US3214068A

US3214068A - Shaker

Info

Publication number: US3214068A
Application number: US331177A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald F Armour
Original assignee: Monsanto Co
Current assignee: Monsanto Co
Priority date: 1963-12-17
Filing date: 1963-12-17
Publication date: 1965-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-26

Description

D. F. ARMOUR Oct. 26, 1965 SHAKER 2 Sheets -Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1963 IA A 1 DONALD F. ARMOUR INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY- D. F. ARMOUR Oct. 26, 1965 SHAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1963 DONALD F. ARMOUR INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,214,068 SHAKER Donald F. Armour, Bloomfield, Conn., assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 331,177 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-486) The present invention relates generally to a novel container useful in dispensing powders, granules, or the like, and more specifically to a new and useful powder shaker which has the combined advantages of simplicity, economy, and ease in assembly and filling.

Dispensers made of resinous polymeric materials have become of importance in the field of packaging in recent years. These plastic containers are now finding applications in the dry product market, particularly in use as shakers for powder and granulated materials, such as baby powder, cosmetics, seasonings, and the like. The majority of the shakers presently in commercial use suffer from several disadvantages, including elaborate preassembly requirements, unusual filling line assembly restrictions, and high cost. In addition, the commercially available containers, due to the attempt to obtain a maximum sized orifice to facilitate filling of the containers, are often susceptible to sifting during shipment.

It has been found that the container constructed in accordance with the present invention overcomes all these disadvantages of the prior art, particularly in regard to economy and simplicity of construction.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a receptacle for use in a shaker formed of a synthetic plastic material and containing a tubular neck having annular indentations in the rim of the neck adapted to cooperate with a closure to produce a uniquely useful shaker.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a closure for a receptacle suitable for slidingly engaging the tubular neck of the receptacle, said closure having a stop block positioned on its inner surface which cooperates with a peripheral indented projection on the neck of the receptacle to provide limited rotational movement of the closure on the tubular neck.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide the art with a simple and economical shaker having a one-piece closure and having all the prerequisites for a commercially feasible, readily assembled dispenser.

The invention will be best understood from the following description read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of the dispenser constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line A-A showing the dispenser in a condition allowing access to its contents.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line AA showing the receptacle in a sealed condition.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the closure.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the receptacle of this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a partial perspective view illustrating still another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates the shaker of this invention in cross-sectional view designated generally as 1. The container walls may assume any useful shape. Extending from the top wall of the retainer is a tubular neck 2 having an indentation 3 along its rim. This indentation may be of any suitable length and may, if desired, consist of several indentations spaced along the rim in random fashion. Two indentations placed on opposite sides of the rim as indicated in FIG- URE 5 are usually suflicient. These indentations serve as conduits for the powder from the receptacle to perforations 4 in closure 5. The second indentation 3 shown in FIGURE 5 is employed to accommodate a second set of perforations 4 in the top of the closure. Thus, each set of perforations 4 is provided an indentation 3 that serves as a conduit for the powder from the receptacle to the perforations. In addition, the sharp corners of the indentation wipe the powder clean from the top surface when the cap is rotated. The neck is further characterized by a peripheral projection or bead 6 integral with the neck having one or more, indentations 7 therein. This indentation serves as a groove to receive stop block 8 positioned on the inner surface of closure 5, thereby impeding full rotational movement of the closure around the periphery of neck 2. The indentations 7 may be of any length provided sufiicient rotational movement can be imparted to the closure to allow perforations 4 to register with the opening provided in the rim by indentation 3. It is preferred that the bead 6 have indentations on opposite sides of the neck as illustrated in FIGURE 5. Closure 5 will, accordingly, have two corresponding stop blocks as indicated in FIGURE 4 to accommodate the indentations.

Closure 5 is additionally provided with a ring 9 so that, upon forcing the closure into sliding engagement with the rim of the neck, ring 9 will move into locking engagement with bead 6 thereby preventing axial movement of the closure. This requires little pressure due to the resiliency of the plastic material, yet produces a strong blocking and sealing mechanism capable of with standing the normal abuse encountered in shipping and in actual use. Ring 9 also functions as a sealing ring to prevent powder from sifting from the skirt of the cap.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, the closure and neck are illustrated in an open and closed position. As can be readily seen, stop block 8 restricts rotational motion between the edges of indentation 3, designated 10 and 11. The contents of the receptacle become accessible by rotation of the closure cap. The corners of the indentation serve the additional function of wiping powder clean from the top surface when the cap is rotated to the closed position shown in FIGURE 3. The closure can be snapped onto the bottle in any position and rotated clockwise until the stop block positions itself within the grooves of the bead, thereby avoiding any necessity for orientating the closure with receptacle prior to assembly. To assure a positive closed position, the closure is merely rotated upon positioning the stop blocks in the grooves.

The indentations in the peripheral bead are preferably aligned with the indentations in the neck rim, however, this is by no means necessary. For example, FIGURE 6 illustrates a tubular neck having the bead indentations out of alignment with the rim indentations. This, of course, requires a corresponding realignment of the stop blocks within the closure surface. It is only necessary that upon rotation of the closure, the stop blocks engage the edge of the indentation and the contents of the receptacle are either fully accessible or inaccessible.

It is also possible to provide indentations on the lower periphery of the bead rather than in the upper periphery as shown in FIGURE 7. This would merely require a corresponding lowering of the stop block in the inner surface of the closure to register with the indentations in the head.

The receptacle itself can obviously assume any of numerous shapes, for example, the receptacle may consist merely of a bottom wall having sides which converge into the neck of the receptacle. Also, the receptacle may, if desired, be simply an open-ended container having indentations along its rim thereby eliminating the necessity for a neck portion. 'In this event, the shaker closure would accommodate the walls of the receptacle itself in the same manner as that indicated for a receptacle having a neck portion.

Obviously, the perforation in closure 5 can assume a variety of shapes, depending upon the type of material to be poured and the particular use requirements of the material. For example, the closure might more desirably have a spout or funnel in place of the series of small perforations shown in the drawings. Also, indentations 7 may, if desired, be cut completely through the peripheral projection or bead 6, though this arrangement would weaken the combined sealing action of the bead and seal ring.

While in the foregoing specification, specific structures have been set out in specific detail for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such details of the structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

A shaker for dispensing powder granules or the like formed of a synthetic plastic material comprising: a bottom wall; a top wall; a side wall in contiguity with said top and bottom walls, said top wall having an opening defined by a tubular neck having at least one indentation in the rim of said neck, said indentation extending completely through the neck wall at the rim and partially around the periphery thereof, a peripheral annular bead integral with said neck, said annular bead having at least one groove therein; and a closure of unitary construction having openings in the top thereof and a depending skirt in rotational sliding engagement with said neck; said closure including a sealing ring on its periphery that coacts with the underside of said annular bead to prevent axial movement of the closure with respect to the neck; at least one stop block integral with said closure on its inner surface and adapted to engage said groove of the annular bead to impede full rotational movement of the closure and said openings in said closure adapted to be aligned with said indentation to dispense materials from said shaker through said openings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 165,670 7/75 Goodwin et al. 222--553 1,956,764 5/34 Johnston 222-553 X 2,619,266 11/52 McDonald 222548 2,873,896 2/59 Swartz 222-548 2,970,724 2/ 61 Lacy 222-548 X 3,029,003 4/62 Gronemeyer 222548 X FOREIGN PATENTS 299,656 1 1/ 28 Great Britain. 583,361 10/58 Italy.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.