U.S. patent application number 12/160331 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for closure cap with snap hinge and retaining ring.
This patent application is currently assigned to BERICAP GMBH & CO. KG. Invention is credited to Gunter Krautkramer.
Application Number | 20100252556 12/160331 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37890775 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100252556 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Krautkramer; Gunter |
October 7, 2010 |
CLOSURE CAP WITH SNAP HINGE AND RETAINING RING
Abstract
The present invention concerns a closure (10) consisting of a
cap portion (1), a retaining ring (3), a tear strip and a snap
hinge (20), the snap hinge connecting the cap portion and the
retaining ring in a single piece along a first circumferential
section, wherein the cap portion (1) has a top plate (14) and the
closure having overall a substantially cylindrical or slightly
tapered closure skirt which, inter alia, comprises a substantially
cylindrical cap skirt and the retaining ring (3), wherein the snap
hinge (20) is integrated into the skirt and wherein the retaining
ring (3) and the cap portion (1), in addition to being connected
via the snap hinge (20), are also connected together along a second
circumferential section (30) via the tear strip (4) which is also
integrated into the skirt. To produce such a closure but at low
cost and preferably using only a little material, and in particular
to provide improved protection of the inside of the closure against
environmental influences, the invention proposes that the cap
skirt, tear strip, snap hinge and retaining ring together define an
essentially closed closure skirt wherein the tear strip and the
ends of the snap hinge (20) in the circumferential direction are
connected with the cap skirt and/or the retaining ring and
optionally with one another via film-like, easily tearable lines of
weakness.
Inventors: |
Krautkramer; Gunter;
(Budenheim, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PAUL AND PAUL
2000 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2900
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
BERICAP GMBH & CO. KG
Budenheim
DE
|
Family ID: |
37890775 |
Appl. No.: |
12/160331 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
November 10, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP06/68342 |
371 Date: |
July 9, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/276 ;
220/834 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 55/16 20130101;
B65D 47/0809 20130101; B65D 2401/25 20200501 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/276 ;
220/834 |
International
Class: |
B65D 17/40 20060101
B65D017/40; B65D 43/16 20060101 B65D043/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 9, 2006 |
DE |
10 2006 001 323.9 |
Claims
1. A closure (10) consisting of a cap portion (1), a retaining ring
(3), a tear strip and a snap hinge (20), the snap hinge connecting
the cap portion and the retaining ring with one another in a single
piece along a first circumferential section, wherein the cap
portion (1) has a top plate (14) and the closure having overall a
substantially cylindrical or slightly tapered closure skirt which,
inter alia, comprises a substantially cylindrical cap skirt and the
retaining ring (3), wherein the snap hinge (20) is integrated into
the skirt and wherein the retaining ring (3) and the cap portion
(1), in addition to being connected via the snap hinge (20), are
also connected together along a second circumferential section (30)
via the tear strip (4) which is also integrated into the skirt,
characterized in that the cap skirt, tear strip, snap hinge and
retaining ring together define an essentially closed closure skirt,
wherein the tear strip and the ends of the snap hinge (20) in the
circumferential direction are connected with the cap skirt and/or
the retaining ring and optionally with one another via film-like,
easily tearable lines of weakness.
2. A closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the tear
strip connects to both of the circumferential ends (21, 22) of the
snap hinge (20) and extends over the entire remaining
circumferential section of the closure skirt apart from the snap
hinge.
3. A closure according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that
the tear strip with its end sections (5) bordering the snap hinge
extends substantially to the upper rim of the snap hinge and
preferably over its entire axial height.
4. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the axial height of the tear strip is smaller than that of the
snap hinge with the exception of its end sections bordering the
snap hinge.
5. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that a tab grip of the tear strip which starts from one end section
of the tear strip extends radially from the closure skirt and in
the circumferential direction over the snap hinge and is retained
close to the closure skirt by easily tearable tabs, preferably in
the region of the snap hinge.
6. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the upper rim of the tear strip runs near to the top plate
(14) in the region thereof opposite to the snap hinge.
7. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the snap hinge or a film hinge (6) of the snap hinge (20) is
less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm distant from the top
plate (14).
8. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that in the cap skirt a recess (25) is provided on both sides of
the snap hinge (20) which extends almost to the top plate, and is
occupied by the end sections (5) of the tear strip.
9. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that a recess is provided in the cap skirt which extends almost to
the top plate diametrically opposite to the snap hinge which, on
the intact closure, is filled by the tear strip.
10. A closure according to claim 9, characterized in that the
recess diametrically opposite to the snap hinge extends over an
angle between 20.degree. and 60.degree., preferably between
30.degree. and 40.degree..
11. A closure according to claim 8, characterized in that the
recesses (25) either side of the snap hinge extend over an angle
between 5.degree. and 20.degree., preferably between 7.degree. and
15.degree..
12. A closure according to claim 8, characterized in that the
height of the cap skirt (1) measured in the axial direction in the
region of at least one of the recesses (25) is reduced by at least
half, preferably by at least 75% of the height of the regions
outside the recesses and in particular to a distance of less than 1
mm from the inner surface of the top plate.
13. A closure cap according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized
in that the snap hinge is formed from a sector of a substantially
cylindrical or slightly tapered skirt between the top plate (14)
and retaining ring (3), wherein said sector has two film hinges (6,
7) which are formed at an axial distance from each other by
essentially circumferential lines of weakness and which, starting
from a minimum axial separation approximately in the centre of the
hinge sector, diverge towards the ends (21, 22) of the hinge (20)
bordering the tear strip.
14. A closure cap according to claim 12, characterized in that the
lines of weakness (6, 7) are each in the form of an approximately
circular or elliptical curve, the centres of which lie axially
above or below the snap hinge (20).
15. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the structures on the closure skirt and between the skirt
sections have a radially shallow depth of less than 2 mm,
preferably less than 1 mm.
16. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the tear strip (4), over the major portion of the second
circumferential sector apart from the snap hinge (20), is at a
distance from the top plate which is at least double that distance
in the sectors which are close to the top plate.
17. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the distance of the tear strip from the top plate (14) in the
sectors close to the top plate is at most 1 mm and outside these
sectors is at least 2 mm.
18. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in
that the overall axial height of the closure is less than 15 mm,
preferably at most 12 mm whereby, apart from the recesses, more
than a third is taken up by the retaining ring and the cap skirt
and somewhat less than a third is taken up by the tear strip.
19. A closure cap according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized
in that in the region outside the recesses the cap skirt has an
inwardly projecting retaining bead (12).
20. A closure cap according to claim 19, characterized in that the
radial thickness of the retaining bead in the regions furthest from
the snap hinge is larger than that in a circumferential sector of
approximately 180.degree. centred on the snap hinge.
21. A closure cap according to claim 20, characterized in that the
maximum radial thickness of the retaining bead in the regions
offset from the snap hinge by more than 90.degree. is more than
twice the radial thickness thereof in the 180.degree. sector about
the snap hinge.
22. A closure cap according to claim 20, characterized in that the
retaining bead has a radial thickness which, from a maximum value
in the regions offset from the snap hinge by more than 90.degree.,
reduces in the direction of the retaining hinge continuously or
stepwise to a minimum value which lies between a zero thickness and
at most half the maximum thickness.
23. A closure cap according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized
in that a tab grip which is connected with one end of the tear
strip (4) extends parallel to the cylindrical cap skirt along the
outside of the snap hinge (20) and is connected therewith via
easily tearable connecting bridges.
24. A closure cap according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized
in that a ring-shaped sealing web (18) extends from the top plate
radially inwardly of the cap skirt (10).
25. A closure cap according to claim 24, characterized in that the
outside of the sealing web (18) carries a ring-shaped
circumferential bead-like radial enlargement.
26. A closure cap according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized
in that on its inner side and in the proximity of its lower rim the
retaining ring (3) has an inwardly projecting retaining bead (9) or
tapers downwardly.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a closure consisting of a
cap portion, a retaining ring, a tear strip and a snap hinge, the
snap hinge connecting the cap portion and the retaining ring in a
single piece along a first circumferential section, wherein the cap
portion has a top plate and the closure having overall a
substantially cylindrical or slightly tapered closure skirt which,
inter alia, comprises a substantially cylindrical cap skirt and the
retaining ring, wherein the snap hinge is integrated into the skirt
and wherein the retaining ring and the cap portion, in addition to
being connected via the snap hinge, are also connected along a
second circumferential section beyond the sector associated with
the snap hinge via the tear strip which is also integrated into the
skirt.
[0002] A plastic closure of the above type is known from
WO03/057585 A2. It defines therein a snap hinge as a hinge which,
in addition to the closed position of the closure cap, also has a
stable open position. Such a snap hinge is in that case formed as a
single piece with the cap and the retaining ring. The particular
feature of a snap hinge, of the type on which the present invention
is based, is that the snap hinge is integrated into a substantially
cylindrical skirt wall of the closure cap, i.e. forms part of said
substantially cylindrical skirt wall. This skirt wall can also be
slightly tapered or convex and in particular can be provided with
gaps and fine structures, for example in the form of lines of
weakness, which define the borders or film hinges between the
individual components (cap, tear strip, hinge, retaining ring) of
the closure.
[0003] Prior art snap hinges were added onto the outside of a first
wall of the closure so that in the region of the snap hinge the
closures were in effect double-walled, whereas the hinge of the
closure on which the present invention is based is integrated into
the wall formed by the cap skirt and the retaining ring. This
allows the cap to be manufactured in a single piece in the closed
state, ready for application or ready for se. In contrast, prior
art closures with snap hinges have to be manufactured in an open,
deployed condition, which makes integral manufacture with the tear
strip almost impossible.
[0004] Here, the cap skirt and the retaining ring do not
necessarily have to have a circular cross section, but can have any
circular, elliptical or polygonal cross section. The snap hinge
effect is achieved by at least one or more thin, flexible and
substantially linear wall sections of this hinge running
essentially in the circumferential direction, onto which bulky and
stable wall sections connect. Appropriate shaping can give the
hinge a "dead-point" property, i.e. on opening of the cap, the
hinge resists the motion of opening and deploying to a certain
extent, but after going beyond the dead-point, switches into a
state in which the elastic energy operating in and on the hinge
impels the closure cap into an open, deployed position. This
"dead-point" property, i.e. at least one labile position of the cap
between at least two stable positions which preferably define the
closed and the completely open state, whereby the cap, starting
from a first stable position, when moving through the dead-point
"snaps" into a second stable position, is the characteristic
feature of a snap hinge--whence the expression "snap hinge".
[0005] The retaining ring retains the entire closure on the neck of
a container, for example a bottle. The bottle neck is usually
provided with a circular circumferential retaining flange. In the
initial closed position, the retaining ring grips the bottle neck
behind the retaining flange and thus securely retains the closure
on the bottle neck. To this end, the retaining ring preferably has
a circumferential inner circular bead which grips behind the
retaining flange. Thus, the tamper-proof strip connecting the
closure cap and the retaining ring has a security or
tamper-proofing function as it connects the closure cap and the
retaining ring attached to the neck of the bottle along a
circumferential sector beyond the snap hinge so that the closure
cap can only be opened after the tamper-proof strip has been
removed, i.e. after the connection of the tamper-proof strip to the
cap and the retaining ring has been destroyed. After removing or
tearing off said tear strip, the only remaining connection between
the retaining ring and the closure cap is the snap hinge and the
cap can be opened, whereupon it is pivoted upwardly and outwardly
relative to the retaining ring about the snap hinge which extends
over a specific small sector of the closure skirt.
[0006] An inner bung or circular sealing web can also be provided,
with an external diameter which is slightly larger than the
internal diameter of the neck of the bottle, so that the closed cap
grips the inside of the neck of the container and thus seals the
contents from its surroundings.
[0007] In the known closure, the snap hinge extends over a first
sector of the circumference of the cap and retaining ring and the
tear strip extends over most of the remaining sector, in or
parallel to a plane of the closure inclined at less than 90.degree.
to the axis of the closure, and thus is at a certain distance from
the sector of the snap hinge, so that between the ends of the tear
strip (seen in the circumferential direction) and the ends of the
snap hinge there are openings in the skirt of the closure. This
requires that the closure has a certain axial length and the open
regions between the tear strip and the snap hinge can lead to the
ingress of dirt, dust, germs and small animals or insects under the
closure cap, so that the mouth of the bottle neck could become
dirty or even contaminated, even though the closure is completely
closed and the tamper-proof strip is intact.
[0008] Further, because of the inclination to a perpendicular to
the closure axis of the tamper-proof strip in this known closure,
it has an axial length which is larger than the sum total of the
minimum (axial) widths of the cap skirt, the tamper-proof strip and
the retaining ring.
[0009] Having regard to this prior art, the aim of the present
invention is to provide a closure with the features defined above
which, however, can be manufactured at low cost and preferably only
requires a little material, and which above all can better protect
the inside of the closure from external influences.
[0010] This aim is achieved by dint of the fact that the cap skirt,
tear strip, snap hinge and retaining ring together define an
essentially closed closure skirt wherein the tear strip and the
ends of the snap hinge in the circumferential direction are
connected with the cap skirt and/or the retaining ring and
optionally with one another via film-like, easily tearable lines of
weakness.
[0011] This means that in the closure of the invention, the cap
skirt, the snap hinge, the tear strip and the retaining ring form a
closed closure skirt around the entire circumference, as these
parts are all connected together via films which are formed as a
single piece with the closure and which are at least in part
readily tearable. Thus, in particular, the tear strip is connected
on all sides to the bordering closure elements via easily tearable
films or lines of weakness in the material of the closure. Insofar
as the tear strip extends only over a part of the sector of the
skirt laying outside the snap hinge, then the cap or, more
precisely, the cap skirt and the retaining ring are directly
connected via a thin film of material which defines a tear line.
Even the ends of the snap hinge in the circumferential direction of
the closure are connected with the bordering portions, i.e. the
tear strip or possibly (also) the cap skirt or the retaining ring,
via a readily tearable film or line of weakness. In contrast, in
the axial direction, the snap hinge is integrally connected with
the cap portion and the retaining ring, but in a pivotable
manner.
[0012] Advantageously, with a closure of the present invention, the
tear strip is arranged so that starting from one end of the snap
hinge and moving in the circumferential direction, it extends
entirely along the remaining circumferential sector to the opposite
end of the snap hinge and thus no openings or gaps remain between
the ends of the tear strip and the ends of the snap hinge. This
means that a completely closed skirt of the cap can be manufactured
the inside of which is better protected against environmental
influences.
[0013] In the preferred embodiment, the tear strip runs along the
circumference of the closure skirt essentially parallel to the
lower edge of the retaining ring and the top plate of the cap
portion, with the exception of axial enlargements, in particular in
the direction of the cap base along shorter circumferential
sectors, for example in the regions of the snap hinge bordering its
ends and possibly also on the side diametrically opposite to the
snap hinge. This embodiment means that an axially short closure can
be produced and saves space and material when manufacturing the
closure. In particular, an axially very short closure also allows a
very short and thus economically produced bottle neck to be used;
the amount of material saved on the neck of the bottle can be much
greater than with the closure itself.
[0014] When the tear strip reaches to the snap hinge on one or both
sides, then advantageously, its ends connecting to the snap hinge
are so wide that they extend over the entire axial height of the
snap hinge, and a tear line formed by a thin film of material
connects the ends of the tear strip and the snap hinge. Since the
tear strip is generally narrower (has a low axial height) than the
snap hinge, it advantageously has corresponding enlargements on the
ends bordering the snap hinge. Independently of such enlargements,
in all cases there should be tear lines over its entire axial
height along the circumferential side ends of the snap hinge, for
example even when the ends of the tear strip end at a distance from
the snap hinge, so that there is a space between the ends of the
snap hinge and the tear strip which if necessary is filled by the
cap skirt, the retaining ring or axial enlargements of these parts.
These tear lines or films of material should extend to the upper
end of the snap hinge and preferably to the top plate or at least
very close to the top plate, and even the snap hinge itself
preferably extends almost to the top plate so that overall, the
closure has a very short axial height and, like the associated
bottle neck, can be manufactured economically material-wise.
[0015] The recesses or axial lines of weakness bordering the snap
hinge and the snap hinge thus preferably extend into axial regions
which are otherwise taken up by the cap skirt, which itself must
have a sufficient axial height over at least a portion of the
circumference in order to be able to grip a bottle neck. This
minimum axial height of the cap skirt should not be less than 2 mm
and is preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 4 mm
measured from the exterior of the top plate. Thus the expression
"extends almost to the top plate" for the recesses and the snap
hinge means that the corresponding parts replace or do away with a
part of the cap skirt.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the tear strip is formed as a
single part with at least one end of the snap hinge, preferably
with both ends, via a thin film of material or a tear line, so that
the tear strip can or must be separated not only from the retaining
ring and the closure cap but also from the ends concerned,
preferably both ends of the snap hinge.
[0017] To remove the tear strip, a tab grip is provided which,
starting from one end section of the tear strip, extends radially
outwardly from the closure skirt and extends in the circumferential
direction over the snap hinge and is held close to the closure
skirt via readily tearable webs, preferably near the snap
hinge.
[0018] Such a tab grip is above all necessary when the ends of the
tear strip are connected in a single piece with both opposed ends
of the snap hinge, as otherwise a tool would be required to detach
the tear strip. This tab of the tear hinge can, for example, be
connected with the closure or with the outer side of the snap hinge
on the closure via readily frangible webs.
[0019] The inventive closure ensures that the interior of the
closure is completely closed to its external surroundings prior to
the first use. This is particularly the case when the tear strip is
connected with the retaining ring and the closure cap as well as at
its end portion with the end portion of the retaining hinge via a
thin, readily tearable film of material instead, as is known in
principle in the prior art in other cases, by a plurality of
readily frangible connecting webs between which a gap is left which
could constitute an opening between the outside and the interior of
the closure. Further, part of the films of material connecting the
individual closure elements could if necessary be replaced by a gap
bridged by readily tearable connecting webs namely, for example, at
the connection between the retaining ring and the tear strip when
the tear strip is close to the neck of a container or neck of a
closure, or possibly also at the end portion of the snap hinge,
where a connecting web could be dispensed with, in particular when
the elements bordering the gap lie very close to each other,
preferably in contact with each other.
[0020] Such a closure can also be produced cheaply as at least in
its simplest variations it can be produced using two relatively
simple tools which only have to be pushed together axially, even
when complex embodiments and tools are brought in for some
applications. The cap skirt, the tear strip and the retaining ring
form a continuous cylindrical, slightly tapered or stepwise
slightly broadening opening wall going from the cap skirt to the
retaining ring. As an example, the cap skirt may have an external
diameter of approximately 36.5 mm, while the retaining ring has a
slightly larger external diameter of 39.5 mm, for example, whereby
the tear strip and also the snap hinge together form a tapered
transition from the cap skirt to the retaining ring. Small
undercuts, for example on the lower inner rim of the cap skirt, on
the lower inner rim of the retaining ring and also forming lines of
weakness or film hinges on the snap hinge, can be produced without
the need for multi-part inner moulds and can be worked directly
into the inner mandrel as long as these structures only have a
small radial depth of less than 1 mm, for example. The closure is
then, for example, produced by injection into a two-part mould
which consists of an outer mould and an inner mandrel, wherein the
outside has no significant structures and thus the outer mould can
easily be removed from the closure because of the light undercuts
on the inner mandrel. After the outer mould has been removed, the
inner mandrel can easily be separated from the closure as the
regions which are axially below the undercuts easily expand in a
reversible manner during unmoulding due to the elasticity of the
materials usually employed for the closure.
[0021] If in addition the tear strip also has a tab grip extending
parallel to the outer skirt or to the snap hinge of the closure,
then clearly the mould must be supplemented by the corresponding
mould elements which, however, do not cause any major overcasts and
again if necessary can make use of a relatively simple two-part
injection moulding tool.
[0022] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tear strip
is also formed so that in its regions bordering the snap hinge it
also approaches the top plate or close to the top plate, i.e. in
this region forms part of the cap skirt, while the tear strip is
still present. Advantageously, the two ends of the tear strip
bordering the snap hinge are enlarged in the axial direction up to
the top plate, for example over a length of 2 to 6 mm in the
circumferential direction, while the upper axial border of the tear
strip, i.e. the line of weakness formed between the tear strip and
the cap skirt, then moves away from the top plate and in the
remaining region of the second sector is at a distance of 1 to 5
mm, for example, parallel to the top plate in the direction of the
circumferential direction. This distance from the top plate the
line of weakness between the tear strip and the cap thus
corresponds to the remaining axial length of the cap skirt. As a
result, in both regions bordering the circumferential ends of the
snap hinge, the cap skirt runs close to the top plate and is
replaced by the enlargements of the tear strip. This is of
particular advantage when the snap hinge is essentially adjacent to
the top plate.
[0023] Examples of essential parts of a snap hinge are two
film-like, readily bendable connection lines formed from rather
thinner material which is also defined as a "film hinge" and
connects the bordering relatively stiff and thicker sections of the
hinge material together which run essentially in the
circumferential direction, but also have axial components so that
in the approximate centre of the snap hinge they are fairly close
together and then diverge (in the axial direction) towards the ends
of the snap hinge in the circumferential direction. The (three)
thicker and stiff sections of the snap hinge lie between the two
film hinges or connect over the upper and under the lower film
hinge.
[0024] The profile of the upper film hinge corresponds, for
example, to the section of a cylindrical skirt surface with a plane
inclined to the cylindrical axis and thus lies along a circular or,
more precisely, an elliptical curve in a plane inclined to the top
plate with the centre of the curve above the top plate as the two
ends of this curved film hinge lie closer to the top plate. The
lower film hinge thus, for example, also follows an elliptical
curve which also runs in a plane which is inclined to the top
plate, however it has a centre which is substantially below the top
plate and, for example, also below the retaining ring, so that the
ends of the lower film hinge extend away from the top plate towards
the retaining ring. The total axial height of the snap hinge is
essentially determined by the distance between the film hinges
which diverge from one another towards the ends of the snap hinge.
This distance clearly also depends on the width (in the
circumferential direction) of the film hinge and on the diameter of
the closure, but in a typical closure with a diameter of 35 to 40
mm is approximately 5 mm.
[0025] The measures described above, such as the snap hinge
extending up to the vicinity of the top plate and the tear strip
also extending in some sectors close to the top plate, allow such a
closure to be manufactured with a very small axial dimension of
less than 15 mm, for example, in particular less than 12 mm, for an
illustrative diameter of 35 to 40 mm. Thus, a substantial saving on
material is made for the closure, and in particular on the
accompanying neck of the container, even though in the unopened
state, i.e. with an intact tear strip, the closure is very stable
and tight when in accordance with the preferred embodiment the cap
skirt, tear strip, snap hinge and retaining ring define a
continuous cylindrical or tapered or part-tapered skirt of the
closure with no gaps or breaks.
[0026] The function of the snap hinge can be described as follows.
The snap hinge consists, from top to bottom, of a section bordering
the top plate which has approximately the shape of a circular
section. The outer rim of this section is defined by a curved upper
film hinge. Connected to this is a somewhat more stable hinge
section which in turn is bordered lower down by another curved film
hinge with an opposed curvature. In side view, this stable part of
the snap hinge thus has approximately the shape of a flattened "X"
with curved arms.
[0027] At the same time, in a top view the snap hinge is also
curved in a radial plane, i.e. it forms part of a cylindrical (or
slightly tapered) skirt of the closure.
[0028] This means that when lifting the closure cap, i.e. on
opening the closure, after removing the tear strip, the initial
effective rotational axis about which the closure cap pivots, in
the approximate region of a tangent to the middle section of the
hinge, actually lies within the upper film hinge and in the central
region thereof. The top plate and the circular sectional-shaped
portion of the cap skirt bordering the film hinge essentially move
rigidly as a unit about this axis. This necessarily means that both
ends of the film hinge, which are at a distance from the effective
initial pivotal axis, are stretched while the central region, i.e.
where the two film hinges are at their closest point, tends to be
compressed.
[0029] At the same time, through the rigid connection of the top
plate with the circular sectional portion of the cap skirt, the
central region of the hinge is pushed radially inwardly while the
ends of the hinge move radially outwards. The elastic extension of
the ends of the hinge and the compression of the central region of
the hinge thereby produce an elastic restoring force in the closing
direction.
[0030] However, as soon as the central portion of the hinge,
because of its radially inward motion, and the ends of the hinge
because of their radially outward motion lie in a plane, the hinge
finds itself at a dead-point and further pivoting of the cap means
that the outer ends of the hinge are over-centre, i.e. radially
beyond the path of the effective pivotal axis which still
essentially lies through the film hinge in the central region of
the snap hinge and parallel to a tangent to the cap skirt in this
region. The elastic tensional forces operating in the ends of the
hinge then support the opening action.
[0031] Clearly, for proper function of such a snap hinge, the ends
of the hinge in the region of both film hinges must be free, which
in the case of the present invention means that the ends of the
tear strip, which are formed in a single piece with the ends of the
snap hinge, must as far as possible extend over the entire width of
the snap hinge so that these ends are completely free after
removing the tear strip. This saves a lot of material if as already
mentioned, the snap hinge extends almost to the top plate and thus
the tear strip in the present embodiment also extends almost to the
top plate, or at least in the part close to the snap hinge.
[0032] In the other regions it is advantageous if the tear strip
maintains a sufficient distance from the top plate to leave a
corresponding skirt of the closure which on the one hand stabilizes
the cap and on the other hand also has retaining properties and,
for example, can have a smaller radial projection at its lower
inner edge in order for it to grip behind a radially outwardly
directed rim of a container opening to hold the cap securely
thereon.
[0033] In a particular embodiment of the invention, however, in a
region which is diametrically opposite to the snap hinge, the tear
strip again approaches the top plate so that in this region too a
small section of the cap skirt is separated over a length of 10 to
15 mm in the circumferential direction, for example. This recess in
the cap skirt, which preferably reaches to the top plate,
effectively forms a type of tab grip into which a fingertip can
easily be inserted to open the cap, i.e. to remove it from the rim
of the container opening.
[0034] Further, the tear strip has a constant axial width of 2 to 3
mm, for example, which only in the region near the ends of the snap
hinge and in the region opposite the snap hinge is approximately
doubled because there the tear strip reaches to or nearly to the
top plate to ensure proper function of the snap hinge, i.e. to free
the ends thereof, and also to form a tab grip on the closure
cap.
[0035] In these regions, the tear strip does not have to extend
right to the top plate, but may also leave a small section of the
cap skirt in these regions, however with a cap skirt of only a few
(for example 3-6) mm axial height, this height of the cap skirt in
the regions of the tear strip mentioned above should be reduced by
at least half so that the functions mentioned above are
guaranteed.
[0036] In an alternative, however, a short tab grip may be formed
on the cap skirt or in an extension of the top plate on the side of
the cap skirt opposite the snap hinge. In this case, a recess would
clearly not be required in the cap skirt in order to form a tab
grip. This embodiment is preferred when used in connection with an
inner retaining bead on the cap skirt which will be described
below.
[0037] Where the cap skirt is at its maximum height, i.e.
essentially beyond the snap hinge and the bordering recesses in the
cap skirt, the cap skirt has an inwardly projecting bead or seam
near its lower edge which can snap behind a corresponding
projection at the mouth of a bottle neck or the like.
[0038] Preferably, the radial thickness of the bead is at its
maximum only in the region opposite the hinge where the tab grip
may be located. The circumferential section along which the bead is
of maximum radial thickness preferably corresponds to no more than
120.degree., more preferably no more than 90.degree. and in
particular at most 60.degree., wherein the centre of this section
lies diametrically opposite the centre of the snap hinge.
Particularly preferably, the thickness of the bead, starting from a
maximum value in a small central section or point, reduces
continuously and by at most about 90.degree. either side of the
central point either runs out or reaches its minimum thickness.
[0039] This embodiment has the advantage of providing a better and
more secure seal of the closure when closing it again. The consumer
who has grasped the closure on the side opposite the snap hinge,
possibly by a tab grip and has opened it and now wishes to close
the closure again typically will grip only the part of the closure
cap which is close to the tab grip or the part diametrically
opposite the hinge and press this side of the closure cap from
above onto the associated bottle neck or container neck to which
the closure is attached. As already mentioned, the upper edge of
this bottle neck, which is designed for attachment of an associated
closure, carries an outwardly projecting retaining bead. On
pressing down on the closure cap, the inwardly projecting bead on
the cap skirt slides over the outwardly projecting bead on the edge
of the bottle neck and snaps behind it. However, if the inwardly
projecting bead were to extend over the entire circumference of the
cap skirt or along a circumferential sector of more than
180.degree. centred on the central point opposite the snap hinge,
but pressure is exerted from above on the top plate or tab grip
only in the region of this central point or in the region of the
tab grip, the bead of the cap skirt in the region of the tab grip
may indeed slide over the retaining bead of the edge of the bottle
neck but in the remaining regions, especially those at about
90.degree. to the centre of the tab grip, it may sit on the
retaining bead of the edge of the bottle neck without sliding over
it. The closure would then bulge in the middle between the hinge
and tab grip and this deformation of the closure cap could no
longer guarantee a tight seal on closing. Hence, in the preferred
embodiment of the invention, the inwardly projecting bead on the
skirt of the closure cap only reaches its maximum thickness in a
section near the tab grip, i.e. diametrically opposite the hinge,
and diminishes with increasing distance from this central region
and preferably has reached a minimal value by 90.degree. from the
central region and may completely disappear, the whole
circumference of the closure cap and the base of the cap dropping
onto the rim of the bottle neck even when pressure is only exerted
from above on the cap portion in the region of the tab grip. In
this manner a smaller radially inwardly projecting bead which is at
a distance from the tab grip will slide over the bead on the edge
of the bottle neck with a lower resistance so that it does not
result in a bulge in the closure cap in the central region between
the hinge and the tab grip.
[0040] Further, a ring-shaped sealing web is advantageously
provided on the top plate which is dimensioned so that it extends
into the interior of a bottle neck or container opening and thus
acts as a bung; advantageously it has a beadlike projection along
its outer circumference which acts as a seal on the inner surface
of a corresponding bottle neck, but it must have an exterior
diameter which is slightly larger than the internal diameter of the
corresponding bottle neck or opening.
[0041] In one embodiment, the closure is manufactured for a bottle
neck with an internal diameter of 33 mm and an external diameter of
35 mm wherein, as already mentioned, the external diameter of the
internal sealing web in the region of the bead is correspondingly
slightly larger than 33 mm, for example 33.5 mm and the inner edge
of the (not totally circumferential) cap skirt has an internal
diameter of 35.5 mm, for example.
[0042] For the purposes of original disclosure, it should be noted
that any features of which a skilled person becomes aware from the
present description, drawings and claims, even if they are only
specifically described in connection with particular further
features, can be combined both individually and in any combinations
with other features or combinations of features disclosed herein,
insofar as this is not expressly excluded or such combinations are
impossible or of no purpose for technical reasons. A comprehensive
explicit description of all envisageable combinations of features
has not been given here purely for the purposes of legibility of
the description.
[0043] Further advantages, features and applications of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description of a
preferred embodiment made with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0044] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a closure
applied to a container neck;
[0045] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a closure according to claim 1
seen from the side of the snap hinge and without a tab grip for the
tear strip;
[0046] FIG. 2a shows a section through the closure of FIG. 1 along
the plane D-D in FIG. 4;
[0047] FIG. 3 shows a side view corresponding to FIG. 2, but with
the tab grip of the tear strip which partially conceals the snap
hinge, and wherein the left side of the closure is shown in
section;
[0048] FIG. 4 shows an axial sectional view along plane C-C in FIG.
1;
[0049] FIG. 5 shows an axial view of the closure from above;
[0050] FIG. 6 shows a side view through the closure applied to the
neck of the bottle;
[0051] FIG. 7 shows a detail of the side view of FIG. 6;
[0052] FIG. 8 shows a further detail of the side view of FIG. 6;
and
[0053] FIG. 9 shows a further detail of circle E in FIG. 2a.
[0054] FIGS. 1 to 6 show a closure which is generally denoted 10
which consists of a closure cap 1, a retaining ring 3 and a tear
strip 4 arranged between the closure cap 1 and retaining ring 3.
The tear strip 4 connects the retaining ring 3 and the closure cap
1 via a line of weakness denoted 15 to 19. The lines of weakness
15, 19 consist of film-like thinned linear or strip shaped sections
of the closure skirt. As can be seen, the closure widens from top
to bottom, particularly in the region of the tear strip 4, in a
somewhat stepwise manner; the cap skirt 2, the tear strip 4 and the
retaining ring 3 are essentially cylindrical. The retaining ring 3,
which has a somewhat smaller internal diameter than a radially
outwardly projecting retaining flange 32 of the bottle neck 30 (see
FIGS. 3, 6, 7 and 8), grips behind this flange 32 and thus retains
the closure 10 as a whole on the radially outwardly projecting
flange 32 or projection of a bottle neck 30 or a connection
opening.
[0055] A ring-shaped circumferential sealing web 18 (see FIGS. 2a
and 3) extends from the top plate 14; at its outer circumference it
has a small circumferential bead which extends into a corresponding
bottle neck 30 as a sealing bead when the closure is put on to the
bottle neck and the cap 1 is closed.
[0056] The lower rim of the cap skirt 2 also has a small inwardly
directed projection 12 (FIG. 7) which can grip behind an outwardly
bulged snap rim 33 of the bottle neck 30 to retain the cap 1 in the
closed state securely on a container opening, even when the tear
strip 4 is removed and the cap is only connected with the retaining
ring 3 via the snap hinge 20.
[0057] FIG. 3 shows an external view of the closure in the region
of the snap hinge, in FIG. 3 partially covered by the tab grip 13
of the tear strip 4, wherein two lines of weakness or film hinges
6, 7 with the section 8 lying therebetween and the upper and lower
connected sections 16, 17 illustrated by curved dotted lines form
the snap hinge 20. As can be seen, these film hinges 6, 7 are
curved so that in approximately the centre of the hinge 20 they are
at a small distance from each other and diverge outwardly towards
the ends of the hinge. Between these two film hinges 6, 7 is a
rather larger web 8 which is tapered in the centre and widens
towards its two ends, while the film hinge on the other side is
delimited by a curved widened section 17 of the retaining ring 3
and a curved portion 16 of the cap skirt 2, additionally reinforced
by a substantially rectangular base 9, which contribute to the snap
function of the hinge 20 insofar as they form a relatively stiff
connection of the hinge with the retaining ring 3. The right and
left hand ends 21, 22 of the snap hinge 20 are defined by thin
film-like and easily tearable connections to the bordering sections
of the tear strip 4 which has axial enlargements 5 at its sections
bordering the ends 21, 22 which occupy corresponding recesses 25 in
the cap skirt. To avoid tearing the relatively thin walled film
hinge 6, 7 of the snap hinge from the ends 21, 22, both sides of
the snap hinge 20 immediately before the ends 21, 22 are provided
with reinforcements 23 which separate the ends of the film hinge 6,
7 from the ends 21, 22.
[0058] This type of hinge has the property that when raising or
folding up the closure cap 1 the elastic restoring forces in the
hinge initially tend to move the cap back into its closed state,
however after going beyond a dead-point the elastic forces
transform into a force working in the opening direction so that the
cap 1 is then retained in the open condition.
[0059] As can readily be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 8, which show
side views and axial cross sections through the snap hinge 5, when
the cap 1 is raised in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 8, the top
plate 1 and the cap skirt 2, which in the region of the hinge 20
are formed by the curved section 16, form a relatively rigid unit.
The pivotal axis for the cap initially lies close to the neck of
the web 8. As can be seen from FIG. 8, on lifting the cap 1, the
central section of the hinge 20 or the web 8 moves radially
inwardly and is thus compressed while the outer rim section or ends
21, 22 of the hinge 20 moves radially outwardly and is thus
stretched, producing the elastic restoring forces. The dead-point
is defined so that the web 8 passes through the plane in the centre
of the hinge in the radial direction extending between the two
hinge ends 21, 22 and then snaps radially inwardly while the ends
21, 22 of the hinge 20 move radially outwardly so that the web 18
and the ends 21, 22 in the view of FIGS. 6 and 8 lie over one
another and finally pass each other and on the other side of the
dead-point exert an elastic force which pulls the cap into the open
position.
[0060] This should ensure that liquid can be poured from a bottle
without having to hold the cap away from the opening, so that the
liquid pouring out does not flow against the cap and be diverted in
an uncontrolled manner and thus spilled.
[0061] In the external top view of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the profile or
contours of the tear strip 4 can be seen in detail. In the region
bordering the ends 21, 22 of the snap hinge 20 in the axial
direction, the tear strip 4 is widened by the width of the cap
skirt 2 and extends with its enlargements 5 in this region up to
the top plate 14 and thus after separating from the closure
completely frees the ends 21, 22 of the snap hinge 20.
[0062] Clearly, the hinge and tear strip can equally be at a larger
distance from the top plate and then the cap skirt does not have to
have any corresponding recesses 25.
[0063] A particular feature of the closure shown in the Figures is
that before its first use, i.e. in the state shown in FIGS. 1 to 8,
it is closed on all sides. As can be seen, the cap 1, the tear
strip 4 and the retaining ring 3 are connected by tearable lines
15, 19 which are formed by linear or strip shaped film-like thinned
sections of the closure material. A further tearable line which is
also formed by a thin film-like material runs along the ends 21, 22
of the hinge 20. On removing the tear strip, the tab grip 13 is
gripped and the (not shown here) easily tearable bridges or webs
which connect the tab grip 13 with the outside of the snap hinge 20
are torn off. A sufficiently powerful tug on the tab grip 13 then
tears the closure material along the line 22 which defines one end
of the snap hinge to which the widened end of the tear strip 4
provided with the tab grip 13 is connected. Tugging on the tab grip
13 then tears the tearable lines 15, 19 to the enlargement 5 of the
tear strip 4 which connects to the end 21 of the snap hinge 20.
Finally, the tearable line along the end 21 is ripped off. Thus,
the tear strip has been completely separated from the closure and
the cap 1 and retaining ring 3 are almost completely separated from
each other and are only connected via the snap hinge 20.
[0064] In the unopened form shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, however, the
closure is closed on all sides and even the retaining ring 3, when
it grips behind the projection 32 of the bottle neck, preferably
engages with this projection 32 and preferably also reaches the
lower bottle rim 31 so that the interior of the closure, at least
above the grip of the retaining ring 3 with the flange or
projection 32, is at least dust tight to the exterior.
[0065] The tear strip 4 also lies close to the flange 32 of the
bottle neck 30 so that the thin film of the tearable line 19 can,
if appropriate, also be replaced by a gap which is bridged simply
by individual easily tearable webs between the tear strip and
retaining ring, without compromising the dust seal on the outer
flange 32.
[0066] In an embodiment which is not shown, the tear strip on the
side opposite the snap hinge 20 is widened in the axial direction
to the height of the cap skirt and in this part reaches to the top
plate 14 so that after removing the tear strip in this region, the
cap skirt 2 also has a recess which effectively provides a gripping
lip as in this region the top plate 14 is free and can be gripped
at its free edge. This renders operation of the closure easier as
the cap 1, as already mentioned, has one or more bead-like
projections on the inner side of the cap skirt 2 which grip behind
an outwardly projecting bottle neck rim and thus set up a certain
resistance to opening of the cap 1.
[0067] In the preferred embodiment shown in the Figures, however, a
tab grip 11 is formed outside on the cap skirt 2.
[0068] As can be seen in FIG. 6 and in particular in the detailed
view of FIG. 7, at its lower rim the cap skirt 2 has a radially
inward projection or snap rim 12 which grips behind a corresponding
outwardly projecting projection or snap rim 33 at the upper rim of
the bottle neck 30. This projection 12 extends, as can be seen in
FIG. 4, over a relatively small circumferential sector of less than
60.degree., with its centre diametrically opposing the centre of
the snap hinge 20. The circumferential sector over which the snap
rim 12 extends can, however, also be substantially larger, for
example 160.degree. up to 270.degree., whereupon however the radial
thickness of the snap rim, particularly in the regions which are at
about 90.degree. to the centre of the snap hinge, should be
substantially smaller than in the region diametrically opposite the
snap hinge. In particular, this snap rim or bead 12 has its largest
radial thickness in the central region diametrically opposite to
the snap hinge. In the circumferential region further from this
central region, in particular in the circumferential sections about
90.degree. to 120.degree. from the central region, the bead 12 has
a substantially smaller thickness and may even disappear
completely. This is clearly seen in the cross section of the
embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 9 which show a section or corresponding
detail E along a plane D-D, which is at 90.degree. to the centre of
the snap hinge. As can be seen, no snap rim can be seen on the cap
skirt 2 in this region.
[0069] Advantageously, the radial thickness of the bead 12 tapers
either in a stepwise manner or continuously away from the centre
opposite the snap hinge 20. As an example, the profile of the
radial thickness of the projection 12 may have a similar sickle
shape to that shown in the axial view of FIG. 2, but dimensionally
adjusted, rather like that of the gripping projection 11, although
this projection or bead 12 extends radially inwardly, in contrast
to the tab grip 11.
[0070] Clearly, other profiles and shapes for the snap rim or bead
12 can be envisaged, such as that shown in FIG. 4, where the ends
of a bead 12 thin from a constant thickness in a rounded inclined
step and blend into the wall of the cap skirt.
[0071] In the unopened state, i.e. while the tear strip 4 is still
intact and connected with the retaining ring 3 and the cap 1, the
closure is completely closed on its outer side and between the tear
strip 4 on the one hand and the retaining ring or cap skirt 2 on
the other hand there are no gaps, openings or slits through which
any contaminants could gain ingress.
[0072] Thus, no contaminants can gain ingress into the closure
which is formed by the retaining ring 3, tear strip 4 and closure
cap 1. After removing the tear strip 4, the container contents are
still sealed properly since as the ring-shaped circumferential
sealing web 18 has a corresponding outer bead which seals against
the inner surface of a bottle neck, while the cap skirt 2 with its
inwardly projecting projection 12 holds the closure cap 1 securely
by its lower inner edge on the container mouth.
[0073] The closure of the invention is characterized by a
relatively simple structure and manner of manufacture and, in
particular in the form illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, can be
manufactured in the closed form. Further, it requires only a little
material since the essential parts, namely the retaining ring, tear
strip and cap or cap skirt can be made very short in the axial
direction so that for a closure diameter of 38 mm, the height is
not more than 12 mm, for example, of which 4.5 mm of the height is
used up by the retaining ring and the cap skirt (including the top
plate), and the remaining part is used up by the tear strip which
in principal could be made even narrower, however the snap hinge
also requires a certain axial height so that a further reduction in
the width or axial height of the tear strip has no substantial
further influence on the overall height of the closure. The saving
on material brought about by this axially short construction is
even more advantageous because a shorter bottle neck can be
employed.
* * * * *