Cap for a container having a neck having a single attachment flange

• US 5,605,240 A
• Filed: 05/08/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rical S, A, S. Berendsen AB
• Original Assignee: Rical S, A
• Inventors: Guglielmini, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWHOUSE, NATHAN JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US08/436,553
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 215/250, 215/253, 215/254, 215/320, 215/235, 215/256, 215/354, D 9/435
• US Class Current: 215/256
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/485 with integral internal sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/16 with means for venting air or gas

Abstract

Cap moulded in one piece, comprising a ring (7) having on the inside a bead (10) for attaching it to the neck (1) of the container to be capped, a stopper (8) joined by a hinge (15) to said ring (7) and having a sealing skirt (13), and a tamperproof strip (9) joining the stopper (8) to the ring (7) until the first time the cap is opened. To cap a container having a neck (1) with a single attachment flange (3), the stopper (8) includes an annular bearing surface (12) bearing on the upper edge (5) of the neck and surrounding said skirt (13), said skirt (13) projecting from said bearing surface (12) over a length (1) at least equal to the distance h₁ between the lower side (4) of the flange (3) and the upper edge (5) of the neck, and the hinge is offset relative to said annular bearing surface (12) towards the ring (7) by an amount (h₂) at least equal to said distance (h₁).

Claims

1. A unitary, one-piece, container cap on a container, comprising:

a ring (7) with a bead (10) for attaching it by clipping behind an external flange (3) on a container neck,

a stopper (8) with a perimeter having a disk (11), an annular bearing surface (12), and an annular sealing skirt (13) cooperating with the inside of the neck (1) which is joined by a hinge (15) to said ring (7), and

a tamper proof strip (9) joining the stopper (8) to the ring (7) until it is torn off the first time the cap is opened, where capping said container having said neck (1) with said single attachment flange (3) at a distance from the upper edge (5) of the neck, the annular bearing surface (12) bears on the upper edge (5) of the neck and surrounds said entire skirt (13), said skirt (13) projecting from said bearing surface (12) over a length (1) greater than a distance (h₁) between a lower side (4) of the flange (3) and the upper edge (5) of the neck, and the hinge is offset relative to said annular bearing surface (12) towards the ring (7) by an amount (h₂) at least equal to said distance (h₁).

2. The cap according to claim 1 where an outside surface (19) of the sealing skirt (13) has an offset (e) towards the hinge (15) relative to the perimeter of the stopper (8).

3. The cap according to claim 2 where an inside surface (20) of the sealing skirt (13) is centered on the perimeter of the stopper, the skirt (13) having on the side with the hinge (15) a radial thickness greater than on the opposite side.

4. A closure and a container, comprising:

a neck with an upper edge and a single external attachment flange having a lower side located at a distance below said upper edge of the neck, and said closure being a one piece molded assembly, comprising;

an attachment ring portion having on its inside a bead for attaching it by snapping below said single external flange of the container neck;

a cap portion having a perimeter for closing the neck, said cap portion being joined by a hinge to said ring portion at the perimeter, and including an upper disc member defining a lower annular bearing surface for bearing on the upper edge of the container neck and for surrounding an annular sealing skirt projecting downwardly from said bearing surface of said disc member for fitting into the neck; and

a tamperproof strip detachably joining said cap portion to said ring portion all around the perimeter of the cap portion except at said hinge;

where said entire skirt projects from said bearing surface over a length greater than a distance between the lower side of the flange and the upper edge of the neck, and said hinge is off-set relative to said annular bearing surface toward said ring portion by an amount at least equal to said distance.

5. The closure according to claim 4, wherein the sealing skirt has an outside surface exhibiting a cross-sectional circular shape and the cap portion has a circular perimeter and wherein the outside surface of the skirt is offset towards the hinge relative to the perimeter of the cap portion.

6. The closure according to claim 5, wherein the sealing skirt has an inside surface exhibiting a cross-sectional circular shape, and said inside surface of the sealing skirt is centered on the circular perimeter of the cap portion, said skirt having on the side nearest the hinge a radial thickness greater than on the opposite side.

7. A closure and a container, said container including a neck with an upper edge and a single external flange having a lower side located at a distance below the upper edge, said closure comprising:

a ring portion having an inside bead for attaching it by snapping below said single external flange of the container neck;

a cap portion for closing the container neck, said cap portion having a perimeter and joined by a hinge to said ring portion at one point of said perimeter, said cap portion comprising an upper disc member defining a lower annular bearing surface for bearing on the upper edge of the container neck and surrounding an annular sealing skirt having a substantially uniform length projecting downwardly from said bearing surface of said disc member for fitting into the container neck; and

a tamperproof strip detachably joining said cap portion to said ring portion all around the perimeter of the cap portion except at said hinge;

where said skirt projects from said bearing surface over a length at least equal to said distance between the lower side of the flange and the upper edge of the container neck, said hinge is offset relative to said annular bearing surface towards said ring portion by an amount at least equal to said distance, said sealing skirt has an outside surface exhibiting a cross-sectional circular shape and the cap portion has a circular perimeter, and the outside surface of the skirt is offset toward the hinge relative to the perimeter of the cap portion and said closure is a one piece molded assembly.

8. The closure according to claim 7, wherein said length of the sealing skirt is greater than said distance.

9. The closure according to claim 8, wherein the sealing skirt has an outside surface exhibiting a cross-sectional circular shape and the cap portion has a circular outside perimeter and wherein the outside surface of the skirt is offset towards the hinge relative to the perimeter of the cap portion.