SQUEEZE PACKAGE WHICH CAN BE INVERTED TO DISPENSE LIQUIDS

FLACON PRESSABLE A COUVERTURE PAR INVERSION DU FLACON

English Abstract

A squeeze package such as a toilet bowl cleaner bottle comprising a plastic
container having an open neck defining a first opening, a second laterally
extended
opening on the neck defining a second opening and a closure mounted on the
neck
and movable from a first position and includes a portion extending into said
first
opening and providing a seal isolating the second opening from the contents of
the
container to a second position wherein the seal moves out of position so that
the
contents can be dispensed through the second opening by inverting the
container and
squeezing the container. In one form, the closure comprises a child resistant
closure
that is associated with a portion of the neck so that the closure must be
oriented
circumferentially to permit the closure to be moved axially outwardly to
expose the
second opening.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed are defined as follows:
1.~A squeeze package comprising:
a plastic container having an integral open neck defining a first
opening,
a laterally extended second opening defined by an integral dispensing
tube portion on the neck and
a plastic closure mounted on the neck and movable between a first
position and second position,
said closure including a top wall, a peripheral skirt and an integral
hollow plug portion defining a cylinder having a closed bottom wall, said plug
portion
extending axially into said first opening,
interengaging means between said neck of said container and said
peripheral skirt of said closure operable to hold said closure in said first
position and
said second position,
a first seal supported by said hollow plug portion of said closure
isolating the second opening from the contents of the container when said
closure is in
said first position,
a second seal axially spaced from said first seal and supported by said
hollow plug portion of said closure isolating the first opening from the
container,
whereby the first seal is movable by axially moving the closure to said
second position such that contents of the container can be dispensed through
said
second opening by inverting the container and squeezing the container while
the first
seal isolates the contents of the container from said first opening.
-5-

2. The squeeze package set forth in claim 1 wherein said first seal and
second seal comprise integral annular seals on said plug portion of said
closure which
extends into the first opening.
3. The squeeze package set forth in claim 2 wherein said interengaging
means between said neck of the container and said peripheral skirt of said
closure
operable to hold said closure in said first position and said second position
comprises
interengaging retention bead means on said container and closure.
4. The squeeze package set forth in claim 1 wherein said closure and
container includes child-resistant means therebetween constructed and arranged
to
inhibit movement between said closure and said container unless the closure is
properly oriented with respect to said container,
said child-resistant means comprising an interrupted bead on one of
said container and said closure and at least one lug on the other of said
container and
said closure.
-6-

Description

CA 02081060 1999-11-12
SQUEEZE PACKAGE WHICH CAN BE INVERTED
TO DISPENSE LIQUIDS
This invention relates to squeeze containers and particularly to squeeze
containers with child resistant closures.
Background and Summary of the Invention
In dispensing liquid from packages comprising a squeeze bottle and closure,
such as packages containing toilet bowl cleaning liquids, it is desirable to
be able to
invert the container in order to direct the liquids. In one type of package,
the
container is provided with an angled neck and a fitment closing the neck with
a
closure removably mounted on the neck. In order to dispense the contents, the
closure
is removed and the bottle is inverted and squeezed to direct the liquid out of
the
fitment in the desired direction. Such a construction of an angled neck
requires either
a special process or a multi-process which adds substantially to the cost of
manufacture. Further, the filling of a container having an angled neck
requires
modified filling lines which further adds to the cost of the package. The
requirement
for both a dispensing fitment or nozzle and a closure also adds to the cost.
-1-

CA 02081060 1999-11-12
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a squeeze
package system for dispensing liquids in a desired direction which is
materially lower
in cost; has lower filling costs; and does not require any special fitment or
nozzle.
In accordance with the invention, the squeeze package comprises a plastic
container having an open neck defining a first opening, a second laterally
extended
opening on the neck defining a second opening and a closure mounted on the
neck
and movable from a first position and includes a portion extending into said
first
opening and providing a seal isolating the second opening from the contents of
the
container to a second position wherein the seal moves out of position so that
the
contents can be dispensed through the second opening by inverting the
container and
squeezing the container. In one form, the closure comprises a child resistant
closure
that is associated with a portion of the neck so that the closure must be
oriented
circumferentially to permit the closure to be moved axially outwardly to
expose the
second opening.
Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a squeeze package embodying the invention.
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the package.
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the package in open
position.
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the package in inverted
dispensing position.
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of an apparatus for molding the
container.
Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a child resistant form of the
package.
-2-

CA 02081060 1999-11-12
Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 7.
Description
Refernng to Figs. 1-5, the squeeze package embodying the invention
comprises a hollow container 10 of plastic material such as high density
polyethylene
including a body portion and a neck 12 that has a pair of annular beads 13,
14, the
upper bead 13 nearest the outlet of a opening 15 of the neck 12 having a
greater
diameter than the lower bead 14. A second opening 16 is defined by an integral
tubular portion that extends laterally, preferably at 90 ° to the axis
of the neck 12.
A closure 20 of plastic material such a polypropylene is provided that
includes
a top wall 21, a peripheral skirt 22 and a radially inwardly extending bead 23
that
normally is positioned below the lower bead 14. The closure 20 further
includes an
integral hollow plug portion 24 defining a cylinder having a closed bottom
wall 25.
The cylindrical portion 24 includes a flexible lower seal 26 and a vertically
spaced
flexible upper seal 27. Seals 26, 27 extend radially outwardly and preferably
have an
asymmetrical triangular cross.section that engages the inner surface 28 of the
neck 12.
When the closure 20 is on the container, the lower seal 26 isolates the
opening 16
from the contents of the container 11 and the upper seal 27 isolates the
interior of the
dispensing tube 17 from the upper portion of the closure 20.
In order to dispense the contents, the closure 20 is moved vertically upwardly
in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, to bring the bead 23 on the
closure into
position snapped between the lower bead 14 and the upper bead 13 of the neck
11.
The package is then inverted and squeezing of the wall body portion 11 of the
-3-

CA 02081060 1999-11-12
container will dispense the liquid in any desired direction by aiming the
tubular
portion 17 in the proper direction.
As shown in Fig. 6, the finish of the container is preferably formed by
injection molding plastic from an extruder die head 30 into a space defined by
a mold
core 31 and a split neck ring 32 wherein the neck ring sections 33 includes
annular
cavities 34, 35 for the beads 13, 14 and one of the neck ring sections 33 also
includes
a cavity forming the tube 17 with a secondary core pin 36 spaced to form the
cavity
for the tube 17. The body of the container can be formed thereafter by moving
the
neck ring 32 axially upwardly relative to the die head 30 and continuing to
extrude a
tubular plastic to form a parison which is thereafter enclosed in a blow mold
and blow
molded to form the container integrally with the neck, as is well known in the
art and
shown for example in United States Patents Nos. 2,710,987 and 3,029,471.
In the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, a child resistant feature is added wherein
the closure 20a can not be moved axially without aligning proper portion of
the
closure and container. In this form, the lower bead 14a is provided with
diametrically
opposed notches 37 and the bead 24a on the closure comprises two lugs rather
than a
continuous bead which must be aligned with the notches in order to permit the
closure
to be moved axially upwardly. In all other respects, the package is the same.
It can thus be seen that there has been provided a squeeze pump system for
20 dispensing liquids in a desired direction which is materially lower in
cost; has lower
filling costs; and does not require any special fitment or nozzle.
-4-

Representative Drawing