U.S. patent number 3,754,690 [Application Number 05/090,754] was granted by the patent office on 1973-08-28 for flexible container with dispensing cap.
Invention is credited to Paul A. Marchant.
United States Patent |
3,754,690 |
Marchant |
August 28, 1973 |
FLEXIBLE CONTAINER WITH DISPENSING CAP
Abstract
A plastic container having flexible sidewalls adapted for
dispensing viscous materials. The container is provided with a
hollow, cylindrical neck section which receives a two-piece,
snap-on dispensing cap. The dispensing cap contains a
spring-loaded, normally closed valve member that is opened by
application of pressure to the container to force the product to
lift an upstanding tapered boss carried by the valve member from a
sealing engagement with a central opening in the dispensing cap.
When the pressure is released, the valve member automatically
closes and prevents intrusion of air into the container.
Inventors: |
Marchant; Paul A. (Kansas City,
MO) |
Family
ID: |
22224145 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/090,754 |
Filed: |
November 18, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/494;
222/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
47/2075 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
47/04 (20060101); B65D 47/20 (20060101); B65d
035/50 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/213,105,494,562,496
;239/534,535,587 ;137/535 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Coleman; Samuel F.
Assistant Examiner: Stack, Jr.; Norman L.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a flexible-wall, plastic dispensing container the combination
comprising:
a. a flexible-wall plastic container having a generally cylindrical
neck will an opening therein;
b. a cap having a top wall providing a central opening therein and
an integral depending annular skirt frictionally fitted over the
neck of said container; and
c. an integral, one-piece, plastic, spring-loaded valve member
including,
i. an upper boss portion having the form of an inverted, truncated
cone, said boss extending through said central opening in said cap
to seal said opening,
ii. a cylindrical shaft central portion joined to said boss
portion,
iii. a single, leaf spring portion joined at its midpoint to the
bottom of said cylindrical portion, said spring terminating on its
ends by outturned and upturned fingers having their ends in
abutment with the bottom surface of said top wall of said cap.
2. The combination of claim 1 in which the dispensing cap annular
skirt is provided with an inwardly and upwardly sloping, inner,
conical wall adjacent its lower end, an inwardly projecting
shoulder at the upper end of said inner, conical wall, and said
container neck being provided with an outwardly extending annular
ring at its upper end adapted to engage said shoulder on said cap
to retain said cap on said container neck.
3. The combination of claim 1 in which the portion of said cap top
wall defining said opening is provided with a beveled surface of
substantially the same angle as the conical wall of said boss
portion of said valve member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flexible-wall, plastic containers
particularly adapted for dispensing viscous materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flexible-wall, plastic containers, i.e., squeezable plastic tubes
have been in use for some time for dispensing viscous materials
such as lotions, shampoos, cosmetics, etc. These containers have
utilized a number of different closures, e.g., screw-on cap,
friction fit dispensing plug with a screw-on cap, and push-pull
type closure assemblies with separate caps. To dispense the
material the closure cap had to be either unscrewed or pulled open,
thus, requiring the use of both hands with the possibility of
losing the cap. After the material had been dispensed and the
pressured released, air was able to enter the container before it
could be closed which is not desirable for some products.
Thus, there is a need for a flexible container with a dispensing
cap that requires no twisting, pulling, pushing or swiveling of the
closure to dispense the product and one that can be easily operated
with only one hand. There is also a need for a dispensing cap
having the ability to close immediately after pressure application
has been removed to avoid pulling air into the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible-wall
dispensing container from which viscous material may be readily
dispensed.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a
flexible-wall dispensing container with a dispensing cap which can
be easily operated with one hand.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a
flexible-wall dispensing container with a dispensing cap which will
automatically close the dispensing port when pressure on the sides
of the container is released.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
flexible-wall, plastic, dispensing container which utilizes a
closure having only two components of simple design.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide a
flexible-wall dispensing container wherein the closure assembly is
adapted to serve as the base for the container.
The foregoing and other objects are provided for in the
flexible-wall plastic container of the present invention, which
container has an upstanding, generally cylindrical neck portion
surrounding an opening. The dispensing cap includes a
spring-loaded, integrally formed valve carried by a snap-on cap
having a cylindrical outer skirt frictionally fitted over the neck
of the container. The cap is also provided with a top wall joined
to the outer skirt having a central opening therein so dimensioned
as to be sealingly engaged by an upstanding boss carried on the
upper end of the valve body. The lower end of the valve body is
attached to a bowed leaf spring having its outer ends in contact
with the underside of the top wall. When pressure is applied to the
container by squeezing, the spring flexes to allow the boss to be
lifted out of engagement with the cap adjacent the central opening
to allow the product to be dispensed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a flexible-wall, plastic container
embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevational, sectional view of the dispensing cap
assembly in the closed position fitted onto the neck of the
container;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the dispensing cap
assembly in the open position;
FIG. 4 is an elevational, sectional view of the cap portion of the
dispensing assembly;
FIG. 5 is a top view of the valve structure; and
FIG. 6 is a side view of the valve structure of FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, the dispensing container of the present
invention includes a plastic container, designated generally by the
numeral 10. The container is preferably made from a plastic
material having sufficient flexibility such that the walls may be
readily squeezed by hand. Suitable materials for forming the
container of the present invention include low or medium density
polyethylene; polypropylene; plasticized polyvinyl chloride and
copolymers of polyvinyl chloride; flexible compositions of
polystyrene, nylon and other suitable thermoplastic materials.
While the container illustrated is in the form of a flexible tube
having its lower end sealed, it is understood that plastic bottles
having flexible sidewalls and either round or flat bottoms may be
used as the containers.
The container is provided with a generally cylindrical upstanding
neck 12 which provides a neck opening to the interior of the
container. A dispensing cap, designated generally by the numeral
16, is snap fitted over the outside of the neck 12. The cap 16 has
an annular ledge 18 extending radially inward from the inner wall
of the depending cylindrical skirt 26. Outwardly extending annular
ledge 20 is provided on the outer wall of the neck 12. Ledge 18
tightly engages the neck 12 and abuts the underside of ledge 20.
This prevents movement of the cap 16 in the axial direction. Ledges
18 and 20 have beveled faces 28 and 30, respectively, to allow the
cap to be press fitted over the neck 12 for easy assembly. The top
wall 22 of the cap 16 is integrally formed with the skirt 26 and
contains a central opening 24. The wall 22 should have a diameter
substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the
container 10 in order to provide a firm base to support the
container in the inverted position as seen in FIG. 1. When the
container is stored in the inverted position, the viscous product
in the container will always fill the lower end of the container
facilitating the immediate dispensing of the product from the
container. When a squeeze tube is stored on its side, a delay is
normally encountered before the product will flow into the
dispensing end of the container where it can be expressed by
squeezing the container.
The central opening 24 is so dimensioned as to be sealingly
engageable with an internally spring-loaded, integral valve member
designated generally by the numeral 38. This valve member 38, shown
in FIGS. 5 and 6, includes an upstanding, truncated, inverted,
conical boss 32 attached to the upper end of a cylindrical shaft
41. The shaft 41 is attached at its lower end to a U-shaped leaf
spring 40. The boss 32 is dimensioned so that in the closed
position the inwardly inclined surface 34 of the boss 32 seats on
the upper beveled surface 36 of the top wall 22 which surrounds the
central opening 24. The spring 40 is terminated at its ends by
upwardly and outwardly turned fingers 42. The angle 44 between the
spring base and the fingers 42--42 is an obtuse angle. The ends of
the fingers 42--42 seat against the bottom surface 46 of the top
wall 22 to keep the valve in the closed position when pressure is
not being applied.
In operation, when the tube is squeezed, as seen in FIG. 3, the
material contained in the tube presses against the inclined surface
34 of the boss thereby moving the boss 32 upwardly. This opens the
central opening 24 allowing material to flow out of the tube. As
soon as the pressure is released, the spring 40 pulls the boss 32
into sealing engagement with the beveled surface 36 surrounding
central opening 24. This movement automatically stops the flow of
material and prevents air from flowing into the tube through the
opening 24.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and changes may be made without departing from the
essence of the invention. It is intended to cover herein all such
modifications and changes as come within the scope of the following
claims.
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