Bottles and jars – Closures – Frangible member or portion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-28
2001-07-03
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Closures
Frangible member or portion
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253940
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to tamper-indicating closures, to methods of manufacturing such closures, and to a package that includes such a closure on a container.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is conventional to form a tamper-indicating closure having a band connected to the skirt of the closure by integral frangible bridges. The band has a stop element (e.g., a flange or bead) that engages a bead on the container to resist unthreading of the closure, so that removal of the closure ruptures the frangible bridges that connect the band to the closure skirt. U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 33,265, 4,322,009 and 4,432,461, assigned to the assignee hereof, disclose tamper-indicating closures of this character, in which the tamper-indicating band is completely severed from the closure skirt and remains with the container upon removal of the closure from the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,600, also assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses a tamper-indicating closure in which the tamper-indicating band remains connected to the closure skirt and is removed from the container with the closure.
Although tamper-indicating closures of the types disclosed in the noted patents have enjoyed substantial commercial acceptance and success in the art, further improvements remain desirable. In particular, it is desirable in many applications to provide facility for flushing the region between the tamper-indicating band and the container finish so as to prevent accumulation of liquid after a filling operation. For example, problems are encountered when employing this type of closure in so-called wet finish applications, in which liquid may spill during or after the filling operation onto the outside surface of the container finish so as to be disposed between the container finish and the closure skirt after capping. Wet finish situations of this type are encountered during hot-fill, cold-fill and aseptic-fill situations, in which the containers are filled close to the brim or to overflow prior to capping. Wet finish situations can also be encountered during filling operations in which liquid may drip from the filling machinery onto the container finish. In wet-finish situations of this type, problems are encountered in connection with draining and drying of the area between the outer surface of the container finish and the closure skirt—i.e., between the threads on the container finish and skirt, and around the tamper-indicating band and the stop element. Liquid trapped within this area can result in growth of mold and mildew.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a closure and a method of manufacturing a closure that facilitate flushing of the area between the tamper-indicating band and the container finish during an otherwise conventional washing operation after the closure is applied to the container finish. A further object of the present invention is to provide a closure and method of manufacture that facilitate both drainage of liquid products after capping and improved air flow between the closure and container finish for drying after capping. Another and related object of the present invention is to provide a closure and method of manufacture that achieve the foregoing objectives while retaining the advantages of the closures disclosed in the above-noted patents in terms of ease of application to the container finish after filling (lower top load and lower temperature) and whole or partial rupture of the tamper-indicating band from the closure skirt to provide the tamper-indicating feature. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a package, which includes a closure and a container, that is particularly well adapted for use in conjunction with wet finish applications as described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A tamper-indicating closure of integrally molded plastic construction in accordance with presently a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a base wall having a peripheral skirt with internal means, such as a thread or bead, for affixing the closure to the container finish. A tamper-indicating band is connected to an edge of the skirt by frangible means, such as a thin membrane or a plurality of circumferentially spaced integral frangible bridges. Stop means, such as a flange or bead, extends from an edge of the band remote from the skirt for abutment with a bead on the container finish to inhibit removal of the closure absent fracture of the frangible means. A plurality of circumferentially spaced openings extend radially through the skirt at a position between the frangible means and the internal means. These openings provide for ingress of cleansing solution during a washing operation after the closure is applied to a container to flush any residue from between the tamper-indicating band and the closure finish. Drain openings preferably are provided in the stop means and/or the tamper-indicating band to allow drainage of the flushing solution, and also to allow drainage of any accumulated liquid in wet-finish applications.
The radial openings preferably extend through the skirt at a position spaced from and not intersecting the frangible means that connect the tamper-indicating band to the free edge of the skirt, such that the openings remain peripherally bounded by the skirt upon fracture of the frangible means and separation of the band from the skirt. With the through-openings so bounded or surrounded by the closure skirt, the openings do not present sharp edges or burrs at the free edge of the skirt following separation of the tamper-indicating band, which might snag on anything that comes into contact with the closure skirt. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the skirt is flared radially outwardly between the base wall and the frangible means to facilitate manufacture. The plurality of circumferentially spaced openings in the skirt extend radially through the flared portion of the skirt.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a tamper-indicating closure that comprises the step of integrally molding a closure of plastic as-molded construction that includes a base wall having a peripheral skirt with internal means for affixing the closure to a container, a tamper-indicating band connected by frangible means to an edge of the skirt, stop means extending from an edge of the band remote from the skirt for abutment with the container finish to inhibit removal of the closure absent fracture of the frangible means, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings that extend radially through the skirt at a position between the frangible means and the base wall. The closure is molded by injection molding or compression molding. A third aspect of the invention contemplates such a closure on a container having a finish with an external thread and an external bead for abutment with the stop means.
A method of filling and capping a container in accordance with another aspect of the present invention includes providing a container having a finish with an external thread and an external bead. A tamper-indicating closure has a base wall, a peripheral skirt with an internal thread for engaging the external thread on the container finish, a band connected to the skirt by frangible means, a flange extending from the band for engagement with the external finish bead, and a circumferential array of openings extending through the skirt between the internal thread and the frangible means. The container is filled and the closure is applied to the container finish. Cleansing solution is then directed against the closure skirt, with a portion of such solution passing through the openings in the closure skirt to cleanse the area between the band and the container finish. The closure preferably is provided with drain openings through the band and/or the flange for facilitating drainage of such cleansing solution.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4552328 (1985-11-01), Dutt et al.
patent: 4560076 (1985-12-01), Boik
patent: 4572388 (1986-02-01), Luker et al.
patent: 4573601 (1986-03-01), Berglund
pat
Graham Paul R.
Gregory James L.
Webster Charles A.
Merek Joe
Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
Shoap Allan N.
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