Composite closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9315306-B2
Application number	US-201314069611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2013
Priority date	Nov 1, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A composite closure which includes an end panel that is received in a circular plastic fitment having a central opening therein defined by an inwardly extending flange which overlies an outer periphery of the end panel and an integral skirt downwardly depending from the flange. The fitment includes a radially inwardly extending circumferential bead or bead segments which include a substantially non-deformable flat vertical surfaces that are substantially parallel to the axis of the closure and axially positioned to contact the radial outermost edge of the end panel when the closure is fully applied to a container. The bead or bead segments are configured to impart a predetermined radial force on the end panel which produces a perceptible resistance upon initial rotation of the fully applied closure and provides assurance to a person removing the closure from the container that it has been fully applied to the container.

First claim

We claim:

1. A composite closure for a container, said composite closure comprising:
a circular plastic fitment having a central opening defined by an inwardly extending circumferential flange and a downwardly depending skirt extending from said flange;
an end panel received in said fitment, an upper, outer peripheral surface of said panel underlying a bottom surface of said flange and in intimate contact therewith when said composite closure is fully applied to a container;
said skirt of said plastic fitment including a radially inwardly extending circumferential contact bead that includes a substantially non-deformable vertically flat surface in cross-section that is substantially parallel to a vertical axis of said closure and axially positioned for contact with a radial outermost surface of said end panel when said closure is fully applied to said container, said bead being sized so that the vertical contact surface thereof imparts a predetermined radial force on said radial outermost surface of said end panel which produces a perceptible resistance upon initial rotation of said closure from its fully applied state and provides assurance to a user that said composite closure has been fully applied to the container prior to said initial rotation.

2. The composite closure of claim 1 wherein said end panel is metal.

3. The composite closure of claim 2 wherein said radial outermost surface of said end panel includes an arcuate curl.

4. The composite closure of claim 3 wherein said bead is in the form of a plurality of circumferential individual segments.

5. The composite closure of claim 4 wherein said segments are uniformly spaced around the inner circumference of said plastic shell.

6. The composite closure of claim 1 wherein said circular plastic fitment is composed of a propylene polymer.

7. The composite closure of claim 1 wherein said initial rotation produces a disengagement of the contact bead from the radial outermost surface of the end panel.

8. The composite closure of claim 7 wherein the torque force to produce said disengagement is from approximately 10 to 30 inch pounds.

9. A composite closure and container package, comprising:
a container having a neck with container threads formed on an outer surface thereof, said neck including an end surface defining an open mouth of said container;
a circular plastic fitment having a central opening therein defined by an inwardly extending circumferential flange and a depending skirt extending downwardly from said flange;
a circular end panel received in said shell, said end panel including a circumferential, downwardly facing channel in which a resilient composition is contained for forming a seal with the end surface of said container neck;
an upper, outer peripheral surface of said end panel underlying said flange which is in intimate contact with a bottom surface thereof when said composite closure is fully applied to said container, the outer peripheral edge of said end panel terminating in an arcuate curl;
said skirt of said plastic fitment including a radially, inwardly extending circumferential bead that includes a substantially non-deformable, vertically flat surface in cross-section that is substantially parallel to a vertical axis of said container and axially positioned for contact with said curl, said flat vertical surface of said bead being in its as-molded shape, without deformation as a result of its contact with said curl;
said bead being sized and configured so that the flat vertical surface of said bead imparts selected predetermined radial force which imparts a perceptible resistance upon initial rotation of said closure while fully applied to said container so as to provide a user with assurance upon rotation of said closure that it was fully applied to said container prior to said initial rotation.

10. The composite closure and container package of claim 9 wherein said bead is in the form of a plurality of circumferential spaced-apart individual segments.

11. The composite closure and container package of claim 10 wherein said individual bead segments are generally uniformly spaced around the inner circumference of said plastic shell.

12. The composite closure of claim 9 wherein said circular plastic fitment is composed of a propylene polymer.

13. The composite closure of claim 9 wherein perceptible resistance upon initial rotation of said closure produces a disengagement of the contact bear from the curl of said end panel.

14. The composite closure of claim 13 wherein the torque force to produce said disengagement is from approximately 10 to 30 inch pounds.

Assignees

• Silgan White Cap LLC

Inventors

• Taber James
• Orth Kevin

Classifications

• B65D51/145 Primary

  by means of an additional element connected directly to the container · CPC title