Containers with a tubular member attached to their neck are known, for example, from documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,415, WO 9804474 and EP 1313649. The step of attaching the tubular member to the neck is carried out automatically by capping machines, which apply a force in the direction in which the tubular member is fitted onto the neck, for the former to be stably attached to the latter.
While these technical solutions are suitable for glass container applications, they are found to be inadequate in plastic container applications. In the latter case, the container body is flexible and does not oppose an adequate resistance to the capping load to ensure attachment of the tubular body like in a glass container. For this reason, plastic containers, e.g. made of PET, have a finish arranged on the neck below the mouth. This finish allows the capping machine to grasp the finish using a fork, thereby acting as a resistance element opposing resistance to the capping load.
Alternatively, the thickness of the container walls may be increased to withstand this capping load.
While the finish is useful from a structural point of view, it is certainly detrimental from an aesthetic point of view.
A further attachment system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,531.
The above discussion of the prior art shows that there is still a need for an attachment system for attaching two tubular members that can provide such attachment with a reduced attachment load. Also, there is the need for a liquid container that allows attachment of the tubular member of a closure or a pourer to the neck of the container body with a reduced capping load and hence without using a finish and/or a container with thicker walls.
In view of the above discussed prior art, the object of the present invention is to fulfill the above need, while obviating the prior art drawbacks.