Dispensing package

Claim 1

A dispensing package for storing and dispensing a fluid product having a maximum hydraulic head pressure through a discharge orifice in response to manually applied lateral squeezing forces and for automatically ceasing the dispensing operation when the manually applied forces are removed, comprising: a resiliently deformable bottle for containing the product to be dispersed, said bottle exhibiting a degree of flexibility sufficient to permit deformation thereof in response to manually applied lateral squeezing forces and a degree of resilience sufficient to return automatically to its undeformed condition when the manually applied forces are removed therefrom, said bottle having an interior for the product, a top and bottom and integral sidewall interposed therebetween, the bottom being closed and the top having a neck defining an opening into the interior of the bottle; a self-sealing dispensing valve having a periphery and a central valve head having the discharge orifice which opens at a predetermined threshold pressure which is greater than the maximum hydraulic head pressure of the product in said bottle when the dispensing package is in an inverted position with the discharge orifice facing downwardly, retaining means for retaining and sealing the periphery of the self-sealing dispensing valve across the opening of the neck of the bottle, said valve head having a predetermined inwardly concave configuration while the valve is in an unstressed condition and the valve is sealingly retained across the opening of the neck of the bottle and the bottle is in an undeformed condition, said valve head having at least one slit defining the discharge orifice extending through its thickness from an innermost surface to an outermost surface, said valve exhibiting an ability to undergo movement from a closed, inwardly concave, sealed and leak-resistant position to an open, outwardly convex, unsealed position when said manually applied lateral squeezing forces increase the pressure inside the bottle beyond the threshold opening pressure of said valve, to open the slit and consequently the discharge orifice whereby product is discharged from said bottle through the discharge orifice as long as the manually applied squeezing forces on the bottle maintain an internal pressure exceeding the threshold opening pressure of the valve, said valve also exhibiting an ability to automatically cut-off the product discharge by returning to its closed, inwardly concave, sealed and leak-resistant position whenever the manually applied forces are removed from the bottle; a valved closure having a base being mounted on the neck of the bottle across the neck opening, the valved closure including a top on the base, the top having an opening across which extends the self-sealing dispensing valve, said top having a circular rib extending around the opening in the top of the valved closure and means for receiving the periphery of the self-sealing dispensing valve, and the retaining means including a circular ring cooperating with the circular rib to secure the valve periphery to the top of the valved closure; and a one-piece overcap having a top and an outer tubular skirt disposed over the sidewall of the bottle and securement means including interengaging surfaces of the overcap and bottle for securing the overcap to the bottle, the securement means including interengaging surfaces on the bottle sidewall and overcap skirt, a lid hinged at the top of the overcap and pivotal from a closed position at which it is coextensive with the top of the overcap and protects the valve and an open position at which product in the bottle may be dispensed when the package is inverted with the discharge orifice facing downwardly.