Dispensing – With resilient biasing means for outlet element – For movable tubes – sleeves – or apertured caps
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-15
2004-06-15
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3732)
Dispensing
With resilient biasing means for outlet element
For movable tubes, sleeves, or apertured caps
C222S525000, C222S498000, C222S490000, C222S493000, C222S494000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06749092
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a system for dispensing a product from a container. This invention is more particularly related to a system incorporating a valve system which is especially suitable for use with a container from which a substance can be discharged from the container through the valve system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART
A variety of packages, including dispensing packages or containers, have been developed for dispensing beverages, fluent food products, personal care products such as shampoo, lotion, etc., as well as other materials. Such containers typically have an open upper end on which is mounted a dispensing closure.
One type of dispensing closure for these kinds of containers has a flexible, pressure-openable, self-sealing, slit-type dispensing valve mounted in the closure over the container opening. The term “pressure-openable’ refers to a valve which opens when a sufficient pressure differential is applied across the valve (e.g., as by increasing the pressure on one side and/or decreasing the pressure on the side). When the container is squeezed, the valve slits open, and the fluid contents of the container are discharged through the open slits of the valve. The valve automatically closes to shut off fluid flow therethrough upon removal of the increased pressure—even if the container is inverted so that the closed valve is subjected to the weight of the contents within the container.
Designs of closures using such valves are illustrated in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,531 and 5,033,655. Typically, the closure includes a body mounted on the container to hold the valve over the container opening. A lid can be provided for engaging the closure body to cover the valve during shipping and when the container is otherwise not in use. See, for example, FIGS. 31-34 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,531. Such a lid can be designed to prevent leakage from the valve under certain conditions. The lid can also keep dust and dirt from the valve and/or can protect the valve from damage.
The inventors of the present invention have determined that it would be advantageous to provide a new type of valve system or dispensing structure that can provide certain operational advantages. It would be particularly beneficial to provide such a new type of valve system or dispensing structure with the capability for being opened by the user without necessarily requiring the user to squeeze or pressurize the container.
It would also be desirable to provide such an improved system with the capability for being opened merely by the user pulling on the structure with the lips or teeth of the user. This would permit, for example, the user to hold the package or container in one hand without requiring the user to manipulate the dispensing structure or valve system with the other hand in order to open and close it.
Such an improved valve system could also have the capability for allowing the user to apply a continuous force to hold the valve system partially open as well as for allowing the valve system to be maintained in a full open configuration without requiring the user to continuously hold it open or continuously maintain a dispensing pressure in the container. The dispensing system should preferably also be readily closed by application of a relatively briefly applied, low force.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved dispensing valve system that could dispense product at a relatively high flow rate compared to conventional closures of similar size.
It would also be beneficial if such an improved dispensing valve system could optionally accommodate the employment of an ancillary lid or frangible, tamper-evident cover or tear band.
Further, it would be beneficial if such an improved dispensing valve system could optionally accommodate the addition or inclusion of another (i.e., second) valving structure in the form of a pressure-openable, flexible, slit valve.
An improved dispensing valve system should also accommodate designs which permit incorporation of the system as a unitary part, or extension, of the container as well as designs that separately mount the dispensing system on the container in a removable or non-removable manner.
It would also be beneficial if such an improved dispensing valve system could readily accommodate its manufacture from a variety of different materials.
Further, it would be desirable if such an improved dispensing valve system could be provided with a design that would accommodate efficient, high-quality, large volume manufacturing techniques with a reduced product reject rate.
Preferably, the improved dispensing valve system should also accommodate high-speed manufacturing techniques that produce products having consistent operating characteristics unit-to-unit with high reliability.
The present invention provides an improved dispensing valve system which can accommodate designs having the above-discussed benefits and features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, a dispensing valve system is provided for discharging fluent contents from the interior of a container. The valve system includes a wall portion that can be incorporated on the container. The wall portion includes an inlet side and an outlet side. There is at least one aperture extending between the inlet and the outlet sides. A valve seat is located on the outlet side of the wall portion.
The valve system further includes a valve member. The valve member includes (1) a mounting portion for being fixed relative to the container, (2) a spout that defines a dispensing passage terminating in a dispensing orifice, and (3) a resiliently deformable portion extending between the mounting portion of the valve member and the spout to accommodate movement of the valve member from a self-maintained closed position to at least a partially open position. For example, in one form of the invention, the valve system may be temporarily held in a partially open, or full open, configuration when the valve member is subjected to a continuously applied force of sufficient magnitude—typically by the user pulling outwardly on the valve member (and/or by the user squeezing the container (to which the valve system is attached) with enough force to create an internal pressure sufficient to open the valve system). In another form of the invention, the valve system is designed so that when it is moved to a full open configuration, it will remain open even after the user lets go of the valve system and/or reduces the container internal pressure.
In the preferred form of the invention, the resiliently deformable portion is a toggle portion extending between the mounting portion and the spout. The toggle portion provides the further advantageous capability or feature of the valve member in either the self-maintained closed position or a self-maintained open position, namely, the user does not have to apply a continuous force to keep the system closed or open.
Finally, the valve member includes at least one seal surface recessed inwardly from the spout dispensing orifice for sealingly engaging the wall portion valve seat when the valve member is in the closed position so as to prevent flow from the wall portion aperture through the spout dispensing passage.
In one preferred form of the invention, the valve system is part of a closure assembly or unitary closure structure. The closure assembly is adapted for mounting to a container which has an opening to the container interior. The closure assembly has a housing or body for (a) retaining the valve system therein, and (b) being mounted on the container at the container opening so as to position the valve system over the container opening.
In another preferred form of the invention, the valve system includes a valve member which is a unitary part of a molded closure body extending from a container. The closure body may be a unitary part of the container or
Brown Stuart R.
Hess, III John M.
Manning James P.
Olechowski Gregory M.
Socier Timothy R.
Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
Shaver Kevin
Willatt Stephenie L.
Wood Phillips Katz Clark & Mortimer
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