Composite closure and method of making same

A composite closure adapted for press-on application to and rotational removable from a container, said closure comprising:

• a metal end panel member having a generally circular central portion sized and positioned to overlie a mouth of a container to which said closure is applied, said container mouth being defined by generally cylindrical neck portion which includes at least one external thread, said end panel member having an upper surface and a lower surface extending into a free edge at a peripheral portion thereof, said peripheral portion including an inner surface and an outer surface adjacent no said free edge, a generally cylindrical flexible skirt composed of a flexible thermoplastic resin molded in surrounding and capturing relation to said end panel to provide said skirt and end panel with a unitary construction with at least of the upper and lower surfaces of said end panel, said skirt including at least one preformed internal thread positioned and sized for mating engagement with said at least one external thread of said container neck, said skirt and preformed internal thread having respective internal diameters which enable the press-on application of said closure to a container but which require rotational movement for removal of said closure from said container, said plastic skirt further including an upper annular flange which extends inwardly of and over an outer periphery of the central portion of said end panel member with at least a radial innermost portion of the outer surface of the central portion of said end panel member being exposed;
• a gasket within said closure, said gasket having been formed by molding the same to at least one of said end panel member and said skirt and being engageable with said neck portion of said container to provide a seal therewith;
• said free edge and the inner and outer surfaces of said peripheral portion adjacent thereto being fully encapsulated by at least one of said gasket and said molded plastic skirt and, a cylindrical tamper band extending downwardly from a lower portion of said skirt, said tamper band being fully integrally formed with said skirt and including an upper portion joined to said skirt by a plurality of circumferentially disposed fracturable bridges and a lower portion which extends radially inwardly and axially upwardly for engagement with a retainer bead on said container.

A composite closure adapted for press-on application to and rotational removal from a container, said closure comprising:

• a metal end panel member having a generally circular central portion sized and positioned to overlie a mouth of a container to which said closure is applied, said container mouth being defined by a generally cylindrical neck portion which includes at least one external thread, said end panel member having an upper surface and a lower surface extending into a free edge at a peripheral portion thereof, said peripheral portion including an inner surface and an outer surface adjacent to said free edge, a generally cylindrical flexible skirt composed of a flexible thermoplastic resin, said skirt having been formed by molding the same in surrounding and capturing relation to said end panel, said skirt including at least one preformed internal thread positioned and sized for mating engagement with said at least one external thread of said container neck, said skirt and preformed internal thread having respective internal diameters which enable the press-on application of said closure to a container but which require rotational movement for removal of said closure from said container, said plastic skirt further including an upper annular flange which extends inwardly of and over an outer periphery of the central portion of said end panel member with at least a radial innermost portion of the outer surface of the central portion of said end panel member being exposed;
• a gasket within said closure, said gasket having been formed by molding the same to at least one of said end panel member and said skirt and being engageable with said neck portion of said container to provide a seal therewith;
• said free edge and the inner and outer surfaces of said peripheral portion adjacent thereto being encapsulated by at least one of said gasket and said molded plastic skirt and, a cylindrical tamper band extending downwardly from a lower portion of said skirt, said tamper band being integrally formed with said skirt and including an upper portion joined to said skirt by a plurality of circumferentially disposed fracturable bridges and a lower portion which extends radially inwardly and axially upwardly for engagement with a retainer bead on said container and wherein said molded gasket is in contact with both the inner surface of the peripheral portion of said metal end panel and said cylindrical skirt, and a bond between said gasket and cylindrical skirt is stronger than the bond between said gasket and the metal end panel portion in contact therewith, whereby on application of said closure to a container, said gasket will move in axially upward and downward directions to provide an improved side seal with the outer surface of the neck portion of said container.