Non-drip cap comprising an elastic means built into a valve

Abstract

A so-called ‘non-drip’ cap ( 10 ) for a soft bottle ( 12 ) includes a base ( 16 ) and a top ( 26 ) defining a chamber ( 32 ) for the throughflow of a product, in which a stop valve ( 34 ) of an outlet ( 30 ) is mobile, the valve being elastically retracted back into the throughflow chamber ( 32 ) by an elastic element ( 36 ). The elastic element ( 36 ) includes of a series of at least three flexible lugs ( 38 ) which are regularly angularly distributed and project from a cylindrical body ( 40 ) of the valve ( 34 ), the lugs being supported against a wall of the base ( 16 ).

1 . A “non-drip” cap ( 10 ) for a deformable bottle ( 12 ) containing a cosmetic, pharmaceutical, industrial or food product in liquid or creamy form, having:
 an approximately tubular base ( 16 ) which is intended to be fastened in a sealed manner to a complementary tubular neck ( 14 ) of the bottle ( 12 ), and a “lower” transverse face ( 22 ) of which has at least one inlet orifice ( 24 ) communicating with the neck ( 14 ) of the bottle ( 12 ),   an approximately tubular lid ( 26 ) which is held on the base ( 16 ) and an “upper” transverse face ( 28 ) of which has at least one product outlet orifice ( 30 ),   the lid ( 26 ) and the base ( 16 ) forming in a sealed manner a chamber ( 32 ), interposed between the inlet orifice ( 24 ) in the base ( 16 ) and the product outlet orifice ( 30 ), for the passage of the product,   a shut-off valve ( 34 ), coaxial with the outlet orifice ( 30 ), being mounted in a sliding manner in the passage chamber ( 32 ) between a closed position in which it shuts off the product outlet orifice ( 30 ) and an open position in which it is set back from the product outlet orifice ( 30 ) to enable the product to pass through, and   the shut-off valve ( 34 ) being returned elastically into the passage chamber ( 32 ) by an elastic means ( 36 ) against the product outlet orifice ( 30 ), so that the shut-off valve ( 34 ) can move from its closed position into its open position under the pressure of the product when pressure is exerted on the deformable bottle ( 12 ), and the shut-off valve ( 34 ) can return from its open position into its closed position when the pressure on the deformable bottle ( 12 ) is released,   characterized in that the elastic means ( 36 ) consists of a series of at least three flexible tabs ( 38 ) which are distributed angularly in a regular manner and formed integrally starting from a cylindrical body ( 40 ) of the valve ( 34 ), and which are intended to bear against a wall ( 42 ) of the base ( 16 ) in order for the valve ( 34 ) to return elastically.   
   
   
       2 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the base ( 16 ) has an “inlet” duct ( 44 ) which is coaxial with the neck ( 14 ) of the bottle ( 12 ), with the cylindrical body ( 40 ) of the valve ( 34 ) and with the outlet orifice ( 30 ), communicates with the inlet orifice ( 24 ), and the wall ( 42 ) of which holds the flexible tabs ( 38 ) of the elastic means ( 36 ). 
   
   
       3 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the valve ( 34 ) is formed integrally with the base ( 16 ), each flexible tab ( 38 ) of the elastic means ( 36 ) having an upper end ( 46 ) connected to the valve ( 34 ) and a lower end ( 48 ) connected to an inner edge of the wall ( 42 ) of the inlet duct ( 44 ). 
   
   
       4 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the valve ( 34 ) is independent of the base ( 16 ), each flexible tab ( 38 ) having an upper end ( 46 ) connected to the valve and a lower end ( 48 ) connected to a bearing ring ( 50 ) which is intended to bear against a transverse shoulder face ( 52 ) protruding from an inner edge of the wall ( 42 ) of the inlet duct. 
   
   
       5 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the valve ( 34 ) has a lower frustoconical bearing surface ( 54 ) facing the inlet orifice ( 24 ) and intended to aid the passage of the product. 
   
   
       6 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the base ( 16 ) has an “inlet” duct ( 44 ) which is coaxial with the neck ( 14 ) of the bottle ( 12 ), with the cylindrical body ( 40 ) of the valve ( 34 ) and with the outlet orifice ( 30 ), communicates with the inlet orifice ( 24 ), and coaxially holds a tubular housing ( 47 ) which guides the valve ( 34 ) in a sliding manner, and against a lower wall ( 42 ) of the bottom of which bear the flexible tabs ( 38 ) of the valve ( 34 ). 
   
   
       7 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the flexible tabs ( 38 ) are wound helically around the axis of the valve ( 34 ). 
   
   
       8 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the valve ( 34 ) has an upper frustoconical bearing surface ( 56 ) which is intended to engage with a frustoconical seat ( 58 ) arranged around a hole in the lid ( 26 ) forming the outlet orifice ( 30 ), said frustoconical bearing surface ( 56 ) being surmounted by a stud ( 60 ) intended to penetrate into said hole ( 30 ) in order for the outlet orifice ( 30 ) of the lid ( 26 ) to be shut off in a sealed manner by the valve ( 34 ). 
   
   
       9 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the lid ( 26 ) is mounted in a movable manner coaxially with the base ( 16 ) and can be locked:
 in a bottom position in which the distance between the lid ( 26 ) and the base ( 16 ) is reduced such that the elastic tabs ( 38 ) of the valve ( 34 ) are highly stressed such that the valve ( 34 ) permanently shuts off the outlet orifice ( 30 ), or else   in a top position in which the distance between the lid ( 26 ) and the base ( 16 ) is increased such that the elastic tabs ( 38 ) of the valve ( 34 ) are permanently weakly stressed such that the valve ( 34 ) only shuts off the outlet orifice ( 30 ) when there is no pressure from a liquid or creamy product which can stress the valve ( 34 ) toward its open position against the return force of the elastic tabs ( 38 ).   
   
   
       10 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that the tubular lid ( 26 ) has an inside diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of the base ( 16 ) and in that the lid ( 26 ) has at least one radial finger ( 62 ) which extends from an inner edge ( 64 ) of its tubular wall and is held in a helical slot ( 66 ) formed on an outer edge ( 68 ) of the tubular wall of the base ( 16 ), said slot ( 66 ) having, close to its end ( 71 ) corresponding to the bottom position of the lid ( 26 ), a protrusion ( 70 ) which extends toward the inside of the slot ( 66 ) and is intended to enable the finger ( 62 ) to be locked at said end ( 71 ) of the slot ( 66 ), in order for the lid ( 26 ) to move between its top and bottom positions by rotation and to be locked in its bottom position. 
   
   
       11 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the lid has an inner tubular bearing surface ( 72 ) having an outside diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the inlet duct ( 44 ), in order to guide the lid ( 26 ) with respect to the base ( 16 ) and to delimit the chamber ( 32 ) for the passage of the product. 
   
   
       12 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that it has venting means associated with a flexible bottle ( 12 ). 
   
   
       13 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized in that the venting means of the bottle comprise a predetermined calibration of the flexible tabs ( 38 ) of the elastic means ( 36 ) which is intended to keep the shut-off valve ( 34 ) in its open position as soon as a predetermined negative air pressure obtains in the bottle ( 12 ) and to return the shut-off valve ( 34 ) into its closed position as soon as said negative pressure stops. 
   
   
       14 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized in that the venting means of the bottle ( 12 ) have at least one counterbore ( 53 ) which is formed on the perimeter of the hole of the orifice ( 30 ) in the lid ( 26 ) and which leads into the frustoconical seat ( 58 ) of the lid ( 26 ). 
   
   
       15 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized in that the venting means of the bottle ( 12 ) have at least:
 an angular indexing means ( 55 ) for rotating the valve ( 34 ) in its tubular housing,   at least one first vertically oriented boss carried by an “upper” transverse wall ( 49 ) of the lid ( 26 ), which wall, when the lid is in its top position, is able to engage with a second vertically oriented boss ( 59 ) carried by an upper face ( 61 ) of the valve ( 34 ) in order to cause a predetermined movement of the valve ( 34 ) toward its open position so as to separate the upper frustoconical bearing surface ( 56 ) from the frustoconical seat ( 58 ) in order to vent the bottle ( 12 ).   
   
   
       16 . The cap as claimed in  claim 15 , characterized in that the passage of the lid ( 26 ) from its bottom position to its top position corresponds to a rotation of said lid through 90 degrees and in that the lid ( 26 ) has two first bosses arranged angularly at 180 degrees with respect to one another. 
   
   
       17 . The cap as claimed in  claim 15 , characterized in that the angular indexing means for rotating the valve ( 34 ) in its tubular housing has a square profile ( 55 ) which extends from the lower bottom wall ( 42 ) of the housing ( 47 ) and is held in a complementary cavity ( 65 ) formed in the body of the valve ( 34 ). 
   
   
       18 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that it has venting means associated with a flexible bottle ( 12 ). 
   
   
       19 . The cap ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 18 , characterized in that the venting means of the bottle comprise a predetermined calibration of the flexible tabs ( 38 ) of the elastic means ( 36 ) which is intended to keep the shut-off valve ( 34 ) in its open position as soon as a predetermined negative air pressure obtains in the bottle ( 12 ) and to return the shut-off valve ( 34 ) into its closed position as soon as said negative pressure stops. 
   
   
       20 . The cap as claimed in  claim 16 , characterized in that the angular indexing means for rotating the valve ( 34 ) in its tubular housing has a square profile ( 55 ) which extends from the lower bottom wall ( 42 ) of the housing ( 47 ) and is held in a complementary cavity ( 65 ) formed in the body of the valve ( 34 ).