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(11) | EP 1 332 977 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Dispensing closure and package incorporating same |
| (57) A dispensing closure (10) for application to a neck (52) of a liquid-filled container
(50), the dispensing closure (10) having a main closure element (12) applied to the
neck (52) of the container (50) and cup-shaped dust cover (14) removeably applied
to the main closure element (12). The main closure element (12) has an annular top
panel (16) overlying a rim of the neck (52) of the container (50) when the dispensing
closure (10) is applied to the container (50), and an annular spout (20) surrounding
an opening (26) in the top panel and extending away from the container (50). The dust
cover (14) has an annular flange (47) extending downwardly from an imperforate top
panel (40), and the annular flange (47) sealingly closes an opening (26) at the end
of the spout of the main closure element (12) to prevent dispensing of liquid in the
container (50) when the dust cover is in a first position relative to the main closure
element (12). Upon removal of the dust cover from the main closure element (12), liquid
in the container (50) may be dispensed from the container (50) through the main closure
element (12), by way of the annular spout and the opening therein. |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a dispensing closure for application to a liquid-filled container, and to a package that incorporates such a closure closingly applied to a liquid-filled container. More particularly, this invention relates to a closure and package of the aforesaid character in which the container is filled with a consumable beverage under pressure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many consumable beverages are packaged in bottles or other containers, usually plastic, each of which is closed after filling by a dispensing closure that is affixed to a finish (the threaded or otherwise configured neck portion that receives a closure) of the container. A dispensing closure is a multi-piece closure in which the packaged beverage can be consumed, or otherwise dispensed, without removing the entire closure from the container, by manually moving an element of the closure relative to another element or other elements of the closure. U.S. Patent 6,073,809 (Long, Jr.) discloses a known type of dispensing closure, and the closure of the '809 patent has tamper-evident opening characteristics, which are important in the use of such closures for the packaging of consumable beverages.
[0003] WO 00/64774, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, also discloses a known dispensing closure for application to a liquid-filled container. The closure of this reference is especially well-suited for application to a pressurized, liquid-filled container, for example, a container for a carbonated beverage, or a container that contains a non-carbonated beverage, such as a sport beverage, when such beverage is pressurized, when filled, under pressure of N2, to rigidify an associated plastic container, In that regard, the closure of this reference has multiple elements for sealingly dosing a container, a main closure element that need not be moved relative to the container to permit dispensing, and a top cap element that is moveable relative to the main closure element to prevent or permit dispensing, as desired.
[0004] Closures of the type disclosed in the aforesaid '809 patent require that the moveable closure portion, described as a push-pull portion in that reference, remain in place during dispensing of a liquid from an associated container, albeit at a different position from its position when the closure is dosed to liquid dispensing. This feature is a disadvantage in a closure for application to a container for a beverage because the push-pull portion, which is usually manually manipulated, can contaminate the beverage that is being consumed or that remains in the container, by dirt on the hand of the consumer. Moreover, because of the possibility that closures of the type disclosed in the '809 patent can become covered or partly covered with dust or debris during shipment or storage, most consumable beverage packers require that a closure of that type be provided with a separate over closure, often called a dust cover, that must be removed before dispensing of the beverage. This requirement not only transforms such closures from two-piece closures to three-piece closures, which is an added expense in material and assembly cost, but it also results in an opportunity to discard such dust covers after the first opening of the package that includes such a closure, because such a dust cover is not required to reclose the package and this adds to solid waste disposal requirements for the closure as well as presenting an opportunity for littering.
[0005] A closure of the type disclosed in the '809 patent is also prone to spraying contents of an associated container when the container is used to package a pressurized package, because the dispensing opening is not covered by a dust cover at the time of opening. Such spraying of packaged contents can be annoying to a consumer. Also, such a closure, when provided with a dust cover, is difficult to handle, because one hand is required to remove and hold the dust cover while the other hand is required to pull the pull spout for access to the contents of the container to which the closure is applied, which leaves no hand to hold the container. As many such containers are blow molded from a resilient plastic material, it is important that the container be securely grasped during dispensing to permit dispensing by squeezing of the container.
[0006] A closure of the type disclosed in the aforesaid WO 00/64774 reference also requires a separate dust cover when used to package a consumable beverage. This also results in the disclosed two-piece closure, in practice, becoming a three-piece closure for such a packaging application, it also presents an opportunity for such a dust cover to be discarded after first opening, and, in the case of a dispensing closure for the packaging of a pressurized beverage, such a closure is also prone to spraying packaged contents at the time of first opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The aforesaid and other problems encountered in adapting dispensing closures to the packaging of consumable beverages, especially pressurized beverages such as carbonated soft drinks and beverages packaged under N2 pressure, are overcome by the present invention in which there is provided a closure with only two pieces, including a dust cover. The closure of the present invention has a main closure element with an annular top panel, an annular skirt that depends from the top panel to closingly engage an exterior of an associated container finish and an annular spout that surrounds an opening in the top panel and extends upwardly therefrom to provide a dispensing opening for a liquid within the container through a free end of the annular spout. The closure of the present invention also has, as a separate piece, a generally cup-shaped dust cover that removingly surrounds the spout of the closure element, the dust cover having a projection that depends downwardly from a top panel thereof to enter the dispensing opening of the closure element when the dust cover is in closing position relative to the closure element to thereby close the closure element to liquid dispensing in the closing position of the dust cover.
[0008] The present invention also resides in a package having a closure, as described above, closingly applied to a liquid-filled (except for a customary unfilled head space) container.
[0009] Thus, the dispensing closure of the present invention requires only two pieces, the first of which need not be removed from the container to permit dispensing, and a second piece, which must be removed from the first piece to permit dispensing, and then also reaffixed to the first piece to reclose the container. Also, because the main closure element of the dispensing closure of the present invention does not have a push-pull element to permit dispensing, it is not required that a hand of a user engage the dispensing spout of the main closure element, which helps to ensure its cleanliness, and also permits a user to consume liquid from the container while securely grasping the container itself during consumption because only a single hand is required to manipulate the closure to adjust it from a closed condition to a condition in which liquid can be dispensed therefrom. If the dispensing closure of the present invention is applied to a container filled with a pressurized liquid, the dispensing opening from the main closure element is covered by the dust cover at the time of pressure release to prevent spraying of contents against the user, Further, if and when desired, the dispensing closure of the present invention can readily be provided with tamper-indicating properties, such as the band of the aforesaid WO 00/64774, and also, if desired, it can be provided with self-sealing properties, such as the sealing rib 16 of such reference.
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved closure for application to a liquid-filled container to permit dispensing of liquid from the container through the closure, and to provide a package that includes a liquid-filled container with such a closure applied thereto, More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a closure of the aforesaid character that is well-suited for application to a container filled with a consumable beverage, and to provide a package that includes such a container with such a closure applying thereto. Even more particularly. it is an object of the present invention is to provide a closure of the aforesaid character that is very well suited for application to a container that is filled with a pressurized, consumable beverage, and to provide a package with a container that is filled with a pressurized, consumable beverage with such a closure applied thereto.
[0011] For a further understanding of the present invention and the objects thereof, attention is directed to the drawing and the following brief description thereof, to the detailed description of the invention and to the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0012]
Fig. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a dispensing closure according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an elevational, cross-sectional view of an element of the dispensing closure of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, of an element of the dispensing closure of Fig. 1 as applied to a container; and
Fig. 4 is an elevational. cross-sectional view of the dispensing closure of Fig. 1, with its constituent elements assembled to one another, as applied to a container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] A dispensing closure according to the present invention is indicated generally be reference numeral 10 in Figs. 1 and 4. The dispensing closure 10 is a two-piece closure that is made up of a main closure element 12, which is adapted to be applied to an upper finish portion of a container 50, which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and a separate dust cover element 14. Each of the main closure element 12 and the dust cover element 14 is preferably molded from a suitable thermoplastic material, for example, high density polyethylene or polypropylene, by a conventional molding process, for example, compression molding or injection molding.
[0014] The main closure element 12, which is molded in a single piece, has an annular top panel 16 and an annular skirt 18 that depends downwardly (toward the container 50 when applied thereto) from an outer edge of the top panel. The main closure element 12 also has an annular spout 20 that extends upwardly from a radially interior portion of the top panel 16, the spout 20 surrounding an opening in the top panel 16 and defining a flow or dispensing passage 22 (Fig. 4) for liquid (not shown) in the container 50 to permit the liquid to be dispensed from the container 50 without removing the main closure element 12 therefrom.
[0015] The spout 20, which is generally frusto-conical in shape, has an outer annular free end 24 with an opening 26 therein. The interior of the skirt 18 of the main closure element 12 is provided with an inwardly projecting and helically extending thread 28 (Fig. 4) by which the main closure element 12 can be removeably applied to a neck or finish portion 52 of the container 50, which has an outwardly projecting and helically extending thread 54 that is complimental to the thread 28 of main closure element 12. Of course, it is also contemplated that the main closure element 12 may be removably secured to the container 50 in various other ways, for example, by a snap fit, as is understood in the art. In any case, if it is desired to provide a tamper-indicating relationship between the main closure element 12 and the container 50 when the main closure element 12 is applied thereto, a lower margin of the skirt 18 is provided with a disengageable band 30 that engages an outwardly projecting bead 56 on the finish 52 of the container 50, below the helical thread 54, when the main closure element 12 is securely applied to the container 50. Upon an attempted removal of the main closure element 12 from the container 50, the band 30 will remain on the finish 52 of the container 50 by virtue of an interference fit between the bead 56 and inwardly extending projections of the band 30, the band 30 being connected to the skirt 18 by a spaced plurality of frangible bridges 32 to facilitate separation of the band 30 from the skirt 18.
[0016] The dust cover element 14 is generally cup-shaped with an imperforate end panel 40 and an annular skirt 42 that depends downwardly (toward the top panel 16 of the main closure element 12) from an outer edge of the end panel 40. The interior of the annular skirt 42 of the dust cover element 14 is provided with inwardly projecting and part-helically extending projections 44 (Fig. 2), and the exterior of the spout 20 of the main closure element 12 is provided with complimental, outwardly projecting and part-helically extending projections 34 by which the dust cover element 14 may be removeably applied to the spout 20 of the main closure element 12. The interior of the end panel 40 of the dust cover element 14 is also provided with a downwardly depending annular flange 47, and the annular flange 47 fills and seals the opening 26 at the upper end 24 of the main closure element 12 when the dust cover element 14 is securely applied to the main closure element 12, to thereby close a package that is made up of a filled container 50 with a dispensing closure 10 applied to it.
[0017] To provide tamper-indicating properties between the dust cover 14 and the main closure element 12, the annular spout 20 of the main closure element 12 is provided with an outwardly projecting bead 36, and a tamper-indicating band 46 of the dust cover 14, which is connected to a lower edge of the skirt 42 by flangible bridges 48, will remain on the spout 20 of the main closure element 12 when the dust cover 14 is first removed therefrom to provide a visual indication of such removal. In that regard, the top panel 16 of the main closure element 12 is also provided with an integral annular flange 39 that surrounds and is spaced from the spout 20 of the main closure element 12 to securely retain the tamper-indicating band 46 of the dust cover 14 when the tamper-indicating band disengages from the skirt 42 upon the removal of the dust cover 14 from the main closure element 12.
[0018] When the dispensing closure 10 is intended for application to a container 50 with a pressurized beverage therein, for example, a carbonated soft drink or an N2-pressurized sport beverage, a pressure-retaining seal may be provided by including an integral, downwardly and inwardly sealing rib 38 (Fig. 4) on the closure 12, to form a top and side seal against the rim of the neck 52 of the container 50, as taught, for example, in U.S. Patent 5,782,369 (Tansey), the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference herein. In the '369 patent, such a seal is provided by engagement between an annular sealing rib 13 of the closure 10 and an end 19 of the associated container, and a similar seal is taught by the aforesaid WO 00/64774, which uses a sealing rib 16 of a main closure 10 to form a seal with the top of the neck of the bottle to which the closure 10 is applied. Of course, the use of a separate sealing liner, such as the molded in sealing liner 40 or the molded in sealing liner 140 of U.S. Patent 4,721,221 (Barriac), the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference herein, or the use of a separately inserted sealing liner, is also contemplated.
[0019] While the use of an integral sealing rib corresponding to the rib 38 is also contemplated to seal the junction between the outside diameter of the opening 26 of the dust cover 12 and the inside diameter of the spout 20 of the main closure element 12 is contemplated, it is believed that such a sealing rib will prove to be unnecessary for most, if not all, pressurized beverages packaged in the container 50. Thus, as shown, only a tight circumferential fit between the annular flange 47 of the dust cover 12 and the opening 26 in the spout 20 of the main closure element 12 should be sufficient to seal the junction therebetween. To that end, however, a lower edge of the annular flange is provided with an upwardly and outwardly tapered free edge 47a to facilitate insertion of the annular flange 47 into the opening 26.
[0020] Although the best mode contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the present invention as of the filing date hereof has been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that suitable modifications, variations, and equivalents may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, such scope being limited solely by the terms of the following claims and the legal equivalents thereof.
1. A dispensing closure for a beverage container, said dispensing closure comprising:
a main closure element, said main closure element having an annular skirt that is adapted to engage an exterior of a finish of a container, an annular top panel that is adapted to span an end of the finish, and an annular spout coaxial with and surrounding an opening in the top panel and extending from the top panel away from the finish of the container; and
a cup-shaped dust cover, said dust cover having a skirt that surrounds an exterior of the annular spout of the main closure element, an imperforate top panel that closes an end of the dust cover, and an annular flange that depends from the top panel to sealingly engage an opening in the annular spout in a first position of the dust cover relative to the main closure element, said dust cover being removable from the main closure element by relative motion between the dust cover and the main closure element to permit dispensing of a beverage within the container through the opening and the annular spout of the main closure element.
2. A dispensing closure according to claim 1 wherein:
said main closure element is molded in a single piece from a suitable thermoplastic material.
3. A dispensing closure according to claim 2 wherein:
said dust cover is molded in a single piece from a suitable thermoplastic material.
4. A dispensing closure according to claim 1 wherein:
said main closure element is provided with an integral, molded sealing rib that depends downwardly and inwardly from an underside of said top panel and being adapted to sealingly engage a rim of the container when the dispensing closure is closingly applied to the container.
5. A dispensing closure according to claim 2 wherein:
the annular skirt of said main closure element is provided with a depending marginal portion attached to an upper portion of said skirt, and a spaced plurality of frangible bridges connecting said upper portion to said depending marginal portion, said depending marginal portion being adapted to engage an annular bead on a neck of the container when the dispensing closure is closingly applied to the container and to remain with the container upon removal or attempted removal of the main closure element from the container, as a result of the rupture of the frangible bridges, to provide a visible indication of a removal or attempted removal of the main closure element from the container.
6. A dispensing closure according to claim 2 wherein:
said main closure element is molded by compression or injection molding.
7. A dispensing closure according to claim 3 wherein:
said dust cover is molded by compression or injection molding.
8. A package comprising a liquid-filled container having a neck portion and dispensing
closure according to any one of claims 1 to 7 closingly applied to said necl portion
of said container, wherein the annular skirt of the main closure element surround
and engages an exterior of the finish of the container.