Bottle With Pourout Neck

Abstract

A bottle of unitary construction is provided having a pourout neck which is virtually drip proof and which in addition has an improved means for sealing with a threaded cap.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the bottle industry it has well been recognized that one of the primary needs with respect to bottles having threaded necks and complementary threaded caps is a design construction that will assure proper sealing of the contents therein from the atmosphere and other contaminants. Thus a variety of caps has been designed with various types of gaskets for sealing the bottle necks. In addition a number of improved threaded designs have been embodied in certain types of bottles whereby a more positive fit is made with the cap. However, along with such improvements additional obstacles have been encountered when one is concerned with containing a liquid within the bottle. In particular, problems have been encountered with respect to the partial discharge or pouring out of a liquid from its bottle followed by replacing the threaded cap on the bottle and then several additional repetitions of this sequence. In such instances it has been found that a small amount of spillover results from the liquid pouring over the edge of its neck which eventually accumulates on the threaded portions of the bottle's neck. Over repeated use this buildup results in interfering deposits of the substances on portions of the bottle's threads as well as portions of the cap's threads. Consequently it becomes more and more difficult to properly seal the cap back on the bottle. This problem is further magnified with a high sugar content product which hardens and crystallizes on exposure to the atmosphere. Subsequent shaking of the bottle dislodges particles accumulated between the threaded portions of the bottle and cap, thereby giving the impression of the bottle leaking.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,163 has been directed to this problem of unwanted spillover through the use of a plastic fitment that is snapped onto the neck of a conventional threaded bottle. Although this plastic fitment has greatly aided in reducing this unwanted spillover of the liquid along the threads of the bottle's neck it is apparent that the overall cost of the bottle is increased. In addition to the cost of producing the bottle it is necessary to injection-mold the fitments and then to assemble them onto the bottles' necks prior to selling the bottles to the customer. Furthermore, lips of the type shown in this patent utilize a broad top surface that is in contact with the inner surface of the cap and thus the pounds of pressure per square inch between the sealing surface of the pourout fitment and the cap are either going to be reduced or an additional torque will be required to maintain a pressure equal to that between a cap and bottle neck without such a fitment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Our invention comprises a unitary one-piece construction in which a bottle having an improved pourout fitment and sealing surface may be formed from either plastic or glass. Our bottle has a conventional threaded neck terminating with a constricted portion comprising an integral annular wall with an integral annular bead that is coaxial with the bottle's neck and is of a reduced diameter from the diameter of the neck. This bead extension has its end adapted for efficient sealing engagement with the inner surface of the cap top inasmuch as the top surface of the bead is relatively thin. Thus, a line contact, as compared to an area contact with the cap is approached. An impression is formed on the cap surface which serves as a moat to prevent liquid from flowing to the outside edge of the cap liner when the cap is temporarily off the bottle and upside down. An integral annular thin lip is positioned below this bead extension and circumscribes the extension whereby it is in a spaced relationship with the interior of the cap skirt and also with the cap's interior top surface.

Thus, our novel design maintains all of the advantages of a pourout lip such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,163 as well as assuring that an effective seal is maintained between the bottle's neck and cap despite repeated capping and uncapping and pouring out a portion of the contents therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of a bottle embodying our neck design.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bottle shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in cross-section taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and includes the additional feature of a cap threaded thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 a bottle 11 is illustrated which may be formed of either glass or plastic and in the particular instance is considered to be of plastic material, such as high density polyethylene. The bottle can be produced by normal injection blow-molding techniques but it is not the purpose of this invention to limit the construction of the bottle to such a technique. Likewise if the bottle is formed from glass it is possible to form it from a conventional blowing technique. The bottle is cylindrical and has a bottom wall 13, and a cylindrical side wall 14. These walls combined with the rounded shoulder 16 have been formed by a blow-molding technique whereas the portion thereabove is formed by an injection-molding technique. Neck 18 has a first portion with conventional threads on its external surface and a collar 19 that is integrally associated with the bottle's walls. Neck 18 has a constricted portion comprising an inwardly sloping wall 21 and extending therefrom is an annular cylindrical wall 23. Wall 23 is coaxial with neck 18 and the bottle's side wall 14.

Positioned above this annular wall 23 is an integral annular thin lip 24 which serves to prevent unwanted spillover of the liquid contents that are being poured from the bottle. As more clearly seen in FIG. 3 the lip may be of rectangular cross-section and is of a diameter less than that of the threaded neck 18. A final integral upright cylindrical extension referred to as bead 27 which is in sealing engagement with bottle cap liner 26 extends from lip 24. It is to be noted that the top surface 28 of this bead represents an extremely small surface area which has been achieved by the beveled inner wall 29. In this manner the surface area which forms the sealing surface between the cap and bottle has been reduced to an area equal to that of surface 28 and thus a significant pounds per square inch pressure is achieved without having to apply an unnecessarily large amount of torque. This substantially line contact effects a ring impression or moat 25 on cap liner 26. Since this neck surface 28 can be injection molded interruptions in it are eliminated further assuring that the contents will not spread toward the cap's threads.

It can be seen from FIG. 3 that bead 27 meets with the cap liner 26 at a position significantly spaced from the inner surface 32 of the cap's skirt 34. Consequently a bottle filled with liquid or powder, when shaken results in the contents coming into contact only with an area of the cap's inner surface which is spaced a significant amount from the inner surface of the cap's skirt. This in turn means that the amount of material retained within the moat 25 on liner 26 is reduced and will not tend to spread to the cap's perimeter and run into its threads. In this manner unwanted accumulation of the contents does not occur on the threads and they will continue to operate efficiently despite repeated opening and closing of the bottle.

In a like manner lip 24 which serves as the cutoff device to eliminate drops of liquid prevents unwanted accumulation of the dried substance in the threads of the bottle's neck. Thus, despite repeated use and pouring out of portions of the contents in the bottle our novel design prevents unwanted accumulation of material in either the threads of the neck or threads of the bottle and consequently the same amount of relatively low torque will serve to effectively seal the bottle on either its first or its tenth opening and closing sequence.

In the particular 100 cc. bottle size the diameter of the bottle's side wall 14 may be 1.937 inches. The outer diameter of the annular wall 23 extending from the threaded neck may be 0.760 inches whereas the outer diameter of the threaded neck exclusive of the threads may be 0.984 inches. Likewise the outer diameter of the bead extension 27 may be 0.760 inches whereas its inner diameter may be 0.715 inches achieved by a 45.degree. slope of beveled wall 29. The annular thin lip 24 is recessed from the top of this upright extension 27 by 0.03 inches when measured to its top surface. The thickness of this lip may be 0.04 inches. If the cap has no liner the air space between the cap's inner top surface and lip is 0.03 inches, a dimension that is only slightly less if a liner is used. The outer diameter of lip 24 may be 0.9 inches and thus the minimum distance between it and the inner surface 32 of the cap skirt will be 0.042 inches.

Comparison tests of our design with other bottles presently being marketed indicate that our design provides a more efficient sealing relationship which requires less torque than that necessary for other bottles. Incidence of leakage is appreciably reduced. In addition the pourability feature of our discharge neck is substantially improved. Cost can be maintained competetive inasmuch as our design is a unitary one rather than requiring subsequent assembly steps. The combination in a unitary construction of a pourout platform lip 24 with a bead 28 which forms a moat in the compressible surface 26 of a cap has produced an unexpected reduction in the amount of torque required to properly recap the bottle on a repeated basis. Whereas the recommended torque requirements on other bottles has been between five to eight inch-pounds our bottle can provide better results at the relatively low torque of two inch-pounds.

Claims

1. In a bottle having a cylindrical externally threaded discharge neck and a cap with a top and an internally threaded annular skirt in sealing relationship therewith, the improvement comprising an integral annular cylindrical wall extending from said threaded discharge neck and terminating with an integral upright annular bead extension which is coaxial with said neck and of a reduced diameter, said bead extension having its end in sealing engagement with the inner surface of said cap top and effecting a ring impression thereon, and an integral annular thin lip positioned between said bead extension end and said integral annular wall in a spaced relationship with the interior of said cap skirt and cap

2. The improvement in a bottle in accordance with claim 1 in which said integral annular cylindrical wall extends from said threaded discharge neck by means of an upwardly converging annular wall connected

3. The improvement in a bottle in accordance with claim 1 in which the axial cross section of said integral annular thin lip is substantially

4. The improvement in a bottle in accordance with claim 1 in which said

5. The improvement in a bottle in accordance with claim 1 in which the bottle is formed of a plastic material with the top surface of said bead having been injection molded and free of imperfections in its finish.