US3002642A

US3002642A - Bottle construction

Info

Publication number: US3002642A
Application number: US839454A
Authority: US
Inventors: John F Watson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-09-11
Filing date: 1959-09-11
Publication date: 1961-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1978-10-03

Description

Oct. 3, 1961 J. F. WATSON 3,002,642

BOTTLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 11, 1959 wqw ii IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent Ghee 02,642

Filed Sept. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 339,454 1 Claim. Cl. 215-43 The present invention relates to a bottle and to a pliable closure for the bottle. i

In my United States Patent No. 2,265,015, issued December 2, 1941, is disclosed a bottle and a pliable metal closure which extends over the portion of the neck of the bottle between the pouring opening therein and an annular flange extending about the bottleneck below the pouringopening. The portion of the neck of the bottle between the flange and the-opening is provided with a continuous. sealing groove interrupted by spaced lugs about which the skirt of the closure is molded and with male screw threads about which the skirt of the closure is molded. Upon rotation of the closure relative to the bottle, the molded threads on the, skirt of the closure slide upwardly on the threads formed on the bottleneck and a part of the skirt molded into thev sealing groove is expanded outwardly and released'from the groove by action of the lugs. The bottle closure of the aforesaid patent has not been wholly successfulfor' the reason that the release of the closure from the continuous groove and traveling of the closure threads on the bottleneck threads tend to collapse the closure and to deform the closure against re-use on the bottleneck. Additionally, due to the relatively large area of the outer surface of the neck portion engaged by the inner wall of the closure, the closure resists a normal hand-applied twisting or rotary force in order to effect removal of the closure, and it requires more than, a normal hand-applied twisting or rotary force to replace the closure in sealing position on the bottleneck. The area of engagement of the closure with the sealing surface must be limited, yet sufficient to afford a good seal between the two. Also, the screw thread bottle of the aforesaid patent precludes other types of milk bottle closures being used interchangeably thereon. So, if a dealer desires to handle the screw thread bottle and cap, this would require that such dealer discard all bottles of the type he has on hand and order a complete stock of new bottles. This, of course, is a serious deterrent in the promotion of the screw thread enclosure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bottle and a closure therefor which may be manufactured on conventional machines presently in use, on which, when manufactured as a milk bottle, is compatible with milk bottles presently in use and which may be used intermingled with the presently in use milk bottles during a state of change, one which lends itself to packaging by automatic machinery of current design, and one which is economically feasible.

Another object of the present invention is to provid a bottle closure therefor which may be removed from the bottleneck with a minimum of hand-applied twisting or rotary force and which may be replaced upon the bottleneck with a minimum of hand-applied twisting or rotary force.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle and a closure therefor which has a maximum area of interengaging surfaces to provide an eflicient seal between the two, and one having means separating the sealing groove from the threaded surface portion so that the threads molded into the closure are not apt to be deformed when the closure is removed from the bottleneck and the threads on the inner wall of the closure are drawn over the pouring section in which the sealing groove is provided.

A still further object of the present invention is to Fatented Oct. 3, 1961 provide a bottle and a closure therefor which has means separating the surface in which there is a sealing groove and the portion of the bottleneck in which there are female threads to which a part of the skirt of the closure is molded upon sealing of the closure on the bottleneck, such means enhancing the operation of removal and replacement of the closure on the bottleneck, aifording protection to the molded threads on the inner wall of the closure when the latter is removed from the bottleneck, providing an optimum hygienic condition protecting the threads on the bottleneck from contamination whenthe closure has been removed and repeatedly replaced upon the bottleneck, and permitting the embossing inwardly of the skirt of the closure with a design or series of designs serving to identify the bottle and closure and also. to lend rigidity to the closure. 7

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the neck portion of a milk bottle with the closure of the present invention installed therein and shown in section,

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of FIG- URE 1, p

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the bottle with the closure removed,

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the milk bottleneck portion shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, with 16 0101 sure removed therefrom, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a bottle having a neck portion 12 and a pouring section 14 provided with an opening 16 extending about the top of the neck portion 12. l An outwardly projecting annular flange 18 extends about the neck portion 12 below and spaced from the pouring section 14. In FIGURES 5 and 6, an inwardly projecting annular recess is shown most clearly, the recess being designated by the numeral 20 and being formed in the neck portion 12 between the pouring section :14 and the flange 18. The recess 20 is contiguous to the pouring section 14 and is above and spaced from the flange 18.

The exterior surface of the neck portion 12 in the space between the recess 20 and the flange 18 tapers inwardly from the flange 18 to the recess 20. The surface 22 is provided with a plurality of spaced inclined grooves 24 forming female screw threads having their closed ends adjacent to and spaced from the flange 18.

The pouring section 14 has a vertically disposed ex terior surface 26 provided with a plurality of spaced grooves each inclined in the same direction as the grooves 24 in the surface 22 and at substantially the same angle, the grooves in the surface 26 being sealing grooves and designated by the numeral 28. This arrangement of the

grooves

24 and 28 has the advantage in that the resistance in rotating the closure 30 for removal is minimized.

In combination with the bottle above described, the present invention provides a pliable closure fabricated from thin metal or the like, and designated in FIGURES 1 and 2 by the numeral 30. The thin metal or foil of the closure 30 is stretched over the opening 16 in the bottleneck portion 12, and the metal pressed into the sealing grooves 28 by pneumatic or similar pressure, efiecting a tight seal against seepage. The skirt 32 extends dowuwardly to and terminates at the flange 18,

with the portion inwardly of the terminating end circumposed about the pouring section 14, the recess 20, and the female threads formed by the grooves 24. The skirt 32 is molded into the grooves 24 so as to form male. threads on the inner wall of the skirt 32, as at 34 in FIGURE 1. The skirt 32 is also molded into the grooves 28 so as to form other male threads 36, as shown in FIGURE 1.

' A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the cross sectional area of the neck portion 12 at the upper end of the tapering surface 22is larger than the cross sectional area of the pouring section 14. This protects the male threads 34 formed on the inner wall of the skirt 32 when the closure 30 is twisted ofi of the bottleneck portion 12. When the closure 30 is removed from the bottleneck portion 12, the threads 34 will have ample room to clear the pouring section 14 and will not be deformed or made useless for resealing the closure 3%) upon the neck portion 12 when it is desired to seal the opening 16.

The portion of the skirt 32 between the threads 36 and the threads 34 may be provided with a plurality of spaced indentations or flutes, as at 38 in FIGURE 2, to decorate the closure 30 and to provide rigidity to the closure 30 if desired. The flutes 38 project inwardly into the recess 20, but not beyond the surface 26 of the pouring section 14.

In order to provide strength to the pouring section 14 and make the latter less liable to breakage, the recess 20 is provided with a shoulder 44 at its upper end.

In use, the neck portion 12 of the bottle 10' may be formed upon presently in use glass working machinery and the closure 30 may be provided in a partially formed cup shape for final forming upon the bottleneck portion 12 after the bottle 10 has been filled with the liquid to be sold an'ddis-tributed.

Upon the application of a twisting or rotary force to the closure 30, the closure 30 may be removed from the neck portion '12 with the threads 36 expanded and deformed-so as to indicate to the user of the bottle 10 that the bottle 10 has been opened. The closure 30 may be replaced upon the neck portion 12 with the threads 34 again entering the grooves 24 for resealing the closure 30 on the neck portion 12. The replacement of the closure 30 requires only a moderate twisting or rotary force to bring the closure 30, after it has been stretched over the opening 16, into tight sealing engagement with the grooves 28 and skirt 32 in surrounding relation about the pouring section 14, the recess 20, and the female threads formed by the grooves 24.

The recess 20 in the neck portion 12 has the advantage of providing in the top section of the bottle above the flange 18 a separation between the threaded surface 22 and the pouring section 14 and permits the design of a bottle finish over which other types of closures, either metal, paper, or the like, may be applied. This allows a dealer to arrange a time planned change to the screw threaded cap without having to first replace his supply of old bottles with a new stock of bottles of the screw thread design, and sufier a bottle loss penalty.

Another advantage of the recess 20 is that it provides a means for design of a-lbottle, finish that will assure free and dripless pouring of milk from the bottle. This is attained by arresting the known capillary attraction between the milk and glass by providing .a. horizontal floor under the pouring section. 1A- and extending inwardly and at a right angle with the perpendicular side of the pouring section. Ata point where these two lines meet is 'where capillary attraction is broken, allowing the milk to pour clear and free without dripping down over the side of the bottle. This design is clearly shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6.

A further advantage of the recess 20- is to provide added height to the bottle finish, thus permitting the use of a closure of greater skirt length and attain maximum protection to the bottle contents against contamination. This attainment is without increasing the surface contact between the neck portion 12 and the inner surface of the closure 30, facilitating the ease of the removal of the closure 30. v

A bottle capped by a closure of this invention doesnot require a plug in the opening 16 in the bottleneck, although such plug may be employed, if desired. Also, the closure of this invention is usually embossed withdescriptive lettering, or itmay be pre-printed with suitable required markings, as well as being embossed at the time the blank for the closure is shaped ready for placement on the bottle and by pressure made secure as a seal.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a bottle having a neck portion, a pouring section provided with an opening extending about the top of said neck portion, an outwardly pro jecting annular flange extending about said neck port-ion below and spaced from the pouring section, a-n-inwardlyprojecting annular recess formed in said neck portion between said pouring section and said flange, said recess being contiguous-to said pouring section and being spaced above said flange, spaced inclined grooves form-ing female screw threads formed in the exterior surface of said neck portion and each having the upper end opening into said recess, and separated sealing grooves each inclined in the same direction and at the same angle as said screw threads formed in the exterior surface of said pouring section, of a pliable closure cover-ing said opening and having a skirt extending over said pouring section, recess, screw threads and down to said flange and molded about said female threads and sealing grooves to form raised male threads conformably shaped to fit Within said female threads and sealing grooves, said closure being removable by rotation with respect to said bottle without destroying the raised screw threads molded in said skirt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS