Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This is a divisional of Canadian Application Serial
No. 250,990, filed April 26th, 1976.
This inventlon relates to llquld dlspensing devlces
and more partlcularly llquld dispensing devices o~ a so-called
roll-on type. Dispensing devices of this general character
are well known in the art and have been widely used commercially.
A typical device ls disclosed ln U.S. Patent 2,749,566.
Although dispensers like that shown ln U.S. Patent
2,749,566 have had widespread commerclal appllcatlon, there
are certaln disadvantages that attend their use. One dlsadvan-
tage is that the relatlvely small slze of the ball m~kes the
appllcation o~ the contents of the con~ainer lnconvenient.
However, when e~orts are made to scale up the size of the ball,
several difflculties are encountered both in the operation of
the devlce and in its manufacture. Thus, for example, the ~low
rate of liquid product coming ~rom a scaled up model of the
device shown in U.S. Patent 2,749,566 is fast and difficult to
control. Moreover, in molding the retaining rings of the device
shown in said patent, in its enlarged version, many faults
occur in the casting because of the bulk of the material
involved. This m~kes lt dlr~icult to maintain the tolerances
that are necessary.
Another disad~antage of prior art ball roll-on
devices is the dif~iculty of cleaning the ball without diluting
the contents of the container.- In using ball roll-on deviees,
the surface o~ the ball exposed to the atmosphere often becomes
encrusted with the dried residue of the liquid product contained
in the dispenser. Frequently, it is desirable to wash the ball
under running tap water. However, with the present roll-on
devices, this procedure tends to dilute the contents o~ the
container since the water can run lnto the container th~ough
the space between the ball and the retainer ring. The present
- lnvention also seeks to avoid this disadvantage.
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It 1~ accordingly an ob~ect o~ the present lnven-
tion to provide a llquid product roll-on dispenser whlch
avolds the aforesaid dlsadvantages.
The present invention provides in one aspect
a dispensing device comprising a container having
an open end defined by an annular wall, a generally spherical
ball mounted within said open end, a plurality of nibs extending
inwardly from said annular wall and adapted to support said
ball for rotation; said ball and annular wall forming restricted
passage for the flow of liquid product from within said
container, a relatively thin resilient retaining ring surround-
ing said ball adapted to retain said ball inside said open
end; said ring being in engagement with the outside of said
annular wall, a portion of the internal surface o~ said
retaining ring being adapted to serve as a circumferential
sealing surface ag&inst said ball, an open ended closure liner
encompassing s~id ring and said ball; said ball partially
pro~ecting be~ond the upper margin of said open ended closure
liner when the latter is in place whereby liquid product m~y
be dispensed from said container when said liner is in place
on the container; said liner being provided with méans on its
internal sur~ace for applying pressure to said retaining ring
ad~acent to said circu.~ferential sealing surface; s~id liner
being adapted to apply a variable pressure to said retaining
ring whereby the rate of flow of liquid product from within
said container may be regulated.
Other and more detailed obJects of this invention
will be apparent from the ~ollowing de~cription, claims and
drawings wherein.
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DESCRIPTION CF DRAWINGS
Flg. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser encom-
passed in the present invention shown in assembled conditlon;
Fig. 2 i5 an exploded view o~ the top portion of
the dispenser shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial longitudinal sectional
view of the dispenser shown in Fig. 1 taken through line 3-3
thereof showing the closure liner in open positlon;
Fig. 4 is a view similar to thst shown in Fig. 3
with the overcap removed and wlth the closure liner screwed down
into the sealing position;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser
shown ln Flg. 3 taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the dis-
positlon of the ball supporting nibs; and
Flg. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the top
portions of another embodlment of this invention.
Referring to the drawings in which the same number
refers to the same structure in the various views, the container
is shown generally at 1 whlch, in this modi~ication of the
invention, has an hour glass configuration. In this design,
container 1 is also provided with a transparent outer shell 2
through which the hour glass configuration of the container is
vlsible.
The hour glass conflguration of contalner 1 terminates
at lts upper end in flange 4. Flange 4 serves as the upper stop
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~ outer shell 2 that ls sllpped over container 1 from below
upwardly. Container 1 may be fabricated of any suitable
material. However, the materlals o~ choice are synthetlc
plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene,
5. polyvlnyl chloride. Shell ~ is made of reslllent transparent
synthetlc plastic such as styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer
and keptin place on container 1 by means o~ a friction ~it.
Extending upwardly from flange 4 of contalner l and
integral therewith is hollow generally cylindrical neck 6.
10. On its outer surface near its upper extremity, neck 6 ls
provided with a bead 8 which i9 adapted to engage a cooperating
bead on the inner sur~ace of retaining ring 10 in a m~nner
described in more detail below.
Spaced below bead 8 on neck 6 is an external thread
15. 12 that is adapted to mate with an internal thread provided
~or on closure liner 32. This will also be descrlbed ln more
detail below.
Neck 6, as mentlonedg is hollow and communlcates
from below with the internal cavity of container 1. The internal
20. diameter of neck 6 m~y be dif~erent for different containers.
However, it is dimensioned so as to accommodate a relatively
large ball 16 in a partially recessed fashion. The internal
- diameter o~ neck 6 is accordingly somewhat smaller than the
diameter o~ ball 16. Ordinarily, this diameter will be in the
25. range of from about .5 to 2.0 inches and will preferably be
about 1.35 to 1.42 inches.
Extending inwardly from the lnner surface of neck 6,
there is provided a plurality o~ nibs 18 which serve to
rotatably support ball 16 when it is inserted into the opening
30. of neck 6. These are very small relative to the inner diameter
of neck 6. The precise verticle dimension and thickness of the
nibs m~y vary somewhat from case to case. However, it will
ordinarlly have a vertlcal dimenslon of about .1 lnch, ~
width of about .045 inches and a thickness of about .015 inches.
~ all 16 is the prim~ry dispensing element in the
present device. As mentioned above, it is rotatably mounted
5. in neck 6 and is in a partially recessed relatlonship there-
with. At its upper end, when mounted in neck 6, ball 16
extends above the upper margin o~ neck 6. Below, ball 16
closes of~ the open end of container 1 except for the
restricted passageway between the surface ball 16 and the
10. internal surface of neck 6. The lower surface of b~ll 16 is
also in contact with the liquid contents of the container
when it is inverted ~or appllcatlon.
As previously mentioned, ball 16 is relatively large
as compared to similar devices now used in the prior art.
15. The larger size o~ the ball has the advantage that a larger
area can be covered by a single stroke of the device than was
possible by the prior art ball roll-on devices of this character.
The precise size of ball 16 may vary somewhat.
However, it will ordinarily have a diameter in the range of
20. from.5to 2 inches and preferably in the range of from about
1.45 to 1.55 inches. It may be fabricated of any suitable
material such as a synthetic plastic. However, the material
of choice is polystyrene.
To keep ball 16 in place on the dispenser, there
5. is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a rela-
low density polyethylene.
tively thin retaining ring 10 made of resilient m~terial e.g./
This will usually have a thickness in the ran~e of from
.045 to .o60 inches and a height sufficient to engage
the ball above its e~uator. Retaining ring 10 is divided into a lower
30. container neck engaging portion 20 and an upper ball encompassing
portion 22. Portion 20 of ring 10 ls provided, on its internal
surface, with a bead 24 which snaps over the external bead 8
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on neck 6. 1(~ ?
Portion 22 o~ ring 10 on lts lnternal and externalsurfaces generally follows the curved contour o~ ball 16
that it surrounds. The internal curvature of portion 22 o~
5. ring 10 is such that a small gap is provided between the
inner surface of ball 16 so that liquid product mEIy pass
therebetween. The inner surface of portion 22 ad~acent its
upper m~rgin provides a circun~erential sealing surface 26
which m~y be brought into sealing relationship with ball 16
10. when closure liner 32 is screwed into its down position.
In this modi~ication of the invention, provision
iQ also made ~or a closure liner 32 adapted to apply variable
pressure to retaining ring 10 ad~acent to sealing surf`ace 26.
Closure liner 32 also has generally a hollow cylindrical
15. shape and is provlded on its internal sur~ace near its lower
margin with internal threads 34, that mate with the external
threads on neck 6.
Closure liner 32J on its inner surf~ce, also has a
circum~erentially dlsposed surface 36 that bears against the
20. outer sur~ace of retaining ring 10 near the upper m~rgin thereof.
In operation, closure liner 32 is screwed into place a~ter
the ball 16 and retaining ring 10 have been put into place.
Since sur~ace 36 bears up against the outer sur~ace of retain-
ing ring 10 ad~acent circum~erentially sealing surface 26, the
25. pressure applied thereto can Oe regulated by screwing or
unscrewing the closure liner 32.
By screwing closure liner 32 well into place, circum-
ferential sealing sur~ace 26 may be completely sealed. In
this position, the portion of the ball 16 that is exposed to
30. the atmosphere and extends above the upper }n~rgin o~ closure
liner 32 can be washed with running tap water without the
danger of any water getting into the container.
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The relationshlp between the closure liner 32 and
clrcumferential seallng surface 26 ls best seen by comparing
Flgs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3 the closure llner 32 is in the
open positlon and circum~erentlal seallng surface 26 ls seen to
5. be spaced ~rom ball 16. In Fig. 4 closure liner 32 is in the
closed, screwed down position and sealing sur~ace 26 is shown
to be in contact with the sur~ace o~ ball 16.
The ~act that the closure line 32 is open at the
top m~kes it posslble to dispense the contents o~ the container
10. wlthout removing llner 32. All that ls required ls that liner
32 be unscrewed su~lciently to release the pressure on the
sealing sur~ace 26 to permit the ~low o~ liquid product from
the container. Since ball 16 also extends above the upper
margin o~ liner 32, material m~y be applled without removing
15. liner 32.
In this modification o~ the invention, the dispenser
may also be provided with an overcap 14a. Overcap 14a will
usually be retained on the container by means o~ a friction
~it.
20. As pointed out above, the diameter of ball 16 is
somewhat larger than the internal diameter of neck 6.
Because o~ this, ball 16 rests in a partially recessed rela-
tionship within neck 6. In this relationship, in the absence
o~ nibs 18, the open end o~ container 1 would be substantially
25. completely sealed o~f and practically no liquid product could
be dispensed from the container.
I~, however, on the other hand, relatively large ~;
supporting means (i.e. large in a vertical dimenSion) was
provided in neck 6 for supporting ball 16 ~or rotation, a
30. relatively large gap could be present between the internal
surface o~ neck 6 and the outer sur~ace of ball 16. In this
kind o~ arrangement, since ball 16 is relatively large, the
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rate of flow of liquid product out of the container would be
fast and difficult to control. This is avoided by the present
invention by structuring the nibs 18 so that they are very
small. This helps to give a gap between the ball 16 and
inner surface of neck 6 which is small and which will serve
as a metering device for the flow of liquid from the container.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide
a restricted passageway 38 between the inner surface of neck
6 and the surface of ball 16 above the upper margin of nibs
1018. This will serve as a metering device for controlling the
flow of liquid product from the container. The size of this
restricted passageway or gap may vary somewhat e.g. less than
.100 inches. However, the best results are obtained when this
gap is in the range of from .001 to .020 inches. The size of
this gap may be established and maintained by fabricating
the ball 16 and neck 6 with appropriate diameters for the
required rate of flow. In addition, the upper margins of nibs
18 are positioned with respect to the upper margin of neck 6
so that the surfaces of neck 6 and ball 16 are separated to the s
20appropriate extent. This may be accomplished by locating
the upper margin of nibs 18 at a distance of from about .000
to .125 inches below or above the upper margin of neck 6 and
preferably .075 to .125 inches below.
The modification of the invention shown in Fig. 6
is similar in most respects as that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5.
.
However~ the former does not contain the threaded closure
liner 32 provided for in the latter. In its place, is a
sealing cap 25.
Sealing cap 25 is generally dome-shaped and has near
its lower extremity internally disposed threads 28 that are -
adapted to mate with threads 12 of neck 6 of the container.
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10~
About midway up the inner surface of sealing cap 25 there
is provided a circumferentially extending angularly
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sposed pressure applylng surface 30. Surface 30 i8 posl-
tloned so that when sealing cap 25 is screwed onto neck 6,
surface 30 will engage retaining ring lO ad~acent the circum- -
ferential sealing sur~ace 26. In thls fashion, all communica-
5. tion between the atmosphere and the lnternal cavity of container1 can be cut off.
The modification of the invention shown in Fig. 5
may also be provided with an overcap 14. This is mQintained
in position by a friction fit.
lO. In using the device shown in Fig. 6, overcap 14 is
flrst removed. This is followed by the unscrewing and the
complete removal of sealing cap 25. With this removed, the
dispenser is ready ~or use. After use, cap 25 will then be
replaced to seal the contents of the container ~rom the
15. atmosphere. The replacement o~ overcap 14 is optional.
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