GB2139592A - Container for flowable products - Google Patents

Abstract

A container is disclosed for packaging flowable product such as liquids or powders, comprises a cylindrical tubular body section closed by top and bottom wall sections, the top wall section having an upstanding spout and diametrically opposed spout- receiving recess whereby two like containers may be stacked one inverted on the other, the spout of one being received in the recess of the other. The top and bottom wall sections, the top wall section having an upstanding spout and a diametrically opposed spout- receiving recess whereby two like @ <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Container for flowable products BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to containers and more particularly involves containers of the sort utilized to package flowable products such as liquids and powders which products usually are poured from the containers into narrow, constricted areas by the ultimate user.

In the prior art field of containers generally fluid products are packaged in either bottles or cans. Products for use in the automotive field such as motor oil and transmission fluid generally are packaged in spiral wound composite paper cans which have metal ends crimped thereon. Generally the user of the product must puncture one of the metal ends with a spout or other pouring device to transfer the contents from the can into the automobile component utilizing the lubricant. Normally these spouts tend to leak in several places and afterwards even if they have not leaked a large amount of residue still remains on the spouts and must be handled in some way by the user. Generally the residue is of an oily substance which contaminates any fabric or surface that it comes in contact with.

Generally products for use in the automotive industry, such as lubricants, are not packaged in other types of containers such as glass bottles because of several problems associated with glass bottles. The primary problem involves breakage around the service station area or in retail outlet area and the resultant contamination by the greasy contents of the container. Another problem involves the compactness and stackability of bottles which are relatively poor when compared to that of cylindrical cans.

In addition to the problems of mess and contamination found in prior art containers, an additional problem is that of seepage and wicking of the oily contents from inside the container through the paperboard walls of the container and/or around the crimped seal area of the metal ends. Seepage involves the permeation of the oily material directly through the wall of the paperboard container.

Normally the walls of the container are coated on the inside with a plastic material such as polyethylene to block seepage of the fluid, but should any break or injury to the polyethylene liner occur, then seepage will proceed at a rapid rate through such break. Wicking is a phenomenon involving the flow of oily fluid from the bottom, uncoated edge of the cylindrical container wall up into the wall material by means related to syphoning or capillary action, then out through the exterior surface of the can. Although not as fast as seepage, wicking can also result in contamination of the surrounding environment by the contents of the can.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a container for packaging contaminatory fluids such as lubricants and hydraulic fluids, which container utilizes a non-seeping wall material and a unique container top design which eliminates messy, leaking spouts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side-elevational view of the container of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side-elevational view of a top section of the container of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 illustrates a pair of containers in a nested relationship.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI MENT Referring now to Figure 1, a container 101 is illustrated having a cylindrical tubular wall portion 102 preferably made of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), or other suitable thermoplastic polymer. Cylindrical section 102 preferably is formed in a tube by extrusion through a tubular extrusion die by means similar to that disclosed in copending patent application S.N.... filed by Granville J.

Hahn, et al. entitled "Friction-Welded Barriered Can" which copending application is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety. In the incorporated application, a cylindrical tube is extruded of a thermoplastic material to form the cylindrical wall 102 of the container 101. A bottom section 103 is formed preferably of a thermoplastic material by thermoforming means such as injection molding or sheet thermoforming. One particularly advantageous method for the forming and attachment of bottom section 103 is disclosed in copending application S.N.415,126, by Vincent E. Fortuna, filed September 7, 1982, entitled "Inertial Spinwelding of Thermoplastic and Thermoplastic Coated Container Parts", which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.In the aforementioned incorporated Fortuna application, means is disclosed for friction-welding a thermoformed bottom section 103 into the thermoplastic cylindrical section 102 to achieve a strong fluid-tight joinder of bottom 103 to the side wall.

Either prior to or subsequent to the attachment of bottom section 103 to wall section 102, a top section 104 is likewise attached to wall section 102 by means such as gluing, fusion, or spin-welding. It should be noted that bottom section 103 could likewise be joined to wall section 102 by means other than spin-welding, which means are well known in the art. In one preferred embodiment, bottom 103 was spin-welded to container 102 as was top 1 04. Both top 104 and bottom 103 were made of a spin-weldable thermoplastic material compatible with the thermoplastic material of the extruded tube 102.Although top 104 and bottom 103 are preferable made of thermoplastic materials, it is clear that these could also be made of a metallic material such as steel or aluminum, but the preferred embodiment is to use a compatible thermoplastic material because of the lower cost and the easier means of forming the unique top section 104.

Referring now to Figure 2, top section 104 is illustrated in greater detail removed from the container wall 102. Top section 104 comprises a relatively flat circular disk section 111 (Figure 3) around which is located a peripheral attachment flange 105 formed in a general U-shape configuration for receiving in tightfitting engagement therein the upper end of cylinder 102. The outer rim of the U-shape flange is shown at 105 and the slightly tapered inner ridge is shown at 11 2. It should be noted that bottom section 103 likewise utilizes an upwardly facing U-shape flange peripherally located therearound similar in construction to flange 105, 1 12 of top section 104.In addition to the friction-welding flange 105, top 104 further comprises an integrally formed pour spout 106 which is of a generally cylindrical configuration and extends upward from top 104 near one edge of the top section 111. A circular pour opening 109 is located at the top of spout 106 and may be closed off by means such as an adhesive or heat sealed tape which is well known in the industry.

Located diametrically opposite pour spout 106 on top 104 is a nesting recess 107 comprising a relatively oval shaped surface which is larger at the top than at the bottom and has a partially cylindrical vertical outer wall 107, a relatively flat bottom section 110, and a curved sloping wall portion 108 extending upward toward the center of disk 111 Recess 107 is shaped to allow entry of spout 106 in relatively snug-fitting engagement therein and bottom end 110 of recess 107 is slightly large than upper end 109 of spout 106.The length of recess 107 is perferably selected to allow top section 109 of a second can nested thereon to just contact bottom 110 and provide support for the seal tape across opening 109 when the two cans are nested together in a stacked relationship as shown in Figure 4. This provides security and protection for the sealing tape across top 109 during shipment and storage as well as during display of the containers. This protection extends against in advertent puncture or deliberate attempts to tamper with the contents of the containers. In one preferred embodiment, two containers shown in the nested position of Figure 4 are packaged as a single unit by enciosing-the two nested containers in a heat-shrinkable plastic wrap and shrinking the wrap into a tight-sealing engagement over the nested pair.

Figure 3 is a top view of the top portion 104 illustrating the spacing relationship of the pour spout 106 and the spout recess 107 in the can top.

Figure 4 shows the compact, nestable relationship between two stacked cans in which a first can 102 is placed in the normally oriented upward facing direction, and a second can 102 is inverted and stacked atop the bottom can. The spout 106 of the top can extends downward into the recess 107 of the bottom can and the two stacked containers occupy no additional space over a pair of conventional containers having no external spout means located thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus the present invention discloses a thermoplastic container having convenient integral pour spout means formed thereon which is of a relatively easy and inexpensive construction when compared to the complex and expensive construction of prior art pouring spouts. The container of this invention preferably is formed of an extruded tube to which is spinwelded thermoplastic bottom and top sections. The top section in itself is unique in that the pouring spout is a rigid integrally formed spout and has diametrically opposed on the top a complimentary recess formed therein to provide nestability of two stacked containers.

Although a specific preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in the detailed description above, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms or embodiments disclosed therein since they are to be recognized as illustrative rather than restrictive and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited. For example, whereas a cylindrical pour spout and an ovalcylindrical recess shape are utilized in the top section of the container, it is obvious that noncylindrical configurations for the pour spout and matching configurations for the recess could be utilized instead. Such shapes might utilize triangular spouts or spouts having curvalinear cross-sections such as ovals or parabolic shapes. Any such geometrical shape could be utilized for the pour spout and the complimentary spout recess cavity. Also whereas the pour spout is illustrated as having a relatively constant cross-sectional area it could be tapered converging or diverging from the top section 104. Likewise whereas thermoplastic container walls and thermoplastic ends and top sections are the preferred embodiments these sections could also clearly be made of any other suitable material such as metal, coated fiberboard, and metalized plastics. Thus the invention is declared to cover all changes and modifications of the specific example of the invention herein disclosed for purposes of illustration, which do not constitute departs from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

Claims (10)

1. A container for packaging and dispensing pour able materials, said container comprising: a thermoplastic tubular wall section having opposed open ends; a thermoplastic bottom section sealingly attached to and closing off one of said open ends; and, a thermoplastic top section sealingly attached to and closing off said other open end; said top section having an integrally formed upwardly extending pour spout thereon and a diametrically opposed downwardiy extending spout recess adapted to receive a pour spout in close-fitting engagement therein.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein siad wall section comprises a predetermined length of extruded thermoplastic tubing and said top and bottom sections are friction welded to said wall section.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein said wall section, said top section, and said bottom section are circular in configuration and are each made of a thermoplastic selected from the group comprising polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyldiene chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate glycol.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein said container sections are all joined together by spin-welding.

5. A container for packaging flowable products, said container comprising: a vertical tubular wall section; a bottom closure attached to and closing off the lower end of said wall section; and, a top closure attached to and closing off the upper end of said tubular wall section; said top closure having attached thereto an upwardly extending functional pour spout along one side thereof having a top opening, and a diametrically opposed pour spout recess therein adapted to receive in close-fitting relationship a pour spout.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein said wall section is made from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, paperboard, and thermoplastics; and said top and bottom closures are each made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal and thermoplastics.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein said wall section is a thermoplastic tube and said closure sections are thermoplastic.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein said wall section is cylindrical and said closures are spin-welded thereto.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein said wall section is a continuously extruded tube cut to size and said end closures are thermoformed.

10. The container of claim 8 wherein said wall section is a continuously extruded tube and said end closures are solid phase pressure formed.