Toggle-action dispensing closure with rotatable locking ring

A toggle-action dispensing closure for an opening to a container, said closure comprising:

• a body for engaging said container over said opening, said body having a cylindrical, upper wall and a reduced diameter cylindrical, lower wall, said body defining a transverse deck connecting the top of said body lower wall with the bottom of said body upper wall, said body deck having a top surface, and said body defining a plurality of arcuate slots spaced-apart in said deck and upper wall;
• an actuator means on said body for occluding flow from said container when said actuator means is in a closed non-dispensing position and for permitting flow from said container when said actuator means is tilted to an open dispensing position, said actuator means including an engaging surface;
• mounting means defined by said body and actuator means for pivotally mounting said actuator means on said body to accommodate pivoting movement of said actuator means between said closed position and said open position in response to a force applied to said actuator means about a central axis;
• and
• a locking ring mounted on said body for rotation relative to said body and actuator means about said central axis, said ring defining an abutment surface whereby rotation of said ring to a first orientation carries said abutment surface into alignment with said actuator means engaging surface to prevent tilting of said actuator means to said open dispensing position and rotation of said ring away from said first orientation carries said abutment surface out of alignment with said engaging surface to permit tilting of said actuator means to said open dispensing position, said locking ring including a plurality of hook-shaped clips each extending through one of said slots to engage said deck top surface and retain said ring on said closure body around said body lower wall.

A toggle-action dispensing closure for an opening to a container, said closure comprising:

• a body for engaging said container over said opening, said body having a cylindrical, upper wall and a reduced diameter cylindrical, lower wall, said body defining a transverse deck connecting the top of said body lower wall with the bottom of said body upper wall, said body defining an arcuate slot in said deck and upper wall;
• an actuator means on said body for occluding flow from said container when said actuator means is in a closed non-dispensing position and for permitting flow from said container when said actuator means is tilted to an open dispensing position, said actuator means including an engaging surface;
• mounting means defined by said body and actuator means for pivotally mounting said actuator means on said body to accommodate pivoting movement of said actuator means between said closed position and said open position in response to a force applied to said actuator means while preventing substantial relative rotational movement between said body and actuator means about a central axis;
• and
• a locking ring mounted on said body for rotation relative to said body and actuator means about said central axis, said ring defining an abutment surface whereby rotation of said ring to a first orientation carries said abutment surface into alignment with said actuator means engaging surface to prevent tilting of said actuator means to said open dispensing position and rotation of said ring away from said first orientation carries said abutment surface out of alignment with said engaging surface to permit tilting of said actuator means to said open dispensing position, said locking ring including an upwardly extending abutment member that defines said abutment surface and that extends through said slot to engage said actuator engaging surface.

A toggle-action dispensing closure for an opening to a container, said closure comprising:

• a body for engaging said container over said opening, said body defining a discharge aperture in communication with aid opening;
• an actuator on said body having flow control means for occluding flow from said body discharge aperture when said actuator is in a closed non-dispensing position and for permitting flow through said body discharge aperture from said container when said actuator is in an open dispensing position, said actuator including a top wall defining an actuating surface that can be pushed by a finger, said actuator including a downwardly depending engaging tab defining a downwardly facing engaging surface below said top wall;
• mounting means defined by said body and actuator for pivotally mounting said actuator means on said body forwardly of said actuating surface to accommodate pivoting movement of said actuator between said closed position and said open position in response to a force applied to said actuating surface while preventing substantial relative rotational movement between said body and actuator means about a central axis;
• and
• a locking ring mounted on said body for rotation relative to said body and actuator about said central axis, said ring defining an upwardly projecting abutment member that defines an upwardly projecting and upwardly facing abutment surface whereby rotation of said ring to a first orientation carries said abutment member into alignment with said actuator engaging tab so that said engaging surface confronts said abutment surface to prevent tilting of said actuator to said open dispensing position and rotation of said ring away from said first orientation carries said abutment member out of alignment with said engaging tab to permit tilting of said actuator to said open dispensing position.