Squeezable tube dispenser

Abstract

A squeezable tube dispenser includes a body, a nozzle, and a closure assembly. The body has an internal cavity for containing a substance. The nozzle is coupled to the body proximate an open top end of the body. The closure assembly includes a cap member defining a cap cavity and a cap member projecting from an inner surface of the cap member into the cap cavity. The cap member defines a cap cavity. The cap member is detachably coupled to the nozzle via a friction fit with the nozzle nested within the cap cavity of the cap member. The body and the cap member of the closure assembly are primarily formed of a fibrous material and the nozzle and the cap of the closure assembly are formed of a plastic material. The squeezable tube dispenser has no more than 15% plastic by weight.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 165,855, filed March 25, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Plastic packaging is commonly used for many products, including solid, semi-solid, paste-like, and liquid items, such as food, beverages, water, consumer products, detergents, pharmaceuticals, and wet chemicals. These plastic-packaged products generate waste in the form of plastics and their derivatives, and the use of non-biodegradable materials in this increasing packaging can lead to surface and environmental pollution. Furthermore, some of these plastics may leach various toxic substances into the packaged products, thereby endangering the safety and health of consumers of such products.

[0004] Paper containers are sometimes used as an alternative for packaging dry foods and liquids. While paper is generally biodegradable, it presents additional challenges when used as a liquid packaging material. Paper containers are typically composite structures formed from multiple flat sections of paper. These assemblies have multiple seams and other potential weak points that can break or otherwise leak when liquid enters into voids left by imperfect manufacturing or when the wick is sucked into the cut edges of the coated paper exposed on the inner surface of the container. These paper containers may also contain additional materials such as plastic films or composite sheets that are not biodegradable and may prevent the paper containers from being processed in paper waste streams where there are requirements regarding the weight percentage of plastic that can be present. Therefore, there remains a need for biodegradable and / or recyclable containers that can be used for the storage, transport, and / or distribution of solid, semi-solid, paste, and / or liquid items. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention relates to a squeezable tube dispenser, comprising a body, a nozzle, and a sealing assembly. The body has an inner cavity for receiving material. The nozzle is coupled to the body adjacent to an open tip. The sealing assembly includes a cap member defining a cap cavity and a cap member projecting from an inner surface of the cap member into the cap cavity. The cap member defines a cap cavity. The cap member is detachably coupled to the nozzle via a frictional engagement with the nozzle nested within the cap cavity of the cap member. The cap member of the body and sealing assembly is primarily formed of a fibrous material, while the cap member of the nozzle and sealing assembly is formed of a plastic material. The squeezable tube dispenser contains no more than 15% plastic by weight.

[0006] In one aspect, the invention can be a compressible tube dispenser comprising: a body including an inner cavity for receiving material, a sealed bottom end, and an open top end; a nozzle coupled to the body adjacent to the open top end of the body, the nozzle defining a passage into the inner cavity; and a closure assembly including: a cap member having a top portion and sidewall portions, the inner surfaces of the top portion and the sidewall portions defining a cap cavity; and a cap member coupled to the inner surface of the top portion of the cap member and projecting downward from the inner surface into the cap cavity, the cap member including an inner surface defining a cap cavity; wherein the cap member of the closure assembly is detachably coupled to the nozzle via a frictional engagement with the nozzle nested within the cap cavity of the cap member; and wherein the body and the cap member of the closure assembly are primarily formed of a fibrous material and the nozzle and the cap of the closure assembly are formed of a plastic material, and wherein the compressible tube dispenser contains no more than 15% by weight of plastic.

[0007] In another aspect, the invention can be a squeezable tube dispenser comprising: a body including an inner cavity for receiving material; a nozzle coupled to the body and defining a passage into the inner cavity, the material being configured to be dispensed through the nozzle; and a closure assembly including: a cover member defining a cover cavity; and a cap member coupled to the cover member and projecting into the cover cavity, the cap member including an inner surface defining the cap cavity; wherein the cap member and the nozzle have tapered sidewalls such that the cap member is detachably coupled to the nozzle via a Luer-lip connection to the nozzle nested within the cap cavity of the cap member; and wherein the body and the cover member are formed primarily of a fibrous material and the nozzle and the cap are formed of a plastic material, and wherein the squeezable tube dispenser contains no more than 15% by weight of plastic.

[0008] Further applications of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of the invention, they are intended for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The invention will be more fully understood through detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a top perspective view of a compressible tube dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of a compressible tube dispenser in which its closure assembly is removed from its body and nozzle;

[0012] Figure 3 For the edge of the closed component Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken from line III-III;

[0013] Figure 4 For the body and nozzle along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken from line IV-IV;

[0014] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A close-up view of region V;

[0015] Figure 6A A cross-sectional view showing the closure assembly aligned with the body and nozzle in preparation for attachment to the body and / or nozzle; and

[0016] Figure 6B To illustrate the connection of the sealing assembly to the nozzle along the edge Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken from line VIB-VIB. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or use.

[0018] The description of exemplary embodiments of the invention according to the principles of the invention is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are considered an integral part of the entire written specification. Any references to direction or orientation in the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are intended only for ease of description and not to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “top,” and “bottom,” and their derivatives (e.g., “horizontally,” “downward,” “upward,” etc.) should be interpreted as referring to the orientation as described subsequently or as shown in the drawings discussed. These relative terms are for ease of description only and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, terms such as “attach,” “connect,” “join,” “interconnect,” and similar words refer to a relationship in which structures are directly or indirectly fixed or attached to each other through intermediate structures, and that the attachment or relationship is movable or rigid. Furthermore, features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to exemplary embodiments. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments that illustrate some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in combination with other features; the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0019] As used herein, the term "fiber material" refers to a material formed from or characterized by multiple discrete fibers. The filaments of such fibers can be of plant or animal origin, synthetic, or a combination of these. Among plant-derived fiber materials, the filaments are at least primarily plant-derived, examples of which include wood, papyrus, rice, ficus, mulberry, fiber, cotton, yucca, sisal, bowstring hemp, and New Zealand flax. Paper is a fiber material typically made by pressing and dehydrating moist fibers (typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags, or grass). In a preferred embodiment, the fiber materials of the tube body and the cover component have substantially the same chemical composition. The body and cover component are preferably made of any suitable fiber material, preferably a biodegradable material (including paper, cardboard, or fiberboard). The term "fiber material" explicitly excludes plastics and metals and is intended to refer to paper-based or cellulose materials formed from plant fibers, etc., as described above.

[0020] First refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrates a compressible tube dispenser 10. The compressible tube dispenser 10 typically includes a tube assembly 100 and a closure assembly 200. The closure assembly 200 is located in... Figure 1 The attached state shown is the same as Figure 2 The disassembled state is detachably connected to the tubing assembly 100. In the attached state, any substance held or contained within the tubing assembly 100 will not be dispensed from it. In the disassembled state, when pressure is applied to the tubing assembly 100, the substance contained therein will be dispensed from it. That is, in this exemplary embodiment, a user can apply pressure to the tubing assembly 100 to compress the main body of the tubing assembly 100, thereby causing the contents to be dispensed. In an alternative embodiment, to dispense when the tubing assembly cannot be squeezed / compressed, the dispenser 10 may include an actuation mechanism. Such an actuation mechanism may include a pump, a rotatable actuator that moves a platform / lift up and down, etc.

[0021] The tube assembly 100 includes a bottom end 101 and a top end 102. The bottom end 101 of the tube assembly 100 is sealed, and the top end 102 of the tube assembly 100 is open for dispensing material contained therein. The bottom end 101 of the tube assembly 100 can be sealed in various ways, including by bundling, welding, adhesives, fasteners, etc. The bottom end 101 of the tube assembly 100 is preferably hermetically sealed to prevent leakage or other dispensing of material contained in the tube assembly 100 from the bottom end 101. The tube assembly 100 can be configured to roll upward from the bottom end 101 to facilitate the dispensing process. In this exemplary embodiment, when the closure assembly 200 is in the disassembled state, a squeezing action on the tube assembly 100 will cause material to be dispensed from the top end 102 of the tube assembly 100, and since the bottom end 101 is sealed closed, no material will be dispensed from the bottom end 101 of the tube assembly 100.

[0022] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 The tubing assembly 100 is formed from several different components or parts joined together. Specifically, the tubing assembly 100 includes a body 105 configured to contain material; and a nozzle 150 through which the material is dispensed. In this exemplary embodiment, the body 105 includes a main body assembly 110 and a shoulder assembly 120 joined together. However, in other embodiments, the body 105 may be a single, integral part.

[0023] The body 105 includes an inner surface 111 and an outer surface 112. The inner surface 111 of the body 105 defines a cavity 113 configured to receive a substance for dispensing from the squeezeable tube dispenser 10. Although no substance is shown within the cavity 113 in this exemplary embodiment, it should be understood that the substance may fill the cavity 113 such that it can be dispensed for use when the closure assembly 200 is removed from the tube assembly 100. In all embodiments, the specific substance configured for dispensing from the squeezeable tube dispenser 10 is not particularly limiting of the invention. In some embodiments, the substance may be a liquid, paste, ointment, or gel, such that squeezing the body 105 when the closure assembly 200 is removed from the tube assembly 100 allows the substance to be dispensed through the nozzle 150. In some embodiments, the substance may be toothpaste configured to be dispensed onto a toothbrush prior to its use. In other embodiments, the substance may be a gel or ointment configured for application to a user's skin or mouth for treatment, etc. In some other embodiments, the substance may be a solid or semi-solid substance, such as a deodorant product. In this exemplary embodiment, the squeezeable tube dispenser 10 may contain any substance that can be dispensed through the nozzle 150 when the body 105, and more specifically the main body component 110, is squeezed (as is the conventional operation of a toothpaste tube).

[0024] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The body 105 and nozzle 150 of the tube assembly 100 of the compressible tube dispenser 10 will be further described below. In this exemplary embodiment, the body 105 is primarily formed of a fibrous material. Fiber materials include cellulose materials such as paper, cardboard, cardboard, etc., comprising layers of one or more of these materials as described above. In this exemplary embodiment, the main body assembly 110 and the shoulder assembly 120 are separate components formed of fibrous material. The main body assembly 110 and / or the shoulder assembly 120 may include layers of plastic material (e.g., polypropylene or polyethylene, including high-density polyethylene, etc.) along the portions where they are joined together, enabling the main body assembly 110 and the shoulder assembly 120 to be attached using plastic welding techniques. However, the main body assembly 110 and the shoulder assembly 120 should still be primarily formed of fibrous material. In other embodiments, adhesives or fasteners may be used to attach the main body assembly 110 and the shoulder assembly 120. As used herein, the term "main" means, in some embodiments, that at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, and even more preferably at least 95%, of the main body component 110 and the shoulder 120 should be formed of fibrous material.

[0025] The body 105 includes a closed bottom end 101 and an open top end 103. The body 105 extends from the closed bottom end 101 to the open top end 103 along a first longitudinal axis AA. In this exemplary embodiment, the open top end 103 is defined by an opening in a shoulder assembly 120 of the body 105. A nozzle 150 is coupled to the body 105 at a location adjacent to the open top end 103.

[0026] Specifically, the nozzle 150 includes a first end 151, a second end 152, and an inner surface 153 defining a channel 154 through the nozzle 150 from the first end 151 to the second end 152. Thus, the channel 154 extends from the first end 151 of the nozzle 150 (located at the opening tip 102 of the tube assembly 100) and into the cavity 113 of the body 105 to provide a path for dispensing material within the cavity 113 through the nozzle 150. The nozzle 150 includes a sidewall portion 155 and a flange portion 156 extending from the end of the sidewall portion 155. More specifically, the sidewall portion 155 extends from a first end 157, the same as the first end 151 of the nozzle 150, to a second end 158, and the flange portion 156 extends downward and outward from the second end 158 of the sidewall portion 155 to the second end 152 of the nozzle 150. The first end 157 of the nozzle 150 forms the distal end of the nozzle 150. In this exemplary embodiment, the flange portion 156 extends obliquely from the sidewall portion 155 in a radially outward manner.

[0027] The sidewall portion 155 of the nozzle 150 tapers as it extends from the second end 158 to the first end 157. The portion of the sidewall 155 protruding from the opening tip 103 of the body 105 tapers further as it extends from the opening tip 103 of the body 105 toward the first end 151 of the nozzle 150. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the channel 154 decreases further away from the opening tip 103 of the body 105. Thus, as... Figure 5 As shown in the longitudinal section, each side of the sidewall portion 155 is oriented at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis AA. In one particular embodiment, each side of the sidewall portion 155 is oriented at a first cone angle θ1 relative to the first longitudinal axis AA, where the first cone angle θ1 is approximately 1.72°. Therefore, the sidewall portion 155 of the nozzle 150 has a 6% taper (6% of the slope percentage as it rises with travel, converted to degrees of 3.43 degrees), so each side of the sidewall portion 155 has an angle of 1.715° (rounded to 1.72°) relative to the longitudinal axis AA. This is achieved using the formula degrees = Tan -1 (Slope percentage / 100) is used to determine this. As described in more detail below, the sidewall portion 155 of the nozzle 150 can form a male mold fit with a Luer lock connection.

[0028] The flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 is a portion connected to the body 105 of the tube assembly 100. Therefore, the flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 is positioned within and connected to the inner cavity 113 of the body 105. The flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 has an outer surface 159 that faces and contacts the portion of the inner surface 111 of the body 105 along its shoulder assembly 120. The flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 is oriented at the same angle relative to the first longitudinal axis AA as the shoulder assembly 120 of the body 105 to maximize the surface area of ​​the outer surface 159 of the flange portion 156, which contacts the inner surface 111 of the body 105 along the shoulder assembly 120 to achieve a secure connection between them.

[0029] The nozzle 150 is preferably formed of plastic (e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, including high-density polyethylene, etc.). Therefore, in order to attach to the nozzle 150, the body 105 may include a plastic layer exposed on the inner surface 111 facing the inner cavity 113.

[0030] More specifically, the body 105 includes a top portion 109 adjacent to the opening tip 103 of the body 105. In this exemplary embodiment, the top portion 109 is the topmost portion of the shoulder assembly 120 of the body 105 of the tube assembly 100. The top portion 109 of the body 105 includes a fibrous portion 116 having an inner surface 117 facing the inner cavity 113. The top portion 109 of the body 105 also includes a plastic layer 118 covering the inner surface 117 of the fibrous portion 116. In several different embodiments, the plastic layer 118 may comprise polypropylene, polyethylene, HDPE, etc. In this exemplary embodiment, the entire inner surface of the shoulder assembly 120 is formed by the plastic layer 118. However, the invention is not so limited in all embodiments; in other embodiments, only the topmost portion of the inner surface 117 of the fibrous portion 116 of the shoulder assembly 120 may be covered by the plastic layer 118. In other words, it is sufficient if only the portion of the inner surface of the shoulder assembly 120 that overlaps or is covered by the flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 is made of plastic, such that the flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 can be heat-welded to the shoulder assembly 120 of the body 105. Therefore, the flange portion 156 of the nozzle 150 can be heat-welded (plastic welding) and sealed to the body 150 to prevent any material contained in the inner cavity 113 from leaking through the gap between the flange portion 156 and the inner surface of the body 105, and to create a strong connection / attachment between the nozzle 150 and the body 105 to form the tube assembly 100.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The closing member 200 will be described below. As described above, the closing member 200 is configured to move from the attached state (see attached state). Figure 1 ) changed to disassembled state (see Figure 2 This allows for the dispensing of the contents of the compressible tube dispenser 10, and then returns from a disassembled state to an attached state to prevent leakage and / or drying of the contents after use. The closure assembly 200 includes a cap member 210 and a hood member 230. Like the body 105, the cap member 210 is formed of a fibrous material. Like the nozzle 150, the hood member 230 is formed of a plastic material. When the closure assembly 200 is in the attached state, the hood member 230 interacts with the nozzle 150 to seal the opening tip 102 of the tube assembly 100. While the cap member 210 may abut against some portions of the tube assembly 100 (e.g., the main body assembly 110 and / or the shoulder assembly 120) when in the attached state, there is no physical engagement between the cap member 210 and the tube assembly 100.

[0032] The cap member 210 includes a top portion 211 and a sidewall portion 212. The top portion 211 has an inner surface 213 and an outer surface 214. The sidewall portion 212 has an inner surface 215 and an outer surface 216. The inner surface 213 of the top portion 211 and the inner surface 215 of the sidewall portion 212 together define a cap cavity 217. When the closure assembly 200 is coupled to the tube assembly 100 as described herein, portions of the nozzle 150 and the body 105 are positioned within the cap cavity 217. The sidewall portion 212 is coupled to the top portion 211 and extends downward from the top portion 211 to a distal end 218.

[0033] In this exemplary embodiment, the top portion 211 of the cap member 210 includes a fibrous portion 220 having an inner surface 221 facing the cap cavity 217, and a plastic layer 222 covering at least a portion of the inner surface 221 of the fibrous portion 220. In this exemplary embodiment, substantially all (about 95%) of the inner surface 221 of the fibrous portion 220 is covered by the plastic layer 222. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the plastic layer 222 may be positioned only along the central portion of the top portion 211 to which the cap member 230 is attached. Thus, in some embodiments, a portion of the inner surface 221 of the fibrous portion 220 is covered by the plastic layer 222. In other embodiments, the plastic layer 222 may cover the entire inner surface 221 of the fibrous portion 220.

[0034] In this exemplary embodiment, the top portion 211 and the sidewall portion 212 are separate components attached together by an adhesive like glue or using other bonding techniques or materials. The top portion 211 is a generally planar portion that is curled or bent downwards along its outer periphery. The sidewall portion 212 is an annular portion including an upright annular wall that bends inwards along its apex. The top portion 211 is attached to the sidewall portion 212 by inserting the top portion 211 through an opening along the distal end 218 of the sidewall portion 212 until the curved outer periphery of the top portion 211 abuts against the curved apex of the sidewall portion 212. Adhesive may be deposited on at least one of the inner surface of the sidewall portion 212 along the curved apex or the outer surface of the top portion 211 along the curved outer periphery, such that when the two portions are placed in abutment, they will adhere together and form a cover member 210 of the closure assembly 200. In some embodiments, the cover member 210 may also be formed as a single integral component.

[0035] The cap member 230 is a plastic cap that is attached to the cover member 210, forming an integral part of the closure member 200. The cap member 230 includes: a top portion 231 coupled to the inner surface of the top portion 211 of the cover member 210; a sidewall portion 232 extending downward from the top portion 231; and a flange portion 233 extending downward and outward from the sidewall portion 232 to a distal end 234 of the cap member 230. In this exemplary embodiment, the top portion 231 is a flat planar portion and includes an upper surface 235 facing the cover member 210 and a lower surface 236 opposite to the upper surface 235. The cap member 230 is positioned such that its upper surface 235 contacts the inner surface of the top portion 221 of the cover member 210. The plastic layer 222 includes a portion of the inner surface of the top portion 211 that contacts the upper surface 235 of the cap member 230. Therefore, the cap member 230 is joined to the cover member 210 via plastic welding, which attaches the plastic material of the cap member 230 to the plastic layer 222 of the cover member 210, thereby connecting the cap member 230 to the cover member 210. In this exemplary embodiment, the top portion 231 of the cap member 230 includes a central hole 237 extending from the upper surface 235 to the lower surface 236. However, in other embodiments, the central hole 237 may be omitted.

[0036] The sidewall portion 232 of the cap member 230 includes an inner surface 238 and an outer surface 239. The flange portion 233 of the cap member 230 includes an inner surface 240 connected to the inner surface 238 of the sidewall portion 232 and an outer surface 241 connected to the outer surface 239 of the sidewall portion 232. The inner surface 238 of the sidewall portion 232 and the inner surface 240 of the flange portion 233, together with the lower surface 236 of the top portion 231 of the cap member 230, define a cap cavity 242. The cap cavity 242 includes a second longitudinal axis BB extending from the distal end 234 of the cap member 230 toward the top portion 231 of the cap member 230.

[0037] The outer surface 239 of the sidewall portion 232 and the outer surface 241 of the flange portion 233 of the cap member 230 are spaced apart from the inner surface 215 of the sidewall portion 212 of the cover member 210. Furthermore, the distal end 234 of the cap member 230 is recessed relative to the distal end 218 of the sidewall portion 212 of the cover member 210. Therefore, in this exemplary embodiment, the cap member 230 is completely positioned within the cover cavity 217. That is, in this exemplary embodiment, the cap member 230 does not protrude beyond the distal end 218 of the sidewall portion 212 of the cover member 210 of the closure assembly 200. In this exemplary embodiment, the cap member 230 is centrally positioned along the top portion 211 of the cover member 210.

[0038] The sidewall portion 232 of the cap member 230 tapers as it extends in the direction from the flange portion 233 toward the top portion 231. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cap cavity 242 decreases with increasing distance toward the top portion 231 of the cap member 230 from the distal end 234 of the cap member 230. In this exemplary embodiment, the sidewall portion 232 has a 6% taper, such that... Figure 3 Each side of the sidewall 232 seen in the mid-longitudinal section is oriented with a second cone angle θ2 relative to the second longitudinal axis BB. In this exemplary embodiment, the second cone angle θ2 is approximately 1.72° (as described above, a 6% percentage of the slope rising with travel is converted to 3.43 degrees, which is 1.715° for each side of the sidewall portion 232 divided by 2 (rounded to 1.72°). The 6% taper of the sidewall portion 232 of the cap member 230 matches the 6% taper of the sidewall portion 155 of the nozzle 150, such that when the cap member 230 is attached to the nozzle 150, a tight and secure frictional fit is achieved via a Luer slip-lock design.

[0039] The cap member 230 includes one or more ribs 245 positioned adjacent to the lower surface 236 of the top portion 231. The one or more ribs 245 may be connected to the top portion 231, the sidewall portion 232, or both. In this exemplary embodiment, three ribs 245 are present, although... Figure 3Only two ribs 245 are shown in the accompanying drawings. In other embodiments, there may be more or fewer than three ribs 245. The ribs 245 prevent the closure assembly 200 from being pushed too far onto the pipe assembly 100 when the closure assembly 200 changes from a detached state to an attached state. Specifically, as... Figure 6B As best seen, rib 245 maintains the gap between the distal end (151 or 157) of nozzle 150 and the top portion 231 of cap member 230 of closure assembly 200.

[0040] Reference Figure 6A and Figure 6B The description will show the enclosure 200 in its disassembled state. Figure 6A ) to the attached state ( Figure 6B The changes in ) . In Figure 6A In this configuration, the closure assembly 200 is held above the tube assembly 100, wherein the second longitudinal axis BB of the cap cavity 242 coincides with the first longitudinal axis AA of the body 105 (or tube assembly 100). The sidewall portion 155 of the nozzle 150 and the sidewall portion 232 of the cap member 230 are both tapered as they move in the upward axial direction. This ensures a proper, tight frictional fit between the nozzle 150 and the cap member 230 when the closure assembly 200 is changed to an attached state. As described above, the nozzle 150 forms a male mold portion or fit with a Luer lock connection, and the cap member 230 (or its cap cavity 242) forms a female mold portion or fit with a Luer lock connection. Therefore, the nozzle 150 and the cap member 230 can be joined together by pressing them together, thereby being held together by friction. Therefore, to attach the closure assembly 200 to the tube assembly 100, the user simply presses the closure assembly 200 axially onto the tube assembly 100, and to remove the closure assembly 200 from the tube assembly 100, the user simply pulls the closure assembly 200 axially away from the tube assembly 100 while keeping the tube assembly 100 stationary, or pulls the tube assembly 100 in the opposite axial direction. If necessary (i.e., if the frictional fit between the nozzle 150 and the cap member 230 is so tight that simple pulling force does not easily separate the closure member 200 from the tube assembly 100), the user can incorporate a torsional action relative to the tube assembly 100 onto the closure member 200 to aid in the removal of the closure member 200. The nozzle 150 and the cap member 230 have no threads or other components that can lock the nozzle 150 and the cap member 230.

[0041] Figure 6BThe closure assembly 200 is shown in an attached state, whereby the nozzle 150 and the cap member 230 interact to seal the opening tip 102 of the tube assembly 100 (formed by the first end 151 of the nozzle 150). As can be seen, when the closure member 200 is axially translated toward the tube assembly 100, the first end 151 of the nozzle 150 enters the cap cavity 242. The closure member 200 is further pressed toward the tube assembly 100 until the first end 151 of the nozzle 150 abuts against the rib 245 of the closure member 200. As discussed above, this type of attachment is called a Luer slip-tip or slip-tip and is achieved solely due to the specific taper of the sidewall 155 of the nozzle 150 and the sidewall 231 of the cap member 230 discussed above. This taper angle forms a seal, thereby preventing leakage of material contained in the inner cavity 113 of the tube assembly 100. The frictional engagement between the sidewall 155 of the nozzle 150 and the sidewall 231 of the cap member 230 is all that is used and necessary to keep the closure assembly 200 in the attached state. When the closure member 200 is in the attached state, the sidewall portion 155 of the nozzle 150 is nested within the cap cavity 242 of the cap member 230 of the closure assembly 200.

[0042] As described above, the nozzle 150 and the cap member 230 are the only two components formed of plastic. All other components, including the body 105 (main body assembly 110 and shoulder assembly 120) and the cap member 210 of the closure assembly 200, are formed of fibrous materials such as paper. Of course, in order to attach the nozzle 150 to the body 105 and the cap member 230 to the cap member 210, in some embodiments, some plastic layers may be present on portions of the body 105 and / or the cap member 210. However, overall, the squeezable tube dispenser 10 contains no more than 15% by weight of plastic, with the remaining percentage by weight of the squeezable tube dispenser 10 formed of fibrous material. In some embodiments, the squeezable tube dispenser 10 may contain no more than 10% by weight of plastic, with the remaining percentage by weight of the squeezable tube dispenser 10 formed of fibrous material. Therefore, the squeezable tube dispenser 10 can be recycled in the paper waste stream, which has a particular environmental advantage compared to packaging formed of plastic.

[0043] As used throughout, a range is used as a shorthand to describe the individual values ​​within that range. Any value within a range can be chosen as an endpoint of the range. Furthermore, all references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In the event of any conflict between definitions in this disclosure and those in the cited references, the definitions in this disclosure shall prevail.

[0044] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples including the currently preferred mode of implementation, those skilled in the art will understand that various variations and substitutions of the above-described system and techniques exist. It should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should be interpreted broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A compressible tube dispenser, comprising: The body includes an inner cavity for containing a substance, a sealed bottom end, and an open top end; A nozzle, connected to the body adjacent to the top of the opening of the body, the nozzle defining a passage into the inner cavity; as well as Enclosure component, the enclosure component comprising: A cover member having a top portion and sidewall portions, the inner surface of the top portion and the inner surface of the sidewall portions defining a cover cavity; and A cap member is coupled to the inner surface of the top portion of the cap member and protrudes downward from the inner surface into the cap cavity, the cap member including an inner surface defining the cap cavity; The cap member of the closure assembly is detachably connected to the nozzle via a frictional engagement with the nozzle nested within the cap cavity of the cap member; and The body and the cover member of the closure assembly are primarily formed of fibrous material, and the nozzle and the cap member of the closure assembly are formed of plastic material, wherein the extrudable tube dispenser contains no more than 15% by weight of plastic.

2. The extrudable tube dispenser of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a main body assembly and a shoulder assembly joined together.

3. The squeezable tube dispenser of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body comprises: It has an inner surface facing the inner cavity and an outer surface facing away from the inner cavity; The top portion of the body adjacent to the top of the opening includes a plastic layer covering the inner surface of the fibrous portion, and wherein the nozzle includes a sidewall portion and a flange portion extending from the sidewall portion, the flange portion of the nozzle being positioned within the inner cavity of the body and coupled to the plastic layer of the body.

4. The compressible tube dispenser of claim 1 or 2, wherein the nozzle includes a sidewall extending from the top of the opening of the body and terminating at a distal end, the sidewall being tapered as it extends from the top of the opening of the body toward the distal end, and wherein the cap member of the closure assembly includes a sidewall extending from the inner surface of the top portion of the cap member, the sidewall of the cap member being tapered in a direction toward the top portion of the cap member.

5. The extrudable tube dispenser of claim 4, wherein the body includes a first longitudinal axis and wherein the sidewall of the nozzle has a first cone angle relative to the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the cap cavity includes a second longitudinal axis and the sidewall of the cap member of the closure assembly has a second cone angle relative to the second longitudinal axis, the first cone angle and the second cone angle being the same, and wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis coincide when the closure assembly is coupled to the nozzle.

6. The extrudable tube dispenser of claim 5, wherein the first cone angle and the second cone angle are 1.72°, and wherein the sidewall of the nozzle and the sidewall of the cap member each have a 6% taper.

7. The squeezable tube dispenser of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cap member of the closure assembly comprises: The top portion of the inner surface of the top portion of the cover member attached to the closure assembly; The sidewall portion extending downwards from the top portion; and a flange portion extending downward and outward from the sidewall portion to the distal end of the cap member, the distal end of the cap member being positioned within the cap cavity.

8. The compressible tube dispenser of claim 7, wherein the sidewall portion of the cap member of the closure assembly terminates at a distal end, and wherein the distal end of the cap member is recessed relative to the distal end of the sidewall portion of the cap member.

9. The extrudable tube dispenser of claim 7, further comprising one or more ribs extending from at least one of the top portion of the cap member and the sidewall portion of the cap member, wherein when the closure assembly is coupled to the nozzle, the distal end of the nozzle abuts against the one or more ribs to maintain a gap between the top portion of the cap member and the distal end of the nozzle.

10. The compressible tube dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the top portion of the cap member comprises: It has a fibrous portion facing the inner surface of the cover cavity; and a plastic portion covering at least a portion of the inner surface of the fiber portion, wherein the cap member is coupled to the plastic portion of the top portion of the cover member.

11. The compressible tube dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nozzle and the cap member of the closure assembly are unthreaded, such that the closure assembly is connected to the nozzle only by frictional engagement between the cap member and the nozzle.

12. The compressible tube dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nozzle and the cap member of the closure assembly are detachably connected together only via a Luer slip-lock engagement.

13. The extrudable tube dispenser of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cap member of the closure assembly is not directly attached to the nozzle or the body, and when the closure assembly is attached to the nozzle, the distal end of the cap member is adjacent to the outer surface of the body.

14. The compressible tube dispenser of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cap member of the closure assembly includes a top portion coupled to the inner surface of the top portion of the cap member, the top portion of the cap member including a central hole.

15. The compressible tube dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the entire cap member is positioned within the cap cavity.

16. The extrudable tube dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detachable connection between the cap member and the nozzle is a Luer lock connection.

17. The extrudable tube dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the extrudable tube dispenser comprises no more than 10% by weight of plastic.

18. A compressible tube dispenser, comprising: A body, the body including an internal cavity for containing matter; A nozzle, connected to the body and defining a passage into the cavity, through which the substance is configured to be dispensed; as well as Enclosure component, the enclosure component comprising: The cover member defining the cavity; and A cap member is coupled to the cover member and protrudes into the cover cavity, the cap member including an inner surface defining the cap cavity; The cap member and the nozzle have tapered sidewalls, such that the cap member is detachably coupled to the nozzle via a Luer lock connection with the nozzle nested within the cap cavity of the cap member; and The body and the cap component are primarily formed of fibrous material, and the nozzle and the cap component are formed of plastic material, wherein the extrudable tube dispenser contains no more than 15% by weight of plastic.

19. The extrudable tube dispenser of claim 18, wherein the extrudable tube dispenser comprises no more than 10% by weight of plastic.

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