Closure

Abstract

A pivotable disc closure actuator, a closure including the actuator and the closure combined with a bottle or other container. The actuator includes a closing surface which includes a product dispensing opening at a front thereof, at least two pivots on the closing surface, an extension panel extending from a peripheral wall of the closing surface and having a locking and an unlocking position, the pivots being intermediate the product opening and the extension panel, and the extension panel having a latch member extending inwardly toward the closing surface when the extension panel is in the locked position. The closure may include a closure base which may in turn include a cutout or opening in its outer wall. In its locked position the extension panel may rest on a surface of the cut out or outer wall to prevent the actuator from rotating from its closed position to an open position.

Claims

1. A pivotable disc closure actuator comprising a) a closing surface comprising a product dispensing opening at a front thereof, b) at least two pivots on the closing surface, wherein the actuator is characterized by the closing surface including a skirt depending therefrom and comprising the product dispensing opening at a front thereof, c) an extension panel extending from a peripheral wall of the closing surface and having a locked and an unlocked position, d) the pivots being intermediate the product opening and the extension panel, and e) the extension panel having a latch member extending inwardly toward the closing surface when the extension panel is in the locked position, wherein in the locked position a bottom surface of the extension panel prevents force from rotating the actuator out of the closed position, the extension panel being attached to the actuator by a hinge.

2. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1 wherein the closing surface is generally circular, the opening is within a first arc of 120 degrees at the front of the closing surface, the extension panel is within a second arc of 120 degrees at a rear end of the closing surface, and the pivots are each within third and fourth arcs of 60 degrees each on opposite sides of the closing surface, the third and fourth arcs being intermediate the first and second arcs.

3. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a latch retainer for securing the panel extension and keeping the closing surface in the closed position.

4. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator includes an aperture or indentation for receiving the latch member.

5. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1, further comprising an aperture.

6. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a living hinge directly or indirectly connecting the extension panel to the closing surface.

7. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a finger-receiving depression in the closing surface adjacent the extension panel.

8. The pivotable disc closure actuator according to claim 1, in combination with a closure base comprising I) an opening suitable for receiving the pivotable closure, II) at least two surfaces on which the pivots can rest when the closing surface is received within the closure base, the combined pivotable closure and closure base further comprising a latch retainer on one or both of the pivotable closure and closure base suitable for receiving and securing the latch member when the extension panel is in the locked position.

9. The combined pivotable closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, wherein the closing surface is generally circular, the opening is within a first arc of 120 degrees at the front of the closing surface, the extension panel is within a second arc of 120 degrees at a rear end of the closing surface, and the pivots are each within third and fourth arcs of 60 degrees each on opposite sides of the closing surface, the third and fourth arcs being intermediate the first and second arcs.

10. The combined pivotable closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, further comprising a latch retainer for securing the panel extension and keeping the closing surface in the closed position.

11. The combined pivotable closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, wherein the actuator includes an aperture or indentation for receiving the latch member.

12. The combined pivotable closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, wherein the actuator comprises an aperture.

13. The combined pivotable disc closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, further comprising a living hinge connecting the extension panel to the closing surface.

14. The combined pivotable closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, further comprising a finger-receiving depression in the closing surface adjacent the extension panel.

15. The combined pivotable disc closure actuator and closure base according to claim 8, further comprising a finger receiving depression or aperture in the closure base below and adjacent to the extension panel when the panel is in the locked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the actuator of the closure of the invention in the unlocked position.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the actuator of FIG. 1 in the locked position.

(3) FIG. 3 is an isolated view of the locking mechanism of FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the front and the side of the actuator of the invention shown above the closure body.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the actuator and closure body of FIG. 4 taken from the rear and one side.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the actuator in place on the closure body in the actuator-closed but unlocked position.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the actuator in place on the closure body and in the unlocked and actuator-open position.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the actuator in place on the closure body in the locked and actuator-closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) Closure actuator 10 comprises a disc closing surface 12 having a generally circular finger indentation 20. The actuator 10 includes a closing surface comprising a product dispensing opening 50 at a front thereof, An upper skirt 14 depends from surface 12 and a tapered lower skirt 16 depends from upper skirt 14. Rounded pivot member 18 extends outwardly from upper and lower skirts 14, 16; a second rounded pivot (not shown) extends from outwardly from the opposite side of the actuator.

(10) Extension panel 22 is connected to upper skirt 14 adjacent finger indentation 20 by living hinge 15. In the unlocked position seen in FIG. 1, panel 22 extends outwardly perpendicular to skirts 14, 16. Extending perpendicularly to panel 22 is L-shaped latch 24, best seen in the locked position in FIG. 3. In the locked position Latch 24 extends inwardly toward actuator 10 and terminates in upwardly extending integral retaining tab 28.

(11) Skirt 16 includes latch receiving/retaining aperture 16 beneath hinge 15, which aperture is illustrated in a generally semicircular shape.

(12) Lower closure body 32 is illustrated as generally cylindrical comprising a generally cylindrical outer wall 31 and includes on its inner wall 33 pivot-receiving semicircular depression 30. A second pivot receiving depression (not shown) is located on the opposite inner wall. Inner wall 33 snugly receives tapered lower skirt 16. One or more tabs 60 facilitate a friction fit for the adaptor with inner wall 33 to assist in retaining the actuator 10 in the open position. Lower body 32 includes circular product passage 34 for conveying product from a bottle (not shown) to the exterior of the closure. Pivot members 18 on actuator 10 pivot in depressions 30 to permit the actuator to pivot between a closed position wherein product cannot be dispensed from the package (seen in FIG. 6) and an open position (seen in FIG. 7) wherein product can be dispensed from the package.

(13) Lower closure body 32 outer wall 31 includes a generally semicircular cutout 40, which may alternatively be an opening, adjacent depression 20 to accommodate extension panel 22, as will be explained below.

(14) As mentioned above, inadvertent opening of closures and attendant product leakage pose a special problem for shipping products ordered through e-commerce. The closure of the invention solves this problem by including extension panel 22, living hinge 15 and latch 24. When it is desired to permit the opening of the actuator, extension panel 22 is in the open position seen in FIGS. 1, and 4-6. In this position, force from a consumer's finger can be impressed on depression 20 to cause the actuator to open.

(15) When it is desired to ship or otherwise transport the container, extension panel 22 is pressed downwardly, rotating on living hinge 15, so that latch 24 passes into aperture 26 and retaining tab 28 is disposed interior of the upper and/or lower skirts and keeps the extension panel in the locked position. As can be seen in FIG. 8, in the locked position, bottom surface 19 of extension panel 22 contacts the bottom of cutout 40 thereby preventing force imposed on depression 20 from rotating actuator 10 out of the closed position.

(16) When it is desired to dispense product from the container, extension panel 22 is lifted upwardly thereby removing latch 24 from aperture 26, so that actuator 10 is in the position shown in FIG. 6. With surface 19 of extension panel 22 no longer contacting the bottom surface of cutout 40, the actuator is free to rotate out of the closed position into the open position as shown in FIG. 7.

(17) The adaptor and living hinge will typically be made of polypropylene or polyethylene. Post consumer polypropylene may be included as well. The adaptor and/or living hinge may also be made from the hinge material described in Domoy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 9,637,626, namely a molded article having a hinge, the molded article being a polymer, the polymer comprising a mixture of a first high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin and a second HDPE resin, that is different than the first HDPE, wherein, when mixed: the first high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin has:

(18) a. a Melt Index (I.sub.2,16) of about 0.5 dg/min to 10 dg/min,

(19) b. a Density of about 0.940 g/cm3 to 0.968 g/cm3, and

(20) c. a Melt Flow Ratio (I.sub.21.6:I.sub.2.16) greater than about 25;

(21) and

(22) the second HDPE resin has a Melt Flow Ratio (I.sub.21.6:I.sub.2.16) of less than about 30. The disclosure of Domoy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 9,637,626 is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The closure will generally be fabricated using injection molding.

(23) An alternative claim could be: The combined actuator and closure base according to claim 9 wherein the actuator includes an opening in an outer wall and the extension panel rests on a surface of the opening when the actuator is in the locked position.

(24) It should be understood, of course, that the specific forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.