Dispensing cap with cover

Abstract

A dispensing cap for a container includes a body defining a dispensing orifice and an opening/closing member. The opening/closing member can be hinged to the body. The cap includes a deformable portion which can deform to uncover a push region of the opening/closing member. The deformable portion can be integral with the body around the deformable portion's entire perimeter. Force applied to the push region causes the opening/closing member to move from a closed position to an open position in which the orifice is at least partly open.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A dispensing cap comprising: 
 a body defining a dispensing orifice;    an opening/closing member coupled to the body; and    a deformable portion disposed over a push region of the opening/closing member, said deformable portion being integral with said body around the deformable portion's entire perimeter,    wherein said push region is uncovered when said deformable portion is deformed and wherein a force applied to said push region causes the opening/closing member to move from a closed position to an open position in which said orifice is at least partly open.    
     
     
         2 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein said opening/closing member is coupled to said body by a hinge.  
     
     
         3 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the deformable portion is disposed on the body opposite said hinge.  
     
     
         4 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein said push region of the opening/closing member is uncovered when said deformable portion is depressed along an axis approximately perpendicular to an axis of said hinge.  
     
     
         5 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein said opening/closing member comprises a seal which seals said dispensing orifice in a closed position.  
     
     
         6 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein said deformable portion is an elastically deformable portion.  
     
     
         7 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the force applied to said push region is distinct from a force applied to deform the deformable portion.  
     
     
         8 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformable portion has a maximum deformation which ranges from 0.5 to 5 mm.  
     
     
         9 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformable portion is formed of an elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         10 . The cap according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastically deformable material is a material selected from the group consisting of a low-density polyethylene, elastomers including ethylene-propylene copolymers, polyether-block-amides, polyvinyls, ethylenepropylene-diene terpolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene/styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymers, thermoplastic polyurethanes, blends of polypropylene with one of the elastomers chosen from styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene/styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymers, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers.  
     
     
         11 . The cap according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene.  
     
     
         12 . The cap according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a polyethylene.  
     
     
         13 . The cap according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes an elastomer.  
     
     
         14 . The cap according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and at least one elastomer.  
     
     
         15 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said body comprises a skirt,    the deformable portion is integral with said skirt, and    the deformable portion has a thickness which is less than a thickness of said skirt.    
     
     
         16 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein said body is a molded thermoplastic.  
     
     
         17 . The cap according to  claim 16 , wherein said thermoplastic is one of a propylene and a polyethylene.  
     
     
         18 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein said body is mounted on a container containing a product to be dispensed.  
     
     
         19 . The cap according to  claim 18 , wherein said product is a cosmetic product.  
     
     
         20 . The cap according to  claim 19 , wherein said product is a hair-care product.  
     
     
         21 . The cap according to  claim 19 , wherein said product is a body-care product.  
     
     
         22 . The cap according to  claim 18 , wherein said body comprises: 
 a sealing skirt around said dispensing orifice, wherein said deformable portion, said sealing skirt and said container define a cavity sealed from said product being dispensed when said opening/closing member is in said open position.    
     
     
         23 . A dispensing cap comprising: 
 a body defining a dispensing orifice;    an opening/closing member coupled to the body; and    a deformable portion disposed over a push region of the opening/closing member,    wherein said push region is uncovered when said deformable portion is deformed and wherein a force applied to said push region causes the opening/closing member to move from a closed position to an open position in which said orifice is at least partly open, and    wherein said deformable portion is at least partly delimited by a slot formed in said body, said slot having a base toward the dispensing orifice and arms extending away from the dispensing orifice so as to form a hinge portion which connects said deformable portion to said body.    
     
     
         24 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein the slot is U-shaped.  
     
     
         25 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein said arms of the slot converge toward said hinge portion.  
     
     
         26 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein said opening/closing member is coupled to said body by a hinge.  
     
     
         27 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein said opening/closing member comprises a seal which seals said dispensing orifice in a closed position.  
     
     
         28 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein said deformable portion deforms without initiating an opening movement of the opening/closing member.  
     
     
         29 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein said deformable portion is formed of an elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         30 . The cap according to  claim 29 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene.  
     
     
         31 . The cap according to  claim 29 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a polyethylene.  
     
     
         32 . The cap according to  claim 29 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes an elastomer.  
     
     
         33 . The cap according to  claim 29 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and at least one elastomer.  
     
     
         34 . The cap according to  claim 23 , wherein said body is mounted on a container containing a product to be dispensed.  
     
     
         35 . The cap according to  claim 34 , wherein said product is a cosmetic product.  
     
     
         36 . The cap according to  claim 35 , wherein said product is a hair-care product.  
     
     
         37 . The cap according to  claim 35 , wherein said product is a body-care product.  
     
     
         38 . The cap according to  claim 34 , wherein said body comprises: 
 a sealing skirt around said dispensing orifice, wherein said deformable portion, said sealing skirt and said container define a space isolated from said product being dispensed, wherein said sealing skirt prevents said product being dispensed from flowing out through said slot.    
     
     
         39 . A cap for dispensing a product from a container, said cap comprising: 
 a body defining an orifice;    a cover coupled to said body, said product being free from being dispensed through said orifice when said cover is in an open position and said product being prevented from being dispensed through said orifice when said cover is in a closed position;    a deformable portion disposed on said body over a push region of said cover,    wherein said push region is exposed when said deformable portion is deformed, whereby a force applied to said push region causes the cover to move from said closed position to said open position, and    wherein said deformable portion, said body and said container define a space isolated from said product being dispensed when said cover is in said open position.    
     
     
         40 . The cap according to  claim 39 , wherein said body comprises: 
 a transverse wall defining said orifice, and    a skirt extending from said transverse wall toward said container, wherein    a first portion of said deformable portion is integral with said transverse wall, and    a second portion of said deformable portion, different from said first portion, is integral with said skirt.    
     
     
         41 . The cap according to  claim 40 , wherein said first portion and said second portion form an entire perimeter of said deformable portion.  
     
     
         42 . The cap according to  claim 39 , wherein said body comprises: 
 a transverse wall defining said orifice, and    a sealing skirt integral with said transverse wall, around said orifice, and engaged against a neck of said container.    
     
     
         43 . The cap according to  claim 42 , wherein said deformable portion is at least partly delimited by a slot formed in said body.  
     
     
         44 . The cap according to  claim 43 , wherein the slot has a base toward the orifice and arms extending away from the orifice so as to form a hinge portion which connects said deformable portion to said body.  
     
     
         45 . The cap according to  claim 44 , wherein the arms of said slot converge toward said hinge portion.  
     
     
         46 . The cap according to  claim 39 , wherein a deformation of said deformable portion is decoupled from an opening movement of the cover.  
     
     
         47 . The cap according to  claim 39 , wherein said cover is free from any portion that protrudes from a perimeter of the body in the closed position when said deformable portion is not deformed.  
     
     
         48 . The cap according to  claim 47 , wherein said cover has a free edge that is set back from the perimeter of the body in the closed position when said deformable portion is not deformed.  
     
     
         49 . A dispensing cap comprising: 
 a body defining an orifice;    a cover coupled to said body; and    a deformable portion disposed on said body, wherein: 
 in a first position, the deformable portion is not deformed,  
 in a second position, the deformable portion is deformed so as to expose a push region of said cover, and  
 a perimeter of said deformable portion is continuous with said body in said first and second positions.  
   
     
     
         50 . The cap according to  claim 49 , wherein said cover is coupled to said body by a hinge.  
     
     
         51 . The cap according to  claim 50 , wherein said cover comprises a seal which seals said orifice when said cover is in a closed position.  
     
     
         52 . The cap according to  claim 51 , wherein said deformable portion is made of an elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         53 . The cap according to  claim 52 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene.  
     
     
         54 . The cap according to  claim 52 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a polyethylene.  
     
     
         55 . The cap according to  claim 52 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes an elastomer.  
     
     
         56 . The cap according to  claim 52 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and at least one elastomer.  
     
     
         57 . A dispensing cap comprising: 
 a body defining an orifice;    a cover coupled to said body; and    a deformable portion disposed on said body wherein: 
 in a first position, the deformable portion is not deformed,  
 in a second position, the deformable portion is deformed so as to expose a push region of said cover, and  
 at a periphery of said deformable portion, the deformable portion does not move relative to said body when said deformable portion passes from said first position to said second position.  
   
     
     
         58 . The cap according to  claim 57 , wherein said cover is coupled to said body by a hinge.  
     
     
         59 . The cap according to  claim 58 , wherein said cover comprises a seal which seals said orifice when said cover is in a closed position.  
     
     
         60 . The cap according to  claim 59 , wherein said deformable portion is made of an elastically deformable material.  
     
     
         61 . The cap according to  claim 60 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene.  
     
     
         62 . The cap according to  claim 60 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a polyethylene.  
     
     
         63 . The cap according to  claim 60 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes an elastomer.  
     
     
         64 . The cap according to  claim 60 , wherein said elastically deformable material includes a blend of polypropylene and at least one elastomer.  
     
     
         65 . A cap for dispensing a product from a container, the cap comprising: 
 a body defining an orifice;    means for opening/closing said orifice; and    means for exposing a push region of said means for opening/closing,    wherein a force applied to said push region causes the means for opening/closing to move from a closed position to an open position.    
     
     
         66 . The cap according to  claim 65 , further comprising means for coupling said body to said container.  
     
     
         67 . The cap according to  claim 65 , further comprising means for sealing said orifice when said means for opening/closing is in said closed position.