SPOUT AND CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR A CONTAINER
A spout and closure assembly for a container are disclosed. The spout has a base end configured to be sealingly securable about the periphery of a dispensing opening of the container, and an outlet end which is movable between a retracted position in which the outlet end lies within or adjacent to the base end and an extended position in which the outlet end lies outward of the base end relative to the container opening. A removable closure cap is securable to the outlet end and a retainer is removably secured about the closure cap. The retainer comprises a detent by which the retainer and closure cap are held within or adjacent to the dispensing opening and also comprises a frangible line of weakness which when broken splits the retainer so as to allow disengagement of the detent, extension of the spout and removal of the closure cap from the outlet end, the frangible line of weakness being positioned in the retainer so that when the retainer is in place with the detent engaged, at least a portion of a force generated by pressure within the container and tending to expel the spout and closure cap is transmitted to the detent without passing through the line of weakness.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/623,960, filed on Jan. 23, 2024, the contents and disclosure of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTo aid the dispensing of liquid and other flowable contents from a container, it is known to provide a nestable and extensible pouring spout. A base end of the spout is sealingly securable about the periphery of a dispensing opening in the container. An outlet end of the spout has a smaller flow cross-section than the base end. The spout comprises a foldable tapered portion between these two ends. With the tapered portion in a folded configuration, the outlet end of the spout is nestable within the base end, for compact storage of the spout within the container. With the tapered portion unfolded to an extended position, the spout extends outwardly away from the container for controlled pouring out of the contents from the thus extended outlet end. A removable and re-closable closure cap is usually fitted to the spout outlet end to seal it. The closure cap is often initially secured within or adjacent to the container's dispensing opening by a frangible connection. For example, the connection may comprise a series of frangible bridges extending between bail handles on the cap and an anchor ring which can be non-removably secured about the container's dispensing opening. The cap, its bail handles, the frangible bridges, and the anchor ring may conveniently be formed as a one-piece injection molding of a polymer such HDPE, or formed from another suitable molded material. The frangible connection must be broken to allow extension of the spout and removal of the closure cap for the first time, and so provides tamper evidence, helping to guarantee the integrity of the container contents.
A problem arises in that the container contents can undergo significant volume and/or pressure changes in the supply chain before delivery to the end user, e.g. if the contents are inadvertently frozen, or under the influence of temperature and/or ambient pressure changes in the case of volatile contents. If there is an excessive rise in the container's relative internal pressure, the frangible connection will be broken, allowing the spout and closure cap to pop up, where they may be vulnerable to further damage. The broken frangible connections in any such case are a false-positive tamper indication which of itself may make the contained product unsaleable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a spout and closure assembly for a container, the assembly comprising:
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- a spout having:
- a base end configured to be sealingly securable about the periphery of a dispensing opening of the container, and
- an outlet end which is movable between a retracted position in which the outlet end lies within or adjacent to the base end and an extended position in which the outlet end lies outward of the base end relative to the container opening;
- a removable closure cap securable to the outlet end, and
- a retainer removably securable about the closure cap;
the retainer comprising a detent by which the retainer and closure cap are held within or adjacent to the dispensing opening;
the retainer comprising a frangible line of weakness which when broken splits the retainer so as to allow disengagement of the detent, extension of the spout and removal of the closure cap from the outlet end;
the frangible line of weakness being positioned in the retainer so that when the retainer is in place with the detent engaged, at least a portion of a force generated by pressure within the container and tending to expel the spout and closure cap is transmitted to the detent without passing through the line of weakness. The spout and closure assembly is thereby able to withstand higher container internal pressures without rupturing the line of weakness and hence without producing a false positive tamper indication, compared to the prior art.
- a spout having:
The line of weakness may extend substantially axially and/or radially within the retainer. Such a configuration may ensure that the line of weakness has a low exposure to container internal pressure-generated forces. The line of weakness may extend substantially non-circumferentially in the retainer, for similar reasons. The line of weakness may take any suitable form, for example a frangible web or score line, or one or more frangible bridges spanning an aperture or interspersed with apertures in the retainer, e.g. a line of perforations.
The line of weakness may be provided with a tear tab, for ease of operation in initiating and propagating its breakage. The tear tab may for example comprise a ring pull; or any other suitable graspable handle or tab. If suitably sized, this may readily allow breakage and removal of the retainer when desired, for example even by a person encumbered by wearing thick protective gloves. The tear tab may for example extend into a central aperture in an end wall of the retainer. This provides a low profile, easy to operate, compact design. The tear tab may be attached to the periphery of the aperture by frangible bridges, to provide the retainer with enhanced tamper indication and retain it in a stowed configuration prior to use.
The detent may comprise a radially projecting, upwardly facing (i.e., in use facing away from the interior of the container) surface of the retainer, engageable beneath a complementary downwardly facing surface provided about the dispensing opening of the container. The complementary downwardly facing surface may be provided on:
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- a neck or rim on the container (or a neck or rim on a part of the container, such as a lid) surrounding the dispensing opening, or
- the base end of the spout, or
- a securing member permanently securable about the dispensing opening by any suitable means. For example, the securing member may be thus secured by plastic deformation, e.g. if the securing member comprises a malleable (e.g. metal) ring crimped onto or over an edge of the dispensing opening of the container. By “permanently securable” is meant that the securing member and container are united in a manner which is not intended to be undone during the subsequent active lifecycle of the container. Undoing the permanent connection, e.g. when the container is recycled at the end of its active life, will therefore most likely result in destruction or visible damage to of one or both of the container and the closure assembly. Alternatively, the securing member may be a snap fit on or over the dispensing opening of the container, for example a snap-fit ring; or a screw-on ring with anti-backoff features. The securing member may be insert-molded into the container about the dispensing opening.
The securing member may also at least in part secure the spout base end about the dispensing opening. Additionally or alternatively the base end of the spout may be insert molded into the container (or a part thereof) to permanently secure it about the periphery of the dispensing opening.
The radially projecting, upwardly facing surface of the retainer comprising the detent may extend radially outwardly from the retainer and the complementary downwardly facing surface may be recessed within the dispensing opening of the container whereby in use the retainer is at least partly nested within the dispensing opening. This provides a compact and robust design, in which the retainer is shielded against pry-off tools.
The retainer may comprise an axially split or segmented peripheral skirt. The detent may extend radially outward from the skirt and be configured to face outward away from the container interior. The closure cap may comprise a chamfered support surface configured to lie against a flange bearing the detent, whereby container internal pressure tending to expel the spout and closure cap can urge the flange radially outward to press the detent into tighter engagement.
The closure cap may comprise a bail handle extending radially outward of the retainer. The thus enlarged diameter bail handle is easier to manipulate e.g. when encumbered by wearing thick protective gloves. The retainer may comprise a segmented peripheral skirt configured to extend through a slot separating the bail handle from the remainder of the closure cap. Thus, the bail handle may be left exposed but with the remainder of the closure cap closely surrounded by the retainer, leaving little or no purchase for pry-off tools. Such a retainer is difficult to remove without visible marring, or breaking the line of weakness.
The invention and some of its further optional features and advantages, may be further understood from the following description of illustrative embodiments, made with reference to the drawings, in which:
The spout 20 is made from a flexible material such as LDPE, or another suitable polymer compatible with the container contents.
The closure cap 40 may further comprise a support 56 configured to co-operate with the retainer 70 and assist in securing the retainer 70 in place. The support 56 may comprise an outer annular wall 58 depending from an outer edge of the cap top wall 48, outside the side wall 44, so that the diameter of the wall 58 is closer to the inside diameter of the spout base end. Radial stiffening webs 60 may interconnect the side wall 44, outer annular wall 58 and top wall 42. The bottom edge of the support 56 may be provided with a radially outwardly extending lip 62. An upper face of the lip 62 may face upwardly and radially outwardly to provide a chamfered support surface 64. Regions of the outer annular wall 58 beneath the diametrically extending lugs 50 may be thickened to provide raised external infills 66 extending e.g. to substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the lip 62.
The skirt 72 may comprise a radially outwardly projecting flange 78 on which the detent 80 is provided, the detent 80 thus being a surface which extends radially outward from the skirt 72 and is configured to face away from the container interior. With the retainer 70 thus fitted to the closure cap 40, the chamfered support surface 64 of the closure cap may lie against the flange 78 at its junction with the retainer skirt segments 72a, 72b. Therefore container internal pressure tending to expel the spout and closure cap 40 can urge the flange 78 radially outward to press the detent 80 into tighter engagement with a complementary surface 102 within the container dispensing opening, e.g. on the securing member 100 (see e.g.
The retainer 70 comprises a frangible line of weakness 82 which when broken splits the retainer 70 to allow disengagement of the detent 80 (e.g. from complementary surface 102) and removal of the retainer 70 from the securing member 100. The closure cap 40 is thereby made accessible for extending the pouring spout, followed by removal of the closure cap to allow dispensing of the container contents. An absent or broken retainer 70 therefore indicates that an attempt may have been made to access the container contents. The line of weakness 82 may take any suitable form, for example a molded-in score line as shown in the drawings. However it may also be a score line formed by cutting, a molded frangible web, one or more frangible bridges spanning an aperture or interspersed with apertures in the retainer 70, e.g. a line of perforations; or a combination of any of these.
The frangible line of weakness 82 is positioned in the retainer 70 so that when the retainer is in place with the detent 80 and complementary surface 102 mutually engaged, at least a portion of the force generated by pressure within the container and tending to expel the spout and closure cap 40 is transmitted to the detent 80 without passing through the line of weakness 82. For example, in the arrangement shown in the drawings, the majority of the axial upthrust generated by pressure within the container is transmitted by a narrow annular region at the periphery of the closure cap top wall 42 just inboard of the curved slots 54, to a corresponding annular region in the top wall 74 of the retainer 70, close to the junction between the top wall 74 and the side wall segments 72a, 72b. Most of the stresses acting in this portion of the retainer top wall 74 will be compressive stress acting in the axial direction on the inner face of the top wall periphery, and radially directed tensile stress in the bulk of the remainder of this region of the retainer top wall periphery, which becomes corresponding axially directed tensile stress in the side wall segments 72a, 72b. The upward thrust from the closure cap periphery may distort the retainer top wall 74 to a slightly domed shape, thereby generating tensile hoop stress in it. However, this hoop stress is much less than the peripheral axially compressive and radial tensile stresses in the retainer top wall 74. In addition, some of this hoop stress may be relieved by the closure cap top wall 42, which is in frictional engagement with the retainer top wall 74 at their region of contact. Therefore, the tensile force acting transversely of the frangible line of weakness 82 is much lower than the upward thrust on the closure cap 40 due to the pressure in the container, and much lower than the corresponding reaction forces at the detent 80 and complementary surface 102. The line of weakness 82 can therefore resist high container internal pressures (e.g. for the illustrated embodiment in HDPE, up to 300 kPa above ambient, with a good safety margin). One end of the line of weakness 82 in the illustrated arrangement terminates at and runs into one of the axially-extending, through-going slots 76 that divide the retainer skirt 72 into the segments 72a, 72b. This slot 76 may be regarded as part of the line of weakness, as it forms a part of the parting line for the split retainer 70 when the frangible line of weakness has been broken. As it is a permanent circumferential discontinuity in the skirt 72 circumference, the slot 76 cannot carry hoop stress but as previously discussed, the container pressure-induced stresses in the skirt 72 are primarily axial tensile stresses, with only a relatively low force acting across the line of weakness 82 and therefore circumferentially across the slot 76.
The line of weakness 82 may be provided with a tear tab, for ease of operation in initiating and propagating its breakage. As best shown in
An inner edge curl 106 of the crimp ring (or a similar edge or radially inwardly projecting ledge of a snap-fit or screw-fit securing member 100, not shown) may provide the complementary surface 102 engageable by the detent 80 to secure the retainer in place over the dispensing opening of the container. Alternatively, the complementary surface may be formed on the spout base end, e.g. as an inwardly projecting substantially annular shoulder or inwardly projecting substantially annular rib on the attachment flange. Such an arrangement may be used whether the spout is secured to the container using a securing member, or whether the spout is secured to the container by insert molding. Yet alternatively, (particularly, although not exclusively, in the case of a spout secured to the container by insert molding), the complementary surface for the detent 80 may be formed in the material of the container, e.g. as an inwardly projecting substantially annular shoulder or inwardly projecting substantially annular rib extending about the container's dispensing opening.
As best shown in
To remove the retainer 70 from the spout and closure assembly 10 (e.g., to access the container contents after the spout and closure assembly has been fitted to a container), the ring pull 84 is pulled upwardly to break the frangible bridges 88 and rupture the line of weakness 82. This completely splits the retainer, between the central aperture 86 and the corresponding through-going slot 76 intersected by the line of weakness 82. The split retainer 70 loses rigidity so that a continued upward pull is easily able to “unzip” the detent 80 from beneath the complementary surface 102, starting from the end of the detent closest to the strap 94 and ring pull 84, and progressing to the opposite end. The tapered edges of the through-going slots 76 and of the corresponding infills 66 help to ensure that the retainer skirt segments 72a, 72b can be withdrawn from the curved slots 54 of the cap 40 without jamming.
The spout outlet end threads 26 may be configured to fit industry standard dispensing adaptors and pail pumps. The crimp ring or other securing member 100 and the profile of the spout base end 22 and groove 24 may be configured to fit industry standard pail opening profiles or other industry standard container dispensing opening profiles.
Claims
1. A spout and closure assembly for a container, the assembly comprising: the retainer comprising a detent by which the retainer and closure cap are held within or adjacent to the dispensing opening; the retainer comprising a frangible line of weakness which when broken splits the retainer so as to allow disengagement of the detent, extension of the spout and removal of the closure cap from the outlet end; the frangible line of weakness being positioned in the retainer so that when the retainer is in place with the detent engaged, at least a portion of a force generated by pressure within the container and tending to expel the spout and closure cap is transmitted to the detent without passing through the line of weakness.
- a spout having: a base end configured to be sealingly securable about the periphery of a dispensing opening of the container, and an outlet end which is movable between a retracted position in which the outlet end lies within or adjacent to the base end and an extended position in which the outlet end lies outward of the base end relative to the container opening;
- a removable closure cap securable to the outlet end, and
- a retainer removably securable about the closure cap;
2. The spout and closure assembly of claim 1, in which the line of weakness extends substantially axially and/or radially within the retainer.
3. The spout and closure assembly of claim 1, in which the line of weakness extends substantially non-circumferentially in the retainer.
4. The spout and closure assembly of claim 1, in which the line of weakness is provided with a tear tab.
5. The spout and closure assembly of claim 4, in which the tear tab extends into an aperture in an end wall of the retainer.
6. The spout and closure assembly of claim 5, in which the tear tab is attached to the periphery of the aperture by frangible bridges.
7. The spout and closure assembly of claim 1, in which the detent comprises a radially projecting, upwardly facing surface of the retainer, engageable beneath a complementary downwardly facing surface provided about the dispensing opening of the container.
8. The spout and closure assembly of claim 7, in which the complementary downwardly facing surface is provided on a neck or rim on the container surrounding the dispensing opening.
9. The spout and closure assembly of claim 7, in which the complementary downwardly facing surface is provided on the base end of the spout.
10. The spout and closure assembly of claim 7, in which the complementary downwardly facing surface is provided on a securing member permanently securable about the dispensing opening.
11. The spout and closure assembly of claim 10, in which the securing member comprises a malleable ring crimpable onto or over an edge of the dispensing opening of the container.
12. The spout and closure assembly of claim 10, in which the securing member is a snap fit on or over the dispensing opening of the container
13. The spout and closure assembly of claim 10, in which the securing member comprises a screw-on ring with anti-backoff features.
14. The spout and closure assembly of claim 10, in which the securing member is insert-molded into the container about the dispensing opening.
15. The spout and closure assembly of claim 7, in which the radially projecting, upwardly facing surface of the retainer comprising the detent extends radially outwardly from the retainer and the complementary downwardly facing surface is recessed within the dispensing opening of the container whereby in use the retainer is at least partly nested within the dispensing opening.
16. The spout and closure assembly of claim 1, in which the closure cap comprises a chamfered support surface configured to lie against a flange bearing the detent, whereby container internal pressure tending to expel the spout and closure cap urges the flange radially outward to press the detent into tighter engagement.
17. The spout and closure assembly of claim 1, in which the closure cap comprises a bail handle extending radially outward of the retainer.
18. The spout and closure assembly of claim 17, in which the retainer comprises a segmented peripheral skirt configured to extend through a slot separating the bail handle from the remainder of the closure cap.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 21, 2025
Publication Date: Jul 24, 2025
Inventors: Dale TAYLOR (Delaware, OH), Steven TALAGA (Carol Stream, IL), Pedro Miguel DE OLIVEIRA (Delaware, OH)
Application Number: 19/032,632