US3471066A

US3471066A - Squeeze bottle and dispensing cap therefor

Info

Publication number: US3471066A
Application number: US696213A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lewis A Micallef
Original assignee: Leeds and Micallef
Current assignee: Leeds and Micallef
Priority date: 1968-01-08
Filing date: 1968-01-08
Publication date: 1969-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1986-10-07

Description

Oct. 7, 1969 L. A. MICALLEF Filed Jan. 8, 1968 SQUEEZE BOTTLE AND DISPENSING CAP THEREFOR .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I". I I I 66 29 Fl G.Z Z0 \'/6 3 '76 /0 /4 32 If? I FIG. 1'

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D c I a I" 54 724% ATTORNEYS United States Patent York Filed Jan. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 696,213 Int. Cl. B67d 3/00 US. Cl. 222-519 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container having a neck defining an opening into the container interior and a one-piece closure therefor which is mounted to the neck and adapted to be shifted from a first position at which the top of the neck sealingly engages portions of the closure so as to completely seal the container interior to a second position at which the contents of the container may be conveniently removed through a defined passageway extending through the closure. The closure includes a top portion adapted to cover the container opening and to cooperate with the neck in sealing the container, a first apron depending from the top portion and adapted to sealingly engage the exterior surfaces of the neck, a second apron depending from the top and adapted to sealingly engage the interior surfaces of the neck, passageway defining surfaces extending through the first and second aprons to the closure exterior, and means to limit the displacement of the closure along the container neck between the first and second positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain liquid products, particularly cosmetic liquids are often merchandised in containers provided with dispensers adapted to dispense small quantities. These dispensers may be activated in several ways and include the familiar squeeze bottles and aerosol or spray cans. One common type of dispenser container incorporates a closure adapted to seal a relatively large opening into the container interior and having a mall opening or pouring spout extending through which small amounts of the containers contents may conveniently be removed. Such containers may readily and easily be filled by the merchandiser through the large opening and may conveniently be emptied by the ultimate consumer through the pouring spout with a minimum of waste due to spillage.

In the design of closures of the type described above, several criteria must be observed. First of all, there must be adequate sealing between the closure and container walls to prevent the product from leaking out and also to prevent the aerosol or air from bleeding past the closure and thereby preventing the dispenser from properly operating. In addition, there should be means provided for sealing the pour spout when the container is not in use so that the containers contents will be protected from outside contamination.

Heretofore, such closures were formed of several parts and, as a result were relatively expensive to manufacture and purchase. Thus, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container and a one-piece integral closure therefor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, this and other objects and advantages are obtained by providing a container of the type having a protruding threaded neck defining an opening into the container interior with a threaded closure. The closure is mounted and secured to the neck in a fashion that permits it to be shifted from a. first position at which the top of the neck snugly seats ice against the underside of the closure top to a second position wherein some clearance is maintained between the underside of the closure top and the top of the neck. The closure includes two cylindrical aprons depending from the underside of the top. The outer apron forms the outside wall of the closure and is adapted to sealingly engage the outer surfaces of the neck. The inner apron is concentric with the outside wall and is adapted to sealingly engage the inner surface of the neck. Both aprons have aligned openings therein positioned close to the closure top that form a passageway through the closure connecting its internal cavity with the outside. Thus, when the closure is on the container in the first position, the neck of the container is in position to seal the passageway through the closure. However, when when the closure is unseated and displaced along the neck to the second position, the container contents may flow past the clearance between the neck and underside of the closure top and through the closure by means of the openings in the aprons to the outside. Thus, when the closure is in the second position, part or all of the containers contents may be emptied through the relatively small opening in the closure side wall.

The present invention further contemplates the use of limiting means in the form of an inwardly directed projection on the inner surface of the closure side wall and an outwardly directed projection on the outer surface of the container neck which cooperate to limit the displacement of the closure between the first and second positions. In this regard, the closure projection is caused to override the neck projection when the container is initially closed and the placement and dimensions of the projections are such as to cause interference between the two when the closure is displaced along the neck a predetermined distance, thereby preventing further displacement. In this manner, the displacement of the closure is conveniently limited to the first and second positions and, unless an extreme force is applied tothe closure, the user of the container is prevented from completely removing the closure from the container, may only remove the containers contents through the pour spout and may only do this when the closure is properly positioned on the neck.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a container and closure in accordance with the present invention, the first and second positions that the closure may assume are depicted in solid and broken lines respectively;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational sectional view depicting the closure seated on the neck in a completely sealing position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 which depicts the closure after it has been shifted to an operative position wherein the containers contents may be emptied through the closure passageway;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational sectional fragmentary exploded view of the container and closure of the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the closure of FIGURE 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1 wherein a container 10 and a closure 12 produced in accordance with the present invention are depicted. The container described in this preferred embodiment is of the squeeze bottle type and hence is formed of an elastomeric, easily deformable material such as rubber or plastic. The top 14 of the container is provided with a neck 16 extending away from the container body and defining an opening into the container interior. The neck 16 is an elongated substantially cylindrical member having a thread 18 and first and second

circumferential projections

20 and 22 disposed about its outer surface. Projection 20 is positioned above thread 18 and its outer edge 24 extends beyond the inner surface of the neck a distance less than the crest of thread 18. Projection 22 is positioned below thread 18 and its outer edge 24 extends somewhat beyond the crest of thread 18. The container may be produced in accordance with any of many wellknown molding techniques.

Reference is now made to the closure 12 which is depicted separately in FIGURE 4 and in combination with the container in FIGURES 2 and 3. In the former, the closure is depicted in the closed position while in the latter, the closure is depicted in the open position. Closure 12 includes a top portion 26 adapted to seat over the opening defined by the container neck 16 and to entirely cover the same. A first cylindrical sleeve or apron 28 depends downwardly from the top portion 26 and forms the outside wall of the closure. In the depicted embodiment the outer surface 29 of the closure tapers downwardly and inwardly for esthetic appeal and the inner surfaces 30 of the apron 28 includes a lower portion of increased internal diameter 32 and an upper portion of reduced internal diameter 34. The upper and lower portions are separated by the circumferential shoulder 36. A thread 38, complementary to and adapted to engage thread 18 of the container, is disposed about the internal surfaces of the upper portion 34 of the closure. Of course, other means for releasably retaining the closure on the neck of the bottle may be employed. The internal diameter of the upper portion 34 is such as to interfere slightly but sufficiently to form a seal with a top projection 20 disposed about neck 16 when the closure is positioned on the container. This relationship is most clearly seen in FIGURES 2 and 3.

An inwardly directed projection 40 circumscribes the lower portion of closure 12. The forward edge 42 of projection 40 extends beyond the outer edge of projection 22 on the container and the two projections jointly serve to limit the displacement of the closure along the neck by interfering with each other. Thus, once the projection 40 on the closure is initially caused to override projection 22 on the neck, the displacement of the closure will be limited to a position intermediate the extreme positions depicted in FIGURES 2 and 3. In this regard, it should be apparent that either the closure or container or both must be sufliciently flexible and deformable to permit such overriding to occur when an extreme torque is applied to the closure, however, at the same time it must be sufiiciently rigid to prevent such overriding during normal usage. In FIG- URE 2, the closure is prevented from proceeding further along the neck in a downwardly direction by the interaction between the top of the neck 44 and the underside 46 of the closure top 26. The other extreme is depicted in FIGURE 3 wherein the closure is prevented from further movement in an upwardly direction by the interaction of

projections

22 and 40 on the container and closure respectively.

An inner cylindrical apron 48 concentric with and radially spaced apart from apron 28 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the container neck 16 also depends downwardly from the underside 46 of closure top 26. The base of apron 48 includes an outwardly directed projection 50 adapted to substantially abut against the inner surface 52 of neck 16 thereby sealing the containers contents.

Aligned bores 54 and 56 are provided passing through the uppermost portions of the outer apron 28 and inner apron 48 and cooperate in forming a passageway 60 connecting the closures interior cavity with the outside and through which the contents of the container may conveniently be removed in a manner to be described forthwith.

. 4 In this regard, a pouring spout 58 is provided in th form of a hollow tube which protrudes from the outside wall of the closure and is designed to direct the flow of products removed from the container. The bore of the hollow tube 58 is aligned with the

openings

54 and 56 passing through the

closure aprons

28 and 48.

A third apron 62 concentric with

aprons

28 and 48 also depends downwardly from the underside 46 of the closure 26. Apron 62 is designed to support and secure a dip tube 64 in the container 10 in the event that the product contained within the container requires such a tube. Such would be the case, for example, wherever it is undesirable to have the consumer invert the container or where the contents of the container are adapted to be pressurized or maintained under pressure. The internal diameter of apron 62 is substantially equal to the outside diameter of dip tube 64 so that frictional forces will'secure the tube within the apron. An inwardly directed projection 66, the forward edge of which substantially corresponds to the inner surface of the dip tube is provided on the inner face of apron 62 at a level corresponding to the lower surface defining passageway 60. Projection 66 serves to prevent the tube from accidentally slipping into the passageway and thereby blocking the same and preventing the dispensing of the containers contents.

In use, after the container is initially filled, the closure may be placed in position to completely seal the containers contents by screwing the same down to the position depicted in FIGURE 2. It should be noted that when the closure is in this position the top of neck 44 will seat against the underside 46 of the cover portion of the closure at the same time that the upper portion of the neck 16 blocks the passageway 60 extending through the closure, thereby completely sealing the container. When the consumer desires to dispense some quantity of the containers contents, all that is required is to shift the closure to the position depicted in FIGURE 3. This may easily be done by unscrewing the closure until

projections

40 and 22 on the closure and neck engage one another thereby preventing further normal unscrewing. This will cause the neck to unseat from the underside of the closure and at the same time will free passageway 60 so that the containers contents may be removed such as by squeezing the squeeze bottle of the preferred embodiment. In this regard, it will readily be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the seal provided by projection or lip 50 will prevent air from bleeding past the closure to hamper dispensing of the contents. Seal 20 on the other hand will prevent leakage of the containers contents downwardly between the closure and container neck over the extension of the container and/or the consumers hands. It will also be readily appreciated that by making the relative displacement between

projections

40 and 22 on the closure and cap respectively, a distance apart at least as great as the vertical dimension of the passageway 60, the user of the container will be insured an unobstructed passageway when the closure is shifted to the position of FIGURE 3.

I claim:

1. In combination a container having a cylindrical neck extending from the container and defining an opening into the container interior and a one-piece closure adapted to be mounted and secured to said neck and to be shifted along said neck from a first position at which the top of said neck sealingly engages portions of said closure so as to completely seal the container interior to a second position at which the contents of the container may be removed through a defined passageway extending through said closure; said closure including a top portion adapted to cover said container opening; a first outer apron depending from said top portion and adapted to engage the exterior surfaces of said container neck and cooperate therewith in defining a seal between the interior of the outer apron and the exterior surfaces of the neck; a second inner apron concentric with said first apron and having portions thereon adapted to sealingly engage the inner surfaces of said neck; sealing means on the second apron for providing a seal between the second apron and the inner surfaces of the neck and means adapted to limit the longitudinal displacement of said closure along said neck between said first and second positions; said outer and inner aprons include surfaces thereon defining said passageway from the container exterior to the container interior; said closure further comprising a dip tube socket integrally molded thereon and adapted to secure a tube in position to extend into the container interior when said closure is affixed to said container, said socket comprising a third apron depending from said closure concentric with and internally of said second apron and having surfaces thereon defining an opening in communication with the passageway through the closure; and said closure further comprising a hollow protuberance extending outwardly from the exterior surface of said outer apron, the bore of said protuberance being in communication with the passageway through said closure whereby to form a pour spout through which the contents of the container may be removed.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the exterior surface of said container neck and the interior surface of said closure outer apron includes mating threads disposed upon portions thereof, and said limiting means includes an inwardly directed projection on said closure outer apron adapted to interferingly engage an outwardly directed projection on said neck exterior, said projections being relatively disposed upon said closure and neck so as to prevent further disengagement of said closure from said container after said closure has been displaced along said neck a distance substantially equal to the longitudinal dimension of the passageway defining surfaces.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the inner apron includes an outward- 1y directed circumferential projection thereon defining said sealing means, the outer edge of said projection being adapted to sealingly engage the inner surface of said container neck.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the container neck includes an outward- 1y directed circumferential projection thereon defining the seal, the outer edge of said projection being adapted to sealingly engage the inner surface of said closure outer apron whereby to prevent the bleeding of the containers contents between said neck and outer apron.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said socket further comprises inwardly projecting stop means disposed upon the inner surface of said third apron below said opening defining surfaces, whereby the dip tube which is to be secured in said socket is prevented from extending beyond the passageway and thereby blocking access to the same.

6. A closure for use with a container having a cylindrical neck extending from the container and defining an opening into the container interior and adapted to be shifted along said neck from a first position at which the top of said neck sealingly engages portions of said closure so as to completely seal the container interior to a second position at which the contents of the container may be removed through a defined passageway extending through said closure including: a top portion adapted to cover said container opening; a first outer apron depending from said top portion and adapted to engage the exterior surfaces of said container neck and cooperate therewith and defining a seal between the interior of the outer apron and the exterior surfaces of the neck; a second inner apron concentric with said first apron and having portions thereon adapted to sealingly engage the inner surfaces of said container neck; sealingly means on the second apron for providing a seal between the second apron and the inner surfaces of said neck; means to limit the longitudinal displacement of said closure along said neck between said first and second positions; and said outer and inner aprons include surfaces thereon defining said passageway extending through said closure; said closure further comprising a dip tube socket integrally molded thereon and adapted to secure a tube in position to extend into the container interior when said closure is afiixed to said container, said socket comprising a third apron depending from said closure concentric with and internally of said second apron and having surfaces thereon defining an opening in communication with the passageway through the closure; and said closure further comprising a hollow protuberance extending outwardly from the exterior surface of said outer apron, the bore of said protuberance being in communication with the passageway through said closure whereby to form a pour spout through which the contents of the container may be removed.

7. The closure as described in claim 6 wherein the interior surface of said closure outer apron includes threads disposed upon portions thereof adapted to engage mating threads disposed upon portions of said container neck and said limiting means includes an inwardly directed projection on said closure outer apron adapted to interferingly engage an outwardly directed projection on the neck exterior, said projections being relatively disposed upon said closure and neck so as to prevent further disengagement of said closure from said container after said closure has been displaced along said neck a distance substantially equal to the longitudinal dimension of the passageway defining surfaces extending through said closure.

8. The closure as defined in claim 6 wherein the outer surface of the inner apron includes an outwardly directed circumferential projection thereon defining the sealing means, the outer edge of said projection being adapted to sealingly engage the inner surface of said container neck.

9. The closure as defined in claim 6 wherein said socket further comprises inwardly projecting stop means disposed upon the inner surface of said third apron below said opening defining surfaces and adapted to prevent the dip tube which is to be supported in said socket from extending beyond the opening and thereby blocking access to the passageway extending through the closure to the containers contents.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,819 9/ 1936 Georger 2225 19 3,255,934 6/ 1966 Leonard 222211 3,261,513 7/1966 Moran 2225 19 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner