Description of Invention

This invention relates to a sealed container, a method of closing an opening of a container, and a closure for a container.

Containers having re-positionable closure systems are well known, and are paiticularly appropriate to food and liquid containers such as bottles, tubes, tubs and the like. Typically, the closure is of a moulded thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and similar polymers.

Closure systems which provide an initial air-tight seal with respect to the container are also known, but suffer from the problem that they are initially integrally sealed with respect to the container, such that after breaking the seal on initial removal of the closure, the seal cannot be re-established which -may result in deterioration of the contents of the container.

Additionally, closure systems are known which are "tamper evident", that is to say, which provide a visual indication that access to the container has been obtained, but these suffer from the disadvantage that it is often difficult to obtain a satisfactory seal after the closure has been removed

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a closure for a container which overcomes or reduces the problems outlined above

According to one aspect of the invention. I provide a closure for a container, comprising a fust part adapted to be secured to the container, a second part attached to or integral with the first part, and which is detachable fiom the first part, and a third part which in use covers an opening to the container, the third part being attached to or integral with the second part, the second part also bemg detachable fiom the third part, wherein engagement means is provided on the first and third parts such that on detachment of the second part, the first and third parts may releasably engage one another to selectively allow or prevent access to the container through the opening.

The first part is preferably adapted to be secured adjacent to the opening, and conveniently is adapted to be secured around the peripheiy of the container Most preferably, the first part is adapted to be secured to an outer surface of the container, below the peripheiy.

Preferably, the first part is adapted to be secured substantially irremovably to the container so as to provide a substantially air-tight seal therewith

The first part may be adapted to be secured to the container by use of a hot melt adhesive, a solvent adhesive, by mechanical means such as crimping or other defomiation, or by heat shrinkage, but preferably, the first part is secured to the container by ultrasonic welding.

In the case where a hot melt adhesive is used, there may be provided a groove or similar formation on an innei surface of the first part, in which may be located the hot melt adhesive, to facilitate securement of the fust part to the container

The outer surface of the first part pieferably comprises an engagement formation such as a recess or projection, adapted to engage with a complementary engagement formation such as a projection 01 lecess on the thud part, once the second part has been detached.

The first engagement formation may extend fully aiound the outci surface of the first part, or only partly so

The second part may be attached to the fust part but is pieferably integral therewith so as to provide a substantially an -tight seal relative thereto, and is preferably also integral with the third part

There is preferably provided means which is operative between the second part and the first part to facilitate detachment thereof fi om the first part and means further to facilitate detachment thereof fi om the thud part

Thus, the second part may comprise a sn ip, integial with the fu st and thud parts but which is provided with a line of weakness, such as portions of reduced thickness, at or near the junction with the fu st and thud parts

The second part may be piovided with an outwaidly pi ojecting tab 01 similai formation to facilitate detachment of the second part

The second part is also preferably circular in cross section, and may comprise an inner surface which, prior to detachment, abuts or lies closely adjacent part of the outer surface of the container.

The inner surface may comprise an inwardly piojecting formation providmg a step or similar formation, such that the second part, and hence the fust and third parts, may locate accurately with the containei, and prefeiably, the inwardly projecting formation is adapted to locate with the periphery of the opening of the container.

According to a second aspect of the invention, I piovide a container and a closure therefore, the closure comprising a secuiable part secuied to the containei , a detachable part attached to or integral with the secuiable part, which is detachable from the securable part, and a cover part covering an opening to the containei, the cover part bemg attached to or integral with the detachable part, the detachable part also being detachable from the cover part, wheiein engagement means is piovided on the securable and cover parts such that on detachment of the detachable part, the securable and cover parts may releasably engage one anothei to selectively allow 01 pi event access to the container through the opening

The closuie may be secuied to the containei by virtue of the secuiable part being glued, mechanically attached, 01 ultiasonically welded to the containei

The covet part preferably comprises uinei and outei side walls which, when the cover part covers the opening, extend geneially paiallel to the side wall of the containei

The innei and outer side walls aie pi efeiably joined at a position i emote from the detachable part (typically an uppei position when the containei is upnght), providing a space between the innei and outei side walls

The innei side wall is pieferably contiguous with a base pait which is conveniently generally planai and which extends geneiall) perpendiculai to the inner and outei side walls

The outei side wall pieferably compi ises. on an mw idly facing surface thereof, an engagement formation such as a piojection 01 lccess adapted to engage with an engagement formation on the secuiable part, once the detachable part has been iemoved

The space between the inner and outer side walls is preferably dimensioned such that the cover part may at least partially overlie the side wall oi side walls of the container once the detachable part has been removed, with engagement of the engagement means providing a seal between the covei part and the container.

Preferably the engagement is a snap fitting engagement, 01 alternatively screw threaded engagement and the resulting seal is preferably substantially air tight.

There may be provided on the outei side wall of the covei part an outwardly projecting formation such as a peak 01 lip to facilitate removal of the cover part fiom the container.

Additionally, there may be provided on an undeiside of the base part, one or more downwardly extending members adapted to engage the contents of the container to pi event movement of the contents lelative to the containei

The members preferably comprise leaf springs integial with the base part, although it is envisaged that othei resilient membeis may be utilised

The closure preferably comprises a theπnoplastics mateπal, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyestei, acrylic compounds, 01 similai polymeis, but pieferably comprises thermoplastic matenal on a substiate which may be of other materials, such as card, preferably in the foπn ol a composite comprising a layer of metal (e g aluminium)

Pieferably, the closuie is formed b a single opeiation, such as inaction moulding, casting, or pressure defomiation

According to a third aspect of the invention 1 piovide a method of closing an opening of a containei, composing the steps of positioning a closuie in accordance with the first aspect of the invention ovei an opening of a containei, and secuπng the first part of the closure to the containei

The closure may be secuied to the containei using a hot melt adhesive, a solvent adhesive, by mechanical means such as ci imping oi othei defomiation, 01 by heat shnnkage

Prefeiably however, the closuie is secuied to the containei by ultiasonic welding

The invention will now be described by way of example only by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a neck of a container sealed with a closure in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of Figuie 1 but with part of the closuie removed,

Figure 3 shows the container and closure in a re-sealed state, and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the closure

Referring to the figures, there is shown a neck 10 of a container 1 1, which in this example is of generally circulai cross section, and a closuie 12 attached thereto.

The closuie 12 comprises a first, secuiable part 13 which is secuied to the neck 10 of the container in the region generally indicated at 14 by ulhasonic welding, as is known in the art

The closure 12 further composes a second, detachable part 15 in the form of a ship extending around the neck of the containei, the stnp being joined to the securable part by a portion of reduced thickness 16, which piovides a weakness by which die detachable part may be detached fiom the secuiable part

In addition to the portion of leduced thickness, theie may be piovided notches, giooves or the like in ordei to furthei i educe the stiength at such a position

The detachable part 15 thus constitutes a teai sn ip and 1 pi ovidc a tab oi similar outwardly extending formation 15a on the sh ip to facilitate lemoval theieof

There is provided on an inner surface 17 of the snip an mwaidly piojectmg formation 18 providing a step formation 19 which enables the closuie to locate accurately with the uppei peripheiy 20 of the containei

The detachable part 15 is integial with a thud, covei part 21 , again by virtue of a leduced thickness portion 22, such that the covei part may be detached fiom the detachable part on initial opening of the containei Once again, theie may be piovided notches, grooves or the like to furthei weaken the join between the covei part and the detachable part

The cover part comprises an inner side wall 23 and an outei side wall 24, the side walls meeting at upper parts thereof, generally indicated at 25.

The inner side wall is contiguous with a base part 26 which is generally circular and planar, and extends generally at right angles to the inner and outer side walls.

It will be noted that the base part 26 pπor to detachment of the detachable part, lies above the upper peripheiy 20 of the container and thus does not impinge on the contents of the container

Thus, when the closure is piovided with the containei as shown in Figure 1, a hermetic seal is provided by virtue of the adhesive, or welding between the neck of the container and the securable part 13

In order to remove the closure from the container, the detachable part 15, afforded by the tear strip, is removed and thus separated fiom the secuiable and cover parts, enabling the cover part to be lemoved fiom the containei, as shown in Figure 2

The securable part 13 is piovided with a fu st engagement part 27 in the fonn of a continuously extending projection 28 which is adapted to engage with a corresponding continuously extending lecess 29 pi ovided on the covei part 2 1

The projection 28 and recess 29 aie shaped such that the covei part 21 and the securable part 13 may engage each othei by virtue of a snap fit arrangement, the cover part 21 being flexible b\ virtue of the thermoplastics material from which it is formed, and also by virtue of a limited amount of pivotal movement between the inner and outer side walls 23 and 24 about a pivot point generally coiresponding to the upper part 25 of the innei and outei side walls

Thus, once the detachable part 15 has been lemoved fiom the closuie, the cover part 21 is free to engage with the secui able part 13 as shown in Figuie 3, the innei and outer side walls 23 and 24 partially ovei lying the neck 10 of the container, thus providing a re-usable an tight seal ovei the opening of the containei

The base part 26 of the covet part is piovided. on a bottom surface theieof, with foui plastics leaf springs 30, 3 1 , 32 and 33. which aie lesiliently defoimable in a direction coπesponding geneially to the longitudinal axis of the closure and neck of the containei Once the closui e occupies the position shown in

Figure 3, the leaf springs bear upon the contents of the container, thus iestπcting movement of the contents relative to the container.

Additionally, the cover part 21 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 34, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, to facilitate lemoval of the covei part from the container once the detachable part has been removed, and the cover part engages the container as shown in Figure 3

It is envisaged that the closure will be foimed fiom a theimoplasfic mateπal, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, a polyestei, oi aciyhc compounds being suitable foi moulding by such piocesses as inaction moulding, casting 01 piessure defonnation

Howevei, 1 also envisage that a containei may be piovided with a closure alicady present, by blow moulding a thei moplastics pai ison, thus pioviding a one piece sealed container in a single opeiation

The invention provides a means of heπneticalK sealing a containei, which may be of cncular, lectangulai, oi othei ci oss section, and which may be manufactuied from caidboaid, glass, oi a plastic matenal It will be appi eciated that the mannei in which the secui able pail is attached to the containei will depend on the mateπal fiom which the containei is lonsti ucted but in a piefeπed embodiment, both the closuie and containei ai e manufactuied f iom a plastics matenal, secuiement being achieved by ulti asonn w elding Additionally, it is envisaged that theie may be pi ovided on oi neai the fu st engagement part a visual indication, such as a message, visible when the c losui e is in an unopened state, as shown in Figuie 1 , but which is covei ed by the eι pai t w en the detachable part has been lemoved and the cover part is in engagement w ith the secuiable part, as shown in Figuie 3 It is envisaged that the message coin ev an indication that the containei has not been opened thus pioviding a tampei eudent closui e in addition to one which piovides a ic-useable hermetic sea!

The closuie is particulai ly suitable foi use w ith plastic bottles, and accordingly, the secuiable part is piefeiably genei alK ciiculai in cioss section. having an inner surface which is secuied to the outei surface of the containei

It will be appieciated howevei , that whilst the invention has been descnbed in ι elation to containei which aie cii culai m cioss section it is equall)

applicable to containers having openings which are not circular in cross section, and which may for example be generally rectangular in cross section.

Additionally, whilst the embodiments of the invention described above show the closure secured to the container generally externally of the container, the applicant also envisages that it may equally be possible to locate the closuie generally internally of the container, and securing the closure thereto accordingly.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific foπns or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse fomis thereof.