Patent Publication Number: US-11383892-B2

Title: Fluid container closure

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a closure for a fluid container, in particular, the field of fluid container closures, specifically towards screw closures for wine bottles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Description of Prior Art 
     Wine bottles have traditionally been sealed with a cork. While corks generally provide a good and long-lasting seal, a small proportion of corks fail and result in the wine spoiling. To avoid this, more and more wine bottles are now closed and sealed with a screw cap type of closure. However, unlike other beverage containers sealed with screw caps, sealing a fluid container containing wine presents a number of unique issues due to the properties of wine, the long time-frame that the containers typically remain sealed for, and because wine bottles are typically made of glass. 
     WO17063976A1 was first published in April 2017 on behalf of Vinventions USA LLC. It provides a very complex design of a closure for a receptacle for beverages in the form of a bottle with a neck. The closure comprises an inner part comprising at least one inner part plastic material. The inner part comprises a sealing means and an inner thread for cooperating with a thread finish on the neck of the bottle. An outer part comprises an outer part inner surface and an outer part outer surface. The outer part comprising a film comprising at least a first layer and at least one further layer. The outer part enclosing and hiding at least the inner part skirt. 
     WO11022307A2 was first published in February 2011 on behalf of William Gardner. It is directed to a plastic screw cap which has a threaded top portion and tabs of varying heights disposed around an inner circumference of a lower sleeve-portion. These tabs clasp a land disposed on a container neck to restrain the sleeve portion on the neck when the cap is unscrewed. A threaded top portion mates with threads on the container above the land. A sealing liner and diffusion barrier disposed at the bottle opening, together with a crush-resistant cap structure, prevent wine leakage and control oxygen ingress. Typically, the plastic cap is threaded onto the container neck, forming a tamper-evident seal. When unscrewed, the plastic-cap top moves up the container threads, exerting a pull on the sleeve portion, which is restrained due to the closure tabs acting on the land. Between the closure tabs and the threaded top is a breakaway line, which tears due to the removal forces. This tear evidences tampering. 
     WO07034076A1 was first published in March 2007 on behalf of Tetra Laval Holding. The publication concerns a closure wherein the skirt is provided with a weakened peripheral zone, ruptured when the device is first opened. The skirt includes a first portion adapted to be released from the neck after the weakened zone has been ruptured and a second portion provided with a tab projecting from the inner surface of the skirt towards the first portion of the skirt and adapted at its free end to abut against an associated shoulder of the neck so as to maintain the second portion of the skirt around the neck when the device is first opened. To ensure a more resistant and more reliable retention of the second portion of the skirt, the tab has, in a longitudinal cross-section, a substantially curved shaped, its convex part facing the first portion of the skirt. The closure has a complicated multi-part design. 
     Many known screw cap closures for wine bottles usually comprise an outer shell which is made from several parts or components which in combination do not have an appropriate cost performance ratio. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this disclosure to provide an improved and more cost efficient closure for a fluid container, especially a wine bottle. 
     A closure according to the disclosure usually comprises an outer shell with a top deck and a skirt extending from the top deck in an axial direction. The outer shell is made from plastic material preferably by injection molding, for example high density polyethylene (HDPE) or the like. The outer shell is, in a preferred variation, made from an environmentally friendly material falling into one or more of the following categories: recycled plastic, for example post-consumer resin (PCR); bioplastics made from biomass, such as polylactic acid (PLA) or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs); or biodegradable plastics, such as polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) or polycaprolactone (PCL). The top deck is arranged at an end of the closure which is nearest to an opening of a neck finish of a fluid container after the closure has been fitted onto the fluid container. The skirt is substantially rotationally symmetric around a center axis and in mounted position covers a part of the neck finish of the fluid container after the closure has been fitted onto the fluid container. The skirt comprises a screw thread on the inside of the skirt for engagement with a corresponding screw thread of the neck finish of the fluid container. The screw thread enables the closure to be screwed tightly onto the neck finish of the fluid container. In a preferred variation the skirt comprises slits in the skirt arranged circumferentially and configured to break the skirt into two portions when the closure is first opened. Preferably, the slits are very narrow in the axial direction and extended in a circumferential direction. The skirt comprises an elongated stabilizing section fitting a corresponding elongated neck section of the neck finish of the closure. By fitting closely to the elongated neck section, the elongated stabilizing section of the skirt ensures that the skirt remains centered and aligned closely with the center axis. The skirt comprises retaining means on the inside of the skirt for engagement of a collar of the neck finish of the fluid container. The retaining means secure the closure on the neck finish of the fluid container once the closure has been fitted. The closure breaks into two portions when the closure is first opened. A bottom portion remains attached to the neck finish because of the engagement of the retaining means with the collar of the neck finish. The closure comprises robust torque engagement means arranged on the outside of the top deck for interacting with a corresponding torqueing member, e.g. a chucking head, during fitting of the closure. After filling of the fluid container, the closure is fitted onto the neck finish of the fluid container. In order to screw down the closure, torque is transferred from a torqueing member of a filling system onto the torque engagement means. The torque engagement means ensure that the closure is screwed down with a correct amount of torque for fitting. In a preferred variation, the torque engagement means are arranged in a depression of the top deck surrounded by an outer wall (edge). 
     In a variation, the retaining means comprise a retaining band that is folded towards the top deck. The retaining band is arranged on the inside of the skirt. The retaining band is manufactured facing away from the top deck along an axial direction. The retaining band has a shoulder which, when fitted, engages with the collar of the neck finish such that the bottom portion of the skirt, and therefore the closure, remains securely fastened to the neck finish even if a top portion of the skirt, and therefore the closure, is removed from the fluid container by unscrewing the closure. 
     For good results, the retaining band is folded towards the top deck in a folding step directly after injection molding and prior to fitting, increasing the speed and reliability of fitting. 
     In a variation, the retaining band is folded towards the retaining band during fitting of the closure through interaction with the neck finish. 
     In a preferred variation, the screw thread, the slits, the elongated stabilizing section, and the retaining band are arranged from the top deck in the axial direction sequentially in the named order. In particular, the screw thread is arranged downstream from the top deck in the axial direction. The slits are arranged downstream from the screw thread, the elongated stabilizing section is arranged downstream from the slits, and the retaining band is in turn arranged downstream from the elongated stabilizing section. 
     In a variation, the closure further comprises longitudinal fins in a trunk section of the skirt. The longitudinal fins extend along the inner side wall of the trunk section in the axial direction. The longitudinal fins are straight and arranged perpendicular to the inner side wall of the trunk section. The longitudinal fins reinforce the skirt. Alternatively, or in addition, the longitudinal fins also provide channels for molten material, in particular plastic, during molding. Thereby it becomes possible to reduce the thickness of the respective section of the closure. Due to the thinness and axial extension of the skirt, injecting molten material into the mold is greatly aided by the longitudinal fins, which help transport the molten material into all areas of the mold. The longitudinal fins may also reduce a drop of the bottom portion of the skirt after the closure has been removed for the first time by interacting with the neck finish. 
     In an advantageous embodiment, the skirt has, in an area of the screw thread, a reinforced zone. The reinforced zone is substantially thicker than a thickness of the rest of the skirt. The reinforced zone enables the closure to be held in a stable and secure manner by a holding member during fitting of the closure. The holding member is a component of the fitting system used for fitting the closure. In particular, the holding member holds the closure during application of torque by the torqueing member of the fitting system, the torque being received by the torque engagement means. 
     In a variation, the torque engagement means are arranged in a depression of the top deck in an opposite axial direction to the skirt. The depression is a recessed section of the top deck with respect to the edge of the top deck. The torque engagement means are preferably arranged inside the depression such that the torqueing member meshes with the torque engagement means to transfer torque to the closure during fitting of the closure. In the same time the closure can be centered by an outer wall as described hereinafter in more detail. 
     In a variation, the depression has an annular wall and the torque engagement means comprise buttresses arranged against an inner face of the wall and extending towards a center axis. The buttresses are ribs, flanks and/or protrusions which are connected to the top deck. One part of the buttresses is connected to the inner face of the annular wall. The annular wall forms a wall, lip, ring and/or band on the upper outside face of the top deck on the side opposite to the skirt. The torque engagement means are configured such that they mesh with the torqueing member during fitting. In a preferred variation, the torque engagement means are configured to prevent cam-out, such that the torqueing member does not slip out of the torque engagement means during fitting. This ensures that the closure is torqued to the exact required amount as determined by the torqueing member, as opposed to torque engagement means where cam-out or slipping is possible where it is not possible to ensure as precisely how much torque is applied. 
     In a variation, the torque engagement means are arranged on an outside face of the closure and comprise recesses in the closure. The recesses are arranged on an outside face of the top deck or an outside face of the skirt. The recesses allow the torqueing member to apply torque to the closure during fitting. The recesses further allow the closure to be gripped by hand when the closure is first opened. 
     In an example, the torque engagement means are arranged in the reinforced zone of the skirt. This ensures that during fitting, the stress applied to the closure by the torqueing member engaging with the torque engagement means does not result in the closure deforming or breaking. 
     In a variation, the closure further comprises a sealing liner arranged on the inside of the closure between the top deck and the neck finish of the fluid container for sealing the fluid container. The sealing liner seals the fluid in the fluid container and prevents leaks of the fluid. Further, the sealing liner prevents ingress of air or other contaminates into the fluid container. 
     In a preferred variation, the sealing liner is introduced into the closure after injection molding of the outer shell of the closure. 
     In a preferred variation, the sealing liner is a sealing disc comprising one or more sealing layers. The sealing disc is arranged in a corresponding sealing disc recess on the inside of the top deck. The sealing disc recess is formed such that the sealing disc fits tightly into the sealing disc recess and is retained even after the closure has been opened and closed many times. 
     Preferably, the skirt further comprises an annular bead arranged at the distal end of the skirt which abuts against the fluid container. The bead is a bottom part of the skirt which is configured to reduce a drop of a bottom portion of the skirt after the closure has been opened. During the first opening of the closure, the slits break and the bottom and top portion of the skirt separate. As the bottom portion is no longer held by the top portion it could drop further down the neck finish of the fluid container. The annular bead reduces the drop through interacting with the neck finish of the fluid container. 
     In a preferred variation, at least the outer shell (i.e. the closure, not including the sealing liner) is formed as one piece during injection molding. In particular, the top-deck and the skirt, and all components thereof, are integrally formed in a single-shot injection molding process. In a variation, the slits in the skirt are cut subsequently to the injection molding process. The retaining band, in its freshly molded state, initially points away from the top deck. Good results can be achieved when subsequent to injection molding the retaining band is folded towards the top deck by folding means which press the retaining band upwards to a state in which retaining band points towards the top deck. 
     Alternatively, the folding can take place during fitting of the closure onto the neck finish. 
     In a preferred variation, to allow the retaining band to deform during fitting without breaking, the retaining band is not entirely rotationally symmetric about the center axis C but has cut-outs through the retaining band. 
     In a variation, some or all of the steps following injection molding, which include: the cutting of the slits, the folding of the retaining band, and the introduction of the sealing liner, take place prior to fitting the closure onto the fluid container. The aforementioned steps can take place in any order, and in a variation, occur at least in part simultaneously. For example, the cutting the slits and the folding the retaining band occur at the same time, speeding up the manufacture of the closure. 
     In addition to the closure for the fluid container, another aspect of the disclosure is directed towards a neck finish of a fluid container. The neck finish is configured for engagement with the closure as described above. The neck finish comprises a neck screw thread for engagement with the screw thread of the closure. The neck finish comprises an elongated reinforced zone substantially thicker than a thickness of the rest of the neck finish. The elongated reinforced zone of the neck finish fits the corresponding elongated stabilizing section of the closure. The elongated reinforced zone is configured such that the elongated stabilizing section of the closure fits snugly and does not wobble much. The elongated reinforced zone includes a bottom shoulder for engagement with the retaining means once the closure has been fitted. The bottom shoulder is a change in curvature of the outside of the neck finish which provides purchase for the retaining means of the closure, such that the closure is held in place. 
     In a variation, the elongated reinforced zone includes a top shoulder adjacent to the neck screw thread for deflecting the retaining band of the closure towards the top deck of the closure during fitting. As the closure is fitted onto the neck finish during fitting, the top shoulder deflects the retaining band and pushes the retaining band from outwards towards an inside face of the skirt enabling the closure to be fitted onto the neck finish. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The herein described disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which should not be considered limiting to the disclosure described in the appended claims. The drawings illustrate various variations, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the concepts disclosed, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a cut-out view of a first variation of a closure; 
         FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of the retaining band of the first variation shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a view of the first variation of the closure shown in  FIG. 1  fitted onto a fluid container; 
         FIG. 4  shows a section view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a detailed part of the section view of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a cut-out view of a second variation of a closure; 
         FIG. 7  shows a detailed view of the retaining band of the second variation shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a view of the second variation of the closure shown in  FIG. 6  fitted onto a fluid container; 
         FIG. 9  shows a section view of  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 10  shows a detailed part of the section view of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to certain variations, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all features are shown. Indeed, variations disclosed herein may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the variations set forth herein; rather, these variations are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Whenever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a first variation. A closure  1  is shown in an upright orientation as when fitted onto a fluid container  3  (not shown in this figure). The closure  1  is shown in its fitted state before the fluid container  3  has been opened for the first time. The closure  1  comprises a top deck  11  arranged in the x-y plane perpendicular to a center axis C, the center axis running parallel to the z-axis. The closure  1  comprises a skirt  13 . The skirt  13  extends from the top deck  11  downwards in an axial direction −z. The skirt  13  has a substantially cylindrical outer wall and is also substantially rotationally symmetric about the center axis C. The top deck  11  includes a depression  10 . The top deck  11  has an outer wall  101  which rises above the depression  10  in an axial direction +z. Along the inner face of the outer wall  101  there are arranged a plurality of buttresses  12  which extend from the inner face of the outer wall  101  towards the center axis C of the depression  10  and taper in height from the inner face of the outer wall  101  towards the center axis C. The buttresses  101  are configured to mesh and engage with a torqueing member of a fitting system during fitting of the closure  1  onto the fluid container  3 . An inside of the closure  1  has a sealing disc  24  arranged on the bottom of the top deck  11  in a sealing disc recess  27  which is configured to hold the sealing disc  24  securely in place, even after repeated opening and closing of the closure  1 . The sealing disc  24  is a circular sealing member comprising one or more layers of one or more types of sealing material. The sealing disc recess  27  is arranged in the top deck  11  and not the skirt  13 , and in particular is separated from the screw thread  14 . The sealing disc recess  27  and the sealing disc  24  are shaped complementary to each other such that the sealing disc  24  fits into the sealing disc recess  27 . On the inside of the closure  1 , the skirt  13  comprises an inner wall with a screw thread  14  configured for engagement with a corresponding neck screw thread  34  of a neck finish  31  of the fluid container  3 . An elongated stabilizing section  15  is arranged below the screw thread  14 , and below that the retaining band  16  is shown in the configuration it has after being fitted onto the closure  1 , namely pointing towards the top deck  11 . 
     The closure  1  preferably comprises a synthetic material such as plastic, in particular high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), or post-consumer resin (PCR), or a combination of these materials, and is preferably injection molded. More preferably, the closure  1 , not including the sealing disc  24 , is integrally injected molding in a single mold as a single part. 
       FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of the first variation, in particular of the retaining band  16  of  FIG. 1  in the fitted state (fluid container  3  not shown). The retaining band  16  is joined to the skirt  13  perpendicularly and from there is bent upwards in axial direction +z towards the top deck  11 . Moving away from the skirt  13  the retaining band  16  has first a folding zone  19  which undergoes a plastic deformation subsequent to injection molding. From the folding zone  19 , the retaining band  16  turns upwards and thickens into a wedge shape with a wedge face  20 . The wedge face  20  does not face the center axis C squarely but faces downwards slightly in the axial direction −z. The retaining band  16  is bent upwards to form, in combination with an inside face of the skirt  13 , an approximately a U-shaped gap between the inside face of the skirt  13  and the retaining band  16 . The distal end of the retaining band  16 , which extends towards the top deck  11  when fitted, has a retaining band shoulder  21 . Rising above the retaining band shoulder  21  is a projection  22 . As the closure  1  is pressed down over the neck finish  31  during fitting, the retaining band  16  is bent further upwards in the axial direction z towards the top deck  11  and snaps back elastically to retain the fluid container  3 . To allow the retaining band  16  to bend during fitting without breaking, the retaining band  16  is not entirely rotationally symmetric about the center axis C but has cut-outs which cut through the retaining band  16  at the wedge face  20 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the first variation of the closure  1  fitted onto the fluid container  3 . Also shown is the center axis C and a section face D. 
       FIG. 4  shows a section view of the first variation of the closure  1 , in particular of the closure  1  fitted onto the fluid container  3  along the section face D of  FIG. 3 . The section face D intersects the center axis C and lies plane parallel to the z-y plane, z being the axial direction and y being a radial direction. Features of the closure  1  described above under the description of  FIGS. 1 and 2  will not be described in detail here. Rather, this figure, and also  FIG. 5  which shows a more detailed view of a part of  FIG. 4 , will be used to describe features of the neck finish  31  of the fluid container  3 , in particular features relevant for the fitting and engagement of the neck finish  31  with the closure  1 . The neck finish  31  of the fluid container  3  is an overall roughly rotationally symmetric and roughly cylindrically shaped area of the fluid container  3  through which fluid may be filled into, or emptied from, the fluid container  3 . The neck finish  31  has a lip  32  which forms an opening into the fluid container  3 . The lip abuts against the sealing disc  24  of the closure  1 . When the closure  1  is fitted onto the neck finish  31  the lip  32  presses against the sealing disc  24  forming a tight seal such that fluid cannot escape the fluid container  3 . The sealing disc  24  further prevents ingress of air or contaminants into the fluid container  3 . When the closure  1  is screwed down tightly, either during fitting by the torqueing member of the fitting system or by hand after the closure  1  has been removed, the lip  32  deforms the sealing disc  24  slightly ensuring a good seal. Below the lip  32 , the neck finish  31  has a neck screw thread  34  configured to engage with the screw thread  14  of the closure. Below the neck screw thread  34 , the neck finish  31  has an elongated reinforced zone  35 . The elongated reinforced zone  35  is a zone of the neck finish  31  with a wall thickness substantially thicker than a wall thickness of the rest of the neck finish  31 . In particular, the wall thickness of the elongated reinforced zone  35  is approximately twice as thick at least as the wall thickness of the rest of the neck finish  31 . A measure of the wall thickness of the neck finish  13  does not include any protrusions such as the neck screw thread  34 . The elongated reinforced zone  35  has a longitudinal length, i.e. a vertical extension in the axial direction, which is greater than the wall thickness of the elongated reinforced zone  35 . In a preferred variation, the longitudinal length of the elongated reinforced zone  35  is at least twice as long as the wall thickness of the elongated reinforced zone  35 . The elongated reinforced zone  35  has a top shoulder  36 A which demarcates the elongated reinforced zone  35  to the neck screw thread  34 . The top shoulder  36 A is configured such that it deflects the retaining band  16  during fitting to push the retaining band  16  outwards towards the inside face of the skirt  13 , allowing the closure  1  to be fitted. The elongated reinforced zone  35  also has a bottom shoulder  36 B which demarcates the bottom end of the elongated reinforced zone  35  and is configured to engage with the retaining band  16  when fitted. Below the bottom shoulder  36 B, the neck finish  31  has a closure engagement zone  37  in which the neck finish  31  returns to its usual thickness. The closure engagement zone  37  is dimensioned such that the retaining band  16  of the closure  1  has space. The bottom shoulder  36 B and the closure engagement zone  36  are configured such that the wedge face  20  of the retaining band  16  is not in contact with the neck finish  31  of the fluid container  3 . Rather, it is the retaining band shoulder  21  and the projection  22  which engage with the bottom shoulder  36 B. The bottom shoulder  36 B is configured such that if the closure  1  is pulled or unscrewed after fitting, the retaining band  16  engages with the bottom shoulder  36 B to prevent the skirt  13  from moving. More specifically, the slope of the bottom shoulder  36 B at the point of interaction with the retaining band  16  is such that, when a force is exerted on the closure in an axial direction +z the retaining band  16  is also pressed inwards away from the skirt  13  toward the center axis C, ensuring that the retaining band  16  remains firmly engaged with the bottom shoulder  36 B of the neck finish  31  and does not bend towards the skirt  13 . This ensures that the closure  31  cannot be removed in its entirety after fitting. If the closure  1  is unscrewed with sufficient force, however, the slits  17  (not shown) in the skirt  13  ensure that the skirt  13  breaks into two portions, a top portion including the top deck  11  and the screw thread  14  and a bottom portion including the retaining band  16 . The elongated reinforced zone  35  and the complementary elongated stabilizing section  15  of the closure  1  fit closely together to ensure that the closure  1  remains stably seated on the neck finish  31 . This close fit between the elongated reinforced zone  35  and the elongated stabilizing section  15  further aids the stabilizing of the closure  1  during fitting. The neck finish  31  further comprises a retaining bead  38  below, or abutting against, the bottom of the closure  1 . This ensures that when the closure  1  is first opened and therefore breaks into two portions, the bottom portion comprising the retaining bead  16  does has a reduced drop or, preferably, does not drop at all. 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a second variation of the closure  1 . Similarly,  FIG. 7 , shows a detailed view of the second variation, in particular of the retaining band  16  of  FIG. 6  in the fitted state (fluid container  3  not shown).  FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the second variation of the closure  1  fitted onto the fluid container  3 . Also shown is the center axis C and a section face E.  FIG. 9  shows a section view of the second variation of the closure  1 , in particular of the closure  1  fitted onto the fluid container  3  along the section face E of  FIG. 8 , and  FIG. 10  shows a detail of the section view of  FIG. 9 . Only those features of the second variation will be described, with reference to  FIGS. 6-10 , if those features were not already described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-5  of the first variation. 
     As can be seen for example in  FIG. 6 , the second variation shows a reinforced zone  131  in the skirt  13  in an area of the screw thread  14 . The reinforced zone  131  is a thicker area of the skirt  13  adjacent to the top desk  11 . The reinforced zone  131  provides extra stability for the screw thread  14  due to the skirt  13  having overall thin walls. The reinforced zone  131  ensures that the skirt  13  can be screwed and unscrewed easily. The reinforced zone  131  also allows a holding member of the fitting system to hold the closure  1  during fitting, in particular during application of torque by the torqueing member of the fitting system. Below the area of the screw thread  14 , the skirt  13  has slits  17 . The slits  17  in the skirt  13  are arranged around the circumference of the skirt  13 . The slits  17  are elongated and separated from each other by small connecting areas which connect the bottom portion of the skirt  13  to the top portion of the skirt  13 . The slits  17  are cut into the closure  1  after injection molding by a blade. The slits  17  are configured such that during a first unscrewing of the closure  1  by hand after fitting, the connecting areas break and the top portion skirt, as well as the top deck  11 , is removable from the fluid container  1 . Below the retaining band  16 , the second variation also has a trunk section  18  in the skirt  13  extending in the axial direction −z. The trunk section  18  is a roughly cylindrical section of the skirt  13  and has an axial extension larger than an axial extension of the rest of the skirt  13 . A plurality of longitudinal fins  25  are arranged on an inside face of the trunk section  18 , extending along the entire length of the trunk section  18  from an area below the retaining band  16  to the bottom of the trunk section  18 . The longitudinal fins  25  provide additional structural stability of the trunk section  18  and therefore the skirt  13 . The longitudinal fins  25  also provide channels for molten material, in particular molten plastic, to flow during injection molding of the closure  1 . As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , the trunk section  18  is terminated on its distal end, facing away from the top deck  11 , by an annular bead  26 . The annular bead  26  reduces a drop of the bottom portion of the skirt  13  after the closure  1  has been first opened because the annular bead  26  engages with the neck finish  31  of the fluid container  3 . The annular bead  26  also provides additional structural strength to a bottom end of the closure  1 . 
     The person skilled in the art understands that one or more features described in relation to the second variation can be added or combined with features described in relation to the first variation without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.