Pourer for bottle-like containers

A plastic pourer for insertion into the mouth of a bottle-like container, the pourer including a sealing flange at least partially covering the rim of the bottle mouth and also including a hollow cylindrical wall part bearing against the inside of the mouth. The container is closable with a cap. To insure secure seating of the pourer in the mouth through a large range of tolerances, at least two radically and axially extending feasible holding struts are carried by a hollow inner cylindrical part of the pourer, the struts extending for part of their axial length along the outer periphery of the inner cylindrical part and also beneath the inner cylindrical part. The struts bear elastically against the inner wall of the container mouth with a pressure greater than the holding pressure on a mandrel-like holder carried by the cap for inserting the pourer into the container mouth.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a plastic pourer, which is insertable by machine 
into the mouth of bottle-like containers which can be closed with a cap. 
The pourer has a sealing flange at least partially covering the rim of the 
mouth and a hollow-cylindrical wall part resting against the inner wall of 
the mouth. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The introduction of pourers or similar inserts by machine into the mouth of 
bottle-like containers is known; for instance, such pourers are disposed 
in a cap and, together with the cap, are applied to a container by a 
capping machine; or the pourers are introduced into the mouth of the 
container by an assembling tool. The pourer is intended to be wedged 
firmly in place in the mouth of the container as the result of elastic 
forces. 
Problems frequently arise because of the fact that the bottle-like 
containers have particularly great tolerances. If the tolerance is 
positive, that is, if the inside diameter is larger than the intended 
dimension, then it is possible for the pourers to stick in the cap. If the 
tolerances are negative, that is, if the inner diameter of the mouth is 
smaller than the diameter of the insert, then substantial force must be 
exerted while introducing the insert into the mouth, with the attendant 
danger that the threads of the cap will be damaged. 
There is also the further danger, in the case of positive tolerance, that 
when the contents are poured from the container the pourer may float out 
along with them. If this happens, it must be expected that the user will 
not reinsert the pourer, and then the required seal between the 
bottle-like container and the cap once the user has recapped the container 
will be lacking. 
Bottles are also known whose mouth is larger at the top than at some lower 
point oriented toward the interior of the bottle. Here, again, it is 
difficult to anchor the pourer or insert in the mouth with sufficient 
holding power. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to overcome deficiencies in the prior art, 
such as indicated above. 
Another object of the invention is the embodiment of a pourer, of the 
general type described at the outset, such that the pourer is securely 
anchored in the mouth of the container even over a wide range of 
tolerances, without requiring the exertion of a closing force greater than 
that already required for capping the container. The pourer is further 
intended to be embodied such that it can be used together with other 
dispensing devices and can be produced in quantity in a simple manner. 
In a pourer of the general type described at the outset, these objects are 
attained in accordance with the invention by providing at least two 
radially extending, elastic holding struts as well as an inner cylindrical 
part along which the radially extending holding struts extend for a 
portion of their axial inner length, while the respective outer edges of 
the holding struts extend along an elongation of the hollow-cylindrical 
wall part and rest elastically against the inner wall of the mouth, with a 
holding pressure which is greater than the holding force exerted on a 
holder means introducing the pourer into the mouth of the container. 
The holder means may efficaciously be embodied in the form of a mandrel and 
may be part of an assembling tool. In a preferred embodiment, the holder 
means is arranged in the cap in the form of a cylindrical spigot. 
Although in simple cases, two diagonally disposed holding struts suffice, 
it is advantageous for three holding struts to be arranged in star 
fashion, with identical angular spacing between them, in accordance with a 
preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the 
holding struts, with their upper edges, abut the lower edge of the 
hollow-cylindrical wall part. 
In order to connect the pourer with the cap before and during the 
assembling procedure, it is efficacious for the inner cylindrical part to 
protrude with a free portion of its jacket into the interior of the 
hollow-cylindrical wall part. 
It is particularly efficacious for the inner cylindrical part to extend 
approximately as far as the plane of the lower face of the sealing flange 
which covers the rim of the mouth. 
In order to make it easier to introduce the pourer into the mouth of the 
container and to compensate for any differences in diameter which may 
exist along the axial length of the mouth, it is advantageous for each 
holding strut to have a step directed radially inward in the lower rim 
area of the strut; this step is embodied by a first, oblique edge and an 
adjacent edge extending approximately axially parallel to the first. 
For usage in bottles having a narrowed mouth, it is efficacious for the 
axial length of the holding struts to be greater than the distance between 
the narrowed area and the upper rim of the mouth, so that the holding 
struts overlap the narrowest point, as in a further realization of the 
invention. 
In order to connect the insert with the cap or with an assembling tool, it 
is advantageous for the inner cylindrical part to be provided with an 
opening, the inside diameter of which equals the outer diameter of a 
mandrel of the assembling tool or of the cap. 
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the insert may 
also be used for pouring selectably dispensed quantities of the contents 
of the container; it is advantageous for a dispensing element to be 
inserted into the inner cylindrical part in that case. 
In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the 
dispensing element is embodied as a drip insert, having a liquid outlet 
opening, a liquid inlet opening which empties into a cavity in the drip 
insert, and at least one air inlet opening leading into the container. 
In this exemplary embodiment, it is also advantageous that the holding 
struts, at their upper ends, extend into an annular channel formed by the 
outer walls of the cylindrical part and by the inside of the 
hollow-cylindrical wall part. 
In a still-further provision of this exemplary embodiment, it is 
advantageous for the inner face of the inner cylindrical part to have 
stepped sealing faces which cooperate with complementary sealing faces, 
embodied for positive engagement, on the outer wall of the drip insert. 
For the assembly of an insert comprising a drip insert and a pourer, it is 
advantageous for the free inside diameter of the liquid outlet opening of 
the dispensing element to equal the outer diameter of a mandrel of the 
assembling tool or of the cap. 
Simplicity in the manufacture of the pourer according to the invention is 
attained if the holding struts are embodied in one piece with the inner 
cylindrical part. 
It is particularly advantageous for the pourer, the holding struts and the 
inner cylindrical part all to be manufactured in one piece with one 
another. 
In accordance with a modified exemplary embodiment of the invention, the 
sealing flange has an upper annular groove, which cooperates elastically 
with the assembling tool and/or with an annular protuberance in the inner 
face of the cap. 
Further advantages and details of the invention will be discussed below in 
greater detail, referring to the drawing, which schematically illustrates 
exemplary embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment is shown in which a pourer 11 has 
already been inserted into a mouth 2 of a neck 3 of a container 1, for 
instance a bottle. The container 1 may have an outer thread 4 as well as a 
transfer ring 5 on its neck, as shown. A cap 6 having an inner thread 7 
and a central spigot or mandrel 10 and/or an annular protuberance 9 on the 
inside 8 of the base can be connected with the container 1. 
The pourer 11 has a sealing flange 13, which at least partially covers a 
rim 12 of the mouth 2 of the container 1. 
The pourer 11 has a hollow-cylindrical wall part 15, which rests against 
the inside wall 14 of the mouth 2. In accordance with the invention, the 
pourer 11 is provided with holding struts 16, 17 and 18, which with their 
outer lengthwise edges 20, 21 and 22, respectively, press against the 
inside wall 14 of the mouth 2 of the container 1. The holding struts 16, 
17 and 18 are connected with an inner cylindrical part 19, being 
preferably embodied in one piece therewith. A free jacket section 23 of 
the inner cylindrical part 19 extends into the vicinity of the 
hollow-cylindrical wall part 15 of the pourer 11, preferably as far as the 
plane defined by the lower face of the sealing flange 13. 
In order to enable easier introduction of the pourer 11 into the mouth 2, 
the holding struts 16, 17 and 18 are provided with steps 24 on their lower 
ends; the steps are embodied by an oblique edge 25 and an adjacent, 
axially parallel edge 26. 
In bottles 1 in which there is a constriction 37 (indicated in the drawing 
by broken lines), the axial length of the holding struts 16, 17 and 18 is 
selected to be such that the holding struts 16, 17 and 18 overlap the 
narrowest point 37; in other words, the axial length of the holding struts 
16, 17, 18 is greater than the distance from the constriction 37 to the 
upper rim 12 of the mouth. 
It is further provided in FIG. 1 that the sealing flange 13 of the pourer 
11 has an upper annular groove 36, which cooperates with the annular 
protuberance 9 in the cap 6 in such a manner that the pourer 11 is held in 
place in the cap 6 in a positively engaged, yet elastic manner before the 
cap 6 is threaded onto the bottle 1. The cap 6 may be provided with 
grooves or ribs to improve the grip, making removal and replacement of the 
cap easier for the user. The cap 6 may furthermore have a seal (not shown) 
as proof of intactness, which may cooperate for example with the transfer 
ring 5. 
The construction of a pourer 11 in accordance with the invention may be 
seen clearly in the oblique perspective view of FIG. 2. In this exemplary 
embodiment, three holding struts 16, 17, 18 are provided, which are molded 
onto the inner cylindrical part 19 in the form of a triangle or star, 
spaced apart by identical angular distances. This construction is selected 
to be such that the upper edges of the holding struts 16, 17, 18 terminate 
at the lower edge of the hollow-cylindrical wall part 15. The inner 
cylindrical part 19 is embodied as a hollow cylinder and it has an opening 
27 which passes completely through it. The inside diameter of the opening 
27 is selected such that it equals the outer diameter of the mandrel or 
spigot 10 of the cap 6, so that the pourer 11 is held in the cap 6 in an 
elastically gripping manner until the capping procedure is finished. The 
orientation of the holding struts 16, 17, 18 and their outer diameter are 
selected such that the pressing force exerted against the inner wall 14 of 
the mouth 2 is greater than the holding force which exists between the 
inner cylindrical part 19 and the central spigot or mandrel 10 of the cap 
6. 
In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the construction is selected 
to be such that a drip insert 28 is insertable into the inner cylindrical 
part 19. The holding struts 16, 17, 18 here extend into an annular channel 
33, which is formed between the outer wall of the inner cylindrical part 
19 and the inner wall of the hollow-cylindrical wall part 15. The drip 
insert 28, in a known manner, has a liquid outlet opening 29 as well as a 
liquid inlet opening 30 protruding into the container 1. At least one air 
inlet opening 32 is provided in the wall area 31 of the drip insert 28, 
establishing communication between the ambient air and the interior of the 
container. The size of the drops may be determined in accordance with the 
embodiment of the liquid outlet opening 29. 
In order to assure good sealing between the insert 11 and the drip insert 
28, a stepped sealing face 34 is efficaciously provided on the inner 
cylindrical part 19; this sealing face 34 cooperates with a sealing face 
35 on the drip insert 28 which is stepped in a complementary manner. 
The embodiment and disposition of the individual holding struts 16, 17 and 
18 are shown clearly in FIG. 4. 
In the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, the sealing flange 13 having 
the hollow-cylindrical wall part 15, on the one hand, and the holding 
struts 16, 17 and 18 and the inner cylindrical part 19 on the other are 
all maunfactured efficaciously in one piece of an elastic plastic. 
As a result of the construction and disposition in accordance with the 
invention of the holding struts 16, 17 and 18, which are capable of 
adapting in an elastically yielding manner to tolerances in diameter of 
the mouth 2, it is assured that there is substantially greater axial 
contact of parts of the pourer insert 11 in the mouth 2 than would be 
possible with the hollow-cylindrical wall part 15 alone. Since the lower 
ends of the holding struts 16, 17 and 18 protrude freely into the mouth 2, 
they are capable of elastically expanding in the radial direction or, in 
the case of negative tolerance, of being compressed in a corresponding 
manner. The necessary adhesive force between the insert 11 and the mouth 2 
is assured in every case. The relatively narrow holding struts 16, 17 and 
18 present no hindrance either to pouring or, in the case where a drip 
insert 28 is used, to drop-by-drop dispensing. 
Naturally, the pourer 11 according to the invention may also be inserted 
into containers 1 which do not have a screw thread and are closed instead 
by an elastic snap top, for instance. In the closed state, the annular 
protuberance 9 on the inside 8 of the base of the cap 6 is also capable of 
performing sealing tasks in cooperation with the upper annular groove 36 
in the sealing flange 13. 
The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments shown and 
described herein. It also encompasses all modifications and further 
embodiments within the competence of one skilled in the art as well as 
partial and subsidiary combinations of the features and provisions 
described and/or shown herein.