Container closure having an air intake valve

Abstract

A container having an air intake value, enables a minimal amount of air to enter the container that the one way directional airflow eliminates the flexible walls of a container from being drawn inward and container distortion (product paneling) due to temperature and altitude changes. The inside design of the cover cap makes direct contact with the valve top slit area but generally not the outside of the slit area. With the top cover cap in place and covering the soft concave valve, the slits are restricted from opening outward because to the bottom contour contact fit of the cover cap. The flexible slit valve pieces are unrestricted from moving inward and open automatically to let air in when necessary and eliminating the paneling affect. In the closed position the top snap cover cap is designed not to be completely airtight with two butt joint areas on the hinge side of the cap. This enables air to enter around the hinge, up into the cap interior circumference, down through the flexible valve and into the main container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a non-provisional counterpart to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/281,599, filed on Apr. 4, 2002.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0002] None.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

[0003] None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Closures and valves for various containers are, of course, well known and are disclosed in numerous publication and patents. Many of the patents are owned by the assignee herein.

[0005] Closures serve both utilitarian and aesthetic functions. Many containers with closures today are equipped with valves, often made from thermoplastic elastomer. Such valves facilitate generally the one-way flow of the product, prevent spillage and may be created in several ways including being molded (as opposed to being subsequently cut), stretched and punched or laser pierced.

[0006] One of the problems facing the industry of consumer goods containers, which are often air-tight is the unsaleability of some goods due to “paneling”—or the drawing inward and distorting of the configuration of the containers because of environmental, storage, transport or other conditions such as temperature and elevational changes. Many retail consumers believe that paneled goods are damaged goods which therefore end up sitting on the store shelf, unsold.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a container closure having an air intake valve which reduces or eliminates paneling.

[0008] Another object of the invention to provide a container closure having an air intake valve which reduces or eliminates paneling in a simple, cost effective manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] These and other object of the invention, which shall be hereafter apparent, are achieve by a container closure having an air intake valve, in which the covercap makes direct contact with the (TPE) valve top slit area only, but not with the outside slit area of the valve face, leaving an air space. With the cover cap in place and covering the concave (TPE preferably) valve, the slit or slits are restricted from opening outward because of the bottom contour contact fit of the cover cap. The flexible slit valve pieces are however unrestricted from moving inward and open automatically to let air in when necessary and eliminates the paneling affect. In the closed position, the cover cap is designed not to be completely airtight with two butt joint areas on the hinge side of the cap. This enables air to enter around the hinge, into the cap interior circumference, down through the flexible valve and into the main container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention will be better understood by the Detailed Description of the Invention, with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container closure having an air intake valve according to the invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the container closure having an air intake valve showing the airway from outside the container closure and leading into the body of the container;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a valve used with the invention; and

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container closure having an air intake valve, showing also a base cap and two air slots on the cover cap on either side of a living hinge on the cover cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals depict like elements throughout the various views, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container closure 10, preferably (although not necessarily) a base cap 20 and a covercap 30 intended to be used on a flexible-walled container (not shown) and is similar to applicants' copending U.S. application Ser. No. ______.

[0016] The covercap 10 includes generally a lid 16 and an overlapping snap ring 13 to fit over the base cap 20. To assemble the snap ring 13 to the base cap 20, the ring 13 is placed over the lip 24 of the base cap 20 and snapped into place. The lid 16 has a lifting tab 18, which facilitates the opening of the cap 10 merely by one's finger.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a detailed, cross-sectional view of the container closure 10 having an air intake valve 40 and also showing an airway 41 beginning from outside the container closure 10 around each side of a living hinge 50 connecting the snap ring 13 and the lid 16. The airway 41 continues upwardly along the inside wall 17 of the lid 16 and turning perpendicularly along the lid ceiling 15 and between the ceiling 15 and the upper face 42 of the valve 40 and entering the body of the container through a slit 43 in the valve 40. The preferably thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) valve is designed to dispense product and, with the lid 16 in place, enables a minimal amount of air to enter the container. This one way directional airflow eliminates the paneling problem from the flexible walls of a container.

[0018] In operation, the inside design of the cover cap 30 makes direct contact with the (TPE) valve top slit area 44 only (see FIG. 3). The cover cap 30 does not make significant contact with the valve 40 outside slit area 44, leaving the air space 45. With the lid 16 in place and covering the soft concave (TPE) valve, the slit or slits 43 are restricted from opening outward because of the bottom contour contact fit of the cover cap 30. The flexible slit valve pieces are unrestricted from moving inward and open automatically to let air in when necessary and eliminating the paneling affect.

[0019] In the closed position, the top snap cover cap is designed not to be completely airtight with two butt joint areas on the hinge 50 side of the cap 30. This enables air to enter around the hinge 50, up into the cap interior circumference, down through the flexible valve 40 and into the main container as described.

[0020] The valve slit 43 may be created in several ways, including being molded (as opposed to being subsequently cut), stretched and punched or laser pierced. The valve can also be placed inside the syerisis trap channel and held in place with a separate locking retainer piece. The valve can be co-injected and fused to the overcap ring or molded in the nozzle of the base cap. The valve can also be insert molded or manufactured as a separate piece held in place by the overcap ring.

[0021] The base cap 20 in this embodiment has trap channel 35 so that when the container is tipped slightly (for instance if a liquid and a portion of the product separates from the product because of the differing viscosities) the liquid is trapped in the channel created between the inner side wall 36 of the base cap 20 and inner channel guide 37.

[0022] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been depicted in detail, modifications and adaptations may be made thereto, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as delineated in the following claims:

Claims

1. A container closure, comprising:

a cover cap; and

passage permitting air to enter into said container when said closure is in a closed position.

2. The closure of claim 1, further comprising a valve member.

3. The closure of claim 2, wherein said valve member includes at least one opening.

4. The closure of claim 3, wherein said passage and said at least one opening are in communication.

5. The closure of claims, wherein said communication is facilitated by contact of the underside of the cover cap with the surface of the valve.