초록 ▼

A closure for dispensing a metered amount of dry product from a container includes a dispensing cap and a metering drum rotatably mounted on the dispensing cap. The dispensing cap has an upper deck with a dispensing aperture and a skirt engaging the neck of the container. The metering drum has an up

A closure for dispensing a metered amount of dry product from a container includes a dispensing cap and a metering drum rotatably mounted on the dispensing cap. The dispensing cap has an upper deck with a dispensing aperture and a skirt engaging the neck of the container. The metering drum has an upper deck, a lower deck, and a metering chamber therebetween. The metering chamber has an entrance aperture in the lower deck and an exit aperture in the upper deck. The metering drum is rotatable relative to the dispensing cap between a filling position, where the metering chamber is aligned with the dispensing aperture and dry product fills the chamber, and a dispensing position where the metering chamber is not aligned with the dispensing aperture and dry product can be dispensed. The dispensing cap and the metering drum include formations to index a position of the metering drum.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dispensing closure for dispensing a metered amount of a dry product from a container, said dispensing closure comprising: a dispensing cap having an upper deck and a skirt depending downwardly from the upper deck, said skirt having an inner surface configured and arranged to engage an outer sur

1. A dispensing closure for dispensing a metered amount of a dry product from a container, said dispensing closure comprising: a dispensing cap having an upper deck and a skirt depending downwardly from the upper deck, said skirt having an inner surface configured and arranged to engage an outer surface of a neck of said container, said upper deck including a dispensing aperture to allow a flow of said dry product from said container; anda metering drum having an upper deck, a lower deck, and an outer skirt extending between said upper and lower decks, said metering drum being rotatably mounted on said dispensing cap with said lower deck of said metering drum disposed in facing relation with said upper deck of said dispensing cap,said metering drum having a metering chamber extending between said upper and lower decks, said metering chamber having an entrance aperture in said lower deck and an exit aperture in said upper deck,a lid hingeably secured to said metering drum to selectively open and close said exit aperture of said metering chamber,said metering drum being selectively rotatable relative to said dispensing cap between a filling position wherein said metering chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture and a metered amount said dry product flows from said container into said metering chamber when said lid is closed and said container is inverted and a dispensing position wherein said metering chamber is not rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture, said upper deck of said dispensing cap forming a bottom wall to said metering chamber in said dispensing position,said dispensing cap and said metering drum include indexing formations to index said metering drum to said filling position and said dispensing position,wherein said metering drum includes an indexing tab extending downwardly from a peripheral lower edge of said outer skirt overlapping an outer surface of said skirt of said dispensing cap, and said dispensing cap includes indexing ridges on an outer surface of said skirt corresponding to said filling position and said dispensing position, said indexing tab engaging with said indexing ridges to index said metering drum in said respective position,said metered amount of said dry product being selectively dispensed from said metering chamber when said lid is opened. 2. The dispensing closure of claim 1 wherein said lid is joined to said metering drum with an integrally formed living hinge. 3. A dispensing closure for dispensing metered amounts of a dry product from a container, said dispensing closure comprising: a dispensing cap having an upper deck and a skirt depending downwardly from the upper deck, said skirt having an inner surface configured and arranged to engage an outer surface of a neck of said container, said upper deck including a dispensing aperture to allow a flow of said dry product from said container; anda metering drum having an upper deck, a lower deck, and an outer skirt extending between said upper and lower decks, said metering drum being rotatably mounted on said dispensing cap with said lower deck of said metering drum disposed in facing relation with said upper deck of said dispensing cap,said metering drum having a first metering chamber extending between said upper and lower decks, said first metering chamber having a first volume and further having an entrance aperture in said lower deck and an exit aperture in said upper deck,said metering drum having second metering chamber extending between said upper and lower decks, said second metering chamber having a second volume and further having an entrance aperture in said lower deck and an exit aperture in said upper deck,a first lid hingeably secured to said metering drum to selectively open and close said exit aperture of said first metering chamber,a second lid hingeably secured to said metering drum to selectively open and close said exit aperture of said second metering chamber,said metering drum being selectively rotatable relative to said dispensing cap between a first filling position wherein said first metering chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture and a first metered amount said dry product flows from said container into said first metering chamber when said first lid is closed and said container is inverted, a second filling position wherein said second metering chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture and a second metered amount said dry product flows from said container into said second metering chamber when said second lid is closed and said container is inverted, and a third dispensing position wherein neither said first metering chamber nor said second metering chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture, said upper deck of said dispensing cap forming a bottom wall to said first and second metering chambers in said third dispensing position,wherein said dispensing cap and said metering drum include indexing formations to index said metering drum to said first and second filling positions and said dispensing position,wherein said metering drum includes an indexing tab extending downwardly from a peripheral lower edge of said outer skirt overlapping an outer surface of said skirt of said dispensing cap, and said dispensing cap includes indexing ridges on an outer surface of said skirt corresponding to said first and second filling positions and said dispensing position, said indexing tab engaging with said indexing ridges to index said metering drum in said respective position,said first or second metered amount of said dry product being selectively dispensed from said first or second metering chamber when said first or second lid is opened. 4. The dispensing closure of claim 3 wherein said first and second lids are joined to said metering drum with integrally formed living hinges. 5. A dispensing closure for dispensing metered amounts of a dry product from a container, said dispensing closure comprising: a dispensing cap having an upper deck and a skirt depending downwardly from the upper deck, said skirt having an inner surface configured and arranged to engage an outer surface of a neck of said container, said upper deck including a dispensing aperture to allow a flow of said dry product from said container; anda metering drum having an upper deck, a lower deck, and an outer skirt extending between said upper and lower decks, said metering drum being rotatably mounted on said dispensing cap with said lower deck of said metering drum disposed in facing relation with said upper deck of said dispensing cap,said metering drum having a first metering chamber extending between said upper and lower decks, said first metering chamber having a first volume and further having an entrance aperture in said lower deck and an exit aperture in said upper deck,said metering drum having second metering chamber extending between said upper and lower decks, said second metering chamber having a second volume and further having an entrance aperture in said lower deck and an exit aperture in said upper deck,said metering drum having a direct dispense chamber extending between said upper and lower deck, said direct dispense chamber having an entrance aperture and an exit aperture,a first lid hingeably secured to said metering drum to selectively open and close said exit aperture of said first metering chamber,a second lid hingeably secured to said metering drum to selectively open and close said exit aperture of said second metering chamber,a third lid hingeably secured to said metering drum to selectively open and close said exit aperture of said direct dispense chamber,said metering drum being selectively rotatable relative to said dispensing cap between a first filling position wherein said first metering chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture and a first metered amount said dry product flows from said container into said first metering chamber when said first lid is closed and said container is inverted, a second filling position wherein said second metering chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture and a second metered amount said dry product flows from said container into said second metering chamber when said second lid is closed and said container is inverted, and a third dispensing position wherein said direct dispense chamber is rotationally aligned with said dispensing aperture and said upper deck of said dispensing cap form a bottom wall to said first and second metering chambers,wherein said dispensing cap and said metering drum include indexing formations to index said metering drum to said first and second filling positions and said dispensing position,wherein said metering drum includes an indexing tab extending downwardly from a peripheral lower edge of said outer skirt overlapping an outer surface of said skirt of said dispensing cap, and said dispensing cap includes indexing ridges on an outer surface of said skirt corresponding to said first and second filling positions and said dispensing position, said indexing tab engaging with said indexing ridges to index said metering drum in said respective position,said first or second metered amount of said dry product being selectively dispensed from said first or second metering chamber when said first or second lid is opened,said dry product being selectively dispensed directly from said container through said direct dispense chamber when said third lid is opened. 6. The dispensing closure of claim 5 wherein said first, second and third lids are joined to said metering drum with integrally formed living hinges.