US 6,283,333 B1Granted

Toggle-action dispensing closure with an actuation-prevention abutment and a recessed striker rib

AssigneeSeaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.

InventorsMichael G. Knickerbocker, Jeffrey T. Randall, Nicholas J. Jelich, Robert M. Pieters, Catherine F. Schultz, Kelly A. Smith, Terry J. Vandenboom

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Abstract

A toggle-action dispensing closure for a container is provided for manipulation between a closed, non-dispensing orientation and an open, dispensing orientation. The closure includes an actuator pivotally mounted along a tilting axis on a body secured to the container. The actuator is tiltable by applying force to the actuator on one side of the tilting axis so as to move the actuator from a non-dispensing position to a dispensing position. The actuator includes a striker rib extending downwardly at a position between an edge of the actuator and the tilting axis. The body includes a deck defining a dispensing aperture and supporting a post. The post extends vertically to underlie the actuator, preventing tilting of the actuator unless a sufficient opening force is exerted on the actuator to cause the striker rib to shear, or permanently deform, the post. One embodiment includes an angled fracture control surface at the bottom of the post to ensure that the initial minimum required force to shear the post is within a desired range.

Claims22

Dependent claims

In a toggle-action dispensing closure for an opening to a container wherein said closure includes:

a body for engaging said container over said opening and defining a discharge aperture communicating with said opening;
and
an actuator pivotally mounted about a tilting axis on said body for occluding flow from said container through said discharge aperture when said actuator is in a closed, non-dispensing position and for permitting flow from said container when force is applied to said actuator to tilt said actuator to an open dispensing position, said body having a movable abutment under said actuator for confronting said actuator when said actuator is in said non-dispensing position to prevent tilting of said actuator to said dispensing position in response to said actuator being subjected to a force less than a predetermined force, but said abutment being moved by said actuator when said actuator is subjected to at least said predetermined force so that thereafter said actuator can be tilted to said dispensing position in response to the application of force less than said predetermined force, the improvement comprising:
said actuator comprising a pressing surface on an outside thereof for forcible pivoting of said actuator to said dispensing position, said pressing surface extending to an edge of said actuator at a distance from said tilting axis, and said actuator comprising a striker rib extending from an inside of said actuator and located between said tilting axis and said edge, said striker rib arranged and configured to confront said movable abutment and to move said movable abutment to allow said actuator to pivot to said dispensing position, the distance from said tilting axis to said striker rib being about 65% of the distance from said tilting axis to said actuator edge to increase the mechanical advantage of the application of force to said abutment.

1 more element

In a toggle-action dispensing closure structure for an opening to a container wherein said closure includes:

a body for engaging said container over said opening and defining a discharge aperture communicating with said opening;
and
an actuator pivotally mounted on said body on a tilting axis for occluding flow from said container through said discharge aperture when said actuator is in a closed non-dispensing position and for permitting flow from said container when force is applied to said actuator to tilt said actuator to an open dispensing position, said body having a movable abutment under said actuator when said actuator is in said non-dispensing position, said abutment arranged for confronting said actuator when said actuator is in said non-dispensing position to prevent tilting of said actuator to said dispensing position in response to said actuator being subjected to a force less than a predetermined force, but moving said abutment when said actuator is subjected to at least said predetermined force so that thereafter said actuator can be tilted to said dispensing position in response to the application of force less than said predetermined force, the improvement comprising:
said movable abutment including a base and a post projecting from said base, said post extending in a first direction from said base toward said actuator, said post having a forwardly facing surface and a rearwardly facing surface, said base defining a fracture control surface at the bottom of said post, and said fracture control surface extending rearwardly of said post rearwardly facing surface and forwardly of said post forwardly facing surface generally along a plane that is oblique to said first direction.

1 more element

A toggle-action dispensing closure structure, comprising:

a closure body having a peripheral wall and a deck substantially closing said peripheral wall except for having a dispensing aperture therethrough, said deck having a rear edge;
and
an actuator hingedly connected to said closure body on a tilting axis, said actuator having a closing surface which (1) closes said aperture when said actuator is tilted about said tilting axis into a first position, and (2) opens said aperture when said actuator is tilted about said tilting axis into a second position, said body having a movable post extending generally perpendicularly from said deck at a position between said deck rear edge and said tilting axis, said post having a rearwardly facing engaging surface, said actuator including a downwardly extending striker rib in a position behind said post when said actuator is initially in said first position and arranged to engage and move said post as said actuator is tilted forcefully to said second position, said striker rib being located sufficiently close to said post so that said striker rib engages said post as said actuator moves toward said second position but before said dispensing aperture begins to open, said striker rib having a front surface generally in registry with said post rearwardly facing engaging surface when said actuator is in said first position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.