Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A ventinq roll-on aPplicator
Fieid of the invention
10 The present invention relates to a roll-on applicator. The roll-on
applicator according to the present invention allows venting of gasses
between the interior and the exterior of said applicator.
Background of the invention
Roll-on applicators are well known in the art. Usually, said applicators
are containers comprising a hollow body for liquids, a ball and a retaining
support means for said ball. These roll-on applicators generally allow to
apply a liquid film from the inside of the hollow body to a selected surface.
The common problem of these is to avoid leakage or spillage of the
contained liquid during the periods of non-use of said roll-on applicators.
The prior art solves this problem using the cooperation of a cap. Indeed, as
disclosed in US-3 036 328, US-4 221 494, US-4 221 495, US-4 475 837
and US-5 051 017, the ball is forced to engage and bear against a sealing
surface of said retaining support means when the container is closed by
the cap. But this solution to avoid leakage or spillage is inconvenient, if the
above retaining support means with the ball is located under the level of
the content. Indeed, leakage or spillage may occur during the operation of
unscrewing the cap. For this reason, the roll-on applicator of the prior art
usually has the retaining support means for the ball only on top of the
corresponding container above the level of the content when said container
is stored in its upright position.
Another disadvantage of the roll-on applicators of the prior art is given
by the fact that the spread quantity cannot be increased. Instead, the prior
art only teaches a decrease of said spread quantity. Indeed, the roll-on
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applicating means described in the above mentioned prior art can force the
ball to engage and bear against a sealing surface of said retaining support
means to decrease or stop completely the flow of the content on said ball.
The inverse is never possible. On the contrary, an increased spread
s quantity is useful especially during pretreatment of stains on a fabric.
Indeed, different stains may need a greater amount of liquid detergent for a
more effective pretreatment. For example, stains made of certain
constituents may need a greater quantity of detergent to get a more
thorough and effective pretreatment. A greater quantity may also be
needed to simply cover the dimension of the stain itself.
The above problems have been solved by the roll-on applicator described
in the co-pending European patent application 94870179.2. Said roll-on
applicator comprises a container adapted to contain and dispense a
product. Said container comprises a hollow body, a dispensing opening, a
ball and a flexible and resilient support means for said ball. Said flexible
and resilient support means urges said ball against said dispensing opening,
achieving a leak-tight engagement between said ball and said dispensing
opening. Said flexible and resilient support means can be deformed in a
resilient manner by an external force acting on said ball whereby said leak-
tight engagement between said ball and said dispensing opening is
disengaged, allowing said contained product to be spread by said ball. In
practice, said flexible and resilient support means together with said ball
acts as a valve which opens when pressing on said ball.
We found that said ball urged against said dispensing opening by said
flexible and resilient support means achieves also a gas-tight engagement.
In the following, "gas-tight engagement" means that no gases are able to
pass through the engagement between the inside and the outside of the
container. Alternatively, gas-tight engagement" may also mean that the
rate of pressure which may be released to the outside of the container
through this engagement (hereinafter called "pressure release raten) is
smaller than the rate of pressure produced inside said container. Therefore,
a pressure builds up inside said container, because the amount of gases
-~~ 35 which are able to escape to the outside of said container is too small in
respect to the pressure built up inside said container.
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There are a number of possible factors which may lead to the existence
of the pressure built up inside said container. The content of the package
may, for example, be chemically unstable or may be subject to reaction
with gases which may exist in the head space of the package, or
5 alternatively, in certain specific circumstances, may react with the package
material itself. Any chemical reactions involving the liquid contents may
lead to production of gases, and hence to overpressure in the package.
Pressure built up inside said container may also occur when the
temperature during the filling and sealing of the container is significantly
10 different from external temperature during shipment, transportation and
storage. Another possibility of a pressure difference may be caused by a
different ambient pressure at the filling of the container from another
ambient pressure at a different geographical location.
1s We found that the gas-tightness between said ball and said opening is
further increased, or the pressure release rate is further reduced, when the
pressure builds up inside said container. Indeed, this internal pressure
further presses said ball against said dispensing opening further reducing
the pressure release rate. The pressure release rate may be reduced down
20 to almost no pressure release at all.
We further found that product can be expelled outwards when pressure
has been built up inside said roll-on applicator described in the co-pending
European patent application 94870179.2. To apply the contained product
25 around the ball, it may be necessary to invert said container to convey
said product towards said ball. This is not necess~ry, if said ball together.
with said flexible and resilient support means are always located under the
filling level of said product. Nevertheless, in both cases, when pressing on
said ball a free passage between said ball and said dispensing opening is
30 created. Therefore, the built-up gas inside said container tends immediately
to escape through said free passage, like a burp. Consequently, product
situated between said built-up gas and said free passage may be also
expelled in a rapid and an uncontrolled manner. This product rapidly
expelled creates messiness and waste. Indeed, the expelled product may
35 cover also other areas which were not intended to be covered by the user.
Furthermore, the quantity of product expelled may be greater than
necessary without the possibility of control.
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It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a leak-tight
container comprising a roll-on applicator, but which nevertheless allows
venting of gases to impede that product may be expelled from the inside
of said container driven by the pressure built up inside the container,
thereby avoiding messiness and waste of the contained product.
Summarv of the invention
The present invention is a package comprising a container (10) adapted
to contain and dispense a product, and a cap (20). Said container
comprises a hollow body ( 1), a dispensing opening ~2), a ball (3) and a
15 flexible and resilient support means (4) for said ball. Said flexible and
resilient support means urges said ball against said dispensing opening,
achieving a substantially leak-tight engagement between said ball and said
dispensing opening. Said flexible and resilient support means can be
deformed in a resilient manner by an external force acting on said ball
20 whereby said substantially leak-tight engagement between said ball and
said dispensing opening is disengaged, allowing said contained product to
be spread by said ball. Said cap can be engaged to said container in a
removabie manner. Said cap covers said dispensing opening. Said cap
presses onto said ball creating a free passage between said ball and said
25 dispensing opening only when said cap is engaged and/or disengaged from
said container.
Brief descri-~lion of the fiaures
Figures 1a and 1b are cross sectional views showing a container (shown
partially) with an embodiment of the flexible and resilient support means
for a ball according to the present invention in a cross sectional view.
3~ Figures 2a and 2b are cross sectional views showing containers (shown
partially) with other embodiments of the flexible and resilient support
means for a ball according to the present invention.
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Figure 3 illustrates the top view of the embodiment of the flexible and
resilient support means for the ball of Figure 2b.
5 Figures 4a and 4b are cross sectional views illustrating a container
(shown partially) comprising a cap. Said cap in Figure 4a is in rest position,
i.e. said cap is not pushing onto said ball. On the contrary, Figure 4b being
an enlarged view of the upper portion of said container freezes a moment
when said cap presses onto said ball. Figures 4c and 4d are front views
10 illustrating the engagement means in the upper portion of said container
according to the present invention.
Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are equivalent to the corresponding Figures 4a
and 4b, whereby said cap is shown in another embodiment according to
15 the present invention.
Figure 6 is a front view of the engagement between the cap and the
container, whereby said engagement is a child resistant closure.
Detailed descriDtion of the invention
An embodiment of the container (10) according to the present invention
25 is shown in a cross sectional view in Figures 1 a and 1 b. The present
invention provides a container (10) (only partially shown in Figure la)
adapted to contain and dispense a product. The word "container"
encompasses any form and/or type of containers comprising a hollow body
(1 ) and a dispensing opening (2). For example, bottles, tubes, dosing
30 and/or dispensing devices are containers according to the definition of the
present invention. The hollow body (1) of the container may be made of a
rigid, soft or flexible material. Soft or flexible materials may be preferred toallow squeezing of the hollow body itself for a further controlled dispensing
through the opening. Specifically for dosing and/or dispensing devices, said
35 hollow body may be preferably made of a material resistant to water
temperatures up to 95~C. Said dispensing opening is located in the upper
portion of said container. In the following, "upper portion of said
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container is the portion of said container from said dispensing opening
down to the highest level of the contained product when said container
stands on its upright position or it is the neck when said container is, for
example, a bottle. Furthermore, the "axis of a container" is a direction
5 perpendicular to the basis upon which said container stands in its upright
position .
Specifically, said dosing and/or dispensing devices are adapted for
pretreatment of fabrics, like, for example, the one described in W0
92/09736 and/or W0 92/09736. Usually, said dosing and/or dispensing
device adapted for pretreatment comprises a further opening which allows
the filling of this device. When this device is put inside the washing
machine with the fabrics, said filling opening also allows the dispensing of
the content into the wash liquid of the machine during the wash cycle. The
15 filling opening is usually located on the top of said dosing and/or
dispensing device when said device is in it~ upright position.
A partially or completely transparent hollow body ( 1~ is a preferred
option to allow the user to verify the quantity of the content and facilitate
20 measuring and dosing with dosing and/or dispensing devices. As a further
preferred option said container may have an upper portion which is inclined
in respect to the rest of said hollow body, i.e. said dispensing opening is
not along the axis of said container. In this manner, the tilting angle
necessary to dispense said contained product through said dispensing
25 opening can be reduced. As another preferred option, said hollow body
may further comprise at least one dosing line on the external and/or
internal surface of said hollow body (FIG. 4, 11). Preferably, said container
is made of a plastic material, such as, for example, polypropylene,
polyethylene, polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride.
The container (10) may be adapted to contain liquid substances.
Preferably, said product is a liquid detergent. According to the present
invention the liquid detergent may comprise any ingredients known in the art.
Such ingredients may include surfactants, suds suppressors, bleaches,
35 chelants, builders, enzym~s, fillers and perfumes.
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An essential feature of the present invention is a ball (3). Said ball is located
partially inside said hollow body (1 ) at the dispensing opening (2), i.e. said ball
protrudes at last partially from said dispensing opening, i.e. said ball is located
in the upper portion of said container. The dimensions of said ball and said
5 dispensing opening are tuned to each other so that the ball is not normally able
to escape through said dispensing opening to the exterior of said hollow body.
In use, the content of said container is spread by said ball, since said ball isalways in communication with the co,)te,)t of said container (10). In use, part of
the content gets in contact with said ball and is then applied onto a surface
10 outside said container by rotation of said ball.
Said ball (3) may be hollow or solid, and may have a generally smooth outer
surface or may have an outer surface having some degree of roughness. Said
ball may be made of an open or closed celled structure. Preferably, said ball is15 rigid. The use of a spherical ball permits an omnidirectional spreading, since a
spherical ball will rotate in any direction with equal efficacy, if said spherical
ball is not fixed in one axis. Other shapes of said ball may be utilized, such as,
for example, cylindrical or ellipsoidal. But such shapes may present functional
limitations in that balls of that shapes will only generally rotate about a single
20 axis. Preferably, the present invention uses spherical balls to allow an
omnidirectional spreading. We found that this feature is particularly useful
to achieve an accurate and comfortable spreading of liquid detergent
during pretreatment, regardless of the patterns of stains. On the contrary,
if the ball was limited to rotate around one axis, the user would be obliged
2s to perform complicated movements with his hand, like twisting the wrist.
The spreading with an omnidirectional rotating ball is also better controlled,
and therefore avoids waste of liquid detergent, since it is easier to spread
only on the limited area of the stain.
30 Specifically for dosing and/or dispensing devices, said ball may be
preferably made of a material resistant to water temperatures up to 95~C.
For example it is possible to use plastic materials, such as, for example,
polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, or polyvinyl chloride.
The ball (3) is manufactured separately from the hollow body (1). This
ball can be then inserted through said dispensing opening into said flexible
and resilient support means by simply pushing said ball through the lip (9)
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of said dispensing opening. This is possible, since said lip (9) of said
dispensing opening is flexible enough to be at least slightly elastically
deformed, since said lip, part of the hollow body or of the flexible and
resilient support means, is preferably made of a plastic material. The
5 container (10) can also comprise more than one ball (3), held separately in
different dispensing openings (2) or in a common dispensing opening.
The flexible and resilient support means (4) for said ball is another
essential feature of the present invention. Said flexible and resilient support
10 means urges said ball (3) against said dispensing opening (2), achieving a
tight engagement between said ball and said dispensing opening.
Accordingly, said flexible and resilient support means closes the dispensing
opening with the cooperation of said ball and it is located in the upper
portion of said container. In a preferred embodiment, said flexible and
15 resilient support means presses said ball against the most external rim or
lip (9) of said dispensing opening. We found that the engagement between
said opening (2) and said ball urged by said flexib!e and resilient support
means is substantially leak tight for liquids. In the following, "substantially
leak-tight" means that said engagement between said ball and said
20 dispensing opening is resistant to product flow when the only force
exerting onto said product against said engagement is composed by the
hydrostatic pressure. Therefore, it is possible to avoid substantial leakage
or spillage during the periods of non-use of said container (10) without the
cooperation of a cap.
2~
As a preferred option, said lip (9) of said flexible and resilient support
means (4) is flexible or deformable. In this manner, the flexible or
deformable lip is able to conform to and/or compensate for any
imperfection in the shape of said ball, e.g. when said ball does not have a
30 perfect spherical shape. To achieve this, said flexible or deformable lip maybe made of a separate material attached to the perimeter of said dispensing
opening. Said flexible or deformable lip of said flexible and resilient support
means may also be made by co-injecting a flexible or deformable material,
like rubber, forming said lip together with a more rigid material for the rest
35 of said flexible and resi!ient support means. A flexible or deformable lip
does not affect the strength and/or structure of said flexible and resilient
support means.
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Said flexible and resilient support means (4) is able to be resiliently
deformed by an external force acting on said ball (3). Accordingly, by
pushing said ball to the inside of said container, said substantially leak-tights engagement between said ball and said dispensing opening (2) is
disengaged. Consequently, said ball is free to rotate and able to spread the
content, since the free passage between said lip (9) and said ball connects
the content with the protruding part of said ball. The free passage between
said lip (9) and said ball is hereinafter called "product flow passage". The
10 substantially leak-tight engagement is immediately and automatically re-
established once the external force stops to push said ball to the inside of
said container. Consequently, the product flow passage is closed
interrupting the product flow from inside said container. Said ball urged
against said dispensing opening achieves an engagement which makes said
15 container substantially leak-tight when not in use.
The flexible and resilient support means (4) according to the present
invention allows to adapt the flow of product from the interior of said
container. Indeed, the dimension of the passage between said lip (9) and
20 said ball (3) can be adjusted by the user by varying the external force
exerted on said ball. Consequently, the amount of the product flow from
the inside of said container can be controlled by varying the dimension of
said passage. Specifically, a greater product flow can be achieved by
pressing said ball further inside said container. Furthermore, said flexible
25 and resilient support means in combination with a flexible container further
allows to dispense or pour directly the product onto a surface by pressing
onto said ball and squeezing said flexible container.
Figure 1a shows an embodiment according to the present invention. Said
30 flexible and resilient support means (4) comprises a spring (5) located undersaid ball (3). Said spring presses said ball (3) against said dispensing opening(2) to achieve said substantially leak-tight engagement during the periods of
non-use of said container. By exe, ling a force F on said ball towards the inside
of said container, said spring resiliently deforms and the ~Jesi,ad product flow35 p~ss~ge is created, as shown in Figure 1b. Said spring may be separately
attached or an integral part of said hollow body (1). Furthermore, said spring
may be made of any possible material, such as, for example, metal or plastic.
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Said spring may have any possible shape, such as, for example, helical or
cylindrical.
As another preferred embodiment according to the present invention, said
5 flexible and resilient support means comprises in the region opposite said
dispensing opening at least a resiliently deformable arm (6) urging said ball
against said dispensing opening (2) to achieve said leak-tight engagement.
Said arm (6) may be bent at an angle a (Fig. 2a) to achieve said resilient
deformability. Preferably, a is between 0~ deg and 90~ deg. Preferably, said
10 flexible and resilient support means comprises a housing (4a) which fits the
container and defines said dispensing opening at one extremity, as illusl,alecl
in Figure 2b. The fitment of said housing to said container has to be leak-tight,
but said fitment may be threaded or snapped to said container. A threaded
fitment of said housing to said container may have the advantage to allow an
5 easy refilling of said container by the user. Therefore, said flexible and
resilient support means (4) may be made of a rigid or flexible housing, said
housing supporting said spring (5) or said flexible arm (6) and may be inserted
into said dispensing opening (2).
20 As a more prerer,ed embodiment accGrding to the present invention, said
flexible and resilient support means (4) may comprise more than one said
resiliently deformable arm (6) as in Figure 2b. And as a most preferred
embodiment accor~lir,g to the present inYention all of said arms are connected
together at a ring of contact or single point of contact (FIG. 2b, 7) with said ball.
25 P,ererably, said single point of contact (7) with said ball is at the point of the
ball which is most opposite to said dispensing opening (2).
As a further preferred option, said flexible and resilient support means (4)
may comprise, in its region opposite said dispensing opening (2), an
30 interrupted rim (Fig. 3, 8) against which the ball (3) is urged when an external
force is applied. This means that said interrupted rim prevents that said ball
from being pushed further inside said container. But be~l ~se said rim is
interrupted, i.e. said rim has at least one per",cnently open p~ss~ge for the
content, the p~ss~ge for the product flow is guaranteed. Therefore, said
35 interrupted rim defines the maximum product flow passage allowed by said
flexible and resilient support means. Furthermore, said interrupted rim impedes
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that said ball from being pushed further inwards with the risk to break said
spring of said flexible and resilient support means.
Said flexible and resilient support means (4) may be an integral part to or
5 separated part to said container (10). Said flexible and resilient support means
may be made of injection resins (like, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene,polyamide, polyoxymethylene) or elastomeric polymers like thermoplastic
elastomers (for example, polyurethane rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene-
butadiene rubber) or a combination lhereof. Furthermore, two or more stage
10 injection of materials may be used to achieve a flexible and resilient support
means having, for example, an elastic spring combined with a rigid attachment
feature.
Said cap (20) is another essential feature of the present invention.
15 Figure 4a illustrates said cap engaged on said container (10). Said cap
comprises a top wall (21) and a skirt (22) substantially perpendicular to
said top wall. The engagement means (30) which allows said cap to be
engaged to said container are part of said skirt. Said container comprises
the flexible and resilient support means (4) described above in Figure 2b.
20 Nevertheless, other flexible and resilient support means (4) as described
above, for example in Figures 1 a and 2b, are also possible. Said cap
protects said ball against damages when said ball is not in use. Once
completely engaged said cap stays in a rest position in which the surface
of said cap facing said ball (hereinafter called "underside" of the cap)
25 nowhere touches said ball. Said ball may be further pressed upwards by
the pressure built up inside said container until said ball meets and
eventually presses onto the underside of said cap. Therefore, said cap may
be also helpful to prevent that the pressure built up inside said container
ejects said ball outwards from said container. According to the present
30 invention said cap presses onto said ball creating a free passage between
said ball and said dispensing opening (as shown in Figure 1b) only when
said cap is engaged or disengaged from said container. Saying that said
cap is engaged or disengaged means that said cap is moved towards, or
away from said rest position.
As said before, said free passage is available when said cap presses
onto said ball. This happens when said cap is engaged or disengaged from
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said container. This means that during this operation said container is held
in its upright position and the head space is located in the upper portion of
said container over the level of product contained in said container. The
"head space" is the volume of gas remaining in said container after the
5 filling between the highest level of said product and the lip (9) of said
dispensing opening ~2). Consequent1y, the gases of said head space
escape through said free passage without expelling also product.
Therefore, said container is vented without creating messiness and waste.
10 The availability of said free passage is limited over a relatively small
period of time. Indeed, this availability is limited to the time necessary to
engage or disengage said cap (20) from said container (10). But we found
that this period of time is sufficient to release at least a part of the
pressure build up inside said container decreasing substantially the
15 pressure difference between the inside and the outside of said container.
We further found that the amount of pressure decrease obtained in this
manner is sufficient to avoid that product located around said ball is
expelled in an uncontrolled manner together with the pressure release.
Therefore, messiness and waste of expelled product is substantially
20 avoided. The overpressure existing inside said container is defined as being
the difference between the pressure inside said container and the pressure
outside said container. The decrease of overpressure achieved when said
cap is engaged or disengaged from said container and creates said free
passage is at least about 10%, more preferably at least about 50%, most
25 preferably at least about 90%. Specifically, we found that when the
pressure built up inside said container is about 250 mbar, it is needed to
get this pressure below about 50 mbar to avoid substantial dispensing
negatives. Dispensing negatives are principally messiness and waste
created when the gas inside said container is expelled during dispensing of
30 the product, like a burp as described above.
Figure 4a illustrates said cap (20) in the rest position. Said cap nowhere
touches said ball (3). Specifically, a gap (24) divides the outer surface of
said ball from the inner surface (31) of said cap. Therefore, said ball urged
35 against said dispensing opening ~2) closes said dispensing opening in a
gas-tight manner. In the following, ~gas-tightness" means that no gases
are able to pass through the engagement between the inside and the
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13
outside of the container. Alternatively, "gas-tightness" may also mean that
the rate of pressure which may be released to the outside of the container
through this engagement (hereinafter called "pressure release rate") is
smaller than the rate of pressure produced inside said container. Therefore,
5 a pressure builds up inside said container, because the amount of gases
which are able to escape to the outside of said container is too small in
respect to the pressure built up inside said container. Figure 4b shows in
an enlarged view the moment in which said cap depresses said ball during
disengagement of said cap from said container. The same happens in the
10 reversed situation when said cap is engaged onto said container. This
allows a greater flow of gases to pass through said free passage (23) to
the outside of said container, as depicted by the arrows, during cap
removal.
15 As described before, said cap (20) depresses said ball (3) when said cap
is engaged or disengaged from said container (10). A way to achieve this
is to provide an engagement means (30) between said cap and said
container which guides said top wall of said cap towards said ball to press
onto said ball whenever said cap is engaged or disengaged. We found that
20 a possible embodiment is to have said engagement means comprising
inclined screw threads (Fig. 4c, 30). The threads on the skirt (22) of said
cap concur with other threads located on the outer surface of said hollow
body (1) under the opening (2). We found that the threads on the outer
surface of said hollow body can be inclined in such a manner to bring said
25 top wall of said cap in contact with said ball pressing onto said ball. Said
threads may be part of the outer surface of said container or part of the
outer surface of said flexible and resilient support means (4).
An example is shown in Figure 4c. Said thread comprises two ribs (32,
30 32') delimiting in their middle a channel (33). Said channel is dimensioned
to fully accommodate the corresponding thread on said cap. Said channel
is open at one end ~33a) and closed at the opposite end by a wall (34).
Preferably, said wall (34) connects said two ribs (32, 32') together.
Therefore, to engage said cap to said container, the thread of said cap has
35 to enter the channel from its open end. The open end of said channel (33)
is in a lower position in respect to the closed end when said container
r
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14
stands on its upright position. This means that said cap has to be pressed
down until its threads are able to enter into said channel.
As a preferred option, the rib (32) above said channel (33) nearest to
5 said opening (2) further comprises an inclined portion (35). The inclination
of said inclined portion is directed towards said opening (2), as illustrated
in Figure 4d. This facilitates especially the engagement into said channel
(33) of the threads of said cap. Indeed, said inclined portion (35) guides
the thread of said cap (20) back into said channel when reclosing said
10 container. Consequently, it is easy to use rotational movement to engage
said cap (20) with said engagement means (30) without having to push
down said cap. As another preferred option, the rib (32') under said
channel (33) further away from said opening may further comprise a
second inclined portion (36). Again, the inclination of said second inclined
15 portion is also directed towards said opening (2), as illustrated in Figure
4d. This second inclined portion (36) facilitates especially the
disengagement from said channel (331 of the threads of said cap. Indeed,
said inclined portion (36) forces said cap upwards helping in lifting up said
cap when disengaging said cap from said container.
In the following, the plane (P, Fig. 2b) is the plane tangent to the highest
point of said ball when said container stands in its upright position.
Furthermore, dt is the distance between said thread of said cap and said
top wall (Fig. 2b, 31) on the underside of said cap, and dc is the distance
25 between said open end (Fig. 4c, 33a) and said plane (P). Consequently,
when the distance dt is smaller than the distance dc ensures that said top
wall presses onto said ball when the thread of said cap enters into said
open end of said channel. The difference ~ = (dc - dt) can be less or equal
to the maximum displacement of said ball inside said container allowed by
30 said flexible and resilient support means. Said cap is then further turned tothe left until the thread of said cap is stopped by said wall (Fig. 4c, 34). In
this position said cap closes said container. Said cap presses onto said ball
also when it is disengaged from said container. Indeed, turning said cap to
the right, said cap moves from the closed end to said open end of said
35 channel, i.e. said cap is downwardly displaced going from said closed end
to said open end. Therefore, said cap is able again to press onto said ball
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and to open said free passage (23) between the interior and the exterior of
said container.
Said cap (20) comprising child resistant features is another possibility to
5 achieve a free passage (23) when said cap is engaged and/or disengaged
from said container. An example is shown in Figure 6. In this case, the
thread (41 ) of said cap has to be pushed down first into said channel (33)
from the space (42) to get said thread (41) of said cap to the open end
(33a), and to separate said cap from said engagement with said container.
10 In case said thread (41) of said cap is turned without being pushed down,
said thread (41 ) is impeded to further turn by the wall (43).
In the following, a "gas-tight cap" is intended to be a cap which
substantially prevents any venting of gases to the outside of said
15 container. In case said cap (20) is not gas-tight, the gases passing through
said free passage are directly vented to the external atmosphere, e.g.
through the area of the screw threads. To facilitate the flow of gases to
the outside of said container, preferably said cap may be provided with at
least one orifice. Said orifice is a hole made through the thickness of said
20 cap. The situation is different when said cap (20) closes said container
(10) in a gas-tight manner. In this case, possible escape ways for the
gases coming through said free passage (23) have to be foreseen.
Preferably, said gas-tight cap may be useful when said engagement
between said ball (3) and said opening (2) allows a small pressure release
25 rate. Indeed, we found that the gases which pass through the engagement
between said ball and said opening may also force outwards a certain
quantity of the contained liquid product. Therefore said gas-tight cap
avoids messiness and waste.
30 The simplest way is to let said gases first escape within any free
volumes (Fig. 4b, A) existing between said cap and said container.
Afterwards, these gases in volumes (Fig. 4b, A) can be completely
released after said cap is completely disengaged. This is not an ideal
solution when the volumes (Fig. 4b, A) do not provide enough space for
35 the gases coming from within said container.
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Another gas-tight cap (20') is shown, for example, in Figures 5a and 5b.
Preferably, said cap (20') further comprises a sealing ring (25). Said sealing
ring is a continuous wall extending from the inner surface of said top wall
(21 ) and being substantially parallel to said skirt (22). Said sealing ring
5 completely surrounds the outer surface of said hollow body (1 ) in the
upper portion of said container. Preferably, said sealing ring surrounds the
~te~ surfac~ of 3aid hGl~w b~dy right ~nder said lip (3). ii~lore prefera~ly,
said sealing ring surrounds the outer surface of said housing (4a) right
under said lip (9). Said sealing ring achieves a leak tight connection with
10 the outer surface of said hollow body when said cap is in said rest
position. As described above, said cap moves downward pressing on said
ball when said is disengaged. In this manner, said sealing ring may by
pushed down onto a location of said outer surface of said hollow body
where said sealing ring does not achieve a gas-tight engagement anymore.
15 Consequently, said gases venting through said free passage (23) may
eventually escape to the exterior of said container. This venting may be
facilitated with at least an orifice located below said sealing ring when said
container stands on its upright position.
20 An embodiment achieving the venting mechanism described before is
shown in Figure 5a. The upper portion of said container further comprises
at least a recess (27). Said recess is located on the outer surface of said
hollow body (1) under said sealing ring (25) of said cap (20') when said
cap closes said container in its rest position. Said recess may be a
25 continuous channel all around said outer surface of said hollow body. It is
also feasible to have more than one recess around said outer surface of
said hollow body separated from each other. Preferably, all recesses are
located on the same height. Said recess may be formed by reducing the
thickness between the inner and the outer surface of said hollow body.
30 Alternatively, said recess may be a concave bent portion of the wall of said
hollow body when seen from the exterior of said container.
Said recess (27) allows the gases escaping from the interior of said
container to vent to the outside of said container. Indeed, when said cap
35 (20' ) is disengaged from said container, said sealing ring is pushed
downwards towards said recess. And once onto said recess, said sealing
ring does no longer ensure a gas-tight engagement with the upper portion
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of said container, i.e. there is a gap of free space between said recess and
said sealing ring. Consequently, the gases passing through said free
passage (23) when said ball is pressed down by said cap escape through
this gap between said recess and said sealing ring to the outside of said
5 container. The same happens when said cap is engaged onto said
container.
Another possible embodiment which achieves the same venting
mechanism as described in Figure 5a is illustrated in Figure 5b. In this case
10 said recess (27) is substituted by at least a protrusion (28). This means
that said protrusion (28) is located on the outer surface of said hollow
body (1 ) under said sealing ring (25) of said cap (20') when said cap
closes said container in its rest position. It is again feasible to have more
than one protrusion around said outer surface of said hollow body
1s independent from each other. Preferably, all protrusions are located on the
same height. Said protrusions are not connected to each other. Otherwise
no passage for the venting of gases would be available. Said protrusion
may be formed by increasing the thickness between the inner and the
outer surface of said hollow body. Alternatively, said protrusion may be a
20 convex bent portion of the wall of said hollow body when seen from the
exterior of said container.
As before for said recess (27), said protrusion (28) allows the gases
escaping from the interior of said container to vent to the outside of said
25 container. Indeed, when said cap (20') is disengaged from said container,
said sealing ring is pushed downwards towards said protrusion. And once
onto said protrusion, said sealing ring does no longer ensure a gas-tight
engagement with the upper portion of said container, i.e. there is a gap of
free space between said sealing ring and immediately around said
30 protrusion. Indeed, said sealing ring is at least partially elevated by said
protrusion, as depicted in Figure 5c. When more than one of said
protrusions are present said sealing ring may be completely elevated,
whereby the gases escaping from the inside of said container vent through
the free space between said separated protrusions. Consequently, the
35 gases passing through said free passage (23) when said ball is pressed
down by said cap escape through this free space between said protrusion
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and said sealing ring to the outside of said container. The same happens
when said cap is engaged onto said container.
