US3373909A

US3373909A - Closure cap and pouring spout

Info

Publication number: US3373909A
Application number: US601979A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel L Belcher
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Inc
Current assignee: OI Glass Inc
Priority date: 1966-12-15
Filing date: 1966-12-15
Publication date: 1968-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-19

Description

March 19, 1968 .1.. BELCHER CLOSURE CAP AND POURING SPOUT Filed Dec. 15, 1966 United States Patent Oflice Patented Mar. 19, 1968 3,373,909 CLOSURE CAP AND POURING SPOUT Samuel L. Belcher, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 601,979 2 Claims. (Cl. 222531) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is a dispensing-type of closure cap comprising a disk-like top or panel, at the periphery of which is a depending flared wall which is connected at its lower margin to a coaxial cylindrical attaching skirt for securing the cap to a container, the flared wall having a dispensing opening and pour-spout with the latter hinged to the cap at about the juncture of the flared wall and skirt.

My invention is a novel closure cap and pouring spout combination having for an important object the provision of such combination wherein the several elements are molded as a unitary structure, thus simplifying manufacture, avoiding the expense of assembling separately fabricated elements and consequently lowering the overall production cost.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an article of the above character formed of a plastic material such as polyethylene wherein the spout comprises novel means to releasably hold it in position to effectively close an associated discharge opening.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel closure cap and pouring spout, the latter being of the directional pour type.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a pouring spout which is an integral part of a closure cap and is produced in its entirety concurrently with the initial molding of the closure cap.

Finally, it is an object of my invention to provide a closure cap, whether round, square or another contour, with a discharge opening and close this opening with a pouring spout having floor portion hingedly connected to one wall of the opening.

Other objects will in part be apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of my application:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure cap and pouring spout embodying the preferred form of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 but with the pouring spout extended.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the form and position of the spout and closure cap at the conclusion of the molding operation.

FIG. 4 is a vertical central sectional view of the spout taken along the plane of line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate another form of my invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view with the spout closed.

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5, but with the spout extended to pouring position.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the spout extended as in FIG. 6.

In the preferred form of my invention (FIGS. 1-4) the closure cap C comprises a panel 10 or top portion, a depending continuous side wall 11 at the periphery of the panel and an attaching skirt 12 at the lower margin of the side wall 11. As indicated heretofore, this closure cap, which preferably is formed of polyethylene, or some other suitable plastic material, may be of any desired contour and is not restricted to the circular form shown. The attaching skirt 12 is intended to be telescoped over the neck or mouth-defining wall of a container (not shown) and secured thereto by heat sealing, or, if preferred, by screw-threads, lugs, or other conventional means. When the closure cap is in position to seal a container, only the attaching skirt physically encircles the container so that the entire depending wall 11, which may be flared, or not, as desired, is in its entirety positioned immediately above the rim of the container neck (not shown). The pouring spout and discharge opening are directly associated with this wall 11.

A discharge or pouring opening 13 of generally rectangular form is provided in the depending wall 11, such opening ideally being the same height as the wall 11. The pouring spout is also a closure for the discharge opening 13 and comprises a floor portion 14 of the same contour and dimensions as the discharge opening. Thus, in addition to functioning as the spout floor, or bottom, it also is an effective closure which seals the opening 13 against moisture entry into contact with the product. This spout floor is hinged to the lower wall 15 of the discharge opening 13 by a relatively thin web 16. A pair of opposed side walls 17 rise from the longitudinal side margins of the floor, each being generally triangular in outline and possessing a substantial degree of resilience and flexibility. These side walls 17, which, together with the floor 14, are

formed in a single simple molding operation with the closure cap C, normally diverge from the floor 14 about as indicated in FIG. 3. As a consequence initial closing of the discharge opening from the fabricating relationship of the elements (FIG. 4) necessitates pinching or pressing the side walls 17 toward each other about as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3 so that they may enter the discharge opening 13. As the walls enter the opening side pressure on them is terminated and upon final placement of the floor 14 to seal the discharge opening the walls again spread apart resulting in holding engagement between those portions of the walls 17 nearest the floor and the interior of the depending wall along the vertical side walls of the opening. In this manner the side walls effectively hold the floor 14 in position to seal the opening 13. Extension of the spout to the FIG. 2 position is facilitated through providing a finger accommodating depression 18 in the panel 10 (FIGS. 1-3) adjacent the spout. To limit the extent of spout opening, each sidewall 17 is provided with a finger 19, which, when the spout is sufiiciently extended, abuts the interior of the depending wall 11 adjacent the side walls of the dischargeopening 13, functioning as a stop.

In FIGS. 5-7 there is shown an adaptation of my invention wherein it is placed entirely in the panel 20 of the closure cap. As in the described form, this spout, comprising the floor 21 and opposed side walls 22, is hinged to the closure cap by means of a web 23 and these walls must be pressed toward each other, as in the preferred form, to permit their entry into the top discharge-opening 24 and consequent closing of the latter. Fingers 25 on the side walls serve to limit the extent to which the spout projects for pouring purposes. The depression 26 in the panel 20 facilitates finger manipulation of the spout. The skirt portion 27 on the closure cap, as in the preferred form may utilize any of the widely employed devices for securing it to a container,

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a one-piece molded plastic closure cap and pouring spout, a panel portion, an annular depending flared wall at the panel periphery, said closure cap having a dis charge opening, a combined pouring spout and closure for the opening comprising a floor portion of the same contour as the opening and dimensioned to fit into and close the latter, there being a Wall-section of reduced thickness hinging one margin of the floor to a Wall of the opening, a pair of opposed side-walls formed integral with side margins of the floor for projection through the opening into the closure cap incident to positioning the floor to close said opening, and means operable in response to full insertion of the Walls into said opening for securely yet releasably holding said floor in the discharge opening, there being a continuous cylindrical attaching skirt at the lower margin of and coaxial with said depending Wall and the discharge opening being in said depending Wall with said hinge point for the floor being substantially at the juncture of the flared wall and cylindrical skirt.

2. In a onepiece molded plastic closure cap and pourclosure cap panel being depressed in a restricted area to provide a radial channel opening through the panel periphery facilitating access to an edge of the floor portion of the spout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,934,695 11/1933 Brucker 222-531 3,036,746 5/1962 Hagen 22248O 3,048,309 8/1962 Albiani 222531 X 3,236,421 2/1966 Glazier 222402.13 3,266,681 8/1966 Rabb 222531 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

ing spout as defined in claim 11, the exterior surface of the 15 KENNETH N- LEIMER, Examiner.