Dispensing closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12269652-B2
Application number	US-202017788377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2020
Priority date	Jan 28, 2020
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

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 a pair of abutments ( 110 ) that extend 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 abutments ( 110 ) from moving into the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing closure for a system having an opening between an exterior of the system and an interior of the system where a fluent substance may be stored, said dispensing closure comprising:
A. a closure body that
1) can be located at the system opening and that defines an inlet for communicating with the system,
2) has an upper end defining an aperture to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body, and
3) said closure body includes a pair of abutments extending upwardly from said upper end;

B. a locking member mounted on said closure body for rotation about a central rotational axis, said locking member having an intermediate flow passage for accommodating the flow of a substance through said closure body aperture, said locking member having
1) a locking position, and
2) an unlocking position rotated about said central rotational axis away from said locking position; and

C. an actuator that
1) is rotatably mounted to said locking member for occluding said locking member intermediate flow passage to prevent flow of a fluent substance through said closure when said actuator is in a closed, non-dispensing position and for permitting flow of a fluent substance through said closure when said actuator is rotated to an open, dispensing position,
2) includes a dispensing flow passage that is in communication with said intermediate flow passage of said locking member when said actuator is in said open, dispensing position,
3) includes a pair of downwardly extending abutments for confronting said pair of upwardly extending abutments extending from said upper end of said closure body when said locking member is in said locking position to prevent said actuator from moving into said open, dispensing position.

2. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said actuator rotates about a pivot axis relative to said locking member, said actuator dispensing flow passage is located on one side of said pivot axis, and said actuator includes a sloping back region located on another side of said pivot axis, and said pair of abutments of said closure body are located beneath said sloping back region when said locking member is in said locking position.

3. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said locking member includes a bottom deck defining an aperture, and
2) said pair of abutments of said closure body extend upwardly through said aperture.

4. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 3 wherein said pair of downwardly extending abutments of said actuator are located above said aperture.

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

6. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 5 wherein said locking member includes a bottom deck defining an aperture, said pair of abutments of said closure body extend upwardly through said aperture, and said aperture is connected to one of said arcuate slots.

7. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pair of upwardly extending abutments of said closure body has a radius of curvature centered on said central rotational axis, and each one of said pair of downwardly extending abutments of said actuator has a length extending at an oblique angle relative to said radius of curvature with said locking member in said locking position.

8. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said closure body further includes a flexible wall surrounding and defining said aperture, said flexible wall is movable in a radial direction relative to said central rotational axis to seal against a portion of said locking member.

9. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 8 wherein said flexible wall includes a proximal end connected said upper end of said closure body and a cantilevered, distal end extending axially inwardly from said proximal end, said distal end including a radially inwardly extending sealing face.

10. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 8 wherein said closure body includes an annular recess between said upper end and said flexible wall.

11. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said locking member includes a post extending upwardly therefrom.

12. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said upper end of said closure body has an upper surface with at least one recess therein, and
2) said locking member has at least one resilient projection having a bead, whereby rotation of said locking member relative to said closure body carries said projection in an arc with said bead engaging said surface so that said projection is deflected by said surface until continued rotation of said locking member relative to said closure body carries said projection to a location in which said at least one recess receives said bead whereupon said projection returns to its undeflected condition as said bead snaps into said at least one recess to generate at least one of an audible signal and a tactile signal.

13. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said locking member has at least one indicium that cooperate to indicate whether said locking member is in one of said locking position and/or said unlocking position.

14. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said locking member is rotatable less than 45 degrees about said central rotational axis between said locking position and said unlocking position.

15. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein
1) said actuator includes a pair of oppositely extending protrusions, and
2) said locking member includes an outer wall having a pair of facing recesses therein to each receive a different one of said protrusions.

16. The dispensing closure in accordance with claim 1 in which
1) said locking member includes a raised central deck and a spout extending upwardly from said raised central deck, and
2) said intermediate flow passage extends through said raised central deck and said spout.

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

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

Assignees

• Aptargroup Inc

Inventors

• Jelich Nicholas

Classifications

• 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

• B65D50/06

  requiring the combination of different actions in succession · CPC title

• B65D2203/12

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

• B65D47/2006 Primary

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