BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates to closures for mounting on the top of bottles or other containers, and in particular, to a container closure including a flip-top cap. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a flexible hinge configured to interconnect a body and a flip-top cap of a container closure.
SUMMARY
In accordance with the present disclosure, a container closure is provided for coupling with a container. The container closure comprises a body adapted to be coupled to the container to selectively permit the release of a substance, such as a liquid, from the container. The container closure includes a hinge that is coupled to the body and a flip-top cap appended to the hinge.
In illustrative embodiments, the hinge is molded with the body and cap and includes first and second web ramps interconnected by an offset web apex. The web apex is adapted to engage an inner top edge of a recess formed in a side wall of the body to vault the flip-top cap from an open position away from the body, over the web apex to a closed position on the body. The web apex, in combination with the web ramps, assists in positioning the flip-top cap on the body.
In illustrative embodiments, the hinge may also include first and second plateau buttresses that are positioned to lie between first and second web ramps. The plateau buttresses are designed to cause the hinge to fold along an elongated notch formed in a web plateau of the hinge when the flip-top cap is moved from the open position, away from the body, to the closed position on the body. The first and second plateau buttresses each include an inclined surface that spaced apart from each other when the flip-top cap is in the closed position on the body to allow the hinge to fit flush against the side wall of the body.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detail description of illustrative embodiments exemplify the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure adapted to be mounted on a bottle to cover a mouth opening into an interior region formed in the bottle and formed to include a flip-top cap retained in a closed position on an underlying body and showing a hinge configured to interconnect the body and the flip-top cap and to include a web provided with a bow tie shape;
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the closure of FIG. 1 after movement of the flip-top cap on the hinge relative to the body to an open position exposing a product-dispensing spout formed in the body;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the closure showing movement of the flip-top cap with respect to the body with time interval T1 representing the flip-top cap in the open position and T2 representing the flip-top cap in an intermediate position on the body at which point the apex of the hinge engages the body to vault the flip-top cap onto the body to a closed position at time interval T3;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the hinge of FIG. 1 showing the web apex located in a central portion of the web between the first and second flat web ramps and also showing the web apex offset toward the body of the closure;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the hinge shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 showing the web apex of the hinge at a location between the first and second web ramps and offset toward the body of the closure;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the web having a positively sloping flat first web ramp and a negatively sloping flat second web ramp and showing the web apex positioned between and interconnecting high-elevation portions of the first and second web ramps;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1 showing elastic deformation of each of the first and second web end ramps to assume curved shapes upon movement of the flip-top cap to a closed position on the body (as shown in FIG. 1);
FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 2 showing a force applied to the flip-top cap to pivot the cap on the hinge relative to the body (in a counterclockwise direction) toward the closed position;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 8 showing the flip-top cap pivoting from an open position to a closed position in a counterclockwise direction;
FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 8 and 9 showing the cap in the closed position on the body;
FIGS. 11-20 illustrate a closure in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 11 is perspective view of the closure after movement of the flip-top cap on the hinge relative to the body to an open position exposing a product-dispensing spout formed in the body;
FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the closure showing the flip-top cap in an open position away from the body and also showing the orientation of the web buttresses of the hinge when the flip-top cap is in the open position;
FIG. 13 is another diagrammatic view of the closure showing the flip-top cap in a closed position on the body and also showing the orientation of the web buttresses when the flip-top cap is in the closed position;
FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the hinge of FIG. 12 showing a web plateau located in a center portion of the web and formed to include an elongated notch and a pair of ramp-shaped plateau buttresses arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the web plateau and the elongated notch therebetween;
FIG. 15 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the hinge shown in FIGS. 11 and 14 showing that a first of the plateau buttresses (on the right) is appended to a curved portion of the flip-top cap and a second of the plateau buttresses (on the left) is appended to a curved portion of the body;
FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 12 showing that the web includes a positively sloping flat first web end ramp and a negatively sloping flat second web end ramp and that the web plateau is arranged to lie between and interconnect high-elevation portions of the first and second web end ramps;
FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 12;
FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIG. 12;
FIG. 19 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 18 showing a force applied to the flip-top cap to pivot the cap on the hinge relative to the body in a counterclockwise direction toward the closed position; and
FIG. 20 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 18 and 19 showing the cap in the closed position in the body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A container closure 10 includes a body 12 that is adapted to mate with a container, a flip-top cap 16, and a hinge 14 interconnecting body 12 and flip-top cap 16, and is shown in an open position in FIG. 1. Hinge 14 includes an offset web apex 38 that is used in combination with first and second elastic web ramps 34, 36 to vault flip-top cap 16 over web apex 38 and onto body 12, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 and illustratively in FIGS. 8-10.
Hinge 214, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, includes first and second inclined plateau buttresses 242, 244 that are adapted to cause hinge 214 to fold about an elongated notch 240 formed in web plateau 238 of hinge 214, as shown, for example, in the perspective view of FIG. 14 and the sectional views of FIGS. 19 and 20. First and second plateau buttresses 242, 244 include inclined top surfaces 268, 270 that form a space between plateau buttresses 242, 244 when flip-top cap 216 is in a closed position on body 212 to allow hinge 214 to fit tightly against body 212 and flip-top cap 216 of container closure 210.
In illustrative embodiments, container closure 10 includes body 12 adapted to be mounted on a container, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2. Container closure 10 also includes hinge 14 coupled to body 12 and flip-top cap 16 depending from hinge 14. Container closure 10 is adapted to seal an opening formed in the container to allow for selected removal of contents from the container.
Hinge 14 is coupled to body 12 and to lid 26 to support flip-top cap 16 for movement relative to body 12 from a closed position on body 12 covering product-dispensing aperture 18 to an open position away from body 12 uncovering product-dispensing aperture 18, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. Hinge 14 includes a first web ramp 34, a second web ramp 36, and an offset web apex 38 positioned to lie between first and second web ramps 34, 36.
First and second web ramps 34, 36 are elastic and adapted to assist in moving flip-top cap 16 from an over center position to a closed position on body 12, as shown, for example, in FIG. 8. First and second web ramps 34, 36 are under tension when flip-top cap 16 is moved toward the closed position on body 12, as shown in FIG. 4. Hinge 14 includes a first side edge 52 that is positioned along first web ramp 34 and a second side edge 54 that is positioned along second web ramp 36. Hinge 14 also includes first and second sloped faces 60, 68 as shown in FIG. 5.
First sloped face 60 of hinge 14 is coupled to flip-top cap 16 along a first elastic web connector 62 and slopes upwardly from flip-top cap 16 to web apex 38, as shown, for example in FIG. 4. First sloped face 60 is coupled to first web ramp 34 along a first web ridge 64 and is coupled to second web ramp 36 along a second web ridge 66. First and second web ridges 64, 66 are interconnected along a first apex ridge 67.
Second sloped face 68 of hinge 14 is coupled to body 12 along a second elastic web connector 70 of body side wall 22 and slopes upwardly from second elastic web connector 70 to web apex 38, as shown, for example in FIGS. 4 and 5. Web apex 38 is positioned above first and second elastic web connectors 62, 70 when flip-top cap 16 is in an open position. Second sloped face 68 is coupled to first web ramp 34 along a third web ridge 72 and is coupled to a second web ramp 36 along a fourth web ridge 74. Third and fourth web ridges 72, 74 are interconnected along a second apex ridge 76. Second apex ridge 76 is substantially parallel to first apex ridge 67. Second sloped face 68 has a surface area that is less than the surface area of first sloped face 60, to position web apex 38 closer to body 12 than flip-top cap 16.
Web apex 38 of hinge 14 assists in keeping hinge 14 flush with side wall 22 of body 12 and side wall 32 of a lid 26 when flip-top cap 10 is in the closed position on body 12. This is accomplished by placing first and second web ramps 34, 36 in tension to pull hinge 14 closer to sidewalls 22, 32 of closure 10, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 7. Web apex 38, first and second web ramps 34, 36, and peak 80 of recess 24 cooperate to assist in positioning flip-top cap 16 on body 12 when flip-top cap 16 is moved from an open position away from body 12 to a closed position on body 12.
Movement of hinge 14 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3. Flip-top cap 16, shown at time T2, is in an open position away from body 12. At time T1, web apex 38 does not contact peak 80 of recess 24 in body 12. As flip-top cap 16 is moved towards a closed position, web apex 38 engages peak 80 of recess 24 at time T3.
The engagement of web apex 38 with peak 80 at time T2 places first and second web ramps 34, 36 in tension to assist in vaulting flip-top cap 16 over web apex 38 and an over center position onto body 12 at time interval T3. At time interval T2 web apex 38 of hinge 14 is under compression and first and second web ramps 34, 36 are under tension to vault flip-top cap 18 over web apex 38 and onto body 12.
Web apex 38 in combination with first and second web ramps 34, 36 of hinge 14 provide a vault means for vaulting flip-top cap 16 from an open position away from body 12 to a closed position on body 12 to assist in aligning flip-top cap 16 with body 12 when flip-top cap 16 is moved onto body 12. The vault means also causes acceleration of flip-top cap 16 relative to base 12 in response to the application of a force to flip-top cap 16 to move flip-top cap 16 past an over-center position. The wall thickness of hinge 14 is greater around web apex 38 to prevent web apex 38 from collapsing under compressive forces as flip-top cap 16 is moved to the closed position on body 12.
Body 12 of container closure 10 includes a top wall 20 and an annular side wall 22 depending from top wall 20, as shown in FIG. 2. Body 12 also includes a product dispensing aperture 18 that is formed in top wall 20. Product dispensing aperture 18 is adapted to allow the contents of the container to pass through body 12 of container closure 10.
Top wall 20 of body 12 includes an annular vertical wall 82. Annular vertical wall 82 is positioned to lie near an inner top edge 84 of body side wall 22. Annular vertical wall 82 and inner top edge 84 cooperate to form an annular groove 86. Annular groove 86 is adapted to accept annular side wall 32 of lid 26 when flip-top cap 16 is in the closed position on body 12.
Side wall 22 of body 12 is formed to include a recess 24, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. Recess 24 is arranged to permit a portion of hinge 14 to fit within recess 24 when flip-top cap 16 is in a closed position on body 12. Recess 24 includes a first vertical face 40 and a second vertical face 42 that opposes first vertical face 40. Recess 24 of body 12 also includes a back wall 78. Back wall 78 is positioned to lie in between first and second vertical faces 40, 42.
Recess 24 also includes first and second curved bottom wall segments 44, 46. First and second bottom wall segments 44, 46 are coupled along a second elastic web connector 70 of hinge 14. First and second bottom wall segments 44, 46 slope upwardly and extend inwardly from first and second vertical faces 40, 42 and intersect at a peak 80. Web apex 38 engages peak 80 when flip-top cap 16 is moved to the closed position on body 12.
Flip-top cap 16 of container closure 10 includes a movable lid 26 formed to include an interior chamber 28, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. Lid 26 also includes a top wall 30 and an annular side wall 32 depending from top wall 30. Annular side wall 32 is adapted to be received on body 12 when flip-top cap 16 is in a closed position on body 12.
Top wall 30 of lid 26 includes an inside surface 88 having a plug 90 as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. Plug 90 is adapted to seal dispensing aperture 18 when flip-top cap 16 is in the closed position on body 12. Annular side wall 32 of lid 26 includes a first edge 92 depending from top wall 30 and a second edge 94 that is spaced apart from first edge 92. Second edge 94 of annular side wall 32 is adapted to be coupled with annular groove 86 of body 12 when flip-top cap 16 is in a closed position on body 12.
Side wall 32 of lid 26 is formed to include a notched out portion 96 that is defined by first and second vertical faces 98, 100 and bottom face 102, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. Hinge 14 is coupled to bottom face 102 along first elastic web connector 62. A portion of hinge 14 is positioned to lie within notched out portion 96 of lid 26 when flip-top cap 16 is in the closed position on body 12.
Flip-top cap 16 of container closure 10 moves from an open position away from body 12, as shown, for example, in FIG. 8, to a closed position on body 12, as shown, for example in FIG. 10. To move flip-top cap 16 from an open position away from body 12 to a closed position on body 12, a force 104 is applied to flip-top cap 16. Force 104 applied to flip-top cap 16 causes flip-top cap to pivot toward body 12 about web apex 38.
As flip-top cap 16 pivots about web apex 38, first and second web ramps 34, 36 are stretched, placing web ramps 34, 36 in tension and web apex 38 in compression. Further movement of flip-top cap 16 toward body 12 beyond a midpoint causes web apex 38 to engage peak 80 of recess 24 and vault flip-top cap over web apex 38 onto body 12. To open flip-top cap 16, a force must be applied to overcome the biasing force exerted on flip-top cap 26 by web ramps 34, 36 of hinge 14.
A container closure 210, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown, for example, in the illustrative embodiments of FIGS. 11 -21. The container closure 210 is similar to that of FIGS. 1 -10 but includes a hinge 214 of a different configuration. Container closure 210 includes body 212 adapted to be mounted on a container, a hinge 214 coupled to body 212, and flip-top cap 216 depending from hinge 214, as shown, for example, in FIG. 11.
Hinge 214 is coupled to body 212 and to lid 226 to support flip-top cap 216 for movement relative to body 212 from a closed position on body 212 covering product-dispensing aperture 218 to an open position away from body 212 uncovering product-dispensing aperture 218, as shown, for example, in FIG. 11. Hinge 214 includes first and second web ramps 234, 236 and a web plateau 238 positioned between the first and second web ramps 234, 236. Web plateau 238 also includes an elongated notch 240.
First and second web ramps 234, 236 are elastic and are adapted to assist in moving flip-top cap 216 to a closed position, as shown, for example, in FIG. 19. First and second web ramps 234, 236 are under tension when flip-top cap 216 is moved toward the closed position on body 212. Web plateau 238 is positioned to lie between first and second web ramps 234, 236. Web plateau 238 is the highest elevated point of hinge 214 when flip-top cap 216 is in an open position. Web plateau is formed to include an elongated notch 240.
Elongated notch 240 of web plateau 238 is positioned along web apex 238 between first and second web ramps 234, 236. Elongated notch 240 forms a fold line to allow the folding of hinge 214 about web plateau 238 when flip-top cap 216 is moved from an open position away from body 212 to a closed position on body 212. Hinge 214 also includes first and second plateau buttresses.
First plateau buttress 242 of hinge 214 is positioned to lie near lid 226 and second plateau buttress 244 is positioned to lie near body 212 of container closure 210, as shown, for example in FIG. 14. The orientation of the first and second plateau buttresses 242, 244 with respect to body 12 and flip-top cap 216 when flip-top cap 216 is in a open position away from body 212 and in a closed position on body 212 is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 12 and 13. With flip-top cap 216 in an open position away from body 212, first plateau buttress 242 slopes upwardly away from flip-top cap 216 toward web plateau 238. Similarly, second plateau buttress 244 slopes upwardly away from body 212 toward web plateau 238.
When flip-top cap 216 is moved to a closed position on body 212, first and second plateau buttresses 244, 246 slope toward web plateau 238 to create a space 247 between buttresses 244, 246, as shown, for example in FIG. 13. Space 247 formed between plateau buttresses 244, 246 allows hinge 214 to relax when flip-top cap 216 is in a closed position on body 212 so that hinge 214 fits flush against side wall 222 of body 212.
First and second plateau buttresses 242, 244 provide reinforcement to the central portion of hinge 214 to assist in controlling the folding of hinge 214 about elongated notch 240 as flip-top cap 216 is moved from an open to a closed position. As flip-top cap 216 is moved to a closed position over body 212, first plateau buttress 242 is positioned above second plateau buttress 244, as shown, for example, in FIG. 13. The triangular shape of first and second plateau buttresses 242, 244 creates a space between first and second plateau buttresses 242, 244, when flip-top cap 216 is in the closed position on body 212 to allow hinge 214 to lie flat against body 212 in flip-top cap 216.
Hinge 214 also includes a first elastic web connector 246, as shown, for example in FIG. 14. First elastic web connector 246 is adapted to couple hinge 214 to annular side wall 232 of flip-top cap 216. Hinge 214 further includes a second elastic web connector 248 that is adapted to couple hinge 214 to annular side wall 222 of body 212. First and second web connectors are elastic to allow movement between hinge 214, flip-top cap 216 and movement between hinge 214 and body 212.
Body 212 of container closure 210 includes a top wall 220 and an annular side wall 222 depending from top wall 220. Body 212 also includes a product dispensing aperture 218 that is formed in top wall 220. Product dispensing aperture 218 is adapted to allow the contents of the container to pass through body 212 of container closure 210.
Side wall 222 of body 212 is formed to include recession 224 that is adapted to accept a portion of hinge 214 when flip-top cap 216 is in a closed position on body 212, as shown, for example in FIG. 16. Recession 224 of annular side wall 222 is stepped inward from side wall 222 and includes a first vertical face 250 and a second vertical face 252 that opposes first vertical face 250. Recession 224 also includes first and second bottom wall segments 144, 146. First and second bottom wall segments 254, 256 are curved, as shown, for example, in FIG. 14. First and second bottom wall segments 254, 256 include an outer edge 258 that is coupled along second elastic web connector 248 of hinge 214. Recession 224 also includes rear wall 225 that is positioned between side walls 250, 252.
Flip-top cap 216 of container closure 210 includes a movable lid 226 formed to include an interior chamber 228, as shown, for example, in FIG. 11. Lid 226 also includes a top wall 230 and an annular side wall 232 depending from top wall 230. Annular side wall 232 is adapted to be received on body 212 when flip-top cap 216 is in a closed position on body 212.
Top wall 230 of lid 226 includes an inside surface 288 having a plug 290, as shown, for example, in FIG. 11. Plug 290 is adapted to seal dispensing aperture 218 when flip-top cap 216 is in the closed position on body 212. Lid 226 also includes an annular side wall 232 having a first edge 292 depending from top wall 230 and a second edge 294 that is spaced apart from first edge 292. Second edge 294 is adapted to be coupled with annular groove 286 of body 212 when flip-top cap 216 is in a closed position on body 212.
Side wall 232 of lid 226 is formed to include a notched out portion 296 that is defined by first and second vertical faces 298, 300 and bottom face 202, as shown, for example, in FIG. 17. Hinge 214 is coupled to bottom face 302 along first elastic web connector 246. A portion of hinge 214 is positioned to lie within notched out portion 296 when flip-top cap 216 is in the closed position on body 212.
Flip-top cap 216 includes a side wall buttress 260. The side wall buttress 260 includes a first side 262 that is adapted to lie near annular side wall 232 and a second side 264 that is positioned to lie near top wall 230 of lid 226, as shown, for example in FIG. 14. The side wall buttress 260 provides structural support to annular side wall 232 to reduce flexing of annular side wall 232 during movement of flip-top cap 216 from the open position away from body 12 to the closed position on body 212.
A cross-section of container closure 210 through web plateau 238 of hinge 214, before web plateau 238, is shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 to show the orientation of first and second plateau buttresses 242, 244 with respect to web plateau 238, flip-top cap 216, and container 212 when flip-top cap 216 is in the open position away from body 212. As shown in the figures, top surface 268 of first plateau buttress 242 slopes upwardly from side wall 232 of lid 226 to elongated notch 240 of web plateau 238. In a similar fashion, top surface 270 of second plateau buttress 244 slopes upwardly from side wall 222 of body 212 to elongated notch 240 of web plateau 238.
Flip-top cap 216 of container closure 210 moves from an open position away from body 212, as shown, for example, in FIG. 19, to a closed position on body 212, as shown, for example, in FIG. 20. To move flip-top cap 216 from an open position, away from body 212, to a closed position, on body 212, a force 272 is applied to flip-top cap 216. Force 272 applied to flip-top cap 216 causes flip-top cap 216 to pivot towards body 212 about elongated notch 240 of web plateau. As flip-top cap 216 pivots about elongated notch 240, first and second web ramps 234, 236 are stretched, placing web ramps 234, 236 under tension to cause hinge 214 to fold about elongated notch 240. Folding of hinge 214 along elongated notch 240 positions flip-top cap 216 on body 212.
Patent Application
20080264961
