Elastic dispensing closure and package

Abstract

An elastic dispensing closure includes an outer closure stand at least partially circumferentially surrounding an inner elastic dispensing element, which includes an open end establishing an inlet, an elastic sidewall extending axially away from the open end and establishing a reservoir, and a normally-closed end terminating the elastic sidewall and having an outlet. The stand includes a container support annulus, and a radially outer skirt extending away from the container support annulus and terminating in a rest surface establishing a support open end of the outer closure stand. A package includes the elastic dispensing closure and a rigid container including a container closed end, a sidewall extending away from the container closed end, and a container open end terminating the sidewall and coupled to the elastic dispensing closure.

1 . An elastic dispensing package, comprising:
 a rigid container including
 a closed end, 
 a sidewall extending away from the closed end, and 
 a container open end terminating the sidewall; and 
   an elastic dispensing closure coupled to the container open end of the rigid container, and including
 an inner elastic dispensing element, and 
 an outer closure stand at least partially circumferentially surrounding the inner elastic dispensing element and terminating in a package rest surface establishing a support open end of the outer closure stand, 
   wherein the elastic dispensing package is restable on the package rest surface of the outer closure stand in an inverted position of the rigid container.   
     
     
         2 . The elastic dispensing package of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid container is composed of glass and at least the inner elastic dispensing element of the elastic dispensing closure is composed of an elastomeric polymer. 
     
     
         3 . An elastic dispensing closure, comprising:
 an inner elastic dispensing element including
 an open end establishing an inlet through which a longitudinal axis extends, 
 an elastic sidewall extending axially away from the open end and establishing a reservoir, and 
 a normally-closed end terminating the elastic sidewall and having an outlet; and 
   an outer closure stand at least partially circumferentially surrounding the inner elastic dispensing element and including
 a container support annulus, and 
 a radially outer skirt extending away from the container support annulus and terminating in a rest surface establishing a support open end of the outer closure stand. 
   
     
     
         4 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a cover coupled to the outer closure stand and that establishes a planar rest surface on which the elastic dispensing closure is restable in an inverted orientation.   
     
     
         5 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 4 , wherein the cover includes a portion in contact with the normally-closed end of the inner elastic dispensing element. 
     
     
         6 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet is openable and closeable, such that when the inner elastic dispensing element is manually squeezed the elastic sidewall moves from a relaxed state to a deformed state and the outlet opens to permit fluent material to be actively pumped out of the reservoir of the inner elastic dispensing element, and when the inner elastic dispensing element is manually released the elastic sidewall moves back from the deformed state to the relaxed state. 
     
     
         7 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 6 , wherein when the inner elastic dispensing element is manually released the outlet closes to prevent flow of fluent material out of the reservoir of the inner elastic dispensing element. 
     
     
         8 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the rest surface extends axially beyond the outlet of the normally-closed end of the inner elastic dispensing element. 
     
     
         9 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the rest surface of the radially outer skirt of the outer closure stand establishes a planar rest surface on which the elastic dispensing closure is restable in an inverted orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the inner elastic dispensing element is configured to hold a volume of fluent product therein, and is configured dispense at least a portion of the volume of the fluent product through the outlet upon manual compression of the inner elastic dispensing element. 
     
     
         11 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a closure coupling ring including
 a base wall engaged with the open end of the inner elastic dispensing element and having a central aperture through which a portion of the inner elastic dispensing element extends, and 
 a skirt extending away from the base wall and having
 a radially inner surface carrying a container coupling element, and 
 
 a radially outer surface releasably received in the container support annulus of the outer closure stand. 
   
     
     
         12 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 11 , wherein the outer closure stand further includes a radially inner dispensing element container. 
     
     
         13 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of the normally-closed end of the inner elastic dispensing element rests against a corresponding portion of the radially inner dispensing element container. 
     
     
         14 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the outer closure stand includes one or more apertures extending transversely through the radially outer skirt to provide finger access to the inner elastic dispensing element. 
     
     
         15 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the container support annulus of the outer closure stand includes
 a base wall engaged with the open end of the inner elastic dispensing element and having a central aperture through which a portion of the inner elastic dispensing element extends, and   a radially inner surface carrying a container coupling element.   
     
     
         16 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 , wherein the inner elastic dispensing element and the outer closure stand are unitary. 
     
     
         17 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 16 , wherein the inner elastic dispensing element and the outer closure stand are integrally molded as a single component. 
     
     
         18 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 16 , wherein the container support annulus of the outer closure stand has a container coupling open end and wherein the open end of the inner elastic dispensing element is spaced axially away from the support open end of the outer closure stand. 
     
     
         19 . An elastic dispensing package, comprising:
 the elastic dispensing closure of  claim 3 ; and   a rigid container including
 a container closed end, 
 a sidewall extending away from the container closed end, and 
 a container open end terminating the sidewall and coupled to the elastic dispensing closure. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method of containing and dispensing fluent product out of an elastic dispensing package, comprising:
 containing a fluent product in a container that includes a base, a sidewall extending away from the base, and an open end terminating the sidewall;   resting the elastic dispensing package on an outer closure stand of a dispensing closure such that the container rests in an inverted position with the open end below the base;   inverting the container so that the open end is below the base; and   squeezing an inner elastic dispensing element of the elastic dispensing package coupled to the open end of the container to pump the fluent product out of the container and through the outer closure stand.   
     
     
         21 . An elastic dispensing closure, comprising:
 a manual pumping means for manually pumping a fluent product flowing from an open end of the manual pumping means toward a normally-closed end of the manual pumping means and out of an outlet of the normally-closed end; and   a supporting means for supporting the elastic dispensing closure in a position where the normally-closed end is below the open end and including a container coupling open end and a support open end.   
     
     
         22 . The elastic dispensing closure of  claim 21 , wherein the support open end has a circumference greater than that of the container coupling open end.