IE84869B1 - A container neck and a closure therefor - Google Patents

Description

A CONTAINER NECK AND A CLOSURE THEREFOR BEESON AND SONS LIMITED A CONTAINER NECK AND A CLOSURE THEREFOR This invention relates to a container neck and to a closure for the neck. The invention is particularly directed to container necks and closures which are adapted to fit one another by having The invention is also particularly directed to containers which complementary screw threads. are designed to be sealed against the ingress of air, or liquid, or other contaminants, when the closure is fitted to the container neck.

A design of such a container is described in our UK application GB-A-2257693. The present application will also refer to the following patent applications: GB—A-2260534 and W091/18799.

A problem with conventional containers is that, often, a user will overtighten a closure on the container neck to The closure is then If the it may be extremely ensure that a reliable seal is formed. difficult to remove later because it is tight. closure is considerably overtightened, difficult to remove later, and it may also cause damage by permanently deforming parts of the closure and/or the container neck.

The problem of overtightening can also occur when the closure is a child-resistant closure. Such closures rely on the closure being secured to the container neck with a predetermined degree of tightness, such that a predetermined torque must be applied to unscrew the closure. If the closure is not secured with the necessary degree of tightness, the chi1d—resistant feature will not operate effectively. Therefore, child—resistant closures are often overtightened to ensure that the closure will operate effectively, since otherwise the closure might fail to be child-resistant.

The present invention seeks to overcome these and/or other problems.

The present invention provides a container closure assembly comprising: a container neck having a first thread and one or more first retaining projections; second thread complementary with the first thread to secure a closure having a the closure on the container neck and one or more second to said first retaining retaining projections engage projections as a closed. position of the closure on ‘the container neck is reached, whereby the engagement of said first and second retaining projections defines the closed position of the closure on the neck and retains the closure in said closed position until a predetermined release torque container neck; and is applied between the closure and the wherein the closure comprises a skirt portion having an inner sealing surface which is adapted to seal, in use, against an outer sealing surface of said container neck when said closure is screwed into said closed position, the said surfaces forming the seal being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the container neck whereby the sealing surfaces oppose overtighteningcfi'said closure substantially beyond the closed position. the first and second retaining projections effect when the closed position Preferably, produce a detectable "click" is reached.

Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for use with a child-resistant closure such as that described in our UK patent application GB-A-2260534. The positively defined closed position indicates to a user that no further tightening of the child—resistant closure is required, and the retaining means holds the closure in position until a predetermined amount of torque is applied between the container neck and the closure. For example, should a child attempt to open the closure, the amount of torque that will be transmitted through the child—resistant closure will be less than the torque required to overcome the retaining means. when an adult attempts to open the closure, the adult will press the closure downwardly to engage the torque transmitting castellations in the child-resistant closure to enable adequate torque to be applied to overcome the retaining means. The invention thereby ensures that the child-resistant feature will operate effectively.

The retaining projections are located on the container neck and on the closure, the projections engaging as the closed position is reached. At least one of the projections may preferably be profiled to have a circumferential ramp surface over which the other projection can ride easily as the closure nears the closed position, and a radially inwardly extending abutment surface against which the other projection bears when the closure is to be unscrewed from the closed position.

There may additionally be stop projections on the container neck at positions circumferentially beyond the projections which define the closed position. Preferably, the stop projections have a radial abutment surface adapted to engage the projections on the closure.

Preferably, the sealing surfaces are inclined equally to the longitudinal axis of the assembly, so as to be complementary. Preferably the angle of inclination is between 1° and 45°, more preferably between 1° and 25°, and in particular about 5°.

Preferably, the container closure assembly of the present invention further comprises a tamper evident ring, the ring being initially the by connections and being visible between the closure and the container neck to indicate that the closure has not yet been coupled to closure severable removed by a user, the arrangement being such that, in use, the connections are severed on the occasion that a user first removes the closure, the .ring being subsequently movable to a position on the container neck which is clear to been removed from the of the closure when the closure is later replaced, indicate that the closure has container neck at least once.

Such an arrangement can provide a convenient indication of whether the connection between the tamper evident ring and the closure is intact. If the connection is intact, the ring will be supported between the closure and the container This indicates that the container is unopened. below the neck.

Preferably, a portion of the ring will project lower edge of the closure so that the ring is plainly visible. The ring may be made in a contrasting colour to the closure and/or the container.

When the closure is removed, the connections will be severed, and the ring can drop in which it is clear of, and visibly separated from, the closure when the closure of the ring indicates that the closure has down the neck to a position is replaced later. This position been removed at least once from the container, and may indicate to a person purchasing the container that the container has been tampered with.

In other preferred embodiments, the tamper evident ring is slidable in a longitudinal direction on at least a portion of the container neck and being captive thereon, and the ring being initially coupled to the closure by severable in use, connections which connections are, severed on the first occasion that a user removes the closure from the container neck.

Such an arrangement ensures that the tamper evident ring cannot be removed from the container neck, for example, by a person who has maliciously tampered with the container.

The tamper evident ring is thus always present on the container neck to indicate whether or not the closure has previously been opened.

Preferably, when the assembly includes a tamper evident ring, the closure is provided with an upstanding diametric handle. The handle may be in the form of an upstanding flange.

Such a handle has been found to be especially convenient for enabling the closure to be tightened or unscrewed with ease. The handle is especially convenient for use by elderly people who might otherwise have trouble in grasping the sides of the closure sufficiently strongly to tighten or the The advantageous in enabling an ease a sufficient torque to break the severable connections flange is particularly unscrew closure. elderly person to apply with between the tamper evident ring and the closure.

The tamper evident ring feature may be used in conjunction with a child-resistant closure, such as that described in our UK patent application GB-A—2257693. The upstanding flange handle would then also provide a convenient way for an elderly person to apply a downward pressure on the closure to engage the castellations, as well as enabling the person to apply sufficient torque to release the closure.

Preferably, the outer sealing surface of the assembly according to the present invention is located near the open end of the container neck. In use, the abutment between the inner and outer sealing surfaces can then seal the interior of the container from any contamination such as dirt which may be present on the threaded portions of the container neck and closure.

Preferably, the outer surface of the container neck adjacent the open end has a reduced circumference compared to the base portion of the container neck, and a peelable sealing web is sealed over the open end of the container neck, an edge or edges of the sealing web projecting radially proud of the reduced circumference portion of the container neck.

Such an arrangement is advantageous in facilitating the peeling of the seal. At least one edge of the seal in effect overhangs the reduced circumference portion of the container neck to provide a tab by which the seal can be peeled off. Preferably, the entire periphery of the seal overhangs, so that an annular tab is formed around the reduced circumference portion of the container neck. be or groove, at the open end of the circumference portion may formed The reduced substantially as a step, container neck. The size of the step, or groove, will be sufficient to enable a user to grasp the overhanging portion of the seal so that it can be peeled back.

In one embodiment, the side of the step may be chamfered radially outwardly away from the open end of the container neck. is movable from a fully the closure open Preferably, position to the closed, sealing position on the neck by relative rotation through 360° or less, more preferably 180° or less, and most preferably 90° or less.

Although the various preferred features described above may be of the . invention independently of one another, a particularly advantageous arrangement is achieved by combining the features together. used in embodiments present Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompany drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a side View showing a container neck and a closure with a portion of the closure being cutaway; and Fig. 2 is a similar View to Fig. 1 showing an alternative embodiment. shows a container having a container neck 10, The closure 12 Fig. and a closure 12 for fitting to the neck 10. is preferably a child-resistant closure incorporating the features disclosed in our UK patent application GB-A-2260534 the inner and outer closure parts 14 and 16 of but the remaining detail of the child-resistant closure system is For clarity, the child—resistant closure are shown in Fig. 1, omitted.

The container neck 10 is formed with a base portion 18, a %— turn threaded portion 20, an upper sealing surface 22 and crown portion 24 at the open end of the container neck, having a reduced circumference. Two diametrically opposed, and axially chamfered, radial projections, Each protrusion has or protrusions, are formed on the base portion 18. a circumferential ramp surface 25a and an inwardly extending radial abutment surface 25b.

A peelable foil sealing web 26 is sealed over the open end of neck such that its edge 28 projects radially proud of the crown portion 24. The crown portion 24 is chamfered radially outwardly away from the open end of the neck 10, to form a recess below the edge 28 of the sealing web 26. The projecting edge 28 forms a tab by which the foil can be grasped by a user's fingers, and peeled off.

The portion of the closure which is adapted to fit on to the container neck 10 (i.e. the inner closure part 14) is profiled to have an upper skirt portion 30, a %-turn threaded portion 32 and a lower skirt portion 34. Four inwardly projecting axial ribs 36 are provided on the lower skirt portion.

The detail of the %-turn threaded portions 20 and 32 of the container neck 10 and closure 12, respectively, and the axial ribs 36 25, preferably as disclosed in our International application W091/18799. with the closure 12 is movable between an and protrusions are this arrangement, opened position in which it is released from the and neck, a closed position in which it is firmly attached to the neck, by rotation through about 90°. The threads each have four starts.

The detail of the upper skirt portion 30 of the closure 12 and of the sealing surface 22 of the container neck 10, are preferably as disclosed in our UK patent application GB-A- . With this arrangement, upper skirt portion 30 is adapted to make a seal against the the inner surface of the sealing surface 22 of the neck when the closure 12 is tightened on the neck 10. tapered radially inwardly towards the crown portion 24, and the upper skirt portion 30 is tapered radially outwardly The upper sealing surface 22 is towards the open end of the closure 12. The tapers preferably complement each other, and have a taper angle of about 5° relative to the longitudinal axis of the container neck and closure. when the closure 12 is placed over the container the inner closure part 14 passes over the edge 28 In use, neck 10, of the sealing web 26 without applying pressure directly to the sealing web 26. This ensures that the sealing web 26 will not be damaged by the application of the closure 12 to the neck 10.

The closure 12 is rotated by hand in a clockwise direction (as viewed from above the container) through an angle of As the its closed position, one of the ribs about 90° to screw the closure 12 on to the neck 10. closure 12 approaches 36 will begin to ride against the ramp surface 25a of each protrusion 25, and the upper skirt portion 30 of the closure will approach sealing contact with the sealing surface 22 of the neck 10. closed position, oval shape to allow the ribs 36 to ride easily over the As the closure 12 As the closure 12 further approaches the the lower skirt portion 34 will deform into an ramp surfaces 25a of the protrusions 25. approaches the closed position, the user will be alerted to this by a mild increase in the torque required to rotate the closure as the ribs 36 ride over the protrusions 25. when the closure reaches it closed position, the ribs 36 will pass the end of the ramp surfaces 25a, and will snap radially inwardly as the lower skirt portion 34 resumes it In so doing, a "click" sound will be effect will be felt through the This indicates to the user that and that no further normal circular shape. "click" material of the closure. emitted, and a the closed position has been reached, tightening of the closure is required.

In the closed position the upper skirt portion 30 of the closure 12 makes sealing Contact with the sealing surface 22 of the neck, to form a reliable seal.

The engagement between the sealing surface 22 and the upper skirt portion 30 also serves to prevent the closure 12 from overtightened the closed As the closure is tightened, the tapered sealing substantially beyond being position. against each other more strongly, surfaces will bear producing a face which tends to opposed further axial movement of the closure. to hold the closure 12 in the closed position until a predetermined part 14 and the The protrusion 25 also serves as a retaining means torque is applied between the inner closure neck 10. the ribs 36 will abut the radial abutment surfaces 25b of If the applied releasing torque is insufficient the protrusions 25, which thereby prevent the closure 12 from being when the sufficient, the lower skirt portion 34 of the unscrewed. applied torque is closure 12 will deform to an oval shape to allow the ribs 36 to pass over the protrusions. with reference to the detail of the child—resistant closure as described application GB-A-2260534, this ensures that the child- resistant feature will operate effectively and reliably. in our UK patent The container neck 10 is also provided with a tamper-evident ring 44. The ring 44 is slidable on the base portion of the neck 10, but is held captive on the base portion by abutments (not shown). The ring 44 will initially be coupled to the closure by severable connections (shown diagrammatically at 50), which are severed on the first occasion that the closure is removed from the container The detail of the ring is preferably as described UK patent neck. hereinbefore and/as that disclosed in our application GB-A-2260534.

The closure is preferably provided with an upstanding diametric flange handle 46. The detail of this is preferably as that disclosed in our UK patent application GB-A-2260534, and/or as that disclosed in our International application W091/18799. Such a handle has been found to be especially convenient for be tightened or unscrewed with ease. The handle is especially convenient for use by elderly people who might have trouble of the sufficiently strongly to tighten or unscrew the closure. enabling the closure to otherwise in grasping the sides closure Fig. 2 illustrates a modified embodiment very similar to that of Fig. 1. also includes a stop means for defining an ultimate stop The difference is that the assembly in Fig. position of the closure 12 on the neck 10, beyond which be tightened further, to In this position the closure 12 cannot prevent the closure from being overtightened. exemplary embodiment the stop means are provided in the form of circumferential stop means for preventing rotation of the cap beyond a ultimate circumferential position.

The circumferential stop means co—operate with the ribs 36 of the closure 12 to define an angular position beyond which the closure 12 cannot be tightened further. are the circumferentially beyond the protrusions 25, (as viewed from above the container).

The stop means in form of stop protrusions 48 arranged in a clockwise direction Each protrusion 48 has a radial abutment surface 48a against which a rib 36 will abut as the closure 12 reaches the ultimate stop position. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, each stop protrusion 48 is spaced by so that the ultimate stop a short distance from the corresponding protrusion 25, position is defined as being substantially the same as closed position, and the relevant rib 36 will engage between in an the adjacent pair of protrusions 25 and 48. However, alternative embodiment, the stop ‘protrusions 48 may be spaced further from the protrusions 25 so that a range of closure positions is defined.

Alternatively, the stop means could be provided in the form of axial stop means to prevent further axial movement of the closure beyond an ultimate axial stop position. For example the stop means could be formed partly by an upwardly facing radially flat surface 40 adjacent the base portion of the neck 10. This surface 40 would abut the lower edge, or rim, of the closure if the closure were tightened substantially beyond the normal closed position.

The axial stop means could also partly be formed by the engagement between the upper skirt portion 30 of the closure 12 and the sealing surface 22 of the neck 10. As the closure is tightened beyond the normal closed position, these tapered sealing surfaces will bear against each other tends to oppose more strongly, producimg a force which further axial movement of the closure 12.

Although in the embodiment illustrated in Fig.1 the inner closure part 14 projects below the edge of the outer closure part 16, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the outer closure part may be extended downwardly so as to substantially conceal the edge of the inner closure part.

This would avoid the possibility that a child might overcome the child-resistant feature of the closure by turning the exposed portion of the inner closure part 14.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. A container closure assembly comprising: a container neck having a first thread and one or more first retaining projections; a closure having a second thread complementary with the first thread to secure the closure on the container neck and one or more second retaining projections to engage said first retaining projections as a closed position of the the engagement of said first and second retaining projections closure on the container neck is reached, whereby position of the closure on the neck and defines the closed retains the ‘closure in said closed position until a predetermined release torque is applied between the closure and the container neck; and wherein the closure comprises a skirt portion having an inner sealing surface which is adapted to seal, in use, against an outer sealing surface of said container neck when said closure is screwed into said closed position, the said surfaces forming the seal being inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the container neck whereby the sealing surfaces oppose overtightening of said closure substantially beyond the closed position.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and second retaining projections produce a detectable "click" effect when the closed position is reached.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least of to circumferential one said projections is profiled have a ramp surface over which said other projection can ride easily as said closure means nears said closed position, and an abutment surface against which said other projection bears when said closure is to be unscrewed from said closed position.

4. An assembly according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more stop projections on the container 14 neck to engage the second retaining projections on the closure to further oppose overtightening of the closure on the container neck.

5. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the said sealing surfaces are inclined at the same angle to the longitudinal axis of the container neck when the closure is in the closed position, said angle being in the range 1°-45°.

6.An assembly according to claim 5, wherein said angle is in the range 1°-25°.

7.An assembly according to claim 6, wherein said angle is about 5°.

8. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the said outer sealing surface is located near the open end of the container neck, and the said inner sealing surface seals against said outer sealing surface in use to seal the interior of the container from any contamination which may be present on the threads.

9. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein said closure is movable from a fully open position to said closed position on the container neck by relative rotation through 360° or less.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said relative rotation is 180° or less.

11. An assembly according to claim 10 wherein said relative rotation is 90° or less.