RETORTABLE PACKAGE WITH PLASTIC CLOSURE CAP

• US 20070187352A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Taber, James, Kras, Stephen, Szczesniak, Dennis, Kapolas, William, Orth, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,596,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/276
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0075 of the 39-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/205 Inserted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0442 Collars or rings B65D41/0457 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/3409 the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/145 by means of an additional element connected directly to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/18 Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures B65D51/247 takes precedence

Abstract

Retortable packages including plastic closure caps are disclosed. The closure cap includes an end panel and a liner applied to the end panel. The finish contacting surface of the liner has a profile that is generally arc-shaped or torroidal-like prior to contact with the finish.

Claims

1. A composite closure cap for a container comprising:

a plastic shell including a generally inwardly extending annular top flange and a radially outer, downwardly depending skirt extending from said flange, said inwardly extending flange defining a central opening in said shell;

an end panel held within said shell, said end panel including a top surface and a bottom surface, said end panel comprising a central portion overlying said central opening, a radially outer peripheral portion and a generally upwardly extending portion extending between said central portion and said radially, outer peripheral portion wherein the bottom surface of said end panel at said generally upwardly extending portion provides a liner receiving surface;

a liner applied to said liner receiving surface, said liner having a finish contacting outer surface, wherein said finish contacting outer surface has a generally torroidal-like shaped profile prior to contact with a container finish.

2. The composite closure cap of claim 1 wherein said liner has a thickness that is greatest where said liner is in contact with a lower end of said generally upwardly extending portion of said panel.

3. The composite closure of claim 2 wherein said liner has an increased thickness where said liner contacts said lower end of said generally upwardly extending panel portion and where said liner contacts said outer peripheral panel portion relative to where said liner contacts said generally upwardly extending panel portion.

4. The composite closure of claim 1 wherein said end panel includes a material that has oxygen barrier properties.

5. The composite closure of claim 3 wherein said panel includes a film having oxygen barrier properties.

6. The composite closure of claim 4 wherein said film comprises multiple layers wherein at least one of said layers includes a material having oxygen barrier properties.

7. The composite closure of claim 3 wherein said film further includes an oxygen scavenger.

8. The composite closure of claim 1 wherein said shell includes a radially inwardly extending flange and a seal indicator associated with said flange.

9. The composite closure of claim 7 wherein said seal indicator comprises an upstanding notch on the top surface of said flange.

10. The composite closure of claim 1 wherein said generally upwardly extending portion includes a radially outer surface that extend outwardly approximately 10°

-20°

from a vertical axis of said panel.

12. The closure of claim 10 wherein said liner has a thickness that is greatest between said plug and said outer peripheral portion.

14. The closure of claim 10 wherein said end panel includes a material that has oxygen barrier properties.

16. The closure of claim 14 wherein said film comprises multiple layers wherein at least one of said layers includes a material having oxygen barrier properties.

18. The closure of claim 10 wherein said plug outer surface has an angle relative to a vertical axis of approximately 10°

-20°

.

11. A closure cap for a container comprising:

a plastic shell including a generally inwardly extending annular top flange and a radially outer, downwardly depending skirt extending from said flange, said inwardly extending flange defining a central opening in said shell;

an at least substantially plastic end panel held within said shell, said end panel including a top surface and a bottom surface,

said end panel comprising a central portion, a radially outer peripheral portion and a downwardly extending plug between the central and peripheral portion, the plug including a radially outer surface;

a liner applied to said radially outer surface of said plug, said liner having a finish contacting outer surface, wherein said finish contacting outer surface has a generally torroidal-like shaped profile prior to contact with a container finish.

13. The closure of claim 11 wherein said liner has an increased thickness where said liner contacts said lower end of said plug and where said liner contacts the bottom surface of said outer peripheral portion of said panel relative to where said liner contacts to an intermediate area of said plug.

15. The closure of claim 13 wherein said panel includes a film having oxygen barrier properties.

17. The closure of claim 13 wherein said film further includes an oxygen scavenger.

19. A closure cap comprising:

a plastic shell comprising an integral end panel and a downwardly extending skirt portion;

said end panel including a top surface and a bottom surface, said end panel comprising a central portion and a radially outer, upwardly extending wall portion extending from said central portion, wherein the bottom surface of said end panel at said radially outer, upwardly extending wall portion comprises a liner receiving surface;

a liner applied to said liner receiving surface, said liner having a finish contacting outer surface wherein said finish contacting outer surface has a generally torroidal-like shaped profile prior to contact with a finish.

20. The composite closure cap of claim 19 wherein said liner has a thickness that is greatest where said liner is in contact with a lower end of said generally upwardly extending portion of said panel.

21. The composite closure of claim 20 wherein said liner has an increased thickness where said liner contacts said lower end of said generally upwardly extending panel portion and where said liner contacts said outer peripheral panel portion.

22. The composite closure of claim 19 wherein said end panel includes a material that has oxygen barrier properties.

23. The composite closure of claim 21 wherein said panel includes a film incorporated with a surface of said end panel, said film having oxygen barrier properties.

24. The composite closure of claim 22 wherein said film comprises multiple layers wherein at least one of said layers includes a material having oxygen barrier properties.

25. The composite closure of claim 21 wherein said film further includes an oxygen scavenger.

26. The composite closure of claim 19 wherein said shell includes a radially inwardly extending flange and a seal indicator associated with said flange.

27. The composite closure of claim 25 wherein said seal indicator comprises an upstanding notch on the top surface of said flange.

30. The package of claim 27 wherein said portion having a liner applied thereon comprises a lower end and upper end and an intermediate portion therebetween, said liner having a thickness that is greater at said lower end than said intermediate portion.

31. The package of claim 30 wherein during application, container finish initially contacts said liner at said lower end.

32. The package of claim 27 wherein said end panel includes a top surface and bottom surface, said panel comprises a central portion and a radially outer peripheral portion and an intermediate portion extending generally upwardly from said central portion.

33. The package of claim 32 wherein said intermediate substantially vertical portion is offset from a vertical axis by approximately 10°

-20°

.

34. The package of claim 33 wherein said closure comprises a composite closure including a shell and a substantially plastic end panel held within said shell.

35. The package of claim 32 wherein said intermediate substantial vertical portion comprises a downwardly extending plug depending from said end panel.

28. A package comprising:

a container including a container finish, said finish including an inner sealing surface,

a closure cap comprising a plastic shell including an end panel, said end panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface comprising a portion having a liner applied thereon;

said liner including an outer finish contacting surface that has a generally torroidal-like shaped profile prior to contact with said container finish.

29. The package of claim 28 wherein said inner sealing surface of said container finish comprises a generally torroidal-like profile.

36. A package comprising:

a closure comprising a top end panel, a downwardly extending skirt and a tamper evidencing band depending from said skirt, said band including a plurality of continuous ratchets thereon, each ratchet having outwardly pointing ratchet tips and a ratchet root;

a container including a container finish comprising a plurality of ratchet groups annularly spaced around the circumference of said finish, wherein said ratchet groups are separated from one another by outwardly extending beads, each of said beads having a diameter such that the tips of the ratchets on said closure opposite said bead contact said bead when said closure is fully applied to said container.

37. The package of claim 37 wherein said tamper evidencing band terminates in a plurality of annular upwardly folded flaps, each of said flaps including at least one ratchet thereon.

38. The package of claim 37 wherein said support bead is continuous and of uniform diameter between said ratchet groups.

39. The package of claim 37 wherein said ratchet groups on said finish are symmetrically disposed on said container finish.

40. The package of claim 37 wherein ends of said support bead adjacent to said ratchet groups are radially inwardly tapered.

41. The package of claim 37 wherein each of said support beads has an outer diameter that is less than the diameter of the ratchet tip and greater than the diameter of the ratchet root.

42. A closure for a container comprising:

an end panel and a downwardly extending skirt, said end panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, a central portion and an outer peripheral portion, wherein at least said central portion includes a material having oxygen barrier properties.

43. The closure of claim 42 further comprising a film incorporated into said end panel, said film including a material having oxygen barrier properties.

44. The closure of claim 43 wherein said film comprises multiple layers and wherein at least one of said layers comprises a material having oxygen barrier properties.

45. The closure of claim 42 wherein said end panel comprises a plurality of layers, wherein at least one of said layers includes a material having oxygen barrier properties.

46. The closure of claim 45 wherein said end panel is thermoformed from a sheet comprising said plurality of layers.

47. The closure of claim 44 comprising a film including at least a top layer, bottom layer and middle layer, wherein said middle layer comprises a material having oxygen barrier properties.

48. The closure of claim 46 wherein said end panel comprises at least a top layer, bottom layer and a middle layer, wherein said middle layer comprises a material having oxygen barrier properties.

49. The closure of claim 43 wherein said film is incorporated into either the top or bottom surface of said end panel.

50. The closure of claim 49 wherein said film is incorporated into the top surface of said end panel.

51. The closure of claim 50 wherein said middle layer comprises an organic barrier coating and said top layer comprises a base layer onto which said organic barrier is coated.

52. The closure of claim 51 wherein said organic barrier comprises polyacrylic acid and said top layer comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

53. The closure of claim 46 wherein said end panel includes at least a top layer, a bottom layer and a middle layer, wherein said middle layer comprises a material having oxygen barrier properties.

54. A closure for a container comprising:

a shell including a downwardly extending skirt having a terminal end and a tamper evidencing band attached to the terminal end by a plurality of fracturable bridges spaced around the circumference of said band,

wherein said plurality of bridges includes a bridge having a first configuration and a bridge having a different configuration, wherein said bridge of said first configuration is adapted to fracture before the bridge of the different configuration fractures during the opening of said container.

55. The closure of claim 54 wherein said bridge of said first configuration differs from the bridge of the different configuration in either geometry, length or thickness or a combination thereof.

56. The closure of claim 55 wherein at least two bridges of the same configuration are adjacent to each other.

57. The closure of claim 54 wherein said bridges of said first configuration are symmetrically disposed about the circumference of said closure.