U.S. patent number 3,580,423 [Application Number 04/802,821] was granted by the patent office on 1971-05-25 for container closure and apparatus for opening same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Realistic Company. Invention is credited to John M. Gilman.
United States Patent |
3,580,423 |
Gilman |
May 25, 1971 |
CONTAINER CLOSURE AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING SAME
Abstract
A closure for a container which includes an impervious disc and
can also include a resilient annulus overlying the mouth of the
container. A retaining ring attached to the container adjacent the
mouth having an inwardly directed flange overlies the disc and the
annulus to hold the disc and the annulus firmly in assembled
relation forming a seal with the mouth. A cap having a tubular
spout with a pointed inner end perforates the disc to discharge
contents of the container.
Inventors: |
Gilman; John M. (Cincinnati,
OH) |
Assignee: |
The Realistic Company
(Cincinnati, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
25184804 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/802,821 |
Filed: |
February 27, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/81;
215/DIG.3; 222/90 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
51/20 (20130101); B67B 7/26 (20130101); B65D
2251/0015 (20130101); B65D 2251/0093 (20130101); Y10S
215/03 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
51/20 (20060101); B65D 51/18 (20060101); B67b
007/30 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/80,81,83,90
;215/37,38 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bockenek; David M.
Claims
Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desired to
secure by letters patent is:
1. In combination with a container having an open mouth, a closure
for the container which comprises an impervious disc and a
resilient annulus overlying the mouth, a retaining ring attached to
the container adjacent the mouth, the retaining ring having an
inwardly directed flange overlying the disc and the annulus to hold
the disc and the annulus firmly in assembled relation forming a
seal with the mouth of the container, there being an opening in the
flange of the retaining ring aligned with an opening of the
annulus, the opening of the annulus being exposed, the disc being
puncturable to permit discharge of the contents of the
container.
2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein a dispensing cap is
mountable on the container surrounding the mouth, the dispensing
cap including a tubular member having a pointed inner end portion
for puncturing the disc and an outer spout portion for dispensing
contents of the container, the opening of the annulus guiding the
pointed inner end portion of the cap during puncturing.
3. A combination as in claim 2 wherein the annulus is of resilient
plastic material and has a central opening of a size to receive and
engage the exterior of the tubular member when the dispensing cap
is mounted on the retaining ring to form a seal therebetween as
contents of the container are dispensed.
4. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the disc includes a metal
foil layer and a polyethylene layer, the polyethylene layer
engaging the mouth of the container to form a seal therewith.
5. In combination with a container having an open mouth, a closure
for the container which comprises a disc which includes a foam body
and an impervious polyethylene layer on one face thereof overlying
the mouth, the polyethylene layer engaging the mouth of the
container to form a seal therewith, a retaining ring attached to
the container adjacent the mouth, the retaining ring having an
inwardly directed flange overlying the disc to hold the disc in
sealing relation with the mouth of the container, there being an
opening in the flange of the retaining ring, the disc being
puncturable to permit discharge of the contents of the
container.
6. A combination as in claim 5 wherein a dispensing cap is
mountable on the container surrounding the mouth, the dispensing
cap including a tubular member having a pointed inner end portion
for puncturing the disc and an outer spout portion for dispensing
contents of the container.
Description
This invention relates to closures for nonrefillable containers and
to apparatus for opening closures for nonrefillable containers.
An object of this invention is to provide a closure for a
nonrefillable container which is liquidtight and which can be
punctured with a dispensing cap when contents are to be used.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a closure in
which the closure forms a seal with the dispensing cap.
Briefly, this invention provides a closure which includes a disc of
puncturable material having a facing of polyethylene or other
impervious resilient material which overlies and closes an opening
in a container. The disc can be combined with an annular member of
compressible material such as polyvinyl chloride or paper board or
other resilient material which is compressible so that an annular
retaining member can hold the disc firmly in engagement with the
mouth of the container. A cap having a discharge tube or conduit
extending therethrough can be advanced over the closure with a
pointed inner end of the conduit puncturing the disc to permit
dispensing of contents of the container through the conduit. The
conduit can be of a size to engage the interior of the opening of
the annulus to form a seal therewith.
The above and other features and objects of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention
pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a container provided with a
closure constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this
invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container and closure illustrated in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of a dispensing cap for the
container of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cap shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the cap shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;
FIG. 6 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line
6-6 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the line
7-7 in FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a view in upright section showing the cap of FIGS. 3--5
and 7 in position for dispensing fluid from the container of FIGS.
1 and 2;
FIG. 9 is a view in upright section of a portion of a container
constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this
invention, a portion of the cap being shown in dot-dash lines in
association therewith; and
FIG. 10 is a view in section of a portion of a container
constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of this
invention, a portion of the cap being shown in dot-dash lines in
association therewith.
In the following detailed description and the drawings, like
reference characters indicate like parts.
In FIG. 1 is shown a container 14, which can be of glass or the
like having an open mouth 16 (FIG. 6) closed by a closure 17. The
container is constructed to contain a single unit or charge of a
liquid 18 and is intended for a single use.
The closure 17 includes a disc or diaphragm 18' of impervious
material such as aluminum foil having a coating 19 of a resilient
material such as polyethylene which can form a seal with the mouth
16 of the container 14. Outboard of the disc 18' is an annulus 21
of compressible but resilient material such as paperboard or the
like. A central opening 22 of the annulus 21 overlies the center of
the mouth 16 of the container 14. The annulus 21 is held tightly
against the disc 18' by a retainer ring 23 of aluminum or the like
to hold the disc in firm engagement with the mouth of the
container. The coating 19 can be approximately 1 mil in thickness
being sufficiently thick to form a seal with the mouth of the
container. The retainer ring 23 includes an upper flange 24 which
overlies the annulus 21, a lower flange 26 which underlies a
shoulder 27 of the container 14, and a substantially cylindrical
body 28 between the flanges. The upper flange 24 defines an opening
29, which overlies the opening 22 in the annulus 21 and can be
slightly larger than the opening 22.
When the contents of the container are to be used, the disc 18' is
perforated by means of a cap 30 (FIGS. 3--5, 7 and 8). The cap 30
includes a cup-shaped body 31 (FIGS. 3 and 5) having a
substantially cylindrical wall 32 which can fit closely around the
body 28 of the retaining ring 23, as shown in FIG. 8. Lengthwise
ribs 33 on the inner face of the wall 32 can engage the body of the
retaining ring to hold the cap in place thereon. As shown in FIG.
7, a tubular member 34 is supported by a base 36 of the cap. The
tubular member 34 includes an inner disc-puncturing portion 34' and
an outer spout portion 34". When the cap 30 is mounted on the
container as shown in FIG. 8, a point 37 on an inner end of the
inner portion 34' of the tubular member perforates the disc 18 so
that contents of the container can be discharged through the outer
spout portion 34" of the tubular member. The cap can be molded as
piece from appropriate rigid plastic material or the like. The
lower end of the inner portion 34' is cut away at an acute angle to
the axes thereof with the point 37 being at the lower or inner end
thereof.
In FIG. 9 is sown a container 41, similar to the container already
described, which is provided with a closure 42 constructed in
accordance with another embodiment of this invention. The closure
42 includes a disc 43 of puncturable but impervious material such
as thin polyethylene sheet material under which is mounted an
annulus 44 of compressible resilient plastic material such as
polyvinyl chloride. A retaining ring 46, similar to the retaining
ring described above, holds the disc 43 and the annulus 44 in the
firm engagement with the annulus engaging and forming a seal with a
mouth 47 of the container 41. A center opening 48 of the annulus is
of a size to engage the outside wall of the inner portion 34' of
the tubular member 34 to form a seal therewith, being slightly
smaller in diameter than the outside diameter of the tubular member
34. The disc 43 can be sufficiently thick to form a good seal but
sufficiently thin to be punctured. In a preferred form, the disc 43
can be 5 mils thick. The pointed end 37 of the inner portion 34' of
the tubular member enters the opening 48 of the annulus 44, and the
inner portion is guided into the centered position shown in FIG. 9
in dot-dash lines.
In FIG. 10 is shown a container 51, similar to the containers
already described with a closure 52 constructed in accordance with
a further embodiment of this invention. The closure 52 includes a
disc 53 of resilient puncturable material such as a polystyrene
foam having a coating 54 of polyethylene on a lower face thereof
which provides an impervious layer which forms a seal with a mouth
56 of the container. The coating can be about 1 mil in thickness
while the foam is substantially thicker, a preferred foam disc
being about 25 mils in thickness. An opening 57 in an upper flange
58 of a retaining ring 59 permits entry of the pointed end 37 of
the inner portion 34' of the tubular member of the cap as indicated
in dot-dash lines in FIG. 10 to puncture the disc 53 and permit
discharge of the contents of the container through the central tube
34 of the cap. The retaining ring 59 can be similar to the
retaining rings described hereinabove.
The closure constructions illustrated in the drawings and described
above are subject to structural modification without departing from
the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *