CLOSURE WITH POUR SPOUT

Abstract

A closure having a spout, and a container using such a closure are disclosed. The closure is formed of a paperboard panel surrounded by a plastic resin skirt formed around the panel in a mold. The spout is integrally molded with the skirt and is attached to an interior surface of the panel by a hinge. The spout has a floor and sides connected to the floor by hinges. The floor is positioned adjacent to a separable portion of the panel defined by perforations. Separation of the separable portion from the panel creates an opening. The floor of the spout is pivoted through the opening. The panel edges defining the opening contact the sides and force them to pivot toward the floor and form the spout. The container may be closed by pivoting the floor back toward the opening, the sides entering the interior of the container beneath the panel.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/893,965, filed Mar. 9, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to closures which incorporate a pour spout and to containers having such closures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Containers holding dry granular matter such as table salt and detergent are often equipped with closures having a retractable pour spout to permit the container to be opened and the contents to be dispensed in a controlled manner. Such containers according to the prior art may comprise, for example, a three-sided metal chute that is pivotally mounted in a sidewall or a container closure. The chute is hingedly mounted to the container in an opening, and when it is desired to open the container and dispense some of its contents, the chute is pivoted about the hinge and swings out from the container. The three sides forming the chute direct the flow of the granular matter. Upon completion, the chute is pivoted so that two of the sides retract into the container and the third side, positioned between the two sides, lies flat with the surface of the sidewall or closure substantially in the same plane as the surface.

While such spouts are useful, they add expense and complications to the manufacture of the container or the closure, as the spout must be formed and then integrated into the component as a moving part. It would be advantageous to have a pour spout wherein the integration of the spout into a container closure is simplified to provide a more economical design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a closure for a container. The closure comprises a panel having a perimeter. The panel has a first surface and a second surface oppositely disposed. A skirt surrounds the panel and is attached thereto at the perimeter. The skirt extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the panel and defines a well with the first surface. The closure also includes a spout comprising a floor portion and first and second side portions positioned on opposite sides of the floor portion. A first hinge attaches the first side portion to the floor portion, and a second hinge attaches the second side portion to the floor portion. A third hinge attaches the floor portion to the first surface of the panel. The first and second hinges are oriented substantially perpendicular to the third hinge. The spout is positioned adjacent to the first surface of the panel. A portion of the panel adjacent to the floor portion is separable from the panel to form an opening therein. The floor portion is pivotable about the third hinge through the opening. The first and second side portions are pivotable respectively about the first and second hinges to pass through the opening and form the spout with the floor portion.

In one embodiment, the skirt and the spout are formed of plastic resin and the panel is formed of paperboard. Preferably, the hinges are living hinges.

The invention also encompasses a container. The container comprises a sidewall surrounding an interior space. A bottom is attached to the sidewall, and the closure, as described above, is attached to the sidewall opposite to the bottom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container having a closure with a pour spout according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the closure and pour spout shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the closure taken from inside of the container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the closure taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with the pour spout in a closed configuration;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the closure with the spout in an open position; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken at line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a container 10 having a sidewall 12 surrounding an interior space 14. A bottom 16 is attached to the sidewall, and a closure 18 is attached to the sidewall opposite to the bottom. Closure 18, shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 4, comprises a panel 20 having a perimeter 22. In this embodiment, the panel is formed of paperboard to provide a surface capable of receiving high quality printing for the display of a brand name, colorful graphics and product information.

The panel 20 is surrounded by a skirt 24. Skirt 24 is preferably formed of a plastic resin and provides the structure for attachment of the closure to the sidewall 12 of the container 10. Skirt 24 extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane of panel 20 and defines a well 25 in conjunction with a surface 27 of the panel 20. Surface 27 faces the interior space 14 of the container 10. Skirt 24 has a rim 26 which allows for attachment of the skirt to the perimeter 22 of panel 20. The rim also provides stiffness to the closure and the container. A spout 28 is attached to the surface 27 of the panel 20 by a hinge 30, as best shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, spout 28 is formed of the same plastic resin as skirt 24 and is molded along with the skirt. Sprues 29, which extend from the skirt to the spout, provide evidence of the molding process which forms both the skirt and the spout. As further shown in FIG. 3, spout 28 is formed of three portions, a floor portion 32 and first and second side portions 34 and 36 positioned on opposite sides of the floor portion. Each of the side portions 34 and 36 is attached to the floor portion by a respective hinge, 38 and 40. For proper operation of the spout 28, as described in detail below, the hinges 38 and 40 between the side portions 34 and 36 and the floor portion 32 are oriented substantially perpendicular to the hinge 30, which attaches the spout to the panel 20. Hinges 30, 38 and 40 are preferably “living hinges” formed from a region of plastic having a reduced thickness to provide increased flexibility. Because of the reduced flexibility, the spout 28 will naturally tend to pivot about the hinge 30 and the side portions 34 and 36 will tend to pivot about respective hinges 38 and 40 relative to the floor portion 32.

To allow the spout to form during use only the hinge 30, or both the hinge 30 and the floor portion 32, are attached to the surface 27 of panel 20. Whether floor portion 32 is attached to surface 27 or not, during molding of the skirt and spout, the floor portion 32 is positioned so as to be adjacent to a separable portion 31 of the panel 20 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Preferably, the separable portion 31 is defined by perforations 33 which allow the separable portion 31 to be separated from the panel 20 and form an opening therein. Preferably, the separable portion 31 is the same shape as but slightly larger than the floor portion 32 of the spout 28 to enable the spout to be drawn through the opening and be formed as described below.

Manufacture of the closure is advantageously accomplished using a cavity and core mold having a mold space that defines the skirt 24, rim 26 and spout 28 and receives the plastic resin. During manufacture, the mold is opened and a paperboard panel 20 is placed in the mold. Orientation tabs 35 (best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) extend from the panel 20 and fit into recesses in the mold (not shown) thereby orienting the panel so that when the skirt and spout are molded the floor portion 32 of the spout 28 is positioned adjacent to the separable portion 31 of the panel 20. The mold is then closed and the plastic resin is injected into the mold space. The plastic resin may be polyethylene, polypropylene or other flexible, resilient plastic. When the molten plastic comes into contact with the perimeter 22 of the panel 20, it adheres to the panel. Certain plastics, such as polyethylene will naturally adhere to the paperboard panel. For plastics which do not naturally adhere, adhesion of the plastic to the paperboard may be accomplished by coating the perimeter of the panel with a thin layer of plastic resin that will adhere to both the paperboard and the plastic resin of the rim. Similar measures may be taken to adhere the hinge 30 and floor portion 32 of spout 28 to surface 27 of the panel 20. It may be necessary to ensure that the side portions 34 and 36 do not adhere to the surface 27. Proper operation of the spout requires that these side portions be free to pivot, and therefore they should not be constrained by attachment to the panel 20. For plastic resins which would naturally adhere to the paperboard panel a coating of varnish, applied to the panel surface 27, will prevent adhesion of the side portions 34 and 36 to the surface. The surface 27 may be pre-printed with adhesion promoting and adhesion preventing coatings as required so that the hinge 30 and floor portion 32 adhere to the surface while the side portions 34 and 36 do not adhere upon molding of the skirt and spout.

To effect opening of the closure 18, as shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the floor portion 32 has a projection 52 that extends through the panel 20 above the panel's outside surface 46. The projection 52 is formed during the molding process by providing a slit 53 through the separable portion 31 of panel 20 (see also FIG. 4). Molten plastic resin, which forms the floor portion 32 of spout 28, is under pressure during molding and will flow through the slit and into the mold space above the panel 20, conforming to the shape of the mold space which defines the projection 52. This projection allows the floor portion 32 to be manually pivoted about the hinge 30 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Pivoting of the floor portion 32 causes the separable portion 31 of the panel 20 to separate from the panel along the perforations 33 (see FIG. 1) and form an opening 56, best shown in FIG. 6. As the floor portion 32 is pivoted about hinge 30, the adjacent side portions 34 and 36 are drawn through the opening 56 and forced, by contact with the panel edges 57 surrounding the opening 56, to pivot about their hinges 38 and 40 toward the floor portion 32. Pivoting of the side portions forms the pour spout 28. To prevent the side portions 34 and 36 from disengaging from the opening 56, a projecting stop surface 62, shown in FIG. 7, is provided in each side portion. To reclose the closure, the floor portion 32 is pivoted about the hinge 30 back toward the panel 20. Being resilient, the side portions 34 and 36 pivot away from the floor portion as they enter the interior space 14 of the container 10 to at least partially resume their as-molded shape, thereby helping to retain the spout 28 in a closed configuration. The closure 18 may be opened and closed many times with the flap portions forming the pour spout upon each opening.

Closures according to the invention provide a spout for convenient opening, pouring and reclosing of the container. By integrally molding the spout with the skirt and rim efficiency of production is achieved, as fewer steps are necessary to produce a closure having a pour spout than if a spout were added separately after formation of the closure.

Claims

1. A closure for a container, said closure comprising:

a panel having a perimeter, a first surface and a second surface oppositely disposed;

a skirt surrounding said panel and attached thereto at said perimeter, said skirt extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said panel and defining a well with said first surface;

a spout comprising a floor portion and first and second side portions positioned on opposite sides of said floor portion;

a first hinge attaching said first side portion to said floor portion;

a second hinge attaching said second side portion to said floor portion;

a third hinge attaching said floor portion to said first surface of said panel, said first and second hinges being oriented substantially perpendicular to said third hinge; and

wherein said spout is positioned adjacent to said first surface of said panel, a portion of said panel adjacent to said floor portion being separable from said panel to form an opening therein, said floor portion being pivotable about said third hinge through said opening, said first and second side portions being pivotable respectively about said first and second hinges to pass through said opening and form said spout with said floor portion.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said skirt and said spout are formed of plastic resin.

3. A closure according to claim 2, wherein said panel is formed of paperboard.

4. A closure according to claim 2, wherein said hinges are living hinges.

5. A closure according to claim 1, further comprising a projection positioned on said floor portion and extending through said panel.

6. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said floor portion of said spout is attached to said first surface of said panel.

7. A container, comprising:

a sidewall surrounding an interior space;

a bottom attached to said sidewall;

a closure attached to said sidewall opposite to said bottom, said closure comprising: a panel having a perimeter, a first surface facing said interior space and a second surface oppositely disposed and facing away from said interior space; a skirt surrounding said panel and attached to said sidewall, said skirt being attached to said panel at said perimeter; a spout comprising a floor portion and first and second side portions positioned on opposite sides of said floor portion; a first hinge attaching said first side portion to said floor portion; a second hinge attaching said second side portion to said floor portion; a third hinge attaching said floor portion to said first surface of said panel, said first and second hinges being oriented substantially perpendicular to said third hinge; and wherein said spout is positioned adjacent to said first surface of said panel, a portion of said panel being separable from said panel to form an opening therein, said floor portion being pivotable about said third hinge through said opening, said first and second side portions being pivotable respectively about said first and second hinges to pass through said opening and form said spout with said floor portion.

8. A container according to claim 7, wherein said skirt and said spout are formed of plastic resin.

9. A container according to claim 8, wherein said panel is formed of paperboard.

10. A container according to claim 7, wherein said hinges are living hinges.

11. A container according to claim 7, further comprising a projection positioned on said floor portion and extending through said panel.

12. A container according to claim 7, wherein said floor portion of said spout is attached to said first surface of said panel.