US1920199A - Closure for collapsible tubes and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1933. Q J JESNIG 1,920,199

CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 2'7, 1952 4 I N VE/V 70 Char/as JJS/my.

f' HTTO RNEY 15 which embodies, among other things, a sealing t formed integral therewith and closed at its op- Patentecl Aug. 1,1933 a CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE qharles J. Jesnig, Philadelphia, Pa. 1

Application September 27, 1932. Serial'No'. 635,019

9 Claims. (Cl. 221-60.)

A principal object of the present invention is ly in elevation and partially in central section, the provision of a novel form of closure for reshowing the cap as it appears prior to assembly ceptacles such as the collapsible tubes or the like with the other parts, the non-metallic sealing elewhich are commonly employed for holding toothment and the neck and upper end of the tube;

5 paste, shaving cream, and other generally similar Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the neck and upper plastic materials and from which the said mateportion of the tube prior to assembly with the rials are ejected as required by suitable pressure other said parts, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged perapplied to the body of the tube. spective view of the sealing element. jIhrough A further object of the invention is the proviout the drawing the same characters of refer- 10 sion of a closure for a tube of the character ence areused to designate, the same parts.

aforesaid which is effective to completely seal the Referring now more particularly to the drawtube when closed but which may be readily opering, the tube is of usual construction and thus ated to permit the ejection from the tube of any comprises a generally cylindrical body T of thin desired quantity of the contained material; metal such as aluminum or zinc having one end element made of non-metallic material through posite end'by folding the metal over upon it-; the medium of which the actual sealing of the self after thepaste or other material which the neck of the tube is effected, said sealing element tube is to contain has been introduced therein. being interposed between said neck which is de- As usual, the end t is of generally conical form sirably integral with the tube body and a movand in accordance with the presentinvention is able cap carried by and supported from the neck, provided, with an axially extending neck 1 havwhereby metal to metal contact is avoided being a bore12of suitable diameter, the neck being tween the adjacent parts of the cap and the end preferably cast or otherwise formed integral of the neck between which the plastic material with the tube. The neck terminates in a conical is extruded. I extremity 3 disposed beyond theouter end of A still further object of the invention is the the bore 2, the surface 3' of this conical porprovision of a closure of the character aforesaid tion forming a seat for the sealing element 5 which can be easily and cheaply manufactured, hereinafter more particularly described. This which is efiicient in operation, embodies no loose conical portion is pierced with one or more genparts liable to come off or be displaced when the erally inwardly extending apertures 6 which thus 5 device is in use, which is adapted to permit the form passages from the bore 2, within the body exudation of the material in a constant stream of the neck through which material contained in so long as suitable pressure is applied to the body the tube can pass to the conical surface 3'. Dev of the tube, which merely requires the screwing sirably and as bestshown in Fig. 5, these ,pasdown or unscrewing of thecap portion of the sages 6 are of arcuate contour when viewed end-- 0 device to seal or unseal the closure, and which wise and, when two of them are provided, are is of neat appearance and not liable to get out disposed in opposed diametric relation on oppoof order or become damaged under the condisite sides of the axis of the neck and while I tions of use to'which devices of this character prefer to provide passages of the general charac- 40 are necessarily subjected. ter of those shown, other forms of passage may Other objects, advantages and novel features be utilized if desired so long as the same are of design, construction and arrangement compreeffective to permit the material in the body hended by the invention are hereinafter more of the tube to freely reach the conical surface particularly pointed out or will be apparent to at the end of the neck, which latter is preferably 100 those skilled in the art from the followingdetruncated as at -7 a short'distance below what scription of a preferred embodiment thereof as would otherwise be its apex. illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The neck is provided below its conical surface In the said drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a 3' with external screw threads 8 and also, prefcollapsible tube provided with the closure of my erably,-with an undercut peripheral groove 9 disinvention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cenposed between the inner extremity of the threads 05 'tral section of the closure and adjacent portion and the base of the neck. In accordance with of the tube shown'in Fig. 1 with the closure cap the customary methods of manufacture of arin closed ,position, and Fig. 3 isa similar view ticles of this general character, the neck may be with the cap in open position; Fig. 4, on the same initially formed by casting to an external diam- 5 scale as Figs. 2 and 3, is a composite view, partialetcr equal to or slightly greater than the corresponding diameter of the threads and the latter then rolled therein in the well known way; simultaneously with this operation, the groove 9 can also be readily rolled or otherwise suitably formed in theneck which is preferably initially made of the same outside diameter in the zone to be occupied by the groove as in the zone to be subsequently occupied by the threads to enable the neck to be readily withdrawn from the mold in which it is formed. In certain circumstances it is also possible by using a two part mold to cast the threads 8 and groove 9 directly in the neck, thus avoiding the separate rolling or other operation incident to forming them therein.

The passages 6 are also desirably formed in the neck when the latter is cast through the provision of suitablecores in the mold but if preferred the outer end of the neck may be initially cast solid and the passages then drilled, broached, or otherwise formed therein in any convenient way.

The cap 10, which is operatively telescoped over the neck, is initially formed substantially as shown in Fig. 4, and thus embodies a depending hollow cylindrical skirt 11 above which are internal threads 12 adapted for cooperation with the threads 8 on the neck while above the threads the interior of the cap may be formed to provide clearance, diminishing toward the apex. of the a short annular or cylindrical surface 13 beyond which the inner surface of the cap is made conical as at 14 in correspondence or substantial correspondence with the conical surface 3 of the neck, the inclination of the respective surfaces being thus substantially identical. Exteriorly, the body of the cap may be of generally cylindrical contour but its upper outer surface is preferably inwardly inclined in general correspondence with the inclined surface 14, the cap terminating in a fiat annular surface 15 surrounding a central outlet 16 of slightly greater diameter than the surface 7 of the neck.

Mention has been made of the sealing member 5 which, when the closure is assembled, is interposed between the conical surfaces 3 and 14 of the neck and cap respectively. This member is formed of c'elluloid or other generally similar slightly yieldablematerial unaifected by the paste or other substance which the tube is designed to contain and is in the form of a truncated hollow cone, as best'shown in Fig. 6. The wall of the sealing element is relatively thin and the opening in its 'upper end-is of only very slightly greater di- "ameter than the diameter of the surface 7 of the neck so that when the element is seated on the latter it will depend from the end of the neck a suflicient distance to cover or substantially cover the conical surface 3 and in any case the mouths of the passages 6 therein. The element is preferably so formed, however, that the angular inclination of its wall towards its central axis is slightly greater than the corresponding inclination of the surfaces 3 and 14 so that when the element is seated on the former as just described and not constrained into intimate engagement therewith by the pressure of the cap as hereinafter explained, it will flare outwardly from the surface 3 to a slight extent so that a very small coned surface 3, will exist between said surface and the sealing element.

The cap, neck and sealing element having been constructed substantially as described are assembled as indicated in Fig. 4, that is, by first seating the element on the surface 3 of the neck and then screwing the cap downwardly thereover until its depending skirt 11 comes into alignment with the groove 9. To prevent the subsequent removal of the cap by the user, the free edge of the skirt is then crimped inwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 at 11, the parts being so proportioned that after this is done the cap is capable of being screwed down to compress the sealing. element between the conical faces 14 and 3 as shown in Fig. 2 or unscrewed for a limited distance as shown in Fig. 3, the extent of outward travel of the cap being of course limited by the engagement of the flange with the upper or outer edge of the undercut groove 9.

It will thus be apparent that when the cap is pressed snugly against said surface through the pressure exerted on the element by the conical inner surface 14 of the cap. When the cap is unscrewed, however, the sealing element at once springs back to its normal shape thus separating its inner face from the adjacent surface 3, and if pressure be now applied to the body of the tube in the usual way, the paste extruded from the passages 6 carries the sealing element upwardly until its further movement is arrested by engagement with the inner surface of the cap, the element then occupying a position slightly separated from the conical surface 3 and thus affording a hollow conical passage extending entirely about said surface and beneath the element through which the paste can pass upwardly through the opening at the upper end of the sealing element and thence through the. outlet 16 in the cap from which it issues in a substantially round stream so long as the pressure on the body of the tube is continued. Upon release of the pressure further exudation of the paste is arrested or substantially so and the cap may then be screwed down to its initial or closed position thus bringing the sealing element again into intimate engagement with the conical surface 3 and positively sealing the tube against further passage 'of the paste or other material therefrom.

turn the cap back to initial posiiton when it is desired to positively seal the tube against further flow thereof. Under all conditions contact between the cap and the contents of the tube is prevented save as the contents momentarily pass over the margin of the outlet 16 in the cap, while due to the tendency of the sealing element to spring away from the conical surface 3 whenever the pressure of the cap is removed, sticking of the element on the neck and consequent necessity for applying pressure to the tube additional to that which would normally be required to extrude the paste therefrom is avoided. Thus whenever the cap is screwed home, a positive sealing of the tube is brought about and since the sealing element, which of course under these conditions is in contact at the mouths of the passages 6 with the material contained in the tube, is preferably made of a material inert to the latter, all danger of contaminating the paste effective way.

closure the material in the tube, as stated, is extruded from the outlet 16 in the cap in a substantially round stream and can thus be readily applied to a toothbrush or other article in an While I have herein described one form of my invention with considerable particularity I do not thereby desire or intend to specifically limit myself to any precise details of design, construction or assembly of the various parts as the same are capable of modification in minor particulars as will be readily understood by those familiar with the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, Irclaim ,and desire to protect by Letters Patent. of the United States:

' 1. In combination, a collapsible tube having a neck provided with a conical end surface and a passage extending therefrom to the interior of the neck, a cap having an inner conical surface seating over the end of the neck and a discharge outlet, said cap arranged for movement toward and away from the conical surface of the neck, and a yieldable sealing element interposed between saidconical surfaces free to move longitudinally thereof in correspondence with the movement of .the cap. 2. In combination, a collapsible tube having an exteriorly threaded neck terminating in a conical surface and having a passage" leading therefrom to its interior, an internally threaded cap seating over the end of the neck provided with an inner conical surface and an outlet at the smaller end thereof, and a yieldable conical sealing element loosely interposed between said conical surfaces and movable axially into engagement with the conical surface of the neck when the capis screwed down on the latter to .thereby seal the passage therein against extrusion of the material contained in the tube.

3 In combination, a collapsible tube having an exteriorly threaded neck terminating in a conical surface and having a passage leading therefrom to its interior, an internally threaded cap seating over the end of the neck provided with an inner conical surface and an outlet at the smaller end thereof, and a non-rigid conical 5 terial contained in the tube and, whenthe cap is unscrewed for a limited distance, operative to move axially away from said surface under the pressure of the material extruded from the tube to thereby afford for said material a hollow conical passage to the outlet in the cap between the surface of the neck and the sealing element. 4. In combination, a collapsible tube having an externally threaded neck terminating in a truncated conical surface and a passage leading from said surface to the interior of the neck, a conical sealing element of yielding material having arr' opening in its smaller end adapted toseat over the conical end of the neck and a cap having internal threads cooperative with the threads on the neck, an inner conical-sur face adjacent its extremity and an outlet at the smaller end of said surface, said cap when screwed irrwardly on the neck operating to forcethe sealing element into intimate contact withfthe conical surface thereof to thereby seal the passage therein, said, element when the cap is unscrewed being free to move axially outward with respect to the neck to afford a passage between the element and the neck for the material in the'tube when extruded therefrom through the passage in the neck by pressure on the tube.

' 5. In combination, a collapsible tube having an externally threaded neck terminating in a truncated conical surface and a passage leading from said surface to the interior of the neck, a

conical sealing element of yielding material having an opening in its smaller end adapted to seat over the conical end of the neck, and a move axially outward with respect to the neck" to afford a passage between the element and the neck for the material in the tube when extruded therefrom through-the passage in the neck by pressure on the tube.

6. In combination, a collapsible tube having a neck terminating in a truncated conical surface and provided with external screw threads between said surface and the body of the tube, a cap seating on the neck and having internal threads cooperative with those on the neck, said cap comprising an inner conical surface of angularity corresponding to the conical surface of the neck and an outlet at the small end thereof, and a conical sealing element of yieldable material interposed between-said conical "surfaces, the walLof the element being normally of greater angular inclination toward its axis than said surfaces, said element being free to move axially into intimate engagement with the conical sur-' face on the neck when .the capis screwed inwardly thereon and to spring outwardly from the neck when the pressureof the cap on the element is released by screwing it in the opposite direction.

'7. In combination, a collapsible tube having a neck terminating in 'a truncated conical end surface and\ having screw threads interposed between said surface and the base of the neck and a passage leading from said surface to the interior thereof, a cap seating over the neck and having internal threads cooperating with those on the latter whereby the cap may be moved axially of the neck, said cap also having an inner conical surface of corresponding inclination to that of the neck and terminating in an outlet opening at the outer extremity of the cap, means for limiting axial movement of the cap outwardly of the neck, and a conical sealing element formed of yieldable materialinterposed between said conical surfaces, the normal angular inclination of the wall of the element being greater than that of said surfaces, said element being free to move axially to intimately engage the conical surface of the neck to seal the passage therein when pressed thereagainst by an axial movement of the cap toward the tube and when the pressure of the cap on the element is relieved by moving the cap away from the tube body to spring outwardly from said surface and afford a passage beneath the element for material extruded from the neck by pressure on the body of the tube.

8. In combination, a collapsible tube having a neck terminating in a truncated conical surface and having an axially ofiset passage leading to its interior, a cap seated on the neck, axially movable with respect thereto and having an internal conical surface terminating in an outlet opening at its outer end, and a non-metallic non-rigid conical sealing element loosely inter-Q posed between the cap and the neck and compressible between both said surfaces by a movement of the cap toward the neck to thereby seal the passage in the latter.

can relatively to the neck to thereby tightly compress said sealing element between said surfaces.

CHARLES J. JESNIG.

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