Container closure

#This invention relates to the container arts, and particularly to a closure suitable for use with a container having a radial groove on an inside surface of the mouth of the container.

#Various designs have been proposed for closures for containers which would include means for lockingly engaging the closure with the container. An example of such a means is a screw thread provided on a flange of a closure for engagement with a similar screw thread provided on or near the mouth of a container.

#In view of the use of automated filling lines for filling containers, considerable effort has been made to design closures which are capable of being applied to containers with simple automated equipment not requiring human intervention. Additionally, it is generally felt to be desirable to design closures which are resealable and which may include means which would visually indicate whether the container had been opened at any time following its initial closing under prescribed conditions.

#The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention and show two preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived. In such drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a sectional detail of a first embodiment of the invention showing the lid disengaged from a container;

#FIG. 2 is a detail of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with the lid engaged with the container;

#FIGS. 1-3 show a first embodiment of the present invention wherein closure 10 is applied to container 12 having a groove 14 on the inside surface 16 of the container near the mouth 18 thereof. The closure 10 includes a lid 20 having a central disk 22 with an upstanding wall 24 at the periphery of the disk 22 for contacting the interior surface 16 of the container 12. A plurality of radial projections 26 are provided on the outside surface of the upstanding wall 24. Each radial projection 26 is surrounded by a region 28 which is substantially thinner than the remaining portion of the upstanding wall 24, thus imparting radial flexibility between the plurality of projections 26 and the remaining portions of the upstanding wall 24. Means, such as ring 30, is disposed radially inside the upstanding wall 24 of lid 20, and is axially displaceable with respect to the upstanding wall 24 in the direction of cap A. When the ring means is displaced in the direction of cap A, the displacement causes a corresponding radial displacement of the plurality of projections 26 outward with respect to the remaining portions of the upstanding wall 24, the plurality of projections 26 engaging the groove 14 on the inside surface 16 of the container 12.

#The lid 20 preferably includes flange 32 at the upper end of upstanding wall 24. The flange 32 extends radially outward from the upper end of wall 24 and overlies the lip 34 of the mouth 18 of container 12. A sealing means, such as O-ring 36, can be interposed between flange 32 and lip 34 to hermetically seal the container.

#In order that the axial displacement of ring means 30 in the direction A would cause the radial displacement of the plurality of projections 26, a like plurality of dimples 38 are provided on the inside surface of upstanding wall 24, the dimples 38 being circumferentially aligned with the radial projections 26. The dimple 38 physically contacts a lower outside surface 40 of ring 30, the surface 40 being dimensioned such that the axial displacement of ring means 30 forces dimple 38 to move radially outward, thereby causing the corresponding radial projection 26 to be similarly moved. The flexibility imparted by the thinned region 28 surrounding the projection 26 permits the necessary movement. This movement can also be enhanced by an appropriate selection of materials for lid 20 and ring means 30. Appropriate materials for the ring means include high-density polyvinylchloride and the like having very low compressibility.