Dispensing seal for flexible container

Abstract

A dispensing seal for use with a flexible container for pouring viscous fluids. The seal includes a seat member disposed about the dispensing opening of the container and a flexible sealing member. When the sealing member is in its seated position, it forms a region having a generally concave shape as viewed from the exterior of the container, i.e., a region depressed inward toward the interior of the container. In this configuration the sealing member seals off the dispensing opening, fitting snugly within the wall or walls defining the dispensing opening. The sealing member is movably mounted so as to enable it to move with respect to the container between the seated position for retaining said fluid in the container under the weight of the fluid when said container is inverted and an unseated position for dispensing the fluid. The sealing member is formed of a material stiff enough to maintain the generally concave shape when in the seated position under the weight of a full container of the viscous fluid, yet flexible enough for the region to be deformed across the mid or median plane out of said generally concave shape when the container is squeezed to initiate pouring of the viscous fluid. Squeezing the container when the container is in inverted position exerts sufficient pressure on the sealing member to flex it to its convexly bulging shape thereby breaking the seal and allowing the fluid contents to pour out.

1 . A dispensing seal for use in combination with a flexible container for a pourable viscous fluid, the container having a dispensing opening for pouring the fluid from the container, comprising: 
 a seat member disposed about said dispensing opening, said seat member defining a median plane; and    a sealing member having a seated position on said seat member, said sealing member having a region forming a generally concave shape when in said seated configuration;    wherein said sealing member is movably mounted so as to enable movement of said sealing member with respect to said container between said seated position for retaining said fluid in said container under the weight of said fluid when said container is inverted and an unseated position for dispensing said fluid;    wherein said sealing member is shaped and sized to fit snugly within said dispensing opening when in said seated position; and    wherein said sealing member is formed of a material stiff enough to maintain said generally concave shape when in said seated position under the weight of a full container of said pourable viscous fluid and flexible enough for said region to be deformed across said median plane out of said generally concave shape when the container is squeezed to initiate pouring of said viscous fluid.    
   
   
       2 . The dispensing seal of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plunger fixed at a first end to said sealing member; and    a plunger support bracket mounted in said dispensing opening and having a bore for receiving said plunger;    wherein said plunger extends through said bore and is sized to slide in said bore to permit said sealing member to travel between said seated and unseated positions.    
   
   
       3 . The dispensing seal of  claim 1  wherein said sealing member is formed with a tab hingedly connected to said sealing member at the periphery of the sealing member, and a slot is defined at said dispensing opening receiving said tab for movably mounting said sealing member at said dispensing opening.  
   
   
       4 . The dispensing seal of  claim 3  wherein said slot is defined in said seat member.  
   
   
       5 . The dispensing seal of  claim 1  wherein said sealing member is hingedly connected directly to a wall defining said dispensing opening.  
   
   
       6 . The dispensing seal of  claim 5  wherein said wall defining said dispensing opening, said sealing member, and said seat member are integrally formed together.  
   
   
       7 . An insert providing a dispensing seal for use in combination with a flexible container for a pourable viscous fluid, the container having a dispensing opening for pouring the fluid from the container, comprising: 
 an insert wall sized and shaped to mount within said dispensing opening;    a seat member disposed in said insert about said insert wall, said seat member defining a median plane; and    a sealing member having a seated position on said seat member, said sealing member having a region forming a generally concave shape when in said seated configuration;    wherein said sealing member is movably mounted so as to enable said sealing member to move with respect to said insert wall between said seated position for retaining said fluid in said container under the weight of said fluid when said container is inverted and an unseated position for dispensing said fluid;    wherein said sealing member is shaped and sized to fit snugly within said insert wall when in said seated position; and    wherein said sealing member is formed of a material stiff enough to maintain said generally concave shape when in said seated position under the weight of a full container of said pourable viscous fluid and flexible enough for said region to be deformed across said median plane out of said generally concave shape when the container is squeezed to initiate pouring of said viscous fluid.    
   
   
       8 . The insert of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a plunger fixed at a first end to said sealing member; and    a plunger support bracket mounted in said dispensing opening and having a bore for receiving said plunger;    wherein said plunger extends through said bore and is sized to slide in said bore to permit said sealing member to travel between said seated and unseated positions.    
   
   
       9 . The insert of  claim 7  wherein said sealing member is formed with a tab hingedly connected to said sealing member at the periphery of the sealing member, and a slot is defined at said insert wall receiving said tab for movably mounting said sealing member to said insert wall.  
   
   
       10 . The dispensing seal of  claim 9  wherein said slot is defined in said seat member.  
   
   
       11 . The dispensing seal of  claim 7  wherein said insert wall, said sealing member, and said seat member are integrally formed together.