US 5,314,084 AGranted

Two piece all plastic seal

AssigneeWest Corporation

InventorsChristopher M. Folta, John M. Anes, Homer J. Brown

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Abstract

A closure device for use with a container having an open neck finish, including an inner cap having a skirt terminating in an open end which engages the outside diameter of the finish. The inner cap is sized to initially engage the finish. The skirt has circumferentially spaced slits extending, which may function as lyophilization ports, which permit the inner cap to expand upon an axial closing force and engage the bottom of the finish. A liner is positioned in the inner cap proximate the closed end and is compressed against the finish when the cap is moved to alignment with the bottom of the finish. An outer cap is locked on to the inner cap in pre-assembly which then encloses the inner cap after complete assembly to seal and compress the liner between the finish and the inside face of the inner cap. In a preferred embodiment, an inwardly facing ridge is located on the inside of the inner cap to engage the liner by a distance sufficient to permit the liner to seal to the finish over the maximum variation of dimensions for the liner and for the crown on the finish.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A closure for use with a container having a discharge opening, comprising:

an inner cap having a top and a skirt depending axially therefrom, said skirt terminating in first engagement means for engaging said container adjacent said discharge opening to provide a first assembly position with said top spaced from said container by a first distance, said skirt including a plurality of circumferentially spaced slits;
a liner held by said skirt in a position proximate to said top and having a thickness less than said first distance to cooperate with said slits to define an air path for access to said discharge opening in said first assembly position;
an outer cap having a top and a dependant skirt including second engagement means on its terminal end for engaging the outside of said inner cap proximate its top in said first assembly position;
said first engagement means disengages upon application of a first axial force to move said inner cap and said liner to sealing engagement with said discharge opening;
and
said second engagement means disengages upon application of a second greater force to thereby position said outer cap in surrounding relationship over said inner cap.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.