Patent ID: 8763859

Claim:
A squeeze tube comprises a squeezable fluid-storage container and a fluid-dispensing closure coupled to an upper end of the fluid-storage container and configured to control discharge of fluid stored in an interior region of the squeezable fluid-storage container through a discharge aperture formed in the fluid-dispensing closure, wherein the fluid-dispensing closure includes a ring located inside the interior region of the squeezable fluid-storage container, a fluid-discharge deck located outside the interior region of the squeezable fluid-storage container and formed to include the discharge aperture, and a generally cone-shaped nozzle including an upper portion coupled to the fluid-discharge deck and located outside of the interior region of the squeezable fluid-storage container, a lower portion coupled to the ring and located inside the interior region of the squeezable fluid-storage container, the upper portion and the lower portion are substantially coplanar, and a middle portion interposed between and coupled to each of the upper and lower portions and formed to include an exposed annular lip arranged to lie between exterior surfaces of the upper and lower portions, and wherein the upper end of the fluid-storage container includes a tubular closure-mount sleeve including an inner surface arranged to mate with exterior surfaces of the lower portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle and the ring, an outer surface arranged to face away from the exterior surface of the lower portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle, and an annular lip arranged to interconnect the inner and outer surfaces of the tubular closure-mount sleeve and cooperate with an exterior surface of the lower portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle to form an obtuse included angle therebetween and mate with the exposed annular lip to cause the outer surface of the tubular closure-mount sleeve to mate and merge in smooth alignment with an exterior surface of the upper portion of the generally cone-shaped nozzle to provide a substantially smooth and continuous outside wall of the squeeze tube around a circumference of the squeeze tube at a junction between the fluid-dispensing closure and the upper end of the squeezable fluid-storage container.