Closure for a container and container with such a closure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a closure for a container, wherein the closure comprises a base element and a flip-top lid attached to said base element by a hinge, such that the flip-top lid can be moved between an opened and a closed position, wherein said closure comprises a spout for dispensing a fluid material. Said spout has a first dispensing opening and a second dispensing opening, whereas said spout additionally comprises a vent opening. The present invention also relates to a system with a container and such a closure, wherein said closure is directly or indirectly attached or attachable to said container.

Claims

1. Closure (100) for a container with a base element (200), a flip-top lid (300) attached to said base element (200) by a hinge (500) such that the flip-top lid (300) can be moved between an opened and a closed position, wherein said closure (100) comprises a spout (400) for dispensing a fluid material, wherein said spout (400) has a first dispensing opening (410) and a second dispensing opening (420), said first (410) and said second dispensing opening (420) being separate from each other and having a different size and/or a different cross-sectional form, wherein said spout (400) additionally has a vent opening (430), being separate from both said first dispensing opening (410) and said second dispensing opening (420) and being arranged at least partly between the first dispensing opening (410) and the second opening (420).

2. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein said first (410) and said second dispensing opening (420) are arranged, in a circumferential direction of the closure (100), opposite to each other.

3. Closure (100) according to claim 1 wherein said first opening (410) and said second opening (420) are axially symmetric to an axis (x-axis) being parallel to an axis of rotation, around which the flip-top lid (300) is rotated when being moved between said opened and said closed position.

4. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein said first (410) and said second opening (420) are adapted and positioned such that a main pouring direction of the first opening (410) is opposite to a main pouring direction of the second opening (420), wherein the pouring directions of the first opening (410) and the second opening (420) are parallel to a plane defined by an axis of rotation, around which the flip-top lid (300) is rotated when being moved between said opened and said closed position and a vertical axis (z-axis) of the closure (100).

5. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein, in a top view from above the closure downwardly along a vertical axis (z-axis), a middle or center of the hinge (500) defines a 12 o'clock position, wherein the first opening (410) and the second opening (420) are arranged such that their center or an axis of symmetry, in case said first and second dispensing openings (410, 420) are axially symmetric, are in a 3 o'clock position and in a 9 o'clock position, respectively.

6. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein a height (h1) of the spout (400) or of a spout wall (405) is constant over a circumferential angular distance of more than 180?, wherein the spout (400) has a bulge or indentation (490) or a reduced height in an angular or circumferential position being closest to said hinge (500), wherein said bulge or indentation (490) or reduced height extends over a circumferential angular distance of said spout (400) or said spout wall (405) of at least 30?.

7. Closure (100) according to claim 6, wherein said closure (100) has only one bulge or indentation (490).

8. Closure (100) according to claim 6, wherein a minimum height (h2) of said bulge or indentation (490) is at maximum 70% of a maximum height (h1) of the spout wall (405) relative to a deck (220) of said base element (200).

9. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the spout (400) comprises a web (450) being arranged within an opening (480) of said spout (400) or within a spout wall (405) of the spout (400) and bridging said opening (480) of the spout wall (405) or the spout (400), thereby defining said first opening (410) and said second opening (420) on opposite sides of said web (450), wherein the web (450) itself has an inner opening which defines said vent opening (430).

10. Closure (100) according to claim 9, wherein said web (450) is positioned, with respect to a vertical axis (z-axis), below a minimum height (h2) of said spout wall (405).

11. Closure (100) according to claim 9, wherein said web (450) is positioned, with respect to a vertical axis (z-axis), on a level or essentially on a level corresponding to a deck (220) or a deck portion of said base element (200).

12. Closure (100) according to claim 9, wherein said web (450) is designed and positioned such that an upper plane of said web (450) is positioned below an upper edge or a minimum height (h2) of said spout wall (405) or said spout (400) at each angular or circumferential position of said spout (400).

13. Closure (100) according to claim 9, wherein said web (450) is designed and positioned such that an upper plane of said web (450) is positioned at least 2 mm below an upper edge of said spout wall (405) or said spout (400) at an angular or circumferential position where said bulge or indentation (490) has its minimum height (h2).

14. Closure (100) according to claim 9, wherein said web (450) comprises an inner extension wall (435), surrounding said vent opening (430) and extending from said web (450) into an inward or downward direction.

15. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein said base element (200) has a tongue member (260) extending from an upper region or an upper plane of said base member (200) into an upward direction along the vertical axis (z-axis), wherein said flip-top lid (300) has a protrusion (360) extending outwardly from said flip-top lid (300) in a direction being normal to the vertical axis (z-axis), said tongue member (260) and said protrusion (360) being positioned and arranged such that, during a movement of said flip-top lid (300) between its fully closed and its fully opened position, said protrusion (360) and said tongue member (260) are, over a first predetermined angular range of the position of the flip-top lid (300) relative to the base element (200) during its movement between its fully closed and its fully opened position, in contact with each other, such that the protrusion (360) exerts a force onto said tongue member (260) into an inward direction and said tongue member (260) exerts a counterforce to said protrusion (360), such that, when said flip-top lid (300) is within a second predetermined angular range relative to said base element (200), said counterforce supports a movement of said flip-top lid (300) in a direction towards its fully opened position, wherein said tongue element (260) or an outer surface thereof preferably extends, in an upper part thereof, at least partly into an inward direction.

16. Closure (100) according to claim 15, wherein said closure (100) is designed and arranged such that there is at least one position of said flip-top lid (300) during its movement between its fully opened and its fully closed position, in which said tongue member (260) extends at least partly into a bulge or indentation (490) of said spout (400).

17. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the size of said first opening (410) is larger than the size of said second opening (420) by at least factor 1.5, preferably at least by factor 2, further preferably by at least factor 2.5.

18. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the size of the vent opening (430) is smaller than the size of each of the first and second opening, wherein the smaller of the first or second openings (410, 420) has a size being larger than the size of the vent opening (430) by at least factor 1.2.

19. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the curvature of the first opening (410), at radially outward points, is different from the curvature of the second opening, at radially outward points, in an opposite angular position.

20. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein the curvature of the larger of the first or the second opening (410, 420) is smaller than the curvature of the smaller of the first or the second opening (410, 420) at opposing radially outward positions with respect to a horizontal axis (x-axis) being normal to a vertical axis (z-axis) of said closure.

21. Closure (100) according to claim 1, wherein said flip-top lid (300) has an inner sealing wall (320), extending from an inner side of said flip-top lid (300) and being arranged and positioned such that it comes into a sealing contact with said spout (400), when said flip-top lid (300) is in its closed position, such that both the first and the second opening (410, 420) and the vent opening (430) are sealed by the interaction of said inner sealing wall (320) with said spout (400).

22. System comprising a container and comprising a closure according to claim 1, wherein said closure (100) is directly or indirectly attached or attachable to said container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other advantages of the closure and the system according to the present invention will become even more apparent in view of the following figures showing a preferred embodiment of a closure according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the closure according to the present invention with the flip-top lid being in its fully opened position,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a top view of the embodiment of the closure according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 in a downward direction along the vertical axis, z-axis

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cross-section being along the plane defined by the vertical axis, z-axis, and a horizontal axis, y-axis, which extends through the center or middle part of said hinge of said closure, with the flip-top lid being in its fully opened position,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 along a plane defined by the x-axis and the z-axis, with flip-top lid being in its fully opened position,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the closure according to the invention, along a plane defined by the y-axis and the z-axis, with the flip-top lid being in an intermediate position between its fully opened and its fully closed position, and

(7) FIG. 6 shows the cross-sectional view of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, with the flip-top lid being in its fully closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the closure 100 according to the present invention comprising a base element 200 with a cylindrical skirt 210, a spout element or spout 400 and a flip-top lid 300 being attached to the base element 200 via a hinge 500. The flip-top lid 300 is in its fully opened position, so that the spout 400 is free for dispensing a fluid. The spout 400 extends with its spout walls 405 beyond the base element 200 and especially above or beyond a deck 220 of the base element 200, while the height of the spout wall 405 is essentially constant or constant over a major part of its circumference, but the spout 400 has a bulge or indentation 490 in an angular position being close to the hinge 500.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a top view the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, from an upper position in a downward direction along the vertical z-axis. As can be well seen in FIG. 2 the inside of the a spout wall 405 of the spout 400 has an opening 480, which is separated into a first dispensing opening 410, a second dispensing opening 420 and a vent opening 430. The spout 400 also comprises a web 450, which separates the first dispensing opening 410 fully from the second dispensing opening 420, while the vent opening 430 is provided within the web 450.

(10) In this top view, in a vertical downward direction along the vertical axis, z-axis, the position of the hinge or the middle or center of the hinge marks a 12 o'clock position, while the center of the first dispensing opening 410 is in the 9 o'clock position and the center of the second dispensing opening 420 is in the 3 o'clock position. The web 450 extends essentially along the y axis and separates the first dispensing opening 410, being, in this view, on the left side, from the second dispensing opening 420, being, in this view, on the right side.

(11) The 3 o'clock position and the 9 o'clock position mark the main or primary pouring directions for the first dispensing opening 410 and the second dispensing opening 420, respectively, which would be a preferred arrangement also for other embodiments. Furthermore, both the first dispensing opening 410 and the second dispensing opening 420 are axially symmetric relative to the x-axis, and also this is an arrangement which is preferred also for other embodiments.

(12) In this embodiment the first dispensing opening 410 is larger than the second dispensing opening 420, and in this specific embodiment the first dispensing opening 410 has a cross-sectional area of about 60 mm.sup.2, while the second dispensing opening 420 has a cross sectional area of about 24 mm.sup.2. The cross-sectional area of the vent opening 430 is about 16 mm.sup.2 large. While the two dispensing openings 410, 420 always have different sizes, the specific selection of the cross-sectional areas can be adapted to the specific situation in other embodiments. Preferably the vent opening is always smaller than both the first dispensing opening 410 and the second dispensing opening 420.

(13) As can be also seen in the two figures, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the indentation 490 extends in the area around and from the 12 o'clock position and over an angular distance of about 120?, while the angular area of the spout 400, which has a constant height, extends over an angular distance of about 240? (see also FIG. 4 and the corresponding description hereinafter).

(14) As can be well seen in FIG. 2 as well, both the first dispensing opening 410 and the second dispensing opening 420 have an essentially U-form or V-form cross-section, which is very preferable for a controlled pouring or dispensing of liquid, especially in connection with the vent hole 430 provided between the first dispensing opening 410 and the second dispensing opening 420 as well as especially in connection with the web 450 separating these two dispensing openings. While other cross-sectional forms are also possible, this specific U-form or V-form cross-section is preferred, also for and in other embodiments.

(15) FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of the closure as shown in FIG. 1, however in a cross-sectional view. As can be well seen the spout 400 is, in this embodiment, a separate element, which is inserted into the base element 200 and secured thereto. However, it also has to be mentioned that it would be also possible in other embodiments to have a spout being integrally formed with the base element.

(16) The spout wall 405 has, over a majority of its circumference, a constant height h1, measured from the deck 220 of said base element 200, while the spout wall 405 has, in the vicinity of the hinge 500, a bulge or indentation 490. The indentation 490 has its minimum height h2 at a position of the circumference of the spout wall 405 being, in a circumferential direction, closest to the hinge 450. The indentation 490 extends, in this embodiment, over an angular range of about 130?, while the height of the spout wall 405, measured relative to the deck 220 of the base element 200, increases, from its lowest height h2, at its portion being closest to the hinge element 500, gradually until reaching its maximum height h2, which it then keeps constant over the remaining area or circumferential range of the spout wall 405.

(17) As can be well seen in FIG. 3 the spout 400, being a separate element, is inserted into and fixed to the base element 200, in this embodiment by a snap fitting attachment. The spout 400 is also integrally formed with the web 450, which comprises the vent hole 430. Said web 115 also comprises an inner extension wall 435, which surrounds the vent hole 430. This inner extension wall 435 has especially the advantage that liquid to be dispensed is, at least to a certain extent, prevented from entering into the vent hole 430, thereby securing a correct functioning of the closure, even if the potential handling by the user should not be perfect, thereby especially ensuring a proper and laminar dispensing of liquid over broad range.

(18) FIG. 3 also visualizes an interaction between a tongue 260, extending from a deck 220 of the base element 200 in an upward direction, and the protrusion 360 extending from said flip-top lid 300, essentially in an outward or radially outward direction. Due to the flexibility and elasticity of the tongue 260, the tongue 260 does, in this position of the flip-top lid 300, exerts a force onto said flip-top lid 300, via the projection 360, which pushes or keeps the flip-top lid 300 into its fully opened position.

(19) FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3 along a plane defined by the x-axis and the z-axis, with the flip-top lid 300 being in its fully opened position (therefore a partial cross-sectional view from the left side, when referring to FIG. 3).

(20) As the front side (with respect to the view shown in FIG. 4) is cut away, the indentation 490 of the spout 400 or of the spout wall 405 is very well visible, with its minimum height in the vicinity of the hinge, and the height gradually increasing in both directions until reaching its maximum height, which is then kept constant, as explained above.

(21) FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the closure 100 according to the present invention, while the cross-section is very similar to the presentation of the first embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, however with the flip-top lid 300 being in an intermediate position, closer to the closed position of the flip-top lid 300. This embodiment is very similar to the embodiment shown in the earlier figures, so that the same or similar elements are referred to by the same reference numbers.

(22) As can be well seen in FIG. 5 the indentation 490 of the spout wall 405 provides sufficient space for other elements of the flip-top lid 300, especially for an inner sealing wall 320, extending from an inner side of the flip-top lid 300, which avoids, at least until a certain extent, an abutment of said inner sealing wall 320 with parts of the spout wall 405, which avoids wear at these very sensible parts, having a major function for the sealing capabilities of the closure.

(23) FIG. 6 shows the embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, however, with the flip-top lid 300 in its fully closed position. As can be well seen in FIG. 6, the inner sealing wall 320 seals against an inner part of the spout wall 405, whereas, in the area of the indentation (490, see especially FIG. 5) the sealing wall 320 has a stepped or a cornered portion which seals against the corresponding parts of the spout wall 405.

(24) Such a realization has therefore the specific advantage that the sealing properties and capabilities are not only at a high level after manufacturing, but due to the fact that wear is avoided, for the above-mentioned reasons, these sealing capabilities are also maintained during use of the closure, securing a long lifetime of the closure.

(25) It is clear to the expert that various amendments can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the attached claims, and any features disclosed in connection with the embodiments or the general description can be important for realizing the invention, either alone or in any combination thereof.