PARTIALLY OPENABLE FLIP TOP PRODUCT PACKAGE

BOITE A COUVERCLE RABATTABLE ET OUVERTURE PARTIELLE

English Abstract

A package is provided for containing and dispensing a plurality of consumable
products. The package includes a container housing (12) having an interior for
containing the products and an extending opened filling and dispensing spout
(20) . A cover (14) is movably attached to the housing for covering and
filling the dispensing spout. The cover is movable from a closed position to a
partially opened position wherein only a portion of the filling and dispensing
spout is opened to permit dispensing of the product therefrom.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne une boîte servant à contenir et à distribuer une pluralité de produits de consommation. Cette boîte comprend un boîtier (12) dont l'intérieur sert à contenir les produits et un bec (20) de distribution et de remplissage ouvert et saillant. Un couvercle (14) est fixé mobile au boîtier afin de recouvrir et de remplir le bec de distribution. Ce couvercle est mobile depuis une position fermée jusqu'à une position partiellement ouverte dans laquelle seule une partie du bec de remplissage et de distribution est ouverte afin de permettre la distribution du produit.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A package for containing and dispensing a plurality of consumable products
comprising:
a container housing having an interior for containing said products and an
extending,
open filling and dispensing spout; and
a cover moveably attached to said housing for covering said filling and
dispensing
spout, said cover being moveable from a closed position to a partially open
position wherein
only a portion of said filing and dispensing spout is open so as to permit
dispensing of said
product therefrom.
2. A package of claim 1 wherein said cover is pivotally attached to said
housing.
3. A package of claim 1 wherein said cover is moveable to a fully open
position to
permit filling of said housing.
4. A package of claim 3 wherein said filling and dispensing spout includes
flexible walls
and wherein deformation of said flexible walls permits said movement of said
cover to said
fully open position.
5. A package of claim 4 wherein said cover and said housing include
cooperative
retaining means for restraining said cover from moving to said fully open
position.
6. A package of claim 5 wherein said cooperative retaining means further
retains said
cover in said closed position.
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7. A package of claim 6 wherein said cooperative retaining means includes said
cover
having a protrusion and said filling and dispensing spout having a mating
protrusion for
restraining movement of said cover to said fully open position.
8. A package of claim 7 wherein said cooperative retaining means includes said
filling
and dispensing spout including a groove for receiving said protrusion of said
cover for
maintaining said cover in said closed position.
9. A package of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a protrusion and said
filling and
dispensing spout includes a mating protrusion, said cover protrusion and said
spout
protrusion being engageable for restraining movement of said cover to said
fully open
position.
10. A package of claim 9 wherein said filling and dispensing spout includes a
groove for
receiving said protrusion of said cover for maintaining said cover in said
closed position.
11. A package for containing and dispensing a plurality of consumable products
comprising:
a container housing having an interior for containing said products and an
extending,
open filling and dispensing spout; and
a cover moveably attached to said housing for covering said filling and
dispensing
spout, said cover being moveable from a closed position to a fully open
position.
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12. A package of claim 11 wherein said cooperative retaining means further
retains said
cover in said closed position.
13. A package of claim 12 wherein said cover is further moveable to a
partially open
position wherein only a portion of said filling and dispensing spout is open
so as to permit
display of said product therein.
14. A package of claim 11 wherein said cover is moveable to a fully open
position to
permit filling of said housing.
15. A package of claim 11 wherein said cover is pivotally attached to said
housing.
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Description

CA 02616297 2008-01-22
WO 2007/027431 PCT/US2006/031822
PARTIALLY OPENABLE FLIP TOP PRODUCT PACKAGE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates generally to a container for containing and
dispensing
discrete consumable products. More particularly, the present invention relates
to a flip top
container which may be partially opened to dispense product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Certain discrete consumable products are disposed from a convenient package or
container. These consumable products, which may be, for example, mints,
candies, gums,
vitamins, pharmaceutical tablets and the like may come in a wide variety of
shapes. These
containers which hold the products may include an openable top so as to
dispense one or
more of the products. The top is then reclosable for carrying purposes.
As these products are relatively small, the opening from which the products
are
dispensed from the package must also be small so as to avoid inadvertently
dispensing more
product than is desired. While these small openings help to prevent excessive
product
dispensing, it makes the package difficult to fill in an automated
environment. Such a
problem has necessitated forming a package to have a removable top. The
removal top,
which may contain the dispensing opening, is removed during the filling
process so as to fill
the container with product. Thereafter, the top is reassembled to the
container and the
dispensing opening is used to dispense the product from the package.

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It is desirable to provide a package which can then dispense a limited number
of
products from the container yet can be filled an efficient and automated
process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention provides a package for containing and dispensing a
plurality of
consumable products. The package includes a container having an interior for
containing the
products and an extending open-ended filling and dispensing spout. A cover is
moveably
attached to the housing for covering the filling and dispensing spout. The
cover is moveable
from a closed position to a partially open position where only a portion of
the filling and
dispensing spout is open so as to permit dispensing of the product therefrom.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cover is pivotally
attached to
the housing. The cover is also moveable to a fully opened position to perinit
filling of the
housing. The package of the present invention includes cooperative retaining
means for
restraining the cover from moving inadvertently to the fully opened position.
The
cooperative retaining means also retains the cover in a closed position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is a perspective showing of the package of the present invention in
the closed
condition.
Figure 2 is a perspective showing of the package of the present invention in
the
partially open dispensing position.
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Figure 3 is a perspective showing of the package of the Figure 1 in the fully
opened
filling position.
Figure 4 shows the package of Figure 3 partially in section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
A container for containing and dispensing a plurality of consumable products
is
provided. Such consumable products may include confectionary products such as
candy
mints, gum balls, gum pellets as well as pharmaceutical and vitamin tablets.
Commonly,
these products are sold in a plastic container wherein a plurality of products
are housed in the
container. The container includes a cover having a opening through which the
products can
be dispensed. Typically, the user will open the container and dispense a small
number of
product for immediate consumption and reclose the container for later use.
In order to allow the user to dispense only a small number of products at a
time, the
dispensing opening must be relatively small. However, providing a small
dispensing opening
results in difficulties in the automated filling of the container.
Referring to the figures, the package 10 is shown. Package 10 includes two
integrally
formed components a lower container 12 and an upper cover 14. The container 12
is
generally rectangular in shape having a hollow interior 16 which accommodates
a plurality of
products. Cover 14 may be formed into a rounded configuration and is pivotally
connected
by a living hinge 18.
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CA 02616297 2008-01-22
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In a preferred embodiment shown herein, the container 12 is rectangular while
the
cover 14 is arcuate in shape. However, any shape and configuration of
container and cover
may be employed in accordance with the present invention.
Container 12 includes an upwardly extending spout 20 which extends from a rim
22
perimetrically about the upper end of container 12. The rim 22 is designed to
seat with a
similar rim 24 which perimetrically extends about cover 14 to seat the cover
on the container
in the closed condition shown in Figure 1. In that regard, the walls of spout
20 are thinner
and more flexible than container 12 and cover 14. In this manner, when the
cover 14 overlies
spout 20, the cover and the container present a flush surface.
Spout 20 has a generally trapezoidal shape having an open upper end 26 which
is in
communication with the interior 16 of container 12. The open upper end 26 is
defined by an
open angular front face 28 have a curved lower end 30 as is shown in Figures 2
and 3 and an
oppositely tapered rear face 32 extending way from front face 28.
As shown in Figure 3, the open ended spout 20 provides a substantial filling
opening
where the container 12 can be filled with product in an automated process. It
is contemplated
that the package 10 will be filled in the condition shown in Figure 3.
Thereafter, the cover 14
may be closed onto the container 12 to a position shown in Figure 1 for
shipping and sale.
While the cover 14 is moveable from the fully opened position shown in Figure
4 for
filling purposes, to the fully closed position shown in Figure 1 for shipping,
sale and use, the
cover is also openable to a dispensing position shown in Figure 2. As seen in
Figure 2, the
4

CA 02616297 2008-01-22
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dispensing position disposes the cover in a partially open position where the
open tapered
front face 28 of spout 20 is uncovered. In this position, a small opening is
presented for
dispensing one or a small number of products therefrom with a reduced risk of
dispensing all
of the products at one time. In that regard, the cover 14 may be releasably
affixed to the
container 12 in both the closed position shown in Figure 1, and the partially
open dispensing
position shown in Figure 2.
As more fully shown in Figure 3, the package 10 includes cooperative retaining
means on both the spout 20 and cover 14. Spout 20 includes two pairs of
outwardly
extending protrusions 40 and 42. Protrusions 40 extend on either side of spout
20 along the
upper edge of inwardly sloping face 26. Protrusions 42 are located on either
side of spout 20
at a location vertically spaced from protrusions 40. Cover 14 includes a pair
of inwardly
directed similarly formed protrusions 44 which are positioned along the rim 24
of cover 14.
In addition, beneath protrusions 42 on extension 20 are a pair of grooves 46.
Grooves 46 are
designed to accominodate protrusions 44 of cover 14. The protrusions 40, 42,
44 as well as
the grooves 46 form a detent feature for securing and retaining the cover in a
closed position
shown in Figure 1 and a partially open position in Figure 2.
As may be appreciated, in the closed position, the protrusions 44 reside
within
grooves 46 thereby retaining the cover in the closed position. In order to
move the cover
from the closed position shown in Figure 1, the cover may be raised from the
container so
that the protrusion slides out of groove 46 and over protrusion 42 which helps
to hold the
cover in the closed position. The package is formed of a relatively resilient
deformable
plastic, and spout 20 is thin and flexible so that manual movement of the
cover is permitted.
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Once moved out of residence within the groove 46, protrusions 44 ride between
protrusions
42 and 40 so as to move the cover to the partially open position shown in
Figure 2.
Additionally, it is conteinplated that the size and length of the protrusions
on the cover and
the spout as well as the grooves 46 can be adjusted so as to vary the degree
of ease of moving
the cover from the closed position.
The cover 14 is held in the partially opened position and prevented from
moving to
the fully opened position of Figure 3 by engagement between protrusions 44 of
cover 14 and
protrusions 40 of container 12. Also, due to the slight frictionally
interference between
protrusion 44 and the wall of spout 20, the cover is maintained in the
partially opened
position shown in Figure 2.
The cover can be returned to the closed position of Figure 1 by pushing the
cover
downward toward container 12 and having protrusions 44 ride cover protrusions
42 so that
protrusions 44 become seated within grooves 46.
If desired, the cover can be moved to the fully opened position shown in
Figure 3 by
pivotally opening cover 14 so that protrusions 44 ride over protrusions 40.
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Representative Drawing