WO1998002363A1

WO1998002363A1 - Closure of synthetic material

Info

Publication number: WO1998002363A1
Application number: PCT/EP1997/003624
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claude Benoit-Gonin; Philippe Bardet
Original assignee: Astra Plastique
Priority date: 1996-07-12
Filing date: 1997-07-09
Publication date: 1998-01-22
Also published as: FR2750954A1; EP0918699A1; AU3443697A; FR2750954B1

Abstract

A closure enabling a liquid to be drunk directly from a bottle has a pourer spout (10) movably mounted on a support (8) which rests on the bottle neck (12). The spout and support have respective openings which may be aligned by movement of the spout to enable the liquid to leave the container for drinking. The closure also comprises a cover (2) having a cylindrical skirt (34) and an annular part (38) designed to clamp the edge of the support (8) against the neck of the bottle. The cover also includes a cap (4) which is hinged to it at a hinge zone (6) and is designed to cover the pourer spout (10) when the latter is in its closed position.

Description

"CLOSU.RE OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL"

The subject of the invention described hereafter is a closure of synthetic material which is intended for dispensing a liquid contained in a container, in particular a beverage. It is already known to equip a bottle with a closure having a pourer, thereby making it possible easily to drink the beverage contained inside the bottle. It is not then necessary to pour out the beverage in order to be able to drink it without difficulty. This is useful when one takes it along with one to drink on a trip or to drink whilst one is practising a sport e.g. running or cycling .

Pourer devices of this kind are known, for example from FR 2 384 682 or FR 2 705 086, which comprise a pourer spout able to pivot between a first position in which the liquid is kept tightly in the container, and a second position in which the liquid can leave through the pourer spout.

A drawback of these devices is that the pourer spout is not protected when in its closed position. Therefore, if the contents of the container are not drunk at one go, the pourer spout, which was possibly protected originally by a film, is no longer protected from dust and other dirt. It is then inadvisable for the user to put the pourer spout back into the bottle mouth with a view to drinking again at a later time which may be some hours or days after having opened up the container.

An aim of the invention is therefore to provide a closure made of synthetic material designed to dispense liquids and in particular beverages, which has a movable pourer spout in order to make it possible to drink directly and without difficulty from a container on which the closure is mounted, this pourer spout being able to be shielded from dust and other impurities after a first opening of the container. It s also preferable for the closure to have a minimum number of separate components. For this purpose, according to the invention, the closure is characterised in that the movable pourer spout is mounted on a support which rests on the upper edge of the neck of the container and has a zone of shape complementary to the pourer spout so as to act as a guide for movement of the latter, the pourer spout and the support having respective opening which, depending on the relative position of the pourer spout and of the support, allow or do not allow the 1-quιd to leave the container, and in that the closure also comprises a cover having a cylindrical skirt designed to be mounted on the neck of the container and an annular part which is situated at the top end of the skirt and designed to hold the edge of the support on the neck of the container, and a cap articulated around a hinge zone for movement about an axis parallel to the opening plane of the neck of the container, the cap being adapted to cover the pourer spout when the latter is in its closed position.

The pourer spout can be protected from dust and other impurities when it is not in service, thanks to the cap. Moreover the closure can be realised with only three components, namely the pourer spout, the support, and the cover .

The closure is designed to be mounted on the neck of a container. In order to guarantee the user that the closure has not been used already, the invention proposes either that the cover should be mounted irreversibly on the neck of the container, or that the cover should be equipped with a visible tamperproof device.

In order to guarantee the tamperproofness of the pourer spout in its closed position and before its first opening, the cap may be connected to the annular part of the cover by a line of weakening which requires to be broken before the cap can be opened. The line of weakening can be realised by a thinning of material or else the cap may be connected to the annular part of the cover by small frangible bridges. In order to facilitate the opening of the cap, the latter may comprise a gripping zone diametrically opposed to the hinge zone.

Preferably, the hinge zone of the cap on the cover is located above the opening plane of the neck of the container, that is to say, on the side of the annular part of the cover remote from the skirt. This gives the user better access to the pourer spout.

In a first described embodiment, the pourer spout comprises a first tubular part closed at one of its ends, and a second tubular part which is joined to the first part adjacent its closed end. The second part has at its free end a bulge of substantially cylindrical shape having a rotational axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the two tubular parts. The support has a bearing of substantially cylindrical shape located above the opening plane of the neck of the container and with its axis parallel to the opening plane of the container neck. The bearing is complementary in shape to the cylindrical bulge of the pourer spout and has an opening which in the open position of the closure is aligned with the opening of the pourer spout and which in the closed position of the closure faces the cylindrical - A -

bu]ge. The pourer spout can be moved between its closed and open positions in a rotary manner.

In this embodiment, the axes of the bearing and of the cylindrical bulge are parallel to the axis of the hinge zone. In order to keep the cap open and to thereby facilitate access to the pourer spout, the pourer spout has a rib which lies adjacent the hinge in the plane of the two tubular parts, at the level of the intersection of the tubular parts. In the open positions of the cap and the pourer spout the rib engages the inner surface of the cap.

In order to allow air to re-enter the container so as to compensate for the volume of liquid leaving, the pourer spout has a small hole arranged to communicate the inside of a tubular part with the outside.

In order to clear the pourer spout as much as possible, the pourer spout is offset in relation to the axis of the neck of the container towards the hinge zone. According to another embodiment, the pourer spout is guided on a tubular projection at the centre of which there is axially situated a stem which is held by holding lugs to stand proud of the projection. The pourer spout has a tubular shape complementary to that of the projection of the support in order to be able to slide on the latter. It has a base formed with an opening corresponding to the diameter of the axial stem of the tubular projection. In a first position of the pourer spout the stem obstructs the opening m its base whereas in a second position, when the pourer spout is distant from the support, the stem frees the opening for liquid to pass. In this embodiment the movement of the pourer spout between ts open and closed positions is by translation rather than by rotation as before.

In the various embodiments the cap is of a height such that it can only be closed when the pourer spout is in its closed position. When the cap is closed, the user can therefore be sure that the pourer spout is not in its open position.

According to another embodiment, the pourer spout comprises a first tubular part and a second, partially spherical, tubular part, the wall of which is crossed by the first tubular part. In addition the support has a bowl of substantially hemispherical shape with an opening substantially parallel to the opening plane of the neck of the container. The bowl is complementary in shape to the second tubular part of the pourer spout, and has a further opening by which the inside of the container may be put in communication with the inside of the bowl. A sealing piece which is formed integrally with the pourer spout obstructs the opening of the bowl in a predetermined position of the pourer spout. The sealing member is preferably mounted at the end of the tubular part and coaxial with it.

In this embodiment the support and the pourer spout are components having rotational symmetry. During the assembly of the closure it is therefore not necessary to orient them in relation to one another; the assembly cost of the closure is thereby appreciably reduced.

In order to guarantee a secure closing of the cap, in the various embodiments described above the support may have a projection facing the annular part of the cover so that the cap in its closed position engages the projection . In order to improve the tightness at the level of the neck of the container, the support may comprise a cylindrical chimney adapted to engage the inner face of the neck of the container. The invention will be better understood with the aid of the fo lowing description given with reference to the annexed schematic drawings which show, by way of non- limitative examples, two embodiments of dispensing closure according to the invention. In the drawings :- Fig.l is a perspective view of a first closure when in its closed position and mounted on the neck of a bottle;

Fig.2 is a perspective view of the closure of Fig.l, to an enlarged scale and when in its open position; Fig.3 is a view of the first closure as seen in longitudinal section and in its closed position;

Fig.4 s a view of the first closure on the same sectional plane as Fig.3 but as seen in ts open position; Fig.5 is a cut-away view similar to Fig.3 of the second closure according to the invention; and

Fig.6 is a cut-away view similar to Fig.4 of this second embodiment.

Figures 1 to 4 show a dispenser closure made of synthetic material in relation to a container in the form of a bottle containing a beverage. The closure is formed of three separate pieces, namely a cover 2 having an integral cap 4 articulated on the cover at a hinge zone 6, a support 8, and a pourer spout 10 mounted on the support 8.

The support 8 is mounted on the neck 12 of the bottle 14. It has an annular part 16 resting on the uppei edge of the bottle neck. In order to hold the support 8 on the bottle neck, a cylindrical chimney 18 extends towards the inside of the neck and engages its inside wall. At its free end, on the side facing the bottle neck, the chimney is formed with a retaining bead 20 which engages in an annular groove made in the bottle neck. In this way the location of the support on the neck and a perfect seal are ensured.

Starting from the annular part 16, a projection 22 carrying a cylindrical bearing 24 having its axis parallel to the opening plane of the container rises towarαs the outside of the bottle 14. This bearing has an opening 26 which permits the passage of liquid from the bottle interior towards the outside of the bottle. The cylindrical bearing 24 is offset in relation to the centre of the support.

This cylindrical bearing 24 is designed to receive the pourer spout 10 (Figs.2 to 4) . The latter is constituted by two tubular parts 28, 30 joined together at substantially a right angle so that it is generally L- shaped. The inner conduits of these tubular parts are connected .

The first tubular part 28 is closed by a base at one of its ends near to which it is joined to the second tubular part 30. The free end of the second tubular part 30 has a cylindrical bulge 32 having its axis perpendicular to the common plane of the axes of the tubular parts. The shape of this bulge corresponds to the shape of the bearing 24, to that the bulge can be snap-fitted into the bearing.

The cover 2 with its cap 4 covers the assembly formed by the support 8 and the pourer spout 10. The cover 2 has first of all a cylindrical skirt 34 designed to be mounted on the bottle neck 12. As shown in the drawing, this skirt 34 comprises a thread co-operating with threading on the neck 12. A tamperproof device 36 is also provided so that it is possible to see if the cover 2 has been unscrewed from the bottle. This device 36 is not described in detail; it forms no part of the present invention, and such devices are well known to the specialist. In a modification the cover 2 is mounted irreversibly (by snap- itting, for example) on the bottle neck, and the tamperevident device is omitted.

The cover has a base which is situated adjacent the container opening when the cover has been fitted into position on the container. This base is open except at an annular part 38. In the fitted closure the annular part 16 of the support 8 is located between this annular part 38 of the cover 2 and the upper edge of the container neck 12.

A rib 40 extends from the annular part 38 more or less parallel to the cylindrical skirt 34 but remote from the latter. It carries the hinge zone 6 which extends parallel to the opening plane of the neck of the container or, which is equivalent, to the annular part 38. The cap 4 is articulated to the cover at this hinge zone 6.

The shape of the cap 4 is adapted to the support 8 and to the pourer spout 10. Figure 3 shows it in the closed position of the pourer spout 10, that is to say, when the liquid can no longer leave the container 14. The cap 4 then tightly covers the dispenser which is formed by the support and the pourer spout, its free edge coinciding with the inner circumference of the rib 40. Up to the first opening, the cap 4 is connected to the annular part 38 of the cover by a tearable film 42 of plastics material. In a modification (not shown) this film is replaced by small frangible bridges. In order to facilitate the opening of the cap 4, particularly for its first opening, the cap has a gripping zone 44 having ribs of small height. This zone 44 is located diametrically opposite the hinge zone 6 and on the high part of the cap 4, that is to say, the part furthest away from the cylindrical skirt 34.

Before its first opening, the dispenser closure according to the invention is as represented in Figures 1 and 3. The support/pourer spout assembly is placed on to the neck of the container 14 and the cover with its cap 4 is screwed into position so as to confine this assembly as shown.

The pourer spout 10 is such that at that time the open end of its first tubular part 28 is oriented towards the support 8. Moreover, the opening 26 of the bearing 24 is located so that it is out of alignment with the opening at the free end of the second tubular part 30. Thus, the liquid cannot leave the container 14.

Under the cap 4, the bearing 24 is offset in relation to the centre of the support 8. It is offset backwardly towards the hinge zone 6 at which the cap is connected to the cover 2.

In order to open the cap 4 for the first time, it is necessary to tear open the film 42. This operation may be carried out by manual pressure applied to the cap at the gripping zone 44. The cap 4 is accordingly opened, giving access to the pourer spout 10 which at the time is in its closed position. By making the pourer spout pivot ii its bearing around an axis which is substantially parallel to the axis of the hinge 6, the opening at the free end of the second tubular part 30 of the pourer spout 10 may be aligned with the opening 26 m the bearing 24. The liquid can then leave the container for dispensing .

The pourer spout 10 has a rib 46 which is situated in the plane of the axes of its tubular parts 28, 30 that is to say, at the intersection of the two tubular parts 28, 30 in the sectional plane of Figures 3 and 4 and adjacent the closed end of the first tubular part. This rib is shaped for holding the cap 4 in its open position, as is shown in Figure .

To reclose the container 14, it is merely required to return the pourer spout 10 and then the cap 4 to the positions represented in Figure 3. The cap is then held in its closed position by a small projection 48 which is provided on the support 8 on its side opposed to the hinge 6. The cap engages a face of this projection, and the frictional forces which are generated at the engagement hold the cap in its closed position.

In this latter position, the pourer spout 10 is protected from dust and other dirt. When the user wishes to drink again, he finds the pourer spout 10 in the same state of cleanliness as when he reclosed the cap.

Furthermore, in the open position of the closure it is easy for him to drink from the bottle. In addition to the provision of the pourer spout 10 other factors contributing to the ease of drinking are the raising of the hinge zone 6 above the opening plane of the container, the offsetting of the pourer spout, and the retention of the cap in its open position by the rib 46. Because of these factors the opening angle of the cap 4 is large, and it is held securely in its open position. In addition, a small air return hole 50 is provided on the pourer spout to allow air to replace the volume of liquid leaving the container during drinking.

Figures 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of a dispensing closure according to the invention. The elements of this second embodiment common to the embodiment described above have the same references. The closure is likewise made of synthetic material and is intended for closing a container such as a bottle containing a beverage. Moreover, it comprises three components, namely a cover 2 having an integral cap 4 which is articulated on the cover 2 by means of a hinge zone 6, a support 8, and a pourer spout 10 mounted on the support 8.

The support 8 is mounted on the neck 12 of a container 14. It has an annular part 16 resting on the upper edge of the neck 12 of the container. In order to hold the support 8 on the neck 12 of the container, a cylindrical chimney 18 extends down the inside of the neck 12 and engages the neck wall.

At the centre of the annular part 16 is situated a bowl 52 of substantially hemispherical shape. The bowl 52 is open at the top, that is to say, on the side opposed to the container, its opening being substantially parallel to the opening of the neck of the container. At the bottom of the bowl is situated a further opening 54 which is capable of permitting liquid to flow from the inside to the outside of the container 14.

The bowl 52 is designed to receive the pourer spout 10. The latter is constituted by a tubular part 56 -

havmg a circular cross-section, and a partially spherical part 58. The tubular part 56 extends through the wall of the spherical part 58.

The outer surface of the spherical part 58 corresponds substantially to the inner surface of the bowl 52 in which it is mounted, so that the pourer spout 10 can pivot in the bowl 52 while ensuring a perfect seal between these two surfaces. The tubular part 56 communicates the interior of the sphere formed by the bowl and the spherical part 58 with the outside. In order to prevent the pourer spout from separating from the bowl, the latter is made slightly bigger than a half sphere so that the pourer spout 10 can snap-fit into it. A sealing member 60 is fixed to the tubular part 56 by means of spaced bridges 62. It is centred on the axis 64 of the tubular part 56 and moves along the inner surface of the bowl 52 when the pourer spout 10 pivots in the spherical part 58. When the tubular part 56 is aligned with the opening 54 of the bowl the sealing member stops up the opening tightly so as to prevent the liquid contained in the container 14 from passing into the bowl .

The cover 2 with its cap 4 covers the assembly formed by the support 8 and the pourer spout 10, as has already been described for the first embodiment. Again, the cover 2 has a cylindrical skirt 34 designed to be mounted on the neck 12 of the container and having a thread co-operating with threading formed on the neck 12. A tamperproof device 36 is also provided so that it is possible to see if the cover 2 has already been unscrewed from the container or not. Just as for the first embodiment, this device 36 is not described in detail here, because such devices are known by the specialist.

The cover 2 has a base which is situated adjacent the container opening when the cover has been fitted into position. This base is open except at an annular part 38. In the fitted closure the annular part 16 of the support 8 is located between this annular part 38 of the cover 2 and the upper edge of the container neck 12. A rib 40 extends from the annular part 38 in substantially parallel relation to the cylindrical skirt 34 but remote from the latter. It carries the hinge zone 6 which extends parallel to the opening plane of the neck of the container or, which is equivalent, to the annular part 38. The cap 4 is hinged to the cover 2 around this hinge zone 6.

The shape of the cap 4 is adapted to the support 8 and to the pourer 10. Figure 5 shows that in the closed position of the pourer spout 10, that is to say, when the liquid can leave the container 14, the cap 4 covers the dispensing assembly which is formed by the support and the pourer spout. In the closed position of the cap, its free edge coincides with the inside circumference of the annular part 38 and the circumference of the rib 40. Before the first opening, the cap 4 is connected to the annular part 38 of the cover by a thin tearable film of plastics material 42. In a non-illustrated modification this film is replaced by small frangible bridges.

In order to facilitate the opening of the cap 4, in particular for its first opening, the latter has a gripping zone 44 having ribs of small height. This zone 44 is situated in diametric opposition to the hinge zone 6 and on the high part of the cap 4, that is to say, the part furthest away from the cylindrical skirt 34.

Before its first opening, the second closure is fitted in the manner previously described for the first closure, that is to say, the pourer spout assembly is placed on the neck of the container 14, and the cover 2 with its cap is screwed into position to enclose the assembly and hold it captive on the container.

Just as has been described above in reference to the first embodiment, in order to open the cap 4 it is necessary first to tear the film 42 by force applied to the cap 4. The cap is thereby opened, giving access to the pourer spout 10 which at this time is in its closed position. By making the pourer spout pivot in the bowl 52 in order to bring it to the desired position, the sealing piece 60 is made to clear the opening 54 thus allowing the liquid contained in the container 14 to leave .

In order to reclose the container 14, it is merely required to bring the pourer spout 10, then the cap 4, into the positions represented in Fig.5. In order to hold the cap 4 in the closed position, a small projection is provided on the support 8, on the side opposed to the hinge 6. The cap 4 engages a face of this projection, and the frictional forces created hold the cap in the closed position.

In the latter position, the pourer spout 10 is protected from dust and other dirt. When the user wishes to drink again, he finds the pourer spout 10 in the same state of cleanliness as when he reclosed the cap.

The support 8 and the pourer spout 10 of this second embodiment have rotational symmetry with the exception of ^■ l b -

some minor details such as the small bridges 62. This property has the advantage, during the assembly of the cap, of not necessitating any orientation of the pieces in relation to one another. The tools to be used for the assembly are therefore simple tools, which allows the cost price of a closure to be lowered considerably.

In a non-illustrated embodiment of the invention the rotating pourer spout is replaced by a sliding pourer spout. In this case, the pourer spout is guided for movement on a tubular projection, in the centre of which there is axially situated a stem which is held by holding lugs so as to stand proud of the projection. The pourer spout is then of tubular shape complementary to the projection of the support so as to be able to slide on the latter. It has a base having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the axial stem of the tubular projection. In a first position, the stem obstructs the opening of the base of the pourer spout and the liquid cannot flow out, and in a second position, when the pourer spout is distant from the support, the stem frees the opening of the base of the pourer spout, thus permitting the exit of the liquid.

Claims

C AIMS

1. Closure made of synthetic material intended for dispensing a liquid contained in a container, in particular a beverage, the closure having a movable pourer spout (10) and being characterised in that the movable pourer spout (10) is mounted on a support (8) which rests on the upper edge of the neck (12) of the container and has a zone (24) of shape complementary to the pourer spout (10, 32) so as to act as a guide for movement the latter, the pourer spout and the support having respective openings which, depending on the relative position of the pourer spout (10) and of the support (8), allow or do not allow the liquid to leave the container (14), and in that the closure also comprises a cover (2) having a cylindrical skirt (34) designed to be mounted on the neck of the container and an annular part (38) which is situated at the upper part of the skirt and designed to hold the edge (16) of the support (8) on the neck of the container, and a cap (4) articulated around a hinge zone (6) for movement about an axis parallel to the opening plane of the neck of the container, the cap being adapted to cover the pourer spout (10) when the latter is in its closed position.

2. Closure according to Claim 1, characterised in that the cover (2) is mounted irreversibly on the neck of the container .

3. Closure according to Claim 1, characterised in that the cover (2) is equipped with a visible tamperproof device ( 36) .

4. Closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that in its closed position, before its first opening, the cap (4) is connected to the annular part (38) of the cover by line of weakening.

5. Closure according to Claim 4, characterised in that the cap (4) is connected to the annular part (38) of the cover by small frangible bridges.

6. Closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the cap (4) has a gripping zone (44) diametrically opposed to the hinge zone (6).

7. Closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the hinge zone (6) of the cap (4) is located above the opening plane of the neck of the container, on the side of the annular part (38) of the cover remote from the skirt.

8. Closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the pourer spout (20) comprises a first tubular part (28) closed at one of its ends, and a second tubular part (30) which is joined to the first part adjacent its closed end and has at its free end a bulge (32) of substantially cylindrical shape having a rotational axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the two tubular parts (28, 30), the closure being further characterised in that the support (8) has a bearing (24) of substantially cylindrical shape located above the opening plane of the neck of the container and with its axis parallel to the opening plane of the container neck, the bearing being complementary in shape to the cylindrical bulge (32) of the pourer spout (10) and having an opening (26) which in the open position of the closure is aligned with the opening of the pourer spout and which in the closed position of the closure faces the cylindrical bulge (32) .

9. Closure according to Claim 8, characterised m that the axes of the bearing (24) and of the cylindrical bulge (32) are parallel to the axis o f the hinge zone (6) .

10. Closure according to Claim 9, characterised in that the pourer spout (10) has a rib (46) which lies adjacent the hinge in the plane of the two tubular parts at the level of the intersection of the two tubular parts (28, 30), in the open positions of the cap (4) and of the pourer spout (10) the rib engaging the inner surface of the cap (4) in order to hold the latter open.

11. Closure according to any one of Claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the pourer spout has a small hole

(50) arranged to communicate the inside of a tubular part with the outside.

12. Closure according to any one of Claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the pourer spout (10) is offset in relation to the axis of the neck of the container towards the hinge zone (6).

13. Closure according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the pourer spout is guided on a tubular projection at the centre of which there is axially situated a stem which is held by holding lugs to stand proud of the projection, the pourer spout being of a tubular shape complementary to that of the projection of the support in order to be able to slide on the latter and having a base formed with an opening corresponding to the diameter of the axial stem of the tubular projection, in a first position of the pourer spout the stem obstructing the opening in its base, whereas in a second position, when the pourer spout is distant from the support, the stem frees the opening for liquid to pass.

14. Closure according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the cap (4) is of a height such that it can only be closed when the pourer spout (10) is in the closed position.

15. Closure according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the pourer spout (10) comprises a first tubular part (56) and a second, partially spherical, tubular part (58) the wall of which is crossed by the first tubular part, in that the support (8) has a bowl (52) of substantially hemispherical shape with an opening substantially parallel to the opening plane of the neck of the container, the bowl being complementary in shape to the second tubular part (58) of the pourer spout (10) and having a further opening (54) by which the inside of the container (14) may be put in communication with the inside of the bowl (52), and in that a sealing member (60) which is formed integrally with the pourer spout (10) obstructs the opening (54) of the bowl in a predetermined position of the pourer spout.

16. Closure according to Claim 16, characterised in that the sealing member (60) is mounted at the end of the tubular part (56) and coaxial with it.

17. Closure according to either one of Claims 15 and 16, characterised in that the support (8) and the pourer spout (10) are components each having rotational symmetry .

18. Closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the support (8) has a projection (48) facing the annular part (38) of the cover (2) so that the cap (4) in its closed position engages the pro ection .

19. Closure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the support (8) comprises a cylindrical chimney (18) adapted to engage the inner face of the neck (12) of the container.