H-c Industries, Inc.

Closure Systems International Inc.

Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.

Thomas J McCandless

Sheldon L Wilde

Robert M Saunders

Stephen W McBride

John C Edie

Navaneeth Bashyam

William Moll

Pranav M Bhatt

Michael E Corcoran

Dave Gevers

Kevin F Osborn

Donald L Stewart

A closure includes first and second closure portions. The first closure portion includes a polymeric top wall portion and an annular skirt portion. The skirt portion includes exterior and interior surfaces. The interior surface includes an internal thread formation for mating engagement with an external thread formation of a container and at least one rotation-inhibiting projection. The rotation-inhibiting projection is located to contact the external thread formation. The rotation-inhibiting projection is in the general shape of the letter 'C' prior to engagement with the external thread formation of the container. The second closure portion includes a polymeric tamper-evident band.

Closure with rotation-inhibiting projection

A plastic closure is disclosed which is configured for enhanced performance and reduced closure weight. Notably, the closure includes a compound, internal helical thread formation including an upper retention portion which provides desired closure hoop strength and sealing performance, and a lower guide portion which is configured for light weight while functioning to guide the closure onto an associated container during application. The closure can further include a stepped top wall portion having a relatively thick outer region, and a relatively thin central region. A tamper-evident band of the closure can be configured to include a deformable free edge portion for enhanced tamper-resistance.

Plastic closure with enhanced performance

A closure shell has an end wall and a sidewall. The sidewall has an inside thread for engagement to a thread formation of a container neck. The closure shell has a sealing flap extending radially from the sidewall and an annular vertical member extending from the end wall. The vertical member has an inside diameter greater than the diameter of a seal finish of the container neck. The sealing flap is sized and arranged to be pressed axially by the seal finish to the end wall, and radially pressed by the seal finish to the vertical member. A resilient element is formed between the vertical member and the sidewall to radially press the vertical member against the sealing flap to effect a tight radial seal.

Linerless closure with pressure seal holding feature

A bottle closure testing apparatus includes a plurality of testing modules mounted side by side on a base plate. Each testing module includes a base block having a pressure input, a pressure signal output, and a holder for a test vessel. The test vessel is a plastic bottle blow-molding preform having a bottle finish and a pressure entry port. A preform is mounted to each of the modules with the pressure entry port in fluid communication with one of the pressure inputs. A closure is screwed onto each of the preforms and the preforms are pressurized to a preselected test pressure via the module. The pressure within the preforms can be monitored by pressure gauges at the signal outputs, or by transducers at the signal outputs which communicate a pressure signal to remote monitoring equipment.

Closure pressure testing apparatus and method for testing closures

A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes a top wall portion, a depending annular skirt portion, and a container-engaging pilfer band at least partially detachably connected to the skirt portion. In order to avoid premature fracture of the connection between the pilfer band and the closure skirt, a selectively strengthened frangible connection is provided, preferably comprising a series of first relatively weak bridges, and a series of second relatively strong bridges. The relatively strong bridges are provided about a major portion of the circumference of the pilfer band and are sufficiently strong to resist premature fracture. The minor portion of the circumference at which the first relatively weak bridges are provided fractures and separates first during closure removal, permitting the pilfer band to engage the container to create a high resistance to removal for thereafter sequentially fracturing the second bridges.

Tamper-indicating plastic closure with selectively strengthened pilfer

A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes an annular pilfer band which is partially detachably connected to a skirt portion of the closure, whereby the pilfer band remains connected to the closure after closure removal from an associated container. The pilfer band includes at least one fracturable region which fractures during closure removal, whereby the pilfer band splits and separates into a plurality of segments. Each segment is preferably dimensioned to facilitate its removal from an associated container by automatic washing equipment in the event that one of the segments is inserted into the container by a consumer.

Tamper-indicating plastic closure with segemented pilfer band

A tamper-indicating plastic closure for a container comprises a plastic closure cap having a circular top wall portion, and a depending annular skirt portion. The closure further includes an annular pilfer band depending from the skirt portion which is at least partially detachably connected thereto by a frangible connection. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible projections, and a plurality of respectively associated interference beads. By this arrangement, the pilfer band is configured for two modes of interfering engagement with an annular locking ring of an associated container for at least partially separating the pilfer band from the closure skirt for tamper-indication.

Tamper-indicating plastic closure

A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes a plastic closure cap having a top wall portion, and a depending cylindrical skirt portion, and an annular pilfer band depending from the skirt portion. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible tabs, and an annular interference bead, with the arrangement configured to provide two modes of tamper-indicating interaction with an associated container. In order to facilitate high-speed application of the closure to a container, each of the flexible tabs includes a relatively thick central portion, operative during the second mode of tamper-indication, and an adjacent base portion of relatively reduced thickness for enhanced flexibility.

A novel plastic closure is disclosed having a self-engaging locking pilfer band arrangement for engagement with a locking ring on the neck of the container to which the closure is applied. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending relatively thin flexible wings or fingers which move to an out-of-the-way position during application of the closure to the container. When the closure is in place on the container, the wings are disposed such that they engage the surface of the locking ring on the container neck when the closure is moved for removal from the container. During removal, each wing engages the locking ring so that resistance to removal of the closure is created in the pilfer band, whereby areas of reduced strength fracture clearly indicating partial or complete removal of the closure from the container.

Plastic closure with mechanical pilfer band

A novel closure-making process and apparatus are disclosed for formation of plastic closures. The closures include a plastic closure cap which is compression molded to provide a closure having the requisite strength. The process includes steps for formation of a sealing liner within the closure cap if desired, with formation of a novel liner-retaining arrangement provided for secure retention of the liner within the cap. The process also includes steps for formation of a tamper-indicating pilfer band integrally with the plastic cap of the closure for formation of closures requiring a suitable tamper-indicating device.

Process for making a closure

A composite closure for a bottle or like container is disclosed which includes a compression molded plastic cap and a plastic sealing liner retained within the cap. Effective retention of the sealing liner in position within the plastic cap is provided by an inwardly extending annular lip disposed between an internal thread formation of the plastic cap and its top wall portion, and a ring of projections extending integrally from the inner surface of the top wall portion of the cap. The sealing liner includes an annular bead portion adjacent to and in engagement with the annular lip and ring of projections so that the liner is effectively retained in position within the plastic cap.

Composite closure

A composite closure having a plastic cap with a specially configured arrangement for retention of a plastic liner. In one embodiment, integral pedestals are provided each have an overhang, such as a mushroom-shaped head, to provide a mechanical interlock with the liner. In other embodiments, pedestals are provided each having a fusible heat concentration zone that is fused to the liner as the liner is compression molded and heated in the cap. In one embodiment, the fusible pedestals are each cylindrical. In another embodiment, the fusible pedestals are each in the shape of a pyramid.

A process for making a composite closure having a plastic cap with specially configured pedestals that are interconnected to a plastic liner. In one embodiment, the pedestals are each formed with an overhang, such as a mushroom-shaped overhang, to provide a mechanical interlock with the liner. In other embodiments, the pedestals are each formed with a fusible heat concentration zone that is fused to the liner as the liner is compression molded and heated in the cap. In one embodiment, each of the fusible pedestals are formed with a cylindrical configuration. In another embodiment, each of the fusible pedestals are formed in the shape of a pyramid.

Growing community of inventors

Crawfordsville, IN, United States of America

Thomas J McCandless