Metallic container with a threaded closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040593-B2
Application number	US-201514616299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2015
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a container that may be sealed and reclosed with a threaded closure. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of manufacturing a metallic container having an opening with inwardly facing threads that are formed after a threaded closure is inserted at least partially into the opening. The container opening may be selectively sealed and reclosed with the threaded closure which releasably engages the container threads.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of sealing a metallic container, comprising:
providing a container body in a preferred shape, said container body comprised of a bottom portion, a sidewall portion, a neck portion extending upwardly from said sidewall portion, and an opening positioned on an uppermost portion of said neck portion;
inserting a threaded closure into said opening of said neck portion, said threaded closure comprised of a closure body adapted to be inserted at least partially into said opening of said neck portion, said closure body having closure threads formed on at least a portion of an outer surface of said closure body;
inserting a mandrel into a chamber formed in said closure body; and
forming container threads on at least a portion of said neck portion of said container body by applying a force against an exterior surface of said neck portion to compress said portion of said neck portion against said threaded closure, wherein said mandrel supports said threaded closure when said force is applied against said exterior surface of said neck portion to form said container threads, wherein said mandrel is withdrawn from the chamber after said container threads are formed, and wherein said threaded closure is removably retained within said neck portion of said container body and seals a product within said container body.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming said container threads comprises positioning a hydraulic bag proximate to said exterior surface of said neck portion and expanding said hydraulic bag.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming said container threads comprises directing a stream of a liquid against said exterior surface of said neck portion.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming said container threads comprises positioning a tool against said exterior surface of said neck portion.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a seal is formed between said threaded closure and said container body by contact between said neck portion of said container body and a portion of said threaded closure above said closure threads.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a seal is formed between said threaded closure and said container body by contact between said neck portion of said container body and a portion of said threaded closure below said closure threads.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chamber formed in said closure body is configured to store at least one of a food stuff, a liquid, a gas, a flavoring, a prize, a cleaning product, a beauty aid, and a tool.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said threaded closure further comprises a tamper indicator that is visibly altered after said closure body is at least partially removed from said container body, said tamper indicator interconnected to at least one of an upper portion of said threaded closure body and a lower portion of said threaded closure body configured to be positioned within an interior of said container body.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said threaded closure further comprises at least one channel formed through said closure threads which is adapted to provide communication from an interior of said container body to ambient air when said threaded closure is rotated to remove said threaded closure from said neck portion of said container body.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an annular ring on said container body neck portion below said container threads, the annular ring making sealing contact with at least one of:
a seal extending downwardly from a lower portion of said threaded closure body; and
a liner interconnected to a portion of said threaded closure body.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling said container body with the product before inserting said threaded closure into said opening.

12. A method of sealing a closable metallic container, comprising:
providing a metallic container comprising a bottom portion, a sidewall portion, a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion, and an opening positioned on an uppermost portion of said neck portion;
inserting a threaded closure at least partially into said opening of said metallic container, said threaded closure comprising a closure body, closure threads formed on at least a portion of an outside surface of said closure body, a chamber formed in said closure body, and at least one seal adapted to contact a surface of said metallic container;
inserting a mandrel into the chamber formed in said closure body; and
pressing a tool against an exterior surface of said neck portion to push said neck portion against said threaded closure to form container threads on a portion of said neck portion, wherein the mandrel supports said threaded closure when the tool is pressed against said exterior surface of said neck portion, wherein the mandrel is withdrawn from the chamber after said container threads are formed, wherein said threaded closure is removably interconnected to said opening of said metallic container by rotating said threaded closure, and wherein said threaded closure seals a product within said metallic container.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said metallic container further comprises an annular ring in said neck portion and said threaded closure includes a liner interconnected to a lower portion of said closure body, wherein when said tool forms said container threads, said liner is at least partially compressed between an interior surface of said annular ring and said lower portion of said closure body.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming an annular ring in said neck portion of said metallic container proximate to a lower portion of said closure body, wherein an interior surface of said annular ring contacts a liner interconnected to said lower portion of said closure body.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising injecting a cleaning solution into the chamber formed in said closure body, wherein said cleaning solution flows from said chamber and through at least one aperture formed through said closure body to clean a space between said closure body and an interior surface of said container threads.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said threaded closure further comprises a gas permeation barrier comprised of at least one of an impermeable material injected into a portion of said closure body and an impermeable material applied to at least one of an interior surface and an exterior surface of said closure body.

Assignees

• Ball Corp

Inventors

• Ross John R
• Scott Anthony J
• Chasteen Howard C
• Hines Linda A

Classifications

• B65D2401/15

  Tearable part of the closure (B65D2401/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D2401/05

  Tearable non-integral strips · CPC title

• B65D2539/006

  provided with separate sealing rings · CPC title

• B65D2539/003

  provided with sealing flanges or ribs · CPC title

• B65D51/28

  with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials {(B65D51/247 takes precedence)} · CPC title