Spout for a refill container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11008208-B2
Application number	US-201515528414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Nov 11, 2014
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A spout for a refill container having an outlet opening for communicating with an interior volume, a lid for sealing the outlet opening against a fluid located therein, wherein the lid is removable relative to the base part for unsealing the outlet opening, a nozzle for being inserted into an inlet opening of a bottle, wherein the nozzle is relative moveable to the base part between a closing position, and a pouring position, where the nozzle is positioned close to the base part, a flexible element, connected to the base part and the nozzle for providing a fluid connection of the nozzle with the outlet opening of the base part and a pusher removable relative to the base part by means of the nozzle, wherein the pusher pushes the lid away from the outlet opening in the pouring position of the nozzle for unsealing the outlet opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spout configured for a refill container comprising:
a base part configured for being connected to the refill container, wherein the base part comprises an outlet opening configured for communicating with an interior volume of the refill container;
a lid configured for sealing the outlet opening against a fluid located inside the interior volume of the refill container, wherein the lid is moveable with respect to the base part for unsealing the outlet opening;
a nozzle insertable into an inlet opening of a bottle, wherein the nozzle is moveable with respect to the base part between a closing position, where the nozzle is positioned away from the base part, and a pouring position, where the nozzle is positioned adjacent to the base part, wherein the nozzle comprises a shoulder and a discharge channel defined by an inner circumferential wall of the nozzle;
a flexible element connected to the base part and the nozzle and configured for providing a fluid connection of the nozzle with the outlet opening of the base part;
a locking device which is configured to abut the shoulder of the nozzle and the base part to prevent movement of the nozzle relative to the base part, wherein the locking device includes clamp elements which fit around the flexible element and two arms configured to be pressed together to open the clamp elements;
a pusher moveable with respect the base part by means of the nozzle, wherein the pusher pushes the lid away from the outlet opening in the pouring position of the nozzle for unsealing the outlet opening; and
bridges connecting the pusher to the nozzle, wherein the bridges, in their entireties, are arranged inside the discharge channel of the nozzle.

2. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher is arranged mainly coaxial to at least one selected from the nozzle and the outlet opening, the bridges cover an Area A of a hydraulic cross section area A h of the nozzle without bridges, and wherein 0.01≤A/A h ≤0.25 applies.

3. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher is connected to the lid via a stem press-fitted into an inner collar of the lid.

4. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises an outlet orifice at a front face of the nozzle pointing away from the base part, wherein the pusher, at the bridges connecting the pusher to the nozzle, is arranged between the level of the front face and the lid.

5. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a sealing ring pressed into a corresponding shape of the outlet opening of the base part in the closing position of the nozzle.

6. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the lid overhangs the outlet opening of the base part at an axial inner face of the base part pointing away from the nozzle.

7. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic diameter of the outlet opening is larger than the minimum hydraulic diameter of the flexible element and the minimum hydraulic diameter of the nozzle.

8. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a shoulder plate protruding radially outwards from the nozzle for resting on an axial front face of the inlet opening of the bottle, wherein the shoulder plate provides at least one degassing vent for degassing air from an interior of the bottle.

9. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises fins protruding radially outwards from the nozzle for resting on an inner surface of the inlet opening of the bottle and/or on an axial front face of the inlet opening of the bottle, wherein between the fins degassing channels for degassing air from an interior of the bottle are provided.

10. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the locking device is releasably clipped to the flexible element.

11. A packaging configured for refilling a bottle with a fluid, the packaging comprising:
a flexible bag filled with a fluid; and
the spout, according to claim 1 , connected with the bag for pouring out the fluid.

12. The packaging according to claim 11 , wherein a spring force of the flexible element provided in the closing position of the nozzle is higher than a maximum weight of the fluid applied to a part of the base plate outside the lid.

13. The packaging according to claim 11 , wherein the fluid is at least one selected from a surfactant, a softener and a hair tinting means.

14. The packaging according to claim 11 , wherein the fluid comprises a chemical component harmful to at least one selected from a human skin, fabric and furniture.

15. A refill system comprising:
a bottle to be filled with a fluid, wherein the bottle comprises an inlet opening; and
the packaging according to claim 11 , wherein the nozzle of the spout is at least partially inserted into the inlet opening.

16. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible element is a collapsible and unfoldable bellow consisting of a spring bellow.

17. The spout according to claim 1 , wherein the bridges extend outwardly away from the pusher in a radial direction within the discharge channel of the nozzle.

18. The spout according to claim 2 , wherein 0.04≤A/A h ≤0.05 applies.

19. The spout according to claim 5 , wherein the sealing ring of the lid is an outer collar pressable into the corresponding shape of the outlet opening of the base part.

Assignees

• Kao Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Matsumoto Shuhei
• Zeiter Frank

Classifications

• B65D83/771

  for dispensing fluent contents by means of a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm · CPC title

• B65D47/2068 Primary

  in which the stem is lowered by the pressure of the contents and thereby opening the valve · CPC title

• B65D47/248

  the valve being opened or closed by imparting a motion to the valve stem (B65D47/244, B65D47/245 take precedence) · CPC title

• B67D7/005 Primary

  Spouts · CPC title

• B65D47/2075

  in which the stem is raised by the pressure of the contents and thereby opening the valve · CPC title