U.S. patent application number 13/153943 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-29 for one-piece non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal system.
Invention is credited to W. THOMAS MC CLELLAN.
Application Number | 20110233211 13/153943 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44655171 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110233211 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MC CLELLAN; W. THOMAS |
September 29, 2011 |
ONE-PIECE NON-CONTAMINATING MILK OR FOOD CONTAINER SEAL AND SEAL
REMOVAL SYSTEM
Abstract
A one-piece 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 spout has an inner surface to be
contacted by contents of the container and the inner surface has a
top edge. A seal prevents human contact with the inner surface of
the channel or pouring spout. The seal has an outer periphery
frangibly connected to the top edge. A tab permits unbroken, intact
manual removal of the seal with one finger. A removable closure for
the channel or pouring spout contacts the top edge before removal
of the seal and after replacement of the removable closure. The tab
does not extend above the top edge before removal of the closure
and the seal. The channel or pouring spout, the seal and part of
the tab are formed in one piece at the top edge.
Inventors: |
MC CLELLAN; W. THOMAS; (FORT
LAUDERDALE, FL) |
Family ID: |
44655171 |
Appl. No.: |
13/153943 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11242765 |
Oct 4, 2005 |
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13153943 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/258.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/258.2 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/20 20060101
B65D051/20 |
Claims
1. A one-piece 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, said
inner surface having a top edge; a seal preventing human contact
with said inner surface of said channel or pouring spout, said seal
having an outer periphery disposed at said top edge; a tab
permitting unbroken, intact manual removal of said seal with one
finger; a removable closure for said channel or pouring spout
contacting said top edge before removal of said seal and after
replacement of said removable closure; said tab not extending above
said top edge before removal of said closure and said seal; and
said channel or pouring spout, said seal and part of said tab being
formed in one piece at said top edge.
2. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said tab is an extraction ring attached to said
seal.
3. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said seal is cup-shaped.
4. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said seal completely covers and completely
prevents contact with said inner surface before and during removal
of said seal.
5. The one-piece 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.
6. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 2, wherein said closure is a cap.
7. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 6, wherein said cap is to be screwed onto said channel or
pouring spout.
8. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said seal is formed of flexible plastic.
9. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said seal, said tab and an inner surface of
said closure are all in contact with and do not extend above said
top edge, in order to prevent contamination before and during said
removal of said seal.
10. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said tab is a ring having a periphery directly
attached to said seal at one location for tearing said seal off
said top edge.
11. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 6, wherein said seal is a primary enclosure and said cap
is a secondary enclosure.
12. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said channel or pouring spout has an outer
surface with a top edge, said inner and outer surfaces of said
channel or pouring spout, said seal and part of said tab being
formed in one piece at said top edge.
13. The one-piece container seal and seal removal system according
to claim 1, wherein said seal is frangibly connected to said top
edge.
14. A one-piece 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, said
inner surface having a top edge; a seal preventing human contact
with said inner surface of said channel or pouring spout, said seal
having an outer periphery disposed at said top edge; and a tab
permitting unbroken, intact manual removal of said seal with one
finger; and said channel or pouring spout, said seal and part of
said tab being formed in one piece at said top edge.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a Continuation-In-Part, under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120,
of copending application Ser. No. 11/242,765, filed Oct. 4,
2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to one-a piece,
non-contaminating milk or food container seal and a seal removal
system.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] 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.
[0006] 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.
[0007] 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.
[0008] 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.
[0009] 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.
[0010] 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.
[0011] 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.
[0012] 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.
[0013] Prior art container closures have two or more parts, making
them complicated and expensive to construct and assemble. In
addition, they often have seals with pull tabs which extend above
the upper edge of the container neck, thus increasing the height of
the assembled container and closure. Such closures also permit
contamination since a person's fingers will inevitably touch the
lip and/or other parts of the container neck when grasping and
lifting the tab and seal disc.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,738 to Bietzer et al. provides such a
closure, in which a container neck 22 has a lip 24 with an upper
edge and a seal disc 78 with a pull tab 80. The seal disc 78 and
the pull tab 80 are completely disposed above the upper edge of the
lip 24 of the container neck 22. This occurs because the seal disc
78 is placed in a cap 21 and glued to the lip 24 when the cap is
screwed on the container neck 22. When two fingers are used to lift
the tab, which is at the outer edge of the lip, they will touch the
lip leading to contamination which will grow when the cap is
replaced. A similar system in which a tab and seal are carried by a
cap before assembly and therefore must extend above an upper edge
of a neck after assembly, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,845
to Blanchard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a
one-piece 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, in such a way that a one-piece seal does not
extend above an upper edge of a pour spout.
[0016] With the foregoing and other objects in view there is
provided, in accordance with the invention, a one-piece
non-contaminating milk or food container seal and seal removal
system, comprising 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 and the inner surface
has a top edge. A seal prevents human contact with the inner
surface of the channel or pouring spout. The seal has an outer
periphery disposed and frangibly formed at the top edge. A tab
permits unbroken, intact manual removal of the seal with one
finger. A removable closure for the channel or pouring spout
contacts the top edge before removal of the seal and after
replacement of the removable closure. The tab does not extend above
the top edge before removal of the closure and the seal. The
channel or pouring spout, the seal and part of the tab are formed
in one piece at the top edge. 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. A
closure is not necessary for single-use containers, such as a
personal size milk container. The seal is a primary enclosure and
the cap is a secondary enclosure.
[0017] 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.
[0018] 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.
[0019] 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.
[0020] 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.
[0021] 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.
[0022] 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.
[0023] In accordance with yet an additional feature of the
invention, the seal is formed of flexible plastic, which makes it
easy to remove.
[0024] In accordance with again another feature of the invention,
the seal, said tab and an inner surface of said closure are all in
contact with and do not extend above said top edge. This feature is
provided in order to prevent contamination before and during said
removal of said seal.
[0025] In accordance with again a further feature of the invention,
the tab is a ring having a periphery directly attached to said seal
at one location for tearing said seal off said top edge.
[0026] In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention,
the channel or pouring spout has an outer surface with a top edge.
The inner and outer surfaces of said channel or pouring spout, said
seal and part of said tab are formed in one piece at said top edge.
The height of the system is thus at a minimum since the top edge of
the spout is the top of the system.
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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.
[0029] 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.
[0030] 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.
[0031] Other features which are considered as characteristic for
the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0032] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein
as embodied in a one-piece, 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.
[0033] 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
[0034] 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;
[0035] 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;
[0036] 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;
[0037] 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;
[0038] 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;
[0039] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a one-piece,
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;
[0040] 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;
[0041] 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;
[0042] FIG. 9 is a vertical-sectional view of the non-contaminating
milk or food container seal and seal removal system according to
the invention with the cap removed and the pull tab not extending
above the upper edge of the pour spout; and
[0043] FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, in which the pull tab
has automatically popped-up after removing the cap or has been
pulled up for removal of the seal.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] 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.
[0045] 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.
[0046] 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.
[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates the one-piece 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,
the pouring spout 1 also has a rolled upper portion 13 with an
upper or top edge 16. 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 top
or upper portion 15 with an outer periphery which is frangibly
connected, i.e. thin-link fused or cast, to the upper portion or
top edge 13 and the inner surface 5 of the channel or pouring spout
1 at a line of weakness at the inner surface 5. Thus, the edge 16
is the upper or top edge of the upper portion 13 and the inner
surface 5 of the pouring spout 1 and well as an outer edge of the
seal 14. 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.
[0048] 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 and has a periphery directly attached to the seal
with a live or living hinge 19 at one location for tearing the seal
off the top edge. 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. The finger of the
user cannot touch any part of the spout 1 when pulling the tab 17.
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.
[0049] 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. Thus, the seal 14 may be referred to as a primary seal or
enclosure and the cap or closure 10 may be referred to as a
secondary seal or enclosure.
[0050] FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the live or living hinge
19 of the pull tab 17, the seal 14 and the spout 1 having the inner
surface 5. It is also seen that in the one-piece container seal and
removal system, the edge 16 simultaneously forms the upper or top
edge of the upper portion 13, the upper or top edge of the inner
surface 5 and the outer edge of the seal 14. An inner surface of
the closure or cap 10 directly touches the edge 16 before removal
of the seal 14.
[0051] This permits the system to have a minimum height since no
part of the system is above the top edge of the inner surface 5 of
the spout. The tab 17 is also remote from the upper portion 13 so
that when the finger of a user is placed under the tab 17, it is
prevented from touching the upper portion 13 and other parts of the
spout 1.
[0052] FIG. 10 shows the pull tab 17 in a raised position, as a
result of the pull tab having automatically popped-up after
removing the cap 10 or having been pulled up for removal of the
seal.
* * * * *