Closing structure of a dispensing container

• US 6,672,479 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenkyusyo Company Limited, Taisai KAKO Company Limited /Nihon Tenganyaku
• Original Assignee: Kenkyusyo Company Limited, Taisai KAKO Company Limited /Nihon Tenganyaku
• Inventors: Mihashi, Hirokazu, Hamamoto, Keiji, Shiraishi, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICOLAS, FREDERICK C
• Application Number:
  US10/066,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 222/105, 222/95, 222/107, 222/212, 222/206, 222/213, 222/214, 222/215, 222/189.06, 222/189.09, 222/190, 222/490, 222/494, 222/481.5, 222/521, 222/545, 222/546, 222/554
• US Class Current: 222/105
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/02 Linings or internal coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/18 for discharging drops; Droppers droppers in general B01L3/00; pipettes connected to container closures B01L3/0282
• 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 closing member 3 is equipped with a dispensing valve 8 and a filter 7. The valve 8 is deformed resiliently to shift its valve head 82 downstream with its orifice 82a remaining closed if pressure less than a first predetermined pressure and more than a second predetermined pressure is acted on the inner surface of the valve head 82. The valve 8 returns to its original shape to shift the valve head 82 upstream with its orifice 82a remaining closed if the pressure is removed, thereby sucking fluid remaining within the passage 10 back to the upstream side of the filter 7. The closing member 3 has a supporter 31d that prevents the orifice 82a of the valve head 82 from opening when a negative pressure is generated in the bottle.

Claims

1. A dispensing container comprising an outer bottle and an inner bag for containing fluid housed within the outer bottle, the outer bottle including a body and a mouth, the inner bag having a discharge opening communicating to the mouth of the outer bottle, a vent located in the outer bottle so as to introduce ambient air into space between the outer bottle and the inner bag, said dispensing container further comprising a closing member, a dispensing valve and a filter, wherein:

the closing member is mounted on the mouth of the outer bottle;

the closing member has a discharging passage through which fluid is discharged out of the container from inside of the bag;

the valve is located in the passage in order to open and close the passage;

the filter is located in the passage on the downstream side of the valve;

a downstream end portion of the passage is defined on the downstream side of the filter;

the valve comprises a valve flange, a valve head and a connector sleeve;

the valve flange seals an inner periphery of the passage;

the valve head has an orifice that opens to allow flow of fluid therethrough if a first predetermined pressure acts on the inner surface of the valve head and closes to stop the flow of fluid if the first pressure removes from the inner surface;

the connector sleeve is connected to an inner periphery of the valve flange at one end and to an outer periphery of the valve head at the other end;

the connector sleeve is deformed to shift the valve head downstream if a second predetermined pressure which is less than the first pressure acts on the inner surface of the valve head;

the connector sleeve returns to its original shape if the second pressure removes from the inner surface to suck fluid remaining within the downstream end portion of the passage back to the upstream side of the filter; and

the closing member has a supporter that makes contact with and supports the valve head to prevent the orifice from opening when a negative pressure is generated in the bag.

2. The dispensing container according to claim 1;

wherein the valve head is generally convex toward the inner side of the container, the valve head has a substantially flat face at the central part of the inner and upstream surface, and the supporter has a supporting surface capable of making a face contact with the substantially flat face.

3. The dispensing container according to claim 1;

wherein the filter prevents predetermined kinds of microbes from passing therethrough from upstream side to downstream side.

4. The dispensing container according to claim 1, wherein:

the mouth has an axis;

the closing member comprises a first member fitted in the mouth and a second member axially connected to the first member;

the valve flange is sandwiched axially between the first and second members air-tightly and liquid-tightly;

the first member has the supporter in the form of a plate with an axial through-hole; and

a recess which accommodates the connector sleeve and the valve head is located in the first member on the upper and downstream side of the supporter.

5. A closing structure of a dispensing container comprising a closing member, a dispensing valve and a filter, wherein:

the closing member is mounted on the mouth of a bottle including a body and a mouth;

the closing member has a discharging passage through which fluid is discharged out of the bottle;

the valve is located in the passage in order to open and close the passage;

the filter is located in the passage on the downstream side of the valve;

the valve comprises a valve flange, a valve head and a connector sleeve;

the valve flange seals an inner periphery of the passage;

the valve head has an orifice that opens to allow flow of fluid therethrough if a first predetermined pressure acts on the inner surface of the valve head and closes to stop the flow of fluid if the first pressure removes from the inner surface;

the connector sleeve is connected to an inner periphery of the valve flange at one end and to an outer periphery of the valve head at the other end;

the connector sleeve is deformed to shift the valve head downstream if a second predetermined pressure which is less than the first pressure acts on the inner surface of the valve head; and

the connector sleeve returns to its original shape if the second pressure removes from the inner surface to suck fluid remaining within the downstream end portion of the passage back to the upstream side of the filter.

6. The closing structure according to claim 5;

wherein the filter prevents predetermined kinds of microbes from passing therethrough from upstream side to downstream side.

7. The closing structure according to claim 5, wherein:

the mouth has an axis;

the closing member comprises a first member fittable in the mouth and a second member axially connected to the first member;

the valve flange is sandwiched axially between the first and second members air-tightly and liquid-tightly;

the first member has a supporting wall in the form of a horizontal plate with an axial through-hole, the wall making contact with and supporting the valve head to prevent the orifice from opening when a negative pressure is generated in the bottle; and

a recess which accommodates the connector sleeve and the valve head is located in the first member on the upper and downstream side of the supporting wall.

8. A dispensing container comprising an outer bottle and an inner bag for containing fluid housed within the outer bottle, the outer bottle including a body and a mouth, the inner bag having a discharge opening communicating to the mouth of the outer bottle, a vent located in the outer bottle so as to introduce ambient air into space between the outer bottle and the inner bag, said dispensing container further comprising a closing member and a dispensing valve, wherein:

the closing member is mounted on the mouth of the outer bottle;

the closing member has a discharging passage through which fluid is discharged out of the container from inside of the bag;

the valve is located in the passage in order to open and close the passage;

the valve comprises a valve flange and a valve head;

the valve flange seals an inner periphery of the passage;

the valve head has an orifice that opens to allow flow of fluid therethrough if a first predetermined pressure acts on the inner surface of the valve head and closes to stop the flow of fluid if the first pressure removes from the inner surface;

the valve head is connected to an inner periphery of the valve flange; and

the closing member has a supporter that makes contact with and supports the valve head to prevent the orifice from opening when a negative pressure is generated in the bag.

9. The dispensing container according to claim 8;

wherein the valve head is generally convex toward the inner side of the container, the valve head has a substantially flat face at the central part of the inner and upstream surface, and the supporter has a supporting surface capable of making a face contact with the substantially flat face.

10. The dispensing container according to claim 8, wherein:

the mouth has an axis;

the closing member comprises a first member fitted in the mouth and a second member axially connected to the first member;

the valve flange is sandwiched axially between the first and second members air-tightly and liquid-tightly;

the first member has the supporter in the form of a plate with an axial through-hole; and

a recess which accommodates the connector sleeve and the valve head is located in the first member on the upper and downstream side of the supporter.