US3684119A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vented two-piece closure
Assignee: OI Glass Inc
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Filing: 1971-01-26
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1991-01-26
Abstract
Abstract The disclosed invention is a plastic liner cap in a two-piece closure on containers for beer, carbonated beverages and the like. The liner cap top panel over the mouth area of the container includes a vent means comprised of an annular channel formed in the cap and a series of spaced vertical slits disposed annularly in the channel. An outer cap of metal includes a tear strip for hand removal of the closure. When the tear strip is initially ruptured, pressure is released through the vent slits and conveyed through the initial rupture of the tear strip. Axial flexing movement of the liner opens or closes the vent slits. The vent means assures positive venting on opening the closure and allows capping of the two-piece closure on the container without registering or orientation of the vents and the tear strip. The liner cap is usable as an independent reclosure device after the container is opened. A second embodiment provides a seal of liner and overcap adjacent the opposite margins of the channel. This minimizes space between the liner and overcap for product to collect and cause a reaction before the container is opened.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert O Burroughs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:38
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D51/00; B65D51/16; B65D51/1672; B65D51/1683
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A closure for sealing the mouth opening of a container for a pressurizable product, said mouth being formed by a finish rim of the container, comprising a liner having a disc-like portion covering the mouth opening of the container, said liner being comprised of an elastomeric material, channel means formed in said disc-like portion disposed annularly therein and radially inwardly of said finish rim, and plural, spaced apart vent slits axially through the material of said disc-like portion located in said channel means, each said vent slit and channel means cooperating through flexing of said material of said disc-like portion to open and close said vent slits for venting therethrough a pressure existing interiorly of the container, a cap having a top portion overlying said elastomeric liner and a radial annular integral skirt portion surrounding the finish rim and securing the closure on the container, and a rupturable convenience-opening tear strip formed in said top portion of the cap, said strip traversing at least one of said slits and channel means in the underlying disc-like portion of the elastomeric liner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A closure for sealing the mouth opening of a container for a pressurizable product, said mouth being formed by a finish rim of the container, comprising a liner having a disc-like portion covering the mouth opening of the container, said liner being comprised of an elastomeric material, channel means formed in said disc-like portion disposed annularly therein and radially inwardly of said finish rim, and plural, spaced apart vent slits axially through the material of said disc-like portion located in said channel means, each said vent slit and channel means cooperating through flexing of said material of said disc-like portion to open and close said vent slits for venting therethrough a pressure existing interiorly of the container, a cap having a top portion overlying said elastomeric liner and a radial annular integral skirt portion surrounding the finish rim and securing the closure on the container, and a rupturable convenience-opening tear strip formed in said top portion of the cap, said strip traversing at least one of said slits and channel means in the underlying disc-like portion of the elastomeric liner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The closure defined in claim 1, wherein the channel means comprises an annular groove in the top surface of said liner disc-like portion, said vent slits each being formed axially through the material in the bottom of the groove.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The closure defined in claim 2, wherein the groove cross-sectional profile is arcuate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The closure defined in claim 3, wherein the annular groove is continuous.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The closure defined in claim 4, wherein said vent slits are arc-segments in spaced array along said groove.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The closure defined in claim 5, wherein the vent slits are of equal length and are at equally spaced apart intervals around said continuous arcuate groove.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The closure defined in claim 1, wherein said channel means comprises a continuous arcuate groove depressed beneath the exterior surface of the liner top portion and provides a channel for conducting vented pressurized media from inside the container to a location beneath the initially ruptured portion of the tear strip of the outer cap upon opening the closure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The closure defined in claim 1, wherein the liner is attached to the underside of the cap on opposite radially disposed sides of the liner channel means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The closure defined in claim 8, wherein said attachment of liner and cap is by an adhesive applied for sealingly attaching the liner and cap on opposite sides of said channel means of the liner.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
An elastomeric snap cap liner for use in a closure on a container having a mouth opening defined by a finish rim comprising a top portion covering the mouth opening, a skirt flange surrounding said rim and joined peripherally at one side with the top portion at a corner radius, said corner radius overlying said container rim, groove means in the top surface of said top portion and disposed inwardly therein of said corner radius, and slit means through the top portion of said liner and disposed in said groove means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
An elastomeric snap cap liner for use in a closure on a container having a mouth opening defined by a finish rim comprising a top portion covering the mouth opening, a skirt flange surrounding said rim and joined peripherally at one side with the top portion at a corner radius, said corner radius overlying said container rim, groove means in the top surface of said top portion and disposed inwardly therein of said corner radius, and slit means through the top portion of said liner and disposed in said groove means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The elastomeric snap cap liner defined in claim 10, characterized by the fact that the slit means is openable by a pressure differential built up between the exterior and interior of the container to provide a vent for the container and closed when the pressure in the container is near atmospheric pressure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A liner for a closure covering a container mouth opening comprising a top panel covering said container mouth, means forming an annularly disposed channel on the exteriorly facing surface of said top panel and slit vent means in said channel means for venting the container through said liner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
A liner for a closure covering a container mouth opening comprising a top panel covering said container mouth, means forming an annularly disposed channel on the exteriorly facing surface of said top panel and slit vent means in said channel means for venting the container through said liner.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
131 words
The liner of claim 12 in combination with an outer cap having a top panel, a skirt flange surrounding said mouth opening and attaching said cap to the container and a corner radius portion peripherally joining the top panel and skirt flange, an opening device in the top panel of said cap in overlying communication with said channel means, the opening device being operable for rupture of the top panel and removal of the cap from the container, said liner being disposed between said cap and mouth of the container, whereby differential pressure gas media in said container is conducted by said vent means and channel means to the point of initial opening in the top panel of the cap, and the container is vented upon operation of the opening device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The closure article of claim 13, including means on opposite sides of the channel sealingly connecting the top panel of the liner to the under side surface of the outer cap top panel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The closure article of claim 14, wherein said sealingly connecting means comprises an annular planar surface defining concentric rings on either side of said channel and heat sealing attachment between the planar surfaces of said rings and the cap top panel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The closure article of claim 14, wherein said sealingly connecting means comprises concentric annular ring patterns of adhesive material on the top surface of the liner top panel and disposed at either side of said channel thereon, said adhesive attaching the liner to the outer cap top panel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The closure article of claim 13, including means for attaching said liner cap in nesting, concentric relationship within said outer cap, thereby providing a two-piece closure unit for capping assembly onto the mouth of the container.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
137 words
A closure for sealing the mouth opening of a container for a product, said mouth being formed at a finish rim of the container, comprising a liner cap of an elastomeric material having a flexible, disc-like portion spanning the mouth opening of the container, slit valve means in said disc-like portion normally closed and operable in response to pressure differential on opposite sides of the disc-like portion for opening said valve means by flexinG the disc-like portion on said finish rim, an outer cap having a top portion overlying said liner and a radial annular skirt portion surrounding the finish rim and securing the closure on the container, and a tear strip formed in said top portion of the outer cap, said strip traversing said slit valve means in the underlying disc-like portion of the elastomeric liner.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
137 words
A closure for sealing the mouth opening of a container for a product, said mouth being formed at a finish rim of the container, comprising a liner cap of an elastomeric material having a flexible, disc-like portion spanning the mouth opening of the container, slit valve means in said disc-like portion normally closed and operable in response to pressure differential on opposite sides of the disc-like portion for opening said valve means by flexinG the disc-like portion on said finish rim, an outer cap having a top portion overlying said liner and a radial annular skirt portion surrounding the finish rim and securing the closure on the container, and a tear strip formed in said top portion of the outer cap, said strip traversing said slit valve means in the underlying disc-like portion of the elastomeric liner.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
77 words
The closure defined in claim 18, wherein the top portion of the outer cap is domed to a convex configuration by pressurized gas conducted through said valve means of the liner providing a chamber between said liner and outer caps, said gas in the chamber being released upon severing said tear strip portion of the outer cap and said valve means thereafter venting the interior of the container by internal differential pressure flexing the disc-like portion convexly.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The closure defined in claim 18, including channel means annularly disposed in said disc-like portion of the liner cap, said slit valve means comprising axial slits through the elastomeric material and disposed in said channel means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The closure defined in claim 20, wherein said channel means comprises an angular groove pin said disc-like portion and underlying said tear strip of the outer cap.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The closure defined in claim 18, wherein the outer cap is comprised of metal and the tear strip is integrally formed therein by a score line in said outer cap.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The closure defined in claim 22, wherein the outer cap is aluminum.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The closure defined in claim 22, wherein the elastomeric liner cap is comprised of polyethylene.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
The closure defined in claim 18, wherein the outer cap comprises means for nestingly retaining the liner cap therein as a two-piece assembly prior to applying it on the container finish.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
49 words
The closure defined in claim 25, wherein said means retaining said liner in the outer cap comprises an annular bead on the skirt of said outer cap disposed below the liner cap when the latter is nestingly assembled in the outer cap, said bead supporting said liner cap therein.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The closure defined in claim 25, wherein the means retaining said liner in the outer cap comprises an adhesive securing an area of the outer cap and liner cap together.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The closure cap defined in claim 27, including an annular channel in the disc-like portion of said liner cap and said adhesive is disposed on opposite sides of said channel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The closure cap defined in claim 28, wherein said adhesive is disposed along said channel on its opposite sides and sealingly secures said liner to the outer cap.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-15 | 1976-02-14 | 1976-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-15 | 1980-02-14 | 1980-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-02-14 | 1984-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |