RE-CLOSABLE CONTAINER

Abstract: A re-closable container having a beadlike thickening (3), which is enclosed by the bent-down skirt of the inwardly depressed cap, has a collar (4) immediately beneath said thickening, under which an inside flange (12) on the part (11) of the bent skirt outside the container engages, when the cap is depressed down over the brim of the container. Weaken­ ing grooves makes it possible to tear-off the part (11) of the cap with its flange (12), so that the cap can be lifted up from the container. To facilitate the tearing-off the outside part of the cap may have a narrow slot which adjoins a circumferen­ tial weakening groove (10) as another one reaching from the former and down to the free brim of the cap's skirt. When e.g. a table knife is inserted through the slot, the cap part (11) can be broken along the said other weakening groove, after which said part with its belonging flange can easily be torn-off.

Description: The present invention relates to containers with a cap which, when part of the contents of the container has been removed, can be replaced tight fitting, said containers being protected against an unintended complete or partial opening during transport or warehousing. US-A-4305517 discloses a re-closable container of the sort having bead-like thickening along its brim, said brim being enclosed by the bent-down skirt of a cap fitted in a tight manner inwardly in the container opening, wherein the container has a collar beneath the thickening, the said collar extending obliquely downwards and outwards to a rim thereof from which there extends inwards a downwardly-facing abutment surface and the bent-down skirt has an extension the lowermost, rigid part thereof having an inner flange, with an upwardly-facing abutment surface which, once the cap is on, reaches in beneath the collar, and an inner part of the said flange being obliquely cut off, the said extension at a distance above the rigid part having a circumferential tear-off weakening groove reaching down through the flange and down to the brim of the cap. In US-A-4305517 the collar is formed in the neck of the container and is therefore rigid. Furthermore, the underface of the collar is rounded and the surface of the flange for engagement with the rounded undersurface of the collar is inclined downwards and inwards so that sufficient upward pressure on the rim of the cap causes the flange to undergo a camming action over the collar so as to permit the cap to be released from the container. The object of the invention is to obviate or mitigate this disadvantage. Accordingly, the invention is characterised in that the collar is in the form of a flared skirt with a sharp-edged rim and the downwardly-facing abutment surface of the collar lying substantially in the plane of the rim of the collar, and the upwardly-facing abutment surface of the flange lying substantially in a plane parallel with the plane of the brim of the cap. Thus, with the bluff abutment between the collar and the flange there is no possibility of the flange being cammed over the collar by upward pressure on the brim of the cap. Indeed, such upward pressure would cause the flared skirt form of the collar to flare even further and into closer contact with the extension of the bent-down skirt of the cap. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 shows a strongly magnified sectional view of the parts of a re-closable container which is essential for understanding the invention. Fig 2 shows the container cap contemplated from the side, and Fig 3 shows the cap contemplated from above and a section through half of it on the line III-III in Fig 1. In the drawing 1 designated the very container which here is shown with a circular section, which, however, just as well might be rectangular. The wall of the container, indicated by 2, has as shown a bead-like thickening 3. The cap 5 has a part shaped as a truncated cone making it self centering thus facilitating its mounting. The rim of the cap is folded down thus shaping a circumferential channel 7 which encloses the thickening 3 elastically ensuring tightness. As it appears the folding of the cap has a thickening 8 which serves to increase its stiffness and besides facilitates pressing down the cap due to its rounded form. The bend of the cap continues into a truncated cone 9 - if the section of the container is rectangular naturally 9 is an oblique flat - causing the downmost outer part 11 to be kept at some distance from the exterior of the container wall 2. The part 11 has an inside flange 12 which in co-operation with a collar 4 seals the container, ie holds the cap 5 safely. The collar 4, which is placed immediately beneath the thickened rim 3, is in the form of a flared skirt having a downwardly-facing abutment surface lying substantially in the plane of the rim of the collar 4 for abutment with an upwardly-facing abutment surface of the flange 12 lying substantially in a horizontal plane. In the case that the container has a circular section the collar 4 has the shape of a truncated cone and if the section is rectangular it will be a truncated pyramid with rounded corners, and in both cases this shape will mean that an up-turned pressure on the rim of the cap will cause the collar 4 to flatten out an be pressed against the inside of the part 9, thus preventing the cap from being pushed off. The part 9 has a circumferential weakening groove 10 in the shape of which may be seen from Fig 1, said groove being indicated with dotted lines in the Fig 2 and 3. To make it possible to break the sealing the section of the cap 11 has also a weakening groove 15 as shown in the Fig 2 and 3. This weakening groove also passes through the flange 12. As shown in Fig 1 this flange has an oblique inner surface 13 to facilitate the depression of the cap. Said depression takes place by the collar 4 being pressed inwards and downwards, which is possible because of its shape. As mentioned earlier projecting devices to pull at, when the sealing must be broken, should be avoided. According to a further embodiment of the invention the part 9 of the cap has a narrow slot 14 adjoining the weakening groove 15. Therefore breaking the sealing can be started eg by inserting a knife into the slot 14 and breaking the part 11 of the cap along the weakening line 15, after which said part can easily be torn off along the weakening line 10.

Claims: A re-closable container of the sort having bead-like thickening (3) along its brim, said brim being enclosed by the bent-down skirt (7, 8) of a cap fitted in a tight manner inwardly in the container opening, wherein the container has a collar (4) beneath the thickening (3) the said collar extending obliquely downwards and outwards to a rim thereof from which there extends inwards a downwardly-facing abutment surface and the bent-down skirt (7, 8) has an extension (9) the lowermost, rigid part (11) thereof having an inner flange (12) with an upwardly-facing abutment surface, which, once the cap is on, reaches in beneath the collar (4), and an inner part (13) of the said flange (12) being obliquely cut off, the said extension (9) at a distance above the rigid part (11) having a circumferential tear-off weakening groove (10) and an adjacent, transverse weakening groove (15) reaching down through the flange (12) and down to the brim of the cap, characterised in that the collar (4) is in the form of a flared skirt with a sharp-edged rim and the downwardly-facing abutment surface of the collar (4) lying substantially in the plane of the rim of the collar (4), and the upwardly-facing abutment surface of the flange (12) lying substantially in a plane parallel with the plane of the brim of the cap.

Inventors: PESCHARDT, PREBEN, POULSEN, JORGEN
Applicants: THY PLAST I/S
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B65D43
IPC codes: B65D17, B65D43