Reusable closures, containers therewith, and methods for use and manufacture thereof

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for dispensing a fluid, such as a thixotropic fluid. In some embodiments, a bottle having a closure cap includes a flip top, a base, and a detachable disk or movable insert, where the base and disk define a mixing chamber configured to facilitate mixing of any serum or liquid separated from the fluid back therein.

Description

REUSABLE CLOSURES, CONTAINERS THEREWITH, AND METHODS FOR USE AND MANUFACTURE THEREOFCross Reference to Related Application100011 This application claims the benefit of U. S. Provisional Application No.63 / 736,089, filed on December 19, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates generally to containers for fluids. More particularly, this disclosure generally relates to containers with closure caps.Background

[0003] Fluid containers occasionally have issues with dosing and leakage, especially during shipping and / or when the containers are placed in certain configurations. Many consumer products delivered in bottles may suffer from such drawbacks. By way of example, thixotropic fluids, such as, for example, ketchup or certain liquid soaps, are sometimes sold in bottles that use a flexible plastic membrane valve with an “X” shaped slit. These are sometimes used with inverted bottles that rest on their caps when not in use so that gravity retains the product in position adjacent to the valve.0004| One problem with this type of valve is that in some cases, product may leak through the valve when the bottle is not in use. Another problem is that during dispensing, products may squirt from the opening at an undesirably high velocity, increasing the risk of splatter. The high velocity of the product being discharged also makes proper dosing difficult because there is generally insufficient control over the product at high velocities. A third problem is that the valve may resist or prevent inflow of air to maintain interior volume after dispensing, leading to development of subatmospheric pressure, i.e., a partial vacuum, in the bottle. This can lead to paneling, i.e., buckling, or other undesirable inward deflection of container walls, which can be esthetically problematic and also functionally problematic, as it may increase the manual pressure required to dispense product, and may lead to uneven or inconsistent dispensing in response to a squeeze, i.e., manual application of pressure to the container exterior Tn addition, prior solutions to these problems generally were not re-usable and / or recyclable.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC

[0005] For example, closure caps with membrane valves are often formed of silicon, whereas other portions of the caps are often formed of another material such as polypropylene. Having a closure cap comprised of multiple materials increases the complexity and cost of manufacturing and can make recycling difficult and / or impractical, thereby making the solution less attractive for large scale use. In addition, though having a closure cap formed of a single material may permit the closure cap to be recycled, it may not increase the lifecycle of the closure cap or the dispensing container.

[0006] Further, such membrane valves and other similar solutions do not always sufficiently address product separation that often occurs in fluids, such as when serum, water or another thin liquid component of relatively low viscosity separates from the remainder of a fluid such as ketchup This separation can increase leakage, increase splatter, and cause the thin liquid component to be dispensed separately from the remainder of the product.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems, apparatuses and methods pertaining to a closure, container and methods for manufacturing. This description includes drawings, wherein:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective underside view of a reusable closure cap with a moveable insert in accordance with some embodiments.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the closure cap of FIG. 1 in a closed configuration in accordance with some embodiments.

[0010] FIG 3 is a perspective cross sectional view of a container with a reusable closure cap with a moveable insert in an open configuration in accordance with some embodiments,

[0011] FIG 4 is a perspective bottom view of a moveable insert in accordance with some embodiments.

[0012] FIG 5 is a perspective top view of a moveable insert in accordance with some embodiments.

[0013] FIG 6 is a partial interior perspective view of a portion of an alternative reusable closure cap in accordance with some embodiments.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC

[0014] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of an alternative movable insert in accordance with some embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a container with a reusable closure cap having a moveable insert in an inverts position

[0016] Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and / or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well -understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodi ments of the present invention. Certain actions and / or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art wall understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.Detailed Description

[0017] Described herein are systems, apparatus and methods that are useful to dispense a fluid, such as, for example, a thixotropic fluid, from a bottle. Some embodiments include a reusable closure cap for such a bottle. The closure cap may include a flip-top lid, a base, and a detachable and re-insertable disk or moveable insert, where the base and the moveable insert define a dosing, mixing, or fluid chamber configured to facilitate mixing of the fluid, which may mix serum or liquid separated from the fluid back therein.

[0018] While previous solutions provided closure caps that permitted dosing or mixing of a fluid, such closure caps typically lacked a readily available manner of disassembling portions of the closure cap. Indeed, a user is not typically able to manually remove a disk, insert, valve, or any other portion of a closure cap after assembly thereof. In practice, this limits the lifecycle and repeated use of such caps as they are not easily cleaned or manually manipulated. Further, as small or little pieces of plastic are difficult (if not impossible) to recycle, there is value inDocket No. 1410-163426-PCproviding reusable elements (such as those which may be washed and reused for dispensing) that are easily maintained but also stay associated together.

[0019] Accordingly, described herein are closure caps that are useful for repeatedly dispensing fluids, while also being readily manually adjustable or disassembled (if desired). In some configurations, a closure cap includes a flip-top lid, a base, and a movable insert or hingedly attachable d isk, which may form a dosing or m ixing chamber. By some approaches, the base of the closure cap has a skirt with threads for coupling the closure cap to a bottle, a central deck portion, and a central opening through which the fluid exits. The closure cap also may include a flip-top lid that selectively blocks flow through the central opening of the base.

[0020] In some configurations, the base also includes interior structure, such as, e.g. a hollow internal shaft. In such configurations, the interior structure and the moveable insert may define one or more channels By one approach, the channels are formed between the mixing chamber and the interior structure or shaft. The base also may include structure to cooperate and retain the movable insert as described further below

[0021] By one approach, the base of the closure cap includes an internal shaft with a non- planar end surface opposite a central opening In some embodiments, the non-planar end surface may form, in part, one or more of the channels through which at least a portion of the fluid flows as it exits the bottle and closure cap. In yet other configurations, the shaft may have a planar end surface on the internal shaft opposite the opening. By some approaches (such as those employing an internal shaft with a planar end surface), the internal shaft may have apertures formed therein

[0022] In some embodiments, the moveable insert includes a central disk, a structure for grasping a portion of the movable insert such as an extension arm, and coupling structure to couple the movable insert to the base such as, e.g., a hinge bar. As the movable insert is selectively attachable to the base, the movable insert typically has structure that cooperates with corresponding retention structure of the base.

[0023] In one exemplary configuration, the coupling structure of the movable insert is retained within retention geometry of the base, such as, e.g., a pair of arms. In one illustrative configuration, the coupling structure of the movable insert is a bar, rod, or pivot structure that is retained with the pair of arms that extend from an inner surface of the base.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC

[0024] By some approaches, the central disk of the movable insert further includes one or more opening therethrough to permit fluid to pass through portions thereof. By some approaches, the moveable insert includes a plurality of partial annular openings that permit fluid to move from one side of the central disk to another.

[0025] In one exemplary embodiment, the movable insert includes a central opening, a plurality of partial annular openings through a planar surface of the disk, and projections extending into the mixing chamber. By one approach, the partial annular openings are d isposed radially around the central disk.

[0026] To fully seat the movable insert into the base, the movable insert is typically secured at a first portion (such as via the coupling structure of the base (e g., the hinge bar) and then secured at a second position (such a via capturing geometry (e.g., an annular retention ring)). More particularly, in one illustrative embodiment, the moveable insert is attached to an interior of the base by snapping a hinge bar into position between engagement elements, such as a pair of arms, and engaging die central disk with a portion of an annular retention ring of the base. In this manner, the movable insert may be adjusted from a position where the central disk is aligned with the deck of the base and a position where the central disk is moved outward from the base such that the mixing or dosing chamber can be easily cleaned

[0027] When the movable disk is positioned such that the central disk is generally aligned with the deck of the base, a mixing or fluid chamber is formed by the moveable insert and the central portion of the base, along with the internal shaft. Further, in some configurations multiple fluid channels are formed by portions of the interior shaft (such as, e g., the non-planar end surface of the internal shaft or apertures therein) and the disk permitting fluid to flow from the mixing chamber into the internal shaft.

[0028] To exit the bottle, a fluid is typically advanced from the reservoir or body of the bottle through the openings in the central disk (e.g., the partial annular openings or the central pinhole) and through the chute formed by the internal shaft and out the central opening of the base. If there is additional structure on the central disk or the base, the fluid may need to accommodate that structure. For example, if the central disk includes one or more flanges, the fluid may need to advance around them depending on the location(s) of the opening(s) in theDocket No. 1410-163426-PCcentral disk. In some configurations, the fluid is advanced through these openings and pathways by having a user apply manual pressure to the body of the bottle

[0029] As suggested above, the base may include retention geometry such as an annular retention ring, that extends inward from the deck or central portion of the base. In use, this retention ring is employed to cooperate with geometry on the movable insert (such as on the central disk) to retain the movable insert in position within the closure cap. In one exemplary configuration, the annular retention ring is d isposed around a central opening of the base and has a variable length, including a first length being longer than a second length on opposite sides of the cap By one approach the second portion that is shorter in length is disposed closer to the engagement arms that secure the hinge bar.

[0030] As suggested above, the moveable insert can be manually grasped to manipulate it from a first engaged position (i.e., when the central disk is aligned with the central deck portion of the base) to a second disengaged position and vice versa In the engaged position, the moveable insert is attached to an interior of the base by snapping a hinge bar into position at a pair of arms and engaging the central disk with the annular retention ring When disengaged from the annular retention ring, the hinge bar may remain retained by the pair of arms, but the movable insert is rotated outward from the base. Furthermore, the movable insert can be completely disengaged from the base by rotating the movable insert, from the engaged position and then pulling the hinge bar out of engagement with the pair of arms, though in some illustrative embodiments the movable insert may not be easily or accidentally disengaged from the interior of the closure cap to prevent unintended disassembly thereof. In such a configuration, the movable insert is typically stably retained in the use position and easily manually moved from the use to the cleaning configuration without a user needing to worry that such manual adjustment might disengage the movable disk by accident or during routine cleaning.

[0031] To facilitate easy manual movement of the movable insert, in some embodiments, a graspable extension depends from a portion of the central disk. By one approach, the graspable extension element is an extension arm, which may take the configuration of, e.g., a J -hook on the terminal end thereof for increased graspability.

[0032] In one illustrative embodiment, the cap further includes a protuberance proximate the pair of arms. By some approaches, the hinge bar includes a wheel adjacent to an end thereof.Docket No. 1410-163426-PCBy some approaches, the wheel helps retain the movable insert laterally in the pair of arms extending from the base. The hinge bar also may have a non-uniform cross section forming a camming geometry. Depending on the formation, the protuberance may be formed to cam against the wheel or the hinge bar. By one approach, the camming geometry and the protuberance engage to retain the moveable insert in an open position. Non-limiting examples of the camming geometry may be a depression, a groove, at least one flat surface, a notch, and a rounded surface that is offset from the protuberance of the base

[0033] In some embodiments, the partially disengaged position of the movable insert includes a stable resting position formed via camming / bossing surfaces. Maintaining the movable insert in this open position without the need for complete disassembly of the cap allows for cleaning, for example in a dishwasher.

[0034] In some embodiments, a dispensing bottle that leverages the closure cap described herein includes a container body having a neck with external threads thereon. Further, in one illustrative embodiment, the base of the closure cap has a skirt with base threads disposed thereon, where the base threads are configured to engage the external threads on the neck of the dispensing bottle.

[0035] To facilitate sealing of a filled bottle, the closure cap may have a sealing lip or rim thereof that extends onto or adjacent the neck of the bottle when the closure cap is fully seated. This extension may press a liner or seal into engagement with the neck of the bottle to help form the hermetic seal with the bottle after the cap is initially threaded onto the filled bottle. For example, the closure cap may have a bottle liner associated therewith such that once the closure cap is threaded onto the bottle, the liner is disposed between the sealing lip and top of the neck of the bottle such that a sealing operation can hermetically seal the liner to the neck of the bottle

[0036] Further, while conventional top-down bottle closure caps are designed for single¬ use or recycling at end of life, the instant closure cap is designed to be used, reuse and cleaning between uses thereof prior to recycling. In this manner, the bottles can be reused and refilled (even with different condiments or fluids) because the closure cap includes a moveable insert that allows for access to hard-to-reach crevasses that prevent proper cleaning with conventional closure caps. To this end, the closure cap may be formed of a polymer material that may easily Docket No. 1410-163426-PCwithstand the temperatures used by machine dishwashers. For example, the polymer material of the closure cap typically allows for easy cleaning in dishwashers including those with operational temperatures of up to 85°C. In other configurations, the polymer material easily withstands repeated dishwasher cycles of up to about 60°C.

[0037] Accordingly, one method of cleaning the closure cap includes unthreading or unscrewing the closure cap from the associated bottle and then moving the movable insert from its engaged position to the disengaged position such that the mixing chamber can be rinsed and cleaned. More particularly, the movable insert may be placed in the partly disengaged position such that the movable insert is still coupled to a remainder of the closure cap but is retained in a position where the central disk is substantially perpendicular to a remainder of the base such as by the protuberance that engages with the non-uniform portion of the hinge bar In this manner, once the closure cap is placed within a shelf of a dishwasher or a pan of dishwater, the movable insert of the closure cap is easily retained in the partially disengaged position for the cleaning operation

[0038] As suggested above, the bottle with the closure cap described herein may be employed in a top-down storage configuration. To that end, the closure cap has a flip-top lid with an interior projection that is movable between a closed first position to an open second position, where the projection blocks the opening of the base, preventing or inhibiting egress of the fluid from inside the container body the first position and, in the second position, permits egress of the fluid through the opening of the base. In some approaches, the flip-top lid provides a snap closure with tactile and audible feedback (i.e., audible “click” sound).

[0039] More particularly, the closure cap, the top-down closed position, is generally capable of maintaining the thixotropic fluid in stable equilibrium m the bottle without leakage when the bottle is in an inverted position such that the bottle opening is positioned below' the body of the container. In some embodiments, when the closure cap is in the open position, during application of pressure to the container body, the configuration of the closure cap enables controlled dispensing of the thixotropic fluid, and release of pressure on the container body enables prompt cessation of dispensing, such as, for example, by permitting air to flow back into the container body to allow for spring back of the bottle and reversal of flow of thixotropic fluid in the interior channel. Further, in one illustrative configuration, this occurs without movementDocket No. 1410-163426-PCof the moveable insert relative to the base Indeed, the movable insert is typically manually movable and not movable via pressure applied to the walls of the bottle or closure cap.

[0040] In one illustrative approach, at least a portion of fluid is dispensed by advancing downward through the partial annular openings (when in the top-down configuration), through the mixing chamber, then inward through the fluid channels defined at least in party by the internal shaft, then downward through the interior of the shaft before exiting the dispensing bottle via the central opening. By one approach, a thixotropic fluid disposed in the bottle can be squeezed from the bottle such that it advances through the partial annular slots in the central disk, and through the mixing, or fluid, chamber where any separated serum can be mixed into the fluid before the thixotropic fluid moves through the openings into the internal shaft, and then out of the central opening of the base. Further, a portion of the fluid also may advance downward through the small aperture or pinhole in the central disk and through the central opening of the base.

[0041] As suggested above, in operation, the bottle is able to quickly regain its shape upon cessation of pressure on the bottle. Air may flow in to the bottle via one or both of these fluid chamber, and / or partial annular slots Generally, the air is pulled into the bottle when pressure is released on the body of the bottle or container. Thus, in short, the air is admitted into the main cavi ty of the bottle by flowing through at least one of the central pinholes or the partial annular slots of the disk. Further, once the moveable insert is installed into the base of the closure cap, by one approach, the central disk remains stationary relative to the base during dispensing of the fluid within the bottle.

[0042] As suggested above, in some embodiments, the closure cap, including the base, flip-top, and moveable insert are generally comprised of a polypropylene material, such that the entire closure cap is recyclable as a unit. For example, the material for the closure cap may include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polystyrene (PS), among other options. In addition to the type of plastic, the thickness of the plastic also may be selected to provide sufficient durability over time despite the elevated temperatures typically present in many dishwasher cycles, while avoiding unnecessarily thick pieces that can be more difficult to manipulate and manufacture. By one approach, the thickness may be in the range of about 0.5mm to about 1.5mm. In anotherDocket No. 1410-163426-PCapproach, the range is between about 0.8mm to about 1.3mm. In some illustrative embodiments, the wall thickness is about 1.2mm. In addition, in one illustrative embodiment, the closure cap including the various elements thereof are formed of a single recyclable polymer material.

[0043] In addition, without a silicon membrane, the strength of the closure in some embodiments does not significantly degrade over time, and there is little or no degradation of its performance over time. In some embodiments, there is little or no variation in the pressure required to dispense fluid from the bottle over the life of the bottle. Thi s is particularly advantageous for multi-use containers where the frequent and hot settings used via a dishwasher may quickly degrade silicon pieces.

[0044] As suggested above, the bottle and cap described herein may be employed for use with a wide variety of fluids. In one illustrative configuration, the bottle is filled with a thixotropic fluid, such as, for example, certain condiments, sauces, or certain consumer items, such as shampoo or body wash Such applications may be particularly advantageous because they permit the consumer or user to easily and quickly dispense a desired amount of fluid without splattering or otherwise creating an unintended mess v / ith the fluid. By one approach, the dispensing bottle with the closure cap may have a capacity of about 250 mL to about 1000 mL,. Further, a variety of container configurations are contemplated, including some that are stored in an inverted (also known as a top-down) configuration where the bottle rests on the closure cap. In one illustrative approach, the central disk has a diameter of between about 20 to about 40 mm, die internal shaft has a height of between about 4 to about 12 mm, and the internal shaft has a diameter of about 3 to about 9 mm. In other configurations, the internal shaft has a height of about 5 to about 9 mm, with a diameter of about 3-5 mm

[0045] As noted above, the closure cap has a mixing chamber formed by a portion of the base that has a moveable insert secured thereto By one approach, the mixing or liquid chamber includes a plurality of extensions or flanges therein from the central disk disposed on the movable insert. More particularly the central disk, in some configurations includes a plurality of extensions of flanges that extend downward from the bottom of the disk (with the bottle inverted) into the mixing chamber. The mixing or liquid chamber described herein helps prevent serum from leaking from the dispensing bottle, in part, by mixing serum that has separated from the thixotropic fluid back into the remainder of thixotropic fluid. By one approach, the mixing orDocket No. 1410-163426-PCliquid chamber prevents separated serum from leaking from the bottle by mixing the separated serum back into the fluid before it leaves the opening of the bottle. In some embodiments, the mixing chamber has a capacity of, or retains, 2 mL to 11 mL, 3 mL to 9 mL, or 5 to 7 mL, or about 6 mL. The central disk extensions may help with remixing of separated serum by slowing the flow of the fluid through the mixing or liquid chamber, creating or increasing turbulence, and / or otherwise increasing interaction between separated serum and the remainder of the fluid.

[0046] A bottle with a closure cap described herein may be formed, filled and sealed in high speed, high volume, mass production operations, or in other types of operations. In addition, the bottle with the disclosed closure cap can be filled and refilled manually and / or via dispenser, including after initial usage thereof. In one approach, a method of manufacturing a dispensing bottle generally includes forming a squeezable, flexible bottle, e.g., by blowmolding, injection molding, or other methods; forming a disk and a closure cap having a base and a flip-top lid by injection molding or other methods, snapping the disk into the base, filling the receptacle with a fluid (such as, for example, a thixotropic fluid); and securing the closure cap onto the filled receptacle. In some embodiments, the base has inner and outer skirts with base threads on the interior of the inner skirt (where the base threads are configured to engage the threads on the exterior of the bottle neck), a retaining ring or seal lip or rim on the interior of the inner skirt, and a central portion having an opening therein aligned with an internal shaft. The central portion of the base includes an opening permitting fluid to egress therethrough when the opening is unobstructed, and the flip-top lid has an interior projection that is movable between a first position and a second position, where the projection blocks the opening of the base inhibiting or preventing egress of the fluid when in the first position, and permits egress of the fluid through the opening of the base when in the second position. In some embodiments, the moveable insert includes a central disk that has partial annular slots, wherein the engaged moveable insert, the central portion of the base, the inner skirt, and the exterior surface of the internal shaft define a mixing or liquid chamber, and wherein multiple fluid channels are formed between the internal shaft and the central disk. In some configurations, the method also includes sealing the receptacle with a removable liner associated with the closure cap to seal the product in the body of the bottleDocket No. 1410-163426-PC

[0047] In another approach, a method of manufacturing a closure cap includes forming, in a mold, a flip-top cap with (a) a base having, at least, a central wall with an opening therethrough, an inner skirt, an outer skirt connected by a planar portions, threads and a retaining ring on the inner skirt, and an internal shaft inwardly depending from the dome-shaped wall and (b) a flip-top lid hingedly connected to the base, the flip-top lid having an interior projection and being movable from a first position where the interior projection blocks the opening to a second position where the interior projection does not obstruct the opening of the base Further, in some approaches, the method also includes separately forming a movable insert in a mold and snapping the movable insert into a pair of arms after formation and engaging the central disk with the retention ring of the base of the flip-top cap. Further, in some embodiments, the disk and the base form a mixing chamber defined by the disk, the central wall, and the internal shaft, wherein one or more fluid channels are formed by or in the internal shaft and the disk

[0048] Further, in some configurations, the method also includes forming the closure cap as two separate components, including the flip-top cap and the moveable insert, where the flip- top cap includes the base and flip-top lid formed in a single, integral, unitary, one-piece structure, and wherein the two separate components are made of the same material, and are assembled at the mold or at a separate station.

[0049] Turning now to the drawings, FIG 1 illustrates a perspective underside view of a portion of the closure cap 10 for a bottle 100 (see, e.g., FIG. 6). The closure cap 10 typically includes a base 12, a hinged flip-top lid 30, and a moveable insert 50 that is selectively coupled to the base 12 via a hinge 80. FIG 1 illustrates the movable insert 50 in a partially disengaged position where only one portion or side of the movable insert 50 is engaged with the base 12. As shown, the base 12 typically includes a skirt 14, which may include threads to engage a bottle. Further, in some configurations, the skirt 14 includes ribbing or texturizing on an outside surface thereof to provide users with an improved surface for grasping, such as, e.g., for use when attempting to unthread the closure cap 10 from a bottle. The ribbing is typically formed such that repeated washing or cleaning at elevated temperatures will not degrade the form thereof.

[0050] To manipulate the closure cap from the closed to the open position, the flip -top lid 30 may include an opening feature 68 that may include a clasp, such as a manually graspableDocket No. 1410-163426-PCridge, button, rim, or other portion that permits the user to exert force on the flip-top lid 30 FIG.2, which illustrates the closure cap 10 in cross section, shows that the opening feature 68 is disposed opposite the closure cap hinge 5. By one approach, applying a manual upward force on the opening feature 68 (away from the bottle) adjacent an opening cavity,, the flip top lid 30 may rotate upward about the hinge 5 on an opposite side of the closure cap. The force needed to lift the flip-top lid 30 corresponds to the amount required to overcome the matting engagement of the closing structure. By one approach, the flip-top closure structure may' include an extension ridge 73 that cooperates with the corresponding geometry of the base Further, when the flip-top lid 30 is moved from the open to the closed position, the closing force should overcome the force required to advance the extension ridge 73 beyond the corresponding geometry of the base to fully close the flip-top lid of the closure cap. As suggested above, as the clasp of the closure cap is fully seated, the closure cap may provide a snap, tactile, and / or audible feedback to a user to indicate that the closure cap has been fully closed

[0051] The cross-sectional view of FIG, 2 illustrates the movable insert 50 in the partially disengaged position As shown, the base 12 of the closure cap 10 has a central deck portion 16 with an opening 20 disposed therein The base 12 also typically includes retention geometry that helps retain the movable insert 50 in the fully engaged position. In some configurations the retention geometry includes an extension lip, wall, or an annular ring. FIG. 2 illustrates one exemplary retention geometry that includes an annular retention ring 18, which engages with the corresponding attachment or coupling geometry of the insert as described below.

[0052] In some configurations, the opening 20 is generally aligned with structure on the interior of die base. For example, the base 12 may include a hollow internal shaft 22 adjacent the opening 20. By one approach, the internal shaft 22 extends from the central deck portion 16 and has an interior wall 24 with a linear configuration in the axial direction and a curved, circular, or annular-shaped cross section. While the internal shaft 22 is illustrated as having an interior wall 24 with varied length or a non-linear end, other configurations may be employed, such as, e.g., an interior wall 24 that has a uniform length, along with openings or holes therethrough.10053) In some embodiments, the internal shaft 22 of the base terminates in a non-planar end surface. Further, the base 12 may include an internal lip 26 (shown in FIG. 3) disposedDocket No. 1410-163426-PCaround the opening 20 in between the internal shaft 22 and the opening 20 The internal lip 26 may include a projection that extends inward from the opening 20.

[0054] As suggested above, the flip-top lid 30 typically includes structure to operate with the base, such as, e.g., an interior projection 32 extending from the inner surface 34 of the flip top lid 30. In use, the interior projection 32 blocks the opening 20 of the base 12 when the closure cap 10 is in a closed configuration, or a first position. When the closure cap 10 is in an open configuration, or a second position, the interior projection 32 is not positioned in the opening 20, thereby allowing fluid to flow through the unobstructed opening 20.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the movable insert 50 includes a central disk 52, coupling structure 55, and grasping structure 51. By one approach, the coupling structure 55 and grasping structure 51 are disposed on opposite sides of the central disk 52.

[0056] In one illustrative embodiment, the grasping structure 51 includes an extension arm 54 and the coupling structure 55 includes a hinge bar 56 connected to an arm 58 on a side of the movable insert 50 opposite the extension arm 54. In use, the extension arm 54 may be manually grasped to manipulate the movable insert 50. By one approach, the extension arm 54 has a portion for easy grasping such as a j-hook. The movable insert 50 typically is adjustable from a first position, where the central disk 52 engages with the annular retention ring 18, to a second position where the movable insert 50 is disengaged from the annular retention ring 18, The hinge bar 56 is selectively retained by the pair or arms 28 of the base in both the engaged and disengaged configurations.

[0057] The movable insert 50 may have a variety of structure(s) to, e.g., facilitate securement of the insert in preferred positions and provide mixing or dosing of the particular fluid in the bottle. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the central disk 52 includes partial annular openings through which fluid may egress when in use. In addition, the central disk 52 may include one or more flanges or annular wall 53. The flanges or annular wall 53 may extend from the central disk 52 toward the central deck portion 16 of the base when engaged. The exemplary embodiment shown includes interior annular slots 57a and exterior or outer annular slots 57b. By one approach, the annular wall 53 extends from the central disk 52 and is disposed in between the interior annular slots 57a and the exterior annular slots 57b.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC

[0058] In some configurations, the central disk 52 also may include one or more pinholes therein By one approach, the pinholes are generally centrally disposed on the disk. FIG. 4 illustrates two pinholes through the central disk 52.

[0059] As noted above, the movable insert 50 also typically includes structure to secure the insert into position. To that end, the central disk 52 of the movable insert 50 includes a securement wall, flange, or ring 59 to cooperate with the geometry' of the base to retain the movable insert in the engaged position. By one approach, the securement ring 59 is proximate, adjacent, or even coincident with an outer edge or perimeter of the central disk 52. In one embodiment, the securement ring 59 extends from an edge of the central disk 52 and includes a wall that extends generally perpendicular from the planar portion of the central disk. Further, in one exemplary approach, the securement ring 59 has a uniform length. As shown in the cross¬ section of FIG. 2, the interior surface of the wall of the securement ring 59 may have geometry thereon that cooperates with the geometry of the annular retention ring 18. By one approach, the mating geometry on the wall of the securement ring 59 is a lip or ledge 47

[0060] As shown in FIG, 2, in one illustrative configuration, the annular retention ring 18 has a length that is variable. By one approach, the annular retention ring 18 is shorter on die portion thereof closest to where the movable insert 50 is attached to an interior of the base. More specifically, the shorter portion of the annular retention ring 18 is disposed proximate to the opening feature 68 of the closure cap. In this manner, as the securement ring 59 is rotated with the movable insert 50 and pushed into engagement with the annular retention ring 18 of the base 12, the shorter length of the ring 18 permits a user to engage the movable insert 50 into the seated position (where the central disk 52 is aligned with die central deck portion 16) with less force.

[0061] In one illustrative embodiment, the closure cap 10 includes a protuberance 70 (shown in FIG 2) proximate the pair of arms 28. Further, the hinge bar 56 includes at least a portion with a non-uniform cross section forming a camming geometry 71 (see, e g., FIG. 4 and 5 illustrating the camming geometry 71 as a boss, bump, or raised extension 75 that extends outward away from the central disk 52). By one approach, the camming geometry 71 and the protuberance 70 engage to retain the movable insert 50 into the second position, such as for cleaning. The hinge bar 56 may be coupled to a pair of arms 28 on an interior of the base 12 andDocket No. 1410-163426-PCmay include a wheel 60 disposed adjacent each end of the hinge bar 56, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For example, the cooperation of the protuberance 70 and the camming geometry 71 permit the movable insert to be maintained in a stable resting position, as suggested above. This stable resting position may be advantageous for cleaning cycles In addition, the hinge bar may include a depression or cut-out that may permit the movable insert to be easily removed from a forming mold.

[0062] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective cross sectional view of the closure cap in an open configuration, i.e., with the flip top lid rotated away from the base. A fluid chamber 40 is formed when the movable insert 50 is hingedly secured to the base 12 in the closed position, or first position. The fluid chamber 40 is defined by the central disk 52, the central deck portion 16, the engagement between the annular retention ring 18 and the securement ring 59, and the internal shaft 22. As noted above, the central disk 52 includes an annular securement ring 59 that engages with the annular retention ring 18 of the base 12 and typically include cooperating geometry such as a lip or extension that flexibly engage one another to selectively retain the element relative to one another

[0063] As noted above, the central disk 52 includes partial annular openings In this manner, fluid from the bottle can flow through the central disk 52 through the fluid chamber and out of the closure cap In one illustrative approach, the annular slots or openings 57a, 57b are arranged in a radial pattern around one or more central pinhole openings of the centra! disk 52, through which fluid and air can flow. The annular openings 57 may include partial annular interior and exterior slots. Further, the central disk 52 also may include the interior annular wall 53, which may assist with mixing of the fluid. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 4, the interior annular wall 53 is disposed between the partial annular interior and exterior slots.

[0064] As note above, the camming geometry 71 may include a boss, bump, or raised extension 75 that extends from the hinge bar opposite or away from the central disk 52. Such a configuration of the camming geometry 71 is particularly suitable for use with a closure cap 10 having the protuberance 70 extending from a peripheral deck portion 17, which extends annularly around the central deck portion 16.

[0065] Another illustrative configuration is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The elements of FIGS. 6 and 7 are similar in many respects to the elements of the closure cap 10 and the movable Docket No. 1410-163426-PCdisk 50 discussed above, such that the differences will be highlighted. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the protrusion 170 of the interior of the closure cap 110 extends from a sidewall of the closure cap 110, as opposed to a deck portion as described above. A protrusion 170 oriented in such a manner is particularly suited for use with the movable insert 150 illustrated in FIG. 7. The movable insert 150, as shown includes a hinge bar 156 that has a boss, bump or raised extension 175 that extends upward from the hinge bar 156 in the same direction as the extension arm 154 that is disposed on the side of the central disk 152 opposite of the hinge bar 156.

[0066] In some illustrative approaches, the closure cap 10 is comprised of a single material, such as, for example, a polypropylene or other food grade plastic or polymer, or similar recyclable material. More particularly, in some approaches, all portions of the closure cap including, e.g,, the base 12, the flip-top lid 30, and the movable insert 50 are comprised of a single polymer material. In operation, having the closure cap formed of a single material may increase the ease and likelihood of recycling the material,

[0067] FIG. 6 illustrates a packaged food product comprising a dispensing bottle 100 containing a fluid food product 5, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, or another product. The dispensing bottle 100 includes a closure cap 10 attached to a container body 200 via skirt threads 11 (see, e.g,, FIG. 3) of the closure cap 10 engaging bottle neck threads 111 of the container body 200. In some embodiments, the bottle 100 is configured to be stored in an inverted position (i.e., top / cap down) while resting on its closure cap. Accordingly, during storage and dispensing, the bottle 100 may have the closure cap 10 positioned below the container body 200 of the bottle 100 without unintended leakage of the fluid 5 from the bottle

[0068] The description herein is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary embodiments. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “some embodiments”, “an implementation”, “some implementations”, “some applications”, or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “in some embodiments”, “in someDocket No. 1410-163426-PCimplementations”, and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of other modifications, alterations, and combinations can also be made with respect to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A closure cap for a bottle comprising, the closure cap comprising:a base including a skirt, a central deck portion having an annular retention ring and an opening disposed therein, the opening being generally aligned with an internal shaft extending from the central deck portion, the internal shaft being hollow and having a generally linear interior wall;a flip-top lid hingedly connected to the base, the flip-top lid including an interior projection extending from an inner surface of the flip-top lid, the flip-top lid being movable between a first position in which the interior projection blocks the opening of the base and a second position where the interior projection is not positioned in the opening;a movable insert including a central disk, an extension arm for manually grasping and manipulating the movable insert, and a hinge bar connected to an arm on a side of the movable insert opposite the extension arm, wherein the hinge bar may be coupled to a pair of arms on an interior of the base, wherein the movable insert is coupled to the base via a hinge;wherein the movable insert is adjustable from a first position where the central disk engages with the amiular retention ring and a second position where the movable insert is disengaged from the annular retention ring but the hinge bar is retained by the pair of arms.

2. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein a fluid chamber is formed when the movable insert is hingedly secured to the base in the first position, where the fluid chamber is defined by the central disk, the central deck portion, the annular retention ring, and the internal shaft.

3. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the base includes a protuberance proximate the pair of arms and the hinge bar of the movable insert further includes at a least a portion with a non-uniform cross section forming a camming geometry, wherein the camming geometry and the protuberance engage to retain the movable insert into the second position.

4. The closure cap of claim 3 wherein the hinge bar of the movable insert includes a wheel disposed adjacent each end of the hinge bar.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC5. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the annular retention ring has a variable length including a first length and a second length, the first length being longer than the second length and the first length being disposed on an opposite side of the closure cap from the hinge,6. The closure cap of claim 5 wherein the annular retention ring includes coupling first geometry that engages with second coupling geometry of the movable insert in the first position.

7. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the central disk of the movable insert includes an annular securement ring that engages with the annular retention ring of the base8 The closure cap of claim 7 wherein the central disk further comprises a plurality of partial annular openings,9. The closure cap of claim 8 wherein the plurality of partial annular openings are arranged in a radial pattern around one or more central pinhole openings of the central disk10. The closure cap of claim 8 wherein the plurality of partial annular openings include partial annular interior slots and partial annular exterior slots.

11. The closure cap of claim 10 wherein the central disk further includes an interior annular wall.

12. The closure cap of claim 11 wherein the interior annular wall is disposed between the partial annular interior slots and partial annular exterior slots.

13. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the internal shaft terminates in a non-planar end surface.

14. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises an internal lip disposed around the opening in between the internal shaft and the opening, wherein the internal lip includes a projection that extends inward from the opening.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC15. The closure cap of claim 1 wherein the opening has a surrounding rim that has an angled inward surface16. A container for dispensing a fluid, the container comprising:a bottle with neck threads disposed thereon; anda closure cap having a base and a flip top lid hingedly connected therewith; wherein the flip top lid includes an interior projection extending from an inner surface of the flip-top lid, the flip-top lid being movable between a first position in which the interior projection blocks an opening of the base and a second position where the interior projection is not positioned in the opening;wherein the base includes a skirt, a central deck portion having an annular retention ring, a pair of arms, and the opening disposed therein, the skirt including skirt threads disposed thereon, the skirt threads configured to engage with the neck threads of the bottle, andthe closure cap further including a movable insert including a central disk, an extension arm extending from a first side of the movable insert, and a hinge bar extending from a second side of the movable insert opposite the first side, wherein the hinge bar is coupled to the pair of arms to form a hinge to thereby couple the movable insert to a remainder of the closure cap, wherein when the closure cap is unscrewed from the bottle, the movable insert is adjustable from a first position where the central disk engages with the annular retention ring and a second position where the movable insert is disengaged from the annular retention ring but the hinge bar is retained by the pair of arms.

17. The container of claim 16 wherein the opening of the base is generally aligned with an internal shaft extending from the central deck portion, the internal shaft being hollow and having a generally linear interior ’ all.

18. The container of claim 17 wherein a fluid chamber is formed when the movable insert is hingedly secured to the base in the first position, where the fluid chamber is defined by the central disk, the central deck portion, the annular retention ring, and the internal shaft.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC19. The container of claim 16 wherein the base includes a protuberance proximate pair of arms and the hinge bar of the movable insert further includes at a least a portion with a non-uniform cross section forming a depression, wherein the depression and the protuberance engage to retain the movable insert into the second position.

20. The container of claim 16 wherein the central disk of the movable insert includes an annular securement ring, a plurality of partial annular openings, and an interior annular wall.Docket No. 1410-163426-PC

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