Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
3 ~$)
SPOU~ FI~ENT CI~SURE l?WG
I~v~ntor: Daniel Luch
Brian M. Adams
BACX~ROUND OF THE II~TION -
~ield of he Invell~iQn
~rhl6 inventiorl rel~te~ to a new and improsred
spout ~lt:ment and plug for clo~ing the fiame!. More
particularly the invQntion relatQ~ to a ~ltment which
fitE~ arouncl a hole in a panel o~ a paperboard carton or
around a hole in a flexible contalnert or th~ like,
6uch a~ u~ed ~or packaging li~uid producte and powders
and to a closure for ~uch I ~ t~ent .
Descriptlon o~ R~late~_~
A typical prior art ~ltiment ~nd cap i~ shown
ln Fig. l of the ~ccompanying drawinys and i8 discu6sed
in the pr~rred embodiZnents portion o~ thi~ ~pecifica-
tion. Generally peaking, pxior fit:ment~ have ~pout6
with ~x~ernal thread~ closed by oap3 w~ th interrlal
~hreads. So~e fitment~ are used in con~unction with
pla~tio bag oontainer~, the fitment bein~ lntegr~lly
welded to the pl~tic bag. Oth~r prior art ~ltment~
are attach~d to a polym~r-coated paperbo~xd co~tainer
~uch ~ a gable~topped hal~-~allon cont~lner.
~enerally, prior art fit~e~ts ~or paperboard cartons
include a ~in ~lange which i8 welded ~o ~he 6ur~ace of
the contain~r. The closure include~ a ~oll ~eal which
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~eal~ the ~outh of tha spout and a liner for the cap
which ~erves a resealing ~unction. Attachment to the
polymer-coated paperboAr~ i8 accompli~hed by welding
the flange o~ the ~pout to the polymer coating. Upon
initial removal, the tamper evident foil ~eal i8
removed and di~ards~.
Fitment~ of the prior art have a number of
deficiencies as compared with the present ~vention.
In the ~ir~t place, they employ multiple componenta
which increa~e the cost o~ the combination very greatly
over the 6imple ~tructure cf the present lnven~ion.
Secondly, a~sembly i~ dif~icult and involves rotary
equipment whioh i~ dif~icult to control in praetice and
i8 axpen~iv~ to in~tall. Thirdly, because o~ th~ ~act
tha.t the prior art spout~ are ~xternally threaded, the
diameter o~ the open~ ng in the ~pout iB restricted
ina~much a~ there i~ only limited spaae on the panel of
the container on which the flange can be located,
thereby reducing the diameter o~ the fitment flange and
corre6pondingly the diameter of the 6pout. Finally,
commercially available fltm2nt-closure combinations
have no ~xternal tamper--avident features (as contra~ted
with th~ intarnal fo~ al of the ~pout op~ning3.
SUM~ARY OF ~HE_INVEN~ION
~5 one e~bodi~ent Or ths pre~nt invention
employs a fi~ment having ~ spout which i~ int~rnally
threa~ed an~ having a flanga or other ~aans which ~
welded or otherwi~ adhered to the container panel on
which the ~itment i8 in~tall~d. ~h~ clo~ur~ i~ an
externally threaded plug closure whiah ~eals again~t
membr~n~ on the fitment, which membrane al o protect~
the exposed edge o~ th~ holQ formed in the conta$ner
panel. A tamper-evident band on tha clo~ure i~ joined
to tha clo~ure by a plurality o~ ~rangible bridges or
~5 the parts ~y ba ~niti~lly connected by other frangible
~ean~ embly of the cap on th~ ~itm~nt ~e
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preferably performed by a direct axlal pushing
movemen~, the thraad~ slipping past each other during
the ~xial movement. Th~ lower edge o~ the tamp~r-
evident band has ~ngagem~nt meana wh~ch fit into
complementary engagem2nt maan~ on the ~poutO The
inter-engagement o~ these ~ean~ prevent~ rot~tion of
the cap 80 long aa the bridyes whi~h ~oin tha band to
the cap are intact. Thu~, ~fter axia~ a~sembly the
threaded plug cannot be removed prior to re~oval of the
ta~par evident band.
A~ an additional feature, the plug and 6pout
may be mold d ~imultaneou~ly in a ~ingle cavity in an
in~ection molding machine. Further, a6 the part~ are
e~ec~ed from the cavity, the threaded plug may be moved
axially 80 that it fits in~de the spout and the
threads of the 6pout and plug lntar engage.
In another e~bodiment, the parts ~ay be
inter~itted by a ~riction fit between the exterior of
the plug and the interior o~ the 6pout.
As those 6k~11ed in the art will realize,
materials such as polyolefins having relatively high
flexibility and toughnes~ will be most ~uitable in
praotice of the invantion~
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are
incorporat d in and ~orm a part ~ thi~ specificat~on,
illu3trate embodlments o~ the in~ention and, togeth~r
with the de~cription, ~erve to explain the prin~ipls6
o~ th~ lnvent~ on:
Fig~ 1 is a fragmentary ~ectional view o~ a
portion o~ a prior art f$tment and closure assembly.
Fig. 2 1~ ~ sid~ elevational view of a
fitment and clo6ur~ ln accordance with th~ pr~nt
invention prior to a~mbly.
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Fig. 3 i~ an enlarged fragmentary ~ctlonal
view ~hrough ~n aa~emblQd ~lo~ure ~nd ritment attached
to the panel o~ a container.
Fig. 4 i~ a top plan view o~ a i~itment.
Fig. 5 i~ a top plan view o~ a clo~ureO
F$gs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary ~ection~l
view~ taken sub~tanti~lly along the line~ 6--6, 7-~7,
and 8--8 and 9--9, rla~pectively, of Fig. 5.
Fig. 10 1~ an anlarg~d vertical ~3ctional
Yi9W through tha struoture of Fiç~. 2.
Flg. 11 iB a ~ragmentary ~ectional view
~imilar to ~tructure to Fig. 10 but angularly rotated
to ~how the integral conneckiorl between clo~ur~ and
epout .
Fig6. 1~, 13, and 14 are, r2sp~ctivQly,
~odification~ of the Gtrllcture o~ Fig~ 11, taken
~ub~tantially along the same lines ~6 Fig. 11.
Fig. 15 is a v$ew similar to Fig. 14 of ~till
another modlfied combination.
Fig. 16 i~ a top plan vi~w of a still ~urther
modifi~at~ on o~ the inventlon.
Fig. 17 ia a vertical ~eational view taken
aubstantlally along line 17- 17 of Flg. 16 ~howing the
combined closure and fitment in initial condition.
Fig. 18 iB a view aimilar to Fig. 17 ~howing
the part~ ~n re ~losure position.
Figs. 19 and 20 are vertical sectional views
of a modification ~howing a di~ferent mechanism ~or
attachment to the container.
~ESCRI~TION OF P~EFERRED EMBODI~NTS
Re~erence will now be ~adQ in detail to the
preferred e~bod~ents o~ th~ lnvention, exampl~ o~
which are illu~tra~ed ln the accompany$ng drawlngs.
~hile the invsntion will be de~cribed in con~unction
with the pre~erred embodimQnts~ it will ~e understood
that they are not intended to l~mit the inventlon to
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tho6e embodlment~. On the contrary, the ~vention is
intended to cover alternatives, modiEication~ and
egulvalent~, which may be lncluded within the 6pirit
and acope of the invention as de~in~d by the app~nded
claims.
Directing attention now to tha typical prlor
art ~tructure shown in Fig. 1, a ~arton o~ paperboard
coated with a Eultable polymer ha~ a panel 2l ~ormed
with a hole 22. Surrounding hole 22 i~ a ~itm~nt ~3
10 having an upstanding spout 24 ~or~ed with ~xternal
threads 2~. The lower edge o~ spout 24 ha~ an external
~lange 27 which iB cau~ed to adhere to the panel 21 by
welding, adhesive or other 6uit2ble means.
The prior art cap 3l has a top di6k 32 ~rom
15 which depend~ a ~kirt 33 having internal thxead~ 34
mating with th~ threads 26. Init~ally, the cap 31 may
be provided with a liner 36 which ~unction~ a~ a
re-closure ~eal and al~o with a ~oil ~eal 37 which
~eal~ against the upp~r end o~ thQ ~pout 24 and
20 provides ta~per-evident fQature~. Once the seal 37 ifi
removed, the liner 36 perform~ a sealing function on
re-closure.
Some o~ the advantage~ of the pre88nt
inventlon over prior art structures such as thQ typical
25 a~sembly ~hown in Fig. 1 have heretofore be2n
described.
A preferred ~tructure of ~h~ present
invention i~ sho~ in F~gB. 2 - ll. Fitment 41 hae an
upstanding spout 42 ~ormed with a top edge 43 and
30 having int~rnal ~hreads 44. Prsferably the thr2ad~ 44
~rQ multipl~ lezd ~hreade, ~ince ~ h~r~inafter
deæcribed) thi~ ~alances the gating of tha 6pout (~ae
below description~ o~ Fig~. l0 ~nd ll).
~low thread~ 44~ ~pout i~ ~ormed with a
35 downward-inward slanted æeal membrane 48 which, as
~hown in Fig. 3, p~rforms a ~ealing funation with ths
cloæure a~ hereinafter ~ppaars. Diametrically opposed
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2 ~
ratchets 46 are ~ormed $n the top edge 43 for the
purpose of locking with the tamper-2vident band o~ the
clo~ura as hereina~ter appear6. At the bottom of the
fitment i~ an enlarged peripheral flange 47, the
underside Or which i~ aaufied to adhere to the panel 21.
Clo~ur~ 51 functions a~ a plug to clo~ the
~pout 42. It i~ ~ormed with a top di6k ~2 h~vlng a
rounded corner 53 ~rom whiah depends a ekirt 54. The
upper pnrt$on of ~Xirt 54 i~ formed with vertioal ribs
56 which extend around the corner 53 and partially
inward o~ the di~k 52. Rlbs 56 are ~eparated by ~paoes
57. By gripping the rib~ 56 ~h~ user may ~urn the
clo~ure 51. Midway o~ th~ sklrt 54 and imm~dlately
below the ribs 55 i6 an external wall 58 and below the
wall 58 are thread~ 59 which mate with the threads 44.
8urround~ng the ~klrt 54 i8 a narrow tamper-
evid~nt band 61 which ia conn2ct~d to the lower end~ o~
~oma of the ribs 56 by horizontal frangtble bridg~s 62.
At diametrically ~paced position6 on the undex ~ide of
band 61 are depending pawl~ 63 which engage the
ratchet~ 46 of 6pout 4a to re~trai,n rotation of closure
51 relative to ~itment 41 60 long as the bridge~ 62 are
intaat. One or more t~ar tab~ 64 ~h~re ~hown ~ two in
numb~r and depending ~rom band 61. immediately outward
of pawls 63) are attached to the band 61. By pulling
the tab 64 u~ward, the band 61 ~ay be ~i connected
~rom the closure 51 and the closure ~ay be turned
relative to the fitment since th pawls 63 are out of
engagement with the ratchet6 46. ~owever, the removal
o~ band 61 or any tQaring o~ th~ bridge~ 62 gives
evldencQ o~ tampering with the contsnts of ths
cont~iner. To facilitats removal, bridge~ 62 arQ
o~itted in the ~icinity of tsar tabs 63 (See Figs. 3,
5 and 6)
The consumer ~ay turn clos~r~ 51 to open and
close th~ aontain~r. In the clo6ed condition, the ~nd
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66 of the ~kirt 54 seal~ against the ~eal ~ember 48 o~
~itment 41.
One preferred ~ean~ for the production of the
fitmant ~l and clo6ure 51 i8 ~hown in Fig8. 10 and 11
whereby the two parts may be made simultaneously in a
~ingle cavity of a pla tic $njection mold. Thu~ in the
mold, the fitment 41 i~ positioned below tha ~106ure
51. A~ 6hown in Fig. ll, there are gate~ 71 connectin~
the fitment to the clo~ure. Gate~ 71 ar2 po~tioned to
coinclde with the theoretical pro~ections o~ the lower
end~ (or run-out6) of h~lical threads 59. The plastio
i~ in~ectQd at the top o~ the clo~ur~ and the ~olten
pla6tic extend~ through the gate 71 into the top o~ the
spout 42. Acoordingly the two part~ may be molded
simul~aneously. In order to ~eparate the part~, the
gate 71 is fxactured. Such ~racture ~ay be
accompli~hed merely by ~ushing axially downward on the
closure, the threads 59 olipping over the thread~ 44.
It will be understood, however, that the parts may be
molded separately. When molded simultaneously/ by
proper ~old construction, tha parts may be as~emblsd
before being e~ected ~rom the mold.
Fig. 12 illustrat~s an alt~rnate
cons'ruction. In thi~ modification, ~ oontinuou~
frangible web conneotion 76 oonno~t~ the plug to the
~op adga 43a cirau~fer~ntially around the part~. ~he
parts may be installed on the container in the
condition ~hown in Fig. 12. So long as th~ ~onnector
76 i8 lntact, the consumer iR a~sured that th~rs has
3C been no tampering with the container. ~t th~ time of
con~mption, the user fracture~ the connection 76
- either by tw~stlng the closura 51a or other conven~ent
mean~O ~h~ closurQ 51a m~y be ~nstalled on the ~itment
41a after par~ o~ the contents o~ tha container have
been di~pen~sd merely by screwing ~he closure 51~ $nto
the spout ~a.
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In the ~orm o~ the inv~ntion 8hOWn in Fig.
13, which ie particularly useful where the device i~ to
be attached to a containsr having ~olid contente, the
lower end of the ~itment 41b ha~ a downward ~xtending
ring 81 which fit~ ln~ide the hol~ 22 and i~ retained
therein ~y an outward extending barb 82 which ~ng~ge~
under the panel 21. To ~tabilize and al50 to ~eal the
fitment, an outer ~eal member 83 similar to th~ ~eal
~ember 48b engages the top ~urface of the panel 21. In
10 Fig. 13 the part~ ~re ~hown prior to as~embly of the
plug to fitment ~pout. It will be under~tood that
norMally a closure 51b i~ attached to ths ~tment 41
before the ring 81 i~ in~ert~d in th~ panel 21.
Fig. 14 ~hsws still another modi~ication.
15 The ~tructure in Flg. 14 16 6ub6tantially similar to
that in Fig. 13 except that the stabilizing seal member
83 ~f Fig. 13 ~ omit~ed.
Fig. 15 show~ a very ~imple, tamper-evident
con~truction. No threads are reguired on th~ clo~ure
20 or ~pout. Rather, the ~xte:rior o~ skirt 54~,
immediately below ribs 56d ls for~d with a cylindr~cal
external ~ealing ~ur~ace 86 and ~elow sur~ace 86 i6 an
undexcut 87 merging into outwar~d curv2d portion 88.
Portion 88 extend~ around the clrcumference of closure
25 51d and i~ ~olned to the inner corner o~ top ed~e 43d
~f ~it~ent 41d by a ~rang~le clrcumferential web 76~.
Web 76d makes the combination tamper-evident
~ince thQ container cannot be opened without br~a~ing
th~ same. When th~ consumer wishes to open the
30 container, clo~ur~ 51d i8 dl~connected ~rom fit~nt 41d
by breaking w~b 76d by any conv~nient ~ean~. For
reclosure purposes, ~ealing end 66a contact~ ~e~l
~e~ber 48d.
Fig~. 16-18 lllustrate a ~urther modi~ication
35 whereln the clo6ure Sle and fitment 41e ~re ~olded
together and, a initially mslded, provide ~ tamper-
evident combination which i~ liquld-tight, When the
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con~umer æeparates the two parte, the clo~ure ~ay be
used for reclosure purpo~e~.
Thu~ ~pout 42e need not be threaded. Cloeure
51e i8 ~oined to the upper edge 43e o~ ~pout 42e in a
frangible, ¢ontinuou~, circumferential tear band 91
wh~ch functlons a~ a connection or gate during mold~nq
o~ the parts and further make~ the parto in the
condition 6hown in Flg. 17 tamper-evident. In the
prefarred form best ~hown in Fig. 17, circumferential
flange 36 Qxtends horizontally out frDm top disk 52e
beyond the confinee of ~kirt 5~e. At one or more
positions around the circum~erence of band 91 i~ a pull
tab 92, of limited width, which may extend up above khe
level o~ closure top di~k 52e and out beyond the edge
of flange 96 60 that it ~ conveniently grippe~ by the
aonsumer. Below the level of ~lange 96, tab ~2 ~lants
downward-inward to ~oin tear ~and 91. At lea~t one
point, tab 92 1~ connected to the edge of ~lange 96 by
one or more frangible bridges 94 which help~ ~tabillze
the tab and al~o m~kes addltional contribution to
tamper-avidency.
The flange 47e ~ay be adhered around a hole
in a container with the combination shown in Fig. 17
intact and tamper-evident ~ince il~ long as bridge 94
and tear band 91 are inta~t th~ u~er c~nnot obtain
acce~s to ~he ~ontents o~ the ~ontalner. To open the
container, thQ con~umer grasp~ tab 92, breaking bridge
94 and then tear band 91. Clo~ure 51e i~ ~hen ramsved
by gripplng flange 96.
For reclo~ure 6kirt 54~ i~ in~rted in ~pout
42e and top 52~ push~d downward. Coll~r 58e sQals
against the in~ide o~ ~pout 42e and seal member 48~
seale agains~ the outside Or skirt 66e, both ~aling
with a ~riction ~it. Flange ~6 seat~ on top ~dg~ 43~,
limiting downward ~ov~mant o~ the clo~ur~. The closure
51e may be removed by grlpping fl nge 96 and replaced
rapeatedly.
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~ 7
In the ~odi~ication o~ Figs. 19-20, Pitment
41~ i8 applied to a container 101 o~ ~ny convenient
type such a~ one having an ext~rnal locking bead 102
below top edge 103. Fit~ent 41f ha~ an annular top 106
having upward extsnding spout 42~. Th~ undarsiAe o~
top 106 has an inner æklrt or hollow plug 107 which
~it~ in~ide the wall of container 101. Outward of plug
107 i~ a groove 108 which receive edge 103 and b~yond
groove 108 ls a 6houlder 109 which ~ against the
upper outer 2dge of cuntainer wall 101. A pe~ipheral
~hort ~kirt 111 ha~ an internal be~d 112 which locks
under be~d 102.
~he closure 51~ i~ quite ~i~il~r to that of
Figs~ 16-18 except that skirt 54~ may be di~en~ioned to
fit tightly within ~pout 42f without u6e o~ a collar
~uch as collar 58e of Fig, 17. The lower edge of ~kirt
54f i6 bevell~d and 16 initially connected by frangible
connector 76f to the inner edga of the upp~r end of
spout 42f.
The oloEure a~ ~hown in Fig. 19 i~ ta~per-
evident. The consumer grasp~ closure 51~, breaking
connector 76f. For reolosure purposes, clo~ure ~kirt
54f if inserted in spout 42f and pushed down to a~sume
the closed po~ition ~hown in Fig~. 20.
In many respect~ th0 ~odification~ of Figs~
12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 19 resembl~ thos~ o~ the
preceding ~odi~ication~, and the ~ame r~ferQnce
nu~eral~ ~ollowed by the 8ub6cript8 a, k, , d, e and
f, re~pectively, ~re u~ad to designate aorresponding
part~.
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