Flap closure lockable in an open position

• US 5,219,100 A
• Filed: 04/16/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Creative Packaging Corp.
• Inventors: Kubitz, Terry E., Beck, James M., Kutaj, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/869,390
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 222/480, 222/565, 222/556, 215/235, 220/335, 220/337, 220/339
• US Class Current: 222/480
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/1016 Means for locking the closure in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0876 Hinges without elastic bias

Abstract

A closure for a container opening including a closure body having a predetermined configuration, external periphery and a first aperture formed therethrough, a member for connecting the closure body about the container opening, a cover member reciprocally mounted about a portion of the external periphery of the closure body, the cover member including a first lid member hingedly connected thereto for rotation with respect to the cover member and the closure body and closing engagement with the first aperture, and a first locking member for releasably retaining the first lid member a predetermined distance away from the first aperture to maintain the first aperture in an uncovered condition during dispensing of the container contents, the first locking member including at least one engagement wing integral with the first lid member for engaging a portion of the closure body.

Claims

1. A closure for a container opening, comprising:

a closure body having a predetermined configuration, external periphery and a first aperture formed therethrough;

means for connecting said closure body about the container opening;

a cover member reciprocally mounted about a portion of said external periphery of said closure body, said cover member including a first lid member hingedly connected thereto for rotation with respect to said cover member and said closure body and closing engagement with said first aperture; and

first locking means for releasably retaining said first lid member a predetermined distance away from said first aperture to maintain said first aperture in an uncovered condition during dispensing of container contents, said first locking means including at least one engagement wing integral with said first lid member for engagement with at least one channel formed in said closure body, said wing being rotatable within said channel, deflectable upon engagement with a portion of said channel sidewall proximate an open top end of said channel and resiliently engageable with a top surface of said closure body proximate said channel to provide said releasable retaining.

2. A closure for a container opening, comprising:

a body portion having a substantially planar annular top cap member including a first top surface and a second bottom surface, an annular skirt member connected to and depending from said second bottom surface of said top cap member, a first aperture formed through said top cap member of said body portion having a predetermined configuration and size, a set of second apertures formed through said top cap member of said body portion having a predetermined arrangement, each of said second apertures having a predetermined configuration and a size smaller than said first aperture, two pairs of concave engagement channels, one pair each formed on opposite sides of the margin of said top surface of said top cap member, each channel within a given pair being arranged side by side with their longitudinal axis substantially parallel to each other, having a predetermined longitudinal length and extending into said top surface a predetermined distance, and means for connecting said skirt member about the container opening; and

a substantially planar annular cover member reciprocally mounted to said body portion for cooperative engagement therewith, said cover member having an elongate land portion extending thereacross with first and second substantially planar lid members hingedly connected thereto on opposite longitudinal sides of said land portion for rotation with respect to said land portion and closing engagement with said first aperture and said set of second apertures, respectively, each of said first and second lid members including a pair of wing members, one wing of each pair being formed on opposite marginal sides of said first and second lid members for cooperative engagement with said engagement channels and said top surface of said body portion to provide locking of either of said first and second lid members in an open position with respect to said first aperture and said set of second apertures.

3. A closure for a container opening, comprising:

a closure body;

means for connecting said closure body about the container opening;

first and second apertures extending through said closure body;

first and second lid members directly hingedly connected to said closure body for rotation with respect to said closure body and closing engagement with said first and second apertures, respectively; and

first and second locking means integrally formed with said closure body for releasably retaining said first and second lid members, respectively, a predetermined distance away from their respective first and second apertures and maintaining said first and second apertures in an uncovered condition during dispensing of container contents.

4. A closure for a container opening, comprising:

a body portion including a first top surface and a second bottom surface, means for connecting said body portion about the container opening, first and second apertures formed through said first top surface, each aperture having a predetermined configuration and size, two pairs of concave engagement channels, one pair each formed on opposite sides of the margin of said top surface with their longitudinal axis substantially parallel to each other; and

a cover member reciprocally mounted about said body portion for cooperative engagement therewith, said cover member having first and second lid members hingedly connected thereto for rotation with respect to said cover member and closing engagement with said first and second apertures respectively, each of said first and second lid members including at least one wing member formed on a marginal side of said first and second lid members for cooperative engagement with a respective engagement channel and said top surface of said body portion to provide locking of either of said first and second lid members in an open position with respect to said first and second apertures.