Flip-top dispensing closure

Abstract

A flip-top dispensing closure is provided and comprises a base which is attachable to a container and a lid attached to the base by a hinge. The base includes a dispensing passage; a syringe of the type comprising a barrel and a terminal tip is insertable into the passage. The closure further comprises a flexible self-closing valve for closing the passage. In use the syringe is inserted into the passage so that the tip passes through the valve to access product, and thereafter when the syringe is withdrawn the valve wipes against the syringe tip.

Claims

1. A flip-top dispensing closure comprising: a base which is attachable to a container and a lid attached to the base by a hinge, the base including a dispensing passage and a stop formed in the passage; a syringe insertable into the passage, the syringe comprising a generally cylindrical barrel, a blunt-ended terminal tip, and a shoulder formed between the barrel and the blunt-ended terminal tip; and a flexible self-closing valve for closing the passage, the flexible self-closing valve comprising resilient petals with one or more slits extending between and defining the petals, wherein in use the syringe is inserted into the passage so that the blunt-ended terminal tip of the syringe pushes the petals apart from a normally closed condition to an open condition and passes through the slit of the valve to access product, and thereafter, when the syringe is withdrawn, the petals of the valve return to the normally closed position and wipe against the blunt-ended terminal tip, wherein the barrel can be inserted into the passage until the shoulder abuts against the stop, and wherein the passage includes an internal bead for gripping the syringe barrel in use.

2. A flip-top dispensing closure comprising: a base which is attachable to a container and a lid attached to the base by a hinge, the base including a dispensing passage and an annular stop formed in the passage; a syringe insertable into the passage, the syringe comprising a generally cylindrical barrel, a blunt-ended terminal tip, and a shoulder formed between the barrel and the blunt-ended terminal tip; and a flexible self-closing valve for closing the passage, the flexible self-closing valve comprising resilient petals with one or more slits extending between and defining the petals, wherein in use the syringe is inserted into the passage so that the blunt-ended terminal tip of the syringe pushes the petals apart from a normally closed condition to an open condition and passes through the slit of the valve to access product, and thereafter, when the syringe is withdrawn, the petals of the valve return to the normally closed position and wipe against the blunt-ended terminal tip, wherein the passage includes an internal bead and the valve is clipped into the passage by the bead, and wherein the barrel can be inserted into the passage until the shoulder abuts against the stop.

3. A closure as claimed in claim 1, in which when the barrel is maximally inserted the tip extends through the valve.

4. A flip-top dispensing closure comprising: a base which is attachable to a container and a lid attached to the base by a hinge, the base includes a top deck, at the center of the deck is an upwardly inclined annular wall, at the center of the upwardly inclined wall a circular section cylindrical wall depends and defines a dispensing passage, the dispensing passage including a mouth, a bead provided at the mouth, and an annular stop wall that extends radially inwards below the bead and is spaced therefrom and functions as a stop; a syringe insertable into the passage, the syringe comprising a generally cylindrical barrel, a blunt-ended terminal tip, and a shoulder formed between the barrel and the blunt-ended terminal tip; and a flexible self-closing valve for closing the passage, the flexible self-closing valve comprising resilient petals with one or more slits extending between and defining the petals, wherein in use the syringe is inserted into the passage so that the tip of the syringe pushes the petals apart from a normally closed condition to an open condition and passes through the slit of the valve to access product, and thereafter when the syringe is withdrawn, the petals of the valve return to the normally closed position and wipe against the blunt-ended terminal tip, and wherein the barrel can be inserted into the passage until the shoulder abuts against the stop.

5. A closure as claimed in claim 4, in which the flexible self-closing valve comprises a concave head portion which is thicker towards its edge than its centre and which has at least one slit therein.

6. A closure as claimed in claim 5, in which the valve includes a sidewall portion and a flange, the sidewall portion connects the head portion to the flange.

7. A closure as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a retaining ring, the valve is retained by the retaining ring.

8. A closure as claimed in claim 7, in which the retaining ring is received in the dispensing passage.

9. A closure as claimed in claim 8, in which the dispensing passage includes a further bead at a bottom of the cylindrical wall for retaining the retaining ring.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 9, in which the retaining ring is retained between the further bead and the annular stop wall.

11. A flip-top dispensing closure as claimed in claim 2, wherein an upper surface of the stop is inclined, and a lower surface of the shoulder is inclined.

12. A flip-top dispensing closure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the shoulder abuts and directly connects to the barrel.

13. A flip-top dispensing closure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flexible self-closing valve is provided as part of a retaining device, and the retaining device, carrying the valve, is clipped into the base by the bead.

Description

(1) The present invention will now be more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which are shown:

(2) FIG. 1: closure in the closed position

(3) FIG. 2: closure in the open position

(4) FIG. 3: syringe insertion

(5) FIG. 4: syringe inserted

(6) FIG. 5: bottle inversion

(7) FIG. 6: plunger withdrawal

(8) FIG. 7: syringe removal

(9) FIG. 8: section of the closure with the valve closed

(10) FIG. 9: section of the closure with the valve open

(11) FIG. 10: a valve retaining device of the type fitted into the closure

(12) FIG. 11: section of the device of FIG. 10 and shown with a valve fitted

(13) FIG. 12: view of the device of FIG. 10 with the valve secured in place

(14) FIG. 13: section of the device of FIG. 12

(15) The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternative forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

(16) Accordingly, while embodiments can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.

(17) Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealised or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

(18) In the following description, all orientational terms, such as upper, lower, top, bottom, radially and axially, are used in relation to the drawings and should not be interpreted as limiting on the invention.

(19) Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a closure is provided and is generally indicated 10. The closure 10 comprises a base 15 and a lid 20.

(20) The base 15 comprises a generally cylindrical outer skirt 25. At the end of the skirt 25 which is adjacent to the lid a top deck 30 extends radially inwardly.

(21) At the centre of the deck 30 is an upwardly inclined annular wall 31 which gives the deck an upwardly domed appearance. At the centre of the wall 31 a circular section cylindrical wall 32 depends and defines a dispensing passage 33.

(22) The inner skirt 50 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) has two diametrically opposed windows (not shown).

(23) The outer skirt 25 includes two diametrically opposed generally elongated U-shape recesses defined by panels 80, 85. The recesses are in register with the inner skirt windows as will be discussed in more detail below.

(24) Each panel 80, 85 carries a lug 81, 86 at its free end which projects above the deck. Between each panel and the deck 30 is an arcuate slot 31.

(25) Each lug 81, 86 comprises a chamfered upper surface 82, 87 and an undercut low surface 83, 88.

(26) Each panel 80, 85 includes a respective central pad 90, 91. Each pad 90, 91 is flanked by a pair of links 93. Each link 93 comprises a pair of opposed, elongate right-angled triangular panels 93a, 93b arrange as a v-form, elbow-like hinge.

(27) The inner skirt comprises a bead 51 at the free end which in use engages on a corresponding snap bead 5 on a container neck 7 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

(28) The base 15 and lid 20 are joined by a hinge 17, which in this embodiment is a snap hinge. Diametrically opposite the hinge a finger recess 27 is positioned in the outer skirt 25.

(29) The lid 20 comprises a generally circular top plate 21 with a truncated side skirt 22 depending from its periphery except for the region where the hinge 17 is attached.

(30) A centrally positioned annular spigot 23 depends from the top plate 21 and is dimensioned to be a tight fit in the passage 33 when the lid is in the closed position.

(31) Two diametrically opposed slots 94, 95 are positioned in the lid 20 at the intersection of the skirt 22 and top plate 21. The slots are positioned so that when the lid is closed onto the base the lugs 81, 86 are engaged and firstly the chamfered portion 82, 87 of the lugs engages the free end of the skirt whereupon they are caused to deflect inwards until the lug passes into the slots whereupon they spring outwards to fill the slots. The lower surfaces 83, 88 of the lugs then engage onto the lower, ledge-like faces 96, 97 of the skirt sections which defines the slots 94, 95.

(32) In use, the pads 90, 91 are depressed to move the lugs inwards. This releases the lugs from the lid slots. When the pads are deflected inwards they flex. The flexing is substantially constrained to be by the pads because the links 83 prevent lateral spreading of the forces into the adjacent panel sections. This maximised the inward deflection of the pads and hence the lugs.

(33) The panels are resilient and the pads automatically spring back after release.

(34) In this closed position shown in FIG. 1 the lid cannot be lifted because the slot base 91, 96 and lug surfaces 83, 88 are in abutment. In order to open the lid the recess panels must be pressed inwards to move the lugs out of the slots. Because the panels 80, 85 are in register with the inner skirt windows the panels can be deflected further radially inwards. At the same time the lugs are moved inwards the finger recess must be used to flip open the lid as is shown diagrammatically on the top of the lid in FIG. 2. The underside of the lid is provided with a trough 24 in register with the finger recess 27 in the closed position which serves as a leverage point to lift the lid.

(35) As shown best in FIGS. 8 and 9, the passage 33 is formed like a socket, with the cylindrical sidewall 32 depending from the wall 31. At the mouth of the passage a bead 35 is provided. Below the bead 35 and spaced therefore an annular wall 34 extends radially inwards and functions as a stop. At the bottom of the wall 32 a further bead 36 is provided.

(36) In this embodiment a 102 valve is fitted into the closure base. The valve is a flexible self-closing valve which in this embodiment is provided as part of a retaining device described in relation to FIGS. 10 to 13. The device 101, carrying the valve 102, clips into the base 15, fitting up into the sidewall 32 and clipping under the bead 36 so as to be firmly retained.

(37) To use the closure 10 the lid 20 is first lifted, as described above. This exposes the passage 33. However, product cannot leave through the passage because of the valve 102.

(38) A syringe 40 is presented to the closure 10 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8. The syringe 50 comprises a cylindrical barrel 42 into which a plunger 44 is slidably and sealingly fitted. The barrel 42 terminates with a tip 46; a shoulder 48 is formed between the barrel and tip.

(39) The syringe 40 can be pushed into the passage 33 until the shoulder 48 abuts against the stop 34. The additional height of the domed wall 31 helps to hold the syringe stably. In addition, the barrel is gripped by the bead 35.

(40) As the syringe 40 is inserted the tip encounters the valve 102 and when maximally inserted is pushed through the valve as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9. With a slitted valve the tip pushes the petals apart.

(41) Product can now be filled into the barrel by withdrawing the plunger with the bottle 1 inverted as shown in FIG. 6.

(42) When the required dose is in the barrel the syringe is pulled out of the closure as shown in FIG. 7.

(43) As the syringe is pulled out the tip passes back through the valve and because it is a flexible self-closing valve (with a resilient material which wants to return to the close position) the petals “wipe” the tip as it is withdrawn; the valve returns to its original, normally closed position when the tip is sully withdrawn. This means that the bottle 1 can remain upturned as the syringe is withdrawn as product will no longer pass through the valve 102.

(44) Referring now to FIG. 10 there is shown a valve retaining device 101, which shall be referred to hereinafter as a retaining ring 101. The ring 101 consists of a moulded single-piece article with a so-called “chimney” in the form of a circular wall 110. This chimney 110 provides a surface for assembly machinery to handle the retaining ring 101. At one end of the chimney 110 is a radially outwardly sloping surface 111a provided on an annular wall 111. At the outer radial end of this sloping surface 111 another circular wall 112, which has the same rotational axis as chimney 10, and extends upwards.

(45) Along the circumference of the radially outer surface of wall 112 is a projection in the form of an external sealing bead 113. At the end of wall 112 is a crimping flange 114 which in its uncrimped condition is an upstanding wall.

(46) A flexible self-closing valve 102 typically has the features shown in FIG. 11. For instance, such a valve 102 has a head portion 103, which is thicker towards the edge than the centre and which has at least one slit 104 therein. The head portion is concave with respect to a container (not shown). This pre-stresses the valve so that it self-closes more easily.

(47) A side-wall portion 106 connects the head portion 103 with a flange 108. Flange 108 is typically shaped such that it has a relatively substantial size in the form of a rim. It is this flange 108 which rests on the sloping surface 111 of the retaining ring 101 when it is located correctly.

(48) In this embodiment, to crimp the valve 102 in place, the crimping flange 114 is bent over from the position shown in FIG. 11 until it sandwiches the flange 108 between itself 114 and the sloping surface 11 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

(49) Also shown is a valve 102 with the crimping flange 14 bent over. Although the crimping flange 108 is shown as being bent over by 90 degrees radially inwards it should be understood that the angle through which it need be bent is not fixed. For instance, it has been found that the crimping flange 114 need only be bent over by a few degrees in order that it hold the valve 2 in place within the retaining ring 101. This is because the crimping flange 114 is bent over along the entire circumference of the retaining ring 101 and valve 102. Further, the crimping flange 114 could be bent over by more than 90 degrees so that it lies against and substantially parallel with the surface of flange 108. described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternative forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

(50) Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.