Polymer lined sealing member for a container

• US 6,866,926 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2000
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Selig Sealing Products Incorporated (Henry Crown & Co.)
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Smelko, Joe, Agnoluzzi, Marilyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Terrel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Hai
• Application Number:
  US09/568,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 428/315.9, 428/318.4, 428/318.6, 428/319.3, 428/461, 428/462, 428/315.7, 428/354, 428/355, 428/480, 428/483, 428/319.1, 428/343, 428/352, 428/346
• US Class Current: 428/319.1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/205 integral with the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/2028 Means for opening the cover other than, or in addition to, a pull tab
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24999 Inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249991 Synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2813 Heat or solvent activated or sealable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2839 with release or antistick coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31696 Including polyene monomers [e.g., butadiene, etc.]

Abstract

A seal and method of manufacture is provided for sealing containers such as bottles, jars and the like. The seal (closure) can be formed with a lower sheetlike structure having a foam layer thereon. The lower structure can include foil and have a polymer layer, such as a PET layer thereunder A sealant layer can be provided under the bottom surface of the PET layer to bond the seal to a container opening. The polymer foam is advantageously polyethylene foam. Seals in accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention also include a top portion, which can be only partially bonded (directly or indirectly) to the bottom portion, so as to leave a tab portion extended therefrom. The top portion is advantageously bonded from periphery to periphery of the bottom portion and at or slightly offset from the diameter (middle) of the bottom portion. The top portion is advantageously formed with polymer material, such as an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) layer, having a layer of PET bonded on the top thereof. A release strip, which can have a release layer coated on the bottom thereof can be adhered to the top or bottom structures and used to prevent the tab from adhering to the lower structure.

Claims

1. A pull-tab container closure, comprising:

a single sealant or adhesive layer for securing the closure to a container, wherein the sealant or adhesive is heat activated;

a PET layer over the sealant or adhesive layer;

a metal foil layer over the PET layer;

a polyethylene foam layer over the foil layer, an EVA layer over and partially adhered to the polyethylene foam layer;

a release strip layer under a portion of the EVA layer at least partially not adhered to the polyethylene foam layer, and a PET layer over the EVA layer, the closure constructed so that the portion of the EVA layer having the release strip thereon serves as a tab to remove the closure from a container to which it had been adhered.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene foam layer is at least about 3 mil thick.

3. The closure of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene foam layer is about 5 to 8 mil thick.

4. The closure of claim 1, where the EVA layer is about 1 to 3 mil thick.

5. The closure of claim 1, wherein there is written matter on the release strip.