Self-resealing closure for containers
First Claim
1. A self-resealing closure for a container comprising a septum of elastomeric material disposed for closing an opening in said container, said septum having a generally depressed portion including an area of minimum thickness, said depressed portion increasing in thickness radially from a minimum thickness to a much thicker elastomeric material encompassing said area of minimum thickness, said depressed portion and said area of minimum thickness being shaped and configured to elastically distend to pass an implement having a width greater than a tear in said area of minimum thickness required for passage of said implement through said septum and to be self-reclosing by returning opposite edges of said tear to a substantially contiguous closed condition after withdrawal of said implement from said septum.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A closure for containers has a septum of elastomeric material which is self-resealing when punctured by a blunt ended tubular implement for access to the contents of the container. In one application the elastomeric closure is incorporated in a twist-off cap for a bottle or vial and is self-resealing after being punctured by a laboratory pipette.
123 Citations
36 Claims
- 1. A self-resealing closure for a container comprising a septum of elastomeric material disposed for closing an opening in said container, said septum having a generally depressed portion including an area of minimum thickness, said depressed portion increasing in thickness radially from a minimum thickness to a much thicker elastomeric material encompassing said area of minimum thickness, said depressed portion and said area of minimum thickness being shaped and configured to elastically distend to pass an implement having a width greater than a tear in said area of minimum thickness required for passage of said implement through said septum and to be self-reclosing by returning opposite edges of said tear to a substantially contiguous closed condition after withdrawal of said implement from said septum.
-
10. A self-resealing container cap puncturable by a tubular implement having a blunt ended tip of given tip width, comprising:
a cap periphery of relatively inelastic material configured to make closing engagement with a container and a septum of elastomeric material, said septum having a relatively thick outer portion radially contained by said cap periphery and circumferentially encompassing a depressed portion of gradually diminishing thickness in a radial direction to an area of minimum thickness in said depressed portion, said septum being shaped and sized for returning to a substantially sealed condition by elastically restoring to a contiguous condition the opposite edges of a permanent tear caused by perforation of said area of minimum thickness with the tip of an implement having a tip width substantially greater than said minimum thickness. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- 16. A self-resealing closure for a container comprising a septum of elastomeric material supported for closing an opening in the container, said septum having a relatively thick outer portion encompassing a depressed portion, said depressed portion diminishing in thickness to a central portion of much smaller thickness relative to said outer portion, said central portion being adapted to permanently tear when perforated by an implement having a blunt ended tip of width greater than a minimum thickness of said central portion, said depressed portion and said outer portion being configured to provide sufficient restorative elastic force to return opposite edges of said permanent tear to a substantially contiguous closed condition following withdrawal of the implement from the septum.
-
18. A self-resealing container cap puncturable by a tubular implement having a blunt ended tip of given tip width, comprising:
a cap periphery of relatively inelastic material configured to make closing engagement with a container and an initially unbroken septum of elastomeric material supported in a hole defined in said cap periphery, said septum having an outer portion radially contained by said cap periphery and a depression in said outer portion, said depression diminishing in thickness from said outer portion to an area of minimum thickness, said minimum thickness being less than the thickness of said outer portion, said septum being arranged, shaped and sized for returning to a condition substantially sealed against significant leakage of liquid from the container through said septum after said area of minimum thickness is torn by perforation with a blunt ended implement having a tip width substantially greater than said minimum thickness. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
27. A self-resealing container cap puncturable by a tubular implement having a blunt ended tip of given tip width, comprising:
a cap periphery of relatively inelastic material configured to make closing engagement with a container and a septum of elastomeric material having a relatively thick outer portion radially contained by said cap periphery, said outer portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface, a dished depression in one said surface, said dished depression including a dished surface defining a central area of minimum thickness as measured between said dished surface and said interior surface of the septum, said septum being shaped and sized such that said area of minimum thickness is substantially self-closing by elastically holding together opposite edges of a permanent tear caused by perforation of said area of minimum thickness with a blunt ended implement having a tip width substantially greater than said minimum thickness. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
-
31. A self-resealing container cap puncturable by a tubular implement having a blunt ended tip of given tip width, comprising:
a cap configured to make closing engagement with a container of a first diameter, a unitary septum of a relatively elastic and compressible elastomeric material supported in said cap, said septum having a first surface and a concavely dished second surface such that the septum is relatively thick at a radially outer portion and diminishes in thickness towards an area of minimum thickness, said elastomeric material being selected to tear and elastically distend to pass a blunt ended implement having a tip width substantially greater than said minimum thickness through said area of minimum thickness, said elastomeric material being further selected such that the edges of a tear made in said septum by perforation with a blunt ended implement are elastically returned to a substantially closed condition following withdrawal of the blunt ended implement from the septum. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
Specification