Dispensing – With lock or fastening seal – Inhibiting operation of flow controller or closure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-16
2001-10-09
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With lock or fastening seal
Inhibiting operation of flow controller or closure
C222S522000, C222S514000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299027
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dispensing closures for containers, and more particularly, to such closures which, after being opened, automatically return to their closed position to prevent unintentional dispensing of product from such containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Push body closures are known in which a cap or spout having a dispensing aperture is positioned upon a base with cooperative elements therebetween to permit the closure to be opened or closed by disengagement or engagement of the cooperative elements. The base is affixed to the mouth of a product container, such as a water bottle. When a force is applied to the cap to move the cap with respect to the base, such as by pushing on the cap with the lips of a user, the cooperative elements between the cap and base are caused to disengage and thereby open the closure and permit the product, such as water, in the container to pass through a dispensing aperture in the cap and be dispensed into the user's mouth for drinking.
It also is known to provide structure in such closures to effect automatic closing thereof from the open condition when dispensing of the product is to be terminated. Such structure commonly includes return-engagement springs, levers or the like to cause the cooperative elements between the cap and the base to return to their engaged position when the force applied to the cap is released, thereby closing the closure and preventing unintentional further dispensing of product from the container, such as if the container were inadvertently tipped over.
The push body valve closures of the prior art generally include relatively complex and involved structure which is difficult to manufacture, such as by molding process for plastic closures, and/or includes fragile elements which are susceptible to breakage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Basically, it is an object of the invention to provide a push body valve closure of the type described in which the components, preferably formed of molded plastic material, are relatively uncomplex in construction and allow for economies in manufacture. The proposed closure is also of a sturdy structure which is not susceptible to breakage notwithstanding repeated use.
The present invention provides a structure which accomplishes the above objectives of a push body valve closure, and additionally includes a locking feature which prevents movement of the closure cap and valve to the open position with respect to the base unless and until the valve is first moved to an unlocked position.
More specifically, the invention is characterized by a push body valve closure including a base adapted to be secured to the mouth of a container, for example a water bottle, for a product to be dispensed therefrom; a valve engaged upon the base and moveable with respect thereto between a first closed position and a second open position; and a spout-defining cap controlling operation of the valve both between the locked and unlocked position by rotation, and between the closed and open position by a push action. A product dispensing channel is formed in the base to be in communication with the container mouth, and includes an aperture through which such product may be dispensed. A portion of the wall of the channel is of generally conical-shaped cross-sectional configuration.
The valve includes a peripheral wall with a radially outwardly extending rib circumferentially thereabout at slightly above mid-height. The portion of the valve wall below the rib forms a depending circumferential flange, with four spring-action segments, engaged about the channel wall for cooperative engagement with the outer surface of the conical-shaped wall portion of the base channel. The valve also includes a depending plug centrally within the peripheral valve wall and positioned by an open spider-work which mounts the plug while allowing for free flow of the product past the plug and through the valve. The plug is positioned to be in cooperative engagement with the aperture of the product dispensing channel through the base for selective axial movement relative thereto for a selective opening and closing of the aperture.
The cap has a push-button top surface with a depending peripheral wall having an orifice formed therein. The orifice is selectively closed by a closing panel projecting upward from the valve rib in alignment with and overlying the orifice immediately inward of the cap wall with opening of the orifice being effected by a relative rotation between the cap and valve to position the valve closing panel circumferentially remote from the cap orifice.
The inner face of the cap wall, at a height adjacent the lower edge of the orifice, is provided with a circumferential groove which receives the outer peripheral edge of the radially outwardly extending rib of the valve thereby locking the valve within the cap for a longitudinal or push-pull movement therewith. The rib and groove engagement is such as to allow for a cooperating rotation of the valve with the cap, and a relative rotation of the cap relative to the valve upon engagement of the valve with a rotation-limiting abutment.
While four spring-action segments, as illustrated, are preferred, less segments or more segments may be provided. Keying slots are formed between the spring-action segments, and locking notches are formed on the spring-action segments of the circumferential flange of the valve. Keying ribs are formed on the surface of the conical-shaped wall portion of the base channel for cooperative engagement with the notches to retain the valve in its locked position and prevent unintentional movement of the valve to its unlocked position unless and until the valve, by rotation of the cap, is rotated on the base. Indicia can be applied to the external surface of the cap and base to visually indicate when the cap has positioned the valve in its locked/unlocked position.
In use, and with the valve in its unlocked position with the orifice open, engagement of a force against the cap, such as by the lips or a finger of a user, moves the cap to an open position with respect to the base wherein the plug is withdrawn inwardly from the aperture and the depending spring-action circumferential flange segments are engaged against the conical-shaped wall portion of the channel. In such opened position, product retained in the container may be dispensed through the aperture in the channel, through the valve passage and out of the orifice in the cap. The valve remains in its opened position with respect to the base so long as the force continues to be applied against the cap to resist the spring-action of the circumferential flange segments of the valve against the conical-shaped wall of the channel which biases the cap back to its closed position.
Upon disengagement of the force against the cap, the spring-action of the circumferential flange segments of the valve act against the conical-shaped wall of the channel to cause the valve and cap to be directed back to their closed position in which the plug is engaged within the aperture of the channel, thereby preventing further dispensing of product from the container unless and until a force is reapplied against the cap.
A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for preventing an unintentional initial opening of the dispensing closure. This basically involves a tamper-evident means for ensuring to the purchaser of a commercial product that the container has not been opened prior to purchase, or the contents thereof accessed or dispensed through manipulation of the valve assembly. Pursuant to this end, the base includes a vertically extending and circumferentially elongate anti-rotation rib thereon in outwardly spaced relation to the channel-forming wall. This rib is, upon an assembly of the apparatus, received within a complementary anti-rotational opening formed about the periphery of the cap. The opening is defined by a frangible strip which is outwardly spaced from the cap wall a sufficient distance as to receive
Berge Gary
Stoneberg Thomas C.
Courtesy Corporation
Shaver Kevin
Silverman, Cass & Singer, Ltd.
Willatt Stephanie
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