Dispensing closure and method of making

• US 5,927,567 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure, Inc. (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fillmore, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Derakshani, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US08/746,521
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 222/490-494, 222/568, 222/212
• US Class Current: 222/490
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/148 using different moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0018 for making a hole
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/0081 before shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/00 Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor by liberation of internal stresses B29C61/006
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/146 for making multilayered articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/40 with means for cutting the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/42 for undercut articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/683 Pretreatment of the preformed part, e.g. insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/766 on the end part of a tubular article
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2001/00 Articles provided with screw threads
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/565 for containers
• 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 51/002 Closures to be pierced by an extracting-device for the contents and fixed on the container by separate retaining means

Abstract

A dispensing closure including a compression molded plastic closure having a base wall and a peripheral skirt having threads for engaging a container. An opening is formed in the base wall and a compression molded liner is molded in situ in the closure and includes a radial liner forming portion on the inner surface of the base wall of the closure. An integral nozzle is compression molded with the liner and extends axially through the opening in the base wall. One or more slits in the nozzle define a dispensing opening through which the contents of the container can be dispensed by squeezing the container. In another form, the dispensing closure is provided with a liner such that a syringe needle is used to penetrate an elastomeric wall for removal of the liquid contents of the package.

Claims

1. A dispensing closure comprising:

a plastic closure having a base wall with an opening therethrough and a peripheral skirt, said opening in said base wall of said plastic closure comprising an axial portion extending axially outwardly from said base wall,

a combined liner and nozzle of resilient plastic material compression molded on said plastic closure and defining a liner on the inner surface of said base wall and a nozzle that extends into said opening, said nozzle having a transverse portion and an annular axial portion spaced radially inwardly of said axial portion of said closure, and

a removable cap having a base wall closing said opening and having an integral annular wall extending between said opening and said combined liner and nozzle,

said plastic closure having an annular shoulder at the juncture of the inner surface of the base wall and the inner surface of the peripheral skirt, said liner including an axial portion extending along the shoulder of said plastic closure and an annular bead engaging said plastic closure at the juncture of the axial portion defining the opening and the base wall of said plastic closure.

2. A dispensing closure comprising:

a plastic closure having a base wall with an opening therethrough and a peripheral skirt,

a combined liner and nozzle of resilient plastic material compression molded on said plastic closure and defining a liner on the inner surface of said base wall and a nozzle at said opening, and

a removable cap having a base wall closing said opening and having an integral annular wall extending between said opening and said combined liner and nozzle.

3. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 2 wherein said nozzle extends into said opening in said plastic closure.

4. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 3 wherein said nozzle comprises an annular axial portion and a transverse portion.

5. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 4 wherein said opening in said base wall of said plastic closure comprises an axial portion extending axially outwardly from said base wall, said annular portion of said nozzle being spaced radially inwardly of said axial portion.

6. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 5 wherein said plastic closure has an annular shoulder at the juncture of the inner surface of the base wall and the inner surface of the peripheral skirt.

7. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 6 wherein said liner includes an axial portion extending along the shoulder of said plastic closure.

8. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 7 wherein said liner includes an annular bead engaging said plastic closure at the juncture of the axial portion defining the opening and the base wall of said plastic closure.

9. A plastic closure comprising:

a compression molded plastic closure having a base wall with an opening therethrough and a peripheral skirt,

said opening in said base wall of said plastic closure comprising an axial portion extending axially from said base wall, and

a cap having a base wall covering said opening and having an integral annular wall connected to said axial portion by a weakened line.

10. The closure set forth in claim 9 wherein said axial portion extends axially outwardly.

11. The closure set forth in claim 10 wherein said plastic closure has an annular shoulder at the juncture of the inner surface of the base wall and the inner surface of the peripheral skirt.

12. The closure set forth in claim 9 wherein said cap has a second integral annular wall sized to engage the axial portion of the closure upon severing the cap, inverting the cap and placing the cap on the closure.

13. A plastic closure comprising:

a compression molded plastic closure having a base wall with an opening therethrough and a peripheral skirt,

said opening in said base wall of said plastic closure comprising an axial portion extending axially outwardly from said base wall, and

a combined liner and nozzle compression molded on said plastic closure and defining a liner on the inner surface of said base wall and an annular nozzle at said opening, said annular nozzle being spaced radially inwardly of said axial portion of said closure.

14. The closure set forth in claim 13 including a cap having a base wall covering said opening and having an integral annular wall connected to said axial wall by a weakened line.

15. A dispensing closure assembly that comprises:

a plastic closure having a base wall with a central opening surrounded by an annular wall that extends axially outwardly from said base wall, and a peripheral skirt that extends from said base wall oppositely of said annular wall, and

a combined liner and nozzle of resilient plastic material, said combined liner and nozzle having a transverse portion fixedly secured to said closure base wall within said skirt, an annular axial portion that extends into said opening within said annular wall, and a dispensing opening in said annular axial portion.

16. The assembly set forth in claim 15 wherein said transverse portion of said combined liner and nozzle has an axially oriented face that is fixedly secured to an axially oriented undersurface of said closure base wall, and a radially outwardly oriented face that is fixedly secured to a radially inwardly oriented surface of said closure.

17. The assembly set forth in claim 16 wherein at least part of said annular axial portion of said combined liner and nozzle is spaced radially inwardly from said annular wall within said annular wall and is unsecured to said annular wall.

18. The assembly set forth in claim 15, 16 or 17 wherein said annular wall on said closure has an axially outwardly oriented end, and wherein said assembly further comprises means secured to said end for sealing the assembly and being removable therefrom for providing access to the dispensing opening.

19. The assembly set forth in claim 18 wherein said combined liner and nozzle is fixedly secured to said closure by being formed in situ within said closure.

20. The assembly set forth in claim 16 wherein said closure base wall, said transverse portion of said combined liner and nozzle, said undersurface and said axially oriented face are all flat.