AU663636B2 - Improvements in container closures - Google Patents

Description

Our Raft 494323 P/00/011.

ROgulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 6 6 363 6

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

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Applicant(s): Prestige Group (Australia) Pty Ltd 100 Briens Road NORTHMEAD NSW 2152 AUSTRALIA i22.10 2 )tau Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barreek-Ctgeeh Z0a QLIW" Si. /~4SI~.i SYDNEY NSW 2000-hi Address for Service: Invention Title: Improvements in container closures The following statement is a full description of this invention, best method of performing it known to me:including the 5020 4 0447j/lfg IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTAINER CLOSURES The present invention relates to air tight container closures of the type generally comprising an annular closure assembly which tits within a recess in an open mouthed container to hermetically seal the contents of the container. More particularly, the invention relates to the actuating mechanism of an annular closure assembly which includes a cover to which is connected a resiliently deformable disc, which, by operation of the actuating mechanism associated with the cover, reduces in diameter to enable release from the container to which the closure is fitted.

This class of container closures is generally well known however it is the operating mechanisms which distinguish one closure of the type described from another.

One such container has been disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,966,276. That Patent discloses a stopper I having a disc of a resiliently flexible plastics material i ^which is supported by a cover to which it is attached. By pressing in an axial direction a member which co-operates with the cover, distortion of the disc results which causes the periphery of the disc to displace inwardly reducing the diameter of the disc thereby permitting removal of the stopper.

Another closure of the type generally described above S* is disclosed in New Zealand Patent No. 166297. In the device disclosed in this Patent a user applies downward pressure to a plunger which engages a disc which is deformed so as to reduce the disc in diameter to enable releasable air tight sealing against the walls of an open mouthed container.

Another such disc is described in New Zealand Patent 211227. That Patent provides, according to one aspect of the invention, a closure including a disc formed from a resiliently flexible material. The disc is sealable against the inside walls of an open mouthed container and is able to be released when pressure is applied to the surface of the disc causing its deformation so as to reduce its diameter.

0447j/lfg 2 The closure described in the New Zealand Patent has an operating mechanism associated with the cover and disc which is pivotally supported on the cover with at least one actuator portion extending from each of two finger gripable formations. The actuator portions are movable between an in-operative position in which they are non-interfering relative to the disc and an operative position in which they impinge on the disc. To enable the mechanism to operate, a user applies a generally lateral force relative to the closure axis which is converted by means of the finger grippable formations into an axial force applied to the disc. By the action of this mechanism the diameter of the disc is reduced enabling the closure to be released from the container to which it sealably fits.

Thus the trend in the design of these types of closures has been a move away from those designs in which the force required to deform the disc is applied directly in an axial 0 direction, that is, in a direction parallel to or co-incident with the central axis of the closure, to those Sr, where the actuating force is applied by a user first laterally thence converted via the actuating mechanism into an axial force which operates on the disc.

In the mechanisms used in closures of the type I described above, the formations which are described as finger grippable formations (in New Zealand Patent 211227 for instance) are pivotally attached to the cover of the closure.

The present invention provides an alternative operating mechanism whereby the mechanism operates without reliance for its support on the cover and essentially operates independently of the cover, and yet the operating mechanism allows a lateral force applied by the fingers of the user to be converted into an axial force thereby enabling reduction in the diameter of the disc for disengagement from the container to which the closure is sealably fitted.

As the finger grippable formations are no longer supported on the cover there is no need for supports or anchorages to be moulded into the cover reducing material costs and eliminating an area of potential material failure -3by fatigue through cyclic use, In a preferred form the present invention comprises; a closure for use with an open mouthed container comprising a cover to which is fitted a resiliently flexible disc, an operating mechanism disposed bctween the cover and thle disc and which upon actuation impinges on the disc to reduce its diameter by displacement thereof to thereby enable release of tile closure from anl open mouthed container to which the closure is fitted, characterised in that the operating mechanism of the closure cornpjrises: a pair of mutually co-operating finger grippable elements disposed in a recess defined by said cover, a pivot pin at one end and a pivot recess at the opposite end of each element enabling thle elements to interengage by coupling of the pivot pin on one finger grippable element with the pivot recess on the other element enabling pivoting of'one of the elements about the other element, an actuator disposed in a cavity defined by the interengaged elements, and whose free ends each engage one of said elements, said mechanism being movable between an in-operative position and an operative position; whereby, when finger pressure is applied to said elements in a generally lateral direction, the consequent pivotal action of the elements about each other urges the respective free ends of the actuator towards each other thereby causing axial displacement of the actuator and thle disc with a consequent reduction in the diameter of the disc, thereby enabling releasable engagement and disengagement between the closure and the container, In its broadest form the present invention comprises: a closure for sealing an open mouthed container wherein the closure comprises;- *a cover which engages a resiliently flexible disc, a closure operating mechanism disposed in the space between the cover and the disc and which upon actuation, impinges on the disc to reduce its diameter by axial displacement, to thereby enable release of the closure from said, open mouthed container to which the closure is fitted, characterised in that the closure operating mechanism comprises:

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t .I~t a pair of co-operating finger grippable elements disposed in the space formed between said cover and said disc; wherein each finger grippable clement comprises a pivot pin at one end and a pivot recess at the opposite end, enabling the elements to intorengage by coupling of the pivot pin on one finger grippable element with a corresponding pivot recess on the other element enabling pivoting, of one of the elements about the other element, and an actuator which displaces said disc responsive to actuation of said finger grippable elements.

Preferably, the finger grippable elements operate in conjunction with a guide member integral with the cover.

The said elements are supported within the recess by means of the disc. Preferably the actuator is elastic and is substantially V-shaped with each free end impinging on one or other of the elements and the midpoint of tile V impinging on an annular protrusion from or insert onl the disc to facilitate transfer of forces applied to thle elements by the finger of a user to the disc.

Removing the reliance for support and for leverage during operation onl the cover of thle finger grippable formations also reduces the loadings on the cover, such that a substantial part of the load is now taken through the pivots on the finger grippable elements.

The present invention will now be described in more detail according to a preferred but nonlimiting embodiment and with reference to thle accompanying illustrations wherein: Figure 1: shows a cross-sectional view of a closure with an operating mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in the inoperable configuration; Figure 2:1 shows the embodiment of figure I this timn- in the operative configuration; [and] Figure 3:1 shows anl isometric view of thle operating mechanism isolated from the closure according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4: shows an exploded view of the operating mechanism L4~

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Referring to figure I there is shown a closure 1 which comprises a cover 2, disc 3 and an operating mechanism 4.

Cover 2 is annular and has a downwardly depending skirt which terminates in shoulder 6. Disc 3 engages shoulder 6 by means of lip 7 formed at the extremity of disc 3. When disc 3 is set in position it applies a small positive restorative force which bears against the operating mechanism 4 in order to keep the mechanism in position in a recess 9 defined by cover 2.

Actuating mechanism 4 comprises two mutually co-operating finger grippable elements 10 and 11 which fit snugly in recess 9. Each of the finger grippable elements have a side wall with a pivot pin extending therefrom and another side wall at the opposite end of each finger grippable element having a pivot pin recess formed therein.

Referring to Figure 3 there is shown an isometric view of the operating mechanism 4 isolated from closure 1. Wall 12 of finger grippable formation 10 is adapted with pivot S* pin 13. Finger grippable element 11 has a wall 14 having formed therein pivot recess 15 as can be seen from Figures t 1, 2 and 3. Pivot pin 13 fits within pivot recess 15 when walls 12 and 14 overlap. A similar wall arrangement occurs at the opposite end of the elements 10 and 11 but the Stt reverse applies. This is best seen with reference to figure 4. Referring to figure 4 it can be seen that the wall 31 opposite to wall 12 of element 10 has a pivot recess formed therein similar to pivot recess 15 and wall 32 opposite to L wall 14 of element 11 has a pivot pin 33 configured similar to pivot pin 13. The engagement of pivot pin 13 and recess IC 15 and pivot pin 33 with its corresponding recess in wall 31 renables each finger grippable element to pivot about each :i other in mutual co-operation.

As can be seen in figure 1 the actuating mechanism 4 also comprises an elastic actuator 16 which is preferably formed in the shape of a V. The free ends 17 and 18 of the |i v shaped actuator 16 engage with finger grippable elements ;i 10 and 11 respectively via the corners 19 and respectively. The mid point of the v which forms bearing rese ivey Th on v 0447j /lfg -6 point 21 impinges on annular insert 22 of disc 3. Due to the inherent elasticity of actuator 16, finger grippable elements 10 and 11 are naturally biased in a direction away from each other when the actuating assembly 4 is in the inoperable mode as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that the finger grippable elements 10 and 11 are guided in their travel by means of guide member 23 which facilitates alignment of the elements 10 and 11. Guide member 23, comprises essentially an H-shaped member comprising guide flanges 24 and 25 linked by means of joining web 26. Web 26 is ramped in order to enable uninhibited travel of finger grippable elements 10 and 11 and to facilitate downward travel of the mechanism and hence the V shaped actuator 16 due to the camming action between the elements 10 and 11 and the ramp of web 26.

In use, when the closure is to be inserted into an open mouthed container (not shown) a user exerts a lateral force as indicated by arrows 27 and 28 via the users fingers which cc engage indents 29 and 30. As the elements are urged towards each other, the free ends 17 and 18 of the V-shaped elastic actuator 16 move towards each other. This causes the bearing point 21 of the actuator 16 to move in an axially downward direction exerting a force on disc 3 via annular insert 22. As the disc 3 is deflected downward its diameter is reduced.

The closure of Figure 1 is shown in the operable configuration in Figure 2. In this configuration it can be S" seen that the elastic actuator 16 is compressed under the action of finger grippable elements 10 and 11. When in this condition the closure can be inserted into a suitably C VC designed open mouthed container due to the reduced diameter i of the disc 3. When the laterally applied finger forces 27, 28 are removed, due to the elastic memory in the actuator 16 the finger grippable elements 10 and 11 are restored to the in operative configuration and at the same time the disc 3 expands to its maximum allowable diameter thereby sealing the container.

It will be recognised by persons skilled in the art 044 7J/lfg -7 that numerous variations and modifications can be made to the present invention as broadly described herein such as but not limited to varying the configuration of the elastic actuator and/or guide member without departing from the overall spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims (8)

1. A closure for sealing an open mouthed container wherein the closure comprises; a cover which engages a resiliently flexible disc, a closure operating mechanism disposed in the space between the cover and the disc and which upon actuation, impinges on the disc to reduce its diameter by axial displacement, to thereby enable release of the closure from said open mouthed container to which the closure is fitted; characterised in that the closure operating mechanism comprises: a pair of co-operating finger grippable elements disposed in the space formed between said cover and said disc, wherein each finger grippable element comprises a pivot pin at one end and a pivot recess at the opposite end, enabling the elements to interengage by coupling of the pivot pin on one finger grippable element with a corresponding pivot recess on the other element enabling pivoting of one of the elements about the other element, and an actuator which displaces said disc responsive to actuation of said finger grippable elements.

2. A closure according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is disposed in a cavity formed when the finger grippable elements interengage, and whose free ends each engage one of said elements, and wherein said mechanism is movable between an in-operative position and an operative position whereby when finger pressure is applied to said elements in a direction towards the central axis of the closure, pivoting of the elements about each other and engagement of each element with a guide member causes them to urge the respective free S* ends of the actuator towards each other thereby causing axial displacement of the actuator, the disc and with a consequent reduction in the diameter of the disc, thereby enabling releasable engagement and disengagement of the closure with and from said container. Uj -9-

3. A closure according to claim 2 wherein the body of each of the finger grippable formations include finger grippable ridgcs at one extremity and side walls one of which terminates in the pivot pin the other of which terminates in the pivot pin recess.

4. A closure according to claim 3 wherein the actuator comprises a resilient generally V shaped platellaving an elastic memory.

A closure according to claim 4 wherein part of the actuator intermediate its free ends impinges on an insert member in the displaceable disc.

6. A closure according to claim 5 wherein the finger grippable elements each engage a ramped face on the guide member.

7. A closure according to claim 6 wherein the pivot pin recess is formed by a set ofjaws at the extremity of one of the side walls on each finger grippable element,

8. A closure according to claim 7 wherein the actuator naturally biases the finger DATED this 3rd day of July, 1995. PRESTIGE GROUP (AUSTRALIA) PTY LIMITED *BY: St Its Patent Attorneys A lsr codn ocam4 leenpr fleataoritreit reed 0447J /Ifq ABSTRACT A closure for use with an open mouthed container comprising a cover which engages a resiliently flexible disc, an operating mechanism disposed between the cover and tho disc which upon actuation of said mechanism, impinges on the disc to reduce its diameter by displacement to thereby enable release of the closure from an open mouthed container to which the closure is fitted, charactericod in that the operating mechanism of the closure comprises a pair of co-operating finger grippable elements disposed in a xacess formed between said cover and said disc# a pivot pin at one end and a pivot recess at the opposite end of each element enabling the elements to interengage by coupling of the pivot pin on one finger grippable, element with a corresponding pivot recess on the other element enabling pivoting of one of the elements about the other element.