US3282477A

US3282477A - Plastic dispensing nozzle with removable seal and captive cap

Info

Publication number: US3282477A
Application number: US83727A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henchert John
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1961-01-19
Filing date: 1961-01-19
Publication date: 1966-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-01
Also published as: FI47972C; FI47972B

Description

Nov. 1, 1966 J. HENCHERT PLASTIC DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH REMOVABLE SEAL AND CAPTIVE CAP Filed Jan. 19, 1961 I) w 6 M P g N m t v x 1* 1 V n m gfv N g 9 9 g M 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Janna Hancuazr MAM ATTORNEYS NOV. 1, 1966 J HENCHERT 3,282,477

PLASTIC DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH REMOVABLE SEAL AND CAP'IIVE CAP Filed Jan. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN HENCHERT m %%,AW

AT TO 2M EYS United States Patent 3,282,477 PLASTIC DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH REMOV- ABLE SEAL AND CAPTIVE CAP John Henchert, River Forest, Ill., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 83,727 14 Claims. (Cl. 222-541) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in dispensing nozzles, and more particularly to a novel dispensing nozzle which is formed of plastic material and is provided with a removable seal and a captive cap.

In the packaging of many products it is desirable to seal the container. However, it is necessary that the seal be of a nature wherein it may be readily removed. It is to this end that the present invention is primarily directed.

Although in the past dispensing nozzles have been provided with removable seals of various types, when the seal is placed sufficiently inwardly of the top of the nozzle to prevent the accidental rupture thereof, it has been difiicult to remove. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a dispensing nozzle which includes a throat having recessed therein a sealing disc which is readily removable, which sealing disc is provided with a pull tab of sufficient length to project above the top of the nozzle in a position where it may be readily grasped, and the pull tab having sufficient resiliency to be bendable into the throat of the nozzle by a closure cap for the nozzle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel plastic dispensing nozzle having a removable sealing disc and a captive cap, the cap being of the type having a plug portion which rojects down into the throat of the nozzle and forms a seal therewith, the plug being hollow, and the sealing disc being removably connected to the nozzle and having a pull tab connected thereto and extending upwardly therefrom into the plug with the pull tab being resiliently bowed by its engagament with the cap so that when the cap is removed, the pull tab will have a tendency to return to its normal upright position due to the resiliency of the plastic material from which it is formed whereby the pull tab may be readily grasped between ones fingers and the necessary pull exerted therewith on the sealing disc to remove the sealing disc from the nozzle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sealing disc for a dispensing nozzle of the type having a closure cap, the sealing disc being provided wit-h a pull tab to effect the removal thereof, the pull tab being of a greater length than the height of the nozzle above the sealing disc and being resiliently bendable into the throat of the nozzle by engagement with the cap, whereby the pull tab may be readily stored within the nozzle and immediately springs thereout of into a position to be grasped when the cap is removed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel cap construction for a plastic dispensing nozzle wherein "ice the cap is provided with a plug portion which projects down into the throat of the nozzle and forms a seal therewith, and the nozzle having an external locking ring which is engaged by .a plurality of locking lugs on the cap to retain the cap in a nozzle sealing position, the holding power of the lugs on the cap being sufficient to normally retain the cap in place and at the same time being insuflicient to retain the cap in place against greaterthan-normal pressures within the container of which the nozzle is a part, whereby rupturing of the container due to the internal pressures is prevented.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel nozzle and cap construction wherein the cap is provided with a plug engageable into a throat of the nozzle and adapted to form a seal therewith to close the nozzle, the plug being upwardly flared with the upper portion of the plug being of a greater external diameter than the internal diameter of a corresponding portion of the throat, whereby when the cap is properly positioned on the nozzle, the plug will be wedged into the nozzle with a resultant deformation of the upper portion of the throat and the formation of a good seal between the throat of the nozzle and the plug of the cap.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the nozzle which is the subject of this invention mounted on a container, the captive cap of the nozzle being illustrated in an open position.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 and shows the specific cross section of both the nozzle and the closure cap, and the specific details of the sealing disc and the relationship thereof with respect to the nozzle.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 and shows the closure cap in a position overlying the nozzle but short of being in sealing engagement therewith.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the nozzle assembly with the closure cap fully seated on the nozzle.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing the bottom of the cap and taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the nozzle taken on an enlarged scale along the line 66 of FIGURE 2. and showing the specific outline of the sealing disc and the relationship thereof with respect to the nozzle.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the details of the nozzle provided with a modified form of sealing disc, the outline of the sealing disc being clearly illustrated.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 7 and shows the specific details of the modified form of sealing disc.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the nozzle and closure cap assembly, which is the subject of this invention, is generally referred to by the numeral 10 and is illustrated in FIGURE 1 as being carried by a container 11. The nozzle and closure cap assembly 10 includes a nozzle 12 and a closure cap 13 which is integrally connected to the nozzle 12 by means of a connecting strap 14. The connecting strap 14 is of sufficient length to permit the closure cap to be swung to a position closing the nozzle 12, as is shown in FIG- URE 4 while permitting the closure cap 13 to be move-d to an out-of-the-way position, as is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The nozzle 12 includes a cylindrical lower portion 15 which has an upwardly flaring outer bottom portion 16 which terminates in an upwardly facing lip 17 which is lockable with the container to prevent withdrawal of the nozzle from the container, for example, the container 11. The nozzle 12 has an annular flange 18 disposed above the lip 17, and the annular flange 18 has a downwardly opening annular recess 19 therein immediately above the locking lip 17 for the reception of a flange of the container 11 to provide the necessary interlock between the nozzle 12 and the container flange.

The nozzle 12 tapers inwardly above the flange 18, as at 21, and then extends upwardly to define a generally cylindrical upper portion 22. The upper portion 22 defines a pouring throat 23.

The upper portion 22 is provided with an external locking rib 24 spaced below the upper end of the nozzle 11, the locking rib 24 having a downwardly flaring upper camming surface 25. The upper portion 22 terminates in an outwardly projecting dripless pouring lip 26. The upper end of the throat 23 is outwardly flared as at 27 with the result that the upper end of the upper portion 22 defines a relatively narrow annular seat 28.

The closure cap 13 includes a top wall 29 having a depending cylindrical skirt 30 which terminates at its low er end in an outwardly directed annular reinforcing flange 31. The connecting strap 14 extends between the reinforcing flange 31 of the closure cap 13 and the flange 18 of the nozzle 12. In order to releasably retain the closure cap 13 in position closing the nozzle 12, the skirt 30 of the closure cap 13 is provided at the lower end thereof with a plurality of circumferentially spaced locking lugs or ribs 32. As is .best shown in FIGURE 5, the locking lugs 32 are arranged with two of the locking lugs disposed along a diametrical line passing through the connecting strap 14 and the other two of the locking lugs being disposed along a second diametrical line extending at right angles to the first diametrical line. Also, best shown in FIGURE is the general outline of each of the locking lugs wherein each locking lug has the main portion thereof extending substantially normal to its respective diametrical line and the ends thereof curve outwardly towards the skirt 30. Each locking lug 32 has an upwardly tapering undersurface 33 which cooperates with the camming surface 25 of the locking rib 24 to effect the snapping of the locking lugs 32 down over and beneath the locking rib 24. v

The closure cap 13 is provided with a hollow plug 34 which extends downwardly from the undersurface of the top wall 29 thereof. The plug 34 has a downwardly flaring inner surface 35 so that the general cross section of a segment of the plug 34 is wedge shaped.

Each plug 34 has a downwardly tapering upper outer portion 36 which is spaced from the skirt 30 and together with the skirt 30 defines a seat 37 on the under side of the top wall 29 of the closure cap 13. The plug 34 has an intermediate outer surface 38 which is generally cylindrical in outline and which terminates at the surface 36 along its upper boundary. The plug 34 also has a lower intermediate outer surface 39 which is downwardly tapered and which terminates in a cylindrical outer surface 40 of the plug 34. The extreme lower end of the plug 34 is rounded as at 41.

As is best shown in FIGURE 4, when the closure cap 13 is in place closing the nozzle 12, the plug 34 is wedged down into the upper portion of the throat 23 of the nozzle upper portion 22 and forms a seal therewith. It is to be noted that since the diameter of the surface portion 38 of the plug 34 is normally greater than the internal diameter of the surface defining the throat 23, when the closure cap 13 is positioned on the nozzle 12 and the plug 34 is forced into the throat 23, there is a deformation of the material of the nozzle 12 to form the desired seal between the plug 34 and the throat 23. It is also to be noted that the angle of the outwardly flared surface 27 of the nozzle with respect to the axis of the nozzle is greater than the angle of the surface 36 with respect to the axis of the nozzle, whereby the

surfaces

27 and 36 do not contact, and in addition to the seal between the plug 34 and the throat 23, a second seal is formed between the

seats

28 and 37.

It is to be understood that the holding power of the spaced locking lugs 32 is less than that of a continuous locking rib'iand by accurately determining the extents of the locking lugs 32, the holding power thereof may be controlled. Thus, the closure cap 13 will be locked onto the nozzle 12 to retain the closure cap 13 in place against a predetermined pressure within the throat 23, but permitting the releasing of the closure cap 13 with respect to the nozzle 12 to vent the nozzle 12 upon the pressure within the nozzle reaching a predetermined pressure to thereby prevent rupturing of the container 11. Under normal conditions the closure cap 13 is removed from the nozzle 12 by means of a lifting tab 42 which extends outwardly from the flange 31 in diametrical relation to the connecting strap 14.

The throat 23 of the nozzle 12 is initially closed and sealed by a sealing disc, generally referred to by the numeral 43. At this time it is pointed out that the throat 23 has a lower portion 44 which is of a greater diameter than the diameter of the upper portion thereof. The sealing disc 43 is disposed at the intersection of the upper and lower portions of the throat 23.

In the form of the sealing disc illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 6, the sealing disc 43 includes a relatively thick circular disk 45 and a thin marginal tear annulus 46 which surrounds the circular disk 45 and is integrally connected to the nozzle 12. The sealing disc 43 may be readily removed from within the nozzle 12 by rupturing the same along the tear annulus 46. i

In order to facilitate the removal of the sealing disc 43, there is provided a pull tab 47 which is connected to the upper surface of the circular disk 45 adjacent the tear annulus 46 and in alignment with the connecting strap 14. When the nozzle 12 is initially formed, the pull tab 47 extends generally parallel to the :axis of the nozzle 12 and is of a length to project a considerable distance above the top of the nozzle 12 to facilitate the grasping thereof to exert an upward pull thereon suflicient to rupture the tear annulus 46 and to effect the removal thereof.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 3 in particular wherein it will be seen that when the closure cap 13 is moved towards a position closing and sealing the nozzle 12, the upper end of the pull tab 47 is received within the confines of the plug 34 with the upper end of the pull tab 47 engaging the underside of the top wall 29 of the closure cap 13. As the closure cap 13 is continued to be moved towards its seated position on the nozzle 12, the pull tab 7 the nozzle 12, the pull tab 47 will spring upwardly from within the confines of the nozzle 12 to a position projecting upwardly above the upper end of the nozzle 12 where the pull tab 47 may be readily grasped between ones fingers and a pull exerted thereon to remove the sealing disc 43. It will thus be apparent that the nozzle 12 is provided with means for effectively sealing the same so that the container 11 and the product contained therein may be delivered to the ultimate consumer untampered with, and any tampering with the contents of the container 11 will be indicated by the rupturing of the sealing disc 43. At the same time, the nozzle 12 is so constructed whereby no special tool is required to effect the removal of the sealing disc 43 by the ultimate consumer.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 7 and 8 in particular wherein the nozzle 12 is illustrated as having a modified form of sealing disc, generally referred to by the numeral 48. The sealing disc 48 has a thickened central portion 49 of an outline best illustrated in FIGURE 7. A pull tab 50 extends upwardly from the end of a narrow portion 51 of the thickened portion 49. The sealing disc 48 also includes a relatively thin peripheral portion 52, which is for the most part narrow, but widens out in the vicinity of the pull tab 50 and extends around the narrow portion 51 of the thickened portion 49.

It will be apparent that the sealing disc 48 differs from the sealing disk 43 only in that the thickened portion 49, in lieu of being in the form of a circular disk, as is the thickened portion 45 of the sealing disk 43, has a quite different shape to provide a greater area of the thin portion 52 in the vicinity of the pull tab 50. Thus, the sealing disc 48 is more easily ruptured than the sealing disk 43 when a pull is exerted on the pull tab 50.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that variations may be made in the example method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new:

1. In a dispensing nozzle of the type having a throat and a removable cap normally sealing the upper end of said throat, a removable sealing disc initially closing said throat below said cap, a pull tab secured to said sealing disc for removing the same, said pull tab being formed of a resilient material and projecting out of said nozzle when said cap is removed from said nozzle with said cap holding said pull tab in a depressed position within said throat.

2. In a dispensing nozzle of the type having a throat and a removable cap, a removable sealing disc recessed within and closing said throat, an elongated pull tab secured to said sealing disc for removing the same, said pull tab being of a length greater than the height of said nozzle above said sealing disc to project up out of said nozzle throat to a position where it may be readily grasped, said cap engaging said pull tab and bending said pull tab to a concealed position within said nozzle when said cap is in place on said nozzle, and said pull tab being resilient whereby when said cap is removed said pull tab springs upwardly out of said nozzle.

3. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said pull tab and said sealing disc are integrally formed of a resilient plastic.

4. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said sealing disc is integrally secured to said nozzle and said sealing disc has a peripheral weakened area to facilitate the removal thereof from said nozzle.

5. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said sealing disc is formed integrally with said pull tab and said nozzle, and said sealing disc has a peripheral Weakened area to facilitate the removal of said sealing disc from said nozzle, said pull tab, said sealing disc and said nozzle being formed of a resilient plastic.

6. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said cap has a hollow plug projecting into and forming a seal with the surface of said throat, the upper end of said pull tab being received within said plug when said cap is in place on said nozzle.

7. The nozzle assembly of claim 2 wherein said nozzle has an outer annular locking rib and said cap has a plurality of short spaced locking ribs engageable beneath said nozzle locking rib t-o normally retain said cap in a nozzle closing position and at the same time permitting the cap to become unseated in the event excessive pressures exist within the nozzle.

8. A one-piece resiliently deformable plastic dispensing nozzle assembly comprising a tubular nozzle having a pouring throat, a closure cap for said nozzle, a strap connecting said cap to said nozzle, a sealing disc recessed within and closing said throat, said sealing disc having a weakened peripheral area facilitating the removal thereof from said nozzle, a pull tab extending generally normal to and connected to said sealing disc for exerting a rupturing force thereon, said cap having a hollow plug portion projecting into said throat and forming a seal therewith, said pull tab being deflected into said nozzle by said cap and having an upper end seated on said cap within said hollow plug, the length of said pull tab being greater than the height of said throat above said sealing disc, whereby when said cap is removed and said pull tab returns to an upright position due to the resiliency thereof, the upper end of said pull tab projects above said nozzle for ease of being gripped.

9. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said weakened peripheral area is in the form of an annular portion of said sealing disc immediately adjacent said nozzle with said annular portion being impervious and of a reduced thickness.

10. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said sealing disc is also of a reduced thickness between said pull tab and said weakened peripheral area radially outwardly from said pull tab and at opposite edges of said pull tab.

11. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said pull tab is connected to said sealing disc immediately adjacent to said weakened peripheral area.

12. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said throat is cylindrical and of a smooth internal surface, and said plug has an upwardly flaring outer surface with the upper portion of said plug having a greater external diameter than the internal diameter of said nozzle throat, whereby said plug is wedged within said nozzle with an outward deformation of the upper portion of said throat when said cap is seated.

13. In a spout-type container closure, a generally tubular pouring spout of resiliently flexible material formed with a bore terminating in a mouth opening through the outer end of the spout, a closure diaphragm spaced in wardly of the spout from said mouth opening and extending in a radial plane across said bore, said diaphragm being integral with, and constituting a homogeneous portion of, the material forming the spout, said diaphragm being peripherally connected with the inner wall of said bore along a weakened tear line spaced inwardly of the spout from its mouth, a resiliently flexible pull tab having a root portion connected with said diaphragm closely adjacent said wall and said weakened tear line, said tab, except for its root portion, being disconnected from said wall and said diaphragm, and having a free end normally projecting outwardly through and beyond the mouth of the spout, and being normally disposed at an angle to said diaphragm and being disposed for resilient flexing toward said radial plane of said diaphragm into the mouth of the spout, the resiliency of the tab, upon being released, causing it to resume its normal position with its free end outward of and beyond the mouth of the spout.

14. The combination of elements as defined in claim 13 further comprising a closure cap removably disposed on said spout to cover said mouth and having a portion abutting against the tab to flex said tab toward the diaphragm into said mouth incident to application of the cap to said spout.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Chellis 222-541 X Sherman 220-60 X Hothersall 220-33 X Vaughn 220-60 Temple 222-81 Rieke 222-529 Murphy M 222-543 X Rieke 222-529 Oldenberg 222-563 X FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO Primary Examiner. LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.