REDUCED APPLICATION EMERGENCY CLOSURE This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 401,544, filed on August 7, 2002. The present invention relates generally to closure caps for sealing containers of food or beverage, where the closure includes a plastic shell with an indicator band of integral misuse. More particularly, the present invention relates to closure caps with bad use indicator strips which can be applied to the container with a reduced potential for premature breaking of the bridges connecting the closure shell to the bad use indicator band. BACKGROUND OF THE VENTION The closures that have particularities that indicate misuse are well known in the field and have been commonly used for a wide variety of products. Closures for use in food and beverage containers include a shell or closure liner formed of metal, plastic or both metal and plastic. A mis indicating feature commonly used with "screw-type" plastic closures, for use in association with plastic containers, is one in which the closure includes a cylindrical band integrally secured by a plurality of bridges brittle to the bottom of the container.
the closing shell. The band is placed under a retaining flange or flange on the neck of the container. When the closure is unscrewed, the retaining flange or flange holds the indication band of misuse, causing brittle bridges to break, thus releasing the band closure shell (which remains with the container). A problem frequently encountered with closures and evident bands of misuse of this type is the premature breaking of the bridges during the initial application of the closure to the container. During the initial application, the indicator band of misuse must be forced onto the retaining flange or flange of the container. As the indicator band of misuse is forced onto the flange, it is radially stretched and the applied downward force is transferred to and retained by the band as elastic energy. The elastic energy retained in the band is released when the band has left the tab and is returned to its original shape. However, if the elastic energy retained in the band is too large, the release of that energy can result in premature bridge breakage. Naturally, a band with prematurely broken bridges subtracts the primary function of the band, which assures the consumer that the content of the container has not been
adulterated One solution to the potential problem of premature bridge breakage during application has been to apply heat, typically in the vapor form, to the closure during application. The steam sufficiently softens the plastic material of the closure as it is forced onto the retaining flange of the container and, thus, reduces the force necessary to apply the closure. While heating the fasteners during the application has worked satisfactorily, it is not always desired. The thermal treatment of the closures can be added to the cost of the packing process. The thermal treatment of the closures also requires careful control of the temperature so that the applied heat does not adversely affect the integrity of the closure and / or the indicator band of misuse. In addition, the use of heat may not cause an identical effect in the process of application of closures, since not all closures of a given lot are exactly identical and may not be affected in an identical manner by the temperatures used to heat the closures. As a result, the heat treatment can introduce unintended variations, even in closures of the same batch or manufacturing period. In this way, there is a need for a closure cap with a cylindrical misuse indicating band,
dependent that can be applied to the container with a reduced potential for premature bridge breakage, either with or without heating during the application of the closure. There is also a need for a band that minimizes this potential, however, maximizes the ability of the band to remain on the container during unscrewing of the closure cap. It would also be desirable, in certain cases, to provide a closure with the aforementioned properties without having to heat the closure during the application process. These and other needs of the industry are addressed by the closure of the present invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a plastic closure flap having a shell, including an end panel and a descendingly dependent skirt. The closure cap includes a cylindrical band fixed to the terminal end of the skirt by a plurality of brittle connectors. The cylindrical misuse indicating band includes an inner surface, outer surface and an upper surface that is tapered downward in the direction of the outer surface. The inner surface includes a flange for contacting a holding flange on a finished receiving and an outer surface. The external surface
it includes a groove or notch therein, which is generally disposed axially opposite to at least a portion of the band flange. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partial view of a plastic bottle, the open end of which is secured with a plastic closure cap that modalizes the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the closure lid of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the closure lid that modalizes the present invention; Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the skirt portion and indicator band of misuse of a closure lid that modalizes the present invention; Figure 5 is a partial, enlarged, cross-sectional view of the closure cap during application of the cap over the open mouth of the beverage container; Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a closure with an indicative band of use that modalizes the present invention, Figure 7 is a perspective view of a
closure with a band that modalizes the present invention; Fig. 8 is a partial perspective view of the closure with the band of Fig. 7; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an evident band of tt-to-wear, taken along line 9-9 of the closure shown in Figure 7; and Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a bridge in the evident band of misuse shown in Figure 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Turning now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a closure lid 10 which modalizes the invention, secured on the mouth of a container, such as the bottle 50. The closure 10 can be made of any suitable thermoplastic material, examples of which will be well known to those of experience in the field, and are discussed with greater detail later. Preferably, the closure 10 is made of polypropylene or copolymers thereof. The closure 10 is preferably formed by injection molding or by other molding operations which will also be known to those of experience in the field. The closure 10 is suitable for use with containers, such as bottle 50, which are made of polyethylene terephthalate (E!) Or other known plastic materials.
As shown in Figures I and 2, the closure 10 includes a shell 14 having an end panel 16 and a skirt 18 which depends on the panel 16. The inner surface of the panel 16 can also be provided with a full panel covering or packaging made of a thermoplastic composition such as, but not limited to, a thermoplastic elastomer. The coating or packing provides an airtight seal with the finish 56 of the recycle 50, and may also provide other desirable properties such as oxygen barrier properties. The closure 10 also includes a cylindrical misuse indicating band 20, which is preferably integrally connected to the terminal end 22 of the skirt 18 by circumferentially spaced bridges 24. Alternatively, the indicator band 20 for misuse can be an extension of the skirt 18 separated from the skirt 18 by a solid indentation or slit line between the band 20 and the skirt 18. Turning now to Figure 2, the neck or finish 56 of the container 50 includes a plurality of external threads 58 p > arcs circumferentially and axially spaced in the finish 56. The finish 56 further includes an annular flange, hereinafter referred to as the finishing flange 60, axially spaced down from the threads 58. As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 5, he
Finishing flange 60 may have a top surface 62 sloping downward and a bottom surface 64. In a preferred embodiment, the lower surface 64 is substantially horizontal. Alternatively, the surface 64 can be tilted upwards. In any case, the lower surface 64 provides a stop for the indication band 20 for misuse of the closure 10, as generally shown in Figure 2 and described in more detail abalo. The outer diameter of the finishing flange 60 is greater than the outer diameter of the threads 58. The finish 56 may optionally include a spacer flange 52 spaced below the finishing flange 60. The support flange 52 typically provides an area for retaining the container 50 during handling and filling and may also provide a stop for the indicator band 20 for misuse of the closure 10 once it is separated from the shell 14. The support flange 52 is also a circumferential flange with an outer diameter greater than that of the finishing flange 60. Turning now to the closure 10, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the internal surface 26 of the closure 10, and more specifically the shell 14, includes an external thread or a plurality of external threads 28. Preferably, the internal surface 26 includes at least
two external threads, each expanding at least approximately 180 ° of the total circumference of the closure 10. In one embodiment, the conductors can be expanded approximately 270 ° of the total circumference of the closure 10. A thread arrangement of this type will be recognized by those in the field as a so-called "2-conductor thread". Alternatively, the thread 28 may be a single conductor, a 3-conductor or a 4-conductor thread, or any other appropriate multi-conductor thread. In any case, the threads 28 cooperate with the threads 58 of the container finish 56 during the initial application of the closure 10 to the container 50, and during the opening and closing of the container 50 by the consumer. In particular, the grooves 66 defined by the threads 58 in the finish 56
(Figure 5) receive the threads 8 of the closure 10. As shown in the figures, the skirt 18 terminates in a substantially horizontal terminal end portion 22. As described above, and best seen in Figure 3, the skirt 18 is integrally connected to the bad use indicating band 20 by a plurality of connectors or bridges 24. The bridges 24 are circumferentially spaced around the closure 10. The portion upper of the bridge 24 is connected to the terminal end portion 22 of the skirt 18. The bottom of the
bridge 24 is connected to the upper part of the band 20. The bridges 24 may be uniform in width from the top to the bottom (i.e., from the terminal end 22 of the skirt 18 to the band 20).
Alternatively, the bridges 24 can be used either upwards or downwards, thus having a reduced width either near the top or the bottom thereof. As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 10, the bridges 24 may be in the shape of a trapezoid. The trapezoidal shape of the bridges can be particularly advantageous when the closure 10 is molded and the mold is one that includes two mold neck rings that move along a single axis, as shown for example in Figure 10, where Y represents the axis of motion and X represents the load line. In this case, "the shape of the bridge results in a uniform bridge configuration of uniform configuration and area which is appropriate for the mold opening.Preferably, all bridges 24 have the same shape and cross-sectional area. they are uniform (that is, they have the same shape and cross-sectional area) they also reduce the incidence of bridge breakage during the application of equal distribution of force promotion.
application. Since all bridges have the same rigidity uniformly, the bridges experience equal efforts, since the area of each bridge is the same. Equalizing the stresses and stresses in the bridges minimizes the lateral loads acting on the band 20 as the closure 10 is separated from the container by the consumer. Minimizing side loads and unequal loads, in turn, reduces the likelihood of a "rim off" condition. A "rim off" is a condition where the closure protection band 20 moves over the finishing retention rim 60. In general, the cross-sectional area of the bridges 24 must be large enough to allow the filling of band 20 during the molding process. A molding injection gate for a closure of the type shown is generally placed in the upper shell portion of the closure and the plastic material flows through the bridges to form the bench against misuse. A bridge area that is too small can lead to loosely formed closures. Also, since the injection molded closures are commonly ejected by pushing the bottom of the band 20 against misuse, the bridges connecting the band 20 with misuse to the upper shell 14 must be strong enough to withstand.
the forces of expulsion. The bridge area must also be large enough to handle the stress generated during the closing application to the finish to discourage bridge breakage, but small enough to ensure bridge breakage and band separation against misuse during removal. The stress on the bridges during the application is, at least in part, a function of the bridge shape, application speed, band geometry against misuse and material properties including flexural modulus, tensile strength to performance, resistance against the impact, discussed in more detail below. For example, when the closure 10 is made of a material of low tensile strength, the cross-sectional area of the bridge can be increased compared to a closure made of a material with a relatively high tensile strength. The efforts on the bridges 24 during the removal are a function of the same factors with the exceptions of speed and impact resistance, since the removal speeds are significantly lower than the application speeds. Turning now to the bad use indicator band 20, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the tamper indicating band 20 is provided as a ring.
including upper surface 34, lower surface 36, internal surface 38 and external surface 40. With reference to the Figures, it will be appreciated that the upper surface 34 refers to the portions 46 of the band located between and interrupted by the windows 32, described below. When the band does not include windows 32, the upper surface 34 will be continuous around the entire circumference of the band 20. Likewise, as used herein, the terms internal and external surfaces refer, respectively, to locations that are closer and more distant to and from the central axis 42 (Figure 3) of the closure 10. I, to the tamper indicating band 2G and the terminal end of the skirt 18 define a circumferential space 44 interrupted by bridges 24, described above. As shown in Figure 3, the space 44 is not uniform in height around the circumference of the closure 10. In particular, the space 44 between the band portions 46 defines openings or windows 32. The bridges 24 connect the band 20 indicating misuse to the skirt 18 within the windows 32. The band portions 46 of the bad use indicating band 20 provide areas where the band 20 will abut the skirt 18 to aid in the removal of the closure from the core of mold during manufacture and / or during
positioning of band 20 indicating misuse during the application. The windows 32 allow for an increased bridge length and fluid passage (i.e., "drainage" or "lavaao") during filling operations. Continuing to long with Figure 4, as shown in cross-section, the upper surface (s) 34 of the band portions 46 are uniformly tapered down or angled in the direction of the outer surface 40. In accordance with the present invention, the angled upper surface 34 reduces, in part, the force required during application of the closure 10 to the container 50. Specifically, as the web 70 stretches radically during application, the contact between the upper surface 34 and the terminal end 22 of the skirt 18 is increased as compared to the contact that would occur between a substantially horizontal upper surface or surfaces and the terminal end 22 of the skirt IB. This results in a reduced potential for early bridge breakage, because the band 20 rotates as shown in Figure 5. The angle, shown in Figure 4 as indicated by the reference number 48, can be any angle that is greater than 0o, since any degree of devastation will help in the reduction of application forces. More preferably, however, the angle 48 may be
approximately < S ° or greater. In a preterm embodiment, particularly for (but not limited to) closures, which have a diameter of 43 mm, the angle 48 is approximately 15 °. The upper surface 34 may be angled in an amount greater than the 15 ° described above.
However, it has been found that angles substantially greater than 15 ° can negatively affect the removal of the closure 10 from the mold core during fabrication. Specifically, a top surface having an angle substantially in excess of lb ° may result in damage to the indication band 20 of misuse during core removal. As shown in Figure 4, the inner surface 38 and the outer surface 40 are contoured. The inner surface 38 includes a circumferentially extending inwardly extending band shoulder VC extending or projecting inward toward the central axis 42 of the closure 10. Turning briefly to Figure 2, when the closure 10 is secured to the container 50 after the initial application, the band flange 70 is below the finishing flange 60. The upward movement of the band shoulder 70 during unscrewing of the closure 10 will cause the upper part of the shoulder band 70 against the lower surface 64 of the finished flange 60, thereby restoring the. upward movement
of the band 20. It is this resistance to the band flange 70 by the finishing rim 60 during uncovering by the consumer which causes the bridges 24 to stretch and eventually break, leaving the bad indication band 20 around the neck 56 of the container 50, while the shell 14 of the band 20 is released. As shown further in Figure 4, the outer surface 40 is also contoured and includes a groove or groove 74. Consequently, as used herein , the term "notch" includes a concave groove, uniform in surface 40, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. While a uniform groove of the type shown in Figures 4, 7 and 8 is preferred, notch 74 may provide as a less gradually curved or more angled recess in surface 40. Notch 74 is optimally positioned on outer surface 40 so as to minimize application forces [i.e. to properly apply and secure the closure 1 to the container 50).
In particular, the notch 74 is preferably arranged generally axially opposite to at least a portion of the band flange 70. The notch 74 can be formed during the molding process. It can also be formed by removing a portion of material
of the external surface 40. Shown in Figure 6, there is an illustrative, non-limiting example of a closure of 43 mra. In the embodiment of Figure 6, notch 74 has a depth of approximately 0.51 mm (0.02 inches)
. { as measured from the external surface 40 and is represented by the distance x «). The center of the notch 74 is approximately 1.5? mm (0.06 inches) from the bottom surface 36 (as identified by yi r and where X is approximately 0.76 mm (0.03 inches) and radius 3 is approximately 1.27 mm (0.05 inches)). This is a preferred depth and location of the notch 74 for certain closures, including those made of impact copolymers of the type described below. For closures made of other materials, such as polypropylene lining, or other materials having, for example, a higher tensile strength, the depth of the notch 74 as also indicated by X.) may be smaller, such as, but not limited to, 0.25 mm (0.01 inch) with the center of the notch 74 being substantially as shown in Figure 6. The approximate dimensions set forth above are the preferred dimensions for a band of the type shown in Figure 6, Fill a total height (the sum of Yr and Y5) from about 3.81 to 4.06 mm (0.15 to 0.16)
inch), a band bead 70 having a diameter ø of about 4.06 cm (1.6 inch) at a distance of about 0.51 to 0.76 mm (0.02 to 0.03 inches) from the surface 38 (as shown by x2). The band flange 70 may further have an upper part that slopes towards ablative at an angle of approximately 20 degrees placed at a height of approximately 1.78 mm (0.07 inch) (the sum of Y¿ and Y; in Figure 6), band 20 having a width of approximately 1.27 mm (0.05 inch) across surface 34 (shown as X; in Figure 6) and approximately 1.02 mm (0.04 inches) across surface 36 (shown as X ·, in Figure 6. Other preferred dimensions for band 20 of a type closure shown in Figure 6 are the distance Y: approximately 4.06 mm (0.16 inches), a distance
Y-, for the band shoulder 70 of approximately 0.51 mm (0.02 inches), a distance Y:; of about 0.51 man (0.02 inches), and Re, R7 of about 0.51 mm (0.02 inches), R; about 0.51 mm (0.02 inches), Ri of about 0.25 mm (0.01 inches) and
R; and R of approximately 1.02 and 0.51 mm (0.04 and 0.02 inches), respectively. As indicated, the closures of the present invention can preferably be made of homopoimers or polypropylene copolymers. In one modality, the closure
can be made of a medium or high impact polypropylene copolymer. The copolymer may or may not include a nucleating agent. Where it is desired to apply the closure without steam, an impact copolymer having a Izod Impact slotted at 23 ° C equal to or greater than 1.8 fi.-lb / in, a resistance to the Lens to the performance of approximately 203.87 to 260.11 kg / cnr (2, 900 to 3, 700 psi), a flexural modulus of approximately 9.139 to 11.248 kg / cnr (130,000 to 160,000 psi) and melt flow index of approximately 30 to 22. In another embodiment, closure 10 is It can make a polypropylene homopolymer. The homopolymer may or may not include a nucleating agent. The homopolymer can have an Izod impact at 23 ° C of approximately 0.6 to 2.0 ft.-l./in, tensile strength at yield of approximately 309.32 to 400.71 kg / cm '(4,400 to 5,700 psi) and a flexural modulus from about 14,060 to 21,090 kg / cnr (200,000 to 300,000 psi). For closures of different sizes, these mechanical properties may differ. With reference to Figure 4, it will be appreciated that the surfaces 38 and 40 are not completely parallel to each other, and that the different contour of the surfaces 38 and 40 defines a band 20 that is non-uniform in thickness from the surface 34 above the surface. surface 36
lower. This results in areas of reduced thickness. In one embodiment, the band thickness 20 may be at a minimum near the upper piano region of the band bead 70, whose region is generally designated by the reference numeral 79 in Figures 4 and 5. As will be recognized by those experts in the field, the application of a closure a. a bottle or vessel finish requires combined force and twist and downshift of the closure 10. In order for the closure 10 to be properly secured to the bottle finish 56, the band flange 70 of the closure 10 must leave the finishing flange 60 free of 56 bottle finish As discussed above, the axial downward force applied to the closure 10 during the application process results in elastic energy being stored in the tamper indicating band 20. The elastic energy stored in the indicator band 20 for misuse during the application is at a maximum when the band is fully stretched. Manifested differently, the elastic energy stored in the indication band 20 of misuse during the application of the closure 10 is at a maximum when the band bead 70 is passing over the finishing bead 60, as shown in Figure 5. The angled upper surface 34 and the outer contour surface 40 each
independently can provide reductions in the force required to apply the closure 10 to the container 50. However, the combination of the external contour surface 40 with the notch 74, the angled upper surface 34, and the location of the notch 74 generally disposed axially in opposite manner with respect to at least a portion of the band flange 70, provides an improved improved misuse indication band 20 with reduced web mass, which results in a greater reduction in the force required to expand the band 20 over the 56 bottle finish (in particular, finishing rim 60) during application. The reduced mass and the positioning of the notch 74 on the outer surface 40 minimize the stored elastic energy, thus optimizing the application process. The. upper angled surface 345 leads to less vertical force required to apply the closure 10 which leads to less elastic energy stored in the band 20. When combined with the reduced mass of the band 20, the potential for premature bridging of the bridge is reduced. A closure made in accordance with the present invention not only provides an optimization of the application force required to apply the closure 10 to the container 50, but also optimizes the removal force required during the unscrewing of the cover by the
consumer. The closure 10 of the present invention minimizes the application force required during the application process, while at the same time maximizing the removal force required for the misuse indication band 20 to serve as an indicator of non-use. adulteration. The maximum carrying of the removal force ensures substantially that the misuse indicating band 20 simply can not slide out of the finishing flange 60 of the container neck 56. Another advantage of the closures of the type described above is that, if desired or required, they can be more easily applied to containers 50 without the use of steam or heat to soften the plastic material of the closure 10 and specifically the indication band 20. misuse. This results in a package that is less expensive to manufacture. In addition, the elimination of heat and / or vapor results in less variation between manufactured closures and less potential for deformation of band 20 which indicates misuse, which would damage its function evidencing misuse. EXAMPLE 43 ram closures made of impact polypropylene copolymers of the type described above (and also referred to below as A), and 43 m closures made of polypropylene homopolymers of the type described above (and listed below as B), both moralizing the
present invention, were compared with conventional closures (mentioned below as "conventional") made of polypropylene homopolymer that did not include an angled upper surface 34 or notch 74 in the outer surface 40. Conventional closures included an external surface 4C substantially vertical and a substantially horizontal upper surface 34. In all other aspects, the comparative closures were substantially identical. / Both closures A and B included an angled top surface of 15 °. The notch in the closure A had a depth (as indicated by X. in Figure 6) of approximately O.bl mm '0.02 inch;, while the notch in the closure B had a depth of approximately 0.25 mm (0.01). inch). The closures were applied to a simulated bottle finish that simulates an A-type bottle neck in accordance with the ISBT standard drawing number PCF-43P-1. The closures were at ambient temperature and were applied at a rate of 12.70 cm (5 inches) per minute in an ambient temperature environment without heat or steam applied to the closure band or cuirass. The force required to correctly apply and secure the conventional closure and the closure that modalizes the present invention were measured using an instron device "'- * and
they compared. The results are reported below in Table 1. As will be seen from Table 1, the force required to apply closures that list the present invention was minor and, in some examples, approximately 40 * less than the force required to apply the Conventional closures. . TABLE 1 Conventional (kgs) A 3
1 43.32 27.31 32.11
2 43.09 27.53 32.70
3 41.87 27.26 31.57
4 38.96 26.44 31.57
43.14 26.99 32.39
6 45.41 27.71 31.80
7 42.55 26.13 32.43 0 41.50 26.22 32.21 9 42.28 26.58 32.48
40.37 26.17 31.53
Average 42.28 26.05 32.07
Maximum 45.41 27.71 32.70
Minimum 38.96 26.13 31.53 Belt locks 20 of the type described above also improve the removal of closing 10 of the tool molds. Fara eject or separate a closure
of a mold, the ejection force is transmitted through the lower base piano of the band. The rigidity of the band should be sufficient to separate the band flange from the mold core without bending or distortion of the band. In the present invention, the closure 10 is separated from the itolde by pushing on the bottom of the band. It has been determined that an angle of 15 ° on the upper surface 34, as described above, would produce the greatest reduction in application forces, while still allowing good support for closing separation during molding. The closure band oscillates or moves through an angle of 15 °, thereby allowing the band flange 70 to leave the core and then impart a force to the closure 10 to separate it from the mold core. The present invention has been described in the context of a preferred embodiment. It will be evident to experts in the field, however, that modifications and variations thereof can be made without abandoning the spirit and scope of this invention.