EP0269499A1 - Device having a retractable and extractable spout - Google Patents

Abstract

A device having a retractable and extractable spout consisting of a pouring element whose body (1) matches the contour of the flange (7a) of a container (7) whilst bearing on the said flange via a collar (1a), this body (1) being extended by a flexible inner skirt (2) ending in a neck (3). This device also comprises a locking element (10) attached to a closure element (5) intended to engage over the neck (3). Locking means (6a) make it possible to lock the element (6) on the body (1) of the pouring element while exerting on the latter a force which brings it into a leaktight position against the flange (7a) of the container (7), the pouring element (1) and the double piece consisting of the locking element (6) and the closing element (9) being in a connection state so that the assembly engages in the orifice (7a) of the container (7) until there is contact between the collar (1a) and the pouring element (1) and the said orifice (7a). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention is in the field of containers comprising retractable and extendable pouring spout devices. It relates more specifically to a retractable and extendable pouring spout device having improved sealing of the fitting of the device on the container, as well as a particularly effective tamper-evident of the assembly.

Various arrangements of flexible, retractable, extendible spout are known in the prior art, for example in documents US-A-2,561,596 - 2,565,699 - 2,666,128 -2,895,654 and 3,250,428. Furthermore, in document LR-A-2,142,541, an embodiment of a flexible pouring spout is described, having a relatively rigid neck to which a relatively flexible body is connected, this pouring spout comprising a cap having a skirt covering a certain distance in the direction of the axis, in the space between the neck and the body when the spout is in the retracted position. Most of these devices have a certain number of drawbacks, in particular with regard to sealing and inviolability. Indeed, with these pouring devices, the sealing very often leaves something to be desired at the opening, the different shoulders against the edges or edges of the opening not being sufficient to avoid loss of material, in particular during the opening of the pouring spout, when the plug thereof is subjected to a force intended to extend upwards the pouring neck, this force can even result in a tearing of the whole.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device with extendable retractable spout which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of devices of the same nature of the prior art, devices allowing great flexibility of the assembly and an extension facilitating emptying.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pouring spout device allowing attachment and reinforced sealing at the opening of the container on which the device is mounted.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device with extendable retractable pouring spout, guaranteeing a particularly effective inviolability of the assembly.

The present invention therefore relates to a device with extendable retractable pouring spout, consisting of a pouring element proper whose body follows the outline of a container opening while bearing on the periphery of said opening, this body extends , on the one hand, from a certain distance inside the container and, on the other hand, upwards by a flexible skirt ending in a neck, this spout device being further characterized in that it comprises a locking element of the body of the pouring element, this locking element being secured to a shutter element intended to come to engage on the neck, the locking element comprising means making it possible to lock it on the element pourer while exerting on the body of the latter a constraint bringing it into a sealing position against the opening of the container, the pouring element and the double part constituted by the locking element and the shutter being in a state of connection so that the assembly engages in the orifice of the container until contact between the collar of the pouring element and said orifice.

According to a first embodiment of a retractable, extendable spout device, according to the invention, the pouring element consists of a cylindrical body or skirt having an external diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the container opening, this skirt being provided at its upper part with a support flange resting on the peripheral zone of the opening of the container and at its lower part with an internal peripheral crown limited to the toric space intended to receive the end zone lower corresponding shape of the locking element, this inner peripheral ring extending by a flexible skirt ending in the neck, the latter being advantageously provided externally with a coated thread. In this first embodiment, the locking element advantageously consists of a skirt externally having a peripheral projection and connected to the shutter element by zones of less resistance, the latter advantageously consisting of a hollow cylindrical housing, closed at its upper end, having on its internal face a thread tapping corresponding to the coated thread of the spout of the pouring element and which ends in a sealing segment intended to abut in a O-ring housing delimited by an internal crown of the shutter element.

According to a second embodiment, the locking element advantageously consists of a skirt externally having a discontinuous peripheral structure and connected to the shutter element by zones of less resistance, the latter advantageously consisting of a hollow cylindrical housing , closed at its upper end, having on its internal face a thread pitch corresponding to the coated thread of the spout of the pouring element and which ends in a sealing segment intended to abut in a toroidal housing delimited by a crown internal to the shutter element.

According to a variant of this second embodiment, the discontinuous peripheral structure of the locking element consists of a plurality of tabs, having, for example a structure in relief on their upper face.

According to a third embodiment, it is provided that the outside diameter of the pouring spout is greater than the diameter of the metal opening of the container, thus causing the sinking to appear a bead hanging said pourer under the mouth of said container. It should be noted that during uncorking the greater the force applied upwards and the more the bead increases in volume, which again makes the attachment of the stopper more effective.

• Fig.1 est une vue en coupe des différents éléments constitutifs d'une première forme de réa­lisation de dispositif à bec verseur de l'invention, avant montage;
• Fig.2 est une vue en coupe des éléments re­présentés sur la figure 1 en cours de montage, l'élément verseur et la pièce double constituant le verrouilleur et l'obturateur , étant prémontés tels que livrés au client et engagés dans l'orifice du récipient;
• Fig.3 est une vue des pièces de la figure 1 lors du stade final de montage sur un récipient, le verrouillage et l'inviolabilité étant alors as­surés;
• Fig.4 est une vue de dessus du dispositif à bec verseur monté sur un récipient;
• Fig.5 est une vue en coupe verticale axiale selon la ligne V-V de la figure 4;
• Fig.6 est une vue en coupe verticale axiale selon la ligne VI-VI de la figure 4;
• Fig.7 est une vue en coupe verticale axiale selon la ligne VII-VII de la figure 4;
• Fig.8 est une vue en coupe verticale axiale selon la ligne VIII-VIII de la figure 4;
• Fig.9 est une vue en coupe des différents éléments constitutifs d'une seconde forme de réa­lisation du dispositif à bec verseur de l'invention avant montage;
• Fig.10 est une vue en coupe des éléments représentés sur la figure 9 en cours de montage, l'élément verseur , la pièce double constituant le verrouilleur et l'obturateur, étant prémontés tels que livrés au client et engagés dans l'orifice du récipient;
• Fig.11 est une vue des pièces de la figure 9 lors du stade final de montage sur un récipient, le verrouillage et l'inviolabilité étant alors as­surés;
• Fig.12 est une vue de dessus du dispositif bec verseur de la figure 9 monté sur un réci­pient;
• Fig.13 est une vue en perspective d'un dé­tail de l'élément de verrouillage de la figure 9.
• Fig.14 est une vue en coupe d'une troisième forme de réalisation de dispositif à bec verseur de l'invention avant la pose; et
• Fig.15 est une vue du dispositif de la fi­gure 14 après pose sur un récipient et à l'état déployé .

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the following nonlimiting description of a form of realization of a retractable and extendable pouring spout device, with reference to the appended drawings and in which:

• Fig.1 is a sectional view of the various components of a first embodiment of the spout device of the invention, before assembly;
• Fig.2 is a sectional view of the elements shown in Figure 1 during assembly, the pouring element and the double part constituting the locker and the shutter, being pre-assembled as delivered to the customer and engaged in the orifice of the container;
• Fig.3 is a view of the parts of Figure 1 during the final stage of mounting on a container, the locking and inviolability then being ensured;
• Fig.4 is a top view of the spout device mounted on a container;
• Fig.5 is a view in axial vertical section along the line VV of Figure 4;
• Fig.6 is a view in axial vertical section along the line VI-VI of Figure 4;
• Fig.7 is a view in axial vertical section along the line VII-VII of Figure 4;
• Fig.8 is a view in axial vertical section along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 4;
• Fig.9 is a sectional view of the various components of a second embodiment of the spout device of the invention before assembly;
• Fig.10 is a sectional view of the elements shown in Figure 9 during assembly, the pouring element, the double part constituting the locker and the shutter, being pre-assembled such that delivered to the customer and engaged in the container orifice;
• Fig.11 is a view of the parts of Figure 9 during the final stage of mounting on a container, the locking and inviolability then being ensured;
• Fig.12 is a top view of the spout device of Figure 9 mounted on a container;
• Fig.13 is a perspective view of a detail of the locking element of Figure 9.
• Fig.14 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the spout device of the invention before installation; and
• Fig.15 is a view of the device of Figure 14 after installation on a container and in the deployed state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pouring element consists of a cylindrical body or external skirt 1 having an external peripheral flange l a intended to come to bear on a flange 7 a provided at the periphery of an opening of a container 7. At its end opposite the flange 1 a , the body 1 has an internal ring l b defining with the body 1 a toroidal housing. This crown 1 b is extended at its upper part by a flexible skirt 2 which itself ends in a neck 3 having externally a coated thread 3 a and at its upper end a sealing segment or lip 3 b .

The locking element consists of a skirt 6 which is connected at its upper end to the obturating element or plug 9 by two zones of least resistance 8 having peripherally points of fracture or of least re sistance between the outer skirt 6 and the handles 8 of the shutter 9, intended for the deployment of the pouring device. The locking element 6 has peripherally disposed outside, a shoulder or projection 6a. The plug 9 has internally a ring 9 b forming with the side wall of the plug 9 a toroidal housing in which will be housed the sealing lip 3 b of the neck 3. This plug 9 has internally a thread 9 a of pitch corresponding to the thread 3 has provided on the neck 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, in a mounting phase of the pouring device of the invention, the assembly constituted by the locking element 6 and the shutter element 9 is force-fitted so that the threads 3a of the neck 3 come be fixed in the threads 9 a of the plug 9, the sealing lip 3 b coming into sealing connection in the toroidal housing limited by the crown 9 b and the internal face of the plug 9. Since the external diameter of the the locking element 6 is, with the exception of the region of the projection 6a, substantially equal to the internal diameter of the external skirt 1 of the pouring element, firstly, the projection or shoulder 6 a will abut against the internal face of the collar 1 a .

After this preliminary assembly stage, the pouring element and the double part constituting the locker and the shutter are in a state of connection for engagement on the orifice M a of the container M; the assembly is engaged in the orifice M a until contact between 1 a and M a . A second force F is applied for passing the shoulder or projection 6 is below the inboard bottom of the flange 7 a of the container 7. There will then occur, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 to 8, swelling towards the inside of the container of the skirt 1, thus ensuring the sealing and the locking of the device to spout on the container 7. Indeed, the plug 9 cannot be unscrewed because it is held at the skirt 6 by the points of least resistance 10. Unscrewing the plug 9 can only be done after having lifted the two handles and extracts the neck 3. This operation necessarily destroys the points of least resistance connecting together the elements 6 and 9 to the area 8 forming the handles, and makes the tampering of the device evident.

It should be noted that the various constituent elements of the spout device of the invention must be made of materials suitable for use, for example plastics having characteristics of mechanical resistance, to bending and to appropriate chemical agents. Thus, the pouring element must be made from a plastic material capable of imparting to said element the properties of appropriate flexibility at the level of the skirts 1 which must deform under the action of the projection 6 a of the element. locking 6, and the skirt 2 subjected to folding and unfolding constraints. Likewise, the plastic constituting the element 6 and 9 must also have the appropriate mechanical resistance characteristics, on the one hand, the deformation of the skirt 1 to the stresses required by the arrangement at the level of the handles 8 of the plug 9.

Figures 4 to 8 show in more detail the location of the handles 8 between the skirt 6 and the plug 9. More specifically, Figure 5 defines the overall shape in the skirt 6 for gripping the handles. Figure 6 shows the connection points 10 ensuring inviolability. Figure 7 highlights the bending points of the handles 8, while Figure 8 shows the anchor points 8 to the handles 8.

As shown in FIG. 9, the pouring element consists of a cylindrical body or external skirt 101 having an external peripheral flange 101 a intended to come to bear on a flange 107 a provided at the periphery of an opening of a container 107. At its end opposite to the flange 101 a , the body 101 has an internal ring 101 b delimiting with the body 101 a toroidal housing. This crown 101 b is extended at its upper part by a flexible skirt 102 which itself ends in a neck 103 having externally a coated thread 103 a and at its upper end a sealing segment or lip 103 b .

The locking element consists of a skirt 106 which is connected at its upper end to the obturating element or plug 109 by two zones of least resistance 110 having peripherally points of fracture or of least resistance between the external skirt 106 and the handles 108 of the shutter 109, intended for the deployment of the pouring device. The locking element 106 has peripherally disposed outside, a plurality of lugs 106 a each having a relief structure 106 b of substantially semi-frustoconical shape (see more precisely figure 5). The plug 109 has internally a crown 109 b forming with the side wall of the plug 109 a toric housing in which will be housed the sealing lip 103 b of the neck 103. This plug 109 internally includes a thread 109 a of pitch corresponding to the thread 3 has provided on the neck 103.

As shown in FIG. 10, in a mounting phase of the pouring device of the invention, the assembly constituted by the locking element 106 and the shutter element 109 is force-fitted so that the threads 103 has a neck 103 are fixed in the threads 109 a of the plug 109, the sealing lip 103 b coming into sealing connection in the toroidal housing limited by the crown 109 b and the internal face of the plug 109. Since the external diameter of the locking element 106 is, with the exception of the region of the projection 106 a , substantially equal to the internal diameter of the external skirt 101 of the pouring element, firstly, the tabs 106 a will abut against the internal face of the collar 101 a .

After this preliminary assembly stage, the pouring element and the double part constituting the locker and the shutter are in a state of connection for engagement on the orifice 107 a of the container 107; the assembly is engaged in the orifice 107 a until contact between 1 a and 107. A second force F is applied intended to pass the tabs 106 a below the lower edge of the flange 107 a of the container 107. There will then occur, as shown in Figure 3, a swelling towards the inside of the container of the skirt 101, thus ensuring the sealing and the locking of the spout device on the container 107, even in the event of the legs 106 a breaking. In fact, the plug 109 cannot be unscrewed because it is held at the skirt 106 by the points of least resistance 110. Unscrewing the plug 109 can only be done after having raised the two handles and extracting the neck 103. This operation necessarily destroys the points of least resistance connecting together the elements 106 and 109 the area 8 forming the handles, and makes the break-in of the device evident .

Figures 12 and 13 mc'ntrent in more detail the location of the legs 106 a , the skirt 106 and the plug 109. More specifically, Figure 13 illustrates more precisely a leg 106 a with its raised structure 106 b .

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the diameter of the neck 201 a of the pouring device 201 is greater than the diameter of the metal opening 207 a of the container 207. Upon sinking due to compression, it forms a bead 201 b which hooks the pouring element under the flange of the opening 207 a . When deploying the cap before pouring, as shown in FIG. 15, the traction exerted according to the arrows F from the handles 208 of the shutter 209 will cause the ring 206 to rise by unwinding of the wall 202 of the pourer. The combined action of the ring 201 and the tab 206 a will increase the volume of the bead 201 b , thus reinforcing the attachment under the flange 207 and thereby making it more effective as the force F increases. As in all the pouring devices of the invention, there is also an internal flange 209 b on the shutter 209 and a support flange 201 a on the pouring element 201.

Thus, according to the present invention, the problems posed by the impermeability and inviolability posed by the implantation of the pouring spouts in the container openings are solved, thanks to the cooperation between three elements, namely, a pouring element and a double piece constituting a locking and shutter element intended to lock said pouring element in the sealing position between the flange of the opening of the container, the shutter element being clipped in sealing position on the neck of the element pourer; the rupture between the two constituent elements of this double part makes it possible to open the container and makes the opening obvious.

It is clear that the present invention is in no way limited to the form of pouring spout device described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but that it encompasses all the modifications and variants resulting from the same basic principle.

The reference signs inserted after the technical characteristics mentioned in the claims, have the sole purpose of facilitating the understanding of the latter, and in no way limit their scope.

Claims (11)

1. Device with extendable retractable spout, consisting of a pouring element, the body of which conforms to the outline of the container opening, while bearing on the periphery or flange of said opening, this body extending, on the one hand , from a certain distance inside the container and, on the other hand, upwards by an internal flexible skirt ending in a neck, characterized in that it comprises a locking element (6) secured to a obturator element (9) intended to come to engage on the neck (3), the locking element (6) comprising means (6a) making it possible to lock it on the pouring element (1), while exerting on the body of the latter a constraint bringing it into a sealing position against the opening or flange (7a) of the container (7), the pouring element (1) and the double part constituted by the locking element (6) and the shutter (9) being in a state of connection so that the assembly engages in the orifice (Ma) of the container (M ) until contact between the collar (1a) and the pouring element (1) and said orifice (Ma). 2. Extensible pouring device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pouring element consisting of a body (1) having the shape of a cylindrical outer skirt having an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter (7a) of the container (7), this body (1) being provided at its upper part with a support flange (la) resting on the flange (7a) of the container opening (7), and at its lower part, with an internal peripheral crown (lb) delimiting a toric space intended to receive the lower end zone of corresponding shape te (6b) of the locking element (6), this internal peripheral ring (1b) extending by an internal flexible skirt (2) ends in a neck (3). 3.Device spout according to claim 2, characterized in that the neck (3) is provided externally with a coated thread (3a). 4.Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the locking element consists of a skirt (6) externally having a lip or projection (6a) and connected to the shutter element (9 ) by handles (8) having peripherally suitable fracture points (10). 5.Device spout according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the plug closure member consists of a cylindrical hollow housing (9) having on its internal face a thread (9a) of pitch corresponding to the coated thread (3a) of the neck (3) of the pouring element (1,2). 6.A pouring spout device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the neck (3) of the pouring element (1, 2) ends in a sealing segment or lip (3b) intended to come by clipping abutting in a toroidal housing delimited by an internal ring (9b) of the shutter element (9) and the internal face of the latter. 7. A spout device according to claim 1 characterized in that the locking element (106) comprises a discontinuous peripheral structure (106 a ) making it possible to lock it on the pouring element (101), while exerting on the body of the latter a constraint bringing it into a sealing position against the opening or flange (107 a ) of the container (107), the pouring element (101) and the double part constituted by the element of locking (106) and the shutter (109) being in a state of connection so that the assembly engages in the orifice (107 a ) of the container (107) until contact between the flange (101 a ) and the pouring element (101) and said orifice (10 7 A). 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the discontinuous structure of the locking element consists of a plurality of lugs (106 a ). 9. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each tab (106 a ) has on its upper face a relief structure (106 b ) whose thickness increases towards the free end of the tab (106 a ). 10. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the relief structure (106 b ) is of substantially semi-frustoconical shape. 11.A pouring spout device according to claim 1, characterized in that the outside diameter of the neck (201 a ) of the pouring device (201) is greater than the diameter of the metal opening (207 a ) of the container (207), allowing thus during the insertion of the plug the appearance of a bead (201 b ) hanging under the flange of the metal opening (207 a ) and increasing as the deployment force increases of the device.

Images