Drinking container with multilayer leak-proof closure

• US 7,048,137 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nalge NUNC International Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nalge NUNC International Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: DeLorme, John D., Leoncavallo, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Lien M.
• Application Number:
  US10/632,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20050115966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 220/212.5, 220/288, 220/304, 220/626, 215/DIG.2, 215/347, 215/399, 215/DIG.4, 215/334, 215/341, D94/43, 264/255, 264/328.8
• US Class Current: 220/288
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/56 with means for indicating level of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0428 formed by a collar, flange, rib or the like contacting the top rim or the top edges or the external surface of a container neck B65D41/0421 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/242 provided with means for facilitating lifting or suspending of the container

Abstract

A drinking container comprises a bottle and a permanently leak-proof closure. The bottle is formed with contours that facilitate grasping by a user and has an opening sized to facilitate placing ice cubes into the bottle. Graduations on the sidewall of the bottle provide an indication of the volume of fluid within the bottle. The closure has threads configured to engage corresponding threads on the bottle and has a seal ring for sealing the liquid contents within the bottle. The closure further includes a lobe having an aperture.

Claims

1. A closure for a bottle, comprising:

an end wall having a peripheral edge and an interior side;

at least one sidewall extending generally perpendicularly from said end wall and circumscribing said peripheral edge;

a seal ring formed on said interior side of said end wall;

a lobe formed on said end wall and extending in a direction opposite said sidewall and generally perpendicular to said end wall; and

an aperture through said lobe;

said closure formed from at least two polymeric materials, whereby said first polymeric material forms a core of the closure, wherein said core is formed with a number of ribs and intervening voids to provide the closure with areas of varying thickness, and wherein said core forms said seal ring; and

said second polymeric material layers over at least a portion of said first polymeric material and fills in said voids in said core, wherein said first polymeric material has a durometer greater than said second polymeric material.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein said first polymeric material is polypropylene.

3. The closure of claim 1, wherein said second polymeric material is either polypropylene or thermoplastic elastomer.

4. The closure of claims 1, wherein said closure is formed such that said second polymeric material substantially covers said first polymeric material.

5. The closure of claim 4, wherein an area proximate said aperture is substantially free from said second polymeric material.

6. The closure of claim 1, further comprising internal screw threads disposed on side sidewall.

7. The closure of claim 1, wherein said aperture is offset from the center of said closure, toward said peripheral edge of said endwall.

8. A closure for a bottle, comprising:

an end wall having a peripheral edge and an interior side;

at least one sidewall extending generally perpendicularly from said end wall and circumscribing said peripheral edge;

a seal ring disposed on said interior side of said end wall;

a lobe disposed on said end wall and extending in a direction opposite said sidewall and generally perpendicular to said end wall; and

an aperture through said lobe;

wherein said closure is formed from three polymeric materials, said first polymeric material forming a core of said closure, said second polymeric material forming an intermediate layer of said closure, and said third polymeric material forming an outer layer of said closure, wherein said core of said first polymeric material is formed with a number of ribs and intervening voids to provide said core with areas of varying thickness, and said second polymeric material fills in said voids and forms said intermediate layer.

9. The closure of claim 8, wherein said first, second, and third polymeric materials are polypropylene copolymer, polypropylene, and thermoplastic elastomer, respectively.