US3225971A - Captive cap for containers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1965 A, UR 3,225,971

CAPTIVE CAP FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 5, 1964 IN VEN TOR.

ALFRED CURC! United S ates art 3,225,971 CAPTIVE CA1 FOR CONTAINERS Alfred Curci, 183 London Drive, Hamden, Conn. Filed June 3, 1964, Ser. No. 372,151 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-515) This invention relates to caps or closures for collapsible tubes or containers and provides in particular a captive cap for collapsible tubes designed to contain toothpaste or like substance.

A classic example of a near perfect sealing device for such containers is the well-known detachable screw-type cap. Although these prior detachable caps are simple, sanitary, effective and inexpensive to produce, they have in common one major drawbackthese prior caps must be separated from the container to dispense the contents thereof, and as a result, these unattached caps may be easily lost or misplaced.

Heretofore, a number of captive caps have been designed for collapsible containers but for one reason or another have proved objectionable. For example, many of these prior devices are unsanitary because the discharge orifice thereof is not completely closed thereby exposing to contamination a portion of the tubes contents; others are mechanically complicated creating a difficult assembly problem resulting in a device too expensive for production; still others are too bulky, or mechanically unreliable. The aforementioned objectionable features have rendered such prior devices impractical so that none has been commercially successful, especially for use in combination with the collapsible tube type of container.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a simple captive cap for containers which need not be completely removed therefrom, but remains 'hingedly attached to the container While dispensing the contents thereof, and in addition the present device retains the desirable characteristics of the presently used detachable screw-type closure cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a captive cap that has no moving parts or members attached thereto extending outwardly beyond the body of the cap and therefore creates no assembly problem.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a captive cap that is sanitary, simple and relatively inexpensive to mass produce.

Another object is to provide a captive cap that is as adaptable for attachment to the container as the presently used detachable screw-type sealing cap.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one form of the captive closure cap shown secured in sealing position on the neck of a fragmentarily illustrated container.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the cap rotated 90 degrees from the view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing a modification according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows on line 4-4 of FIG 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view with parts broken away showing interlocking means to prevent unwarranted separation of the cap from the container when the cap is in the laterally swung open position.

FIG. 6 is a view with parts broken away showing means to axially move the cap relative to the container comprising a bayonet-type interengagement.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view showing another modification according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the tube or container, which may be constructed from any suitable material, is designated generally at 10 and has end wall 11,

extending therefrom is a neck part, generally indicated at 12, which is provided with axial discharge orifice 14. Neck and cap parts are provide-d with cooperating threads 16 and 18, respectively, whereby cap may be screwed into or from sealing engagement with neck orifice 14. However, if desired, rotary-axial movement of the cap into or from sealing engagement with neck part may be accomplished by a bayonet-type interengagement therebetween, such as shown in FIG. 6, which is self-explanatory and will not be described, except to mention, that the bayonet grooves 16, two of which are provided, have helical branches and continuing axial branches with which cooperate follower pins 36 and 37 on the depending arms 34 and 35 of the cap (only one shown).

As shown in the drawings, neck 12 is provided with an annular ring or collar generally indicated at 23 which preferably is formed integral with or fixed on neck part 12, however, if desired, collar 23 may embrace neck so as to be movable thereon. Collar 23 is provided with at least two similar diametrically opposite downwardly opening longitudinal slots or grooves 24, four being shown in the drawings, although any number of grooves may be provided consistent with the available peripheral area of collar 23. As viewed in the drawings, the upper end of collar 23 is sloped outwardly and downwardly forming cam surfaces 25 and the lower edge of collar 23 provides a downwardly facing shoulder 26. Grooves 24, cam 25 and shoulder 26 of the collar 23 cooperate with members on cap 20 in a manner that will appear subsequently.

The closure cap, generally indicated at 20, may be moulded from a suitable plastic, and as viewed in the drawings, the cap has end wall 30 provided with a depending skirt or annular wall 31. Preferably integrally formed with the cap are similar diametrically opposite depending arms 34 and 35, the free ends thereof being provided with inwardly facing projections or pins 36 and 37 adapted for floating engagement within grooves 24 for both a limited longitudinal movement and pivotal support captively therein, as will appear clearly later. The cap arms 34 and 35 are formed appropriately having sufficient body to be rigid and yet with sufficient elasticity to permit fiexure under applied force, additionally, the arms are biased slightly inwardly toward each other so that the inner edge surfaces of pins 36 and 37 resiliently are urged into frictional engagement with the peripheral neck wall 13 to retain cap 20 stably in any of its unscrewed positions.

When the closure cap initially is to be secured or mounted onto the neck part, the cap is positioned with its depending arms 34 and 35 straddling neck 12, and as the cap is moved axially relative to the neck, the arm pins 36 and 37 engage neck cam surface 25 and are cammed outwardly until they snap into position below the collar shoulder 26 whereby the cap is captive permanently on said neck 12 with the cooperating starting threads of said cap and neck positioned in abutting relation so that the cap may be screwed onto the neck part into sealing engagement therewith.

Thereafter, when it is desired to dispense a portion of the tubes contents, the cap 20 is unscrewed from the tube neck 12 bringing the arm pins 36 and 37 to a position immediately below collar shoulder 26, and if not already in alignment, a small turning movement of cap 20 relative to the neck part brings pins 36 and 37 into registry with mating grooves 24 so that on continued axial movement of the cap, the pins 36 and 37 enter grooves 24 and are fioatable axially therein a limited distance which is determined by the length of the grooves 24. In the fully extended position, as shown in full lines FIG. 2, the cap 20 is stopped against further axial motion and separation thereof from the neck 12 of the container is avoided positively by abutting engagement of pins 36 and 37 with shoulders 22 formed by the closed end of grooves 24-, and in which extended position, the annular wall 31 of the cap clears the upper extremity of the neck 12 whereby the cap is turnable about its pins 36 and 37 from the extended position shown in full lines to the broken line positions of FIG. 2, in which positions the cap 20 is out of alignment with the axial discharge orifice 14- of neck 12.

It Will be apparent that when the cap 20 is in the swung open positions, as seen in broken lines in FIG. 2, that it is possible unintentionally to detach the cap from the neck part by moving the cap downwardly and then transversely of the neck. To prevent unwarranted separation of the cap from the container any suitable means may be used, such as, the cap may be so proportioned relative to its coacting parts so as to provide resistance therebetween against unwarranted separation, or as shown in FIG. 5, groove 24 (only one is shown) has a constricted length at its open end leading into an enlarged circular portion 24a and the coacting arm pin 36 (only one is shown) is of elongated section permitting only longitudinal passage through the constricted groove length.

The drawings of the modifications shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 are more or less self-explanatory and will be described only briefly and parts basically similar to parts described previously are designated by the same numeral with an added prime.

In FIG. 3 the modification shown has constructed from a suitable material, such as spring steel, a single arm 34 formed integral with annular split-ring 45 adapted to fixedly embrace a suitable annular recess 46 on cap 20. The free end of arm 34 is provided with a substantially U-shaped formation 36 arranged for engagement, on cap unscrewing motion, with one of a plurality of coacting apertures 24' on annular collar 23'. On cap unscrewing motion the U-shaped formation 35 is floatable into registry with coacting aperture 24 and the free end of the formation 36' passes through the aperture being pivotally and captively supported therein on turning movement of the cap to the full line position of FIG. 3 in which the cap is out of alignment with the axial discharge orifice 14 of neck 12.

In the modification shown in FIG. 7, split annular ring 45 preferably is constructed from a suitable plastic being adapted to embrace freely the cap 20 by means of interlocking groove and ring formations 47 and 48, respectively, so that the cap body is freely rotatable relative to the ring 45'. Arm 34 is formed integral with ring 45' being arranged for floating engagement with coacting aperture 24' on collar 23. The free end of arm 34 is provided with a resilient hook portion 36' adapted to yield when initially passing through coacting aperture 24 and to snap back to expanded condition below said ring aperture 24 to interlock the cap permanently on said neck 12. On unscrewing motion of the cap arm 36' is floatabl-e Within aperture 24' from the broken line position to the full line position shown in FIG. 7 whereby the cap clears the neck extremity and may be turned about the axis of arm 36 out of alignment with the axial discharge orifice 14 of neck 12.

The invention is not limited to the particular structure shown and described, but may be modified in various respects as will readily occur to those skilled in the art,

and exclusive use is contemplated of modifications that are embraced by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing container, the combination of a threaded neck part with an axial discharge orifice; a threaded cap part screwable onto and unscrewable from said neck part; tongue and groove formations on said parts, respectively, arranged to be out of and in register with each other on screwing motion of said cap part and on motion of the unscrewed cap part axially of said neck part, respectively, said formations when registering defining between said parts a pivot connection fioatable axially of said neck part within limits at one end of which said cap part clears said neck part and is turnable out of and into alignment with said orifice; and means operative on turning motion of said cap part into and from alignment with said orifice to lock said formations in register with each other, whereby said cap part is held permanently captive on said neck part.

2. In a dispensing cotnainer, the combination of a neck having an open discharge end and a peripheral shoulder spaced and facing away from said discharge end and being threaded between said shoulder and discharge end, said neck also having between said shoulder and discharge end opposite, axially extending grooves open at one end to said shoulder and closed at the other end; and a threaded cap screwable onto and from said neck and having opposite pins engaging said shoulder when said neck is unthreaded from said cap but still within the confines thereof so as to arrest said cap on said neck against removal therefrom, with said pins being registerable with said grooves on turning the unscrewed cap, and said pins being movable in said grooves in floating pivot fashion to said closed groove ends on motion of the unscrewed cap axially of said neck into position in which it clears said neck for pivotal motion out of alignment with said discharge end, whereby said cap is held permanently captive on said neck.

3. The combination in a dispensing container as defined in claim 2, in which said grooves have at said open ends constricted lengths leading to enlarged circular lengths extending to said closed groove ends, with said pins being of elongated section for only longitudinal passage through said constricted groove lengths but for turning movement in said circular groove lengths.

4. The combination in a dispensing container as defined in claim 2, in which said shoulder is formed by an end surface of a collar formation on said neck, and said pins are carried by depending resilient arms on said cap, with said collar formation being of cross-sectional shape to cam said pins thereover for snap action into engagement with said shoulder on initially applying said cap onto said neck by mere axial motion thereunto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,605,058 11/1926 Nickerson 222-558 X 2,262,257 11/ 1941 Shearing 222-550 X 2,588,275 3/1952 Nadai 222-550 X 2,754,027 7/1956 Schulte 222550 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A DISPENSING CONTAINER, THE COMBINATION OF A THREADED NECK PART WITH AN AXIAL DISCHARGE ORIFICE; A THREADED CAP PART SCREWABLE ONTO AND UNSCREWABLE FROM SAID NECK PART; TONGUE AND GROOVE FORMATIONS ON SAID PARTS, RESPECTIVELY, ARRANGED TO BE OUT OF AND IN REGISTER WITH EACH OTHER ONSCREWING MOTION OF SAID CAP PART AND ON MOTION OF THE UNSCREWED CAP PAR TAXIALLY OF SAID NECK PART, RESPECTIVELY, SAID INFORMATIONS WHEN REGISTERING DEFINING BETWEEN SAID PARTS A PIVOT CONNECTION FLOATABLE AXIALLY OF SAID NECK PART WITHIN LIMITS AT ONE END OF WHICH SAID CAP PART CLEARS SAID NECK PART AND IS TURNABLE OUT OF SAID INTO ALIGMENT WITH SAID ORIFICE; AND MEANS OPERATIVE ON TURNING MOTION OF SID CAP APART INTO AND FROM ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ORIFICE TO LOCK SAID FORMATIONS IN REGISTER WITH EACH OTHER, WHEREBY SAID CAP PART IS HELD PERMANENTLY CAPTIVE ON SAID NECK PART.

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