Closure device for containers

Claim 1

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; a recess for slidably receiving said closure element and means carried by said body for limiting the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof; said body includes a slot and a projection carried by said slidable closure element for sliding movement therewith and in said slot, said projection extending through said slot and terminating in said actuator for sliding said closure element between said first and second positions, said projection being engageable with said body at the opposite ends of said slot to limit the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof.

Claim 2

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; a recess for slidably receiving said closure element and means carried by said body for limiting the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof; said body includes a slot and a projection carried by said slidable closure element for sliding movement therewith and in said slot, said projection extending through said slot and terminating in said actuator for sliding said closure element between said first and second positions, said projection being engageable with said body at the opposite ends of said slot to limit the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof.

Claim 8

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining respective inlet and outlet ports for said flow channel; an internally threaded member in part defining said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other and providing communication between said flow channel and the container opening; an element carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position to enable flow from the container through said channel; an actuator for moving said element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; and external threads carried by said body about said outlet port, said internal threads and said external threads being complementary to one another.

Claim 9

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining respective inlet and outlet ports for said flow channel; an internally threaded member in part defining said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other and providing communication between said flow channel and the container opening; an element carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position to enable flow from the container through said channel; an actuator for moving said element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; and external threads carried by said body about said outlet port, said internal threads and said external threads being complementary to one another.

Claim 17

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one of the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; a recess for slidably receiving said closure element and means carried by said body for limiting the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof; and said slidable closure element including a slot, and a projection carried by said body and disposed in said slot for engaging the closure element at the opposite ends of its slot to limit the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof.

Claim 18

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one of the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; a recess for slidably receiving said closure element and means carried by said body for limiting the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof; and said slidable closure element including a slot, and a projection carried by said body and disposed in said slot for engaging the closure element at the opposite ends of its slot to limit the sliding movement of said closure element between said first and second positions thereof.

Claim 19

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; said releasable securing means including a generally cylindrical flange having internal screw threads thereon for releasable engagement with external threads carried by the container whereby said device may be releasably secured to the container; and said outlet port including a neck having external screw threads thereabout of a size and pitch complementary to the size and pitch of said internal screw threads, whereby a cap normally screw threaded to the container about its opening may be screw threaded to said external threads to seal the container with said device attached thereto.

Claim 20

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; said releasable securing means including a generally cylindrical flange having internal screw threads thereon for releasable engagement with external threads carried by the container whereby said device may be releasably secured to the container; and said outlet port including a neck having external screw threads thereabout of a size and pitch complementary to the size and pitch of said internal screw threads, whereby a cap normally screw threaded to the container about its opening may be screw threaded to said external threads to seal the container with said device attached thereto.

Claim 23

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; and internal and external threads about said inlet and outlet ports, respectively, said internal and external threads being complementary to one another.

Claim 24

A device for releasable attachment to a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; and internal and external threads about said inlet and outlet ports, respectively, said internal and external threads being complementary to one another.

Claim 25

A device for releasable attachment to and in combination with a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; said container having a neck and external threads about said neck, a cap having internal threads for threaded engagement with the external threads abut said neck; and internal and external threads about said inlet and outlet ports, respectively, said internal and external threads of said body being threadedly engageable with the external threads of said container opening and the internal threads of said cap whereby said body may be secured to said container and said cap secured to said device to seal the container.

Claim 26

A device for releasable attachment to and in combination with a container having an opening to selectively enable and prevent flow of the contents of the container through the container opening, said device comprising: a body defining a flow channel; means carried by said body defining an inlet port for said flow channel on one side of said body and an outlet port for said channel on the opposite side of said body; means carried by said body adjacent said inlet port for releasably securing said device and the container one to the other to provide communication between said flow channel and the container opening through said inlet port; a closure element slidably carried by said body for movement between a first position in which a portion of said slidable closure element obstructs said channel between said inlet and outlet ports to prevent flow from the container through said channel and a second position removed from said channel to enable flow from the container through said channel; means carried by said body for guiding said closure element for movement between said first and second positions; an actuator for sliding said closure element from one of said first and second positions thereof to the other of said first and second positions thereof; said container having a neck and external threads about said neck, a cap having internal threads for threaded engagement with the external threads abut said neck; and internal and external threads about said inlet and outlet ports, respectively, said internal and external threads of said body being threadedly engageable with the external threads of said container opening and the internal threads of said cap whereby said body may be secured to said container and said cap secured to said device to seal the container.