Lug closure for press-on application to, and rotational removal from, a threaded neck container

• US 6,056,136 A
• Filed: 11/30/1995
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silgan Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: White Cap, Inc.
• Inventors: Petersen, Mark, Mann, Benjamin, Taber, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEREK, JOSEPH C
• Application Number:
  US08/565,002
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 215/318, 215/329, 215/262, 215/270, 215/216, 215/217, 215/218, 215/222, 215/252, 215/295, 215/276, 220/288, 220/293, 220/295, 220/296, 220/301, 220/302
• US Class Current: 215/252
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/47 push-on and twist-off
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/145 by means of an additional element connected directly to the container

Abstract

A closure for press-on application to, and rotational removal from, a container having a cylindrical neck which includes a plurality of vertically spaced helical threads formed in the outer surface thereof in generally parallel relationship to each other. A flexible cylindrical skirt, preferably composed of a polyolefin such as polypropylene, includes a plurality of radially inwardly projecting spaced lugs that are circumferentially disposed around the inner cylindrical skirt surface and axially spaced therefrom for engagement with the threads on the cylindrical neck of the container. The lugs are composed of a deformable plastic material and are sized so that when the closure is applied to the container, an interference fit is provided between at least some of the lugs and at least some of the threads. The flexible skirt and lugs are sized to permit the closure to be applied to the container by a direct axial, press-action without requiring rotation thereof to effect the desired sealing of the closure on the container. When the closure is to be removed from the container, a rotational movement thereof causes at least some of the lugs which are at least partially received within helical grooves defined by the vertically spaced helical threads to engage upwardly inclined surfaces on the threads, thereby providing an upward camming action to the closure.

Claims

1. In combination, a closure and a container, said container having a mouth defined by a cylindrical neck which includes a plurality of vertically spaced helical threads formed on the outer surface thereof in generally parallel relationship to each other to define a corresponding plurality of helical grooves therebetween, said closure comprising:

an end panel sized and positioned to overlie said container mouth,

a flexible cylindrical skirt extending downwardly from said end panel,

said skirt having a cylindrical inner surface,

a plurality of radially inwardly projecting spaced lugs having a base portion integral with and inwardly extending from said cylindrical inner surface of said skirt and a tip portion spaced radially inwardly from said cylindrical inner surface of said skirt, said lugs being circumferentially disposed around said inner cylindrical skirt surface and positioned thereon for engagement with select ones of the threads on the cylindrical neck of said container when said closure is fully seated on a neck finish of said container in sealing relationship therewith,

said lugs being composed of a deformable plastic material and being sized so that when said closure is fully seated on said neck finish of said container an interference fit will be provided between the tip portion of at least one of said lugs and the maximum outer extent of a thread on said container in contact therewith,

said spaced lugs having an axial height at any given circumferential location such that they will be in contact with only one of said helical threads,

said lugs having a circumferential length which will permit at least one of them to be at least partially received within one of said helical grooves so that, upon rotation of said closure when said closure is seated on said neck finish of said container, a leading edge on said at least one groove-received lug will engage an upwardly inclined surface on an adjacent thread, thereby providing an upward camming action to said closure during such rotation,

said flexible skirt and lugs being sized to permit said closure to be applied to said container by a direct axial, press-on action without requiring rotation thereof to effect the desired sealing of said closure on said container, and

said flexible skirt and lugs being sized so that when said closure is applied to said container by said direct axial, press-on action, said flexible skirt expands radially outwardly enabling said lugs to ride over said threads until said closure is fully applied to said container.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said end panel and skirt are separately formed.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said end panel is formed of an oxygen barrier material.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said oxygen barrier material is metal.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said end panel and skirt comprise a one-piece molded cap shell.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said skirt is formed of a moldable resin selected from the group consisting of homopolymers, copolymers and terpolymers of ethylene and propylene.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said skirt is formed of polypropylene.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein all of said lugs are positioned on said inner skirt surface at substantially the same elevation.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the ratio of lugs to helical threads is at least 1:

1.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the ratio of lugs to helical threads is approximately 2:

1.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein the ratio of lugs to helical threads is greater than 2:

1.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said container is formed of glass.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein said container is formed of plastic.

24. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said lugs has a base portion and a tip portion, said base portion has a first cross-sectional area, said tip portion has a second cross-sectional area, and said first cross-sectional area is substantially greater than said second cross-sectional area.

25. The combination of claim 24 wherein the cross-sectional area taken at points along a surface of each said lug that extends between said base portion and said tip portion continually decreases in a direction extending from said base portion of each said lug to said tip portion of each said lug so that the cross-sectional area at any said point along said surface is greater than the cross-sectional area at all points closer to said tip portion.

40. The combination of claim 1 wherein said base portion of each said lug has a first cross-sectional area, said tip portion of each said lug has a second cross-sectional area, and said first cross-sectional area is substantially greater than said second cross-sectional area.

41. The combination of claim 40 wherein the cross-sectional area taken at points along a surface of each said lugs that extends between said base portion and said tip portion continually decreases in a direction extending from said base portion of each said lug to said tip portion of each said lug so that the cross-sectional area at any said point along said surface is greater than the cross-sectional area at all points closer to said tip portion.

14. In combination, a closure and a glass container, said glass container having a mouth defined by a cylindrical neck which includes a plurality of vertically spaced threads, each of which have an arcuate outer surface, said threads being formed on, and integral with, the outer surface of said cylindrical neck, said threads being in generally parallel relationship to each other and defining a plurality of helical grooves therebetween,

said closure comprising:

an end panel sized and positioned to overlay said container mouth,

a flexible skirt formed of a moldable polyolefin resin and extending downwardly from said end panel,

said skirt having a cylindrical inner surface,

a plurality of radially inwardly projecting spaced lugs having a base portion integral with and inwardly extending from said cylindrical inner surface of said skirt and a tip portion spaced radially inwardly from said cylindrical inner surface of said skirt, said lugs being integrally formed with said skirt and circumferentially disposed around said inner cylindrical skirt surface and positioned at substantially the same elevation for engagement with select ones of the threads on the cylindrical neck of said container when said closure is fully seated on a neck finish of said container in sealing relationship therewith,

said integral lugs being sized so that when said closure is fully seated on said neck finish of said container an interference fit will be provided between the tip portion of at least one of said lugs and the maximum outer extent of a thread on said container in contact therewith,

each of said spaced lugs having an axial height at any given circumferential location such that it will contact only one of said helical threads when said closure is seated on said container in sealing relationship therewith,

said lugs having a circumferential length which will permit at least some of them to be at least partially received within said helical grooves so that, upon rotation of said closure when said closure is seated on said neck finish of said container, a leading edge on said groove-received lugs will engage an upwardly inclined surface on an adjacent thread, thereby imparting an upward camming action to said closure during such rotation,

said flexible skirt and lugs being sized to permit said closure to be applied to said container by direct axial, press-on action without requiring rotation thereof to effect the desired sealing of said closure on said container, and

said flexible skirt and lugs being sized so that when said closure is applied to said container, said flexible skirt expands radially outwardly enabling said lugs to ride over said threads until said closure is fully applied to said container.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the ratio of lugs to threads is at least 1:

1.

16. The combination of claim 14 wherein the ratio of lugs to threads is approximately 2:

1.

17. The combination of claim 14 wherein the ratio of lugs to threads is greater than 2:

1.

18. The combination of claim 14 wherein said end panel and skirt are separately formed.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein said end panel is formed of an oxygen barrier material.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein said end panel is formed of metal.

21. The combination of claim 14 wherein said end panel and skirt comprise a one-piece molded cap shell.

22. The combination of claim 14 wherein said skirt and lugs are formed of polypropylene.

23. The combination of claim 21 wherein said one-piece molded cap shell is formed of polypropylene.

26. The combination of claim 14 wherein each of said lugs has a base portion and a tip portion, said base portion has a first cross-sectional area, said tip portion has a second cross-sectional area, and said first cross-sectional area is substantially greater than said second cross-sectional area.

27. The combination of claim 26 wherein the cross-sectional area taken at points along a surface of each said lug that extends between said base portion and said tip portion continually decreases in a direction extending from said base portion of each said lug to said tip portion of each said lug so that the cross-sectional area at any said point along said surface is greater than the cross-sectional area at all points closer to said tip portion.

32. The combination of claim 14 wherein said end panel and skirt are separately formed.

33. The combination of claim 14 wherein said end panel and skirt comprise a one-piece molded cap shell.

34. The combination of claim 14 wherein all of said lugs are axially spaced on said inner skirt surface at substantially the same elevation.

35. The combination of claim 14 wherein said base portion of each said lug has a first cross-sectional area, said tip portion of each said lug has a second cross-sectional area, and said first cross-sectional area is substantially greater than said second cross-sectional area.

36. The combination of claim 35 wherein the cross-sectional area taken at points along a surface of each said lugs that extends between said base portion and said tip portion continually decreases in a direction extending from said base portion of each said lug to said tip portion of each said lug so that the cross-sectional area at any said point along said surface is greater than the cross-sectional area at all points closer to said tip portion.

28. In combination, a closure and a container, said container having a mouth defined by a cylindrical neck which includes a plurality of vertically spaced threads formed on the outer surface thereof in generally parallel relationship to each other to define a corresponding plurality of grooves therebetween, said closure comprising:

an end panel sized and positioned to overlay said container mouth,

a flexible cylindrical skirt extending downwardly from said end panel,

said skirt having a cylindrical inner surface,

a plurality of radially inwardly projecting spaced lugs having a base portion integral with and inwardly extending from said cylindrical inner surface of said skirt and a tip portion spaced radially inwardly from said cylindrical inner surface of said skirt,

said lugs being circumferentially disposed around said inner cylindrical skirt surface and positioned thereon for engagement with select ones of the threads on the cylindrical neck of said container once said closure is seated on a neck finish of said container in sealing relationship therewith,

said lugs being composed of a deformable plastic material and being sized so that when said closure is fully seated on said neck finish of said container an interference fit will be provided between the tip portion of at least one of said lugs and the maximum outer extent of a thread on said container in contact therewith,

said spaced lugs having an axial height at any given circumferential location such that they will be in contact with only one of said threads,

said lugs having a circumferential length which will permit at least one of them to be at least partially received within one of said grooves so that, upon rotation of said closure when said closure is seated on said neck finish of said container, a leading edge on said at least one groove-received lug will engage an upwardly inclined surface on an adjacent thread, thereby providing an upward camming action to said closure during such rotation,

said flexible skirt and lugs being sized to permit said closure to be applied to said container by direct axial, press-on action without requiring rotation thereof to effect the desired sealing of said closure on said container.

29. The combination of claim 28 wherein said flexible skirt and lugs are sized so that when said closure is applied to said container by said direct axial, press-on action, said flexible skirt expands radially outwardly enabling said lugs to ride over said threads until said closure is fully applied to said container.

30. The combination of claim 28 wherein said base portion of each said lug has a first cross-sectional area, said tip portion of each said lug has a second cross-sectional area, and said first cross-sectional area is substantially greater than said second cross-sectional area.

31. The combination of claim 30 wherein the cross-sectional area taken at points along a surface of each said lug that extends between said base portion and said tip portion continually decreases in a direction extending from said base portion of each said lug to said tip portion of each said lug so that the cross-sectional area at any said point along said surface is greater than the cross-sectional area at all points closer to said tip portion.

37. The combination of claim 28 wherein said end panel and skirt are separately formed.

38. The combination of claim 28 wherein said end panel and skirt comprise a one-piece molded cap shell.

39. The combination of claim 28 wherein all of said lugs are axially spaced on said inner skirt surface at substantially the same elevation.