Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- WO 92/17370 PCT/EP92/00768
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-/ Closure Element
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a closure element
'~ 5 for a container. More particularly it relates to a
closure element having a pivotable spout movable
~ between open and closed positions.
3 BACXGROUND ART
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-~, 10 Closure elements having a pivotable spout
which is movable between open and closed positions are
well known. This type of element is conventionally
~ fastened to a neck of a container which stores a fluid
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of relatively high viscosity such as shampoo. The
closure element prevents fluid from being dispensed
from the container when it is in the closed position,
and enables fluid to be dispensed from the container -
when it is in the open position. Such closure
elements comprise a main body and a pivotable spout
which, in the closed position, fits into a recess
provided in the main body. In the closed position the
spout extends to the periphery of the main body and is
profiled to enable a user to grip the spout about a
pivot to the open position. ~nce the closure element
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is in the open position fluid can be dispensed from
the container.
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- A disadvantage of this type of closure
element is that when it is necessary to dispense fluid
to a location remote from the container it is
necessary to move the container to that remote
location, open the spout of the closure element and
~- orient the container in such a way that fluid is
dispensed from the container through the spout.
Alternately, a transporting means, such as one end of
a flexible pipe, can be coupled to the spout in the
i open position. The other end of the flexible pipe can
be disposed at the remote location so that fluid can
be dispensed thereat from the container via the spout
and flexible pipe. When the required amount of fluid
has been dispensed from the container, the flexible
pipe must be removed from the spout to enable the
spout to be pivoted to the closed position.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide a
j closl~re element which overcomes these disadvantages.
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~ .j Accorcling to one as~ect of the pre~ent
`~ I invention there i~ provided a cloQtlre ele~rent for a
container for fluids, w~ich elem~t cnE,7rises~ -
" a bxly ;t~r; and
~, a ~vabl~ ~pout carried ~t sa7d ~o~ Ir~,
.~ j which spout has a ~ore ther~t~r~7ugh;
~ I the spout æ~ng movable ~etween a fir~t
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$ I po~ition in whiCh fluid flow through the closure
el~T~ent is prevented an~ a second position in which :
fluid flo~ ~chrough ~e c}osur~ elen~nt i~ enabled;
1 characte~ii~ in that
', the ~r m~ clef7neR a flowpa~h;
! the fl ~ path being brought ~nto
co0munication with the ~ore by ~cvPoent of the spout ~ ;
into said second po6ition; a7~d
. the spout extends beyc7nd the periphery of
the body membe~ thrnugh the range of ~Lvement ~e~ween
aid ~irst and second pofiition~ and i~ a~apted to be -
~j connected to a flexible conduit;
. ~ 20 the arrange~ent being such that the clo5ure
ele~ent can be opened and closed without nece~itatlng
~ the removal of any conduit attached thereto.
.~ According to another aspect of the pre~ent
invention there i~ provided an apparat~s for
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dispensing a fluld, said ap~ar~tus cc~pr~aing a
~ receptacle havLng at least one nec~ which deflnes an
;~ 1 aperture and a closure ele~ent according to eaid one
7i aspect, faqte~ed to the neck of ~aid receptacle.
~ ! 5 A~. the apout of the clo~ure element
-~ 1 according to the present invention extends keyond the
periphery of the clo~ure element at all t~es,
appropriate transporting me~Sns~ ~uch a~ a flexible
conduit, can be permanently coupled to the extensding
part of the spout without affectinq the operati~n of
-~ the clo~ure element.
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. WO 92~17370 PcT/Ep92/oo768
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`i The closure element can be manufactured
using known technology and comprises only two
. components and is therefore relatively inexpensive to
, produce.
~,1 A further aspect of the invention provides
a closure assembly for a container for fluids, said
closure assembly comprising a tubular body member
j which can be secured to the neck of a said container,
`I 10 a flap member pivotably mounted in said body member
j and movable between a first position in which it can
prevent fluid flow through said body, and a second
position in which it permits fluid flow therethrough,
and a receptacle into which said body member can
locate, said receptacle being so shaped and configured
: that relative rotation between said body member and
.,
said receptacle cause the flap member to move between
. its first and second positions.
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:~ 20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS . :
~ The invention will be described now by way
i of example only, with reference to the accompanying
~ drawings in which:
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i Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a
' dispensing apparatus incorporating a closure element
according to one embodiment of the present invention
shown in a closed position.
Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a
dispensing apparatus incorporating a closure element
3 according to the present invention shown in an open
position.
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Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a
;,~ dispensing apparatus incorporating an alternative form
of closure element, and
Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure
3 illustrating the operation of the alternative form
of closure element.
,
~ DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBO~IMENTS
;~ 20 Figures 1 and 2 are schematic side views of
~ a closure element 20 coupled to a suitable receptacle
`~ 30. The receptacle 30 has a neck 21 defining an
aperture to which the closure element 20 is fastened,
and is secured to a generally vertical surface 32 by
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brackets (not shown~ in such a way that the neck 21 is
;~ downwarldy directed. The closure element 20 comprises
a generally cylindrical body 23 which houses a spout - -
~i movable between a closed position tas shcwn in Figure
:~, 5 1) and an open position (as shown in Figure 2). The
spout of the closure element has a through bore 25
which is in communication with the inside of the
receptacle when the spout is in the open position,
thereby permitting fluid flow through the spout, and
is isolated therefrom in the closed position, thereby
preventing fluid flow through the spout. The spout 24
extends beyond the periphery of the body 23 which
enables a flexible conduit 26 to be coupled to the
spout 24.
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Fluid is dispensed from the container when .
the closure element 20 is in the open position (Figure
2). The closure element 20 is opened by rotating the
spout 24 about a pi~ot 27 from the position shown in : :
Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2. When the
spout of the closure element is in the open position
fluid flows from the container through the bore 25 of ;
s,oout 24 and the flexible ~onduit 26 by graviey, and
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the dispensed fluid can be directed to where it is
required by means of the flexible conduit 26.
When the required amount of fluid has been
S dispensed from the container, the spout 24 is rotated
, back to the position shown in Figure 1 which stops the
flow of fluid from the container.
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The aforedescribed closure element has many
practical applications. It will usually be fastened
to a suitable container for storing fluids and
operates to control the amount of fluid dispensed from
the container. With a flexible conduit secured to the
spout of the closure element, fluid can be dispensed
lS to where it is required with a minimum of effort and -
substantially no wastage of fluid. Such an apparatus
has particular application when hazardous fluids are
~ to be handled, or fluids which deteriorate on contact
! with air. One such application is in the field of
photographic developing which uses fluids that are
oxidisable on contact with air. Using the
aforedescribed apparatus fluid can be dispensed from
s the container to a developing tray via the flexible
conduit ~ith a minimum exposure to air.
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WO92t17370 PCT/EP92/00768
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' An advantage of the present closure element
'~ is that it is an extremely simple device for
`~ connecting a fluid source to a transporting means.
The closure element comprises only two parts - the
S body and the spout - and is therefore relatively
inexpensive to manufacture.
It can be readily appreciated that since the
;~ closure element according to the present apparatus has
only two working positions it can be arranged to be
electrically operated.
i A second embodiment of a closure element is
shown in Figures 3 to 5. The closure element shown :
; 15 generally at (50) comprises a tubular body (51) which
locates around the neck (52) of a container (53). The
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internal wall of the body (51) is stepped at (55) and
the step abuts against the rim of the neck (52). An
outer peripheral part of the body (S1) has a inwardly
directed lip (56).
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The body carries a circular flap (58) which
is pivotally mounted to the body at (59). In section
the flap has a portion (6D) of aniform thickness and a
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part circumferential portion (61) which is generally
wedge-shaped, the apex of the wedge contacting the
inner wall of the body (51). In the closed position
of the flap the portion (60) seats against the lip
~ 5 (56).
¦ The body (51) can be received in a
" receptacle element (70). The receptacle (70)
comprises a tubular part (71) having an integrally
~ 10 formed end face (72) which protrudes radially beyond
''-~ the tubular part (71). The interior of the end face
.~ is formed with an axially extending protrusion (74).
:~ The protrusion (74) is located intermediate the axis
~ of the tubular part (71) and the inner surface of the
: 15 tubular part and is spaced from that inner surface by
: a distance sufficient to accommodate the lip (56) (see
~ Figure 4). The interior surface of the tubular part
: (71) has a circumferential groove which receives an : '
O-ring (75). A conduit (76) extends through the end -:
: ~ 20 face (72).
In use the tubular body (51) secured to the
neck of a container is located in the tu,bular part
(71) as shown in Figure 4. Ihe O-ring (75) forms a
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seal between the two elements. In the orientation
shown in Figure 4 the protrusion (74) has contacted
the portion (60) of the flap and caused the flap to
pivot to a position in which the wedge-shaped portion
is not in contact with the body (51). Hence the flap
is open and fluid can flow either to or from the
container via the conduit (76) which is coupled to
photographic processing apparatus.
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To close the flap (58), e.g. when used
chemicals have been returned to the container, the
container is rotated through 180 to the position
shown in Figure 5. This causes the flap to close and
then the body (51) and container can be removed from
~,~ 15 the receptacle (70) without risk of spillage of liquid
from the container.
:
The body (51) and the flap (58) are formed
from a material which allows one to sealingly engage
the other. This material can be a polymer such as
polypropylene.
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The closure assembly of the second
embodiment has similar advantages to those of the
first embodiment. It allows the handling of hazardous
fluids with a minimum risk of exposure. The closure
~, 5 has particular application the field of photographic
d developing.
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