Patent EA-004410-B1 (EA)
Title: Liquid container closure assembly
Inventor: THOMSON DAVID WILLIAM
IPC: B65D49/04
Filed: 2000-11-06
Abstract: 1. A closure assembly adapted to be applied to a mouth of a container for liquid, the closure assembly comprising: - a sleeve adapted to lie substantially concentrically with respect to the mouth and provided with means for fixing the sleeve on the container; - a cap which is replaceably removable; and - an outer sleeve which is a substantially tight fit with the sleeve but rotatable with respect thereto, - and wherein, in use, the outer sleeve remains on the sleeve when the cap is removed. 2. A closure assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means comprises first means for fixing the sleeve on the container so as to restrain rotational movement of the sleeve with respect to a neck portion of the container, and the fixing means comprises second means for fixing the sleeve on the container so as to restrict longitudinal movement of the sleeve with respect to the mouth of the container. 3. A closure assembly according to claim 2, wherein the second means for fixing the sleeve are in the form of at least one projection means projecting inwardly of the sleeve, the at least one projection means being moveable radially of the sleeve in a stiffly resilient manner and being engageable with an outer lip of the container. 4. A closure assembly according to any of claims 1-3, further including valve means. 5. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein the valve means comprises a valve seat body which is at least partially receivable within at least part of the mouth and neck portion of the container and wherein the valve seat body is at least partially surrounded by the sleeve, and the valve means further comprises a moveable valve member. 6. A closure assembly according to claim 1-5, wherein the outer sleeve fits with the sleeve by means of an interference fit between an outer surface of the sleeve and an inner surface of the outer sleeve. 7. A closure assembly according to claim 1-6, wherein the cap comprises an inner cap and an outer cap. 8. A closure assembly according to claim 1-7, wherein the cap has thereon a threaded portion, which engages with a corresponding, threaded portion on the sleeve. 9. A closure assembly according to claim 7 or 8, wherein prior to initial opening the outer sleeve and outer cap are attached by a frangible portion, such that relative rotation of the outer sleeve and outer cap upon initial opening causes the portion to shear. 10. A closure assembly according to claim 7-9, wherein the outer sleeve and outer cap are made from metal foil. 11. A closure assembly according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve and valve seat body are assembled together prior to application to the container. 12. A closure assembly according to claim 3-11, wherein the at least one projection means are provided on an inner wall of the sleeve to resiliently engage a lip portion of the container. 13. A closure assembly according to claim 12, wherein the sleeve contains one or more circumferential apertures around the sleeve which are defined between axially extending portions of the sleeve. 14. A closure assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least one projection means is provided adjacent to an edge of one of the apertures. 15. A closure assembly according to claim 14, wherein each projection means is positioned on a lower circumferential edge of one of the apertures. 16. A closure assembly according to any of preceding claims, wherein the sleeve comprises a pouring outlet portion. 17. A closure assembly according to claim 16, wherein the pouring outlet portion comprises a circumferentially extending pouring lip which is positioned on or adjacent to an outer surface of the sleeve. 18. A closure assembly according to claim 17, wherein the sleeve is provided with a tubular body, a bore of which is closed by an outer face wall which is positioned to be flush with the circumferential pouring lip positioned inwardly and concentrically of the pouring outlet portion, and wherein the tubular body is attached to an inner surface of the sleeve via a plurality of webs. 19. A closure assembly according to claim 18, wherein the tubular body is provided with a circumferentially extending brim which is positioned on the lower outer edge of said body, and wherein each of the webs connect an inner surface of said sleeve to the brim and the tubular body by providing a bracket upon which the brim fixedly sits. 20. A closure assembly according to any of preceding claims, wherein the sleeve is provided with a plurality of ribs or ridges formed on an inner surface thereof, arranged circumferentially around the sleeve and having their long axes arranged substantially axially to the sleeve. 21. A closure assembly according to claim 20, wherein, in use, the ribs or ridges co-act with raised pips or ridges on an outer surface of the container to act to prevent undesired rotational movement of the sleeve. 22. A closure assembly according to claim 5, wherein the valve seat body comprises a tubular portion, a free end portion of which provides a valve seating surface adapted to be contacted in a sealing manner by a valve member captive in the tubular portion, and wherein the valve seating surface is a circumferentially extending flange which extends radially inwardly of the tubular portion and the valve seating surface is positioned at one end of the tubular portion and that end of the tubular portion is closed except for a circular aperture. 23. A closure assembly according to claim 22, wherein the tubular portion is adapted to be received within a mouth portion of the container. 24. A closure assembly according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the tubular portion comprises at least one engagement means on an outer surface thereof to engage an inner surface of the container in an interference fashion, the engagement means being radially extending circumferential ribs. 25. A closure assembly according to any of claims 22-24, wherein there is provided at or near to an end of the tubular portion distant from the valve seat a substantially concentric tubular body of greater diameter than the tubular portion, and wherein an inner surface of the tubular body is connected to an outer surface of the tubular portion with one or more further webs, and a first end of the tubular body is connected to an outer surface of the tubular portion by an annular flange to provide a circumferential trough defined between the outer wall of the tubular portion and the inner wall of the tubular body with the flange forming the trough floor, and the trough is divided into arc-shaped troughs by the further webs. 26. A closure assembly according to claim 16, wherein the outer surface of the tubular body interference interacts with an inner surface of the sleeve, and wherein a radially extending circumferential rim is located on an outer edge of an end of the tubular body which, in the assembled closure assembly, is seated against a lower surface of a radially extending circumferential rim provided on an inner surface of the sleeve. 27. A container including a closure assembly according to any of claims 1-26. 28. A container as claimed in claim 27, wherein the container is a bottle.