CA1164825A - Container and closure therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A closure for a container having a neck portion, a plug which has a fluid-tight fit within the neck portion, and a manually openable pressure release valve associated with said plug operative upon being opened to release the pressure in the container and also to condition the plug for relatively easy withdrawal to open position. The closure also provides a novel assembly of parts which are easy to open and close and which in open position holds the parts in position to not obstruct pouring or drinking directly from the container or bottle and the closure provides a novel plug insertion structure which facilitates closure.

Description

The present invention relates to containers or bottles of the type consisting of a cylindrical body with either an integral or seamed bottom and having a narrow upper end with a neck which is associated with a closure.
Various closures for the small diameter neck are available. Typical closures are shown in U.S. Patents:
3,251,499, 3,317,070, 3,348,719, 3,998,354, 3,999,678, and 4,149,651.
After considering various types of snap-in clos-10 ures of the types heretofore discussed, a number of prob-lems were noted. Some of the most objectionable problems have been the lack of consistent positive closure under pressure and which is also relatively easy to open and simple to adapt to higk speed manufacture and application.
15 Structures of the general type under consideration have been bulky and costly and the best designs require a clos-ure which must be torn away from the plug. This type of structure requires extremely accurately machined dies and the section to be torn apart must be precisely dimensioned, 5 20 not only to withhold the pressure but also be capable of rupturing when being tensioned by the pulling effort exerted b~ the person wanting to open the closure.
The object of this invention is to provide a closure for a container which may be opened relatively 25 easily.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a closure for a container having a neck member and a closure member, characterized by said closure member including a plastic deflectable plug insertable in said neck member 5 for closing a pour opening in the nec~ member, means for inhibiting deflection of said plug in a preselected region, and means for displacing said last-mentioned means to reduce the resistance to deflection of said plug and for deflecting the plug in said region and thereat initiating 10 removal of the plug from the neck member.
In a preferred embodiment the closure of the pre-sent invention minimizes the amount of material used, facilitates opening of the container and enhances the in-tegrity of the seal. In the preferred embodiment venting 15 mechanism is placed in a position wherein when the parts are interlocked in closing position, they supplement the closure function and when these parts are separated to vent, the plug is unsupported in the area of initial sep-aration and thus is more flexible in this area and more 20 readily deflects to release the interlocking parts whereby facilitating opening of the closure.
In a further embodiment a hinge connects the plug and leverage structure and the hinge is formed to releasably interlock with a catch formed on one of the 25 other parts of the closure.
In a further embodiment there is provided a structure which permits easy insertion of the plug into the bore in the neck member. The structure guides the plug into the bore in a canted position and interlocking 30 a portion of the shoulder on the plug partly under a portion of the shoulder on the neck. The portions which are hooked together provide a fulcrum for the plug at one side and the plug being canted, invites the user to press t down on the opposite or high side. The radial expanse of 35 the plug serves as a lever between the fulcrum and the point of pressure and because of the mechanical advantage obtained, the plug is easily pivoted to upright position ~ ~64~S

in alignment with the neck bore and snapped down thus locking the shoulders.
These and other features inherent in and encom- !
passed by the invention will become more apparent from 5 the specification and the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the novel con-tainer incorporating the invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, fragmentary;
Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure l;
Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of 15 the closure structure;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 8 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 9-9 of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view showing the vent open position of the closure;
Figure 11 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view showing the prying position of the lever;
Figure 12 is a sectional view showing the opening position of the closure;
Figure 13 is a sectional view showing the open 30 position;
Figure 14 is a top view of the closure in open position;
Figure 15 is a top view with the container and closure hand held in position;
Figure 16 is a fragmentary top plan view of a third embodiment of the invention;

1 8 '~ ~

Figure 17 is a top view thereof with the containr er and the closure hand held in open position;
Figure 18 is an enlarged side elevational view thereof;
Fiaure l9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 19-19 of Figure 16;
Figure 20 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view similar to Figure 17 showing the hinged open position of the closure;
Figure 21 is a sectional view of a fourth embodi-ment of the invention showing the open position of the closure;
Figure 22 is a similar or sectional view showing - a closing position of the closure;
Figure 23 is a similar or sectional view show-ing the open position, parts being broken off; and Figure 24 is a top view on a different scale of the closure in open position.
With reference to Figures 1 to 6, an embodiment 20 of the invention is shown incorporated in a container 2 made of metal such as aluminum and comprises a cylindrical body 3 with an integral outwardly convexed bottom 5 which is provided with outwardly protruding dimples 6 upon which the container rests.
The upper open end portion 8 of the body portion is necked in at 9 and fits into an annular skirt portion 10 of a dome member 12 which forms the upper end of the container. A suitable adhesive 13 bonds the portion 8 to the skirt 10. The dome portion has a series of stepped 30 annular sections 14 and 16 and at its uppermost end is ' formed with an inturned frusto-conical lip 18 converging inwardly and providing a sharp closure-retaining edge 2Q
and defining the pour opening 22 at the upper end of the container.
A plastic closure 25 is provided at the upper end of the container and comprises a neck portion 26, a closure plug portion or cap 28 and a venting portion 30 to which is attached a finger grip or handle 32.
The neck portion 26 is a cylindrical member which at its lower end 34 is ~tapered at 36 and is tiahtly 5 wedged through the opening 22 and then expands radially outwardly and engages its shoulder 38 under the edge 20 of the lip 18.
The neck portion 26 has a pair of axially spaced sealing rings 40,42, triangular shaped in cross section 10 tightly pressed at their apices 44, 46 against the frusto-conical external surface 45 of the lip 18 to provide a fluid-tight pressure seal.
The interior bore surface 50 of the neck portion is provided with a locking ring member or shoulder 52 15 which has a downwardly sloping upper surface 56 merging into an apical edge 58 with a bottom locking surface or face 60 which extends normal to the axis of the neck por-tion. Above the ring 52 the bore surface is of frusto-conical shape which widens toward the upper end to facili-20 tate entry of the lower end portion 62 of the closure plug portion 28. The plug portion 28 has a cylindrical side wall 65 which intermediate its upper and lower edges is provided with an annular locking ring or shoulder 66 which is of triangular cross-section having a lower down-25 wardly tapered pilot surface 67 which is adapted to be guided upon engagement with the upper similarly tapered face 56 of the neck locking ring past the apex 58 when the plug portion is pressed into the neck opening or bore 50 whereupon an apical edge 68 of the rib 66 is deflected 30 with edge 58 and the rib portion 66 is stepped under the t shoulder 52 of the neck portion and a flat radially out-wardly extending surface 69 at the upper end of the shoulder 66, normal to the axis of the neck portion, locks under the face 60.
The plug portion 28 has a top wall 70 integral with its upper end 64 and wall 70 has a peripheral por-tion 72 extending beyond the perimeter of the side wall65.

1~6~8~

The peripheral portion 72 is annular and has a rib 74 on its underside pressed, in the closed position, against the top surface 75 of an annular flange 76 integral with and extending radially outwardly from the upper end of the 5 neck portion 26. The bottom side 77 of flange 76 presses against the crest of an annular U-shaped ridge 78 formed at the juncture of the dome wall 79 and the lip 18.
A tether in the form of a narrow strap 80 con-nects a peripheral edge portion 81 of flange 72 with a 10 peripheral edge portion 82 of the flange 76 of the neck portion 26.
The cap is provided with a vent opening 84 in an area diametrically opposite to the tether 80 close to the plug adjacent to its interior surface and the vent opening 15 84 is coaxial with a depending hollow tubular extension 85 formed on the underside of the top wall of the cap.
A frusto-conical pilot cavity 86 is formed at the upper end of opening 84 for guiding an enlarged head 88 of a vent pin or male closure element 89. The head has 20 a downwardly taped peripheral surface 90 which at its upper end has an annular shoulder 92 which in the closed position engages under a lower complimentary lower edge 93 on the bottom end of the tubular extension 85.
The upper end of the vent pin 89 depends from 25 and is integrally connected with a lever lug 95 intermed-iate its ends, the lever. 95 has an inner fulcrum end 96 which engages with the top side 97 of the top wall radial-ly inwardly of the vent opening. The other end 98 of the lever lug 95 extends radially outwardly and is connected 30 to the inner periphery 99 of a lift ring 32 which in the closed position of the closure lies flat with its lower side 102 against the flat upper face 97 of the cap top wall 70. The ring has its outer periphery 106 connected to one end of a narrow strap 108 which is folded and which 35 has its other end 109 connected to the outer edge of wall 70 in an area diametrically opposite the strap 80.

~6~8~5 Thus, to open the closure shown closed in Figure 3, the user inserts his finger through the ring hole 112 and lifts on portion 114 diametrically opposite the lever 9S thus lifting the end porti~on 98 upwardly and fulcruming 5 the inner end 96 against the top wall 70 of the cap. A
second class lever action obtains and the vent closure pin 89 is lifted out of the vent opening 84 attendant to slight deformation of the head. Removal of the pin 89 removes the support for the plug wall in the immediate area 10 and thus enhances the flexure of the portion of the neck wall in the region of the vent opening wherebv as the ring is further lifted, it pulls on the tether 108 which, in turn, curls the portion 120 of the top wall 70 upwardly and causes the adjacent portion of the wall 70 contiguous 15 to the vent opening to warp radially inwardly thus facil-itating partially unhooking of the ledge or shoulder 66 from the shoulder 52 and disengaging the locking face 69 from face 60. The plug then easily lifts out of the neck opening and with the handle portion lays to one side of 20 the pour opening the neck.
To reclose the closure, the plug of the cap is pressed into the neck opening until the shoulder 52 snaps under the shoulder 66. Then the handle is folded over the cap and the vent plug or pin 89 is pressed into the vent 25 opening until the shoulder 92 snaps under the lower edge q3 of the vent tube.
A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 7 through 15 in which like reference numerals refer to parts already described with reference to Figures 1 30 through 6. In the embodiment of Fi~ures 7 through 15 the container 2 has an upper portion or dome member 12 which provides at its neck 115 a shoulder 116 and an access opening 22 (Fig. 10) at the upper end of the container, the neck 115 terminating in a curl 24.
The neck portion 26 of plastic closure 25 is tightly wedged through the opening 22 and then expands ra-dially outwardly and engages its shoulder 38 under the edge of shoulder 116 of the neck 1]5.

l l6l8æ5 --The neck portion has an upper outwardly project-ing annular flange 117 which engages the top edge of the curl 24 and provides a fluid-tight pressure seal.
The plug portion or~cap 28 has a top wall 70 5 integral with the upper end of the plug 28, the wall 70 extending beyond the perimeter of the plug and forms an annular rim portion 72 which on its underside is pressed in position against the top surface 75 of the annular flange 117 integral with and extending radially outwardly 10 from the upper end of the neck portion 26. The bottom side 77 of flange 117 presses against the crest (Fig.9) of the curl 24 of the metal neck 14. A fulcrum post 97 is formed on the top side of the flange 40.
To open the closure shown closed in Figures 15 15 and 10, the user inserts his finger through the ring hole 112 and lifts on portion 114 diametrically opposite the strap 108 thus lifting the fulcrum end portion 96 outward-ly and withdrawing the vent plug 30 from opening 84. Con-tinued rotaLion of the lever or handle engages the fulcrum 20 portion 96 against the post or ledge 97 and further pivot-al movement leftwardly (Figures 10-12) pries the plug 28 out of the sleeve 26. Removal of the pin or plug 30 re-moves the support for the plug wall 65 in the immediate area and thus enhances the flexure of that portion of the 25 wall 65, that is, in the region of the vent opening where-by as the lever is fulcrumed, it pulls on the tether 108 which., in turn, curls the adjacent portion 72 of the top wall 70 upwardly and causes the portion of the wall 70 contiguous to the vent opening to warp radially inwardly 3~ thus facilitating partially unhooking of the ledge or shoulder 66 from under the shoulder 52 and disengaging the locking face 69 from the face 60. The plug 28 then easily lifts out of the neck or sleeve opening and with the hand-le or lever portion 30 lays to one side of the pour open-35 ing 50 and may be grasped by the user as seen in Fig. 15.
To reclose the closure, the plug 28 of the clos-ure is pressed into the sleeve opening until the shoulder 52 snaps under the shoulder 66. Then the handle or lever J ~6~8~5 g is fo~ded over the cap 28 and th.~ vent plug ox pin 3Q is pressed into the vent opening 84.
The third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 16 through 2a in which like reference numerals .5 refer to parts already described with reference to the first embodiment of Figures 1 through 6 and the second embodiment of Figures 7 through 15.
In this embodiment, the closure 25 includes a novel hinge arrangement 125 which comprises not only the 10 straps 80 which define a gap or slot 126 therebetween, but also an upright post 128 of fusiform shape having a middle thick diameter section 130 and upper and lower tapered ends 132 and 133. The post is connected at its inner side by a thin upright stand-off bracket wall 135 to the outside 15 periphery 136 of a mounting ring 138 which is tight.ly fitted over the outer edge of the curl 24 of the neck por-tion 14 of the container and an enlarged lower end portion 140 of the neck 14.
As best seen in Figs. 16 and 18, the straps 80 20 in the closed position of the closure flank the upper end portion 132 of the post and are partially spread apart and will wedge past the central en~arged catch section 130 when the plug is withdrawn and is positioned with the lever 32 at one side of the neck 14. It will be seen in Figure t 25 20 that portions of the straps 80 outwardly of the verti-cal axis of the post are below the enlarged catch portion 130 and thus will hold the plug and handle essentially as shown in Figure 17. Of course, the container may be rotat-ed 90 from that shown in Figure 18 so that th.e u~er ma~
30 drink over the lip 118.
To reclose, the handle 32 is lifted with the plug 28, releasing it from the post catch 130 and allowing the plug 28 to be snapped into the neck sleeve wherèupon .
the handle 32 is folded over the top of the plug entering 35 member 30 into opening 84. The hinge 125 then assumes the position of Fiaure 20 with the straps 80, 80 partly em~rac-ing the upper portion 132.

~ ~6~5 --In this embodiment the interior bore surface 50 of the neck portion is provided with a locking ring mem-ber or shoulder 52 which at one diametrical side has a downwardly sloping upper C-shaped surface 56 (Figures 23 5 and 24) in top plan merging into an apical-edge 58 which a bottom locking surface 60 extends normal to the axis of the neck portion. Above the ring 52 the limited bore sur-face 56 is of frusto-conical shape which widens toward its upper end to facilitate entry of the lower end portion 10 62 of the closure plug 28.
A portion 59 of the shoulder 52 diametrically opposite the sloping portion 56 is formed semi-cylindrical in shape and curved in plan about the axis X (Fig. 24) of the closure and provides an unobstructed downward entry 15 for a contiguous portion of the shoulder the locking ring 66 on a cylindrical side wall 65 of the plug 28 so that the plug will locate in a canted position as shown in Figure 24 upon its being initially pressed downwardly within the bore 50 as seen in Figure 25. The radial ex-20 tent L tFig. 21) diametrically of the plug, serves as a lever between the point or area of application of force at P and the fulcrum point F in the region of the limited catch of the shoulder 66 under the shoulder 52. Since the plug will invariably cant when pressed-in, the natural 25 inclination for the person closing the closure is to press t at P. The leverage obtained multiplies the force appli- !
cation such that even a young child can, without much difficulty, snap the closure shut.

Claims (24)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A closure for a container having a neck part defining a pour opening and a closure part, said closure part including a plastic deflectable plug part insertable in said neck part for closing said pour opening, and a vent assembly, said vent assembly in the closed position of said neck and closure parts rigidifying said plug part to resist removal thereof from said neck part, said vent assembly including separable parts adapted on separation, preparatory to opening of said closure, to accommodate flexure of said plug part and thus facilitate release of said plug part from said neck part.

2. The invention according to claim 1, and pull tab means connected to said plug part in the region of said vent assembly and operable to deform said plug part in said region and thus facilitate removal of said plug part from said neck part.

3. The invention according to claim 1, and said closure having lever means overlying said closure part when said closure part is in its closed position and operatively connected with one of said vent assembly separable parts and with said plug part for sequentially dislodging said one separable part and thereafter said plug part.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said lever means is positioned and arranged to operate as a second class lever.

5. A closure for a pressurized beverage con-tainer having an open end defining an opening, a plastic neck part inserted into said opening in a sealed tight fit therein and having a bore with an annular shoulder therein, said bore defining a pour opening, a plastic closure part having a transverse top wall and a hollow plug depending therefrom with an annular shoulder there-about adapted to be pressed under said annular shoulder on said neck part, said top wall having vent means includ-ing a vent opening therein extending alongside a section of the interior of said hollow plug, a male element extend-ing in sealing relation through said vent opening and having a lower end with a shoulder thereabout seated against the underside of said vent means and abutting against said section of said plug in buttressing relation thereto against lateral deflection, means for withdrawing said male element from said vent opening and thereby vent-ing said container and enhancing flexure of said plug section, and means for flexing said plug section upon withdrawal of said male element for dislodging said plug from said neck part by disengaging said annular shoulder on said plug from said annular shoulder on said neck part.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said means for dislodging said plug includes a lever element tethered at one end to a peripheral edge of said top wall, said lever having a handle at one end, said lever having a second end abuttable against said top wall for fulcruming thereon and being connected intermediate its ends to said male element.

7. The invention according to claim 6, and said neck part having axially spaced external annular shoulders, and said container having about said open end a frustoconical lip portion including a lower edge sealingly bearing against one of said external shoulders and presenting an internal frustoconical surface seal-ingly engaged with another of said external shoulders.

8. The invention according to claim 7, and said lip portion having a convex juncture with a portion of the container thereabout, and said top wall bearing against said convex juncture.

9. A closure for a container according to claim 1 wherein said neck part has an internal annular shoulder, said plug part has an external annular shoulder, said annular shoulder on said plug part being deflectable past said annular shoulder on said neck part in closing and opening of the container, means for inhibiting deflec-tion of said plug part in a preselected region, and means for displacing said last-mentioned means to reduce the resistance to deflection of said plug part and for deflect-ing said plug part in said region and thereat initiating removal of said plug part from said neck part.

10. A closure for a container according to claim 1 together with lift means for lifting said plug part out of said pour opening to open the same, said lift means including a lever horizontally disposed in overlying relation to the top of said plug part in the closed position of said plug part, a tether connecting said lever at one of its ends to a peripheral portion of said plug part, said tether being formed to accommodate said one end of said lever to fulcrum on said closure part and flex said plug part and withdraw said plug part from said pour opening.

11. A closure for a container according to claim 1 together with hinging means hinging said plug part to said neck part, a tab for moving said plug part to an open position tethered thereto diametrically opposite to said hinging means, and means including said hinging means hav-ing releasably cooperative parts operative to hold said plug part in an open position at one side of said pour opening with said tab extending over the top of the container.

12. The invention according to claim 11, with said hinging means including a strap means extending between said neck part and said plug part, and a catch carried by the container engageable with said strap means.

13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein said strap means and hinging means include a pair of flexible straps and a catch positioned to enter between said straps in interlocking relation therewith.

14. The invention according to claim 13, and said catch being in the form of a post mounted on said neck part having a fusiform shape.

15. The invention according to claim 14, and said post having an upper end part having a portion disposed between said straps in the closed position of said plug part and said upper end part tapering from its midsection upwardly and being entered sidewise between said straps in said closed position of said plug part for piloting said post between said straps attendant to movement of said plug part to an open position.

16. The invention according to claim 15, and said midsection of said post being positioned to enter sufficiently between said straps in the laid over posi-tion of said plug part and said tab to securely inter-lock with said straps and thus hold said hinging means in a position to bias said plug part and said straps in said laid over position against the top of the container.

17. A closure for a container according to claim 1 together with plug part locking means on said neck part having locking means for interlocking engagement with said plug part locking means on said neck part upon full insertion of said plug part into said neck part sleeve, said locking means on said neck part including means for guiding said plug part in canted relation into said pour opening with a portion of said locking means on said plug part moving into engagement with said locking means on said neck part for operation as a fulcrum at one side of said plug part whereby upon the application of inwardly directed force on said plug part at a point diametrically opposite said fulcrum said plug part serves as a lever and swings about said fulcrum to facilitate full insertion of said plug part into said pour opening and thereupon fully interlock both of said interlocking means with each other.

18. A closure for a container according to claim 1 together with means on said neck part and said plug part for releasably interlocking each to the other attendant to insertion of said plug part into said pour opening, and means for guiding and facilitating the insertion of said plug part into said pour opening in a prying-in arrangement into said interlocking engage-ment.

19. The invention according to claim 18, and said guiding means comprising a partial truncated conical surface at the outer end of said pour opening merging circumferentially into a generally semi-cylindrical contoured surface.

20. The invention according to claim 19, and said truncated conical portion being at one side of the axis of said pour opening and said generally semi-cylindrical portion being at the opposite side of said axis.

21. The invention according to claim 20, and said plug part having a generally frustoconical guide surface disposed in guided opposition to said surfaces on said neck part preparatory to insertion of said plug part.

22. The invention according to claim 19, and said guiding means including said surfaces in said pour opening for guiding said plug part into initially a canted position with said interlocking means in partial engagement at one side of the axis of said pour opening to provide a fulcrum for said plug part, and said plug part having a press-in area diametrically opposite to said fulcrum for application of a digital load thereto for pushing said plug part to a closed position within said pour opening.

23. A closure for a container according to claim 1 together with an opening member connected to said plug part operable to withdraw said plug part from said pour opening, one of said vent assembly separable parts being an aperture in said plug part communicating with the interior of the container in the closed position of said plug part, the other of said separable parts being a male member connected to said opening member and with-drawable from said aperture for venting attendant to operation of said opening member.

24. A closure for a container according to claim 1 wherein said closure is an easy opening closure molded of plastic material, and there is an element connected to said plug part having means reactive against said neck part for prying said plug part out of said pour opening, means hingedly connecting said element to said neck part and means hingedly connecting said plug part to said neck part.