U.S. patent number 3,884,394 [Application Number 05/426,302] was granted by the patent office on 1975-05-20 for container and container closure combined structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Polytop Corporation. Invention is credited to Robert E. Hazard.
United States Patent |
3,884,394 |
Hazard |
May 20, 1975 |
Container and container closure combined structure
Abstract
It is conventional to form a container closure so that a skirt
on the closure includes a mounting means capable of being snapped
over a corresponding mounting means on a container neck. Such
interengaging mounting means are normally flange or bead-like
structures permitting the closure to be rotated on a container neck
after assembly. Such a structure may be modified to increase the
difficulty of removing such a closure from such a neck by including
interlocking means on the closure and on the container. Such
interlocking means prevent rotation of the closure, increasing the
difficulty involved in removing the closure from the container.
Inventors: |
Hazard; Robert E. (North
Kingston, RI) |
Assignee: |
Polytop Corporation
(Slatersville, RI)
|
Family
ID: |
23690230 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/426,302 |
Filed: |
December 19, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/153.09;
222/534; 222/536 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
55/02 (20130101); B65H 55/02 (20130101); B65D
2255/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
55/02 (20060101); B65H 55/02 (20060101); B65H
55/00 (20060101); B67d 005/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/153,532,534,536,538,568,569,570
;215/9,98,216,217,218,324,316,318 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Reeves; Robert B.
Assistant Examiner: Martin; Larry H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: O'Brian; Edward O.
Claims
I claim:
1. The combination of a container having an extending, hollow neck
and a container closure having a cap and a closure member at least
one of which is formed of a material capable of temporary
deformation, said cap including a dependent skirt located
concentrically with said neck, said cap having an opening extending
therethrough, said closure member being a spout and being mounted
on said cap so as to be capable of being moved between opened and
closed positions, said opening being closed off when said closure
member is in said closed position, and being opened when said
closure member is in said open position, said neck and said skirt
including interengaging mounting means securing said neck to said
skirt against linear movement along said neck away from said
container, said mounting means permitting said closure to be
assembled on said neck through temporary internal deformation and
to be rotated on said neck, in which the improvement comprises:
cooperating interlocking means on said cap and said container which
fit within one another as said cap is moved in the direction of the
vertical axis of said neck for preventing any rotary movement of
said skirt relative to said neck,
said interlocking means serving to maintain said cap in one
orientation with respect to said container so that said spout will
be located on said cap in one orientation with respect to said
container.
2. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said container closure is a dispensing closure, and
said closure member rotatably mounted on said cap.
3. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said container has a top adjacent to said neck, said skirt fitting
against said top and being covered thereby so as to prevent an
axial force from being applied to said container closure to remove
said container closure from said container.
4. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said container closure is a dispensing closure,
said closure member rotatably mounted on said cap, and
said container has a top adjacent to said neck.
5. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said interlocking means on said cap comprise parallel grooves on
said skirt extending the length of said skirt, and
said interlocking means on said container comprise ears extending
into said grooves.
6. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said interlocking means on said cap comprise notches located on
said cap and said interlocking means on said container comprise
projections on said container, said projections fitting into said
notches, said cap covering said interlocking means.
7. The combination claimed in claim 6 wherein:
said container closure is a dispensing closure,
said closure member rotatably mounted on said cap, and
said container has a top adjacent to said neck, said skirt fitting
against said top and being covered thereby so as to prevent an
axial force from being applied to said container closure to remove
said container closure from said container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention set forth in this specification pertains to the
combined structure utilizing a container and a container closure
and is primarily directed to such a structure in which the
container closure carries a closure member or spout capable of
being moved between opened and closed positions.
The combination of a container and a container closure is of course
well known. With the advent of present-day polymer materials it has
been possible to form container closures at a comparatively nominal
cost of materials such as certain grades of polyethelene capable of
temporary deformation. This has permitted the development of many
different closure structures which are adapted to be snapped on a
generally cylindrical container neck. It will be recognized that
such a snapping on type action involves temporary material
deformation. Normally such deformation is primarily in a closure
being assembled upon a container neck. However, it is possible to
form containers of materials capable of being temporarily deformed
so that the temporary deformation occurring during assembly will be
in a container neck or in both a container neck and the
closure.
Such temporary deformation during assembly of a container and a
container closure normally involves annular flanges, beads of the
like being snapped over one another. The assembly of closures using
this type of mounting mechanism may be facilitated through the use
of sloping walls permitting gradual deformation as an axial or
lineal force is applied to the top of the closure so as to force it
down over a container neck. Normally flanges or beads as indicated
are constructed in a more or less latch-type manner so as to
discourage or make it comparatively difficult to pull a closure of
the type indicated off of a container. This type of structure
utilizing interengaging mounting means on a closure and on a
container is often used commercially but is considered to have
several major drawbacks.
One of these pertains to the ease by which a closure container
assembly as indicated may be disassembled. Although such
disassembly is relatively difficult, it is not considered that it
is difficult enough to normally avoid undesired removal of a
closure as indicated from a container designed to be used with such
a closure. Normally such disassembly can be accomplished by
applying a combination of a twisting, rotary force with an axial or
linearly directed force to the closure as the container is held
stationary. Such a combination of forces produces what may be
considered as a camming type of action which will cause the closure
in the combination indicated to be gradually released from a
container as there is gradual material deformation.
The other drawback which is considered significant with the
combination of a container and a container closure utilizing
interengaging mounting means pertains to the indexing of the
closure relative to the container. Manufacturers normally desire to
have dispensing closures indexed with respect to a container in a
specified manner for aesthetic reasons. In connection with this it
is noted that aesthetics are quite important in the sale of
container closures. With certain container closure combinations the
indexing of a dispensing closure in a precise manner relative to
the container may be critical in promoting the use of the
dispensing closure. In some applications it is considered that such
indexing may be related to producing a structure having desirable
child resistant characteristics. With structures as indicated
because of the interengaging mounting means permitting rotation
there has always been a danger that a closure might not be indexed
during assembly relative to a closure in a desired manner or might
be rotated after it is assembled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is believed that it will be apparent from the preceding that
there is a need for improvement in the field of container and
container closure structures which utilize interengaging mounting
means adapted to be snapped together during assembly as a result of
temporary material deformation. A broad objective of this invention
is to fulfill this need by providing container and container
structures which are used together and which include interlocking
means accomplishing an indexing function and preventing
container-closure rotation after assembly. A further object of the
present invention is to provide a container-container closure
combination which is not significantly expensive to manufacture and
use. A still further objective of the present invention is to
provide a combination of a container and a container closure in
which the closure is held in such a manner that it is extremely
difficult to remove it from the container.
In accordance with this invention these and various related
objectives are achieved in the combination of a container having an
extending, hollow, generally cylindrical neck and a container
closure having a cap and a closure member, at least one of which is
formed of a material capable of temporary deformation, said cap
including a dependent, generally cylindrical skirt located
concentrically with said neck, said cap having an opening extending
therethrough, said closure member being movably mounted on said cap
so as to be capable of being moved between open and closed
positions, said opening being closed off when said closure member
is in said closed position and being open when said closure member
is in said open position, said neck and said skirt including
interengaging mounting means securing said neck to said skirt
against linear movement along said neck away from said container,
said mounting means permitting said closure to be assembled on said
neck through temporary material deformation and to be rotated on
said neck, by the improvement which comprises: interlocking means
extending between said cap and said container for preventing rotary
movement of said skirt relative to said neck, said interlocking
means serving to prevent a force being applied to said closure so
as to remove said closure from said container by a rotary
action.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Inherently a summary such as the preceding is incapable of fully
and completely indicating all aspects of the invention such as the
invention set forth in this specification. Further details of the
invention and various advantages of it are best explained with
reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a presently preferred
embodiment of form of a container and a container closure combined
structure in accordance with this invention, this view being
partially broken away to reveal certain constructional details;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the combined structure shown in FIG.
1, this view also being partially broken away to reveal certain
constructional details;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified container and
container closure combined structure in accordance with this
invention; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
The structures illustrated in the drawing are two different
embodiments of structures involving or utilizing the essentially
intangible principles or features of the invention set forth in the
appended claims. These principals or features can readily be
adapted for use in a wide variety of differently appearing and
differently constructed combined structures through the use or
exercise of routine engineering skill in the closure field.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown a combined structure 10
utilizing a generally flat polyethylene or similar container 12
having a generally flat top 14 from which there extends a
conventional container neck 16. This neck 16 is of a generally
cylindrical type and includes an outwardly extending annular flange
or bead 18. In the structure 10 the container 12 is utilized with a
dispensing closure 20 of a known type. This dispensing closure 20
is preferably constructed as described in the Wilson, et al. U.S.
Pat. No. 2,793,795 and in various patents which have subsequently
issued. The entire disclosure of this Wilson et al. patent is
incorporated herein by reference in the interest of brevity.
This closure 20 has a cap 22 having a generally flat top 24 from
which there extends a dependent annular skit 26 which is located
concentrically around the neck 16 so as to fit close against the
exterior of this neck 16. Within the interior of this skirt 26
there is located an internal groove 28 which is dimensioned so as
to conform to the shape of the flange or bead 18. This flange 18
and the groove 28 constitute what may be regarded as "interengaging
mounting means" securing the closure 20 against linear movement
along the length of the neck 16 away from the container 12.
In the structure 10 such "interengaging mounting means" also serve
to seal the closure 20 relative to the neck 16 so that there can be
no leakage between these two parts. A variety of different known
specific flange, bead and/or groove structures can be utilized in
connection with the closure 20 and the neck 16 so as to form a seal
between these two parts and/or so as to serve to mount or hold the
closure 20 on the neck 16. Normally such means are of a "circular"
character since it is simplest from a manufacturing standpoint to
form molds which are of a cylindrical or circular character. Thus,
in the structure 10 the flange 18 and the groove 28 are of a
"circular" character in that they are located in a plane transverse
to the axis of the neck 16 so as to extend in a circular path
around the axis of the neck 16. With this type of structure both
the mounting means and the sealing means used--regardless whether
they are separated or combined as illustrated--permit rotation of
the closure 20 upon the neck 16.
Within the structure 10 on the exterior of the skirt 26 there are
located linear parallel indexing grooves 30 which extend parallel
to the vertical axis of the neck 16 along the length of the skirt
26. These grooves 30 contain the edges 32 of upstanding ears 34
leading upwardly from the top 14 in such a manner as to lock the
closure 20 against rotation. This combination of the grooves 30 and
the ears 34 may be regarded as "interlocking indexing means" in
that they serve several functions.
One of these is to hold the closure 20 so that the cap 22 is in
such an orientation that a dispensing spout 36 is always located so
as to be pointed to one side of the container 12 so that it can be
conveniently actuated. This spout 36 is mounted by trunions 38 on
it being snapped into bearing openings 40 in the cap 22 in such a
manner that the spout 36 can be rotated between a closed position
as shown in which an opening 42 through the cap 22 is closed off
and an open position in which the interior of the spout 36 is in
communication with this opening 42.
While this indexing is important the interlocking means described
also holds the closure 20 so that it cannot be rotated. As a
consequence of this it is impossible to twist this closure 20 while
pulling on it so as to gradually "cam" the flange 18 out of the
groove 28 in disassembling the closure 20 from the container 12. As
a consequence of this it becomes exceedingly difficult to remove
the closure 20. It is considered best to make the top 14 of such
width as to completely extend across the bottom of the skirt 26 so
as to prevent an axial or pushing force from being exerted on the
closure 20 as it is disassembled. This also increases the
difficulty of disassembling the structure 10.
In FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing there is shown a modified structure
100 which is in many respects quite similar to the structure 10. In
the interest of brevity those parts of the structure 100 which are
identical or essentially identical to corresponding parts of the
structure 10 are not separately identified herein and are
designated in the remainder of this specification by the numbers
previously used to designate such parts preceded by the numeral
1.
In the structure 100 the cap 122 differs from the cap 22 previously
described by including an internal plug 144 which fits closely
within the neck 116. Additional interengaging means constituted by
a flange 146 on this plug 144 fitting within an internal groove 148
are used in the cap 122. This cap 122 also utilizes an enlarged
dome-like extension 150 to the top 124. This extension 150 extends
substantially to the edges of the top 114. It also carries internal
reinforcing walls 152 which extend downwardly adjacent to the top
114. These walls 152 have bottom notches 154 which straddle small
ridges 156 located on the top 114. These notches 154 and ridges 156
constitute interlocking means serving the same function as the
grooves 30 and the ears 34 in the structure 10.
It is believed that it will be apparent from a careful
consideration of the preceding that a number of structures can be
developed for preventing a closure from being twisted upon a
container so as to prevent the undesired removal of the closure
from the container. Within the broad pervue of the invention it is
considered that a non-cylindrical closure skirt can be used with a
correspondingly shaped non-cylindrical container neck. With
construction of this type the non-cylindrical configurations of the
closure skirt and the container neck serve as interlocking means to
prevent rotation or twisting such as is necessary to prevent the
closure from being twisted off of the neck.
It is considered, however, that the principal utility of the
present invention is with container skirts and container necks
having a generally cylindrical configuration and formed so as to
include means for forming a seal between these parts which is
operative, even as the closure is rotated upon the neck. Such
closures are formed from dies which are relatively inexpensive to
manufacture by lathe or similar type operations. Many such closures
are of course known and used. The addition to such closures of
interlocking means as described is a rather simple matter which
makes it possible to achieve the objectives of the invention.
* * * * *