 8B] 8A to 8C are longitudinal cross-sectional side views of a seal unit connected to a container, respectively in the absence of a seal unit actuation unit, in the presence of a rigid operation tube of the seal unit actuation unit, and in the presence of a rigid operation tube of the dispensing unit. [Figure 8C] 8A to 8C are longitudinal cross-sectional side views of a seal unit connected to a container, respectively in the absence of a seal unit actuation unit, in the presence of a rigid operation tube of the seal unit actuation unit, and in the presence of a rigid operation tube of the dispensing unit. [Figure 9A] 9A-9C are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing a container equipped with a sealing unit, where FIG. 9A shows a closed sealed state, FIG. 9B shows a state in which the sealing unit actuation unit actuates the valve of the sealing unit to allow medium to be filled into the container, and FIG. 9C shows a state in which the sealing unit actuation unit actuates the valve of the sealing unit to allow medium to be dispensed from the container. [Figure 9B] 9A-9C are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing a container equipped with a sealing unit, where FIG. 9A shows a closed sealed state, FIG. 9B shows a state in which the sealing unit actuation unit actuates the valve of the sealing unit to allow medium to be filled into the container, and FIG. 9C shows a state in which the sealing unit actuation unit actuates the valve of the sealing unit to allow medium to be dispensed from the container. [Figure 9C] 9A-9C are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing a container equipped with a sealing unit, where FIG. 9A shows a closed sealed state, FIG. 9B shows a state in which the sealing unit actuation unit actuates the valve of the sealing unit to allow medium to be filled into the container, and FIG. 9C shows a state in which the sealing unit actuation unit actuates the valve of the sealing unit to allow medium to be dispensed from the container. [Figure 10A]10A to 10C are more detailed longitudinal cross-sectional views of a seal unit with a rigid operating tube inserted therein according to a second embodiment of the seal unit actuation unit in successive operating states. [Figure 10B] 10A to 10C are more detailed longitudinal cross-sectional views of a seal unit with a rigid operating tube inserted therein according to a second embodiment of the seal unit actuation unit in successive operating states. [Figure 10C] 10A to 10C are more detailed longitudinal cross-sectional views of a seal unit with a rigid operating tube inserted therein according to a second embodiment of the seal unit actuation unit in successive operating states. [Figure 11A] 11A and 11B are more detailed longitudinal cross-sectional views of a seal unit with a rigid operating tube inserted therein according to a first embodiment of the seal unit actuation unit, in a closed state and an open state, respectively. [Figure 11B] 11A and 11B are more detailed longitudinal cross-sectional views of a seal unit with a rigid operating tube inserted therein according to a first embodiment of the seal unit actuation unit, in a closed state and an open state, respectively. [Figure 12A] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 12B] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 12C] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 12D] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 12E] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 12F] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 12G] 12A-12G show various stages of the filling operation. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a partial cutaway perspective view of a further embodiment of a seal unit. [Figure 14]FIG. 14 illustrates some examples of dispensing units that can be used in combination with sealing units according to the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a further embodiment of a sealing unit. [Figure 16A] FIG. 16A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a seal unit connected to a container by a threaded fastener. [Figure 16B] FIG. 16B is a similar cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the seal unit in which the threaded fasteners are omitted and the seal unit is permanently attached to the container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are not described in exhaustive detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure.

[0051] It should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any element. Accordingly, this statement is intended to serve as a precondition for using exclusive terminology, such as "only," "only," and the like, or for using "negative" limitations in connection with the recitation of claim elements.

[0052] When the concept of "container" is mentioned below, any type of holder for contents, such as a bottle for holding liquids like soap or oil, can be considered. However, the dispenser described herein is not limited to application to this particular type of container 100. Indeed, the dispenser as defined herein can also be applied to other types of containers 100, such as, but not limited to, liquid jars, flasks, barrels, cartons, pouches, and the like. A container can also be an object or system that holds liquid, even though it is not designed for that purpose, such as a naturally occurring liquid source. Furthermore, the container 100 can have non-rigid, flexible walls that can change shape, for example, when the container is filled with a liquid medium or when the liquid medium in the container is dispensed. In other embodiments, the container 100 has rigid walls. A container has rigid walls in the sense that the shape of the walls does not essentially change during the filling or dispensing operation. Therefore, when filling a container with a liquid medium, it is necessary to at least partially remove the gas (air) originally present in the container, or when dispensing a liquid medium from the container, it is necessary to allow external gas (air) to enter the container to avoid creating a low pressure (vacuum) inside the container that would interfere with the dispensing operation.

[0053] 1-14 illustrate at least one embodiment of a sealing unit 200 for selectively sealing an opening in a container and an actuation unit 300 for actuating a valve within the sealing unit 200 to selectively open and close the opening. The sealing unit is configured to selectively seal (an opening in) the container and open the container to allow transfer of a liquid medium between a first position within the container and a second position outside the container. The sealing unit may be advantageously operated in a professional food service or healthcare environment, although applications in other environments, such as domestic kitchens, bathrooms, and workshops, may also benefit from the invention.

[0054] The seal unit is configured to controllably and selectively transfer a liquid medium, which may be one or more liquids themselves and / or a substance that behaves sufficiently similarly to a liquid in flow, which may in fact be, for example, an emulsion, suspension, or gel. The seal unit is generally configured for use in an air-filled environment, where the passages and cavities of the seal unit are filled with air in the absence of a liquid to be transferred.

[0055] Although the seal unit and actuation unit are generally shown with their respective axial directions (A1, A2) extending upward in the figures, the seal unit can operate in a variety of other orientations relative to the direction of gravity. While actuation of the valves of the seal unit to allow liquid flow is substantially independent of gravity, gravity may play a role in directing the actual liquid flow in a desired direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 8C , when using the seal unit to pour liquid from a container, a user would typically hold the connected seal unit at an angle, e.g., such that the axes (A1, A2) are closer to horizontal than vertical relative to the direction of gravity, causing the liquid to flow generally downward from the connected container (100).

[0056] The sealing unit and actuation unit can advantageously be made entirely from polymeric materials such as polypropylene (PE), polyurethane (PU / PUR), polyphenyl ether (PPE), or polyphenylene oxide (blend) (PPO). Preferably, the components of the sealing unit, or at least the elements of each individual sealing unit, are all made from the same material or from several closely related materials that can be treated as belonging to the same class of materials for purposes of manufacturing, recycling, and / or disposal. For example, all elements of the sealing unit may be made from polypropylene. In this case, the flexible elements are made from low-density polypropylene (LDPE) or polyphenyl ether, and the rigid elements are made from high-density polypropylene (HDPE). In another example, all elements of the sealing unit are made from polyurethane.

[0057] The elements of the seal / actuation unit can be manufactured by any polymer manufacturing or molding technique. Advantageously, all components can be manufactured by injection molding, although other techniques can alternatively or additionally be used, such as extrusion, 3D printing, or subtractive processes such as computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining.

[0058] The elements or parts of the sealing / actuating unit can be configured to be assembled by a system or device, by hand, or a combination of the two. The connections of the elements of the sealing unit may not require substantially any adhesives, chemicals, or temperature-based bonding processes to attach the various elements to one another during assembly; for example, none of the sets of connecting surfaces of the elements of the sealing unit may need to be attached, or only one set may need to be attached in such a manner. Other connections between the various elements (if required) may be made via matching geometries (e.g., flanges or matching rims) or via mechanical connections (e.g., threads, bayonet-type closures, or protrusions and recesses that are fixedly connected after a slight temporary deformation of one of the elements).

[0059] 1A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a seal unit 200. The seal unit 200 defines a first imaginary axis (A1) (indicating the axial direction), with radial (R) and circumferential (C) directions also shown in the figure. The seal unit 200 is connected to a liquid container 100 that holds a liquid, such as the container 100 shown in FIG. 7, and can selectively seal and open a liquid opening 101 in the container.

[0060] 1B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the seal unit 200. The second embodiment corresponds exactly to the first embodiment, except that the seal unit of the second embodiment is intended to be attached to a container having a wider opening 101 than the seal unit of the first embodiment. This means that the radius of the second embodiment is larger than that of the first embodiment. As can be seen from this figure, all parts of the second embodiment are identical and of the same size as those of the first embodiment, except that the cap 230 of the second embodiment is wider than the cap 230 of the first embodiment.

[0061] Referring to the figures, it can be seen that each sealing unit can include at least two elements: a tubular element 210 (e.g., a bushing, etc.) and a valve 220 movably (axially) disposed within the tubular element 210. While the tubular element 210 can be comprised of a single solid element, in various embodiments (as shown in the figures), the tubular component 210 is comprised of a tubular attachment element 230 (also referred to herein as a cap or cap shell) within which is disposed another tubular interface element 215 (also referred to herein as an interface ring). The valve 220 is disposed approximately midway between a first end 210a of the tubular element 210 and a second end 210b of the tubular element. As mentioned above, the tubular interface element 215 and valve 220 in the embodiments of Figures 1A and 1B are identical, only the tubular attachment 230 is adapted to the desired width of the seal unit (i.e., the seal unit of Figure 1B is adapted to seal a relatively wide (i.e., large diameter) container liquid opening 101, while the seal unit of Figure 1A is suitable for a container liquid opening of a smaller diameter).

[0062] One or more air flow openings 259 are provided in the tubular element 210 to allow the aforementioned release of air from the container during a filling operation thereof, or to supply air during a dispensing operation thereof. The tubular element 210 and the valve 220 are configured such that the air flow openings 259 are closed by the valve 220 for the liquid medium when the valve 220 is in a closed position (e.g., as shown in Figure 8A), and the air flow openings 59 are open when the valve 220 is in an open position (e.g., as shown in Figure 8B or 8C).

[0063] 1A and 1B, the air flow openings 259 of the tubular element 210 include one or more interface element openings 260 in the tubular interface element 215 of the tubular element 210 and one or more attachment element openings 261 in the tubular attachment element 230 of the tubular element 210. The interface element openings 260 and the attachment element openings 261 are positioned to allow air to flow out of or into the container when filling or emptying the container, respectively, particularly, but not exclusively, in the case of containers having rigid walls as described below.

[0064] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, 2A-2C, and 8A-8C, one or more attachment element openings 261 are disposed at one or more respective circumferential positions corresponding to the circumferential positions of the interface element openings 260. In this case, the interface element openings 260 and the attachment element openings 261 at least partially overlap, so that when the interface element openings 260 are no longer covered by a portion of the valve and are opened, an air passageway is formed, allowing air to flow directly between the interior of the container 100 and the passageway 211 through the tubular element 210. However, in other embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, the interface element openings 260 and the attachment element openings 261 do not overlap (i.e., are disposed at different circumferential and axial positions). In these embodiments, in other words, a particular interface element opening 260 does not overlap any of the attachment element openings 261, and therefore an additional air passageway 263 is required to allow air flow through the interface element openings 260 and the attachment element openings 261. To this end, the cylindrical wall of the tubular interface element 215 may include one or more wall sections 262 having a reduced wall thickness (i.e., reduced relative to the wall thickness of the remainder of the cylindrical wall of the tubular element). The reduced thickness wall sections 262 provide an air passageway 263 between one or more interface element openings 260 and one or more attachment element openings 261.

[0065] Preferably, the reduced wall thickness portion 262 of the tubular interface element 215 extends along the entire circumference of the wall, ensuring an air passageway 263 between the interface element opening 260 and the attachment element opening 261 regardless of the relative circumferential positions of the attachment element opening 261 and the interface element opening 260. Furthermore, the reduced wall thickness portion 262 can extend axially to a significant height, for example, more than twice the diameter of the interface element opening 260. In other words, the circumferential and axial positions of the attachment element opening 261 need not correspond to the circumferential and axial positions, respectively, of the interface element opening 260.

[0066] In embodiments of the present disclosure, such as those shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, 8A-8C, and 9A-9C, the tubular element 210, and more specifically, the tubular attachment element 230, is formed at its second end 201b with a generally cylindrical flange 265. The height (h, FIG. 1A) of this cylindrical flange 265 is sufficient to improve the separation between the volume through which liquid inflow to and from the container occurs, on the one hand, and the volume through which air inflow occurs through the aforementioned air flow openings 259, as described below. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, such as those shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, 10A-10C, 11A, and 11B, the extension formed by the generally cylindrical flange 265 is absent, and the free end (bottom end) of the tubular attachment element 230 is positioned at the same height as or slightly below the free ends (bottom ends) of the interface element 215 and the valve 220.

[0067] Tubular elements 2A-2C show longitudinal cross sections of embodiments of tubular interface element 215, valve 220, and tubular attachment element 230 (cap / shell), respectively. As previously mentioned, tubular interface element 215 and tubular attachment element 230 together form tubular element 210. FIGS. 3A and 3B show exploded views from different angles of seal unit 200 combined with an embodiment of seal unit actuation unit 300. An embodiment of actuation unit 300 is shown in more detail in FIG. 4 (first embodiment) and FIGS. 5A and 5B (second embodiment).

[0068] The tubular element 210 includes a liquid passage 211 extending in an axial direction (A1) between an inner opening 212 located at the second end 201b and an outer opening 213 located at the first end 201a, and the tubular element 210 is configured to be fixedly positioned relative to the container liquid opening 101, providing a liquid connection between the inner opening of the tubular element 210 and the container opening 101.

[0069] In this context, a fixed arrangement may include attaching the tubular attachment element 230 of the tubular element 210 (e.g., using the threaded fastener 267 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B) to the fitting 102 of the container 100 (see FIG. 16A) or fastening the tubular element 210 to the fitting 102 of the container. 1 For example, by permanently welding the tubular interface element or ring 215 to the vessel's fitting (see FIG. 16B, where weld 103 is shown diagrammatically at the top end of the fitting / attachment element), threaded fasteners 267 can be eliminated, reducing the overall weight of the tubular element 210 by, for example, 25% or more. 1 is also shown to be joined or integrated with tubular attachment element 230 to form one piece. Interface element 215 is connected to fitting 102 of vessel 100 via one or more welds 103.

[0070] The illustrated interface element 215 of the tubular element 210 includes a radially outwardly projecting circumferential portion 214 near its axially outer end 201a. Portion 214 can be positioned within a similarly shaped recess 233 in the top of the attachment element 230 (see, e.g., FIG. 2C). In this manner, the tubular interface element 215 can be snugly attached to the tubular attachment element 230. Note that in other embodiments, the tubular attachment element 230 can be attached to the fitting 102 for the container 100. 1 In these embodiments, recess 233 is omitted and portion 214 is attached to fixture 102. 1 (In which case the fitting may be considered to include tubular attachment element 230.) In still other embodiments, tubular interface element 215 and tubular attachment element 230 may be integrated to form a single part, and in these embodiments, the radially outwardly projecting circumferential portion may be omitted entirely.

[0071] 1A and 1B. When present as a component of the seal unit 200, the tubular attachment element 230 defines a second liquid passageway 231 that includes the tubular element 210 and includes a threaded fastener 267 for removably connecting the tubular attachment element 230 to a liquid container 267 and the aforementioned circumferential recess 233 for fixedly connecting the tubular attachment element 230 to the tubular interface element 215.

[0072] Tubular attachment element 230 further includes a recessed circumferential portion 234 radially surrounding an opening located at second end 201 b for receiving fastening portion 222 of valve 220 (see FIG. 2B ) and, optionally (as in FIGS. 1A and 1B ), the free end of tubular interface element 215 of tubular element 210. This recessed circumferential portion 234 serves to secure tubular interface element 215, valve 220, and / or tubular attachment element 230 to one another. Other types of portions for securing elements of seal unit 200 to one another may alternatively or additionally be provided on tubular attachment element 230.

[0073] The tubular attachment element 230 further includes a valve seat in the form of a radially inwardly extending circumferential closure portion 235 at the free end of the recessed circumferential portion 234. The circumferential closure portion 235 surrounds the second passage 231 (and the first (liquid) passage 211) of the tubular element 210. The circumferential closure portion 235 serves as a valve seat for the valve 220. More specifically, the circumferential closure portion 235 receives a radial circumferential flange 2282 (see FIG. 2B ) of the valve, such that a fluid-tight connection is formed between the valve 220 and the tubular element 210 when the flange 2282 of the valve 220 is pressed against the circumferential closure portion 235 of the tubular element 210. (The valve 220 is pressed against the tubular element 210 by the biasing force of the valve skirt 219 of the valve, in the absence of a (sufficiently high) opposing external force applied by the actuation unit 300 inserted in the sealing unit 200.) This allows for the liquid flow passages defined within the tubular element 210 to be selectively blocked from the flow passages defined within the vessel (see, eg, FIGS. 1A and 1B).

[0074] 1A, 1B, 2A-2C, regardless of whether the valve 200 is closed or open, there is always an open connection (via the radial side openings 227) between the central cavity 2212 of the flow passage in the tubular element 210 (i.e., the central portion of the flow passage in the tubular element and in the tube (2291) of the tubular valve portion 229) and the radially outer cavity 2211 (i.e., the portion lateral to the central cavity 2212, as shown for example in FIG. 2B; the radially outer cavity 2211 is actually the gap between the outer surface of the wall of the tube (2291) (including element 2261) and the inner surface of the valve skirt portion 219). However, in other embodiments, such as those of FIGS. 13, 9A-9C, and optionally the embodiment of FIG. 15, the valve 200 is provided with an additional skirt portion 250. The bottom side of the additional skirt 250 forms a circumferential contact surface 245 which presses against the circumferential closure 235 of the tubular element 210 when the latter is moved axially downwards, i.e. when the valve is opened. In the latter embodiment, the radially outer cavity 2211 is therefore kept free of liquid when the valve is in the open position. This makes it possible to avoid contamination of the sealing unit due to liquid remaining in the radially outer cavity 2211.

[0075] valve 2B, 3A, and 3B show an embodiment of a valve 220. The valve 220 may include or be entirely made of a flexible sheet; preferably, the valve 220 includes a polymer material. The valve 220 may include a tubular valve portion 229 disposed within the (second) liquid passage 231 and movable axially between a closed position and an open position. The tubular valve portion 229 includes a pressure or force receiving portion 225, which may be formed, for example, by a ring-shaped plane 2251 (FIG. 2B) perpendicular to the first imaginary axis (A1) and / or a guide rim 2252 disposed around the radially outer periphery thereof and extending substantially axially outward. Above the force receiving portion 225 is the outer end of the actuation unit 300 (various embodiments of the actuation unit 300, including the dispensing unit 400, are shown in one or more of Figures 4, 5A, 5B, 8B, 8C, 9B-9C, 10A10C, 11A-11B, 12A-12G).

[0076] The tubular valve portion 229 is typically formed by a tubular element (also referred to herein as tube 2291) closed at one end by an end wall, e.g., a dome-shaped end wall. However, the end wall (e.g., a cylindrical wall) of the tubular element adjacent the end wall 2281 has one or more radial openings 227 (also referred to herein as side openings) which allow liquid to pass through the valve when the valve is in the open position. The end wall 2281 is connected to the tubular valve portion 229 via a number of connecting pieces 2261 which form part of the wall of said tubular element or tube 2291. The side openings allow liquid to flow between the interior of the vessel and the tubular element 210.

[0077] At the end wall, the tubular valve portion 229 of the valve further includes a circumferential radial flange 2228 that can be arranged to abut a circumferential closure portion 235 extending radially inwardly of the tubular element 210, e.g., its attachment element 230, when the valve is in the closed position. More specifically, the circumferential flange 2282 can be moved into contact with the inside (underside as shown) of the closure portion 235, thereby completely sealing off the liquid passage within the tubular element 210. In the closed position, the flange 2282 closes off the central liquid cavity 2212 (and in the embodiment of FIG. 2B the radially outer liquid cavity 2211) to liquid.

[0078] If the second closure portion 228 of the valve 220 includes a circumferential radial flange 2282, the circumferential radial flange 2282 preferably extends the dome shape of the central portion 2281, although other shapes are possible for the element that serves to selectively allow the flow of liquid from the first inner opening 212 to the liquid cavities 2211, 2212, as long as a liquid-tight connection with part of another element of the seal unit 200 can be achieved.

[0079] The tubular valve portion 229 is connected to the tubular element 210 by a valve skirt portion 219. The valve skirt portion 219 of the valve 220 includes a fastening portion 222, such as a circumferential flange, configured to hook behind the free end of the tubular interface element 215 and to be positioned in a recessed circumferential portion 234 of the attachment element 230.

[0080] The fixed portion 222 of the valve 220 is part of a valve skirt 219 configured to attach the tubular valve portion 229 to the tubular element 210. The valve skirt 219 in turn includes a flexible skirt portion 224 and a further skirt portion 223. The valve skirt 219 defines a radially outer cavity 2211. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, this outer cavity 2211 may contain liquid from the liquid container 100, for example liquid remaining in the cavity after a dispensing operation. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment of FIG. 13, this outer cavity 2211 remains sealed from the liquid in the container at all times by the aforementioned additional skirt portion 250.

[0081] The flexible skirt 224 is configured to bend under an axially inward external pressure (applied by an external actuation unit) and to essentially return to its initial shape (also referred to herein as its rest shape) in the absence of the external pressure. In other words, when the external actuation unit 300 is removed and the external force on the valve is also removed, the valve skirt 219 returns to its rest shape, moving the connected tubular valve part 220 with it, so that the tubular valve part 229 automatically returns from the open position to the closed position.

[0082] The valve 220 is disposed within the first liquid passage 211. The tubular valve portion 229 is axially movable within the liquid passage 211 between a closed position (see, e.g., FIGS. 1A, 1B, 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 12B, 12F, 12G) in which the tubular valve portion 229 closes the liquid passage 211, and an open position (see, e.g., FIGS. 1B, 8C, 9B, 9C, 10B, 10C, 11B, 12C, 12D, 12E) in which the tubular valve portion 229 opens the liquid passage 211, allowing liquid to enter or exit the container 100. The tubular valve portion 229 is integrally formed with or connected to the valve skirt portion 219. More specifically, the valve skirt portion 219 has one periphery connected to the tubular valve portion 229 and an opposite periphery connected to the tubular element 10. Furthermore, the valve skirt portion 219 comprises a flexible portion 224 configured to bend when the tubular valve portion 229 is moved from the closed position to the open position under the influence of an external axial force (by the actuation unit 300) acting on the force-receiving portion 225 of the tubular valve portion 229, and to urge the tubular valve portion 229 back from the open position to the closed position when the external axial force is reduced or removed.

[0083] To apply an external pressure or force, the tubular element 210 is configured to removably accommodate within the liquid passage 211 a rigid operating tube 310 of the actuation unit 300 or a similar rigid operating tube 410 of the distribution unit 400, the rigid operating tube 310, 410 being configured to be axially movable within the liquid passage 211 of the tubular element 210, engaging with the force receiving portion 225 of the tubular valve portion and applying the aforementioned external axial force to open the valve 220.

[0084] Actuation unit 4, 5A, 5B, 8B, 9B, 10A-10C, 11A-11B, and 12A-12G illustrate an embodiment of a seal unit actuation unit 300 that, when attached to a seal unit 200, is configured to open and close valves in the seal unit 200 to selectively direct or at least enable the flow of liquid through the seal unit's liquid passages. The axial direction is shown as a second imaginary axis (A2), and the radial (R) and circumferential (C) directions are also shown in the figures.

[0085] The sealing unit actuation unit 300 can be used to selectively permit the flow of liquid into a container to which the sealing unit is attached (a filling operation). The sealing unit actuation unit 300 can also be used to selectively permit the flow of liquid out of a container (a dispensing operation). In embodiments of the present disclosure, the same sealing unit actuation unit 300 can be used to fill and dispense containers. In other embodiments, a (first) sealing unit actuation unit 300 (also referred to as a filling unit) designed for filling containers and a separate (second) sealing unit actuation unit 300 (also referred to herein as a dispensing unit 400) designed for dispensing liquid from the container are used. In the latter embodiment, the first sealing unit actuation unit 300 is configured to be removably attached to a filling machine located, for example, in a store or supermarket, and the second sealing unit actuation unit 300 is configured to allow a user, for example, at home, to easily dispense a dose of liquid from the container.

[0086] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the seal unit actuation unit 300 includes at least a rigid operating tube 310, 410 (embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 8C, respectively) or at least a rigid operating tube 310 and a similarly rigid further inner tube 320 (embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B), which is axially movable between a retracted position (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 12A-12C-12E-12G) and an extended position (as shown in FIGS. 5B, 12D).

[0087] Referring to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the rigid operator tube 301 includes an operator tube liquid passage 311 extending in the axial direction (A1) between an inner opening 312 and an outer opening 313. The rigid operator tube 301 is configured to be inserted into the liquid passage 211 of the tubular element 210 of the seal unit 200. The tube 301 is fully inserted into the seal unit 200, and the annular edge 360 ​​of the tube contacts the ring-shaped flat surface 2251 of the force-receiving portion 225 of the valve 200. As the tube 301 is further inserted into the seal unit, the tube 301 applies an external axial force to the force-receiving portion 225, thereby moving the valve from the closed position to the open position. The wall of the rigid operator tube 301 includes a widened portion that functions as an abutment portion 341. The abutment portion 341 serves to limit the distance of the tubular valve portion 229 and reduce the risk of damaging the valve.

[0088] 5A and 5B, an inner tube 320 is disposed within the tube 310 so as to be movable in the axial direction. The inner tube 320 is closed at one end by an end wall 322, and has a number of radial openings 328 disposed near the end wall 322. The inner surface of the second liquid passage 311 of the rigid operating tube 301 is configured to fit snugly against the outer surface of 320. This prevents liquid from leaking out of the radial openings when the inner tube 320 is in the retracted position. However, when the inner tube is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, liquid can freely pass through the radial openings 328.

[0089] The sealing unit 200 and the sealing unit actuation unit 300 (including the dispensing unit 400) can be connected to each other to form an interoperable system. Connection can be achieved by simply inserting a portion of the actuation unit 300 into the sealing unit 200. When connected to the liquid container 100, the assembly formed by the system of sealing units 200 and sealing unit actuation units 300 and the container 100 can be used by a user or device to selectively flow liquid from the opening 101 of the container 100. Examples of this include pouring liquid from the container 100, or filling or refilling the container 100 if the assembly also includes the sealing unit actuation unit 300.

[0090] operation 8A and 9A show partial cutaway perspective and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of seal unit 200 attached to container 100 with valve 200 in a closed position. Seal unit 200 generally corresponds to the seal unit of FIGS. 1A-1B and 2A-2C. Cylindrical flange 265 of seal unit 200 is provided with flow tube 266 that extends to a position near the bottom of the container.

[0091] 8A and 9A, the flexible portion 224 of the valve skirt 219 presses the valve 200 against its seat, i.e., against the circumferential closure portion 235. Liquid in the passage 211 of the tubular element 210 and liquid in the container 100 cannot press against the valve. In the embodiment shown, liquid can flow from the passage 211 to the radially outer liquid cavity 2211 and back. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment of FIG. 13, which is provided with an additional skirt 250, this additional skirt prevents liquid from the passage 211 from entering the radially outer liquid cavity 2211 at this position. Because the radially outer liquid cavity 2211 remains empty (i.e., filled with air), the risk of liquid residue in the radially outer liquid cavity 2211 contaminating the liquid flow when the valve is opened is reduced.

[0092] Similarly, in the closed position of FIGS. 8A and 9A, the valve skirt 219 is positioned to cover the interface element opening 260 of the tubular interface element 215, thereby effectively blocking the flow of air to and from the container through the air flow opening 259.

[0093] Figures 8B, 8C, 9B, and 9C depict the sealing unit in an open position. More specifically, Figures 8B and 9B show a partial cutaway perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of an embodiment of sealing unit 200 in the open position during a fill stage in which a container is filled with liquid, while Figures 8C and 9C show a partial cutaway perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of an embodiment of sealing unit 200 in the open position during a dispense stage in which the contents of the container are dispensed.

[0094] In the filling stage of Figures 8B and 9B, the valve 200 is forced to move axially from a closed position to an open position by the aforementioned rigid operating tube 310, while in the dispensing stage of Figures 8C and 9C, the valve 200 is forced to move in the same axial direction by a rigid operating tube 410 of the dispensing unit 400, which is similar to the rigid operating tube 310.

[0095] In the open position, the valve is released from the seat formed by the circumferential closure 235, and the radial side opening 227 of the valve 220 is positioned below the circumferential closure 235. This allows liquid to flow between the interior of the container and the passage 211 in the tubular element. During the filling phase, this means that liquid from a filler (not shown) flows through the passage 211 and then through the radial side opening 227 into the interior of the container 100, as indicated by arrows L in FIG. 9B. in In the dispensing phase, this means that liquid from the container 100 flows from the interior through the radial side openings 227 into the passages 211 of the sealing unit, which is shown in FIG. 9C by arrows L out It is shown as follows.

[0096] Furthermore, in the open position, the valve skirt 219 is bent so that the interface element opening 260 is exposed, i.e., no longer covered by the valve skirt 219. In this position, the interface element opening 260 is no longer blocked, and air can freely move between the interior of the container 100 and the first liquid passage 211 of the interface element 215 via the air flow opening 259. More specifically, during the filling phase shown in FIGS. 8B and 9B , air flows from the interior of the container through the attachment element opening 261, through the air passage 263 between the interface element opening 260 and the attachment element opening 261 (if present), and into the liquid passage 211 via the interface element opening 260. More specifically, air can flow through the annular gap 217 between the outer surface of the rigid operator tube 310 and the inner surface 218 of the tubular interface element 215 (see FIG. 2A ). During the filling phase shown in FIGS. 8B and 9B , air can escape from the container 100 (as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 9B ). out 8C and 9C, air can enter the container 100 (see arrow A in FIG. 9C). in (See the air flow path indicated by ).

[0097] 10A-10C and 11A-11B show embodiments of a combined sealing unit 200 and sealing unit actuation unit 300, e.g., in FIGS. 10A-10C showing the aforementioned rigid operating (outer) tube 310 and the further rigid inner tube 320 (see FIG. 5B), and in FIGS. 11A-11B showing the rigid operating tube 410 when the sealing unit actuation unit 300 is configured to form a dispensing unit 400, at various stages of operation. FIGS. 10A-10B show stages of a filling or refilling operation, and FIGS. 11A-11B show stages of a dispensing operation (in other words, a pouring operation).

[0098] For filling or refilling, it may be desirable to have more control over the flow of liquid, for example to prevent liquid present in the second liquid passage 311 of the rigid operating tube 301 from flowing in an uncontrolled manner into the container and causing contamination or spoilage before or after liquid flow is actively induced by a person or device using the seal unit actuation unit 300. This may be necessary because during filling or refilling, and immediately before and after filling or refilling, the liquid pressure in the second liquid passage 311 of the seal unit actuation unit 300 may be higher or lower than in the rest of the assembly.

[0099] For at least these reasons, the presence of inner tube 320 may be preferable, as it can be used to selectively keep second liquid passage 311 (which may be under pressure) closed until the valve is in the fully open position.

[0100] It should be noted that the figures only show operational steps for selectively enabling liquid flow. Actual directing of liquid flow in the desired direction may require additional or parallel operational steps. For example, it may be necessary to change the orientation of the connected seal unit and / or apply an active propulsive or suction force to the liquid by a user, i.e., a person or device using the seal unit actuation unit 300, an additional part of the seal unit actuation unit 300, or a connected device. Such steps, parts, or devices are not shown in the figures.

[0101] First, insert the seal unit actuation unit 300 into the seal unit 200 so that the rigid operating tube 310 is positioned within the first liquid passage 211 and the free end of the rigid operating tube 310 abuts against the force receiving portion 225 of the valve 220, particularly the ring-shaped flat surface 2251 of the force receiving portion 225 (see Figure 2B).

[0102] The rigid operating tube 310 then moves further axially into the seal unit 200, which applies an external axial force to the force-receiving portion 225 of the valve, causing the valve to move (against the spring action of the valve skirt 219) from the closed position of FIG. 10A to the open position of FIG. 10B. This opens both the radial side openings for liquid flow in the valve 200 and the air flow openings 259 for air flow in the tubular attachment element 230 and tubular interface element 215. However, the radial side openings 328 of the inner tube 320 of the seal unit actuation unit 300 are still covered by the rigid operating (outer) tube 310, so that liquid still does not flow into the container.

[0103] Third, the rigid inner tube 320 is moved axially relative to the outer tube 310, uncovering the radial side opening 328 of the inner tube 320. This condition, shown in Figure 10C, allows liquid from the filling station to flow into the container.

[0104] Once the container is sufficiently filled, the operation continues in reverse. First, the inner tube 320 is retracted, closing the radial side opening 328. Next, the outer tube 310 is retracted, returning the valve 200 to the closed position (under the influence of the spring action of the valve skirt 219). Finally, the outer tube 310 (with the inner tube 320 disposed therein) is removed from the seal unit 200.

[0105] The complete sequence of steps is also shown in FIG.

[0106] The sequence of operations for dispensing liquid from a container is very similar. Figure 11A shows the rigid operating tube 410 of the dispensing unit 400 inserted into the passageway 211. The valve 200 is still in the closed position. Figure 11B shows the same rigid operating tube 410 inserted further into the passageway, with the valve 200 moved to the open position, causing liquid to flow out of the container and air to flow into the container (to at least partially compensate for the amount of liquid removed from the container).

[0107] Referring to FIG. 14 , the sealing unit 200 can be used in combination with various types of dispensing units 400, namely, a refill nozzle 421, a dispensing nozzle 422, a slit valve dispenser nozzle 423, a trigger dispenser 424, a volumetric pump 425, a dispensing pump 426, a 90° dispensing pump 427, a fixed dust cap 428, and / or a spoonful ladle 429.

[0108] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the particular aspects described, as such may vary, and the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to be limiting, as the scope of the claimed subject matter will be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A seal unit (200) for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening (101) of a liquid container (100) for holding a liquid, the seal unit (200) comprising: - a tubular element (210) comprising a liquid passage (211) extending in the axial direction (A1) between an inner opening (212) and an outer opening (213), the tubular element (210) being configured to be fixedly arranged relative to said container liquid opening (101) and providing a liquid connection between said inner opening (212) of said tubular element (210) and the interior of the container via said container liquid opening (101); a valve (220) arranged in the liquid passage (211) of the tubular element (210); Including, The valve (220) a tubular valve portion (229) configured to be axially movable within the liquid passage (211) relative to the tubular element (210) between a closed position in which the tubular valve portion (229) closes the liquid passage (211) and an open position in which the tubular valve portion (229) opens the liquid passage (211); and a valve skirt (219) extending around the circumference of the tubular valve portion (229), with a first side connected to or integrally formed with the tubular valve portion (229) and a second side connected or connectable to the tubular element (210), the valve skirt (219) comprising a flexible skirt (224), the flexible skirt (224) being configured to bend when the tubular valve portion (229) is moved from a closed position to an open position under the influence of an external axial force acting on a force-receiving portion (225) of the tubular valve portion (229), and to return the tubular valve portion (229) from the open position to the closed position when the external axial force is removed or reduced; Including, the tubular element (210) further comprises at least one air flow opening (259) arranged to provide an air passageway, the at least one air flow opening being arranged to be covered by the valve skirt portion (219) when the tubular valve portion (229) is in the closed position and to be opened by the valve skirt portion (219) when the tubular valve portion (229) is in the open position. A sealing unit (200).

2. 2. The sealing unit (200) of claim 1, wherein the at least one air flow opening (259) is arranged in the cylindrical wall of the tubular element (210), and when the tubular valve portion (229) is in an open position in an operating state, the at least one air flow opening (259) allows air to flow between the interior of the container (100) and the liquid passage (211) of the tubular element (210).

3. 3. The seal unit (200) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the tubular element (210) includes a tubular attachment element (230) having a tubular interface element (215) disposed therein, and the air flow openings (259) in the tubular element (210) are composed of one or more interface element openings (260) in the tubular interface element (215) of the tubular element (210) and one or more attachment element openings (261) in the tubular attachment element (230) of the tubular element (210).

4. 4. The seal unit (200) of claim 3, wherein the tubular interface element (215) includes a generally cylindrical wall having an outer diameter, and the tubular attachment element (230) includes a generally cylindrical wall having an inner diameter, the outer diameter being equal to or smaller than the inner diameter, and preferably the tubular interface element (215) is sized to fit snugly within the tubular attachment element (230).

5. The sealing unit (200) of claim 3 or 4, wherein the valve skirt (219) is configured to be releasably connected to the interface element (215) of the tubular element (210).

6. 6. The sealing unit (200) of claim 3, 4, or 5, wherein the valve skirt portion (219) includes a fixing portion (222), such as a circumferential flange, on a second side configured to hook behind a free end of the tubular interface element (215) to connect the valve (220) to the tubular element (210), and preferably the tubular attachment element (230) includes a recessed circumferential portion (234) for accommodating at least one of the fixing portion (222) and the free end of the tubular interface element (215).

7. The seal unit (200) of any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein when the tubular interface (215) is disposed within the tubular attachment element (230), at least one of the interface element openings (260) at least partially overlaps with at least one of the attachment element openings (261).

8. The sealing unit (200) of any one of claims 3 to 7, further comprising an additional air passage (263) extending between the attachment element opening (261) and the interface element opening (260).

9. 9. The seal unit (200) of claim 8, wherein the additional air passage (263) is formed by a wall portion of at least one of the walls of the tubular attachment element (230) and the tubular interface element (215) having a thickness that is smaller than the thickness of the remaining portion of the wall.

10. 10. The sealing unit (200) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the outer diameter of the tubular interface element (215) is locally smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular attachment element (230), forming an air gap between the tubular interface element (215) and the tubular attachment element (230), and wherein the diameter of the tubular interface element (215) is preferably 0.2 to 2 mm, more preferably 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular attachment element (230).

11. 11. The seal unit (200) of claim 8, wherein the tubular interface element (215) includes a circumferential recessed wall portion for providing a circumferential air gap between the tubular interface element and the tubular attachment element.

12. 12. The sealing unit (200) according to any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein the tubular element (210), preferably the tubular attachment element (230), comprises a closure portion (235) radially surrounding the first opening (212) of the tubular element (210), the closure portion (235) being configured to receive an end of the tubular valve portion (229) to selectively close and open the liquid passage (211).

13. A sealing unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein an end of the tubular valve portion (229) comprises a circumferential radial flange (2228) shaped to sealingly abut a closure portion (235) of the tubular element (210), e.g. its attachment element 230, when the valve (220) is in a closed position, thereby sealing off the liquid passage (211).

14. 14. The sealing unit (200) of claim 13, wherein the tubular valve portion (229) includes a circumferential contact surface (245) positioned at a distance from the circumferential radial flange (2228) and configured to sealingly abut the closure portion (235) of the tubular element (210), e.g., its attachment element (230), when the valve (220) is in an open position.

15. The sealing unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the tubular valve portion (229) comprises a skirt portion (250), which is preferably a cylindrical wall portion, and optionally the circumferential contact surface (245) of claim 14 is arranged at a free end of the skirt portion (250).

16. The seal unit (200) of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the tubular valve portion (229) includes one or more side openings (227) axially disposed between the circumferential radial flange (2228) and the circumferential contact surface (245).

17. A sealing unit (200) as described in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the tubular valve portion (229) includes a tube (2291) closed at one end by an end wall (2281), and the side wall of the tube is provided with one or more side openings (227).

18. 18. The sealing unit (200) of claim 17, wherein a central cavity (2212) is defined inside the tube (2291), and a radially outer cavity (2211) is defined outside the tube between the tube and the valve skirt portion (219), the one or more side openings (227) are disposed between the central cavity (2212) and the radially outer cavity (2211), and the valve (220) is further configured to selectively allow liquid flow between the inner opening (212) and the outer opening (211) of the tubular element (210) via the central liquid cavity (2212) and the radially outer cavity (2211) when the valve (220) is in the open position.

19. The sealing unit (200) of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the valve skirt (219) is made of a more flexible material than the material of the remainder of the valve (220).

20. The sealing unit (200) of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the tubular element (210) comprises a polymer material.

21. The seal unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the tubular element (210) is configured to removably accommodate a rigid operating tube (310, 410) of a seal unit actuation unit (300, 400) within the liquid passage (211), the rigid operating tube being axially movable within the liquid passage (211) of the tubular element (210) and configured to engage with the force-receiving portion (225) of the tubular valve portion (229) and apply an external axial force to move the valve (220) to the open position.

22. The seal unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the force-receiving portion (225) of the tubular valve portion (229) of the valve (220) includes a ring-shaped flat surface (2251) perpendicular to the axial direction of the tubular element (210).

23. The sealing unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the tubular element (210) comprises connection means configured to releasably connect the sealing unit (200) to a fitting (102) formed on or connected to the container (100) and to fixedly position the tubular element (210) relative to the container liquid opening (101).

24. The sealing unit (200) of any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the tubular element (210) is permanently connected to a fitting (102) formed in or connected to the container (100), thereby fixedly positioning the tubular element (210) relative to the container liquid opening (101).

25. A seal unit actuation unit (300, 400) for selectively actuating the seal unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the seal unit actuation unit (300, 400) comprises a rigid operating tube (310, 410) configured to be inserted into the liquid passage (211) of the tubular element (210), the rigid operating tube (310, 410) comprising an operating tube liquid passage (311, 321) extending in an axial direction (A1) between an inner opening (312) and an outer opening (313), the rigid operating tube being inserted into the liquid passage (211) of the tubular element (210) of the seal unit (200) and configured to apply an external axial force to the force-receiving portion (225) of the valve (220), thereby moving the valve from a closed position to an open position. A seal unit actuation unit (300, 400).

26. A seal unit actuation unit (300, 400) as described in claim 25, further comprising an inner tube (320) configured to be inserted into the operating tube liquid passage (311) and to define an inner tube liquid passage (321) between at least one inner opening (324), preferably a radial side opening, and at least one outer opening (333), preferably an axial opening, wherein the inserted inner tube (320) is preferably configured to be movable in the axial direction (A1) between a closed position (P1) and an open position (P2), respectively, to open the inner tube liquid passage (321) and to close the inner tube liquid passage (321).

27. The sealing unit actuation unit (300, 400) according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the sealing unit actuation unit is a dispensing unit (400) or a filling unit (300).

28. - a liquid container (100) for holding a liquid, the liquid container (100) comprising a container opening (101); - at least one of a sealing unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 24 and a sealing unit actuation unit (300, 400) according to any one of claims 25 to 27; Including the assembly.

29. Use of at least one of a seal unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 24, a seal unit actuation unit (300) according to any one of claims 25 to 27, and an assembly according to claim 28.

30. A method for selectively sealing and opening a container liquid opening (101) in a liquid container (100) comprising a sealing unit (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 24, comprising: - applying an external force to a tubular valve portion (229) disposed in the liquid passage (211) of the tubular element (210) to move said tubular valve portion (229) axially between a closed position in which said tubular valve portion (229) seals both the liquid passage (211) and the air passage, and an open position in which both the liquid passage (211) and the air passage are open, wherein the movement of said tubular valve portion (229) also causes bending of the flexible skirt portion (224); - reducing the external force applied to the tubular valve portion (229) so that the bent flexible skirt portion (224) returns to its original shape and allows the tubular valve portion (229) to return from the open position to the closed position; A method comprising:

31. When the valve is in the open position: - filling the container with liquid via the liquid passage and simultaneously evacuating air from the container via the air passage; or - dispensing liquid from the container via the liquid passage and simultaneously allowing air to enter the container via the air passage; 31. The method of claim 30, comprising:

32. 32. The method according to claim 30 or 31, wherein applying an external force to the tubular valve portion (229) comprises axially moving a rigid operating tube (310, 410) into the liquid passage (211) of the seal unit (200) to apply a pressing force to the force-receiving portion (225) of the tubular valve portion (229).

33. The method of any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein reducing the external force applied to the tubular valve portion (229) comprises moving the rigid operating tubes (310, 410) in opposite axial directions.

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