Plug Closure

Abstract

A closure (10) particularly useful for electronic commerce. The closure includes a lid (16) and a cap base (12) releasably secured to a container, the cap base including an opening (24). The lid has a depending plug (26) extending therefrom that is received within the opening in the cap base when the lid is in the closed position. The opening is formed within a cylindrical opening wall (88). When the lid is in the open position, one or more barb flaps (82) extend outwardly from the depending plug at an end distal from the lid. When the lid is moved to its closed position with the depending plug within the cylindrical opening wall, the barbs are forced up against the wall of the plug and received within a recess in the cylindrical opening wall. Within the recess, the barb flaps abut against the upper wall of the recess (40), requiring additional force to open the lid, such as during shipping. When a consumer wishes to open the lid, applying the extra force necessary to force the lid open causes the barbed flaps to return to their original position extending outward from the cylindrical plug.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] Product leakage during shipment of consumer goods can be a costly problem. This problem is particularly acute in the e-commerce arena, where individual bottles may be shipped directly to consumers. Ensuring that a large number of bottles are shipped together and intact from a manufacturer to a distributor and / or retailer is somewhat easier than securing the product from leakage during shipping of individual bottles to a consumer. Similarly, transportation of the container by the consumer after opening can also be problematic, resulting in leakage of the product.

[0002] One type of closure for consumer goods such as shampoos, body washes, skin creams, etc. is a flip-top closure, which typically includes two pieces, a base piece that is attached directly to the container, and a cap that is hinged to the base and rotates between an open position and a closed position. While it is important that the consumer be able to remove the cap from the base without using Herculean strength, it is also important that the cap does not open due to forces typically encountered during shipping.

[0003] A variety of closures have been described in the literature.

[0004] Delli Venneri's US2007 / 075030 discloses a closure having a hinged lid connected to a base, the closure including a latching mechanism that includes a pin having a bead that is said to engage in the manner of a barb behind the edge of the dispensing opening.

[0005] Suffa's US 2006 / 231518 is directed to a closure cap having a lower portion and an upper portion connected by a hinge. A stopper is located on the underside of the closure cap. The stopper may include an annular collar that interacts with a corresponding annular groove in the connecting piece. Alternatively, the stopper may include a longitudinal peripheral rib that contacts the upper side of the gripping portion of the closure cap at the closure position and acts as a retention means.

[0006] Kunz, WO 03 / 086891, discloses a snap action hinge closure. The sealing cylinder includes sealing beads 43. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] US2007 / 075030 [Patent Document 2] US2006 / 231518 [Patent Document 3] WO03 / 086891

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT APPLICATION The present invention is directed to closures, particularly those useful in electronic commerce, and to closures in combination with bottles or other containers, in fact the base of the closure may be integral to the container.

[0009] The closure includes a cap base releasably securable to the container, the cap base including an opening. A cap is movably attached to the cap base and, when in a closed position, is adapted to prevent liquid from being expelled from the container through the cap base opening. A portion of the cap base, together with the cap, forms a barrier adapted to prevent liquid from being expelled from the container.

[0010] The cap has a depending plug extending therefrom that is received within an opening in the cap base when the cap is in a closed position. The opening is formed in the cylindrical opening wall. Extending outwardly from the depending plug at an end distal from the cap when the cap is in its open position are one or more barb flaps. When the cap is moved to a closed position with the depending plug within the cylindrical opening wall, the barbs are forced up against the wall of the plug and received within a recess in the cylindrical opening wall. The bar flaps abut an upper wall of the recess such that extra force is required to open the cap, for example during shipping.

[0011] When a consumer wishes to open the cap, they exert the extra force necessary to open the cap, which causes the barb flap to move out of position against the upper access wall and eventually return to its original position extending outwardly from the cylindrical plug.

[0012] When the cap is closed, it is further secured by a locking flap on the cap, which is received with a snap fit into a recess on the cap base.

[0013] The cap is desirably attached to the cap base with a living hinge. Similarly, the barb flap is preferably attached to the plug cylinder wall with a living hinge.

[0014] For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle having a closure of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a closure of the present invention with the cap removed from a container and in an open position. [Diagram 3] 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the depending plug of the present invention shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross section of the closure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross section according to FIG. 4, showing the depending plug and adjacent structure within the enlarged closure base. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the plug in the closed position with a portion of the closure base cut away. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the closure of the present invention with the cap partially open.

[0016] Detailed Description of the Invention Closure 10 includes a cap base 12 and a cap 16. Cap base 12 includes an upper surface 14 and a cylindrical skirt 13 depending from the upper surface. Skirt 13 includes a semi-circular recess 40 shaped to receive a locking flange on the cap, as described below. Below recess 40 is a finger access recess 42 which allows the consumer to easily unlock cap 16.

[0017] The cap 16 is movable and pivotally attached to the cap base 12 by a living hinge 18. When the cap 16 is placed in the open position, an opening 24 is revealed in a top wall 60 of the cap base 12. It will be apparent that the top wall 60 provides a barrier to the escape of liquid from the package to which the closure 12 is secured. The cap 16 includes a platform 22. The platform 22 includes a depending cylindrical plug 26. A cap cylindrical side wall 28 depends from the platform 22.

[0018] The plug 26 includes a cylindrical wall 80 depending from the underside of the lid 16. At the end of the wall 80, opposite the end attached to the cap 16, there are two barb flaps 82. Although the invention is illustrated herein as having two barb flaps, one skilled in the art can readily determine whether other numbers, e.g., one, three, four, etc., would be preferred in a particular application. The barb flaps 82 are connected to the cylindrical wall 80 by a thin plastic hinge 84 that allows the flaps to move relative to the cylindrical wall 80. Preferably, in the cap open position, the barb flaps 82 are disposed at an angle relative to the cylindrical wall, e.g., about 45 to 90 degrees, particularly 65 to 80 degrees, relative to the longitudinal axis of the plug for the right hand flap seen in FIG. 3.

[0019] The cylindrical wall 80 includes a longitudinal slit 86 that allows the diameter of the wall to fit snugly within the opening 24 and wall 88, if necessary. The cylindrical plug 26 is surrounded by a sealing ring 100.

[0020] At the end opposite that attached by the living hinge 18, the cap sidewall 28 includes a recessed locking flange 38. When the cap 16 is closed, the locking flange 38 is snap-received into a recess 40 to help lock the lid 16 closed.

[0021] The opening 24 in the base 14 is defined by a cylindrical wall 88. The cylindrical wall 88 includes a recess 90 at an end distal to the opening.

[0022] The cap is seen, for example, in an open position in FIG. 2, and the cylindrical plug 26 is shown in FIG. 3 in the cap's open configuration. When the consumer wishes to close the package, the consumer closes and rotates the cap on the hinge 18. As the cylindrical wall 80 approaches the opening 24, the barb flap 82 contacts the cylindrical wall 88 and bends toward the wall 80. When the cap 16 is fully closed, the barb flap 82 is received within the recess 90, as seen in FIG. 5, at an angle preferably between 100 and 180 degrees, and more preferably again at an angle between 110 and 175 degrees, and most preferably between 120 and 170 degrees, relative to the longitudinal axis of the plug.

[0023] During shipment of the package or when it is transported by a consumer, e.g., during movement, the presence of the flap 82 within the recess 90 and abutting the upper wall 94 of the recess 90 increases the amount of force required to open the cap 16, thereby minimizing the possibility of inadvertent opening.

[0024] A consumer would receive package 11 containing closure 10 and bottle 74. To open the package, the consumer inserts his or her finger into recess 42 and lifts upward to lift flange 38 from recess 40, opening lid 16. The consumer applies the extra force necessary to overcome the resistance created by the abutment of flap 82 against top wall 94, thereby causing flap 82 to pivot downwardly from cap platform 22, allowing cylindrical wall 80 to move upwardly through opening 24 as cap 16 is opened. Once cap 16 is opened and plug 26 is removed from opening 24, flap 82 returns to the angle shown in FIG. 3 due to the resilience of hinge line 84.

[0025] Typically, the closure 10 of the present invention is secured to a bottle 74 or other container, as seen in Figure 1. Fasteners (not shown) are typically present on the underside of the closure and may include threads or snap-fit ​​features, such as debossments, embossments, etc. There may be mating screws or other fastening structures in the bottleneck.

[0026] The cap 16 and locking flange 38 are in a closed, locked position during shipping with the bottle secured, as seen in Figure 1. In the closed position, the locking flange 38 is received within the recess 40 and the cylindrical plug 26 is snugly and unlockably received within the opening 24. The diameter of the plug 26 may be slightly larger than the diameter of the opening 24 to provide a snap fit. The plug 26 together with the cap base 12 prevent liquid from being expelled from the bottle 74 or other container.

[0027] E-commerce shipping often requires shipping of products in individual packages, which may be less secure than the product pallets that manufacturers often use when shipping large numbers of products. The closure of the present invention provides an extra measure of protection against inadvertent cap opening in response to the additional stresses that packages are subjected to during e-commerce shipping.

[0028] The adapter and living hinge are typically made of polypropylene or polyethylene. Post-consumer polypropylene may also be included. The adapter and / or living hinge may be made of the hinge material described in U.S. Patent No. 9,637,626 to Domoy et al., i.e., a molded article having a hinge, the molded article being a polymer, the polymer comprising a blend of a first high density polyethylene (HDPE) resin and a second HDPE resin different from the first HDPE, the first HDPE resin, when blended, having the following: a. Melt index (I) of about 0.5 dg / min to 10 dg / min 2,16 ), b.About 0.940g / cm 3 ~0.968g / cm 3 density of, and c. A melt flow ratio (I 21.6 :I 2.16 ); and the second HDPE resin has a melt flow ratio (I 21.6:I 2.16 ) is less than about 30. The disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 9,637,626 to Domoy et al. is incorporated herein by reference. The closure will typically be manufactured using injection molding.

[0029] Of course, it is to be understood that the particular forms of the invention illustrated and described herein are intended to be representative only, since certain changes may be made therein without departing from the explicit teachings of the disclosure.

[0030] Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

Claims

1. the below described: a) Cap (16): b) a closure base (12) having an opening (24) and hingedly attached to said cap; A closure (10) comprising: a closure (10) comprising a cap having a depending plug having at least two flaps (82) extending radially outwardly from the plug when the cap is in an open position, the at least two flaps (82) being deformable such that the flaps fold upward upon closure of the cap (16) whereby the upwardly extending flaps interfere with an opening (24) in the closure base (12) thereby increasing the force required to open the cap and thereby minimizing the chance of inadvertent opening, a cylindrical plug (26) being lockably and releasably received within the opening (24), and when a force is applied to open the cap, the flaps return to their original position and the depending plug includes a slit (86).

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the opening (24) is defined by a cylindrical wall (88).

3. The closure of claim 2, wherein the wall (88) includes a recess (90) that receives two or more flaps (82) when the cap (16) is closed.

4. The closure of claim 3, wherein the recess (90) includes a top wall and two or more flaps abut the top wall when the cap is closed.

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