WO2001008992A1

WO2001008992A1 - Reclosable pourer for a container

Info

Publication number: WO2001008992A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/002636
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Noble Thompson; Stephen William Bushby; Ian Tennick; Keith Stephenson
Original assignee: Audus Noble Ltd
Current assignee: Audus Noble Ltd
Priority date: 1999-07-29
Filing date: 2000-07-10
Publication date: 2001-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 2002-01-29
Also published as: AU5995800A; GB9917848D0

Abstract

A pourer for a container, particularly a carton of paperboard containing drink, is integrally moulded as a single piece and comprises a spout portion (2) one end of which is adapted to be secured to, in communication with the interior of, the container, and a cap portion (10) integrally moulded with the spout portion (2) and interconnected with the other end of the spout portion (2) by a line of weakness (18), pull means (20) being integrally moulded with the cap portion (10) whereby, on pulling on the pull means (20) to tear the line of weakness (18), the cap portion (10) is separated from the spout portion (2) to open the pourer.

Description

RECLOSABLE POURERFORA CONTAINER

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to pourers for containers, in particular for cartons of paperboard containing milk, fruit and the like.

BACKGROUND

It is well-established practice to provide milk, fruit juice and the like in paperboard containers having a glued top section which must be cut or otherwise peeled open to give access to the contents of the carton.

The problems associated with such opening are well- documented, often creating severe difficulties particularly for the elderly, and there are now provided cartons with a separate pourer glued or welded in position on the carton to enable access to the contents of the carton. Such pourers are typically a two-part closure comprising a spout attached to the carton and a cap which is screwed onto the spout, the carton being opened by unscrewing the cap from the spout.

However, the cost of manufacturing such two-part closures is substantial.

It has recently been proposed, as disclosed in for example US 5711 441, to provide a one-piece pourer for attachment to a carton or the like, the pourer comprising a cap and a spout integrally moulded with one another with a circumferential tear band therebetween, removal of which releases the cap from the spout to enable dispensing of the contents of the carton. The carton can then be re-closed by locating the cap directly on the spout .

Such an arrangement is relatively economic to produce, but suffers from the disadvantage that, once opened, it is necessary to dispose of the separated tear band. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It would be desirable to be able to provide a pourer for a container which was easy to use and economic to manufacture, and which eliminated the requirement to dispose of a tear band or the like on initial opening.

According to the present invention there is provided a one-piece pourer for a container comprising a spout portion one end of which is adapted to be secured to, in communication with the interior of, the container, and a cap portion integrally moulded with the spout portion, characterised in that the cap portion is interconnected with the other end of the spout portion by a line of weakness, and pull means being integrally moulded with the cap portion whereby, on pulling on the pull means to tear the line of weakness, the cap portion is separated from the spout portion to open the pourer. Thus it will be appreciated that, on opening of the pourer, there is no superfluous material to be disposed of, while it will be further appreciated that the intact nature of the line of weakness is indicative that the pourer has not been tampered with.

Subsequent to tearing of the line of weakness, the cap portion is a sealing fit on the other end of the spout portion, it being preferred that the cap portion is a push sealing fit on the spout portion, .although a threaded connection may be provided.

Conveniently the other end extent of the spout portion has a circumferential bead formed therearound, and the free end extent of the cap portion has a corresponding circumferential bead formed internally thereof, the cap portion being a push snap-fit on the spout portion with the beads co-operating to retain the cap portion sealingly on the spout portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pull means comprise an annular ring-pull positioned to overlie the end face of the cap portion and interconnected with the end face of the cap portion over a small portion of the circumference thereof, for example of the order of 55°.

The one end of the spout may include an increased diameter flange portion therearound for welding or gluing to the inside face of the container to attach the pourer to the container with the spout portion thereof projecting through a corresponding aperture in the container .

Preferably the pourer is moulded from a low density polyethylene .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figs . 1 and 2 are a side view and a rear view respectively of a pourer according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III - III of Fig. 2 to a larger scale;

Figs . 4 and 5 are a side view and a rear view respectively of the pourer of Figs. 1 and 3 with the cap portion sealingly positioned on the spout portion subsequent to tearing of the line of weakness, and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line IV - IV of Fig. 5 to a larger scale. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 there is shown a one- piece, integrally moulded pourer for location on a polyethylene coated paperboard carton, the pourer comprising a hollow, generally cylindrical spout portion 2 of circular cross-section around one end of which is provided an increased-diameter, annular flange 4 for reasons which will become apparent .

A circumferential bead 6 surrounds the external surface of the other end of the spout portion 2 to define a shoulder 8 on said surface.

The pourer further includes a cap portion indicated generally at 10 and including a top wall 12 and a depending, generally cylindrical sidewall 14 of circular cross-section. A bead 16 is formed internally around the free end of the sidewall 14.

The extremities of the bead 6 on the spout portion 2 and the bead 16 on the cap portion are interconnected with one another by a thin circumferential membrane which integrates the spout portion 2 and the cap portion 10 and which constitutes a line of weakness 18 therebetween .

The pourer is completed by an annular ring-pull 20 which is integrally moulded with the cap portion 10 and overlies the top wall 12 of the cap portion 10. More particularly, the ring-pull is of external diameter just less than that of the cap portion 10 and is connected to the top wall 12 of the cap portion 10 by means of a neck 22 extending around a small part only of the pourer, typically about 55° thereof. This figure can of course vary providing there is secure attachment between the ring-pull 20 and the cap portion 10 capable of withstanding the forces to be applied thereto as will be detailed below.

The described pourer, which is preferably moulded from a low density polyethylene, is, in use, located in a corresponding aperture in the wall of an associated container with the upper surface of the annular flange 4 ultrasonically welded, glued or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the container bounding the aperture therein to seal said aperture, the pourer projecting from the container. The intact nature of the line of weakness 18 between the spout portion 2 and the cap portion 10 is an immediate visual indication that there has been no tampering with, or unauthorised use of, the container. In order to gain access to the contents of the container, a user pulls on the ring-pull 20, the applied force being transmitted through the neck 22 to the cap portion 10 and thence to the line of weakness 18. An initial tear is then established in the line of weakness below the neck 22, continued pulling on the ring-pull 20 serving to separate the cap portion 10 completely from the spout portion 2 along the line of weakness 18. The nature of the moulding of the pourer is such that the now-exposed and separated edges of the beads 6 and 16 have a clean and smooth finish thereto.

Once the cap portion 10 is removed, the contents of the container can be dispensed as required through the now-open spout portion 2.

After use, the pourer, and therefore the container, can be re-closed by fitting the cap portion 10 on and over the spout portion 2. More particularly, and referring to Figs. 4 to 6, the internal bead 16 on the cap portion 10 is dimensioned to be a push snap-fit over the bead 6 on the spout portion to underlie the shoulder 8 on the spout portion and to effect a sealing closure of the pourer with the internal surface of the top wall 12 of the cap portion 10 sealing against the free end of the spout portion 2. Re-opening of the container is achieved by again pulling on the ring-pull 20 to disengage the bead 16 on the cap portion 10 from the shoulder 8 and to remove the cap portion 10 from the spout portion 2. Thus there is provided a pourer for a container which comprises an integral, one-piece moulding capable of economic manufacture and ready opening without the necessity to dispose of any tear band or the like subsequent to opening. Clearly the precise construction of the pourer may differ from that illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the pull means on the cap portion 10 may be other than a ring-pull 20, providing leverage to tear the line of weakness can be achieved, while re-location of the cap portion 10 on the spout portion 2 may be achieved other than by a snap push-fit, for example a screw-threaded connection.

Other modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A one-piece pourer for a container comprising a spout portion (2) one end of which is adapted to be secured to, in communication with the interior of, the container, and a cap portion (10) integrally moulded with the spout portion (2) , characterised in that the cap portion (10) is interconnected with the other end of the spout portion (2) by a line of weakness .(18), pull means (20) being integrally moulded with the cap portion (10) whereby, on pulling on the pull means (20) to tear the line of weakness (18), the cap portion (10) is separated from the spout portion (2) to open the pourer, the cap portion (10) having a free end extent thereto.

2. A pourer as claimed in claim 1 in which, subsequent to tearing of the line of weakness (18) , the free end extent of the cap portion (10) is a sealing fit on the other end of the spout portion (2) .

3. A pourer as claimed in claim 2 in which the cap portion (10) is a push sealing fit on the spout portion (2) .

4. A pourer as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the other end extent of the spout portion (2) has a circumferential bead (6) formed therearound, and the free end extent of the cap portion (10) has a corresponding circumferential bead (16) formed internally thereof, the cap portion (10) being a push snap-fit on the spout portion (2) with the beads (6,16) co-operating to retain the cap portion (10) sealingly on the spout portion (2) .

5. A pourer as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

4 in which the pull means comprise an annular ring-pull (20) positioned to overlie the end face (12). of the cap portion (10) over a small portion of the circumference thereof .

6. A pourer as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

5 in which the one end of the spout (2) includes an increased diameter flange portion (4) therearound for welding or gluing to the inside face of the container to attach the pourer to the container with the spout portion (2) thereof projecting through a corresponding aperture in the container.

7. A pourer as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 and moulded from a low density polyethylene.