Patent ID: 6450214
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B67D

Abstract:
A dispensing valve cap for use with a bottle containing fluid for dispensing the fluid in a gravity feed fluid dispensing system, the valve cap comprising:(a) a first end mountable to the bottle; (b) a second end opposite to the first end along a longitudinal axis of the valve cap; (c) the valve cap including an air inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet spaced from the air inlet in the direction of the longitudinal axis adjacent to the second end; (d) the valve cap including: (1) a first valve part having a first end and a second end, the first end mountable to the bottle, the first valve part including a tubular portion defining a longitudinal axis extending in a direction from the first end to the second end, the tubular portion including an air inlet aperture through the tubular portion, the tubular portion further including a circumferential seal positioned between the air inlet aperture and the first end; (2) a second valve part movably mounted to the first valve part along the longitudinal axis, the second valve part including a mating portion adapted to cooperate with the first valve part to close and open the air inlet aperture of the first valve part to form the air inlet on the valve cap, wherein the air inlet aperture is closed when second valve part is in a first position relative to the first valve part, and the air inlet aperture of the first valve part is open when the second valve part is in a second position relative to the first valve part, wherein the mating portion of the second valve part includes a tubular portion, the tubular portion of the second valve part defining an aperture alignable with the air inlet aperture of the first valve part when the second valve part is in the second position, the tubular portion of the second valve part having an inside surface sealably engaged by the circumferential seal of the first valve part, to prevent air flow communication between the air inlet aperture of the first valve part and the aperture of the tubular portion of the second valve part when the second valve part is in the first position; (3) the first and second valve parts cooperating to define the fluid outlet which is closed when the second valve part is in the first position, and which is open when the first valve part is in the second position; (4) a linking member between the first and second valve parts, the linking member rotatably mounted to the first valve part for relative movement about the longitudinal axis, and slideably mounted to the second valve part for relative movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis.