Sealing device for a container

• US 8,336,725 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2006
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Crown Packaging Technology Incorporated (Crown Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Crown Packaging Technology Incorporated (Crown Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ramsey, Christopher Paul, Paris, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIRSCH, ANDREW THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US11/503,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20070068943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 220/254.3, 220/269, 220/791, 220/831, 220/832, 215/253
• US Class Current: 220/254.3
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/506 Rigid or semi-rigid members, e.g. plugs

Abstract

A one-piece re-sealable sealing device (210) for use with a container (212), operable between a closed position and an open position in which, when the sealing device (210) is in the closed position it forms a folded shape comprising an upper part (240), a middle part (230) and a base part (220), hinged together. The sealing device (210) further comprises a lever (245,226,224) both for levering the sealing device (210) from the closed position to the open position, and for pivoting the sealing device (210) from the open position to the closed position to re-seal the container.

Claims

1. A one-piece sealing device configured for use with a container end operable between a closed position and an open position, the sealing device comprising:

an upper part, a middle part coupled to the upper part by a first hinged, and a base part coupled to the middle part by a second hinge,

the upper part further including a lever configured for levering the sealing device from the closed position to the open position, the sealing device configured to be recloseable by levering the sealing device from the open position to the closed position;

wherein the lever includes a beak that extends from the upper part and radially beyond the first hinge when the clouser is in the closed position, and

the base part includes a complementary pocket and fulcrum that extends partially across the base part such that the pocket is defined underneath the fulcrum, and the fulcrum and part are configured to releasably receive and hold the beak in the pocket beneath the fulcrum.

2. The sealing device as defined in claim 1, in which the upper part is substantially planar and has a lower surface which, when the sealing device is in the closed position, lies adjacent the middle part and in which the beak has an upper surface which lies at a level lower than the upper surface of the upper part.

3. The sealing device as defined in claim 1 configured to be fixed to an aperture of a container end, in which the upper part further comprises an element configured to apply sealing pressure to the middle part, in which the middle part is configured to transfer this pressure onto the base part and the base part is configured to transfer this pressure onto an edge of the aperture to fix the sealing device to the container end.

4. The sealing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising means configured to hold the sealing device in the open position.

7. The one-piece sealing device as defined in claim 1 in combination with a container end wherein the leverage means configured to cooperate with the container end to hold the sealing device in the open position.

9. The sealing device as defined in claim 2 for fixing to an aperture of a container end, in which the upper part further comprises an element configured to apply sealing pressure to the middle part, in which the middle part configured to transfer this pressure onto the base part and the base part is configured to transfer this pressure onto an edge of the aperture to fix the sealing device to the container end.

10. The sealing device as defined in claim 2, further comprising means for holding the sealing device in the open position.

11. The sealing device as defined in claim 3, further comprising means for holding the sealing device in the open position.

5. A one-piece re-sealable sealing device configured for fixing to an aperture of a container, the sealing device being operable between a closed position and an open position in which, when the sealing device is in the closed position it is folded into a shape which comprises an upper part, a middle part coupled to the upper part by a first hinge, and a base part coupled to the middle part by a second hinged,

the upper part including an element configured to apply sealing pressure to the middle part, in which the middle part is configured to transfer this pressure onto the base part the base part is configured to transfer this pressure onto a rim of the aperture to adequately fix the sealing device to the container;

the upper part further including a lever configured for levering the sealing device from the closed position to the open position, the sealing device being recloseable by levering the sealing device from the open position to the closed position;

the lever including a beak that extends from the upper part and radially beyond the first hinge when the closure is in the closed position; and

the base part including a complementary pocket and a fulcrum, the fulcrum extending partially across the base part such that the pocket is defined underneath the fulcrum, and the fulcrum and pocket are configured to releasably receive and hold the beak in the pocket beneath the fulcrum.

6. A The sealing device as defined in claim 5, further comprising means for holding the sealing device in the open position.

8. The one-piece re-sealable sealing device as defined in claim 5 in combination with a container end including means configured to cooperate with the container end to hold the re-sealable sealing device in the open position.

12. A reclosable can end comprising:

a metal can end comprising a peripheral wall and a center panel, the center panel having an aperture therethrough; and

a closure configured to be operable between an open position and a closed position, the closure comprising;

a base plate including an annulus configured to form a seal with an edge of the can end aperture, and a fulcrum that extends partially across the base plate such that a pocket is defined underneath the fulcrum;

a middle plate connected to the base plate by a first hinge; and

a top plate connected to the middle plate by a second hinge, the top plate including a lever and a beak that extends from the top plate and radially beyond the second hinge when the closure is in the closed position,

wherein (i) the beak is configured to engage the pocket, and (ii) the pocket is configured to receive and hold the beak underneath the fulcrum when the closure is in the closed position.

13. A reclosable can end comprising:

a metal can end comprising a peripheral wall and a center panel, the center panel having an aperture therethrough; and

a closure configured to be operable between an open position and a closed position, the closure comprising;

a top plate, a middle plate connected to the top plate by a first hinge, and a base plate connected to the middle plate by a second hinge;

the top plate comprising a first lever configured to apply sealing pressure to the middle plate, the first lever including a beak that extends from the top plate and radially beyond the first hinge when the closure is in the closed position;

the middle plate comprising a second lever configured to apply sealing pressure to the base plate; and

the base plate configured to transfer pressure to a rim of the aperture securing the sealing device to the can end, the base plate including a fulcrum that extends partially across the base plate to form a pocket, wherein the pocket is defined underneath the fulcrum and is configured to receive and hold the beak when the closure is in the closed position.