Stress concentrator aperture-forming means for sealed containers and packages

Abstract

A stress concentrator aperture-forming structure for containers or packages for flowable products, which allow controlled dispensing of the flowable products with one hand. The stress concentrator includes a substantially flat, relatively stiff sheet, one or more elongated, thin-walled, generally channel-shaped protrusion members, and a fault area crossing one or more of the protrusion members. An enclosed pouch containing the flowable products may also be attached to the stress concentrator. Rupturing the stress concentrator protrusion members across the fault line forms an aperture-forming pattern, which upon application of pressure to the container or package expands to form a larger aperture. Alternate embodiments incorporate the rupturable stress concentrator onto containers or dispenser packages including a pouch type package having a slit opening, whereby upon rupturing the stress concentrator, the flowable products flow out from the container or package through the stress concentrator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.