Patent Application
20140263326
The present disclosure relates to an overcap, lid or closure structure for use along with a container to form a package. The closure is formed for sealing a container discharge, such as a container opening. Preferably, the overcap includes structures providing tamper evidence.
Containers have been used for a variety of products, including food products, cleaning products, etc. Containers may be constructed of any number of materials. One container example includes a composite body portion, an open top end and a lip or rim, with the material rolled to form a projecting bead adjacent an external sidewall. A closure, lid or overcap may further be provided for closing the container opening. In an alternative example, the container rim may include an end ring, fixed to the container body and forming the retaining bead.
Container closures typically fit over the container top end or opening. The closure may also cover a discharge valve formed on the container. The closure serves many functions including, but not limited to, protecting the discharge of the container from damage, preventing or deterring unwanted access into the container, maintaining the product within the container and preventing spilling, helping to improve stacking of multiple containers, and increasing the useful life of the product after opening.
Overcaps may also be provided with means for deterring tampering with the container contents prior to use by a consumer and/or may be provided with related or separate means for indicating that tampering may have occurred.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,154 to Von Holdt shows a snap-on, flexible lid having spaced panel portions on the sidewall flange of the lid having inwardly projecting structures that are positioned to engage the bead of the container rim. Vertically aligned tear lines are provide on the side edges of the panel portions for separation of the panels from the remainder of the lid flange for ease of flexing the panel portions away from engagement with the container bead.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,554 to Edwards shows a tamper evident lid structure having an outer ring attached to the sidewall flange of the lid. The tamper evident portions are provided at various locations within an inverted u-shaped channel. The ring is provided with a hook member and includes a barb for retention on the bead of the container rim. An opening in the sidewall is provided at the location of the hook member. The ring may be removable by a tearing action, which also removes the hook members.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,918,360 to Mengeu et al. shows a container and overcap combination for a microwavable container, wherein the overcap includes a skirt portion having at least one flexible member therein for releasable engagement with a bead on the rim of the container. The members may be flexed outwardly to release engagement with a bead on the container. An opening is provided in the top of the skirt portion, adjacent each member, providing access to the flexible member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,245 to Nelson shows a tamper resistant container lid having a band surrounding the container bead engagement structures. The band forms a tear strip and is separated into a plurality of spaced tabs having spurs formed on the inside, inwardly directed surfaces. Removal of the band separates the spurs and exposes a bead engagement structure on the lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,774 to Mumford shows a tamper evident snap-on cap having an outer skirt for engagement of a beaded rim on a container and an integral tear strip for tamper evidence. An inwardly positioned annular wall forms a plug for engagement with the interior surface of the container rim.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a closure is defined for use in covering a container discharge, such as an opening in the container. The discharge includes a defined rim having a projecting bead. The closure includes a body formed to cover the discharge. A plurality of projecting portions extends from a periphery of the closure body with each being wrapped around a portion of the bead on the rim. The projecting portions are spaced from one another and a ring is connected to the projecting portions. The ring surrounds container rim. Positioned between spaced projecting portions are inwardly directed fingers or tabs formed for engagement with the bead on the container rim. A separation line is formed on the projecting portions adjacent the body and adjoining the rim of the container. The engagement of the projections and the fingers is removed upon a frangible disconnection of the projections and ring from the closure body.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a closure is defined for use in covering a container, wherein the container includes a defined rim, an outwardly projecting bead on the rim and a container discharge associated with the rim. The closure includes a body adapted to engage the container rim and a skirt frangibly connected to the body. The frangible connection of the skirt with the body is formed at a position adjoining the engagement of the closure on the rim of the container. The skirt includes a plurality of projecting portions extending from a periphery of the body, with the projecting portions being spaced from one another. The projecting portions are adapted to surround a portion of the container rim and a corresponding portion of the bead. A ring is connected to the projecting portions, with the ring adapted to surround the container rim. A plurality of retaining fingers is provided, with the fingers interleaved within the spacing between adjacent projecting portions. The fingers angle inwardly and upwardly from the ring and are adapted to engage the bead of the container rim. The engagement of the fingers with the bead is visible through the spacing between the projecting portions and the fingers are removed along with the ring upon frangible disconnection of the skirt from the body.
In further aspect of the closure, the projecting portions are formed for wrapping around at least an upper portion of the container rim and the bead. In addition, the body may include a base portion for extending across a container opening, serving as the container discharge. A sidewall may be provided that projects from the base portion, with the body sidewall formed for contacting with an internal sidewall of the container. In addition, a peripheral flange may be formed with and extending outwardly from the sidewall of the body. The frangible connection of the body to the skirt may be formed adjacent the flange. The flange may further extend radially outwardly from the body, with the fingers projecting from the ring to a radial position outwardly of the radial extension of the flange. Further, the flange may extend radially outwardly from the body to a position inwardly of the projection of the bead from the container rim.
In another aspect of the closure, a plurality of stiffening ribs may be provided on the skirt. The ribs are associated with a corresponding retaining finger and connect the finger with an adjacent portion of the skirt, such as, for example, the adjacent portion of the ring.
In still further aspect of the closure, the skirt may include an opening tab extending from the flange. The opening tab may further remain connected to the body, upon detachment of the skirt from the body. The frangible connection of the body and the skirt may be positioned radially outward from a radial projection of the bead on the rim of the container.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a package may be defined having a container and a closure. The container may include a rim portion positioned adjacent to a container discharge, with the rim further defined by an outwardly projecting bead. The closure is provided for removably covering the discharge and for engaging the rim on the container. The closure may include a body adapted to engage the container rim and a peripheral flange formed for overlap with an upper portion of the rim. A skirt is frangibly connected to the flange, with the frangible connection formed at a position adjoining the rim of the container when the closure is positioned on the container. The skirt includes a plurality of spaced projecting portions extending from the flange, with each projecting portion adapted to surround a portion of the rim and a corresponding portion of the bead. A ring is connected to the plurality of projecting portions and surrounds the bead in a spaced relationship. A plurality of retaining fingers are interleaved with and positioned within the space between the projecting portions. The fingers angle inwardly and upwardly from the ring and engage the bead. The engagement of the fingers with the bead is visible through the spacing between the projecting portions. In addition, the fingers are removed along with the ring upon frangible disconnection of the skirt from the flange.
In a further aspect of the package, the body may include a base portion for extending across a discharge opening in the container and a projecting sidewall for contacting with an internal sidewall of the container opening. The peripheral flange extends outwardly from the sidewall.
In a further aspect of the package, a plurality of stiffening ribs may be provided on the skirt. The ribs are associated with a corresponding retaining finger and connect the finger with an adjacent portion of the skirt. The connection of the rib may be between the finger and an adjacent portion of the ring. In addition, an opening tab may be extended from the flange and be formed within a plane of the skirt. The flange may extend radially outward from the body, with the fingers projecting from the ring to a radial position inward of the radial extension of the flange. The flange may extend radially outwardly from the body to a position outward of the projection of the bead from the rim of a container. Further, the frangible connection of the body may be positioned radially outward of the bead.
Other features of the present invention and combinations of features will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show one or more forms that are presently preferred. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
In the figures, where like numerals identify like elements, there is shown an embodiment of a package formed by a combination of a container and an overcap, lid or closure. In
The overcap 14 includes a central body portion 24 and a surrounding skirt 26, with the skirt 26 ending in an annular ring 28. The body 24 is preferably dimensioned to extend across and cover the opening of the container 12. As shown, the body 24 is formed as a well with a base portion 30 and an upstanding sidewall 32. The outside diameter/dimension of the sidewall 32 is contemplated to correspond to the inside diameter/dimension of the container sidewall 22 adjacent the rim 18, such that the body 24 may be frictionally retained within the container opening. The frictional contact between the body sidewall 32 and the container sidewall 22 is contemplated to allow for removal of the body 24 from the opening when desired by the package user. A peripheral flange 34 is provided at the upper end of the body sidewall 32 and connects with the skirt 26.
The skirt portion 26 of the closure 14 extends outwardly from the flange 34 of the closure body 24. The skirt 26 includes a plurality of projections 36 that surround the upper surface of the rim 18 and the outer surface of the bead 20 when the closure 14 is positioned on the container 12. The projections 36 are spaced from one another, with the spaces 38 assisting in the formation of a tamper evident structure. The ring 28 is connected to the projections 36 and surrounds the container rim 18 when the package 10 is assembled. The projections 36 extend along the upper sidewall 22 of the container 12, with the ring 28 being spaced from the sidewall 22. A plurality of inwardly directed fingers or tabs 40 are provided on the ring 28. The fingers 40 angle inwardly from the inside of the ring 28 and are formed to engage the bead portion 20 of the container rim 18.
In
The internal engagement of the closure 14 with the rim 18 of the container 12 is illustrated in cross section in
The engagement of the closure with the rim 18 is shown in
The fingers 40 are visible through the spaces 38 between adjacent projections 36 to provide for inspection of the engagement between the fingers 40 and the bead 20. Separation of the fingers 40 around the rim 18 is required to remove the closure 14 from the container 12. Hence, any visible misalignment or deformation of the fingers 40 provides an indication of tampering with the container 12 or its contents. The stiffening ribs 48 may assist in the visual identification of tampering. The ribs 48 make it more difficult for the fingers to be deformed. Hence, any bending of the fingers 40 away from the rim 18 would preferably result in a plastic deformation of the material, that is visible upon inspection.
The fingers 40 preferably create a sufficient retention force with the rim 18 and bead 20 of the container 12 that the closure cannot—prior to removal of the skirt 26—be removed from the container 12. Hence, the fingers 40 are provided for tamper resistance, maintaining the closure 14 on the container 12 prior to separation of the skirt 26. Once the skirt 26 has been separated, the fingers 40 are also removed and access to the container opening or other discharge is provided.
As shown in
Other forms of engagement between the closure body and the container may be provided, including a threaded or bayonet connection between the two parts. Further, the closure may have an alternate form and is not restricted to the formation of a well by the sidewall and base of the closure. The closure may, for example, be formed with an upwardly extending dome that covers the opening or an alternative discharge mechanism, such as a valve. Preferably, the closure body is capable of engaging a container rim in some fashion after removal of the tamper evident structures on the skirt. The flange and sidewall of the closure serve to removably fix the closure body on the rim of the container, after removal of the skirt. In the current form, it is contemplated that the spaced projections are removed upon separation of the skirt to create a uniform and regular flange periphery.
In manufacturing the overcap, an injection molding process is preferred. The interleaving of the tabs and projections may be formed to permit molding of the fingers and flange by a two part mold. As illustrated, the flange (34) vertically overlaps with the projected ends of the fingers. Depending on the materials, mold times and separation process, such an overlap may be accomplished without the need for movement of various portions of the mold parts during formation of the closure. The vertical overlap may, however, require a more complicated mold and formation process.
The present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to one or more exemplary embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art from the foregoing that various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, with the scope of the invention being described by the foregoing claims.
