TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a spout assembly, and more particularly, to a spout assembly having a spouting guide member provided with a check valve, preventing contents from being spilled out of a container even when the container is inclined or tumbled down unless outer force is applied to the container.

BACKGROUND ART Generally, a conventional spout assembly has a problem that contents spill when a container is inadvertently inclined or upside-downed in a state where a cap is opened.

Furthermore, when a user sucks the contents through a spouting portion of the spout assembly, since an outer air cannot be introduced into the container, the user has to suck the contents while squeezing the container using strong sucking force. This is a troublesome for the

user.

To solve the above-described problems, a spout assembly with a check valve has been developed.

The check valve is designed to prevent the content from spilling out of the container even when the container is inclined or tumbled down.

However, the check valve causes the user to need the more powerful sucking force to suck the contents.

In another conventional art, U. S. Patent No. 6,435, 383 to the applicant of this application discloses a spout assembly having a vertically movable spouting guide member.

In the spout assembly disclosed in the patent, the spouting guide member is disposed on a spouting portion to be vertically movable.

The spouting guide member is provided with a side through hole. The side through hole communicates with an inside of the container when it is moved downward. The side through hole is closed by an inner wall of the spouting portion when it is moved upward.

Accordingly, in a state where the spouting guide member is moved upward, the user can suck the content in the container through

the spouting guide member, and in a state where the spouting guide member is moved downward, the user can dispense the contents in the container to another container through the side through hole by inclining the container.

In addition, the spouting guide member is further provided with an air intake channel to make it easy for the user to suck the contents by allowing the air to go into the container.

However, such a spout assembly has still a problem that the contents may spill out of the container through the spouting guide member when the container is inclined or tumbled down.

Furthermore, since the spouting guide member disclosed in the patent is designed to be extended to a bottom of the container, it is difficult to perform the capping process, deteriorating the capping speed due to the lengthened capping stroke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention has made in an effort to solve the above-described problems of the conventional spout assembly.

It is a first objective of the present invention to provide a spout

assembly with a vertically movable spouting guide member that can prevent contents from spilling out of the container even when a cap is opened unless outer force is applied to the container, while allowing a user to easily suck the contents.

It is a second objective of the present invention to provide a spout assembly that allows a user to easily drink the contents without deteriorating a capping speed.

To achieve the first objective, the present invention provides a spout assembly comprising a container-fitting portion for coupling on the container ; a spouting portion extending from the container-fitting portion ; a spouting guide member disposed on an inner circumference of the spouting portion to be vertically movable; a cap for sealing a spouting opening of the spouting guide member by coupling on an outer circumference of the spouting portion ; and a check valve for preventing content container in the container from spilling out of the container through the spouting guide member unless predetermined outer force is applied.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the check valve is fitted on a lower end of the spouting guide member.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the check valve is fitted on a bottom of the spouting portion.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the spouting guide member is provided at its lower portion with a circumferential projection and the spouting portion is provided at its lower end with a circumferential groove engaged with the circumferential projection to prevent the spouting guide member from moving upward more than a predetermined distance. The check valve is fixed on an inner upper portion of the spouting guide member. At this point, the check valve is securely fixed by a fixing ring.

Preferably, when the cap is closed, a lower end of the spouting guide member is located above a horizontal plane of the bottom of the spouting portion.

Preferably, the lower end of the spouting portion is provided with a seal member.

The spout assembly may further comprise an auxiliary spouting guide member extending toward a bottom of the container is connected to the lower end of the spouting guide member.

Preferably, the spouting guide member is provided with a bypass

hole that is closed by the inner circumference of the spouting portion when the spouting guide member is moved upward and is opened when the spouting guide member is moved downward.

The auxiliary spouting guide member is fitted on an inner wall of the check valve fitted on the lower end of the spouting guide member.

The check valve is designed such that an auxiliary spouting guide member can be fitted on a lower end of the check valve.

Alternatively, the spouting guide member is extended toward a bottom of the container.

Preferably, the outer circumference of the spouting guide member is provided with an air intake channel communicating with an inside of the container with an outer side.

Alternatively, the spout assembly may further comprise an auxiliary spouting guide member is fixed on a bottom of the spouting portion and extended toward a bottom of the container, wherein the spouting guide member is inserted in the auxiliary spouting guide member. The spouting guide member is provided at its outer lower portion with a circumferential seal projection for providing a seal with an inner wall of the auxiliary spouting guide member.

The spouting portion and the container-fitting portion are integrally formed with the container.

To achieve the second objective, the present invention provides a spout assembly comprising a container-fitting portion for coupling on the container; a spouting portion extending from the container-fitting portion; a spouting guide member disposed on an inner circumference of the spouting portion to be vertically movable; and a cap for sealing a spouting opening of the spouting guide member by coupling on an outer circumference of the spouting portion, wherein the spouting guide member is provided at its outer circumference with an air intake channel; and a lower end of the spouting guide member is located above a horizontal plane of a bottom of the spouting portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a spout assembly with a spouting guide member that is vertically movable according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a partial front sectional view illustrating an operation of a spout assembly with a spouting guide member that is vertically

movable according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a spout assembly with a spouting guide member that is vertically movable according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a spout assembly with a spouting guide member that is vertically movable according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a spout assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a spout assembly according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view illustrating an operation of a spout assembly according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a spout assembly according to a

sixth embodiment of the present invention ; and FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a spout assembly according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described more in detail hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a spout assembly with a vertically movable spouting guide member according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, a spout assembly of this embodiment comprises a container-fitting portion 100 screw-coupled on a neck of a container 1, a spouting portion 110 formed extending upward from the container-fitting portion 100, and a spouting guide member 200 assembled on an inner wall of the spouting portion 110 to be vertically movable.

The spouting portion 110 is provided at its outer circumference with a screw portion to which a cap 300 is screw-coupled to provide a seal.

In order to fit the container-fitting portion 100 on a variety of containers, a screw portion or a hook projection is formed on an inner circumference of the container-fitting portion.

In addition, the spouting portion 110 is provided with an operating portion 111 in which the spouting guide member 200 is inserted to be vertically movable. As described above, the screw portion is preferably formed on an outer circumference of the operating portion 11.

That is, the spouting guide member 200 is designed to vertically move while closely contacting the inner circumference of the operating portion 11. A distance of the vertical movement of the spouting guide member 200 is limited to a predetermined length. Preferably, a circumferential projection 201 is formed on a lower portion of the spouting guide member 200, and a circumferential groove 112 is formed on a lower portion of the inner circumference of the operating portion 11.

Therefore, when the spouting guide member 200 is moved upward, the circumferential projection 201 of the spouting guide member 200 is engaged with the circumferential groove 112 of the operating portion, thereby preventing the spouting guide member 200 from further moving

upward unless strong outer force is applied to the spouting guide member 200.

Here, as a first feature of the present invention, although the circumferential projection 201 may be formed on a variety of locations on the spouting guide member 200, it is preferable that the forming location is determined such that the spouting guide member 200 is stopped after its predetermined upward movement and the contents can be smoothly spouted through a spouting passages 202 of the spouting guide member 200 in its uppermost position.

That is, in order to allow the contents can be completely spouted out of the container, the circumferential projection 201 is formed such that the lower end of the spouting guide member 200 can be located on an identical horizontal plane with a lower end of the spouting portion 110 when the spouting guide member 200 is displaced to its uppermost position.

In addition, the spouting guide member 200 is further provided at its top with a circumferential hook projection 203. The spouting guide member 200 is further provided with a circumferential seal projection under the circumferential hook projection 203. The seal projection is

circumferentially projected to tightly contact the inner circumference of the operating portion 111, thereby providing sufficient seal force. The air intake channel 204 is formed under the seal projection and extended to the lower end of the spouting guide member 200.

The cap 300 is assembled on the outer circumference of the spouting portion 110 while enclosing the top of the spouting guide member 200.

The cap 300 comprises a top portion 301 and a side portion 302.

The side portion 302 is provided at an upper portion of its inner circumference with a circumferential hook projection 303 engaged with the circumferential hook projection 203 of the spouting guide member 200 to lift the spouting guide member 200 while being opened. A screw portion engaged with the screw portion of the spouting portion 110 is formed on an inner circumference of the side portion.

The air intake channel 204 extending from the predetermined upper portion to the lower portion of the spouting guide member 200 is designed to communicate with an outside when the spouting guide member 200 is lifted upward. Accordingly, when a user sucks the contents in the container through the lifted spouting guide member 200,

the outside air is induced into the container through the air intake channel 204, making it easy to drink the contents. This will be described more in detail hereinbelow.

In addition, as a second feature of the present invention, the spout assembly 1 further comprises a check valve 400 that is opened only when predetermined outer force is applied thereto.

In this embodiment, the check valve 400 is assembled on the lower end of the spouting guide member 200 to selectively open the lower end opening of the spouting guide member 200.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the check valve 400 is a well-known conventional structure having an elastic member 401 with at least one cutting line 402, a detailed description of which will be omitted herein.

The check valve 400 is assembled on the lower end of the spouting guide member through a simple fitting manner.

The operation effect of the spout assembly of the present invention will be described hereinafter.

The spout assembly of this embodiment is assembled on a neck of a liquid container.

In use, when the cap 300 is screw-opened, the engaged hook

projections 303 and 203 of the cap 300 and the spouting guide member allow the spouting guide member 200 to move upward in the course of the opening of the cap 300.

In addition, when the spouting guide member 200 is moved upward and the circumferential projection 201 of the spouting guide member 200 is engaged with the circumferential groove 112, the spouting guide member 200 is no longer lifted upward. In this state, when the cap 300 is further screwed in an open direction, the circumferential projection 303 of the cap 200 is released from the circumferential projection 203 of the spouting guide member 200. This state is shown in FIG. 2.

In this state, when a user sucks the contents through the spouting guide member 200, the contents are spouted through the spouting passage 202, and at the same time, an outer air is introduced into the container through the air intake channel 204 so that the user can easily drink the contents without squeezing the container.

Furthermore, in the course of such a drinking process, the cutting line 402 formed on the check valve 400 assembled on the lower end of the spouting guide member 200 is opened, and when the sucking

operation is stopped, the check valve 400 is simultaneously closed.

The check valve 400 is also opened when the container is squeezed as well as when the sucking force is applied.

However, unless no outer force is applied to the container, the check valve 400 is not opened.

That is, even when the container is inclined or tumbled down, the contents are not spilled out of the container by the check valve 400 that is designed to maintain a seal force under a predetermined limited pressure. Accordingly, even when the cap 300 is opened, the contents are not leaked out of the container even in the case of inclining or upside downing the container, thereby providing a stability in use.

FIG. 3 shows a modified example of the first embodiment. The container-fitting portion 100 of the present invention is attached on a spouting portion of the container or integrally formed with the container through an insert-injection process.

FIG. 4 shows a spout assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that at least one bypass hole 205 is formed on the spouting guide member

200 so that the contents in the container can be spouted out of the container without passing through the check valve 400.

In addition, in order to suck the contents without inclining the container, an auxiliary spouting guide member 500 is provided on a lower end of the spouting guide member 200. In this embodiment, the auxiliary spouting guide member 500 is fitted in an inner wall of the check valve 400 mounted on the lower end of the spouting guide member 200.

The operation of this embodiment will be described hereinafter.

As in the first embodiment, when the cap 300 is opened, the spouting guide member 200 is moved upward. At this point, the bypass hole 205 is blocked by the inner wall of the operating portion 111. In this state, when a user sucks the spouting guide member 200, the contents in the container are spouted while opening the check valve 400, in the course of which outer air is induced into the container through the air intake channel 204 to enhance the sucking operation.

When a user intends to drink the contents without inclining the container, the auxiliary spouting guide member 500 is assembled on the inner wall of the check valve 400 fitted on the lower end of the spouting

guide member 200, and the spouting guide member 200 is moved upward to close the bypass hole 205. In this state, when the user sucks the spouting guide member, the contents can be spouted out of the container through the auxiliary spouting guide member 500 and the spouting guide member 200 via the check valve 400 even without inclining the container.

When a user intends to dispense the contents into another container, the spouting guiding member 200 is moved downward to open the bypass hole 205. In this state, when the user inclines the container, the contents are spouted out of the container through the bypass hole 205 and the spouting passage 202 of the spouting guide member 200.

As described above, the user selectively sucks the contents through the auxiliary spouting guiding member 500 or dispenses the same to another cup through the bypass hole.

FIG. 5 shows a modified example of the second embodiment. In this example, a lower end of the spouting portion 110 is designed to be further extended downward so that the lower end of the spouting guide member 200 can be located above the container-fitting portion 100 in a state where the cap is closed.

By locating the lower end of the spouting portion 110 above the container-fitting portion 100, an inner seal member 600 can be formed on a bottom of the container-fitting portion 100, thereby enhancing the seal force of the container.

In use, the inner seal member 600 is first removed by removing the spout assembly 1.

FIG. 6 shows a spout assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention This third embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except for a structure of a check valve and an auxiliary spouting guide member 500.

In this embodiment, the check valve 400 is fitted on an inner wall of an extended lower portion of the spouting portion 100.

In addition, the auxiliary spouting guide member 500 is selectively fitted on the check valve 400.

FIG. 7 shows a spout assembly of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

This fourth embodiment is identical to the second embodiment except for a mounting structure of the check valve.

The check valve 400 of this embodiment is mounted on the inner wall of the spouting guide member 200 above the bypass hole 204. The check valve 400 is fixed by a circumferential ring 403.

The operating effect of this embodiment will be omitted as it is identical to that of the second embodiment.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a spout assembly of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

This fifth embodiment is identical to the fourth embodiment except for the mounting structure of the auxiliary spouting guide member 500.

The spouting guide member 500 of this embodiment is tightly fitted on an inner wall of the operating portion 11 of the spouting portion 110. The lower portion of the spouting guide member 200 is disposed in the auxiliary spouting guide member 500 to be vertically movable therein.

Furthermore, the spouting guide member 200 is provided at its lower end with a seal portion 205 closely contacting the inner wall of the auxiliary spouting guide member 500, thereby proving the seal portion.

In addition, an air intake groove 113 is formed on the operating

portion to correspond to the fitting portion of the auxiliary spouting guide member 500. The air intake groove 113 communicates the air intake passage 204 with the inside of the container.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, the auxiliary spouting guide member 500 is stationary, and as shown in FIG. 9, only the spouting guide member 200 is vertically movable.

The operating effect of this embodiment is identical to that of the fourth embodiment, the detailed description of which will be omitted herein.

FIG. 10 shows a spout assembly according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

Although this embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, the check valve 400 is mounted on an inner wall of the upper portion of the spouting guide member 200, and the spouting guide member 200 is designed extending to a bottom portion of the container.

The operating effect of this embodiment is identical the those of other embodiments, the detailed description of which will be omitted herein.

FIG. 11 shows a spout assembly according to a seventh

embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the container-fitting portion 100 and the spouting portion 100 are integrally formed with the container. The check valve 400 is fixed on an inner wall of the spouting guide member by a fixing ring 403. Other portions are identical to those of the first embodiment, the detailed description of which will be omitted herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

For example, by modifying the container-fitting portion, the spout assembly can be applied to a variety of containers such as a PET container, a glass container, and a carton pack.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the spout assembly is designed to drink the contents through the extended spouting guide member while supplying outer air into the container, making it easy for children or elderly people

to easily drink the contents.

In addition, since a check valve is provided on the spout assembly, the contents are not leaked even when the container is inclined or upside-downed. Therefore, a troublesome that a driver open and close the cap during driving can be eliminated.

Accordingly, the spout assembly of the present invention can be applied to a variety of beverage containers.