Reclosable dispensing closure

Abstract

A dispensing closure for a vessel comprising a base member and a spout member engaged with the base member. The base member including a rupture member having a camming surface and the spout member having a cam actuator for engaging the camming surface to rupture the rupture member during twisting of the spout member in a first direction relative to the base member from a sealed position to a flow position to define a flow opening in the base member to permit fluid flow through the flow opening. The dispensing closure may include a pair of spaced rupture members and cam actuators. The dispensing closure may include a cap member hingedly attached to the spout member. The dispensing closure may include tamper evidency ring or other structure and a locking mechanism configured to lock the cap member in the closed position until the cap member and spout are rotated a sufficient distance to break the tamper evidency ring.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A recloseable dispensing closure for a vessel containing fluid comprising a base member engageable with the vessel and a spout member engaged with the base member, the base member and spout member comprised of plastic, one of the base member and the spout member including a rupture member having a camming surface and the other of the base member and the spout member having a cam actuator for engaging the camming surface to rupture the rupture member during twisting of the spout member in a first direction relative to the base member from a sealed position to a flow position to define a flow opening in said one of the base member and the spout member and to permit fluid flow through the flow opening; wherein said one of the base member and the spout member have another rupture member having another camming surface and said other of the base member and the spout have another cam actuator for engaging the other camming surface to rupture the other rupture member during twisting of the spout member in the first direction relative to the base member from the sealed position to the flow position to define another flow opening in the spout member and to permit fluid flow through said another flow opening. 
     
     
         2 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  wherein said one of the base member and the spout member comprises the base member. 
     
     
         3 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  wherein the rupture member is disposed adjacent the cam actuator when the spout member is in the sealed position. 
     
     
         4 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  wherein the spout member and the base member are coaxial and the rupture member is arcuate. 
     
     
         5 . The dispensing closure of  claim 4  further comprising a stop on the other of the base member and the spout member adjacent the rupture member to limit further twisting in the first direction of the spout member relative to the base member. 
     
     
         6 . The dispensing closure of  claim 5  wherein the rupture member is hingedly attached to the stop after the spout member is rotated to the flow position. 
     
     
         7 . The dispensing closure of  claim 6  further comprising areas of reduced thickness disposed about the rupture member configured to be broken when the spout member is twisted to the flow position to rupture the rupture member and permit the rupture member to pivot relative to the stop. 
     
     
         8 . The dispensing closure of  claim 4  wherein the rupture member has an arc length relative to the coaxis of about 30 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  further comprising areas of reduced thickness disposed about the rupture member configured to be broken when the spout member is twisted to the flow position. 
     
     
         10 . The dispensing closure of  claim 9  wherein said one of the base member and the spout member includes a rupture member support, the areas of reduced thickness interconnecting the rupture member and the rupture member support before said one of the spout member and the base member is twisted in the first direction from the sealed position to the flow position. 
     
     
         11 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  wherein the base and spout members each have a generally circular cross section and are generally coaxial and wherein the camming surface and cam actuator extend arcuately. 
     
     
         12 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  wherein the spout member includes a spout defining an opening for dispensing liquid from the dispensing closure. 
     
     
         13 . The dispensing closure of  claim 12  further including a cap member hingedly connected to the spout member and moveable from a closed position to seal the spout and an open position to open the spout, the cap member rotatably coupled to the spout member. 
     
     
         14 . The dispensing closure of  claim 13  wherein the spout member includes a tamper evidency ring frangibly secured to the base member and further comprising a locking mechanism for securing the cap member in the closed position and for preventing the spout member from moving to the flow position unless the cap member and the spout member are rotated relative to the base member a sufficient distance toward the flow position to disengage the tamper evidency ring from the base member. 
     
     
         15 . The dispensing closure of  claim 14  wherein the locking mechanism comprises a flexible hook disposed on the cap member, an opening defined by the spout member for receiving the flexible hook, a slot defined by the base member for receiving the flexible hook, and a detent formed on the base member adjacent the slot for preventing the flexible hook from disengaging from the base member until the cap member and spout are rotated said sufficient distance to disengage the tamper evidency ring. 
     
     
         16 . The dispensing closure of  claim 1  wherein said one of the spout member and the base member comprises the base member, and the base member and spout member each have generally circular cross sections and are generally coaxial configured to seal the vessel, the base member including an enclosure surface extending generally perpendicular to the coaxis, the camming surface disposed on the enclosure surface and configured to be sloped away from the vessel when the dispensing closure is secured to the vessel. 
     
     
         17 . A recloseable dispensing closure for a vessel containing fluid comprising a base member engageable with the vessel and a spout member engaged with the base member, each of the base member and spout member comprised of plastic, the base member including an enclosure surface for sealing the vessel having a pair of rupture members, each having a camming surface, the spout member having a pair of cam actuators for engaging the camming surfaces for rupturing the rupture members during twisting of the spout member in a first direction relative to the base member from a sealed position to a flow position to define flow openings in the base member and to permit fluid flow from the vessel through the flow openings. 
     
     
         18 . The dispensing closure of  claim 17  wherein the spout member and the base member are coaxial and the rupture members are arcuate and have arc lengths relative to the coaxis of the spout member and the base member of about 30 degrees and the enclosure surface further comprising a pair of stops adjacent respective rupture members to limit further twisting in the first direction of the spout member relative to the base member, the rupture members hingedly attached to respective stops after the rupture members have ruptured. 
     
     
         19 . The dispensing closure of  claim 17  further comprising areas of reduced thickness disposed about the rupture members configured to be broken when the spout member is twisted to the flow position to permit the rupture members to pivot relative to the stop. 
     
     
         20 . A recloseable dispensing closure for a vessel containing fluid comprising a first member engageable with the vessel and a second member for dispensing the fluid, each of the first and second members comprised of plastic, the first member including an enclosure surface for sealing the vessel having a pair of rupture members, each rupture member having a camming surface, the second member having a pair of cam actuators for engaging the camming surfaces for rupturing the rupture members during twisting of the second member in a first direction relative to the first member from a sealed position to a flow position to define flow openings in the first member and to permit fluid flow from the vessel through the flow openings.