Abstract:
A dispensing package for fluent products includes a container of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction having a hollow flexible body, and a rigid integral finish defined by a deck that spans one end of the body, a package dispensing opening in the deck and a wall upstanding from a perimeter of the deck surrounding the deck and the opening. An actuator disk is mounted within the peripheral wall overlying the deck and the dispensing opening, and is pivotal between a closed position closing the opening and an open position for dispensing product from the opening through the actuator disk.

Description:
The present invention is directed to packages for dispensing fluid products such as body lotions, and more particularly to a package and method of construction that feature an actuator disk that pivots between a closed position and an open position for dispensing fluid product from the package. 
     Reference is made to the copending application of Craig E. McClean (17036) filed Feb. 12, 2001 and entitled Disk-Top Fluid Dispensing Package. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disk-top fluid dispensing packages conventionally include a container with a finish, and a dispensing closure assembly having a base secured to the container finish and an actuator disk pivotally mounted on the closure base. The disk is pivotal between a closed position that closes a dispensing opening in the closure base, and an open position for dispensing fluid product from the package. A package of this type is illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,963. A general object of the present invention is to provide a package of this type in which the closure is integrated into the dispensing package. Others objects of the present invention are to provide a method of making such an integrated package, and a container for use in such an integrated package. 
     A dispensing package for fluent products in accordance with presently preferred embodiments of the invention includes a container of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction having a hollow flexible body, and an integral finish defined by a deck that spans one end of the body, a package dispensing opening in the deck and a wall upstanding from a perimeter of the deck surrounding the deck and the opening. An actuator disk is mounted within the peripheral wall overlying the deck and the dispensing opening, and is pivotal between a closed position closing the opening and an open position for dispensing product from the opening through the actuator disk. Provision of a two-piece package that includes a one-piece integrally molded container with finish deck, peripheral wall and dispensing opening reduces manufacturing, tooling and inventory costs, and reduces the weight of the overall package. The dispensing opening may be enlarged for easier and more rapid filling of the container, while the dispensing rate may be tailored by varying the size of the dispensing opening in the actuator disk. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the actuator disk has laterally extending aligned trunnions or pins that are received through laterally aligned openings in the peripheral wall of the container finish. This gives greater strength to the actuator/finish connection, and the actuator is less likely to become disassembled from the finish during use. Alternatively, part-spherical pivots may be employed. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a fluid dispensing package contemplates integrally molding a one-piece plastic container having a hollow flexible body, and a rigid finish including a deck extending across one end of the body, a dispensing opening in the deck, a peripheral wall extending around the deck and disk mounting means in the wall. An actuator disk is mounted within the wall by the disk mounting means to pivot within the wall between a closed position closing the dispensing opening, and an open position for dispensing product from the container through the opening and the disk. The container preferably is filled with product through the dispensing opening prior to assembly of the actuator disk to the container finish. A container for a disk-top fluid dispensing package in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention is of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction having a hollow flexible body, and a rigid finish including a deck extending across one end of the body, a peripheral wall extending around the deck, a dispensing opening in the deck, and disk mounting means on opposed sides of the wall. The dispensing opening in the preferred embodiment of the invention is keyhole-shaped, having an enlarged portion centered on the deck and a smaller portion radially offset from the enlarged central portion. The larger diameter portion of the keyhole-shaped opening in the preferred embodiment aids in filling the container. Alternatively, the fell/dispensing opening may be circular or oval. The hollow body of the container may be in the form of a tottle, a cylindrical container with a flat bottom, or a squeezable tube. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention, together with additional objects, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fluid product dispensing package in accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view that bisects the container finish and actuator disk in the package of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the actuator disk in the open position; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views taken substantially along the respective lines  5 — 5  and  6 — 6  in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the actuator disk in the package of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views taken substantially along the respective lines  8 — 8  and  9 — 9  in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a fluid dispensing package in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the finish and actuator disk in the package of FIG. 10; and 
     FIG. 12 is a partially sectioned elevational view of a fluid dispensing package in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1-3 illustrates a fluid dispensing package  20  in accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention as comprising a container  22  and a disk-type dispensing actuator  24 . Container  22  is of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction, having a hollow flexible body  26  and an integral rigid finish  28 . Referring to FIGS. 1-6, container finish  28  includes a flat relatively rigid deck  30  that extends laterally across one end of container body  26  in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container body. A keyhole-shaped fill/dispensing opening  32  is formed in deck  30 , having an enlarged central portion  32   a  (FIG. 4) coaxial with container body  26  and centrally disposed in deck  30 , and a smaller portion  32   b  extending radially from central portion  32   a . Fill/dispensing opening  32  is surrounded by a wall  34  that is integral with deck  30  and extends axially upwardly from the deck (in the orientation of FIGS.  1 - 3 ). 
     A peripheral wall  36  extends upwardly from deck  30  around the perimeter of the deck. Peripheral wall  36  has a recessed portion  38  laterally aligned with the long dimension of keyhole-shaped opening  32  on a side thereof remote from smaller keyhole portion  32   b . An abutment rib  40  extends upwardly from deck  30  along wall  36  beneath recessed portion  38  to serve as an abutment stop for the actuator disk in the fully open position of the latter (FIG.  3 ). A second abutment rib  42  extends from deck  30  along wall  36  adjacent to the ensmalled portion  32   b  of dispensing opening  32  to act as an abutment stop for the disk actuator in the fully closed position of the latter (FIG.  2 ). A pair of circular openings  44  (FIGS. 1 and 6) are laterally aligned with each other across wall  36  at a position offset from enlarged portion  32   a  of dispensing opening  32 . A pair of bearing ribs  46  extend upwardly from deck  30  beneath respective openings  44 , and terminate in concave arcuate bearing surfaces  48  for supporting the disk actuator during opening and closing of the latter, as will be described. 
     Actuator disk  24  is a one-piece generally flat body having a base wall  50  from which a peripheral wall  52  depends. Disk  24  is generally circular, having diametrically opposed flat portions  54  for disposition within opposed flats  56  on container wall  36  (FIG.  4 ). Alternatively, the disk may be non-circular if desired. A pair of cylindrical trunnions or posts  58  are laterally aligned with each other and extend outwardly from flat portions  54  of disk wall  52  for receipt by snap fit within openings  44  on container wall  36 . Beneath posts  58 , disk wall  52  has a pair of convex circular bearing portions  60  that ride on bearing surfaces  48  of ribs  46  to support disk  24  during pivoting of the disk around the axis of posts  58  and openings  44 . Within the periphery of disk base wall  50 , there are inner and outer keyhole-shaped walls  62 ,  64  that are disposed, in assembly with container  26 , inside of and outside of wall  34  on container finish  28 , as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Inner wall  62  is continuous and forms a plug seal within fill/dispensing opening wall  34  in the closed position of actuator disk  24  (FIG.  2 ). Outer wall  64  is interrupted by a lateral passage  66  that extends to the periphery of actuator disk  24  forming a fluid dispensing outlet passage from the actuator disk. A shield  68  depends from passage  66  and cooperates with wall  34  on container finish  28  to route fluid through actuator dispensing passage  66  in the open position of the actuator disk (FIG.  3 ). 
     Container  22 , including container body  26  and integral finish  28 , may be formed in an injection/extrusion/blow molding operation, in which finish  28  is first injection molded, a tubular preform is then extruded from the injection molded finish, blow mold sections are closed around the tubular preform, and container body  26  is then blow molded to the internal confines of the blow mold sections. Container body  26  is relatively flexible to permit squeezing of the container body in order to dispense product from the actuator passage when the actuator is in the open position. The finish is relatively rigid to maintain its geometry during transport and use. Container  22  may be of high density polyethylene construction, for example. Actuator disk  24  is preferably injection molded of suitable material, such as polypropylene. Container finish  28  and actuator disk  24  are circular in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9. However, other geometries, such as oval or elliptical geometry, are also contemplated. Likewise, although the pivot axis of disk  24  is parallel to the long lateral dimension of the non-circular geometry of container body  26  in the illustrated embodiment, the pivot axis could be perpendicular to such dimension. The finish and actuator disk could also be used with containers having a body that is cylindrical or other suitable shape. 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9, container  22  is a so-called tottle-type container, and the package is adapted to be rested on its head on a flat surface. However, the principles of the present invention may also be applied to containers having a flat bottom as illustrated in FIGS. 10-11, and to flexible tube-type containers as illustrated in FIG.  12 . Referring to FIGS. 10-11, a package  70  includes a container  72  having a hollow flexible body  26   a  and a relatively rigid finish  28   a . Finish  28   a  is molded integrally with body  26   a  in an injection/extrusion/blow molding operation as previously described. Finish  28   a  includes an annular wall  74  that surrounds a circular fill/dispensing opening of container  72 . The remaining elements of package  70  in FIGS. 10 and 11 are similar to those described above in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9, and are indicated by correspondingly identical reference numerals followed by the suffix “a”. The primary difference between package  70  of FIG.  10  and package  20  of FIG. 1 lies in the fact that container body  26   a  has a flat bottom for placement on a support surface. FIG. 12 illustrates a package  76 , in which container body  26   b  has a squeezable tube-type body  26   b . A finish  28   b  is integrally molded with body  26   b  as previously described, and a disk-type actuator  24   b  is pivotally secured within finish  28   b.    
     Thus, in all embodiments, the container body is of flexible blow molded plastic construction, and the container finish is molded integrally with the body. The dispensing actuator disk is secured to the container finish either before or after filling of the container, depending upon the type of container. In traditional bottles or tottles having a fill opening in the finish (e.g., FIGS.  1  and  10 ), the disk is secured to the container finish after filling. For flexible tube-type containers (e.g., FIG. 12 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,096), the disk may be secured to the container finish before the bottom of the tube is removed and the container filled through the bottom and then sealed. 
     There have thus been disclosed a package, a method of manufacture and a container that fully satisfy all of the objects and aims previously set forth. As compared with dispensing packages having conventional closure assemblies, the container and package of the present invention exhibit reduced manufacturing, tooling and inventory costs, and reduced weight. The enlarged keyhole-shaped fill/dispensing opening in the embodiment of FIG. 1 may be rapidly filled with product to reduce manufacturing time, and dosage rate can be readily varied by varying the size of the dispensing passage  66  in the actuator disk. A number of embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, together with various modifications and variations. Other modifications and variations will readily suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.