The present disclosure relates generally to a closure, and more specifically to a retainable closure for a container.
It is often desirable to store product or contents in a container or package. It is often desirable to close the container with a closure. A closure may be provided that will stay connected and/or be retainable to a container after opened. A closure may be provided with tamper evident features.
Certain embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a closure that is retainable to a container. The closure may be configured such that it has tamper evident features and remains with a corresponding container after opening.
In one aspect, for instance, a closure for a bottle is provided having a cover and a skirt depending from the cover. The closure includes a tamper band, and the skirt is disposed between the cover and the tamper band. A first separation area, such as a score for example, extends horizontally around a portion of a circumference of the skirt. At least one second separation area, such as one or more vertical scores, extends below the first separation area. A pair of hinges may be disposed oppositely a tab. The tab may be configured to have an outer surface that contacts the bottle when the closure is an open position to retain the closure in the open position. The pair of hinges define a hinge axis about which at least a portion of the closure moves between the open position and a closed position in which the closure blocks access to the bottle. The pair of hinges also allows movement of the closure between the closed position and the open position and also retain the skirt to the tamper band.
In another aspect, for instance, a closure for a container is providing having a cover and a skirt depending from the cover, as well as a tamper band, wherein the skirt is disposed between the cover and the tamper band. A first separation area may extend horizontally around at least about half the circumference of the skirt. A pair of vertical scores may be formed in the tamper band and extend below the first separation area to at least partially define a tab. The pair of vertical scores may extend toward the bottom of the tamper band. A pair of hinges may be disposed between the pair of vertical scores and the first separation area. The closure may be configured to rotate about a hinge axis that extends through the pair of hinges between a closed position in which the cover blocks access to the container and an open position in which the cover allows discharge of contents from the container. The tab is configured to engage the container when the closure is in the open position to retain the closure in the open position. The pair of hinges allow movement of the closure between closed position and the open position and also retain the skirt to the tamper band.
In yet another aspect, for instance, a closure for a container is provided having a cover and a skirt depending from the cover. A tamper band may be provided, wherein the skirt is disposed between the cover and the tamper band. The cover, skirt, and tamper band are injection molded or compression molded. A first separation area extends horizontally around a portion of a circumference of the closure between the skirt and the tamper band. A first vertical score and a second vertical score extend downwardly below the first separation area toward a bottom edge of the tamper band to form a tab between the first vertical score and the second vertical score. At least one of the first separation area, the first vertical score, and the second vertical score are formed by at least one of a cutting operation and a slitting operation. A pair of hinges are disposed between the pair of vertical scores and the first separation area. The closure is configured to rotate about a hinge axis that extends through the pair of hinges between a closed position in which the cover blocks access to the container and an open position in which the cover allows discharge of contents from the container. The tab is configured to engage the container when the closure is in the open position to retain the closure in the open position. The pair of hinges allow movement of the closure between the closed position and the open position and also retain the skirt to the tamper band.
Embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments may be shown. Indeed, embodiments may be illustrated or described in many different forms and the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and wherein:
Embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments may be shown. Indeed, embodiments may take many different forms and the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The terms “substantial” or “substantially” may encompass the whole as specified, according to certain embodiments, or largely but not the whole specified according to other embodiments.
Some embodiments of a closure 5 may include a lid or cover 10 and/or a skirt 20, as shown for example in
Closure 5 may include a tamper band 30, as shown for example in
Container 300 may include a neck 310 that defines an opening 311 through which contents may be dispensed and/or poured, as shown for example in
Bead 330 may project outwardly from container neck 310 and/or may engage tamper band 30 and/or tamper band segments 31 to prevent or inhibit tamper band 30 from traveling vertically upward relative to container neck 310. Removal of closure 5 from container 300, for example by rotating to unthread, may cause vertical upward motion relative to container 300. Closure 5 and/or a portion thereof, such as for example skirt 20, may separate from at least a portion of tamper band 30 during unthreading for instance due to the upward motion caused by unthreading skirt 20 contemporaneously with the blocking of upward motion by bead 330.
To facilitate separation of skirt 20 from tamper band 30 while also allowing skirt 20 to remain attached or connected to tamper band 30, or for any other reason, closure 5 may include one or more separation areas or features such as a first area of weakened material or first score 40 and/or one or more second separation areas such as scores, for example, such as a first vertical score 41 and a second vertical score 42, as shown for example in
Scores 40, 41, 42 and/or hinges 51, 52 may facilitate moving closure 5 between an exemplary closed position shown in
Rotation of skirt 20 about a hinge axis extending through hinges 51, 52 relative to band 30 may result in an inverted portion or tab 33 that may flip upwardly as shown in
Either or both hinge 51, 52 may stretch or be stretched in the open position and/or during transition between open and closed positions. This stretching may induce tension and/or bias that may facilitate retention in the open position and/or closed position, for example, by increasing friction between tab 33 and/or outer surface 35 and bead 330. Such tension may provide or enhance a snap back type hinging mechanism and/or facilitate or provide audible and/or haptic feedback such as a click to a user when tab 33 locks or snaps into the open position. One or more areas of material such as bridges 38 may be provided to connect and/or provide a frangible connection between tab 33 and the rest of tamper band 30. For example, one or more bridges 38 may connect tab bottom 37 to tamper band bottom 39, although it is understood that one or more bridges 38, if included, may be located elsewhere, for example, higher up in first vertical score 41 and/or second vertical score 42. Either or both of vertical scores 41, 42 may extend substantially to the bottom 39 of tamper band 30 and/or the bottom o37 of tab 33. As discussed herein, extend substantially to the bottom 37 or bottom 39 may include embodiments including one or more bridges 38 and/or areas of frangible material located in and/or across scores 41, 42.
A second embodiment of a closure 100 is illustrated in
As shown in
To facilitate moving closure 100 between a closed position and one or more open positions, or for any other reason, a first strap 153 and/or a second strap 154 may be included. Either or both straps 153, 154 may be provided to give extra length, rotation, and/or flexibility to the material that remains connected between tamper band 130 and skirt 120 even after separation at separation areas 140, 141, 142, and/or 143, which may allow extra movement of skirt 120 relative to tamper band 130 during opening and closing. First strap 153 and/or second strap 154 may be substantially defined at areas of circumferential overlap of first score 140 and second score 143 on top and bottom, respectively, at one end by the end of first or upper horizontal score 140, and/or at the other end by the end of second or lower horizontal score 143. Straps 153, 154 may be adjacent respective hinges 151, 152, or alternatively, straps 153, 154 may be considered to include respective hinges 151, 152, as may be the case for example, if straps 153, 154 extend to vertical scores 141, 142.
As shown in
For example, second score 143 may include a somewhat “U” shaped portion, for example including one or more second areas of separation that might include weakened material or no material such as first vertical score 141 and/or second vertical score 142, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, inverting band portion or tab 133 may be provided and/or facilitated by inclusion of horizontal portion of second score 143, for example, so that a lower area or portion 138 of tamper band 130 may be provided with a substantially continuous and/or substantially uninterrupted perimeter or circumference. Frangible and/or breakable pieces of material may be included between the second horizontal score 143 and either or both of first vertical score 141 and second vertical score 142, for example. It is understood that while a bottom 139 of tamper band 130 in areas adjacent first hinge 151 and second hinge 152 are shown above bead 330 in
Another embodiment of a closure 200 is shown in
Closure 200 may include a tamper band 230, as shown for example in
Bead 330 may project outwardly from container neck 310 and/or may engage tamper band 30 and/or tamper band segments to prevent or inhibit tamper band 230 from traveling vertically upward relative to container neck 310. Removal of closure 200 from container 300, for example by rotating to unthread, may cause vertical upward motion relative to container 300. Closure 200 and/or a portion thereof, such as for example skirt 220, may separate from at least a portion of tamper band 230 during unthreading for instance due to the upward motion caused by unthreading skirt 220 contemporaneously with the blocking of upward motion by bead 330.
To facilitate separation of skirt 220 from tamper band 230 while also allowing skirt 220 to remain attached or connected to tamper band 230, or for any other reason, closure 200 may include one or more separation areas or features such as a first score 240, one or more second scores 243, 244, and/or one or more vertical scores such as first vertical score 241 and second vertical score 242, as shown for example in
Scores 240, 241, 242, 243, 244 and/or hinges 251, 252 may facilitate moving closure 200 between an exemplary closed position shown in
To facilitate moving closure 200 between a closed position and one or more open positions, or for any other reason, a first strap 253 and/or a second strap 254 may be included. Either or both straps 253, 254 may be provided to give extra length, rotation, and/or flexibility to the material that remains connected between tamper band 230 and skirt 220 even after separation at separation areas 240, 241, 242, 243 and/or 244, which may allow extra movement of skirt 220 relative to tamper band 230 during opening and closing. First strap 253 and/or second strap 254 may be substantially defined at areas of circumferential overlap of first score 240 and second scores 243, 244 on top and bottom, respectively, at one end by the end of first or upper horizontal score 240, and/or at the other end by the end of respective second or lower horizontal score 243, 244. Straps 253, 254 may be adjacent respective hinges 251, 252, or straps 253, 254 may be considered to include respective hinges 251, 252.
Rotation of skirt 220 relative to band 230 may result in a tab 233 that may flip upwardly as shown in
It is understood that closure 5, 100, 200 and/or container 300, and/or any component thereof, may be made of any of a variety of materials, including, but not limited to, any of a variety of suitable plastics material, any other material, or any combination thereof. Suitable plastics material may include, but is not limited to, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), crystallized polyethylene terephthalate (CPET), mixtures and combinations thereof, or any other plastics material or any mixtures and combinations thereof. It is understood that multiple layers of material may be used for any of a variety of reasons, including to improve barrier properties, or to provide known functions related to multiple layer structures. The multiple layers, if included, may be of various materials, including but not limited to those recited herein.
It is further understood that container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component thereof, may be substantially rigid, substantially flexible, a hybrid of rigid and flexible, or any combination of rigid, flexible, and/or hybrid, such as having some areas be flexible and some rigid. It is understood that these examples are merely illustrative, are not limiting, and are provided to illustrate the versatility of options available in various embodiments of container 50 and/or closure 100, and/or any component thereof.
It is further understood that any of a variety of processes or combination thereof may be used to form container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component thereof, or any layer or substrate used therein. For example, any component, layer, or substrate, or combination thereof, may be compression molded, thermoformed, injection molded, injection stretch blow molded, blow molded, extrusion blow molded, coextruded, subjected to any other suitable process, or subjected to any combination thereof. In some embodiments, container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component thereof may be formed substantially of injection molded and/or thermoformed suitable plastics material, although other materials and forming processes may be used instead of or in addition to injection molding and thermoforming, respectively. Various materials and/or processes may be used to form container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component thereof, as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component thereof, may be substantially a one-piece design and/or substantially formed as an integral or unitary structure.
Closure 5, closure 100, closure 200, and/or container 300, or any component thereof, may vary in size, shape, geometry, material, and/or process or processes used to make them. For example, in some embodiments, closure 5, 100, and/or 200 may be substantially injection molded polypropylene. The closure may be injection molded with the tamper band and/or segments extended downwardly and/or there may be substantially no physical separation between the tamper band and the rest of the skirt (e.g., one or more scores not yet present). A secondary or subsequent process may be employed, such as a cutting or slitting operation, to cut one or more of the scores into the closure, skirt, and/or tamper band. For example, one or more vertical knives may be used to cut the vertical scores and/or one or more horizontal knives may be used to cut the horizontal scores into the closure. At any time during the cutting operation(s), or any time before or after, the segments may be inverted and/or folded or pushed up into the interior of the closure and/or the tamper band.
In another example, closure 5, 100, and/or 200 may be substantially compression molded HDPE. The closure may be compression molded with the tamper band and/or segments extended downwardly and/or there may be substantially no physical separation between the tamper band and the rest of the skirt (e.g., one or more scores not yet present). A secondary or subsequent process may be employed, such as a cutting or slitting operation, to cut one or more of the scores into the closure, skirt, and/or tamper band. For example, one or more vertical knives may be used to cut the vertical scores and/or one or more horizontal knives may be used to cut the horizontal scores into the closure. At any time during the cutting operation(s), or any time before or after, the segments may be inverted and/or folded or pushed up into the interior of the closure and/or the tamper band.
In a third example, the closure may be injection molded HDPE with the tamper band and/or segments extended downwardly and/or there may be substantially no physical separation between the tamper band and the rest of the skirt (e.g., one or more scores not yet present). A secondary or subsequent process may be employed, such as a cutting or slitting operation, to cut one or more of the scores into the closure, skirt, and/or tamper band. For example, one or more vertical knives may be used to cut the vertical scores and/or one or more horizontal knives may be used to cut the horizontal scores into the closure. At any time during the cutting operation(s), or any time before or after, the segments may be inverted and/or folded or pushed up into the interior of the closure and/or the tamper band.
In a fourth example, closure 5, 100, and/or 200 may be substantially compression molded PP. The closure may be compression molded with the tamper band and/or segments extended downwardly and/or there may be substantially no physical separation between the tamper band and the rest of the skirt (e.g., one or more scores not yet present). A secondary or subsequent process may be employed, such as a cutting or slitting operation, to cut one or more of the scores into the closure, skirt, and/or tamper band. For example, one or more vertical knives may be used to cut the vertical scores and/or one or more horizontal knives may be used to cut the horizontal scores into the closure. At any time during the cutting operation(s), or any time before or after, the segments may be inverted and/or folded or pushed up into the interior of the closure and/or the tamper band. It is understood that in these or other examples, any or all scores, cuts, slits, gaps, slots, and/or areas of weakened material such as a thinned web may be formed during an injection molding and/or compression molding process instead of or in addition to any separate and/or secondary cutting or slitting operations.
It is understood that, while some directional terms are used herein, such as top, bottom, upper, lower, inward, outward, upward, downward, etc., these terms are not intended to be limiting but rather to relate to one or more exemplary orientations, positions, and/or configurations of container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component thereof. It is understood container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 and/or any component or portion thereof may be inverted or re-oriented to face or point a different direction without departing from the nature of container 300 and/or closure 5, 100, 200 disclosed herein.
These and other modifications and variations may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope, which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and it is not intended to limit the scope of that which is described in the claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the exemplary description of the versions contained herein.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/038,377, filed Sep. 30, 2020, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/907,816 filed Sep. 30, 2019, each of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20230041911 A1 | Feb 2023 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17038377 | Sep 2020 | US |
Child | 17971908 | US |