Patents Assigned to Portola Packaging, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5662231
    Abstract: The present invention employs a plastic snap-on cap which engages the neck crown and is internally threaded to engage the neck threads of a conventional container. A foam gasket under the top of the cap prevents leakage by sealing against the neck lip. The cap has internal threads which snap over and then engage under the neck threads. Vertical "barriers" below the cap threads prevent unscrewing the cap so long as the cap skirt is intact. Score lines extend from the bottom edge of the cap skirt to above the internal cap bead which engages the neck crown and extend up to the cap threads. A tear tab is used to tear a vertical strip of the skirt which extends up between the score lines. The cap is thus tamper-evident since it cannot be removed so long as the cap is intact but can be removed by tearing the aforementioned strip. In one modification, a well is formed in the center of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Adams, Daniel Luch
  • Patent number: 5653832
    Abstract: A fitment comprising a pouring spout having a peripheral flange at one end and a closure at a second end is attached to a paperboard carton formed with a hole in a side panel. The carton is moved intermittently along a conveyor, such as that used in a filling machine. An arm having a spud oscillates about a horizontal axis parallel to the conveyor. The arm is pivoted to down position as the carton reaches the fitment attaching station so that the fitment enters the open end of the carton with the spud aligned with the carton hole. The arm is mounted on a first carriage which reciprocates horizontally in a first direction to project the closure through the hole until the flange abuts the inside of the carton panel. An ultrasonic welding horn is mounted on a second carriage which reciprocates in alignment with the first carriage in a second direction opposite the first direction. The horn welds the fitment flange to the inside of the carton panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen C. Thompson, Reynaldo F. Medel, Edward N. Berticevitch, Rodger A. Moody
  • Patent number: 5630520
    Abstract: A tamper-evident closure and specially shaped container neck. The closure has an upper skirt with an engagement structure on the interior of the skirt which cooperates with an engagement structure on the neck. The closure and neck have tamper-evidencing portions which interengage when the closure is seated on the neck to prevent removal of the closure with the tamper-evidencing portions intact. A tear tab reinforced with a vertically extending bend is joined to the tamper-evidencing portion of the closure. The neck has at least one notch shaped and positioned to receive the tear tab when a cap is applied to the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Richard E. Repp, Steven H. Bietzer
  • Patent number: 5624623
    Abstract: A thin-walled, cup shaped container molded of polypropylene, or other suitable material, is formed with a tamper-evident band initially positioned outside the lip at the top of the container wall. The lower edge of the band is connected to the container by spaced frangible bridges. A lid closes off the top of the container and has an outer and inner skirt respectively fitting outside and inside the container lip. The upper end of the band is formed into an annular inward projection overlying the periphery of the lid. Forming the retainer projection is accomplished by bringing a heated tool in contact with the band to heat the same until near its melting temperature. The tool has slanted walls converging at a radius and shaped to bend the projection approximately horizontally inward. The lid cannot be removed without tearing off the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Rawson Chenault
  • Patent number: 5601669
    Abstract: A fitment comprising a pouring spout having a peripheral flange at one end and a closure at a second end is attached to a paperboard carton formed with a hole in a side panel. The carton is moved intermittently along a conveyor, such as that used in a filling machine. An arm having a spud oscillates about a horizontal axis parallel to the conveyor. The arm is pivoted to down position as the carton reaches the fitment attaching station so that the fitment enters the open end of the carton with the spud aligned with the carton hole. The arm is mounted on a first carriage which reciprocates horizontally in a first direction to project the closure through the hole until the flange abuts the inside of the carton panel. An ultrasonic welding horn is mounted on a second carriage which reciprocates in alignment with the first carriage in a second direction opposite the first direction. The horn welds the fitment flange to the inside of the carton panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger A. Moody, Gerald M. Blain, Ronald J. Billet
  • Patent number: 5597082
    Abstract: For tent-type paperboard containers as well as other containers, a spout fitment is attached surrounding a hole in the container. The fitment spout has internal threads and an external flange which seals around the hole and is fixed to the container by thermal means, adhesive or the like. The cap has a top disk from which an externally threaded skirt depends. The exterior of the skirt has gripping ribs to assist in screwing and unscrewing the cap. The lower edge of the skirt seals against a sealing membrane on the spout. Surrounding the skirt is a tamper-evident band attached to the lower edges of the ribs by frangible bridges. The tamper-evident band has locking means engaging complementary locking means on the fitment. Thus, the cap cannot be unscrewed without removing the tamper-evident band. By unique design, the fitment and cap may be molded in one mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Brian M. Adams
  • Patent number: 5593055
    Abstract: A tamper-evident, snap-on, screw-off closure is used with a specially shaped container neck. The neck has at least one first helical thread on a neck stretch portion, and at least one external ratchet tooth on a locking wall portion below the neck stretch. The closure has an upper skirt having at least one second helical thread mating with the first helical thread of the neck and a lower skirt with at least one internal ratchet tooth shaped and positioned to engage the external ratchet tooth when the closure is applied to the neck. The teeth formed on the skirt interior and neck exterior are arranged to provide at least one circumferentially extending stretch of the tamper-evident band where the teeth are not engaged. A line of weakness extending vertically through the disengaged stretch of the tamper-evident band is ruptured when the closure is unscrewed from the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Repp, William R. West, Daniel Luch
  • Patent number: 5573134
    Abstract: A container having a body and a tamper-evident band and a lid for closing the container. The band has a proximal portion frangibly attached to the container body and a distal portion. The distal portion of the band is deformable to an inward extending orientation with the distal portion shaped and positioned to extend inwardly across the peripheral outer portion of a lid. The deformed distal portion of the band optionally has a curvature of 90.degree. to 360.degree. or more. The lid optionally has an annular groove for concealing the terminus of the band. The lid may also have an outward extending peripheral flange, an upward extending annular rib and a stacking ring for arranging several lids in a nested stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Rawson L. Chenault, Daniel Luch
  • Patent number: 5528814
    Abstract: A thin-walled, wide mouth molded plastic container is provided with a tamper evident band initially molded as a straight-walled cylinder spaced outwardly of the lip of the container and connected thereto by a frangible horizontal bridge. The upper edge of the cylindrical band extends above the level of the container lip. Subsequent to molding and preferably before capping, the band is curled inward by application of a curling tool. The container lid is axially applied, the outer edge of the lid displacing the curled band outward. The resilience of the band and bridge permits outward deflection and immediate restoration of the curl to its initial position. The curl prevents removal of the lid without fracture of the bridge and removal of the tamper-evident band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Rawson Chenault
  • Patent number: 5513763
    Abstract: The present invention employs a plastic snap-on cap which engages both the neck crown of a container having a rectangular body and a neck having screw threads and is internally threaded to engage the neck threads of the conventional container. A foam gasket under the top of the cap prevents leakage by sealing against the neck lip. The cap has internal threads which snap over and then engage under the neck threads. Vertical "barriers" below the cap threads prevent unscrewing the cap so long as the cap skirt is intact. Score lines extend from the bottom edge of the cap skirt to above the internal cap bead which engages the neck crown and extend up to the cap threads. A tear tab is used to tear a vertical strip of the skirt which extends up between the score lines. The cap is thus tamper-evident since it cannot be removed so long as the cap is intact but can be removed by tearing the aforementioned strip. In one modification, a well is formed in the center of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Adams, Daniel Luch
  • Patent number: 5512228
    Abstract: A tamper-evident thermoplastic fitment having a spout and a closure for said spout are welded to a polymer-coated paperboard container or to a flexible plastic container. The fitment and closure are initially molded simultaneously but with a substantial space between the two parts interconnected by an elongated runner which conducts molten plastic from the closure to the fitment. Upon retraction of the core of the mold, the closure is pulled into the spout until shoulders on the parts engage, whereupon the closure is stripped from the mold core. The runner comprises a tear tab which slides through an apertured space on the closure. When the parts engage tangs on the tear tab engage the space, making the assembly tamper-evident. The fitment has a flange which may be welded or otherwise secured to the container. The tab may be pulled by the consumer to open the container. The closure may be unscrewed from the spout or otherwise disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Adams, Daniel Luch, Rawson L. Chenault
  • Patent number: 5480045
    Abstract: A blow molded container has a cylindrical neck portion with novel seven circumferentially spaced continuous spiral thread configurations on its exterior to immediately receive and engage an improved tamper indicating flexible cap comprising a top with an annular depending wall on its peripheral edge and seven circumferentially spaced continuous spiral thread configurations on the inner surface of the annular depending wall. The novel constructions enable the tamper indicating flexible cap to immediately engage the lead-in ends of the seven circumferentially spaced thread patterns on the exterior of the neck of the container without the heretofore necessary rotation of the prior art caps in order to engage the single spiral thread configuration on the neck of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Luca Molinaro, Robert E. Crisci, Harry E. Crisci
  • Patent number: 5465876
    Abstract: A tamper evident resealable cap for use on a bottle, the cap having an upstanding pour spout registering with an opening in the center of the cap and a smaller diameter plug positioned thereabove on a plurality of upwardly angled legs on the pour spout. The cap having a flexible annular ring attached to the cap by a plurality of radially extending frangible elements with the plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inwardly extending angular projections arranged for registration with a neck portion on the bottle to prevent rotation in one direction without removal of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Crisci
  • Patent number: 5456376
    Abstract: A tamper-evident snap-on, screw-off closure is used with a specially shaped container neck. The neck has at least one first helical thread on an upper neck stretch portion, and a first tamper-evident structure having a first locking member. The closure has an upper skirt having at least one second helical thread mating with the first helical thread of the neck. The closure includes a second tamper-evident structure having a second locking member shaped and positioned to engage the first locking member when the closure is applied to the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Richard E. Repp
  • Patent number: 5437140
    Abstract: An auto rotation capping device for use on bottle cappers to provide for a final partial tightening rotation of a pre-positioned tamper evident push on cap. The auto rotation cap tightening device includes a support and guide housing with a recessed cap engagement chuck that imparts partial rotation to the cap by the vertical movement of the bottle cap against the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Luca Molinaro
  • Patent number: 5415306
    Abstract: A tamper-evident, snap-on, screw-off closure which is used with a specially shaped container neck is provided with a foil liner. Once the closure is applied to the neck, the foil liner is sealed to the neck of the container. The foil liner includes a tab for removal of the seal disc from the neck. The closure is characterized by the absence of a second liner between the top of the cap and the foil liner. The cap and the foil liner are formed to inhibit adherence of the tab to the interior of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Johnny S. Henson, Richard E. Repp
  • Patent number: 5398836
    Abstract: A thin-walled, cup shaped container molded of polypropylene, or other suitable material, is formed with a tamper-evident band initially positioned outside the lip at the top of the container wall. The lower edge of the band is connected to the container by spaced frangible bridges. A lid closes off the top of the container and has an outer and inner skirt respectively fitting outside and inside the container lip. The upper end of the band is formed into an annular inward projection overlying the periphery of the lid. Forming the retainer projection is accomplished by bringing a heated tool in contact with the band to heat the same until near its melting temperature. The tool has slanted walls converging at a radius and shaped to bend the projection approximately horizontally inward. The lid cannot be removed without tearing off the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Rawson Chenault
  • Patent number: 5397013
    Abstract: A fitment attached around an aperture in a container has a flange from which extends a spout closed by an initially integrally molded externally threaded plug. So long as the fitment and plug are in their original position after molding, the combination is tamper-evident. The plug is moved axially into the spout, with a liquid-tight fit. The plug has an outward extending tab formed with a slot and the fitment has an upward extending finger aligned with the slot in the tab and formed with tangs which lock the finger and tab together as the plug is moved into the spout, thereby making the device tamper-evident. A characteristic of the invention is that a tether interconnects the plug and the upper edge of the spout to prevent disconnection of the one from the other. As a further feature of the invention, an over-size foil seal extends across the bottom of the flange and is welded or otherwise adhered to the bottom of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Adams, Daniel Luch
  • Patent number: D358769
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc., a Delaware Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, Richard E. Repp
  • Patent number: D359685
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Luch