Fitment and container for powdered products, especially powdered products prone to clumping behavior

Abstract

Fitment and container for powdered products, especially powdered products prone to clumping behavior, comprising a stopper that closes the passageway between the interior chamber and the mouth of the container, a pour spout in the stopper that permits the powdered product to flow through the passageway during a pouring operation, and one or more baffles connected to the stopper and extending into the interior chamber of the container, the baffles being configured to break apart clumps of the powdered product before the clumps can flow through the pour spout. The pour spout further includes a restriction element, associated with the pour spout, configured to break apart clumps that reach the pour spout without being broken apart by the baffles. The invention promotes a consistent and predictable rate of flow in the stream of powdered product flowing out of the container during the pouring operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fitment for a container of powdered product prone to clumping behavior, the container having a mouth, an interior chamber, and a passageway between the mouth and the interior chamber, the fitment comprising:
 (a) a stopper to close the passageway;   (b) a pour spout extending through the stopper to permit a portion of the powdered product in the interior chamber to flow through the passageway and out of the mouth of the container in a stream when the container is tilted in a pouring operation, the portion flowing through the passageway having one or more clumps of the powdered product; and   (c) a baffle connected to the stopper, the baffle extending toward the interior chamber of the container and arranged to penetrate said portion of the powdered product as said portion flows through the passageway;   (d) whereby, upon contact with the baffle, at least one of said one or more of the clumps in the portion of powdered product flowing into the passageway is broken apart by said baffle.   
     
     
         2 . The fitment of  claim 1 , further comprising a restriction in the stopper configured to limit the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout. 
     
     
         3 . The fitment of  claim 2 , wherein:
 (a) the restriction is arranged to make contact with the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout;   (b) whereby, one or more clumps of powdered product in the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout will be broken apart by contact with the restriction before flowing out of the mouth of the container.   
     
     
         4 . The fitment of  claim 1 , wherein the pour spout comprises an asymmetric opening extending through a section of the stopper off the longitudinal axis of the stopper. 
     
     
         5 . The fitment of  claim 1 , wherein the pour spout comprises a circular opening having a center axis that substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the stopper. 
     
     
         6 . The fitment of  claim 1 , wherein the pour spout comprises a plurality of openings extending through the stopper. 
     
     
         7 . The fitment of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) a plurality of baffles connected to the stopper, the plurality of baffles extending toward the interior chamber of the container and arranged to penetrate said portion of powdered product as said portion flows through the passageway;   (b) whereby, upon contact with one or more of the plurality of baffles, one or more of the clumps of powdered product in the portion of powdered product flowing into the passageway is broken apart by one of more of the plurality of baffles.   
     
     
         8 . The fitment of  claim 7 , further comprising a restriction in the stopper configured to limit the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout. 
     
     
         9 . The fitment of  claim 8 , wherein:
 (a) the restriction is arranged to make contact with the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout;   (b) whereby, one or more clumps of powdered product in the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout will be broken apart by contact with the restriction before flowing out of the mouth of the container.   
     
     
         10 . The fitment of  claim 9 , wherein the pour spout comprises an asymmetric opening extending through a section of the stopper off the longitudinal axis of the stopper. 
     
     
         11 . The fitment of  claim 9 , wherein the pour spout comprises a circular opening having a center axis that substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the stopper. 
     
     
         12 . A container for a powdered product prone to clumping behavior, comprising:
 (a) an interior chamber to hold the powdered product;   (b) a mouth;   (c) a passageway between the interior chamber and the mouth;   (d) a stopper that closes the passageway;   (e) a pour spout extending through the stopper that permits a portion of the powdered product in the interior chamber to flow through the passageway and out of the mouth of the container in a stream when the container is tilted in a pouring operation, the portion flowing through the passageway having one or more clumps of the powdered product; and   (f) a baffle extending into the passageway and arranged to penetrate said portion of the powdered product as said portion flows through the passageway;   (g) whereby, upon contact with the baffle, at least one of said one or more   (h) clumps in the portion of powdered product flowing into the passageway is broken apart by said baffle.   
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , further comprising a restriction to limit the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein:
 (a) the restriction is arranged to make contact with the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout;   (b) whereby, one or more clumps of powdered product in the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout will be broken apart by contact with the restriction before flowing out of the mouth of the container.   
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the pour spout comprises an asymmetric opening extending through a section of the stopper off the longitudinal axis of the stopper. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the pour spout comprises a circular opening having a center axis that substantially coincides with the longitudinal axis of the stopper. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein the pour spout comprises a plurality of openings extending through the stopper. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 (a) a plurality of baffles extending into the passageway and arranged to penetrate said portion of powdered product as said portion flows through the passageway;   (b) whereby, upon contact with one or more of the plurality of baffles, one or more of the clumps of powdered product in the portion of powdered product flowing into the passageway is broken apart by one of more of the plurality of baffles.   
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , further comprising a restriction configured to limit the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein:
 (a) the restriction is arranged to make contact with the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout;   (b) whereby, one or more clumps of powdered product in the volume of powdered product permitted to flow through the pour spout will be broken apart by contact with the restriction before flowing out of the mouth of the container.