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US 6,439,410 B1Granted
Integrally shaped plastic closure
AssigneeSoplar SA
InventorWerner Fritz Dubach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Plastic snap-on hinged closures each having a bottom part and a cap that are attached to each other by a snap-on hinge tend to tear on the lateral borders. This is due to the geometry of closures having a round or oval shape when viewed from the top since only the flexibility of the outer walls have been used so far. This unresolved problem can be solved by a curvature with varying height and wall thickness extending along the joint. The curvature is elastic when pressure is exerted in the middle and when pulled from the sides.
Claims7
An integral plastic closure comprising:
- a lower element (1), a cap (2);
- a continuous one-piece movable element (4) having opposing outer edges (5) and an axis centrally positioned between the outer edges (5);
- a continuous first film hinge (7) connecting the movable element (4) to the lower element (1), the first film hinge (7) extending along a first border between the lower element (1) and the movable element (4);
- a continuous second film hinge (6) connecting the movable element (4) to the cap (2), the second film hinge (6) extending along a second border between the cap (2) and the movable element (4);
- the first border positioned closest to the second border near the axis of the movable element (4), the first border and the second border diverging from each other along an outward direction from the axis to each of the outer edges (5);
- and
- the movable element (4) having a bulge portion (43) extending between the outer edges (5) and between the first film hinge (7) and the second film hinge (6), a thickness of the bulge portion (43) decreasing in the outward direction, and the bulge portion (43) becoming more hollowed in the outward direction.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.