Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a nozzle and closure system for a bottle, bottles comprising such nozzle and closure systems, and methods of assembling bottles comprising such nozzle and closure systems. The invention is particularly applicable to dropper bottles, for example ophthalmic dropper bottles.

Background

Typically, bottles comprising dispensing nozzles, such as ophthalmic dropper bottles, are supplied to the filling facility as a number of separate components that must be assembled once the bottle has been filled. Usually, the components are the bottle itself, a nozzle, and a closure, such as a cap. Once the bottle has been filled, in a two- step process the nozzle is inserted into the neck of the bottle and then the cap is screwed onto the bottle neck.

Each step of the assembly process requires its own associated equipment and ancillaries, which increases the expense and complexity of bottle assembly. Furthermore, when particularly delicate bottles are used, such as small low density polyethylene (LDPE) bottles of the type often used for ophthalmic dropper bottles, each stage of assembly increases the risk of damaging the bottles and the other component parts, such as the nozzles. In particular, the insertion of the nozzle into the bottle is often a source of failure as the top -load force required to force the nozzle into the bottle often damages the bottles or the nozzles. It is also a challenge to accurately locate the nozzle in the neck of the bottle, particularly when small bottles are used.

It would be advantageous to provide a system that addresses these problems.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a nozzle and closure system for a bottle, the system comprising: a nozzle configured to be received by the neck of a bottle and to be secured therein, and a closure configured to engage with the outer surface of the neck of the bottle and to close the nozzle; wherein the nozzle and the closure are configured to cooperate so that the nozzle is retained within the closure.

The nozzle may comprise a nozzle retention feature configured to retain the nozzle within the closure

The closure may comprise a closure retention feature configured to retain the nozzle within the closure.

The nozzle may comprise a nozzle retention feature and the closure may comprise a closure retention feature, wherein the nozzle retention feature and the closure retention feature are configured to cooperate to retain the nozzle within the closure. Each of the retention features may comprise a protrusion or a recess, or a part of the surface of the nozzle or the closure arranged, for example, to provide an interference fit between the nozzle and the closure.

The nozzle retention feature may comprise a circumferenti al ridge that protrudes outwardly from the nozzle. The nozzle retention feature may extend continuously around the circumference of the nozzle.

The nozzle may comprise a flange configured to be seated on the rim of the bottle when the nozzle is inserted into and secured in the neck of the bottle.

The closure may comprise an abutment surface configured to abut the upper surface of the nozzle flange and to apply a downward force to the nozzle via the nozzle flange as the nozzle and closure system is mounted on the bottle.

The nozzle retention feature may be formed on the flange. The flange may be the nozzle retention feature.

The closure retention feature may comprise a protrusion on the inner surface of the closure. The closure retention feature may comprise a plurality of protrusions on the inner surface of the closure.

The plurality of protrusions may be arranged on the inner surface of the closure to form a discontinuous ring of protrusions.

The protrusion may be in the form of a circumferential ridge extending around an inner circumference of the closure.

The closure retention feature may be configured to extend under the nozzle retention feature, thereby causing the nozzle to be retained within the closure.

The nozzle retention feature may be a protrusion and the closure retention feature may be a recess configured to receive the nozzle retention feature, thereby causing the nozzle to be retained within the closure.

The closure retention feature may be a protrusion and the nozzle retention feature may be a recess configured to receive the closure retention feature, thereby causing the nozzle to be retained within the closure.

The nozzle may be held within the closure by an interference fit between the nozzle and the closure.

The nozzle and closure system may be for an ophthalmic dropper bottle.

The closure may comprise a screw thread on its inner surface so that it may be engaged with the neck of the bottle by screwing the closure onto the neck of the bottle.

The closure may be configured to engage with the neck of the bottle by a snap fit.

The nozzle may be retained within the closure in axial alignment with the closure.

The nozzle and closure system may further comprise the bottle upon which the system is mounted. The nozzle may be configured to be secured in the neck of the bottle by an interference fit. The nozzle may comprise a nozzle securing feature configured to cooperate with the neck of the bottle to secure the nozzle in the neck of the bottle.

The nozzle securing feature may be a protrusion on the outer surface of the nozzle that is configured to cooperate with a corresponding recess on the inner surface of the neck of the bottle.

The securing feature may extend entirely around the circumference of the nozzle.

The nozzle and closure system may be configured so that once the nozzle has been inserted into and secured in the neck of the bottle the closure can be removed from the bottle without removing the nozzle from the neck of the bottle.

The nozzle and closure system may be configured so that the force required to remove the nozzle from the neck of the bottle is greater than the upward force exerted by the closure on the nozzle as the closure is removed from the bottle.

The nozzle and closure system may be configured so that the force of interaction between the nozzle and closure is reduced when the nozzle and closure system is mounted on the bottle compared to when the nozzle and closure sys tem is not mounted on the bottle.

The closure may be configured to expand in diameter as it is engaged with the neck of the bottle. The nozzle and closure system may be configured so that the nozzle is inserted into and secured in the neck of the bottle as the closure is engaged with the neck of the bottle.

The nozzle and closure system may be configured such that the nozzle may be retained within the closure in a loose fit when the nozzle and closure system is assembled but is not mounted on the bottle. For example, the nozzle may be configured to be retained within the closure in a loose fit.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling a bottle comprising a nozzle and a closure, the method comprising: providing a nozzle and closure system, wherein the nozzle is retained within the closure; and mounting the nozzle and closure system on the neck of a bottle.

The nozzle and closure system may be as previously described.

The method may further comprise assembling a nozzle and a closure to provide the nozzle and closure system.

The bottle comprising the nozzle and closure system may be an ophthalmic dropper bottle.

The nozzle and closure system may comprise, in any workable combination, any one or more features of the embodiments of the invention which will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Figures

Figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken through the centre of a first embodiment of a nozzle and closure system of the invention and a portion the neck of a bottle prior to the nozzle and closure system being mounted on the bottle .

Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken through the centre of a first embodiment of a nozzle and closure system of the invention mounted on a bottle.

Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken through the centre of a second embodiment of a nozzle and closure system of the invention, and

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken through the centre of a third embodiment of a nozzle and closure system of the invention. Corresponding features in the different embodiments are indicated by the same reference numerals.

Detailed Description

Referring to Fig. 1 , a nozzle and closure system 10 in accordance with the invention comprises a nozzle 12 and a closure 14. This particular nozzle and closure system 10 is for an ophthalmic dropper bottle, but the nozzle and closure system 10 could alternatively be suitable for other types of bottle, for example those containing cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, or other products such as lubricants.

As used herein, the terms upper and lower refer to the frame of reference when the system 10 is mounted on a bottle 16 and the bottle is placed with its base on a horizontal surface, for example as shown in Fig. 2.

Nozzle The nozzle 12 is formed as a single piece of plastic and comprises a spout portion 18, a flange 20, and a plug portion 22. The spout portion 18 forms the upper portion of the nozzle 12 and is an elongate tubular portion through which a channel 24 extends. The channel 24 extends through the centre of, and along the length of the spout portion 18 to provide a fluid pathway through the spout portion 18 along the central axis of the spout portion 18. The channel 24 terminates at the upper end 26 of the spout portion 18, which is also the upper end of the nozzle 12, to form an upper opening 28 through which fluid may exit the nozzle 12 when the nozzle 12 is not sealed by the closure 14. The channel 24 is narrower in diameter at its lower 30 end than at its upper end 32, and flares out to widen in diameter along its length between its lower 30 and upper 32 ends. The spout portion 18 itself is wider in diameter at its lower end 34 than at its upper end 26, and generally tapers in width along its length towards its upper end 26. The upper end 26, or tip, of the spout portion 18 has a rounded profile so that it is less likely to scratch or damage any surfaces that it comes into contact with. The plug portion 22 forms the lower portion of the nozzle 12 and is generally tubular, encircling a central cavity 36. The cavity 36 is open at its lower end to form a lower nozzle opening 38 through which fluid may pass into the nozzle cavity 36. The plug portion 22 is sized and shaped to be received by the neck 40 of a bottle 16, as shown in Fig. 2. The diameter of the plug portion 22 is such that when the plug portion 22 is received by an appropriately sized bottle neck 40, the outer surface of the plug portion 22 abuts the inner surface of the bottle neck 40 to form a liquid-tight seal so that liquid cannot escape between the inner wall of the bottle ne ck 40 and the outer wall of the plug portion 22.

The plug portion includes a securing feature in the form of a circumferenti al ridge 42 that extends around the entire outer circumference of the plug portion 22 and protrudes radially outwardly from the outer surface of the plug portion 22 for securing the nozzle 18 in the neck 40 of the bottle 16. The bottle neck 40 includes a corresponding securing feature in the form of a circumferential recess 44 in its inner surface, which is configured to receive the securing feature of the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12. Instead, the plug portion 22 may include a circumferential recess on its outer surface and the bottle neck 40 may include a circumferenti al ridge on its inner surface. Other types of securing features are also possible. For example, instead of a circumferenti al ridge 42 the securing feature on the nozzle 12 may instead comprise a plurality of radial protrusions on the outer surface of the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12 that are configured to be received by a corresponding plurality of recesses formed on the inner surface of the bottle neck 40. Alternatively, the plug portion 22 may comprise a plurality of recesses in its outer surface that are configured to receive a corresponding plurality of protrusions formed on the inner surface of the bottle neck 40. The securing of the nozzle 12 in the neck 40 of the bottle 16 may instead be achieved by an interference or friction fit between the inner surface of the bottle neck 40 and the outer surface of the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12. The securing features may therefore be any part of the bottle neck 40 and of the nozzle 12 that cooperate to secure the nozzle 12 within the neck 40 of the bottle 16 by an interference fit.

The outer diameter of the plug portion 22 tapers to progressively narrow towards the lower end of the plug portion 22. This tapered portion aids the insertion of the plug portion 22 into the neck 40 of the bottle 16, removing the requirement for perfect axial alignment between the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and the nozzle 12. The annular or circumferenti al flange 20 extends radially outwardly from the nozzle 12 immediately above the plug portion 22. When the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12 is inserted into the neck 40 of the bottle 16, the lower surface 48 of the flange 20 is seated on the lip 50 of the bottle neck 40, which locates the nozzle 12 relative to the bottle 16 in its fully inserted position (as shown in Fig. 2) . Typically, the flange 20 has an outer diameter that is less than or equal to the outer diameter of the neck 40 of the bottle 16 (excluding the screw threads 52 on the neck 40 of the bottle 16) so that the underside of the flange 20 cannot be inadvertently struck or caught on another object, which could cause the nozzle 12 to be accidentally dislodged from the bottle 16. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the flange 20 has a diameter slightly less than that of the neck 40 of the bottle 16.

A retention feature, in the form of a circumferential ridge 54 protrudes radially outwardly from the rim 56 of the flange 20. The circumferenti al ridge 54 extends continuously around the entire circumference of the nozzle 12, specifically around the entire circumference of the rim 56 of the flange 20. The use of a circumferential retention feature that extends continuously around the circumference of the nozzle 12 has the advantage that the nozzle 12 may be inserted into the closure 14 without having to align the nozzle 12 and the closure 14 in any specific angular configuration about their common axis 58 and, once inserted into the closure 14, the nozzle 12 may rotate independently of the closure 14 and still be retained therein. The circumferenti al ridge 54 is tapered in cross-section to become progressively narrower as it extends away from the flange 20 and the central axis 58 of the nozzle 12. This gives the circumferential ridge 54 a wedge-shaped profile with sloping upper and lower surfaces that are at an oblique angle to the central axis 58 of the nozzle 12. The upper surface slopes downwardly as it extends away from the flange 20 and the lower surface slopes upwardly as it extends away from the flange 20. As described below, the retention feature of the nozzle 12 cooperates with a retention feature on the inner surface of the closure 14 to retain the nozzle 12 within the closure 14 when the nozzle 12 is inserted into the closure 14 and is not yet mounted on a bottle 16.

The nozzle cavity 36, which is encircled by the plug portion 22, is in fluid communication with the spout channel 24 via a narrow orifice 60 with a diameter of less than that of either the nozzle cavity 36 or the spout channel 24. The orifice 60 extends between and connects the lower end of the spout channel 24 and the upper end of the nozzle cavity 36. The orifice 60 may be a pinhole, or it may be in the form of a channel, as illustrated in Figs. 1 -4. The orifice 60 has a diameter that is narrow enough to sufficiently restrict the flow of liquid through the nozzle 12 so that liquid can be dispensed from the nozzle 12 in a dropwise manner. For example, the orifice 60 may be sized such that fluid contained within a bottle 16 upon which the nozzle 12 is mounted will not escape from the bottle 16 through the orifice 60, or will pass through the orifice 60 only very slowly, under the influence of gravity alone when the bottle 16 is upturned. In such cases, in order to force liquid through the orifice 60 a positive pressure must be exerted on the liquid in the bottle 16, for example by squeezing the bottle 16. This allows the nozzle 12 to be used as part of a dropper bottle. Typically, the orifice 60 has a diameter of 0.2 to 1 mm, for example 0.4 to 0.8 mm. If the nozzle 12 is not intended to be used on a dropper bottle and such a restricted flow is not required, the orifice 60 may be wider to permit liquid to flow freely through the nozzle 12 under the influence of gravity. Alternatively, the nozzle cavity 36 may be in direct fluid communication with the spout channel 24, for example the cavity 36 may be connected directly to the spout channel 24 with no such orifice 60 present. In general, the precise geometry and sizing of the spout channel 24 and the orifice 60 will be determined by a number of factors, including the required drop size, whether a drop or a spray is required, and the viscosity of the liquid.

Closure

The closure 14 comprises a cap, which is configured to be engaged with the outer surface of the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and to seal the nozzle 12, thereby preventing liquid from escaping from the bottle 16. The closure 14 is a hollow structure having an opening 62 at its lower end 64, through which the nozzle 12 and the bottle neck 40 are received when the closure 16 is mounted on the bottle 16, a closed upper end 66, and a wall 68 encircling a central cavity 68. The closure 14 comprises a narrower upper portion 70, which houses the spout portion 18 of the nozzle 12, and a wider lower portion 72, which surrounds the nozzle flange 20 and the neck 40 of the bottle 16 when the closure 14 is secured in place on the bottle 16. The upper portion 70 of the closure 14 has a smaller internal diameter than the lower portion 72 and a smaller external diameter than the lower portion 72. The closure 14 is generally tubular in shape, with a step in its outer diameter between the upper 70 and the lower 72 portions. The upper 70 and lower 72 portions are connected by a shoulder 74 that extends inwardly from the upper end of the lower portion 72 to join with the lower end of the upper portion 70.

The lower portion 72 of the closure 14 is provided with a screw thread 76 on its inner surface for screwing onto the neck 40 of a bottle 16, which is provided with a matching screw thread 52 on its outer surface. Such screw threads are not essential, and the closure 14 may be engaged with the outer surface of the bottle neck 40 by alternative means, such as by a snap fit or an interference fit.

The upper end 66 of the closure 14 is provided with a plug 78 on its inner surface in the form of a downwardly extending protrusion that is configured to be received by the upper opening 28 of the nozzle 12 and to form a liquid-tight seal against the inner surface of the nozzle channel 24, thereby sealing the nozzle 12 and preventing liquid from escaping through the upper opening 28 of the nozzle 12.

The closure 14 comprises a retention feature, in the form of a plurality of protrusions 80 that protrude inwardly from the inner surface of the lower portion 72 of the closure 14 towards the central axis 59 of the closure 14. The retention feature is located above the screw threaded portion of the lower portion 72 of the closure 14. The protrusions 80 are arranged around the inner surface of the closure 14 to form a discontinuous ring of protrusions 80. The use of a discontinuous retention feature on the closure 14 allows the closure 14 to deform sufficiently to allow the nozzle retention feature to pass over the closure retention feature. If both the nozzle and closure retention features are continuous then a greater force is required to insert the nozzle 12 into the closure 14. Each of the protrusions 80 is tapered in cross-section to become progressively narrower in the vertical direction as it extends away from the inner surface of the closure 14 towards the central axis 59 of the closure 14. This gives the protrusions 80 a wedge-shaped profile with sloping upper and lower surfaces that are at an oblique angle to the central axis 59 of the closure. The upper surface slopes downwardly as it extends away from the inner surface of the closure 14 and the lower surface slopes upwardly as it extends away from the inner surface of the closure 14. The protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14 are located so that, when a nozzle 12 is secured within the closure 14, they extend under the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the flange 20 of the nozzle 12 when the nozzle 12 is fully accommodated within the closure 14 so that the nozzle is sealed by the closure 14. The protrusions 80 on the closure 14 are also arranged so that it is not possible for the circumferenti al ridge 54 of the nozzle 12 to pass over the plurality of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14 when both the nozzle 12 and the closure 14 are in their relaxed shapes. In other words, it is necessary to deform either the nozzle 12 or the closure 14 to force the circumferential ridge 54 of the nozzle 12 to pass over the plurality of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14 when the nozzle 12 is housed within the closure 14. In general, this means that the inner radius of the plurality of protrusions 80 (i.e. as measured from the central axis 59 of the closure 14 to the innermost part of the plurality of protrusions 80) is less than the outer radius of the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the nozzle 12. As described below, the plurality of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14 cooperate with the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the flange 20 of the nozzle 12 to retain the nozzle 12 within the closure 14 when the nozzle 12 is inserted into the closure 14 prior to fitting the nozzle and closure system 10 on a bottle 16.

Alternatively, the nozzle 12 and the closure 14 may comprise different retention features to those described above. For example, the plurality of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14 may instead be replaced with a circumferenti al ridge or bead that extends around the entire inner circumference of the closure 14. Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the closure retention feature may be one or more inwardly projecting protrusions 82 on the inner surface of the closure and the nozzle retention feature may be one or more recesses 84 in the outer surface of the nozzle 12, in this case in the rim 56 of the flange 20, configured to receive the nozzle retention feature, or vice-versa. The retention features may also be located elsewhere, such as on the outer surface of the spout portion 18 of the nozzle 12 and on the inner surface of the upper portion 70 of the closure 14. It is also possible that only one of the nozzle 12 or the closure 14 comprises a retention feature, or that an already existing part of the nozzle 12 or closure 14 may also act as a retention feature. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the nozzle retention feature may be the flange 20 itself, and the closure retention feature may extend under the flange 20. The nozzle 12 may alternatively be retained within the closure 14 by an interference fit between the inner surface of the closure 14 and the outer surface of the nozzle 12. As such, the retention features may be any parts of the nozzle 12 and the closure 14.

The inner surface of the shoulder 74 of the closure 14 comprises a downwardly projecting annular protrusion 86 having an annular abutment surface 87 on its lower edge. This annular protrusion 86 is configured to contact and press down on the upper surface 88 of the nozzle flange 20 when the nozzle and closure system 10 is mounted on a bottle 16 and the closure 14 is screwed onto the bottle 16.

Tamper -evident band

The nozzle and closure system 10 may additionally comprise a tamper-evident means 90, which is frangibly attached to the lower end of the closure 14. The tamper- evident means 90 is configured to break away from the closure 14 the first time the closure 14 is removed from a bottle 16, thereby indicating that the bottle 16 has been previously opened. The tamper-evident means 90 shown in Figs. 1 -3 comprises a circular band 92 that is configured to encircle the bottle neck 40 and which is attached to the lower end of the closure 14 by a series of frangible connections 93. A plurality of protrusions 94 project inwardly from the inner surface of the circular band 92. Each of the protrusions 94 has an upwardly sloping lower surface that slopes upwardly as it extends away from the inner surface of the circular band 92 and a downwardly sloping upper surface that slopes downwardly as it extends away from the inner surface of the circular band 92. When the closure 14 is screwed onto a bottle 16, the protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 slide over a flange 96 on the neck 40 of the bottle 16 that is located below the screw threaded portion of the bottle neck 40. The flange 96 on the neck 40 of the bottle 16 has a downwardly sloping upper surface that slopes downwardly as it extends away from the neck 40 of the bottle 16, which cooperates with the upwardly sloping surface of the protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 to deflect the protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 outwardly so that the tamper-evident band 92 can be slid over the flange 96 on the neck 40 of the bottle 16. The flange 69 on the neck 40 of the bottle 16 has a horizontal or downwardly sloping lower surface that slopes downwardly as it extends away from the bottle neck 40, which engages with the upper surface of the protrusions 94 when the closure 14 is first unscrewed from the bottle 16. This prevents the tamper-evident band 92 from continuing in an upwards direction with the closure 14 as the closure 14 is unscrewed from the bottle 16, which causes the frangible connections 93 between the tamper- evident band 92 and the closure 14 to break, thereby irreversibly indicating that the bottle 12 has been opened at least once. The engagement of the protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 with the flange 96 on the bottle neck 40 also prevents the tamper-evident band 92 from falling off the bottle 16 when the bottle 16 is inverted. This is especially important when the bottle 16 is an ophthalmic dropper bottle because it is important that the tamper -evident band 92 cannot accidentally fall into the eye of a user. The force required to remove the tamper-evident band 92 from the neck 40 of the bottle 16 by passing it over the flange 96 must therefore be greater than the gravitational force acting on the tamper-evident band 92.

The neck 40 of the bottle 16 also includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of protrusions 97 below the flange 96, which project outwardly from the bottle neck 40. As the closure 14 is first unscrewed from the bottle 16, the tamper-evident band 92 rotates with the closure 14. As the tamper-evident band 92 rotates, the protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 engage with the protrusions 97 on the bottle neck 40, thereby preventing the tamper-evident band 92 from rotating with the closure 14. Continued rotation of the closure 14 once the protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 have engaged with the protrusions 97 on the bottle neck 40 causes the frangible connections 93 to break. The tamper-evident band 92 may therefore become separated from the closure 14 either as a result of restricted upward movement by the flange 96 or as a result of restricted rotational movement by the protrusions 97 on the bottle neck 40. The protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 and/or the protrusions 97 on the bottle neck 40 may be configured to allow rotation of the tamper-evident band 92 in the direction in which the closure 14 is screwed onto the bottle 16 (e.g. clockwise as viewed from above the bottle neck 40) but not in the direction in which the closure 14 is unscrewed from the bottle neck 40 (e. g. anti clockwise as viewed from above the bottle neck 40). This may be achieved by providing the protrusions 94, 97 on the bottle neck 40/tamper-evident band 92 with a tapered, sloped, or wedge-shaped profile on the side that engages with the corresponding protrusions 97, 94 on the tamper-evident band 92/bottle neck 40 when the closure is screwed onto the bottle, and a flat or stepped profile on the other side. The protrusions 94 on the tamper-evident band 92 and the protrusions 97 on the bottle neck 40 therefore cooperate to act as a ratchet, allowing full rotation of the tamper - evident band 92 around the neck 40 of the bottle 16 in one direction (e.g. clockwise) but not in the other (e.g. anticlockwise) .

A further indication that the bottle 16 has been opened is that the tamper-evident band 92 drops away from the closure 14 down the neck 40 of the bottle 16 once the frangible connections 93 are broken. This provides a more obvious visual indication that the bottle 16 has previously been opened even when the closure 14 is replaced or remounted on the bottle 16 as the tamper-evident band 92 and the closure 14 will be spaced apart from each other. The tamper-evident band 92 is therefore a tamper- evident drop band.

Mounting the nozzle and closure system on a bottle

To mount the nozzle and closure system 10 on a bottle 16 the nozzle 12 is first inserted into the closure 14. This is done by inserting the nozzle 12 through the opening 62 of the closure 14, with the spout portion 18 of the nozzle 12 entering the closure 14 first so that it is accommodated in the upper portion 70 of the closure 14. As the nozzle 12 is inserted into the closure 14, the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the flange 20 of the nozzle 12 passes over the ring of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14. The closure 14 is flexible enough that the wall 68 of the closure 14, and therefore also the ring of protrusions 80 on the closure 14, are displaced outwardly to allow the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the flange 20 of the nozzle 12 to pass over the ring of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14. Once the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the flange 20 of the nozzle 12 has passed over the ring of protrusions 80 on the inner surface of the closure 14, the closure 14 relaxes back to its previous dimensions and the plurality of protrusions 80 extend under the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the flange 20 of the nozzle 12, thereby retaining the nozzle 12 within the closure 14 so that it cannot fall out from within the closure 14 under the influence of gravity. The nozzle 12 is therefore retained within the closure 14 by a snap-fit provided by the retention features of the nozzle 12 and the closure 14.

Once the nozzle 12 is retained within the closure 14, it is held in axial alignment with the closure 14. In other words, the central axis of the closure 59 and the central axis of the nozzle 58 are approximately coincident with one another. The nozzle 12 is held within the closure 14 in a loose fit so that the nozzle 12 is able to rotate independently of the closure 14. In other words, the nozzle 12 is able to freely rotate within the closure 14. To achieve this loose fit there exists a diametrical or radial clearance between the nozzle 12 and the closure 14. In particular, there is a radial clearance between the circumferenti al ridge on the nozzle 12 and the inner surface of the closure 14 above the closure retention feature when the nozzle 12 is held within the closure 14. In other words, the inner diameter of the closure 14 adjacent to the nozzle retention feature (when the nozzle 12 is held within the closure 14) is greater than the outer diameter of the nozzle retention feature. There also exists a clearance between the upper end 26 or tip of the nozzle 12 and the inner surface of the top of the closure 14 when the nozzle 12 is held within the closure 14. In particular there is a clearance between the plug 78 and the nozzle 12. Only once the closure 14 is fully screwed onto the bottle 16 is the upper end of the nozzle 12 forced against the inner surface of the closure 14 to seal the nozzle 12.

The nozzle and closure system 10 is mounted on a bottle 16 with a suitably sized neck 40 by aligning the central axis of the closure 59 with the central axis of the bottle neck 61 and screwing the closure 14 onto the neck 40 of the bottle 16 by engaging the screw threads 76 on the inner surface of the closure 14 with the screw threads 52 on the outer surface of the neck 40 of the bottle 16. As the closure 14 is screwed onto the bottle 16, the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12 is inserted into the neck 40 of the bottle 16 as it is forced downwards by the closure 14. As the nozzle 12 is forced further downwards and into the neck 40 of the bottle 16, the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12 passes into the neck 40 of the bottle 16, causing the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and/or the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12 to deform so that the circumferential ridge 54, which has a wider diameter than the opening of the bottle neck 40, is accommodated within the neck 40 of the bottle 16. As the closure 14 is screwed further onto the bottle 16, the nozzle 12 is pushed further into the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and the circumferenti al ridge 54 on the plug portion 22 of the nozzle 12 is accommodated within the circumferenti al recess 44 on the inner surface of the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and the nozzle 12 and/or the neck 40 of the bottle 16 relax back from their deformed shapes . The nozzle 12 is thereby secured in the neck 40 of the bottle 16 by a snap-fit. The closure 14 is screwed onto the neck 14 of the bottle 16 until the nozzle 12 is fully secured within the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and the nozzle 12 is sealed by the closure 14. Throughout this process, the nozzle 12 is forced downwards into the neck 40 of the bottle 16 due to its contact with closure 14. In particular, the abutment surface 87 of the annular protrusion 86 on the inner surface of the shoulder 74 of the closure 14 pushes down on the nozzle flange 20 and the inner surface of the upper end 66 of the closure 14 pushes down on the top of the nozzle 12. In particular, the abutment of the upper surface 88 of the nozzle flange 20 with the annular protrusion 86 on the inner surface of the shoulder 74 of the closure 14 evenly distributes the downward force exerted by the closure 14 on the nozzle 12 over a broad area of the nozzle 12 while maintaining the axial alignment of the nozzle 12 and the closure 14. The upper surface 88 of the nozzle flange 20 also provides a flat, rigid surface that is well-suited for applying downward pressure to. The loose-fit of the nozzle 12 within the closure 14 reduces the rotational interference between the nozzle 12 and the closure 14, which facilitates the screwing of closure 14 onto the bottle 16 by rotating the closure 14 while the nozzle 12 is pushed into the neck 40 of the bottle 16 without rotating relative to the neck 40 of the bottle 16.

Once the nozzle and closure system 10 has been mounted on the bottle 16 so that the nozzle 12 is secured within the neck 40 of the bottle 16, the closure 14 can be removed from the bottle 16 without removing the nozzle 12 from the neck 40 of the bottle 16. This is because the force of interaction between the retention features on the nozzle 12 and on the closure 14 as the closure 14 is removed from the bottle 16 is less than the force required to remove the nozzle 12 from the neck 40 of the bottle 16. This balance of forces can be achieved in a variety of different ways.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the securing features on the nozzle 12 and the bottle neck 40 are larger and more substantial than the retention feature s on the nozzle 12 and the closure 14, which contributes to ensuring that a greater force is required to remove the nozzle 12 from the neck 40 of the bottle 16 than the force of interaction between the retention features as the closure 14 is removed from the bottle 16.

The closure 14 may also be configured so that it increases in diameter as it is engaged with the neck 40 of the bottle 16. This may be achieved, for example, by the outer diameter of the neck 40 of the bottle 16 or the internal diameter of the closure 14 being tapered. Alternatively, the closure 14 may be forced to expand due to the retention feature of the closure 14 having a smaller internal radius than the outer radius of the neck 140 of the bottle 16, which causes the closure to expand in diameter as the retention feature of the closure 14 passes over the neck 40 of the bottle 16 as the closure 14 is screwed onto the bottle 16. Over time this deforms the closure 14 so as to increase the inner diameter of the closure 14, which reduces the interference between the nozzle and closure retention features and makes it easier to unscrew the closure 14 from the bottle 16.

Another way of ensuring the required balance of forces is to configure the retention feature on the nozzle 12 such that it lies at least partly within, and preferably entirely within, the outer diameter of the neck 40 of the bottle 16 when the nozzle 12 is secured therein. This obscures the underside of the nozzle retention feature and prevents the retention features of the nozzle 12 and the closure 14 from fully engaging with each other as the closure 14 is removed from the bottle 16, thereby reducing the force of interaction between the retention features compared to the force of interaction when the nozzle 12 and the closure 14 are not mounted on the bottle 16.

There are a number of advantages associated with first assembling the nozzle and closure system 10 and then mounting the nozzle and closure system 10 on a bottle, compared with first inserting the nozzle 12 into the neck 40 of the bottle 16 and then mounting the closure 14 on the bottle 16. Firstly, only a single stage of capping equipment is required and the nozzle insertion equipment can be dispensed with. The single stage capping process also reduces the handling of the often delicate bottles, which is particularly the case when low density polyethylene (LDPE) bottles are used. The insertion of the nozzle 12 by screwing the closure 14 onto the bottle 16 is also gentler than simply inserting the nozzle 12 into the bottle 16 using a top loading force on the nozzle 12 itself or top loading the closure, which reduces the chances of bottle or nozzle damage during nozzle insertion. The bottle components are also typically manufactured off-site and then filled with liquid at a dedicated filling facility. Usually, the filling facility will need to stock both nozzles and closures, but using the present invention only a single nozzle and closure system needs to be stocked, reducing the number of components and simplifying stocking and logistical requirements. The nozzle 12 is also protected when housed within the closure 14 and is less prone to contamination due to the reduced handling requirements. This is particularly important where consumer products, such as ophthalmic solutions, are contained within the bottle 16. The nozzle 12 can therefore be sterilised off-site and is only exposed to potential contamination once the bottle 16 is opened by the end-user by removing the closure 14.