# US 11,077,992 B2 · Reusable pouring spout system and method of improving the pouring and storage of particulate material housed in bulk packaging

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- Number: US 11,077,992 B2
- Document ID: US11077992B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/661,720
- Filed: 2019-10-23
- Published: 2020-05-28
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20
- Applicants: Lisa J. Kerstetter; Tom E. Kerstetter
- Inventors: Lisa J. Kerstetter; Tom E. Kerstetter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077992B2

## CPC

- B65D 47/122: {Threaded caps}
- B65D 75/5877: {connected to a planar surface of the package wall}
- Y02W 30/80: Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging (bio-packaging Y02W90/10)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A removable dispensing system for improving the extraction of pourable material from bulk packaging. The system includes a spout having an end with a flanged base and an end with a closure mechanism. The spout is connected to the bulk packaging with a two-sided adhesive element or coupler. The coupler attaches to the packaging and to the flanged base of the spout. The spout may be removed by hand and attached to a different package.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reusable dispensing system, comprising:
a spout having an end configured for attaching to a container, the end including a flanged base;
a coupler having a flanged base facing surface and a container facing surface, the coupler including adhesive on both the flanged base facing surface and the container facing surface, the coupler positioned on the flanged base; and
a cap configured to seal an end of the spout,
wherein the adhesive applied to the coupler is selected to facilitate removal, by hand, of the flanged base.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the coupler is a polymeric ring.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the spout is circular.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the cap is a threaded cap and the spout has threads configured to mate with the threaded cap.

### Claim 5

A method for using a reusable dispensing system with a bulk packaging container having contents, the system including a spout and a two-sided adhesive coupler, the method comprising:
applying the first side of the adhesive coupler to the spout;
attaching the spout to the bulk packaging by applying the second side of the adhesive coupler to the bulk packaging container;
providing a hole in the bulk packaging container;
pouring an amount of contents through the hole and the spout; and
removing the spout from the adhesive coupler connecting it to the bulk packaging container.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the hole in the bulk packaging container is provided prior to the attachment of the spout.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the hole in the bulk packaging container is provided after the attachment of the spout.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the spout is used as a guide to shape the hole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the second side of the coupler is attached to the bulk packaging container before the first side of the coupler is attached the spout.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the hole in the bulk packaging container is provided after the coupler is attached to the bulk packaging container, and before the first side of the coupler is attached to the spout.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
cutting the hole in the bulk packaging container using the coupler as a guide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the adhesive connecting the adhesive coupler to the spout is selected such that the spout may be removed by hand.

### Claim 13

An adhesive ring of a reusable dispensing system, the reusable dispensing system having a spout removable from a bulk packaging container, the spout configured for pouring pourable goods from the bulk packaging container, the adhesive ring comprising:
a ring body positionable between the spout and the bulk packaging container, the ring body having a spout facing surface and a bulk packaging container facing surface; and
adhesive disposed on both the spout facing surface and the container facing surface of the ring body, wherein the adhesive disposed on the ring body is selected to facilitate removal, by hand, of the spout from the bulk packaging container after coupling of the spout to the bulk packaging container by said adhesive.