DISPENSING CLOSURE HAVING A FLOW CONDUIT WITH KEY¬

HOLE SHAPE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[01] This application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Non-

Provisional Patent Application No. 11/849,979 filed September 4, 2007, and

U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/893,883 filed March 8, 2007 and

U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/824,322 filed September 1, 2006,

all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[02] The present invention relates to container closures, and more particularly

to squeeze-type container dispensing closures.

[03] There are two major trends occurring in the design of dispensing

containers and closures. The first trend is a focus on providing a "clean pour"

during dispensing of the product. Many food products, such as mustard and

ketchup, have a high viscosity and require the user to tip the container, shake

down the product and then squeeze the container to dispense the product. Past

dispensing closures tended to leak product onto the top deck of the closure after

dispensing, creating a messy appearance and often requiring cleaning to reseal

the closure. The current emphasis in "clean pour" design is on preventing

spurting of the product when the container is inverted to the dispensing position

and/or shaken down, and creating a "suck-back" effect as pressure is released

from the container to draw the product back into the closure.

[04] A second trend is a growing number of dispensing containers and

closures being designed so that they can be stored in an inverted position, i.e.

cap down. In this regard, the product is always located right at the dispensing

closure for easy dispensing right from storage. This reduces the need to tip and

shake the container to push the product down to the dispensing closure. There

is a balance however, between having the product at the closure for dispensing

and the need to prevent the product from immediately spurting out once the lid

of the closure is opened.

[05] Both of these trends have resulted in the design of dispensing closures

having various types of valve structures that facilitate both a clean pour and

inverted storage. For example, a silicone valve structure is illustrated and

described in US Patent No. 5,271 ,531. While these silicone valves have been

widely accepted by both the manufacturers and the consumers, they are

somewhat more difficult to manufacture, as they require several inter-fitting

parts, and thus they tend to be more expensive than traditional one-piece

dispensing closures.

[06] Another perceived drawback to the silicone valve closure is that they are

constructed out of two different types of plastic and thus, from a recycling

standpoint, they are more difficult to recycle because the silicone valve must be

separated from the plastic closure body for recycling. While this is not a major

issue in the United States, at least yet, it is currently a major issue in Europe

where recycling is extremely important and even mandated in some countries.

[07] Other designs of dispensing closures focus on the use of interior

partitions to slow the flow of the product exiting the dispensing orifice. For

example, US Patent No. 5,123,575 discloses a design of a dispensing closure

having multiple chambers. This patent discloses a container for motor oil with

three interior chambers, namely a primary chamber between the first partition

and the bottom wall, a secondary partition between the first and second

partitions and a tertiary chamber between the top wall and the second partition.

While the concept of the design may provide the desired flow characteristics,

the design is virtually impossible to mold using conventional injection molding

or blow molding techniques and thus is not commercially feasible.

[08] U.S. Patent No. 5,819,994 also discloses a dispensing closure using

multiple chambers. This patent discloses a flow controlling cap for a fluid

(water) container that controls fluid flow by means of gravity and pressure, and

has a first chamber formed by a first hollow cylinder and a second chamber

formed by a second hollow cylinder having a greater diameter than the first

hollow cylinder. While the circuitous path of this design is effective for water,

the flow characteristics of water are different than other viscous fluids and thus

the design is not believed to be suited for other more viscous products. In

short, it would be difficult to force viscous fluids through the multi-chamber

design.

[09] Accordingly, there exists a need in the industry for a one-piece

dispensing closure that provides a "clean pour" and prevents premature flowing

of viscous product prior to squeezing the dispensing container. In addition,

there exists a need a design of a dispensing closure that is easy to mold and

made of one type of recyclable plastic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[10] The present invention preserves the advantages of existing dispensing

closures while providing new advantages not found in currently available

dispensing closures and overcoming many disadvantages of such currently

available dispensing closures. The general concept of the present invention is

to provide a non-linear flow path from an interior of the dispensing closure to

an exterior of the dispensing closure so that the product does not immediately

spurt out upon opening of the closure lid and/or inverting and shaking the

container to move the product toward the dispensing orifice.

[11] Generally, the dispensing closure comprises a closure body, a closure lid

and a living hinge structure hingeably connecting the closure lid to the closure

body. The closure body has an upper deck and a skirt depending from the

upper deck where the skirt is configured and arranged to mount to a product

container (not shown). Preferably, the product container is a conventional

squeeze-type container. Preferably, the skirt is internally threaded for threaded

mounting on a product container.

[12] A flow conduit extends through the upper deck for the passage of a

viscous product, such as mustard. The flow conduit includes an entry orifice

(inside the container) having an entrance axis and an exit orifice (outside the

container) having an exit axis. The entrance axis is parallel to, but not co-linear

with the exit axis to provide a non-linear flow path from the interior of the

closure to the exterior of the closure. The bottom wall of the flow conduit thus

prevents the direct flow of product into the flow conduit along the exit axis.

[13] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a one-piece

low cost dispensing closure that does not include a valve structure.

[14] It is a further object of the embodiment to provide a dispensing closure

having a "clean-pour" dispensing characteristic.

[15] Another object of the embodiment is to provide a dispensing closure

having a sufficient flow restriction, to counter product head pressure created

when an upright container is quickly inverted and shaken to dispense product.

[16] Another object of the embodiment is to provide an obstructed flow path

or a non-linear flow path from an interior of the dispensing closure to an

exterior of the dispensing closure.

[17] Another object of the embodiment is to provide a flow conduit that

allows product to flow freely upon squeezing while also providing a passive

flow restriction.

[18] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become

apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection

with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[ 19] The novel features which are characteristic of the dispensing closure are

set forth in the appended claims. However, the dispensing closure, together

with further embodiments and attendant advantages, will be best understood by

reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the

accompanying drawing Figures.

[20] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing closure constructed in

accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

[21] Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof;

[22] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of thereof as taken along line 3-3 of Fig.

1 ; and

[23] Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[24] Referring now to the drawings, the dispensing closure 10 of the instant

invention is illustrated in Figs. 1-4. As will hereinafter be more fully described,

the instant dispensing closure 10 includes a unique flow conduit arrangement,

which includes an offset, obstructed, and non-linear flow path. The unique

arrangement provides anti-spurting in upright containers as well as "suck-back"

for cleaner product dispensing, i.e. "clean pour".

[25] Generally, the dispensing closure 10 comprises a closure body 20, a

closure lid 130 and a living hinge structure 140 hingeably connecting the

closure lid 130 to the closure body 20. The closure body 20 has an upper deck

30 and a skirt 40 depending from the upper deck 30 where the skirt 40 is

configured and arranged to mount to a product container (not shown).

Preferably, the product container is a conventional squeeze-type container.

Preferably, the skirt 40 is internally threaded for threaded mounting on a

product container (See Fig. 2). However, it is to be understood that other skirt

mounting arrangements are also contemplated within the scope of the invention,

and the invention should not be limited to the inwardly threaded skirt as the

only means for mounting.

[26] A flow conduit generally indicated at 50 extends through the upper deck

30 for the passage of a viscous product, such as mustard. The flow conduit 50

is generally defined by an interior wall 50C, an exterior wall 50F, and a bottom

wall 50G (baffle). The flow conduit 50 includes an entrance orifice 50A (inside

the container) having an entrance axis X and an exit orifice 50B (outside the

container) having an exit axis Y. Generally, the entrance axis X is offset from

the exit axis Y to provide a non-linear flow path (see arrows F) from the

interior of the closure 10 to the exterior of the closure. More specifically, the

flow conduit 50 is expanded to the side of the exit orifice 50B, and the entrance

orifice 50A is located in the bottom wall 50G, but offset from the exit orifice

50B. The entrance axis X is thus parallel to but not co-linear with the exit axis

Y. Referring briefly to Fig. 2, it is noted that the overall shape of the flow

conduit 50 when viewed from the bottom is a key-hole shape.

[27] The bottom wall 5OG of the conduit thus prevents the direct flow of

product (see arrows P - Fig. IA) into the flow conduit along the exit axis Y and

acts as a baffle to counter product head pressure created by either storing the

product in an inverted condition, or head pressure created when an upright

container is quickly inverted to dispense product. Flow of the product is shown

by arrow F.

[28] The baffling effect is also enhanced by the passage of the product from

the container, through the small entrance orifice 5OA and into the interior of the

flow conduit 50. The velocity of the product will increase as it travels through

the entrance orifice 50A. However, the velocity of the product then decreases

as it travels into the larger interior volume of the flow conduit 50 before it

leaves through the exit orifice 50B. Spurting thus occurs into the interior of the

flow conduit 50 and not directly out of the exit orifice. Accordingly, when the

container is inverted, and is rapidly shaken up and down by a user to dispense

the product, the product first decelerates into the larger volume interior flow

conduit 50, and does not spurt out the exit orifice 50B. When pressure is

applied to the squeeze container, the product is then forced out of the exit

orifice 5OB.

[29] It is to be noted that the dimensions of the flow conduit 50 are adjustable,

depending upon the viscosity of the product stored within an interior of the

dispensing closure 10. For example, if lower viscosity mustard is contained

within the interior of the dispensing closure 10, it may be desirable for the flow

conduit 50 to be smaller in size or dimension to achieve a lower flow rate. In

the preferred embodiment as shown, the exit orifice 50B is circular, and is

somewhat smaller than the entrance orifice 50A.

[30] Based on the disclosure above, the present invention provides a one-

piece dispensing closure. Also, the invention provides a one-piece dispensing

closure having a "clean-pour" dispensing characteristic. Furthermore, the

invention provide a one-piece dispensing closure having a sufficient flow

restriction within the flow path to counter product head pressure created when

an upright container is quickly inverted and/or shaken to dispense product.

[31] It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes

and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without

departing from the spirit of the embodiments. All such modifications and

changes are intended to be covered by the appended claims.