NOONAN, Michael Patrick (222 Golf Road, Titirangi, Auckland, NZ)
CLAIMS:
1. A closure assembly for a container, the assembly having a body or body assembly engageable to a container, and a dispensing spout or nozzle ("spout") carried by the body or body assembly yet moveable from a closed to an open condition relative thereto, wherein the spout in a closed condition interacts or will interact with the body or body assembly to prevent a pressure release from the content(s) of a container to which the closure is engaged or engageable and, in the open condition, will allow liquid egress from such a container via the body or body assembly through at least part of the spout, and wherein movement of the spout relative to the body or body assembly prior to any substantial passageway for liquid egress being opened removes the interaction, or will remove the interaction, between the spout and the body or body assembly thereby to allow some pressure release should there be a pressurised content or pressurised contents (eg; a carbonated beverage) in a container to which the closure assembly is engaged or engageable. 2. A closure assembly for a container, the assembly having a body or body assembly engageable to a container, and a dispensing spout or nozzle carried by the body or body assembly yet moveable from a closed to an open condition relative thereto, wherein a lower region of the spout, in a closed condition, interacts or will interact with a vent opening of the body or body assembly to prevent a pressure release from the content(s) of a container to which the closure is engaged or engageable and, in the open condition, will allow liquid egress from such a container via ports of the body or body assembly into the spout and thence out of the spout, and wherein, in use to allow some pressure release should there be a pressurised content or pressurised contents (eg; a carbonated beverage) in a container to which the closure assembly is engaged or engageable, the spout can be uplifted to a condition prior to the ports of the body or body assembly and the spout providing a flow path into the spout to allow liquid egress at which condition pressure can vent via the vent opening and through the spout.
3. An assembly of claim Io r 2 wherein the body includes a waisted barrel to hold the pull up/push down spout captive.
4. An assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the body has a folded down flange.
5. An assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the vent opening is below almost all of the spout in the closed condition.
6. An assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the fluid flow path is both (a) via the vent hole (small or inconsequential) and (b) laterally of the spout via the body or body assembly into and at least partly through the spout.
7. An assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the body assembly includes a tamper evident or other overcap.
8. An assembly of claim 7 where the overcap cone seals the spout in the spout's and cap's closed conditions.
9. An assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the spout has an inlet and an outlet, a plug or pluggable vent opening and is arranged at the closed non-venting condition of having its plug in a vent opening of the body or body assembly, or of having its vent opening plugged by the body or body assembly.
10. An assembly of claim 9 wherein the spout also has an annular perimeter both above and below a relief to stage to the or a waist of the barrel, such annular perimeter(s) sealing to an imperforate and non waisted region of barrel (a) below the waisting and/or (b) above the waisting. 11. A closure assembly of pull-up kind, having a body or body assembly engageable to a container, and a dispensing spout carried by the body or body assembly yet moveable from a closed to an open condition relative thereto, wherein the spout in a closed condition interacts, or will interact, with a lower part with a vent opening the body or body assembly to prevent a pressure release from the content(s) of a container to which the closure is engaged, or engageable, and, in the open condition, will allow liquid egress from such a container via the body or body assembly through at least part of the spout, and wherein movement of the spout relative to the body or body assembly to a venting condition prior to any substantial flow path for liquid egress being opened removes the interaction, or will remove the interaction, between the spout and the body or body assembly thereby to allow some pressure release should there be a pressurised content or pressurised contents (eg; a carbonated beverage) in a container to which the closure assembly is engaged or engageable, and wherein the body or body assembly has a wall (eg; a barrel) about the spout that is waisted and (i) in the liquid passageway providing condition, the spout is above or almost totally above the waist and/or (ii) in the venting condition, the spout is supported (at least in part) by the waist or otherwise stages to the waist.
12. An assembly of claim 11 wherein there is a port or ports at the waist region of the wall that allows liquid egress to a passageway of the spout when the spout is in the liquid passageway providing condition.
13. An assembly of claim 11 or 12 wherein, in the closed condition, there is greater part of the spout below the waist than in the venting condition.
14. An assembly of any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein the spout is restricted in movement by a folded down flange with which it abuts thereby to prevent spout pull free. 15. As an assembly, a container containing a pressurised content, and a closure assembyl engaged to the container and preventing both liquid egress and pressure release from the container, the closure assembly being characterised in that it is of the pull up type whereby, in a pulled up open condition, a nozzle or spout ("spout") allows liquid egress via itself from the body or body assembly of the closure assembly to which the spout is captive and wherein in its unopened condition (and preferably also a redosed condition) the spout seals a pressure release opening of the body or body assembly, and wherein there is a staging condition between the open and unopen(ed) conditions encouraged by the arrangement for pressure release via said opening and through the spout, the pressure release opening being smaller in flow path than is the fluid flow path in the oρen(ed) condition.
16. A pull-up type closure assembly where the nozzle or spout ("spout") is captive in a body assembly to move between closed and an opened conditions to prevent and allow respectively liquid egress and a component of the body assembly defines a tamper band release for a flip top with a formation providing a cone seal into the top of the spout.
17. An assembly of claim 16 wherein the articulation of the flip top requires it to be urged free of the spout to allow access to the spout.
18. An assembly of claim 16 or 17 wherein the cone seal is replaceable.
19. An assembly of any one of claims 16 to 18 which is also an assembly as claims in any one of claims 1 to 15.
20. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. |
Pressure Releasing Container Closure
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a closure assembly and combinations and assemblies resultant from the use of such a closure assembly.
BACKGROUND ART
A difficulty long recognised with a closure assembly of a kind to be removed in totality or to be subjected to a change in condition which allows release of content from a pressurised content in a container with which the closure assembly is associated has been an unwanted spraying, squirting, spurting or the like of at least some of the contents. By way of example the Coca Cola Company in its US Patent 6474515 discloses a twist top spout adapted not to interfere with the existing bottling equipment and methods yet nonetheless disclose a twist top for a beverage bottle that holds pressure and provides controlled venting of this pressure during the opening of the bottle so as to eliminate beverage spraying or squirting.
The present invention in some of its aspect relates to an alternative to the arrangement disclosed in US Patent 6474515 or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
It is another or alternative object of the present invention to provide a pull up type closure assembly which can control venting of pressurised content(s) of a container to which the closure assembly is attached prior to full opening of the closure assembly for beverage egress.
An additional or alternative object is the provision of a tamper evident closure assembly of a pull up type closure assembly having a tamper evident releasable flip top, replaceable as a hygienic and/or cone sealing overcap on its hinging, but which nonetheless requires a positive freeing of the flip top (even after tamper evidence exists) in order to break a or the cone seal.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In an aspect the invention is a closure assembly for a container, the assembly having a body or body assembly engageable to a container, and a dispensing spout or nozzle ("spout") carried by the body or body assembly yet moveable from a closed to an open condition relative thereto, wherein the spout in a closed condition interacts or will interact with the body or body assembly to prevent a pressure release from the content(s) of a container to which the closure is engaged or engageable and, in the open condition, will allow liquid egress from such a container via the body or body assembly through at least part of the spout,
and wherein movement of the spout relative to the body or body assembly prior to any substantial passageway for liquid egress being opened removes the interaction, or will remove the interaction, between the spout and the body or body assembly thereby to allow some pressure release should there be a pressurised content or pressurised contents (eg; a carbonated beverage) in a container to which the closure assembly is engaged or engageable.
Preferably the body includes a waisted barrel (preferably widi a folded down flange) to hold the pull up/push down spout captive.
Preferably the vent opening is below almost all of the spout in the closed condition.
Preferably the fluid flow path is both (a) via the vent hole (small or inconsequential) and (b) laterally of the spout via the body or body assembly into and at least pardy through the spout.
Preferably the body assembly includes a tamper evident or other overcap (eg; a flip cap) and preferably that cone seals the spout in the spout's and cap's closed conditions.
Preferably the spout has an inlet and an outlet, a plug or pluggable vent opening and is arranged at the closed non-venting condition of having its plug in a vent opening of the body or body assembly, or of having its vent opening plugged by the body or body assembly.
Preferably the former.
Preferably the spout also has an annular perimeter both above and below a relief to stage to the waist of the barrel, such annular perimeter(s) sealing to an imperforate and non waisted region of barrel (a) below the waisting and/or (b) above the waisting. In another aspect the invention is a closure assembly for a container, the assembly having a body or body assembly engageable to a container, and a dispensing spout or nozzle carried by the body or body assembly yet moveable from a closed to an open condition relative thereto, wherein a lower region of the spout, in a closed condition, interacts or will interact widi a vent opening of the body or body assembly to prevent a pressure release from die content(s) of a container to which the closure is engaged or engageable and, in die open condition, will allow liquid egress from such a container via ports of the body or body assembly into the spout and thence out of the spout, and wherein, in use to allow some pressure release should there be a pressurised content or pressurised contents (eg; a carbonated beverage) in a container to which the closure assembly is engaged or engageable, the spout can be uplifted to a condition prior to the ports of the body or body assembly and the spout providing a flow path into die spout to allow liquid egress at which condition pressure can vent via the vent opening and through die spout.
Preferably the body includes a waisted barrel (preferably with a folded down flange) to hold the pull up/push down spout captive.
Preferably the vent opening is below almost all of the spout in the closed condition.
Preferably the fluid flow path is both (a) via the vent hole (small or inconsequential) and (b) laterally of the spout via the body or body assembly into and at least partly through the spout.
Preferably the body assembly includes a tamper evident or other overcap (eg; a flip cap) and preferably that cone seals the spout in the spout's and cap's closed conditions.
Preferably the spout has an inlet and an outlet, a plug or pluggable vent opening and is arranged at the closed non-venting condition of having its plug in a vent opening of the body or body assembly, or of having its vent opening plugged by the body or body assembly.
Preferably the former.
Preferably the spout also has an annular perimeter both above and below a relief to stage to the waist of the barrel, such annular perimeter(s) sealing to an imperforate and non waisted region of barrel (a) below the waisting and/or (b) above the waisting. In still another aspect the invention is a closure assembly of pull-up kind, having a body or body assembly engageable to a container, and a dispensing spout carried by the body or body assembly yet moveable from a closed to an open condition relative thereto, wherein the spout in a closed condition interacts, or will interact, with a lower part with a vent opening the body or body assembly to prevent a pressure release from the content(s) of a container to which the closure is engaged, or engageable, and, in the open condition, will allow liquid egress from such a container via the body or body assembly through at least part of the spout, and wherein movement of the spout relative to the body or body assembly to a venting condition prior to any substantial flow path for liquid egress being opened removes the interaction, or will remove the interaction, between the spout and the body or body assembly thereby to allow some pressure release should there be a pressurised content or pressurised contents (eg; a carbonated beverage) in a container to which the closure assembly is engaged or engageable, and wherein the body or body assembly has a wall (eg; a barrel) about the spout that is waisted and (i) in the liquid passageway providing condition, the spout is above or almost totally above the waist and/or (ii) in the venting condition, the spout is supported (at least in part) by the waist or otherwise stages to the waist.
Preferably there is a port or ports at the waist region of the wall that allows liquid egress to a passageway of the spout when the spout is in the liquid passageway providing condition.
- A -
Preferably in the closed condition there is greater part of the spout below the waist than in the venting condition.
Preferably the spout is restricted in movement by a folded down flange with which it abuts thereby to prevent spout pull free (eg; as disclosed in our PCT/NZ2006/000194). Preferably the body or body assembly has features as disclosed in our
PCT/NZ2003/00029, PCT/NZ2006/000194 and/or New Zealand Patent Specification Nos. 542859 and 544060.
Preferably a tamper evident flip top provides a cone seal into the spout prior to tamper evident opening. Preferably the body includes a waisted barrel (preferably with a folded down flange) to hold the pull up /push down spout captive.
Preferably the vent opening is below almost all of the spout in the closed condition.
Preferably the fluid flow path is both (a) via the vent hole (small or inconsequential) and (b) laterally of the spout via the body or body assembly into and at least partly through the spout. Preferably the body assembly includes a tamper evident or other overcap (eg; a flip cap) and preferably that cone seals the spout in the spout's and cap's closed conditions.
Preferably the spout has an inlet and an outlet, a plug or pluggable vent opening and is arranged at the closed non- venting condition of having its plug in a vent opening of the body or body assembly, or of having its vent opening plugged by the body or body assembly. Preferably the former.
Preferably the spout also has an annular perimeter both above and below a relief to stage to the waist of the barrel, such annular perimeter(s) sealing to an imperforate and non waisted region of barrel (a) below the waisting and/or (b) above the waisting.
In another aspect the present invention consists in, as an assembly, a container containing a pressurised content, and a closure assembly engaged to the container and preventing both liquid egress and pressure release from the container, the closure assembly being characterised in that it is of the pull up type whereby, in a pulled up open condition, a nozzle or spout ("spout") allows liquid egress via itself from the body or body assembly of the closure assembly to which the spout is captive and whetein in its unopened condition (and preferably also a reclosed condition) the spout seals a pressure release opening of the body or body assembly, and wherein there is a staging condition between the open and unopen(ed) conditions encouraged by the arrangement for pressure release via said opening and through the spout, the pressure release opening being smaller in flow path than is the fluid flow path in the open(ed) condition.
Preferably the body includes a waisted barrel (preferably with a folded down flange) to hold the pull up/push down spout captive.
Preferably the vent opening is below almost all of the spout in the closed condition. Preferably the fluid flow path is both (a) via the vent hole (small or inconsequential) and (b) laterally of the spout via the body or body assembly into and at least partly through the spout. Preferably the body assembly includes a tamper evident or other overcap (eg; a flip cap) and preferably that cone seals the spout in the spout's and cap's closed conditions.
Preferably the spout has an inlet and an outlet, a plug or pluggable vent opening and is arranged at the closed non- venting condition of having its plug in a vent opening of the body or body assembly, or of having its vent opening plugged by the body or body assembly. Preferably the former.
Preferably the spout also has an annular perimeter both above and below a relief to stage to the waist of the barrel, such annular ρerimeter(s) sealing to an imperforate and non waisted region of barrel (a) below the waisting and/or (b) above the waisting. The invention also consists in a pull-up type closure assembly where the nozzle or spout ("spout") is captive in a body assembly to move between closed and an opened conditions to prevent and allow respectively liquid egress and a component of the body assembly defines a tamper band release for a flip top with a formation providing a cone seal into the top of the spout. Preferably the articulation of the flip top requires it to be urged free of the spout to allow access to the spout.
Preferably the cone seal is replaceable.
Preferably the assembly is also an assembly as previously defined. As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both. As used herein the term "(s)" following a noun includes, as might be appropriate, the singular or plural forms of that noun.
As used herein the term "overcap" or "flip top" refers to any cover or protective form of at least the spout when in its closed condition.
As used herein the term "cone seal" refers to any annular or near annular formation (whether of constant depth or not) penetrative of the spout at the spout outlet and sealing thereinto.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tamper evident flip topped pull up spout in accordance with the present invention adapted for screw formation engagement with a complementary container having a pressurised liquid content (eg, a carbonated beverage),
Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Figure 1 but of the assembly of Figure 1 rotated from its condition as in Figure 1 ,
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the assembly as in Figures 1 and 2, the spout being closed and sealed by a cone seal of the tamper evident releasable flip top and the spout having a formation sealing a vent opening, preferably at the bottom of a waisted barrel in which the spout is confined to move from the condition as shown in Figure 3 via a venting stage to its fully opened condition, Figure 3 showing a body assembly of two components rather than a single piece body,
Figure 4 is the arrangement of Figure 3 shown in perspective cross section after release of the flip top, ie; the tear band (preferably still captive to the device) not being shown in Figure 4 as retained on the other half of the assembly,
Figure 5 is a similar view to that of Figure 3 but when in a condition as in Figure 4 save for the fact that the spout has been pulled up to a staging condition where a waist of the barrel (preferably having the liquid egress ports) stages the spout between the fully closed non-venting condition and the fully open dispensing condition, the plug member of the spout (as a formation) having been uplifted from the vent hole at the bottom of the barrel of one moulded component of the body assembly,
Figure 6 is a perspective cut away view of the arrangement shown in Figure 5, Figure 7 is a similar view to that of Figure 5 but showing the spout in its fully pulled up condition where it abuts about the folded down flange of the kind disclosed in our
PCT/NZ2006/000194 thereby allowing the shown ports of the waisted region to allow liquid ingress through the barrel under the spout and thereby to pass through the spout, the total flow path being primarily via that means but of course also including the prospect of a very much smaller liquid flow through the vent opening, Figure 8 is a similar view to that of Figure 6 but of the arrangement as shown in Figure 7, and
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the assembly as in the condition shown in Figures 7 and 8
In the preferred form of the present invention the cap is formed from by way of example, three moulded plastic pieces 1, 2 and 3.
Suitable materials include polypropylene, polypropylene blends, polyethylene and/or polyethylene blends.
Component 1 is the spout having a central passageway 4 but carrying a formation 5 which is to act as a plug into the vent opening 6 of component 3. Component 3 includes a flange 7 which is being folded after removal from the mould so as to provide an abutment shoulder 8 for the abutment shoulder 9 of the spout member 1.
The spout member 1 preferably itself has an exterior contour whereby the waisted region 10 of the barrel or wall defining member 3 with its ports 11 acts to hold the spout 1 in a staged condition shown in Figure 5 after initial unplugging of the opening 6 thereby to allow gas to vent into the region 12 and from thence via the passageway 4 out of the spout 1.
Interesting features of the exterior of the spout 1 is the waisted region 13 it itself has below protuberant region 14 and above a protuberant region 15. As can be seen these annular perimeters not only provide the staged condition shown in Figure 5 but also provide for good sealing at 16 and 17 when the spout relative to the member 3 is in the condition as shown in Figure 4. Add to that the provision of the cone seal 18 of the flip top 19 (hinged at 20) and releasable, by tearing the tear band 21 (but not completely free) of the moulding 2 of which it forms part and of the overcap or flip top cap 19, to be able to be plied open and, if desired, redosed.
Preferably there is a torturous path inter engagement at, for example between the components 2 and 3, thereby to obviate any need for a separate seal between them. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate alternatives that exist for any component or sub assembly as disclosed.
Persons also skilled in the art will appreciate how, when taken up, a container can have its closure tamper evidendy opened insofar as the flip top 19 is concerned and then have the spout 1 pulled to its staged condition which allows initial venting without any substantially spurting. Thereafter, after some semblance of equalisation between the pressurised content and the ambient environment, the spout can be pulled to its full dispensing condition thereby to allow pouring of the beverage from the container or its consumption by sucking, squeezing or pouring.
Subsequendy the closure allows the spout to be returned to its condition as shown in Figure 4 and then to have the overcap 19 closed over the spout 1 thereby re-establishing the cone seal 18 in the passageway 4. Such a venting feature having been re-established is of great assistance since there is the prospect of shaking of the still pressurised content prior to any subsequent dispensing activity. This means therefore staging for venting purposes can again be used to minimise liquid loss prior to imbibing further beverage from a container.
Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that any appropriate complementary container can be provided.
In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of die common general knowledge in the art.
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