US2708535A

US2708535A - Closure for dispensing containers

Info

Publication number: US2708535A
Application number: US416479A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gustav S Dettelbach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-03-16
Filing date: 1954-03-16
Publication date: 1955-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 1972-05-17

Description

y 17, 1955 G, s. DETTELBACH 2,708,535

CLOSURE FOR DISPENSING CONTAINERS Filed March 16, 1954 IN VENTOR TTORNEY Unite States Patent 2,708,535 CLOSURE FOR DISPENSING CONTAINERS Gustav S. Dettelbach, Atlanta, Ga. Application March 16, 1954, Serial No. 416,479 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-498) This invention relates to closure means for dispensing containers, and it has particular reference to a closure cap for tubes and the like such as are used for the dispensing packaging of various fluent materials.

One object of the invention is to provide closure means including a cap which is permanently attached to the tube or other container and which, when the dispensing opening of the container is to be opened, need not be detached from the container, thereby guarding against its loss.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure having a cap so formed and so associated with the container that it may be manipulated by the fingers of the hand in which the container is held to adjust it to open or closed condition.

A further object is to provide a closure cap of the aforesaid nature made of an inherently flexible or resilient material, preferably one of the now widely used synthetic plastics.

Still another object is to provide a closure cap and means for attaching it in optionally adjusted open or closed position upon the neck or dispensing opening forming means of a tube or container whereby, by snap action inherent in the flexible nature of the material of which it is formed, the cap may automatically sealingly seat itself over the dispensing opening of the container when it is adjusted in closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a closure cap and means for adjustably connecting it with the neck or the like of a container or tube so that it may readily be assembled in operative position without the use of tools.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises closure means for a dispensing container, such as a collapsible tube, including a closure cap member for the neck, or other dispensing opening forming means, of such container or collapsible tube; the closure member being formed from an inherently flexible or resilient material and, due to the flexibility imparted by such material, being capable of seating by snap action over the dispensing opening of the container or dislodged from such seated condition while being at all times permanently connected with the container; means being provided to attain the ultimate effect of such inherent flexibility of the material for most eflicient functioning of the closure cap; all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a collapsible dispensing tube with the closure means of the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1,

Figs. 3, 4, and are fragmentary axial vertical sectional elevations taken in the plane of line 3-3, Fig. 2, and respectively showing the closure member of the in- 2,708,535 Patented May 17, 1955 vention in closed, partially opened, and relatively fully opened position,

Fig. 6 is a sectional 6-6, Fig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a sectional ber, and

Fig; 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but with the cap portion of the closure member somewhat modified.

Having reference to Figs. 1 to 7, it will be seen that the dispensing container 1, which is shown as a collapsible tube, has a'neck or spout 2 to which the closure member 3 of the invention is applied.

The closure member 3 is preferably formed from an inherently flexible or resilient plastic substance, such, for example, as Styrene and comprises a cap portion 4 and an integral pair of similar ears 5 provided with sockets 6 (Figs. 6 and 7) complemental to cylindrical lugs or trunnions 7 formed on the neck or spout 2 of the tube 1, and adapted to have their snap engagement with such trunnions facilitated by lead-in chamfers or inclines 8. By virtue of this connection the closure member 3 is pivotally connected with the neck or spout 2 of the tube 1 and may be oscillated upon its pivots 6-7 from closed to open position by pressure upon a finger piece 9 of a finger of the hand in which the tube is held.

it will be noted, particularly by reference to Figs. 3 and 4, that the pivotal axis of the closure member upon the sockets 6 and trunnions 7 is such that the cap portion 4 cannot clear the edge of the seating surface 10 of the dispensing opening 11 of the neck 2 by simple pivoting action inasmuch as such pivotal axis is inset from the outer wall of the neck and the turning radius is therefore less than the distance from the pivotal point to the upper edge Hence, in order for the cap portion 4 to be pivotally unseated, and during such unseating to clear the edge of the tube neck, the inherent flexibility of the closure member must be relied on. This inherent flexibility is augmented by providing the ears 5 with lateral slits 12 preferably having beaded edges 13 for strength and better appearance (Fig. 6), and in order to provide the desired integrity of the connection of the ears 5 with the cap portion 4 a limited extent 14 of the ears is left intact and an integral rib 15 is provided to form a flexible connection between the ears 5 and of these ears with the cap portion 4.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the cap portion is made to open and close with a snap action and that, due to this snap action and its inherent flexibility or resiliency, it will, when in closed condition, cause its seat member 16 to engage the seating surface 10 of the neck opening 11 with adequate sealing pressure.

As shown in Fig. 8, the cap portion 4 may be fitted to receive a removable, replaceable sealing disc 17 of paper, cork, plastic or the like, instead of having its seating member 16 formed as an integral part as shown in Figs. 3 to 7.

elevation taken in the plane of line side elevation of the closure mem- Although as shown in the drawing the neck 2 of the tube 1 is rectangular in transverse cross section, it will be understood that it mightbe formed as a cylinder or otherwise. Alternatively, the neck might be of rectangular transverse cross section and the dispensing opening 11 formed therethrough be of circular, square, rectangular, oval or other transverse cross section.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A closure member for a dispensing container having means for providing a dispensing opening, said closure member being formed from an inherently flexible material and including a cap portion shiftable relatively to said dispensing opening for seated and unseated association with respect thereto, car means integral with said cap portion and connecting said cap portion with the means providing said dispensing opening and serving to restrain shifting movement of said cap portion in relation to said dispensing opening, said ear means being provided with lateral slits serving to partially separate them from said cap portion and thus furnishing a limited flexible connecting portion affording relative flexing movement between said ears and said cap portion.

2. A closure member as claimed in claim 1, in which said ear means are pivotally connected with said dispensing' opening forming means.

3. The combination with a dispensing container having a neck provided with a dispensing opening and seat means in said neck at said opening, of a closure member formed of inherently yie'ldable material and having a cap portion for seating on said seat means and ear means embracing said neck and pivotally connected therewith, said ear means being laterally slitted to partially separate them from said cap portion and provide a limited flexible connecting portion therebetween, said limited flexible connecting portion serving to provide a resilient snap action between said cap portion and seat means when said closure member is pivotally moved from open to closed position and vice versa.

10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,804,760 Fox May 12, 1931 2,096,802 Griner Oct. 26, 1937 2,111,186 Jenks Mar. 15, 1938 2,444,995 Laing July 13, 1948