The West Company

Jacob Ravn

William A Conard

John T Connor

L David Leiter

Charles P Halsted

A system and method for determining the integrity of a sealed container closure assembly wherein the closure is secured to the container by a force applying member and the integrity is determined by converting the force used to secure the closure into a force signal and comparing the force signal to a reference signal, which is reflective of the force used during a closure operation which resulted in seal integrity. The force signal which comprises a series of electrical signals is compared to a series of corresponding reference signals or is a single signal compared to a reference signal at a plurality of points during the closure operation. An indicator is used to indicate when a preselected number of acceptable or non-acceptable comparisons are reached.

Seal force monitor apparatus, system, and method for in-process

A method, apparatus and system for determining the integrity of a container sealed by means of a closure comprising a resilient sealing element and a cup-like cap having a top and a depending skirt compressing the resilient sealing element over the discharge opening in the container. The invention consists of verifying seal integrity by applying an external force to the cap and measuring the force required to effect initial movement thereof to overcome the residual static force in the resilient sealing element and by comparing the measured force which is essentially equal to the residual static force in the resilient sealing element to a predetermined standard known to provide an acceptable seal. It is known that when the force between the crimped edge of the cap and the container is zero which occurs upon initial displacement of the cap relative to the container, the externally applied force is essentially equal to the residual static force in the resilient sealing element. The residual static force in the resilient sealing element is measured by apparatus including a mechanical force applicator unit having an anvil engageable with the cap mounted on an actuator member of a gauge for measuring the applied force and a microscope, for observing initial downward displacement of the cap when a given external force essentially equal to the residual static force in the resilient sealing element is applied.

Apparatus, method and system for determining the integrity of sealed

A container-closure assembly. The container has a discharge opening, a locking flange of generally circular opening with a frusto conical side face diverging downwardly from the axial end face of the opening. A shaping surface is formed below the locking flange of non-circular cross section and has a maximum cross section less than the cross section of the locking flange and at least one cam member extends axially downwardly from the locking flange. The cap of the assembly has a top and a peripheral skirt portion engaging under the locking flange and extending at least to the juncture of the locking flange and shaping surface. The cap is of a deformable material whereby the skirt is shaped to a generally circular shape by the cam member upon relative rotation of the cap and container.

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Phoenixville, PA, United States of America

Jacob Ravn