Cap and dust cover for an antiseptic soap dispenser

A dispensing tube and a closure for sealing an upstream end of the dispensing tube to a neck of a container of fluid to be dispensed;

• the upstream end of the tube defining a lip, the lip including a U-shaped portion;
• the closure comprising:
• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening, the skirt having an internal thread for engaging an external thread on the container neck;
• a washer received within the cap and rotatable relative to the top of the cap, the washer configured for maintaining a separation between the cap and the lip of the tube, the washer including:
• an annular rim;
• and
• a projecting ring extending from the annular rim, the projecting ring being dimensioned for compressing an outer annular side of the U-shaped portion between the projecting ring and an interior surface of the neck of the container.

A dispensing tube and a closure for sealing an upstream end of the dispensing tube to a neck of a container of fluid to be dispensed, the neck of the container defining an external thread, the upstream end of the tube defining a lip, the closure comprising:

• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening, the skirt having an internal thread for engaging the external thread on the container neck;
• an additional thread segment, the additional thread segment defined adjacent one of the external thread and the internal thread, the additional thread segment converging with the one of the external thread and the internal thread to define a region which is narrower than a width of the other of the external thread and the internal thread, whereby the external and internal threads disengage from threaded engagement when the cap is rotated in a capping direction until the other of the external thread and the internal thread reaches the region, preventing further tightening of the cap;
• and
• a thrust washer rotatably received within the cap.

A dispensing tube and closure for sealing an upstream end of the dispensing tube to a neck of a container of fluid to be dispensed, the upstream end of the tube defining a lip, the closure comprising:

• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening;
• a dust cover which is integrally connected with the cap by a frangible portion, the dust cover and the cap being molded as a single piece, a thinned region between the cap and the dust cover defining the frangible portion;
• and
• a washer rotatably received within the cap, such that the washer, the neck of the container, and the lip of the tube remain stationary relative to each other and rotate together relative to the cap.

A dispensing tube and closure for sealing an upstream end of the dispensing tube to a neck of a container of fluid to be dispensed, the upstream end of the tube defining a lip, the closure comprising:

• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening, the skirt engaging the container neck;
• a thrust washer received within the cap and rotatable relative to the top of the cap;
• asymmetrical serrations extending from an exterior surface of the skirt of the cap, each of the serrations including a capping edge which is substantially perpendicular to the exterior surface and a sloping edge, the capping edge being positioned for engaging a corresponding surface on a capping machine;
• and
• a dust cover frangibly connected to the cap and covering the tube, the dust cover including projections for a user to grip during removal of the dust cover.

A container system for a fluid to be dispensed, the container system comprising:

• a container for containing the fluid, the container including an exterior wall which defines a neck;
• a dispensing tube, an upstream end of the tube defining a resilient lip;
• and
• a closure which seals the upstream end of the dispensing tube to the neck of the container, the closure including:
• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening, the skirt having an internal thread for engaging an external thread on the container neck;
• and
• a thrust washer received within the cap and rotatable relative to the top of the cap, the thrust washer being positioned to prevent the top of the cap from engaging the lip of the dispensing tube as the cap rotates during capping.

A container system for a fluid to be dispensed, the container system comprising:

• a container for containing the fluid, the container including an exterior wall which defines a neck;
• a dispensing tube, an upstream end of the tube defining a lip, the lip of the dispensing tube including a U-shaped portion, with an outer annular sides;
• and
• a closure for sealing the upstream end of the dispensing tube to the neck of the container, the closure including:
• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening, the skirt having an internal thread for engaging an external thread on the container neck;
• and
• a thrust washer received within the cap, the thrust washer including:
• an annular rim which is disposed between the dispensing tube lip and the cap top, and
• an upper projection ring extending from the annular rim, the outer annular side of the U-shaped portion of the lip of the dispensing tube being positioned between the upper projecting ring and an interior surface of the neck of the container.

A container system for a fluid to be dispensed, the container system comprising:

• a container for containing the fluid, the container including an exterior wall which defines a neck with an external thread;
• a dispensing tube, an upstream end of the tube defining a lip;
• a closure for sealing the upstream end of the dispensing tube to the neck of the container, the closure including:
• a cap, the cap including a top and an annular skirt depending from an outer edge of the top, the top defining a central opening, the skirt having an internal thread for engaging an external thread on the container neck;
• and
• a thrust washer rotatable received within the cap between the dispensing tube lip and the cap top;
• and
• an additional thread, the additional thread defined adjacent one of the external thread and the internal thread, the additional thread converging with the one of the external thread and the internal thread to define a region which is narrower than a width of the other of the external thread and the internal thread, whereby the external and internal threads disengage from threaded engagement when the cap is rotated in a capping direction until the other of the external thread and the internal thread reaches the region, preventing further tightening of the cap.

A method for sealing a dispensing tube to a neck of a container, the dispensing tube including sides and a lip at an upstream end of the dispensing tube, the method comprising:

• positioning a thrust washer between the neck of the container and a cap, such that the thrust washer slidably contacts an interior surface of a top of the cap, a skirt of the cap defining an interior thread;
• positioning the upstream end of the dispensing tube between the thrust washer and the neck of a container, a downstream end of the dispensing tube extending through an opening defined in a top of the cap;
• engaging the thread on the interior of the cap with a thread on the exterior of the neck of the container;
• and
• rotating the cap in a capping direction such that the top of the slides on the thrust washer as the thrust washer remains stationary relative to and compresses the lip of the dispensing tube between the thrust washer and an interior surface of the neck of the container to seal the dispensing tube to the neck of the container.

A method for sealing a dispensing tube to a neck of a container, the dispensing tube including sides and a lip at an upstream end of the dispensing tube, the method comprising:

• positioning a thrust washer between the neck of the container and a cap, an interior of the cap defining a thread;
• positioning the upstream end of the dispensing tube between the thrust washer and the neck of a container, a downstream end of the dispensing tube extending through an opening defined in a top of the cap;
• engaging the thread on the interior of the cap with a thread on the exterior of the neck of the container;
• rotating the cap in a capping direction as the thrust washer compresses the lip of the dispensing tube between the thrust washer and a surface of the neck of the container to seal the dispensing tube to the neck of the container;
• and
• continuing to rotate the cap until a projection adjacent one of the cap thread and the container neck thread causes the threads to disengage and the cap to rotate without further compression of the dispensing tube lip.