US3008611A - Sealing and dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1,961 1. J. MANcUsl, JR 3,008,611

SEALING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 3l, 1958 .3.5 @RNEY' United States Patent Q AND DISPENSING DEvIcn Joseph J. rMalncusi, Jij., Eastchester, NX., assigner t Chapman -Machine Company, Inc., Mount Vernon,

iliiidssthroughfoxidationupon'contact withair. More specifically--itrelates to such 'a sealing device which is automatic Tor selfiopening and 'self-closing. p

Containers are conventionally fmade "with openings adaptedto be'clo'sed Aoit -by covers of one kind vor 'an- -othen liSu'ch fopenin'gs 1aire "often in a container neck, fadaptedfto receivefasealing cap and secure it through threads. The cap is manually unscrewed from the yneck fto'permitpourin'g and'manually reseated to seal the uids in the container.

object ofthis invention is to provideasealing device whichobviatesthe need for manual handling of the fc'ap yand speeds up'luse of the fluidcontents of the container.

. Another .object ofthe invention is to provide a sealing `device which can be permanently placed cna tluid container to render-it safe'at all times from leakage due to accidental tilting.

A furtheriobject of -the invention is to provide such 3,008,611 yPatented SNov. 14,1961

the interior oftEe-fcap. `l'husthe"raisedportion v'ot' 'the eitherfiill'ierent'in the valve element thi'n sheet or obtained 'through lfal'conpr'es'sion spring disposed'between "the disc "sealing element 7'and the valve 'element `raised portion would urge the 'raised portion into `sealing engagement 'with the f-c'a'p or, alternatively, Vwith EAthe l:rubber Egasket.

A fselin'g 'device such a's described may 14be advantageously applied to containers of the flexible type. yWhen the-*conta "averted tofplgaeefthe outlet atthefbottom, vilid"woldii down' through the one-'orlmoi'e openings fin the disc 'sea and` 'the aligned openings in the valve 'ele 'metfpriplier'yiiito' 'the 'space between the valve element and thefcap. Novvfthe'biasurging the valvee'lement raised v-portionfin'to "'se'al'n'gfe'ngag'emerit'may be such asy to allow "the'weight of thelil'uid withinth'e container to force the v v"now inverted raised `po'rtion upwardtrom its 'sealing en- -a ksealing'device which will also prevene'va'poration of theuid in the container and contaminationof the fluid within 'the container' by elements normally present "outside thereof. v

Still another object of the invention is to provide a -sealing devic'e which isfinexpensiye and easy of construc- -tion and simple vand trouble free in operation.

The invention makes advantageous use of xthe vcreation ofapressure differential to open automatically a 4sealing device to fperfmit 'the dispensing of iluids and of the'e'lirnilnation of the-pressure -dilere'ntial to close automatically the sealing device. To this end, :thesealing device is provided with -afdiscsealing element adapted to cover the opening in the neck of'fa container. Suitable openings therethrough Would-permit the passage of Lthe containers uid contents. Seated on the disc sealingelement is ya diaphragm valve'element. The periphery of the valve elementis 4dise-like andrestsdiush upon the exposedtsurface of the disc sealing element. Openings y'extending through the periphery o t the -valve element align withffthe openings in the disc sealing elementv to pass Vthe container contents. A p f 'The central part of` the lvalve element comprises va raised portion. -`This raised .portion ismovably supported upon the disc-like .periphery of the valve element by a continuous t'hin sheet. fThe sheet -is suficientlyex-ible to 'act `as ahellowslor-diaphragm operable tofraise or lower the 'central raised `portion upon the occurrence or `dis'- appeara'nce 'fa difference thepressures obtaining fin the areas above andbelow the continuous thin sheet.

[The sealing device is completed by aperforated -cap which not only cooperateswith the raised portion Vofthe valve elerneritjtope'rfeot the seal, Ibut `also `acts toconfin'e 'the elements 'o 'fthe 'sealing device improper working relation'to'each'oth'er 'and additionally to the opening formed in the container. The'pe'foration inthe cap is centrally located so jafs 'to cooperate Awith raised portion of thefvalve element.` The 'perforationand the raised portion vare of such 'size as yto permit 'the latter to close o''the former. It maybe more expedient,depending'on'the fluids beging device, Sto mount :a centrally perforated rubber 'gasket 'on .-'ga'gement'fro'mthe'cp or gasket. Fluid would then Ahe `dis'perseizl through v*the cap-opening On vthe other hand, Ithe oiasurf'ging the raised portion to it'sseat-'may be 'such 'that 'only'fa'dditional pressu-reiresulting from squeezing the 'container ltogether'will'operate to Vunseat the raised por- ;tion tofprevid'e third dispensing. Y p

These and other `features, vobjects, Vand advantages-fof fthe invention will become apparent from a reading of the `folloyvin'gspecitication when'con'sidered with rthe accom- --panying drawings whichfshow, by way of example, v`a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. l isa View in perspective "of a exible container mounting 'a "sealing device yconstructed according -to the invention.

FIG. 2 "isfa viewlshowing the sealing device of FIG. 'l vin ventica1cross'section. l Y p K Y FIG. 3 `is an enlarged cross-'sectional viewfshowing'the "valve element ofthe 'sealing device of "FIG. 2 in its normal "condition, l f l l v I Referring 'timore particularly to fthe drawing, there is shown-'in 1 I'a metal vcontainer 10 "of conventional construction. The broad, flat sidesof .such fa :container fmay he grasped-and pressed toward'sjeach'oth'er to dvel'opfthe prfe's'sulreon theiluidconte'nts necessary'to force 'themV 'through Ithe sealing device constructed according to fthe ihvention. :This sealing ide'vice, generally designated 2Vby the `V`riu'rnerfal 12, 'is `shovvn securedirlY place on the @surface of lthe container 10. 'I'iiisQpper-surface may have it `tle't`fo'rn'1ed with a neckl'havingfthre'ads Yon "its'ou'ter er'iphey. Such ya 'neck may comeeqipped -with th i 'ailing-device, or :perhaps with the 'usualfcap which 'is moved by the use'i `and replaced with appli- 'eantsfiovelfs'aling device. v y

The fsaling device `is `more fully shown in 'FIG.^2. =It includes .aiap iof `I'netalror `plastic"Which houses the tether-elements 'of the sealing device and constitutes the means for holding the sealing device in place with yrespect 'tothe outlet ofthe iiluid container r10. To accommodate fathreaded neck, the `lower end'of the cap 14 is threaded. The Acap would he screwed'ddwn upon theneek until the upper end 'of t-he latter 'came into abutting`r'elatioii'ship with the `le`we`r' "s`u'rf`ace Irof ajdisc seal16. y

A discseal low'ills'ea't fon the upper edge ofv thecontain'erneck and mayhe fnadeof'a plastic materialchem'i'- cally resistant tothe container fooiite'nts. Near its'periphery it is -forrned with one or'mor'e'ope'niii'gs 918,"the numiber and'zsize of which are dependent'fon theifate of flu-id flow vdesired from `thefcontaier 1'0.

` Above the disc sealV 16 in the Sealiiig'rievice 12f'is a `valve elementi() (FIGS. y2 and I3.) alsol 'preferably formed 'ofA a chemically resistant 5plastic which may .be extruded "to 4form thervalveelemente. The periphery A2215i th'e'v'alve element 2'0 is disc-like and serves to support the element 20 in place upon the disc seal element 16. On its lower surface it rests upon the upper surface of the disc seal 16. On its upper surface it abuts the lower side of a gasket 24 formed of neoprene or rubber and resting on its upper surface against the underside of the cap :14. f

The periphery 22 is formed with a numberl and size of openings 126 conforming -to the number :and size of openings 18 in the disc seal 16. The valve element is so seated with respect to the disc seal 16 as to align the respective openings. Above the openings 26 as at 28 the periphery 22 is cut away to form a chamber 28 to receive the radially inward flow of uid which would flow down through the openings 18 and 26 when the container 10 -tinuous thin sheet 30 may be seen as consisting of an upwardly and inwardly ydirected portion extending from the `point of juncture with the upper interior corner of the periphery 22 lying below the cutaway chamber 28 and of a radially inwardly directed portion merging into the centrally located raised portion 32. The continuous thin sheet acts as a diaphragm or bellows yieldably supporting ythe raised portion 32. This enables the normal position (FIG. 3) of the raised portion with respect to the rest of the valve element 20 to be so designed that when the parts of the sealing device are assembled (FIG. 2) the raised portion will seat itself in the outlet opening 34 formed in the gasket 24 to seal the container uid contents against escape.

To prevent damping of the up and down action of the raised portion, the area below the thin sheet is'vented through an inverted V-groove 36 in the lower surface of the periphery 22 of the valve element 20. Since the seal with the can is made between the container neck and the disc seal 16, it follows that the groove 36 will communicate with the atmosphere through the small space obtaining between the edge of the disc seal 16 and the side of the cap 14 and the small interstices always existing between the threads of the container neck and the cap.

The normal bias in the thin sheet 30 will act to retain the raised portion on its seat. However, greater stability and reliabilityA of operation may be obtained through the use of a compression spring 38. This spring is held in place between a hole 40 formed in the upper surface of disc seal 16 and a hole 42 formed in the underside of the raised portion 32. The value of the spring is so chosen as to enable ready collapse thereof when manual pressure is applied to the sides of the flexible container 10.

The opening 34 of the gasket 24 coincides substantially with `an opening 44 formed in the center of the cap 14. Thus when the raised portion 32 is moved away from its seat in the opening 34 of the rubber or neoprene gasket 24, fluid dispensing may be accomplished. Such dispensing would be from the area in the cutaway chamber 28 in the valve element 20, through the gasket opening 34 and the cap opening 44.

A sealing device, such as disclosed, may be marketed installed or the container the dispensing of whose uid Vcontents it will control. Preferably, however, it would be packaged as an adjunct to a sealed container, the neck on the container being closed orf by a conventional unperforated cap. Then too, the sealing device may be sold separately to enable it to be placed on containers marketed without applicants sealing device.

A container having applicants sealing device retains all of the advantages present in the -usual manually removable cap. Thus, leakage from the container, including the evaporation of liquid contents, will at all times be Vprevented especially if the bias urging the raised portion of the fluid contents from unseating the raised portion 32 75 when the container is inverted. Of course, the bias may be so chosen as to permit dispensing merely by inversion of the container.

In the embodiment disclosed, dispensing is effected by compressing the sides of the container 10 after inverting it. Upon the inversion, uid, under the influence of gravity, would have lled the cutaway chamber 28 of the valve element 20 by passing downward through the aligned openings 18 and 26 in the disc seal element 16 and valve element 20 respectively. The compression of the container sides develops pressure upon the container contents. This pressure is transmitted down through all of the fluid and is present too in the iluid in the cutaway chamber 28. Now `the thin sheet 30 has rbeen pointed out as being diaphragmic in nature and under the pressure developed in the fluid in the cutaway chamber 28,

deilects upwardly to ,carry the raised portion or poppet Y 32 out of the gasket opening 34. Fluid may then pass out through the openings 34 and 44.

It should be noted that the action of the diaphragm 30 was not hampered by the con-tentsrin the area beneath it. That is so because this area is ventedto the atmosphere by the groove 36 and the interstices between the container neck 13 and cap 14 threads. Restoration of the diaphragm will be facilitated by this venting, too.

Flow of fluid from the sealing device will continue `as long ask suicient pressure is maintained on' the container contents and the iluid in the cutaway area 28. To this end the number and size of the sets of aligned openings 18 and 26 must be suiiicient to enable a volume of fluid now greater than that which escapes through the openings 34 and 44 for otherwise there would -be a pressure drop in the cutaway area 28 enabling the Spring v38 to move the diaphragm to where theraised portion seals the opening 34. If the number and size of the openings 18 and 26 is insuicient, dispensing would at best be intermittent. Of course this type of action may be desired in some applications. Y p

Normally, dispensing willcease when the pressure on the fluid contents subsides. This arises either through the release of applied pressure on the container sides permitting them to restore and relieve fluid prmsure or through the dispensing of an amount of uid approximating the reduction in container volume affected by compression of the container sides. In either event a reduction in uid pressure allows the diaphragm to restore under the bias action and thereby carry the raised portion back into its seat in opening 34.

Return of the container sides towards their normal positions tends to create a vacuum or pressure less than atmospheric inside the container, which, if the container contents are a non-volatile liquid, would delay or prevent full restoration. Now it is possible that the vacuum might be eliminated through the action of atmospheric `pressure forcing air into the container through the openings 44 and 34 and alongside the raised portion 32. Where a sealing device is designed to t a particular container, resort to such operation may be had.v

However, it is generally more expedient to employ vent holes in the top of the cap 14 andthe gasket 24. Thus -two vent holes 46 (FIGS. l and 2) may be formed in the top of the cap 14 and on radially opposite sides of the dispensing opening 34. Now, as has been 0b`- served before, the gasket 24 is formed of a exible material such as rubber or neoprene and mounted in the sealing device by being clamped at its edges between the periphery 22 of the valve element 20 and the underside of the top of lthe cap 14. Thus when a vacuum or `low pressure is created within the container 10,` the gasket portionabove the valve element cutaway chamber 28 will be moved away from the undersideof the cap top by action of atmospheric prsureagainst the upper side of the gasket. Vents such -as 48 formed in the gasket so as to be non-aligned with the vents 46 in the cap top, would now be uncovered to allow the relay 'tive "freerentryto'f airinto the-container, therebyiffac'ilitating immediate restoration of the containensid'es 4upon release. Of course, once the .vacuum has been relieved, the gasket, `being resilient, restores into nesting engagement with the cap I-top to yseal'the-container and prevent vapor-floss. l

.-Evidently, then, applicant has provided a selfope'ning and self closing or Vautomatic sealing device f-When a container embodying it is held so that the fluid 'contents `contact the v"sealing device, dispensing may be effected either :from the weight of the iluid'or from the fbuildlup of pressure as by the squeezing together of the container sides. Leakage due to accidental tilting of the container is prevented where the sealing device is designed to require pressure over and above the weight of the container fluids. Loss of uids by evaporation too is prevented; yet the sealing device safeguards the container from explosion by serving as an automatic release valve upon the buildup of excessive pressure in the container. The prevention of the entry of excess air into the container eliminates oxidation problems.

Then too, applicants sealing device is inexpensive and easy of construction. It consists of only five parts, four of which may be stamped out. Thus the cap 14 may be formed of metal or plastic. The gasket 34 may be stamped out of sheets of rubber or neoprene. The valve element 20 preferably is molded out of a suitable plastic in one operation. Also the disc element 16. The compression spring 38 is readily available commercially. The sealing device is assembled -by simply putting the parts together in the proper order. The parts, while simple, may be made durable, to provide trouble free operation.

Manifestly, the smpleness and inexpensiveness of the new sealing device will permit'mass marketing techniques of lthe sealing device, per se, designed to banish forever the time loss and inconvenience and messiness attendant the present use of containers wherein container outlets must be manually opened before dispensing and manually closed thereafter. A further advantage in the use of the new sealing device is the elimination of breakage due to handling required for opening and closing of currently used containers.

It will be understood that there has been described in detail herein only a preferred embodiment of the invention. Other embodiments will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art and it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in `form and detail of the sealing device structure and operation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A sealing and dispensing device comprising a container attachable cap having a at top formed with a central opening and a vent opening, a gasket formed of resilient material and having a central opening aligned with said central top opening and a vent opening for nonalignment with said central top opening and said top vent opening and disposed inside the top in said cap, a valve element disposed inside said gasket in said top and having a spaced peripheral portion formed with an opening and a ilexible central portion extending from a point intermediate said periphery to a center which engages the walls of the gasket opening to close it off, a disc sealing element having an opening for alignment with said valve element opening and disposed inside said valve element in said cap to seal olf aspacer inside said valve element central portion from container fluid pressures, said rvalve element being grooved to vent the space beneath said central portion, a compression spring disposed between the valve element central portion and the disc sealing element, said aligned openings in said valve element and said disc seating element being intended to conduct container uids under pressure to the space 'above said valve 'elementfcetral portion to-A uncvertlie gasket central opening, saidl Vgasiret-upon the removal f container *Huid pressures and the 'closing oli of itscen- A. 2. "A sealing and dispensing idevice'accordingt'o'claifrn 1 'mounted over the 'outlet of a container lhavirrgexi- -ble Walls to *be Vcotnpress'ed'to ib'uild'up pressure inthe 'utd contents. sufficient to open `the 'sealing and 'dispens- *i'n'g device.

3. A sealing and dispensing device comprising means having a top portion for closing olf an outlet to a container, said top portion having an opening, a valve element disposed inside said means and having an opening and a flexible central portion extending from a peripheral area spaced from said top portion towards which it is urged to close olf said top portion opening, and a disc sealing element having an opening for alignment with said valve element opening juxtaposed to the underside of said valve element to seal a space beneath the valve element central portion from container uid pressures,

the openings in said valve element and said disc sealing element being intended to conduct fluid under pressure to the space above said valve element central portion to detlect said central portion and uncover said top portion opening, said top portion being at and having a vent opening, and a gasket of resilient material formed with an opening for alignment with the top portion opening and a vent opening non-aligned with the tirst mentioned vent opening said gasket being disposed between the Ytop portion and a portion of the valve element, and the walls of the opening of the gasket being engaged by the central portion of the valve element so as to have its opening closed off.

4. A sealing and dispensing device for a exible receptacle having an outlet comprising an outer element having an opening, an inner element extending across said outlet and having a portion spaced from the outer element, said inner yelement being exible and having another portion normally in contact with the outer element to close olf its opening and movable away from said outer element to uncover its opening, means for communicating the outlet of a receptacle with the space between the outer and inner element, rigid means isolating an operating space behind the flexible inner element,

means venting the operating space to the atmosphere and means associated with said communicating means to facilitate the entrance of air into the ilexible receptacle to replace displaced lluid, said means including an element of resilient material distendable only upon the occurrence of a lower than atmospheric pressure inside the receptacle.

'5. A sealing and dispensing device for a flexible receptacle having an outlet comprising a first element and a second element spaced therefrom, said elements respectively extending across said outlet, one of said elements being flexible and having a portion normally in contact with the other element to close oi an opening in one of them and movable away from the other element to uncover said opening, means for communicating the outlet of a receptacle with the space between the first and second element, and further means for communicating the outlet with the atmosphere, said further means only being operative to facilitate the entry of air into the receptacle upon termination of exure of the flexible element and including an element of resilient material distendable only upon the occurrence of a lower than atmospheric pressure inside the receptacle.

6. A sealing and dispensing device for a exible receptacle having an outlet comprising a iirst element and a second element spaced therefrom, said elements for respectively extending across said outlet, one of said elements being flexible and having a portion normally in contact with the other to close oi an openingin one of them and movable away from the other to uncover said opening, means for communicating the outlet of a receptacle with the space between the first and second element, said flexible element being exposed at all times on its sidevexterior of the space between the first and second element to atmospheric pressure to facilitate uncovering movement, and further means for communicating the outlet with the atmosphere, said further means only being operative to facilitate the entry of air into the receptacle upon termination of eXure thereof and including an element of resilient material distendable only upon the occurrence ofa lower than atmospheric pressure inside the receptacle. v ,A

' ReferencesCited'in the file of this patent *Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,621,097 Zammataro Mar. 15,- 1927 1,995,372 Wood Mar. 26, 1935 2,055,694 Lundgren .i Sept. 29, 1936 2,185,323 Arnold a Jan. 2, 1940 2,270,794 Feldmar Jan. 20, 1942 2,607,515

Felburg Aug. 19, 1952

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