Composite Closure

Abstract

A closure is described for sealing beverage bottles and other containers. The closure has an inner plastic cap which seals the containers and has an outer metal shell which overlies the inner cap and which holds the inner cap in its sealed position. The outer metal shell is removed by a tear-off means permitting the plastic cap to be lifted off and reapplied to reseal the container. The tear-off means includes a ring grip formed from the cover metal of the outer metal shell.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the sealing art and more particularly to an improved tamper proof tear-off closure cap for sealing containers including beverage bottles. The cap combines the desirable features of tamper proofing, easy closure removal, and moderate pressure resealing capability.

Consumers have exhibited a desire for easy removable closures for general line food products as well as for beverage containers which, for example, may be removed without a tool and which may thereafter be reapplied.

A number of caps have been used for this purpose including threaded caps of both the crown style and the roll-on style. While these caps have been satisfactory in one or another respect, no single cap of this type has yet completely satisfactorily combined the desirable features of easy application with hermetic sealing, easy removal, tamper proofing and moderate pressure resealing capability. The improved composite cap of this invention meets all of these requirements and further provides an easily manufactured and attractive closure cap.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved composite closure cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved resealing closure cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite closure cap combining the characteristics of easy application, easy removal, tamper proofing and good resealing capability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved composite closure cap for sealing high pressure products, such as carbonated beverages and beer and providing moderate pressure resealing capability.

The closure cap, in accordance with the invention, obtains the above described objectives by providing a molded inner plastic cap having a skirt portion adapted to snap over and to form a seal with a cooperating finish on the bottle or other container. A cup-like metal shell fits over the plastic cap or primary closure and it includes a skirt portion which locks the plastic cap skirt in its sealed position during the sealing operation by being crimped or rolled inwardly against the plastic cap and towards the glass finish of the container. The metal shell includes an integral rip-tab defined by scored lines in the metal shell and terminating in a ring grip centrally positioned within and formed of the cover portion of the metal shell. The ring grip being formed of the metal of the outer shell cover and being located in the plane of the metal shell cover is fully protected against accidental movement during container shipment, storage, and display.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the composite cap in accordance with the invention sealing a container such as a beverage bottle.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1 illustrating the first step in cap removal with the tear-strip partially torn away.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the metal shell almost completely removed from the package exposing the inner plastic cap.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the plastic cap removed from the bottle after the removal of the outer metal shell.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the composite closure in position on a container prior to the inward crimping of the skirt of the metal cap shell.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the composite closure cap in its sealed position on the preferred glass finish.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the composite closure 1 includes an inner molded plastic cap 2 which is positioned directly onto the finish at the mouth 3 of a beverage bottle or other container. The inner cap 2 is preferably molded of an impermeable resilient flexible plastic as, for example, polyethylene or well known thermoplastic materials.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate this inner cap 2 in position on a preferred glass finish 5. The inner cap 2 is seen to include a cover 6 and a depending integral skirt 7. The skirt 7 has a groove 8 in its inner surface for engaging an outwardly directed and complementarily shaped bead 9 provided on the glass finish 5.

The preferred form of the bead 9 on the glass finish is seen to have an inwardly inclined upper portion at about 20.degree. to the vertical which terminates in a rounded edge 10, to facilitate cap application. A relatively level undersurface 11 has only a slight angle with the horizontal such as about 10.degree. to 15.degree. for the purpose of engaging and locking the lower edge of the cap groove 8 of the plastic cap 2 in its original sealed position or in its subsequently resealed position.

The preferred embodiment of the plastic cap 2 also includes a circular channel 12 in its outer perimeter and a void 28 between the cap skirt 16 and plastic skirt 7 to facilitate the application of the plastic cap 2 to the glass finish 5 by permitting a flexing of the plastic skirt 7 over the bead 9. In addition, the plastic cap 2 is preferably provided with an integrally formed lift ring 13 which extends below the metal shell 14 and which is provided to facilitate the removal of the plastic cap 2 after the metal shell 14 has been removed from the sealed container 4.

The metal outer shell 14 comprises a cover portion 15 and a depending skirt 16. In its initial form, the cap skirt 16 extends straight down as illustrated in FIG. 5 to facilitate assembly of the composite cap. The plastic cap 2 and the metal outer shell 14 are most conveniently assembled in the position illustrated in FIG. 5 prior to the feeding of the composite cap 1 to a sealing machine to permit simultaneous application of the composite closure cap 1 to the container 4. After the composite cap 1 is applied to the container 4 and while the cap 1 is under downward vertical pressure, the lower edge 17 of the cap skirt 16 is rolled or crimped inwardly to lock the plastic cap 2 in position on the glass finish 5 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6.

It is seen that in this form the composite cap 1 may not be removed from the container 4 without the destruction or removal of the outer metal cap shell 14 thereby providing a tamper proofing feature for the closure cap 1. It is also seen that the assembled closure is easily and rapidly applied in a sealing operation on a typical sealing machine since the cap 1 need be only pressed on and then crimped or rolled into the final sealed form of FIG. 6.

The outer shell 14 has a generally flat top portion 15 and a depending generally cylindrical skirt portion 16 having the form illustrated in FIG. 5 prior to the crimping or rolling operation and the final sealed form as illustrated in FIG. 6 at the completion of the sealing operation. In this final form, it is seen that the lower edge 17 of the skirt 16 has been moved inwardly for the purpose of locking the plastic cap 2 in position over the bead 9 on the preferred container finish 5.

In order to open the container 4, it is necessary to relieve or to release the above described locking action of the skirt 16. A rip tab 18 is provided in the preferred embodiment for this purpose. The rip tab 18 is seen to include a finger gripping ring 20 positioned centrally of the metal cap cover 15 and formed from the metal of the cover 15. The ring 20 is formed during shell formation by cutting an arcuate line outwardly of the ring 20 together with radially cuts permitting opposite edges of the cut to be bent upwardly and outwardly to form smooth edges 21 and 22 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 6) of the pull ring 20 and the remaining portion of the cover 15. At the same time, a circular section of the cap cover 15 is removed to permit the simultaneous upward bending or rolling of the center of the cover 15 to form the smooth inner edge 23 of the ring 20.

This same forming operation or subsequent operations form radially directed scored lines 24 and 25 for the rip-tab action. These lines 24 and 25 include one complete line 25 which extends from the ring 20 across the cap cover and down across the cap skirt 16 for providing a complete severance of the metal. The adjacent line 24 is terminated short of the lower edge of the cap skirt 16 to provide a coupling bridge to facilitate the separation of the adjacent portions of the metal cover 14 and permitting its removal as a unitary member in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

To further facilitate the removal of the metal outer shell 14, an additional score line 26 is provided in a position radially opposite that of the score lines 24 and 25 for facilitating a hinging action of the torn metal shell as illustrated in FIG. 3 where the scored portion 26 of the cover 15 tears and the adjacent portion of the cap skirt 16 acts as a hinge permitting the metal shell 14 to fold clear of the inner plastic cap 2. To further facilitate this hinging or opening action of the outer metal shell, a notch 27 is formed in the cover material 15 prior to the upward rolling of the edges 22 so that the inner edge of the breaking score 26 is clear of the edge portion 22 and is easily broken during the removal of the metal outer shell 14.

After the shell 14 has been removed from the sealed container 4, the inner plastic cap 2 may now be pulled clear of the container 4 using the plastic ring 13. In the event that the entire contents of the container are not utilized, the container may be resealed by snapping the plastic inner cap 2 back onto the glass finish with the groove in the plastic cover re-engaging the outwardly directed bead 9 on the container finish 5.

It will be seen an improved composite cap is provided for containers which is useful for a variety of different sealed packages, including beverage bottles packed under pressure. The improved composite closure cap is seen to combine a number of desirable features including in particular, ease of application, tamper proofing, easy removal, and resealing capability. These features are incorporated in an attractive and relative easily manufactured composite closure cap useful in high volume packaging operations and adapted for high speed machine sealing operation.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A composite closure comprising a resilient plastic snap-on closure cap and a metal outer shell overlying the closure cap, said plastic closure cap having a top and a depending skirt, said metal outer shell having a cover and a depending skirt, a tear strip formed in the cover of said metal outer shell and extending across said metal shell skirt, finger grip means comprising a ring defined by an inner circular aperture and an outer arcuate aperture in the cover of the metal outer shell and coupled to the end of said tear strip, said artuate aperture defining an inner annular edge on said cover, a score line in said annular edge opposite said tear strip and extending down said skirt on the metal outer shell, a narrow annular groove in the outer surface of the snap-on cap skirt, grip means on said plastic closure cap, and the lower edge of the metal shell skirt being spaced radially outwardly from the lower edge of the skirt of the plastic closure cap for facilitating cap application.

2. The composite closure as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a notch in the cover of said outer shell at the inner end of said score.

3. The composite closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said grip means on said plastic closure cap comprises an integrally molded plastic ring.

4. An improved package comprising the combination of a glass container having a closure cap engaging bead at its rim, a composite closure having a resilient snap-on plastic closure cap and a metal outer shell overlying the closure cap, said closure cap having a top and a depending skirt, said metal outer shell having a cover and a depending shirt, a tear strip formed in the cover of said metal outer shell and extending across said metal shell skirt, finger grip means comprising a ring defined by an inner circular aperture and an outer arcuate aperture in the cover of the outer shell and coupled to the end of said tear strip, said arcuate aperture defining an inner annular edge on said cover, a score on said annular edge opposite said tear strip and extending down said skirt on the metal outer shell, a narrow annular groove in the outer surface of the plastic closure cap skirt, and the lower surface of said bead and said groove being substantially parallel with the plane of the container rim.

5. The package as claimed in claim 4 which further comprises an integrally formed plastic grip means on said plastic closure cap.

6. The package as claimed in claim 4 in which said lower surfaces of said bead and groove form angles of about 10.degree. to 15.degree. with the plane of the container rim.