Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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TITLE: POURING SPOUT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to pouring spouts for
disposable containers and particularly is related to an
inexpensive pouring spout for plastic film type liquid
containers.
In recent years, particularly in Canada, the milk
industry has successfully marketed their product in
plastic bag or film like containers which are inserted in
a special holder to provide the structural integrity for
pouring of the liquid contents. The common practise is to
cut a small hole normally by cutting the corner off the
upper area of the bag to provide an outlet point whereby
the contents of the container may be dispensed. Such a
system works satisfactorily, however it requires a pair of
scissors or a razor type instrument for cutting of the
plastic bag and often these are not available. One razor
type structure has been proposed which is clipped to the
holder such that is available when required. However,
there remains a need for a simple system for allowing the
dispensing of liquid contents from these bag like plastic
containers. Often these containers are made of a
polyethylene film and are somewhat tear resistant.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A pouring spout for insertion into a liquid
storing container according to the present invention
comprises a piercing point connected to a tapered section
for piercing and subsequent deformation of such container
during insertion of said spout into such container, means
for limiting the extent to which said spout is inserted
into a container including stop means extending beyond
said tapered section for contact with such container to
limit insertion of said spout and liquid port means
intermediate said piercing point and said stop means, said
port means being interiorly connected to a pouring funnel
to the other side of said stop means.
According to an aspect of the present invention,
a spout for a plastic piercable film type liquid container
is disclosed which does not require separate tools for
allowing the insertion thereof. The spout includes a
piercing point connected to a tapered section for
initially piercing and subsequently causing partial
elastic deformation of such bag during insertion of the
spout. Means for limiting the extent to which the spout
is inserted into the container is provided and includes
stop means defined by a flange portion which extends
beyond the tapered section of the piercing point.
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This flange provides an outwardly step shoulder for
limiting insertion. Port means are provided below the
outwardly stepped shoulder and are connected to a pouring
funnel beyond the shoulder for controlling and directing
the flow of liquid from such container. Such a spout
allows the liquid contents of the container to pass
through the port means through an interior passage past
the shoulder to the pouring funnel.
According to an aspect of` the invention, the
pouring spout is such that it may be closed by the thumb
of a user whereby the contents of the container are not
freely dispensable and this allows the contents of the
container to remain under pressure during insertion of the
spout. As can be appreciated, such bag like containers do
not have any structural rigidity and accidental dispensing
of the liquid contents could otherwise result during
insertion of the spout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown
in the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a vertical section though the pouring
spout;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pouring
spout according to the present invention;
Figure 3 shows the pouring spout being inserted
into a container.
Figure 4, 5 and 6 are partial sections of the
pouring spout adjacent the container sealing surfaces of
varying design; and
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Figure 7 and 8 are partial sections through a
modified pouring spout having a lock ring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The pouring spout 2 shown in Figures 1 through 3,
includes a piercing point 4 at the end of a tapered
section 6 which are used to initially pierce the container
and subsequently cause the partial plastic deformation of
the container adjacent the piercing point during the
insertion of the spout. The tapered section during
insertion thereof essentially provides a seal with the bag
like container due to its smooth peripheral surface. At
the end of the tapered section 6, which is preferrably
solid, is a cylindrical portion 8 which has at the
opposite end to the tapered section a number of sealing
area 10, in this case sealing grooves. V grooves, U
shaped grooves, an area of increasing and decreasing width
and an undercut area would also work satisfactorily.
Beyond the sealing grooves is an outwardly extending
shoulder portion which provides a stop means used during
insertion of the spout. A number of fluid ports 14 are
provided in the cylindrical portion 8 and are interiorly
connected to the central bore 16 of the pouring spout.
This central bore 16 passes through the shoulders 12 and
provides a funnel portion 18 which is rapidly outwardly
flaired at the open end thereof to provide a flutted end
portion 20. The open end 22 of the pouring spout is
readily sealed by the thumb of a user and this effectively
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closes the central bore 16. Therefore, during insertion
of the spout, the air trapped in the central bore 16,
closed at one end by the user's thumb limits the extent to
which the contents of the container can enter the pouring
spout. In effect a column of trapped air is provided
between the thumb of the user and the contents of -the
container. This is important as the contents of the
container such as milk bags do not have any substantial
structural integrity and insertion of the spout within the
container otherwise could result in the accidental
dispensing of at least a portion of the contents of the
container. By having the open end of the spout closed,
the container effectively remains closed until the person
removes the thumb from open portion 22.
Initially the piercing point 4 provides a small
hole in the wall of the plastic container and the
subsequent insertion of the spout into the container
deforms the bag in a manner to result in some snap back of
the plastic bag once the bag has come to rest immediately
under shoulder 12 as generally shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Once the bag has been forced over the tapered section 6,
it moves fairly rapidly to the stop shoulders as no
further deformation is required. Once it comes to rest at
this point, the elastic tendancy of the bag will pull it
snuggly against the sealing grooves 10 whereby there is no
appreciable leakage of the contents of the bag between the
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sealing grooves and the shoulder 12. The deformation
caused by insertion of the spout, after piercing of a
polyethylene bag, appears to be a plastic deformation with
some elastic deformation.
The access ports 14 are provided in the
cylindrical section 8 as this is approximately adjacent
the upper wall of the plastic bag and will allow
essentially all the contents of the bag to be dispensed
therethrough. Therefore it is preferrable, although not
mandatory, that the tapered section 6 does not include the
access ports or at least that a substantial portion of the
access ports is provided in the cylindrical section
adjacent the stop shoulders.
The flutted end nozzle 20 is rapidly flaired and
allows the fingers of the user to grip the exterior
surface of this flutted portion while his thumb is closing
opening 22. This allows the user to apply pressure to the
spout necessary to pierce the bag and force it into the
interior of the bag and also provides fairly good control
of the spout. It also allows the user to grasp the spout
with one hand, thereby allowing the other hand to be -free
to steady the bag and contents.
As can be seen from the drawings, the funnel 18
is generally a frustum of a cone and of increasing
diameter approaching the open end 22. The shoulder 12
provide a generally perpendicular stop face 11 adjacent
the cylindrical portion 8 to assure the spout is not over
inserted into the bag like container.
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Although the spout has been described with
respect to plastic bag like containers and in particular,
plastic bag type containers commonly used for the
packaging of milk, this spout is also useful in other
applications, for example for use with waxed milk carton
type containers. This spout is particularly useful where
the container is of a material which can be easily pierced
and can be partially elastically deformed whereby the
container provides a snap back type action adjacent the
sealing rings of the spout. However, the sealing grooves
minimize leakage even if the container is not deformed in
this manner.
Figure 4, 5 and 6 show various sealing grooves or
undercuts for cooperating with the bag like container and
maintain the spout secured in the container in a manner to
avoid inadvertent withdrawal. Figure 4 shows a number of
"V" shaped grooves 10 which provide an undercut area to
allow the bag to snap back and result in the spout
retained in the bag and generally sealed therewith.
Intermediate the cylindrical area 8, having
access ports 14 and stop shoulder 12, an undercut area 15
may be provided as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Area
15 can be used in place of the sealing grooves 10 and
similarly allows snap back of the partially elastically
deformable container to assist in sealing and retention of
the spout in the container. In Figure 5 the undercut area
15 provides a smooth curved surface in cross section
whereas area 15 of Figure 6 provides a straight undercut
area terminating at the stop shoulder 12.
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A modified pouring spout 2a is shown in Figures 7
and 8. Pouring spout 2a has a sliding lock ring 32
axially movable along cylindrical extension 30
intermediate shoulder 12 and sealing grooves 10. ~top
face 11 now cooperates with stop face 36 of lock ring 32
and lower surface 38 of the lock ring limits the extent to
which the spout 2a is inserted into a container. A
tapered portion 34 is provided at the lower edge of lock
ring 32 for cooperation with sealing grooves 10 to first
fold and then pinch the bag container when lock ring 32 is
moved downwardly as shown in Figure 8. The bag like
container 1 is folded upon itself at point 40 and is
subsequently pinch between tapered portion 34 and sealing
grooves 10. This lock ring provides a positive sealand
locking engagement of the pouring spout 2a and bag like
container. It can be appreciated folding of the container
may not be necessary.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described herein in detail, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
