Flip-Top Cap For Dispensing A Flowable Dental Substance

Abstract

A flip-top cap (83) for dispensing a flowable dental substance which is monolithically formed of a thermoplastic material. The flip-top cap has a base (4) from which a dropper nose (8) protrudes and a closure that is hingedly connected to the base for pivoting between a closed position, in which the closure closes the dropper nose, and an open position, in which the dropper nose is uncovered from the closure. The closure has an end wall (20) forming an outward planar end face (21) and, opposite thereof, an inner face (22) that has a sealing bulge (23). The end wall forms a first thickness (T1) between the vertex of the sealing bulge and the end face and a second thickness (T2) between a marginal area adjacent the sealing bulge and the end face. The ratio between the first and second thickness is between 1.4 and 1.6.

Claims

1. A flip-top cap for dispensing a flowable dental substance, the flip-top cap being monolithically formed of a thermoplastic material, and comprising a base from which a dropper nose protrudes and a closure that is hingedly connected to the base for pivoting between a closed position, in which the closure closes the dropper nose, and an open position, in which the dropper nose is uncovered from the closure, wherein the closure comprises an end wall forming an outward planar end face and, opposite thereof, an inner face that comprises a sealing bulge, wherein the end wall forms a first thickness between the vertex of the sealing bulge and the end face and a second thickness between a marginal area adjacent the sealing bulge and the end face, wherein the ratio between the first and second thickness is between 1.4 and 1.6.

2. The flip-top cap of claim 1, wherein the dropper nose has a free end forming an outlet channel, wherein the outlet channel conically widens toward the free end.

3. The flip-top cap of claim 2 wherein the outlet channel forms a dispensing outlet having a diameter of 2.8 mm.

4. The flip-top cap of claim 1, wherein the sealing bulge protrudes in a direction away from the inner face at a circular cross-section that reduces in diameter in the direction away from the inner face.

5. The flip-top cap of claim 4, wherein the sealing bulge is dome-shaped.

6. The flip-top cap of claim 5, wherein the dome-shape comprises a spherical surface having a radius of 4 mm.

7. The flip-top cap of claim 1, wherein the base forms a cylindrical shoulder, wherein the shoulder and the closure snugly fit with each other in the closed position.

8. The flip-top cap of claim 1, comprising a first retention structure at the closure and a second retention structure at the base and wherein the first and second retention structure are snapped into each other in the closed position.

9. The flip-top cap of claim 1, comprising an inner thread for mating with an outer thread of a container bottle.

10. The flip-top cap of claim 9, comprising the container bottle, wherein the container bottle and the flip-top cap in combination form a dispenser for the dental material.

11. The flip-top cap of claim 9, comprising the dental material contained in the container bottle.

12. The flip-top cap of claim 1, wherein the hinged connection between the closure and the base is formed by a bistable living hinge which urges the closure and the base to either of the closed and open position.

13. The flip-top cap of claim 12, wherein the closure and the base are pivotable by 180 degrees for establishing the open and the closed position.

14. The flip-top cap of claim 1, wherein the closure entirely encapsulates the dropper nose in the closed position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser having a flip-top cap according to an embodiment of the invention in a closed position;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 in an open position; and

[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a dispenser 1 for a flowable dental substance. The dispenser 1 has a bottle 2 and a flip-top cap 3. The flip-top cap 3 has a base 4 and a closure 5 that are interconnected by a hinge 7 so that the closure 5 and the base 4 can be swiveled relative to each other between a closed position (shown in FIG. 1) and an open position (shown in FIG. 2). The closure 5, the base 4 and the hinge 7 are injection-molded in one piece (monolithically formed). The hinge 7 particularly forms a living hinge. The living hinge provides for the swiveling based on a deformation of a thin band of plastic material (and not on two parts that move relative to each other by a sliding fitting). In the example, the hinge 7 further is a bistable hinge that urges the closure 5 and the base 4 toward either of the closed or the open position, and prevents the closure 5 and the base 4 from self-positioning in an intermediate position between the open and the closed position.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2 a dropper nose 8 protrudes from the base 4. The dropper nose 8 protrudes from a bottom end 8a from the base 4 over a length of 14.5 mm to a free end 8b in which a dispensing outlet 6 is provided. The dispensing outlet 6 is provided for droplet-wise dispensing of the flowable dental substance stored in the bottle 2. For dispensing the flowable substance the dispenser 1 is typically held with the dispensing outlet 6 down (and the bottle up). The bottle 2, so held in place, can be (slightly) squeezed for dispensing the substance. The outlet 6 is formed by a dropper nose 8 (which is described in further detail below).

[0020] The base 4 has a shoulder 9 for sealing with the closure 5. In particular, a side wall 10 formed by the closure 5 and the shoulder 9 are dimensioned to snugly and sealingly fit with one another in the closed position of the dispenser 1.

[0021] Further, the side wall 10 has a first retention structure 12 and the base 4 (in particular the shoulder 9) has a second retention structure 11. In the example the first retention structure 12 is a recess and the second retention structure 11 is a bulge. The first and second retention structure 11, 12 are positioned and configured such that they engage with each other in the closed position of the dispenser 1. Thus, the first and second retention structure 11, 12 retain the closure 5 and the base 4 in the closed position by means of a snap-retention. The skilled person is aware that the first retention structure may likewise be a bulge or other positive structure and the second retention structure may be a recess or other negative structure. Other retention structures are possible.

[0022] The dispenser 1 extends along a longitudinal axis A. Further, the dispenser 1 has an overall cylindrical shape (as visible in FIG. 1) except for an actuator portion 14. The actuator portion 14 is shaped to allow a user to push the closure 5 toward the open position, for example with a thumb. For pushing the closure 5 toward the open position the user may place the dispenser 1 in one hand, holding the dispenser at the bottle 2 with the fingers of that hand and using the thumb of the same hand to push the closure 5 toward the open position. Accordingly, the dispenser 1 enables a single-handed operation. The actuator portion 14 particularly forms a protrusion that protrudes in a dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis A. Further the actuator portion 14 forms an indentation 17. The indentation 17 helps positioning and retaining a user's thumb or finger at a desired position for reliably pushing the closure 5 toward the open position.

[0023] The hinge 7 forms a swivel axis B that is arranged offset from the longitudinal axis A and oriented transverse, in particular perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The swivel axis B is defined within a virtual hinge-level plane 15 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. It is noted that the skilled person appreciates that the swivel axis B formed by the hinge may in some embodiments undergo a slight parallel or generally parallel displacement during swiveling. This shall however be covered by the present invention.

[0024] The flip-top cap 3 has a first end 18 and a second end 19. In the example the hinge-level plane 15 is arranged between the first end 18 and the second end 19.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows the dispenser 1 in a cross-sectional partial view. The closure 5 comprises an end wall 20 that forms an outward planar end face 21 and, opposite thereof, an inner face 22 that comprises a sealing bulge 23. The end wall 20 forms a first thickness T1 between the vertex of the sealing bulge 23 and the end face 21. Further the end wall 20 forms a second thickness T2 between a marginal area 22a of the inner face 22 adjacent the sealing bulge 23 and the end face 21. The ratio between the first and second thickness T1:T2 (T1 divided by T2) in the example is approximately 1.5. It has been found, that up to this ratio the end face 21 can be molded planar. In case the ratio is greater than 1.6 (for example by providing a sealing bulge that protrudes farther away from the end wall 20), the end face 21 tends to form a dimple or slight cavity opposite of the sealing bulge 23 due to material shrinkage after injection molding. It is however desirable that the end face 21 is flat (planar) so that it can be disinfected efficiently and easily. This is achieved by the invention. On the other hand it has been found that a smaller ratio than 1.4 between the first and second thickness T1:T2 affects the sealing effect of the sealing bulge when sealing the dispensing outlet 6. In particular a flat seal, as used in the form of a rubber seal in the prior art, may fail over a longer storage time if it is made from a thermoplastic material. This is because thermoplastic materials tend to slightly deform over time if kept under mechanical tension.

[0026] The bottle 2 in the example has a neck 30 having an outer thread 31 which is mounted in a receptacle 32 of the base 4. The receptacle 32 has an inner thread 33 which is a corresponding counter thread of the outer thread 31 of the bottle 2. Although a thread connection between the bottle 2 and the flip-top cap 3 is preferred, the skilled person is aware of other connections that may likewise be used with the present invention. Other examples comprise a snap or plug connection, a welded connection an adhesive connection and other appropriate connections. In the example the dispenser 1 has a plug connection in combination with the thread connection. In particular, the bottle 2 has a sealing rim that forms a free end of the bottle 2.

[0027] The bottle 2 has an opening 34 (which is the only opening of the bottle 2). The opening 34 of the bottle 2 is in fluid communication with an outlet channel 25 provided within the dropper nose 8. In the example the outlet channel 25 has a first portion 25a. The first portion 25a tapers from approximately the opening 34 of the bottle 2 in a direction toward the outlet 6. Further, the outlet channel 25 has a second portion 25b and a third portion 25c. The third portion 25c starts at the second portion 25b and widens toward the outlet 6. In particular, the third portion 25c forms an inner funnel-shaped surface that forms the outlet 6 at an end of the third portion 25c. The inner funnel-shaped surface in combination with the outlet 6 and the physical properties of the flowable substance provide for forming droplets of a reliably reproducible drop size during dispensing.