US2817454A - Sealed package - Google Patents

Description

H. E. STOVER SEALED PACKAGE Dec. .24, 1957 Filed Aug. 5. 1

Fig. 3

IN V EN TOR. Harry E. Sla ver 77 BY A TTOR/VEY United States Patent SEALED PACKAGE Harry E. Stover, Lancaster, Ohio, assignor to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, Uhio, a corporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1952, Serial No. 302,713

3 Claims. (Cl. 215-40) The present invention relates to the sealing art and more particularly to a sealed package for various products which require hermetic seals.

The package has been particularly useful in sealing ketchup. The preferred embodiment, therefore, of the invention will be illustrated and described with particular reference to ketchup, it being understood that the invention is applicable to the sealing of other products as well.

Some years back two closures were used for sealing a single bottle of ketchup, one to provide a hermetic seal for it and the other to provide a cover cap for use as a cover during consumption. The two closures formerly used have been superseded by a single closure adapted to serve as a hermetic seal until opened and as a cover during consumption. The requirement for a closure for this purpose is a secure hermetic seal during shipment and during sale by stores. The closure should be easily applied and easily removed and adapted to serve as a reseal during consumption of the product. While at formal functions ketchup is served in proper dishes, in a great majority of cases ketchup is served from the bottle in which it is packed. In order for the closure to be easily gripped in removal and application, a long skirt is usually provided. In the closures now generally used, the gasket for sealing the closure on the neck of the container is provided at the bottom of the skirt or flange of the closure with no hermetic seal at the top. Such closures are objectionable in that they are difficult to remove. The closure does not form a seal at the rim of the container and hence ketchup during shipment contacts the cover of the cap and the inside of the cap above the gasket. Ketchup is the type of product that attacks metal and hence there is a tendency for the product to pinhole or otherwise perforate the metal, thus impairing the seal. Further, when the cap is removed from the bottle, the ketchup extending about the inside of the cap in contact with the metal quickly forms a black substance when exposed to air that is quite unsightly. Frequently the top of the bottle and the inside of the closure become so unsightly that the package is thrown away before the contents are consumed.

, i The present invention overcomes the above difficulties by providing a seal at the rim of the container and by protecting the underside of the cover from the ketchup. The seal at the rim of the container also protects the inside of the skirt of the cap against contact with the ketchup during shipment. When the closure is removed, the ketchuphas not contacted the metal of the closure and hence is in excellent condition. Contact with air is less likely to form the black material so objectionable to the consumer. In fact, the gasket protects a substantial part of the skirt of the cap against contact with the ketchup. The closure forms an improved seal in that the vacuum within the container tends to pull to the cap down on the rim of the container, forming a seal there, whereas the finish provided embeds itself in the gasket at the side thereof to form a second seal and to securely hold the closure on the container even in those cases where the seal at the rim of the container fails. The closure may be easily removed and used both as a cover and as a re-seal during consumption. The finish of the container, in addition to providing an improved seal, also guides the closure into accurate sealing position and avoids tilting, regardless of how carelessly the closure is applied.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved closure for hermetic seals.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealed package embodying a hermetic seal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of making the closure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a good cover which will re-seal during consumption and which prevents or minimizes discoloration of the product about the mouth of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure which may be easily applied and easily removed.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of the closure and at the same time to improve its efiiciency and effectiveness.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of the cap and neck of a container primarily designed for packing ketchup;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the sealing relation between the parts of the glass finish and the closure;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one side of the closure and the co-operating glass finish;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the method of making the closure with the forming member about to engage the gasket blank; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the method of making the closure, and is similar to the illustration in Fig. 4 with the forming member in its final position showing the gasket completely formed in the closure.

Referring again to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, a cap or closure, sometimes called a closure cap, is shown generally at 10. A container is indicated generally at 11 with a glass finish indicated generally at 12.

The closure comprises a cover portion 14 having a depending skirt 15 with an outturned edge in the form of a wire edge 16 at the bottom thereof. An inwardly extending annular bead 17 is formed about the skirt at a substantial distance from the cover part. A suitable gasket 18 is provided in the closure and preferably extends from the upper side of the bead 17 to the cover portion 14 of the cap and entirely across the underside of the cover portion. Preferably the gasket is molded in position, as will be described hereinafter, and securely bonded to the inside of the closure.

The lower part of the gasket is tapered as shown at 19, the taper extending preferably from the upper side of the bead 17 to a zone well below the underside of the top of the gasket. The portion of the gasket abovethe taper 19 is relatively thick preferably about .06", in a ketchup cap. Likewise the portion of the gasket directly above the rim of the container is relatively thick also preferably about 3 .03" in a ketchup cap. The central portion of the gasket on the underside of the cover as shown at may be relatively thin, about .01" for example, since its function is primarily to protect the metal of the closure from the contents of the package.

While any shape of bottle may be utilized, the preferred embodiment is in the form of a ketchup bottle which, of course, has a relatively narrow neck. The glass finish 12 has the usual rim 21 encircling the mouth of the bottle. Preferably an annular enlargement or overhang 22 is rovided at the edge of the rim and adapted to embed itself into the side of the gasket to improve the seal formed. While the enlargement may vary in size an overhang of .005 gives good results. A cylindrical portion '24 extends downwardly from the annular enlargement 22 for a distance below the bead 17 on the closure. An outwardly tapered zone 25 leads to an enlarged zone 26. Preferably the enlarged zone 26 is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the closure and co-operates with the tapered zone 25 to guide the cap into position so that it seats properly on the rim of the container. The enlargement 26 prevents the cap from cocking and insures a uniform seal. Preferably a reduced neck zone 27 is provided below the enlarged portion 26 and terminates just above an enlarged shoulder 28. The reduced zone 27 and the enlarged shoulder 28 permit the insertion of a coin or other instrument between the shoulder and the bottom of the closure for prying the cap off the container.

The closure may be readily applied to the container since the skirt of the cap is considerably larger than the upper end of the container. As the cap is placed on the container, the lower edge of the ca will ride over the tapered zone 25 and the enlarged zone 26 so that the cap will be seated on the container in a substantially horizontal position prior to the sealing operation. In addition, the tapered portion 19 at the lower edge of the gasket will likewise center the upper end of the cap so that it will be in registry with the mouth of the container. When the ca passes through a sealing machine where pressure is applied to the top of the cap for forcing it on the container, the closure will be in accurate position so that a uniform and effective seal is secured. The enlargement 22 on the glass finish embeds itself into the depending part of the gasket. This, of course, improves the effectiveness of the seal. In addition, it tends to hold the closure on the container. Ketchup and many other products are sealed with a vacuum in the package and while the vacuum tends to hold the closure on the container, failure of the seal impairs the vacuum and hence the closure may come off under such contingencies. In the present instance, the enlargement 22 will hold the closure on regardless of whether or not there is a vacuum within the container. In addition, the enlargement does not impair in any way the effectiveness of the seal between the rim of the container and the gasket on the inside of the cover of the cap. In fact, the enlargement enhances this seal because again it tends to hold the cap down regardless of pressure or vacuum within the container. The gasket tends to set about the enlargement. When the cap is removed by the consumer a recess has been formed in the gasket by the enlargement. In rescaling the cap on the container the enlargement snaps into the recess and holds the cap securely in position.

The cap may be easily removed, which is an important feature of any closure, by the application of a coin or instrument between the shoulder 28 and the lower edge 16 of the closure. While the enlargement 22 on the glass finish tends to hold the cap in position, it is located near the rim of the container and the tapered part 19 of the gasket terminates slightly below the enlargement so that the cap may be easily tilted sufficiently for the gasket to clear the enlargement.

In the manufacture of the closure, the usual blank may be stamped with the lower edge of the blank extending 4 outwardly in a horizontal flange. Thereafter the flange may be rolled into the wire edge 16 and simultaneously the bead 17 may be rolled into the skirt of the cap. A blank or slug of sealing material, indicated in Fig. 4, is placed in the cap either before or after the cap is seated in the nesting die 33. A member 29 is forced into the closure to mold the gasket in position. Preferably the member 29 has an end part 30 adapted to form the thin portion of the gasket at the center of the cover with an annular channel adjacent the edge adapted to form the thick portion 20 of the gasket and with a reduced portion 31 leading to an outwardly tapered part 32 adapted to form the part of the gasket adhered to the skirt of the cap. Preferably the external diameter of the member 29 is substantially the same as the internal diameter of the bead 17 of the closure. The shape of the member 29 tends to center the closure about it. The bead 17 serves as a gate to stop the flow of the gasket composition. In this way a perfect gasket is formed having the shape shown in the drawings. The relation of the gasket and the pressure member is shown at the finish of the molding operation in Fig. 5. Sufficient pressure is used to force the blank to flow about the forming member. As pressure of 5,000 lbs. applied to the member 29 produces excellent results with the usual 27 mm. (about 1.07" diameter) cap used for ketchup. To facilitate the molding and bonding both the inner member 29 and outer nesting die 33 are maintained at the temperature of about 240 to 250 F. which heats the closure and gasket material to about 200 F. during the molding operation. This combined pressure and heat cause the gasket material to flow about the end of the member and to bond itself firmly to the closure. The gasket is thus held rigidly in position, which facilitates both application and removal of the closure. In addition, the underside of the closure is completely protected against the contents of the container during shipment and storage and all but the lower part of the skirt continues to be protected during consumption. Preferably the gasket compound is not cured after the molding operation as the plasticity in the uncured compound gives a better seal. Where a cured gasket is desired, the caps may be passed through an oven to cure or vulcanize the compound.

While various compositions may be utilized for the material of the gasket, those illustrated in the application of Harold L. Crabtree, Serial No. 294,197, filed June 18, 1952, have been found to give excellent results. On the other hand, various compositions of rubber and various synthetic stocks may be utilized for this purpose providing it can be molded as described herein.

It will be seen that an improved closure has been provided which gives a secure seal at all times regardless of whether or not the product is sealed under a vacuum. The closure may be easily applied and since it centers itself on the container, a uniform seal results in all cases. The closure may be readily removed since the enlargement on the container, holding the closure in place, is at the rim of the container so that the cap can be tilted to make the gasket clear the enlargement. Pressure on the bottom of the cap gives sufficient leverage so that in many cases the closure may be removed manually without the use of tools. The cost has been reduced in that a single closure forms the seal and in that a single gasket is molded in position, eliminating the usual assembly and gasket molding operations where separate gaskets are utilized. The package is rugged in construction and fully capable of withstanding the rough usage to which it may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a sealed package, the combination of a relatively deep metal cuplike shell having a circular cover portion and a depending cylindrical skirt extending downwardly for at least the length of one cover radius, an annular bead projecting inwardly from the skirt and spaced a substantial distance from the upper and lower edges of said skirt, a generally cup-shaped gasket bonded to said closure having an edge portion abutting said annular bead and extending upwardly to the cover and having an integral cover portion extending across the underside of the closure, said edge portion of said gasket being flared inwardly and upwardly from said annular bead to facilitate the application to and removal of the closure from a container and to provide a side seal on the container mouth and said cover portion of the gasket adjacent to the edge portion being thicker for providing a seal over the rim of a container, a glass container having a neck portion fitting within said closure, and said container having a rim embedded in the side and top portions of said gasket and forming a hermetic seal and holding the closure on the container and having an annular enlarged zone spaced downwardly from said rim but above the bottom of the closure skirt for guiding the closure into proper position on the container.

2. A closure comprising the combination of a relatively deep metal cuplike shell having a circular cover portion and a depending cylindrical skirt extending downwardly about the length of one cover radius or more, an annular bead projecting inwardly from the skirt and spaced a substantial distance from the upper and lower edges of said skirt, a generally cup-shaped gasket bonded to said closure having an edge portion abutting said annular bead and extending upwardly to the cover and having an integral cover portion extending across the underside of the closure cover, said edge portion of said gasket being flared inwardly and upwardly to a thickened cylindrical portion adjacent to the top edge of the skirt, said flared portion of the gasket being adapted to facilitate the application to and removal of the closure from a container and said cylindrical portion adapted to provide a side seal with an enlargement on the container mouth, said gasket being formed of a plastic material whereby an enlargement on the container mouth forms a groove therein to retain the closure in place on the container and to facilitate the reapplication of the closure after its initial removal, and said cover portion of the gasket adjacent to the edge portion being relatively thick to provide a seal over the rim of a container.

3. In a sealed package, the combination of a relatively deep metal cuplike shell having a circular cover portion and a depending cylindrical skirt extending downwardly for at least the length of one cover radius, a generally cup-shaped gasket bonded to said closure having a portion on said skirt with its lower edge a substantial distance from the upper and lower edges of said skirt and extending upwardly to the cover and having an integral cover portion extending across the underside of the closure, said portion of said gasket on said skirt being flared inwardly and upwardly from its lower edge to facilitate the application to and removal of the closure from a container and to provide a side seal on the container mouth and said cover portion of the gasket adjacent to the edge portion being thicker for providing a seal over the rim of a container, a glass container having a neck portion fitting within said closure, and said container having a rim embedded in the side and top portions of said gasket and forming a hermetic seal and holding the closure on the container and having an annular enlarged zone spaced downwardly from said rim but above the bottom of the closure skirt for guiding the closure into proper position on the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,430,084 Ingram Sept. 26, 1922 1,806,726 Wenn May 26, 1931 1,956,012 Egan Apr. 24, 1934 2,021,205 Spahn Nov. 19, 1935 2,081,804 Enkur May 25, 1937 2,209,416 Montelione July 30, 1940 2,255,184 Osenberg Sept. 9, 1941 2,281,649 Williams May 5, 1942 2,389,761 Burgeni Nov. 27, 1945 2,456,972 Maeder Dec. 21, 1948 2,463,701 Krueger Mar. 8, 1949 2,481,111 Griswold Sept. 6, 1949 2,492,144 Gora Dec. 27, 1949 2,654,914 Maier Oct. 13, 1953 2,684,774 Aichele July 27, 1954 2,700,186 Stover Jan. 25, 1955 2,708,050 Luertzing May 10, 1955 2,733,827 Foye Feb. 7, 1956

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