FI76538C - Improved packaging for liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid dispenser package is described which is adapted to dispense liquids without mess and which incorporates a measuring cup which is also the closure for the package. The package of the present invention includes a container (12) having a dispensing orifice (80) for storing the liquid product, a transition collar (14) to be attached to the container finish surrounding its orifice and having an extended pouring spout (52) and a transverse partition with drain to collect and return residual liquid to the container, and a measuring cup (16) with an open mouth having threads (40) on its exterior to attach the cup to the interior of the transition collar where it functions as the closure for the package. Because of the extended pouring spout, the residual liquid drain back feature, and the exterior threads on the measuring cup, virtually all mess normally associated with liquid product measuring and dispensing is obviated.

Description

1 76538

The present invention relates to an improved package for liquids which also has a measuring cup of 5 as a closure.

A lot of work and effort has been devoted to eliminating all the dirt that usually arises when pouring liquid products from containers containing them. For example, in U.S. Patent 3,369,710 / M.B. Lucas / 20. February 10, 1968 a pouring device is described which grips the mouth of the bottle by friction and comprises a retractable telescopic nozzle part. A similar type of connector structure is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,298,145 / M. Iida / 3. November 1981. In this patent, the anti-drip connector is formed of two concentric tubes molded together with a ring-shaped and connecting inclined guide plate.

A non-drip spout with a closure cup is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,078,700 / W.E. Hidding / 14. March-20, 1978. Therein, a spout corresponding to the structure otherwise described in the aforementioned Iida patent but with the tubular cam portion now open, comprising a flexible anti-drip finger and an annular inclined return surface for returning excess liquid to the tank. The cup portion operatively associated with the structure has internal threads associated with an outer protrusion or threaded structure on the neck of the container. U.S. Patent 4,128,189 to E.W. Baxter / 5. December 1978, a pouring connector is again introduced which is very similar to the connector described in the Iida and Hidding patents and which attaches to the neck of the dosing bottle by friction. In Baxter's patent, the connector cover is held in place by an annular cup whose internal threads are connected to the outer threads of the container.

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Another non-drip spout with a spout cup comprising a closure cup is disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,601,039 / L. G. Livingstone / 17. June 1952. The Livingston patent discloses a spout with an elongated spout having an open, longitudinal opening in the rear surfaces. The spout is surrounded by a sloping back-injection surface which directs excess or already spilled liquid back into the tank. The cup operatively attached to the connector is attached to the upper outer surfaces of the connector by friction or threading.

In the past, further efforts have been made to develop a liquid measuring device which at the same time acts as a closure for a container containing a liquid. U.S. Patent 2,061,685 to J.M. Wheaton / 24. November 1936 discloses a closure 15 having a measuring cup integral therewith and in line therewith, the open mouth portion of which engages the neck of a container bottle. The structure associated with the bottle comprises an integral ring-shaped flange. The flange has internal threads connected to the external threads in the neck of the bottle. The structure is sealed with a round sealing ring. U.S. Patent 4,273,247 / W.L. Earls / 16. June 1981, a closure cup assembly is introduced with internal threads associated with the external threads on the neck of the bottle. In this patent, the cup portion is inverted and surrounds and covers the outside of the bottle when partially closed.

U.S. Patent 4,349,056 / J. Heino / 14. September 1982 concerns a liquid container with a non - dripping measuring cup. A resilient portion 30 disposed on the neck of the container as a telescopic structure comprises an annular protrusion that engages the inner wall of the measuring cup closure and removes any liquid remaining therein when the cup is inserted into the neck of the container. The measuring cup is made to remain in place by friction or the inner surfaces at its open mouth may have internal threads. In this specification, residual liquid means that part of the liquid which remains on the surface of the package during the pouring operation. This may include fluid leakage, dripping, residual fluid membrane, and the like.

Despite all previous attempts in this field 5 and the aforementioned patents, liquid leaks and the resulting dirt can still be found when pouring liquid into a relatively small measuring cup, specifically when the measuring cup has to be replaced 10 to close the container after the pouring operation. Under previous structures, it was at least difficult, if not impossible, to avoid the spread or dripping of excess liquid on the outer surfaces of the package, so the closure (and sometimes the spout) had to be rinsed clean after each use of the bottle. Such a residual liquid gives a messy impression, therefore the bottle is not pleasantly touched and in addition the liquid adhering to the bottle tends to collect dirt and dust.

The present invention is intended to eliminate the disadvantages described above.

In addition, the invention seeks to provide a liquid dispensing kit which is capable of dispensing a certain amount of the liquid in question with relative convenience and which has a measuring cup which can be put back in place to close the bottle in the mouth neatly and conveniently.

The package for liquids according to the invention comprises a) a container for storing a liquid and having an upwardly directed mouthpiece with a metering opening, b) an intermediate collar attached to the mouthpiece of the container and having an outwardly directed spout a wall, and an outlet device for directing the spilled liquid into the dosing opening, 35 c) a cup intended to act as a closure for the container 4 76538 and having an open mouth with a protrusion at the end and a fastening device on the outer surface around the mouth.

The package according to the invention is characterized in that the cup is a measuring cup and that its inner surface and the projection 5 in the closed position are in direct liquid communication with the removal device to facilitate the return of liquid from the measuring cup to the dosing opening.

At the end of this description, there are claims which emphasize the specific features of the invention and set out the requirements thereof. To facilitate understanding of the invention, it will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cut-away front view of a preferred structure of a package according to the invention, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a vertical section of the measuring cup along line 3-3 of Figure 2; Fig. 5 is a partial section of the package of Fig. 1 during the dosing operation, the measuring cup acting as a dosing device, Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section of the package of Fig. 1 closed after the dosing operation, Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of the mouth of the container therein. Fig. 8 is a partial vertical section of another structure of a package according to the invention pre-assembled, Fig. 9 is a partial vertical section of parts of the package according to Fig. 8 being disassembled, and Fig. 10 is a plan view of Fig. 9 transition collar. In all the drawings, the same parts have the same reference numerals. The figures show a preferred structure of a liquid pouring and measuring package according to the invention. The package 10 comprises a liquid container 12, an intermediate collar 14 to be attached thereto and a measuring cup 16.

The container is made of a suitable moldable polymeric material, e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene, and has a body portion 74, an upwardly directed neck portion 72, and, as illustrated in Figure 2, a smooth, annular protrusion 70 defining an orifice in the upper surface of the neck portion 72. The body portion 74 (only a portion of which is shown in Figure 1) may be of any suitable shape and comprises an end-closed chamber for storing the liquid to be dispensed. The preferred body subassembly 74 has as an integral structure a molded handle 74a which forms a protruding portion for facilitating the pouring of liquid and orients the intermediate collar 14 in the correct manner when pouring liquid from the container, as will be apparent from the following description.

However, this orientation function can also be achieved with other types of handle structures known to those skilled in the art. For example, the container could be provided with a Kiilunen area for 20 palms with shoulders or notches molded into the body portion 74 to facilitate handling of the package.

A locking device with a plurality of locking teeth 82 is located in the lower portion of the neck 72 of the container. The locking teeth 25 are best seen in Figure 7, where they are arranged in two spaced opposite groups. The teeth are ratchet teeth 82 molded integrally into the lower portion of the container neck below the threads 75 (Figure 2). Since the container 12 is recommended to be made by injection molding 30, after which both halves of the mold must be detached from each other, the locking teeth are shaped so as not to make it difficult to open the mold. The locking teeth of the preferred structure are made in two groups, as illustrated in Fig. 7, each having a mass of 10 teeth 82. The distance between the teeth 82 is 10 ° in the radial direction. The tooth groups are located on opposite sides of the mold dividing line 6,76538 van at the bottom of the container neck 72.

The intermediate collar 14 is preferably injection molded from a thermoplastic material, e.g. polypropylene or the like, and preferably also a slightly harder material than the material of the container 12 or cup 16. With this recommended hardness difference, the collar and container as well as the cup and collar are better sealed to each other, as will be explained a little later. For example, a polystyrene material harder than polypropylene could be used to make the intermediate collar, but polypropylene is still recommended for this purpose due to its better stress-rupture resistance.

The intermediate collar 14 is best seen in Figures 2 and 4.

It has an outer cylindrical wall portion 50, an outwardly extending tubular spout 52, a bounce shoulder 57 having a truncated cone-shaped top surface, and a sloping bounce wall 55. The wall 55 and the shoulder 57 form a substantially transverse wall dividing the outer wall portion and top 50 with a wind-20 vent opening 54 passing through the lower part of the bounce wall 55.

The bottom portion of the intermediate collar 14 (Figure 4) has a plurality of inwardly directed locking teeth 68 at regular intervals at the lower edge of the inner surface of the circular wall 50. The teeth 68 are molded in thin planar portions with respect to the rest of the structure and are at an angle of about 65 ° to the radial line intersecting their outer end. The lower surfaces of the teeth 68 are inclined inward, and the inner surface of each tooth is cut at an angle approximately 30 tangential to the circle connecting the inner ends of the teeth 68. The diameter of the circle is smaller than the diameter of the circle connecting the tips of the teeth 82, so that when the collar is put in place, the teeth 68 must be flexible to allow them to slide past the teeth 82.

35 A suitable distance between the teeth 68 and 82 has been found to be about 1 mm. The teeth 68 lock into the locking teeth 82 and 7 76538 of the container 12 form a kind of latch structure. It should now be noted, however, that the intermediate collar 14 can be fastened or locked so that it cannot rotate relative to the container 12 in the direction of release, also by any other suitable structure 5. For example, a vertical lock and groove lock can be used. The structure of Fig. 4 has 24 locking teeth 68 at even 15 ° intervals on the inner circumference of the lower part of the circular wall 50, so that when the collar 14 is firmly tightened to the container, every other locking tooth 68 of the intermediate collar 68 engages the locking tooth 82 of the container 74 and thus prevents rotation of the collar. Thanks to the interlocking function, the measuring cup 16 can be removed and put back into the upper part of the intermediate collar 14 without the collar 14 being able to rotate.

At and above the locking teeth 68, there are threads 64 in the lower part of the collar 14 which are operatively connected to the threads 75 of the neck 72 of the container. In this case too, many different ways can be used to attach the collar 14 to the container 12. However, if the collar 14 has a backfill wall having an outlet, e.g., a vent / outlet 54, the collar 14 should be oriented so that no liquid is poured from the reservoir simultaneously from both the spout 52 and the vent / outlet 54, as this prevents proper ventilation. and makes it difficult to control the flow of fluid. In the structure described above, the threads 64 of the collar 14 and the threads 75 of the container 12 are designed and fitted so that the collar 14 engages the container 12 and directs the opening 54 so as to be generally radially aligned with and approximately 30 ° from the handle 30a. at a distance with the collar tightened. A circular sealing ring 62 on the lower surfaces 60 of the bounce shoulder 57 of the collar 14 contacts the softer material of the flat protrusion 70 of the container 12 and cuts lightly thereto, providing an efficient sealing function. As shown in Figure 4, the second lower surface 60 of the ring-forming shoulder 57 of the bounce shoulder 57 is substantially flat and at right angles to the axis of the collar 14, allowing the sealing ring 62 to fully contact the flat protrusion 70.

5 The back-dropping shoulder 57 is fixedly connected at its outer circumference to the inner surface of the circular wall 50, and its upper surface is inclined sharply towards the central axis of the collar 14. The angle of inclination of the surface of the shoulder 57 is not critical, but should be so steep that it facilitates the rolling of residual fluid therein along the inclined surface into the vent / outlet 54. In the preferred construction, the shoulder 57 is inclined at about 30 ° to the horizontal. The sloping backflow wall 55 is integral with both the inner circumference of the backflow shoulder 57 and the outer surface of the extended spout 52. Due to the inclination of the wall 55, the truncated, cylindrical backsheet 51 connects the wall 55 to the inner circumference of the shoulder 57 and separates the top and bottom of the collar 14 at other points, but not at the vent / outlet opening 54.

The extended spout 52 is coaxial at the top with the intermediate collar 14 of the structure shown. However, the cam 52 can also be positioned aside from the center or, if desired, bent to facilitate pouring.

The diameter of the spout 52 is not critical and can be dimensioned so that the liquid to be stored in the container at any given time can be easily poured therefrom. The height of the cam 52 is also not critical, but must nevertheless go into the inverted cup 30 16 in the locked position, as shown in Figure 6. In addition, it should extend outwards from the collar 14 to such an extent that the liquid can be poured out of the container in the best possible way when the container is completely full or partially empty.

The structure in question has a protrusion 56 on the upper surface 35 of the cam 52, the function of which is to minimize the dripping function of the liquid. The protrusion 56 is formed by beveling or rotating the inner surface of the outer end of the cam, resulting in a steeper shape (Figure 4). 1

At and above the recoil shoulder 57, the inner surface of the circular wall 50 has an annular inner wall 53 with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner channel portions above it, and can be dimensioned to form a circular contact seal with a measuring cup 16 attached to the collar 14. The wall 53 is preferably conical, so that its diameter at the shoulder 57 is smaller than at the top, so that its sealing performance is improved. Arranged above the circular wall 53, also at the inner surface of the wall 50 and at its upper surface, is a fastening device, internal threads 58, which are connected to the corresponding external threads of the cup 16 now described. The upper surface of the circular wall 50 is formed with a sealing ring 59 to provide a good seal with the cup 16 when threaded to the collar 14. The height of the sealing rings 59 and 62 must be designed naturally to compensate for the different parts of the molded parts. tolerances. Both rings then seal as the hard sealing ring presses against or into the softer tii sealing surfaces, as already mentioned.

The measuring cup 16 of Figure 3 is cup-shaped and has a bottom wall 34, a slight, vertical side wall 36 and an open mouth 37 with a protrusion 39 at the end. The cup is preferably made by injection molding a relatively dense polymer, e.g., medium or very dense polyethylene. it has an adequate compression yield-30 and. As already mentioned, according to the preferred construction, the container and the cup 16 are made of a softer material, so that the sealing rings 62 and 59 in the collar 14 bend somewhat or intersect at the interconnected surfaces.

As best seen in Figure 3, the protrusion 39 is formed as an anti-drip protrusion of the cup 16 when the cup 10 76538 is used as a measuring cup, and also as an additional seal contacting the circular inner wall 53 of the collar 14 with the cup 16 acting as a closure for the package 10. This is achieved by directing the protrusion 39 outwards and forming its sharp edge with its end-5. The sealing function of the protrusion 39 is best seen in the section shown in Figure 6, which illustrates the sealed package after use. The special shape of the protrusion 39 can be modified as desired by those skilled in the art so that it is well suited for the relevant uses. However, it does not have to be an anti-drip structure.

The outer surface of the cup 16 has an outwardly extending fastening device at the protrusion 39, threads 40. They are operatively connected to the internal threads of the collar 14. Other fastening structures 15 can also be used, but threads are preferred mainly because the collar 14 and the cup 16 can then be sealed well together. The number of threads and their pitch are not critical. The main thing is that the shutdown function becomes really effective.

A coaxial shoulder 38 on the threaded side 40 at a distance from the protrusion 39 extends outwardly from the outer surface of the side wall 36 and forms a sealing surface 35 which causes the sealing ring 59 to contact the top surface of the circular wall 25 of the collar 14 when the measuring cup 16 is secured upside down to the collar 14. In the preferred construction, as best seen in Figure 3, the substantially flat and circular sealing surface 35 of the shoulder 38 extends radially from the side wall 36 at an angle of about 90 °. The seal between the cup 16 and the collar 14 may also be provided in other ways, e.g., as a circular seal (not shown) associated with the surface 35, or by attaching such a seal to the intermediate collar 14. Such alternative sealing methods are recommended if the cup 16 has a quick release or is fastened in place in the same way as with threads.

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The width of the shoulder 38 should be large enough to provide perfect surface contact between the ring 59 and the sealing surface 35. The strength of the shoulder 38 is not critical, but should in any case be such that the surface 35 is made sufficiently rigid to make the gap between it and the collar sufficiently tight, as already described above.

The portion of the cup 16 (including Figures 2 and 3) extending below the sealing surface 35, including threads 40 and anti-drip protrusion 10 39, is dimensioned so that the surface 35 contacts and seals the sealing ring 59 before contacting the anti-drip protrusion with the backsheet 57 when the cup 16 is closed 14.

The dimensions and shape of the cup 16 are functionally related to the dosing requirements of the respective liquid. However, the volume of the cup 16 should preferably be slightly larger than the required dose volume. The cup can be shaped so that it is easy to handle. For example, the cup 14 may have external shoulders or other protrusions 20 so that it can be easily removed and replaced. There may be markings (not shown in the figures) on the inside of the cup indicating the filling quantities for measuring the amount of liquid.

Although the cross-section of the measuring 16 pin 16 of the preferred construction is approximately circular throughout, this is only necessary at the open mouth of the cup where it must engage and seal the collar 14. Therefore, the shape of the bottom wall 34 and the vertical side wall 36 above the sealing shoulder 38 2 and 3) may be amended as necessary.

When the container 12 is put into use, it is filled with liquid and the intermediate collar 14 and the measuring cup 16 are turned to the sealing position. When the measuring cup 16 is attached to the collar 14, the sealing functions between these parts form an annular contact between the sealing ring 59 and the sealing surface 35 and also a corresponding contact 12 76538 between the anti-drip protrusion 39 and the round wall 53. The cup 16 can then be removed and used as a measuring cup for dispensing liquid as shown in Figure 5. When the cup 16 is filled to the desired height 5, the container 12 is turned upright, whereby the cam projection 56 minimizes the amount of liquid that would otherwise drip from it. The liquid dripping from the pouring box 52 flows downwards along the outer surface of the cam and collects along the inclined backsheet 55 and further along the inclined surface into the vent / outlet 54 through which it returns to the tank 12 from the opening 80. When the liquid measured in the cup 16 is dispensed minimizes dripping liquid over the edge of the cup. The cup 16 is then turned upside down and put back in place on the intermediate collar 14 and the thread-15 is pulled firmly downwards. The seal thus formed between the sealing ring 59 and the protrusion as well as the anti-drip protrusion 39 and the circular wall portion 53 prevents liquid leakage. If the package according to the invention is closed (Figures 1 and 6) and is poured over, it will not leak, and when the package 20 is then turned up again, any liquid at the collar 14 will flow back into the container 12.

Figure 6 is a section of the parts according to the invention compacted after one complete use, as already mentioned above. Any liquid remaining in the cup 16 drips down onto the backflow shoulder 57, rolls along the sloping surface in the direction of the center axis of the collar 14, and travels with all other accumulated residual fluid along the sloping backflow wall 55 to the vent / outlet 54 and from there 30 to the container 12. and in shape and, if desired, may be provided with flaps capable of controlling the flow of liquid therethrough or of preventing the contents of the tank from being visible.However, the size of the orifice 54 must be designed taking into account the viscosity of the liquid 35 and its desired flow rate so as to provide adequate airflow. 13 76538, which makes dosing smooth and stable and causes any residual liquid that may have accumulated to return to the container relatively quickly when the package is raised.

The measuring cup comprising the self-drying device shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 differs from the structure described by means of the above-mentioned figures in that the pouring spout 252 is shovel-shaped and has a vertical opening 290 over its entire height. The difference is that the bottom of the back wall 55 the through-vent vent 254 communicates vertically with the bottom of the open side 290 of the shovel spout 252, with the wall 55 no longer integral with the outer surface of the spout 252 but broken at the point where the vent / outlet 25 254 joins the open side 290 of the spout 252.

Figures 810 show an alternative and equally preferred liquid product pouring and measuring package. In particular, Figures 8-10 show a package 200 comprising a container 212, an intermediate collar 214 mounted 20 on the container 212, and a measuring cup 216.

The container 212 corresponds substantially identically to the container 12 described in connection with the package 10, except that the upwardly directed mouth portion 272 of the container 212 extends upwardly slightly higher than the corresponding mouthpiece 25 72. The locking teeth 282 and threads 275 correspond exactly to the portions 82 and 75 of the package 10.

Likewise, the intermediate collar 214 corresponds substantially identically to the intermediate collar 14 described above, except that the pouring spout 252 is provided with an open rear side 290 and the vent / exhaust opening 304 extends from the open bottom of the spout 252. The spout 252 is shown to be positioned centrally with respect to the center axis of the intermediate collar 214. However, it is possible to position the cam 252 slightly eccentrically (not shown) to increase pour accuracy and comfort. The locking teeth 268 correspond exactly to the locking teeth 68 described above in connection with the intermediate collar 14.

The lower part of the outer wall 250 of the intermediate collar 214 bends outwards and downwards to better correspond to the shape of the upper parts of the container 212. It is further possible to make a thin release liner or tear tape (not shown) on the cam 252 and the vent / outlet 254 (and the cam 52 and the vent / outlet 54, respectively) described above on their open portions to seal the package before first use.

The measuring cup 216 also corresponds substantially identically to the measuring cup 16 described above. In Fig. 8, the cup 216 is only partially cut to show a vent groove 241 representing one vent means and thus preventing or minimizing pressure buildup inside the package 200 when the cup 216 is reattached to the spacer 214. it should be avoided because it may tend to force the remaining product through the cooperating fastening devices between the measuring cup 216 and the intermediate collar 214 and onto the outer surface of the package 200. The vent groove 241 is simply a duct or rupture of the outer threads 20 of the cup 216 that is deep enough to allow air to escape from the package 200 at least initially when the cup 216 is inserted into the spacer 214. Other vent means 200 of the package 200, such as a one-way valve, may also be used. Similar grooves 25 may also be included in the package 10 described above. The interior of the cup 216 has been described as having a plurality of fill level lines 295 as examples of indicia that can be used to indicate fill levels for measuring a liquid product.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various variations of the above invention may be made. Examples of several such variations have already been mentioned above, e.g. an alternative structure for attaching the intermediate collar to the container without rotation and 35 different options for sealing the various elements 15 765 3 8 in the closed position. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention must be considered in the context of the following claims, since the invention is of course not limited exclusively to the structural and functional details described in the above description and the drawings.

Claims (2)

An improved package (10, 200) for liquids, comprising a) a container (12,212) for storing a liquid and an upwardly directed mouthpiece (72,272) with a dosing opening (80), b) an intermediate collar (14,214) attached to the mouth portion (72,272) of the container and having an outwardly directed spout (52,252) surrounding the wall (50,250), and an outlet device (54,55,57,254) for directing spilled liquid into the dispensing opening (80), c) a cup (16,216) intended to act as a container closure and having an open mouth (37) with a protrusion (39) at the end and a fastening device (40,240) on the outer surface around the mouth, characterized in that the cup (16,216) is a measuring cup and that its inner surface and the projection (39) in the closed position are in direct fluid communication with the discharge device (54,55,57,254) 20 to facilitate the return of liquid from the measuring cup to the dispensing opening (80). A package according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening device (40,240) comprises threads.