Patent ID: 6050434
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A closure for a container opening, said closure comprising:a cap for mounting over a container opening, said cap having a cap central axis and a discharge opening at a tip of a discharge spout;a cover movable between a closed position over the discharge spout occluding the discharge opening and an open position remotely spaced from the discharge opening, said cover having a cover central axis; anda snap-action resiliently-biasing web-hinge structure hingedly movable between an open position and a closed position, and generally having a partially-cylindrical-surface configuration when in its open position, with an axis of curvature intersecting the cap central axis and the cover central axis, a convex top surface, a concave bottom surface, a first side edge 30, and a second side edge 31 opposite the first side edge, said web-hinge structure including:an inner beam portion (33) extending to a curved inner web end (35) and fixedly secured to the cap at the curved inner web end;an outer beam portion (34) extending to a curved outer web end (36) and fixedly secured to the cover at the curved outer web end; anda central web portion (32) between said inner (33) and outer (34) beam portions, said central web portion (32) connected to the inner beam portion (33) by an inner film hinge (37) defined by a first arcuate score (39) on the concave bottom surface between the first (30) and second (31) side edges, and said central web portion (32) connected to the outer beam portion (34) by an outer film hinge (38) defined by a second arcuate score (40) on the concave bottom surface between the first (30) and second (31) side edges and hyperbolically opposite said first arcuate score (39), wherein the shortest distance between said inner and outer film hinges is a center space (43) between an apex (41) of the inner film hinge and an apex (42) of the outer film hinge,whereby the inner and outer film hinges hinge independent of the other, and the apex of the outer film hinge can be raised to a higher elevational plane relative to the apex of the inner film hinge and laterally advanced to a radially closer spacial position to the cap central axis, for clearing the tip of the discharge spout when the cover is moved between the open and closed positions.