FR2645506A1 - Container for pasty, pulverulent or liquid product, with self-closing dispensing opening - Google Patents

Abstract

The container comprises a moving piece 532 which normally closes a dispensing opening 54. When a force is exerted on the extension 531 of this piece 532, the wall part 51 following this extension 531 deforms and allows the piece 532 to pivot about the spindle 55 and lift away from the opening 54. When the force applied on to the extension 531 is relaxed, the wall part 51 returns to its original position because of its intrinsic elasticity and automatically recloses the dispensing opening 54. Instead of having a cutout defining the wall part 51, the container might have an indented wall part with the same result. Dispensing of a pasty, pulverulent or liquid product.

Description

 your present invention relates to a container for pasty, pulverulent or liquid product, having a dispensing opening and a movable part adapted to close off said opening and comprising an actuation zone capable of being operated by the user to move said movable part, when said actuation zone is stressed, and releasing said dispensing opening against return means which return the moving part to its initial closed position as soon as said actuation region is no longer stressed.

 A container of the aforementioned type is known, for example from US Pat. No. 3,157,322. In the case of this patent, the actuation zone of the moving part is constituted by a lever, the end of which, opposite of the dispensing opening, is free and the elastic return of the moving part is ensured by the particular shape of the molding at the junction between this lever and the moving part.

 The manufacture of the device which is the subject of this American patent requires the prior production of a relatively sophisticated mold.

 The object of the present invention is to provide a new container of the aforementioned type with a simpler and therefore more economical structure.

 This object is achieved by the invention in the sense that in the container which it offers, opposite the dispensing opening, the actuation zone of the moving part is extended by a deformable wall forming an integral part of the container, said wall being capable of being elastically deformed when a support is exerted on said actuation zone thus ensuring the function of return means.

 In a first embodiment, the deformable wall is a web of flexible material.

 In a second embodiment, the deformable wall has a corrugated structure.

 The invention also relates to a container having a dispensing opening and a movable part suitable for closing off said opening, said container comprising actuation zones capable of being acted upon by the user, said urging moving the movable part and releasing the distribution opening against return means which bring the movable part back to its initial closed position as soon as said actuation zones are no longer stressed.

 According to the invention, in such a container, the actuation zones are constituted by the support zones provided in the wall of the container and the moving part is formed by a plug permanently fixed to the dispensing opening by elastic means which relax and move the moving part away from the opening under the effect of an increase in the internal pressure of the container appearing when the bearing zones are stressed and which bring the moving part back onto the opening when the stress ceases.

Whatever the embodiment chosen, it is advantageous that the zone adjacent to the dispensing opening and the movable part adapted to close said opening are made of a plastic material having intrinsically antiseptic properties.
Such plastics which are, for example, based on quaternary ammonium salts, are known and available commercially under the brand name Plastide.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
FIGS. 1 a and 1 b represent a first embodiment respectively in the closed and open position,
FIGS. 2a and 2b show a second embodiment respectively in the closed and open position,
FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show a third embodiment respectively in the closed position, during opening and open,
FIGS. 4a and 4b show a fourth embodiment respectively in the closed and open position,
FIGS. 5a and 5b show a fifth embodiment respectively in the closed position and in the open position,
FIG. 6 represents a sixth embodiment,
FIG. 7 represents a seventh embodiment,
FIG. 8 represents an eighth embodiment,
FIGS. 9a and 9b show a ninth embodiment respectively in the closed and open position,
FIG. 10 represents a tenth embodiment, and
- Figure It represents an eleventh form. of execution.

If we refer to Figure la, we see the neck of a container, for example a bottle of mineral water, which has the distinction of being wavy. More precisely, on the half of its periphery, the neck has ribs 11 much narrower than those 11 'affecting the other half of its periphery. Consequently, the grooves 12 and 12 'are of opposite importance. The difference in waviness makes it easier to crush the neck on the rib side
It and grooves 12 (see figure lb). As can be seen from this same figure 1b, the support according to arrow F1 on the plug 13 closing the neck crushes the right side, in the drawing, of this neck, which allows the pivoting of said plug and the detachment of the plug 13 of the dispensing opening 14. At the same time, the release of a dispensing cutout 141 provided in the plug 13 is obtained. In the position shown in FIG. 1b, the product contained in the container can flow between the cutout dispenser 141 and dispenser opening 14. If you stop applying a force. according to arrow F1, the corrugated wall takes up the configuration it had in FIG. 1a with the dispensing orifice 14 closed by the plug 13.

 In the embodiment shown in Figures 2a and 2b, the cover 23 is pivotally mounted on an axis 25. The container neck has ribs 21 and grooves 22 only on its half-periphery opposite the dispensing opening 24. The cover 23 has a hollow relief 26 adapted to receive the thumb of the user. As in the case of the embodiment of Figures la and lb, when a force F2 is applied to the cover 23 at 26, it follows the crushing of the corrugated wall area (see Figure 2b)> the lifting the cover 23 on the dispensing opening side 24 and releasing the dispensing cutout 241.

When the force F-2 ceases, the corrugated wall returns to the configuration it had in FIG. 2a and the dispensing opening 24 is covered by the plug 23.

 The execution force represented in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c is distinguished from that shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b only by the configuration of the distribution blank 341.

This distribution cutout is composed of two parts, one of which 342 is stationary relative to the cover 33 and the other of which 343 is elastically deformable. As can be seen in FIG. 3c, when a force F3 has made it possible to pivot the cover 33 around the axis 35, the deformable part 343 of the distribution blank projects outwardly with a spout, releasing a opening 344 through which ~ the product contained in the container can flow. In the half-open position (FIG. 3b), the opening 344 is much more reduced. In the closed position (FIG. 3b), the part 343 is completely applied against the part 342 and the slit which separates them is masked by the neck of the container. The cover 33 then rests on the dispensing opening 34 which it closes.

 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a, the dispensing orifice 44 is closed by a plug 43 secured to a tubular element 47 forming a flow channel for the product contained in the container. A cover 431 is slidably mounted on the tubular element 47. This cover 431 is joined by a web of material 48 to the tubular element 47 and by a wall 410 to the body of the container. This wall 410 comprises a corrugated zone 411 on a fraction of the periphery of the neck of the container. On the other fraction of this periphery, the wall 410 ends freely, as can be seen in 410 ′. By exerting a force according to arrow F4 (FIG. 4b) on the cover 431, suitably shaped for this purpose, the l distribution opening 44 above the plug 43, which results in freeing said opening and putting it in communication with the channel defined by the tubular element 47. The elevation of the cover 431 causes the expansion of the corrugated part 411 , as seen in Figure 4b. This elevation can be limited by a couple of stops 49. When the force F4 ceases to be applied, the corrugated wall zone 411 returns to its original position (see FIG. 4a) by bringing the cover 431 resting on the free edge of the tubular element 47.

 Springs R1 and. 42 to contribute to the elastic recall.

 In the embodiment shown in Figures Sa and 5b, the cover 53 pivots about the axis 55 when a force F5 is applied to the area 531 of said cover. The area 532 of the cover is then lifted by releasing the dispensing opening 54. As can be seen from FIG. 5b, the force F5 bends the wall part 51 and, as soon as the force F5 is removed, this wall part 51 resumes its initial position (Figure 5a) by returning the cover 53 to its closed position.

 In the embodiment of Figure 6, the elastic return provided by arrow F6 by the corrugated wall area 61 is assisted by a spring R3 which acts on the cover portion 631 to rotate the cover 63 around the axis 65 and return the cover part 632 to the dispensing opening 64.

 In FIG. 7, the pressure exerted according to arrow F7 on the corrugated area 71 E is applied via a safety member 79 which, in a way, doubles the cover 73 including its extension 731. This safety member 79 comprises a flap 791 which, in the closed position, covers the junction zone between the cover 73 and the dispensing opening 74.

 In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the container comprises a lever 83 which extends inside the container neck by a wall 831, a fold 832 and a cutout 833. The application of a force F8 on the lever 83 in the closed position (dotted lines) brings it to the position shown in solid lines. As can be seen, by elastic deformation, the wall 831, the fold 832 and the cutout 833 have pivoted around the point 85 by elastic deformation. If the force F8 is released, the assembly 83-831-832-833 returns to its dotted position.

 In the embodiment of FIGS. 9a and 9b, the cover 93 is pivotally mounted around an axis 95. The application of a force F9 on the cover 93 makes it pivot around its axis 95 by lifting the opposite side of the cover 93 of the dispensing opening 94 and releasing the dispensing cutout 941. As can be seen, the cover 93 has a ramp 931 which slides along a corresponding profile 90 provided in the neck of the container.

Profile 90 offers resistance to pivoting of the part forming a cover 93, this pivoting being possible only by elastic deformation of the surface part of the ramp 931 or of profile 90. As can be seen, the ramp 931 has a notch 932 capable of being engaged by a projection 901 provided at the upper part of the profile 90. Thus, when a sufficiently intense force F9 is applied to the cover 93, the resistance of the profile 90 is overcome to the point that the projection 901 can come s 'snap into notch 932. Thus, as long as the pivoting part is not snapped in according to 901, 932, it is folded down by closing the dispensing opening 94 as soon as the force is released
F9. If the pivoting part is latched, it suffices to exert a force according to arrow F9 'to release the pivoting part.

 In FIG. 10, we see the neck C of a container provided with a shutter formed by a cover 103 and elastic tabs 101. Normally, the cover 103 rests on the free edge of the neck C. When a force is exerted on the container, it follows an internal pressure which pushes the plug 103 with extension of the legs 101: the device then appears as shown in FIG. 10. As soon as the pressure ceases, the cover 103 returns to rest on the edge free from Col C.

 The device shown in Figure 11 operates on the same principle as that of Figure 10. The cover 113 is joined by elastic tabs 111 at the neck C of the container. To this end, the internal wall of the neck C has a peripheral groove into which the thickened end of the legs 111 snaps.

 As is clear from the above description, the invention provides a simple means of obtaining a self-sealing container with multiple possible embodiments.

Claims (5)

 1- Container for pasty, pulverulent or liquid product, having a dispensing opening and a movable part suitable for closing said opening and comprising an actuation zone capable of being operated by the user to move said movable part, when said zone actuation is requested, and release said dispensing opening opening against return means which return the movable part to its initial closed position as soon as said actuation zone is no longer requested, characterized in that, opposite the dispensing opening (14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64, 74, 84, 94)> the actuation area (13, 26, 431, 531, 631, 731, 831, 93) is extended by a deformable wall (11, 12; 21, 22; 411; 51; 61-; 71; 832, 833; 931) forming an integral part of the container, said wall being capable of being elastically deformed when support is exerted on said actuation zone, thus ensuring the fo Reminder means.  2- Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable wall (51; 832, 833) is a web of flexible material.  3-- A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable wall (11, 12; 21, 22 411 411; 61, 71) has a corrugated structure.  4- Container for pasty, pulverulent or liquid product, having a dispensing opening and a movable part suitable for closing said opening, said container comprising actuation zones liable to be solicited by the user, said solicitation displacing the movable part and releasing the opening of distribution against dc less dc recall qlli bring back. Ia moving part in its initial closed position as soon as said actuation zones are no longer stressed, characterized in that the actuation zones consist of bearing zones provided in the wall of the container and in that the moving part is formed by a plug (103, 113) fixed permanently to the dispensing opening by elastic means (101, 111) which relax to move the moving part apart from the opening under 1 effect of an increase in pressure internal to the container appearing when the bearing zones are stressed and which bring the moving part (103, 113) back to the opening when the stress stops.  5- Container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the zone adjacent to the dispensing opening (14, 24, 34, 44, 54> 64, 74, 84, 94) and the moving part (13, 23, 33, 43, 53, 63, 73, 831, 93, 103, 113) adapted to close off said opening consist of a plastic material having intrinsically antiseptic properties.