EP0373989B1 - Cap closure for a container provided with pivoting means for dispensing the contents of this container - Google Patents

Abstract

This cap (2) comprises an adaptor (3) consisting of a sleeve (9) which fits onto a bottle (1) and is joined to a head (11) carrying a sealing skirt. On the head (11) a sunk area (15) is formed, delimited by wings (16) and by a base which comprises a forward upper platform (18) provided with a hole (22) for letting the substance out and a rear lower platform (19). The cap also comprises an obturator (4) consisting of a base plate (29) which carries two lateral journals (42) pivoting in seatings (25) let into the wings (16). A step (17) separates the platforms (18,19). The substance is let out towards the front through a channel (43) defined between the platform (18) and the tubular wall (37,29) of the obturator (4). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a closure cap for a container, which is equipped with tilting means for dispensing the substance contained in said container.

The closure caps of this type, which are adapted, for example by screwing, on the neck of bottles containing the substance to be dispensed, are used to enable a dose of said substance to be dispensed according to a relatively fine jet or flow, which would not be the case if the capsule was removed due to the large section of the neck. Such capsules find application for example in the distribution of shampoos.

A capsule of this type is known, which comprises a lateral skirt connected to a bottom in which a central outlet opening is formed, which opens into the base of a hollow zone delimited by two opposite lateral wings, which are perpendicular to the mean plane of said bottom, and which extend from the central region of said bottom comprising the outlet opening to the vicinity of its border. An element traversed by a channel is mounted tilting in this hollow zone, between a closed stopper position where it substantially occupies this hollow zone and where the outlet orifice is closed, and a raised distribution position where the aforementioned channel is in direct communication with the outlet. For this purpose, the tilting element carries lateral pins rotating in housings opening into the wings, in the central region of the bottom. To perform this tilting maneuver, the user must lift a tongue protruding very slightly from the edge of the bottom of the capsule; this maneuver, which must be carried out with the nail, is not always easy. But one of the major drawbacks of this device comes mainly from the fact that the distribution channel is included in the closure element of the capsule. The molding of this element is therefore relatively complicated.

There has also been proposed, in accordance with US-A-3,516,581, a closure cap: according to the preamble of claim 1, the bottom of which has an outlet chimney for the substance to be dispensed, this chimney being located in a hollow area delimited by two opposite wings and extending substantially from one end to the other of the bottom. This recessed area receives a tilting shutter comprising a lower liquid inlet opening bordered by a skirt fitting onto the end of the aforementioned chimney, this opening constituting the inlet of a channel formed in a front part of said shutter , said shutter having the same overall structure as the tilting element of the previous embodiment. The shutter has a rear part constituting a tilting control member, and carrying, for this purpose, two lateral pins rotating in housings made in the two facing wings, which delimit the hollow area of the bottom of the capsule. The tilting control is therefore carried out by pressing the finger on the upper plate of this rear part, which is an advantage compared to the previous embodiment; however, the major drawback of this shutter is the same as above. The embodiment according to US-A-4 645 086 is substantially similar and has the same drawbacks.

The present invention aims to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. To this end, provision is made, according to the invention, for the tilting shutter to be constituted by a element open along its length, said element cooperating with the part fixed on the outlet mouth of the container (or adapter), to define with it, in the open position, an outlet channel for the substance out of the container.

When the tilting shutter is closed, it is positioned on the adapter, which makes the outlet channel disappear. Thus, the outlet channel is no longer to be molded on one of the two parts of the capsule but is formed, in the open position, by cooperation of the adapter and the shutter.

A subject of the present invention is therefore the new industrial product which constitutes a closure cap for a container, adapted to allow the distribution of the substance by an outlet channel without it being necessary to remove it from the container, said capsule comprising an adapter member which comprises a sleeve intended to adapt to the mouth of said container and connected to a bottom on which is formed a hollow zone delimited by a base and by two wings facing each other, an orifice substance outlet being formed in said base, said recessed area receiving a tiltable shutter member from a closed position of said outlet orifice to a dispensing position in which said orifice is released: the outlet channel being in communication with the outlet orifice, characterized in that said obturator member comprises a tubular wall having an opening facing the bottom: and of the channel outlet, said bottom comprising means complementary to said tubular wall to delimit with it the outlet channel of the substance in the dispensing position of said shutter member, and to adapt to said tubular wall in the closed position of the shutter member by making the output channel disappear.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base of the recessed area is formed by two plates separated by a recess, namely an upper front plate, in which the outlet opening for the substance is made and a rear lower plate, the shutter member being constituted by a base plate, said shutter member comprising on the one hand, a front part with means for closing the orifice of said adapter member, as well as the tubular wall intended to constitute the outlet channel for the substance, and, on the other hand, a rear part constituting the operating flap of said tilting shutter member and carrying laterally articulation means arranged along a transverse axis, articulation means which cooperate with complementary parts carried by said adapter member.

The recess can be perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of said recessed area while the shutter member carries a lower transverse tongue having a rounded edge to cooperate with said recess, said tongue sharing said shutter member between the front part and the part back.

In particular, the front part of the shutter member comprises, on either side of the base plate, advantageously two lateral wings capable of each entering a lateral groove formed between one of the wings and the upper front plate, the two wings defining with the base plate of the front part, the tubular wall, which partially delimits the outlet channel in the distribution position of the obturating member, the two wings being positioned completely in the lateral grooves in the position d shutter of the shutter member, to allow the support of the base plate on the upper front plate, but being only partially extracted from said grooves in the dispensing position of the member shutter.

Likewise, provision can be made for the rear part of the shutter member to carry, on each side, a pin intended to be received in a cylindrical housing opening into each wing in line with the rear plate, in order to constitute the articulation means. said shutter member. Each of these housings can open in the upper wall of the bottom so as to have, seen in elevation, the shape of an omega. This arrangement facilitates the installation of the shutter member during assembly.

In accordance with particular embodiments of the closure cap according to the invention, the two wings are arranged in planes substantially parallel to the axis of the sleeve, said planes converging towards each other in the direction of the front plate. of said capsule; the bottom comprises, inside the sleeve, a sealing skirt penetrating into the outlet mouth of the container; the sleeve has internal bulges arranged on an annular zone in the vicinity of its lower edge, and constituting means for latching of the adapter member under an annular rod carried by the container, said sleeve also comprising radial fins for positioning said member adapter on the end of said container; finally, the bottom externally wears an external covering skirt, which surrounds the sleeve.

According to one of the embodiments, the orifice of the adapter member is bordered externally by a chimney and the means for closing said orifice are then constituted by a groove which is formed in that of the faces of the base plate of the front part of the shutter member which faces the front plate, said groove sealingly receiving the free edge of the chimney in the closed position of the shutter member.

According to another embodiment, the orifice of the adapter member opens onto the bottom of a substantially cylindrical cavity hollowed out perpendicularly in the upper front plate.

According to a first possibility, the cavity admits a director having a substantially rectangular shape whose lengths are substantially parallel to the bisector plane of the two lateral grooves and are arranged symmetrically with respect to this plane; the widths of the substantially rectangular director of the cavity are delimited by two arcs of a circle, the arc of a circle at the front of the plate being positioned tangentially to the wall in an arc of a circle constituting the edge of the covering hood, l 'arc of circle at the rear of the plate coming to bear tangentially on a line connecting the rear walls of the lateral grooves; the means for closing off the cavity is a fin, the base of which is a closed curve, said fin being formed on that of the faces of the plate of the front part of the shutter member which faces the front plate and conforms to closing position the shape of the walls of the cavity, over the entire depth of the said cavity along the lengths and of the rear arc, and only over a small depth along the front arc, so that, in the open position, the front part of the fin reveals an empty frame.

According to another possibility, the substantially cylindrical cavity has a circular section and the means for closing this cavity is formed by a cylindrical sleeve, provided projecting downwards under the front part of the obturator member, this sleeve being suitable for sealingly engage in the cylindrical cavity, and comprising, towards the front, a window in its cylindrical wall for the passage of the product.

The wall of the cavity is advantageously tangent to the front end of the adapter member while the window opens out practically at the front edge of said obturator member, outside, in the radial direction, of the mouth of the container. The outlet for the substance, provided in the bottom of the cavity, is located in the rear part of this cavity, radially inside the mouth of the container. The window preferably has a substantially rectangular shape and the assembly is such that in the position of distribution of the shutter member, a border situated below the window remains engaged, at least in part, in the cavity.

The present invention also relates to a container closed by the closure cap as it has just been defined.

To better understand the object of the invention, a description will now be given, by way of purely illustrative and nonlimiting example, of embodiments represented in the appended drawings:

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective de l'adapteur qui constitue l'un des deux organes de la capsule de bouchage et de distribution selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe axiale de la partie supérieure d'un flacon équipé de la capsule de la figure 1 munie de son obturateur en position d'obturation, la coupe étant effectuée dans le plan de symétrie II-II dudit adaptateur ;
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 2, montrant la capsule dans sa position de distribution ;
• la figure 4 est une vue partiellement en coupe et partiellement en élévation, selon IV-IV de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe axiale de l'adaptateur seul dans le même plan que la figure 2, selon V-V de la figure 7 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue selon VI-VI de la figure 5, dont la partie inférieure est montrée en élévation, et la partie supérieure, en coupe ;
• la figure 7 est une vue selon VII-VII de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 8 est une vue de dessous de l'obturateur seul, selon VIII-VIII de la figure 10 ;
• la figure 9 est une vue en coupe selon IX-IX de la figure 8 ; et
• la figure 10 est une vue en élévation selon X-X de la figure 8 ;
• la figure 11 est une vue en perspective éclatée de l'adaptateur et de l'obturateur en position d'ouverture selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 12 est une coupe axiale de la partie supérieure d'un flacon équipé de la capsule de la figure 11 munie de son obturateur en position ouverte, la coupe étant effectuée dans le plan de symétrie XII-XII dudit adaptateur ;
• la figure 13 est une coupe verticale axiale de la partie supérieure d'un flacon équipé d'une capsule de bouchage, dans sa position de distribution, conforme à un troisième mode de réalisation ;
• la figure 14 est une vue de dessus de l'organe adaptateur de la capsule de la figure 13, l'organe obturateur étant retiré ;
• la figure 15 est une vue de dessous de l'organe obturateur de la figure 13 ;
• la figure 16, enfin, est une coupe suivant la ligne XVI-XVI de la figure 15.

In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the adapter which constitutes one of the two members of the closure and dispensing capsule according to a first embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the upper part of a bottle equipped with the capsule of Figure 1 provided with its shutter in the closed position, the cut being made in the plane of symmetry II-II of said adapter;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the capsule in its position distribution;
• Figure 4 is a view partially in section and partially in elevation, according to IV-IV of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is an axial sectional view of the adapter alone in the same plane as Figure 2, along VV of Figure 7;
• Figure 6 is a view along VI-VI of Figure 5, the lower part is shown in elevation, and the upper part, in section;
• Figure 7 is a view along VII-VII of Figure 5;
• Figure 8 is a bottom view of the shutter alone, according to VIII-VIII of Figure 10;
• Figure 9 is a sectional view along IX-IX of Figure 8; and
• Figure 10 is an elevational view along XX of Figure 8;
• Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter and the shutter in the open position according to a second embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 12 is an axial section of the upper part of a bottle equipped with the capsule of Figure 11 provided with its shutter in the open position, the cut being made in the plane of symmetry XII-XII of said adapter;
• Figure 13 is an axial vertical section of the upper part of a bottle equipped with a closure cap, in its dispensing position, according to a third embodiment;
• Figure 14 is a top view of the adapter member of the capsule of Figure 13, the shutter member being removed;
• Figure 15 is a bottom view of the shutter member of Figure 13;
• FIG. 16, finally, is a section along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15.

Referring to Figures 1 to 10 showing a first embodiment, it can be seen that there has been designated by 1 a bottle or container equipped with a dispensing cap 2 according to the present invention; this capsule is produced in two parts, namely an adapter 3 constituting a part which is fixed on the bottle 1, and a shutter 4 constituting a part which is movable between a closed position of the bottle 1 (FIG. 2) and a position distribution of the substance that the latter contains (Figures 3 and 4).

The bottle 1, made for example of plastic material, comprises a body 5 which is connected to a neck 6 by a shoulder 7. The neck 6 carries externally, in the vicinity of the shoulder 7, an annular ring 8 for retaining the adapter 3.

The adapter 3, also made of plastic, consists of a cylindrical sleeve 9 and a covering cover 10, which are coaxial and connected by a bottom 11. The cylindrical sleeve 9 protrudes, by its base, from the cover d 'covering 10, and it includes internally, in the part which projects out of said cover 10, bulges 12, regularly spaced from one another and arranged in the same diametral plane of said sleeve 9. These bulges 12 are intended for snap under the rod 8 of the bottle 1 when the adapter 3 is placed on the latter. The sleeve 9 has internally three radial positioning fins, namely a long fin 13 arranged in a plane perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the adapter 3, and two short fins 14, which are arranged at 120 ° from the fin 13. The fins 13 and 14 have their chamfered lower end, which facilitates the guiding in translation of the adapter 3, when it is placed on the neck 6 of the bottle 1.

The substantially circular edge of the bottom 11 is folded back to form the peripheral connection zone with the covering cover 10; the bottom 11 has, formed on its upper part, a hollow zone 15 delimited by two lateral wings 16 arranged face to face, symmetrically and obliquely with respect to a diametral plane of the adapter 3. Between the two wings 36, the base 11 has a recess 17 disposed along the axial plane perpendicular to the aforementioned plane of symmetry, which divides said base 11 into an upper plate 18 in the region (front) where the two wings come together, and a lower plate 19, in the region (rear) where the two wings 16 move apart. The recess 17 has a profile substantially in a quarter circle. At their front and rear ends, the two wings 16 are joined by walls in a circular arc 20 and 21, constituting in both cases a rim of the covering hood 10 in this region. The rim 20 is of lower height than the rim 21.

The plate 19 has a circular orifice 22 whose axis belongs to the plane of symmetry of the adapter 3, and which is located approximately halfway between the front edge 20 and the recess 17. Furthermore, as can be see in Figures 4 and 6, on either side of the orifice 22, and between the front edge 20 and the vicinity of the recess 17, the wall of the plate 19 is folded, along each of the wings 16 , to form a U-shaped groove 24, the role of which is indicated below.

It is also formed, in the thickness of the bottom 11, between the wings 16 and the rounded area 21 of connection with the covering cover 10, housings 25 opening both into the upper face of the bottom 11 and into the wings 16. Each of these housings 25 has, in the plane of the wing 16, a shape of omega: it is therefore delimited by a cylindrical wall 26 opening into said wing 16 and opening in the upper part of the bottom 11, along two inclined planes 27, which flare outwards.

Finally, the bottom 11 has internally a cylindrical sealing skirt 28, intended to penetrate into the mouth of the neck 6 of the bottle 1, to ensure sealing when the adapter 3 is in place on the bottle 1. The skirt 28 is connected to both the plate 18 and the plate 19, so that it has a variable height, its lower edge lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve 9; said lower edge is chamfered, to facilitate the positioning of the adapter 3 on the bottle 1.

As indicated above, the covering hood 10 is connected to the bottom 11 by a rounded zone; it presents an overall shape slightly swollen in its middle part.

The shutter member 4, which is shown in particular in Figures 8 to 10, is a part which is also obtained, in a simple manner by molding a plastic material. It consists of a base plate 29 intended to substantially occupy the hollow zone 15 formed on the bottom 11 and having for this purpose an overall shape and dimensions corresponding to this. Thus, the base plate 29 is delimited by two opposite oblique edges 30, which are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shutter 4 and which are joined at their front and rear ends by edges in a circular arc 31 and 32 respectively. . The border rear 32 is folded square to form a short skirt 33.

Furthermore, the shutter 4 comprises, perpendicular to its longitudinal axis of symmetry and substantially halfway between the edges 31 and 32, a short tongue 34 perpendicular to the base plate 29, oriented on the same side as the skirt 33 and extending over the entire width of said base plate 29. The tongue 34 is rounded along its edge opposite the skirt 33. The tongue 34 divides the base plate 29 into a front part 35 and a rear part 36, intended to be placed in the mounting position of the dispensing capsule 2, respectively in line with the upper plate 18 and the lower plate 19.

In its front part 35, between the edge 31 and the vicinity of the tongue 34, the base plate 29 is bordered, along its two oblique edges 30 and on the same side as the tongue 34, by two lateral wings 37 whose free ends are tapered. These wings 37 are capable of being completely housed in the grooves 24 of the adapter 3.

In its rear part, the lateral edges of the base plate 29 are folded back to form two square returns 41, which constitute the extension of the skirt 33 and the height of which decreases progressively from the skirt 33 to the vicinity of the tongue 34 , where they each carry an external pin 42, the axis of which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the shutter 4.

The assembly of the device according to the invention is carried out in a very simple manner: the adapter 3 is presented axially above the bottle 1 and it is lowered along the axis until the peripheral bulges 12 of the sleeve 19 snap under the peripheral ring 8; the radial fins 13 and 14 ensure the positioning of the adapter 3 on the bottle 1, and the skirt 28 seals the closure by entering the mouth of the neck 6. Next, the shutter 4 is presented flat and suitably oriented at- above the adapter 3 and it is lowered until the pins 42 rest on the inclined planes 27; then a force is applied to the base plate 29 to cause the pins 42 to penetrate into the housings 25. In this position, the tongue 34 bears against the recess 17; the front edge 31 of the plate 29 bears against the rim 20 of the covering cover 10; the lateral wings 37 are completely housed in the grooves 24 and the external edge of the skirt 33 is located in the vicinity of the internal edge of the rim 21 of the covering hood 10.

When the capsule is placed in the closed position, after dispensing, by pressing on the front part of the shutter 4, the volume of an outlet channel 43 disappears since the plate 29 comes to bear on the plate 18 : in this way, all the product taken out of the bottle 1 is ejected from the capsule, which avoids any risk of clogging or subsequent distribution of a product deteriorated in air.

All the elements mentioned above and corresponding to Figures 1 to 10 are also found in a second embodiment shown in Figures 11 and 12. For this second embodiment, these elements have been numbered by adding a hundred to the reference number adopted for the first embodiment.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, it is noted that the orifice 22 is bordered on the outside by a cylindrical chimney 23. In the lower face of the front part 35, a blind cylindrical recess 38 is formed, arranged on the longitudinal axis. of the plate 29, substantially halfway between the edge 31 and the tongue 34; around this recess 38, is formed an annular groove 39 coaxial with it. Said groove 39 is intended to receive the cylindrical chimney 23 carried by the plate 18 in the closed position of the bottle 1; the skirt 40 formed between the recess 38 and the groove 39, ensures in the closed position, the seal between the adapter 3 and the shutter 4. During assembly, the chimney 23 is received in the groove 39 and the skirt 40 enters the mouth of said chimney to seal the blockage.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, it can be seen that the orifice 122 opens onto the bottom 150 of a cylindrical cavity 151. This cavity 151 has been formed perpendicularly to and from the upper front plate 118. Its director has a substantially rectangular shape, the lengths 152 of which are parallel to the bisector plane of the two lateral grooves 124 and are arranged symmetrically with respect to this plane. The widths are delimited by two circular arcs 153 a and 153 b , the circular arc 153 a at the front of the plate being positioned tangentially to the wall in a circular arc 120 constituting the edge of the covering hood 110, the circular arc 153 b at the rear of the plate 118 coming to bear tangentially on a line connecting the rear ends of the grooves 124.

On the underside of the front portion 135 of the shutter is provided a fin 154, the base of which is a closed curve exactly matching the shape of the walls of the cavity 151; this fin 154 is indented at the front over 3/4 of its depth. In the closed position, the fin 154 fits completely on the walls of the cavity 151 and the substance contained in the bottle 101 cannot pass.

When one wants to distribute a dose of the substance contained in the bottle 1 or 101 depending on whether one or other of the proposed embodiments is used, the shutter 4 (respectively 104) is pressed on its rear part 36 (respectively 136) as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3 (respectively 12), which causes the shutter 4 (respectively 104) to tilt around the pins 42 (respectively 142). The wings 37 (respectively 137) go back into the grooves 24 (124) without however being extracted from them and the rounded part of the tongue 34 (respectively 134) slides along the recess 17 (respectively 117) formed on the bottom 11 (respectively 111) of the adapter 3 (respectively 103).

In the first embodiment, the outlet opening of the chimney 23 has thus been released, as shown in FIG. 3, and constituted a distribution channel 43 delimited between the shutter 4 and the front plate 18 of the adapter 3. The base plate 29 and the lateral wings 37 form a tubular wall open towards the plate 18 and limited towards the rear by the tongue 34.

In the second embodiment, the distribution channel 155 is delimited between the shutter 104 and the bottom 150 of the cavity 151. The cavity 151 and the fin 154 form a tubular wall opening onto the wall in an arc 120 constituting the edge of the covering cover 110 and limited towards the rear by the tongue 134.

In this way and according to the chosen embodiment, the substance can be distributed through the channel 43 or 155 formed at the front of the capsule 2 or 102, without flowing nor backwards in the space defined between the rear part 36 or 136 of the base plate 29 or 129 and the lower plate 19 or 119, nor laterally outward for the first embodiment, nor laterally toward the front plate 118 for the second embodiment.

Referring to Figures 13 to 16 of the drawings, one can see a third embodiment of a closure cap according to the invention. The elements of this capsule identical to or playing roles similar to elements already described in connection with FIGS. 11 and 12 are designated by numerical references equal to the sum of the numerical reference used in these FIGS. 11 and 12, and the number 100. The description of these elements will not be repeated or will be made succinctly.

The adapter member 203 is provided with a substantially cylindrical cavity 251 which has a circular section, while in the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12 the cavity 151 had a substantially rectangular section. The cavity 251 extends from the upper front plate 218 to the bottom 250 in which the orifice 222 for the passage of the product is provided.

The internal surface of the cavity 251 is slightly flared from the bottom 211 upwards. The rear cylindrical wall delimiting the cavity 251 forms the recess 217. The wall limiting the cavity 251 is tangent to the front end B (FIG. 14) of the adapter member 203. The diameter of the cavity 251 is only slightly less than the distance between the wings 216, towards the front, so that the upper plate 218 has a relatively small surface.

The opening 222 opens into the rear part of the bottom of the cavity 251 and has the shape of a convex lens (see FIG. 14) limited, towards the front, by an arc of a circle centered on the axis of the member adapter 203 and located slightly inside the interior contour of the skirt 228. Towards the rear, this opening 222 is limited by the circular outline of the base of the cavity 251.

The closure means of this cavity 251 is formed by a cylindrical sleeve M provided towards the front of the shutter member 204, the axis of this sleeve M being orthogonal to the mean plane of the shutter. The center of the sleeve M is located on the axis of symmetry of the shutter 204. This sleeve M is tangent to the front end of the shutter plate 204 and is integral with the lower surface of this shutter, so to open downwards, that is to say facing the bottom 211. This sleeve M therefore constitutes a tubular wall 254 adapted to cooperate with complementary means constituted by the tubular wall delimiting the cavity 251 on the adapter 203.

The sleeve M is suitable for sealingly engaging in this cavity 251.

The sleeve M comprises, towards the front, a rectangular window 243 in its cylindrical wall for the passage of the product. A border 1 , located below window 243, connects the two side walls delimiting this window (see FIG. 16). The assembly is such that in the dispensing position of the shutter member 204, as shown in FIG. 13, the edge l remains engaged at least in part in the cavity 251. Thus, the combination of the wall delimiting the cavity 251 and from the tubular wall 254 makes it possible to establish a closed channel leading the product from the orifice 222 to the outlet window 243. This window is located outside, in the radial direction, of the mouth 206 of the container and is located on the edge of the adapter member 203.

The use and operation of the closure cap of Figures 13 to 16 are similar to those described with reference to the previous figures and will not be repeated.

The molding of the two parts constituting the closure cap of FIGS. 13 to 16 can be carried out under simple and economical conditions. In particular, the production of window 243 does not pose any particular problem with molding and demolding.

Claims (18)

1. Sealing capsule for a container (1, 101, 201), suitable for permitting the dispensing of the substance via an outlet channel (43, 155, 243) without it being necessary to withdraw it from the container (1, 101, 201), the said capsule (2, 102, 202) comprising a fitting member (3, 103, 203) which includes a sleeve (9, 109, 209) which is intended to be fitted over the mouth (6, 106, 206) of the said container (1, 101, 201) and is connected to a bottom (11, 111, 211) on which a recessed region (15, 115, 215), delimited by a base and by two flanges (16, 116, 216) facing each other, is formed, an outlet orifice (22, 122, 222) for the substance being formed in the said base, the said recessed region (15, 115, 215) receiving a shutoff member (4, 104, 204) which can tilt from a position shutting off the said outlet orifice (22, 122, 222) to a dispensing position in which the said orifice (22, 122, 222) is cleared, the outlet channel (43, 155, 243) being in communication with the outlet orifice (22, 122, 222); characterised in that the said shutoff member (4, 104, 204) includes a tubular wall (29, 34, 37; 129, 134, 137; 254) having an opening opposite the bottom (11, 111, 211) and the outlet channel (43, 155, 243), the said bottom including means (17, 18, 24; 117, 118, 124, 251) complementary with the said tubular wall in order to delimit with it the outlet channel (43, 155, 243) for the substance in the dispensing position of the said shutoff member (4, 104, 204) and in order to be fitted over to said tubular wall in the shutoff position of the shutoff member (4, 104 204), thereby causing the outlet channel (43, 155, 243) to disappear.
2. Sealing capsule according to Claim 1, characterised in that the base of the recessed region (15, 115, 215) is constituted by two plate elements (18, 118, 218 and 19, 119, 219) separated by a step (17, 117, 217), namely a front upper plate element (18, 118, 218) in which the orifice (22, 122, 222) is provided and a rear lower plate element (19, 119, 219), the shutoff member (4, 104, 204) being constituted by a base plate (29, 129, 229), the said shutoff member (4, 104, 204) including on the one hand a front part (35, 135, 235) with means for shutting off the orifice (22, 122, 222) of the said fitting member (3, 103, 203) as well as the tubular wall (29, 34, 37; 129, 134, 137; 237) which is intended to constitute the outlet channel (43, 155, 243) for the substance, and on the other hand a rear part (36, 136, 236) constituting the flap for operating the said tilting shutoff member (4, 104, 204) and carrying, laterally, articulation means (42, 142, 242) which are disposed along a transverse axis, which articulation means interact with complementary parts (25, 125, 225) carried by the said fitting member (3, 103, 203).
3. Sealing capsule according to Claim 2, characterised in that the step (17, 117) is perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the said recessed region (15, 115) whereas the shutoff member (4, 104) carries a lower transverse tongue (34, 134) having a rounded edge in order to interact with the said step (17, 117), the said tongue (34, 134) belonging to the said shutoff member (4,104) between the front part and the rear part.
4. Sealing capsule according to Claim 2, characterised in that the front part (35, 135) of the shuttof member (4, 104) includes on either side of the base plate (29, 129) two lateral flanges (37, 137) each capable of penetrating into a lateral groove (24, 124) formed between one of the flanges (16, 116) and the front upper plate element (18, 118), the two flanges (37, 137) defining with the base plate (29, 129) of the front part (35, 135), the tubular wall which partially delimits the outlet channel (43, 155) in the dispensing position of the shutoff member (4, 104), the two flanges (37, 137) being positioned completely in the lateral grooves (24, 124) in the shutoff position of the shutoff member (4, 104), in order to enable the base plate (29, 129) to bear on the front upper plate element (18, 118), but only being partially extracted from the said grooves (24, 124) in the dispensing position of the shutoff member (4, 104).
5. Sealing capsule according to Claim 2, characterised in that the rear part (36, 136, 236) of the shutoff member (4, 104, 204) carries, on each side, a journal (42, 142, 242) intended to be received in a cylindrical housing (25, 125, 225) emerging in each flange (16, 116, 216) vertically in line with the rear plate element (19, 119, 219) so as to constitute the means for articulating the said shutoff member (4, 104, 204).
6. Sealing capsule according to Claim 5, characterised in that each housing (25, 125, 225) opens into the upper wall of the bottom (11, 111, 211) so as to present, seen in elevation, the shape of an omega.
7. Sealing capsule according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the two flanges (16, 116, 216) are disposed in planes substantially parallel to the axis of the sleeve (9, 109, 209), the said planes converging on each other in the direction of the front plate element of the said capsule (2, 102, 202).
8. Sealing capsule according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the bottom (11, 111, 211) includes, inside the sleeve (9, 109, 209), a sealing skirt (28, 128, 228) penetrating into the outlet mouth of the container (1, 101, 201) and in that the sleeve (9, 109, 209) includes internal bulges (12, 112, 212) disposed on an annular region in the vicinity of its lower edge, and constituting means for snap-fastening the fitting member (3, 103, 203) under an annular snap ring (8, 108, 208) carried by the container (1, 101, 201), the said sleeve (9, 109, 209) also including radial ribs (13, 14, 113, 114; 213) for positioning the said fitting member (3, 103, 203) over the end of the said container (1, 101, 201).
9. Sealing capsule according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the bottom (11, 111, 211) carries, on the outside, an external covering skirt (10, 110, 210) which surrounds the sleeve (9, 109, 209).
10. Sealing capsule according to Claim 2, taken alone or in combination with one of Claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the orifice (22) of the fitting member (3) is bordered, on the outside, by a chimney (23) and in that the means for shutting off the said orifice (22) are constituted by a groove (39) which is formed in that one of the faces of the base plate (29) of the front part (35) of the shutoff member (4) which is opposite the front plane element (18), the said groove (39) receiving, in a sealed manner, the free edge of the chimney (23) in the shutoff position of the shutoff member (4).
11. Sealing capsule according to Claim 2, taken alone or in combination with one of Claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the orifice (122, 222) of the fitting member (103, 203) emerges on the bottoom of a substantially cylindrical cavity (151, 251) which is recessed out perpendicularly in the front upper plate element (118).
12. Sealing capsule according to Claim 11, characterised in that the cavity (151) allows for a guide having a substantially rectangular shape, the lengths (152) of which are substantially parallel to the bisecting plane of the two lateral grooves (124) and are disposed substantially symmetrically in relation to this plane.
13. Sealing capsule according to Claim 12, characterised in that the widths of the substantially rectangular guide of the cavity (151) are delimited by two circular arcs (153a) and 153b), the circular arc (153a) at the front of the plate element (118) being positioned tangentially to the circularly arcuate wall (120) consituting the rim of the covering cap (110), the circular arc (153b) at the rear of the plate element (118) bearing tangentially on a line connecting the rear walls of the lateral grooves (124).
14. Sealing capsule according to Claim 13, characterised in that the means for shutting off the cavity (151) is a rib (154) whose base is a closed curve, the said rib (154) being formed on that one of the faces of the plate (129) of the front part (135) of the shutoff member (104) which is opposite the plate element (118) and matching, in the shutoff position, the shape of the walls of the cavity (151) over the entire depth of the said cavity (151) along the lengths (152) and along the rear circular arc (153a), and only over a small depth along the front circular arc (153b) so that, in the open position, the front part of the rib (154) allows an empty frame to appear.
15. Capsule according to Claim 11, characterised in that the substantially cylindrical cavity (251) has a circular cross-section and in that the means for shutting off this cavity is formed by a cylindrical sleeve (254), provided as a projection downwards under the front part of the shutoff member (204), this sleeve (254) being suitable for engaging, in a sealed manner, into the cylindrical cavity (251) and including, towards the front, a window (243) in its cylindrical wall for the passage of the product.
16. Capsule according to Claim 15, characterised in that the wall of the cavity (251) is tangential to the front end (B) of the fitting member (203) so that the window (243) emerges practically at the front edge of the said fitting member (203).
17. Capsule according to Claim 16, characterised in that the window (243) has a substantiallly rectangular shape and in that the assembly is such that, in the dispensing position of the shutoff member (204), an edge (l) located under the window (243) remains engaged, at least partially, in the cavity (251).
18. Container equipped with a sealing capsule such as defined in one of Claims 1 to 17.

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