Dispensing system with a dispensing valve having a projecting, reduced size discharge end

• US 20070295763A1
• Filed: 06/21/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign Inc (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign Inc (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hickok, Alan P., Smith, Kelly A., Socier, Timothy R., Brunner, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/494
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0471 with means for positioning the cap on the container, or for limiting the movement of the cap, or for preventing accidental loosening of the cap
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0478 the cap being formed by several elements connected together
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0842 consisting of a strap of flexible material
• 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 47/2037 the element being opened or closed by actuating a separate element which causes the deformation, e.g. screw cap closing container slit

Abstract

A dispensing system includes a body having a base for extending from a container, and a support column projecting from the base. A discharge passage extends through the body and support column. A flexible, pressure-openable dispensing valve has a skirt mounted on the support column and has an outwardly extending, narrowing head defining a dispensing orifice at the distal end. A clamp member fits around the valve skirt and is engaged with the body to hold the body, valve, and clamp member together.

Claims

1. A dispensing system for a container that has an opening to the container interior where a product may be stored, said dispensing system comprising:

(A) a body for extending from said container at said opening, said body including

(1) a base for being mounted to, and extending from, said container,

(2) a support column projecting outwardly from said base, and

(3) a product discharge passage through said base and support column;

(B) a dispensing valve that comprises flexible, resilient material defining (a) a mounting skirt disposed around said body support column, and (b) an outwardly extending, narrowing dispensing head,

said valve mounting skirt defining (a) an interior sealing surface engaging said body support column, and (b) an annular shoulder,

said valve head defining a normally closed dispensing orifice which opens to permit flow therethrough in response to a pressure differential across said valve; and

(C) a clamp member surrounding at least a portion of said valve skirt, said clamp member having

(1) a retention lip that (a) defines an aperture through which said valve head projects, and (b) is engaged with said valve skirt annular shoulder to retain said valve skirt around said body support column, and

(2) a retention flange that is engaged with said body to prevent said clamp member from moving outwardly relative to said body and valve.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which said system is a dispensing closure wherein said body is separate from, but releasably attachable to, said container around said container opening.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which

said body support column has an exterior surface, and at least a portion of said exterior surface has a frustoconical shape;

and

at least a portion of said valve skirt interior sealing surface has a frustoconical configuration that matingly engages said frustoconical shape of said body support column exterior surface.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which said body defines at least one slot and an angled lead-in surface adjacent said at least one slot for being temporarily engaged by said at least one retention flange as said clamp member is being mounted on said body whereby said retention flange moves along said lead-in surface.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which

said body has a peripheral collar that is located radially beyond said base and that has an upper end defining a frustoconical surface;

and

said clamp member has a lower end terminating in a peripheral margin defining a frustoconical surface for mating with said body peripheral collar frustoconical surface.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which said body has a peripheral collar that has at least one external male thread segment.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 in which said system further includes a removable overcap defining a skirt with an internal female thread segment engaged with said body peripheral collar external male thread segment.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which

said body has a peripheral collar that defines an annular flat shoulder at the top of said body peripheral collar;

and

said system further includes an overcap hingedly attached to said body for moving between (1) a closed position on top of said body peripheral collar annular flat shoulder to cover said valve, and (2) an open position in which said valve is exposed.

9. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which said valve head has a distal tip that is generally dome shaped.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which

said valve orifice is defined by a plurality of slits that extend (1) through said valve head from an exterior side to an interior side, and (2) laterally from a common origin so that flaps are defined by said slits whereby said orifice is capable of opening by outward deflection of said flaps when the pressure in the interior of the container exceeds the pressure on the exterior of the valve by a predetermined amount;

said slits are each generally planar;

said slits are of equal length; and

said slits diverge laterally from said origin to define equal size angles between each pair of adjacent slits.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which said valve orifice is closed when the pressure on the interior of the container is substantially the same as the pressure on the exterior of the valve.

12. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which

said body defines at least one slot;

said clamp member has at least one leg extending through said at least one slot; and

said retention flange extends from an end of said at least one leg.

13. The system in accordance with claim 12 in which

said body defines two of said slots;

and

said body includes a peripheral collar joined to said base by two spaced-apart bridges so that each bridge is located between said two slots.

14. The system in accordance with claim 1 for use with a container having a neck with a circumferential array of radially outwardly directed teeth and in which said body includes at least one radially inwardly directed rib for engaging the container neck teeth.

15. The system in accordance with claim 1 in which

said body includes a circumferential array of radially outwardly directed teeth;

and

said clamp member includes at least one radially inwardly directed spline for engaging said radially outwardly directed teeth of said body.

16. The system in accordance with claim 1 for use with a container having a radially extending annular flange and in which said body includes at least one radially inwardly directed flange for establishing a snap fit engagement with said container flange to hold said body to said container.

17. A dispensing system for a container that has an opening to the container interior where a product may be stored, said dispensing system comprising:

(A) a body for extending from said container at said opening, said body including

(1) a base for extending from said container,

(2) at least one slot defined in said body,

(3) a support column projecting outwardly from said base and defining a frustoconical surface, and

(4) a product discharge passage through said base and support column;

(B) a dispensing valve that comprises flexible, resilient material defining (a) a mounting skirt disposed around said body support column, and (b) an outwardly extending, narrowing dispensing head,

said valve mounting skirt defining (a) an interior sealing surface having a frustoconical configuration for engaging said body support column frustoconical surface, and (b) a peripheral annular groove which is open laterally,

said valve head defining a normally closed dispensing orifice which opens to permit flow therethrough in response to a pressure differential across said valve; and

(C) a clamp member surrounding at least a portion of said valve skirt, said clamp member having

(1) a retention lip that (a) defines an aperture through which said valve head projects, and (b) is received in said valve skirt annular groove to retain said valve skirt around said body support column,

(2) at least one leg extending through said at least one slot of said body, and

(3) a retention flange that (a) extends from said at least one leg of said clamp member, and (b) is engaged with said body to prevent said clamp member from moving outwardly relative to said body and valve.

18. A dispensing system for a container that has (1) an opening to the container interior where a product may be stored, (2) a circumferential array of radially outwardly directed teeth, and (3) a radially extending, annular flange, said dispensing system comprising:

(A) a body for extending from said container at said opening, said body including

(1) a base for extending from said container,

(2) at least one radially inwardly directed rib for engaging the container neck teeth,

(3) at least one radially inwardly directed flange for establishing a snap fit engagement with said container flange to hold said body to said container,

(4) a circumferential array of radially outwardly extending teeth,

(5) a support column projecting outwardly from said base and defining a frustoconical surface, and

(6) a product discharge passage through said base and support column;

(B) a dispensing valve that comprises flexible, resilient material defining (a) a mounting skirt disposed around said body support column, and (b) an outwardly extending, narrowing dispensing head,

said valve mounting skirt defining (a) an interior sealing surface having a frustoconical configuration for engaging said body support column frustoconical surface, and (b) an annular shoulder,

said valve head defining a normally closed dispensing orifice which opens to permit flow therethrough in response to a pressure differential across said valve; and

(C) a clamp member surrounding at least a portion of said valve skirt, said clamp member having

(1) a retention lip that (a) defines an aperture through which said valve head projects, and (b) is engaged with said valve skirt annular shoulder to retain said valve skirt around said body support column,

(2) at least one radially inwardly directed spline for engaging said radially outwardly directed teeth of said body, and

(3) at least one radially inwardly directed retention flange for engaging under said radially outwardly directed teeth of said body to prevent said clamp member from moving away from said body and valve.