Patent ID: 6571974
Filing Date: 2003-06-03
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A container closure apparatus to be used in combination with a commercially available dispensing squeeze tube for inhibiting any unused adhesive paste held within said squeeze tube from becoming unwanted hardened solids trapped within the mouth or nozzle of said squeeze tube arid for penetrating said unwanted hardened solids trapped within said squeeze tube to allow a fluid exit pathway for said unused adhesive paste held within said squeeze tube while preventing unwanted exposure of any of said unused adhesive paste to a user's epidermis, thereby creating a safe and effective device for saving said unused adhesive paste, said container closure apparatus comprising:a knurled cap, having a generally flat top and a generally flat bottom, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said knurled cap outer wall comprising three generally octagonally shaped polygons horizontally stacked and fused together, wherein each of said generally octagonally shaped polygons having alternating substantially flattened edges followed by generally rounded edges, wherein said three generally octagonally shaped polygons of said knurled cap outer wall are horizontally stacked in a manner where the vertexes of each of said polygon shifted approximately twenty two and one-half degrees, relative to the alignment of the vertexes of the adjacent horizontally stacked polygon, wherein said knurled cap is capable of providing said user a sufficient griping means to push-in, to pull-out and to twist-in a portion of said container closure apparatus into said unused adhesive paste held in said squeeze tube while minimizing any expose of said unused adhesive paste to said user's epidermis, wherein said knurled cap is capable of providing said user said sufficient griping means to push-in, to pull-out and to twist in a portion of said unwanted hardened solids within said squeeze tube, and said knurled cap inner wall comprising a lower portion of said inner wall being substantially cylindrical for providing a tight fit over said squeeze tube mouth and a portion of said squeeze tube nozzle, wherein said bottom end of said knurled cap is capable of being placed substantially flush with said squeeze tube mouth to aid in minimizing said unwanted hardened solids from forming within said squeeze tube whereby inhibiting the hardening of said unused adhesive paste by reducing the evaporation rate and subsequent escape of the supporting solvent in said commercial adhesive paste from said squeeze tube; wherein the inside wall is threaded to fit the threaded portion of the threads of said squeeze tube nozzle, whereby twisting said knurled cap over said squeeze tube mouth and nozzle provides said tight fit whereby inhibiting the hardening of said unused adhesive paste by reducing the evaporation rate and subsequent escape of the supporting solvent in said commercial adhesive paste from said squeeze tube; and an elongated spike having a generally blunt end, a generally conical shaped pointed end and a generally cylindrical collar, said elongated spike is coaxially attached at said blunt end of said spike at approximately the center of said knurled cap bottom, whereby the vertical axis of the knurled cap is substantially in line with the vertical axis of the spike, wherein said generally conical shaped pointed end and said generally cylindrical collar of said spike are capable of being pushed-in, pulled-out and twisted-in through said squeeze tube mouth and nozzle into said unused adhesive paste in said squeeze tube in order to minimize said unwanted harden solids from forming within said squeeze tube by occupying a substantial portion of the volume in said squeeze tube mouth and nozzle whereby inhibiting the hardening of said unused adhesive paste by reducing the evaporation rate and subsequent escape of the supporting solvent in said unused adhesive paste from said squeeze tube, and wherein said generally conical shaped pointed end and said generally cylindrical collar of said spike are capable being pushed-in, pulled-out and twisted-in through said squeeze tube mouth and nozzle and into said unwanted hardened solids trapped within said squeeze tube in order to create said fluid exit pathway through said unwanted hardened solids within said squeeze tube so that said unused adhesive paste in said squeeze tube may be dispensed through said fluid exit pathway and out through said mouth of said squeeze tube to any desired location chosen by the user.