US2188191A - Hermetically sealed automatic closure for collapsible tubes and the like - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1940. w v. R005 2,188,191

HERMETICALLY SEALED AUTOMATIC CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1939 INVENTOR enolel V. R005 WWQ ms A ORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1940 4 UNITED STATES namrrcmr sump suns FOB COLLAPS nn:

PATENT OFFICE suromrrc cLo- IBLE TUBES AND THE 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to improved discharge devices for collapsible tubes and the like.

The invention is particularly related to discharge devices for collapsible tubes and the like, such as those employed for dispensing tooth paste, shaving cream, paints, facial creams and like cosmetics, greases, and the like. Such tubes are formed usually of relatively soft metal, and comprise .a discharge end of general frusto-conical contour, terminating in a nipple of general cylindrical configuration. The contents of such tubes, pursuant to conventional practice, is charged through the end of the tube which is opposlte to its discharge end, such opposite end being cylindrical in original status, and after .the charging operation is closed by means of a clip of metal or the like.

- The conventional collapsible tube is provided with a cap for its discharge nipple, which latter is usually threaded, the cap being provided with mating threading.

It has been long recognized that such collapsible tube provided with such conventional closure cap is not wholly satisfactory, primarily by reason of the failure of the user to replace the cap after each use, resulting in causing the contents of the tube to become hardened by oxidation, contaminated by being brought into contact with foreign substances, and the like.

Pursuant to the instant invention, I provide a discharge device constructed to be associated with the discharge nipple of the tube, preferably by insertion and effecting self-locking engagement within the discharge nipple; my discharge device is constructed to be mechanically sealed against the atmosphere and moisture and other exterior conditions, and in its initial status com-- prises the discharge device per se and a thereto connected terminal part adapted to'be bent, severed or otherwise removable from the discharge device per se. With such preferred form of my invention, the usual exterior threading of the nipple of the collapsible tube may be dispensed with.

By my invention, the collapsible tube, after being charged with its contents and closed at its charging end, pursuant to conventional practice, is adapted to be packed, shipped and otherwise handled to the stage of delivery to the user. The user, upon bending, severing or otherwise removing the terminal part of my discharge device in its initial status, operates the collapsible tube for dispensing purposes pursuant to conventional practice, i. e., by applying pressure upon its collapsible body portion, .thereby discharging the desired amount of the contents thereof through my discharge device. Upon release of pressure upon the collapsible tube, the discharge of its contents ceases and simultaneously therewith my discharge device automatically closes and seals the contents of the tube-from the exterior air and other exterior conditions.

The severed terminal part of my discharge de vice may be retained to serve as a closure device, suitable means being provided for interlocking the closing device relative to the body of my discharge device.

Pursuant to my invention, my discharge device may be unitary with the collapsible tube per se,

= as by forming the discharge device of the same material and as a step in the forming of the tube.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a conventional collapsible tube equipped with a preferred form of my invention. This view illustrates the discharge device in initial status, suitable for original shipment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, similar to Fig. 1, but illustrates the terminal part of the discharge device removed, preparatory for dispensing the contents of the collapsible tube, the removed terminal part being temporarily attached to the clip end of the collapsible tube. Fig. 3 is a detail central vertical elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating a stage of the discharge of a portion of the contents of the tube, under which circumstance the mouth portion of my discharge device is automatically expanded, yielding in the illustrated instance, a substantially flat discharge.

Fig. 5' is a'detail side elevation, corresponding to Fig. 2, on a somewhat enlarged scale, but showing the severedterminal portion placed upon the discharge device per se, serving as a removable closure therefor. Fig. 6 is a detail front face elevation of a preferred form of my invention, in its initial status, corresponding to Fig. 1, and on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a central sectional elevation on line l-lof Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail central sectional view of another embodiment of the invention, illustrating additional features.

Fig. 9 is a perspective elevational view of a tube of suitable material, adapted to be subjected to suitable treatment for forming my discharge device in initial status.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments of my invention, l 0 represents any suitable type of collapsible tube, the illustrated type being currently in common use, and shown as embodying a frusto-conical end Illa, terminating in a nipple Nib; its opposite end lOc, initially open and of cylindrical contour, affords the charging therethrough of the contents of the tube, and shown closed by means of a clip Ii. Pursuant to the instant invention, the nipple lllb may be plain, as shown, i. e. without its usual threading.

My discharge device I! in its initial status, see Figs. 1, 6 and '7, comprises a lower body portion 12a having an outer contour corresponding to the inner contour of the nipple lllb of the collapsible tube; in the illustrated instance, the inner contour of the nipple is cylindrical and accordingly the contour of the lower body portion [2a of my discharge device is also cylindrical. Suitable means are provided for locking the lower body portion Ila within the nipple lilb and to preclude dislodgement under the condition of pressure exerted by the user when dispensing the contents of the tube and possibly due to force exerted interiorly within my discharge device during the stage of transit of the contents of the tube being dispensed through my discharge device. Such lodgement means, pursuant to commercial practice of my invention, is effectively provided for by forming an outwardly flaring flange l3 at the lower terminal portion of the lower body portion i2a of my discharge device, and a bead l4 disposed intermediate the lower body portion iZa and the upper body portion In; of my discharge device. Such flange l3, as shown, may be serrated.

The .upper body portion l2b may be of any desired configuration. At the transverse location IS, the material of the discharge device is flattened over definite areas, dependent in extent upon the material per se to impart to the material the characteristic of resiliency to return to selfsealing status for any given medium dispensed, upon release of the dispensing pressure. As shown, the walls of the lower portion i2b of the discharge means, by reason of the cylindrical contour of the discharge nipple of the container, is of general cylindrical contour, the walls of the upper portion of the discharge means at substantially flattened, oppositely disposed, wall portions converging towards one another terminating in the oppositely disposed flattened areas l5, l5, whereat the flattened wall portions engage one another in face to face contact under selfsealing pressure.

At the transverse location, IS, the material of the discharge device is scored or otherwise weakened, whereby upon bending, cutting or other severing, the outermost portion ll of the material of the discharge device in its initial status, may be removed.

A collapsible tube equipped with my discharge device in its initial status, accordingly, is wholly sealed, and proof against leakage in the event that the tube is subjected to pressure and therefore in optimum status for packing, shipping and handling. When the user desires to dispense the contents of the tube, the outermost portion i1 is severed, whereupon the tube is usable pursuant to conventional usage.

Desirably, the severed portion I! may be utilized as a closure, applicable when placing the co llipsible tube in a traveling bag or the like, and for such purpose, the portion I1 is provided with suitable means for detachable securement about the discharge opening of the tube afforded by the cooperating flattened areas l5, ii. A simple arrangement of such detachable securement means, is had by bending the portion i'l upon itself to form a .clip and locally depressed as indicated'at i'la, to provide protuberances, a wall of the upper body portion l2b being correlatively depressed, see ill), to provide one or more mating recesses.

Such arrangement also affords placement for safe-keeping of the closure H on or about the clip ll of the tube, as indicated in Fig. 2.

My discharge device may be formed of any suitable material such as plastics of the nature of cellulose acetate, acetylor nitro-cellulose and/or other cellulose compounds, ductile metal or metallic alloys, preferably non-toxic ani noncorroding or coated to be so rendered, and having the required resiliency and compressive strength and other physical characteristics as appears hereinabove. My discharge device may fashioned of such material initially in the form of a tube I8, see Fig. 8, and preferably when the nipple lllb is cylindrical; the formations of the flange l3, head 14, flattened areas l5, scoring area l6 and bent over portion H are attained by suitable forming operation.

In lieu of fitting the discharge device inwardly.

relative to the discharge nipple to the collapsible tube, the same may be appropriately fitted externally about the discharge nipple.

If preferred, the collapsible tube per se, say, of ductile metal, may be initially sealed by a suitable sealing medium such as cellulose acetate, acetyl-cellulose, nitro-cellulose or other soluble" cotton, as by dipping the discharge nipple of the tube in a bath of such sealing medium and permitting the adhered sealing medium to solidify, in which status the tube may be charged with the desired contents. My discharge means may be applied to the charged collapsible tube, by puncturing and/or removing such sealing medium, and then aflixing my discharge device in proper relation to the discharge nipple. as above pointed out.

Advantageously, the collapsible tube per se and my discharge device may be formed unitarily. as by extrusion,- employing cold-worked ductile metal, or by molding, employing cellulose acetate or other suitable cellulose compound. Fig. 8 illustrates such unitary embodiment of my discharge device with the collapsible tube per se, the latter being indicated ill, its nipple 20, to which is unitarily formed the discharge device per se indicated at I! corresponding in general construction to the upper body portion i2b of the embodiments hereinabove set forth. The opposingly disposed flattened areas are indicated at 22. Desirably, the procedure of formation of the discharge device illustrated in Fig. 8 follows that as indicated generally in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, that is to say, providing for a line of scoring or equivalent indicated at 23, see Fig. 8, affording separation thereat of the terminal portion 24. Such terminal portion 24 may take the form of the terminal portion I'I, hereinabove set forth, or may be of plain flattened configuration as is indicated in Fig. 8; in the latter instance, sealing of the discharge device may be had by dipping into a suitable bath of sealing medium as cellulose acetate or the like, the resulting deposit of which being indicated at 25, see Fig. 8. Such sealing medium is formed at and about the outer faces of the body portion 2| of the discharge device, and may be retained thereon during the stages of charging the desired contents into the collapsible 1' tube, during shipment and other handling to the stage of delivery to the user. Upon the user desiring to dispense the contents of the tube, the terminal portion 24 is broken off and removed at the line of scoring 23, the removal of which also effects the removal of the sealing medium 25, shown in this instance as having a cone-shape. Such cone-shape deposit of the sealing medium may be later employed as a closure for the discharge device, during such stages as when placing the collapsible tube in a traveling bag or the like. To facilitate attachment of such cone-shape cap relative to the discharge device, it is advantageous to provide the exterior face of the body portion 2| of the discharge device with opposingly disposed protuberances 2m, which give rise to corresponding cup-like formations 25a or equivalent.

From the above it appears that my invention, in its preferred embodiments, provides for a hermetically sealed automatic closing discharge device for collapsible tubes. The discharge device, per se, embodies an expansible body portion possessing the characteristic of resiliency and having a terminal portion comprising opposingly related flattened areas or equivalent, arranged to effect an opening therethrough upon generation of appropriate pressure on the contents of the tube, thus affording the discharge of a desired quantity of the contents, and upon release of pressure on the contents, the resiliency of the stated body portion and of the walls of its stated.

discharge opening, the walls of the discharge opening are automatically returned to hermetically sealing status.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof it will beunderstood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. For use with a container having a discharge nipple, discharge means comprising a body portion terminating in opposingly related resilient flattened areas, the face portions of said resilient flattened areas normally engaging one'another in face to face contact under pressure, normally sealing the contents of the tube, and under pressure on the contents of the tube to be displaced relative to one another to provide a path of flow for the discharge therethrough of the contents of the tube.

2. For use with a container having a discharge nipple, discharge means comprising a body portion of resilient material having cylindrical walls converging toward one another terminating in opposingly related flattened areas, the face portions of said opposingly related areas normally engaging one another in face to face contact under pressure, normally sealing the contents of the tube, and under pressure on the contents of the tube to be displaced relative to one another to provide a path of flow for the discharge therethrough of the contents of the tube.

3. A discharge device for a collapsible tube having a discharge nipple, said discharge device comprising a body portion terminating in opposingly related resilient flattened areas serving as Walls of a discharge opening, the material of said body portion extending beyond the walls of said discharge opening and arranged to be severed adjacent the margin of said discharge opening.

4. A discharge device for a collapsible tube having a discharge nipple, said discharge device comprising a body portion terminating in opposingly related resilient flattened areas serving as walls of a discharge opening, the material of said body portion extending beyond the walls of said discharge opening and arranged to be severed adjacent the margin of said discharge opening, said severable portion of the material being bent upon itself to serve when so severed as a closure for said discharge opening.

WENDEL V. R008.

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