Pour spout with piercing insert

• US 5,297,696 A
• Filed: 04/27/1992
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Paper Company
• Original Assignee: International Paper Company
• Inventors: Bernstein, Linda A., Gordon, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US07/874,161
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 222/81, 222/83, 222/83.5, 222/89, 222/5, 222/541, 222/522, 222/525
• US Class Current: 222/83
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/748 a major part of the container wall or membrane being left inside the container after the opening
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/26 combined with spouts

Abstract

A container is provided with a pour spout fitment. The fitment carries a flange which secures the fitment to the container, the flange surrounding a dispensing opening in the container. The pour spout is normally externally closed by a screw cap threaded thereon. A frangible membrane normally spans and internally closes the dispensing opening. A hollow piercing insert is positioned within the pour spout lumen, the lower edge of the insert being serrated to define cutting teeth. The screw cap is removed and the piercing element pushed downwardly to thereby rupture the frangible membrane and permit dispensing from the container. The interior of the spout is provided with a plurality of axially spaced, inwardly extending ribs which cooperate with outwardly extending protrusions on the piercing insert to thus define a plurality of discrete axial locations of the piercing insert relative to the spout.

Claims

1. A pour spout fitment construction including a pour spout having an upper and a lower portion, a flange integrally secured to said spout lower portion, said pour spout having an interior passage, said interior passage having at least three integral, radially inwardly extending ribs axially spaced along said passage to thereby define three vertically disposed ribs, including an uppermost and a lowermost rib, a hollow, annular piercing insert slidably mounted within said spout interior passage, said piercing insert having an upper and a lower portion, said upper piercing insert portion having at least one integral, radially outwardly extending protrusion, said protrusion positioned between the uppermost and the next uppermost of said ribs of said spout, the lower portion of said piercing insert having teeth which project downwardly, said pour spout ribs normally selectably engagable with said at least one insert protrusion to normally prevent axial movement of said insert within said spout, at least one of (A) said at least one piercing insert protrusion and (B) said uppermost spout rib and said spout ribs between said uppermost and said lowermost spout ribs, being radially movable, to thereby permit said at least one piercing insert protrusion to pass over said uppermost spout rib and said spout ribs which are located between said uppermost and said lowermost spout ribs, whereby said piercing insert can assume a plurality of normal axial positions in said pour spout, said piercing insert carries a pushing abutment, said abutment radially located substantially centrally of said pour spout passageway wherein said pushing abutment is integral with a plurality of angularly spaced, radially extending arms, the radially outermost portion of at least one of said arms provided with said at least one insert protrusion.