Patent Publication Number: US-7712638-B2

Title: Dual overlapping flip top closure assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/278,256, filed on Mar. 23, 2007, and entitled DUAL OVERLAPPING FLIP TOP CLOSURE. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD 
   The present disclosure relates to closures for containers and, more specifically, to a closure for containers for exposing one or more product dispensing holes through which a product held by the container may be poured, shaken and spooned from the container. 
   BACKGROUND 
   The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
   Typically, containers for holding a product to be poured, shaken and spooned have a cap or closure that is adapted for securing to the container by a snap or threaded engagement. The closures, such as dispensing caps, typically have a plurality of holes through which the product can be shake dispensed, e.g., shaken. A flap is often provided for overlaying on the plurality of holes to seal or close the holes when not in use. The closures can also have a separate aperture adapted for pouring and spooning the product from the container. The aperture is often dimensioned for receiving a spoon and for enabling the user to withdraw the spoon with a predetermined amount of product or at least a leveled amount of product. This aperture is provided with a separate flap. The two flaps are located on opposing sides of the closure for separate operation by the user. 
   SUMMARY 
   The inventor hereof has succeeded at designing new and novel closures for containers that allow for a product to be shaken, poured and spooned in a different manner thereby providing for improved operation of the closures by users in some embodiments and uses. Additionally, in some embodiments such closures can provide for reduced manufactured costs. 
   According to one aspect, in a closure for a container having a mouth the closure is adapted for sealable connection to the mouth of the container and includes an end wall at the upper end of the skirt for closing the mouth when the closure is mounted to the container. The closure includes an opening in the end wall for dispensing a product held by the container and a first flap that has at least one flap aperture that is smaller than the opening. The first flap is adapted for selectively opening and closing the opening. A second flap is adapted for overlaying the first flap and includes a first state wherein one or more of the apertures in the first flap are open and a second state wherein the apertures in the first flap are sealed. 
   According to another aspect, a dispensing cap for a container having a mouth at an end of the container includes a downwardly depending skirt for sealable connection to the mouth of the container and an end wall at the upper end of the skirt for closing the mouth of the container when the closure is mounted to the container. The end wall has an opening for dispensing a product held by the container and a first flap with a plurality of small apertures. The first flap is hingedly attached to the end wall proximate to the opening. The first flap is adapted for selective movement between a closed position in which the first flap seals the opening and an opened position in which the first flap is free from the opening for enabling the product held by the container to pass through the opening. A second flap is hingedly connected to the end wall. The second flap is adapted for selective movement between a closed position in which the second flap overlies the first flap and seals the small apertures in the first flap and an opened position in which the second flap is free of the first flap. In the opened position, the second flap unseals the small apertures in the first flap for enabling the passing of the product through the small apertures. 
   According to yet another aspect, a dispensing cap for a container having a mouth includes a downwardly depending skirt for sealable connection to the mouth of the container and an end wall at the upper end of the skirt for closing the mouth when the closure is mounted to the container. The cap includes an opening in the end wall for dispensing a product held by the container and means for providing selective access to a product held by the container wherein the selective access includes a closed position preventing access to the product. The cap also includes means for permitting the product to be shake dispensed from the container when the means for providing access is closed. The cap further includes means for closing the means for providing limited dispensing of the product. 
   Further aspects of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out below. It should be understood that various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented individually or in combination with one another. It should also be understood that the detailed description and drawings, while indicating certain exemplary embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is side perspective view of a closure having dual overlapping flaps according to one exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the closure of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  is a back view of the closure of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the closure of  FIG. 1  according to one exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of a closure having dual overlapping flaps according to a second exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of a closure having dual overlapping flaps according to a third exemplary embodiment. 
   

   It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or the disclosure&#39;s applications or uses. 
   As shown by way of examples is  FIGS. 1-8 . in various embodiments of a closure  10  or cap for a container (not shown), the closure  10  is adapted for sealable connection to a mouth of the container and for dispensing product (not shown) contained within the container without removal of the closure  10  or cap from the container. The closure  10  includes a skirt  12  defining a perimeter of the closure  10  and a diametric or generally diametric end wall  14  at an upper end of the skirt  12 . The closure  10  is configured for closing the mouth of the container when the closure  10  is mounted to the container. In some embodiments, the closure  10  can include a snap locking mechanism (not shown) for coupling to the container. Additionally, where the container has a threaded neck, the skirt  12  of the closure  10  can include threads  16  that are configured for being threaded onto the threaded neck of the container. 
   The closure  10  includes one or more openings  18  in the end wall  14  for dispensing a product held by the container. In some embodiments, this is a single opening  18  configured for pouring or spooning of the product. In some embodiments, the opening  18  in the end wall  14  can be shaped and dimensioned to accept a spoon for extracting product held by the container. For example, the opening  18  can have the shape of a half-circle for spooning of the product from the container as shown by way of example in  FIG. 1 . The one or more openings  18  can be of any size relative to the total size of the end wall  14 , and can include, in one embodiment, a single opening  18  dimensioned to be a substantial portion of one-half of a total area of the end wall  14 . Other shapes and sizes are also possible for the openings  18  including a single opening  18  that includes a circle (as shown by way of example in  FIG. 7 ) or a square that has a cross-sectional area of a substantial portion of the total area of the end wall (as shown by way of another example in  FIG. 8 ). 
   A first flap  20  has more apertures  22  that are smaller in size than the one or more openings  18 . The first flap  20  is adapted for selectively opening and closing the one or more openings  18  and includes a top surface  21  and an outer edge. This can include, in some embodiments, a first hinge  24  that attaches the first flap  20  to the end wall  14  and provides for rotational movement about a first axis A 1  that is relative to the plane defined by the end wall  14  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ). The rotation movement of the first flap  20  is in a first orientation towards the outer edge of the first flap  20 . This hinge  24  provides for the selective movement of the first flap  20  between a first state and a second state. The first state is where the first flap  20  is positioned within the openings  18  for substantially closing the openings  18  and a second state with the first flap  20  being removed from the openings  18 . In this first state, the top surface  21  of the first flap  20  is substantially planar with the outer surface  13  of the end wall  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1  the first flap  24  extends outwardly and can include a perpendicular position for allowing for the unrestricted flow of the product out of the container or allowing a user to use a utensil to advance through the opening  18  and into the container to remove measured amounts of the product. The hinge  24  can be positioned between the first flap  20  and the end wall  14  in any manner or method or position including being spaced apart from the periphery or perimeter of the closure  10 . In some embodiments, the hinge  24  is proximate to the opening  18  such as forming a portion of the end wall  14  defining the opening  18 . This can be formed in any manner, including formation by and/or during injection or other molding, by way of example. 
   Additionally, the first flap  20  can also include a finger tab  26  that extends outwardly from the first flap  20 , or at least a main body  28  of the first flap  20 . The end wall  14  can include a corresponding cavity  30  that is configured to receive the tab  26  when the first flap  20  is positioned within the openings  18 . In such a position the tab  26  and the cavity  30  permit a user to readily insert a portion or tip of a finger in the cavity  30  for opening the first flap  20  via the tab  26 . In some embodiments, the first flap  20  can include side edges  32  configured to engage edges  34  of the openings  18  when the first flap  20  is positioned within the openings  18 . Such first flap edges  32  can include a protrusion (not shown) configured for snapping into crevices (not shown) on the side edges  34  of the openings  18 . 
   A second flap  36  is adapted for overlaying the first flap  20  and includes a first state wherein one or more of the apertures  22  in the first flap  20  are open and a second state wherein the apertures  22  in the first flap  20  are sealed. A second hinge  38  attaches the second flap  36  to the end wall  14  for selective rotational moving the second flap  36  in a second orientation about a second axis A 2  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) from the first state to the second state. The first state of the second flap  36  can be one that wherein the second flap  36  overlays the first flap  20  in the same direction and orientation and substantially closes the first flap apertures  22 . In such embodiments, the orientation of the rotating first flap  20  is the same orientation of the rotating second liar  36 . The second state of the second flap  36  can be one that uncovers the first flap  20  and opens one or more apertures  22  of the first flap  20 . In one embodiment, this second state can include opening of all of the apertures  22  of the first flap  20  to provide for the shake dispensing of the product from the container through the first flap apertures  22 . The hinge  38  can be configured in any position as may be provided or required by the size and shape of the second flap  36  and/or the end wall  14 . For example, where the second flap  36  has a cross-sectional area about equivalent to the total cross sectional area of the closure  10 , the hinge  38  can be attached proximate to a periphery  40  of the end wall  14 . In other embodiments, the second flap  36  is smaller or has a cross sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the end wall  14 . in those embodiments, the hinge  38  could be located at a distance from the periphery  40  of the end wall  14  or could also be located proximate to the periphery  40  as shown by way of example in  FIG. 8 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1-8 , the second flap  36  includes a top surface  49  that is dimensioned such that the top surface  49  of the second flap  36  is substantially planar with the top surfaces  19  of the abutments  18  when the second flap  36  is in the closed position (second state). Additionally, in some embodiments the second flap  36  is dimensioned to overlay the outer surface  13  of the end wall  14  and the top surface  21  of the first flap  20  and lie between the two abutments  15 . In such embodiments, the second flap includes two straight peripheral edges  47  each of which angles outwardly from each side of second hinge  38  and a substantially semicircular outer edge that defines a downwardly depending skirt  46  on an outer edge opposing the second hinge  38 . The two straight peripheral edges  47  are dimensioned and configured for placement between the two inner edges  17  of the abutments  15  when the second flap  36  is in the closed or second state overlaying the top surface of the first flap  20  and the outer surface  13  of the end wall  14 . 
   The second flap  36  can include a snap lock mechanism  42  that is dimensioned and or configured for securing the second flap  36  in its closed position overlaying the first flap  20 . The end wall  14  and or skirt  12  can include or define a shoulder  44  integrally formed about a top or peripheral portion for coupling to a downwardly protruding skirt  46 . A portion of a periphery of the second flap skirt  46  is configured to selectively engage with the shoulder  44  of the end wall  14 . In some embodiments, the skirt  46  of the second flap  36  can include an internal beveled edge  43  for engaging the shoulder  44  of the end wall  14  or a portion of the end wall  14  defined by the shoulder  44 . The second flap  36  can also include an inner surface  48  with one or more bosses  50 . Each boss  50  can he configured to be received within a respective aperture  22  of the first flap  20  for closing the apertures  22  when the second flap  36  overlays the first flap  20 . 
   As shown in this description and in the accompanying  FIGS. 1-8 , in operation of the closure  10 , when the second flap  36  is closed, the first flap  20  is also closed. As such, all of the openings  18  and the apertures  22  are closed and the closure  10  seals the container such that no product is dispensed from the container. If a user wishes to shake or sprinkle out a small or individual quantity of the product, the user opens the second flap  36  about the second hinges  38 . By doing so, the bosses  50  are withdrawn from the apertures  22  whereby they become open for enabling the product to be dispensed there through. The user can then close the second flap  36  when done to reseal the container. However, if the user wishes to withdraw a substantial amount of product from the container, the user can grasp the tab  26  of the first flap  20  and rotate the first flap  20  about the first hinge  24  to withdraw the first flap  20  from the opening  18 . Once the first flap  20  is removed from the opening  18 , the user can pour the product through the opening  18  or can insert a spoon or knife or the like through the opening  18  to withdraw a portion of the product. When the user has withdrawn the desired amount of product through the opening  18 , the user can either close the first flap  20  to seal or close the opening  18 . At this time the user can still shake a smaller amount of product through the apertures  22 . In the alternative, the user can close the second flap  36  to insert the bosses  50  into to the apertures  22  to seal the apertures  22  and close the container. These operations do not require that the user turn the container or closure at both the first flap  20  and the second flap  36  can open in the same direction. In other embodiments, the first flap  20  can open in the opposite or a different position than the second flap  36  as the current disclosure provides for such design of the closure with dual overlapping flaps is flexible for meeting the particular needs or desires of container and product manufactures and users. 
   When describing elements or features and/or embodiments thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements or features. The terms “comprising“, ”including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features beyond those specifically described. 
   Those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes can be made to the exemplary embodiments and implementations described above without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
   It is further to be understood that the processes or steps described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative processes or steps may be employed.