US3884387A

US3884387A - Pouring spout for liquid containers

Info

Publication number: US3884387A
Application number: US439489A
Authority: US
Inventors: Osvaldo Vannucci
Original assignee: American Home Products Corp
Current assignee: Wyeth LLC
Priority date: 1974-02-04
Filing date: 1974-02-04
Publication date: 1975-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-20

Abstract

A demountable pouring spout is disclosed for liquid containers which are sealed by a closure inserted into a filling orifice. In one embodiment the spout is a conduit with a piercing member at one end and an orifice adjacent the piercing member. During shipment and storage the spout is connected to the sealed container by the orifice engaging a post formed on the closure. During use the spout conduit frictionally engages a closure conduit, and the piercing device ruptures a frangible sealing membrane in the closure so that the orifices can be inserted into the container and the contents discharged through the orifices and the conduit. The container is resealed by positioning the spout orifices within the closure conduit. In a preferred embodiment the spout has two conduits joined at right angles to each other with the second conduit having a respiration valve adjacent the first conduit.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Vannucci 1 May 20, 1975 POURING SPOUT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS [75] Inventor: Osvaldo Vannucci, Sao Paulo, Brazil [73] Assignee: American Home Products Corporation, New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Feb. 4, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 439,489

[52] U.S. Cl. 222/83; 222/538; 222/541 [51] Int. Cl B67b 7/26 [58] Field of Search 222/83, 541, 538; 248/79 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,474,933 10/1969 Malpas 222 541 x Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph Martin Weigman [57] ABSTRACT A demountable pouring spout is disclosed for liquid containers which are sealed by a closure inserted into a filling orifice. In one embodiment'the spout is a conduit with a piercing member at one end and an orifice adjacent the piercing member. During shipment and storage the spout is connected to the sealed container by the orifice engaging a post formed on the closure. During use the spout conduit frictionally engages a closure conduit, and the piercing device ruptures a frangible sealing membrane in the closure so that the orifices can be inserted into the container and the contents discharged through the orifices and the conduit. The container is rescaled by positioning the spout orifices within the closure conduit. In a preferred embodiment the spout has two conduits joined at right angles to each other with the second conduit having a respiration valve adjacent the first conduit.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAY 2 01975 SHEET 2 OF 2 x13" I G o 5 POURING SPOUT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS The present invention relates to pouring spouts for liquid containers. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved pouring spout which is adapted to pour the liquid contents to a precise point of use. Precision in discharge is accomplished by having the spout rotatable through 360. The present invention is particularly useful for filling an insecticide sprayer with liquid insecticide. It has been found that the present pouring spout avoids spilling of the liquid while the sprayer tank is being filled.

A demountable spout has been developed for liquid containers which are sealed by a closure inserted into a filling orifice. In one embodiment the spout is a conduit with a piercing member at one end and an orifice adjacent the piercing member. During shipping and storage the spout is connected to the sealed container by the orifice engaging a post formed on the closure. During use the spout conduit frictionally engages a closure conduit, and the piercing device ruptures a frangible sealing membrane in the closure so that the orifice can be inserted into the container and the contents discharged through the orifices and the conduit. The container is rescaled by positioning the spout orifices within the closure conduit. In a preferred embodiment the spout has two conduits joined at right angles to each other with the second conduit having a respiration valve adjacent the first conduit.

It has been found that by making the pouring spout demountable, the liquid containers may be packaged into cartons which are markably shorter in depth, permitting more packages to be loaded into a single freight car or onto a single truck, resulting in economy of packaging costs and freight costs.

In relatively long spouts, particularly those made up of more than one conduit at angles to each other, it has been found advantageous to provide a respiration valve adjacent the junction of the conduits to permit draining of the contents from the conduit after initial discharge pressure has been removed. A vent hole serves as a respiration valve permitting air to enter into the liquid container and speed the release of the vacuum created by the discharge. The respiration valve is relatively small compared with the size of the discharge orifice so that substantially no liquid is discharged through the respiration valve. However, because of its location, the valve serves to conveniently permit the influx of air.

The most closely related prior art known resides in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,l48,803, 3,422,998, 3,672,547, 3,096,002 and 3,768,475. None of the patents shows the present invention in its entirety. There is no teaching or suggestion in any one of them how they may be combined in order to obtain the present invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pouring spout for containers of liquids.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pouring spout for liquid containers which is removably connected to the container during shipping and storage prior to initial use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pouring spout for factory sealed liquid containers which is adapted to puncture the seal for initial use and to reseal the container after use.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pouring spout which may be oriented at a desired angle to a container for liquids.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an elongated pouring spout which is adapted to dispense liquids to a small predetermined location.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the :art by reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a partial elevational view, partly in section, showing the preferred embodiment of the pouring spout in position for initial use;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container showing the pouring spout in the shipping; or storage position prior to use;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pouring spout taken generally along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an alternate emodiment of the pouring spout of this invention shown in position for initial use; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the alternate embodiment of FIG. 4 showing the pouring spout in the shipping or storage position prior to use.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. There, the container 10 for liquids has a planar top member 12 connected to walls 14. A filling orifice is defined by a depressed annular ring 16 formed in the topp member 12. The orifice is sealed by a closure 18 which has a lower annular ring 20, which engages the lower extremity of annular ring 16, and a flange 22, which engages the upper portion of the ring 16.

The closure 18 has a central conduit 24 which after filling and prior to initial use is closed by a frangible membrane 26. The closure 18 also has defined on it a post 28 on which the pouring spout 30 is mounted at the factory for shipping, as may be seen in FIG. 2.

The pouring spout 30 is comprised of a cylindrical conduit 32 which connects to a second conduit 34 at right angles. The conduit 32 is sized to frictionally engage the closure conduit 24. The first cylindrical conduit 32 has at one end a piercing device 36 which is adapted to puncture the frangible membrane 26. Adjacent to the piercing device 36 is at least one orifice 38, which, during shipping and storage, serves by frictional engagement to connect the pouring spout 30 to the post 28 as is shown in FIG. 2. During use, as shown in phantom in FIG. 1, the liquid from the interior of the container 14 passes through the orifice 38 into the conduit 32.

The second conduit 34 has a respiration valve, or vent hole, 40 defined at the end adjacent the first conduit 32. A discharge orifice 42 is at the other end. The respiration valve 40 facilitates drainage of the second conduit after the desired amount of liquid has been discharged. As is shown in FIG. 3, the preferred shape of the second conduit 34 is rectangular.

After the container is filled at the factory the closure 18 is inserted in the filling orifice, and the spout 30 is attached to the post 28 by engaging the orifice 38. For initial use, the user removes the pouring spout 30 from the post 28 and inserts the first conduit 32 into the closure conduit 24. The user pushes the pouring spout 30 with sufficient force to cause the piercing device 36 to rupture the frangible membrane 26. As is shown in phantom in FIG. 1, rupture of the membrane permits the insertion of the pouring spout 30 into the container to a sufficent depth that the orifice 38 is below the closure 18. The discharge orifice 42 is then placed adjacent the point where the liquid contents are desired to be discharged and by inverting the container 10, or by applying gentle pressure the liquid contents are forced out of the container through the orifice 38 through the first conduit 32, the second conduit 34, and the discharge orifice 42 to the desired point of use.

After use the pouring spout 30 is lifted slightly so that the orifice 38 is contained within the conduit 24 of the closure 18 and so seals the container 10.

An alternate embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. There a container 50 has walls 52 supporting a planar top member 54. An annular ring 56 defines an orifice which is sealed by a closure 58. The closure 58 has an annular ring 60 which engages the lower portion of the annular ring 56 and in cooperation with the upper flange 62 seals the container. The closure has defined in it a conduit 64 which is closed by a frangible membrane 66. The closure also has on it at least one post 68 to which the pouring spout 70 is attached during shipping and storage. The pouring spout 70 is comprised of a single conduit 72 having a piercing device 74 formed at one end and at least one, preferably two oppositely disposed, orifices 76 adjacent the piercing device 74. The other end of the conduit 72 defines a discharge spout 78. The spout conduit 72 is sized to frictionally engage the closure conduit 64.

After filling and sealing the pouring spout 70 is fastened to the closure 58 by the orifice 76 engaging the post 68. For use, the user removes the pouring spout 70 from the post 68 and inserts the piercing device 74 into the conduit 64 defined in the closure 58. Sufficient force is applied so that the piercing device 74 ruptures the frangible membrane 66 permitting the conduit 72 to be inserted into the container 50 to a suitable depth so that the orifice 76 may be in communication with the contents of the container 50, as shown in phantom in FIG. 4. The discharge spout 78 is placed adjacent the point of desired discharge of the contents, and the container 50 is inverted and gently squeezed causing the contents to flow through the orifice 76 through the conduit 72 and out the discharge orifice 78. After use the pouring spout 70 may be raised slightly so that the orifice 76 is disposed within the closure conduit 64 thus sealing the container 50.

What is claimed:

1. A dispensing container for liquids comprising:

A. A container having an orifice defined in it;

B. A closure sealably connected to said orifice;

l. A conduit defined in said closure adapted to receive a pouring spout;

2. A frangible sealing member defined in said closure conduit;

3. A post defined on the outer surface of said closure; and

C. A demountable pouring spout further comprising 1. At least one conduit adapted to frictionally engage said closure conduit;

2. A piercing device formed at one end of said spout conduit; and

3. At least one orifice defined in said spout conduit adjacent said piercing device, said orifice being adapted to frictionally engage said closure post.

2. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said pouring spout is comprised of first and second conduits joined at substantially right angles to each other, said first spout conduit being adapted to frictionally engage said closure conduit.

3. A container as defined in claim 2 wherein said second spout conduit has a vent defined in it adjacent the intersection with said first spout conduit.

4. In a liquids container having a closure with an internal conduit, the improvement comprising:

A. A frangible member located at one end of the closure conduit;

B. A demountable pouring spout further comprising:

1. At least one conduit adapted to removably engage the closure internal conduit;

2. A piercing device defined at one end of said spout conduit adapted to pierce said frangible membrane and further adapted to seal said closure internal conduit after said membrane is ruptured;

3. At least one orifice defined in said spout conduit adjacent said piercing device; and

C. A post defined on the outer surface of the closure,

said spout orifice being adapted to removably engage said post, whereby said spout may be secured to said post by said orifice during shipping and storage.

Claims

1. A dispensing container for liquids comprising: A. A container having an orifice defined in it; B. A closure sealably connected to said orifice;

1. A conduit defined in said closure adapted to receive a pouring spout;

1. At least one conduit adapted to frictionally engage said closure conduit;

2. A frangible sealing member defined in said closure conduit;

2. A piercing device formed at one end of said spout conduit; and

2. A frangible sealing member defined in said closure conduit;

2. A piercing device formed at one end of said spout conduit; and

3. A post defined on the outer surface of said closure; and C. A demountable pouring spout further comprising

3. At least one orifice defined in said spout conduit adjacent said piercing device; and C. A post defined on the outer surface of the closure, said spout orifice being adapted to removably engage said post, whereby said spout may be secured to said post by said orifice during shipping and storage.

4. In a liquids container having a closure with an internal conduit, the improvement comprising: A. A frangible member located at one end of the closure conduit; B. A demountable pouring spoUt further comprising: