US20210179324A1 - Tethered container closure - Google Patents
Tethered container closure Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20210179324A1 US20210179324A1 US17/097,904 US202017097904A US2021179324A1 US 20210179324 A1 US20210179324 A1 US 20210179324A1 US 202017097904 A US202017097904 A US 202017097904A US 2021179324 A1 US2021179324 A1 US 2021179324A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- closure
- tamper evidence
- container
- finish
- evidence band
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3423—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt
- B65D41/3428—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D23/00—Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for
- B65D23/10—Handles
- B65D23/102—Gripping means formed in the walls, e.g. roughening, cavities, projections
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/02—Caps or cap-like covers without lines of weakness, tearing strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices
- B65D41/04—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
- B65D41/0492—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation formed by several elements connected together
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
- B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
- B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
- B65D47/12—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having removable closures
- B65D47/122—Threaded caps
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
- B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
- B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
- B65D47/12—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having removable closures
- B65D47/14—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having removable closures and closure-retaining means
- B65D47/142—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having removable closures and closure-retaining means for threaded caps
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D55/00—Accessories for container closures not otherwise provided for
- B65D55/16—Devices preventing loss of removable closure members
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2401/00—Tamper-indicating means
- B65D2401/15—Tearable part of the closure
- B65D2401/30—Tamper-ring remaining connected to closure after initial removal
Definitions
- Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of plastic bottles and preforms. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to an apparatus and methods for a container closure that includes a tether configured to keep the closure coupled with a plastic container after the closure has been unsealed to access contents within the container.
- PET containers have been used as a replacement for glass or metal containers in the packaging of beverages for several decades.
- the most common plastic used in making beverage containers today is polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
- Containers made of PET are transparent, thin walled, and have the ability to maintain their shape by withstanding the force exerted on the walls of the container by their contents.
- PET resins are also reasonably priced and easy to process.
- PET bottles are generally made by a process that includes the blow-molding of plastic preforms which have been made by injection molding of the PET resin.
- plastic packaging include lighter weight and decreased breakage as compared to glass, and lower costs overall when taking both production and transportation into account.
- plastic packaging is lighter in weight than glass, there is still great interest in creating the lightest possible plastic packaging so as to maximize the cost savings in both transportation and manufacturing by making and using containers that contain less plastic.
- a plastic container for storing liquid contents typically includes a base that extends up to a grip portion suitable for affixing a label, as well as providing a location for grasping the container.
- the grip portion generally transitions into a shoulder, which connects to a bell.
- the bell has a diameter that generally decreases as the bell extends upward from the shoulder to a neck and a finish.
- the finish is adapted to receive a closure, such as a bottle cap, to seal the contents within the interior of the plastic container.
- the closure includes a tamper evidence band that is disposed around the perimeter of the finish.
- the tamper evidence band generally remains positioned on the finish when an end-user loosens the closure to access the contents within the container.
- the tamper evidence band and the finish cooperate to indicate to the end-user whether or not the closure has been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer.
- plastic containers include lighter weight and decreased breakage as compared to glass, and lower costs overall when taking both production and transportation into account. As such, there is a continuous interest in creating the lightest possible plastic container so as to maximize cost savings in both transportation and manufacturing by making and using containers that contain less plastic.
- closures typically installed onto plastic containers One difficulty that may be associated with closures typically installed onto plastic containers is that once the closure is removed from the container, the closure is separable from the container. This may result in the closure being misplaced or lost after being removed from the container, thus hindering resealing unfinished liquid contents within the container. In some instances, misplaced or lost closures may contribute to plastic waste littering the environment. As such, there is a desire to attach or tether closures to plastic containers so as to reduce the environmental impact of misplaced closures while maintaining the convenience and enjoyment often associated with drinking beverages by way of plastic containers.
- Embodiments disclosed herein provide container closures that include tethers configured to keep the closures coupled with plastic containers after the closures have been unsealed to access contents within the containers.
- An apparatus and methods are provided for a container closure that includes a tether that keeps the closure coupled with a plastic container after the closure has been unsealed to access contents within the container.
- the container closure comprises a closure portion coupled to a tamper evidence band by a tether bridge.
- the closure portion is configured to threadably engage with a finish portion of the container and seal contents in an interior of the container.
- the tamper evidence band is adapted to remain engaged with the finish portion when the closure portion is removed from the finish portion.
- a multiplicity of thin connections between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion are configured to break apart when the closure portion is untightened from the finish portion.
- the tether bridge remains unbroken and is configured to allow the closure portion to be tilted away from the finish portion by an end-user.
- a closure for sealing contents within an interior of a container and remaining coupled with the container after being unsealed from the container comprises: a closure portion for threadably engaging with a finish portion of the container; a tamper evidence band for engaging with the finish portion; and a tether bridge for keeping the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence band.
- a multiplicity of thin connections attach the tamper evidence band to closure portion and are configured to break apart when the closure portion is untightened from the finish portion.
- the tamper evidence band is configured to remain engaged with the finish portion when the closure portion is removed from the finish portion, thereby causing the thin connections to break apart and allow the closure portion to separate from the tamper evidence band.
- the tether bridge is configured such that only the thin connections break apart during loosening of the closure portion.
- the tether bridge is formed during injection-molding by allowing material comprising the closure to remain disposed between a pair of adjacent thin connections.
- the tether bridge is formed after injection-molding by using a blade to create spaces between the thin connections and avoiding cutting at the location of the tether bridge.
- the tether bridge comprises a single piece of material that extends between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge comprises two or more portions of material joining the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is configured to keep the closure portion attached to the finish portion after the closure portion is unsealed from the finish portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is configured to flex while the closure portion is tilted with respect to the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge comprises a relatively thick portion of plastic that is configured to resist breaking during tilting the closure portion away from the finish portion.
- a method for a closure to seal contents within an interior of a container and remain coupled with the container after being unsealed from the container comprises: configuring a closure portion for threadably engaging with a finish portion of the container; configuring a tamper evidence band for engaging with the finish portion; and joining the closure portion and the tamper evidence band by way of a tether bridge.
- joining includes configuring the tether bridge to keep the closure portion attached to the finish portion after the closure portion is unsealed from the finish portion. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes configuring the tether bridge to flex when the closure portion is tilted with respect to the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes extending a single piece of material comprising the tether bridge between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes coupling the tamper evidence band and the closure portion by way of two or more portions of material comprising the tether bridge.
- joining includes coupling the closure portion and the tamper evidence band by way of a multiplicity of thin connections configured to break apart when the closure portion is untightened from the finish portion.
- joining includes configuring the tether bridge such that only the thin connections break apart during loosening of the closure portion.
- configuring the tether bridge includes injection-molding such that material comprising the closure fills one or more spaces between adjacent thin connections.
- a method for a closure comprises: loosening a closure portion threaded onto a finish portion of the container; breaking a multiplicity of thin connections disposed between the closure portion and a tamper evidence band engaged with the finish portion; and bending a tether bridge disposed between the closure portion and a tamper evidence band by tilting the closure portion away from the finish portion.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary container suitable for storing liquid contents, including pressurized contents
- FIG. 2 a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a preform suitable for being blow-molded to form a container in accordance with the present disclosure
- FIG. 3 illustrates a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a tethered closure that is configured to remain coupled with a container after the tethered closure is unsealed from the container by an end-user;
- FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a tethered configuration of the tethered closure of FIG. 3 that may occur upon the tethered closure being loosened from a container by an end-user;
- FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary-use environment wherein an exemplary embodiment of a tethered closure has been installed onto a finish portion of a container and then subsequently untightened from the finish portion.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary container 100 typically used for storing liquid contents, such as water, juice, and particularly carbonated contents.
- the container 100 comprises a base 104 that extends up to a grip portion 108 .
- the base 104 may be of the petaloid variety, although other configurations of the base may be incorporated into the container 100 , without limitation.
- the grip portion 108 comprises a plurality of grip portion ribs 112 (i.e., sidewall ribs). As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the plurality of grip portion ribs 112 generally vary in depth, and swirl or angulate around the grip portion 108 .
- a label portion 116 is connected to the grip portion 108 and comprises one or more label panel ribs (not shown). The label panel portion 116 transitions into a shoulder 124 , which connects to a bell 128 .
- the bell 128 comprises a plurality of design features 132 . In other embodiments, however, the bell 128 may include various other design features, or may be smooth and generally unornamented.
- the bell 128 connects to a neck 136 , which connects to a finish 140 .
- the bell 128 comprises a diameter that generally decreases as the bell 128 extends upward from the shoulder 124 to the neck 136 and the finish 140 .
- the finish 140 is adapted to receive a closure, such as by way of non-limiting example, a container cap or closure 144 , so as to seal contents within the container 100 .
- the finish 140 generally defines an opening that leads to an interior of the container 100 for containing a beverage, or other contents, such as any of a variety of carbonated soft drinks.
- the finish 140 may be of the Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) variety, or may be configured to receive closures suitable for sealing noncarbonated contents within the interior of the container 100 .
- CSD Carbonated Soft Drink
- a tamper evidence closure 144 may be threadably engaged with the finish 140 of FIG. 3 .
- the closure 144 generally includes interior threads that are configured to engage with threads disposed on the finish 140 , as described herein.
- a plug seal of the closure 144 extends into the opening of the container 100 and enters into a pressed relationship with the finish 140 whereby contents may be sealed in the interior of the container 100 .
- the closure 144 includes a tamper evidence band 148 to provide an indication of whether or not the closure 144 has been loosened after being installed by a manufacturer.
- the tamper evidence band 148 may be attached to the closure 144 by a multiplicity of thin connections.
- the tamper evidence band 148 may include a cam that is configured to fixedly engage with a tamper evidence ledge disposed on the finished 140 during loosening of the closure 144 . Once the closure 144 is installed onto the finish 140 by a manufacturer and later an end-user loosens the closure 144 , the cam engages the tamper evidence ledge, breaking the thin connections between tamper evidence band 148 and the closure 144 .
- the tamper evidence band 148 remains positioned on the tamper evidence ledge after the closure 144 is removed from the container 100 . As such, the tamper evidence band 148 cooperates with the tamper evidence ledge to indicate to the end-user whether or not the closure 144 has been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer.
- FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a preform 160 suitable for being blow-molded to form a plastic bottle, such as the container 100 , according to the present disclosure.
- the preform 160 preferably is made of material approved for contact with food and beverages such as virgin PET or recycled PET and can be of any of a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
- the preform 160 shown in FIG. 2 is of the type which will form a 12-16 oz. beverage bottle, but as will be understood by those skilled in the art, other preform configurations may be used depending upon the desired configuration, characteristics and use of the final article.
- the preform 160 may be made by injection molding methods, without limitation.
- the preform 160 includes a finish portion 164 and a body portion 168 , formed monolithically (i.e., as a single, or unitary, structure).
- the monolithic arrangement of the preform 160 when blow-molded into a bottle, provides greater dimensional stability and improved physical properties in comparison to a preform constructed of separate neck and body portions that are bonded together.
- the finish portion 164 begins at an opening 172 to an interior of the preform 160 and extends to and includes a tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the finish portion 164 is further characterized by the presence of one or more threads 180 configured to provide a means to fasten the closure 144 (see FIG. 1 ) onto the container 100 produced from the preform 160 .
- the threads 180 are configured to rotatably engage with similar threads disposed within the closure 144 to provide a way to seal contents within the container 100 .
- each of the threads 180 generally extends along a section of the circumference of the finish portion 164 and approaches the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- each of the one or more threads 180 begins at a thread start 184 and extends along an angular section of the finish portion 164 to a thread end 188 .
- the thread start 184 is configured to guide a thread comprising the closure 144 into a space, or a valley 190 , between adjacent threads 180 so as to threadably engage the closure 144 with the finish portion 164 .
- the threads 180 generally are disposed adjacently to one another, separated by valleys 190 , and are spaced uniformly around the circumference of the finish portion 164 .
- the thread starts 184 of adjacent threads 180 are spaced at substantially 120-degree intervals around the perimeter of the finish portion 164 .
- more or less than three threads 180 may be incorporated into the finish portion 164 without deviating beyond the scope of the present disclosure.
- a plurality of gaps may be disposed in the threads 180 and positioned uniformly around the perimeter of the finish portion 164 .
- the gaps of adjacent threads 180 are vertically aligned so as to form channels extending longitudinally along the finish portion 164 .
- the channels advantageously operate to relieve pressure within the container 100 when the closure 144 is loosened.
- the channels may provide a direct route for gases escaping the interior of the container 100 , rather than the gases being forced to travel around the finish portion 164 between adjacent threads 180 .
- the body portion 168 includes a neck portion 192 that extends to a tapered portion 196 of the body portion 168 .
- the tapered portion 196 comprises a smooth transition from a diameter of the neck portion 192 to a relatively smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion 200 of the preform 160 .
- the cylindrical portion 200 is a generally elongate member that culminates in an end cap 204 .
- the body portion 168 may be generally cylindrical, and the end cap 204 may be conical or frustoconical and may also be hemispherical, and the very terminus of the end cap 204 may be flattened or rounded.
- a wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 200 may be substantially uniform throughout the cylindrical portion 200 and the end cap 204 .
- a wall thickness of the tapered portion 196 generally decreases from the wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 200 to a relatively thinner wall thickness of the neck portion 192 .
- the wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 200 is relatively greater than the wall thickness of the neck portion 192 so as to provide a wall thickness at the desired dimensions of a finished product after the preform 160 is blow-molded into the shape and size of a bottle.
- the wall thickness throughout most of the body portion 168 will depend upon the overall size of the preform 160 and the wall thickness and overall size of the resulting container.
- the tamper evidence ledge 176 comprises a rounded upper portion 232 and a substantially flat lower portion 236 .
- the rounded upper portion 232 facilitates passing the tamper evidence band 148 of the closure 144 over the tamper evidence ledge 176 during assembly of the closure 144 onto the container 100 .
- the flat lower portion 236 is configured to retain the tamper evidence band 148 positioned below the tamper evidence ledge 176 during loosening of the closure 144 .
- the tamper evidence band 148 easily passes over the tamper evidence ledge 176 due to the rounded upper portion 232 .
- the flat lower portion 236 When an end-user later loosens the closure 144 , the flat lower portion 236 retains the tamper evidence band 148 below the tamper evidence ledge 176 , causing the tamper evidence band 148 to break loose from the closure 144 .
- the flat lower portion 236 of the tamper evidence ledge 176 and the tamper evidence band 148 of the closure 144 cooperate to indicate to the end-user that the closure 144 has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer.
- tamper evidence ledge 176 is not limited to being coupled with tamper evidence bands, as described above, but rather the tamper evidence ledge 176 may be configured to operate with any of various devices for indicating whether or not the container has been previously opened.
- the handling valley 240 Disposed between the tamper evidence ledge 176 and the threads 180 is a handling valley 240 that extends circumferentially around the finish portion 164 .
- the handling valley 240 comprises a portion of the finish portion 164 that has a wall thickness and a diameter that are substantially similar to the wall thickness and diameter of the neck portion 192 , below the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the handling valley 240 and the neck portion 192 advantageously enable gripping fingers to engage with and support the container 100 during air-conveying the container 100 along a manufacturing assembly.
- a first pair of gripping fingers can extend into the handling valley 240 to support the container 100 at a first station of a manufacturing line.
- a second pair of gripping fingers can extend around the neck portion 192 , below the tamper evidence ledge 176 , while the first pair of gripping fingers are removed from the handling valley 240 .
- a third pair of gripping fingers can engage with the handling valley 240 while the second pair of gripping fingers are removed from the neck portion 192 .
- the container 100 can be transported along the manufacturing line by alternatingly engaging gripping fingers with the handling valley 240 and the neck portion 192 .
- the handling valley 240 provides a separation between the tamper evidence ledge 176 and the threads 180 suitable for receiving the pair of gripping fingers, as described above.
- the separation must be large enough to allow the gripping fingers to easily pass between the tamper evidence ledge 176 and the threads 180 .
- any of various separations, greater than the width of the gripping fingers, may be disposed between the tamper evidence ledge 176 and the threads 180 , without limitation and without deviating beyond the scope of the present disclosure.
- the closure 144 is installed onto the finish portion 164 , by way of suitable equipment, to seal the contents in the interior of the container 100 .
- the threads 180 disposed around the finish portion 164 are engaged with similar threads comprising the closure 144 and then the closure 144 is rotated in a clockwise direction to advance the closure 144 toward the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the closure 144 preferably is tightened until the tamper evidence band 148 is pushed over the tamper evidence ledge 176 and a plug seal comprising the closure 144 extends into the opening 172 of the finish portion 164 , thereby sealing the liquid contents within the container 100 .
- FIG. 3 a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a tethered closure 244 is shown.
- the tethered closure 244 generally is configured to remain coupled with a plastic container, such as the container 100 , after the tethered closure 244 has been unsealed from the finish portion 164 by an end-user to access contents within the container 100 .
- the illustrated embodiment of the tethered closure 244 includes a closure portion 248 that is coupled with a tamper evidence band 252 by way of a tether bridge 256 .
- the tamper evidence band 252 remains fixed to the finish portion 164 while the tether bridge 256 couples the closure portion 248 with the tamper evidence band 252 .
- the tether bridge 256 keeps the closure portion 248 attached to the container 100 after the closure portion 248 is unsealed from the finish portion 164 to access the contents within the container 100 .
- the closure portion 248 is configured to be threadably engaged with the finish portion 164 shown in FIG. 2 .
- the closure portion 248 includes interior threads that are configured to engage with the threads 180 of the finish portion 164 , as described herein. As such, the threads of the closure portion 248 extend into the thread valleys 190 extending around the finish portion 164 .
- a plug seal disposed within the closure portion 248 extends into the opening 172 and enters into a pressed relationship with the finish portion 164 whereby contents may be sealed within the interior of the container 100 .
- a plurality of knurls 260 may be arranged on top of the closure portion 248 and configured to facilitate grasping the closure portion 248 during tightening and untightening the closure portion 248 on the finish portion 164 .
- a multiplicity of thin connections 264 attach the tamper evidence band 252 to closure portion 248 .
- the thin connections 264 are configured to break apart when the closure portion 248 is untightened from the finish portion 164 , such as during opening the container 100 to access the contents within the container 100 .
- the tamper evidence band 252 generally includes a cam, or a similar structure, disposed around an interior perimeter of the tamper evidence band 252 that interferes with the flat lower portion 236 of the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the flat lower portion 236 retains the tamper evidence band 252 below the tamper evidence ledge 176 , causing the thin connections 264 to break apart and thus allowing the closure portion 248 to separate from the tamper evidence band 252 .
- the tethered closure 244 assumes a tethered configuration 280 as best shown in FIG. 4 .
- the tamper evidence band 252 resembles a loop of plastic coupled to the closure portion 248 solely by way of the tether bridge 256 .
- the tether bridge 256 flexes while the closure portion 248 is tilted with respect to the tamper evidence band 252 .
- the tether bridge 256 comprises a relatively thick portion of plastic that is configured to resist breaking during tilting the closure portion 248 away from the finish portion 164 .
- the tether bridge 256 is configured similarly to the tamper evidence band 252 , such that only the thin connections 264 break apart during loosening of the closure portion 248 .
- the tether bridge 256 may be formed by allowing the material comprising the tethered closure 244 to remain disposed between a pair of adjacent thin connections 264 .
- a mold for injection-molding the tethered closure 244 may be configured to allow the material comprising the closure 244 to fill one or more spaces 268 (see FIG. 3 ) between the thin connections 264 .
- one or more protrusions comprising the mold that form the spaces 268 may be omitted in the location of the mold that forms the tether bridge 256 .
- the blade may be configured to avoid cutting the tethered closure 244 at the location of the tether bridge 256 .
- the tether bridge 256 is formed generally by leaving material comprising the tethered closure 244 intact within one or more spaces 268 between the thin connections 264 , and thus the tether bridge 256 may be formed by way of various diverse techniques without limitation, and without deviating beyond the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary-use environment wherein the tethered closure 244 has been installed onto a container 272 , formed from the preform 160 of FIG. 2 , and then subsequently untightened from the finish portion 164 of the container 272 .
- the rounded upper portion 232 of the tamper evidence ledge 176 facilitates passing the tamper evidence band 252 over the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the flat lower portion 236 of the tamper evidence ledge 176 retains the tamper evidence band 252 positioned below the tamper evidence ledge 176 during loosening of the closure portion 248 .
- loosening the closure portion 248 on the finish portion 164 causes the thin connections 264 to break apart, thus causing the tethered closure 244 to assume the tethered configuration 280 discussed in connection with FIG. 4 .
- the tether bridge 256 bends and allows the closure portion 248 to be tilted with respect to the tamper evidence band 252 . As such, the tether bridge 256 keeps the closure portion 248 attached to the container 272 after the closure portion 248 is unsealed from the finish portion 164 to access the contents within the container 272 .
- closure portion 248 coupled with the container 272 will substantially eliminate instances of misplacing the closure portion 248 , thereby encouraging the end-user reengaging the closure portion 248 with the finish portion 164 to store unfinished contents within the container 272 , as well as preventing the closure portion 248 from contributing to plastic waste being deposited into the environment.
- the finish portion 164 includes a handing valley 240 disposed adjacent to the rounded upper portion 232 of the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the tamper evidence band 252 is fixated on top of the tamper evidence ledge 176 .
- the tether closure 244 may be configured to position the tamper evidence band 252 entirely beneath the tamper evidence ledge 176 , as described hereinabove.
- the tamper evidence ledge 176 may be configured to fixate the tamper evidence band 252 on top of the tamper evidence ledge 176 , in lieu of being positioned below the tamper evidence ledge, without limitation.
- the tethered closure 244 is not to be limited to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings and described hereinabove.
- the tether bridge 256 is not to be limited to comprising a single piece of material that extends from the tamper evidence band 252 to the closure portion 248 .
- the tether bridge 256 may comprise two or more portions of material joining the tamper evidence band 252 and the closure portion 248 . It is contemplated that in such embodiments, the two or more portions of material comprising the tether bridge 256 generally are narrower than the single piece of material comprising the tether bridge 256 shown in FIG. 3 .
- the tether bridge 256 may comprise any of various structures or mechanisms that facilitate tilting the closure portion 248 relative to the finish portion 264 , as shown in FIG. 5 .
- the tether bridge 256 may include one or more cuts that cause the tether bridge 256 to operate similarly to a scissor hinge when the closure portion 248 is removed from the finish portion 164 .
- the tether bridge 256 may include a wide variety of different configurations and include mechanisms other than shown and discussed herein, without limitation, and without deviating beyond the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application, entitled “Tethered Container Closure,” filed on Dec. 13, 2019 and having application Ser. No. 62/948,144, the entirety of said application being incorporated herein by reference.
- Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of plastic bottles and preforms. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to an apparatus and methods for a container closure that includes a tether configured to keep the closure coupled with a plastic container after the closure has been unsealed to access contents within the container.
- Plastic containers have been used as a replacement for glass or metal containers in the packaging of beverages for several decades. The most common plastic used in making beverage containers today is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Containers made of PET are transparent, thin walled, and have the ability to maintain their shape by withstanding the force exerted on the walls of the container by their contents. PET resins are also reasonably priced and easy to process. PET bottles are generally made by a process that includes the blow-molding of plastic preforms which have been made by injection molding of the PET resin.
- Advantages of plastic packaging include lighter weight and decreased breakage as compared to glass, and lower costs overall when taking both production and transportation into account. Although plastic packaging is lighter in weight than glass, there is still great interest in creating the lightest possible plastic packaging so as to maximize the cost savings in both transportation and manufacturing by making and using containers that contain less plastic.
- A plastic container for storing liquid contents typically includes a base that extends up to a grip portion suitable for affixing a label, as well as providing a location for grasping the container. The grip portion generally transitions into a shoulder, which connects to a bell. The bell has a diameter that generally decreases as the bell extends upward from the shoulder to a neck and a finish. The finish is adapted to receive a closure, such as a bottle cap, to seal the contents within the interior of the plastic container.
- In many instances, the closure includes a tamper evidence band that is disposed around the perimeter of the finish. The tamper evidence band generally remains positioned on the finish when an end-user loosens the closure to access the contents within the container. As such, the tamper evidence band and the finish cooperate to indicate to the end-user whether or not the closure has been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer.
- Advantages of plastic containers include lighter weight and decreased breakage as compared to glass, and lower costs overall when taking both production and transportation into account. As such, there is a continuous interest in creating the lightest possible plastic container so as to maximize cost savings in both transportation and manufacturing by making and using containers that contain less plastic.
- One difficulty that may be associated with closures typically installed onto plastic containers is that once the closure is removed from the container, the closure is separable from the container. This may result in the closure being misplaced or lost after being removed from the container, thus hindering resealing unfinished liquid contents within the container. In some instances, misplaced or lost closures may contribute to plastic waste littering the environment. As such, there is a desire to attach or tether closures to plastic containers so as to reduce the environmental impact of misplaced closures while maintaining the convenience and enjoyment often associated with drinking beverages by way of plastic containers. Embodiments disclosed herein provide container closures that include tethers configured to keep the closures coupled with plastic containers after the closures have been unsealed to access contents within the containers.
- An apparatus and methods are provided for a container closure that includes a tether that keeps the closure coupled with a plastic container after the closure has been unsealed to access contents within the container. The container closure comprises a closure portion coupled to a tamper evidence band by a tether bridge. The closure portion is configured to threadably engage with a finish portion of the container and seal contents in an interior of the container. The tamper evidence band is adapted to remain engaged with the finish portion when the closure portion is removed from the finish portion. A multiplicity of thin connections between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion are configured to break apart when the closure portion is untightened from the finish portion. The tether bridge remains unbroken and is configured to allow the closure portion to be tilted away from the finish portion by an end-user.
- In an exemplary embodiment, a closure for sealing contents within an interior of a container and remaining coupled with the container after being unsealed from the container comprises: a closure portion for threadably engaging with a finish portion of the container; a tamper evidence band for engaging with the finish portion; and a tether bridge for keeping the closure portion attached to the tamper evidence band.
- In another exemplary embodiment, a multiplicity of thin connections attach the tamper evidence band to closure portion and are configured to break apart when the closure portion is untightened from the finish portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tamper evidence band is configured to remain engaged with the finish portion when the closure portion is removed from the finish portion, thereby causing the thin connections to break apart and allow the closure portion to separate from the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is configured such that only the thin connections break apart during loosening of the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is formed during injection-molding by allowing material comprising the closure to remain disposed between a pair of adjacent thin connections. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is formed after injection-molding by using a blade to create spaces between the thin connections and avoiding cutting at the location of the tether bridge.
- In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge comprises a single piece of material that extends between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge comprises two or more portions of material joining the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is configured to keep the closure portion attached to the finish portion after the closure portion is unsealed from the finish portion. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge is configured to flex while the closure portion is tilted with respect to the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, the tether bridge comprises a relatively thick portion of plastic that is configured to resist breaking during tilting the closure portion away from the finish portion.
- In an exemplary embodiment, a method for a closure to seal contents within an interior of a container and remain coupled with the container after being unsealed from the container comprises: configuring a closure portion for threadably engaging with a finish portion of the container; configuring a tamper evidence band for engaging with the finish portion; and joining the closure portion and the tamper evidence band by way of a tether bridge.
- In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes configuring the tether bridge to keep the closure portion attached to the finish portion after the closure portion is unsealed from the finish portion. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes configuring the tether bridge to flex when the closure portion is tilted with respect to the tamper evidence band. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes extending a single piece of material comprising the tether bridge between the tamper evidence band and the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes coupling the tamper evidence band and the closure portion by way of two or more portions of material comprising the tether bridge. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes coupling the closure portion and the tamper evidence band by way of a multiplicity of thin connections configured to break apart when the closure portion is untightened from the finish portion. In another exemplary embodiment, joining includes configuring the tether bridge such that only the thin connections break apart during loosening of the closure portion. In another exemplary embodiment, configuring the tether bridge includes injection-molding such that material comprising the closure fills one or more spaces between adjacent thin connections.
- In an exemplary embodiment, a method for a closure comprises: loosening a closure portion threaded onto a finish portion of the container; breaking a multiplicity of thin connections disposed between the closure portion and a tamper evidence band engaged with the finish portion; and bending a tether bridge disposed between the closure portion and a tamper evidence band by tilting the closure portion away from the finish portion.
- These and other features of the concepts provided herein may be better understood with reference to the drawings, description, and appended claims.
- The drawings refer to embodiments of the present disclosure in which:
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary container suitable for storing liquid contents, including pressurized contents; -
FIG. 2 a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a preform suitable for being blow-molded to form a container in accordance with the present disclosure; -
FIG. 3 illustrates a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a tethered closure that is configured to remain coupled with a container after the tethered closure is unsealed from the container by an end-user; -
FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a tethered configuration of the tethered closure ofFIG. 3 that may occur upon the tethered closure being loosened from a container by an end-user; and -
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary-use environment wherein an exemplary embodiment of a tethered closure has been installed onto a finish portion of a container and then subsequently untightened from the finish portion. - While the present disclosure is subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The invention should be understood to not be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
- In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, specific numeric references such as “first bottle,” may be made. However, the specific numeric reference should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order but rather interpreted that the “first bottle” is different than a “second bottle.” Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. The specific details may be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The term “coupled” is defined as meaning connected either directly to the component or indirectly to the component through another component. Further, as used herein, the terms “about,” “approximately,” or “substantially” for any numerical values or ranges indicate a suitable dimensional tolerance that allows the part or collection of components to function for its intended purpose as described herein.
- In general, there is a desire to attach or tether closures to plastic containers so as to reduce the environmental impact of misplaced closures while maintaining the convenience and enjoyment often associated with drinking beverages by way of plastic containers. One difficulty typically associated with closures installed onto plastic containers is that once the closure is removed from the container, the closure may be misplaced or lost. Lost closures hinder resealing unfinished liquid contents within containers and may contribute to plastic waste littering the environment. Embodiments disclosed herein provide container closures that include tethers configured to keep the closures coupled with plastic containers after the closures have been unsealed to access contents within the containers.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of anexemplary container 100 typically used for storing liquid contents, such as water, juice, and particularly carbonated contents. Thecontainer 100 comprises a base 104 that extends up to agrip portion 108. In some embodiments, thebase 104 may be of the petaloid variety, although other configurations of the base may be incorporated into thecontainer 100, without limitation. Thegrip portion 108 comprises a plurality of grip portion ribs 112 (i.e., sidewall ribs). As illustrated inFIG. 1 , the plurality ofgrip portion ribs 112 generally vary in depth, and swirl or angulate around thegrip portion 108. Alabel portion 116 is connected to thegrip portion 108 and comprises one or more label panel ribs (not shown). Thelabel panel portion 116 transitions into ashoulder 124, which connects to abell 128. - In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 1 , thebell 128 comprises a plurality of design features 132. In other embodiments, however, thebell 128 may include various other design features, or may be smooth and generally unornamented. Thebell 128 connects to aneck 136, which connects to afinish 140. As shown inFIG. 1 , thebell 128 comprises a diameter that generally decreases as thebell 128 extends upward from theshoulder 124 to theneck 136 and thefinish 140. Thefinish 140 is adapted to receive a closure, such as by way of non-limiting example, a container cap orclosure 144, so as to seal contents within thecontainer 100. Thefinish 140 generally defines an opening that leads to an interior of thecontainer 100 for containing a beverage, or other contents, such as any of a variety of carbonated soft drinks. Thefinish 140 may be of the Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) variety, or may be configured to receive closures suitable for sealing noncarbonated contents within the interior of thecontainer 100. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , atamper evidence closure 144 may be threadably engaged with thefinish 140 ofFIG. 3 . Theclosure 144 generally includes interior threads that are configured to engage with threads disposed on thefinish 140, as described herein. During tightening of theclosure 144 onto thefinish 140, a plug seal of theclosure 144 extends into the opening of thecontainer 100 and enters into a pressed relationship with thefinish 140 whereby contents may be sealed in the interior of thecontainer 100. - As further shown in
FIG. 1 , theclosure 144 includes atamper evidence band 148 to provide an indication of whether or not theclosure 144 has been loosened after being installed by a manufacturer. In some embodiments, thetamper evidence band 148 may be attached to theclosure 144 by a multiplicity of thin connections. Thetamper evidence band 148 may include a cam that is configured to fixedly engage with a tamper evidence ledge disposed on the finished 140 during loosening of theclosure 144. Once theclosure 144 is installed onto thefinish 140 by a manufacturer and later an end-user loosens theclosure 144, the cam engages the tamper evidence ledge, breaking the thin connections betweentamper evidence band 148 and theclosure 144. Thetamper evidence band 148 remains positioned on the tamper evidence ledge after theclosure 144 is removed from thecontainer 100. As such, thetamper evidence band 148 cooperates with the tamper evidence ledge to indicate to the end-user whether or not theclosure 144 has been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. -
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of apreform 160 suitable for being blow-molded to form a plastic bottle, such as thecontainer 100, according to the present disclosure. Thepreform 160 preferably is made of material approved for contact with food and beverages such as virgin PET or recycled PET and can be of any of a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Thepreform 160 shown inFIG. 2 is of the type which will form a 12-16 oz. beverage bottle, but as will be understood by those skilled in the art, other preform configurations may be used depending upon the desired configuration, characteristics and use of the final article. Thepreform 160 may be made by injection molding methods, without limitation. - The
preform 160 includes afinish portion 164 and abody portion 168, formed monolithically (i.e., as a single, or unitary, structure). Advantageously, the monolithic arrangement of thepreform 160, when blow-molded into a bottle, provides greater dimensional stability and improved physical properties in comparison to a preform constructed of separate neck and body portions that are bonded together. - The
finish portion 164 begins at an opening 172 to an interior of thepreform 160 and extends to and includes atamper evidence ledge 176. Thefinish portion 164 is further characterized by the presence of one ormore threads 180 configured to provide a means to fasten the closure 144 (seeFIG. 1 ) onto thecontainer 100 produced from thepreform 160. As such, thethreads 180 are configured to rotatably engage with similar threads disposed within theclosure 144 to provide a way to seal contents within thecontainer 100. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 2 , each of thethreads 180 generally extends along a section of the circumference of thefinish portion 164 and approaches thetamper evidence ledge 176. Thus, when the threads of theclosure 144 are engaged with thethreads 180, and theclosure 144 is rotated in a clockwise direction, theclosure 144 advances toward thetamper evidence ledge 176. - With continuing reference to
FIG. 2 , each of the one ormore threads 180 begins at athread start 184 and extends along an angular section of thefinish portion 164 to a thread end 188. Thethread start 184 is configured to guide a thread comprising theclosure 144 into a space, or avalley 190, betweenadjacent threads 180 so as to threadably engage theclosure 144 with thefinish portion 164. Further, thethreads 180 generally are disposed adjacently to one another, separated byvalleys 190, and are spaced uniformly around the circumference of thefinish portion 164. In some embodiments, wherein threethreads 180 are disposed around thefinish portion 164, the thread starts 184 ofadjacent threads 180 are spaced at substantially 120-degree intervals around the perimeter of thefinish portion 164. As will be appreciated, however, more or less than threethreads 180 may be incorporated into thefinish portion 164 without deviating beyond the scope of the present disclosure. - In some embodiments, a plurality of gaps (not shown) may be disposed in the
threads 180 and positioned uniformly around the perimeter of thefinish portion 164. Preferably, the gaps ofadjacent threads 180 are vertically aligned so as to form channels extending longitudinally along thefinish portion 164. The channels advantageously operate to relieve pressure within thecontainer 100 when theclosure 144 is loosened. As will be appreciated, the channels may provide a direct route for gases escaping the interior of thecontainer 100, rather than the gases being forced to travel around thefinish portion 164 betweenadjacent threads 180. - The
body portion 168 includes aneck portion 192 that extends to a taperedportion 196 of thebody portion 168. The taperedportion 196 comprises a smooth transition from a diameter of theneck portion 192 to a relatively smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion 200 of thepreform 160. The cylindrical portion 200 is a generally elongate member that culminates in anend cap 204. In some embodiments thebody portion 168 may be generally cylindrical, and theend cap 204 may be conical or frustoconical and may also be hemispherical, and the very terminus of theend cap 204 may be flattened or rounded. - In some embodiments, a wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 200 may be substantially uniform throughout the cylindrical portion 200 and the
end cap 204. A wall thickness of the taperedportion 196, however, generally decreases from the wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 200 to a relatively thinner wall thickness of theneck portion 192. As will be appreciated, the wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 200 is relatively greater than the wall thickness of theneck portion 192 so as to provide a wall thickness at the desired dimensions of a finished product after thepreform 160 is blow-molded into the shape and size of a bottle. As such, the wall thickness throughout most of thebody portion 168 will depend upon the overall size of thepreform 160 and the wall thickness and overall size of the resulting container. - With continuing reference to
FIG. 2 , thetamper evidence ledge 176 comprises a roundedupper portion 232 and a substantially flatlower portion 236. As will be appreciated, the roundedupper portion 232 facilitates passing thetamper evidence band 148 of theclosure 144 over thetamper evidence ledge 176 during assembly of theclosure 144 onto thecontainer 100. The flatlower portion 236 is configured to retain thetamper evidence band 148 positioned below thetamper evidence ledge 176 during loosening of theclosure 144. For example, when theclosure 144 is initially installed onto thecontainer 100 by a manufacturer, thetamper evidence band 148 easily passes over thetamper evidence ledge 176 due to the roundedupper portion 232. When an end-user later loosens theclosure 144, the flatlower portion 236 retains thetamper evidence band 148 below thetamper evidence ledge 176, causing thetamper evidence band 148 to break loose from theclosure 144. Thus, the flatlower portion 236 of thetamper evidence ledge 176 and thetamper evidence band 148 of theclosure 144 cooperate to indicate to the end-user that theclosure 144 has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. It should be understood, however, that thetamper evidence ledge 176 is not limited to being coupled with tamper evidence bands, as described above, but rather thetamper evidence ledge 176 may be configured to operate with any of various devices for indicating whether or not the container has been previously opened. - Disposed between the
tamper evidence ledge 176 and thethreads 180 is ahandling valley 240 that extends circumferentially around thefinish portion 164. Thehandling valley 240 comprises a portion of thefinish portion 164 that has a wall thickness and a diameter that are substantially similar to the wall thickness and diameter of theneck portion 192, below thetamper evidence ledge 176. As such, thehandling valley 240 and theneck portion 192 advantageously enable gripping fingers to engage with and support thecontainer 100 during air-conveying thecontainer 100 along a manufacturing assembly. For example, a first pair of gripping fingers can extend into thehandling valley 240 to support thecontainer 100 at a first station of a manufacturing line. Then, upon being conveyed to a second station, a second pair of gripping fingers can extend around theneck portion 192, below thetamper evidence ledge 176, while the first pair of gripping fingers are removed from thehandling valley 240. Similarly, upon arriving at a third station, a third pair of gripping fingers can engage with thehandling valley 240 while the second pair of gripping fingers are removed from theneck portion 192. Thus, thecontainer 100 can be transported along the manufacturing line by alternatingly engaging gripping fingers with thehandling valley 240 and theneck portion 192. - As will be appreciated, the
handling valley 240 provides a separation between thetamper evidence ledge 176 and thethreads 180 suitable for receiving the pair of gripping fingers, as described above. In general, the separation must be large enough to allow the gripping fingers to easily pass between thetamper evidence ledge 176 and thethreads 180. As such, any of various separations, greater than the width of the gripping fingers, may be disposed between thetamper evidence ledge 176 and thethreads 180, without limitation and without deviating beyond the scope of the present disclosure. - As described herein, once the
preform 160 has been blow-molded to form thecontainer 100 and then thecontainer 100 has been filled with liquid contents, theclosure 144 is installed onto thefinish portion 164, by way of suitable equipment, to seal the contents in the interior of thecontainer 100. In general, thethreads 180 disposed around thefinish portion 164 are engaged with similar threads comprising theclosure 144 and then theclosure 144 is rotated in a clockwise direction to advance theclosure 144 toward thetamper evidence ledge 176. Theclosure 144 preferably is tightened until thetamper evidence band 148 is pushed over thetamper evidence ledge 176 and a plug seal comprising theclosure 144 extends into the opening 172 of thefinish portion 164, thereby sealing the liquid contents within thecontainer 100. - Turning now to
FIG. 3 , a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of atethered closure 244 is shown. Thetethered closure 244 generally is configured to remain coupled with a plastic container, such as thecontainer 100, after thetethered closure 244 has been unsealed from thefinish portion 164 by an end-user to access contents within thecontainer 100. The illustrated embodiment of thetethered closure 244 includes aclosure portion 248 that is coupled with atamper evidence band 252 by way of atether bridge 256. Upon theclosure portion 248 being removed from thecontainer 100, thetamper evidence band 252 remains fixed to thefinish portion 164 while thetether bridge 256 couples theclosure portion 248 with thetamper evidence band 252. As such, thetether bridge 256 keeps theclosure portion 248 attached to thecontainer 100 after theclosure portion 248 is unsealed from thefinish portion 164 to access the contents within thecontainer 100. - With continuing reference to
FIG. 3 , theclosure portion 248 is configured to be threadably engaged with thefinish portion 164 shown inFIG. 2 . Theclosure portion 248 includes interior threads that are configured to engage with thethreads 180 of thefinish portion 164, as described herein. As such, the threads of theclosure portion 248 extend into thethread valleys 190 extending around thefinish portion 164. During tightening of theclosure portion 248 onto thefinish portion 164, a plug seal disposed within theclosure portion 248 extends into the opening 172 and enters into a pressed relationship with thefinish portion 164 whereby contents may be sealed within the interior of thecontainer 100. As shown inFIG. 3 , a plurality ofknurls 260 may be arranged on top of theclosure portion 248 and configured to facilitate grasping theclosure portion 248 during tightening and untightening theclosure portion 248 on thefinish portion 164. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , a multiplicity ofthin connections 264 attach thetamper evidence band 252 toclosure portion 248. Thethin connections 264 are configured to break apart when theclosure portion 248 is untightened from thefinish portion 164, such as during opening thecontainer 100 to access the contents within thecontainer 100. Thetamper evidence band 252 generally includes a cam, or a similar structure, disposed around an interior perimeter of thetamper evidence band 252 that interferes with the flatlower portion 236 of thetamper evidence ledge 176. Thus, when an end-user loosens theclosure portion 248, the flatlower portion 236 retains thetamper evidence band 252 below thetamper evidence ledge 176, causing thethin connections 264 to break apart and thus allowing theclosure portion 248 to separate from thetamper evidence band 252. - Once all the thin connections are broken, the
tethered closure 244 assumes atethered configuration 280 as best shown inFIG. 4 . In thetethered configuration 280, thetamper evidence band 252 resembles a loop of plastic coupled to theclosure portion 248 solely by way of thetether bridge 256. As will be appreciated, thetether bridge 256 flexes while theclosure portion 248 is tilted with respect to thetamper evidence band 252. It is contemplated that thetether bridge 256 comprises a relatively thick portion of plastic that is configured to resist breaking during tilting theclosure portion 248 away from thefinish portion 164. - In general, the
tether bridge 256 is configured similarly to thetamper evidence band 252, such that only thethin connections 264 break apart during loosening of theclosure portion 248. For example, in some embodiments wherein thetethered closure 244 is formed by way of injection-molding, thetether bridge 256 may be formed by allowing the material comprising thetethered closure 244 to remain disposed between a pair of adjacentthin connections 264. In one exemplary embodiment, a mold for injection-molding thetethered closure 244 may be configured to allow the material comprising theclosure 244 to fill one or more spaces 268 (seeFIG. 3 ) between thethin connections 264. As such, one or more protrusions comprising the mold that form thespaces 268 may be omitted in the location of the mold that forms thetether bridge 256. Further, in some embodiments wherein a knife or other type of blade is used to form thespaces 268 after injection-molding thetethered closure 244, the blade may be configured to avoid cutting thetethered closure 244 at the location of thetether bridge 256. It should be understood, therefore, that thetether bridge 256 is formed generally by leaving material comprising thetethered closure 244 intact within one ormore spaces 268 between thethin connections 264, and thus thetether bridge 256 may be formed by way of various diverse techniques without limitation, and without deviating beyond the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary-use environment wherein thetethered closure 244 has been installed onto acontainer 272, formed from thepreform 160 ofFIG. 2 , and then subsequently untightened from thefinish portion 164 of thecontainer 272. During installation of thetethered closure 244 onto thecontainer 272, the roundedupper portion 232 of thetamper evidence ledge 176 facilitates passing thetamper evidence band 252 over thetamper evidence ledge 176. As described herein, the flatlower portion 236 of thetamper evidence ledge 176 retains thetamper evidence band 252 positioned below thetamper evidence ledge 176 during loosening of theclosure portion 248. As such, loosening theclosure portion 248 on thefinish portion 164 causes thethin connections 264 to break apart, thus causing thetethered closure 244 to assume thetethered configuration 280 discussed in connection withFIG. 4 . - As shown in
FIG. 5 , upon removing theclosure portion 248 from thefinish portion 164, thetether bridge 256 bends and allows theclosure portion 248 to be tilted with respect to thetamper evidence band 252. As such, thetether bridge 256 keeps theclosure portion 248 attached to thecontainer 272 after theclosure portion 248 is unsealed from thefinish portion 164 to access the contents within thecontainer 272. It is contemplated that keeping theclosure portion 248 coupled with thecontainer 272 will substantially eliminate instances of misplacing theclosure portion 248, thereby encouraging the end-user reengaging theclosure portion 248 with thefinish portion 164 to store unfinished contents within thecontainer 272, as well as preventing theclosure portion 248 from contributing to plastic waste being deposited into the environment. - As described hereinabove, the
finish portion 164 includes a handingvalley 240 disposed adjacent to the roundedupper portion 232 of thetamper evidence ledge 176. Upon comparingFIG. 2 andFIG. 5 , it straightforward to see that thetamper evidence band 252 is fixated on top of thetamper evidence ledge 176. In some embodiments, however, thetether closure 244 may be configured to position thetamper evidence band 252 entirely beneath thetamper evidence ledge 176, as described hereinabove. Further, in some embodiments, thetamper evidence ledge 176 may be configured to fixate thetamper evidence band 252 on top of thetamper evidence ledge 176, in lieu of being positioned below the tamper evidence ledge, without limitation. - Moreover, it should be understood that the
tethered closure 244 is not to be limited to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings and described hereinabove. For example, thetether bridge 256 is not to be limited to comprising a single piece of material that extends from thetamper evidence band 252 to theclosure portion 248. In some embodiments, for example, thetether bridge 256 may comprise two or more portions of material joining thetamper evidence band 252 and theclosure portion 248. It is contemplated that in such embodiments, the two or more portions of material comprising thetether bridge 256 generally are narrower than the single piece of material comprising thetether bridge 256 shown inFIG. 3 . It is further contemplated that thetether bridge 256 may comprise any of various structures or mechanisms that facilitate tilting theclosure portion 248 relative to thefinish portion 264, as shown inFIG. 5 . For example, in some embodiments, thetether bridge 256 may include one or more cuts that cause thetether bridge 256 to operate similarly to a scissor hinge when theclosure portion 248 is removed from thefinish portion 164. As such, thetether bridge 256 may include a wide variety of different configurations and include mechanisms other than shown and discussed herein, without limitation, and without deviating beyond the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. - While the invention has been described in terms of particular variations and illustrative figures, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the variations or figures described. In addition, where methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in certain order, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the ordering of certain steps may be modified and that such modifications are in accordance with the variations of the invention. Additionally, certain of the steps may be performed concurrently in a parallel process when possible, as well as performed sequentially as described above. To the extent there are variations of the invention, which are within the spirit of the disclosure or equivalent to the inventions found in the claims, it is the intent that this patent will cover those variations as well. Therefore, the present disclosure is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein, but only by scope of the appended claims.
Claims (20)
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MX2022007235A MX2022007235A (en) | 2019-12-13 | 2020-11-17 | Tethered container closure. |
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CA3161629A CA3161629A1 (en) | 2019-12-13 | 2020-11-17 | Tethered container closure |
EP20899003.6A EP4072964A4 (en) | 2019-12-13 | 2020-11-17 | Tethered container closure |
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USD958661S1 (en) * | 2020-10-05 | 2022-07-26 | Niagara Bottling, Llc | Bottle |
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FR2937016B1 (en) * | 2008-10-09 | 2010-11-26 | Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance | DECOUPETED WEAKENING LINE PLUG AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE PLUG |
US9776779B2 (en) * | 2014-03-10 | 2017-10-03 | Phillip John Campbell | Closure with spring loaded tether docking |
US11332290B2 (en) * | 2015-04-02 | 2022-05-17 | ThisCap, Inc. | Cap for container |
KR101880107B1 (en) * | 2016-12-16 | 2018-07-19 | 성보연 | Container cap easily separate collection |
WO2019177616A1 (en) * | 2018-03-15 | 2019-09-19 | Bericap Inc. | Tethered container closure |
US10836544B2 (en) * | 2018-05-09 | 2020-11-17 | Silgan White Cap LLC | Closure with hinge |
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- 2020-11-13 US US17/097,904 patent/US20210179324A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2020-11-17 MX MX2022007235A patent/MX2022007235A/en unknown
- 2020-11-17 AU AU2020402630A patent/AU2020402630A1/en active Pending
- 2020-11-17 CA CA3161629A patent/CA3161629A1/en active Pending
- 2020-11-17 WO PCT/US2020/060875 patent/WO2021118767A1/en unknown
- 2020-11-17 EP EP20899003.6A patent/EP4072964A4/en active Pending
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD958661S1 (en) * | 2020-10-05 | 2022-07-26 | Niagara Bottling, Llc | Bottle |
USD958659S1 (en) * | 2020-10-05 | 2022-07-26 | Niagara Bottling, Llc | Bottle |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP4072964A1 (en) | 2022-10-19 |
CA3161629A1 (en) | 2021-06-17 |
MX2022007235A (en) | 2022-09-07 |
EP4072964A4 (en) | 2024-01-24 |
AU2020402630A1 (en) | 2022-07-07 |
WO2021118767A1 (en) | 2021-06-17 |
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