CONTAINER CLOSURE
A container closure 10 for use with a bottle-type container, comprises an integrally formed plastics body 12 including a dispensing part 14 and a cap part 16 connected by a plastics hinge formation. The dispensing part 14 includes a base formation 20 having a depending skirt 22 for engaging the rim of the container and a dispensing nipple 24. The cap part 16 is hingedly displaceable between an open position and a covering position in which the cap part 16 covers the base formation 20 and in which internal nipple sealing formations 30 cover the nipple 24 and hermetically seal the orifice defined thereby. The base formation and the cap part define complementary secondary sealing formations that sealingly engage one another when the cap part is in its covering position for sealing an internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
THIS INVENTION relates to a container closure.
The invention relates particularly to a container closure for a bottle-type container, i.e. a container that has a neck including a rim at the end of the neck that defines an orifice. Any reference hereinafter to a container must be interpreted as a reference to a bottle-type container of the above type.
BACKGROUND TO INVENTIONThe container closure for a bottle-type container particularly is a plastics closure of the type that includes a dispensing part including a base formation having an operatively depending skirt, for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim defined by the neck of a container around its orifice, and a dispensing nipple formation that projects from the base formation and through which a liquid contained in the container can be dispensed/consumed. The container closure includes also a cap part that defines a dome formation, the cap part being integrally formed with the dispensing part and being connected thereto by a plastic hinge formation that permits displacement of the cap part between a covering position, in which the dome formation partially covers the dispensing part and blocks the nipple formation of the dispensing part via internal formations defined thereby, and an open position, in which the nipple formation is exposed and products contained in an associated container can be dispensed/consumed.
A container closure of the above type also commonly includes one or more of the following:
a first anti-tamper arrangement, including typically a tamper indicating ring, secured to the skirt of the dispensing formation via a frangible formation, for operatively indicating first removal of the entire closure from a container by complete or partial separation of the ring from the skirt;
a second anti-tamper arrangement, including at least one portion of a skirt formation, extending along at least a part of the periphery of the dome formation of the cap part and being attached to the cap part via a frangible formation, and the base formation of the dispensing part, which define complementary engagement formations configured to permanently inter-engage one another upon first displacement of the cap part into its covering position, i.e. following injection moulding which occurs commonly with the cap part in an open position, and thus requiring separation of at least part of the said portion of the skirt formation of the cap part from the remainder of the cap part upon first displacement of the cap part into its open position; and
sealing formations defined by the cap part that hermetically seal the nipple formation of the base formation of the closure when the cap part is in its covering position.
A problem that has been identified with the use of a container closure of the above type is associated with its use in conjunction with a container containing, for example, a beverage that does not include preservatives and that requires to be effectively protected against bacteria. Although the nipple formation projecting from the base formation of such a closure is effectively protected, the operative relationship between the base formation and the cap part, when in its covering position, is such that air and liquid can enter the space defined within the cap part externally of the base formation. As such, entering of bacteria into the space is not effectively protected against. It also is common to dip a container closure into an acid that has anti-bacterial properties and the said relationship between the base formation and the cap part of the closure referred to will permit acid to enter the space referred to, which again is not satisfactory.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide a container closure of the abovementioned type in respect of which the problems identified above are at least ameliorated.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONAccording to the invention there is provided a container closure, which comprises a plastics body including:
a dispensing part including a base formation having an operatively depending skirt, for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim defined by the neck of a container around its orifice, and a dispensing nipple formation, projecting from the base formation;
a cap part including a dome formation defining at least one internal nipple sealing formation;
a plastic hinge formation connecting the cap part to the dispensing part and permitting displacement of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part between an open position as moulded, in which the nipple formation of the dispensing part is exposed, and a covering position in which an internal space is defined between the cap part and the dispensing part and in which the nipple sealing formation defined by the cap part covers the nipple formation of the dispensing part and hermetically seals the nipple formation,
the container closure being characterised in that the cap part and the dispensing part define complementary secondary sealing formations that sealingly engage each other when the cap part is in its covering position for sealing the internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the dispensing part and the cap part define opposing peripheral abutment faces that abut one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position, said opposing abutment faces defining the complementary secondary sealing formations for sealing the internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
The abutment face defined by the dispensing part may be a cylindrical, peripheral outer face portion of a raised crest formation defined by the base formation of the dispensing part and the abutment face defined by the cap part may be a complementary inner face portion that, in the covering position of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part, overlappingly engages the raised crest formation defined by the base formation of the dispensing part.
For the above abutment faces, the complementary secondary sealing formations may include a projecting peripheral rib formation projecting radially inwardly from the abutment face defined by the cap part and a peripheral groove defined within the abutment face of the dispensing part, which sealingly engage one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position with respect to the dispensing part. The peripheral rib formation and the complementary peripheral groove forming the complementary secondary sealing formations may provide for the cap part to clip into its covering position when displaced from its open position into its covering position.
Further according to the invention, the container closure may include a first anti-tamper arrangement including a tamper indicating ring secured to the skirt of the dispensing formation via a frangible formation for operatively indicating first removal of the entire closure from a container by complete or partial separation of the tamper indicating ring from the skirt.
The container closure may include a second anti-tamper arrangement which may include at least one portion of a skirt formation extending along at least a part of the periphery of the dome formation of the cap part and being attached to the cap part via a frangible formation and the dispensing formation, the skirt formation of the second anti-tamper arrangement and the base formation of the dispensing part defining complementary engagement formations configured to permanently engage one another upon first displacement of the cap part into its covering position, thus requiring separation of at least a part of the said portion of the skirt formation of the cap part from the remainder of the cap part upon first displacement of the cap part into its open position.
The invention is described below with reference to two embodiments of a container closure, in accordance with the invention, which are illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:
Referring initially to
The dispensing part 14 includes a base formation 20 having an operatively depending, internally threaded skirt 22, the dispensing part being configured for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim defined by the neck of a bottle-type container around its orifice. The dispensing part 14 includes also a dispensing nipple formation 24 (see
The cap part 16 of the container closure 10 includes a dome formation 28, the cap part being displaceable with respect to the dispensing part between an open position, in which the closure is moulded and in which the nipple formation 24 of the dispensing part is exposed (as shown in
The cap part 16 includes also a second anti-tamper arrangement, particularly in the form of an anti-tamper tab 32 that is connected to the cap part 16 by a frangible formation along a line 34, the tab 32 defining engagement formations 36 which are configured to permanently engage complementary formations 38 defined by the base formation 14 upon first displacement of the cap part into its covering position, following the manufacture of the closure 10 by an injection moulding process which provides for the cap part to be formed while in its open position. First opening of the cap part 16 thus requires displacement of the tab 32 in the configuration as shown in
Insofar as the configuration of the container closure 10 as described above is already known and insofar as this does not form a part of the present invention, this is not described in any further detail herein.
Referring particularly to
The container closure 10 is thus particularly suitable for use in conjunction with bottle-type containers of which the contents must be protected against bacteria, and the like.
Referring now to
For the remainder, the closure 60 again includes a sealing arrangement effective between the cap part 66 and the dispensing part 64, for effectively sealing the internal space within the cap part above the base formation of the dispensing part in an equivalent manner to that described above with respect to the closure 10 (see
It will be appreciated that the principles associated with the invention, which provide essentially for sealing of the space between the cap part and the base formation of the dispensing part of a closure of the type herein envisaged, can be achieved in different ways and can be associated with container closures of various different configurations, but of the general type. The invention accordingly extends also to all such alternative configurations of container closures which incorporate the essential principles of the present invention.
Claims
1. A container closure, which comprises a plastics body including:
- a dispensing part including a base formation having an operatively depending skirt, for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim defined by the neck of a container around its orifice, and a dispensing nipple formation, projecting from the base formation;
- a cap part including a dome formation defining at least one internal nipple sealing formation;
- a plastic hinge formation connecting the cap part to the dispensing part and permitting displacement of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part between an open position as moulded, in which the nipple formation of the dispensing part is exposed, and a covering position in which an internal space is defined between the cap part and the dispensing part and in which the nipple sealing formation defined by the cap part covers the nipple formation of the dispensing part and hermetically seals the nipple formation,
- the container closure being characterised in that the cap part and the dispensing part define complementary secondary sealing formations that sealingly engage each other when the cap part is in its covering position for hermetically sealing the internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
2. The container closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the dispensing part and the cap part define opposing peripheral abutment faces that abut one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position, said opposing abutment faces defining the complementary secondary sealing formations for sealing the internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
3. The container closure as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the abutment face defined by the dispensing part comprises a cylindrical, peripheral outer face portion of a raised crest formation defined by the base formation of the dispensing part and the abutment face defined by the cap part comprises a complementary inner face portion that, in the covering position of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part, overlappingly engages the raised crest formation defined by the base formation of the dispensing part.
4. The container closure as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the complementary secondary sealing formations comprise a projecting peripheral rib formation projecting radially inwardly from the abutment face defined by the cap part and a peripheral groove defined within the abutment face of the dispensing part, which sealingly engage one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position with respect to the dispensing part.
5. The container closure as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the peripheral rib formation and the complementary peripheral groove forming the complementary secondary sealing formations, provide for the cap part to clip into its covering position when displaced from its open position into its covering position.
6. The container closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the container closure includes a first anti-tamper arrangement, including a tamper indicating ring secured to the skirt of the dispensing formation via a frangible formation for operatively indicating first removal of the entire closure from a container by complete or partial separation of the tamper indicating ring from the skirt.
7. The container closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the container closure includes a second anti-tamper arrangement including at least one portion of a skirt formation extending along at least a part of the periphery of the dome formation and being attached to the cap part via a frangible formation, the skirt formation of the second anti-tamper arrangement and the base formation of the dispensing part defining complementary engagement formations configured to permanently engage one another upon first displacement of the cap part into its covering position, thus requiring separation of at least a part of said portion of the skirt formation of the cap part from the remainder of the cap part upon first displacement of the cap part into its open position.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 2, 2009
Publication Date: May 12, 2011
Inventor: Raoul Eugenio Fontana (Umkomaas)
Application Number: 13/003,393
International Classification: B65D 47/00 (20060101);