WO1998005930A1

WO1998005930A1 - Granulated substance dispenser cap

Info

Publication number: WO1998005930A1
Application number: PCT/AU1997/000484
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Michael Styles; Clarence Boyd Nelson
Original assignee: LEARN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: LEARN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1996-07-31
Filing date: 1997-07-31
Publication date: 1998-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1999-01-31

Abstract

A dispenser cap (10, 1010) for granular or like materials (100) has a first chamber (20, 1020) connectable to a container (200) to which the cap (10, 1010) is fitted or provided and a second chamber (25, 1025) from which the granular material (100) is dispensed in fixed volumes. A thumb-operated member (30, 1030) selectively moved a hinged wall member (19) to allow the granular material (100) to flow from the first chamber (20, 1020) to the second chamber (25, 1025) and then from the dispensing outlet (26, 1026).

Description

TITLE: "GRANULATED SUBSTANCE DISPENSER CAP"

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a granulated substance

5 dispenser cap.

The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited to,

the dispensing of granulated substances from containers in substantially

pre-set volumes or dosages; the cap may be formed integrally with, or be

releasably mountable on, the containers for the granulated substances. 0 The term "granulated substances" shall include granules,

powders including coarse powders, fine spherical materials (eg., non-

pariels or "hundreds-and-thousands"), fine grains, fine seeds and the like

particulate materials.

Particular examples include granulated coffee, sesame

5 seeds, poppy seeds, coarse ground pepper and the like.

2. PRIOR ART

Examples of prior art particulate material dispensers are- disclosed in research disclosure RD 319075; Patent US 4346823-A;

Patent GB 1582628-A; Patent GB 1389433-A; Patent ZA 7704328-A and

o Patent WO 96/18087 (= PCT/AU95/00824).

Problems with the known dispensers include: (i) their

inability to dispense pre-set or predetermined volumes of material; (ii) they

are prone to clogging or blockage; (iii) and their complexity (in arrangement and/or operation).

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention seeks to overcome, or ameliorate, at least one of the problems of known dispensers.

In a first aspect, the present invention resides in a method of

dispensing a granulated substance (as hereinbefore defined) using a

dispenser cap having a first chamber adapted to communicate with a

container containing the granulated substance, and a second chamber,

connected by an inlet to the first chamber, having a dispensing outlet, the

method including the steps of: closing the dispensing outlet with a second closure member

and opening the inlet with a first closure member, the closure members

being operably connected to an operating member;

at least partially inverting the container (from an initial

orientation) to enable a predetermined volume or dosage of the

granulated substance to flow from the first chamber to the second

chamber, the dispensing outlet being closed;

returning the container to its original orientation and operating the operating member to cause the first closure member to at

least partially close the inlet, to at least partially isolate the second

chamber from the first chamber, and to cause the second closure member

to open the dispensing outlet; and at least partially inverting the container to enable the predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated substance to be

dispensed from the second chamber through the dispensing outlet.

In a second aspect, the present invention resides in a

granulated substance dispenser cap including: a first chamber, adapted to communicate with a container

containing the granulated substance (as hereinbefore defined) to be

dispensed;

a second chamber, adapted to receive a predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated substance, having an inlet

connectable to the first chamber, and a dispensing outlet;

a first closure member operable to selectively close the inlet

to isolate the second chamber from the first chamber; a second closure member, operable to selectively open or close the dispensing outlet; and

an operating member operably connected to the first and

second closure members; so arranged that:

a predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated-

substance is receivable in the second chamber when the inlet is open and

the dispensing outlet is closed, and then the predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated substance is dispensable when the inlet is at

least partially closed and the dispensing outlet is open.

Preferably, the inlet is at least partially closed, or closed,

before the dispensing outlet becomes open. When the inlet is closed, the second chamber is isolated

from the first chamber to prevent the granulated substance from flowing

from the first chamber (and the container), through the second chamber,

to the dispensing outlet, in an uncontrolled flow.

The dispenser cap may be removably or fixably mounted on the container, or may be formed integrally therewith. Preferably, the cap

provides the upper portion of the side wall(s) and top wall of the container.

The dispenser cap may be circular, square, rectangular or other shape in

plan view. Preferably, a peripheral side wall (or walls) may be releasably

coupled to the side wall(s) of the container, eg., by a screw-threaded, bayonet-type or other releasable coupling means; may be permanently

secured to the side wall(s) of the container, eg., by adhesives, RF

welding, roll-forming or the like; or may be formed integrally with the side

wall(s) of the container. Preferably, the dispenser cap is injection-moulded from a

suitable plastics material in two components which are assembled

together. One component may include the operating member and the-

second closure member.

Sealing materials may be provided to ensure sealing

engagement between the dispenser cap and the container and/or

between the second closure member and the dispensing outlet.

Preferably, the second chamber is defined, in part, by a

flexible wall carrying a flange, the flexible wall being movable by the operating member to cause the flange to engage a fixed wall portion of the first chamber to provide the first closure means.

The operating member may incorporate a finger or thumb-

operated portion operable to move the operating member between a first

position where the inlet is open and the dispensing outlet is closed; a

second position where the inlet is at least partially closed and the

dispensing outlet is closed; and a third position where the inlet is closed

and the dispensing outlet is open.

Preferably, the operating means includes a link member

which interconnects the first and second closure members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying

drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 to 5 are sectional side views showing the steps of

operation of a first embodiment of the dispensing cap;

FIGS. 6 to 8 are respective top plan, side elevation and end- elevational views of the dispensing cap;

FIG. 9 is a sectional side view of the dispensing cap on an

enlarged scale; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional side views of a second

embodiment of the dispenser cap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a granulated substance 100 (eg.,

coffee granules) are contained in a container 200, having a side wall 201 ,

bottom wall 202 and a mouth 203, the latter being closed by the dispenser

cap 10 to be hereinafter described in more detail, with additional

references to FIGS. 6 to 9.

The dispenser cap 10 has a peripheral side wall 11 (circular

in plan view) and a top wall 12 to define a first chamber 20. The side wall

11 is sealably connected or coupled to the upper portion 204 of the side wall 201 of the container, surrounding the mouth 203. A granular sealing

gasket 13 is provided to ensure the dispenser cap 10 is sealably mounted

on the container 200.

A pair of raised formations 14, 15 are provided each side of

an upwardly inclined portion 16 of the top wall 12 and have inwardly-

directed pin members 17 for the purpose to be hereinafter described. In

addition, the raised formations 14, 15 have inwardly-directed projections- 18, also to be hereinafter described.

A wall member 19 has a flange 21 and is hingedly mounted

via a connecting member 22 to the central portion of a substantially U-

shaped side wall 23 extending above the top wall 12 forwardly of the raised portions 14, 15. The wall member 19 has clearance from the side

portions of the wall 23. The wall member 19 is movable by an operating member, to be hereinafter described, so that the flange 21 can engage the inclined wall 16 to selectively close an inlet 24 between the first chamber 20 and

the second chamber 25, which has a dispensing outlet 26.

An operating member 30 has a pair of spaced side flanges

31 pivotally mounted on the pins 17 on the raised portions 14, 15 and a

thumb operated portion 32 at one distal end. The thumb operated portion

32 is releasably engageable by the stops 18 when the dispensing outlet

26 is open. The side flanges can enter the clearance between the wall

members 19 and the side portions of the wall 23.

A dispensing cap 27 is formed integrally with the operating

member 30, is adapted to engage the side wall 23 around the second chamber 25 and is movable to selectively open or close the dispensing outlet 26.

A flange 33 on the underside of the operating member 30 is

operable to engage a hook-like portion 28 on the inclined wall 16,

adjacent the inlet 24, to prevent material escaping from the second -

chamber 25, between the operating member 30 and the inclined wall 16,

when the dispensing outlet 26 is closed. A sealing gasket 29 is provided

on the underside of the dispensing lid 27 to sealably engage the wall 23 and the hook-like portion 28 when the dispensing outlet 26 is closed.

A connecting link 34 extends downwardly from the

dispensing lid 27 and is engageable in a slot 35 in the wall 19. The operation of the dispensing cap 10 will now be

described.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the container 200 is upright, the inlet 24

is open and the dispensing outlet 26 is closed.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the container 200 is partially

inverted and the granulated material 100 commences flowing through the first chamber 20 and the inlet 24, until the second chamber 25 is filled.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the container 200 is returned to its

original position and a pre-set volume 101 of the granulated substance

100 remains within the second chamber 25.

Referring now to FIG. 4, as the thumb portion 32 of the

operating member is depressed, the connecting link 34 causes the flexible

wall 19 to hinge upwardly until the flange 21 engages the hook-like portion 28 of the inclined wall 16 to close the inlet 24. The first and second chambers 20, 25 are now isolated. As the inlet 24 is being closed, the

dispensing outlet 26 may begin to open.

As the thumb portion 32 is further depressed, the dispensing-

lid 27 opens, or continues to open, the dispensing outlet 26 so that on

inversion of the container 200 (see FIG 5), the pre-set volume 101 of the

granulated substance 100 is dispensed.

As the dispensing lid 27 is sealed to the side wall 23, and the dispensing cap 10 is sealably engaged on the container 200, moisture

from the surrounding air cannot enter the container 200 to cause the granulated substance 100 contained therein to become damp and cloggy.

Referring to the second embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 ,

the raised portions 14, 15 of the first embodiment are omitted, and the

dispenser cap is arranged with the operating member 1030 having a

hinge member 1031 hingedly located in a formation 1017 formed on the

upper surface of the inclined portion 1016 of the top wall 1012.

The peripheral side wall 1011 has an internal screw thread 1050 to enable releasable coupling with a complementary screw-threaded

formation (not shown) on the upper portion of the side wall of the

container 200.

The flange 1021 engages the underside of a planar portion

1028 on the inclined portion 1016 of the top wall 1012 and the dispensing

lid 1027 has a peripheral side wall 1060 to sealably engage the side wall

1023 of the second chamber 1025 and also the portion 1028 on the

inclined portion 1016 of the top wall 1012.

As illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 11 , an annular bead or

rim 1090 may be moulded on the underside of the cap 1010 to engage

the rim of a jar (not shown) to improve the sealing engagement between the cap and the jar.

The dispenser cap 1010 operates in the same manner as for

the dispenser cap 10.

The dispenser cap 10, 1010 can be moulded in two parts, eg., from plastics material(s) and readily assembled. It will be noted that the wall 19, 1019 between the first chamber 20, 1020 and the second chamber 25, 1025 can be hingedly connected to the connecting member

22, 1022 by a weakened hinge line 70, 1070.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the

dispenser cap enables a predetermined volume or dosage of the

granulated substance to be dispensed; and the likelihood of blockage or

clogging is small; and the cap can be easily manufactured and operated.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without departing from the present

invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of dispensing a granulated substance (as

hereinbefore defined) using a dispenser cap having a first chamber

adapted to communicate with a container containing the granulated

substance, and a second chamber, connected by an inlet to the first

chamber, having a dispensing outlet, the method including the steps of:

closing the dispensing outlet with a second closure member

and opening the inlet with a first closure member, the closure members

being operably connected to an operating member;

at least partially inverting the container (from an initial

orientation) to enable a predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated substance to flow from the first chamber to the second

chamber, the dispensing outlet being closed;

returning the container to its original orientation and

operating the operating member to cause the first closure member to at

least partially close the inlet, to at least partially isolate the second chamber from the first chamber, and to cause the second closure member -

to open the dispensing outlet; and

at least partially inverting the container to enable the predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated substance to be dispensed from the second chamber through the dispensing outlet.

2. A granulated substance dispenser cap including: a first chamber, adapted to communicate with a container containing the granulated substance (as hereinbefore defined) to be dispensed;

a second chamber, adapted to receive a predetermined

volume or dosage of the granulated substance, having an inlet

connectable to the first chamber, and a dispensing outlet;

a first closure member operable to selectively close the inlet to isolate the second chamber from the first chamber;

a second closure member, operable to selectively open or close the dispensing outlet; and

an operating member operably connected to the first and

second closure members; so arranged that:

a predetermined volume or dosage of the granulated

substance is receivable in the second chamber when the inlet is open and

the dispensing outlet is closed, and then the predetermined volume or

dosage of the granulated substance is dispensable when the inlet is at

least partially closed and the dispensing outlet is open.

3. A cap as claimed in Claim 2, wherein:

the inlet is at least partially closed, or closed, before the

dispensing outlet becomes open.

4. A cap as claimed in Claim 3, wherein:

when the inlet is closed, the second chamber is isolated

from the first chamber to prevent the granulated substance from flowing

from the first chamber (and the container), through the second chamber, to the dispensing outlet, in an uncontrolled flow.

5. A cap as claimed in any one of the Claims 2 to 4, wherein:

the dispenser cap is removably or fixably mounted on the

container, or is formed integrally therewith.

6. A cap as claimed in Claim 5, wherein:

the cap provides the upper portion of side wall(s) and top

wall of the container, and is circular, square, rectangular or other shape in

plan view.

7. A cap as claimed in Claim 6, wherein:

a peripheral side wall (or walls) is releasably coupled to the

side wall(s) of the container by a screw-threaded, bayonet-type or other

releasable coupling means is permanently secured to the side wall(s) of

the container, by adhesives, RF welding, roll-forming or the like; or is

formed integrally with the side wall(s) of the container.

8. A cap as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 7, wherein:

the cap is injection-moulded from a suitable plastics material in two components which are assembled together, one of the components-

including the operating member and the second closure member.

9. A cap as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 8, wherein:

sealing materials are provided to ensure sealing

engagement between the cap and the container and/or between the

second closure member and the dispensing outlet.

10. A cap as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 9, wherein: the second chamber is defined, in part, by a flexible wall carrying a flange, the flexible wall being movable by the operating

member to cause the flange to engage a fixed wall portion of the first

chamber to provide the first closure means.

11. A cap as claimed in Claim 10, wherein:

the operating member incorporates a finger or thumb-

operated portion operable to move the operating member between a first

position where the inlet is open and the dispensing outlet is closed; a

second position where the inlet is at least partially closed and the

dispensing outlet is closed; and a third position where the inlet is closed

and the dispensing outlet is open.

12. A cap as claimed in Claim 11 , wherein: the operating means includes a link member which

interconnects the first and second closure members.

13. A container fitted or provided with a cap as claimed in any

one of Claims 2 to 12.

14. A container fitted or provided with a cap operable by the-

method as claimed in Claim 1.