Patent Description:
Fluid containers, especially those having food or consumer products therein, often have aluminum or foil seals underneath caps to provide a hermetic seal and prevent product leakage, especially during shipping and/or when the containers are placed in certain configurations. One problem attendant these types of seals is that they are generally not recyclable or biodegradable. Another issue is that a consumer typically needs to unscrew or remove a closure cap to remove such seals. Alternatively, the caps occasionally have a plastic portion that separates from remainder of the cap to provide a tamper evident indicator.

In addition, the foil seals and separable plastic portions often provide a tamper evident indicator. A replacement for these elements should similarly provide a safety and tamper evident indicator for consumers who are considering purchasing the container and closure. While some tamper evident seal replacements have been developed (such as the plastic portions mentioned above), these typically create small broken pieces of the closure cap that are difficult to recycle and often end up entering waterways or other sensitive ecosystems. Accordingly, such closure caps have generally proven to be a poor choice for a recyclable seal replacement given the difficulties associated with recycling.

Another problem attendant many potential solutions in this space is that they are often expensive because they require particular changes to both the container body and closure cap, which then limits the usefulness of the container or closure cap with other, similarly sized containers and caps. This increases the costliness of such changes because the molds used for a closure cap or container can only be used for one particular combination or combined in one particular embodiment.

Moreover, fluid containers occasionally have issues with dosing and leakage, especially during shipping and/or when the containers are placed in certain configurations. Many consumer products delivered in bottles may suffer from such drawbacks. By way of example, thixotropic fluids, such as, for example, ketchup or certain liquid soaps, are sometimes sold in bottles that use a flexible plastic membrane valve with an "X" shaped slit. These are sometimes used with inverted bottles that rest on their caps when not in use so that gravity retains the product in position adjacent the valve.

One issue with this type of valve is that such membrane valves are often formed of silicon, whereas other portions of the caps are often formed of another material such as polypropylene. Having a closure cap comprised of multiple materials increases the complexity and cost of manufacturing and can make recycling difficult and/or impractical, thereby making the solution less attractive for large scale use.

Further, such membrane valves and other similar solutions do not always sufficiently address product separation that often occurs in fluids, such as when serum, water or another thin liquid component of relatively low viscosity separates from the remainder of a fluid such as ketchup. This separation can increase leakage, increase splatter, and cause the thin liquid component to be dispensed separately from the remainder of the product.

Another issue with this type of valve is that in some cases, product may leak through the valve when the bottle is not in use. Moreover, during dispensing, product may squirt from the opening at an undesirably high velocity, increasing the risk of splatter. The high velocity of the product being discharged also makes proper dosing difficult because there is generally insufficient control over the product at high velocities. Yet another issue is that the valve may resist or prevent inflow of air to maintain interior volume after dispensing, leading to development of subatmospheric pressure, i.e., a partial vacuum, in the bottle. This can lead to paneling, i.e., buckling, or other undesirable inward deflection of container walls, which can be esthetically problematic and also functionally problematic, as it may increase the manual pressure required to dispense product, and may lead to uneven or inconsistent dispensing in response to a squeeze, i.e., manual application of pressure to the container exterior.

<CIT> discloses a liquid dispensing container comprising a container body having a flexible barrel, a cap body fitted to a cylindrical mouth of the container body, and a spouting member attached to a lower part of a spouting cylinder arranged on the cap body. A member for hindering a flow of liquid is provided in the spouting cylinder, and a small diameter flow passage is formed in the spouting member.

<CIT> discloses a closure with a base and a hingedly connected lid that permits the lid to move from a closed position to an opened position. The base having an outer cylindrical side wall and an interior cylindrical side wall that is provided with internal screw threading. The closure that is removably attachable to a container has a dispensing orifice and a valve element that is biased closed over the orifice. By inverting the container so that a liquid contents of the container exerts pressure on the valve element, or by squeezing the container causing the liquid contents to exert pressure on the valve element, the valve element opens the dispensing orifice allowing the liquid contents to be dispensed from the container. On removing the pressure from the valve element, the valve element resiliently closes the dispensing orifice.

The invention relates to a dispensing bottle according to claim <NUM>.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems, apparatuses and methods pertaining to a container, closure and methods for manufacturing. This description includes drawings, wherein:.

For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may be omitted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present disclosure. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence when such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Described herein are systems, apparatus and methods that are useful to dispense a fluid, such as, for example, a thixotropic fluid, from a bottle. In some embodiments, the container body may be used to package ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, other condiments, or other flowable food products in quantities similar to those presently packaged in existing bottles for consumer use. In some embodiments, the bottle may a monomaterial bottle, i.e., the bottle may be made entirely of a single material. In some of these embodiments, the material may be a recyclable material such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE), or one or more biodegradable materials. In various embodiments, the container body may contain a quantity in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, or more than <NUM>.

Some embodiments include a closure cap for such a bottle. The closure cap may include a flip-top, a base, and a disk, where the base and disk define a mixing chamber configured to facilitate mixing of the fluid, which may mix serum or liquid separated from the fluid back therein. In some configurations, the base has a central opening through which the fluid exits, and a hollow internal shaft with a non-planar end surface opposite a central opening, with the non-planar end surface and the disk defining one or more channels between the mixing chamber and the interior of the shaft. (In other configurations, the shaft may have a planar end surface opposite the opening, and the shaft may have apertures formed therein. ) In some embodiments, the disk includes a central opening, a plurality of partial annular openings through a planar surface of the disk, and projections extending into the mixing chamber. To exit the bottle, the fluid advanced from the reservoir or body of the bottle through the openings in the disk (e.g., the partial annual openings or the central pinhole) and through the chute formed by the internal shaft and out the central opening of the base. The fluid is advanced through these openings and pathways by having a user apply manual pressure to the body of the bottle.

In some embodiments, the dispensing bottle includes a container body having a neck with external threads thereon that engage internal threads on a closure cap that includes a base and a flip-top lid. In one illustrative embodiment, the base of the closure cap has a skirt with base threads disposed thereon, where the base threads are configured to engage the external threads on the neck of the bottle. Further, in some embodiments, the base includes one or more retaining elements, projections, or rings on an internal surface of the base (such as on the internal surface of the skirt) and a central portion having an opening therein aligned with an internal shaft, where the opening permits the fluid to egress therethrough when the opening is unobstructed. By one approach, the internal shaft terminates at a non-planar end surface opposite the central portion. Further, this internal shaft may have a disk mounted adjacent thereto.

As noted, the cap has a flip-top lid, and in one illustrative configuration, the flip-top lid has an interior projection that is movable between a closed first position to an open second position, where the projection blocks the opening of the base, preventing or inhibiting egress of the fluid from inside the container body in the first position and, in the second position, permits egress of the fluid through the opening of the base. In addition, in one illustrative embodiment, a disk is attached to an interior of the base by snapping the disk into position at retaining ring(s), the disk having a central pinhole and partial annular slots disposed around the central pinhole. In one exemplary configuration, a mixing chamber is formed by the disk and the central portion of the base, along with the skirt and the internal shaft. Further, in some configurations multiple fluid channels are formed by the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft and the disk permitting fluid to flow from the mixing chamber into the internal shaft.

In some embodiments, the closure cap, in the closed position, is capable of maintaining the thixotropic fluid in stable equilibrium in the bottle without leakage when the bottle is in an inverted position such that the bottle opening is positioned below the body of the container. In some embodiments, when the closure cap is in the open position, during application of pressure to the container body, the configuration of the closure cap enables controlled dispensing of the thixotropic fluid, and release of pressure on the container body enables prompt cessation of dispensing, such as, for example, by permitting air to flow back into the container body to allow for spring back of the bottle and reversal of flow of thixotropic fluid in the interior channel. Further, in one illustrative configuration, this occurs without movement of the disk relative to the base. By one approach, the spring back is achieved by permitting air to be able to quickly enter the bottle to replace the volume of fluid that has been dispensed, which permits the bottle to quickly recover its original shape.

In one illustrative approach, at least a portion of fluid is dispensed by advancing downward through the partial annular openings, through the mixing chamber, then inward through the fluid channels defined between the disk and the nonplanar end of the internal shaft, then downward through the interior of the shaft before exiting the dispensing bottle via the central opening. By one approach, a thixotropic fluid disposed in the bottle can be squeezed from the bottle such that it advances through the partial annular slots in the disk, and through the mixing chamber where any separated serum can be mixed into the fluid before the thixotropic fluid moves through channels formed by an end of the internal shaft and the disk and out the central opening of the base. Further, a portion of the fluid also may advance downward through the small aperture or pinhole in the disk and through the central opening of the base. As suggested above, in operation, the bottle is able to quickly regain its shape upon cessation of pressure on the bottle. Air may flow into the bottle via one or both of these pathways, e.g., through the pinhole in the disk and/or through the annular openings, such that air is able to flow into the bottle through the internal chamber, channels, pinhole, mixing chamber, and/or partial annular slots. Generally, the air is pulled into the bottle when pressure is released on the body of the bottle or container. Thus, in short, the air is admitted into the main cavity of the bottle by flowing through at least one of the central pinhole or the partial annular slots of the disk. Further, once the disk is installed into the base of the closure cap, by one approach, the disk remains stationary relative to the base.

In some embodiments, the closure cap is a monomaterial closure cap, i.e., the cap is made entirely of a single material. In some of these embodiments, the material is a recyclable material. In some of these embodiments, the closure cap, including the base, flip-top, and disk are generally comprised of a polypropylene material, such that the entire closure cap is recyclable as a unit. In addition, without a silicon membrane, the strength of the closure in some embodiments does not significantly degrade over time, and there is little or no degradation of its performance over time. In some embodiments, there is little or no variation in the pressure required to dispense fluid from the bottle over the life of the bottle.

As described herein, the closure cap may permit better dosing. It may prevent accidental high velocity discharge of product from the bottle, which can be messy, and may prevent permanent collapse or other permanent inward deformation of the bottle. Further, the closure cap configuration may reduce splatter. Also, as described below, the mixing chamber may be configured to facilitate cleaning of its exterior surface, e.g., by having an outwardly convex or dome-shaped exterior surface.

By one approach, the outside, bottom (when the bottle is inverted) surface of the base, adjacent the central opening through which the fluid is dispensed, has an arcuate or dome-shaped central portion with a planar peripheral surface therearound. In one example, the inside of the base has the internal shaft extending at least somewhat parallel to the skirt of the base. In some configurations, the base includes an internal cut-off blade disposed adjacent the central opening, where an inner diameter of the internal shaft is sharply reduced. By one approach, the cut-off blade has an edge that is sharp, without a burr thereon. In some configurations, an inner diameter of the opening itself is different from the internal shaft wall. More particularly, in such a configuration, the diameter of the opening into the container is smaller than the diameter between the walls of the internal shaft, and this reduction in size and the relatively sharp edge therebetween helps facilitate reduction of the tailing formation of the product by partially retaining the product in the closure. Also, the surface tension and the size of the opening also can help reduce the tailing formation of the product as well. While this cut-off blade does not prevent product from flowing out of the opening in the closure cap, it reduces the amount released under certain pressures by slowing the flow. By one approach, the cut-off blade is relatively small compared with the diameter of the shaft and in some configurations the internal cut-off blade has a width of about <NUM>, while the diameter of the opening into the container itself is about <NUM> to about <NUM>. In another configuration, the opening has a diameter of about <NUM>. <NUM> to about <NUM>. In yet another embodiment, the opening has a diameter of about <NUM> and the diameter of the internal shaft is about <NUM>. Accordingly, the cut-off blade has a width of about <NUM> in some configurations.

While the cut-off blade assists with rapid cessation of fluid dispensing, upon release of pressure on the bottle, the disk (and its interface with the internal shaft) also reduces the pressure caused by the product in the bottle, which assists with cessation of dispensing. As discussed below, the size and configuration of the openings in the disk assist with flow monitoring and depending on the viscosity and surface tension of the product, and the geometry of the disk may be adjusted to accommodate different fluids.

At the upper end of the internal shaft, disposed away from the opening in the base, the internal shaft, in some embodiments, has a non-planar end surface. By one approach, the non-planar end surface has a stepped configuration creating a plurality of teeth and depressions. By another configuration, the non-planar end surface is configured with a wavy, sinusoidal or other arcuate depression.

As suggested above, the bottle and cap described herein may be employed for use with a wide variety of fluids. In one illustrative configuration, the bottle is filled with a thixotropic fluid, such as, for example, certain condiments, sauces, or certain consumer items, such as shampoo or body wash. Such applications may be particularly advantageous because they permit the consumer or user to easily and quickly dispense a desired amount of fluid without splattering or otherwise creating an unintended mess with the fluid. By one approach, the dispensing bottle with the closure cap may have a capacity of about <NUM> to about <NUM>. Further, a variety of container configurations are contemplated, including some that are stored in an inverted configuration where the bottle rests on the closure cap. In one illustrative approach, the disk has a diameter of between about <NUM> to about <NUM>, the internal shaft has a height of between about <NUM> to about <NUM>, and the internal shaft has a diameter of about <NUM> to about <NUM>. In other configurations, the internal shaft has a height of about <NUM> to about <NUM>, with a diameter of about <NUM>-<NUM>.

As noted above, the closure cap has a mixing chamber formed by a portion of the base that has a disk secured thereto. By one approach, the mixing chamber includes a plurality of extensions therein from the disk. More particularly the disk, in some configurations includes a plurality of extensions of flanges that extend downward from the bottom of the disk (with the bottle inverted) into the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber described herein helps prevent serum from leaking from the dispensing bottle, in part, by mixing serum that has separated from the thixotropic fluid back into the remainder of thixotropic fluid. By one approach, the mixing chamber prevents separated serum from leaking from the bottle by mixing the separated serum back into the fluid before it leaves the opening of the bottle. In some embodiments, the mixing chamber has a capacity of, or retains, <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM>, or <NUM> to <NUM>, or about <NUM>. The disk extensions may help with remixing of separated serum by slowing the flow of the fluid through the mixing chamber, creating or increasing turbulence, and/or otherwise increasing interaction between separated serum and the remainder of the fluid.

By one approach, multiple retaining rings may be provided, and one of those rings may have a bottle or cap liner associated therewith that may seal the bottle after the closure cap is attached thereto. For example, a first retaining ring and a second retaining ring may be spaced axially (vertically) from each other with an edge of the disk captured therebetween. The upper ring (with the bottle inverted) may have a removable film or liner member associated therewith that seals against the opening at the neck of the bottle before use. Prior to dispensing product, the liner member may be manually removed by a consumer.

A bottle with a closure cap described herein may be formed, filled and sealed in high speed, high volume, mass production operations, or in other types of operations. In one approach, a method of manufacturing a dispensing bottle generally includes forming a squeezable, flexible bottle, e.g., by blow molding, injection molding, or other methods; forming a disk and a closure cap having a base and a flip-top lid by injection molding or other methods; snapping the disk into the base; filling the receptacle with a fluid (such as, for example, a thixotropic fluid); and securing the closure cap onto the filled receptacle. In some embodiments, the base has inner and outer skirts with base threads on the interior of the inner skirt (where the base threads are configured to engage the threads on the exterior of the bottle neck), a retaining ring on the interior of the inner skirt, and a central, dome-shaped portion having an opening therein aligned with an internal shaft terminating at a non-planar end surface opposite the central opening. The dome-shaped portion includes an opening permitting fluid to egress therethrough when the opening is unobstructed, and the flip-top lid has an interior projection that is movable between a first position and a second position, where the projection blocks the opening of the base inhibiting or preventing egress of the fluid when in the first position, and permits egress of the fluid through the opening of the base when in the second position. In some embodiments, the disk has a central pinhole, and partial annular slots disposed around the central pinhole, wherein the disk, the central portion of the base, the inner skirt, and the exterior surface of the internal shaft define a mixing chamber, and wherein multiple fluid channels are formed between the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft and the disk. In some configurations, the method also includes sealing the receptacle with a removable liner associated with the closure cap to seal the product in the body of the bottle. As discussed further below, the base and flip-top lid may be molded with the disk or separately therefrom.

In one illustrative configuration, a closure cap for a container includes a flip-top lid and base having, at least, a dome-shaped wall with an opening therethrough, an inner skirt, an outer skirt connected by an upper, planar portion, threads and one or more retaining rings on the inner skirt, and an internal shaft inwardly depending from the dome-shaped wall. By one approach, the internal shaft terminates at a non-planar end surface. Further, in such a configuration, the flip-top lid has a projection and is movable between a first position where the projection blocks the opening and a second position where the projection does not obstruct the opening of the base. The closure cap, in some configurations, has a disk attached to an interior of the base by snapping the disk into the retaining ring(s). In such a configuration, the disk has a central pinhole, partial annular slots disposed around the central pinhole, and flanges extending toward the base, the flanges disposed in between the internal shaft and the partial annular slots when the disk is attached to the base. Further, by one approach, the closure cap includes a mixing chamber defined by the disk, the dome-shaped wall, the inner skirt, and the internal shaft, wherein multiple fluid channels are formed by the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft and the disk.

In another approach, a method of manufacturing a closure cap includes forming, in a mold, a flip-top cap with (a) a base having, at least, a dome-shaped wall with an opening therethrough, an inner skirt, an outer skirt connected by a planar portions, threads and a retaining ring on the inner skirt, and an internal shaft inwardly depending from the dome-shaped wall, the internal shaft terminating at a non-planar end surface, and (b) a flip-top lid hingedly connected to the base, the flip-top lid having an interior projection and being movable from a first position where the interior projection blocks the opening to a second position where the interior projection does not obstruct the opening of the base. Further, in some approaches, the method also includes snapping a disk into the retaining ring of the base of the flip-top cap, the disk having a central pinhole, partial annular slots disposed around the central pinhole, and flanges extending toward the base, the flanges disposed in between the internal shaft and the partial annular slots when the disk is attached to the base. Further, in some embodiments, the disk and the base form a mixing chamber defined by the disk, the dome-shaped wall, the inner skirt, and the internal shaft, wherein multiple fluid channels are formed by the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft and the disk.

Further, in some configurations, the method also includes forming the closure cap as two separate components, including the flip-top cap and the disk, where the flip-top cap includes the base and flip-top lid formed in a single, integral, unitary, one-piece structure, and wherein the two separate components are made of the same material, and are assembled at the mold or at a separate station.

In yet other embodiments, the dispensing bottle includes a non-removable closure cap having one or more control devices thereon such as a flip-top lid, a push-pull valve, and/or other means to permit a user to control flow of contents. In some embodiments, the closure cap may be made entirely of one or more of the materials listed above. In some embodiments, the bottle and closure cap are made of the same recyclable material, and can be recycled together in compliance with applicable regulations. In some embodiments, the bottle and/or the closure cap material(s) may include recycled content. By some approaches, the closure cap includes one or more tamper evident features to indicate whether control device has been previously opened. Accordingly, a dispensing bottle with a closure cap having a tamper evident feature does not require a tamper evident seal disposed at the neck of the container body.

In one illustrative configuration, the dispensing bottle includes discontinuous threads on the bottle neck and ratchet projections or extensions on the closure cap. The container body, in one embodiment, includes a bottle neck with discontinuous bottle threads having at least one space or cutout between a first thread portion and a second thread portion. In addition, a closure cap, in some embodiments, includes a base with a skirt having an inner surface with base threads and ratchet projections disposed thereon and one or more control devices such as a push-pull valve and/or a hingedly attached flip-top lid that is movable from a closed position to an open position. In operation, the bottle threads are generally sized and located to threadingly engage the base threads once the closure cap is secured to the container body and at least a portion of one of the ratchet projections extends into the at least one space or cutout to prevent manual removal of the closure cap from the bottle neck. In addition to the closure cap having ratchet projections, in some configurations, the discontinuous bottle threads form one or more bottle ratchet projections.

As noted above, the benefits of the containers disclosed herein may be leveraged if the closure caps and/or bottles may be employed with a number of differently configured containers. Indeed, as used herein, the teachings outlined herein including, for example, the dispensing bottle and closure cap embodiments may be employed with a variety of bottle features, such as, for example those disclosed in <CIT>, which claims priority to <CIT> and <CIT>, and <CIT>, which claims priority to <CIT>.

Further, as outlined below, the teachings described herein may permit the use of a container or bottle without a liner sealingly attached to the bottle neck, which avoids creating small pieces of plastic waste upon container opening. Accordingly, a bottle formed according to these teachings may result in a container with improved recyclability that is much less likely to have pieces or portions thereof that end up in waterways or sensitive ecosystems. With reference to the figures, <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a packaged food product comprising a bottle <NUM> containing a fluid food product <NUM> such as ketchup, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, or another product, with a closure cap <NUM> attached to a container body <NUM> via internal threads <NUM> (see, e.g., <FIG>) of the closure cap <NUM> engaging external threads <NUM> of the container body <NUM>. One or both of the internal threads <NUM> and external threads <NUM> may be discontinuous threads and/or include ratchet projections as described in more detail in relation to the closure cap <NUM> and bottle <NUM> shown, for example, in <FIG>. A portion of the closure cap <NUM> is shown transparently in <FIG> for illustrative purposes. While <FIG> shows the bottle in an upright position, in some embodiments, the bottle <NUM> is configured to be stored inverted while resting on its closure cap, such as that shown in <FIG>. Accordingly, during storage and dispensing, the bottle <NUM> may have the closure cap <NUM> positioned below the container body <NUM> of the bottle <NUM> without unintended leakage of the fluid <NUM> from the bottle <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the bottle <NUM> is made from a three layer PET (polyethylene terephthalate or polyester) material. Some prior art bottles included a three layer material with a middle layer of EVOH or another oxygen barrier or oxygen scavenger material. Eliminating the oxygen barrier or oxygen scavenger layer may have some effect on color stability of the fluid <NUM> within the bottle <NUM>. As an example where the fluid <NUM> is ketchup, over time, if oxygen contacts ketchup in the bottle, the ketchup may change color slightly. To avoid this color change, some embodiments may include an oxygen barrier or oxygen scavenger middle layer that is recyclable with the PET inner and outer layers. For example, the middle layer may be made of a PET material. Alternatively or additionally, some embodiments may include a modified ketchup including an ingredient effective to avoid this color change. In some embodiments, headspace of the bottle <NUM>, i.e., volume above the fluid <NUM> within the filled bottle <NUM>, is reduced. The headspace may be occupied by a modified atmosphere consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or another gas that does not include oxygen. Reduction of headspace and and/or use of a modified atmosphere may help to increase shelf life by increasing stability, including color stability, and stability of organoleptic properties.

The closure cap <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> includes a base <NUM> and a hinged or flip-top lid <NUM>. To open the bottle <NUM> to permit the fluid <NUM> to be easily dispensed therefrom, a user may pivot the flip-top lid <NUM> from the closed configuration of <FIG> to the open configuration of <FIG>. To that end, a user or consumer may apply upward force to the lid <NUM> by engaging the mouth-shaped indentation <NUM> defined by the upper surface <NUM> and a lower surface <NUM>. By one approach, a user will manually grasp and pull upward on the upper surface <NUM> pulling it away from the base <NUM> and a remainder of the bottle <NUM>. The flip-top lid <NUM> then pivots about a hinge <NUM> opposite the mouth-shaped indentation <NUM> to sit stably in the open configuration.

As can be seen in <FIG>, when the flip-top lid <NUM> is in the open configuration, a projection <NUM> of the flip-top lid <NUM> is moved from obstructing or blocking an opening <NUM>. in the base <NUM> to a position away therefrom such that the opening <NUM> is unobstructed. <FIG> also illustrates a central portion <NUM>, which may be dome-shaped, through which the opening <NUM> extends, and a planar portion <NUM> disposed at least partially therearound. The lower surface <NUM> of the mouth-shaped indentation <NUM>, as shown in the illustrative embodiment of <FIG>, extends between sections of the planar portion <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective cross-sectional view of a portion of the closure cap <NUM> in an inverted orientation. In <FIG>, flow of ketchup during dispensing is shown as a dashed line. Flow of air into the bottle to replace ketchup after dispensing is shown as a heavy solid line. A lighter solid line illustrates flow of serum that has separated from the fluid <NUM>, into the mixing chamber <NUM> where it mixes back into the fluid <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the base <NUM> includes an inner skirt <NUM>, upon which the internal threads <NUM> and one or more retaining rings <NUM> are disposed, an outer skirt <NUM>, a planar portion <NUM> therebetween, and a dome-shaped central surface <NUM> having an opening <NUM> disposed therein. One or more radial stiffeners or strengthening ribs <NUM>, shown in <FIG>, are disposed between the outer skirt <NUM> and the inner skirt <NUM>. As shown in the illustrative configuration of <FIG> and <FIG>, the base <NUM> includes an internal shaft <NUM> extending upward away from the central dome-shaped surface <NUM> and terminating at a non-linear surface <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>).

In one illustrative embodiment, the closure cap <NUM> includes a disk <NUM> (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) with a plurality of openings therein, through which the fluid <NUM> and air can flow. By one approach, the retaining rings <NUM> disposed on the inner wall of the inner skirt <NUM> capture the disk <NUM> therebetween. In another configuration (not shown), the disk <NUM> may be captured between a retaining ring and another structure, such as, for example, a portion or extension of the internal shaft <NUM>. <FIG>, illustrates a cross section of a portion of the closure cap <NUM> having the disk <NUM> snapped in between two retaining rings <NUM>, illustrates how the disk <NUM> and the base <NUM> form a mixing chamber <NUM>. In one illustrative embodiment, the mixing chamber <NUM> is formed by the walls of the inner skirt <NUM>, the central portion <NUM>, the internal shaft <NUM> of the base <NUM>, and the disk <NUM>.

Further, the planar potion <NUM> of the base <NUM> joins the inner and outer skirt <NUM> as well. As shown in <FIG>, the base <NUM> also has ribs <NUM> disposed on the portion of the base <NUM> below (with the bottle in an upright orientation) the flip-top lid <NUM>. These ribs provide a gripping surface for embodiments where one may remove the entire closure cap <NUM> from the container body <NUM>. The ribs <NUM> enable the user to more easily grasp the closure cap <NUM> to disengage the internal threads <NUM> of the base <NUM> from the external threads <NUM> of the neck <NUM>. In other configurations, the ribs <NUM> may be removed from the closure cap <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate one exemplary non-linear terminating surface <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM> of the base <NUM>. In some embodiments, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> forms channel openings for both the fluid and air to travel between the mixing chamber <NUM> and the internal shaft <NUM>. By one approach, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> has a stepped configuration <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. In yet another approach, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> has a wavy, sinusoidal or other arcuate configuration. In some configurations, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> may have semi-circular depressions cut into the wall of the internal shaft <NUM>. In addition, a single or a number of depressions may form one or more channels between the mixing chamber <NUM> and the internal shaft <NUM>.

Further, the stepped configuration <NUM>, which is shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, may include one or more projecting teeth <NUM>, and a one or more deep slots <NUM> extending from a midpoint therebetween, or otherwise positioned. The stepped configuration <NUM> of the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM> cooperates with the surface of the disk to form the fluid channels <NUM> having varying width and/or depth. As shown in <FIG>, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> also may have a wavy or an arcuate configuration with multiple slots or depressions <NUM> and rounded extensions <NUM>. The wavy, non-linear terminating surface <NUM>, which operates similar to the stepped configuration discussed above, forms channels <NUM> with the disk <NUM>. In some configurations, the non-linear terminating surface may have a combination of stepped portions, projections, angles, and/or curved sections, among other elements.

Indeed, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> may take a variety of configurations, such as, for example, those illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. As discussed above, the non-linear surface <NUM>, shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, has a stepped configuration forming a number of channels <NUM>. Further, in another configuration, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM>, shown in <FIG>, has a wavy or sinusoidal configuration. <FIG> illustrates a non-linear terminating surface <NUM> that has two different heights, as opposed to the three different heights illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates a non-linear terminating surface <NUM> that has two heights and angled portions therebetween. <FIG> illustrates a non-liner terminating surface <NUM> that has generally v-shaped valleys disposed in between prongs or projections having a triangular-shaped cross section. <FIG>, similar to <FIG>, illustrates a non-linear terminating surface <NUM> having two different heights, but the prongs or projections of <FIG> have a triangular shape or a trapezoid shape with more acute or smaller angles adjacent the larger base. <FIG> illustrates a non-linear terminating surface <NUM> having a stepped configuration, where the lowest step has a smaller width that the width of the uppermost step. Finally, <FIG> illustrates a non-linear terminating surface <NUM> with triangular-shaped prongs or projections having u-shaped valleys therebetween. It is noted that the features illustrated may be used as shown or combined with other exemplary features including, for example, those shown in other figures. Alternatively, the end of the shaft may be linear or flat and the shaft may include other openings incorporated therein.

In addition to forming, in part, the mixing chamber <NUM>, the disk <NUM> also defines annular partial slots or openings <NUM> therein to permit flow of fluid (and its constituent parts) into the mixing chamber. The annular openings <NUM> may take a variety of configurations, such as, for example, those illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. By one approach, shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the disk <NUM> includes four openings. In another embodiment, shown in <FIG>, the disk <NUM> has two openings. In another example, <FIG> includes three annular openings <NUM>, whereas the example of <FIG> includes five openings <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates an exemplary disk <NUM> with six openings <NUM>, whereas <FIG> illustrates an exemplary disk <NUM> with seven annular openings <NUM>. The exemplary disk <NUM>, shown in <FIG>, includes eight annular openings <NUM> and an offset pinhole <NUM>, whereas the pinholes in <FIG>are centrally disposed in the disks shown therein. Further, while the corners of the annular opening illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> are rounded, lacking any sharp edges or pinch points, <FIG> illustrate openings with less rounded openings <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. These features may be combined in a variety of manners.

<FIG> also illustrate a number of exemplary disks with a variety of features that may help manage the flow of the fluid from the bottle and through the cap. As mentioned above, the bottle is often stored and/or used in a top-down position, such that serum that separates in the chamber may leak from the bottle, in part, because it may not have a particularly long flow path or time with which to mix back into the fluid before advancing through being moved out of the bottle cap.

To facilitate the mixing of any separated serum with the remainder of the fluid, the disk may incorporate a number of additional features, such as, for example, additional openings disposed interior of the flanges thereof In one illustrative embodiment, these openings are intermediate to the annular slots and the center of the disk, which may have central pinholes, as discussed above. One illustrative disk <NUM>, shown in <FIG> includes annular openings <NUM> that are interior to the flanges <NUM>, which are themselves interior to the larger annular openings or slots <NUM>. In this manner, there are smaller, interior openings <NUM> adjacent the inner wall of the flange <NUM> that assist with mixing the fluid and any separated constituent elements thereof. <FIG> similarly illustrate exemplary disks <NUM>, <NUM> that have intermediate or interior openings <NUM>, <NUM> adjacent flanges <NUM>, <NUM> and annular opening or slots <NUM>, <NUM>, though the shape and size of the openings are differently configured as compared to FIGS. 47A and to each other. In addition, <FIG> lacks a central pinhole, whereas <FIG> include a central opening in the disks illustrated therein. In addition to these configurations, the pinhole also may be disposed offset from the geometric center of the disks as well, as previously suggested above.

<FIG> illustrate additional illustrative embodiments of a disk with a post extending therefrom to facilitate mixing of the fluid as it moves through the cap. Once installed or secured to a remainder of the cap, the post typically extends toward the exit or opening of the bottle. For example, the exemplary disk <NUM> (<FIG>) includes annular openings <NUM> and a centrally disposed post <NUM> having relatively smooth sides thereof. The illustrative disk <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> includes annular openings <NUM>, flanges <NUM>, and a centrally disposed post <NUM>. Whereas post <NUM> has relatively a rounded exterior, the post <NUM> has uneven sides, with a cross section having a generally x-shaped configuration.

While the post is shown centrally disposed, it also may be disposed off-center and multiple posts may be incorporated into the disk. Further, the post may have a variety of surface textures and configurations. Indeed, depending on the fluid moving through the cap, a variety of differently configured posts may be incorporated into the cap.

In some configurations, instead of a post, the disk may have another, similar structure such as a cone. <FIG> illustrates the central portion of a disk <NUM> having a cone shaped extension <NUM> with an opening <NUM> extending therethrough. In addition, the disk <NUM> also includes annular openings <NUM>, flanges <NUM>, and openings <NUM>.

The disk <NUM> of <FIG>, similarly has a centrally disposed post <NUM> with a generally x-shaped cross section and annular openings <NUM>. Instead of discrete flanges, however, the disk <NUM> has one continuous flange or a cylindrical wall <NUM> extending from the disk <NUM>. While the cylindrical wall <NUM> is illustrated generally perpendicular to the disk, it also may extend from the disk at an angle such that the cylindrical wall <NUM> is not perpendicular. As one example, the cylindrical wall <NUM> extends outwardly from the disk such that the <NUM>° angle shown in <FIG> is less than <NUM>°. One such example is shown in FIG. 46B of <CIT>.

<FIG> illustrates the disk <NUM> secured to a remainder of the closure cap <NUM>. Furthermore, the post <NUM> is illustrated as extending at least partially into internal shaft <NUM>. In this manner, the fluid must advance through annular openings <NUM>, over or around the cylindrical wall <NUM>, over or around the end of the internal shaft <NUM> and through the shaft, along the post <NUM> to the opening <NUM>. Such configurations, having a somewhat winding flowpath, may be particularly suited for certain fluids with particular fluid properties.

Other modifications or combinations of the features described herein may be made. For example, <FIG> illustrates a disk <NUM> that is similar to the disk <NUM> of <FIG>, however, flanges <NUM> are not as long as those illustrated in <FIG> such that the fluid has more room or space to move between the flanges <NUM> of <FIG>, as compared to those in <FIG>. In addition, <FIG> illustrates a disk <NUM> having outer annular openings <NUM> adjacent openings <NUM> without flanges disposed therebetween. Many of the various structural features of the disks may be combined or modified in a variety of manners, including those described herein, to tailor the disk to accommodate the properties of the fluid advancing from the bottle through the cap thereof.

As noted above, the mixing chamber <NUM> and the openings formed in the disk <NUM> by the disk <NUM> and the internal shaft <NUM> permit accurate dispensing and dosing of the fluid <NUM> within the container. Accordingly, the geometry of the disk <NUM> helps facilitate the proper dispensing of the fluid <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a first side of the disk <NUM> which has flanges <NUM> extending downward therefrom when the bottle is inverted, and which faces the internal shaft <NUM> when the disk <NUM> is mounted in position between the retaining ring(s) of the closure cap <NUM>. While the flanges <NUM> may extend orthogonally from a face of the disk <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), the flanges <NUM> also may extend from the disk <NUM> at an angle besides <NUM>°. Turning briefly to <FIG>, an illustrative flange configuration is illustrated. <FIG> illustrates the flanges <NUM> extending about <NUM>° from the body of the disk <NUM>. However, in other configurations, the flanges <NUM> extend less than <NUM>° from the body of the disk <NUM>. Such an angled flange may impact the flow of the product <NUM> entering the mixing chamber <NUM> and may influence the mixing action in the chamber. While both the flange configurations described above help mix the product as it advances toward the exit, depending on the fluid characteristics of the product, the angle of the flange may be smaller than <NUM>°. As mentioned above, the central pinhole <NUM>, which is centrally disposed through a planar portion of the disk <NUM>, is partially surrounded by a plurality of slots or partial annular openings <NUM>. The peripheral, partial annular openings <NUM> are significantly larger than the central pinhole, and a majority of the fluid <NUM> exiting the bottle <NUM> advances through the partial annular openings <NUM>. In some embodiments, the disk <NUM> has a diameter, D<NUM>, of <NUM> to <NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> or about <NUM>-<NUM>. In one illustrative configuration, the disk <NUM> has a diameter, D<NUM>, of about <NUM> ±<NUM>. By one approach, the annular slots have an arcuate length of <NUM>-<NUM>, or <NUM>-<NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the arcuate length A<NUM>, of each of the openings may be about <NUM>. Further, the annular openings <NUM> have an inner radius of curvature R<NUM> on the inner edge of the opening and an outer radius of curvature R<NUM> on the outer edge of the opening. In one illustrative approach, R<NUM> is about <NUM>-<NUM> and R<NUM> is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In another illustrative approach, R<NUM> is about <NUM>-<NUM> and R<NUM> is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In one exemplary embodiment, R<NUM> is about <NUM> and R<NUM> is about <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the partial annular openings <NUM> are disposed adjacent flanges <NUM>, which, when the disk <NUM> is installed in the base <NUM>, extend into the mixing chamber <NUM> such that the fluid <NUM> (including any constituent parts, such as serum) cannot advance directly through the openings <NUM> and into the internal shaft <NUM> to exit the bottle, but instead, the portion of fluid <NUM> that advances through openings <NUM> must flow into the mixing chamber <NUM> (thereby promoting the mixing of any constituent parts of the fluid <NUM> that have separated therefrom) before the fluid exits the bottle <NUM>. In one illustrative approach, the extensions or flanges <NUM> have a height, h<NUM> that is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In another illustrative approach, the height h<NUM> is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In one exemplary embodiment, h<NUM>, is about <NUM>. Further, in operation, the length or height of the flanges <NUM> may be linked to the depth of the channels <NUM> formed by the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> because having them similarly sized helps facilitate mixing by requiring that the fluid flow around the flanges <NUM> and not directly through the annular openings <NUM> and through the fluid channels <NUM>. In one illustrative approach, the height of the disk <NUM>, h<NUM>, is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In another illustrative approach, the height of the disk <NUM>, h<NUM> is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In yet another approach, the height of the disk <NUM>, h<NUM>, is about <NUM>.

The width, w<NUM>, of the planar portion of the disk <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, in some embodiments is between about <NUM>. <NUM> to about <NUM>. In one illustrative approach, the width of the disk <NUM>, w<NUM>, is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In one exemplary approach, the width of the disk <NUM>, w<NUM>, is about <NUM>. The width of the central pinhole opening <NUM>, as shown in, <FIG> as d<NUM>, is about <NUM>-<NUM>. In one exemplary approach, the width of the pinhole the disk <NUM>, d<NUM> is about <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, each of the partial annular openings <NUM> may have a beveled edge on a surface of the disk <NUM> facing the base <NUM>. This orientation may facilitate flow of fluid <NUM> (e.g., at least a portion of the fluid not retained in the internal shaft <NUM>) back into the container body <NUM> when the bottle is placed in the cap-side up (upright) configuration. Further, the beveled edge also may facilitate moving the air back into the bottle to improve spring-back of the bottle or container body <NUM>.

To facilitate proper dispensing of the fluid, the geometry of the disk <NUM> regulates the flow of the fluid <NUM> including for example, the size, shape, and angle of the flanges <NUM>. In addition to the geometry discussed above, the disk <NUM> has sufficient openings therein relative to the area of the disk <NUM> to facilitate sufficient flow of the fluid <NUM>, while nonetheless preventing leakage from the closure cap <NUM>. The openings <NUM> are of a particular size, shape, and position to facilitate fluid flow that permits easy dispensing and quick spring back of the bottle. In one illustrative approach, the entire area of the disk is about <NUM><NUM> and the aggregate area of the partial annular openings <NUM> and the central pinhole is about <NUM><NUM> of that total area, or about <NUM>% of the total area of the disk. By some approaches, the aggregate area of the openings of the disk will cover about <NUM>-<NUM>% of the total disk area, and generally the partial annular openings comprise much more of this area than the central pinhole.

In some illustrative approaches, the closure cap <NUM> (e.g., the base <NUM>, the flip-top lid <NUM>, and the disk <NUM>) is comprised of a single material, such as, for example, a polypropylene or other food grade plastic or polymer, or similar recyclable material. In operation, having the closure cap <NUM> formed of a single material may increase the ease and likelihood of recycling the material. By some approaches, the material may be chosen with a specific surface tension. For example, the disk <NUM> surfaces (and potentially other internal surfaces of the closure cap) may be rougher or textured to provide flow resistance and help control the flow of the fluid being dispensed. As discussed further below, the interior surface of the internal shaft <NUM> also may be textured to inhibit flow or may have a smooth surface to facilitate movement of the fluid therethrough. A smooth surface may result in faster and/or less controlled fluid flow, and due to a reduction in surface tension, may also lead to leakage of the product or a separated component of the product. The finish of the material or the manner in which the element was formed also may impact the surface tension of the elements and help facilitate control of the fluid flow. For example, some portion of the flip-top cap <NUM> may be formed in such a manner as to create a rough surface that might impact the flow of the fluid <NUM> passing therethrough.

Turning briefly to <FIG>, two different exemplary finishes <NUM> and <NUM> are illustrated. While a single interior wall <NUM> may have the entire surface thereof with a single texture or portions of the surface with different textures, the cap <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> has a first portion <NUM> with a rougher texture and a second portion <NUM> with a smoother texture. As noted above, the surface of the material forming the cap <NUM> may inhibit, slow, or restrict flow of the fluid <NUM> within the bottle. Whether or not to include a textured surface on portions of or the entire cap, such as, for example, the inner wall of the internal shaft, may depend on the type of fluid being advanced through the cap <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, a first side of the disk <NUM> (which is disposed adjacent the internal shaft <NUM> of the base <NUM> when installed) includes rainbow-shaped or arcuate flanges or extensions <NUM> that extend therefrom. When the disk <NUM> is mounted in the base <NUM>, the arcuate flanges or extensions <NUM> extend into the mixing chamber <NUM> and toward the base <NUM>. The disk extensions <NUM> facilitate mixing of the fluid <NUM> in the mixing chamber <NUM> by requiring that the fluid <NUM> move around the extensions <NUM> and not directly into the fluid channels <NUM> from the partial annular openings <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the base <NUM> at the opening <NUM> and the internal shaft <NUM> has an internal cut-off blade or ledge <NUM> on an inside surface adjacent the opening where the inner diameter of the internal shaft is sharply reduced. For example, the diameter of the internal shaft may decrease sharply at the ledge <NUM> such that the sharp edge helps to facilitate reduction of the tailing formation of the product by partially retaining the product in the closure until the manual pressure on the container body becomes significant enough to overcome the tendency of the fluid to be retained in the closure cap by the ledge. By one approach, the cut-off blade has a sharp edge without a burr thereon. In some configurations, the diameter of the opening into the container is smaller than the diameter of the internal shaft, and this reduction in size and the relatively sharp edge therebetween assist with cessation of dispensing in a quick and clean manner. While this cut-off blade does not prevent product from flowing out of the opening in the closure cap, it reduces the amount released under certain pressures by slowing the flow. By one approach, the cut-off blade is relatively small compared with the diameter of the shaft, while the opening into the container itself is between about <NUM> to about <NUM>, and in one illustrative embodiment, is about <NUM>.

As noted above, the internal shaft <NUM> may help support the disk <NUM> when the disk is attached to the base <NUM>. By one approach, the internal or interior wall <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM> funnels fluid <NUM> toward the opening <NUM>. In one embodiment, the interior wall <NUM> forms at least one of a circular shape or a parabolic shape. As one example, the interior wall <NUM> narrows slightly near the exit of the internal shaft <NUM> attached to the dome-shaped central portion <NUM>, guiding fluid toward the opening <NUM>. The interior wall <NUM> may be angled slightly with respect to the dome-shaped central portion <NUM> or may curve slightly toward the opening <NUM>. Further, in some embodiments, the shaft <NUM> may flare open again adjacent the opening <NUM>. By flaring a bit where the opening meets the upper surface of the base, the opening permits the projection <NUM> to more easily and quickly be placed in the opening <NUM> when closing the flip-top lid <NUM> In yet another configuration, shown in <FIG>, the interior wall <NUM> has straight portions that are generally vertical and then has angled portions that direct the fluid <NUM> to the opening <NUM>. <FIG> is similar to the internal shaft <NUM> of <FIG>, but further includes a cut-off blade <NUM> or sharp reduction in the diameter of the internal shaft <NUM> to assist with cessation of dispensing of the fluid <NUM>, as discussed above. Additional examples of cut-off blade configurations or internal projections around the opening are illustrated in. <FIG> illustrates an opening <NUM> with a cut-off blade <NUM> that has an inner surface that is angled slightly downward or toward the throughopening without a horizontal shelf extending therefrom, whereas the previously discussed <FIG> includes a downward angled portions but has a horizontal cut-off blade <NUM> extending therefrom. Further, <FIG> illustrates an opening <NUM> with a cut-off blade <NUM> having an inner surface that is angled away from the throughopening.

<FIG> illustrate two options for the configuration of the surface of the container or dome on the outside of the opening <NUM>. For example, <FIG> illustrates a rounded edge at the juncture where the central portion <NUM> meets with the opening <NUM>. Previously discussed <FIG> have an angled depression around the opening at that location. Further, <FIG> illustrates a depression <NUM> with a sloping wall surface between the central portion <NUM> and the opening <NUM>.

The bottle <NUM> and the closure cap <NUM> may be produced in a number of different manners. In one illustrative approach, a method of manufacturing or producing a filled bottle for dispensing fluid includes molding a receptacle, such as a container body with a threaded neck, filling the receptacle with a fluid, such as a thixotropic fluid, molding a closure cap having a base and a flip-top lid and a disk, and closing the filled receptacle with the closure cap. Further, a bottle may be formed and filled in-line or may be formed at one location and filled at another.

By one approach, the closure cap and disk are separately molded and snapped together. In some configurations, the molded base has an inner and outer skirt with base threads disposed on the inner skirt that are configured to engage the threads on the neck of the receptacle. The threads may be continuous or discontinuous threads, as discussed in more detail below with reference to <FIG>. The molded base may also include one or more ratchet projections for locking the closure cap to the bottle, also discussed in more detail below. Further, the molded base may have one or more retaining rings on the inner skirt (a short distance from the threads) and a central, dome-shaped portion having an opening therein aligned with an internal shaft terminating at a non-planar end surface opposite the central, dome-shaped portion. As mentioned above, the opening in the base permits fluid to egress therethrough when the opening is unobstructed. In some configurations, the molded flip-top lid has an interior projection that is movable between a first position and a second position, where the projection blocks the opening of the base inhibiting egress of the fluid inside the container body in the first position, and the second position permits egress of the fluid through the opening of the base.

As mentioned above, the closure cap and disk, in some approaches, are separately molded and then secured to one another or snapped together. In such configurations, the method of manufacturing also may include an assembling step that orients the disk in a particular position relative to the remainder of the closure cap or base <NUM>. By including one or more orientation steps prior to assembling the disk with the remainder of the closure cap, the assembled caps are more likely to have a consistent flow rate therethrough. Further, in some configurations, the flow rate can be adjusted for different fluids by adjusting the relative positioning of certain elements of the closure cap or disk without requiring structural changes thereto. By one approach, a visual mark or indented notch disposed on one or both of the closure cap or disk may be used to help position the disk and/or closure cap relative to one another.

This may depend, in part, on the configuration of the various elements thereof. In one illustrative example, such as the base <NUM> of <FIG>, the non-linear terminating surface <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM> includes three cutouts, whereas the disk <NUM> of <FIG>, includes four flanges <NUM>. The flow of the fluid through the assembled closure cap may be impacted by the orientation of the flanges <NUM> relative to the cutout openings of the internal shaft <NUM>. Thus, these two structural elements may be oriented relative to one another to facilitate increased fluid flow therebetween or to slow fluid flow by requiring the fluid to take a longer pathway to the exit of the bottle. Given the interest in adjusting the fluid path or standardizing the flow rate for numerous closure caps, the method of manufacturing or assembling the closure cap and bottle may include orienting the disk in a particular manner relative to the remainder of the closure cap.

As suggested above, the method for producing the filled bottle may include snapping a disk into the retaining ring(s) of the closure cap. The molded disk, in some configurations, includes a central pinhole and partial annular slots disposed around the central pinhole. Once the disk is attached to the remainder of the closure cap <NUM>, the disk <NUM>, the central portion of the base <NUM>, the inner skirt <NUM>, and the internal shaft <NUM> of the base define a mixing chamber <NUM> and multiple fluid channels <NUM> are formed by the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft <NUM> and the disk <NUM>. The channels <NUM> formed between the end of the internal shaft <NUM> and the disk <NUM> permit fluid to advance from the mixing chamber <NUM> to the chute formed by the internal shaft <NUM> that is in communication with the opening <NUM>.

The filled receptacle or container body, in some configurations, is sealed with the fluid therein by a liner associated with the closure cap. For example, a liner, such as a liner of a paperboard, plastic, and/or metallic material is associated with a portion of a retaining ring and when the closure cap <NUM> is threadingly attached to the container body, the liner seals the fluid <NUM> in the container. In other embodiments, the closure cap may form an airtight or hermetic seal with the container body. In these embodiments, the use of a liner associated with the closure cap may be omitted. Omitting the inclusion of a liner may reduce the number of different materials included in the dispensing bottle, which may aid in making the dispensing bottle recyclable.

Further, in some approaches, a method of manufacturing a closure cap includes forming, in a mold, a flip-top closure cap including a base and a flip-top lid. In some embodiments, the molded base has a dome-shaped wall with an opening therethrough and an inner shaft extending therefrom, an inner skirt with threads thereon, an outer skirt connected to the inner skirt by a planar portion and/or possible strengthening ribs, and a retaining ring on the inner skirt. The internal shaft of the molded base generally extends inwardly from the dome-shaped wall and terminates at a non-planar end surface. Further, the molded closure cap also has a flip-top lid hingedly connected to the base, where the flip-top lid has an interior projection and is movable from a first position where the interior projection blocks the opening to a second position where the interior projection does not obstruct the opening of the base. The method of manufacturing the closure cap, in some configurations, further includes snapping a disk into the retaining ring(s) or projection(s) of the base. In some embodiments, the disk has a central pinhole, partial annular slots disposed around the central pinhole, and flanges, that when installed, extend toward the base and are disposed in between the internal shaft and the partial annular slots. Once the disk and base are attached, a mixing chamber is formed between the disk, the dome-shaped wall, the inner skirt, and the internal shaft, wherein multiple fluid channels are formed by the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft and the disk.

In some configurations, the closure cap is made from only two separate components, including the flip-top cap and the disk, where the flip-top cap comprises the base and flip-top lid formed in a single, integral, unitary, one-piece structure, and wherein the two separate components (i.e., the flip-top cap and disk) are made of the same material, and are assembled. In operation, after the closure cap is molded and ejected from the mold, a mechanism can be used to assemble the disk into the closure cap (which can be formed at the same mold as the base and flip-top lid or at a different location), such as, for example, by snapping it into place in the base. Further, the mechanism or another device may be used to attach a liner to the retaining rings, which may help seal the fluid in the bottle. The base and flip-top lid, in some configurations, are molded in the same mold as the disk; in other configurations, the disk, along with the base and flip-top lid, are separately molded at the same mold. Further, the base and disk may be separately molded and assembled at another station. In yet other configurations, the entire closure cap (including the base, flip-top lid, and disk) might be molded or printed together.

As mentioned above, a number of adjustments to the concepts described herein may be made while remaining consistent with these teachings. For example, <FIG> illustrate another embodiment of a disk with annular openings. As shown, the disk <NUM> has a central portion <NUM> that is disposed a vertical distance from the peripheral portion <NUM>, which has the annular openings <NUM> disposed therein. In such a configuration, the mixing chamber <NUM> may be designed to have a volume that is somewhat independent of the volume of the discharge shaft or chamber formed by the internal shaft <NUM>. Indeed, the mixing chamber <NUM> is somewhat smaller than some of the others discussed above. To permit the flow of fluid <NUM> from the mixing chamber <NUM> to the internal shaft <NUM> forming the discharge chamber, the radius of the central portion <NUM> may be sufficiently large enough, as compared to the radius of the internal shaft <NUM> to provide clearance for the fluid <NUM> to pass from the mixing chamber <NUM> through the openings or fluid channels <NUM> formed between the internal shaft <NUM> and the mixing chamber <NUM> and/or the openings <NUM> may extend such that they have a height or location that is disposed beyond the vertical portion of the disk <NUM> that may be disposed adjacent the internal shaft <NUM>. In short, the openings between the mixing chamber <NUM> and the internal shaft <NUM> may be moved or sized to permit fluid flow even if the central portion <NUM> is not notably larger than the internal shaft. Further, while the central portion <NUM> is illustrated as lacking a central pinhole in <FIG>, in some configurations, the central portion <NUM> may include such an air vent formed via a pinhole or other structure. In addition, the disk <NUM> may be mated to the remainder of the cap in any of the manners, such as, for example, via a snap fit between portions of the base including ribs and/or projections or other complementary geometry between the disk and the base. <FIG> illustrate another example of a disk <NUM>, which lacks the central pinhole <NUM> found in some of the other embodiments. Also, while <FIG> do not include flanges similar to those described above, the vertical portion of the disk separating the central portion <NUM> and the peripheral portion <NUM> operates similarly to mix the product therein.

Turning to <FIG>, another embodiment is illustrated and is a three-part solution having a disk <NUM> that is flat and an inner cap or inner cylindrical housing <NUM>. By one approach, the inner cylindrical housing <NUM> includes a circular wall <NUM> with one or more openings <NUM> disposed therein. In this manner, the mixing chamber <NUM> is in fluid communication with an intermediate chamber <NUM> defined, in part, by the inner cylindrical housing <NUM>. By one approach, the inner cylindrical housing <NUM> is arranged in position about the internal shaft <NUM> and held into place via the disk <NUM> that is retained in position by the retaining members <NUM>, such as rings. In addition, the inner cylindrical housing <NUM> also may be securely attached to the central portion <NUM>. When the inner cylindrical housing <NUM> is disposed in position about the internal shaft <NUM>, the fluid <NUM> advances from the bottle to the exit or opening <NUM> by advancing through the annular openings <NUM>, through the openings <NUM> of the inner cap <NUM> and upward along the length of the internal shaft <NUM> through the internal opening <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM> and down the shaft to the exit opening <NUM>. As shown the disk <NUM> includes annular openings <NUM> but lacks a central pinhole because the inner cylindrical housing <NUM> lacks an opening in the surface thereof between the walls <NUM>. In this manner, the fluid <NUM> travels and mixes as it advances through the fluid channels of the three-part cap <NUM>. In addition to mixing, this configuration may be particularly useful for larger containers where the downward force on the fluid when the container is inverted are quite large because of the significant amount of product that might be disposed above the cap.

Also, while <FIG> are not illustrated as including the flanges extending from the disk, in some configurations, the disks may include flanges similar to those described above.

The exterior shape of the central portion of the base also may have a variety of configurations. As noted above, the central portion <NUM> of the base <NUM> may have a dome-shaped configuration, such as that incorporated into the cap <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> illustrates the dome-shaped central portion <NUM> and the exit <NUM> in cross section. While the dome-shaped central portion <NUM> of the base <NUM> provides a surface that easily wipes clean, other configurations with similar properties may be employed with the teachings described herein. For example, <FIG> illustrate another exemplary embodiment with a cap <NUM> having a central portion <NUM> with a general volcano-shape with sloping walls and an opening <NUM> disposed in the center thereof. Further, <FIG> illustrate yet another embodiment including a cap <NUM> with a flap central portion <NUM> and opening therein <NUM> with flat surfaces surrounding the exterior of the opening <NUM>. Further, while the exemplary shapes shown in <FIG> illustrate openings with an exemplary cut-off blades, these various shapes may be incorporated with other opening shapes and aspects described herein.

As noted above, the mixing chambers described herein permit separated serum to be incorporated or mixed back into the fluid before the fluid and/or portions thereof are discharged from the opening of the container cap. By one approach, the desired size of the mixing chamber may depend, in part, on the viscosity or other fluid attributes of the fluid or product in the container. By one approach, the size of the mixing chamber <NUM> is defined, in part, by the size of the internal shaft <NUM>, the location of the disk <NUM> via the corresponding geometry of the base, and/or the configuration of the disk, as mentioned above. Turning briefly to <FIG>, two differently sized mixing chambers <NUM> and <NUM>' are illustrated. While the components are similar, the walls forming the internal shaft <NUM> are longer in <FIG> than the walls of shaft <NUM>' in <FIG> and the corresponding geometry (such as, for example, the retaining rings <NUM>') are disposed a larger distance away from the central surface <NUM>° of the base <NUM>', as compared to the corresponding geometry (e.g., the retaining rings <NUM>) and central surface <NUM> of the base <NUM>. While the relative size of these components may change, as shown, the function thereof remains; that is, the mixing chamber assists with preventing separated serum from leaking from the bottle separately from the remainder of the fluid product <NUM>.

As discussed above, the interior walls <NUM> of the internal shaft may have a cross section that forms different shapes, such as, for example, a circle or an ellipse, among others. In addition, the shape formed or configuration of the interior wall <NUM> along the length thereof may adopt a variety of configurations. As illustrated, for example, in <FIG>, <FIG>, the internal shaft <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have generally linear interior wall <NUM> along the height of the internal shaft <NUM>. In other embodiments, the internal shaft <NUM> may have one or more interior walls <NUM> that are non- linear. In one embodiment, <FIG> illustrates an interior wall <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM> that angles toward the opening <NUM>. By one approach, the downward angle provides the cross section with a v-shaped configuration. In another embodiment, <FIG> illustrates an internal shaft <NUM> having an interior wall <NUM> with a downward slope that is slightly non-linear. By one approach, the downward slope provides the cross section with a modified u-shape. In another embodiment, <FIG> illustrates an internal shaft <NUM> having an interior wall <NUM> having a stepped configuration that narrows the diameter in a stepped manner.

Turning to <FIG>, the cross section of the top portion of a dispensing bottle according to another embodiment is shown. As shown in <FIG>, dispensing bottle <NUM> includes a container body <NUM> and a cap <NUM>. The cap <NUM> is configured to selectively allow dosing of the contents of the container body <NUM>. The container body <NUM> may be similar to a container body described above. In use, the container body <NUM> may contain a fluid, such as a thixotropic fluid. The container body <NUM> typically has a neck <NUM> extending from a body portion of the container body <NUM>. The neck <NUM> may have threads <NUM> disposed on a surface thereof to threadingly engage a cap, such as cap <NUM>.

The cap <NUM> shown in <FIG> has a base <NUM> and a flip-top lid <NUM>. The base <NUM> has an outer skirt <NUM> and an inner skirt <NUM> connected by a planar section <NUM>. Inner skirt <NUM> includes threads <NUM> disposed on the internal surface of the skirt. The threads <NUM> may be sized and configured to engage the threads <NUM> on the neck <NUM> of the container body <NUM>. The threads <NUM>, <NUM> may be continuous or discontinuous as described below in relation to <FIG>. The inner skirt <NUM> may also include ratchet projections, such as ratchet projections <NUM> described in relation to <FIG>. The base <NUM> also includes a dome-shaped central surface <NUM> having an opening <NUM> disposed therein. The opening <NUM> is generally aligned with the internal shaft <NUM> that extends from the dome-shaped surface <NUM> and terminates at a non-planar end surface <NUM>, which may take a variety of forms. The non-planar end surface <NUM> shown has a stepped configuration, similar to the configuration shown in more detail in <FIG>. In other approaches, however, the non-planar end surface <NUM> may have a wavy, sinusoidal or other arcuate configuration such as, for example, the configuration shown in <FIG>. The central opening <NUM> permits fluid to egress from the container body <NUM> when the opening <NUM> is unobstructed.

The base <NUM> further includes an internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> depending from the dome-shaped central surface <NUM>. The end of the attachment skirt <NUM> opposite the dome-shaped central surface <NUM> typically has geometry that engage with geometry of the disk <NUM> that is assembled therewith. In one illustrative approach, the geometry of the attachment skirt <NUM> includes an angled tip <NUM> on an end thereof. As shown in <FIG>, the angled tip <NUM> has an engaging surface <NUM> that faces inward toward the internal shaft <NUM>. By some approaches, the angled tip <NUM> is configured to engage with a portion of the disk <NUM> to guide the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> in connecting with the disk <NUM>, as will be described in more detail below. The internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> may further include a ridge <NUM> disposed on an internal surface of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM>. The ridge <NUM> may be an extension of the angled tip <NUM> as shown in <FIG> or may be independent of the angled tip <NUM>, for example, disposed on a surface of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> at a point closer to the dome-shaped central surface <NUM>. Together, the angled tip <NUM> and the ridge <NUM> may have a hook or barb configuration such that the angled tip <NUM> can be easily snapped over a ridge, rib, or groove, but is more difficult to remove. For example, as shown in <FIG>, the angled tip <NUM> has an engaging surface <NUM> extending away from the end of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> at an slight angle before sharply angling back toward the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> at a point closer to the central surface <NUM> of the base <NUM>, thereby resulting in a secure snap-fit or friction-fit connection between the disk <NUM> and the remainder of the cap <NUM>. In addition, the annular attachment skirt <NUM> and the corresponding exterior annular wall <NUM> that engages the attachment skirt <NUM> are typically comprised of material that permits them to easily flex relative to one another during assembly to accommodate being mated together with a low risk of damage to either portion of the cap <NUM>.

In addition, the cap <NUM> includes a flip-top lid <NUM> having an interior projection <NUM> disposed on the inner surface of lid <NUM>. The lid <NUM> is typically hingedly connected to the base <NUM> to permit the lid <NUM> to be reclosa. bly movable between a closed, first position to an open, second position. The hinged connection may be, for example, a living hinge connecting the flip-top lid <NUM> and the base <NUM>. In the closed first position the projection <NUM> blocks the opening <NUM> of the base <NUM> inhibiting egress of the fluid inside the container body <NUM>. The projection <NUM> may be configured to inhibit egress of the fluid without leakage even when the bottle in an inverted position, i.e., the cap <NUM> is at the bottom of the dispensing bottle <NUM>. In the open second position, the projection <NUM> is no longer positioned in the opening <NUM> of the base <NUM>, and thus, permits egress of the fluid through the opening <NUM>.

As mentioned above, the dispensing bottle <NUM> also includes a disk <NUM>, which typically includes an exterior annular wall <NUM>, one or more pinholes <NUM>, partial annular slots <NUM> disposed around the pinhole <NUM>, and internal flanges <NUM>. By one approach, the pinhole <NUM> is disposed in a central portion <NUM> of the disk <NUM>, yet in other configurations, the disk may lack a pinhole entirely. As illustrated, the exterior annular wall <NUM> has an angled tip <NUM> disposed on an end thereof. In <FIG>, the angled tip <NUM> has an engaging surface <NUM> that faces partly outward from the exterior annular wall <NUM>. The angled tip <NUM> is configured to engage with the angled tip <NUM> of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> of the base <NUM> when attaching the disk <NUM> to the base <NUM>. Like the angled tip <NUM> of the internal angular attachment skirt <NUM>, the angled tip <NUM> of the disk <NUM> is configured to guide the disk <NUM> when connecting the disk <NUM> to the base <NUM>. For example, the angled tip <NUM> guides the exterior annular wall to flex inward or outward to snap over a rib or ridge of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM>. The exterior annular wall <NUM> may further include a ridge <NUM> disposed on a surface thereof. As shown in <FIG>, the ridge <NUM> is disposed on the outward facing surface of the exterior annular wall <NUM>. In some configurations, the ridge <NUM> may be an extension of the angled tip <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. In other configurations, the ridge <NUM> may be independent of the angled tip <NUM>, for example, disposed on a surface of the exterior annular wall <NUM> at a point closer to the body of the disk <NUM>. Together, the angled tip <NUM> and the ridge <NUM> may have a hook or barb configuration such that the angled tip guides the exterior annular wall <NUM> over a rib or ridge in one direction, but causes movement in the reverse direction over the rib or ridge to be more difficult. For example, as shown <FIG>, the angled tip <NUM> at the end of exterior annular wall <NUM> has an engaging surface <NUM> extending away from the exterior annular wall <NUM> at a slight angle before sharply angling back toward the exterior annular wall <NUM> at the base <NUM> of the tip <NUM> a point closer to the body of the disk <NUM>. In operation, the slight angle typically allows the disk to be slid over a ridge with ease in the direction where the slight angled surface engages the ridge, while the sharp angled surface causes movement over the ridge in the reverse direction to require more force.

As noted above, the pinhole <NUM> may be disposed in a central portion <NUM> of the disk or may be offset therefrom. As shown in <FIG>, the pinhole <NUM> is located at the geometrical center of the disk <NUM>. The pinhole <NUM> typically allows air to flow into the container body <NUM> during use of the dispenser <NUM>. In an alternative embodiment shown in <FIG>, the disk <NUM> may have two pinholes <NUM>, <NUM> rather than a single pinhole. Similar to the pinhole previously discussed, such as that illustrated in <FIG>, the pinholes <NUM>, <NUM> may be offset from the center point <NUM> of the disk <NUM>. This configuration may be of interest where the disk <NUM> is injection molded, so that the injection point can be in the center of the disk <NUM>. The pinholes <NUM>, <NUM> may both be the same distance from the center point <NUM> of the disk <NUM> or may each be a different distance from the center point <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the pinholes <NUM>, <NUM> are symmetrical across the center point <NUM>. In some alternative embodiments, the pinholes <NUM>, <NUM> may be asymmetrical over the center point <NUM>. For example, both pinholes <NUM>, <NUM> may be adjacent to the same partially annular slot. While the embodiment shown in <FIG> shows two pinholes, configurations with more than two pinholes offset from the center point are also contemplated. In addition, the pinhole may have a variety of shapes, or the disk may lack any pinholes.

When attaching the disk <NUM> to the base <NUM>, the disk <NUM> is aligned with the base <NUM> such that the engaging surface <NUM> of the annular angled tip <NUM> of the base <NUM> contacts the engaging surface <NUM> of the annular angled tip <NUM> of the disk <NUM>. Force is applied to urge the disk <NUM> and the base <NUM> together. As force is applied, the angled engaging surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> and the external annular wall <NUM> cause the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> and the external annular wall <NUM> to flex or elastically deflect away from one another as the angled engaging surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> slide over each other. Once the angled tip <NUM> of the base <NUM> has passed beyond the ridge <NUM> of the disk <NUM>, the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> elastically returns or springs back to its original non-flexed state. Likewise, once the angled tip <NUM> of the disk <NUM> has passed beyond the ridge <NUM> of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM>, the exterior annular wall <NUM> elastically returns or springs back to its original non-flexed state. Thus, in the embodiment of <FIG>, once the angled tips <NUM>, <NUM> have passed beyond the ridges <NUM>, <NUM> the base <NUM> and the disk <NUM> are held or secured together, unless pried apart from one another. Force in the opposite direction causes the ridge <NUM> of the base <NUM> to contact the ridge <NUM> of the disk <NUM>. Because the angle of the side of the ridge <NUM> proximal to dome-shaped surface <NUM> is great relative to the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> and the angle do the side of the ridge <NUM> proximal the disk <NUM> is great relative to the exterior annular wall <NUM>, a greater amount of force is required to cause the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> and the exterior annular wall <NUM> to flex away from one another to allow the angled tips <NUM>, <NUM> to pass back over the ridges <NUM>, <NUM>.

Once assembled, a mixing chamber is formed by the disk <NUM>, the dome-shaped central portion <NUM>, the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM>, and the internal shaft <NUM>. Fluid channels are formed by the non-planar end surface <NUM> of the internal shaft <NUM>, the disk <NUM>, and the partial annular slots <NUM> in the disk <NUM>. In use, the flip-top lid <NUM> is moved from the first closed position to the second opened position, such that the projection <NUM> does not inhibit egress of fluid through the opening <NUM> of the base <NUM>. Once the bottle <NUM> is opened, pressure may be applied to the container body <NUM> to control the dispensing of the fluid contained in the container body <NUM>. Then, once pressure is applied to the container body <NUM>, fluid is forced to flow out of the container body <NUM> along the neck <NUM> of the container body <NUM> and through the partial annular openings of the disk <NUM>. The fluid may then flow over or in between the internal flanges <NUM> and then through fluid channels in the internal shaft <NUM>. The fluid then flows along the internal shaft <NUM> and exits the dispensing bottle <NUM> via the opening <NUM> in the base <NUM>. While the fluid is flowing through the openings and channels of the mixing chamber, the flow of the fluid causes the fluid to be mixed as described in more detail above.

When pressure is removed from the container body <NUM>, the fluid promptly ceases to exit the dispensing bottle. This is partly due to air being permitted to flow back into the container body <NUM>. Air may be admitted into the container body <NUM> by, for example, the opening <NUM> and the pinhole <NUM>, the partial annular slots <NUM>, or both. This causes the container body <NUM> to spring back to its original non-pressurized state, thus causing the flow of the fluid in the interior channel to be reversed without movement of the disk <NUM> relative to the base <NUM>.

In another embodiment, the angled tip <NUM> of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> has an engaging surface <NUM> that faces outward and away from the internal shaft <NUM> rather than inward. The ridge <NUM> is also disposed on an external surface of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> rather than the internal surface. The angled tip <NUM> of the exterior annular wall <NUM> of the disk <NUM> has an engaging surface <NUM> that faces partly inward from the exterior annular wall <NUM>. The ridge <NUM> is disposed on the inward facing surface of the exterior annular wall <NUM>. The angled tip <NUM> is configured and positioned to engage with the angled tip <NUM> of the internal annular attachment skirt <NUM> of the base <NUM> to guide the disk <NUM> when connecting the disk <NUM> to the base <NUM>.

While the embodiment disclosed in <FIG> show both the base and the disk having an angled tip, there are also embodiments where only one of the base or the disk have an angled tip. For example, the base may have an angled tip and the disk may have a ridge or even an annular recess or groove extending around the external annular wall. The angled tip of the base may be configured to slide along a surface of the exterior annular wall and snap over the ridge or into the annular recess or groove disposed on the external annular wall. In a similar embodiment, the disk has the angled tip, while the base has the ridge, annular recess, or groove disposed on an annular surface of the interior annular attachment skirt that the angled tip snaps into.

Turning now to <FIG>, a dispensing bottle <NUM> is illustrated with multiple, optional closure caps <NUM>, <NUM>'. More particularly, the container bottle or body <NUM> of the dispensing bottle <NUM> can be matingly or threadingly engaged with a first closure cap <NUM> or a second closure cap <NUM>'. Indeed, as illustrated in <FIG>, the container body <NUM> is compatible with both the closure cap <NUM>, which includes projections <NUM> and is described in further detail below and the conventional closure cap <NUM>', which lacks many of the details outlined herein. Thus, while the combination of the closure cap <NUM> and container body <NUM> provide for a secure closure as described in further detail below, a removable closure cap, such as closure cap <NUM>' also may be coupled to container body <NUM> so that the closure cap <NUM>' may be threadingly disengaged or removed from the container body <NUM> after being matingly engaged therewith. The container body <NUM> is likewise compatible with the closure cap embodiments described above in relation to <FIG>.

In one illustrative configuration, the dispensing bottle <NUM> includes a closure cap <NUM> and a container body <NUM> having a neck <NUM> with bottle threads <NUM> thereon. By one approach, the bottle threads <NUM> are discontinuous such that the bottle threads have at least one space <NUM> between a first thread portion and a second thread portion. In addition, the dispensing bottle <NUM> in some configurations includes a closure cap <NUM> having a base <NUM> and a flip-top lid <NUM>. In such a configuration, the base <NUM> typically includes a skirt <NUM> with an inner surface <NUM> thereof having base threads <NUM> disposed thereon and ratchet projections <NUM> extending from the inner surface <NUM> thereof. As illustrated, the closure cap <NUM> includes a hingedly attached flip-top lid <NUM> that is movable, via a hinge <NUM>, from a closed position (see, e.g., <FIG>) to an open position. Further, the bottle threads <NUM> are sized and located to threadingly engage the base threads <NUM> once the closure cap <NUM> is secured to the container body <NUM> and at least one of the ratchet projections <NUM> of the closure cap <NUM> extends into at least one space <NUM> between the first thread portion and the second thread portion such that manual removal of the closure will thereafter be difficult or impossible due to engagement of one or more closure ratchet projections <NUM> with one or more bottle thread portions such as ratchet teeth <NUM>. Thus, while a conventional cap <NUM>' may be threadingly removed from the container body <NUM>, the closure cap <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> has portions thereof that engage with the geometry of the neck <NUM> of the container body <NUM> to prevent or at least inhibit removal of the closure cap <NUM> from the container body <NUM>.

The container body <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. In one illustrative approach, the neck <NUM> of the container body <NUM> has discontinuous threads disposed thereon. The illustrated discontinuous threads include an elongated lead-in <NUM>, additional elongated threads <NUM>, and one or more bottle ratchet projections <NUM>. In some embodiments, the bottle threads comprise multiple bottle ratchet projections <NUM> extending from the neck <NUM> of the container body <NUM> in between elongated thread <NUM> and the elongated lead-in <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> the neck <NUM>. of the container body <NUM> may include one or more bottle ratchet projections <NUM>, which may each have a size and shape that is approximately the same as each of the other bottle ratchet projections. In some embodiments, the ratchet projections <NUM> may have a height in the range of about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or <NUM> to <NUM>, a length or circumferential dimension in the range of about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or <NUM> to <NUM>, and a radial dimension or width in the range of about <NUM>, or <NUM> to <NUM>. In addition, these typically cooperate with geometry of the closure cap <NUM>, such as, for example, the base projections <NUM>, which typically have a base thickness that is approximately equal to each of the other base projections.

<FIG> illustrates how, in some configurations, one of elongated bottle threads <NUM> has a width, W<NUM>, along a majority of the elongated thread <NUM>, and has a cutout or notch <NUM>, with a smaller width, W2. , which can help with positioning the bottle, e.g., by facilitating detection of bottle orientation. As illustrated, this cutout <NUM> is disposed in between or intermediate the ends of the elongated thread <NUM>, which may have an angled configuration or gradually increasing or decreasing width. Accordingly, the cutout <NUM> has a smaller width or is narrower than the remainder of the elongated bottle thread <NUM>.

As noted, the closure cap <NUM>, in one illustrative embodiment, includes ratchet projections <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the ratchet projections <NUM> of the base <NUM> typically extend from the interior surface <NUM> at an angle. In one illustrative embodiment, the ratchet projections <NUM> of the base <NUM> extend from the interior surface <NUM> at an angle of less than about <NUM> degrees from the interior surface of the base. By some approaches, the base <NUM> includes four to ten ratchet projections <NUM> on each opposing side thereof, such that the base includes a total of eight to twenty ratchet projections. <FIG> illustrates four of the ratchet projections on one side of the closure cap <NUM>. It also illustrates the opening <NUM> in the base <NUM> and a projection <NUM> on an interior surface of the flip-top lid <NUM> that will block the opening <NUM> when the flip-top lid is rotated or flipped into the closed configuration.

Tamper evidence may be provided by including a deformable or frangible component <NUM>, shown in <FIG>, that will be visibly changed when the flip-top lid <NUM> of the closure cap <NUM> is pivoted from closed to open position. By one approach, a tamper-indicating feature may be included on the closure cap and may be configured so that the tamper-indicating structure remains part of the closure cap after opening, i.e., it does not detach from the closure cap upon opening. In one approach, the tamper-indicating feature may comprise a frangible layer of material such as a layer of shrink film, a strip of tape, or the like extending over all or part of the exterior surfaces of both the flip-top lid <NUM> and the base <NUM>. In one approach, a shrink wrap film or a length of tape may extend over the cap such that the continuity of the film or tape must be interrupted, e.g., by cutting or tearing or otherwise deformed, to enable the top of the cap to be pivoted from closed to open position. The frangible material may include one or more lines of weakness <NUM> such as one or more perforations or regions of decreased thickness aligned at or near the joint between the lid <NUM> and base <NUM> of the cap <NUM> to facilitate rupture and removal of the frangible material. The frangible material may be secured to both the lid and base by a nonpeelable or permanent adhesive. The frangible material may be made of the same material as the closure cap or a different material, and may be made of a biodegradable material. The frangible material may be attached to the cap only so that no portion of the frangible material will be attached to the bottle, or may be attached to both the cap and the bottle. In one illustrative embodiment, portions of the dispensing bottle, such as, for example, the container body <NUM> are comprised of a plastic material, such as, for example, a blow-molded PET material, polypropylene material, or similar material. Further, in some configurations, the closure cap <NUM> is comprised of a molded plastic material, such as an injection-molded PET material, polypropylene material or similar material.

As discussed above, previous bottles with flip top lids such as those shown in <FIG> of <CIT>, often have a lid that is hingedly movable with respect to a base, but which lacks any sort of base ratchet as described above, and lacks any sort of tamper evident feature. Accordingly, the neck of the prior art container body typically included a seal liner that required manual removal by a consumer before consumption of the fluid in the dispensing bottle. In this manner, a consumer typically unscrews the flip top lid that is threadingly engaging the bottle neck threads of the container body to access the liner, which is the grasped and peeled back from the container body to permit access to the fluid. Then, the flip top lid is typically re-screwed onto the container body to permit the fluid to be dispersed or portioned from the container body. As noted above, such liners are typically not recyclable, however, consumers want to ensure that the products and fluids being consumed from the container are safe and tamper-free.

As described above, the dispensing bottle <NUM> is typically well suited to contain a fluid <NUM> therein. Further, the dispensing bottle <NUM> typically includes geometry, such as, for example, an angled portion below the neck <NUM> of the container body <NUM> to direct the fluid <NUM> disposed therein to the open neck of the container body. In addition, the inverted bottle that is often popular with consumers of thixotropic fluids typically helps migrate much of the fluid <NUM> out of the bottle. (For illustrations of such a top-down bottle, see, e.g., <CIT>. ) In some illustrative configurations, the dispensing bottle <NUM> also incorporates therein a slip lining interior to the container body <NUM> to facilitate complete discharge of the fluid <NUM> disposed within the container body <NUM>. By one approach, the slip lining is only disposed on a portion of the interior surface of the container body <NUM>. In other configurations the slip lining is continuously disposed around all or much of the interior of the container body. In some configurations, the slip lining or material may be disposed in the plastic material forming the container body and may then migrate to the interior surface of the container body to facilitate discharge of the fluid. In this manner, the fluid <NUM> may be more completely discharged from the container body. Accordingly, the container body <NUM> may not require washing before recycling, which might otherwise be required for the recycler to recognize the PET or similar material forming the container body.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the container body <NUM> described herein may be employed with different closure caps, such as, for example, closure caps <NUM>, having ratchet projections <NUM> that provide a non-removable, secure lid attachment. The container body <NUM> may also be used with closure cap <NUM> and the various embodiments described in regard to <FIG>. In addition, the container body <NUM>, as illustrated, also may be employed with a more conventional closure cap <NUM>' such as that illustrated in <FIG>. By employing the container body <NUM> with caps that do not include ratchet projections <NUM>, for example, a conventional closure cap <NUM>', the closure cap is generally threadingly disengagable, via manual manipulation to remove the closure cap from the container body <NUM>.

The closure caps <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> can be employed with a variety of container bodies. When closure cap <NUM> is employed with a conventional container body <NUM>', the ratchet teeth <NUM> do not lock the closure cap on the bottle, and accordingly, the closure cap <NUM> is easily manually removable from the container body <NUM>' by merely unscrewing the closure cap <NUM> to disengage the base threads <NUM> of the closure cap <NUM> from the threads <NUM>' of the neck <NUM>' of the container body <NUM>'. Alternatively, the closure caps <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> can be employed with a container body <NUM> having discontinuous threads <NUM> to form a non-removable closure between the closure cap and the container body.

As shown in <FIG>, closure cap <NUM> includes a base <NUM> having a central surface with an opening <NUM> therein and a skirt <NUM> with an inner surface <NUM> having base threads <NUM> disposed thereon and ratchet projections <NUM> extending therefrom. In addition, the closure cap <NUM> includes a flip-top lid <NUM> hingedly attached to the base <NUM>. The flip-top lid <NUM> is movable, via a hinge <NUM>, from a closed position to an open position. A projection <NUM> on an interior surface of the flip-top lid <NUM> is configured to block the opening <NUM> of the base when the flip-top lid <NUM> is disposed in the closed position. Whereas some closure caps include ratchet projections disposed around much of the interior surface of the closure caps (such that, for example, the closure cap typically includes between eight to twenty ratchet projections somewhat evenly distributed), the ratchet projections <NUM> extend only from a portion of the interior surface. By one approach, the ratchet projections extend from the interior surface <NUM> at an angle and the base <NUM> includes two to eight ratchet projections <NUM>, typically disposed along half or less than half of the circumference of the interior of the closure cap <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the closure cap <NUM> includes four ratchet projection <NUM> disposed on a portion of the circumference opposite the hinge <NUM> of the closure cap <NUM>. In other embodiments, other configurations may be used. For example, six ratchet projections may be provided on each side, and the ratchet projections may be spaced evenly or approximately evenly about the entire circumference. Similar to those discussed above, the ratchet projections <NUM> extending from the skirt <NUM> and the base threads <NUM> are configured to threadingly engage elongated, continuous neck threads to permit the closure cap <NUM> to be removably coupled with a bottle (e.g., <NUM>' of <FIG>) and the base threads <NUM> are further configured to threadingly engage discontinuous neck threads to permit the closure cap to be irremovably coupled to another bottle (e.g., <NUM> of <FIG>).

In addition to the closure caps described herein being threadingly engageable with the bottles <NUM>, <NUM>' of <FIG>, the closure caps also may engage a bottle <NUM> having a neck <NUM> with threads <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

As used herein, the ratchet projections may take a variety of forms, such as, for example, a fin or flat member that protrudes from the interior surface at an angle. By one approach, the ratchet projections <NUM> extend from the interior surface <NUM> at an angle of less than about <NUM> degrees from the interior surface of the base. As noted above, the closure caps described herein may be formed of a molded plastic material. Similarly, the details thereon, such as for example, the ratchet projections <NUM> and base threads <NUM> also are generally comprised of a molded plastic material.

As shown in <FIG>, the base <NUM> of the closure cap <NUM> includes an opening <NUM> through which the contents of a container body, such as a fluid, can egress. When the closure cap <NUM> is in the closed position a projection <NUM> on an interior surface of the flip top lid <NUM> extends into or adjacent the opening <NUM> to seal or otherwise engage or block the opening <NUM> to prohibit egress of the fluid <NUM> therethrough.

In some configurations, the closure cap includes a material coated onto at least portions of a surface thereof that provides an oxygen barrier.

To seal the cap <NUM> onto a container body, a seal may be formed directly between the container body and the base <NUM> of the cap <NUM>, without a separate liner therebetween. The seal may be formed between the uppermost surface of the container body, i.e., the top surface of the finish, and the underside of the top wall of the base <NUM>. A thin coating of sealant material may be provided at this location on the container body and/or the cap <NUM> to facilitate hermetic sealing. Sealant material may additionally or alternatively be disposed at one or more other locations, e.g., on or about portions of threads, on the exterior of the closure, or on the exterior of the bottle body, to further restrict or prevent ingress or egress of air or other fluids into or out of the closed bottle, which may help to increase the shelf life of the product or fluid <NUM> in the dispensing bottle <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a closure cap <NUM> may have a push-pull valve similar to those in conventional sports closures as shown in <FIG>, in combination with the locking ratchet features described above. The push-pull valve shown in <FIG> comprises an upwardly extending annular projection <NUM>. and plug (not shown) similar to those used in conventional sports closures. The projection <NUM> functions as both handle and valve seat. When the projection <NUM> is in closed position, it surrounds a central plug which prevents flow of fluid through the closure. When it is pulled upward, it moves into an open position with clearance between the central plug and the annular projection, such that fluid may flow outward around the exterior of the plug and through a central opening or port in the projection <NUM> to enable fluid to be dispensed from the bottle. The projection <NUM> may be moved back from open to closed position by pushing it downward so that the projection <NUM> again surrounds the plug such that the plug seats in the projection <NUM>. To facilitate pulling the projection <NUM> upward, the illustrated projection <NUM> has a manually engageable bottom peripheral surface <NUM>.

The closure cap <NUM> of <FIG> is shown locked onto bottle <NUM>. In some embodiments, the closure cap <NUM> and bottle <NUM> may have a disc, mixing chamber, thread configurations, and/or locking features similar to those described and shown above with respect to one or more of the embodiments of <FIG>. In some embodiments, the closure cap <NUM> of <FIG> may seal directly to the bottle <NUM> without a conventional disc seal or other separate component extending over the top of the bottle between the finish of the bottle and the closure. In some embodiments, a frangible material <NUM> may be provided over the projection <NUM> to provide tamper evidence. In some embodiments, the frangible material <NUM> may comprise a length of tape robustly sealed to one or more of the bottom, sides and top of projection <NUM>, and extending over the top of projection <NUM> to cover the central opening, such that fluid flow through the closure is difficult or impossible without fracturing the tape. In some embodiments, the frangible material <NUM> may comprise a layer of shrink-wrap material covering the bottom, top and sides of projection <NUM> such that fluid flow through the closure is difficult or impossible without fracturing the shrink-wrap material. In some embodiments, a hinged cover, e.g., a flip-top lid, or other additional structure may also extend over and enclose the projection <NUM>.

The dispensing bottles including closure caps and container bodies described herein may be formed in a number of manners. In one illustrative approach, the method of manufacturing a filled dispensing bottle includes blow-molding or otherwise molding a container body with a neck having bottle threads thereon, wherein the bottle threads are discontinuous such that the threads have at least one space between a first thread portion and a second thread portion and molding a closure cap having a base and a flip-top lid. In some embodiments, the closure cap may be injection molded or otherwise molded, and includes a base with a skirt having an inner surface thereof with base threads disposed thereon and ratchet projections extending and a flip-top lid hingedly attached to the base, via a hinge, such that the flip-top lid is movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the base of the closure cap. The method also typically includes filling the container body with a fluid and threadingly engaging the bottle threads with the base threads to close the filled container body with the closure cap. As noted above, securing such a closure cap to container body may result in the closure cap not being manually removable from the filled container once one of the ratchet projections of the base extend into the at least one space of the bottle threads of the neck. In addition, in this method of manufacturing, the step of threadingly engaging the bottle threads with the base threads to close the filled container may occur without a security seal liner being disposed on the neck of the container body or below the flip-top cap. The closure cap and container body may be made from recyclable materials, biodegradable materials, and/or other materials.

Claim 1:
A dispensing bottle (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a container body (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a neck (<NUM>, <NUM>) with bottle threads (<NUM>, <NUM>) thereon, the bottle threads being discontinuous such that the bottle threads have at least one space (<NUM>) between a first thread portion and a second thread portion;
a closure cap (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a base (<NUM>) and a control device,
the base having, at least, a dome-shaped wall (<NUM>) with an opening (<NUM>) therethrough, an outer skirt (<NUM>) with an inner surface thereof having base threads (<NUM>) disposed thereon and base ratchet projections (<NUM>) extending from the inner surface thereof, an inner skirt (<NUM>) connected to the outer skirt by a planar portion, and an internal shaft (<NUM>) inwardly depending from the dome-shaped wall, the internal shaft terminating at a non-planar end surface (<NUM>);
the control device being movable from a closed position to an open position; a disk (<NUM>) attached to an interior of the base; and
a mixing chamber defined by the disk, the dome-shaped wall, the inner skirt, and the internal shaft, wherein multiple fluid channels are formed by the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft and the disk,
wherein the bottle threads (<NUM>, <NUM>) are sized and located to threadingly engage the base threads (<NUM>) once the closure cap is secured to the container body and at least a portion of one of the ratchet projections engages the at least one space between the first thread portion and the second thread portion to prevent or hinder manual removal of the closure cap from the container body.