Dispensing valve
View Patent ↗A dispensing valve includes a resiliently flexible mounting portion, a resiliently flexible opening portion disposed radially inwardly of the mounting portion, and a resiliently flexible isolating portion disposed radially between and coupled to the mounting and opening portions. The isolating portion extends both radially outwardly and axially to form a first radial space between the opening and isolating portions, and is spaced radially inwardly of the mounting portion to form a second radial space between the mounting and isolating portions. The opening portion may include one or more slits.
1. A dispensing valve comprising
a resiliently flexible mounting portion;
a resiliently flexible opening portion disposed radially inwardly of said mounting portion; and
a resiliently flexible isolating portion disposed radially between and coupled to said mounting and opening portions, the isolating portion including an intermediate annular wall and a plurality of ribs,
wherein the intermediate annular wall extends outwardly in a radial direction and outwardly in an axial direction to form a first radial space between said opening and isolating portions, the intermediate annular wall is spaced radially inwardly of said mounting portion to form a second radial space between said mounting portion and said intermediate annular wall, and the plurality of ribs extend through the second radial space from the intermediate annular wall to the mounting portion to connect the intermediate annular wall and the mounting portion.
2. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening and isolating portions form a V-shaped portion radially outward of a web of said opening portion.
3. The valve set forth in claim 2 wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form an inverted V-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
4. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form an inverted V-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
5. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting portion extends to an axially outward end in an axially outward and radially inward direction, and said isolating portion extends from said axially outward end in an axially and radially inward direction to an axially inward end, and said opening portion includes a radially inward annular wall extending from said axially inward end in an axially outward and radially inward direction to a web of said opening portion.
6. The valve set forth in claim 5 wherein said mounting portion includes an axially inward most surface of said valve.
7. The valve set forth in claim 5 wherein said radially inward annular wall and said isolating portion include an inward most surface of said valve.
8. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting portion extends radially outwardly from an axial outward end of said isolating portion.
9. The valve set forth in claim 8 wherein said mounting portion extends axially outwardly with respect to said axial outward end of said isolating portion.
10. The valve set forth in claim 9 wherein said mounting portion includes spaced apart annular rings.
11. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein a connecting portion extends transversely between axially inward ends of said opening and isolating portions to form said radially inward space.
12. The valve set forth in claim 11 , wherein said opening and isolating portions form a U-shaped portion radially outward of a web of said opening portion.
13. The valve set forth in claim 11 , wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form an inverted U-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
14. The valve set forth in claim 11 , wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form a block U-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
15. The valve set forth in claim 11 , wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form an M-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
16. The valve set forth in claim 11 , wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form at least one of an X-shaped portion or a W-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
17. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein a connecting portion extends transversely between an axially inward end of a radially inward annular wall of said opening portion and an axially outward end of said isolating portion to form said radially inward space.
18. The valve set forth in claim 17 wherein said mounting portion and said isolating portion form at least one of a V-shaped portion or a W-shaped portion radially outward of said opening portion.
19. The valve set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting portion includes a radially outer wall having a cylindrical mounting surface and having a conical outer profile extending axially outwardly from said cylindrical surface.
20. The valve set forth in claim 19 wherein said outer wall includes an axially inward surface, and a step between said axially inward and cylindrical surfaces.
21. The dispensing valve set forth in claim 1 , wherein said mounting portion includes a radially outward annular wall.
22. The dispensing valve set forth in claim 21 , wherein said radially outward annular wall is cantilevered from said radially intermediate annular wall.
23. A dispensing valve comprising
a resiliently flexible mounting portion including a radially outward annular wall;
a resiliently flexible opening portion disposed radially inwardly of said mounting portion, and including a radially inward annular wall, a web extending radially inwardly of said radially inward annular wall, and at least one slit in said web; and
a resiliently flexible isolating portion disposed radially between and coupled to said mounting and opening portions, and extending both radially outwardly and axially to form a first radial space between said isolating portion and said radially inward annular wall of said opening portion, and spaced radially inwardly of said radially outward annular wall of said mounting portion to form a second radial space between said isolating portion and said radially outward annular wall of said mounting portion, wherein said isolating portion includes at least a radially intermediate annular wall, said radially outward annular wall is cantilevered from said radially intermediate annular wall, and a plurality of ribs that extend from the radially intermediate annular wall to the radially outward annular wall and interconnect the resiliently flexible isolating portion and the resiliently flexible mounting portion.
24. The dispensing valve set forth in claim 23 , wherein the at least one slit establishes at least two petals, and wherein a flexible coupling is provided by the isolating portion between the opening portion and the mounting portion to absorb forces so that the petals will properly seat to one another to seal the valve closed.
25. A dispensing assembly adapted to mount on a neck finish of a container to control discharge of a product stored in a body of the container to surroundings outside of the container through a container mouth established by the neck finish along a longitudinal axis of the container, the dispensing assembly comprising
a base adapted to mount to the neck finish of the container, the base including a deck, an opening wall extending inward in an axial direction from the deck toward the body of the container around a dispensing opening arranged to receive product discharged from the container through the neck finish, an annular wall extending inward in the axial direction along the longitudinal axis from an undersurface of the deck toward the body of the container, and
a dispensing valve coupled to the base to lie in the dispensing opening, the dispensing valve including an opening portion adapted to allow product to be dispensed through the dispensing valve, a mounting portion coupled to the base, and an isolating portion extending outward from the longitudinal axis in a radial direction from the opening portion to the mounting portion to provide means for flexibly coupling the opening portion to the mounting portion so that radial forces on the mounting portion induced by a user squeezing the container causing distortion of the mounting portion are absorbed by the isolating portion rather than being transmitted to the opening portion thereby reducing distortion of the opening portion when a user squeezes the container to dispense product in the container,
wherein the opening portion includes an annular wall and a web formed to include a first slit,
the annular wall of the opening portion extends outward from the longitudinal axis in the radial direction from the web and extends inward in the axial direction from the web toward the body of the container,
the isolating portion includes an intermediate annular wall and a plurality of ribs extending between and interconnecting the intermediate annular wall and the mounting portion,
the intermediate annular wall extends outward from the longitudinal axis in the radial direction from the annular wall of the opening portion and extends outward in the axial direction from the annular wall of the opening portion away from the body of the container,
the annular wall of the opening portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion cooperate to establish a wedge-shaped first space between the annular wall of the opening portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion.
26. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the annular wall of the base surrounds the dispensing opening.
27. The dispensing assembly of claim 26 , wherein the annular wall of the base is coaxial with the dispensing opening.
28. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the opening wall extends inward in the radial direction from the deck toward the longitudinal axis.
29. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the deck is conical.
30. The dispensing assembly of claim 29 , wherein the deck has an incurvate shape.
31. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , further comprising a lid coupled to the base by a hinge.
32. The dispensing assembly of claim 31 , wherein the lid includes a base wall, an annular bead extending inward in the axial direction from the base wall toward the body of the container, and a plug extending inward in the axial direction from the base wall toward the body of the container and located radially within the annular bead.
33. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the mounting portion includes an annular wall extending outward in the radial direction from the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion away from the longitudinal axis and extending inward in the axial direction from the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion toward the body of the container.
34. The dispensing assembly of claim 33 , wherein the annular wall of the mounting portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion cooperate to form a second space between the annular wall of the mounting portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion.
35. The dispensing assembly of claim 34 , wherein the plurality of ribs extend into the second space between the annular wall of the mounting portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion.
36. The dispensing assembly of claim 35 , wherein the second space is wedge-shaped.
37. The dispensing assembly of claim 33 , wherein the annular wall of the mounting portion is formed to include an axially inward surface, a cylindrical outer surface adjacent to the axially inward surface, and a step located between the axially inward surface and the cylindrical outer surface.
38. The dispensing assembly of claim 37 , wherein the step is configured to receive an internal bead extending inward in the radial direction from the annular wall of the base toward the longitudinal axis so that the dispensing valve is retained to the base.
39. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the web of the opening portion extends inward in the radial direction from the annular wall of the opening portion toward the longitudinal axis and extends inward toward the body of the container in the axial direction from the annular wall of the opening portion.
40. The dispensing assembly of claim 39 , wherein the web is concave.
41. The dispensing assembly of claim 40 , wherein the web is formed to include a second slit crossed with the first slit.
42. A dispensing assembly adapted to mount on a neck finish of a container to control discharge of a product stored in a body of the container to surroundings outside of the container through a container mouth established by the neck finish along a longitudinal axis of the container, the dispensing assembly comprising
a base adapted to mount to the neck finish of the container, the base including a deck, an opening wall extending inward in an axial direction from the deck toward the body of the container around a dispensing opening arranged to receive product discharged from the container through the neck finish, an annular wall extending inward in the axial direction along the longitudinal axis from an undersurface of the deck toward the body of the container, and an internal bead extending inward in the radial direction from the annular wall, and
a dispensing valve coupled to the base to lie in the dispensing opening, the dispensing valve including an opening portion adapted to allow product to be dispensed through the dispensing valve, a mounting portion coupled to the base, and an isolating portion extending outward from the longitudinal axis in a radial direction from the opening portion to the mounting portion to flexibly couple the opening portion to the mounting portion so that radial forces on the mounting portion induced by a user squeezing the container causing distortion of the mounting portion are absorbed by the isolating portion rather than being transmitted to the opening portion thereby reducing distortion of the opening portion when a user squeezes the container to dispense product in the container,
wherein the opening portion includes an annular wall and a web formed to include a first slit,
the annular wall of the opening portion extends outward from the longitudinal axis in the radial direction from the web and extends inward in the axial direction from the web toward the body of the container,
the isolating portion includes an intermediate annular wall that extends outward from the longitudinal axis in the radial direction from the annular wall of the opening portion and extends outward in the axial direction from the annular wall of the opening portion away from the body of the container,
the annular wall of the opening portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion cooperate to establish a wedge-shaped first space between the annular wall of the opening portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion, and
a portion of the deck is arranged to extend over the dispensing valve and the internal bead is arranged to extend under the dispensing valve to block the dispensing valve from movement outward and in ward in the axial direction when the dispensing valve is coupled to the base.
43. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , wherein the isolating portion includes a plurality of ribs that extend between and interconnect the intermediate annular wall and the mounting portion.
44. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , wherein a top surface of the mounting portion is spaced above the opening portion and a bottom surface of the mounting portion is spaced below the opening portion.
45. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , wherein the annular wall of the base is arranged to surround the mounting portion of the dispensing valve to block the dispensing valve from outward movement in the radial direction when the dispensing valve is coupled to the base.
46. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , wherein the annular wall of the base surrounds the dispensing opening.
47. The dispensing assembly of claim 46 , wherein the annular wall of the base is coaxial with the dispensing opening.
48. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , wherein the opening wall extends inward in the radial direction from the deck toward the longitudinal axis.
49. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the deck is conical.
50. The dispensing assembly of claim 25 , wherein the deck has an incurvate shape.
51. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , further comprising a lid coupled to the base by a hinge.
52. The dispensing assembly of claim 51 , wherein the lid includes a base wall, an annular bead extending inward in the axial direction from the base wall toward the body of the container, and a plug extending inward in the axial direction from the base wall toward the body of the container and located radially within the annular bead.
53. The dispensing assembly of claim 42 , wherein the mounting portion includes an annular wall extending outward in the radial direction from the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion away from the longitudinal axis and extending inward in the axial direction from the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion toward the body of the container.
54. The dispensing assembly of claim 53 , wherein the annular wall of the mounting portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion cooperate to form a second space between the annular wall of the mounting portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion.
55. The dispensing assembly of claim 54 , wherein the plurality of ribs extend into the second space between the annular wall of the mounting portion and the intermediate annular wall of the isolating portion.
56. The dispensing assembly of claim 55 , wherein the second space is wedge-shaped and each of the plurality of ribs is wedge-shaped to fill a corresponding portion of the second space.
57. The dispensing assembly of claim 53 , wherein the annular wall of the mounting portion is formed to include an axially inward surface, a cylindrical outer surface adjacent to the axially inward surface, and a step located between the axially inward surface and the cylindrical outer surface.
58. The dispensing assembly of claim 57 , wherein the step is configured to receive the internal bead extending inward in the radial direction from the annular wall of the base toward the longitudinal axis so that the dispensing valve is retained to the base.