Non-dispensing closure

• US 6,481,589 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seaquist Closures Limited (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Seaquist Closures Limited (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blomdahl, Cori M., De Groot, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J.
• Application Number:
  US09/791,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 215/295, 215/303, 215/341, 215/343, 215/352, 215/329, 215/305
• US Class Current: 215/303
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/565 for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/026 made of material having a high friction coefficient and preventing slippage during removal by hand, e.g. band, coating
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0485 with means specially adapted for facilitating the operation of opening or closing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/245 provided with decoration, information or contents indicating devices, labels B65D81/366 takes precedence

Abstract

A closure is provided for a container. The closure includes a body which is mounted to the container. The body comprises a first, generally rigid piece which is molded from a material. A second piece is molded from a material onto the first, rigid piece and bonded to the first, rigid piece to define a portion of the periphery of the exterior of the closure, and the interior of the closure for sealing purposes, where desired.

Claims

1. A closure for an opening in a container, said closure being adapted for movement between a closed position occluding said opening and an open position spaced from said opening, said closure comprising:

a body for being mounted to said container, said body comprising a first, generally rigid piece which is molded from a first material, said body having a top deck portion and a skirt portion depending from the periphery of said top deck portion; and

a second piece which is molded from a second material onto said first, rigid piece and bonded to said first, rigid piece to define a portion of the periphery of the exterior of said closure, said second material being softer than said first material, said second piece defining an exterior region for being contacted by at least one of the user'"'"'s fingers when the user grasps the closure, said exterior region including at least alternating narrow and wide portions on said skirt portion around the periphery of said body skirt portion adjacent said top deck portion, said wide portions each extending from said top deck portion on said skirt portion lower than said narrow portions to define finger-engaging regions separated by exposed surface regions of said first material which define outwardly projecting ribs which can be engaged by an automatic capping machine in applying the closure to a container.

2. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said closure is a separate structure that is free of any element connecting said closure to said container so that said closure can be completely removed from said container.

3. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which

said first, rigid piece has an exterior side and an interior side; and

said second piece also includes at least one branch portion extending through said first, rigid piece from said exterior side to said interior side and also includes an interior portion that extends from said branch portion on said interior side to define a seal for sealingly engaging said container around said opening when said closure is in said closed position.

4. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which

said first, rigid piece is molded from a thermoplastic material;

and

said second piece is molded from a rubber-based, thermoplastic elastomer.

5. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said second piece has a color which differs from the color of said first, rigid piece.

6. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which said skirt portion defines an internal female thread for threadingly engaging a mating external male thread on said container.

7. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which

said second piece is molded from a thermoplastic elastomer;

said deck portion includes an inner surface that faces toward said container opening and that is circumscribed by said skirt portion; and

said closure further includes a generally annular member which is molded as a third piece from a thermoplastic elastomer onto said inner surface of said first, rigid piece adjacent said skirt portion to define a seal for sealingly engaging a portion of said container around said opening.