WO2014181337A2

WO2014181337A2 - Retractable spout assemblies

Info

Publication number: WO2014181337A2
Application number: PCT/IL2014/050415
Authority: WO
Inventors: Doron Rigel
Original assignee: Doron Rigel
Priority date: 2013-05-09
Filing date: 2014-05-08
Publication date: 2014-11-13
Also published as: WO2014181337A3

Abstract

Retractable spout assemblies for use in bottle or can-type containers may include a membrane for sealing the container and holding the spout in a retracted position using mechanical force transmitted using a ring extending from a separately secured cap. In the case of a can where a pouring direction is important, the retractable spout is rotatable even in the retracted position when covered by a cap to achieve an alignment that provides correct pouring. The spout may include a one-way valve and may also be pivotally mounted for tilting.

Description

RETRACTABLE SPOUT ASSEMBLIES

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to retractable spout assemblies for use in dispensing pourable material from a container. The invention also relates to containers equipped with such novel retractable spout assemblies.

Retractable spout assemblies are known for application to the neck of bottles in order to facilitate the dispensing of the bottle's contents. Examples of such known retractable spout assemblies are described in my prior U.S. Patent Nos. 6,026,994 and 6,976,610, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

There are many flowable materials, however, that are provided not in bottles, but rather in cans or other similar type containers, such as those including cylindrical sidewalls closed at their opposite ends by end walls. In order to dispense contents from the container, for a smooth, continuous and controlled flow, it is necessary to puncture one of the end walls. For this purpose, the end wall to be punctured is generally provided with a tab which is to be grasped and forcibly moved in order to puncture the end wall. Previously, such tabs were forcibly pulled out of the end wall to form the opening, but for health and safety purposes at the present time such tabs are merely pivoted to puncture the end wall and remain attached to the end wall. In either case, considerable force is needed in order to puncture the end wall, and moreover, when the end wall has thus been punctured, the container can no longer be reclosed.

In the case of cans, the spout is typically inserted towards one of the end walls and the pour direction is towards that end wall. However legacy machinery is unable to guarantee that the spout mechanism is inserted in any given orientation. If the spout orientation is incorrect then not only is pouring difficult but the air return path back into the can may not work and drainage of fluid from around the spout may not work. The problem does not arise in the case of bottles, which are symmetrical so that one pour direction is as good and handy as any other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present embodiments may address the shortcomings of the known configurations by providing a spout assembly which can be used with can-type containers as well as bottle-type containers and which include additional features for enhancing pourability of fluids from the container as well as fluid sealing prior to and following use, and providing pour directionality.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided a spout assembly comprising:

(a) a housing configured for attachment to an opening of a fluid container;

(b) a spout carried by the housing and movable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from the housing;

(c) a single use mechanism for locking the spout in the retracted position, the single use mechanism comprising a membrane stretched over the spout, the spout being resiliency mounted to press towards the extended position; and

(d) . a cap for attachment to the opening, the cap when attached to the opening extending over the single use mechanism and comprising a ring extending downwardly to the single use mechanism to mechanically support the single use mechanism against resilience of the spout.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a spout assembly for the sort of container that is not rotationally symmetric, such as a jerrican or a motor oil container. The assembly comprises:

(a) a housing including a circumferential groove for fixedly receiving a wall surrounding an opening of a can container; and

(b) a spout carried by the housing and movable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from the housing, the spout being rotatable with respect to the can. Typically, as will be discussed below, the spout is mounted on a body within the housing and rotates with the body with respect to the housing. The spout is designed to pour in a given direction. An air vent pipe may be located in the body to allow for equalization of pressure between the inside and outside of the can during pouring, and the air vent pipe is preferably located in the body on the opposite side to that where the spout is designed to pour, herein referred to as the pour direction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a spout assembly comprising:

(a) a housing configured for attachment to an opening of a fluid container; (b) a spout carried by the housing and movable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from the housing, the housing and the spout being configured such that the spout is pivotably mounted on the housing to be tiltable away from a longitudinal axis of the housing when fully extended out of the housing.

In an embodiment, the housing is dimensioned to be fixedly received within a neck of a bottle-type fluid container.

In an embodiment, the housing includes a circumferential groove for fixedly receiving a wall surrounding an opening of a can-type fluid container.

An embodiment may have a pouring direction defined by the spout, the spout being rotatable by rotating a pull chain attached to the cap.

In an embodiment, the pouring direction is indicated by a marking on the cap.

An embodiment may comprise a spring mounting the spout onto the housing, wherein the spout compresses the spring when in the retracted position.

In an embodiment, the housing is configured with an inner tube and an outer tube, the outer tube for mounting on the neck and the inner tube for holding the spout, the tubes arranged such that when fixedly received within the neck of the bottle, compression of the housing by the neck is not transferred from the outer tube to the inner tube, thereby to allow free movement of the spout from the retracted position to the extended position, irrespective of a level of compression of the outer tube by the neck.

In an embodiment, the housing includes a cage structure for surrounding an end of the spout residing within the can when the spout assembly is attached to the can.

In an embodiment, the cage structure is configured for enabling inflow of air.

An embodiment may comprise a one-way valve built into the spout.

In the case of a metal or plastic can or other container not being rotatably symmetric, a cap located may be over the air pathway to seal pressure within the container, the cap being removable to release the sealed pressure and thereby to allow rotation of the body.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a spout assembly for pouring of liquids from a container with refill prevention, the assembly comprising:

(a) a housing configured for attachment to an opening of a fluid container; (b) a spout carried by the housing and extendable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from the housing;

(c) a one-way valve built into the extendable spout; wherein at least one member of the group comprising a section of spout wall and a section of container neck wall is weakened with respect to surrounding wall to preferentially break in the event of an attempt to interfere with the one-way valve.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

FIGs. 1A-B is an isometric cutaway view of a retractable spout assembly suitable for use with a can-type container according to a first embodiment of the present invention; the spout being shown mounted in a can in a retracted position (Figure 1A) and in an extended position for dispensing contents from the can (Figure IB);

FIGs. 2A-B are an isometric cutaway view of a spout assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention, having a single use pull-tab like spout sealing mechanism; the spout is shown mounted in a bottle in a retracted position (Figure 2A - with the pull-tab intact) and in an extended position (following removal of pull-tab) for dispensing contents from the bottle (Figure 2B);

FIG. 3 illustrates a tilting spout configured in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGs. 4 - 6 illustrate a can-type spout assembly according to the present embodiments in side view (Figure 4), exploded view (Figure 5) and cross sectional view (Figure 6);

FIGs. 7 and 8 are side (Figure 7) and isometric (Figure 8) views of a can-type spout assembly of the present embodiments with attached cap covering the spout in a retracted position;

FIG. 9 illustrates the cap portion of an embodiment of the spout assembly according to the present embodiments;

FIG. 10 illustrates the spout assembly of Figures 4 - 9 fitted to a can; and

FIG. 11 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the spout assembly with a one-way ball valve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present embodiments comprise spout assemblies which can be used with various types of containers and can include a pull tab spout release mechanism, can-type engagement flange and may include rotation, inclination and drainage, as well as other, features. The spouts are retractable spouts, which fit under the cap and spring up when the cap is removed to facilitate pouring, being pushed back to retracted positions during replacement of the cap.

Retractable spout assemblies for use in bottle or can-type containers may include a membrane for sealing the container and holding the spout in a retracted position using mechanical force transmitted using a ring extending from a separately secured cap.

In the case of a can where a pouring direction is important, the retractable spout is rotatable even in the retracted position when covered by a cap, to achieve an alignment that provides correct pouring. Legacy machinery for positioning the cap is unable to guarantee a specific direction when placing the caps and spout assemblies on the containers. The spout may include a one-way valve and may also be pivotally mounted for tilting.

The principles and operation of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and accompanying descriptions.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Container spouts capable of extending outward when the container cap is opened are known in the art. Such spouts are described in previously filed applications to the present inventor. While continuing to develop various spout configurations for specific uses, the present inventor has identified several spout features that are beneficial for use with cans and bottles and provide added functionality and advantages when used therewith.

Can-type containers typically include a circular opening through the top wall of the container. Since in such containers the walls are fabricated from a thin layer of material such as a metal or polymer, engagement between a spout assembly and the wall requires an annular flange configured for engaging the opening in the thin wall of the can.

Reference is now made to Figures la-b, which are schematic diagrams that illustrate a spout assembly configured for use with a can type container which may be filled with a pourable material, such as liquid beverage, lubricating oil, a pourable particulate material such as sugar, salt, etc.

Can-type containers (e.g. tin can) can be of a conventional can-type configuration fabricated from a metal or a polymer and including a cylindrical side wall closed at its opposite ends by an end wall. In a conventional container, it is necessary to puncture a hole through the end wall in order to dispense the contents of the container. Such containers are typically used with a material which is totally consumed at one time (e.g. motor oil), and as such, are not typically re-sealable. The end wall of the container is formed with an opening for receiving a retractable spout assembly 20, carrying a spout 22 (having an opening 23), movable from a retracted position as shown in Figure lb, to an extended position as shown in Figure la. Spout assembly 20 further includes a cap 24, which when attached to upper open end 25 of housing 26 of spout assembly 20 retains spout 22 in its retracted (Figure lb) position within housing 26. The spout may be retained in the retracted position using, for example, a locking lip or screw-type engagement. When cap 24 is removed, spout 22 is urged to its extended position, shown in Figure la, via spring 28 which is positioned within housing 26 under bottom end 29 of spout 22.

Housing 26 is of cylindrical configuration and includes an outer wall 27 surrounding spout 22 and spring 28 and a mounting member 30 externally encompassing wall 27. Mounting member 30 includes a cylindrical flange 32 which is configured with a circular recess 34 capable of receiving an edge of a wall at the opening of a can.

Housing 26 also includes a conduit 40, which serves as an air return passageway for establishing a flow of air between the contents of can 10 and the environment. Conduit 40 may be fixed to an internal wall of housing 26 or it may alternatively be fixed to spout 22, or in fact be built in as a part of the spout, and thus move along with spout 22 from retracted to extended position.

In order to enhance air return and pouring rate, the present inventor experimented with several air return configurations and determined that an air return passageway which is positioned within spout 22 and is movable therewith (i.e. extends out of housing 26 with spout 22) provides several benefits and substantially enhances pouring rates since such the outlet of the air return passage may be kept above the surface of the pouring fluid during pouring, which pouring only occurs when the spout is extended.

As such, spout assembly 20, and other spout assemblies described herein, can include an air return passageway which forms a part of the spout and is movable therewith.

Bottom end 29 of spout 22 includes radially projecting flange or flanges 42 which limit the outward movement of spout 22 with respect to a shoulder 43 of housing 26, and also act as a seal to prevent leakage from the container as container contents are dispensed via spout 22.

Housing 26 is formed with a bottom protrusion 44 for engaging a bottom end of spring 28. The opposite end of spring 28 engages a seat 46 formed at bottom end 29 of spout 22.

Housing 26 also includes a cage-like structure 50 at a bottom end thereof for keeping the inlets and outlets clear and thus enabling air flowing into the can through conduit 40 to flow in when the contents are poured from can 10. Use of a cage-like structure ensures that air can enter the can from the sides of housing 26 as well as bottom thereby ensuring that an air intake path is not blocked when the can is tilted for pouring in any direction. Since the air return passageway is part of the spout, the air conduit serving as the passageway is very short to allow the spout to retract into the relatively short housing. Air bubbles that enter the housing during pouring must evacuate from the housing as fast as possible, to allow continuous outflow of liquid. A cage structure allows such bubbles to escape from the side and maintain continuous flow.

Spout assembly 20 can be fitted to the container after filling, or supplied as a container accessory in which case a user can fit spout assembly 20 within the top opening of the container. In any case, once spout assembly 20 is mounted within the can opening, cap 24 may close the upper end of spout assembly 20 and may retain spout 22 in its retracted position as shown in Figure lb. Whenever it is desired to dispense contents from the container, cap 24 is removed, whereupon the spout 22 may automatically extend outwardly under the force of spring 28, thereby permitting dispensing of the container contents via spout 22. If it is desired to reclose the container, cap 24 is pressed against the outer end of spout 22 to force it to its retracted position within the container (Figure lb), and cap 24 is fixed in position via, for example thread engagement to the top end of housing 26.

The spout assemblies described herein utilize a cap to secure the spout in a retracted position within the housing and to seal the container fitted with the spout assembly. In some instances, use of a cap alone to both seal and secure the spout in the retracted position is not enough. Since the spout still allows for flow when retracted, the space formed between the cap and spout opening can be filled with fluid during shipping and handling of the container. In some cases, bottles are additionally pressurized to allow a longer shelf life and/or to create rigidity when using a soft container, for example in the case of a very thin plastic bottle. In that case the standard cap is limited in its sealing ability to keep the pressured gas inside the container. To overcome this problem, the present embodiments comprise a single use mechanism for sealing the housing opening.

Figures 2a-b illustrate a spout assembly 60 which utilizes a single use mechanism in the form of a pull tab 61 (numbers identical to those above illustrate similar components). Pull tab 61 includes a membrane 62 which is co-fabricated with housing 26 and a pull ring 64 which is co-formed with membrane 62. Instead of being co-formed the membrane may equally well be attached subsequently. Pulling of pull ring 64 upwards tears membrane 62 away from housing 26 to leave an opening through which spout 22 can extend outward. Membrane 62 may also serve to maintain spout 22 within the housing and compressed against spring 28. Membrane 62 is preferably weakened at the interface with housing 26 so as to facilitate tearing. Since spout 22 is spring loaded and held in a retracted position via membrane 62 and since polymers can weaken over time, a cap 66 which can apply downward pressure on membrane 62 and thus countering the force applied by spout 22, may be used with an assembly 60 which includes a pull tab 61. A downwardly extending support ring 70 may be provided in the cap to contact and provide support to the membrane to react against the pressure of the spring.

In use, a capping machine holds the bottle at the neck and pushes what is effectively a two-part cap onto the bottle. The cap may be removed to reveal the membrane, and the membrane provides the two-fold function of showing that the bottle is unused and retains pressure inside. As the membrane is pulled off by the user the spout jumps out. The structure as illustrated holds the bottle from the outside, as opposed to prior art systems that hold on the inside. The membrane is very thin but is required to hold the spout against the mechanical force of the spring. The ring 70 thus reaches down from the cap to the membrane and mechanically holds the membrane in position against the pressure of the spout and the spring and of the gas in the bottle.

Reference is now made to Fig. 3, which is a simplified diagram illustrating a mechanism for tilting a spout according to an embodiment of the present invention. A configuration in which the spout tilts towards the side opposite the air return passageway is advantageous since a user may pour in a direction of the tilt, thereby positioning the air return passageway following extension provides an advantage. Such a configuration positions the air return passageway opposite the pouring direction and above the largest air space in the container. One approach for enabling directional spout tilting following spout extension is shown in Figure 3. Spout 22 includes a circumferential flange or flanges 42, which may be attached at two ends of spout 22 and which are positioned at a different height with respect to a bottom end of spout 22. Thus, the left side of flange 42 may be closer to the bottom than the right side of flange 42. Thus, when spout 22 extends out, flanges 42 abut shoulder 43 housing at different heights across spout 22 thereby causing tilting thereof.

One problem often encountered with retractable spout mechanisms for use with bottles is that the housing is often compressed on insertion into the bottle neck, and the resulting radial inward pressure applied by the housing may increase friction on the spout and thus hinder smooth spout extension and retraction.

The housing of the bottle spout assembly of the present embodiments may be constructed isolate the spout from the radial inward pressures, thereby facilitating smooth spout extension and retraction. For example the housing may include two concentric tubes with the inner tube housing the spout and the outer tube engaging the bottle neck opening. The inner and outer tubes may be interconnected via radial struts that can deform/collapse to accommodate any decrease in the diameter of the outer tube and thus absorb the inward radial pressure applied by the bottle neck opening on the outer tube.

The spout assemblies of the present embodiments may include a spring for urging the spout outward when the cap and/or tab are removed. Such a spring may be positioned under the spout and as such may be placed in the flow path of the liquid.

The spout assemblies of the present embodiments may also be designed so that the spring is not in the flow path of the liquid. That is to say the spring may be positioned around the external surface of the spout, thus maintaining the flow path clear of the spring. The clear flow path may thus facilitate use with non refillable systems and incorporation of a one way valve into the spout. To enable functionality with an external spring, the spout may include an external flange or lip for containing the top end of the spring. The bottom end of the spring may be seated against the top of the housing.

As mentioned above, can-type containers typically include a circular opening through the top wall of the container. Since in such containers the walls are fabricated from a thin layer of material such as a metal or polymer, engagement between a spout assembly and the wall requires an annular flange configured for engaging the opening in the thin wall of the can. In addition, due to their shape, pouring from cans requires offset spout placement and a large bore spout in order to facilitate air inflow into the container. The spout has a preferred pouring direction but the spout is placed on the can after pouring using legacy machinery that is unable to guarantee the orientation of the spout.

Figures 4-9 illustrate a spout assembly which is referred to herein as spout assembly 110 or assembly 110. Assembly 110 may be used with a can type container which is filled with a pourable material, such as liquid beverage, lubricating oil, a pourable particulate material such as sugar, salt, etc.

Can-type container (e.g. tin can, jerry can) can be of a conventional can-type configuration fabricated from a metal or a polymer and including a cylindrical or rectangular side wall closed at its opposite ends by end wall. In a conventional container, it is necessary to puncture a hole through the end wall in order to dispense the contents of the container. Such containers are typically used with a material which is totally consumed at one time (e.g. car oil), and as such, are not typically re-sealable.

Assembly 110 includes a housing 112 which is cylindrical and includes an outer wall 114 defining a lumen 116. A spring 118 (see Figure 6) is disposed within lumen 116 and is trapped between a lock ring 120 and a spout 122. Spout 122 may for example be fabricated from two telescoping spout tubes, a lower spout tube 124 which includes an annular thickening 126 which serves to limit the outward extension of spout tube 124 against lumen 118, and an upper spout tube 128 which is fitted within spout tube 124 and similarly includes an annular thickening 130 for limiting extension thereof against spout tube 124. As is shown in Figure 6, spring 118, which engages a top portion of spout tube 128, forces spout 118 to extend outward from housing 112 until telescoping spout tubes 124 and 128 extend to a position where thickenings 126 and 130 engage their stop points. Compression of spout 122 inward telescopically retracts tubes 124 and 128 and compresses spring 118.

Spout tube 128 is configured with a pouring portion 129 which narrows along its length and is beveled at pouring tip 131.

In one embodiment, spout 122 is preferably rotationally fixed with respect to lumen 116 and may only extend along one angular path. As such, pouring tip 131 points in a predetermined direction (pouring direction) when extended from lumen 116 of housing 112.

Housing 112 further includes an air passageway 133 which extends through housing 112. Air passageway 133 is preferably fixed with respect to the housing and is displaced (angularly) at a fixed angle of 120-180 degrees from the pouring direction of pouring tip 131.

Housing 112 further includes an annular flange 132 which is configured with a circumferential recess 134 capable of receiving an edge of a wall at the opening of a can 135 (shown in Figure 10). Recess 134 can be further sealed against the opening of a can by radial outward force applied to housing 112 and recess 134 via cap 139 described hereinbelow.

At least two triangular- shaped wings 137 reinforce the flange 132-housing 112 connection. The circumference of recess 134 is slightly smaller than the opening of the intended can to enable press fitting of assembly 110 within the can manually or via automated assembly.

Wall 136 of flange 132 extends upwards to surround a top surface of housing 112 to form a circular gutter 140 around opening 138 of lumen 116. Gutter 140 can function in capturing dripping from spout 122.

Assembly 110 may also include a cap 139 which fits within gutter 140 (shown in Figures 7-9). Cap includes several tabs 142 (Figure 9) for engaging respective slots 144 (see Figure 5) in wall 136. Tabs 142 may secure cap 139 to housing 112 and also enable cap 139 to apply a rotational force to housing 112. Cap 139 serves two functions, trapping retracted spout 122 within lumen 116 under the force of spring 118, and enabling rotation of assembly 110 within an opening in a can, so as to align the pour direction to be towards the closest wall of the can. To provide the latter, cap 139 includes a handle 146 which can be pulled up to enable rotation of cap 139 and attached housing 112 against an opening in the can. To rotate assembly 110, a user simply flips up handle 146 such that it is perpendicular to cap 139, and rotates it in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

As is mentioned hereinabove, the opening in a can is off center. As such, a spout fitted to the can may require to be used in a specific orientation of pouring. Since the present assembly 110 can be press fitted into a can opening at any orientation of pouring tip 131, since legacy equipment is unable to guarantee an orientation, a mechanism is provided to enable a user to rotate assembly 110 upon opening such that pouring tip 131 points in the correct direction. Since spout 122 is covered by cap 139, a user cannot initially determine the correct direction. Hence cap 139 may include a marking 150, for example an arrow, to enable the user to rotate assembly 110 until pouring tip 131 points in the right direction. Since air passageway 133 is rotationally offset from the pouring direction of tip 131 by a fixed angle (preferably 180 degrees), rotating assembly 110 and hence pouring tip 131 into the correct direction may serve to ensure that the air passageway is also optimally positioned to maximize air intake during pouring and facilitate drainage.

Spout assembly 110 may typically be fitted to a can 135 after filling, or supplied as a container accessory in which case a user can fit spout assembly 110 within an opening in the can. Spout assembly 110 can be fitted to a can without cap 139. Cap 139 can be designed to apply radial outward pressure on housing 112 and specifically recess 134 to further seal housing 112 against the opening of a can when the cap is applied.

Once spout assembly 110 is mounted within the can opening, cap 139 retains spout 122 in its retracted position as shown in Figures 7-8. Whenever it is desired to dispense contents from the container, handle 146 is deployed to rotate assembly 110 to the correct orientation as indicated by marking 150 and cap 139 is removed to allow spout 122 to extend outward under the force of spring 118, thereby permitting dispensing of the container contents via spout 122. If it is desired to reclose the container, cap 139 is pressed against spout 122 to force it to its retracted position within the container and cap 139 is fixed in position against housing 112. The spout assembly 110 described herein may utilize a cap 139 to secure spout 122 in a retracted position within housing 112 and to seal can 135. Although cap 139 seals against housing 112, in some instances, use of a cap 139 alone to both seal and secure spout 122 in the retracted position is not enough. Since spout 122 still allows for flow through when retracted and covered by cap 139, the space formed between cap 139 and the opening of spout 122 may be filled with fluid during shipping and handling of the container although this space is sealed by cap 39. In some cases, additional sealing is required, for example to maintain pressurized gas inside the container.

To overcome this problem and maintain pressure, housing 112 can be covered by a single use membrane (enclosing cap 139) which can be pulled off or ripped prior to use.

The spout assembly of the present embodiments may also be designed such that spring 118 is not in the flow path of the liquid. That is to say the spring is not positioned around the external surface of the spout, thus maintaining the flow path clear of the spring. Such an arrangement may facilitate use with non-refillable systems and allow for incorporation of a one way valve into the spout. To enable functionality with an external spring, the spout preferably includes an external flange or lip for containing the top end of the spring. The bottom end of the spring may be seated against the top of the housing.

Reference is now made to Fig. 11 which shows how, in an additional embodiment, a one-way valve can be built into the mechanism to prevent surreptitious refilling of the container. A ball valve 150 may be provided as the one-way valve to prevent refilling. A ball 152 travels up and down a track or tube 154, blocking the track 154 when lowered. When pouring, the ball 152 reaches upper end 156 of the tube 154, freeing a restriction in the base 158 of the tube. When attempting to refill, the ball falls towards the base 158 of the tube and closes the restriction, thus preventing refill.

Such valves are known with bottles and cans but there is an additional problem if the spout is a jump-type spout in that the spout can be pulled out altogether and bypassed. A solution is to make the neck of either the spout or the bottle thin enough to break. In the case of a spout for a metal container, as discussed above, the prior art spout is a two-part spout which unfolds, and is collapsible, so that it is not possible to insert a one-way valve. A jump spout does not fold and therefore can fit the valve in the spout. There is thus provided, for both a bottle and a can, a variable valve that does not get in the way of packing since the spout can be retracted, and yet the valve can be oneway.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment, and the present text is to be construed as if such a single embodiment is explicitly set out herein. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination, and the present text is to be construed as if all such separate embodiments and combinations and subcombinations are explicitly set out herein.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A spout assembly for a non-rotationally symmetric container, the assembly comprising:

(a) a housing including a circumferential groove for fixedly receiving a wall surrounding an opening of said non-rotationally symmetric container;

(b) a spout carried by a body within said housing for pouring in a

predetermined pouring direction, the spout being movable with respect to said housing from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from said housing, the body being rotatable with respect to said can to set said pouring direction in relation to said non-rotationally symmetric container, the body further comprising an air pathway to allow pressure equalization during pouring, the air pathway being located opposite said pouring direction in relation to said spout.

2. A spout assembly comprising:

(a) a housing configured for attachment to an opening of a fluid container;

(b) a spout carried by said housing and movable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from said housing;

(c) a single use mechanism for locking said spout in said retracted position, the single use mechanism comprising a membrane stretched over said spout, the spout being resiliency mounted to press towards said extended position; and

(d) . a cap for attachment to said opening, the cap when attached to said opening extending over said single use mechanism and comprising a ring extending downwardly to said single use mechanism to mechanically support said single use mechanism against resilience of said spout.

3. A spout assembly comprising:

(a) a housing configured for attachment to an opening of a fluid container;

(b) a spout carried by said housing and movable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from said housing, said housing and said spout being configured such that said spout is pivotably mounted on said housing to be tiltable away from a longitudinal axis of said housing when fully extended out of said housing.

4. The spout assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said housing is dimensioned to be fixedly received within a neck of a bottle-type fluid container.

5. The spout assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing includes a circumferential groove for fixedly receiving a wall surrounding an opening of a can- type fluid container.

6. The spout assembly of claim 1, the body being rotatable by rotating a pull out handle attached to said body.

7. The spout assembly of claim 6, wherein said pouring direction is indicated by a marking on said cap.

8. The spout assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a spring mounting said spout onto said housing, wherein said spout compresses said spring when in said retracted position.

9. The spout assembly of claim 1 or 3, wherein said housing is configured with an inner tube and an outer tube, the outer tube for mounting on said neck and said inner tube for holding said spout, the tubes arranged such that when fixedly received within said neck of said bottle, compression of said housing by said neck is not transferred from said outer tube to said inner tube, thereby to allow free movement of said spout from said retracted position to said extended position, irrespective of a level of compression of said outer tube by said neck.

10. The spout assembly of claim 2, wherein said housing includes a cage structure for surrounding an end of said spout residing within said can when the spout assembly is attached to said can.

11. The spout assembly of claim 10, wherein said cage structure is configured for enabling inflow of air.

12. The spout assembly of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a one-way valve built into said spout.

13. The spout assembly of claim 2, further comprising a cap located over said air pathway to seal pressure within said container, said cap being removable to release said sealed pressure and thereby to allow rotation of said body.

14. A spout assembly for pouring of liquids from a container with refill prevention, the assembly comprising:

(a) a housing configured for attachment to an opening of a fluid container;

(b) a spout carried by said housing and extendable with respect thereto from a retracted position to an extended position extending outwardly from said housing;

(c) a one-way valve built into said extendable spout; wherein at least one member of the group comprising a section of spout wall and a section of container neck wall is weakened with respect to surrounding wall to preferentially break in the event of an attempt to interfere with said one-way valve.