Hinged drain-back cap

Abstract

A container closure comprising a base for placement on a neck of a container, the base including a body portion engaged upon the neck and an upper wall extending from the body portion, the upper wall having a spout at least partially defining a passageway through the base to permit contents in the container to be dispensed, the base being connected to a lid using a living hinge, the lid being pivotal about the hinge between an open position and a closed position to close the passageway and prevent the contents from being dispensed, the spout including an arcuately tapering front wall providing an arcuate threshold within an interior of the spout, the upper wall including a vertically extending circumferential wall that circumscribes the spout, where the spout includes a drain recessed with respect to the circumferential wall, the drain in communication with the passageway allowing undispensed contents between the spout and circumferential wall to egress into the container.

1 . A container closure comprising: 
 a base for placement on a neck of a container, the base including a body portion engaged upon the neck and an upper wall extending from the body portion, the upper wall having a spout at least partially defining a passageway through the base to permit contents in the container to be dispensed, the base being connected to a lid using a living hinge, the lid being pivotal about the hinge between an open position and a closed position to close the passageway and prevent the contents from being dispensed, the spout including an arcuately tapering front wall providing an arcuate threshold within an interior of the spout, the upper wall including a vertically extending circumferential wall that circumscribes the spout, where the spout includes a drain recessed with respect to the circumferential wall, the drain in communication with the passageway allowing undispensed contents between the spout and circumferential wall to egress into the container.    
     
     
         2 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the upper wall includes a deformable internal flange to interface with a top surface of the neck of the container to form a seal between the base and neck.    
     
     
         3 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the vertically extending circumferential wall includes a circumferential flange that engages the lid to provide a snap-fit connection when in the closed position.    
     
     
         4 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the body portion includes an internal threaded pattern to engage a threaded receiver of the container; and    the spout is not substantially recessed between the internal threaded pattern of the body portion.    
     
     
         5 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the arcuate threshold within the interior of the spout is opposite a vertically oriented distal opening in the rear wall of the spout.    
     
     
         6 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the body portion includes an internal threaded pattern to engage a threaded receiver of the container; and    the drain is positioned above the internal threaded pattern of the body portion.    
     
     
         7 . A container closure comprising: 
 a base for placement on a neck of a container, the base including a body portion engaged upon the neck and an upper wall extending from the body portion, the upper wall having a spout at least partially defining a passageway through the base to permit contents in the container to be dispensed, the spout including an arcuately tapering front wall providing an arcuate threshold within an interior of the spout, the upper wall including a vertically extending circumferential wall that circumscribes the spout, where the spout includes a drain recessed with respect to the circumferential wall, the drain in communication with the passageway allowing undispensed contents between the spout and circumferential wall to egress into the container.    
     
     
         8 . The container closure of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the upper wall includes a deformable internal flange to interface with a top surface of the neck of the container to form a seal between the base and neck.    
     
     
         9 . The container closure of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the body portion includes an internal threaded pattern to engage a threaded receiver of the container; and    the spout is not substantially recessed between the internal threaded pattern of the body portion.    
     
     
         10 . The container closure of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the arcuate threshold within the interior of the spout is opposite a vertically oriented distal opening in the rear wall of the spout.    
     
     
         11 . The container closure of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the body portion includes an internal threaded pattern to engage a threaded receiver of the container; and    the drain is positioned above the internal threaded pattern of the body portion.    
     
     
         12 . A container closure comprising: 
 a base for placement on a neck of a container, the base including a body portion engaged upon the neck and an upper wall extending from the body portion, the upper wall having a spout extending directly above the upper wall, the spout including a passageway through the base to permit contents in the container to be dispensed, the spout arcuately tapering away from the body portion and including an arcuate threshold within an interior of the spout on a pouring side of the spout, the upper wall including a vertically extending circumferential wall that circumscribes the spout and is inset from the body portion, where both the spout and circumferential wall are positioned vertically above the body portion and where the spout includes a drain recessed with respect to the circumferential wall, the drain in communication with the passageway allowing undispensed contents between the spout and circumferential wall to egress into the container.    
     
     
         13 . The container closure of  claim 12 , wherein a distal portion of the spout includes a bell shaped with having a diameter that decreases as the distance from the body portion increases.  
     
     
         14 . The container closure of  claim 12 , further comprising a lid removable mounted to the vertically extending circumferential wall to close off the passageway and inhibit contents in the container from being dispensed.  
     
     
         15 . The container closure of  claim 12 , further comprising an lid integrally mounted to the base using a living hinge, the cap including a snap fit feature that selectively engages a corresponding snap fit feature of the base to close off the passageway and inhibit contents in the container from being dispensed.