Pivoted closure condiment dispenser

Claim 2

A dispensing container comprising: a. a plurality of wall members forming a hollow container body, one of said wall members having a dispensing opening and an aperture therethrough, said dispensing opening being spaced from said aperture; b. a closure member integral with said one wall member and being molded in an upstanding position relative to said one wall member with said aperture providing access space for mold portions to extend through said one wall member during manufacture, said closure member having first and second portions with said first portion being hingedly and sealingly connected to an edge defining said aperture by a first hinge integral with said one wall member and said first portion, said second portion being hingedly connected to said first portion by a second hinge integral with said first and second portions, said first portion being movable about said first hinge from the upstanding position to a position closing said aperture, said second portion being movable independently of said first portion about said second hinge between positions opening and closing said dispensing opening; c. first means cooperating with said first portion and said one wall member normally retaining said first portion in closing relation to said aperture; and d. a protuberance on said second portion and projecting from a surface thereof, said surface overlying said dispensing opening when said second portion is in closing relation thereto and said protuberance being sized and shaped to fit snugly in said dispensing opening for selectively closing same.

Claim 3

A dispensing container in claim 1 including: a. second means cooperating with said one wall member and said second portion for releasably retaining said second portion in closing relation to said dispensing opening.

Claim 4

A dispensing container in claim 2 wherein: a. said one wall member having a recessed area adjacent said aperture and having said dispensing opening therethrough, said recessed area receiving said second portion therein wherein an outer disposed surface of said second portion is substantially flush to below flush with an outer disposed surface of said one wall member when said second portion is in the closed position; and b. said first portion being sized and shaped to fit in said aperture and having certain edge portions sealingly engaging certain edges defining said aperture for sealingly closing same when said first portion is in closing relation to said apertuRe, said first portion having an outer disposed surface substantially flush to below flush with the outer disposed surface of said one wall member when said first portion is in closing relation to said aperture.

Claim 5

A dispensing container in claim 3 including: a. seal means positioned in said recessed area adjacent said aperture and extending substantially the width thereof said seal means sealingly engaging a portion of said first portion adjacent the hinged connection between said first and second portions when said first portion is in closing relation to said aperture.

Claim 6

A dispensing container in claim 4 wherein: a. said first means includes at least one member integral with and extending from an inner disposed surface of said first portion with said member having a flange extending therefrom and engaging an inner disposed surface of said one wall member retaining said first portion in closing relation to said aperture.

Claim 7

A dispensing container in claim 2 wherein: a. at least one of the remaining said wall members having an edge defining a top opening for said container body; and b. said one wall member being separate from the remaining wall members and having means thereon cooperating with said one of said remaining wall members for securing said one wall member in overlying and closing relation to said top opening.

Claim 8

A dispensing container in claim 2 wherein: a. said protuberance having a free end spaced from said second portion surface and said protuberance being generally normal thereto; and b. said second means including an enlarged end portion on said free end and spaced from said second portion surface, said enlarged end portion having a size slightly larger than said dispensing opening and receivable therethrough providing resistance to opening movement of said second portion until a predetermined opening force is applied.

Claim 9

A dispensing container in claim 2 wherein: a. said one wall member, said closure member, said first means, said protuberance and said second means being integral and molded from a synthetic plastic resin; and b. said first and second hinges being reduced thickness areas of material.

Claim 10

A dispensing container in claim 2 including: a. a hinge integral with said one wall member and said container body connecting same wherein said container body and said one wall member are molded as a unitary structure with said container body having a top opening, said container body and said one wall member have cooperatively interengaging means for securing said one wall member in closing relation to said top opening.

Claim 11

A dispensing container in claim 2 wherein: a. said one wall member having a pair of said apertures with each said aperture having a respective said closure member with each closure member having a said first portion hingedly and sealingly connected to an edge defining a respective said aperture; and b. said dispensing opening being a plurality with one of said dispensing openings having one of said closure member second portion in opening and closing relation thereto, the remaining dispensing openings being a plurality and having the other of said closure members second portion in closing and opening relation thereto.

Claim 12

A dispensing container in claim 3 wherein: a. said second portion being in a different plane than said first portion with the outer disposed surface of said first portion being substantially flush with the outer disposed surface of said one wall member when said first portion is in closing relation to said aperture and the outer disposed surface of the second portion being below flush with the outer disposed surface of said one wall member when said second portion is in the closed position; and b. said second portion having a width less than the width of said first portion and said recessed area having a width less than the width of said aperture.

Claim 13

A dispensing closure for use with a container having a wall provideD with an opening, said dispensing closure comprising: a. a base member having a wall with a dispensing opening and an aperture therethrough, said dispensing opening being spaced from said aperture; b. a closure member integral with said wall and being molded in an upstanding position relative to said wall with said aperture providing access space for mold portions to extend through said wall during manufacture, said closure member having first and second portions with said first portion being hingedly and sealingly connected to an edge defining said aperture by a first hinge integral with said wall and said first portion, said second portion being hingedly connected to said first portion by a second hinge integral with said first and second portions, said first portion being movable about said first hinge from the upstanding position to a position closing said aperture, said second portion being movable independently of said first portion about said second hinge between positions opening and closing said dispensing opening; c. first means of said base member for securing said base member to a container body; d. second means cooperating with said first portion and said one wall member normally retaining said first portion in closing relation to said aperture; and e. a protuberance on said second portion and projecting from a surface thereof, said surface overlying said dispensing opening when said second portion is in closing relation thereto, said protuberance being sized and shaped to fit in said dispensing opening for selectively closing same.

Claim 14

A dispensing closure for use with a container having a wall provideD with an opening, said dispensing closure comprising: a. a base member having a wall with a dispensing opening and an aperture therethrough, said dispensing opening being spaced from said aperture; b. a closure member integral with said wall and being molded in an upstanding position relative to said wall with said aperture providing access space for mold portions to extend through said wall during manufacture, said closure member having first and second portions with said first portion being hingedly and sealingly connected to an edge defining said aperture by a first hinge integral with said wall and said first portion, said second portion being hingedly connected to said first portion by a second hinge integral with said first and second portions, said first portion being movable about said first hinge from the upstanding position to a position closing said aperture, said second portion being movable independently of said first portion about said second hinge between positions opening and closing said dispensing opening; c. first means of said base member for securing said base member to a container body; d. second means cooperating with said first portion and said one wall member normally retaining said first portion in closing relation to said aperture; and e. a protuberance on said second portion and projecting from a surface thereof, said surface overlying said dispensing opening when said second portion is in closing relation thereto, said protuberance being sized and shaped to fit in said dispensing opening for selectively closing same.