Container With Closure

Abstract

A container closure assembly including a fitment secured to the outside of the neck of a resilient plastic bottle having a dispensing channel therein communicating with an outlet passage in a cap which is threaded onto the neck over the fitment. The assembly has dual seals against leakage and a self-cleaning outlet achieved by means of a wiping type of contact between a pin on the fitment and the surface of the cap opening as the cap is rotated toward its closed position. The outlet passage may be provided with channels to augment its size and provide for varying the discharge rate.

Description

This invention relates to closures and more particularly to a closure having a restricted opening for use on a resilient squeeze bottle.

In the manufacture of resilient thermoplastic bottles having means for controlling the outflow of liquid contents emanating from the container, it is conventional to utilize a fitment having a restricted outlet which is inserted into the neck of the bottle, in conjunction with a cap fixed to the bottle neck over the fitment for closing the outlet. Such a construction has resulted in several undesirable effects. First, in dispensing the liquid it often wets the outer surface of the container and runs down the sides thereof, thereby disfiguring the label and producing an unsightly package. Second, the cap has a closed top thus necessitating its removal before the contents may be dispensed through the fitment. Third, to cap the container after filling and before use, the fitment must first be fitted on the neck and then the cap applied over the fitment, thus requiring two separate capping steps to close the package. Fourth, the size of the outlet is fixed, so that whatever control is exerted over the flow of the contents is achieved only by the extent to which the resilient bottle sides are compressed by the user. Fifth, the design of the screw-on threads of the cap and bottle requires substantial rotation of the cap to remove it axially in order to expose the outlet in the fitment.

Now there has been developed a novel closure assembly for overcoming the above-mentioned objectionable effects.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved structure for closing off an open end portion of a container.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a container having a restricted opening provided with a screw-on cap and a novel form of dispensing fitment, both of which are retained on the container during dispensing of the contents.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a closure assembly which provides advantages in terms of simplicity of construction over presently available closures.

It is another object of this invention to provide the combination of a container having an unrestricted neck opening, a rotatable cap and a dispensing fitment, wherein the cap is provided with a draining surface which prevents and retards the flow of liquid contents over the sides of the container.

It is another object of this invention to provide a closure assembly which may be preassembled prior to application on the container which it is to close.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a closure assembly having structural provisions for varying the rate of flow of liquid out of the container on which it is installed.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a dispensing fitment which can be easily applied in the unrestricted neck opening of a container after filling of the container, and which does not require finishing the interior surface of the neck prior to application of the fitment.

It is yet another object of this invention to overcome the prior art difficulties discussed above.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a resilient, thermoplastic container having an open ended cylindrical neck, having both threads formed on its outer surface and projecting means which may be an annular outwardly extending projection between the threads and its upper extremity, a fitment for the neck comprising a cylindrical center portion, an annular shoulder extending outwardly from the lower end of the cylindrical portion, a wall section extending upwardly from the outer periphery of the shoulder generally parallel to the axis of the cylindrical portion, the space between the wall and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion defining an open ended well, the maximum diameter of the wall section being less than the inside diameter of the neck, the wall section having a protrusion thereon extending inwardly into the well, a generally L-shaped portion extending outwardly from the upper end of the wall section with the leg of said L extending downwardly, the downwardly extending leg having an inwardly extending bead thereon for cooperation with the projection on the container neck to hold the fitment captively in place on the neck without the wall portion thereof contacting the neck, the cylindrical portion of the fitment having at least one dispensing channel formed in its outer periphery extending along its length communicating at its lower end with the interior of the container, and a pin centrally located with respect to the axis of the cylindrical portion and extending upwardly from the cylindrical portion; a cap for closing the container comprising a top wall and a sidewall extending downwardly from the circumferential edge of the top wall, the sidewall having threads formed on its inner surface for cooperating with the threads on the neck to permit movement of the cap axially on the neck, a hollow cylindrical tubular member extending downwardly from the inner surface of the top wall adapted to fit within the well of the fitment and move therein with its outer surface in sealing contact with the protrusion on the wall section of the fitment and its inner surface radially outwardly of the channel in the surface of the cylindrical portion as the cap is moved axially along the neck, the top wall having a centrally located dome portion extending upwardly from its outer surface having a dispensing passage therein having one end communicating with the hollow tubular member and the other end opening to the exterior of the container, the wall defining the dispensing outlet adapted to wipingly engage the outer surface of the pin of the fitment as the cap moves downwardly on the neck to close the dispensing passage, the wall of the dispensing outlet being out of engagement with the pin when the cap is moved upwardly on the neck to permit material to flow from the interior of the container through the dispensing channel in the fitment and out the dispensing passage in the cap.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of this invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is an elevational view with parts separated illustrating the closure assembly of the present invention.

FIG. II is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. I;

FIG. III is a sectional, elevational view of an alternate form of the cap of the present invention;

FIG. IV is a schematic sectional, elevational view with parts broken away of an alternate form of the closure assembly;

FIG. V is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. IV; and

FIG. VI is a partially sectioned, schematic, elevational view of a portion of the closure assembly of FIG. V.

With reference to the drawings wherein identical numerals refer to identical parts, there is shown in FIGS. I and II a closure assembly generally indicated as 10 embodying the present invention. Closure assembly 10 comprises an open ended cylindrical neck 12 on a resilient thermoplastic bottle 32 having on its outer surface threads 14 and projecting means which may be an annular outwardly extending projection 16 between the upper end of the threads and the upper extremity of the neck. Fitment 18 of closure assembly 10 comprises a cylindrical center portion 20 which may have a hollow interior 22. Annular shoulder 24 extends radially outwardly from the lower end 26 of cylindrical portion 20. Wall section 28 is provided which extends upwardly from the outer periphery of shoulder 24 generally parallel to the axis of cylindrical portion 20. The annular space between the inner surface of wall section 28 and the outer surface of cylindrical portion 20 defines a well 30 having an open top. The maximum diameter of cylindrical wall section 28 is less than the inside diameter of neck 12 of container 32 in order to permit insertion of fitment 18 within neck 12 without interference. Wall section 28 has at its upper end a protrusion 34 extending inwardly into space 30. Generally L-shaped member 36 is provided which extends outwardly and downwardly at 38 from the upper end of wall section 28, the downwardly extending portion 38 having adjacent its lower end an inwardly extending bead 40 thereon for cooperation with projection 16 on the upper end of the container neck to hold fitment 18 captively in place on neck 12 when the closure is in assembled form. Bead 40 and projection 16 also function to prevent fitment 18 from rising off of neck 12 along with axially movable cap 42 to be later described.

The cylindrical portion 20 of fitment 18 has at least one axially extending dispensing channel 41 in its outer periphery extending along its entire length. When the closure assembly is in place on bottle 32, channel 41 communicates at its lower end with the interior of bottle 32. Fitment 18 further comprises pin 43 which is centrally located with respect to the axis of cylindrical section 20, and extends upwardly from the top of section 20.

A cap 42 is provided as part of closure assembly 10 for closing container 32. Cap 42 comprises top wall 44 and sidewall 46 extending downwardly from the circumferential edge of top wall 44. Sidewall 46 has threads 48 formed on its inner surface for cooperation with threads 14 on neck 12 to permit movement of cap 42 axially along neck 12. Cap 42 further comprises a short hollow cylindrical tubular member 50 extending downwardly from the inner surface of top wall 44, which is adapted to fit within open topped well 30 of fitment 18 and to move therein with its outer surface 52 in continuous sealing contact with protrusion 34 on wall section 28 of fitment 18. Thus cooperating threads 48 on cap 42 and threads 14 on neck 12 are isolated from the interior of the container by means of the seal provided by the engaging surfaces of protrusion 34 and tubular member 50, regardless of the position of the cap 42 on the container, which may be either closed or partially or completely open. The inner surface 54 of tubular member 50 is designed to be radially outwardly of the outer surface of cylindrical portion 20 of the fitment when the cap is in place on the container neck, thus providing for passage of the contents of container 32 through neck 12 and dispensing channel 41. Top wall 44 of cap 42 has a centrally located dome portion 56 extending upwardly from its outer surface having a dispensing passage 58 therein. One end 60 of passage 58 communicates with hollow tubular member 50 and the other end 62 opens to the exterior of the container. Dome portion 56 has its upper surface 64 inwardly dished toward the centrally located outer end 62 of dispensing passage 58 to permit residual liquid contents on its upper surface 64 to flow back through the dispensing passage into the container while pin 43 is removed from passage 58 and the closure assembly is in its open position. Dome portion 56 further has a sharply defined circumferential edge 66 on its upper surface which in conjunction with inwardly dished portion 64 aids in preventing residual liquids from dripping off the top surface of the dome portion and down the side of the container. The wall 68 defining dispensing passage 58 is adapted to wipingly engage the outer surface of pin 43 of the fitment as cap 42 is threaded downwardly on neck 12 to seal outlet passage 58 of the cap of the closure assembly while at the same time cleaning residual liquid off the surface of pin 43 and forcing it downwardly back into the container. Pin 43 of fitment 18 may have its upper end tapered slightly inwardly to the extent of about 1/2.degree. to provide a lead in for pin 43 into passage 58. The closure assembly, therefore, is provided with two seals when the cap is screwed downwardly on the neck, i.e., that between pin 43 and outlet 58 and that between protrusion 34 and surface 52 of tubular member 50. When cap 42 is rotated upwardly on neck 12, wall defining surface 68 of dispensing outlet 58 moves out of engagement with pin 43 to permit material to flow from the interior of container 32 through dispensing channel 41 in the fitment 18 and then through dispensing outlet 58 in cap 42.

Locking means are provided which are associated with the outer surface of neck 12 and the inner surface of cap 42 to secure cap 42 on the neck while permitting rotative movement thereof. These means, as depicted in the embodiments, comprise an outwardly extending projection 70 at the base of neck 12 below threads 14 and an inwardly extending annular protrusion 72 on the inner surface of the cap adjacent its lower end and below threads 48. These means are positioned such that when they are engaged with cap 42 in its uppermost position on the neck, the outer surface 52 of tubular member 50 is still engaged with the sealing surface of protrusion 34 of wall section 28.

Threads 14 on the container neck and threads 48 on the cap sidewall are of the fast rise multiple lead variety and in the embodiment shown are double lead threads. Multiple lead threads are two or more threads which are superimposed along the axial length of a cylindrical surface in the space normally occupied by a single thread, and accordingly permit increased axial movement of the threaded piece for a given amount of rotational movement over that obtainable with a single lead thread. For example, with a double lead thread on a neck having a diameter of about 3/4 inch, the distance of axial travel of the cap per revolution is 1/4 inch versus 1/8 inch for a normal thread. Double lead threads, for example, begin on a common plane perpendicular to the container axis and likewise terminate on a common plane, with each of the single threads comprising the double lead thread starting and terminating 180.degree. apart from each other on the plane. This multiple lead thread connection permits rapid opening of the assembly for quick dispensing of the container contents, as well as rapid closing thereof.

Cap 42 and fitment 18 may be preassembled so that the package producer has only a single capping operation to perform on his filling line after the bottle if filled. Pin 43 of fitment 18 is initially inserted into passage 58 in cap 42 as far as possible, thus bringing the outer surface of the pin and the wall of the passage, as well as protrusion 34 and outer surface 52 of tubular member 54, into frictional engagement to hold these parts together. After filling of bottle 32, protrusion 72 is resiliently forced beyond projection 70 on the neck, and cap 42 is then screwed downwardly on neck 12, which will eventually result in bead 40 snapping over and cooperatively engaging projection 16 on the upper end of the neck, to lock the closure assembly on the bottle, with the underside of the outwardly extending portion of L-shaped section 36 of fitment 18 engaged against the upper surface of the bottle neck.

As a rather important feature of the present invention, the diameter of the lower end of fitment 18 as measured by the outside diameter of wall section 28 is substantially less than the inside diameter of the bottle neck, to permit insertion of this lower end of the fitment into the neck while locking the fitment on the outside of the neck. Because of the reduced diameter of the fitment, no auxiliary finishing operation such as reaming need be performed on the inner surface of the neck subsequent to molding, in order, for example, to be able to accept a tight fitting plug. All that is necessary to prepare the bottle for acceptance of the closure assembly after molding is to expose the top surface of the formed neck to a fly cutter or facing tool to provide a smooth finish on this surface against which seats the inner surface 35 of the outwardly extending portion of the L-shaped portion of fitment 18.

As pressure is developed within bottle 32 by the user pressing on the resilient sides thereof to decrease the internal volume, fitment 18 tends to be forced upwardly away from the top of the neck because of the pressure within the bottle. However, this action is used in the present invention to advantage since any upward flexing of fitment 18 tends to cause bead 40 to be forced inwardly and thereby even more tightly under the cooperating projection 16 at the top of the neck.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. III, an additional feature of the present invention is illustrated wherein the cap of the closure assembly is provided with a covering 74 integrally joined to the top of dome portion 56 by a thinned peripheral section 76. Covering 74 functions to render the assembled package tamper proof, i.e., to readily permit the purchaser to realize whether or not the package had been previously opened. Covering 74 likewise serves to protect the outlet opening of the closure assembly from contamination from the surroundings. It may be removed by snapping it off at the thinned section 76 either manually or with the assistance of a cutting instrument. The remaining parts of the cap of FIG. III are similar to those previously described in FIGS. I and II.

In FIGS. IV--VI, there is illustrated yet another feature of the present invention wherein means are provided in the cap of the closure assembly for regulating the quantity of liquid emanating from the resilient container, which involves utilization of a series of slots in dome portion 56 extending outwardly from the periphery of passage 58 therein. In the embodiment shown, one elongated slot 80 is depicted which extends outwardly from the dispensing passage and extends axially upwardly from the inner surface of dome portion 56, terminating short of the top outer surface of the dome portion. Liquid may flow out of the container only through slot 80 when the cap is positioned such that an upper end portion of pin 85 of the fitment is still in contact with the lower inner peripheral wall of dome portion 56. In practice, this results usually in a drip-type of liquid discharge. Further provided in the dome portion of the cap of FIGS. IV and VI are a plurality of additional slots 78 which are axially shorter than slot 80 and which similarly extend outwardly from and around the periphery of the wall defining the dispensing passage. Slots 78 extend axially upwardly from the inner surface of the dome portion, terminating short of the upper end of slot 80. Liquid may flow out of the container in increased quantities over that possible with slot 80, while the upper end of pin 85 is in peripheral contact with the wall of the dispensing passage intermediate the slots 78. In practice this usually results in a sprinkle or spray-type of discharge. Obviously the number of elongated or short slots may vary from that shown, depending upon the desired rate of discharge of liquid as well as the viscosity thereof. When cap 82 is rotated upwardly on the container neck, such that the underside 90 of dome portion 56 is completely above the top surface 86 of pin 85, the size of the discharge outlet in the cap is at a maximum and represents the "pour" position of the closure assembly. Also, in this embodiment, there are shown a plurality of channels 92 in the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 94 of the fitment, instead of the single channel as depicted in FIGS. I and II.

To insure proper positioning of channels 78 and 80 and outlet passage 58 with respect to pin 85 to provide the particular desired discharge flow rate of the contents from the container, dual annular rings 96 and 98 may be provided (FIG. VI) above projection 100 around the inside periphery of the sidewall of the cap, which cooperate with projection 102 on the outer surface of the container neck so as to position the various outlet openings to provide either a drip, spray, pour or shutoff outlet configuration. Rings 96 and 98, which may be either interrupted or continuous, do not extend radially inwardly as far as the lowermost stop projection 100. A pointer 104 may be molded in the outer surface of the sidewall of the cap and the words "drip," "spray," "pour" and "shut" may be imprinted at 90.degree. to each other on the surface of the upper body portion of the container. When the cap is in its uppermost position as depicted in FIG. IV, maximum flow and a "pour" rate of discharge occurs. Rotation of the cap 90.degree. to produce a downward movement thereof results in contact between ring 98 and projection 102 to retard further axial movement of the cap and position the outlet to provide a "spray" rate of discharge on compressing the resilient sides of the container. In this position pointer 104 is aligned with the word "spray" on the container. Further rotating of the cap so as to move it in a downward direction results in projection 102 being resiliently forced beyond ring 98 and into contact with upper ring 96 whereupon it is again retarded and results in an outlet orientation which provides a "drip" rate of discharge. Rotation 90.degree. further results in a further resilient movement of projection 102 over ring 96 and the eventual complete closing of the outlet, at which point the pointer 104 is aligned above the word "shut" on the container. Suitable directions may be imprinted on the assembled package to explain this multiple positioning of the cap to provide a variable outlet opening.

The above description and particularly the drawings are set forth for purposes of illustration only and are in no way to be taken in a limited sense.

The container on which the closure assembly of the present invention is applied must be of the resilient squeeze variety and is preferably formed from thermoplastic materials. Preferred materials are thermoplastics capable of being blow molded. Typical materials are low, intermediate or high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or polymers of vinyl chloride.

The bottle and attachments provided by the present invention may be used in any fluid application wherein it is desirable to restrict the flow of contents from the container, e.g., food products, cosmetics, powders, hair oils, etc. The preferred application is for dispensing liquid materials.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention hereinafter claimed.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination:

a. a resilient thermoplastic container having an open ended cylindrical neck, the outer surface of said neck having threads formed thereon and projecting means situated between said threads and the upper extremity of the neck;

b. a fitment for said neck comprising a cylindrical center portion, an annular shoulder extending outwardly from the lower end of the cylindrical portion, a wall section extending upwardly from the outer periphery of the shoulder generally parallel to the axis of the cylindrical portion, the space between said wall and the outer surface of said cylindrical portion defining an open ended well, the maximum diameter of said wall section being less than the inside diameter of said neck, said wall section having a protrusion thereon extending inwardly into said well, a generally L-shaped portion extending outwardly from the upper end of said wall section with the leg of said L extending downwardly, said downwardly extending leg having an inwardly extending bead thereon for cooperation with the projecting means on the container neck to hold said fitment in place on said neck without said wall section contacting said neck, said cylindrical portion having at least one dispensing channel formed in its outer periphery extending along its length communicating at its lower end with the interior of said container and a pin centrally located with respect to the axis of said cylindrical portion extending upwardly from said cylindrical portion;

c. a cap for closing said container comprising a top wall and a sidewall extending downwardly from the circumferential edge of the top wall, said sidewall having threads formed on its inner surface for cooperation with the threads on said neck to permit movement of said cap axially along said neck, a hollow cylindrical tubular member extending downwardly from the inner surface of said top wall adapted to fit within the well of said fitment and move therein with its outer surface in sealing contact with the protrusion on the wall section of the fitment and its inner surface radially outwardly of the outer surface of said cylindrical portion as said cap moves axially along said neck, said top wall having a centrally located dome portion extending upwardly from its outer surface having a dispensing passage therein with one end communicating with said hollow tubular member and the other end opening to the exterior of the container, the wall defining said dispensing passage adapted to wipingly engage the outer surface of the pin of said fitment as said cap moves downwardly on said neck to close said dispensing passage, said wall of the dispensing passage being out of engagement with said pin when said cap is moved upwardly on said neck to permit material to flow from the interior of said container through said dispensing channel in the fitment and out said dispensing passage in said cap and to permit residual material to flow back into the container after dispensing; and

d. locking means associated with the outer surfaces of said neck and said cap to hold said cap captive on said neck yet permit rotative movement thereof.

2. In combination:

a. a resilient thermoplastic container having an open ended cylindrical neck, the outer surface of said neck having threads formed thereon and projecting means situated between said threads and the upper extremity of the neck;

b. a fitment for said neck comprising a cylindrical center portion, an annular shoulder extending outwardly from the lower end of the cylindrical portion, a wall section extending upwardly from the outer periphery of the shoulder generally parallel to the axis of the cylindrical portion, the space between said wall and the outer surface of said cylindrical portion defining an open ended well, the maximum diameter of said wall section being less than the inside diameter of said neck, said wall section having a protrusion thereon extending inwardly into said well, a generally L-shaped portion extending outwardly from the upper end of said wall section with the leg of said L extending downwardly, said downwardly extending leg having an inwardly extending bead thereon for cooperation with the projecting means on the container neck to hold said fitment in place on said neck without said wall section contacting said neck, said cylindrical portion having at least one dispensing channel formed in its outer periphery extending along its length communicating at its lower end with the interior of said container and a pin centrally located with respect to the axis of said cylindrical portion extending upwardly from said cylindrical portion;

c. a cap for closing said container comprising a top wall and a sidewall extending downwardly from the circumferential edge of the top wall, said sidewall having threads formed on its inner surface for cooperation with the threads on said neck to permit movement of said cap axially along said neck, a hollow cylindrical tubular member extending downwardly from the inner surface of said top wall adapted to fit within the well of said fitment and move therein with its outer surface in sealing contact with the protrusion on the wall section of the fitment and its inner surface radially outwardly of the channel in the surface of said cylindrical portion as said cap moves axially along said neck, said top wall having a centrally located dome portion extending upwardly from its outer surface having a dispensing passage therein with one end communicating with said hollow tubular member and the other end opening to the exterior of the container, the wall defining said dispensing passage adapted to wipingly engage the outer surface of the pin of said fitment as said cap moves downwardly on said neck to close said dispensing passage, said wall of the dispensing passage also adapted to be out of engagement with said pin when said cap is moved upwardly on said neck to permit material to flow from the interior of said container through said dispensing channel in the fitment and out said dispensing passage in said cap, said dome portion also having at least one elongated slot formed therein extending outwardly from the surface of said dispensing passage and extending axially upwardly in a direction substantially parallel to the dispensing passage, said slot terminating short of the outer surface of the dome portion, whereby liquid contents may flow out of said container through said slot while an upper portion of the pin of said fitment is still in contact with a lower portion of the surface of said dispensing passage.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said cap has a plurality of additional slots in said dome portion which extend outwardly around the periphery of the wall defining said dispensing passage, said slots extending axially upwardly from the inner surface of said dome portion terminating short of the upper end of said elongated slot whereby the contents of said container may flow through said slots in reduced amounts while the upper end of said pin is in peripheral contact with the wall of said dispensing passage intermediate said slots.

4. The structure of claim 3 including means on said cap and neck for registering said slots with respect to said pin as said cap is moved along said neck.