Collapsible tube and cap therefor

March 28, 1939. g. w. temple 2,152,001

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE AND CAP THEREFOR

Filed April 7, 1938 ·

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Patented Mar. 28, 1939

2,152,001

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,152,001

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE AND CAP THEREFOR ^GNew York, Ν» Y., assignor to Victor Metal Products Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York

Application April 7, 1938, Serial No. 200,039

Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible tubes and particularly to the means for sealing and' un. sealing the closure thereof. During the time between the filling &lt; of the collapsible tube and 5 the first use of the contents thereof, evaporation and leakage sometimes occur. This is particularly true in connection with tubes provided with a cap and a washer or sealing disc in the cap, which sealing disc is intended to be forced against K) the rim surrounding the opening at the neck end of the tube to seal the tube. Sometimes, the cap is not screwed down tightly enough to properly seal the tube with the result that the contents may leak or evaporate somewhat during 15 shipment and handling and before the tube reaches the ultimate consumer.

This invention, therefore, contemplates the provision of means integral with the tube for sealing the neck end thereof and of means on 20 ^{the ca}P for unsealing the tube for the first time when the contents thereof are flrst dispensed.

This invention further contemplates the provision of an integral sealing film at the neck ₂₃ end of the tube, which film is sufficiently thin to be readily punctured or otherwise opened and of a cap provided with means for cutting the film on the proper manipulation thereof.

The various objects of the invention will be ₃₀ clear from the description which follows and from the drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in section of my improved tube and of the cap therefor as these parts appear before the flrst 35 use of the tube.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same as it appears after the sealing film has been cut and the tube is in use, showing the sealing cap.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the cap.

₄₀ Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the modified form of the cap, partly in section wherein cutting teeth or serrations are provided on the cap for the purpose of more easily cutting or rupturing the sealing film.

₄₅ Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the same.

In the practical embodiment of the invention which I have shown by way of example, the tube 10 is of the usual construction, being provided with the neck II having the external threads 12 50 thereon adapted to engage the internal threads I3_of the cap 14. At the upper end of the neck 11 is provided the integral thin sealing film 15, made of one piece with and of the same material as the remainder of the neck and normally 55 closing the opening 16 in the neck. Said film is (Cl. 221—60) extremely thin and readily puncturable, but is of sufficient thickness to resist rupture thereof during ordinary handling of the tube or even when considerable pressure is exerted upon the contents. The film normally seals the contents .

• of the tube against evaporation or leakage until * the film is cut or ruptured. The cap 14 is normally assembled with the tube by partly engaging the threads 12 and 13, the cap, however, not being screwed down all the way on to the neck but only ₁₀enough to prevent accidental loss thereof. In other words, the cap is only partly screwed on to the neck of the cap for an insufficient distance to cause the film thereof to be cut or ruptured by the film-cutting means hereinafter to be described, or the cap may be supplied separately from the tube if desired.

For rupturing the sealing film 14, an annular inner wall 17 depends from the top of the cap parallel to and concentric with the skirt portion _M18 of the cap and inwardly thereof and of less ^Wlength than the skirt. The wall 17 is provided with a lowermost film cutting edge 19 formed by the outer Inclined surface 20 and the inner inclined surface 21, said surfaces having prefer ably inclinations. “

The inclination of said walls 20 and 21 is such that the cap may be readily molded of plastic material and removed from the mold core in the usual manner by unscrewing the cap from said _9ncore. When the user receives the tube with the parts in the position of Fig. 1 and is ready to use the tube, he need merely rotate the cap 14 in the proper direction to carry the edge 10 downwardly and thereby to cut and remove the _9Κfilm 15 and to expose the opening 16. On the removal of the cap, the contents may then be dispensed in the usual manner. After part of the contents of the tube have been thus dispensed for the flrst time, the cap 14 is tightened into the position of Fig. 2 in which the wall 17 enters the ⁴⁰outlet opening of the neck, whereby the uppermost surface 22 of the neck engages the lowermost surface 23 of the cap between the skirt 18 thereof and the wall 17, a suitable washer being in- « terposed between the neck top and the cap, if ™ desired. The inclined surface 30 of the cap at the top of the wall 17 also engages and seals the inner neck part of the tube.

In that form of the invention shown in Figg _m4 and 5, a series of suitable teeth as 25 are pro- ^Wvided on the walls 20 and 21 by means of meeting surfaces as 26 and 27. The surfaces 27 are of the same or of a lesser pitch than the pitch of the threads 13 while the degree of inclination of « : 3,169,001 the surfaces 26 is preferably, though not necessarily, greater than that of the surface 27. By this means, points are provided at the teeth 16, which points are adapted more readily to cut 5 and remove the film 15. By reason of the fact that the pitch or inclination of the surfaces 21 is the same or less than that of the threads 13, the cap may readily be molded of plastic material and removed from the mold core in the ordinary 10 manner by unscrewing the cap from the core, since the surfaces 27 will rise from the top of the core on the rotation of the cap without interference with the core.

It will be seen that I have provided a sealed 15 tube together with means for readily and effectively removing the seal when the contents are to be dispensed, that the cap means for cutting the seal is simple, efficient and easily manufactured and I have, therefore, provided a struc20 ture well adapted to meet the requirements of practical use.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, 2« but intend to claim the invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.