Patent ID: 7735699
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
1. A one-piece dispensing closure for a viscous food condiment comprising: a closure body, said closure body including an upper deck, a skirt depending from the upper deck, said skirt being configured and arranged to mount to a product container; a closure lid, and a living hinge structure hingeably connecting said closure lid to said closure body; a flow conduit extending through an opening in said upper deck, said flow conduit including a portion extending above and below said upper deck, said flow conduit has at least two sidewalls positioned along a 90 degree angle from said upper deck and a bottom wall perpendicular to said at least one sidewall, said flow conduit including an entrance orifice in the bottom wall having an entrance axis and an exit orifice having an exit axis, said bottom wall being configured and arranged to prevent the flow of product into the flow conduit along the exit axis, said entrance axis being stepped from said exit axis whereby said flow conduit provides a non-linear flow path from an interior of said closure to an exterior of said closure, said entrance axis being parallel to said exit axis, said entrance orifice being larger than said exit orifice, said flow conduit portion extending downwardly from said upper deck defining a key-hole shape, said bottom wall and said sidewall of said flow conduit defining an interior volume that has the general shape of a key-hole when viewed in a cross-section extending perpendicular to the entrance and exit axes, and said cross-sectional area of said interior volume being larger than the cross-sectional area of said entrance orifice wherein a flow of viscous food condiment through said entrance orifice decelerates into said interior volume of said flow conduit to prevent direct spurting through said exit orifice upon dispensing, said food condiment being dispensed without spurting through said exit orifice upon filling of the interior volume and the application of additional pressure to said food condiment.