MXPA00000815A - Removable tip dispensing closure and method of manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable tip dispensing closure and method of manufacture in which the closure body (16) and removable tip (18) are molded in sequential steps of a multi-material molding process. The closure body (16) and tip (18) are sequentially molded of differing materials that do not adhere to each other, so that the tip (18) may be readily removed from the closure (16) by a user for dispensing the contents of a package on which the closure is mounted. The closure body (16) is preferably of low density polyethylene (LDPE), while the tip (18) is preferably of propylene or styrene composition. The closure body (16) and tip (18) may be manufactured in differing colors by including suitable dyes in the resins prior to injection.

Description

DISPENSING PLUG WITH REMOVABLE TIP AND MANUFACTURING METHOD The present invention is directed to dispensing caps for containers and the like and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a dispensing cap having a removable tip that can be easily removed and repositioned by a user.

BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In packages for dispensing hair care products and the like, the container cap is often provided with a tip that normally seals the container and can be removed by the user to dispense the contents of the container. container. The tip can be formed as an integral molded part of a nozzle extending from the stopper, the nozzle being molded to have a thin and thin section for removal of the tip, or an incision being made following the molding to form a line thin. The molding of a thin and brittle membrane in the nozzle of the plug requires multiple actions in the molding, and the incision to obtain a thin line following the molding adds additional manufacturing costs. Alternatively, the plug and the tip can be provided as separate components that must be assembled, again increasing REF costs. : 32667 manufacture. A fourth commonly used alternative is the cutting of the tip of the nozzle by the user. In several of these applications, the tip can not be placed back into the opening of the dispenser, so the container can no longer be sealed after being used for the first time.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing cap with a removable tip and the manufacturing method in which the tip is molded into the plug during the manufacturing process, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing, while At the same time, the cutting of the cap nozzle by the user is not required. Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing cap. with a removable tip and manufacturing method in which the tip can be easily removed from the cap to dispense the contents of the package, and can be placed in the cap to reseal the package after use. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing cap with a removable tip and the manufacturing method in which the cap and the removable tip can be manufactured in different colors.

Briefly stated, the above and other objects are made in accordance with the present invention by providing a dispensing cap with a removable tip and the manufacturing method in which the body of the cap and the removable tip is molded in sequential stages of a molding process. multiple materials. The body of the cap and the tip are sequentially molded with different materials that do not adhere to each other, so that the tip can be easily removed from the cap by a user to dispense the contents of a package on which the cap is mounted. plug. The body of the cap is preferably made of low density polyethylene (LDPE), while the tip is preferably of a propylene or styrene composition. The body of the cap and tip can be manufactured in different colors by integrating dyes into the resins before injection.

In the preferred method according to the present invention, the body of the plug is injection molded into a first mold including a first set of molding components. After the injection molding of the cap body, the tip is injection molded onto the body of the dispensing cap in a second mold that includes the number of components of the first mold. Specifically, the first mold includes a mold base and a center that cooperates with an insert to form a mold cavity for the body of the plug, including a dispensing opening in the cap. Therefore, the base and center of the mold together with the plug molded therein cooperate with a second insert to form a mold cavity for the removable tip. When the tip is injection molded in this cavity, the tips of the tip fit with the opening of the cap dispenser so that the tip is captured so that it can be removed from the plug, then the plug and the tip are removed from the tip. the components of the mold. The plug and the tip are molded with incompatible materials, so that the tip is not fixed by adhesion to the opening of the cap dispenser.

In the preferred aspect of the invention, the opening of the dispenser has an internal surface, preferably frusto-conical, which expands within the dispensing nozzle of the cap. The tip is molded over the nozzle and opening, such that it has an elongated portion extending in this wide area to easily capture the tip of the nozzle in a resilient manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

The invention, together with the additional objects, features and their advantages, may be better understood from the following description, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is an elevated view of a dispensing package including a dispensing cap according to a preferred aspect of the invention which will be described later; Figure 2 is an elevated view of a diametrical section of the dispensing plug assembly in the package of Figure 1; Figure 2A is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 2 with the tip removed; Figure 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the cavity of a mold for forming the dispensing cap according to the present invention, and Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of an enlarged section of a mold for forming the tip removable according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a dispensing package 10 including a container 12 and a dispensing cap 14 with a removable tip. As best seen in Figure 2, the dispensing cap 14 includes a body 16 and a removable tip 18. The body of the cap 16 comprises a base having a base wall 20 and a peripheral edge 22 with internal threading 24 for holding and remove the cap 14 at the external threaded terminal of the container 12. The thread 24 can be replaced by a rounded edge for snap closure or the like. A nozzle 26 extends axially from the base of the wall 20, ending in a dispensing opening 28 on and in which the tip 18 is mounted for removal. The opening 28 is defined, at least in part, by a frusto-conical internal surface that expands within the nozzle 26. A second frusto-conical surface 30 externally surrounds the opening 28 in the terminal part of the nozzle 26, extending along the nozzle 26 and out of the terminal part of the nozzle. The outer surface of the rim 26 of the cap may be provided with piping to assist in the assembly and removal of the plug 16 in and from the container 12.

The tip 18 comprises a body 32 of which an annular edge 34 extends on a surface that surrounds and engages the surface 30 at the terminal part of the nozzle 26. A central pin 36 extends axially of the body 32 of the tip 18 to through the opening 28 of the dispensing nozzle into the inner central cavity of the nozzle 26. The tip 32, including the pin 36 is of a resilient elastomeric composition so that the body 32 of the tip 18 can be clamped and removed from the terminal part of the nozzle 26, so as to compress resiliently the plug 36 during its removal from the opening 28 of the dispensing nozzle.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a method for molding a removable tip dispensing cap 14 according to an aspect normally preferred by the invention. A first injection mold 40 (Figure 3) is formed by a mold base 42 carrying a central tip 44. A piece 46 that is inserted into the cavity is attached to the mold base 42 in such a way that it forms a cavity 48 with the central tip 44 for the injection molding of the body 16 of the dispensing cap. A closure tip 50 of the piece 46 that is inserted into the cavity cooperates with the tip of the center 44 to close the cavity of the mold 48. The resinous material is injected in the usual way through the piece 46 into the cavity 48. for injection molding the body 16 of the cap (including the nozzle 26 and the opening of the dispenser 28 illustrated in Figure 3).

Subsequently, a second mold 52 (Figure 4) is formed to injection mold the tip 18. The mold 52 is preferably formed by the base mold 42 and the center 44 of the mold 40 in Figure 3, in combination with a new insert 54. The insert 54 cooperates with the center 44, the base 42 and the body 16 of the plug previously molded to form a molding cavity 56 for the tip 18. The tip of the center 44 is contoured in such a way as to form a pin 36, this portion being blocked by a tip inserted in the step of Figure 3. Subsequently the resinous material is injected into the cavity 56 in the usual manner for injection molding the tip 18 on the nozzle 26, ie with the plug 36 extending through the dispensing aperture 28 and with the edge 34 surrounding the outer surface of the dispensing aperture. Subsequently the sections 54, 42, 44 of the mold can be opened in Figure 4, and the body assembly of the plug 16 and the tip 18 can be removed.

This sequential multi-material molding operation is preferably performed in a continuous process in a so-called wheel machine in which the mold 42 and the center 44 are mounted on a rotating roller 60. When the roller 60 rotates, the mold base and the center they are taken to sequential stations to fit the insert pieces in turn 46, 54, and then, the molded assembly is removed from the machine. Alternatively, but with less preference, the co-injection molding operation can be carried out in separate sequential molds.

The body 16 of the plug is preferably made of a low density polyethylene (LDPE) material. Tip 18 can be molded with a propylene or styrene material. It is important that the body 16 of the plug be of a relatively rigid construction, while the tip 18 be of a resilient construction that allows the removal and repositioning of the tip without breaking the tip or opening of the dispensing nozzle. The body 32 of the tip 18 can be of any convenient geometry. The materials selected for the nozzle and tip should be sufficiently incompatible with the high temperatures of the molding operations to prevent adhesion of the tip with the opening of the dispenser. Dyes may be included in the resins to make the cap and tip have the same or different colors.

A dispensing cap with a removable tip and the method for its manufacture that completely satisfies all the exposed objects and scopes has therefore been provided. Specifically, the plug and tip are formed as an assembly in a co-injection molding operation, eliminating any need for complex molding movements or subsequent manufacturing operations to form a thin line to cut the tip, or subsequent manufacturing operations to assemble tips and plugs manufactured separately. In addition, the tip can be reattached to the dispenser opening by the user to reseal the container, a feature that is not included in packages in which the tip is cut from the dispensing nozzle.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property.

Claims (2)

1. A method for molding a dispensing cap that includes a body of the cap having a dispensing aperture and a removable tip that closes said aperture, said method characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) injection molding said cap body of a cap first material, including said opening, in a first mold including a first set of molding components, b) injection molding said tip on said body of the cap in said opening, in a second mold including a number of said first components and a second material different from said first material, and subsequently, c) removing the plug from said second mold.

2. The method described in claim 1, characterized in that said first mold comprises a mold base having a center and a first part that is inserted and having means to cooperate with said center to form said opening, and wherein said second mold comprises the same mold base and center to a second insert having means for cooperating with said center of the body of the plug to form a cavity for molding said plug. The method described in claim 2, characterized in that said mold base, said center and said first insert are such that they form said opening, such that said tip is molded having an elongated diameter in said opening to retain said tip in said opening, followed by the mentioned stage (c). The method described in claim 3, characterized in that said body of the cap has an extended nozzle terminating in said opening, said nozzle having a first conical surface in said opening that expands inside said nozzle and a second external conical surface of said opening extending out of said opening, said tip being molded in said step (b) against both conical surfaces. The method described in claim 2, characterized in that said steps (a), (b) and (c) are carried out by mounting said mold base and said center on a rotating roller that moves between successive inserts and structures. removable. The method described in claim 1, characterized in that said cap body is molded with low density polyethylene (LDPE), and said tip is molded with propylene or styrene. The method described in claim 1, characterized in that said cap body and tip are molded in different colors. A dispensing cap manufactured according to the method of claim 1. A dispensing cap characterized in that it comprises: a cap body of a first material having a base for placing copper a container and a nozzle extending to end in a dispensing opening, and a tip molded in place over the opening of said nozzle, said tip being removable and capable of being placed again in the opening of said nozzle, said tip being a second material different from said first material. The stopper described in claim 9, characterized in that said nozzle opening has an internal surface that expands inside said nozzle, said tip fitting on said surface to be retained and removed from said opening. . The plug described in claim 10, characterized in that said internal surface is frusto-conical. . The stopper described in claim 11, characterized in that said nozzle has an outer surface surrounding said opening that extends along said nozzle, said tip having an edge that fits superficially with said external surface when it is molded. . The stopper described in claim 9, characterized in that the cap body is of a low density polyethylene (LPDE) composition and said tip is of a propylene or styrene composition. . The stopper described in claim 9, characterized in that said cap and tip body are of different colors. The plug described in claim 9, characterized in that the body of said plug includes a base wall and a peripheral edge with internal means for being placed in the container.