U.S. patent application number 13/824975 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-11 for closure.
This patent application is currently assigned to OBRIST CLOSURES SWITZERLAND GMBH. The applicant listed for this patent is Jamie Fox. Invention is credited to Jamie Fox.
Application Number | 20130175273 13/824975 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44512071 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130175273 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fox; Jamie |
July 11, 2013 |
Closure
Abstract
A screw-on closure, and a dispensing fitment for a container
neck have co-operating orientation means defining a predetermined
relative rotating orientation of the closure with respect to the
fitment when it is screwed onto a container neck.
Inventors: |
Fox; Jamie; (Norwich,
GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fox; Jamie |
Norwich |
|
GB |
|
|
Assignee: |
OBRIST CLOSURES SWITZERLAND
GMBH
Reinach
CH
|
Family ID: |
44512071 |
Appl. No.: |
13/824975 |
Filed: |
January 20, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
January 20, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB12/00048 |
371 Date: |
March 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/259.3 ;
220/288; 53/476 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/00 20130101;
B65B 7/00 20130101; B65D 25/48 20130101; B65D 47/122 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/259.3 ;
220/288; 53/476 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/00 20060101
B65D051/00; B65B 7/00 20060101 B65B007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 4, 2011 |
GB |
1111400.6 |
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. In combination, a screw-on closure and a fitment for a
container neck, the closure engaging the fitment so that the
closure and fitment co-rotate as the closure is screwed on to a
container neck to a fully screwed on position, whereby when the
closure is in the fully screwed on position the fitment is in a
predetermined relative orientation with respect to the closure and
the container neck.
18. The closure claimed in claim 17, in which the fitment includes
a rim oriented towards the closure and the closure engages the top
of the rim to cause said co-rotation.
19. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the fitment
comprises a dispensing fitment.
20. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the fitment
comprises a nozzle.
21. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the fitment
comprises one or more directional orifices.
22. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the fitment plugs
into the container neck.
23. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure is a
child-resistant closure.
24. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure is a
squeeze-and-turn closure.
25. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure and
fitment co-rotate via co-operating orientation means.
26. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure
and/or fitment have one or more ratchets.
27. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure
and/or fitment have one or more ratchet teeth.
28. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure
and/or fitment have one or more rotationally orientating features
selected from one or a plurality of: ratchets; drive dogs; driving
faces; and projections.
29. The combination claimed in claim 17, in which the closure
comprises an inner skirt and an outer skirt.
30. The combination claimed in claim 29, in which closure
orientation means are provided on the inner skirt.
31. The combination claimed in claim 29, in which closure
orientation means are provided at a free end of the inner
skirt.
32. A method of applying a fitment to a container neck comprising
the steps of: providing a fitment; providing a screw-on closure
with a fully screwed on position of the closure having a
predetermined relative rotational orientation with respect to the
container neck; and rotationally engaging the fitment in a
predetermined relative orientation via the closure, such that the
closure and fitment co-rotate as the closure is applied to the
container neck, such that in the fully screwed on position the
fitment is in a predetermined relative orientation with respect to
the closure and the container neck.
33. In combination, a screw-on closure and a container with a neck
defining an opening, the closure having screw thread formations and
the neck having co-operating screw thread formations and a rim,
where a top of the rim of the neck engages the closure to define a
predetermined relative rotational orientation between the closure
and the neck.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a closure and
particularly to a screw-on closure for use in conjunction with a
container neck.
[0002] There are a variety of situations in which it is desirable
to be able to orientate a closure with respect to a container, for
example if the closure and/or container are asymmetric or carry
information or include directional dispensing components.
[0003] The present invention seeks to provide improvements in
relation to orientatable closures.
[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention there
is provided in combination, a screw-on closure and a dispensing
fitment for a container neck, the closure and fitment having
cooperating orientation means defining a predetermined relative
rotational orientation of the closure with respect to the fitment
when if is screwed on to a neck.
[0005] This aspect of the present invention therefore provides a
mechanism for achieving a required orientation of a fitment
relative to a container neck by using a closure to orientate the
fitment.
[0006] According to an alternative aspect of the present invention
there is provided in combination, a screw-on closure and a
dispensing fitment for a container neck, the closure and fitment
having cooperating orientation means defining a predetermined
relative rotational orientation of the closure with respect to the
fitment when it is screwed on to a neck, the fitment including a
rim orientated towards the closure and the fitment orientation
means being provided on or by the top of the rim.
[0007] This aspect of the present invention therefore provides
orientation means in a particular location, specifically on fop of
a fitment rim so that it can engage cooperating orientation means
on a closure and thereafter be orientated by the closure, for
example by causing co-rotation.
[0008] The fitment may comprise a nozzle. For example, the fitment
may comprise a dispensing nozzle or spout arrangement intended to
fit into or onto a container neck and thereafter dispense product
when the closure is subsequently removed. In some embodiments the
fitment comprises one or more directional orifices which
necessitate a specific orientation of the fitment with respect to a
container.
[0009] The fitment may plug into the container neck. The fitment
and closure may be applied together to a container neck, with the
closure driving the fitment down onto or into the container neck;
thereafter the fitment may be plugged into and securely retained
into the neck so that removal of the closure leaves the fitment
firmly secured into the neck and does not remove it.
[0010] According to a further aspect of the present invention there
is provided in combination, a screw-on closure and a container with
a neck defining an opening, the closure and the neck having
cooperating screw thread formations and cooperating orientation
means for defining a predetermined relative rotational orientation
of the closure with respect to the container, in which the neck
orientation means are provided on or by the top of the neck
rim.
[0011] This aspect of the present invention therefore provides
orientation means in a specific location and in particular the neck
orientation means are provided by or on the top face of the neck
rim.
[0012] The orientation means of aspects of the present invention
may comprise ratchet means, such as one or a plurality of ratchet
teeth. In other embodiments other analogous rotationally
orientating features such as drive dogs, driving faces and other
projections may be used.
[0013] The closure may comprise an inner skirt and an outer skirt.
The screw thread formations and/or orientating means of a closure
may be provided on or by a or the inner skirt and/or the outer
skirt. Multiple inner skirts, plugs and the like may be provided,
with the formations and orientation means provided on or by the
same or different parts.
[0014] The closure orientation means may be provided at a free end
of the inner skirt. For example, the inner skirt may depend from a
closure top plate, roof or the like and the orientation means are
provided at the opposite, free end.
[0015] The closure may be provided with child-resistant
anti-rotation means. The anti-rotation means can allow the closure
and optional fitment to be screwed onto a container neck but
thereafter prevent unscrewing. In some embodiments the closure may
be formed as a squeeze-and-turn closure in which squeezing part of
the closure, for example an outer skirt, results in ovalisation and
allows ratchet teeth on the closure to move clear of ratchet teeth
on the container neck so that unscrewing can occur.
[0016] The present invention also provides a closure and/or a
fitment and/or a container neck for use in any of the combinations
described herein either together or separately.
[0017] The orientation means and screw thread formations of the
closure may be provided on the same or a different skirt. For
example, the screw thread formations may be provided on an outer or
intermediate skirt and the orientation means may be provided
radially inward of that skirt on a further skirt.
[0018] The present invention will now be more particularly
described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view of a closure formed
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a further sectional perspective view of the
closure of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side view of a dispensing fitment formed
according to the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the fitment of FIG. 3;
[0023] FIG. 5 is an underplan view of the fitment of FIG. 3;
[0024] FIG. 6 is an alternative side view of the fitment of FIG.
3;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fitment of FIG. 3;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a partial section of the closure of FIG. 1 shown
fitted with the fitment of FIG. 3;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a further partial section of the closure and
fitment of FIG. 8; and
[0028] FIG. 10 is a partial section of the closure and fitment of
FIGS. 8 and 9 in association with a container neck.
[0029] Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a child
resistant-orientating closure generally indicated 10. The closure
10 comprises a body 12 having a generally cylindrical side wall 14
closed at one end by a frusto-conical cap 16 comprising an inclined
side wall 18 and a frustrum 20,
[0030] The inner surface of the wall 14 carries internal screw
thread formations 30.
[0031] Radially outward of the free end of the side wall 14 an
outer skirt 28 is attached. The inner surface of the the skirt 28
carries a pair (only one is shown) of ratchet teeth 22 comprising
an inclined face 24 and a flat abutment face 26.
[0032] Radially inward of the side wall 14 an inner skirt 32
depends from the inclined side wall 18. The skirt 32 is comprised
of a pair of mirror image arcuate inclined ramps 34, 36 which
define at each end a driving face 38, 40. The ramps 34, 36 are
semi-circular and continuous with each other, in other words the
faces 38, 40 terminate at the start of the ramps.
[0033] Radially inwardly of the skirt 32 a generally cylindrical
plug 42 depends from the periphery of the frustrum 20.
[0034] Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 7 there is shown a dispensing
fitment generally indicated 50.
[0035] The fitment 50 comprises a generally cylindrical plug body
62 which carries a dispensing nozzle 54. The nozzle 54 is generally
frusto conical and includes a slot 56 defining an orifice 58.
[0036] The body 62 tapers inwardly towards the free, non-nozzle end
and carries an annular sealing bead 64. The body 62 terminates at
its end closest to the orifice 58 with a rim 66. The rim 66
comprises a pair of semi-circular inclined ramps 68, 70 each
terminating with a respective flat, driving face 72, 74 and thus
being complimentary with the ramps 34, 36 of the closure 10.
[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9 the closure 10 and fitment 50
are shown fitted together. The nozzle 54 fits up into the plug
skirt 42 and into the cap 44, with the skirt 42 fitting between the
nozzle body and the plug rim. The plug rim engages the skirt 32 and
when the closure 10 is rotated relative to the fitment the
complimentary ramps 34, 36, 68, 70 engage with their respective
driving faces 38, 40, 72, 74 engaged against each other so that in
this position the closure and fitment will rotate together in a
define relative rotational orientation.
[0038] This means that when the closure 10 and fitment 50 are
presented to a container neck, when the closure 10 is rotated onto
the neck it will always engage the fitment and drive it into the
neck bore as it co-rotates. This means that when the closure is
fully screwed on to the container neck the fitment will be in a
predetermined relative rotational orientation both with respect to
the closure and the container neck.
[0039] As shown best in FIG. 10, the plug body 62 of the fitment 50
is securely fitted into the bore of a container neck 80 so that
when the closure 10 is unscrewed the fitment 50 is retained in the
neck 80.
[0040] In this embodiment the container neck 80 is provided with
external screw thread formations 82 for engaging the formations 30
on the skirt 14. Additionally, the neck 80 is provided with a pair
of ratchet teeth 84 which cooperate with the teeth 22 on the skirt
28 to prevent counter rotation of the closure. In order to remove
the closure 10 from the neck 80 the skirt 28 must be ovalised to
move the teeth 22 away from the corresponding teeth 84 on the neck
as is well known in squeeze-and-turn child-resistant closures.
[0041] The closure 10 and fitment 50 can be pre-fitted together and
applied together to a container neck 80. Alternatively the fitment
50 can be loosely fitted into the container neck 80 and the closure
10 can be applied. In either case the closure is rotated so that
its driving faces engage those of the fitment rim so that rotation
of the closure 10 with respect to the neck 80 causes co-rotation of
the closure and fitment in the predetermined relative rotational
orientation.
* * * * *