Patent Publication Number: US-2013233896-A1

Title: Flow Regulating Dispensing Closure

Description:
The present invention relates generally to a dispensing closure for a container and particularly to a closure which can regulate the flow of product from a container. 
     There are a wide variety of circumstances in which it is useful to be able to regulate the flow of product from a container through a closure. For example food products such as sources, cosmetics and other flowable materials. It is known to provide flow regulating closures in which a flow path can be established and the flow rate through the path can be regulated, for example by changing the size of a terminal dispensing orifice. Therefore a single flow path is provided and the flow rate is regulated by changing the flow rate through that flow path. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a flow regulating dispensing closure for a container, the closure comprising a base attachable to a container and including a dispensing passage, and a lid connected to the base and movable between a closed position in which the dispensing passage is blocked and an open position in which a first flow path through the lid is unblocked for dispensing flowable product from a container, in which the lid is movable to one or more further open positions in which one or more further flow paths therethrough are unblocked to allow increase of flow rate. 
     The present invention is therefore based on the provision of multiple flow paths through the lid. Adjustment of the flow rate is achieved by changing the number of flow paths rather than merely restricting or expanding the flow rate through a particular path. 
     The lid may be rotatable with respect to the base between the closed, open and further open positions. Alternatively or additionally other forms of relative movement, such as simple axial (for example longitudinal), may be used. 
     The closure may include a flow regulator. The regulator may be provided as a separate component for the lid and/or base. 
     In the open and/or further open positions a fluid path may be established through the regulator. Alternatively or additionally a fluid path around the regulator may be made available. 
     The open and further open positions may be discrete. In other words, the lid may be indexed between the closed, open and further open position/s. 
     In some embodiments only one further open position is provided. However, in other embodiments two or more further open positions are provided each of which progressively make one or more further flow paths through the lid available so as to regulate the flow rate. 
     The base and lid may be provided with cooperating surface formations for facilitating movement between the positions. For example screw thread formations and/or cam surfaces could be used to translate rotational movement into axial movement between the base and lid. 
     The closure may be provided with means for retaining the lid on the base. This means that the lid cannot be moved beyond a final further open position and removed form the base. 
     The open and further open positions may be stable. In other words, those positions are defined and further user intervention would be required in order to move them away from the closed, open and further open positions. 
     The present invention also provides a container having a closure as described herein. 
    
    
     
       The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a side view of a closure formed according to the present invention shown attached to a container and in a closed position; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side view of the closure/container of  FIG. 1   a  with the closure shown in an open position; 
         FIG. 1C  is a side view of the closure/container of  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  with the closure shown in a further open position; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation illustrating movement of the closure between the positions of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  1 C; 
         FIG. 3  is section of a closure formed according to an alternative embodiment and shown in a closed position; 
         FIG. 4  is a section of the closure of  FIG. 3  shown in an open position; 
         FIG. 5  is a section of the closure of  FIGS. 3 and 4  shown in a further open position; 
         FIG. 6A  is an external side view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6B  is a section of the closure of  FIG. 6A  taken along line A-A; 
         FIG. 6   c  is a magnified view of the region B from  FIG. 6B ; 
         FIG. 7A  is an external side view of the closure of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7B  is a section of the closure of  FIG. 7A  taken along line C-C; 
         FIG. 7C  is a magnified view of the region D of  FIG. 7   b;    
         FIG. 8A  is a side view of the closure of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8B  is a section of the closure of  FIG. 8A  taken along line E-E; 
         FIG. 8C  is a magnified view of the region F in  FIG. 8B ; 
         FIGS. 9A to 9D  are perspective, side and underplan views of a flow regulator component forming part of the closure of  FIGS. 3 to 8 . 
     
    
    
     Referring first to  FIG. 1A  there is shown a dispensing closure generally indicated  10  and shown connected to a container  20 . 
     In  FIG. 1A  the closure  10  is in a closed position and product from the container  20  cannot be dispensed. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the closure  10  can be rotated from the position (designated  1 ) in  FIG. 1   a  to the position of  FIG. 1B  (designated  2 ) in which product  25  can be dispensed from the closure  10  at a first flow rote. Further turning of the closure to the position shown in  FIG. 1C  (designated  3 ) in which an increased product flow rate is provided. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 to 8  the structure and operation of a closure  110  formed according to an alternative embodiment is now described in detail. 
     Referring first to  FIGS. 3 and 6A  to  6 C the closure  110  is shown in a fully closed position. 
     The closure  110  comprises a generally cylindrical base  130  and a frustoconical lid  135 . 
     The base  130  comprises a generally cylindrical sidewall  140  provided with internal screwthread formations  141  for engaging corresponding external formations  142  on a container neck  145 . At one end of the sidewall  140  a deck  150  extends radially inwardly. At the centre of the deck  150  a dispensing spout  155  projects and defines a dispensing passage through its interior. The deck  150  also includes an end stop  151  which projects away from the sidewall  140 . 
     The spout  155  comprises a base section  156 , a middle section  157  and a top section  158 . The base section  156  projects orthogonally from the inner edge of the deck  150 . The middle section  157  is a reduced diameter with respect to the base  156  and therefore extends from the base  156  by a step  159 . Similarly, the top section  158  is of reduced diameter with respect to the middle section  157  and extends therefrom by an inclined step  160 . 
     The base  156  and middle  157  sections carry a screwthread formation  162 . The top section  158  comprises a terminal, exterior retention bead  164  and a flow opening  166 . At the centre of the section  158  a retention post  168  projects on support legs  170 . 
     The lid  135  comprises a generally frustoconical outer shell  175  which fits over the spout  155 , resting on the deck  150  in the closed position illustrated in the figures. The interior of the shell  175  carries a stop member  177  which in this position is approximately diametrically opposite the stop  151  of the deck  150 . The exterior of the lid comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced, ellipsoidal dimples  176  which help with gripping of the lid during rotation (described in more detail below). 
     A first inner skirt  180  depends from the interior of the shell  175  and carries an internal screwthread  182  (best shown in  FIG. 4 ). The formation  182  cooperates with the formation  162  on the spout, to translate rotation of the lid into axial movement as described in more detail below. 
     Radially inward of the skirt  180  a second internal skirt  185  depends from the shell  175  which terminates with an annular bead  186  which in this position rests on the step  160 . 
     The sidewall  175  terminates with an opening  188  and a third inner skirt  190  depends from the sidewall  175  around the opening  188 . The skirt  190  terminates with an internal annular bead  192 . 
     Fitted into the lid is a flow regulator generally indicated  195 . As shown best in  FIGS. 9   a  and  9   d  the regulator  195  comprises an annular top plate  196  with a central dispensing orifice  197 . Depending from the top plate  196  around the orifice  197  are four spaced legs  198  each of which terminates with a hook projection  199 . 
     In the position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6A  to  6 C the dispensing passage Through the spout  155  is completely blocked because fluid cannot exit either the orifice  188  in the lid or the orifice  197  in the flow regulator. 
     In  FIGS. 4 and 7   a  to  7   c  the lid  135  has been rotated anti-clockwise (as shown in the drawings) so that the screwthread formations  162 ,  181  cooperate and the lid  135  rises axially up the spout  155  and results in a gap G 1  between the base and lid. As the lid  135  rises up it carries the flow regulator  195  by virtue of engagement of the top plate  196  with the bead  192 . The position in the figures is reached when the flow regulator hooks  199  contact the underside of the spigot post  168 . In this position fluid can pass out of the spout outlet  166 , between the regulator legs  198  and through the orifice  197  (passing over the top of the spigot  168 ). This represents a first flow path X and establishes a first flow rate of fluid through the closure. 
     In the position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8A  to  8 C the lid  135  has been further rotated. The resistance provided by the hook  199  is greater than that provided by the bead  192  and therefore the regulator  195  is pulled through the orifice  188  and over the bead  192  whilst remaining retained by the spigot  168 . The position shown is finally determined when the stop  177  on the sidewall  175  engages the stop  151  on the deck  150 , giving a gap G 2 . Further rotation is not possible. 
     In this position, the flow path through the regulator  197  is still operational, However, in addition, a further flow path Y is now established around the regulator  195 , over the top plate  196  and through the lid orifice  188 . In this position, therefore, an increased flow rate of product is possible. It is noted that the lid is held captive on the base in all positions.