Container closure with vacuum-indicating pull tab

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11091304-B2
Application number	US-201815860359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2018
Priority date	Jan 2, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A package that includes a container and a container closure having a vacuum-indicating pull tab. The container includes a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, a mouth, and a sealing surface. The container closure includes a seal membrane sealingly and removably coupled to the container sealing surface to seal the container, and a pull tab configured to extend from the seal membrane. Manipulation of the pull tab provides an indication of the presence or absence of a vacuum in the package.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A package that includes:
a container including a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and having a mouth and a sealing surface; and
a container closure comprising:
a seal membrane comprising a foil membrane that is sealingly and removably coupled to said sealing surface of said container to seal said container; and
a pull tab configured to extend from said seal membrane and coaxially aligned with or overlapping the longitudinal axis,

wherein manipulation of said pull tab provides a loss of concave parabolic shape of the seal membrane when there is an absence of a vacuum in said package.

2. The package of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said pull tab is releasably attached to said seal membrane.

3. The package of claim 1 , wherein said pull tab comprises a base portion and grip portion, said base portion being attached to said seal membrane.

4. The package of claim 3 , wherein said base portion has a first piece and a second piece configured to be releasably attached to said first piece, and further wherein said first piece of said base is attached to said seal membrane, and said grip portion of said pull tab is configured to extend from said second piece of said base.

5. The package of claim 4 , wherein said second piece of said base is releasably attached to said first piece by a mechanical fastener.

6. The package of claim 4 , wherein said second piece of said base is releasably attached to said first piece by an adhesive.

7. The package of claim 1 , wherein said pull tab is integrally formed with said seal membrane.

8. The package of claim 1 , wherein said pull tab is fixedly coupled to said seal membrane.

9. The package of claim 1 , wherein said pull tab is located radially-inward of an outer edge of said seal membrane.

10. The package of claim 1 , wherein said pull tab comprises a base portion configured to attach to said seal membrane and a grip portion extending from the base portion, and further wherein manipulation of said grip portion causes said seal membrane to be separated from said sealing surface.

11. The package of claim 10 , wherein said grip portion is integrally formed with said seal membrane.

12. A food or beverage container closure, comprising:
a seal membrane comprising a foil membrane configured to be removably coupled to a sealing surface of a container; and
a pull tab configured to extend from said seal membrane and coaxially aligned with or overlapping a longitudinal axis extending through the container, and configured to provide a loss of concave parabolic shape of the seal membrane when there is an absence of a vacuum in the container.

13. The container closure of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of said pull tab is releasably attached to said seal membrane.

14. The container closure of claim 12 , wherein said pull tab comprises a base portion and grip portion, said base portion is attached to said seal membrane.

15. The container closure of claim 14 , wherein said base portion has a first piece and a second piece configured to be releasably attached to said first piece, and further wherein said first piece of said base is attached to said seal membrane, and said grip portion of said pull tab is configured to extend from said second piece of said base.

16. The container closure of claim 15 , wherein said second piece of said base is releasably attached to said first piece by a mechanical fastener.

17. The container closure of claim 15 , wherein said second piece of said base is releasably attached to said first piece by an adhesive.

18. The container closure of claim 12 , wherein said pull tab is integrally formed with said seal membrane.

19. The container closure of claim 12 , wherein said pull tab is fixedly coupled to said seal membrane.

20. The container closure of claim 12 , wherein said pull tab is located radially-inward of an outer edge of said seal membrane.

21. The container closure of claim 12 , wherein said pull tab comprises a base portion and said seal membrane includes a grip portion extending from the base portion.

22. A package that includes:
a container including a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and having a mouth and a sealing surface; and
a container closure comprising:
a seal membrane sealingly and removably coupled to said sealing surface of said container to seal said container; and
a pull tab configured to extend from said seal membrane at a location that is radially-inward of an outer edge of said seal membrane, wherein at least a portion of said pull tab is releasably attached to said seal membrane,

wherein said container has a product packaged therein that creates a vacuum in said package that draws said seal membrane into a parabolic shape,
and further wherein manipulation of said pull tab provides an indication of the presence or absence of vacuum in said package.

23. A package that includes:
a container including a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and having a mouth and a sealing surface; and
a container closure comprising:
a seal membrane comprising a foil membrane that is sealingly and removably coupled to said sealing surface of said container to seal said container; and
a pull tab configured to extend from said seal membrane, wherein said pull tab is located radially-inward of an outer edge of said seal membrane,

wherein manipulation of said pull tab provides a loss of concave parabolic shape of the seal membrane when there is an absence of a vacuum in said package.

24. A package that includes:
a container including a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and having a mouth and a sealing surface; and
a container closure comprising:
a seal membrane comprising a foil membrane that is sealingly and removably coupled to said sealing surface of said container to seal said container; and
a pull tab configured to extend from said seal membrane, wherein said pull tab comprises a base portion configured to be affixed to said seal membrane and a grip portion extending from the base portion, and wherein manipulation of said grip portion causes said seal membrane to be separated from said sealing surface,

wherein manipulation of said pull tab provides a loss of concave parabolic shape of the seal membrane when there is an absence of a vacuum in said package.

25. A food or beverage container closure, comprising:
a seal membrane comprising a foil membrane configured to be removably coupled to a sealing surface of a container; and
a pull tab integrally formed with and configured to extend from said seal membrane, and configured to provide a loss of concave parabolic shape of the seal membrane when there is an absence of a vacuum in the container.

26. The package of claim 1 , wherein the pull tab is affixed to the seal membrane with an adhesive that is weaker than an adhesive which seals the seal membrane to the sealing surface.

27. The package of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the pull tab is less than an outer diameter of the seal membrane, and wherein the pull tab overlaps a center of the seal membrane such that when the seal membrane is coupled with the container the pull tab overlaps the longitudinal axis of the container.

28. The package of claim 1 , wherein, upon the manipulation of the pull tab, the concave parabolic shape of the sealing membrane will remain if vacuum remains within the package, bu

Assignees

• Owens Brockway Glass Container

Inventors

• Chisholm Brian J
• Smith Susan L

Classifications

• B65D79/0087 Primary

  the deformable part being located in a closure, e.g. in caps or lids · CPC title

• B65D2577/2058

  attached to the closure · CPC title

• B65D2577/205

  integral with the closure · CPC title

• B65D77/2028

  Means for opening the cover other than, or in addition to, a pull tab · CPC title

• B65D77/2024

  the cover being welded or adhered to the container · CPC title