Container And Closure Combination

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a container of thermoformed plastic material having a metallic closure, the closure being of a conventional construction and including a channel terminating in a relatively rigid peripheral skirt, the container having a body terminating at an upper end portion in a bead having a peripheral skirt normally disposed upon the upper end portion of the container body, and the peripheral skirt of the closure being of an internal diameter less than the predetermined maximum diameter of the container peripheral skirt whereby the container body peripheral skirt is deflected inwardly by the closure peripheral skirt to a diameter less than the predetermined maximum diameter thus increasing the firctional purchase between contacting surface portions of the peripheral skirt due to the inherent tendency of the resilient container peripheral skirt to rebound radially outwardly toward its predetermined maximum diameter. In addition, the container peripheral skirt includes an exterior surface formed with circumferentially spaced axially extending lands and valleys, and being constructed from pressure-deformable material whereby the lands are depressed at the contacting surface portions of the skirts as the container peripheral skirt rebounds toward its normal position thus producing a "self-threading" or "self-locking" feature of the invention.

Description

A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel closure of a relatively rigid construction which includes a channel terminating in a relatively rigid peripheral skirt, a container having a body formed from resilient material and provided at an upper end thereof with a radially outwardly directed shoulder terminating in a downwardly direction peripheral skirt, the peripheral skirt having an exterior surface normally of a maximum diameter greater than that of the diameter of an internal surface of the closure peripheral skirt whereby upon the snap application of the closure to the container the container peripheral skirt is deflected inwardly to a diameter less than the predetermined maximum diameter thereof thus increasing the frictional purchase between contacting surface portions of the peripheral skirts due to the inherent tendency of the resilient container peripheral skirt to rebound radially outwardly toward its predetermined maximum diameter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel combination of the type aforesaid wherein the container peripheral skirt is constructed from pressure-deformable material whereby upon continued outward deflection thereof the outer surface is depressed by the more rigid peripheral skirt of the closure to obtain self-locking or interlocking between the peripheral skirts.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel combination of the type described wherein the exterior surface of the container peripheral skirt is preferably formed with circumferentially spaced and generally axially extending valleys and lands, the latter of which are deformed upon the outward deflection of the container peripheral skirt.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel combination of the type heretofore described wherein tab means formed as an integral extension of the container peripheral skirt are provided for removing the closure, and the container peripheral skirt additionally includes a slot fromed therein opening through a lowermost peripheral edge thereof for providing an access area for a person s fingers to facilitate the removal of the closure from the container body.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

IN THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container and closure of this invention with a portion of the closure removed for clarity, and illustrates an outer peripheral skirt of the container provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced lands and valleys.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, and illustrates the container and closure immediately after same have been snap secured together.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, and illustrates the manner in which one of the lands has been depressed under the influence of the outward deflection or rebound of the container peripheral skirt during storage, shipment and/or display.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 1, and illustrates a downwardly opening slot in the container peripheral skirt for the receipt of a person's fingers to facilitate the removal of the closure by grasping and drawing upwardly the peripheral skirt thereof.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of another container and closure, and illustrates a peripheral skirt of the container being provided with a tab for facilitating the removal of the closure.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawing, a novel container constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, and is preferably constructed from thermoformed, injection molded, blow molded, hot drawn, or similar forming processes utilizing polyethylene, polystyrene or similar polymeric or copolymeric material. Irrespective of the particular material from which the container 10 is constructed, in keeping with this invention the material must be resilient and also capable of deformation when subjected to pressure, for a reason which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The container 10 includes a generally cylindrical body 11 having a bottom wall (not shown) and an upper end portion 12 terminating in upwardly, outwardly and downwardly directed wall 13, of which the downwardly directed portion 14 defines a peripheral skirt having inner and outer surfaces 15, 16, respectively.

About the entire circumference of the peripheral skirt 14 are disposed a plurality of flutes, generally designated by the reference numeral 17 (FIG. 1) formed of lands and valleys 18 and 20, respectively. The lands and valleys 18, 20 thus impart a generally undulating configuration to the exterior surface 16 of the peripheral skirt 14, and though illustrated as being disposed perfectly vertically or axially, the same may be offset to the longitudinal axis of the container body 11.

A metallic closure or lid, generally designated by the reference numeral 21, includes an end panel 22, a radially upwardly outwardly and inwardly directed bead 23 defining a downwardly opening channel 24 with the downwardly turned portion of the bead 23 defining a peripheral skirt 25 terminating in an inwardly upwardly and outwardly directed curl 26.

As is best illustrated in FIG. 2, the closure 21 is illustrated immediately after being assembled upon the upper end portion 12 of the container 10. Prior to being applied to the upper end portion 12, the peripheral skirt 14 is normally disposed more radially outwardly, as indicated in phantom outline in FIG. 2, with the dimension D indicating the diametric distance between diametrically opposite lands 18 of the exterior surface 16. The dimension D1 indicates the innermost minimum diameter of the curl 26. Due to the greater distance D compared to the distance D1, when the closure 21 is pushed downwardly upon the upper end portion 12 of the container 10, the peripheral skirt 14 is deflected radially inwardly in a progressive manner until such time as the closure 21 is fully seated, with this position being shown in FIG. 2. Since the closure 21 is constructed from relatively rigid material the diameter D1 remains substantially unchanged while the resilient nature of the material from which the container 10 is constructed permits the deflection of the peripheral skirt 14 to the position illustrated in FIG. 2. At this time the lands 18 of the flutes 17 are in forceful contact with the curl 26 due to the resilient reboundable nature of the material of the container 10 which continually urges the peripheral flange 14 outwardly in the direction of the initial position (phantom outline in FIG. 2) thereof. This force continually causes the material of the lands 18 to be depressed by the more rigid material of the curl 26 resulting in the formation of a groove 27 in each of the lands 18 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. Thus, during a length of time dependent upon the resilience and deformable nature of the material of the container 10 the initial pure frictional interlock between the lands 18 and the curl 26 (FIG. 2) is transformed into a mechanical interlock between the eventually formed grooves 27 and the curl 26, thus producing a "self-threading" or "self-interlocking" feature of the invention. The desirability of the latter is, of course, readily obvious since exotic capping machinery is unnecessary yet the mechanical interlock is far superior than pure frictional purchase. Moreover, once the lands 18 have been deformed to form the grooves 27, the grooves 27 remain as shown since the material is compressed beyond its elastic limit and continued reclosure of the lid and container may be achieved with the same interlock between the grooves 27 and the curl 26 being effected each time.

In order to remove the closure 21, the same may be pried upwardly in a coventional manner, but in accordance with this invention, a portion of the peripheral skirt 14 is slotted at 30 to form a generally downwardly opening arcute slot of a sufficient depth to permit a person's fingers to be inserted therein and provided access area for grasping the curl 26 to lift the same upwardly in the manner readily apparent from FIG. 4.

In lieu of the slot 30 the container 10 may be provided with a lifting tab 31 (FIG. 5) formed as an integral extension of a peripheral skirt 32 of a container 33 corresponding identically to the container 10 of FIG. 1 except for the tab 31. In this embodiment the tab 31 is gripped and lifted upwardly to force a lid 34 away from its seated position. Preferably the tab 31 is in part defined by a pair of slots 35, 36 extending upwardly into the peripheral skirt 32 so that the tab 32 may be hinged or pivoted sufficiently to dislodge the closure 34 from the container 33.

In further keeping with this invention, the flexibility of the peripheral skirt 14 may be varied by providing the same with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots about the entire periphery thereof. Two such slots 37, 38 are illustrated adjacent the slot 30 but additional slots (not shown) are positioned about the peripheral skirt 14. These slots are preferably formed in the valleys 20 by a partially or totally removing the material thereof.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

I claim:

1. A container including a body having a neck finish, said neck finish being integral with and of the same material as said container, said neck finish being of a predetermined original nondeformed exterior configuration, permanently deformed indentation means in portions of said neck finish exterior for engaging a closure, said neck finish being defined by upwardly, outwardly and downwardly directed wall portions relative to said body with said downwardly directed wall portion carrying said indentation means, a closure having a relatively rigid peripheral skirt of an internal diameter less than a predetermined maximum diameter of said downwardly directed wall portion whereby said downwardly directed wall portion is deflected inwardly by said closure peripheral skirt to a diameter less than said predetermined meximum diameter thus increasing the frictional purchase between contacting surface portions of said peripheral skirt and said downwardly directed wall portion and thereby forming said permanently deformed means, and said closure peripheral skirt terminates in an inwardly upwardly and outwardly directed curl which forms said permanently deformed means.

2. A container including a body having a neck finish, said neck finish being integral with and of the same material as said container, said neck finish being of a predetermined original nondeformed exterior configuration, permanently deformed indentation means in portions of said neck finish exterior for engaging a closure, said neck finish being defined by upwardly, outwardly and downwardly directed wall portions relative to said body with said downwardly directed wall portion carrying said indentation means, said downwardly directed wall portion has a downwardly opening slot formed therein and opens through a lowermost peripheral edge thereof for providing an access area for a person's fingers to facilitate the removal of a closure from said container body, a closure having a relatively rigid peripheral skirt of an internal diameter less than a predetermined maximum diameter of said downwardly directed wall portion whereby said downwardly directed wall portion is deflected inwardly by said closure peripheral skirt to a diameter less than said predetermined maximum diameter thus increasing the frictional purchase between contacting surface portions of said peripheral skirt and said downwardly directed wall portion and thereby forming said permanently deformed means, said closure peripheral skirt terminates in an inwardly upwardly and outwardly directed curl which forms said permanently deformed means.