Closure system for medical liquid container having low-torque breakaway ring
AssigneeAmerican Hospital Supply Corporation
InventorEugene C. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A closure system for a medical liquid container having a dispensing outlet surrounded by a flange over which is fitted a plastic cap. The cap is externally threaded and has an outwardly-projecting brim at its lower end overlying the flange. The brim is sealed to the flange along an annular zone having an inner boundary defining an annular line of weakness, and an internally-threaded breakaway ring is threadedly disposed on the cap. The breakaway ring includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced depending projections for stressing the brim along portions of the annular line of weakness and for initiating and propagating the rupture of the brim as the breakaway ring is screwed downwardly upon the cap.
Claims18
A container for storing and dispensing sterile liquids, said container having a dispensing outlet surrounded by a flange, an externally-threaded cap fitting over the outlet and having an outwardly-projecting brim at its lower end overlying said flange, said brim being sealed to said flange along an annular zone having an inner boundary defining an annular line of weakness of said brim, and an internally-threaded breakaway ring threadedly disposed on said cap, wherein the improvement comprises
- said breakaway ring having a plurality of torque-reducing circumferentially-spaced depending projections for slidably engaging and stressing said brim along portions of said annular line of weakness and for initiating and propagating the rupture of said brim as said ring is threaded downwardly to force said cap upwardly away from said container.
A container for storing and dispensing sterile liquids, said container having a dispensing outlet surrounded by a flange, an externally-threaded cap fitting over the outlet and having an outwardly-projecting brim at its lower end overlying said flange, said brim being sealed to said flange along an annular zone having an inner boundary defining an annular line of weakness of said brim, and an internally-threaded breakaway ring threadedly disposed on said cap, wherein the improvement comprises
- said breakaway ring having a plurality of torque reducing circumferentially-spaced depending projections engagable with said brim along said line of weakness, each of said projections having a pair of downwardly extending surfaces meeting along a generally radially-directed bearing edge, said edge and at least one of the surfaces adjacent thereto being slidably engagable with said brim for stressing the same along a portion of said annular line of weakness for initiating and propagating rupture of the brim as said ring is forcefully threaded downwardly.
A container for storing and dispensing sterile liquids, said container having a dispensing outlet surrounded by a flange, an externally-threaded cap fitting over the outlet and having an outwardly-projecting brim at its lower end overlying said flange, said brim being sealed to said flange along an annular zone having an inner boundary defining an annular line of weakness of said brim, and an internally-threaded breakaway ring threadedly disposed on said cap, wherein the improvement comprises
- said breakaway ring having at least one downwardly tapered depending projection for slidably engaging and stressing said brim along said annular line of weakness and for initiating and propagating the rupture of said brim as said ring is threaded downwardly to force said cap upwardly away from said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.