Patents Assigned to AptarGroup, Inc
  • Patent number: 7077296
    Abstract: A dispensing valve is provided for dispensing fluid products. The valve includes a marginal portion, a flexible valve head with a discharge orifice therein, and a flexible connector sleeve having one end connected with the marginal portion and the opposite end connected with the valve head adjacent a marginal edge thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Brown, Timothy R. Socier
  • Patent number: 6305563
    Abstract: A one-piece dispensing structure is molded by a process combining a co-injection molding first phase with a bi-injection molding second phase. In the first phase, a skin material and core material are co-injected into a mold cavity first region to form most of the major portion of the closure body. Subsequently, a movable shut-off member is retracted to expose an intermediate region which (1) is adjacent the closure structure hinge area and which (2) establishes communication between the mold cavity first region and another part of the mold cavity defining the closure lid portion. The skin material is injected through a second gate directly into the cavity intermediate region to fill the cavity intermediate region and the closure lid portion of the mold cavity. The skin material in the cavity intermediate region bonds to the previously injected skin material in the cavity first region adjacent the closure hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc,
    Inventor: John Elliott
  • Patent number: 6176399
    Abstract: A dispensing system is provided and can be embodied in a dispensing closure for a container having an opening. The system includes a unitary, resiliently flexible, molded valve array structure for being sealingly disposed on the container over the container opening. The valve array structure includes an impervious membrane. The valve array structure also includes a plurality of resiliently flexible, slit valves molded unitary with the membrane. Each valve has a normally closed dispensing orifice which opens when the pressure in the interior of the container exceeds the pressure on the exterior of the valve by a predetermined amount. The valves can be arranged to discharge parallel streams, diverging streams, or converging streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc
    Inventors: Daniel G. Schantz, Timothy R. Socier, Richard A. Gross
  • Patent number: 6143229
    Abstract: A method for making a dispensing structure with a finger well formed after molding of the dispensing structure for a container that has an opening to the container interior. The dispensing structure includes a body or base for extending around the container opening and for defining a dispensing orifice. A lid is molded from at least one synthetic polymer material and is hingedly connected to the body for movement between (1) a closed position over the body dispensing orifice, and (2) an open position spaced from the closed position. The lid includes an occlusion member for occluding the dispensing orifice when the lid is in the closed position. The lid includes a finger well to facilitate opening the lid. The finger well is formed by deflection or deformation of a portion of the lid from an as-molded convex condition to a concave condition relative to the exterior of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy R. Socier
  • Patent number: 6131806
    Abstract: A dispensing structure, and a package with a dispensing structure, is provided with a valve. In one embodiment, the dispensing structure is a multi-piece fitment. The multi-piece fitment includes a base for mounting to the container and a valve carrier for mounting to the base. A flexible, self-sealing slit-type valve is mounted within the carrier. In another embodiment, a fitment is mounted in the opening of a thin-walled, flexible, collapsible container, and the flexible valve is mounted in the fitment. In yet another embodiment, a package includes a container having a corner wall defining an opening, and a fitment is sealingly mounted to the corner wall at the opening. A valve is disposed within the fitment. A removable and disposable cover extends from the container over the fitment and at least a portion of the corner wall to define a hermetically sealed volume around the fitment. The cover may be pulled away from the container to expose the fitment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hess, III, Stuart R. Brown, Joel R. Robinson, Timothy R. Socier
  • Patent number: 6112952
    Abstract: A dispensing system is provided for dispensing liquid from a container. The system includes a discharge conduit defining a flow passage for establishing fluid communication with liquid from the container. A resilient valve is provided to extend across the discharge flow passage. The valve has an interior side for being contacted by the liquid and an exterior side exposed to ambient external atmosphere. The valve defines a dispensing orifice that opens when pressure on the valve interior side exceeds the pressure on the exterior side by a predetermined amount. A resilient baffle is located upstream of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hess, III, Timothy R. Socier, Steven R. Tuckey
  • Patent number: 6112951
    Abstract: A dispensing system for a container is provided in the form of a dispensing end structure defining a dispensing orifice and a surrounding attachment region. Subsequently, a dispensing valve is molded from a second material to include (a) a peripheral portion molded against, and bonded to, the end structure attachment region, and (b) a central portion that extends from the peripheral portion across the dispensing orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce M. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6095382
    Abstract: A dispensing system is provided for a container having an opening to the interior. The container has a sealable seat around the opening and a thread. A closure is disposed on the container. The closure defines a thread that is threadingly engaged with the container thread for accommodating movement of the closure between a lowered position and an elevated position. The closure defines a dispensing passage for establishing communication between the container opening and the exterior of the closure. The closure includes a dispensing valve disposed in the dispensing passage for opening to dispense fluid therethrough and for closing to occlude flow. The closure includes an occlusion member inwardly of the valve in the dispensing passage to sealingly engage the container seat and prevent flow from the container opening into the dispensing passage below the valve when the closure is in the lowered position and to permit flow into the dispensing passage when the closure is in the elevated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Gross
  • Patent number: 6089419
    Abstract: A dispensing structure is provided for discharging the contents from the interior of a container. The structure includes a body for extending from the container. The body defines a dispensing opening and a sealing surface around the dispensing opening. A lid is provided for movement between open and closed positions. The lid has a frame defining a lid dispensing passage through the lid. The lid includes a flexible valve that is disposed within the lid frame across the lid dispensing passage. The flexible valve has self-sealing slits which open to permit flow therethrough in response to increased pressure on the side of the valve facing the container when the lid is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Gross
  • Patent number: 6065642
    Abstract: A non-venting valve and dispensing package for fluid products and the like includes a container of the type having an interior volume which reduces as fluid product is dispensed from the package. A self-sealing dispensing valve has a marginal portion sealing about an associated discharge opening in the container, and a valve head with an orifice which shifts between open and closed positions in response to the application and release of pressure on and/or within the container. A vent resisting member retains the orifice in the closed position after each dispensing of fluid product from the container to prevent ambient air from being drawn back through the orifice into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. Brown
  • Patent number: 6062435
    Abstract: A dispensing system is provided for dispensing liquid from a container. The system includes a discharge conduit defining a flow passage for establishing fluid communication with liquid from the container. A resilient valve is provided to extend across the discharge flow passage in an initial, substantially non-deformed, closed configuration. The valve has an interior side for being contacted by the liquid and an exterior side exposed to ambient external atmosphere. The valve defines a normally closed dispensing orifice that is displaceable outwardly to an open configuration when the pressure on the valve interior side exceeds the pressure on the valve exterior side by a predetermined amount, and is displaceable inwardly to an open configuration when the pressure on the valve exterior side exceeds the pressure on the valve interior side by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Aptargroup, Inc.
    Inventor: John M. Hess, III
  • Patent number: 6056142
    Abstract: A closure is provided for a container and includes a base and a lid. The base includes a body for mounting to the container, and the body defines a dispensing orifice. A tamper-evident seal extends across the dispensing orifice. The lid includes a peripheral frame, a flexible panel, and a penetrator member extending from the panel for penetrating the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: John Elliott
  • Patent number: 6050451
    Abstract: A dispensing structure, and a package with a dispensing structure, is provided with a valve. In one embodiment, the dispensing structure is a multi-piece fitment. The multi-piece fitment includes a base for mounting to the container and a valve carrier for mounting to the base. A flexible, self-sealing slit-type valve is mounted within the carrier. In another embodiment, a fitment is mounted in the opening of a thin-walled, flexible, collapsible container, and the flexible valve is mounted in the fitment. In yet another embodiment, a package includes a container having a corner wall defining an opening, and a fitment is sealingly mounted to the corner wall at the opening. A valve is disposed within the fitment. A removable and disposable cover extends from the container over the fitment and at least a portion of the corner wall to define a hermetically sealed volume around the fitment. The cover may be pulled away from the container to expose the fitment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Hess, III, Stuart R. Brown, Joel R. Robinson, Timothy R. Socier
  • Patent number: 6045004
    Abstract: A dispensing structure is provided for a container that has an opening to the container interior. A membrane initially occludes the container opening. A cover extends over the container opening and over the membrane. The cover has a peripheral frame and a panel that is connected to the frame. The panel has a dome-like, outwardly convex configuration defining a dispensing aperture and is normally biased outwardly. The panel can be moved to an inverted, inwardly concave configuration. A dispensing valve is disposed in the cover across the dispensing aperture. A penetrator extends from the panel inwardly of the dispensing valve for penetrating the membrane when the panel is in the inwardly concave configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: John Elliott
  • Patent number: 6029866
    Abstract: A dispensing structure is provided for an opening to a container. The dispensing structure includes a body for extending from the container around the opening. The dispensing structure defines a discharge aperture communicating with the container opening. An actuator, which defines a pivot axis, is pivotally mounted on the body for occluding flow from the container through the discharge aperture when the actuator is in a closed position and permitting flow from the container when force is applied to the actuator to tilt the actuator to an open position. The actuator includes a first, generally rigid piece which is molded from a material and which defines a force-receiving region on one side of the pivot axis. The actuator includes a second piece which is molded from a material onto the first, rigid, force-receiving region and is bonded to the first, rigid piece to define a finger pad against which a finger may be pressed to tilt the actuator to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Wood, Marian Singer, Walt Witkowski
  • Patent number: 6006960
    Abstract: A dispensing structure is provided for discharging the contents from the interior of a container. The structure includes a body for extending from the container. The body defines a dispensing opening and a sealing surface around the dispensing opening. A lid is provided for movement between open and closed positions. The lid has a frame defining a lid dispensing passage through the lid. The lid has a sealing member for sealingly engaging the body sealing surface when the lid is in the closed position. The lid includes a flexible valve that is disposed within the lid frame across the lid dispensing passage. The flexible valve has self-sealing slits which open to permit flow therethrough in response to increased pressure on the side of the valve facing the container when the lid is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Gross
  • Patent number: 6003728
    Abstract: A dispensing structure is provided for a container that has an opening to the container interior. The dispensing structure includes a body for extending around the container opening and defining and access passage for access through the container opening. The body includes a chamber for receiving an additive product for adding to the container. The chamber has an initially closed upper end and has a bottom end defining a bottom end opening. A movable, bottom end closure is provided for releasably closing the chamber bottom end opening. A deformable cover is mounted to the body to accommodate deformation from an undeformed condition at which the bottom end closure closes the chamber bottom end opening to a deformed condition at which the bottom end closure is engaged and moved by the cover to a position that opens the chamber bottom end opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: John Elliott
  • Patent number: 5992668
    Abstract: A closure is provided for a container and includes a base and a lid. The base includes a body for mounting to the container, and the body defines a dispensing orifice. A tamper-evident seal extends across the dispensing orifice. The lid includes a peripheral frame, a flexible panel, and a penetrator member extending from the panel for penetrating the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: John Elliott
  • Patent number: 5975368
    Abstract: A dispensing structure is provided for a container that has an opening from which a product can be dispensed. The structure includes a body for extending around the container opening. A foraminous member is provided with a plurality of dispensing holes and is movable between a closed position and an open position. A lid is provided for sealingly occluding the foraminous member and for moving between a closed position and an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Wood
  • Patent number: 5971232
    Abstract: A system is provided for holding a dispensing valve that has a peripheral mounting flange and that is operable to discharge the contents from the interior of a container. The system includes a body for extending from the container. The body has a seat for engaging part of the valve mounting flange. The body has a resilient hinge and a protrusion that (1) extends from the hinge, and (2) has an abutment surface. The system includes a retainer for mounting to the body. The retainer has a seat for engaging part of the valve mounting flange. The retainer has a resilient hinge and an engaging member that (1) extends from the retainer hinge, and (2) has an abutment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: AptarGroup, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Rohr, Milton R. Dallas, Jr., Thomas P. Kasting