Dispensing fitment and container therefore

• US 5,065,908 A
• Filed: 01/16/1991
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Plastic Corp
• Original Assignee: Continental Plastic Corp
• Inventors: Mengeu, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Application Number:
  US07/642,028
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 222/480, 222/569, 222/570, 222/562, 222/563, 222/564, 222/565, 222/547, 215/31, 215/100 R, 215/307, 215/355, 215/354, 215/347, 215/362, 215/364, 215/300
• US Class Current: 222/480
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/06 with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages with slidable spouts B65D47/26
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/185 with sprinkling devices

Abstract

A dispensing fitment has a perforated end wall with a peripheral edge which wedges against a tapered portion of a container opening, and a cylindrical skirt terminating in tabs which extend through a minimum diameter of the container opening and flare radially outward to engage the opening below the minimum diameter.

Claims

1. A fitment for a container having a body portion and a neck on said body portion terminating in a rim and defining a generally cylindrical opening having a tapered portion which tapers from a maximum diameter at said rim to a minimum diameter at an inflection point, and a flared portion which flares outward in diameter towards said body portion from the minimum diameter at said inflection point, said fitment comprising:

a circular end wall with at least one dispensing opening therein, and having a peripheral edge with a diameter which is between said maximum and minimum diameters of said opening; and

a cylindrical skirt extending axially from and spaced radially inward from said peripheral edge of said end wall, and terminating in a terminal portion which flares radially outward to a diameter greater than said minimum diameter at a free edge;

said fitment seating in said cylindrical opening in the container neck with said peripheral edge on said end wall wedged against the tapered portion of said opening at a point spaced from said rim of said neck, with said cylindrical skirt extending through the inflection point in said opening, and with said terminal portion of said skirt flared radially outward into engagement with said flared portion of said opening.

2. The fitment of claim 1 wherein said terminal portion of said skirt constitutes tabs defined by circumferentially spaced slots extending axially from said free edge of the terminal portion of said skirt.

3. The fitment of claim 2 wherein said tabs are provided at said free edge with a peripheral bead which makes line contact with said flared portion of said container opening.

4. The fitment of claim 3 wherein said slots extend axially from said free edge of said terminal portion of the skirt to at least said inflection point of said container opening with said fitment seated in the container opening.

5. The fitment of claim 4 wherein said slots are scalloped.

6. The fitment of claim 1 wherein said outside diameter of said skirt is greater than said minimum diameter, wherein said terminal portion constitutes tabs defined by circumferentially spaced slots extending axially from said free edge of the terminal portion of said skirt and wherein the free edge of said terminal portion defined by said tabs is provided with a circumferentially extending bead which makes line contact with the flared portion of said container opening.

7. The fitment of claim 6 wherein with said fitment seated in said container opening said slots extend axially from the free edge of the terminal portion of said skirt to a point between a point at which said skirt contacts the tapered portion of said container opening and said inflection point.

8. The fitment of claim 7 wherein said slots are scalloped.

9. The fitment of claim 8 wherein said tabs constitute between about 50% to 75% and said slots constitute about 50% to 25% of said terminal portion of said skirt.

10. The fitment of claim 9 wherein said tabs constitute about 60% and said slots constitute about 40% of said terminal portion of said skirt.

11. In combination:

a container having a body portion and a neck on said body portion terminating in a rim and defining a generally cylindrical opening having a tapered portion which tapers from a maximum diameter at said rim to a minimum diameter at an inflection point, and a flared portion which flares outward in diameter toward said body portion from the minimum diameter at said inflection point;

a fitment comprising a circular end wall with at least one dispensing opening therein and having a peripheral edge with a diameter which is between said maximum and minimum diameters of said opening; and

a cylindrical skirt extending axially from and spaced radially inward from said peripheral edge of said end wall, and terminating in a terminal portion which flares radially outward at a free edge to form a bead having a diameter greater than said minimum diameter, said fitment seating in said cylindrical opening in the container neck with said peripheral edge on said end wall wedged against the tapered portion of said opening at a point spaced from said rim, with said cylindrical skirt extending through the inflection point in said opening and with said annular bead of said skirt flared radially outward into engagement with said flared portion of said opening; and

closure means engaging said neck of said container and closing said opening, said closure means including means which seats on said rim of said neck.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said skirt of said fitment has an outer diameter which is greater than said minimum diameter of said opening at said inflection point, and wherein said terminal portion of the skirt of said fitment comprises tabs defined by slots which with said fitment seated in said container opening extend axially from the free edge of said skirt to a point opening between a point at which the skirt of said fitment contacts the tapered portion of said container opening and said inflection point.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said tapered portion of the container opening has an annular shoulder spaced from said rim upon which said peripheral edge of said end wall of said fitment can seat.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said peripheral edge of said end wall of the fitment has an annular radially outwardly extending rib which can seat on said annular shoulder and the tapered portion of said container opening.