Liquid dispensing package and method of manufacture
A container and closure package in that includes a container having a body, a finish wall extending from the body with at least one external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of the finish wall remote from the body and having a lesser inner diameter than the finish wall, and a pour spout extending axially from the throat at greater inner diameter than the throat. The container body, finish wall, throat and pour spout are of integrally blow molded construction as formed, with the inside diameter of the throat being optionally reamed as required for sealing engagement with the closure. The closure has a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from the base wall with an internal thread for receipt over the external thread on the container finish wall, and an internal skirt extending from the base wall and spaced radially inwardly from the outer skirt for sliding plug-sealing receipt within the throat, with the pour spout being disposed between the inner and outer skirts of the closure.
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This application is a division of application Ser. No. 10/389,828 filed Mar. 17, 2003, which is a division of application Ser. No. 09/776,434 filed Feb. 2, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/468,575 filed Dec. 21, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,188.
The present invention is directed to a liquid containment and dispensing package, and to a method of manufacturing the same, in which the package container has a pour spout that is blow molded with the container as a single unit.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,917,269, 5,207,356 and 5,941,422 disclose liquid containment and dispensing packages in which the container has a pour spout that extends from the container dispensing opening to facilitate dispensing of the liquid content of the container into a dosage cap/closure. In containers for packages of this type, the pour spout is typically formed either separately from the container and secured as a fitment, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,422, or is formed integrally with the finish of the container in an injection molding operation, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,917,269 and 5,207,356. Forming a separate fitment for securement to the container finish in a post-molding operation undesirably increases the cost of manufacture. Likewise, use of injection molding apparatus to form the container finish and pour spout, followed by extrusion blow molding of the container body, undesirably increases the cost of manufacture by increasing the cost of manufacturing tooling. It has been proposed in the past to form the container body, finish and pour spout in a single blow molding operation (followed by trimming as required), but the results have not been entirely satisfactory.
It is a general object of the present invention, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, to provide a container and closure package, and a method of making the same, in which the container body, finish and pour spout are integrally blow molded in a single operation, and in which the container finish has an internal throat of reduced diameter adapted for sliding plug-sealing engagement with an inner skirt of the closure, while the outer skirt of the closure has an internal thread received over an external thread molded into the container finish. It is another object of the present invention, in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, to provide a container for dispensing liquid product, a method of making such container, and a container and closure package, in which a pour lip is formed on the container spout during the molding and/or trimming operation, for reducing drippage from the pour spout, and/or in which one or more drip ledges extend around the external surface of the pour spout for capturing any liquid that may drip from the edge of the pour spout and feed such liquid back to the inside of the container. It is a further object of the invention, in accordance with a third aspect of the invention, to provide a closure for a container and closure package in which the closure is constructed for enhanced sealing engagement with the container finish.
The present invention embodies several aspects, which may be used separately from or in combination with each other, and different aspects of the invention have a number of alternative preferred embodiments. A container and closure package in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a container having a body, a finish wall extending from the body with at least one external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of the finish wall remote from the body and having a lesser inner diameter than the finish wall, and a pour spout extending axially from the throat at greater inner diameter than the throat. The container body, finish wall, throat and pour spout are of integrally blow molded construction as formed, with the inside diameter of the throat being optionally reamed or otherwise trimmed as required for sealing engagement with the closure. The closure has a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from the base wall with an internal thread for receipt over the external thread on the container finish wall, and an internal skirt extending from the base wall and spaced radially inwardly from the outer skirt for sliding plug-sealing receipt within the throat, with the pour spout being disposed between the inner and outer skirts of the closure. The internal skirt may optionally have a circumferentially continuous external bead for interference sliding fit within the container throat to enhance sealing engagement between the internal skirt and the container throat. The pour spout has an angulated upper edge formed by trimming a moil from the spout in the container as molded. A pour lip of increased inside diameter may extend part-way around the upper edge, and may be formed by molding a portion of the spout wall radially outwardly offset from the remainder of the spout and then trimming the spout edge along a plane that intersects this offset portion of the spout wall.
A container for dispensing liquid product in accordance with another aspect of the invention includes a hollow body, a finish wall extending from the body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of the finish wall remote from the body and having a lesser diameter than the finish wall, and a cylindrical spout extending from the throat coaxially with the throat and the finish wall at a greater inner diameter than the throat. The pour spout terminates in a planar edge at an angle to the axis of the spout to form a pour opening. A planar ledge externally extends around the spout at greater angle than the edge to the axis of the spout so as to be spaced from the edge at one side of the spout and to intersect the edge at an opposing side of the spout. The container body, finish wall, throat, pour spout and ledge are of integrally blow molded construction as formed. Any liquid product that may drip from the pour spout is captured by the planar ledge and fed by gravity back into the container body when the container body is moved to an upright position. In the preferred embodiments, the body includes an integrally formed handle, and the planar ledge is angled to intersect the edge of the pour spout adjacent to the handle.
A closure for a container and closure package in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention includes a base wall having a peripheral outer skirt with an internal thread for receipt over an external thread on a container finish. An inner cylindrical skirt extends from the base wall and is spaced radially inwardly from the outer skirt for sliding plug-sealing receipt within a throat on the container. The inner skirt may have an outer surface with a radial step that is so positioned with respect to the thread on the outer skirt that the thread on the outer skirt engages a thread on the container finish before the step engages the finish throat. The internal skirt may include a circumferentially continuous external bead for interference fit within the container throat for improving the sealing engagement between the inner skirt and the container throat. This bead preferably lies in a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the closure, and preferably is axially positioned to make sliding contact with the container finish during the last half-turn of the closure onto the finish.
In the preferred embodiments of the invention, a pour lip extends around an upper edge of the spout remote from the handle. The pour lip in various embodiments of the invention includes an undercut molded into an outer surface of the spout immediately beneath the edge, a hook-shaped lip that extends radially outwardly from the spout at the edge, and a part-cylindrical wall portion radially outwardly offset from the pour spout. In several preferred embodiments, there are a pair of parallel planar drip ledges externally extending around the spout and axially spaced from each other for enhanced capture of any liquid that may drip from the pour lip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention, together with additional objects, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:
Container 12 is filled by a packager, and closure 14 is then fitted over the container finish. Inner skirt 34 engages the inside diameter of throat 22 in sliding plug-sealing facing engagement with the inside diameter of the throat. The inside diameter of throat 22 may be reamed as described above to enhance this plug-sealing arrangement. Outer skirt 32 is threaded over container finish wall 16. When a consumer desires to dispense product from within container 12, closure 14 is unthreaded from finish wall 16. The container contents are then poured from spout 24, either into the point of use, or into closure 14 within inner skirt 34. Inner skirt 34 may include a mark 46 or other suitable indicia for identifying a specific amount of product, such as one cup of detergent. The measured product may then be poured into the point of use, and the closure returned to the container. As closure skirt 34 is sealingly inserted through container throat, any excess product within the closure automatically drains into the container.
There have thus been disclosed a container for dispensing liquid products, a container and closure package, a closure, a method of making a container, and a method of making a container and closure package, that fully satisfy all of the objects and aims previously set forth. One aspect of the invention contemplates provision of a container for dispensing liquid products. Other aspects of the invention contemplate provision of a container and closure package having various features that may be implemented separately from or more preferably in combination with each other. Yet another aspect of the invention contemplates provision of a closure for such a container and closure package. Several embodiments and modifications have been disclosed. Other modifications will readily suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing description. The invention is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A container and closure package that comprises:
- a container having a body with a side handle, a finish wall extending from said body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of said finish wall remote from said body and having a lesser inner diameter than said finish wall, an elongated cylindrical pour spout extending axially from said throat at greater inner diameter than said throat and having a planar upper edge that is non-perpendicular to the axis of said spout, and a pour lip extending around an upper edge of said spout remote from said handle, said container body with handle, finish wall, throat and pour spout being of integrally blow molded construction as formed, and
- a closure having a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from said base wall and having an internal thread secured over said external thread on said finish wall, and an inner cylindrical skirt extending from said base wall and spaced radially inwardly from said outer skirt in sliding plug-sealing receipt within said throat with said pour spout being disposed within said inner and outer skirts of said closure, said base wall being free of sealing contact with said upper edge of said pour spout.
2. The package set forth in claim 1 further comprising a planar ledge externally extending around said pour spout at a greater angle to said axis than said edge so as to be spaced from said edge at one side of said spout and to intersect said edge at an opposing side of said spout.
3. The package set forth in claim 2 comprising a pair of said planar ledges externally extending around said spout and axially spaced from each other.
4. The package set forth in claim 3 wherein said pair of ledges are parallel to each other.
5. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pour lip comprises an undercut in an outer surface of said spout immediately beneath said edge.
6. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pour lip comprises a hook-shaped lip that extends radially outwardly from said spout at said edge.
7. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pour lip comprises a part-cylindrical wall portion radially outwardly offset from said pour spout.
8. A method of making a container and closure package that comprises the steps of:
- (a) integrally blow molding a container having a body, a finish wall extending from said body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of said finish wall remote from said body and having a lesser inner diameter than said finish wall, and a cylindrical pour spout extending axially from said throat at greater inner diameter than said throat,
- (b) providing a closure having a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from said base wall and having an internal thread for receipt over said external thread on said finish wall, and an inner cylindrical skirt extending from said base wall and spaced radially inwardly from said outer skirt, and
- (c) securing said closure to said container by inserting said inner cylindrical skirt into said throat in sliding plug-sealing engagement therewith, and then threading said outer skirt into said finish wall.
9. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said step (a) comprises the step of molding a moil integrally with an end of said pour spout remote from said finish wall, and comprising the additional step, prior to said step (c), of: (d) trimming said moil from said pour spout.
10. The method set forth in claim 9 wherein said step (a) comprises the step of molding said spout to have a wall portion that is offset radially outwardly from said spout, and wherein said step (d) is performed by cutting said spout along a plane that intersects said offset wall portion to form an offset pour lip on said spout.
11. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said step (b) includes providing a step on said inner cylindrical skirt that is so positioned with respect to said thread in said outer skirt that said inner and outer threads in said step (c) engage before said step on said inner skirt engages said throat.
12. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said step (b) includes providing a radially outwardly extending bead entirely around said inner skirt for interference plug-sealing engagement with the container throat.
13. A method of making a container for dispensing liquid product, which comprises the step of integrally blow molding a hollow body, a finish wall extending from said body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of said finish wall remote from said body and having a lesser inner diameter than said finish wall, a cylindrical pour spout extending from said throat coaxially with said throat and said finish wall at greater inner diameter than said throat, said pour spout terminating in a planar edge at an angle to the axis of said spout to form a pour opening, and a planar ledge externally extending around said pour spout at greater angle to said axis than said edge so as to be spaced from said edge at one side of said spout and to intersect said edge at an opposing side of said spout.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 19, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 24, 2008
Applicant: Graham Packaging Company L.P. (York, PA)
Inventors: William Brecheisen (Findlay, OH), John Safian (Maumee, OH)
Application Number: 11/826,971
International Classification: B67D 1/16 (20060101); B29C 49/00 (20060101); B65D 47/00 (20060101);