Abstract:
A dispensing closure is provided for an opening of a container wherein the closure has a dispensing condition of operation and a charging condition of operation, a neck structure ( 7 ) for fixing the closure to a container or for being fixed to a container, an outlet port ( 3 ) communicating with the opening, an actuator ( 9 ) movably mounted on the neck structure, and a deck structure ( 13 ) extending from the neck structure transversely over the opening and forming a discharge channel ( 61 ) extending substantially linearly from the outlet port to the opening and defining a longitudinal discharge direction and the longitudinal discharge direction of the discharge channel is inclined to a horizontal (H) in an acute inclination angle (alpha) and the dispensing condition of operation the deck structure is immovably fixed to the neck structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a dispensing closure for an opening of a container, particularly to a toggle-action dispensing closure for a container, wherein the closure can be manually manipulated between a closed horizontal orientation and an opened tilted dispensing orientation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Different closure designs have been proposed for a container used with flowable substances. Said closure type usually is provided for being attached to a container neck or mouth wherein the closure includes a so-called toggle-action actuator, flip-up spout, or a nozzle assembly for emitting the flowable content. Usually, such known dispensing closure comprises a dispensing condition of operation. In this dispensing condition of operation, the toggle-action actuator is tilted such that a fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of the container is established. For fixing the closure to the container, the dispensing closure comprises a neck structure. Said neck structure can as a separate element be mounted to the container or can be realized integrally with the mouth or the neck of the container. Usually, a dispensing closure defines a final outlet port from which the flowable content exits the dispensing closure to the exterior of the closure. The known dispensing closure comprises a movable actuator, particularly a toggle-action actuator, that is movably supported on said neck structure between a closed position for occluding said outlet port and an open position for vacating said outlet port in order to permit the content of the container to flow out of the opening of the container. In order to bring the actuator in its respective position, a particularly manual force is to be applied to said actuator by an end user. Further, the known dispensing closure comprises a deck structure extending from said neck structure transversally over said opening of the container. The deck structure forms a discharge channel extending substantially linearly between said outlet port and said opening and defining a longitudinal discharge direction. Said discharge channel starts at an inlet port adjacent the opening of the container and extends linearly. 
     Such a dispensing closure is for example known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,700 B2 in which according to its FIG. 7, the discharge channel formed by the deck structure extends linearly from its inlet port in a vertical direction and ends in a further channel branch formed in the toggle-action actuator. Said channel branch or prolongation formed by the toggle-action actuator is orientated horizontally in the closed position of the toggle-action actuator and is tilted with respect to the horizontal in the opened position. According to the structure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,700 B2, the outlet port of the closure is confined by the toggle-action actuator and accordingly moves together with the toggle-action actuator between the open and closed position in which the outlet port is closed by a fixed wall portion of the neck structure. Consequently, since the discharge channel is formed both by the fixed deck structure and by the moving toggle-action actuator, care must be taken regarding the cross-over between the channel portions of the movable toggle-action actuator and the fixed deck structure. It turns out that flowable content could leave the discharging channel in the cross over because of sealing difficulties and could therefore could reach internal compartments of the dispensing closure outside the discharge channel. For the end user it is quite cumbersome to clean the dispensing closure from this leaked flowable content so that the known dispensing closure might suffer hygienical problems if flowable content leaks from the discharge channel. A further disadvantage of the known dispensing closure could be identified when handling the dispensing closure. In a closed position of the toggle-action actuator, the channel portion adjacent to the outlet port is horizontal such that, if the container rests in an upright upside-down position, the fluid pressure in the flowable medium at the outlet changes when the toggle-action actuator is tilted and brought into the open position in which said discharging channel portion of the actuator adjacent the outlet is inclined. This abrupt change of pressure within the flowable content between the opened and the closed position makes the handling of the dispensing closure particularly regarding the dispensing speed of the flowable content unpredictable for a end user. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, particularly to provide a dispensing closure for an opening of a container according to the first part of independent claim  1  which provides hygienic operation condition during the entire using time of the dispensing closure while improving the handling of the dispensing closure, particularly when opening the actuator. 
     This object is solved by the features of claim  1 . According to the invention, the discharge channel extending substantially continuously linearly from said outlet port to said opening of the container defines a longitudinal discharge direction. Said discharge direction is particularly straight and inclined to a horizontal in an acute inclination angle. Further, in the dispensing condition of operation, i.e. when the actuator is moved into the opened position in order to vacate said outlet port, the deck structure is immovably fixed to the neck structure in between said actuator and the neck structure such that regardless the position of the actuator the inclination angle does not change. One aspect of the invention refers to the acute inclination angle of the longitudinal discharge direction of discharge channel with respect to the horizontal. According to the invention, the entire discharge channel structure extending from the inlet end to the outlet end is exclusively confined by the deck structure. No element or material of the movable toggle-action actuator confines the discharge channel. 
     The horizontal is defined by a plane to which the direction of gravitation is perpendicular. If the container is in an upright position, usually, its longitudinal direction or center axis of the container as well as of the dispensing closure is coincident with the direction of gravitation. The horizontal is perpendicular to such longitudinal direction. 
     It shall be clear that the deck structure must not be unreleasably fixed to the neck structure in any condition of operation, however, according to above first aspect of invention, the deck structure must be immovably fixed to the neck structure when the dispensing closure is in its active action for dispensing flowable content of the container, i.e. in its dispensing condition of operation. For the charging condition of operation, it is possible to release the immovable fixation of a deck structure to the neck structure in order to completely free the opening of the container for an easy access. 
     By providing a constant acute inclination angle regarding the longitudinal discharge direction of the discharge channel with respect to the horizontal during the entire dispensing condition of operation, the fluid pressure in the flowable content within the linear discharge channel also remains stable even when operating the movable actuator. Therefore, the end user will experience uniform dispensing conditions that will not change when opening the movable actuator and the dispensing speed can easily be controlled by squeezing forces as applied by the end user. Therefore, the dispensing closure provides a predictable handling when opening the actuator of the dispensing closure. Further, as the discharge channel does not comprise any relative movement between channel portions, i.e. any relative movement of elements forming the discharge channel is prohibited, a leakage of flowable content along the discharge channel is avoided. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuator forms a particularly flat outside ring or surface, particularly a top flat outside surface. Said outside surface is designed for depositing the container in an upright up-side-down position in which the flowable content flows under the influence of gravitation to the dispensing closure, the discharge channel and to the outlet port. As soon as the end user forces the actuator in the open position and pushes the squeezable container, content can flow out of the outlet of the dispensing closure, without any delay. In the closed position of the movable actuator, the flat outside surface lies in a horizontal plane, i.e. the discharge channel is inclined to said flat horizontal outside surface so that, even in the closed position of the actuator, because of gravitation forces, vertical pressure components force the flowable content to the outlet port, however, because of the inclination of the discharge channel, the horizontal components reduce the gravitational forces pushing the content to the outlet port. In the open position of the actuator, the flat outside surface is inclined to the horizontal in an acute open angle that is larger than the inclination angle of the longitudinal discharge direction of the discharge channel. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inclination angle is between about 1° to about 85°, preferably about 5° to about 60°, or smaller than about 45°, particularly to about 10° to 30°. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the discharge channel is confined by an at least partly revolving channel wall. The revolving channel wall can have a cylindrical or a particularly slightly cone shaped form. Preferably, the channel cross section increases constantly particularly from the inlet port adjacent to the opening of the container to the outlet port. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said discharge channel defines an inlet port formed by the deck structure. Said inlet port faces said opening while the outlet port is averted from the opening of the container. The inlet port can be at least partly confined by a horizontal wall of the deck structure. Particularly, the discharge channel extends with its horizontal component of direction radially outwardly to the circumference of the closure. The inlet port can have an annular cross section being coincident to a center axis of the opening of the container. However, alternatively, the center line of the inlet can be offset to the center axis of the opening. However, the discharge channel, particularly the longitudinal discharge direction of the discharge channel, extends linearly straight essentially from the inlet port radially away from the centerline of the opening. Preferably, the horizontal component of direction of discharge channel shall be dimensioned smaller than the radius of the circularly shaped dispensing closure body. 
     In a second independent aspect of the invention which aspect can also be combined with the first independent aspect of the invention, the inventor intends to improve the known dispensing closure according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,700 B2 regarding a charging condition of operation for the closure. It is desirably to provide a dispensing closure which must not completely be demounted if the container, to which the dispensing closure is fixed, shall be refilled with flowable content. In the known structure, it is possible to demount the toggle-action actuator in order to get access to the vertical branch of the discharge channel formed only by the deck structure, still covering the majority of the opening, said vertical portion provides a more or less large introduction opening for the flow content. However, when demounting the toggle-action actuator there is a risk of damaging elements of the dispensing closure. 
     Therefore, it is a further object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the known dispensing closure, particularly, to provide a dispensing disclosure having not only a dispensing condition of operation but a charging condition of operation which can easily be established while a large amount of flowable content can be charged. 
     This object is to be solved by the features of independent claim  6 . According to the invention, the dispensing closure comprises a neck structure for fixing the closure to the container or for being fixed to the container. Further, the dispensing closure comprises a deck structure being fixed to the neck structure for said dispensing condition of operation. In this fixed mounting position, the deck structure extends from said neck structure transversally over said opening of the container and defines a discharge channel. The dispensing closure comprises a movable actuator occluding said discharge channel in a closed position and vacating said discharge channel in an open position. The movable actuator can be movably supported on the neck structure. Further, the dispensing closure according to the invention comprises a first pivot joint for pivotably supporting the actuator on said neck structure. Further, a locking means is provided for releasably fixing the deck structure to the neck structure. A second pivot joint is provided for pivotably connecting said deck structure and neck structure. The deck structure is arranged between the actuator and the neck structure in such a way that when the actuator is detached from the neck structure and the locking means are released, the deck structure can be pivoted via said second pivot joint between said mounting position and a release position in which the opening of the container is essentially uncovered by the deck structure. Through the essentially uncovered opening of the container, the last can easily be charged with the flowable content. 
     The invention provides a sandwich arrangement of the neck structure to be fixed to the container, a deck structure forming the discharge channel and the movable actuator, particularly the toggle-action actuator. The sandwich arrangement permits movement of the three components with respect to each other by the first and second pivot joint. By this structure, it is easy for the end user to identify the dispensing condition of operation and to activate the charging condition of operation. However, for the end user the dispensing condition of operation is more apparent and the charging condition of operation are hidden behind the structure responsible for the dispensing condition of operation. The second pivot joint can only be activated after the locking means fixing the deck structure to the neck structure is released. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said first pivot joint comprises a pair of pivot pins each retained on an engaging wall portion of the actuator. Preferably, said engaging wall portion of the actuator overlaps the outside of a receiving wall portion of a neck structure so that for demounting the actuator, an external access to the overlapping wall portions of the first pivot joint is achieved. Particularly, the engaging wall portion of the actuator and the receiving wall portion of a neck structure are shaped complementarily. 
     In a further development of the invention, both engaging wall portions of the first pivot joint are elastically deformable such that they can be spread radially outwardly for disengaging the pivot pins from respective pivot holes formed in the neck structure. 
     Preferably, said first pivot joint comprises a snap means having at least two snap positions defining the open and closed position of the actuator. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, both pivot joints define each a pivot axis which are parallel to each other. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second pivot joint is a film hinge. 
     Preferably, the second pivot joint is arranged diametrically oppositely to the outlet port of the dispensing closure. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second pivot joint, a pair of pivot pins for the first pivot joint and the outlet port are positioned essentially in identical perimeter distances, particularly of about 90° around a center axis (L) of the closure. 
     In a further development of the invention, a locking means is formed by an annually deformable catch or hook that in said mounting position of the deck structure snappingly engages a ring wall of the neck structure particularly having an undercut, for releasingly fixing the deck structure to the neck structure. For releasing, the deformable catch or hook are deformed radially inwardly in order to free the undercut of the ring wall of the neck structure. 
     In a preferred embodiment of invention, the neck structure and the deck structure are integrally formed of one piece of plastic. 
     In a further development of the invention, a valve is positioned at the outlet port of the discharge channel. Said valve is particularly realized by a slotted roll diaphragm. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the revolving channel wall portion is formed with a seat for receiving said valve that particularly is retained in the seat ring, preferably by a snap or press ring, or alternatively is moulded with said seat by using a tow-component injecting moulding. 
     According to a further development of the invention, both the deck structure and the neck structure comprise a partly spherical outside wall being formed to shape a partly spherical axis-symmetric body for the closure. The cross overline between the neck structure and the deck structure defines the equator or the symmetric axis plane of the spherical body of the closure. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the neck structure comprises a partly spherical recess in a spherical outside wall portion for receiving a corresponding spherical outside wall portion of the actuator in its open position. Particularly, a depth of the recess corresponds essentially to a thickness of the received outside wall portion of the actuator. 
     Preferably, said recess is confined by a shoulder acting as a stop for limiting the pivoting of the actuator and defining the open position of the actuator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features, functions and advantages of the invention are described by the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention by means of the enclosed figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the dispensing closure of the present invention shown in a dispensing condition of operation; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dispensing closure shown in  FIG. 1  additionally having an elastomeric valve at the outlet port; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the dispensing closure according to  FIG. 2  in a closed position; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the dispensing closure according to  FIG. 2  in an open position; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross sectional view of section V in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of one main part of the dispensing closure according to the invention showing the charging condition of operation; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the main part according to  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a toggle-action actuator of the dispensing closure according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a further cross sectional view of the toggle-action actuator according to  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For each of the following description, the dispensing closure of the invention is described in an upright position in terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, vertical (=longitudinal) etc. are used with reference to this position. It is to be understood, however, that the dispensing closure of the invention may be manufactured, stored, supported, used, and sold in an orientation other than the position described. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show an embodiment of the dispensing closure of the invention in an open position in the dispensing condition of operation. The dispensing closure is provided with reference number  1  and can be fixed to a container (not shown) holding a flowable medium. For the sake of a clear description, during the entire description of figures, for similar or identical elements of the dispensing closure, the same reference numbers will be used. 
     The dispensing closure  1  of  FIG. 1  differs from the dispensing closure  1  according to  FIG. 2  in that at the outlet  3  no valve is arranged. The valve  5  according to  FIG. 2  can be realized as elastomeric rolling sleeve having a slotted orifice as it is described in references EP 0 794 126 B1 or EP 0 545 678 B1 which shall be incorporated as references in this application documents. 
     The dispensing closure  1  comprises as main components: a neck structure  7 , a toggle-action actuator  9  having a flat top surface  11  on which the dispensing closure and the container (not shown) can be deposited in an up-right-down-position. Further, the closure  1  comprises as a main component a deck structure which is positioned between the toggle-action actuator  9  and the neck structure  7 . The deck structure  13  is completely covered by the toggle-action actuator  9  in its closed position which is shown in  FIG. 3 . The total body of the dispensing closure formed by the neck structure  7 , deck structure  13  and toggle-action actuator  9  forms a sandwich arrangement which is best visible in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The detailed construction of the dispensing closure can be best described in view of enclosed  FIGS. 3 to 9 , to which it is now preferably referenced. 
     The neck structure  7  comprises an outer wall section  17  and an inner wall section  19 . The inner wall section  19  is provided with an internal thread  21  for fixing the closure  1  to the non shown container by screwing the closure  1  on a neck or mouth of the container having an external thread (not shown). The external wall section  17  is partly formed spherical. 
     Further, the inner wall section  19  defines a charging opening  23  which is formed circularly and concentric to the longitudinal axis L of the dispensing closure  1 . The charging opening  23  is confined by a circular protrusion  25  extending radially inwardly and forming an undercut  24 . 
     The toggle-action actuator  9  is pivotably supported on the neck structure  7  via a first pivot joint  31  which defines a horizontal pivot axis P 1  which extends horizontally and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L of the dispensing closure  1 . The centered pivot axis P 1  of the pivot joint  31  is formed by a pair of hinges formed on diametrically opposite positions at the perimeter of the neck structure  7  and the actuator  9 . The hinges comprise each a receiving wall portion  33  each forming a pivot hole  35  in which a pivot pin  37  of the toggle-action actuator is received (refer to  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9 ). In order to provide an easy mounting operation of the toggle-action actuator  9  onto the neck structure  7 , the receiving wall portion  33  comprises a vertical passage  41  cooperating with a slanted inner surface  43  formed at the pivot pin  37 . Further, the receiving wall portion  33  comprises two depressions  45  for defining the open position and the closed position of the toggle-action actuator  9  and which cooperates with protrusion  47  formed adjacent to the pivot pin  37  ( FIG. 9 ). 
     As is visible in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 , for realizing the hinges of first pivot joint  31  the toggle-action actuator  9  comprises an outer engaging wall portion  49  complementarily formed to the inner receiving wall portion  33  of the neck structure  7 . The engaging wall portion  49  of the toggle-action actuator  9  is dimensioned such that it overlaps the entire outside of the receiving wall portion  33  of the deck structure, such that the hinges the outside surfaces of the neck structure  7  and the toggle-action actuator  9  forms a smooth continued spherical outside surface without forming any steps in the crossover region. The toggle-action actuator  9  is designed in an elastically deformable way such that for mounting purposes the engaging wall portions  49  can be spread radially outwardly such that the slanted surface  43  of the pivot pin  37  supports spreading by sliding along the vertical passage  41  until the pivot pin  37  snaps self-actingly into the pivot hole  35 . For demounting the toggle-action actuator  9 , said engaging wall portions  49  are elastically spread radial outwardly for releasing the pivot pin  37  from the pivot holes  35 . 
     As visible in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the deck structure  13  is joined to the neck structure  7  via a film hinge  50  defining a second horizontal pivot axis P 2  which is parallel to the pivot axis P 1  of the first pivot joint and lies in the same horizontal plane. In order to facilitate the fabrication process, the neck structure  7  and the deck structure  13  can be integrally injected by a single piece of plastic. 
     The deck structure  13  comprises a horizontal basic wall  51  ( FIG. 6 ), which is dimensioned to cover the majority of the non shown opening of the container. From the basic wall  51 , an annular locking hook  53  extends. Said annular hook  53  cooperates with the undercut  24  of the protrusion  25  into the discharge hole  23  in order to immovably fix the deck structure  13  to the neck structure  17  for creating the dispensing condition of operation. 
     In  FIG. 6 , the locking hook  53  is released from the protrusion  25  and the deck structure  13  is pivoted to the completely open charging position in which free access to the charging opening  23  is effected for pouring the flowable medium into the container. 
     In  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the deck structure  13  is in its mounted dispensing position in which the deck structure  13  is immovably fixed to the neck structure  7 . The horizontal basic wall  51  is formed with a inlet port  59  extending from the center axis L radially outwardly and being the first inner end of an discharge channel  61  defining a longitudinal linear discharging direction D that is inclined to the horizontal by an inclination angle α which is about 15° to 20°. The inclination angle α does not change and is constant with respect to the horizontal H, regardless the actuation state of the toggle-action actuator  9  as is visible when regarding  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The deck structure  13  and therefore the discharge channel  61  is immovably fixed to the neck structure  7  while the toggle-action actuator  9  is pivotally connected to the neck structure  7 . As the inclination angle α remains stable during the entire dispensing condition of operation, the handling of the container provided with a closure  1  is uniform regardless the toggle-action actuator  9  is just opened or was already open. In the open position of the toggle-action actuator  9 , an tilt angle β of the center line L with respect to the vertical or the longitudinal axis L of the closure is achieved the tilt angle being larger than the inclination angle α. 
     The discharge channel  61  is confined by a revolving channel wall  63  that is cylindrically or cone like shaped. The cone like channel wall  63  slightly increases in diameter from the inlet port  59  to the outlet port  3  of the discharge channel  61 . The channel wall  63  at the outlet port  3  is formed with a ring seat  65  ( FIG. 5 ) in which a foot portion of the rolling sleeve  5  is press fitted by a snap ring  67 . 
     If no valve  5  is foreseen, the innerside of the wall of the toggle-action actuator  9  is formed with a sealing nose opposite the outlet  3  and formed to fit into the outlet port  3  of the discharge channel  61  of the deck structure  13 . 
     When dispensing the toggle-action actuator  9  is manually operated such it is tilted from the closed position ( FIG. 3 ) into the open position ( FIG. 4 ) thereby vacating the outlet port  3 . The closure  1  and the container are preferably in an vertical up-side-down position. When squeezing the container the medium will flow through the inlet port  59  via the discharge channel  61  to the outlet port  3 . If the dispense use is finished the end user can close the toggle-action actuator  9  by tilting it back into the closed position. 
     For charging the container with medium, in a first step, the toggle-action actuator  9  is demounted and separated from the neck structure  7 . In a second step, the locking hook  53  is released from the charging opening  23 . In the third step, the deck structure  13  is pivoted in its open charge position so that the charging opening is totally vacant from the deck structure  13 . 
     It will be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the invention and from the illustrations thereof that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the principal aspects of the invention. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  dispensing closure 
           3  outlet 
           5  valve 
           7  neck structure 
           9  toggle-action actuator 
           11  flat top surface 
           13  deck structure 
           17  outer wall section 
           19  inner wall section 
           21  internal thread 
           23  charging opening 
           24  undercut 
           25  protrusion 
           31  pivot joint 
           33  receiving wall portion 
           35  pivot hole 
           37  pivot pin 
           41  passage 
           43  slanted surfaces 
           45  depressions 
           47  protrusion 
           49  engaging wall portion 
           50  film hinge 
           51  horizontal basic wall 
           53  annual hook 
           59  inlet port 
           61  discharge channel 
           63  channel wall 
           65  ring seat 
           67  snap ring 
         H horizontal 
         L longitudinal (center) axis 
         P 1, 2  pivot axis 
         α inclination angle 
         β tilt angle