US20060191933A1 - Closure system with improved sealing of lid - Google Patents
Closure system with improved sealing of lid Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20060191933A1 US20060191933A1 US11/066,751 US6675105A US2006191933A1 US 20060191933 A1 US20060191933 A1 US 20060191933A1 US 6675105 A US6675105 A US 6675105A US 2006191933 A1 US2006191933 A1 US 2006191933A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- peripheral wall
- sealing member
- lid
- discharge direction
- sealing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
- B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
- B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
- B65D47/08—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures
- B65D47/0804—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures integrally formed with the base element provided with the spout or discharge passage
Definitions
- This invention relates to a closure system for a container.
- One type of prior art closure system includes a body for being attached to the top of a container.
- the body defines an opening to the container interior.
- the system further includes a lid which is hingedly mounted on the body and which can be lifted up to expose the opening to the container interior.
- the closure body to which the lid is attached may be alternatively described as the closure base or base portion.
- a closure with a hinged top or other lid structure that could provide access to the product (such as fluent products, as well as non-fluent products), and that would optionally accommodate either the insertion of a utensil through the open closure to permit the product to be scooped out of the container with a spoon, knife, ladle, etc., or accommodate the insertion of a user's hand through the open closure so that the product can be lifted out by the user's hand.
- the improved seal had the optional capability for being incorporated in a closure having a lid that could be preferably connected with a hinge to the closure body.
- a closure with such an improved seal should accommodate ease of use.
- the structural features of such an improved closure should also be capable of being readily incorporated into a design that facilitates cleaning of the closure.
- a closure with such an improved seal could be molded from thermoplastic materials in one or more pieces, and preferably molded in only one, integral unit so as to not require assembly of multiple parts.
- the improved seal of the present invention can be incorporated into a closure system that may include one or more of the above-discussed, desired features.
- a first form of such a closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored.
- the closure system includes:
- the peripheral wall may be a closure base formed as a unitary or integral extension of the container, or may be a separate closure body for installation on the container.
- the peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of the opening.
- the sealing member includes a first portion and a distal second portion having a transverse cross-sectional configuration that is defined by (a) a laterally inwardly extending top arcuate surface, (b) a laterally inwardly extending bottom arcuate surface, and (c) a sealing surface that is generally parallel to the discharge direction and that extends between, and merges with, the top arcuate surface and the bottom arcuate surface.
- the lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when the lid is in said closed position, is (a) oriented generally parallel to the discharge direction, and (b) sealingly engaged with the sealing surface of the distal second portion of the sealing member so as to force the distal second portion laterally outwardly.
- closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, and the closure system includes:
- closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, and the closure system includes:
- the largest lateral dimension of the sealing surface of the peripheral wall of the sealing member distal second portion is between about 0.50% and about 0.75% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface.
- closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, and the closure system includes:
- the closure system of the present invention is especially suitable for (but not limited to) relatively large product discharge openings (e.g., an opening (which may be round, oval, or some other shape) wherein the minimum lateral dimension across the opening is at least 40 mm.).
- relatively large product discharge openings e.g., an opening (which may be round, oval, or some other shape) wherein the minimum lateral dimension across the opening is at least 40 mm.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a closure system of the present invention as embodied in a closure for use on, or as part of, a container (not illustrated), and the closure is shown in a completely closed condition;
- FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 2 - 2 in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the region in FIG. 2 indicated by the circle designated “ FIG. 3 ”;
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIG. 1 , but in FIG. 4 , the lid is shown in an open position;
- FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view, taken generally along the plane 5 - 5 in FIG. 4 ;
- FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the region in FIG. 5 indicated by the oval designated “ FIG. 6 ;”
- FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the region in FIG. 5 indicated by the circle designated “ FIG. 7 ;”
- FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 , but FIG. 8 shows the lid just beginning to engage the body as the lid is closing;
- FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a closure system of the present invention as embodied in a closure for use on, or as part of, a container (not illustrated), and the closure is shown in a completely closed condition;
- FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIG. 9 ;
- FIG. 11 is a left side elevation view of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 ;
- FIG. 12 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 12 - 12 in FIG. 10 ;
- FIG. 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the region in FIG. 12 indicated by the circle designated “ FIG. 13 ”;
- FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIG. 9 , but in FIG. 14 , the lid is shown in an open position;
- FIG. 15 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 15 - 15 in FIG. 14 .
- closure system of this invention is described in a generally upright orientation that it could have at the upper end of a container when the container is positioned upright on its base. It will be understood, however, that the closure system of this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in orientations other than the orientation described.
- closure system of this invention is suitable for use with a variety of conventional or special containers having various designs, the details of which, although not illustrated or described, would be apparent to those having skill in the art and an understanding of such containers.
- container, per se need not form part of the invention, and therefore, any particular container that is described herein is not intended to limit the broadest aspects of the invention.
- FIGS. 1-8 One presently preferred, first embodiment of a closure system of the present invention is incorporated in the closure that is illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 , and that is designated generally by reference number 30 in FIG. 1 .
- the closure 30 is provided as a separately manufactured unit for mounting to the top of a container (not shown). It will be appreciated, however, that in some applications it may be desirable for the closure 30 to be formed as a unitary part, or extension, of the container wherein the unitary part or extension defines an upper end structure of the container, per se.
- the container may be a pouch-type structure or a more rigid structure.
- a substantially rigid, or slightly flexible-walled container typically has a conventional mouth which provides access to the container interior and product contained therein.
- the product may be a paste-like product or fluent product (which can be scooped or ladled from the container with a spoon, knife, ladle, etc.), or a product of small, individual items, such as nuts, candies, crackers, cookies, etc. (which can be scooped out of the container, ladled out of the container, or removed by hand from the container).
- Other contemplated products include ground coffee, sugar, or other material in the form of liquids, powders, gels, pastes, slurries, lotions, creams, etc.
- Such materials may be sold, for example, as a food product, a personal care product, an industrial or household product (such as lotions or creams), or other composition (e.g., for internal or external use by humans or animals, or for use in activities involving medicine, manufacturing, commercial or household maintenance, construction, agriculture, etc.).
- a substantially rigid container or slightly flexible-walled container typically may have a neck or other suitable structure defining the container mouth having a cross-sectional configuration with which the closure 30 is adapted to engage.
- the body of the container may have another cross-sectional configuration that differs from the cross-sectional configuration of the container mouth.
- the container may, on the other hand, have a substantially uniform shape along its entire length or height without any neck portion of reduced size or different cross-section.
- the container may also be a pouch or bag fabricated from a relatively thin, flexible film, or the container may be a squeezable container having a flexible wall or walls which can be grasped by the user and compressed somewhat.
- One embodiment of the closure 30 is especially suitable for use with a container that has substantially inflexible walls that are not intended to be squeezed inwardly by the user.
- Another embodiment is especially suitable for a flexible pouch-type container.
- the preferred structure of the closure 30 comprises (A) a peripheral wall 32 that defines the closure base or body 32 , and (B) a lid 34 joined to the peripheral wall 32 (i.e., the closure base or body) by a hinge 36 which may be of any suitable conventional hinge design known in the closure art, or which may be of a special design, the details of which form no part of the present invention.
- the hinge 36 incorporates the hinge design of the snap-action type disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,712.
- the closure peripheral wall 32 i.e., the closure base or body
- lid 34 i.e., the hinge 36
- a suitable thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or the like
- an integral structure which may include a bi-injection molded feature or other multi-step injection molded features.
- Other materials may be employed instead.
- the lid 34 could be a piece that is separate from the peripheral wall 32 (i.e., closure base or body), and that is not connected to the peripheral wall 32 by any hinge.
- the lid 34 and peripheral wall 32 could be separate pieces that each has a cooperating portion of a hinge and that can be assembled together to provide a hinged assembly for accommodating pivoting movement of the lid 34 on the peripheral wall 32 between the closed and open positions.
- the peripheral wall 32 (or even the entire closure 30 ) need not be a structure or assembly that is completely separate from the container.
- the container could be made with a dispensing end structure that incorporates the closure 30 , or at least the peripheral wall 32 , as a unitary part of the top of the container.
- the illustrated first embodiment closure 30 could be modified so that it is formed as an extension of the top of the container, and the extending portion defining the closure peripheral wall 32 could then be characterized as a structural feature that functions to accommodate communication with the container interior.
- the peripheral wall 32 (whether it is a unitary portion of the top of the container or a separate piece that is releasably or permanently mounted at the top of the container) may be characterized as a peripheral wall for extending from the container around the opening to the container.
- the container may have an initially open bottom end opposite the top end on which the closure 30 is located, and such a bottom end could be used for accommodating the filling of the inverted container with the product.
- the open bottom end of the container could be closed by suitable means, such as by a separate bottom end closure which could be attached to the container bottom end (e.g., through a suitable threaded engagement, snap-fit engagement, adhesive engagement, thermal bonding engagement, etc.).
- suitable means such as by a separate bottom end closure which could be attached to the container bottom end (e.g., through a suitable threaded engagement, snap-fit engagement, adhesive engagement, thermal bonding engagement, etc.).
- such an open bottom portion of the container could be deformed closed (e.g., with an appropriate process applying heat and force if the container bottom end portion is made from a thermoplastic material or other material that would accommodate the use of such a process).
- the peripheral wall 32 is the base or body of a separate closure 30 , as in the preferred, first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 , the peripheral wall 32 may have a skirt 40 ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ) with a screw thread 42 ( FIG. 2 ) for releasably attaching the base or body 32 to a mating thread of a container (not shown).
- the peripheral wall 32 will be usually referred to simply as the closure base or body 32 .
- the closure body 32 and container could also be releasably connected by providing the body 32 with a conventional bead (not shown) for snap-fit engagement with a mating container groove (not shown), or by other means.
- the closure body 32 may be permanently attached to the container by means of induction bonding, ultrasonic bonding, gluing, or the like, depending upon the materials employed for the container and closure body 32 .
- the interior of the body 32 may also include special or conventional seal features to provide an enhanced leak-tight seal between the closure body 32 and the container.
- the illustrated body 32 employs such an enhanced seal feature in the form of a conventional “crab's claw” type of seal 44 ( FIG. 2 ) for sealing against the container.
- the closure body 32 includes an upwardly projecting spout 50 ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ) which has a cylindrical exterior surface 52 ( FIG. 7 ) having an outside diameter D 1 ( FIG. 7 ).
- the inside of the spout 50 is defined in part by an interior surface 54 ( FIG. 7 ) which has a diameter D 2 and which has an annular, cylindrical configuration concentric with the spout exterior surface 52 .
- the closure body 32 and in particular the spout 50 , defines a dispensing passage for communicating with the opening of the container (not shown) and defines a product discharge direction that is generally perpendicular to the container opening through which the product can be removed (by pouring, scooping, lifting out, etc.).
- the closure body 32 includes a sealing member 60 ( FIG. 7 ) which extends laterally inwardly from the spout interior surface 54 so that it is cantilevered over the container opening when the closure 30 is installed on the container.
- the sealing member 60 includes a first portion 61 and a distal second portion 62 extending from the first portion 61 .
- the first portion 61 tapers so that it becomes thinner in the radially inward direction.
- the exterior surface of the sealing member first portion 61 is defined by a circular radius R 1 .
- the interior surface of the sealing member 60 extending along the sealing member first portion 61 as well as along the sealing member distal second portion 62 , is defined by a circular radius R 2 .
- the radius R 1 and the radius R 2 are located so that the arcuate surface defined by radius R 1 and the arcuate surface defined by the radius R 2 each becomes tangent to horizontal planes passing through the spout in an orientation perpendicular to the discharge direction.
- the arcuate surface defined by the radius R 1 is tangent to an upper plane P 1 ( FIG. 7 )
- the arcuate surface defined by the radius R 2 is tangent to a lower plane P 2 ( FIG. 7 ).
- the maximum thickness of the sealing member 60 where it attaches to the spout 50 between the planes P 1 and P 2 is designated T 1 in FIG. 7 .
- the sealing member exterior arcuate surface defined by the radius R 1 has a radially inwardly extending length designated L 1 in FIG. 7 .
- the sealing member 60 extends radially inwardly from the spout interior surface 54 for a distance or length L 2 as designated in FIG. 7 .
- the total height of the sealing member 60 is designated as H 1 in FIG. 7 .
- the sealing member 60 projects below the point where the arcuate interior surface defined by the radius R 2 merges with the spout 50 (at the plane P 2 ), and the amount of this projection is shown in FIG. 7 as the distance H 2 .
- the sealing member distal second portion 62 has a radially inward end which, in the transverse cross-sectional configuration as illustrated in FIG. 7 , is defined by (i) a laterally inwardly extending top arcuate surface 71 , (ii) a laterally inwardly extending bottom arcuate surface 72 , and (iii) a sealing surface 74 that is generally parallel to the discharge direction and that extends between, and merges with, the top arcuate surface 71 and bottom arcuate surface 72 .
- the sealing surface 74 defines the most radially inwardly extent of the sealing member distal second portion, and the sealing surface 74 has a cylindrical or annular configuration having a diameter D 4 as illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- the vertical height of the sealing surface 74 in the direction parallel to the discharge direction, is designated H 3 in FIG. 7 .
- the sealing surface 74 is adapted to coact with a feature on the lid 34 when the lid 34 is closed as explained in detail hereinafter.
- the member 60 has a generally tapering configuration over a major portion of its length.
- the thinnest region occurs at the location where the distal second portion 62 is connected to the first portion 61 , and the thinnest region dimension is designated T 2 in FIG. 7 .
- the closure body 32 includes a peripheral shoulder 80 for receiving the lid 34 when the lid 34 is closed.
- the lid 34 includes an outer frame or skirt 82 for confronting the closure body shoulder 80 when the lid 34 is closed.
- the frame or skirt 82 includes a radially inwardly extending annular portion 84 ( FIGS. 2 and 6 ) which terminates in a circular opening 86 .
- the opening 86 is covered by an insert disk 88 ( FIGS. 2, 3 , and 5 ) which is preferably bi-injection molded onto the annular portion 84 .
- the disk 88 may be of the same material as the rest of the closure 30 or may be a different material.
- the disk 88 is a translucent material, and it may have a different tint or color than the rest of the closure. In other contemplated embodiments, a separate disk 88 need not be employed. Rather, the entire top of the lid 34 could be molded as one unitary structure together with the hinge 36 and body 32 , and such a structure would not incorporate any bi-injection molded portions or features.
- the closure body 32 In order to hold the lid 34 in the closed position, the closure body 32 includes an upwardly projecting, annular flange 90 .
- the flange 90 At the front of the closure body 32 , the flange 90 includes an outwardly projecting engaging bead 92 for engaging a cooperating bead 94 on the inside of the closure lid skirt 82 at the front of the lid 34 ( FIG. 5 ).
- the front of the lid 34 has an outwardly projecting portion 96 for functioning as a finger or thumb lift to assist the user in lifting the lid.
- the lid 34 includes a closure flange 100 which projects from the underside of the lid 34 .
- the lid closure flange 100 defines a peripheral sealable surface 102 which is generally cylindrical and defines a diameter D 3 as illustrated in FIG. 6 .
- the diameter D 3 of the lid sealable surface 102 is larger than the diameter D 4 of the closure body sealing member sealing the surface 74 .
- the outer, distal edge of the flange 100 is tapered or chamfered at 104 as illustrated in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 8 illustrates the lid 34 in an intermediate position as it is being closed on the closure body 32 , and FIG. 8 shows how the closure lid flange 100 begins to engage the closure body sealing member 60 just prior to deforming the sealing member 60 radially outwardly.
- the diameter D 3 of the closure lid flange sealable surface 102 should be somewhat larger than the inner diameter of the closure body sealing member sealing surface 74 as measured in the as-molded, unstressed condition (diameter D 4 in FIG. 7 ).
- the largest lateral dimension of the sealing surface 74 of the sealing member distal second portion 62 (i.e., dimension D 4 ), as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction and across the locus defined by the sealing surface 74 of the sealing member distal second portion when the lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface 102 (i.e., dimension D 3 ) as measured across the locus of the periphery of the lid flange 100 defined by the lid flange sealable surface 102 .
- a presently most preferred range of the largest lateral dimension of the sealing member sealing surface is between about 0.50% and about 0.75% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface 103 .
- the lid flange sealable surface 102 and the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion 62 interfere when the lid 34 is in the closed position so as to force the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion 62 radially outwardly a distance that is between about 0.05 mm. and about 0.51 mm., and that is preferably about 0.21 mm. or at least as great as about 0.20 mm.
- a presently preferred range for the height H 3 ( FIG. 7 ) of the sealing surface 74 is between about 0.10 mm. and about 1.02 mm. for round and oval closures. It is preferable to design the sealing surface 74 of the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion so that it has a height H 3 ( FIG. 7 ) based on a desired ratio of the sealing surface height H 3 to the distance L 2 (where L 2 is the laterally inward extension of the sealing member 60 from the spout interior surface 54 ). Such a desired ratio of H 3 to L 2 is between about 0.08 and about 0.17. This helps to provide a good seal without creating excessive fictional forces when the lid is closed and opened—thereby facilitating operation of the lid and also reducing wear on the sealing surfaces. In presently preferred embodiments identified in TABLE 1 discussed below, the sealing member distal second portion sealing surface 74 has a height (i.e., height H 3 in FIG. 7 ) between only about 0.15 mm. and about 0.35 mm.
- the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion sealing surface 74 height H 3 ( FIG. 7 ), as measured along the discharge direction, can be characterized as being between about 0.25% and about 0.38% of the largest lateral dimension D 4 ( FIG. 7 ) as measured across the locus defined by the sealing surface 74 when the lid 34 is in the open condition.
- the ratio H 3 /D 4 i.e., the ratio of the sealing member sealing surface height H 3 to the largest lateral dimension D 4 of the seal member sealing surface 74 ) is between about 0.002 and about 0.01 for round or oval closures.
- the peripheral wall interior surface 54 preferably has a maximum lateral dimension X (e.g., diameter D 2 ) defined as the largest lateral dimension defined by the peripheral wall interior surface 54 as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction
- the sealing surface 74 of the sealing member distal second portion 62 has a maximum lateral dimension Y (e.g., diameter D 4 ) defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by the sealing surface 74 measured perpendicular to the discharge direction
- the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08.
- the lid flange sealable surface 102 extends inwardly in the direction opposite to the discharge direction, beyond the peripheral wall sealing member 60 by an amount designated S in FIG. 3 . It has been found that some projection of the surface 62 beyond the deformed sealing member 60 is useful in insuring good operation of the seal between the lid flange 100 and the sealing member 60 —especially for a closure 30 which has a relatively large discharge opening (e.g., 40 mm. or more) and which must accommodate creep or relaxation of the stressed closure material.
- a relatively large discharge opening e.g. 40 mm. or more
- the extension S of the lid flange 100 below the sealing member 60 is also useful in circumstances wherein the interior pressure in the package can act to impose an outwardly directed force on the lid 34 , including when the closed package is inverted.
- the lid flange sealable surface 102 extends a distance 5 beyond the closure body sealing member 60 by an amount which is at least as great as 0.59% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by the lid flange sealable surface (i.e., dimension D 3 for the circular closure lid flange 100 illustrated in FIG. 3 ).
- the extension distance S is between about 0.5% and about 10.0% of D 3 for a round closure (where D 3 is the diameter of the lid flange 100 ) or an oval closure (where D 3 for an oval closure is the length of the major axis).
- the distance S is between about 0.60% and about 2.60% of the largest lateral dimension D 3 of the lid flange sealable surface 102 .
- the extension distance S helps to provide a good seal without creating excessive frictional forces during opening and closing of the lid—thereby facilitating operation of the lid and also reducing wear on the sealing surfaces.
- the lid flange sealable surface 102 extends a distance S that is at least 1.40 mm. inwardly, in the direction opposite to the discharge direction beyond the peripheral wall sealing member 60 when the lid 34 is in the closed position.
- the term “largest lateral dimension” has been employed with respect to a particular feature of interest.
- the “largest lateral dimension” is the diameter of the particular feature.
- the “largest lateral dimension” would be the major axis of the oval or elliptical feature.
- TABLE 1 identifies two different sizes of a preferred embodiment of a round closure, closure A and closure B, and also identifies one embodiment of an oval closure C (discussed in detail following TABLE 1).
- TABLE 1 identifies various parameters and relationships for each round closure A and B, including those parameters and relationships discussed above, and identifies various parameters and relationships for the oval closure C as discussed in detail following TABLE 1.
- the numbers in column A (for closure A), column B (for closure B), and in column C (for oval closure C) are in millimeters, except for numbers in TABLE 1 that are followed by a percent sign. Numbers followed by a percent sign are the ratio of the parameters listed in the far left-hand column multiplied by 100.
- the listed values of the parameters are preferred values which have been found to provide the desired operation of the closure with respect to sealing and with respect to providing a structure with sufficient ruggedness or robustness to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, handling, and normal internal container pressures (including pressures applied to the closure lid from the product in an inverted container and/or from impacts upon the container).
- FIGS. 9-15 A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9-15 wherein an elliptical or oval closure 30 A is shown.
- the closure 30 A includes a peripheral wall, base or body 32 A for extending from a container (not shown) around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to the opening.
- the closure 30 A also includes a lid 34 A which is movable between (1) a closed position occluding the opening, and (2) a fully open position exposing the opening.
- the lid 34 A is connected to the peripheral wall 32 A by means of a floppy hinge 36 A.
- the hinge 36 A could be omitted altogether.
- the hinge 36 A could be another type of hinge, such as a snap-action hinge.
- the peripheral wall 32 A includes a base flange 41 A which extends laterally outwardly and which is adapted to be sealed to the wall of a container defining a discharge opening around which the flange 41 A is mounted.
- the container could be generally rigid or flexible.
- the second embodiment of the closure 30 A is especially suitable for use on a flexible container.
- the flexible container may be any suitable flexible container, including, but not limited to, a pouch-type container made from a thin, flexible, thermoplastic film.
- the flange 41 A can be heat-sealed or secured with adhesive to the wall of the container. Other attachment systems may be employed, including purely mechanical attachment systems.
- the peripheral wall 32 A is initially molded first, and then the closure lid 34 A is bi-injection molded to the peripheral wall 32 A.
- the closure 30 A includes a floppy-type hinge 36 A illustrated in FIG. 14
- a lower portion of the hinge 36 A is initially molded as a unitary extension of the peripheral wall 32 A, and an upper part of the hinge is molded as a unitary extension of the lid 34 A.
- the two hinge extensions are connected together outwardly of the hinge fold line when the lid 34 A is bi-injection molded onto the peripheral wall 32 A.
- the lid 34 A preferably includes a downwardly extending latch tab 37 A for being received in a snap-fit type engaging slot 39 A in the peripheral wall 32 A.
- the snap-fit engagement can be overcome when sufficient force is applied by the user's finger or thumb to the lid 34 A in an upward direction to lift the lid 34 A away from the peripheral wall 32 A.
- the peripheral wall 32 A includes a sealing member 60 A.
- the undeformed, as-molded configuration of the sealing member 60 A and of the lid flange 100 A is identical with the configuration of the sealing member 60 and lid flange 100 , respectively, as described above in detail for the first embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 .
- the lid 34 A includes an outwardly projecting flange 100 A.
- the flange 100 A is adapted to be sealed by the sealing member 60 A when the lid 34 A is closed on the peripheral wall 32 A as illustrated in FIG. 13 .
- the sealing member 60 A includes a sealing surface 74 A that has an overall oval configuration and that is flat as viewed in cross section in FIG. 13 so that it is generally parallel to the product discharge direction.
- the surface 74 A is adapted for sealing against a peripheral sealable surface 102 A on the exterior of the lid flange 100 A.
- the sealing member 60 A has an oval configuration
- the lid sealable flange 100 A has a cooperating oval configuration.
- the major axis of the oval configuration of a particular feature of the closure 30 A may be characterized as the “largest lateral dimension” of that particular feature.
- the various lateral dimensions of the features of the closure sealing member 60 A and lid flange 100 A may be conveniently designated by the same dimensional signifiers used for illustrating the first embodiment of the closure 30 in FIGS. 3 and 7 . That is, the various dimensions such as D 1 , D 2 , D 3 , D 4 , L 1 , L 2 , H 1 , H 2 , H 3 , T 1 , T 2 , etc.
- top arcuate surface 71 , 71 A, and bottom arcuate surface 72 , 72 A function to facilitate the closing and opening engagement of the closure lid sealable flange 100 , 100 A with the peripheral wall sealing member 60 , 60 A, and that these arcuate surfaces 71 , 71 A, 72 , 72 A further eliminate sharp corner edges that a user might find objectionable when contacted by the user's fingers.
- the configuration and size relationships of the cooperating structures contribute to providing an arrangement in which the lid sealable flange 100 , 100 A is properly guided during closing of the lid 34 , 34 A so as to facilitate proper closing and sealing, especially for “wide mouth” sizes (e.g., 40 mm. or greater).
- the arrangement also is sufficiently robust to accommodate some warpage or other distortion—as well as normal handling during manufacturing, shipping and use—without deleterious effects on the sealing capability.
Abstract
A closure system is provided with a peripheral wall (e.g., as defined either by a top portion of a container for extending from, and defining, an opening or as defined by a separate closure body for extending from a container). The peripheral wall has a laterally inwardly extending sealing member. A lid is provided for being moved from an open position to a closed position on the peripheral wall. The lid has a flange with a peripheral sealable surface for being engaged by the sealing member of the peripheral wall to effect a seal.
Description
- Not applicable.
- Not applicable.
- Not applicable.
- This invention relates to a closure system for a container.
- There are a variety of types of conventional closures. One type of prior art closure system includes a body for being attached to the top of a container. The body defines an opening to the container interior. The system further includes a lid which is hingedly mounted on the body and which can be lifted up to expose the opening to the container interior. The closure body to which the lid is attached may be alternatively described as the closure base or base portion.
- For some types of products, it would be desirable to provide a closure with a hinged top or other lid structure that could provide access to the product (such as fluent products, as well as non-fluent products), and that would optionally accommodate either the insertion of a utensil through the open closure to permit the product to be scooped out of the container with a spoon, knife, ladle, etc., or accommodate the insertion of a user's hand through the open closure so that the product can be lifted out by the user's hand.
- It would be advantageous if such a closure could be provided with an improved seal between the lid and the closure body—especially for a “wide mouth” closure in which the smallest dimension across the product discharge opening is at least 40 mm. or more. In the past, the inventors of the present invention have found that it is difficult to design wide mouth, disposable, thermoplastic closures that have sufficiently good sealing capabilities and that are sufficiently robust to accommodate manufacturing processes, assembly processes, and handling during shipping and use.
- It would be desirable to provide an improved seal for a closure, including a wide mouth closure, in which the seal could function effectively to provide proper sealing and that would be sufficiently robust. It would be also especially desirable if such an improved seal could function effectively to guide a cooperating portion of the lid during closing of the lid.
- It would also be beneficial if the improved seal could accommodate some warpage or other distortion of a large closure without deleteriously affecting the sealing capability.
- Further, it would also be desirable if the improved seal had the optional capability for being incorporated in a closure having a lid that could be preferably connected with a hinge to the closure body.
- It would also be advantageous if a closure with such an improved seal could accommodate containers which have a variety of shapes and which are constructed from a variety of materials.
- Preferably, a closure with such an improved seal should accommodate ease of use. Preferably, the structural features of such an improved closure should also be capable of being readily incorporated into a design that facilitates cleaning of the closure.
- It would also be beneficial if a closure with such an improved seal could readily accommodate its manufacture from a thermoplastic material.
- It would also be desirable if a closure with such an improved seal could be molded from thermoplastic materials in one or more pieces, and preferably molded in only one, integral unit so as to not require assembly of multiple parts.
- Further, it would be desirable if a closure with such an improved seal could accommodate efficient, high-quality, high-speed, large volume manufacturing techniques with a reduced product reject rate to produce products having consistent operating characteristics unit-to-unit with high reliability.
- It would also be advantageous if such an improved seal could also optionally be incorporated, at least in part, directly in a container around the container opening to function as part of the closure system without requiring the use of a separate closure body, per se.
- The improved seal of the present invention can be incorporated into a closure system that may include one or more of the above-discussed, desired features.
- According to one aspect of the present invention, a first form of such a closure system is provided for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored. The closure system includes:
-
- (A) a peripheral wall for extending from the container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to the opening; and
- (B) a lid that is movable between (1) a closed position occluding the opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing the opening.
- The peripheral wall may be a closure base formed as a unitary or integral extension of the container, or may be a separate closure body for installation on the container. The peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of the opening. The sealing member includes a first portion and a distal second portion having a transverse cross-sectional configuration that is defined by (a) a laterally inwardly extending top arcuate surface, (b) a laterally inwardly extending bottom arcuate surface, and (c) a sealing surface that is generally parallel to the discharge direction and that extends between, and merges with, the top arcuate surface and the bottom arcuate surface.
- The lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when the lid is in said closed position, is (a) oriented generally parallel to the discharge direction, and (b) sealingly engaged with the sealing surface of the distal second portion of the sealing member so as to force the distal second portion laterally outwardly.
- According to another aspect of the invention, another form of a closure system is provided for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, and the closure system includes:
-
- (A) a peripheral wall for extending from the container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to the opening; and
- (B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding the opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing the opening; and wherein
- (a) the peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of the opening, the sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion extending from the first portion to define a sealing surface that is generally parallel to the discharge direction; and
- (b) the lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when the lid is in the closed position,
- (i) is oriented generally parallel to the discharge direction,
- (ii) has a minimum lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by the sealable surface that exceeds 40 mm.;
- (iii) is sealingly engaged with the sealing surface of the distal second portion of the sealing member of the peripheral wall so as to force the distal second portion laterally outwardly; and
- (iv) extends inwardly, in the direction opposite to the discharge direction, beyond the peripheral wall sealing member by an amount that is between about 0.5% and about 10.0% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by the lid flange sealable surface.
- According to another aspect of the invention, another form of a closure system is provided for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, and the closure system includes:
-
- (A) a peripheral wall for extending from the container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to the opening; and
- (B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding the opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing the opening; and wherein
- (a) the peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of the opening, the sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion extending from the first portion to define a sealing surface that is generally parallel to the discharge direction;
- (b) the lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when the lid is in the closed position,
- (i) is oriented generally parallel to the discharge direction,
- (ii) is sealingly engaged with the sealing surface of the distal second portion of the sealing member of the peripheral wall so as to force the distal second portion laterally outwardly; and
- (c) the largest lateral dimension of the sealing surface of the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion, as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction and across the locus defined by the sealing surface of the peripheral wall of the sealing member distal second portion when the lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface as measured across the locus of the flange periphery defined by the lid flange sealable surface whereby, when the lid is closed, the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion is forced laterally outwardly by the lid flange sealable surface.
- In embodiments that are presently most preferred, the largest lateral dimension of the sealing surface of the peripheral wall of the sealing member distal second portion is between about 0.50% and about 0.75% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface.
- According to another aspect of the invention, another form of a closure system is provided for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, and the closure system includes:
-
- (A) a peripheral wall for extending from the container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to the opening; and
- (B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding the opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing the opening; and wherein
- (a) the peripheral wall has interior surface and further includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered from said interior surface over part of the opening, the sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion extending from the first portion to define a sealing surface that (i) is generally parallel to the discharge direction, and (ii) has a height measured along the discharge direction, and the ratio of the height of said sealing surface to the largest lateral dimension of said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction is between about 0.08 and about 0.17; and
- (b) the lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when the lid is in the closed position, is
- (i) oriented generally parallel to the discharge direction, and
- (ii) sealingly engaged with the sealing surface of the distal second portion of the peripheral wall sealing member so as to force the distal second portion laterally outwardly.
- The closure system of the present invention is especially suitable for (but not limited to) relatively large product discharge openings (e.g., an opening (which may be round, oval, or some other shape) wherein the minimum lateral dimension across the opening is at least 40 mm.).
- Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.
- In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a closure system of the present invention as embodied in a closure for use on, or as part of, a container (not illustrated), and the closure is shown in a completely closed condition; -
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 2-2 inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the region inFIG. 2 indicated by the circle designated “FIG. 3 ”; -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the closure illustrated inFIG. 1 , but inFIG. 4 , the lid is shown in an open position; -
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view, taken generally along the plane 5-5 inFIG. 4 ; -
FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the region inFIG. 5 indicated by the oval designated “FIG. 6 ;” -
FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the region inFIG. 5 indicated by the circle designated “FIG. 7 ;” -
FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary view similar toFIG. 3 , butFIG. 8 shows the lid just beginning to engage the body as the lid is closing; -
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a closure system of the present invention as embodied in a closure for use on, or as part of, a container (not illustrated), and the closure is shown in a completely closed condition; -
FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated inFIG. 9 ; -
FIG. 11 is a left side elevation view of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10 ; -
FIG. 12 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 12-12 inFIG. 10 ; -
FIG. 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the region inFIG. 12 indicated by the circle designated “FIG. 13 ”; -
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated inFIG. 9 , but inFIG. 14 , the lid is shown in an open position; and -
FIG. 15 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 15-15 inFIG. 14 . - While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this specification and the accompanying drawings disclose only some specific forms as examples of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments so described, however. The scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.
- For ease of description, the closure system of this invention is described in a generally upright orientation that it could have at the upper end of a container when the container is positioned upright on its base. It will be understood, however, that the closure system of this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in orientations other than the orientation described.
- The closure system of this invention is suitable for use with a variety of conventional or special containers having various designs, the details of which, although not illustrated or described, would be apparent to those having skill in the art and an understanding of such containers. With respect to the broadest aspects of the invention, the container, per se, need not form part of the invention, and therefore, any particular container that is described herein is not intended to limit the broadest aspects of the invention.
- One presently preferred, first embodiment of a closure system of the present invention is incorporated in the closure that is illustrated in
FIGS. 1-8 , and that is designated generally byreference number 30 inFIG. 1 . Theclosure 30 is provided as a separately manufactured unit for mounting to the top of a container (not shown). It will be appreciated, however, that in some applications it may be desirable for theclosure 30 to be formed as a unitary part, or extension, of the container wherein the unitary part or extension defines an upper end structure of the container, per se. - The container (not shown) may be a pouch-type structure or a more rigid structure. A substantially rigid, or slightly flexible-walled container typically has a conventional mouth which provides access to the container interior and product contained therein. The product may be a paste-like product or fluent product (which can be scooped or ladled from the container with a spoon, knife, ladle, etc.), or a product of small, individual items, such as nuts, candies, crackers, cookies, etc. (which can be scooped out of the container, ladled out of the container, or removed by hand from the container). Other contemplated products include ground coffee, sugar, or other material in the form of liquids, powders, gels, pastes, slurries, lotions, creams, etc. Such materials may be sold, for example, as a food product, a personal care product, an industrial or household product (such as lotions or creams), or other composition (e.g., for internal or external use by humans or animals, or for use in activities involving medicine, manufacturing, commercial or household maintenance, construction, agriculture, etc.).
- A substantially rigid container or slightly flexible-walled container typically may have a neck or other suitable structure defining the container mouth having a cross-sectional configuration with which the
closure 30 is adapted to engage. The body of the container may have another cross-sectional configuration that differs from the cross-sectional configuration of the container mouth. The container may, on the other hand, have a substantially uniform shape along its entire length or height without any neck portion of reduced size or different cross-section. - The container may also be a pouch or bag fabricated from a relatively thin, flexible film, or the container may be a squeezable container having a flexible wall or walls which can be grasped by the user and compressed somewhat. One embodiment of the
closure 30 is especially suitable for use with a container that has substantially inflexible walls that are not intended to be squeezed inwardly by the user. Another embodiment is especially suitable for a flexible pouch-type container. - As shown in
FIG. 4 for the first embodiment, the preferred structure of theclosure 30 comprises (A) aperipheral wall 32 that defines the closure base orbody 32, and (B) alid 34 joined to the peripheral wall 32 (i.e., the closure base or body) by ahinge 36 which may be of any suitable conventional hinge design known in the closure art, or which may be of a special design, the details of which form no part of the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1-8 , thehinge 36 incorporates the hinge design of the snap-action type disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,712. In the preferred, first embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1-8 , the closure peripheral wall 32 (i.e., the closure base or body),lid 34, and hinge 36 are molded from a suitable thermoplastic material (such as polypropylene or the like) as an integral structure (which may include a bi-injection molded feature or other multi-step injection molded features). Other materials may be employed instead. - In an alternate embodiment (not illustrated), the
lid 34 could be a piece that is separate from the peripheral wall 32 (i.e., closure base or body), and that is not connected to theperipheral wall 32 by any hinge. - In yet another alternate embodiment (not illustrated), the
lid 34 andperipheral wall 32 could be separate pieces that each has a cooperating portion of a hinge and that can be assembled together to provide a hinged assembly for accommodating pivoting movement of thelid 34 on theperipheral wall 32 between the closed and open positions. - In other contemplated embodiments, the peripheral wall 32 (or even the entire closure 30) need not be a structure or assembly that is completely separate from the container. Instead, the container could be made with a dispensing end structure that incorporates the
closure 30, or at least theperipheral wall 32, as a unitary part of the top of the container. To create such an alternate embodiment, the illustratedfirst embodiment closure 30 could be modified so that it is formed as an extension of the top of the container, and the extending portion defining the closureperipheral wall 32 could then be characterized as a structural feature that functions to accommodate communication with the container interior. In any case, the peripheral wall 32 (whether it is a unitary portion of the top of the container or a separate piece that is releasably or permanently mounted at the top of the container) may be characterized as a peripheral wall for extending from the container around the opening to the container. - Regardless of whether or not the entire closure 30 (or just the peripheral wall 32) is molded as a unitary extension of a container or is a separate unit, the container may have an initially open bottom end opposite the top end on which the
closure 30 is located, and such a bottom end could be used for accommodating the filling of the inverted container with the product. After the inverted container is filled with the product through the open bottom end of the container, the open bottom end of the container could be closed by suitable means, such as by a separate bottom end closure which could be attached to the container bottom end (e.g., through a suitable threaded engagement, snap-fit engagement, adhesive engagement, thermal bonding engagement, etc.). Alternatively, such an open bottom portion of the container could be deformed closed (e.g., with an appropriate process applying heat and force if the container bottom end portion is made from a thermoplastic material or other material that would accommodate the use of such a process). - Where the
peripheral wall 32 is the base or body of aseparate closure 30, as in the preferred, first embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1-8 , theperipheral wall 32 may have a skirt 40 (FIGS. 2 and 4 ) with a screw thread 42 (FIG. 2 ) for releasably attaching the base orbody 32 to a mating thread of a container (not shown). Hereinafter in the description of the closure system, theperipheral wall 32 will be usually referred to simply as the closure base orbody 32. - The
closure body 32 and container could also be releasably connected by providing thebody 32 with a conventional bead (not shown) for snap-fit engagement with a mating container groove (not shown), or by other means. Alternatively, theclosure body 32 may be permanently attached to the container by means of induction bonding, ultrasonic bonding, gluing, or the like, depending upon the materials employed for the container andclosure body 32. - The interior of the
body 32 may also include special or conventional seal features to provide an enhanced leak-tight seal between theclosure body 32 and the container. The illustratedbody 32 employs such an enhanced seal feature in the form of a conventional “crab's claw” type of seal 44 (FIG. 2 ) for sealing against the container. - In the preferred first embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1-8 , theclosure body 32 includes an upwardly projecting spout 50 (FIGS. 5 and 7 ) which has a cylindrical exterior surface 52 (FIG. 7 ) having an outside diameter D1 (FIG. 7 ). The inside of thespout 50 is defined in part by an interior surface 54 (FIG. 7 ) which has a diameter D2 and which has an annular, cylindrical configuration concentric with thespout exterior surface 52. - The
closure body 32, and in particular thespout 50, defines a dispensing passage for communicating with the opening of the container (not shown) and defines a product discharge direction that is generally perpendicular to the container opening through which the product can be removed (by pouring, scooping, lifting out, etc.). - The
closure body 32 includes a sealing member 60 (FIG. 7 ) which extends laterally inwardly from the spoutinterior surface 54 so that it is cantilevered over the container opening when theclosure 30 is installed on the container. As can be seen inFIG. 7 , the sealingmember 60 includes afirst portion 61 and a distalsecond portion 62 extending from thefirst portion 61. Preferably, thefirst portion 61 tapers so that it becomes thinner in the radially inward direction. - In the preferred embodiment, the exterior surface of the sealing member
first portion 61 is defined by a circular radius R1. The interior surface of the sealingmember 60, extending along the sealing memberfirst portion 61 as well as along the sealing member distalsecond portion 62, is defined by a circular radius R2. The radius R1 and the radius R2 are located so that the arcuate surface defined by radius R1 and the arcuate surface defined by the radius R2 each becomes tangent to horizontal planes passing through the spout in an orientation perpendicular to the discharge direction. In particular, the arcuate surface defined by the radius R1 is tangent to an upper plane P1 (FIG. 7 ), and the arcuate surface defined by the radius R2 is tangent to a lower plane P2 (FIG. 7 ). - The maximum thickness of the sealing
member 60 where it attaches to thespout 50 between the planes P1 and P2 is designated T1 inFIG. 7 . The sealing member exterior arcuate surface defined by the radius R1 has a radially inwardly extending length designated L1 inFIG. 7 . The sealingmember 60 extends radially inwardly from the spoutinterior surface 54 for a distance or length L2 as designated inFIG. 7 . The total height of the sealingmember 60 is designated as H1 inFIG. 7 . The sealingmember 60 projects below the point where the arcuate interior surface defined by the radius R2 merges with the spout 50 (at the plane P2), and the amount of this projection is shown inFIG. 7 as the distance H2. - The sealing member distal
second portion 62 has a radially inward end which, in the transverse cross-sectional configuration as illustrated inFIG. 7 , is defined by (i) a laterally inwardly extending toparcuate surface 71, (ii) a laterally inwardly extending bottomarcuate surface 72, and (iii) a sealingsurface 74 that is generally parallel to the discharge direction and that extends between, and merges with, the toparcuate surface 71 and bottomarcuate surface 72. The sealingsurface 74 defines the most radially inwardly extent of the sealing member distal second portion, and the sealingsurface 74 has a cylindrical or annular configuration having a diameter D4 as illustrated inFIG. 7 . The vertical height of the sealingsurface 74, in the direction parallel to the discharge direction, is designated H3 inFIG. 7 . The sealingsurface 74 is adapted to coact with a feature on thelid 34 when thelid 34 is closed as explained in detail hereinafter. - In the preferred configuration of the sealing
member 60, themember 60 has a generally tapering configuration over a major portion of its length. The thinnest region occurs at the location where the distalsecond portion 62 is connected to thefirst portion 61, and the thinnest region dimension is designated T2 inFIG. 7 . - As can be seen in
FIGS. 2 and 5 , theclosure body 32 includes aperipheral shoulder 80 for receiving thelid 34 when thelid 34 is closed. Thelid 34 includes an outer frame orskirt 82 for confronting theclosure body shoulder 80 when thelid 34 is closed. The frame orskirt 82 includes a radially inwardly extending annular portion 84 (FIGS. 2 and 6 ) which terminates in acircular opening 86. Theopening 86 is covered by an insert disk 88 (FIGS. 2, 3 , and 5) which is preferably bi-injection molded onto theannular portion 84. Thedisk 88 may be of the same material as the rest of theclosure 30 or may be a different material. In one preferred embodiment, thedisk 88 is a translucent material, and it may have a different tint or color than the rest of the closure. In other contemplated embodiments, aseparate disk 88 need not be employed. Rather, the entire top of thelid 34 could be molded as one unitary structure together with thehinge 36 andbody 32, and such a structure would not incorporate any bi-injection molded portions or features. - In order to hold the
lid 34 in the closed position, theclosure body 32 includes an upwardly projecting,annular flange 90. At the front of theclosure body 32, theflange 90 includes an outwardly projectingengaging bead 92 for engaging a cooperatingbead 94 on the inside of theclosure lid skirt 82 at the front of the lid 34 (FIG. 5 ). As can be seen inFIG. 2 , the front of thelid 34 has an outwardly projectingportion 96 for functioning as a finger or thumb lift to assist the user in lifting the lid. - With reference to
FIGS. 5 and 6 , thelid 34 includes aclosure flange 100 which projects from the underside of thelid 34. Thelid closure flange 100 defines a peripheralsealable surface 102 which is generally cylindrical and defines a diameter D3 as illustrated inFIG. 6 . The diameter D3 of the lidsealable surface 102 is larger than the diameter D4 of the closure body sealing member sealing thesurface 74. The outer, distal edge of theflange 100 is tapered or chamfered at 104 as illustrated inFIG. 6 . When thelid 34 is closed (FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the peripheralsealable surface 102 of thelid flange 100 is oriented generally parallel to the discharge direction and is sealingly engaged with the sealingsurface 74 of the distalsecond portion 62 of the closure body peripheralwall sealing member 60 so as to force the distalsecond portion 62 laterally outwardly.FIG. 8 illustrates thelid 34 in an intermediate position as it is being closed on theclosure body 32, andFIG. 8 shows how theclosure lid flange 100 begins to engage the closurebody sealing member 60 just prior to deforming the sealingmember 60 radially outwardly. - To provide a robust closure system that withstands normal manufacturing and handling processes and that withstands normal use, especially in relatively large diameter closures, the diameter D3 of the closure lid flange
sealable surface 102 should be somewhat larger than the inner diameter of the closure body sealingmember sealing surface 74 as measured in the as-molded, unstressed condition (diameter D4 inFIG. 7 ). Specifically, in a preferred form of the invention, the largest lateral dimension of the sealingsurface 74 of the sealing member distal second portion 62 (i.e., dimension D4), as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction and across the locus defined by the sealingsurface 74 of the sealing member distal second portion when the lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface 102 (i.e., dimension D3) as measured across the locus of the periphery of thelid flange 100 defined by the lid flangesealable surface 102. A presently most preferred range of the largest lateral dimension of the sealing member sealing surface is between about 0.50% and about 0.75% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of the lid flange sealable surface 103. With such an interfering relationship, when thelid 34 is closed, the peripheral wall sealing member distalsecond portion 62 is forced laterally outwardly by the lid flange sealable surface 102 an amount sufficient to insure a good seal under normal conditions of use. This helps to provide a good seal without creating excessive fictional forces when the lid is closed and opened—thereby facilitating operation of the lid and also reducing wear on the sealing surfaces. In one presently preferred embodiment, the lid flangesealable surface 102 and the peripheral wall sealing member distalsecond portion 62 interfere when thelid 34 is in the closed position so as to force the peripheral wall sealing member distalsecond portion 62 radially outwardly a distance that is between about 0.05 mm. and about 0.51 mm., and that is preferably about 0.21 mm. or at least as great as about 0.20 mm. - A presently preferred range for the height H3 (
FIG. 7 ) of the sealingsurface 74 is between about 0.10 mm. and about 1.02 mm. for round and oval closures. It is preferable to design the sealingsurface 74 of the peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion so that it has a height H3 (FIG. 7 ) based on a desired ratio of the sealing surface height H3 to the distance L2 (where L2 is the laterally inward extension of the sealingmember 60 from the spout interior surface 54). Such a desired ratio of H3 to L2 is between about 0.08 and about 0.17. This helps to provide a good seal without creating excessive fictional forces when the lid is closed and opened—thereby facilitating operation of the lid and also reducing wear on the sealing surfaces. In presently preferred embodiments identified in TABLE 1 discussed below, the sealing member distal secondportion sealing surface 74 has a height (i.e., height H3 inFIG. 7 ) between only about 0.15 mm. and about 0.35 mm. - In the illustrated embodiments, the peripheral wall sealing member distal second
portion sealing surface 74 height H3 (FIG. 7 ), as measured along the discharge direction, can be characterized as being between about 0.25% and about 0.38% of the largest lateral dimension D4 (FIG. 7 ) as measured across the locus defined by the sealingsurface 74 when thelid 34 is in the open condition. In the presently manufactured embodiments, the ratio H3/D4 (i.e., the ratio of the sealing member sealing surface height H3 to the largest lateral dimension D4 of the seal member sealing surface 74) is between about 0.002 and about 0.01 for round or oval closures. - Further, according to a preferred form of the invention, there is a preferred relationship between the
interior surface 54 of the peripheral wall or spout 50 and the sealingsurface 74 of the sealing member distalsecond portion 62. In particular, the peripheral wallinterior surface 54 preferably has a maximum lateral dimension X (e.g., diameter D2) defined as the largest lateral dimension defined by the peripheral wallinterior surface 54 as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction, and the sealingsurface 74 of the sealing member distalsecond portion 62 has a maximum lateral dimension Y (e.g., diameter D4) defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by the sealingsurface 74 measured perpendicular to the discharge direction, and the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08. - As can be seen in
FIG. 3 , when thelid 34 is closed, the lid flangesealable surface 102 extends inwardly in the direction opposite to the discharge direction, beyond the peripheralwall sealing member 60 by an amount designated S inFIG. 3 . It has been found that some projection of thesurface 62 beyond the deformed sealingmember 60 is useful in insuring good operation of the seal between thelid flange 100 and the sealingmember 60—especially for aclosure 30 which has a relatively large discharge opening (e.g., 40 mm. or more) and which must accommodate creep or relaxation of the stressed closure material. - The extension S of the
lid flange 100 below the sealingmember 60 is also useful in circumstances wherein the interior pressure in the package can act to impose an outwardly directed force on thelid 34, including when the closed package is inverted. In a preferred design, the lid flangesealable surface 102 extends a distance 5 beyond the closurebody sealing member 60 by an amount which is at least as great as 0.59% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by the lid flange sealable surface (i.e., dimension D3 for the circularclosure lid flange 100 illustrated inFIG. 3 ). In a presently preferred range, the extension distance S is between about 0.5% and about 10.0% of D3 for a round closure (where D3 is the diameter of the lid flange 100) or an oval closure (where D3 for an oval closure is the length of the major axis). In presently manufactured closure system embodiments (which could be round or oval), the distance S is between about 0.60% and about 2.60% of the largest lateral dimension D3 of the lid flangesealable surface 102. The extension distance S helps to provide a good seal without creating excessive frictional forces during opening and closing of the lid—thereby facilitating operation of the lid and also reducing wear on the sealing surfaces. In one preferred embodiment of a round closure wherein the closurebody sealing member 60 has an inner diameter D4 of at least 57 mm. (before thelid 34 is closed), the lid flangesealable surface 102 extends a distance S that is at least 1.40 mm. inwardly, in the direction opposite to the discharge direction beyond the peripheralwall sealing member 60 when thelid 34 is in the closed position. - In the above discussion of the dimensional relationships, the term “largest lateral dimension” has been employed with respect to a particular feature of interest. For the first embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1-8 , wherein the closure has a generally circular configuration, the “largest lateral dimension” is the diameter of the particular feature. In an oval or elliptical closure (such as the second embodiment discussed hereinafter), the “largest lateral dimension” would be the major axis of the oval or elliptical feature. - TABLE 1 below identifies two different sizes of a preferred embodiment of a round closure, closure A and closure B, and also identifies one embodiment of an oval closure C (discussed in detail following TABLE 1). TABLE 1 identifies various parameters and relationships for each round closure A and B, including those parameters and relationships discussed above, and identifies various parameters and relationships for the oval closure C as discussed in detail following TABLE 1. In TABLE 1, the numbers in column A (for closure A), column B (for closure B), and in column C (for oval closure C) are in millimeters, except for numbers in TABLE 1 that are followed by a percent sign. Numbers followed by a percent sign are the ratio of the parameters listed in the far left-hand column multiplied by 100. In TABLE 1, the listed values of the parameters are preferred values which have been found to provide the desired operation of the closure with respect to sealing and with respect to providing a structure with sufficient ruggedness or robustness to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, handling, and normal internal container pressures (including pressures applied to the closure lid from the product in an inverted container and/or from impacts upon the container).
TABLE 1 C Parameters A B Major Axis Minor Axis H1 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 H2 0.80 0.80 0.79 0.79 L1 1.30 1.69 1.30 1.30 D3 57.70 74.02 80.62 48.87 S 1.50 1.44 0.48 0.48 S/D3 2.60% 1.95% 0.60% 0.98% D4 57.28 73.60 80.21 48.46 (D3 − D4)/2 0.21 0.21 0.205 0.205 (D3 − D4)/D3 0.73% 0.57% 0.51% 0.84% D1 62.55 79.78 86.36 54.61 D2 61.00 78.24 83.82 52.07 D2/D4 1.065 1.063 1.045 1.074 L2 = (D2 − D4)/2 1.86 2.32 1.805 1.805 L2/D3 3.22% 3.13% 2.24% 3.69% L2/D2 3.05% 2.97% 2.15% 3.47% L2/D3 3.22% 3.13% 2.24% 3.69% T2 0.21 0.30 0.31 0.31 T2/D3 0.36% 0.41% 0.38% 0.63% T1 0.50 0.50 0.51 0.51 R1 1.21 1.77 1.27 1.27 R2 1.21 1.77 1.22 1.22 R1/D3 2.10% 2.39% 1.51% 2.50% H3 0.165 1.196 0.30 0.30 H3/D4 029% 0.27% 0.37% 0.62% H3/L2 0.089 0.085 0.166 0.166 - A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
FIGS. 9-15 wherein an elliptical oroval closure 30A is shown. As can be seen inFIG. 14 , theclosure 30A includes a peripheral wall, base orbody 32A for extending from a container (not shown) around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to the opening. Theclosure 30A also includes alid 34A which is movable between (1) a closed position occluding the opening, and (2) a fully open position exposing the opening. In the preferred form of the second embodiment of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 9-15 , thelid 34A is connected to theperipheral wall 32A by means of afloppy hinge 36A. Thehinge 36A could be omitted altogether. Alternatively, thehinge 36A could be another type of hinge, such as a snap-action hinge. - The
peripheral wall 32A includes abase flange 41A which extends laterally outwardly and which is adapted to be sealed to the wall of a container defining a discharge opening around which theflange 41A is mounted. The container could be generally rigid or flexible. The second embodiment of theclosure 30A is especially suitable for use on a flexible container. The flexible container may be any suitable flexible container, including, but not limited to, a pouch-type container made from a thin, flexible, thermoplastic film. Theflange 41A can be heat-sealed or secured with adhesive to the wall of the container. Other attachment systems may be employed, including purely mechanical attachment systems. - In the preferred form of the
second embodiment 30A illustrated inFIG. 14 , theperipheral wall 32A is initially molded first, and then theclosure lid 34A is bi-injection molded to theperipheral wall 32A. Preferably, if theclosure 30A includes a floppy-type hinge 36A illustrated inFIG. 14 , a lower portion of thehinge 36A is initially molded as a unitary extension of theperipheral wall 32A, and an upper part of the hinge is molded as a unitary extension of thelid 34A. The two hinge extensions are connected together outwardly of the hinge fold line when thelid 34A is bi-injection molded onto theperipheral wall 32A. - As can be seen in
FIG. 12 , thelid 34A preferably includes a downwardly extendinglatch tab 37A for being received in a snap-fittype engaging slot 39A in theperipheral wall 32A. The snap-fit engagement can be overcome when sufficient force is applied by the user's finger or thumb to thelid 34A in an upward direction to lift thelid 34A away from theperipheral wall 32A. - As can be seen in
FIGS. 12 and 14 , theperipheral wall 32A includes a sealingmember 60A. In cross section, the undeformed, as-molded configuration of the sealingmember 60A and of thelid flange 100A is identical with the configuration of the sealingmember 60 andlid flange 100, respectively, as described above in detail for the first embodiment of the closure illustrated inFIGS. 1-8 . - In the second embodiment closure, the
lid 34A includes an outwardly projectingflange 100A. Theflange 100A is adapted to be sealed by the sealingmember 60A when thelid 34A is closed on theperipheral wall 32A as illustrated inFIG. 13 . The sealingmember 60A includes a sealingsurface 74A that has an overall oval configuration and that is flat as viewed in cross section inFIG. 13 so that it is generally parallel to the product discharge direction. Thesurface 74A is adapted for sealing against a peripheralsealable surface 102A on the exterior of thelid flange 100A. - In this second embodiment of the
closure 34A illustrated inFIGS. 9-15 , the sealingmember 60A has an oval configuration, and the lidsealable flange 100A has a cooperating oval configuration. The major axis of the oval configuration of a particular feature of theclosure 30A may be characterized as the “largest lateral dimension” of that particular feature. The various lateral dimensions of the features of theclosure sealing member 60A andlid flange 100A may be conveniently designated by the same dimensional signifiers used for illustrating the first embodiment of theclosure 30 inFIGS. 3 and 7 . That is, the various dimensions such as D1, D2, D3, D4, L1, L2, H1, H2, H3, T1, T2, etc. in the first embodiment apply also to the configuration of the oval closure illustrated inFIGS. 9-15 . To the extent that the oval closure features have a major and minor axis, such major and minor axes are listed in TABLE 1 in column C for the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 9-15 . The values listed in the “Major Axis” column and “Minor Axis” under heading C in TABLE 1 are preferred values which have been found to provide the desired operation of the closure with respect to sealing and with respect to providing a structure with sufficient ruggedness or robustness to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, handling, and normal internal container pressures (including pressures applied to the closure lid from the product in an inverted container and/or from impacts upon the container). - With respect to either the round, first embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1-8 or the oval, second embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1-15 , it has been found that the toparcuate surface arcuate surface sealable flange wall sealing member arcuate surfaces - Also, with respect to all of the embodiments, the configuration and size relationships of the cooperating structures contribute to providing an arrangement in which the lid
sealable flange lid - It will be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the invention and from the illustrations thereof that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts or principles of this invention.
Claims (20)
1. A closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said closure system comprising:
(A) a peripheral wall for extending from said container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to said opening; and
(B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding said opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing said opening; and wherein
(a) said peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of said opening, said sealing member including a tapering first portion that becomes thinner in the radially inward direction, said tapering first portion being defined by an outwardly convex first surface and an inwardly concave second surface, said sealing member including a distal second portion extending from said first portion, said distal second portion having a transverse cross-sectional configuration that is defined by
(i) a laterally inwardly extending top arcuate surface,
(ii) a laterally inwardly extending bottom arcuate surface, and
(iii) a sealing surface that is generally parallel to said discharge direction and that extends between, and merges with, said top arcuate surface and said bottom arcuate surface; and
(b) said lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when said lid is in said closed position, is
(i) oriented generally parallel to said discharge direction, and
(ii) sealingly engaged with said sealing surface of said distal second portion of said peripheral wall sealing member so as to force said distal second portion laterally outwardly, and in which:
(iii) when said lid is in said closed position, said lid flange sealable surface extends inwardly, in the direction opposite to said discharge direction, beyond said peripheral wall sealing member by an amount at least as great as 0.59% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface;
(iv) the largest lateral dimension of said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion, as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction and across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion when said lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of said lid flange sealable surface as measured across the locus of the flange periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface whereby, when said lid is closed, said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion is forced laterally outwardly by said lid flange sealable surface;
(v) said peripheral wall has an interior surface from which said sealing member extends, and
wherein said peripheral wall interior surface has a dimension X defined as the largest lateral dimension across the locus defined by said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction;
wherein said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion has a dimension Y defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction; and
wherein the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08; and
(vi) said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion sealing surface has a height as measured along said discharge direction, and the ratio of said sealing surface height to said peripheral wall interior surface dimension X is between about 0.08 and about 0.17.
2. A closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said closure system comprising:
(A) a peripheral wall for extending from said container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to said opening; and
(B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding said opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing said opening; and wherein
(a) said peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of said opening, said sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion having a transverse cross-sectional configuration that is defined by
(i) a laterally inwardly extending top arcuate surface,
(ii) a laterally inwardly extending bottom arcuate surface, and
(iii) a sealing surface that is generally parallel to said discharge direction and that extends between, and merges with, said top arcuate surface and said bottom arcuate surface; and
(b) said lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when said lid is in said closed position, is
(i) oriented generally parallel to said discharge direction, and
(ii) sealingly engaged with said sealing surface of said distal second portion of said peripheral wall sealing member so as to force said distal second portion laterally outwardly.
3. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which
said system is a closure that is separate from, but attachable to, a container that has an opening to the container interior;
said closure includes a body defining said peripheral wall; and
said lid and body are molded as an unitary structure joined by a hinge.
4. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which said lid flange and said peripheral wall sealing member each has an oval configuration.
5. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which, when said lid is in said closed position, said lid flange sealable surface extends inwardly, in the direction opposite to said discharge direction, beyond said peripheral wall sealing member by an amount that is between about 0.5% and 10.0% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface.
6. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which the largest lateral dimension of said sealing surface of said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion, as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction and across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion when said lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of said lid flange sealable surface as measured across the locus of the flange periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface whereby, when said lid is closed, said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion is forced laterally outwardly by said lid flange sealable surface.
7. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which said lid flange sealable surface and said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion interfere when said lid is in said closed position so as to force said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion laterally outwardly a distance at least as great as about 0.2 mm.
8. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which
said peripheral wall has an interior surface from which said sealing member extends; and said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion sealing surface has a height, as measured along said discharge direction, and the ratio of said sealing surface height to the largest lateral dimension across the locus defined by said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction is between about 0.08 and about 0.17.
9. The system in accordance with claim 8 in which said sealing surface height is between about 0.10 mm. and about 1.02 mm.
10. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which
said peripheral wall has an interior surface from which said sealing member extends; and
wherein said peripheral wall interior surface has a dimension X defined as the largest lateral dimension across the locus defined by said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction;
wherein said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion has a dimension Y defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction; and
wherein the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08.
11. The system in accordance with claim 2 in which
said sealing member first portion tapers and becomes thinner in the radially inward direction; and
said sealing member first portion is defined by an outwardly convex first surface and an inwardly concave second surface.
12. A closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said closure system comprising:
(A) a peripheral wall for extending from said container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to said opening; and
(B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding said opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing said opening; and wherein
(a) said peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of said opening, said sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion extending from said first portion to define a sealing surface that is generally parallel to said discharge direction; and
(b) said lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when said lid is in said closed position,
(i) is oriented generally parallel to said discharge direction,
(ii) has a minimum lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by the sealable surface that exceeds 40 mm.;
(iii) is sealingly engaged with said sealing surface of said distal second portion of said sealing member of said peripheral wall so as to force said distal second portion laterally outwardly; and
(iv) extends inwardly, in the direction opposite to said discharge direction, beyond said peripheral wall sealing member by an amount that is between about 0.5% and about 10.0% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface.
13. The system in accordance with claim 12 in which
said system is a closure that is separate from, but attachable to, a container that has an opening to the container interior;
said closure includes a body defining said peripheral wall; and
said lid and body are molded as an unitary structure joined by a hinge.
14. The system in accordance with claim 12 in which
(1) the largest lateral dimension of said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion, as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction and across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion when said lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of said lid flange sealable surface as measured across the locus of the flange periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface whereby, when said lid is closed, said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion is forced laterally outwardly by said lid flange sealable surface;
(2) said peripheral wall has an interior surface from which said sealing member extends, and
wherein said peripheral wall interior surface has a dimension X defined as the largest lateral dimension across the locus defined by said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction;
wherein said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion has a dimension Y defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction; and
wherein the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08;
(3) said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion sealing surface has a height as measured along said discharge direction, and the ratio of said sealing surface height to said peripheral wall interior surface dimension X is between about 0.08 and about 0.17;
(4) said sealing member first portion tapers and becomes thinner in the radially inward direction; and
(5) said sealing member first portion is defined by an outwardly convex first surface and an inwardly concave second surface.
15. A closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said closure system comprising:
(A) a peripheral wall for extending from said container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to said opening; and
(B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding said opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing said opening; and wherein
(a) said peripheral wall includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered over part of said opening, said sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion extending from said first portion to define a sealing surface that is generally parallel to said discharge direction;
(b) said lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when said lid is in said closed position,
(i) is oriented generally parallel to said discharge direction,
(ii) is sealingly engaged with said sealing surface of said distal second portion of said sealing member of said peripheral wall so as to force said distal second portion laterally outwardly; and
(c) the largest lateral dimension of said sealing surface of said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion, as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction and across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said peripheral wall of said sealing member distal second portion when said lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of said lid flange sealable surface as measured across the locus of the flange periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface whereby, when said lid is closed, said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion is forced laterally outwardly by said lid flange sealable surface.
16. The system in accordance with claim 15 in which
said system is a closure that is separate from, but attachable to, a container that has an opening to the container interior;
said closure includes a body defining said peripheral wall; and
said lid and body are molded as an unitary structure joined by a hinge.
17. The system in accordance with claim 15 in which
(1) when said lid is in said closed position, said flange sealable surface extends inwardly, in the direction opposite to said discharge direction, beyond said peripheral wall sealing member by an amount that is between about 0.5% and about 10.0% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface;
(2) said peripheral wall has an interior surface from which said sealing member extends, and
wherein said peripheral wall interior surface has a dimension X defined as the largest lateral dimension across the locus defined by said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction;
wherein said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion has a dimension Y defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction; and
wherein the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08;
(3) said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion sealing surface has a height as measured along said discharge direction, and the ratio of said sealing surface height to said peripheral wall interior surface dimension X is between about 0.08 an 0.17;
(4) said sealing member first portion tapers and becomes thinner in the radially inward direction; and
(5) said sealing member first portion is defined by an outwardly convex first surface and an inwardly concave second surface.
18. A closure system for a container that has an interior where a product may be stored, said closure system comprising:
(A) a peripheral wall for extending from said container around an opening to the container interior and through which the product can be removed in a discharge direction that is perpendicular to said opening; and
(B) a lid movable between (1) a closed position occluding said opening, and (2) a fully opened position exposing said opening; and wherein
(a) said peripheral wall has an interior surface and further includes a laterally inwardly extending sealing member cantilevered from said interior surface over part of said opening, said sealing member including a first portion and a distal second portion extending from said first portion to define a sealing surface that (i) is generally parallel to said discharge direction, and (ii) has a height as measured along said discharge direction, and the ratio of the height of said sealing surface to the largest lateral dimension of said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction is between about 0.08 and about 0.17; and
(b) said lid includes a closure flange that defines a peripheral sealable surface which, when said lid is in said closed position, is
(i) oriented generally parallel to said discharge direction, and
(ii) sealingly engaged with said sealing surface of said distal second portion of said peripheral wall sealing member so as to force said distal second portion laterally outwardly.
19. The system in accordance with claim 18 in which
said system is a closure that is separate from, but attachable to, a container that has an opening to the container interior;
said closure includes a body defining said peripheral wall; and
said lid and body are molded as an unitary structure joined by a hinge.
20. The system in accordance with claim 18 in which,
(1) when said lid is in said closed position, said lid flange sealable surface extends inwardly, in the direction opposite to said discharge direction, beyond said peripheral wall sealing member by an amount that is between about 0.5% and about 10.0% of the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus of the periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface;
(2) the largest lateral dimension of said sealing surface of said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion, as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction and across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion when said lid is opened, is between about 0.3% and about 2.0% smaller than the largest lateral dimension of said lid flange sealable surface as measured across the locus of the flange periphery defined by said lid flange sealable surface whereby, when said lid is closed, said peripheral wall sealing member distal second portion is forced laterally outwardly by said lid flange sealable surface;
(3) said peripheral wall has an interior surface from which said sealing member extends, and
wherein said peripheral wall interior surface has a dimension X defined as the largest lateral dimension across the locus defined by said peripheral wall interior surface as measured perpendicular to said discharge direction;
wherein said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion has a dimension Y defined as the largest lateral dimension measured across the locus defined by said sealing surface of said sealing member distal second portion as measured perpendicular to the discharge direction;
wherein the ratio of X to Y is between about 1.04 and about 1.08;
(4) said sealing member first portion tapers and becomes thinner in the radially inward direction;
(5) said sealing member first portion is defined by an outwardly convex first surface and an inwardly concave second surface, and
(6) said sealing surface height is between about 0.10 mm. and about 1.02 mm.
Priority Applications (15)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/066,751 US20060191933A1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2005-02-25 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
BRPI0606190-7A BRPI0606190A2 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | closure system with improved lid sealing |
RU2007135348/12A RU2372265C2 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closing system with improved sealing of lid |
PCT/US2006/001744 WO2006093579A1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
PL06718765T PL1851127T3 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
MX2007010213A MX2007010213A (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid. |
ES06718765T ES2349306T3 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | CLOSURE SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED SEALING OF THE COVER. |
AT06718765T ATE478809T1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | CLOSURE SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED LID CLOSURE |
DE602006016404T DE602006016404D1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | CLOSURE SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED COVER |
AU2006219092A AU2006219092B2 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
CA2599202A CA2599202C (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
JP2007557023A JP2008531410A (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closing device with improved lid sealing |
EP06718765A EP1851127B1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
CNB2006800058909A CN100572208C (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-01-19 | The bounded system that is used for container |
ARP060100671A AR055864A1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2006-02-23 | IMPROVED COVER HERMETIC CLOSURE SYSTEM |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/066,751 US20060191933A1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2005-02-25 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20060191933A1 true US20060191933A1 (en) | 2006-08-31 |
Family
ID=36931125
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/066,751 Abandoned US20060191933A1 (en) | 2005-02-25 | 2005-02-25 | Closure system with improved sealing of lid |
Country Status (15)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20060191933A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1851127B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2008531410A (en) |
CN (1) | CN100572208C (en) |
AR (1) | AR055864A1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE478809T1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2006219092B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BRPI0606190A2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2599202C (en) |
DE (1) | DE602006016404D1 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2349306T3 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2007010213A (en) |
PL (1) | PL1851127T3 (en) |
RU (1) | RU2372265C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2006093579A1 (en) |
Cited By (44)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20070045315A1 (en) * | 2005-08-25 | 2007-03-01 | Evans Christopher T | Moisture retention seal |
US20070145001A1 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2007-06-28 | Tilton Andrew T | Removable and reclosable lid for jar for a food product |
US20070235452A1 (en) * | 2006-03-28 | 2007-10-11 | Killinger Timothy D | Storage container lid |
WO2008031485A1 (en) * | 2006-09-13 | 2008-03-20 | Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner Gmbh & Co. Kg | Attachment having a hinged lid |
WO2008081171A1 (en) * | 2007-01-04 | 2008-07-10 | Obrist Closures Switzerland Gmbh | A closure |
US20080179326A1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2008-07-31 | Krauth Marlene N | Push Button Dispensing Lid |
JP2009067397A (en) * | 2007-09-10 | 2009-04-02 | Kao Corp | Container with cap |
US7614519B2 (en) | 2006-11-30 | 2009-11-10 | Rockline Industries, Inc. | Push button dispensing lid |
US20100108670A1 (en) * | 2006-12-27 | 2010-05-06 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US20100308044A1 (en) * | 2009-06-05 | 2010-12-09 | Abbott Laboratories | Strength container |
US20100308066A1 (en) * | 2009-06-05 | 2010-12-09 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US20110186570A1 (en) * | 2007-12-18 | 2011-08-04 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
USD655166S1 (en) | 2010-11-02 | 2012-03-06 | The J. M. Smucker Company | Container |
US20120205377A1 (en) * | 2011-02-15 | 2012-08-16 | Franz Adler | Flip closure for sealing a container |
CN102700818A (en) * | 2007-12-19 | 2012-10-03 | 达能日尔维公司 | Food packaging with lid and closing system for packaging |
USD733320S1 (en) | 2013-04-26 | 2015-06-30 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US20150368011A1 (en) * | 2014-06-18 | 2015-12-24 | Weatherchem Corporation | Pill shelf flip cap closure |
EP2207727B1 (en) | 2007-11-16 | 2016-05-11 | Clariant Production (France) S.A.S. | Container |
USD756778S1 (en) | 2015-01-14 | 2016-05-24 | Mead Johnson Nutrition Company | Closure |
EP2280882B1 (en) | 2008-05-15 | 2016-07-06 | CSP Technologies, Inc. | Vial with non-round seal |
US9387963B2 (en) | 2012-04-27 | 2016-07-12 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US9387959B2 (en) | 2008-03-20 | 2016-07-12 | Crown Packaging Technology, Inc. | Closure |
USD771489S1 (en) | 2015-04-13 | 2016-11-15 | The Clorox Company | Wipes dispenser container lid |
USD773930S1 (en) | 2015-04-13 | 2016-12-13 | The Clorox Company | Lid with an orifice |
USD790343S1 (en) | 2015-01-14 | 2017-06-27 | Mead Johnson Nutrition Company | Closure |
US20170347837A1 (en) * | 2016-06-03 | 2017-12-07 | Lydia Stevens | Hot Food Storage Assembly |
US9974419B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2018-05-22 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US10039425B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2018-08-07 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US20190023460A1 (en) * | 2017-07-21 | 2019-01-24 | Doskocil Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Container enclosure assembly |
US10327602B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2019-06-25 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
USD885895S1 (en) * | 2018-06-19 | 2020-06-02 | Betapack, S.A.U. | Cap for a bottle |
US10669064B2 (en) | 2017-05-15 | 2020-06-02 | Jafar Shabani Sofla | Sealable multi-positional can lid |
USD900606S1 (en) | 2018-03-02 | 2020-11-03 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Closure |
USD902715S1 (en) * | 2018-03-28 | 2020-11-24 | Jiangxi Sencen Hygienic Products Co., Ltd. | Wipes bottle cap |
USD927302S1 (en) * | 2018-02-23 | 2021-08-10 | Mead Johnson Nutrition Company | Lid for container |
USD928508S1 (en) * | 2019-07-23 | 2021-08-24 | Sdc U.S. Smilepay Spv | Aligner case |
USD931101S1 (en) | 2018-03-02 | 2021-09-21 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Closure |
US20220074707A1 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2022-03-10 | Bushnell Inc. | Riflescope cap assembly |
USD949689S1 (en) * | 2017-06-02 | 2022-04-26 | Pact Group Holdings (Nz) Ltd. | Lid for a container |
US20220267082A1 (en) * | 2019-08-27 | 2022-08-25 | Daio Paper Corporation | Sanitary tissue paper storage container |
WO2022243530A1 (en) * | 2021-05-21 | 2022-11-24 | Weener Plastics Group B.V. | Closure with a locking rim having a sealing rib |
USD974173S1 (en) * | 2020-10-14 | 2023-01-03 | Pws Packaging Services, Inc. | Lid |
USD984892S1 (en) * | 2020-10-08 | 2023-05-02 | Pws Packaging Services, Inc. | Lid |
USD1019388S1 (en) * | 2021-11-05 | 2024-03-26 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Closure for a bottle |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2467972A (en) * | 2009-02-24 | 2010-08-25 | Body Pak Closures Ltd | A flip-lid assembly for a container |
ES2331682B1 (en) * | 2009-04-08 | 2010-10-13 | Seaplast S.A. | SEALED PLUG WITH FLAT COVER FOR WIDE MOUTH CONTAINERS. |
EP3060090B1 (en) * | 2013-10-18 | 2019-08-14 | Breville PTY Limited | Lid with check valve |
WO2015187003A1 (en) * | 2014-06-05 | 2015-12-10 | N.V. Nutricia | Lid structure for container |
CN107175046A (en) * | 2017-07-04 | 2017-09-19 | 安徽恒创环保建材有限公司 | Autoclave |
JP7094672B2 (en) * | 2017-08-31 | 2022-07-04 | 大和製罐株式会社 | Hinge caps and containers |
EP3941707A4 (en) * | 2019-03-22 | 2022-10-26 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Vacuum systems for epoxy mounting of material samples |
CN114148607B (en) * | 2021-11-23 | 2022-08-16 | 江林(贵州)高科发展股份有限公司 | Biodegradable controlled atmosphere preservation box capable of preventing peel white frost damage |
Citations (24)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1268164A (en) * | 1916-05-29 | 1918-06-04 | Anthony Schneider | Cigar-box. |
US2035832A (en) * | 1935-05-27 | 1936-03-31 | Theodore W Foster & Bro Compan | Vanity case |
US4387819A (en) * | 1981-12-23 | 1983-06-14 | Corsette Douglas Frank | Sealing means for a snap-on fitment |
US4526289A (en) * | 1983-08-05 | 1985-07-02 | Schiemann Dr Wolfram | Screw stopper for a can |
US4981231A (en) * | 1988-04-15 | 1991-01-01 | W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. | Container closure caps and compositions for forming gaskets for them |
US5006376A (en) * | 1984-03-15 | 1991-04-09 | Toyo Tire And Rubber Co., Ltd. | Joint boot molded of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer |
US5065911A (en) * | 1990-05-14 | 1991-11-19 | Seaquist Closures | Two-piece dispensing closure with cantilevered biasing member |
US5271531A (en) * | 1991-01-14 | 1993-12-21 | Seaquist Closures, A Division Of Pittway Corp. | Dispensing closure with pressure-actuated flexible valve |
US5335802A (en) * | 1991-09-10 | 1994-08-09 | Creanova Ag | Plastic closure for a container |
US5755360A (en) * | 1996-07-11 | 1998-05-26 | Aptargroup, Inc. | Multi-material, multi-shot, injection molded dispensing closure having a removable seal |
US5860543A (en) * | 1996-11-12 | 1999-01-19 | Bouchons Mac Inc. | Closure cap |
US6045004A (en) * | 1998-03-20 | 2000-04-04 | Aptargroup, Inc. | Dispensing structure with dispensing valve and barrier penetrator |
US6283317B1 (en) * | 1997-06-10 | 2001-09-04 | Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation | Synthetic top with articulated cap on a ring |
US6321923B1 (en) * | 2000-04-26 | 2001-11-27 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Bistable hinge with reduced stress regions |
US6332754B1 (en) * | 1999-04-02 | 2001-12-25 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Steam turbine |
US6371324B1 (en) * | 1999-02-12 | 2002-04-16 | General Mills, Inc. | Portable food container cover with detachable utensil |
US6382476B1 (en) * | 2001-05-30 | 2002-05-07 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Single axis dual dispensing closure |
US20020104843A1 (en) * | 2001-02-02 | 2002-08-08 | Smith Kelly A. | One-piece tamper-evident closure system with a resealable, hinged lid |
US6527132B1 (en) * | 1997-07-14 | 2003-03-04 | Closures And Packaging Services Limited | Closure with extended seal member |
US6550626B1 (en) * | 2000-10-03 | 2003-04-22 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Closure lid and resealable closure system with tamper-evident features |
US6761279B1 (en) * | 2001-02-08 | 2004-07-13 | Weatherchem Corporation | Combined container and closure |
US6772904B1 (en) * | 2000-05-26 | 2004-08-10 | Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. | Container for food products |
US20050167388A1 (en) * | 2002-01-03 | 2005-08-04 | Giovanni Bocola | Jar for cosmetic and pharmaceutical creams |
US7152763B2 (en) * | 2004-07-08 | 2006-12-26 | Stull Technologies, Inc. | Container closure and method of assembly |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CH653639A5 (en) | 1981-01-21 | 1986-01-15 | Zeller Plastik Koehn Graebner | ONE-PIECE HINGE PLASTIC. |
JP2001278299A (en) * | 2000-03-29 | 2001-10-10 | Yoshida Industry Co Ltd | Airtightly holding container |
-
2005
- 2005-02-25 US US11/066,751 patent/US20060191933A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2006
- 2006-01-19 RU RU2007135348/12A patent/RU2372265C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2006-01-19 WO PCT/US2006/001744 patent/WO2006093579A1/en active Application Filing
- 2006-01-19 DE DE602006016404T patent/DE602006016404D1/en active Active
- 2006-01-19 PL PL06718765T patent/PL1851127T3/en unknown
- 2006-01-19 EP EP06718765A patent/EP1851127B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2006-01-19 CA CA2599202A patent/CA2599202C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2006-01-19 MX MX2007010213A patent/MX2007010213A/en active IP Right Grant
- 2006-01-19 BR BRPI0606190-7A patent/BRPI0606190A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2006-01-19 AT AT06718765T patent/ATE478809T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2006-01-19 ES ES06718765T patent/ES2349306T3/en active Active
- 2006-01-19 CN CNB2006800058909A patent/CN100572208C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2006-01-19 AU AU2006219092A patent/AU2006219092B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2006-01-19 JP JP2007557023A patent/JP2008531410A/en active Pending
- 2006-02-23 AR ARP060100671A patent/AR055864A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (24)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1268164A (en) * | 1916-05-29 | 1918-06-04 | Anthony Schneider | Cigar-box. |
US2035832A (en) * | 1935-05-27 | 1936-03-31 | Theodore W Foster & Bro Compan | Vanity case |
US4387819A (en) * | 1981-12-23 | 1983-06-14 | Corsette Douglas Frank | Sealing means for a snap-on fitment |
US4526289A (en) * | 1983-08-05 | 1985-07-02 | Schiemann Dr Wolfram | Screw stopper for a can |
US5006376A (en) * | 1984-03-15 | 1991-04-09 | Toyo Tire And Rubber Co., Ltd. | Joint boot molded of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer |
US4981231A (en) * | 1988-04-15 | 1991-01-01 | W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. | Container closure caps and compositions for forming gaskets for them |
US5065911A (en) * | 1990-05-14 | 1991-11-19 | Seaquist Closures | Two-piece dispensing closure with cantilevered biasing member |
US5271531A (en) * | 1991-01-14 | 1993-12-21 | Seaquist Closures, A Division Of Pittway Corp. | Dispensing closure with pressure-actuated flexible valve |
US5335802A (en) * | 1991-09-10 | 1994-08-09 | Creanova Ag | Plastic closure for a container |
US5755360A (en) * | 1996-07-11 | 1998-05-26 | Aptargroup, Inc. | Multi-material, multi-shot, injection molded dispensing closure having a removable seal |
US5860543A (en) * | 1996-11-12 | 1999-01-19 | Bouchons Mac Inc. | Closure cap |
US6283317B1 (en) * | 1997-06-10 | 2001-09-04 | Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation | Synthetic top with articulated cap on a ring |
US6527132B1 (en) * | 1997-07-14 | 2003-03-04 | Closures And Packaging Services Limited | Closure with extended seal member |
US6045004A (en) * | 1998-03-20 | 2000-04-04 | Aptargroup, Inc. | Dispensing structure with dispensing valve and barrier penetrator |
US6371324B1 (en) * | 1999-02-12 | 2002-04-16 | General Mills, Inc. | Portable food container cover with detachable utensil |
US6332754B1 (en) * | 1999-04-02 | 2001-12-25 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Steam turbine |
US6321923B1 (en) * | 2000-04-26 | 2001-11-27 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Bistable hinge with reduced stress regions |
US6772904B1 (en) * | 2000-05-26 | 2004-08-10 | Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. | Container for food products |
US6550626B1 (en) * | 2000-10-03 | 2003-04-22 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Closure lid and resealable closure system with tamper-evident features |
US20020104843A1 (en) * | 2001-02-02 | 2002-08-08 | Smith Kelly A. | One-piece tamper-evident closure system with a resealable, hinged lid |
US6761279B1 (en) * | 2001-02-08 | 2004-07-13 | Weatherchem Corporation | Combined container and closure |
US6382476B1 (en) * | 2001-05-30 | 2002-05-07 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Single axis dual dispensing closure |
US20050167388A1 (en) * | 2002-01-03 | 2005-08-04 | Giovanni Bocola | Jar for cosmetic and pharmaceutical creams |
US7152763B2 (en) * | 2004-07-08 | 2006-12-26 | Stull Technologies, Inc. | Container closure and method of assembly |
Cited By (69)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7703621B2 (en) | 2005-08-25 | 2010-04-27 | Union Street Brand Packaging Llc | Moisture retention seal |
US20070045315A1 (en) * | 2005-08-25 | 2007-03-01 | Evans Christopher T | Moisture retention seal |
US20110209322A1 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2011-09-01 | Andrew Thomas Tilton | Removable and Reclosable Lid For Jar For A Food Product |
US20100180553A1 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2010-07-22 | Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc | Removable And Reclosable Lid For Jar For A Food Product |
US7694845B2 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2010-04-13 | Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc | Removable and reclosable lid for jar for a food product |
US20070145001A1 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2007-06-28 | Tilton Andrew T | Removable and reclosable lid for jar for a food product |
US7967167B2 (en) | 2005-12-22 | 2011-06-28 | Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc | Removable and reclosable lid for jar for a food product |
US20070235452A1 (en) * | 2006-03-28 | 2007-10-11 | Killinger Timothy D | Storage container lid |
WO2008031485A1 (en) * | 2006-09-13 | 2008-03-20 | Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner Gmbh & Co. Kg | Attachment having a hinged lid |
US20080179326A1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2008-07-31 | Krauth Marlene N | Push Button Dispensing Lid |
US7614519B2 (en) | 2006-11-30 | 2009-11-10 | Rockline Industries, Inc. | Push button dispensing lid |
US9505522B2 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2016-11-29 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US10583969B2 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2020-03-10 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US20100108670A1 (en) * | 2006-12-27 | 2010-05-06 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US11554893B2 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2023-01-17 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US8857645B2 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2014-10-14 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US8308008B2 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2012-11-13 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
WO2008081171A1 (en) * | 2007-01-04 | 2008-07-10 | Obrist Closures Switzerland Gmbh | A closure |
JP2009067397A (en) * | 2007-09-10 | 2009-04-02 | Kao Corp | Container with cap |
EP2207727B1 (en) | 2007-11-16 | 2016-05-11 | Clariant Production (France) S.A.S. | Container |
US8511499B2 (en) | 2007-12-18 | 2013-08-20 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US20110186570A1 (en) * | 2007-12-18 | 2011-08-04 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US8567629B2 (en) * | 2007-12-19 | 2013-10-29 | Compagnie Gervais Danone | Food packaging with a lid and closure system for packaging |
CN102700818A (en) * | 2007-12-19 | 2012-10-03 | 达能日尔维公司 | Food packaging with lid and closing system for packaging |
US20120248132A1 (en) * | 2007-12-19 | 2012-10-04 | Compagnie Gervais Danone | Food packaging with a lid and closure system for packaging |
US9387959B2 (en) | 2008-03-20 | 2016-07-12 | Crown Packaging Technology, Inc. | Closure |
EP2280882B1 (en) | 2008-05-15 | 2016-07-06 | CSP Technologies, Inc. | Vial with non-round seal |
US8469223B2 (en) | 2009-06-05 | 2013-06-25 | Abbott Laboratories | Strength container |
US8627981B2 (en) | 2009-06-05 | 2014-01-14 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US20100308044A1 (en) * | 2009-06-05 | 2010-12-09 | Abbott Laboratories | Strength container |
US20100308066A1 (en) * | 2009-06-05 | 2010-12-09 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
USD690200S1 (en) | 2010-11-02 | 2013-09-24 | The J.M. Smucker Company | Container |
USD655166S1 (en) | 2010-11-02 | 2012-03-06 | The J. M. Smucker Company | Container |
US20120205377A1 (en) * | 2011-02-15 | 2012-08-16 | Franz Adler | Flip closure for sealing a container |
US9387963B2 (en) | 2012-04-27 | 2016-07-12 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US10005596B2 (en) | 2012-04-27 | 2018-06-26 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
USD782696S1 (en) | 2013-04-26 | 2017-03-28 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
USD733320S1 (en) | 2013-04-26 | 2015-06-30 | Abbott Laboratories | Container |
US11439281B2 (en) * | 2014-04-23 | 2022-09-13 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US9974419B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2018-05-22 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US10039425B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2018-08-07 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US10327602B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2019-06-25 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US10806309B2 (en) | 2014-04-23 | 2020-10-20 | The Clorox Company | Disinfecting wipes dispenser |
US10421597B2 (en) * | 2014-06-18 | 2019-09-24 | Weatherchem Corporation | Pill shelf flip cap closure |
US20150368011A1 (en) * | 2014-06-18 | 2015-12-24 | Weatherchem Corporation | Pill shelf flip cap closure |
USD756778S1 (en) | 2015-01-14 | 2016-05-24 | Mead Johnson Nutrition Company | Closure |
USD790343S1 (en) | 2015-01-14 | 2017-06-27 | Mead Johnson Nutrition Company | Closure |
USD773930S1 (en) | 2015-04-13 | 2016-12-13 | The Clorox Company | Lid with an orifice |
USD771489S1 (en) | 2015-04-13 | 2016-11-15 | The Clorox Company | Wipes dispenser container lid |
US20170347837A1 (en) * | 2016-06-03 | 2017-12-07 | Lydia Stevens | Hot Food Storage Assembly |
US10669064B2 (en) | 2017-05-15 | 2020-06-02 | Jafar Shabani Sofla | Sealable multi-positional can lid |
USD949689S1 (en) * | 2017-06-02 | 2022-04-26 | Pact Group Holdings (Nz) Ltd. | Lid for a container |
US20190023460A1 (en) * | 2017-07-21 | 2019-01-24 | Doskocil Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Container enclosure assembly |
USD927302S1 (en) * | 2018-02-23 | 2021-08-10 | Mead Johnson Nutrition Company | Lid for container |
USD931101S1 (en) | 2018-03-02 | 2021-09-21 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Closure |
USD900606S1 (en) | 2018-03-02 | 2020-11-03 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Closure |
USD902715S1 (en) * | 2018-03-28 | 2020-11-24 | Jiangxi Sencen Hygienic Products Co., Ltd. | Wipes bottle cap |
USD885895S1 (en) * | 2018-06-19 | 2020-06-02 | Betapack, S.A.U. | Cap for a bottle |
USD928508S1 (en) * | 2019-07-23 | 2021-08-24 | Sdc U.S. Smilepay Spv | Aligner case |
US20220267082A1 (en) * | 2019-08-27 | 2022-08-25 | Daio Paper Corporation | Sanitary tissue paper storage container |
US20230168065A1 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2023-06-01 | Bushnell Inc. | Riflescope cap assembly |
US11852440B2 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2023-12-26 | Bushnell Inc. | Riflescope cap assembly |
US20220074707A1 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2022-03-10 | Bushnell Inc. | Riflescope cap assembly |
US11609068B2 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2023-03-21 | Bushnell Inc. | Riflescope cap assembly |
USD984892S1 (en) * | 2020-10-08 | 2023-05-02 | Pws Packaging Services, Inc. | Lid |
USD974173S1 (en) * | 2020-10-14 | 2023-01-03 | Pws Packaging Services, Inc. | Lid |
WO2022243530A1 (en) * | 2021-05-21 | 2022-11-24 | Weener Plastics Group B.V. | Closure with a locking rim having a sealing rib |
NL2028274B1 (en) * | 2021-05-21 | 2022-12-06 | Weener Plastics Group B V | Closure with a locking rim having a sealing rib |
USD1019388S1 (en) * | 2021-11-05 | 2024-03-26 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Closure for a bottle |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1851127A1 (en) | 2007-11-07 |
CA2599202A1 (en) | 2006-09-08 |
DE602006016404D1 (en) | 2010-10-07 |
MX2007010213A (en) | 2007-11-07 |
ATE478809T1 (en) | 2010-09-15 |
CN101128365A (en) | 2008-02-20 |
EP1851127A4 (en) | 2009-10-21 |
CA2599202C (en) | 2014-04-08 |
CN100572208C (en) | 2009-12-23 |
ES2349306T3 (en) | 2010-12-29 |
WO2006093579A1 (en) | 2006-09-08 |
AU2006219092B2 (en) | 2011-12-08 |
PL1851127T3 (en) | 2011-02-28 |
EP1851127B1 (en) | 2010-08-25 |
RU2372265C2 (en) | 2009-11-10 |
RU2007135348A (en) | 2009-03-27 |
BRPI0606190A2 (en) | 2009-06-09 |
AU2006219092A1 (en) | 2006-09-08 |
AR055864A1 (en) | 2007-09-12 |
JP2008531410A (en) | 2008-08-14 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
AU2006219092B2 (en) | Closure system with improved sealing of lid | |
US9073673B2 (en) | Closure for an inverted container | |
US7150380B2 (en) | Multi-fold closure | |
US8960506B2 (en) | Closure accommodating pouring from an inverted container | |
CA2456525C (en) | Tamper-evident closure | |
US20060060618A1 (en) | Multiple lid closure with open lid retention feature | |
US20080073311A1 (en) | Closure with lid protection | |
AU2002320516A1 (en) | Tamper-evident closure | |
AU2003218473A1 (en) | Scrubbing closure | |
US9315304B2 (en) | Closure with sliding seal member | |
US20100193522A1 (en) | Closure with shipping latch | |
US20060289552A1 (en) | Closure with hinged lid | |
JPH0338092Y2 (en) | ||
ITMI20110122U1 (en) | LOCKING FOR OVERLAPPING CONTAINER. |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SEAQUIST CLOSURES FOREIGN, INC., ILLINOIS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HICKS, MARGE M.;BEILKE, STACY;JELLICH, NICHOLAS J.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:016437/0048 Effective date: 20050224 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |