Title of Invention

A TAMPER-INDICATING CLOSURE AND A METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME

Abstract A tamper-indicating closure of integrally molded plastic construction, which includes a base wall having a peripheral skirt with internal thread for engaging external threads on a container finish, a tamper-indicating band connected to an edge of said skirt by a plurality of circumferentially spaced frangible bridges, and a stop flange extending from an edge of said band remote from said skirt, said stop flange having a circumferentially continuous free edge remote from said band disposed in a plane parallel to said base wall, characterized in that the stop flange has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings adjacent to said band and a plurality of circumferentially spaced gussets formed in an outer surface of said stop flange adjacent to said free edge, said gussets absorbing compression stresses on said stop flange during inversion of said stop flange, from an axially outward orientation as molded to an axially inward orientation for use, to absorb compression stresses on said stop flange.
Full Text TAMBER-INDICATING CLOSURE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
The present invention relates to tamper-indicating closures, to methods of manufacturing such closures, and to a package that includes such a closure on a container. Background and Objects of the Invention
It is conventional to form a tamper-indicating closure having a band connected to the skirt of the closure by integral frangible bridges. The band has a stop element (e.g., a flange
Or bead) that engages a bead on the container to resist unthreading of the closure, so that removal
f
of the closure ruptures the frangible bridges that connect the band to the closure skirt. U.S. Patent Re33,265. assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses a tamper-indicating closure of this character, in which the tamper-indicating band is completely severed from the closure skin and remains with the container upon removal of the closure from the container. U.S. Patent 5,295,600, also assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses a tamper-indicating closure in which the tamper-indicating band remains connected to the closure skirt and is removed from the container with the closure.
Although tamper-indicating closures of the types disclosed in the noted patents have enjoyed substantial commercial acceptance and success in the art, further improvements remain desirable. In particular, problems are encountered when employing this type of closure With a container in so-called wet finish applications, in which liquid may spill during or after the filling operation onto the outside surface of the container finish so as to be disposed between the container fmish and the closure skirt after capping. Wet finish situations of this type are encountered during hot-fill, cold-fill and aseptic-fill situations, in which the containers are filled close to the brim or to overflow prior to capping. Wet finish situations can also be encountered during filling operations in which liquid may drip from the filling machinery onto the container fmish, In wet-finish situations of this type, problems arc encountered in connection with draining

and drying of the area between the outer surface of the container finish and the closure skin - i.e.. between the threads on the container finish and skirt, and around the temper-indicating band and the stop element. Liquid trapped within this area can result in growth of mold and miidevv.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a closure and method of manufacture that facilitate both drainage of liquid products after capping and improved air flow between the closure and container finish for drying after capping. Another and related object of the present invention is to provide a closure and method of manufacture that achieve the foregoing objectives while retaining the advantages of the closures disclosed in the above-noted patents in temis of ease of application to the container finish after filling (lower top load and lower temperature) and whole or partial rupture of the taniper-indicating band from the closure skirt to provide the temper-indicating feature. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a package, which includes a closure and a container, that is particularly well adapted for use in conjunction with wet finish applications as descnbed.
Summary of the Invention
A tamper-indicating closure of integrally molded plastic construction in accordance wiih presently prefeiTed embodiments of the invention include a base wall having a peripheral skin with internal tlireads for engaging external threads on a container finish. A tamper-indicating band is connected to the edge of the skirt by frangible means such as; a plurality of circumferentially spaced integral frangible bridges. A Stop flange e.xtends axially outwardly and radially inwardly from an edge of the band remote from the skirt for inversion and engagement with a bead on the container finish. The stop flange has a circumferentially continuous free edge remote from the band disposed in a plane parallel to the base wall. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings are disposed in the stop

flange adjacent to the band for drainage of liquid from between the closure skirt and the container finish, A plurality of circumfcrentially spaced gussets are disposed in the stop flange at the free edge of the flange, with each gusset being disposed circumferentially between an adjacent pair of drainage openings. The gussets function during inversion of the stop flange, from an axially outward orientation as molded to an axially inward orientation for use, to absorb compressive stresses on the stop flange and thereby isolate portions of the stop flange surrounding the drainage openings from such compressive stresses. The gussets also function following inversion of the jiop tlange to maintain the geometr}" of the openings and thereby promote liquid drainage during use.
The inversion relief gussets preferably are on the outer surface of the stop tlange (prior to inversion), and are of uniform dimension circumferentially of the stop flange. Thickness of the stop tlange between the inversion relief gussets increases from the tamper-indicating band to the free edge of the stop flange, while thickness of the stop flange beneath the gussets is uniform. Thus, the gussets increase in depth radially toward the free edge of the stop flange. In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the gussets are in the form of pockets disposed in the outer siu-lace of the stop flange (pnor to inversion) opening at the free edge of the stop flange. The dimension of the gussets radially and axially along the surface of the stop flange is about one-half or less of the overall dimension of the stop flange. In a modified embodiment of the invention, the gussets comprise channels that extend axially and radially along the surface of the stop flange between the free edge and the band. The circumferential dimension of each gusset is less than the circtimferential spacing between drain openings, and is on the order of one-third of such circumferential dimension.
The drain openings in the stop flange may be of rectangular including square), semi-circular or triangular configuration. The drain openings are disposed in the stop tlange

adjacent to the band, and preferably extend partiaJly radially into the band. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a plurality " ofcircumferentially spaced lugs extend radially inwardly from the closure skirt for opposed radial abutment with the bead on the container finish. The lugs thus space the skirt from the container bead so as to promote drainage of liquid from between the container finish and the closure skirt, and to permit free passage of dry ing air to the region between the container finish and the closure skirt. This aspect of the invention is useful in connection with closures having a stop element either in the form of a tlange as in abo\-e-notcd U.S, Patent Re33,265 or in the form of a bead as iliu<.trated in u.s. patents and both as.signed to the assignee hereof> ! ^ , ■■
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention, together with additional objects, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a container and closure package in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view that illustrates the container finish and closure m the package of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned side elevational view of the closure in the package of FIGS, 1 and 2 as molded - i.e., before stop ring inversion;
FIG. 3 A is a tragmentao" sectional view of the portion of the closure within the
circle 3A in FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary .sectional view on an enlarged scale of the closure
illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 IS a fragmentary elevational uew on an enlarged scale of a drain opening in the stop ring of the closure in FIGS, 3 and 4, being taken from the direction 5 in FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is a tragmentan sectional taken substantially along the line 6-6 in FIG.
5;
FIG. 7 is a fraementan," bottom plan view of the closure illustrated in FIGS. 3-6 featuring illustration of an inversion relief gusset, being taken from the direcuon 7 in FIG. 3, FIG. S is a fragmentary- sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 in FIG.
7;
FIGS. 9, 10. 11, 12, 13 and 14 are fragmentary perspective views of the closure tamper-indicating band and stop ring in accordance with respective preferred embodiments of the invention;
FIG- 15 is a partially sectioned elevational view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing a modified embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 15 A is a fragmentar," bottom plan view of the closure illustrated in FIG. 15;
FIG. I5B is a fragmentary - sectional view similar to that of FIG. 8 but illustrating the embodiment of FIGS. 15 and l5.-\;
FIG. 16 is a partially sectioned elevational view similar to those of FIGS. 3 iind 15 but showing another modified embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 16A IS a view. smiilar to that of FIG. 3 A, shov\ang the portion of the closure in FIG. 16 within the circle 16A.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment
FIGS. lo illustrate a package 20 in accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention as comprising a container 22 of glass or molded plastic construction

and a tamper-indicating closure 24 threaded thereon. Container 22 has an axially extending finis 26 for receiving closure 24. Closure 24 has a flat base wall 30 on which a scaling Imer 32 i secured. An annular peripheral skin 34 extends dowiiwardly from clcsure base wall 30, and ha; internal tlireads 36 for securing closure 24 over external threads 2g of container 22. (Direction adjectives such as -^downwardly" are taken with reference to the vertical orientation of the container and closure illustrated in FIGS, I and 2.) A tamper-indicafing band 38 is secured to the lower end of skin 34, being separated therefrom by a circumferential score 40. famper-indicating band 3 8 is thus coupled to closure skin 34 by a circumferentially spaced array of frangible bridges 4! (FIG.S, 2 and 3). Bridges 41 preferably are formed dunng the scoring operation, as described in the patents referenced hereinafter. Alternatively, the bridges may be molded onto the inside^ siu-tace of skirt 34 and band 38, as shown in U.S. Patents 4,407,422 and 4,418.828. Aliematively, but less preferably, band 38 may be connected to skirt 34 by a thin fratigible web integrally molded with the closure, A stop flange 42 extends radially inwardly and axially upwardly (FIG. 2) from the lower end of band 38 to a position beneath a radially ouuvardly extending bead 44 on container 22 beneath threads 28- Bead 44 is sometimes called the container transfer bead or the "A" bead, referring to the fact that bead 44 defines the "A" dimension of the container finish. Stop flange 42 preferably thickens radially inwardl}" from band 38, being thinnest at the integral juncture with band 38 and thickest at the free edge that abuts the container bead. Closure 24 may be injection molded as shown or compression molded as taught in U.S. Patent 5,554,327. Liner 32 may be separately fonned, or more preferably compression molded in situ within a preformed closure as disclosed in U-S. Patents 4,984,703 and 5,451,360. U.S. Patents 5,488,888, 5.522,293 and 5,564,319 disclose techniques for forming score 40 and bridges 41 in the scoring operation, U.S. Patents 5,755,347 and Re 33,265 di_scloi=e techniques for inverting stop flange 42 from the as-molded configuration of FIG. 3 tc the configuration of

FIG, 2 ready for use. All patents noted herein, assigned to the assignee hereof, are incorporated herein by reference for purposes of background.
FIGS. 3-8 illustrate closure 24 as molded, before inversion of stop flange 42, fomiation of score line 40 and molding of liner 32. A circumferential array of axially extending lugs 50 are formed on the radially ianer surface of .skirt 34 during the integral molding operation, and e.-ctend radially inwardly from the skin surface. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3-8, lugs 50 are tomied at the conical portion of skirt 34 beneath threads 36 and above band 38 at a position such that the lower ends of lugs 50 are not intersected or cut by score line 40. As best seen in FIG. J A, lugs 50 effectively form an a.xial extension of the upper portion of .skirt 34, and are disposed t"br radial abutment with bead 44 on container finish 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, lugs 50 ensure that skirt 34 remains radially spaced from bead 44, while the area between the circumferentially spaced lugs remains free for drainage of liquid from berw^"een the closure and finish threads, and for ingress of dr\"ing air. As an additional feature best seen in FIG. 4, lugs 50 also cooperate with stop ring 42 when the latter is inverted and pressed agaui^t the opposing surface of band 38 to form an abutment surface for back-up tooling during formation of score line 40, In a 4S mm closure (standard finish size) in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 -8, there are PAenty-four lugs 50 having centers spaced by 15°, Each lug 50 has a preferred circumferential dimension of 0.060 inches. The spacing between diametrically opposed lug surfaces is -1.889 inches (nominal), as compared with a standard "A" dimension for bead 44 of 48.18 or 48.64 mm. In one presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the circumferential dimension of lugs 50 is greater than the axial
dimension of the lugs.
A circumferential array of drainage openings 52 are formed in stop flange 42 during the molding operation. Drainage openings 52 are disposed immediately adjacent to

tajnper-indicating band 3S, and preferably extend radially into the inner surface of band 38, as best seen in FIG. 6. The opening edge walls in flange 42 and hand 38 are axially oriented and parallel to each other due to the axial orientation of the mold tooling that forms the opeiungs. Openings 52 are entirely bounded by flange 42 and band 38, That is, drainage openings 52 do not extend to the free edge 54 of stop flange 42 remote from band 38, Rather, stop flange free edge 54 li circumferentially continuous and disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of closure base wall 30 both prior to inversion (FIGS. 3-8) and after inversion (FIG, 2). In the 48 mnt embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, drain openings 52 are rectangular, having a radial dimension of 0.0452 iitches and a circumferential dimension of 0.183 inches. Openings 52 extend 0,022 inches into band 38, which has a lower end thickness of 0,042 inches. The total radial and axial length of flange 42, measured from band 38, is 0161 inches. The diickness of flange 42 adjacent to band 38 is 0.013 to 0.015 mches, and the thickness at the free edge of the band is 0.035 inches. A circumferential array of inversion re! ief gussets 56 are disposed around the outer surface of stop flange 42. Each gusset 56 is disposed circumferentially midway bet\veen an adjacent pair of drainage openings 52. Tl;e thickness of stop flange 42 between inversion relief gussets 56 increases between band 3S and free edge 54 as previously described, However, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the thickness of stop flange 42 beneath each gusset 56 is substantially uniform throughout the length and width of the gusset, wliich is to say that the depth of gusset 56 increases to free edge 54. When molding closure 24, the plastic matenaJ must flow around the mold inserts fliat form drainage opening 52. This material flow forms a knit line or area in stop flange 42 beneath each drainage opening 52, which is an area of weaiLness at which stop flange 42 can fracture during inversion of the stop flange. The purpose of gusset.? 56 is to form weakened areas m the thinner portions of stop flange 42 formed by the gussets, which distort during inversion due to the compressive stresses applied to the stop flai^ige, and thereby isolate

such compressive stresses from the areas surrounding che drainage openings. Inversion relief gussets 56 thus help prevent cracking of the stop ring beneath the drainage openings during inversion. Furthermore, the inversion relief gussets prevent kinking of the stop flange at the drainage openings following inversion, thereby ensuring that the full areas of the openings are available for liquid drainage during use. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, gussets 56 comprise pockets formed in the outer surface of flange 42 at free edge 54 (i.e., opening into the free edge) and spaced from the band 38, In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there are rwelve equally spaced drainage openings 52, and twelve equally spaced inversion relief gussets 56 disposed around stop flange 42. Gussets 56 have a circumferential dimensions of 0,060 inches at the base of each gusset, opening outwardly from the base at an angle of 60°. (All exemplary dimensions in the application are nominal.) The radia/axial dimension of each gusset along the surface of the flange is 0062 inches. The circumferential dimension of each gusset (0.060 inches) is thus substantially less than the circumferential dimension between openings 52 (about 0.33 inches). It is preferable that drainage openings 52 occupy as much axea as possible without weakening stop flange 42. Inversion relief gussets 56 help prevent cracking at openings 52 as described, and help maintain circularity of stop flange 42 after inversion.
FIG. 9 illustrates tamper-indicating band 38 and stop flange 42 in accordance with he preferred embodiment hereinabove described, including rectangular drain openings 52 and nversion relief gussets 56. FIGS, 10-14 illustrate associated modified embodiments of the ivention. In FIG. 10, the stop flange 42 includes triangular drainage openings 52 and no iversion relief gussets. It is believed tliat more unifonn material flow can be obtained during the holding operation employing triangular drainage openings 52, so that the ktiit-Iine areas of formed at the apex of each opening adjacent to stop flange edge 54 will be less

pronounced, and inversion relief gussets are not needed. In an exemplary 48 mm embodiment according to FIG. 10, there were twelve equally spaced drainage openings 52, each having a radial dimension of 0.062 inches (as Compared with an overall stop flange radial dimension of 0.156 mches), and side edges at angles of 45 to the radius, FIG. 11 illustrates a stop flange 42 having rectangular drainage opening 52 but no inversion relief gussets. FIG. 12 illustrates a stop flange 42 having semi-circular drainage openings 52, each with a straight or diametric dimension oriented circumferentially of the stop flange and a semi-circular edge extending into the stop flange. An inversion relief gusset 56 is positioned between each adjacent pair of semi-circular drainage openings 52. FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment in which stop flange 42 has square drainage openings 52 and no inversion relief gussets. FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment in which the stop flange 42 includes semi-circular drainage openings 52, again with no inversion relief gussets. It is believed that plastic material will flow more evenly and unifonnly around the semi¬circular edges of the mold plugs that form openings 52, reducing or eliminating the knit-line weakness between each drainage opening and the free edge 54 of the stop flange, so that inversion relief gussets 56 may not be required to prevent cracking of the stop flange beneath the drainage Openings in these embodiments.
FIGS, 15, 15A and 153 illustrate a modified closure 24 in accordance with the present invention. Closure 24 is basically the same as the closure described above, with the exception that drainage slots 60 are provided on the inside diameter of skirt 34, and the inversion relief gussets are in the fonn of channels 56. Each slot 60 is of rectangular geometry, having a long dimension extending axially along the inside surface of the skirt through the container threads. Tlie radial or depth dimension of slots 60, as best seen m FIG. 15 A, is greater than the thickness of threads 36, so that each drainage slot 60 extends radially into the body of skirt 34, The purpose of slots 60 is to promote dramage of liqiud past the container and closure threads


to a position within band 38 adjacent to slop flange 42, from which the liquid drains through openings 52. Slots 60 also promote circulation of drying air in the region of the container and closure threads between the container finish and the closure skirt. In an exemplary, 48 mm embodiment, there are nine equally spaced slots 60, each having a circumferential dimension of 0.125 inches. The radial dimension of the slots is 0.010 mches greater than the radius of the inside wall or "T" wall of the closure. Gusset slots 56 extend axially and radially along the surface of flange 42f from band 38 to the free edge of the band.
FIGS. 16 and I6A illustrate a closure 24 that is basically the same as closure in FIGS, 1 -8, except that lugs 50 are axially elongated so as to function not only as spacer lugs with respect to container bead 44, but also as the frangible bndges that couple band 38 to skin 34. That is, lugs 50 are integrally molded on the inside surface of skin 34 and band 38 as in pnor embodiments, and are of elongated axial dimension as compared with prior embodiments so as to extend through the plane of score line 40. In this way, when the skin is scored to form score line 40, which .separates skin 34 from band 38, the score intersects but does not fully penetrate lugs 50. Lugs 50 thus serve as the frangible bridges that connect skirt 34 to band 38, and a two-stage scoring operation is not required.


WE CLAIM:
1. A tamper-indicating closure of integrally molded plastic construction, which includes a base wall (30) having a peripheral skirt (34) with internal thread (36) for engaging external threads on a container finish, a tamper-indicating band (38) connected to an edge of said skirt by a plurality of circumferentially spaced frangible bridges (41), and a stop flange (42) extending from an edge of said band remote from said skirt, said stop flange having a circumferentially continuous free edge (54) remote from said band disposed in a plane parallel to said base wall, characterized in that the stop flange has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings adjacent to said band and a plurality of circumferentially spaced gussets (56) formed in an outer surface of said stop flange adjacent to said free edge, said gussets (56) absorbing compression stresses on said stop flange during inversion of said stop flange, from an axially outward orientation as molded to an axially inward orientation for use, to absorb compression stresses on said stop flange.
2. The closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gussets and said openings are circumferentially staggered around said stop flange.

3. The closure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said openings (52) are rectangular, semicircular having a diametric edge extending circumferentially of said stop flange, or triangular having one straight edge extending circumferentially of said stop flange.
4. The closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said rectangular openings are square (52).

5. The closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein said rectangular openings are non-square (52), having a long edge dimension extending circumferentially of said flange and a short edge dimension extending radially of said flange.
6. The closure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said gussets (56) are on an outer surface of said stop flange prior to inversion of said stop flange.
7. The closure as claimed in claim 6 wherein said gussets (56) are of identical geometry.
8. The closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said gussets are of uniform dimension circumferentially of said stop flange.
9. The closure as claimed in claim 8 wherein thickness of said stop flange (42) between said gussets increases from said band (38) to said free edge (54), and wherein thickness of said stop flange beneath said gussets is uniform.

10. The closure as claimed in claim 9 wherein said gussets comprise pockets in said outer surface of said flange adjacent to said free edge.
11. The closure as claimed in claim 9 wherein said gussets comprise channels that extend along said outer surface from said free edge to said band.

12. The closure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a
plurality of circumferentially spaced drain slots (60) in said skirt (34) that extend
axially through said internal threads.
13. The closure as claimed in claim 12 wherein said drain slots (60) have a
radial depth greater than that of said internal threads.
14. The closure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a
plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs (50) extending radially inwardly from said
skirt at a position to oppose a radial bead on the container finish to space the skirt
from the finish.
15. The closure as claimed in claim 14 wherein said lugs (50) are integrally
molded onto an inside surface of said skirt.
16. The closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein said frangible bridges (41) are
formed by said lugs (50).
17. A package that comprises a closure as claimed in any one of the preceding
claims on a container (22) having a circumferential bead (44) for engagement by said
stop flange.

Documents:

1168-mas-1999 abstract-duplicate.pdf

1168-mas-1999 abstract.pdf

1168-mas-1999 claims-duplicate.pdf

1168-mas-1999 claims.pdf

1168-mas-1999 correspondence-others.pdf

1168-mas-1999 correspondence-po.pdf

1168-mas-1999 description(complete)-duplicate.pdf

1168-mas-1999 description(complete).pdf

1168-mas-1999 drawings-duplicate.pdf

1168-mas-1999 drawings.pdf

1168-mas-1999 form-1.pdf

1168-mas-1999 form-19.pdf

1168-mas-1999 form-26.pdf

1168-mas-1999 form-3.pdf

1168-mas-1999 form-5.pdf

1168-mas-1999 petition.pdf


Patent Number 214031
Indian Patent Application Number 1168/MAS/1999
PG Journal Number 13/2008
Publication Date 31-Mar-2008
Grant Date 23-Jan-2008
Date of Filing 03-Dec-1999
Name of Patentee OWENS ILLINOIS CLOSURE INC.,
Applicant Address ONE SEAGATE, TOLEDO, OH 43666,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 LOLETA T TOLLIVER ROGERS 268 BLUE HARBOR COURT, PERRYSBURG, OH 43551,
2 MARK R HOCK 9518 DEE ROAD, DES PLAINES, IL 60016,
3 CHARLES A WEBSTER 10088 SIMONDS ROAD, BOWLING GREEN, OH 43402,
4 SHAWN E KELLOGG 28710 OREGON ROAF, PERRYSBURG, OH 43551,
5 PAUL R GRAHAM 7240 NIGHTINGALE 13, HOLLAND, OH 43528,
PCT International Classification Number B 65D 041/34
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 09/206214 1998-12-07 U.S.A.