Pull tab spout

Abstract

A pull tab spout for a bottle neck has a tubular inner member having a bottle end opposite a pouring end, the bottle end being configured to sealingly engage the inner wall of a neck. A skirt extends about the bottle end of the spout outwardly thereof to define a recess for receiving the mouth of the bottle. A shoulder extends between and joins the skirt to the inner member and defines a guide surface for guiding a rim of a closure cap onto an outer face of the skirt. The outer face of the skirt has outwardly extending threads for engaging corresponding inwardly extending threads of the cap. The skirt has at least one inwardly extending protrusion to secure the spout to the bottle. A pull tab extends across an interior and is secured by a frangible membrane. The pull tab has a graspable protrusion to facilitate removal of the pull tab by tearing the frangible membrane.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A pull tab spout for a bottle neck having a neck, a mouth at one end, an inner wall defining a passage extending into an interior of said bottle, an outer wall defining an outer surface of said neck, and a ridge extending about said outer wall of neck spaced apart from said mouth, said spout comprising: 
 a generally tubular inner member having a bottle end opposite a pouring end, said bottle end being configured to sealingly engage said inner wall of said neck;    a skirt extending about said bottle end outwardly thereof to define a recess therebetween for receiving said mouth of said bottle;    a shoulder extending between and joining said skirt to said inner member, and defining a guide surface devoid of any recess for guiding a rim of a closure cap onto an outer face of said skirt;    said outer face of said skirt having outwardly extending threads adjacent said shoulder for engaging corresponding inwardly extending threads of said closure cap;    said skirt having at least one inwardly extending protrusion for engaging said ridge to secure said spout to said bottle;    a pull tab extending across an interior of said inner member to block fluid flow therethrough and secured to an inner face of said inner member by a frangible member extending therebetween;    said pull tab further having a graspable protrusion extending therefrom and accessible from said pouring end of said inner member to facilitate removal of said pull tab by tearing said frangible membrane.    
     
     
         2 . The pull tab spout of  claim 1  wherein: 
 a sealing lip extends from said shoulder into said recess between said bottle end of said inner member and said skirt to sealingly abut against said mouth of said bottle and block fluid passage past said shoulder onto said outer wall of said neck.  
 
     
     
         3 . The pull tab spout of  claim 2  wherein: 
 said pouring end, distal said bottle end has a radially outwardly extending lip.  
 
     
     
         4 . The pull tab spout of  claim 3  wherein: 
 said skirt has a plurality of said inwardly extending protrusions, spaced apart to allow drainage of fluid therebetween.  
 
     
     
         5 . The pull tab spout of  claim 4  further having: 
 a plurality of spaced apart splash control tabs extending inwardly from said inner face of said inner member and away from said pouring end.  
 
     
     
         6 . The pull tab spout of  claim 5  wherein: 
 said splash control tabs extend from said bottle end of said inner member and said pull tab is located between said splash control tabs and said graspable member.  
 
     
     
         7 . The pull tab spout of  claim 6  wherein: 
 said graspable member is a ring having first and second ends secured to said pull tab adjacent one another and said frangible membrane.  
 
     
     
         8 . The pull tab spout of  claim 7  wherein: 
 said inner face of said inner member includes undercuts adjacent said splash control tabs to accommodate said splash control tabs during stripping of said pull tab spout from a plastic injection moulding assembly.