PACKAGE WITH LID-SEALING SYSTEM

Abstract

A package includes a container and a lid adapted to mate with a brim of the container. The lid closes a top opening in the container when mounted to the brim of the container.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/104,445, filed Jan. 16, 2015, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a package, and particularly to a package including a container and a closure for the container. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a process for mounting the closure on a brim of the container filled at a container filling and closing line at a factory.

SUMMARY

A package in accordance with the present disclosure includes a container and a closure adapted to mate with a brim of the container to close an opening into an interior product-storage region formed in the container. In illustrative embodiments, the package is configured to store food in the product-storage region formed in the container.

In illustrative embodiments, the closure has an elastic membrane sheet permanently bonded to a semi-rigid sheet-support ring configured to be coupled to the brim of the container. The membrane sheet is made of a plastics material.

In an illustrative closure-coupling process in accordance with the present disclosure, a product (such as food) is discharged into an interior product-storage region formed in the container, then the closure is mated with a portion of the container brim and deformed as the closure is moved downwardly relative to the container under a force applied by a moving sealing head during coupling of the closure to the container. The moving sealing head includes a sheet-support ring pusher and a burp plug. The sheet-support ring pusher presses on the sheet-support ring until the closure mechanically couples with the container brim. The burp plug presses on the membrane sheet either concurrently with the mechanical coupling of afterwards. Following mechanical coupling, the closure is moved along the container brim to establish a brim-wiping motion to cause substantially all of any spilled product located on an upwardly facing top surface of the brim to be displaced and wiped off of the container brim so that little, if any, spilled product remains on the container brim and the surface area of the closure that mates with the underlying container brim is maximized.

In an illustrative closure-coupling process in accordance with the present disclosure, the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet is heated by a heater included in the movable sealing head that is used to couple the closure to the container brim. Sufficient heat is transferred to the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet to establish a chemical-bond sealed connection between the membrane sheet and an inner perimeter region of the container brim. The chemical-bond sealed connection between the membrane sheet and the container brim will be broken the first time the closure is removed from the container by a consumer. After the chemical-bond sealed connection is broken a first time, the consumer can couple the closure to the container.

In an illustrative process, the heat applied to the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet causes any residual spilled product that may remain in a space provided on the container brim under the closure after exposure to the wiping action of the deformed sheet-support ring and stretched membrane sheet to be gasified. The gasified residual spilled product will pass as a gas into the surroundings so that no spilled product remains on the container brim.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative container filling and closing process in accordance with the present disclosure in which a container is moved on a conveyor in a factory and suggesting that the process includes the steps of: (1) filling the container with food; (2) placing a closure including a membrane sheet bonded to a sheet-support ring on the brim of the container; (3) placing the closure and container in a container-receiving support fixture arranged to lie under a movable sealing head; (4) moving the sealing head downwardly to engage the closure; (5) applying a downward force with the sealing head to the sheet-support ring and a ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet as the sheet-support ring engages the brim of the container to couple the closure mechanically to the container brim and to wipe spilled food off the brim of the container while the closure remains coupled to the container brim and applying heat, using a heater provided in the sealing head, to the top of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet while the closure remains coupled mechanically to the container brim to establish a chemical-bond sealed connection between the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet and an inner perimeter region of an upwardly facing top surface of the container brim; and (6) discharging a sealed package configured to be delivered to a consumer;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 before the closure is coupled to the brim included in the container to close a central opening into an interior product-storage region formed in the container and showing that the closure includes an annular sheet-support ring and a membrane sheet;

FIG. 2B is an exploded assembly view of the container of FIG. 2A showing, from bottom to top, a portion of a container-receiving support fixture, the container, the closure including the sheet support ring and the membrane sheet, and the movable sealing head;

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a package in accordance with the present disclosure showing that the package includes the container and the closure coupled to the container;

FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line 3A-3A of FIG. 2C showing the closure coupled to the brim included in the container;

FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line 3B-3B of FIG. 2C showing the closure coupled to the brim of the container;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of the circled region of FIG. 3A showing a sheet-support ring protrusion included in the sheet-support ring and arranged to extend inwardly into an outwardly opening undercut space defined by the container brim to lie under a downwardly facing surface of the container brim to retain a portion of the membrane sheet of the closure in a stationary position in sealing engagement with the container brim;

FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the circled region of FIG. 3B showing the sheet-support ring surrounding the brim;

FIGS. 5A-5D are a series of views similar to FIG. 4A showing a process for moving the closure downwardly using a lid mover and a burp plug included in the sealing head to establish a mechanical coupling between the sheet-support ring and the container brim and wiping (i.e., squeegeeing) the remaining thin layer of spilled food from an upwardly facing top surface of the container brim in response to further downward movement of the closure relative to the container to remove substantially all spilled food from the container brim;

FIG. 5A is a view similar to FIG. 4A showing the closure in a first engaged position on the container brim during a closure-mounting step at a factory and showing that some of the food that was discharged toward the interior product-storage region formed in the container during an earlier container filling step (see, for example, STEP 2 in FIG. 1) has landed on the brim of the container to form a mound of spilled food;

FIG. 5B is a view similar to FIG. 5A showing the downwardly moving closure in a subsequent second engaged position on the container brim, the closure is partly coupled with the brim of the container as a result of downward movement of the lid relative to the container brim and showing that the mound of spilled food on the container brim has been partly compressed between the closure and the brim of the container;

FIG. 5C is a view similar to FIG. 5B showing the downwardly moving closure in a subsequent third engaged (coupled) position on the container brim and showing that the mound of spilled food on the container brim has been further compressed into a thin layer between the closure and the brim of the container and that the displacement of some of the thin layer of spilled food on the upwardly facing surface of the container brim moves a first portion of the mound of spilled food radially outward and a second portion of the mound of spilled food radially inward toward the interior product storage region;

FIG. 5D is a view similar to FIG. 5C showing the downwardly moving closure in a subsequent fourth engaged position on the brim of the container in which the sheet-support ring and the container brim are deformed, and showing the burp plug deforming the membrane sheet to displace substantially all of the spilled food and maximizing the surface contact area between the membrane sheet and the container brim, and suggesting that more of the first portion of the mound of spilled food has been pushed radially outward and more of the second small portion has been pushed radially inward toward the interior product storage region;

FIGS. 6A-6D are a series of views similar to FIG. 4B showing an illustrative process for moving the closure downwardly using the lid mover and the burp plug included in the sealing head to establish a mechanical coupling between the sheet-support ring and the container brim and wiping (i.e., squeegeeing) the remaining thin layer of spilled food from an upwardly facing top surface of the container brim in response to further downward movement of the closure relative to the container to remove substantially all spilled food from the container brim;

FIG. 6A is a view similar to FIG. 4B showing the closure in a first engaged position on the container brim during the closure-mounting step at the factory and showing that some of the food that was discharged toward the interior product-storage region formed in the container during an earlier container filling step (see, for example, STEP 2 in FIG. 1) has landed on the brim of the container to form a mound of spilled food;

FIG. 6B is a view similar to FIG. 6A showing the downwardly moving closure in a subsequent second engaged position on the container brim, the closure is coupled partly with the brim of the container as a result of downward movement of the lid relative to the container brim, and showing that the mound of spilled food on the container brim has been partly compressed between the closure and the brim of the container;

FIG. 6C is a view similar to FIG. 6B showing the downwardly moving lid in a subsequent third engaged position on the container brim and showing that the mound of spilled food on the container brim has been further compressed into a thin layer between the closure and the brim of the container and that the displacement of some of the thin layer of spilled food on the container brim moves a third portion of the mound of spilled food radially outward and a fourth portion of the mound of spilled food radially inward toward the interior product storage region;

FIG. 6D is a view similar to FIG. 6C showing the downwardly moving closure in a subsequent fourth engaged position on the brim of the container, the sheet-support ring and the container brim have been deformed, and showing the burp plug deforming the membrane sheet to displace substantially all of the spilled food and maximizing the surface contact area between the membrane sheet and the container brim, and suggesting that more of the third portion of the mound of spilled food has been pushed radially outward and more of the fourth portion of the mound of spilled food has been pushed radially inward toward the interior product storage region;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5A-D of the downwardly moving closure in an engaged position on the brim of the container showing that a heater included in the sealing head has been activated to heat the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet to establish a chemical-bond seal between the membrane sheet and an inner perimeter region of an upwardly facing top surface of the brim and showing diagrammatically that any minute quantity of residual spilled food remaining on the upwardly facing top surface of the brim is gasified during exposure of the brim to heat from the heater and passed as a gas to the surroundings; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 6A-D of the downwardly moving closure in an engaged position on the brim of the container showing that the heater included in the sealing head has been activated to heat the ring-shaped middle portion of the stretched membrane sheet to establish a chemical-bond seal between the membrane sheet and the inner perimeter region of the upwardly facing top surface of the brim and showing diagrammatically that any minute quantity of residual spilled food remaining on the upwardly facing top surface of the brim is gasified during exposure of the brim to heat from the heater and passed as a gas to the surroundings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method of providing a package 10 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1. A closure 14 is coupled to a brim 18 of a container 12 using downwardly directed force 220F and heat 220H to provide the package 10 in a sequence of illustrative steps shown, for example, in FIG. 1. As suggested in STEPS 1-3 of FIG. 1, container 12 is filled with food product and closure 14 is coupled to container 12 to close container 12. Container 12 and closure 14 are then placed in a container-receiving support fixture 210 as suggested in STEP 4 of FIG. 1. A sheet-support ring 24 and a membrane sheet 22 of closure 14 is moved by a movable sealing head 220 in a container filling and closing process as suggested diagrammatically in STEP 5 of FIG. 1 and in FIGS. 5A-5D and 6A-6D to wipe away any spilled product 306 (e.g., food) deposited inadvertently on container brim 18 during filling of container 12 to maximize mating contact between closure 14 and an upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18.

A heater 224 included in movable sealing head 220 is operated to apply heat 220H to a ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 of closure 14 as suggested in STEP 5 of FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2B, 7, and 8 while sheet-support ring 24 is coupled mechanically to container brim 18. Applied heat 220H establishes a chemical-bond sealed connection 101 between ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 and an inner perimeter region 18I of upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 at a container filling and closing factory as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 8. This chemical-bond sealed connection will be broken the first time a consumer removes closure 14 from container 12. In illustrative embodiments, applied heat 220H causes any minute quantity of residual spilled product 306 extant on container brim 18 and located in a space provided between sheet-support ring 24 and ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 and upwardly facing top surface 18T of brim 18 to be gasified and pass as a gas 306G into the surroundings as suggested diagrammatically in FIGS. 7 and 8 so that no spilled product 306 remains on container brim 18.

An illustrative container filling and closing process is shown in FIG. 1. In STEP 1, a product 304 such as food is discharged from a food product supply 300 through a dispenser 302 into an interior product-storage region 15 formed in container 12 before closure 14 is coupled to brim 18 of container 12. In STEP 2, closure 14 is placed on top of brim 18 of container 12 as suggested in FIG. 1. A portion of container 12 is broken away to reveal food product 304 located in interior product-storage region 15. As shown, some of food product 304 landed inadvertently on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 during STEP 1 to cause a mound of spilled product 306 to be located on upwardly facing top surface 18T of brim 18. In STEP 3, filled container 12 is placed in container-receiving support fixture 210 arranged to lie under a movable sealing head 220 comprising a lid mover 222, a heater 224, and a burp plug 226 as suggested in FIG. 2B. It is within the scope of this disclosure to place container 12 in container-receiving support fixture 210 before STEP 1.

In STEP 4, movable sealing head 220 is moved in a downward direction 220D to cause burp plug 226 to engage a central portion 22C of membrane sheet 22 and to cause lid mover 222 to engage sheet-support ring 24 while closure 14 is at rest on container brim 18. In STEP 5, lid mover 222 of movable sealing head 220 is moved by a sealing head mover 220 to apply downwardly directed force 220F to closure 14 as closure 14 engages container brim 18 to couple mechanically closure 14 to container brim 18 and to displace spilled food 306 as suggested in FIGS. 5A-5D and 6A-6D. In STEP 5, a heater 224 provided in movable sealing head 220 is used to apply downwardly directed heat 220H to ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 while closure 14 remains mechanically coupled to container brim 18 as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 8 to establish a chemical-bond sealed connection 101 between ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 and inner perimeter region 18I of upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18. In STEP 6, a sealed package 10 comprising container 12 and closure 14 is presented and ready for storage, transportation, or use by a consumer.

Package 10 includes container 12 and closure 14 as shown in FIG. 2A. Closure 14 is configured to mate with container 12 to close a top opening 16 into interior product-storage region 15 formed in container 12 as suggested in FIGS. 1-4. Closure 14 comprises sheet-support ring 24 and membrane sheet as suggested in FIG. 2B. Membrane sheet 22 includes a ring-shaped outer portion 22A, ring-shaped middle portion 22B, and a central portion 22C as shown in FIG. 2B.

In illustrative embodiments, sheet-support ring 24 mates permanently with membrane sheet 22 in a permanent sheet-bonding zone 24A provided on an endless upwardly facing top surface 18T of sheet-support ring 24 as suggested in FIG. 2B. Reference is hereby made to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/930,076 filed Jan. 22, 2014 and entitled PACKAGE WITH PEELABLE CLOSURE and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0203263 filed Jan. 22, 2015 and entitled PACKAGE WITH PEELABLE CLOSURE for disclosure relating to a package including a container and a closure, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

During a closure-heating step included in the container filling and closing process, ring-shaped middle portion 22B, included in membrane sheet 22, is heated by heat 220H generated by heater 224 to establish chemical-bond sealed connection 101 between ring-shaped middle portion 22B and inner perimeter region 18I of upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 8. This chemical-bond sealed connection 101 is broken the first time that closure 14 is removed from container 12 by a consumer.

In illustrative embodiments, membrane sheet 22 provides a barrier lidstock and is anchored to the surrounding sheet-support ring 24 to form closure 14 as suggested in FIGS. 2A-2C. It is within the scope of this disclosure to use insert-molding techniques to overmold sheet-support ring 24 onto multi-layer membrane sheet 22 to form closure 14. In illustrative embodiments, membrane sheet 22 is bonded permanently to sheet-support ring 24.

An illustrative process for moving closure 14 downwardly using movable sealing head 220 to establish a mechanical coupling between closure 14 and container brim 18 is shown, for example, in FIGS. 5A-5C from the same perspective of package 10 shown in FIG. 4A. As suggested in FIG. 5A, closure 14 is placed in a first engaged position on container brim 18 during a closure-mounting step at a factory. Some of food 304 that was discharged through a dispenser 302 toward the interior product-storage region 15 formed in container 12 during an earlier container filling step (see, for example, STEP 2 in FIG. 1) landed on brim 18 of container 12 to cause a mound 306 of spilled food to be located on brim 18.

As suggested in FIG. 5B, downwardly moving closure 14 moves downwardly to arrive in a subsequent second engaged position. In the second engaged position, sheet-support ring coupling protrusion 25 is pressed against brim 18 to cause mound 306 of spilled food on container brim 18 to be compressed between membrane sheet 22 of closure 14 and brim 18 of container 12 as a result of downward movement of closure 14 relative to container brim 18.

As suggested in FIG. 5C, downwardly moving closure 14 has arrived in a subsequent third engaged (coupled) position. In the third engaged position, closure 14 is coupled with container brim 18 of container 12 to establish a mechanical coupling between closure 14 and container brim 18 by sheet-support ring coupling protrusion 25. The downward movement causes further compression of the mound 306 of spilled food between closure 14 and brim 18 of container 12.

As shown in FIG. 5C, in the third engaged position, a first portion 3061 of mound 306 of spilled food located on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 is pushed in a radially outward direction R2 to fall below brim 18. A second portion 3062 of the mound 306 of spilled food located on container brim 18 is pushed in a radially inward direction R1 toward interior product-storage region 15 of container 12. A remaining thin layer 3060 of mound 306 of spilled food remains on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18.

An illustrative process of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing) the remaining thin layer 3060 of spilled food 306 from upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 in response to further downward movement of closure 14 relative to container 12 is shown, for example, in FIG. 5D. As a result, substantially all spilled food 306 is removed from container brim 18 and thereby increase a surface contact area of membrane sheet 22 of closure 14 on brim 18 of container 12.

As suggested in FIG. 5D, the downwardly moving closure 14 has arrived in a subsequent fourth engaged position on brim 18 of container 12. In the fourth engaged position, sheet-support ring 24 is pressed against brim 18 and container 12 deforms as shown in FIG. 5D. At the same time, burp plug 226 is lowered further and presses on central portion 22C of membrane sheet 22. Substantially all of thin layer 3060 of spilled food 306 remaining on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 is displaced either radially outward similar to first portion 3061 or radially inward to interior product-storage region 15 of container 12 similar to second portion 3062.

In some embodiments of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing), downward-movement of burp plug 226 presses membrane sheet 22 against inner perimeter region 18I of container brim 18, followed by downward-movement of lid mover 222, causing substantially all of spilled food 306 to be displaced radially outward, similar to first portion 3061 as suggested by FIGS. 5C and 5D. In some embodiments of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing), downward-movement of lid mover 222 presses sheet-support ring 24 against outer perimeter region 18O of container brim 18 and deforming container brim 18, followed by downward-movement of burp plug 226, causing membrane sheet 22 to displace substantially all of spilled food 306 radially inward to interior product-storage region 15 of container 12 similar to second portion 3062 as suggested by FIGS. 5C and 5D. In some embodiments of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing), down-ward movement of lid mover 222 and burp plug 226 cause some of thin layer 3060 of spilled food 306 remaining on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 to be moved radially outwardly similar to first portion 3061 and some to be moved radially inward toward interior product-storage region 15 of container 12 similar to second portion 3062.

Sometimes, mound 306 of spilled food is located on other portions of brim 18. The illustrative process for moving closure 14 downwardly using movable sealing head 220 to establish a mechanical coupling between closure 14 and container brim 18 is shown, for example, again in FIGS. 6A-6C from the same perspective as FIG. 4B to show a mound 306 of spilled food that landed on brim 18 in view of this perspective.

As suggested in FIG. 6A, closure 14 is placed in a first engaged position on container brim 18 during a closure-mounting step at a factory. Some of the food 304 that was discharged through a dispenser 302 toward the interior product-storage region 15 formed in container 12 has landed on brim 18 of container 12 to cause mound 306 of spilled food to be located on brim 18.

As suggested in FIG. 6B, the downwardly moving closure 14 has arrived in a subsequent second engaged position on container brim 18. In the second engaged position, closure 14 is mounted on brim 18 to cause mound 306 of spilled food on container brim 18 to be compressed between membrane sheet 22 of closure 14 and brim 18 of container 12 as a result of downward movement of closure 14 relative to container brim 18.

As suggested in FIG. 6C, downwardly moving closure 14 has arrived in a subsequent third engaged position on container brim 18 of container 12. In the third engaged position, closure 14 is coupled with brim 18 to cause further compression of the mound 306 of spilled food between closure 14 and brim 18 of container 12. A third portion 3063 of mound 306 of spilled food located on the upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 is pushed radially outward to fall below brim 18. A fourth portion 3064 of the mound 306 of spilled food located on container brim 18 is pushed radially inward toward interior product-storage region 15 of container 12. A remaining thin layer 3060 of the mound 306 of spilled food remains on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18.

An illustrative process of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing) the remaining thin layer 3060 of spilled food 306 from the upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 in response to further downward movement of closure 14 relative to container 12 is shown, for example, in FIG. 6D. Wiping removes substantially all spilled food 306 from container brim 18 and thereby increase the surface contact area of membrane sheet 22 of closure 14 on brim 18 of container 12. As suggested in FIG. 6D, downwardly moving closure 14 has arrived in a subsequent fourth engaged position on brim 18 of container 12. Sheet-support ring 24 is pressed against brim 18 and container 12 deforms as shown in FIG. 6D. At the same time, burp plug 226 is lowered further, pressing on central portion 22C of membrane sheet 22. Substantially all of thin layer 3060 of spilled food 306 remaining on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 is displaced either radially outward similar to third portion 3063 or radially inward toward the interior product-storage region 15 of container 12 similar to fourth portion 3064.

In some embodiments of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing), downward-movement of burp plug 226 presses membrane sheet 22 against inner perimeter region 18I of container brim 18, followed by downward-movement of lid mover 222, causing substantially all of spilled food 306 to be displaced radially outward, similar to third portion 3063 as suggested by FIGS. 6C & 6D. In some embodiments of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing), downward-movement of lid mover 222 presses sheet-support ring 24 against outer perimeter region 18O of container brim 18 and deforming container brim 18, followed by downward-movement of burp plug 226, causing membrane sheet 22 to displace substantially all of spilled food 306 radially inward to interior product-storage region 15 of container 12 similar to fourth portion 3064 as suggested by FIGS. 6C & 6D. In some embodiments of wiping (i.e., squeegeeing), down-ward movement of lid mover 222 and burp plug 226 cause some of thin layer 3060 of spilled food 306 remaining on upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 to be moved radially outwardly similar to third portion 3063 and some to be moved radially inward to interior product-storage region 15 of container 12 similar to fourth portion 3064.

A heater 224 provided in the movable sealing head 220 is activated to apply downwardly directed heat 220H to ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 to establish a chemical-bond sealed connection 101 between ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 and inner perimeter region 18I of upwardly facing top surface 18T of container brim 18 as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 shows package 10 from the perspective of FIG. 4A and FIG. 8 shows package 10 from the perspective of FIG. 4B. In illustrative embodiments, any minute quantity of residual spilled food 306 left on brim 18 or otherwise outside of interior product-storage region 15 is gasified during exposure to downwardly directed heat 220H from heater 224 and passed as a gas 306G to the surroundings so that no spilled product 306 remains on container brim 18.

In illustrative embodiments, sheet-support ring 24 has an endless (e.g., round, ring-shaped, square, oblong, etc.) edge shaped to mate with companion container 12. Sheet-support ring 24 may be thermoformed or otherwise molded of a suitable plastics material. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene (PP) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Sheet-support ring 24 may also be made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or crystallized polyethylene terephthalate (CPET) to improve barrier properties. Sheet-support ring 24 may also be made using a coextruded material with barrier polymers such as EVOH or PVdC in a center layer.

In illustrative embodiments, multi-layer membrane sheet 22 can be produced using a coextruded film or sheet product comprising, for example, PP or HDPE. Membrane sheet 22 may also include one or more barrier layers such as EVHO, NYLON, or PVdC, tie layers, and a sealant layer. The sealant layer may comprise metalized LDPE or LLDPE, PP-based sealant, blends of PP and polybutane, as well as EMA- and EVA-based sealants.

Sheet-support ring 24 may have any suitable rigid or semi-rigid character or any suitable round or non-round shape in accordance with the present disclosure. Sheet-support ring 24 includes sheet-support ring protrusion 25 or any suitable bead or engagement means for mating with container brim 18 during a capping process to mount closure 14 on container 12 and also during a repeated reclosure process carried out by consumers after the closure 14 is removed the first time to open the package 10. Sheet-support ring 24 also provides a structure for the consumer to push against during the reclosure process. Sheet-support ring 24 is made of a material characterized by high-temperature stability in illustrative embodiments.

Membrane sheet 22 is a multi-layer film that is bonded to sheet-support ring 24 during an insert-molding process in an illustrative embodiment. An aggressive bond is established to mate membrane sheet 22 permanently to sheet-support ring 24. Membrane sheet 22 is stretched tightly to mate with container brim 18 whenever closure 14 is mounted on container 12 in illustrative embodiments. Membrane sheet 22 functions to wipe container brim 18 free of contaminants during capping and reclosure as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5A-5D & 6A-6D.

Membrane sheet 22 is flexible and configured to move, deform, and conform in response to changes in pressure extant in the sealed interior product-storage region 15 formed in package 10. Membrane sheet 22 is peelable to facilitate disengagement from container brim 18 during removal of closure 14 from container 12. Membrane sheet 22 is made of a material characterized by stiffness, high temperature stability, high puncture resistance, and high burst strength. Membrane sheet 22 provides a barrier to a fluid material such as liquid, oxygen, moisture, and solids.

It is within the scope of the present disclosure to bond membrane sheet 22 to sheet-support ring 24 during a ring-molding process (in-mold label, IML technology). Membrane sheet 22 is formable during a molding or capping process using heat and pressure.

It is within the scope of the present disclosure to configure membrane sheet 22 to provide one or more of the following tamper-evident indicators: (1) tamper evident through tactile feel of resistance while removing closure 14 from container; (2) tamper evident through discoloration due to delamination of peelable bond between ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 and inner perimeter region 18I of container brim 18; and (3) tamper evident through discoloration due to stretching/permanent deformation of one or more of sheet-support ring 24, membrane sheet 22, or container brim 18.

In some embodiments, the process of making and using a package in accordance with the present disclosure further includes the steps of opening the package by pivoting a portion of sheet-support ring 24 relative to brim 18 of container 12 and peeling a portion of membrane sheet 22 away from container 12 as suggested in FIG. 2C. As a result, opening of package 10 is simplified as a result of controlled peeling of membrane sheet 22 from container 12.

During the pivoting step, the portion of sheet-support ring 24 moves about a fulcrum provided on a first bend line 41BL upwardly away from brim 18 of container 12 to cause closure 14 to move from an initial position associated with the closed position of closure 14 on brim 18 as suggested in FIG. 2C. During the peeling step, a first peel-initiation section 22P1 of ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 separates from endless temporary sheet-bonding zone 18Z2 on an endless inner perimeter region 18I of endless upwardly facing top surface 18T of the brim 18 as suggested in FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 4A. Sheet-support ring 24 includes a central brim-mount platform 40 and a first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41. First pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 provides the portion of sheet-support ring 24 which pivots about the fulcrum. First pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 is coupled to a first end of the central brim-mount platform 40.

Sheet-support ring 24 further includes a second pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 42 as shown in FIG. 2C. Second pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 42 is coupled to central brim-mount platform 40 to locate top opening 16 between first and second pivotable sheet-separator lever arms 41, 42 for movement relative to central brim-mount platform 40 about a second bend line 42BL upwardly away from brim 18 during the peeling step.

Central brim-mount platform 40 of sheet-support ring 24 includes a first strip 401 and a second strip 402 as shown in FIG. 2B. First strip 401 is arranged to mate with an underlying portion of outer perimeter region 18O located on one side of brim 18 in ring-support zone 18Z3 provided thereon. Second strip 402 is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to first strip 401 to locate top opening 16 therebetween and to mate with an underlying portion of the outer perimeter region located on an opposite second side of the brim in the ring-support zone provided thereon.

First pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 is coupled to one end of each of first and second strips 401, 402 as shown in FIG. 2B. Sheet-support ring 24 further includes second pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 42 coupled to an opposite second end of each of first and second strips 401, 402 of central brim-mount platform 40 to locate top opening 16 therebetween. Second pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 42 moves relative to central brim-mount platform 40 about second bend line 42BL upwardly away from brim 18 during the peeling step.

First pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 is arranged to extend outwardly away from brim 18 and first bend line 41BL to cause a free end 41F of first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 to lie at a first pry distance from first bend line 41BL as suggested in FIG. 2C. First peel-initiation section 22P1 of ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 is bonded temporarily to a portion of endless temporary sheet-bonding zone 18Z2 provided on first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 between first bend line 41BL and the free end of first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41.

First peel-initiation section 22P1 of ring-shaped middle portion 22B of membrane sheet 22 has a tip arranged to lie between the free end of first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 and first bend line 41BL to establish a sheet-lift point at the tip at a peel-initiation distance from first bend line 41BL. The peel-initiation distance is less than the first pry distance to cause a mechanical advantage to be created so that a lifting force applied to membrane sheet 22 at sheet-lift point is greater than a pry force applied by a consumer to an underside of the free end of first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 during first-time removal of closure 14 from container 12.

First pivotable sheet-separator lever arm 41 includes a first shelf 403 and a handgrip 405 as shown in FIGS. 2B and 4A. First shelf 403 is bonded permanently to ring-shaped outer portion 22A of membrane sheet 22. Handgrip 405 is appended to first shelf 403. First shelf 403 includes an outer edge defining a first peel-initiation notch 403N opening toward central portion 22C of membrane sheet 22 and having an apex lying in spaced-apart relation to first bend line 41BL and adjacent to the tip of first peel-initiation section 22P1 of ring-shaped middle portion 22B to locate first peel-initiation section 22P1 between the apex and first bend line 41BL in temporary mating relation with the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone 18Z2 on brim 18.

Claims

1. A process for making and using a package, the process comprising the steps of

providing a container formed to include an interior product-storage region and a brim arranged to border a top opening into the interior product-storage region, the brim including an endless upwardly facing top surface including an endless inner perimeter region bordering and surrounding the top opening and providing an endless temporary sheet-bonding zone thereon and an outer perimeter region surrounding the endless inner perimeter region and providing a ring-support zone thereon,

providing a closure configured to mount on the brim in a closed position to close the top opening and block access to the interior product-storage region, the closure including a sheet-support ring arranged to engage the ring-support zone on the outer perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim when the closure is positioned to lie in the closed position on the brim, and the closure further including a membrane sheet coupled to the sheet-support ring to move therewith relative to the brim of the container when the closure is separated from the brim to allow access to the interior product-storage region, the membrane sheet including a ring-shaped outer portion bonded permanently to the sheet-support ring to form an endless seal therebetween, a central portion surrounded by the ring-shaped outer portion and arranged to cover the top opening into the interior product-storage region when the closure is positioned to lie in the closed position on the brim, and a ring-shaped middle portion arranged to interconnect an outer perimeter edge of the central portion and an inner perimeter edge of the ring-shaped outer portion, the ring-shaped middle portion including a downwardly facing surface arranged to overlie and confront the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone on the endless inner perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim,

moving the membrane sheet of the closure downwardly toward the brim of the container to cause the ring-shaped middle portion of the closure to contact the endless inner perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim and to locate any spilled product extant on the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim under the downwardly facing surface of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet, and

stretching the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet of the closure in radially outward directions relative to the central portion of the membrane sheet during further movement of the closure relative to the brim of the container to move substantially all of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim away from the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone of the brim to cause substantially all of the upwardly facing surface of the brim to be free of spilled product and to mate with the downwardly facing surface of the ring-shaped middle portion and confront the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone on the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet to establish a chemical-bond sealing connection between the membrane sheet and the upwardly facing surface of the brim of the container to cause a hermetic seal to be established.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein heat in excess of a selected temperature is applied to the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet during the heating step to cause any residual spilled product located on the upwardly facing surface of the brim in a space provided between the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet and the brim of the container after the stretching step to be gasified and pass as a gas from the space through the membrane sheet into the surroundings so that no spilled product remains on the brim of the container.

4. The process of claim 2, further comprising the step of pivoting a portion of the sheet-support ring relative to the brim of the container about a fulcrum provided on a first bend line upwardly away from the brim of the container to cause the closure to move from an initial position associated with the closed position of the closure on the brim of the container.

5. The process of claim 4, further comprising the step of peeling a first peel-initiation section of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet from the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone on the endless inner perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the peeling step occurs after the pivoting step.

7. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet to establish a chemical-bond sealing connection between the membrane sheet and the upwardly facing surface of the brim of the container to cause a hermetic seal to be established, pivoting a portion of the sheet-support ring relative to the brim of the container about a fulcrum provided on a first bend line upwardly away from the brim of the container to cause the closure to move from an initial position associated with the closed position of the closure on the brim of the container, and peeling a first peel-initiation section of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet from the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone on the endless inner perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim, wherein the sheet-support ring includes a central brim-mount platform and a first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm providing the portion of the sheet-support ring which pivots about the fulcrum and the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm is coupled to a first end of the central brim-mount platform.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the sheet-support ring further includes a second pivotable sheet-separator lever arm coupled to the central brim-mount platform to locate the top opening between the first and second pivotable sheet-separator lever arms for movement relative to the central brim-mount platform about a second bend line upwardly away from the brim of the container during the peeling step.

9. The process of claim 7, wherein the central brim-mount platform of the sheet-support ring includes a first strip arranged to mate with an underlying portion of the outer perimeter region located on one side of the brim in the ring-support zone provided thereon and a second strip arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first strip to locate the top opening therebetween and to mate with an underlying portion of the outer perimeter region located on an opposite second side of the brim in the ring-support zone provided thereon.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm is coupled to one end of each of the first and second strips and the sheet-support ring further includes a second pivotable sheet-separator lever arm coupled to an opposite second end of each of the first and second strips of the central brim-mount platform to locate the top opening between the first and second pivotable sheet-separator lever arms for movement relative to the central brim-mount platform about a second bend line upwardly away from the brim of the container during the peeling step.

11. The process of claim 7, wherein the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm is arranged to extend outwardly away from the brim and the first bend line to cause a free end of the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm to lie at a first pry distance from the first bend line, the first peel-initiation section of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet initially is bonded temporarily to a portion of the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone provided on the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm between the first bend line and the free end of the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm, the first peel-initiation section of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet has a tip arranged to lie between the free end of the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm and the first bend line to establish a sheet-lift point at the tip at a peel-initiation distance from the first bend line, and the peel-initiation distance is less than the first pry distance to cause a mechanical advantage to be created so that a lifting force applied to the membrane sheet at the sheet-lift point is greater than a pry force applied by a consumer to an underside of the free end of the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm during first-time removal of the closure from the container.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the first pivotable sheet-separator lever arm includes a first shelf bonded permanently to the ring-shaped outer portion of the membrane sheet and a handgrip appended to the first shelf, the first shelf includes an outer edge defining a first peel-initiation notch opening toward the central portion of the membrane sheet and having an apex lying in spaced-apart relation to the first bend line and adjacent to the tip of the first peel-initiation section of the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet to locate the first peel-initiation section between the apex and the first bend line in temporary mating relation with the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone on the brim.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the central brim-mount platform of the sheet-support ring includes a first strip arranged to mate with an underlying portion of the outer perimeter region located on one side of the brim in the ring-support zone provided thereon and a second strip arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first strip to locate the top opening therebetween and to mate with an underlying portion of the outer perimeter region located on an opposite second side of the brim in the ring-support zone provided thereon, and the first shelf is coupled to first ends of each of the first and second strips.

14. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the membrane sheet after the stretching step and wherein the downwardly facing surface of the ring-shaped middle portion is configured to provide means for chemically bonding with the upwardly facing surface of the brim during the heating step, separating from the upwardly facing surface of the brim in response to application of an external peeling force to the membrane sheet to disengage the closure from the brim of the container, and mating with the upwardly facing surface of the brim of the container to close the top opening into the interior product-storage region formed in the container when the closure is coupled to the container by a consumer so that any product stored in the interior product-storage region is retained in a chamber defined by the container and the closure.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the endless inner perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface also includes an unbonded zone arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the ring-support zone to locate the endless temporary sheet-bonding zone therebetween and the central portion of the membrane sheet includes a center segment arranged to close the top opening into the interior product-storage region and an outer segment arranged to surround the center segment and interconnect the center segment and the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet and positioned to overlie the unbonded zone established on the endless inner perimeter region of the endless upwardly facing top surface of the brim.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim moves in a radially outward direction away from the interior product-storage region during the stretching step.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein a second portion of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim moves in a radially inward direction toward the interior product-storage region during the stretching step.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim are substantially all of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim.

19. The process of claim 17, further comprising the step of heating the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet to establish a chemical-bond sealing connection between the membrane sheet and the upwardly facing surface of the brim of the container to cause a hermetic seal to be established, wherein heat in excess of a selected temperature is applied to the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet during the heating step to cause a third portion of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim in a space provided between the ring-shaped middle portion of the membrane sheet and the brim of the container after the stretching step to be gasified and pass as a gas from the space through the membrane sheet into the surroundings so that no spilled product remains on the brim of the container.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim are substantially all of the spilled product extant on the upwardly facing surface of the brim.