MXPA99010811A - Pierce and cut closure - Google Patents

Abstract

A cut and pierce closure molded from a rigid plastic material for a container whose open mouth is normally sealed by a thin membrane applied to a rim of the container. The closure is removably applied to the container in a closing orientation by interengaging helical threads on the exterior of a neck of the container and an annular skirt of the closure. To dispense the contents of the container, the closure is removed and reapplied in an inverted orientation, a flange extension of the closure skirt surrounding the rim of the container and serving to center the closure in its inverted orientation on the container. A top panel of the closure is provided with a double-ended arcuate shoulder that engages the membrane when the closure is in its inverted orientation on the container to maintain tension in the portion of the membrane in engagement with the shoulder. The arcuate shoulder also serves, in combination with the flange extension, to trap the rim of the container therebetween. A sharp cutting element projects axially from the shoulder at a location between its ends and functions to pierce the membrane when the closure is reapplied, in its inverted orientation, to the container. When the closure is rotated on the container in the inverted orientation, the cutting element will cut the membrane along an arc of less than 360 DEG even if the closure is rotated 360 DEG or more, to thereby permit dispensing of the contents of the container after removal of the closure from the container while ensuring that the severed membrane remains affixed to the rim of the container without dropping into the contents of the container.

Description

COVER FOR CUTTING AND DRILLING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a lid for application in a bottle or other container whose mouth is normally closed and sealed by a thin membrane of a thin metal sheet or the like, the lid is applied to the container movably once it is applied the membrane to this. More particularly, this invention relates to a lid of the aforesaid feature that is provided with a cutter which, when the lid is removed from its closed position on the container and reapplied to the container in an inverted orientation, will pierce the membrane that seals the mouth of the container to allow dispensing or obtaining the contents of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many products are packaged in bottles or other containers whose mouths are sealed by a thin membrane of an appropriate material, such REF. 32162 as a thin metal foil or plastic film, until the consumer or another user is ready to remove or use the contents of the container for consumption or use after piercing the sealing membrane. Several types of infant formulas are packaged in this way. In addition to the membrane that seals the mouth of such container; It is also customary to apply a movable plastic molded lid to the container to protect the membrane from damage during shipping and storage of the filled container and to re-close the container after a partial removal of its contents, thereafter the Membrane will no longer serve to seal the container due to its perforation. Typically, in such a packaging application the perforation of the membrane is carried out by one or more perforation elements on the upper part of the lid after the removal of the lid and the fact of reapplying it to the container in an inverted orientation. US Patents 5, 709, 311 (Butler et al.), 5, 505, 326 (Junko), and 5,090,582 (Art et al.) Describe such covers in general.

Drill caps of the type described are also used to cut the membrane through an arc of a substantial extension, often 360 °, by rotating the lid on the container, after reversing the lid on the container. Unfortunately, the quality of this cutting action often degrades as the length of the cut increases, due to a loss in tension in the membrane as the cutting action increases. This problem makes it difficult to properly remove the contents of the container, with the resulting injury to the user or consumer and the loss of the good name of the manufacturer whose product is packaged in the container. Furthermore, it is truly desirable that the cut of the membrane sealing the mouth of the container does not extend more than one 360 ° arc, so that the broken membrane remains attached to the container and does not fall within its contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved perforation and cut-off lid for a container sealed by a membrane. The cover of this invention has, on its upper surface in the normal orientation of the lid on the container, an upwardly projecting flange, which is positioned to closely surround the mouth of the associated container when reapplying the lid to the container in an inverted orientation, an arched shoulder, which is positioned radially inwardly of the rim to be positioned closely to the interior of the mouth of the container, and a piercing and cutting element projecting upwardly from the shoulder and extending over a slightly smaller arch. To gain access to the contents of the container through the membrane, the lid is removed from the container, for example by unscrewing it, and then reapplied to the container in an inverted orientation with the edge of the container surrounding its mouth trapped between the container. flange that surrounds the upper surface of the container and the arched shoulder. This will cause the piercing and cutting element, pierce the membrane and cause the arched shoulder to fit snugly with the portion of the membrane at the bottom to apply tension to this part. The rotation of the lid on the container, while the lid is in its inverted orientation, will cause the piercing and cutting element to cut the membrane along an arch that is concentric with and close to the interior of the mouth of the container. During this cutting action, the shoulder at the top of the cover maintains an appropriate tension for the cut in the membrane for most of a 360 ° arc, despite the gradual loss in tension in the membrane as it proceeds the action of the cut. However, near the end of the cutting arch, the tension in the membrane is very low, despite being fitted with the shoulder on the top of the lid, so that there is no further cutting action. Thus, the membrane never comes off completely from the mouth of the container even when the lid is rotated more than 360 ° while it is in its inverted orientation on the container, and the cap on the lid simply ensures that the membrane is doubled. securely against the inside of the container for the final minor portion of the double ended bow together with which it is cut.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved lid of the perforation and cutting type for a container with a mouth sealed by a membrane. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a cover of the above-mentioned type in which the action of cutting the membrane through the cover proceeds smoothly over an arc a little less than 360 ° by means of an action in which the cover at least 360 ° is rotated on the container during the cutting action. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a package that is made from a container with a mouth sealed by a membrane that is normally closed by a movable lid of the above-mentioned type.

For a further understanding of the present invention and the objects thereof, attention is directed to the drawings and the following brief description thereof, to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container with a lid in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present movable invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, in an elevational view, partly in cross section and on an enlarged scale, of the lid shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the container and lid shown in Figure 1 in the normal closed orientation of the container lid, and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the lid applied in an inverted orientation on the container to show the perforating action of a membrane sealing the mouth of the container by the lid in such orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Figure 1 illustrates a container 10, which can be considered as a molded plastic bottle or any other type of container that can be releasably closed by a separate lid, with a lid 12 that is releasably applied to a potion of the neck 14 (figure 3) of the container 10, for example, by a threaded connection between a portion with internal helical threading 16 of the lid 12 and an external helical thread 18 of the neck 14 of the container 10. The lid 12, in its orientation normal on the container 10, has a panel 20 on the upper part and an annular margin 22 which depends on the periphery of the panel 20 of the upper part, the helical threaded portion 16 projects inwardly from the annular margin 22 to engage with the external helical thread 18 of the container 10.

As shown in Figure 3, an open mouth portion 24 of the container 10, which is the portion surrounded by the neck portion 14, is sealed after filling the container 10 by a thin membrane 26, such as a film. of sheet, which is applied sealingly in a circumferential shape to a ridge 28 at a free end of the neck portion 14 of the container 10. In the closed position of the lid 12 of the container 10, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower part of the panel of the upper part 20 on the lid 12 sits against the upper part of the membrane 26.

The cover 12 further has a perimeter flange 30 extending upward from the panel 20 of the upper part in the orientation shown in Figures 1-3, which is generally aligned axially with the annular margin 22 of the Top 12 and can be considered as an extension of it. The rim 30 is positioned to closely surround the rim 28 of the neck portion 14 of the container 10 when the lid 12 is removed from the container 10 and reapplied in an inverted orientation, as shown in Figure 4. The lid 12 it also has an arched shoulder 32 extending upwardly from the panel 20 of the upper part of the lid 12, at a radially inward location of the rim 30, and the rim 28 of the neck portion 14 of the container 10 is trapped between the arched shoulder 32 and the rim 30 when the lid 12 is reapplied to the container 10 in the inverted orientation of the lid 12.

The lid 12 is further provided with a cutting element 34 which is sharp and projecting upwards from a central portion of the arched shoulder 32, but over a much smaller arc. The cutting element 34 pierces the membrane 26 when the lid 12 is reapplied to the container 10 in the inverted orientation of the lid 12, as shown in Figure 4. Then the lid 12 is rotated from the position of the lid. same on the container 10 as shown in figure 4, preferably on an arch of at least 360 °. This will cause the cutting element 34 to cut the membrane 26 in an arcuate shape, the membrane 26 is held in tension by contact with the arched shoulder 32 through almost an entire 360 ° arc, despite a loss in tension in the membrane 26 as proceeds in the cutting action. However, near the end of a 360 ° cut in the membrane 26, the tension in the membrane 26 will be so relaxed that there will be no more cutting of the membrane 26 despite the presence of the arched shoulder 32 and any additional rotation of the membrane 26. the lid 12 on the container 10 in the inverted orientation of the lid 12.

The lid 12 is preferably formed in its illustrated joint configuration, integrally of a single piece of a suitable rigid thermoplastic material, such as polypropylene, by a suitable molding process, for example, by injection molding.

Although the best mode contemplated by the inventors for practicing the present invention according to the date of presentation thereof which has been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications, variations and appropriate equivalents can be made. without departing from the scope of the invention, such scope is limited only by the terms of the following claims and the legal equivalence thereof. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant, to implement said invention is that which is clear from the manufacture of the objects to which it refers. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (9)

1. A lid for application to the mouth of a container, the container is sealed by a thin breakable membrane applied to a ridge in the mouth of the container and having a means for fitting the lid this medium projects outwardly from a portion of neck of the container in a location below the edge to allow the lid to be movably attached to the container, characterized in that it comprises: an annular margin having first and second annular ends; a panel member in the flat upper part within said annular margin and extending perpendicular with respect to said annular margin; means for fitting the container projecting inwardly from said annular margin at a location between said first annular end and said panel member of the upper part to fit with the means for fitting the container lid, and means for breaking the thin film projecting perpendicularly from said panel member of the upper part towards said second annular end of said annular margin, said means for breaking the thin film separating inwardly from said annular margin and comprising; an arched shoulder having an arcuate extension of less than 360 ° to fit the thin rupturable membrane of the container when the lid is applied to the container with the means for breaking the film facing the inside of the container, said arched shoulder being adapted for squeezing the portion of the thin breakable membrane fitted therewith, and a sharp cutting member projecting axially outwardly from said arcuate shoulder at a location between the opposite ends of said arcuate shoulder; said lid is freely rotatable with respect to the mouth of the container when said lid is applied to the mouth of the container with said means for breaking the thin film facing the inside of the container with the edge of the container centered between said arched shoulder and said margin ring to allow the sharp cutting element to pierce and cut the breakable thin membrane when said lid is rotated with respect to the mouth of the container.

2. A lid according to claim 1, characterized in that said lid is manufactured in a single piece of a rigid thermoplastic material by molding.

3. A cap according to claim 2, characterized in that said rigid thermoplastic material is comprised mainly of polypropylene.

4. A lid according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for fitting the lid of the container is a portion with helical thread, and wherein the means for fitting the container of said lid is a portion with helical thread.

5. A package or container characterized in that it comprises in combination: a container having a ridge defining a mouth at an open end and having a means for fitting the lid projecting outwardly from a neck portion that delineates said mouth to allow a lid movably attaches to said container; a thin rupturable membrane that is sealably applied to said edge of said container, and a lid movably applied to said container, said lid comprises; an annular margin having first and second annular ends, a panel of the flat upper part within said annular margin and extending perpendicularly with respect to said annular margin, a means for fitting the container projecting inwardly from said annular margin. said annular margin in a location between said first annular end and said panel member of the flat upper part and movably engaging said means for fitting the lid of said container, and means for cutting the membrane projecting perpendicularly from said panel member of the flat top towards said second annular endsaid means for cutting the film are separated radially inwardly from said annular margin portion and comprise an arched shoulder having an arcuate extension of less than 360 ° to fit the thin rupturable membrane in said container when said lid is applied to said container with said means for cutting a film facing towards the inside of said container, said arched projection adapts to tighten the portion of the thin breakable membrane in which it is fitted therewith, and a sharp cutting element that projects axially outwardly from said arched shoulder at a location between the opposite ends of said arched shoulder; said lid is freely rotatable with respect to the mouth of the container when the lid is applied to the mouth of the container with said means for breaking the film facing towards the inside of the container with the edge of the container centered between the arched shoulder and the annular margin to allow said sharp cutting element to pierce and cut said thin breakable membrane when the lid is rotated with respect to the mouth of the container.

6. A package according to claim 5, characterized in that said lid is manufactured in a single piece of a rigid thermoplastic material, by molding.

7. A package according to claim 6, characterized in that said rigid thermoplastic material is comprised mainly of polypropylene.

8. A package according to claim 5, characterized in that said means for fitting said lid of said container comprises a portion with helical thread, and wherein said means for fitting the container of said lid comprise a portion with helical thread.

9. A package according to claim 5, characterized in that said thin breakable membrane comprises a metallic thin sheet. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A cap for perforation and cutting molded of a rigid plastic material for a container whose open mouth is normally sealed by a thin membrane applied to one edge of the container. The lid is movably applied to the container in a closed orientation by interlacing the helical threads on the outside of a neck of the container and an annular margin of the lid. To dispense or use the contents of the container, the lid is removed and • reapplies, in an inverted orientation, a flange extension of the lid margin that surrounds the rim of the container and serves to center the lid in its inverted orientation on the container. A panel at the top of the lid is provided with a double-ended arched shoulder that fits the membrane when the lid is in its inverted orientation on the container to maintain tension on the portion of the membrane that fits the shoulder. The arched shoulder also serves, in combination with the shoulder extension, to trap the rim of the container between them. A sharp cutting element projects axially from the shoulder at a location between its ends and functions to pierce the membrane when the lid is reapplied, in its inverted orientation, to the container. When the lid is rotated in its inverted orientation on the container, the cutting element cuts the membrane along an arc of less than 360 ° even if the lid is rotated 360 ° or more, thereby allowing it to be dispensed or used the contents of the container after the removal of the lid of the container and at the same time ensures that the broken membrane remains fixed without falling into the contents of the container.