FLEX HINGE CLOSURE WITH DRAIN-BACK CHANNEL

• US 20150217910A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silgan Specialty Packaging LLC
• Original Assignee: Gateway Plastics Incorporated (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vogel, William C., Lay, Dieter F., Gross, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,272,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0814 by at least three hinge sections, at least one having a length different from the others
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/103 Membranes with a tearing element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/40 with drip catchers or drip-preventing means

Abstract

A flex hinge closure with a drain-back channel is provided. The closure includes a base portion having a dispensing aperture, a raised pour lip formed along a perimeter of the dispensing aperture, a raised rib forming a closed shape surrounding the raised pour lip, and a drain-back channel defined by a space between the raised pour lip and the raised rib. The drain-back channel is configured to collect excess material dispensed via the dispensing aperture and to drain the excess material back to a receptacle. The closure further includes a cap portion hingedly connected to the base portion. The cap portion is configured to rotate relative to the base portion about the hinged connection between a closed position in which the cap portion covers the dispensing aperture and an open position in which the cap portion uncovers the dispensing aperture.

Claims

1. A closure for a receptacle having a top opening, the closure comprising:

a base portion configured to attach to an upper portion of the receptacle to cover the top opening, the base portion comprising;

a dispensing aperture,

a raised pour lip formed along a perimeter of the dispensing aperture,

a raised rib forming a closed shape surrounding the raised pour lip, and

a drain-back channel defined by a space between the raised pour lip and the raised rib, wherein the drain-back channel is configured to collect excess material dispensed via the dispensing aperture and to drain the excess material back to the receptacle; and

a cap portion hingedly connected to the base portion and configured to rotate relative to the base portion about the hinged connection between a closed position in which the cap portion covers the dispensing aperture and an open position in which the cap portion uncovers the dispensing aperture.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the dispensing aperture comprises a portion occupied by the raised pour lip and a portion not occupied by the raised pour lip;

wherein the drain-back channel is configured to drain the excess material back to the receptacle through the portion of the perimeter of the dispensing aperture not occupied by the raised pour lip.

3. The closure of claim 1, further comprising:

a break-away tab releasably attached to the base portion along an inner perimeter of the dispensing aperture and covering the dispensing aperture in a sealed arrangement; and

a pull ring fixedly attached to an upper surface of the break-away tab and configured to separate the break-away tab from the base portion when a pulling force is applied to the pull ring;

wherein the break-away tab and the pull ring are configured to completely detach from the base portion when the break-away tab is separated therefrom.

4. The closure of claim 3, wherein a perimeter of the pull ring is substantially aligned with a perimeter of the break-away tab and wherein the pull ring is offset above the break-away tab.

5. The closure of claim 3, wherein the break-away tab comprises a concave depression recessed into the upper surface thereof, wherein the concave depression is configured to receive an object for applying the pulling force to the pull ring.

6. The closure of claim 1, comprising:

a first material which forms an integrated inner core of the base portion; and

a second material which forms an integrated component comprising the cap portion and an outer shell of the base portion, wherein the cap portion is hingedly connected to the outer shell of the base portion.

7. The closure of claim 6, wherein the integrated inner core of the base portion comprises the raised pour lip, the raised rib surrounding the raised pour lip, and one or more features configured to attach the base portion to the receptacle.

8. The closure of claim 1, wherein the cap portion comprises:

an inner perimeter seal configured to engage a perimeter of the raised pour lip when the cap portion is in the closed position; and

an outer perimeter seal configured to engage a perimeter of the raised rib when the cap portion is in the closed position.

9. A closure for a receptacle having a top opening, the closure comprising:

a base portion configured to attach to an upper portion of the receptacle to cover the top opening, the base portion comprising;

a dispensing aperture, and

a raised rib forming a closed shape surrounding the dispensing aperture and offset from a perimeter of the dispensing aperture; and

a cap portion hingedly connected to the base portion and configured to rotate relative to the base portion about the hinged connection between a closed position in which the cap portion covers the dispensing aperture and an open position in which the cap portion uncovers the dispensing aperture, the cap portion comprising;

an inner perimeter seal configured to form a seal along a perimeter of the dispensing aperture when the cap portion is in the closed position, and

an outer perimeter seal configured to form a seal along a perimeter of the raised rib when the cap portion is in the closed position.

10. The closure of claim 9, wherein the raised rib and the outer perimeter seal are circular.

11. The closure of claim 9, wherein the outer perimeter seal is configured to shrink in a predictable manner when the closure is formed.

12. The closure of claim 9, wherein the inner perimeter seal and the outer perimeter seal extend from an inside surface of the cap portion, the inner perimeter seal forming an inner perimeter wall and the outer perimeter seal forming an outer perimeter wall surrounding the inner perimeter wall;

wherein the inner perimeter wall has a first height in a direction of extension from the inside surface and the outer perimeter wall has a second height in the direction of extension from the inside surface, the first height exceeding the second height.

13. The closure of claim 9, wherein the outer perimeter seal comprises a first snap ring along a circumferential surface of the outer perimeter seal;

wherein the raised rib comprises a second snap ring along a circumferential surface of the raised rib;

wherein the first snap ring is configured to engage the second snap ring when the cap portion is moved into the closed position, wherein the snap rings are configured to hold the cap portion in the closed position.

14. The closure of claim 9, wherein the base portion further comprises a raised pour lip formed along a perimeter of the dispensing aperture;

wherein the inner perimeter seal is configured to engage a perimeter of the raised pour lip when the cap portion is in the closed position.

15. The closure of claim 9, wherein the base portion further comprises a drain-back channel between the inner perimeter seal and the outer perimeter seal;

wherein the drain-back channel is configured to collect excess material dispensed via the dispensing aperture and to drain the excess material back to the receptacle.

16. The closure of claim 9, wherein the outer perimeter seal and the inner perimeter seal have a seal thickness;

wherein the outer perimeter seal is offset from the inner perimeter seal by an amount between twice the seal thickness and ten times the seal thickness.

17. The closure of claim 9, wherein the outer perimeter seal and the inner perimeter seal have a seal thickness;

wherein the outer perimeter seal is shorter than the inner perimeter seal by an amount between half the seal thickness and five times the seal thickness.

18. A closure for a receptacle having a top opening, the closure comprising:

a base portion configured to attach to an upper portion of the receptacle to cover the top opening, the base portion comprising a dispensing aperture; and

a cap portion hingedly connected to the base portion by a central hinge connection and a pair of periphery hinge connections surrounding the central hinge connection, wherein the cap portion is configured to rotate relative to the base portion about the hinged connections between a closed position in which the cap portion covers the dispensing aperture and an open position in which the cap portion uncovers the dispensing aperture.

19. The closure of claim 18, wherein the cap portion comprises:

a perimeter seal extending from an inner surface of the cap portion and configured to form a seal around the dispensing aperture when the cap portion is in the closed position, and

an anti-fling rib extending from the inner surface of the cap portion and forming a closed shape surrounded by the perimeter seal, the anti-fling rib having a curved profile which curves radially inward as the anti-fling rib extends from the inner surface.

20. The closure of claim 18, wherein the base portion comprises an attachment feature configured to secure the base portion to the receptacle, the attachment feature comprising at least one of threading and ratchet teeth.

21. The closure of claim 18, wherein the base portion comprises an inner core and an outer shell overmolded onto the inner core;

wherein the outer shell is restrained from motion relative to the inner core by a geometric fitting between the outer shell and the inner core.

22. The closure of claim 21, wherein the outer shell is restrained from lateral motion relative to the inner core by a tongue and groove fitting;

and

wherein the outer shell is restrained from rotation relative to the inner core by one or more locking elements geometrically integrated with the tongue and groove fitting.