Cap having a non-drip spout

Claim 1

IN A CONTAINER, A CAP COUPLED THERETO TO PERMIT DISPENSING OF THE CONTENTS FROM THE CONTAINER, THE CAP HAVING A BORE, A SLEEVE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID BORE AND HAVING AN OPEN END DEFINING A SPOUT, A VALVE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID SLEEVE, MEANS DEFINING LIMITS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE IN SAID SLEEVE, AND MEANS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLEEVE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, SAID VALVE IN BOTH LIMIT POSITIONS IN SAID SLEEVE BEING ADAPTED FOR CAUSING SLIDING OF SAID SLEEVE IN SAID BORE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, AND ELASTIC MEANS ELASTICALLY URGING THE VALVE TO ONE OF SAID LIMIT POSITIONS IN THE SLEEVE AND THE SLEEVE TO THE FIRST POSITION THEREOF, SAID CAP BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF PASSAGEWAYS ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BORE AND THE CONTAINER, SAID SLEEVE BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF THE SLEEVE AND THE PASSAGEWAYS, BOTH SAID PASSAGEWAYS BEING BLOCKED BY THE SLEEVE WITH THE LATTER IN SAID ONE LIMIT POSITION THEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY SEALING THE CONTAINER, SAID VALVE BEING MOVABLE TO THE OTHER OF THE LIMIT POSITIONS IN THE SLEEVE AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE ELASTIC MEANS TO CAUSE THE SLEEVE TO ASSUME THE OTHER OF THE LIMIT POSITIONS OF THE SLEEVE IN THE BORE, SAID OPENING BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH ONE OF THE PASSAGEWAYS IN THE SLEEVE WITH THE SLEEVE IN SAID OTHER POSITION WHEREBY THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER MAY BE DISPENSED FROM THE SLEEVE VIA SAID ONE PASSAGEWAY, SAID VALVE SLIDING IN SAID SLEEVE WITH SAID ELASTIC MEANS RELEASED TO EXERT A SUCTION FORCE ON UNDISPENSED CONTENTS IN SAID SLEEVE AND TO CAUSE SAID SLEEVE TO RETURN TO SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID SLEEVE PASSING THROUGH AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION WHEREAT THE OPENING IN THE SLEEVE IS ALIGNED WITH THE OTHER OF THE PASSAGEWAY WHILE SAID VALVE CONCURRENTLY SLIDES IN SAID SLEEVE SUCH THAT THE SUCTION FORCE CAUSES THE UNDISPENSED CONTENTS IN THE SLEEVE TO BE REINTRODUCED INTO THE CONTAINER, THEREBY PREVENTING DRIPPING FROM THE SLEEVE OF UNDISPENSED LIQUID.