U.S. patent application number 13/350320 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-19 for array of products.
Invention is credited to Brian David Andres, Todd Mitchell Day, Widalys Luz DESOTO-BURT, Miguel Alberto Herrera, Chow-chi Huang, Su-Yon McConville, Ralph Edwin Neufarth, Alfredo Pagan, Richard Darren Satterfield, Cristian Alexis Viola-Prioli.
Application Number | 20120181272 13/350320 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46940659 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120181272 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DESOTO-BURT; Widalys Luz ;
et al. |
July 19, 2012 |
Array of Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an array of products comprising
a plurality of different containers having a similar container to
closure interface across at least one brand and different
volumetric sizes wherein at least one of said containers comprises
more than one undercut and comprising a plurality of different
closures comprising at least one common component.
Inventors: |
DESOTO-BURT; Widalys Luz;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Day; Todd Mitchell; (Bethel,
OH) ; Neufarth; Ralph Edwin; (Liberty Township,
OH) ; Satterfield; Richard Darren; (Bethel, OH)
; Huang; Chow-chi; (West Chester, OH) ; Herrera;
Miguel Alberto; (Loveland, OH) ; McConville;
Su-Yon; (Mason, OH) ; Pagan; Alfredo; (Mason,
OH) ; Andres; Brian David; (Harrison, OH) ;
Viola-Prioli; Cristian Alexis; (Loveland, OH) |
Family ID: |
46940659 |
Appl. No.: |
13/350320 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61433068 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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61433052 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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61433062 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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61433072 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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61433079 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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61432698 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/23.83 ;
206/459.5; 215/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02W 90/13 20150501;
Y02W 90/10 20150501; B29L 2031/7158 20130101; B29C 49/04 20130101;
B29C 49/06 20130101; Y02W 90/11 20150501; B65D 1/023 20130101; B65D
1/0223 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/23.83 ;
215/40; 206/459.5 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00; B65D 23/00 20060101 B65D023/00; B65D 51/00 20060101
B65D051/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 14, 2011 |
CN |
CM3406FP |
Claims
1) An array of products comprising a plurality of different
containers having a similar container to closure interface across
at least one brand and different volumetric sizes wherein at least
one of said containers comprises more than one undercut.
2) An array of products according to claim 1 utilizing a plurality
of different closures comprising at least one common component.
3) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the more than
one undercut are located proximal to the neck of the container.
4) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of different closures comprise at least one common component
selected from the group consisting of an engine or a shroud.
5) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of closures comprise at least two common components.
6) An array of products according to claim 5 wherein the plurality
of closures comprise at least two common components wherein the
common components comprise a same engine and a same shroud.
7) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein two or more of
the containers comprise non-functional, different, separable
graphics.
8) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of containers have different container shapes.
9) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of containers have the same container shape.
10) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of closures comprise an actuation mechanism selected from the group
of flip to open, twist to open, disc top/toggle to open, push-pull,
screw top, slide, threaded caps and mixtures thereof.
11) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the similar
container to closure interface comprises a geometry of the
container about a neck of a container and a closure interface of
the container which is selected from the group consisting of
concave, convex, linear, non-linear, mixtures of linear and
non-linear, or mixtures thereof.
12) An array of products according to claim 11 wherein a portion of
the common container comprises a non-linear geometry about a neck
of the container and a closure interface of the container.
13) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the common
container comprises a geometry wherein the vertical side of the
shoulder that has an interface with a closure has a positive draft
angle of less than 10 degrees.
14) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of closures complete a silhouette of a body of the plurality of
containers.
15) An array of products according to claim 14 wherein the
plurality of closures is integrated with the shoulder geometry of a
container and provides a completion of a container silhouette.
16) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of containers comprise bottles.
17) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the array of
products are marketed under a common brand name.
18) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein three or more
of the plurality of containers comprise non-functional, different,
separable graphics.
19) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of closures are comprised of a sustainable material.
20) An array of products according to claim 19 wherein the
sustainable material is selected from the group consisting of
biopolymers made from non-petroleum sources, biodegradable
polymers, recycled resins and mixtures thereof.
21) An array of products according to claim 20 wherein the
non-petroleum source is selected from the group consisting of
bio-derived polyethylene, bio derived polypropylene, bio derived
polyesters and mixtures thereof.
22) An array of products according to claim 1 wherein the plurality
of closures are comprised of materials which improve functional
performance selected from the group consisting of sealing,
ergonomics, stability on storage surfaces, visual aids for user,
container durability, customization of tactile and audible signals
to the user and mixtures thereof.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/433,068, filed on Jan. 14, 2011; and U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/433,052, filed on Jan. 14,
2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/433,062, filed
on Jan. 14, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
61/433,072, filed on Jan. 14, 2011; and U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/433,079, filed on Jan. 14, 2011; and U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/432,698, filed on Jan. 14,
2011, all of which are herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an array of products
comprising a plurality of different containers having a similar
container to closure interface across at least one brand and
different volumetric sizes wherein at least one of said containers
comprises more than one undercut. In particular, the plurality of
containers is coupled with a plurality of different closures
comprising at least one common component.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A variety of packages, including dispensing packages or
containers, have been developed for household products, personal
care products, and other products. Containers that have a pleasing
aesthetic look to consumers have a closure design that is fully
integrated with the design of the container. This conveys the
message that the integration of the two components was well thought
of. This is important to make closure functioning intuitive to
consumers. An example of a well integrated container/closure system
is one where the container's geometry wraps around the closure to
create shoulders. This geometry can also be referred to as a
container with a recessed neck. This recess geometry serves
different purposes: overall integrated look to the container and
closure, stability to container in inverted orientation, and makes
functioning of closure more intuitive to consumers.
[0004] Currently, most closures complete the geometry of the
container, thereby requiring the size of the closure to be
proportional to the geometry of the container. In the present
invention, the size of the closure is minimized thereby providing
several benefits. One of the benefits is reducing the weight of the
closure to the minimum amount of resin needed to enable the
required closure functionality. This is a benefit for the
environment as industry currently does not have a well established
polypropylene recycling stream. By having a closure that has a
reduced weight from the overall package, this allows a container to
have improved recyclability. It also reduces the overall costs of
the closure including costs associated with resin, processing,
tooling, injection mold (IM) press selection, and others. Another
benefit of minimizing closure size is that the closure becomes a
less focal point of the design making it more inductive to use the
same closure for different container designs within one brand and
even enable the use of the same closure across different
brands/shaped families. This drives optimization and efficiency and
in return reduces further costs. This further enables the
silhouette of the shape to be scaled proportionally without the use
of additional features such as steps, larger radii or other
geometric alterations and angles to accommodate the closure.
[0005] Another benefit for minimizing the closure size is that it
can be integrated in the container shape. When the container is in
its inverted orientation, an integrated design allows the use of
the container top surface to add stability vs. requiring a larger
closure. It also aids in creating differentiation between the forms
(such as shampoo and conditioner), helping consumers identify the
product that they are looking for. This drives scale in the
container design and development and therefore is an advantage. A
further advantage is that having a recessed closure provides a
higher level of protection from damage due to the recessed closure
being protected by the recess geometry. Another benefit of having a
recessed neck where the container wraps around the closure is that
it enables using the same closure across different sizes while
still having an integrated look between the container and the
closure. A further benefit of the present invention is the
enablement of using the same closure across containers made by
different molding technologies. Non-limiting examples of molding
technologies include extrusion blow molding (EBM), injection blow
molding (IBM), and injection stretch blow molding (ISBM). This
drives scale and further reduces costs.
[0006] When looking at containers in the market, the common
practice is to use a different closure for each individual
container design. This is especially noticed across different
brands and even across different volumetric sizes of a same brand.
Different closure shapes and designs are typically used across
different brands in order to give each its own equity. When looking
at the range of different container volumetric sizes within one
same brand, companies typically opt for creating different closures
for each size in order to enable matching the closure's geometry to
the container's geometry. This allows achieving a more integrated
look to the entire package, where the closure completes the
silhouette of the container. The need to create multiple closures
increases costs, as it increases the number of manufacturing
tooling needed, developmental work, and reduces the potential
creation of scale, which otherwise could reduce costs. Typically,
larger containers also use larger closures, therefore further
increasing the costs from raw materials, processing, tooling
selection and others. In some instances, it has been noticed that
some companies are using the same closure across different
container brands or across different volumetric sizes, however
these containers need to have very similar geometries where the
containers meet the closure to enable achieving an integrated look.
This means that the volumetric sizes of the containers need to be
very similar across the containers using the same closure, posing a
limitation to the range of container sizes that can share a common
closure. In some instances when closures are shared across a larger
volumetric size range, features on the containers such as steps,
larger radii, changes in dimensional proportions or other geometric
alterations are needed to force a container to match a closure's
geometry. For example, at times the container height limitation
will have been reached, and to further increase the internal volume
of the container, the width and depth of the container may need to
be altered which leads to different container/closure interface as
well as container dimensional proportions. This is not desired, as
it forces the container's overall shape to move beyond the original
design equity. As previously discussed, being able to use the same
closure across a wide range of different volumetric sized
containers and across different brands without affecting their
design equity and while allowing to create a fully integrated
silhouette is not only desirable, but also not observed in the
market.
[0007] For reasons stated above, leveraging the same identical
closure across different container brands and volumetric sizes
increases their scale, which typically results in reduced costs.
Closures may comprise of one, two, three, or even more components.
The higher the number of shared components within the closures, the
higher the scale created and therefore typically, the lower the per
part costs. For this reason, a benefit of the present invention
provides a flexibility wherein identical components are shared
across closures to produce identical closures, followed by closures
wherein only one component changes and so on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention describes an array of products
comprising different containers that share a similar container to
closure interface and can be used across at least one brand and
across different volumetric sizes coupled with different closures
that share at least one common closure component. At least one of
said containers comprises more than one undercut in its
geometry.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1A is an isometric view of containers across a wide
range of volumetric sizes wherein a same closure is shared;
[0010] FIG. 1B is a top view of containers across a wide range of
volumetric sizes wherein a same closure is shared;
[0011] FIG. 1C is a side view of containers across a wide range of
volumetric sizes wherein a same closure is shared;
[0012] FIG. 1D is an exploded view of the closure of FIGS. 1A-1C
depicting a closure component being shared across FIGS. 2C and
2D;
[0013] FIG. 2A is an isometric view of a container having a
different shape than the shape of container(s) in FIGS. 1A-1C,
wherein this container shares at least one closure component with
those shown in FIGS. 1A-1C;
[0014] FIG. 2B is a side view of the container shown in FIG.
2A;
[0015] FIG. 2C is an exploded overview of the closure of FIGS. 2A
and 2B, depicting a closure component being shared across FIGS.
1A-1C;
[0016] FIG. 2D is an exploded underview of the closure of FIGS. 2A
and 2B, depicting a closure component being shared across FIGS.
1A-1C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] For the purposes of the present invention, suitable recesses
are those that permit a portion of the article to wrap around at
least part of a closure, when said closure is coupled with said
article. Such recess may allow the closure, when coupled to said
article, to remain substantially flush to the apex of the outermost
surface of said article. By "at least part of a closure" it is
herein intended that said portion extends around the perimeter of
the closure to form an angle of at least 45.degree., preferably at
least 60.degree., more preferable between 60.degree. and
360.degree., taken from the centre of the closure and in the x-y
plane, when said closure is coupled to said article.
[0018] The term "integrated" as used herein intends that: (i) at
least part of said closure remains substantially flush with at
least one surface of the article, preferably the outer surface of
said shoulder; and (ii) that at least one shoulder of said article
wraps around at least part of said closure, preferably forming at
least one concave surface. The advantage of such configuration
being a consumer desirable silhouette.
[0019] The term "undercut" as used herein a physical geometry that
hinders article removal from a mold when said mold is opened in a
linear direction which intersects at least a portion of said
geometry.
[0020] The term "non-functional, different, separable graphics" as
used herein refers to labels used to convey information to the
consumer and to differentiate products between different brands.
The term "non-functional" is used to indicate that the label does
not perform any other function other than that of conveying a
message to the consumer. The term "separable" indicates that the
container and the label were separate at some point prior to the
final assembly being completed and does not pose a limitation to
only containers where the label can be removed after being
assembled.
[0021] The term "scale" as used herein refers to an economic
benefit obtained by reducing the design and development time and
resources, as well as capital investment obtained by direct
reapplication without negative implications on consumer acceptance,
design aesthetics, etc.
[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products comprises a plurality of different containers having a
common or similar container (306) to closure (307) interface (308).
These containers encompass a range of different volumetric sizes
and can be used across different brands. The array (300) of
products comprises at least one container (306) comprising more
than one undercut in its geometry. These undercuts may be located
proximal to the neck geometry of the container (306). The array
(300) of products may also comprise a plurality of closures and
each comprises at least one component (301 or 302) that is shared
or common across the array (300). When assembled, the closures seal
the containers' orifice. The product inside the containers can be a
liquid or a solid and can be the same or different across the
different containers. In a non-limiting example of an embodiment of
the present invention, the range of volumetric sizes can cover a
range of at least 300 mL. In a further embodiment, the range may be
extended to at least 1000 mL and even in a further embodiment
extended to cover volumetric sizes in a range of at least 1200 mL.
The containers in the array may be of the same or different colors
and may be used across a single brand, two brands, or a higher
number of brands. The closure (307) to container (306) interface
(308) may be similar across the array such that the closure
attaches securely to the container while looking like it belongs in
the container/closure assembly, however this does not pose a
limitation where the interface across the packages need be exactly
identical across the array. In an embodiment of the present
invention, the colors, additives and resins used to prepare the
containers and the components of the closures in the array that are
shared or common across the array may be selected from the
following non-limiting group: the same, partially the same,
completely different, and mixtures thereof.
[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products comprises a plurality of closures wherein the closures
comprise at least two common components (301, 302). These
components can be either functional and necessary to enable the
operation of the closure, as well as some of them being only for
decorative and aesthetic purposes.
[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products comprises a plurality of different closures wherein the
closure comprises at least one common component (301 or 302)
selected from the group consisting of a shroud and an engine.
[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products comprises a plurality of closures wherein the closures
comprise at least two common components (301,302) and these common
components can be referred to as a shroud and an engine. In a
further embodiment, the engine can be referred to as the component
of the closure that attaches to the container, whilst the shroud
can be referred to as the component of the closure that connects to
the engine and provides the outermost aesthetic shape to the
complete closure. An example of an embodiment can be used where the
closure is comprised of only a shroud and engine component, however
this invention is not limited to only two components and more
components that need not be identical across the entire array.
[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array of
products wherein two or more of the containers comprise
non-functional, different, separable graphics. As previously
defined, these graphics are used only to convey information to the
consumer on the product housed within the container and its
recommended use, as well as to provide differentiation between
forms and between different brands.
[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the array (300)
of products comprises a plurality of containers wherein the
containers comprise different container shapes. Using different
container shapes allows the containers to be used across different
volumetric sizes and brands whilst maintaining their design brand
equity. In a non-limiting example, one embodiment of the present
invention comprises containers wherein the containers have
different absolute dimensions and their overall shapes are not
related such that they can be used across different brands. In
another non-limiting example, an embodiment of the present
invention comprises containers wherein the containers have
different absolute dimensions whilst maintaining their overall
aspect ratios, such that they can be used across the same
brand.
[0028] In another embodiment of the present invention, the array of
products comprises a plurality of containers wherein the containers
comprise the same container shape and wherein the absolute
dimensions are identical across the entire array. The containers
within the array may share the same colors, resins, graphics, and
additives or have variations within these.
[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the closures
within the array of products can comprise different actuation
mechanisms. Non-limiting examples are selected from the group
consisting of flip to open, twist to open, disc top/toggle to open,
push-pull, screw top, slide, threaded caps and mixtures thereof.
The specific actuation mechanism can be selected based on the brand
equity and desired consumer experience. An example of an embodiment
would be a container (305) coupled with a closure (304) that
operates by rotating one component (303) of the closure relative to
another component (302) of the closure.
[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, one or more
containers in the array of products comprises a geometry where the
interface between the closure and the container's geometry about
the neck of the container can be selected from the group consisting
of concave, convex, linear, non-linear, mixtures of linear and
non-linear, or mixtures thereof. The specific shape of the
interface geometry can be defined to match the shape of the
closure, allowing therefore the creation of an integrated look
between the closure and the container.
[0031] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a
container (305) made by the present invention comprises a
non-linear geometry about a neck of the container and closure (304)
interface (308) of the container. The curvature of the interface
(308) allows having the container (305) wrap around the closure
(304) to enable a fully integrated desired design aesthetic. The
portion of the container (305) that wraps around the closure (304)
can be referred to as the container's shoulder (309).
[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, a container (305)
made by the present invention comprises a shoulder (309) geometry
wherein the side of the shoulder wall having an interface (308)
with the closure (308) has a positive draft angle of less than 10
degrees and in a further embodiment, there may be further reduction
of the draft angle to less than 8 degrees and preferably even a
further reduction of the draft angle to 5 degrees or less. This
shoulder (309) surface creates the interface (308) between the
container (305) and the closure (304), once the closure (304) is
assembled. Having a positive draft angle of less than 10 degrees is
important for two main reasons:
1) Consumer acceptance--the smaller the draft angle, the smaller
the space or gap that will exist between the closure (304) and the
container (305) after the closure (304) is assembled. Large gaps
are typically perceived by consumers as areas where water and
product can accumulate, making the overall assembly be perceived as
messy. In addition, a large gap can give consumers the perception
that the closure (304) and container (305) are not fully
integrated, making the overall package appear as a poor design.
When such a gap exceeds 7.4 mm distance from the shoulder surface
to the closure, the consumer also perceives an internal barrier for
product flow. 2) Potential re-application of closure across
multiple container sizes--having a low draft angle on the
container's vertical shoulder wall enables using a closure (307)
with a straight or low vertical draft angle. If the closure has a
low vertical draft angle, it can then be used not only with
containers that have a shoulder that cover this side of the
closure, but also with containers that have a different shoulder
design or even those that do not have a shoulder (310), where the
closure's periphery is partially or fully exposed. Having the
flexibility to use the same closure across different container
designs creates scale, which typically reduces costs and logistic
complexity.
[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products comprises a plurality of closures wherein when assembled,
the closures are integrated with the bodies of the containers to
complete the silhouettes of the bodies of their respective
containers. In a further embodiment of the present invention, an
array (300) of products comprises a plurality of closures wherein
when assembled, the closures are integrated with the shoulder (311)
portion of the geometry of the containers in the array (300). This
enables completing the silhouettes of the bodies of their
respective containers.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products comprises a plurality of containers wherein the containers
comprise bottles. These bottles can be used in a variety of fields.
Non-limiting examples of such fields are; beauty care products,
such as containers for body wash, shampoos and conditioners;
domestic and/or household products, such as containers for
detergents or other cleaning preparations for cleaning and/or
conditioning fabric and/or hard surfaces; oral care products, such
as containers for mouth wash; and so on.
[0035] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array (300) of
products is marketed under a common brand name wherein the
volumetric sizes of the plurality of containers may vary, whilst
still pertaining to the same brand. As a non-limiting example of an
embodiment of the present invention, the array may comprise
containers placed in an upward, inverted, or mixtures of
orientations. The products inside the containers may vary from one
container to another.
[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, an array of
products wherein three or more of the plurality of containers
comprise non-functional, different, separable graphics. The
different graphics represent different brands and different
products housed within the containers.
[0037] In a further embodiment of the present invention, at least
one of the containers in the array may have a physical geometry
that creates at least one non-linear or more than one linear
undercut. In an embodiment, a linear undercut may have a portion of
the surface geometry such that the surface is within the same
plane. In an embodiment of the present invention, a non-linear
undercut can be defined by a portion of the surface geometry such
that the surface exists in multiple planes.
[0038] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a
plurality of closures is comprised of a sustainable material. The
closures may be manufactured completely with sustainable materials
or selected components only. This may allow for a more recyclable
closure. Some of the materials that could be used are: PCR, HDPE,
LDPE, Bamboo, renewable resins include PLA (polylactic acid), PHA
(polyhydroxyalkanoate), and bio-polyolefins (bio-PE, bio-PP,
bio-PET), where starting materials are plants or biomass instead of
oil; recycled and recyclable resins include PP PCR (post consumer
regrind) and PIR (post industrial regrind), which are resins
diverted from trash to be reprocessed and/or reused instead;
Natural fillers include minerals (e.g. CaCO3), wood, pulp, paper,
bamboo, grass, kenaf, bulrush, and other natural plants that have
been crushed, cut, broken, or pulverized for inclusion in plastics;
renewable resins include PLA (polylactic acid), PHA
(polyhydroxyalkanoate), and bio-polyolefins (bio-PE, bio-PP,
bio-PET), where starting materials are plants or biomass instead of
oil; recycled and recyclable resins include PP PCR (post consumer
regrind) and PIR (post industrial regrind), which are resins
diverted from trash to be reprocessed and/or reused instead;
Natural fillers including minerals (e.g. CaCO3), wood, pulp, paper,
bamboo, grass, kenaf, bulrush, and other natural plants that have
been crushed, cut, broken, or pulverized for inclusion in plastics;
some recycled miscellaneous materials can be used as fillers,
including waste currency (e.g. U.S. dollar bills).
[0039] The sustainable materials may include biopolymers made from
non-petroleum sources, biodegradable polymers, recycled resins and
mixtures thereof. Some of the potential biopolymers that could be
used for this application are: bamboo, paper, grass, etc. A
non-petroleum source may be selected from the group consisting of
bio-derived polyethylene, bio derived polypropylene, bio derived
polyesters and mixtures thereof. Some or all of the sustainable
material may contain colorants, antistatics, UV inhibitors, or
other small quantity additives to change the appearance or
performance.
[0040] In a further embodiment of the present invention, closures
may comprise materials which may improve functional performance
selected from the group of sealing, ergonomics, stability on
storage surfaces, visual aid for user, container durability,
customized the tactile and audible signals to the user and mixtures
thereof. As an example of a further embodiment, a closure may be
partially molded with a soft material. Such soft materials may
provide tactile features, as well as improve sealing performance of
a closure. Examples of soft materials that can be used when
injecting a closure include: Thermoplastic elastomers; TPE
including styrenic (SEBS and SBS) based and olefin (TPO PP
Elastomer) based; Thermoplastic eurothanes TPU; Melt Processable
Rubber MPR; Thermoplastic Vulcanizate TPV; and Poly vinyl chloride
PVC and mixtures thereof. In an embodiment of the present
invention, the soft like material may delight the consumer with a
soft touch feel while opening and closing the closure.
[0041] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be
understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values
recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension
is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension
disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm"
[0042] All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the
Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference;
the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission
that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the
extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document
conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a
document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition
assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
[0043] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims
all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of
this invention.
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