US3907177A

US3907177A - Self-closing cap for containers such as cans and the like

Info

Publication number: US3907177A
Application number: US483682A
Authority: US
Inventors: Myron M Levin
Original assignee: EZ Por Corp
Current assignee: AHP Subsidiary 2 Corp
Priority date: 1974-06-27
Filing date: 1974-06-27
Publication date: 1975-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-23
Also published as: CA1020497A

Abstract

A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, the inside wall thereof having inwardly facing spaced circumferential ribs adapted to receive therebetween the top rim of the container whereby the cap body is detachably secured to the container, with the cap body having an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall and with said upper wall having a spout at the front thereof, with said cap body having a dome-shaped top wall connected to said cap body and provided with an opening adjacent said spout. The cap body and the disk valve are formed of a plastic material which is sufficiently pliable to permit the disk valve to be inserted into the cap body through the open bottom of the cap body and to be floatingly positioned in said cap body below said dome-shaped top and above the upper inwardly circumferential rib.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Levin 1 Sept. 23, 1975 1 SELF-CLOSING CAP FOR CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS AND THE LIKE Myron M. Levin, Highland Park, Ill.

[73] Assignee: E-Z Por Corporation, Niles, 111.

[22] Filed: June 27, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 483,682

[75] inventor:

Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Hadd Lane Attorney, Agent, or FirmMax R. Kraus [57] ABSTRACT A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, the inside wall thereof having inwardly facing spaced circumferential ribs adapted to receive therebetween the top rim of the container whereby the cap body is detachably secured to the container, with the cap body having an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall and with said upper wall having a spout at the front thereof, with said cap body having a dome-shaped top wall connected to said cap body and provided with an opening adjacent said spout. The cap body and the disk valve are formed of a plastic material which is sufficiently pliable to permit the disk valve to be inserted into the cap body through the open bottom of the cap body and to be floatingly positioned in said cap body below said dome-shaped top and above the upper inwardly circumferential rib.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 3,907,177

46 44 FIG 2 36.

SELF-CLOSING CAP FOR CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS AND THE LIKE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a self-closing container cap,

particularly useful for cans and the like and may likewise be used in connection with containers such as bottles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a cap of the foregoing characteristics which is formed of a plastic material such as polyethylene or the like which is sufficiently pliable and non-rigid so that the cap may be formed essentially of two parts, namely, a cap body which includes a spout and a top end wall integrally formed and as another second component a disk valve which is inserted into the cap body through the bottom open end of the cap body to be floatingly supported in the cap body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cap body which may be quickly attached to and detached from the containers and which providesan adequate seal onthe mouth of the container and includes a floating disk valve to seal off the contents in the container against contamination or absorption of odors.

Another object of this invention resides in the simple and inexpensive manner of manufacturing the cap and the manner in which it is easily assembled, the entire unit being formed of two parts, namely, a cap body and a separate disk valve which is insertable into the cap body through the bottom open end of the cap body and so constructed that when the container is in upright position the disk valve will form a closure for the container, yet when the container is tilted the disk valve automatically moves and/or floats to a position adjacent the spout opening to permit the liquid contents of the container to be discharged through the spout opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cap which is an improvement over the type of self-closing cap shown in US. Pat. No. 2,730,273.

7 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the capforming this invention. I

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof as applied to the top of a can or container.

FIG. 3 is a central cross-sectional view showing same applied to the container and with the disk valve in closed position.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the cap in tilted or pouring position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view taken on lines 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view taken on the underside of the disk valve showing particularly the spaced ribs.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the disk valve.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the disk valve.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view with the disk valve seated in the cap: and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line l0--l0 of FIG. I.

The conventional container in the form of a can as shown herein is indicated by the numeral 12, which is provided at the top with the conventional annular p'e ripheral bead or rim l4 and with the top end of the can closed by a horizontal top wall 16. When the cap of this invention is used in connection with such a closed container a pair of spaced openings 18 are punched in the top wall 16 and the cap of this invention is then attached to the upper rim or bead 14 of the container. When so attached the device serves as a self-closing cap for the container as well as a pouring spout therefor.

The cap body as well as the valve disk are each separately molded of a plastic material such as polyethylene which is relatively pliable or deformable to permit the valve disk to be inserted into the cap body and to be retained therein in an operating floating condition. The cap body generally indicated at 20 has an annular skirt or band 22 which forms the lower portion of the cap body. The inside wall of said skirt or band is provided with an upper inwardly facing circumferential rib 24 and a spaced lower inwardly facing circumferential rib 26. The

ribs

24 and 26 are each of triangular shape in cross section. The lower circumferential rib 26 is adjacent the bottom or mouth edge of the skirt 22 while the upper circumferential rib 24 is adjacent the top of the skirt.

Extending upwardly of the skirt 22 is an upper wall generally indicated at 28 which flares outwardly of the skirt 22 and which for its major portion is annular and follows the annular portion of the skirt 22 except for the front portion which extends outwardly and forwardly as indicated at 30 to form the front pour spout generally indicated at 32. The shape of the front spout end is generally ovaloid as viewed in FIG. 1. The upper outwardly flared wall 28 continues from the rear toward the front to form the generally ovaloid shaped front spout. The pour spout 32 is provided with a centrally channeled surface 34, as best shown in FIG. 10.

Formed as an integral part of the upper flared wall 28 is a dome-shaped top generally indicated at 36, the annular peripheral edge 38 of which is integrally secured to the inside of the upper flared wall 28 along said peripheral edge as it is molded as part of same and same extends to the front portion which is provided with an arcuate-shaped cutout 40 adjacent the spout end 32. The arcuate-shaped cutout in the domed top forms the outlet through which the liquid is poured as it enters the spout when the container is tilted or tipped. The top rim 42 of the outwardly flared upper wall 28, best shown in FIG. 2, which extends from the rear portion curves downwardly as at 44 and then rises at its forward end as at 46 at the spout end and, as will be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the central portion of the dome 36 extends above the plane of the shallow portion of the rim.

The floating annular-shaped disk valve generally designated at has a beveled peripheral edge 50 and spacedly formed along said beveled edge are small projections or ribs 52 which are adapted to engage the upper beveled or inclined surface 24 of the upper circumferential rib 24. The angle of the upper surface 24' of the rib 24 is substantially the same angle as the bevel 50 of the disk valve 48 so that the disk valve when in its seated or closed position, as shown in FIG. 3, will seat against said beveled surface 24' but will be slightly spaced therefrom by virtue of the ribs or projections 52 on the floating disk valve 48. When the container and cap are tilted, as shown in FIG. 4, the forward portion of the disk valve 48 will tilt away from its seated position of FIG. 3 to provide an opening entrance into the spout 32 so that the liquid from the container can pour through the spaced opening 18 and through the cutout or opening 40 at the front and into the spout and flow through the channel portion 34 of the spout to be discharged therefrom. When the container is tilted to its upright position as in FIG. 3, the float disk 48 assumes its substantially horizontal position and falls by gravity to this position to close the top of the container. The dome-shaped top 36 is provided with an opening 54 to assure the free flow of the container contents when tilted.

Due to the construction and the material of which the device is formed, the closure disk valve 48 is initially inserted into the cap body through the bottom of the cap body and there is sufficient flexing to permit the disk valve to pass upwardly of the two circumferentially spaced

ribs

26 and 24 until it is lodged in the position shown in FIG. 3 where it rests on the upper beveled surface 24 of the rib 24, in which position it is retained during the use of the device.

The cap can be readily snapped on the rim of the can or container and the skirt 22 of the cap surrounds the rim of'the can with the bead 14 of the can positioned between the

circumferential ribs

24 and 26 which retains the cap on the rim.

It will be readily apparent that after the liquid in the container has been exhausted that the device maybe readily removed from the rim of the container and used on another container, therefore, it is capable of continued reuse.

What is claimed is:

l. A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, the inside wall thereof having inwardly facing spaced circumferential ribs, with the upper rib of triangular shape in cross-section, said spaced ribs adapted to receive therebetween the top rim of the container, whereby the cap body is detachably secured to the container, an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall, said upper wall having a spout at the front thereof, a dome-shaped top wall connected to said cap body and provided with an opening adjacent said spout, a disk valve floatingly positioned in said cap body below said dome-shaped top and above the upper rib and having a beveled peripheral edge to correspond to the top surface of said upper rib so that it seats thereon.

2. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the upper wall of the cap is flared outwardly of the lower portion, with said flared portion extending around the domeshaped top and with the front of said flared portion forming the spout of said cap.

3.'A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the spout is provided with a central channel therein forming a guideway for the liquid discharged through said spout.

4. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the peripheral edge of the disk valve has spaced projections or ribs which rest on the top surface of the upper rib.

5. A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, the inside wall thereof having inwardly facing spaced ribs adapted to receive therebetween the top rim of the container, whereby the cap body is detachably secured to the container, an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall, said upper wall having an outwardly flared upper portion which has a top rim and having a spout at the front thereof, a dome-shaped top wall having a peripheral edge lying adjacent to and connected to said outwardly flared upper portion of said cap body, said domeshaped top wall having an arcuate-shaped cutout at the front thereof which forms the outlet opening adjacent said spout, said spout having a channeled surface to guide the liquid through said spout, said dome-shaped top wall having a portion thereof extending above said top rim with the front portion of said dome-shaped top wall extending below the top rim adjacent the spout end, a disk valve floatingly retained in said cap body below said dome-shaped top and above the upper rib, said cap body and disk valve each formed of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene having at least a slight flexing and wherein the disk valve is inserted through the bottom open end of the skirt or lower annular portion of the cap body.

6. A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, said lower portion having means whereby the cap body is detachably secured to a container, an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall and flared outwardly of said annular lower wall with the front of said flared upper wall extending forwardly and forming the spout of said cap body, a circular top wall within said outwardly flared portion and connected to said cap body, with the annular peripheral edge of the top wall below the top rim of said outwardly flared upper wall, said annular top wall having an outlet opening adjacent said spout, an inwardly facing annular rib extending around the inside of said cap body below said top wall and formed integrally with said cap body, a circular disk valve floatingly positioned in said cap body below said top wall and adapted when said cap body is in a horizontal position to rest on said inwardly facing annular rib in a floating position and close the outlet opening below said outlet opening, said top wall extending in an inclined upward plane from the rear toward the front so that the rear of the top wall is closer to said inwardly facing rib adjacent the rear of the rib than is the front of said top wall to said inwardly facing rib adjacent the front of the rib, with the distance between the top wall and the rib increasing progressively from the rear toward the front so that when the cap and container are tilted downwardly for pouring position the circular disk valve will be inclined toward the top wall at the front of said disk valve and will have a limited tilt at the rear of the valve and a greater tilt at the front with respect to the outlet opening in the top wall so that the front of the disk valve will be in close proximity to the underside of the top wall adjacent the outlet opening to permit passage of the container contents through said outlet opening and said spout, and said disk valve adapted when the container is positioned in an upright position to move by gravity to a substantially horizontal position to rest on said rib to close said outlet opening and cover the top of the container.

7. A cap as set forth in claim 6 in which the cap body and disk valve are each formed of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene and in which the disk valve is inserted through the bottom open end of the skirt or lower annular portion of the cap body.

8. A cap as set forth in claim 6 in which the cap and disk are each molded of a plastic material and in which the top wall has an arcuate-shaped cutout at the front to form the outlet opening adjacent the spout.

Claims

1. A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, the inside wall thereof having inwardly facing spaced circumferential ribs, with the upper rib of triangular shape in cross-section, said spaced ribs adapted to receive therebetween the top rim of the container, whereby the cap body is detachably secured to the container, an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall, said upper wall having a spout at the front thereof, a dome-shaped top wall connected to said cap body and provided with an opening adjacent said spout, a disk valve floatingly positioned in said cap body below said dome-shaped top and above the upper rib and having a beveled peripheral edge to correspond to the top surface of said upper rib so that it seats thereon.

2. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the upper wall of the cap is flared outwardly of the lower portion, with said flared portion extending around the dome-shaped top and with the front of said flared portion forming the spout of said cap.

3. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the spout is provided with a central channel therein forming a guideway for the liquid discharged through said spout.

5. A self-closing container cap consisting of a cap body and a disk valve and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, the inside wall thereof having inwardly facing spaced ribs adapted to receive therebetween the top rim of the container, whereby the cap body is detachably secured to the container, an upper wall extending upwardly of the annular lower wall, said upper wall having an outwardly flared upper portion which has a top rim and having a spout at the front thereof, a dome-shaped top wall having a peripheral edge lying adjacent to and connected to said outwardly flared upper portion of said cap body, said dome-shaped top wall having an arcuate-shaped cutout at the front thereof which forms the outlet opening adjacent said spout, said spout having a channeled surface to guide the liquid through said spout, said dome-shaped top wall having a portion thereof extending above said top rim with the front portion of said dome-shaped top wall extending below the top rIm adjacent the spout end, a disk valve floatingly retained in said cap body below said dome-shaped top and above the upper rib, said cap body and disk valve each formed of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene having at least a slight flexing and wherein the disk valve is inserted through the bottom open end of the skirt or lower annular portion of the cap body.