Dispensing closure for a container

• US 4,015,758 A
• Filed: 06/16/1975
• Issued: 04/05/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite SPA (Alfasigma S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite SPA (Alfasigma S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Cavazza, Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stack, Norman L.
• Application Number:
  US05/586,927
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 222/457, 222/457.5
• US Class Current: 222/457.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/261 for fluent solid material

Abstract

A dispensing closure for a container for dispensing metered quantities of powder contents and the like therein and having an outer tubular element having a tubular body with an inclined bottom wall that terminates in an upstanding wall spaced from an inner wall surface defining a bottom inlet for communication with the interior of the container. A second element comprising a split cylinder is disposed axially in the outer tubular element and has a top defining an outlet opening on the outer tubular element. The second element has a wall in the tubular body spaced axially from the bottom wall and inwardly from the upstanding wall to define a chamber having an opening communicating with the bottom inlet opening. A second chamber is formed between the first-mentioned chamber with which it communicates and the bottom wall. The wall of the second element defines an outlet communicating with the second chamber and the top outlet opening. If the container is inverted from the upright a quantity of the contents enters the tubular element into the first-mentioned chamber. Upon return to an upright position this quantity of contents is retained in the second chamber and upon reinverting of the container it is dispensed through the top opening and a similar quantity of contents is introduced into the first-mentioned chamber for subsequent metered dispensing.

Claims

1. A dispensing closure for a container comprising, a tubular element having a tubular body insertable axially snugly into a neck of a container for being substantially wholly housed therein and having a shoulder about an open top end thereof and a bottom wall partially closing an opposite bottom end, said bottom wall being inclined relative to the axis of said tubular body and terminating in an upstanding wall extending into said tubular body and spaced inwardly from an inner wall surface of the tubular body and extending partially into the interior of said tubular body defining jointly with said inner wall surface a bottom inlet providing in use communication of the interior of said container with the interior of said tubular element, a second element assembled with the first element having a top in use snugly on said shoulder closing partially the open top end of said tubular element and defining a top outlet opening in said tubular element and spaced in a circumferential direction from the bottom inlet into the interior of said tubular element, said second element having a wall extending from said top spaced inwardly from said upstanding wall defining jointly therewith a chamber interiorly of said tubular body having an opening confronting said inner wall surface of said tubular element and in communication with said bottom inlet, said bottom wall being inclined toward said upstanding wall to define a second chamber in communication with the firs-mentioned chamber and disposed between the bottom wall and the first chamber and bounded by inner surfaces of said bottom wall and said tubular body, the second element wall extending into the interior of said tubular body between said upstanding wall and another inner wall surface of the tubular body opposite the first-mentioned inner wall surface and disposed spaced axially inwardly from said bottom wall and spaced from said another inner wall surface of the tubular body opposite the first-mentioned inner wall surface thereof and defining therewith an outlet providing communication between the interior of said second chamber and said top outlet opening, whereby when said dispensing closure is mounted on a container for dispensing the content thereof and said container is inverted from an upright position a quantity of said contents enters into the interior of said tubular element through said bottom inlet into the first-mentioned chamber and when said container is returned to an upright position the same quantity of contents is retained in said second chamber of said tubular element and upon reinverting of said container with the closure thereon the quantity of contents in said chamber of said tubular element is dispensed from said second chamber through said top outlet opening and another similar quantity of the contents is introduced into said first-mentioned chamber of said tubular element for subsequent metered dispensing upon reinverting of said container

2. A dispensing closure according to claim 1, in which said wall of said second element has a flat surface opposed to said another inner wall surface of said tubular body and two arcuate wall portions extending therefrom in a direction toward said upstanding wall and defining therebetween said opening confronting said first-mentioned inner wall surface, and said arcuate wall portions engaging snugly corresponding inner wall surfaces of said tubular body.