Sealing member for a container

• US 5,514,442 A
• Filed: 11/15/1993
• Issued: 05/07/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Selig Sealing Products Incorporated (Henry Crown & Co.)
• Original Assignee: Stanpac, Inc.
• Inventors: Klassen, Brian M., Galda, Michael P., Witt, Stephen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Jenna L.
• Application Number:
  US08/152,103
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 420/200, 420/201, 420/344, 420/351, 420/354, 420/347, 420/349, 420/78, 156/291, 215/232, 215/250, 215/305, 215/350
• US Class Current: 428/78
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0093 Membrane
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 53/04 Discs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24843 with heat sealable or heat releasable adhesive layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2804 Next to metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2826 Synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

A sealing member for a container has a membrane, e.g., aluminum foil, and a first sheet, e.g. polyester, part of which is bonded to the membrane. The other part of the sheet is free, so as to form a tab having one of a number of possible profiles, to enable the sealing member to be detached as a single unit. At least part of the periphery of the tab is within the periphery of the membrane, to facilitate grasping of the tab. The first sheet and the membrane or foil may have a common periphery where they are bonded together.

Claims

1. A sealing member adapted for securing to the lip around an opening of a container to close the container, the sealing member comprising:

(a) a membrane having a periphery, one side of which is for bonding to the lip of the container;

(b) a first sheet;

(c) a first layer of adhesive between the membrane and the first sheet bonding facing portions of the membrane and the first sheet together to form a composite portion, whilst leaving at least one portion of the first sheet free in a separated portion of the sealing member, the free portion of the first sheet forming a tab, wherein a portion of the free edge of the tab is located within the periphery of the membrane, wherein the composite portion extends up to a line extending across the membrane, the line being a straight boundary, and wherein a part of the periphery of the membrane bounding that portion of the membrane forming the composite portion is common with a corresponding part of the first sheet, the straight boundary between the tab and composite portion extending to the periphery of the membrane and first sheet, with the membrane and first sheet having a common periphery at ends of the boundary; and

(d) an additional layer of adhesive on said one side of the membrane which is adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the first layer of adhesive bonding the first sheet and the membrane together so strongly that, in use, the first sheet and the membrane can be removed as a unit from the lip of the container to open the container.

2. A sealing member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the line extending across the membrane, and extends across a major portion of the membrane.

3. A sealing member as claimed in claim 2, wherein the composite portion covers a substantial portion of the membrane, and wherein the membrane has a perimeter portion adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the area of the composite portion being substantially greater than said perimeter portion of the membrane.

4. A sealing member as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first sheet and the membrane have common peripheral parts within said composite portion, with said line extending between said common peripheral parts.

5. A sealing member in combination with a cap, the cap comprises a cap body having a planar top wall and a side wall, wherein the sealing member is adapted for securing to the lip around an opening of a container to close the container, the sealing member comprising:

(a) a membrane having a periphery, one side of which is for bonding to the lip of the container;

(b) a first sheet;

(c) a first layer of adhesive between the membrane and the first sheet bonding facing portions of the membrane and the first sheet together to form a composite portion, whilst leaving at least one portion of the first sheet free in a separated portion of the sealing member, the free portion of the first sheet forming a tab, wherein a portion of the free edge of the tab is located within the periphery of the membrane, wherein the composite portion extends up to a line extending across the membrane, the line being a straight boundary and extending across a major portion of the membrane, and wherein a part of the periphery of the membrane bounding that portion of the membrane forming the composite portion is common with a corresponding part of the first sheet, the composite portion covering a substantial portion of the membrane, and the membrane having a perimeter portion adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the area of the composite portion being substantially greater that said perimeter of the membrane, the first sheet and the membrane including common peripheral parts within the separated portion; and

(d) an additional layer of adhesive on said one side of the membrane which is adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the first layer of adhesive bonding the first sheet and the membrane together so strongly that, in use, the first sheet and the membrane can be removed as a unit from the lip of the container to open the container,

wherein the sealing member is mounted in the cap with the side of the sealing member remote from the membrane facing an inner face of the planar top wall, ready for mounting on a neck of a container.

6. A sealing member as claimed in claim 5, wherein said common peripheral parts in the separated portion extend from the line dividing the composite and separated portions.

7. A sealing member as claimed in claim 6, wherein the common peripheral parts of the separated portion are convex.

8. A sealing member as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tab includes a straight edge extending between the common peripheral parts of the first sheet.

9. A sealing member as claimed in claim 7, wherein the convex peripheral parts of the first sheet, adjacent said line, are continuous with respective ones of a pair of concave peripheral parts, which in turn are continuous with a convex gripping portion.

16. A sealing member as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the additional layer of adhesive comprises a hot melt bonding material and the membrane is formed from a metal foil which can be heated by induction heating to melt the hot melt bonding material, for bonding the sealing member to the lip of the container.

10. A sealing member in combination with a cap, the cap comprises a cap body having a planar top wall and a side wall wherein the sealing member is adapted for securing to the lip around an opening of a container to close the container, the sealing member comprising:

(a) a membrane having a periphery, one side of which is for bonding to the lip of the container;

(b) a first sheet;

(c) a first layer of adhesive between the membrane and the first sheet bonding facing portions of the membrane and the first sheet together to form a composite portion, whilst leaving at least one portion of the first sheet free in a separated portion of the sealing member, the free portion of the first sheet forming a tab, wherein a portion of the free edge of the tab is located within the periphery of the membrane, wherein the composite portion extends up to a line extending across the membrane, the line being a straight boundary and extending across a major portion of the membrane, and wherein a part of the periphery of the membrane bounding that portion of the membrane forming the composite portion is common with a corresponding part of the first sheet, the composite portion covering a substantial portion of the membrane, and the membrane having a perimeter portion adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the area of the composite portion being substantially greater that said perimeter of the membrane, the tab including peripheral parts adjacent said line which are not common with the periphery of the membrane; and

(d) an additional layer of adhesive on said one side of the membrane which is adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the first layer of adhesive bonding the first sheet and the membrane together so strongly that, in use, the first sheet and the membrane can be removed as a unit from the lip of the container to open the container,

wherein the sealing member is mounted in the cap with the side of the sealing member remote from the membrane facing an inner face of the planar top wall, ready for mounting on a neck of a container.

11. A sealing member as claimed in claim 10, wherein the peripheral parts of said tab are substantially concave.

12. A sealing member as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concave peripheral parts of said tab are joined by an edge portion having a common periphery with the membrane.

13. A sealing member as claimed in claim 10, wherein the entire periphery of the tab is located within the periphery of the membrane.

14. A sealing member as claimed in claim 13, wherein the periphery of the tab is generally symmetrical with another line perpendicular to the said line separating the composite and separated portions, the tab periphery comprising convex parts extending from said first-mentioned line, continuous with concave parts, which in turn are continuous with a convex gripping part.

15. A sealing member as claimed in claim 8, 9, or 14, wherein the first sheet and the membrane include common peripheral parts within the composite portion.

17. A sealing member adapted for securing to the lip around an opening of a container to close the container, the sealing member comprising:

(a) a membrane having a periphery, one side of which is for bonding to the lip of the container;

(b) a first sheet;

(c) a first layer of adhesive between the membrane and the first sheet bonding facing portions of the membrane and the first sheet together to form a composite portion, whilst leaving at least one portion of the first sheet free in a separated portion of the sealing member with a dividing line between the composite and separated portions, the free portion of the first sheet forming a tab, which tab includes a gripping portion remote from the dividing line and within the periphery of the membrane, wherein the dividing line is longer than the width of the gripping portion, and wherein a part of the periphery of the membrane bounding that portion of the membrane forming the composite portion is common with the corresponding part of the first sheet, the dividing line between the separated portion and the composite portion forming a straight boundary which extends to the periphery of the membrane and first sheet, with the membrane and first sheet having a common periphery at ends of the boundary; and

(d) an additional layer of adhesive on said one side of the membrane which is adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the first layer of adhesive bonding the first sheet and the membrane together so strongly that, in use, the first sheet and the membrane can be removed as a unit from the lip of the container to open the container.

18. A sealing member as claimed in claim 17, wherein the separated portion includes common peripheral parts extending from the line dividing the composite and separated portions.

19. A sealing member as claimed in claim 18, wherein the common peripheral parts of the separated parts are convex, and a straight edge extends between the common peripheral parts of the first sheet.

20. A sealing member as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first sheet comprises in the separated portion, convex peripheral parts adjacent said line, respective ones of a pair of concave peripheral parts continuous therewith, which in turn are continuous with a convex gripping portion.

21. A sealing member as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tab includes peripheral parts adjacent said line which are not common with the periphery of the membrane and which are substantially concave.

22. A sealing member adapted for securing to the lip around an opening of a container to close the container, the sealing member comprising:

(a) a membrane having a periphery, one side of which is for bonding to the lip of the container;

(b) a first sheet;

(c) a first layer of adhesive between the membrane and the first sheet bonding facing portions of the membrane and the first sheet together to form a composite portion, whilst leaving at least one portion of the first sheet free in a separated portion of the sealing member, the free portion of the first sheet forming a tab, wherein a portion of the free edge of the tab is located within the periphery of the membrane, the composite portion extending up to a straight line extending across the membrane, the line being a straight boundary and all of the composite portion having a common periphery for the membrane and the first sheet, the straight boundary between the tab and composite portion extending to the periphery of the membrane and first sheet, with the membrane and first sheet having a common periphery at ends of the boundary; and

(d) an additional layer of adhesive on said one side of the membrane which is adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the first layer of adhesive bonding the first sheet and the membrane together so strongly that, in use, the first sheet and the membrane can be removed as a unit from the lip of the container to open the container.

27. A sealing member as claimed in claim 22, wherein the tab includes peripheral parts adjacent said line which are not common with the periphery of the membrane.

28. A sealing member as claimed in claim 27, wherein the peripheral parts of the tab adjacent said line are substantially concave.

29. A sealing member as claimed in claim 28, wherein the concave peripheral parts of the tab are joined by an edge portion having a common periphery with the membrane.

23. In combination with a cap for fitting to the neck of a container and comprising a cap body having a planar top wall and a side wall, a sealing member adapted for securing to the lip around a neck of a container to close the container, the sealing member comprising:

(a) a membrane having a periphery, one side of which is for bonding to the lip of the container;

(b) a first sheet;

(c) a first layer of adhesive bonding the facing portions of the membrane and the first sheet together to form a composite portion, whilst leaving at least one portion of the first sheet free in a separated portion of the sealing member, the free portion of the first sheet forming a tab, wherein a portion of the free edge of the tab is located within the periphery of the membrane, wherein the composite portion extends up to a straight line extending across a major portion of the membrane, wherein the composite portion covers a substantial portion of the membrane, wherein the membrane has a perimeter portion adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the area of the composite portion being substantially greater than said perimeter portion of the membrane, and wherein the first sheet and the membrane include common peripheral parts within the separated portion; and

(d) an additional layer of adhesive on said one side of the membrane which is adapted for bonding to the lip of the container, with the first layer of adhesive bonding the first sheet and the membrane together so strongly that, in use, the first sheet and the membrane can be removed as a unit from the lip of the container to open the container; and

wherein the sealing member is mounted in the cap with the side of the sealing member remote from the membrane facing an inner surface of the planar top wall of the cap, ready for mounting on a neck of a container.

24. A sealing member as claimed in claim 23, wherein the common peripheral parts of the separated portion are convex.

25. A sealing member as claimed in claim 24, wherein the tab includes a straight edge extending between the common peripheral parts of the first sheet.

26. A sealing member as claimed in claim 24, wherein the convex peripheral parts of the first sheet, adjacent said line, are continuous with respective ones of a pair of concave peripheral parts, which in turn are continuous with a convex gripping portion.

30. A sealing member as claimed in claim 25, 26 or 29, wherein the first sheet and the membrane include peripheral parts within the composite portion.

31. A sealing member as claimed in claim 25, 26 or 29, wherein the additional layer of adhesive comprises a hot melt bonding material and the membrane is formed from a metal foil which can heated by induction heating to melt the hot melt bonding material, bonding the sealing member to the lip of the container.