CA2539843A1 - Closure for containers - Google Patents
Closure for containers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2539843A1 CA2539843A1 CA 2539843 CA2539843A CA2539843A1 CA 2539843 A1 CA2539843 A1 CA 2539843A1 CA 2539843 CA2539843 CA 2539843 CA 2539843 A CA2539843 A CA 2539843A CA 2539843 A1 CA2539843 A1 CA 2539843A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- closure
- cap
- container
- thickness
- region
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
- B65D51/24—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
- B65D51/246—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes provided with eating utensils or spatulas
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3442—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with rigid bead or projections formed on the tamper element and coacting with bead or projections on the container
- B65D41/3447—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with rigid bead or projections formed on the tamper element and coacting with bead or projections on the container the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
Abstract
A snap-off closure for a container is disclosed. The closure is injection moulded from plastics material and comprises (a) a body 61 that has a top wall 5 that has a central opening 7 and (b) a cap 9 that closes the opening 7 when the closure is an operative position on the container. The closure also comprises a region of reduced wall thickness 11 that defines a fracture line that facilitates separation of the cap from the closure. The cap 9 has two diametrically opposed inwardly projecting tabs 23 that cause a greater amount of post-moulding shrinkage than the adjacent parts of the cap after injection moulding of the closure. Consequently, the tabs 23 place a section of the region of reduced wall, thickness that is close to the tabs 23 in tension whereby this section preferentially fractures when a person applies force to separate the cap from the closure.
Description
CLOSVRE FOR CONTAINERS
The present invention relates to olosuree for contaeiners.
More particularly,,the present invention relates to closures of the type that can be detached from an operative position on a container by a"enap-off" action.
The term "operative position" in understood hereira, to mean a poaition in which the closure closes an opening of a container through which the contents of the container can be diopensed.
International application PCT/AII98/00243 in the name of Andrew Mules and Jaama Mitchell discloetee drink containers that include a number of different forms of such closured.
The above-described snap-off action closures and the containers mny be formed aa aepaxate components and thereafter aesembled together.
in such Bitirtations, typically, the containers have externally-threaded necks that retain the closures on the containers. in addition typically, and the closures Con-prise (a) top walla that have opening& that define the container openings when the clesures and the containers are aaaembled together, (b) caps that are corineoted to the top walle in the as-manufactured forms of the closures and close the openinga and can be detached from the top walls (and therefore the containers) by a snap-off action, and (c) interrially-threaded annular side walls that depend from the top aralY.a and cooperate with corresponding externally-threaded aections on the necks of the containexa and retain the closures on the containers. in _ 2 _ use, the containers are lilled with products and the closures are positioned on the container necks to close the contiainers.
Alternatively, the snap-off action closures may be integrally foxaned as part of the containers and, in use, can be detached #rom the containers by a snap-off action. Typically, such one-piece arrangements are formed with open bottom ends that can be closed after the containers have been filled with producta.
The present invention La concerned with providing a closure that can be detached from an operative position (in which the closure closee an oparsing of the container) by a snap-off action, with a lower applied force than is required for snap-off action closures lcno'wn to the applicant.
According to the preAent invention there ia provided a alderure for a container that can be detached from an operative position in which the.cloaure cloaes an opening of the container by a"snap-otf" action, the closure being injection moulded from plastics material and comprising: a cap that closes the container opening when the closure io in the operative position on the container, a region of reduced wall, thickness that defines a fracture line along which the cap separatea from the container when, in use, the cloeure ie in the operative position on the container and a person applies a sufficient force to the cap., and at lemst one part of the closure that is adjacent to the region of reduced wall thickneas has a larger thi.ckness than adjacent parto of the closure whereby the larger thiclcnepa part of the closure causes a greater amount of post-mouldi.ng shrinkage than the adjacent parte after injection moulding of the c7.osure and places a section of the region of reduced wall thickness that is close to the larger thickness part in tension whereby thin aection preferentially fracturem in res$onse to the applied force and initiates fracture a],oAg the fracture line.
The present invention makes it possible for a person to detach the cap from the container by a pnap-off" action without the person having to apply an excessive force to thQ cap.
The use of exeesaive force can reoult in damage to the edge that ie formed when the cap is detached. The damage may include the f o rana t i on of jagged edges. In addition, the need to use exceeq3,ve force to detach the cap cam detract from the market acceptance of the closure and the contia3ner.
The present invention was made in the context of the realieation by the applicarit that, in practice, (a) there io a minimum wall thickaese for the region of reduced wall thic7sn4ae that caa be injection moulded succeseful7.y and (b) an excessive force he,a to be app],ied by a peraoa in order to fracture this minimum wall thioknese and thereby separate the cap from the container.
The present invention is also baeed on the realiaation by the applicant that providing at Ieaet one part of the cloeure, that is adjacent to the region of reduced wall th3,c3uiems with a larger thiclrrices than adjavent parts of the closure produces a gr.ater amount of poet-moulding ehrinke-ge than the adjacent parts after injection moulding the closure and placea a section of the reduced wall thickness that i close to the larger thickness part in tenvion and thereby reduces the applied force that is required to initiate fracture of this section of the reduced wall thicknese.
This is a significant advantage because it Aneane _ 4 _ that excessive force is not required to initiate fracture.
in this corixiection# once the region of reduced wall thickness im fractured at one location, a considerably lower applied force is required to detach the remainder of the cap.
The c].osure and the container may be formed am separate components and thereafter aaeembled together.
With this arrangement, preferably thm closure also compri0es a body that has an opening in an upper section thereof that is closed by the cap in the infection moulded form of the closure with the region of reduced wall thickness being part of the body and interconnecting the body and the cap.
Preferably the body comprises an annular internally-threaded side wall and the container has a neck aud is externally-threaded so that the body can be threaded oato the neck and thereby retain the closure on the container.
The fracture line defined by the region of reduced wall thickness may be coatinuoup or diqcontinuoue.
Preferably the region of reduced wall thickness includes a groove in a Lower surface of the body that reduces the thickness of the body at the location of the groove to a thickness that is lase than the minimum thickness of adjacent sections of the body.
Preferably the lower groove is V-shaped.
Preferably the lower groove has a sharp apex.
This feature contributes to ensuring that the edge of the body that is formed when the cap is detached from the body does not have jagged sections that could injure a person.
Preferably the region of reduced way.l thickness is also defined by a groove in ua upper ~urface of the body that is positioned outboard or inboard of the lower surface groove so that the aection of the body that separates the grooves definem a band that has a minimum thickness that is less than the minimum thickszeas ot the adjacent pections of the body.
Preferably the upper groove is outboard ot the lower groove.
Preferably the grooves are circular end the band that separatep the groovas is a frustio-coaical band.
Preferably the moulded polynteric material in the band is aligned in a direction that is parallel to the surfaces of the band.
Preferably the upper groove is V-shaped.
Preferably the larger thickness part of the closure is part of the cap.
Preferably the larger thickness part of the cap is i.n the form of an inwardly extending projection.
Preferably the csp bas a side wall that extends from the region of reduced wall thickness in the injection moulded forsn of the closure and the larger thickneAS part of the cap is in the form of a projection that extends inwaxdly from the cap side wall.
Preferably the cap comprises a pair of opposed inwardly extending projections.
preferably the cap comprises a pair of opposed wings.
Preferably the wings are perpendicular to the projections.
Preferably the akirt ham an internal thread to engage an external thread on a neck of a container.
According to the present invention there is also provided an assambly of the above-described closure and contaimer.
{
According to the present invention there is also provided a container with an integrally formed closure of the type described above.
The present invention is deacribed hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figures 1 ar;d 2 are perepective views of one eaebodiment of a closure in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 in a side elevation of the cloeurei Flgure 4 ie a cross-section along the line 4-4 of rigura 3) Figure 5 is a cross-section along the line 5-5 of Figure 41 Figure 6 is a croos-section along the line 4-4 of Figure 4p Figure 7 is a detailed view of the circled region in Figure 61 Figure 8 is a side elevation of another, but not the only other, embodixaent of the closure in accordance with the present invention mounted onto a container and an over cap positioned over the closure;
Fi ure 9 ia a g pers$sative view of the container/closure assembly shown in Figure 8 which irlustratem the'cap (with attached spoon) of the closure detached from the body of the closure and theece two components of the C].omure mepara-ted from the container;
Figure 10 is a cross-erectiozz through an as-moulded cloaure shown in Figures 8 and 9;
Figure 11 is a detailed view of the circled region in Figure 10 = and 20 Figure 12 ia a top plan view of the closure ahown in Figuree 8 to 11.
The closure shown in Fi,gures 1 to 7 is suitable for uae with a container (not showsi) that contains a liquid and has azi externally-threaded neck that definea an opening of the container.
The closure is injection moulded from a suitable plastice material and comprises:
(a) a body 61 that includesz (i) a top walY 5 that has a central opening 7;
(ii) an intexnaY].y-threaded dide wall 13 that depends from the outer _ 8 _ pmriphery of the top wall 5 and is Pormed to locate the closure on the container neck by mcrew threaded e.ngageatient of the respective threaded portionp of the side wall 13 and the coritainer xaeck; and (iii) a tamper evident band 15 connected to the aide wall 13; and (b) a cap 9 that clopes the opening 7 and ie cotvaected to the top wall 5 via a circular region 21 of reduced wall thickneee formed in the top wall 5.
~. 5 The reduced wall tih3.ckness region 11 in the top wall 5 inaludea a aircular, V-phaped groove 17 in a lower eurface of the top wall S. The lower groove 17 define+a a circular fracture line of the cloeure. zn use, the cap 5 detaches from the body 61 of the closure at this line.
The reduced wull thicknees region 11 further includes a groove 19 formed in the upper surface of the top wall S.
The upper groove 19 ie concentric with and pooiti.oned outwardly of the lower groove 17. The grooves 17, 19 define a srueto-conical band 21 therebetween.
Aa is evident from Figure 7, (a) the minimum thickneso of the reduced wall region 11, as measured between an upper eurface of the top wal7. 5 and the apex of the lower groove 19 - as indicated by the arrows in Figure 7 - and (b) the minimum thickness of the band 21 are aubstantial7,y the saatie and are iaignificently leas than the miniznum wall thickn es (which is the average wall thickness in this instance) of adjacent sections of the top wall S.
Typically, the wall thickr,ess of the reduced wall thickness region 11 is selected to be the miniaaum wall thickness that can be moulded succesefully. Typically, the wall thickness is of the order of 0.5 nmti.
=n order to reduce the applied force that ia required to fracture the reduced wall thickness region 11 and thereby detach the cap from the closure, the cap 9'ie moulded to selectiively place two diametrically opposed aections 35 (Figure 4) of the reduced wall thickness region 11 in tenaion. Placing the sections 35 in teAsion reduce the applied force that is required to initiate fracture of the region of reduced wall thickness 11 at theee loaations.
Yn thia connection, the cap 9 is generally beil-shoped with a dome-shaped top wall 31 and a side wal1, 33 that extessds outwardly and downwardly from the top wall 31 and merges with the top wall 5.
The side wall 33 of the csap 9 has a generally uniform wall thickness, save that the side wall 33 includes two diametrically opposed inwardly projecting tabs 23 that define regions of greater wall thickness that are positioned iamtediately adjacent to the diametrically opposed sectiions 35 of the reduced wall thicknQsa region 11.
In practice, there is greater post-moulding shrinkage of the material in the tabs 23 than in the material in the adjacent regions of the side wall 33 after irsjection moulding the cloaure. The additional post-moulding ahrinkage places the sections 35 of the reduced wall thickness region 11 in tension and thereby reduces the applied force that ia required to initiate fracture of _l0 -the region of reduced wall thicksrtess 11 at these locationo.
The cap 9 alpo includee two diametrically opposed wing foxmations 37 that extend outwardly and are positioned at 900 to the tabs 23. The wing formations 37 are oonvenient aurgaces age,inst which a person can apply finger pressure to detach the aap 9 from the closure.
Positioning the wing formations 37 at an angle of 90 to the tabs 23 means theLt pressure applied against the flat aurfaces of the wing formations 37 haa maximum impact on the sectioras 35 of the reduced wall thickness region 11 and thereby accentuateg the advantage obtained by placing the sections 35 in tension.
The closure shown in Figures 8 to 12 is cotsceptually the same as the closure ahown in Figures 1 to 7 and the aame reference numerale are used in the fi,guree to describe the same components.
In this context, it is noted that the body 61 of the closure shown in Figurea 8 to 12 is formed so thst the reduced wall thickness region 11 forms the top wall S.
The closure is suitable for use with a container 41 in the form of a tube 71 that has a cloAed end 43 and an open mouth 45 that has an external screw thread. The container is suitnble for containing iced drinks and ice creut- based products. Specifically, the cap 9 of the closure ie formed as the end of a opoon 47 that can be used to remove product from the container and the mouth is relatively wide to facilitate access of the spoon to the interior of the container.
One particular feature of the closure ahown in Figures 8 to 12 that is not part of the a],oeure shown in Figures I to 7 is that the side wall 13 of the body 61 of the closure has an annular wa17. 51 that extends beyond the reduced wall thickness region 11 so that the wall 51 shi.e7.d the reduced wall thickness region 11 and, more particularly mirtizaises the risk of a person being injured on the edge that formp when the cap 9 ip detached from the body 61.
=n addition, the annular wall 51 i.e formed with a rounded rim 53 to further minimiae the risk of injury to a $erson in the event that the person diopesises product from the container by placing the annular wall 51 in his/her mouth and up-ending the container e-o product can flow downwardly from the container into the person's mouth.
Za Ma.ny modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention described above without departing from the spirit and ocop of the present inventiorl.
By way of example, whilst the embodimerntn shown in the yigures illustrate the closures and the containers as separate coa-ponents, the present invention is not so limited and extends to arrangements in which the closures are integrally formed as part of the containers.
In addition, whist not shown, the closures may also include ouitable forms of over caps to protect the capa 9.
The present invention relates to olosuree for contaeiners.
More particularly,,the present invention relates to closures of the type that can be detached from an operative position on a container by a"enap-off" action.
The term "operative position" in understood hereira, to mean a poaition in which the closure closes an opening of a container through which the contents of the container can be diopensed.
International application PCT/AII98/00243 in the name of Andrew Mules and Jaama Mitchell discloetee drink containers that include a number of different forms of such closured.
The above-described snap-off action closures and the containers mny be formed aa aepaxate components and thereafter aesembled together.
in such Bitirtations, typically, the containers have externally-threaded necks that retain the closures on the containers. in addition typically, and the closures Con-prise (a) top walla that have opening& that define the container openings when the clesures and the containers are aaaembled together, (b) caps that are corineoted to the top walle in the as-manufactured forms of the closures and close the openinga and can be detached from the top walls (and therefore the containers) by a snap-off action, and (c) interrially-threaded annular side walls that depend from the top aralY.a and cooperate with corresponding externally-threaded aections on the necks of the containexa and retain the closures on the containers. in _ 2 _ use, the containers are lilled with products and the closures are positioned on the container necks to close the contiainers.
Alternatively, the snap-off action closures may be integrally foxaned as part of the containers and, in use, can be detached #rom the containers by a snap-off action. Typically, such one-piece arrangements are formed with open bottom ends that can be closed after the containers have been filled with producta.
The present invention La concerned with providing a closure that can be detached from an operative position (in which the closure closee an oparsing of the container) by a snap-off action, with a lower applied force than is required for snap-off action closures lcno'wn to the applicant.
According to the preAent invention there ia provided a alderure for a container that can be detached from an operative position in which the.cloaure cloaes an opening of the container by a"snap-otf" action, the closure being injection moulded from plastics material and comprising: a cap that closes the container opening when the closure io in the operative position on the container, a region of reduced wall, thickness that defines a fracture line along which the cap separatea from the container when, in use, the cloeure ie in the operative position on the container and a person applies a sufficient force to the cap., and at lemst one part of the closure that is adjacent to the region of reduced wall thickneas has a larger thi.ckness than adjacent parto of the closure whereby the larger thiclcnepa part of the closure causes a greater amount of post-mouldi.ng shrinkage than the adjacent parte after injection moulding of the c7.osure and places a section of the region of reduced wall thickness that is close to the larger thickness part in tension whereby thin aection preferentially fracturem in res$onse to the applied force and initiates fracture a],oAg the fracture line.
The present invention makes it possible for a person to detach the cap from the container by a pnap-off" action without the person having to apply an excessive force to thQ cap.
The use of exeesaive force can reoult in damage to the edge that ie formed when the cap is detached. The damage may include the f o rana t i on of jagged edges. In addition, the need to use exceeq3,ve force to detach the cap cam detract from the market acceptance of the closure and the contia3ner.
The present invention was made in the context of the realieation by the applicarit that, in practice, (a) there io a minimum wall thickaese for the region of reduced wall thic7sn4ae that caa be injection moulded succeseful7.y and (b) an excessive force he,a to be app],ied by a peraoa in order to fracture this minimum wall thioknese and thereby separate the cap from the container.
The present invention is also baeed on the realiaation by the applicant that providing at Ieaet one part of the cloeure, that is adjacent to the region of reduced wall th3,c3uiems with a larger thiclrrices than adjavent parts of the closure produces a gr.ater amount of poet-moulding ehrinke-ge than the adjacent parts after injection moulding the closure and placea a section of the reduced wall thickness that i close to the larger thickness part in tenvion and thereby reduces the applied force that is required to initiate fracture of this section of the reduced wall thicknese.
This is a significant advantage because it Aneane _ 4 _ that excessive force is not required to initiate fracture.
in this corixiection# once the region of reduced wall thickness im fractured at one location, a considerably lower applied force is required to detach the remainder of the cap.
The c].osure and the container may be formed am separate components and thereafter aaeembled together.
With this arrangement, preferably thm closure also compri0es a body that has an opening in an upper section thereof that is closed by the cap in the infection moulded form of the closure with the region of reduced wall thickness being part of the body and interconnecting the body and the cap.
Preferably the body comprises an annular internally-threaded side wall and the container has a neck aud is externally-threaded so that the body can be threaded oato the neck and thereby retain the closure on the container.
The fracture line defined by the region of reduced wall thickness may be coatinuoup or diqcontinuoue.
Preferably the region of reduced wall thickness includes a groove in a Lower surface of the body that reduces the thickness of the body at the location of the groove to a thickness that is lase than the minimum thickness of adjacent sections of the body.
Preferably the lower groove is V-shaped.
Preferably the lower groove has a sharp apex.
This feature contributes to ensuring that the edge of the body that is formed when the cap is detached from the body does not have jagged sections that could injure a person.
Preferably the region of reduced way.l thickness is also defined by a groove in ua upper ~urface of the body that is positioned outboard or inboard of the lower surface groove so that the aection of the body that separates the grooves definem a band that has a minimum thickness that is less than the minimum thickszeas ot the adjacent pections of the body.
Preferably the upper groove is outboard ot the lower groove.
Preferably the grooves are circular end the band that separatep the groovas is a frustio-coaical band.
Preferably the moulded polynteric material in the band is aligned in a direction that is parallel to the surfaces of the band.
Preferably the upper groove is V-shaped.
Preferably the larger thickness part of the closure is part of the cap.
Preferably the larger thickness part of the cap is i.n the form of an inwardly extending projection.
Preferably the csp bas a side wall that extends from the region of reduced wall thickness in the injection moulded forsn of the closure and the larger thickneAS part of the cap is in the form of a projection that extends inwaxdly from the cap side wall.
Preferably the cap comprises a pair of opposed inwardly extending projections.
preferably the cap comprises a pair of opposed wings.
Preferably the wings are perpendicular to the projections.
Preferably the akirt ham an internal thread to engage an external thread on a neck of a container.
According to the present invention there is also provided an assambly of the above-described closure and contaimer.
{
According to the present invention there is also provided a container with an integrally formed closure of the type described above.
The present invention is deacribed hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figures 1 ar;d 2 are perepective views of one eaebodiment of a closure in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 in a side elevation of the cloeurei Flgure 4 ie a cross-section along the line 4-4 of rigura 3) Figure 5 is a cross-section along the line 5-5 of Figure 41 Figure 6 is a croos-section along the line 4-4 of Figure 4p Figure 7 is a detailed view of the circled region in Figure 61 Figure 8 is a side elevation of another, but not the only other, embodixaent of the closure in accordance with the present invention mounted onto a container and an over cap positioned over the closure;
Fi ure 9 ia a g pers$sative view of the container/closure assembly shown in Figure 8 which irlustratem the'cap (with attached spoon) of the closure detached from the body of the closure and theece two components of the C].omure mepara-ted from the container;
Figure 10 is a cross-erectiozz through an as-moulded cloaure shown in Figures 8 and 9;
Figure 11 is a detailed view of the circled region in Figure 10 = and 20 Figure 12 ia a top plan view of the closure ahown in Figuree 8 to 11.
The closure shown in Fi,gures 1 to 7 is suitable for uae with a container (not showsi) that contains a liquid and has azi externally-threaded neck that definea an opening of the container.
The closure is injection moulded from a suitable plastice material and comprises:
(a) a body 61 that includesz (i) a top walY 5 that has a central opening 7;
(ii) an intexnaY].y-threaded dide wall 13 that depends from the outer _ 8 _ pmriphery of the top wall 5 and is Pormed to locate the closure on the container neck by mcrew threaded e.ngageatient of the respective threaded portionp of the side wall 13 and the coritainer xaeck; and (iii) a tamper evident band 15 connected to the aide wall 13; and (b) a cap 9 that clopes the opening 7 and ie cotvaected to the top wall 5 via a circular region 21 of reduced wall thickneee formed in the top wall 5.
~. 5 The reduced wall tih3.ckness region 11 in the top wall 5 inaludea a aircular, V-phaped groove 17 in a lower eurface of the top wall S. The lower groove 17 define+a a circular fracture line of the cloeure. zn use, the cap 5 detaches from the body 61 of the closure at this line.
The reduced wull thicknees region 11 further includes a groove 19 formed in the upper surface of the top wall S.
The upper groove 19 ie concentric with and pooiti.oned outwardly of the lower groove 17. The grooves 17, 19 define a srueto-conical band 21 therebetween.
Aa is evident from Figure 7, (a) the minimum thickneso of the reduced wall region 11, as measured between an upper eurface of the top wal7. 5 and the apex of the lower groove 19 - as indicated by the arrows in Figure 7 - and (b) the minimum thickness of the band 21 are aubstantial7,y the saatie and are iaignificently leas than the miniznum wall thickn es (which is the average wall thickness in this instance) of adjacent sections of the top wall S.
Typically, the wall thickr,ess of the reduced wall thickness region 11 is selected to be the miniaaum wall thickness that can be moulded succesefully. Typically, the wall thickness is of the order of 0.5 nmti.
=n order to reduce the applied force that ia required to fracture the reduced wall thickness region 11 and thereby detach the cap from the closure, the cap 9'ie moulded to selectiively place two diametrically opposed aections 35 (Figure 4) of the reduced wall thickness region 11 in tenaion. Placing the sections 35 in teAsion reduce the applied force that is required to initiate fracture of the region of reduced wall thickness 11 at theee loaations.
Yn thia connection, the cap 9 is generally beil-shoped with a dome-shaped top wall 31 and a side wal1, 33 that extessds outwardly and downwardly from the top wall 31 and merges with the top wall 5.
The side wall 33 of the csap 9 has a generally uniform wall thickness, save that the side wall 33 includes two diametrically opposed inwardly projecting tabs 23 that define regions of greater wall thickness that are positioned iamtediately adjacent to the diametrically opposed sectiions 35 of the reduced wall thicknQsa region 11.
In practice, there is greater post-moulding shrinkage of the material in the tabs 23 than in the material in the adjacent regions of the side wall 33 after irsjection moulding the cloaure. The additional post-moulding ahrinkage places the sections 35 of the reduced wall thickness region 11 in tension and thereby reduces the applied force that ia required to initiate fracture of _l0 -the region of reduced wall thicksrtess 11 at these locationo.
The cap 9 alpo includee two diametrically opposed wing foxmations 37 that extend outwardly and are positioned at 900 to the tabs 23. The wing formations 37 are oonvenient aurgaces age,inst which a person can apply finger pressure to detach the aap 9 from the closure.
Positioning the wing formations 37 at an angle of 90 to the tabs 23 means theLt pressure applied against the flat aurfaces of the wing formations 37 haa maximum impact on the sectioras 35 of the reduced wall thickness region 11 and thereby accentuateg the advantage obtained by placing the sections 35 in tension.
The closure shown in Figures 8 to 12 is cotsceptually the same as the closure ahown in Figures 1 to 7 and the aame reference numerale are used in the fi,guree to describe the same components.
In this context, it is noted that the body 61 of the closure shown in Figurea 8 to 12 is formed so thst the reduced wall thickness region 11 forms the top wall S.
The closure is suitable for use with a container 41 in the form of a tube 71 that has a cloAed end 43 and an open mouth 45 that has an external screw thread. The container is suitnble for containing iced drinks and ice creut- based products. Specifically, the cap 9 of the closure ie formed as the end of a opoon 47 that can be used to remove product from the container and the mouth is relatively wide to facilitate access of the spoon to the interior of the container.
One particular feature of the closure ahown in Figures 8 to 12 that is not part of the a],oeure shown in Figures I to 7 is that the side wall 13 of the body 61 of the closure has an annular wa17. 51 that extends beyond the reduced wall thickness region 11 so that the wall 51 shi.e7.d the reduced wall thickness region 11 and, more particularly mirtizaises the risk of a person being injured on the edge that formp when the cap 9 ip detached from the body 61.
=n addition, the annular wall 51 i.e formed with a rounded rim 53 to further minimiae the risk of injury to a $erson in the event that the person diopesises product from the container by placing the annular wall 51 in his/her mouth and up-ending the container e-o product can flow downwardly from the container into the person's mouth.
Za Ma.ny modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention described above without departing from the spirit and ocop of the present inventiorl.
By way of example, whilst the embodimerntn shown in the yigures illustrate the closures and the containers as separate coa-ponents, the present invention is not so limited and extends to arrangements in which the closures are integrally formed as part of the containers.
In addition, whist not shown, the closures may also include ouitable forms of over caps to protect the capa 9.
Claims (20)
1. A closure for a closure for a that can be detached from an operative position in which the closure closes an opening of the container by a"snap-off" action to allow the contents of the container to be dispensed through the opening, the closure being injection moulded from plastics material and comprising: a cap that closes the container opening when the closure is in the operative position on the container, a region of reduced wall thickness that defines a fracture line along which the cap separates from the container when, in use, the closure is in the operative position on the container and a person applies a sufficient force to the cap, and at least one part of the closure that is adjacent to the region of reduced wall thickness has a larger thickness than adjacent parts of the closure whereby the larger thickness part of the closure causes a greater amount of post-moulding shrinkage than the adjacent parts after injection moulding of the closure and places a section of the region of reduced wall thickness that is close to the larger thickness part in tension whereby this section preferentially fractures in response to the applied force and initiates fracture along the fracture line.
2. The closure defined in claim 1 also comprises a body that has an opening in an upper section thereof that is closed by the cap in the injection moulded form of the closure with the region of reduced wall thickness being part of the body and interconnecting the body and the cap.
3. The closure defined in claim 2 wherein the body comprises an annular internally-threaded side wall and the container has a neck and is externally-threaded so that the body can be threaded onto the neck.
4. The closure defined claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the region of reduced wall thickness includes a groove in a lower surface of the body that reduces the thickness of the body at the location of the groove to a thickness that is less than the minimum thickness of adjacent sections of the body.
5. The closure defined in claim 4 wherein the lower groove is V- shaped.
6. The closure defined in claim 5 wherein the lower groove has a sharp apex.
7. The closure defined in any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the region of reduced wall thickness is also defined by a groove in an upper surface of the body that is positioned outboard or inboard of the lower surface groove so that the section of the body that separates the grooves defines a band that has a minimum thickness that is less than the minimum thickness of the adjacent sections of the body.
8. The closure defined in claim 7 wherein the upper groove is outboard of the lower groove.
9. The closure defined in claim 7 or 8 wherein the grooves are circular and the band that separates the grooves is a frusto-conical band.
10. The closure defined in claim 9 wherein the moulded polymeric material in the band is aligned in a direction that is parallel to the surfaces of the band.
11. The closure defined in any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the upper groove is V-shaped.
12, The closure defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the larger thickness part of the closure is part of the cap.
13. The closure defined in claim 12 wherein the larger thickness part of the cap is in the form of an inwardly extending projection.
14. The closure defined in claim 13 wherein the cap has a side wall that extends from the region of reduced wall thickness in the injection moulded form of the closure and the larger thickness part of the cap in in the form of a projection that extends inwardly from the cap side wall.
15. The closure defined claim 14 wherein the cap comprises a pair of two opposed inwardly extending projections.
16. The closure defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the cap comprises a pair of opposed outwardly extending wings.
17. The closure defined in claim 16 wherein the wings are perpendicular to the projections.
18. An assembly of the closure defined in any one of the preceding claims and a container on which the closure is positioned in an operative position.
19. A container with an integrally formed closure as defined in any of claims 1 to 17.
20. A closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2539843 CA2539843A1 (en) | 2006-03-16 | 2006-03-16 | Closure for containers |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2539843 CA2539843A1 (en) | 2006-03-16 | 2006-03-16 | Closure for containers |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2539843A1 true CA2539843A1 (en) | 2007-09-16 |
Family
ID=38520878
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2539843 Abandoned CA2539843A1 (en) | 2006-03-16 | 2006-03-16 | Closure for containers |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2539843A1 (en) |
-
2006
- 2006-03-16 CA CA 2539843 patent/CA2539843A1/en not_active Abandoned
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Dead |