Patent Abstract:
A tube is configured to store and discharge fluid materials. The tube includes a container and a closure formed to include a fluid-discharge port and coupled to the container to place the fluid-discharge port in communication with any fluid stored in an interior region formed in the container. In illustrative embodiments, the closure includes a base coupled to the container and formed to include the fluid-discharge port, a flip-top cap, and a hinge arranged to interconnect the base and the flip-top cap.

Full Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/440,287, filed Feb. 7, 2011, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to tubes, and particularly to tubes for storing and discharging fluid materials. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a squeeze tube comprising a fluid-storage container and a fluid-dispensing closure coupled to the fluid-storage container. 
     SUMMARY 
     A squeeze tube in accordance with the present disclosure includes a squeezable fluid-storage container and a fluid-dispensing closure mated to the fluid-storage container. The fluid-dispensing closure is coupled to one end of the fluid-storage container and configured to control discharge of fluid stored in the fluid-storage container through a discharge aperture formed in the fluid-dispensing closure. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the fluid-dispensing closure includes a base having a ring, a fluid-discharge deck formed to include the discharge aperture, and a generally cone-shaped nozzle interposed between and coupled to the ring and the fluid-discharge deck. The cone-shaped nozzle includes an upper portion coupled to the fluid-discharge deck and a lower portion interposed between and coupled to the upper portion and the ring. The lower portion of the cone-shaped nozzle is formed to provide a recessed channel extending about the circumference of the lower portion. 
     In illustrative embodiments, an upper end of the fluid-storage container provides a tubular closure-mount sleeve that lies in a stationary and fixed position in the recessed channel formed in the lower portion of the cone-shaped nozzle in the base of the fluid-dispensing closure to support a tubular receptacle coupled to the tubular closure-mount sleeve below the fluid-dispensing closure. The fluid-dispensing closure includes a base formed to include a discharge aperture opening into an interior region bounded by the tubular closure-mount sleeve and the tubular receptacle and, in illustrative embodiments, a flip-top cap and a hinge for supporting the flip-top cap for movement relative to the base between opened and closed positions. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the tubular closure-mount sleeve of the fluid-storage container is nested in the recessed channel formed in the base of the fluid-dispensing closure. The result is that an exterior surface of a visible upper portion of the cone-shaped nozzle is arranged to mate and merge in smooth alignment with an abutting outer surface of the tubular closure-mount sleeve at an annular junction established between those exterior and outer surfaces to provide substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of the squeeze tube at the annular junction. In other words, a top rim and a fluid-discharge deck included in the fluid-dispensing closure are visible and located outside of the fluid-storage container while a bottom rim of the fluid-dispensing closure is hidden and located inside the fluid-storage container and is configured to cause the exterior surface of the top rim and the outer surface of the tubular closure-mount sleeve to mate end-to-end in smooth alignment with one another to provide the squeeze tube with a substantially smooth and continuous outer wall around a circumference of the squeeze tube. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the fluid-storage container comprises a tubular sleeve made of a multi-layer sheet. The sheet comprises an inner tubular layer, an outer tubular layer, and a middle tubular layer interposed between and coupled to the inner and outer tubular layers. 
     An upper portion of the inner tubular layer includes a bottom section that has an interior surface that mates with an exterior surface of the ring and a top section that is coupled to a top perimeter edge of the bottom section and is arranged to extend upwardly therefrom. The top section extends into the recessed channel to mate with a portion of the lower portion of the cone-shaped nozzle defining a floor of the recessed channel. The outer tubular layer extends through and lies in the recessed channel formed in the lower portion of the cone-shaped nozzle to cause an exterior surface of the upper portion of the cone-shaped nozzle to mate in smooth alignment with an exterior surface of the outer tubular layer to provide a substantially smooth and continuous exterior wall of the squeeze tube around the circumference of the squeeze tube at the junction between the fluid-dispensing closure and the fluid-discharge tube. 
     Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a squeeze tube in accordance with the present disclosure showing an elongated squeezable fluid-storage container formed to include an interior region and showing that the squeezable fluid-storage container is coupled to a lower portion of a fluid-dispensing closure and provided with a tubular upper end that is arranged to surround and cover that lower portion; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective top view of a portion of the squeeze tube of  FIG. 1  showing a flip-top cap included in the fluid-discharge closure of the squeeze tube in a closed position; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing the flip-top cap after the flip-top cap has been moved to an opened position to expose a discharge aperture formed in a base of the fluid-discharge closure and suggesting that the base provides the lower portion of the fluid-dispensing closure that is surrounded and covered by the tubular upper end of the squeezable fluid-storage container; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the squeeze tube taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  showing that the base of the fluid-discharge closure includes a generally cone-shaped nozzle and an underlying cylinder-shaped ring and the squeezable fluid-storage container includes (1) a tubular closure-mount sleeve coupled to and arranged to surround and cover the cylinder-shaped ring and a lower portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle and (2) a thin-walled tubular receptacle coupled to the tubular closure-mount sleeve and arranged to extend downwardly therefrom to provide most of the interior region of the squeezable fluid-storage container; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view taken from the circled region of  FIG. 4  showing that the cylinder-shaped ring and a lower portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle included in the base of the fluid-dispensing closure is positioned to lie in the interior region formed in the squeezable fluid-storage container and also showing that an outer surface of the tubular closure-mount sleeve of the squeezable fluid-storage container is arranged to mate and merge in smooth alignment with an overlying exposed exterior surface of the upper portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle of the base of the fluid-discharge closure to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of the squeeze tube around a circumference of the squeeze tube at a junction between the fluid-dispensing closure and the upper end of the squeezable fluid-storage container; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the portion of the base of the fluid-discharge closure shown in  FIG. 5  before the upper end of the fluid-storage container is coupled to the base of the fluid-dispensing closure as suggested, for example, in  FIGS. 7-9  and showing (from bottom to top) the ring and lower, middle, and upper portions of the generally cone-shaped nozzle and showing that the middle portion is formed to include an exposed annular lip arranged to lie between exterior surfaces of the upper and lower portions; 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  showing a first assembly step in accordance with the present disclosure in which a tubular closure-mount sleeve included in the fluid-storage container is moved upwardly by a sleeve former (shown diagrammatically) to cause an inner surface of a bottom part of the tubular closure-mount sleeve to mate with the exterior surface of the ring included in the base of the fluid-dispensing closure; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  showing a second assembly step in accordance with the present disclosure in which a top part of the tubular closure-mount sleeve is moved towards the generally cone-shaped nozzle included in the base of the fluid-dispensing closure by a mover included in the sleeve former; 
         FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8  showing a third assembly step in accordance with the present disclosure in which heat is applied to the top part of the tubular closure-mount sleeve by a heater included in the sleeve former after an inner surface of the top part mates with the exterior surface of the lower portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle to fluidize an annular tip of the tubular closure-mount sleeve; 
         FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIGS. 7-9  showing that the fluidized annular tip of the tubular closure-mount sleeve has solidified and been mated with the exposed annular lip provided in the middle portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle of the fluid-dispensing closure to cause the outer surface of the tubular closure-mount sleeve to mate and merge in smooth alignment with the exterior surface of the upper portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle of the base of the fluid-dispensing closure as suggested in greater detail in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the squeeze tube taken from a first circled region of  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the squeeze tube taken from a second circled region of  FIG. 10  showing that the annular tip included in the tubular closure-mount sleeve is arranged to interconnect the inner and outer surfaces of the tubular closure-mount sleeve and mate with the exposed annular tip to cause the outer surface of the tubular closure-mount sleeve to mate and merge in smooth alignment with the exterior surface of the generally cone-shaped nozzle to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of the squeeze tube around a circumference of the squeeze tube at the junction between the fluid-dispensing closure and the upper end of the squeezable fluid-storage container as suggested in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A squeeze tube  10  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1-3 . Squeeze tube  10  includes a fluid-dispensing closure  11  having a base  30  that is formed to include a discharge aperture  14  as suggested in  FIG. 3 . Squeeze tube  10  also includes a fluid-storage container  16  having a tubular upper end that surrounds and mates with only a bottom rim  30 B of the base  30  that is included in fluid-dispensing closure  12  to cause discharge aperture  14  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  to open into an interior region  16 I formed in fluid-storage container  16  as suggested in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Fluid-storage container  16  also includes a tubular receptacle  19  that is closed at a lower end and coupled at an upper end to tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  to form interior region  16 I as suggested in  FIG. 1 . 
     An exterior surface  12 E of a top rim  30 T included in base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 5  to mate and merge in smooth alignment with an outer surface  18 O of tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of squeeze tube  10  at a junction  20  between top rim  30 T of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  and tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1-3 . Tubular upper end is configured to define a tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  that is adapted to mate with and surround bottom rim  30 B of fluid-dispensing closure  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 , and  5 . 
     As suggested in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 , and  5 , top rim  30 T of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  is exposed and visible while the underlying bottom rim  30 B of fluid-dispensing closure  12  is surrounded and covered by the tubular upper end (e.g., closure-mount sleeve  18 ) of fluid-storage container  16  and thus hidden from view once fluid-storage container  16  is coupled to bottom rim  30 B of base  30 . In an illustrative embodiment, base  30  includes a fluid-discharge deck  30 D formed to include discharge aperture  14 , a bottom rim  30 B coupled to tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  and arranged to lie in interior region  16 I of fluid-storage container  16 , and a visible and exposed top rim  30 T arranged to interconnect the overlying fluid-discharge deck  30 D and the underlying bottom rim  30 B as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     An illustrative coupling process is shown, for example, in  FIGS. 6-10 . Once the coupling process has been completed to mount fluid-storage container  10  on bottom rim  30 B of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12 , a smooth visible outside interface is established at the annular junction  20  provided between neighboring and abutting portions of the top rim  30 B of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  and the tubular upper end (e.g., closure-mount sleeve  18 ) of fluid-storage container to  16  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 ,  10 , and  12 . 
     Bottom rim  30 B of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  includes a first annular section  31 , a second annular section  32 L located above and coupled to first annular section  31 , and a third annular section  32 M located above and coupled to second annular section  32 L as shown, for example, in  FIG. 5 . First annular section  31  is cylinder-shaped and each of second and third annular sections  32 L,  32 M has a frustoconical shape in an illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Top rim  30 T of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  is located above and coupled to third annular section  32 M as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Fluid-discharge deck  30 D of base  30  is coupled to a top edge of top rim  30 T and formed to include discharge aperture  14  as suggested in  FIG. 3 . 
     Tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  is arranged to surround and mate with exterior surfaces  83 ,  82 , and  81  of first, second, and third annular sections  31 ,  32 L, and  32 M of bottom rim  30 B of base  30  in an illustrative embodiment so that an outer surface  12 E of top rim  30 T of base  30  is visible and exposed to a consumer handling squeeze tube  10  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-5 . A substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of squeeze tube  10  is formed around a circumference of squeeze tube  10  at the junction  20  between top rim  30 T of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  and an outer surface  18 O of tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     Fluid-dispensing closure  12  is coupled to the tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In an illustrative embodiment, fluid-dispensing closure  12  includes a base  30  adapted to mate with tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16 , a flip-top cap  40 , and a hinge  50  for supporting flip-top cap  40  for pivotable movement between a closed position closing discharge aperture  14  shown in  FIG. 2  and an opened position opening discharge aperture  14  shown in  FIG. 3 . Fluid-dispensing closure  12  is configured to control discharge of fluid stored in an interior region  16 I of the squeezable fluid-storage container  16  through a discharge aperture  14  formed in fluid-discharge deck  30 D of base  30 . 
     Base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  can also be described to include a ring  31 , a generally cone-shaped nozzle  32 , and a fluid-discharge deck  30 D. Ring  31  is located inside interior region  16 I of the squeezable fluid-storage container  16 . Fluid-discharge deck  30 D is located outside interior region  16 I of the squeezable fluid-storage container  16  and formed to include discharge aperture  14 . 
     Cone-shaped nozzle  32  includes upper, middle, and lower portions  32 U,  32 M, and  32 L as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 4-6 . Ring  31  and lower and middle portions  32 L,  32 M of cone-shaped nozzle  32  cooperate to define bottom rim  30 B of base  30 . Upper portion  32 U of cone-shaped nozzle  32  defines top rim  30 T of base  30 . 
     Upper portion  32 U ( 30 T) of cone-shaped nozzle  32  is coupled to fluid-discharge deck  30 D and located outside of interior region  16 I of fluid-storage container  16  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1-4 . Lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  is coupled to ring  31  and located inside interior region  16 I of fluid-storage container  16 . Middle portion  32 M of cone-shaped nozzle  32  is interposed between and coupled to each of upper and lower portions  32 U,  32 L and located inside interior region  16 I of fluid-storage container  16  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Middle portion  32 M of cone-shaped nozzle  32  is formed to include an exposed annular lip  81  arranged to lie between exterior surfaces  12 E,  82  of upper and lower portions  32 U,  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 6 . Exposed annular lip  81  is arranged to cooperate with exterior surface  82  of lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  to form an obtuse included angle  81 A therebetween as shown, for example, in  FIG. 6 , in part, to provide a large annular space for receiving fluidized annular tip  18 T during a heating step as suggested in  FIG. 9 . Exposed annular lip  81  has a frustoconical shape in an illustrative embodiment as suggested in  FIG. 6 . 
     Tubular upper end of fluid-storage container  16  is configured to define a tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  as suggested in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  includes (1) an inner surface  18 I arranged to mate with exterior surface  82  of lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  and exterior surface  83  of ring  31 , (2) an outer surface  18 O arranged to face away from exterior surface  82  of lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  and exterior surface  83  of ring  31 , and (3) an annular tip  18 T arranged to interconnect inner and outer surfaces  18 I,  18 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18 . Annular tip  18 T is arranged to mate with the exposed annular lip  81  of cone-shaped nozzle  32  to cause outer surface  18 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  to mate and merge in smooth alignment with an abutting exterior surface  12 E of upper portion  32 U of cone-shaped nozzle  32  included in base  30  to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of squeeze tube  10  around a circumference of squeeze tube  10  at an annular junction  20  between fluid-dispensing closure  12  and tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  of fluid-storage container  16 . 
     Receptacle  19  of fluid-storage container  16  is formed to define part of interior region  16 I of fluid-storage container  16  as suggested in  FIG. 4 . Receptacle  19  is coupled to tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  to depend therefrom without providing any visible outer gap between an exterior surface  83  of ring  31  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  and an outer surface  18 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  of fluid-storage container  16  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 , and  5 . 
     Base  30  of fluid-discharge closure  12  includes a generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  and an underlying cylinder-shaped ring  31  as suggested in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Squeezable fluid-storage container  16  includes (1) a tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  coupled to and arranged to surround and cover the cylinder-shaped ring  31  and a lower portion  30 L of the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  and (2) a thin-walled tubular receptacle  19  coupled to tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  and arranged to extend downwardly therefrom to provide most of interior region  16 I of the squeezable fluid-storage container  16  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     Cylinder-shaped ring  31  and a lower portion  32 L of generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  included in base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  is positioned to lie in interior region  16 I formed in the squeezable fluid-storage container  16 . An outer surface  18 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  of fluid-storage container  16  is arranged to mate and merge in smooth alignment with an overlying and abutting exposed exterior surface  12 E of upper portion  32 U of the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  of base  30  of fluid-discharge closure  12  to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of squeeze tube  10  around a circumference of squeeze tube  10  at an annular junction  20  between fluid-dispensing closure  12  and tubular upper end of the squeezable fluid-storage container  16 . 
     Outer surfaces  18 O,  19 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  and receptacle  19  cooperate to define an uninterrupted skin devoid of visible gaps therebetween as suggested in  FIGS. 1-3 . A single tubular band  17  is formed to define tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  and receptacle  19 . Singular tubular band  17  includes an upper section  17 U arranged to mate with the exposed annular lip  81  and the exterior surface  82  of lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  and a middle section  17 M arranged to mate with the exterior surface  83  of ring  31  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . A lower section  17 L of singular tubular band  17  is arranged to extend downwardly away from ring  31  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . Upper section  17 U is substantially cone-shaped. Middle section  17 M is substantially cylinder-shaped. Outer surfaces of the upper and middle sections of the singular tubular band  17  cooperate to define an obtuse included angle  17 A therebetween as shown, for example, in  FIG. 5 . Exterior surface  12 E of upper portion  32 U of cone-shaped nozzle  32 L of fluid-dispensing closure  12  cooperates with the outer surfaces  18 O of the upper and middle sections  17 U,  17 M of the single tubular band  17  to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of squeeze tube  10  around the circumference of squeeze tube  10  at the annular junction  20  between fluid-dispensing closure  12  and fluid-storage container  16 . 
     Tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  includes a top part  17 U and a bottom part  17 M as suggested in  FIG. 5 . Top part  17 U has an end surface  18 T arranged to mate with the exposed annular lip  81  of cone-shaped nozzle  32  and an inner surface  18 I arranged to mate with upper portion  32 U of cone-shaped nozzle  32 . Bottom part  17 M has an inner surface  18 I arranged to mate with lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32 . Top and bottom parts  17 U,  17 M of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  cooperate to define an obtuse included angle  18 A therebetween as suggested in  FIG. 5 . 
     Tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  of fluid-storage container  16  comprises a multi-layer sheet including an inner tubular layer L 1 , an outer tubular layer L 3 , and a middle tubular layer L 2  interposed between and coupled to inner and outer tubular layers L 1 , L 3  in an illustrative embodiment as suggested in  FIGS. 9 and 11 . Inner tubular layer L 1  includes the inner surface that is arranged to mate with the exterior surfaces  82 ,  83  of ring  31  and lower portion  32 L of cone-shaped nozzle  32  of fluid-dispensing closure  12 . Outer tubular layer L 3  includes the outer surface that is arranged to mate and merge in smooth alignment with exterior surface  12 E of upper portion  32 U of cone-shaped nozzle  32  of fluid-dispensing closure  12 . It is within the scope of this disclosure to form tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  from a single sheet or from any suitable number of material layers. 
     Exposed ends of each of inner, middle, and outer tubular layers L 1 , L 2 , L 3  of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  cooperate to define the tip  18 T of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  and mate with the exposed annular lip  81  of fluid-storage container  16 . Each of the exposed ends of the inner, middle, and outer tubular layers L 1 , L 2 , L 3  has a frustoconical shape when mated with the exposed annular lip  81 . 
     As suggested in  FIG. 6 , the base  30  of fluid-discharge closure  12  is shown before upper end (e.g., tubular closure-mount sleeve)  18  of fluid-storage container  16  is coupled to base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  as suggested, for example, in  FIGS. 7-9 . The ring  31  and lower, middle, and upper portions  32 L,  32 M,  32 U of the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  of base  30  are shown before fluid-storage container  16  is coupled to base  30 . Middle portion  32 M is formed to include an exposed annular lip  81  that is arranged to lie between exterior surfaces  12 E,  82  of upper and lower portions  32 U,  32 L. 
     A first assembly step in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in which a tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  of fluid-storage container  16  is moved upwardly by a sleeve former  90  (shown diagrammatically) to cause an inner surface  18 I of a bottom part  17 M of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  to mate with the exterior surface  83  of ring  31  included in base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12 . A second assembly step is shown in  FIG. 8  in which a top part  17 U of the tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  is moved towards the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  included in base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  by a mover  91  included in sleeve former  90 . A third assembly step is shown in  FIG. 9  in which heat is applied to the top part  17 U of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  by a heater  92  included in sleeve former  90  after an inner surface  18 I of the top part  17 U mates with the exterior surface  82  of lower portion  32 L of the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  to fluidize an annular tip  18 T of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18 . As suggested in  FIG. 10 , the fluidized annular tip  18 T of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  has solidified and been mated with the exposed annular lip  81  provided in middle portion  32 M of cone-shaped nozzle  32  of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  to cause the outer surface  18 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  to mate and merge in smooth alignment with exterior surface  12 E of upper portion  32 U of the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  of base  30  of fluid-dispensing closure  12  as suggested in greater detail in  FIG. 12 . 
     An enlarged sectional view of a portion of the squeeze tube  10  is provided in  FIG. 12  and taken from a second circled region of  FIG. 10  showing that the annular tip  18 T included in tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  is arranged to interconnect the inner and outer surfaces  18 I,  18 O of tubular closure-mount sleeve  18 . Annular tip  18 T is arranged to mate with the exposed annular tip  81  to cause the outer surface  18 O of the tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  to mate and merge in smooth alignment with the exterior surface  12 E of the generally cone-shaped nozzle  32  to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of squeeze tube  10  around a circumference of the squeeze tube  10  at the annular junction  20  between fluid-dispensing closure  12  and tubular closure-mount sleeve  18  of the squeezable fluid-storage container  16  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-3 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 1