Closure device

Abstract

A closure device and method includes a mounting member, a cap member and an actuator. The mounting member may be removably secured proximately to a container opening. The actuator is manually operable to move the cap member to open and close an opening in the container and is biased by a spring so that the cap member closes the opening but is movable to an open position. The closure device is especially adapted as part of a writing instrument that has a body to receive contents for dispensing, such as a marker. The mounting member may be annular piece that engages a neck of the container with the actuator being a pair of angled, parallel levers that pivot on the mounting member. In one embodiment, the cap member may be latched in the open position.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A closure device adapted to attach to a container that has an opening through which contents in the container may be dispensed, comprising: 
 (a) a mounting member adapted to be removably secured at a mounted location proximately to the opening of the container;    (b) a cap member movable between a closed position wherein said cap member is operative to close the opening and an open position wherein said cap member is removed from the opening; and    (c) an actuator engaging said mounting member and said cap member, 
 (1) said actuator adapted to be manually operated,  
 (2) said actuator being movable between 
 (i) a first position wherein said cap member is in the closed position and  
 (ii) a second position wherein said cap member is in the open position,  
 
 (3) said cap member being biased into the closed position.  
   
     
     
         2 . A closure device according to  claim 1  wherein said container has a cylindrical outer surface portion located proximately to the opening therein, said mounting member including a portion that has a cylindrical interior surface sized and adapted to form an interference fit with the cylindrical outer surface portion of the container.  
     
     
         3 . A closure device according to  claim 2  wherein said mounting member includes an annular portion that provides the cylindrical interior surface and that is sized and adapted to mate with the cylindrical outer surface of the container.  
     
     
         4 . A closure device according to  claim 1  wherein the container has a cylindrical neck portion adjacent to the opening, said mounting member sized and adapted to secure to said neck.  
     
     
         5 . A closure device according to  claim 1  wherein the cap member is constructed of a material having sufficient transparency whereby contents disposed in the opening can be discerned therethrough.  
     
     
         6 . A closure device according to  claim 1  wherein a gasket is seated in one of said mounting member and said cap member and operative in the closed position to form a relative seal therebetween thereby to resist inadvertent dispensing of the contents of the container.  
     
     
         7 . A closure device according to  claim 1  wherein said actuator is pivotally attached to the mounting member and is mechanically linked to said cap member, and including 
 (a) a spring element operative 
 (1) to bias said actuator into the first position  
 (2) yet to permit manual movement of said actuator into the second position.  
 
 
     
     
         8 . A closure device according to  claim 7  wherein the actuator includes two parallel levers, each said lever including a first section and a second section joined at a common vertex an obtuse angle to one another, each said first section having a slot formed therein, said cap member including a pair of oppositely projecting pins with each said pin received in a respective one of said slots, said second sections each having a free end portion opposite the vertex with the free end portions being joined by a bar extending therebetween.  
     
     
         9 . A closure device according to  claim 8  wherein said levers are pivotally attached to said mounting member by means of at least one axle element.  
     
     
         10 . A closure device according to  claim 8  wherein the slots and said pins are dimensioned for loose-fitted engagement whereby registration of said cap member with mounting member in said closed position is facilitated.  
     
     
         11 . A closure device according to  claim 1  including a latch structure associated with at least one of said cap member and said actuator and operative to selectively retain said cap member in the open position.  
     
     
         12 . A writing instrument adapted to be grasped by a user's hand, comprising: 
 (a) a container including a body portion having an interior and an outlet opening;    (b) a reservoir of a substance to be used in writing disposed in the interior of said container, 
 (1) said reservoir in communication with the outlet opening to said container whereby said substance in the container may be dispensed therethrough;  
   (c) a closure device disposed on said container and including 
 (1) a mounting member disposed at a mounted location proximately to the opening of the container;  
 (2) a cap member movable between a closed position wherein said cap member is operative to close the opening and an open position wherein said cap member is removed from the opening; and  
 (3) an actuator engaging said mounting member and said cap member, 
 (i) said actuator adapted to be manually operated,  
 (ii) said actuator being movable between a first position wherein said cap member is in the closed position and a second position wherein said cap member is in the open position,  
 
 (4) said cap member being biased toward the closed position.  
   
     
     
         13 . A writing instrument according to  claim 12  wherein said cap member is constructed of a material having sufficient transparency whereby any of the substance disposed in the opening can be discerned therethrough.  
     
     
         14 . A writing instrument according to  claim 12  wherein a gasket is seated in one of said mounting member and said cap member and operative in the closed position to form a relative seal therebetween thereby to resist inadvertent dispensing of the substance from said container.  
     
     
         15 . A writing instrument according to  claim 12  wherein said actuator is pivotally attached to the mounting member and is mechanically linked to said cap member, and including 
 (a) a spring element operative 
 (1) to bias said actuator into the first position  
 (2) yet to permit manual movement of said actuator into the second position.  
 
 
     
     
         16 . A writing instrument according to  claim 15  wherein the actuator includes two parallel levers, each said lever including a first section and a second section joined at a common vertex an obtuse angle to one another, each said first section having a slot formed therein, said cap member including a pair of oppositely projecting pins with each said pin received in a respective one of said slots, said second sections each having a free end portion opposite the vertex with the free end portions being joined by a bar extending therebetween.  
     
     
         17 . A writing instrument according to  claim 16  wherein said levers are pivotally attached to said mounting member by means of at least one axle element.  
     
     
         18 . A writing instrument according to  claim 12  wherein said closure device is securable to said container by means of an interference fit.  
     
     
         19 . A closure device adapted to attach to a marker that has a body portion with an interior having a reservoir of a substance to be used in writing, a neck portion in fluid communication with the reservoir and terminating in an outlet opening and a wick extending outwardly from the outlet opening and defining a writing tip for said marker, comprising 
 (a) an annular mounting member adapted to be removably secured around said neck in a mounted state;    (b) a cap member pivotally disposed on said mounting member and movable between a closed position wherein said cap member is operative to close the opening and an open position wherein said cap member is removed from the opening; and    (c) an actuator pivotally disposed on said mounting member, 
 (1) said actuator adapted to be manually operated,  
 (2) said actuator being movable between 
 (i) a first position wherein said cap member is in the closed position and  
 (ii) a second position wherein said cap member is in the open position,  
 
   (d) a biasing element operative to bias said cap member into the closed position.    
     
     
         20 . A closure device according to  claim 19  wherein said opening has an upper rim that is formed in a plane, said mounting member having a planar upper surface and being sized whereby the upper surface is coplanar with the upper rim when in the mounted state.  
     
     
         21 . A closure device according to  claim 20  wherein said cap member has a lower rim that is formed in a plane whereby said lower rim confronts said planar upper surface when said cap member is in the closed position.  
     
     
         22 . A closure device according to  claim 21  including a gasket interposed between said lower rim and said planar upper surface when said cap member is in the closed position.  
     
     
         23 . A closure device according to  claim 22  wherein said gasket is defined by an O-ring.  
     
     
         24 . A closure device according to  claim 19  wherein said annular mounting member includes a clevis structure disposed thereon, said cap member including a knuckle piece received in said clevis and pivotally secured thereto by axle piece.  
     
     
         25 . A closure device according to  claim 24  wherein said actuator is pivotally attached to the clevis structure and is mechanically linked to said cap member, and including 
 (a) a spring element operative 
 (1) to bias said actuator into the first position  
 (2) yet to permit manual movement of said actuator into the second position.  
 
 
     
     
         26 . A closure device according to  claim 25  wherein the actuator includes two parallel levers, each said lever including a first section and a second section joined at a common vertex an obtuse angle to one another, each said first section having a slot formed therein, said cap member including a pair of oppositely projecting pins with each said pin received in a respective one of said slots, said second sections each having a free end portion opposite the vertex with the free end portions being joined by a bar extending therebetween.  
     
     
         27 . A closure device according to  claim 26  wherein said levers are pivotally attached to the clevis structure by means of at least one axle element.  
     
     
         28 . A closure device according to  claim 27  wherein the slots and said pins are dimensioned for loose-fitted engagement whereby registration of said cap member with mounting member in said closed position is facilitated.  
     
     
         29 . A closure device according to  claim 19  wherein the cap member is constructed of a material having sufficient transparency whereby any contents disposed in the opening can be discerned therethrough.  
     
     
         30 . A closure device adapted to attach to a container that has an opening through which contents in the container may be dispensed, comprising: 
 (a) a mounting member adapted to be removably secured at a mounted location proximately to the opening of the container;    (b) a cap means for closing the opening when in a closed position and exposing the opening when in an open position;    (c) a manually operable actuator means operatively interconnecting said mounting member and said cap means for moving said cap means from the closed position to the open position; and    (d) biasing means for biasing said cap means into the closed position.    
     
     
         31 . A method for alternatively enclosing and exposing a writing tip of a marker having a body and an opening provided with the writing tip, comprising: 
 (a) mounting a cap member to the body is a manner whereby said cap member may move between a closed position enclosing the writing tip and an open position exposing the writing tip;    (b) biasing said cap member toward the closed position with a biasing force;    (c) manually moving said cap member to the open position;    (d) retaining said cap member in the open position during use of said marker; and    (e) releasing said cap member when said marker is not in use whereby said cap member returns to the closed position under influence of the biasing force.    
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the step of manually moving said cap member is accomplished by grasping said marker with the hand and moving said cap member with a digit of the hand.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 31  including the step of providing a lever actuator mechanically engaging said cap member and wherein the step of biasing said cap member is accomplished by resiliently biasing said actuator.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the step of biasing said cap member is accomplished by means of a resilient spring.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 31  wherein the cap is retained in the open position by means of a latchable actuator.