A non-drip spout is provided, more specifically, the present specification describes a non-drip spout for a container which contains fluids or liquids but which is also capable of holding powders or other materials which are capable of being poured through a spout.
The pouring spouts of liquid containers are normally intended to provide a smooth flow of liquid through the spout and also to minimize dripping from the spout at the end of the pouring operation. The drips that form on a spout after pouring are undesirable for numerous reasons including wetting and staining of the exterior of the spout and the container, and often result in wetting or staining of the surface on which the container rests.
Conventional spout closures tend to improperly dispense liquid food products when poured from them so as to create a build up of excess dried material around the spout subsequent to pouring of a liquid food product. As a result, the liquid product tends to drip from an orifice of the spout onto the closure and also potentially drip down the bottle or container on which the closure is mounted. In the event the liquid food product is dripped onto the closure, the flip-top lid portion provided can become stuck to the base by the product upon becoming dried and thus become difficult to open. In addition, if the product is permitted to drip down the bottle, it can become difficult for a consumer to handle the bottle.
Numerous attempts have been made to provide a dripless spout, and it has been generally realized that providing the spout with a thin or sharply cut off lip may enhance the “dripless” characteristics of the spout. This is recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,170 to Ray, which describes a teapot formed of ceramic material or glass. The spout opening of the teapot is bordered on the sides and bottom by a spout which extends outwardly and curves downwardly. The spout decreases in cross-section towards its extremity and terminates in a relatively sharply defined U-shaped lip undercut or relieved at its backside. U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,062 to Teetor discloses a pouring vessel provided with a droplet retaining structure which retains the droplet normally formed when pouring on a drip retaining lip. The lip is located at the outside of the sidewall at the front of the vessel and slightly below a pouring portion of the sidewall. The lip defines a small recess or pocket between the lip and a pouring portion of the sidewall. The front portion of the lip has a sharp upper edge with a generally vertical outer face and a very restricted horizontal surface. The lip defines a recess of restricted volume whereby the retaining forces, such as surface tension, and cohesive and adhesive forces over the liquid, temporarily retain the last drop of liquid in the recess. This drop then flows through a vertical slot in the pouring portion of the vessel and runs back into the vessel.
Also known is a dripless spout, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,040 to Wiley, which discloses a dripless spout which can be formed integrally with a liquid container or can be adapted for attachment to a liquid container. In this conventional spout, a dripless spout includes a service having a lid over which a liquid to be poured may flow, and a channel is formed in the surface which extends over at least a portion of the surface of a lip. At the end of a pouring operation, any droplets of liquid remaining on the surface occupy the channel and are held therein. The spout is formed of a relatively thin material and may be provided in the form of a spring clip for fitting to a liquid container or may be formed integrally with the liquid container. As can be appreciated from a review of this invention, the lid does not utilize a flip-top cap portion and thus remains open subsequent to a pouring operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a non-drip spout with a functional closure that can easily dispense liquid food products, for example, without creating a mess on the closure or on the bottle/container on which the closure is mounted.
The non-drip spout is shaped in such a manner as to catch and hold back any remaining drops of liquid product after the product has been dispensed. The size of the orifice permits a smooth and consistent pouring so as to inhibit glugging of the liquid during dispensing which, in turn, could affect the flow of the fluid and cause the liquid to drip over an edge of the spout due to the ebb and flow of fluid from the spout. These fluctuations in flow are to be avoided if, for example, a measured amount of fluid is to be dispensed.
The closure includes a one-piece system with a hinged lid or flip-top portion. Thus, the closure does not require a separate insert or an adjoining piece such as a lid that is detachable from the base of the closure.
The spout of the one piece flip-top closure functions as a non-drip feature when extract type products are dispensed. The external and internal vertical angle of the spout, the spout curvature shape, and the shape of the upper lip section allows for the non-drip pour feature of the spout. The upper lip section extends outward and horizontally from the spout edge. The radius at which the upper lip meets the spout edge and the length of the lip is important for the non-drip feature to properly function. The shape and size of the orifice allows for a smooth, non-glugging pouring operation which also contributes to the product flow supporting a non-drip pouring function.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the inventions described herein.
A more complete appreciation of the inventions and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings and their exemplary depictions do not in any way limit the scope of the inventions embraced by this specification. The scope of the inventions embraced by the specification and drawings are defined by the words of the accompanying claims.
A more complete understanding of the inventions can be drawn from attached
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. Unless otherwise noted, any directional terms such as “above,” “below,” and “outside” refer to directions with respect to the closure in accordance with the present invention, when the closure is in an upright position. The terminology includes the words noted above as well as derivatives thereof and additional words of similar import. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views.
As shown in
As shown, the base 3, the flip-top portion 2, and the hinge member 7 are integrally molded. The closure 1 can be made from a single mold, for example a side action mold, resulting in efficient manufacture thereof as a unitary piece. The unitary piece can be made of polypropylene, for example, a copolymer or a homopolymer.
As shown in
As shown in
The base 103 is also provided with a recessed surface 118 which extends down to a substantially horizontal edge 114 which cooperates with the flange 110 to prevent any material from passing through an opening 116 in the base 103 upon closing the flip-top member 102. Flip-top member 102 is also provided with a rim 120 which mates with a recessed rim 124 provided in the upper portion of the base 103 as illustrated in
The resulting non-drip spout thus is relatively easy to manufacture and provides distinct advantages over conventional spouts.
Thus, the foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting of the scope of the invention, as well as other claims. The disclosure, including any readily discernible variants of the teachings herein, define, in part, the scope of the foregoing claim terminology such that no inventive subject matter is dedicated to the public.
This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/866,511, filed Nov. 20, 2006, entitled “Non-Drip Spout,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60866511 | Nov 2006 | US |