Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-30
2001-06-05
Bomberg, Kenneth (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
C222S107000, C222S464200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241122
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a plug and a container of indeterminate shape utilizing the plug.
BACKGROUND ART
Pouch containers of indeterminate shape which are capable of varying shape (hereinafter referred to as “pouches”) have been increasingly utilized in various fields in recent years because they can be stored conveniently and discarded easily after use. The pouches of this type have a plug fitted with a screw type cap for the purpose of facilitating the entry therein and the exit therefrom of a liquid and allowing the preservation therein of a remaining part of the liquid. This plug is in the shape of a long cylinder having one terminal side thereof inserted into the interior of the pouch and the other terminal side thereof projected out of the pouch for the purpose of preventing the pouch from being folded and securing a flow path for the liquid. Since these pouches are prone to vary volume, they are charged with a liquid by means of a metering packing machine.
Plugs intended for use in the pouches of this type have been proposed in various patent publications. For example, a plug using a pipe provided as extended into a pouch and provided at the leading end thereof and at the fitting part thereof with openings was proposed in Japanese Utility Model publication (examined) Hei. 2-21399, a plug using a pipe disposed as extended into a pouch and provided in the pipe with a plurality of througholes was proposed in Japanese Utility Model publication (examined) Hei. 5-44294 , and a plug using a pipe disposed as extended into a pouch and splitting this pipe thereby forming interstices in the pipe was proposed in Design Registration No. 814883.
The plugs which are used for the pouches described above are required to fulfill various conditions such as allowing easy extraction of the air entrapped in the pouch before the pouch is filled with the liquid, allowing easy extraction of the liquid from the pouch without leaving behind a residue thereof in the pouch, and not allowing the plug to slant when the pouch is filled with the liquid (with a view to enhancing ease of handling and improving appearance). Despite this fact, the plugs which have been proposed in the patent publications mentioned above they encounter difficulty in wholly satisfying such various conditions as mentioned above.
Specifically, the plug proposed in Japanese Utility Model publication (examined) Hei. 2-21399 is incapable of thoroughly extruding the liquid stagnating in the periphery of the middle part of the pipe because of the length of the pipe extending into the pouch, and the plug proposed in Japanese Utility Model publication (examined) Hei. 5-44294 not only suffers incapability of attaining thorough extrusion of the liquid stagnating around the pipe and in the plurality of through holes but also incurs high cost because of the complexity of shape. Further, since these plugs both occupy large volumes relative to the inner volumes of their respective pouches, they cause considerable amounts of liquid to persist therein and compel their pouches to suffer from poor efficiency of liquid retention. The plug proposed in Design Registration No. 814,883 exhibits only inferior strength and possibly deforms while the pouch is being charged with a liquid heated to an elevated temperature. Further, when these plugs are randomly piled up and handled by means of an automatic aligning device, they have the possibility of inconveniencing the aligning operation by suffering the leading ends of some of the pipes of the plugs to be nipped between the openings in the other pipes.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
solve the problem mentioned above, the plug according to the present invention is a cylindrical plug which is attached to a pouchy container proper which is capable of varying shape, and is passed through the container proper in such a manner that one terminal side thereof may be positioned inside the container proper and the other terminal side thereof positioned outside the container proper, and it comprises by comprising a split pipe connected to the one terminal side thereof and divided into two halves along the longitudinal direction thereof so as to be provided with interstices intercommunicating between the inside and the outside thereof and a joint plate for integrally coupling one and the other half of the split pipe. By this construction, the plug is capable of enhancing the strength of the split pipe, preventing the split pipe from being deformed even when it handles a charging liquid heated to an elevated temperature, enabling the length of its own on the inner side of the container proper to be restricted to the minimum size necessary for preventing the container proper from being folded, improving the volume efficiency of the container proper, eliminating the waste of the liquid, and decreasing the cost of material in addition to fulfilling such conditions as allowing extraction of the entrapped air while the container is charged with the liquid, enabling the liquid in the container proper to be aspirated without leaving behind a residue thereof in the container proper, precluding the persistence of the liquid in the container proper while the liquid is being transferred to another container, and preventing itself from slanting inside the container proper when the container is filled with the liquid (for the purpose of enhancing ease of handling and improving appearance).
In the plug mentioned above, the section in the direction of diameter of the split pipe coupled by the joint plate is preferably formed as generally S-shaped, and the positions of the interstices of the split pipe and the direction of the joint coincide with the direction of drawing the other terminal side from the molding die. These conditions result in simplifying the structure of the molding die and lowering the initial cost.
In the plug mentioned above, the section in the direction of diameter of the split pipe coupled by the joint plate is preferably formed as generally Z-shaped, and the inner wall of the split pipe forms a flat surface coinciding with the direction of drawing the other terminal side from the molding die. These conditions facilitate the work of drawing the pipe from the molding die.
In the plug mentioned above, the split pipe is preferably provided on the outer surface thereof with reinforcing ribs. The reinforcing ribs can prevent the split pipe from being deformed when the plug is handling a charging liquid heated to an elevated temperature because they are capable of enhancing the strength of the split pipe.
In the plug mentioned above, the split pipe is preferably provided at the leading end thereof with a base plate. Since the base plate is capable of preventing the split pipe from being caught on the container proper or on other plugs, the possibility of the container proper sustaining injury can be precluded and, even when a multiplicity of such split pipes are randomly piped up by an automatic aligning device, the possibility of these split piles inflicting damage on one another can be avoided.
In the plug mentioned above, the split pipe is provided at the leading end thereof with a chamfer. Since the chamfer is capable of preventing the split pipe from being caught on the container proper or on other plugs, the possibility of the container proper sustaining injury can be precluded and, even when a multiplicity of such split pipes are randomly piped up by an automatic aligning device, the possibility of these split piles inflicting damage on one another can be avoided.
In the plug mentioned above, the joint plate is preferably laid throughout the entire length of the split pipe. This arrangement can further enhance the strength of the split pipe.
In the plug mentioned above, the joint plate is preferably laid across the interval between the leading terminal and the proximity of the basal terminal of the split pipe in such a manner that a through hole of a size smaller than the diameter on the leading terminal side of the split pipe is formed on the basal terminal side of the split pipe. This thr
Araki Yozo
Ikemori Akira
Bomberg Kenneth
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
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