EP4731534A1

EP4731534A1 - Flip top dispensing closure

Info

Publication number: EP4731534A1
Application number: EP24732543.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David William Anderson; Dewson LEE; Dion Francis MORAN; Charlotte Breony Tandy ROGERS; Daniel Peter STOKES
Original assignee: Unilever Global IP Ltd; Unilever IP Holdings BV
Current assignee: Unilever Global IP Ltd; Unilever IP Holdings BV
Priority date: 2023-06-22
Filing date: 2024-06-18
Publication date: 2026-04-29
Also published as: WO2024260981A1; CN121335843A; MX2025014862A

Abstract

The invention provides a flip top dispensing closure for a container that has an opening to the container interior where a fluent product may be stored, the dispensing closure comprising: a closure body having a closure deck, a closure skirt which depends from the closure deck and which is adapted to engage with the container at the container opening, and a dispensing spout for communicating with the interior of the container which extends upwardly from the closure deck and which incorporates a dispensing orifice; wherein the dispensing spout has a tapered sidewall terminating in an annular collar which defines the peripheral edge of a recessed upper dispensing face from which the dispensing orifice projects, and a closure cap which is hinged to the closure body, and which is operable between a closed position occluding the dispensing spout to prevent dispensing from the container and an open position away from the dispensing spout to permit dispensing from the container, the closure cap incorporating a sealing spud with surfaces adapted for sealing engagement with the annular collar of the dispensing spout when the closure cap is in the closed position, characterized in that the dispensing orifice is of a generally rectangular cross section.

Description

FLIP TOP DISPENSING CLOSURE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a flip top dispensing closure for a container that has an opening to the container interior where a fluent product may be stored.

Background of the Invention

For a dispensing closure to function successfully, it is important that a closure integrity is maintained to prevent product from leakage during use, storage, and shipping. The problem is particularly acute in the realm of e-commerce where individual bottles may be shipped directly to consumers. On the other hand, moving the closure from a closed to an open position should be simple for a user.

Flip top dispensing closures are designed to provide a tight seal to prevent leakage, while also being easy to open and close as needed. Consequently, they are a popular option in the beauty and personal care sector. Such closures are generally characterized by a closure body that is securable to a container and closure cap that is hinged to the closure body. The closure body typically includes a dispensing orifice that is sealed when the closure cap is in the closed position. When a consumer desires to dispense product from this type of dispensing closure, they will flip the lid open and squeeze or invert the container.

One drawback associated with flip top dispensing closures of the type described above is that their dispensing characteristics are not always optimal for products such as hair conditioners, where consumers frequently desire a "ribbon" characteristic to the product being discharged.

The present invention solves this problem. Summary of the Invention

The dispensing closure of the invention provides improved dispensing characteristics for products such as hair conditioners, without compromising on closure integrity during use, storage, and shipping. The dispensing closure of the invention also provides improvements in manufacturing economy.

The dispensing closure of the invention may suitably be manufactured by injection moulding, and may be formed as a single, integrally moulded piece.

The dispensing closure of the invention may suitably be manufactured from plastics such as high-density polyethylene (“HDPE”), low-density polyethylene (“LDPE”), polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) and polypropylene (“PP”). HDPE and PP are preferred. Mixtures of any of the above-described materials may also be used.

Preferably the post-consumer resin (PCR) content of the closure is at least 50%, more preferably at least 70% by weight based on total weight. As used herein, the term “PCR” denotes plastic that has been collected via established consumer recycling streams, sorted, washed, and reprocessed, for example into pellets. rHDPE and rPP are preferred. Mixtures of any of the above-described materials may also be used. The closure skirt of the closure body of the dispensing closure of the invention is adapted to engage with a container at the container opening. Typically, the container will include a body and a neck, the neck defining an opening to the container interior. The closure skirt may have any suitable configuration for accommodating such a container neck. Suitably, the interior of the closure skirt defines an internal, female thread for engaging with an external, male thread of the container neck when the closure body is installed on the container neck. Alternatively, the closure skirt could be provided with some other container connecting means, such as a snap-fit bead or groove for engaging a container neck groove or bead.

The closure deck of the closure body suitably has a downwardly extending, typically annular, internal seal structure which is received against the inner edge of the container neck to provide a tight seal between the closure deck and the container. Typical seal structures that may be used are plug seal, crab claw seal, and v-seal.

The dispensing orifice of a generally rectangular cross section may suitably have an orifice length to orifice width ratio in the range of from 1.8:1 to 5:1. Preferably the orifice has radiused corners.

The dispensing closure of the invention may be used for improved dispensing of a variety of fluent products, particularly thickened liquid consumer products such as gels, creams, pastes, and lotions.

The dispensing closure of the invention is especially suitable for improved dispensing of cosmetic and personal care creams and gels.

Most preferably the dispensing closure of the invention is used for improved dispensing of cosmetic and personal care creams and gels in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by surfactant and fatty alcohol. When these ingredients are combined, a multiphase colloidal structure known as a lamellar gel network (LGN) is formed. The LGN is characterized by a lamellar gel phase, Lp, in which hexagonally packed, solid-state amphiphilic molecules (surfactant and fatty alcohol) are arranged in regularly spaced, planar bilayers, swollen by interlamellar aqueous phase. The remainder of the bulk aqueous phase is in dynamic equilibrium with this interlamellar phase. Other oil phase ingredients, generally included in cosmetic and personal care formulations, exist as droplets surrounded by a single layer of amphiphilic molecules. Examples of preferred LGN emulsions in the context of this invention are hair conditioners, which typically have a lamellar gel phase formed from bilayers of C16-C18 fatty alcohol (such as cetyl and stearyl alcohols or a mixture thereof) and C16-C22 monoalkyl quaternary ammonium or alkyl amidoamine cationic surfactant (such as cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride and stearamidopropylamine or a mixture thereof).

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure of invention with the closure cap in its open position, and.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the dispensing closure of the invention with the closure cap in its open position.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Detailed Description of the Invention

An exemplary embodiment of a dispensing closure 10 according to the invention is illustrated in Figure 1.

The dispensing closure 10 is adapted to engage a container (not illustrated). As can be seen in Fig. 1 , the dispensing closure 10 has a closure body 11 having a planar closure deck 12. A hollow, generally cylindrical closure skirt 13 depends from the peripheral rim of the closure deck 12 and is adapted to engage with the container at the container opening. The closure deck 12 also includes a dispensing spout 14 for communicating with the interior of the container which extends upwardly from the closure deck 12. The dispensing spout 14 is of frustoconical shape with a tapered sidewall terminating in an annular collar 15. The annular collar 15 defines the peripheral edge of a recessed upper dispensing face 16 from which dispensing orifice 17 projects. A hinge 18 connects closure cap 19 to closure body 11. Closure cap 19 has an underside 20 which incorporates a hollow cylindrical sealing spud 21. Spud 21 forms a sealing engagement with annular collar 15 when closure cap 19 is pivoted from the open position (illustrated in Fig.1) to a closed position (not illustrated). Referring additionally to Figure 2, dispensing orifice 17 has a rectangular cross section with radiused corners and an orifice length to orifice width ratio of about 3:1. This shape of the dispensing orifice 17 permits a user to dispense a ribbon of product.

Claims

1. A flip top dispensing closure for a container that has an opening to the container interior where a fluent product may be stored, the dispensing closure comprising: a closure body having a closure deck, a closure skirt which depends from the closure deck and which is adapted to engage with the container at the container opening, and a dispensing spout for communicating with the interior of the container which extends upwardly from the closure deck and which incorporates a dispensing orifice; wherein the dispensing spout has a tapered sidewall terminating in an annular collar which defines the peripheral edge of a recessed upper dispensing face from which the dispensing orifice projects, and a closure cap which is hinged to the closure body, and which is operable between a closed position occluding the dispensing spout to prevent dispensing from the container and an open position away from the dispensing spout to permit dispensing from the container, the closure cap incorporating a sealing spud with surfaces adapted for sealing engagement with the annular collar of the dispensing spout when the closure cap is in the closed position, characterised in that the dispensing orifice has a rectangular cross section with radiused corners and an orifice length to orifice width ratio of 3:1 .

2.. A closure according to claim 1 , in which the post-consumer resin (PCR) content of the closure is at least 50%, more preferably at least 70% by weight based on total weight.