Abstract:
A hermetically sealed thermoplastic container is equipped with a unitary closure that includes a draining spike access aperture occluded by a removable, twist-off cap and an internal draining spike stabilizer situated in the neck portion of the container.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to hermetically sealed thermoplastic containers. More particularly, this invention is directed to a hermetically sealed container provided with an improved access port for a draining spike. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Hermetically sealed containers that incorporate pierceable membranes that are to be pierced by a draining spike are known in the art and are illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,873 to Weiler and U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,314 to Weiler. Such containers utilize a separately fabricated closure insert, and are useful in applications where the container contents is dispensed through a nozzle affixed to the container as the membrane is pierced or thereafter. U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,971 to Weiler illustrates a closure insert that provides a primary seal about a draining spike in the form of a peripheral sealing band or bead carried by a downwardly depending skirt portion downstream from the pierced membrane. The pierced membrane then serves as a partial secondary seal. 
         [0003]    From the standpoint of cost and manufacturing expediency it would be desirable, however, to dispense with the need for a separately fabricated closure insert when making hermetically sealed thermoplastic containers, the content of which can be accessed utilizing a draining spike. 
         [0004]    The fabrication of a seal such as that shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,971 is not possible, however, when the container closure is not a separate insert but is unitary with an fabricated concurrently with the molding of the container itself. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a hermetically sealed thermoplastic container well suited for use with a draining spike for emptying the contents thereof. In particular, a thermoplastic container embodying the present invention has a body portion, a specially contoured neck portion unitary with the body portion, and a removable cap that provides a closure for the neck portion. The removable cap is unitary with the neck portion but is delineated therefrom by a frangible web. 
         [0006]    The container neck portion terminates in a flexible enclosure that preferably is bell-shaped and defines a draining spike access aperture which is occluded by the removable cap. At least a portion of the flexible enclosure is inwardly collapsible. The draining spike access aperture is sized to form a liquid-tight seal with the draining spike upon entry and preferably is inwardly collapsible about the draining spike as it enters the container. A draining spike stabilizer is provided that is spaced from the spike access aperture and is substantially coaxial therewith. 
         [0007]    A preferred draining spike stabilizer comprises a pair of opposed, inwardly extending flange segments adapted to receive the draining spike therebetween. Preferably the opposed flange segments contact no more than about 85 percent of the draining spike perimeter received therebetween. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    In the drawings, 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of an upper portion of a hermetically sealed thermoplastic container embodying the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the container portion shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a sectional elevation of the container portion shown in  FIG. 1  with removable cap removed and draining spike access aperture exposed; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along plane  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a sectional elevation similar to  FIG. 3  and showing a draining spike entering the neck portion of the container. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    The invention disclosed herein is, of course, susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. Shown in the drawings and described in detail hereinbelow are preferred embodiments of this invention. It is to be understood, however, that the present disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not to be taken as limiting. 
         [0015]    The hermetically sealed thermoplastic container of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described hereinbelow with reference to the container in a vertical upright position, and terms such as upper, lower, vertical, horizontal, and the like, when used, will be used with reference to that position. 
         [0016]    In the interests of conciseness, the present drawings do not necessarily show features and details of the container that are known in the art and will be recognized as such by those skilled in the art. Detailed description of such features and details is not necessary for an understanding of the present invention. 
         [0017]    Hermetically sealed thermoplastic containers embodying this invention can be readily fabricated from thermoplastic polymers such as polypropylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and the like, utilizing the well-known blow-fill-seal technique shown and disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,763 to Weiler. The containers so fabricated can have a wide variety of body shapes and capacities. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the upper portion of hermetically sealed thermoplastic container  10  has a body portion  12 , and a contoured neck portion  14  unitary with body portion  12 . Neck portion  14  includes and terminates in a flexible enclosure  16  that defines a draining spike access aperture occluded by removable cap  18  which is unitary with enclosure  16  but is delineated therefrom by a frangible web  20  ( FIG. 2 ). Grip tab  22  is unitary with removable cap  18  and is also connected to container  10  by frangible web portions  24  and  26  while cap  18  remains in place. 
         [0019]    When cap  18  has been removed as shown in  FIG. 3 , draining spike aperture  28 , defined in the upper portion of flexible enclosure  16 , is exposed and is ready to receive draining spike  30  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Aperture  28  is undersized with respect to the outside diameter of the draining spike so as to form a liquid-tight seal with the draining spike upon entry. The portion of flexible chamber  16  that immediately surrounds aperture  28  is sufficiently flexible to collapse inwardly about spike  30  to further enhance the seal therebetween. The configuration of flexible enclosure  16  is preferably bell-shaped as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , with the distal portion of flexible enclosure  16  tapered toward access aperture  28  at a taper angle β, preferably about 10 degrees. The shape of flexible enclosure  16  can vary as long as sufficient flexibility and elasticity is present for the upper portion thereof, and the edge defining the aperture, to curl or turn inwardly around spike  30  as it enters aperture  28 . To that end, it is also preferred to provide a pilot depression  32  in upper wall  34  of flexible chamber  16 . The portion of upper wall  34  that defines pilot depression  32  preferably tapers inwardly toward aperture  28  at a taper angle α as shown in  FIG. 3 . Taper angle α is preferably about 20 to about 30 degrees, more preferably about 20 degrees. The degree of taper in any given instance depends to some extent on the size of the container as well as on the outside diameter of the draining spike. In general, the larger the container, the greater the taper angle. 
         [0020]    For proper positioning of the draining spike  30  in neck portion  14  of container  10 , the position of draining spike  30  must be stabilized after the spike has penetrated flexible enclosure  16  of container  10 . For that purpose there is provided a pair of inwardly extending flange segments  36  and  38  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) that coact with the penetrating sharp end  40  of spike  30  ( FIG. 5 ) and together serve as a draining spike stabilizer. Flange segments  36  and  38  are spaced from the spike access aperture by at least 1.5 draining spike outside diameters and are substantially coaxial with access aperture  28 . 
         [0021]    During the container fabrication process a slight thermoplastic material bulge is produced at the mold parting line as illustrated by bulges  42  and  44  in  FIG. 4 . If the inwardly extending flanges  36  and  38  were to surround the entire periphery of the distal end portion of draining spike  30 , the bulges  42  and  44  would interfere with the proper positioning of draining spike  30 . Additionally, insertion of a draining spike should not apply stress on the mold parting line in the container. The spike stabilizer does not provide a seal between the container and the draining spike. Accordingly, the opposed, inwardly extending flange segments are sized to contact no more than about 85 percent of the draining spike perimeter received therebetween, preferably about 60 to about 80 percent of the draining spike perimeter received therebetween. Each inwardly extending flange segment can be continuous or periodically interrupted, as desired. Alternatively, in lieu of inwardly extending opposed flange segments, spike stabilization can be achieved by providing a series of spaced, opposed protuberances bumps, and the like, that surround and engage the draining spike portion  40 , and stabilize it in container neck portion  16 . 
         [0022]    In order to readily achieve the desired flexibility for flexible enclosure  16 , the ratio of the inside diameter of the chamber defined by the flexible enclosure to the diameter of the draining spike access aperture preferably is in the range of about 1.5 to about 2. 
         [0023]    The foregoing description and the drawings are illustrative and are not to be taken as limiting the present invention. Still other variations and rearrangements of the functional elements within the spirit and scope of this invention are possible and will readily present themselves to those skilled in the art.