GB1561366A

GB1561366A - Containers and caps for closing and sealing the containers

Info

Publication number: GB1561366A
Application number: GB3846176A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Thomassen and Drijver Verblifa NV
Current assignee: Thomassen and Drijver Verblifa NV
Priority date: 1976-09-23
Filing date: 1976-09-23
Publication date: 1980-02-20
Also published as: JPS5672854A; JPS6320539B2

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO CONTAINERS AND CAPS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING THE CONTAINERS (71) We, THOMAS SEWN EN DRIJVER- VERBLIFA N.V.. a Dutch Company, of No.

51 Zutphenseweg, Deventer, The Netherlands, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a container and closure cap combination, in which the upper end surface of the container surrounding the container mouth defines a peripheral upstanding rim, and the cap has a central panel surrounded by a sealing channel which receives the rim, the channel containing a sealing compound for sealing between the rim and the channel. The radial width of the sealing channel has to be in excess of the radial width of the rim in order to oblain a suitable sealing.When closing the container with a cap of this type, the cap is fastened either by fastening means, such as a screw thread, protruding inwardly from a depending skirt adjoining the sealing channel, or more usually by inward protrusions in the depending skirt, regularly distributed about the circumference. The said inward protrusions or fastening means engage the under surfaces of outward protrusions, such as a continuous collar or complementary screw threads, arranged on the outside of the container adjacent its upper end.

If a relatively high extenlal pressure is exerted on the cap the original shape of the elastic seal, which inevitably will show some flow, will not sufficiently recover after the pressure has been removed and accordingly the mechanical fastening is imperfact. This phenomenon will particularly occur when the contents of the container are pasteurized or sterilized by a heat treatment under increased pressure.

If the upper rim of the container around the mouth is rather narrow, it is even possible that the rim will be pressed through the seal. For different shapes of containers and different processing temperatures and pressures accordingly specially adapted seals are used. Thereby the drawbacks are indeed decreased but not obviated.

With the aim of overcoming this problem, according to the invention we provide a combination of a container and a closure cap, in which the upper end surface of the container surrounding the mouth of the container comprises an upstanding peripheral rim which is substantially arcuate in radial cross-section and a substantially flat annular portion radially inwards of the rim, and the cap has a peripheral sealing channel which is substantially arcuate in radial cross-section and contains a sealing compound and which surrounds a central panel having a substantially flat portion radially inwards of the sealing channel, the inner diameter of the sealing channel being smaller than the inner diameter of the rim and larger than the inner diameter of the upper end surface of the container, while the depth of the sealing channel is greater than the height of the rim. above the flat portion of the upper end surface, whereby the cap fits over the upper end of the container so that the rim projects into the sealing channel and in engagement with the sealing compound, and the flat portions of the cap and the container abut each other to limit the amount by which the rim projects into the sealing channel.

Since the cap is fitted on the container with its flat part adjoining the sealing channel bearing on the flat portion of the container inside the rim, when increased pressures are exerted on the cap the sealing compound is not, or is only slightly, further loaded. Accordingly, flow of the sealing compound is prevented and a perfect seal is maintained. Thus a sterilization or pasteurization treatment can be effected without damaging the seal or causing detriment to the mechanical fastening.

In order to obtain a reliable support of the cap on the upper end of the container, preferably the radial width of the rim amounts to 1/, to t of the radial width of the entire upper end surface around the mouth; and preferably the radial width of the rim is from 1 to 3 mms. The radial width of the sealing channel is in excess of the radial width of the rim, preferably being between 1.5 and 4 mms., though smaller than the radial width of the upper end surface of the container.

The construction in accordance with the invention has the additional advantage that solid parts of the contents of the container, such as vegetables and fruit, during the closing and sealing process are more easily cut by the rim than in the known constructions. Moreover the same sealing compound can be used for whichever purpose and as a considerably narrower sealing channel is used, only a fraction of the previously required amount of the sealing compound is required now.

Preferably the sealing channel, which is arcuate in radial section, flowingly merges into the depending skirt at the outer periphery, whereas at the inner periphery it is connected to the adjoining flat part of the central panel in a sharp angle. With this design an advantageous transfer of forces and a reliable sealing pressure are obtained.

A preferred example of a container and closure cap assembly in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A and 1B are perspective views, partly sectioned, of the cap and the upper part of the container separated from each other; and Figure 2 is a radial section through the upper end of the container with the cap sealed on it.

In Figures 1A--B a mouth of a glass jar 1, such as for preserving vegetables and fruit, and a cap 2 for sealing the jar are shown. The shape of the jar is not critical and the mouth opening may be relatively narrow or wide. The upper end of the jar around the mouth presents at its outer surface a collar 3 for fastening the cap 2, and at the top it has a flat surface 4 and a peripheral upstanding rim 5 adjacent the outer edge of the surface 4. In radial section the rim 5 is arc shaped. The radial width a (Figure 2) of the rim 5 is, for jars of commonly used dimensions, about l to 1/5 of the radial width b of the entire end upper surface of the container in order that a sufficiently wide supporting surface for the cap 2 remains (see Figure 2). A suitable radial width a of the rim is from 1 to 3 mms.

The cap 2, which may be of metal, has a central panel 6, a sealing channel 8 which is filled with sealing compound 7 and is adjacent the outer periphery of the panel 6, and a depending skirt 9 adjoining the channel at its outer periphery, the skirt having an inwardly directed flange 11 at its lower edge.

The sealing channel 8 is, at its inner periphery, contiguous to a flat annular portion 10 of the panel 6. After the cap has been fitted on the jar the annular portion 10 will practically rest on the flat surface 4 of the container. The dimensions of the sealing channel 8, of the rim 5, and of the flat portions 4 and 10 of the container and the cap, respectively, have to be suitably chosen: the inner diameter d of the sealing channel 8 is smaller than the inner diameter e of the rim 5 and larger than the inner diameter f of the flat upper surface 4: the radial width c of the sealing channel is in excess of the radial width a of the rim 5, though smaller than the total radial width b of the upper end surface of the container. In practice the radial width of the sealing channel 8 will be from 1.5 to 4mms.

The flange 11 is located outwards of the collar 3, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 2, and the cap is fastened on the jar by forcing the flange 11 inwards and upwards to engage tightly under the collar 3 as shown. As during this closing procedure a downward pressure is exerted on the cap the rim 5 is pressed into the sealing compound 7. The annular portion 10 of the cap 2 limits the downward movement of the cap by abutment against the flat surface 4 at the upper end of the jar both during the closing procedure and the sterilizing or pasteurizing treatment, when again a considerable pressure is exerted on the cap.

The invention is applicable both to ventilating and non-ventilating closures, while it does not need any elucidation that other fastening means than those depicted in the drawings and described in the specification can be used.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A combination of a container and a closure cap, in which the upper end surface of the container surrounding the mouth of the container comprises an upstanding peripheral rim which is substantially arcuate in radial cross-section and a substantially flat annular portion radially inwards of the rim, and the cap has a peripheral sealing channel which is substantially arcuate in radial cross-section and contains a sealing compound and which surrounds a central panel having a substantially flat portion radially inwards of the sealing channel, the inner diameter of the sealing channel being smaller than the inner diameter of the rim and larger than the inner diameter of the upper end surface of the container, while the depth of the sealing channel is greater

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the cap on the upper end of the container, preferably the radial width of the rim amounts to 1/, to t of the radial width of the entire upper end surface around the mouth; and preferably the radial width of the rim is from 1 to 3 mms. The radial width of the sealing channel is in excess of the radial width of the rim, preferably being between 1.5 and 4 mms., though smaller than the radial width of the upper end surface of the container. The construction in accordance with the invention has the additional advantage that solid parts of the contents of the container, such as vegetables and fruit, during the closing and sealing process are more easily cut by the rim than in the known constructions. Moreover the same sealing compound can be used for whichever purpose and as a considerably narrower sealing channel is used, only a fraction of the previously required amount of the sealing compound is required now. Preferably the sealing channel, which is arcuate in radial section, flowingly merges into the depending skirt at the outer periphery, whereas at the inner periphery it is connected to the adjoining flat part of the central panel in a sharp angle. With this design an advantageous transfer of forces and a reliable sealing pressure are obtained. A preferred example of a container and closure cap assembly in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A and 1B are perspective views, partly sectioned, of the cap and the upper part of the container separated from each other; and Figure 2 is a radial section through the upper end of the container with the cap sealed on it. In Figures 1A--B a mouth of a glass jar 1, such as for preserving vegetables and fruit, and a cap 2 for sealing the jar are shown. The shape of the jar is not critical and the mouth opening may be relatively narrow or wide. The upper end of the jar around the mouth presents at its outer surface a collar 3 for fastening the cap 2, and at the top it has a flat surface 4 and a peripheral upstanding rim 5 adjacent the outer edge of the surface 4. In radial section the rim 5 is arc shaped. The radial width a (Figure 2) of the rim 5 is, for jars of commonly used dimensions, about l to 1/5 of the radial width b of the entire end upper surface of the container in order that a sufficiently wide supporting surface for the cap 2 remains (see Figure 2). A suitable radial width a of the rim is from 1 to 3 mms. The cap 2, which may be of metal, has a central panel 6, a sealing channel 8 which is filled with sealing compound 7 and is adjacent the outer periphery of the panel 6, and a depending skirt 9 adjoining the channel at its outer periphery, the skirt having an inwardly directed flange 11 at its lower edge. The sealing channel 8 is, at its inner periphery, contiguous to a flat annular portion 10 of the panel 6. After the cap has been fitted on the jar the annular portion 10 will practically rest on the flat surface 4 of the container. The dimensions of the sealing channel 8, of the rim 5, and of the flat portions 4 and 10 of the container and the cap, respectively, have to be suitably chosen: the inner diameter d of the sealing channel 8 is smaller than the inner diameter e of the rim 5 and larger than the inner diameter f of the flat upper surface 4: the radial width c of the sealing channel is in excess of the radial width a of the rim 5, though smaller than the total radial width b of the upper end surface of the container. In practice the radial width of the sealing channel 8 will be from 1.5 to 4mms. The flange 11 is located outwards of the collar 3, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 2, and the cap is fastened on the jar by forcing the flange 11 inwards and upwards to engage tightly under the collar 3 as shown. As during this closing procedure a downward pressure is exerted on the cap the rim 5 is pressed into the sealing compound 7. The annular portion 10 of the cap 2 limits the downward movement of the cap by abutment against the flat surface 4 at the upper end of the jar both during the closing procedure and the sterilizing or pasteurizing treatment, when again a considerable pressure is exerted on the cap. The invention is applicable both to ventilating and non-ventilating closures, while it does not need any elucidation that other fastening means than those depicted in the drawings and described in the specification can be used. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A combination of a container and a closure cap, in which the upper end surface of the container surrounding the mouth of the container comprises an upstanding peripheral rim which is substantially arcuate in radial cross-section and a substantially flat annular portion radially inwards of the rim, and the cap has a peripheral sealing channel which is substantially arcuate in radial cross-section and contains a sealing compound and which surrounds a central panel having a substantially flat portion radially inwards of the sealing channel, the inner diameter of the sealing channel being smaller than the inner diameter of the rim and larger than the inner diameter of the upper end surface of the container, while the depth of the sealing channel is greater

than the height of the rim above the flat portion of the upper end surface, whereby the cap fits over the upper end of the container so that the rim projects into the sealing channel and in engagement with the sealing compound, and the flat portions of the cap and the container abut each other to limit the amount by which the rim projects into the sealing channel.

2. A combination according to claim 1, in which the radial width of the sealing channel is larger than the radial width of the rim, but smaller than the radial width of the entire upper end surface of the container.

3. A combination according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the radial width of the rim is from 1/5 to 2 of the radial width of the entire upper end surface of the container.

4. A combination according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the radial width of the rim is from 1 to 3 mms.

5. A combination according to claim 4, in which the radial width of the sealing channel is from 1.5 to 4 mms.

6. A combination according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the arcuate sealing channel of the cap flowing merges at its outer edge into a depending peripheral skirt provided for fastening the cap on the container, and merges abruptly at its inner edge into the adjoining flat portion of the central panel.

7. A combination according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.