DISPENSING CLOSURE

Abstract: A dispensing closure characterized by a cap base member (12) adapted to be associated with a container, and a cap lid member (54) mounted on the cap base member for rotation with respect to the cap base member. The cap lid member is adapted to assume a closed position, wherein it closes off a first dispensing opening formed in the cap base member, and is intended to be rotated upwardly with respect to the cap base member from the closed position to an open position wherein the first dispensing is uncovered. A second dispensing opening (92) is formed in the cap lid member, overlying the first dispensing opening when the cap lid member is in the closed position. The second dispensing opening is normally closed off and sealed by means of a spout member (96) which is rotatably mounted on the cap lid member. The spout member is adapted to be rotated from the latter closed position to an open position wherein a longitudinal passage in the spout member is aligned with the second dispensing opening. When the cap lid member is in the closed position, thereby closing off the first dispensing opening, the contents of the container are able to be dispensed through the aligned longitudinal passage and second dispensing opening corresponding to the open position for the spout member.

Description: This invention relates to a dispensing closure which is adapted to be associated with the neck of a container, bottle or other like receptacle. More particularly, the invention relates to a dispensing closure of the type comprising a cap base member and a cap lid member which is hingedly mounted upon the cap base member so as to be capable of assuming a closed position, wherein the contents of the associated container are prevented from passing through a dispensing opening formed in the cap base member, and an open position wherein the contents of the container are free to pass through the dispensing opening. The cap lid member is connected to the cap base member by a hinge assembly which maintains the cap lid member in an open position once it has been moved into such position, until such time as deliberate force is applied by the user to close the cap lid member. Examples of dispensing closures of this type are shown in U.S. Patents 2873006, 4778071, 4172540, 4220248, 2753051, 4717050 and 1959874. US Specification 4717050 discloses a closure which has two cap lid members one on top of the other, so that they are alternatively openable to give access to alternative openings of different sizes but essentially the same shape. Dispensing closures are also known, for example from WO 81/00995, US 4209114, 4219128, 3655103 and 3655099 having a cap member having a rotatable or pivotable spout member mounted thereon in an elongated groove. The spout member, in the closed position of the dispensing closure, rests against the cap member and effectively closes off or blocks a dispensing opening formed in the cap member, thereby preventing release of any potentially harmful contents of the container upon which the cap member is mounted. The spout member is adapted to be manually grasped at one end and rotated or pivoted upwardly with respect to the cap member for the purpose of bringing a longitudinal passage formed in the spout member into alignment with the dispensing opening formed in the cap member. In the latter open position for the dispensing closure, the contents of the associated container are able to pass through the aligned opening and passage. The foregoing types of dispensing closures have thus either incorporated the hinged connected cap lid member or the rotatable spout member. It has not previously been suggested to combine both of these latter types of components into a single dispensing closure in order to obtain plural dispensing orifices of different shapes and functions as well as different sizes in a single device. The present invention provides a dispensing closure comprising the features defined in claim 1. The components of the present dispensing closure are few in number, and conductive to high speed, cost effective manufacturing methods, and are easy to assemble and to operate. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure, showing the cap lid member and the spout member in their respective closed positions; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure, showing the cap lid member in its closed position and showing the spout member in its open position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure, showing the cap lid member in its open position and showing the spout member in its closed position; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the dispensing closure, showing the cap lid member and the spout member in their respective closed positions; Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the dispensing closure taken along line 5-5 of Fig 4, and showing the cap lid member and the spout member in their respective closed positions, with the respective open positions for the cap lid member and the spout member being shown in phantom; and Fig. 6 is a partial horizontal cross-sectional view of the dispensing closure taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and Fig. 5, the dispensing closure, which is indicated generally at 10, comprises a cap base member 12 constructed as a unitary body by conventional injection molding techniques out of any one of a wide variety of known somewhat flexible, somewhat resilient, polymer materials. Various polyolefins, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, may be effectively utilized. The cap base member 12 is defined by a depending cap skirt 14, which extends downwardly from a top surface 16. An annular recessed shoulder 15 is provided around the periphery of the top surface between the top surface and the skirt. From Fig. 5, it can be seen that the skirt 14 is provided with threads 18 formed on the interior surface 20 of the skirt 14 for securing the cap base member to the neck 22 of the container 24 illustrated in phantom in Figs. 1 to 3 and in Fig. 5. Other means may be utilized for securing the cap base member to the neck of a container. A nozzle-like boss 17 is provided on the top surface 16 around a dispensing opening 28 formed in the top surface and providing communiction with the interior of the associated container. Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, first and second generally parallel and resilient upstanding walls 30, 32 are provided on top surface 16 of cap member 12. The first upstanding wall 30 extends upwardly from the top surface such that the exterior surface 34 of the first wall is substantially continuous with the exterior surface 36 of the skirt 14. The second upstanding wall 32 is spaced inwardly from the first wall as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The first upstanding wall 30 terminates above the top surfaces in a slightly curvilinear first enlarged portion 38, which tapers inwardly and downwardly to an integral curved interior surface 40. The second upstanding wall 32 similarly terminates above the top surface in second enlarged portion 42, which tapers inwardly and downwardly to merge with the second integral curved interior surface 44, the second enlarged portion 42 being greater in size than first enlarged portion 38. The first and second curved interior surfaces 40 and 44 are connected by means of a bottom surface 46. As best depicted in Fig. 5, the respective enlarged portions 38 and 42 of the interior surfaces are substantially in alignment with each other with respect to their position above the top surface. As can be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the walls 30, 32 have side edges 45, and form between them a longitudinal cylindrical cavity 48 characterized by a relatively narrow top opening 50 at the location of the enlarged portions. The dispensing closure of the present invention further comprises a cap lid member 54, adapted to be formed by conventional injection molding techniques. As most clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the cap lid member is defined by a generally planar top 56, which is integral with the top edge of an annular wall 58. The bottom edge of the annular wall is, in turn, integral with an annular shoulder 60, which merges with a depending lid skirt 62. The lid skirt is formed with a slot defined by opposing generally parallel side walls 66, and an upstanding vertical rear wall 68, the slot being open at the side adjacent to the lid skirt 62. The hinge post 70 of generally circular cross-sectional configuration extends between the side walls 66 of the slot 64. The hinge post 70 is disposed within the slot, inwardly of the exterior surface 72 of the lid skirt and generally parallel to the rear wall 68 of the slot. The cap lid member is adapted to be assembled to the cap base member by causing the hinge post 70 to be pushed downwardly into the cavity 48 through the narrow top opening 50, thereby causing the resilient upstanding walls to deflect outwardly so that the hinge post is able to enter the cavity. Once the hinge post has passed beyond the enlarged portions of the deflected walls, and has been fully inserted into the cavity, the hinge post is securely and snugly maintained in the cylindrical cavity by frictional retention with the upstanding walls which, after the hinge post has been fully inserted into the bottom part of the cavity, are restored to their original position. Similarly, when the hinge post is fully received within the cavity, the side walls defining the slot are in abutting relationship with the side edges of the upstanding posts. The relatively narrow top opening 50 defined between the enlarged portions of the cavity, is designed to be smaller than the cross-section of the hinge post and, hence, prevents unwanted removal of the hinge post from the cavity and undesired or inadvertent separation of the cap lid member from the cap base member, but the bottom part of the cavity allows the hinge post to rotate therein about the horizontal axis of the hinge post 70. It is, of course, possible to remove the cap lid member from the cap base member by application of a pulling force to the respective members sufficient to cause outward deflection of the upstanding walls on the cap base member. Having been assembled to the cap base member, the cap lid member is adapted to assume a closed position wherein the cap lid member is oriented horizontally with respect to the cap base member as is most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The latter position is characterised by the lower peripheral edge 74 of the lid skirt 62 resting upon the recessed shoulder 15 of the cap base member. Additionally, a concentric sealing plug member 76 extends downwardly from the bottom surface of the planar top 56 of the cap lid member and, in the closed position of the cap lid member is received within the dispensing opening 28 formed in the cap base member so as to close off and seal the associated container and to prevent removal of the container contents. The sealing plug is preferably tightly received within the dispensing opening so as to provide some resistance to withdrawal from the dispensing opening. A tight, well-fitting relationship between the latter components insures against inadvertent opening of the dispensing closure and provides a degree of child resistance, in that the force required to be exerted on the cap lid member in order to remove the sealing plug from the opening is in excess of the force which is capable of being applied by a child. The closed position of the cap lid member is further characterised by the exterior surface of the lid skirt 62 being substantially continuous with the exterior surface of the cap skirt 14 so as to together define a smooth peripheral surface for the dispensing closure. This continuity may be interrupted, however, by a projecting lip 78 provided on the lid skirt preferably directly opposite the hinge post. The lip 78, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, extends slightly beyond the exterior surface of the cap skirt, thus providing a means whereby the cap lid member may be grasped by the user for movement to an open position, The cap lid member is intended to assume an open position by a user manually pushing or pulling the cap lid member upwardly with respect to the cap base member with sufficient force to withdraw the sealing plug from the dispensing opening 28 and to cause rotation of the cap lid member with respect to the cap base member around the hinge post. Rotation of the cap lid member in a first direction to the fully open position, which is illustrated in Fig. 3 and in phantom in Fig. 5, results in rotation of the hinge post within the cavity 48. The fully open position of the dispensing closure, presents the dispensing opening in an unobstructed manner, whereupon the contents of the associated container may be dispensed therefrom by pouring, squeezing, or the like. The latter types of dispensing operations are isolated from interference by the cap lid member, due to the fact that the cap lid member, having been caused to assume a fully open position, is adapted to remain in such position until such time as it is further acted upon by the user. The cap lid member is maintained in the open position because the enlarged portions, and the upstanding walls of the cap base member, prohibit rotation of the hinge post and, hence, the cap lid member, in absence of a manual force directed against the cap lid member to cause rotation of the lid member. Once sufficient manual force is applied by the user to the cap lid member to rotate the cap lid member toward the cap base member, the hinge post is rotated within the cavity until the fully closed position for the cap lid member is achieved by further downward movement of the cap lid member to cause the sealing plug to be inserted into the dispensing opening. The cap lid member 54 of the present invention is further characterized by a recessed flat portion 80 formed in the planar top 56. As illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6, the recessed portion is bounded by integrally formed paralled side walls 82, which are joined by a rear wall 84 and a front wall 86. The side, rear and front walls integrally connect the recessed portion 80 to the planar top 56, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. With particular reference to Figs. 2 and 5, it can be seen that the exterior surface 88 of the front wall is downwardly curved, merging with the annular wall 58 and the rear wall 68 of the slot 64 formed in the cap lid member. The side, rear and front walls of the recessed portion define an elongated groove 90 in the planar top of the cap lid member. A vertically directed cylindrical opening 92, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, extends through the recessed portion proximate the rear wall 84. This opening is generally coaxial with the sealing plug 76, leading into the interior of the sealing plug and, hence, establishing communication with the interior of the container. The opening 92 is smaller in cross-sectional area than the dispensing opening 28. With further reference to Figs. 5 and 6, aligned bearing cavities 94 are located in the side walls 82 so as to face each other. These bearing cavities have a common horizontally extending axis (not shown) which is located so as to intersect the vertically extending axis (not shown) of the opening 92. This horizontal axis is parallel to the axis of the hinge post 70. The elongated groove 90 is adapted to receive therein a spout member 96 in the form of an elongated member having a longitudinal passage 98 extending between a first end 100 and a second end 102. Cylindrical trunnions 104 are located adjacent the first end of the spout and are received within the aligned bearing cavities 94 to rotatably mount the spout member within the groove 90. The spout member is adapted to assume a closed position with respect to the cap lid member, wherein the top of the spout member lies generally flush with the planar top 56 of the cap lid member. The first end of the spout member, as illustreated in Figs. 5 and 6, is further characterized by a cylindrical portion 106 which, in the closed position of the spout member, fits against the opening 92 so as to close off and seal the interior of the associated container. An extension 108 is provided on the second end of the spout member and, in the closed position of the spout member, rests against and extends slightly beyond the exterior surface 88 of the curved front wall 86 of the elongated groove. The extension serves to allow the second end of the spout member to be grasped by the user for purposes of rotating the spout to the open and closed positions. Rotation of the spout member to a vertical open position corresponds to alignment of the longitudinal passage 98 in the spout member with the opening formed in the recessed portion of the cap lid member. When the cap lid member is in its closed position, the contents of the container may thus be dispensed through the aligned passage and opening 92. When the cap lid member is rotated upwardly in a first direction to an open position about the hinge post to present the relatively large dispensing opening 28, the contents of the container are able to be released with relative freedom, such as that associated with a pouring action. When, however, the cap lid member is in a closed position, and only the spout member is caused to assume an open position by upward rotation in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the contents of the container are able to be dispensed through the much more constricted passage 98. The more constricted passage affords a more controlled release of the container contents. For instance, the dispensing closure is ideally suited for implementation with a container for liquid laundry detergent, wherein the larger dispensing closure may be utilized to pour the detergent into a measuring cup or into the washing machine, and the smaller dispensing closure may be selectively employed for dispensing small amounts of liquid detergent directly onto particular soiled or spotted areas on items of clothing or the like.

Claims: A dispensing closure comprising a cap base member (12) adapted to be associated with a container (24) having contents, a first dispensing opening (28) formed in the cap base member, a cap lid member (54), means (66) for securing the cap lid member to the cap base member such that the lid member can assume a closed position in which the first opening is sealed and from which it is rotatable upwardly about a first axis (70) to an open position in which the first opening (28) is unobstructed so that the contents of the container can be dispensed through the first opening, a second dispensing opening (92) formed in the cap lid member and generally aligned with the first opening when the lid member is in its closed position, said second dispensing opening (92) being smaller in cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the first opening (28), an elongated groove (90) formed in the cap lid member, a rotatable spout member (96) mounted for rotation about a second axis (104) in the elongated groove, and a longitudinal dispensing passage (98) formed in the spout member, the spout member being capable of assuming a closed position wherein it closes off the second dispensing opening and being rotatable upwardly from the closed position to an open position in which the longitudinal passage (98) and the second dispensing opening are aligned, such that when the cap lid member is in its closed position the contents of the container can be dispensed through the aligned second dispensing opening and longitudinal passage, said second axis being parallel to said first axis such that the spout member is rotatable upwardly from its closed to its open position in a direction of rotation which is opposite to the direction of rotation in which the cap lid member is rotatable upwardly from its closed to its open position. A dispensing closure according to Claim 1 characterised in that the cross-sectional area of the longitudinal passage (98) is less than the cross-sectional area of the first dispensing opening (28). A dispensing closure according to Claims 1 and 2 in which the cap base member is defined by a top surface (16) and a depending cap skirt (14) and the cap lid member is defined by a planar top (56) and a depending lid skirt (62). A closure according to any of Claims 1 to 3 characterised by a sealing plug (76) extending downwardly from a top (56) of the cap lid member, the sealing plug being a tight fit within the first dispensing opening (28) in the closed position of the cap lid member. A closure according to any of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the cap lid member includes a hinge pin (70), and the cap base member has upstanding wall parts (30, 32) defining between them a cavity (48) with an entrance narrower than the thickness of the hinge pin and into which the hinge pin can be pushed by resiliently deforming the wall parts (30, 32). A closure according to any of Claims 1 to 4 in which the cap base member comprises first and second resilient upstanding walls (30, 32) provided on its top surface (16) and terminating in enlarged portions (38, 42), each of the walls having opposite side edges (45), a generally cylindrical cavity (48) formed between the first and second walls, the cap lid member having a depending lid skirt formed with a slot (64), a hinge post (70) extending across the slot and being adapted to be received within the cavity (48), the hinge post being rotatable in the cavity and being retained therein by means of the enlarged portions and by frictional engagement with the upstanding walls. A closure according to Claim 6 in which the slot (64) formed in the lid skirt is defined by a pair of side walls (66) and a rear wall (68) and in which the side edges (45) of the walls (30, 32) are in generally abutting relationship with the side walls (66) defining the slot (64) when the hinge post (70) is received within the cavity. A closure according to any of Claims 5 to 7 in which the cap lid member is adapted to be maintained in its open position by means of the upstanding walls (30, 32). A dispensing closure according to any of Claims 5 to 8 in which the exterior surface (34) of the first upstanding wall (30) is continuous with an exterior surface (36) of the cap base member. A dispensing closure according to any of the Claims 1 to 9 in which the cap base member has a skirt (14) having an exterior surface (36) which is substantially continuous in the closed position of the cap lid member with the external surface of a skirt (62) of the lid member. A closure according to any of Claims 1 to 10 in which the elongated groove (80) in the lid member is defined by a pair of side walls (82), a rear wall (84) and a front wall (86), the side walls defining bearing cavities (94) and the spout member having a pair of trunnions (104) rotatably received within the bearing cavities. A closure according to Claim 11 in which the front wall (86) of the elongated slot is connected to a planar top (56) of the cap lid member by means of a concave curved wall (88). A closure according to Claim 12 in which the outer end (108) of the spout member projects beyond the curved wall (88) in the closed position of the spout member.

Inventors: LAVANGE, DONALD
Applicants: POLYTOP CORPORATION
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65D47
IPC codes: B65D47