Patent ID: 6530504
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A dispensing valve for being sealingly disposed with respect to, and dispensing a product from, a discharge opening of a container, said valve comprising:a marginal portion adapted to be sealingly engaged when said valve is sealingly disposed with respect to the container discharge opening; and a head portion that (1) is laterally inward of said marginal portion, (2) has an exterior side for interfacing with ambient environment, (3) has an interior side for interfacing with the product, (4) has a radially outside portion, (5) has a radially inside portion that is (a) surrounded by said radially outside portion, and (b) thicker than said radially outside portion, (6) has a plan shape oriented relative to a longitudinal axis through said valve, and (7) has at least one normally closed orifice that is (a) offset laterally from said longitudinal axis, and (b) defined by at least one slit that extends transversely through said head portion from said exterior side to said interior side whereby (a) flaps are defined by said slit, and (b) said orifice opens by outward displacement of said flaps in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the valve, wherein the periphery of said head portion is surrounded by, and merges with, a shoulder that is connected with said marginal portion and has a laterally outwardly flared crown shape defined, at least in part, by a tapered peripheral surface to prevent nesting with another, identical valve during handling.