Closure with concealed hinge

A closure especially adapted for use with a dispenser spout, said closure having a concealed hinge arranged to permit the lid to be opened 180.degree. away from its associated base to provide maximum access to a container to which the closure is assembled, the closure, consisting of a closure base and a lid, being capable of being molded in a single mold cavity.

This invention relates generally to a closure with a concealed hinge and 
specifically to a dispensing type closure adapted for use on a container, 
such as a tube, which includes a dispensing spout, the closure being so 
constructed as to be capable of being molded in a closed position and to 
be opened 180.degree. to thereby provide maximum access to its associated 
container. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
All, or at least the very great majority, of current dispensing closures 
are molded in the open position or in two or more pieces. Closures molded 
open must be closed prior to capping. This extra step can be accomplished 
through post-mold closing equipment, or in-mold closing equipment. Either 
step adds cost to the process by requiring extra equipment. In addition, 
in-mold closing requires a longer molding cycle time and therefore a 
higher piece price cost. 
Closures molded in the open position require twice as much tool space as 
closures molded in the closed position. Therefore, for a given tool size, 
a mold can contain twice as many cavities of molded closed closures, 
compared to molded open closures. This reduces the tool cost per cavity. 
In addition, most molded open dispensing closures when capped onto an 
associated container and which require a tamper resistancy feature so as 
to protect against unintentional opening, use shrink wrap or a separate 
box to achieve this additional feature. The shrink wrap or a separate box 
increases the cost of manufacture of the final package in that an extra 
operation, separate and distinct from the molding operation in which the 
closure is formed, is required. And, of course, the cost of acquiring and 
providing equipment for a separate raw material is also required. Included 
in the cost of using a shrink wrap or separate box is the additional 
machine time necessary to apply a wrap or enclose the component within a 
box. 
Most, if not all, conventional dispensing closures with living hinges have 
non-uniform peripheries due to hinge protrusions. As a consequence, the 
protruding hinge tends to cause interference during the assembly and 
handling phases of production. When the closures are fed to the capping 
equipment, for example, preparatory to being secured to a tube, the 
peripherally outwardly extending protrusions can be the cause of jam-ups 
in the closure feeding mechanism and consequent line down time while the 
jammed closures are freed and the feed line restarted. In addition, 
closures with protrusions are often not well adapted for inverted 
packaging and can be of concern with respect to consumer handling safety. 
In addition, many dispensing closures are fastened to their associated 
package by threads. Threads require torquing type capping equipment which, 
on occasion, results in packages with non-oriented closures. Although such 
a filled tube may, from a technical standpoint, operate substantially as 
efficiently as one having the desired dead center alignment, as a 
practical matter the consumer tends to avoid purchasing such an out of 
alignment product, often on the assumption that there is something "wrong" 
with the product. In addition, torque type capping equipment is more 
costly than other types of capping equipment such as snap-on type capping 
equipment. Even the molds for screw-on type closures are more expensive 
than, for example, snap-on closures since screw-on molds usually require 
an unscrewing core or a collapsible core and, in general, are more complex 
and expensive than snap-on closure molds. 
A further drawback with many current closures is that such closures almost 
invariably have a protruding tab in order to enable a user to quickly and 
conveniently locate the "handle" formed by the tab for easy opening and 
closing of the product. When a protruding tab extends outwardly beyond the 
outer diameter of the base of the closure, interference in the capping 
process and in the automatic handling of the closure can occur. 
Raised orifice spouts are an advantage to the consumer because of their 
distance from the conventional deck of the closure. An orifice flush with 
the deck of the closure can be harder to clean than a raised orifice, and 
a raised orifice spout gives the consumer a greater angled view to the 
orifice than a flush orifice. Thus a dispensing closure which will 
accommodate raised orifices of substantial heights is a distinct advantage 
over a package which includes a flush orifice. In addition, a raised spout 
also makes possible the application of a foil "freshness" seal applied to 
the top of the spout. Such a seal provides a measure of tamper resistancy, 
as well as retaining the integrity of seal of the package and thus the 
freshness (moisture and oxygen barrier) of the product. 
And finally, all, or nearly all, conventional closures include, as a 
necessary feature, a closure deck. Such a deck requires a substantial 
quantity of material which, since most such closures are manufactured from 
good quality resins, comprises a significant item of cost. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention includes (i) a concealed hinge dispensing closure which can 
be molded in a closed position, (ii) a tamper resistancy feature which is 
added in the molding process, (iii) has a lid with a lifting and closing 
tab which does not extend beyond the periphery of the closure, (iv) is 
assembleable to a dispensing container by a snap-on process, (v) is of any 
desired height so as to be usable with a container having a dispensing 
spout of substantial height, and (vi) does not require a closure deck. As 
a consequence, the molding costs of the closure are lower than 
conventional closures because a mold can contain twice as many closure 
cavities as a molded open closure mold, and the cycle time is less. Safety 
tabs can be formed during the molding process thereby eliminating later, 
and more costly, applications of shrink wraps and cardboard, with a 
consequent decrease in excess packaging which must be thrown away upon 
initial use. 
Further, the closure, due to a uniform periphery wherein neither hinges or 
open-close tabs protrude beyond the periphery, is well adapted to be used 
in automatic assembly and handling equipment, and, since the closure may 
be snapped onto an associated container, the less costly snap-on type 
capping equipment can be used. 
A distinct advantage over many conventional closure systems is that the 
present design permits the deck and spout of the conventional closure to 
be transferred, in effect, to the tube head thus greatly simplifying the 
design of the closure and reducing its cost, possibly without a 
significant increase in the cost of the tube. And since the closure does 
not contain a closure deck, less material is required in the closure than 
in similar type closures. Even though no closure deck is used, the closure 
can be of substantial height so that the container can include a raised 
orifice spout of any desired height.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT 
Like reference numerals will be used to refer to like or similar parts from 
Figure to Figure in the following description of the drawing. 
Referring to FIG. 1 a package is indicated at 10, the package consisting of 
a container assembly, indicated generally at 11, and a closure assembly, 
indicated generally at 12. It will be understood that the product 
contained within the container assembly 11 may vary widely from automotive 
grease to medicinal ointments. For convenience of description, it will be 
assumed that a typical consumer product, such as toothpaste, is the 
product to be stored and dispensed at the will of a user. It should be 
understood, however, that reference to toothpaste is for convenience only 
and is not to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. The 
container assembly 11 includes, in this instance, a tube structure 13 
which is closed at one end, as by crimping. The closure assembly 12 
includes a closure base, indicated generally at 16, and a closure lid, 
indicated generally at 17. A lift tab, which is part of the closure lid, 
is indicated at 18, and a hinge assembly which connects the lid to the 
base is indicated at 19. 
Referring now to FIG. 2 the closure assembly 12 is shown exploded away from 
the container assembly 11. The tube structure 13 includes an inwardly and 
upwardly inclined lower transition section 20, a top section 21 whose 
outer diameter is sized to be received within the closure base 16 as will 
be described in detail hereinafter, an upper inwardly and upwardly 
inclined transition section 22, and a tube deck 23 from which a pouring or 
dispensing spout structure, indicated generally at 24, extends upwardly. 
The top section 21, transition section 22 and tube deck 23 are all known 
as the "neck finish" and that term will be used from time-to-time 
hereinafter. The spout structure includes a neck portion 26 which has an 
eye-pleasing upwardly curved contour, a peripheral bead 27 and, in this 
instance, a conventional foil safety seal 28. It will be noted that the 
tube deck 23 side walls overhang the upper surface of the upper transition 
section 22 to form an annular indentation 29 or indent ring for a purpose 
which will appear hereinafter. 
Referring now to FIG. 5 the relationship of the closure assembly 12 to the 
container assembly 11, and specifically the upper end portion of the 
container assembly 11, is illustrated in greater detail. 
The closure lid 17 includes a central, generally circular top plate 32 (see 
also FIG. 6) which moves from the closed position of FIGS. 5 and 6 to the 
fully opened position of FIG. 15, as will be described hereinafter. The 
lift tab 18 is integral with top plate 32. The top plate 32 is connected 
by the hinge assembly 19, which includes hinge plates 33, 34, see FIG. 6 
also, to hinge base 35 which in turn is an integral horizontal extension 
of a vertical extension 36 from the enclosed circular base wall 37, see 
also FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 8. The lid and hinge base form a top disposed on 
the closure base. A reinforcement wall 38 located forwardly of hinge 
assembly 19 projects downwardly from top plate 32. Wall 38 is cut away as 
at 39, see FIG. 4, 5, and 8-10, so as not to interfere with spout 
structure 24. A lid skirt, which extends approximately 300.degree. about 
the circumference of the top plate 32 is indicated at 41, see FIGS. 5,7,8, 
and 12. As will be best seen from FIG. 3, the closure base 16 conceals the 
hinge means from view from the hinge side of the closure base. 
Fastener means for ensuring that the closure lid 17 remains secured to the 
tube spout 24 is indicated generally at 42 in FIGS. 5 and 11. The fastener 
means includes a downwardly projecting circular flange 43 which has an 
internal bead 44 encircling its lower, inner end. The bead 44 has a curved 
contour 45 on its lower side so that it will easily cam past the 
peripheral bead 27 on the spout structure 24 and engage the underside of 
bead 27 to secure the closure lid to the spout structure 24. A circular 
downwardly pointed seal ring 46 engages the exposed upper rim surface of 
the neck portion 26 of the spout after the safety seal 28 has been removed 
to seal the contents of the tube assembly from ambient atmosphere after 
the first use by the user, and the removal of the foil seal 28. 
The means for securing the closure assembly 12 to the container assembly 11 
is illustrated best in FIGS. 2, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 15. Referring first to 
FIG. 15, the inner edge of the base wall 37 is chamfered as at 48 so that 
when the container assembly 11 and the closure assembly 12 are brought 
into engagement for securement to one and other, the base wall 37 will 
contact the upper outer edge 47, see FIG. 2, of the tube deck 23 as the 
closure assembly moves to its fully engaged position of FIGS. 5 and 15. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and 10, and to FIG. 8 initially, two of four 
snap-on lugs are indicated at 49, 50. For purposes of illustration a lug 
is indicated in FIG. 15 on the right side of the package. Each lug 
consists of an upper inclined surface 51, see FIG. 7, which could be flat 
but, as shown, is preferably inclined slightly downwardly and inwardly, a 
vertical surface 52, and a lower downwardly and outwardly inclined surface 
53, the three surfaces forming a projection which is snugly received in 
the area 29 whose cross section is generally triangularly shaped as shown 
in FIGS. 5 and 15. It will be noted that the slant of the lower surface 53 
matches the slant of the transition section 22 of the container assembly 
11, and the upper surface 51 fits slightly under the overhanging edge of 
the tube deck 23. The upper slanted surface 51 makes possible the removal 
of the closure assembly 12 from the container assembly 11 with the 
application of sufficient force exerted between the lower edge of base 
wall 37 and the lower transition section 20. If the contained product is 
tooth paste and hence there is little or no foreseeable need to 
disassemble the closure assembly from the container assembly during the 
normal life of the package, the upper surface 51 could be flat, though 
mold design considerations could still indicate the use of the illustrated 
slanted configuration. 
The unique means for molding the package in a closed position is 
illustrated best in FIGS. 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. 
Referring first to FIG. 7, a tamper resistant member which joins the 
closure lid 17 to the closure base 16 is indicated generally at 56. The 
tamper resistant feature is a tab which is formed integrally with base 
wall 37 as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 14. The tamper resistant tab includes 
a base section 57 which terminates in a thin strap 58 which joins the 
lower outer edge of lid skirt 41 to base wall 37. The strap 58 may, for 
example, be on the order of only about 0.006" in thickness and hence it 
forms a line of weakness which can be readily ruptured by the application 
of upwardly directed thumb pressure on lift tab 18, yet the tamper 
resistant tab, of which two are shown in this instance, are sufficiently 
strong to maintain the closure base 16 and the top plate 32 and its 
depending lid skirt 41 in the position of FIG. 7 during molding, including 
ejection, and subsequent handling and capping steps. It will be understood 
that since the top plate 32 is oriented relative to base wall 37 as shown 
in FIG. 6, engagement pressure for pushing the closure assembly 12 onto 
the container assembly 11 may be exerted on the upper exposed surface 
portions 54, 55 of base wall 37, see FIG. 6 and thus little pressure will 
be exerted on closure lid 17 which would be transmitted to the thin straps 
58. As a result, the integrity of the straps 58 is maintained until the 
user, such as a consumer, prepares to use the package for the first time. 
The unique concealed hinge feature of this invention is illustrated best in 
FIGS. 1, 5, 6, 8-10, 12, 14 and 15. 
Referring first to FIG. 9, which is a detailed view of the hinge portion of 
FIG. 8, but to a larger scale, it will be seen that the upper surface of 
left hinge plate 33 is flush with the top surface of top plate 32 so that 
a smooth, aesthetically pleasing appearance is presented to the eye. Since 
hinge plates 33 and 34 are identical, only hinge plate 33 will be 
described. This can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 6. The hinge plate 33 
includes a rear portion 60 and a front portion 61, the two portions 
tapering upwardly at the mid-portion of the hinge plate to define a bend 
line area 62. It will be understood that the material to the left of bend 
line area 62 in FIGS. 6 and 8 is integral with, and forms a portion of, 
hinge base 35, and the material to the right of bend line area 62 is 
integral with, and forms a portion of, top plate 32. 
The hinge assembly 19 includes a U-shaped hinge 64 whose rear leg 65 
terminates in a thin strap 66 which in turn is integral with depending 
rear base member 67 which is integral with hinge base 35. The front leg 68 
of hinge assembly 19 terminates in a thin strap 69 which in turn is 
integral with the depending front base member 70 which is integral with 
the top plate 32. The left end and right end portions of hinge 64 are 
preferably cut away as at 71, 72, see FIG. 6 and 9 to relieve any tendency 
for the hinge assembly to bind as it moves from a fully closed to a fully 
opened position, and back again. 
The closure assembly 12 is illustrated in a fully closed position in FIGS. 
5, 8, 9 and 12. This is the position in which the closure assembly is 
molded and snapped onto container assembly 11 prior to the first use of 
the package. 
In FIGS. 14 and 15, the package has come into the hands of a consumer and 
it is shown in operation during the first use. In FIG. 14, the user has 
exerted upward pressure on lift tab 18, usually by a thumb or a finger, or 
both, and the thin straps 58 of FIG. 7 which held the closure lid 17 
spaced from the closure base 16 have been broken so that there is no 
external restraint to movement of one with respect to the other. The lid 
17 is shown in a 90.degree. or half open position. In this position the 
hinge 64 has been flattened in contour and the hinge straps 66 and 69, as 
well as the hinge 64, are under considerable tension. By the same token, 
the material in the bend line area 62 has been partially extended. It will 
be understood, however, that since the material from which the closure 
assembly 12 is made is preferably a thermoplastic material such a 
polypropylene, and since the bend line area may be on the order of about 
0.01" in thickness, the degree of deformation represented by the half open 
position of the FIG. 14 may be easily attained. 
In FIG. 15, the closure 17 is in the 180.degree. or fully opened position. 
In this condition the rear and front straps 66 and 69 of the hinge have 
had the tension represented by FIG. 14 relieved, and these straps are 
therefore under no tension. However, bend line area 62 is at maximum 
extension and tension but, as indicated in FIG. 15, the tension in bend 
line area 62 and straps 66 and 69 which tends to urge the closure 17 back 
to the position of FIG. 8 is insufficient to overcome the counterpressure 
of hinge 64 which tends to remain in its as molded position of FIG. 9. As 
a consequence, the closure 17 remains in a 180.degree., fully open 
position thereby providing maximum access, during use, to the spout 26. 
It will be noted in FIGS. 5 and 15 that the container assembly 11 is shown 
in its condition as manufactured and up to the moment before the user 
seeks initial access to the contents of tube structure 13. In this 
position the foil safety seal 28 remains intact and hence the user can 
tell at a glance prior to first use whether the package 10 has been 
tampered with to the extent that the contents of tube structure 13 has 
been accessed. During the first use, the user will, of course, remove the 
foil safety seal 28 in any appropriate manner, such as by breaking with a 
finger and tearing around the periphery or lifting off by a suitable tab 
which is integral with the seal. 
It will thus be seen that a unique closure assembly, and a closure assembly 
in combination with a container assembly to form a package, has been 
disclosed in which a smooth exterior periphery is provided, together with 
a concealed internal hinge which provides a smooth upper surface. At the 
same time, the closure assembly may be molded in a closed position thereby 
reducing dramatically the cost of production. 
It will be understood that, although a specific embodiment has been 
illustrated and described, modifications and changes may be made within 
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that 
the scope of the invention be limited solely by the hereafter appended 
claims, when interpreted in light of the relevant prior art, and not by 
the foregoing exemplary description.