Containers and closures therefor having wipe clean structure
United States Patent [1 1 Hi 8 A r. l 1975 gg P s CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR [56] References Cited HAVING WIPE CLEAN STRUCTURE UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Cyril Edward I-Iiggs, Leeds, England ginka. 552/55?3 X 2 55 X 1 Assign: Bmfllers Company, New 2,2l4,826 9ii940 wi r d 222/558 York, N.Y. 3,369,720 2/1958 Libit et al. 2. 222/558 X [22] Filed: 1973 Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg [2!] App]. N0.: 385,124  
  30 Foreign Application Priority Data 2 I d l AfBsTRACT h h nozz e an e osure or a container sue as a toot I972 United Kingdom 36803, paste tube in which the closure is in the form of a stir- [52] Us CL 222/558 rup which hinges between closed and open positions [51] 35/42 with respect to the nozzle, and which during move- [58-] Field o&#39;i&#34;.;;;;i.&#39; 222/558 between Posmms is wiped 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures a o F ,v  
 CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR HAVING WIPE CLEAN STRUCTURE This invention relates to containers and particularly to closures therefore, especially for collapsible tubes.  
  Such tubes are very widely used for pastes, creams, and the like, particularly in the toiletries field, tooth paste being perhaps the most common. They are also used for artists colours, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, adhesives and polishes for example.  
  (onventionally toothpaste tubes are closed by a screw-threaded cap and despite numerous attempts at provision of a more convenient system, such caps, for various reasons, remain in wide usage. A particular problem is that in use the cap is often lost or not replaced resulting in the tooth-paste drying out and it is desirable therefore that some form of convenient captive cap should be devised. The present invention is concerned with this problem i Accordingly the invention provides a container having a nozzle portion and a closure for said nozzle por tion. the closure being in the form ofa stirrup and haw ing an end sealing portion carried by legs, which legs are pivotally connected to opposed points on said noz zle portion, said points being located in conjunction with the shape of said nozzle portion so that the stirrup can pivot with a wiping action between a closed posi tion where said sealing portion is in sealing contact with the nozzle outlet and an open position where said portion of the stirrup is out of contact with the nozzle.  
 With such an arrangement the stirrup pivots out of the way during use so that the paste, or other material, an be extruded from the tube without obstruction and then surplus material on the nozzle outlet is wiped off as the stirrup is moved back into the closed position again. Similarly the sealing surface of the stirrup is wiped clean during opening. Thus the stirrup sealing surface has a self-cleaning action as it moves out of and thenback into sealing contact with the nozzle.  
  Previous attempts at providing captive caps for collapsible tubes have generally suffered from the disadvantage that after having been used a few times dried product at the outlet or between pivoting parts of more complex systems prevents adequate sealing from being achieved. It has only been with the conventional screw on cap where a relatively high pressure is applied to the top of the nozzle through the torque applied during screwing on that adequate sealing can thereafter be achieved. By its self cleaning action the present invention overcomes this problem.  
  A further advantage is that the areas of component surfaces in sliding contact are at a minimum. This is of importance where an abrasive product is to be packaged since imperfect sealing could otherwise develop in use through abrasion from previously deposited product at these areas.  
  Preferably the points about which the stirrup pivots are located diametrically opposite each other on said neck portion at a distance inwards of the nozzle outlet which is greater than the radius of the nozzle, so as to allow the stirrup to pivot easily in either direction to an extent that exposes the whole of the nozzle outlet.  
  Conveniently the nozzle has a pair ofoutwardly disposed trunnions one on each side of the nozzle onto which opposing stirrup legs are pivotally attached, but alternatively trunnions on the stirrup legs can be arranged so as to engage in suitable locations on the no) zlc.  
  With such an arrangement it is a simple matter to open the tube merely by pushing the stirrup to one side so that it pivots about the pivot points. The stirrup can be pushed out of the way of the nozzle outlet to allow the paste to be extruded without hindrance and then can be pushed back to the closed position simply by pressure from the thumb or a finger of the user who would be holding the tube in the same hand.  
  The nozzle portion may be an integral part of the container body or may be a separate part which is snapped or otherwise fitted on in a factory operation. for example by an arrangement as described in any of British Pat. Specification Numbers l,ltl3,366, l,()l9,l 75, l,(l45,25l or l.l45,497v As a further alternative the nozzle portion may be a screw-threaded outer sleeve for a conventional threaded neck.  
  Conveniently the stirrup is a single plastics moulding. and the nozzle portion is another plastics moulding which is snapped onto the container neck in a known fashion.  
  In one particular form the two parts are moulded in linked together form, the pivoted connection being by means of a so-called plastics hinge.&#34; i.e.. a very narrow connection which allows multiple llexures in use without fracture. In another form the two parts are moulded while held together by a frangible link at a point other than at the pivoted point, c.g., by a small strap, which allows the two parts to be subsequently brought together in predetermined relationship and the stirrup legs connected to the pivot points for use, the frangible link then being broken by the manufacturer if desired, or left as an anti pilferage device so that it may be broken by the consumer. Both these sys tems of moulding the two parts in linked together form have advantages in production since relative location and handling of these quite small parts during high speed factory operations are facilitated.  
  The invention is applicable not only to metal and plastics collapsible tubes, but with advantage can be used on other forms of container such as bottles of plastics or glass material, in the latter case with a suitable snap-on neck fitment.  
  Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:  
  FIG. I is a sectioned side elevation of a nozzle and closure;  
  FIG. 2 is a side elevation sectioned at right angles to the FIG. I view;  
  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the nozzle of FIG. I but with the closure removed; and  
  FIG. 4 is a sectioned side elevation of a second embodimcnt.  
  Referring to FIG. I a snap-on nozzle onsert I of moulded plastics material is held in place on the neck of an aluminum collapsible toothpaste tube 2. The tube neck has longitudinal grooves (not shown) and a circumferential ridge 3 both of conventional form to retain the onsert in position. The onsert I has a pair of oppositely disposed outwardly directed flanged trunnions 4 level with the ridge 3 and at the nozzle outlet in line with said trunnions a pair of slots 5 (see FIG. 3) whose purpose will be described later.  
  The closure 6 is in the form of a stirrup having legs 7 which are snapped onto the trunnions 4 via openings 8. The stirrup has an internally domed sealing area 9 to assist location in the closed position as illustrated. help to provide sealing of the nozzle outlet and to further assist this the legs are under some tension in the sealed condition. A further feature is a web 10 extending between the closure area and the legs on each side which locates in the slot 5 shown in FIG. 3 in the closed position. This assists in ensuring that the stirrup locates cor rectly in the closed position during use. and may be em ploycd to assist correct location of the stirrup during assembly on the nozzle.  
  An annular sealing groove (not shown) is also provided round the orifice to assist sealing which cooperates with a V-ring moulded on the underside of the closure.  
  In operation the closure is simply pushed to one side, e.g.. by the user&#39;s thumb or fingers. the legs then pivoting about the trunnions 4, so completely revealing the nozzle outlet opening and enabling toothpaste to be extruded without obstruction from the closure. it should be noted that the dimensions of the system are such that as the closure is fully opened it swings completely clear of the nozzle outlet, i.e.. out of contact with the curved surface between the points a and b and this has the important advantage of providing a selfcleaning ac&#39; tion when the closure comes into contact with this surface again as it is reclosed. During this selfcleaning action surplus paste is wiped from between the nozzle and closure providing a clean and effective seal and reducing the likelihood of paste build up at these areas. A further advantage is that it is forced into a tightly sealing lit with the nozzle outlet.  
  As previously mentioned the stirrup legs are snapped over the trunnions 4 during assembly. This will take place with the closure in the open position (i.e.. substantially at right angles to the neck axis). after which the closure is pivoted to the closed position prior to the tube being tilled in conventional manner from its tail end.  
  FIG. 4 shows an alternative to the open hook form of stirrup leg previously described. In this case a closed form is used having an enlarged hole ll separated by nibs l2 from a smaller hole 13. For assembly in this case. as before. the closure in its open position (i.e.. substantially at right angles to the neck axis) is prescnted to the trunnions and it is then pushed towards and over the trunnions so that they pass through the holes 1]. Subsequently the closure is pulled outwardly again so that the trunnions snap past the ribs and locate in the holes l3. An alternative method of assembly is for the closure to be pushed onto the trunnions from a direction at l to the closed position. This is of course only possible when the closure is assembled prior to fitting the nozzle to the tube. but has the advantage that the stirrup legs can be shorter.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A nozzle for a container in combination with a closure to close said nozzle. the nozzle being of molded plastics material and arranged as a snap fit for the container. said nozzle having at least one slot located along a top surface of the nozzle. and the closure being in the form of a stirrup having an end sealing portion carried by legs, and at least one web portion to be engaged in the slot of said nozzle. said legs are pivotally connected to opposed points on said nozzle. said points being located in conjunction with the shape of said nozzle portion so that the stirrup portion can pivot with a wiping action between a closed position where said scaling portion is in sealing contact with the nozzle outlet and an open position where the sealing portion of the stirrup is out of contact with the nozzle.  
  2. A nozzle and closure combination according to claim I in which said nozzle has a pair of outwardly disposed trunnions one on each side of the nozzle onto which opposing stirrup legs are pivotally attached.  
  3. A nozzle and closure combination according to claim l in which said nozzle and closure are a onepiece plastics moulding which is frangible at a frangible link into separate pivotally connected parts.  
  4. A nozzle and closure combination according to claim I in which said stirrup has an internally domed sealing area to assist sealing and location of the stirrup in the closed position. x  
  S. A nozzle and closure combination according to claim 4 in which said stirrup has a pair of webs, each web extending from the sealing area to each respective leg and arranged to locate in a corresponding slot in the nozzle, in the closed position.