Dispensing apparatus at a container for a liquid or several liquids, at a conduit or the like

The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus at a container (1) for a liquid or several liquids or at a conduit. The front wall (2) of the container or the like has a dispensing tube (3), which is provided with a seat-forming holding element (10) for a valve body (20). According to the invention the valve body is mounted concentrically in the tube opening (8), has a rod-like shape (21) and is with an outer end (22) guided by said holding element (10) and with an inner end (26) of a cup spring (28), which surrounds it and which at least in its rest or closing position is designed as a cone, which is open towards the first-mentioned end and which is supported by and is prestressed against the inner side of said front wall (2) or a corresponding wall in said dispensing tube or the like (3).

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Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth in the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such dispensing apparatuses usually are mounted at one end of tubular containers, pots or the like, which contain a liquid, which is to be sold. These containers can be made of a rigid or deformable plastic material, sheet metal, aluminium sheet or the like. They can be provided with a piston with a certain or many different possible shapes and an actuator for the piston and/or be designed to be compressed in order to dispense the contents in the container. The liquid can be a glue, a sealant, a pharmaceutical, a medical product, a food product etc. and can have an arbitrary consistency, e.g. flow easily or be viscous.

One strives, which such dispensing apparatuses after a completed dispensing, to be able to carry out a satisfactory and particularly an air-tight closing; and to obtain a uniform dispensing; and to abruptly and without waste stop the dispensing; and to empty a container as completely as possible respectively. Sometimes one mainly strives to obtain just one of these characteristics, sometimes several and sometimes all of them, according to the specific application area. By using a dispensing apparatus, mounted in a conduit or the like, an automatic liquid dispensing will be achieved only above a certain pressure level and a quick and waste-free blocking of the dispensing by going below said level.

However, what is aimed at often is not attained at all or not in a satisfactory or reliable way. The main object of the present invention is to always obtain a completely satisfactory, reliable and air-tight closing after a completed dispensing, irrespective of the viscosity of the used liquid. Additional safety means, which secures and improves the closing position, preferably are used.

Also, according to the invention it must be possible, if so desired, to abruptly and without waste be able to stop the dispensing and empty a container as completely as possible respectively. With the known dispensing apparatuses the dispensing is namely often done in an uncontrollable way and e.g. trickle or flowing afterwards may happen. This will be stopped in an efficient way by using the present invention.

Another drawback of known techniques is, that the force, required for the dispensing, is inadequate and it is for instance necessary to use relatively large forces and still obtain a too limited dispensing or a relatively small use of force will result in a too large dispensing. The object of the present invention is in this, respect to make it possible for a carefully adjustable control to obtain, with adequate forces and a desirable speed, a uniform dispensing of a desirable amount. This means, that it is possible to control the use of the medium to a desired volume, which means, that a desired amount always will be obtained and that consequently no unnecessary energy will be used. This is an important factor in the life cycle of the product.

Known constructions of dispensing apparatuses are often relatively complicated, expensive and time-consuming to mount. They are sensitive to disturbances and are often not integrated with or adapted to the container. Their functionality can be negatively affected during long storage periods or varying storage conditions. Finally, the design and the position of the dispensing apparatuses often result in, that the apparatuses easily are damaged and that their function is jeopardized.

The construction results in a variety of environmental consequences, which are factors, which must be considered and which in modern products are of vital importance.

Thanks to the described design opportunities have been created allowing the production of the entire dispensing apparatus in just one material and also adjusted to be coordinated with the material of the container. Thus, the entire unit can be recycled, with minimal environmental damages. In known constructions several materials have often been used, which means, that these apparatuses can not be recycled in an appropriate way. Thus, from the point of view of the society it is important, that constructions, which do not require virgin resources, will be used. The dispensing apparatus according to the present invention is such a construction.

Another important function of the new construction is, that, compared to known solutions, the used, almost empty container/bottle does not leak in an uncontrollable way after its use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In all these respects the present invention will provide important improvements or will eliminate existing deficiencies and dangers. Also, the invention will develop the state of the art in this field in various additional respects. Some of these are the opportunities for recycling and integration respectively, i.e. the supply of containers having completely or at least partially integrated dispensing apparatuses, which so far often have been made by other manufacturers and/or of other manufacturing materials, e.g. metal, which is conducive to risks of functional problems etc.

These objects are realized according to the present invention by mainly designing a dispensing apparatus of the type set forth in the introduction above in a way, which is set forth in the characterizing clause of claim 1.

Additional characterizing features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, which show a few preferred but not limiting embodiments in a partly schematic way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are shown in detail in diametrically axial, partly in the sake of clarity somewhat schematic cross-sections, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a dispensing apparatus according to the invention in a rest or closing position, with part enlargements;

FIG. 2 shows the apparatus according to FIG. 1 in a working or dispensing position;

FIG. 3 are views according to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of a dispensing apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the apparatus according to FIG. 3 in a working or dispensing position;

FIG. 5 are views according to FIG. 1 of a fourth embodiment of a dispensing apparatus according to the invention, in which the container for it in an integrated form comprises all the components, which are essential for the dispensing;

FIG. 6 shows the apparatus according to FIG. 5 in a working or dispensing position;

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged outer dispensing tube area, which is a component of a dispensing apparatus, designed according to FIGS. 1-6, which area includes a sealing lip in a not actuated condition in a diametrically axial cross-section; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of another modified dispensing apparatus according to the invention, which is particularly suitable for a mounting in a conduit or the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the drawings an e.g. rotation-symmetrical container 1 is shown, which has a front outwardly suitably slightly convex support wall 2, which in a centrally and axially projecting position is provided with a preferably mainly cylindrical dispensing device or tube 3 having an outer thread 4, designed for a screwing on of a lid 5 with a corresponding inner thread 34. This device and possibly a portion of wall 2 may alternatively comprise a separate part (not shown), which can be inserted into an opening, designed for this purpose, in said wall. This type of design may be preferable, in case it is suitable to fill the container from the front and then adapt the dispensing device. In the first-mentioned case the rearwardly or downwardly open container is filled from this later direction, and then a piston 6 is adapted in the same direction or the rear or the lower container end 7 is closed by welding. Finally, the container, the dispensing tube and the remaining dispensing means can be integrated according to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The container suitably is made of a plastic material, particularly of polyethylene or polypropylene. However, a metal, particularly aluminium, can be used as an alternative.

In opening 8 of the dispensing tube an inwardly projecting lip 10 all around, comprising a holding element and a valve seat, suitably is arranged in a practical embodiment at a small distance from orifice plane 9, e.g. 3-20 mm. Lip 10 can be regarded as a cone, which cooperates with body 21 of valve 20 and which thus displays a breaking, limiting function in connection with the squeezing out of the enclosed medium from the container. The lip suitably is made jointly with the tube and the entire container respectively, preferably through injection moulding, and projects in a tapering or narrowing way obliquely forwards towards the centre of the orifice plane under a general or average angle of 30-60°, preferably about 45°. The tapering is done, expressed in detail and shown in FIG. 7, by extending shoulder 11 of the lip in the axial direction somewhat longer towards rear end 7 of the container in order to increase the support for free end area 12 of the lip towards said container end. Lower side 13 of the lip shoulder suitably is mainly straight, includes about half this side of the lip and encloses an angle of e.g. about 20° with cylindrical inner wall 14 of the tube, which for the rest suitably is flat, whereas the lip on its upper side 15, in addition to a weak concave arching at the shoulder, mainly is straight and enclose an angle of on average 40-80°, preferably about 60° between itself and the opposite tube wall. In connection with side 13 the lip forms on its lower side a short, suitably somewhat concave side 16, which thus easily diverges from upper side 15 and which, via a more pronounced buckling point 17, is transformed into a mainly straight release side 18, which jointly with the upper side at its farthest end forms a sharp lip point 19 with an angle of 10-40°, preferably 25°. Release side 18 encloses an angle of 5-45°, preferably about 25°, with the tube axis in its imaginary extension. The lip occupies about 30-70% of the cross-sectional area of opening 8, i.e. extends over about 10-50% of the diameter of opening 8.

Lower or rear end 7 of the container may in certain cases be welded up after the filling of the container in a filling station. In other cases this end may be left open and in this end a piston 6 may be introduced after the filling, which in both cases suitably is accomplished by turning the container upside-down, but the tube or the like 3 must first be closed, particularly by providing it with a valve body 20 for an automatic closing.

Valve body 20 has a rod-shaped or mainly cylindrical body 21, front end or outer end 22 of which comprises a forwardly or outwardly, preferably softly rounded head 23 having a round fastening edge 24, which projects above said body and which is located within an at least mainly radial plane in relation to said body. In connection with said fastening edge said head forms a suitably axial or weakly conical, short cylindrical surface 25, which via a small bending radius is transformed into a softly rounded main surface. As an alternative the head can be designed as a cone.

Rear or lower end 26 of body 21 suitably ends abruptly at 27 and is transformed hear into a cup spring 28, which jointly with the rear body end suitably roughly is designed as a truncated cone with a cone angle of 30-60°, preferably about 45°, is open forwards, i.e. surrounds the rear body end at a distance, which increases from end surface 27. A cup spring is to be defined in this connection as any type of resilient or elastic means, applied around the body. Thus, it may be e.g. blades, legs and even threads, separated from each other by spaces. However, cup spring 28 preferably principally originates from the basic shape of a cup or plate and is of uniform thickness, but it ends as a roughly radial front end surface 29, a somewhat obliquely outwardly and forwardly extended point being formed with an angle of about 30°. This point is slightly rounded, i.e. has a bending radius of 0.2-1 mm. The transition from end surface 29 into inner or front surface 30 of the cup spring comprises a round edge with a small bending radius, because said surfaces jointly enclose an angle of 130-170°, preferably about 150°. Also, the cup spring is provided with a number of holes 31, which are evenly distributed along its periphery, have a relatively large diameter, e.g. 15-40% of the extension of the spring from said body and are through holes, straight through, possibly coaxially through the body. Instead of holes arbitrarily designed, e.g. slot-shaped, radially extending openings can be used, possibly openings, which freely end at the periphery of the cup or plate.

The diameter of said body is e.g. 10-50% smaller than the width of opening 8 of the tube. In this way a dispensing duct with a sufficiently large cross-sectional area is obtained. Front end 22 and rear end 26 of the body preferably have the same diameter, but a smaller or larger concentric diameter reduction 32 may extend between the two ends. This will facilitate the production and results in material savings. In certain cases (see e.g. FIGS. 5 and 6) fastening edge 24 may extend inside diameter reduction 32 and form jointly with it a V-groove 33, in which lip point 19 roughly cone-shaped can be introduced and in this way secure a particularly efficient holding action and sealing respectively. As an alternative diameter reduction 32 may penetrate fastening edge 24 and to some extent into end 22 or solutions similar to the above-mentioned solutions may be used, i.e. part 24 as well as part 32 may have a small angle inwards.

The design shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 functions in the following way: In FIG. 1 container 1 is filled with a liquid and lid 5 is screwed down completely onto tube 3. The lid, possibly having an inner rise 36, abuts head 23 and possibly presses it somewhat firmer downwards against fastening edge 24 and possibly a V-groove on lip point 19 (see FIG. 7) respectively, particularly the latter, in addition to the lip in its entirety, being expanded somewhat and/or being allowed to penetrate a certain distance into the material of rod-shaped body 21 in order to increase the sealing pressure and make the joining more efficient. However, valve 20, with its lid or without, is slightly prestressed between lip 10 and free wall 2, i.e. the lip tends to push the valve inwards, whereas cup spring 28 tends to pull the valve further into the container. The total prestressing distance may be 1-10 mm, preferably about 2 mm in a practical embodiment, while the described cooperation between the lid and the valve, with a certain pressing downwards of the latter, prestores the prestress somewhat for the benefit of the area around the lip, but preferably without a complete disappearance of the elasticity of the bearing of the cup spring against the front wall. However, the cup spring is disengaged somewhat and its front, outer point slightly abuts the front wall.

In case the lid is removed or is replaced with a spout 35 according to e.g. FIG. 4, primarily the prestress is adjusted, in case the pressure action has been exerted on the valve, the holding and sealing action of the lip decreasing somewhat. In case it is desirable to dispense a portion of the contents in the container, an elastic container wall will be compressed in order to increase the pressure on the contents in the container and e.g. a piston 6 is activated respectively, also the pressure being increased on the cup spring from inside the container and the spring being compressed with a slight levelling off-tendency towards the front wall, until the front valve body end is lifted from lip 10 and allows the lip to be constricted elastically, mainly radially outwards, an annular groove 37 being formed between the lip and rod-shaped body 21, liquid being propagated and penetrating openings 31, into the dispensing element hole and said annular gap and out from the dispensing element or the like and towards the application area (FIG. 2). During the dispensing the cup spring, the openings in it and the lip, which is elastically held outside said annular gap, will jointly allow a certain substantial constant dispensing pressure, which results in, that the dispensing will be very even. The lip plays now an important role in the form of a valve cone, which surrounds rod-shaped body 21, thereby designed to control the dispensed flow. The gap between lip 10 and body 20 can be selected depending on the type of medium to be controlled. In case the dispensing pressure is too low, valve 20 and lip 10 respectively will be closed, In case the dispensing pressure is too high, the cup spring, the openings in it and the lip have a damping action, only a small increase of the dispensed amount and a small increased dispensing speed being realized. By dimensioning to a corresponding degree and carrying out a mutual size adjustment for these parts, it is possible to control the dispensing extensively. In case it is desirable to stop the dispensing, the operator just removes the pressure on the contents in the container, the cup spring due to its inherent elasticity springing back to its closing position, shown in FIG. 1. When the spring springs back, the total volume between the spring cup, the front wall and the valve element increases and a weak vacuum results, which is eliminated, partly because liquid is drawn into said volume from the interior of the container through the openings in the cup spring and partly because liquid is drawn from the exterior free end of the dispensing element outside valve body head 23 and lip 10 and through annular gap 37, which accelerates the valve closing, particularly because said vacuum is obtained also on the entire lower side of the lip and also the release side. The size of this vacuum level can be changed by changing the size of the spring force and consequently be adjusted to conditions, which are suitable for various applications. However, the vacuum is so small, that no air is drawn into the container from the outside, because only a small fraction of the space, filled with liquid or covered by a liquid film, outside the lip is involved. When the valve is closed, a pressure adjustment takes place through the openings in the cup spring and only the remaining elasticity of the latter, i.e. an elastic abutment pressure against the inner side of the front wall, keeps the valve closed.

During the described release movement of the cup spring free surface 29 slides along the inner side of the front wall, the passage from inner side 30 to surface 29 primarily allowing the sliding contact (FIG. 2), then the entire surface 29 and finally (FIG. 1) the radially and outwardly located pointed part. When a closing is changed into a dispensing, the process is the opposite. This means, that the cup spring point and the inner side of the front wall are protected and that these parts can obtain a long life without fatigue or functional disturbances.

After the dispensing a lid 5 suitably is screwed onto the dispensing element again, the effects described above being obtained. In case the contents in the container is a glue, it may be suitable to wait a little, until the glue residue in the outermost dispensing element part has solidified and can be removed. In case a spout is used, it is possible to throw it away together with solidified glue residues in it and in the opening of the dispensing element, when a new dispensing, using a new spout, will take place again later on.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 there are no openings 31 in the cup spring and the rod-shaped body 21 is instead hollow. The rearwardly open cavity 38 extends all the way to front rod end 22, where the large cavity 38 ends abruptly, but it communicates with the area outside this rod area through dispensing holes 39, which extend through the body and are disposed along the periphery and which suitably have a horizontal rectangular profile and are covered by lip 10 in their closing position. Because release side 18 of the lip from point 19 can be oblique a little downwards and outwards, it can be advantageous, if a pointed bead 40, which extends around the outer side of the body, is arranged below dispensing holes 39. It is shown in FIG. 3, that bead 40 penetrates the lip a little in the closing position and stops liquid from penetrating into hollow space 41 between body 21, the cup spring, the front wall, the dispensing element and the lip, which in certain cases can be important, e.g. in case hollow space 41 is to be filled with air or another liquid. The bead can also, in the open position in FIG. 4, keep the lip point at a small distance from the body in order to guide the lip point, on its way to its closing position, past the dispensing holes and only after the passage of these holes allow the lip point to abut the holes, the walls of which close to the head otherwise being able to damage the lip point.

This embodiment functions otherwise like the first described embodiment, but the contents of the container does not penetrate the cup spring but is fed through the rod-shaped body and, when a certain pressure level has been reached, through the dispensing holes, when the valve element has been removed slightly from the lip and the dispensing holes have been exposed. When the pressure has fallen below said pressure level, the cup spring will again draw the valve body downwards to the closing position according to FIG. 3.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 an embodiment of the container is shown, which is substantially similar to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Instead of front wall 2 in the first embodiment in this second embodiment a shoulder is arranged within dispensing element 3, which in a preferably oblong shape is made in one piece with the container. Rear container end 7 is open until the filling, and then it will be closed, preferably by welding (see FIG. 6).

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is particularly suitable for a mounting in a conduit 44 or in a container tube. The design comprises a plug 45 with a circular cylindrical outer surface, the front/outer end of which is orifice plane 9 and the rear/inner end of which is used as said support wall 2. In its interior the plug is designed like the design according to FIGS. 1 and 2, possibly according to FIGS. 3 and 4. The valve is also designed according to these figures or according to a few of the rest of the figures. The advantage of this design is, that it can be applied on conventional container tube or conduit designs, where the fastening is done in a known fashion. Thus, when the design is mounted in a conduit, where the force and the prestressing respectively of the cup spring preferably is much larger than the force and the prestressing used for container designs, means are obtained, by selecting said force/prestress, which allows an automatic dispensing above a corresponding pressure level and also an automatic, waste-free closing, when the pressure level is lower than said level. Also, the flow will be uniform.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the enclosed drawings, which can be modified and supplemented in an arbitrary way within the scope of the inventive idea and the following claims. Thus, details can be exchanged between the various embodiments.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A dispensing apparatus at a container (1) for a liquid or several liquids, at a conduit or the like (44), a support wall (2) being provided in connection with a dispensing tube or the like (3), which is provided with a seat-forming holding element (10) for a valve body,

wherein the valve body is concentrically disposed in the tube opening (8), has an oblong, rod-like shape (21) and is, with an outer end (22), guided by the holding element (10), which also has a flow-limiting function, and with an inner end (26) of a resilient element, which surrounds the same, preferably one at least in a rest or closing position as a cup spring (28), designed as a truncated cone, which is open and inverted towards the first-mentioned end and which is supported by and is prestressed around the tube against the inner side of the front wall (2) or a corresponding wall in the dispensing tube (3), and the entire dispensing apparatus is made of a material having the same properties throughout.

15. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the opening (8) of the tube, suitably at some distance from its orifice plane (9), e.g. 3-20 mm, an inwardly projecting tip (10) all around is disposed, which is the holding element and at the same time a cone for a flow constriction, in that the lip suitably is made jointly with the tube and the entire container respectively, preferably through injection moulding, and projects with a narrowing obliquely forwards towards the center of the orifice plane with an of between about 30-60°.

16. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at the narrowing area the shoulder (11) of the lip, in an axial direction, extends somewhat further towards the rear end (7) of the container to improve support for the free end area (12) of the lip in a direction from the container end, the lower side (13) of the lip shoulder is generally straight, comprises about half this side of the lip and includes an angle of about 20° with the inner wall (14) of the tube, which for the rest suitably is slightly cylindrical, whereas the lip on its upper side (15) in addition to a slight concave curvature at the shoulder is generally straight and includes an angle of between about 40-80° between it and the adjacent tube wall, and the lip in connection with the lower side (13) of the lip shoulder at the lower side forms a short, suitably slightly concave side (16), which preferably slightly diverges in relation to the upper side (15) and which suitably via a quite pronounced buckling point (17) changes into a generally straight release side (18), which jointly with the upper side outwards forms a sharp lip point (19) with an angle of between about 10-40° and which includes an angle of between about 5-45° with the tube axis in its imaginary extension, as well as in that the lip covers between about 30-70% of the cross-sectional area of the tube opening (8) and extends over about 10-50% of the diameter of the tube opening.

17. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve body (20) has a rod-shaped or generally cylindrical body (21), the front or outer end (22) of which is a forwardly or outwardly, preferably softly rounded head (23) with a fastening edge (24) all around, which projects above the body, which edge is located within an at least generally radial plane, in relation to the body, and this head in connection with the fastening edge forms a suitably axial or slightly narrowing, short cylindrical surface (25) which, via a small bending radius, is changed into a softly rounded main surface or the head is cone-shaped.

18. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the rear or lower end (26) of the body suitably ends abruptly (at 27) and changes here into the cup spring (28), which jointly with the rear body end suitably is roughly truncated cone-shaped with a cone angle of between about 30-60° and is open forwards so at to surround the rear body end with a distance, which increases from the end surface (27), the cup spring has a uniform thickness and ends as a roughly radial front end surface (29), a slightly obliquely outwardly and forwardly directed point being formed with an angle of about 300, this point preferably is slightly rounded and has a bending radius of 0.2-1 mm, and the change from the end surface (29) to the inner or front surface (30) of the cup spring is formed by an edge all around with a small bending radius.

19. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the cup spring is provided with a number of through openings (31), evenly distributed along its periphery, crosswise, possibly coaxially directed along the body, preferably openings with a relatively large diameter of about 15-40% of the extension of the spring from the body, or slit-shaped, possibly radially directed openings, which freely end at the periphery of the cup spring.

20. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the diameter of the body is about 10-50% smaller than the width of the tube opening (8) and/or the front end (22) and the rear end (26) of the body preferably has the same diameter, a short or oblong concentric diameter reduction (32) extending between the two ends and/or the fastening edge (24) extends inside the diameter reduction (32) in order to jointly with it form a V-groove (33), into which the lip point (19) roughly with the same shape an penetrate and in this way allow a particularly efficient holding action and sealing respectively, and/or the diameter reduction (32) penetrates the fastening edge (24) and with a small distance into the front edge (22) of the body or the fastening edge (24) and the diameter reduction (32) extend inwards with a small angle.

21. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least at the filled container (1) a lid (5) is designed to be completely screwed down on the body (3) in order to abut, with an inner rise (36), against the head (23) and possibly press it slightly harder by means of the fastening edge (24) and possibly a V-groove on the lip point (19) respectively, particularly the latter, in addition to the lip in its entirety, being designed to least one of expand and penetrate slightly into the material of the rod-shaped body (21) to increase the sealing pressure and make the holding together more efficient, the valve (20), with or without a lock screwed on, is designed to be slightly prestressed between the lip (10) and the front wall (2), the lip tending to push the valve body outwards, and the cup spring (28) tending to pull the valve body further inwards into the container, the total prestressing distance being designed to be about 1-10 mm, the possible cooperation between the lock and the valve element, with a small pressing downwards of the latter, being designed to slightly prestore the prestressing, which is advantageous to the area around the lip, but preferably without completely loosing the elasticity of the abutment of the cup spring against the front wall.

22. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, when the dispensing is discontinued, the pressure of the contents in the container is designed to cease, the cup spring, due to its inherent elasticity, spring backs to the closing position, and, when this springing back takes place, a volume contained by the cup spring, the front wall and the tube, is designed to be increased, a small vacuum being formed, which is designed to be cancelled, partly due to a drawing of liquid into the volume from the interior of the container through the openings in the cup spring and partly due to a drawing of liquid from the outer free end of the tube outside the valve body head (23) and the lip (10) and thanks to the annular gap (37), the valve closing being accelerated, and the vacuum is so weak, that no air is drawn into the container from the outside, because only a fraction of the liquid-filled or of a liquid film covered space outside the lip is involved, and, when the valve is closed, a pressure balance occurs through the openings in the cup spring, only the remaining elasticity of the latter, i.e. an elastic abutment pressure against the inner side of the front wall, keeping the valve closed.

23. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein during the unstressing movement of the cup spring its free surface (29) is designed to slide along the inner side of the front wall (2), the change from the inner side (30) of the cup spring to the surface (29) being designed principally to promote the sliding contact and subsequently the entire surface (29) and finally the radially outwardly located pointed part in order to protect the point of the cup spring and the inner side of the front wall.

24. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cup spring is completely closed, whereas the rod-shaped body (21) is made hollow with a cavity (38), which is open backwards and extends preferably all the way to the forward rod end (22), where the cavity (38) preferably ends abruptly but communicates with the area outside this rod area via crosswise through the body directed, along the periphery distributed dispensing holes (39), which suitably have a horizontal rectangular profile and which are covered by the lip (10) in the closing position, and below the dispensing holes (39) preferably a pointed bead (40) is disposed all around the outside of the body, which bead is designed to stop liquid from penetrating into the hollow space (41) between the body (21), the cup spring, the front wall, the tube and the lip, and/or the bead is designed, in the open position, to retain the lip point at a small distance from the body in order to, when approaching the closing position, guide the lip point past the dispensing holes and only after passing these holes allow the lip point to cover the holes.

25. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, particularly for one-way purposes, the function of the front wall (2) is removed to a shoulder inside the tube (3), which in a preferably oblong shape is made in one piece jointly with the container, the rear container end (7) preferably being open until the filling, after which it is designed to be closed, preferably by welding.

26. The dispensing apparatus according to claims 14, wherein the apparatus comprises an outwardly circular cylindrical plug (45) with a front/outer end as an orifice plane (9) and with a rear/inner end, which will function as a support wall (2), and with a central through opening (8) between these two ends with a lip (10) for a valve body (20), which plug is designed to be fastened on one of a container tube (3) and a conduit (44).

Patent History
Publication number: 20060261098
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 19, 2004
Publication Date: Nov 23, 2006
Inventor: Hugo Nilsson (Ljungby)
Application Number: 10/549,070
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 222/496.000
International Classification: B65D 25/40 (20060101);