Design and manufacture of removable membrane sealing components for consumer packaging

Abstract

A closure for a container having a container opening is provided herein. The closure includes an annular top having an inner skirt depending downwardly from an inner perimeter of the annular top and having an outer skirt depending downwardly from an outer perimeter of the annular top. An annular bottom extends radially inward from the inner skirt, and the annular bottom has defined thereon a dispensing aperture positioned adjacent to the container opening when the closure is mounted to the container. A sealing member is formed to the annular bottom for closing the dispensing aperture. The outer skirt optionally includes a hingedly flexible flap having one or more gussets dimensioned to cooperate with the anti-rotation structure of a neck finish.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 854,925 filed May 26, 2004, entitled METHOD OF JOINING SEPARABLE COMPONENTS AND CONTAINER CLOSURE SYSTEM FORMED BY THE SAME, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 473,847 filed May 27, 2003, entitled METHOD OF JOINING SEPARABLE COMPONENTS AND CONTAINER CLOSURE SYSTEM FORMED BY THE SAME, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by this reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates, in general, to a method for design and manufacture of closures and dispensing components for packaging of consumer goods and in particular packaging components incorporating removable membranes to form a primary seal. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Tamper-evidencing closure systems are known and often include a closure having a removable tamper-evidencing portion that is ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention relates to a method of joining separable components using a plastics injection molding process. The method involves providing a first component with interlocking structure and molding a second component with complementary interlocking structure in a plastics injection molding process. The interlocking structures can be releasably without fracture of at least one of the components. The invention also includes a closure for a container that includes a closure base and a sealing member. The closure base has a dispensing aperture for mounting on the container and the sealing member is a pull-ring or continuous ring with an engagement groove and the closure base has a recess or protrusion complementary in shape to the interlocking structures. The closure can also include lines of weakness for easy removal from the container. The technical effects of the invention include improved mechanical interlocking without fracture of the components, improved tamper-evidencing, and improved sealing of the container."

Problems solved by technology

In the case of dependent breakaway tamper-evidencing bands, the demands of application and retention of the tamper-evidencing band often conflict with the requirements of the primary closure portion.

For example, when discrete bridges are employed, the mechanical characteristics required for bridge integrity during application often conflict with the mechanical characteristics appropriate for easy removal by a consumer upon opening the closure system.

Such configuration significantly restricts possible material choices for forming the system.

Disadvantageously, this can negatively impact potential applications, since the mechanical properties of low density polyethylene may not be appropriate to accomplish the performance required for package integrity.

A further problem intrinsic with pull out membrane technology is that substantial material flow is required across a thin frangible score line which connects the pull out membrane to the container attachment structure.

This configuration may lead to unusual and unpredictable performance including, but not limited to, microscopic pin holes, lamination and difficult tearing resulting from physical properties of the material which may change as the material traverses the thin frangible score line.

In the case of many commonly used plastic packaging components, such as containers and closures, high temperature sterilization is not an option, since the temperatures required may cause unacceptable distortion and weakening of the plastic material.

This approach allows more intricate or complicated packaging designs.

One problem with the irradiation approach is that the size of the irradiation chambers is limited.

The chamber size limitation combined with a required residence time of exposure can impact and limit the practical size of the packaging component being irradiated.

If the size exceeds this practical limit, the rate of component irradiation can slow packaging line speeds to unacceptable levels.

In addition, since the irradiation chambers are often manually loaded with the bulk packaging components, there are practical and government mandated limits to the weight of the bulk package of packaging components that can be irradiated simultaneously.

Larger, heavier components can make it difficult or impractical to use the irradiation approach to sterilization.

One problem with the foil or film “innerseals” is that the overcap or secondary closure often must be removed upon initial opening to remove the foil or film in order to utilize the contents.

Numerous marketing studies have shown that the consumer, while recognizing the many values of the extended life aseptic packaging, finds the requirement for foil or film removal objectionable.

Often a knife or other tool is required to effectively remove the foil, and the operation can be messy.

However, the current inventors are not aware of such membranes being used on aseptic packaging.

The membrane structures are often somewhat complicated in design, having structural features which may be difficult to reach or effectively contact with sterilizing solution.

Even minute ingress or egress of materials from the exterior environment can negatively impact the package performance.

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