CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER

Abstract

A closure (40) for use with a container of a fluent substance includes a body (54) defining an orifice (84) to accommodate flow of a fluent substance from the container. The closure (40) has a lid (56) connected to the body (54) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice (84), and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice (84). The closure (40) includes a retainer (60) having a locked position wherein the retainer (60) is engaged with both of the closure body (54) and the lid (56) to prevent the lid (56) from moving into the open position. The retainer 60) has an unlocked position rotated away from the locked position wherein the retainer (60) is disengaged from at least one of the closure body (54) and the lid (56) to permit the lid (56) to move into the open position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62/547,948, entitled “Closure For A Container”, and filed Aug. 21, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a closure for a container of a fluent substance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART

Closures are employed to selectively prevent or permit communication between the exterior and interior of a container (e.g., bottle, flexible pouch, machine, vessel, etc.) through an opening in the container. A typical closure includes at least (1) a receiving structure (e.g., a body, base, fitment, etc.) arranged at an opening to the container interior, and (2) a closing element (e.g., a lid, cover, cap, etc.) that is cooperatively received by the receiving structure.

The receiving structure of the closure can typically be either (1) a separate structure that can be attached at the container opening, and that defines a passage through the structure for communicating with the container opening and the container interior, or (2) an integral structure that is a unitary portion of the container, and which defines a passage through the structure such that the passage functions as the opening, per se, to the container.

The closing element typically is movable relative to the receiving structure passage between (1) a fully closed position occluding the passage, and (2) an open position at least partially exposing the passage. Some closures may include additional elements (e.g., tamper-evident features, locking elements, etc.).

A closure specifically designed for dispensing a fluent substance may be described as a dispensing closure. Various fluent materials or substances (including oils, lotions, creams, gels, liquids, food items, granules, powders, etc.) may be packaged in a rigid, flexible, or collapsible container having a dispensing closure that can be opened and closed. A flexible container may be pressurized by a user to force the fluent substance from the container and through the closure body to dispense the fluent substance at a target region or onto a target surface area. The container with the closure mounted thereon, and the contents stored therein, may be characterized as a “package.”

One type of closure is typically provided with a closing element in the form of a lid that is hingedly connected with a closure body. A user of such a closure would typically encounter the lid in a closed position. The lid may be provided with a region for being lifted by a user of the closure to rotate the lid with respect to a stationary portion of the closure (e.g., closure body), thus moving the lid from the closed position into an open position such that a fluent substance may be dispensed through the closure.

The inventors of the present invention have noted that such closures, when installed on a container of a fluent substance, may be susceptible to inadvertent opening during shipping or handling, which can result in premature or messy leaking of the fluent substance stored within the container. For example, the closed lid may be accidentally bumped open, or the lid may accidentally open if the inside of the lid is subjected to a sudden impact from the fluent substance or if the internal pressure of the container increases significantly during shipping or storage in high temperature environments. The inventors have found that such premature leakage through a conventional closure may be especially pronounced in an e-commerce scenario, whereby an individual package is shipped and handled in an unconstrained manner and may be subjected to a variety of forces, orientations, and temperatures.

The inadvertent opening of such a closure may be prevented, or at least minimized, by applying an adhesive seal or a film wrap around at least a portion of the closure to mechanically prevent movement of the lid until the seal or wrap has been removed by a user of the closure. However, such additional adhesive seals and film wraps are typically designed and provided for only a “one-time” use (non-reusable) application to withstand lid opening forces during shipping. Moreover, such additional seals or wraps may increase the cost of the closure, require additional manufacturing steps, or present a nuisance to the user who must remove and discard such a seal.

Furthermore, the inventors have found that the inadvertent opening of such a closure may be prevented, or at least minimized, by modifying the existing latching or snap-fit connections of conventional closures to increase the force required to open such latches or connections. However, such modifications may present a nuisance to the user of the closure, who must generate a sufficient force to open such a strengthened latch or connection, and may be injured in the attempt, or may even be unable to open such a strengthened latch or connection altogether.

The inventors of the present invention have determined that it would be desirable to provide a component of the closure that may be separately formed from the closure lid and body, but which is assembled with the lid and the body for preventing inadvertent opening of the closure during shipping or handling. The inventors of the present invention have further found that it would be desirable to provide indicia on such a separately formed component of the closure in a manner that would be amenable to mass production and customization for multiple applications or customers.

The inventors of the present invention have further determined that it would be beneficial to provide a component that is separately formed from the closure lid and body, but which is assembled with the lid and the body in only a single orientation to facilitate repeatable and easy operation thereof by a user.

The inventors of the present invention have also determined that, in many applications, it may be desirable to provide an improved closure as part of a package wherein the closure structure facilitates or accommodates the cleaning of the closure and/or minimizes the potential for accumulation of residue, dirt, grime, etc. during the useful life of the package.

The inventors of the present invention have also determined that it would be desirable to provide an improved closure that cart be configured for use with a container of a fluent substance so as to have one or more of the following advantages: (1) an improved ease of manufacture and/or assembly, and (ii) a reduced cost of manufacture and/or assembly.

The inventors of the present invention have invented a novel structure for a closure for use with a container wherein the closure includes various advantageous features not heretofore taught or contemplated by the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to broad aspects of one form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a closure body that can be located at the container opening and that defines an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body further defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body.

The closure has a lid that is connected to the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice.

The closure further has a retainer which has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. In addition, the retainer has an unlocked position, in which the retainer is rotated away from the locked position whereby the retainer is disengaged from at least one of the closure body and the lid to permit the lid to move from the closed position into the open position.

In one aspect of the present invention, the closure body is one of the following: a separate structure for being attached to the container at the container opening; and an integral structure that is a unitary part of a container formed at the container opening.

In one aspect of the present invention, the retainer has a top end and a bottom end spaced from the top end. One of the top and bottom ends has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom, and the other one of the top and bottom ends has a hook projection extending therefrom.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the retainer top end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom, and the retainer bottom end has a hook projection extending therefrom. The retainer is configured such that initial movement of the retainer from the locked position into the unlocked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the lid.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the retainer bottom end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom, and the retainer top end has a hook projection extending therefrom. The retainer is configured such that initial movement of the retainer from the locked position into the unlocked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the closure body.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the retainer is laterally tapered between its top and bottom ends. This can provide the user with a simple, unambiguous method for re-using the retainer on the closure.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the retainer is separately formed from the closure body and the lid.

In one aspect, the retainer is unitarily formed with the closure body and the lid, and the retainer is hingedly connected to one of the closure body and the lid.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the retainer has an indicium formed thereon.

In another form of the present invention, the closure is in combination with a container of a fluent substance, and the combination defines a package,

According to another form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a hollow closure body that can be located at the container opening and has an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body further has an upper end that defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body. The closure body is further provided with an exterior wall defining an aperture extending through the exterior wall and further defining an interior, hook-engagement surface along an edge of the aperture.

The closure has a lid that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice. The lid has a projection with a snap-fit bead extending therefrom.

The closure is further provided with a retainer that is separately formed from the closure body and the lid. The retainer has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. The retainer further has an unlocked position, rotated away from the locked position, wherein the retainer is disengaged from at least one of the closure body and the lid to permit the lid to move into the open position. The retainer has a top end and a bottom end spaced therefrom. The top end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom for engagement with the snap-fit bead of the lid, when the retainer is in the locked position. The bottom end has a hook projection extending therefrom for fitting within the aperture of the closure body for engagement with the hook-engagement surface, when the retainer is in the locked position.

The closure is further configured such that (i) initial movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the snap-fit bead of the lid, and (ii) continued movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the hook projection from the hook-engagement surface whereby the retainer may be wholly separated from the closure body and the lid.

According to still another form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a hollow closure body that can be located at the container opening and has an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body further has an upper end that defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body. The closure body is further provided with an exterior wall defining an aperture extending through the wall. The wall further defines an interior, engagement surface along an edge of the aperture. The wall further defines has a pair of concave regions located on either side of the aperture.

The closure has a lid that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice. The lid has a channel therein.

The closure is further provided with a retainer that is separately formed from the closure body and the lid. The retainer has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. The retainer further has an unlocked position, rotated away from the locked position, wherein the retainer is disengaged from at least one of the closure body and the lid to permit the lid to move into the open position. The retainer has a top end and a bottom end spaced therefrom. The top end has a hook projection extending therefrom for fitting within the channel of the lid, when the retainer is in the locked position. The bottom end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom for fitting within the aperture of the closure body and for engagement with the engagement surface, when the retainer is in the locked position.

The closure is further configured such that (i) initial movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the engagement surface of the closure body, and (ii) continued movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the hook projection from the channel whereby the retainer may be wholly separated from the closure body and the lid.

In still another form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a hollow closure body that can be located at the container opening and has an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body further has an upper end that defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body. The closure body is further provided with an exterior wall defining an aperture located extending through the wall, and defining an interior, hook-engagement surface along an edge of the aperture. The closure body further defines a first portion of a laterally tapered recess.

The closure has a lid that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice. The lid has a projection with a snap-fit bead extending therefrom and further defines a second portion of the laterally tapered recess.

The closure is further provided with a retainer that is separately formed from the closure body and the lid, The retainer has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. The retainer further has an unlocked position, rotated away from the locked position, wherein the retainer is disengaged from at least one of the closure body and the lid to permit the lid to move into the open position. The retainer has a top end and a bottom end spaced therefrom. The retainer has a laterally tapered shape between the top end and the bottom end for being received within the laterally tapered recess when the retainer is in the locked position. The top end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom for engagement with the snap-fit bead of the lid, when the retainer is in the locked position. The bottom end has a hook projection extending therefrom for fitting within the aperture of the closure body and for engagement with the hook-engagement surface, when the retainer is in the locked position.

The closure is fluffier configured such that (i) initial movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the snap-fit bead of the lid, and (ii) continued movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the hook projection from the hook-engagement surface whereby the retainer may be wholly separated from the closure body and the lid.

In yet another form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a hollow closure body that can be located at the container opening and has an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body further has an upper end that defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body.

The closure has a lid that is unitarily firmed with, and hingedly connected to, the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice. The lid has a projection with a snap-fit bead extending therefrom.

The closure is further provided with a retainer that is unitedly formed with the closure body and the lid. The retainer has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. The retainer further has an unlocked position, rotated away from the locked position, wherein the retainer is disengaged from the lid to permit the lid to move into the open position. The retainer has a top end and a bottom end spaced therefrom. The top end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom for engagement with the snap-fit bead of the lid, when the retainer is in the locked position. The bottom end is hingedly connected to the closure body.

The closure is further configured such that initial movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the snap-fit bead of the lid, permitting the lid to move into the open position.

In still another form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a hollow closure body that can be located at the container opening and has an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body Ruttier has an upper end that defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body. The closure body has an exterior wall defining an aperture extending through the wall. The wall defines an interior, engagement surface along an edge of the aperture, The wall further defines a pair of concave regions located on either side of the aperture,

The closure has a lid is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice.

The closure is further provided with a retainer that is unitarily formed with the closure body and the lid. The retainer has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. The retainer further has an unlocked position, rotated away from the locked position, wherein the retainer is disengaged from the closure body to permit the lid to move into the open position. The retainer has a top end and a bottom end spaced therefrom. The bottom end has a snap-fit projection extending therefrom for fitting within the aperture of the closure body and for engagement with the engagement surface when the retainer is in the locked position. The top end is hingedly connected to the lid.

The closure is further configured such that initial movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the snap-fit projection from the engagement surface of the closure body, permitting the lid to move into the open position.

In still another form of the present invention, the closure is provided with a retainer having a top end and a hinge spaced from the top end. The retainer has at least one projection extending therefrom for fitting within an aperture of the closure body and for engagement with an interior, engagement surface of the closure body when the retainer is assembled with the closure body. The at least one projection is rotatable relative to the top end about the hinge.

In still another form of the present invention, the closure is provided with a retainer having a pair of tapered projections extending therefrom, and the retainer is irremovable from, or substantially permanently affixed to, the closure body after assembly therewith.

In yet another form of the present invention, a closure is provided for a container having an opening between an exterior of the container and an interior of the container where a fluent substance may be stored. The closure has a hollow closure body that can be located at the container opening and has an inlet for communicating with the container. The closure body further has an upper end that defines an orifice to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through the closure body. The closure body has an exterior wall defining an aperture extending through the wall. The wall defines a pair of interior, engagement surfaces located adjacent to the aperture.

The closure has a lid is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, the closure body and that is movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice, and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice.

The closure is further provided with a retainer that is separately formed from the closure body and the lid. The retainer has a locked position wherein the retainer is engaged with both the closure body and the lid in the closed position to prevent the lid from moving into the open position. The retainer further has an unlocked position, rotated away from the locked position, wherein the retainer is disengaged from the lid to permit the lid to move into the open position. The retainer has a top end and a hinge spaced therefrom. The retainer has a pair of tapered projections extending therefrom for fitting within the aperture of the closure body and for engagement with the engagement surfaces when the retainer is assembled with the closure body. The projections are rotatable relative to the top end about the hinge, whereby initial movement of the retainer away from the locked position disengages the retainer from the lid permitting the lid to move into its open position.

It should be appreciated that the invention may include any or all of the above-described features, include only one of the above features, more than one of the above features, and any combination of the above features. Furthermore, other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a review of the entire specification including the appended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, taken from above, of a first embodiment of a closure of the present invention shown in a closed and locked position, and installed at the opening of a container wherein only a fragmentary, upper portion of the container is illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the closure and container illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the closure and container illustrated in FIG. 1, taken generally along the plane 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a is a right side elevation view of only the closure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of only the closure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken generally along the plane 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position and separated from the closure body and the lid;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 shows the lid moved into an open position;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, taken from above, of a second embodiment of a closure of the present invention shown in a closed and locked position, and installed at the opening of a container wherein only a fragmentary, upper portion of the container is illustrated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the only closure illustrated in FIG. 10, taken generally along the plane 12-12 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a is a right side elevation view of only the closure shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a front elevation view of only the closure shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 10, taken generally along the plane 15-15 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 10, and FIG. 16 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 10, and FIG. 17 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position and separated from the closure body and the lid;

FIG. 18 is another perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 17, and FIG. 18 shows the retainer removed from lid and the closure body;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view, taken from above, of only the closure illustrated in FIG. 17, and FIG. 19 shows the lid moved into an open position;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view, taken from above, of a third embodiment of a closure of the present invention shown with the retainer illustrated in a locked position and the lid in a closed position;

FIG. 21 is a front elevation view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 20, and FIG. 22 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 20, and FIG. 23 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position and separated from the closure body and lid;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view, taken from above, of a fourth embodiment of a closure of the present invention shown with the retainer in a locked position and the lid in a closed position;

FIG. 25 is a front elevation view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 24, taken generally along the plane 26-26 in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 24, and FIG. 27 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 24, and FIG. 27 shows the lid moved into an open position;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view, taken from above, of a fifth embodiment of a closure of the present invention shown with the retainer illustrated in a locked position and the lid in a closed position;

FIG. 30 is a front elevation view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 29, taken generally along the plane 31-31 in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 29, and FIG. 32 shows the retainer oriented in an unlocked position;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 29, and FIG. 33 shows the lid moved into an open position;

FIG. 34 is an exploded, perspective view, taken from above, of a sixth embodiment of a closure of the present invention shown in a preassembled state with the closure lid closed on the closure body, and FIG. 34 shows the retainer separated from the closure lid and body;

FIG. 35 is an exploded, perspective view, taken from below, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 34;

FIG. 36 is an exploded, perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 34, but FIG. 36 shows the retainer moved nearer to the closed closure lid and body;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 36, but FIG. 37 shows the retainer moved into engagement with the closure body and not locked to the closure lid;

FIG. 38 is a perspective view, taken from above, of the closure illustrated in FIG. 37, but FIG. 38 shows the retainer rotated into an initially installed configuration where it is in a locked position with the closure lid; and

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 38, taken generally along the plane 39-39 in FIG. 38.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this specification and the accompanying drawings disclose only specific forms as examples of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments so described, and the scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

For ease of description, many figures illustrating the invention show embodiments of a closure in the typical orientation that the closure would have at the opening of a container in the form of an upright bottle, and terms such as “inward”, “outward”, “upper”, “lower”, “axial”, “radial”, “lateral”, etc., are used with reference to this orientation. It will be understood, however, that the closures of this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in an orientation other than the orientation described and illustrated.

The closures of this invention are especially suitable for use with a variety of conventional or special containers, the details of which, although not fully illustrated or described, would be apparent to those having skill in the art and an understanding of such containers. The particular containers illustrated are not intended to limit the present invention. It will also be understood by those of ordinary skill that novel and non-obvious inventive aspects are embodied in the described closures alone.

The closures described herein are especially suitable for use on a container that contains a fluent material or substance in the form of a lotion or cream that can be dispensed, or otherwise discharged, from the container through the opened closure. Such fluent substances may be, for example, a personal care product, a food product, an industrial product, a household product, or other types of products. Such substances may be for internal or external use by humans or animals, or for other uses (e.g., activities involving medicine, commercial or household maintenance, agriculture, manufacturing, etc.).

A first embodiment of a closure of the present invention, and the components thereof, are illustrated in FIGS. 1-9, wherein the closure is designated generally by the reference number 40. The first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40 has the form of a separate article that is configured to be attached or assembled to a container 44, which has the form of a bottle that would typically contain a fluent substance.

It will be understood that the container may be any conventional type, such as a collapsible, flexible pouch, or may be a generally rigid bottle that has somewhat flexible, resilient walls. FIGS. 1 and 3 show the first embodiment of the closure 40 attached to a container 44 that is a generally rigid bottle having a wall that is somewhat flexible and that can be squeezed by the user to dispense a product when the closure 40 is opened and the container 44 is inverted by the user. The closure 40 may instead be used on a larger dispensing system (not illustrated) which may include, or be part of, for example, a medical device, processing machine, dispenser, reservoir on a machine, etc., wherein the system has an opening to the system interior.

The container, or a portion thereof, may be made from a material suitable for the intended application. For example, the container may be a pouch made from a thin, flexible material (wherein such a material could be a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film or a polyethylene film and/or an aluminum foil). Alternatively, a more rigid container (e.g., a bottle) could be made from a thicker less flexible material such as molded polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride, glass, or other materials.

In applications wherein the closure is mounted to a container such as a bottle, it is contemplated that typically, after the closure manufacturer would make the closure (e.g., by molding parts of the closure from a thermoplastic polymer and assembling them), the closure manufacturer will then ship the closure to a container filler facility at another location where the container is either manufactured or otherwise provided, and where the container is filled with a product prior to installation of the closure. If the container is a collapsible pouch, then the closure may include a suitable fitment portion that can be attached to the pouch as the pouch is being made and filled, or as the pouch is being made but before the pouch is subsequently filled through the open closure or through open regions of the pouch walls that are later sealed closed.

In the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40 in FIGS. 1-9, the closure 40 is provided as a separately manufactured article, component, or unit for being snap fit onto the container 44. It will be appreciated, however, that in some applications, it may be desirable for the closure 40 to be screw threaded onto a container or attached to a container in a manner that would not allow a user to easily remove the closure 40. Further, it may be desirable for the closure (or at least the body of the closure) to be formed as a unitary part, or extension, of the container (e.g., a bottle) wherein such a unitary part or extension also (i.e., simultaneously) defines an end structure of the container, per se.

The container 44, per se, does not form a part of the broadest aspects of the present invention. The container may have any suitable configuration.

With reference to FIG. 3, the container 44 is a bottle, which includes an upper end portion 46 that defines the container mouth or opening and a snap-fit bead 47 (or threaded portion, not illustrated) for mating with a cooperating snap-fit bead (or threaded portion, not illustrated) of the closure 40, which is discussed in detail hereinafter. The container upper end portion 46 has a cross-sectional configuration with which the closure 40 is adapted to engage. Extending downwardly from the container upper end portion 46 is a sloping, frustoconical portion 49 and depending main body portion 50 of the container. The main body portion 50 of the container 44 has a cross-sectional configuration that differs from the cross-sectional configuration of the container upper end portion 46 at the container opening. In other types of containers, the container may instead have a substantially uniform shape along its entire length or height without any portion of reduced size or different cross-section.

The first embodiment of the closure 40 illustrated in the FIGS. 1-9 is especially suitable for use with a container 44 that is a bottle having a substantially flexible wall or walls that can be squeezed or deflected laterally inwardly by the user to increase the internal pressure within the container 44 so as to force the fluent substance out of the container 44 and through the opened closure 40 especially when the user inverts the container 44 while squeezing. The walls have sufficient, inherent resiliency so that when the squeezing forces are removed, the container walls return to the normal, unstressed shape.

In other applications, it may be desirable to employ a generally rigid container, and to pressurize the container interior at selected times with a piston or other pressurizing system (not illustrated), or to reduce the exterior ambient pressure so as to suck the material out through the open closure.

In some other applications, the closure 40 may be used with a product containment system or other type of system (not illustrated), where the closure 40 can function to permit or prevent the egress or ingress of substances relative to the system in which the closure 40 is installed.

For example, in some applications it may be desirable to also accommodate filling or refilling of the container 44 with the fluent contents through the opened closure 40 into the container 44.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the closure 40 includes the following basic components of: a closure body 54; a lid 56 movably mounted atop the closure body 54; and a retainer 60 (which may also be referred to as a clip or latch). The closure body 54 and the lid 56 are formed or molded as a unitary structure, while the retainer 60 is formed or molded separately and is subsequently assembled together with the closure body 54 and the lid 56. The closure body 54, the lid 56, and the retainer 60 are each preferably molded from a suitable thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Other materials may be employed instead. It will be understood that in alternative designs (not illustrated), two or more of the three basic components may be unitarily formed or molded together initially as one connected structure, and then broken apart, and then re-assembled in an operative combination. Further, it will be understood that the closure body 54 may be unitarily formed or molded as an extension of the upper end of the container 44 and need not be a separately formed article of manufacture.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 9, the lid 56 is connected to the closure body 54 by a hinge 62 and is movable between an open position (FIG. 9) and a closed position (FIG. 3). One form of a hinge that may be used is an over-center, snap-action type hinge. Other types of hinges could be used. In some applications, the hinge between the lid and the closure body could be omitted altogether, such that the lid is not connected as a unitary part of the closure body (e.g., the lid is connected to the closure body by a screw thread, tether, or snap fit connection). In alternative embodiments (not illustrated), the lid may be a separate component adapted to be mounted to, and completely removed from, the closure body.

As will be discussed in greater detail below, the retainer 60 is movable between a locked position (FIGS. 1 and 3) and an unlocked position (FIG. 7). In the locked position (FIGS. 1 and 3), the retainer 60 engages the lid 56 and the closure body 54 to prevent the lid 56 from moving into the open position. As used in this specification and claims with respect to the first embodiment of the closure 40, and the other embodiments, the term “unlocked position” means a position in which at least a part of the retainer 60 is moved sufficiently away from the locked position so as to be disengaged from either the body and/or the lid to permit the lid to be opened as will be explained in detail hereinafter. As shown in FIG. 7, the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40 has a retainer 60 that is initially rotatable away from the locked position to disengage from the lid 56. The retainer 60 is further rotatable in the unlocked position, away from the locked position, such that the retainer 60 may be subsequently separated or removed from the closure body 54, as discussed hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the closure body 54 includes an inlet portion or lower end 68 and an upper end 70 (visible in FIG. 6 only). A generally cylindrical skirt or outer wall 71 extends between the lower end 68 and the upper end 70. The lower end 68 defines an inlet or through passage 74 for being located at the opening of the bottle 44 (FIG. 3) to communicate with an interior of the bottle 44 containing a fluent substance. While the closure body 54 is illustrated as having a generally cylindrical shape, it will be appreciated, however, that the closure body 54 may take a variety of forms and need not be limited to a cylindrical shape. For example, the lower end 68 and/or the upper end 70, or any surface therebetween, may be elliptical, polygonal, or some irregular shape.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the interior of the closure body 54 is provided with a plurality of snap-fit beads 76 extending radially inwardly from a downwardly extending, internal wall 77. The snap-fit beads 76 cooperate and mate with the external bead 47 on the container 44 (visible in FIG. 3 only) to securely attach the closure body 54 to the container 44 at the opening of the container 44. It will be appreciated that other conventional or special means of connecting the closure body 54 to the container 44 could be employed, such as mating screw threads, bi-injection molding, adhesives, mechanical locks, spin welding of the closure to the container, etc.

If the closure body is to be used on a flexible pouch (not illustrated), then it is presently contemplated that the closure body lower end would have a suitable boat-shaped fitment configuration (e.g., such as that shown and described in PCT/US2013/043065, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) for being sealed with the pouch, and most pouch manufacturers will prefer to install the closure body lower end at an opening formed in the pouch with heat sealing techniques or ultrasonic sealing techniques.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the closure body upper end 70 has a raised spout 80 extending upwardly therefrom and has a circular, central hole or orifice 84 therein for dispensing a fluent substance through the closure 40 when the lid 60 is opened (e.g., FIG. 9). The orifice 84 communicates with the interior of the closure body 54 which defines the inlet passage 74. The upper end 70 of the closure body 54 is further provided with another downwardly-extending cylindrical wall 86 that mates within the inside surface of the opening at the upper end 46 of the container 44 (FIG. 3).

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a front portion of the wall 71 of the closure body 54 is provided with a recess 88 therein, which is located on an opposite side of the closure body 54 from the hinge 62 that connects the closure body 54 with the lid 56. The recess 88 accommodates assembly of a lower portion of the retainer 60 when the retainer 60 is initially assembled with the closure body 54. Proximate the bottom of the recess 88, the wall 71 defines a hole or aperture 90 extending through the wall 71 for accommodating a hook feature located on the bottom portion of the retainer 60. The wall 71 further defines an internal ledge or hook-engagement surface 94 (visible in FIG. 6) along an edge of the aperture 90, which is engaged by the hook feature of the retainer 60, as discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The wall 71 defines a substantially flat circumferential shoulder 96 (FIG. 9) for confronting and accommodating the lid 56 when the lid 56 is in the closed position atop of the closure body 54 (e.g., FIG. 3).

Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, the lid 56 has a somewhat planar top end 100 with a substantially cylindrical, circumferential wall 104 extending downwardly therefrom. The wall 104 has a bottom surface 105 that confronts or abuts the shoulder 96 of the closure body 54 (FIG. 6) with the lid 56 in the closed position. The front region of the wall 104 defines a recess 108 (FIGS. 7 and 8 only) for accommodating un upper portion of the retainer 60 when the retainer 60 is initially assembled with the closure body 54 and the lid 56. Within the recess 108, the wall 104 is provided with a forwardly-extending projection 112 having an upwardly-extending snap-fit bead 116. As discussed hereinafter, a snap-fit feature of the retainer 60 serves to mate with the snap-fit bead 116, thereby securing the lid 56 in the closed position.

With reference to FIG. 3, the top end 100 of the lid 56 is provided with an internal cylindrical wall 120 extending downwardly therefrom, which serves to seal against the spout 80 of the closure body 54 when the lid 56 is located in the closed position, so as to occlude the orifice 84 of the closure body 54 and prevent ingress or egress of a fluent substance through the closure 40.

With reference now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the retainer 60 includes a top end 124 and, spaced therefrom, a bottom end 126. The retainer 60 has a generally arcuate shape (as viewed in FIG. 2), with an exterior surface 127 and an interior surface 128, shaped such that the retainer 60 is substantially flush with the exterior of the wall 71 of the closure body 54 and the exterior of the wall 104 of the lid 56 when the retainer 60 is assembled with the closure body 54 and the lid 56. The retainer 60 may have other shapes than that illustrated.

With reference to FIG. 6, the top end 124 of the retainer 60 is provided with an inwardly-extending snap-fit projection 130 that has a downwardly-extending snap-fit bead 134 formed thereon for mating with the upwardly-extending snap-fit bead 116 of the lid 56. The bottom end 126 of the retainer 60 is provided with a hook 138 extending downwardly therefrom. The hook 138 functions to be inserted through the aperture 90 in the closure body wall 71 and to contact the interior, hook-engagement surface 94 of the closure body 54. After the retainer 60 has been assembled with the closure body 54 and the lid 56, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, the snap-fit bead 138 of the retainer 60 mates with the snap-fit bead 116 of the lid 56 to establish a locked position of the retainer 60. In this locked position, the retainer 60 prevents, or substantially minimizes, the likelihood of the lid 56 from inadvertently opening as a result of impacts, forces, pressurization during shipping and/or handling of the closure 40.

The inventors have found that this advantageous assembly of the closure body 54, lid 56, and the retainer 60 is especially suited for preventing inadvertent leaks of a fluent substance during the shipping and handling of the closure 40 attached to a container 44 of a fluent substance in the form of a package, such as in e-commerce, whereby the package may be packed in a number of orientations and shipped in a wide variety of parcels that may be subjected to a wide range of impulse forces, vibrations, pressures, temperatures, and changes in orientation.

One method of assembling the components of the closure 40 is next discussed. It will be understood that the method of assembly described herein is illustrative only, and there may be other methods of assembling the components of the closure 40. The closure body 54 and the lid 56 are preferably integrally molded in the configuration shown in FIG. 9, whereby the lid 56 is oriented in the open position. The lid 56 is subsequently rotated about the hinge 62 with respect to the closure body 54 into the orientation shown in FIG. 8, such that the peripheral lid wall 104 is seated against the shoulder 96 (visible in FIG. 61, and such that the internal lid wall 120 (visible in FIG. 6) seals around the spout 80 (visible in FIG. 6) of the closure body 54.

With the lid 56 oriented in the closed position, the bottom end 126 of the retainer 60 is subsequently brought within the recess 88 of the closure body 54 and oriented such that the hook 138 is inserted through the aperture 90 in an unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 7, With the hook 138 extending through the aperture 90, the retainer 60 is then rotated to move the top end 124 of the retainer 60 toward the lid 56 until the snap-fit bead 134 of the retainer 60 engages and pushes past the snap-fit bead 116 of the lid 56. The resiliency of the retainer 60 and/or the lid projection 112, in conjunction with the shapes of the retainer bead 134 and the lid bead 116, accommodate the establishment of the snap-fit engagement. The rotation of the retainer 60 into the locked position causes the hook 138 to engage the hook-engagement surface 94 on the interior of the closure body 54 to establish a secure arrangement between the retainer 60, the closure body 54, and the lid 56 as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 6.

The detailed operation and function of the closure 40 will next be described with initial reference to FIG. 1. Typically, a user, such as a customer, will encounter the closure 40 as shown in FIG. 1, with the closure 40 installed upon the top end of a container 44 of a fluent substance—the closure 40, container 44, and fluent substance within the container 44 together defining a package.

With reference to FIG. 3, the retainer 60 is presented to a user assembled together with the closure body 54 and the lid 56 and oriented in the locked position with the lid 56 oriented in the non-dispensing, closed position. In this closed position of the lid 56, the interior wall 120 of the lid 56 seals against, and around, the circumference of the spout 80 to occlude the orifice 84 and prevent leakage of the fluent substance. In the locked position of the retainer 60, the retainer bead 134 and the lid bead 116 are engaged at the retainer top end 124. Furthermore, in the locked position of the retainer 60, the hook 138 at the retainer bottom end 126 contacts the hook-engagement surface 94 in the closure body 54 to establish a tensile force between the lid 56 and the closure body 54. That tensile force is sufficient to prevent, or at least minimize, the likelihood of the inadvertent opening of the lid 56 during shipping or handling of the package, or pressures developed within the package.

With reference to FIG. 7, the user can open the closure 40 by initially pulling outwardly on the top end 124 of the retainer 60 to urge the retainer 60 in a direction away from the recess 108 in the lid 56. With a sufficient force applied to the retainer 60, the user will overcome the interference between the snap-fit beads 116 and 134 to move the snap fit bead 134 of the retainer 60 overtop of, and outwardly beyond, the snap-fit bead 116 of the lid 56. The resiliency of the retainer material and/or the lid material accommodates the deflection necessary to overcome the interference of the heads 134 and 116.

With reference to FIG. 8, the retainer 60 may then be further rotated away from the lid 56 a sufficient degree until the retainer bottom hook 138 becomes dislodged from the closure body hook-engagement surface 94 (visible in FIG. 6). The user may then pull the hook 138 outwardly through the aperture 90 to fully remove or separate the retainer 60 from the closure body 54 as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The user may then lift the lid 56, such as by gripping the container 44 while pulling upward on the lid 56, to rotate the lid 56 about the hinge 62 into the open, dispensing position with the dispensing orifice 84 exposed (as illustrated in FIG. 9).

The user may grasp and squeeze the flexible, resilient container 44 to partially collapse, or otherwise reduce the internal volume of the container 44, to pressurize the fluent substance contained therein, In some situations, the user may also invert the container 44. In any event, during dispensing of the fluent substance, the fluent substance initially enters into the interior volume of the closure body 54 and exits the closure 40 from the exposed orifice 84.

When the user ceases to squeeze (i.e., pressurize) the container 44, the outward flow of the fluent substance terminates, and the substance may even be sucked back toward the container 44 by a temporary lower pressure within the container 44 (e.g.. if the container has resilient walls that return from a “squeezed in” configuration to the normal, nondeformed configuration). This allows sonic or all of the residual fluent substance within the spout 80 to be forced by the greater ambient air pressure back through the closure 40 and toward the container 44 to help maintain the overall cleanliness of the package.

Referring to FIG. 9, after dispensing a fluent substance through the closure 40, the user may then move the lid 56 from the open position into the closed position by rotating the lid 56 about the hinge 62 relative to the closure body 54 such that the lid wall 120 seals around the spout 80 of the closure body 54.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the user may choose to discard the retainer 60 after removal from the remaining portion of the closure 40, or, in the alternative, the user may reassemble the retainer 60 with the remaining portion of the closure 40. In the case of the latter, the user may reinsert the hook 138 (visible in FIG. 8) of the retainer 60 through the aperture 90 (FIG. 8 only) of the closure body 54. The user would then rotate the retainer 60 from this unlocked position into the locked position within the body recess 88 and the lid recess 108 with a sufficient force to overcome the interference between the lid snap-fit bead 116 and the retainer snap-fit bead 134 (visible in FIG. 6) to move the snap-fit bead 134 of the retainer 60 over the top of, and beyond, the snap-fit bead 116 of the lid 56. The retainer 60 would thus securely prevent or at least minimize the likelihood of the lid 56 from moving into the open position during transit or handling, or storage at elevated temperatures.

A second embodiment of a closure according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 10-19 and is designated generally by the numeral 40A. The numbered features of the second embodiment of the closure 40A illustrated in FIGS. 10-19 are designated generally with the suffix letter “A” and are analogous to features of the first embodiment of the closure 40 that share the same number (without the suffix letter “A”). As with the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40, the second embodiment of the closure 40A includes the basic components of a closure body 54A, a lid 56A, and a retainer 60A. The closure body 54A is unitarily molded with the lid 56A and connected thereto by a hinge 62A. The second illustrated embodiment of the closure 40A operates in a similar manner as described in detail above with respect to the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40, with three notable exceptions, discussed in detail below, relating to (i) the cooperating features for attaching the closure 40A to a container 44A, (ii) the assembly of the retainer 60A with the closure body 54A and the lid 56A, and (iii) the operation of the retainer 60A.

The second embodiment of the closure 40A differs from the first embodiment of the closure 40 in that the second embodiment of the closure 40A is not snap fit onto the container 44A. Rather, a screw thread attachment is used. In particular, and with reference to FIG. 12, the container 44A provided with an upper end defining an opening 46A and having external screw threads 47A for mating with internal screw threads 76A of the closure body 56A.

The closure body 56A is provided with an exterior wall 71A, a portion of which defines external, concave surfaces or recesses 88A located on either side of an aperture 90A within the exterior wall 71A. The wall 71A defines a lip or internal surface 94A proximate the aperture 90A for engagement with a mating feature on the retainer 60A to maintain the retainer 60A in a locked position, as further discussed below. The recesses 88A are located on either side of an aperture 90A to accommodate a user's finger tips and to assist a user in grasping and rotating the retainer 60A outwardly and upwardly to separate it from the closure body 54A and the lid 56A.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, a forward portion of the lid 56A is provided with a slot or channel 112A therein for receiving a mating feature of the retainer 60A, as discussed in detail below.

With reference to FIG. 15, the retainer 60A has a top end 124A and a bottom end 126A spaced therefrom, and an exterior surface 127A and an interior surface 128A. The bottom end 126A is provided with an inwardly-extending snap-fit projection 130A having an upwardly-extending snap-fit bead 134A formed thereon. The snap-fit bead 134A may be inserted through the aperture 90A in the closure body 56A to engage the interior surface 94A of the external wall 71A of the closure body 56A. The wall 71A defines the surface 94A along an inside edge of the aperture 90A. The top end 124A of the retainer 60A is provided with a generally inverted U-shaped hook projection or hook 138A extending inwardly and downwardly therefrom. The hook 138A is configured to be received within the channel 112A in the lid 56A during assembly of the retainer 60A with the lid 56A.

Assembly of the retainer 60A with the closure body 54A and the lid 56A is generally functionally similar to, but substantially reversed with respect to, the assembly of the components of the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40. Specifically, the retainer 60A is assembled initially with the lid 56A, and then the retainer 60A is assembled with the closure body 54A. The user may insert the top end hook 138A of the retainer 60A into the channel 112A, and then subsequently press the bottom end snap-fit projection 130A through the aperture 90A into the position shown in FIG. 15, in this locked position, the retainer 60A prevents, or substantially minimizes, the likelihood of the lid 56A inadvertently opening.

Disassembly of the retainer 60A from the closure body 54A and the lid 56A is generally accomplished in an opposite manner as describe immediately above, whereby the user would grasp the retainer 60A by placing a thumb in one of the recesses 88A and a finger in the other of the recesses 88A to grasp the sides of the retainer 60A. The user may then pull outwardly and upwardly on the retainer 60A in a direction away from the closure body 54A. With a sufficient removal force, bottom end the snap-fit bead 134A is urged past the internal closure body surface 94A, moving the snap-fit projection 130A outwardly through the aperture 90A. The retainer 60A may then be rotated away from the closure body 54A and into the unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 16. The retainer 60A may further be lifted upwardly by the user so as to pull the hook 138A out of the slot 112A and separated from the closure body 54A and the lid 56A as illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18. The lid 56A may then be rotated into the open position as illustrated in FIG. 19. The retainer 60A may be discarded, or later reused for locking the lid 56A closed.

A third embodiment of a closure according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 20-23 and is designated generally by the numeral 40B. The numbered features of the third embodiment of the closure 408 illustrated in FIGS. 20-23 are designated generally with the suffix letter “B” and are analogous to features of the first embodiment of the closure 40 that share the same number (without the suffix letter “B”). The closure 408 includes the basic components of a closure body 54B, a lid 56B, and a retainer 60B. The closure body 54B is unitarily formed with the lid 56B and connected thereto by a hinge 62B. The third illustrated embodiment of the closure 408 operates in a similar manner as discussed above with respect to the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40, with one exception, discussed in detail below, relating to the limitations on assembly of the retainer 60B with the closure body 54B and the lid 56B.

With reference to FIGS. 21 and 23, the closure body 54B and lid 56B define portions of a generally laterally tapered recess 88B (FIG. 23 only), which tapers from a wider top end to a narrower bottom end. The recess 88B receives the retainer 60B, which also has a generally laterally tapered shape. The retainer 60B may only be assembled with the closure body 54B and the lid 56A in a pre-defined orientation whereby the tapered retainer 60B generally follows and fits within the contours of the tapered recess 88B.

The inventors have found that it may be desirable to provide the retainer 60B and the recess 88B within the closure body 54B and the lid 56B with similar shapes that restrict the assembly of the components of the closure 40B to assist a user of the closure 40B to more easily and quickly assemble and/or re-assemble such components. This restriction on assembly of such components may be especially desirable where the retainer 60B is separately formed from the closure body 54B and the lid 56B.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, not illustrated, the retainer 60B and the recess 88B may have a variety of shapes and need not be limited to only tapered shapes. Furthermore, the recess 88B may be limited to only one of the closure body 54B or the lid 56B depending on the application and the size and shape of the retainer 60B.

With reference to FIGS. 20 and 21, the retainer 60B has an external surface 127B that is provided with an indicium 200B displayed thereon. The indicium 200B may be a graphic, textual element, texture, or any brand-specific ornamental or functional element. The indicium 200B may be integrally formed with the retainer 60B, such as by molding, or it may be applied by a secondary manufacturing process, such as by stamping, rolling, printing, plating, applying an adhesive label, bi-injection molding, etc. The inventors have found that such an indicium 200B may be especially desirable where the retainer 60B is separately formed from the closure body 54B and the lid 56B. For example, the manufacturer may separately mold the retainer 60B, while the closure body 54B and the lid 56B may be unitarily injection molded in a 24-cavity mold by a closure manufacturer. The closure manufacturer may wish to utilize this unitarily molded closure body 54B and lid 56B for a variety of customers, bottlers, or fillers—each of which may require a different or customized indicium 200B or indicia to be formed on the retainer 60B. The closure manufacturer may separately mold the retainer 60B in a different mold, especially one having fewer than 24 cavities, in order to efficiently and cost-effectively manufacture the inventive closures described herein for a variety of customers.

The closure manufacturer may thus utilize a greater cavity mold for the closure body 54B and the lid 56B to make the components of the closure 40B that can be shared amongst a variety of customers, bottlers, or fillers, while the closure manufacturer may utilize a lesser cavity mold for each individual customer, bottler, or filler.

A fourth embodiment of a closure according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 24-28 and is designated generally by the numeral 40C. The numbered features of the fourth embodiment of the closure 40C illustrated in FIGS. 24-28 are designated generally with the suffix letter “C” and are analogous to features of the first embodiment of the closure 40 that share the same number (without the suffix letter “C”). As with the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40, the fourth embodiment of the closure 40C includes the basic components of a closure body 54C, a lid 56C, and a retainer 60C. The fourth illustrated embodiment of the closure 40C operates in a similar manner as discussed above with respect to the first illustrated embodiment of the closure 40, with the exception that the retainer 60C is unitarily formed together with the closure body 54C and the lid 56C. The closure body 54C and the lid 56C are connected to one another by a hinge 62C. In addition, the retainer 60C is hingedly connected to the closure body 54C, which is discussed in greater detail below.

With reference to FIGS. 26 and 27, the lid 56C is provided with a forwardly-extending projection 112C having a snap-fit bead 116C extending upwardly therefrom for engaging with a mating portion of the retainer 60C. The retainer 60C has a top end 124C and a bottom end 126C. A snap-fit projection 130C extends inwardly from the top end 124C and has a snap-fit bead 134C projecting downwardly therefrom. The snap-tit bead 134C of the retainer 60C engages the snap-fit bead 116C of the lid 56C to secure the lid 56C in the closed position with the retainer 60C in a locked position.

Still referring to FIGS. 26 and 27, the bottom end 126C of the retainer 60C is connected to the closure body 54C by a thin film hinge 210C. Other types of hinges or tethers could be used (not illustrated). The closure 40C generally operates in the same manner as the first embodiment of the closure 40, except the retainer 60C cannot be separated from the closure body 54C when the retainer 60C is moved into an unlocked position (FIG. 27).

The inventors have found that, for at least some applications, it may be desirable to provide such a retainer 60C that is unitarily formed with the remaining the components of the closure 40C to prevent the retainer 60C from being lost or discarded by a user of the closure 40C. As with the first embodiment of the closure 40, in the locked position, the retainer 60C creates a tensile force between the lid 56C and the closure body 54C, which is sufficient to prevent, or at least minimize, the likelihood of inadvertent opening of the lid 56C during shipping or handling of the package or pressurization of the package.

A fifth embodiment of a closure according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 29-33 and is designated generally by the numeral 40D. The numbered features of the fifth embodiment of the closure 40D illustrated in FIGS. 29-33 are designated generally with the suffix letter “D” and are analogous to features of the second embodiment of the closure 40A that share the same number (without the suffix letter “D”). The closure 40D includes the basic components of a closure body 54D, a lid 56D, and a retainer 60D. The fifth illustrated embodiment of the closure 40D operates in a similar manner as discussed above with respect to the second illustrated embodiment of the closure 40A, with the exception that in the fifth embodiment of the closure 40D, the retainer 60D is unitarily formed together with the closure body 54D and the lid 56D. The closure body 54D and the lid 56D are connected to one another by a hinge 62D, and the retainer 60D is hingedly connected to the lid 56D, which is discussed in greater detail below.

With reference to FIGS. 31 and 32, the closure body 54D is provided with an exterior wall 71D with a pair of exterior recesses 88D (visible in FIG. 32) formed therein and an aperture 90D formed at the base thereof. An interior lip or interior surface 94D (visible in FIG. 31 only) provides an abutment surface for engaging with a portion of the retainer 60D. The retainer 60D has a top end 124D and a bottom end 126D spaced therefrom. A snap-fit projection 130D extends inwardly from the bottom end 126D and has a snap-fit bead 134D projecting upwardly therefrom. The snap-fit bead 134D of the retainer 60D engages the interior surface 94D of the closure body 54D to secure the lid 56D in the closed position when the retainer 60D is in a locked position.

Still referring to FIGS. 31 and 32, the top end 124D of the retainer 60D is connected to the lid 56D by a thin film hinge 210D. Other types of hinges or tethers could be used (not illustrated). The closure 40D generally operates in the same manner as the second embodiment of the closure 40A, except the retainer 60D cannot be separated from the lid 56D when the retainer 60D is moved into an unlocked position (FIG. 32).

The inventors have found for some applications that it may be desirable to provide the retainer 60D that is unitarily formed with the remaining the components of the closure 40D to prevent the retainer 60B from being lost or discarded by a user of the closure 40D. As with the second embodiment of the closure 40A, in the locked position, the retainer 60D creates a tensile force between the lid 56D and the closure body 54D, which is sufficient to prevent, or at least minimize, the likelihood of inadvertent opening of the lid 56D during shipping or handling of the package or due to pressurization of the package.

A sixth embodiment of a closure according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 34-39 and is designated generally by the numeral 40E. The numbered features of the sixth embodiment of the closure 40E illustrated in FIGS. 34-39 are designated generally with the suffix letter “E” and are analogous to features of the first embodiment of the closure 40 that share the same number (without the suffix letter “E”). The closure 40E includes the basic components of a closure body 54E, a lid 56E, and a retainer 60E. The closure body 54E is connected to the lid 56E by a hinge 62E. The closure 40E further includes a recess or recessed surface 88E (FIGS. 34 and 39) located opposite of the hinge 62E. (FIG. 39). A hole or aperture 90E (FIGS. 34 and 35) is located in the closure body 54E within the recess 88E. The closure body 54E has a pair of engagement surfaces or interior surfaces 94E (FIG. 35) for accommodating mating features of the retainer 60E, as will be described below. The lid 56E is also provided with a projection 112E (FIG. 34) having an upwardly-extending snap-fit bead 116E (FIGS. 34 and 39) for mating with a feature on the retainer 60E to secure the retainer 60E to the lid 56E. when the lid 56E is in a closed position (FIGS. 38 and 39).

The sixth illustrated embodiment of the closure 40E operates in somewhat of a similar manner as discussed above with respect to the fourth illustrated embodiment of the closure 40C, once it is fully assembled, with the exception that in the sixth embodiment of the closure 40E, the retainer 60E has a spring clip and integral hinge features that permit the retainer 60E to be advantageously, separately formed from the lid 56E and the closure body 54E, and then subsequently assembled into the orientation shown in FIGS. 38 and 39.

With reference to FIGS. 34 and 35, the retainer 60E has a top end 124E and a living hinge 126E at a bottom end that is spaced from the top end 124E. The retainer 60E has a generally convex, exterior surface 127E (visible in FIG. 35) and a generally concave, interior surface 128E (visible in FIG. 34). A snap-fit projection 130E (visible in FIG. 34) extends inwardly from the top end 124E of the retainer 60E and has a snap-fit bead 134E (visible in FIG. 34) projecting downwardly therefrom (as seen in FIG. 39). The snap-fit bead 134E of the retainer 60E engages the snap-fit bead 116E (visible in FIG. 34) of the lid 56E to secure the lid 56E in the closed position when the retainer 60E is in a locked position (as is illustrated in FIGS. 38 and 39).

Still referring to FIGS. 34 and 35, the retainer 60E has, below the hinge 126E, a pair of somewhat flexible, resilient projections 138E that together define a clip for being received in the aperture 90E of the closure body 54E. The projections 138E have a tapered configuration with a narrower leading-edge surface and a wider trailing-edge surface. Each projection 138E is spaced from a stop or abutment 140E by a recess 142E. The stop 140E functions to prevent the clip from being inserted too far into the aperture 90E and also functions to further stabilize the clip projections 138E when they are fully engaged with the closure body 54E. The retainer 60E includes another stop or abutment 146E (FIG. 34) that assists in stabilizing the retainer 60E, resisting torque, when the top end 124E of the retainer 60E is rotated about the hinge 126E from an unlocked position (as illustrated in FIG. 37) toward a locked position (as illustrated in FIGS. 38 and 39). The retainer 60E further includes a central post or guide 150E that is located laterally in between the projections 138E and which functions to assist in the assembly of the retainer 60E with the closure body 54E. The guide 150E further assists in stabilizing the retainer 60E, by resisting torque on the retainer 60E, when the top end 124E of the retainer 60E is rotated about the hinge 126E, moving from the locked position (as illustrated in FIGS. 38 and 39) toward an unlocked position (as illustrated in FIG. 37).

It will be understood that the retainer 60E need not be limited to having a living hinge 126E, and that in other embodiments (not illustrated) other types of hinges or tethers could be used (not illustrated) such that the projections 138E. are generally rotatable or movable relative to the top end 124E of the retainer 60E.

FIGS. 36-38 show the one method of assembling the retainer 60E with the rest of the components of the closure 40E. Once assembled, the closure 40E generally operates in the same manner as the fourth embodiment of the closure 40C, in that the retainer 60E cannot be separated from the closure body 54E after the insertion of the projections 138E into the aperture 90E and into mating engagement with the interior surfaces 94E (which are retained in the recesses 142E of the retainer 60E). With the retainer 60E clipped or snapped into the closure body 54E (as is illustrated in FIG. 37), the user or manufacturer would rotate the top end 124E about the hinge 126E to bring the snap-fit bead 116E of the lid 56E and the snap-fit bead 134E of the retainer 60E into engagement to place the retainer 60E into a locked position (FIGS. 38 and 39) atop the lid 56E.

While not presently preferred, it will be understood that the clip feature of the retainer 60E need not be permanently affixed to the closure body 54E when it is assembled therewith, and instead it may be removed by a user or manufacturer.

The inventors have found for sonic applications that it may be desirable to provide a retainer 60E that (i) is separately formed from the remaining the components of the closure 40E (e.g., the closure body 54E and the lid 56E), and (i) is flexible by way of an integral hinge 126E. For example, a closure manufacturer may advantageously utilize a unitarily molded closure body 54E and lid 56E for a variety of customers, bottlers, or fillers—each of which may rewire a different or customized retainer 60E (e.g., customized colors, texture, and/or indicia on the retainer 60E). The closure manufacturer may separately mold the retainer 60E in a different mold, especially one having fewer cavities than that of the common or shared mold for the body 54E and the lid 56E, in order to efficiently and cost-effectively manufacture the inventive closure 40E for a variety of customers.

As with the first embodiment of the closure 40, the retainer 60E of the sixth embodiment of the closure 40E, in the locked position, creates a tensile force between the lid 56E and the closure body 54E, which is sufficient to prevent, or at least minimize, the likelihood of inadvertent opening of the lid 56E during shipping or handling of the package or due to pressurization of the package.

Various modifications and alterations to this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. Illustrative embodiments and examples are provided as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E) for a container (44, 44A) having an opening (46, 46A) between an exterior of the container (44, 44A) and an interior of the container (44, 44A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E) comprising:

A. a closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46, 46A) and that defines an inlet (74, 74A, 74B, 74C, 74D) for communicating with the container (44, 44A), and 2) defines an orifice (84, 84A, 84B, 84C, 84D) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E);

B. a lid (56, 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E) that is connected to said closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 56E) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84, 84A, 84B, 84C, 84D), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84, 84A, 84B, 84C, 84D); and

C. a retainer (60, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E) having 1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E) is engaged with both of said closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E) and said lid (56, 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56, 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E) from moving into said open position, and 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E) and said lid (56, 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E) to permit said lid (56, 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E) to move from said closed position into said open position.

2. The closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E) in accordance with claim 1 in which said closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E) is one of:

1) a separate structure for being attached to the container (44, 44A) at the container opening (46, 46A); and

2) an integral structure that is a unitary part of a container (44, 44A) formed at the container opening (46, 46A).

3. The closure (40, 40A, 40B) in accordance with claim 1 in which said retainer (60, 60A, 60B) has a top end (124, 124A, 124B) and a bottom end (126, 126A, 126B) spaced from said top end (124, 124A, 124B), wherein one of said top and bottom ends (124, 124A, 124B; 126, 126A, 126B) has a snap-fit projection (134, 134A, 134B) extending therefrom, and the other one of said top and bottom ends (124, 124A, 124B; 126, 126A, 126B) has a hook projection (138, 138A, 138B) extending therefrom.

4. The closure (40, 40B) in accordance with claim 3 wherein said top end (124, 124B) has said snap-fit projection (134, 134B) extending therefrom, and said bottom end (126, 126B) has said hook projection (138, 138B) extending therefrom, whereby initial movement of said retainer (60, 60B) from said locked position into said unlocked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134, 134B) from said lid (56, 56B).

5. The closure (40A) in accordance with claim 3 wherein said bottom end (126A) has said snap-fit projection (134A) extending therefrom, and said top end (124A) has said hook projection (138A) extending therefrom, whereby initial movement of said retainer (60A) from said locked position into said unlocked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134A) from said closure body (54A),

6. The closure (40B) in accordance with claim 3 wherein said retainer (60B) is laterally tapered between said top and bottom ends (124B, 126B).

7. The closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40E) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retainer (60, 60A, 60B, 60E) is separately formed from said closure body (54, 54A, 54B, 54E) and said lid (56, 56A, 56B, 56E).

8. The closure (40C, 40D) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retainer (60C, 60D) is unitarily formed with said closure body (54C, 54D) and said lid (56C, 56D), and said retainer (60C, 60D) is hingedly connected to one of said closure body (54C) and said lid (56D).

9. The closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retainer (60, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E) has an indicium (200B) displayed thereon.

10. The closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E) in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a container (44, 44A) of a fluent substance, said closure (40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E), said container (44, 44A), and said fluent substance together defining a package.

11. The closure (40E) in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retainer (60E) has a top end (124E) and a hinge (126E) spaced from said top end (124E), said retainer (60E) further having at least one projection (138E) extending therefrom for fitting within an aperture (90E) of said closure body (54E) and for engagement with at least one interior, engagement surface (94E) of said closure body (54E) when said retainer (60E) is assembled with said closure body (54E), said at least one projection (138E) being rotatable relative to said top end (124E) about said hinge (126E).

12. The closure (40E) in accordance with claim 11 wherein said retainer (60E) is provided with a pair of tapered projections (138E) extending from said retainer (60E) and said retainer (60E) is irremovable from said closure body (54E) after assembly therewith.

13. A closure (40) for a container (44) having an opening (46) between an exterior of the container (44) and an interior of the container (44) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40) comprising:

A. a hollow closure body (54) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46) and that defines an inlet (74) for communicating with the container, 2) has an upper end (70) defining an orifice (84) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54), and 3) has an exterior wall (71) defining (a) an aperture (90) extending through said exterior wall (71), and (b) an interior, hook-engagement surface (94) along an edge of said aperture (90);

B. a lid (56) that 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body (54) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84), and 2) has a projection (112) with a snap-fit bead (116) extending therefrom; and

C. a retainer (60) that is separately formed from said closure body (54) and said lid (56), said retainer (60) having 1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60) is engaged with both of said closure body (54) and said lid (56) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56) from moving into said open position, 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body (54) and said lid (56) to permit said lid (56) to move into said open position, and 3) a top end (124) and a bottom end (126) spaced from said top end (124), said top end (124) having a snap-fit projection (134) extending therefrom for engagement with said snap-fit bead (116) of said lid (56) when said retainer (60) is in said locked position, and said bottom end (126) having a hook projection (138) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture (90) of said closure body (56) and for engagement with said hook-engagement surface (94) when said retainer (60) is in said locked position, wherein (i) initial movement of said retainer (60) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134) from said snap-fit bead (116) of said lid (56), and (ii) continued movement of said retainer (60) away from said locked position disengages said hook projection (138) from said hook-engagement surface (94) whereby said retainer (60) may be wholly separated from said closure body (54) and said lid (56).

14. A closure (40A) for a container (44A) having an opening (46A) between an exterior of the container (44A) and an interior of the container (44A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40A) comprising:

A. a hollow closure body (54A) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46A) and that defines an inlet (74A) for communicating with the container, 2) has an upper end (70A) defining an orifice (84A) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54A), 3) has an exterior wall (71A) defining (a) an aperture (90A) extending through said exterior wall (71A), and (b) an interior, engagement surface (94A) along an edge of said aperture (90A), and 4) has a pair of concave regions (88A) defined by said exterior wall (71A) and located on either side of said aperture (90A);

B. a lid (56A) that 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body (54A) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84A), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84A), and 2) has a channel (112A) therein; and

C. a retainer (60A) that is separately formed from said closure body (54A) and said lid (56A) and has 1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60A) is engaged with both of said closure body (54A) and said lid (56A) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56A) from moving into said open position, 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60A) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body (54A) and said lid (56A) to permit said lid (56A) to move into said open position, and 3) a top end (124A) and a bottom end (126A) spaced from said top end (124A), said top end (126A) having a hook projection (138A) extending therefrom for fitting within said channel (112A) of said lid (56A) when said retainer (60A) is in said locked position, and said bottom end (126A) having a snap-fit projection (134A) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture (90A) of said closure body (56A) and for effecting a snap-fit engagement with said engagement surface (94A) when said retainer (60A) is in said locked position, wherein (i) initial movement of said retainer (60A) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134A) from said engagement surface (94A) of said closure body (54A), and (ii) continued movement of said retainer (60A) away from said locked position disengages said hook projection (138A) from said channel (112A) whereby said retainer (60A) may be wholly separated from said closure body (54A) and said lid (56A).

15. A closure (40B) for a container (44, 44A) having an opening (46, 46A) between an exterior of the container (44, 44A) and an interior of the container (44, 44A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40B) comprising:

A. a hollow closure body (54B) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46, 46A) and that defines an inlet (74B) for communicating with the container, 2) has an upper end (70B) defining an orifice (84B) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54B), 3) has an exterior wall (71B) defining (a) an aperture (90B) extending through said exterior wall (71B), and (b) an interior, hook-engagement surface (94B) along an edge of said aperture (90B), and 4) defines a first portion of a laterally tapered recess (88B);

B. a lid (56B) that 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body (54B) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84B), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84B), 2) has a snap-fit projection (116B) thereon, and 3) defines a second portion of said laterally tapered recess (88B); and

C. a retainer (60B) that is separately formed from said closure body (54B) and said lid (56B) and has

1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60B) is engaged with both of said closure body (54B) and said lid (56B) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56B) from moving into said open position,

2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60B) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body (54B) and said lid (56B) to permit said lid (56B) to move into said open position, 3) a top end (124B) and a bottom end (126B) spaced from said top end (124B), said retainer (60B) having a laterally tapered shape between said top end (124B) and said bottom end (126B) for being received within said laterally tapered recess (88B) with said retainer (60B) in said locked position, said top end (124B) having a snap-fit projection (134B) extending therefrom for snap-fit engagement with said snap-fit bead (116B) of said lid (56B) when said retainer (60B) is in said locked position, and said bottom end (126B) having a hook projection (138B) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture (90B) of said closure body (56B) and for engagement with said hook-engagement surface (94B) when said retainer (60B) is in said locked position, wherein (i) initial movement of said retainer (60B) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134B) from said snap-fit bead (116B) of said lid (56B), and (ii) continued movement of said retainer (60B) away from said locked position disengages said hook projection (138B) from said hook-engagement surface (94B) whereby said retainer (60B) may be separated from said closure body (54B) and said lid (56B).

16. A closure (40C) for a container (44, 44A) having an opening (46, 46A) between an exterior of the container (44, 44A) and an interior of the container (44, 44A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40C) comprising:

A. a hollow closure body (54C) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46, 46A) and that defines an inlet (74C) for communicating with the container, and 2) has an upper end (70C) defining an orifice (84C) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54C);

B. a lid (56C) that 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body (54C) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84C), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84C), and 2) has a projection (112C) with a snap-fit bead (116C) thereon; and

C. a retainer (60C) unitarily formed with said closure body (54C) and said lid (56C) and has 1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60C) is engaged with both of said closure body (54C) and said lid (56C) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56C) from moving into said open position, 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60C) is disengaged from said lid (56C) to permit said lid (56C) to move into said open position, and 3) a top end (124C) and a bottom end (126C) spaced from said top end (124C), said top end (124C) having a snap-fit projection (134C) extending therefrom for engagement with said snap-fit bead (116C) of said lid (56C) when said retainer (60C) is in said locked position, and said bottom end (126C) is hingedly connected with said closure body (56C), wherein initial movement of said retainer (60C) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134C) from said snap-fit bead (116C) of said lid (56C) permitting said lid (56C) to move into said open position.

17. A closure (40D) for a container (44, 44A) having an opening (46, 46A) between an exterior of the container (44, 44A) and an interior of the container (44, 46A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40D) comprising:

A. a hollow closure body (54D) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46, 46A) and that defines an inlet (74D) for communicating with the container, 2) has an upper end (70D) defining an orifice (84D) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54D), 3) has an exterior wall (71D) defining (a) an aperture (90D) extending through said exterior wall (71D), and (b) an interior, engagement surface (94D) along an edge of said aperture (90D), and 4) has a pair of concave regions (88D) defined by said exterior wall (71D) and located on either side of said aperture (90D);

B. a lid (56D) that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body (54D) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84D), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84D); and

C. a retainer (60D) that is unitarily formed with said closure body (54D) and said lid (56D) and has 1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60D) is engaged with both of said closure body (54D) and said lid (56D) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56D) from moving into said open position, 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60D) is disengaged from said closure body (54D) to permit said lid (56D) to move into said open position, and 3) a top end (124D) and a bottom end (126D) spaced from said top end (124D), said top end (124D) being hingedly connected with said lid (56D), and said bottom end (124D) having a snap-fit projection (134D) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture (90D) of said closure body (56D) and for engagement with said engagement surface (94D) when said retainer (60D) is in said locked position, wherein initial movement of said retainer (60D) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection (134D) from said engagement surface (94D) of said closure body (54D) permitting said lid (56D) to move into said open position.

18. A closure (40E) for a container (44, 44A) having an opening (46, 46A) between an exterior of the container (44, 44A) and an interior of the container (44, 46A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure (40D) comprising:

A. a hollow closure body (54E) that 1) can be located at the container opening (46, 46A) and that defines an inlet (74) for communicating with the container, 2) has an upper end (70) defining an orifice (84) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body (54E), 3) has an exterior wall (71) defining (a) an aperture (90E) extending through said exterior wall (71), and (b) a pair of interior, engagement surfaces (94E) adjacent said aperture (90E);

B. a lid (56E) that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body (54E) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice (84), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice (84); and

C. a retainer (60E) that is separately formed from said closure body (54E) and said lid (56E) and has 1) a locked position wherein said retainer (60E) is engaged with both of said closure body (54E) and said lid (56E) in said closed position to prevent said lid (56E) from moving into said open position, 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer (60E) is disengaged from said lid (56E) to permit said lid (56E) to move into said open position, and 3) a top end (124E) and a hinge (126E) spaced from said top end (124E), and a pair of tapered projections (138E) extending from said retainer (60E) for fitting within said aperture (90E) of said closure body (56E) and for engagement with said engagement surfaces (94E) when said retainer (60E) is assembled with said closure body (56E), said projections (138E) being rotatable relative to said top end (124E) about said hinge (126E), wherein initial movement of said retainer (60E) away from said locked position disengages said retainer (60E) from said lid (56E) permitting said lid (56E) to move into said open position.

1.-36. (canceled)