Container with cam means

Abstract

 A container screw cap (10) is provided with a lid (15) with an end wall (16) obturating dispensing orifice (27) in the cap body (13). The lid has two concentric side walls (17) (18) the wall (17) terminating in a frusto-conical lip (25) which engages a bead (26) on the body to resiliently urge the lid into contact with the body to close the orifices. The inner wall (18) carries the cam followers (22) inter-engaging cams (24) on the body. When the lid is rotated relative to the body the cam followers ride up the cams thus raising the lid and opening the dispensing orifices. The container contents expressed through the orifices are expelled through an aperture (28) in the lid.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a container having a body and a lid connected thereto such that the lid may be moved relative to the body to open, or to close, a discharge path of the container and more particularly to such a container in which cam means are provided to assist in the opening and closing of the discharge path.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It is known to provide a container comprising a body and a lid mounted on the body and urged into contact with the body by a spring or like resilient means. In such containers the lid may be moved between a first, open, position in which apertures in the lid and the container body are in register and create a discharge path through which the contents of the container may be discharged, and a second, closed, position in which the apertures are out of register and the discharge path is closed. It is also known that sealing means are desirable in such containers to ensure an air and moisture proof seal is formed between the lid and the container body when the lid is in the closed position.

[0003] It is known from U.S. Patent specification 1,669,884 (Wacker), 1,996,493 and 2,578,463 (Croce) to provide such containers in which each aperture in the body is closely surrounded by upwardly protruding lip or projection which fits within a corresponding recess or socket in the lid of the container. This arrangement of projections and recesses is designed to improve the seal between the lid and the container body in either or both of the open and the closed relative positions of the lid and body. The arrangement also serves to positively lock the lid and body into the desired relative position. When it is desired to move the lid between the open and closed relative positions the lid is turned causing a cam-like action between the projections and their corresponding recesses forcing the lid and body away from one another against the action of the spring. While such arrangements are good in theory, in practice the projections become worn in time and the seal between the container body and the lid deteriorates. The present invention provides an arrangement in which cam means are provided to cause the lid and container body to move apart against the spring bias as the lid and body are rotated relative to one another in order to at least reduce the wear on the means providing a seal between the body and the lid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention consists- in a container, or a cap for a container, having a body and a lid, the lid being moveably retained on the body by resilient means which serve to urge an inner face of the lid towards an end face of the body, the lid and the body each being formed with at least one aperture and being relatively moveable between a first, open, position in which apertures in the lid and the container body are in communication and a second, closed, position in which a seal is created to prevent communication between the aperture or apertures in the body and the aperture or apertures in the lid, the lid and the body each being formed with cam means such that as the lid is moved relative to the body from the closed position to the open position the inner face thereof will be forced away from the end face of the body against the bias of the resilient means, the cam means being provided on the lid and on the container body clear of the apertures therein such that any wear in the cam means will not deleteriously affect the seal formed when the lid and body are in their closed relative position.

[0005] In one preferred embodiment of the invention which is of use with containers adapted to contain liquid or pasty materials the apertures of the lid and the container body are so placed that they can never be in register. In this embodiment the container is opened by rotating the lid until the lid is forced away from the end face of the container body. This opens a path of communication between the aperture or apertures in the container and those of the lid. Further rotation of the lid will allow the resilient means to draw the lid back against the end face of the container body thereby closing the container.

[0006] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, which is particularly suitable for containers adapted to container tablets or granular materials, the apertures in the lid are so placed that they may be brought into register. In this embodiment the cam means are preferably placed to correspsond with the movement of the apertures between the open positions in which the apertures in the lid and the body are in register and the closed position in which they are out of register. There may be only one open and one closed position or there may be a plurality of each. In this embodiment the cam means are preferably so arranged that the lid and the body are urged into contact by the resilient means in each open position and in each closed position and are forced apart against the spring bias by the cam means as the lid is moved between those discrete, open and closed, positions.

[0007] The intermittent raising and lowering of the lid relative to the container body prevents wear on the sealing surfaces provided by the inner face of the lid and the end face of the container body. If desired these faces may be provided with specially formed sealing surfaces to.ensure the airtightness of the container.

[0008] The resilient means are preferably formed integrally with the container lid and/or body. This may be conveniently achieved by forming the lid of a resilient synthetic plastics material and by providing opposed frusto-conical surfaces on the lid and the container body. Preferably the resilient means are provided around the periphery of the lid.

[0009] The cam means preferably comprises a cam surface on the . lid or on the body and a plurality of dogs or cam followers on the other part of the container. Most preferably the cam surface is provided on the container body and the cam followers on the lid. If desired rather than providing a plurality of cam followers a single continuous cam follower surface may be provided in opposition to the cam surface.

[0010] If desired a flap valve or the like may be provided between the inner face of the lid and the aperture or apertures in the end face of the container body. In this embodiment of the invention the lid is preferably so designed as to bear against the flap valve and prevent it opening when the lid and the body are in the closed position. This arrangement can be used to prevent air being drawn back into the container after some of the contents thereof have been expelled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Hereinafter given by way of example only are preferred embodiments of the present invention described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a container cap embodying the characteristics of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partly cut away exploded view of the container cap of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a container embodying the characteristics of the present invention;

Figs. 4 A and B are a diagramatic view of a cam surface and cam followers present in the embodiments of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively in the raised and lowered sealing positions, and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through another embodiment of a container cap according to this invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0012] With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 the container cap 10 is adapted to be screwed onto the neck of a bottle, tube or like container. For this purpose the body 13 of the cap 10 is provided with a tubular end portion 11 formed on its inner surface with a female thread 12.

[0013] The cap body 13 is formed at its upper end with an end wall 14 which is substantially conical in shape.

[0014] A lid 15 is provided on the cap 10. The lid 15 includes an end wall 16, corresponding in shape to the end wall 14 of the cap body 13, and two concentric cylindrical walls 17 and 18 extending from the end wall 16 coaxially therewith. The inner wall 18 includes an inwardly directed lip 19 which bears sealingly against a cylindrical outer surface of the cap body 13. The lower edge of the wall 18 is formed with a plurality of cam following projections 22 (best seen in Fig.

[0015] 4). The cam following projections 22 bear against a cam surface 23 formed on a shoulder of the cap body 13. The cam surface 23 (as is seen in Fig. 4) includes a series of cam surfaces 24 which cause the cam following projections 22, and thus the whole lid 15 to rise and fall relative to the-cap body as the lid 15 is rotated.

[0016] The outer cylindrical wall 17 of the lid 15 is formed at its lower end with an inwardly directed frusto-conical lip 25. The lip 25 bears on its inner surface against a corresponding frusto-conical surface 26 on the cap body 13. The lid 15 is formed of a resilient synthetic plastics material such that the cooperating frusto-conical surfaces 25 and 26 cause the end wall 14 of the cap body 13 and-the end wall 16 of the lid 15 to be drawn together. The cam surface 23 and the cam following projections 22 work against the spring bias provided by the frusto-conical surfaces 25 and 26.

[0017] Apertures 27 are provided around the end wall 14 of the cap body 13 and the lid 15 is provided with a central aperture 28.

[0018] In use the cap 10 is screwed onto the neck of a container such as a toothpaste tube. The lid 15 is rotated until the cam following projections 22 are caused to rise up by camming surfaces 24 on cam surface 23. This moves the end faces 14 and 16 apart which allows toothpaste to be dispensed through apertures 27 in the cap body 13 and then through aperture 28 in the lid 15. Further rotation of the lid 15 respectively.

[0019] Fig. 5 shows a vertical sectional view through a further container cap embodying the characteristics of the present invention. The cap 70 operates similarly to the cap shown in Fig. 1.

[0020] The cap 70 is adapted to be screwed onto the neck of a bottle, tube or like container formed of a flexible material such as a synthetic plastics material. The cap body 71 has an end face 72 through which extend apertures 73. A circumferential rib 74 is formed around the side wall of the cap body 71. The upper edge of the rib 74 is formed with a series of cams and its lower edge is formed with a frusto-conical surface 75.

[0021] The cap lid 76 .includes an end wall 77 having a central aperture 78. The underside of the end wall 77 has an annular rib 79 concentric with the aperture 78. A cylindrical side wall 81 depends from the peripheral edge of the end wall 77. The side wall 81 carries an inwardly directed sealing rib 82 which seals against the side wall of the cap body 71; an inwardly directed cam following rib 83; and an inwardly directed lip 84 which is frusto-conical on its inner surface. The lip 84 cooperates with surface 75 on rib 74 of the cap body 71 to draw the end walls 72 and 77 into juxtaposition. The cam following rib 83 cooperates with the cams on the rib 74 to raise and lower the cap lid 76 relative to the cap body 71 as the cap lid is rotated.

[0022] A valve member 85 formed of a resilient plastics or rubber material is disposed between the end walls 72 and 77. It includes a cylindrical supporting peg 86 which is sealingly disposed in a collar 87 depending downwardly from the end wall 72 of the cap body 71. An annular flap 88 extends radially from the peg 86 across the upper surface of end wall 72 sufficiently to cover the apertures 73. The peripheral edge of the flap 88 rests against the upper edge of the end wall 72 while the rib 79 on the underside of the will bring the cam following projections 22 back to a lower part of the cam surface 23 which allows the spring force exerted by the frusto-conical surfaces 25 and 26 to draw the end faces 14 and 16 together closing the lid 15 against the cap body 13.

[0023] The container 50 shown in Fig. 3 operates similarly to the cap shown in Figs. 1 and 2. An annular container body 51 is provided with an end face 53 which is formed with apertures 52 each of which opens into a tablet containing recess 62. Blind "parking" areas 56 are provided between adjacent apertures 52. The outer cylindrical wall 57 of the container body 51 is provided with a rib 54 having a downwardly projecting frusto-conical surface 55. The upper end of the outer cylindrical wall 57 is formed with a cam surface 59 similar to the cam surface 23 of Fig. 1.

[0024] A lid 61 is provided on the container body 51. An outer cylindrical wall 65 of the lid 61 surrounds the container body 51 and is provided with an inwardly directed frusto-conical lip 66 which bears against the frusto-conical surface 55 on rib 54 of the container body 51. These cooperating frusto-conical surfaces constitute spring means which urge the lid 61 and the container body 51 together in sealing relationship.

[0025] The lid 61 is provided with a plurality of cam following projections 67 similar to projections 22 of Fig. 4. These projections 67 bear against the cam surface 59 of the container body. The lid is formed with an aperture 64 which can be brought into register with any one of the aperture 52. The cam surface is such that as the aperture 64 is moved out of register with one of the apertures 52 or with one of the spaces 56 the lid 61 will be forced away from the container body 51. As the aperture 52 comes into register with an aperture 52 or a space 56 the cam surface drops allowing the lid 61 and the container body 51 to come into sealing relationship in the open or closed position cap lid 76 bears against the upper side of the flap 88 when the cap lid 76 is in its lowered position.

[0026] In use the cap lid 76 can be rotated between its lowered position described above, in which the contents of a bottle or tube connected to the cap 70 cannot be squeezed out due to the rib 79 bearing down on the flap 88 causing it to block the apertures 73, and its raised position. In the raised position the end wall 77 of the cap lid 76 is forced away from the flap 88. Pressure on the contents of the bottle or tube can thus deform the flap 88 allowing the contents to flow out through aperture 73, around flap 88 and out through hole 78 in the cap lid 76. If the pressure on the bottle or tube is released the natural resilience of the bottle or tube will cause a lowering of the pressure therein and the flap 88 will be drawn back over the apertures 73 preventing air into the bottle or tube. Further rotation of the cap lid 76 will return the cap 70 to its lowered, or closed, position.

Claims

1. A container, or a cap for a container, having a body and a lid, the lid being moveably retained on the body by resilient means which serve to urge an inner face of the lid towards an end face of the body, the lid and the body each being formed with at least one aperture and being relatively moveable between a first, open, position in which apertures in the lid and the container body are in communication and a second, closed, position in which a seal is created to prevent communication between the aperture or apertures in the body and the aperture or apertures in the lid, the lid and the body each being formed with cam means such that as the lid is moved relative to the body from the closed position to the-open position the inner face thereof will be forced away from the end face of the body against the bias of the resilient means, the cam means being provided on the lid and on the container body clear of the apertures therein such that any wear in the cam means will not deleteriously affect the seal formed when the lid and body are in their closed relative position.

2. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in claim 1, in which the apertures are so placed on the lid and the body that when the lid and body are in the open position apertures in the lid and the body are brought into register and when the lid and body are in the closed position the apertures in the lid and body are out of register.

3. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the cam means are so placed on the lid and the body that the lid is moved relatively away from the body intermediate the open position and the closed position.

4. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in claim 1, in which the apertures in the lid and body cannot be brought into register and in which the passage of communication is created between the apertures when the cap is forced away from the body by the cam means when the lid is turned to the open relative position.

5. A container, or a cap for a container as claimed in claims 1, 2 or claim 4 in which the cam means are so placed on the lid and the body that the lid is moved relatively away from the body as it is moved into the open position and is allowed to move relatively towards the body as it is moved into the closed position.

6. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the resilient means are formed integrally with the body and/or the lid.

7. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in claim 6, in which the lid is formed of a resilient synthetic plastics_material and in which the resilient means comprises opposed .frusto-conical surfaces on the lid and the body.

8. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims in which the cam means comprises a cam surface on the lid or the body and a plurality of cam followers or the other part.

9. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 7, in which the cam means comprise a pair of opposed cam surfaces one of which is formed-on the body and the other on the lid.

10. A container, or a cap for a container, as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims in which a flap valve is provided between the inner face of the lid and the aperture or apertures in the end face of the body.

11. A container, or a cap for a container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 3, or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Drawing