US 5,108,029 A · Reclosable attachment for containers · patentgrep

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Abstract

A reclosable attachment for containers for permitting the contents of the container to be discharged from the container includes a flange member, a cylindrical extension that extends from one side of the flange member, and a cylindrical stem that extends from the opposite side of the flange member. A cap is connected to the flange member and is adapted to be engaged and disengaged with the cylindrical extension in order to permit or prevent the discharge of the contents from the container. A feature is also provided on the reclosable attachment for preventing someone from unknowingly tampering with the container and for preventing the cap from being accidentally opened. Several spaced apart ledges which extend radially outwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the stem can also be provided for maintaining the position of the attachment relative to the container. Additionally, axially extending annular ridges can be formed on the side of the flange member that is adapted to be secured to the container for purposes of controlling the flow of the adhesive used to secure the attachment to the container.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A reclosable attachment for containers comprising:

a flange member having a first side, an oppositely positioned second side, and an aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side, said flange member having a plurality of spaced apart knockout portions integrally formed in one piece with an outer periphery of the flange member and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said knockout portions having a bottom surface that lies in a plane which is axially spaced from the first side of the flange member;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally formed in one piece with and extending axially from the first side of the flange member, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the hole in the extension and the aperture in the flange member;
a cap adapted to engage the extension when the cap is in a closed position to prevent pourable material from being discharged through the extension and adapted to be disengaged from the extension when the cap is in an open position to permit pourable material to be discharged through the extension, said cap having an axially extending recess into which fits the extension when the cap is in the closed position, said extension having an axial length that is substantially equal to an axial depth of the recess in the cap so that when the cap is in the closed position a bottom end face of the cap essentially contacts the second side of the flange member;
connecting means for connecting the cap to the flange member, said connecting means being integrally formed in one piece with the flange member and the cap, said connecting means including a first connecting portion that extends radially outwardly from the outer periphery of the flange member, said first connecting portion having a first side that faces in the same direction as the first side of the flange member and that is axially spaced from the first side of the flange member;
and
a release tab integrally formed in one piece with the cap and extending outwardly from the cap, said release tab having a top surface that lies in substantially the same plane as a top end face of the cap which is positioned opposite said bottom end face, said release tab having a length such that when the cap is in the closed position, a free end of the release tab extends at least approximately to the outer periphery of the flange member.

4 more elements

A reclosable attachment for containers comprising:

a flange member having a first side that is adapted to rest against a side wall of the container, an oppositely positioned second side and an aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side, said first side of the flange member having an annular ridge extending axially therefrom, said annular ridge being positioned adjacent an outer edge of the flange member;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the first side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom for being positioned in a hole in the container, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member and the hole in the extension;
a cap adapted to engage the extension when the cap is in a closed position to prevent pourable material from being discharged through the stem and the extension and adapted to be disengaged from the extension when the cap is in an open position to permit pourable material to be discharged through the stem and the extension, said cap having an axially extending recess into which fits the extension when the cap is in the closed position;
and
connecting means for connecting the cap to the flange member, said connecting means being integrally formed in one piece with the flange member and the cap.

3 more elements

A container for holding pourable material comprising:

a container body having an exterior surface, an interior and an opening that extends through the container body for permitting the pourable material to be discharged from the interior of the container body;
and
a reclosable attachment secured to the container, said reclosable attachment including:
a flange member having a first side that lies in a first plane, an oppositely positioned second side and an aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the first side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the hole in the extension and the aperture in the flange member, said stem being positioned in the opening in the container body and said first side of the flange member being attached to the exterior surface of the container body by means for attaching, the portion of the container body underlying said flange member being positioned below said first plane, said stem having a ledge extending outwardly from the stem and around at least a portion of an outer periphery of the stem, said stem being provided with said ledge prior to positioning of the stem in the opening in the container;
a cap adapted to engage the extension when the cap is in a closed position to prevent the pourable material from being discharged through the stem and the extension and adapted to be disengaged from the extension when the cap is in an open position to permit the pourable material to be discharged through the stem and the extension, said cap having an axially extending recess into which fits the extension when the cap is in the closed position;
and
connecting means for connecting the cap to the flange member and for permitting the cap to pivot relative to the flange member, said connecting means being integrally formed in one piece with the cap and the flange member.

6 more elements

A reclosable attachment for containers comprising:

a flange member having a first side, an oppositely positioned second side and an aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the first side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom for being positioned in a hole in a container, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
and
a cap connected to the flange member, said cap being adapted to engage the extension when the cap is in a closed position to prevent contents in the container from being discharged through the stem and the extension and being adapted to be disengaged from the extension when the cap is in an open position to permit the contents of the container to be discharged through the stem and the extension, said cap having a projection extending therefrom and said flange member having a hollow projection receiver connected thereto, said projection receiver opening to a top end thereof, at least a portion of the projection being received within the projection receiver, and including means for preventing the projection from being withdrawn from the projection receiver so that when the cap is moved to the open position for the first time with the attachment connected to a container, the projection breaks away from the cap, falls into the projection receiver and is retained within the projection receiver.

2 more elements

A reclosable attachment for containers comprising:

a flange member having a first side, an oppositely positioned second side and an aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side, said flange member having a first annular ridge integrally formed with and extending axially from the first side of the flange member;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the first side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom for being positioned in a hole in the container, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
and
a cap connected to the flange member and adapted to be moved between a closed position for preventing contents in the container from being discharged through the stem and the extension and an open position for permitting the contents in the container to be discharged through the stem and the extension.

2 more elements

A reclosable attachment for containers comprising:

a flange member having a first side that is adapted to rest against a side wall of the container, an oppositely positioned second side and a aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the first side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom for being positioned in a hole in the container, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member and the hole in the extension;
a cap adapted to engage the extension when the cap is in a closed position to prevent pourable material from being discharged through the stem and the extension and adapted to be disengaged from the extension when the cap is in an open position to permit pourable material to be discharged through the stem and the extension, said extension including an outwardly directed annular ridge at its end positioned remote from the flange member, said cap having an annular seal extending generally axially from an inner end surface thereof and an annular recess defined between the annular seal and an inner surface of a generally axially extending wall portion of the cap, said annular ridge merging into an annular recess formed in an outer peripheral surface of the extension, the generally axially extending wall portion of the cap being positioned adjacent a portion of the wall of the cap that is configured to cooperate with the annular ridge and the annular recess of the extension when the cap is in the closed position in a manner that contributes to resealability of the cap.

1 more element

A reclosable attachment for containers comprising:

a flange member having a first side that is adapted to rest against a side wall of the container, an oppositely positioned second side and a aperture extending through the flange member from the first side to the second side;
an extension integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the second side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom, said extension having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member;
a stem integrally connected to and formed in one piece with the first side of the flange member and extending axially outwardly therefrom for being positioned in a hole in the container, said stem having a hole extending therethrough that is coaxially aligned with the aperture in the flange member and the hole in the extension;
a cap adapted to engage the extension when the cap is in a closed position to prevent pourable material from being discharged through the stem and the extension and adapted to be disengaged from the extension when the cap is in an open position to permit pourable material to be discharged through the stem and the extension, said cap having an axially extending recess into which fits the extension when the cap is in the closed position;
and
connecting means for connecting the cap to the flange member, said connecting means being integrally formed in one piece with the flange member and the cap, said connecting means including first and second connecting portions that are hingedly connected together for permitting the second connecting portion to pivot relative to the first connecting portion, said first connecting portion being connected to the flange member such that a first side of the first connecting portion which faces in the same direction as the first side of the flange member is axially spaced from the first side of the flange member, said second connecting portion being connected to the cap such that a first side of the second connecting portion which faces in the same direction as a bottom end face of the cap is coplanar with the bottom end face of the cap.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.