U.S. patent application number 11/242765 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-05 for non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal system.
Invention is credited to W. Thomas Mc Clellan.
Application Number | 20070075083 11/242765 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37900906 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070075083 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mc Clellan; W. Thomas |
April 5, 2007 |
Non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal
system
Abstract
A non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal
system includes a channel or pouring spout to be connected to a
food container. The channel or pouring spout has an inner surface
to be contacted by contents of the container. A closure may be
provided for the channel or pouring spout. A seal prevents human
contact with the inner surface of the channel or pouring spout and
has a tab permitting manual removal of the seal.
Inventors: |
Mc Clellan; W. Thomas; (Fort
Lauderdale, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LERNER GREENBERG STEMER LLP
P O BOX 2480
HOLLYWOOD
FL
33022-2480
US
|
Family ID: |
37900906 |
Appl. No.: |
11/242765 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/258.2 ;
220/270 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/258.2 ;
220/270 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/20 20060101
B65D051/20; B65D 17/34 20060101 B65D017/34 |
Claims
1. A non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal
system, comprising: a channel or pouring spout to be connected to a
food container, said channel or pouring spout having an inner
surface to be contacted by contents of the container; and a seal
preventing human contact with said inner surface of said channel or
pouring spout, said seal having a tab permitting manual removal of
said seal.
2. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 1,
which further comprises a closure for said channel or pouring
spout.
3. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 1,
wherein said inner surface of said channel or pouring spout has a
top edge, and said seal has an outer periphery attached to said top
edge.
4. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 1,
wherein said tab is an extraction ring attached to said seal.
5. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 1,
wherein said seal is cup-shaped.
6. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 1,
wherein said seal completely covers and completely prevents contact
with said inner surface before removal of said seal.
7. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 3,
wherein said outer periphery of said seal is fused to or cast with
said top edge of said channel or pouring spout at a line of
weakness.
8. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 2,
wherein said closure is a cap.
9. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim 8,
wherein said cap is to be screwed onto said channel or pouring
spout.
10. The container seal and seal removal system according to claim
1, wherein said seal is formed of flexible plastic.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a non-contaminating milk or food
container seal and a seal removal system.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Presently many containers, cardboard and plastic milk
containers in particular, have a sealing system which requires the
user to insert a finger down "inside" the neck of the entrance
channel or pouring spout and hook onto a loop for traction, to
break a container seal. The seal is then discarded and the cap
reapplied.
[0005] The damage, however, has already been done. The same fingers
used the bathroom, wiped the nose, shook hands or handled money.
Those contaminated fingers have now touched the "inner" surface of
the milk or food container entrance channel or pouring spout.
[0006] A contaminated finger must reach down into the entrance
channel, neck, or pouring spout to hook and pull the ring attached
to the seal in order to break the seal and open the container. The
seal is critical to protecting the previous sterility and
continuing safety of the contained milk or food substance, i.e.
orange or apple juice. The inner surface of the neck, entrance
channel or pouring spout you reach into, is an interior surface
part of a container compartment space to be contacted by the milk
or other food.
[0007] The contaminated finger tip drags up the inner surface of
this internal space as it hooks and recovers the ring to pull,
break, and remove the seal.
[0008] This simple unprotected act deposits bacteria and other
contamination within the neck compartment, entrance channel or
pouring spout, which is enclosed under the sealing cap, a
contiguous and continuous part of the milk or food containing
space.
[0009] The present milk or food container seal and seal removal
system makes the deposit and trapping of bacteria or other types of
contamination within the milk or food containment area
"unavoidable". The bacteria are transported and left inside the
container, violating all rules of sterile technique. To make it
worse, the cap is then reapplied, trapping the bacteria and milk
within the same compartment.
[0010] As milk or other foodstuffs drip back down the entrance
channel or pouring spout, bacteria and other contamination drip
into, and mix with the residual stored milk or food. Milk is
specially treated because of its susceptibility to bacterial
growth. There are precise laws governing sterilizing temperatures,
heat duration, rapid cooling and finally sterile, sealed, packaging
under acute tolerances. The reason again, for all of the special
preparation and sterile technique is because milk is especially
susceptible to multiple bacterial growths.
[0011] Milk is a biological substance with fat, sugar, and water.
Milk is a nutrient media and a natural culture media. Almost all
bacteria thrive in milk. Refrigeration only slows or delays
bacterial growth, it does not prevent the growth, nor kill
bacteria. Milk spoils slowly in spite of refrigeration, and as
bacteria further adapt, refrigeration will be even less helpful at
preventing food contamination and food poisoning. It is
inconceivable after all of these protective safety steps of
processing to protect the consumer, that the milk or other
foodstuffs are still packaged in a container system that almost
"guarantees" contamination from the instant of opening. The prior
art, seems not only disinterested in consumer safety, but actually
sets up a sequence of actions and designs that "cause" rather than
prevent, contamination. The prior art actually sets a "booby trap"
for the unsuspecting consumer. The presently used construction is
clearly negligent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a
non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal
system, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of
the heretofore-known devices of this general type that cause
contamination of the milk or other food in a container when opening
the seal.
[0013] With the foregoing and other objects in view there is
provided, in accordance with the invention, a non-contaminating
milk or food container seal and seal removal system. The system
comprises a channel or pouring spout to be connected to a food
container. The channel or pouring spout has an inner surface to be
contacted by contents of the container. A seal prevents human
contact with the inner surface of the channel or pouring spout. The
seal has a tab permitting manual removal of the seal. Thus, the
seal according to the invention renders it impossible for there to
be any contact between the finger of the user and any surfaces to
be contacted by food.
[0014] In accordance with another feature of the invention, there
is provided a closure for the channel or pouring spout. A closure
is not necessary for single-use containers, such as a personal size
milk container.
[0015] In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the
inner surface of the channel or pouring spout has a top edge, and
the seal has an outer periphery attached to the top edge. The
placement of the seal at the very top of the channel or pouring
spout means that the entire inner surface of the channel or pouring
spout is inaccessible.
[0016] In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the
tab is an extraction ring attached to the seal. Such a ring is
quite easy to be hooked by a finger for removal.
[0017] In accordance with an additional feature of the invention,
the seal is cup-shaped. The concave shape of the seal facilitates
grasping and extraction of the tab or ring.
[0018] In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the
seal completely covers the inner surface before removal of the
seal. In this way, no surfaces which come into contact with food
can be contacted by a non-sterile object such as a human
finger.
[0019] In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention,
the outer periphery of the seal is "thin link" fused to or cast
with the top edge of the channel or pouring spout. This line of
weakness extends circumferentially of the receptacle mouth or
spout. This separation line facilitates tearing of the seal from
the channel or pouring spout.
[0020] In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention,
the closure is a cap, which is preferably to be screwed onto the
channel or pouring spout.
[0021] In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention,
the seal is formed of flexible plastic, which makes it easy to
remove.
[0022] The new seal and seal removal system according to the
invention controls and maintains a sterile technique for seal
breaking and seal removal. This simple, easy to use, and failsafe
system, even when operated by the untrained consumer, keeps
contamination totally contained within the seal and discards
bacteria within the seal. The entrance channel or pouring spout is
never touched, and sterile technique is maintained before, during
and after opening the seal. The milk or food is protected.
[0023] The improvement according to the invention provides a milk
or foodstuffs sealing device that is removed, in a simple but
sterile manner, by the untrained operator.
[0024] The normally exposed inner surface of the entrance or
pouring spout is totally covered and protected. The seal junction
is raised from near the bottom of the channel or pouring spout, to
the top lip of the spout. A deep dished-out or cup-shaped area is
developed within the body of the seal, with the extraction ring or
loop still attached, at the top.
[0025] The finger is inserted as before, in a simple and intuitive
way to hook the extraction ring or loop, but now because of the
unique concave structure of the seal, all areas touched by the
contaminated finger are now contained within the seal (outside the
container) which is then discarded. At no time is any interior
surface exposed before, during or after the seal is broken or
removed. Sterility is maintained even by the untrained. Bacteria
are excluded and safety is maintained.
[0026] Other features which are considered as characteristic for
the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0027] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein
as embodied in a non-contaminating milk or food container seal and
seal removal system, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited
to the details shown, since various modifications and structural
changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of
the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the
claims.
[0028] The construction and method of operation of the invention,
however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof
will be best understood from the following description of the
specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0029] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, exploded, perspective view of a
prior art milk or food container seal and seal removal system,
along with a cap and an entrance channel or pouring spout;
[0030] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective view of the prior art
milk or food container seal and seal removal system and the
entrance channel or pouring spout, in the assembled condition with
a seal extraction ring in a partly extracted position;
[0031] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the entrance
channel or pouring spout with a contaminated contact area according
to the prior art;
[0032] FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view of the entrance
channel or pouring spout with the contaminated contact area
according to the prior art and the cap about to be replaced, after
removal of the seal and seal removal system;
[0033] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing potential
bacterial growth on the contaminated contact area according to the
prior art, on the entrance channel or pouring spout;
[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a non-contaminating milk or
food container seal and seal removal system according to the
invention having a seal extraction ring in a partly extracted
position and a seal still in place at the entrance channel or
pouring spout;
[0035] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the non-contaminating milk
or food container seal and seal removal system according to the
invention, with the seal extraction ring and seal removed from the
entrance channel or pouring spout and clearly showing the area of
potential contamination being removed and discarded with the seal;
and
[0036] FIG. 8 is an exploded, perspective view of the cap, the
clean, non-contaminated entrance channel or pouring spout, and the
discarded seal extraction ring and seal (with its contained
contamination), of the non-contaminating milk or food container
seal and seal removal system according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and
first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a
conventional entrance channel or pouring spout 1, which is attached
at a bottom rim 2 thereof to an opening at the top of a milk or
food container 12. A cap 10 has a non-illustrated internal thread
which is to be screwed onto an external thread 3 of the channel or
pouring spout 1. A prior art milk or food container seal and seal
removal system includes a disk-shaped seal 4 having an outer
periphery which is connected to an inner surface 5 of the channel
or pouring spout 1 at a level 6. More specifically, the seal 4 is
fused or cast onto the lower one-quarter of the channel or pouring
spout 1. An extraction ring 7 is connected to the seal 4. The ring
7 is hooked by the finger for tearing and extracting the seal 4
from the channel or pouring spout 1, thus breaking the sterile seal
of the container.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows the seal 4, the ring 7 and the channel or
pouring spout 1 having the inner surface 5, which is susceptible to
contamination. The ring 7 has been pulled up and partly extracted
from the channel or pouring spout 1. When the finger hooks the ring
7, it touches and contaminates the ring and a contact area 8 of the
inner surface 5, as is indicated in FIGS. 2-4 by shading.
[0039] As is indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4, after the ring 7
and with it the seal 4 have been discarded, the contact area 8 and
the remainder of the inner surface 5 are covered by the cap 10. It
is seen from FIG. 5 that bacterial growth 9 has been formed on the
contact area 8. The bacterial growth 9 contaminates the liquid in
the container 12 when the container is tilted for pouring and that
contamination spreads throughout the liquid in the container when
the container is returned to its upright position.
[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates the non-contaminating milk or food
container seal and seal removal system according to the invention.
The entrance channel or pouring spout 1 has the bottom rim 2 to be
attached to an opening at the top of a milk or food container 12,
the external thread 3 onto which an internal thread of a cap 10 is
to be screwed and the inner surface 5, which are identical to that
of the prior art as shown in FIGS. 1-5. However, instead of
connecting a seal to the lower one-quarter of the inner surface 5
of the channel or pouring spout 1 as in the prior art, a seal 14
according to the invention has an outer periphery which is
connected, i.e. thin-link fused or cast, to a top edge 16 of the
inner surface 5 of the channel or pouring spout 1 at a line of
weakness. Furthermore, instead of using a disk-shaped seal as in
the prior art, the seal 14 is cup-shaped or concave, as seen from
above. It is also noted that it is not necessary to provide a
closure or cap and consequently the threads, if the container is a
single-use or personal-size container to be completely emptied
immediately and discarded.
[0041] FIG. 7 shows the seal 14 after it has been removed from the
channel or pouring spout 1 by using a tab 17. The tab 17 may have
the shape of an extraction ring or any other shape suitable to be
manually grasped. The cup shape of the seal 14 can be clearly seen
as well as the inner surface 5 of the channel or pouring spout 1.
FIG. 7 also shows a contact area 18 which is touched by the finger
of the user of the seal and seal removal system as the tab or ring
17 is being hooked for removal of the seal 14. It is noted that the
contact area 18 is exclusively on the seal 14 which is to be
discarded and not on the inner surface 5 of the channel or pouring
spout 1. Therefore, there is no exposure of the contents of the
container to the contaminated and non-sterile contact area 18 and
bacteria cannot reach the liquid within the container.
[0042] FIG. 8 illustrates the channel or pouring spout 1 after
removal of the seal 14, the discarded seal 14 and the cap 10 to be
screwed onto the channel or pouring spout 1 in the direction of the
arrow.
* * * * *