Patent ID: 8701928
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: A47G,B65D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A spout for a spill-proof liquid container, the spout having a side wall made of a flexible material defining an outer surface to be contacted by an external object and an inner surface defining a discharge passage leading to a mouth of the spout to permit discharge of a liquid from the container, the side wall having a cross section with a longer axis and a shorter axis, wherein a valve is provided in the discharge passage, the valve comprising two flanks formed integrally with the side wall of the spout and projecting from opposite sides of the inner surface of the spout, the flanks having a front with front end faces that are remote from the side walls and mate with one another along a slit that extends generally parallel to the longer axis so that the two flanks form a continuous surface obstructing the discharge passage when the slit is closed, and wherein at least the front end faces of the flanks are inclined away from the mouth of the spout such that pressure within the container acts to urge the flanks against one another so as to maintain the slit closed and such that deformation of the side wall of the spout when pressure is applied on the outer surface of the spout acts to open the slit and create an opening between the flanks to allow the liquid to be discharged, wherein projections are provided on upper surfaces of the front of the two flanks, which projections contact one another when a rear of the two flanks are urged towards one another, the projections then acting as fulcrums to cause lower edges of the front end faces of the flanks to separate and open the slit and such that at least along part of the fronts of the flanks a continuous passage forms between a bottom and top of the valve.