Plastic closures for closing and sealing bottles are in wide use today, particularly for containing carbonate beverages.

Such closures typically include a shell having an end wall and a depending skin or sidewall, and an internal gas seal. The gas seal is typically in the form of a liner or a disc formed in, or placed within, the shell. The skirt-has internal threads which screw onto a bottle neck, and the internal gas seal acts to seal the closure to the bottle finish. Such closures are described for example in U.S. patents 4,497,765, 4,753,360; 4,872, 573 ; and 4, 618, 121, all herein incorporated by reference.

In the manufacture of such closures, three dimensional or raised graphics can be molded into an outer surface of the end

wall with relative ease. After molding, the female mold half and the male mold half (or "core"), which form the closure, can be separated axially, i.e., along the central axis of the closure, <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> without interference with the graphics. However, it is more<BR> difficult to mold raised graphics on the exterior surface of the surrounding skirt or sidewall. Such raised graphics are an obstruction that interferes with subsequent axial movement of the female mold half during spearation from the molded closure.

The present inventor has recognized that it would be advantageous to provide a closure which can include molded raised graphics on the exterior surface of the skirt or sidewall.

Fopr closures intencded to seal containers which hold beer produces, juice or similar liquids, additional considerations are necessary. In the manufacture of beer products, a pasteurization process is undertaken to kill undesirable microorganisms. A typical oasteurization process requires thac the temperature of the product be raised to 160°F and retained at this temperature <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> for 15 minutes. It is desirable co undertake this process after the beer product is bottled, i. e., after a bottle is filled with beer product and a bottle closure is sealed to the bottle finish.

However, he pressure within the bottle, and the temperature of the beer product during this process, can cause the closure and/or the internal gas seal to fail. Subsequently, if oxygen enters the container or bottle holding the beer product, and results in a proportion of more than about 1% oxygen per volume, the beer product will be spoiled.

Therfore, the present inventor has recognized the advantage <BR> <BR> <BR> of providing a cost effective closure which has increased oxygen<BR> barrier properties and can withstand the increased temperature and pressure of a pasteurization process.

The present invention contemplates an improved closure for sealing a container and a method of manufacturing such an improved closure. The invention provides a closure having sidewall graphics on an exterior surface of a skirt or sidewall of the closure, and a molding method for creating che sidewall <BR> <BR> graphics. The sidewall graphics can be in addition to graphics aboli-ex to an end wall of the closure.

As a further aspect of the invention, the closure can include an outer shell composed ofa structural plastic, an inner shell comprising a gas-impermeable barrier layer, and a gas seal, to create a cost effective, composite wall closure. The inner shell is configured having an annular groove which, via an annular gas seal, receives a rim of the container to lock the rim to the inner shell. This prevents separation of the container rim and the gas seal during pasteurization.

The invention provides a closure which incorporates raised graphics molded on the sidewall of the inner shell of the closure. The raised graphics can be made substantially flush with surrounding regions of the closure sidewall by subsequently

over-molding an outer layer or outer shell to a depth approximately equal to a raised height of the sidewall graphics. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P> In this manner, two or more colors can be displayed on the<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> sidewall, the raised graphics being one color and the surrounding<BR> over-molded, outer shell being a second color. The two colors<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> can complete a two color depiction or display on the sidewall.<BR> <P> The outer shell can have a knurled profile. The sidewall graphics can be molded to conform to the same knurled profile.

The invention includes a method for creating a closure having end wall and sidewall graphics and two or more colors.

The invention includes che steps of : 1) molding a gas seal ; 2) over-molding a shell of barrier material over the gas seal, che shell including end wall and side wall graphics raised from the surface of the shell ; and 3) over-molding an outer shell of one or more colors over the barrier shell (preferably one or two colors), surrounding the sidewall graphics to a height equal co the raised height of che sidewall graphics, creacing a flush excerior surface.

Step 2 is advantageously accomplished by the use of a side retractable or "collapsible" mold which allows the mold to be opened up laterally outwardly after molding, to allow the mold to be axially separated orom the molåed shell.

The invencion provides a compos ce wall closure which is cost-effectively manufactured. The composite closure shell

provides a strong part which can withstand the elevated temperature and pressure of a pasteurization process, due to the material selection of the outer shell, and provides an effective <BR> <BR> <BR> barrier against oxygen permeation through the closure, due to th<BR> <BR> <BR> material selection of the inner shell.<BR> <P>Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, ;-rom the claims and from the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure of the present<BR> <BR> invention;<BR> Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the closure shown in Figure 1; Figures 3A through 3G are diagrammtical, cross-sectional views, illustrating the mechod steos used to manufacture the closure of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an aleernate embodiment closure o-the Dresent invention ; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure igure Figure 6 is a perspective view of a further alternate embodiment closure of the present invention ; Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of three components of the closure of Figure 6 ; and Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line S- 8 of Figure 6.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with th e understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustraeed.

Figure 1 illustrates a closure 10 having an end wall 14 and a depending skirt or sidewall 16. The end wall displays a seam 17 and different colors 18, 19 on opposite sides of the seam 17.

The seam can be straight, irregular, wavy or other shape. The end wall includes molded graphics 20, such as advertising, a corporate logo, a trademar, instructions, art, designs, or other graphics. The sidewall 16 has straight knurls or ribs 15 on an outside surface thereof, extending axially and spaced apart circumferentially around the sidewall 16. The ribs 15 enhance finger gripping and manipulation of the closure.

The sidewall 15 also includes a graphic section or region 21 which includes molded graphics 22. One or more circumf'erentially soaced-aparc further graphic sections or regions 23 (shown in Figure 2) can include molded graphics 24. The graphics 22, 24 can be 1 be of the same character (advertising, a corporate logo, etc.) as that described with respect to molded graphics 20.

A tamper evidence band, or "pilfer band" 30 is arranged on a free lower edge portion of the sidewall. The band 30 can be

formed by the mold, or can be defined by scoring in a later step.

After the closure is initially fit onto a bottle or other container, the band must be broken to initially remove the closure from the bottle.

The ribs 15 and the pilfer band 30 can be configured as shown in U.S. Patent No. 4, 497,765, herein incorporated by serves erence Figure 2 illustrates the structure of the closdure 10. The closure includes an inner shell 40 composed of a polymer material, such as EVOH or co-polymer nylon. The inner shell 40 serves as a gas barrier, at least for preventing oxygen from penetrating through the end wall 14. For beer products, the inner shell material erial should be FDA approved for direct contact <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> wieh foods wich 8 percent alcohol. The inner shell 40 includes threads 41 for engaging a threaded bottle neck.

Located within the shell 40 is a gas seal 46, such as an o- rink, disc or liner. The seal 46 is preferably an annular member having an inverted U-shaped cross section that sealingly rerceives a top rim of the bottle neck. The seal is preferably composed ogf -VA, LDPE or PVC. The inner shell 40 includes the end wall molded graphics 20 and the sidewall molded graphics 22, 24. The graphics 2v, 22, 24 are raised above the adjacent surfaces 1 l5a, 15b of the inner shell 40, respectively.

An outer shell 50 is over-molded onto the inner shell 40 to a height substantially equivalent to the height of the graphics 20, 22, 24 raised above the adjacent surfaces 14a, 16a, 15b.

The outer shell 50 can be a same or a different color as the inner shell 40. The outer shell 50 can be composed of a "structural plastic" which is economical and sufficiently stron to withstand the temperatures and pressures of in-bottle pasteurization, such as polypropylene. The outer shell 50 includes the straight knurls or ribs 15 (shown in Figure 1) for finger traction during screwing or unscrewing of the closure onco or from the bottle.

The graphics 22, 24 are molded in an axial, straight-knurl profile. le. That is, the graphics have a varying raised height corresponding ding either to the raised ribs 15 or to the respective valleys leys 15a, between ribs 15. Thus, the graphuics 22, 24 and the ribs are aligned and made flush. When a a different color is used for the outer shell, the inner shell graphics 20, 22, 24, extending through the outer shell 50, complete a two or more color display. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 three colors are used : a first color 42 is used for the inner shell 40 and the are colors 18, 19 are used for the outer shell 50.

Figures 3A through 3G illustrate he steps used in forming the closure. The closure is injection molded. Particular injection molding hardware is disclosed generally in U. S. Patents 3, 718, 419; 4,019, 711 ; 3, 660, 001 ; 4,155,698; 4, 552, 328 ; 4, 881, 892 ; and 4, 618, 121,'all incorporated herein by reference. One injection molding machine suitable for practicing the invention is a four barrel inhjection molding machine manufactured by <BR> <BR> Ferrromatik Milcron Co. of cincinnati, Ohio.<BR> <P> -.

Referring to Figure 3A, a molding apparatus 54, includes an upper mold parz 55 separable from a core pin57. The core includes an annular upstanding rim 58 which together with an ,, cavity for molding the gas seal 46. The upper mold part 55 includes a channel or "runner" 54a for rerceiving a plastic injection nozzle (not : shown). Plastic is injected via the injection nozzle through the runner 54a to form the seal 46.

Referring to Figure 33, the core pin 57 has now been located within a further upper mold assembly 61. The assembly 61 includes a top mold part 61a and a plurality of side mold Darts 61b, 61c, 5id, 61e (61d and ole shown in Figure 3C). The side mold parts 61b, 61c, old, and 61e are each movable a short distance laterally to radially separate from each other. The entire upper mold assembly 61 is axially separable along the direction Y from a lower mold part 62.

The upper mold assembly 61 has an inside surface 61-that is spaced from the core oin 57 to form a cavity for molding the inner shell 40. The upper mold assembly 61 includes shaped recesses 20a, 22a, 24a which form the corresponding graphics 20, 22, 24 on the inner shell 40. The mold assembly 61 can also include shaped recesses 66a, 67a to form further sidewall graphics 66, 67, that are angulariy offset from the respective adjacent graphics 22, 24 (shown in Figure 3C). Additionally, : : he upper mold assembly 61 can include contours to form a varying height it to the graphics 22, 24 to conform to the straight knurl

profiles in t : e graphic sections 21, 23. The upper mold assembly profiles not shown) for injecting plastic into the cavity to form the inner shell 40.

Referring to Figure 3C, the upper mold assembly 61 forms a split mold cavity, that is, the assembly 61 is split along planes parallel to the axis Y, forming parking planes 63. After the inner shell 40 is sufficiently solidified, che upper mold assembly 61 is opened uo laterally and che four separated mold parts 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e are moved radially in the directions R1, R2, R3, R4 respectively. The mold parts are moved the distance apart that is sufficient to allow the mold parts 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e to be axially separated from the inner shell 40, along the axis v, without interrference with the raised graphics 22, 67. The cop mold part 61a can be moved axially without interference with the graphics 20.

Referring to Figure 3D, a further upper mold part 76, and a mold shutoff pan 80 are placed over the inner shell 40. This further ucper meld part 76 has an inside surface 76a which, together with the outer surface of the inner shell 40, defines a cavity for molding a left side portion 50a of the outer shell 50.

The inside surface 76a can have contours to form the straight knurls or ribs 15 which are aligned and flush with the straight- knurls profile of the sidewall graphics 22, 24, 66, 67 of the inner shell 40. The further upper mold part 76 includes a runner 77 which receivws a plastic injection nozzle (not shown) for

delivering molten plastic into the cavity to form the left side protion 50a. The plastic injection nozzle can be used to inject a first plastic having the first color is onto a left side of the <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> inner shell 40. The right side of the inner shell 40 is closed<BR> off from the injected plastic by the mold shut off part 80, up to the position of the seam 17. The mold shutoff part 80 can include a side slot 81 which allows the shutoff part 80 to be installed and removed in an axial direction without interference wit the sidewall graphics 24. Thus, only a lefc side portion 50a of che outer shell 50 is molded during this step.

Referring to Figure 3E, the upper mold part 76 is movable laterally to separate at a joint 76C. Thus, portions 76d of the upper mold part 76 which form the pilfer band can be retracted laterally outwardly so that the upper mold part 76 can be removed axially without interference with the formed closure.

As illustrated in Figure 3F, the right side of the inner shell 40 is now over-molded by a right side portion 50b of the outer shell 50. The right side portion 50b is substantially a mirror image of the left side proteion 50a. The right side portion 50_ can be molded with a plastic having the color'3.

The upper mold part 76 shown in Figures 3D and 3F can be reused, such as by being rotated from the right side to the left side, or an additional upper mold part can be used, for forming the right side portion 50b. No shutoff part 80 would be required since the <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> left side portion 50a is already solidified. As described above,<BR> left side portion 50a is already solidified. As described above, the upper mold part 76 is laterally outwardly retractable to

clear the molded closure during axial removal of the upper mold pare.

Referring to Figure 3G, the upper mold part 76 has been removed to display a competed closure 10 still held on the core pin 57. The closure can now be forcibly scripped, and/or unscrewed, from the core pin over the molded threads 41. The core pin 57 can be collapsible to facilitate removal of the closure. The side graphics 22, 24 are substantially flush with adjacent regions of the outer shell 50. The straight knurls 15 of che le outer shell 50 are substantially flushly continuous through the graphics 22, 24, 66, 67.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternate molded closure 100. The closure includes a composite shell 106 having an end wall 108 and a depending skin or sidewall 110. The end wall 108 includes molded graphics 109. The sidewall 110 includes molded graphics 111 having at least two colors. In the illustrated embodiment, a mountain scene is depicted. The illustrated embodiment depicts a first color 112 such as green or blue which can be predominant as the body of the mountains, and a second color 113, such as white, which can depict the snow capped mountain peaks. This, of course, is only a single demonstrative use of cwo color graphics, and ozher dep4-ctions can be used as well.

As illustrated in Figure re a gas seal 116 is located within the composite shell 106. The gas seal 116 can be formed as described above corresponding to Figure 3A. An inner shell, such

as a'relatively shallow disc 120, is molded ever the gas seal 116. The gas seal 116 is thus held snugly within an annular channel 120a of the disc 120. The seal 116 preferably has an inverted U-shaped cross section forsealingly receiving a rim 170a of a bottle neck 170. The gas seal is preferably composed <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> of EVA, LDPE or PVC. The disc 120 is composed of oxygen barrier material such as co-polymer nylon, EVOE or PVC. The entire disc 120 is composed of the plastic raving the color 113.

The disc 120 includes an end wall portion 121 on which is molded the raised graphics 109. Turned downwardly from the end wall portion 108 is a sidewall portion 123. The sidewall portion 123 includes raised graphics 125. In the illustrated embodiment : of Figure 4, the graphics 125 are the snow-capped moutain peaks.

The disc 120 can be molded using a multi-component, retractable mold apparatus, as described above corresponding to Figures 32 and 3C.

An outer shell 126 is molded over the disc 120. in this embodiment, the outer shell includes threads 127 for engagement with threads 174 of the bottle neck 170. the outer shell 126 is molded to a depth to substantially make the end wall and the sidewall of the closure 100. The graphics 109, 125 of the inner shell, the disc 120, are exposed through the outer shell 126. A tamper evidence band or pilfer band 136 is formed as an extension of the oucer shell 126. The outer shell ca be a structural plastic such as polypropylene.

The outer shell can be molded as described above

corresponding to Figures 3D through 3F. If the outer shell molded nolded graphics 111 are sufficiently three dimensional to g an obstruction to axial removal of the upper mold part 76, then a multipart upper mold part such as the upper mold assembly 61 described above corresponding to Figures 3B and 3C can be used to mold d the outer shell 106 as well. The upper mold assembly can be laterally separated to allow axial removal of the assembly from t : he completed closure.

If 120 and the outer she ! ! 126 are two or more differenc colors, a multicolor molded closure is displayed.

Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, a two step, two color mlding method can complete a depiction on an outside of che closure.

Figure 6 illustrates a further alternate embodiment closurwe 200. This closure 200 has an end wall 206 and a depending sidewall 208. The end wall includes molded graphics 210. The sidewall includes straight knurls 216, spaced around the circumference of the sidewall 208. The sidewall also includes molded sidewall graphics 220 at intermittent points aroung its circumference. The e3nd wall 206 and the sidewall 208 can be a first color 226, and the graphics 210, 220 can be a second color 228. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P>The components of this emboidiment are illustrated in Figure<BR> 7. A gas seal 236 is over-molded by an inner shell, such as a disc 240. An outer shell 250 is over-molded onto the disc 240.

The disc 240 provides the end wall graphics 210 and the side wall

graphics 220. The disc is composed of plastic of the second color 228.

As illustrated in Figure 8, the gas seal 236 has been over- <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> molded by the disc 240 to be tightly fit within an annular<BR> molded by the disc 240 to be tightly fit within an ann ; @lar channel 260 of the disc 240. The gas seal 236 has an inverted U- shaped cross section to sealingly receive a top rim of the bottle neck. The outer shell 250 has been over-molded onto the inner shell, the disc 240, to a depth such that the graphics 210, 220 are exposed flushly on an outside of the outer shell 250.

As with the previous embodiments, the outer shell 250 can be composed of a structural plastic, the disc 240 can be composed of an oxygen 1 barrier plastic such as co-polymer nylon or EVOH, and the gas seal can be composed of EVA, LD or PVC. The composite closure thus provides effective gas sealing, an effective barrier to oxygen permeration into the bottle, and a structurally strong closure to withstand the temperatures and pressures of pasteurization.

As a further aspect of the invention, the gas seals 46 (Figures 2 through 3C), 116 (Figure 5), and 236 (Figure 8) each have an U-shaced cross section to capture a rim of a bottle finish such as shown in Figure S. The various gas seals are confined in annular grooves formed by the respective overmolded inner shell (40, 120, 240). The inner shell can be relatively rigid. During pasteurization, the bottle rim tends to constrict. However, because the inner shell is relatively rigid

shell via the gas seal, the rim is prevented from disengagi: from the gas seal during pasteurization. The radial restriction provided by the inner shell increases the sealing capability of the closure during pasteurization.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.

It ib, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.