U.S. patent number 3,834,597 [Application Number 05/374,166] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-10 for closure and pouring device for containers.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Angelo Guala Di Piergiacomo E. Roberto Guala & C.S.A.S.. Invention is credited to Piergiacomo Guala.
United States Patent |
3,834,597 |
Guala |
September 10, 1974 |
CLOSURE AND POURING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS
Abstract
A closure device for cans or like containers comprising
integrally formed first and second parts with a frangible bridge
connecting part forming a guarantee seal. The first part is snap
engageable into an opening in the wall of a can so that it cannot
be removed therefrom without it being immediately apparent, such as
by the breakage of a specially weakened part. The second part is
held in the closed position by the frangible connecting part which
must be broken in order to effect initial opening of the closure
device to extend the said second part to a pouring position.
Reclosure, but not resealing, can be effected by retracting the
second part back to its initial position until cooperating
abutments on the first and second parts engage.
Inventors: |
Guala; Piergiacomo
(Alessandria, IT) |
Assignee: |
Angelo Guala Di Piergiacomo E.
Roberto Guala & C.S.A.S. (Alessandria, IT)
|
Family
ID: |
11299485 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/374,166 |
Filed: |
June 27, 1973 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jan 19, 1973 [IT] |
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67091/73 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/525;
222/541.9; 222/153.02; 222/153.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
47/061 (20130101); B65D 47/103 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
47/06 (20060101); B65D 47/10 (20060101); B65d
025/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/478,479,481,499,522,523,524,525,430,541 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Reeves; Robert B.
Assistant Examiner: Martin; Larry
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn &
Macpeak
Claims
I claim:
1. In a closure device for a can or the like container, of the type
comprising:
a first part attachable to a can, and
a second part relatively movable between a closed position and an
open position to form a retractable pourer tube,
the improvement wherein:
said first and second parts are initially formed as a single body
from resilient plastics material with said second part in said
closed position and with a frangible connection therebetween
forming a guarantee seal of closure, said first and second parts
being movable relative to each other after breaking of said
frangible connection,
an outer radial flange on said first part,
an outer annular ridge on said first part, said ridge and said
flange defining a recess therebetween whereby said first part is
snap engageable to the rim of an opening in a wall of a can,
a transverse closure wall on said second part,
holder means on said transverse closure wall,
openings in said second part to allow liquid to be poured out
therefrom when said second part is moved to said open position by
the application of an axial force to said holder means to rupture
said frangible connection between said first part and said second
part and extend said second part,
first outer annular ridge means on said second part,
abutment means on said first part, said first annular ridge means
abutting said abutment means to define said open position of said
second part,
second outer annular ridge means on said second part, said second
outer annular ridge means abutting said abutment means to define
said closed position of said second part,
said second part forming said pourer tube including:
an outer tubular element,
an inner tubular element coaxial with said outer tubular element
and projecting from the upper end thereof,
radial fins interconnecting said outer tubular element and said
coaxial inner tubular element,
said transverse closure wall being attached to the upper end of
said coaxial inner tubular element whereby said openings in said
second part are defined between said upper end of said outer
tubular element, said radial fins, and the outer periphery of said
transverse closure wall.
2. In a closure device for a can or the like container, of the type
comprising:
a first part attachable to a can, and
a second part relatively movable between a closed position and an
open position to form a retractable pourer tube,
the improvement wherein:
said first and second parts are initially formed as a single body
from resilient plastics material with said second part in said
closed position and with a frangible connection therebetween
forming a guarantee seal of closure, said first and second parts
being movable relative to each other after breaking of said
frangible connection,
an outer radial flange on said first part,
an outer annular ridge on said first part, said ridge and said
flange defining a recess therebetween whereby said first part is
snap engageable to the rim of an opening in a wall of a can,
a transverse closure wall on said second part,
holder means on said transverse closure wall,
openings in said second part to allow liquid to be poured out
therefrom when said second part is moved to said open position by
the application of an axial force to said holder means to rupture
said frangible connection between said first part and said second
part and extend said second part,
first outer annular ridge means on said second part,
abutment means on said first part, said first annular ridge means
abutting said abutment means to define said open position of said
second part,
second outer annular ridge means on said second part, said second
outer annular ridge means abutting said abutment means to define
said closed position of said second part,
said frangible connection between said first and second parts being
formed by two semi-circular bands defined by weakened lines on
either side thereof between said first part and said transverse
closure wall of said second part,
two opposed radial ribs defining the ends of said semicircular
bands,
respective upstanding stems on one end of each of said semicircular
bands,
an annular holder means supported by said stems, whereby said
frangible connection between said first and second parts of said
device may be broken by the application of an axial force to said
holder means to tear off said semi-circular bands along said
weakened lines and to extend said second part to said open
position.
3. The closure device of claim 2 wherein said second part
includes:
a pourer tube element having a constricted zone at the upper end
thereof and an outwardly turned radial lip,
an inner tubular element coaxial with said pourer tube element and
extending upwardly past the upper end thereof,
said transverse closure wall of said second part being integrally
formed with the upper end of said coaxial inner tubular element,
and
an annular transverse element substantially parallel to said
transverse closure wall and spaced therefrom downwardly along said
inner coaxial tubular element, said annular transverse element
forming said second outer annular ridge means of said second part
and acting to define said closed position of said device by
abutting against said abutment means of said first part when said
second part is retracted.
Description
The present invention relates to closure devices for cans and like
containers, and particularly to closure devices of the type
comprising a fixed annular part which can be fitted over an opening
in one of the end walls of a can, and a pouring tube, mounted
movably on the fixed part such as to be extendable to a position at
which withdrawal of the contents of the can may be effected, and
which can be retracted into the fixed annular part so as to be
substantially flush with the said end wall of the can when it is
not being used.
Closure devices of this general type are known; in the known
devices the pourer tube is provided with means for facilitating
extension thereof and is initially held in the retracted position
by a separate frangible element acting as a guarantee seal, which
must be removed or broken to allow the first opening.
Generally, the devices of the above mentioned type are assembled
from several component parts which have to be provided separately
and then assembled together before being mounted on the can.
The present invention seeks to produce a closure arrangement of the
above mentioned type which is of simple and strong construction,
and which requires no assembly prior to being mounted on the
can.
According to the present invention a closure device for cans and
like containers, of the type comprising a first part rigidly
attachable to the can, and a second part relatively movable with
respect to the first part between a closed position and an open
position so as to form a pourer tube, has the said first and second
parts formed as a single body of a resilient plastics material, the
said first part having an outwardly radially directed flange and an
outer annular ridge by means of which the said first part may be
snap engaged into the rim of an opening in a wall of the can, the
said second part, which forms the pourer tube, being coaxial with
the said first part and having a transverse closure wall which is
provided with a holder device, the said second part having openings
at the upper part thereof to allow liquid to be poured therefrom
when in the said open position, the transverse closure wall of the
said second part being connected to the said first part by means of
a frangible bridge portion which holds the said second part in the
retracted position inside the can and seals the closure device
until it is broken, upon first opening of the closure device, by
the application of an axial force between the said holder device
and the said first part in a direction tending to cause extension
of the said second part from the said closed position to the said
open position, the said second part having a first annular ridge
which abuts a cooperating abutment on the first part to prevent
removal thereof from the can, and a second annular ridge which
abuts a cooperating abutment of the first part in the retracted or
closed position.
One feature of embodiments of this invention is that emptying of a
can is facilitated thereby and it is possible to recover the
residual drops on the pourer tube and to convey these inside the
can.
Another feature of embodiments of this invention is that any
attempt to remove the fixed annular part from the end wall of the
can so as to remove the contents without breaking the guarantee
seal is immediately apparent.
Two embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly
described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an axial section of a closure device for cans and like
containers formed as a first embodiment of this invention, shown in
the initial sealed position;
FIG. 2 is an axial section similar to FIG. 1, showing the device in
the open position for withdrawal of the contents from the can;
FIG. 3 is an axial section similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the
device in a partially closed position effected after the first
opening;
FIG. 4 is an axial section of a second embodiment of the invention,
shown in the original sealed position;
FIG. 5 is a plan view from above of the embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are three partially sectioned perspective views,
illustrating the various stages in unsealing and opening of the
device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5; and
FIG. 9 is an axial section, similar to FIG. 4, showing the same
embodiment in the position of partial closure effected after the
first opening.
The embodiments of this invention to be described herein will be
described in the orientation shown in the drawings; references to
upper and lower will be construed accordingly without
limitation.
With reference now to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown the upper wall 1
of a can or like container in which there is cut a circular opening
surrounding which the wall 1 of the can is formed as a shallow
annular recess 2 having a downwardly turned lip 3. Housed in the
opening in the wall 1 there is a closure device formed as an
embodiment of this invention and constituted by a single body 4 of
flexible plastics material. The closure device comprises an upper
fixed part, formed by an annular portion 5 having an outwardly
projecting annular ridge 6 of approximately triangular cross
section, which permits snap assembly to the lip 3 of the wall 1 of
the can. At the top of the annular portion 5 there is provided a
radial flange 7 which rests in the shallow recess 2 which surrounds
the opening in the wall 1 of the can. The flange 7 is connected to
the annular portion 5 through a weakened circular zone 8 forming
part of the guarantee seal, which breaks easily if any attempt is
made to remove the device from the can by applying a force to the
flange 7.
From the base of the upper annular portion 5 there extends inwardly
an annular ridge 9 to which is connected, through an annular
portion 10 of reduced thickness which forms a frangible seal, a
lower tubular part 11 which constitutes the pourer tube. The lower
part 11 is closed at the top by a transverse wall 12 of relatively
great strength, from the upper face of which project holding
devices 20 in the form of two half-rings which enable extension of
the pourer tube from the can and breakage of the frangible seal
formed by the thin annular portion 10, as will be discussed
hereinafter.
The lower tubular part 11 has at the base a radially outwardly
projecting annular ridge 13 which, when the pourer tube 11 is
extended, abuts against the radially inwardly directed ridge 9 of
the upper part 5 to restrict extension of the tube 11 from the can.
The upper part of the tube 11 is circumferentially interrupted to
form a single annular opening around the lower edge of which
extends circumferentially a very flexible lip 15 for preventing
drips. Integrally formed with the transverse top wall 12 of the
pourer tube 11 is a tubular element 16 extending coaxially within
the pourer tube 11 and connected thereto by means of radial ribs 17
which separate the annular opening into a plurality of smaller
openings 14.
The outer curved face of the tube 11 has a first resilient radially
outwardly extending annular ridge 18 near the top of the wall 11,
and a second, smaller outwardly extending annular ridge 19
projecting less than the ridge 18, and situated a short distance
from the basal annular ridge 13.
When initially sealed, as depicted in FIG. 1, the lower tubular
part 11 is attached to the upper annular part 5 by the weak annular
bridge 10, and is housed entirely within the can: the device thus
prevents any unauthorised withdrawal of liquid due to the fact that
devices completely closes the can, the transverse wall 12 being
effectively continuous with the frangible annular bridge portion
10. Any attempt to remove the contents of the can by prising at the
upper flange 7, would cause breakage of the weakened zone 8 so that
the flange would detach from the annular part 5 and attempt would
be readily detectable.
To effect the first opening of the can a strong axial pull must be
exerted upwards upon the holding devices 20, thereby causing
breakage of the frangible annular bridge portion 10 and consequent
extension of the pourer tube 11 from the can 1, the tube 11 moves
upwardly with respect to the upper annular portion 5 which is
secured to the can, and stops in the fully extended position when
its basal ridge 13 abuts against the radially inwardly projecting
ridge 9 of the annular portion 5 as shown in FIG. 2. As the pourer
tube is moved the first annular projection 18 of the tube 11, the
flexible lip 15, and the second lower projection 19 become
elastically deformed to pass the internal annular ridge 9 of the
fixed annular portion 5, which has a diameter less than that of
these projecting ridges on the tube 11.
The lower projection 19 abuts against the ridge 9 to hold the tube
11 in the extended position, preventing it from falling back into
the can through its own weight. In this position liquid may be
drawn off from the can by tilting the can so that the liquid flows
out through some of the apertures 14, whilst air penetrates into
the can through the radial apertures 14 on the other side of the
pourer tube 11.
If it be desired to effect reclosure of the can the tube 11 is
merely pushed axially towards the bottom so as to overcome the
resistance of the abutment of the lower ridge 19 of the tube 11
with the inner ridge 9 of fixed annular portion, the movement of
the tube being continued until the upper annular ridge 18 abuts
against the upper face of the ridge 9 of the fixed annular portion
as shown in FIG. 3. In this position entry of dust or other foreign
bodies into the can is prevented.
During the reclosure of the pourer tube 11, any residual drops
remaining on the pourer tube 11 and the fixed annular portion 5,
are reconveyed inside the can through the radial apertures 14.
FIGS. 4 to 9 show a second embodiment of the invention. This
embodiment comprises a single body 4' made out of flexible plastics
material, comprising a fixed upper part 5' which can be snap
engaged to the upper wall 1' of a can in through an opening having
a downwardly turned lip 3, and a lower tubular part 11'
constituting the pourer tube, similar to the embodiment described
above.
The tube 11' has a constricted zone 21 spaced from the upper end,
which ends in a lip 22 for the drops. At the top the tube 11' is
closed by a transverse wall 12' integral with an internal tubular
element 16' coaxial with the tube, and connected to the constricted
zone 21 of the tube 11' by means of radial ribs 17' which form a
plurality of radial apertures 14', delimited at the top by a
transverse annular element 23 which extends parallel to the upper
wall 12' and is spaced slightly therefrom. The peripheral edge of
the element 23 projects radially outwardly slightly further than
the lip 22 for the drops.
The upper closure wall 12' extends radially beyond the internal
tubular element 16' and is connected to an internal annular ridge 9
of the upper fixed part 5', through two semi-circular bands 24
delimited by two radially spaced semi-circular weakened breakage
lines 25. The ends of the two semi-circular bands 24 which together
form a guarantee seal, are separated by radial opposed ribs 26 of
greater thickness and are connected by means of two stems 27 of
considerable strength to an upper annular element 28 which forms a
convenient handle for the tear-off opening.
When completely sealed, as shown in FIG. 4, the pourer tube 11' is
in the retracted position inside the can, whilst the upper wall 12'
is located coplanarly with the annular ridge 9 of the upper fixed
part 5 and the seal is guaranteed by the presence of the
semi-circular bands 24.
To effect the first opening, as shown in FIG. 6, the holder device
28 is grasped and strong upward force is exerted. Since the
connecting stems 27 are connected to respective bands 24 near to
the radial ribs 16, the bands 24 each start to detach themselves at
one end from the ribs. Upon continued application of the force, the
bands 24 are further separated from the annular ridge 9 due to the
yielding of the weakened circular lines 25, but the bands 24 remain
connected at their ends to the radial ribs 26 which constitute two
bridges extending between the fixed part and the movable part. A
further application of force causes breakage of the ribs where they
join the upper fixed part 5' so that the pourer tube 11' may be
extended axially as seen in FIG. 7, until it is brought into the
raised pouring position, in which the internal annular ridge 9 of
the fixed part is engaged in the annular recess formed by the two
lower annular ridges 13 and 19 of the tube 11'.
The two semi-circular bands 24 are still attached to the transverse
wall 12' of the pourer tube by the radial ribs 26, and if desired
these, and the circular handle 28 may be left in position for
opening and reclosing operations. If, on the other hand, it is
preferred to remove them, this may be achieved by a further
application of force to effect detachment as shown in FIG. 8.
The pourer tube 11' may be reclosed, although not resealed, as
shown in FIG. 9; for this purpose the tube 11' is pushed downwards
until the transverse annular element 23 engages the internal
annular ridge 9 of the upper fixed part 5': in this position the
peripheral edge 23a of the annular element 23 deforms resiliently,
bending upwards, so as to ensure that a relatively tight closure is
obtained.
In both of the embodiments described above, manufacture in one
single piece of the whole closure device allows simplification of
the construction, and eliminates any preliminary assembly operation
prior to mounting on the can, as is required for previously known
such devices in two or more parts. In operation embodiments of this
invention offer the same advantageous characteristics as the known
devices.
It will be understood that the manner of operation and the details
of construction of the invention may be varied widely, with respect
to what has been described and illustrated, without thereby
departing from the scope of this invention.
* * * * *