Liquid dispensing package and method of manufacture

• US 20080017665A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graham Packaging Company LP (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Graham Packaging Company LP (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA)
• Inventors: Safian, John, Brecheisen, William
• Application Number:
  US11/826,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017665A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/109
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/04 Extrusion blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42802 a closure or a sealing foil to the article or pincing the opening
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/565 for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/023 Neck construction
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0246 Closure retaining means, e.g. beads, screw-threads
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/06 Integral drip catchers or drip-preventing means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/42 Integral or attached nozzles or spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/04 Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0414 formed by a plug, collar, flange, rib or the like contacting the internal surface of a container neck
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/26 Caps or cap-like covers serving as, or incorporating, drinking or measuring vessels

Abstract

A container and closure package in that includes a container having a body, a finish wall extending from the body with at least one external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of the finish wall remote from the body and having a lesser inner diameter than the finish wall, and a pour spout extending axially from the throat at greater inner diameter than the throat. The container body, finish wall, throat and pour spout are of integrally blow molded construction as formed, with the inside diameter of the throat being optionally reamed as required for sealing engagement with the closure. The closure has a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from the base wall with an internal thread for receipt over the external thread on the container finish wall, and an internal skirt extending from the base wall and spaced radially inwardly from the outer skirt for sliding plug-sealing receipt within the throat, with the pour spout being disposed between the inner and outer skirts of the closure.

Claims

1. A container and closure package that comprises:

a container having a body with a side handle, a finish wall extending from said body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of said finish wall remote from said body and having a lesser inner diameter than said finish wall, an elongated cylindrical pour spout extending axially from said throat at greater inner diameter than said throat and having a planar upper edge that is non-perpendicular to the axis of said spout, and a pour lip extending around an upper edge of said spout remote from said handle, said container body with handle, finish wall, throat and pour spout being of integrally blow molded construction as formed, and

a closure having a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from said base wall and having an internal thread secured over said external thread on said finish wall, and an inner cylindrical skirt extending from said base wall and spaced radially inwardly from said outer skirt in sliding plug-sealing receipt within said throat with said pour spout being disposed within said inner and outer skirts of said closure, said base wall being free of sealing contact with said upper edge of said pour spout.

2. The package set forth in claim 1 further comprising a planar ledge externally extending around said pour spout at a greater angle to said axis than said edge so as to be spaced from said edge at one side of said spout and to intersect said edge at an opposing side of said spout.

3. The package set forth in claim 2 comprising a pair of said planar ledges externally extending around said spout and axially spaced from each other.

4. The package set forth in claim 3 wherein said pair of ledges are parallel to each other.

5. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pour lip comprises an undercut in an outer surface of said spout immediately beneath said edge.

6. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pour lip comprises a hook-shaped lip that extends radially outwardly from said spout at said edge.

7. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said pour lip comprises a part-cylindrical wall portion radially outwardly offset from said pour spout.

8. A method of making a container and closure package that comprises the steps of:

(a) integrally blow molding a container having a body, a finish wall extending from said body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of said finish wall remote from said body and having a lesser inner diameter than said finish wall, and a cylindrical pour spout extending axially from said throat at greater inner diameter than said throat,

(b) providing a closure having a base wall, a peripheral outer skirt extending from said base wall and having an internal thread for receipt over said external thread on said finish wall, and an inner cylindrical skirt extending from said base wall and spaced radially inwardly from said outer skirt, and

(c) securing said closure to said container by inserting said inner cylindrical skirt into said throat in sliding plug-sealing engagement therewith, and then threading said outer skirt into said finish wall.

9. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said step (a) comprises the step of molding a moil integrally with an end of said pour spout remote from said finish wall, and comprising the additional step, prior to said step (c), of:

(d) trimming said moil from said pour spout.

10. The method set forth in claim 9 wherein said step (a) comprises the step of molding said spout to have a wall portion that is offset radially outwardly from said spout, and wherein said step (d) is performed by cutting said spout along a plane that intersects said offset wall portion to form an offset pour lip on said spout.

11. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said step (b) includes providing a step on said inner cylindrical skirt that is so positioned with respect to said thread in said outer skirt that said inner and outer threads in said step (c) engage before said step on said inner skirt engages said throat.

12. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said step (b) includes providing a radially outwardly extending bead entirely around said inner skirt for interference plug-sealing engagement with the container throat.

13. A method of making a container for dispensing liquid product, which comprises the step of integrally blow molding a hollow body, a finish wall extending from said body with an external thread, a circular throat at an axial edge of said finish wall remote from said body and having a lesser inner diameter than said finish wall, a cylindrical pour spout extending from said throat coaxially with said throat and said finish wall at greater inner diameter than said throat, said pour spout terminating in a planar edge at an angle to the axis of said spout to form a pour opening, and a planar ledge externally extending around said pour spout at greater angle to said axis than said edge so as to be spaced from said edge at one side of said spout and to intersect said edge at an opposing side of said spout.