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US 4,770,325 AGranted
Pour spout for containers
AssigneeInternational Paper Company
InventorsRobert L. Gordon, Roderick W. Kalberer
Life of this patent
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AssigneeInternational Paper Company
InventorsRobert L. Gordon, Roderick W. Kalberer
Estimating the term…
A pour spout fitment for a flat top or a gable top paperboard container. A flat strip of rigid plastic material is bent over upon itself to form upper and lower strips integrally hinged together. The lower strip carries a plug coplanar with it, the upper surface of the plug adhered to a part of the lower surface of the upper, hinged strip. The lower surface of the plug is sealed to a portion of a barrier extrusion which covers the entire interior surface of the container, the plug being aligned with a dispensing opening through the paperboard, the opening also covered by the barrier extrusion material. For initial opening and dispensing of the container contents, the upper strip is pulled upwardly, carrying with it the plug and the ruptured barrier extrusion material adhered to the plug. The surfaces of the lower strip over which the contents of the container flow during dispensing are thus protected from contamination at all times except during dispensing. In other embodiments, the upper strip is adhered to a second plug, similar to the first, and a vent hole is defined upon initial opening. In still another modification, the forward edge of the fitment extends beyond the carton edge to prevent dripping. A tamper evident tab may be provided on any embodiment, the tab being integral with the upper strip. The tab must pulled up and a seal broken between it and an associated carton wall to permit opening of the carton.
A frangible seal construction for a container formed from paperboard and adapted to carry a liquid therein, the container having a flat wall portion and a pouring aperture extending therethrough, a rupturable barrier layer seal on the carton interior surfaces and covering the aperture, a rigid lower flap strip having a hinged upper flap, the upper flap lying on top of the lower rigid strip, the rigid lower flap strip being secured to and on top of the exterior surface of the container at said flat wall portion and overlying said aperture, said lower rigid strip having a removable plug formed from it, the plug being of a size complementary to and overlying said aperture, the upper surface of the plug secured to the lower surface of said upper hinged flap, the lower surface of the plug secured to that portion of the rupturable barrier layer seal which covers said opening, whereby when the upper hinged flap is pulled upwardly, it carries therewith the plug in parallel relationship thereto and the barrier layer seal is broken to thereby uncover the pouring aperture and the contents of the container can be dispensed through the pour aperture and whereby the plug can be pushed back to its original in said lower flap strip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.