GB1576613A

GB1576613A - Closure for container

Info

Publication number: GB1576613A
Application number: GB6086/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Metal Box PLC
Current assignee: Crown Packaging UK Ltd
Priority date: 1976-02-17
Filing date: 1976-02-17
Publication date: 1980-10-08
Also published as: CA1105888A; ZA77692B

Description

(S4) CLOSURE FOR CONTAiNER (7i) e, METAL BOX LIMITED, of Queens House, Forbury Road, Reading ROl 3JH, Berkshire, a British Company, do hereby - declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statemnt:-- This invention relates to removable and replaceable closures for containers, and mbre particularly to plugs having a gripping ring.

There is a need in the forecourt sale of engine oil for a can closure which is tam per-indicating and easy to open and reclosable. Such a closure would allow the motorist to buy a relatively large quantity of oil, add as much as is needed to his engine, and reclose the can so that any excess can be carried home, This invention provides a tamper-indicating closure having a plug portion adapted to engage an orifice in a container, said ping portion having a closure panel, a peripheral wall upstanding therefrom to terminate in a flange extending outwardly therefrom, a gripping ring surrounding said flange of the plug portion and joined thereto by a hinge portion per- manently joining Said plug portion to said gripping ring and weakened portions of flange material to each side of the hinge, so that upon lifting of the gripping ring out of the plane of the flange the weakened portions are torn to permit flse of the gripping ring. The weakened portions preferably terminate at the hinge.

In another embodiment the lifting tab extends outwardly from the gripping ring to permit lifting of the ring to sever the lines of weakness. The closure may be anchored to the wall of a can.

Various embodiments of the - invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the bottom of a first embodiment of the closure; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the closure of Fig. 1, sectioned on the line A-A' in Fig.

1, and fitted in a container wall; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary eleva- tions sectioned on the line B-B' in Fig. 1 to shown alternative forms of the lines of weakness, and Fig. 6 is a sketch of a plug after removal from the container wall of Fig 2; Fig. 7 is a plan view of an 8 àlternative embodiinent having an anchoring portion; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 7 sectioned on a diameter through the anchoring portion; Fig. 9 is a sectioned sketch of am anchoring means; and Fig. 10 shows the closure of Fig. 8 dur ing the opening of a container. -- In Figs. 1 and 2 a first embodiment of the closure 1 comprises a closure panel 2 surroflnded by a peripheral wall 3 which extends above and below the closure panel, the upper portion 4 of the peripheral wall being joined to ari annular flange 5 which has a lifting tab 6 extending radially from it; An arcuate slot 7 in the flange 5 extends adjacent to, and for a distance approximately equal to the width of, the lifting tab 6 at a position substantially midway across the flange 5.Two arcuate lines of weakness 8, 9 extend from each end of the slot 7, along paths midway across the flange 5 to terminate in the flange diametrically opposite the edges of the lifting tab 6, so leaving a hinge portion 10, within the flange.

When the lifting tab 6 is lifted the flange 5 is torn along the lines of weakness 8, 9 to release a ring 11 (best seen in Fig. 6) which is useful for pulling the closure out of a container wall 12 such as that shown in Fig. 2. The torn lines of weakness 8, 9 indicate that the closure has been used or tampered with.

In Fig. 2 the closure 1 is shown fitted in a container wall 12. The container wall has an aperture therein defined by an um wardly and ofltwardly directed annulus 13 connected to the wall 12 by a concave frusto-conicai portion 14 The upwardly and outwardly directed annulus 13 aids insertion and removal of the plug closure without risk of fouling of the plug by the raw edge of the orifice. Furthermore the locating of the raw metal edge outside the can protects it from any corrosive effects of the contents of the container. The lower face of the flange 5 seats flush with the container wall 12. In order to assist lifting, the lifting tab 6 has a portion 15 tapered upwards to clear the container wall 12.This arrangement enables the user to insert his finger under the tab before lifting to break the ring 11 free from the flange 5.

A means, such as the annular bead 16 shown in Fig. 2, extends radially from the peripheral wall 3 substantially in the extended plane of the closure panel 2. When the closure is moulded to slender sections, from plastics material, this arrangement serves to increase force required to remove the closure from the annulus 13. In a preferred arrangement the annulus 13 is gripped between the lower face of the flange 5 and the upper face of the bead 16. However, a conventional plug fit between the annulus 13 and the peripheral wall 3 is also within the scope of the invention After part of the contents of the container have been dispensed, the closure, as shown in Fig. 6, may be replaced by fitting the lower portion 17 of the wall 3, in the annulus 13 and applying pressure to the centre of the outer face of the closure panel 2.If the lower face of the bead 16 is suitably tapered downwardly and inwardly, to assist location and entry of the closure into the annulus 13, the lower portion 17 may be omitted, so saving plastics material.

The lines of weakness may be one of several alternative forms. For example, in Fig. 3 a trapezoidal channel 8A has been moulded in the upper face of the flange 5 to create a thin section 18A; in Fig. 4 an inverted trapezoidal channel has been moulded in the lower face of the flange 5 to create a thin section 18B; and in Fig. 5 a simple triangular score 8C has been in cised in the upper face of the flange 5.

The terminal portion of each line of weak ness may be strengthened, by thickening, to ensure that tearing is arrested at the hinge. In Figs. 7 and 8 arresting means, moulded on to the flange are denoted 20 and 21.

The alternative embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 10, has a plug portion 23 which functions as a closure in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. However, the closures of Figs. 7 to 10 has means for anchoring the closure to a container so that it does not get lost.

The anchoring means comprises a flexible lug portion 17 of the flange which extends radially from the flange and has a peg portion 18 dependant from it (best seen in Fig. 8). The peg portion 18 is in the form of a truncated cone, tapered for easy entry into an aperture 19 adjacent to the pouring annulus 13 in the container wall 12.

The aperture 19, which receives the peg 18 is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 and is smaller in diameter than the peg so that the neck portion 18A of the peg 18 is compressed and therefore frictionally engaged with the container wall 12. Conventional barbed pegs could alternatively be used to retain the lug on the container wall.

To open the closure of Figs. 7 to 10, the user first raises the outermost part 22 of the ring llA which surrounds, but is free from the lug portion 17. He then pulls to sever the lines of weakness and free the pull ring 11 from the flange until reaching the arresters (20, 21). Using the pull ring 11, the plug portion may then be pulled out of the annulus 13, as shown in Fig. 10. Reclosure is effected as already described.

The closures are preferably moulded from a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene which may be clear or coloured by pigments. Whilst the container wall 12, described, is made of tinplate, any container material capable of being formed to a substantially rigid aperture is suitable, such as a aluminium, or plastics, or cardboard.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A tamper-indicating closure having a plug portion adapted to engage an orifice in a container, said plug portion having a closure panel, a peripheral wall upstanding therefrom to terminate in a flange extending outwardly therefrom, a gripping ring surrounding said flange of the plug portion and joined thereto by a hinge portion permanently joining said plug portion to said gripping ring and weakened portions of flange material to each side of the hinge, so that upon lifting of the gripping ring out of the plane of the flange the weakened portions are torn to permit use of the gripping ring.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein the weakened portions terminate at the hinge portion.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plug portion has an outwardly extending means, in the form of an annular bead, to retain the plug in an annular opening in a can, said bead being in the extended plane of the closure panel.

4. A closure according to any preceding claim, wherein a lifting tab extends outwardly from the gripping ring to permit lifting of the ring to sever the lines of weakness.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. without risk of fouling of the plug by the raw edge of the orifice. Furthermore the locating of the raw metal edge outside the can protects it from any corrosive effects of the contents of the container. The lower face of the flange 5 seats flush with the container wall 12. In order to assist lifting, the lifting tab 6 has a portion 15 tapered upwards to clear the container wall 12. This arrangement enables the user to insert his finger under the tab before lifting to break the ring 11 free from the flange 5. A means, such as the annular bead 16 shown in Fig. 2, extends radially from the peripheral wall 3 substantially in the extended plane of the closure panel 2. When the closure is moulded to slender sections, from plastics material, this arrangement serves to increase force required to remove the closure from the annulus 13. In a preferred arrangement the annulus 13 is gripped between the lower face of the flange 5 and the upper face of the bead 16. However, a conventional plug fit between the annulus 13 and the peripheral wall 3 is also within the scope of the invention After part of the contents of the container have been dispensed, the closure, as shown in Fig. 6, may be replaced by fitting the lower portion 17 of the wall 3, in the annulus 13 and applying pressure to the centre of the outer face of the closure panel 2.If the lower face of the bead 16 is suitably tapered downwardly and inwardly, to assist location and entry of the closure into the annulus 13, the lower portion 17 may be omitted, so saving plastics material. The lines of weakness may be one of several alternative forms. For example, in Fig. 3 a trapezoidal channel 8A has been moulded in the upper face of the flange 5 to create a thin section 18A; in Fig. 4 an inverted trapezoidal channel has been moulded in the lower face of the flange 5 to create a thin section 18B; and in Fig. 5 a simple triangular score 8C has been in cised in the upper face of the flange 5. The terminal portion of each line of weak ness may be strengthened, by thickening, to ensure that tearing is arrested at the hinge. In Figs. 7 and 8 arresting means, moulded on to the flange are denoted 20 and 21. The alternative embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 10, has a plug portion 23 which functions as a closure in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. However, the closures of Figs. 7 to 10 has means for anchoring the closure to a container so that it does not get lost. The anchoring means comprises a flexible lug portion 17 of the flange which extends radially from the flange and has a peg portion 18 dependant from it (best seen in Fig. 8). The peg portion 18 is in the form of a truncated cone, tapered for easy entry into an aperture 19 adjacent to the pouring annulus 13 in the container wall 12. The aperture 19, which receives the peg 18 is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 and is smaller in diameter than the peg so that the neck portion 18A of the peg 18 is compressed and therefore frictionally engaged with the container wall 12. Conventional barbed pegs could alternatively be used to retain the lug on the container wall. To open the closure of Figs. 7 to 10, the user first raises the outermost part 22 of the ring llA which surrounds, but is free from the lug portion 17. He then pulls to sever the lines of weakness and free the pull ring 11 from the flange until reaching the arresters (20, 21). Using the pull ring 11, the plug portion may then be pulled out of the annulus 13, as shown in Fig. 10. Reclosure is effected as already described. The closures are preferably moulded from a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene which may be clear or coloured by pigments. Whilst the container wall 12, described, is made of tinplate, any container material capable of being formed to a substantially rigid aperture is suitable, such as a aluminium, or plastics, or cardboard. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A tamper-indicating closure having a plug portion adapted to engage an orifice in a container, said plug portion having a closure panel, a peripheral wall upstanding therefrom to terminate in a flange extending outwardly therefrom, a gripping ring surrounding said flange of the plug portion and joined thereto by a hinge portion permanently joining said plug portion to said gripping ring and weakened portions of flange material to each side of the hinge, so that upon lifting of the gripping ring out of the plane of the flange the weakened portions are torn to permit use of the gripping ring.

5. A closure according to any preceding

claim, wherein a lug portion of the flange extends radially from the flange and has means for anchoring the closure to a container.

6. A closure as defined in any preceding claim, wherein an arcuate slot is provided between said gripping ring and said flange in an area opposite the hinge portion order to facilitate initial separation of said ring from said flange.

7. A closure as defined in claim 6, wherein a lifting tab is provided on the gripping ring adjacent the arcuate slot and extending radially outwardly from the ring to permit lifting of the ring to separate the ring from the flange.

8. A closure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.

1, 2 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A closure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A closure according to Claim 1 and having lines of weakness substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of Figs. 3, 4, 5 or 7 of the accompanying drawings.