CA1212928A - Aerosol container closure - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract:
A gasketed mounting cup suitable for clinching onto the bead of a container at a generally circumferent-ially extending clinch line comprises a panel and a skirt integral with and depending from the panel. The skirt is outwardly flared to form an annular channel for mating with the bead of a container opening The gasket material is disposed on the skirt to extend from beyond the clinch line towards and into the channel such that the gasket material extends outside the inside diameter of the head of the container that receives the gasketed mounting cup.
The improvement comprises a compressive deformation of the gasket on the outer surface of said gasket. Such deformation may take the form of an annular rib or of a series of radial ribs along the width of the gasket.

Description

Im~oved aerosol container closure BACKGROUND
This application is a division of application Serial No. 411,683 filed September 17, 1982.
Aerosol dispensing cont~iners have found widespread use in the packaging o fluid materials including ~ variety of both liquid and powdered particul~te products. Such container~ are provided with a valve-controlled discharge orl~ice ~nd operate by the action of a volatile propell~nt which is con~ined within the container ~ogether *ith the product to be dispensed. Because the propellant has ~n appreciable vapor pressure ~t room temperatuare, the product in the closed container ~s maintained under ~uper-a~mospheric . pressure.
A ty~ical aerosol unit comprises ~ hollow cylindricaI container wh~ch ~ tightly closed at : one end and is provided with an opening at ~ts oppo~ite end for rece~ving a dispensing valve assembly. A closure, commonly referred to fl5 a mountin~ cup, serves as the closure or the container and ~s a ~upport for the valve assem~ly.
Typically, the mounting cup comprises ~ panel having ~n aper~ure or receiving the valve assembly, ~ ~kirt depending from the periphery of ~he panel~ ~nd an annular channel extending ~,;

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outwardly from the edge of the skirt. When the mounting cup i6 placed ~n sealing position on the cont~iner, the channel i6 positioned over the bead surrounding the container opening and the lower portion of the skirt ~djacent to ~he channel is flared outwardly Against the container wall adjacent the bead. To ensure ~dequate 6ealing between the closure ~nd the cont~iner, ~he cup is provided with a gasket which may reside in the ~nnular channel or predominan~ly ln the channel of the cup.
Hereto~ore, mounting cup gasket 6eals have been formed by disposing a previously cut ~asket in the channel. ~his type of gasket has the di6advantage of not being 6tationary relative to the mounting cup during propellant filling or other valve unit assembly operations with the undesirable consequence that when the mountinq cup ~nd container are clinched to effect the seal, the gasket is often disposed at an angled position, and thus, the clinching oper~tion is less effective.
Another commercial method for forming the qasket onto the mounting cup consists in orming the qaskets,in situ from liquid gasket-forming compositions comprising ~n elsstomer dispersed or dissolved in ~ volatile organic liquid vehicle~ In the manufacture o such a gasket, the liquid composition i6 deposited in the desired ~configuration in the channel of the cup while the cup is rotated beneath a metering nozzle through which the composition flows. ~he deposit is then converted into a dry 601id sealing mass by expelling the li~uid vehicle at elevated temperatures. Though this technique of flowing gaskets into place has received wide commercial acceptance, it 6uffer6 from the disadvantages of

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-3-requiring an elaborcte drying operation, wherein the mounting cup must be handled carefully ~o as to ~void undue upset from the horizontal; costly recovery apparatus ~or the expelled organic liquid al50 must be providedr In sum, the flowed gasket is an expensive ~tep in the formation of the mounting cup. See UOS. Pat. No. 3,342,381 ~s an ex~mple of the ~1Owed" gasket.
~ Other techniques for di6posing a gasket onto the mounting cup are described in Urs- Pat. No.
3,417,177,wherein the gasket 6eal is made Df heat 6hrink~ble material. After placing a band of gasket mRterial on the 6kirt, the gasket having a greater diameter than the outside diameter of the skirt of the mountin~ cup, the cup is heated at a temperature and for a time sufficient to ~hrink the band into tight frictional engagement with the ~kirt.
Another ~imilar technique is that di~closed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,006, wherein a band of gasket material is swelled through the use of ~ ~uitable swelling agent fiO ~S to increase ~ts di~meter to fit over the ~kirt of the mounting cup.
Subsequently, the ~welling agent is removed ~rom the gasket material so that the band will come into tight frictional engagement with ~he 6kirt.
Both the heat shrink and 6welling techniques for applying a gasket material to the mounting cup have the disadvantage of be ng costly and relatively time eonsuming proced~res. Note in U.S.
3,417,177, column 4, lines 27-31, that the positioned ~and~ must be heated to 240F ~or about 2-3 minutes in order to obtain a tight ~riction fit. In the procedure of 3,443,006, the bands must 6tand in the 6welling liquid for a period of 1/2 to --` lZ~Z9Z8 I

1-1/2 minutes according to example 2 of the '006 patent and then allowed to stand for the drying period. Also, in any mass production utilizing the '006 system, an organic liquid recovery system must be employed.
In Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 369,740 filed January 30, 1981 in the name of R. H. Abplanalp, et al, is described a novel gasketed mounting cup system, including novel method and apparatus, wherein the gasket material is disposed on the mounting cup in the preferred position for effecting a seal between the mounting cup and the bead of the container; and further wherein the dis-advantages associated with the aforementioned techniques of applying the gasket material to the cup are obviated.
Also, an apparatus and method is provided wherein gaskets are applied to aerosol mounting cups in an exceptionally rapid and efficient manner to form gasketed-mounting cups having excellent sealing characteristics.
In general, the method of the invention of the aEore-said Canadian Application Serial No. 369,7~0 comprises passing a tubular sleeve of gasket material onto a compressible mandrel; initially positioning and aLignin~
the skirt of the mounting cup and the contiguous end of the mandrel such that the sleeve of gasket material may pass onto the skirt, said mandrel having fixed and moveable portions with respect to each other and to their movement toward and away from the mounting cup; urging the moveable portion of the gasket material bearing mandrel toward the mounting cup such that the gasket material passes onto the skirt of the cup; causing the moveable portion of the mandrel to retract to its initial position, cutting the sleeve at a point between the moun~ing cup and the mandrel to leave a band of gasket material; and subsequently, advancing the mounting cup to a station whereat the band of the gasket material is urged fur~her onto the skirt of the mounting cup, whereby the band of 92~

gasket material does not extend beyond the skirt of the mounting cup. At this stage, the gasketed-moun~ing cup may be further processed.
For certain applications of the gasketed mounting cups of aforesaid Canadian Application Serial No. 369,740, namely, utilizing said mounting cups in so-called "under the cup" pxopellant filling of the container, it was observed that on limited occasions the gasket ban~ was removed from the mounting cup during the filling operation.
Moreover, observation revealed a tendency in an unto~ard number of gasketed mounting cups for the hand of gasket material to recede ~rom its position in the channel or curl portion of the mountng cup before crimping the mounting cup to the container. Both of these disadvantages reduce productivity on a mass production basis.
The subject invention is an improvement in the cup disclosed in the aforesaid Canadian Application Serial No.
369,740.
More specifically, the invention consists o~ in a gasketed mounting cup suitable for clinching onto the bead of a container at a generally circumferentially extending clinch line comprising a panel, a skirt integral with and depending from said panel, said skirt being outwardly flared to form an annular channel for mating with the bead of a container opening, and wherein the gasket material i5 disposed on the skirt to extend from beyond the clinch line towards and into the channel such that the gasket material extends outside the inside diameter of the head of the container that receives the gasketed mounting cup, the improvement comprising a compressive deformation of the gasket on the outer surface o~ said gasket.

The present invention will be more clearly understood by referring to the drawings herein and the discussion relating thereto.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows in section view a gasketed aerosol mounting cup prepared according to the method and an apparatus of the invention of Serial No. 369,740.
Figures 2 A-F is a schematic of one embodiment of the invention of aforesaid Canadian Application Serial No.
369,740 showing the several steps utilized in positioning the gasket material onto an aerosol mounting cup.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the embodiment of Figure 2, together with the apparatus used in a second operation novel to this invention, on the product of the embodiment of Figure 2.

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Figure 4 is a sectional view o~ the apparatus of the embodiment of Figure 3, along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure S is a partial section of the apparatus used in the second operation of the product of the embodiment of Figure 2, along the line 5-5 of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a timing diagram through a single cycle for producing the mounting cup according to the embodiment of Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment 0f the invention.
Figures 8 and 9 are views of the apparatus of the embodiment of Figure 7, showing the positioning of the apparatus in an initial and advanced position, respectively, relative to the mounting cup.
Figure 10 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus used in the operation to advance the band of gasket material to its ultimate position on the mounting cup according to the subject invention, said apparatus being shown in non-advanced mode relative to the mounting cup.
Figure 11 is the apparatus of Figure 10 in the advanced mode relative to the mounting cup.
Figure 12 is an enlargement of the circled portion of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the gasketed mounting cup of this inventionO
Figure 14 is a schematic showing the several operations or stations in the preferred mode for the manufacture of the gasketed.mounting cup of this invention.
Figure lS is a partial sectional view of the preferred apparatus used in the operation to advance the band of gasket material onto the mounting cup such that the end of the gasket material resides on the straight portion of the skirt of the mounting cup.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of one of the flexible fingers of the apparatus of Figure 15.

12~ 9~8 - 7a -Figures 17 and 18 are a plan view along the lines 17-17 and 18-18 of Figure 15.
Figure 19 is a plan view along the line 19-19 o~
F.igure 15.
Figure 20 is a partial sectional view of the preferred apparatus used in the operation to advance the gasket material to its ultimate position on the mounting cup.
Figure 21 is an enlarged, partial sectional view of the plunger sleeve of Figure 20 mounting cup and gasket material in the fully advanced position of said plunger sleeve.
Figure 22 is a plan view of the top surface of a member of the centering mechanism.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a gasketed-mounting cup shown in inverted position relative to its placement in the assembled container and produced according to the genèral method of aforesaid Canadian Application Serial NQ. 369,740. The mounting cup, generally designated as 10, comprises a circular panel 12 having an integral skirt 14 depending from its periphery. The free edge of skirt 14 is 2~2~Z8 outwardly flanged at 16 to form an annul~r channel 18 for embracinq the bead ~urrounding the container opening ~not shown), when the cup i6 positioned thereon. The inner portion of panel 12 is S countersunk to form a tubular rim, ~enerally designated ~s 20, which has a dependent circular wall 22 inte~r~lly joined with an ~pertured horizont~l ~all 24. When the cup is placed in 6ealing position, the rim 20 acts as a pedestal for the ~alve unit flnd the valve stem is ~dmitted into the container through apertured wall 24. The gasket 26 i~ disposed on the exterior sur~ace of the 6kirt 14 and exte~ds beyond the juncture of the ~kirt and channel ~nd a distance ~nto said channel.
In Figure 2 ~-F, corresponding parts in each ~igure ~re as numbered and described in Figure 2 A, said igures showing a ~chematic of the relative positionin~ of the moving components of the npparatus at each stage of the cycle in Mdvancing a plastic g~sket material onto ~ mounting cup and cutting the tube to ultimately provide a band of gasket material disposed on the 6kiet of the mounting cup.
In Figure 2 A, ~ sleeve o gasket material 30 is disposed over the length of the mandrel, generally designated xs 32~ Mounting cup 34 is ~ecurely posit~oned within ~ ~ea~ 36, which is mounted on a ~u~table base, in a manner known to those skilled in the ~rt. Positioninq pin 38 extends throu~h the central aperture in the pedestal of the mounting cup 3~ and provides ~
fixed spacin~ betYeen the bottom surface 40 of the ~andre~ 32 and the mounting cup 34. Mandrel 3~ has an upper portion 42 and ~ lower portion 44 which nre retractably collap-~ible relative to each other (the ~tructure of which is more fully described ~n --~~L2~Z92B

g Figure 4). An upper and lower gripping member is provided at 46 and 48, respectively.
Figure 2A, the initial stage of a single cycle, shows the mandrel 32 disposed atop the positionlng pin 38, with the mandrel 32 having the gasket material disposed at the initial cycle stage, i e., terminating at the bottom surface 40 of the mandrel 32. Both gripping members, 46 and 48, are in an open position.
10In Figure 2B, the uppe~ gripping member 42 closes about the mandrel 32 and subsequently moves the upper portion 42 of the mandrel 32, toward the mounting cup 34. By this motion, the gasket ma~erial 30 is moved past the stationary bottom surface 40 of the mandrel 1532. Both gripping members, 46 and 48, are in an open position.
In Figure 2C, the gasket material is first disposed on the skirt of the mounting cup 34 the desired distance, and subsequently, the lower gripping member 48 engages the lower portion 44 of the mandrel 32.
At the next stage of the cycle, Figure 2D, the upper gripping member 46 releases allowing the upper portion 42 of the mandrel 32 to return to its original position. Concomitantly, the positioning pin 38 is lowered beneath the mounting cup 34 and thereafter a cutting edge S0 (shown only in Figure 2D) is passed through the gasket material 30.
Figure 2E, shows a mounting cup with a band of the gasket material 30 on the skirt of the mounting cup .
At the next stage, Figure 2F, the bottom gripper 48 is closed on the bottom portion 44 of the mandrel 32 and positioning pin 38 is moved to the position shown in Figure 2A, after which the ~ ~z9ZI~

gripper 4~ i5 rele~sed and the system is at the initial 6t~ge shown in Figure ~ A.
Figure 3 6hows ~ ~ix~station gasket-mounting cup assembly. The gasket material 30 is ~ed from individual rolls (not ~hown) of fiaid material.
Upper gripping member 46 has a ~eries of openings 52 which receive ~he mandrel 32. The bottom gripping member i~ 48. Moun~ing cup 34 is fed through ~ race~way 54 to a position beneath each of the mandrels 32. Not ~hown for re~son that it is known to those 6killed in the ~rt, is the structure which transport6, here 6iX, ~ given number of mounting cups along the raceway 54 to their respective positions in vertical alignment with each as ociated mandrel. In the timing chart of Figure 6, these ~tructures are referred to as the feed ~inger, feed arm ~nd looator device. Cutting edge 50 is mounted onto a rot~ing wheel 56 in GUCt.
~ manner ~s to impart an elliptical motion as the cutting edge advances ~nd re~reats during the cutting cycle. After the mounting cup has reoeived the gasket material 30, the ~up ~s moved to a station whereat a hollowed bottom plunger 58, shown in more detail in Figure 5, ~dvances over the skirt of the mounting cup and ur~es the gasket material 30 ~long the 6kirt.
Figure ~ shows in more detail the ~tructure o a ~ingle mandrel-mountlng cup Etation of the embodiment shown in ~igure 3. ~he upper portion 42 of the mandrel 32 has a tapered upper ~urface 60 which is threaded onto the upper surface 42, the ~hape of the portion 60 facili~ating ~he passing of the gasket material onto the mandrel 32. Further, the upper portion 42 of the mandrel 32 has ~ cavity 62 ~n which ~s disposed a spring 64. Shown best in 9~

Figures 2 A-F are the plurality of fingers 66 which form the bottom end of the upper portion 42 of the mandrel 32~ and the plurality of recesses 68 in lower portion 44 of the mandrel 32, and whlch are aligned to receive the ingers 66 when the upper portion of the mandrel 32 is moved toward the lower portion of the mandrel.
The upper gripping member 46 is a conventional chuck which is connected to a reciprocating ram such that it may rapidly advance and retreat from the ..
mounting cup and when gripping the upper portion of the mandrel move said portion toward the mounting cup.
The lower gripping member 48 is a conventional chuck.
The cutting edge 50 is mounted in a conventional manner and proscribes an elliptical path in its advance and retreat from the mounting cup 34.
Figure 5 shows a reciprocating plunger, the lower outer shoulder of which engages the upper edge of the gasket material and urges it further onto the skirt of the mounting cup. In Figure 5, the plunger, generally designated as 104, has a lower hollow portion 106, terminating in shoulder 108. Set within the lower portion 106 is a spring~loaded centering pin 110 having ~he protuberance 112. The protuberance 112 has the beveled terminating portion 114 which mates with and centers the mounting cup 34 by contacting the sloped panel 113 of the mounting cup.
The ~unction of the plunger action shown in Figure 5 is to advance the band of gasket material onto the mounting cup such that the band resides at or below the sloped surface 113 of the mounting cup 34. The purpose of so disposing the gasket band is z~

to provide ~ band edge ~upported ~gain6t the str~ight portion 115 of the skirt of the mounting cup 34, thereby to be properly positioned to mate with the plunger ln the ~econd ~nd final plunger S ~ction ~or ~dvancing ~he band of gaske~ ma~eri~l to it~ ultlm~te position on the mounting cup.
Figure 6 describes a timing cycle that is ~uit~ble for the 6ix-~tation unit 6hown in Figure 3. In Figure 6, the clamp ~s the qripping member, pins the poSieioning pins~ feed finger and feed arm ~re a conventional mechanism ~or advancing ~ix mounting cups per cycle to be positioned to receive the qasket material.
A ~econd embodiment o~ the mandrel-gripper arran4ement i~ shown ~n ~igures 7-9. This embodiment offers the improvement of simplified construction avoiding the need for ~ positioning pin passing through the central opening in the mounting cup. In the perspective view of Figure 7, the gasket material 30 is p~ssed over a mandrel, generally designated as 80. ~he ~ndrel 80 ha-~ an upper portion 82 Hnd a lower portion 84, the lat~er having recessed portion 86 ~nd upper extension B~
which passes through upper portion 82, ~aid upper extension 88 being resil;en~ly mounted against ~he upper surface of portlon 82. Upper qripping ~ember 90 has upper ~nd lower sets of rollers 92 ~nd 9~, respect~vely, 6aid rollers being adjus~ed ~qainst upper mandrel portion ~2 60 ns to preclude movement of mandrel portion 82. The lower gripping member 96 is of conventional shuck desi~n ~nd has means, not 6hown, or reciprocDlly advancing t.he lower gripping member toward the mount~ng cup. ~he mounting cup 98 is affixed in ~ 6uitable holding device on the base 100.

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Figure 9 ~hows the mandrel-gripper arrange~ent of the embodiment of Figure 7 in initi&l position for starting the gasket material onto the mounting cup. The gasket material 30 extends beyond the mandrel portion 84, a short distance, 1/4~ has been found satisfactory. Figure 9 sho~s the lower gripper 96 closed onto the mandrel por~ion 84, Moving the lower gripper 96 toward the mounting cup 98, advances the gasket material 30 onto the ~kirt of the mounting cup. ~he nature of the gasket material is 6uch that as the mandrel portion B4 is advanced toward the mounting cup, the gasket material 30 passes through the rollers 92 and 94 of the uppes gripping member 90. After the gaske~
material has been placed onto the 6kirt of the mounting cup, the lower gripping member 96, is released and the mandrel portion 84 returns to the initial position shown in Figure ~; the cycle is then ready to be repeated. After the re~urn of the mandrel portion 84, the cutting edge 102 ~dvances to ~ever the gasket material. After cutting, the mounting cup is passed to a ~tation (~ee Figure 5);
whereat the gasket material 30 i~ advanced further onto the ~kirt of the mounting cup. The single ~5 mandrel of Figures 7-9 may, as with the embodiment of Figures 2-5, compri~e ~ ~ultiple mandrel-gripping member arrangement.
Subsequent to the initial advancing of the band of gasket material onto the ~kirt of the mountinq cup, the mounting cups are passed on conventional tracking t~rough a zone wherein the band of gasket material is heated by convent$onal heating ~eans. For example, the heating zone might be the conventional mounting cup tracking in indirect heat exchange with an insulated heated water 6ystem, said water system being capable of 9;~3 . ! -14-close control through conventional heated ~ater control 6ystems. Heatlng the mounting cup 160-lBO~F has been found sati~factory.
; From the he~ting zone the g~sketed mounting cups ~re passed to the secondary plunger 6tation.
The plunger and plunging ~ction at the 6ecundary plunger station is described in ~igures lD-12.
In Figure lQ, the band 116 of ~he gasket material i6 ~hown in it6 initially advanced po~ition on the ~kirt of the mounting cup 1180 The plunger of Figure 10, generally designated as 120, compr~es an outside ~leeve portion 122, a head por~ion 124, a chuck por~on 126, which chuck portion is attached to the plunger advancing mech~ni~m ~not shown), the head portion 124 and sleeve port~on 122 defining a recess 12B. Wi~hin the recess 128 i~ a mounting cup ~tripping member~
generally des~gn~ted ~s 130, which comprises slidably ~ating portions 132 and 134, and ~
2~ mounting cup centering member 136, which cente~ing member 136 i~ biased ~way from the head portion 124 by ~ spring 138~ Port~on 132 of the mounting cup 6tripping member 130 ~s biased away from the head portion 124 by ~ spring 140. Portion 134 of the mounting cup stripping member 130 is biased away from portion 132 by spring 142.
~he sleeve 122 has ~ lower portion 144 having an annular ~houlder 146 ~nd an edge portion 148.
~he shoulder portion 146 engages the band of gasket material 116 while advancing the band to its ultimate position on the ~unting cup 118~
~he edge portion 14S has a configuration, best 6hown ln Figure 12~ having a lug portion 150. The edge 148 has a ~lightly radiused ontour~
~n operatlon, the mounting cups 118 are suitably pl~ced at the secondary plunger station.

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When in place, the plunger 120 is advanced toward the mounting cup 118 by centering the cup relative to the plunger 120, the mounting cup centering member 136 serving this unction. Also the mounting cup stripping member 130 is brought into contact with the cup, as shown in Figure 10~ Upon further advancement of the plunger 120, the completion o wh.ich is shown in Figure 11, the sleeve 122 advances to engage the shoulder 146 ag~inst the band of gasket material 116 and urge the band 116 further onto ~he skirt of the mounting cup 118, ultimately advancing the band to the final position shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11, the edge 148 of the sleeve 122 terminates its advance by bottoming against the walls 152 of the channel of ~he mounting cup, wh~le concomitantly producing an annular rib lS~ in the band of gasket material 116 through the compressive defoemation caused by the lug 150 acting aga;~nst tha gasket material. Dur ing retraction of the plunger 120, the portion 134 o the mounting cup stripping member is biased a~ains~ the mounting cup 118 by the spring 142 until such time as the sleeve 122 moves c~ear of ~he advanced gasket, thus precluding the re~racting sleeve 122 from lifting the mounting cup 118. Obviously~ the springs 140 and 142 must be designed to permit portion 132 to advance toward portion 134 during the advance o~
the plunger 120.
The preerred plungers used a~ the secondary plunger station in t~e two-step advancement o gasket ma~erial to its ultimate position on the mounting cup are described in Figures 15-19 and Figures 20-22, respectively.
Figures 15-19 are the preferred means for advancin~
the gasket material from its initial position on the mounting cup after cutting of the gasket tubing to the 3s position shown in Figure 15. From the plunger station ~ ~21~Z~28 -15a -of Figure 15 the mounting cup is moved, after heating, to the final plunger station. The advancement of the plunger and mounting cup centering is through the simple action of advancing the reciprocating ram, which action S is a conventional means for advancing the plunger and centering means. The action of the plunger of Figure lS
is simple advancement of the plunger through movement of the reciprocating ram, since the centering means 208, being independently spring loaded, is free to retract as the ram advances the plunger portion.
In contrast thereto, the apparatus for the ultimate positioning of the gasket of Figures 20-22 is a multiple action, namely, positioning and retraction of the centering device and then advancement of the plunger.
lS In Figure 15, the plunger generally designated as 200 has an arbor 202 which is connected through con-ventional means to a reciprocating ram (not shown).
Within the bore 204 is telescoped member 206 which is independently spring loaded within the bore 204. The telescoped section 206 terminates in ( n filotted coll~c portion 220. Po~itioned ~ithin member 206 i6 mounting cup centering means 20~, ~hich i~ independently ~pring loaded. Slotted collar 210 is di6posed outboard of telescoped S 6ection 206, the ~ots of said collar 210 receiving fingers 212. The fingers 212 (shown in more detail in Figure 16) are offixed to the arbor 202 th~ough dowel pins 214. The 610ts 216 (Figure 16~ receive O rings 21B, the purpose of the O rings being to provide a constant inwardly directed pressure on the ingers 212. The fingers 212 are al~o positioned wi~hin the 610ts 222 ~Figure 1~) of the slotted coll~F portion 220. Affixed to the bo~tom of telescoped member 206 is a plate 224, said plate.
224 providing a 6houlder 226 ~gainst which the bottom fihoulder 228 of the fingers 212 ~but during the advancement of the plun~er 200. The distance that the fingers 212 travel before meeting the shoulder 226 determines the distance that the gaske~ 230 will be advanced onto the skict 232 of the moun~ing cup 23q. Threadedly mounted onto the slotted collar 210 is an outer adjustable sleeve member 236 which ~leeve member 236 functions to prevent outward splaying of the fingers 212 and thereby to direc~ the bottom surface 238 of the finger6 212 against the top 6urface of the gasket material 230.
After initially advancing the gasket onto the mounting cup, the cup and gasket are heated to 160-180F. and then passed to the final plunger station.
In Figure 20 is shown the pl~nger mechanism generally designated as 2400 which initially centers the m~unting cup 242 and advances ~he gasket 244 to its ultimate position on the mounting cup 242. The plunger mechanism 2dO is attached to 9Z~

( -17-an arbor ~not ~hown) which in turn is attached by conventional ~eans to n reciprocating press ~not shown). The plunger mechanism has A plug member 250 which h~s a central bore defining a chamber 2S2. Affixed to the plug member 250 i6 ~nner ~leeve 254, 6aid 61eeve having a flan~e 256 for connecting to the plug member 250.
Outer sleeve 25R i6 connected to inner sleeve 254 through 1ange 260.
1~ Centering mechanism, generally designated as 262, ~s disposed within ~he inner sleeve 254 ~nd the chamber 252 and comprises a spring retainer and 6top 264, rod 266, piston member ~68, 0 rings 270 ~nd centering plug 272.
Mounting cup stripper 274 is independently ~pring loaded and is ~ssembled within the lnner sleeve 254 and rests on shoulder 276 of inner sleeve 254. The opening 27B of the stripper 274 has a slot configura~ion which is 6hown in greater detail in Figure 22. The ~lot confi~uration prevents the centering mechanism from being remo~ed from the plunger assembly, the edge 2~0 of the spring retainer and Etop 264 abutting against the uppex surface 28~ of the stripper 274. The leading surface 284 defined by the inner 254 ~nd outer 2.58 sleeves is best shown in Figure 21, Note the reces~ portion 286 in ~he ~urface 2B4 of the outer ~leeve 258. Also note the ~houlder 290 of the inner sleeve 25~ (Fig. 21~.
~ 30 In operntion the centering mechanism 262 i~
advanced toward the mountiny cup by passing ~ir under pressure into the chamber 252 ~aid advancement ~ccurring at the initial phase of the downward 6troke of the reciprocating press. The ~ir passes through the 610t of the stripper 27~ and gener~tes a pressure against ~he piston 268 which overcomes the retracting pressure of the ~pring 288 and advances the centering mechanism against the ~2~Z~

~ounting cup. Before the advancing ~leeves contact the gasket, the centering mechanism i~ retracted by clo6ing off the nir supply ~nd allowing the spring to return the mechanism to $ts retracted position.
The plunger sleeves continue their ~dvance and shoulder 290 engages the gasket 292 and urges the gasket further onto the mounting cup as shown in Figure 21. The inner and outer ~leeves ultimately bottom in the channel 294 of the moun~ing cup.
During this bottoming action the ~leeves effect a compressive force against the plastic gasket material and the g~sket ~s folded into the recess 286, thereby deforming the surface of ~he gasket as shown in Figure 21. After ~dvancing and bot~oming the plunger, ~he sleeves are retracted while retaining the 6tripper in contact with the moun~ing cup through ~ts independent pring means for a portion of the retraction cycl~, namely until the inner sleeve clear6 the mounting cup. Subsequent to the plunger action, the mounting cups are prsmptly cooled to about 40F.
It has been found that with ~ mounting cup having a thickness of .011" n gasket material of .014~ that 6etting o~ the advancement of the ~leeves ~o that it ter~inates ~t .016~ of the 6urface on which ~he mounting cup rests provides a satîsfactory compression and deformatlon of the g~sket m~terial.
Preferably, following the advancement of the gasket material ~o lt~ ultimate position on the mounting cup, the gasketed mounting cup i6 cooled to room temperature.
To form ~ friction ~it between gasket ~ateri~l and the skirt of the mounting cup, the ~nside diameter of the sleeve of the gasket material is ~L2~Z9;~8 81 ightly less than the o~t~ide di~meter of the skirt portion of the mounting cup. Conventionally, the 60-called one inch aerosol mounting CUp6 have a skirt diameter of ~.9B0-.99On~ It has been found S that gasket material having a thickness of .017 is ~atisfactory. To ~ccomodate this thickness of gssket, mounting cups having ~ 6kirt diamete. of .9S0 inches have been used. Gasket bands having a width of 9/32~ have been sati6fac~0rily employed.
While ~ny plastic g~sket material having 6ufficient resilien~y may be used, provided however, that there is compatability between the cont3iner contents and the plastic material, it has been ~ound that ~ plAstic comprising low density polyethylene (density range of .916-.922) hav~ng S-lS~ polyisobutylene in the molecular weight range of ~0,000-200,000, plus ~tabilizer~ usually used with polyethylene in the environment in which the gasket material will reside, provides a ~ati~factory gasket materi~l over a broad product range.
While the ~nvention has been specifically descri~ed in terms of providing an annul~r rib in the gasket~ it should be understood tha~ a ~eries of ribs disposed r~dially ~long the width of the gasket may likewise be utilized. Also a plurality o~ annular ribs may be employed t lt generally being found that a di~continuity to the planarity or ~moothness of the gasket~ ~uch a~ by the described ribbing, imparts to the gasket a resistance to being dislodged during fil~ing or ~ ~ep~sitioning on the mounting cup by t~e gasket returning to ~he initial advanced position. ~igure 13 shows in perspective the novel g~sketed mounting cup of this ~nventiOn-. " ~212~

In contr~st to mounting cups having gasket ma~erial only clong the skirt portion of the cup, the cup of this invention, by having gasket material from the point of clinch between the cup and the container bead ~s well as extending the gasket material onto the channel, provides a mounting cup having 6uperior sealing characteristics. Also, the qasket of the ~ubject mou~ting cup 1~ substantially uniform in thickness throughout prior to clinching to the container, whereas the ~flowed-in" type gasket of the prior ~rt i~ non-uniform, thinning toward the outer edge of the channel and where the ~kirt ~nd channel inter~ect. Uniform thickness provides a better ~eal.

Claims (3)

Claims:

1. In a gasketed mounting cup suitable for clinching onto the bead of a container at a generally circumferent-ially extending clinch line comprising a panel, a skirt integral with and depending from said panel, said skirt being outwardly flared to form an annular channel for mating with the bead of a container opening, and wherein the gasket material is disposed on the skirt to extend from beyond the clinch line towards and into the channel such that the gasket material extends outside the inside diameter of the head of the container that receives the gasketed mounting cup, the improvement comprising a compressive deformation of the gasket on the outer surface of said gasket.

2. The gasketed mounting cup of claim 1, wherein the deformation comprises an annular rib.

3. The gasketed mounting cup of claim 1, wherein the deformation is a series of radial ribs along the width of the gasket.