Metal closure and seal combination for maintaining the shape of a plastic container neck

A metal closure comprising:

• a circular, closure panel having an internal surface extending to a periphery, wherein a vacuum indicating panel is located at the center of the internal surface;
• a concentric channel extending from the periphery along an angled wall into a parallel wall generally parallel to the closure panel, the parallel wall extending into a first rounded wall having a center of radius within the closure, wherein the parallel wall is offset from the closure panel by a first distance;
• a concentric flange extending from the first rounded wall into a second rounded wall having a center of radius external to the closure into a transition wall which extends into a third rounded wall having a center of radius within the closure, wherein the first rounded wall transitions into the second rounded wall at a second distance from the periphery, the second distance being at least 2 times as large as the first distance, the radii of the first and second rounded walls are smaller than the radius of the third rounded wall, an angle between the angled wall and the parallel wall is between 20 and 75 degrees, the transition wall is generally parallel to the closure panel and the parallel wall, and a plane passing through the transition wall is displaced further from the parallel wall than the closure panel;
• a cylindrical skirt extending from the concentric flange;
• at least 4 equally spaced rolled flanges extending from the cylindrical skirt;
• at least one thread engagement flange located between each pair of rolled flanges wherein the engagement flanges include a tapered, rolled tip which facilitates sliding of the engagement flanges relative to a thread on a respective container neck;
• and
• a resilient polymeric material which fills the concentric channel.

A sealed container comprising:

• a plastic container including a threaded neck which provides an opening to the container, the neck including generally parallel internal and external walls terminating at a sealing edge;
• and
• a metal closure including;
• a circular, closure panel having an internal surface extending to a periphery, wherein a vacuum indicating panel is located at the center of the internal surface,
• a concentric channel extending from the periphery along an angled wall into a parallel wall generally parallel to the closure panel, the parallel wall extending into a first rounded wall having a center of radius within the closure, wherein the parallel wall is offset from the closure panel by a first distance,
• a concentric flange extending from the first rounded wall into a second rounded wall having a center of radius external to the closure into a transition wall which extends into a third rounded wall having a center of radius within the closure, wherein the first rounded wall transitions into the second rounded wall at a second distance from the periphery, the second distance being at least 2 times as large as the first distance, the radii of the first and second rounded walls are smaller than the radius of the third rounded wall, the transition wall is generally parallel to the closure panel and the parallel wall, and a plane passing through the transition wall is displaced further from the parallel wall than the closure panel,
• a cylindrical skirt extending from the concentric flange,
• at least 4 equally spaced rolled flanges extending from the cylindrical skirt,
• at least one thread engagement flange located between each pair of rolled flanges wherein the engagement flanges include a tapered, rolled tip which facilitates sliding of the engagement flanges relative to a thread on the threaded neck, and
• a resilient polymeric material which fills the concentric channel;
• wherein the tapered, rolled tips are engaged with the threaded neck so that the sealing edge is forced into the polymeric material so that the polymeric material engages the sealing edge to resist deformation of the threaded neck when forces between the tips and threaded neck are sufficient to seal the closure to the threaded neck.