US2932436A - Nozzle with tamperproof seal - Google Patents

Description

W. J. DOBBINS NOZZLE WITH TAMPERPROOF SEAL April 12, 1960 Filed May 6, 195

5 w mm 1 P m M W M 4 .J. 7 A I. 2774/4. 9 z i m y f a mm BY vzm/ Armewexs iinited rates Patent l NOZZLE WITH TAMPERPROOF SEAL Walter J. Dobbins, Lake Zurich, Ill., 'assignor to American "Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 6, 1958, Serial No. 733,281

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-541) The present invention relates to deformable dispensing nozzles and closures for cans or containers of various kinds, especially cans or containers for liquid products and has particular reference to a tamperproof seal for such nozzles and closures.

This invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed in United States Patent 2,823,837, issued February 18, 1958, to C. W. Heinle on Flexible Dispensing Nozzle With Supporting Closure.

An object of the invention is to provide a deformable or flexible plastic nozzle and closure with a tamperproof seal which is easily removable by the consumer but not without destroying it so that the consumer when purchasing the container will be warned of possible tampering if the seal is missing or broken.

Another object is the provision in a deformable or flexible plastic nozzle and closure, of a tamperproof seal which is leakproof and which serves as a reinforcing memher for supporting the nozzle against distortion during shipment and storage.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container for liquids having a dispensing nozzle and closure embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the nozzle and closure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of the nozzle.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a sheet metal container 11 (Fig. 1) comprising a cylindrical tubular body 12 closed at its ends with a bottom 13 and a top or convex breast 14 secured thereto in suitable end seams 15.

An upright dripless nozzle 17 (Figs. 2 and 3) having a closure or cap 18 is carried on the breast 14 todispense repeated amounts of liquid products from the container.

The nozzle 17 is made from a material which preferably has non-corrosive characteristics. Such materials include metals such as aluminum and polymeric substances such as thermoplastic resins, for example polyethylene, polystyrene, acrylic acid polymers, nylon, etc. which generally are flexible or somewhat resilient and deformable by nature.

The nozzle 17 preferably is a molded, plastic material, relatively thick walled, tubular member. The term plastic as used herein is intended to include all such materials as synthetic and natural resins, polymers and elastomers.

The nozzle 17 preferably is formed with a cylindrical body having a centrally located bore 21 (Figs. 2 and 3) which terminates at its upper end in a circular dispensing mouth 22. The lower end of the nozzle body is secured to the breast 14 in any suitable manner. For this pur- 2,932,436 Patented Apr. 12, 1960 pose the drawings show the lower end of the nozzle 17 formed with a surrounding thick flange 24 which is incorporated in an annular channel 25 of a short neck 26 formed on the breast 14 and folded under and over the flange 24 of the nobble to provide a seam 27 to tightly hold the nozzle in place.

At its top or dispensing end, surrounding its mouth 22, the nozzle 17 is formed with a flat sealing face 28 which is part of a thin walled, sharp edged, laterally projecting, non-drip annular flange or collar 29 set off by an annular groove 31 formed in the outer wall surface of the nozzle. Intermediate its ends, the outer surface of the nozzle wall is provided with a screw thread 32.

At this top of dispensing end of the nozzle 17, the mouth 22 of the bore 21 is slightly enlarged in diameter to provide a cylindrical sealing section which extends axially inwardly from the flat sealing face 28 a predetermined distance and is defined by a cylindrical side wall 33 (Fig. 2) which terminates at an annular shoulder or ledge 34 formed in the bore of the nozzle. This shoulder 34 supports an imperforate and impervious tamperproof disc or diaphragm seal 35 made of any suitable nonporous or liquid tight material such as plastic, metal or coated tfibreboard. I

The disc seal 35 is slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the annular sealing section defined by the nozzle while being pressed into place and slightly indents its peripheral edge into the cylindrical wall 33 at the shoulder 34," so that its peripheral edge engages tightly in a liquidproof joint against the wall 33 to prevent leakage of the contents from the container. The upper edges of the bore preferably are formed with a chamfer 36 (Fig. 3) to facilitate entry of the sealing disc into sealing position against the shoulder 34.

The disc seal 35 thus presents a tight fitting, smooth surface, seal which when once pressed into sealing position cannot be displaced in any manner except by mutilating it and this immediately shows that the seal and probably the contents of the container have been tampered with. Removal of the seal can only be effected by destroying it beyond further use.

The seal 35 in sealing position also serves as a support for holding the flexible or deformable nozzle 17 in rounded condition and thereby prevents squeezing the nozzle into an oval or other non-cylindrical shape.

The closure or cap 18 preferably is made of a relatively rigid material such as metal or plastic, preferably a hard plastic which may be molded to present a pleas ing appearance. This cap 18 preferably is formed with a flat top wall 45 terminating at its outer edges in a depending skirt Wall 46. When the cap is in place on the nozzle 17 the skirt wall 46 surrounds the nozzle. The inner surface of the skirt wall 46 is provided with screw threads 47 for cooperation with the screw threads 32 on the nozzle 17 for securing the cap in place on the nozzle.

Inside the cap 18, the top wall 45 is formed with a flat annular seat 51 (Fig. 2) for engagement against the fiat face 28 of the nozzle 17 to effect a tight leakpro of seal for the nozzle, without the use of gaskets of any kind, when the cap 18 is screwed down tight on the nozzle as a reclosure cap.

To insure against distortion of the flexible nozzle 17 by the axial compression thereof incident to securing the cap 18 to the nozzle through cooperation of the screw threads 32, 37, the top wall 45 of the cap 18 is provided with a depending support member or protuberance 53 (Fig. 2). This support member 53 is a rigid cylindrical element, preferably formed as an integral part of the cap and preferably in the form of a cylindrical ring having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the sealing section defined by the side wall 33 and disposed in axial alignment therewith. The depth of the ring is substantially equal to the depth of the sealing section definedby the side wall '33 so that the ring will engage against the-disc seal 35 supported on the shoulder 34, as shown in Fig. 2. The ring or support member 53 thus serves to prevent displacement of the disc seal 35 as a result of internal pressure during shipment of the container.

When the cap 18 is applied to the flexible nozzle 17 and screwed down tight, the rigid support member 53 enters and projects into the sealing section at the mouth of the nozzle and engages against the side walls 33 and thereby backs up and laterally supports the nozzle adjacent its dispensing end, in addition to the support of the disc seal 35, while the nozzle is held under axial compression through cooperation of the nozzle and cap screw threads 32, 47. This internal support of the dispensing end of the flexible nozzle 17 protects the nozzle against lateral distortion and resulting out-of-round configuration and thereby preserves the proper shape of the nozzle mouth for satisfactory dispensing of the contents of the container after the disc seal 35 is removed. It also preserves the proper seal between the nozzle sealing face 28 and the cap sealing seat 41.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement ofthe parts without departing from the spirit and scope I of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, theform hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

'1 claim:

l.'- A tubular tamper-proof deformable nozzle for dispensing'the contents of a container, comprising an upstanding cylindrical nozzle body of flexible material having a central bore defined by a deformable cylindrical wall and terminating in a dispensing mouth, said bore having an annular support shoulder spaced axially inwardly of said mouth, and a flat imperforate and impervious rupturable sealing disc of slightly greater diameter than said bore press fitted therein and seated on said shoulder, the press-fitted peripheral edge of said disc by reason of its slightly greater diameter being circumferentially indented into said deformable cylindrical wall adjacent said shoulder to eifect a permanent liquid tight seal for said nozzle and to hold the deformable bore wall thereof in true cylindrical shape.

2. The tamper-proof nozzle of claim 1 wherein the dispensing mouth of said bore is of greater diameter than the bore and is defined by an outwardly flared portion of said cylindrical wall to facilitate the insertion and press fitting of said sealing disc into its said indented engagement with said cylindrical wall of said bore.

3. The tamper-proof nozzle of claim 2 wherein a removable reclosure cap has external threaded engagement with said nozzle body, said cap having a depending cylindrical protuberance projecting axially from the inner surface of its closed end into said bore and engaging said sealing disc to hold the same against displacement from said shoulder by internal pressure of the container contents.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,409,544 I-Iallock Mar. 14, 1922 2,016,966 Knop Oct. 8, 1935 2,104,322 Gutmann Ian. 4, 1938 2,646,906 Jones et a1. July 28, 1953 2,771,213 Henderson Nov. 20, 1956 2,808,184 Vanko Oct. 1, 1957 2,823,837 Heinle Feb. 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 275,750 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1951

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