Closure devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11643255-B2
Application number	US-202117386898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Apr 13, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A closure for sealingly closing a container neck having a tubular body with a top wall, an annular side wall, an intermediate wall joining the side wall to the top wall and an annular tamper evidence band frangibly connected to an open end described by the side wall. The band includes retaining cams protruding from its inner surface. Each cam has a lead-in ramp for engaging, in use, the flange of a container neck as the neck is introduced into the open end of the body and a stop for engaging the flange to separate the band from the body when the closure is subsequently removed from the neck. Each lead-in ramp has a central recess therein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A closure for sealingly closing a neck opening of a container, the closure comprising a tubular body having a closed end and an open end and an annular tamper evidence band frangibly connected to the open end of the tubular body;
the tamper evidence band comprising a plurality of retaining cams each protruding from its inner surface;
at least one retaining cam comprising a catch or stop for engaging, in use, a tamper evidence flange on the container neck during removal of the closure from the container, and a lead-in ramp for engaging, in use, the flange as the neck is introduced into the open end of the tubular body;
wherein the lead-in ramp is further configured to include sides that taper toward one another away from the stop and forming an arched recess within the lead-in ramp such that, as the flange rides up the ramp portion, the width of the ramp portion increases to absorb the resulting increased pressure applied to it by the flange.

2. A closure according to claim 1 , wherein the tamper evidence band comprises a radial thickness that is less than the radial thickness of the tubular body of the closure.

3. A closure according to claim 2 , wherein the recess is in a central portion of the lead-in ramp to define two or more spaced ramp portions for contacting the flange of the container neck.

4. A closure according to claim 3 , wherein at least part of the recess between the ramp portions is contiguous or flush with the inner surface of the tamper evidence band.

5. A closure according to claim 4 , wherein the stop faces the closed end and spans the spaced ramp portions.

6. A closure according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one cam is substantially U-shaped, each ramp portion comprising a ramp surface sloped toward an open end of the tamper evidence band for contacting the flange of the container neck and the stop having a substantially radial surface spanning the spaced ramp portions for engaging the flange.

7. A closure according to claim 1 comprising a top wall describing the closed end and an annular side wall depending from the top wall and describing the open end of the body, the side wall comprising threads including two or more turns each having a plurality of interruptions to form axial venting passages, wherein one of the turns includes an uninterrupted portion aligned axially with an interruption in another of the turns.

8. A closure according to claim 7 , wherein the top wall comprises an abutment depending therefrom and having an abutment surface for abutting against a top surface of the container neck.

9. A closure according to claim 8 , wherein the abutment comprises a plurality of projections depending from and spaced circumferentially about the top wall, each projection providing part of the abutment surface.

10. A closure according to claim 9 comprising an intermediate wall between the side wall and the periphery of the top wall, the top wall having a first diameter and the annular side wall having a second diameter larger than the first diameter, the intermediate wall comprising an annular step having a first, axial portion depending from the periphery of the top wall and a second, radial portion joining the lower edge of the first portion to the annular side wall, wherein the radial portion comprises the abutment or the abutment surface.

11. A closure according to claim 10 , wherein the projections depend from and are spaced circumferentially about the radial portion.

12. A closure according to claim 11 comprising an inner annular seal depending from an inner part of the radial portion and an outer annular seal depending from an outer or intermediate part of the radial portion, wherein the projections are disposed between and spaced from each of the inner and outer seals.

13. A closure according to claim 10 , wherein each projection tapers from the radial portion to its abutment surface.

14. A closure according to claim 7 comprising a plurality of axial external ribs radially projecting from the outer surface of the side wall including first and second ribs, wherein the first ribs are longer than the second ribs.

15. A closure according to claim 12 , wherein the first ribs extend from the top wall toward the base of the side wall and the second ribs extend from the intermediate wall toward the base of the side wall.

16. A closure according to claim 13 , wherein each second rib is between a pair of first ribs.

17. A closure according to claim 8 comprising an extension described from the abutment surface to the top of the top wall and an effective closure height described from the base of the side wall to the top of the top wall, wherein the extension is at least 10% of the effective closure height.

18. A closure according to claim 17 , wherein the extension is at least 25% of the effective closure height.

19. A closure according to claim 17 comprising an overall closure height described from the base of the tamper evidence band to the top of the top wall, wherein the extension is at least 10% of the overall closure height.

20. A closure according to claim 17 , wherein the extension is at least 20% of the overall closure height.

21. A mold stack comprising a plurality of mold inserts which, when in a molding configuration, together describe a molding cavity for molding a closure according to claim 1 .

22. A mold comprising the mold stack according to claim 21 .

23. A molding system comprising the mold according to claim 22 .

Assignees

• Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Scherer Stephan
• Gottschald Patrick

Classifications

• B65D41/0421

  and combined with integral sealing means contacting other surfaces of a container neck · CPC title

• B29C33/0033

  constructed for making articles provided with holes · CPC title

• B65D2251/20

  Sealing means · CPC title

• B65D41/0435 Primary

  with separate sealing elements · CPC title

• B65D41/3447 Primary

  the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges · CPC title