Hermetically sealed container with frangible web and locking lugs and method and apparatus for making same

• US 5,901,865 A
• Filed: 04/23/1996
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Catalent Pharma Solutions Incorporated (Catalent, Inc.), Catalent Pharma Solutions Limited (Catalent, Inc.), Catalent USA Packaging LLC (Catalent, Inc.), Catalent USA Paintball, Inc. (Catalent, Inc.), Catalent USA Woodstock, Inc. (Catalent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal Health 400, Inc.
• Inventors: Weiler, Gerhard H., Ramrakhyani, Arjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US08/637,944
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 53/410, 53/411, 264/524, 264/534, 215/47, 215/48, 215/253, 215/50, 215/52
• US Class Current: 215/48
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7158 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/022 Making containers by moulding of a thermoplastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0238 Integral frangible closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/003 Suspension means

Abstract

A hermetically sealed container is provided with a dispensing nozzle terminating in an aperture surrounded by locking lugs. A removable closure portion unitary with the dispensing nozzle and delineated by a frangible web that circumscribes the opening is provided as well so that the closure portion may be severed from the cap portion at the frangible web. An apparatus for fabricating such container is provided which includes a main mold assembly for molding the container body and dual seal mold assemblies for molding the container cap portion and container closure. The main seal mold assembly includes a top surface having a knife edge and an annular cavity. After the main seal mold assembly is closed during the molding process, a forming assembly including a mandrel is extended through the parison into abutting contact with the parison over the top surface of the main seal mold assembly. The mandrel is urged against the parison and the parison is urged against the knife edge and into the annular cavity for respectively forming the frangible web between the cap portion and closure portion of the container and molding the lugs on the dispensing nozzle of the container.

Claims

1. A hermetically sealed container of a thermoplastic material attachable to a dispensing system provided with lock threads and comprising:

(a) a body portion;

(b) a cap portion unitary with said body portion and provided with a dispensing nozzle defining an axial access passageway into said body portion of the container, the dispensing nozzle having a distal end and terminating in an aperture surrounded by locking lugs that extend radially outwardly therefrom, said locking lugs being ear-shaped and sized for engaging the lock threads of said dispensing system;

(c) a removable closure portion for and unitary with said dispensing nozzle, and delineated therefrom by a frangible web that circumscribes said aperture of said dispensing nozzle, said closure portion being severable from said dispensing nozzle at said frangible web; and

(d) a lip extending circumferentially and radially outwardly from the distal end of said dispensing nozzle;

said lugs extending radially outwardly from said lip; and

said lip and said lugs defining a peripheral edge of said dispensing nozzle and said frangible web extending around said peripheral edge.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said dispensing nozzle is provided with two of said locking lugs that oppose each other.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein said closure portion includes opposed wings unitary therewith.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein said closure portion includes a tab that surrounds said closure portion and is unitary therewith.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein said tab includes two spaced apart wings and a bridge therebetween, said wings being unitary with said bridge and said bridge being unitary with said closure portion.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein said bridge extends longitudinally above said closure portion and said wings extend vertically downwardly from opposite ends of said bridge.

7. The container of claim 1, further including said body portion having a bottom and a ring unitary with and extending outwardly from the bottom of said body portion of the container for supporting the container during use.