Patent Publication Number: US-6209762-B1

Title: Dispensing package and method of use

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/015,517 filed Jan. 29, 1998 now abandoned. 
    
    
     The present invention is directed to packages for containment and dispensing of flowable products such as liquid detergent, and more particularly to a container and finish fitment assembly for such a package. 
     BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Product containment and dispensing packages have been proposed, in which the container includes a body with an integral neck and a separate fitment assembled to the neck for restraining and channeling product flow during dispensing. The closure, which may also function as a measurement cup, has threads that engage the container neck or fitment for sealing the package. Liquid laundry products are common examples of this type of packaging. Packages of the described character are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,114,659 and 5,207,356. It is conventional practice with containers and packages of this character to secure the fitment to the container neck at the time of container manufacture, such as by welding or other securement techniques. The container/fitment subassembly and the closure cap are then shipped as separate units to the packager. The packager must fill the container with product through the relatively small opening in the fitment that is designed primarily to restrain and guide flow during dispensation. The closure is threaded onto the container neck or fitment by the packager after the product is placed in the container. 
     It is a general object of the present invention to provide a container and fitment arrangement in which the fitment may be secured to the container without requiring a separate welding or other joining operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a container and fitment assembly, and a container package and method of use, in which the fitment may be assembled to the container after the container is filled with product, such that the container may be more rapidly filled through the relatively large opening in the container neck prior to assembly of the fitment to the container. A further object of the present invention is to provide a container/fitment package and method of use that satisfy the objective set forth immediately above, and in which the fitment and closure may be readily and rapidly assembled to the container following filling of the container. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container assembly that includes a container having a body with a cylindrical neck and an integral lug projecting radially inwardly from the neck. A fitment has a cylindrical wall adapted to be telescoped within the container neck. The fitment wall has internal threads for receiving a container cap, and an axial slot adapted to be received by snap fit over the lug in the container neck. The neck lug thus cooperates with the slot in the fitment wall for both retaining the fitment axially within the neck, and preventing circumferential rotation of the fitment within the neck. In the preferred method of use in accordance with another aspect of the invention, the fitment and cap are provided to a packager as a subassembly separate from the container. The container is rapidly filled with product through the relatively large opening in the container neck, and the cap/fitment subassembly is then snapped into the container neck to complete the package assembly. 
     In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the fitment includes an annular wall that extends radially inwardly from an end of the fitment cylindrical wall and disposed in assembly between the internal threads on the fitment and the container body. This annular wall may be conical, tapering narrowingly in assembly into the container body, or flat and perpendicular to the axis of the neck, or flat and angulated with respect to the axis of the container neck. In one embodiment, the annular fitment wall defines a keyhole-shaped opening with a central circular portion and a radial portion that extends from the central portion to the fitment cylindrical wall. The internal threads on the fitment wall are interrupted in alignment with the keyhole-shaped opening to facilitate dispensation of product. In other embodiments, a conical pour spout integrally axially extends from the annular wall within the cylindrical wall of the fitment. The spout has a central axis that may be either concentric with or offset from the axis of the fitment cylindrical wall. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention, together with additional objects, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary partially sectioned elevational view of a package assembly in accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded elevational view of the package illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2A is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially along the line  2 A— 2 A in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the package illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fitment in the package of FIGS. 1-3; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partially sectioned elevational view of a container assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectioned elevational view of a container assembly in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fitment in the assembly of FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the fitment in FIG. 7, being taken substantially along the line  8 — 8  in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a product containment and dispensing package  10  in accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention. A container  12  has a hollow body  14  from which a cylindrical neck  16  axially extends surrounding and defining the fill/dispensing opening of the container. A fitment  18  is axially telescopically received and secured with neck  16 . The fit between fitment  18  and neck  16  is preferably a close sliding fit. Fitment  18  includes a cylindrical wall  20  having internal threads  22  for receiving a package closure  24 . A conical wall  26  extends from the lower edge of cylindrical wall  20 , and tapers narrowingly toward the inside of container neck  16  and body  14 . The inner edge of wall  26  defines a keyhole-shaped opening  28  having an enlarged circular portion  30  coaxial with fitment wall  20 , and a second portion  32  that extends radially outwardly to the inner surface of wall  20 . As best seen in FIG. 4, internal threads  22  are interrupted at  34  in axial alignment with dispenser opening portion  32  so that the product may flow freely from within the container. A radially opening and axially extending slot  36  is formed in fitment wall  20  at a predetermined position with respect to thread interruption  34  and opening portion  32 . In the illustration of FIGS. 1-4, slot  36  is positioned 90° counterclockwise from thread interruption  34  and opening portion  32 . Slot  36  is defined by a pair of parallel axially extending and circumferentially opposed side edges  38 , and an arcuate or rounded bottom edge  40 . Fitment  18  also has an axially facing shoulder  42  at the lower edge of wall  20  radially outwardly adjacent to conical wall  26 . 
     Container neck  16  has an axially outwardly facing internal shoulder  44  against which fitment shoulder  42  seats in assembly. A U-shaped lug  46  projects radially inwardly from neck  16  for receipt by snap fit within slot  36  of fitment  18 . Lug  46  has a pair of parallel side edges  47  (FIG. 2A) and an arcuate lower edge  49  complimentary to the contour of slot edge  40 . The axial dimension of slot  36  and lug  46  is greater than the axial depth of shoulder  44  within neck  16  and shoulder  42  on fitment wall  20 . Lug  46  is disposed at predetermined position within neck  16  coordinated with the external contour of container body  14 . For example, lug  46  may be disposed at a position 90° clockwise with respect to the plane of the container handle, so that lug  46  in container neck  16  automatically cooperates with slot  36  in fitment  18  to orient and position opening portion  32  and thread interruption  34  opposite to the container handle. Closure  24  is of generally conventional cup-shaped construction, having an internal volume of predetermined size to measure an incremental amount of product dispensed from the container. Closure  24  has external threads  48  for receipt within fitment  18 , and a radially outwardly projecting lip  50  for sealing engagement with the upper edge of neck  16 , as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a container assembly  52  in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, in which reference numerals identical to those employed in FIGS. 1-4 indicate identical components. Container assembly  52  in FIG. 5 features a modified fitment  54 , in which the annular wall  56  that extends radially inwardly from fitment cylindrical wall  20  terminates in an outwardly extending conical spout  58 . Spout  58  in this embodiment is coaxial with fitment cylindrical wall  20 . Wall  56  includes a drain-back opening  59  for returning excess product to container  12 . 
     FIGS. 6-8 illustrate a container assembly  62  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, in which reference numerals identical to those employed in connection with previous embodiments again indicate identical components. Container assembly  62  features a fitment  64  that has an outwardly tapering conical spout  66  with a central axis that is offset from the axis of container neck  16  and fitment wall  20 . Annular wall  68  in this embodiment is flat rather than conical, and is oriented at an angle with respect to the axes of fitment wall  20  and spout  66 . A drain-back opening  70  is disposed in wall  66  between spout  66  and fitment wall  20 . 
     All three embodiments of the present invention share the feature whereby the closure and fitment may be provided as a sub-assembly to the product packager separately from the container. The container may be rapidly filled with product  80  (FIG. 5) through the relatively large opening provided by container neck  16 , and the closure/fitment sub-assembly may then be rapidly assembled to the container neck by orienting slot  36  in alignment with lug  46 , and then press-fitting fitment  18 ,  54  or  64  into the container neck until slot  36  registers with and is received over lug  46  on container neck  16 . In each embodiment, press-fit insertion of the fitment is limited by abutment of shoulders  42 ,  44 . In each embodiment, neck lug  46  cooperates with fitment slot  36  to align the dispensing opening or dispensing spout with respect to the container, retain the fitment in the container, and restrain rotation of the fitment within the container neck as the closure is either loosened or tightened. In all embodiments, container  12 , closure  24 , and fitment  18 ,  54  or  64  may be of any suitable plastic compositions. The container, fitment and closure may be formed by suitable conventional techniques, such as by injection molding the closure, fitment and container neck, and blow-molding the container body integrally with the container neck.