GB2454926A

GB2454926A - A flip-top dispensing closure with latch

Info

Publication number: GB2454926A
Application number: GB0723049A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Carey Bull
Original assignee: Obrist Closures Switzerland GmbH
Current assignee: Obrist Closures Switzerland GmbH
Priority date: 2007-11-26
Filing date: 2007-11-26
Publication date: 2009-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-26
Also published as: GB2454926B; GB0723049D0

Abstract

Flip-top dispensing closures may be pushed onto associated containers during capping. A flip top dispensing closure 10 comprises a base 20 having an orifice 40, a lid 30, hinge means 50 and latch means 80, 90 for substantially preventing relative movement between the lid and base, other than rotational articulation about the hinge. If the dispensing closures have bases and lids including parting surfaces which lie substantially in planes non-orthogonally with respect to the closure axis there is a risk that relative movement between the base and lid may be affected by the application of a force pushing the lid towards the base and thus causing damage to the hinge. The present invention addresses this problem by providing latch means which prevent relative movement between the lid and base. The base and lid may have a parting surface on their respective circumferences which, with the closure in the closed position, lie adjacent one another and wherein each parting surface has at least portion of its surface in a plane which is non-orthogonal to the closure axis.

Description

Closure with Latch The present invention relates generally to a dispensing closure for a container and particularly to one including a latch.

Flip-top dispensing closures typically comprise a base having a dispensing orifice, a lid, and hinge means for articulating the lid and base with respect to one another.

The hinge means may be relatively delicate in that it is formed from relatively small pieces of material. For example, the closure including the hinge means may be moulded from plastics and the hinge means may be provided by at least one relatively thin strap.

Flip-top dispensing closures are typicallyponnected to an associated container in one of two ways. The first way is for the closure to be snapped onto the mouth of the associated container by the use of such means as snap-beads. The second way is for the closure to be screwed onto the associated container by means of corresponding screw threads, one set provided on the closure and the other set provided on the neck of the container. Regardless of which method is used to retain the closure onto the associated container, if the lid is grasped by machinery during production, and a force applied to it substantially parallel to the closure axis (see below for the definition of this term) such that the lid is pushed down onto the base then damage to the hinge may occur such that the closure will not correctly seal and may not open and close correctly. This is undesirable for obvious reasons.

For example, the lid would not be retained to the base of the closure if the hinge was entirely broken.

Such a force applied to the lid may occur during capping of the associated container at the manufacturing or bottling facility. The force applied to the lid may especially damage the hinge if movement between the lid and base is more readily promoted by the existence of parting services provided on the lid and base which when adjacent one another, with the lid in the closed position, lie substantially in a plane which is non-orthogonal to the closure axis.

An example of a closure with parting surfaces which lie in a plane non-orthogonally with respect to the closure axis A' is shown in Figure 3. Although these parting surfaces are not planar, in that their entire length lies in the same plane, a substantial part of the length of each parting surface does lie non-orthogonally with respect to the closure axis. Further, the parting surfaces are provided such that with the closure in the closed position a downward force provided on the lid would tend to push the lid so that it slides relative to the base forwardly. In other words, the lid would move relative to the base in a direction substantially perpendicular to the closure axis and in the direction indicated "B" in Figure 3.

Such relative movement between the lid and base does not occur when the parting surfaces arc substantially orthogonal with the closure axis "A", and a force is applied to the lid parallel to the closure axis A'. However, if the force is applied non-orthogonally, for example parallel to the parting surfaces, then even if the parting surfaces lie substantially orthogonally with respect to the closure axis A' relative movement between the lid and base may occur and damage to the hinge arise.

The present invention seeks to address the above described problem.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a flip-top dispensing closure comprising a base having a dispensing orifice, a lid, hinge means for articulating the lid and base with respect to one another between an open position and a closed position, and latch means for substantially preventing relative movement between the lid and base, other than rotational articulation about the hinge, with the closure in the closed position.

With reference to the figure, the closure axis A' is defined as an axis passing through the centre of the substantially cylindrical base 20 and lid 30. In use, with the closure connected to an associated container, the axis A' also passes through the centre of the mouth of the container. This closure axis A' may also be described as a "dispensing axis".

In one embodiment, the base and lid may each have a parting surface on their respective circumferences which, with the closure in the closed position, lie adjacent one another and wherein each parting surface may have at least a portion of its surface in a plane which is non-orthogonal to the closure axis.

The latch means may comprise a projection on one of the lid and base and a socket on the other of the lid and base, the projection being receivable within the socket.

Other means, such as interengaging projections, are possible.

Accordingly, with the closure in the closed position and the lid and base closely adjacent one another any force applied to the base and/or lid which may promote sliding of the lid and base relative to one another is resisted by the latch means.

In one embodiment, the latch means are located adjacent the hinge means.

Alternatively, or additionally, the latch means may be located at other locations with respect to the hinge. For instance, the latch means may be located substantially diametrically opposite the hinge means. The latch means may be provided such that the projection projects upwardly from an upper surface, or deck of the base and the socket is provided in a surface of the lid which, with the closure in the closed position, lies adjacent the deck of the base. Alternatively, the position of the projection and socket may be reversed. The latch means may be provided immediately radially inwardly from the hinge means.

The size and shape of the lid and base along their respective perimeters may be substantially similar such that the external surface of the closure is contiguous.

The dispensing orifice may take the form of a hole in the base through which the contents of the associated container may be dispensed. The hole may have a variety of sizes and shapes and is not limited to being centralised (with respect to the closure axis) and circular. The dispensing orifice may have an associated dispensing member which may be fonned integrally, or be separately assembled, with the closure. In one embodiment, the lid may include sealing means for sealing the dispensing orifice in the base, or the dispensing member, when the closure is in the closed position. This seating means may take the form of a spigot or bore seal. The dispensing member may be a spout.

In one embodiment the closure may include anti-rotation means for substantially preventing relative rotation, about the closure axis, between the lid and base. The anti-rotation means may be provided on substantially the opposite side of the closure axis to the hinge means. The anti-rotation means may be provided by a tab on one of the lid and base and a recess, for receiving the tab, on the other of the lid and base.

The lid and base may be integral with one another in that they are unitary, being connected by an integral hinge. However, the lid and base may be separate with a separate hinge or a hinge integral with either one of the base and lid.

The closure may be moulded from plastics.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure, formed according to the present invention, in an opened state; Figure 2 is an elevational cross-section of the closure of Figure 1 in an unopened state; and Figure 3 is an elevational side view of the closure of Figure 1.

The closure 10 as shown in Figure 1, comprises a base 20 and lid 30 articulated to one another by a hinge 50. The base 20 includes an orifice 40 through which product from the associated container (not shown) may be dispensed. The base 20, which is substantially cylindrical, includes a rim located around its circumference.

A portion of this rim projects upwardly from the base 20. The rim forms one parting surface 60. The lid 30 is also substantially cylindrical and includes a rim which forms the other parting surface 70, lying along and at least partly projecting upwardly, as shown in Figure 1, from, its circumference. The closure axis is indicated A'.

The closure 10 includes a projection 80 provided on the base 20 and a corresponding recess 90 provided on the lid 30. The projection 80 is located adjacent the hinge 50 and lies on an imaginaiy line stretching between the centre point of the hinge 50 and the closure axis A'. The recess 90 is located approximately adjacent the centre point of the hinge 50. In this embodiment, the hinge is a snap-type hinge, otherwise known as a "butterfly hinge".

The projection 80 may fit so that it completely fills the socket 90. Alternatively, the projection 80 and socket 90 may be dimensioned such that there is at least some tolerance between them with the lid in the closed position. The projection 80 and socket 90 are dimensioned and arranged such that they substantially prevent relative movement between the lid 30 and base 20 when the closure is in the closed position.

The base 20 also includes a recess 100 and the lid 30 also includes a tab 110. With the closure 10 in the closed position, the tab 110 fits into the recess 100. This substantially prevents relative rotation between the base 20 and lid 30. The recess is provided at least partly within the rim and parting surface 60 such that it is substantially diametrically opposite the hinge with respect to the closure axis A'.

The tab 110 is, likewise, provided substantially diametrically opposite the hinge 50 with respect to the closure axis "A" and fonns at least part of the rim or parting surfce70.

Without the anti-rotation means the lid 30 and base 20 may rotate relative to one another. This relative rotation may be about the closure axis A' or another axis such as one lying substantially parallel to the closure axis A' but passing through the hinge 50. Such relative rotation may cause damage to the hinge 50.

Although the lid 30 and base 20 have been described as substantially cylindrical it may be seen from the drawings that in this specific embodiment the lid 30 has an inverted frusto-conical shape such that the wider end is at the top of the closure and the narrower end is below the wider end when the closure is in the closed position.

Although within this description the words "top", "below", and other such relative terms are used, it should be understood that they relate to the closure as shown in Figure 2 in that the base part 20 is beneath the lid part 30. In other words, these tenns relate to how a closure would typically be fitted to a container, such as a bottle, with this container standing upright with the closure at the top and the closure axis "A" being substantially vertical. These relative terms should not be regarded as limiting in any way to the scope of the invention.

In Figure 2, the interaction of the socket 90 and projection 80 is more clearly shown. The interaction of the socket 90 and projection 80 prevents the lid 30 from moving relative to the base 20 in a direction substantially non-orthogonally with respect to the closure axis A', for instance as represented by the direction referenced B' in Figure 2.

The base 20 includes screw threads 25 for attachment to an associated container (not shown). The lid 30 includes a bore seal 35 for sealing of the associated dispensing orifice 40 or spout (no shown).

In Figure 3 the orientation of the parting surfaces 60,70 with respect to the closure are more clearly visible. With regard to the parting surface 60 provided on the base 20 it has a portion adjacent the hinge 50 which lies in a plane which is non-orthogonal to the closure axis A' in that it slopes downwardly from the rear of the closure adjacent the hinge 50 towards the "front" of the closure adjacent the recess 100. However, the portion of the parting surface 60 adjacent the front of the closure 10, furthest from the hinge 50, lies in a plane which is orthogonal with respect to the closure axis A' in that it appears horizontal in Figure 3.

Correspondingly, the lid 30 has a parting surface 70 which has a substantial portion which lies in a plane which is non-orthogonal with respect to the closure axis A'.

The parting surface 70 starts at a point adjacent the hinge 50 and rises away from the hinge 50 towards the front of the closure 10 and the tab 110. However, the portion of the parting surface 60 adjacent the front of the closure 10 (with the lid in the closed position) and furthest from the hinge 50 lies in a plane which is orthogonal with respect to the closure axis A' in that it appears horizontal in Figure 3.

It will be understood that with the lid 30 in the closed position a force applied to it, such that it is pressed downwardly onto the base 20, could be transferred, by virtue of the adjacent non-orthogonal parting surfaces 60, 70, such that it is moved relative to the base 20 in the direction shown by the arrow referenced B'.

However, by virtue of the interlocking latch means 80, 90 this relative movement may be prevented.

Claims

Claims 1. A flip-top dispensing closure comprising a base having a dispensing orifice, a lid, hinge means for articulating the lid and base with respect to one another between an open position and a closed position, and latch means for substantially preventing relative movement between the lid and base, other than rotational articulation about the hinge, with the closure in the closed position.
2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein the base and lid each have a parting surface on their respective circumferences which, with the closure in the closed position, lie adjacent one another and wherein each parting surface has at least a portion of its surfce in a plane which is non-orthogonal to the closure axis,
3. A closure according to either of claims I and 2, wherein the latch means comprises a projection on one of the lid and base and a socket on the other of the lid and base, the projection being receivable within the socket.
4. A closure according to any preceding claim, wherein the latch means are located adjacent the hinge means.
5. A closure according to any preceding claim, wherein the size and shape of the lid and base along their respective perimeters are substantially similar such that the external surface of the closure is contiguous.
6. A closure according to any preceding claim, wherein the lid includes sealing means for sealing the dispensing orifice in the base when the closure is in the closed position.
7. A closure according to Claim 6, wherein the sealing means is a spigot.
8. A closure according to any preceding claim, further including a dispensing member.
9. A closure according to claim 8, wherein the dispensing member is a spout.
10. A closure according to either of claims 8 and 9, wherein the lid includes sealing means for sealing the spout when the closure is in the closed position.
11. A closure according to any preceding claim including anti-rotation means for substantially preventing relative rotation, about the closure axis, between the lid and base.
12. A closure according to claim 11, wherein the anti-rotation means is provided on substantially the opposite side of the closure axis to the hinge means.
13. A closure according to either of claims 11 and 12, wherein the anti-rotation means is provided by a tab on one of the lid and base and a recess, for receiving the tab, on the other of the lid and base.
14. A flip-top dispensing closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.