Backflow preventing mouth plug and container

• US 20050173468A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masayasu Miyazaki
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Koichi, Miyazaki, Masayasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,490,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/494
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2031 the element being formed by a slit, narrow opening or constrictable spout, the size of the outlet passage being able to be varied by increasing or decreasing the pressure B65D47/2025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2081 in which the deformation raises or lowers the valve port

Abstract

There is provided a backflow preventing mouth plug comprising an elastic membrane element having a discharge opening for discharging fluid and mounted to a mouth part of a container and a plug member disposed in the elastic membrane element to prevent unintentional outflow of the fluid. The plug member has a spherical seal surface with which the elastic membrane element elastically and closely contacts. At least one thick wall portion and at least one thin wall portion are alternately formed around the discharge opening of the elastic membrane element in a circumferential direction thereof.

Claims

1. A backflow preventing mouth plug comprising:

an elastic membrane element having a discharge opening for discharging fluid and mounted to a mouth part of a container and

a plug member disposed in the elastic membrane element to prevent unintentional outflow of the fluid,

wherein the plug member has a spherical seal surface with which the elastic membrane element elastically and closely contacts; and

at least one thick wall portion and at least one thin wall portion are alternately formed around the discharge opening of the elastic membrane element in a circumferential direction thereof.

2. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 1, wherein the elastic membrane element has a substantially semi-spherical tip part;

the discharge opening is defined through a projecting end of the tip part;

the plug member is provided to contact closely with an inner surface of the tip part; and

the thick wall portion is provided on the tip part of the elastic membrane element between a position vertically corresponding to a spherical center of the plug member and the discharge opening.

3. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 1, wherein an annular protrusion is formed on an inner surface of the elastic membrane element to contact closely with the plug member to thereby provide a seal.

4. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 2, wherein an annular protrusion is formed on an inner surface of the elastic membrane element to contact closely with the plug member to thereby provide a seal.

5. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of plug members are disposed in the elastic membrane element.

6. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 1, wherein the elastic membrane element has, adjacent to one end thereof, a substantially semi-spherical tip part;

the discharge opening is defined through a projecting end of the tip part;

the at least one thick wall portion and the at least one thin wall portion are alternately formed on the tip part in a circumferential direction of the tip part;

the plug member comprises a first plug member and a second plug member each having a spherical seal surface with which the elastic membrane element elastically and closely contacts, the first plug member being disposed in the tip part of the elastic membrane element, and the second plug element being disposed more adjacent to the mouth part of the container than the first plug member in the elastic membrane element.

7. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6, wherein the first plug member has a spherical configuration and is disposed to contact closely with an inner surface of the tip part;

and the at least one thick wall portion is formed on the tip part of the elastic membrane element between a position vertically corresponding to a spherical center of the first plug member and the discharge opening.

8. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6, wherein annular protrusions are formed on an inner surface of the elastic membrane element to contact closely with the first or second plug members to thereby define seals.

9. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6, wherein the backflow preventing mouth plug further includes a mounting member for mounting the elastic membrane element to the mouth part of a container body of the container;

and a restraining part for restraining a position of the second plug member in the elastic membrane element is formed on the mounting member.

10. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6, wherein the backflow preventing mouth plug further includes a mounting member for mounting the elastic membrane element to the mouth part of a container body of the container;

and an annular cover part for covering an upper part of the mounting member is formed on an outer surface of the elastic membrane element.

11. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6, wherein a restraining projection for restraining positions of the first and second plug members is formed on the inner surface of the elastic membrane element.

12. The backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6, wherein at least one thick wall portion and at least one thin wall portion are alternately formed on a middle portion of a body part of the elastic membrane element in a circumferential direction thereof.

13. A container wherein the backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 1 is mounted to a mouth part of a container body.

14. A container wherein the backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 2 is mounted to a mouth part of a container body.

15. A container wherein the backflow preventing mouth plug according to claim 6 is mounted to a mouth part of a container body.