US2511038A

US2511038A - Collapsible tube cap

Info

Publication number: US2511038A
Application number: US632915A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bergeron Louis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-12-05
Filing date: 1945-12-05
Publication date: 1950-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 1967-06-13

Description

`lune 13, 1950 L. BERGERQN COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAP Filed Deo. 5, 1945 INVENTOR Louis Bergeron ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAP Louis Bergeron, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 5, 1945, Serial No. 632,915

1 Claim.

My invention pertains to interchangeably removeable caps used primarily in conjunction with collapsible tubes of standard manufacture, which are utilized in merchandising and holding or retaining of plastic material.

One object of my invention is to provide a cap having body meansV articulately secured to a closure means, and having interposed between the closure and the body means of the cap, at the point of articulation, resilient means for maintaining the closure in open position and hermetically sealed in closed position.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a novel device of the aforementioned character an articulating hinge element, which serves an additional function of acting as a resilient retaining means, retaining the closure element in a fixed open position and also in a fixed closed position, that is, the resilient retaining means requring slight effort to be exerted in order to disengage it from the fixed position either when open, or closed whatever the condition happens to be.

Another object of my invention is to provide an article, or device, of the aforementioned character, which may be used interchangeably with collapsible tubes, after the materials have been dispensed therefrom, and a cap which will have all its elements self-retained so as to remove the difficulties at present contended with, through the use of separable or removable caps conventionally associated with collapsible tubes of commercial manufacture and construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a cap of the aforementioned character, dispensing lip means which will serve the function of maintaining the dispensing opening clean and will permit clean wiping of the said lip means after plastic material is dispensed therefrom, thus preventing contamination of the material confined 'within the cap, presenting at all times a neat appearance, rather than the messy unsightly appearance that is prevalent where removable caps are utilized.

Another object of my invention is to provide an article of the aforementioned character which is simple in construction, contains few parts, requires few operations for its manufacture and construction, and which is practical and efficient for the purposes intended, being also of such elemental assemblage and construction as to warrant economical manufacture thereof in quantity production.

Other features and advantages resident in my invention, will become apparent from an examination of the accompanying drawings, further elucidated in the ensuing description, so that those familiar with the art will have no difliculty in grasping the teachings expounded herein; the said drawings indicated in the various figures or views, wherein like numerals, or symbols, are used to designate like parts; and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a collapsible container with my invention attached thereto, showing the particular application when the collapsible container is filled with tootl" paste, and showing a toothbrush removing some of the material from the tube, clean-wiping the same.

Fig. 2 is a front view of my invention, with certain portions thereof, shown in section in order to more clearly elucidate the construction thereof.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the exception that the closure portion of my invention is shown in open position ready for use.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view takenI substantially, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an important element used in connection with my invention.

Referring to the various views my invention is, generally, designated 6, and it is attached to the threaded mouth I0 of a collapsible tube 9, the materials being dispensed through the elevated lip portion I5, so that a brush 1 having its bristles 8 drawn across the said lip I5 will remove all of the material ejected from the tube when the same is compressed, yet leaving the neck at the end of the opening lll clean at all times, and free from contamination by foregin matter prevalent in the atmosphere.

My invention, generally, designated consists of a body member Il, having a female threaded portion I2 mating with the threaded portion on the neck l!! of a collapsible tube 9, being further provided with a ledge extending to one side thereof which terminates in two ears 2B forming part of an articulate assembling arrangement, the other ears 2| being on the closure element i8 so as to receive the hinge element shown in Fig. 5.

The said hinge element consists of hinge portions 23 which have adjacent or contiguous thereto the flat portions 24 and the intermediate portions 25, which are bent at the `center to form the duplex hump portion 26, having indentations 2l and 28 and being bent at 29, making the entire affair from one piece of wire.

The purpose of the flat portions 24 is to permit them to be securely anchored in the ears 20. The ears 2| are rotatably secured to the intermediate portions 25. In between the ears a U-shaped recess 22 is provided, having a sharp central edge as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and the said edge 22 engages either the formation or

indentation

21 or 28.

In Fig. 2, when engaging the indentation 22, the closure I8 is closed, thus confining sealably the edge I7 thereof with the top surface IB of the body Il. The closure I8 is provided with an enlarged conical recess I9 in order to provide suicient and ample clearance for the lip structure I3. The material is ejected through the bore I4 which merges with the enlarged threaded portion I2 of the body II so that whenever the cap' 9 is squeezed or pressed it causes the plastic material contained therein to be ejected therefrom.

The terminus central portion 29 Iof the wire portion 26 is caused to slidably and frictionally engage the lower surface 30' of the ledge component portion connecting the ears 20 to the body I I. The reason for that is, in order to afford a resilient action to Vthe spring hinge, .or to the resilient hinge structure 26, inasmuch asthe flat portion 24 being securely anchored, the snapping engagement o f the -hinge 22 with either indentation `2:1 or 28 will oier a yieldable pressure and resistance, to be overcome readily by a slight pressure to be exerted on .the closure I8 whenever it is desired to open the cap or close the cap, causing either engagement of the edge l22r with the indentation 2-'I, or 4engagement with `the indentation 28, or disengagement with any of `the said

indentations

21 or 28 respectively. The operation and use of my inventionis believed readily obvious and self-evident from the foregoing description.

Although I have herein described and revealed rather succinctly the construction of my invention, and inasmuch as the same is susceptible of .modifications and improvements, I hereby reserve the right to all rmodifications andimprovements coming within the .scope and spirit of my invention, also those modications and improvements embraced impliedly in the accompanying drawings, as well as all those falling within the purview of the foregoing description.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as novel, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A collapsible tube cap of the character described comprising, a body element provided with a threaded portion removably engaging the neck portion of a collapsible tube and further provided with an extended hinge portion, a closure element having a mating hinge portion articulately secured to the said extended hinge portion and further provided with an open slotted portion at its lower edge providing a locking edge portion intermediate said mating hinge portion, and a pivot element anchorably secured to one of the said' vhinge portions and freely operative in the other of said hinge portions, the said pivot element being provided with a central hump portion having its free terminus in intimate Contact with the lower surface of the said extended hinge portion and having two indentations adapted to engage releasably the said locking edge portion in snap relationship in both open and closed positions of the said closure element.

LOUIS BERGERON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,481,510 Hostettler Jan. 22, 1924 2,025,188 Wilson Dec. 24, 1935 2,041,252 Leonard May 19, 1936 2,149,586 De Boer Mar. 7, 1939 2,288,255 Ross June 30, 1942