Composite closure

• US 7,175,039 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation (Crown Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation (Crown Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: German, Galen, Martin, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMALLEY, JAMES N
• Application Number:
  US10/721,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20040149676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 215/252, 215/274, 215/276, 215/350
• US Class Current: 215/252
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/3423 with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt B65D41/3404 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/145 by means of an additional element connected directly to the container

Abstract

A composite closure includes a band and an insert disk. A contact surface urges downwardly against the disk even while the band moves longitudinally relative to the disk or container. The closure has a fully tightened position in which the band'"'"'s ring contacts the disk'"'"'s annular channel, a loose position in which the ring is spaced apart from the annular channel, and an intermediate tightened position in which the ring is spaced apart from the disk and the contact surface urges against the curl. Another composite closure includes plural fins or gussets. The fins or gussets engage the peripheral curl of the insert disk to secure the band to the disk, which provides a resistance to initial unscrewing of the band. The disengagement torque required to disengage the curl from the fins may enable the closure to function as a one-piece closure.

Claims

1. A composite closure for coupling with a container, comprising:

an insert disk including a curl formed at a periphery thereof; and

a band including;

an annular skirt including threads formed on an interior surface thereof;

a retaining feature extending radially inwardly from the skirt;

a ring extending radially inwardly from an upper portion of the skirt over at least a portion of the disk; and

plural fins extending inwardly from the skirt, the fins and the retaining feature forming a recess therebetween for receiving the disk curl, a contact surface of the fins being nonparallel, in longitudinal cross section, to a closure longitudinal axis;

the closure having a fully tightened position in which the ring contacts the disk, a loose position in which the ring is spaced apart from the disk, and an intermediate tightened position in which the ring is spaced apart from the disk and in which the contact surface urges against the curl, the intermediate tightened position being between the fully tightened position and the loose position,

wherein the fins have a first, as-molded state prior to application of the closure onto the container and a second, fully applied state in which the fins deformably receive at least a portion of the curl upon application of the closure onto the container, whereby the fins engage the curl to removably secure the band to the disk.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure threads engage the container threads in the fully tightened position upon initial application of the closure onto the container, and wherein said thread engagement diminishes upon later thermal treatment of the package.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein the engagement between the fins and the curl provides a sensible resistance upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully tightened position.

4. The package of claim 1 wherein a disengagement torque for disengaging the fins from the curl is less than an unsealing torque for breaking a seal between the disk and the container neck, whereby upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully tightened position the band disengages from the disk.

5. The package of claim 4 wherein the disengagement torque provides a sensible resistance upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully tightened position.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein a disengagement torque for disengaging the fins from the curl is more than an unsealing torque for breaking the seal between the disk and a container neck, whereby upon initial unscrewing of the closure the band and disk are unscrewed substantially together.

7. The package of claim 6 wherein the disengagement torque provides a sensible resistance upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully tightened position.

8. The package of claim 1 wherein the band further comprises a ring extending radially inwardly from an upper portion of the skirt over at least a portion of the disk.

9. The package of claim 1 wherein a portion of the fins are non-elastically deformed by the disk curl such that said curl is at least partially embedded in said fins.

10. The package of claim 9 wherein said fins are elastically deformed proximate the non-elastically deformed portions.

11. The package of claim 1 wherein the fins are gussets.

12. The package of claim 1 wherein the fins have a contact surface that is obliquely oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of the container.

13. The package of claim 1 wherein the fins are circumferentially spaced apart and oriented substantially radially.