Abstract:
A closure includes a plastic shell (20) having a base wall (22) and a skirt (24) with at least one internal thread segment (26) for threaded engagement with at least one external thread segment on a container neck finish. A stopper (32), preferably of natural or synthetic cork, is secured to the base wall within the skirt and has an outer surface for sliding fit within the inside diameter of the container neck finish. An annular seal (36 or 36a or 36b or 36c or 36d) is disposed on the base wall surrounding the stopper within the skirt for sealing engagement with an end surface of the container neck finish. The closure can readily be removed from the container neck finish by unthreading the closure shell and pulling the plug from the container neck finish. The sliding fit between the external surface of the stopper and the inside diameter of the neck finish is sufficiently tight to provide a popping sound as the closure is removed from the neck finish.
Abstract:
A machine for compression molding plastic articles includes a turret (22) constructed for rotation around a vertical axis (26). A first array (28a or 28c) of compression molds and a second array (28b or 28d) of compression molds are mounted on the turret for movement through respective first and second mold paths (40, 42) as the turret rotates around the vertical turret axis. A first mold charge placement mechanism (38a) is disposed adjacent to the first path for placing mold charges into molds of the first array in sequence as the turret rotates. A second mold charge placement mechanism (38b) is disposed adjacent to the second path for placing mold charges into molds of the second array in sequence as the turret rotates and independently of the first mechanism. The first and second mold paths maybe spaced from each other radially of the turret axis and/or longitudinally of the turret axis.
Abstract:
A closure includes a plastic shell (28 or 56) having a generally flat base wall (36), a peripheral skirt (30) for mounting the closure on a container neck finish and an annular portion (38 or 54) integrally connecting the skirt to the periphery of the base wall. A flexible resilient sealing liner (44) is disposed on at least an inner surface of the annular portion. The annular portion has an inverted V-shape with an outer leg (42 or 60) integrally connected to the skirt and an inner leg (40 or 58) integrally connected to the periphery of the base wall such that the base wall is disposed axially beneath the annular connection (43) between the inner and outer legs. The inner leg is resiliently flexible with respect to the outer leg upon engagement with an end of a container neck finish so as to flex the inner leg and the base wall outwardly with respect to the skirt and thereby draw the outer leg inwardly into engagement with an outer surface of the container neck finish. The inner leg of the annular V-shaped portion preferably is conical, and in exemplary embodiments of the disclosure the outer leg preferably either is cylindrical or is conical preferably at an angle equal and opposite to the conical inner leg.
Abstract:
A molded plastic container includes a bottom wall (12 or 112) to define a closed end of the container, a side wall (16 or 116) extending generally axially away from the bottom wall, and a neck finish (18 or 118) terminating the sidewall to define an open end of the container. The neck finish includes a finish wall (22 or 122) having an inner and outer surfaces. Also, the neck finish may include a seamless external thread segment (20 or 130) projecting from the outer surface of the finish wall, and/or a flange (40 or 140) extending radially outwardly from the finish wall and also extending axially downwardly and having a section thickness less than that of the finish wall, and/or a bead (32 or 132) extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the finish wall wherein the thickest section of any of the walls of the container extends through the bead.
Abstract:
A dispensing closure assembly includes a deck (74) having an outlet orifice (96), and an outlet conduit (97) extending through the deck generally coaxially with respect to the outlet orifice. An inner wall (50) extends generally coaxially with respect to the outlet conduit, wherein a fluid chamber (99) is at least partially defined radially inwardly of the inner wall. A baffle wall (56) is carried radially inwardly of the inner wall, wherein one or more fluid flow passages (60) are defined between the inner wall and the baffle wall. The baffle wall includes a central portion (62) opposed to the outlet conduit and a raised peripheral portion (64) extending axially and radially outwardly from the central portion. Fluid flowing through the fluid flow passages enters the fluid chamber through the fluid flow passages, is directed toward the inner wall by the baffle wall, and then flows into the outlet conduit and out the outlet orifice.
Abstract:
A plastic closure includes a plastic closure shell (30 or 66) having a base wall (32 or 70) with a central opening (42 or 72) and a skirt (34 or 68) for securing the closure to a container neck finish. A plastic disk (38 or 74) includes angularly spaced fingers (40) extending into the central opening of the shell base wall and external beads (44) on the fingers for engaging an inner periphery of the central opening to retain the disk within the shell. The beads have flat undersurfaces (48) and the inner periphery of the central opening has a ledge with a conical surface (46) engaged by the beads. Any doming that occurs in the disk and/or the closure shell base wall increases the surface contact between the finger beads and the opposing surface of the ledge so that removal of the shell from a container neck finish will simultaneously lift and remove the disk from the neck finish without having the beads snap through the central opening in the shell so that the shell is removed while the disk is retained on the neck finish.
Abstract:
A plastic closure for receipt on a container includes a plastic ring (88 or 116 or 128 or 154 or 174) having an internal recess adapted to be received by snap fit over an external crown or bead on the container neck finish such that the ring is retained against axial movement on the container neck finish. A plastic lid (102 or 130 or 160 or 172) is coupled by a hinge to the ring, with the ring, the lid and the hinge being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction. The lid has a skirt that is adapted releasably to be snapped to the ring in a closed position of the lid over the ring.
Abstract:
A plastic shell (42 or 44) for a two-piece push-and-turn child-resistant closure includes a peripheral skirt (48 or 76), and a base wall (46 or 74) from which the peripheral skirt depends. The base wall has a peripheral portion (50 or 80) having a first thickness, a plurality of lugs (58 or 84) disposed at least in part on the peripheral portion adjacent to the peripheral skirt, and a central portion (52 or 81) having a second thickness less than the first thickness. A plurality of ribs (66 or 84) having a third thickness greater than the second thickness and substantially equal to the first thickness extend from the first peripheral portion toward a center of the base wall.
Abstract:
An apparatus for placing mold charges into a mold (52) of a compression molding machine (20) includes a carrier (500), an arm (504) pivotally mounted on the carrier and a mold charge pick-up cup (512) on the arm at a position spaced from the carrier. The arm is pivotal on the carrier between a first position at which the arm is positioned to deposit a mold charge into a mold and a second position at which the mold charge pick-up cup is disposed to transport the mold charge. The carrier preferably is mounted for rotation around an axis. In some embodiments, a cam mechanism (516) is coupled to the arm to pivot the arm as a function of rotation of the carrier. A spring (532) may be coupled between the arm and the carrier for biasing the arm toward one of the first and second positions of the arm. In another embodiment, an actuator (534) is carried by the carrier and coupled to the arm to pivot the arm with respect to the carrier. The arm preferably includes a passage for selective application of air and/or vacuum to the mold charge pick-up cup.
Abstract:
A plastic closure includes a base (30) molded as one piece with a lid (28) and integrally connected to the lid by a hinge (32). The lid is radially inwardly displaced from an outer periphery of the base. The hinge has a central portion (50) with a convex outer surface, with the lid closed and as viewed in side elevation, that blends with a smooth curvature into outer surfaces of the lid and the base. The hinge has laterally spaced end portions (52, 54) on opposite sides of the central portion and having concave outer surfaces when the lid is closed. The base preferably has a circular periphery and the end portions of the hinge are angularly spaced from each other. The outer surface of the lid preferably is flat, and the lid preferably is integrally connected to the base as molded by at least one frangible bridge (46) spaced from the hinge.