The present disclosure relates to a dispensing closure having a flip-lid that is molded as one piece with the lid in the closed position and to a package that includes such a closure.
A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a flip-lid dispensing closure molded as one piece with the lid in the closed position, and to provide a package that includes such a closure, in which the hinge that couples the lid to the base of the closure smoothly blends into the adjacent surfaces of the lid and the base and functions as a snap hinge resiliently to hold the lid in the open position and the closed position.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A plastic closure in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure includes a base molded as one piece with a lid and integrally connected to the lid by a hinge. The lid is radially inwardly displaced from an outer periphery of the base. The hinge has a central portion with a convex outer surface, with the lid closed and as viewed in side elevation, that blends with a smooth curvature into outer surfaces of the lid and the base. The hinge has laterally spaced end portions on opposite sides of the central portion and having concave outer surfaces when the lid is closed. The base preferably has a circular periphery and the end portions of the hinge are angularly spaced from each other. The outer surface of the lid preferably is flat, and the lid preferably is integrally connected to the base as molded by at least one frangible bridge spaced from the hinge.
The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will best be understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:
The upper edge of skirt 34 preferably curves inwardly and hinge 32 is displaced radially inwardly from the outer periphery of base 30, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8-15. The outer periphery of base 30 preferably is circular. Hinge 36 has a central portion 50 with a convex outer surface, with the lid closed and as viewed in side elevation (
The hinge geometry so described and illustrated in the drawings has several advantages. The hinge geometry smoothly blends the exterior surface of closure base 30 with the exterior surface of closure lid 28 to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Hinge 32 is positioned entirely within the outer periphery of closure base 36. The hinge provides an over-center snap-action that holds the lid in the open position (
There thus have been disclosed a closure and a package that fully achieve all the objects and aims previously set forth. The closure and package have been disclosed in conjunction with an exemplary embodiment, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing description. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3629901 | Wolf | Dec 1971 | A |
4346810 | Kneissl | Aug 1982 | A |
4403712 | Wiesinger | Sep 1983 | A |
4809875 | Takano | Mar 1989 | A |
4883193 | Christensson | Nov 1989 | A |
4911324 | Dubach | Mar 1990 | A |
4934556 | Kleissendorf | Jun 1990 | A |
5078296 | Amidzich | Jan 1992 | A |
5083671 | Hayes | Jan 1992 | A |
5115931 | Dubach | May 1992 | A |
5257708 | Dubach | Nov 1993 | A |
5270011 | Altherr | Dec 1993 | A |
5322176 | Dubach | Jun 1994 | A |
5335802 | Brach et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5400912 | Brown et al. | Mar 1995 | A |
5540343 | Schumacher | Jul 1996 | A |
5779110 | Brown et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
6253937 | Anderson | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6283317 | Benoit-gonin et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6347716 | Nofer et al. | Feb 2002 | B1 |
6419101 | Hessel et al. | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6431384 | Dubach | Aug 2002 | B1 |
7073679 | Lagler et al. | Jul 2006 | B1 |
7281638 | Hierzer et al. | Oct 2007 | B2 |
7556162 | Myhre | Jul 2009 | B2 |
20020104843 | Smith et al. | Aug 2002 | A1 |
20030062369 | Hierzer et al. | Apr 2003 | A1 |
20030205549 | Harrold et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20040256347 | Druit et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20050067366 | Dubach | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20070045315 | Evans et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
20080073311 | Jelich et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
75 14049 | Nov 1976 | DE |
4335107 | Apr 1995 | DE |
1487712 | Oct 2006 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20080277369 A1 | Nov 2008 | US |