GB2330135A

GB2330135A - Closure with diverging plug seal

Info

Publication number: GB2330135A
Application number: GB9821614A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary V Montgomery
Original assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc
Current assignee: Silgan Plastic Food Containers Corp
Priority date: 1997-10-13
Filing date: 1998-10-06
Publication date: 1999-04-14
Also published as: GB9821614D0

Abstract

A closure 14 has a top wall, a depending skirt 16 with first attachment means 18, such as a screw thread, for engagement with second attachment means 22 on a container neck 20 in use, and a downwardly diverging plug seal 24 for engaging an inner surface of the container neck at a point 30 above the second attachment means 22 when the closure is fully fitted to the container neck. The plug seal may have a diverging angle # 2 of between 10 and 60 degrees, preferably 15 degrees, and the plug seal may be deflected by approximately 10 degrees when the closure is fitted to a container neck. The plug seal may have a conical shape and rounded edges, and may engage the inner neck surface above and adjacent a sink area 32 of the neck which is formed during moulding of the second attachment means.

Description

PLUG SEAL FOR THREADED CLOSURE This invention relates to a closure for a container and more particularly to a plug seal for a threaded closure.

Manufacturers of threadable closures or containers have always been concerned with the sealing efficiency of the closure when threadably engaged with a container. Many different types of sealing elements have been proposed in order to improve this sealing deficiency. Some of the sealing elements which have been proposed have been integral with the closure and other commercially available sealing elements are separate from the closure and the container. As for the sealing elements being integral with the closure, a number of these sealing elements are in the form of plugs or stoppers which are insertable into the orifice of the container. Some of these closures, which include a stopper therein which is received within the orifice of the container, frequently cause the top of the closure to bulge in an unsightly manner thereby creating an impression in the minds of a consumer as to the quality of the products contained within the container. Examples of closures including a sealing stopper therein which are engagable within the inner surface of the neck of a container are taught in U.S. Patent No. 3,074,579 to Miller and, U.S. Patent No. 3,707,240 to Wilson.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a closure for a container having a diverging plug seal extending downwardly from a top wall of the closure for engagement with a container opening.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a closure for a container having a diverging plug seal extending downwardly from a top wall of the closure and engagable with an inner surface of a neck of a container at a location above external attaching means of the closure when the closure is in a closed condition.

More particularly, the present invention provides a closure for a container comprising: a top wall with a downwardly extending skirt therefrom, the skirt including first attaching means on an interior surface for engaging with mating second attaching means on an outer surface of a container neck; and, a diverging plug seal extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the skirt, the diverging plug seal engagable with an inner surface of the container neck at a location above the second attaching means when in a closed condition.

A better understanding of the invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view of one closure of the present invention attached to a container; Fig. 2 is a top view of the closure and container of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cut-away view of Fig. 2 taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 5 is another cut-away view of Fig. 4.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a closure 10 of the present invention engagable with a container 12.

As best shown in Figs. 3-5 the closure 10 is provided with a top wall 14 and a downwardly extending skirt 16 extending from the outer perimeter of the wall 14. Skirt 16 is provided with a first fastening means 18 shown as threadable connections for mating relation with mating threadable connections or second attaching means 22 of the neck 20 of container 12.

A diverging resilient plug seal 24 generally of conical shape and unitary with top wall 14 is spaced internally of the skirt 16. Diverging plug seal 24 is provided with an upper circular end 26 of a first diameter and a lower circular end 28 of a second diameter wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter. Moreover, the diameter of the lower circular end 28 is generally greater than the inner diameter of the inner surface of the neck 20. And, the terminating edge of the lower circular end 28 is preferably a rounded edge 30 which is movable along the inner surface of the neck 20 when in a sealing relation with the container 12.

With continued reference to Fig. 4, the neck 20 includes a sink area 32 which occurs in the plastic due to a change in the thickness at the threads 22 in a molding process. Thus, the rounded edge 30 of the lower circular end 28 when in a closed condition is engagable with the inner surface of the neck 20 just above the sink area 32.

Further reference to Fig. 5 shows the top wall 14 spaced from the top edge 34 of the neck 20 and the diverging plug seal 24 in sealing relation therewith. In this position, the diverging plug seal 24 absorbs the closure and container tolerance and maintains a minimum interference level for the seal 24.

Also, as shown in Fig. 5, the diverging plug seal 24 is generally at an angle il prior to inserting into neck 20 of from greater than 10 to about 60 with the top wall 14 and is preferably at about 15-. The back angle of the plug seal 24 is generally sufficient so that the plug seal 24 always maintains a line contact seal and does not go vertical as the plug seal 24 is forced into the neck 20 of the container 12. As shown in Fig. 4, angle O2 which illustrates the plug seal 24 received within the neck 20, generally deflects about 10 to, for example 5- if fl is 15'. The height of the diverging plug seal 24 is of a sufficient length such as, for example, 1/8 tl to minimize the angle for ease of molding the plug and to provide more constant flex strength. Also, the length or height of the plug seal is such that the sink area 32 is always downward from the terminating end 28 of the plug seal 24 when in a closed condition. Engagement of end 28 with sink 34 would provide a leakage path therearound.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A closure for a contained comprising: a top wall with a downwardly extending skirt therefrom, said skirt including first attaching means on an interior surface for engaging with mating second attaching means on a outer surface of a container neck; and, a diverging plug seal extending downwardly from said top wall and spaced inwardly from said skirt, said plug seal engagable with an inner surface of said container neck at a location in a closed condition above the second attaching means.

2. The closure of Claim 1, said plug seal diverging downwardly at an angle between 10 and 60 with said top wall.

3. The closure of Claim 2, said angle being approximately 15

4. The closure of Claim 1, said plug seal engagable with an inner surface of said neck at a location above and adjacent a sink area of said neck formed by molding of external threads on said neck.

5. The closure of Claim 4, said neck being sized so that a deflection of said plug seal with said top wall is approximately 10

6. The closure of Claim 1, said plug seal being of conical shape having an outer surface with a lower terminating end having a rounded edge on said outer surface at said terminating end.

7. The closure of Claim 1, said first and second mating attaching means being threadable attaching means.

8. The closure of Claim 1, said plug seal being resilient and unitary with said top wall.

9. A closure substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.