Abstract:
A leak proof package for fluid materials in which the end of a tubular nozzle from a container is closed by a wall and dispensing openings are formed in the side of the nozzle to extend radially. The dispensing openings are closed by a sleeve which initially is fixed to the wall. The sleeve is separated from the wall along a line of frangible webs by twisting the sleeve relative to the nozzle to fracture the webs after which the sleeve slides axially of the nozzle between positions opening or closing the dispensing openings in the nozzle.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/148,004 filed Aug. 10, 1999. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to closures and containers and particularly to the dispensing of liquids such as petroleum oil from a container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many products such as motor oil, solvents, soap and like products are bottled or packaged in plastic containers having a neck offset to one side of the main body of the container and closed by a screw type closure. Such closures require the total removal of the threaded cap, which exposes the contents of the container to the atmosphere. When attempts are made to pour or empty the contents of the container into another receptacle, spillage typically occurs. Particularly in the case of oil for the crank cases of automotive engines, space usually does not permit the container of oil to be gradually tilted to obtain uniform flow. Also, once flow is obtained and the container is inverted it is difficult if not impossible to stop overflow problems, which cause spillage. Additionally, the design of such containers often is such that air equalization causes the contents to surge resulting in spillage. Also, once such containers are inverted, it is not possible to interrupt flow without spillage. 
     There is a need for improved container or container closure combination which eliminates the aforementioned problems with the pouring of liquid from one container into a receiving opening in a container or a fill pipe for the crank case of an automobile engine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved closure-container combination or a closure for use with a variety of threaded containers. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide such package or closure, which allows for the pouring from plastic bottles without spillage. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide such a package or closure which is drip free and which can accommodate different size liquid receiving ports without the need for separate funnels and the like. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved closure-container or closure, which allows the flow of liquid to be terminated anytime before the contents of the container are completely emptied and also permits regulation of the rate of flow from the container. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing package or closure which can be placed in an inverted dispensing position relative to the receiving container but remains in a closed position after which it can be open to insure that all of the material is dispensed into the receiving container without drip or splash. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container-closure or closure for containers, which facilitates threading of a package in its closed condition relative to a receiving container, after which the closure can be opened to insure a transfer of materials from the container to the receiving container without escape of fumes or liquid. 
     The objects of the invention are attained by a container closure package, which includes a container having a body portion with a tubular neck, or pouring spout in which the end of the pouring spout is closed. Passage means in communication with the container are through passages in the side of the pouring spout, which in a closed position are closed by a tubular sleeve slidable on the exterior of the pouring spout, but initially fixed to the container to form a unitary structure through means of a frangible line of weakening. After fracture of the frangible connection the sleeve can be moved between open and closed positions to dispense material from the container. 
     In another embodiment of the invention the package is provided with external threads for threading into a receiving opening of another container so that materials can be transferred without the escape of fumes or liquid. 
     The objects of the invention are attained by a two-part closure structure in the form of a tubular spout and a sliding closure or sleeve. The closure structure is incorporated directly into the container finish or neck. In the case of a threaded closure a tubular body member is closed at one end and is threaded at its opposite end to receive matching threads on a container neck. The tubular body member is provided with radially extending openings from which the contents of the container can be emptied. The radially extending openings are closed by a slidable sleeve which in the closed position obstructs the radially extending passages and which can be slid downwardly on the tubular portion a predetermined amount to open the radially extending ports a selected amount to dispense liquid from the container. The sleeve is provided with a flange at one end, which extends radially outwardly from the axis of the tubular member and can be used to open and close the container. For example, opening can be accomplished by inverting the package and holding the flange stationary on an edge of an opening into a receiving receptacle. Subsequently, moving the container downwardly causes the sleeve to slide to an open position relative to the tubular body member to dispense the contents without dripping or splash. 
     In the case of the container, the tubular neck or finish of such containers can be closed and provided with radially opening dispensing ports adjacent to the closed top. The slidable sleeve on the tubular neck closes the radially extending ports and a flange on the bottom of the sleeve can be held stationary or can be moved to slide the sleeve on the spout and expose the ports. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation of package embodying the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line  3 — 3  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG.  4 . is a cross-sectional view taken on line  4 — 4  in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the package embodying the invention in an inverted position during the pouring process; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG.  7 . is a view similar to a portion of FIG. 2 showing still another embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a view of the embodiment in FIG. 7 but at a smaller scale showing a pouring position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The two major components of the package  10  embodying the invention are a container portion  12  having a cylindrical pouring spout  14  and closure portion  16  including a tubular sleeve  18  fitting over the exterior of the cylindrical spout  14 . 
     The cylindrical spout  14  of the container portion  12 , as best seen in FIG. 4, is closed by a top wall member  20 . The top wall member  20  has a plug portion  22 , which fits tightly into the upper end of the spout  14  and is intended to be fixed to the internal wall of the spout  14 . If desired, the pressed fit of the plug  22  can be further secured with adhesive or welding to fuse the materials together to make a permanent connection. Access to the contents of the container portion  12  is through radially extending openings  24  as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, three openings  24  are shown separated by posts  26 . It should be understood that more openings or less openings could be provided. In the closed condition of the package  10 , the sleeve  18  covers the radial extending openings  24 . 
     The upper end of sleeve  18  is connected to an annular lip  28  of wall  20  by circumferentially spaced webs  30  which form a frangible connection between the wall  20  and the sleeve  18 . After fracture of all of the webs  30 , the sleeve  18  is rotatable and axially slidable on the spout  14  between a closed position as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 and an open position as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     As seen in FIG. 3, the bottom end of the sleeve  18  is provided with a flange  32  having a generally oval configuration so that diametrically opposed edges  34  are adjacent to the outer surface of the sleeve  18  and diametrically opposed edges  36  are radially spaced away from the side walls of sleeve  18 . The flange  32  provides a grip for twisting the sleeve  18  relative to the top wall  20  to break the frangible webs  30  to free the sleeve  18  from the stationary wall  20  for opening of the package  10  by sliding the sleeve  18  axially away from wall  20  on the spout  14  to expose the radial dispensing openings  24 . 
     The closed position is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and an open position is shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The container  12  can be filled with a product such as motor oil through the open pouring spout  14 . After filling, the container  12  can be closed by pressing the closure  16  into position with plug  22  in the open end of spout  14 . As mentioned previously, the pressed fit is sufficient to fix container  12  and closure  16  relative to each other but if desired a more permanent and secure connection can be made by use of adhesive or by fusion with heat to form a unitary assembly or package  10 . Both container and closure can be injection molded of the same plastic material to form the unitary assembly. However, it may be desirable, in some instances, to use different plastic materials to reduce friction of like material and facilitate sliding movement of sleeve  18  relative to the neck or spout  14 . Also the container  12  and closure  16  can be of a different color. 
     Use of the filled package  10  entails opening of the closure portion  16  by twisting the sleeve  18  on the neck or spout  14  to cause relative movement of the sleeve  18  and the top wall  20  causing fracture of the webs  30 . Axial sleeve movement is permitted in the range between a closed position in which movement of the sleeve is limited by the annular lip  28  which keeps the sleeve  18  captured on the spout  14  and an open position determined by the juncture of the spout or neck  14  with the body of the container  12 . 
     The outer surface of the pouring spout or neck  14  can be provided with an annular sealing bead  40  on the outer wall of the spout  14  below the radial openings  24 . An additional annular seal  42  can be provided immediately above the openings  24  to maintain alignment of the sliding sleeve  18  in its closed position. 
     After separation of the sleeve  18  from the top wall  20 , movement of the sleeve  18  between open and closed position can be accomplished manually by gripping the flange  32  and moving the sleeve  18 . The usual procedure for dispensing of contents of the container  12  after the webs  30  have been broken but with sleeve  18  in the closed position is to invert the container  12  to place the pouring spout or neck  14  into an opening such as the opening  44  that might be found on a valve cover  46  of an automotive engine. With the container  12  inverted but still closed, the flange  32  can be placed into engagement with the edge or lip of the opening  44  after which the container  12  can be pushed downwardly to slide the sleeve  18  relative to the spout  14  to expose the radial openings  24 . Even if there should be a surge of the contents of the container  12  as the air equalizes in the container  12 , there will be no spillage because the dispensing openings  24  will be disposed below the entrance to the opening  44 . 
     If it is desired to interrupt fluid flow, the flange  32  can be held in engagement with the edge of the opening  44  and the container  12  can be moved upwardly relative to the stationary flange  32  to bring the sleeve to its closed position covering the radially extending openings  24  thereby interrupting fluid flow. Also the rate of flow can be controlled by moving the sleeve  18  to a selected intermediate position in which the openings are only partially exposed. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 in which the closure part showed in  16  of the package  10  performs as a separate closure for threaded engagement with a variety of containers having threaded necks. In this embodiment of the invention, closure portion  16  is fitted on a cylindrical sleeve  50  instead of neck or spout  14  as shown in FIG.  6 . Sleeve  50  is provided with internal threads  52  complementary with external threads  54  on a neck of a container  56  with which the closure is to be used. In use, this embodiment of the invention operates in the same manner as the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 5. Filling of the container  56  can be accomplished in the usual manner before the closure including the sleeve  50  is threaded onto container threads  54 . 
     Another variation of the invention can be provided by forming external threads  60  on the outer surface of sleeve  18  of the closure  16 . The external threads  60  are intended for complementary threaded engagement with internal threads  62  on the inner wall of an opening  64  in a closed container  66  as seen in FIG.  8 . In such an arrangement it is possible to thread an inverted container into a complementary opening and to dispense liquid or other material from a container  12  by twisting the container relative to the stationary closure to fracture the webs  30  after which the container  12  can be moved downwardly to open the ports or openings  24 . The open container  12  then permits gravity flow of the contents of the container  12  to the other container  66 . Upon completion of flow the openings  24  in spout  14  or sleeve  50  can be closed by moving the container  30  upwardly. This makes it possible for a complete transfer of the contents of the container  12  to the second container  66  with a minimum escape of any noxious or toxic fumes that might exist. Thereafter, the sleeve  18  can be unthreaded from the threaded opening  64  and the package or container removed with a minimum escape of fumes. 
     A package has been provided in which a container  12  and closure  16  can form a unitary package or in which a closure embodiment on a threaded container can be used to open and close the closure portion by axially moving a sliding sleeve to exposed radial openings. Such opening movement can occur after the container has been placed in a pouring position. In one variation of the invention, the container can be inverted to a pouring position and threaded into threaded engagement with a receiving container to receive the contents of the first container with a minimum escape of fumes.