Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ONE PIECE DISPENSING COMPONENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a one piece dispensing component. More
particularly, the
present invention relates to a one piece dispensing component that includes a
body and a flip cap
attached to the body with a hinge, wherein the one piece dispensing component
is permanently
connected to a container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The consumer products industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Consumer
product
packaging and dispensers is one piece to this large industry. Such packages
and/or dispensers are
designed to hold and/or dispense the consumer product contained within the
package and/or
dispenser. There are a variety of consumer product packaging and dispensers
commercially
available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a one piece dispensing component and/or
package.
One embodiment of the present invention is a one piece dispensing component
comprising a flip
cap and a body, wherein the body includes a shoulder permanently connecting
the body to a
container and a nozzle connected to the shoulder. The flip cap is connected to
the body with a
hinge.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a one piece dispensing
component
comprising a body, a flip cap, and a hinge. The body including a nozzle and a
shoulder
connected to a product container, wherein a longitudinal axis of the nozzle is
offset from a
longitudinal axis of the body.
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Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a product dispensing
package
comprising a non-injection molded container for holding a product and having
an open end and a
one piece dispensing component. The one piece dispensing component includes a
shoulder, a
nozzle connected to the shoulder and having an orifice, a flip cap operable to
close the orifice,
and a hinge connecting the flip cap to the nozzle. The shoulder permanently
connecting the one
piece dispensing component to the open end of the container such that the
orifice is in fluid
communication with the open end.
Still yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a process
of
manufacturing a one piece dispensing package that includes the steps of
producing a one piece
dispensing component, producing non-injection-molded tube having an open end
and a closed
end opposite the open end, and permanently connecting the one piece dispensing
component to
the open end of the tube. The one piece dispensing component includes a
shoulder, a nozzle, a
flip cap, and a hinge attaching the flip cap to the nozzle.
Embodiments are described in further detail herein, and these and other
features, aspects,
and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled
in the art from a
reading of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly
claiming the invention, it is believed the same will be better understood from
the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematical perspective view of an exemplary one piece dispensing
component
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the exemplary one piece dispensing component
according to
Fig. 1;
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Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along 1-1 of the exemplary one piece
dispensing
component according to Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the exemplary one piece dispensing
component
according to Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary one piece dispensing component
according
to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the exemplary one piece dispensing component
according to
Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the exemplary one piece dispensing
component
according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the exemplary one piece dispensing component
according
to Fig. 5;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary one piece dispensing component
according
to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the exemplary one piece dispensing component
according to
Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the exemplary one piece dispensing
component
according to Fig. 9;
Fig. 12 is a back side elevational view of the exemplary one piece dispensing
component
according to Fig. 9;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of an exemplary one piece dispensing component
according
to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the exemplary one piece dispensing component
according to
Fig. 13;
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Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of the exemplary one piece dispensing
component
according to Fig. 13; and
Fig. 16 is a bottom plan view of the exemplary one piece dispensing component
according to Fig. 13.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative in nature and not
intended to be
limiting of the invention defined by the claims. Moreover, individual features
of the drawings
and the invention will be more fully apparent and understood in view of the
detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following text sets forth a broad description of numerous different
embodiments of
the present invention. The description is to be construed as exemplary only
and does not
describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment
would be
impractical, if not impossible, and it will be understood that any feature,
characteristic,
component, composition, ingredient, product, step or methodology described
herein can be
deleted, combined with or substituted for, in whole or part, any other
feature, characteristic,
component, composition, ingredient, product, step or methodology described
herein. Numerous
alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology
or technology
developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within
the scope of the claims.
While the specification concludes with claims that particularly point out and
distinctly claim the
invention, it is believed the present invention will be better understood from
the following
description.
Referring to Figs. 1 - 4, an exemplary embodiment of a product dispensing
package 10
and a one piece dispensing component 30 of the present invention is shown.
Product dispensing
package 10 generally includes a container 20 for holding a product 50 and one
piece dispensing
component 30 connected to container 20. Container 20 may include, as shown in
the exemplary
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embodiment, a side wall 22 encompassing a product reservoir 24, an open end
26, and a closed
end 28 to form a tube-shaped, open-ended container.
In the exemplary embodiment, side wall 22 is fabricated from a flexible
substrate, thus
making container 20 flexible. The substrate of side wall 22 may include a
metalized substrate
such as a foil layer to provide oxygen and vapor barrier characteristics.
'Metalized substrate', as
used herein, is defined as a substrate comprising at least a thin metal layer
such as, for example, a
foil layer. Exemplary metals that may be used in the metal layer may include,
but not be limited
to, aluminum, lead, tin and any combinations thereof. The 'metalized
substrate' and/or side wall
22 may further comprise additional materials to be combined with the metal
layer such as
polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), nylon, Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH),
Ethylene vinyl
acetate (EVA), Ethylene Acrylic Acid (EAA), Ethylene Methyl acrylate (EMA),
thermoplastic
elastomer (e.g., SEBS, EP rubber, etc.), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU),
polyvinylchloride
(PVC), polyvinyl dichloride (PVDC), Styrene-Butadiene Copolymer, polyester
(e.g.,
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), PolyButylene Terephthalate (PBT), etc.),
copolymers of the
same, combinations thereof, or any other container materials as known to one
of ordinary skill in
the art.
Container 20 may be fabricated using a variety of molding processes as known
to one of
ordinary skill in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, container 20 is
fabricated using a non-
injection molding process. As used herein, a'non-injection molded' or 'non-
injection molding' is
defined as any molding process to fabricate components, but a strict injection
molding process.
For example, injection blow molding, compression molding, and blow molding
processes are all,
for the purposes of this invention, considered non-injection molding
processes, as defined herein.
To form closed end 28 of container 20, an end 27 of sidewall 22 may be
overlapped upon itself
and then heat-sealed or glued to oneself as known to one of ordinary skill in
the art. It is
understood that other methods as known to one of ordinary skill in the art to
close and/or seam
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closed end 28 may be used with the present invention. However, it is
understood that container
20 may comprise any type of conventional container shape and configuration,
including but not
limited to a stand-up tube, stand-up container, pump container, squeeze
container, and any other
container known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
One piece dispensing component 30 includes a body generally shown as 32 and a
flip cap
38. As shown in Figs. 1-4, body 32 may include a shoulder generally shown as
34, a nozzle 36
connected to shoulder 34, an orifice 37 disposed at a distal end 41 of nozzle
36, and a hinge 39
connecting flip cap 38 to nozzle 36. Shoulder 34 may further comprise a side
wa1131, a top wall
33, and an angled wa1135 connecting side wa1131 and top wa1133. It is
understood that shoulder
34 may comprise a variety of shapes and configurations as known to one of
ordinary skill in the
art, including but not limited to a smooth or continuous curvature defining
shoulder 34.
As used herein, 'one piece component' is defined as a single, molded unit,
wherein none
of the components are separable, particularly under normal use conditions. As
such, one piece
dispensing component 30, which includes flip cap 38 and body 32, i.e., flip
cap 38, nozzle 36,
orifice 37, hinge 39, top wa1133, angled wall 35, and side wall 31, are all
molded as one single,
integral component that is non-separable under normal use conditions. It has
been discovered
that the one piece flip cap and body of the present invention saves
manufacturing time, money,
and material over prior art flip cap closures that had to be threadingly
connected to a nozzle of a
container.
One piece dispensing component 30 may be fabricated from a variety of plastic
and/or
polymeric materials. Exemplary materials that may be used to fabricate
dispensing component
30 include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, EVOH,
EVA, EAA,
EMA, thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., SEBS, EP rubber, etc.), TPU, PVDC, PVC,
Styrene-
Butadiene Copolymer, polyester (e.g., PET, PBT, etc.), or any other
conventional materials
known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In one exemplary embodiment,
dispensing component
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30 is molded from a single polymer or blended polymers. Alternatively,
multiple materials
and/or polymers may be used in the fabrication of the one piece dispensing
component 30.
One piece dispensing component 30 may be fabricated using an injection molding
or a
compression molding process. The process of injection molding requires filling
a part cavity
with molten plastic using pressure generated via the injection molding
machine. Once filled, the
cavity remains closed so the molten plastic can begin cooling and solidifying.
After cooling for a
period of time, usually a few seconds, the mold is opened and the cooled part,
i.e., dispensing
component 30, is ejected from the mold. With compression molding, a'slug' of
plastic of a
predetermined gram weight is placed in the mold cavity. Two halves of a mold
are brought
together and squeeze the slug of plastic, forcing it to flow through the
cavity and creating the
finished dispensing component 30. Once finished, dispensing component 30 is
either ejected or
manually removed from the compression tool. The present invention permits the
manufacture of
a flip cap closure for a product dispenser to only require one mold, to use
less material, and to
require less than time compared to conventional flip cap dispensers.
As shown in Fig.3, flip cap 38 of the exemplary embodiment has a diameter (a)
that is
substantially the same as a diameter (b) of nozzle 36. In other words, flip
cap 38 is substantially
the same size as nozzle 36. As also shown, diameter (a) of flip cap 38 is less
than a diameter (c)
of shoulder 34. Additionally, in the exemplary embodiment, diameter (a) of
flip cap 38 may
substantially less than diameter (c) of shoulder 34, yet diameter (a) is of
sufficient size that flip
cap 38 may still cover and/or close orifice 37.
Distal end 41 of nozzle 36 and an inside surface 44 of flip cap 38 may include
respective
snap on mechanisms, snap fit geometry (e.g., annular ring snap geometry),
interference fit
mechanisms, interfering geometry, notches, and/or protrusions as known to one
of ordinary skill
in the art that permit flip cap 38 to be releasably attached onto distal end
41 in order to cover
and/or close orifice 37. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1-4, an
annular ring snap
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bead 40 extends radially outward from distal end 41. Flip cap 38 has an
interference channel 42
disposed on inside surface 44 of the flip cap. When the flip cap is moved to
close orifice 37, it is
flipped over and on top of distal end 41 such that bead 40 engages
interference channel 42 in an
interference fit relationship, i.e., bead 39 is 'snapped' into channel 42. It
is understood that other
conventional connection devices may be used to releasably connect or attach
flip cap over orifice
37 and nozzle 36 as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Hinge 39 may comprise a flexible hinge, wherein the hinge is fabricated from a
thin
flexible piece of plastic material that is integral to and connected to both
flip cap 38 and nozzle
36 as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. As set forth above, hinge 39
may be fabricated
from the same material as used in the entire one piece dispensing component
30. Alternatively,
hinge 39 may be fabricated from a one material such as, for example,
polypropylene that is
different from a second material such as, for example, polyethylene that may
be used to fabricate
the remainder of dispensing component 30, using either a two shot injection
molding process or
an over molding process. In an alternative embodiment, hinge 39 may comprise
other
conventional hinge strap designs such as, for example, hinge straps that are
bi-stable in function
or a single strap "butterfly" hinge design as known to one of ordinary skill
in the art and
described below herein.
One piece dispensing component 30 is permanently connected to container 20 at
open end
26. As used herein, 'permanently connected' is defined as a connection between
two components
that is not designed to be separated or disconnected under normal use
conditions. For example, a
threaded connection between two components would not be a permanent connection
as defined
and used herein. To permanently connect dispensing component 30 to container
20, side wa1122
may be sonic welded, glued, adhered, press sealed, Over molding, Insert
molding, and Bi-
product injection molding to side wall 31. When dispensing component 30 is
connected to
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container 20, orifice 37 is placed in fluid communication with reservoir 24 of
container 20 such
that product 50 may be dispensed from the reservoir through orifice 37.
Referring to Figs. 5-8, another exemplary embodiment of a one piece dispensing
component 130 of the present invention is shown. Although not shown, it is
understood that one
piece dispensing component 130 may be connected to a variety of containers as
known to one of
ordinary skill in the art, including but not limited to any of the exemplary
containers set forth
herein. For example, dispenser component 130 may be connected to open end 26
of container 20
as described above and shown in Figs. 1-4 such that product 50 may be
dispensed from reservoir
24 and through and out of dispensing component 130.
One piece dispensing component 130 includes a body generally shown as 132 and
a flip
cap 138. As shown in Figs. 5-8, body 132 may include a shoulder generally
shown as 134, a
nozzle 136 connected to shoulder 134, an orifice 137 disposed at a distal end
141 of nozzle 136,
and a hinge 145 connecting flip cap 138 to nozzle 136. Shoulder 134 may
further comprise a
lower side wall 131 disposed at an end of component 130 opposite nozzle 136, a
top wall 133,
and a curved wall connecting side wall 131 to top wall 133. Body 132 had a
longitudinal axis A'-
A, and as shown, both shoulder 134 and nozzle 136 are coaxially aligned about
axis A'-A. One
piece dispensing component 130 may also be fabricated using a variety of
materials (e.g.,
polymeric materials), singularly or in combination, as known to one of
ordinary skill in the art
and as set forth above herein with reference to one piece dispensing component
30. The present
invention also permits one mold to be used to form the dispensing component
130. It is
understood that shoulder 134 may comprise a variety of shapes and
configurations as known to
one of ordinary skill in the art, including but not limited to angular,
discontinuous, and other
geometric forms.
As shown in Fig. 6, flip cap 138 of the exemplary embodiment has a diameter
(a) that is
substantially the same as a diameter (b) of nozzle 136. In other words, flip
cap 138 is
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substantially the same size as nozzle 136. As also shown, diameter (a) of flip
cap 138 is less than
a diameter (c) of shoulder 134. Additionally, in the exemplary embodiment,
diameter (a) of flip
cap 138 may substantially less than diameter (c) of shoulder 134, yet diameter
(a) is of sufficient
size that flip cap 138 may still cover and/or close orifice 137.
Distal end 141 of nozzle 136 includes an annular ring snap bead 140 that
extends radially
outward from distal end 141. Flip cap 138 has an interference channel 142
disposed on inside
surface 144 of the flip cap. When the flip cap is moved to close orifice 137,
it is flipped over and
on top of distal end 141 such that bead 140 engages interference channel 142
in an interference
fit, i.e., bead 140 is 'snapped' into channel 142. The flip cap and the nozzle
may include variety
of conventional mechanisms as known to one of ordinary skill in the art to
permit flip cap 138 to
releasably attach to and close nozzle 136 and orifice 137 including those set
forth above with
reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1-4.
Hinge 145 may include a hinge strap design, which comprises two outer hinge
straps 146
and a center hinge 148 that hingedly connect flip cap 138 to nozzle 136 as
known to one of
ordinary skill in the art. Hinge 145 includes a bi-stable function. By design,
the hinge straps that
are bi-stable in function tend to snap flip cap 138 to either an open or
closed position. When
snapped to the open position, hinge straps 146 of this embodiment keep flip
cap 138 out of the
line of site and out of the way of any product being dispensed from the
nozzle. When snapped to
the closed position, hinge straps 146 make closing the flip cap easier because
the hinge straps
snap flip cap 138 into a position directly over nozzle 136 and/or orifice 137.
In such a hinge
strap design, outer straps 146 function as the pivot point and center hinge
148 creates and
provides the bi-stable characteristic.
The bi-stable characteristic is achieved by controlling the length of center
strap(s) 148
relative to hinge pivot point. The center strap(s), being slightly shorter
than overall hinge length,
passes through a point of tension during opening and closing of flip cap 138.
As used herein, the
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overall hinge length is the linear distance between the hinge's attachment to
the Cap and the
hinge's attachment to the Nozzle. The hinge pivot point, as used herein, is a
point equal distance
from the center of flip cap 138 to center of nozzle 136. When center strap(s)
148 passes through
the point of tension, it creates a'snap to position', or bi-stable effect, at
each end of the opening
and closing motion of flip cap 138. Such a hinge strap design is known to one
of ordinary skill in
the art. As set forth above, hinge 145 may be fabricated from either the same
material as the
remainder of dispensing component 130 or a second material different from the
material used to
fabricate the remainder of component 130, using a two shot injection molding
process or an over
molding process as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. While this
alternative embodiment
includes 3 straps, the same function can be achieved using either two straps
without a center
hinge (e.g., without center hinge 148) or a hinge with a conventional single
strap "butterfly"
hinge design as also known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Referring to Figs. 9-12, another exemplary embodiment of a one piece
dispensing
component 230 of the present invention is shown. Although not shown, it is
understood that one
piece dispensing component 230 may be connected to a variety of containers as
known to one of
ordinary skill in the art, including but not limited to any of the exemplary
containers set forth
herein. For example, dispenser component 230 may be connected to open end 26
of container 20
as described above and shown in Figs. 1-4 such that product 50 may be
dispensed from reservoir
24 and through and out of dispensing component 230.
One piece dispensing component 230 includes a body generally shown as 232 and
a flip
cap 238. As shown in Figs. 9-12, body 232 may include a shoulder generally
shown as 234, a
nozzle 236 connected to shoulder 234, an orifice 237 disposed at a distal end
241 of nozzle 236,
and a hinge 245 connecting flip cap 238 to nozzle 236. Shoulder 234 may
further comprise a
lower side wall 231 disposed at an end of component 230 opposite nozzle 236,
and a curved top
wa11233 and a substantially vertical wa11229 connecting the side wa11231 to
the nozzle. Curved
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top wall 233 comprises a smooth and/or continuous curve-shape. Body 232 has a
longitudinal
axis B'-B and nozzle 236 has a longitudinal axis A'-A separate from
longitudinal axis B'-B that is
offset a distance (X) from the body's longitudinal axis B'-B. Offset distance
(X) may be greater
than about 0.5 mm. In one exemplary embodiment, offset distance (X) is from
about 7 mm to
about 15 mm. Due to nozzle longitudinal axis A'-A being offset a distance (X)
from body
longitudinal axis B'-B, shoulder 234, and particularly top wall 233 has an
asymmetrical shape
about longitudinal axis B'-B as shown in Figs. 9-12. It is understood that
shoulder 234 may
comprise a variety of shapes and configurations as known to one of ordinary
skill in the art,
including but not limited to angular, discontinuous, and other geometric
forms.
One piece dispensing component 230 may also be fabricated using a variety of
materials
(e.g., polymeric materials), singularly or in combination, as known to one of
ordinary skill in the
art and as set forth above herein with reference to one piece dispensing
component 30. The
present invention also permits one mold to be used to form the dispensing
component 230. This
offset nozzle design of the present invention permits the mold to be pulled
straight apart when
removing the mold from the dispensing component 230, which simplifies and
eases the removal
of the component from the mold. In comparison, a coaxially nozzle dispensing
component
design such as shown in Figs. 1-4, the mold must be slid to the side when
opening the mold and
then pulled up and away from the dispensing component 30, making the removal
of the
component from the mold much more difficult and cumbersome. As can be seen,
the offset
nozzle configuration of this exemplary embodiment provides a design that
simplifies and
improves the efficiency of the removal of the component from the mold.
As shown in Fig.10, flip cap 238 of the exemplary embodiment has a diameter
(a) that is
substantially the same as a diameter (b) of nozzle 136. In other words, flip
cap 238 is
substantially the same size as nozzle 236. As also shown, diameter (a) of flip
cap 238 is less than
a diameter (c) of shoulder 234. Additionally, in the exemplary embodiment,
diameter (a) of flip
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cap 238 may substantially less than diameter (c) of shoulder 234, yet diameter
(a) is of sufficient
size that flip cap 238 may still cover and/or close orifice 237.
Distal end 241 of nozzle 236 includes an annular ring snap bead 240 that
extends radially
outward from distal end 241. Flip cap 238 has an interference channel 242
disposed on inside
surface 244 of the flip cap. When the flip cap is moved to close orifice 237,
it is flipped over and
on top of distal end 241 such that bead 240 engages interference channel 242
in an interference
fit, i.e., bead 240 is 'snapped' into channel 242. The flip cap and the nozzle
may include variety
of conventional mechanisms as known to one of ordinary skill in the art to
permit flip cap 238 to
releasably attach to and close nozzle 236 and orifice 237 including those set
forth above with
reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1-8.
Hinge 245 may include a hinge strap design, which comprises two outer hinge
straps 146
and a center hinge 248 that hingedly connect flip cap 238 to nozzle 236 as
known to one of
ordinary skill in the art. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 9-12,
flip cap 238 and
hinge 245 are disposed and connected to nozzle 236 on the same side as curved
top wall 233,
which is opposite substantially vertical wall 229. In an alternative
embodiment shown in Figs.
13-16, dispensing component 230 includes flip cap 238 and hinge 245 disposed
and connected to
nozzle 236 on the same side as substantially vertical wall 229, opposite
curved top wall 233.
Other than this difference in positioning of flip cap 238 and hinge 245, the
dispensing component
in the alternative embodiment of Figs. 13-16 is the same as the exemplary
embodiment in Figs.
9-12.
Referring back to Figs. 9-12, hinge 245 includes a bi-stable function as set
forth above
herein. In such a hinge strap design, hinge 245 includes two outer straps 246
that function as the
pivot point and a center hinge 248 creating the bi-stable characteristic as
described above herein.
It is understood that hinge 245 may comprise other conventional hinge designs
such as, for
example, a single strap hinge, a single strap "butterfly" hinge, or two hinge
straps without a
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center hinge as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Hinge 245 may be
fabricated from
either the same material as the remainder of dispensing component 230 or a
second material
different from the material used to fabricate the remainder of component 230,
using a two shot
injection molding process or an over molding process as known to one of
ordinary skill in the art.
All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in
relevant part,
incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be
construed as an
admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
