Abstract:
A simulated promotional pocket for a closure and method for manufacture thereof has a cup-shaped simulated promotional pocket molded within the closure to at least partially encapsulate anchor tabs extending from a liner pre-molded to an inside of the top wall of the closure. The anchor tabs are arranged in a target formation of concentric spaced-apart circles and are bent over outwardly during pressure molding of the cup-shaped promotional pocket to provide resistance to separation of the promotional pocket and the liner. The simulated promotional pocket having an open end is configured to be identical in appearance to an actual promotional compartment which holds a promotional item of value thereon, when viewed from outside a container closed by the closure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to molding of closures such as for bottles, and more particularly to a two-step molding method for a closure adapted particularly for molding a simulated promotional compartment inside the closure. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of container closures, such as those used for sealing bottled soft drinks, are known in the art. One such commonly used closure is formed of plastic and includes a circular top wall portion and an internally threaded depending skirt portion which threads onto an associated container. For improved sealing, many such closures include a liner positioned on the inside surface of the top wall. 
     Examples of such closures and methods of making such closures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,205,426 to McBride et al. and 4,497,765 to Wilde et al., hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Soft drink manufacturers and bottlers presently use closures and closure liners for promotional campaigns. Container closures and liners have been used as redemption pieces for reduced pricing or rebates, and sweepstakes or game prize pieces, in many known promotional campaigns. 
     In a typical promotional application, a logo or other representation for prize redemption, such as a prize amount award amount or item, is printed or transferred onto the inside of the closure cap or liner. Such prize pieces, however, must be redeemed through either the retailer or directly through the soft drink manufacturer or bottler. While this type of promotional campaign, for the most part, is effective and is well accepted by the consuming public, it does not provide the consumer with the excitement of being an on-the-spot, instant winner. 
     In many promotional campaigns, it is desirable to provide the player, i.e., the soft drink purchaser, “instant gratification”. As such, the promotional or gaming piece itself must have a value, preferably in cash, or otherwise instantly redeemable. In such a promotional campaign, it is most preferable to provide a closure cap which can contain or store the promotional piece within the cap. For example, as part of the promotion, cash incentives can be packaged in the closure. The incentives can be packaged within the closure in a promotional piece compartment to prevent pilferage when the containers are stored on a food market shelf. 
     In such a promotional campaign, it may also be desirable to provide a closure without the promotional piece with cash incentive, but instead, having a message to urge the purchaser to “please try again”. Such a closure can be provided with a simulated promotional piece compartment, securely molded to an inside of the closure, without adversely affecting the ability of the closure to retain a seal with the container. The simulated promotional piece compartment advantageously appears identical to the promotional piece compartment when viewed from outside of a closed container. There is a need for providing an economical, effective and reliable method for installing the simulated promotional piece compartment within the closure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A simulated promotional piece compartment for a closure is provided which includes a disk-shaped wall and a depending annular wall with an open end, wherein the simulated promotional piece compartment is mold-fastened to a pre-installed liner within the closure. The pre-installed liner can include raised tabs extending in a direction toward an open end of the closure. The simulated promotional piece compartment is molded in a second step, within the closure, and onto the raised tabs which act as anchors by at least partially encapsulating the tabs. The raised tabs can be bent over under pressure during the molding of the simulated promotional piece compartment. When the simulated promotional piece compartment has solidified, the bent over tabs are enhanced as anchors to hold the simulated promotional piece compartment securely in place to the inside liner of the closure. The tabs are preferably arranged in concentric, spaced-apart circular patterns forming a “target”. 
     The simulated promotional piece compartment is advantageously a cylindrical element with a disk-shaped plate at one end thereof which encapsulates the tabs; and open at an opposite end thereof. The simulated promotional compartment is shaped and sized to be visibly identical to an actual promotional piece compartment (which is typically an enclosed, sealed volume within the closure for holding a valuable promotional piece), when viewed from outside a full bottle closed by the closures. 
     Although in the disclosed embodiment the securement of a simulated promotional piece compartment to a liner is described, the two-step molding process of the present invention can also be applied to secure other type of components to an inside surface of a closures. The two-step molding process can be used to secure winning promotional compartments as well. 
     The simulated promotional piece compartment described may be used in conjunction with a first step molded-in liner positioned in a closure cap, the liner preferably having a first side adjacent to a top wall portion of the closure cap. The liner can include an annular sealing bead portion for providing a seal between the closure cap and the container such as a bottle, when the closure is engaged therewith. The simulated promotional piece compartment is molded and integrated with the liner in a second molding step. 
     An advantageous, two-step method for making the closure liner and simulated promotional piece compartment allows for the initial molding of the liner within the closure cap, the liner including upstanding tabs, and the subsequent molding of the simulated promotional piece compartment onto the tabs under pressure to bend the tabs to form anchors for fixedly holding the simulated promotional piece compartment. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a promotional piece compartment contained within a closure; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view, of a simulated promotional piece compartment within a closure according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the closure shown in FIG. 2 in a first stage of liner manufacture; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the closure shown in FIG. 3 in a subsequent stage of manufacture; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the closure of FIG. 4 in a still further stage of manufacture; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along lines  6 — 6  of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken from FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described presently preferred embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
     With reference now to FIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary closure having an embodiment of a removable, inner promotional compartment  12  positioned therein. As illustrated, closure  10  is generally cup-shaped and includes a closure cap  14 :, a circular top wall portion  16  and a depending annular skirt portion  18  depending from the top wall portion  16 . 
     Skirt portion  18  has an internal thread formation  20  on the inside surface thereof for threadingly engaging a cooperative container C to which the closure  10  is fitted. Vent grooves  22  which extend axially along the inside of skirt portion  18  traverse the thread formation  20 . The vent grooves  22  facilitate the release and venting of gas which may pressurize the container when the container is used to store, for example, carbonated beverages. 
     In a preferred embodiment, closure  10  is formed with a pilfer band  24  to provide visibly discernable evidence that the closure  10  has been partially or completely removed from the container C. 
     The pilfer band  24  is connected to the skirt portion  18  by a plurality of frangible rib-like bridges  26  which extend between the inside surfaces of the skirt portion  18  and the pilfer band  24 . The pilfer band  24  is otherwise separated and distinguished from the skirt portion  18  by a circumferential score line  28  which extends through the side wall of the closure  10  and partially into the frangible ribs  26 . 
     The pilfer band can be configured in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,370 to McBride, and formed attendant to compression molding of the closure in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,765 to Wilde et al.; both of which patents are commonly assigned herewith, and both of which patents are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     In the exemplary closure  10 , the pilfer band  24  has a plurality of inwardly extending tabs  30 . Upon initial engagement of the closure  10 , to the container C, the tabs  30  pivot in an upward manner and pass over an annular locking ring (not shown) of the container. 
     Pilfer indication is provided in that upon the first removal of the closure  10  from the container C, the tabs  30  engage the locking ring and provide sufficient resistance so that the pilfer band  24  separates from the skirt portion  18  at the score line  28 . 
     In a current embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 1, the closure  10  has a lip  32  extending upwardly and inwardly of the closure  10  generally at the juncture of the top wall portion  16  and the skirt portion  18 . 
     Lip  32  extends circumferentially of the closure  10 , and may be formed as a continuous element, or may be formed in discrete segments. A recess  34  may be formed between the lip  32  and the top wall portion  16 . 
     A liner  36  may be formed in closure  10  using a molded-in process such as that disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,765 to Wilde et al. 
     The liner  36  has a first side  38  which is positioned adjacent the top wall portions  16  and a second side  40  which extends inward of the closure  10 . The liner  36  is preferably formed from substantially opaque material to deter detection of the promotional compartment  12  and/or its contents. 
     In the embodiment of the closure  10  illustrated in FIG. 1, the removal, inner promotional compartment  12 , includes a generally cup-shaped body  42 , having a flange portion  50 . The flange  50  is configured to engage a retaining element  44  which is defined by a portion of the liner  36 . In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining element  44  is defined by a bead-like portion  46  of the liner  36 , which extends, in part, into the recess  34  of the cap  14 . 
     When the closure  10  is assembled, the flange portion  50  is adjacent to and in contact with the second side  40  of the liner  36 . A cylindrical, depending wall  52  depends from the flange portion  50  and defines the compartment  12 . A circular end wall  54  extends across the depending wall  52  to enclose the compartment  12 . The compartment  12  might also include a wall extension  56  which provides a grasping region to facilitate removing the compartment  12  from the closure  10 . 
     The compartment  12  preferably includes a sealed cover element  58  which extends across at least a portion of the flange  50 , and seals the open end of the compartment  12  from the closure  10  and from the contents of the container C. The cover element  58  may be formed of a non-porous material, such as aluminum, an aluminum-polymer laminate structure or the like. The cover may be sealed to the flange  50  by methods such as heat-sealing, hot melt gluing and the like, such methods being recognized by those skilled in the art. 
     The sealed area between the cover element  58  and the flange  50  may extend across a width of the flange  50  or across a width of only a part thereof, circumferentially sealing the compartment  12 , and defining an unsealed peripheral region or removal region  60 , for grasping and removing the cover element  58  from the compartment  12 . 
     When the closure  10  is engaged with the container C, the flange  50  is disposed between the top surface T of the container and the liner  36 . The flange  50  is of sufficient diameter to extend across the container C opening and abut the retaining element  44 . As the closure  10  is snugly engaged with the container C, the retainer element  44  is deformed to engage the flange  50  and retain the compartment  12  in place in the closure  10 . With the compartment  12  in place in the closure, a relatively small gap  62  is defined between the liner  36  and the sealed cover element  58 . 
     It is contemplated that the promotional closure  10  including the removable compartment member  12 , will be used in a promotional gaming system. The gaming system will include a plurality of closures  10  which include the removal of compartment  12 , and a plurality of “simulated” promotional piece containing closures, for example as described below with regard to FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a simulated promotional piece compartment which serves as a non-winning promotional piece or “decoy” piece, in the overall gaming system. The simulated promotional piece compartment need not employ the more complex, removal and sealing structures of the promotional containers shown in FIG. 1, but can simply be permanently molded to the liner. 
     The simulated closure  102  includes a plastic closure cap  104  which is similar to cap  14 . The cap  104  includes a circular top wall portion  106  and a depending annular skirt portion  108  depending from the top wall portion  106 . The skirt portion  108  has an internal thread formation  110  on the inside surface thereof for threadingly engaging a cooperative container C to which the closure  102  is fitted. Vent grooves  112  which extend axially along the inside of the skirt portion  108  traverse the thread formation  110 . The vent grooves  112  facilitate the release and venting of gas which may pressurize the container when the container is used to store, for example, carbonated beverages. 
     Similar to the closure  10 , closure  102  may be formed with a pilfer band  114  to provide visibly discernible evidence that the closure  102  has been partially or completely removed from the container. The band can be configured in accordance with the teachings of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,370 to McBride and formed in accordance with the teachings of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,765 to Wilde et al. 
     The closure  102  has a lip  116  extending inwardly thereof generally at the juncture of the top wall portion  106  and the skirt portion  108 . Lip  116  extends circumferentially of the closure  102 , and may be formed as a continuous element, or may be formed in discrete segments. A recess  118  is formed between the lip  116  and the top wall portion  106 . 
     A liner  120  may be formed in the closure  102  using a suitable in situ compressing molding process. The liner  120  has a first side  122  which formed adjacent to the top wall portion  106 , and a second side  124 , which extends inward of the closure  102 . The liner  120  is retained in place in the closure  102  by a retaining bead  126  which extends circumferentially around the liner  120 , into the recess  118 , and engages the lip  116 , and/or by bonding the liner to the closure. The retaining bead  126  defines, in part, a sealing bead portion  128  for sealing against the top/outside surface T of the container C. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 7, the sealing bead portion  128  is advantageously arranged having a concave surface  128   a  which engages the finished rounded outside annular edge T 2  of the container C when the closure  102  is fully engaged therewith, to seal the container to the closure  102 . Closures are subjected to the internal pressure of the containers, especially for carbonated beverages. Over time, the top wall portion  106  can become slightly bowed upwardly. A flat-surface-to-flat surface seal (a so-called top seal) between the surface T and the liner  120  can become separated resulting in an ineffective seal. 
     With the disclosed seal shape, the concave surface  128   a  is urged inwardly against the edge of the containers and the seal is maintained. The surface  128   a  exerts a sealing force on both the top surface T and side surface T 3  of the Container C. 
     An open, non-sealing depending simulated promotional piece compartment or compartment or “pocket”  130  depends from the second side  124  of the liner  120 . 
     The pocket  130  extends downward, relative to the liner  120 , and is open to the contents of the container C. The pocket  130  is preferably configured such that the outer wall  132  thereof does not form a seal with the inner surface of the container finish (not shown). 
     The simulated promotional closure  102  is configured to resemble and to be indistinguishable from the promotional closure  10 , when the closures  10 ,  102  are placed on, and engaged with the respective container C. The containers and contents will, of course, be identical, thus enhancing the inability to distinguish between the closures  10 ,  102 . 
     The gaming system includes a plurality of promotional enclosures  10  having promotional pieces P, such as a one-dollar bill, inserted and sealed therein, and a plurality of simulated promotional closures  102 . All of the closures  10 ,  102  will be engaged with a container, in commonly recognized fashion. As previously provided, the promotional closures  10  and the simulated promoted closures  102  will be indistinguishable, one from the other, when placed on a container which is filled with a soft drink. Purchasers of the soft drink with the promotional closure will be instantly rewarded upon opening the container and compartment by receiving “on-the-spot” promotional pieces. Those who purchase the soft drink with the simulated promotional closure  102  will no doubt be disappointed, however they may be consoled by indicia  134 , such as “please try again” appearing in the closure. 
     The simulated promotional closures  102  can be provided with indicia means therein, which may be printed, molded, or otherwise provided. Such indicia means can be associated with an additional award of the present gaming system, thus providing a “game-within-a-game”, a plural mode by which consumers can receive promotions from the gaming system. Thus, even those closures of the system not containing promotional items within a compartment may nevertheless be employed for potential awards. 
     FIG. 2 shows that the liner  120  includes centrally thereof a plurality of bent-over or L-shaped tabs  160  extending downward from the, liner  120  and embedded in a top plate  162  of the promotional pocket  130 . 
     The L-shaped tabs  160  act as anchors to bond the promotional pocket  130  to the liner  120  to be held within the closure  102 . 
     FIGS. 3-5 describe, in stages, the molding operation for manufacturing the closure  102  as shown in FIG.  2 . FIG. 3 illustrates the initial forming of the liner  120  by a molding plunger  166  which exerts pressure on a molten pellet or charge of plastic  170  deposited within the cap  102 . The molding plunger  166  includes a plurality of circumferential molding cavities  170 ,  172 ,  174 , formed intermittently around spaced apart concentric circles C 1 , C 2 , C 3  about a centerline L of the plunger  166  (See FIG.  6 ). After the outer sleeve  167  is moved into sealing engagement with lip  116  of the closure cap  102 , the plunger  166  is pressed in the direction Y to compression mold the plastic pellet  170  into a liner stock piece  120   a  as shown in FIG.  4 . The liner stock piece  120   a  includes in a center region a “target”  176  formed by the mold cavities  170 - 174 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 6, the target  176  includes tabs  160  extending perpendicularly from a bottom surface  121  of the liner stock-piece  120   a , and formed intermittently around the concentric circles C 1 , C 2 , C 3  corresponding to the cavities  170 ,  172 ,  174 . Four outer tabs  180 , four intermediate tabs  182 , and four inner tabs  184  are provided, the tabs having gaps  180   a ,  182   a ,  184   a , between adjacent tabs, the gaps  180   a ,  182   a ,  184   a  located every ninety degrees around the concentric circles C 1 , C 2 , C 3 . 
     Returning to FIG. 4, a second step plunger assembly including a second step plunger  200  and an annular sleeve  201  are illustrated. Second step plunger  200  is used to reciprocate in a direction Y within the closure  102 . The second step plunger  200  and the annular sleeve  201  together define an annular crevice  208  opening into a plate-shaped recess  210  at a leading end of the plunger  200 . A molten plastic mass, preferably polypropylene, is placed within the closure cap above the target  176 . Outer sleeve  211  positioned about plunger  200  is first moved downwardly into sealing engagement with the previously formed liner  120 . The reciprocating second step plunger  200  thereafter compression molds the plastic mass  202  into the target  176  and into the annular crevice  208  and the plate-shaped recess  210  to form the pocket  130  as viewed in FIG.  5 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 5, the tabs  180 ,  182 ,  184  are deformed outwardly taking a generally inverted L-shaped posture in cross-section to form the L-shaped tabs  160  shown in FIG.  2 . Diametrically opposed tabs are thus bent in opposite direction. By achieving a bent-over configuration such as shown in FIG. 5, the tabs  180 ,  182 , are enhanced as anchors and encapsulated into the top plate  162  to hold the solidified simulated promotional pocket  130  fixedly to the liner  120 . On retraction of the second step plunger  100  and the sleeve  201 , the configuration as shown in FIG. 2 is achieved. 
     The tabs  180 ,  182 ,  184  need not be bent over into an L shape to adequately serve as anchors. A frictional or adhesive bonding of the tabs  180 ,  182 ,  184  to the top plate  162 , will enhance bonding between the liner  120  and the pocket  130  even if the tabs are not bent but remain upright. 
     Although the two-step molding process is described with regard to the manufacture of a closure cap liner and simulated promotional pocket, the two-step molding process can be applied to other two-component article molding methods wherein a first component is molded and then a second component is molded onto the first component, the first component advantageously having tabs to anchor the second component to the first component. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concept of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiment as illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.