Dispensing – With lock or fastening seal – Single-use fastening seal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2001-04-10
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With lock or fastening seal
Single-use fastening seal
C222S153020, C222S538000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213350
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to closures and in particular to a closure for use in sealing containers for fluids.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Like the manufacturers of foodstuffs and beverages, the manufacturers of motor vehicle oils, such as engine and transmission oil, have become concerned to ensure that the product sold to consumers has not suffered tamper prior to its use by the consumer. To provide a greater indication of attempted or successful tamper, tamper evident bands that at least partially fracture from the closure on removal of the closure from the container have been used.
Because of the increase in recent years of self-service petrol stations and the sale of vehicle products, including oil, from convenience and department stores, it has now become common for the general public to both check their vehicle's various oil levels and top up the level as required. In order to ensure a minimum of fuss and mess, oil is now sometimes sold in containers in which instead of having to remove the closure, a tube is pre-positioned through an aperture in the top of the closure. The tube can be extended by the consumer without removing the closure to allow more precise pouring of the oil where required and so lessen the likelihood of mess.
While the provision of a tube through an aperture in the closure has a number of advantages, it does have the disadvantage of providing an alternative means of accessing and tampering with the contents of the container to the later detriment of the consumer of the product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention consists in a closure for a container, the closure comprising a top portion having an outer surface and a skirt depending from the top portion, there being an aperture through the top portion adapted to receive therethrough a tube having a first end, the outer surface being connected by a frangible connection to a cap adapted to prevent fluid communication between the first end of a tube received through the aperture and the outer surface.
In one embodiment, the cap for the tube is connected by the frangible connection to a collar that surrounds the aperture and extends upwardly from the top portion. The inner surface of the collar is preferably arranged to guide the tube through the aperture and also provide a seal to substantially prevent leaking of the contents of the container between the tube and the closure.
In a further embodiment, a further collar that surrounds the aperture can extend downwardly from the top portion to further help guide the tube through the aperture. The inner surface of the collar extending downwardly from the top portion can be frusto-conical to enhance the engagement and the sealing between the collar and the tube.
The frangible connection can comprise a plurality of frangible bridges or an area of weakness that will easily fracture on movement of the cap for the tube relative to the top portion. Fracture of the frangible connection serves to readily identify to the consumer that the tube has been previously extended from the container and that tamper of the contents of the contents may have occurred.
The cap for the tube can have a circular top portion and a skirt depending from an underside of the top portion. This circular top portion can extend outwardly beyond the radial extent of the skirt. An annular sealing rib can also extend from the underside of the top portion and seal with the outer surface, inner surface and/or the end of the tube. The skirt of the cap preferably has engagement means arranged to engage the cap with the tube. The tube is preferably a resiliently flexible material and the engagement means preferably comprises a screw thread that engages with the outer surface of the resiliently flexible tube.
The container closure can also have an annular sealing rib extending downwardly from the underside of its top portion and proximate the skirt. This annular sealing rib can also seal with either the outer surface, inner surface and/or the end of the container.
The inner surface of the skirt depending from the top portion of the container closure preferably has a screw thread complementary to a screw thread on the neck of the container.
A free edge of the skirt of the container closure is also preferably connected by a frangible connection to a tamper evident band. This frangible connection can comprise a plurality of fragile bridges or an area of weakness between the skirt and the band. The inner surface of the band preferably has a locking means which engages with a complementary locking means on the neck of the container below the screw thread thereon. On removal of the closure from the container, the locking means on the band engages with the locking means on the neck of the container such that at least partial fracture occurs to the frangible connection between the skirt and the band. In one embodiment, the locking means on the inner surface of the band can comprise inwardly extending projections that engage under the outwardly extending projections on the container neck as the closure is removed from the container.
The closure can be fabricated to seal a container for liquid. In a preferred embodiment, the closure is fabricated from materials suitable for sealing a container for oils and, in particular, various oils for motor vehicles and the like. In on embodiment, the closure is fabricated from a resilient plastics material, preferably polypropylene. The tube is preferably fabricated from poly(vinyl chloride).
In a further aspect, the present invention consists in a closure according to the present invention with a tube being positioned through the aperture and sealed by the cap.
In yet a further aspect, the present invention consists in a container having the closure described above mounted thereon.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3496746 (1970-02-01), Laurizio
patent: 4019663 (1977-04-01), Krautkramer
patent: 4022357 (1977-05-01), Dwinell
patent: 4461406 (1984-07-01), Vannucci
patent: 4650096 (1987-03-01), Thatcher
patent: 4726491 (1988-02-01), Moon
patent: 5388712 (1995-02-01), Brody
patent: 5456374 (1995-10-01), Beck
patent: 37273/58 (1959-10-01), None
patent: 23812/88 (1988-09-01), None
patent: 70211/91 (1991-02-01), None
patent: 20911/92 (1992-08-01), None
patent: 50605/96 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 583576 (1993-06-01), None
Bayliss, Improvements in or relating to Pouring Devices for Containers, English Provisional Application, May 1961.
Bonderer David A.
Shaver Kevin
Thorpe North & Western
LandOfFree
Closure having tube aperture does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Closure having tube aperture, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Closure having tube aperture will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2467750