U.S. patent application number 11/095961 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-05 for plastic closure for containers.
This patent application is currently assigned to Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.. Invention is credited to Edward A. Grant, Darin M. Pugne.
Application Number | 20060219652 11/095961 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36593200 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060219652 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grant; Edward A. ; et
al. |
October 5, 2006 |
Plastic closure for containers
Abstract
A plastic closure for receipt on a container includes a plastic
ring having an internal recess adapted to be received by snap fit
over an external crown or bead on the container finish such that
the ring lies at or below the end of the finish and is retained
against axial movement on the container finish. A plastic lid is
coupled by a hinge to the ring, with the ring, the lid and the
hinge being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction.
The lid has a skirt that is adapted releasably to be snapped to the
ring in a closed position of the lid over the ring. The lid skirt
preferably has an external bead that is adapted to be received by
snap-fit within an internal channel on the ring in the closed
position of the lid over the ring, and a conical internal surface
on the ring preferably is provided to guide the bead on the lid
into the channel on the ring.
Inventors: |
Grant; Edward A.;
(Northwood, OH) ; Pugne; Darin M.; (Perrysburg,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OWENS-ILLINOIS, INC.
ONE SEAGATE, 25-LDP
TOLEDO
OH
43666
US
|
Assignee: |
Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
|
Family ID: |
36593200 |
Appl. No.: |
11/095961 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/237 ;
215/232; 220/254.3; 220/258.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 55/16 20130101;
B65D 51/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/237 ;
220/258.1; 220/254.3; 215/232 |
International
Class: |
B65D 39/00 20060101
B65D039/00; B65D 51/18 20060101 B65D051/18; B65D 51/20 20060101
B65D051/20; B65D 41/00 20060101 B65D041/00 |
Claims
1. A plastic closure for receipt on a container having a finish
with an end surrounded by an external bead, said closure including:
a plastic ring having an internal recess adapted to be received by
snap fit over the container finish bead such that said ring lies at
or below the end of the container finish and said ring is retained
against axial movement on the container finish, and a plastic lid
coupled by a hinge to said ring, said ring, said lid and said hinge
being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction, said lid
having a skirt adapted to be releasably snapped to said ring in a
closed position of said lid over said ring.
2. The closure set forth in claim 1 wherein said lid has an
external bead on said skirt that is adapted to be received by snap
fit in an internal channel on said ring in said closed position of
said lid over said ring.
3. The closure set forth in claim 2 wherein said ring has a conical
internal surface adjacent to said internal channel for guiding said
bead on said lid into said channel on said ring.
4. The closure set forth in claim 1 wherein said ring has a conical
internal surface facing away from said lid and disposed adjacent to
said recess for guiding said ring over the external bead on the
container finish.
5. The closure set forth in claim 1 including a foil seal for
receipt over the end of the container finish within said ring.
6. A plastic closure for receipt on a container having a finish
with an end surrounded by an external bead, said closure including:
a circumferentially continuous plastic ring having an internal
recess adapted to be received by snap fit over the finish bead such
that said ring lies at or below the end of the container finish and
said ring is retained against axial movement on the container
finish, and a plastic lid coupled by a hinge to said ring, said
ring, said lid and said hinge being of one-piece integrally molded
plastic construction, said lid having a skirt and an external bead
on said skirt, said ring having an internal channel and a conical
internal surface adjacent to said channel for guiding said bead on
said lid into said channel on said ring such that said bead is
received by snap fit in said internal channel on said ring in a
closed position of said lid over said ring, said ring having a
conical internal surface facing away from said lid and disposed
adjacent to said recess in said ring for guiding said ring over the
bead on the container finish.
7. A package that includes: a glass container having a finish with
an end surrounded by an external bead, and a closure that includes:
a plastic ring having an internal recess received by snap fit over
said container finish bead such that said ring lies at or below
said end of said container finish and said ring is retained against
axial movement on said container finish, and a plastic lid coupled
by a hinge to said ring, said ring, said lid and said hinge being
of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction, said lid
having a skirt adapted to be releasably snapped to said ring in a
closed position of said lid over said ring.
8. The package set forth in claim 7 wherein said lid has an
external bead on said skirt that is adapted to be received by snap
fit in an internal channel on said ring in said closed position of
said lid over said ring.
9. The package set forth in claim 8 wherein said ring has a conical
internal surface adjacent to said internal channel for guiding said
bead on said lid into said channel on said ring.
10. The package set forth in claim 7 wherein said ring has a
conical internal surface facing away from said lid and disposed
adjacent to said recess for guiding said ring over the external
bead on the container finish.
11. The package set forth in claim 7 including a foil seal for
receipt over the end of the container finish within said ring.
12. The package set forth in claim 7 wherein said lid has a skirt
that is captured against lateral movement between said bead and
said ring in said closed position of said lid.
13. The package set forth in claim 7 wherein said container finish
has first and second axially spaced external beads, said ring being
received over the first external bead remote from the end of said
finish and said lid skirt having an internal surface that engages
the second external bead adjacent to the end of said finish in said
closed position of said lid.
14. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said lid has an
external bead at an edge of said skirt and said ring has an
internal channel into which said external bead is received by snap
fit, between said external beads on said container finish, in said
closed position of said lid.
Description
[0001] The present disclosure relates to securement of plastic
closures to containers, particularly glass containers.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS
[0002] A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a
plastic closure for securement over an external bead on a container
finish, preferably a glass container finish, and/or to provide a
package that includes a plastic closure received by snap fit over
the external bead on the container finish.
[0003] The present disclosure involves a number of aspects or
inventions, which may be implemented separately from or in
combination with each other.
[0004] A plastic closure for receipt on a container, preferably but
not necessarily a glass container, in accordance with one aspect of
the present disclosure, includes a plastic ring having an internal
recess adapted to be received by snap fit over an external bead on
the container finish such that the ring lies at or below the end of
the finish and is retained against axial movement on the container
finish. A plastic lid is coupled by a hinge to the ring, with the
ring, the lid and the hinge being of one-piece integrally molded
plastic construction. The lid has a skirt that is adapted
releasably to be snapped to the ring in a closed position of the
lid over the ring. The lid skirt preferably has an external bead
that is adapted to be received by snap-fit within an internal
channel on the ring in the closed position of the lid over the
ring, and a conical internal surface on the ring preferably is
provided to guide the bead on the lid into the channel on the
ring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The disclosure, together with additional objects, features,
advantages and aspects thereof, will best be understood from the
following description, the appended claims and the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a package in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the package in
FIG. 1 with the closure lid partially opened;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the package
illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the closure in the
package of FIGS. 1-3 as molded;
[0010] FIG. 5 is an end perspective view of the closure in FIG.
4;
[0011] FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views taken
substantially along the respective lines 6-6 and 7-7 in FIG. 4;
[0012] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a package in
accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the package in
FIG. 8 with the lid closed;
[0014] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the closure of
FIGS. 1-7 on a plastic container neck finish; and
[0015] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the closure of
FIGS. 8-9 on a plastic container neck finish.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a package 20 in accordance with one
presently preferred but exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure. Package 20 includes a closure 24 secured to a container
22. Container 22 has a body 26 from which a finish 28 axially
extends. Finish 28 preferably is cylindrical and typically is
coaxial with body 26, although this need not necessarily be the
case. Body 26 may be of any suitable geometry such as cylindrical
or rectangular. Finish 28 has an open end 30 and an external crown
or bead 32. External bead 32 preferably is circumferentially
continuous. Container 22 may be made by any suitable technique, and
the geometry of FIGS. 1-3 (and FIGS. 8-11) is exemplary. Although
the closure and package of the present disclosure are particularly
suitable for wide-mouth container applications as illustrated. The
disclosure can be implemented in other applications, such as
narrow-neck container applications. Container 22 preferably is of
glass construction (FIGS. 1-3), but may be of plastic construction
(FIG. 10).
[0017] Closure 24 preferably is of one-piece integrally molded
plastic construction, and includes a mounting base or ring 34
connected to a lid 36 by a hinge 38. Hinge 38 may be of any
suitable type, but preferably is formed by a pair of laterally
spaced hinge elements. This lateral spacing between the hinge
elements contributes to the stability of lid 36 with respect to
ring 34. The specific exemplary hinge 38 illustrated in the
drawings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,477. Closure 24 may be
of any suitable one-piece integrally molded plastic such as
polypropylene.
[0018] Ring 34 (FIGS. 3-7) is circumferentially continuous and has
a circumferentially continuous internal recess 40 that is received
by snap fit in assembly over external bead 32 on container finish
28. A conical internal surface 42 (FIGS. 3 and 6) on ring 34
cooperates with a conical external surface 44 (FIG. 3) on container
finish external bead 32 for guiding and resiliently stretching ring
34 onto finish 28 until bead 32 is received by snap fit into recess
40. Adjacent to the end of ring 34 remote from surface 42, there is
a ledge or shoulder 46 (FIG. 6) that extends radially inwardly from
an internal channel 48. A conical surface 50 extends radially and
axially from a position adjacent to channel 48 for purposes to be
described.
[0019] Lid 36 has a base wall 52 and a peripheral skirt 54. Skirt
54 preferably is circumferentially continuous except as hinge 38.
At the free edge of skirt 54 spaced from base wall 52 there is a
conical surface 56 (FIG. 7) that extends radially inwardly and
axially away from base wall 52. Conical surface 56 terminates at a
circumferential external bead 58. Bead 58 preferably is
circumferentially continuous except at hinge 38 and latch 60. Latch
60 is provided on lid 36, preferably at a position diametrically
spaced from hinge 38. Latch 60 extends from skirt 54 of lid 36, and
is adapted to engage a corresponding latch element 62 on ring 34
diametrically spaced from hinge 38. Latch 60 and latch element 62
may be of any suitable type, being illustrated only schematically
in the drawings.
[0020] A foil seal 64 (FIGS. 2-3) preferably is received over the
open end 30 of container finish 28. Foil seal 64 may comprise a
suitable disk, such as a multilayer disk having adjacent metal and
plastic layers for induction heat-sealing securement of seal 64 to
the end of the container finish.
[0021] In use, closure 24 is secured to container finish 28 either
before or after filling the container with product. Container 22
can be filled with product and seal 64 secured to end 30 of
container finish 28 before securement of closure 24. Closure 24 can
be secured to container finish 28 by urging mounting ring 34 along
surface 44 of bead 32 resiliently to expand the ring until the ring
snaps over bead 32. This securement of ring 34 to bead 32 may be
accomplished with lid 36 open or, more preferably, closed. To open
lid 36 and dispense product, a user's thumb is positioned beneath
latch 60 and lid 36 is pushed upwardly (in the orientation of FIGS.
1-3). Foil seal 64 then is removed from container finish 28, which
provides a tamper indication that the package has been opened.
After product has been dispensed from the package, lid 36 is
pivoted toward the closed position. As the lid approaches the
closed position, bead 58 on lid skirt 54 engages surface 50 on ring
34 to center lid 36 with respect to mounting ring 34. Further
downward pressure on lid 36 snaps bead 58 into channel 48, so that
the lid is secured to the mounting ring by snap fit and the edge of
skirt 54 engages shoulder 46 on ring 34. Conical surfaces 50, 56
are in facing engagement with each other. Because ring 34 is
disposed beneath the end of finish 28 (FIG. 3), the inside edge of
lid skirt 54 engages the outside edge of surface 44 so that skirt
54 is captured between surface 44 and ring 34. This contributes to
the stability of the closure on the container. Bead 58 cooperates
with channel 48 to provide a seal when the lid is in the closed
position.
[0022] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a package 66 in accordance with a
second exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Reference numerals
employed in FIGS. 8 and 9 (and FIGS. 10-11) that are identical with
those employed in FIGS. 1-7 illustrate correspondingly identical or
related components. The primary difference between the package of
FIGS. 8-9 and the package of FIGS. 1-7 is that the finish 68 of
container 70 has a pair of axially spaced external beads 72,74. In
the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, lower bead 74 has
a greater outside diameter than upper bead 72. Mounting ring 34 is
received by snap-fit over lower bead 74. The internal surface of
skirt 54 on lid 36 engages the radially outer edge of upper bead 72
in the closed position of lid 36, as illustrated in FIG. 9. In this
way, bead 72 cooperates with lid 36 to stabilize the lid in the
closed position of the package and to center the lid during
closure. Container 70 preferably is of glass construction (FIGS.
8-9), but may be of plastic construction (FIG. 11).
[0023] There thus have been disclosed a plastic closure for a
container, particularly a glass container, and a
plastic-closure/glass-container package that fully satisfy all of
the objects and aims previously set forth. The finish of the
container has a reduced overall height as compared with prior art
constructions having threads or the like for mounting the closure
on the container and/or having tamper-indicating means on the
container finish beneath the thread or crown for mounting the
closure. The package of the present disclosure can increase closure
application speeds while reducing closure application issues. The
closure is a low-profile closure. The preferred embodiments provide
sealing between the closure and the container finish after the foil
seal has been removed, and the preferred laterally spaced hinge
element construction provides stability between the closure lid and
the closure base.
[0024] The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with two
presently preferred embodiments, and a number of additional
modifications and variations have been described. Other
modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to
persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing
discussion. For example, the exemplary disclosed embodiments are
free to rotate around the axis of the container finish. However,
the closure could be made non-rotatable on the container finish,
such as by providing internal lugs on ring 34 that are received in
external recesses on bead 32 or 74, without departing from the
disclosure in its broadest aspects. The disclosure is intended to
embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the
spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *