Patent Publication Number: US-7909204-B2

Title: Resealing overcap for a container

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an overcap for sealing the top end of a container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Easy-open containers have been used for a variety of products, including powdered materials, such as food products, cleaning products, etc. Easy-open containers are often constructed of a composite cylindrical body portion having end closures for closing and sealing the container. In some examples, the top end closure comprises an end ring, fixed to the container body, and an inside circular peripheral rim in the form of an inwardly directed flange, which may include a downwardly curved bead. The inner rim defines a central opening of desired size for access to the interior of the container. A removable membrane patch covers the central opening and may be attached to the inwardly extending flange. To open the container, the membrane patch is detached from the container, providing access to the product therein. 
     Easy-open containers often include overcaps, fitting over the container top end portion and top end closure. The overcap serves many functions including, but not limited to, protecting the top of the container from damage before and after removal of the membrane, keeping unwanted items from getting into the container, keeping the product within the container from spilling out, helping to improve stacking of the container, and increasing the life of the product after opening. 
     In addition, when moisture or oxygen sensitive products are packaged in the container, there is a need for sealing the container, after removal of the membrane, to prevent undesirable exposure of the contents of the container. 
     A resealing overcap for a container is shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,471 to Lowry, which is herein incorporated by reference. A generally circular overcap is fit over the top end of a cylindrical container and top end closure. The overcap includes a resealing ring projecting downwardly from the body of the overcap. The resealing ring may be moved into engagement with the inner rim of the top end of the container to seal the contents of the container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an overcap for a container of the type having a container body defined by a side wall, and opposing top and bottom end portions. A top end closure is attached to the top end portion of the container body for closing the container and retaining product therein. The top end closure includes a peripheral outer rim secured to the container sidewall, an inwardly positioned flange and an inner rim defining an access opening into the interior of the container. The resealing overcap includes a body portion releaseably fitting over the periphery of the top end closure. The overcap further includes a sealing portion for releasably engaging the inner rim of the access opening. The sealing portion includes a downwardly depending flange having a peripheral dimension approximately equal to the dimension of the inner rim and an engagement bead for engaging the inner rim with a friction fit. In addition, one or more vents are formed on the engagement bead. The vents are active during engagement of the bead with the inner rim, prior to forming the friction fit with the inner rim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For purposes of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown and instrumentalities shown. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an easy-open container having the overcap of the present invention shown in an exploded position. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the top portion of the container of  FIG. 1  with the overcap of the present invention thereon. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the top portion of the container and overcap of the present invention with the overcap in sealed position. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view with a partial cross section with the overcap being moved from a first position towards the sealed position. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the overcap of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements there is shown in  FIG. 1  a container, generally indicated by the numeral  10 . The container  10  is adapted to be filled with a product (not shown), such as powdered or granulated food products, cleaning products, etc. The container  10  may be of any desired configuration and may be constructed of any desired material including composites, plastic, metal, etc. It is preferred that the container be constructed of composite materials, including paper layers, of the type which are understood by those within the art. It is also preferred that the container have a generally cylindrical shape, although other shapes and profiles are contemplated. 
     As illustrated, the container  10  comprises a generally cylindrical container body  12  defining top and bottom opposite end portions  14 ,  16 . The container  10  includes top end closure  18  attached to the top end portion  14 . A bottom end closure may also be included on the bottom end portion  16  of the container  10 . The top end closure  18  is used to close and seal the container  10  with product therein. The top end closure  18  is contemplated to be attached to the container body  12  in any known manner. The bottom end closure may be integrally formed with the container  10  or attached to the bottom end portion  16  of the container body  12 . 
     As more particularly shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , the top end closure  18  comprises an end ring  20  secured to the container body top end portion  14 . A circular flange  22  extends inwardly from the end ring  20 . As illustrated, the flange  22  defines an inner rim  24  in the form of a downwardly and inwardly curved inner rim  24 . The central opening  25  is sized to allow access to the interior of the container  10 . The top end closure  18  further includes an easy-open membrane patch  26  ( FIG. 1 ) of sufficient size to cover the central opening  25 . The patch  26  is attached to the flange  22 , preferably by an adhesive. The bond is preferably sufficient to resist the internal forces created within the container, while being relatively weak so as to allow for removal of the patch  26  from the top end closure  18  of the container  10 . The bond or attachment between the patch  26  and the flange  22  may be formed by any suitable means, including heat sealing, adhesive, etc. Preferably, the bond is formed by providing the patch  26  and/or the flange  22  with a polypropylene heat seal layer. 
     A resealing overcap  28  is provided over the top end portion  14  and releasably engages the top end closure  18 . The overcap  28  comprises a circular body portion  32  and an annular outer flange  30  that is attached to and extending downwardly from the outer periphery of the body  32 . A snap fit or friction fit is provided between the end ring  20  and outer flange  30  of the overcap  28 . 
     The outer flange  30  of the overcap  28  projects downwardly from the body  32  and has an internal dimension adapted to engage the end ring  20  of the top end closure  18  with a friction fit. A snap ridge  40  projects inwardly from the internal surface of the flange  30  and fits underneath the ring  20  when the overcap  28  is positioned on the top end closure  18 . The ridge  40  is positioned on the flange  30 , such that the end ring  20  fits between the ridge  40  and the body  32  of the overcap  28 . The overcap  28  is flexible, allowing the outer flange  30  to move away from the end ring  20  and the ridge  40  to clear the top end closure  18  when it is desired to remove the overcap  28  from the container  10 . 
     The overcap  28  further includes a generally planar central portion  34  connected to the body portion  32  by a flexing section  25 . The flexing section  35  permits the central portion  34  to move downwardly relative to the outer flange  30  so that it may engage the inner rim  24  of the top end closure  18 . The flexing section  35  includes an angled flange  42  that depends generally downwardly from a central portion  34 . An engagement bead or ridge  44  is formed at the end of the flange  42  and projects radially outward of the flange  42 . The peripheral dimension of the flange  42  is contemplated to be approximately equal to the dimension of the inner rim  24  that defines the central opening  25 . The engagement bead  44  extends radially outwardly from the flange  42  and is sized to engage the inner rim  24  with a fiction fit, when the central portion  34  is moved toward the opening  25 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the alignment of the bead  44  and the flange  42  with respect to the inner rim  24  and the central opening  25  is shown prior to the secondary sealing of the central opening  25 . The overcap  28  is positioned on the top end closure with the ridge  40  engaging the underside of the end ring  20 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a downward force is applied to the central portion  34  to move the flange  42  toward the central opening  25 , such that the engagement bead  44  contacts the inner rim  24  above the central opening, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The friction fit of the bead  44  with the inner rim  24  creates a secondary seal of the container  10 . The friction fit is released upon removal of the overcap  28  from the top end closure  18 . 
     The flexing section  35  of the overcap  28  is formed by a series of angled rings  36 ,  37 ,  38 , which connect the angled flange  42  and central portion  34  with the outer flange  30  of the overcap  28 . The joints between the rings  36 ,  37 ,  38  may have a reduced wall thickness, so as to form a living hinge. The radially innermost flange  38  extends from the engagement bead  44  upwardly to a rounded curve that connects to the central ring  37 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the central ring  37  includes a thinned area  46  at its connection with the radially outermost ring  36 . The alternating angle of the rings  36 ,  37 ,  38  and the thinned joints assist in the movement of the central portion  34  relative to the outer periphery of the body  32  and the outer flange  30 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , once the bead  44  engages the underside of the inside rim  24 , the flexible rings  36 ,  37 ,  38  assume a different angle as compared to their normal rest position, illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     As the central portion  34  of the overcap  28  is moved toward the access opening  25 , there is an increase in pressure within the reservoir portion of the container  10 . This is due to the movement of the overcap body downwardly and the sealing engagement of the bead  44  with the inner rim  24 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a plurality of vents  48  is provided on the flange  42  and the bead  44 . The vents  48  start on the underside of the flange  42  and extend to the underside of the bead  44 . The vents  48  are contemplated to engage the flange  22  of the top end closure  18  upon initial contact of the bead  44  with the inner rim  24 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . During the downward movement of the central portion  34  and flange  42 , and the pressure increase within the container  10 , air attempts to move outwardly through the central opening  25 . The internal pressure increase within the container reservoir tends to resist the engagement of the bead  44  with the rim  24  as well as muffles the sound of the friction fit between the bead  44  and the rim  24 . By providing vents  48 , the air more readily moves around the bead  44  and the rim  24  and results in a more audible “snap” sound, as the bead is moved through the central opening  25 . Thus, the user is provided with an audible indication of a sealing engagement. 
     The vents  48  serve to increase the sound of engagement of the overcap  28  with the inner rim and to reduce the force needed to engage the bead  44  with the inner rim  24  of the top end closure  18 . The vents  48  may be in the form of slits or grooves and are preferably formed on the lower end of the bead  44 . The material adjacent the vents  48  engages the inner rim  24 . The vents  48  preferably start on the inside surface of the flange  42  and extend around to the underside of the bead  44 . Preferably, the vents  48  do not extend around the bead  44  past the transition between its bottom surface and upper surface. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the vents  48  do not engage the inner rim  24  when the relatively upper or top surface of the bead  44  is sealed within the opening  25 . Looking at the left side of the cross section of the central portion  34  and angled flange  42 , the vents  48  preferably start around the 3 o&#39;clock position on the inside surface of the bead  44  and extend around to the bottom edge or 6 o&#39;clock position. The vents  48  may extend past the 6 o&#39;clock portion, but preferably do not extend beyond the 9 o&#39;clock position on the left or radially outward edge of the bead  44 . Again looking at  FIG. 3 , on the night side of the cross section, the vents  48  preferably start at the 9 o&#39;clock position, extend around the bottom or 6 o&#39;clock position and continue upwardly toward the 3 o&#39;clock position. The vents will normally, fall within this range, although variations are possible without falling outside the scope of the contemplated invention. 
     The number of vents may vary as desired, depending on the level of engagement between the central portion of the overcap and the inner rim of the top end closure. In addition, the vents are contemplated to have significant depth so as to create a bridge upon engagement between the bead and the inner rim. When the central portion of the overcap engages the rim of the central opening, air in the container at least partially escapes through the vents allowing the central portion to freely move through the central opening. The air movement allows the bead on the overcap to quickly enter the central opening and to create a “snap” or similar audible sound upon engagement with the rim. 
     In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of this invention and, although specific terms are employed, these terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.