Filter means for milk containers and the like

May 5, 1959 j, _ROCca 2,885,084

FILTER MEANS FOR MILK CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE

Filed Sept. 5, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'

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May 5, 1959 j. _ROcca 2,885,084

FILTER MEANS FOR MILK CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE

Filed Sept. 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTOENffy

2,885,084

Patented May 5, 1959

United States Patent Office

2,885,084

FILTER MEANS FOR MILK CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE

John Rocca, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Application September 3, 1957, Serial No. 681,512

Claims. (Ci. 210—464)

This invention relates to milk cartons, and more particularly to a filtering means serving to prevent passage of foreign particles out of the dispensing opening of the carton.

Milk cartons have waxed surfaces, and it has been found that at times particles of the wax will become detached, and will be dispensed through the opening of the carton. The detachment of the wax particles results from handling of the carton, and may be further caused by a temporary lack of refrigeration in warm temperatures.

Since a milk carton is a single use, disposable container, it is essential that a screen device therefor be of very low cost. It is an object of the invention to provide a filter device which can be manufactured at a very low cost, and at equally low expense can be incorporated in a conventional carton.

A further object is to prevent interference with proper sealing and closing of the carton, which interference might otherwise result from use of the filter.

Another object is to permit manufacture of the filter mainly from waxed, heavy paper or light cardboard, that is, the same materials as those used in the carton proper.

Another object according to a modification is to provide a filter in the form of a plug having a tubular body formed of plastic material supporting a screen formed of filter paper, the plastic body being capable of being reused.

Another object is to provide a filter which will be usable not only in milk cartons, but also in similar disposable containers holding other liquids such as orange juice, chocolate drink, etc.

Yet another object is to form the filter in a manner such that it will not hold back any of the nutritional values of the liquid.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure :

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a milk carton showing the upper end portion thereof, the cap being open and the filter embodying one form of the invention being in place.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, substantially on line 2—2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2 in which the cap has been closed.

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 3 showing a modified construction, the cap being shown in open position in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 2 showing yet another modification.

Fig. 6 is a view substantially on line 6—6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the filter of Fig. 5, substantially on line 7—7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a modified device of Figs. 5-7.

Fig. 9 is a top perspective view of another modified form of filter.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the filter of Fig. 9 in position.

Fig. 11 is a top perspective view of still another modified form of filter.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the filter of Fig. 11 in position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3, the filter 10 constituting the invention has been illustrated applied to a milk carton 11, the body of which has a conventional construction. While cartons of this type vary, a typical carton such as that shown has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and includes a plurality of vertical side walls 12 connected at their upper ends to a horizontal, rectangular, flat, top wall 14 formed in one corner portion with a circular dispensing opening 16.

A cap generally designated 18, per se conventional, is formed from a single piece or blank of waxed paper having a rear end flange 20 connected by a staple 22 to top wall 14 adjacent opening 16. Immediately forwardly of staple 22, cap 18 has a widened body portion 24 in which is formed a central, circular, depressed part 26, the side wall of which tapers slightly in a downward direction, said depressed part seating in opening 16 in the closed position of the cap.

Forwardly of the depressed part, the body portion is formed with a wide lip 28 having a downwardly curving front edge portion 30 projecting beyond the corner 32 of top wall 14 (see Fig. 3) to facilitate raising of the cap from its closed, Fig. 3 position to its open position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The filter or screen device 10 is also formed from a single blank of waxed filter paper, although other materials might possibly be used. It has a rear end flange 34 underlying flange 20, with staple 22 passing through both flanges to connect both the cap and the filter simultaneously to top wall 14. Flange 34 is integral with the circular body 36 of a diameter slightly greater than that of opening 16, whereby the edge portion 38 of said body will overlie the edge portion of opening 16. Edge portion or lip 38 of body 36 is flat and is coplanar with flange 34.

Body 36 has a large-diameter, depressed portion 40, tapering slightly in a downward direction and projecting downwardly within opening 16 so as to provide a frustoconical recess 42 complementing and receiving depressed part 26 of the cap. The cap in its closed position sits snugly in recess 42, as shown in Fig. 3, frictionally engaging the side wall of the recess so as to sealably close a center opening 44, formed in body 36 in the bottom wall of said body.

Center opening 44 in area is equal to almost the full area of the bottom wall 46 of body 36. Underlying the edge portion of center opening 44 is a screen member 48 which can be formed from lightweight, metallic, noncorrosive screen material cut to a circular shape with its edge portion cemented at 50 to the underside of bottom wall 46.

In use, the cap is closed in the regular manner heretofore employed. Further, the cap is opened in a conventional way and in actuality neither the cap nor the carton body is changed in any respect from the wholly conventional construction heretofore used. This, in fact, is an important feature of the invention, permitting a minimum departure from conventional manufacturing purposes and equipment used in making milk cartons.

With cap 18 open, the screened opening 44 is now exposed, for pouring of the contents of the milk carton through the same.

It will be understood that the filter is engaged in opening 16 not only by its stapled connection to the top wall 14, but also by reason of frictional engagement of the side

2,886,084

4 wall of its depressed portion with the edge of opening 16. One could also, if desired, seal by heat, cement, or any other means the edge of body 36 to top wall 14.

In Fig. 4, a modified construction is shown differing from the first form only in that the cap 18“ has in its side 5 wall an outwardly pressed, continuous, circumferential rib 52 engaging in a complementary groove 54 formed in the side wall 40^a of filter 10^a by pressing of the material of said side wall outwardly.

Cap 18^a is thus lockably though releasably engaged 10 with filter 10^a when closed. Nevertheless, in lifting the cap to its open position one causes rib 52 to disengage from filter 10^a, by reason of the slightly flexible material of which the side walls of the cap and filter are formed.

When the cap is lowered to its closed position rib 52 15 snaps into groove 54.

In Figs. 5-8, another modification is shown in which the carton 11 again has the form shown in Fig. 1, including the side walls 12 and flat tpp wall 14 having dispensing opening 16. 20

In this form, the cap and the filter are formed out of a single blank of fibrous stock such as the wax paper or light cardboard used in manufacture of the body of the milk carton.

Said blank is cut and bent to shape in a manner to pro- ²⁵vide both the cap 56 and the filter 58.

An elongated blank is employed, said blank being folded along the transverse line 60 approximately medially between its opposite ends. This defines an end portion 62 and end portion 64 on the blank, used in formation of cap ³⁰56 and filter 58, respectively. End portion 62, adjacent fold line 60, has flange 66 corresponding to flange 20 and overlying flange 68 formed on end portion 64 at the opposite side of line 60.

Forwardly of flange 66 there is defined the body portion ³³70 of the cap having a circular depressed part 72 analogous to depressed part 26. A wide lip 74, analogous to lip 28, is provided at the distaj end of end portion 62.

End portion 64, forwardly of flange 68, has a depressed portion 76, complementary to depressed portion 72. Por- ⁴⁰tion 76 is permanently engaged in opening 16, and has a flat bottom wall 78 provided with a center opening 80 of rectangular shape, as best shown in Fig. 7.

Opening 80 is elongated, in a direction forwardly from flange 68. In the wall of depressed portion 76, at di- ⁴³ametrically opposite locations, circumferentially extending slots 82, 84 are formed adjacent bottom wall 78 (see Fig. 5). A screen member 86, having forwardly convergent side edges 88 to impart a wedge shape thereto, is insertable through slots 82, 84, and when in its fully inserted, ⁶⁰Fig. 7, position will wedge within the slots in a position overlying dispensing opening 80.

The purpose of this mounting of the screen member is to facilitate low cost production, by eliminating cement and the labor involved in effecting a cemented connection ⁵⁵of the screen member to the body of the filter. Further, the use of a single blank for both the cap and the filter further reduces expense in manufacturing. After the cap has been shaped in the manner described, a staple 90 is extended through the flanges 66-68 and through the top ⁶⁰wall 14, so as to maintain the folded condition of the blank, while also connecting both the filter and the cap to the body of the carton. The cap may then be swung upwardly or downwardly along a transverse hinge line 92 paralleling and located immediately in front of staple 90.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, the modified form of filter shown herein comprises a tubular body 95 of heavy waxed filter paper with a bottom wall 96 formed with a central opening 97. A screen 98 of filter paper has its edge secured to the bottom wall by cement or in any other ‘° suitable manner. The tubular body frictionally engages the edge wall of the opening 16 in the top wall 14 of the body 10 of the carton. This form of filter is characterized by opposed tabs or lips 100,100 formed integrally with the top of the tubular body and being adapted to seat on the upper surface of the top wall 14. These tabs can readily be grasped by the fingers of the user for lifting the filter out of the carton.

In Figs. 11 and 12 still another modified form of filter is illustrated. This form differs from the form of Figs. 9 and 10 in that the tubular body 101 is formed of plastic material and has an upper annular peripheral flange 102. The screen 103 is formed of filter paper and seats on the upper surface of the bottom wall 104 of the tpbular body and is secured thereto by cement or the like. The outer surface of the tubular body is preferably formed with screw threads 105 for screwing the body into the opening 16 in the top wall of the carton. When unscrewed, after use, the screen 103 may be readily replaced with a fresh screen.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.