Closure for a container

• US 7,258,255 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Plastics Incorporated (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Plastics Incorporated (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Parve, Terrence M., Vogel, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas; Frederick C.
• Application Number:
  US10/764,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20050023304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 222/556, 222/565, 222/536, 222/530, 222/498, 222/480, 222/153.01, 215/235, 215/237, 215/245, 220833-835, 220/254.2, 220/254.3, 220/254.5
• US Class Current: 222/556
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/1041 The closure having a part penetrating in the dispensing aperture and retained by snapping over integral beads or projections
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00842 outside of the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00944 Located only on the container, e.g. recesses
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0847 located within a flat surface of the base element

Abstract

A closure for a container includes a base having a first end configured for mounting on a container and a second end enclosed by a top portion. The container includes a first projection extending from an outside wall. The top portion includes a platform having at least one opening for dispensing material from the container. At least one flap is coupled to the top portion and movable between an open position for dispensing the material and a closed position for covering the opening. A second projection extends from an inside wall of the base toward the top portion and is configured to coact with the first projection on the outside of the container, so that the closure is configured to resist separation from the container once the closure has been attached to the container.

Claims

1. In a closure for a container having a first projection extending from an outside wall of the container, the closure comprising a base having a first end configured for mounting on a container and a second end enclosed by a top portion, the top portion comprising a platform having at least one opening for dispensing material from the container, at least one flap coupled to the top portion and movable between an open position for dispensing the material and a closed position for covering the opening, the improvement comprising:

a second projection extending from an inside wall of the base toward the top portion and configured to coact with the first projection on the container, so that the closure is configured to resist separation from the container once the closure has been attached to the container,

wherein the first projection includes a first barb and the second projection includes a second barb, the first barb and the second barb configured to coact to resist separation of the closure from the container.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein the base has a rectangular shape.

3. The closure of claim 1 wherein the base and the top portion are integrally formed as a single piece.

4. The closure of claim 1 wherein the first projection extends substantially around the outside wall of the container and the second projection extends substantially around the inside wall of the closure.

5. The closure of claim 1 wherein the at least one flap is integrally formed with the top portion.

6. In a closure for a container having a first projection extending from an outside wall of the container, the closure comprising a base having a first end configured for mounting on a container and a second end enclosed by a top portion, the top portion comprising a platform having at least one opening for dispensing material from the container, at least one flap coupled to the top portion and movable between an open position for dispensing the material and a closed position for covering the opening, the improvement comprising:

a second projection extending from an inside wall of the base toward the top portion and configured to coact with the first projection on the container, so that the closure is configured to resist separation from the container once the closure has been attached to the container; and

at least one channel formed in the top portion and configured to drain moisture away from the opening.

7. In a closure for a container comprising a base having a first end configured for attachment to the container and a second end at least partially covered by a top portion, the top portion comprising at least one opening for dispensing a material from the container and at least one flap pivotally coupled to the top portion for movement between an open position for dispensing material and a closed position to cover the opening, the improvement comprising:

a tab extending from an underside of the flap;

a guide formed with the tab and having a guide surface configured to engage an edge of the opening in a wedging interaction;

so that the flap is retained in the closed position by engagement between the tab and the edge of the opening.

8. The closure of claim 7 wherein the flap is retained in the closed position by frictional engagement between the tab and the edge of the opening.

9. The closure of claim 7 wherein the first end of the base is configured for attachment to a rectangular opening on the container.

10. The closure of claim 7 further comprising a lip extending upwardly from at least one of the top portion and the flap, so that the closure is configured to receive a bottom of a container stacked atop the closure.

11. The closure of claim 7 wherein the flaps are separable from the top portion.

12. The closure of claim 7 further comprising a snap ridge projecting from an inside wall of the base and configured to engage a corresponding projection extending from the container.

13. The closure of claim 7 wherein the top portion and the base are integrally formed.

14. The closure of claim 7 further comprising at least one finger configured to coact with at least one aperture for coupling the flap to the top portion.

15. The closure of claim 14 further comprising a first projection extending upwardly from an inside surface of the wall and configured to engage a corresponding second projection on an outside surface of the container so that the projections are configured to coact and resist removal of the closure once the closure is attached to the container.

16. In a closure for a container comprising a base having a first end configured for attachment to the container and a second end coupled to a top portion, the top portion comprising at least one opening for dispensing a material from the container and at least one flap pivotally coupled to the top portion by a hinge for movement between an open position for dispensing material and a closed position to cover the opening, the improvement comprising:

a first channel and a second channel formed in the top portion;

a first projection extending from a first side of the flap and configured to fit at least partially within the first channel when the flap is in the closed position;

a second projection extending from a second side of the flap opposite the first side of the flap and configured to fit at least partially within the second channel when the flap is in the closed position;

so that the channels and the projections form a structure resistant to intrusion of external materials when the flap is in the closed position.

17. The closure of claim 16 wherein the base comprises a rectangular wall.

18. The closure of claim 16 wherein the base, the top portion and the flaps are integrally formed in a single operation.

19. The closure of claim 16 further comprising a projection extending from an underside of the flap and configured to engage an edge of the opening in a wedging interaction to create a frictional fit configured to retain the flap in the closed position.

20. The closure of claim 16 wherein flap further comprises a skirt projecting downwardly from a front of the flap and the base farther comprises a recess configured to receive the skiff when the flap is in the closed position.

21. The closure of claim 16 wherein the first channel and the first projection are substantially straight and the second channel and the second projection are substantially straight and parallel to the first channel and the first projection.