US2528993A

US2528993A - Dispensing closure for collapsible tubes

Info

Publication number: US2528993A
Application number: US75803A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold W Beach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-02-11
Filing date: 1949-02-11
Publication date: 1950-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1967-11-07

Description

Nov. 7, 1950 H. 'w. BEACH 2,528,993

DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSI BLE TUBES Filed Feb. 11. 1949 Inventor Harold W. Beach y MM m Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATESFATENT OFFICE DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in dispensing closures, and the principal object of the 1 Claim. (Cl. 222492) invention is to provide a closure of this nature v which is particularly well adapted for use in association with a collapsible tube containing tooth paste, shaving cream, etc., an important feature of the invention residing in the arrangement of the closure in such manner that it is automatically opened when the tube is being collapsed and is automatically closed as soon as collapsing pressure on the tube ceases to be exerted.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity of construction, in its adaptability to economical manufacture, and in its ability to protect the contents of the collapsible tube from harmful effects of the atmosphere.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a collapsible tube showing the invention in situ thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2 2 in Figure 1 and illustrating the invention in its closed position;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that illustrated in Figure 2, but showing the invention in its open position; and

Figure 4 is a group perspective view of a plunger and a spring used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now. to the-accompanying drawings in detail, the general reference character ID designates a conventional collapsible tube provided with an externall screw-threaded outlet neck 12, the invention consisting of a dispensing closure designated generally by the reference character M which is intended to be positioned on the neck [2 in place of the conventional cap or top with which the collapsible tube is customarily provided.

The closure I4 embodies in its construction a cap-shaped body I6 formed with an axial bore it, one end portion of this bore being screw threaded, as at 20, to receive the neck I2 of the tube ID, as will be clearly apparent.

A cylindrical closure member of plunger 22, equipped with a diametrically enlarged head 2 is slidable in the bore I8 from a retracted position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a projected position illustrated in Figure 3, the plunger constituting a closure for the bore when it is in its retracted position, as will be clearly apparent. Needless to say, the enlarged head 2 of the plunger not only assists in closing thebore 18 when the plunger is retracted, but also functions as a stop to prevent the plunger from being retracted too far into the bore.

The plunger 22 is provided with a passage 26 which is in communication with the bore l8 and is open at diametrically opposite sides of the plunger, as is best shown in Figure 4. The passage 26 terminates in an outlet opening 28 which merely constitutes a continuation of one of the open sides of the passage 26, the opening 28 being disposed at one side of that portion of the plunger which is outside of the bod [6 when the plunger is in its projected position as shown in Figure 3.

In other words, assuming the device to be in the closed position as shown in Figure 2, when pressure is exerted on the tube to collapse the same, the contents of the tube will flow outwardly through the neck i2 into the passage iii of the body it and will exert pressure on the inside end surface 30 of the plunger head 24, which pressure will expel the plunger 22 to its projected position, as shown in Figure 3, so that the contents of the tube H! are discharged outwardly from the body I6 through the opening 28, as indicated at 32.

However, means are provided for returning the plunger 22 to its retracted position as soon as external pressure ceases to be exerted on the tube It, these means involving the provision of a resilient wire rod or spring 3 1 which is best illustrated in the lower portion of Figure 4.

The spring 34 consists of two spaced side portions 36 which are connected together by an intermediate portion 38, the side portions 36 being formed with outward arcuations or detents 40, the extensions of which, in turn, constitute a pair of crossed end portions 22 terminating in arouate loops or eyes 44.

The spring 34 is positioned in the bore [8 as indicated in Figures 2 and 3, having the intermediate portion 38 thereof extending transverse- 1y of the passage 26 of the plunger 22, while the arcuations of this spring are seated in an annular groove formed intermediate the length of the bore [8 for the purpose of preventing the spring from shifting upwardly or outwardly from the bore. The crossed end portions 42 of the spring engage or bear against a cross piece 48 which extends transversely of the passage 28 in the plunger 22, whereby the plunger is urged in the direction of the arrow 58 in Figure 3 to its retracted position illustrated in Figure 2.

It should be explained that in Figure 4 the spring 34 is illustrated with the crossed end portions 42 extending downwardly, which position the end portions normally occupy before the spring is installed in the body l6. However, when the spring is installed in the body, the end portions 42 extend upwardly in crossed relation as shown, so that their resiliency is substantially increased. The spring 34 is, of course, sufficiently weak to allow the plunger 22 to be projected when external pressure is applied to the tube II], but the spring is sufficiently strong to automatically return the plunger to its retracted position as soon as application of external pressure to the tube II] is discontinued.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure, and accordingly, further 4 the body to said groove, a hollow cylindrical closure member slidable in the upper portion of said bore and having open opposite sides at least one of which afiords a lateral outlet passage when said member is projected upwardly from the bore, a cross-piece provided in the lower end'of said member, and combined means for sliding said member downwardly and preventing upward withdrawal thereof from said bore, said means comprising a single length of resilient wire angulated to provide an inverted U-shaped body portion and a pair of crossed inwardly extending arms terminating in free extremities, said U- shaped body portion including a bight region extending transversely of said closure member above said cross-piece, and a pair of laterally projecting detents provided on said wire at the junctionsof said U-shaped body portion with said arms, said detents being seated in said groove.

description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what i claimed as new is:

A dispensing closure comprising a vertically elongated body having an axial bore and an annular groove disposed intermediate the ends of said bore, said body being provided in said bore with a pair of diametrically opposite channels extending longitudinally from the upper end of HAROLD W. BEACH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,370,739 Gay Mar. 8, 1921 1,753,239 Fox Apr. 8, 1930 1,941,727