US1934045A - Self-opening and closing mouthpiece for collapsible tubes - Google Patents

Description

SELF OPENING AND CLOSING MOUTHPIECE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Feb. 28, 1931 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES SELF-OPENING AND CLOSING MOUTHPIECE FOR GOLLAPSIBLE TUBES Daniel D. Devlin and Reinhart W. Pittman, New York, N. Y.

Application February 28, 1931. Serial No. 518,974

9 Claims.

This invention relates to means for conveniently and thoroughly extruding the contents from collapsible tubes through a self-opening and closing mouthpiece by applying pressure to the exterior of the tube in the usual manner, or by providing a binder such as is now employed to seal the tube end, but to provide this binder with an extension to form a finger piece by means of which the tube can be rolled up on the binder to force the contents forward to the mouthpiece, or additional means may be used with the present binder to serve as a finger grip to connect with the binder to rotate the same to roll the tube thereon.

It is one object of the invention to provide a an extension to provide a finger grip and be sup plied with the tube.

A further object is to arrange these members in such a manner that one hand will suflice to discharge the contents from the tube whereby the other hand is free to hold an article to which contents may be applied.

In the use of collapsible tubes the general practice is to unscrew the cap and lay it aside, then pick up the tooth brush or other article to which the application from the tube is to be made by squeezing the tube, thus requiring the use of both hands. With the self-opening mouthpiece, however, this operation is much simplified, since the tube has only to be squeezed in the usual manner, or by providing a convenient means to progressively force the contents forward and drain the tube systematically and thoroughly by this forward action forcing the desired quantity from the self-opening mouthpiece onto the article, and on the release of the pressure the mouthpiece will automatically close.- I,

Other objects will appear and be more fully pointed out and described in the drawing form:

ing a part of this specification, in which like char acters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of which: L Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible tube provided with this improved self-opening and simple construction of the mouthpiece that can closing mouthpiece and the usual binder to seal the other end of the tube.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a tube with this improved mouthpiece to more clearly show the construction and further shows a binder provided with an ex- 6Q tension by means of which the tube may be rolled up on the binder to force the contents forward in the tube.

Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, show in detail the selfopening and closing mouthpiece.

Fig. 8 is a view of the binder for sealing the tube provided with an extension forming a wing grip portion by means of which the tube may be rolled up.

Fig. 9 is a similar view but showing the binder with the tube partly rolled up on the binder.

Fig. 10 is a view of another form of the means for pressing the contents of the tube to extrude same from the mouthpiece.

Fig. 11 is a detail of another form of the rolling up means.

Fig. 12 is a modification showing a simple form of the rolling up means.

As shown, the usual tube 2 provided with the threaded end 3 adapted to receive the closure cap that is generally supplied with the tube, is utilized to receive the threaded bore 4 of a self-opening and closing mouthpiece 5 that serves as a closure cap at all times except when desired to extrude some of the contents from the tube by pressing or squeezing the tube without removing this closure from the tube.

We do not wish to limit our invention to any particular form of attachment of the mouthpiece to the tube since it may be integral with this tube, or attached in any other manner.

The principal feature of our invention is to provide a self opening and closing mouthpiece controlled by the application of pressure which may be obtained in any desirable manner, such as directly squeezing the tube as is usually done, or by means, as will be shown, by rolling up the tube by providing a wing grip to the binder indicated at 6 that permanently seals the end '7 of the tube, whereby the. binder may be rotated by this grip and the binder part will act as a core to roll up the tube thereon. By providing this wing grip in connection with the self-opening and closing mouthpiece we are enabled to extrude any desired quantity from the tube by the use of one hand only leaving the other hand free to hold an article to which it is desired to apply the contents from the tube. Usually tubes, when subjected to direct squeezing, are not entirely drained due to careless handling. By rolling up, the tube as just described moves the contents progressively forward in the tube as it is used and when the tube becomes shorter by this action the rolling up becomes more eifective and convenient for manipulation by the one hand as will be readily understood. In the use of the screw cap generally supplied with such tubes, it is the general practice to remove and replace the cap before and after use. This plan is hardly ever carried out, the cap being mislaid or forgotten and the tube is left in an unsanitary condition and the material dried at the discharge opening. Our invention obviates these conditions by supplying a substitute for the cap that delivers its contents through a self -closing spring pressure plate that fits snugly between side walls of the mouthpiece but free enough between the walls to respond to pressure from within the tube to open the spring plate, and self-closing, when the pressure ceases.

We prefer to construct this mouthpiece by forming the body 10 .of mouldable material and shaped to form an extended runway 11 preferably rectangular and open at the top forward end, the greater part of its extended length and this lpen top terminating a short distance from the front of the head 12 at which place a top wall 13 provides a shelf-like arrangement, having recesses 14-14 at each side formed in the side walls 15 which, at this location, extend upward over the shelf. The top of theshelf has a depression 16 located at the center of theshelf to hold the spring plate 17 which is of a uniform width and has an outer bend 18 so bent with relation to the forward end 19 that a predetermined pressure is effected on the front face 11' when the b ent end of the spring 18 is pushed into the recesses 14 and thereby provide a yieldable closure between the end of the spring plate 1'7 and the front 01 the mouthpiece at this front face 11'. The depression 16 in the shelf 13 serves as a lock shoulder against a yielding tongue portion 18' that locks behind the shoulder 18" of the depression 16 when this spring plate is forced fully back and into the recesses 14 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The head 12 of the mouthpiece, which may be of any desired form, that is, round, hexagonal or knurled or otherwise arranged for a comfortable finger grip so it may be readily unscrewed from the threaded part 3 of the tube if desired; but it is understood, however, that the mouthpiece may be an integral part of the tube .or fitted in any other manner to provide a removable separate part. In Fig. 10 is shown a separate means for rolling up the tube, the usual binder 20 for closing the tube being retained and a tubular mem-. ber 21 provided with a slot 22 of such proportions to freely admit the binder 20 therein and by rolling the tube forward, the contents may be thoroughly and conveniently extruded through the yielding mouthpiece by a one hand operation as indicated in this figure by broken lines. The tubular member 21, may be formed as in Fig. 11-by bending the member into tubular form and leaving'an open joint 24 with rounded edges,.so the binder'of the tube may be pressed into the joint 24 from the side, the tube acting as a spring to grip and hold the binder. In Fig. 12 a modifled form of the rolling up member is shown, wherein a slotted bar 30 is fixed to a circular grip portion 31, and the binder is slipped mfte the slot 32 and the head rotated to wind up the tube.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that with the self-opening and closing mouthpiece one hand only is required to squeeze the tube and eject from the mouthpiece the quantity desired and apply it directly to the article held by the other hand,

providing by this means a much simplified opera-' tion which also saves considerable time over the method now employed.

While direct squeezing of the tube to extrude 1. A collapsible tube comprising a flexible tube member, having at one end a head to receive a spring controlled mouthpiece and a binder to close the other end, said mouthpiece including a body portion adapted to be removably attached to the tube, a passage in the body having communication with the interior of the tube, a channel portion extending forward of the body'and being a continuation of the passage, and a leaf spring fixed within the body and extending forward in the channel to lie between the side walls thereof and form a cover to close the passage and channel outlet.

2. A discharge head for a collapsible tube, come prising a head with a tubular extension that has a projecting bottom wall, an upright wall on each side of said bottom wall with the extension above said bottom being left open, and a plate spring secured to the top of the extension at the rear of the open top which spring extends downward between the side walls into contact with the-bottom wall at its outer end portion to close the passage through the extension normally but which will yield upwardly on extruding pressure in the tube, and which plate spring is exposed on its up r face for removal of the substance that has n extruded.

3. A discha ge head for a collapsible tube, comprising a head with a tubular extension that has a projecting bottom wall, an upright wall on each side of said bottom wall with the extension above said bottom beingfleft open, and a plate spring secured to the top of the extension at the rear of the open top which spring extends downward between the side, walls into. contact with the bottom wall at its outer end portion to close the passage thro which will yield upwardly on extruding pressure in the tube, and which plate spring is exposed on its upper face for removal of the substance that has been extruded, said side walls having the upper edges inclined downwardly to the outer end to lie normally a short distance above the saidinclined spring plate.

4. A discharge head for a collapsible tube, comprising a head with a tubular extension that has a projecting bottom wall, an upright wall on each side of the bottom wall with the extension above said bottoin being left open, and a plate spring secured to the top of the extension at the rear of the open top which spring extends downward, between the side walls into contact with the bottom wall at its outer end.

portion to close the passage through the extension normally but which will yield upwardly on h the extension normally but extruding pressure in the tube, the rear top wall L of the extension being provided with an overhanging flange on each side to engage and se- -cure said spring plate.

5. A discharge head for a collapsible tube,

has a projecting bottom wall, an upright wall on each side of the bottom wall with the extension above said bottom being left open, and a plate spring secured to the top of the extension at the rear of the open top which spring extends downwards between the side walls into contact with .the bottom wall at its outer end portion to close wall having an opening, and the spring platehaving an ear engaging said opening to retain the plate in position.

6. A container closure comprising a cap having a bore therein for the passage of the container contents and further having a chamber extending thereinto from one side thereof and communicating with the bore for receiving the container contents therefrom, a resilient valve operable in the chamber for controlling the discharge of the container contents, and means on the cap at the inner end of the chamber for rigidly clamping one end portion of the resilient valve to the cap.

'7. In a collapsible tube, a head on the .end of the tube, a nozzle connected to the head having a bore, a channel forming an opening at one side of the bore, said channel having parallel sides and a connecting flat base, the edge of the base and the sides of the channel forming a discharge orifice, a single 'valve closure in the form of a leaf spring-secured to the side of the nozzle at the end of the channel, the spring fitting in the channel and engaging said flat base at the end of the nozzle, said spring releasing to form an opening on internal pressure of the material in the tube and retracting to form a closure on release of such pressure.

8. A paste dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a nozzle having a bore and a channel forming an opening at one side of the bore, the channel having parallel sides, and a portion of the bore forming a base of the channel, a valve in the form of a leaf spring secured at one side of the nozzle at the end of the channel, said spring having an operating fit. between the sides of the channel, and the end of the spring engaging the opposite side of the nozzle adjacent its outer end, the spring being moved to form an opening by an internal pressure of material in said bore, and retracting to form a closure on release of such pressure.

9. A container consisting of a collapsible tube provided with a neck at its delivery end, a spout extending therefrom in alinement therewith and having its back and opposite sides closed and its front open, and a sealing spring forming a closure for the open front of the spout and extending longitudinally therefrom between the sides thereof and arranged to abut the back of the spout whereby the spout will be sealed.

DANIEL D. DEVLIN.

REINHAR'I' W. PITTMAN.

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