Composite closure

• US 7,784,629 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• 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): Stashick; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smalley; James N
• Application Number:
  US11/621,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20070108155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 215/274, 215/276, 215/350, 220/319
• US Class Current: 215/276
• 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 closure and container package comprising:

the container having a neck with container threads formed thereon;

the closure including;

a circular disk including an arcuate curl formed at a periphery thereof, the disk configured for disposing on the container neck to form a seal therebetween, and

a band including;

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

plural fins extending inwardly from the skirt, the fins configured to 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 deform upon receiving the curl when the closure is applied onto the container;

whereby in the first state the disk is in a loose position relative to the band and in the second state the fins engage the curl to secure the band to the disk.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure threads engage the container threads in the fully applied state upon initial application of the closure onto the container, the thread engagement diminishing upon subsequent 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 applied state.

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 the seal between the disk and the container neck, whereby upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully applied state 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 applied state.

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 the 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 applied state.

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 the curl is at least partially embedded in the fins.

10. The package of claim 9 wherein the 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.

14. A composite closure comprising:

a circular disk including a curl formed at a periphery thereof, the disk is capable of being positioned on a container neck to form a seal therebetween, and

a band including;

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

plural fins extending inwardly from the skirt, the fins configured to have a first, as-molded state prior to application of the closure onto a container and a second, fully applied state in which the fins deform upon receiving the curl when the closure is applied onto the container;

whereby in the first state the disk is in a loose position relative to the band and in the second state the fins engage the curl to removably secure the band to the disk.

15. The closure of claim 14 wherein the container neck includes container threads, the closure threads engage the container threads in the fully applied state upon initial application of the closure onto the container, the thread engagement diminishing upon subsequent thermal treatment of the package.

16. The closure of claim 15 wherein the engagement between the fins and the curl provides a sensible resistance upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully applied state.

17. The closure of claim 14 wherein a disengagement torque for disengaging the fins from the curl is less than an unsealing torque for breaking the seal between the disk and the container neck, whereby upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully applied state the band disengages from the disk.

18. The closure of claim 17 wherein the disengagement torque provides a sensible resistance upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully applied state.

19. The closure of claim 14 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 the container neck, whereby upon initial unscrewing of the closure the band and disk are unscrewed substantially together.

20. The closure of claim 19 wherein the disengagement torque provides a sensible resistance upon initial rotation of the closure from its fully applied state.

21. The closure of claim 14 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.

22. The closure of claim 14 wherein a portion of the fins are non-elastically deformed by the disk curl such that the curl is at least partially embedded in the fins.

23. The closure of claim 22 wherein the fins are elastically deformed proximate the non-elastically deformed portions.

24. The closure of claim 14 wherein the fins are gussets.

25. The closure of claim 14 wherein the fins have a contact surface that is obliquely oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of the container.

26. The closure of claim 14 wherein the fins are circumferentially spaced apart and oriented substantially radially.

27. A composite closure comprising:

a circular disk including a curl formed at a periphery thereof, the disk capable of being positioned on a container neck to form a seal therebetween, and

a band including;

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

contact means located on an interior portion of the skirt, the contact means configured to have a first, as-molded state prior to application of the closure onto a container and a second, fully applied state in which the contact means deform when receiving the curl upon application of the closure onto the container;

whereby in the first state the disk is in a loose position relative to the band and in the second state the contact means engage the curl to secure the band to the disk.

28. A composite closure comprising:

a circular disk including a curl formed at a periphery thereof, the disk is capable of being positioned on a container neck to form a seal therebetween, and

a band including;

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

at least one upper contact member extending inwardly from the skirt, the upper contact member having a contact surface that consists essentially of a downwardly-and-inwardly-facing surface that is configured to have a first, as-molded state prior to application of the closure onto a container and a second, fully applied state in which the contact surface deforms when receiving the curl upon application of the closure onto the container;

whereby in the second state the downwardly-and-inwardly-facing surface engages the curl to secure the band to the disk.

29. The closure of claim 28 wherein the contact member is a bead.

30. The closure of claim 28 wherein the contact member is a gusset.

31. The closure of claim 30 wherein the band includes a ring extending radially inwardly from an upper portion of the skirt, the gusset is connected to the interior surface of the skirt and a lower surface of the ring.