WO2005014417A1

WO2005014417A1 - Dispensing closure

Info

Publication number: WO2005014417A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/007307
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacqueline Van Heist; Hans Lippuner
Original assignee: Unilever N.V.; Unilever Plc; Hindustan Lever Limited; Swinkels, Peter, Jan,Joost,Marie
Priority date: 2003-07-28
Filing date: 2004-07-05
Publication date: 2005-02-17

Abstract

A dispensing closure for a container, the closure comprising an upper surface (25) and a circumferential side wall (3), a plurality of nozzles (39) extending upwardly from said upper surface, each having an orifice (43, 45) of respective different shape formed therein and respective lid members (5, 7) being hingeably attached to the side wall (3), each lid member being associated with a respective one of said orifices to selectively open or close the orifice.

Description

DISPENSING CLOSURE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a dispensing closure for a container of a product in the form of a paste or very viscous liquid, for example, a food product or toothpaste.

Background of the Invention

Paste-like or very viscous consumer products such as foods (e.g. dressings or spreads) or toothpaste are commonly sold in squeezable or pump action containers and are dispensed through the orifice of a closure as an elongate extruded strip.

Hitherto, it has not been possible for the consumer to choose the cross- sectional shape of extrudate at will.

US-A-2 944 705 discloses a dispenser for a paste material which is in the form of at least two different spirally intermixed materials. Spiral intermixing is provided by means of a shaping cap fitted on the neck of a squeezable container.

US-A-2 968 262 discloses a cake decorating appliance comprising a flexible and collapsible tube terminating in an end having a plurality of nozzles each having respective differently shaped orifices at their tips.

US-A-4 699 299 relates to an adjustable dispensing closure having a lid member with a main exit orifice communicating with the interior of a container and a twistable lid member so that a chosen one of a plurality of outlet orifices of different diameter can be positioned over the primary outlet orifice to select a chosen cross-sectional diameter of extrudate. As disclosed in US-A-4 754 898, a dual orifice dispensing closure comprises dual hinged lid members, secured in the closed position by snap-fit and which may be selectively opened to reveal one or both of two different orifices of differing diameters. The size of orifice used for dispensing may therefore be chosen by the user. When both lid members are in the open position, the smaller one may function as a venting opening for pouring. Indicia are provided on the tops of the lid members to indicate the size of orifice under each.

As described in US-A-5 062 550, a deformable memory retaining container includes a cap member having a series of conduits mounted on the top thereof. These conduit members have differing cross-sectional diameters to permit varying flow rates of contents from the container according to which conduits are opened by removal of a push-over respective cap member. As disclosed in one embodiment, these different conduits may have different cross-sectional shapes. The cap members are attached to the body of the device by tape members.

A lid assembly for a container and having a pour opening and drinking straw opening is disclosed in US-A-5 244 113. Respective flip-up tab closure members, hinged towards the middle of the lid, expose the pour opening or the drinking straw opening.

WO-A-92/08669 relates to a container for dispensing a flowable product at a variable rate. The container has multiple dispensing orifices and one or more dispensing necks with open ends. The cap presents differently sized orifices to each dispensing neck or with intermediate channels.

The present invention provides a novel form of dispensing closure which is especially suited to extruding extrudable consumer products with a cross- sectional shape of the extrudate according to the desire of the consumer. Definition of the Invention

A first aspect of the present invention provides a dispensing closure for a container, the closure comprising an upper surface and a circumferential side wall, a plurality of nozzles extending upwardly from said upper surface, each having an orifice of respective different shape formed therein and respective lid members being hingeably attached to the side wall, each lid member being associated with a respective one of said orifices to selectively open or close the orifice.

Preferably, each lid member has a formation for effecting snap fit over the nozzle in which the respective orifice is formed.

Preferably also, the lid members are marked on an outer surface thereof with respective indicia denoting the cross-sectional shape of the orifice with which each is associated.

There may be two or more differently shaped orifices, eg, three or four or more, each associated with a respective lid member. In preferred embodiments described herein, a circular orifice and a star (asterisk) shaped orifice, and a slit orifice and a star (asterisk) orifice are utilised. However, any of these may be used in combination with any different of each other. Additionally or alternatively, other shapes may be used as a respective differently shaped orifice, for example, having square, triangle, pentagon, five- pointed star, wiggle (~), cross, teardrop and eliptical shaped orifice. Novelty shapes, such as the outline of a plant, tree or animal are also possible.

Preferably, each lid member is openable independently of any other.

In preferred embodiments, the upper surface of the closure is substantially flat and the lid members are generally planar. In the closed position, the lid members may together define a shape having substantially the same peripheral dimensions as the side wall of the closure. Preferably, the lid members are hinged on the side wall in positions permitting the simultaneous opening such that they maintain the same peripheral shape as in the closed position.

The present invention also extends to a closure according to the present invention in combination with a container to permit dispensing of the contents of the container through a chosen one of the orifices. Preferably, the container is a squeezable container of a pump action dispensing container.

The dispensing closure of the present invention may be formed from any suitable material but preferably, a plastics material such as polypropylene or high density polyethylene. It may be formed integrally with a container or be added as a closure to a container, eg by screw or push-fit or by heat or adhesive bonding.

The container may be filled with any suitable extrudable or paste-like material, for example having a viscosity in excess of 3000mPas S^"1, more preferably 5000mPas S^"1 or more. This may be any substance, for example a food product such as a spread, sauce or it may be an oral care product such as toothpaste but the invention is not limited to use with any particular product form.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a dispensing closure for a container comprising a plurality of dispensing nozzles respectively formed with orifices of different shape, respective lid members being provided to selectively open or close each said nozzle orifice, wherein the lid members are marked with respective indicia denoting the shape of their associated nozzle orifices. Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be explained in more detail by way of the following description of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front perspective view from above and one side of a dispensing closure according to a first aspect of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the dispensing closure shown in figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows an underneath plan view of the dispensing closure shown in figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows a side elevation of the dispensing closure shown in figures 1 - 3;

Figure 5 shows a rear elevation of the dispensing closure shown in figures 1- 4;

Figure 6 shows a plan view of the dispensing closure shown in figures 1 - 5 with the lid members in the open position;

Figure 7 shows an underneath plan view corresponding to figure 6;

Figure 8 shows a front perspective view from above and one side of a dispensing closure according to a second aspect of the present invention;

Figure 9 shows a plan view of the dispensing closure shown in figure 8; Figure 10 shows an underneath plan view of the dispensing closure shown in figures 8 and 9;

Figure 11 shows a side elevation of the dispensing closure shown in figures 8 - 10; Figure 12 shows a rear elevation of the dispensing closure shown in figures 8 - 11.

Figure 13 shows a plan view of the dispensing closure shown in figures 8 - 12 with the lid members in the open position; and

Figure 14 shows an underneath plan view corresponding to figure 13;

Detailed Description of the Invention

As shown in Figures 1 - 7, a disclosing dispenser 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a peripheral side wall 3 which is substantially vertical but tapers slightly inwards towards the circumferential base 4 thereof.

As shown in Figures 1 - 5 in particular, the top of the closure is covered with respective lid members 5, 7 which are hingeably connected to the upper edge 8 of the side wall 3 by respective hinge members 9, 11. In plan view, the lid members 5, 7 define a shape substantially having the same profile and dimensions as the top edge 8 of the side wall 3. In plan view, this corresponds to an elipse with flattened sides or a rectangle with rounded corners which are contiguous with each other.

The hinge members are beside each other, relatively close together along one major side face of the peripheral side wall 3. On the opposite major side from the hinge members, the edge of the lid members 5, 7 respectively define flange or tab members 17, 19 which are situated above some indents 13, 15, formed in the upper part of the peripheral side wall 3. In this way, the user may open one or both lid members 5, 7 by pushing upwardly on the taps 17, 19 so that the lid members hingeably move up and away from the body of the closure as shown in figures 6 and 7. As can be seen in Figures 1 - 3, the lid members in the closed position substantially nearly abut one another along respective straight edges 21, 23 which run between a position between the tabs 17, 19 and between the hinge members 9, 11.

In the open position (Figures 6 and 7), it can be seen that these straight edges move to a position where they are spaced apart but substantially in line.

As can be seen in Figures 6 and 7, in the open position, an upper surface 25 is revealed, contiguous with the upper edge 8 of the peripheral wall 3 and presenting a barrier to contents of any container closed with the closure. However, slightly raised plateau portions 27, 29 respectively lie under the lid members 5, 7 when in the closed position. A respective rim 31, 33 on the underside of the lid members 5, 7 thereby can rest in the peripheral shoulder 35 defined between the raised plateau areas 27, 29 and the upper edge 8 of the peripheral wall 3.

Towards the centre of the upper wall 25 of the closure are respective nozzles 39, 41. These nozzles are raised above the plateau regions 27, 29. Each nozzle has a respective orifice 43, 45 formed therein. As can be seen from Figure 6, the undersides 38, 40 of the lid members 5, 7 have respective annular projections 42, 44 formed thereon. These permit snap-fit over the nozzles 39, 41 respectively to keep the lid members in the closed position until they are opened. One of these nozzles 39 has a star shape orifice 43 whilst the other nozzle 41 has a circular orifice 45.

In use, when the closure is positioned on the mouth of a container of an extrudable product such as a food product, e.g. a spread, sauce or dressing the user may lift one or other lid members 5, 7 to reveal either the star shape orifice 43 or the circular orifice 45. Upon squeezing the tube, an extrudate of the product will be exuded having either the chosen star shape in cross- section or circular shape in cross-section, as the user desires.

In order to indicate to the consumer, which shaped orifice is under which lid member 5, 7 the top of each lid member is marked with a respective symbol 47 or 49, respectively showing a star or circle, corresponding to the shape of the orifice underneath.

The entire closure may be formed of any suitable material, for example a plastics material, e.g. by injection molding. Suitable plastics are polypropylene or high density polyethylene although the material in question need not even be plastic and its choice is non-limiting to the present invention.

Turning now to Figures 8 - 14, a second embodiment of a dispensing closure 2, according to the present invention is shown. These drawings correspond entirely with those of Figures 1 - 7 except for one difference. Accordingly, the same reference numerals are used throughout as they are in Figures 1 - 7. However, instead of a circular orifice 45 in nozzle 41 , a slit shaped orifice 51 is formed. Thus, in this embodiment, the choice for the consumer is presented to have either a star-shape extrudate in cross-section or a slit shaped extrudate in cross-section (e.g. in the form of a continuous tape). In the light of the described embodiments, modifications of these embodiments, as well as other embodiments, all within the scope of the present invention, preferably as defined by any one or more of the appended claims will now become apparent to persons skilled in this art. In this case, on top of the relevant lid member 7, a slit shaped symbol 53 is provided.

Claims

1. A dispensing closure for a container, the closure comprising an upper surface and a circumferential side wall, a plurality of nozzles extending upwardly from said upper surface, each having an orifice of respective different shape formed therein and respective lid members being hingeably attached to the side wall, each lid member being associated with a respective one of said orifices to selectively open or close the orifice.

2. A closure according to claim 1 , wherein each lid member has a formation for effecting snap fit over the nozzle in which its respective orifice is formed.

3. A closure according to either preceding claim, wherein the lid members are marked on an outer surface thereof with respective indicia denoting the cross-sectional shape of the orifice with which each is associated.

4. A closure according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper surface of the closure is substantially flat, and the lid members are generally planar.

5. A closure according to claim 4, wherein in the closed position, the lid members together define a shape having substantially the same peripheral dimensions as the side wall of the closure.

6. A closure according to claim 5 wherein the lid members are hinged on the side wall in positions permitting simultaneous opening such that they retain the same peripheral shape as in the closed position.

7. A closure according to any preceding claim in combination with and attached to a container to permit dispensing of contents of the container through a chosen one of said orifices.

8. A closure and cap combination according to claim 7, wherein said container is a squeezable container or a pump action container.

9. A closure and cap combination according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein said container contains a food product or a toothpaste.

10. A dispensing closure for a container comprising a plurality of dispensing nozzles respectively formed with orifices of different shape, respective lid members being provided to selectively open or close each said nozzle orifice, wherein the lid members are marked with respective indicia denoting the shape of their associated nozzle orifices.