JP2009527422A - Pre-foiled closure - Google Patents

Abstract

The pre-foiled closure (2) for engaging on the open end of the container has an openable part (18) that can pivot relative to the non-openable part (6) of the closure. The openable part carries a foil holder (24) welded to the foil. The closure is intended to be sealed by induction heating at the periphery of the container and can be opened by pivoting the openable portion (18). This lifting operation tears the foil and removes a portion of the foil attached to the foil holder. This eliminates the need for a separate ring pull to open the closure.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pre-foiled closure that is mounted over the opening of a container.

  Cartons and plastic containers for beverages and other liquids are often sealed using induction heated (IHS) foil, which is typically around the periphery of the container mouth within the spout. Be joined. This foil closes the opening and consequently provides a gas barrier.

  In contrast to conventional containers (sealed with peelable foil and provided with tabs, the overcap can be removed to expose the foil and then the foil can be removed by a peeling action) Trademarked pre-foiled closure designs usually require tearing in the joined foils to gain access to the contents of the container. For example, as described in the applicant's own earlier application GB 2377701 (SPRECKELSEN MCGEOUGH LTD, 2003-01-22), the foil is joined at the boundary between the periphery and part of the spout. May be eliminated, thereby eliminating access to the foil boundary in the case of a peel-off opening.

  An example of a conventional closure that uses a peelable foil is described in EP 1266839A (PORTOLA PACKAGING LTD, 2002-12-18). In this example, a pull tab is provided to assist in the removal of the foil film. A peelable IHS foil may be thicker, have more layers, and heavier and therefore more expensive compared to a tearable IHS foil.

  GB 2350105A (SPRECKELSEN MCGEOUGH LTD, 2000-11-22) suggests sealing the plate to the foil and supporting the foil. This plate is placed on the overcap so that it can pivot relative to the overcap during the opening process. This plate is provided primarily to support the foil and to prevent the foil from being broken by gas pressure when the closure is used with a pressurized fluid. However, the opening in the overcap also causes the foil film to tear and the seal to break.

  GB 2108464 (CONTAINER CORPORATION, 1983-05-18), in conjunction with FIGS. 6-8, includes a container that defines an opening, and the opening is closed and sealed to the periphery of the container by induction heating. And an overcap having a termination that terminates at an end joined to the foil and defining a removable portion of the foil. This structure is a hinged lid with a cylindrical inner edge that is aligned with the periphery of the container and is closed to be directly supported by the periphery of the container. This provides a strong seal that is difficult to break, and after the lid is lifted, the foil can remain bonded to either periphery. The container, foil, and overcap are assembled in a single operation, which leads to assembly problems.

  In the field of carton equipment, in the field of carton equipment, in contrast to the pre-foiled closure that is mounted on the opening of the container to which the present invention relates, the patent document 1 (CAP SNAP CO., 1993-07-22) A closure comprising a spout defining a portion and a foil membrane closing the opening is described, the closure being joined to the foil and terminating at an end defining the removable portion of the foil membrane The foil membrane is also joined to the non-openable portion of the closure prior to attachment to the container. This closure is described by Cap Snap as an optional embodiment in FIG. 5, where the foil retaining structure is the lower end of the plug skirt, which is used to open the spout to open the closure. Must be lifted through. Cap Snap also teaches the use of foil discs that are larger in diameter than the flange of the equipment that defines the spout. Only one side of this Cap Snap foil is used in the joining operation. There is no teaching on how to make a weld to the foil or how to open the closure without welding the skirt to the adjacent spout. There will be many challenges in handling this closure due to the presence of foil boundaries that are not supported or protected beyond the flange. The closure will also leave the end of the foil and the other side exposed to the contents of the container.

The larger the mouth of the container, the more difficult it is to tear the foil film. These problems are discussed in GB 2404916 (SPRECKELSEN MCGEOUGH LTD, 2005-02-16), which is a pull ring support leg to reduce the tensile force required to cause tearing. Teaches design improvements to the installation of
International Publication No. 93 / 13998A Pamphlet

  The present invention is a technique that results from a pre-foiled closure at the opening of the foil without the need for removable pull rings and foil lifting, and without the need for excessive user force, skill, knowledge, or dexterity. Addressing specific challenges.

  The closure of the present invention comprises a closure such that the closure has means for engaging the closure on the open end of the container and the foil membrane has a boundary adapted to be sealed to the container by induction heating. It is characterized in that it is held inside and the openable part is pivotable with respect to the non-openable part of the closure.

  Similar principles apply to small plastic closures where the openable part is the entire overcap, or to the end of a large can or container where the openable part is part of the overcap and is pivotable relative to the rest. be able to.

  Preferably, the foil film is bonded to a land adjacent to an end of the opening on the non-openable portion, so that, in the opening process, the stretch is stretched between the land and the adjacent portion of the foil holding structure. ) To produce a range of foils to be produced, and to produce an initial tear in the tensioning range. Preferably, the tensioning range is on the opposite side of the hinge that pivots open about the openable portion. In order to create this tear, it may be desirable to have at least one foil tearing tooth between the end of the opening and the land.

  The ends of this structure may be continuously or intermittently welded to the foil. This structure is preferably a depending wall with a radius of less than 0.3 mm, preferably with an end of 0.1 mm.

  As can be understood from the prior art described above, the idea of opening the lid and simultaneously removing the foil is a desirable idea. However, its realization has been shown to be not easy, as it has been shown that prior art proposals are actually impossible to open.

  In use, the openable portion is removed along with the removable portion of the foil. This eliminates the dust scattering problem associated with removable ring pulls.

  The closure according to the present invention requires separate use of a recoverable metal core and can be molded very easily because there is no complicated ring pull configuration that increases the molding cycle time.

  The energy required to weld the end of the foil is not very large because the end is fine. This is in contrast to the energy consumed to weld the plate to the foil, as in GB 235015A (SPRECKELSEN MCGEOUGH LTD, 2000-11-22).

  In an embodiment of a closure having a peak where the overcap is clamped in place and can be used by the user to lift the overcap, the structure has a shape that converges at a tip aligned with the peak. It is preferable.

  In order that the invention may be better understood, its five embodiments will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

  The present invention can be used as a single piece spout overcap for use over the opening of a container as shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 11-14, or as a spout as shown in FIGS. It can also be implemented as a combination of overcaps.

(First embodiment)
The closure 2 for the open end of the container consists of a spout overcap 4 in which the foil film 20 is sealed by induction heating before the closure is installed in the opening of the container.

  The foil film 20 is a double-sided foil, which is coated with a plastic material compatible with the material on which the outlet overcap is molded on one side and a thin aluminum foil coated with a plastic material compatible with the material of the container. is there. The membrane 20 may be a plastic barrier membrane or may include a plastic barrier membrane. For example, the membrane may be a laminate that includes a plastic barrier layer.

  The spout 4 shown in FIG. 1 can be molded into a single piece from a relatively hard plastic material such as HDPE or PP. LDPE would not be suitable because it is too plastic. The spout 4 consists of a non-openable part in the form of an overcap 6 with a skirt 8. The opening 10 is defined as a non-openable portion and has an end 12 that is shaped to provide a convenient spout. The openable portion 18 is molded in a vertical position, as shown in FIG. 1, and joins the overcap portion at a hinge 22 formed of a thin plastic web between the base of the openable portion and the non-openable portion. . By molding the spout into this configuration, it can be efficiently constructed using a three-part mold that has two parts separable in the lateral direction and forms the upper surface of the overcap. These upper portions define cavities for forming openable portions 18 between their opposing surfaces. The openable portion 18 carries a foil holding end structure 24 formed so as to be accommodated inside the opening 10. The flange 26 at the remote end of the openable portion is angled with respect to the remainder of the openable portion so that it can be grasped and lifted. This flange 26 is located outside the skirt 8 when the openable portion pivots downward and enters the same plane as the rest of the overcap.

  FIG. 2 shows the back side of the overcap after the openable portion 18 is closed. On this face of the overcap, a wide peripheral land 28 is formed around the inner edge to hold the foil film 20 in the spout. The land 30 is also provided around the opening 10. This land 30 must be close to the end of the opening 10 and at least on the opposite side of the hinge 22.

  When formed, these lands are not perfectly flat, but have ridges 32 raised along the edges. When the foil film 20 that is sealed by induction heating is mounted on the surface of the lands 28, 30, it contacts the ridge 32, which first melts and is welded to the plastic coating of the foil 20. In this way, the energy consumption is low because it can be formed entirely by supplying only enough energy to melt the bridge and allowing the molten plastic to flow over the lands. This also ensures that the rest of the molding is not damaged during pre-foiling.

  A series of foil tearing teeth 19 is formed around the end 12 of the opening 10. This tooth does not need to reshape the entire circumference of the opening, but in the area opposite the hinge, at least one between the portion of the land 30 adjacent to the edge of the opening in that area. It would be desirable to have foil tear teeth. This is because, in this range, the initial tearing in the foil film is performed when the openable portion is pivoted and opened.

  4 is intended for use in a PET container having a standard 350 ml can shape. The openable part 18 ′ extends over the entire width of the spout overcap 4 and has a hinge 22 at the end of the overcap, whereby the openable part is pivoted open. The openable portion 18 ′ has a liftable tab 33 formed in the recess to facilitate pivoting of the openable portion relative to the overcap non-openable portion 6. As shown in the drawings, the foil holder 24 surrounds the opening 25 directly above the opening 10 so that the foil 20 is visible. The opening 25 can be covered with a stopper when in use. In this variant, the opening 10 of the overcap 6 is shown on the opposite side of the hinge 22 as a teardrop that converges at a point towards the center of the can mouth.

(Assembly and use of the first embodiment)
The spout overcap element 4 is molded and removed from the mold as shown in FIG. The openable portion 18 of each element is then folded so that the foil retaining structure wall 24 snaps into the opening 10. The foil disc 20 is then placed inside each overcap to cover the entire lower surface. While the anvil holds the disc in contact with the surface lands 28, 30, the assembly welds the foil film to the lands 28 and 30 in the induction heat sealing chamber to provide a pre-foiled closure. Exposed to a magnetic field that generates sufficient heat in the aluminum foil to form. Since the end of the foil 20 is inside the skirt 8, it is protected from damage during transport of the pre-foiled closure.

  Like previous BAP® closures, the closure 2 can be sterilized in a closed, foiled state and supplied to a factory that will be fitted into a container.

  The pre-foiled closure exposes a foil boundary on the opposite side of the land 28, which can be joined to the periphery of the container. Since this boundary of the foil 20 will be welded to both sides, it is very difficult to separate this boundary from the container unless a considerable force is applied. This welding also prevents the exposed aluminum end in foil 20 from contacting the contents of the container. No part of the container should be joined to the foil on the opposite side of the foil holder 24, so this joining is selectively weaker than joining at the periphery of the container.

  When the user wants to open the closure 2, the openable portion 18 is gripped by the flange 26 and pivoted about the hinge 22. This is because the foil film 20 in the area opposite to the hinge between the land 30 and the adjacent portion of the foil holding structure 24 (in this variant, adjacent to the outer end of the overcap) stretches and foil tears. Contacting the tooth 19 will cause tearing if the extension does not cause tearing. To design a closure that requires minimal force to open, a relatively narrow foil bridge in this tension range between the foil holder and the portion of the foil joined to the non-openable portion It is desirable to have only. In order to obtain an opening pressure in at least this tensioning area of the foil, it is desirable that the lifting force is applied to a relatively small area, which also tapers the opening and uses the pivoting action to Achieved by lifting.

  In the variant shown in FIG. 4, the user holds the pull tab 33 and lifts it. This creates a considerable opening pressure on the foil at the tip of the teardrop-shaped opening 10 in the middle of the container, in the tensioning range with the foil holder 24 on the opposite side of the hinge 22. This range is limited by the intimate lands 30 and may include cutting teeth 19 on which foil may be stretched and penetrated. When the foil is torn, the openable portion 18 ′ can pivot about the hinge 22. This also stretches the remaining portion of the foil 20 in the range between the non-openable portion and the land 30 near the end of the opening, whereby tears propagate around the opening, resulting in the wall 24 A part of the enclosed foil 20 is lifted from the opening 10 by the pivoting of the openable part 18 '. This eliminates dust scattering.

(Second Embodiment)
Here, with reference to FIGS. 5-10, embodiment of a spout and an overcap is described.

  The closure 2 for fitting into a container (not shown) consists of a spout 40 connected to a pull-up overcap 60 by a hinge 80. The spout 40 constitutes a non-openable portion of the closure 2 and the overcap 60 constitutes an openable portion. The spout 40 has a cylindrical wall portion 120 that defines an opening 10 and a base 140. Cylindrical wall portion 120 terminates at spout 160. The sealing rib 180 is formed around the inner surface of the wall 120 so as to seal against the valve of the overcap 60. A series of foil tearing teeth 19 is formed around the opening 10.

  The foil film 20 seals the entire opening 10 of the spout 40. The boundary 220 of the foil film 20 is welded to the spout base 140 by sealing with induction heating.

  The configuration of the spout 40 is GB 2377701A, which is the applicant's own previous application, except that the removable portion that would normally be molded over the spout opening 10 is intentionally omitted. (SPRECKELSEN MCGEOUGH LTD, 2003-01-22) and similar to BAP® closures manufactured by design based on that technology. Such removable parts, along with their associated ring pulls, greatly increase the cost and expense of the spout mold or the spout section of the hinged mold. The remaining details of the spout structure may be well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described further here.

  The overcap 60 is substantially similar to that described in the previous specification. The overcap has an upper wall 300, a side wall 320, and a peak 34 on the opposite side of the hinge 80. The cylindrical valve 36 hangs down from the interior of the top wall 300 and is positioned so that its outer surface engages and seals against the sealing rib 180 within the sidewall 120 of the spout 40. However, the overcap of the present invention differs in that there is an additional foil holding structure, in which case the cylindrical wall 400 acts as a foil holder. The foil holder 400 hangs down from the upper wall 300 of the overcap 60 inside the valve 36. The foil holder 400 terminates at an end 42 formed with a small radius of less than 0.3 mm, preferably 0.1 mm. The thickness of the wall 40 gradually decreases toward the end 42. The height of the foil holder 400 is a height at which the end 42 just touches the upper surface of the foil film 20 when the overcap 60 is closed on the spout 4. The end 42 defines and surrounds a circular portion of the foil film 20 when in contact with the foil 20.

  The end 42 may be continuous, as shown in the main portion of the end 42 in FIG. The end 42 may be uneven as illustrated at 44. Thereby, the end may be intermittent with a short portion 46 separated by a notch 48. Only the end portion 46 is welded to the foil film 20. It will be appreciated that the shape of the notch 48 should be designed to facilitate molding and tearing.

  The foil film is weakened in the range of the end portion 42, and tearing can be facilitated. This weakening can be generated by laser processing. This step is preferably avoided, but may be necessary for thicker foils or when the end 42 cannot be formed sufficiently fine.

  The arrow 50 is formed as a recess in the flat top surface of the upper wall 300 so as to face the center of the peak 34. This arrow will lead the consumer to a peak to indicate where the closure should be opened. Forming the arrow as a recess facilitates the use of the closure by blind or low vision consumers.

  A breakable tab (not shown) is formed between the end of the overcap and the spout to facilitate prevention of visible tampering. Such breakable tabs must be removed before the overcap is lifted. Other standard forms of tamper-proofing such as strips and strips around the overcap are also adapted for use with this closure.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the foil holder 400, but the other parts are the same as those described above. As shown in FIG. 10, the structure 400 is not a cylindrical wall, but is formed to converge at a narrower tip 52 that is aligned with the center of the peak 34.

  Another variation of this structure is shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b. In these designs, the structure 400 has a shape that defines a tip 52 ′ spaced on either side of the peak 34. These designs are believed to be more effective in tearing the enclosed portion of the foil with minimal effort.

(Assembly and method of use of embodiment of overcap and spout)
The embodiment of the spout and overcap described can be easily molded as a single piece using a mold that forms the spout and overcap together in the open state as shown in FIG. It will be understood that it can be done. The closure 2 is assembled by pivoting the overcap 60 about the hinge 80 so that the valve 36 is engaged within the spout 40. In this closed state as shown in FIG. 9, the foil film 20 is placed at the spout base 140 and sealed to the spout by induction heating. This sealing process by induction heating welds the foil to the part of the plastic material that comes into contact when the installation pressure is applied. Thus, the foil boundary 220 is welded to the base horizontal plane. An end 42 that contacts the foil 20, or a spaced portion 46 thereof, is also welded thereto. Limiting the contact area between the spout 40 foil and the plastic end 42 reduces the amount of energy used to weld the foil and reduces the effort of later tearing the foil.

  Like previous BAP® closures, the closure 2 can be sterilized in a closed, foiled state and supplied to a factory that will be fitted into a container.

  When a container closed by a closure as described is received by the consumer, the container is opened by the application of lifting and pivoting forces applied to the overcap peak 34 in the position indicated by arrow 50 be able to. There is some resistance when the foil 20 is lifted and tensioned by the structure 400 at the first opening of the closure. This lifting force eventually tears the foil adjacent the end 42. When the foil is torn, you will hear a popping sound. This gives the consumer a reassurance that the closure has not been tampered with.

  When the overcap 60 is fully pivoted open, the space within the foil holder 400 is usually covered with the portion of the enclosed foil that was removed during the opening process. The foil may be torn by the teeth 19 at the end of the opening 10.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the lifting force applied to the peak 34 by the user first creates a tear at the tip 52 where the force is concentrated. The tear then propagates in both directions around the end 42 and results in the drop-shaped enclosed portion of the foil being removed with the overcap. Similar effects occur using the outlines of FIGS. 10a and 10b. Forming end 42 in one of these ways is particularly desirable for use with large closures or thick foils.

  In many cases, it is possible to remove the contents of the container through an opening formed by the removal of only the portion of the foil 20 that is surrounded by the end 42. However, it is also possible to open the entire opening 10 by pushing the remaining area of foil (if any) over the opening 10 into the container.

  Since the removed portion of the foil 20 is held in the closure, the dust scattering problem is solved.

  It will be understood that the exact tear propagation depends on the force applied in the opening process and that the usefulness of the closure as described does not depend on any particular tear pattern.

  The closure can be resealed by the consumer, similar to existing BAP® closures. Various shapes and designs of overcaps can be easily implemented for the purpose of trademark differentiation. Thus, the structure of the present invention retains all the consumer attributes of the previous closure, but allows for simpler molding and lighter closures. Thus, the present invention creates a closure that is suitable for more cost sensitive applications.

(Embodiment of can end)
FIGS. 11-14 show a cylindrical can 61, such as a one-piece closure 600 (as opposed to two-piece or hinged), such as a beverage can or a bottle made of thermoformed plastic material. Relevant to the practice of the invention, designed to replace the entire end of The can is basically cup-shaped and has an opening that can be closed by a closure 600.

  The closure 600 is a foil held within the overcap by an overcap 62 having a flat top surface 64 and a depending skirt 66, and an annular ridge or land type foil holding structure 70 formed on the inner surface of the top surface 64. A membrane disc 68. The foil holder 70 terminates at an end 72 joined to the foil 68.

  The end of the skirt 66 has a bead 74 formed around its inner surface to provide a means for engaging the overcap onto the can end and holding it in place during assembly. The closure 600 is sealed to the can end by sealing the boundary of the foil 68 to the periphery of the can by induction heating.

  The overcap 62 also has a portion 800 adapted to be torn from the remainder of the overcap to form a drinking or spout. Portion 80 carries arcuate portion 82 of foil retaining structure 70. Portion 80 is separated from the rest of the overcap by tear lines 84 along both sides. These tear lines 84 are thin plastic webs. The hinge 86 is formed at the rear of the removable portion 800 closest to the center of the top surface 64 of the overcap. A peak 88 can be formed at the front end of the portion 80 to facilitate lifting of that portion. Tab 90 is formed to project outwardly from the remainder of skirt 66, grasping it to cause tearing of portion 800, and subsequently opening by pivoting portion 800 about hinge 86. be able to. When the portion 800 is thus opened, the foil is lifted and torn by the portion 82 of the foil holding structure 70.

  The tab 90 is clamped on the end of the skirt 66 on the side opposite to the opening, so that the tab 90 is clamped directly opposite the user's mouth. After opening, the can can be closed by returning portion 80 over the opening.

  An alternative form of can end closure is shown in FIGS. Similar reference numerals are used for similar parts. In this embodiment, the overcap 62 does not have a continuous upper surface and exposes a portion of the foil film 68. The top portion 94 of the overcap 62 is shaped such that the pull tab 96 can be grasped and removed. In this embodiment, the foil holder is a wall structure 98 below the portion 94 indicated by a dotted line. This structure 98 need not be a closed circle as shown in the previous embodiments. There may be more than one foil holder end. This type of can end can be adapted to various types of spout structures.

  By considering the concept of a foil holder having an end welded to the foil film on the part of the overcap that is removed during the opening process, one skilled in the art is required to leave a convenient mouthpiece. It will be appreciated that various patterns and configurations of the ends that facilitate tearing and lifting of the required portion of the foil may be designed. The removed portion of the foil held by the foil holder end can also be designed to have an aesthetic shape.

(Modification)
The closures illustrated in FIGS. 5-10 are intended for use with 33 mm bottle necks, but can also be used with wide-mouth bottles and smaller beverage bottles, as well as wide-mouth bottles, cartons, cans, and heat bottles of any diameter It will be understood that it can be adapted to a molded container.

  Additional tamper proofing is provided by a removable or breakable tab adjacent to the peak 34 that locks the overcap to the adjacent base wall. In the can end embodiment, a similar breakable tab or other tamper-proof configuration can be provided. The can end embodiment can also be used for various can diameters.

  Molding the overcap 6, 60, or 62 from a see-through or transparent or transparent plastic material also provides additional visible tamper protection.

  Thereby providing feedback by visual, audible or tactile mechanism and giving consumers a reassurance that the product supplied by the closure has not been previously opened or tampered with Can do.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spout formed for a closure according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view from below of the spout of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the closure with the foil membrane attached. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the first embodiment of the closure, which is shown fixed in a can and in an open state. FIG. 5 is a perspective view with the spout and overcap open, showing two alternative designs for the end of the structure according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the overcap and spout of FIG. FIG. 7 shows a cross-section at line 7-7 in FIG. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of the closure after assembly into a closed and foiled state. FIG. 9 shows a cross-section at line 9-9 in FIG. FIG. 10 shows a plan view of an overcap and spout according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 a is a plan view similar to FIG. 10 and shows a modification of the outer shape of the shape of the foil holder. FIG. 10B is a plan view similar to FIG. 10 and shows a modification of the outer shape of the shape of the foil holder. FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a can end closure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 shows a cross section through the end of the overcap of FIG. FIG. 13 shows a fifth embodiment of a can end closure. FIG. 14 shows a cross section through the end of the overcap of FIG.

Claims (17)

A closure (2; 600) comprising a spout (4, 40) defining an opening (10) and a foil membrane (20; 68) closing the opening (10), the closure (2 600) comprises a foil retaining structure (24; 400; 70; 98) that terminates at an end (42; 72) that is bonded to the foil and defines a removable portion of the foil film (20; 68). The foil membrane (20; 68) also has an openable portion (18; 60; 800), and the non-openable portion (6; 140; 62) of the closure (2; 600) prior to attachment to the container Also joined to
The closure has means (8; 140; 66) for engaging the closure on the open end of the container so that the foil membrane (20; 68) is sealed to the container by induction heating. Is held inside the closure (2; 600), the openable portion (18; 60; 800) being the non-openable portion (6; 140; 62) of the closure Closure (2; 600), characterized in that it can pivot with respect to. The foil film (20; 68) is joined to a land (30) adjacent to the opening on the non-openable portion, and as a result, in the opening process, the land (30) and the foil holding structure The closure according to claim 1, wherein a range of a foil stretched between adjacent portions of (24) is formed, and an initial tear is generated in the stretched range.   The closure according to claim 2, wherein the tensioning area is on the opposite side of the hinge (22) and the openable part is pivotally open about the hinge.   The closure according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one foil tearing tooth (19) is provided between an end of the opening (10) and the land (30).   5. A closure according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein a pull tab (33) is provided on the openable portion (18 ') to apply an opening pressure to the tensioning area.   The closure according to claim 4, wherein an end of the opening is tapered within the tensioning range.   The closure according to claim 1, wherein the openable part is an overcap (60).   The closure of claim 1, wherein the openable portion (800) is configured to be torn from a remainder of an overcap (600) carrying at least a portion of the foil retaining structure (70).   The closure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the end of the structure is continuously welded to the foil.   The closure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the end portion is intermittently welded to the foil.   The closure according to claim 7, wherein the end portion is uneven.   The closure according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the end has a radius of less than 0.3 mm.   The closure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end has a radius of less than 0.1 mm.   The openable portion has a peak (26; 34), and the user can pivot the openable portion by using the peak (26; 34), and the structure The closure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein (24; 400) has a shape that converges at a tip aligned with the peak.   The openable portion has a peak (34), and the user can pivot the openable portion by using the peak (34), and the structure has the peak (34). 11. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, having a shape defining a spaced tip (52 ') on either side of the.   16. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, made from a see-through or transparent or transparent plastic material.   The closure according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the overcap is attached to a container or a spout using a breakable tab.

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