Resealable closure for containers

• US 6,375,022 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Newby, C. Mark, Zurcher, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYLTON, ROBIN ANNETTE
• Application Number:
  US09/607,905
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 215/247, 215/232, 215/317, 215/320, 215/321, 215/341, 215/347, 215/350, 215/354, 220/255, 220/256, 220/359.1, 604/256, 604/246, 604/905, 604/415, 604/167.02, 604/167.06, 604/164.02, 604/411-414
• US Class Current: 215/247
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/28 Caps combined with stoppers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A resealable barrier closure is provided for a container with an open top and an annular snap ring below the open top. The closure includes a shell having an outer skirt dimensioned to telescope over the open top of the container. The outer skirt has a snap ring for engaging the snap ring on the container. The shell further includes an inner skirt to telescope into the open top of the container. An elastomeric diaphragm is sealingly engaged in the inner skirt. A barrier cup extends across the bottom face of the diaphragm and telescopes upwardly over the inner skirt. The barrier cup initially is sealed hermetically to the container and to the plastic shell. The container may be opened by urging the plastic shell upwardly with sufficient force to break the seal between the barrier cup and the container. The container then may be resealed by merely urging the closure back over the open top of the container.

Claims

1. A closure for a container having a side wall and an open top, said closure comprising:

a shell having a top wall dimensioned for disposition adjacent the open top of a container, an outer skirt depending downwardly from said top wall and dimensioned for telescoped engagement around the side wall of a container, an inner skirt depending downwardly from said top wall and spaced inwardly from said outer skirt, said inner skirt being dimensioned for telescope engagement in the open top of a container, a barrier support surface in said top wall of said shell between said inner skirt and said outer skirt, apertures in said top wall of said shell extending therethrough at locations spaced inwardly from said inner skirt, and a disphragm support surface spaced inwardly from said inner skirt and extending between said inner skirt and said aperture;

an elastomeric diaphragm surrounded by and engaged with said inner skirt of said shell, wherein portions of said elastomeric diaphragm being seated tightly against said diaphragm support surface of said top wall of said shell; and

a barrier cup formed from a vapor barrier material, said barrier cup having a bottom wall extending across portions of said inner skirt remote from said top wall of said shell, a side wall extending from said bottom wall and disposed around said inner skirt, and a top flange extending outwardly from said side wall of said barrier cup and disposed adjacent said top wall of said shell, said barrier cup being hermetically sealable between a container and said shell, whereby said barrier support surface is disposed in face-to-face engagement with said top flange of said barrier cup.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein said top wall of said shell includes an aperture extending therethrough for providing access to said elastomeric diaphragm.

3. The closure of claim 1, wherein said container includes an outwardly extending annular snap bead on said side wall in proximity to said open top, said outer skirt of said shell of said closure including an inwardly extending annular snap bead disposed and dimensioned for resealable engagement with said snap bead of said container.

4. The closure of claim 1, wherein said inner skirt includes an outwardly extending annular rim, said annular rim being dimensioned for resilient engagement against inner surface regions of said side wall of said container.

5. The closure of claim 1, wherein said barrier cup comprises a foil layer having at least one plastic layer laminated thereto.

6. The closure of claim 5, wherein said barrier cup has heat sensitive adhesive applied to opposed faces thereof for secure adhesion to both said container and said shell.

7. A resealable container comprising:

a plastic container having a substantially cylindrical side wall and an open top, portions of said side wall in proximity to said open top having an outwardly extending annular snap bead thereon;

a shell having an annular top wall disposed adjacent said open top of said container, said top wall having an aperture extending therethrough, an outer skirt extending downwardly from said top wall and telescoped over portions of said side wall of said container adjacent said open top, said outer skirt including an inwardly extending annular snap bead releasably locked with said annular snap bead of said container, and an inner skirt depending downwardly from said top wall of said shell and telescoped into portions of said side wall of said container adjacent said open top, whereby said top wall of said shell extends inwardly from said inner skirt;

an elastomeric diaphragm resiliently engaged within said inner skirt, whereby said diaphragm is seated against portions of said top wall inwardly from said inner skirt; and

a barrier cup having a bottom wall extending continuously across said diaphragm and across portions of said inner skirt remote from said top wall of said shell, an annular side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall and disposed between said side wall of said container and said inner skirt, a top flange extending outwardly from said side wall and disposed between said top of said container and said top wall of said shell and extending continuously between said inner and out skirts of said shell, said barrier cup is unitarily formed from a moisture impermeable material comprising a layer of metallic foil and at least one plastic layer laminated to said foil, and at least one layer of adhesive applied to said moisture impermeable material to provide a hermetic seal between barrier said cup and said container and between said barrier cup and said shell, whereby said barrier cup is separable from said hermetical seal from said container for accessing interior portions of said container whereby said diaphragm and said inner skirt and said barrier cup are dimensioned for resiliently biased engagement against said side wall of said container for providing a liquid-tight seal with said container when said barrier cup is separated from said hermetical seal.