Scoop Dock and Assembly Methods

Abstract

In a method for installing a scoop (140) to a closure (24), the scoop comprises a bowl (142) and a handle (150). The closure comprises: a frame (26) for mounting to a container body; a cover (28); a hinge (29) connecting the cover to the frame; and a cradle (160) connected to the frame by a connection (200). The method comprises: mating the bowl to the cradle; and shifting the cradle from a first condition to a second condition.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Benefit is claimed of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/263,588, filed Dec. 4, 2015, and entitled “Scoop Dock and Assembly Methods”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if set forth at length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to dispensing containers. More particularly, the invention relates to dispensing containers for powdered food product.

Powdered food product is sold in a variety of containers. One exemplary product is infant formula. Other products include adult meal replacement mixes. In recent decades, such food products have been sold in containers along with a measuring scoop. In one basic example, the container is a metal can and the scoop is initially packed as loosely within the can. The can is typically sold along with a plastic snap-on cover which is used to close the can once the metal lid is removed (e.g., via can opener).

Such cans have largely been replaced by molded plastic jars with screw-on plastic closures (but also loosely containing a measuring scoop). More recently, dedicated containers have been proposed. In one example, US2006/000840 discloses a molded plastic container having a rounded rectangular planform. The lid includes features for mounting the scoop. The scoop has a round bowl of profile (e.g., radius selected to be complementary to a radius of corner junctions between the sidewall and the base of the container) so as to allow clean scooping of material from the bottom of the container.

It has also been proposed to unitarily mold the scoop with the closure of the container and connected thereto via a frangible connection. The user ruptures the connection for first use and may then replace the scoop with its bowl in a complementary hole in a web extending partially across a frame of the closure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the disclosure involves a method for installing a scoop to a closure. The scoop comprises a bowl and a handle. The closure comprises: a frame for mounting to a container body; a cover; a hinge connecting the cover to the frame; and a cradle connected to the frame by a connection. The method comprises mating the bowl to the cradle; and shifting the cradle from a first condition to a second condition.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the shifting causes a surface of the cover to contact the bowl.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the shift comprises deforming the connection.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the deforming comprises twisting.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the shift causes one or more first features to engage one or more second features to resist a shift back to the first condition.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the first features are distally of a deformed region of the connection and the second features are proximally of the deformed region

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the second features are a pair of arms of the connection.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the surface is an edge of a fin depending from an underside of the cover.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, a closure is configured to perform the method.

Another aspect of the disclosure involves a method for using a closure. The closure comprises the combination of: a frame for mounting to a container body; a cover; a hinge connecting the cover to the frame; and a cradle connected to the frame by a connection. The method comprises mating the bowl to the cradle and shifting the cradle from a first condition to a second condition.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the combination is a unitarily molded single piece combination.

Another aspect of the disclosure involves a closure and scoop assembly. The scoop comprises a scoop comprising a bowl and a handle. The closure comprises: a frame for mounting to a container body; a cover; a hinge connecting the cover to the frame; and a cradle connected to the frame by a connection and holding the scoop. The connection of the cradle is held in a strained condition by interlocked features.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the interlocked features comprise one or more first features to engage one or more second features to resist a shift from the strained condition back to a relaxed condition.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the closure member is unitarily molded as a single piece.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the assembly further comprises a latch having a first portion on the lid and a second portion on the frame, the first portion releasably matable to the first portion to retain the lid in the closed condition and release to allow the lid to shift to the open condition

Further embodiments may involve any physically possible combination of the claim elements or other disclosed features below.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a container in an open, pre-use condition.

FIG. 2 is an underside view of a closure of the container of FIG. 1 with a scoop shown in phantom.

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a can of the container.

FIG. 4 is a view of the closure in an initial as-molded condition.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the closure in the as-molded condition (thus showing an underside of a cover portion of the closure).

FIG. 6 is a view of the closure in a condition after closing of the cover and prior to installation of the scoop and articulation of a scoop dock/cradle toward a locked condition.

FIG. 7 is a view of the closure in an open condition after the dock/cradle has been placed in its locked condition and showing a portion of the dock/cradle being used to level the contents of the scoop.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the closure taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 2 with a broken line showing of an initial stage of installation of the scoop prior to articulation of the dock/cradle toward the locked condition.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. Various of the drawings include artifacts of computer aided design (CAD) such as stitching lines which may be unseen in the actual container but help illustrate shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary container assembly 20 having a body 22 and a closure 24. An exemplary body may comprise a can. One group of cans are essentially metallic (e.g., ignoring coatings). Another group of cans are metal-paper hybrids (e.g., having a metal bottom, a metal top, and a cardboard sidewall (optionally metallic lined)). Initially, the can may be sealed such as by being a sheetmetal top requiring a can opener to open, or by a sheetmetal top having a pull tab 50 (FIG. 1) to tear off a portion, or by having a peel-off or tear-off foil seal. Other bodies are molded plastic. An exemplary molded plastic body is an extrusion blow-molded multi-layered tub for beneficial moisture and light blocking.

The exemplary closure 24 is unitarily-molded as a single piece (e.g., injection molded polypropylene or other plastic). The closure 24 comprises a base or frame 26 mounted to the tub and a lid/cover 28 connected to the frame by a living hinge 29 (FIG. 4). A latch 30 (FIG. 2) may be formed on the lid and frame (e.g., including a button 32 (FIG. 1) of the frame and a clasp 34 of the lid).

FIG. 3 shows the body 22. The exemplary body has a base formed by a metallic bottom 40, and a sidewall 42 extending upward from the base to a top 44. The exemplary bottom and top include respective perimeter crimps 43, 45 grasping the adjacent edge of the sidewall. The top includes a pull tab 50 for removing a central portion 52 of the top bounded by a reduced thickness area 54 (e.g., a scored perimeter) leaving the top crimp.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the closure 24 in an as-molded condition (but after removal of molding gates, flash, and the like). The frame planform is complementary to the planform of the body to which it mates (e.g., the can top crimp 45 in the example). To establish a frame of reference, the hinge 29 is formed at a rear of the frame. The exemplary frame has a downwardly open channel cross-section for receiving an upper portion of the container (e.g., receiving the top crimp 45).

The frame has an inner sidewall 60 having a lower rim 61, an outer sidewall 62 having a lower rim 63, and an upper channel base or annular web 64 joining the inner and outer sidewalls (e.g., at upper edges thereof).

The frame has features for securing the frame to the body. With the exemplary channel-like section, these features may comprise radially-inwardly protruding projections 66

(FIG. 2) on the inboard or inner diameter (ID) surface 68 of the outer sidewall. In the installed condition, such projections may be captured by an underside 70 (FIG. 3) of the top crimp and vice versa, capturing the top crimp against the underside 72 (FIG. 2) of the web 64.

The cover 28 (FIG. 1) has a sidewall 100 extending upward from a lower rim 102 to a shoulder 104. A top web 120 spans the shoulder and has an underside 122.

FIG. 1 further shows a scoop 140 (e.g., a separate plastic injection molding) having a bowl 142 which includes a bottom or base 144 and a sidewall 146 extending from the base 144 to a rim 148 of the bowl. A handle 150 extends from a root at a proximal end 152 at the bowl to a handle end 154.

FIG. 2 further shows a cradle 160 for holding the scoop. The cradle has a concave surface 162 complementary to the convex profile of the exterior surface of the scoop bowl sidewall 146. In the in-use condition of FIG. 2 (distinguished from the as-molded condition discussed below) the cradle has an opening 164, between a first edge 166 and a second edge 168, for receiving the scoop bowl. The cradle extends between lateral ends 170 and 172. A downwardly depending tab 180 depends from adjacent the edge 168 to a distal edge 182. As is discussed further below, the edge 182 may be used for leveling. The exemplary cradle also has an aperture 184. The exemplary aperture spans a junction between the wall 180 and the arcuate portion of the cradle and has a proximal end 190, a distal end 192, and lateral ends 194, 196. One or more of these segments of the aperture perimeter may serve to retain the scoop against lateral movement and/or rotation about a lateral axis.

The exemplary cradle is connected to the frame by a connection 200. The exemplary connection 200 comprises a pair of arms 202, 204 extending from proximal ends at the inner diameter (ID) surface of the inner sidewall 60 to merge with the cradle. The exemplary arms have a bit of a spiral to accommodate twisting discussed below.

In the illustrated FIG. 2 condition with the opening 164 facing upward, the closure is dimensioned to hold the scoop captured against the underside 122 of the cover. In the exemplary implementation, the arcuate profile of the cradle is approximately semicircular. However, its opening does not face directly upward but instead faces slightly off upward. This creates impracticalities in molding the cradle in the final use orientation. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, the cradle is molded in a different orientation or condition and then shifted to and locked in the final in-use orientation or condition. The shift provides the twist discussed above.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the as-molded condition. In the as-molded condition, the exemplary semicircular (or slightly shy thereof) shape of the cradle may face directly upward or downward (i.e., sufficiently upward or downward in view of the extent and orientation of the arc of the cradle) so that it may be molded in a mold that only has an axial pull. For example, the mold may have two mold halves that retract axially from each other. Alternatively, the mold may have more mold sections but all of which shift axially.

In the exemplary FIGS. 4 and 5 situation, the as-molded condition has the cradle facing downward. The cradle is, however, molded with features 240, 242 for locking it into the in-use condition after the aforementioned shift. The exemplary features 240 and 242 are hooks positioned to grasp onto the respective arms 202 and 204. The exemplary shift comprises rotation about a transverse axis (which may move during the shift). The exemplary rotation imparts twist to the connection (e.g., proximate junctions of the arms 202, 204) with the cradle. The twist is accommodated by the as-molded spiral of the arms. Depending on implementation, the twist may tighten or loosen the spiral. An exemplary rotation is by at least at least 60° or at least 90° (e.g., 60°-180° or 90°-150°). In the exemplary embodiment, during the rotation, the hooks 240, 242 flex past the arms and then relax, whereupon release of the cradle causes a partial reverse rotation with the channels of the hooks capturing the undersides of the arms to prevent rotation all the way back to the as-molded condition.

An exemplary shift from the as-molded condition may occur during installation of the separately-molded scoop. In one group of examples, the cover is first closed (by machine or manually by a worker) via rotation about the hinge axis and locked via the latch 30 in its closed condition (FIG. 6). Thereafter, the scoop bowl is mated (by machine or manually by a worker) to the cradle (broken line showing in FIG. 8). The scoop bowl may then be pressed (by machine or manually by a worker) toward the cover underside, initially twisting the linkage in a first portion of the shift. To complete the shift, this pressing alone may be insufficient as a purely vertical force may have no leverage to accomplish a final portion of the rotation. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiment features a camming projection 300 (FIGS. 6 and 8) depending from the underside 122 of the cover and having a camming edge 302 positioned to contact the scoop bowl during a further portion of the shift. In this example, the projection 300 is a flat fin having opposite side faces. The edge 302 generally faces the hinge (rearward in the closed direction). In the further portion of the shift, the camming interaction between the edge 302 and the bowl (responsive to applied vertical force) drives the bowl rearward toward the hinge and ultimately drives the hooks 140, 142 past the arms 202, 204 into the aforementioned capturing relationship. During this portion of the rotation, a side portion of the handle may become captured in the aperture 184 to provide the aforementioned capturing effect. Accordingly, this process leaves the scoop assembled to the closure ready for installation to the container body.

An exemplary securing to the container body comprises downwardly pressing the closure onto the body so that the projections 66 pass over and ultimately capture the top crimp. An overwrap and other tamper-evident feature may then be applied. Additionally, the closure itself may have been manufactured with one or more tamper-evident features (not shown).

In use, the user disengages the latch 30 and rotates the cover to an open condition (e.g., to or toward the as-molded condition).

In use, the user may remove any shrink seal, break any tamper-evident feature, and then unlatch the closure and rotate the cover to the open condition. The opening of the cover exposes the scoop and allows the user to pull the scoop bowl out through the opening 164. At first use, the user may open the pull tab or remove a safety foil or the like. The user may then use the scoop to scoop the contents. When scooping the contents, the user may use the edge 182 as a leveling feature to level the dose of contents held by the scoop by dragging the rim of the bowl across the edge 182. Once done, the user may place the empty scoop in the cradle and close and relatch the lid.

One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, when implemented in the modification of an existing container configuration, details of the existing configuration or its use may influence details of any particular implementation. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for installing a scoop (140) to a closure (24) wherein:

the scoop comprises a bowl (142) and a handle (150); and

the closure comprises: a frame (26) for mounting to a container body; a cover (28); a hinge (29) connecting the cover to the frame; and a cradle (160) connected to the frame by a connection (200);

the method comprising: mating the bowl to the cradle; and shifting the cradle from a first condition to a second condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the shifting causes a surface (302, 122) of the cover to contact the bowl.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the shift comprises deforming the connection.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the deforming comprises twisting.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the shift causes one or more first features (240, 242) to engage one or more second features (202, 204) to resist a shift back to the first condition.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the first features are distally of a deformed region of the connection and the second features are proximally of the deformed region

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the second features are a pair of arms of the connection.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the surface (302) is an edge of a fin (300) depending from an underside of the cover.

9. A closure configured to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A method for using a closure, the closure comprising the combination of:

a frame for mounting to a container body;

a cover;

a hinge connecting the cover to the frame; and

a cradle connected to the frame by a connection,

the method comprising: mating the bowl to the cradle; and shifting the cradle from a first condition to a second condition.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the combination is a unitarily molded single piece combination.

12. A closure and scoop assembly comprising:

a scoop comprising a bowl (142) and a handle (150); and

a closure comprising: a frame (26) for mounting to a container body; a cover (28); a hinge (29) connecting the cover to the frame; and a cradle (160) connected to the frame by a connection (200) and holding the scoop, the connection of the cradle being held in a strained condition by interlocked features (202, 204, 240, 242).

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein:

the interlocked features (202, 204, 240, 242) comprise one or more first features (240, 242) to engage one or more second features (202, 204) to resist a shift from the strained condition back to a relaxed condition.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein:

the closure is unitarily molded as a single piece.

15. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising:

a latch having a first portion on the lid and a second portion on the frame, the first portion releasably matable to the second portion to retain the lid in the closed condition and release to allow the lid to shift to the open condition