Bottles and jars – Closures – Closure pivoted about receptacle opening
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-01-09
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Closures
Closure pivoted about receptacle opening
C215S225000, C215S238000, C215S303000, C215S307000, C220S263000, C220S291000, C222S556000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170683
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to closures and particularly to a double latch flip seal closure which is utilized in conjunction with a carbonated beverage and container.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Flip top closures are fairly well known in the art. However, typical flip top closures incorporate a biased hinge and stationary base portion wherein the flip top portion of the closure is pushed forward by the biasing action of the hinge forcing the flip top up and away from the base portion of the closure. Further, most prior art flip top closures will not work appropriately with carbonated beverages as the contents are held under considerable pressure.
Other threaded closure are also fairly well known in the art for use with carbonated beverages. However, as is fairly well known, one of the drawbacks with use of standard threaded closures on carbonated beverages is a complete removal of the closure from the container thus allowing the closure to be lost after removal. An additional problem known with standard threaded closures on carbonated beverage containers is the venting of the gas from the beverage upon initial unthreading of the closure in that control of the venting is unattainable using traditional treaded closures. Further, adequate sealing of the container may be a problem in standard threaded closures since a definitive seal between the container mouth and closure top wall may be inadequate to properly keep the high pressure contents.
Of the known prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,580 discloses a flip top dispensing closure having a base ring which is rotatable. As is shown in some of the embodiments, rotation causes opening of a lid which is hingedly connected to the base ring. However, this closure lacks many fundamental aspects of a flip top closure necessary for use with carbonated beverages and does not adequately provide a mechanism for two stage opening of the container. Further, when the flip top closure is placed in the open position, the opening structure prevents the flip top from being closed in that position thereby preventing immediate closing and possibly confusing the user.
The prior art therefore is lacking in a double latch flip top closure which has a rotatable base allowing the flip top to be actuated by rotation of the base portion in a manner suitable for use in conjunction with carbonated beverage containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore been desired to provide a double latch flip top closure which is available for use in conjunction with carbonated beverage containers. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a flip top closure which is a two-piece closure having a double staged opening process and which is suitable for use with carbonated beverages under high pressure. Typically, closures that are utilized on containers having carbonated beverages contained therein must provide adequate sealing for high pressure containment. Such objective is difficult to meet utilizing commonly known prior art flip top dispensers. The two-piece flip seal for carbonated beverages of the present invention meets this objective.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a double latch flip top closure which allows the user to vent the gas from within the container prior to fully opening the container. Additionally, an object of the present invention is to provide a double latch closure which allows the flip top to be closed when at the same location on the container rotationally that it has been opened, thus allowing the flip top to be fully opened and closed along the same circumferential point on the container neck.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a double latch dispensing closure for utilization with pressurized containers wherein the flip top portion of the cap has a biased hinge which forces the flip top cap into the open or closed position.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a two-stage dispensing cap for pressurized containers wherein the flip top has an annular plug seal for tight sealing of the flip top with the container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flip top closure which has adequate tamper-indicating means located thereon such that upon first use of the two-stage dispensing cap, visual means are provided indicating prior use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a two-stage dispensing cap for utilization with pressurized containers wherein the dispensing cap remains permanently attached to the neck of the container, but is rotatable thereon.
It is an additional object in conjunction herewith to provide a two-stage dispensing closure which provides primary lugs for activation of the flip top upon initial rotation of the closure and which further provides for complete opening of the flip upon continued rotation of the collar for the closure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a two stage dispensing cap for attachment to a container, comprising a collar rotatably affixed to said container, a flip top hingedly connected to said collar having a top wall and a depending side wall, said side wall having a lifting lug and a lid retaining lug co-aligned on the interior thereof, said lifting lug above said lid retaining lug, wherein said container further has an upper bead and a lower bead directly therebelow, a primary upper cam and a primary lower cam, said primary upper cam co-aligned with said primary lower cam, said primary upper cam extending upward from the upper surface of said upper bead, said primary lower cam extending downward from said lower bead, and further having a secondary cam, said secondary cam extending downward from said upper bead and located rotationally past said primary cams.
All of the above-outlined objectives are met by the two-stage, double latch flip top dispensing closure for pressurized containers described herein.
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Middleton & Reutlinger
Newhouse Nathan J.
Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
Salazar John F.
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