Patent Application
20200156833
Embodiments of the invention relate to dispensing closures for liquid pumps and sprayers, and more particularly to a novel closure assembly that includes features for preventing leaks during individual e-commerce shipments.
As direct to consumer e-commerce sales continue to grow, liquid spray and pump products, which would normally be purchased off the shelf at brick and mortar stores, are now being shipped as individual sale units without secondary packaging or protection. Bulk shipping of these products from the manufacturer to distributors has generally not encountered significant leak problems since multiple containers or bottles are packaged in specially designed boxes to accommodate their unique shapes. E-commerce retailers remove individual units from the bulk packaging and attempt to ship the individual containers to the consumer in less expensive and less protective packaging. Individual shipments are more prone to rough handling, movement within the retailer packaging and thus more prone to closure breakage and container leakage. Many e-commerce retailers have resorted to placing such items into bags in order to contain leaks if and when they occur. However, the bags only prevent other items in the shipment from being ruined. They do not directly address the underlying problem of leak prevention. Accordingly, there is an existing need for dispensing closures which include features for preventing leaks during both bulk shipment and/or individual shipment, prior to receipt of the product by the end consumer.
Consumers continually drive the need for novel dispensing devices which provide easier use, more functionality, better ergonomics and better dispensing options for a variety of liquid or fluid products for various uses. Accordingly, there is always a need for improved dispensing options.
According to certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, the present disclosure generally provides a two-part dispensing closure comprising a dispensing head, an upper closure portion, a lower closure portion, an internal seal to prevent leaks during e-commerce shipment of individual units and a piercing probe. The closure is mounted on the neck of a container which contains a liquid product for dispensing.
The dispensing head is generally a spray-type dispenser with a depending throat portion which is snap received with the upper closure portion. The throat portion has an axially centered flow path to the piston chamber. The exemplary embodiments as illustrated each depict a spray-type dispensing head for liquids. However, it should be understood that some embodiments of the invention may also include pump dispensers and/or other dispenser heads for dispensing shampoos, soaps, lotions, gels and other viscous flowable products. Any container holding a liquid or flowable product would benefit from the present technology.
The lower closure portion has an outer skirt which is threadedly received with the neck of the container and it further includes an axial flow conduit and a vent conduit adjacent to the flow conduit. A dip tube extends from a dip tube port on the bottom of the flow conduit. An annular neck extending from the upper closure portion is threadedly mated with a corresponding annular recess in the lower closure portion and is axially movable relative to lower closure portion upon rotation thereof. In this regard, the upper closure is movable between an extended shipping position and a contracted dispensing position which will be described further herein.
In some embodiments the upper and lower closure portions may simply be slidably movable relative to each other and snap locked in the extended and contracted positions.
To create a seal during shipping, a foil seal is disposed on an upper surface of the lower closure portion over both the flow conduit and the vent conduit. The vent conduit is preferably located within a concentric annular recess immediately adjacent to the axial flow conduit and the seal extends over the central flow conduit and the annular recess.
To prevent movement of the upper closure relative to the lower closure during shipment and handling, a peripheral spacing strip is removably secured to a lower lip of an outer skirt on the upper closure portion. The strip is attached by a weakened tear line and includes a pull tab for grasping and pulling the strip for removal. In the described embodiment, the spacing strip engages the top deck of the lower closure and prevents relative movement thereof.
The tubular piercing probe has an upper portion received in the flow path of the throat of the dispensing head and a lower portion extending axially through the upper closure portion wherein the lower portion includes piercing elements in alignment with the flow conduit and the vent conduit for piercing thereof.
In use, the piercing elements are spaced from the seal when the upper closure portion is in the inactive extended shipping position. However, when the spacing strip is removed and the upper closure portion is rotated and axially moved from the inactive shipping position to the active dispensing position the piercing elements move downwardly and are effective for piercing the seal to open the flow conduit and the vent conduit and allow liquid from the container to travel through the piercing probe into the dispensing head.
In some embodiments, the skirt of the lower closure portion may be secured to the container neck by a bayonet connection.
In some embodiments, the spray dispensing head may have an offset flow conduit and require a two-part piercing probe.
In some embodiments, the lower closure portion is seated within the neck of the container and the outer skirt of the upper closure portion is threaded for mounting directly onto the container neck. In this regard, the outer skirt is somewhat elongated and the tear away spacing strip engages a shoulder portion of the container to prevent rotation and movement of the upper closure portion.
In another exemplary embodiment the closure system comprises a spray dispensing head, a closure ring receiving the dispensing head, a cup-shaped bottle adapter having an axial flow conduit and a vent conduit adjacent to the flow conduit, a reversible tubular flow adapter, and a removable seal.
The bottle adapter is received within the neck of the container and a dip tube extends from a dip tube port on the bottom wall of the adapter. The vent conduit is in the bottom wall as well, adjacent to the flow conduit.
The reversible tubular flow adapter has a stem portion at a first end and an annular seat portion at a second end. The flow adapter provides two different functions depending on its deployed configuration. In a shipping configuration, the stem portion is received into the axial flow conduit of the bottle adapter with the seat portion sitting within the interior of the bottle adapter. The removable seal is sealed around the peripheral upper lip of the bottle adapter to create a seal and prevent leaks through either the flow conduit or the vent conduit. The closure ring captures the bottle adapter within the container neck until it reaches the end consumer. Once received, the user removes (unscrews) the closure ring, removes (peels away) the seal, removes the flow adapter and reverses the flow adapter configuration to mount the seat adapter end onto the flow conduit. The closure ring and dispenser head are reattached with the stem portion of the flow adapter now extending up into the flow conduit of the dispenser head.
Other embodiments may also include alternate types of dispensing heads depending on the product type.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the present invention, various embodiments of the invention can be more readily understood and appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art from the following descriptions of various embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and use of the device and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the present invention is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, in the present disclosure, like-numbered components of the embodiments generally have similar features, and thus within a particular embodiment each feature of each like-numbered component is not necessarily fully elaborated upon. Additionally, to the extent that linear or circular dimensions are used in the description of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods, such dimensions are not intended to limit the types of shapes that can be used in conjunction with such systems, devices, and methods. A person skilled in the art will recognize that an equivalent to such linear and circular dimensions can easily be determined for any geometric shape. Further, to the extent that directional terms like top, bottom, up, or down are used, they are not intended to limit the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein. A person skilled in the art will recognize that these terms are merely relative to the system and device being discussed and are not universal.
According to certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as described herein, the present disclosure generally provides a two-part dispensing closure system including features for preventing leaks during the shipment and handling of individual e-commerce sales.
Referring to
The exemplary dispensing head 102 is illustrated as a spray-type trigger dispenser head with a depending throat portion 112 that is snap received with the upper closure portion 104. The throat portion 112 has an axially centered flow path 114 to the trigger piston chamber 116. Referring to
The lower closure portion 106 has an outer skirt 124 which is threadedly received with the neck 902 of the container 900 and it further includes an axial flow conduit 126 and a vent conduit 128 adjacent to the flow conduit 126. A gasket 130 may be received between the lower closure portion 106 and the neck 902 of the container 900 to form a better seal with the container 900. A clip tube 132 extends from a clip tube port 134 on the bottom of the flow conduit 126. An annular neck 136 extending from the upper closure portion 104 is threadedly mated with a corresponding annular recess 138 in the lower closure portion 106 and is axially movable relative to lower closure portion 106 upon rotation thereof. In this regard, the upper closure portion 104 is movable between an extended shipping position (See
In some embodiments the upper and lower closure portions 104,106 may simply be slidably movable relative to each other (telescoping) and snap locked in the extended and contracted positions.
As best seen in
Referring to
The tubular piercing probe 110 has an upper portion 148 received in the flow path 114 of the dispensing head 102 and a lower portion 150 extending axially through the upper closure portion 104. The lower portion 150 includes piercing elements 152 in alignment with the flow conduit 126 and the vent conduit 128 for piercing thereof.
Still referring to
In some embodiments, the skirt 124 of the lower closure portion 106 may be secured to the container neck 902 by a bayonet connection.
In some embodiments, the spray dispensing head may have an offset flow conduit. Referring to
The dispensing head 202 includes an offset flow conduit 214. It is a feature of the present embodiments that the piercing probe is located coaxial to the flow conduit in the lower dispensing closure so that upon rotation, the piercing elements are axially moved to pierce the seal in the required locations. In order to allow rotation of dispensing head 202 with an offset flow conduit 214 relative to the upper closure portion 204 and rotation of the upper closure portion 204 relative to the lower closure portion 206, the piercing probe 210 is separated into two discrete components 210A,210B (See
Similarly, illustrated in
This embodiment has a slightly different spray head configuration 302, but also including an offset flow path 314 through the throat. The upper and lower piercing components 310A,310B are similar to those previously described (210A,201B).
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the lower closure portion is seated within the neck 902 of the container 900 and the outer skirt of the upper closure portion is threaded for mounting directly onto the container neck. Referring to
As best seen in
In use, the piercing elements 552A,552B are spaced from the seal 508 when the upper closure portion 504 is in the inactive extended shipping position (
In another exemplary embodiment indicated at 600 and illustrated in
The bottle adapter 606 is received and supported within the neck 902 of the container 900 and a clip tube 616 extends from a dip tube port 618 on the bottom wall of the adapter 606. The vent conduit 610 may be in the bottom wall as well, adjacent to the flow conduit 608.
The reversible tubular flow adapter 612 has a stem portion 620 at a first end and an annular concentric seat portion 622 at a second end. The flow adapter 612 provides two different functions depending on its deployed configuration.
In a shipping configuration (
In some embodiments, the thread paths in the upper and lower closures may include molded stops to provide temporary physical stops during initial capping. Referring to
The skirt of the lower closure 706 is inwardly threaded to engage with the container neck 902 and also outwardly threaded to receive the outer skirt 722 of the upper closure 704. The lower closure 706 includes an axial flow conduit 726 with a clip tube port 734 and clip tube 732. A seal 708 is received over the axial flow conduit 726.
The upper closure 704 includes a coaxial piercing probe 710 which is configured to mate with and be received within the axial flow conduit 726 when fully deployed.
In contrast with the previous embodiments, the thread paths of the upper and lower closures 704, 706 include molded stops or nubs 760 which provide temporary physical stops for rotation of the upper closure 704 relative to the lower closure 706 during initial capping (stops 760 only shown on lower closure 706).
When initially capped, stops 760 engage and position the piercing probe 710 spaced above the seal 708. However, when the consumer receives the product, the consumer can force further rotation of the upper closure portion 704 (and dispensing head 702), beyond the stops 760, from the inactive shipping position to an active dispensing position. The piercing probe 710 moves downwardly into the flow conduit 726 and pierces the foil seal 708 to open the flow conduit 726 and allow product from the container 900 to travel through the piercing probe 710 into the dispensing head 702. The lower closure 706 may also include a venting passage.
The exemplary embodiments as illustrated depict both a spray-type dispensing head for liquids as well as a pump-style dispensing head. It should be understood that some embodiments of the invention may include other pump dispensers, pump engines and/or other dispenser heads for dispensing shampoos, soaps, lotions, gels and other viscous and non-viscous flowable products. Any container holding a liquid or flowable product would benefit from the present technology.
It should be noted each of the components of the exemplary embodiments may be molded from polymers, plastics, urethanes or otherwise formed from suitable materials as desired and may formed by any suitable manufacturing techniques available in the industry.
It can therefore be seen that the present disclosure provides for a novel dispensing closure system for liquid products which reduces leaks during shipment and handling of individual container units in e-commerce distribution systems. The internal shipping seal and closure locking systems provide two separate protections for preventing leaks from occurring during such e-commerce shipments.
Having thus described certain particular embodiments of the invention, it is understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations thereof are contemplated. Rather, the invention is limited only be the appended claims, which include within their scope all equivalent devices or methods which operate according to the principles of the invention as described.
