Closure with gas-barrier liner and package incorporating same

Abstract

A package made up of a container () with a closure assembly () applied thereto. The closure assembly has a molded plastic closure element () with a top panel () and an annular skirt () that depends downwardly from the. top panel and surrounds and engages a finish of the container. The closure assembly () also has a barrier disc () that underlies the top panel, but is out of engagement with a rim () of the container () when the closure assembly is applied to the container. The closure element has an integral sealing fin () with an inner end () as a first portion and an outer end () as a second portion, and the outer end, as molded, extends inwardly and downwardly from a distal end of the first portion. When the closure assembly is applied to the container, the second portion of the sealing fin is folded back toward the inner end of the sealing fin and engages the rim and a terminal side portion () of the finish of the container to form a top and side seal between the closure assembly () and the container (). The outer end of the sealing fin also traps the sealing disc against the underside of the top panel of the closure but out of engagement with the container. The barrier disk disc is molded or fabricated from a material, for example, EVOH or LCP, that has excellent resistance to the permeation of Oor other gases therethrough, and may have an oxygen-scavenging material embedded therein when it is desired to use a closure assembly with such a barrier liner for the packaging of oxygen-sensitive materials, such as beer and other malt beverage products, dairy products and real juices.