Dispensing closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518941-B2
Application number	US-201916295552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Jan 9, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A dispensing closure (40) for a fluent substance-containing system, such as a container, includes a body (54) for receiving the fluent substance from the system, a locking member (56) assembled with the body (54), and a pivotable actuator (60) assembled with the locking member (56) and defining a dispensing flow passage (190) for discharging the fluent substance. The locking member (56) is rotatable relative to the body (54) from a locking position to an unlocking position to permit a user to pivot the actuator (60) from a closed position to a dispensing, open position. The body (54) has an abutment (110) that extends through the locking member (56) in the locking position to prevent the actuator (60) from moving into the open position. In the unlocking position of the locking member (56), the actuator (60) is not prevented by the abutment (110) from being moved into the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing closure ( 40 ) for a system ( 44 ) having an opening ( 46 ) between an exterior of the system ( 44 ) and an interior of the system ( 44 ) where a fluent substance may be stored, said dispensing closure ( 40 ) comprising:
A. a closure body ( 54 ) that
1) can be located at the system opening ( 46 ) and that defines an inlet ( 74 ) for communicating with the system,
2) has an end ( 70 ) defining an aperture ( 84 ) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 ), said end ( 70 ) terminating in a top deck ( 80 );

B. a locking member ( 56 ) mounted on said end ( 70 ) of said closure body ( 54 ) for rotation about a central rotational axis (A), said locking member ( 56 ) having an intermediate flow passage ( 140 ) for accommodating the flow of a substance through said closure body aperture ( 84 ), said locking member ( 56 ) including an outer wall ( 114 ) surrounding said intermediate flow passage ( 140 ), wherein all of said outer wall ( 114 ) is located axially outward of said top deck ( 80 ), said locking member ( 56 ) having
1) a locking position, and
2) an unlocking position rotated about said central rotational axis (A) away from said locking position; and

C. an actuator ( 60 ) that
1) is rotatably mounted to said locking member ( 56 ) for occluding said locking member intermediate flow passage ( 140 ) to prevent flow of a fluent substance through said closure ( 40 ) when said actuator ( 60 ) is in a closed, non-dispensing position and for permitting flow of a fluent substance through said closure ( 40 ) when said actuator ( 60 ) is rotated to an open, dispensing position,
2) includes a dispensing flow passage ( 190 ) that is in communication with said intermediate flow passage ( 140 ) of said locking member ( 56 ) when said actuator ( 60 ) is in said open, dispensing position, and
3) is in engagement with a portion of said closure body ( 54 ) when said locking member ( 56 ) is in said locking position to prevent said actuator ( 60 ) from moving into said open, dispensing position.

2. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 in which said closure body ( 54 ) is adapted for use with a system ( 44 ) that is a container ( 44 ) defining said opening ( 46 ) and in which said closure body ( 54 ) is one of:
1) a separate structure for being attached to the container ( 44 ) at the container opening ( 46 ); and
2) an integral structure that is a unitary part of a container ( 44 ) formed at the container opening ( 46 ).

3. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 in which said top deck ( 80 ) defines an upper surface ( 82 ), and said locking member ( 56 ) includes a bottom deck ( 118 ) defining a bottom surface ( 121 ) confronting said closure body upper surface ( 82 ).

4. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aperture ( 84 ) of said closure body ( 54 ) has a configuration centered on said central rotational axis (A) and at least a portion of said intermediate flow passage ( 140 ) of said locking member ( 56 ) is offset from said central rotational axis (A).

5. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said actuator ( 60 ) includes at least one downwardly extending abutment ( 216 ) and said closure body ( 54 ) includes an upwardly extending abutment ( 110 ) whereby said downwardly-extending abutment ( 216 ) and said upwardly extending abutment ( 110 ) are oriented to engage to prevent said actuator ( 60 ) from moving into said open, dispensing position when said locking member ( 56 ) is in said locking position.

6. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 5 wherein
1) said locking member ( 56 ) includes a bottom deck ( 118 ) defining an aperture ( 126 ), and
2) said upwardly extending abutment ( 110 ) of said closure body ( 54 ) extends through said aperture ( 126 ).

7. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 5 wherein
1) said upwardly extending abutment ( 110 ) of said closure body ( 54 ) has a radius of curvature centered on said central rotational axis (A), and
2) said downwardly extending abutment ( 216 ) of said actuator ( 60 ) has a length extending an oblique angle relative to said radius of curvature.

8. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said closure body ( 54 ) has at least one retaining projection ( 94 ) extending upwardly from said end ( 70 ), and
2) said locking member ( 56 ) has at least one arcuate slot ( 122 ) therein for receiving said retaining projection ( 94 ).

9. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 8 wherein
1) said closure body ( 56 ) has a plurality of circumferentially spaced retaining projections ( 94 ), and
2) said locking member ( 56 ) has a plurality of circumferentially spaced arcuate slots ( 122 ) therein, each one of said arcuate slots ( 122 ) receiving a different one of said retaining projections ( 94 ).

10. The dispensing closure ( 40 A) in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said closure body ( 54 A) has at least one projection ( 90 A) extending therefrom, and
2) said locking member ( 56 A) has at least one resilient, deflectable tab ( 168 A) extending therefrom, whereby rotation of said locking member ( 56 A) relative to said closure body ( 54 A) moves said projection ( 90 A) against and past said tab ( 168 A) which deflects and returns to its undeflected condition to generate at least one of an audible signal and a tactile signal.

11. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said closure body ( 54 ) has at least one indicium ( 72 ) and said locking member ( 56 ) has at least one indicium ( 156 ) that cooperate to indicate whether said locking member ( 56 ) is in one of said locking position and said unlocking position.

12. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said locking member ( 56 ) is rotatable less than 45 degrees about said central rotational axis (A) between said locking position and said unlocking position.

13. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said closure body ( 54 ) further includes an upwardly extending wall ( 86 ) surrounding and defining at least a portion of said aperture ( 84 ), and
2) said locking member ( 56 ) includes a downwardly extending wall ( 134 ) sealingly engaged with said closure body upwardly extending wall ( 86 ).

14. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said actuator ( 60 ) includes a pair of oppositely extending protrusions ( 188 ), and
2) said outer wall ( 114 ) of said locking member ( 56 ) includes a pair of facing recesses ( 144 ) therein to each receive a different one of said protrusions ( 188 ).

15. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 in which
1) said locking member ( 56 ) includes a raised central deck ( 119 ) and a spout ( 138 ) extending upwardly from said raised central deck ( 119 ), and
2) said intermediate flow passage ( 140 ) extends through said raised central deck ( 119 ) and said spout ( 138 ).

16. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 in which
1) said closure body end ( 70 ) includes an upwardly extending wall ( 86 ), and
2) said locking member ( 56 ) defines an annular channel ( 130 ) for receiving said wall ( 86 ).

17. The dispensing closure ( 40 ) in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a system ( 44 ) that is a container ( 44 ) of a fluent substance, the closure ( 40 ) and container ( 44 ) together defining a package.

18. A disp

Assignees

• Aptargroup Inc

Inventors

• Jelich Nicholas J

Classifications

• B65D47/2006 Primary

  formed by a rigid spout outlet opened by tilting of the spout outlet · CPC title

• B65D50/06

  requiring the combination of different actions in succession · CPC title

• B65D47/08 Primary

  having articulated or hinged closures {(B65D55/16 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65D51/248

  the closure being provided with transient audible or visual signaling means, e.g. for indicating dispensing, or other illuminating or acoustic devices, e.g. whistles (B65D55/026, B65D55/028 take precedence; for indicating incorrect storage B65D79/02) · CPC title

• B65D2203/12

  Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means (B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence) · CPC title