US3331523A - Container closure member and liner therefor - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1967 N. T. ExToN 3,331,523

CONTAINER CLOSURE MEMBER AND LINER THEREFOR Filed Feb. l5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l w ffm@ INVEN TOR. /I/a/e/lM/f/ Zfxm/s/ July 18, 1967 N. T. ExToN l3,331,533

CONTAINER CLOSURE MEMBER AND LINER THEREFOR Filed Feb, l5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet i;

INVENTOR. NORMAN T EXTON ATTOR N EYS July 18, 1967 N. T. ExToN 3,331,523

CONTAINER CLOSURE MEMBER AND LINER THEREFOR Filed Fb. 15, 1965 3 Sheets-sheet 3 INVENTOR. NORMAN EXTON ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,331,523 CONTAINER CLOSURE MEMBER AND LINER THEREFOR Norman T. Exton, Port Washington, NY., assignor to Gilbert Manufacturing Company, Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 432,760 6 Claims. (Cl. 21S-40) This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application S.N. 22,945, filed Apr. 18, 1960, and now abandoned, which is assigned to the same assignee.

This invention relates to closure members for bottles, jars and other similar containers and more particularly to a cap and liner arrangement for sealing a container opening.

When using a bottle, jar or other similar container, it is necessary to provide a closure member to seal the container opening so that the material (solid, liquid or gas) therein cannot leak out of or evaporate from the opening. Such a seal is also necessary to prevent contaminants from getting into the container.

One type of seal which may be used for a container has a cap with a cork or a fibre liner. The liner is usually glued to the inside of the cap. After a time, the glue holding the liner to the inside of the cap is either eaten away by the contents of the container or else it loses its adhesive power and the liner separates from the Cap.

When this happens, the liner sticks to and covers the A.

container opening each time the cap is removed. It is often difficult and time consuming to remove a sticking liner from the container in order to remove the contents therefrom. In many cases where the liner separates from the cap, it getslost and the seal is then broken thereby exposing the contents of the container to contamination.

In some cases, the contents of the container dissolve the liner so that small bits or pieces are broken from it. This not only destroys the seal but the bits or pieces often fall into and contaminate the contents of the container.

Other types of seals for containers utilize a cap with a liner made of plastic material. In this type of seal, some arrangement must be provided for fastening the liner to the inside of the cap so that the liner Will not separate from the cap. One way to accomplish this is to fuse the liner to the inside of the cap to make it integral therewith. The fusing process becomes difficult and relatively expensive in view of the wide variety of materials which are used for caps, for example, plastics, rubber, Bakelite, metal, glass, etc. It is therefore desirable to provide a relatively inexpensive and easy way of fastening a liner to a cap in a manner so that it will not separate therefrom and to provide a liner having good sealing properties.

The present invention accomplishes the aforesaid objectives by providing a novel cap and liner for use with a container. In accordance with the invention, the cap has a stud on its top inner surface which is shaped to hold a liner in a manner so that the liner cannot move. The liner is made of flexible material with a protruding button portion which is inserted into the cap stud. When the button is snapped into the cap stud the liner becomes attached to the cap. Thus, separation of the liner from the cap is prevented and no glue is used. In order to provide a good seal, the liner is shaped with a flared skirt so that a portion of the liner extends into the container opening. The outer edge of the flared portion of the liner lies vover the rim of the container opening and a seal is made as the inside of the cap presses the overlying flared portion of the liner onto the rim when the cap is screwed down. Since the liner is flared, a number of different sizes and shapes of container openings can be sealed by a single liner within its dimensional limitations.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel cap and liner for sealing containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liner for a container cap which can seal a number of sizes and shapes of container openings Within the dimensional limits of the liner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap and liner for sealing container openings in which the liner is xedly fastened to the cap.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cap and liner for sealing a container in which the liner is made of a flexible material and is fastened to the cap so that it will not be separated therefrom.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon referring to the following specication and annexed drawings -in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational perspective view showing a portion of a container and a cap therefor;

FIGURE 2 is a partial section of one embodiment of the invention taken along lines A-A of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3A is a side view of the liner used in the embodiment of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3B is a bottom plan view of the liner of FIG- URE 2A;

FIGURE 4 is a partial section of another embodiment of the invention taken along lines A-A of FIGURE l with the cap fastened to the top of the container;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the cap of FIGURE 4 removed from the top of the container;

FIGURE 6 is a partial section of still anothereinbodiment of the invention taken along lines A-A of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURES 7A, 7B and 7C are views taken in section, with FIGS. 7B and 7C being a fragment of FIG. 7A, of a closure illustrating the operating principles of the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the liner of the closure of FIGURES 7A-7C.

Referring to FIGURE l, a cap 10 is shown fastened to the top of a container 11. It should be realized that the container 11 may be any size and/ or shape of bottle, jar, jug, etc. The container 11 may be made from any suitable material such as glass or other vitre-ous material, plastic, metal, etc. It should also be realized that the cap 10 may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, rubber, glass or other vitreous material, Bakelite, etc.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the container 11 has a neck portion 14 which forms an opening through which the container is filled and the contents in the container extracted.

The outer wall of the neck 14 is formed with a plurality of threads 17 onto which corresponding threads of the cap 10 are screwed. The neck of the container terminates in a lip or rim 19.

It should be realized that the particular shape of the neck of the container shown and the size and shape of the opening formed thereby are only illustrative and that the invention will operate with other shapes and sizes of container necks and openings.

A stud in the form of an annular ring 20 is formed on the top inner surface 18 of the cap 10. The formation of the stud 20 may be accomplished by any suitable process, for example, molding it integrally with the cap. The inner wall 21 of the stud 20 is undercut, as shown by the slanted lines so -that the diameter of the annular ring is smaller at the side of the ring furthest from the inner surface of the cap 19. This is done in order that the stud 20 can receive a liner 25 and xedly fasten it to the cap. The inner side walls of the cap have threads 21 which mate with the threads 17 on the neck 14. The cap 10 is screwed down onto the threads 17 in order to fasten it to the neck of the container and to seal the opening therein.

The liner 25, which is shown in detail in FIGURES 2, 3A and 3B, is formed of any suitable resilient and flexible material which will not react unfavorably with the contents of the container 11. Some of the materials which can be used for the liner 25 are plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl chloride and copolymers thereof, any elastomer, etc., `and otherV flexible materials such as rubber, nylon, etc.

The liner 25 is formed by any Asuitable process such as molding, etc., and has a button 27 which may be Solid (as shown) or hollow. The height of the button 27 is approximately equal to the depth of the hollow portion of the stud 20. The wall of the button 27 is undercut at 29 (FIGURE 2) with the top of the button being wider than its bottom so that the button is held by the undercut inner wall 21 of the stud 20, To fasten the liner 25 to the cap 10, since the liner is made of a resilient material, it is only necessary to press the button 27 into the recess formed by the stud 20. Due to the shapes of the stud 26 and the button 27, the liner is held fast to the cap 10 and cannot move with respect thereto.

The liner 25 has a slight depression 30 at the bottom of the button 27. The liner ares out from this depression with a skirt 32 which is generally of inverted frustroconical shape. The skirt wall 32 tapers upwardly from the end of the depression in the button 27 in the manner shown. The particular angle of taper is not critical, so llong as a good seal can be effected. It has been found that a variety of different angles can produce a good seal. The diameter of the skirt 22 is also not critical. Factors to con- VSider in its selection are the size of the opening which is to be sealed, the internal diameter of the cap 10, and the width of the sealing lip of the bottle.

The edge ofthe wall 32 has a thin rim portion 34 around Vits edge. The thin portion 34 is more easily deformed by the pressure of the cap 10 'than is the other portion of the skirt wall 32 which is of slightly greater thickness. However, it should be realized, that the thickness of the skirt wall 32 is not critical as long as it may also be deformed by the pressure of the screwed down cap to form the seal. When the exact sizes of the rim and neck of the container are known, the thin rim 34 may be provided, if desired, in order that the skirt wall 32 may be more easily deformed.

In operation, when the cap 10 is screwed down onto the threads 17, the skirt wall 32 is forced against the rim 19Vby the inner surface 18 of the cap 10. In the embodi- Y ment shown, the thin rim 34 of the sheet 32 is Ypressed against the rim 19. This forms a seal around the rim 19 of the container. It should also be noted that, due to the tapering of the skirt wall 32, the bottom of the skirt 32 makes contact around the entirerinner edge of the rim 19. This provides an additional seal and keeps chips from the rim o'f the container from falling into the container contents. In general, the angle of taper of the skirt wall 32 is chosen -so that the seal around the entire inner edge of the rim 19 is obtained. Y

It should be noted that the liner 25, due to its resiliency and `tapering shape of the skirt wall 32, Vcan accommodate a number of different sizes of openings in the neck 14. For example, consider the case where Ithe neck 14 is thicker than that shown and the liner 25 is the same size and shape. In this instance, as the cap 10 is screwed down, the

wall 32 makes the seal around the inner edge of the rim 19 closer to the stud 20 than shown in FIGURE 2 and more of 4the rim of the skirt 32 is deformed over the top of the rim to form the seal. On the other hand, when the opening in the neck is wider, the seal with the inner edge of rim 19 would be made further away from the stud 20 and lesstof the skirt 32 would be deformedover the top of the rim. Y

It should be realized that the exible materials of the liner acquire a partial positional set, due to their elasticity, once they are deformed to a particular shape. However, when the deforming pressure is removed, such as by unscrewing from -the container, there is enough resiliency normally left in the liner to make it spring back almost to its normal unset position. Even when the liner is completely deformed, it will conform to the opening and therefore still provide a good seal. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, when the cap 10 is removed from the container 11 the thin rim 34 and the other portion of the, skirt wall 32 which was set against the rim 19, i.e., that portion of the liner lying outwardly of the poin-t on the skirt wall 32 which contacts the liner edge of the bottle lip, drop down from the innersurface 18 of the cap 10. This is shown in FIGURE 5, which will be described with respect to another embodiment of the invention.

It should be realized that shapes for the stud 20 other than the annular ring shown in FIGURE 2 can be utilized. For example, the stud 20 may be rectangular, square, triangular, or any general polygonal shape. Also, the stud 20 can be sectionalized to accommodate a button 27 of two or more sections. It should also be realized that ways of xedly fastening the liner 25 to the cap 10, other than the corresponding undercuts shown in FIG- URE 2 may be utilized. For example, a rim may be formed around the button 27 which is adapted to mate with a corresponding groove on the inner wall of the stud 20. This particular arrangement is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. It will be obvious that, due to the resiliency of the material forming the liner 25, any suitable way of Xedly fastening the liner to the cap can be used.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, another embodiment of the invention is shown as used with a container having a dier'ent size opening and neck shape. The neck 14 of the container shown in FIGURE 4 has a built up upper section 40 which is formed with an inwardly sloping surface 43` and a flat rim 42. The built up section 49 is shaped to provide a narrow spout or opening 45 for the container so that only a small amount of the container contents can be dispensed therefrom at a given time. Such a container is very popular in after shave lotion, cologne, powder and perfume bottles, etc.

A stud 20 is formed on the top inner surface 18 (FIG- URES 4 and 5) of the cap 1t) in the same manner as that shown in FIGURE 2. However, instead of the stud 20 being undercut, it is provided with a groove V50 in its inner wall, `whose function will be subsequently described. Also, formed on the top inner surface 18 of the cap 10 is an annular ring 51 which extends down into the hollow section of the cap, to engage the liner and force it against the rim 42 of the neck 14. Y

The'liner for the cap of FIGURES 4 and 5 is ofthe same general shape as the liner for the cap of FIGURE 2. In addition to having the hollow depression 30 at the bottom of the button 27, the lbutton is also formed with a ridge 53 which mates with the groove 50 of the stud 20.

This arrangement fastens the liner to the Vcap so that it cannot be moved under normal conditions of the cap being placed on and removed from the container. The skirt wall 32 of the liner 25 is also tapered, the same as in FIGURES 2-3, in order to eectuate a seal. However, the edge of the skirt 32 is not thinned out in this embodi- V ment of the liner as it is in the embodiment of FIGURES 2-3. The skirt wall32 of FIGS. 4 and 5 terminates its upper surface in a high point 35 with a portion 34a extending therebeyond.

As shown in FIGURE 4, when the cap 10 down onto the neck of the bottle 14, the container opening is sealed. Due to the tapering shape of the skirt wall 32, and the flexibility of the liner 25, the skirt wall 32 conforms to and lies against the slopping edge 43 of the neck. This in itself provides a seal. Further, when the cap is screwed down, the annular ring 51 forces the lower surface of Kthe liner skirt wall 32, which it contacts ad is screwed jacent high point 35 on the upper surface, against the flat rim 42. The latter provides a tight seal with the neck of the container so that even when the bottle is turned upside down and shaken, its contents cannot escape. It can be seen that a portion of the generally frusto-conical skirt wall is bent over to a substantially fiat position on rim 42 with the point 33 of the liner contacting the inner edge of the rim therearound.

FIGURE 5 shows the cap and liner removed from the container 11. It should be noted, that due to the co-action of the groove 5f) in the stud 20 and the rim 53 on the button 27, that the liner 25 cannot normally be separated from the cap when the cap is removed from the container. This is true even though the contents of the container may be glue or some other similar material which would adhere to the liner. In FIGURE 5, it can be seen that when the cap is off the top of the container, that the edge of the skirt wall 32 outwardly of point 33 which contacted the inner edge of the rim 42 drops down slightly from the annular ring 51, i.e., it is deformed slightly from its original continuously upward sloping shape. When the cap is again screwed onto the container the ring 51 presses the edge against the rim 42 to remake the seal.

FIGURE 6 shows another embodiment of the invention which utilizes a different way of holding the liner and also a slightly modified type of liner. While this cap and liner assembly is shown and described as used with a container opening of the type shown in FIGURE 2, it should be obvious that it would also apply to a container having an opening of the type shown in FIGURE 4, and containers having other types of openings. The cap 10 is formed with a recessed hollow portion 55 having an undercut inner wall S7, on its top surface to receive the undercut button 27 of the liner. As described before, this arrangement holds the liner fixedly to the cap. It should be realized that the rim and groove arrangement of FIG- URES A4-5, or any other suitable arrangement, may also be utilized to hold the liner to the cap.

The outer edge 34 of the flared skirt wall 32 is made thinner than the rest of Vthe wall as previously described with respect to FIGURES 2 and 3, so that it may easily be deformed over the rim 19 on the neck of the container. The upper surface of the skirt wall 32 is formed with a bead 60 around a circumference near its outer edge. The bead 60 helps to make a good seal since it is pressed against the inner surface of the cap, when the cap is fastened to the container neck, and therefore firmly presses the bent-over portion of the skirt wall against the rim 19. The bead 60 therefore provides added resiliency for the outer portion of skirt wall lying over the rim 19 when the cap is fastened to the neck.

As discussed above, the point at which contact is made between the inner edge of the bottle lip 19 or 42 and the main portion of the `liner skirt wall 32 is determined by the inner diameter of the bottle lip. It also should be clear that the Width of the main portion of the skirt wall 32 making contact With and lying on the fiat portion of lip 19 is determined by the width of the bottle lip. Therefore, both the width of the bottle lip and the inner diameter of the lip determine the position of the bead 60, as well as the position of the portion 34 of the liner lying outwardly of the bead, with respect to the bottle lip.

It has been found that an additional advantage is obtained by the bead 60 and portion 34 of the liner lying outwardly of the bead when certain relationships exist between the outer diameter of the bottle lip and the outer diameter of the liner. This is described in greater detail with respect to FIGURES 7A-7C and 8.

As seen in FIGURES 7A-7C the stud 20 on the cap and the button 27 on the liner are of slightly different configuration than previously shown. Here, the stud 20 is formed with a rib 20a while the button 27 is formed with an enlarged diameter knob 27a. The respective sizes of the rib Za and the main, or smaller diameter, portion of the button are selected so that the rib 20a provides a tight engaging fit therewith. Similarly, the size of the knob 27a is selected to provide a tight engaging -fit with the inner wall of the larger diameter portion of the button 20 as shrown in each of the figures. It should be understood that since the liner and its button Z7 are made of resilient material, that it is possible to size the knob 27a and the rib 20a with respect to the corresponding portions of the stud and button which they contact so that a tight engaging tit is secured between the liner and the cap. This t can be selected, as desired, so that the liner will not move `axially and/or even lrotate when the cap `is fastened or unfastened to the bottle.

As can be seen in FIGURES 7A-7C and 8, the liner 25 is of generally frusto-conical shape `as in the other figures of the drawing. A raised bead 60b is provided on the upper surface only of the skirt wall in the same manner as the bead 60 of FIGURE 6. The vbead 60h is shown as being generally triangular in shape with the apex being slightly rounded. Of course, any other suitable shape may be utilized for the bead, such as the semi-circular form of FIG. 6.

The liner is also formed with a rim portion 34b which lies outwardly of the bead 60h. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 7B, the upward taper of the lower surface of the skirt wall 32 ends slightly to the right (outside) of the apex of the `bead 60h at point 32a. From there, the bottom portion of rim 34h extends outwardly at an angle with respect to the upwardly tapering portion of the main skirt wall. If desired the lower surface of rim 34h can be made to start more to the left in FIG. 7B, i.e., to be more directly under the apex of the bead or even inside the apex toward the inner edge of the upwardly sloping surface of the bead. The top surface of the rim 34b starts after the downward taper of the bead 60b ends at point 60e. Rim 341; is like the rim portion 34 of FIGURE 6 which extends outwardly of the bead 60. Although rim 34h Ais shown as being of generally the same thickness as the main portion of the skirt wall 32 it should be understood that it also may be feathered as described with respect to FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 7A shows the threads of the cap engaging the threaded neck of the bottle. Here, the closure has been tightened down to a point on the neck where the main portion of the upwardly sloping skirt wall 32 is just contacting the inner edge of 67 of the 'bottle lip with insufficient pressure being applied to deform the skirt wall in any manner.

FIGURE 7B shows the closure after it has been tightened down slightly onto the neck of the bottle. Due to the fact that the button 25 is initially inserted all the way home into the stud 2Q, so that its top abuts the undersurface 18 of the cap, the portion of the upwardly sloping main skirt wall 32 contacting the inner edge 67 of the lip is forced down slightly into the bottle opening to form a first sealing area around edge 67 as the cap is tightened down. ,As tightening of the closure continues, the apex of the ybead 60b contacts the under surface of the cap. At this time, continued tightening down of the cap onto the neck of the bottle causes the force exerted |by the cap `10 against the bead 60 to `bend down that portion of the main skirt wall 32 of the liner shown to the right of the inner edge of the bottle lip 67 in FIGURE 7B around, down and onto the fiat portion of lip 19. Stated another way, the portion of the liner to be bent down onto the lip 19 is pivoted on the bottle lip where the skirt wall contacts the inner edge `67.

The use of the bead 66h to provide this bending down of the main portion of the skirt wall onto the lip of the bottle is advantageous since it provides a positive engagement between the liner and the undersurface of the cap in a manner such that there can be no slipping.

FIGURE 7C shows th closure after it has been fully tightened down. Here, it can be seen that a considerable portion of the skirt wall prior to termination of its upwardly extending portion at point 32a lies on the iiat portion of the bottle lip. This forms the second seal-ing area.

Vthe bead 69h since the bead concentrates the capping torque applied to the closure. The bead 6011 also serves as a reinforcing member since, if it were not present, then the entire area of the liner skirt Wall 32'lying on the iiat portion of the bottle lip `would be engaged by the cap and would be flattened out, possibly to a degree where it no longer had an resiliency, The bead 60h is made of sufcient thickness to prevent this so that engagement is made only between the undersurface of the cap and the liner at the upper portion of the bead.

In situations where the outer diameter of the 4bottle lip is less than the overall outer diameter of the liner 32, the rim port-ion 34b of the liner performs another function in cooperation with the bead 60b. Due to the pressure exerted on the bead 69h, when the diameter relationship referred to above exists, the portion 34]? is spun down over and around the outer edge 65 of the bottle lip, as shown in FIG. 7C. This provides what in some cases may be a third sealing area around the outer edge 65 of the lip. This is highly advantageous since, in addition to forming what is effectively `the third sealing area, it is also useful in preventing the outer edge of the rim 34h from bunching up against the cap thread to keep the cap from being fully torqued down.

To enhance the action of the rim 34h being placed around the outer edge 65 of the lip, the liner portion 3417 may originally be formed with a slight downwardly extending angle and the dimensions of the liner and bottle lip selected so that at least the apex of the bead 60h lies over the lip 19 when the closure is in the substantially fully tightened down position. This ensures that the portion 3411 will be extended downwardly around the outer edge 65. The other functions previously ascribed to the bead 60b are still achieved.

It should be understood that the placement of the rim portion 34 around the outer edge 65 of the bottle neck occurs even when the portion 34 is feathered, as in FIG. 6, or of different thickness from that of the rest of the skirt wall, so long as it is not made too thick, for example of the combined height of the skirt wall and bead. The portion 34 preferably should be thinner than the combined thickness of the liner skirt wall and the bead.

It should be realized that the various types of caps and liners shown inFIGURES 2-3, 4-5, and 6, may have their features interchanged. For example, the caps of FIGURES 2 and 6 may be provided with the annular ring 51 of the cap of FIGURE 4. As another example, the liner of FIGURE 6 can be used with the caps of FIG- URES 2 and 4-5. In any case, the outer edge of the flared skirt wall 32 may be made thinner than the rest of the wall, as desired. Also, instead of the cap and liner assembly of FIGURES 4-5 having the groove 50 and the ridge 53, the button 27 and the stud 20 may be undercut, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 6, so that the liner 25 may be attached to the cap. It should also be obvious that the cap and liner assembly shown in FIGURES 4-5 could be'used with a container of the type shown in FIGURES 2 and 6 and that the cap and Vliner assembly shown in FIGURESV 2 and 6 could be used with a container having an opening of the type shown in FIGURE 4. Other interchanging of the Afeatures of the various caps and liners disclosed may be carried out in order to meet a specific closure requirement and/or to meet the tooling requirements for forming the caps and liners.

It should also be realized that while the cap and liner assemblies are shown with a hollow stud and the liner button fits intorthe hollow portion; that the reverse arrangement may be used wherein a center post (stud) is formed on the cap and the button is made hollow to snap around it. In this embodiment the same ridge and groove and (undercut arrangements may be used. The embodir 8 ment of FIGURE 6 may also be reversed so that the recess is in the [form of an annular ring with a center post, around which the hollow button is snapped.

Therefore, it can be seen that a novel cap and liner arrangement has been provided for use in `sealing the openings of containers. The liners are made of exible material and are xedly attached to the cap. The liner also has a tapering surface so that a seal is effected with the inner edge of the rim of the container, due to the tapering surface of the liner, and with the top of the rim of the container when the cap presses the liner against it.

Although a particular structure has been described, it should be understood that the scope of the invention should not be considered to be limited by the particular embodiment of the invention shown by way of illustration, but rather that the scope of the invention be'limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for useon the tubular neck of a container having an external diameter and an internal bore that may vary in diameter between a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum value dening a sealing lip therebetween, comprising: a cap having a circular top from which a cylindrical side wall depends, said side wall having means -for engaging the exterior of said neck, and a surrounding wall on the lower surface of said cap forming a recess, a liner of a formed circular sheet of resilient material defining a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into a web having a generally conical lower surface, the outer edge of which web develops into a raised bead on the upper surface thereof and a ring-shaped rim having a portion 1ocated on the outside of said bead which is disposed Yat an angle of less than with respect to said generally conical lower web surface, the high point of said bead lying outside of the center'of said sealing lip when Vsaid closure is fully sealed, said continuous side wall being removably disposable within the recess to engage the surrounding wall thereof to hold said liner at a fixed position relative to said cap when said liner is disposed within the contines of said cap side wall, said liner effecting a first seal when a circumferentially extending segment ofy said lower web surface contacts an upper interior surface of said neck surrounding said bore as said cap is screwed downwardly on said neck, a second seal being formed as said cap continues to be screwed downwardly on said neck when the high point of said bead is engaged by the lower surface of said cap to bend down a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web surface and to press it into sealing contact against the sealing lip, and a part of the rim portion extending outwardly of said bead overlying the outer edge of the neck when the external diameter thereof is less than the external diameter of the rim of the liner when the cap is fully screwed down onto the container. Y

2. A closure for use on the tubular neck of a container having an external diameter and an internal bore that may vary in diameter between a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum value defining a sealing A lip, comprising: a cap having a circular top from which a cylindrical side wall depends, said side wall means for engaging the exterior of said discharge member, a surrounding wall on the lower surface of said cap forming a recess, a liner of a formed circular sheet of resilient material defining a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into a web having a generally conical lower surface, the outer edge of which web developing into a ring-shaped rim which is disposed at an angle of less than 180 with respect to said generally conical lower surface, the internal diameter of said rim being greater than saidpredetermined maximum diameter of said bore, said continuousrside Wall being remov-V ably disposable within the recess to engage the surround-V ing wall thereof to hold said liner ata lixed position rela-Y tive to said cap when said liner is disposed within the 9 confines of said side wall, a raised bead formed on the upper surface of said web located with respect to said rim so that a lportion of the rim lies outwardly of the bead and located so that the bead high point lies outside of the center line of the sealing lip, said liner effecting a first seal when a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web surface contacts an upper interior surface of said neck surrounding said bore as said cap is screwed downwardly on said neck, and a second seal continuous with said first seal being formed as said cap continues to be screwed downwardly on said neck when said bead is engaged by the lower surface of said cap to bend down a circumferentially extending segment of said lower Web surface and to press it into sealing contact against said sealing lip, at least a portion of the lower surface of said rim also being in sealing contact against the top surface of the neck when the diameter of said bore is less than said predetermined maximum.

3. A closure for use on the tubular neck of a container having an external diameter and an internal 'bore that may vary in diameter between a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum value dening a sealing lip therebetween, comprising: a cap having a circular top from which a cylindrical side wall depends, said side wall having means for engaging the exterior of said discharge member, a surrounding wall on the lower surface of said cap forming a recess, a liner of a formed circular sheet of resilient material defining a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into a web having a generally conical lower surface, the outer edge of which web develops into a raised bead on the upper surface thereof and a ring-shaped rim located on the outside of said bead and which is disposed at an angle of less than 180 with respect to said generally conical lower surface, the high point of said bead lying outside of the center of said sealing lip when said closure is fully sealed, said continuous wall being removably disposable within the recess to engage the surrounding wall thereof to hold said liner at a fixed position relative to said cap when said liner is disposed within the confines Iof said side wall, said liner effecting a first seal when a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web surface contacts an upper interior surface of said neck surrounding said bore as said cap is screwed downwardly on said neck, a second seal being formed as said cap continues to be screwed downwardly on said neck when said bead is engaged by the lower surface of said cap to bend down a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web surface and to press it into sealing contact against the sealing li-p, at least a portion of the lower surface of said rim also being in sealing contact against said lip when the diameter of said bore is less than said predetermined maximum, and a part of the rim extending outwardly of said bead overlying the outer edge of the neck when the external diameter thereof is less than the external diameter of the rim of the liner when the cap is fully screwed down onto the container.

4. A closure assembly for use on the discharge member of a container, which discharge member has an internal bore that varies in diameter, said assembly including: a cap having means for mounting on and enveloping the end of the discharge member, a liner formed of a cir-cular sheet of resilient material that defines a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into an annulus-shaped web having a generally conical lower surface, the outer edge of said web developing into a raised bead on the upper surface thereof whose apex lies outside of the center line of the neck sealing area when said closure is fully tightened down and a ring-shaped rim having at least a portion which lies outside of said bead and which portion lies at an angle of less than l80f with respect to said generally conical lower surface, and means on said cap including a side wall for rigidly holding said central area at a fixed position relative to the interior surface of said cap, which cap and liner when moved downwardly on said discharge member effect a first seal at the time a circumferentially extending segment of said lower conical surface of said web contacts an upper interior surface of said bore, with a second seal being formed on the top surface of the threaded discharge member by further downward movement of said cap and liner as the interior surface of said cap engages said bead to bend down and press a circumferentially extending segment of the generally conical lower surface of the web and a portion of said rim into sealing contact with the top surface of the threaded discharge member surrounding the bore.

S. A closure assembly for use on the discharge member of a container, which discharge member has an internal bore that varies in diameter, said assembly including: a cap having means for mounting on and enveloping the end of the discharge member, a liner formed of a circular sheet of resilient material that defines a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into an annulus-shaped web having a generally conical lower surface, the outer edge of said web developing into a raised bead on the upper surface thereof and a ringshaped rim having at least a portion which lies outside of said bead and at an angle of less than with respect to said generally conical lower surface, and means on said cap including side Walls for rigidly holding said central area at a fixed position relative to the interior surface of said cap, which cap and liner when moved downwardly on said discharge member eect a first seal at the time a circumferentially extending segment of said lower conical surface yof said web contacts an upper interior surface of said bore with a second seal being formed on the top surface of the threaded discharge member by further downward movement of said cap and liner as the interior surface of said cap engages said bead to bend down and press a circumferentially extending segment of the generally conical lower surface of the web into sealing contact with the top surface of the discharge member surrounding the bore, and the portion of the rim extending outwardly of said bead overlying the outer edge of the discharge member when the external diameter of said discharge member is less than the external diameter of the rim of the liner when the cap is fully screwed down onto the container.

6. The combination of a cap and liner for sealing the opening in the neck of a container comprising a cap, said cap having a surrounding wall formed on its inner surface, a one-piece integrally formed liner of flexible material, said liner having a protruding portion fitting within the recess defined by the surrounding wall and engaging said surrounding wall to provide an engaging fit to hold the liner to the cap, the protruding portion of said liner developing first downwardly and then upwardly toward the inner surface of said cap to form a skirt wall which is generally conical in shape and terminating in a circumferential rim which is disposed at an angle of less than 180 with respect to the upwardly extending generally conical portion of the skirt wall, a raised surface portion formed around the face of the skirt wall opposite the inner surface of the cap with a portion of the rim lying outwardly of the raised surface portion, the inner surface of said cap engaging said raised surface portion and pressing the other face of the conical skirt wall opposite said raised surface portion and the rim against the portion of the container surrounding the container opening to form a seal therewith when the cap is fastened to the container, the portion of the rim lying outside of said raised surface portion overlying the outer edge of the neck due to pressure exerted on said raised surface portion by the inner surface of the cap when the external diameter of the top of the neck surrounding the container opening is less than the outer diameter of the liner rim.

(References on foilowiug page) 3,331,523 1 1 2 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 547,660 5/ 1956 Belglum.

JOSEPH R. LE CLAIR, Primary Examiner.

1 19 Conner 15 4 5 GEORGE o. RALSTON, Examiner.

2,901,139 8/1959 Isele-Aregger 215-39 3,169,656 2/1965 Wieckmann 21S-40 R- PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A CLOSURE FOR USE OF THE TUBULAR NECK OF A CONTAINER HAVING AN EXTERNAL DIAMETER AND AN INTERNAL BORE THAT MAY VARY IN DIAMETER BETWEEN A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM AND A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM VALUE DEFINING A SEALING LIP THEREBETWEEN, COMPRISING: A CAP HAVING A CIRCULAR TOP FROM WHICH A CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL DEPENDS, SAID SIDE WALL HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE EXTERIOR OF SAID NECK, AND A SURROUNDING WALL ON THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID CAP FORMING A RECESS, A LINER OF A FORMED CIRCULAR SHEET OF RESILIENT MATERIAL DEFINING A CENTRAL AREA FROM WHICH A CONTINUOUS WALL EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY TO DEVELOP INTO A WEB HAVING A GENERALLY CONICAL LOWER SURFACE, THE OUTER EDGE OF WHICH WEB DEVELOPS INTO A RAISED BEAD ON THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF AND A RING-SHAPED RIM HAVING A PORTION LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID BEAD WHICH IS DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE OF LESS THAN 180* WITH RESPECT TO SAID GENERALLY CONICAL LOWER WEB SURFACE, THE HIGH POINT OF SAID BEAD LYING OUTSIDE OF THE CENTER OF SAID SEALING LIP WHEN SAID CLOSURE IS FULLY SEALED, SAID CONTINUOUS SIDE WALL BEING REMOVABLY DISPOSABLE WITHIN THE RECESS TO ENGAGE THE SURROUNDING WALL THEREOF TO HOLD SAID LINER AT A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID CAP WHEN SAID LINER IS DISPOSED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID CAP SIDE WALL, SAID LINER EFFECTING A FIRST SEAL WHEN A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SEGMENT OF SAID

Images