Abstract:
A dispensing cap for a container includes a body defining a dispensing orifice and an opening/closing member. The opening/closing member can be hinged to the body. The cap includes a deformable portion which can deform to uncover a push region of the opening/closing member. The deformable portion can be integral with the body around the deformable portion&#39;s entire perimeter. Force applied to the push region causes the opening/closing member to move from a closed position to an open position in which the orifice is at least partly open.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This document claims priority to French Application No. 0106459 filed May 16, 2001, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a dispensing cap, particularly for a receptacle designed to contain a product. The product to be contained in the receptacle can be, but is not limited to, a cosmetic product, for example shampoo, a hair conditioner, a shower gel, a body milk or the like.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Background  
           [0005]    The French patent application publication FR-A-2 752 821 discloses a dispensing cap for a container. The dispensing cap includes a handgrip region, for example made of a depression in the body and a concave return in the cover, to facilitate opening and closing the cover. The concave return of the cover projects out slightly from the depression in the body to form a push region by which the cover can be opened by pressing on this region. The handgrip region is also formed by an elastomeric material which gives the user a pleasant feel and ease of handling.  
           [0006]    Other systems facilitating cap opening have been proposed. The cap may be formed of a body having a slight indentation to provide a region at which to push on the lid. Pressing this push region of the lid allows easy opening of the cap. These systems facilitate the opening of the cap when the user wishes to do so intentionally. However, these systems also facilitate accidental opening of the cap, for example when the container is carried loose in a bag such as a cosmetic bag or the like. Such accidental openings occur because other rigid objects can come into contact with the cap and press on the push region so that the cap opens when not desired.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,208 discloses a cap including a body with a dispensing orifice closed by a cover hinged to the body. The cover includes a handgrip region that can be lifted about a vertical axis to open the cover. This handgrip region is accessible when the cover is in the closed position, but a snap-fit system must first be released before the cover can be lifted. A tab defined by slots is provided on the cap body and includes a tooth that engages with a complementary tooth provided on the cover so as to form the snap-fit system. To open the cap, the user depresses the tab with a transverse movement relative to the axis of opening in such a way as to release the tooth of the cover from the tooth of the tab and thus initiate the cover-opening movement. The user can then continue the opening movement by lifting the handgrip region. In this device, it is possible to move a portion of the cover and start to open it simply by depressing the tab.  
           [0008]    As in the other systems mentioned above, a rigid object in a bag may be placed in contact with the cap and press on the tab to accidentally open the cap. Furthermore, since the handgrip is accessible when in the closed position, this protruding region can easily be caught by an external item, which may press on it and damage the snap-fit system. In addition, since the tab is defined by slots, the cavity formed behind the tab to allow it to be depressed is accessible when the cover is in the open position. The product can then flow out into such cavity and accumulate there in the course of multiple uses. This product accumulation may then make it difficult to depress the tab the next time the user attempts to open the container. Eventually it may become completely impossible to depress the tab and open the cap. As another drawback, when the tab is depressed into the cavity, the product present in the cavity may be pushed out of the cavity through the slots and get onto the user&#39;s fingers.  
           [0009]    European patent application publication EP 379 775 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,669 disclose a cap formed by a body including a dispensing orifice closed by a cover hinged to the body. The body of the cap includes a deformable tab, of which a free edge rests against a free edge of the cover when the cap is closed. To open the cap, the user depresses the tab so that the free edge of the tab comes away from the free edge of the lid. The user then applies pressure to the free edge of the cover, thereby initiating the cover-opening movement. The cover-opening movement can then be continued by the user who can lift the free edge of the released cover. Once again, the opening of the cap can be initiated by accident. In addition, since the tab has a free edge, the cavity situated behind the tab, which allows the tab to be depressed, is accessible when the cover is in the open position. Product can then flow out into this cavity and cause the same problems as described earlier.  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,081 discloses a cap including a body to which a cover is hinged. The cap possesses a tab which is defined by slots. The tab is capable of being depressed into a cavity in such a way as to unlatch a system used to latch the cover to the body. Once again, when the cap is in the open position, product can flow out through the slots and into the cavity behind the tab.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a cap that improves upon conventional systems.  
           [0012]    One particular object of the invention is to provide a cap that is relatively difficult to open unintentionally, yet relatively easy to open intentionally.  
           [0013]    It is also another object of the invention to provide a cap with an opening system that can sustain repeated use.  
           [0014]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cap with a relatively simple structure.  
           [0015]    According to the invention, these objects are achieved by providing a dispensing cap for a container including a body with a dispensing orifice and an opening/closing member coupled to the body, for example via a hinge. The opening/closing member can seal the orifice in a closed position. The cap includes a deformable portion. The deformable portion can be integral with other portions of the cap, preferably all the way around the deformable portion&#39;s perimeter. In a deformed position, the deformable portion can uncover or expose a push region of the opening/closing member so that a force applied to the push region causes the opening/closing member to move from the closed position to an open position in which the orifice is at least partly open. The space defined by the deformable portion, the cap&#39;s body and the container can be isolated from the product being dispensed when the opening/closing member is in the open position.  
           [0016]    Thus, the cap is configured to open following two distinct movements by its parts: First, the deformable portion deforms and uncovers a region of the opening/closing member that forms a push region. Then, the push region is pushed to move the opening/closing member to the open position. These movements can be initiated in a relatively simple manner by the user, who can, for example with the aid of his thumb, press on the deformable portion, and then push the uncovered push region, still with his thumb, until the opening/closing member is in the open position. On the other hand, accidental opening of the cap is unlikely because it would require the two distinct movements occurring by accident.  
           [0017]    In a preferred embodiment, the deformable portion is elastically deformable and returns to its initial position when the force applied to it by the user to expose the push region of the opening/closing member is discontinued. Advantageously, after such a return to the deformable portion&#39;s initial position, the push region is covered up again by the elastically deformable portion. Force can no longer be applied to this push region to move the opening/closing member to the open position, thereby minimizing accidental openings.  
           [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, the deformable portion is integral with other portions of the cap, preferably all the way around the deformable portion&#39;s perimeter. In this embodiment, there is no accessible cavity behind the deformable portion into which the product could flow in the open position because no opening is formed in the cap to create the deformable portion. This feature reduces the likelihood that the product dries around the deformable portion, which could hinder the deformation of the deformable portion and get onto the user&#39;s fingers.  
           [0019]    Advantageously, the force applied to the push region is distinct from the force applied to deform the deformable portion. The deformable portion can therefore deform so as to expose the push region of the opening/closing member without moving the opening/closing member. In other words, the deformable portion can deform without initiating the opening movement of the opening/closing member. The deformation of the deformable portion is thus decoupled from the opening movement of the opening/closing member.  
           [0020]    Since the opening movement of the opening/closing member is not initiated when the user uncovers the push region, if the user releases the pressure on the elastically deformable portion without having pushed the push region, the elastically deformable portion returns to its initial position and again prevents access to the push region. The elastically deformable portion thus keeps the opening/closing member in the closed position.  
           [0021]    Advantageously, the deformable portion of the body can be formed on the body of the cap. In a preferred embodiment, the deformable portion is formed opposite the hinge coupling the opening/closing member to the cap&#39;s body. In this embodiment, the push region of the opening/closing member, which is exposed when the deformable portion is deformed, is thus situated opposite the hinge. The opening/closing member therefore pivots relatively easily about the hinge axis.  
           [0022]    In a preferred embodiment, the deformable portion can uncover the push region of the opening/closing member when the deformable portion is depressed along an axis approximately perpendicular to the hinge axis. The user can easily perform this movement, for example with a thumb while holding the container with the other fingers.  
           [0023]    In a preferred embodiment, the maximum deformation of the deformable portion ranges from 0.5 to 5 mm. The uncovered push region of the opening/closing member can thus be large enough to be pushed by a finger of the user. It can also be large enough to form the only region of the cap that can be pushed in order to place the opening/closing member in its open position. In a preferred embodiment, the opening/closing member is free from any portion that protrudes from a perimeter of the body in the closed position. Under this preferred embodiment, in the closed position, no region of the cap can be grasped or pushed to move the opening/closing member to its open position. In this embodiment, accidental opening of the cap becomes especially difficult.  
           [0024]    In a preferred embodiment, the deformable portion is formed of an elastically deformable material. For example, the material may be chosen from a very-low-density polyethylene, elastomers including ethylenepropylene copolymers, polyether-block-amides, polyvinyls, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers (EPDM), styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene/styrene isoprene-styrene block copolymers (SEBS-SIS), thermoplastic polyurethanes, blends of polypropylene with one of the elastomers chosen from styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene/styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymers (SEBS-SIS), ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers (EPDM), and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers (SBS).  
           [0025]    In another embodiment, the deformable portion includes a thinner region of the body of the cap. In this embodiment, the whole body can be made of a single material, one portion being of reduced thickness. The region of reduced thickness, therefore, locally weakens the body in such a way that the weakened portion can be depressed. Alternatively, the deformable portion can have both a reduced thickness and formed of an elastically deformable material as described above.  
           [0026]    Advantageously, the cap can be made by molding at least one injection-moldable thermoplastic chosen from, for example, polypropylenes and polyethylenes. The cap can be made by other processes as would recognize a person of ordinary skill in the art would.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0027]    A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
           [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 1A to  1 C are different views of a first embodiment of a cap according to the present invention;  
           [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 2A to  2 C are different views of a second embodiment of a cap according to the present invention; and  
           [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 3A and 3B are two views of a third embodiment of a cap according to the present invention.  
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a first embodiment of the present invention is in the form of a cap fitted on a container shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C is now described.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 1A shows a cap  10  in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention fitted on a container  100 . The container  100  can be a bottle containing a cosmetic product, for example a hair-care product or a body-care product. The container  100  includes a body  110  of axis X. In the non-limiting embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the body  110  has an ovoid transverse section throughout all or most of its height. The body  110  of the container  100  is closed at one end by a base  120 . As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the opposite end from the base  120  the body ends with a shoulder  130  connecting the body  110  to a cylindrical neck  140  whose diameter is smaller than the smallest transverse section of the body  100  of the container.  
         [0033]    The neck  140  defines an internal passage along the axis X of the container  100 , through which the product contained inside the container can flow out. The neck  140  has a free edge  141  and, at the opposite end of the neck from the free edge  141 , its outer wall intrudes an annular indentation  142  configured to keep the cap  10  in place when fitted on the container. The container  100  can be made in one piece, for example by extrusion or injection blow molding in a thermoplastic, such as a polypropylene or a polyethylene. The cap  10  according to the invention can also be fitted on a tube, such as an extruded plastic tube, a rolled tube or an aluminum tube.  
         [0034]    The cap  10  shown in the open position in FIG. 1A and in the closed position in FIGS. 1B and 1C includes a body  20  formed by a transverse wall  21 . The transverse wall  21  can have a generally ovoid section, and can be designed to fit onto the free edge  141  of the neck  140  of the container  100 . The transverse wall  21  can be integral with a skirt  22  formed all the way around its perimeter. The skirt  22  extends towards the body of the container  100  and can be configured to fit around the shoulder  130  of the container  100 . When the cap is fitted on the container  100 , the skirt  22  is formed approximately in the continuation of the body  110  of the container.  
         [0035]    The transverse wall  21  defines a dispensing orifice  23 , which can be formed approximately in the axis X of the container  100  and leading into the internal passage formed by the neck  140  of the container. A cylindrical fixing skirt  24 , which can be integral with the transverse wall  21 , is formed around the orifice  23 . This skirt  24 , which also extends towards the body of the container, can be configured to fit on the neck  140  of the container. The skirt  24  is preferably discontinuous in order to facilitate its fitting onto the neck  140  of the container. The fixing skirt  24  is provided, on its free edge, with an annular bead  25  configured to be housed in the annular indentation  142  of the neck  140  of the container in order to hold the body of the cap on the container.  
         [0036]    A sealing skirt  27  can also be formed around the orifice  23 . This sealing skirt  27  can be cylindrical and continuous and is formed on the inside of the fixing skirt  24 . The sealing skirt  27  can be configured to engage on the inside of the neck  140  of the container. The sealing skirt thus provides, between the cap&#39;s body and the container, a cavity  300  sealed from the product being dispensed, even when the cover  30  is open.  
         [0037]    A portion of the perimeter of the transverse wall  21  can include a living hinge  40  forming an articulation of a cover  30  so that the cover can pivot about an axis Y forming the axis of the hinge. Other hinge mechanisms can be used. For example, a spring-effect hinge, such as a flip-up hinge, may be used. The cover  30  can be dome-shaped with a peripheral edge  31 .  
         [0038]    On the inner surface of the cover  30  is a plug  32  configured to seal the orifice  23  when closed. In a preferred embodiment, the plug  32  includes a slight annular bead at its free end to keep the cover  30  in position on the body  20  of the cap  10  when in the cap is in the closed position. Other locking systems may alternatively be used, such as, for example, a tooth formed on the free edge of the cover  30  for snap-engagement in the body  20  of the cap  10 .  
         [0039]    In a preferred embodiment, in the closed position, no portion of the free edge of the cover  30  protrudes from the perimeter of the body  20  of the cap  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the free edge of the cover  30  can be slightly set back from the perimeter of the body  20 . Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the outer surface of the cover  30  has no projecting parts on which force could be applied to cause the cover  30  to open. In a preferred embodiment, the cap  10  is made of a rigid material such as, for example, polypropylene. The cap  10  is preferably an all-in-one molding.  
         [0040]    A portion  26  of the skirt  22  is deformable. This deformable region  26  can be, but need not be, situated opposite the hinge  40 . In a preferred embodiment, this deformable region  26  is integral with portions of the cap&#39;s body  20  all the way round the deformable region&#39;s perimeter. Part of the deformable region&#39;s perimeter can be integral with the skirt  22  and another part can be integral with the transverse wall  21 .  
         [0041]    In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A to  1 C, this deformable portion  26  is formed by an elastically deformable material  260 . As an example, this may be an elastomer blend of polypropylene and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), such as SANTOPRENE™, for example. SANTOPRENE™ is commercialized by AES. In this embodiment, the whole cap can be produced for example by twin-shot injection molding of the material forming the cap and of the material forming the elastically deformable portion.  
         [0042]    To move the cover  30  from its closed position shown in FIG. 1B to its open position shown in FIG. 1A, the user depresses the deformable region  26  in the direction of the arrow F 1  so as to uncover a region  310  of the free edge  31  of the cover  30 . In a preferred embodiment, this deformation of the deformable region  26  does not initiate, i.e., is decoupled from, the opening movement of the cover  30 . The user can then lift the cover  30  in the direction of the arrow F 2 , by pushing on the exposed push region  310  of the free edge  31 . The plug  32  then comes out of the dispensing orifice  23  and the product contained in the container can flow out of the container through the orifice  23  in response for example to pressure on the body of the container.  
         [0043]    In a preferred embodiment, the perimeter of the deformable portion  26  is continuous with the body  20  when the deformable portion is not deformed and when the deformable portion is deformed. At the periphery of the deformable portion  26 , the deformable portion  26  does not move relative to the body  20  when the deformable region  26  passes from a non-depressed position to a depressed position.  
         [0044]    Because the deformable region  26  is integral with the body  20  all around the deformable region&#39;s perimeter, the cavity  300  defined by the deformable region  26 , the body  20 , and the container  100  is sealed from the product being dispensed, even when the cover  30  is in the open position. Advantageously, no product accumulates over time in this cavity  300  behind the deformable region  26  so that the operation of the deformable region  26  is not compromised.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIGS. 2A to  2 C illustrate a second embodiment of the cap according to the present invention. This embodiment differs from that illustrated in FIGS. 1A to  1 C in that the body of the cap  20  is formed by a peripheral wall  22  which decreases with distance from the container until it defines an orifice  23 . In the example shown in FIGS. 2A to  2 C, the peripheral wall  22  is of ovoid transverse section, but other shapes are possible. The cover  30  is formed by a tab  30  coupled to the body  20  of the cap  10 , for example by a living hinge  40  that enables the tab  30  to pivot about a hinge axis Y. The tab  30  can be generally arcuate so as to roughly follow the outer wall of the body  20  in the closed position.  
         [0046]    In this embodiment, the deformable portion  26  is formed by a region  261  of reduced thickness of the peripheral wall  22 . The thickness of the region  261  can for example be about 0.2 mm, whereas that of the remainder of the peripheral wall  22  can be about 1 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the region  261  is integral with a portion of the cap&#39;s body  20 , preferably all the way around the deformable region&#39;s perimeter. In a preferred embodiment, the region  261  is situated on the opposite side from the living hinge  40 .  
         [0047]    As shown in FIG. 2C, the user depresses this region of reduced thickness  261  in the direction of the arrow F 1  in such a way as to expose a region  310  of the free edge  31  of the tab  30  without moving the tab. The user can then lift the tab  30  in the direction of the arrow F 2  by pushing on the region  310 . The tab pivots about the hinge axis Y so as to open the dispensing orifice  23 , the cap  10  now being in the open position as shown in FIG. 2A. As in the first embodiment, a sealing skirt  27  can be provided to the body  20  of the cap  10  to form, between the cap&#39;s body  20  and the container  100 , a cavity  300  sealed from the product to be dispensed, even when the cover  30  is open. Advantageously, the sealing skirt  27  prevents any of the product from accumulating behind the deformable region  26 .  
         [0048]    The third embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B differs from that illustrated in FIGS. 2A to  2 C only with respect to the deformable portion  26 . In this embodiment, the deformable portion  26  is formed by an elastically deformable material  260  which is partly delimited by a slot  262  formed in the body  20  of the cap  10 . The slot  262  can have a base  310  toward the dispensing orifice  23  and arms  320  extending away from the dispensing orifice  23  so as to form a hinge portion  330  which connects the deformable portion  262  to the body  20 . For example, the slot  262  can be in the shape of a U with arms  320  converging toward the hinge portion  310 .  
         [0049]    As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the user depresses the portion  26  defined by the slot  262  in the direction of the arrow F 1 . The base of the U thus recedes to expose a portion  310  of the free edge  31  of the tab. The user can then lift the tab  30  in the direction of the arrow F 2  by pushing on the portion  310 . The tab  30  pivots about the hinge axis Y in such a way as to open the dispensing orifice  23 . In a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical skirt  27  forms a seal around the dispensing orifice  23 . In this embodiment, the deformable portion  26 , the sealing skirt  27 , the peripheral wall of the cap&#39;s body, and the shoulder  130  of the container  100  define a space  300  isolated from the product being dispensed. The sealing skirt  27  prevents the product being dispensed from flowing out through the slot  262 .  
         [0050]    Alternatively, the elastically deformable portion  26  can be a combination of two of the three embodiments described above, or a combination of all three. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.