Removable seal for liquid container

• US 5,121,845 A
• Filed: 10/16/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Floyd W. Blanchard
• Original Assignee: Floyd W. Blanchard
• Inventors: Blanchard, Floyd W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRONIN, STEPHEN K
• Application Number:
  US07/598,048
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 215/232, 215/257, 215/295, 215/305, 215/228, 215/250, 215/254, 220/258, 220/270, 220/276, 220/359, 220/379, 220/212, 220/265, 220/277, 220/278, 141/363, 141/364
• US Class Current: 215/232
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0253 Means facilitating removal of the closure, e.g. cams, levers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0093 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/205 Inserted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/0081 Bottles of non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/205 integral with the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/2058 attached to the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/20 Caps, lids, or covers co-operating with an inner closure arranged to be opened by piercing, cutting, or tearing B65D51/185 takes precedence; co-operating with an auxiliary container for additional articles or materials B65D51/28

Abstract

A molded plastic oil bottle includes an upwardly extending threaded neck having a sealing edge. A cup-shaped cap is threadably received upon the neck to provide closure thereof. A quantity of oil is received within the molded plastic bottle. A removable seal comprises a thin seal membrane secured to the edge of the bottle neck and includes an outwardly extending tab which is used to remove the seal from the bottle in the filling process. In one embodiment, the extending tab is multiply folded and received within the cap while in alternate embodiments the tab extends outwardly from beneath the cap in the closed position. In a still further embodiment, a smaller tab having an aperture therein extends from the seal member and is operated by a separate puller which is attachable to the tab.

Claims

1. For use in combination with a liquid container having an extending neck defining a neck passage, a surrounding sealing edge and a container cap receivable upon the extending neck, a removable seal comprising:

a thin flexible seal membrane mixed and shaped to overlie at least a portion of the sealing edge and closing the neck passage;

a tab portion extending from said seal membrane; and

means for removably affixing said seal membrane exclusive of said tab portion to the seal edge of the neck in a peelable sealing attachment,

at least a portion of said tab portion being received within the cap when the cap is placed upon the neck,

said tab portion including a tab extension forming a plurality of folds and said seal membrane forming a recess for receiving said folds beneath the cap.

2. A removable seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein said seal membrane, said tab portion and said tab extension are formed of a single piece of thin flexible material.

3. A removable seal as set forth in claim 2 wherein the neck and the cap of the liquid container define cooperating threads.

4. A removable seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein said seal membrane supports a visible indicia for direction of pull indication.

5. A removable seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein said thin flexible seal membrane is received within the container cap and supported therein prior to and during assembly of the container cap to the extending neck of the container.

6. For use in combination with a liquid container having an extending neck defining a neck passage, a surrounding sealing edge and a container cap receivable upon the extending neck, a removable seal comprising:

a thin flexible seal membrane sized and shaped to overlie at least portion of the sealing edge and closing the neck passage;

a tab portion extending from said seal membrane; and

means for removably affixing said seal membrane exclusive of said tab portion to the sealing edge of the neck in a peelable sealing attachment, said tab portion including a tab extension forming a plurality of folds and wherein said seal membrane forms a recess for receiving said folds beneath the cap,

said tab extension defining an end portion extending beyond said plurality of folds when said tab extension is folded.

7. A removable seal as set forth in claim 6 wherein said tab portion has a length greater than the diameter of the extending neck of the container.