EP0087447A1

EP0087447A1 - A pourer device for cartons containing liquid

Info

Publication number: EP0087447A1
Application number: EP19820902682
Authority: EP
Inventors: Leslie John Hegedus; Simon William Bentall
Original assignee: Ambig Products Ltd
Current assignee: Ambig Products Ltd
Priority date: 1981-09-04
Filing date: 1982-09-03
Publication date: 1983-09-07
Also published as: GB2119242B; GB2119242A; GB8311530D0; WO1983000852A1

Abstract

Un dispositif verseur (10) pour des conteneurs possédant des volets de fermeture comprend deux sections de poignée pouvant s'engager mutuellement (12, 13) reliées par un élément de sangle flexible (11), au moins l'une des sections de poignée (12, 13) étant formée pour maintenir un volet de fermeture du conteneur. Ainsi qu'il apparaît dans l'illustration, des languettes (22) sont disposées derrière le volet généralement triangulaire d'un conteneur pour boisson. Dans d'autres réalisations le volet est maintenu par un ensemble de nervures (45), dont les extrémités sont disposées en gradin pour maintenir le bord inférieur d'un volet, ou par un rebord en forme de V. L'élément de sangle (11) peut être pourvu d'une pièce en un matériau absorbant servant à retenir les gouttes qui pourraient s'écouler du bec du conteneur.A pouring device (10) for containers having closing flaps comprises two mutually engaging handle sections (12, 13) connected by a flexible strap element (11), at least one of the handle sections ( 12, 13) being formed to maintain a closing flap of the container. As shown in the illustration, tongues (22) are arranged behind the generally triangular flap of a beverage container. In other embodiments, the flap is held by a set of ribs (45), the ends of which are arranged in a step to hold the lower edge of a flap, or by a V-shaped rim. The strap element ( 11) may be provided with a piece of absorbent material serving to retain the drops which could flow from the spout of the container.

Description

A POURER DEVICE FOR CARTONS CONTAINING LIQUID

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pourer for cartons containing liquids, especially drinks, and in particular cartons which have one or more flap members at the top. Such cartons, usually containing fruit juices or milk, are widely sold in shops or from dispensing machines. Before opening the car'tons it is usually necessary to lift at least one of the flap elements from a folded position. The cartons are then opened by tearing or cutting the top thereof and they are lifted and tilted to pour out their contents through the hole so formed. However if the carton is squeezed too hard during pouring, the contents can spurt out and miss the cup or other container into which the contents are being poured. Alternatively if the carton is not gripped tightly enough it can slip, out of the hand, especially since such cartons are usually waxed and have smooth sides. Furthermore the opened top of the carton does not always produce a clearly defined spout. This can also lead to spillage of the contents during pouring.

Background Art

G.B. 709 , 773 d i scl oses a hand l e fo r a te tr ahed r a l container having flaps in the form of fin-like projections. However mounting the handle on to the container is a relatively complicated procedure since it is necessary first to arrange the flap in a desired position and then to slide the handle into position. Furthermore pouring is not a convenient operation since the hole is formed at the corner of the container adjacent the top of the handle. In addition it is not easy to place the container on a table or other flat surface between pouring operations.

G.B. 2042332 A discloses a holder for a container with a closure device comprising folding flaps. Before the holder can be attached to the container the closure flap must first be pulled away from the wall of the container. It is then necessary to slide the flap into a slot in the holder, with the junction between the flap and the rest of the carton moving in he relatively confined space at the top of the strip or lug forming the slot. Furthermore, no means are provided for preventing the container from falling out sideways from the holder in use. In addition, when the carton is nearly empty no means are provided for preventing the flap leaving the top of the slot as the holder is tipped over.

When pouring from a container in a holder there is usually a certain amount of rocking movement or 'play¹ between the container and the holder. To stop this pressure is usually applied to the top surface of the carton. With existing holders, this finger pressure deforms the spout leading to unsatisfactory pouring.

OMPI Disclosure of Invention

The present invention seeks to overcome or reduce one or more of the above disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a pourer device for cartons containing liquids and having one or more flap members characterised in that the device comprises two mutually engageable handle sections interconnected by a flexible strap element, at least one of the handle sections having means for supporting a said flap member of a carton. The arrangement is such that the device supports a carton, the strap element being placed around the carton and the handle sections being subsequently mutually engaged to form a handle.

Tongue members may be provided which, in use, face each other at a spacing from the handle, an end flap of a carton being arranged to be received in said spacing. The strap element is preferably located such that in use of the pourer device it is at the top of the handle and the tongue members may project from the strap element. The part of the handle which in use is at the bottom of the handle is preferably formed with a portion which projects towards a carton, the portion having a plane surface which is arranged to engage the side surface of the carton. The tongue members and said plane surface are preferably coplanar.

Instead of tongue members, the pourer device may be provided with a plurality of ribs for supporting the lower edges of a flap member.

Alternatively the flap member may be supported by a V- shaped ledge. The strap element may be grooved at a central region thereof to provide flexibility. A strap element may also be provided at the base of the pourer device which provides support for the underneath of a carton. One or more intermediate strap elements may also be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pourer device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the device of Fig.l in its unfolded disposition;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, similar to Fig.2 of a pourer device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a side view of part of a pourer device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention in its unfolded disposition;

Figure 5 is a top plan view on a smaller scale of the device of Figure 4 in its disposition in use; and

Figure 6 is a partly sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring now to Figs.l and 2, there is shown a pourer

OMPI device 10 for use with a drinks carton (not shown)of the tetrapak or the combibloc type in the shape of a cuboid i.e. a rectangular parallelepiped. Such cartons are sealed at the top, and are sold with the sealed portion folded down over the short edges of the top surface of the carton to form generally triangular flap members. The device 10 which is preferably made of plastics material, comprises a flexible strap element 11 and two sections 12 and 13 which can interengage to form a handle 14 for the device. Handle sections 12,13 are hollow and at their ends remote from the strap 11 each have a projecting portion 16 which extends from the rest of the handle in the same direction as strap element 11. Each portion 16 has a plane surface 17. The edges 18 and 19 of the handle sections are shaped so as to be capable of mutual engagement.

At the central region 20 of the strap element 11 there are provided slots or grooves 21 of varying depth which import flexibility to the element. At each end of the strap element, and at a small spacing 24 from the respective handle section, there is provided a tapered tongue member 22 extending generally perpendicularly to the strap.

When it is desired to use the pourer device, a drinks carton is opened in the normal way, i.e. by lifting up one of the folded down portions and cutting it open. By virtue of the top edge fold the opened end of the carton bows out to form a curved surface. The pourer device is then positioned around the carton with. strap element 11 surrounding the spout (opened) end of the carton. The slots 21 permit the strap element to adopt the same curved contour as the end of the carton. Handle sections 12,13 are then interengaged behind the

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CMPI opposite end of the carton. The edges 18,19 overlap to ensure good alignment of the sections and the split line between them is recessed to avoid pinching the skin when they are gripped together. The handle sections snap together using a readily releasable catch arrangement (not shown) of the box-lock type. This catch arrangement is easy to mould and very firm to use and can be disengaged without harming the moulding.

When the pourer device is in position, the plane surfaces 17 of portions 16 rest against the end surface of the carton. This permits a comfortable and safe grip on the handle and eliminates any rocking movement between the handle and the carton. Furthermore the spacing 24 between tongue members 22 and the handle receives the adjacent folded over portion of the top of the carton, so that the tongue members are tucked under the flap. This ensures that the carton cannot slip out from the pourer device. Where the folded portions or flaps are originally adhered to the sides of the carton, it is possible that the tongue members might break this adhesion. This does not matter, however, since the carton is still prevented from slipping by the handle 14 which stops further movement of the folded portion. However, where some or all of the adhesion is retained, this serves to provide additional stability to the combination of holder and carton.

The above described pourer device is light and easily manufactured in one piece. In particular, when made from plastics material, it requires only simple tooling. When the two sections of the handle are engaged, the carton is trapped and cannot slip out sideways. Furthermore the strap element and the bottom of the handle provide additional support and constitute additional retaining means for the carton so that it cannot slip. Controlled pouring of a liquid is thus permitted.

In particular the combination of the handle and the strap element serve to eliminate any rock or play of the pourer device towards or away from the back wall of the carton, i.e. the wall adjacent the handle. In addition the strap element maintains the natural curve

10 in the front wall of the carton when this is raised to form a spout.

Any tendency to rock is additionally suppressed by the bottom of the handle bearing against the rear wall of .15 the carton. This feature also has the advantage that the hand of the user cannot slip off the handle as with an open-ended lever-type handle.

A further advantage of pourer devices according to the

^'20 present invention is that they cannot be accidentally detached from the carton in use since the sections of the handle are naturally held together by the user. However, when the carton is empty, the pourer device is easily attached to and detached from a carton.

25

Referring now to Fig.3, there is shown a pourer device 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The pourer device is generally the same as the device in Figs 1 and 2 except that projecting

30 portions 16 are interconnected by a strip 31 comprising two mutually perpendicular parts 32,33. Strip part 33 has two spaced V-shaped cut outs 34 whose separation corresponds to the size of the short edge of a carton to be inserted. The angle of the "V" is 90°. Strip part 5 32 has folded lines 35 at the positions of the cut¬ outs.

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& ^' In use, when the pourer device is folded, strip 31 folds into three sections in the form of a "ϋ" with the side sections perpendicular to the central section. Strip part 33 acts as a base for the carton and provides further protection against undesired movement thereof. Strip part 32 acts as a support for the sides of the carton.

Various modifications may be made to the above described devices. For example strap element 11 may be provided at an intermediate position on the handle; in this case tongue members 22 are provided on a separate projection from the handle. Only one of the handle sections may be provided with a tongue member 22; in this case the single tongue member may extend right across the flap of the carton. A plurality of straps 11 may be provided if desired. Any suitable means may be used instead of the box-lock type catch means to secure the handle sections together. Moreover the size and shape of the pourer device may be selected to accommodate any liquid-containing carton having one or more flap members at the top. When using the device, the carton may be inserted before being opened.

Referring now to Figs 4 to 6 there is shown a pourer device 40 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The pourer device has a strap element 11 with a central flexible portion 50 hinged at its ends 51 to the remaining portions of the strap element. As shown in Figure 5 the front of portion 50 slopes slightly forwardly and upwardly; this ensures the desired support for the spout of an inserted carton and assists correct pouring.

The handle sections 12,13 are each provided at the top

<r O 2 with a respective hood portion 42 which provides support for the top back' corner of an inserted carton. Instead of being supported by tongues 22, the generally triangular flap of the carton is supported by a plurality of ribs 45 projecting from a wall 43 within each hood portion 42. As shown in Fig.6, the ribs on each portion are of increasing length away from the top of the pourer so that the tips of the ribs provide firm spaced supports along the whole length of the free sides of the flap. Sockets 47 in handle section 13 are arranged to mate ,with plug elements (not shown) in handle section 12 to form releasable snap connection.

This third embodiment has many of the advantage of the first dscribed embodiment. In addition it has the advantage of even easier attachment to a carton since there is no need to move the folded-down flap member at all. Also there is no need to tuck tongues 22 behind the flap.

In a modification the ribs 45 is replaced by a V-shaped ledge on the wall 43, the shape and size of the ledge being determined by the nature of the flap to be inserted. Each handle section is formed with one half of the ledge.

The following modifications can be applied to all three, of the above embodiments. The inside of the curved section of the strap element 11 may be provided with a piece of absorbent material to prevent any drops of liquid running down the front of the carton from the spout; this saves the need for mats and saucers and keeps the refrigerator clean too. The curved section of the strap element may be flared if desired to accommodate any particular shape of spout. Finally, it is envisaged that the pourer device may be used with cartons containing flowable media other than liquids, such as powders.

Claims

Clai s

1. A pourer device for cartons containing liquids and having one or more flap members characterised in that the device comprises two mutually engageable handle sections (12,13) interconnected by a flexible strap element (11), at least one of the handle sections having means (22,45) for supporting a said flap member of a carton.

2. A pourer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supporting means comprises a tongue member (22) on each handle section, the tongue member being arranged to be located behind a said flap member of a carton.

3. A pourer device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 and comprising an upper flexible strap element (11) and a lower flexible strap element (31), wherein the lower flexible strap element is provided with means (33) for supporting the bottom of a carton.

4. A pourer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supporting means comprises a plurality of ribs (45) on each handle section, said ribs being of increasing length away from the top of the handle sections.

5. A pourer device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the top of each handle section comprises a hood portion

- (42), the ribs (45) being located on a wall (43) within the hood portion._.

OMPI > ° _

6. A pourer device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bottom of each handle section is formed as a flat wall portion (17) parallel to said supporting means and arranged to engage the adjacent side wall of a carton.

7. A pourer device according to any preceding claim wherein the flexible strap element is provided at a< central region with a piece of absorbent material.