US3921845A - Closure device of plastic for tubes and containers - Google Patents

Closure device of plastic for tubes and containers Download PDF

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Publication number
US3921845A
US3921845A US314271A US31427172A US3921845A US 3921845 A US3921845 A US 3921845A US 314271 A US314271 A US 314271A US 31427172 A US31427172 A US 31427172A US 3921845 A US3921845 A US 3921845A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
closure
cap
tube
raised areas
dust cover
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US314271A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jr Herman J Vogel
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Corning Glass Works
Original Assignee
Corning Glass Works
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Corning Glass Works filed Critical Corning Glass Works
Priority to US314271A priority Critical patent/US3921845A/en
Priority to ES420815A priority patent/ES420815A1/es
Priority to DE2359724A priority patent/DE2359724A1/de
Priority to FR7342980A priority patent/FR2209698B3/fr
Priority to GB5736173A priority patent/GB1448685A/en
Priority to BE138763A priority patent/BE808511A/xx
Priority to IT32228/73A priority patent/IT1002324B/it
Publication of USB314271I5 publication Critical patent/USB314271I5/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3921845A publication Critical patent/US3921845A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • B65D41/16—Snap-on caps or cap-like covers
    • B65D41/18—Snap-on caps or cap-like covers non-metallic, e.g. made of paper or plastics
    • B65D41/185—Snap-on caps or cap-like covers non-metallic, e.g. made of paper or plastics with integral internal sealing means

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A plastic closure device for tubes and containers having smooth-walled, generally cylindrical outlet portions, the closure device including an annular plug member depending from the closure top portion which fits snugly and gas/liquid tightly within the outlet (when fully applied) and a cylindrical skirt portion also depending from the top portion, with the skirt inner surface having a plurality of longitudinally extending stepped abutments of varying heights to permit varying degrees of loose and interference fits between the closure skirt portion and the container outlet portion to permit the closure device to be successively used as a loose dust and breather cap, a fixed dust cover and breather cap, as well as a fixed dust cover and gas/liquid tight cap (in conjunction with the plug member).
  • a test tube closure should preferably serve at least three functions: (1) Act as a loose dust cover and breather cap (such as for use with culture media); (2) Act as a fixed dust cover and breather cap; and (3) Act as a fixed dust cover and snap-on cap so as to provide a positive inside diameter seal for use where a gas/liquid tight seal is necessary. These functions should be accomplished quickly and with a minimum of effort. In addition, these tube and closure combinations should also only cost a fraction of the tube and screw cap combinations commonly used at this time. None of the presently used slip-on type or screw-cap type closures meet all of the stated functions or cost objectives.
  • the closure device of this invention which is preferably made of a flexible plastic material, is designed to be used with containers or the like having smooth-walled, generally cylindrical, outlet portions.
  • the closure includes a top wall or top portion overlying and closing the open end of the container, an integral annular plug member depending from the top portion which is of a size so as to fit snugly and gas/liquid lightly within the container outlet when fully closed, and a long cylindrical wall or skirt portion which also depends from the top portion and is concentric with the plug member.
  • the skirt member which has a slightly larger diameter than the external diameter of the container outlet portion. also has a plurality of preferably equally circumferentially spaced first raised and longitudinally extending areas on the inner surface near the open end thereof. with these first raised areas being of u SIZC so as to preferably still provide a loose fit with the container outlet portion thus permitting the closure to act as a loose dust cover and breather cap.
  • a plurality at second raised areas are provided.
  • a plurality of third raised areas which preferably are adjacent to the second raised areas, are of a :SiZt. to provide a moderate interference fit with the container outlet portion, with these third raised areas, in conjunction with the plug member (when the closure is fully applied), providing a gas/liquid tight seal and a fixed dust cover.
  • each of these first, second and third raised areas may also be defined as a longitudinally stepped abutment of varying heights which permits varying degrees of loose and interference fits between the closure skirt portion and the outer surface of the container outlet portion.
  • the plug member preferably has a tapering tip por- 0 tion to facilitate entry of the plug portion into the container outlet portion, with at least one portion of the plug member being capable of making an annular line contact with the outlet portion inner surface.
  • At least one of the pluralities of first, second and third raised areas is preferably tear-drop shaped and the outer surface of the skirt portion may be provided with a serrated pattern to facilitate manual gripping thereof.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the closure of this invention
  • FIG. 2 is a top view of the closure
  • FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the new closure taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the closure looking up into its interior
  • FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the cap or closure used as a loose dust cover and breather cap on a tube or container end;
  • FIG. 6 is another view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the closure used as a fixed dust cover and breather cap on a tube end;
  • FIG. 7 is yet a further view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the closure used as a fixed dust cover and gas/liquid tight cap on a tube end;
  • FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the closure as used on a tube end in the manner set forth in FIG. 7.
  • FIGS. 1-4 illustrate the new cap or closure device of this invention and FIGS. 5-8 illustrate the closure as applied, in several modes, on a container or tube end.
  • closure device or cap 10 preferably made of a flexible plastic material, is designed to be used with tubes, cans, bottles or other containers of like kind having a smooth-walled inner and outer neck or mouth portion, generally cylindrical in shape.
  • closure device 10 may be applied on laboratory-type culture or test tubes 12, the open end portion 14 of which is shown in FIGS. 5-7.
  • Test tube inner and outer surfaces 16, 18 respectively, are parallel and are joined by annular end surface 20.
  • Closure device or cap 10 is provided with a circular, substantially flat top portion 22 that is adapted to overlay and close container open end portion 14.
  • top portion 22 Depending downwardly from inner surface 24 of top portion 22 is integral annular plug portion 26.
  • Plug 26 is annular in configuration, not only to conserve material, but also to provide resilience so that it tightly engages tube inner surface 16.
  • the plug may be considered as having two sections, the first section 28 having an essentially cylindrical outer surface and of a size to fit snugly and gas/- liquid tightly within container open end 14.
  • a second section 30, depending from section 28 has an inwardly tapering external conical wall portion so as to provide a tapering tip portion for facilitating entry of plug portion 26 into container open end 14.
  • cap top portion 22 Also depending from cap top portion 22 is a long, generally cylindrical wall or tubular skirt portion 34, concentric with plug portion 26, having an internal wall surface 36 that has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of tube outer surface 18 so as to permit an initial loose fit of cap on tube 12.
  • skirt portion 34 is preferably provided with a longitudinally or an axially extending serrated pattern 38 for substantially the entire longitudinal extent of skirt portion 34 to facilitate manual gripping and thus help to close, open and remove closure 10 from container 12.
  • serrated pattern 38 is continued from the outer surface of skirt 34 to at least an outer annular portion of top portion 22, as best seen in FIG. 2.
  • skirt interior wall portion 36 near the open end of cap 10, is provided with a plurality of preferably equally circumferentially spaced first raised and longitudinally extending areas 42. Areas 42, the outer surfaces of which are generally curved (FIG. 4) in the direction normal to their axial or longitudinal extent, are of a size or height to preferably still permit a loose fit with respect to tube outer surface 18, as best seen in FIG. 5.
  • first areas 42 Extending from the inner or upper ends of first areas 42 is a plurality of preferably equally circumferentially spaced second raised and longitudinally extending areas 44.
  • Areas 44 which may be described as generally tear-drop shaped, are of a size to provide a slight interference fit with tube outer surface 18, as best seen in FIG. 6. It should be noted, that due to their tear-drop shape, areas 44 have apex-containing portions 46, with portions 46 being situated near the lower or outer extremity of areas 44, i.e., the portion of areas 44 that are longitudinally the furthest removed from cap flat top portion 22.
  • Extending from the inner or upper ends of second areas 44 is a plurality of preferably equally circumferentially spaced third raised and longitudinally extending areas 48.
  • Areas 48 which similarly to areas 44 may also be described as generally tear-drop shaped, are of a size to provide a moderate interference fit with the tube outer surface 18, as best seen in FIG. 7.
  • areas 48 have apex-containing portions 50, with portions 50 being again situated near the lower or outer extremity of areas 48, Le, the portion of areas 48 that are longitudinally the furthest removed from cap flat top portion 22.
  • each raised area 44 abuts and is preferably aligned with a raised area 42 on its lower or outer end and a raised area 48 on its upper or inner end
  • each of these combinations of the three areas may also be defined as a longitudinally stepped abutment 54 of varying heights, (i.e., having raised areas 42, 44 and 48) to permit varying degrees of loose and interference fits between skirt portion 34 and tube outer surface 18.
  • a longitudinally stepped abutment 54 of varying heights, (i.e., having raised areas 42, 44 and 48) to permit varying degrees of loose and interference fits between skirt portion 34 and tube outer surface 18.
  • three or six sets of equally spaced abutments 54 are used.
  • raised areas 42, 44 and 48 are not circumferentially continuous around the periphery of wall 36, but are preferably equally spaced, it should be obvious that segmented breather passages (i.e., the space between wall 36 and tube outer surface 18 as best seen in FIG. 4) exist therebetween. This allows closure device 10 to be used as a breather cap as hereinafter described.
  • cap 10 acts as a substantially loose dust cover (since at least parts of apex portions 46 of raised second areas 44 abut or rest on tube annular end surface 20) and breather cap on tube 12.
  • Second raised areas 44 each of which may for example have a height of about 0.020 inches, decrease the diameter of surface 36 to less than the diameter of tube outer surface 18 so as to provide at least a slight diametral interference fit, preferably in the range from 0.015 to 0.030 inches, between cap 10 and tube 12 as best seen in FIG. 6.
  • cap 10 acts as a fixed dust cover and breather cap.
  • second raised areas 44 are generally tear-drop shaped the areas that experience the greatest interference fit are apex portions 46. Since interference fits are only possible if at least one yieldable member is involved, and since tube 12 is substantially rigid, cap 10 deforms slightly in the areas of apex portions 46 when tube 12 is forced past apex portions 46. This deformation is evidenced by a slight bulging or distortion on the outer surface of skirt portion 34, i.e., in serrated pattern 38, generally radially outwardly of apex portions 46.
  • Third raised areas 48 each of which may for example have a height of about 0.025 inches, again decrease the diameter of surface 36 to less than the diameter of tube outer surface 18 so as to preferably provide a moderate interference fit, preferably in the range from 0.025 to 0.040 inches, between cap 10 and tube 12 as best seen in FIG. 7.
  • cap skirt portion 34 serves as a fixed dust cover and in combination with plug portion 26 (coacting with tube inner surface 16) serves as a gas/liquid tight cap.
  • areas 48 are also generally tear-drop shaped the areas that experience the greatest interference fit are apex portions 50, when tube 12 is forced thereover, with the resulting deformation being again evidenced on the outer surface of skirt portion 34, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8.
  • tube annular end surface 20 abuts cap inner surface 24.
  • the closure devices or caps of this invention may be used on almost any type of rigid container having a smooth-walled generally cylindrical outlet portion.
  • the caps are especially useful with test tubes, such as culture tubes, since the caps may be used successively as substantially loose dust covers and breather caps, as fixed dust covers and breather caps and as fixed dust covers and gas/liquid tight caps depending on the degree of affixation i.e., substantially loose fit with raised areas 42; at least a slight interference with raised areas 44; a moderate interference fit and gas/liquid tight seal with raised areas 48 and plug portion 26.
  • a flexible plastic closure for said open end, said closure comprising:
  • a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart second longitudinally extending raised areas generally of tear-drop shape continuing from said first raised areas of a size to provide a slight interference fit with said tube, thereby permitting said closure to act as a fixed dust cover and breather cap, said second raised areas having inwardly projecting apex portions to deform portions of said closure wall portion radially outwardly upon engagement with said tube;
  • an integral annular internal plug member depending from an inner face of said top wall, serving as means to close said container and of a size to make at least an annular line contact with said inner portion;
  • an outer tubular skirt member concentric with said internal plug member having a slightly larger inner diameter than that of said outer portion and further having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart longitudinally extending continuous stepped abutments of varying heights on the inner surface of said skirt member to permit varying degrees of loose and interference fits between said skirt member and said outer portion as said cap is being applied to said outer portion to permit said cap to be used as a loose dust cover and breather cap, a fixed dust cover and breather cap, as well as a fixed dust cover and gas/liquid tight cap, with at least one step of said abutments including a tear-drop shaped area having apex means for deforming a contiguous area of said skirt member lying generally radially outwardly of said tear-drop shaped area.
  • a closure device as defined in claim 4 wherein said longitudinally extending stepped abutments progressively increase in height as they extend away from the open end of said skirt member to permit progressively decreasing loose fits and progressively increasing interference fits between said skirt member and said container as said cap is progressively applied to said container neck or mouth portion.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
US314271A 1972-12-11 1972-12-11 Closure device of plastic for tubes and containers Expired - Lifetime US3921845A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US314271A US3921845A (en) 1972-12-11 1972-12-11 Closure device of plastic for tubes and containers
ES420815A ES420815A1 (es) 1972-12-11 1973-11-24 Perfeccionamientos introducidos en los cierres de tubos y contenedores.
DE2359724A DE2359724A1 (de) 1972-12-11 1973-11-30 Verschluss
FR7342980A FR2209698B3 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png) 1972-12-11 1973-12-03
GB5736173A GB1448685A (en) 1972-12-11 1973-12-11 Closure devices electronic thread monitoring devices for textile machines
BE138763A BE808511A (fr) 1972-12-11 1973-12-11 Dispositif de fermeture en matiere plastique pour tubes et recipients
IT32228/73A IT1002324B (it) 1972-12-11 1973-12-27 Dispositivo di tappatura in mate riale plastico per tubi fialette ed altri contenitori con imbocca tura a pareti lisce

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US314271A US3921845A (en) 1972-12-11 1972-12-11 Closure device of plastic for tubes and containers

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
USB314271I5 USB314271I5 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png) 1975-01-28
US3921845A true US3921845A (en) 1975-11-25

Family

ID=23219287

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US314271A Expired - Lifetime US3921845A (en) 1972-12-11 1972-12-11 Closure device of plastic for tubes and containers

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3921845A (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)
BE (1) BE808511A (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)
DE (1) DE2359724A1 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)
ES (1) ES420815A1 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)
FR (1) FR2209698B3 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)
GB (1) GB1448685A (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)
IT (1) IT1002324B (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1980001047A1 (fr) * 1978-11-28 1980-05-29 Dematex Dev & Invest Tube et bouchon pour analyse d'echantillons de sang
US5280809A (en) * 1989-06-30 1994-01-25 Cobe Laboratories, Inc. Medical conduit end breather cap
WO2006136384A1 (de) * 2005-06-22 2006-12-28 Grünenthal GmbH Kappe für einen trinkhalm mit einem zylindrischen innendorn
GB2450943A (en) * 2007-07-13 2009-01-14 Ronald Charnock Pre-paid vehicle fuel dispenser

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2153800B (en) * 1984-02-07 1987-03-11 Ryford Ltd Containers

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3297184A (en) * 1963-11-05 1967-01-10 B D Lab Inc Cap for culture tubes
US3516572A (en) * 1968-09-06 1970-06-23 Sweetheart Plastics Closure having double fastening means
US3672528A (en) * 1970-12-18 1972-06-27 George W Faulstich Neck for wide-mouth jar and cap therefor

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3297184A (en) * 1963-11-05 1967-01-10 B D Lab Inc Cap for culture tubes
US3516572A (en) * 1968-09-06 1970-06-23 Sweetheart Plastics Closure having double fastening means
US3672528A (en) * 1970-12-18 1972-06-27 George W Faulstich Neck for wide-mouth jar and cap therefor

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1980001047A1 (fr) * 1978-11-28 1980-05-29 Dematex Dev & Invest Tube et bouchon pour analyse d'echantillons de sang
US5280809A (en) * 1989-06-30 1994-01-25 Cobe Laboratories, Inc. Medical conduit end breather cap
WO2006136384A1 (de) * 2005-06-22 2006-12-28 Grünenthal GmbH Kappe für einen trinkhalm mit einem zylindrischen innendorn
GB2450943A (en) * 2007-07-13 2009-01-14 Ronald Charnock Pre-paid vehicle fuel dispenser

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
USB314271I5 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png) 1975-01-28
BE808511A (fr) 1974-06-11
IT1002324B (it) 1976-05-20
FR2209698B3 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png) 1976-10-15
ES420815A1 (es) 1976-08-01
DE2359724A1 (de) 1974-06-12
GB1448685A (en) 1976-09-08
FR2209698A1 (US07696358-20100413-C00002.png) 1974-07-05

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