Chemical reservoir cap with compressible discharge port

Abstract

A chemical reservoir assembly may include a reservoir containing a liquid chemical and a closure sealing off an outlet opening of the reservoir. The closure can include a top wall having an access opening and a sealing disc positioned under the top wall and across the access opening. The sealing disc may include a vent opening positioned under the top wall and offset from the access opening. The sealing disc can be fixedly positioned relative to the top wall and include a compressible material configured to compress in response to a discharge device being inserted into the access opening and pressing against the compressible material. In response to the force of the discharge device, the compressible material can compress to open a venting pathway from the access opening through the at least one vent opening.

1 . A chemical reservoir assembly comprising:
 a reservoir having a body defining an interior volume configured to receive and hold a liquid chemical, the reservoir defining an outlet opening;   a closure sealing off the outlet opening, the closure comprising:
 a top wall having an access opening extending through the top wall; and 
 a sealing disc positioned under the top wall and across the access opening, the sealing disc comprising at least one vent opening extending through the sealing disc, the at least one vent opening being positioned under the top wall and offset from the access opening, 
   wherein the sealing disc is fixedly positioned relative to the top wall, and the sealing disc comprises a compressible material configured to compress in response to a discharge device being inserted into the access opening and pressing against the compressible material, thereby opening a venting pathway from the access opening through the at least one vent opening.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing disc comprises an access opening covered by the sealing material, the access opening of the sealing disc being aligned with the access opening extending through the top wall. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid dispensing tube connected to and extending downwardly from the sealing disc, the access opening of the sealing disc extending through the liquid dispensing tube. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing disc comprises a rigid polymeric material covered with the compressible material. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible material is molded over the rigid polymeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sealing disc has a top surface comprising the compressible material;   the top wall has a bottom surface; and   the top surface of the sealing disc is positioned pressing against the bottom surface of the top wall in a closed configuration, and the compressible material is sufficiently compressible to compress out of contact with the bottom surface of the top wall, when the discharge device presses against the compressible material.   
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the sealing disc and the top wall comprise a sealing ridge positioned between the access opening and the at least one vent opening. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein one or both of:
 the top surface of the sealing disc defines a planar surface and the sealing ridge extending upwardly from the planar surface, the sealing ridge comprising the compressible material and being pressed against the bottom surface of the top wall in the closed configuration; and   the bottom surface of the top wall defines a planar surface and the sealing ridge extending downwardly from the planar surface, the sealing ridge being pressed against the compressible material of the sealing disc in the closed configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vent hole comprises a plurality of vent holes arrayed about a perimeter of the sealing disc. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the closure further comprises a sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and the sealing disc is fixedly connected to the sidewall. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top wall defines an annulus with the access opening extending through a center of the annulus. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reservoir comprises a cylindrical neck defining the outlet opening;   the closure further comprises a sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall to define a cap; and   the cap is secured to the cylindrical neck of the reservoir.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the cylindrical neck defines an external threading;   the sidewall comprises an internal threading; and   the cap is screwably engaged to the cylindrical neck.   
     
     
         14 . A closure cap for sealing off an outlet opening of a liquid reservoir, the closure cap comprising:
 a top wall having an access opening extending through the top wall;   a sidewall connected to and extending downwardly from the top wall to bound a space configured to receive an outlet opening of a liquid reservoir; and   a sealing disc positioned under the top wall and across the access opening, the sealing disc comprising at least one vent opening extending through the sealing disc, the at least one vent opening being positioned under the top wall and offset from the access opening,   wherein the sealing disc is fixedly positioned relative to the top wall, and the sealing disc comprises a compressible material configured to compress in response to a discharge device being inserted into the access opening and pressing against the compressible material, thereby opening a venting pathway from the access opening through the at least one vent opening.   
     
     
         15 . The closure cap of  claim 14 , wherein the sealing disc comprises an access opening covered by the sealing material, the access opening of the sealing disc being aligned with the access opening extending through the top wall. 
     
     
         16 . The closure cap of  claim 14 , further comprising a liquid dispensing tube connected to and extending downwardly from the sealing disc, the access opening of the sealing disc extending through the liquid dispensing tube. 
     
     
         17 . The closure cap of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the sealing disc has a top surface comprising the compressible material;   the top wall has a bottom surface; and   the top surface of the sealing disc is positioned pressing against the bottom surface of the top wall in a closed configuration, and the compressible material is sufficiently compressible to compress out of contact with the bottom surface of the top wall, when the discharge device presses against the compressible material.   
     
     
         18 . A method of accessing a liquid reservoir, the method comprising:
 inserting a discharge device into an access opening of a closure sealing an outlet opening of a reservoir containing liquid chemical, the closure comprising a sealing disc fixedly positioned across the access opening, the sealing disc comprising a compressible material;   piercing the sealing disc with the discharge device to open fluid communication with the reservoir through the access opening via the discharge device; and   pressing the discharge device against the compressible material thereby compressing the compressible material away from a sealing surface and opening a venting pathway from the access opening through at least one vent opening extending through the sealing disc.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the closure comprises a top wall surface against which the compressible material of the sealing disc is pressed when in a closed configuration, an interface between the top wall surface and the compressible material forming the sealing surface; and   pressing the discharge device against the compressible material comprises moving at least a portion of the compressible material out of contact with the top wall surface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein one or both of the sealing disc and the top wall comprise a sealing ridge positioned between the access opening and the at least one vent opening, wherein the interface between the sealing ridge and a corresponding one of the sealing disc or top wall surface forms the sealing surface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein compressing the compressible material comprises compressing the compressible material at distance within a range from 0.1 mm to 2 mm. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising discharging liquid chemical from the reservoir through a pierced opening in the sealing disc through the discharge device inserted into the access opening while the discharge device presses against the compressible material and compresses the compressible material away from the sealing surface.