CN211593512U

CN211593512U - Pot for storing food

Info

Publication number: CN211593512U
Application number: CN201921508155.0U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马克·N·拉塞尔; 查尔斯·E·卢克
Original assignee: Berry Global Inc
Current assignee: Berry Global Inc
Priority date: 2019-09-11
Filing date: 2019-09-11
Publication date: 2020-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-11

Abstract

The canister includes a container and a closure. The container is formed to include a product storage area to receive a product, and the closure is configured to seal a rim of the container to block access to the container receiving the product when the closure is rotated in a clockwise direction. The closure includes a cap retaining ring and a floating cap that covers the mouth of the container.

Description

Pot for storing food

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to closures for mounting on the top of bottles or other containers, and in particular to a closure comprising a floating cap and a cap retaining ring.

Background

In some closures, the retainer portion may be configured to be mounted to the container by threads or other suitable structure. The floating cap portion may be retained on the container by the retainer portion and may be configured to prevent access to the container when the closure is fully installed on the container. However, there is a need for a closure for a container that can withstand the high pressure and high temperature sterilization process known as retorting.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

To this end, the present disclosure provides a closure with a cap retaining ring and a floating closure that is capable of withstanding a retort process.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a can may include a container and a closure. The container may be formed to include a product storage area and a mouth opening into the product storage area. The closure is selectively coupleable to the container so as to block access to the product receiving container by blocking the closed mouth when the closure is rotated in a clockwise direction. The closure includes a cap retaining ring and a floating cap that covers the container mouth.

According to an aspect of the application, the closure may comprise a cap retaining ring and a floating closure both made of a plastic material. The cap retaining ring couples the floating cap to the container when the closure is coupled to the container.

According to an aspect of the application, the can may further comprise torque limiting means for limiting the amount of torque applied to the closure when the closure is mounted on the filling neck of the container. The amount of torque may be limited by blocking rotation of the closure relative to the fill neck such that a predetermined sealing force is established between the floating cap and the fill neck.

According to an aspect of the present application, the torque limiting device may include a shoulder provided by the second end of the annular sidewall and a blocker ring coupled to the fill neck. The blocking ring may be arranged to extend away from the filling neck towards the annular sidewall to engage the shoulder and engage the shoulder to prevent rotation of the cap retaining ring when a predetermined sealing force is established between the floating cap and the filling neck.

According to an aspect of the present application, the closure may further include a fluid venting means for venting fluid from the upwardly facing outer surface of the floating cap through an interior region formed in the cap retaining ring and out a lower aperture formed in the cap retaining ring. The fluid discharge means may be formed when the floating cap is trapped between a filling neck and a cap retaining ring included in the container.

According to an aspect of the application, the cap retaining ring may further comprise cap removing means for overcoming a vacuum pressure in the product storage region acting on a portion of the downwardly facing inner surface. Thus, during removal of the closure from the container, the floating cap may be pried off the filling neck of the container.

According to one aspect of the present application, a canister is disclosed. The canister may include:

a container that may include a body, a filler neck, and a container thread, the body may be formed to include a product storage region, the filler neck coupled to the body and may be formed to include an open mouth disposed to open into the product storage region, the container thread may be coupled to the filler neck and may be disposed to extend radially outward from the filler neck,

a closure configurable to cooperate with the filler neck to close the open mouth to block access to the product storage region, the closure may include a cap retaining ring and a floating cap, wherein the cap retaining ring may include a top wall, an annular sidewall and a closing thread, wherein the annular sidewall may have a first end coupled to a bottom surface of the top wall and a second end extending from the bottom surface of the top wall toward a body of the container, the closing thread may be coupled to the annular sidewall in an interior region of the cap retaining ring and may be arranged to extend radially inward from the annular sidewall toward the filler neck to threadably engage the container, the floating cap is captured between the filler neck and the top wall, the floating cap may include a cap body, a gasket and an internal liner, the cap body may have an inner surface and an outer surface, the gasket coupled to the cap body and may cooperate with the filler neck to form a seal between the floating cap and the filler neck, an inner liner may be positioned between the cover and the gasket.

In some embodiments, the cover may include a step, which may define a portion of an inner surface of the cover and extend inwardly toward the gasket and downwardly toward the gasket.

In some embodiments, the outermost end of the gasket may form a periphery of the gasket and directly abut the first surface of the step.

In some embodiments, the first surface of the step may face inward toward the central axis of the container, and the first surface is substantially parallel to the central axis of the container.

In some embodiments, the length of the first surface may be greater than the thickness of the liner.

In some embodiments, the step may also be defined by a second surface, the second surface being arranged substantially perpendicular to the first surface.

In some embodiments, the upper surface of the gasket may directly abut the second surface of the step.

In some embodiments, the lower surface of the gasket may be slightly offset from the second surface of the step, and the entire lower surface of the gasket may be located above the upper surface of the gasket when the gasket and gasket extend outward from the central axis.

In some embodiments, the step may be located directly above the edge of the filling neck.

In some embodiments, the can may further include a torque inhibitor that may limit clockwise rotation after the closure is rotated a predetermined amount relative to the filling neck of the container, and may have a blocker ring formed on the container and a shoulder formed on the cap retaining ring, a pry-off feature that assists in removing the floating cap from the mouth of the container as the closure is rotated in a counterclockwise manner, and a vent flow channel formed between the container and the cap retaining ring that allows fluid on the top of the closure to vent through the closure and out a lower aperture of the cap retaining ring.

Other features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

Drawings

Detailed description of the preferred embodimentsreferring specifically to the drawings, wherein:

fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a canister according to the present invention, showing the canister including a container and a closure coupled to the container, the container including a body and a filler neck coupled to the body, the closure including a floating cap and a cap retaining ring, the closure cooperating with the filler neck to seal an opening to the container;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the can of FIG. 1 showing the floating lid including a lid body held in place by a lid retaining ring, a liner coupled to an inner surface of the lid body, and a gasket coupled to a lower surface of the liner to position the liner between the lid body and the gasket;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the area defined by the dashed lines in FIG. 2, showing the cover including a step portion extending inwardly toward the liner and downwardly toward the gasket; and

fig. 4 is an exploded view of the closure of fig. 1-3, showing the cap retaining ring, cap body, liner and gasket arranged from top to bottom.

Detailed Description

A can 10 according to the present disclosure includes a container 12, the container 12 formed to include a product storage area 18 and a closure 20, for example, as shown in fig. 1 and 2. The closure 20 is configured to be coupled to the container 12 to close the mouth 22 and block access to the product storage area 18. The closure 20 includes a cap retaining ring 34 and a floating cap 36 that covers the mouth 22. The closure 20 is separable from the container 12 to allow access to the product storage area 18 through a mouth 22 formed in the container 12.

The closure 20 includes a vent flow passage that allows fluid on the top of the closure 20 to vent through the closure 20 and out the lower aperture 60 of the cap retaining ring 34. The canister 10 is further configured to include a torque inhibitor 150 that limits clockwise rotation after the closure 20 is rotated a predetermined amount relative to the filling neck 14 of the container 12. The closure 20 also includes a lid pry feature 160 that assists in removing the floating lid from the mouth 22 of the container 12 as the closure 20 is rotated in a counterclockwise manner. Closure 20 and container 12 are configured to withstand a high temperature autoclaving process known as retort.

The jar 10 is configured to store food or other products in a product storage area 18, as shown in fig. 1. Container 12 includes a body 16, a fill neck 14 coupled to body 16, and a stop ring 32 coupled to fill neck 14, as shown in fig. 2. The body 16 and the filler neck 14 cooperate to define a product storage region 18, a mouth 22 is formed in the filler neck 14, and is arranged to open into the product storage region 18 to allow communication therewith. Closure 20 is configured to be mounted on filling neck 14 of container 12 to cover mouth 22. Closure 20 is configured to be removed from filling neck 14, thus allowing communication with product storage area 18 when closure 20 is twisted in a counterclockwise direction. The blocker ring 32 is coupled to the filler neck 14 adjacent to where the filler neck 14 is coupled to the body 16. A stop ring 32 extends radially outwardly from the filler neck 14.

The filler neck 14 includes a rim 24, a neck wall 26, and one or more container threads 28, as shown in FIG. 2. The rim 24 is formed to cooperate with the floating cover 36 to form a seal between the rim 24 and the floating cover 36. A neck wall 26 extends downwardly from rim 24 and is coupled to body 16 of container 12. The rim 24 and neck wall 26 are annular and are formed to define the mouth 22. Container threads 28 are coupled to neck wall 26 and extend radially outward and away from neck wall 26 and mouth 22. The container threads 28 cooperate with one or more closure threads 30 included in the closure 20 to enable the closure 20 to mate with the fill neck 14.

Closure 20 includes a cap retaining ring 34 and a floating cap 36, as shown in fig. 1. The cap retaining ring 34 is configured to capture the floating cap 36 when the closure 20 is decoupled from the container 12. The cap retaining ring 34 is configured to mate with the filler neck 14, thereby capturing the floating cap 36 between the cap retaining ring 34 and the rim 24 of the filler neck 14. The floating cap 36 is configured to seal the product storage area 18 when the closure 20 is mated with the container 12.

Lid retaining ring 34 includes a top wall 52 and an annular side wall 54, with annular side wall 54 coupled to top wall 52 to extend downwardly from top wall 52 and terminate at a bottom edge 53, as shown in fig. 1 and 2. Top wall 52 and annular side wall 54 are formed to define an interior region 56 of lid retaining ring 34. An upper aperture 58 is formed in the top wall 52 and opens into the interior area 56. A lower aperture 60 is spaced from the upper aperture 58 and is formed in the annular sidewall 54 to open into the interior region 56. The lower aperture 60 and the interior region 56 are sized to receive the filler neck 14 and floating cap 36. The upper aperture 58 is sized such that the fill neck 14 and floating cap 36 are prevented from passing through the upper aperture 58.

Closure 20 includes a torque inhibitor 150 to control the torque and subsequent compressive force between the rim 24 of the filling neck 14 and the floating cap 36 when the closure 20 is installed on the container 12 as shown in fig. 1 and 2. An example of a torque damper is described in U.S. patent No. 9,359,117, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety for the purpose of describing a suitable torque damper. The torque inhibitor 150 includes the blocker ring 32 of the container 12 and a shoulder 152 formed on the inner surface 62 of the lid retainer ring 34. The blocking ring 32 is fixedly coupled to the filling neck 14 at a predetermined distance from the rim 24. Similarly, shoulder 152 is fixedly coupled to inner surface 62 a predetermined distance from top wall 52 of lid retention ring 34. In one illustrative embodiment, the distance may be set relative to the thickness of the floating cap 36 such that a predetermined sealing force is generated between the filling neck 14 and the floating cap 36 when the closure 20 is installed on the container 12.

The baffle ring 32 includes a top beaded surface 33 and a bottom beaded surface 35, as shown in FIG. 3. The top bead surface 33 may slope downwardly as the top bead surface 33 extends radially outwardly from the fill neck 14. The shoulder 152 extends radially outward from the inner surface 62. The shoulder 152 may slope downward as the shoulder 152 extends radially outward from the inner surface 62.

When closure 20 is coupled to container 12, blocker ring 32 is configured to extend radially beyond inner surface 62, as shown in fig. 3. When the closure 20 is screwed onto the container 12, the top beaded surface 33 of the blocker ring 32 abuts the shoulder, forming an annular torque inhibitor 150. The angled bead surface 33 and the angled shoulder 152 may be complementarily shaped such that the bead surface 33 is tightly received against the shoulder 152. Shoulder 152 blocks stop collar 32 from extending beyond shoulder 152 into closed threads 30 on inner surface 62. In this manner, stop ring 32 is positioned below closure thread 30 and spaced from top wall 52 to position shoulder 152 therebetween. This minimum distance between blocker ring 32 and top wall 52 of cap retaining ring 34 is predetermined to reduce the compressive force from top wall 52 to floating cap 36. The compressive forces on the floating cover 36 between the top walls 52 may also be minimized.

The lid pry-off feature includes a pry bracket formed on the side wall 54. A pry bracket is formed at the upper end of closure thread 30 and supports floating cap 36 when closure 20 is not on container 12. The pry bracket may be formed at a helical angle to the top wall 52 of the lid retainer ring 34. The pry bracket is configured to abut floating cap 36 when cap retainer ring 34 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to remove closure 20 from container 12, thereby prying floating cap 36 when cap retainer ring 34 is removed from container 12. The angled shape of the pry bracket provides a means for lifting floating cover 36 to break the seal with mouth 22 when the pry bracket abuts floating cover 36.

The pry bracket is an annular flange that extends radially inwardly away from annular sidewall 54 of lid retainer ring 34 toward interior region 56. The pry bracket includes a rear edge, a front edge, and an angled surface extending to the front edge. The rear edge is disposed closer to the top wall 52 than the front edge.

In one illustrative embodiment, the user may unscrew the closure 20 from the container 12 by rotating the spin cap retaining ring 34 in a counterclockwise direction. As unscrewing continues, the closure tabs 86 of the tamper band 82 contact the bottom beaded surface 35 to force the tamper band 82 downward as the lid retention ring 34 travels upward. Unscrewing of the cap retaining ring 34 forces the tamper band 82 to disengage therefrom.

Unscrewing the cap retaining ring 34 drives the cap retaining ring 34 upward while the vacuum force created between the container 12 and the floating cap 36 holds the floating cap 36 in place on the filling neck 14. The helical shape of closure thread 30 and container thread 28 causes cap retaining ring 34 to be inclined at an angle α relative to horizontal. Thus, one side of the cap retaining ring 34 is closer to the blocker ring 32 than the opposite side thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the side of the cover retaining ring 34 on which the pry bracket is located is in a raised position relative to the opposite side of the cover retaining ring 34.

Cover retaining ring 34 travels upward until the pry bracket contacts the peripheral edge of floating cover 36. Due to the size and location of the pry on the cover retaining ring 34, the pry contacts a limited portion of the peripheral edge on one side of the floating cover 36. Continued rotation of the cap retaining ring 34 drives the pry bracket upwardly against the peripheral edge 92 of the floating cap 36 to lift one side of the floating cap 36 off the edge 24 of the filler neck 14. The pry bracket concentrates the force applied to floating cover 36 to one side thereof making removal of floating cover 36 easier than lifting the entire floating cover 36 at once. As one side of the floating cap 36 is raised, the seal created by the fill neck 14 is broken, thereby allowing the pressure within the container 12 to match the ambient pressure outside the container 12 and reducing the vacuum force created between the container 12 and the floating cap 36. The closure 20 can then be removed from the container 12.

In the illustrative embodiment, an annular cap barrier ring is coupled to annular sidewall 54 to extend radially inward into interior region 56. Top wall 52, annular sidewall 54, annular cap blocker ring, and pry bracket cooperate to allow limited movement of floating cap 36 in both the axial and radial directions such that floating cap 36 is prevented from being removed from interior area 56.

Top wall 52 of cap retaining ring 34 is coupled to inner surface 62 of annular sidewall 54 and prevents floating cap 36 from being removed from interior region 56 through upper aperture 58. The top wall 52 includes an upper surface 74, a lower surface 76 and a plurality of lid spacers 78, wherein the upper surface 74 is spaced apart from and opposite the lower surface 76, and the plurality of lid spacers 78 extend from the lower surface 76. The lid spacer 78 extends downwardly away from the lower surface 76 toward the interior region 56. The cover spacer 78 prevents the floating cover 36 from engaging the lower surface 76. The lower surface 76 of the top wall 52 and the lid spacer 78 are formed to create a lid gap 79. Each cap spacer 78 is equally spaced from the next closest cap spacer 78.

The closure 20 also includes a vent flow passage configured to vent fluid from the top of the floating cap 36 through the upper aperture, through the interior region 56 of the closure retaining ring 34, and out through the lower aperture. The drain flow passage includes a cap gap 79, a spacer gap formed to be included between the lower side portion of the closing screw 30 and the container screw 28, a flow passage gap formed to be included between the lower side portion of the closing screw 30 and the torque suppressor 150 formed by the blocking ring 32 and the shoulder 152, one or more fluid through ports formed in the shoulder 152, and a fluid outlet close to the hole. The exhaust flow channel allows a continuous fluid flow path to extend between the top and lower apertures of the floating cover 36.

The drain flow passage is configured such that liquid on top of floating cap 36 drains through cap gap 79 into interior region 56, wherein, as part of the upper inflow path, the inner surfaces of fill neck 14 and cap retaining ring 34 force liquid into the interstitial gap included in closure thread 30. As part of the central intermediate flow path, the fluid travels along the closed threads 30 in the clearance gap to the flow passage gap. As part of the lower outflow path, fluid travels through the flow passage gap to the through port and out the lower aperture 60 through the outlet.

The spacing gap is located adjacent to and formed with the thread gap formed between the closure threads 30. The spacing gap and the thread gap form one continuous channel. The spacing gap provides a conduit for fluid flow between container threads 28 and the inner surface of sidewall 54 after fluid is discharged through cap gap 79 to interior region 56. As gravity pulls the fluid downward, the fluid may flow through the interstitial spaces to the bottom of the closed threads 30.

A through hole is formed in shoulder 152 near the lower hole to provide a conduit for fluid flow when blocker ring 32 is mated with shoulder 152. Fluid flows through the spacing gap, through the flow passage gap, and into the through bore without blocking the interaction between the ring 32 and the shoulder 152. The outlet port is in fluid communication with the through bore and directs fluid from the through bore out of the lower bore.

In the illustrative embodiment, the lid retention ring 34 further includes an intervening band coupled to the annular sidewall 54. The tamper band is severed from the annular sidewall 54 and the first closure 20 is removed from the container 12 to indicate that the can 10 has been opened. The interference band includes an interference ring and a plurality of retention tabs coupled to the interference ring. The interference ring is coupled to the annular sidewall 54 at a living hinge. During the installation process of closure 20, the retention tabs contact container threads 28 and deform upward. When closure 20 is removed from container 12, the retention tabs contact bottom beaded surface 35 and prevent removal of the tamper band by retention ring 34 severing the tamper band from annular sidewall 54 at the living hinge. Thus, if the tamper band is severed from the annular sidewall 54, the user of the can 10 knows that the closure 20 has been previously removed from the container 12. In illustrative embodiments, the outlet may be formed between retention tabs of the tamper band.

When the closure 20 is mated with the filler neck 14, the floating cap 36 is trapped within the cap retaining ring 34. Floating cap 36 includes a cap portion 40, an inner liner 41, and a gasket 42. The cap portion 40 blocks the product cap stored inside the can 10 from leaking out through the mouth 22. The lid portion 40 includes an outer surface 94, an inner surface 96 spaced apart from and opposing the outer surface 94, and a peripheral edge 92. The gasket 41 is located between the cap portion 40 and the gasket 42. As shown in fig. 3, a gasket 42 is coupled to cap portion 40 and cooperates with filling neck 14 to form a seal between floating cap 36 and filling neck 14.

As shown in fig. 3, the cap portion 40 includes a step 47, the step 47 defining a portion of the inner surface 96 and extending inwardly toward the gasket 41 and downwardly toward the gasket 42. The outermost end of the gasket 41 forms the periphery of the gasket 41, directly abutting the first surface 49 of the step 47. The first surface 49 of the step 47 faces inwardly toward the central axis 11 of the container 12. The first surface 49 is substantially parallel to the central axis 11 of the container 12. The length of the first surface 49 is greater than the thickness of the pad 41. The second surface 51 defining the step 47 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the first surface 49. The upper surface 106 of the gasket 42 directly abuts the second surface 51 of the step 47. The lower surface 53 of the spacer 41 is slightly offset from the second surface 51 of the step 47. As the gasket 41 and the washer 42 extend outwardly from the central axis 11, the entire lower surface 53 of the gasket 41 is located above the upper surface 106 of the washer 42. Step 47 is located directly above edge 24 of filling neck 14.

Gasket 42 is coupled to cap portion 40 and blocks product stored within product storage area 18 from escaping can 10 through mouth 22, where floating cap 36 contacts refill neck 14 at mouth 22. The gasket 42 may be made of thermoplastic elastomer rubber, silicon, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the gasket 42 is annular. In other embodiments, the gasket 42 may be a continuous sheet. The gasket 42 is coupled to the inner surface 96 of the lid portion 40 adjacent the peripheral edge of the lid portion 40.

The gasket 42 includes a lower gasket surface 104 having an annular flange 108. As shown in fig. 3, when the closure 20 is coupled to the container 12, the annular flange 108 extends downwardly from the lower gasket surface 104 toward the container 12. The annular flange 108 extends downwardly beyond the rim 24 such that the annular flange 108 is located between the annular sidewall 54 and an outer edge surface 114 of the rim 24. The annular flange 108 may be convex when viewed in vertical cross-section. The annular flange 108 is configured to abut against the outer edge surface 114 to seal the product storage region 18, and thus the interior region 56, of the container 12. In one example, the annular flange 108 may be used when there are irregularities in the alignment or manufacture of the container 12.

The gasket 41 is configured to be coupled to the inner surface 96 of the cap portion 40, as suggested in fig. 4 and shown in fig. 3. The pad 41 may be made of any polyethylene or polypropylene material, such as ethylene vinyl alcohol, which may be suitable for printing or writing. The gasket 41 may be coupled to the inner surface 96 of the cap portion 40 by any adhesive or sealant material. In an exemplary embodiment, the liner 41 has a thickness 43, which may be about 1 mm. In an exemplary embodiment, the liner 41 has a diameter 45, which may be about 40 mm. Diameter 45 is sized to fit within an interior region 56 of cap retaining ring 34 between cap portion 40 and gasket 42. The diameter 45 of the gasket 41 is smaller than the diameter of the cap portion 40 and the washer 42.

The floating cap 36 is configured to be trapped between the cap retaining ring 34 and the filling neck 14 when the closure 20 is mated with the container 12, as shown in fig. 4. Floating cap 36 is also restrained by the pry ring, annular sidewall 52, top wall 52 and annular cap blocker ring 192 when closure 20 is not mated with container 12. When closure 20 is mated with container 12 and closure 20 is rotated relative to container 12, container threads 28 and closure threads 30 cooperate to move top wall 52 closer to rim 24. As the top wall 52 moves closer to the rim 24, the floating cover 36 is trapped between the top wall 52 and the rim 24, thereby closing the mouth 22 such that the gasket 42 seals with the rim 24.

Closure 20 cooperates with container 12 to form can 10. When closure 20 is mated with container 12 and closure 20 is twisted to trap cap 36 between cap retaining ring 34 and filling neck 14, mouth 22 is closed and can 10 is sealed such that product storage area 18 is sealed from the atmosphere. The product may be stored in the product storage area 18 prior to mating the closure 20 with the container 12 to seal the product within the can 10.

The canister 10 is configured to undergo a sterilization process known as distillation. Suitable distillation methods are described in U.S. patent No. 9,359,117 and U.S. patent No. 9,994,379, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. During distillation, the tank 10 and any product contained in the product storage area 18 are both heated and pressurized. Prior to retort, the product is received in the product storage area 18 of the can 10 and the closure 20 is mated with the filling neck 14. The product storage area 18 of the tank 10 has a pre-distillation temperature, pressure and volume prior to distillation. In an illustrative embodiment, the pre-distillation temperature and pressure are about equal to atmospheric temperature and pressure. The pre-distillation volume is defined by the container 12 and the closure 20.

During distillation, a number of cans 10 are placed on a pallet and moved along a conveyor towards an oven. As the cans 10 advance along the conveyor, the cans 10 move into a hot oven. The oven applies heat to the tank 10 to raise the temperature of the product storage area 18 until it reaches a distillation temperature above the pre-distillation temperature.

When the temperature of the product storage area 18 is below the retort temperature, the container 12 and closure 20 initially remain rigid. Under the ideal gas law, if the volume is kept constant, the temperature increase will result in an increase in pressure. Thus, the elevated temperature causes the pressure in the product storage area 18 to increase such that the product storage area 18 has a distillation pressure greater than the pre-distillation pressure.

The gasket 42 remains engaged with the rim 24 of the filler neck 14 when the can 10 is in the oven. In this way, the product storage area 18 remains sealed from the atmosphere along with any product contained within the product storage area 18 of the container 10. The pressure in the product storage area 18 may exceed the retort pressure such that it breaks the seal between the gasket 42 and the rim 24, allowing some air or other gas sealed within the can 10 to escape until the pressure in the product receiving chamber is reduced to the retort pressure and the seal is reestablished. Once the seal is reestablished, less air or other gas is stored within the product storage area 18.

As the conveyor moves the cans 10 out of the oven, the cans 10 cool to ambient temperature. Once cooled, the product storage area 18 has a post-distillation temperature, pressure and volume. The post-retort temperature of the product storage area 18 is similar to the pre-retort temperature of the product storage area 18 because the ambient temperature outside the oven is similar before and after the oven. Since air escapes the can 10 as the can 10 is heated in the oven, the post-retort pressure and volume of the product storage area is less than the pre-retort pressure and volume of the product storage area 18.

Claims

1. A canister, comprising:

a container comprising a body formed to include a product storage region, a filler neck coupled to the body and formed to include an open mouth disposed to open into the product storage region, and a container thread coupled to the filler neck and disposed to extend radially outward from the filler neck,

a closure configured to cooperate with the filler neck to close the open mouth to block access to the product storage region, the closure including a cap retaining ring and a floating cap, wherein the cap retaining ring includes a top wall, an annular side wall and a closing thread, wherein the annular side wall has a first end coupled to a bottom surface of the top wall and a second end extending from the bottom surface of the top wall toward the body of the container, the closing thread is coupled to the annular side wall in an interior region of the cap retaining ring and arranged to extend radially inward from the annular side wall toward the filler neck to threadably engage with the container, the floating cap is captured between the filler neck and the top wall, the floating cap includes a cap body having an inner surface and an outer surface, a gasket, and an inner liner, the gasket is coupled to the cap body and cooperates with the fill neck to form a seal between the floating cap and the fill neck, the internal liner being positioned between the cap body and the gasket.

2. The can of claim 1, wherein said cover includes a step defining a portion of said inner surface of said cover and extending inwardly toward said gasket and downwardly toward said gasket.

3. The can of claim 2, wherein an outermost end of the gasket forms a periphery of the gasket and directly abuts the first surface of the step.

4. The canister of claim 3, wherein the first surface of the step faces inwardly toward a central axis of the container and the first surface is substantially parallel to the central axis of the container.

5. The canister of claim 4, wherein the length of the first surface is greater than the thickness of the liner.

6. The canister of claim 5, wherein the step is further defined by a second surface arranged substantially perpendicular to the first surface.

7. The canister of claim 6, wherein an upper surface of the gasket directly abuts the second surface of the step.

8. The canister of claim 7, wherein a lower surface of the liner is slightly offset from the second surface of the step, and an entire lower surface of the liner is located above an upper surface of the gasket when the liner and the gasket extend outwardly from the central axis.

9. Can according to claim 8, characterized in that the step is located directly above the edge of the filling neck.

10. The can of claim 9, further comprising a torque inhibitor that limits clockwise rotation after a predetermined amount of rotation of the closure relative to the filling neck of the container, and having a blocker ring formed on the container and a shoulder formed on the cap retaining ring, a pry feature that assists in removing the floating cap from the mouth of the container as the closure is rotated in a counterclockwise manner, and a vent flow channel formed between the container and the cap retaining ring that allows fluid on top of the closure to vent through the closure and out a lower aperture of the cap retaining ring.