Patent Publication Number: US-11661250-B2

Title: Closure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Stage Application of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2018/076860, filed on Oct. 2, 2018, which claims priority to GB Application No. 1716075.5, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, the contents of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to a closure and particularly, although not exclusively, to flip-top dispensing closures and sports closure. 
     Some aspects of the present invention relate generally to a beverage closure for a container, for example a beverage closure which can provide some indication that the closure has been opened at least once. 
     It is known to provide container closures with tamper-evident drop bands which are released from the open end of a closure side wall upon first opening. Although drop bands provide some indication that the closure has been opened, because they are physically separated there is no clear indication of opening on the remaining part of the closure. It is also known to provide tear-off bands which are removed from a closure body upon first opening. However, the tear-off bands present a litter problem and a potential choking hazard because they are generally small tabs which are separated from the closure body. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some aspects and embodiments the present invention relates to closure with a tamper-evident system for ensuring that a tamper-evidencing event is shown clearly; that there is a strong visual difference between the initial, unopened condition and the condition after tamper-evidencing has been activated. 
     The closure may be provided with a base having a drinking spout, and a cover provided with a fixing ring and a cap. The cap is joined to the cap by a hinge. The fixing ring snaps onto the base. 
     The spout may be formed integrally with the base. 
     Some aspects of the present invention relate to an aseptic closure. 
     The closure may have a double hinge. 
     The closure may be provided with tamper-evidence in the form of two annular bands which are initially frangibly connected, but which are pulled part upon first opening. 
     The spout and base may be fused together in order to allow aseptic filling; in other words the spout and base are formed as part of the same component, such as a one-piece moulded component with the spout being an integral part of the base. 
     The “ring” of the closure may be snap fitted onto the base. 
     When the closure is opened for the first time a tamper-evident member or part thereof may drop onto the spout (and may be retained within the closure). In some embodiments part of the tamper-evident member remains in the cap. 
     A further aspect provides a flip-top dispensing closure, the closure comprises a base and a lid, the base is attachable to a container neck and includes an integral spout, the lid comprises a fixing ring and a cap, the fixing ring is attachable to the base and the cap is hingedly attached to the ring, the closure is provided with tamper-evident means comprising first and second parts which are initially frangibly connected to each other within the lid, and upon first opening of the cap the first and second parts are separated, one of the parts being retained by the cap and the other of the parts dropping onto the base. 
     The base may include a top deck, an annular retaining member being upstanding from the top deck and comprising cooperating retaining means for retaining the fixing ring. For example, retaining means may include an upstanding annular retention wall  43  that projects from the top deck  40  and has an annular retention hook  44 . 
     The tamper evident part which is released onto the base may be held/retained/come to rest between the spout and the upstanding retaining member. 
     The first and second tamper-evident parts may comprise first and second rings. In an unopened condition one of the rings may be retained by the fixing ring and the other ring may be retained by the cap. 
     The cap may be attached to the ring by a double hinge arrangement. 
     The base may comprise a side skirt. The side skirt may be provided with screw thread formations for engaging cooperating formations on a container neck. The side skirt may include a tamper-evident band at a lower end thereof. 
     The fixing ring may be snap fitted onto the base. 
     In some embodiments the base and lid are assembled together with interference fits to give a required sealing performance. 
     A further aspect provides an aseptic closure for a ready-to-drink fruit juice container, comprising a closure as claimed in any preceding claim subjected to a sterilisation process. 
     In some embodiments the closure is adapted to be sterilised, for example by a dry aseptic technique. An aseptic closure allows it to form part of a sterile filling line in use, which means that preservatives do not have to be used with fruit juices and the like. 
     The present invention also provides a closure as described herein in combination with a container. 
     Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together. 
     Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than those explicitly set out in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary closure. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a side view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  1    in an unopened condition. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a rear view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  1    in an unopened condition. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a perspective view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  1    in an unopened condition. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a perspective view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  1    in an opened condition. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a cross-sectional view of an another exemplary closure in an unopened condition. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a cross-sectional view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  6    in an opened condition. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates a perspective view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  6    in an opened condition. 
         FIG.  9    illustrates a side view of the exemplary closure of  FIG.  6    in an opened condition. 
         FIG.  10    illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary lid in an opened condition. 
         FIG.  11    illustrates a side view of an exemplary lid fixing ring. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     All orientational terms, such as upper, lower, radially and axially, are used in relation to the drawings and should not be interpreted as limiting on the invention or its connection to a closure. 
     Example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein. 
     Accordingly, while embodiments can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed and as well as individual embodiments the invention is intended to cover combinations of those embodiments as well. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate. 
     The terminology used herein is not intended to limit the scope. The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are singular in that they have a single referent; however, the use of the singular form in the present document should not preclude the presence of more than one referent. In other words, elements referred to in the singular can number one or more, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, items, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, items, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealised or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
       FIG.  1    shows a closure generally indicated  10  and fitted onto a container neck  15 . 
     The closure  10  comprises a base component  20  and a lid component  25 . 
     The base  20  comprises a generally cylindrical side skirt  30  having at one end a tamper-evident drop band  35  defined by frangible bridges  36 . The interior of the skirt  30  is provided with screw thread formations  38  for engaging corresponding formations  17  on the neck  15 . The interior of the drop band  35  is provided with an annular bead  37  for engaging under a retention bead  16  on the neck  15 . This ensures that the band  35  is separated from the skirt  30  in the event the closure is removed from the neck. 
     At the other end of the skirt  30  an annular top deck  40  extends radially inwards. An annular sealing skirt  42  depends from the underside of the deck  40 . 
     A drinking spout  45  extends from the top deck  40 . The spout  45  is generally frusto-conical, and includes an intermediate ledge  46 . 
     An upstanding annular retention wall  43  projects from the top deck  40  and has an annular retention hook  44 . 
     The end of the spout opposite the top deck is open, and terminates with a central orifice  47 . 
     The lid  25  comprises a fixing ring  50  and a cap or cover  55 . The ring  50  is attached to the cover  55  by a double hinge arrangement comprising a first hinge  60  and a second hinge  65 . 
     The ring  50  sits on the base  20  and has an annular side wall  51  with an internal retention bead  51  for engaging (snap fitting) under the hook  44 . 
     From one end of the wall  51  (opposite the base) a top wall  53  extends. A sealing wall  54  depends from the underside of the wall  53  and engages on the other side of the wall  43  to the side wall  51 . 
     The cap  55  includes a top plate  70  having a peak  71  on one side (opposite the hinges) for helping to lift the cap in use. 
     An exterior wall  73  depends from the top plate  70 . In addition a first annular sealing wall  75  depends from the top plate  70  and engages the spout in the region of the intermediate wall  46 . The wall  75  terminates with a retention bead  76 . 
     A second (shorter) annular sealing wall  80  depends from the top plate and sealingly engages in the spout orifice  47 . 
     A tamper evident member is provided and comprises a first ring  85  and a second ring  90 . The rings  85 ,  90  are frangible connected together by frangible bridges  87 . 
     The first ring  85  includes a radial ledge  86  which in the unopened condition shown engages under the ring wall  53 . 
     The second ring  90  includes a retention hook  91  which in the unopened condition shown engages over the bead  76 . 
     Because the spout is formed integrally with the base the closure can be sterilised using a sterilising vapour applied from below i.e. up into the spout. 
     In use, when the closure is used for the first time the cap  55  is lifted. The tamper-evident rings  85 ,  90  are pulled part (the bridges  87  are broken) as the cap moves away from the fixing ring. The first ring  85  drops onto the top deck  40  and the second ring is retained in the cap (by the bead  76 ). When the cap is reclosed the rings  85 ,  90  are axially separated as visual evidence that the closure has been opened at least once. 
       FIG.  2    shows a side view of the closure  10  in an unopened condition.  FIG.  3    is a rear view of the closure.  FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the closure. 
       FIG.  5    shows the closure with the cap opened. 
       FIGS.  6  to  9    show a closure  110  formed according to a further embodiment. The hinged tamper-evident dust cover  155  is shown in closed and open positions, with the tamper-evident system shown in an inactivated and activated condition. 
     The lid  125  is shown separate from the base in  FIG.  10   . In this embodiment the lid is moulded in the open position shown. The cover  155  can hinge approximately 180 degrees with respect to the ring and in this embodiment has a stable open position provided for by the hinge. It can move beyond 180 degrees by virtue of the second hinge  165 . 
     The lid fixing ring  150  is shown in  FIG.  11   . The ring  150  provides strong retention by virtue of the undercut  152 . 
     Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.