GB2188908A - Metering dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser has a cup (11) with a central hollow stem (12). Liquid to be dispensed is forced up the hollow stem to radial ports (17, 18) and deflected outwardly into the cup by an end cap (21). The end cap (21) and stem (12) are made integrally in one piece. A feed tube (15) extends up the stem as far as the ports (17, 18) so that the internal diameter of that tube may be less than the corresponding dimension of the end cap (21), to avoid liquid squirting vertically out of the dispenser on squeezing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Metering dispenser This invention relates to a metering dispenserforuse with a squeeze bottle. In this type of dispenserthe bottle with its liquid contents is squeezed forcing a dose of the liquid into the dispenser. When the pressure on the bottle is released the construction of the dispenser is such that any excess over a desired charge within it is sucked back into the bottle, leaving justthedesiredamountto be dispensed from it by tipping or pouring.

This is a well developed art in which however certain manufacturing problems have not been overcome.

This can be illustrated from two UKApplications GB-A-2067517 and GB-A-2146973.

The problem is in trying to make the dispenser in a single moulding operation.

GB-A-2067517 shows a dispenser for lodging in the mouth of a bottle which has the idea of a stem protruding centrally into a cup terminated by an end wall below which are found outlet ports through which the liquid is discharged into the cup and any excess is sucked back.

The problem is that these outlet ports cannot be made, at least by any process known to us, in a single moulding operation.

Another approach is seen in GB-A-21 46973 where the container cup and the upstanding stem can all be moulded in one operation, but attheexpense of forming the stem with a single axial orifice at its end which then must be covered in some way to prevent the initially squeezed material from simply spurting right out of the assembly. In GB-A-2146973 this is achieved by pushing a plug into that axial aperture, the plug providing in effect a pairofoppositely posed outlet ports underneath its end wall. Clearly it is disadvantageous to be involved in this extra assembly operation; and there is the riskthatthe plug might be lost.

The present invention starts from the position that it is essential to find some way of manufacturing this container in a single moulding operation in such a way as to leave no part ofthe axial duct in the stem uncovered from above.

We do this by bringing the feed tube which reaches from the dispenser into the bottle (and is an additional element in any of these dispensers whether of the prior art or of the present invention) all the way up within the hollow stem rightthewayto the bottom of outlet ports provided inthatstem. In this way the feed tube effectively defines the inner diameteroftheductthroughthestem and the inner walls of the stem itself are of a diameter effectively equal to the outer diameter ofthe feed tube.This means that in a moulding operation the end cap may be moulded simultaneously with the formation of thewall of the stem and the outlet ports underneath itto be of a transverse dimension equal to that of the inner wall of the stem itself and thereby be of a transverse dimension greater than the greatest transverse dimension at the mouth of the duct defined bythe feed tube.

It is also preferred to form the dispenser as a cup which is adapted not to reach to the extreme mouth of the container in which it is fitted, but is adapted to lodge against an inwardly projecting ridge often found at the bottom of such mouths and which is a consequence of a tamper-proof fitting on the external surface of the mouth. The precise relationship of the length of the cup above the lodging pointandthemouth is u nim portant and therefore the cup may be used for many different designs of container.

A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein; Figure lisa partly sectional side view of part of a squeeze container fitted with a dispenser according to the invention; Figure2 is a detailed section of the end of the stem; Figure 3 is a similar section but taken at right anglestothatof Figure2; and Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows part of a squeezable bottle 1 with an integral moulded handle 2 which may also be hollow like the bottle and which has a mouth 3 externally screw threaded at 4 over which a screw threaded cap 5 with tamper-prooffeature 6 is adapted to be fitted.

At the bottom of the inside of the mouth there is an inwardly projecting ridge 7 which is a carry through from the provision of the tamper-prooffeature 6 outside the mouth.

This is used for positioning a metering dispenser 10which will now be described in more detail.

The dispenser 10 is a cup 11 with a central hollow stem 12. Atthe mouth of the cup are first 13 and second 14 outwardly enlarged portions with ledged transitions, the transition between the portion 13 and 14 being for lodging against the ridge 7 insidethe mouth of the container. This positions the portion 14 within that mouth but not extending as far as its end and not interfering with the screw cap 5. It can be seen thatthe cup formed in this way can be positioned in any one of a number of container mouths of the same diameter, the precise relationship between the axial extension of the cup portion 1 4and of the mouth 3 being irrelevant.

All of the cup and stem are moulded in a single operation in a two part moulding tool. Partly to assist this moulding and partly to assistthe insertion of a feed tube 15, which is an additional elementwhich extends to the bottom of the bottle 1, the stem 12 is made tapered converging slightly as it proceeds away from the base 16ofthecup 11.

At its head end seen in detail in Figures 2 and 3, outlet ports 17, 18 are formed between side walls 19, 20 and covered by an end cap 21. The extreme end of the stem 12 has a conical face 22 which, together with the concave shape of the end cap 21 assists in giving a tendency to an actually downward discharge of material squeezed through into the dispenser.

The feed tube 15 is brought up to the extreme end of the stem 12 as can best be seen from Figure 2. It is brought up until its end 23 lodges underthe ledge provided as is seen in Figure 3 by the projection over the duct 24 formed by the feed tube of the side walls 19,20 of the outlet ports.

The greatest lateral dimension a ofthe end cap 21 is equal to the dimension in the same direction between the inner faces ofthewall 12 of the stem at its extreme end 22.

Because the wall ofthe feed tube 15 has thickness and the tube is fitted within the stem 12 it follow that the dimension b ofthe end ofthe duct24is lessthan the dimension a.

Thus the criteria for a single moulding operation are preserved in relation to the formation of the stem and the end cap, but atthe sametimethe end cap has a dimension greater than that (A) through which squeezed material will issue and thus its deflecting effect is achieved.

The feed tube 15 may befitted into the stem 12 by adhesion or, as is shown here, by a snap fitting 26.

Suitable material for the dispenser is a natural (non-pigmented) grade of high density polyethylene.

The feed tube may be of polypropylene.

Claims (7)

1. A metering dispenser having a cup, a central hollow stem rising from the base of the cup with an end cap on the end ofthe stem, with an outlet at that top end adjacenttheendcap,thestem and end cap being formed integrally in one piecetogether,the distance across the inside of the stem immediately belowthe outlet in any given cross section ofthe stem being not greater than the greatest distance across the end cap in the given cross section, and a feed tube for material to be dispensed extending within the stem to below and adjacent to the outlet.

2. A metering dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the end cap has an undersurfacewhich offers a concave surface to the stem in at least one cross section, the outlet being a pair of ports both contained in that section.

3. A metering dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the distance across the inside of the stem in the said cross section is equal to the greatest distance across the end cap in that cross section and the distance between the outsides ofthe stem is greaterthatthatacross the end cap.

4. A metering dispenser according to anyone of the preceding claims mounted in the mouth of a containerwith the cup sealing that mouth.

5. A metering dispenser according to claim 4 wherein the container is q squeeze container.

6. A metering dispenser according to claim 4 or claim Swherein a bottom partofthe mouth ofthe container has an inwardly projecting ridge and a base of a rim of the cup is adapted to lodge against the ridge.

7. A metering dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.