HK1070632B - Twist openable dispensing closure accommodating optional liner puncture feature - Google Patents

Description

Twist-open dispenser closure containing optional liner puncture feature

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for dispensing fluid material from a container. The invention is particularly suitable for incorporation in a dispenser closure for use with a squeezable container.

Background

There are many types of conventional dispenser closures, the function of which is generally satisfactory for the desired application. One type of prior art dispenser closure is required to include a body or base for attachment to the top of the container and to include a rotatable spout mounted on the base or body. Rotation of the nozzle in one direction lifts the nozzle slightly to open the dispensing opening in the base or body. Rotation of the nozzle in the opposite direction lowers the nozzle to close the dispensing opening. See, for example, the structure disclosed in U.S. patent No. 5,680,969.

Such prior art unscrewing/unscrewing devices perform well in their intended applications, and in other applications the user of the device may find the device to have somewhat unsightly aspects. In particular, when the nozzle is rotated upward to reach the fully open position, the nozzle is lifted upward along the bottom or body and a gap is formed along the body or bottom below the raised lower edge of the nozzle. This gap area is considered by some users to be unsightly. Also, if the dispenser closure is intended for bottled aquatic products, sports drink products, etc., which the user wishes to drink by inserting into the user's mouth, the gap may be perceived as somewhat uncomfortable if the user's lips are positioned around the gap.

It is therefore desirable to provide a dispenser closure system that allows a user to rotate the nozzle member to effect opening of the dispensing opening without creating a gap adjacent the nozzle.

It is also desirable to provide a dispenser closure system having a minimum number of parts to facilitate manufacture and assembly.

It would also be advantageous to provide a dispenser closure system having the ability to optionally accommodate the use of a pierceable or tearable liner or membrane, which seals over the dispensing passage. For example, some packages provide a liner on the bottom of the closure or on the top of the container neck. See, for example, U.S. patent nos. 6,045,004 and 5,853,109, which disclose a liner or membrane disposed over and sealing the open top of a container, which causes the liner to puncture or tear by initially pushing down on the closure top member. It would be desirable to provide a twist-on/twist-off dispenser closure having similar but optional capabilities for incorporating such liners and puncturing the liners by manipulation of the closure system without having to remove the closure system from the container.

It would also be advantageous to provide a dispenser closure system having the capability of accommodating optional tamper-evident structure that can facilitate indicating to a consumer that the dispenser closure system has been opened or tampered with.

In addition, it would be advantageous if the improved dispenser closure system could optionally be adapted for use with a cap to protect the dispensing nozzle prior to use.

It would also be advantageous if the dispenser closure system could be adapted to be manufactured from a variety of different materials.

It would also be advantageous if such an improved closure system could accommodate bottles, containers or packages of different shapes and made from a variety of materials.

Further, it would be advantageous if such an improved system could accommodate efficient, high quality, high speed, large scale manufacturing techniques, reduce product reject rates, thereby producing products with consistent operating performance, and with high reliability from unit to unit.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides an improved dispenser closure system for a container having an opening to the container interior. The user may conveniently manipulate the closure system to assume a closed configuration preventing flow from the container, or an open configuration allowing flow from the container.

The dispenser closure system does not have an aesthetically undesirable gap along the sides of the system or container when it is in either the open or closed configuration. The system thus reduces the presence of open areas or structures where unwanted product or dirt can accumulate, and the system also reduces edges or gaps that are uncomfortable for the user's fingers or lips.

The dispenser closure system of the present invention may optionally accommodate a tamper-evident structure, a pierceable membrane or liner structure and a top cap.

The dispenser closure system includes a body extending from the container at the container opening. The body includes (a) a base, (b) a conduit reciprocally movable relative to the base, and (c) a flexible wall connecting the conduit to the base. The conduit includes a discharge opening and a first sealing surface.

The dispenser closure system includes a spout carried on the body and rotatable relative thereto. The nozzle includes a dispensing opening and a second sealing surface that engages the first sealing surface.

The body and the nozzle together define a rotary-to-linear motion conversion drive system. The drive system is responsive to rotation of the nozzle in one direction to move the conduit in a first direction to a closed position in which the first and second sealing surfaces are in sealing engagement to close the nozzle dispensing opening. The drive system is also responsive to rotation of the nozzle in an opposite direction to move the conduit in a second direction opposite the first direction to an open position in which the conduit first sealing surface is spaced from the nozzle second sealing surface so as to be flowable from the conduit discharge opening through the nozzle dispensing opening.

The closure system may facilitate the joining of separate assemblies as a component defining a closure separate from but adapted to be mounted on a container. Such a closure may be incorporated in embodiments that are removably attached to the container, or in embodiments that are not removably attached to the container.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description of the invention, the claims and the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification, like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an exemplary dispenser closure system in the form of a split dispenser closure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the closure shown in a closed configuration on a container and viewed generally from a vantage point above the closure or from the top thereof;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the closure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but FIG. 4 shows the closure having been manipulated to orient it in the open configuration;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but FIG. 5 shows the components exploded from one another;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the dispenser closure system of the present invention; and

fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to fig. 3, but fig. 7 shows a third embodiment of the dispenser closure system of the present invention.

Detailed Description

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this specification and the accompanying drawings disclose only some specific forms as examples of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments so described. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

For ease of description, most of the figures illustrating the invention show the dispenser closure system in its typical orientation, i.e., at the top of the container when the container is stored upright with the bottom, and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, etc., are used with reference to this position. It will be understood that the dispenser closure system of the present invention can be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in orientations other than the described positions.

The dispenser closure system of the present invention is suitable for use with a variety of conventional or specialty containers having different configurations, the details of which, although not shown or described, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The container as described herein does not form part of the present invention per se and is therefore not intended to limit the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that novel and unobvious inventive aspects are embodied only in the exemplary closure systems described.

A presently preferred embodiment of the dispensing structure or dispenser closure system of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 and is generally referred to herein by the numeral 20 in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment shown, a dispensing structure or dispenser closure system 20 is provided in the form of a closure 20 adapted to be mounted on a container 22, which typically contains a fluent material. The container 22 includes a body 24 and a neck 26, as shown in FIG. 2. The neck 26 defines an opening 28 to the container interior. In the preferred embodiment shown in fig. 2, the container neck 26 has external male threads 58 for engagement with the closure 20.

The body 24 of the container 22 may have any suitable configuration and the upwardly projecting neck 26 has a different cross-sectional size and/or shape than the container body 24. Alternatively, the container 22 itself need not have a neck 26. Rather, the container 22 may include only a body with an opening. The container 22 may have one or more rigid walls or one or more slightly flexible walls.

Although the container itself need not form part of the broadest aspects of the invention itself, it will be understood that the dispensing structure or system 20 of the invention can be provided as an integral part or extension of the top of the container. However, in the preferred embodiment shown, the dispensing system 20 is a separate element (e.g., a closure) adapted to be removably or non-removably mounted on a pre-manufactured container 20 having an opening 28 to the container interior.

The closure 20 is suitable for use with a container 22 having an opening 28 to the container interior and the product contained therein. Closure 20 may be used with a variety of materials including, but not limited to, relatively low or high viscosity fluids, dairy products, gels, suspensions, mixtures, lotions, pastes, particles, granular materials, etc. that make up food products, personal care products, industrial or household cleaning products or other ingredients of matter (e.g., ingredients for activities involving manufacturing, commercial or household care, construction, agriculture, etc.).

The container 22 in which the closure 20 is used is typically a squeezable container having one or more flexible walls that are grasped and squeezed or compressed by the user to increase the pressure inside the container to force the product out of the container and through the closure. Such flexible container walls typically have sufficient inherent resiliency so that when the squeezing forces are removed, the container wall returns to its normal unstressed state. Such squeezable wall containers are preferred in many applications but not required or preferred in other applications. For example, in some applications it may be desirable to employ a generally rigid container and pressurize the container interior at selected times by a piston or other pressurizing system.

It is now contemplated that many applications employing closure 20 will most conveniently be accomplished by molding some or all of the components of closure 20 from one or more suitable thermoplastic and/or thermoset materials. In the preferred embodiment shown, each of the components of the closure is molded from a suitable thermoplastic material, such as polypropylene. The closure components may be molded separately from the same material or different materials. The materials may have the same or different colors and textures.

As shown in fig. 2, the closure system 20 includes two basic components, (1) a body 30, and (2) a spout 40 adapted to be carried on the body 30 and rotated relative to the body 30.

As shown in fig. 5, the closure body 30 includes a bottom or base 50 that includes a skirt 52 and an inwardly extending and generally annular platform 54. The inner surface of skirt 52 defines a female thread 56 for threaded engagement with a male thread 58 on container neck 26.

Alternatively, instead of threads 56, closure skirt 52 may be provided with some other container attachment means, such as a snap bead or groove (not shown), for engaging a container groove or bead (not shown) in the container neck, respectively. Depending on the materials used for the closure body 30 and container 22, the closure body 30 may also be permanently attached to the container 22 by induction melting, ultrasonic melting, bonding, or the like. The closure body 30 may also form an integral part or extension of the container 22.

The closure body skirt 52 may have any suitable configuration for accommodating the upwardly projecting neck 26 or other portion of the container 22, the container 22 being accommodated in the particular configuration of the closure body 30, and the main portion of the container 22 may have a different cross-sectional shape than the container neck 26 and the closure body 30.

An optional seal or liner 60 may be sealed on top of the container neck 26 or, alternatively, on the underside of the closure body deck 54. However, if it is not necessary or desirable to provide such a gasket 60 as a tamper-evident seal or a fresh seal in a particular situation, the gasket 60 may of course be omitted.

Also, if desired, the closure body 30 may be provided with an annular seal (not shown) extending downwardly from the underside of the closure body platform 54. Such a seal may be a "crab claw" shaped seal, a plug seal, or some other seal, depending on the particular application and depending on whether a gasket 60 is used.

With continued reference to fig. 5, the closure body base 50 includes a reduced diameter annular wall 62. At the upper end of the wall 62 there is an outwardly extending flange 64. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the reduced diameter wall 62 need not be employed. Rather, closure body base 50 may include a continuation of the upper portion of skirt 52 that extends upwardly above threads 56 at the same diameter as the portion of skirt 52 below threads 56. Indeed, the portion of the base 50 above the threads 56 even has a larger diameter than the portion of the skirt 52 at or below the threads 56.

As shown in fig. 5, the closure body 30 includes a cartridge or conduit 70 connected to the closure body bottom 50 by an intermediate generally annular flexible wall 80. The wall 80 extends around the periphery of the conduit 70 so as to provide a completely sealed area between the closure body base 50 and the exterior of the lower portion of the conduit 70. The flexible wall 80 accommodates vertical or reciprocating movement of the conduit 70 relative to the closure body base 50 (and relative to the container 22 when the closure body base 50 is mounted on the container 22).

In the preferred form of the invention shown, the closure body base 50 has a generally annular configuration, the flexible wall 80 has a generally frustoconical or annular configuration, and the conduit 70 has a generally annular configuration. However, these portions or elements of the closure body 30 may have other configurations. For example, the closure body base 50 may have a prismatic or polygonal configuration adapted to fit on top of a container neck having a polygonal configuration. Such prismatic or polygonal configurations are not suitable for use with threaded connections, but other means such as snap bead and groove arrangements or the like may be provided.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the conduit 70 is adapted to accommodate rotation of the nozzle 40, as described in detail below. To this end, in the preferred embodiment of the illustrated conduit 70, the conduit 70 has a generally annular configuration so as to accommodate rotation of the nozzle 40 thereon. However, in alternative embodiments (not shown), the majority of the conduit 70 need not be annular, but rather have other configurations, such as polygonal or prismatic configurations, so long as at least a portion of the conduit 70 interacts with the nozzle 40 as part of a rotary-to-linear motion conversion drive system, the form of which is described in detail below.

The conduit 70 defines an internal vent passage 84 that is open at the bottom and opens into the interior region defined by the hollow closure body bottom 50. Characterized in that the hollow body bottom 50 and the conduit 70 may together define a vent passage extending from one end of the closure body 30 to the other end of the closure body 30. The discharge passage can be considered to extend through the closure body 30 from at least the upper end or opening of the container interior 26 to the upper end of the closure body 30 when the closure body 30 is mounted on the container neck 26 (fig. 4).

The upper end of the closure body 30 is defined by the upper end of a conduit 70 having one or more discharge openings 90 (fig. 2). As shown in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment, there are three arcuate discharge openings 90 defined between three inwardly extending support walls or ribs 94 (two ribs 94 are visible in FIG. 2). The inwardly extending ribs 94 support the center plug 100 as shown in fig. 2 and 5. The catheter plug 100 includes a generally cylindrical outer first sealing surface 116, as shown in fig. 2 and 5.

Extending radially outwardly around the opening 90 and the rib 94 is an annular bead defining a sliding seal 101 (fig. 2) for sealingly engaging the nozzle 40, as explained in detail below.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the bottom end of the conduit 70 has a sharp bottom edge with a portion of its perimeter extending downwardly slightly beyond the remainder of the bottom end perimeter to define a point or puncture area 110.

The nozzle 40 includes a skirt 120 and an annular top land 122 (fig. 5) that defines the dispensing opening 42. Extending downwardly from the underside of the top platform 122 is an annular flange 124. The inner surface of the annular flange 124 is slightly inclined outwardly to define a tapered surface 126, as shown in fig. 5. A generally cylindrical second sealing surface 130 extends upwardly from the tapered surface 126 and defines an inner surface of the dispensing opening 42. The nozzle second sealing surface 130 is adapted to sealingly engage or be sealingly engaged by the conduit plug first sealing surface 116, as shown in fig. 3.

As shown in fig. 5, the nozzle skirt 120 includes a radially inwardly extending snap bead 140 at its lower end. As shown in fig. 3, the nozzle skirt snap bead 140 is adapted to snap under and engage the radially outwardly extending closure body lip 64. The nozzle skirt 120 is sufficiently flexible and resilient to temporarily accommodate a sufficient amount of circumferential outward deflection or expansion of the skirt 120 to allow the skirt curl 140 to pass the closure body lip 64 and then snap inwardly thereunder. To facilitate this installation and engagement process, the upper portion of the closure body lip 64 is beveled or tapered, and the nozzle skirt bead 140 has a similarly oriented bevel or taper.

The closure body 30 and spout 40 together define a rotary-to-linear motion conversion drive system which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, includes four generally helical cam grooves or tracks 150 (FIG. 5) defined in the inner surface of a wall 160 depending from the underside of the spout platform 122 and four cams and cam followers 170 (FIG. 5) projecting radially outwardly from the outer surface of the conduit 70. Each cam 170 is adapted to be received in one of the four cam tracks 150.

As shown in fig. 3, the spout 40 may begin to be rotated over the cam 170 until the spout skirt snap bead 140 snaps under the closure body lip 64 and the spout dispensing opening is closed by the conduit plug 100 such that the conduit first sealing surface 116 sealingly engages the spout second sealing surface 130 (fig. 3).

When it is desired to open the container 22, the nozzle 40 may be rotated in one direction (counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1). Since the spout 40 is maintained at a fixed height on the closure body 30 by the engagement between the lip 64 of the closure body 30 and the spout skirt bead 140, the spout 40 is only rotated without any translational or axial movement. Rotational torque is transmitted as an axial force through the cam track 150 engaging the conduit cam 170 to the conduit 70 and causes the conduit 70 to move downwardly from the high closed position shown in fig. 3 to the low open position shown in fig. 4. As the catheter 70 is moved downwardly, the annular flexible wall 80 deforms or deflects as necessary to accommodate the downward movement, and the piercing portion 110 of the catheter 70 pierces the pad 60 (if an optional pad 60 is provided in the package). The downward motion of the catheter 70 severs and forces the flaps 190 of the liner 60 downward so that the flaps hang generally vertically below a small, unbroken portion positioned approximately 180 degrees from the catheter bottom edge point 110.

The downward movement of the conduit 70 terminates when the flexible wall 80 reaches the limit of its downward deformed orientation, as shown in fig. 4. The user's effort to rotate the nozzle 40 further in the opening direction (counterclockwise in fig. 1) to move the conduit 70 further downward encounters a resistance or restriction on the conduit 70 by the deformed flexible wall 80, and the user finds it impossible to continue rotating the nozzle 40 in the opening direction. This provides a tactile indication to the user that the liner 60 has been properly punctured and/or that the closure 20 is in the fully open state as shown in fig. 4.

When the closure 20 is in the fully open condition shown in fig. 4, the user can tilt or invert the package to facilitate the flow of the fluent product under the influence of gravity. If the container 22 has one or more flexible walls, the container 22 can be squeezed to further assist in dispensing the product.

After the desired amount of product has been dispensed, the package may be rotated back to its upright orientation, and the user may rotate the spout 40 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in fig. 1) to drive the conduit 70 upward to the fully closed condition shown in fig. 3.

When closure 20 is in the fully closed condition, as shown in fig. 3, flexible wall 80 is moved back to its upwardly inclined orientation and further upward movement of conduit 70 is prevented by cam 170 abutting the upper end of cam receiving recess 150. Thus, the user cannot rotate the nozzle 40 further in the clockwise direction.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, it will be appreciated that the spout 40 is always maintained at the same axial position or at the same elevation relative to the closure body 30. In addition, the closure body skirt 52 is maintained at the same height or fixed position relative to the container 22 and nozzle 40. By rotating the spout 40 to open or close the closure, the operation of the closure 20 does not create any gaps.

The inner surface of the nozzle inner wall 160 above the helical cam groove 150 is in sealing contact with the sealing bead 101 at the upper end of the closure body as shown in figure 3. This provides a continuous sealed dispensing passage defined by the nozzle wall 160 and the interior of the conduit 70 during the opening (and closing) of the system by movement of the conduit 70 up and down.

It will be appreciated that the liner 60 need not be employed. If the gasket 60 is not used, the conduit 70 need not have a sharply cut bottom edge and may terminate at the flexible wall 80 (i.e., not extend below the wall).

In an alternative embodiment shown in fig. 6, the interior of closure spout 40A snaps over upwardly projecting annular wall 62A of the closure body. To this end, the closure body wall 62A defines a radially inwardly extending annular bead 63A, and the spout 40A defines a downwardly extending flange 160A having a radially outwardly extending annular bead 65A for engaging the bead 63A by snap engagement.

The conduit 70A is connected to the closure body wall 62A by a flexible wall 80A. Likewise, the outer surface of conduit 70A includes threads 71A that engage threads 73A on the inside of nozzle wall 160A. The threaded engagement between threads 71A and 73A functionally replaces the cam track and cam follower arrangement described with reference to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5. Other aspects of the second embodiment shown in fig. 6 may be substantially the same as or similar to corresponding features of the first embodiment shown in fig. 1-5.

Fig. 7 shows a third embodiment of the closure system, wherein the spout 40B surrounds a cam follower conduit 70B connected to the closure body wall 62B by a flexible wall 80B. The flexible wall 80B includes a thickened ring section 81B and a thin groove or connecting section 83B. The configuration of the wall 80B may provide increased translational flexibility while maintaining annular stability as the nozzle 40B is rotated to open or close the system. Other features of the third embodiment closure are substantially the same as the corresponding features of the first embodiment described with reference to figures 1 to 5.

It will also be appreciated that the dispenser closure system 20 of the present invention may be conveniently designed in combination with suitable tamper-indicating and/or child-resistant features. Such structure may be incorporated into the structure of the closure body and/or include a header structure or shrink film system (not shown). For example, it will be appreciated that a tamper-evident band (not shown) may be employed between the closure body 30 and the container 22 if desired. Such a tamper-evident band may be suspended from the bottom edge of the closure body skirt by a frangible connection and have a turned bottom edge for engagement with the underside of the flange on the container.

The closure body 30 may also be non-removably attached to the container regardless of whether a tamper-evident band is employed.

In addition, if desired, a cap (not shown) may be mounted on the closure body 30 to cover and protect the closure spout 40. Such a cap may be a completely separate component or such a cap may be attached to the closure body 30 by a suitable hinge or strap.

A closure body such as the body 30 shown in fig. 5 may be bi-injection molded such that a different, more flexible material may be used for the flexible wall 80, while a less flexible material is used for other portions of the closure body 30.

It will also be understood that the dispensing system of the present invention need not be provided as a separate closure for the container. But the closure body 30 may be molded as an integral part of the container 22. The container can be molded to have (1) an initially open bottom end, (2) a peripheral wall defining an upper end of the container top end opening and (3) an integral closure body portion extending radially inwardly from the container peripheral wall above the container top end opening to form an integral portion of the container upper end and to define a top end closure body wall 62, a flexible wall 80 and a conduit 70. The nozzle 40 may then be installed to close the closure. The container can then be filled with product through the open bottom end, and the open bottom end can then be sealingly closed by suitable means such as heat assisted deformation or the use of a separate bottom closure plug or lid.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the invention that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts or principles of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. A dispenser closure system (20) for a container (22) having an opening (28) to the container interior, the dispenser closure system (20) comprising:

a body (30) for extending from the container (22) at the opening (28), the body (30) including (a) a bottom (50), (b) a conduit (70) reciprocating relative to the bottom (50), and (c) a flexible wall (80) connecting the conduit (70) to the bottom (50), the conduit (70) including a discharge opening (84) and a first sealing surface (116); and

a nozzle (40) carried on and rotatable relative to the body (30), the nozzle including at least one dispensing opening (42) and a second sealing surface (130) for engagement with the first sealing surface (116);

the body (30) and the nozzle (40) together defining a relatively rotatable system whereby the nozzle (40) causes linear movement of the conduit (70), and the system (1) is responsive to rotation of said nozzle (40) in a predetermined direction to move said conduit (70) in a first direction to a closed position, in which said first and second sealing surfaces (116, 130) are in sealing engagement to close said nozzle dispensing opening (42), and (2) responsive to rotation of said nozzle (40) in a direction opposite said predetermined direction to move said conduit (70) in a second direction opposite said first direction to an open position, in which the conduit first sealing surface (116) is spaced from the nozzle second sealing surface (130) to permit fluid to flow from the conduit discharge opening (84) through the nozzle dispensing opening (42).

2. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which,

the system is a closure for one end of the container, wherein the container end defines the container opening.

3. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 2 in which,

the closure is a separate component from the container; and

the body is removably attached to the container end above the container opening.

4. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which said base includes threads for threaded engagement with mating threads on a container.

5. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which said flexible wall has a generally annular configuration which deforms as said conduit moves between said closed and open positions.

6. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which said system is for use on a container having a sealing liner over the container opening and said spout includes a cutting edge for at least partially cutting through the sealing liner, said sealing liner over the container opening being cut to allow fluid in the container to exit.

7. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which said conduit has (1) a generally annular wall, and (2) a center plug supported by a plurality of ribs extending radially inwardly from said annular wall, whereby said at least one dispensing opening is defined between two of said ribs, said plug and said annular wall.

8. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 7 in which,

the first sealing surface is defined on a peripheral surface area of the plug;

said conduit annular wall including a sliding annular sealing bead surrounding said rib, plug and dispensing opening; and

the nozzle includes a skirt and an inner annular wall defining an inner surface for engaging the sealing bead.

9. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 8 in which said plug peripheral surface area is cylindrical.

10. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which said second sealing surface is an inner cylindrical surface.

11. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which,

the catheter includes an outwardly extending cam; and

the nozzle includes a cam track for receiving the cam.

12. The dispenser closure system according to claim 1, wherein said spout includes (a) a peripheral skirt, (b) a top deck defining said dispensing opening, and (c) a flange extending from said top deck around said dispensing opening, said flange defining said second sealing opening.

13. The dispensing closure system in accordance with claim 1 in which,

the base defining a peripheral lip; and

the spout defines a bead for engaging the lip to retain the spout on the base for rotation of the spout relative to the base.