US3073485A

US3073485A - Collapsible tube

Info

Publication number: US3073485A
Application number: US92236A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schultz Robert Stephen
Original assignee: American Can Co
Current assignee: Primerica Inc
Priority date: 1961-02-28
Filing date: 1961-02-28
Publication date: 1963-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 1980-01-15

Description

Jan. 15, 1963 R. s. scHULTz coLLA'PsIBLE TUBE Filed Feb. 28, 1961 fig -I f/I /7 if /f :Ill-I. x

mn n?. INVENTOR. /Qf/U 5759/1/51/ SKA/M TZ BY W rra/@VHS nhce 3,073,485 v CLLAPSIBLE TUBEY Robert Stephen Schultz, Somerville, NJ., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 92,236 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-92) This invention relates to metal tubes, such as those used for packaging tooth paste, and to the provision of protective means for said tubes preventing contamination ofthe product bythe metal of the tube. Itis known, for example, that certain products attack the metal of the tube with results which may cause discoloration of the product or even toxicity thereof. In order to prevent such reaction it is customary to provide a protective layer or coating on the tube interior, and to attach a nonmetallic dispensing neck or spout to the tube as i1lustrated in U.S. Patent 2,122,325. The spout is usually premolded of plastic material, is attached to the tube breast, by swaging a ange of the breast thereover, and is so formed as to present a threaded exterior to receive the tube cap and provide non-contaminating surfaces adjacent the exit point of the tube so that product remnants trapped in the cap and necesarily brought thus into contact with the neck threads will not become discolored thereby.

I-t is apparent that the nature of making .the connection of the spout with the container is somewhat complicated mechanically, results in rather an irregular exterior appearance to the tube breast which makes breast decoration diiiicult or impossible, and generally results in costly tube assembly procedures, impairment of tube appearance, or both. v

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to providea a non-metallic threaded surface at the neck of a metal tube in a manner such that the same can be readily and easily placed in automatic fashion, and in a manner which will permit ready decoration of the tube breast. lt isA also an object of the invention to accomplish the above results in a way which will generally not detract from the appearance of the assembly, or perhaps even enhance it. l

i The foregoing object -is achieved according to the present invention by forming the tube withv an integral metal neck portion of somewhat thinner Wall than that ordi-- narily used, and providing a preformed plastic shroud attachment or outsert embracing and supported by the neck portion and carrying the .threads or other cap connecting means on its exterior surface. The outsert is molded yof somewhat resilient material and the tube neck portion and outsert are provided with cooperating outline features whereby the outsert may merely be positioned overthe neck portion and snapped into place.v 'Ihe'reare also provided on the neck portion and outsert cooperating features which defeat any tendency of the outsert to rotate on the neck during placement or removal of the cap. Y

Additional objects, features and advantages will appear hereinafter las the description-proceeds in the drawing: I

FIG. 1 is a rag-mentary elevation of the upper end o a complete tu-be assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the upper end of a metal tube with the outsert removed and showing the improved neck portion shaped to receive the outsert; v

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 3--3 of FIG. 1; v

FIG. 4 is an axial section .to a larger scale, taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

Referring' to the drawing, numeral 11 indicates a col-v lapsible metal tube of the type normally formed of lead,

aluminum or tin by impact extrusion and designed .to package and dispense paste or cream products. The tube is equipped with an integrally formed breast 13 and neck portion t5. The tip of the neck portion 15'has an exterior toothed formation providing a large number of closely arranged axial utes 17. Just below the ends of the utes is provided a retaining ring 19 preferably hav-ing -a slop; ing upper cam surface 21 and defining just beneath itself an annular groove 23. lt will be noted that the coniigu ration oi the neck portion is such that it can be readily formed on conventional tube making machinery, the flutes i7 and cam surface 21 being shaped coincidentally with the impact extrusion operation, and the groove 23 being f turned coincidentally with the customary trimming operaL tion on the tube. v

An outsert Z5 for attachment to the tube 11 includes a sleeve portion 27 and an inturned top ange Z9. The sleeve portion Z7 is of a size to closely embrace the neck portion 15 of the tube and has on its inner surface a series of teeth or projections 33 corresponding in size and spacing to the flutes 1'7, the lower end of each projection being rounded oli as indicated at 35, FIGS. 4 and 5. Below the ends of the projections is provided an inwardly extending locking bead 37 designed to pass over the retaining ring Il@ with an interfering fit and snap into place in the groove 23. y

The outsert 25. is made of inert vmaterial of somewhat resilient nature, any of various synthetic resinous r'nate riala such asthe polyoleiins being suitable, and is prefer'a ably of a length and coniguration such that its lower end will rest against -the upper surface of the tube breast 1,3 when the outsert is in place.

The upper flange 29 of the outsert is` preferably so located as tol come into Contact with the upperend ofy the tube neck portion substantially at the same time that noted that the breast 13 Yis of customary conical form l and is free of bulges or flanges related tothe `attaching of the plastic outsert 25. Consequently ordinary coating equipment, such as the conventional breast-coating rollers,

can be used to secure the usually-required external breast decoration. Breasts of the swage-con'nection :type must normally be left uncoated'duc to economic"considerations If the outsert 25 is of a matching color with thebr'ea-st de corationit will lend a remarkable appearance of unity with the breast. Exceptional decorative elieetscairf'also be `achie'v/ed'by coatingy the breast with a c'olofrlsuitably 'related' to the color of the outsert, either differentl 'but similar, or sharply contrasting. Y 5

'In operation, the ttibe'll s formed byy impactextrusion and trimmed andgroovedA to provide the resultshowh in PIG. 2, an interioicoating 41 preferably -beir'gprfvided. The exterior vsurface includingA the breast 13 is decorated in customary fashion. Outserts 25 are formed, as by injection molding, using material of the desired color. An outsert 25 is then placed over the neck portion 15 of a tube 11 and is installed merely by akstraight push against the outer end while the tube is held onfa` The cam surface 21 y spreads the bead 37 slightly and it presently snaps into groove 23 where it is substantially locked against resuitable mandrel (not shown).

f 3,073,485g Patented Jail.y 15, y1963A moval. It is especially pointed out that because of the large plurality of iiutes 17 extending about the neck portion with uniform spacing, as well as the rounded inner ends 35 of the teeth, the placing of the outsert over the neck portion is all that is required. Because of these features and relationships the parts will not require rotational orientation but seek their own proper meshing position. Accordingly, the assembly is very simple and readily lends itself to accomplishment by usual automatic hoppering techniques. While the number of flutes and teeth are shown as exactly corresponding, it will be understood that the number of teeth may be a fraction of the number of flutes and be equally spaced about the periphery with an angular spacing equal to a whole number of ute spacings, and that the utes and teeth may be placed on the opposite members if desired and still achieve the same result without impairing the effectiveness of the relationship so far as automatic assembly is concerned. For convenience any one of these described arrangements may be referred to as a 360 degree assemblable mutual interiitting relationship, and they will be so referred to hereinafter.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrange ment of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. The combination of a collapsible tube unit comprising a metal body having a breast and neck portion integrally formed therewith, and an outsert of resilient plastic material attached to said tube unit, and embracing, overlying and enclosing the neck portion thereof, said outsert being seated at one end upon said breast portion and at its opposite end upon said neck portion, preformed toothed means on said neck portion and outsert providing a 360 degree assemblable mutual intertitting relationship between the outer surface of said neck portion and the inner surface of said outsert, preventing relative rotation thereof, and means providing a snap-together locking connection between said outsertand said neck portion.

2. The combination of a collapsible tube unit comprising a metal body having a breast and neck portion integrally formed therewith, and an outsert of resilient plastic material attached to said tube unit, said neck portion and outsert being substantially coextensive in length with the latter embracing, overlying and enclosing the former, said outsert being seated at one end upon said breast portion and at its opposite end upon said neck portion, preformed toothed means on said neck portion and outsert providing a 360 degree assemblable mutual interfitting relationship between the outer surface of said neck portion and the inner surface of said outsert, preventing relative rotation thereof, and means providing a snap-together locking connection between said outsert and said neck portion.

3. The combination of a collapsible tube unit comprising a metal body having a breast and neck portion integrally formed therewith, and an outsert of resilient plastic material attached to said tube unit, said neck portion and outsert being substantially coextensive in length with the latter embracing, overlying and enclosing the former, said outsert being seated at one end upon said breastportion and at its opposite end` upon said 4 neck portion, preformed toothed means on said neck portion and outsert providing a 360 degree assemblable mutual interiitting relationship between the outer surface of said neck portion and the inner surface of said outsert, preventing relative rotation thereof, and means providing a snaptogether locking connection between said outsert and said neck portion including an inwardly extending locking bead on the inner surface of said outsert and a retaining ring on the outer surface of said neck portion, said locking bead and retaining ring having interfering dimensions and being positioned to snap into locking relationship when the outsert reaches its seated position on said neck portion.

4. The combination of a collapsible tube unit comprising a metal body having a breast and neck portion integrally formed therewith, the outer surface of said neck portion including a set of flute elements thereabout,

an outsert of resilient plastic material attached to the` tube unit and including a sleeve portion embracing, over-` lying and enclosing the neck portion of the tube unit, said outsert being seated at one end upon said breast portion and at its opposite end upon said neck portion, said outsert including a set of tooth elements on the inner surface of the sleeve portion interchangeably mesh able with said flute elements, at least one of said sets of elements being closely and equally spaced about its corresponding portion, and means providing a snaptogether locking connection between said outsert and neck portion.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4 in which the outsert includes an inwardly extending ange at its upper end overlying and concealing the upper end of the neck portion. v

6. A combination as set out in claim 4 in which one of said sets of elements includes a smooth lead-in configuration at the entering end where meshing begins during assembly to provide for automatically guiding the elements into meshing relationship.

7. As a new article of manufacture and sale, a preformed outsert of flexible plastic material adapted for snap-in-place assembly with the neck portion of a metal collapsible tube having axial iiutes therein and a retaining ring adjacent the base thereof, said outsert comprising a sleeve portion for embracing, overlying and enclosing the neck portion of the tube and having cap attachment means on its exterior surface and axial tooth'means on its interior surface meshable with said neck portion utes and slidable therein to prevent relative rotation between said outsert and said tube neck portion, an interior peripheral locking bead adjacent the lower end of said sleeve portion and having a minimum diameter less than the maximum diameter of the retaining ring on theneck portion, and an inwardly directed flange at the upper end of said sleeve portion for concealing the free end of the neck portion of the tube.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which the ends of said teeth remote from the flange are rounded to provide for automatically guiding the teeth into meshing relation with the tube neck flutes.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,794,574 Mcoeorge et a1. June 4, 1957 2,829,802 Pauu Apr. s, s f 2,844,290 Slade July 22, 195s fea-M

Claims

1. THE COMBINATION OF A COLLAPSIBLE TUBE UNIT COMPRISING A METAL BODY HAVING A BREAST AND NECK PORTION INTEGRALLY FORMED THEREWITH, AND AN OUTSERT OF RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL ATTACHED TO SAID TUBE UNIT, AND EMBRACING OVERLYING AND ENCLOSING THE NECK PORTION THEREOF, SAID OUTSERT BEING SEATED AT ONE END UPON SAID BREAST PORTION AND AT ITS OPPOSITE END UPON SAID NECK PORTION, PREFORMED TOOTHED MEANS ON SAID NECK PORTION AND OUTSERT PROVIDING A 360 DEGREE ASSEMBABLE MUTUAL INTERFITTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID NECK PORTION AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID OUTSERT, PREVENTING RELATIVE ROTATION THEREOF, AND MEANS PROVIDING A SNAP-TOGETHER LOCKING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID OUTSERT AND SAID NECK PORTION.