US 5,852,913 AGranted

Orientationally sensitive closure and orienting apparatus therefor

AssigneeTetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.

InventorsRonald F. Tuckner, Glen John Peterson

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Abstract

An orientationally sensitive closure for mounting to a container in a specific orientation includes a closure body and a flange. A spout portion extends from one side of the flange and an orienting projection extends from a side of the flange opposite of the spout. The flange and spout can be coaxial with one another, with the spout centrally disposed thereon. The projection extends from the flange in a non-coaxial relation to the spout and flange. An apparatus for orienting the closure prior to mounting to a container includes a body defining inlet and outlet regions extending along a longitudinal axis of the body. Flange and projection receiving channels extend between the inlet and outlet regions. The flange channel defines a substantially straight-through path through the apparatus, along the longitudinal axis. The projection channel defines a path having at least two bends therein defining a portion generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. The closure rotates as it traverses through the apparatus to orient the closure so that a trailing edge of the closure adjacent the projection is last discharged from the apparatus.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An apparatus for orienting a closure for mounting to an associated container, the closure having a flange having a spout extending from a side thereof centrally positioned on and coaxial with the flange, and an orienting projection extending from an opposite side of the flange in non-coaxial relation to the flange and spout, the flange having a width and the spout having a smaller width than the flange width, the closure defining a trailing edge at a peripheral portion of the flange closest to the orienting projection, the apparatus comprising:

a body portion having an inlet region and an outlet region extending along a longitudinal axis thereof, the body defining longitudinally oriented first, second and third receiving channels extending from the inlet region to the discharge region, the first receiving channel having a width configured to accommodate and slidingly receive the closure spout, the second receiving channel having a width configured to accommodate and slidingly receive the closure flange, the third receiving channel having a width configured to accommodate and slidingly receive the closure orienting projection, the third receiving channel having at least two bends therein defining a portion of the channel extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the closure, positioned at the inlet region and traversing through the apparatus is rotationally oriented by interaction of the orienting projection and the third channel to discharge the closure by the trailing edge last.

a body portion having an inlet region and an outlet region extending along a longitudinal axis thereof, the body defining a longitudinally oriented flange receiving channel having a width adapted to slidingly receive the closure flange and a projection receiving channel extending generally longitudinally along the body portion and having a width adapted to slidingly receive the closure orienting projection, the projection receiving channel having at least two bends therein defining a portion extending generally transverse, in part, relative to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the closure, positioned at the inlet region and traversing through the apparatus is rotationally oriented by interaction of the orienting projection and the projection channel to discharge the closure by the trailing edge last.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.