Tamper-evident dispenser bottle

• US 6,988,642 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Meade, Gary A., Lund, Douglas M., Palaia, Rocco, Gallo, Anthony B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cartagena, Melvin A.
• Application Number:
  US10/283,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20040079765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 222/506, 222/541.6, 222/153.01, 222/485, 222/548, 215/235, 215/237, 220/253
• US Class Current: 222/506
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/15 Tearable part of the closure B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/25 Non-metallic tear-off strips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/265 between planar parts B65D47/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 50/04 requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one B65D55/02 takes precedence; caps or covers secured by rotation with bayonet cams B65D41/06, B65D41/36
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 50/046 and such deformation causes the disengagement of locking means, e.g. the release of a pawl-like element from a tooth or abutment, to allow removal of the closure by simultaneous rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/06 for dispensing powdered or granular material B65D83/04 takes precedence

Abstract

A dispenser bottle and associated closure has a sifter disposed in the neck thereof, either in the form of castellated vents formed in the interior peripheral edge of the neck or a separate sifter element. A rotatable cap is positioned over the sifter. The cap has holes that align with the vents or holes in the sifter to dispense material from the bottle. A removable lock ring is removeably conjoined to the cap to evidence tampering. One embodiment employs a squeeze tab that is depressed to open the bottle thereby increasing the dexterity required for opening. Another embodiment employs a rotatable sifter that must be held by one hand while the cap is held and rotated relative to the sifter by the other hand. A detent provides resistance to opening.

Claims

1. A dispenser bottle for containing and selectively dispensing a flowable material, comprising:

a bottle portion having an outlet through which the flowable material passes when dispensed from said dispenser bottle;

a cap covering said outlet, said cap having a cap hole therein and being rotatable relative to said outlet between an opened position wherein said cap hole is aligned with said outlet allowing the flowable material to pass therethrough to a closed position wherein said cap hole is out of alignment with said outlet preventing the flowable material from passing therethrough;

means for retaining said cap covering said outlet when in the closed position and when in the opened position; and

a cap lock attached to at least one of said cap and said bottle portion, said cap lock having a locked position preventing the rotation of said cap relative to said outlet and an unlocked position wherein said cap is unconstrained by said cap lock from rotating relative to said outlet, said bottle having a neck defining said outlet and said cap having an occluder plate in which said cap hole is provided and a peripheral wall depending at substantially right angles from said occluder plate, said peripheral wall slidably coaxially embracing said neck, said cap further including an outer peripheral skirt depending from said occluder plate radially spaced from said peripheral wall, said peripheral skirt having a plurality of slits therein extending from a free edge of said peripheral skirt toward said occluder plate, said plurality of slits defining at least one squeeze tab depending from said cap, said squeeze tab having a relaxed position and a depressed position, said bottle portion further including a rotation stop, said squeeze tab abutting said rotation stop in the relaxed position to prevent rotation of said cap from said closed position, said squeeze tab clearing said rotation stop when in the depressed condition allowing said squeeze tab and said cap to rotate past said rotation stop to said opened position.

2. The dispenser bottle of claim 1, wherein said cap has two squeeze tabs.

3. The dispenser bottle of claim 1, wherein said rotation stop is radially spaced from said neck, said squeeze tab rotating between said rotation stop and said neck when said squeeze tab is in the depressed condition and said cap is in the opened position.

4. The dispenser bottle of claim 1, wherein said squeeze tab has a finger indentation to facilitate a user placing a finger on said squeeze tab.

5. The dispenser bottle of claim 1, further including a plurality of said squeeze tabs and a plurality of said rotation stops.

6. The dispenser bottle of claim 1, wherein said rotation stop includes an arcuate rail disposed on said bottle portion proximate said neck with a spacing therebetween defining an arcuate track and a stop rail extending from said arcuate rail toward said neck, said squeeze tab abutting against said arcuate rail when in the relaxed condition preventing rotation of said cap and entering said arcuate track between said arcuate rail and said neck when in the depressed condition, enabling said cap to be rotated to said opened position, said stop rail limiting the rotation of said cap when said squeeze tab abuts said stop rail.

7. The dispenser bottle of claim 6, wherein said stop rail is disposed at an end of said arcuate rail and extends therefrom generally radially and perpendicularly defining a generally “

L”

shaped configuration.

8. A dispenser bottle for containing and selectively dispensing a flowable material, comprising:

a bottle portion having an outlet through which the flowable material passes when dispensed from said dispenser bottle;

a cap covering said outlet, said cap having a cap hole therein and being rotatable relative to said outlet between an opened position wherein said cap hole is aligned with said outlet allowing the flowable material to pass therethrough to a closed position wherein said cap hole is out of alignment with said outlet preventing the flowable material from passing therethrough;

means for retaining said cap covering said outlet when in the closed position and when in the opened position; and

a cap lock attached to at least one of said cap and said bottle portion, said cap lock having a locked position preventing the rotation of said cap relative to said outlet and an unlocked position wherein said cap is unconstrained by said cap lock from rotating relative to said outlet, said cap lock including a ring having a plurality of inwardly directed teeth, said ring being removably conjoined to said peripheral wall distal to said occluder plate, said bottle portion having a plurality of ratchet lugs matingly interdigitating with said plurality of teeth when said cap lock is conjoined to said peripheral wall, said interdigitating ratchet lugs and teeth preventing said cap from being rotated from the closed position to the opened position, said bottle portion having a neck defining said outlet and said cap having an occluder plate in which said cap hole is provided and a peripheral wall depending at substantially right angles from said occluder plate, said peripheral wall slidably coaxially embracing said neck, said cap further including at least one squeeze tab depending from said cap, said squeeze tab having a relaxed position and a depressed position, said bottle portion further including a rotation stop, said squeeze tab abutting said rotation stop in the relaxed position to prevent rotation of said cap from said closed position, said squeeze tab clearing said rotation stop when in the depressed condition allowing said squeeze tab and said cap to rotate past said rotation stop to said opened position.

9. The dispenser bottle of claim 8, wherein said squeeze tab is conjoined to said ring such that said squeeze tab is restrained from assuming the depressed condition prior to removal of said ring from said cap.

10. The dispenser bottle of claim 8, further comprising a cap retainer bead disposed about an exterior surface of said neck, a stop lug extending from said exterior surface, and a cap bead and a cap lug extending inwardly from said peripheral wall, said cap bead snapping over said cap retainer bead to retain said cap on said neck, said stop lug and said cap lug abutting when said cap is rotated to limit the range of motion of said cap relative to said bottle portion between and including said opened and closed positions.

11. The dispenser bottle of claim 10, wherein at least one of said cap retainer bead and said cap bead are discontinuous.

12. The dispenser bottle of claim 10, wherein at least one of said cap retainer bead and said cap bead are continuous.

13. A dispenser bottle for containing and selectively dispensing a flowable material, comprising:

a bottle portion having an outlet through which the flowable material passes when dispensed from said dispenser bottle;

a cap covering said outlet, said cap having a cap hole therein and being rotatable relative to said outlet between an opened position wherein said cap hole is aligned with said outlet allowing the flowable material to pass therethrough to a closed position wherein said cap hole is out of alignment with said outlet preventing the flowable material from passing therethrough;

means for retaining said cap covering said outlet when in the closed position and when in the opened position; and

a cap lock attached to at least one of said cap and said bottle portion, said cap lock having a locked position preventing the rotation of said cap relative to said outlet and an unlocked position wherein said cap is unconstrained by said cap lock from rotating relative to said outlet said bottle portion having a neck defining said outlet and said cap having an occluder plate in which said cap hole is provided and a peripheral wall depending at substantially right angles from said occluder plate, said cap lock comprising a ring having inwardly directed teeth, said ring being removably conjoined to said peripheral wall distal to said occluder plate, said bottle portion having a ratchet lug matingly interdigitating with said teeth when said cap lock is conjoined to said peripheral wall, said interdigitating ratchet lug and teeth preventing said cap from being rotated from the closed position to the opened position.

14. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, wherein said ring is monolithically formed with said cap.

15. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, further including a plurality of stop lugs distributed on said exterior surface and a plurality of cap lugs distributed on said peripheral wall.

16. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, further including a plurality of inwardly directed teeth on said ring and a plurality of ratchet lugs on said bottle portion.

17. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, wherein said ring is conjoined to said cap at a frangible junction.

18. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, wherein said means for retaining includes a cap retainer bead disposed about an exterior surface of said neck and a cap bead extending inwardly from said peripheral wall, said cap bead snapping over said cap retainer bead to retain said cap on said neck, and further comprising a stop lug extending from said exterior surface, and a cap lug extending inwardly from said peripheral wall, said stop lug and said cap lug abutting when said cap is rotated to limit the range of motion of said cap relative to said bottle portion between and including said opened and closed positions.

19. The dispenser bottle of claim 18, wherein at least one of said cap retainer bead and said cap bead are discontinuous.

20. The dispenser bottle of claim 18, wherein at least one of said cap retainer bead and said cap bead are continuous.

21. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, wherein said outlet is castellated with a plurality of vents along an upper peripheral inside edge thereof, said cap having a plurality of cap holes that align with said vents when said cap is in the opened position.

22. The dispenser bottle of claim 13, further comprising a sifter occluding said outlet, said sifter being rotationally immobilized relative to said neck, said sifter having a sifter hole therein in communication with said outlet, said cap covering said sifter and said peripheral wall slidably coaxially embracing said neck.

23. A dispenser bottle for containing and selectively dispensing a flowable material, comprising:

a bottle portion having an outlet through which the flowable material passes when dispensed from said dispenser bottle;

a cap covering said outlet, said cap having a cap hole therein and being rotatable relative to said outlet between an opened position wherein said cap hole is aligned with said outlet allowing the flowable material to pass therethrough to a closed position wherein said cap hole is out of alignment with said outlet preventing the flowable material from passing therethrough;

means for retaining said cap covering said outlet when in the closed position and when in the opened position; and

a cap lock attached to at least one of said cap and said bottle portion, said cap lock having a locked position preventing the rotation of said cap relative to said outlet and an unlocked position wherein said cap is unconstrained by said caplock from rotating relative to said outlet, said bottle portion having a neck defining said outlet and further comprising a sifter occluding said outlet and being rotationally immobilized relative to said neck, said sifter having a sifter hole therein in communication with said outlet, said cap covering said sifter and having an occluder plate in which said cap hole is provided, and a peripheral wall depending at substantially right angles from said occluder plate, said cap hole aligning with said sifter hole when in the opened position and out of alignment when in the closed position.

24. A dispenser bottle for containing and selectively dispensing a flowable material, comprising:

a bottle portion having an outlet therein;

a sifter having a generally cylindrical side wall, an open end and a dispensing end with a sifter opening therein, said sifter rotatably coupling to said bottle at said open end in communication with said outlet; and

a cap coaxially and rotatably coupled to said sifter on said dispensing end, said cap having an occluder plate with a cap hole therein and a peripheral wall depending at substantially right angles from said cap occulder plate being rotatable relative to said sifter between an opened position wherein said cap hole is aligned with said sifter opening and a closed position wherein said cap hole is not aligned with said sifter opening.

25. The dispenser bottle of claim 24, wherein the bottle further comprises a cap lock, said cap lock comprises a ring having inwardly directed teeth, said ring being removably conjoined to said peripheral wall distal to said cap occluder plate, said sifter having a ratchet lug matingly interdigitating with said teeth when said cap lock is conjoined to said cap.

26. The dispenser bottle of claim 24, further comprising a stop lug extending from said exterior surface of said side wall of said sifter and a cap lug extending inwardly from said peripheral wall, said stop lug and said cap lug abutting when said cap is rotated to limit the range of motion of said cap relative to said sifter between and including said opened and closed positions.

28. The dispenser bottle of claim 24, wherein said sifter is rotatable 360 degrees on said neck.

29. The dispenser bottle of claim 24, wherein said sifter opening is in the form of at least one vent formed in the interior periphery of the sifter dispensing end.

30. The dispenser of claim 24, further comprising locking means for locking said cap in said closed position, said locking means being removable to permit said cap to assume the opened position.

27. The dispenser bottle of claim 27, further including a detent extending from one of said peripheral wall and said side wall, said detent interacting with one of said stop lug and said cap lug, respectively, to provide a resistance to turning of said cap relative to said sifter when transitioning from said opened position to said closed position.

31. A dispenser bottle for containing and selectively dispensing a flowable material, comprising:

a bottle portion having a neck defining an outlet therein;

a sifter having a generally cylindrical side wall, an open end and a dispensing end with a sifter opening therein, said sifter rotatably coupling to said bottle at said open end in communication with said outlet, said sifter having a sifter occluder plate over said dispensing end with a sifter hole therein, said sifter coaxially coupling to said neck, said sifter having a sifter retainer bead disposed about an exterior surface of said neck and said sifter having a mating sifter bead extending inwardly from an interior surface of said side wall proximate said open end, said sifter bead snapping over said sifter retainer bead to retain said sifter in rotatable relationship to said neck, said sifter having a cap retainer bead extending from an outer peripheral surface of said side wall proximate said sifter occluder plate; and

a cap coaxially and rotatably coupled to said sifter on said dispensing end, said cap having a cap hole therein and being rotatable relative to said sifter between an opened position wherein said cap hole is aligned with said sifter opening and a closed position wherein said cap hole is not aligned with said sifter opening, said cap having a cap occluder plate in which said cap hole is provided, a peripheral wall depending at substantially right angles from said cap occluder plate and a cap bead extending inwardly from said peripheral wall, said cap bead snapping over said cap retainer bead to retain said cap on said sifter.

32. The dispenser bottle of claim 31, wherein at least one of said cap retainer bead and said cap bead are discontinuous.

33. The dispenser bottle of claim 31, wherein at least one of said cap retainer bead and said cap bead are continuous.