Liquid media breakaway package

Abstract

A container/package for dispensing a liquid media which is environmentally advantageous for recycling and waste disposal purposes. The liquid media package having a tubular body, an end cap on the tubular body for containing the liquid media, and a mechanism for inducing stress, such a score line in the tubular body, responsive to pressure developed by a pressure generating device to cause failure and separation of at least a portion of tubular body. More specifically, a first pressure is developed to dispense liquid media through the orifices in the end cap. A second pressure, higher than the first pressure, is subsequently developed for effecting failure of the tubular body at the point of induced stress. The package may be fabricated from two materials, where at least one of which is recyclable.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a container or package useful for dispensing a liquid media, and more particularly, to such a package which is to be separated upon disposal for recycling and/or other environmental purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Environmental considerations are increasingly becoming integral factors in corporate/economic decision-making. In practically every industry, recycling considerations are growing and the way they are handled can be the difference between profitability or loss. Furthermore, demonstrating environmental sensitivity in core business strategies serves as a foundation for achieving sustainable growth and lasting competitiveness. Manufacturers are increasingly designing their products with recycling in mind. They recognize that by making their products more suitable for recycling they are increasing the profitability for their customers and, of course, doing their part to reduce the consumption of increasingly scarce natural resources.

Oftentimes, products or consumables are fabricated from two or more materials, portions of which are recyclable and others which are not. Alternatively, the materials may have different recycling requirements. For example, spiral-type paper or cardboard tubes are often used in conjunction with a metal end cap or plastic nozzle. The tubular paper body has certain recycling requirements while the metal or plastic nozzle has yet different requirements. To economically recycle such materials they must be separated, however, it may not be practical or feasible to separate the recyclable material(s). That is, to the extent that a cutting tool, e.g., a knife or saw blade, or special process step is required to separate the materials, the probability that the consumer will take the time, or make the extra effort to separate the materials, is significantly reduced. Further, the additional time required to perform this separation step may outweigh the economic benefits derived from recycling. Hence, one will appreciate that in a production environment, where a particular consumable package is utilized in large volume, the separation step(s) required to recycle the materials must be negligible in order to reap the fiscal benefits of recycling.

Lowry et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,558,306 and 6,460,759 disclose a multi-layered cylindrical container having one or more score lines through the layers thereof to permit separation of various container segments. As such, the size of the container may be reduced commensurate with the amount of product consumed. Further, the materials employed in its manufacture may be separated to facilitate recycling. While the Lowry '306 and '759 patents acknowledge the requirement to recycle materials having different requirements, the separation step cannot easily be performed without the aid of a cutting device or other special tool. It will be appreciated that such additional step(s) can mitigate the fiscal benefits of recycling.

Yet other environmental considerations relate to the overall volume occupied by such containers upon disposal. That is, when a package, having empty or unoccupied space, is disposed, it is desirable that the space be vented, or open to ambient pressure such that package may be compacted or “knocked-down”. As such, the empty container or package will occupy a minimum volume in land fills or other waste disposal sites.

A need, therefore, exists for packaging which facilitates separation of materials employed in its construction which materials have different recycling requirements. Further, a need exists for packaging which facilitates separation of its residual parts for reduction of the overall volume of the waste upon disposal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A package is provided for dispensing a liquid media which is environmentally advantageous for recycling and waste disposal purposes. The liquid media package includes (a) a tubular body, (b) an end cap connected to the tubular portion for containing the liquid media, and (c) a mechanism for inducing stress at a point in the tubular body and responsive to pressure developed internally of the tubular body to cause failure and separation of said tubular body. In another embodiment, the package is fabricated from two materials, at least one of which is recyclable, and a score line is disposed therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings various forms that are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and constructions particularly shown.

FIG. 1a is a broken away sectional view taken along line 1a-1a of FIG. 1b illustrating a liquid media dispenser/package according to the present invention.

FIG. 1b is an end view of a dispensing end cap for a liquid media package, illustrating an example of an orifice pattern.

FIG. 2a is an enlarged side sectional view of one of the orifices having a flap preloaded against an edge of the orifice to releasably seal the flow of liquid media.

FIG. 2b is an enlarged view of the same orifice shown in FIG. 2a wherein the flap is displaced to an open position in response to internal pressure developed within the package.

FIG. 3a is a side sectional view of the liquid media package with the internal plunger assembly acting on the end cap to effect failure of the score line.

FIG. 3b depicts the same side sectional view as shown in FIG. 3a wherein the liquid media package has been separated.

FIG. 4a is an enlarged view of a sidewall of the tubular body showing a score line circumscribing an interior surface thereof.

FIG. 4b is an alternate embodiment of the score line circumscribing an exterior surface of the tubular body.

FIG. 4c is an alternate embodiment of the score line circumscribing both interior and exterior surfaces of the tubular body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, components, subassemblies, etc., FIG. 1a depicts a sectional view of a liquid media package 10 according to the present invention for dispensing a liquid media L_M. In the described embodiment, the liquid media L_M is a viscous fluid or slurry, such as those employed as condiments in the food service industry, e.g., ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, etc. The liquid media package 10 a includes a tubular body 12, a dispensing end cap 14 having a plurality of dispensing orifices 16, and a stress inducing score line 20 disposed between the tubular body 12 and the dispensing end cap 14. Further, the liquid media package 10 is to be used in combination with a pressure generating device to cause failure of the tubular body 12 at the score line 20. For example, a plunger assembly 18 may be employed to develop the requisite pressures internally of the tubular body 12. The operation of the plunger assembly 18 will be discussed in greater detail when describing the remaining figures. While the illustrated embodiment describes a package/dispenser for a food product, it will be appreciated that the teachings herein are applicable to any liquid media container which dispenses a liquid product, e.g., caulking, adhesives, toothpaste, etc.

The liquid media package 10 may be fabricated from two or more materials each having unique recycling requirements. While each of the materials described herein may be recyclable, the invention is useful for any package having at least one recyclable material or one which produces an enclosed/sealed void after use. With respect to the latter, an enclosed or sealed void increases the disposal volume of the package and, as such, is environmentally inefficient and undesirable. In the exemplary embodiment, the tubular body 12 may be fabricated from, for example, a paper material, while the dispensing end cap 14 may be manufactured from a plastic or thermoplastic material. It will, therefore, be appreciated that these materials, i.e., paper and plastic, may need to be separated upon disposal to recycle one or more of the materials. In the context used herein, the term recycling is defined as a process to restore or return, in whole or in part, a material previously used in the manufacture of a structure, item or component to its original material properties, e.g., structural, mechanical, dielectric, etc.

In FIG. 1b, the dispensing orifices 16 of the end cap 14 form a circular pattern for delivering/distributing the liquid media L_M over a predetermined circular area. For example, it may be desirable to dispense a condiment in a circular pattern on a food product having a substantially circular shape such as a patty of ground beef, chicken or fish (not shown). Alternatively, the orifice pattern may simply reflect or compliment the shape of the item upon which the material is to be dispensed or deposited, e.g., linear, polygonal, etc. As illustrated, each dispensing orifice 16 is defined by a substantially U-shaped cutout 26 forming a three-sided flap 28. In FIG. 2a, the flap 28 is preloaded to a closed position against an opposing edge 32 of the cutout 26 while in FIG. 2b, the flap 28 is displaced to an open position in response to a first threshold pressure P1 developed internally of the tubular body 12.

In FIG. 2a, the preload configuration may be generated by a variety of methods and, in the illustrated embodiment, may be fabricated by forming a flap that may be formed against the inside edge 32 of the cutout 26. The flexibility of the material enables the flap 28 to be preloaded against the outside edge 32 of the cutout 26. A low modulus of elasticity for the material enables a torsion spring to be formed about an effective hinge 28_H for preloading the flap 28 against the edge 32 to seal the cutout 26.

In FIG. 2b, a first pressure (denoted by vertical arrows P1) developed internally of the tubular body 12 by the plunger assembly 18 (see FIG. 1a) causes each flap 28 to open. That is, once the pressure P1 (over the flap area) exceeds the preload spring force, the flap 28 will rotate about its effective hinge 28_H to dispense the liquid media L_M. Conversely, when the plunger assembly 18 stops acting on the liquid media L_M, the pressure is reduced, causing the flap 28 to close. Consequently, the flap 28 is entirely responsive, i.e., opens and shuts, to the pressure P1 developed internally of the package 10.

In FIGS. 1a and 3a, the plunger assembly 18 includes a piston 44 which slides axially within a cylindrical bore 12_B of the tubular body 12 and a jacking rod 46 having a disc or plate 48 affixed to an end thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, axial motion of the piston 44 is effected by a trigger assembly (not shown) for engaging the teeth 46_T of rod 46 in much the same manner as a conventional caulk gun. That is, the teeth 46_T are engaged to incrementally displace the rod 46 and plate 48, and thus the piston 44, with each stroke of the trigger assembly.

A variety of mechanisms may be employed to displace the piston within the bore of the package and those skilled in the art will recognize those which best integrate for a particular application. For example, if a tubular package is supported within a fixture (not shown), a conventional lever arm may suffice to displace the piston. Alternatively, or additionally, a conventional piston rod having a spherical ball connection may be employed to impart motion to the piston.

In FIGS. 3a and 3b, the liquid media package 10 is empty, and is separated at the score line 20 to facilitate recycling. More specifically, in FIG. 3a, the plunger assembly 18 is shown acting on or abutting the back side surface 56 of the dispensing end cap 14 and applying a steady mechanical pressure P2 sufficient to separate the materials. That is, as a final step/operation, the operator actuates the plunger assembly 18 such that a second pressure P2, higher than the first pressure P1, is developed to fail the tubular body 12. Generally, this operation affects separation at the score line 20 about the circumference of the tubular body 12. While in FIG. 3a, the piston head 44 is shown substantially parallel to the back-side surface 56 of the end cap 14, the piston head may be angled (not shown) to apply a greater force in one area of the tubular body 12 to effect failure in only one region of the body. In FIG. 3b, the plunger assembly (not shown) has been removed and the waste materials are separated to be recycled or otherwise disposed of.

In FIGS. 4a through 4c, the tubular body 12 may be scored in a variety of ways to locally reduce the tensile yield strength of the material and effect separation at a predetermined operating pressure. In FIG. 4a the score line 20 is disposed about an internal circumferential surface of the tubular body 12. In FIG. 4b the score line 20′ is disposed about and external circumferential surface of the tubular body 12. In FIG. 4c the tubular body 12 is employed with a pair of aligned score lines 20″ on both the internal and external circumferential surfaces thereof. It should be appreciated that the score line must leave a sufficient thickness of material on the side wall so as to withstand normal operating pressure, yet the material must fail at a second predefined pressure, which is higher than the normal operating pressure. Specifically, the wall thickness at the score line must be designed to withstand the pressures incurred during routine operation, i.e., through pressure P1 as the liquid media L_M is dispensed. The wall thickness, however, must also fail at the higher pressure P2. The pressure P2 is contemplated to be a tensile load exceeding the tensile yield strength of the material over the cross-sectional area at the score line or a point of induced stress.

In summary, the package of the present invention employs a pressure generating device acting on a point of induced or concentrated stress, thereby separating the package as may be required to facilitate recycling. Furthermore, the invention may additionally serve to separate materials for preventing the formation of enclosed voids/unoccupied spaces. By separating or venting the unoccupied region the remaining package may be easily compacted to minimize waste volume. Furthermore, the invention synergistically employs the same pressure generating device used for dispensing the liquid media, i.e., in its routine or daily operation, and for developing a second pressure (greater than the first pressure) to fail/separate the package. Consequently, the operator needs only to depress or actuate the dispensing apparatus, e.g., the plunger assembly, a final time to separate the materials. The separation step is, therefore, contemplated to be integrated with the same apparatus employed in its normal day-to-day operation. Accordingly, the time/effort involved to dispose of the materials (in a manner suitable for recycling or other environmental purposes) is negligible.

As mentioned earlier, while the present invention has been described in the context of a dispenser for a food product, it will be appreciated that the teachings herein are applicable to any liquid media package which dispenses a liquid or slurry type product, e.g., a caulking, adhesives, toothpaste etc. Generally, the liquid will be sufficiently viscous such that the gap between the flap and cutout or each orifice, particularly along the sides of the flap, does not result in flow of the liquid media therethrough.

While the liquid media package 10 is shown to include a cylindrical bore 12_B for accepting a circular piston head 44, this combination is merely illustrative. For example, the body may have a variety of cross-sectional shapes (including square, elliptical or polygonal), provided that the pressurizing device include a plunger assembly or piston head having a complimentary shape. Further, while a score line 20 is shown to circumscribe the tubular body 20, the score may extend over a small portion of the tubular body 12 to initiate a tear for separating the recyclable elements. Moreover, the stress inducement means may include a tear strip or other means to structurally weaken the sidewall of the package.

While the illustrations show the piston head abutting a back-side surface of the end cap, the second pressure P2 may be developed with a portion of the liquid media L_M still remaining. That is, an end closure (not shown) may be employed to seal the orifices such that the second pressure P2 may be developed by the plunger assembly 18 as it acts on the liquid media and/or the end cap.

A variety of other modifications to the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure provided herein. Thus, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A liquid media package facilitating the recycling/waste disposal of one or more materials employed in its manufacture and adapted for use in combination with a pressure generating device, the package comprising:

a tubular body;

an end cap connected to the tubular body, the tubular body and end cap containing a liquid media, the end cap having at least one orifice for dispensing the liquid media therethrough; and

a mechanism responsive to pressure developed internally of the tubular body by the pressure generating device for causing failure and separation of the tubular body.

2. The liquid media package according to claim 1 further comprising a piston disposed within an internal bore of the tubular body, the piston engaging with the pressure generating device to cause a first pressure for dispensing the liquid media through the orifice and for developing a second pressure, higher than the first pressure, for effecting failure.

3. The liquid media package according to claim 1 wherein the tubular body and end cap are each fabricated from the same material and the mechanism for causing failure is disposed at a point on the tubular body.

4. The liquid media package according to claim 1 wherein the tubular body and end cap are fabricated from different materials.

5. The liquid media package according to claim 1 wherein the mechanism for causing failure is a score line disposed about a circumference of the tubular body.

6. The liquid media package according to claim 5 wherein the score line is disposed about an internal circumferential surface of the tubular body.

7. The liquid media package according to claim 6 wherein the score line is disposed about an external circumferential surface of the tubular body.

8. The liquid media package according to claim 6 wherein the score line is disposed about both internal and external circumferential surfaces of the tubular body.

9. The liquid media package according to claim 1 wherein each the orifice includes a cutout defining a multi-sided flap, the flap defining a hinge for resiliently opening and closing the flap relative to an opposing edge of the cutout.

10. The liquid media package according to claim 9 wherein each the flap is preloaded to a closed position against the opposing edge and displaced to an open position in response to a first pressure created within the tubular body on the retained liquid media.

11. A liquid media package facilitating the recycling/waste disposal of one or more materials employed in its manufacture, and adapted for use in combination with a pressure generating device, the liquid media package comprising:

a tubular portion fabricated from a first material;

an end portion fabricated from a second material;

the tubular or end portion defining an orifice for dispensing a liquid media therethrough, and at least one of the first or second materials being recyclable; and

a score line disposed within either the first and second materials for inducing stress, the score line responsive to internal pressure developed by the pressure generating device to cause failure of the material and separation of the tubular body from the end portion.

12. The liquid media package according to claim 11 further comprising an internal piston acting on the liquid media, the plunger assembly developing a first pressure for dispensing the liquid media through the orifice and a second pressure, higher than the first pressure, for effecting failure at the point of induced stress on the score line.

13. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein the first and second materials are the same.

14. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein the first and second materials are different materials.

15. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein the score line disposed around the circumference of the tubular body.

16. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein the score line is disposed about an internal circumferential surface of the tubular body.

17. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein the score line is disposed about an external circumferential surface of the tubular body.

18. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein the score line is disposed about both internal and external circumferential surfaces of the tubular body.

19. The liquid media package according to claim 11 wherein each of the orifices includes a cutout defining a multi-sided flap, the flap defining a hinge for resiliently opening and closing the flap relative to an opposing edge of the cutout.

20. The liquid media package according to claim 19 wherein each the flap is preloaded to a closed position against the opposing edge and displaced to an open position in response to a first pressure which is less than the pressure that causes failure along the score line.