Abstract:
A closure is provided and comprises a body and an inset. The closure has a drainage system for allowing fluid applied to the closure to pass between the exterior of the insert and the interior of the body to allow removal thereof.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Great Britain Patent Application No. 0806190.5, filed Apr. 4, 2008 and International Application No. PCT/GB2009/000048, filed Jan. 9, 2009, the entire contents of each of which is herein incorporated fully by reference. 
     
    
     FIGURE FOR PUBLICATION 
       [0002]      FIG. 6 . 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates generally to a closure, and particularly to a closure including a body part and an insert part. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    The related art involves closures having two or more components, such as a body and a spout. In many cases it is necessary for extraneous fluid to be applied to such closures. For example, cooling or cleaning fluid is sprayed onto closures during the manufacturing process. 
         [0007]    What is not appreciated by the prior art is that it is difficult to produce closures which can reliably prevent the ingress of water between various parts of a body and an insert. The result is that the fluid can become trapped within the closure which is undesirable. 
         [0008]    The present invention seeks to address the problems with known closures with a closure comprising a body and an insert, and having a drainage system for allowing fluid applied to the closure to pass between the exterior of the insert and the interior of the body to allow removal thereof. 
       ASPECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An aspect of the present invention is to provide a closure comprising a body and an insert, and having a drainage system for allowing fluid applied to the closure to pass between the exterior of the insert and the interior of the body to allow removal thereof. 
         [0010]    The drainage system may comprise one or more drainage paths formed at the interface between the insert and the body. 
         [0011]    The drainage path or paths may be formed wholly or partly in either, or both of, the body and the insert. The one or more drainage paths may comprise one or more slots formed at the periphery of the insert. The insert itself may comprise a plurality of ribs or radial projections at its periphery. The slots may be formed between the ribs, and may comprise an inclined drainage face to assist drainage. 
         [0012]    The insert may comprise a plurality of mutually spaced retention spokes. The spokes may define, at least in part, the drainage paths. Additionally, the insert may comprise a spout. For example, a drinking spout would require sterilization with a cleaning fluid and thereafter the fluid needs to be removed so as not to affect the user&#39;s taste. 
         [0013]    The body may comprise a base and a lid. The base and lid may be joined by a hinge, such as a snap-hinge. The interface between the lid and the base is a likely point at which fluid will enter. 
         [0014]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an insert for a closure body, comprising one or more drainage paths for allowing fluid applied to the closure to pass between the exterior of the insert and the interior of the body to allow removal thereof. 
         [0015]    The above, and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a section of a closure formed according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the closure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the closure of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 3B  is a side elevation of the view of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a spout insert forming part of the closure of  FIGS. 1 through 3 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the closure of  FIGS. 1 through 4  shown with a cut-out section illustrating the internal structure. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a magnified view of the cut-out section of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, and below may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words “connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through mediate elements or devices. 
         [0024]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1 through 3  there is shown a closure  10 . The closure  10  comprises a body  15 , a spout insert  20  and a self-closing valve assembly  25 . 
         [0025]    The body  15  comprises a generally cylindrical side wall  16  having at one end a tamper-evident annular ring  17  connected thereto by a plurality of frangible bridges  18 . 
         [0026]    The side wall  16  terminates at its end opposite the band  17  with an annular shoulder  16   c  which extends radially inwards. A generally turret-like lid  30  is connected to the free end of the shoulder  16   c  via a hinge  32 . 
         [0027]    The interior of the side wall  16  comprises internal screw thread formations  16   a  for engaging corresponding external screw thread formations on a container neck. The interior of the side wall  16  further comprises an annular retention bead  16   b.    
         [0028]    The interior of the band  17  comprises a plurality of upturned flaps  17   a  for engagement under a locking bead on a container neck so that if the closure is unscrewed the band will remain on a container neck. 
         [0029]    The lid  30  comprises a generally hexagonal top plate  34  from which depends a spigot  36 . Opposite the hinge  32  the lid  30  includes a small peak  38  used to lift the lid and flip it open with respect to the base  15 . 
         [0030]    A tamper-evident strip  40  is frangibly connected between the lid  30  and the base  15 . The strip  40  terminates with a tab  42  at either end to allow it to be torn away prior to first opening of the lid. 
         [0031]    Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , the spout  20  comprises a generally cylindrical lower portion  50 , a generally cylindrical central portion  51 , and a generally frusto-conical upper portion  52 . 
         [0032]    The lower portion  50  comprises an annular sealing part  54  having an external sealing bead  56 . In use, the sealing part  54  enters a container neck such that the sealing bead  56  seals against its inner surface (as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). 
         [0033]    The central retention portion  51  comprises an annular base  58  from which project a plurality of spaced axial ribs  60  which are used to secure the insert  20  in the body  15 . 
         [0034]    The base  58  further includes a plurality of radially outwardly extending retention spokes  62  positioned at the bottom of each rib  60 . Between each spoke  62  is an inclined ledge  64  which extends radially outwardly approximately the same extent as the ribs  60 . The spokes  62  are generally L-shaped with the shorter leg projecting away from the upper portion  52 . 
         [0035]    As shown in best in  FIG. 1 , the upper portion  52  comprises a curved, generally frusto-conical outer surface defining a spout. At the end of the spout side wall opposite the central portion  51  is a cylindrical terminal portion  70 . An annular orifice wall  72  extends inwards from the free end of the portion  70  and defines an orifice  74 . An annular retention bead  76  depends internally from the base of the terminal portion. 
         [0036]    The self-closing valve assembly  25  comprises a body  26  and a valve  27 . This structure is itself known from the Applicant&#39;s International Patent Application No PCT/EP2005/053917, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The valve body  25  includes a retention bead  28  which clips over the spout retention bead. The valve assembly  25  is received between the retention bead  76  and the annular wall  72  as shown best in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0037]    Referring now also to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the spout  20  is received into the body  15 . The retention spokes  62  engage over the retention bead  16   b  and the ribs  60  fit tightly within the orifice defined by the shoulder  16   c  so that the spout is held firmly in position. The ribs  60  also fit tightly within the lid  30  to hold it in the closed position. The spigot  36  enters the orifice  74  and abuts against the valve  27  to prevent it from opening with the lid closed. 
         [0038]    As will be appreciated best from  FIGS. 4 to 6 , with the insert  20  in position slots are formed between the spokes  62  and ledges  64  of the central portion  51  and the side wall  16 . Furthermore, a passage between the lid  30  and the base  58  is established by the ribs  60 . 
         [0039]    As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , when fluid is sprayed at the closure  10 , it may enter the interior of the closure via the hinge line interface between the lid  30  and the base  15 . If this happens, the fluid can pass between the ribs  60  and down over the ledges  64  before passing through the slots and then between the closure and container screw threads and out at the bottom of the side wall  16 . This means that there is an unobstructed drainage path for fluid to follow if it enters the closure. It may be necessary to force fluid through the drainage path, for example by blowing air at the closure. 
         [0040]    In the claims, means or step-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described or suggested herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, for example, although a nail, a screw, and a bolt may not be structural equivalents in that a nail relies on friction between a wooden part and a cylindrical surface, a screw&#39;s helical surface positively engages the wooden part, and a bolt&#39;s head and nut compress opposite sides of a wooden part, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail, a screw, and a bolt may be readily understood by those skilled in the art as equivalent structures. 
         [0041]    Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes, modifications, and adaptations may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.