초록 ▼

A closure device for a container provided with at least three compartments open at the top of the container and angularly offset from one another around the container axis, including a cover mounted on top of the container, and presenting first and second dispensing openings, a cap covering the top

A closure device for a container provided with at least three compartments open at the top of the container and angularly offset from one another around the container axis, including a cover mounted on top of the container, and presenting first and second dispensing openings, a cap covering the top of the container, enclosing the cover and provided with an outlet opening, and linkage connected between the cover and the cap for permitting the cap to rotate relative to the cover so that the outlet opening of the cap moves between the first and second dispensing openings and for causing the cap and cover to rotate as a unit when the cap outlet opening is aligned with one of the dispensing openings and the cap is rotating in the direction away from the other dispensing opening with respect to the angular path.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A closure device for a container provided with at least three compartments open at the top of the container and angularly offset from one another around the container axis, said device comprising: cover means mounted on top of said container, and rotatable about its axis, said cover means over

1. A closure device for a container provided with at least three compartments open at the top of the container and angularly offset from one another around the container axis, said device comprising: cover means mounted on top of said container, and rotatable about its axis, said cover means overlying all of said compartments and presenting first and second dispensing openings having respectively different configurations and spaced apart from one another about the container axis, said cover means presenting a compartment sealing region between said openings; cap means covering the top of said container, enclosing said cover means and provided with an outlet opening, said cap means being mounted for rotation about the axis of said container to bring said outlet opening into alignment with any selected one of said compartments; and linkage means connected between said cover means and said cap means for permitting said cap means to rotate relative to said cover means through an angular path over which said cap means outlet opening moves between said first and second dispensing openings of said cover means and for causing said cap means and cover means to rotate as a unit when said cap means outlet opening is aligned with one of said dispensing openings and said cap means is rotating in the direction away from the other said dispensing opening with respect to the angular path. 2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said compartment sealing region has an angular extent at least equal to that of said outlet opening. 3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said cap means comprise a circular portion extending perpendicular to the container axis and a cylindrical, peripheral portion extending from the circular portion for securing the cap to the top of the container, and said linkage means comprise a region of said cover means provided with an arcuate slot subtending a portion of a circle and having its center of curvature aligned with the container axis, and a pin projecting from that surface of said circular portion of said cap means which is directed toward the container and extending into said slot. 4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3 wherein said slot is located and dimensioned to cause said pin to bear against a respective end of said slot when said outlet opening in said cap means is in alignment with a respective one of said dispensing openings in said cover means. 5. An arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein said region of said cover means which comprises a part of said linkage means is formed to present a detent position for said pin at a location corresponding to alignment of said outlet opening in said cap means with said compartment sealing region of said cover means. 6. An arrangement as defined in claim 5 wherein said region of said cover means forming part of said linkage means presents a plurality of resilient bearing fingers each located to bear against said pin when said pin is located at either end of said slot or at said detent position. 7. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover means further comprises detent positioning means arranged to cooperate with the container to define a succession of selected angular positions of said cover means about the axis of the container, each such position corresponding to alignment of at least one of said dispensing openings with a respective compartment. 8. An arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second dispensing openings in said cover means are spaced apart by a distance related to the separation between compartments in a manner such that each selected position of said cover means about the container axis causes each of said dispensing openings to be aligned with a respectively different compartment. 9. A dispenser comprising: a container provided with at least three axially-extending compartments open at the top of said container and angularly offset from one another around the axis of said container; and a closure device as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 mounted upon the top of said container. 10. A closure device for a container provided with at least three compartments open at the top of the container and angularly offset from one another around the container axis, said device comprising: first cover means arranged to be mounted on top of the container, and rotatable about its axis, said cover means being arranged to overly all of the compartments and presenting first and second dispensing openings having respectively different configurations and spaced apart from one another about the container axis, said cover means presenting a compartment sealing region between said openings; second cover means arranged to cover the top of the container, adjacent said first cover means and provided with an outlet opening, said second cover means being arranged to be mounted for rotation about the axis of the container to bring said outlet opening into alignment with any selected one of the compartments; and linkage means connected between said first and second cover means for permitting said second cover means to rotate relative to said first cover means through an angular path over which said second cover means outlet opening moves between said first and second dispensing openings of said first cover means and for causing said first and second cover means to rotate as a unit when said second cover means outlet opening is aligned with one of said dispensing openings and said second cover means is rotating in the direction away from the other said dispensing opening with respect to the angular path. 11. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein said compartment sealing region has an angular extent at least equal to that of said outlet opening. 12. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein said second cover means comprise a circular portion extending perpendicular to the container axis and a cylindrical, peripheral portion extending from the circular portion for securing said second cover means to the top of the container, and said linkage means comprise a region of said first cover means provided with an arcuate slot subtending a portion of a circle and having its center of curvature aligned with the container axis, and a pin projecting from that surface of said circular portion of said second cover means which is directed toward the container and extending into said slot. 13. An arrangement as defined in claim 12 wherein said slot is located and dimensioned to cause said pin to bear against a respective end of said slot when said outlet opening in said second cover means is in alignment with a respective one of said dispensing openings in said first cover means. 14. An arrangement as defined in claim 13 wherein said region of said first cover means which comprises a part of said linkage means is formed to present a detent position for said pin at a location corresponding to alignment of said outlet opening in said second cover means with said compartment sealing region of said first cover means. 15. An arrangement as defined in claim 14 wherein said region of said first cover means forming part of said linkage means presents a plurality of resilient bearing fingers each located to bear against said pin when said pin is located at either end of said slot or at said detent position. 16. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein said first cover means further comprises detent positioning means arranged to cooperate with the container to define a succession of selected angular positions of said first cover means about the axis of the container, each such position corresponding to alignment of at least one of said dispensing openings with a respective compartment. 17. An arrangement as defined in claim 16 wherein said first and second dispensing openings in said first cover means are spaced apart by a distance related to the separation between compartments in a manner such that each selected position of said first cover means about the container axis causes each of said dispensing openings to be aligned with a respectively different compartment. 18. A dispenser comprising: a container provided with at least three axially-extending compartments open at the top of said container and angularly offset from one another around the axis of said container; and a closure device as defined in claim 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17 mounted upon the top of said container. 19. A closure device for a container provided with multiple compartments, each compartment having an opening spaced from the openings of the other compartments, said device comprising: first cover means arranged to be mounted on the container, and movable thereon, said cover means being arranged to overly all of the compartment openings and presenting first and second dispensing openings having respectively different configurations and spaced apart from one another, said cover means presenting a compartment opening sealing region between said dispensing openings; second cover means arranged to cover the container, adjacent said first cover means and provided with an outlet opening, said second cover means being arranged to be mounted for movement on the container to bring said outlet opening into alignment with any selected one of the compartment openings; and linkage means connected between said first and second cover means for permitting said second cover means to move relative to said first cover means along a path over which said second cover means outlet opening moves between said first and second dispensing openings of said first cover means and for causing said first and second cover means to move as a unit when said second cover means outlet opening is aligned with one of said dispensing openings and said second cover means is moved in the direction away from the other said dispensing opening with respect to the path.