IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0325150
(2011-12-14)
|
등록번호 |
US-8499985
(2013-08-06)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Lehmkuhl, Robert A.
- Harding, Jeffrey A.
- Briere, Marc A.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Wood, Herron & Evans, LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
16 |
초록
▼
A vented automatic dispending cap for use with a flexible container may generally include a body and a retainer cap attached to the body. A pressure chamber is formed between the body and retainer cap. A set of resilient spring members spaced around the body holds the retainer cap against the body,
A vented automatic dispending cap for use with a flexible container may generally include a body and a retainer cap attached to the body. A pressure chamber is formed between the body and retainer cap. A set of resilient spring members spaced around the body holds the retainer cap against the body, which seats a valve within a dispensing hole extending through the cap. When the container is squeezed, product in the container may be forced into the pressure chamber expanding the pressure chamber and unseating the valve, thereby allowing product to exit the dispensing opening. A lip seal around the upper circumferential edge of the body prevents fluid from leaking out of the sides of the chamber but allows air to enter the chamber for venting the flexible container.
대표청구항
▼
1. An automatic dispensing cap for use with a container, the automatic dispensing cap comprising: a body comprising a sealing lip and a protrusion, anda retainer cap connected to the body and having a chamber therein and a dispensing aperture in fluid communication with the chamber,wherein the retai
1. An automatic dispensing cap for use with a container, the automatic dispensing cap comprising: a body comprising a sealing lip and a protrusion, anda retainer cap connected to the body and having a chamber therein and a dispensing aperture in fluid communication with the chamber,wherein the retainer cap can move relative to the body between a closed position wherein the protrusion is seated in the dispensing aperture to prevent fluid flow through the dispensing aperture, and an open position wherein the protrusion is unseated from the dispensing aperture to allow fluid flow through the dispensing aperture,wherein the retainer cap is resiliently biased toward the closed position, andwherein the sealing lip is resiliently biased against the retainer cap and acts as a one-way valve to prevent fluid from exiting the chamber and to allow air to enter the chamber. 2. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 1, wherein the sealing lip is a plastic membrane less than approximately 0.5 mm in thickness. 3. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 1, further comprising a spring member operatively coupled to the retainer cap, the spring member resiliently biasing the retainer cap toward the closed position. 4. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 3, wherein the body has a plurality of spring members protruding therefrom, the body positioned in the interior of the retainer cap with the spring members contacting an inner surface of the retainer cap. 5. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 1, wherein the retainer cap is rotatable between a locked position wherein the retainer cap is constrained from moving into the open position, and an unlocked position wherein the retainer cap is not constrained from moving into the open position. 6. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 5, wherein the retainer cap is rotatable between the locked and unlocked positions and an intermediate position, and wherein motion of the retainer cap relative to the body in the intermediate position is sufficient to at least partially unseat the protrusion to allow fluid flow through the dispensing aperture but more constrained than when the retainer cap is in the open position. 7. A valve member for an automatic dispensing cap, comprising: a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis defining upwards and downwards directions and a circumferential outer wall having upper and lower edges;a protrusion disposed upwardly along the longitudinal axis;a plurality of openings disposed radially between the protrusion and the circumferential outer wall, the openings suitable for fluid to pass in a direction upwardly through the cylindrical body;a plurality of spring members disposed radially outwardly from the outer circumferential wall, the spring members being spaced to allow air to pass in a direction upwardly between the spring members along the outer circumferential wall; anda circumferential sealing lip having inner and outer surfaces extending upwardly from the upper edge of the circumferential outer wall, the sealing lip sufficiently flexible to bend radially inwardly as a result of a difference in air pressure against the inner and the outer surfaces of the sealing lip. 8. An automatic dispensing cap, comprising: a valve member comprising a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis defining upwards and downwards directions and a circumferential outer wall having upper and lower edges; a protrusion disposed upwardly along the longitudinal axis; a plurality of openings disposed radially between the protrusion and the circumferential outer wall, the openings suitable for fluid to pass in a direction upwardly through the cylindrical body; a plurality of spring members disposed radially outwardly from the outer circumferential wall, the spring members being spaced to allow air to pass in a direction upwardly between the spring members along the outer circumferential wall; and a circumferential sealing lip having inner and outer surfaces extending upwardly from the upper edge of the circumferential outer wall, the sealing lip sufficiently flexible to bend radially inwardly as a result of a difference in air pressure against the inner and the outer surfaces of the sealing lip; anda retaining cap comprising an upper surface comprising an aperture, the aperture sized and positioned to receive the protrusion; andan annular outer wall with an inner surface positioned around the cylindrical body such that the circumferential sealing lip presses against the inner surface forming a one-way seal that prevents fluid from exiting the retaining cap but permits air to enter the retaining cap;wherein the inner surface of the outer wall of the retaining cap engages the spring members to resiliently bias the retaining cap against the valve member such that the protrusion is seated in the aperture. 9. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 8, wherein the retaining cap is responsive to upward pressure on the upper surface such that when the cap is attached to a squeeze bottle, squeezing the bottle results in sufficient pressure to move the retaining cap against the resilient bias of the spring members and unseat the protrusion, allowing product to dispense through the aperture. 10. An automatic dispensing cap for use with a container, the automatic dispensing cap comprising: a body operatively coupled to the container;a retainer cap having an interior surface, the retainer cap connected to the body;a pressure chamber within the retainer cap, the pressure chamber in fluid communication with an interior of the container;a dispensing hole exiting the pressure chamber;a protrusion engagable with the dispensing hole, the automatic dispensing cap having a closed position wherein the protrusion seals the dispensing hole, and an open position wherein the dispensing hole is unobstructed by the protrusion;a spring member biasing the automatic dispensing cap in the closed position; anda sealing lip configured to contact the interior surface of the retainer cap, the sealing lip further configured to permit air to enter the pressure chamber in order to vent the container. 11. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 10, wherein the dispensing cap in the open position permits a first nonzero flow rate through the dispensing hole; andwherein the automatic dispensing cap has an intermediate position permitting a second nonzero flow rate through the dispensing hole that is less than the first nonzero flow rate. 12. The automatic dispensing cap of claim 11, wherein the closed, intermediate, and open positions are each associated with distinct rotational orientations of the retainer cap such that the dispensing cap can be moved from one position to another by rotation of the retainer cap. 13. A squeeze container for dispensing liquid, comprising: the automatic dispensing cap of claim 10; anda resiliently deformable container having liquid therein, the container coupled to the automatic dispensing cap such that squeezing the container results in the automatic dispensing cap moving from a closed position to an open position, liquid dispensing from the container through the dispensing hole, the automatic dispensing cap moving back from an open position to a closed position, and air venting past the sealing lip into the container.
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