US3531013A - Container closure having fastening means - Google Patents

Description

P w. HAMMES 3,531,013

CONTAINER caosuma HAVING FASTENING MEANS Filed Oct. 23, 1968 v .3 Sheets-Sheet 1 van/r0 12 Mum/1 MIME;

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CONTAINER CLOSURE HAVING FASTENING;- MEANS Filed Oct. 25 1968 w. HAMMES .5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O 3,531,013 CONTAINER CLOSURE HAVING FASTENING MEANS Wilhelm Hammes, Seelscheid, Siegberg, Germany, as-

signor to Mauser-Kommandit-Gesellschaft, Cologne, Germany Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 816,848 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 25, 1967, M 60,378; June 12, 1968, M 62,635 Int. Cl. A47j 27/08, 36/10; B65d 45/00 US. Cl. 22055 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A closure for containers wherein the circumferential wall has an end portion bounding an open end and is provided adjacent the open end with an annular groove in the outer side of the wall. The closure is in form of a cap having an end wall and an inner and a concentric outer annular wall projecting to one side from the end wall so that the end portion of the circumferential wall of the container is located in the annular clearance between the annular walls. The outer annular wall is subdivided into a plurality of circumferentially distributed individual segments and connecting means applied externally of the outer annular wall urges .the segments into the groove in the circumferential wall of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to containers, and more specifically to closures for containers.

Many containers, such as barrels consisting of synthetic plastic material or other material, have an open end which must be closed in suitable manner. Of course, many ways of connecting a closure to the container for this purpose are known, such as welding, bonding or the like. However, the present invention is concerned specifically with the type of container wherein the end portion or edge portion of the container wall bounding the open end is provided adjacent the open end in its outer side with a circumferential annular groove and with a corresponding inner annular bulge, both of which are engaged by the closure used for closing the open end of the container. In this type of arrangement it is known to provide the closure in form of a cap having an inner and an outer concentric annular wall with the inner wall being located within and the outer wall without the confines of the circumferential container wall, and with a ring of metal or other material surrounding the outer annular wall of the cap closure and pressing the same against the outer side of the circumferential container wall. The problem with this type of container closure is the fact that it will neither provide a reliable sealing action between the closure and the container nor prevent partial or complete separation of the closure from the container in the case of rough handling. It is evident that, if axial stresses, such as axially directed blows act upon the closure, the latter may be deformed and its outer annular wall pulled out of engagement with the metal ring, or this separation may occur because of the elasticity of the material of the cap closure. Furthermore, it is of course clear that the ring itself may be permanently deformed as a result of rough handling so that the circumferentially equal pressure on the outer wall which is necessary for maintaining the same in tight engagement with the circumferential container wall is destroyed.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved closure for use with the type of container here under discussion.

A more particular object of the present invention is ice to provide such an improved closure wherein the closure can be reliably secured to the container in such a manner as to preclude separation of the closure from the container even under rough handling.

An additional object of the invention is to provide the type of closure under discussion wherein the separate metal ring heretofore needed for connecting the closure to the container is no longer required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a closure for use with the type of container having a circumferential wall bound ing an open end and being provided in its edge portion surrounding the open end with an annular groove in the outer side of the wall. Such a closure according to my invention comprises an end wall which is arranged to be located in the open end of the container when the closure is connected with the same. An inner and a concentric outer annular wall project to one side of the end wall and define between themselves an annular clearance in which the edge portion of the circumferential container'wall is received with the outer annular wall being subdivided into a plurality of circumferentially distributed individual segments. Connecting means engages the outer annular wall of the outside thereof and deflects the individual segments into the annular groove for there by connecting the closure with the container.

In this manner I obtain what has not heretofore existed, namely a deflection of portions of these segments of the outer annular wall into the annular groove provided in the outer side of the container wall so that Slipping of the outer annular wall of the closure from between the connecting means and the outside of the circumferential container wall is reliably precluded.

Advantageously, the inner face of the outer annular wall is provided with a circumferential bead consisting of sections each of which is provided on one of the segments of which the outer annular wall is composed, and it is these sections of the bead which will extend into the groove.'

This also results of course in a localized increase in the thickness of the outer annular wall which further reinforces the same, and in turn this provides improved sealing action particularly if the connecting means forces the segments into the grooves in such a manner that the circumferentially container wall is slightly inwardly deflected. Of course, the individual segments abut one another circumferentially and, when the connecting means secures the closure to the container, the outer annular wall will be stiff and will not yield. The provision of the outer annular wall in the form of individual segments also facilitates the provision of the bead and/or any other material increase desired for reinforcing the outer annular wall.

Where it is necessary or desired to provide increased sealing action, for instance if the contents of the container are in gaseous form or are likely to emit gases, a separate sealing element may be provided in the annular clearance between the inner and outer annular walls for engaging the end face of the circumferential wall when the closure is connected with the container.

Particularly in cases where the open end of the container is of relatively small cross-sectional dimensions it is possible and advantageous to make the inner annular wall of the closure with an outer diameter which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the open end, and to provide the closure in the outer side of its end wall, that is the side facing away from the interior of the container, with an annular slot extending through the end wall into the inner annular wall and subdividing the latter over part of its height into two portions whereby the necessary flexibility is obtained which allows the inner annular wall to be forced into the open end despite the diameter differential. So forced into the open end, the outer portion of the thus bi-sected inner annular wall will tend to bulge outwardly within the confines of the container into tight engagement with the circumferential container wall, providing a press fit which assures reliable sealing between container and closure which is maintained even if the circumferential wall of the container is subjected to deformations in the region of the open end which is closed by the closure.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary bottom-plan view of a closure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary axial view, on an enlarged scale, through a closure of the type shown in FIG. 1, illustrated as being affixed to a container; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail it will be seen that my novel container closure is generally identified with reference numeral 1. It consists advantageously although not necessarily of synthetic plastic material. As FIGS. 2 and 3 show, the closure 1 is connected to the end portion of the circumferential container wall 12 bounding the open end of the container. The container wall 12 in the illustrated embodiment is so configurated as to provide in the region of the portion 13 an outwardly bulging annular portion and in the region of the portion 11 an inwardly bulging annular portion which forms at the outer side of the container wall 12 a circumferential groove.

The closure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an end wall 2 extending transversely of the open end of the container when the closure is connected to the latter, and two annular walls 3 and 7 projecting to one side of the end wall 2, that is in the direction away from the open end and towards the other end of the container. The annular walls 3 and 7 are concentric and define between themselves an annular clearance in which the portions 11, 13 of the circumferential container wall 12 are received when the closure 1 is connected to the container. The inner wall 3 is located within the confines of the open end of the container, as illustrated, and the outer wall 7 is located exteriorly of the container wall 12. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inner wall 3 diverges radially inwardly to some extent in the region of the bulging portion 11 and tightly engages the inner side of the container Wall 12 in the region of the portion 11. The outer wall 7 is subdivided by slots or incisions 14 (compare FIG. 1) into a plurality of individual segments; it is provided on its inner side with an annular projecting bead 8 which in turn consists of sections each of which is provided on one of the segments. Its outer side is provided with an annular depression 9 in which there is located a connecting means, here illustrated in form of a wire or the like, which serves to deflect the individual segments inwardly into the groove defined in the region of the portion 11, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. The outer side of the end wall 2, that is the side facing away from the open end of the container, is in this embodiment provided with an annular slot 6 extending partly into the inner annular wall 3 and subdividing the same over part of the height thereof into a stiff inner portion 4 and a resiliently deflectable outer portion 5. In this embodiment the outer diameter of the annular wall 3 is somewhat in excess of the diameter of the open end of the container and it will be seen that when the closure 1 is forced into the open end of the container, the portion 5 will be somewhat inwardly deflected and will then bulge radially outwardly, inwardly of the open end of the container as shown. This provides a particularly good and reliable connection in conjunction with the connecting means 10 and the segments constituting the outer annular wall 7.

If a still tighter seal is desired, then the inner side of the end wall 2 may. be provided in the clearance between the inner and the outer annular walls 3, 7 with an annular recess 17 in which a suitable sealing member (not illustrated) may be located which will then abut against the end face of the container wall 12 when the closure -1 is connected therewith.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner side of the end wall 2, that is the side facing the interior of the container, is provided with a plurality of projecting ribs 15 (compare also FIG. 2) radiating from the center of the closure, and advantageously also with an annular rib 16 intersecting the ribs 15 and located substantially midway between the center of the closure and the outer annular wall 7 thereof.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 only in that the slot 6 is omitted so that the inner annular wall 3 is not subdivided into the two parts 4 and 5, and also in that the inner annular wall 3 does not engage the circumferential container wall 12 in the region of the bulge 11 thereof. In this context it should be emphasized still that the slot 6 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 terminates just about the level of the bulge 11.

Both in the embodiment of FIG. 2 and that of FIG. 3 the closure 1 is recessed as indicated at 2a so as to provide a space in which the bottom of another container may be partially received, to facilitate stacking and prevent slippage of the stacked containers with reference to one another.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a container closure, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A closure for use with containers having a circumferential wall bounding an open end and provided in its edge portion surrounding said open end with an annular groove in the outer side of the wall; said closure comprising an end wall arranged to be located in said open end when the closure is connected with said container; an inner and a concentric outer anular wall projecting to one side of said end wall and defining between themselves an annular clearance in which said edge portion is received when said closure is connected with said container, said outer annular wall being subdivided into a plurality of circumferentially distributed individual segments; and connecting means engaging said outer annular wall at the outside thereof and deflecting the individual segments into said annular groove for thereby connecting said closure with said container.

2. A closure as defined in claim 1, consisting of synthetic plastic material.

3. A closure as defined in claim 1, said outer annular wall having an inner side facing said groove and being provided with a circumferential bead consisting of individual portions each provided on one of said segments,

said portions being received in said groove when said segments are deflected by said connecting means.

4. A closure as defined in claim 1, the inner side of the wall of said container bulging inwardly oppositely said groove, and wherein said inner annular wall of said closure diverges radially inwardly oppositely of and in correspondence with the bulging of said inner side of said container.

5. A closure as defined in claim 1, said end wall having a side facing the interior of said container and being provided in said side and in said annular clearance between said annular walls with an annular recess; and further comprising sealing means provided in said annular recess for sealingly engaging the end face of said circumferential wall of said container when said closure is connected with the latter.

6. A closure as defined in claim 1, said end wall having a side facing the interior of said container; and a plurality of projecting reinforcing ribs provided on said side of said end wall and radiating outwardly from the center of said end wall.

7. A closure as defined in claim 1; and further comprising an annular rib provided on said side of said end wall substantially midway between said center and said outer annular wall and intersecting said reinforcing ribs.

8. A closure as defined in claim 1, said end wall having a first side facing the interior of said container and a second side facing away from said first side, and the outer diameter of said inner annular wall being slightly greater than the diameter of said open end; and wherein said end wall is provided with an annular slot extending inwardly from said second side and into said inner annular wall to thereby make the latter elastically compressible and make possible introduction of said inner annular wall into said open end despite the diameter dilference the two.

9. A closure as defined in claim 8, said inner and outer annular walls both being of such height as to project inwardly beyond the level of said groove when said cover is connected with said container; and wherein said slot extending into said inner annular wall terminates short of said level.

10. A closure as defined in claim 9, said slot subdividing said inner annular wall over part of the height thereof into a relatively stiff inner annular section and a flexible outer annular section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,424,340 1/1969 'Rocher 220- 3,451,586 6/1969 Maliszewski 220- GEORGE T. HALL-Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 220-42, 60

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