Dual-seal, ball-type dispensing package

Claim 1

In a ball-applicator dispensing package comprised of a container having a neck portion including an annular rim defining an end opening for dispensing the contents and external screw thread, and an annular groove above said thread and adjacent said rim, an annular ball-retaining fitment having an annular shoulder with a container-engaging skirt provided with inwardly directed bead engaged in said neck groove, and an axially extending, annular ball-retaining fitment having an annular shoulder with a container-engaging skirt provided with inwardly directed bead engaged in said neck groove, and an axially extending, annular ball-retaining socket member above said neck rim, a dispensing ball rotatably held by said socket of the fitment, a minor surface portion of the ball extending outwardly above said socket to define a dispensing surface, the improvement therein comprising a resilient annular flange portion on said socket member at the axial outer end thereof engageable with said ball above the maximum diameter thereof, and an annular surface portion on the shoulder thereof engageable with said ball below the maximum lateral diameter thereof, said flange portion and said annular surface on the shoulder of the fitment being operable, respectively, for substantially simultaneously, sealingly engaging the ball against leakage, a radially outwardly extending flange on said annular shoulder skirt of the fitment disposed opposite the inwardly directed retaining bead thereon, said skirt flange having an external diametrical dimension slightly greater than that of the ball-retaining socket member of the fitment, said fitment including a generally circular diaphragm connected with said annular shoulder and adapted to fit in the end opening of the container, said diaphragm having at least one aperture for dispensing content of the container, and a screw closure member closed at a dome-shaped end having an interiorly threaded skirt engageable with the thread on said neck of the container and including a radially inwardly extending annular bead on said skirt above the threads thereof, the internal diameter of said bead being slightly less than the diameter of the radial flange on said fitment skirt, whereby the fitment is adapted for preassembly with the screw closure prior to assembly on the container, and an inwardly-directed annular bead on the interior of said closure member for exteriorly engaging said flange portion of the fitment during screw application thereof on said container, the engagement of said annular bead of the closure with the annular resilient flange of the fitment wedging said flange against said ball to form a first seal therebetween in the dispensing package, and simultaneously downwardly loading the socket member and ball to form a second seal between the annular shoulder of the fitment and the ball.