TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a container and to a closure there, for example a container for housing a beverage or foodstuff. Preferred forms of the invention have particular application with containers having a lip about an opening and, preferably, no thread features on the exterior of the container and closures therefor.

BACKGROUND ART

The applicant has proposed a number of different types of closures and containers examples of which are described in WO2006/000774, WO2011/151630, WO2012/007708. These known closures and containers comprise a cap that fits over a collar which fits around the exterior of a container beneath the lip of the container to provide a cap-on-collar closure.

Whilst these cap-on-collar closures are satisfactory in many cases, the present invention provides enhancements of closures and containers such as those described in WO2011/151630 and WO2012/007708 to facilitate one or more of the following: the initial installation of the closure onto the container, provision of an effective seal between the closure and the container, controlled opening of the closure and use of the closure to re- close the container after its initial removal from the container.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a container having a circular opening defining an axis and adapted to receive a closure, the container having an outwardly projecting lip and a plurality of spaced apart cam features beneath the lip, the cam features comprising a first side face for limiting rotation of an inner component of the closure in the tightening direction relative to the container and a second side face providing a cam surface for driving radially moveable parts of the closure radially outwards when the inner component is rotated in the loosening direction relative to the container, the inner surface of the container having a frusto-conical lead-in surface adjacent the circular opening and a plurality of spaced apart venting grooves in said lead-in surface. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a closure for a container having a circular opening defining an axis the closure comprising an inner component and an outer component, the inner component comprising a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container and a sealing portion connected to said collar portion and arranged to close said opening, the sealing portion being resiliently moveable in the axial direction relative to the collar portion, and the outer component being arranged to fit over the inner component to secure the collar portion about the container and so that rotation of the outer component relative to the inner component presses the sealing portion axially into said opening.

The container has an outwardly projecting lip and a plurality of spaced apart cam features beneath the lip which comprise a first side face for limiting rotation of the inner component in the tightening direction relative to the container and a second side face for driving the radially moveable parts radially outwards when the inner component is rotated in the loosening direction relative to the container.

The lip is preferably shaped such that its external diameter decreases towards the open end of the container and the cam features each have an outwardly facing surface between said side surfaces which blends with the contour of the lip and which lie at a diameter corresponding to or marginally greater than the maximum external diameter of the lip. The outwardly facing surface preferably has a width (in the circumferential direction) of 2mm or less, and preferably 1mm or less, so as to be sufficiently small so that it is not felt or noticed by the mouth of a user drinking from the container. The inner surface of the container comprises a frusto-conical lead-in surface adjacent the circular opening, the surface of which is inclined to the axis of the container. The lead-in surface preferably leads to a substantially parallel-sided cylindrical surface, the surface of which lies substantially parallel to said axis. The diameter of the cylindrical surface is substantially the same as the smaller (lowermost) end of he frusto-conical surface. A plurality of spaced apart venting grooves are provided in the lead-in surface to assist venting of the container, the grooves extending from the interior of the container towards the mouth of the container. The invention also relates to a container as detailed above in combination with a closure adapted to be secured thereto, to a container as detailed above in combination with a closure as detailed above and to a closure as detailed above in combination with a container adapted to receive such a closure.

Other preferred or optional features of the invention will be apparent from the subsidiary claims and the following description.

Directional terms, such as upper and lower, as used herein are to be understood to refer to refer to directions relative to a container standing on a horizontal surface with the axis passing through its opening being substantially vertical (unless the context clearly requires otherwise).

One of the advantages of the invention is that it enables a closure to be provided which does not need the external surface of the container to have thread features. This enables a container to have a ^{^} lip-friendly' form, eg a substantially smooth exterior which is comfortable to drink from. Such a smooth exterior is also highly desired for aesthetic reasons and such a neck finish in combination with a high performance closure is sought after in the trade.

The container is typically formed of a plastics material, eg polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and formed by injection moulding followed by blow moulding, or may be formed of glass or a wide range of other materials, eg metal formed by pressing and drawing operations. The use of such materials and such fabrication techniques are well known.

The invention seeks to improve on known wide mouth containers and closures for wide- mouth containers. In particular, it is desirable to provide containers and closures that, despite being subject to a wide range of temperatures and pressures, areable to maintain an effective seal whilst also being easy for a user to open. At low temperatures it can be difficult to prevent gas leaks and to maintain a seal whereas at high pressures greater frictional forces can make it difficult to open a closure. This is more challenging when a plastics closure is used rather than a metal one. In many cases, it is desirable for the closure to provide a hermetic seal, ie to seal the container from ingress or egress of gas, particularly the ingress of oxygen and the egress of carbon dioxide. Acceptable standards for such seals are well known in the food and beverage packaging industry to provide a satisfactory shelf-life for the product and to maintain the desired qualities of the product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will now be further described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 is a sectional view of an inner component of a preferred embodiment of the closure according to one aspect of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective, sectional view of the inner component shown in Fig 1; Figures 3 and 4 are exterior and interior perspective views of an outer component of the preferred embodiment of the closure according to one aspect of the present invention for use with the inner component shown in Figs 1 and 2;

Figure 5 shows a cross-section though a closure according to a first embodiment of one aspect of the invention showing the inner component assembled within the outer component (but not mounted on a container);

Figure 6 shows a cross-section similar to Fig 5 in which the inner component is moved axially further into the outer component following rotation of the inner component relative to the outer component; an o-ring seal of the closure is omitted form Figs 5 and 6 for clarity but is shown in the later Figures; Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views from within the assemblies shown in Figs 5 and 6, respectively, showing engagement between a first engagement member of the outer component with a second engagement member of the inner component;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the closure when in a locked (closed) position on a container;

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the inside of the closure when in the locked position shown in Fig 9 (with the container omitted for clarity); Figure 11 is a perspective view similar to Fig 10 but after the outer component had been rotated relative to the inner component to an unlocked position;

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are sectional views of the closure in the unlocked position, Figure 12 is a section taken though connecting bridges of the inner component, Fig 12 is a section taken though the first engagement means of the outer component and Fig 14 is a section taken though radially moveable parts of the inner component;

Figure 15A is a sectional view showing the inner component mounted on a container (without the outer component) prior to the inner component being pressed axially into the container opening, the section being taken through the radially moveable parts of the inner component;

Figure 15B is a sectional view similar to that of Fig 15A but taken through the radially moveable parts of the inner component;

Figure 16A is a sectional view similar to that of Fig 15A but showing the position of the inner component after it has been pressed axially into the opening of the container by the outer component (not shown);

Figure 16 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig 15B but taken through the radially moveable parts of the inner component;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of the open end of a container according to another aspect of the invention adapted for use with a closure such as that referred to above; Figures 18A, 18B and 18C are enlarged views showing detailed features of the lip of the container, Figure 18A being a vertical section through the lip, Figure 18B being a horizontal section though the lip and Figure 18C being a side view of the lip;

Figure 19 is a perspective view corresponding to Fig 7 of the interior of a modified embodiment of the closure referred to above; and Figure 20 is a perspective view corresponding to Fig 11 of the modified embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The closures shown in the Figures and described herein share many features with the closure shown and described in relation to Figures 11-20 of WO2012/007708. Where the closures are similar, a brief description will be given and a more detailed description will then be given of the new features and the advantages these provide. Figures 1-18 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a closure according to one aspect of the invention. This comprises an inner component 11 and an outer component 14 for fitting to the neck of a container 12. The inner component 11 comprises a collar portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart radially moveable parts 13 upstanding from a ring 13B and a sealing portion which, in use, extends from the collar portion over a lip 12A of the container and across the container opening.

The sealing portion comprises a bore feature 17 which carries a sealing member 18. The bore feature 17 may be formed of a relatively rigid material, eg a plastics material such as PET, and is preferably integrally formed with the collar portion and connected thereto by a plurality of connecting bridges 17A which extend from the bore feature 17 over the lip 12A of the container 12 and down between the radially moveable parts 13 to the ring 13B. These connecting parts differ from those described in WO2012/007708 and will be described further below. The sealing member is formed of resilient or flexible material. Preferably, the sealing member is in the form of an o-ring 18. Other forms of sealing member may however be used, for example a resilient moulding which simulates an o-ring.

The inner component 11 is designed so that, once fitted within the outer component 14, it does not project beyond the skirt of the outer component 14 so is effectively concealed thereby.

In the preferred arrangement of this embodiment, and as shown, the radially moveable parts 13 are moulded such that, in their unstressed state, they lie at a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the lip 12A of the container. The inner component 14 is thus a snap- fit over the lip 12A of the container, when it is fitted axially thereto, the radially moveable parts 13 flexing outwards to permit the collar portion to be fitted over the lip 12A and then snap back inwards beneath the lip 12A so the inner component 11 is retained (at least to some degree) on the container 12 by the engagement of the radially moveable parts 13 (or at least some of them) beneath the lip 12A. As will be described further below, when the closure is to be removed from the container 12, these radially moveable parts 13 are driven outwards as a result of their interaction with features of the container as the inner and outer components 11 and 14 are rotated in a loosening direction relative to the container 12. This is different to the arrangement described in WO2012/007708 (in which the parts 13 are driven outwards by a second set of cam surfaces provided in the outer component).

As in WO2012/007708, the outer component 14 (se Figs 3 and 4) has a plurality of apertures or slots 14A around its upper periphery. In the arrangement shown, these are primarily to facilitate the fabrication of other features of the outer component 14. They provide access for 'core throughs' used in the moulding process to form features on the inner surface of the skirt of the outer component 14. In other embodiments, eg where these features are formed using an internal collapsing core in the moulding process, they may be omitted (as in Figs 19 and 20 described below). When slots are used, as described below, they provide additional space for upward flexing of first engagement means of the outer component (as will be described further below). They may also be used to provide a visual indication of the state of the closure, eg as a tamper proof indication. The sectional views shown in Figures 1, 2, 9, 12, 15A and 16A are taken through connecting parts 17A of the inner component 11 and illustrate how these connect the ring 13B to the bore feature 17 and how the o-ring seal 18 carried by the bore feature 17. The sectional views shown in Figures 14, 15B and 16B are taken through the radially moveable parts 13 and illustrate how these engage beneath the lip 12A of the container. As in WO2012/007708, a first set of cam surfaces 15B is provided on the outer component 14 to interact with the radially moveable parts so as to press and/or hold them in a radially inward position when the closure is in the secured position.

Figure 9 shows the o-ring seal 18 engaging an internal surface of the container 12. The internal surface of the container comprises an inclined lead-in portion 12B adjacent the mouth of the container 12 which leads down to a substantially parallel-sided surface 12C further from the opening (shown more clearly in Fig 18A). In the fully closed position shown in Fig 9, the o-ring 18 engages this parallel sided portion 12C of the internal surface. As in WO2012/007708, the inner component 11 comprises a collar portion which comprises the ring 13B and the upstanding radially moveable arms 13 and a sealing portion which comprises the bore feature 12 (with o-ring 18) and which extends over the lip 12A of the container and is connected to the ring 13B of the collar portion by connecting bridges 17A.

The radially moveable arms 13 are spaced apart around the circumference of the collar portion and extend upwardly from the ring 13B. The outer surface of the radially moveable parts 13 is shaped to provide thread features 13E which interact with thread features 15E on the inner surface of the outer component 11 as described in WO2011/001004.

As indicated above, the radially moveable parts 13 are biased so as to adopt a radially inward position such that they snap fit beneath the lip 12A of the container. They may be designed to snugly engage the outer surface of the container 12 or they may be designed to be a slightly looser fit (so they can be pressed more tightly into engagement with the container 12). Some variation in their radial position is typical due to manufacturing tolerances and creep of the plastic material over time. Thus, in use, the radial moveable parts 13 are pressed and/or held in the inner position by the interaction with the cam surfaces 15B of the outer component 14.

The lower end 13D of the ring 13B is preferably inclined so that it flares outwards so that the inner component 11 is a snap fit within the outer component 14 as they are brought together axially; the outer component 14 being provided with one or more inward projections 14B on the skirt thereof which snap over the flared ring 13D as the components are fitted together. This helps prevent the inner and outer components 11, 14 from disengaging with each other but permits limited axial movement therebetween once assembled.

The connecting bridges 17A are curved at their upper ends where they pass over a curved portion of the lip 12A of the container and are joined by an annular ring 17B with the bore feature 17 extending downwards from this annular ring 17B. The outer surface of the bore feature 17 is shaped to provide a gland 17C for locating the o- ring 18. In the arrangement shown (which is suitable for use with a container for holding still or carbonated drinks), the gland 17C comprise an upper surface and a rear surface and a small lower lip to help retain the o-ring in place. The spacing between the rear surface of the gland and the inner surface of the container 12 is designed such that the o-ring 18 is slightly compressed (or, more accurately, deformed) when the inner component 11 is fitted to the container 12 and the bore feature located therein (as shown in Fig 9).

Further details of sealing arrangements using an o-ring are provided in WO2011/151630 and in the Dichtomatik O-Ring Handbook, published by Dichtomatik North America referred to therein.

As in the above specification, the term 'o-ring' is to be understood to include a toroid of elastomer material having a circular cross-section (or other cross-sections) and other forms of seal which simulate the function of an o-ring.

The bore feature 17 preferably has a convex shape (when viewed from beneath) so it projects into the container to reduce the 'head space' above a beverage held in the container 12. The convex shape also provides additional strength for resisting upward forces due to elevated pressures within the container 12 (rather than causing bowing of the bore feature 17 which might occur if it had a flat shape). Upward forces on the bore feature are transmitted to the underside of the outer component 14 via the annular ring 17B at the upper end thereof. The resultant upward force on the outer component 14 is then transmitted via the skirt 14D thereof and the thread features 15E and 13E to the collar portion so as to locate the arms 13 more tightly under the lip 12A of the container. This arrangement is thus particularly advantageous for use with carbonated beverages.

In other arrangements the bore feature 17 may have other forms. Its primary functions are to carry the o-ring seal (or other sealing means) and to extend across the opening in the container so as to close the opening. The sealing portion thus provides a gas barrier to prevent (or reduce) the egress of gas from the container. The portion extending across the opening may be convex as described above or may have other shapes, eg flat or concave. The portion extending across the opening may be integrally formed with the remainder of the sealing portion of the inner component or may be attached thereto. It may, for example, be in the form of a foil which is bonded to the sealing portion.

The outer component 14 is in the form of a cap with a substantially flat upper part 14C and a skirt portion 14D depending from the perimeter thereof. As mentioned above, a plurality of slots 14A may be provided around the periphery of the upper part 14C to assist in fabrication of the component by permitting parts of the mould to pass through the upper part 14C in the formation of features (eg the arms 16 described further below) on the interior of the outer component.

The internal surface of the skirt portion 14D is provided with various features around the circumference thereof. As described above, a plurality of spaced apart projections 14A are provided adjacent the distal end of the skirt portion 14D so the inner component 11 can be snapped into the outer component 14 when they are moved together axially. A continuous circular projection could be provided but a series of shorter projections 14A gives the skirt 14D more flexibility so that it can flex as required to snap fit over the flared ring 14A of the inner component 11. It will be appreciated that a wide range of other features may be used to provide a similar snap-fit engagement between the inner and outer components 11, 14. A number of features are also provided on the inner surface of the skirt portion 14D for interacting with the radially moveable parts 13 of the collar portion: i) Deep pockets 15A are provided for accommodating each of the radially moveable parts 13 when they are driven outwards to disengage from the lip 12A of the container so the inner component can be removed from the container 12.

ii) A first set of cam surfaces 15B is provided for engaging the outer surfaces of the radially moveable parts 13 and pressing and/or holding them in the innermost position (in engagement with the exterior of the container) with a ramp 15C leading up to each of the cam surfaces 15B.

iii) Thread features 15E are provided for interacting with thread features 13E (see

Figs 1 and 2) of the radially moveable parts 13 so that, once the inner and outer components 11, 14 have been engaged axially, rotation in a tightening direction engages them together, eg by means of a bayonet thread. One or more of the thread features of the inner and/or outer components 11, 14 is inclined so that rotation of the outer component 14 relative to the inner component 11 in the tightening direction moves them further together axially so that the outer component 14 is drawn down towards the lip 12A of the container and/or the inner component is drawn 14 upwards under the lip 12A of the container.

A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart thread features of the type described provide a multi-start bayonet thread so that rotation of the outer component 14 relative to the inner component 11 through approximately 45 degrees (if eight sets of features are provide around the circumference) is sufficient to move the closure from an installation/removal position to a secure, tightened position (and vice versa). Other numbers of feature and other arrangements may be used to achieve a similar effect, preferably requiring relative rotation of 180 degrees or less and preferably 90 degrees or less.

A first significant difference between the closure described in WO2012/007708 and the present invention is that the sealing portion of the inner component 11 is resiliently moveable in the axial direction relative to the collar portion. The outer component 14, when fitted over the inner component 11 to secure the collar portion about the container 12, can thus be arranged so that rotation of the outer component 12 (relative to the inner component 11) presses the resilient portion of the inner componentll axially into said opening (whilst the axial position of the collar portion thereof remains fixed relative to the container). The resilient axial movement between the sealing portion and collar portion of the inner component may typically be 3mm or less, and in a preferred arrangement is approximately 1mm above and below a neutral unstressed position (giving a total axial movement of approximately 2mm).

This resilient axial movement is enabled by forming the connecting bridges 17A where they pass over the lip 12A of the container with narrower and/or thinner hinge portions having a reduced cross-sectional area and hence being resiliently flexible compared to the remainder of the connecting bridges 17A (which as described above are typically formed of relatively rigid plastics material). Figure 12 shows the sealing portion 17 when flexed upwards relative to the collar portion, the connecting bridges 17A being inclined upwardly as they extend inwardly over the lip 12A of the container. Figures 9 and 16A show the sealing portion 17 when flexed downwards relative to the collar portion, the connecting bridges 17A being inclined downwardly as they extend inwardly over the lip 12A of the container.

The function of this axial movement of the sealing portion 17 relative to the collar portion will now be described. Prior to mounting within the outer component or onto the container, the inner component is in an unstressed position. When the inner component is mounted on the container, the o-ring thereof initially engages the lead-in portion of the container (or an upper portion of the container lip). The collar portion is then pressed downwards further until the radially moveable parts 13 snap under the lip of the container. This further downward movement of the collar portion is permitted by the flexing of the connecting bridges 17A. The inner component is thus in the position shown in Fig 15 A and 15B.

The outer component 14 can then be fitted over the inner component and, as described above, rotation of the outer component relative to the inner component causes axial movement therebetween (due to their threaded engagement) causing the outer component to be drawn down towards the container opening (Fig 6 shows the inner and outer components after having been moved axially together, compared to Fig 5, following rotation therebetween). The outer component thus engages an upper surface of the sealing portion and drives this further into the mouth of the container whereupon the sealing portion is moved from the upper flexed position shown in Figs 12 and 15A to the downward flexed position shown in Figs 9 and 16A. As described above, the upper portion of the sealing portion preferably comprises a ring 17B, eg having a cylindrical form, with the upper end of the cylinder engaging the underside of the outer component so the sealing portion is pressed downwards as the outer portion is rotated in the tightening direction.

As a result of this movement, the o-ring is driven down from its initial position resting on the lead-in surface 12b (as shown in Figs 15A and 15B), to the closed position shown in Figs 9 and 16A and 16B where it engages and seals against a parallel sided portion 12C of the inner surface of the container. Figures 16A and 16B illustrate the position of the inner component when it is secured in the closed position (the outer component being omitted from these Figures for clarity). A particular advantage of this arrangement is that the o-ring is driven downwards by a rotational (screwing) action of the outer component which makes it much easier to drive it downwards than if this were achieved by pushing the outer component downwards. The o- ring also does not rotate relative to the container as it is pushed downwards so the only frictional forces to be overcome are those due to the axial movement of the o-ring relative to the container.

This arrangement thus provides for initial closure of the container, eg immediately after it has been filled with a beverage, by mounting the inner component on the container such that the o-ring is held in contact with the lip and/or lead-in of the container mouth by the resilience of the connecting bridges 17A (which are flexed upwards and thus act to press the sealing portion into contact with the container). This is the position illustrated in Figs 15A and 15B. This temporary closure and partial seal can be sufficient to allow the exterior of the container and the exterior of the inner component to be washed or rinsed (to remove any spillage of beverage that occurred during filling of the container).

When the closure is to be removed from the container, the following sequence of steps takes place: the outer component is rotated in the loosening direction. This raises the outer component relative to the inner component and thus permits the sealing portion to rise relative to the collar portion (which at this stage remains secured beneath the lip of the container). If the contents of the container are under pressure, eg if it holds a sparkling drink, the internal pressure may be sufficient to push the sealing component upwards. When the o-ring disengages from the parallel sided portion of the inner face of the container and reaches the lead-in portion thereof, excess pressure within the container may be sufficient to lift at least part of the o-ring away from the lead-in surface so the excess pressure is vented. Venting grooves 21 (see Fig 17) are provided in the lead-in surface to further promote venting in this situation. It is likely that the venting will be audible so the user is aware that the excess pressure is being released. The user can thus wait until this venting has completed before rotating the outer component further in the loosening direction.

It is important to note that in this venting position, the collar portion remains secured beneath the lip of the container so there is no risk of the inner component (and hence the closure) being ejected in an uncontrolled manner due to the excess pressure within the container or as this is released.

The venting grooves 21 referred to above are shown in Fig 17. A plurality of grooves 21 may be provided at spaced part positions around the circumference of the lead-in surface. Each groove is typically 0.5 to 1.0 mm wide (and the upper end may be wider than the lower end as shown) and approx 2 to 3mm long and have a depth of around 0.2 mm (the ratio of the width to depth typically being in the range 3: 1 to 4:1). It is found that these grooves facilitate a more reliable and controllable venting of the container as the o-ring moves from the parallel sided surface 12C to the lead-in surface 12 B when the sealing portion rises axially within the container.

Once venting has completed, or has subsided to a safe level, the outer component can be rotated further to effect disengagement of the inner component from the lip of the container (the process for which will be described further below) and subsequent removal of both the inner and outer components.

The ability for the sealing portion to move upwards relative to the collar portion as described above thus enables the sealing portion to be moved to a venting position whilst the collar portion remains secured to the container so that venting can take place in a controlled and safe manner.

By virtue of the resilient movement between the collar portion and the sealing portion, the inner component is flexible in the axial direction whilst being substantially rigid in the rotational or circumferential direction.

The closure is thus arranged to enable it to securely close the container whilst being relatively easy to remove, removal being effected by initial rotation of the closure in a loosening direction until the inner component engages the cam features of the container, rotation of the outer component in the loosening direction relative to the collar portion to a venting position, venting of the container, further rotation of both the inner and outer components together in the loosening direction, whereby the collar portion is disengaged from the container by the cam surfaces of the cam features of the container, and axial disengagement of the sealing portion from the container.

WO2012/007708 mentions the provision of stop features on the container to limit rotation of the inner component relative to the container so that further rotation of the outer component can take place relative to the inner component whereby the radially moveable parts thereof are driven outward by a second set of cam surfaces on the outer component. The container disclosed herein is somewhat different. It is provided with a plurality of spaced apart cam features 20 beneath the lip 12A of the container. These are shaped so that they limit rotation of the inner component 11 in the tightening direction so that the outer component 14 can be rotated relative to the inner component 11 when tightened whereby the outer component 14 can be screwed downwards relative to the inner component 11 (by virtue of the threaded engagement therebetween) and the first set of cam surfaces 15B brought into position to press and/or hold the radially moveable parts 13 into engagement with the exterior of the container 12. However, the cam features 20 on the container are also shaped so that when the inner component 11 is rotated in the loosening direction they serve to urge the radially moveable parts 13 of the inner component 11 outwards so as to disengage them from the underside of the container lip 12A. Thus, in the present invention, the radially moveable parts 13 are urged outwards by features of the container^ rather than features of the outer component 14.

The container is shown in more detail in Figs 17 and 18. As mentioned above, a plurality of spaced apart cam features 20 are provided beneath the lip 12 A of the container. The cam features 20 comprise two side faces, one 20A perpendicular to the outer surface of the container and the other 20B inclined thereto, and a small outwardly facing surface 20C joining these two side faces 20A, 20B. As described above, the cam features 20 provide two main functions. First, they limit the rotation of the inner component 11 in the tightening direction (clockwise in the example shown) by virtue of the side faces 20A that extend radially and thus lie substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the container. As the inner component 11 is rotated in the tightening direction, the sides of the radially moveable arms 13 engage these side faces 20A so that further rotation of the inner component 11 in the tightening direction is arrested. Second, they drive the radially moveable arms 13 of the inner component 11 outwards as the inner component 11 is rotated in the loosening - in

direction (anticlockwise in the example shown) by virtue of the cam surfaces 20B, eg in the form of ramps, on the other side of the cam feature 20. As the inner component 11 is rotated in the loosening direction, the radially moveable arms 13 engage and ride up these ramps 20B until they rest on the outwardly facing surface 20C. This outwardly facing surface 20C blends with the contour 12D of the container lip 12A and is at a diameter corresponding to (or marginally greater) the maximum external diameter of the container lip 12A.

The radially moveable arms 13 are thus driven outwards (against the resilience of the arms and/or their connection to the ring 13B of the collar portion) to a position in which they are disengaged from the underside of the lip and rest on the outer surfaces 20C of the cam features 20. The inner component 11 is thus released from its securement beneath the lip of the container 12 and is free to move axially in an upward direction and thus to be removed from the container 12. This upward movement is preferably assisted by the contour of the lip 12A the diameter of which decreases towards the open end of the container 12. As the radially moveable arms 13 are flexed outwards, they have a natural tendency to revert to their unstressed positions so have a tendency to slide upwards on the surfaces 20C and lip 12A to move to a more inward radial position. If the container houses a sparkling drink, the pressure within the container may also assist is moving the inner component 11 upwards once the radially moveable arms 13 have disengaged from the underside of the container lip.

It is desirable to minimise the size of the cam features 20, so they have minimal, or negligible, effect upon the drinking experience of the user. The outer surface of the cam features 20 is thus preferably less then 2mm wide and more preferably less than 1mm wide so that, when viewed from beneath, the cam features 20 have an essentially triangular form (as shown in Fig 18B). It is found that with cam features of this small size they are not noticed or felt by the user's lip when drinking from the container. In other arrangements, the cam features may be wider (in the circumferential direction), eg up to 5 mm wide but, in most cases, the narrower the feature, the better. Another important difference between the closure described herein and that shown in Figs 11 - 20 of WO2012/007708 is the interaction of the outer component 14 with the sealing portion of the inner component 11. The outer component 14 is provided with a plurality of first engagement members spaced apart from each other around an inner circumference of the outer component 14. The first engagement members may comprise a plurality of small resilient arms 16 extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the skirt portion of the outer component 14 immediately beneath, and in alignment with, the apertures 14A in the upper portion of the outer component 14 as shown in Figs 4, 7 and 8. The sealing portion has a plurality of second engagement members 19 spaced apart from each other around a circumference of the sealing portion. The second engagement members may comprise a plurality of spaced apart flanges 19 projecting radially outwardly from the annular ring 17B of the sealing portion just above the o-ring gland 17C as shown in Figs 1, 2, 7 and 8. Each flange 19 may typically extend 15 to 25 degrees around the circumference of the sealing portion.

The first engagement members project radially inwards and the second engagement members project radially outwards so that, when the inner ands outer components are assembled together, the first and second engagement members overlap each other in the radial direction.

When the inner and outer components 11, 14 are first assembled together (in an axial direction), the small arms 16 lie above the flanges 19 as shown in Figs 5 and 7 and when the inner and outer components 11, 14 are moved further together in the axial direction, the flanges flex the small arms 19 upwards as shown in Figs 6 and 8 so the small arms 19 are at least partially accommodated by the apertures 14A in the outer component.

Thus, when the first engagement members lie above the second engagement members, flexing of the first engagement members and/or the second engagement members in the axial direction permit the top part of the outer component to move into axial engagement with said upper part of the sealing portion. When the outer component 14 is rotated in the tightening direction relative to the inner component 11, the small arms 16 slide along the upper surface of the flanges 19 until they drop into the gaps between the flanges as shown in Fig 10. The small arms 16 thus return to their unstressed position such that, when the outer component 14 is rotated in the loosening direction relative to the inner component 11, they lie beneath the flanges 19 as shown in Figs 11 and 13. This ensures that the inner component 11 is held in the fully inserted position shown in Figs 12 to 14. As will be described below, this is important to ensure that, after removal, the closure is held in a state that facilitates easy re-closure of the container.

Thus, as described above, first and second engagement members 16, 19 are arranged such that, following assembly of the inner component 11 within the outer component 14, rotation of the outer component 14 in a tightening direction, axial movement of the first engagement members 16 relative to the second engagement members 19 and then rotation of the outer member 14 in a loosening direction, the first engagement members 16 are located beneath the second engagement members 19 so engagement therebetween axially retains the sealing portion with respect to the outer component 14 with the upper part of the sealing portion in engagement with (or closely adjacent to) the top part of the outer component. By this means, the sealing portion is retained in the raised position, ie the upward flexed position as shown in Figs 12 to 14. This is desirable so that, when the closure is re-applied to the container 12, and the radially moveable arms 13 of the collar portion snapped over the lip of the container 12, the o-ring 18 is located on the lead-in surface 12B of the container mouth as described above and as shown in Figs 12 to 14. If this were not the case, refitting of the closure to the container 12 would require flexing of the sealing portion upwards from its unstressed position and/or would require the o-ring 18 to be pushed past the lead-in surface 12A further into the container. In both cases, this would add to the pressure required to re-apply the closure and so make it more difficult for the user to reapply. It is important to minimise the force required for a user to re-apply the closure.

It should be noted that the small arms 16 are only located above the flanges 19 when the inner and out components are initially assembled together. Once the outer component 14 has been rotated to the closed position the first time, the small arms 16 are at a lower level than the flanges 16. It is only when this has occurred that the assembly of the inner component 11 within the outer component 14 is effectively completed.

The first and second engagement features may have other forms that can interact with each other in the manner described to retain the sealing portion in the raised position so as to facilitate easy re-application of the closure to the container. The first and second engagement members may both be flexible to some extent in the axial direction or one may be more flexible than the other. Figures 19 and 20 show a modified version of the embodiment shown in the preceding Figures. In this modified version, the slots 14A in the outer component are omitted and the first engagement members 16A project radially inwards from the outer component but are moulded so as to be relatively rigidly connected thereto, eg in the form of shoulders rather than resilient arms. The second engagement members 19C are similar to those of the embodiment described above and project radially outwards from the sealing portion of the inner component. In this modified embodiment, when the inner component is initially installed within the outer component and the closure mounted on a container, it is the second engagement members 19B that provide the majority of the flexing that is necessary to permit the sealing portion to move axially relative to the outer component to the position shown in Fig 6.

The form of the engagement members may also be interchanged, eg the first engagement members may comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart flanges around the interior of the outer component and the second engagement means may comprise a plurality of spaced apart small arms or shoulders projecting radially outwards from the annular ring 17B of the resilient portion of the inner component. In another arrangement, both the first and second engagement means may be in the form of flanges which overlap with each other in the radial direction. In order for the two sets of flanges to move axially relative to each other, the spaces between flanges in one set should be large enough for the flanges of the other set to pass through.

In all cases, the first and second engagement members are arranged so that upon initial assembly of the inner component within the outer component, the first engagement members overlap the second engagement members in the radial direction with the first engagement members lying above the second engagement members but, following rotation of the outer component in a tightening direction, axial movement of the first engagement members though spaces between the second engagement members and then rotation of the outer component in a loosening direction, the first engagement members overlap the second engagement members in the radial direction with the second engagement members lying above the first engagement members so as to axially retain the sealing portion with respect to the outer component.

In order to be able to refit the closure after its removal, it is important to ensure that the inner and outer components are in the correct rotational alignment with each other so that when the closure is pushed back onto the container, the radially moveable arms 13 can snap over the container lip. This is only possible if the radially moveable arms 13 are able to flex outwards as they pass over the lip. To enable this to happen, the radially moveable arms 13 need to be aligned with the deep pockets 15A in the outer component 14. As described above, the deep pockets 15A are circumferentially spaced apart around the inner circumference of the skirt portion of the outer component 14 between the circumferentially spaced apart cam surfaces 15B.

The first and second engagement members 16, 19 referred to above also preferably have mutually engageable retention features which releasably retain the inner and outer components 11,14 in this pre-determined position, eg so that a resistance has to be overcome to rotate the components out of this position. Preferably, this resistance provides a 'click' which is heard and/or felt by the user as the inner and outer components 11, 14 are rotated into and out of this position. One way of achieving this is to provide a recess 19A in the flange 19 in which the small arm 16 rests. The recess 19A is best seen in Figs 7 and 11 - and Fig 11 shows the small arm 16 located in the recess 19A. At the end of the recess is a shoulder which the small arm 16 has to ride over as the outer component 14 is rotated to the locked position shown in Fig 10.

The closure is thus arranged to enable easy re-closing of the container by locating the inner component, which is retained in the outer component with an upper portion of the resilient portion in engagement with a top part of the outer component, over the container, snap- fitting the collar portion over a lip of the container, initial rotation of the closure in a tightening direction until the collar portion engages the first side of the cam features of the container, and further rotation of the outer component in the tightening direction relative to inner component to secure the collar portion beneath the lip and to press the sealing portion into the opening of the container.

The closure described above can be fitted to a container in a variety of ways. One particularly advantageous way is to first fit the inner component 11 to the container prior to assembly of the inner and outer components together. The inner component 11 is a snap- fit over the lip 12A of the container so that the bore feature 17 closes the mouth of the container 12 with the o-ring 18 providing at least an initial seal between the inner component 11 and the container 12.

The inner component 11 may thus be fitted to the container 12 after the container 12 has been filled and provides a temporary closure of the container 12. The outer surfaces of the inner component 11 and the container 12 can thus be washed, eg to remove remnants of the contents that may have spilled or splashed whilst the container 12 was being charged, and then dried prior to fitting of the outer component 14 over the inner component 11. This is particularly advantageous in an automatic filling line, eg in which the containers are filled with a beverage such as beer, where it is desirable to ensure that the interaction between the features of the inner and out components, such as the thread features thereof, is not impeded by product residue.

The outer component 14 is fitted to the inner component 11 by moving the two components together axially so the flared ring 13D of the inner component 11 snaps past the projection 14B on the skirt portion of the outer component 14. The radially movable arms 13 are preferably aligned with the deep pockets 15A of the outer component as they are engaged. Rotation of the outer component 14 relative to the inner component 11, then brings the cam surfaces 15B into engagement with the radially movable arms 13 so as to press them into and/or hold them in engagement with the underside of the container lip 12A. The inner component is thus secured to the container as the arms 13 are held in engagement with the underside of the lip and are unable to move radially outwards so as to disengage therefrom. As described above, this two-stage method of closing the container is made possible because the sealing portion is resiliently moveable in the axial direction relative to the collar portion. To release the closure from the container, the outer component is rotated in the loosening direction relative to the inner component. This causes the cam surfaces 15B to move out of engagement with the radially movable arms 13 and brings the deep pockets 15A in alignment therewith so the arms 13 are able to move outwards. The arms 13 can then be driven outwards to disengage them from the underside of the lip 12A. The user can then pull the closure axially upwards to withdraw the bore component (and the o-ring) from the container 12. The inner and outer components 11, 14 are thus removed as one component, the projection 14B of the outer component 14 engaging the underside of the flared parts 13D of the inner component so an upward force applied to the outer component 14 applies an upward force to the inner component 11.

It is found that when the container contains a carbonated beverage (or the internal pressure of the container is otherwise elevated relative to the environment outside the container), the internal pressure assists in raising the inner component 11, and hence the outer component 14, so very little (if any) upward force needs to be applied to remove the closure. In such circumstances, the closure can thus be designed so that a raised internal pressure within the container provides a substantial proportion of the upward force required to remove the closure

In other circumstances, the inner and outer components 11, 14 may be pre-assembled by snap-fitting the inner component 11 into the outer component 14 prior to fitting the closure to the container. This assembly can then be fitted to the mouth of the container by pressing the closure axially onto the container 12 so that collar portion of the inner component fits 11 over the lip (and preferably snaps into engagement with the underside of the lip) and the bore feature (and the o-ring seal carried thereby) are pressed into the interior of the container 12. The outer component 14 is then rotated in the tightening direction relative to the inner component 11 to bring the cams 15B into engagement with the radially moveable arms 13 as described above. In the illustrated embodiments, the outer component 14 is in the form of a cap which extends across the mouth of the container so as to close the container 12 (in addition to closure by the sealing portion of the inner component 11). The cap may have a simple flat upper portion 14C and/or may have a concave or convex shape so as to extend, at least partially, into (or away from) the mouth of the container 12. However, in other embodiments, it may have an annular form with an upper part lying above the lip of the container (and a skirt portion depending therefrom) but does not extend across the mouth of the container to close the container. It will be appreciated that the container described herein, as well as being used with the closures of the types referred to above, can also be used with other forms of closure requiring the container features described.

It will be appreciated that in all the embodiments shown in the drawings, the radially moveable parts or arms 13 of the collar portion of the inner component extend upwardly, ie they are joined at their lower end (by the ring 13B or other structure extending around the circumference of the collar portion and serving to maintain the arms 13 in their circumferentially spaced apart positions) and their upper ends engage under the lip of the container. This arrangement has many advantages particularly over known arrangements in which a closure, or a component of a closure, has radially moveable parts or arms which extend downwardly and are connected at their upper ends, eg by a top part of the component which extends across and/or closes the mouth of the container.

For the avoidance of doubt, the verb "comprise" as used herein has its normal dictionary meaning, ie to denote non-exclusive inclusion. The use of the word "comprise" (or any of its derivatives) does not therefore exclude the possibility of further features being included.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, and drawings) may be combined in any combination (other than combinations where at least some of the features are mutually exclusive).

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is just an example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is also not restricted to the details of the embodiments described herein. The invention extends to any novel concept, feature, or any novel combination of the features covered by the claims in combination with any one or more features described herein (including the accompanying claims and drawings).