Closure for a container, closure components, and method of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9957082-B2
Application number	US-201514774014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2015
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A closure body ( 40 ) is provided for installation with a liner membrane ( 52 ) on a container ( 44 ). The closure body ( 40 ) has a peripheral portion ( 74 ) for being mounted on the container ( 44 ) around an access opening ( 48 ), and a separable portion ( 82 ) that (i) is disposed laterally inwardly of the peripheral portion ( 74 ); (ii) is initially connected to the peripheral portion ( 74 ) by at least one frangible connection ( 86 ); and (iii) can be separated from the peripheral portion ( 74 ) upon breaking of the at least one frangible connection ( 86 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure body ( 40 ) that can be installed with an attachable liner membrane ( 52 ) on a container ( 44 ) of product to define a package ( 20 ) wherein
the container ( 44 ) has (i) an interior in which the product is contained, (ii) an exterior, and (iii) an access opening ( 48 ) communicating between the exterior and the interior, and
the access opening ( 48 ) can be initially occluded by the liner membrane ( 52 ) attached to both the container ( 44 ) and closure body ( 40 ) around the access opening ( 48 ) to define an installed closure on the container ( 44 ),
said closure body ( 40 ) comprising:
A. a peripheral portion ( 74 ) for being mounted on the container ( 44 ) around the access opening ( 48 );
B. a separable portion ( 82 ) that
(i) is disposed laterally inwardly of said peripheral portion ( 74 );
(ii) is initially connected to said peripheral portion ( 74 ) by at least one frangible connection ( 86 ); and
(iii) can be at least partially separated from said peripheral portion ( 74 ) upon breaking of said at least one frangible connection ( 86 ); and

C. an opening member ( 94 ) that
(i) is connected with said separable portion ( 82 ) to accommodate movement of said opening member ( 94 ) relative to said separable portion ( 82 );
(ii) has a grippable portion ( 102 ) and a puncture portion ( 106 ) each disposed in an initial inactive orientation relative to said separable portion ( 82 ), and wherein said grippable portion ( 102 ) is configured to be lifted away from said inactive orientation and pulled outwardly away from said peripheral portion ( 74 ), whereby, after said closure body ( 40 ) and the liner membrane ( 52 ) have been installed on the container ( 44 ), then
(a) said grippable portion ( 102 ) can be lifted away from said inactive orientation to re-orient said opening member ( 94 ) relative to said separable portion ( 82 ) so that said puncture portion ( 106 ) punctures the liner membrane ( 52 ), and
(b) subsequently said grippable portion ( 102 ) can be pulled outwardly away from said peripheral portion ( 74 ) so that said opening member ( 94 ) is pulled outwardly away from said peripheral portion ( 74 ) to break said at least one frangible connection ( 86 ) between said separable portion ( 82 ) and said peripheral portion ( 74 );

wherein said separable portion ( 82 ) defines a recess ( 122 ), said puncture portion ( 106 ) extends laterally over and above said recess ( 122 ) with said grippable portion ( 102 ) oriented in said inactive orientation, and said recess ( 122 ) is configured to accommodate movement of said puncture portion ( 106 ) through said recess ( 122 ) when said grippable portion ( 102 ) is lifted away from said inactive orientation.

2. A closure body ( 40 ) that can be installed with an attachable liner membrane ( 52 ) on a container ( 44 ) of product to define a package ( 20 ) wherein
the container ( 44 ) has (i) an interior in which the product is contained, (ii) an exterior, and (iii) an access opening ( 48 ) communicating between the exterior and the interior, and
the access opening ( 48 ) can be initially occluded by the liner membrane ( 52 ) attached to both the container ( 44 ) and closure body ( 40 ) around the access opening ( 48 ) to define an installed closure on the container ( 44 ),
said closure body ( 40 ) comprising:
A. a peripheral portion ( 74 ) for being mounted on the container ( 44 ) around the access opening ( 48 );
B. a separable portion ( 82 ) that
(i) is disposed laterally inwardly of said peripheral portion ( 74 );
(ii) is initially connected to said peripheral portion ( 74 ) by at least one frangible connection ( 86 ); and
(iii) can be at least partially separated from said peripheral portion ( 74 ) upon breaking of said at least one frangible connection ( 86 ); and

C. an opening member ( 94 ) that
(i) is connected with said separable portion ( 82 ) to accommodate movement of said opening member ( 94 ) relative to said separable portion ( 82 );
(ii) has a grippable portion ( 102 ) and a puncture portion ( 106 ) each disposed in an initial inactive orientation relative to said separable portion ( 82 ), and wherein said grippable portion ( 102 ) is configured to be lifted away from said inactive orientation and pulled outwardly away from said peripheral portion ( 74 ), whereby, after said closure body ( 40 ) and the liner membrane ( 52 ) have been installed on the container ( 44 ), then
(a) said grippable portion ( 102 ) can be lifted away from said inactive orientation to re-orient said opening member ( 94 ) relative to said separable portion ( 82 ) so that said puncture portion ( 106 ) punctures the liner membrane ( 52 ), and
(b) subsequently said grippable portion ( 102 ) can be pulled outwardly away from said peripheral portion ( 74 ) so that said opening member ( 94 ) is pulled outwardly away from said peripheral portion ( 74 ) to break said at least one frangible connection ( 86 ) between said separable portion ( 82 ) and said peripheral portion ( 74 ); and

wherein, said puncture portion ( 106 ) is spaced from and does not contact the liner membrane ( 52 ) with said grippable portion ( 102 ) oriented in said inactive orientation.

Assignees

• Aptargroup Inc

Inventors

• Hammond James
• Mazurkiewicz Timothy
• Wallace Tim

Classifications

• B65D2517/0089

  Unusual details · CPC title

• B65D2517/0086

  laminated · CPC title

• B65D2517/0071

  located externally of tear-out/push-in panel or preformed opening · CPC title

• B65D2517/0007

  in a separate cover · CPC title

• B65D2251/02

  Grip means · CPC title