GB2554052A

GB2554052A - An attachable and detachable spout-forming element

Info

Publication number: GB2554052A
Application number: GB1611546.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paine Leslie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-07-01
Filing date: 2016-07-01
Publication date: 2018-03-28
Also published as: GB201611546D0

Abstract

A device 20 formed of a flexible and resilient material comprises a strap portion 22 and a projecting brim portion 24. When the spout-forming element is stretched and twisted to fit around the wall of container adjacent to the opening, the stretching of the strap portion causes the brim portion to curve and define a pouring spout. When unstressed and unattached, the device is preferably flat. The brim portion may comprise a stiff but deformable wire to help shape the spout. Preferably, the device may have more than one spout forming brim part, which may have different profiles. The device may also have two strap parts projecting on opposite sides of the brim part and capable of being attached to each other or to elements on the container. The device may be moulded to engage with screw threads or ridges on the periphery of the container. Preferably the device may form a seal between the container and a lid when located on the container.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: An attachable and detachable spout-forming element Abstract Title: An attachable spout-forming device (57) A device 20 formed of a flexible and resilient material comprises a strap portion 22 and a projecting brim portion 24. When the spout-forming element is stretched and twisted to fit around the wall of container adjacent to the opening, the stretching of the strap portion causes the brim portion to curve and define a pouring spout. When unstressed and unattached, the device is preferably flat. The brim portion may comprise a stiff but deformable wire to help shape the spout. Preferably, the device may have more than one spout forming brim part, which may have different profiles. The device may also have two strap parts projecting on opposite sides of the brim part and capable of being attached to each other or to elements on the container. The device may be moulded to engage with screw threads or ridges on the periphery of the container. Preferably the device may form a seal between the container and a lid when located on the container.

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An Attachable and Detachable Spout-Forming Element

The present invention relates to a spout-forming element that can be attached to and detached from a container, to make it easier to control material pouring out of the container.

Background

The risky and potentially stressful manoeuvre of pouring liquids or particulates from a container into another receptacle, such as pouring paint into roller trays, or pouring hot jam into food jars, is a common experience globally. The concerns are: 1) controlling the position of the stream of poured material; 2) preventing any poured material that did not reach the other receptacle from running down the outside of the container and so contaminating the work environment; and 3) avoiding wastage of the material that is being poured.

For millennia potters have known how to make pouring spouts integral with the rims of their vessels. In contrast the paint industry does not provide an entirely satisfactory solution to this inherent problem. Similarly, in the cooking context, some metal saucepans are provided with a spout, but these may be inadequate as the means of manufacture, especially modern production, provides limited material from which to fashion a spout. Both of these areas of human activity, cooking and painting, are undertaken by a broad cross section of society. Therefore the end users of paint cans and of saucepans present a wide spectrum of dexterity. A spout that could be utilised in such contexts would therefore be widely beneficial.

There are available commercially a number of clip-on devices to alleviate the problem. A number of the add-on spouts available as sundries in the context of painting or cookware are in the form of rigid three dimensional moulded plastic. These are designed and detailed to snap fit to the specific detailed rim of the container. Most of these leave the top of the combined assembly wide open so that the contents of the container can be accessed, as some paints and food stuffs require stirring. These add-on spouts tend to prevent the container’s original closure from functioning or from being reinstated (that is to say the lid in the case of paint cans, and in cookery the matching saucepan lid). Other plastic pourers in effect replace the lid with a total enclosure. In relation to paints, the paint is poured through a new opening, governed by a removable cap or pull out spout. All of these solutions interfere with the way that the original lid fits to the original container.

Paint containers comply with international specifications. Thus for example metal paint cans and the equivalent plastic cans are of fundamentally the same design principle, with two commonly-used types of lid closure (referred to as RL and TT), and have common sizes. The sizes are often specific to the local marketplace. The European paint market primarily uses metric sizes 5, 2.5, 1, 0.75 and 0.5 L capacities. The US market tends to use imperial sizes 1 gallon, quart, pint and 1/2 pint etc. Australia also uses metric sizes but these are 6, 4, 2, 1 and 0.5 L. The commonly-used external diameters are 60 mm, 73 mm, 99 mm, 108 mm, 153 mm, 165 mm and 180 mm. Saucepans that are most commonly used are 160 mm, 180 mm and 200 mm. Smaller and larger sizes are also available in increments of 20 mm size change. To accommodate all of these sizes with dedicated moulded items would require expensive tooling.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention accordingly provides an attachable and detachable spout-forming element for use on a container having an opening, the spout-forming element comprising a strap portion and a brim portion that projects from part of the strap portion, the strap portion and the brim portion being integral and formed of a flexible and resilient material, wherein the strap portion is adapted to be stretched to fit around at least part of the container adjacent to the opening, the stretching of the strap portion causing the brim portion to undulate and so to define a pouring spout.

The spout-forming element, in its initial form, may be flat. This has a cost advantage in production and distribution. Because of this flat shape the product could be arranged where possible in sets that comply with the container sizes prevalent in any particular cookware or paint manufacturer’s specific container dimensions, as in its initial form a spout-forming element for use on a small container may fit entirely within a spout-forming element for use on a larger container. Prior to use, such different sized spout-forming elements may therefore be formed integral with each other, but connected by frangible links.

The spout-forming element, if it is initially flat, may therefore be made by an inexpensive manufacturing process, from a material in the form of a thin flat sheet. It can be cut from sheet material by an industry standard die cutting tool, or cut by computer-controlled knife or water jet cutter. By way of example the sheet may be of thickness between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, more typically between 1.2 mm and 3.5 mm, for example 1.5 mm or 3.0 mm. Alternatively it could be injection moulded using two-part open and shut moulds, so avoiding the waste material that results from the die cutting process. This fundamentally flat item is also advantageous when considering storage, packaging, transporting in bulk and individual postage.

It has been appreciated that any flat piece of flexible and resilient material can be made to make a spout form. If a crescent shaped piece of flat material with a broad section in the middle tapering towards the two extremities is subjected to tension, stretching the concave edge of the crescent closer to a straight line, the middle portion of the crescent shaped flat material is put under compression. As a result it bulges or undulates away from a flat surface. By careful design of the profile of the flat element and by varying the tension exerted, a spout of a desired form can be achieved.

The strap portion of the spout-forming element may comprise two separate strap elements that project from opposite ends of the brim portion, being adapted to be clipped to each other to accommodate containers with different diameters, or being adapted to be clipped to location lugs fixed to the container. For example the location lugs may be diametrically opposite each other on the container, so the stretched spout-forming element extends around only just over half of the circumference of the container (i.e. between one location lug and the other).

Alternatively the strap portion of the spout-forming element may define a ring that can be stretched around the container.

The brim portion, as mentioned above, forms the pouring spout, and may be provided with means to adjust its shape, for example being provided with notches in the rim so that the shape of the pouring spout can be modified by fitting an elastic band around the pouring spout through the notches. In another example the brim portion may incorporate a stiff but bendable wire to enable the reshaping of the three dimensional form of the pouring spout, such a wire for example being embedded within the brim portion near its edge.

The spout-forming element may be of a transparent sheet material, which can assist a user when pouring from the container into a smaller vessel, as the user can see the mouth of the receptacle through the pouring spout. This may be achieved using a transparent PVC sheet to form the spout-forming element

When dealing with small capacity paint cans that might be picked up and manipulated one handed, the under edge of the applied spout-forming element acts as a slip limiter for the interposed fingers and thumb, as it provides a non-slip texture.

A preferred embodiment of the spout-forming element is in the form of a ring; and the spout-forming element may define more than one brim portion spaced apart around the ring. For example the spout-forming element may define two brim portions on opposite sides, so in use it forms two diametrically opposed pouring spouts. These pouring spouts may provide different profiles, in use, for example to create a broad pouring spout and a narrower spout which can be selected to suit the viscosity of the material to be poured. Hence a saucepan can be provided with two differently-shaped pouring spouts to cope with pouring either gloopy or runny food.

When affixing a spout-forming element that defines a single pouring spout to a saucepan, there is the option to choose to have the pouring spout pointing in the direction which is most suitable for either a left- or right-handed user who is holding the handle of the pan. Such an option may be beneficial.

The spout-forming element, in the form of a ring, may be used on a container with an external screw thread to attach a screw top. In this case the spout-forming element may define a female moulding that can mate with the male thread. In this case the pouring spout may be flipped down when not in use as a spout.

Similarly, a spout-forming element may be designed to serve as a seal between the neck or rim of a container and a lid of the container, when in one position, but to be easily moved into a position in which it forms a pouring spout instead. For example the pouring spout may be flipped down when not in use as a spout, becoming the seal between the two parts of a preserve jar.

Paints tend to come in two types: 1) gloopy paints such as water based emulsions often called latex paints or 2) runny paints with a lower viscosity, such as solvent based paints. Food stuffs cooked in saucepans also tend to have either a gloopy consistency, such as hot jam, or a runny consistency, such as hot milk. Differently-shaped pouring spouts are preferably used for materials of these two consistencies: a broader spout for gloopy material, or a narrower spout for runny material. The material from which the spout-forming element is made may be selected for specific applications. The choice is to use either plastic or rubber-like materials to achieve the elasticated grip of the spout-forming element to the outside surface of the container. This introduces the opportunity to refine the shape of the spout as it remains flexible after it has been applied to the container. This is a desirable attribute for craftsmen and artisans with specific needs in manipulating the shape of the pouring spout during the pouring action. The material may be one that becomes easier to stretch if warmed up, for example using hot water, for example at 40° or 50°C, so it can be warmed up before being first applied to a container, so it is easier to stretch into position; after being applied to the container and forming the pouring spout the material will tend to become slightly stiffer as it cools down again. For example flexible PVC may have a Shore hardness of 80 at ambient temperature, but this decreases to about 60 if heated to 40°C. If using rubber materials such as silicone rubber it is possible to encase a stiff but bendable metal core at the edge of the pouring spout to allow the edge of the pouring spout to be shaped to a specific design to suit the task at hand.

Although the optimum versions of the spout-forming elements are generally a flat sheet in their initial state, when the element is stretched on to a container it finds its own best fit. In a preferred embodiment of such an initially flat element, the flexibility and elasticity of the substrate enable the strap portion to be stretched and deformed through 90° relative to its original flat plane, so transforming from a flat washer-like shape to a cylindrical tube that fits closely around the wall of the container, and this ensures that a tight seal can be achieved. If adjusted correctly the tightness of the seal of the spout-forming element to the wall is achieved right at the top of the container's vertical wall. The pouring spout not only improves the ability to pour from the container, but also prevents liquids that are being poured from dribbling down the outside of the container.

Some types of container have top edge rims that are specific to the closure arrangements. For example containers with rims for use with snap-on lids may have a design detail that is a common profile around the circumference of the rim; such snap-on lids are often used for containers for food stuff and for larger paint containers. Another type of closure is a screw on lid, which relies on either helical screw threads or a bayonet fitting that projects from the rim of the container. Fitting of a flat piece of material to the rim of such containers may create passageways created by protruding peaks on the surface of the container, and these passageways may create leakage points through which liquids or particulates could leak. The fit of the strap portion of the spout-forming element to these containers can be achieved by having a female detail moulded into the portion of the strap portion that interfaces with the container. This moulded detail, when the strap portion is stretched, would correspond to the male detail at the rim of the container.

The most commonly available containers are cylindrical in shape, so they are circular in plan view. Other shaped containers may for example be oval or rectangular, or at least have a rim and opening of that shape. It is possible to arrange the geometry of the flat spout-forming element to suit these alternatives to the cylindrical container.

As previously mentioned, rather than forming a ring the strap portion of the spoutforming element may define two strap elements that project from opposite ends of the brim portion, being adapted to be clipped to each other to accommodate containers with different diameters, or being adapted to be clipped to location lugs fixed to the container. The strap elements may in this case be of a material of greater shore hardness than the material used in the brim portion. This can be achieved by co-moulding of differing plastic materials with differing shore hardnesses. The way in which such strap elements are clipped together could be belt and buckle, velcro or other known means of adjustable fastening. The strap portion would be pulled tight against the wall of the container, so deforming the brim portion from the flat form to the desired shape of a pouring spout.

It will be appreciated that rubber gaskets in the form of a circular flat washer that is slightly deformed under tension is for example known in the context of food preserving jars. These have an arrangement where the rubber gaskets or seal is attached, under tension, to the lid assembly. Subsequently the closure relies on there being a wire tensioning device that pulls the lid tightly onto the body of the container, with the rubber gasket acting as a seal between the body and the lid. The spout-forming elements of the present invention differ from such a gasket firstly in that the strap portion of the spout-forming element is much more deformed, for example being deformed through 90° from its original flat form, rather than being deformed only by a few degrees; and secondly in that the spout-forming element includes a projecting brim portion. This broader portion of the element is necessary to create the pouring spout. However, it will therefore be appreciated that the spout-forming element of the invention may be used with such a preserve jar, acting as a seal when the lid is held down, but also forming a pouring spout when the lid is removed. This second role may be achieved by flipping the edge of the element from pointing downwards to pointing upwards.

Other preserve jars achieve a hermetic seal by tightening down a screw-threaded lid, often a metal lid with a thin rubber seal attached to the inside of the lid in such a position that when the lid is fully closed it creates the hermetic seal. The container body in many cases also defines a projecting ring that acts as a limiter of the helically turned lid. It is possible to have a spout-forming element of the invention positioned below or at this point that is pointing downwards, with the female detail that is spoken about above inverted and pointing outwards. Once the lid is removed the spout-forming element can be turned outside in so that the female helical recess engages with the helical thread and the spout-forming element takes up the shape and position that allows the contents of the vessel to be poured from the resultant pouring spout.

Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be further and more particularly described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows perspective view of a crescent-shaped element in two states;

Figure 2 indicates the geometrical properties of a spout-forming element of the invention;

Figure 3 shows plan and elevation views of two spout-forming elements of figure 2; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the spout-forming elements of figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the spout-forming element of figure 2 in use; Figures 6, 7, and 9 show modifications to the arrangement of figure 5;

Figures 10 and 11 show perspective views of a modification to the spout-forming element of figure 2;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the rim of a plastic container;

Figure 13 shows a perspective view of a spout-forming element for use with the container of figure 12;

Figures 14, 15 and 16 show a spout-forming element for use with a container with a threaded neck;

Figures 17 and 18 show perspective views of another alternative spout-forming element;

Figures 19, 20 and 21 show a modification to the spout-forming element of figure 2;

Figures 22, 23, 24 and 25 show a modification to the spout-forming element of figure 2, for use on a saucepan;

Figures 26, 27, 28 and 29 show a modification to the spout-forming element of figure 2, in the context of a preserving jar with a wire closure; and

Figures 30 and 31 show a modification to the spout-forming element of figure 17.

The desired pouring spout is achieved by the use of a thin flexible and elastic sheet material cut or formed to a prescribed shape. By way of illustration figure 1 shows a crescentshaped sheet 10 of flexible and resilient material in an unstressed initial state 10a, with a concave edge 11 and a convex edge 12. The same sheet 10 is shown in a stretched state as 10b, in which the edge 11 has been stretched, in this case to form a straight line, causing the central portion of the edge 12 to be put into compression. This compression causes the edge 12 to distort into an undulating or compound surface, which is a suitable shape for a pouring spout.

Referring now to figures 3 and 4, these show plan and elevation views, and a perspective view, respectively, of two spout-forming elements 20 and 26 which are cut out from a flat sheet, the broken line 21 indicating an easily-broken connection. By way of example the flat sheet may for example be of thickness 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm thick or 3.0 mm thick; and may be for example of flexible PVC, or for example of silicone rubber. The spout-forming element 20 is in the form of a non-circular ring whose radial width varies, defining a strap portion 22 and a wider brim portion 24. There are two small notches 25 on either side of the brim portion 24. The spoutforming element 26 is of substantially the same overall shape, but is smaller so that it exactly fits within the non-circular ring. The spout-forming element 20 is for use on larger containers than the spout-forming element 26.

Referring now to figure 2, the shape of the spout-forming element 20 (or indeed of the spoutforming element 26), in this example, generally complies with the geometric construction as shown. The spout-forming element 20 is ring-shaped and consists of a single item that has two portions, which serve different roles: the elastic strap referred to as the strap portion 22 that holds the pouring spout firmly to the container; and the brim portion 24 that deforms to form the three dimensional pouring spout. These two portions 22 and 24 are normally formed from a single sheet of uniform thickness and consistent constituency. The strap portion 22 is indicated by hatching and its inner edge defines an oval (or egg shape) with a smaller radius of curvature at one end than at the opposite end, and with an axis of symmetry so that as shown the righthand side is the mirror image of the left-hand side.

The shape of spout-forming element 20 complies with the following limitations:

- the size of the element 20 is determined by the diameter of the container it is to be fitted to: Radius Rad A is the radius of the container, and Rad B is a slightly smaller radius than Rad A;

- Rad C is equal to Rad B less the width Z of the strap portion, so the lower half of the shape as shown is formed by two concentric semicircular arcs;

- Rad D is twice Rad C and forms an arc;

- Rad E (inside the ring) forms an arc that is tangential to the arc from Rad D and to the line that rad B would trace if a full circle;

- Rad F equals twice Rad B;

- Rad G is twice Rad F and so twice the width of the ring, forming an arc to form part of the outer edge of the working part of the pouring spout;

- the dimensions Rad H and Rad I relate to the shape of the hatched area, and so are not visible features in the flat state; Rad H is equal to twice Rad C plus the width Z, forming an arc;

- Rad I is equal to Rad E plus the width Z, and Rad I forms an arc that is both concentric to Rad E and tangential to the arc at Rad H;

- Rad J is equal to Rad C plus twice the width Z plus the distance Y, which in use corresponds to the protrusion of the pouring spout;

- the arcs from Rad G and Rad J are linked by an arc of the same radius as Rad E.

The oval ring shown hatched corresponds to the strap portion 22 whose surface comes into contact with the wall of the container that it is to be fitted to. Fitting the strap portion 22 to the container requires the strap portion 22 to be stretched so putting the unhatched brim portion 24 into compression. As illustrated in figure 1, the central part of the brim portion 24 therefore will form the pouring spout through which liquid or particulates would exit the container, and the two sides of the brim portion 24 form side baffles between which the liquids or particulates would flow.

By way of example the sheet may be of 1.5 mm thick flexible PVC. Considering the spout-forming element 20, the dimension twice Rad B may be 143 mm (to suit a cylindrical can of diameter 153 mm); the radial width Z may be 15 mm; and the width at the centre of the brim portion = (Z + Y) may be 45 mm. Similarly, the spout-forming element 26 that can be formed from the same sheet has the dimension twice Rad B = 98 mm (to suit a cylindrical can of diameter 108 mm); the radial width Z is again 15 mm; and the width (Z + Y) is 38 mm. A slightly larger spout-forming element 20 might for example have twice Rad B = 158 mm (to suit a cylindrical can of diameter 165 mm); the radial width Z = 15 mm; and the width (Z + Y) = 45 mm.

So, referring now to Figure 5, this shows a perspective view of the spout-forming element 20 stretched on to a cylindrical paint can 30 with a lid 31. Prior to attaching the spoutforming element 20 in this way, it would preferably be warmed in hot water, to make it easier to stretch. The lid 31 is still in place not being interfered with by the attached spout-forming element 20, and the lid 31 can be removed and replaced later. It will be appreciated that the strap portion 22 is held tightly against the outside wall of the paint can 30, so the strap portion 22 is stretched into an orientation 90° from the original flat state, while the brim portion 24 forms a pouring spout in the form of a trough 32 between two raised portions 34.

Referring now to Figure 6, in this case the pouring spout is shaped so as to be narrower, by fitting a rubber band 36 through the two notches 25 either side of the brim portion 24, which would for example suit the controlled pouring of runny paints. Alternatively or additionally, as shown in figure 7, the width of the trough 32 may be made even narrower by the user squeezing the two raised portions 34 closer together.

So, referring to figure 2 and also figures 5-7, it will be appreciated that the brim portion 24 projects from about half the circumference of the ring around the oval hole, where the ring around the oval hole corresponds to the strap portion 22. The width Z of the strap portion 22, when in its flat state, is such that the strap portion 22 is robust and can exert significant tension. A suitable tension is achieved, when the spout-forming element 20 is stretched onto the cylindrical container 30 by the correct balance of the resilience of the material and the crosssectional area, and in particular the width Z, of the strap portion 22. As shown in figure 5 the strap portion 22 is stretched so that it forms a cylindrical surface, and the consequential deformation varies across the width of the strap portion 22. The tension in the strap portion 22 ensures that the strap portion is firmly and resiliently held onto the top edge of the container 30, deformed through 90° so that what had been the top surface adjacent to the inner edge of the flat sheet becomes firmly pressed to the cylindrical wall of the container 30. The outer edge of strap in its flat form has little stretch applied to it, whilst the inner edge is stretched proportionally more. The strap portion 22, once it is stretched around the wall of the container 30, should then be adjusted until the top edge of the strap portion 22 is level or parallel to the top edge of the container 30 and is in contact with the wall of the container 30 around the entire circumference.

Now considering the portion of the ring that includes the brim portion 24, the stress in the strap portion 22 is substantially uniform around the entire circumference, including those parts from which the brim portion 24 projects, and the three dimensional form of the pouring spout is influenced by the stresses in the adjacent part of the strap portion 22 that touches the cylinder. Successfully functioning spouts have a varying surface angle as the surface gets closer to the outer edge and further outside the circumference of the cylindrical container 30 and higher than the rim. Importantly as well as the upper surface of the pouring spout has a smooth transition from roughly vertical to closer to horizontal: with or without use of the rubber band 36, the trough 32 of the pouring spout has the raised portions 34 on each side, which are closer to vertical, to restrict the material being poured from transiting other than through the trough 32 of the pouring spout. In comparison, with ceramic or glass jugs the spout may be created by pulling the wall of the container outwards and down, and this tends to have the same effect in creating the same side baffles as is achieved with the spout-forming device 20. This spout is achieved by distorting and stretching the curved inner edge closer to a linear configuration around the cylinder of the container. The outer edge of the brim portion 24 is now in compression, thus forcing the surface from the flat form to a compound undulating surface. By careful detailing of the geometry the familiar spout form that has evolved over millennia can be achieved in this modern embodiment of a spout for a modern human need.

Figure 8 illustrates use of a spout-forming element 20 of a clear transparent sheet material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thus enabling target vessel 36 into which the material is to be poured to be seen much more easily.

Figure 9 shows three orthogonal views of the spout-forming forming element 20 stretched on to a cylindrical paint can 30.

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a spout-forming element 40 in place on a paint can 30, the element 40 consisting of two differently-shaped brim portions 44 and a linking strap portion 42, the brim portions 44 forming pouring spouts 45 with two different profiles in this instance. The broader pouring spout 45a will typically suit gloopy paints, whereas the narrower pouring spout 45b will typically suit lower-viscosity or runny paints. The same concept can be deployed on a saucepan. Figure 11 shows the spout-forming element 40 in its un-stressed flat state; in this example the ring portion 42 surrounds a circular hole rather than an oval hole.

Referring now to figure 12, this shows a typical detail found on plastic containers for food stuff and larger paint pails. This is an engineered male snap fit closure 48 that engages in a female detail in the rim of the lid (not shown). Because of the provision of this closure 48 around the outside surface of the rim, the outer surface defines a number of cylindrical steps. Figure 13 shows a spout-forming element 50 suitable for use on such a closure 48, the element 50 being shown in its initial un-stretched substantially flat state. The element 50 has a strap portion 52 which defines a number of concentric steps, and a projecting brim portion 54.

The element 50 can be attached around the outside of the closure 48 by stretching the strap portion 52 and turning it downward, so that the concentric steps on the strap portion 52 mates with the cylindrical steps on the closure 48. As described above, the flat brim portion 54 will thereby be deformed so as to define a pouring spout.

Referring now to figures 14-16 there is shown a spout-forming element 60 for use in conjunction with a preserve jar 65 with a neck that defines a projecting thread 66 to engage a lid 67. The spout-forming element 60 is shown in figure 16 in its initial flat unstressed state, comprising an annular strap portion 62 and two opposed brim portions 64, and it will be observed that the upper surface of the strap portion 62 defines a groove 63. Figure 14 shows the spoutforming element 60 stretched on to the neck of the threaded preserve jar 65, with the strap portion 62 bent upwards as compared to the initial state, so that the threaded 66 remains exposed, so that the threaded lid 67 can be securely fastened. The groove 63 is consequently visible on the outside surface. In figure 15 the spout-forming element 64 is shown in its flipped up condition, with the groove 63 on the pourer making a snug fit to the thread 66, so that the strap portion 62 seals around the rim of the jar 65. The stretching of the strap portion 62 deforms the brim portion 64 to form two pouring spouts.

Figure 17 shows an adjustable spout-forming element 70 with a brim portion 74 that operates in substantially the same manner as in Figure 9, but in this case the strap portion 72 comprises two separate straps 75 that incorporate an adjustable linking mechanism that allows for the spout-forming element 70 being tightly fitted to containers of various diameters. In this example the linking mechanism 76 is in the form of projections 76a on one strap 75 and several matching recesses 76b on the other strap 75 into which the projections 76 can fit. The element 70 is shown, in figure 18, fitted to a cylindrical paint can 30. As in previously described embodiments, the strap portion 72 is stretched and twisted into a vertical orientation; and the resulting stresses in the brim portion 74 cause it to form a pouring spout.

Referring now to figures 19 and 20, there is shown a spout-forming element 80 which differs from the spout-forming element 20 in that a stiff but bendable wire 81 is incorporated and embedded near the edge of the brim portion 24; this is shown in plan view in figure 19, and in section in figure 20. In figure 21 the spout-forming element 80 is shown attached to a paint can 30, with the strap portion 22 twisted and stretched into the vertical so as to be a tight fit around the top of the wall. The pouring spout in this case can be manipulated by bending the wire 81 to achieve a desired width of the trough 82, to suit the viscosity of the paint to be poured from the can 30.

Referring now to figure 22 there is shown spout-forming element 90 of a heat-resistant food-compatible material such as silicone rubber. It is similar to the element 20, in comprising a ring-shaped strap portion 92 and a projecting brim portion 94, although this case the aperture of the ring is circular. The spout-forming element 90 is shown in plan and elevations in the form as originally cut out, along with a circular disc 91, and a projecting tab 93; the element 90, the disc 91, and the projecting tab 93 remain intact by virtue of a number of breakable links 95. In this integral form the items can be readily displayed, for example in a retail environment.

Figure 23 shows a perspective view of the spout-forming element 90 and the circular disc 91 after they have been separated. The circular disc 91 may be suitable for use as a heatresistant mat. In this case the spout-forming element 90 is intended for use on a saucepan 95, whose wall may be slightly splayed out at the top, but in other respects it is used in the same way as described above, for example in relation to figure 5 or figure 9: the strap portion 92 is stretched and twisted through about 90° so that it mates with the outside of the rim of the saucepan 95; this causes the brim portion 94 to define a pouring spout. Figure 24 shows the three orthogonal views of the element 90 in this state, not showing the saucepan 95; while figure 25 shows a perspective view of the spout-forming element 90 attached to the saucepan 95, which is standing on the heat-resistant mat 91.

Referring now to figures 26-29 the invention would also be applicable to a preserving jar 96 that uses a wire closure 97 to secure a lid 98. Figure 26 shows a perspective view of a spoutforming element 100 acting as a seal on the preserving jar 96 using a wire closure 97; figure 28 shows this same situation in section, with the spout-forming element 100 squeezed between the rim of the late 98 and a shoulder of the preserving jar 96. When the lid 98 is removed the spoutforming element 100 can be flipped upwards, into the position shown as a perspective view in figure 27 and in section in figure 29. In this example the spout-forming element 100 comprises a strap portion 102 and two projecting brim portions 104, and so it forms a pair of pouring spouts.

Referring now to figure 30 a spout-forming element 110 in its initial flat and unstressed state consists of a U-shaped strap portion 112 with a brim portion 114 that projects from the middle of the strap portion 112. The brim portion 114 has a similar shape to the brim portion 24 of the element 20, and defines two notches 25 on either side. Two strap elements 115 form the ends of the strap portion 112; and near the end of each strap element is a circular aperture 116.

As shown in figure 31, the spout-forming element 110 is for use on a container 117 that has two studs 118 that project from the wall just below the rim. In use, the spout-forming element 110 is stretched and twisted, by pulling on the ends of the strap element 115, so that the strap portion 112 twists through about 90°, and the apertures 116 are fitted over the studs 118, so that the strap portion 112 fits tightly around the top of the wall between the two studs 118. In the same way as described above, the brim portion 114 is thereby distorted into an undulating shape, so that the centre of the rim portion 114 defines a pouring spout. As described above in relation to figure 6, the width of the pouring spout can be adjusted by fitting a rubber band around the notches 25.

Claims

1. An attachable and detachable spout-forming element for use on a container having an opening, the spout-forming element comprising a strap portion and a brim portion that projects from part of the strap portion, the strap portion and the brim portion being integral and formed of a flexible and resilient material, wherein the strap portion is adapted to be stretched to fit around at least part of the container adjacent to the opening, the stretching of the strap portion causing the brim portion to undulate and so to define a pouring spout.

2. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 1 which is flat in its initial unstressed form.

3. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 2 wherein the strap portion, when stretched, twists through about 90° relative to its initial orientation.

4. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the brim portion is provided with means to modify the shape of the pouring spout.

5. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 4 wherein the brim portion is provided with notches on either side.

6. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 4 wherein the brim portion comprises a stiff but bendable wire to enable the reshaping of the three dimensional form of the pouring spout.

7. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims that is of a transparent sheet material.

8. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which defines more than one brim portion, spaced apart along the strap portion, so in use to provide a plurality of pouring spouts.

9. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 10 wherein the plurality of pouring spouts have different profiles.

10. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the strap portion comprises two separate strap elements that project in opposite directions from the sides of the brim portion, being adapted to be attached to each other, or being adapted to be attached to locating elements fixed to the container.

11. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the strap portion of the spout-forming element defines a ring that can be stretched around the container.

12. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 11 for use on a container with an external screw thread on the wall adjacent to the opening, wherein the strap portion defines a female moulding that can mate with the screw thread on the wall, when the strap portion is stretched around the wall.

13. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 11 for use on a container whose wall adjacent to the opening defines a ridged or stepped surface profile, wherein the strap portion defines a female moulding that mates with the ridged or stepped surface profile when the strap portion is stretched around the wall.

14. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 11 that is adapted to act as a seal between the neck or rim of a container and a lid of the container, when in one position, but when the lid is removed is adapted to be moved into a position in which it forms a pouring spout.

15. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of claims 11-14 wherein the ring, in its initial un-stressed state, defines circular aperture, or defines an oval aperture.

16. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of claims 11-14 wherein the ring, in its initial un-stressed state, defines an oval aperture; the element comprises a single brim portion; the strap portion remote from the brim portion being defined between semicircular arcs of inner and outer concentric circles, and being of radial width Z; and the portion of the oval closest to the centre of the brim portion being substantially tangential to the outer circle.

17. A spout-forming element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims formed of a plastic or rubber-like material.

18. A spout-forming element as claimed in claim 15 wherein the material is one that becomes easier to stretch if warmed up to a temperature above ambient but less than 70°C.

19. A spout-forming element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, figures 2-9 or figures 10 and 11, or figure 13 or figures 14-16 or figures 17-18 or figures 19-21 or figures 22-25 or figures 26-29 or figures 30-31 of the accompanying drawings.

Intellectual

Property

Office

GB1611546.1

1-18

Application No: Claims searched: