Patent ID: 6726063
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A closure for a container having container walls, said closure comprising:a base for attachment to a container and having a discharge opening through which product stored within said container is dispensed, said base having a lower end for attachment to a container and an upper end opposite thereto; a cap joined to said base at said upper end and movable relative to said base between an opened and a closed position, said cap having a plug portion; a hinged flexible valve shaped to selectively seal the discharge opening, said flexible valve having valve opening walls that separate to define a valve opening; and an air passage defined between said cap and said flexible valve when said cap is in the closed position; wherein when said cap is in the open position and squeezing pressure is applied to said container walls, said flexible valve hingedly extends from an inwardly-directed storage position to an outwardly-directed dispensing position relative to said upper end of said base to allow product to be dispensed through said discharge opening and said valve opening; wherein when said squeezing pressure is released and a vacuum is created in said container, said flexible valve cap hingedly retracts toward said closed position and dispensed product is drawn back through said valve opening via an inward flexing of said valve opening walls, thus rendering the flexible valve self-cleaning; and wherein when said cap is in the closed position, said plug portion abuts said flexible valve while said flexible valve is in said storage position and thereby prevents said flexible valve from extending toward said dispensing position and prevents product from being dispensed through said valve opening, said valve opening walls capable of flexing inwardly while said cap is in the closed position to allow for the one-way passage of air from the outside through said air passage and into a container to equalize any remaining vacuum present within said container resulting from the release of squeezing pressure on a container.