Break-Away venting closure

Abstract

A closure for a container, the closure including a spout having a dispensing nozzle and a tip attached to the spout at a break-away junction. The break-away junction has a vent passageway interconnecting the interior of the container with the ambient surroundings, and a vent element disposed in the passageway. The vent element is impermeable to liquids, gels, and powders, but is permeable to gases and vapors, permitting the pressure to remain equalized between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings. The closure may be attached to the container by a cap body or may be formed integrally with the container.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/188,393, filed Aug. 8, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to container closures, and more particularly to a container closure having an impact resistant break-away tip that includes a vent to allow the pressure in the container to equalize with ambient pressure.

BACKGROUND

Containers are used to contain and dispense various products, including liquids, gels, and powders. Typically, a container includes an container closure with a spout having a dispensing nozzle sealed by a break-away nozzle tip. To prevent accidental discharge of product from the container during shipment, the nozzle tip is commonly joined to or molded into the nozzle such that the tip seals the nozzle until it is broken away at a break-away junction by a consumer when the product is to be dispensed.

However, conventional container closures are not designed to manage variations in the differential pressure between the inside of the container and the ambient surroundings. Differential pressure variations can be caused by many factors. In one example, liquids, gels, powders, and even granular products often contain ingredients or components that emit gas or that slowly vaporize under standard temperature conditions. If such gaseous or vapor emissions are not allowed to vent or escape from the container, the container can become bloated and may even rupture. In another example, full containers are often shipped from one location to another, and changes in temperature and altitude during shipment, particular during air shipment, can cause significant differences between ambient pressure and the pressure inside the container. Even containers being stored in one location can be subject to changes in ambient temperature and pressure conditions. Increases in temperature and altitude (or decreases in ambient pressure) can cause the pressure inside the container to exceed that outside, tending to cause the container to bloat, while decreases in temperature and altitude (or increases in ambient pressure) can cause the pressure inside the container to decrease, tending to cause the container to collapse inward.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a container closure having a break-away tip that allows the pressure in the container to remain in balance with the ambient pressure, while still completely containing the liquid, gel, or powder product within the container. Such a vented break-away tip would preferably prevent leakage of the container contents, prevent contamination of the container contents, and provide an adequate level of air flow, even after contacted by a liquid or gel carried within the container, to allow the pressure to generally equalize across the vented tip within a short period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a one-piece container closure having spout and a break-away tip for sealing a nozzle at an end of the spout through which product is to be dispensed. The tip is joined to the spout at a break-away junction and is capable of absorbing the impact of an industry-standard drop test and remaining in place without causing the break-away junction to fracture. The tip is also capable of being easily broken off by a typical consumer who desires to dispense product from a container onto which-the closure is installed. Accordingly, the molded material for making the closure tip is flexible enough to absorb an impact but stiff enough to transmit a force applied by a user to the side of the tip to the break-away junction so as to cause the tip to separate from the closure, leaving the dispensing nozzle open at the end of the spout.

The present invention further provides a one-piece container closure having a break-away tip with a vent passageway therethrough and a gas-permeable liquid-impermeable vent element disposed in the passageway to prevent unintentional escape of the container contents but to permit gases and vapors to leave or enter the container. Liquids or gels cannot readily or easily penetrate the vent element, but gases can pass through the vent element in at least one and preferably both directions.

The closure is intended for single-use dispensing applications, where the tip is broken away and discarded. The closure is not intended to be resealed (unless a separate cap is included), because once the tip is broken away, the dispensing nozzle remains open. In particular, the closure can be used for dispensing products that have a limited life cycle or for which a predetermined amount of product is to be dispensed. In an example, the closure having a break-away tip can be used for dispensing hair products.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred. However, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a container closure showing an embodiment of a break-away venting tip of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a top view of the container closure of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a partially cut away perspective view of the container closure of FIG. 1A

FIG. 1D is a partial enlarged view of the tip of the container closure of FIG. 1C.

FIG. 1E is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the container closure of FIG. 1A showing the venting tip.

FIG. 1F is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the container closure of FIG. 1A showing the venting tip broken away from the spout.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a vent element for use in a break-away venting tip.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the vent element of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a partially cut away perspective view a container closure showing an embodiment of a break-away impact tip of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a side view of the container closure of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the container closure of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3D is a partially cut away perspective view a container closure showing an embodiment of a break-away impact tip of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a container closure showing an embodiment of a break-away impact venting tip of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the container closure of FIG. 4A

FIG. 4C is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the container closure of FIG. 4A showing the venting tip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1F a container closure 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. As shown particularly in FIGS. 1A and 1C, the container closure 10 includes cap body 14, a hollow spout 16 extending outwardly from the cap body 14, and a tip 12 extending outwardly from the spout 16. The spout has an interior cavity 15. As shown particularly in FIGS. 1E and 1F, the tip 12 is joined to the spout 16 at a break-away junction 18. The container closure 10 can be formed by injection molding as a one-piece construction, noting that different portions of the closure 10 can be molded from different materials having different properties, so that the relative stiffness or flexibility of the tip 12 can be adjusted to achieve the desired impact resistance without changing the performance characteristics of the rest of the closure 10. The container closure 10 is preferably formed from plastic. It is further contemplated that the container closure 10 can be formed integrally with a container such that the spout 16 extends outwardly from the container itself.

The cap body 14 can include any conventional mechanism for fastening to a container, such as threads or snap-on engagement. The spout 16 is preferably tapered away from the cap body 14 and terminates in a dispensing nozzle 60 having walls 66, a countersunk or recessed base 62, and a dispensing end 64. The dispensing end 64 forms an annulus around the countersunk base 62, and the tip 12 is attached to the spout 16 at the break-away junction 18 within the countersunk base 62.

The break-away junction 18 is defined by a section of thin walls 19 preferably located within the countersunk base 62 of the dispensing nozzle 60, such that when the tip 12 is broken away from the spout 16, the fractured walls 19 of the break-away junction 18 are recessed from the end of the nozzle 60. As a result, after the tip 12 is broken away, the dispensing end 64 of the dispensing nozzle 60 is smooth and contains no sharp or exposed edges that could possible contact or scratch a user's skin when product is dispensed from the container. However, it is also contemplated that the break-away junction can be located at or outward from the nozzle.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 1C and 1E, the tip 12 comprises a top portion 20 and a bottom portion 30, the bottom portion 30 extending from the break-away junction 18 outwardly to the junction with the top portion 20, which extends further outwardly to an end 22. Walls 24 of the top portion 20 define an open cavity 26 having a diameter. The walls 24 of the top portion 20 can taper from thicker at junction with the bottom portion 30 to thinner at the end 22, or can be of uniform thickness. A tapered shape of the walls 24 better enables the top portion 20 to flex under the sudden impact of a drop test, absorbing the impact forces sufficiently so that the walls 19 of the break-away junction 18 remain intact. Walls 34 of the bottom portion 30 define a cavity 36 having a diameter, the cavity 36 opening onto a central break-away region 50. The diameter of the cavity 36 is smaller than the diameter of the cavity 26, thereby creating a lip or seat 78 at the transition between the bottom portion 30 and the top portion 20, i.e., between the smaller diameter cavity 36 and the larger diameter cavity 26. The seat 78 is positioned in the tip 12 approximately at the midpoint thereof.

Together, the cavity 26 and the cavity 36 form a vent passageway providing for fluid communication between ambient surroundings and the interior of a container onto which the closure 10 is installed. However, an open passageway could also defeat the purpose of having a closure on the container, if the passageway is sufficiently large that contents of the container could unintentionally escape from or be dispensed through the vent passageway formed by cavities 26, 36.

A vent element 80 is disposed within the vent passageway to prevent unintentional escape of the container contents while providing for equalization of pressure between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the vent element 80 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a larger diameter top section 82, a smaller diameter bottom section 84, an interior passage 86, and a filter 88 disposed within the interior passage 86. The diameter of the top section 82 is preferably approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the cavity 26 in the top portion 20 of the tip 12, and the diameter of the bottom section 84 is preferably approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the cavity 36 of the bottom portion 30. Therefore, the vent element 80 can be fit into the tip 12, the top section 82 snugly held within the cavity 26, the bottom section snugly held within the cavity 36, and the junction between the top section 82 and the bottom section 84 resting on the seat 78. The interference fit between the inside walls of the cavities 26, 36 and the outside walls of the sections 82, 84 of the vent element 80 is sufficient to provide a substantially air-tight seal. It is also contemplated that the fit can be loose and the vent element 80 sealed to the interior of the tip. The seat 78 prevents the vent element 80 from being pushed or sucked into the container through the vent passageway, for example under conditions where the pressure inside the container is less than the ambient pressure.

A preferred vent element 80 comprises an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane as the filter 88. An ePTFE membrane provides an impermeable leak-proof barrier against water and other liquids, as well as against bacteria and particulate ingress into the container, while enabling rapid exchange of air and other gases therethrough in response to changes in environmental conditions such as temperature, altitude, and pressure. Further, an ePTFE membrane is well suited for packaging vent applications because it allows for the release of gases without permitting liquid penetrate or wet out the membrane, so that the membrane does not clog when contact by liquid but is still permeable to gases almost immediately after liquid contact. Other types of membranes can be used, either as part of a vent element or molded alone into the tip 12 between the chamber 26 and the chamber 36. For example, a commercially available vent element is the model D3 GORE™ Packaging Vent, sold by W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc., for use in a tip 12 having a cavity 26 of approximately 3 millimeters in diameter. Other sizes of vent elements can be used depending on the size of the tip 12 and the volume of the container onto which the closure 10 is installed.

To facilitate insertion of the vent element 80 into the tip 12, the walls 24 may be divided into a plurality of longitudinal fingers 28 separated by slots 29. The fingers 28 permit the walls 24 to flex slightly as the vent element 80 is inserted into the tip 12.

The tip 12 is sufficiently stiff such that a user can apply a sideways force to fracture the tip 12 away from the spout 16 at the break-away junction 18. The walls 24, 34 are preferably sufficiently stiff to keep from collapsing or bending in on themselves when a user applies sideways force, for example with a finger or thumb, to break off the tip 12, allowing the user-applied force to be focused onto the break-away junction 18. A medium density polyethylene has been found to perform well for construction of the tip 12, possessing both the flexibility to resist the impact forces of a drop test and the stiffness to transmit the break-away force applied by a user. A linear low polyethylene resin can also been used. In addition, harder or softer blends of material may be used depending factors including, but not limited to, user requirements and the size and/or geometry of the tip 12, the spout 16, and the break-away junction 18.

In the illustrated embodiment, the break-away region 50 is defined by a bulged cavity bounded by the walls 19 of the break-away junction 18 and disposed between an orifice 54 at the top of the spout cavity 15 and the cavity 36 in the bottom portion 30 of the tip 12. The break-away region 50 may be formed in the shape of a three-quarter ball or a bulging disk, and preferably has a diameter larger than both the orifice 54 and the cavity 36. The largest diameter portion of the break-away region 50 corresponds to the bottom of the countersunk base 62, so that the walls 19 are thinner than both the walls 34 of the bottom portion 30 of the tip 12 and the walls 66 of the spout 16 that form the orifice 54. Accordingly, when a sideways force is applied to the tip 12, preferably along the bottom portion 30, the tip 12 breaks away from the spout 16 at the break-away junction 18, which shears off at the walls 19, as shown in FIG. 1F.

Once the tip 12 has been broken away at the break-away junction 18, a mouth 52 is formed through which product can be dispensed. The mouth 52 is recessed from the dispensing end 64 so that any rough edges created by the fracture of the walls 19 at break-away junction 18 are spaced apart from the dispensing end 64 of the dispensing nozzle 60 that will be in contact with the skin of a user. The mouth 52 is larger in diameter than the orifice 54, so that the orifice 54 can be sized to precisely and accurately meter the amount and rate of product that will be dispensed. The orifice 54 is also smaller than the nozzle 60. Because the orifice 54 is located within a thicker-walled section of the spout 16, the orifice 54 is unaffected by the fracture of the walls 19 at break-away junction 18 to form the mouth 52. The shape of the break-away region 50 and the thickness of the corresponding walls 19 at the break-away junction 18 are designed to ensure that the orifice 54 remains undamaged by the removal of the tip 12.

The bulged cavity-shaped break-away region 50 can be molded into the closure 10 by tooling that is snapped out of the molded piece as the mold is opened. The size of the cavity in the break-away region 50 can be varied to control the amount of sideways force that is required to break off the tip 12 by fracturing the walls 19 of the break-away junction 18. The remainder of the closure 10 is formed by mold tooling that opens and closes along the length of the closure 10, rather than from the sides of the closure 10. As a result, the recessed or countersunk base 62 can readily be formed without creating any longitudinal seams that impair the visual appearance of the closure 10. Rather, the seam is preferably disposed along the dispensing nozzle 60 to facilitate formation of the dispensing end 64 and the recessed base 62.

Referring to FIGS. 3A to 3C, a container closure 110 is illustrated according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. The container closure 110 includes a cap body 114, a hollow spout 116 extending outwardly from the cap body 114, and a tip 112 joined to the spout 116 at a break-away junction 118. The spout 116 has an interior cavity 115.

The tip 112 comprises one or more tabs 132, a tip body 124, and a top interior cavity 126 joined to a bottom interior cavity 136, the cavities 126, 136 being disposed in the tip body 124. The diameter of the top cavity 126 is larger than the diameter of the bottom cavity 136, and a seat 178 is formed at the junction of the cavities 126, 136. The tip body 124 is molded onto the spout 116, the tip body 124 and the spout 116 being separated by the break-away junction 118 that is defined by a necked-down section of the tip body 124 having thinner walls 119. An orifice 152 disposed within the break-away junction 118 and joins the interior cavity 115 of the spout 116 with the cavities 126, 136. When the tip 112 is broken away from the spout 116 at the break-away junction 118, by a user applying a sideways or twisting force to the tip 112 using the tabs 132, product may be dispensed from the container through the orifice 152. The tabs 132 can be formed in a wide variety of configurations. An alternate configuration of tabs 132a, 132b is shown in FIG. 3D.

A vent element 80 is disposed within the passageway formed by the cavities 126, 136 to prevent unintentional escape of the container contents while providing for equalization of pressure between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the vent element comprises a larger diameter top section 82, a smaller diameter bottom section 84, an interior passage 86, and a filter 88 disposed within the interior passage 86. The diameter of the top section 82 is preferably approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the cavity 126, and the diameter of the bottom section 84 is preferably approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the cavity 136. Therefore, the vent element 80 can be press fit into the tip 112, the top section 82 snugly held within the cavity 126, the bottom section snugly held within the cavity 136, and the junction between the top section 82 and the bottom section 84 resting on the seat 178. The interference fit between the inside walls of the cavities 126, 136 and the outside walls of the sections 82, 84 of the vent element 80 is sufficient to provide a substantially air-tight seal. The filter 88 is preferably a porous element with small pores that permit gases to readily pass therethrough but inhibit liquids and other contents in the container from passing.

As illustrated in FIG. 3D, the tip 112 can further comprise one or more tabs 134 that are sufficiently large to include the cavity 126 and a portion of the 136, the cavity 136 forming a bend and extending from the orifice 152 through the tip body 124 and into the tab 134. The vent element 80 is installed within the cavities 126, 136 as discussed above.

Referring to FIGS. 4A to 4C, a container closure 210 is illustrated according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. The container closure 210 includes cap body 214, a spout 216 extending outwardly from the cap body 214, and a tip 212 joined to the spout 216 at a break-away junction 218. The break-away junction 218 is located within a countersunk base 262 of a dispensing nozzle 260, such that when the tip 212 is broken away from the spout 216, the fractured break-away junction 218 is recessed from the nozzle 260.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4C, the tip 212 comprises a top portion 220 and a bottom portion 230. The bottom portion 230 extends from the break-away junction 218 outwardly to the top portion 220, and the top portion 220 extends further outwardly from the bottom portion 230 to an end 222. Walls 224 of the top portion 220 define a cavity 226 having a diameter. The walls 224 can be tapered from thicker at the junction with the bottom portion 230 to thinner at the end 222, the tapered shape of the walls 224 better enabling the top portion 220 to flex under the sudden impact of a drop test, absorbing the force sufficiently so that the break-away 218 remains intact. Alternatively, the walls 224 can be of substantially uniform thickness. Walls 234 of the bottom portion 230 define a cavity 236 having a diameter, the walls 234 being sufficiently stiff such that a user can fracture the break-away junction 218 by exerting sideways force at any point along the bottom portion 230. The diameter of the cavity 236 is smaller than the diameter of the cavity 226, thereby creating a lip or seat 278 at the transition between the bottom portion 230 and the top portion 220, i.e., between the smaller diameter cavity 236 and the larger diameter cavity 226. The seat 278 is positioned in the tip 212 approximately at the midpoint thereof.

A vent element 80, such as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, is disposed within the passageway formed by the cavities 226, 236 to prevent unintentional escape of the container contents while providing for equalization of pressure between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings. The vent element comprises a larger diameter top section 82, a smaller diameter bottom section 84, an interior passage 86, and a filter 88 disposed within the interior passage 86. The diameter of the top section 82 is preferably approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the cavity 226 in the top portion 220 of the tip 212, and the diameter of the bottom section 84 is preferably approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the cavity 236 of the bottom portion 230. Therefore, the vent element 80 can be fit into the tip 212, the top section 82 snugly held within the cavity 226, the bottom section snugly held within the cavity 236, and the junction between the top section 82 and the bottom section 84 resting on the seat 278. The interference fit between the inside walls of the cavities 226, 236 and the outside walls of the sections 82, 84 of the vent element 80 is sufficient to provide a substantially air-tight seal.

In the illustrated embodiments, the vent element is shown mounted in the tip in a conduit between the outside of the closure and the inside. However, it is also contemplated that the vent element may be mounted in another portion of the closure, such as in the base. Also, while the vent element is mounted described as being inserted into the tip after the closure is molded, it is also contemplated that the vent element can be incorporated into the tip during molding of the closure.

The foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A container closure comprising:

a cap body for attaching the closure to a container;

a spout extending outwardly from the cap body to a nozzle; and

a tip joined to the spout at a break-away junction, the tip including a wherein the vent comprises a gas-permeable liquid-impermeable vent element which is located in a conduit the communicates between the tip and the spout, the vent permitting gas vapors to pass through while inhibiting passage of liquid.

2. The container closure of claim 1, wherein the vent element comprises a membrane.

3. The container closure of claim 2, wherein the membrane is formed from ePTFE.

4. The container closure of claim 1, wherein the vent comprises a passageway through the tip for providing fluid communication between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings, and wherein the vent further comprises a vent element for permitting gases to pass into or out of the container through the passageway and for preventing the contents of the container from passing out of the container through the passageway.

5. The container closure of claim 4, wherein the vent element comprises an ePTFE membrane.

6. The container closure of claim 4, wherein the vent element is removably installed in the tip.

7. The container closure of claim 4, wherein the vent element is integrally molded into the tip.

8. The container closure of claim 1, wherein the break-away junction is recessed from the nozzle.

9. The container closure of claim 8, wherein the spout comprises an orifice smaller than the nozzle, and wherein the break-away junction is defined by a thin-walled section located between the orifice and the nozzle.

10. The container closure of claim 9, wherein the orifice remains intact when the break-away junction is fractured to form a mouth that is larger than the orifice.

11. The container closure of claim 10, wherein the vent comprises a passageway extending through the end of the tip for providing fluid communication between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings, and wherein the vent further comprises a vent element for permitting gases to pass into or out of the container through the passageway and for preventing the contents of the container from passing out of the container through the passageway.

12. The container closure of claim 1, wherein the break-away junction is a necked down section of the tip.

13. The container closure of claim 12, wherein the tip further comprises tabs protruding outwardly from the tip.

14. The container closure of claim 13, wherein the vent comprises a passageway extending through the end of the tip for providing fluid communication between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings, and wherein the vent further comprises a vent element for permitting gases to pass into or out of the container through the passageway and for preventing the contents of the container from passing out of the container through the passageway.

15. The container closure of claim 13, wherein the vent comprises a passageway extending through one of the tabs of the tip for providing fluid communication between the interior of the container and the ambient surroundings, and wherein the vent further comprises a vent element for permitting gases to pass into or out of the container through the passageway and for preventing the contents of the container from passing through the passageway out of the container.

16. A container closure comprising:

a cap body for attaching the closure to a container;

a spout extending outwardly from the cap body to a nozzle;

a tip joined to the spout at a break-away junction; the tip having a vent passageway adapted to interconnect the interior of the container with the ambient surroundings when the closure is mounted to the container; and

a gas-permeable liquid-impermeable vent element disposed within the passageway.

17. The container closure of claim 16, wherein the break-away junction is recessed from the nozzle.

18. The container closure of claim 16, wherein the vent element comprises an ePTFE membrane.

19. A container comprising:

a spout having a dispensing nozzle;

a tip joined to the spout at a break-away junction; the tip having a vent passageway communicating between the tip and the spout; and

a gas-permeable liquid-impermeable vent element disposed within the passageway.