Cap and dispensing fitment combination wherein the cap has retaining means engaging the fitment

A cap and dispensing fitment combination for a container. The cap has an end wall and a skirt extending axially from the periphery of the end wall, the cap being adapted to engage the neck of the container. The end wall of the cap has an annular flange that extends axially and radially outwardly therefrom, the annular flange terminating in a free end surface that facilitates securing the dispensing fitment to the cap. The dispensing fitment comprises an end wall having at least one opening therein, the annular flange engaging into the opening. The dispensing fitment has a sidewall extending axially from the periphery of the end wall and is adapted to engage the container when the combination is placed on the container and to retain the dispensing fitment on the container even as the cap is removed from the container.

BACKGROUND 
1. Field Of The Invention 
This invention is directed to a cap and dispensing fitment wherein the 
dispensing fitment is retained in the cap until applied to a container, 
but which then remains secured to the container for dispensing the 
contents of the container when the cap is removed. 
2. Background Information 
Many containers are provided with fitments for dispensing the contents of 
the containers. These fitments may have variously configured openings such 
as a single aperture for dispensing drops of liquid from the container, a 
slot for pouring, or a plurality of apertures for shaking out liquid or 
granular product from the container. 
Typically, the fitment snaps into engagement with the container opening and 
a removable cap is applied over the fitment for sealing the container for 
shipment and between uses. Conventionally, separate operations have been 
required to install the fitment and then the cap on the filled container. 
In order to eliminate the necessity for two distinct assembly steps, 
fitment-closure combinations have been developed in which the fitment is 
temporarily retained within the closure so that they may be applied to the 
container as an assembly in one operation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 
4,187,964 shows a combined closure cap and pour out fitment. The closure 
cap has a circular sealing plug which frictionally engages and seals the 
pour spout or aperture in the pour out fitment. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 
3,339,772 shows a container cap which has a downwardly extending 
protuberance which fits into a spout closure. 
Experience has shown, however, that in the prior art combinations, the 
fitment is not adequately secured in the closure to withstand shocks which 
may occur during shipment and in the capping operation. Often the 
assemblies are dumped into a bin and subject to other forms of rough 
handling such as transport by a pneumatic system, vibratory feeding and 
mechanical indexing all of which tend to dislodge the fitment from the 
closure. On the other hand, the fitment cannot be retained too tightly in 
the closure since it must separate from the closure when secured to the 
container. 
There remains a need, therefore, for a cap and dispensing fitment 
combination in which the dispensing fitment is retained securely in the 
cap until such time as the cap is separated from the dispensing fitment 
when the dispensing fitment is secured to the container neck. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention has met the above-described need. The cap and dispensing 
fitment combination for a container comprises a cap having an end wall and 
a skirt extending axially from the periphery of the end wall, the cap 
being adapted to engage the neck of the container. The end wall of the cap 
has retaining means extending axially and radially outwardly therefrom, 
the retaining means terminating in a free end surface which facilitates 
securing the dispensing fitment to the cap. The dispensing fitment 
comprises an end wall having at least one opening therein, the retaining 
means engaging into the opening. The dispensing fitment has a sidewall 
extending axially from the periphery of the end wall and container 
engagement means on the sidewall to secure the dispensing fitment to the 
container when the combination is placed on the container and to retain 
the dispensing fitment on the container even as the cap is removed from 
the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, the cap 20 and fitment 22 are shown in disassembled 
form and also shown in relation to a container 24 on which the cap and 
fitment combination can be placed. The container 24 has a neck 26 that 
defines a container opening 28. The container neck 26 includes a single 
external screw thread 30 which is adapted to be engaged by complementary 
threads (not shown in FIG. 1) on the cap 20 and also includes a fitment 
securement means 96 to accept the fitment 22. 
The fitment 22 has an end wall 40 and a cylindrical sidewall 42 extending 
axially from the periphery of the end wall 40. The end wall 40 has a 
plurality of dispensing openings 44 through which product in the container 
24 can be dispensed. Other types of dispensing openings other than 
dispensing openings 44 can be provided in the end wall 40, such as, for 
example, one small opening for dispensing a liquid a drop at a time. 
The cap 20 and fitment 22 are preferably made of plastic and are formed by 
an injection molding process which will be discussed in detail with 
reference to FIGS. 4-6. Although the cap 20, fitment 22 and container 
opening 28 are shown as being circular it will be appreciated that the 
invention is not so limited, and other shapes can be used. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, the cap 20 consists of circular end wall 50 
defining a stacking recess 51 and having a cylindrical skirt 52 extending 
axially from the periphery of the end wall 50. An internal screw thread 54 
is provided which is adapted to engage the external screw thread 30 on the 
container neck 26. It will be appreciated however, that the invention is 
not limited to a screw cap, and that other means of securing the cap to 
the container are contemplated by the invention. 
Extending axially and radially outwardly from the end wall 50 is retaining 
means 60. As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the retaining means 60 consists 
of an annular flange having an outer surface 62 and inner surface 64 and 
terminating in a free end surface 66. A portion 68 of the retaining means 
60 adjacent to under surface 70 of the end wall 50 is generally 
perpendicular to the end wall 50, however the outer surface 62 and the 
inner surface 64 are angularly disposed in reference to the longitudinal 
axis C of the annular flange. 
The angle A formed by the outer surface 62 and the longitudinal axis C is 
shown in FIG. 3 as being about 23.degree. and the angle B formed by the 
inner surface 64 and the longitudinal axis C is shown as being about 
49.degree.. The angle B formed by the inner surface 64 and the 
longitudinal axis C must be larger than the angle A formed by the outer 
surface. The significance of these angle measurements will be discussed 
fully hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 4-6. 
Still referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the free end surface 66 is 
bevelled and tapers from a first circumferential edge 72 formed at the 
intersection of the inner surface 64 and the free end surface 66 to a 
second circumferential edge 74 formed at the intersection of the outer 
surface 62 and the free end surface 66. As can also be seen from FIG. 3, 
the radius R1 from a point on the longitudinal axis C to the second 
circumferential edge 74 is greater than the radius R2 from the 
longitudinal axis C to the first circumferential edge 72. In addition, the 
annular flange defines a relief area 76. The relief area 76 is defined by 
the inner surface 64 and a planar surface 82. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, a time lapse sequence is shown illustrating how 
the cap 20 is formed. FIG. 4 shows the portion of the cap 20 including the 
retaining means 60 just after the plastic has been injected into a mold 
80. The mold 80 consists of a stationary mold half 82, a stripper ring 83 
and a moving mold half 84. The mold is typically made of steel and is 
installed in a conventional injection molding machine (not shown). Once 
all of the plastic has been injected into the mold and has solidified, the 
stripper ring 83 and moving mold half 84 are withdrawn from the stationary 
mold half 82 and are also separated from the cap 20 as is shown in FIG. 5. 
As this happens, the moving mold half 84 will exert pressure on the outer 
surface 62 of the retaining means 60 as can best be seen in FIG. 5A. 
However, due to the resilient nature and configuration of the retaining 
means 60, the retaining means 60 bends inwardly from its original position 
as shown in phantom in FIG. 5A to the position shown in solid lines in 
FIG. 5A. Once moving mold half 84 is completely clear of the retaining 
means as shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the retaining means 60 will snap back 
into its original molded shape. 
The retaining means 60 can be formed by the injection molding process 
because of the resiliency of the retaining means 60 but mostly because of 
the configuration of the retaining means 60 and the cooperation between 
the cap 20 and the fitment 22, particularly the retaining means 60 and the 
dispensing opening 44a (which will be discussed further with respect to 
FIG. 7). Referring back to FIG. 3, angle A is less than angle B. This 
allows the retaining means 60 to bend inwardly, as shown in FIG. 5, into 
relief area 76 (FIG. 3). We have found that preferably, angle A can be 
about 6.degree. to 23.degree. and angle B can be about 38.degree. to 
48.degree.. We have found that the angles A and B allow successful molding 
of the retaining means 60 and allow removing the retaining means 60 intact 
from the mold. 
Although the retaining means 60 is shown as a continuous annular flange, it 
will be appreciated that sections of the retaining means 60 can be 
removed, thus creating segments which together make up the retaining means 
60. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, the fitment 22 having end wall 40 is shown. The 
fitment 22 has eleven dispensing openings 44 arranged in a "star pattern". 
This fitment 22 can be used for containers holding product that is shaken 
from the container 24, such as spices. A dispensing opening 44a is 
positioned in the center of the end wall 40 and is the opening that 
engages the retaining means 60, as will be explained in FIG. 9. As can be 
seen in FIG. 8 the opening tapers from a radius R3 on the lower surface 90 
of the end wall 40 to a smaller radius R4 on the upper surface 92 of the 
end wall 40. The upper surface 92 will face the lower surface of the end 
wall 50 of the cap 20 when the cap 20 and fitment 22 are assembled. 
FIG. 9 shows the container engagement means 94 of the fitment 22. The 
container engagement means 94 consists of a radially inwardly projecting 
portion of the cylindrical side wall 42 of the fitment 22. 
Referring now to FIG. 10, the cap 20 and fitment 22 combination is shown in 
cross-section. The fitment 22 securely engages the cap 20 merely by 
pressing the fitment 22 in the cap 20. When the fitment 22 is first 
brought into contact with the free end surface 66, and subsequently 
pressed on the retaining means 60, the configuration of the free end 
surface 66 causes the opening 44a to stretch, thus allowing it to clear 
the circumferential edge 74 and radius R1 (FIG. 3). It will be appreciated 
that this is necessary because both radius R3 and R4 of the dispensing 
opening 44a (See FIG. 8) are smaller than radius R1, but are larger than 
radius R2 (FIG. 3). For example, radius R1 can be preferably from 0.065 to 
0.073 inches and more preferably, from 0.067 to 0.069 inches and radius R2 
can be preferably from 0.031 to 0.063 inches and more preferably from 
0.047 to 0.049 inches. Radius R3 and radius R4 depend on the dimensions of 
radius R1 and R2 and are configured to securely mate with the retaining 
means 60. For example, if radius R1 is 0.068 and radius R2 is 0.048, 
radius R3 can be 0.066 and radius R4 can be 0.062. This configuration 
allows the fitment 22 to engage the retaining means 60 securely. In 
addition, as can be seen in FIG. 10, the tapered opening 44a is adapted to 
be complementary to the outer surface 62 of the retaining means 60 so that 
the fitment 22 and the retaining means 60 are maintained in intimate 
surface-to-surface contact when the fitment 22 is assembled with the cap 
20 as shown in FIG. 10. 
FIGS. 11A and 11B show the cap 20 and fitment 22 combination as it is 
screwed onto the neck 26 of the container 24. The container engagement 
means 94 is pushed down over fitment securement means 96 on the mouth of 
the container 24 as is shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. In this way, the cap 20 
and fitment 22 assembly can be shipped to the end user as one piece and 
applied to the container 24 by standard processes. The ultimate consumer 
of the product merely unscrews the cap 20 and the fitment 22 remains 
secured to the open mouth of the container by virtue of the engagement of 
container engagement means 94 of the fitment 22 with fitment engagement 
means 96 of the container 24. This procedure also results in a "popping 
noise" when the retaining means 60 of the cap 20 separates from the 
fitment 22. This can be used by the ultimate consumer as an indication 
that no tampering has occurred with the product contained in container 20. 
It will be appreciated that the fitment can be designed to be secured to 
the inside of the container mouth as opposed to being secured to the 
outside of the container mouth as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. The inside 
fitment and its relationship to the container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
5,065,908 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 13, two alternate embodiments of the 
retaining means of the invention are shown. FIG. 12 shows a retaining 
means 120 having a rounded portion 122 formed between the under surface 
124 of the cap 126 and the outer surface 128 of the retaining means 120 
annular flange. FIG. 12 also shows that the angle F made by the outer 
surface 128 and the longitudinal axis G of the retaining means 60 is about 
6.degree. and the angle H made by the inner surface 130 of the retaining 
means and the longitudinal axis G of the retaining means 60 is about 
41.degree.. FIG. 12 also shows a free end surface 132. 
FIG. 13 shows yet another embodiment of the retaining means 140. This 
embodiment has an outer surface 142 which forms an angle K of about 
10.degree. with the longitudinal axis L of the retaining means 140. The 
inner surface 144 forms an angle M of about 41.degree. with the 
longitudinal axis L of the retaining means 140. A free end surface 146 is 
also provided. FIGS. 12 and 13 show a recess 150 and 152, respectively, 
formed in the under surface of the cap end walls. This recess, although 
not required, is about 0.005 to 0.015 inches. 
It will be appreciated that a cap and fitment combination in accordance 
with the invention has been disclosed. While specific embodiments of the 
invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in 
the art that various modifications and alterations to those details could 
be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. 
Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be 
illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which 
is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all 
equivalents thereof.