US2585527A - Slitted resilient closure for containers - Google Patents

Description

J. M. ADAMS 5 2,585,527

- SLITTED RESILIENT CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Feb. 12, 1952 Filed June 24, 1948 .llllmlh I N VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 A UNITED 'STATES PATENT o -1:1

SLITTED RESILIENT CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS I John M. Adams, Atlanta, Ga. Application June 24, 1948, Serial No. 34,882

This invention relates to ,a closure for containers from which pastes, liquids, powders, and like materials are to be dispensed.

Many contrivances have been suggested for more easily and eificiently dispensing materials from collapsible containers, but these have not been entirely satisfactory, some of their more common deficiencies being that they must be removed from the containers in order to permit the container contents to be dispensed, and thus are too often contaminated, misplaced, or lost; or their high cost of manufacture prohibits their use with inexpensive containers, such as collapsible tubes; or they fail to prevent leakage of container contents.

My invention contemplates the elimination of many of the shortcomings heretofore associated with such devices, and has as an importantobject the provision of a container. having novel means for controlling the discharge of pastes, liquids, powders, and similar materials from containers therefor.

Another object is to provides. novel closure device which may be readily secured to and removed from containersjwhich is simpletooperate, eflicient in its operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object is to provide a novel closure structure for containers whichwillprevent the entrance therethrough of foreign matter which might contaminate the container contents.

My invention in all its aspects will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings together with the detailed description thereof. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of my invention as applied to a paste 0011-. tainer;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the container closure in detail;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of. a closure cap which forms part of my invention;

. Fig. 4 is a'plan view of a collared neck element used in conjunction with the closure cap of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the closure cap of Fig. 3, along the line 55;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the closure'cap of Fig. 3, mounted on the collared element of Fig.4, so that the major .axis of the collared element is parallel to the incision l5 of the closure cap of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of .the'structure shown in Fig. 6, with the major axis of the collared element of Fig. 4 perpendicular. to the incision l5 of the closure cap of Fig. 3'; and

7 Claims. (Cl. 222-490) Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of the invention. My. invention, generally, contemplates a dispensing neck structure which may be screwed or otherwise secured to the end of a container, and which has a rotatable cap formed of a distortable material which cooperates with an oval portion of the dispensing neck to open orclose a slit in the cap. i

The invention is exemplified in several embodiments hereinafter described. However, it is to be understood that these are illustrativeonly,

- and that they are not to be construed as limiting the invention to any specific form, except as may be required by the claims appended hereto, since modifications within the scope of my invention will readily present themselves to those skilled in the art.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 7, a container l l, which may be acollaps: ible tube, as illustrated, has a collared neck element l2 screwed to the discharge endthereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A cap I3 is rotatably mounted on the neck l2 and covers the discharge orifice l l therein. The neck element I2 is made of a rigid material which may be suitably plastic, glass, metal, or the like, and has a body portion [6, neck portion I1, and collar l8, which collar projects laterally beyond. the neck l1 and is shaped generally in the form of an oval having a major axis l9 and a minoraxis 20 (best shown in Figs. 2 and 4).

, The-cap I3 is made of 'aresilient'distortable material such as, for example, rubber, and is providedwith an incisionl5 through the end of the cap I3 opposite the neck-receiving end thereof. The cap [3 is further provided with a recess 2| in the body thereof for receiving a portionof the neck element l2,.the recess 2i having a cross section which is diametrically similar to, but somewhat smaller than, the collar iii of neck element 12. The inner'wall' section 24 of the cap I3 is preferably sloped inwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, in order to effectuate a uniform gripping of the'neck portion ll of neck element l2. The flanged edges of; the collar 18 are receivable in a groove 25 which bounds at least a portion of the periphery of the cap recess 2|, the groove being preferably narrower than the flanged edge of the collar IB for obtaining'a tighter fit. I p

, The incision I5 is cut through the end'of the cap l3 opposite the collar-receiving portion thereof, so that it runs along in the direction of the longer axis of the recess 2l,.as shown in Fig. ,6. .With therelative positions of collar l8 and cap l3'as shown in Fig. 6. the sides of the incision l5 are closed due to the outward pressure applied against those edges of the cap 13, which are generally along the longer axis l9 of the collar [8, and consequently against the sides of incision 15. Since the incision [5 in the cap I3 is preferably cut through with a narrow sharp implement, and since the natural resiliency of the rubber forming the body of the cap I 3 provides enough pressure against the sides of the incision [5 to keep the incision substantially closed when the cap is not mounted on the neck l2, it is readily seen that the additional pressure against the sides of the incision it, caused by mounting the cap 13 over the collar H, as shown in Fig. 6, further increases the proximity of the sides of the incision 15 to each other. With the element-i. PQSiEiQI Ed; as in Fig. 6, this pressure on the sides of the incision l5, together with the snugness with which the edges of the groove 25 engage the edges of the collar l9, and the similar relationship of the sloped walls 24 and neck 1'! (Figs. 2 and 5), is sufficient to prevent the contents of container H, for example, tooth paste, from passing through the incision t5, even when a substantial amount of force is exerted on the tube II. For the same reason, ingress of foreign matter through the cap I3 is likewise prevented.

By turning the cap l3 approximately 90 so that the relative positions of the cap 13 and the r collar I8 are as shown in Fig. 7, whereby the major axis l9 of the collar 18 becomes substantially perpendicular to the major axis 26 of the recess 2|, the combination of tension and compression forces acting on the cap I3 opens the incision l5, as shown in Fig. 7.

Another embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. 8, wherein a container 27 isprovided with a hollow neck 28 substantially oval in axial cross-section, and a cap 29 formed of a resilient flexible rubber-like material. The cap 29 is equipped with a recess St for receiving, gripping and holding neck 28 of container 21. The recess 3| has a cross-section which is generally ovaland whose periphery is geometrically similar to, but somewhat smaller than the periphery ofthe oval cross-section of neck 28. Furthermore, the inner walls of the recess 3I'are preferably sloped inwardly to provide a better gripping surface at the neck-receiving end of the cap 29. The cap 29 is likewise equipped with an incision 32 which entersthe recess 3|, and which runs in the direction of the major axis 33 of the recess 3|. For convenience in rotating the cap there are provided lugs 34, as shown.

In operation the cap 29 is mounted on the neck 28 so that the long axes of each are parallel with respect to each other. In this position the incision 32 is closed and precludes the passage of materials therethrough. Rotating'the cap 29 approximat ly 90 results in the sides of incision 32 being stretched apart to permit discharge of the contents of the container 21.

For convenience in gripping the cap 29 there may be provided ears or lugs 34 suitably secured to the sides of the cap or formed integral therewith I Although I have shown certain specific, elements inthe foregoing embodiment of my in? vention, it is not intended to, exclude therefrom numerous. modifications which will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For example, though I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a collared, neckj l2v which is screwed onto, a, container H, it is, to, be understood thatthe. neck 12 can be made an integral part of the container ll, or secured thereto in other ways. Furthermore, in connection with the groove 25 shown in Fig. 5, it is to be understood that this groove may be formed as part of an unbroken periphery within the recess 2| of the cap I3, or it may be formed only along a portion of said periphery. It is likewise clear that gripping means for the cap 13 and 29 may be other than those shown, such as, for example, serrations in the outer sides of the caps, cross-hatching of the sides, and the like, and though I have described and shown my invention as embodied foruse with a specific container, viz; a collapsible tube, it is obviously applicable to other types of containers.

The invention above described provides a simple and eflicient means for scaling in and releasing the contents of containers. It is adaptable, as is readily seen, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 7, for repeated use since once a container has become empty the device can be readily removed therefrom and applied to a new container. Furthermore, it possesses a distinct advantage over the closure caps which are commonly used with such containers as tooth paste tubes and the like, in that it is unnecessary to remove the cap from the container in order to dispense the contents therefrom, thus eliminating the annoying consequences of a lost or misplaced cap.

Another important advantage lies in the effectiveness of the seal created by the novel construction and operational relationship, to each other, of the dispensing neck and the closure cap, which prevents leakage from the container and ingress of foreign substances into the container.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container having a main body portion, a hollow neck threadably secured thereto, an oval collar connected to and diametrically wider than the said neck, and a rotatable cap for said collar formed of a flexible material, one end of said cap having an oval opening extending into the body of the cap to form an oval cavity therein, the opposite end of the cap having an incision therethrough in the direction of the longest crosssectional diameter of said oval opening.

2. A container having a main body portion, a

' hollow neck portion opening into the main body portion, an elliptical collar threadably secured to and wider than, said neck portion, and a rotatable cap therefor, said cap being formed of a flexible material; one end of said cap having a crosssectional elliptical opening extending into the body of the cap to provide a cross-sectional elliptical cavity therein, the major and minor axes of said opening and said cavity being smaller than the corresponding axis of said collar, and

-- the opposite end of said cap having an incision therethrough in the direction of the major axis 75 responding dimensions ofsaid collar, and havslit in the end of the cap opposite said opening.

4. A container having a hollow neck elliptical in axial cross-section, and a rotatable cap therefor, formed of a flexible material, and having an open recess elliptical in axial cross-section therein, the said cross-sections being geometrically similar and the major and minor axes of the first cross-section being greater than the corresponding axes of the last said cross-section, the inner side walls of said recess sloping inwardly to the said recess opening whereby to form an opening diametrically smaller than the said neck, and an incision through the end of the cap opposite the said recess opening, in the direction of the major axis of said recess.

5. In a container having a hollow neck, an adapter for the neck formed of a rigid material open at both ends and threadably connected to the neck and having its own neck portion and an elliptical collar portion connected to and diametrically wider than said adapter neck portion, a rotatable cap for the said adapter, formed of a flexible material and having a recess, elliptical in axial cross-section therein, the major and minor axes of said recess being smaller than the corresponding axis of said collar, and an incision in the end of the cap opposite said recess opening, the said incision running in the direction of f the major axis of said cavity.

6. In a. container having a hollow neck, an adapter for the neck formed of a rigid material open at both ends threadably connected to the neck and having a neck portion and an elliptical collar portion connected to and diametrically wider than the said adapter neck portion, a rotatable cap for said adapter formed or a flexible material, one end of said cap having an opening extending into the body thereof to form a crosssectional elliptical recess therein, a groove in the body of the cap forming the peripheral boundaries of an ellipse cross-sectional of the recess, the major and minor axes of said groove crosssectionally elliptical recess being smaller than the corresponding axis of said collar, and an incision through the opposite end of said cap in the direction of the major axis of said recess.

'7. A paste dispensing package comprising a container for the paste having an open-ended hollow neck elliptical in axial cross-section for passage of paste therethrough, and a rotatable cap therefor formed of a rubber material and having a recess opening into one end thereof, said recess having an axial cross-section diametrically similar to but smaller than the first said cross-section, the inner side walls of said recess sloping inwardly to define the opening of said recess so that said opening is diametrically similar to but smaller than corresponding cross-sections of said recess, and an incision in the end of the cap opposite the neck-receiving opening, said incision running in the direction of the longest axis of said recess.

JOHN M. ADAMS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,070,689 Irrgang Aug. 19, 1913 1,696,506 Smith Dec. 25, 1928

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