Abstract:
A secondary piercing dispensing spout which can be selectively inserted into a container for conducting residual materials from the punctured container. The dispensing spout can be opened or closed while remaining inserted into the container for later use.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/563,674 filed Nov. 25, 2011. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed to a pouring spout, in general, and to a pouring spout which can puncture a pliable container creating a secondary opening allowing the transfer of residual material remaining in the container that the original integral spout was unable to transfer. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Various spouts have been proposed for use in dispensing materials from a container. These include pouring spouts which can be inserted into containers to conduct the contents thereof from the container. An example of this type of spout is the oil can spout which is inserted into the oil can by piercing the top of the can. 
         [0004]    Other spouts include spouts which are integrally formed to the container. An example of this type of spout are the threaded spouts of a liquid laundry detergent container or the like. In addition, other spouts such as those of shampoo bottles can be attached via a threaded end. 
         [0005]    An inherent shortcoming of most of these prior spouts and the containers with which they interact, is the residual material remaining inside the container that the spout is unable to extract. The remaining residual material is the result of a combination of factors including a poorly designed integral spout and/or in combination with a poor container design. This remaining residual material is a waste of the purchased product and is short changing the consumer who purchased the product. 
         [0006]    In addition, the unused residual material is most often discarded with the container. Creating additional waste that must be handled by the local sanitation services and the landfills or similar waste repositories used by such services. 
         [0007]    In the current era of a tight economy and greater focus on environmental protection, many current spouts integral to poorly designed containers leave a significant amount of residual, yet perfectly usable, material in the container. This can include, for example, laundry detergent in a plastic laundry bottle container. There is often enough residual contents remaining in such container to wash one or two more loads of laundry. 
         [0008]    To enable extraction of such residual material, it is highly desirable to provide an improved spout adapted to puncture such a pliable container. By puncturing the container with the improved spout, a secondary opening is created through which the residual material is allowed to be transferred from the container. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    This invention is directed to a spout which is adapted to be inserted into a pliable container by piercing a sharp end of the spout through the container creating a secondary opening from the integral opening of the container. The piercing spout permits residual material to transfer from the container which was not able to be transferred from the integral spout of the container. 
         [0010]    In the preferred embodiment, the main spout body comprises an arcuate tubular component having a pouring end at one end a sharpened piercing point at its other end. A flange extends radially from approximately the center of the spout and has a ring or gasket positioned against the piercing side of the flange. In addition, there are apertures in the spout on the piercing side of the tubular component. The spout is positioned in a container near the area mostly likely to contain the residual material. The piercing end punctures the container and the spout is inserted until the flange and ring are abutting the container to form a tight seal. The container is then positioned to allow the residual material flow into the spout apertures and exit through the pouring end of the spout. 
         [0011]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the piercing spout of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the piercing spout of  FIG. 1  positioned in a container with residual material passing there through; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the piercing spout of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a partial cross sectional view of the piercing spout of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    With reference now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  a piercing dispensing spout  10  is shown. The dispensing spout  10  consists of a tube  11  having a pouring opening  12  at one end and a flange  13  extending radially around a middle portion of the tube  11 . The dispensing spout  10  has a sharpened conical piercing point  15  at its other end. A ring or gasket  16  may be placed on the side of the flange  13  nearest the conical piercing point  15 . And a cap  17  is contemplated that is attached via a thin connective line  18  connecting the cap  17  and the ring  16 . There are also apertures  19  in the portion of the tube  11  on the side of the flange  13  nearest the piercing point. The dispensing spout  10  is typically machined but maybe injection molded from polymeric materials such as polypropylene or polystyrene for example, vacuum formed or manufactured by other techniques, and from other materials. 
         [0019]    It is contemplated that the piercing dispensing spout  10  provides an improved method for obtaining the residual liquid remaining in a container. As is the case with liquid laundry detergent containers, the majority of the liquid laundry containers provide a spout for pouring the liquid from a top opening. However, the spout assembly for the majority of liquid detergent containers is flawed in that it is does not allow for all of the liquid to exit the container. This results in the consumer not getting all the detergent they purchased and a needless waste of unused detergent. There are numerous other instances of poorly constructed containers which do not provide for the dispensing of all the material in the container. Thus leaving a residual amount of material which the consumer is forced to discard. 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a dispensing spout  10  is shown attached to a container  20 . In this case, for example only, the container is a laundry detergent bottle containing a residual amount of pourable liquid  21 . It is contemplated that an assorted number of containers can also be punctured should residual material remain. The spout  10  is attached to the bottle  20  by puncturing the bottle  20  with the conical piercing point  15  portion of the spout  10 . The pourable contents  21  contained within the container  20  may be a liquid for example a beverage such as milk or wine or non-edible liquids such as a detergent, shampoo, etc. Alternatively the pourable contents  20  may be a solid particulate such as sugar, salt or washing powder for example. 
         [0021]    With the dispensing spout  10  inserted into a secondary opening  22  in the container  20 , the pourable contents  21  may then be poured through the spout  10  in a controlled stream. The flange  13  and ring  16  provide a tight seal around the punctured secondary opening  22 . The container  20  is then tilted so as to gather the residual amount of material  21  near the secondary opening  22 . The residual material  21 , then flows into the apertures  19  that have now been inserted into the secondary opening  22 . 
         [0022]    Should there remain any leftover residual material  21  in the container  20 , the dispensing spout  10  may be left in the container  20  and its spout opening  10  can be encapsulated by the cap  17 . The container  20  may then be stored for later use. Should all residual material  21  be removed from the container  20 , the dispensing spout  10  may be readily removed by pulling it out of the secondary opening  22  and stored for later use. 
         [0023]    It is further contemplated that the dimensions of the spout may be varied so as to be compatible with a variety of differing viscosities of pourable contents. By way of non-limiting examples, these include: a. spout openings having diameters of between about 4-10 mm compatible with gels or liquids such as glue, oil-based materials or shampoo or conditioners; b. spout diameters of between 4-20 mm compatible with contents comprising materials such wine, juices, liquid detergent or solid particulates. Correspondingly, the apertures  19  may be larger or smaller depending on the viscosity of the material being emptied. The apertures may range in diameter from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 4  a second embodiment is shown wherein the dispensing spout  10  has a washer  30  positioned on the side  31  of the flange  13  nearest the piercing point. The washer  30  is intended to prevent any seepage of the residual material as it is poured from the container. The washer  30  may also be a ring or gasket or similar type configuration which provides a seal between the flange  13  and the secondary opening. A cap lid  32  is provided, which is comprised of a diameter ensuring a tight fit over the spout  10 . The cap lid  32  can be constructed from various materials including plastic, polymer, rubber or a material sufficient to provide a seal of the pouring opening  12 . 
         [0025]    Thus the scope of the present invention is described and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.