CA1104096A - Dispensing closure utilizing a seal supported by a spring washer - Google Patents

Abstract

TITLE: DISPENSING CLOSURE UTILIZING A SEALING ELEMENT
SUPPORTED BY A WASHER SPRING

ABSTRACT

The term "dispensing closure" designates closures which are constructed so as to utilize a spout movably mounted on a cap or related structure so as to be capable of being moved between an open position in which a passage through the spout is aligned with an opening through a cap and a closed position in which a portion of the spout closes off this opening. Such a dispensing closure can be improved by constructing the cap so that the portion of the cap immediately around the opening is shaped as a washer spring and by constructing both the cap and the spout so that this spring resiliently biases a sealing surface against the spout.

Description

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TITLE: VISPBI~ISING CLOSU~E UrILIZING A SEALING ELEMEI~T
SUPPORTI~D I~Y A WASilER SPRING

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invcntion set forth in this sp~cification relates to new and improved ~ispensing closures. More specifically, it relatcs to tl~e constructioll of such closures so as to minimize the chances of such clasures lea};ing.

At the present time the term "disl~ensing closures" is commollly used ~o designata closures which 1~ are collstructed so as to include a caL~ or a part of a container in effect serving as a cap, an~ a spout movably maullted upon such a cap or related part so as to be capablo of beinr, moved between open and clos~ positions. In SUCII
a closed position a portion oE the SpOII~ normally re~erred

2~ to as ~ ase of the spout fits with respect to the openiJ~ so tllat ~h~ opening is seale~ off a~ains~ lea~a~e.
In such an opell position a passage throu~h the s!30ut is aligne~ ~ith the opening.

~; 25 Such ~ispensill~ closures are commonly manufac-turc~ in signi~icallt quantities using ~arts orme~ oÇ
various polyolefill poly~ers such .IS v~rious injectio mol~a~lc gra~s of polyethylelle 9 poly~ropylelle or ou~ of various polymers tllat are closely rclate~ to thcse.
O specific ~olymers. ~ispensing closurcs mal~ufac~ured out of such materials ~re normally constructed so as to ~ utilize a scaling elc~ellt or sealillg means located aroulld :~ the cap or ca~ e part o such a closure iTI or~er to prcvellt or millimize lea~age ~etwcen the spout an~ such a cap or ca~-like part. Sillce vir~ually the advent o r~

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~ispensin~ closures formed of m~terlals as notcd such leaka~e has been a significant ~roblcm to the indust~y~
It wo~lld bc possible to encumber this specific.a~ion with a prolon~ed, detaile~ ~iscussion as to various different specific st~uctures which haYe bcen developc~ at ~arious times and which nave been effective to an increasin~ly greatcr degree in combatting lea~3ge between a cap and a spout in a (1ispensing closlJrc.

This problem of lea~age in dispensin~ closures using ~arts manufactured from polyolefins and relate~
r~aterials is considere~l to be comparati~ely complex an~l ~o have many ~if-ferent facets. It is now cons;dere~ to be well established that ~iffercnt types of flulds have different propensities to~ards lea~age in such closures.
Such lea~age ;s most commonly miniml~ed by holdin~ the spout in a dispensin~ closure against a somewhat resilient, flexi~le sealin~ rin~ locate~ aroun~ the openin~ throu~h the cap o~ such a closure with sufficient force sv that such force in combin~tion ~ith tlle inherent flexibility o~ thc sealing rin~ will for~ an effective seal against leaka~c o~ most fluids.
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The f~ct that seals as describe~ in a general manner in the preceding ~iscussion arc reasonably e~fec-: tive in dispensin~ closures is amply evidcnced by tlle `~ fact that millions of such closures arc mallufacturcd and utilized every month on a wide variety of di~ersc products.
owever, i~ is considered that there still exists a need . 33 for improrement in the construction of dispensing closures ;~ so as to further reduce or minimize the possibility of such closures leakin~. It is considered that this need is especially important in connection with the use of dispcns-~: ing closures with various flui~s which for one reason or :~ 35 another at times leak past the sealing structures as they ~:
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- - , :~ , are emr)loye~l ln presently ex~ sting dlspens~n~ closures .

SU~1ARY C~F THE INVENTION

A broad object of the Fresent in~ention is to provide new and improved dispensin~ closures. A re1ated ob~ ect of the inveI~t~on is to provicle disr~ensing closures whic11 are constructe~l so as to ~inimize the chances o~
such closures leakirl~. Further ob jectives of the invention are to provide ~lispensing closures as no~e(l which can bc easily ~n~ conveniently manufacture(l at a com}~aratively non~in~l cost which is subst~ntially the s~me as the cost o~ manufacturing various known and commonly utili~e-l clispens in~ closures . A further ob~ective of the invention ~ 15 is to provide dispensin~ closures as note~ which are : especially signi~icant in that they can be satisfactorily manufactured usinp~ parts o~ various polymers such as polypropylene which are of somcwh~t limited flexibility.

:~ ~0 In accordancc with this invention a disp~nsing ~ closure l~avin~ a cap is provided with an opening lcading ~ ;
;-~ throu~h the cap between the intorior and the exterior of the cap, a sealing ~cans ~or formillg a seal with a spout located on the exterior of the c~p aroun(l and a~acent to the openin~ and mounting means :Eor holdin~ a s~out so that it can be mo~e~ relative to the cap, thc dispensing closure also havin~ a spout provide~l witl~ a basc an~ a passage extending through the spout from the base, the spout being hel~ by the mountin~ means so as to bc mo~able ~:~ 30 betwecn a closed pOsitioll in which the sealing m~ans en~a~jcs the base and seals off the opening and an open ~osition in which the opcnill~ ls aligncd with the p~ssage an~ in whicll the sealin~ ~eans en~aFcs tlle base aroun~
the passape in which tlle improvement co~prises: the cap inclu~in~ a resilient~ spFin~-like ~ember supportillg the . . .

sealing means and extending outwardly therefro~ so as to have a periphery spaced from the sealing ~eans) ~hc perip}lery bcing attaclle(l to and sup~orted by the remainder o~ ~he capt ~he sprin~-like member hol(ling the sealin~
means resiliently against the base of the spout at all times during the movement of the spout between the open and closed posi~ion an~ when the spout is in these ~os ie ions.

ln B~IEF ~ESCRIPTION ~F THE DRAWIN~

The inYention is best more fully explained with re~erence to the accompanying drawin~ in which:
Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevational view, lS partially in section, of a presently preferre-l embodi-~ent or form o~ a dispensin~ closure in accordance with this invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view ta~en at line 2^2 o~ Fi~. l;
~:: 20 Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a p~rt of ~he cap employed in the closure illustra~ed in ;~: the precedin~ fi~ures, this fi~ure corres~ondin~ to a cross-sectional view t~ken at line 3-3 o~ Fig. 2 with thc s~out removed; and -~ 25 Fîg. 4 is an isometric view of the spout employed il~ the closure illustrated in Fig~. 1 and 2;
F~e. 5 is a view corresponding to Fl~. 3 o a cap or a c~ part of a mo~lified form of ~ dispensing - closllre in accord~nce with this invention; an~l Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the s~ou~ employed with the cap or cap p~rt illustrated in Fig. 5.

It is believed that it will be realized from the ~rec~ing discussion ~h~ ~he invention set forth in this specification involves certain structural concepts.

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These ar~ set forth and dc~ined in the appended claims.
They are also utilized in ~he ~recise structure illus-trated in th~ drawin~. Those skillod in the art o~
desi~ni.n~ dispensin~ closures will realize that these concepts can be utillzed in other somewhat di~ferently constructe~ and/or somewhat differently appearin~ ~ispens~
ing closures throu~h the use or exercise of routine engineering skill in the disp~nsing closure field.

DETAILED V~SCRIPTION

In the drawing there is shown a dispensin~
closure 10 which is cons~ructed so as ~o utilize a cap or cap ~art 12 and a spout 14. Bo~h this cap 12 and the spout 14 may be conveniently ormed by ~nown injection molding techniques ol~ o various iniection moldabl~
~ra~les of polyethylene, polypropylene and various other poly~ers which Are similar to such ~olymers in physical :~ characteristicsO It is considered particularly si~nifi-0 can~ that ~he cap 12 employed in the closure 10 may be ~ r conveniently formed out of a polymer such as polypropylene . whic11 is relatively "~ icult" to utilize in a convention-- al or known tyre of (lispensin~ closure because such a ~olymer is not as resilient and flexible as non-linear ~olyethylene. If dcsired, the cap 12 may be forme(l ~: inte~rally with or as a part of a container ~not shown) such ns a tube.
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The particular cap 12 employed is of a ty~e

3~ commonly utilizcd on a threaded bottle neck ~not shown).
This cap 12 inclu~es a top 16 which is inte~ral with a periphcral skirt 18 provi~e~ wi~h internal threads 20.
A conventional sealin~ flan~e 22 may de~en~ from the remainder of the cap lZ i~e~iately above the thrca~s 2~. The particular cap 12 em~loyed also has an intern~l : ~.

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elon~ated caYity or slo~ 24 havin~ an enlarged end 26.
Known typt~ "pop in" be~ring openings 28 are provided in the top li; so as to o~en into the. enlar~ed end 26. These bearin~ o~lenin~s 28 have ali~ned axes ~not shown) and are pro~ided l~ith tapered, slot-type entrances 30 so that S ali~ne~ trunnions 32 on the base 34 of the spout 14 may be forced downwardly into and throu~h ~hese entrances 30 so as to be "popped" in place in the bearin~ openin~s 28.
Preferabl~r both the trunnions 3Z and the bearin~ openlngs 28 are sh~ed as ~rustrums of right circular cones for reasons which are unrelated ~o the present invention.
; It is considered obvious that other known types of struc-tures can be utiliied in rotatably mountln~ the spout 14 llT)on the cap 12.

~Yhen ~he spout 14 is rotatably mounted upon ~ tlle cap 12 the basc 34 fits within the end 26. The ; remainder of the SpOllt 14 exten~s within the len~th of - the cavity 24 when the spout 14 is in a close~ position ~ as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. In such a closed position a passa~e 36 extend~np completely through : the hase 34 an~l the remainder of the spout 14 extends r substantially horizontally and is spaced from an openîn~
38 leadin~ from the interior (not spearately numbered) to the exterior (not scp~rately numl)erecl) o~ the cap 12.
In tllis connection it is noted thnt the interior of the end 26 and:the cavity 24 is regardc~l as for~in~ a part of the exterior of the cap 12. In an o~en ~osition of the spout 12 it e~ends vcrtically so that the passage 36 is aligned with tlle openin~ 380 ; 30 In a conven~ional d~spensing closure an opening : correspondin~ ~o the opening 3~ is located in a compara-- tively ri~id wall which is not inten~ed to flex or move any noticeable or ap~reciable ex~ent as such a closure -~' 35 is assemble~ or use(l. The present inventîon re~uires .; ~,. . .. .

that the opening 38 be located eentrally of a resilient washer sprln~ 40 havin~ a periphery 42 which is att~ched to and for~s a part of the to~ 1~ of the c~ 12. This ~eriphery 42 is supporte~ by the top 16 in the closure 1~ so that it is substantially incapable o~ movement during the assembly ~nd u~e of the closure 10.

This washer spring 40 is sufficlently thin so as to be capable of flexin~ during such assembly and use of the closure 10 and is o suc~l dimensions that a seal-ing surface 44 on the spring 40 extendin~ imme~i~tely arountl and ad~acent t~ the opening 38 resiliently bears against the base 34 at all times aftcr the closure 10 is assembled. ~lthou~h the sealin~ surface 44 may merely lS be a surface of the spring 40 definin~ the o~ening 38, : it is preferred that this sealin~ surface 44 form a part of a sli~h~ enlargement 46 in th~ nature of an annular tead or ring exten~linQ around the opening 38. If desircd the sealin~ sur~ace 44 or SUCtl an enlar~ement 46 may be . ~ ~n re~errcd to as a sealin~ eleme~t or sealing~ maans.
, -, , ~` : When such an enl~rgemcnt 46 is use~ it is possible to vary the cross-sectional configuration of such an enlarRe~ent to a consi~erable extent. Thus, the enlargement 46 can ~e shape~ so as to have an exposed surface resemblin~ t1~e cross-sectional configuration of a common, elastomeric "O" ring as shown. ~uch an enlarge-ment 46 may also be constrllcted so as to have an u~w~rdly exten~lng V-shaped cross^sectional configuration corres-~0 ~on~ing to the configuration of flexible sealing rin~s which are commonly utilized in many known dispensing closures in order to tend to ~lex to a degree in forming a seal wit1l the base 34 of the spout 14.

In the particular closur~ lQ illustrated this . .

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- ~-~se 34 ls cons~ructed so as to hav~ a spherlcal confl~ura-~ion as i.llustrated in Fi~. 4 of the drawing. When ~hc . hase 34 is constructcd in this manner it i5 p~efcrre~ to locatc tk~e sealing sur~ace 44 so that lt extends essen-S tially i~! a flat pl~ne ~not se~arately identified) as will be appar~nt from Fig. 3 of the dra~ing so ~s ~o obtain a subs~antially uniform sealin~ pressure along the length of the surface 44.

In Fi~. 5 of the drawing there i~ shown a cap or cap part 112 of a modified dispensing closure in accordanee with this in~ention. In Fig. 6 there is shown a spout 114 which is utilized with the cap or cap part 112 in such a.modificd dispensing closure. Because such a~modified dis~ensing closure is closely related to the previously described dispensin~ closure 10 it is not considered necessary to illustrate the cap part 112 and the spout 114 assemble~ toge tller so as to form a complete modifiecl dispensln~ clos~lre. Because of ~he close 2n relationship of the cap 112 and the spout 114 with the ;-: ca~ part 12 ancl the spout 14 t~reviously described~all features or aspects of the cap part 112 an~ ~he spout are not sep~rately ~escribed herein. Instead, as an ~ aid to brevity those parts o~ the cap part 112 and the : 25 spout 114 are designate~ in the remainder o~ thls speci-fic~tion and in the drawing by the numerals previously utilized to designate such parts preceded by the numeral "1" .

3n ~rom a ~tudy of Figs. 5 and 6 of ~he drswing :l it will be apparent ~hat ~he cap part 112 dlffers from the cap part 12 in one essential re~ard: the resilient w~sher sprin~ 140 differs ~rom the washer sprin~ 40 in : that it is not sh~ped exactly ~s a uniform surface of ~5 revolution. Instead the spring 140 can be referred to ... .
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as havin~ a modified or somewhat dlstorte~1 conca~o-convex configuration or conical shape such ~hat the sealing surface 144 extendin~ imme~iately aroun~ an~
ad~accnt to the opening 138 is shaped so as to lie in a cylindrical plane (not illustrate~), This openlng 138 is substantially rectangular. Tlle base 134 of thc spout 114 is corres~ondingly mo-lifie~ so as to have a cylindri^
cal shape such that when tllC s~out 114 is assemble~ on the cap part 112 this base 1~4 will bear against the sealin~ sur~ace 144 at all points along the len~th of this surface 144 in the manner indicated in the preceding ;~`
so as to form a seal a~ainst leaka~e.

Preferably the washer spring 140 is of such sha~e and ~imension as to maintain substantially equal ~ressure between ~he sealing sur~ace 144 an~l the base 134 at all points along the len~th of the surface 144 in or~er to create an effective seal between thc cap part 112 and the spollt 114. This e~ual pressure can be achieved 2Q by minor vari~tion in the physical shape of the washer spring L-10 while maintaining a uni~orm wall thickness `~ within this washer spring 140 or it can be achievc~ by ~- minor variations in the wa11 thiCklless of this WaSIler sprin~ or by a combina~ion o both of these expedicnts.
It is not necessary that the forces between all portions of the seallng surface 144 and the base 134 be precisely uniform so long as ~he ~orces at all points along thc length of the sealin~ sur~ace 144 exerte~ against the b~se 134 are adequate to maintain a constan~ seal~
The p~rticular washer spring 40 illustrated is essentially shaped as a frustrum o~ a ri~ht circular cona. Sucll a cone is substantially o~ a concavo~convex configuration. ~ s~ring of such a configuration is sometimes referred to as a Belle~lle spring. Various closely related washer springs such as those having a curved concavo-convex configuration may be subst;tuted for the precise washcr s~rin~ 40 illustrated since all o~ such sprin~s are capable of exer~ing a continuous ~lpwardly biasin~ ~orce which will main~ain a seal against the base 34 of the spout 14 at all times when thcrc is contact between a seali~ surface 44 and ~he b~se 34. ~urthcr, all such s~rings are capable of maintaining substantially uniform sealing pressures along the length of a sealing surface such as the surface 44.

In ef~ect, the washer sprin~ 40 is an integral ~art of the cap 12 which servcs to maintain a constan~
or substanti~lly constallt biasing force formin~ a scal against the base 34 o~ thc spout 14. Such an action is :" considered to bo inherently di.~ferent from th~ action achievcd by merely locatin~ a somcwhat flexi~le, (Icform- :
. able sealing ring on an illflexible or relativcly inflexible i ~ortion of a ca~ so that the sealing ring flexes or deforms 2n and ~av or may not cause a minor amount of deformation of a relatively inflexible portion of the cap sup~orting ~- such a sealing rin~.

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Claims (6)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLU-SIVE PROPERTY OF PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A dispensing closure having a cap provided with an opening leading through said cap between the interior and the exterior of said cap, sealing means for forming a seal with a spout located on the exterior of said cap around and adjacent to said opening and mounting means for holding a spout so that it can be moved relative to said cap, said dis-pensing closure also having a spout provided with a base and a passage extending through said spout from said base, said spout being held by said mounting means so as to be movable from a closed position in which said sealing means engages said base so as to seal off said opening and an open posi-tion in which said opening is aligned with said passage and in which said sealing means engages said base around said passage in which the improvement comprises:
said cap including a resilient spring-like member supporting said sealing means and extending outwardly there-from so as to have a periphery spaced from said sealing means, said periphery being attached to and supported by the remainder of said cap, said spring-like member holding said sealing means resiliently against said base of said spout at all times during the movement of said spout between said open and closed positions and when said spout is in said positions, said sealing means comprises a surface located on said spring-like member which is held by said spring-like member so as to resiliently engage said base on said spout, said cap, said spring-like member and said sealing means are integral with one another and are formed of a polymer material selected from the group of polymers consist-ing of injection moldable polyolefin polymers and polymers having the physical properties of injection moldable poly-olefin polymers, said periphery of said spring-like member is attached to and supported by the remainder of said cap so as to be substantially immobile.

2. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said spring-like member is of concavo-convex configuration.

3. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said spring-like member holding said sealing means so that substantially equal pressure is applied to said base completely along the length of said sealing means.

4. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said spring-like member is of concavo-convex con-figuration and said spring-like member holding said sealing means so that substantially equal pressure is applied to said base completely along the length of said sealing means.

5. A dispensing closure as claimed in claims 1 or 4 wherein:
said base has a spherical external configuration, and said sealing means extends in a flat plane around said opening.

6. A dispensing closure as claimed in claims 1 or 4 wherein:
said base has a cylindrical external configuration, and said sealing means extends in a cylindrical plane around said opening and conforms in shape to the shape of said base.