Bimodal storage and dispensing package including self-sealing dispensing valve to provide automatic shut-off and leak-resistant inverted storage

• US 4,749,108 A
• Filed: 10/15/1987
• Issued: 06/07/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure, Inc. (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Dornsbusch, Arthur H., Blaut, Robert W., Drobish, James L., Schanzle, Roger E., Taske, Leo E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUPPERT, MICHEAL
• Application Number:
  US07/109,663
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 222/206, 222/212, 222/215, 222/490, 222/491, 222/494, 222/538, 222/544, 222/545-546, 222/547, 222/556, 222/564, 215/235-237, 215/273, 220/259, 220/337-338
• US Class Current: 222/212
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/00 Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for closure-securing elements B65D45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/043 with pouring baffles, e.g. for controlling the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0885 one part of the hinge being integral with the hinged closure and the other part with the base element, without any other additional hinge element
• 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

Abstract

A flexible storage and dispensing package for fluid material. The package has a first mode of operation capable of storing the fluid material without leakage when the package is subjected to unintentional external forces and a second mode of operation capable of dispensing the fluid material when the package is subjected to external forces intentionally applied by the user. The second mode of operation is capable of dispensing the fluid material through a discharge orifice in response to manually applied forces and of automatically ceasing the dispensing operation when the manually applied forces are removed. The package is also resistant to leakage in the second mode of operation when stored with its discharge orifice downwardly oriented intermediate dispensing cycles.

Claims

1. A flexible storage and dispensing package for fluid material, said package having a first mode of operation capable of storing said fluid material without leakage when said package is subjected to unintentional external forces and a second mode of operation capable of dispensing said fluid material when said package is subjected to external forces intentionally applied by the user, said second mode of operation being capable of dispensing said fluid material through a discharge orifice in response to manually applied forces and of automatically ceasing the dispensing operation when said manually applied forces are removed, said package also being resistance to leakage in said second mode of operation when stored with its discharge orifice downwardly oriented intermediate dispensing cycles, said package comprising:

(a) a resiliently deformable container for housing said fluid material, said container exhibiting a degree of flexibility sufficient to permit deformation thereof in response to manual forces applied thereto and a degree of resilience sufficient to return automatically to its undeformed condition when said manually applied forces are reomved therefrom, said container including said discharge orifice;

(b) a self-sealing dispensing valve which in said second mode of operation opens at a predetermined threshold pressure which is greater than the maximum hydraulic head pressure of the fluid material in said container when said discharge orifice is downwardly oriented, said dispensing valve having a centrally located portion comprised of resilient material, said centrally located portion exhibiting a predetermined concave shape while in a substantially unstressed condition, said centrally located concave shaped portion of said valve being sealingly secured about its periphery to one end of a resilient annular side wall portion of said valve, said resilient annular side wall portion of said valve defining an internal passageway which places the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve in fluid communication with the interior of said resiliently deformable container, the other end of said resilient annular side wall portion of said valve being sealingly secured about its periphery across said discharge orifice of said container, said valve being oriented relative to said discharge orifice so that said centrally located resilient portion of said valve is inwardly concave when said container is in an undeformed condition, said concave shaped resilient portion of said valve further including at least one substantially linear slit extending through its thickness from its innermost surface to its outermost surface, said valve exhibiting an ability to undergo inversion in said second mode of operation from a closed, inwardly concave, sealed and leak resistant position to an open, outwardly convex, unsealed position when said manually applied forces increase the pressure inside said container beyond the threshold opening pressure of said valve, whereby fluid material is discharged from said container in said second mode of operation through said slit in said valve as long as said manually applied forces on said container maintain an internal pressure exceeding said threshold opening pressure of said valve, said valve further exhibiting an ability to cut-off said fluid material discharge by returning to a closed, inwardly concave sealed and leak resistant position in said second mode of operation whenever said manually applied forces are removed from said container;

(c) said package further including valve restraining means for preventing said valve from undergoing inversion and dispensing said fluid material whenever said package is subjected to unintentional external forces in said first mode of operation, said valve restraining means comprising a first peripheral restraint means for applying a radially oriented compressive force about the periphery of said concave shaped portion of said valve, said first peripheral restraint means tending to place said concave shaped portion of said valve in a state of radial compression in said first mode of operation, said valve restraining means further including a second exterior surface restraint means substantially coinciding with at least a portion of the exterior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve to prevent inversion of said concave shaped portion of said valve when said package is in said first mode of operation, whereby fluid pressure generated within said container and applied at the point of joinder between said concave shaped portion of said valve and said annular side wall portion of said valve is resisted by said radially oriented compressive force applied by said first peripheral restraint means at the same time said concave shaped portion of said valve is prevented from undergoing inversion by said second exterior surface valve restraint means substantially coinciding with at least a portion of its outermost surface; and

(d) said package further including annular side wall restraint means to prevent the portion of said annular side wall secured across said discharge orifice of said container from collapsing inwardly on said internal passageway in response to sudden increases in fluid pressure within said container in either said first mode of operation or said second mode of operation of said package, said annular side wall restraint means comprising an annular restraint member having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said internal passageway defined by said annular side wall portion of said valve, said annular side wall restraint means being secured in fixed relation to said discharge orifice in said container so that it extends through said internal passageway of said annular side wall portion of said valve at least in the area of said seal between said valve and said discharge orifice of said container, whereby fluid pressure generated within said container and applied against the interior surfaces of said concave shaped portion and said annular side wall portion of said valve is prevented from collapsing said annular side wall portion of said valve into said internal passageway in the area of said seal between said valve and said discharge orifice of said container by said annular side wall restraint means.

2. The package of claim 1, further including a baffle oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of said internal passageway of said valve, said baffle being secured in fixed relation to said discharge orifice in said container in the path of fluid communication between the interior surface of said container, said baffle being so positioned that any fluid material approaching the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve from the interior of said container must strike and be redirected about said baffle before reaching the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve, whereby the severity of any shock loading applied to the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve due to the application of sudden external forces on said container is greatly reduced.

3. The package of claim 2, wherein said baffle is secured to said annular side wall restraint means.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area for fluid material flow existing between said baffle and said annular side wall restraint means is at least substantially equal to the area of the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve.

5. The package of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said valve restraining means comprises a hinged, flip top closure which in its closed position provides said package with said first mode of operation and which in its open position provides said package with said second mode of operation.

6. The package of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said valve restraining means comprises a removable closure which provides said pacakge with said first mode of operation when said closure is secured in place on said container and which provides said package with said second mode of operation when said closure is completely removed from said container.

7. The package of claim 5, wherein the clearance existing between said second exterior surface restraint means and the exterior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve is sufficient to permit said concave shaped portion of said valve to undergo limited movement without inverting in response to fluid pressure generated within said container.

8. The package of claim 7, wherein said second exterior restraint means is contacted by the exterior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve before said concave shaped portion of said valve can become substantially planar.

9. The package of claim 8, wherein the portion of said valve restraining means located interiorly of said first peripheral restraint means tending to place said ocncave shaped portion of said valve in a state of radial compression in said first mode of operation includes vent means to permit the air trapped in the area between said concave shaped portion ofsaid valve and the portion of said valve restraining mans located interiorly of said first peripheral restraing means to escape from said area when said concave shaped portion of said valve undergoes limited movement in response to fluid pressure generated within said container.

10. The package of claim 9, wherein said valve restraining means includes an outer chamber which is not exposed to the surrounding atmosphere whenever said package is in said firs tmode of operation and wherein said vent means places the area between said concave shaped portion of said valve and the portion of said valve restraining means located interiorly of said first peripheral restraint means in fluid communication with said outer chamber whenever said package is in said first mode of operation.

11. The package of claim 10, wherein said vent means comprises at least one groove in said first peripheral restraint means and at least one groove in said second exterior surface restraint means.

12. The package of claim 10, wherein said valve restraining means further includes vent means for placing said outer chamber in fluid communication with the surrounding atmosphere when said package is in said first mode of operation.

13. The package of claim 9, wherein said vent means places the area between said concave shaped portion of said valve and the portion of said valve restraining means located interiorly of said first peripheral restraint means in fluid communication with the surrounding atmosphere.

14. The package of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said valve, said valve restraining means and said annular side wall restraint means are all secured to a valve securement member which is sealingly secured across the discharge orifice of said container.

15. The package of claim 14, wherein said baffle is also secured to said valve securement member.

16. The package of claim 14, wherein said valve securement member is releasably secured to said container.

17. The package of claim 16, wherein said valve securement member is releasably secured to said container by means of screw threads.

18. A flexible storage and dispensing package for fluid material, said package having a first mode of operation capable of storing said fluid material without leakage when said package is subjected to unintentional external forces and a second mode of operation of dispensing said fluid material when said package is subjected to external forces intentionally applied by the user, said second mode of operation being capable of dispensing said fluid material through a discharge orifice in response to manually applied forces and of automatically ceasing the dispensing operation when said manually applied forces are removed, said package also being resistant to leakage in said second mode of operation when stored with its discharge orifice downwardly oriented intermediate dispensing cycles, said package comprising:

(a) a resiliently deformable container for housing said fluid material, said container exhibiting a degree of flexibility sufficient to permit deformation thereof in response to manual resilience sufficient to return automatically to its underformed condition when said manually applied forces are removed therefrom, said container including said discharge orifice;

(b) a self-sealing dispensing valve which in said second mode of operation opens at a predetermined threshold pressure which is greater than the maximum hydraulic head pressure of the fluid material in said container when said discharge orifice is downwardly oriented, said dispensing valve having a centrally located portion comprised of resilient material, said centrally located portion exhibiting a predetermined concave shape while in a substantially unstressed condition, said centrally located concave shaped portion of said valve being sealingly secured about its periphery to one end of a resilient annular side wall portion of said valve, said resilient annular side wall portion of said valve defining an internal passageway which places the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve in fluid communication with the interior of said resiliently deformable container, the other end of said resilient annular side wall portion of said valve being sealingly secured about its periphery across said discharge orifice of said container, said valve being oriented relative to said discharge orifice so that said centrally located resilient portion of said valve is inwardly concave when said container is in an undeformed condition, said concave shaped resilient portion of said valve further including at least one substantially linear slit extending through its thickness from its innermost surface to its outermost surface, said valve exhibiting an ability to undergo inversion in said second mode of operation from a closed, inwardly concave, sealed and leak resistant position to an open, outwardly convex, unsealed position when said manually applied forces increase the pressure inside said container beyond the threshold opening pressure of said valve, whereby fluid material is discharged from said container in said second mode of operation through said slit in said valve as long as said manually applied forces on said container maintain an internal pressure exceeding said threshold opening pressure of said valve, said valve further exhibiting an ability to cut-off said fluid material discharge by returning to a closed, inwardly concave, sealed and leak resistant position in said second mode of operation whenever said manually applied forces are removed from said container;

(c) said package further including valve restraining means for preventing said valve from undergoing inversion and dispensing said fluid material whenever said package is subjected to unintentional external forces in said first mode of operation, said valve restraining means comprising a first peripheral restraint means for applying a radially oriented compressive force about the periphery of said concave shaped portion of said valve, said first peripheral restraint means tending to place said concave shaped portion of said valve in a state of radial compression in said first mode of operation, said valve restraining means further including a second exterior surface restraint means substantially coinciding with at least a portion of the exterior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve to prevent inversion of said concave shaped portion of said valve when said package is in said first mode of operation, whereby fluid pressure generated within said container and applied at the point of joinder between said concave shaped portion of said valve and said annular side wall portion of said valve is resisted by said radially oriented compressive force applied by said first peripheral restraint means at the same time said concave shaped portion of said valve is prevented form undergoing inversion by said second exterior surface valve restraint means substantially coinciding with at least a portion of its outermost surface;

(d) said package further including annular side wall restraint means to prevent the portion of said annular side wall secured across said discharge orifice of said container from collapsing inwardly on said internal passageway in response to sudden increases in fluid pressure within said container in either said first mode of operation or said second mode of operation of said package, said annular side wall restraint means comprising an annular restraint member having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said internal passageway defined by said annular side wall portion of said valve, said annular side wall restraint means being secured in fixed relation to said discharge orifice in said container so that it extends through said internal passageway of said annular side wall portion of said valve at least in the area of said seal between said valve and said discharge orifice of said container, whereby fluid pressure generated within said container and applied against the interior surfaces of said concave shaped portion and said annular side wall portion of said valve is prevented from collapsing said annular side wall portion of said valve into said internal passageway in the area of said seal between said valve and said discharge orifice of said container by said annular side wall restraint means; and

(e) said package further including a baffle oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of said internal passageway of said valve, said baffle being secured to said annular side wall restraint means in fixed relation to said discharge orifice in said container in the path of fluid communication between the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve and the interior of said container, said baffle being so positioned that any fluid material approaching the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve from the interior of said container must strike and be redirected about said baffle before reaching the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve, whereby the severity of any shock loading applied to the interior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve due to the application of sudden external forces on said container is greatly reduced.

19. The package of claim 18, wherein said valve restraining means comprises a hinged, flip top closure which in its closed position provides said package with said first mode of operation and which in its open position provides said package with said second mode of operation, the clearance existing between said second exterior restraint means and the exterior surface of said concave shaped portion of said valve being sufficient to permit said concave shaped portion of said valve to undergo limited movement without inverting in response to fluid pressure generated within said container.

20. The package of claim 19, wherein the portion of said valve restraining means located interiorly of said first peripheral restraint means tending to place said concave shaped portion of said valve in a state of radial compression in said first mode of operation includes vent means to permit the air trapped in the area between said concave shaped portion of said valve and the portion of said valve restraining mans located interiorly of said first peripheral restraint means to escape from said area when said concave shaped portion of said valve undergoes limited movement in response to fluid pressure generated within said container.