IE54299B1 - Self-venting flexible pouring spouts for containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A nestable self-venting pouring- spout assembly for dispensing liquid from a container comprises a moulded plastics spout (1) having a flexible outer wall (9) joined to a relatively rigid and externally threaded inner wall (10), a peripheral sealing channel (6, 7, 8) being disposed around the top of the outer wall (9) for securing to a container neck by an overlying metal crimping ring (2), and a separate cup- shaped venting member (4) having an outer baffle wall (25), an annular bottom wall (24) and an inner baffle wall (29) defining a liquid passageway, air entry apertures (27) being formed in an upper portion of the outer baffle wall (25), which terminates at its uppermost end in a circumferential lip (26, 28) which seats within the sealing channel (6, 7, 8). A tear-out diaphragm (12) is recessed within the spout inner wall (10) above the thread (11) and is provided with an integrally-moulded ring-pull (14) to facilitate removal. A circumferentially-enlarged plastics reclosing cap (3) threadedly engages the spout inner wall (10) and also interlockingly engages the metal crimping ring (2) with the spout in its nested position to close off an annular spout void from contamination.

Description

The invention is directed to a flexible pouring spout assembly for dispensing liquid products from containers.

The incorporation of a self venting device in liquid dispensing spouts has long been recognized as a desirable aid in providing smooth, surge-free pouring. One type of pouring spout commonly used on industrial size pails and cans consists of a collapsible spout having a flexible wall portion which allows the spout to be raised from a compact stored or nested condition to a fully extended pouring position. These prior art pouring spouts are available incorporating a self vent device which eliminates the 10 need for a conpletely separate and more costly vent in the head of the container. In general terms such vent devices consist of an elongated tubular member having a circumferentially outwardly disposed flange at its lower end. With the spout in its nested or stored position the upper portion of the tubular vent is affixed to the spout interior with the major portion of the vent extending axially beyond the spout into the container. Upon raising the flexible spout to the extended pouring position the vent member is also axially displaced bringing the vent flange closely adjacent to the spout base and providing a series of air entry passages therebetween.

The above described prior art constructions while adequately performing their intended venting functions possess certain structural deficiencies which the present invention seeks to overcome. Of principal concern, the rather considerable overall axial elongation of the collapsed or nested closure as results from incorporation of the prior art tubular vent constructions has serious drawbacks. For exanple, it is common practice for the pail manufacturer to furnish heads complete with closure independently of pail bodies which bodies are stacked nested within each other to reduce shipping costs. It is also the practice to stack pail covers, however, that is virtually impossible with a pouring vent which may effectively double the vertical profile of the closure, in fact, every shipment of the closures per se becomes more costly as a result of the substantially increased bulk due to the prior art self vent. A further drawback resides in the necessity of securely affixing the vent member 2. 4 2 9 9 within the spout interior during manufacture. This fabrication is normally performed as a heat sealing operation which is not only costly but must be consistently strong enough to prevent separation during shipment and handling. Also, once the vented closure is applied to a filled pail the tendency of the vent to separate from the spout becomes even greater due to the mechanical action caused by surging or sloshing of the fluid.

Chemical attack alone by the packaged fluid may severely stress the heat sealed joint between the spout and the vent.

According to the invention, there is provided a container closure construction comprising a nestable synthetic plastics pouring spout having an annular sealing channel peripherally disposed at one end, a relatively flexible outer wall extending downwardly from said sealing channel, a relatively rigid spout inner wall connected to the lowermost end of said spout outer wall and concentrically nested therewith™ with said spout in its stored or nested position, said spout Inner wall terminating in an uppermost free end; cap engaging means formed on said spout inner wall, a sealing membrane closing off said spout inner wall, an annular metal crinping ring overlying said spout sealing channel, a plastics cap having a top wall and a depending skirt in engagement with said spout, wherein the closure includes an anti-surge pouring vent member secured to the sealing channel and at least partially closely circumferentially surrounding said pouring spout outer wall, said vent member substantially conforming to the contour of said spout outer wall in the nested position so that the vertical profile of said nested spout is generally unchanged by the presence of said pouring vent member.

The drawbacks inherent in the abovementioned and other prior art self vented spouts are substantially eliminated by the construction of the invention in providing an improved flexible wall pouring spout closure of the type movable by reversing the configuration of the flexible wall from a compact nesting position to an extended pouring position with a vent member closely surrounding said spout in its retracted position. The spout has a sealing channel by which it is securely applied to the neck opening of a container or pail by means of a metal crimping ring. The surrounding vent member has a peripheral lip by which it is mechanically secured in the spout 3.

S439S sealing channel by the action of the crimping ring. The vent is formed to allow air entry at its periphery while permitting a central flow of liquid from the spout in the extended pouring position. The resulting controlled fluid flow is thus achieved through the use of a sinple self vent which 5 closely conforms to the configuration of the nested spout and adds insignificantly to the nested vertical profile of the closure assembly. Moreover, the manner of mechanically securing the self-venting of the spout and closure container opening by means of the metal crimping ring further assures against damage and separation under subsequent use conditions. The spout also has a hand-removable sealing membrane sealing its opening as well as a reclosing cap for reclosing the opening when the seal is removed.

The closure constructions of this invention further provides, incidentally, an improved, tamper evident nestable pouring spout, and the closure may be provided with lifting bails by which it can be readied for use completely with the unaided hand.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of an exanple and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a part-elevational, part-axial sectional view of the nestable pouring spout in its retracted condition, and with pouring vent, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pouring spout closure and separately attached pouring vent; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the pouring spout assembly crimped onto a container wall opening and in its extended pouring position.

Figure 3a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the spout container wall joint region shown in Figure 3; and Figure 4 is a top plan view of the pouring vent.

In general terms, the container closure assembly in accordance with the invention consists of a nestable plastic pouring spout 1, a metal crimping ring 2, a plastic overcap 3 and a pouring vent 4.

More specifically the pouring spout 1 shown in its stored or nested 4. 5439S position in Figure 1 has a peripheral inverted sealing channel at its base made up of a shortened outer wall 6, a top wall 7 and an elongated inner wall 8. A relatively flexible outer wall 5 extends from the lower end of the channel inner wall 8 to the lower end of a relatively rigid upstanding spout neck 10. The spout neck 10 has an exterior helical thread 11. Immediately above the thread, the spout neck 10 is closed off by a sealing membrane 12 surrounded by a weakened tearing zone 13. A ring pull 14 suitable for grasping with the unaided finger closely overlies the membrane 12 in a horizontal plane and is integrally joined by a connecting neck 15 to the periphery of the membrane adjacent to the tearing zone 13. The vertical clearance between the membrane and the ring pull is less than the vertical cross sectional thickness of the ring pull.

The metal crimping ring 2 has an inverted channel shaped configuration in cross section consisting of an axially elongated outer peripheral wall 16 terminating in an inwardly curled lower edge, a top wall 17 and a shortened inner wall 18 also terminating in a lowermost inward curl. The crinping ring 2 overlies and snugly confines the spout sealing channel therewithin.

The reclosable overcap 3 has a circumferentially enlarged top wall 19 surrounded by a pair of hinged lifting bails 20 which in their initial stored position overlie the metal ring 2. A cylindrical skirt 21 depends from the underside of the top wall 19 of the cap and interlockingly engages beneath the lower curled edge of the ring inner wall 18. An internally threaded cylindrical sidewall 22 also depends from the underside of the cap top for engagement with the external thread 11 on the spout neck 10. Full thread engagement and subsequent reclosing is achieved upon seating the uppermost end of the spout neck within a downwardly opening annular groove 23 disposed inside the sidewall 22. The spout, ring and cap are assembled as above described to give a secure, compact closure unit adapted for efficient handling, shipment and storage.

A generally cup shaped pouring vent 4 is supplied as part of the assembly, comprising an annular bottom wall 24 and an upstanding outer sidewall 25 terminating in a peripheral lip 26. A series of air slots 27 . 4 299 are formed in an annular zone near the upper end of the vent sidewall 25.

The upper end of the sidewall 25 also includes a short cylindrical band 28 intermediate the lip 26 and slots 27. The centre of the vent bottom wall 24 is open to provide a fluid exit passage surrounded by an upstanding inner wall 29. A small drainage aperture 30 is also provided in the bottom wall 24.

To adapt the closure assembly previously described to a self-venting unit the closure assembly is sinply inserted into the vent 4 with the spout neck 10 and flexible wall 9 snugly confined within the annular socket formed by the vent outer wall 25 and inner wall 29. Both inner and outer vent walls are tapered in their upward extent to aid assembly. As the vent and spout are compressed together the cylindrical band 28 at the upper end of the vent outer wall 25 tightly surrounds the spout sealing channel inner wall 8. When the vent lip 26 contacts the under surface of the sealing channel top wall 7 a secure friction fit engagement is created between vent band 28 and the inner wall 8. Also upon completion of the assembly operation the uppermost end of the vent wall 29 surrounding the fluid exit passage lies just beneath the spout membrane 12. The conplete self venting pouring spout assembly as seen in Figure 1, thus becomes a secure, compact unit without resorting to costly bonding assembly operations. Since the overall profile of the closure is changed very little, subsequent handling, packing and storage is economical and trouble free.

Turning to the application and use of the self-venting spout assembly, it can be seen in Figure 3 that when the spout sealing channel is placed on a container opening the vent lip 26 is tightly squeezed between the opening neck 31 and sealing channel top wall 7. The resulting mechanical interlock renders dislodgement of the vent virtually impossible. This arrangement proves highly desirable in counteracting the damaging forces normally created by the surging or sloshing action of the container fluid tending to dislodge the closure. Moreover, the heretofore deleterious swelling action imparted to synthetic plastic parts for example by normally packaged hydrocarbons becomes inconsequential.

To ready the closure for pouring the spout is raised by means of 6. 54298 the large gripping bails 20 on the screw cap 3 causing the flexible wall 9 to act as a rolling diaphragm to unfold and reverse its disposition for erect pouring. Upon disengagement of the overcap 3 and tearing away of the membrane by means of the immediately accessible ring pull 14, the container is ready for dispensing. Liquid rapidly discharged through the central vent passage 29 is instantly displaced by atmospheric air travelling along the top inner surface of the spout and passing through the air entry slots 27. Having the membrane 12 disposed as near the spout opening as possible leaving just clearance for the ring pull 14 allows for maximum extension of the fluid passage wall 29. With the wall 29 reaching at least to the horizontal plane of the air entry apertures 27, sufficient separation of the outgoing fluid and the incoming air is achieved for satisfactory venting.

The self venting spout construction thus described facilitates rapid and accurate dispensing free of the uncontrolled pulsating surging characteristics of air locking containers. In addition to its simplicity and resultant cost effectiveness in manufacture, by maintaining substantially the same overall profile of the spout assembly when equipped with the vent, the conditions for packing and handling remain constant.

This low profile construction is particularly advantageous in view of the common practice of stacking closure fitted lids.

Various other changes in or modifications of the pouring spout assembly and different embodiments of the invention would suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It is accordingly intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as being merely illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

Claims (6)

1. A container closure construction comprising a nestable synthetic plastics pouring spout having an annular sealing channel peripherally disposed at one end, a relatively flexible outer wall extending downwardly 5 from said sealing channel, a relatively rigid spout inner wall connected to the lowermost end of said spout outer wall and concentrically nested therewithin with said spout in its stored or nested position, said spout inner wall terminating in an uppermost free end; cap engaging means formed on said spout inner wall, a sealing membrane closing off said spout inner 10 wall, an annular metal crimping ring overlying said spout sealing channel and a plastics cap having a top wall and a depending peripheral skirt in engagement with said spout wherein said closure includes an anti-surge pouring vent member secured to the sealing channel and at least partially closely circumferentially surrounding said pouring spout outer wall, said 15 vent member substantially conforming to the contour of said spout outer wall in the nested position so that the vertical profile of said nested spout is generally unchanged by the presence of said pouring vent member.

2. A container closure construction according to Claim 1 wherein the anti-surge pouring vent member comprises a thin-walled, plastics, 20 cup-shaped member having an upstanding outer sidewall and a substantially imperforate annular bottom wall for substantially preventing the pouring of liquid therethrough, the upper portion of said sidewall having a series of circumferentially disposed air entry apertures, said sidewall upper portion terminating in engagement with said crimping ring and a central fluid exit 25 passage being formed within said annular bottom wall.

3. A container construction according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said anti-surge pouring vent menber adjoins said pouring spout in close proximity to said spout sealing channel.

4. A container construction according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, when 30 dependent on Claim 2, wherein said air entry apertures are disposed in close proximity to said spout sealing channel. 8.

5. A container closure construction according to Claim 2 or Claims 3 or 4 when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the central fluid exit passage and anti-surge pouring vent member extends upwardly at least to a horizontal plane containing said air entry apertures. 5

6. A container closure construction substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.