Vessel closure-sealable pouring spout assembly

Abstract

A closure assembly for a bottle, such as a milk bottle, having a sealable pouring spout is comprised of a lower portion for attachment to the bottle and an upper portion that is rotatably fixed to the lower portion. The upper portion comprises a spout and a spout closure assembly mounted on a pivot hinge and comprising a closing member having one end for sealing the spout and an opposite end for finger pressure. A detent device operates in a working relationship with the closing member so the size of the opening can be controlled.

1 . A vessel closure-sealable pouring spout assembly comprising:
 a. a vertical axis;   b. a housing comprising a top portion, a bottom portion and a sealable pouring spout assembly;   c. wherein, said bottom portion is adapted for attachment to said vessel by attachment means;   d. wherein, said top portion is fixed to the bottom portion by a sealing joint permitting rotation of the top portion with respect to the bottom portion around said vertical axis; and,   e. wherein said sealable pouring spout assembly is in communication with the vessel by liquid channel means.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bottom portion comprises an outside surface comprising a perimeter, a lower gripping portion for hand twisting about the vertical axis and an upper smooth portion. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein the bottom portion further comprises an inside surface comprising a lower threaded portion for threaded engagement with the vessel and an upper sealing portion for sealing engagement with the top portion. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein said lower gripping portion comprises a series of vertical embossments equally spaced about said perimeter. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4  wherein said upper sealing portion comprises a circular top surface having a groove formed from an outside vertical projection having an outside wall forming a length of said upper smooth portion and an inside wall, shorting than said outside wall, having a vertical top portion and a concave lower portion; and, an inside vertical projection having an vertical outside wall and an outwardly sloped inside wall. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5  wherein the top portion comprises a front, a rear, an inside surface comprising an inside vertical surface depending a predetermined distance below an outside inwardly curved surface thereby forming a lower sealing tab having a vertical inside surface, a flat bottom surface and an outside surface having a convex lower portion and a vertical top portion. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6  wherein said sealing joint is formed when said lower tab is snap-fit engaged into said groove so that said concave lower portion of said groove meshes in a sealing relationship with said convex lower portion of said lower sealing tab while permitting hand-forced rotation of the top portion about the bottom portion around the vertical axis. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sealable pouring spout assembly comprises a pouring spout having a height and integral to the top portion and projecting from said front thereof and a controllable spout sealing member mounted in a working relationship sealing relationship with said pouring spout. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 9  wherein said controllable spout sealing member comprises a front end, a rear end, a length-wise axis, a top surface, a bottom surface, a lid portion for sealing placement over the pouring spout, an opposite control portion for opening and closing said lid portion, a pivot bearing member integral to the controllable spout sealing member and disposed on said bottom surface perpendicular to said length-wise axis and a finger tab integral to the controllable spout sealing member and disposed on said top surface of said opposite control portion for receiving downward forces from the finger of an operator. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a well integral to the top portion and disposed in the rear thereof, said well comprising a depth generally equal to said height of the pouring spout, a front wall having rear surface, a top end and a bottom end, a rear wall having a front surface, a top end and a bottom end and an open top surface, wherein the well is adapted for receiving the spout sealing member control portion. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein said front wall bottom end and said rear wall bottom end are joined. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the well further comprises a first pivot bearing and a second pivot bearing adjacent to said first pivot bearing wherein the first pivot bearing and said second pivot bearing are disposed at the top end of said rear surface the front wall and are adapted to receive said pivot bearing member thereby forming a pivot hinge about which the spout sealing member pivots. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein the well further comprises a detent device integral to said front surface of the rear wall of the well and disposed vertically from the length-wise axis of the spout sealing member. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13  wherein said detent device further comprises a series of catches adapted to interact with a notch disposed in said rear end of the spout sealing member and on the longitudinal axis thereof so that when a finger force is exerted downwards on said finger tab the spout sealing member will rotate about said pivot hinge and said notch will move down over said series of catches to a desired position on the detent device and when said finger force is removed the notch will remain caught on the detent device thereby maintaining said lid portion at a desired position. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein the pouring spout further comprises a lip portion extending from a ledge portion so that when the lid portion is in a closed position it rests upon said ledge portion and behind said lip portion. 
     
     
         16 . A three piece plastic closure assembly for a bottle containing a fluid, said closure assembly comprising a hollow plastic body comprising:
 a. a first piece comprising a neck for attachment to said bottle;   b. a second piece comprising a pouring spout in fluid communication with the bottle and disposed above said first piece and joined thereto in a liquid sealed and rotatable manner so that said pouring spout can be conveniently rotationally oriented around the first piece for pouring said fluid;   c. a third piece comprising a pouring spout closure in a sealing relationship with the pouring spout.   
     
     
         17 . The closure of  claim 16  wherein said neck comprises an inside surface comprises a thread for threaded attachment to the bottle. 
     
     
         18 . The closure assembly of  claim 17  wherein said pouring spout closure is pivotally attached to said second piece. 
     
     
         19 . The closure assembly of  claim 18  wherein the pouring spout closure further comprises a detent apparatus for selectively positioning and maintaining the pouring spout in a desired position. 
     
     
         20 . A combination of a bottle and a four piece plastic closure assembly for a said bottle containing a fluid, said closure assembly comprising:
 a. a hollow plastic body comprising:
 i. a first piece comprising a neck for attachment to said bottle; 
 ii. a second piece comprising a pouring spout in fluid communication with the bottle and disposed above said first piece and joined thereto in a liquid sealed and rotatable manner so that said pouring spout can be conveniently rotationally oriented around the first piece for pouring said fluid; 
 iii. a third piece comprising a pouring spout closure in a sealing relationship with the pouring spout; 
   b. a fourth piece comprising a hermitical seal around the closure assembly for maintaining said combination in a sterile condition until opened by a consumer.