Closure

An orientatable closure for a container comprises a body with a screw thread, the thread comprising a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness. The first and second thicknesses are different and the interface between the first and second portions defines a stop such that a co-operating screw thread on a container is not rotatable past the interface, whereby to define a predetermined relative orientation between the closure and container.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is the U.S. National Phase of International PCT Application Serial No. PCT/GB2012/000427, entitled “A Closure,” filed May 14, 2012, which claims priority to Great Britain Application No. 1108656.8, filed May 23, 2011, each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

The present invention relates generally to a closure for a container and particularly to a closure which can be positioned in a particular orientation relative to a container.

In many cases it is desirable for a closure to be in a particular orientation with respect to a container. For example closures with hinges and/or spouts or other offset parts may need to be orientated towards the front or rear of a container.

It is known to provide orientatable closures but the components involved in the orientation are susceptible to damage if the closure is overturned, thus losing the orientation.

The present invention seeks to address the problems with known closures.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an orientatable closure for a container, comprising a body with a screw thread, the thread comprising a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness, the first and second thicknesses being different and an interface between the first and second portions defining a stop such that a cooperating screw thread on the container is not rotatable past the interface whereby to define a predetermined relative orientation between the closure and the container.

The thread of the closure therefore includes at least two different portions with different sections. The term thickness is intended to mean the axial extent or height relative to the body rather than the radial extent.

This means that the closure can be screwed on to a container so that the container thread can rotate up the closure thread only until it reaches the interface, at which point the container thread is not rotatable past the interface and onto the other portion of the closure thread.

The screw thread on the closure may be internal. Although internal screw threads may be most commonly used, external screw threads on a closure body are not beyond the scope of the present invention.

The screw thread may be substantially continuous. A single style thread may therefore be used, but also multi-start threads in which the first and/or second thread portions are discontinuous may be used.

The second portion may be thicker than the first portion. Therefore the first portion may define the start of the closure thread which initially receives a container neck finish thread. Thereafter the interface with the thicker second portion presents an abutment surface for the start of the container thread.

The second portion may be increased in thickness relative to the first portion away from an open end of the closure which is presented to a container. In other words, the stop is “above” the first portion when considered relative to the open end of the closure.

One surface of the portions may be continuously linear. In other words a lower surface of the portions may effectively be continuous, with the other portion extending above/below the other to create the interface.

The stop may be generally right angular. In other words the interface is not a taper between the first and second portions but rather an abrupt step change.

The closure may comprise a dispensing spout. Orientation of the dispensing spout with a container can be achieved using the thread formation pattern of the closure.

Additionally or alternatively the closure may comprise a base and a lid which may be connected to each other by a hinge.

The screw thread of a container used in conjunction with the closure may be standard.

The present invention also relates to a closure as described herein in combination with a container.

According to an alternative aspect of the present invention there is provided a container neck finish for an orientatable closure, the finish having a screw thread comprising a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness, the first and second thicknesses being different and the interface between the first and second portions defining a stop such that a cooperating screw thread on a closure is not rotatable past the interface whereby to define a predetermined relative orientation between the container and closure.

The present invention therefore also appreciates that the screw thread formation previously described in relation to a closure could alternatively be applied to a container neck finish.

For example, the start of a container neck finish may be thinner than a downstream, thicker portion so that a closure screw thread can be rotated onto the neck and then will abut the container neck finish screw thread interface so that it cannot rotate any further.

Referring first toFIGS. 1 and 2there is shown a closure10attached to a container20.

The closure10comprises a generally circular top plate25. A generally cylindrical side wall30depends from the periphery of the top plates25. An annular wall35upstands from the periphery of the top plate25and is coextensive with the side wall30.

The wall35includes a curved cut-out portion40at one point around its circumference. Because there is only one cut-out the closure10is not symmetrical. Accordingly, if the cut out40is to be positioned in a required orientation relative to the container20the closure10must be fitted onto the container20so that when secured it adopts the required position relative to the container20.

The closure10is secured to the neck45of the container20by a screw thread arrangement. The inner face of the side wall30includes an internal screw thread50and the external surface of the neck45includes an external screw thread55.

The underside of the top plate25includes an annular projection65which, when the closure is screwed on fully to the neck as shown inFIG. 2, contacts the neck rim46. In other embodiments (not shown) different types of projections are used. For example a ‘crab's claw’ type seal may be used as an alternative to a static ring.

Referring now also toFIGS. 3 and 4the screw threads50,55are shown. The screw thread55on the neck45is generally standard and comprises a single start thread. The thread55has a start60with a generally flat face61.

The thread50of the closure10comprises a first, thinner portion70and a second thicker portion75. The portion75is thicker than the portion70in a direction towards the top plate25so that the lower surface of the thread50is continuously curved. The thread70provides the start of the thread50. The interface where the portions70,75meet defines a step80with a flat abutment face.

In use, the closure10is presented to the neck45and screwed onto it. The thread55meets the thread portion70and moves along it. InFIG. 5the flat face61of thread start60is shown approaching the step80and continued rotation causes the flat face61to reach and abut against the step80as shown inFIG. 6. The step80prevents further rotation of the closure10with respect to the neck45and therefore the orientation of the cut out40with respect to the container20is predetermined and set by the fully screwed-on position of the closure defined by the step80.