Closure for sealing a container rim

• US 5,297,688 A
• Filed: 12/17/1992
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Creative Packaging Corp.
• Inventors: Kutaj, Alex, Kubitz, Terry E., Beck, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caretto, Vanessa
• Application Number:
  US07/992,136
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 215/341, 215/344, 215/343, 215/354, 215/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 215/344
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0421 and combined with integral sealing means contacting other surfaces of a container neck
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0435 with separate sealing elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/01 Fins

Abstract

A closure for sealing a rim of an open mouth of a container including a substantially cylindrical end cap closed at a first end thereof by a top surface, open at a second opposite end thereof and including an annular side wall having a predetermined width extending between the first and second ends, the top surface including a first inside surface facing the interior of the end cap and a second exterior surface facing the exterior of the end cap, a first flexible seal member connected to and depending a predetermined distance from the first inside surface of the top surface proximate the annular side wall for cooperative sealing engagement with an outer edge of the container rim and for inhibiting outward distortion of the container rim, and a second flexible seal member connected to and depending a predetermined distance from the first inside surface of the top surface and within the confines of the first seal member for sealing engagement with an inner edge of the container rim and for inhibiting inward distortion of the container rim, the rim substantially being accepted between the first and second seal members which seal the exterior and interior edges of the rim, respectively, to prevent leakage of the container contents and contamination of the contents from elements outside the container.

Claims

1. A closure for sealing a rim of an open mouth of a container, the rim having a top surface, an outside surface, an inside surface, a first transitional corner between said top surface and said outside surface and a second transitional corner between said top surface and said inside surface, the closure comprising:

a substantially cylindrical end cap closed at a first end thereof by a top surface, open at a second opposite end thereof and including an annular side wall having a predetermined width extending between said first and second ends, said top surface including a first inside surface facing an interior of said end cap and a second exterior surface facing an exterior of said end cap;

first flexible seal means connected to and depending a predetermined distance from said first inside surface of said top surface proximate said annular side wall for cooperative sealing engagement with said first corner of said container rim and for inhibiting outward distortion of said container rim and a space defined between said side wall and said first seal means;

second flexible seal means connected to and depending a predetermined distance from said first inside surface of said top surface and within the confines of said first seal means for cooperative sealing engagement with said second corner of said container rim and for inhibiting inward distortion of said container rim, said first and second seal means forming a channel therebetween for receiving said container rim therein to prevent leakage of container contents, contamination of the contents from elements outside the container and inhibiting outward and inward distortion of the container rim;

third flexible seal means connected to and depending a predetermined distance from said first inside surface of said top surface and within the confines of said second seal means for sealing engagement with an internal surface of the container mouth and for inhibiting inward distortion of a container neck, and a space defined between said second seal means and said third seal means; and

said channel being radially larger than the space between the side wall and the first seal means, and said channel being radially larger than the space between the second seal means and the third seal means, the first and second seal means being sufficiently spaced from the side wall and the third seal means, respectively, so that they remain free of contact with the side wall and third seal means at all times.

2. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first, second and third seal means are annular.

3. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second seal means provide sealing engagement over a predetermined portion of a surface area of said container.

4. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first, second and third seal means provide sealing engagement over a predetermined portion of a surface area of said first and second corners of said container rim and said inside surface, respectively.

5. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second seal means are integrally formed with said first inside surface of said top surface of said end cap.

6. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second seal means are formed as at least one separate liner member which is connected to said first inside surface of said top surface of said end cap.

7. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first, second and third seal means are integrally formed with said first inside surface of said top surface of said end cap.

8. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first, second and third seal means are formed as at least one separate liner member which is connected to said first inside surface of said top surface cf said end cap.

9. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said internal surface includes an annular rib for sealing engagement with said third seal means.

10. A container and a closure for sealing a rim of an open mouth of said container, the container rim having a substantially horizontal top surface, a substantially vertical outside surface, a substantially vertical inside surface, a first substantially arcuate curved transitional corner between said top surface and said outside surface and a second substantially arcuate curved transitional corner between said top surface and said inside surface, the closure comprising:

a substantially cylindrical end cap closed at a first end thereof by a top surface, open at a second opposite end thereof and including an annular side wall having a predetermined width extending between said first and second ends, said top surface including a first inside surface facing an interior of said end cap and a second exterior surface facing an exterior of said end cap;

first flexible seal means connected to and depending a predetermined distance from said first inside surface of said top surface proximate said annular side wall for cooperative sealing engagement with said first corner of said container rim and for inhibiting outward horizontal distortion of said container rim; and

second flexible seal means connected to and depending a predetermined distance from said first inside surface of said top surface and within the confines of said first seal means for cooperative sealing engagement with said second corner of said container rim and for inhibiting inward radial distortion of said container rim, said first and second seal means forming a channel therebetween for receiving said container rim therein to prevent leakage of container contents, contamination of the contents from elements outside the container and inhibiting outward and inward radial distortion of the container rim; and

third flexible seal means connected to and depending a predetermined distance from said first inside surface of said top surface and within the confines of said second seal means for sealing engagement with said substantially vertical inside surface of said container rim and for inhibiting inward radial distortion of said container rim.

11. The container and closure as defined in claim 10, wherein said final position of said container rim with respect to said closure is spaced from said annular side wall of said closure.