Closure cap with flow restriction member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969539-B2
Application number	US-201514702880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2015
Priority date	May 6, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A closure cap for a container having a spout is described. The closure cap includes a tubular base, a flexible cover, and a flow restriction member. The tubular base is positionable about and sealingly engageable with the spout. The flexible cover is extends over the tubular base and movable between a non-depressed position and a depressed position. The flow restriction member is detachably mounted to the tubular base such that the flow restriction member is in a spaced, coaxial relationship with the spout when the tubular base is engaged with the spout and when the flexible cover is in the non-depressed position and such that the flow restriction member is detached from the tubular base and positioned on and engaged with the spout of the container when the flexible cover is moved to the depressed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure cap in combination with a spout for a container, the spout defining a flow passage, the closure cap comprising:
a rigid tubular base having an upper end and a lower end, the tubular base positioned about and sealingly engaged with the spout;
a flexible cover extending over the upper end of the tubular base and being movable between a non-depressed position and a depressed position; and
a flow restriction member having an annular wall forming an aperture and being positionable over and engageable with the spout, the flow restriction member connected to the tubular base in a way that the flow restriction member is in a spaced, coaxial relationship with the spout of the container when the flexible cover is in the non-depressed position and the flow restriction member is caused to detach from the tubular base and be positioned on and attached to the spout when the flexible cover is moved to the depressed position,
wherein when the flexible member is in the non-depressed position, a material in the container is permitted to flow through the flow passage of the spout at a first rate when closure cap is removed from the spout; and
wherein when the flexible member is in the depressed position and the flow restriction member is positioned on and attached to the spout, the material is permitted to flow through the flow passage of the spout and the aperture of the flow restriction member at a second rate, which is less than the first rate, when the closure cap is removed from the spout.

2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction member and the tubular base are formed as a one piece unit.

3. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction member is connected to the tubular base with a plurality of frangible bridges.

4. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the spout has an annular groove, and wherein the annular wall of the flow restriction member terminates in an inwardly projecting peripheral edge receivable in the annular groove of the spout.

5. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the tubular base is threadingly engageable with the spout.

6. A method of restricting the flow of material from a container having a spout defining a flow passage from the container, the method comprising:
sealingly engaging a closure cap to the spout of the container, the closure cap having a rigid tubular base, a flexible cover extending over an upper end of the tubular base and movable between a non-depressed position and a depressed position, and a flow restriction member connected to the tubular base and having an annular wall forming an aperture;
pressing the flexible cover of the closure cap to move the flexible cover to the depressed position and cause the flow restriction member to detach from the tubular base and be positioned on and attached to the spout of the container; and
removing the tubular base and the flexible cover of the closure cap from the spout to permit material to flow through the flow passage of the spout and the aperture of the flow restriction member,
wherein when the flexible member is in the non-depressed position, a material in the container is permitted to flow through the flow passage of the spout at a first rate when the closure cap is removed from the spout; and
wherein when the flexible member is in the depressed position and the flow restriction member is positioned on and attached to the spout, the material is permitted to flow through flow passage of the spout and the aperture of the flow restriction member at a second rate, which is less than the first rate, when the closure cap is removed from the spout.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Genaw Jr Joel Dean

Classifications

• B65D75/5883 Primary

  connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls · CPC title

• B65D47/123

  with internal parts · CPC title

• B65D47/122 Primary

  Threaded caps · CPC title

• B65D47/128

  with internal parts · CPC title

• B65D47/126

  with internal parts · CPC title