Dispensing closure, container with a dispensing closure and method for manufacturing a dispensing closure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dispensing closure being attachable to a container for dispensing a flowable medium from the container, having a closure body having an outer skirt and a dispensing element being attached to the closure body and being pivotable relative to the closure body between a closed position and a dispensing position. The outer skirt of the closure body has an upper rim with a recess region, and the dispensing closure has a tamper evident band being positioned in the recess region and being attached to the upper rim via at least one frangible connection, wherein the tamper evident band is positioned in the recess region such that it is positioned at least partly between the upper rim and the extension portion of the dispensing element, so that the dispensing element cannot be moved into its dispensing position, before the tamper evident band is removed.

Claims

1. A dispensing closure (10) being attachable to a container for dispensing a flowable medium from said container, comprising: a closure body (100) having an outer skirt (120) and a closure portion extending from an inside of said outer skirt (120), wherein said closure portion comprises a passageway for dispensing said flowable medium; a dispensing element (200) being attached to said closure body (100) and being pivotable relative to said closure body (100) between a closed position and a dispensing position, said dispensing element (200) having a discharge opening (230); and a tamper evident band (300); wherein said closure body (100) and said dispensing element (200) are constructed such that a medium can be dispensed through said passageway of said closure portion of said closure body (100) and through said discharge opening (230) of said dispensing element (200), when said dispensing element (200) is in said dispensing position, and such that a medium cannot be dispensed, when said dispensing element (200) is in said closed position; wherein said outer skirt (120) has an upper rim (140) with a recess region (170), said tamper evident band (300) is positioned in said recess region (170) and is attached to said upper rim (140) via at least one frangible connection; wherein said dispensing element (200) has an upper surface (220) and an extension portion extending outwardly at least partly over said upper rim (140) in at least part of said recess region (170) of said upper rim (140), wherein said tamper evident band (300) is positioned in said recess region (170) at least partly between said upper rim (140) and said extension portion of said dispensing element (200); and wherein said upper surface (220) of said dispensing element (200) comprises a depression region, which at least at one point extends outwardly into the recess region (170) of said outer skirt (120).

2. The dispensing closure (10) according to claim 1, wherein said tamper evident band (300) is configured and positioned such that one end (340) of the tamper evident band (300) is positioned within said recess region (170) of said outer skirt (120) proximal to the position where the depression region of said upper surface (220) of said dispensing element (200) extends into said recess region (170) of said upper rim (140) of said outer skirt (120).

3. A dispensing closure (10) being attachable to a container for dispensing a flow able medium from said container, comprising: a closure body (100) having an outer skirt (120) and a closure portion extending from an inside of aid outer skirt (120), wherein said closure portion comprises a passageway for dispensing said flowable medium; a dispensing element (200) being attached to said closure body (100) and being pivotable relative to said closure body (100) between a closed position and a dispensing position, said dispensing element (200) having a discharge opening (230); and a tamper evident band (300); wherein said closure body (100) and said dispensing element (200) are constructed such that a medium can be dispensed through said passageway of said closure portion of said closure body (100) and through said discharge opening (230) of said dispensing element (200), when said dispensing element (200) is in said dispensing position, and such that a medium cannot be dispensed, when said dispensing element (200) is in said closed position; wherein said outer skirt (120) has an upper rim (140) with a recess region (170), said tamper evident band (300) is positioned in said recess region (170) and is attached to said upper rim (140) via at least one frangible connection; wherein said dispensing element (200) has an upper surface (220) and an extension portion extending outwardly at least partly over said upper rim (140) in at least part of said recess region (170) of said upper rim (140), wherein said tamper evident hand (300) is positioned in said recess region (170) at least partly between said upper rim (140) and said extension portion of said dispensing element (200); and wherein said extension portion of said dispensing element (200) has a lower surface with at least one cavity (290) being configured and positioned such that said at least one cavity (290) covers at least one rupture point (325) of said at least one frangible connection after said tamper evident band (300) has been removed, when said dispensing element (200) is in said dispensing position.

4. A dispensing closure (10) being attachable to a container for dispensing a flowable medium from said container, comprising: a closure body (100) having an outer skirt (120) and a closure portion extending from an Inside of said outer skirt (120), wherein said closure portion comprises a passageway for dispensing said flowable medium; a dispensing element (200) being attached to said closure body (100) and being pivotable relative to said closure body (100) between a closed position and a dispensing position, said dispensing element (200) having a discharge opening (230); and a tamper evident band (300); wherein said closure body (100) and said dispensing element (200) are constructed such that a medium can be dispensed through said passageway of said closure portion of said closure body (100) and through said discharge opening (230) of said dispensing element (200), when said dispensing element (200) is in said dispensing position, and such that a medium cannot be dispensed, when said dispensing element (200) is in said closed position; wherein said outer skirt (1201 has an upper rim (140) with a recess region (170), said tamper evident hand (300) is positioned in said recess region (170) and is attached to said upper rim (140) via at least one frangible connection; wherein said dispensing element (200) has an upper surface (220) and an extension portion extending outwardly at least partly over said upper rim (140) in at least part of said recess region (170) of said upper rim (140), wherein said tamper evident band (300) is positioned in said recess region (170) at least partly between said upper rim (140) and said extension portion of said dispensing element (200); and wherein said tamper evident band (300) comprises at least one pin extension (370) and wherein said extension portion of said dispensing element (200) has at least one corresponding through hole (270), said pin extension (370) and said through hole (270) being arranged and configured such that said pin extension (370) at least partly extends into said through hole (270) when said dispensing element (200) is in said closed position and when the tamper evident band (300) is still attached to said closure body (100).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above-mentioned features and advantages will become more apparent in view of the following drawings, showing preferred embodiments of the dispensing closure according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view, from a front side, of an embodiment of the dispensing closure according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view, from the right side, of a dispensing closure as shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the closure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a top view of the embodiment of the dispensing closure of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a partial cross-section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 along the line C-C;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of a dispensing closure according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a partial cross-section of the embodiment of the dispensing closure as shown in FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a side view of an embodiment of the dispensing closure, where the dispensing element is in its dispensing position;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a partial cross-section of an embodiment of the dispensing closure as shown in FIG. 3 with the dispensing element in its dispensing position;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the dispensing closure according to the invention, with the dispensing element being in its dispensing position; and

(12) FIG. 11 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the dispensing closure according to the invention, with the dispensing element being in its closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(13) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a dispensing closure 10 comprising a closure body 100 having an outer skirt 120 and a dispensing element (200, see especially FIGS. 3 and 4). The dispensing closure 10 comprises a tamper evident band 300, which is attached via frangible connections 320 to said closure body 100, more precisely attached to an upper rim 140 of said closure body 100, within a recess region 170, in which the maximum vertical height of the upper rim 140 of the outer skirt 120 is reduced when compared to the other parts of the upper rim 140.

(14) The dispensing closure 10 has an essentially cylindrical form with a cylindrical outer skirt 120. However, also other forms can be realized, the skirt may e.g. have an essentially oval cross-section or a rectangular cross section or other forms.

(15) The recess region in this embodiment extends over an angular range of about 90, preferred angular ranges are typically between 45 and 120, preferably between 60 and 100.

(16) The tamper evident band 300 extends essentially over the whole angular range of the recess region 170, and it has two end portions 340, which do extend vertically more upwards than the other parts of the tamper evident band 300, and which are positioned beside an extension portion or roof portion 240 (see especially also FIG. 3) which does form a lateral extension of the dispensing element 200.

(17) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the dispensing closure 10, whereas in FIG. 3 especially the dispensing element 200 is very well visible. The dispensing element 200 has a flat upper surface 220, in which a depression 260 is formed in. The depression 260 is positioned inwardly from an extension portion or roof portion 240, and the depression 260 also extends into the outer area of the flat surface 220 of the dispensing element 200 such that it extends until reaching the maximum lateral extension of the dispensing element 200, so that it extends into the recess region 170 of the outer skirt 120.

(18) The extension or roof portion 240 has an upper surface 242, which is, in a vertical direction, at the same height as the upper surface 220, so that the dispensing closure 10 has an essentially complete flat upper surface, as can be also well seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the exception of the depression 260.

(19) The tamper evident band 300 is positioned in the recess region 170 and between the upper rim 140 of the outer skirt 120 and the extension or roof portion 240 of the dispensing element 200, which has the effect that even when a force is exerted downwardly on the depression 260 or on the extension or roof portion 240 by a user, the dispensing element 200 cannot be pivoted relative to the closure body 100 and cannot be moved into its dispensing position.

(20) When a user wants to open the dispensing closure, he can grip one of the ends 340 of the tamper evident band 300, which are, due to the specific arrangement of the depression 260, easy to grab for the user. When tearing away the tamper evident band 300, the frangible connection 320, see especially FIG. 1, are destroyed, so that then the dispensing element 200 can be pivoted into the dispensing position (see also FIG. 8).

(21) FIG. 4 shows a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, where especially the arrangement of the outer skirt 120 and its upper rim 140 as well as the form of the depression 260 and the extension or roof portion 240 can be seen.

(22) FIG. 5 shows a cross-section along the line C-C shown in FIG. 4. As can be well seen in FIG. 5, the tamper evident band 300 is arranged between the upper rim 140 of the outer skirt 120 and the extension or roof portion 240, so that it prevents a downward movement of the dispensing element in this area, in other words prevents a downward movement of the extension or roof portion 240, thereby preventing that the dispensing element is moved into its dispensing position. Only after a removing of the tamper evident band 300, which leads to a destruction of the frangible connections 320, the dispensing element 200 can be moved in its dispensing position.

(23) FIG. 6 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, which is very similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

(24) However, contrary to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, see especially FIG. 4, the extension or roof portion 240 has two through holes 270, and, as can be seen especially in FIG. 7, the tamper evident band 300 comprises two corresponding pin extensions 370, which extend into these through holes 270.

(25) The upper surfaces of the pin extensions 370 are therefore visible when looking onto the dispensing closure from a top side, as shown in FIG. 6, so that also from this perspective it can be well seen whether the tamper evident band 300 is still in place or not.

(26) As can be seen in FIG. 7, in this embodiment the extension pins 370 have such a length that their upper surface is on the same height as the upper surface of the extension or roof portion 240 and on the same height as the upper surface 220 of the dispensing element 200, so that also in this area a flat total surface is achieved.

(27) As can be seen both in FIG. 5 and in FIG. 7, the dispensing element 200 also comprises lateral sidewalls 280, which are essentially circular.

(28) FIG. 8 shows a side view of an embodiment of a dispensing closure according to the present invention, wherein the dispensing element 200 is in its dispensing position, i.e. it is pivoted relative to the closure body 100 by a predetermined angle, which is preferably between 5 and 25, more preferably between 10 and 20.

(29) In this dispensing position, a discharge opening 230 is open to the outside, so that a medium can be dispensed through this discharge opening 230.

(30) FIG. 9 shows a partial cross-sectional view through an embodiment of the dispensing closure 10, similar to the cross-sectional views shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, however with the dispensing element 200 in its dispensing position.

(31) As can be well seen in FIG. 9, the dispensing element 200 is pivoted relative to the closure body 100, so that the region of the dispensing element 200, shown in FIG. 9, is moved downwards relative to the position shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7.

(32) The tamper evident band has been removed, but there are still rupture points 325 present on the upper rim 140, which is remaining material from the frangible connections.

(33) In this embodiment, the extension or roof portion 240 has, at its lower side, a cavity 290, which is positioned and dimensioned such that the rupture points 325 (or multiple rupture points or rupture areas) are not only covered by the extension or roof portion 240, but the rupture points 325 even partly extend into this cavity 290. This has the advantage that these potentially sharp rupture points are covered and that a user cannot inadvertently touch these rupture points or even hurt himself.

(34) FIG. 10 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the dispensing closure 10 with its dispensing element 200 being in its dispensing position, so that the discharge opening 230 is opened to the outside.

(35) As can be well seen, a medium can be dispensed through a passage way, being indicated with an arrow A extending through a closure portion of said closure body 100 and through a channel 235 in the dispensing element 200 through that said discharge opening 230. As can be also well seen in FIG. 10, the specific embodiment of a dispensing closure 200 has an inner thread 30 for an attachment to a corresponding outer thread at a neck of a container (not shown).

(36) FIG. 11 shows a cross-section through the embodiment of the dispensing closure 10 as shown in FIG. 10, however, with its dispensing element 200 being in its closed position.

(37) As can be well seen in FIG. 11, the discharge opening 230 is now closed by said outer skirt 120, so that no liquid can be dispensed.

(38) Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dispensing element 200 contains a cylinder-like extension 237, which fits into a part of said passageway of said closure portion of said closure body 100, thereby also blocking the passageway and thereby also avoiding that further medium can enter into said channel 235 of the dispensing element 200 being arranged before the discharge opening 230.

(39) This specific realization therefore realizes a secure closing of the dispensing closure, even if a pressure should be exerted onto the container when said dispensing element is in its closed position.

(40) Furthermore, FIG. 11 also very well shows the positioning of the tamper evident band 300, being arranged, in a vertical direction, between the extension or roof portion 240 and the upper rim 140 of the outer skirt 120. In this respect, it has to be noted that the frangible connections are not visible in this cross section, as being located at different (angular) positions between the tamper evident band 300 and the upper rim 140 of the outer skirt 120.

(41) As explained above, it is therefore not possible to pivot or switch the dispensing element 200 into its dispensing position, as long as the tamper evident band 300 is still in its place, i.e. attached to the closure body 100.

(42) The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the claims can be significant for the realization of the invention in the different embodiments either alone or in combination.