Liquid container closure with latching assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9994370-B2
Application number	US-201514606001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2015
Priority date	Sep 14, 2011
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

Closures having an integrated push button latching assembly including an end wall, a skirt wall depending from the end wall, an outlet opening associated with the end wall, a protrusion associated with the end wall and a push button latching assembly are disclosed. The push button latching assembly is pivotally coupled to the closure and is movable between a first position in which the outlet opening is covered by the assembly and a second position in which the outlet opening is exposed. The push button latching assembly includes a retaining mechanism, a closing member coupled to the retaining mechanism, a push button coupled to the retaining mechanism, and a tongue coupled to the retaining mechanism. The tongue is configured to engage the protrusion when the push button latching assembly occupies the first position and disengage the protrusion such that the push button latching assembly is movable to the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for use with a container, the closure comprising:
a closure component that is sized and configured to be connected to a container;
an opening associated with the closure component;
a protrusion of the closure component; and
a latching assembly pivotally coupled to the closure component, the latching assembly movable between a first position in which the opening is closed and a second position in which the opening is open, the latching assembly comprising:
a retaining mechanism;
a closing member coupled to the retaining mechanism;
a push button coupled to the retaining mechanism; and
a tongue coupled to the retaining mechanism, the tongue sized and configured to engage the protrusion when the latching assembly is in the first position and disengage the protrusion such that the latching assembly is movable to the second position, the push button is configured to cyclically toggle the tongue between engagement and disengagement with the protrusion and the closing member is configured to close the opening when the latching assembly occupies the first position.

2. The closure as in claim 1 , wherein the closure component comprises a first closure component and the opening comprises a first opening, the closure further comprising a second closure component and a second opening associated with the second closure component.

3. The closure as in claim 2 , wherein the first closure component and the second closure component are interlockable along a common axis.

4. The closure as in claim 1 , further comprising a cavity of the closure component, the cavity sized and configured to pivotally receive at least a portion of the latching assembly.

5. The closure as in claim 4 , wherein the cavity further comprises one or more slots.

6. The closure as in claim 5 , wherein the latching assembly further comprises one or more pins configured to pivotally engage the one or more slots.

7. The closure as in claim 6 , wherein the one or more pins are biased to engage the one or more slots.

8. The closure as in claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more slots are ramped.

9. The closure as in claim 8 , wherein the latching assembly is selectively removable from the cavity.

10. The closure as in claim 1 , further comprising a torsion spring coupled to the retaining mechanism, the torsion spring configured to bias the latching assembly into the second position.

11. The closure as in claim 1 , further comprising a spring that is sized and configured to facilitate the cyclical toggling of the tongue between the engagement and the disengagement with the protrusion.

12. The closure as in claim 1 , wherein the latching assembly further comprises a reversing mechanism to facilitate the cyclical toggling of the tongue between the engagement and the disengagement with the protrusion.

13. The closure as in claim 12 , further comprising one or more tracks that are sloped such that the tongue is slidable between a first tongue position and a second tongue position to facilitate the cyclical toggling of the tongue between the engagement and the disengagement with the protrusion.

14. A closure for use with a liquid container, the closure comprising:
an end;
an outlet opening associated with the end;
a protrusion associated with the end; and
a push button latching assembly pivotally coupled to the end,
wherein:
the push button latching assembly is movable between a first position in which the outlet opening is covered by the push button latching assembly and a second position in which the outlet opening is exposed;
the push button latching assembly comprises a tongue sized and configured to matingly engage the protrusion when the push button latching assembly is in the first position and disengage the protrusion such that the push button latching assembly is movable to the second position; and
the push button latching assembly is configured to cyclically toggle the tongue between engagement and disengagement with the protrusion.

15. The closure as in claim 14 , wherein the push button latching assembly further comprises:
a retaining mechanism;
a closing member coupled to the retaining mechanism; and
a push button coupled to the retaining mechanism and to the tongue, wherein the push button is configured to cyclically toggle the tongue between engagement and disengagement with the protrusion.

16. An apparatus comprising:
a container; and
a closure configured to form a sealing engagement with the container, the closure comprising:
an end;
an outlet opening associated with the end;
a protrusion associated with the end; and
a push button latching assembly pivotally coupled to the end,

wherein:
the push button latching assembly is movable between a first position in which the outlet opening is covered by the push button latching assembly and a second position in which the outlet opening is exposed;
the push button latching assembly is configured to engage the protrusion when the push button latching assembly is in the first position and disengage the protrusion such that the push button latching assembly is movable to the second position; and
the push button latching assembly is configured to cyclically toggle between engagement and disengagement with the protrusion.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16 , wherein the push button latching assembly further comprises:
a retaining mechanism;
a closing member coupled to the retaining mechanism;
a push button coupled to the retaining mechanism; and
a tongue coupled to the retaining mechanism, wherein the tongue is configured to engage the protrusion when the push button latching assembly is in the first position and disengage the protrusion such that the push button latching assembly is movable to the second position, wherein the push button is configured to cyclically toggle the tongue between engagement and disengagement with the protrusion.

18. The apparatus as in claim 17 , further comprising a gripping surface formed on the push button.

19. The apparatus as in claim 17 , wherein the latching assembly further comprises a reversing mechanism to facilitate the cyclical toggling of the tongue between the engagement and the disengagement with the protrusion, the apparatus further comprising one or more tracks that are sloped such that the tongue is slidable between a first tongue position and a second tongue position to facilitate the cyclical toggling of the tongue between the engagement and the disengagement with the protrusion.

20. The apparatus as in claim 16 , further comprising external threads disposed on the container and corresponding internal threads disposed on the closure to facilitate the sealing engagement between the closure and the container.

Assignees

• Runway Blue Llc

Inventors

• Sorensen Steven M
• Meyers David O

Classifications

• B65D47/0885 Primary

  one part of the hinge being integral with the hinged closure and the other part with the base element, without any other additional hinge element · CPC title

• B65D47/0871 Primary

  and elastically biased towards the open position only · CPC title