Abstract:
A closure is removably attachable to a container and comprises a dispensing orifice and a tubular valve element that is biased closed blocking communication of the container with the orifice. By inverting the container so that a liquid contents of the container exerts pressure on the valve element, or by squeezing the container causing the liquid contents to exert pressure on the valve element, the valve element opens communication with the dispensing orifice allowing the liquid contents to be dispensed from the container. On removing the pressure from the valve element, the valve element resiliently closes the dispensing orifice.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to a closure for a container that is inverted and/or manually squeezed to dispense the contents of the container through an orifice of the closure. Specifically, the present invention pertains to a closure that is removably attachable to the container and comprises a dispensing orifice and a tubular valve element that is biased closed to block communication of the container with the dispensing orifice. By inverting the container so that a liquid contents of the container exerts pressure on the exterior surface of the valve element, or by squeezing the container causing the liquid contents to exert pressure on the exterior surface of the valve element, the valve element opens and allows the liquid contents to be dispensed from the container. On removing the pressure from the valve element, the valve element resiliently closes and again blocks the dispensing orifice. 
     (2) Description of the Related Art 
     Containers that are inverted and/or squeezed to dispense the liquid contents of the container are employed in dispensing a wide variety of products. Dispensers of this type are commonly used in dispensing household products, for example food condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and pancake syrup, and are also used in dispensing other products such as liquid soaps and glues. The container is typically flexible and resilient, which allows the container to be manually squeezed to exert a pressure on the contents of the container that forces a portion of the contents through a dispensing orifice of the container. 
     In order to keep the contents of the container fresh in the case of food condiments, or to keep the contents from drying out in the case of soap or glue, the container dispensing orifice is often provided with a closure. A simple example of a prior art closure is a cap that is screw threaded on a threaded neck of the container. Another example is a cap that is snapped onto the container covering over a dispensing spout. Each of these basic types of prior art closures are disadvantaged in that they require some manual movement of the cap to close the container dispensing orifice. When screw threading the cap on the container, it is possible to not completely screw thread the cap on the container. This could result in the cap falling off of the container, or could result in an incomplete seal of the container dispensing orifice. In a like manner, in snapping the cap on the container, it is possible for the cap to not be properly attached to the container. This also could result in the cap falling off of the container, or the cap not sealing the container dispensing orifice. In both situations, the container dispensing orifice is left unsealed, which could result in the spoiling of the container contents or the drying out of the container contents. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The container closure of the present invention overcomes the above described disadvantages associated with prior art container closures by providing a closure with a valve element that automatically opens when the container is inverted and/or manually squeezed, and automatically closes when the container is positioned uprightly and there is no squeezing pressure on the container. 
     The container closure of the invention has a simple construction that is comprised of two component parts, a closure base that includes a lid, and the valve element. Each of the component parts is constructed of a plastic, with the plastic of the valve element being more flexible and more resilient than the plastic of the closure base. 
     The closure base is constructed similar to a typical cap that is screw threaded on the screw threaded neck of a container. The base has a cylindrical side wall with a circular exterior surface and a circular interior surface at opposite ends of the side wall. A dispensing orifice extends through the base between the interior and exterior surfaces. A cylindrical cavity is recessed into the base interior surface. A cylindrical wall on the base interior surface surrounds the cavity. A first portion of the wall has internal screw threading that removably attaches the base onto the external screw threading that surrounds an opening of a complementary container. The first portion of the cylindrical wall also surrounds and is concentric with the dispensing orifice of the base. Thus, attaching the base interior surface to the container aligns the base orifice with the container opening. 
     A second portion of the cylindrical wall forms the interior of a dispensing spout that projects outwardly from the base exterior surface. The dispensing orifice is on the distal end of the spout. The second portion of the cylindrical wall surrounds the interior of the spout and is concentric with the dispensing orifice and the first portion of the cylindrical wall. An annular rim projects from the base interior surface between the first portion of the cylindrical wall and the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     A lid is attached to the base by a living hinge. The hinge allows the lid to be moved between a closed position where the lid is positioned over the base exterior surface and over the spout and dispensing orifice, and an opened position where the lid is displaced from the base exterior surface and the dispensing orifice. 
     A valve element having an integral valve retainer is mounted to the base interior surface. The valve retainer has a cylindrical peripheral surface that engages with the annular rim on the base interior surface in attaching the valve retainer and the valve element to the base. At least one liquid passage hole extends through the valve retainer. The hole is positioned inwardly from the valve retainer peripheral surface, and is positioned outwardly of the valve element. 
     The valve element has a tubular shape that is coaxial with the cylindrical peripheral surface of the valve retainer. The valve element projects from the valve retainer and is positioned between the valve retainer and the base interior surface. The tubular valve element has opposite exterior and interior surfaces, with the valve element exterior surface opposing the base interior surface and the valve element interior surface surrounding the base dispensing orifice. 
     The resiliency and flexibility of the valve element allows the valve element to move between closed and opened positions relative to the base and the base dispensing orifice. The resiliency of the valve element biases the valve element to the closed position where the exterior surface of the valve element engages against the second portion of the base cylindrical wall and closes communication through the base cavity to the dispensing orifice. When the container closure is attached to a liquid container and the pressure of the liquid in the container is increased, for example by inverting the container and/or squeezing the container, the liquid flows through the retainer hole to the valve element exterior surface. The pressure of the liquid causes the valve element to flex away from the second portion of the base cylindrical wall and opens communication between the container attached to the container closure and the base dispensing orifice. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Further features of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view, in section, showing the container closure of the invention with the closure lid in its opened position; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the container closure shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevation view, in section, showing the container closure with the lid in its closed position; and, 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the container closure as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The container closure of the invention has a simplified, inexpensive construction that is comprised of only two component parts. The closure is designed to be removably attachable to a container by being screw threaded on a threaded neck of the container that surrounds the dispensing opening of the container. Alternatively, the closure could be snap fit to the container over the container dispenser opening, or be attached to the container by some other method, for example by a bayonet fitment. Although a screw threaded connector will be described on the container closure, the container closure should not be interpreted as being limited to this particular type of connector. 
     As stated earlier, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the component parts of the container closure is constructed of a plastic material. The two basic component parts of the container closure include a closure base  12 , and a valve element  14  having an integral valve retainer  16 . The plastic material of the valve element  14  is more flexible and more resilient than the plastic material of the base  12 . 
     The closure base  12  has a cylindrical configuration and a similar construction to a typical cap that is screw threaded on the screw threaded neck of a container. The base  12  has a cylindrical side wall  22  with a circular exterior surface  24  and a circular interior surface  26  at the opposite ends of the side wall. 
     The interior surface  26  is designed to be removably attachable to a separate liquid container over the dispensing opening of the container. To accomplish this, a cylindrical wall  28  having a center axis  32  is provided on the base interior surface  26 . The cylindrical wall  28  surrounds a cavity  34  that extends upwardly through the base and communicates with a dispensing orifice  36  of the base. The cylindrical wall  28  has a first portion  38  that is provided with internal screw threading  42 . The screw threading  42  is designed to removably attach the container closure base  12  to a separate liquid container. The cylindrical wall also has a second portion  44  that has a smaller interior diameter dimension than the first portion  38  of the cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall second portion  44  is contained inside a cylindrical spout  46  that projects outwardly from the base exterior surface  24 . The base cavity  34  extends upwardly through the cylindrical wall second portion  44  to an end wall  48  of the cavity that has the dispensing orifice  36 . The interior surface of the cylindrical wall second portion  44  is smooth and functions as a valve seating surface, as will be explained. 
     An annular rim  52  projects outwardly from the base interior surface  46 . The rim  52  is positioned between the cylindrical wall first portion  38  and the cylindrical wall second portion  44 . As seen in the drawing figures, the diameter dimension of the annular rim  52  is smaller than that of the cylindrical wall first portion  38 , and is larger than that of the cylindrical wall second portion  44 . 
     The base exterior surface  24  has a flat, annular portion  54  that extends inwardly from the base side wall  22  toward the dispensing orifice  36 . As the flat annular surface  52  extends toward the orifice  36  it merges into a truncated conical portion  56  of the exterior surface  24 . This conical portion  56  of the surface forms the spout  46 . The spout  46  extends outwardly from the flat annular surface portion  54  to an annular end surface  58  that surrounds the dispensing orifice  36 . 
     A lid  62  is connected to the base  12  by an integral, living hinge  64 . In alternate embodiments of the invention, the lid  62  could be separate from the base  12 . The lid  62  has a cylindrical side wall  66  that is connected to the hinge  64 . A circular top wall  68  of the lid extends inwardly from the side wall  66  toward a center, cylindrical protrusion  72  on the lid. The hinge  64  allows the lid  62  to move between a closed position over the dispensing orifice  36  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , to an opened position where the lid  62  is displaced from the base exterior surface  24  and the dispensing orifice  36  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The protrusion  72  is dimensioned to engage inside the dispensing orifice  36  to seal the orifice closed when the lid is moved to its closed position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The valve retainer  14  has a cylindrical wall  74  with a peripheral surface portion  76  that is dimensioned to engage inside the annular rim  52  of the base and attach the valve retainer  14  to the base  12 . A flat, circular platform  82  extends across the valve retainer cylindrical wall  74 . A center post  84  projects upwardly from the top surface of the platform  82 . A plurality of tabs  86  surround the post  84  and project upwardly from the valve retainer platform  82 . Tabs  86  are spatially arranged around the platform and are dimensioned to engage the base interior surface  26  to properly axially position the valve retainer  16  inside the base annular rim  52 . The tabs  86  also properly position the valve retainer  16  relative to the cylindrical wall second portion  44  in the interior of the dispensing spout  46 . A plurality of liquid passage holes  88  extend through the valve retainer platform  82 . The holes  88  are also spatially arranged around the platform and are positioned between the platform tabs  86 . 
     The valve element  14  has a cylindrical, tubular shape that projects upwardly from the valve retainer platform  82 . The valve element  14  is positioned radially outside the center post  84  of the retainer and radially inside the plurality of retainer tabs  86  and the plurality of retainer holes  88 . A circular top edge  92  of the valve element is positioned just above the retainer center post  84  and just below the annular end surface  48  in the interior of the base spout  46 . The cylindrical exterior surface  92  of the valve element  14  engages against the interior surface of the base cylindrical wall second portion  44 . The opposite cylindrical interior surface  94  of the valve element  14  extends around the base dispensing orifice  36 . 
     The resiliency and the flexibility of the valve element  14  allows the valve to move between closed and opened positions relative to the base  12  and the dispensing orifice  36 .  FIG. 1  shows the valve element  14  in its closed position with the lid  62  moved to its opened position relative to the base  12 . The resiliency of the cylindrical tubular shape of the valve element  14  positions the cylindrical exterior surface  92  of the valve against the cylindrical interior surface of the base cylindrical wall second portion  44 , and positions the valve cylindrical interior surface  94  extending around the dispensing orifice  36 . The resiliency of the valve element  14  biases the valve to this position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     When the closure base  12  is attached to a liquid container, the container opening is aligned with the base dispensing orifice  36 . When the liquid container is inverted and/or a squeezing pressure is exerted on the container, liquid passes through the dispensing opening of the container and through the liquid passageway defined by the retainer holes  88 . The liquid under pressure enters the area between the valve element cylindrical exterior surface  92  and the interior surface of the base cylindrical wall second portion  44 . The fluid pressure acts against the valve element  14 , causing the tubular valve element to resiliently flex inwardly away from the interior surface of the base cylindrical wall second portion  44 , opening communication between the container opening and the dispensing orifice  36 . This allows liquid to be dispensed from the liquid container through the dispensing orifice  36 . When the liquid pressure is removed from the cylindrical exterior surface  92  of the valve element  14 , the resiliency of the valve element pushes the exterior surface  92  back into engagement with the interior surface of the base cylindrical wall second portion  44  and blocks communication between the container opening and the dispensing orifice  36 . To further seal the dispensing orifice  36 , the lid  62  can be attached over the base exterior surface  24  positioning the lid cylindrical protrusion  72  in the base dispensing orifice  36 . 
     Although the container closure of the invention has been described above by reference to a single embodiment, it should be understood that modifications and variations could be made to the closure without departing from the intended scope of the invention defined by the following claims.