Roller applicator supporting means

April 2, 1963

Filed March 9, 1961

R. h thomas 3,083,397

ROLLER APPLICATOR SUPPORTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1

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ATTORNEY

April 2, 1963

Filed March 9, 1961

R. h thomas 3,083,397 roller applicator supporting means

Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTORNEY

R- h thomas 3,083,397

ROLLER APPLICATOR SUPPORTING MEANS

April 2, 1963

Filed March 9, 1961

Sheets-Sheet 3

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ΛΤΤΟΚΜΕΥ'

United States Patent Office ^S ®^S3’³⁹⁷ _____________ Patented Apr. 2, 1963

3,083,397

ROLLER APPLICATOR SUPPORTING MEANS Ralph H. Thomas, Clark, NJ., assignor to Bristol-Myers

Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 9,1961, Ser. No. 94,600 5

Claims. (Cl. 15—574)

The present invention pertains to fluid dispensing containers having a rotatable applicator top and more particularly to a mounting assembly therefor and means for 10 resiliency supporting and sealing the rotatable applicator within the container mouth.

Fluid dispensing containers utilizing a spherical ball usually have the ball supported within the mouth of the container by an annular ring encompassing a lower minor 15 portion of the ball or by a series of projections bearing on a lower portion of the ball. Substantially identical means as used for supporting a spherical ball are employed for other types of rotatable applicators such as discs or elongated cylinders, or these non-spherical appli- 20 cators may be supported by an axial shaft forming part of a supporting assembly for the non-spherical applicator. However, the prior art dispensers, and particularly those utilizing a non-spherical applicator supported by an axial shaft, often suffer from a number of shortcomings. 25 Illustratively, such prior art dispensers do not have effective sealing means or are difficult to seal; the roller is susceptible of binding within the dispensing opening; they require a plurality of machined parts; they require a plurality of balanced springs; or they are supported by 30 substantially unyielding or nonresilient means.

It is an object of the invention to provide a roller dispenser applicator which can be easily and effectively sealed to prevent escape of even the most mobile fluids from the dispenser. 35

It is another object of the invention to provide supporting means of a roller applicator and particularly for a non-spherical roller which does not require a multiplicity of machined parts or balanced springs, and which greatly eliminates binding of the roller. 40

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention generally comprises a container having a fluid reservoir and a flanged open end. A resilient casing or closure comprising a hollow, sleeve-like member is provided having an open, lower annular extremity for re- ⁴³movable attachment to the flange of the container. The other, upper or outer extremity of the Casing member has a closed diaphragm provided with at least one dispensing opening. The casing has an inner transverse annular groove above the extremity attached to the container. A ⁵θ resilient annular washer carrying an upstanding yoke is attached within this annular groove to the casing. The washer has a thickened outer rim. An axial shaft concentrically supporting the rotatable member is mounted on the yoke with a minor portion of the rotatable member ⁵³extending through the opening and projecting therebeyond. Rotation of the roller permits liquid to be transferred through the dispensing opening to the exterior of the container for ready application after the portion of the roller within the casing member has been contacted θθ with, the liquid. The walls of the resilient casing are provided externally thereof with cammable surfaces. A cap relatively rigid as compared to the resilient casing is adapted for removable attachment to the container adjacent the open end thereof. The cap is provided internal- 65 ly with camming surfaces for engagement with the cammable surfaces whereby, when the cap is secured to the container, the walls of the resilient casing are deformed. Deformation of the casing causes a deformation of the outer rim of the washer downwardly, which in turn 70 produces an upward motion of the inner washer rim and associated yoke, shaft and roller into a tight sealing en gagement with the walls of the dispensing opening to prevent escape of fluid from the container. The dispensing opening is smaller than the roller, permitting an upper minor portion of the roller to project therethrough. The walls defining the casing opening form a seal with the roller when the latter is moved upwardly and wedged within the opening. The outline of the dispensing opening comorms to that of a minor portion of the roller so that an effective seal is produced.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings wherein identical numerals refer to identical parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partly cut away perspective view of the applying end of an assembled fluid dispenser and cap;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of the applying end of tne dispenser of FIG. 1 with the cap removed;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional elevation of a dispenser carrying an elongated cylindrical roller with a cap attached thereto;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional elevation taken on the lines 4—4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional elevation of a modified means for. sealing and supporting the roller dispenser;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional elevation of the dispenser ^of Z?®^{- 5 with a ca}P attached thereto in sealing position.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the applying end of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the cap removed therefromand

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the applying end of to® dispenser Of FIG. 5 with the cap removed therefrom. ^er™^{s now to dle} drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-4 and 7. The dispenser comprises generally a container 16 forming a liquid reservoir. The container 16 is provided with an open end 17 having a flange 18 extending about the periphery thereof and with exterior screw threads 19.

A closure member or easing 24 is provided having an open lower, ring-like portion 22 provided interiorly thereof with a groove 23 for engagement with the container flange 18. The closure member is also provided with an upper portion comprising a generally elliptical nead which is closed by a web or diaphragm 26 provided with at least one dispensing opening 27.

The closure member 24 is provided about the interior walls thereof with a second groove 38 for reception of a rim 39 of an annular washer designated generally by the numeral 41. The washer 41 bears opposed upright posts or yoke 42 having U-shaped upper extremities defaning bearing sockets 43 for the reception therein of the ends of the shaft 31. The washer 41 may comprise a single, molded or otherwise fabricated piece of suitable material which preferably is constructed of the same resihently deformable material from which the closure member. 24 is constructed. The closure member is provided with beveled shoulders 48 constituting cammable means on the exterior walls thereof above ring 22. Liquid is dispensed from the dispensers of FIGS. 1-4 and .7 in the same manner as in all the embodiments of the invention namely, by contacting the portion of the roller withm the casing with liquid from the container 16 and then simply, rolling the rotatable applicator over the material to which it is desired to apply the liquid. . Cooperating with the closure 24 in the sealed position is a cap 35. The cap 35 is constructed of material relatively rigid compared to the resilient material of the closure member and comprises a skirt 40 provided near the open end, with interior threads 36 for engagement with the threads 19 on the container 16. The interior of the cap 35 is further provided with a camming or inclined surface 49.

In sealing the dispensers of FIGS. 1-4 and 7, the cap is attached to the container by cooperation of cap

3,083,897 to which fluid is to be applied against the applicator forces the same inwardly of the container against the bias exerted by the end walls of the resilient closure member thereby opening the spaces between the applicator and the diaphragm sufficiently, to permit fluid to be transferred through the aperture by the. applicator..

The applicator of the various embodiments herein described may be constructed of any suitable material but is preferably of a moldable plastic material such as polyethylene.

It is understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that modifications within the capacity of one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 756,772, filed August 25, 1958, now abandoned.