US3917131A

US3917131A - Self-closing cap with a pouring spout for containers such as cans and the like

Info

Publication number: US3917131A
Application number: US508678A
Authority: US
Inventors: Myron M Levin
Original assignee: EZ Por Corp
Current assignee: AHP Subsidiary 2 Corp
Priority date: 1974-09-23
Filing date: 1974-09-23
Publication date: 1975-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-04
Also published as: CA1040142A

Abstract

A self-closing cap with a pouring spout for containers and cans which converts the container to a convenient sanitary pitcher and 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 the cap body, said lower portion having means whereby the cap is detachably secured to the container, the cap body including an upper wall extending upwardly of the lower wall with said upper wall having a spout at the front thereof, a convexoconcave shaped top wall connected to the cap body and provided with an outlet pour opening adjacent the spout, a disk valve positioned in said cap body below the convexo-concave shaped top wall and connected to the top wall so that it is pivotable or tiltable or rockable with respect to said top wall and adapted when the container is tilted to pouring position to automatically tilt or pivot the disk valve in respect to the outlet pour opening to permit passage of the contents in the container through the outlet pour opening and the spout and when the container is positioned in upright position the disk valve will move by gravity to a position to substantially close the outlet pour opening.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Levin Nov. 4, 1975 SELF-CLOSING CAP WITH A POURING SPOUT FOR CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS AND THE LIKE [75] Inventor: Myron M. Levin, Niles, Ill.

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

[22] Filed: Sept. 23, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 508,678

[52] US. Cl. 222/556 [51] Int. Cl. B65D 47/20 [58] Field of Search 222/556, 500, 463

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,501,636 3/1950 Smith 222/500 2,730,273 l/l956 Smith 222/500 X Primary ExaminerAllen N. Knowles Assistant Examiner-Norman L. Stack, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Max R. Kraus [57] ABSTRACT A self-closing cap with a pouring spout for containers and cans which converts the container to a convenient sanitary pitcher and 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 the cap body, said lower portion having means whereby the cap is detachably secured to the container, the cap body including an upper wall extending upwardly of the lower wall with said upper wall having a spout at the front thereof, a convexo-concave shaped top wall connected to the cap body and provided with an outlet pour opening adjacent the spout, a disk valve positioned in said cap body below the convexo-concave shaped top wall and connected to the top wall so that it is pivotable or tiltable or rockable with respect to said top wall and adapted when the container is tilted to pouring position to automatically tilt or pivot the disk valve in respect to the outlet pour opening to permit passage of the contents in the container through the outlet pour opening and the spout and when the container is positioned in upright position the disk valve will move by gravity to a position to substantially close the outlet pour opening.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 3,917,131

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SELF-CLOSING CAP WITH A POURING SPOUT FOR CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS AND THE LIKE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a self-closing cap with a pouring spout particularly useful for cans and the like and may likewise be used in connection with containers such as bottles, and whereby the can or container is converted to a sanitary pitcher, and in which the cap is readily cleaned and reusable on other cans and containers.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a cap of the foregoing character 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 wall integrally formed and, as a second component, a disk valve which is inserted into the cap body through the bottom open end of the cap body, and in which the disk valve is tiltably or pivotally connected to the top wall and is tiltable or pivotable with respect to the outlet pour opening adjacent the spout so that when the container is tilted to a pouring position the disk valve will automatically tilt or pivot with respect to the outlet pour opening to permit passage of the container contents through the outlet pour opening and spout, and when the container is positioned in a normal upright position the disk valve will move by gravity to a position to substantially close the outlet pour opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disk valve which is pivotally connected to the top wall of the cap body in a position removed from the axis of the disk valve and the axis of the top wall so that the disk valve will tilt downwardly adjacent the front of the outlet pour opening when the container is in normal upright position to close the outlet pour opening and thereby cover the outlet opening in the top wall of the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cap body which may be quickly attached to and detached from the container and which provides through said freely tiltable disk valve an adequate closure and an automatic seal for the mouth of the container by closing the outlet opening in the top wall of the cap body to in effect seal off the contents in the container against contamination or absorption of odors and to prevent evaporation of the liquid contents in said container. It maintains the liquid in the container fresh and sanitary and seals in the flavor. It is easy to clean. It provides a cap which turns a can or container into a convenient sanitary pitcher.

Another object of this invention resides in the simple and inexpensive manner of manufacturing the cap and the manner in which the disk valve is easily attachable to the cap body and being so constructed that the disk valve automatically moves and/or pivots to permit pouring when the container is tilted to a pouring position and which automatically moves to a closed position when the container is in an upright non-pouring position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the cap forming this invention.

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, with the container in normal upright position and with the disk valve in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the container and the cap in tilted pouring position and the position of the disk valve in such pouring position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing particularly the parts whereby the disk valve is pivotally secured to the cap.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the parts shown in FIG. 6 connected for pivotal movement of the disk valve; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken on line 88 of FIG. 7.

The conventional container in the form of a can, as shown herein and indicated at 12, is provided at the top with the conventional annular peripheral bead or rim generally indicated at 14 and with the top end of the can closed by a horizontal top wall 16. The rim 14 is formed by the peripheral edge of the top wall 16 which extends upwardly as at 17 of the top wall and then is turned downwardly as at 18 over the top edge of the can and is crimped to the upper edge of the body of the can for permanent attachment to the can body. Said upper rim 14 is conventional. When the cap of this invention is used in connection with such a container, one or

more openings

20 and 22 are punched in the top wall 16 of the container, with the opening 22 being closely adjacent the rim and which opening then forms the outlet pour opening of the container. The cap forming this invention is readily attachable to the upper rim or bead 14 of the container and when so attached the device forming this invention 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 or the like. The cap body generally indicated at 24 has an annular skirt or band 26 which forms the lower portion of the cap body. Formed integrally with the skirt or band 26 is an inner annular band 28 which is connected to but is spaced from the outer annular skirt 26 and which provides an annular recess 29 therebetween. The inner annular band 28 of the skirt is shorter in height than the outer annular skirt 26, as can best be seen in cross-section in FIG. 5.

The inside wall of the outer annular skirt is provided adjacent its lower end with an annular inwardly extending rib or lip 30 which tapers or inclines as at 32 to the bottom edge 33 of the annular skirt 26. The annular rib or lip 30 is below the bottom edge of the inner annular ring 28. This arrangement, as shown, permits the cap body to be readily positioned on the top rim 14 of the container, with the annular rib or lip 30 engaging the downwardly turned portion 18 of the upper rim of the container and with a portion of the upper rim 14 extending into the annular groove or recess 29.

Extending upwardly of the skirt 26 is. an upper wall 34 which flares outwardly of the skirt and which for its major portion is annular and follows the annular portion of the skirt, except for the front portion which extends outwardly and forwardly as indicated at 36, to form the front pour spout indicated at 38. The shape of the front spout end is generally ovaloid as viewed in 3 FIG. 1. The upper outwardly flared wall 34 continues from the rear toward the front to form the generally ovaloid-shaped front spout 38. The spout extends up wardly of the top edge or rim 40 of the annular upper flared wall 34.

Formed as an integral part of the cap body and particularly the upper flared wall is a dome-shaped or convexo-concave shaped top wall generally indicated at 42, the annular peripheral edge 44 of which is integral with the inside of the upper flared wall 34 along said peripheral edge as it is molded as part of same and said top wall 42 extends to the front portion, which front portion is provided with an arcuate shaped cutout 46 adjacent the spout 38. The arcuate-shaped cutout 46 in the dome or convexo-concave-shaped top wall 42 forms the outlet pour opening of the cap through which the liquid or contents of the container is poured as it enters the spout 38 when the container is tilted or tipped to a pouring position, as shown in FIG. 4. The top edge or rim 40 of the outwardly flared upper wall 34, as best seen in FIG. 2, extends from the rear portion 48 and curves downwardly as at 49 and then rises at its forward end as at 50 at the spout end and, as will be seen in FIG. 2, the central portion of the dome or top wall 42 extends above the plane of the shallow portion 49 of the rim 40.

Extending downwardly from the inside of the domeshaped top or convexo-concave wall 42 is an extension or post generally indicated at 52 which extension or post has a generally U-shaped recess 54 at the lower end to provide a pair of spaced legs 56, the inside wall of said legs forming inwardly extending projections 57 adjacent the lower ends thereof, which continue with outwardly sloping surfaces 58 to facilitate the initial insertion of the disk valve. The opposite sides 60 of the extension or post 52 taper downwardly and inwardly. The lower end of the extension or post 52 terminates in a plane upwardly of the bottom edge of the inner ring 28 and said extension or post is alined with the center of the outlet pour opening 46 but is positioned off-center or rearwardly of the vertical axis of the top wall 42 of the cap to permit the disk valve to tilt forwardly, as in FIG. 3, when in upright position. A small opening 62 is provided in the dome-shaped top wall 42.

The annular-shaped disk valve generally designated at 64 is of a convexo-concave shape and is also formed of a plastic material such as polyethylene or the like and said disk valve has a pair of spaced rectangularshaped openings 66, which openings are alined and are separated by an intermediate wall portion 68. The openings 66 are off-center and are positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the disk valve 64. The circumference of the disk valve 64 is such that it can be inserted into the cap body through the open bottom end of the cap body and is attachable to the extension or post 52 of the cap body by alining the openings 66 with the spaced legs 56 of the extension or post and pushing the disk valve inwardly so that the intermediate wall 68 passes the inward projections 57 of the spaced legs. After the disk valve has been thus connected it will be held secured to the cap body for pivotal movement with respect to the cap body and the inward projections 57 on the legs 56 will prevent accidental detachment of the disk valve with respect to said cap body. However, for the purpose of cleaning, the disk valve may be manually detached from the extension or post 52 and then may be again manually attached as described.

positioned in said cap body below said top wall, means 4 It will be seen that the downward extension or post 52 on the cap body and the spaced openings .66 in the disk valve are positioned in alinement with the outlet pour opening 46 of the cap top wall 42 but are spaced rearwardly of the axis of the cap body. The downward extension 52 and the openings 66 in the disk valve provide a pivotal connection between the disk valve 64 and cap body which is such that the disk valve is free to tilt or pivot or rock in respect to the cap body and the outlet pour opening 46 by the tilted or upright position I in which the container is held. That is, the disk valve 64 while not rotatable with respect to the cap body is in effect free floating in respect to the cap body in the sense that it is pivotable or tiltable freely, dependent upon the position of the container and said pivoting is by gravity.

When the container and cap are tilted, as shown in FIG. 4, the forward portion of the disk valve 64 will tilt or pivot away from its normally closed position, shown in FIG. 3, to provide an entrance opening 70 into the spout so that the liquid or contents in the container can pour through the opening 70 and through the outlet pour opening 46 of the cap when it is left exposed by the tilting of the disk valve at the front, and the liquid or contents or the container will flow out through the spout to be discharged therefrom. When the container is positioned to its upright position as shown in FIG. 3, the disk valve 64 will be gravity assume its normal tilted position due to the off-center pivotal connection, and the disk valve will tilt downwardly at the front adjacent the spout end so that the front of the disk valve is on a horizontal plane lower than the horizontal plane of the rear of the disk valve. When in this position the front end of the disk valve is positioned closer toward the top wall 16 of the container and covers the pour opening 22 of the container and also closes the portion of the outlet pour opening 46 of the cap which was formerly opened by the tilting of the container. This closes the top, thus, the disk valve pivots to permit the liquid to be poured when the container is tilted to a pouring position and then by gravity moves to a position to close the outlet opening when the container is in an upright position.

As can best be seen in FIG. 4, when the container and cap are tilted for pouring position the disk valve 64 is.

tilted in the reverse from that shown in the FIG. 3 position, namely, in pouring position the rear end of the disk valve is positioned in a plane below the front end thus providing the opening for the pouring operation.

It will be readily apparent that after the contents of the container has been exhausted that the device may be readily removed from the rim of the container and used on another container and is therefore capable of continued reuse.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-closing cap adapted for detachable securement to a can or container and comprising a cap body and an annular disk and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, said lower portion having means 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 top wall connected to said cap body and provided with a cutout adjacent said spout to form an outlet opening adjacent said spout, said annular disk having an annular peripheral edge, said annular disk for pivotally connecting said disk to said top wall at a point intermediate the front and rear of the disk and inwardly of the peripheral edge of the disk so that when the container is tilted to pouring position the disk will automatically pivot with respect to said outlet opening to permit passage of the container contents through said outlet opening and said spout, and adapted when the container is positioned in upright position to move by gravity to a position to close said outlet opening.

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 top wall and the front of said flared portion forming the spout of said cap.

3. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the cap body and disk are each formed of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene and in which the disk is inserted through the bottom open end of the skirt of the cap body.

4. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the means for pivotally connecting the disk to the top wall comprises a downwardly extending extension or post on the underside of the top wall which engages an opening in the disk.

5. A cap as set forth in claim 4 in which the extension or post is positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the top wall and in which the opening in the disk by which the disk is connected to the extension or post is positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the disk so that when the cap is in normal upright position the front of the disk is tilted downwardly in respect to the 6 front of the cap cap and is positioned on a lower horizontal plane than the rear of the disk.

6. A cap as set forth in claim 4 in which the extension or post has a pair of spaced members and in which the disk has spaced openings in engagement with said spaced members to provide the pivotal connection between the top wall and the disk.

7. A cap as set forth in claim 6 in which the extension or post is positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the top wall and in which the spaced openings in the disk valve are positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the disk valve so that when the cap is in normal upright position the front of the disk valve is tilted downwardly in respect to the front of the cap and is positioned on a lower horizontal plane than the rear of the disk valve.

8. A cap as set forth in claim 6 in which the skirt of the cap body has an annular ring inside of said skirt but connected to said skirt and spaced therefrom to provide an annular recess or groove therebetween which fits over the top peripheral rim or edge of the container so that a portion of said top rim extends within said groove or recess.

9. A cap as set forth in claim 8 in which the skirt has an inwardly extending rib or lip which engages the rim of the container for detachable securement thereto.

10. A cap as set forth in claim 1 in which the top wall and the disk are each of generally convexo-concave shape.

Claims

1. A self-closing cap adapted for detachable securement to a can or container and comprising a cap body and an annular disk and in which the cap body has an annular lower wall or band or skirt forming the lower portion of said cap body, said lower portion having means 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 top wall connected to said cap body and provided with a cutout adjacent said spout to form an outlet opening adjacent said spout, said annular disk having an annular peripheral edge, said annular disk positioned in said cap body below said top wall, means for pivotally connecting said disk to said top wall at a point intermediate the front and rear of the disk and inwardly of the peripheral edge of the disk so that when the container is tilted to pouring position the disk will automatically pivot with respect to said outlet opening to permit passage of the container contents through said outlet opening and said spout, and adapted when the container is positioned in upright position to move by gravity to a position to close said outlet opening.

5. A cap as set forth in claim 4 in which the extension or post is positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the top wall and in which the opening in the disk by which the disk is connected to the extension or post is positioned rearwardly of the vertical axis of the disk so that when the cap is in normal upright position the front of the disk is tilted downwardly in respect to the front of the cap cap and is positioned on a lower horizontal plane than the rear of the disk.