Self-draining container

Abstract: The container (10) includes a body (11) and a wall (15) extending upwardly from a body opening (12). The wall surrounds a dispensing spout (16) which extends above the top (18) of the wall. A web (20) joins the wall and the dispensing spout to form a drain channel (21). A drain opening (26) is defined adjacent the channel for draining fluid from the channel into the container body. A cap (30) having a depending skirt (34) defining threads (35) mates with threads (27) on the container wall to close the container.

Description: Background of the Invention Self-draining containers are known in the art. These containers include means for returning contents which have dripped or run down the exterior of the pouring spout during use to the main body of the container. Examples of prior art self-draining closures are shown in US-A-4,550,862 and US-A-4,640,855. One of the primary problems with prior art self-draining containers is that they include multiple parts. In addition, prior art self-draining containers often require intermediate or post assembly steps to accomplish the self-draining feature. Summary of the Invention According to this invention a unitary self-draining plastic container is made by a process in which there is formed by injection moulding (i) an upwards extending dispensing spout; (ii) a web extending radially outwards from the lower end of the dispensing spout and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spout; and, (iii) a cylindrical wall spaced radially outwards of and encircling the dispensing spout formed in situ and cooperating with the dispensing spout and the web to define a channel into which liquid draining down the outside of the dispensing spout may be captured, the cylindrical wall having a predetermined diameter determining a cross-sectional size and having integrally moulded closure retention means on the interior surface thereof; and means e.g. an aperture, providing communication between the interior of the body portion and the channel. Thereafter, according to the process of the invention there is formed by blow moulding a body portion integral and in situ with and depending from the lower portion of the cylindrical wall, the body portion flaring outwards from the lower end of the cylindrical wall to an area of enlarged cross-section size. Preferably the web has a circumferential extent more than 180° but less than 360° and preferably the portion of the spout adjacent to the web has a circumferential extent more than 180° but less than 360°. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a one-piece plastic container is formed by injection moulding a first portion, extruding a tubular parison depending from the first portion and expanding the tubular parison to form a body portion in which a self-draining container is formed by providing a cavity in an injection mould defining (i) a spout forming portion, (ii) a cylindrical wall forming portion having an outer surface and an inner surface including a thread forming projection; and, (iii) a web forming portion interconnecting the spout forming portion and cylindrical wall forming portion, each of the portions opening to the exterior of the mould. Relative movement is therefore imparted between an extrusion die head for extruding heated and plasticized plastic material and the injection mould to engage the injection mould and the die head to close the cavity. Plastic material is injected from the die head into the cavity to fill the cavity to form a pouring spout, cylindrical wall and integral web interconnecting the spout and the cylindrical wall Thereafter relative movement is imparted between the die head and the injection mould while extruding plastic material in the form of tubing from the die head, the tubing having a diameter at least equal to the diameter of the cylindrical wall. The mould halves are closed about the extruded tubing; and the tubing is expanded to form a self-draining plastic container having a closed bottom and the integral pouring spout, web and cylindrical wall. The self-draining container, according to the process of present invention, is a single integral unit which does not include multiple parts to be assembled subsequent to forming except for application of a cap or closure to seal the package. The container is completed upon molding and post-molding operations are not required. The container includes a body portion which terminates in an opening through which the contents can be dispensed. An integrally formed dispensing portion extends from and communicates with the body portion. The dispensing portion includes a collar or wall which extends around the body opening. An integral dispensing spout is located within and encircled by the collar. The upper end of the dispensing spout extends above the top of the collar. A web portion extends between the collar and the dispensing spout. The exterior of the spout, the web and the collar define a channel into which fluid may be received when the container is inverted. A drain opening is provided in or adjacent to the bottom of the channel through which the fluid in the channel may drain back into the body of the container when the container is uprighted. Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a container, according to the present invention, with a cap positioned above the container; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the top part of the container with the cap in place; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section view of the upper part of the container shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment of a container, according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partially in cross section, showing the finish portion of a container according to the present invention, being formed in a molding machine; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 5 showing the finish portion of the Fig. 4 container embodiment being formed in a molding machine. Description of the Preferred Embodiments A self-draining container, made according to the process of the present invention, is generally indicated by the reference number 10. While the self-draining container 10, depicted in the drawings, is a plastic bottle specifically designed for liquids, other self-draining containers made by the process of this invention may be constructed of other materials and used to contain liquids, powders or granules. The self-draining container 10 includes a body portion 11 which terminates in an opening 12 through which the contents of the container 10 can be dispersed. An integrally formed dispensing portion 14 extends from and communicates with the body portion 11. The dispensing portion 14 includes a circular wall 15 which extends annularly around the body opening 12. A dispensing spout 16 is located within and is encircled by the wall 15. The dispensing spout 16 includes an upper end 17 which extends above a top 18 of the wall 15. A connecting web 20 extends between the wall 15 from an elevation below the top 18 to the dispensing spout 16. The web 20 connects the wall 15 and the dispensing spout 16 and cooperates with the wall 15 and the dispensing spout 16 to define a channel 21 into which fluid flowing from the exterior of the dispensing spout 16 may drain when the container 10 is uprighted after it has been inverted for pouring. The web 20 extends at least halfway around the dispensing spout 16 to prevent flow of liquid into the channel 21 when the container 10 is partially inverted to a pouring position. A drain opening 23 is provided adjacent the channel 21. Fluid which is received in the channel 21 may drain back into the body 11 of the container 10 after the container is uprighted subsequent to pouring. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3, the drain opening 23 is defined by both the dispensing spout 16 and the web 20. However, in other embodiments, the channel 21 may be continuous having only a step portion with the drain being defined solely by the dispensing spout (not shown). Another embodiment of the process of this invention is shown in Fig. 4. In this embodiment, a drain opening 26 comprises a circular hole which extends through the web 20'. In both embodiments, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the drain opening 23 or the drain opening 26 is in an opposed relationship to the upper end 17 of the dispensing spout 16 or 16'. Threads 27 are formed on the inside of the circular wall 15. Similarly, threads 27' are formed on the inside wall 15' of the Fig. 4 embodiment. Referring to Fig. 1, a closure or cap 30 includes a top 31 and a depending sidewall 32. A sealing ring 33 extends radially outwardly from the sidewall 32 and a cylindrical skirt 34 depends downwardly below the ring 33. External threads 35 are formed on the exterior surface of the skirt 34 and cooperate with the threads 27 defined on the interior wall 15 of the container 10. It is understood that in other embodiments of the present invention, the threads may be located on the exterior wall and mate with cap threads located on the interior of the cap. Fig. 1 shows the cap 30 removed, while Fig. 2 shows the cap 30 in position on the container 10. When in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, the sealing ring 33 of the cap 30 engages the top 18 of the wall 15 of the container 10 to provide a proper seal. Referring to Fig. 5, the self-draining container 10 may be produced within the normal cycle of a blow molding machine of a type used by the assignee of the present invention known as a BC-3 machine. No post-molding operations are needed to produce the desired self-draining finish on this type of machine. A portion of a BC-3 machine is generally indicated by the reference number 40. Details of a BC-3 machine method are disclosed in Sherman U.S.-A-2,804,654, which is incorporated herein by reference. This type of blow molding may be characterized as injection-extrusion blow molding and is used by the assignee of the present invention and others with a machine designated as a BC-3 machine. In the method utilized by the BC-3 machine, the upper neck or finish portion of the container is first injection molded in an injection mold. Upon completion of the injection molding step, the injection mold is raised from the orifice of the injection die head while a length of heated and plasticized tubing is extruded from the die head. The tubing is connected to the injection molded finish and is drawn upwardly as the tubing is extruded. After the proper length of tubing has been extruded, blow mold halves close around the tubing and air is introduced through the injection mold assembly to expand the tubing in the closed mold to form the remainder of the container. These steps are shown as described in U.S. Patent 2,804,654. In Fig. 5 the extrusion die is designated by the numeral 40 and includes a bushing 41 and mandrel 42 which cooperate to define an orifice 43 through which the heated and plasticized material is expelled. Also shown is a moveable neck ring assembly 51 which is mounted (by means not shown) for movement downwardly into engagement with the orifice 43 during the injection molding step and for movement upwardly during the extrusion step to draw the oncoming tubing away from the orifice 43. The neck ring assembly 51 includes neck ring halves 52a and 52b which can open and close radially and which have interior wall portions 53 against which the exterior surface of the annular wall 15 of the container is molded. Also included is a core pin 54 having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough through which pressurized air may be introduced into the extruded tubing after such tubing is enclosed within the blow mold to thereby expand the tube in the blow mold and form the body of the container. The core pin 54 forms the interior surface of the spout 16 of the container. A sleeve 60 encircles the core pin 54 and has a recess 61 of a configuration to form the upper end 17 and outer surface of the spout 16. The lower exterior portion of the sleeve 60 forms the interior surface of the annular wall 15 and has a thread recess 62 in which the threads 27 are molded. The lower end 63 of the sleeve 60 is angled such that during the injection molding step it is spaced from the mandrel for a major portion around its circumference to cooperate therewith to form the web 20 as shown at the left in Fig. 5 but is in contact with the mandrel for a minor portion as shown at the right in Fig. 5 to form the drain opening 23 (see Fig. 3) without the necessity of a post-forming operation. Similarly, referring to Fig. 6, a BC-3 machine may have a pin 64 mounted on the lower end of the sleeve 60 to form the drain opening 26 (see Fig. 4) of the self-draining container 10'. Again, the self-draining container 10' may be manufactured on a BC-3 machine without the necessity of post-forming operations on the bottle finish. Many revisions and changes may be made to the various elements of the preferred embodiments of the self-raining containers described above without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims: A process for making a unitary self-draining plastic container in which (a) there is formed by injection moulding (i) an upwards extending dispensing spout (16); (ii) a web (20) extending radially outwards from the lower end of said dispensing spout and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spout (16); and, (iii) a cylindrical wall (15) spaced radially outwards of and encircling said dispensing spout formed in situ and cooperating with said dispensing spout (16) and said web (20) to define a channel (21) into which liquid draining down the outside of said dispensing spout may be captured, said cylindrical wall (15) having a predetermined diameter determining a cross-sectional size and having integrally moulded closure retention means (27) on the interior surface thereof; and means (23, 26) providing communication between the interior of said body portion and said channel; and, (b) there is formed by blow moulding a body portion (11) integral and in situ with and depending from the lower portion of said cylindrical wall (15), said body portion (11) flaring outwards from the lower end of said cylindrical wall (15) to an area of enlarged cross-section size. A process according to claim 1, wherein the means for communication between said body portion and said channel is an aperture (26) formed during injection moulding. A process according to claim 1 wherein said web has a circumferential extent more than 180° but less than 360°. A process according to claim 1 wherein the portion of said spout adjacent to said web has a circumferential extent more than 180° but less than 360°. The process of forming a one-piece plastic container by injection moulding a first portion, extruding a tubular parison depending from said first portion and expanding said tubular parison to form a body portion (11) in which a self-draining container is formed by (a) providing a cavity in an injection mould (51) defining (i) a spout forming portion (61), (ii) a cylindrical wall forming portion having an outer surface (53) and an inner surface including a thread forming projection (62); and, (iii) a web forming portion (42, 63) interconnecting the spout forming portion (61) and cylindrical wall forming portion (53), each of said portions opening to the exterior of said mould; (b) imparting relative movement between an extrusion die head (40) for extruding heated and plasticized plastic material and said injection mould (51) to engage said injection mould and said die head to close said cavity; (c) injecting plastic material from said die head into said cavity to fill said cavity to form a pouring spout (16), cylindrical wall (15) and integral web (20) interconnecting said spout and said cylindrical wall; (d) imparting relative movement between said die head (40) and said injection mould (51) while extruding plastic material in the form of tubing from said die head (40), said tubing having a diameter at least equal to the diameter of said cylindrical wall; (e) closing mould halves about the extruded tubing; and (f) expanding the tubing to form a self-draining plastic container (10) having a closed bottom and said integral pouring spout (16), web (20) and cylindrical wall (15).

Inventors: KRALL THOMAS J, KRALL, THOMAS J.
Applicants: OWENS ILLINOIS PLASTIC PROD, OWENS-ILLINOIS PLASTIC PRODUCTS INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65D23
IPC codes: B29C49, B65D23, B65D47, B29C45