Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.

Aptargroup, Inc.

The Coca-cola Company

Jeffrey T Randall

Christopher J Wood

William H Lampe

Kelly Ann Smith

Inocencio Martinez

John M Hess

John F Kaiser

Michael G Knickerbocker

Timothy R Socier

Paul E Brown

Nicholas J Jelich

Milton R Dallas, Jr

Corinne M Blomdahl

Susan De Groot

Catherine F Schultz

Terry J Vandenboom

Jon K Plotkin

Robert M Pieters

A spurt-resistant spout for a dispensing structure includes (1) an internal tubular portion having a through bore connecting a dispensing orifice of the spout with the interior of the container, and (2) a surrounding wall portion surrounding the tubular portion. The tubular portion and the surrounding wall portion are sized and located so that little or no fluid is retained in and across the spout bore so as to prevent, or minimize, obstruction of the bore.

Spurt minimizing dispensing structure

A tamper-evident structure for use in a resealable dispensing closure system includes a lid and a flexible, frangible tamper-evident member extending from the lid to a drop ring. The drop ring is adapted to engage a bottom end of a closure body in the closure system. Preferably, the lid, frangible tamper-evident member, and drop ring are provided as a unitary, integrally molded structure. In a preferred embodiment, the closure body can also be molded as a unitary part of the structure. The lid, frangible tamper-evident member and drop ring are assembled on the closure body by first installing the lid in a closed position on the closure body. The drop ring is then pivoted downward relative to the lid, thereby causing the frangible tamper-evident member to become disposed adjacent the closure body skirt. The drop ring is located at the bottom of the closure body. The system can then be installed on a container so that the drop ring locks under a bead or lip on the container. If the closure body is subsequently removed from the container, a part of the frangible tamper-evident member is severed because the drop ring is prohibited from moving upward as the closure body is removed. Moreover, if the lid is moved away from its closed position relative to the closure body when the closure body is still on the container, then another part of the frangible tamper-evident member is severed because the drop ring, and therefore the frangible tamper-evident member, are prohibited from moving upward. Thus, the single tamper-evident feature in the form of the frangible tamper-evident member provides evidence of tampering with 1) the closure body relative to the container, and 2) the lid relative to the closure body.

Closure lid and resealable closure system with tamper-evident features

Positive orientation systems are provided for packages formed by the combination of a container and closure. In one embodiment, the invention provides a closure having a plug seal with at least one plug seal lug that cooperates with a container neck lug formed on a shoulder on an interior surface of the container neck. In another embodiment, at least one neck lug is provided on an end of the container neck and the closure body is provided with at least one closure deck lug extending from the closure deck and adapted to engage a corresponding one of the at least one neck lug.

Positive orientation systems for closures and containers

A dispensing structure is provided for dispensing the contents from the interior of a container out of an opening in the container. The structure includes a body for mounting to the container at the container opening. The body is adapted for movement in directions toward and away from the container. The body defines a dispensing orifice for establishing communication between the exterior and interior of the container. The body has a sealing member for being disposed in the container opening. The sealing member has an outer sealing surface for sealingly engaging the container around the container opening when the body is located at a first sealing position relative to the container. The sealing member defines a vent passage extending inwardly from the outer sealing surface for communicating with the container interior whereby movement of the body in the direction away from the container a sufficient amount to a venting position locates a portion of the vent passage outwardly of the container opening to establish communication between the container interior and the container exterior. A lid is provided to accommodate movement between a closed position occluding the body dispensing orifice and an open position away from the body dispensing orifice.

Dispensing structure with a venting feature

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. The body defines a first dispensing aperture communicating with the container opening. An intermediate member defines at least one second dispensing aperture that is smaller than the first dispensing aperture. The intermediate member is pivotable about an axis between a closed position and an open position. A lid is pivotable on the closure body about the same axis as the intermediate member, and the lid is pivotable between a closed position and an open position.

Single axis dual dispensing closure

A fitment is provided for incorporation into a closure assembly to provide at least one high-pressure seal suitable for maintaining high-positive pressures in a container having pressurized contents, such as carbonated beverages. The fitment and closure assembly also provide for bi-modal dispensing operations, because the fitment it can be removed from the closure assembly to provide alternative flow characteristics from the container through the closure assembly. The fitment may also be provided with one or more projections adapted to engage a thread on the closure body such that rotation of the closure body relative to the container results in removal of the fitment from the container. The fitment may also be provided with one or more projections for engaging the closure body to limit its movement relative to the container, thereby defining a fully open dispensing position of the closure body. The projection(s) preferably take the form of a plurality of radially extending ratchet shaped projections or the form of a single, helical flange extending around a peripheral surface of the fitment. A closure assembly incorporating the fitment also may include a plurality of seals formed between various features on the fitment and the closure body, which may include a hinged lid, to enhance the sealing characteristics of the closure assembly.

Fitment and resealable dispensing closure assembly for high-pressure sealing and bi-modal dispensing

A toggle-action dispensing closure for a container is provided for manipulation between a closed, non-dispensing orientation and an open, dispensing orientation. The closure includes an actuator pivotally mounted along a tilting axis on a body secured to the container. The actuator is tiltable by applying force to the actuator on one side of the tilting axis so as to move the actuator from a non-dispensing position to a dispensing position. The actuator includes a striker rib extending downwardly at a position between an edge of the actuator and the tilting axis. The body includes a deck defining a dispensing aperture and supporting a post. The post extends vertically to underlie the actuator, preventing tilting of the actuator unless a sufficient opening force is exerted on the actuator to cause the striker rib to shear, or permanently deform, the post. One embodiment includes an angled fracture control surface at the bottom of the post to ensure that the initial minimum required force to shear the post is within a desired range.

Toggle-action dispensing closure with an actuation-prevention abutment and a recessed striker rib

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. The body is provided with a plurality of dispensing apertures. A lid is provided for sealingly occluding the foraminous member and for moving between a closed position and an open position. The lid has two spaced-apart sealing walls for sealing the sides of the body channel over the dispensing apertures.

Multiple-orifice dispensing system with improved seal

A dispensing valve closure (10) is provided which includes a closure body (12) and a cap (14). A self-sealing dispensing valve (16) is disposed within the closure (10) and is held in place with a retaining ring (18). An inner seal (20) is also placed within the closure (10) to allow for sealing on a package.

Dispensing valve closure with inner seal

A sealing and dispensing closure for the outlet opening of a package, such as a flexible plastic bottle containing a consumable beverage. The closure comprises a closure base which is threaded onto the outlet opening of the bottle, and a removable overcap which is pivotally connected to the closure base. The closure base includes a spout having a self-sealing dispensing valve therein which is movable from a lowered closed position to a raised open position by an increased pressure in the bottle resulting from the squeezing of the bottle. The valve is positioned at a recessed location within the spout so as to preclude access to the valve by the consumer when the valve is lifted to its raised open position, and the overcap includes a post which seats in the upper end of the spout when the overcap is mounted on the closure base, and so as to form a hermetically sealed chamber above the valve which prevents the valve from lifting to its raised position in the event the bottle is inadvertently squeezed.

Dispensing closure for package containing a consumable beverage

A dispensing valve closure (10) is provided which includes a closure body (12) and a cap (14). A self-sealing dispensing valve (16) is disposed within the closure (10) and is held in place with a retaining ring (18). Drain holes (50-56) allow drainage of any fluids built up under the cap (14).

Growing community of inventors

Oconomowoc, WI, United States of America

Jeffrey T Randall