Closure assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10676261-B2
Application number	US-201715698348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2017
Priority date	Sep 7, 2017
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A closure including a base, a cutter and a cap is described which is configured to be attached to a container. Upon initial removal of the cap from the base, the cutter is configured to move downwards relative to the base so as to create an opening through the container. The portion of the container through which the cutter creates an opening may be formed of a film that is configured to be easily pierceable by the cutter. Methods of molding the closure components may include co-molding the cutter and base an in integral unit so as to facilitate and expedite assembly of the base, cutter and cap components to form the closure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for a container, the closure comprising:
a base comprising:
a mounting portion;
a neck portion centered and extending about a vertical axis;
a thread formed about an exterior surface of the neck; and
a track formed along an interior surface of the neck, the track defined by:
a lower end of a vertical guide extending generally perpendicularly downwards from an upper portion of the neck; and
an upper surface of a bottom guide extending below at least a portion of the lower end of the vertical guide;

a cutter comprising:
a cylindrical body;
a cutting element extending downwards from a lower end of the cylindrical body;
a downwardly angled rib extending about an outer surface of the cutter; and
a fin extending radially inwards from an inner surface of the cylindrical body,

wherein the fin terminates at an end opposite the inner surface of the cylindrical body;
a cap comprising:
a top panel;
a skirt extending downwards from an outer periphery of the top panel;
a thread configured to interact with the thread of the base to sealingly attach the cap to the base; and
a drive tab extending downwards from a lower surface of the top panel;

wherein in an assembled, pre-initial opening configuration of the closure, the cutter is located within the neck portion of the base such the bottommost surface of the cutting element is located above a lowermost portion of the neck portion and the cap is sealingly attached to the base by an engagement of the thread of the cap with the thread of the base;
wherein upon initial removal of the cap from the base, rotation of the cap relative to the base results in the engagement of the drive tab with the fin, causing the cutter to be rotated relative to the base;
the rotation of the cutter relative to the base resulting in the rib entering into and traveling downwards along the track as the cap is rotated relative to the base, with the downward rotational movement of the cutter relative to the base causing the cutting element to move to a position in which the bottommost surface of the cutting element extends below the lowermost portion of the cap.

2. The closure of claim 1 , wherein, in the assembled, pre-initial opening configuration of the closure, a bottommost surface of the rib of the cutter rests upon the upper surface of the bottom guide.

3. The closure of claim 1 , further wherein, in the assembled, pre-initial opening configuration of the closure, an end engagement surface of the rib is located adjacent a first vertically extending end surface of the vertical guide.

4. The closure of claim 3 , wherein the track is further defined by a helical guide extending along a downward angle from a second vertically extending end surface of the vertical guide.

5. The closure of claim 4 , wherein the track is defined between a lower end of the helical guide and the upper surface of the bottom guide.

6. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the tabs of the cap are configured to deflect in a radially inwards direction when the cap is attached to the base.

7. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the cap upon initial removal of the cap causes rotation of the cutter in the same direction as the direction of the rotation of the cap.

8. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises a retaining structure located about the lowermost portion of the interior surface of the neck portion.

9. The closure of claim 8 , wherein the retaining structure is configured to engage a bottommost surface of the rib to prevent removal of the cutter through a bottom opening defininf the lowermost portion of the neck portion.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutter rotates around a rotational axis, and wherein the portion of the fin closest to the rotational axis is the end of the fin.

11. A closure assembly for a container comprising:
a base comprising:
a mounting portion;
a neck portion centered and extending about a vertical axis;
a first guide element extending generally perpendicularly downwards along the interior surface of the neck from an upper portion of the neck, the first guide having a width as measured in an angular direction that defines a first distance;
a second guide element, at least a portion of the second guide being located below a lowermost surface of the first guide; and
a track defined between the first guide element and the second guide element; and

a cutter comprising:
a cylindrical body;
one or more cutting elements extending downwards from a lower end of the cylindrical body;
one or more fins extending radially inwards from an inner surface of the cylindrical body; and
two or more downwardly angled ribs extending about an outer surface of the cylindrical body;
wherein the first end of a first rib is spaced apart a second distance as measured in an angular direction from a second end of a second rib located adjacent the first rib, the first distance being substantially the same as the second distance;

wherein in an assembled configuration of the cutter and base, the cutter is positioned within the neck of the base such that the first guide element is positioned in the space defined between the first end of the first rib and the second end of the second rib; and
the first and second guide elements being arranged to define the track such that upon rotation of the cutter relative to the base, the cutter is moved rotationally downwards relative to the base as the ribs of the cutter travel along the track.

12. The closure assembly of claim 11 , further comprising one or more frangible attachments initially connecting the base to the cutter; the one or more frangible attachments extending between an upper portion of the neck portion of the base and a lower portion of the cylindrical body of the cutter;
wherein the attachments are arranged between the base and the cutter to define a first base and cutter configuration in which the portion of the cutter defining the space between the first end of the first rib and the second end of the second rib extends directly above the portion of the base about which the first guide is formed.

13. The closure assembly of claim 12 , wherein, following breaking of the attachments, the bottommost surfaces of ribs are configured to rest on top of the uppermost surface of the second guide element in a second base and cutter configuration.

14. The closure assembly of claim 13 , wherein the base and cutter are configured such that the transition from the first configuration to the second configuration of the base and cutter may be effectuated by only an axial movement of the cutter relative to the base, without requiring any rotation of the cutter relative to the base.

15. The closure assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a cap having a top panel, a skirt extending from an outer periphery of the top panel, and a thread extending about an interior surface of the skirt.

16. The closure assembly of claim 15 , wherein the transition from the first configuration to the second configuration of the base and cutter is caused by the attachment of the cap to the base.

17. The closure assembly of claim 16 , wherein the attachment of the cap to the base is achieved by threading the thread of the cap onto a thread extending about an outer surface of the neck portion of the base.

18. A method of assembling a closure for a container comprising:
providing a base comprising:
a mounting portion;
a neck portion centered and extending about a vertical axis;
a thread formed about an exterior surface of the neck; and
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Assignees

• Silgan White Cap LLC

Inventors

• Berge Gary

Classifications

• B65D2251/0093

  Membrane · CPC title

• B65D51/222 Primary

  the piercing or cutting means being integral with, or fixedly attached to, the outer closure · CPC title

• B65D5/748 Primary

  a major part of the container wall or membrane being left inside the container after the opening · CPC title

• B65D47/0809

  and elastically biased towards both the open and the closed positions · CPC title

• B65D2101/0023

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic