Container and overcap with hinged spout for metered dispensing
AssigneeSonoco Development, Inc.
InventorsLawrence Robert Carpenter, Kurt Ziegenfelder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container and overcap assembly includes an open mouth container and an overcap with a built-in spout that is hinged to the overcap. The spout snaps shut inside the overcap when in a fully closed position and snaps into a fully open position as well. The spout accommodates a metered dose of product. In the fully open position, the spout seals the opening in the overcap to prevent product from exiting the container while a metered dose is dispensed from the open spout. The container assembly is particularly useful for containing and providing metered dispenses of dry products such as powders and granulated materials.
Claims20
An overcap and spout assembly for a container for dispensing a metered amount of product from the container, the overcap and spout assembly comprising:
- an overcap including a sidewall connected to a top panel, the sidewall defining an opening that mateably receives a spout, the sidewall including an exterior surface and an interior surface, the opening including a first end and a second end,
- the spout including an interior wall connected to an arcuate exterior wall at a corner that is hingedly connected to the first end of the opening, the interior wall and arcuate exterior wall extending away from each other as they extend away from the corner, the interior wall including a distal end opposite the corner, the arcuate exterior wall including a top edge, a bottom edge and a distal edge opposite the corner,
- the spout further including a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall connecting the interior wall to the top edge of the arcuate exterior wall and the bottom wall connecting the interior wall to the bottom edge of the arcuate exterior wall, the top wall including a distal edge disposed opposite the top wall from the corner, the bottom wall including a distal edge disposed opposite the bottom wall from the corner,
- the distal edges of the arcuate exterior wall, the top wall and the bottom wall forming a spout opening with the interior wall.
A container assembly for containing and dispensing a metered amount of a powder, the container assembly comprising:
- an overcap including a sidewall connected to a top panel, the sidewall including an opening that mateably receives a spout, the sidewall including an exterior surface and an interior surface, the opening including a first end and a second end,
- the sidewall terminating at a skirt, the skirt connecting to an open mouth of a container,
- the spout including an arcuate interior wall connected to an arcuate exterior wall at a corner that is hingedly connected to the first end of the opening, the arcuate interior wall and arcuate exterior wall extending away from each other as they extend away from the corner, the arcuate exterior wall including a top edge, a bottom edge and a distal edge disposed opposite the corner,
- the spout further including a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall connecting the arcuate interior wall to the top edge of the arcuate exterior wall and the bottom wall connecting the arcuate interior wall to the bottom edge of the arcuate exterior wall, the top wall including a distal edge disposed opposite the corner, the bottom wall including a distal edge disposed opposite the corner,
- the distal edges of the arcuate exterior wall, top wall and bottom wall forming a spout opening with the arcuate interior wall, the distal end of the arcuate interior wall engaging the interior surface of the sidewall when the spout pivots to an open position.
A method for dispensing a metered dose of a pourable product, the method comprising:
- providing a container assembly including an overcap, a spout and a container, the overcap including a sidewall connected to a top panel, the sidewall including an opening that mateably receives the spout, the sidewall including an exterior surface and an interior surface, the opening including a first end and a second end, the sidewall terminating at a skirt connected to the container, the spout including an interior wall connected to an arcuate exterior wall at a corner that is hingedly connected to the overcap at the first end of the opening, the interior wall and arcuate exterior wall extending away from each other as they extend away from the corner, the arcuate exterior wall including a top edge, a bottom edge and a distal edge disposed opposite the corner, the spout further including a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall connecting the interior wall to the top edge of the arcuate exterior wall and the bottom wall connecting the interior wall to the bottom edge of the arcuate exterior wall, the top wall including a distal edge disposed opposite the corner, the bottom wall including a distal edge disposed opposite the corner, the distal edges of the arcuate exterior wall, top wall and bottom wall forming a spout opening with the interior wall,
- pivoting the spout to a closed position where the distal edge of the arcuate exterior wall engages the sidewall at the second end of the opening,
- moving the container assembly to place a central axis of the container and overcap in a horizontal orientation,
- shaking the container assembly to fill the spout with powder,
- pivoting the spout to the open position, and
- dispensing product from the spout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.