This invention relates to a container and, more
especially, this invention relates to a container
having a closure device which is such that the
contents of the container are able to be dispensed
through the closure device.
There are many different types of known
containers. The known containers may be in a variety
of shapes and sizes so that, for example, the
containers may be in the form of bottles, tubes, cans
or boxes. The containers generally comprise a body
portion and a closure device. Closure devices for the
known containers have traditionally been in the form
of a removable cap. More recently, closure devices
have become known which the contents of the containers
are able to be dispensed through the closure devices.
Such closure devices may include flip over lids, or
lids having a central aperture which is exposed by
twisting a disc. The closure devices are not always
satisfactory in that they may be difficult to open
and/or close, and they may also tend to restrict the
dispensation of the contents of the container.
It is an aim of the present invention to reduce
the above mentioned problems.
Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of
the present invention, there is provided a container
comprising a body portion and a closure device, the
closure device being such that the contents of the
container are able to be dispensed through the closure
device, the closure device comprising a movable
portion which is slidable in a longitudinal direction
from a closed position to an open position, the
movable portion having at least one dispensing
aperture, and the container having at least one
obturator member which blocks the dispensing aperture
when the movable portion is in the closed position and
which does not block the dispensing aperture when the
movable portion is in the open position.
The container of the present invention is easy to
operate with the movable portion forming a variable
push-pull movable portion for opening and closing the
container. The container is able to afford a
variable sized dispensing aperture or apertures for
different products of different viscosity.
The container may be one in which the obturator
member has a frusto-conical portion which seats in the
dispensing aperture.
The container may comprise a fixed portion about
which the movable portion slides. The fixed portion
may form part of the closure device or it may form
part of the body portion.
The container may be one in which the fixed
portion has an outer part and an inner part which
extends inwardly of the outer part, and in which the
movable portion has an outer part which is positioned
on and slides over the outer part of the fixed
portion, and an inner part which extends inwardly of
the outer part.
The obturator member may be centrally positioned
on the inner part of the fixed portion. The obturator
member may be positioned elsewhere if desired. The
obturator member preferably extends from a rib
mounting arrangement.
The outer part of the movable portion may have an
inwardly directed formation which engages at least one
groove in the outer part of the fixed portion when the
movable portion is moved between the closed and open
positions.
The outer part of the fixed portion will usually
be cylindrical but other shapes may be employed. The
outer surface of the inner part of the movable portion
will also usually be cylindrical but other shapes may
be employed.
Preferably, the container is one in which the
movable portion increases in size in a direction
extending away from the body portion in order to give
the movable portion a shape which facilitates movement
by hand between the closed and open positions.
Usually, the container will include a neck
portion, and in this case the closure device will
usually be positioned on the neck portion of the
container.
When the fixed portion forms part of the closure
device, then the fixed portion is preferably a snap
fit in position. If desired, the fixed portion may be
a screw fit in position.
When the fixed portion forms part of the closure
device, the container may be one in which the neck
portion has an outwardly extending circumferential
formation, and in which the inner surface of the outer
part of the fixed portion has a complementarily shaped
groove, the formation and the groove being such that
the formation is a push snap fit into the groove and
is then not removable from the groove.
The container may be one in which the closure
device has a reservoir portion for holding dispensed
contents of the container and for affording an easy
wipe out facility from the reservoir portion so that
the reservoir portion is easily kept clean and the
dispensed contents are effectively used.
The container may include tactile indicator means
for indicating when the removable portion has been
moved from the open position to the closed positicn.
The tactile indicator means may be a bead and a groove
formation. Preferably, the bead is on the fixed
portion and the grocve is on the movable portion but
the reverse arrangement may be employed if desired.
The container may include tamper evident means.
Preferably, the tamper evident means is a pull tag but
other types of tamper evident means may be employed.
The container may be any type, shape and size of
container. Thus, for example, the container may have
rigid or flexible walls. Also, for example, the
container may be in the form of a bottle, tube, can or
box. The tube can be a tube which lies flat when it
is not in use, or alternatively, the tube can be one
with a closure device formed to allow the tube to
stand vertically on the closure device when the tube
is not in use.
The closure device can be made of any suitable
and appropriate materials. Usually, the closure
device will be made from a plastics material. The
remainder of the container can be made from those
materials currently used for making containers so
that, for example, the remainder of the container may
be made from a plastics material, board or a metal
such for example as tin or aluminium. The container
may contain any suitable and appropriate material
including liquids, gels, pastes and powders. With
some materials, for example powders, the container
will normally have more than one of the dispensing
apertures and more than one of the obturator members.
Thus, for example, a container for talcum powder may
have from 3 - 5 of the dispensing apertures and the
obturator members.
Embodiments of the invention will now be
described solely by way of example and with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of part of a container
of the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged section through part of
the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section through a second container; Figure 4 is a plan view of part of the container
shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows part of a third container; Figure 6 is a section through part of a fourth
container; Figure 7 is a perspective view of part of the
fourth container as shown in Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a section like Figure 6 but shows
part of a fifth container.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a
container 2 comprising a body portion 4 and a closure
device 6. The closure device 6 is such that the
contents of the container 2 are able to be dispensed
through the closure device 6.
The closure device 6 comprises a fixed portion 8
which forms a fixed part of the container 2, and a
movable portion 10. The movable portion 10 is
slidable with respect to the fixed portion 8 in a
longitudinal direction from a closed position as shown
in full lines in Figure 2 to an open position as shown
in broken lines in Figure 2.
The movable portion 10 has a dispensing aperture
12. The fixed portion 8 has an obturator member 14
which blocks the dispensing aperture 12 when the
movable portion 10 is in the closed position, and
which does not block the dispensing aperture 12 when
the movable portion 10 is in the open position. As
can be seen from Figure 2, the obturator member 14 has
a frusto-conical portion 16 which seats in the
dispensing aperture 12.
The fixed portion 8 has an outer part 18 which is
positioned on the outside of the container 2, and an
inner part 20 which is positioned on the inside of the
container 2. The movable portion 10 has an outer part
22 which is positioned on and slides over the outer
part 18 of the fixed portion 8, and an inner part 24
which is positioned on and slides over the inner part
20 of the fixed portion 8. The obturator member 14 is
centrally positioned in the inner part 20 of the fixed
portion 8. The obturator member 14 extends from cne
end of the inner part 20 as shown, along a
longitudinal axis of the inner part 20. The obturator
member 14 is mounted on a rib mounting arrangement 26.
The rib mounting arrangement 26 comprises three ribs
28 which extend inwardly from the inner part 20 and
which join together at a central portion 30.
The outer part of the movable portion 10 has an
inwardly directed formation 32 which slides in a
groove 34 in the outer part 18 of the fixed portion 8.
This sliding takes place when the movable portion 10
is moved between the closed and open positions.
The inner and outer parts 20, 18 of the fixed
portion 8 are cylindrical. The outer surface of the
inner part 24 of the movable portion 10 is also
cylindrical.
As can be seen from both Figures 1 and 2, the
outer surface 36 of the outer part 22 of the movable
portion 10 increases in size in a direction extending
away from the body portion 4 in order to give the
movable portion 10 a shape which facilitates movement
by hand between the closed and open positions. The
illustrated shape is easy to grip for a variable push-pull
action.
The fixed portion 8 is a snap fit in positicn.
More specifically, the container 2 has a neck portion
38 and the closure device 6 is positioned on the neck
portion 38. The neck portion 38 has an outwardly
extending circumferential formation 40. The inner
surface of the outer part 18 of the fixed portion 8
has a complementarily shaped groove 42. The formation
40 and the groove 42 are such that the formation 40 is
a push snap fit into the groove 42, this being
effected by pushing the fixed portion 8 downwardly
over the top of the neck portion 38. Once the
formation 40 is in the groove 42, the formation 40 is
shaped such that it is then not removable from the
groove 42 so that the fixed portion 8 is then fixed to
the neck portion 38.
The container 2 includes tactile indicator means
44 for indicating when the movable portion 10 has been
moved from the open position to the closed position.
The tactile indicator means 44 comprises a bead 46 on
the fixed portion 8, and a groove 48 on the movable
portion 10. When the bead 46 moves into the groove
48, this can be felt and heard by a person holding the
movable portion 10. When the bead 46 is in the groove
48, it does not permanently hold the movable portion
10 to the fixed portion 8 and so it is easily possible
to push or pull the movable portion 10 to the open
position shown in broken lines in Figure 2 with the
bead 46 easily coming out of the groove 48.
The container 2 includes tamper evident means 50
as shown in Figure 1. The tamper evident means 50
includes a pull tag 52.
The container 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is in
the form of a bottle but it may be any other type of
container.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, there is shcwn
a container 2 which is in the form of a tube and which
has a closure device 6 which is such that it enables
the tube to be mounted vertically on its end. Such
tubes which are mounted vertically on their dispensing
ends are sometimes known as tottles. The container 2
shown in Figures 3 and 4 has been given the same
reference numerals as in Figures 1 and 2 for ease of
comparison and understanding. As will be seen, the
closure device 6 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is
substantially the same as the closure device 6 shown
in Figures 1 and 2 except that in Figures 3 and 4, the
end of the closure device 6 is concave as shown in
Figure 3 to allow the closure device 6 to stand on a
surface 54 and to provide a reservoir to hcld
dispensed contents.
Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown part of
a container 2 in which the outer part 18 and the
groove 34 have the shapes shown. A peg 56 locates in
appropriate parts of the stepped groove 34 and enables
operation with a click twisting action, in order to
provide height movement and increase in the size of
the aperture 12. This allows the opening 12 to be set
at different flow rates, either at filling by the
manufacturer or later by the customer. The ability to
set the opening 12 at different flow rates allows the
easy dispensing of products of variable viscosity.
Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, there is shcwn
part of a container 2 in which the outer part 22 is
provided with an inwardly projecting bead 56. The
bead 56 is engagable as shown in one of three recesses
58, 6(), 62. In the position shown, the bead 56 is in
the recess 58 which means that the movable portion 10
is in its closed position. The movable portion 10 can
then be slid longitudinally so that the bead 56
engages either the recess 60 to open the dispensing
aperture 12 by a first amount, or the recess 62 to
open the dispensing aperture 12 by a second and larger
amount. If desired, more of the recesses may be
provided.
In order to ensure that the bead 56 slips easily
over the triangular portions 64 defining the recesses
58, 60, 62, the triangular portions 64 only extend
part way around the circumference of the outer part 18
as best shown in Figure 6. The outer part 22 has a
locally thinned wall and is thus able to deflect
outwardly to facilitate the passage of the bead 56
over the triangular portions 64.
The movable portion 10 has a part 66 which slides
against an outer face part 68 of the outer part 18.
The parts 66, 68 form a sliding seal which prevents
the contents of the container 2 being dispensed
through the dispensing aperture 12 from getting
between the parts 66, 68, and thus into the area of
the recesses 58, 60, 62 and out from between the parts
18, 22.
Figure 8 shows a similar arrangement to that
shown in Figures 6 and 7 except that the outer part 18
is formed as the neck 38 of the body portion 4 of the
container 2.
It will be seen from Figures 6, 7 and 8 that the
movable portion 10 has a concave top 70. This concave
top 70 is available for forming a slightly dished
portion for receiving container contents such as hand
cream or body lotion which can then easily be wiped up
with a finger to apply on to the face or body from
the concave top 70.
The containers 2 shown in the drawings are easily
operated and they allow easy dispensation of the
contents of the container through the dispensing
aperture 12. The sealing arrangement afforded by the
obturator member 14 helps to prevent products blocking
and being wasted in the closure device 6. The frusto-conical
portion 16 provides good sealing, whilst at
the same time permitting easy opening. When the
movable portion 10 is in the open position, the
obturator member 14 does not unduly restrict the flow
of contents from the container 2. The similarly
shaped aperture 12 helps to return product and air
back into the containers 2 when a user's hand releases
the flexible sided containers 2, thus preventing a
hollow appearance on closure.
It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of
the invention described above with reference to the
accompanying drawings have been given by way of
example only and that modifications may be effected.
Thus, for example, the features shown in the different
drawings can be used in any suitable and appropriate
different combinations. With a product such as talcum
powder, a plurality of the dispensing apertures 12 and
a plurality of the obturator members 14 may be
employed. Also, the fixed portion 8 could be other
than the illustrated snap fit in position so that, for
example, the fixed portion 8 could be secured in
position with a screw thread arrangement combined with
a rotateable snap fit arrangement. Instead of the
grooves 34 shown in Figure 5, a helical arrangement
which gives the ability to set the opening 12 for
different flow rates may be employed.