GB2089331A - Dispensing arrangements for containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispensing arrangement for a container comprises a closure cap (11) having a closure panel (21) and a cylindrical skirt (22), and a cylindrical container neck (14) which terminates in a circular upward- facing rim (15) and which has a side wall (16) on which the cap is snap engaged so as to be rotatable thereon. The side wall (16) of the neck (14) is formed with inwardly extending formations (17) which cooperate with dispensing apertures (25) formed in the closure panel (21) such that in a first position of the cap (11) the apertures (25) are closed by the formations (17) and in a second position the apertures (25) are freed to enable the contents of the container to be dispensed. Rotation is limited by cooperating projections (20, 30) respectively on neck (14) and skirt (22). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispensing closures for containers This invention relates to dispensing closures for containers, particularly but not exclusively for containing particulate products, especially fine powders such as talc.

Dispensing closures for such containers are known, e.g. from British Patent Specification No. 1,086,892, in which rotation of a closure cap through a relatively small angle of, say, 30 brings dispensing apertures in the cap into or out of register with areas of a peripheral flange extending inwardly from the upper end of a neck of the container on which the cap is mounted The inner edge of the peripheral flange may be star-shaped, for example, so that the dispensing apertures in the cap are open when they lie over the points or lobes of the star and are closed when they lie over the areas of the flange between the points or lobes. The uppermost end of the container is thus the lobed or star-shaped inner edge of the flange. Containers of this kind are generally made from thermoplastics material, e.g.

by blow-moulding, in which case the uppermost end of the container requires trimming after the moulding has been completed. The lobed or star-shaped inner edge of the flange can be difficult to trim accurately to shape, thus making high speed manufacture difficult.

According to the present invention, from a first aspect thereof, a dispensing closure for a container comprises a closure cap having a closure panel and a generally cylindrical skirt formed integrally with the closure panel and depending from the periphery thereof, and a generally cylindrical container neck which terminates in a circular upward-facing rim and which has a side wall on which the cap is snap-engaged so as to be rotatable thereon, the closure panel being formed with at least one dispensing aperture offset from the axis of rotation of the cap, and the side wall of the neck below the circular rim being formed with at least one inwardly extending formation having an upper surface which makes contact with the undersurface of the closure panel, the arrangement being such that in a first angular position of the cap the or each dispensing aperture is closed by the upper surface of the or a respective inwardly extending neck formation, whereas in a second angular position the or each dispensing aperture is freed to enable the contents of the container to be dispensed therethrough.

The provision of the inwardly extending formations in the side wall of the neck makes it possible to provide the circular upward facing rim on the top of the neck and this circular rim is much easier to trim in the manufacture of the container. A significant improvement in the speed and efficiency of manufacture can thus be achieved.

Preferably the or each inwardly extending neck formation is hollow. The neck formations can thus be formed without involving any substantial thickening of the material of the side wall of the neck. Preferably the upper surface of the or each inwardly extending neck formation is inclined downwardly towards the axis of the neck and the adjacent portion of the closure panel of the cap is similarly inclined downwardly.

The undersurface of the closure panel may be formed with a continuous protrusion around the or each dispensing aperture to provide sealing contact with the upper surface of the inwardly extending formation in the closed position of the cap.

In the closing of containers for flowable products such as fine powders and liquids by screw-on or snap-on closure caps, problems are often encountered in ensuring adequate sealing against escape of the product between the cap and the container neck. If, for example, a fine powder escapes into and accumulates in this area, it can cause jamming of the cap on the neck, particularly if one has to rotate the cap on the neck in order to remove the cap or to dispense product from the container.

The invention accordingly provides, according to a second aspect thereof, a closure cap for a container having a generally cylindrical neck, the cap comprising a closure panel and a generally cylindrical skirt formed integrally with the closure panel and depending from the periphery thereof for engagement with the neck of such a container to attach the cap to the container, the closure cap further including a spigot formed integrally with the closure panel and depending therefrom concentrically within and in spaced relation to the skirt, the spigot being adapted to make continuous sealing contact with the periphery of the container neck.

This arrangement can provide effective sealing of the container against escape of product into the region between the closure cap and the container neck, irrespective of the angular position of the cap on the neck.

Preferably the spigot has an upwardly and inwardly tapering surface adapted to make the sealing contact with the container neck. The spigot may conveniently be located in an annular upwardly extending recess in the closure panel, which recess is adapted to receive the free terminal edge of the container neck.

The spigot may be provided on the cap of a dispensing closure according to the first aspect of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container with dispensing closure according to the invention, the closure cap being seen from below and the container neck from above, Figure 2 is a plan view of the closure in the closed position, the cap being broken away in the upper part of the figure, Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the closure in the open position, and Figure 4 is a sectionai view, to a larger scale, on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the upper part only of a generally cylindrical container is shown, having a one-piece body which may typically be blow-moulded from high density polyethylene and a one-piece closure cap 11 which may be moulded from polypropylene. Other synthetic plastics may be used if desired.

The body 10 has a cylindrical wall 12 extending upwards from a circular base (not shown). At its top, the wall 1 2 is reduced in diameter to form a generally cylindrical neck 14 which terminates in a circular upwardfacing rim 1 5. The neck 14 has a side wall 1 6 which is formed with six hollow inwardly extending formations 17, each of which has a substantially plane upper surface 1 8 inclined downwardly at an angle of substantially 15 to the horizontal towards the axis of the container.

The neck 14 is also formed on its outside with a circumferential rib 1 9 below the neck formations 17, projecting out beyond the circumference of the rim 15, and with four circular projections 20, three only of which can be seen in Fig. 1, disposed one on each side of a pair of opposed neck formations 1 7.

The closure cap 11 has a closure panel 21 and a generally cylindrical skirt 22 formed integrally with the closure panel and depending from its periphery. The lower edge of the skirt 22 has an inwardly extending bead 23 which can snap under the circumferential rib 1 9 on the neck 14, as shown in Fig. 4, to retain the cap on the neck so as to be rotatable thereon.

The closure panel 21 has an inclined annular portion 24 in which are provided six equally-spaced dispensing apertures 25. The inclination of the annular portion 24 matches that of the upper surfaces 1 8 of the neck formations 1 7 and the undersurface of the portion 24 makes contact with the surfaces 1 8 when the cap has been snapped on to the neck, as best seen in Fig. 4. A continuous protrusion or bead 26 may be provided on the undersurface of portion 24 of the closure panel around each of the apertures 25 so as to press into the surface 1 8 of a respective formation 1 7 when the cap is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4.By virtue of its generally frustoconical shape, the to-Jn 24 is more rigid than it would be if it were plane so as, for example, to form a peripheral margin of the closure panel 21 in the plane d the latter.

The closure panel 21 of the cap 11 is also formed with an aranu!a upwa!dlX,! c-- end recess 27 around the outside of the inclined annular portion 24. In the recess 27 is formed an integral downwardly extending circular spigot 28 (Fig. 4) coaxial with the cap and having on its inner side an upwardly tapering surface 29 which makes resilient and continues sealing contact with the periphery of the neck in all angular positions of the cap once it has been snap-engaged on the neck 14. It will be seen that the sealing contact of the spigot 28 with the periphery of the neck occurs around the circumference of the circular upward-facing rim 1 5 of the neck.

The skirt 22 of the cap is also formed internally with six equally-spaced projections 30 which co-operate edge-to-edge with the circular projections 20 on the neck to limit the rotation of the cap on the neck to substantially 30 . When the cap is initially fitted on the neck the projections 30 can ride down the rounded sides of the projections 20 to their desired positions between the projections 20, so obviating any need to orient the cap in relation to the container before fitting. For that purpose the projections 30 themselves may be rounded.

In use, once the container body 10 has been filled, e.g. with powdered talc, the cap 11 is snap-engaged on the neck 14. The cap can then be rotated between the closed position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, in which the dispensing apertures 25 are closed by the surfaces 1 8 of the neck formations 17, and the open position shown in Fig. 3 in which the apertures 25 are unobstructed. In both positions, the sealing contact between the neck 14 around rim 1 5 and -the tapered surface 29 of spigot 28 prevents escape of the powder into the space surrounding the neck within the cap. In the closed position, the protrusion or bead 26 around each aperture 25 assists in sealing the closure against escape of the powder.

As mentioned above, the container body 10 is formed by blow-moulding. The circular rim 1 5 is the cut surface which is formed on the container body when the blow-moulding moil is trimmed off after the moulding operation.

Due to the circular shape of the container body at this point, trimming can be quickly and easily carried out. The container body may have a cross-sectional shape other than circular; for example, it may be square with rounded corners.

If desired, the spigot 28 may be omitted from the desired arrangement. Correspondingly, a spigot similar to the spigot 28 may be provided for a closure cap other than that shown and described; the closure cap may be screw-on or snap-on, intended for removal or arranged as a dispensing closure, that is, adapted for remaining in situ on the container and operable for dispensing product. It may be for a pressurised product (e.g. a carbon aXed beverage}, or otherwise. In any case, however, in the manner of the closure cap 11, the closure cap on which the spigot is provided has a closure panel, and a skirt depending peripherally from the closure panel; the spigot depends from the closure panel concentrically within and in spaced relation to the closure skirt and is adapted to make continuous sealing engagement with the periphery of a container neck on which the closure cap is engaged.

Although the dispensing closure particularly described has six formations 1 7 arranged on the container neck 14 for association with six dispensing apertures 25 on the closure cap 11, other numbers of formations and dispensing apertures may be used. The number is preferably even (e.g. four), because this simplifies the blow mould in its requirement to eject the container after moulding.

Claims (8)

1. A dispensing closure for a container comprising a closure cap having a closure panel and a generally cylindrical skirt formed integrally with the closure panel and depending from the periphery thereof, and a generally cylindrical container neck which terminates in a circular upward-facing rim and which has a side wall on which the cap is snap-engaged so as to be rotatable thereon, the closure panel being formed with at least one dispensing aperture offset from the axis of rotation of the cap, and the side wall of the neck below the circular rim being formed with at least one inwardly extending formation having an upper surface which makes contact with the undersurface of the closure panel, the arrangement being such that in a first angular position of the cap the or each dispensing aperture is closed by the upper surface of the or a respective inwardly extending neck formation, whereas in a second angular position the or each dispensing aperture is freed to enable the contents of the container to be dispensed therethrough.

2. A closure according to Claim 1, wherein the or each inwardly extending neck formation is hollow.

3. A closure according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper surface of the or each inwardly extending neck formation is inclined downwardly towards the axis of the neck and the adjacent portion of the closure panel of the cap is similarly inclined downwardly.

4. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the undersurface of the closure panel is formed with a continuous protrusion around the or each dispensing aperture to provide sealing contact with the upper surface of the inwardly extending neck formation in the closed position of the cap.

5. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the closure cap further includes a spigot formed integrally with the closure panel and depending therefrom concentrically within and in spaced relation to the skirt, the spigot being adapted to make continuous sealing contact with the periphery of the container neck.

6. A closure according to Claim 5 wherein the spigot has an upwardly and inwardly tapering surface adapted to make the sealing contact with the container neck.

7. A closure according to Claim 5 or 6 wherein the spigot is located in an annular upwardly extending recess in the closure panel, which recess is adapted to receive the free terminal edge of the container neck.

8. A dispensing closure for a container, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.