US3163318A

US3163318A - Flared container cap

Info

Publication number: US3163318A
Application number: US217615A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter R Frank
Original assignee: W R FRANK PACKAGING ENGINEERS Inc
Current assignee: W R FRANK PACKAGING ENGINEERS Inc
Priority date: 1962-08-17
Filing date: 1962-08-17
Publication date: 1964-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-29

Description

Dec. 29, 1964 w. R. FRANK FLARED CONTAINER CAP Filed Au 17, 1962 ofF IGURE 9;" and United States Patent C) 3,163,318. FLARED CONTAINER CAP W alter R. Frank, Elmhnrst, IIL, assignor to W. R. Frank Packaging Engineers, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 217,615 Claims. (61. 2206ti) This invention relates to a cap for a container, and more particularly to a flared cap that preferably may be snapped on and oil the container with which it is used.

Containers such as those used for aerosol preparations require caps that are easily removed and replaced before and after discharge of any part of the contents of the container. A cap adapted to form a snap fit with the container is the type that is most quickly and easily removed and replaced. Such a cap with an upwardly and outwardly flaring side wall is both attractive in appearance and easy to grasp.

Another essential characteristic of caps for use with containers that are discarded after their contents have been exhausted is obviously economy of production. Thus, injection molding of plastic caps is commonly employed for production of such caps.

The production of an integral plastic cap having an upward and outward flare in its side wall requires, however, either that an extensive and complicated mold be employed to produce a side wall of substantially uniform thickness, or alternatively that a core mold of uniform cross section be used, which results in a side wall of much greater thickness at the top than at the bottom thereof. The latter type of flared cap is not only more expensive FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of another embodiment of the container cap of this invention.

In FIGURE 1, container is a conventional can in which an aerosol preparation is stored. The can terminates in an aerosol valve at its top. The valve is omitted here for clarity of understanding.

Cap 21 is one embodiment of the container cap of this invention. As shown, it has an outwardly and upwardly flared side wall, which provides an attractive appearance and makes the cap easy to grasp for removal and replacebecause of the extra material required for the moldingof its side walls, but also is of inferior quality because of cracking and other problems introduced during the cooling of any wall having such a marked variation in its thickness. v

The present invention provides a flared, snap fit container cap that can be easily and quickly molded with a simple, inexpensive mold and with use of a minimum of plastic material. Although it flares upwardly and outwardly the side wall-of the cap has a substantially uniform thickness. The top member of the cap forms a snap fit with a groove which runs around the top of the interior of the side wall, or with the outer surface of the upper por tion of the side wall. The side wall carries means for securing the cap to the container, preferably by a snap fit.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sideelevation of a container with the container FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of one form of the top member of the container cap of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentaryshowing of the cross sectional view of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the top member of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary showing of a portion of the cross sectional view of FIGURE 3, with the container cap in place upon a container;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the container cap of FIGURE 2; a

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of a portion of a container and another embodiment of the container cap of this invention;

FIGURE 10 is a cross sectional view of the container cap of FIGURE 9 shown in place upon the container;

FIGURE 11- is a bottom plan view of the container cap ment.

'URE 2. 7

FIGURE 3 shows three other features of container cap 21. Groove 23 is provided around the top of in terior'24 of upwardly and outwardly flared side wall 22. Top member 25 is adapted to form a snap fit with groove 23.

In the embodiment shown, top member 25 has a dished shape by reason of upwardly and outwardly flaring annular flange 26, terminating in a second flange 27 at its outer periphery. Top member 25 is received securely in groove 23 at its outer periphery.

Downward pressure upon flange 26 and its outer periphery 27 will tend to cause the dished-top member to Cap 21 is shown in an enlarged view in FIG- become slightly smaller in overall dimensions; by the,

same token, pressure in the upward direction will tend to cause top member 25 to become slightly larger in overall dimensions. Thus,the upward and outward flare at 26 makes insertion of top 25 in the groove 23 easier, and at the same time makes any. removal of top member 25, whether accidental or deliberate,.more difiicult.

The construction of top member 25 is also seen from the side elevation view given i'n'FIGURE 4. The snap fit between top member 25 and side wall 22 of'container' cap 21 is best seen in the enlarged fragmentary view of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 6 gives a top plan view of top member 25 7 when snapped in place in groove 23 of side wall '22. Ridges 30, shown in this figure and in FIGURE 3 as disposed in a regular pattern upon the top of member 25,

have both an appearance and a structural purpose. The

pattern adds interest to the appearance of the cap, and the'ridges provide some additional strength.

If desired, groove 23 may be replaced by a pluralityof overhanging beads, which will perform the same .function of receiving the outer peripheryot top member 25. I

The two-piece construction provides marked advantages if the container cap is to be formed of plastic by the method of injection molding. Thus, a mold having a single core member may be employed, withjthe core being withdrawn through the opening in the wide flared top of side wall 22. Obviously, if the container cap were integrally constructed, a very complicated core member would have to be employed in order to get a substam tially uniform side wall, as it would then, have to be with drawn after molding through the smaller bottom of side wall 22.

As an alternative to this, the upper portion of flared side wall 22 could be. made thicker thanfthe lower portion, in order that a molding core of uniformcross sec-- tion could be employed. This would resultkin diflicult: problems of cracking and uneven cure in thesidewall of opening at the. y

. J the cap. The present invention avoids this difliculty, and also provides a cap which gives the impression of much larger size at considerably lower cost because of the savings in material that it makes possible.

If flared side wall 22 of container cap 21 is to be made of met-a1, it would be diflicult to make the cap of one piece construction by drawing a piece of sheet metal down into a shape. having a restricted bottom opening. However, with the two-piece container cap of this invention, it would be relatively easy to make the side wall 22 separately by drawing a piece of sheet metal into a shape which has an opening of larger cross section than its closed end, and then clipping off the closed end and turning the thus formed piece over to position the wide flared opening at the top; 7

Turning again to FIGURE 3, internally extending flange 31 at the bottom'of side wall 22 and internally extending protuberances 32 spaced above flange 31 in effect form between them a groove which is adapted to forma snap fit with the rim of the mounting cupv of the aerosol container. This is seen more clearly in FIGURE 7, where flange 31 and protuberances 32 span mounting cup 33 of aerosol container 20. Flange 31 and protnberances 32 are seen in bottom plan view in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 9 shows-another embodiment of the container cap ofthisinvention. In this embodiment, container cap 41 hasa side w'all42 that rises vertically for a distance from the bottom of the cap, and then flares upwardly and outwardly at curved portion 43;

Cap 41 is seen in section in FIGURE 10, where it is in place upon mounting cup 44 of aerosol container 20.-

Asis shown, cap 41 is held in place upon mounting cup44 by a friction fit between the rim of the mounting cup and internally-projecting protuberances 45. Protuberances 45 are seen in bottom plan view i n FIGURE 11. i

Top member .46 of container cap 41 is provided with upwardly and outwardly extending flange 47, which forms a snap fit with groove 48. in the upper portion of the in-" terior of

side wall

42, 43. 7

FIGURE 12 gives a fragmentary cross sectional view of another embodiment 50 of the container cap of this invention, in which the outer surface 'of the upper portion of side wall 51 and re-entrant flange 52 of top member 53 form a snap fit. p

Embodiments 41' and 50 of the container cap of this invention will be seen to have the same advantages that accrue, as alre-adyexplainedabove,to embodiment 21.

The above detailed description of this invention has been given for clearness of understanding only. No unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to one skilled in the art.

Iclaim: V i

1. A two-piece container cap which comprises: (1) an outwardly and upwardly flared side wall, said side wall being of substantially uniform thickness throughout; (2) a top member forming a snap fit with the upper portion of said wall; and (3) means carried by said side wall for securing the cap to the container with which. it is used.

2. A two-piece container cap which comprises: (1) an outwardly and upwardly flared side wall, said side wall defining a groove around the interior thereof spaced from the extreme top of the side wall, said side wall being of substantially uniform thickness throughout; (2) a top member forming a snap fit with said groove; and (3) means carried by said side wall for securing the cap to the container with which it is used.

3. A two-piece container cap which comprises: (1) an outwardly and upwardly flared side I wall defining a groove around the interior thereof spaced from the extreme top of the side wall, said side wall being of substantially uniform thickness throughout; (2) a top member having an outwardly and upwardly extending flange at its periphery, said flange forming a snap fit with said groove; and (3) means carried by said side wall for securing the cap to the container with which it is used.

4. A two-piece container cap which comprises: (1) an outwardly and upwardly flared side wall, said side wall being of substantially uniform thickness throughout; (2) a top member forming a snap fit with the outer surface of the upper portion of said wall; and (3) means carried by said side wall for securing the cap to the container with which it is used.

5. A two-piece container cap which comprises: an outwardly and upwardly flared side wall defining a groove around the interior thereof spaced from the extreme top of the side wall, said side wall being of substantially uniform thickness throughout; a top member having an outwardly and upwardly extending flange at its periphery,

said flange forming a snap fit with said groove; and inwardly projecting-'protuberances at the bottom of said side wall for securing the cap to the container with which it is used.

Referenres Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. EARLE I. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

Claims

1. A TWO-PIECE CONTAINER CAP WHICH COMPRISES: (1) AN OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY FLARED SIDE WALL, SAID SIDE WALL BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS THROUGHOUT; (2) A TOP MEMBER FORMING A SNAP FIT WITH THE UPPER PORTION