Dispensing closure with valve

Abstract

A dispensing closure for a container includes a base having an annular wall extending circumferentially around a central axis, a top wall coupled to the annular wall, and a controller mount coupled to the top wall. The dispensing closure also includes a product-discharge controller coupled to the controller mount of the base.

1 . A package comprising
 a container formed to include an interior product-storage region and a filler neck defining an opening arranged to open into the interior-product storage region, and   a dispensing closure coupled to the filler neck, the dispensing closure including a controller mount and a product-discharge controller that is formed to include a product-discharge passageway, the product-discharge controller including a valve cradle and a flexible valve being configured to change between a normally-closed position in which fluid material stored in the interior product-storage region of the container is blocked from exiting the product-discharge passageway and a pressurized-open position in which the fluid material passes through the product-discharge passageway in the event the container is squeezed to pressurize the fluid material stored in the interior product-storage region,   wherein the valve cradle is coupled to the controller mount and the flexible valve is arranged to lie axially between the cradle and an upper end of the controller mount, the valve cradle includes a center post arranged radially inward from the controller mount relative to a central axis of the dispensing closure and at least one arm extending between the controller mount and the center post to establish the product-discharge passageway such that the product-discharge passageway is offset from the central axis toward the controller mount.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the controller mount includes a cradle-support wall extending upwardly from the top wall and a valve retainer extending radially inward from an upper end of the cradle-support wall to define a product-discharge outlet of the dispensing closure, and the valve cradle further includes a retention wall coupled to the at least one arm and arranged radially outward from the center post. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible valve includes an outer retention edge fixed axially between the valve retainer and the retention wall, an inner edge arranged radially inward from the outer retention edge, and a main body extending between the outer retention edge and the inner edge. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 3 , wherein the inner edge of the flexible valve is sized to engage an outer surface of the center post to establish the normally-closed position so that the fluid material is blocked from passing through the product-discharge passageway into the product-discharge outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 4 , wherein the main body of the flexible valve pivots upward in response to applying pressure below the flexible valve to provide a gap between the outer surface of the center post and the inner edge of the flexible valve to establish the pressurized-open position so that the product-discharge passageway is in fluid communication with the product-storage discharge outlet for fluid material to pass through. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 3 , wherein the retention wall and the valve retainer cooperate to define a valve-receiving recess for the outer retention edge to fix the outer retention edge therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible valve includes an inner edge that extends circumferentially around an outer surface of the center post and engages the outer surface of the center post such that the product-discharge passageway is blocked to establish the normally-closed position and is moved upward away from the center post such that a gap is defined between the outer surface of the center post and the inner edge of the flexible valve so that the product-discharge passageway is open to establish the pressurized-open position. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 7 , wherein the inner edge of the flexible valve is arranged axially downward from an upper end of the center post when the flexible valve is in the normally-closed position. 
     
     
         9 . A dispensing closure for a container, the dispensing closure comprising
 a base configured to be mounted on a container, the base including a controller mount having a cradle-support wall and a valve retainer coupled to the cradle-support wall and extending radially inward towards a central axis of the dispensing closure, the valve retainer establishing a product-discharge outlet of the dispensing closure, and   a product-discharge controller having a valve cradle formed to include a product-discharge passageway and a flexible valve configured to change between a normally-closed position in which the product-discharge passageway is closed off from the product-discharge outlet and a pressurized-open position in which the product-discharge passageway is in fluid communication with the product-discharge outlet,   wherein the valve cradle includes a retention wall coupled to the cradle-support wall and a center post arranged radially inward from the retention wall to cooperate with the retention wall to define the product-discharge passageway therebetween such that the product-discharge passageway is offset from the central axis, and wherein the flexible valve is axially-retained between the retention wall and valve retainer of the controller mount and engages the center post when the flexible valve is in the normally-closed position and is separated from the center post when the flexible valve is in the pressurized open position.   
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible valve comprises material free of silicone. 
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the flexible valve comprises thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid material is blocked from passing through the center post of the valve cradle. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the dispensing closure includes an annular wall, a top wall coupled to the annular wall and extending radially inward from an upper end of the annular wall, and the controller mount coupled to the top wall, the controller mount including a cradle-support wall extending upwardly from the top wall and a valve retainer extending radially inward from an upper end of the cradle-support wall to define a product-discharge outlet of the dispensing closure. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein an upper surface of the at least one arm slopes downward from the controller mount towards the center post. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the valve cradle further includes a retention wall coupled to the at least one arm and arranged radially outward from the center post to cooperate with the at least one arm and an outer surface of the center post to define the product-discharge passageway. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one arm blocks the valve from moving axially downward from a lower end of the center post. 
     
     
         17 . A dispensing closure for a container, the dispensing closure comprising
 a base including an annular wall extending circumferentially around a central axis of the dispensing closure, a top wall coupled to the annular wall and extending radially inward towards the central axis, and a controller mount coupled to the top wall, the controller mount including a cradle-support wall and a valve retainer coupled to an upper end of the cradle-support wall and extending radially inward towards the central axis, the valve retainer establishing a product-discharge outlet of the dispensing closure, and   a product-discharge controller having a valve cradle formed to include a product-discharge passageway and a flexible valve configured to change between a normally-closed position in which the product-discharge passageway is closed off from the product-discharge outlet and a pressurized-open arrangement in which the product-discharge passageway is in fluid communication with the product-discharge outlet,   wherein the valve cradle cooperates with the valve retainer of the controller mount to fix an outer retention edge of the flexible valve therebetween, the flexible valve including the outer retention edge, an inner edge arranged radially inward from the outer retention edge, and a main body extending between the outer retention edge and the inner edge, the valve cradle including a retention wall coupled to the cradle-support wall, a center post arranged radially inward from the retention wall, and at least one arm extending between the retention wall and the center post to establish the product-discharge passageway such that the product-discharge passageway is offset from the central axis.   
     
     
         18 . The dispensing closure of  claim 17 , wherein the inner edge of the flexible valve engages the center post of the valve cradle when the flexible valve is in the normally-closed position and is spaced apart axially from the center post when the flexible valve is in the pressurized-open position. 
     
     
         19 . The dispensing closure of  claim 17 , wherein the dispensing closure further comprises a lid coupled to the base with a hinge of the dispensing closure and being configured to change between a closed position in which the lid closes the product-discharge outlet and an open position in which the lid is rotated about a pivot axis defined by the hinge to open the product-discharge outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The dispensing closure of  claim 17 , wherein the base and the valve cradle are formed together as one piece.