WO1994018013A2

WO1994018013A2 - Container/cap combination useful as adhesive dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO1994018013A2
Application number: PCT/GB1994/000266
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernard Dominic Noel Cooke
Original assignee: Chemence Limited
Priority date: 1993-02-13
Filing date: 1994-02-10
Publication date: 1994-08-18
Also published as: AU6005294A; GB9513303D0; EP0683732A1; GB2288781A; WO1994018013A3; GB2288781B

Abstract

A container/cap combination useful as an adhesive dispenser. The adhesive dispenser features a double wall construction to provide flow control and impermeability to moisture. The dispenser comprises an outer casing (101) integral with a nozzle (102). Within the casing (101) is a cartridge (103) in fluid communication with the nozzle (102). The side walls (104, 105) of the cartridge (103) and casing (101) are resiliently flexible and have defined therebetween a closed chamber (106). Adhesive is dispensed by compressing the casing side wall (105) and hence the cartridge side wall (104). The container/cap combination needs not be an adhesive dispenser and comprises a child resistant cap (107). The cap (107) has a pair of lugs (125) depending from its resilient side wall (129). The lugs (125) engage in recess (113) in a cross wall (111) of the container. The lugs (125) are released from engagement with the recesses (113) by squeezing the side wall (129) of the cap (107). The container/cap combination may comprise an arrangement in which the cap (107) can be released only when in an orientation in which the lugs (125) can be depressed. In this arrangement, stops (138) prevent depression of the lugs (125) when the cap (107) is in alignment with the container. A further inventive feature of the cap resides in an internal sleeve (148) adapted to form a closed chamber (149) about the nozzle (102).

Description

Container/Cap Combination useful as Adhesive Dispenser

The present invention relates to a container/cap combination. The invention also relates to a dispenser for liquid adhesive, especially liquid cyanoacrylate.

Liquid adhesives are normally packaged in plastics bottles to facilitate controlled dispensing of the liquid. Liquid cyanoacrylate is moisture-sensitive in that moisture initiates its curing. Plastics bottles are moisture permeable and cyanoacrylate packaged in plastics therefore tends to cure after a while, due to transmission of moisture into the bottle. Accordingly, cyanoacrylate in plastics bottles has a relatively short shelf-life. Conventional bottles can also be deficient in flow control.

Aluminium is moisture impermeable but aluminium tubes do not provide for controlled flow of liquid adhesive. Thus, although cyanoacrylate is sometimes packaged in aluminium tubes, this is not a fully acceptable arrangement.

It would be desirable to provide a dispenser for liquid adhesive which could have an enhanced combination of moisture resistance and flow control compared to the above-described prior art. It would be preferable for such dispensers to be capable of economic manufacture.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a thermoplastics dispenser for liquid adhesive, comprising:

an outer casing comprising a peripheral side wall,

a dispensing nozzle provided at one end of the casing, and

disposed within the outer casing a cartridge for containing liquid adhesive and comprising a peripheral side wall, the cartridge being closed at one end and in fluid communication with the nozzle at the other end,

an area of the casing side wall and an area of the cartridge side wall being resiliently flexible and the dispenser being so adapted that the cartridge side wall is capable of being flexed in its flexible area to cause adhesive to be dispensed upon flexure by manual compression of the casing side wall in its flexible area, and the dispenser comprising between the flexible area of the cartridge side wall and the atmosphere a barrier to impede ingress of moisture which includes the resilient area of the casing side wall.

The flexible area of the cartridge side wall may be hermetically sealed from the atmosphere by the moisture barrier.

The moisture barrier may comprise a wall separating from the atmosphere the external surface of the cartridge such that a double wall construction is formed around adhesive in the cartridge. In other embodiments only the side wall of the cartridge is separated from the environment by a wall.

Preferably, substantially the entire cartridge side wall is inherently flexible.

Preferably, the moisture barrier is spaced from the flexible area of the cartridge side wall.

Optionally, a desiccant is provided in the space between the moisture barrier and the flexible area of the cartridge side wall.

The flexible area of the casing side wall may comprise opposed regions compressible in a peripheral direction by the application of pressure to the side wall regions interconnecting the opposed compressible regions.

Preferably, the nozzle wall is a significant barrier to moisture, i.e. is functional to help provide an acceptable shelf-life.

The invention includes an adhesive dispenser of the invention in combination with a cap preferably provided with a pin to enter and close the nozzle outlet when the cap is on the dispenser.

Preferably, the cap and the dispenser are provided with releasably interengageable locking means. Preferably in this embodiment the cap is adapted to be pushed onto the dispenser and comprises a peripheral side wall having a closed end and an open end and the locking means of the cap comprises a lug extending in a generally longitudinal direction from the cap side wall at its open end, the lug having intermediate its ends an outwardly extending shoulder facing in a direction towards the end of the lug adjoining the cap side wall and a region of the cap side wall adjoimng the lug being capable of being manually flexed inwardly whereby the lug is also depressed inwardly, and wherein the locking means of the dispenser comprises a recess to receive the lug and having a wall to engage with said shoulder to prevent removal of the cap from the dispenser unless the lug is depressed by inward flexing of said flexible side wall region. Preferably, the lug has defined thereon a ramp surface diverging outwardly from the free end of the lug to the outward end of the shoulder and/or the cap is provided with two of said lugs in substantially opposed positions and the dispenser is provided with two of said recesses to receive the lugs. The features of this paragraph may be included in any embodiment of the dispenser of the second aspect of the invention defined below.

In a modification of the combination, the lug(s) and adjoining flexible wall region(s) are provided on the dispenser and the recess(es) to receive the lug(s) is/are provided on the cap.

In a second aspect there is provided a thermoplastics dispenser for liquid adhesive, comprising a cartridge for liquid adhesive having a peripheral side wall with a resiliently flexible area, the cartridge being closed at one end and open at the other end,

a dispensing nozzle in fluid communication with the open end of the cartridge, and

an outer casing having a peripheral side wall which is spaced outwardly from the cartridge side wall and has a resiliently flexible area overlying' the flexible area of the cartridge side wall, which area of the casing side wall is capable of being manually depressed to cause depression of the flexible area of the cartridge side wall and consequent dispensing of adhesive,

there being formed a substantially closed chamber between the outer casing and the cartridge side wall.

The chamber may be sealed. The chamber may contain a desiccant.

Optionally, the closed end of the cartridge is separated from the exterior of the dispenser by a substantially closed chamber, which chamber may or may not be the same chamber which is defined between the outer casing and the cartridge side wall. Alternatively, the cartridge may be closed at its closed end by a wall which is exposed to the external atmosphere but presents a significant barrier to moisture.

Preferably, the flexible area of the casing side wall or the cartridge side wall is provided on its surface facing the other of said flexible areas with a protuberance to abut said other flexible area when the flexible area of the casing side wall is depressed, whereby the cartridge side wall is depressed. Preferably there are provided two said protuberances in substantially opposed locations or a protuberance continuous around the periphery of the side wall on which it is provided. Preferably, such protuberance(s) is/are provided on the outer face of the cartridge side wall. Preferably, the nozzle comprises at a base region thereof a tubular wall portion with which mates the cartridge side wall at the open end of the cartridge.

Preferably, the nozzle and the casing side wall are in one-piece construction.

Also included in the invention is a combination of a dispenser of the invention and a push-on cap provided with a pin to enter and close the nozzle outlet when the cap is on the dispenser, which cap comprises a peripheral side wall having a closed end and an open end, and a lug extending in a generally longitudinal direction from the cap side wall at its open end, the lug having intermediate its ends an outwardly extending shoulder facing in a direction towards the end of the lug adjoining the cap side wall and a region of the cap side wall adjoining the lug being capable of being manually flexed inwardly whereby the lug is also depressed inwardly, and wherein the dispenser has a cross wall extending between the casing side wall and the base of the nozzle and a hole is defined in the cross wall to receive the lug, the hole having a wall to engage said shoulder to prevent removal of the cap from the dispenser unless the lug is depressed by inward flexing of said flexible side wall region, which hole is closed from the chamber defined between the casing and the cartridge side wall either by a wall integral with the casing to hermetically seal the hole from said chamber or by a continuous flange which extends inwardly from the casing side wall to grip the internal part of the tubular member or the cartridge side wall in a region where it overlaps the internal part of the tubular member, or which extends outwardly from the cartridge side wall to grip the casing side wall.

The invention includes a one-piece casing/nozzle assembly, suitably for a dispenser of the second aspect of the invention, the assembly being made of thermoplastics material and comprising a peripheral side wall with a resiliently flexible area and, at one end of the assembly, a nozzle having an outlet for adhesive, the side wall defining therewithin a chamber with which the nozzle communicates and means being provided to cooperate in a liquid-tight manner with the open end of a cartridge of liquid adhesive to provide a duct for adhesive to flow from the cartridge to the nozzle outlet.

A fourth aspect of the invention is a child resistant container/cap combination, comprising a container having an outlet nozzle and a cap to be pushed onto the container over the nozzle, the container or the cap having a resiliently flexible area provided with a lug arranged to enter a recess provided on the other of the container and the cap when the cap is pushed on the container, the lug being provided with an outwardly extending shoulder arranged to engage a wall of the recess to prevent the lug being released from the recess and the lug being capable of being depressed inwardly by the application of manual pressure to the resiliently flexible area of the container or cap on which it is provided such that the shoulder and the wall of the recess disengage.

Preferably, there are provided two said lugs in substantially opposed positions and two said recesses to receive the lugs.

Preferably, the lug(s) is/are provided on the cap. Preferably, the or each lug extends in a generally longitudinal direction from the free end of the side wall of the cap. Preferably, the or each recess is defined in a cross wall extending between the outlet nozzle of the container and its side wall.

Included in the invention is a push-on cap for a container, comprising a peripheral wall having a resiliently depressible area adjacent the open end of the cap and a lug extending in a generally longitudinal direction from the depressible area at the open end of the cap, the lug being provided with an outwardly extending shoulder facing in a direction towards the end of the lug adjoining the cap.

A sixth aspect of the invention resides in a container, comprising a peripheral side wall and a cross wall at one end in which an outlet is defined, the cross- wall having defined therein an outwardly opening recess to receive and engage a lug on a cap for the container. Many proposals have been made for child resistant caps for containers, for example for cyanoacrylate adhesive dispensers.

Thus, US 3651972 discloses a snap-fit cap having a recess which engages with an annular projection on a bottle neck. The cap is released from engagement by manual compression of the cap at places intermediate the points of engagement between the cap and the neck. The engaging part of the cap is displaced outwardly from the bottle neck by such manual compression. The arrangement of US 3651972 always requires but a single action (squeezing) to be performed before the cap can be removed from the bottle.

GB 2135290 discloses a push-on cap, internally of whose resilient side wall there are provided opposed lugs. The lugs snap fit into recesses formed externally on the container. The cap is elongate in cross section and the lugs are provided on the longer walls. The lugs are released from engagement with the recesses by squeezing the opposed shorter walls of the cap, whereby the longer walls bow outwardly. Upon release of the lugs from the recesses, the cap may be pulled from the container. As with US 3651972, a single action only is ever required to be performed before the cap can be removed from the bottle.

In contrast, GB 2068884 describes a more complex child resistant closure arrangement. The bottle and cap are rectangular in cross section. When the cap is seated on the bottle in alignment therewith lugs on the cap engage with lugs on the container to resist the pulling off of the cap from the container. In order to remove the cap and container lugs from interengagement it is necessary to rotate the cap. However, the cap is also locked against rotational movement and first needs to be squeezed to free the rotational lock arrangement. Thus, the cap must be squeezed, twisted and then pulled off. The cap snaps fit into place when put on to the container.

GB 2068884 apparently provides better child resistance than GB 2135290 or US 3651972. On the other hand, the disclosed container is relatively expensive to manufacture and involves the interlocking of external lugs which are potentially particularly liable to be interfered with by drops of adhesive or other container contents.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a child resistant container/cap combination capable of being provided with an improved combination of features. It would be desirable for such a cap to have a reduced risk of accidental opening compared to US 3651972 or GB 2135290, but to be capable of economic manufacture.

In a seventh aspect, therefore, there is provided a container/cap combination, comprising a container having a nozzle and a push-on cap having a side wall comprising a depressible area, the combination comprising a lug and a recess interengageable therewith to hold the cap on the container, and the lug and the recess when interengaged permitting at least restricted rotation of the cap on the container and being disengageable to permit lifting of the cap from the container by depression of the depressible side wall area when the cap is in a first rotational position but not being so disengageable when it is in a second rotational position.

Preferably, the combination comprises two lugs in opposed relationship to each other on one of the cap and the container, and recess means (e.g. one or more recesses) to engage the lugs on the other of the cap and the container.

In preferred embodiments the recess means comprises an aperture defined in one of the cap and the container and facing the other of the cap and the container, and the or each lug is provided with a shoulder to engage the peripheral wall of the or an aperture to resist the lug's release from the aperture unless the depressible side wall area is depressed, the aperture(s) being adapted to allow at least restricted rotational movement about the container of the lug(s) when engaged therein and that one of the cap and the container having the aperture(s) defined therein being adapted to permit disengagement of the lug(s) from the recess(es) when the cap is in the first rotational position but not when it is in the second rotational position. The combination is preferably adapted to permit disengagement of the lug(s) when the cap is in the first rotational position but not in the second rotational position by provision of stop means on the container to prevent depression of the depressible side wall area when the cap is in the second position.

In a preferred class of embodiments, the or each lug is on the cap. In a preferred sub-class the or each lug depends downwardly from the base of the cap, the shoulder on the or each lug is outwardly extending and preferably the or each aperture is defined in a cross wall extending between the nozzle of the container and its side wall; combinations of this sub-class desirably comprise stop means on the container to prevent depression of the depressible side wall area when in the second position and the stop means preferably comprises one or more protuberances provided at an outwardly facing portion of the peripheral wall of the or an aperture.

Preferably, there are two opposed apertures, each having a protuberance disposed on its peripheral wall intermediate the ends of its aperture, and two opposed lugs.

In preferred embodiments the container and cap are non-circular and in alignment when the cap is in the second rotational position.

Means may be provided to resist free rotation of the cap out of the second rotational position, such that a threshold rotational force must be exceeded before the cap can be rotated out of the second rotational position.

The cap desirably has provided within its side wall a sleeve for the nozzle, the sleeve being adapted to mate sealingly with the periphery of the nozzle to form a sealed chamber enclosing the tip of the nozzle. The sleeve is desirably adapted to mate sealingly with the nozzle periphery at a location spaced significantly from the nozzle tip.

In preferred embodiments, the container comprises an outer side wall in which is disposed a cartridge containing material to be dispensed from the container, there being formed between the side wall of the container and that of the cartridge a closed chamber, the chamber being closed from any recess means formed in the container. Preferably, the recess means in the container comprises aperture(s) in an outer cross wall under which is an inner cross wall separating the aperture(s) from the chamber.

An eighth aspect resides in a container/cap combination, comprising a container having a nozzle, a side wall and a cross wall extending between the side wall and the nozzle, the cross wall having aperture means defined therein at opposed positions; and a push on cap having a side wall and open at its base to receive the nozzle, the side wall being provided at its base with two downwardly depending lugs which are in opposed relationship to each other and which are each provided with an outwardly extending shoulder, the side wall adjacent each lug being resiliently deformable to depress the lugs inwardly;

the aperture means and the lugs being interengageable in a snap fit to hold the cap on the container and being releasable from engagement by compression of the cap side wall to depress the lugs, the aperture means allowing at least restricted rotational movement therein about the container of the lugs when engaged therein and the container being provided with stop means to prevent depression of the lugs upon application of compressive pressure to the cap side wall adjacent each lug when the cap is in a first rotational position on the container.

The combination of the preceding paragraph may appropriately include the features of the preferred embodiments of the seventh aspect of the invention.

The combinations of the invention may be a cyanoacrylate dispenser, especially of liquid cyanoacrylate, or another adhesive dispenser.

Container/cap combinations, notably cyanocrylate dispensers, can suffer from inadequate sealing of the container by the cap. Problems can also arise from droplets of the container content on the container nozzle. It would be desirable to provide a container/cap combination capable of alleviating one or both of the aforegoing problems.

Accordingly, the invention provides in a ninth aspect a container/cap combination, wherein the container comprises a body from which extends a nozzle having a tip at its end remote from the container body, and the cap has a side wall which is open at its base to receive the nozzle and is adapted at a base region to' be engageable with the container to fasten the cap thereto, the cap having provided within its side wall a sleeve for the nozzle, the sleeve being adapted to mate with the periphery of the nozzle to form a closed chamber enclosing the tip of the nozzle.

The sleeve is preferably adapted to mate with the nozzle periphery at a location spaced significantly from the nozzle tip.

The cap is preferably provided with a pin extending within the sleeve to close the nozzle.

The adaptation to fasten the cap to the container may comprise a screw thread. In other embodiments, the cap is a push on cap and the adaptation to fasten the cap on the container comprises a lug and a recess interengageable therewith, the lug and recess being disengageable to permit lifting of the cap from the container by compressing the cap side wall. Preferably, the combination comprises two lugs in opposed relationship to each other and one or more recesses to engage the lugs; the lugs preferably depend downwardly from the base of the cap and are each provided with an outwardly extending shoulder and the or each recess comprises an aperture which is defined in a cross wall extending between the container body and the nozzle and whose peripheral wall is adapted to engage the shoulders of the lugs. The invention includes containers adapted for the container/cap combination of the invention. The features of one or more of the seventh to ninth aspects of the invention may be included in the dispensers of the first or second aspect.

Preferably, the above described containers are made of thermoplastics material, especially a polyolefin (which term is used herein to include copolymers) and particularly polyethylene or polypropylene. It is preferable for the cap to be made of such thermoplastics material.

The present invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of an adhesive dispenser according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-section along line A- A of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cap shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-section through a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a first side view of a fourth embodiment of the invention in which the cap is on the container;

Figure 7 is a second side view of the embodiment of Figure 6, taken from a direction perpendicular to the view of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a cross section along line B-B of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a cross section along line X-X of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a bottom view of the cap of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a top view of the cap of Figure 6; and

Figure 12 is a top view of the container of Figure 6.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate an adhesive dispenser made of thermoplastics material. The dispenser has an outer casing 1, a nozzle 2 and, within the casing 1, a cartridge 3 for liquid adhesive, especially liquid cyanoacrylate. The nozzle 2 communicates with the inside of the cartridge 3.

The cartridge 3 has a peripheral side wall 4 with a resiliently flexible area; in the illustrated embodiment, the flexible area is constituted by substantially the entire free region of the side wall 4. The flexible area of the side wall 4 is relatively permeable to moisture.

Overlying the flexible area of the cartridge side wall 4 is a resiliently flexible area of the casing side wall 5. In the illustrated embodiment, substantially all the casing side wall 5 is flexible. The flexible area of the casing side wall 5 may be depressed such that the flexible area of the cartridge side wall 4 is in turn depressed. If the cartridge 3 contains adhesive and the nozzle 2 is directed downwardly, depression of the cartridge side wall 4 causes adhesive to be dispensed.

Adhesive in the cartridge 3 may be moisture-sensitive. For example, moisture initiates the curing of cyanoacrylate. In order to impede the passage of moisture into the cartridge, the flexible (and more moisture-permeable) portion of the cartridge side wall 4 is provided with a moisture barrier or external wall which includes at least the flexible area of the casing side wall 5 which is depressed to cause adhesive to be dispensed. Figure 2 therefore illustrates an adhesive dispenser in which there is an inner adhesive reservoir with a resilient side wall 4, which side wall is closed in a chamber 6 defined between the resilient side wall 4 and an outer casing 1. The outer casing 1 has a resilient side wall 5 and the adhesive reservoir communicates with a nozzle 2 which is provided at one end of the casing 1.

Looking now in more detail at Figures 1 to 3 by way of non-limiting example, there is illustrated a dispenser for liquid adhesive which comprises three parts, viz a one-piece casing/nozzle assembly 1, 2, an inner cartridge 3 and a cap 7 fot the dispenser. The casing 1 , which is suitably made of polyethylene or polypropylene, comprises a peripheral side wall 5, which is closed at its bottom by a bottom cross wall 8. The casing 1 is generally rectangular in transverse cross-section and the bottom cross wall 8 is connected along one edge to the casing side wall 5 by a hinge 9. The other edges of the bottom cross wall 8 may be welded to the casing side wall 5, as shown at 10.

At its top end, the side wall 5 of the casing 1 joins the nozzle 2, for example through top cross wall 11. The nozzle 2 is tubular in shape and is of reduced diameter at its free end where there is a narrow outlet. The internal diameter of the nozzle at its outlet is less than 1mm, preferably 0.75mm. A portion 12 of the nozzle 2 passes through the cross wall 11 into the interior of the casing 1. The top cross wall 11 is provided with through holes 13. In the side wall 5 adjacent the through holes 13, there are defined through holes 14 which result from the moulding process used and play no function in the completed article. The through holes 13, 14 are closed from the interior of the casing 1 by walls 15 which form pockets around the respective through holes 13, 14.

The cartridge 3, which is circular in cross-section, has a flexible side wall 4 closed at one end of the cartridge 3 by a cross wall 16. At the open end of the cartridge 3, the cartridge side wall 4 surrounds the internal portion 12 of the nozzle 2 in a tight friction fit or otherwise cooperates with the nozzle 2. An extension 17 of the cartridge side wall 4 projects to the bottom cross wall 8 of the casing. The extension 17 has at its free end an outwardly extending base flange 18 whose periphery may be welded to the casing side wall 5.

The cartridge side wall 4 is provided with opposed external protuberances 19, or a single protuberance extending continuously or discontinuously around the external surface of the side wall 5. When the casing side wall 5 is manually squeezed, it depresses the protuberances 19 and thereby the cartridge side wall 4 to cause adhesive to be dispensed (if the dispenser is suitably oriented and any cap is removed). If the casing 1 is sufficiently close to the cartridge 3, the protuberances 19 may be dispensed with.

It will be seen that the cartridge 3 and the casing/nozzle assembly 1, 2 with its bottom cross wall 8 and walls 15 to close off the holes 13, 14 provide a double wall around adhesive in the cartridge 3. Preferably, the casing 1 is spaced from the cartridge 3 to define a distinct closed chamber 6 around the exterior of the cartridge 3. The chamber is substantially hermetically sealed in this embodiment. The illustrated double walled construction helps provide a plastics dispenser with a good combination of moisture resistance and flow control.

To further help keep dry adhesive in the cartridge 3, a desiccant may be provided in the chamber 6. A suitable desiccant composition is P₂ O₅ in dibutyl phthalate.

The dispenser of Figures 1 and 2 may be assembled as follows. The cartridge 3 with its side wall extension 17 and base flange 18, which one-piece member is suitably made by injection moulding polyethylene or polypropylene, is oriented with its open end upwards and, after optional flushing with a dry gas (e.g. nitrogen), filled with a suitable volume of adhesive (e.g. 3ml or 5ml). Any desiccant may be placed in an annular chamber 28 defined between the side wall extension 17 and an annular wall 21 upstanding from the base flange 18.

The casing/nozzle assembly 1, 2 is optionally flushed with nitrogen or another dry gas and then brought down over the cartridge 3, to cause the mouth of the !6 cartridge 3 to engage the nozzle 2. During this operation the bottom cross wall 8 is hinged open. The cross wall 8 is then closed and its free edges are welded to the casing side wall 5. In the process, the base flange 18 may also be welded to the side wall 1.

Before or after the casing/nozzle/cartridge combination is assembled, the nozzle is closed with a cap 7. The cap 7 preferably has a pin 20 to enter and close the nozzle outlet. The cap 7 is normally made of a thermoplastics material such as polyethylene, polypropylene or another polyolefin, for example.

The flexible side walls 4, 5 are suitably made of medium density or high density polyethylene about 0.4 mm thick and, in order to retain flexibility, normally less than 0.7 mm thick. The nozzle 2 is preferably highly impervious to moisture and made of high density polyolefin, for example; the nozzle wall may be thicker throughout at least part of its length than the flexible side walls.

Numerous modifications may be made to the dispenser of Figures 1 and 2. Some modifications are shown in Figure 4. In Figure 4, the cross wall 16' of the cartridge is made sufficiently thick to be adequately moisture impervious and is not protected from the environment by a second wall, there being no bottom cross wall 8.

Thus, it will be appreciated that it is sufficient for a second wall to be provided around only the flexible, permeable wall area of the cartridge 3.

A minor modification shown in Figure 4 is that the protuberances 19' are in the form of ribs rather than bosses.

At the nozzle end of the casing, the through holes 13 are not hermetically sealed from the chamber 6. Rather, they are closed from the chamber 6 by a continuous flange 22 which extends inwardly from the casing side wall 5 to grip the cartridge side wall 4 where it overlaps the nozzle 2. This arrangement also helps hold the cartridge 3 in place during manufacture. If the cartridge side wall 4 did not overlap the entire internal portion of the nozzle 2, or if the cartridge 3 were fitted inside the nozzle 2, the flange 22 could grip the exposed area of the nozzle 2. In a variant of the embodiment of Figure 4, the flange 22 extends outwardly from the cartridge 3 to grip the casing side wall 5.

Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment in which opposed faces 23 of the casing 1 have a bellows construction. Squeezing of the other two faces therefore results in compression of the side faces 23 in a peripheral direction, enabling protuberances 19" to squeeze the cartridge 3.

The dispenser is suitably provided with a child resistant closure. A suitable screw- threaded child resistant closure is described in GB 2256638 (Chemence Limited).

Alternatively, a push-on cap may be used, as illustrated. The cap 7 has a peripheral side wall 29 with resiliently depressible regions 24 adjoining the open end of the cap. In Figures 2-4, the depressible regions occupy a majority of two opposed faces of the cap 7. Extending from the depressible regions 24 at the open end of the cap 7 are opposed lugs 25, which enter the through holes 13 of the casing when the cap 7 is pushed on the dispenser. A lug 25 is shown using a broken line in Figure 1.

Intermediate their ends, the lugs 25 each have an outward shoulder 26, which shoulders 26 face towards the body of the cap 7. The shoulders 26 of the lugs 25 engage the top cross wall 11 to prevent removal of the lugs 25, unless the opposed depressible wall regions 24 are squeezed to depress the lugs 25 and release them from engagement with the cross wall 11. To assist placing of the cap 7 on the dispenser, a ramp surface 27 (Figure 4) is provided between the free end of each lug 25 and the outer end of the shoulder 26.

Figures 6 to 12 of the drawings also illustrate an adhesive dispenser made of thermoplastics material. The dispenser comprises a container shown generally as C. The container C features the first and second aspects of the invention. In Figures 6 to 12, parts corresponding to those illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 have the same reference numeral increased by 100.

The container C therefore has an outer casing 101, a nozzle 102 and, within the casing 101, a cartridge 103 for liquid adhesive, especially liquid cyanoacrylate. The nozzle 102 communicates with the inside of the cartridge 103. The cartridge 103 has a peripheral side wall 104 with a resiliently flexible area. Overlying the flexible area of the cartridge side wall 104 is a resiliently flexible area of the casing side wall 105. A closed chamber 106 is defined between the cartridge side wall 104 and the outer casing 101.

Parts 101 to 106 of Figures 6 to 9 correspond to parts 1 to 6 of Figures 1 to 5 in terms of structure and function. The reader is referred to the description of Figures 1 to 5 for further explanation of parts 101 to 105.

The container C is modified from that illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 in that the cartridge side wall 4 of Figures 1 to 4 is illustrated as being provided with external protuberances 19, whereas no such protuberances are illustrated in Figure 8. The side wall 105 of the casing 101 illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 is provided with external projections or ribs 130, 131 and 132 to assist the user to depress the casing side wall 105 at an appropriate place.

Another variation from the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 lies in the manner in which the opening defined by the casing side wall 105 at the bottom thereof is closed. It is not necessary for this opening to be closed but, as in the case of Figures 1 to 4, it may be desirable to do so for aesthetic or functional reasons.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 9, the casing 101 is closed at its bottom by a plug 133, which is a separate moulding from the other parts of the container C.

As shown, an extension 117 of the cartridge side wall 104 projects to the bottom of the casing 101, at the mouth of which the extension 117 abuts the casing side wall 105. The wall extension 117 defines at the bottom of the container C a recess of large cross sectional dimension which leads into a recess of smaller cross sectional dimension defined also by the wall extension 117. The plug 133 has extending therefrom a central stud 134 which is a push fit in the smaller recess defined by the extension 117 of the cartridge side wall 104. The peripheral wall of the smaller recess is provided with opposed ribs 135, 136 which assist angular location during assembly.

The extension 117 of the cartridge side wall 104 is suitably welded to the casing side wall 105 where they abut and the plug 133 may in turn be welded to the extension 117.

Figures 6 to 12 illustrate a container/cap combination with a novel locking aπangement. The Figures also illustrate a container/cap combination wherein the cap has a novel sleeve for mating with the container nozzle. The description of the illustrated dispenser will therefore now turn to the nozzle end of the container C and to the cap 107.

At its top end, the side wall 105 of the casing 101 joins the nozzle 102. The casing 101 and the nozzle 102 are formed in a one-piece moulding. The casing side wall 105 is illustrated as joined to the nozzle 102 through a top cross wall 111 and a second cross wall 115' spaced below the top cross wall 111. The nozzle 102 is tubular in shape and is of reduced diameter at its tip 137 where there is a narrow outlet. A portion 112 of the nozzle 102 extends into the interior of the cartridge 103 and defines with an opposed wall portion an annular recess in which the cartridge 103 is a press fit. The open end of the cartridge side wall 104 therefore mates with the tubular wall portion 112 of the nozzle 102. The top cross wall 111 is provided with apertures 113. In the side wall 105 adjacent to the apertures 113 there are defined through holes 114 which result from the moulding process used and play no function in the completed article. The apertures 113 and through holes 114 are closed from the chamber 106 defined between the casing

101 and the cartridge 103 by the second cross walls 115' . The apertures 113 are somewhat elongate (Fig. 12) and the peripheral wall of each is provided with an outwardly facing protuberance 138 intermediate its ends. In the illustrated embodiment, the protuberance 138 of each aperture 113 is midway between the ends of the aperture. The inward facing portion of the peripheral wall of each aperture 113 has a straight central region 139, which is parallel to the neighbouring outer face 140 of the casing side wall 105. At either end of the central portion 139 of the peripheral wall there are short inwardly extending shoulder sections connecting the central portion 139 with side portions 141, 142 at a small angle (about 15° in the illustrated embodiment) to the central portion 139. The protuberance 138 is connected to the ends of the aperture 113 by straight wall portions 143, 144.

The peripheral wall of this configuration results in the aperture 113 having a central recess area 145, extending between the ends of the central wall portion 139, and wings 146, 147, each extending between one end of the aperture 113 and the protuberance 138; the wing sections 146, 147 therefore overlap with the central recess portion 145. The wing sections 146, 147 are at an angle of approximately 15° to the central portion 139 of the aperture periphery.

The cap 107 is a push on cap. The cap has a peripheral side wall 129 comprising a depressible area. The depressible area is shown as comprising opposed depressible regions 124, which adjoin the open end of the cap 107. Extending from the depressible regions 124 at the open end of the cap are opposed lugs 125, which enter the apertures 113 when the cap is pushed on the container C.

Intermediate their ends, the lugs 125 each have an outward shoulder 126, which shoulders 126 face towards the body of the cap 107. The shoulders 126 of the lugs 125 normally engage the top cross wall 111 to prevent removal of the lugs from the apertures 113. To assist placing of the cap 107 on the dispenser, a ramp surface 127 is provided between the free end of each lug 125 and the outer end of the shoulder 126. The lugs may enter the apertures 113 in any position, i.e. in the central recess area 145 or in either of the wing areas 146, 147. However, the container C and cap 107 are non-circular (illustrated as approximately oblong in cross section) and are aligned only when the lugs 125 are located in the central recess areas 145 of the apertures 113. Users instinctively leave the cap 107 in the aligned position on the container C. The shoulders formed at either end of the straight wall section 139 of each aperture offer resistance to turning of the lugs 125 out of the central recess area 145.

In order to release the lugs 125 from the apertures 113 and lift the cap 107 from the container C, the user needs to depress the depressible wall regions 124, i.e. compress the opposed minor walls of the cap 107. This will result in the lugs 125 being depressed inwardly and their shoulders 126 becoming disengaged from the top cross wall 111, so that the cap 107 may be lifted from the container C. However, the protuberances 138 prevent the lugs 125 being depressed when the lugs 125 are located in the central recess areas 145 of the apertures 113. Thus, before the lugs 125 can be depressed and the cap 107 removed from the container C, it must be rotated out of its natural aligned position with the container C so that the lugs 125 enter the wing areas 146, 147 of the apertures 113. In the illustrated embodiment, this involves turning the cap by about 15° out of its aligned position.

Disposed within the side wall 129 of the cap 107 is a sleeve 148 for the nozzle

102. The sleeve 148 is closed at its top end and may be provided with a pin 120 to enter and close the opening of the nozzle 102. The sleeve 148 is adapted to mate with the periphery of the nozzle 102 to form a closed chamber 149 enclosing the tip of the nozzle 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve 148 mates sealingly with the nozzle periphery at a region 151 at the mouth of the sleeve 148 to form a sealed chamber, which extends almost the entire length of the sleeve 148. Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment in which the sleeve 148 is adapted to mate with the nozzle periphery at a location spaced significantly from the nozzle tip 137. The sleeve 148 is shown to be spaced inwardly from the cap side wall 129.

In those embodiments where the sleeve 148 is adapted to embrace the nozzle periphery at a location spaced significantly from the nozzle tip 137, it is preferred that the sleeve 148 is spaced outwardly from the periphery of the nozzle 102 in the region between the seal and the nozzle tip 137, as illustrated in the drawings. The drawings show that the cross section of the nozzle 102 reduces in the area between the seal at the sleeve mouth 151 and the nozzle tip 137. Locating ribs 150 (Figure

10) help locate the cap 107 properly on the nozzle 102.

The seal between the sleeve 148 and the periphery of the nozzle 102 helps protect material within the container C from atmospheric moisture, which is desirable for a water-sensitive adhesive, for example cyanoacrylate. The seal can help protect the adhesive from moisture in two ways. Firstly, it prevents direct communication between the external atmosphere and the opening of the nozzle 102. Secondly, it provides a double wall structure around at least a part of the nozzle 102, and thereby helps limit diffusion of moisture through the nozzle 102.

The seal between the sleeve 148 and the nozzle 102 has another benefit, which is that it helps prevent any drops of adhesive on the exterior of the nozzle 102 running down the nozzle to the base of the nozzle and possibly interfering with the coupling of the container and the cap, whether it be for example a lug and recess combination or a screw threaded closure.

In a modification of the container/cap combination as illustrated in Figures 6 to 12, one of the wings 146, 147 of the apertures 113 may be omitted. Alternatively a continuous recess could be provided around the container C. Another variation, is the replacement of protuberances 138 with stops elsewhere on the container C to prevent depression of the lugs 125.

The embodiments shown in the drawings are for the purpose of non-limiting illustration and may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A thermoplastics dispenser for liquid adhesive, comprising:

an outer casing comprising a peripheral side wall,

a dispensing nozzle provided at one end of the casing, and

2. A dispenser of claim 1, wherein the flexible area of the cartridge side wall is hermetically sealed from the atmosphere by the moisture barrier.

3. A dispenser of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the moisture barrier comprises a wall separating from the atmosphere the external surface of the cartridge such that a double wall construction is formed around adhesive in the cartridge.

4. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein substantially the entire cartridge side wall is inherently flexible.

5. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moisture barrier is spaced from the flexible area of the cartridge side wall.

6. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the nozzle wall is a significant barrier to moisture.

7. A combination of a dispenser of any of claims 1 to 6 with a cap provided with a pin to enter and close the nozzle outlet when the cap is on the dispenser, the cap and the dispenser being provided with releasably interengageable locking means.

8. A thermoplastics dispenser for liquid adhesive, comprising

a cartridge for liquid adhesive having a peripheral side wall with a resiliently flexible area, the cartridge being closed at one end and open at the other end,

an outer casing having a peripheral side wall which is spaced outwardly from the cartridge side wall and has a resiliently flexible area overlying the flexible area of the cartridge side wall, which area of the casing side wall is capable of being manually depressed to cause depression of the flexible area of the cartridge side wall and consequent dispensing of adhesive,

9. A dispenser of claim 8, wherein the chamber is hermetically sealed.

10. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the closed end of the cartridge is separated from the exterior of the dispenser by a substantially closed chamber.

11. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cartridge is closed at its closed end by a wall which is exposed to the external atmosphere but presents a significant barrier to moisture.

12. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the nozzle comprises at a base region thereof a tubular wall portion with which mates the cartridge side wall at the open end of the cartridge

13. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the nozzle and the casing side wall are in one-piece construction.

14. A combination of a dispenser of any of claims 8 to 13 and a cap provided with a pin to enter and close the nozzle outlet when the cap is on the dispenser.

15. A one-piece casing/nozzle assembly made of thermoplastics material and comprising a peripheral side wall with a resiliently flexible area and, at one end of the assembly, a nozzle having an outlet for adhesive, the side wall defining therewithin a chamber with which the nozzle communicates and means being provided to cooperate in a liquid-tight manner with the open end of a cartridge of liquid adhesive to provide a duct for adhesive to flow from the cartridge to the nozzle outlet.

16. A dispenser of any of claims 1 to 6 or 8 to 13 or a combination of claims 7 or claim 14, wherein the cartridge contains liquid cyanoacrylate.

17. A child resistant container/cap combination, comprising a container having an outlet nozzle and a cap to be pushed onto the container over the nozzle, the cap having a resiliently flexible area provided with a lug extending in a generally longitudinal direction from the free end of the side wall of the cap and arranged to enter a recess provided on the container when the cap is pushed on the container, the lug being provided with an outwardly extending shoulder arranged to engage with a wall of the recess to prevent the lug's release from the recess and the lug being capable of being depressed inwardly by the application of manual pressure to the resiliently flexible area of the cap such that the shoulder and the wall of the recess disengage.

18. A container/cap combination, comprising a container having a nozzle and a push-on cap having a side wall comprising a depressible area, the combination comprising a lug and a recess interengageable therewith to hold the cap on the container, and the lug and the recess when interengaged permitting at least restricted rotation of the cap on the container and being disengageable to permit lifting of the cap from the container by depression of the depressible side wall area when the cap is in a first rotational position but not being so disengageable when it is in a second rotational position.

19. A combination of claim 18, which comprises two lugs in opposed relationship to each other on one of the cap and the container, and one or more recesses to engage the lugs on the other of the cap and the container.

20. A combination of claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the or each recess is an aperture defined in one of the cap and the container and facing the other of the cap and the container and wherein the or each lug is provided with a shoulder to engage the peripheral wall of the or an aperture to resist the lug's release from the aperture unless the depressible side wall area is depressed, the aperture(s) being adapted to allow at least restricted rotational movement about the container of the lug(s) when engaged therein and that one of the cap and the container having the aperture(s) defined therein being adapted to permit disengagement of the lug(s) from the recess(es) when the cap is in the first rotational position but not when it is in the second rotational position.

21. A combination of any of claims 18 to 20, which is adapted to permit disengagement of the lug(s) when the cap is in the first rotational position but not in the second rotational position by provision of stop means on the container to prevent depression of the depressible side wall area when the cap is in the second position.

22. A combination of any of claims 18 to 21 , wherein the or each lug is on the cap.

23. A combination of claim 20, wherein the or each lug depends downwardly from the base of the cap, the shoulder on the or each lug is outwardly extending and the or each aperture is defmed in a cross wall extending between the nozzle of the container and its side wall.

24. A combination of claim 23, which comprises stop means on the container to prevent depression of the depressible side wall area when in the second position and the stop means comprises one or more protuberances provided at an outwardly facing portion of the peripheral wall of the or an aperture.

25. A combination of claim 24, wherein there are two opposed apertures, each having a protuberance disposed on its peripheral wall intermediate the ends of its aperture, and two opposed lugs.

26. A container/cap combination, comprising a container having a nozzle, a side wall and a cross wall extending between the side wall and the nozzle, the cross wall having aperture means defmed therein at opposed positions; and a push on cap having a side wall and open at its base to receive the nozzle, the side wall being provided at its base with two downwardly depending lugs which are in opposed relationship to each other and which are each provided with an outwardly extending shoulder, the side wall adjacent each lug being resiliently deformable when compressed to depress the lugs inwardly;

27. A combination of claim 26 wherein the stop means is as defined in claim 24 and/or the combination further includes the features of claim 25.

28. A container/cap combination, wherein the container comprises a body from which extends a nozzle having a tip at its end remote from the container body, and the cap has a side wall which is open at its base to receive the nozzle and is provided at a base region with means engageable with complementary means on the container to fasten the cap thereto, the cap having provided within its side wall a sleeve for the nozzle, the sleeve being adapted to mate with the periphery of the nozzle to form a closed chamber enclosing the tip of the nozzle.

29. A combination of claim 28, wherein the sleeve is adapted to mate with the nozzle periphery at a location spaced significantly from the nozzle tip.

30. A combination of claim 28 or claim 29, wherein the means to fasten the cap to the container comprises a screw thread.

31. A combination of claim 28 or claim 29, wherein the cap is a push on cap and the means to fasten the cap on the container comprises a lug and a recess interengageable therewith, the lug and recess being disengageable to permit lifting of the cap from the container by compressing the cap side wall.