Dispensing – Plural sources – compartment – containers and/or spaced jacket – With common discharge
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2001-11-27
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Plural sources, compartment, containers and/or spaced jacket
With common discharge
C222S145500, C222S490000, C222S521000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321947
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention pertains to a dispensing system wherein fluent materials from at least two storage chambers, as in a squeezable dual-chambered container, are dispensed through valves of a type that remains closed until opened by a differential between inside pressure and outside pressure, and through a fitment defining a mixing chamber and mounted so as to overlie the valves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART
As exemplified in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/502,630, supra, a dispensing system is known, which comprises two chambers, each for a fluent material. A valve of the type noted above overlies an outlet of each chamber. The valves are mounted to a valve holder plate. A closure is provided, which includes a closure body, to which the valve holder plate is mounted via a snap-fit mounting engagement and which is mounted to the chambers via snap-fit mounting engagements. Reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/502,630, supra, for further information concerning the known system.
Such a system is useful for mixing and dispensing two fluent materials, either or both of which may be a liquid, an emulsion, or a powdered or granular material, particularly but not exclusively two fluent materials that react with each other and that cannot be pre-mixed. Such a system is useful if the containers are squeezable to increase their internal pressures, pressurized by internally stored pressures, or pressurizable by externally applied pressures, as from a pump.
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,614 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/432,677, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent pertinent hereto and to the extent not inconsistent herewith, for further information concerning valves of the type noted above.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a dispensing system comprising a container having at least two storage chambers, each of which is designed to contain a fluent material, such as a liquid, an emulsion, or a powdered or granular material. Although two storage chambers are employed in a preferred embodiment to be later described, more than two storage chambers may be alternatively employed. Although a squeezable container is employed in the preferred embodiment, other containers that are pressurized by internally stored pressures or that are pressurizable by externally applied pressures, as from a pump, may be alternatively employed.
Each storage chamber has a finish defining an outlet. The finishes are arranged in a contiguous group, which is a contiguous pair if two storage chambers are used. The contiguous group of the finishes defines an outer surface having a portion conforming to a surface of revolution, preferably a circular cylinder and alternatively a cone. The contiguous group of the finishes defines outer threads on the portion conforming to the surface of revolution and defines an anti-rotational formation. The dispensing system further comprises at least two valves of the type noted above. Each valve overlies and is aligned with the outlet defined by the finish of an associated one of the storage chambers.
The dispensing system further comprises a fitment defining a mixing chamber, in which the fluent materials from the storage chambers are permitted to intermix. The fitment defines plural inlets into the mixing chamber and an outlet from the mixing chamber. Each inlet is associated with the outlet defined by the finish of an associated one of the storage chambers. The fitment has an anti-rotational formation, which is adapted to engage the anti-rotational formation of the outer surface of the contiguous group of the finishes so as to prevent relative rotation of the fitment and the contiguous group of the finishes when the anti-rotational formation of the fitment engages the anti-rotational formation of the contiguous group of the finishes.
The fitment fits over the valves overlying the outlets of the storage chambers and over the contiguous group of the finishes so that each inlet defined by the fitment overlies and is aligned with the valve overlying and being aligned with the associated outlet and so that the anti-rotational formation of the fitment engages the anti-rotational formation of the contiguous group of the finishes.
The dispensing system further comprises a collar having a skirt or lateral wall having inner threads. The inner threads are adapted to engage the outer threads of the contiguous group of the finishes and to hold the fitment, when the collar is threaded onto the fitment. The fitment holds the valves when the fitment is held by the collar.
Preferably, the outer surface defined by the contiguous group of the finishes has a portion that which is flatter than the portion conforming to the surface of revolution and that interrupts the outer threads, whereupon the anti-rotational formation of the contiguous group of the finishes comprises the flatter portion. Preferably, the fitment has a skirt having an inner surface having at least one formation conforming to the flatter portion, whereupon the anti-rotational formation of the fitment comprises the at least one conforming formation. In the preferred embodiment to be later described, the outer surface defined by the contiguous pair of the finishes has two substantially flat portions and the fitment has two skirts, each having an inner surface having at least two ribs having substantially flat surfaces conforming to the substantially flat portions.
Preferably, the fitment and the collar are configured so that the collar can be threaded onto the fitment but cannot be unthreaded from the fitment. In the preferred embodiment to be later described, the fitment has outer ratchet teeth and the collar has inner ratchet teeth, which coact with the outer ratchet teeth so as to permit the collar to be threaded onto the fitment but not to be unthreaded from the fitment.
Preferably, the dispensing system further comprises a dispensing spout, which has a sealing formation engageable with a sealing formation of the fitment to seal the outlet from the mixing chamber and disengageable from the sealing formation of the fitment to open the outlet from the mixing chamber, and which is adapted to dispense materials from the mixing chamber when the outlet from the mixing chamber is opened.
If the dispensing spout is employed, the fitment and the dispensing spout have coacting formations permitting the dispensing spout to be twisted in one rotational sense relative to the fitment so that the sealing formation of the dispensing spout engages the sealing formation of the fitment, permitting the dispensing spout to be twisted in the opposite sense relative to the fitment so that the sealing formation of the dispensing spout is disengaged from the sealing formation of the fitment, but not permitting the dispensing spout to become detached from the fitment.
Preferably, in the dispensing system, each finish defines a margin around the storage chamber outlet defined by such finish and the fitment defines a margin around each inlet defined by the fitment. Preferably, moreover, each valve has an elastomeric flange interposed and forming a seal between the margin around the outlet defined by the finish of the storage chamber associated with said valve and the margin around the inlet defined by the fitment and associated with said valve.
Preferably, in the dispensing system, the fitment defines a fitment sleeve meeting the margin of each inlet defined by the fitment, and each valve has a valve head at the end of a support wall or valve sleeve, which projects from the elastomeric flange of said valve. Preferably, moreover, the fitment sleeves and the valve sleeves have coacting formations enabling the valves to be snap-fitted into the sleeves.
As compared to prior dispensing systems, the dispensing system offers several significant advantages, some of which also are o
Gross Richard A.
Hickok Alan P.
Schantz Daniel G.
Socier Timothy R.
Bui Thach H.
Derakshani Philippe
Rockey, Milanow & Katz, Ltd.
Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
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