The present invention relates generally to a closure and particularly to a dispensing closure which in use is attached to a container neck.

There are a variety of circumstances in which it is desirable for it to be made difficult or impossible to remove a container closure after it has been applied for the first time. For example, in the food services market there exists a significant problem with refilling of containers by removing the closure, filling the container and re-applying the closure.

The present invention seeks to provide improvements in the field of non-removable closures. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided, in combination, a dispensing closure and a container neck, the neck and the closure being provided with complimentary ratchet arrangements for allowing rotation of the closure only in one direction with respect to the neck, in which the neck ratchet arrangement is provided on the interior surface of the neck bore.

The. present invention therefore provides a container neck with internally formed ratchets which can be used to cooperate with complimentary ratchets formed on the closure so that it can only rotate in one direction. Accordingly, this can be used to allow fitting of the closure but to prevent its removal.

The closure and neck may comprise complimentary screw thread formations for allowing the closure to be screwed onto the neck. The ratchet arrangements therefore allow the closure to be screwed onto the neck but act to prevent unscrewing. The closure may comprise an inner skirt which may fit into the neck bore. The ratchet arrangement may be provided on or by the inner skirt and the inner skirt may alternatively or additionally provide a seal against the neck bore. The inner skirt seal may be provided above and/or below the closure ratchet arrangement.

The closure screw thread formation may be provided on an outer skirt. Therefore the closure may comprise an outer skirt and an inner skirt which is positioned radially inwardly of the outer skirt, with the container neck received between the two skirts. The neck ratchet arrangement may extend from the mouth of the neck. In other words, the neck ratchet arrangement may commence at or in the region of the neck mouth, adjacent the rim. Alternatively, the ratchet arrangement may be spaced from the mouth and commence further down the bore of the neck. The closure and/or neck ratchet arrangement may comprise one or more ratchet teeth. The teeth may, for example, be formed in a saw tooth or serrated configuration and may comprise a generally flat abutment face against which a corresponding tooth can abut and an inclined face over which a corresponding tooth can pass. The ratchet arrangements on the neck and closure may be the same or different, for example, different numbers of teeth may be provided and/or different types of teeth.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a closure suitable for use in the combination described herein. Therefore, the present invention applies to closures formed separately from and subsequently applied to a suitable container neck. Correspondingly, according to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a container neck for use in the combination as described herein. The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a section of a dispensing closure and container neck combination formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container neck shown in Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 is a section of a closure and container neck combination formed according to an alternative embodiment.

Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a dispensing closure generally indicated 10 shown fitted to a container neck generally indicated 20. The closure 10 comprises a generally cylindrical, outer skirt 25 and a generally cylindrical inner skirt 30 positioned radially inwardly of the skirt 25 and joined together at one end by an. annular top deck 35. The skirt 30 depends from the centre of the deck 35 and a generally cylindrical spout 40 projects from the centre of the deck 35. The closure may be provided with a lid (not shown) which may be hingedly connected to the base (shown) in a flip-top arrangement.

The interior surface of the outer skirt 25 is provided with a single start screw thread formation 45. The outer surface of the inner skirt 30 is provided with a plurality of axially extending, mutually spaced ratchet teeth 50 around its periphery. The teeth 50 extend approximately half way along the skirt 30 from the deck 35. The other end of the skirt 30 which extends into the bore of the neck 20 provides a seal. In this embodiment the seal is provided by a tight fit between the skirt 30 and the neck 20. In other embodiments (not shown) specific sealing structures such as sealing beads may be provided. The neck 20 is provided with a single start external screw thread formation 55 which is complimentary with the formation 45 on the skirt 25.

Referring now also†o Figure 2, the interior of the container neck bore is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth 60 which project radially inwardly and form a continuous ratchet array around the inside of the container neck. mouth.

Each of the teeth 60 comprises an abutment face 65 and an inclined face 70. The teeth 50 on the closure are correspondingly shaped but oppositely inclined. In use, the closure 10 is offered to the neck 20 and applied so that the screw thread formations 45, 55 engage and the closure can be screwed on to the neck, with the neck 20 received between the inner and outer skirts 25, 30. As the closure is screwed down onto the neck the inner . skirt 30 enters the bore of the neck and eventually the ratchets 50 engage the ratchets 65. Because the ratchets 50, 65 are oppositely inclined the ratchets 55 can pass over the ratchets 65 to allow the closure 10 to be fully screwed on to the neck 20 so that the neck rim 75 abuts against the deck 3 as shown in Figure 1. In this position product from within a container can be dispensed via the neck 20 and through the skirt 30 before being dispensed through the spout 40. The closure 10 is now prevented from removal from the neck 20 by the interengagement of the ratchets 50, 65 which prevent unscrewing.

Referring now to Figure 3 there is shown a closure 1 10 in combination with a container neck 120 formed according to an alternative embodiment. The combination is very similar to the combination shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, in this embodiment the inner skirt ratchets 150 are positioned at the free end of the skirt 130, with a sealing area 131 provided at the closed end of the skirt adjacent the deck 135. Correspondingly, the ratchets 165 provided on the interior of the container neck bore are spaced from the mouth so that a complimentary sealing region 121 is _. provided in the region of the mouth which is directly adjacent the rim 175.

Operation of the closure 1 10 and neck 120 is largely the same as the closure 10 and neck 20 so that the closure 10 can be screwed fully on to the neck but thereafter engagement of the ratchets 150, 165 prevent unscrewing. Effectively the seal in this embodiment is provided "above" the ratchet arrangement, whereas in Figure 1 the seal is provided "below" the arrangement.