Dispensing – Axially rotary and longitudinally movable tubes – sleeves – or... – Axial discharge
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-09
2004-07-06
Bomberg, Kenneth (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Axially rotary and longitudinally movable tubes, sleeves, or...
Axial discharge
C222S549000, C215S344000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758376
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to twist open twist close edge seal closures and in particular to an edge seal closure which is threadably engaged onto a container and which has a sealing disc with folding finger located thereon for edge sealing of the container rim.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many types of dispensing closures have been developed for release of liquids or like material held within a container, such as a bottle. Typically, these dispensers feature a closure which is permanently affixed to the container neck or which is threadably held thereon. More often, these closures are formed with an aperture such that, when the closure is twisted open, the aperture reveals a pathway through an interior mouth of the container. For release of liquids held within the container, the closure is twisted to the open position and the container is turned in the upside down position to allow liquid to flow through the neck and mouth of the container. However, most prior art twist open, twist close designs often leak into the threaded area of the container neck, which continues to be a problem. Thus, it is desirable to have a twist open and twist close closure which adequately seals or mates against the rim of the container and prevents these known prior art problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,967 discloses a plastic dispensing closure for a container which has a twist open, twist close design. This design however utilizes a second softer plastic to provide an effective sealing gasket around the upper portion of the closure. The application of this second softer plastic requires a dual or co-injection molding process in order to mold the closure with a hard plastic and then mold the softer plastic forming the seal thereafter. This second molding step is often prohibitively expensive, time consuming and inefficient.
In view of the deficiencies in known dispensing closures, it is apparent that a top dispensing closure is needed for use with a container wherein the closure has a linerless sealing feature, the closure raises with reduced rotation revealing a fluid communication path with the container and, the closure has a ratcheted tamper indicating band having a tamper indicating function as well as preventing closure back-off from the bottle neck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is for an improved twist open/twist close one piece dispensing closure for use with a cooperatively structured container neck. The edge seal twist open/twist close closure of the present invention resolves many of the problems of the prior art devices noted above.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an easy to use twist open/twist close edge seal closure which allows fluid contained in the container to exit therefrom upon opening.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a twist open/twist close edge seal closure which provides a dispensing spout extending outward from the dispensing orifice and which provides an adequate sealing disc for mating against the rim of the container top wall.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide an edge seal closure which adequately seals the neck of the container and prevents leakage of fluid or other materials in the container from dispensing around the threads of the container when the edge seal closure of the present invention is in the open or closed position.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a sealing disc on an edge seal twist open/twist close closure wherein the sealing disc provides a folding finger which mates against the rim of the container.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a twist open/twist close edge seal closure which is rotatably engaged on the threads of the container neck and which has limit stops preventing the edge seal closure from rotating beyond a particular point from the container.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a twist open/twist close edge seal closure wherein the sealing disc of the closure has ribs and spokes to support the sealing disc and provide adequate compression against the container top wall and rim such that complete sealing is effectuated when the edge seal closure is fully threaded onto the container neck.
Yet an even further object of the present invention is to provide a container having a neck and cantilevered from the neck is a top wall having a sealing rib or rim extending therefrom.
The twist open/twist close edge seal closure of the present invention provides for a twist open/twist close edge seal closure which is threadably engaged on the neck of the container, the edge seal closure having an upwardly extending spout and a side wall with a curved dispensing wall therebetween, a plurality of inwardly extending spokes which are supported against the interior side wall by a matching plurality of ribs, the spokes supporting a sealing disc therebelow, the sealing disc designed such that upon threaded application of the twist open/twist close edge seal closure onto a container, the folding finger of sealing disc compresses against the top surface of the container.
All of the above outlined objectives are to be understood as exemplary only and many other objectives of the invention may be gleaned from the disclosure herein. Therefore no limiting interpretation of the objectives noted are to be understood without further reading of the entire specification, claims and drawings included herewith.
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Clodfelter Christopher B.
Mathes Todd E.
Bomberg Kenneth
Middleton & Reutlinger
Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
Salazar John F.
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