Container with snap-on closure

• US 20050284836A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unilever Bestfoods North America (Unilever PLC)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Bestfoods North America (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Majoor, Franciscus Augustinus, Verhaar, Fred
• Application Number:
  US10/531,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20050284836A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/254
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/485 with integral internal sealing means

Abstract

The invention relates to a container suitable for aseptic packing of microbiologically sensitive food products comprising a blow-moulded container body (1) and neck (2) and a closure (3), characterised in that the closure (3) is a snap-on closure (3) wherein the snap-on closure (3) comprises a peripheral skirt (4) with a ridge (5), intended for engagement with the inner surface (6) of the neck (2) wherein the free outer diameter of the ridge (5) is slightly higher than the free inner diameter of the neck, characterised in that the snap-on closure (3) and the neck comprise means (7,8) for substantially fixing the ridge (5) in the axial direction of the neck, when the container is closed.

Claims

1. Plastic container suitable for aseptic packaging of microbiologically sensitive food products comprising an injection blowmoulded container body (1) and neck (2) and a closure (3), wherein the closure (3) is a snap-on closure (3), characterized in that the snap-on closure (3) comprises a peripheral skirt (4) with a ridge (5), intended for engagement with the inner surface (6) of the neck (2) wherein the free outer diameter of the ridge (5) is slightly higher than the free inner diameter of the neck, characterised in that the snap-on closure (3) and the neck comprise means (7,8) for substantially fixing the ridge (5) in the axial direction of the neck, when the container is closed.

2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the tolerance of movement of the ridge (5) in the axial direction of the neck, when the container is closed, is smaller than the height of the contact surface between the ridge and the inner surface of the neck.

3. Container according to claim 1, wherein the neck has an inner surface (6), having no grooves having a width of 0.5 μ

m or larger.

4. Container according to claim 1, wherein the Shore D hardness of the material of the ridge (5) is lower than the Shore D hardness of the material of the neck (2).

5. Container according to claim 4, wherein the Shore D hardness of the material of the ridge (5) is 65 or smaller and the Shore D hardness of the material of the neck (2) is 70 or higher.

6. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container is provided with a foil around the bottle covering large part of the body and the neck of the bottle, but not the cap.

7. Container according to claim 6, wherein the foil comprises oriented polystyrene.

8. Container according to claim 1, wherein the snap-on closure has a hinge (9).

9. Container according to claim 8, wherein the hinge (9) is a click-hinge (9).

10. Container according to claim 1, wherein the snap-on closure comprises a circumferential tear-off strip (10).

11. Container according to claim 1, wherein the material of the ridge substantially consists of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE).

12. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container is a bottle.

13. Container according to claim 1 filled with a sterilised or pasteurised microbiologically sensitive food product.

15. Use of a plastic container according to claim 1, for packing sterilised or pasteurised microbiologically sensitive food product.

14. Container according to claim 14, wherein the microbiologically sensitive food product has a pH between 6 and 8.