Closure with liner cutter

• US 7,410,071 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BPRex Healthcare Packaging, Inc. (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rexam Closures and Containers (Ball Corporation)
• Inventors: Seib, Robert J., Clodfelter, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylton; Robin
• Application Number:
  US10/832,914
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 220/277, 220/278, 220/366.1, 215/217, 215/220, 215/228, 215/334, 215/257, 215/295, 215/232, 215/297, 81/30.9, 715/6, 222/83, 222/81
• US Class Current: 215/228
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0093 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/023 Ribs or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 50/046 and such deformation causes the disengagement of locking means, e.g. the release of a pawl-like element from a tooth or abutment, to allow removal of the closure by simultaneous rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/223 the outer closure having to be removed or inverted for piercing or cutting

Abstract

A closure having a top wall and a skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall. The closure includes an inner skirt depending from the top wall having at least one thread for helically attaching to a container neck. A deflection wall extends from the top wall having an inner diameter greater than a container neck. Extending from the top wall is a cutting device, defined by an axial cutter and a radial cutter for piercing a liner and cutting the liner about a circumference less than 360 degrees such that the liner is partially attached when the cutting process is completed.

Claims

1. A combination container and double shell closure with liner cutter, comprising:

a container having a neck defining an opening and a liner positioned over said opening;

container lugs extending from a shoulder of said container;

a closure having a top wall and a peripheral edge;

an outer skirt depending downwardly from said peripheral edge of said top wall;

an inner skirt depending downwardly from said top wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, a thread helically extending along said inner surface of said inner skirt, and a plurality of strengthening ribs depending downwardly from said top wall along said outer surface of said inner skirt;

a deflection wall extending upwardly from said top wall;

a cutter extending from said top wall defining an axial cutter and a radial cutter formed of intersecting triangles wherein said axial triangle extends above said radial triangle.

2. The combination container and double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 1, said axial cutter and said radial cutter being isosceles triangles in shape.

3. The combination container and double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 1, said outer skirt having diametrically opposed gripping ribs.

4. The combination container and double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 3, said closure having a diametrically opposed closure lugs depending from a lower edge of said outer skirt, said closure lugs each spaced apart about 90 degrees from said gripping ribs.

5. The combination container and double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 4, said closure lugs having an inner surface, an engaging surface, and a deflection surface.

6. The combination container and double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 1, said deflection wall being radially inset from said peripheral edge of said top wall.

7. A double shell closure with liner cutter, comprising:

a top wall having a peripheral edge;

an outer skirt depending downwardly from said peripheral edge;

an inner skirt depending downwardly from said top wall having an inner surface with a thread extending helically along said inner surface of said inner skirt and a plurality of ribs depending from said top wall along said outer surface of said inner skirt;

a deflection wall extending upwardly from said top wall and radially inset from said peripheral edge;

an x-cutter defining an axial cutter and a radial cutter, said axial cutter and said radial cutter each formed by an isosceles triangle, said isosceles triangles being perpendicular and intersecting along respective centerlines;

said x-cutter cutting a liner through a radial arc between about 200 degrees and 340 degrees.

8. The double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 7 wherein said closure is inverted, said x-cutter pierces said liner relieving pressure from a container and directing expelled particulate along said deflection wall and away from said top wall.

9. The double shell closure of claim 8, said closure spreading a portion of said liner and directing said liner into said container.

10. The double shell closure of claim 8, said deflection wall having a diameter greater than an outer diameter of a container neck thread.

11. The double shell closure with liner cutter of claim 8, said axial and radial cutters having flat edges.