CLOSURE ASSEMBLY WITH VALVE AND METHOD FOR ITS MANUFACTURING

• US 20140217130A1
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plasticum Netherlands B.V. (Weener Plastik GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Plasticum Netherlands B.V. (Weener Plastik GmbH)
• Inventors: Ellenkamp-Van Olst, Lenny Marita, Den Boer, Sebastiaan Wilhelmus Josephus, Stegeman, Gerrit Jan, Van Alfen, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 9,340,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/494
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0081 of objects with parts connected by a thin section, e.g. hinge, tear line
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/568 using a swaging operation, i.e. totally deforming the edge or the rim of a first part to be joined to clamp a second part to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/124 Tongue and groove joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5344 said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length, e.g. joining flanges to tube ends B29C66/5346 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/56 Stoppers or lids for bottles, jars, or the like , e.g. closures
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7506 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0809 and elastically biased towards both the open and the closed positions
• 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: F16K 15/147 the closure elements having specially formed slits or being of an elongated easily collapsible form
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7879 Resilient material valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A closure assembly for a container includes a closure cap having an open ended body with a peripheral wall and a top wall provided with a dispensing passage which is defined by a collar arranged to the top wall. A self-closing valve is arranged in the closure cap. The valve includes a slit central portion and a skirt extending downwardly from the central portion, which has an outwardly extending flange. The skirt is arranged in the collar and the flange is located below the collar and extends radially outwardly beyond it. On a lower surface of the top wall, a plurality of lips is formed outward from the collar. The lips are folded over the flange such that the latter is partly enveloped between the lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap.

Claims

1. A closure assembly for a container for containing a substance, which closure assembly comprises:

a plastic closure cap which is attached or can be attached to the container, which closure cap has a body including a peripheral wall and a top wall provided with a dispensing passage which is defined by a tubular collar arranged to the top wall, which body is open on an end opposite the top wall so as to be placed on an upper portion of the container, and

a resilient self-closing valve, which is arranged in the closure cap for closing off the dispensing passage and which comprises a central portion, which is provided with at least one through slit which is closed and seals the inside of the container when it is in an unloaded state, and which is deformable by pressure from the inside of the container to a state in which the slit is open so as to allow dispensing of a substance from the container, said closing valve further comprising a skirt which extends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the central portion, and which on its lower end has a radial outwardly extending flange,

wherein the skirt of the valve is arranged concentrically in the collar of the cap and the flange of the valve is located below the collar and extends radially outwardly beyond it, and

wherein the flange of the valve has a thickened portion, and, on an inner surface of the top wall a plurality of lips arranged in a round configuration are integrally formed at a distance coaxially and radially outward from the collar defining the dispensing passage, which lips are folded over at least a part of the flange such that the flange is enveloped at least partly between the lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap,

wherein the top wall has an inner surface that is generally flat and has a central portion with an inner surface that lies recessed with respect to the flat inner surface of the top wall, the collar being located in the centre of said central portion, wherein the lips in the folded state are extending inside the central portion of the top wail, in such a manner that they do not extend beyond the level of the flat inner surface of the top wall.

2. The closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein the central portion of the top wall has a conical shape.

3. The closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical collar extends upwardly from an outer surface of the top wall.

4. The closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the collar extends beyond the inner surface of the top wall, such that between an end of the collar and the lips an annular seat is formed for the flange of the valve.

5. The closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein at an upper end of the collar an inwardly extending radial flange is provided.

6. The closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein in an unloaded state of the valve the circumferential edge of the slit central portion of the valve is situated at the same height as an upper end of the collar.

7. The closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein a covering lid is hingedly connected to the closure cap such that it is pivotable from a closed position over the dispensing passage and an open position spaced away from the dispensing passage.

8. The closure assembly according to claim 7, wherein the lid has an inner side on which an annular clamping sleeve is formed for engagement on the collar in the closed position of the lid.

9. The closure assembly according to claim 8, wherein at the upper end of the collar an inwardly extending radial flange is provided, and the clamping sleeve engages on an inner edge of the inwardly extending flange of the collar.

10. The closure assembly according to claim 8, wherein the clamping sleeve engages on an outside of the collar.

11. The closure assembly according to claim 7, wherein the lid has a stop member protruding from the lower side of the lid for preventing the central portion of the valve to deform outwardly in case the inside of the container is pressurized.

12. The closure assembly according to claim 11, wherein the stop member is shaped as a hollow cylinder.

13. A method for manufacturing a closure assembly for a container for containing a substance, comprising the steps of:

injection moulding a plastic closure cap which is to be attached to the container, which closure cap has a body with a peripheral wall and a top wall provided with a dispensing passage which is defined by a tubular collar arranged to the top wall, which body is open on the end opposite the top wall so as to be placed over an upper portion of the container, and which cap has a round wall or lips arranged in a round configuration integrally formed on an lower surface of the top wall and extending therefrom coaxially with the dispensing passage;

injection moulding a plastic covering lid and arranging it on an upper side of the top wall of the body of the closure cap thereby covering the dispensing passage;

providing a resilient self-closing valve comprising a central portion provided with at least one through slit, and a skirt which extends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the central portion, and a radial outwardly extending flange which is provided at the lower end of the skirt;

positioning the valve in the closure cap by inserting the central portion and the skirt from the open ended side of the body concentrically within the collar in the dispensing passage, and by positioning the flange of the valve against the lower end of the collar; and

folding the round wall or lips over the thickened portion of the flange thereby enveloping at least a part of the flange between said wall or said lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the closure cap is positioned upside down during the process of arranging the valve in it.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the lips are folded by pressing a forming surface against said lips and by directing ultrasonic frequency vibrations into the lips via the forming surface.

16. The method according to claims 13, wherein the lips are bent such that in the folded state they do not extend beyond the level of an outer flat part of the lower surface of the top wall.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein an induction sealing foil is arranged against the flat part of the lower surface of the top wall.

18. A method for manufacturing a closure assembly for a container for containing a substance, comprising the steps of:

injection moulding a plastic closure cap which is to be attached to the container, which closure cap has a body including a peripheral wall and a top wall having an inner and an outer surface, the top wall being provided with a dispensing passage, said body being open on an end opposite the top wall so as to be placed over an upper portion of the container, and said cap having a valve seat at the inner surface of the top wall, said valve seat being coaxial with the dispensing passage and including lips arranged in a round configuration integrally formed on the inner surface of the top wall and extending therefrom coaxially with the dispensing passage;

injection moulding a plastic covering lid having an outer and inner side and a stop member protruding from said inner side and arranging the lid on the upper side of the top wall of the body of the closure cap thereby covering the dispensing passage, wherein the stop member extends into the dispensing passage;

providing a resilient self-closing valve comprising a central portion provided with at least one through slit, and an outwardly extending flange;

positioning the valve in the closure cap, wherein the central portion of the valve is positioned against the stop member and wherein the flange of the valve is positioned against the valve seat; and

folding the lips over at least a part of the flange thereby enveloping at least a part of the flange between said lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap.

19. A closure assembly for a container for containing a substance, which closure assembly comprises:

a plastic closure cap which is attached or can be attached to the container, which closure cap has a body including a peripheral wall and a top wall, said top wall having an inner side and an outer side and being provided with a dispensing passage, the body being open on an end opposite the top wall so as to be placed on an upper portion of the container, said closure cap having a valve seating portion at the inner surface of the top wail, said valve seating portion being coaxial with the dispensing passage and including lips arranged in a round configuration integrally formed on the inner surface of the top wall and extending therefrom coaxially with the dispensing passage,

a plastic covering lid having an outer and inner side and a stop member protruding from said inner side wherein, when the lid is in a closing position arranged on the upper side of the top wall of the body of the closure cap, the dispensing passage is covered and the stop member extends into the dispensing passage, and

a resilient self-closing valve, which is arranged in the closure cap for closing off the dispensing passage and which comprises a central portion arranged against the stop member when the covering lid is in the closing position, said central portion being provided with at least one through slit which is closed and seals the inside of the container when it is in an unloaded state, and which is deformable by pressure from the inside of the container to a state in which the slit is open so as to allow dispensing of a substance from the container, said closing valve further including an outwardly extending flange which is arranged against the valve seating portion,

wherein the lips are folded over at least a part of the flange such that the flange is enveloped at least partly between the lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap.

20. A squeeze-type container containing a cosmetic substance and provided with a closure assembly comprising:

a plastic closure cap which is attached or can be attached to the container, which closure cap has a body including a peripheral wall and a top wall, said top wall having an inner side and an outer side and being provided with a dispensing passage, the body being open on an end opposite the top wall so as to be placed on an upper portion of the container, said closure cap having a valve seating portion at the inner surface of the top wall, said valve seating portion being coaxial with the dispensing passage and including lips arranged in a round configuration integrally formed on the inner surface of the top wall and extending therefrom coaxially with the dispensing passage,

a plastic covering lid having an outer and an inner side and a stop member protruding from said inner side wherein, when the lid is in a closing position arranged on the upper side of the top wall of the body of the closure cap, the dispensing passage is covered and the stop member extends into the dispensing passage, and

a resilient self-closing valve, which is arranged in the closure cap for closing off the dispensing passage and which comprises a central portion arranged against the stop member when the covering lid is in the closing position, said central portion being provided with at least one through slit which is closed and seals the inside of the container when it is in an unloaded state, and which is deformable by pressure from the inside of the container to a state in which the slit is open so as to allow dispensing of a substance from the container, said self-closing valve further including an outwardly extending flange which is arranged against the valve seating portion,

wherein the lips are folded over at least a part of the flange such that the flange is enveloped at least partly between the lips and the top wall so as to secure the valve in the closure cap.

21. The container according to claim 20, wherein the container has a tubular body and the peripheral wall of the closure cap is sealed to the tubular body of the container.

22. The container according to claim 20, wherein the container has a tubular body and the tubular body and the peripheral wall of the closure cap are integrally formed.