AP941A

AP941A - Drink or other liquid container with unfolding spout.

Info

Publication number: AP941A
Application number: APAP/P/1999/001610A
Authority: AP
Inventors: Paul Son
Original assignee: Paul Son
Priority date: 1997-01-08
Filing date: 1998-01-08
Publication date: 2001-02-12
Also published as: EP1015330A1; HUP0002616A2; SK92999A3; CN1243487A; KR20000069997A; OA11181A; DK1015330T3; DE69808320T2; PT1015330E; EP1015330B1; JP2001511743A; EE9900270A; IS5102A; YU32499A; CZ9902423A3; CA2277041C; IL130806A0; GEP20022792B; CN1093823C; AU726160B2

Abstract

The invention concerns a drink or other liquid container comprising a surface (13) provided with a separable cap (14). Beneath the separable cap (14), the container (10) comprises a spout (18) which unfolds outwards when the cap is separated from the container. The unfolding spout advantageously consists of a flexible tubular piece which folds back on itself under the cap.

Description

DRINK CONTAINER WITH UNFOLDING SPOUT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to containers for beverage or other liquid and in particular to containers such as cans and packing-cases provided with a closure lid that includes a separable closure strip.

To date, in order for a consumer to drink straight out of a can of the pull-ring type, for instance, he must remove the closure strip from the lid and then push his lips against the outer surface of the container. Now, said external surface of the container is usually unsanitary as it is currently being contaminated with dirt, germs and pollutions of all kinds while the container is stored and manipulated during the conditioning process, the transport and the keeping in stock of the containers. In the stores, too, the containers are frequently manipulated by different persons. In the refrigerators of stores, for instance, the containers are manipulated by a great number of buyers who, among others, wish to appreciate the degree of being fresh of the containers.

Furthermore, containers are often laid down on the floor and are thus within reach of animals or allowed to come into contact with chemical products, refuses, grease, oil and the like. Consequently, the beverage containers currently on the market very often do not remain sanitary for use.

Moreover, it is not uncommon that a consumer drinking straight out of a container, in particular a child, cuts his lips or tongue. Further, beverage often spills over the top of the container or along the peripheral edge which the container lid is usually provided with.

A container that eliminates the concern about the drinking procedure being unsanitary is already known from publication EP-A-0744355. The container disclosed therein comprises a closure lid including a separable closure strip and an internal base member having a tubular body that is arranged to emerge from the lid when the closure strip is separated from the lid. When the closure strip is not removed, the tubular body is caused to plunge at least partially into the liquid contained in the container or a non-negligible portion of the internal volume of the container can not be used for receiving the liquid. Further, a lid of this type has the drawback that during the automated filling process of the containers the lids can not be piled up on the usual sealing machines and consequently, these usual machines cannot be used for the production of beverage containers of this known type.

9/0 1 6 10

AP 00941

U.S. Patent 4,407,425 discloses a closure lid for beverage containers including a separable closure strip and a drinking spout member that is folded over beneath the closure strip and that springs upwardly when the closure strip is separated from the lid. The spout member is held in a fixed orientation within a central boss portion which is integral with the lid. However, the manufacture of such a lid arranged with a boss portion for holding the spout member requires several manipulations and soldering steps that preclude the existing press machines to be used. In addition, the presence of this boss portion in the lid precludes the containers provided with such a lid to be piled up and placed in the usual automatic can distributors. Furthermore, the boss portion in the lid poses a danger of the consumer hurting or scraping one's hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved container which eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

A container according to the invention comprises a base member disposed beneath the closure lid and including a spout portion which is folded over beneath a separable closure strip, is received within a spout receiving recess formed in the base member and is springing upwardly from the folded condition to an extended condition when the closure strip is separated from the remainder of the lid, thereby establishing an open passageway through the spout portion for the contents of the container and thus permitting sanitary and safe drinking through the spout portion.

AP/P/ 9 9/01610

The base member can be easily manufactured in a standardized manner for bein inserted into the interior of any container in order to permit sanitary and safe drinking through the spout. The arrangement of this base member permits use of simple and low cost lids for sealing the containers. Further, the base member of the invention is compatible with the present dimensions of the containers and same can thus be easily placed in the usual automatic distributors and refrigerators

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

AP 00941

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view in section of a container according to the present invention with the lid in a closed condition;

FIG. 2 is an upper view of the container of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 represents the container of FIG. 1 with the closure lid in an opened condition;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container as shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated, by way of example, a can having a body 10 with its lateral wall 11 and its bottom 12, and having a flat lid 13 including a separable closure strip 14. To the closure strip is usually secured a pull ring to enable the consumer to easily separate the closure strip from the lid. Such a ring is not represented in the drawings.

Disposed beneath the lid 13 is a base member 15 which is secured at its periphery to the can body 10 such that it is located in the mouth of the can and extends in a substantially parallel direction with the closure strip 14. The base member 15 comprises a first portion 15a which is annular in shape which is secured to the lateral wall 11 of the container body 10. To this first base portion 15a is secured a second portion 15b which extends substantially parallel to the lid 13. In the second portion 15b there is formed a spout receiving recess 16 with an opening 17 through the bottom thereof. To the periphery of opening 17 is secured a first end of a tubular spout member 18 which has an open free end. When the container is in a closed condition as shown in FIG. 1, the tubular spout member 18 is folded over within the spout receiving recess 16 and is held in its folded condition by the closure strip 14.

The base member assembly including the portions 15a and 15b and the spout portion 18 is inserted in the mouth of the container and secured to the body thereof after the container has been filled in and the lid 13 is then sealed to the container using any known process.

AP/P/ 9 9'0 1 ⁶'0

AP 09941

Upon separating the closure strip 14 from the lid 13, the spout portion 18 is permitted to freely spring upwardly from the folded condition to an outward orientation relative to the remainder of the lid 13 as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. The spout portion in an extended condition establishes an open passageway for the contents of the container and thus permits the consumer to drink out the contents of the container by oral contact with only the spout portion. Because the spout portion 18 arranged beneath the lid is not exposed to pollution or contamination whatever, it remains quite sanitary and safe and thus solves the concern of sanitary drinking. Further, seeing that the spout portion in a folded condition is secured from the contents of the container, it is allowed to extend outwardly free from any liquid, whereby the contents of the container is unable to spill over the lid. While separating the closure strip 14 from theremainder of the lid, the consumer may hold the folded spout member with the finger until the separable strip 14 is completely separated from the remainder of the lid.

As shown in FIG. 4, a small embossing 19 can be provided at the junction of the tubular spout portion 18 and the base portion 15b to improve the tightness of the spout portion in a folded condition.

While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in the drawings and the foregoing description, it wil be understood that the invention may be applicable to a variety of containers such as cans, packing-cases, tetrabrik containers, bottles for various liquids and products (pharmaceutical, chemical, etc) and that many changes and modifications can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. Container for beverage or other liquid, comprising a body (10) having a lateral wall (11), a closure lid (13) including a separable closure strip (14), and a base member (15) arranged on the interior of the container body, said base member having a tubular spout portion (18) which is allowed to spring upwardly when said separable closure strip (14) is separated from the remainder of the lid, characterised in that the base member (15) includes a first annular portion (15a) secured to the container body (10), a second portion (15b) secured to the first annular portion (15a) and extending substantially parallel to the closure lid, said second portion (15b) having a spout receiving recess (16) formed therein, said spout receiving recess having an opening (17) formed through the bottom thereof, and a tubular portion (18) having a first end secured to the periphery of said opening (17) and a second free end, said tubular portion (18) being folded over beneath the closure strip (14) and received within said spout receiving recess (16), and said tubular spout portion (18) springing upwardly from the folded condition to an extended condition when said closure strip (14) is separated from the remainder of the lid (13, thereby establishing an open passageway through the spout portion and allowing a consumer to drink out the contents of the container through said spout portion.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that the junction of the tubular portion (18) and said second portion (15b) of said base member is formed with an embossing (19) along at least a portion of the length thereof.

3. Base member for being inserted beneath the closure lid of a container comprising a body and a closure lid which includes a separable closure strip , characterised in that it comprises of a first annular portion (15a), a second portion (15b) secured to the first annular portion (15a) and having a recess (16) formed therein with an opening (17) through the bottom thereof, and a tubular spout portion (18) having a first end secured to the periphery of said opening (17) and a second free end, said tubular spout portion (18) being., arranged to be folded over within said recess (16) and to be capable of unfolding from the folded condition to an extended condition, thereby establishing an open passageway extending through the spout portion.