Patent Application
20220306348
The present disclosure relates to closures for bottles and containers, and assemblies thereof, including those with a metal lug closure that includes an inner diameter plug.
Closures are used in connection with a variety of bottles and containers, including plastic (or polymeric) bottles and containers having a neck finish. Plastic neck finishes may include threading that is injection molded or blow molded. Moreover, plastic neck finishes may be used in a variety of container applications, including “wide-mouth” and/or hot-fill container applications, as well as other applications that may require a neck finish to sufficiently retain its shape over an extended period of time and to maintain structural and seal integrity with respect to a closure.
Various products, including food products, may be stored in plastic containers, and a metal or polymeric closure may be used in connection with such containers. Such closures may include a plurality of threading features and/or lugs that are configured to couple the closure to a polymeric finish of a container.
However, challenges can exist with respect to the use of closures, such as in connection with blow trim containers that are filled or processed via pasteurization or hot fill. For example, with such closures, “squaring” or “faceting” can sometimes occurs, such as in connection with a blow trim neck finish. In some cases, shrinkage may occur, and the finish may no longer remain sufficiently round. The severity may depend, among other things, on the associated process and the thermal properties of the neck portion.
Among other things, it can be desirable to provide closures that address one or more challenges associated with various bottles or containers, including those that are filled or processed in connection with pasteurization or hot fill processes.
A closure is configured to mate with the neck finish of a container. In embodiments, the closure includes an outer wall portion; an upper surface portion; a plug portion including an inner diameter portion; and a plurality of lugs configured to engage a neck finish of the container. In embodiments, a portion of the plug portion engages an inner diameter portion of an upper portion of the neck finish of the container.
Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined herein and by appended claims.
As generally illustrated in
An embodiment of a container and closure assembly 100 comprising a closure 20 engaged with a neck finish 12 of a plastic container 10 in accordance with aspects or teachings of the present disclosure is generally illustrated in
As generally illustrated in
In an embodiment, for example and without limitation, a distance D3 may generally correspond to a more radially inward portion of the closure at about the portion where a vertical distance from a top/upper surface (e.g., upper surface portion 32) of the closure to a more radially inward/central portion of a closure at or about the point/portion where the upward portion 34 reaches its highest vertical position. In some embodiments, D3 may be flush with upper surface portion 32. Further, with some embodiments, D3 may be at least or about 0.12 times D1, or may be at least or about 0.15 times D1; and/or D3 may be at least or about 0.61 times D2, or D3 may be less than about 0.60 times D2.
An internal side partial sectional view of an embodiment of a closure 20 is generally illustrated in
Various embodiments are described herein for various apparatuses, systems, and/or methods. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments.
Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment/example may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features, structures, functions, and/or characteristics of one or more other embodiments/examples without limitation given that such combination is not illogical or non-functional. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.
It should be understood that references to a single element are not necessarily so limited and may include one or more of such element. Any directional references (e.g., plus, minus, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of embodiments.
Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected/coupled and in fixed relation to each other. The use of “e.g.” in the specification is to be construed broadly and is used to provide non-limiting examples of embodiments of the disclosure, and the disclosure is not limited to such examples. Uses of “and” and “or” are to be construed broadly (e.g., to be treated as “and/or”). For example and without limitation, uses of “and” do not necessarily require all elements or features listed, and uses of “or” are intended to be inclusive unless such a construction would be illogical.
While processes, systems, and methods may be described herein in connection with one or more steps in a particular sequence, it should be understood that such methods may be practiced with the steps in a different order, with certain steps performed simultaneously, with additional steps, and/or with certain described steps omitted.
It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the present disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/165,288, filed Mar. 24, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63165288 | Mar 2021 | US |
