CONTAINER AND CLOSURE COMBINATION

• US 3,688,942 A
• Filed: 11/20/1970
• Issued: 09/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick D. Oberkircher Jr, Robert M. Mitchell
• Original Assignee: Frederick D. Oberkircher Jr, Robert M. Mitchell
• Inventors: Robert, M. Mitchell, Frederick, D. Oberkircher Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lloyd L. King
• Application Number:
  US05/091,367
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 220/59,60R,46R 150/.5 215/41
• US Class Current: 220/784
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0219 the closure presenting projecting peripheral elements receiving or surrounding the bottom or peripheral elements projecting from the bottom of a superimposed container B65D21/0222 and B65D21/0223 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/2897 formed in the wall(s), e.g. roughenings, cavities or projections
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00509 Cup
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00555 on both the inside and the outside
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00972 Collars or rings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/0099 Integral supplemental sealing lips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0218 on both the inside and the outside of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 45/18 of snap-over type

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a novel container and closure combination in which a body of the container at its open end includes a radially outwardly and downwardly directed peripheral skirt portion having a terminal edge defining cam means for facilitating the latching of the closure upon the container, the closure likewise including a peripheral skirt portion having joined thereto by integral flexible hinge walls a plurality of latch members which have cam follower means for automatically drawing the closure downwardly into seated relationship upon the container body as the cam follower means move along the cam means during hinging motion of the latch member in a direction toward the container body. A periphery of the closure includes two downwardly opening annular channels, an innermost one of which conformably receives an end portion of the container body and an outermost one of which receives a compressible seal with means being provided to limit the compressive forces applied to the seal during a latching operation. The container body further includes a peripheral skirt between axially opposite ends thereof defining a finger-grip lifting and bail attaching area.

Claims

1. A container and closure combination comprising a container body closed at one end by a bottom wall and terminating at an opposite end in a radially outwardly and downwardly directed peripheral skirt portion, said peripheral skirt portion having a terminal edge defining cam means for facilitating the latching of the closure and container, said closure likewise including a peripheral skirt portion, at least one latch member joined by an integral flexible hinge wall to said closure peripheral skirt portion, cam follower means carried by said latch member for automatically drawing the closure downwardly toward said bottom wall as said cam follower means moves along said cam means during hinging motion of said latch member in a direction toward said container body, said opposite container body end including an axially upwardly projecting peripheral bead, said closure including a downwardly opening channel conformably receiving said bead, and a compressible seal disposed between said peripheral skirt portions and radially outwardly of said bead and channel which is subject to compressive forces limited by the bottoming of said bead in said channel during the movement of said closure toward said bottom wall.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 including means between said peripheral skirt portions for additionally limiting the movement of said closure toward said bottom wall.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam follower means is an integral radially inwardly directed projection of said latch member.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said container body peripheral skirt portion is defined by a radially disposed bight wall portion and a depending wall portion, and said closure peripheral skirt portion includes radially inwardly directed wall means in overlying relationship to said bight wall portion for additionally limiting the movement of said closure toward said bottom wall.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure peripheral skirt portion defines said first mentioned and another downwardly opening channel formed by inner and outer radially spaced annular walls joined by a bight wall including a downwardly axially directed annular wall, said another channel receives said seal, and means directed inwardly from said outer annular wall in axial overlying relationship to said container body pierpheral skirt portion for additionally limiting the movement of said closure toward said bottom wall.

6. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said downwardly opening annular channel is formed by inner and outer radially spaced annular walls joined by a bight wall, said inner and outer annular walls each having a free terminal edge with the terminal edge of said inner annular wall being disposed closer to said bottom wall than the free terminal edge of said outer annular wall, and a portion of said container body between said one and opposite ends is joined to said inner annular wall by a shoulder at a point above said inner annular wall terminal edge to define a second downwardly opening annular channel forming a finger-gripping area.

7. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said cam follower means is an integral radially inwardly directed projection of said latch member.

8. A one-piece closure comprising an end panel terminating at a downwardly opening annular bead defined by a pair of radially spaced inner and outer annular walls joined by a bight wall, means projecting axially downwardly from said bight wall in an area between said annular walls to define therewith a pair of downwardly opening annular channels adapted to receive a portion of an associated container and an annular seal with the latter disposed in the radially outermost of the channels, said outer annular wall having a free terminal edge, means carried by said outer annular wall adjacent said free terminal edge and projecting radially inwardly for contacting an associated container to limit compression forces applied to the associated seal, a plurality of spaced latch members each joined by an integral flexible hinge wall to said outer annular wall adjacent the terminal edge thereof, cam follower means carried by each latch member for automatically drawing the closure into seating relationship with the associated container, said cam follower means being an integral radially inwardly directed projection of each latch member, and a hand-grip extension beyond each cam follower means for manually operating the latch members.

9. The closure as defined in claim 8 including a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inwardly directed stacking ribs on said end panel.

10. The closure as defined in claim 8 wherein said flexible hinge wall subtends an arc of approximately 75* .

11. The closure as defined in claim 8 wherein each hand-grip extension is of a generally radially outwardly opening U-shaped configuration thereby defining an area adapted to receive a seal band when the closure has been latched to an associated container.

12. A container and closure combination comprising a container body closed at one end by a bottom wall and terminating at an opposite end in an axially upwardly directed annular bead, a radially outwardly and downwardly inclined annular sealiNg wall adjacent said bead, said closure includes a pair of downwardly opening annular channels formed by inner and outer radially spaced annular walls joined by a bight wall including a downwardly axially directed annular projection, an innermost one of said channels conformably receiving said closure bead, and an outermost one of said channels receiving an annular gasket in sealing relationship upon said sealing wall.

13. The combination as defined in claim 12 including means carried by said outer annular wall projecting radially inwardly above said sealing wall for contact therewith in the closed position of said container and closure.

14. The combination as defined in claim 13 including means for releaseably cam-latching said closure to said container.

15. A container and closure combination comprising a container body closed at one end by a bottom wall and terminating in an opposite end in a radially outwardly and downwardly directed peripheral skirt portion, said closure likewise including a peripheral skirt portion, at least one latch member joined to said closure peripheral skirt portion for securing said closure to said container body, said opposite container body and including an axially upwardly projecting peripheral bead, said closure including a downwardly opening channel conformably receiving said bead, a compressible seal disposed between said peripheral skirt portions and radially outwardly of said bead and channel which is subject to compressive forces, said closure peripheral skirt portion defines said first mentioned and another downwardly opening channel formed by inner and outer radially spaced annular walls joined by a bight wall including a downwardly axially directed annular wall, and means directed inwardly from said outer annular wall in axial overlying relationship to said container body peripheral skirt portion for limiting the movement of said closure toward said bottom wall.