EP1902972A1

EP1902972A1 - A hinged closure

Info

Publication number: EP1902972A1
Application number: EP07253368A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Martin Carey Bull
Original assignee: Obrist Closures Switzerland GmbH
Current assignee: Obrist Closures Switzerland GmbH
Priority date: 2006-09-23
Filing date: 2007-08-28
Publication date: 2008-03-26
Also published as: GB2445149B; GB0618783D0; GB2445149A

Abstract

A closure (10) is provided and comprises a first part (20) and a second part (30) such as a lid and a base or a lid and a retaining ring for a base. The parts are connected together by a hinge (140) which is formed from a section of at least part of the wall of at least one of the parts.

Description

The present invention relates generally to a closure and particularly to a closure having two parts which are connected together by a hinge.
It is known to provide plastic closures having a base and a lid connected together by a strap-like hinge. The hinge of such so-called "flip-top" closures is attached to both the lid and the base by a hinge element which is connected to and extends over wall sections of the base and lid. This means that the hinge projects beyond the periphery of the base and lid; in other words the hinge is not flush with the walls of the base and lid. This can lead to problems with capping of such closures.
The present invention seeks to address the problems with known hinged closures.
According to the present invention there is provided a closure comprising a first part and a second part connected together by a hinge, the parts comprising body walls, in which the hinge is formed from a section of at least one of the body walls.
The present invention therefore utilises a section of the closure wall as a hinge. Put another way, the wall of the first part and/or second part are incomplete in the sense that there is no body wall in the region of the hinge i.e. there is no casing wall "behind" the hinge.
The hinge may comprise a laminar strap or the like. The strap may be formed by moulding the closure in such a way that the hinge is effectively cut out of the casing wall. For example the strap may be flanked by windows in the casing wall which allow it to be moulded. The strap may be substantially the same thickness as the section of the part from which it extends. Localised thinning may be used to form hinge points, for example at one or both ends of a strap.
The hinge may be generally rectangular in shape with each of its two shorter ends forming the connection points to the remainder of the body wall/s.
The hinge may be connected to the remainder of either or both of the body walls by a region of material thinning which comprises a film or living hinge to allow for articulation of the parts.
The first part may comprise a lid and the second part may comprise a base. Alternatively the first part may comprise a lid and the second part may comprise a retaining ring which allows the closure to be attachable to another closure component such as a spout or base.
The hinge may be formed exclusively from a section of just one of the body walls. For example, in embodiments comprising a lid the hinge may be formed only from a section thereof.
The closure may further comprise tamper-evident means, such as one or more tamper-evident bands.
The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a closure formed according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the closure of Figure 1 shown connected to a base member to form a closure assembly;
Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of a closure assembly formed according to an alternative embodiment;
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the closure assembly of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the closure assembly of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a plan view of the closure assembly of Figure 3;
Figure 7 is a section of the closure assembly of Figure 3 shown attached to a container neck;
Figure 8 is a side view of the closure assembly shown in Figure 7 with the lid in an open position;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the closure assembly shown in Figure 8;
Figure 10 shows a closure formed according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 11 is a further picture of the closure shown in Figure 10; and
Figure 12 is a rear elevation of a closure formed according to an alternative embodiment.

Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a closure generally indicated 10. The closure 10 comprises a generally dome-shape lid 20 and an annular retaining ring 30.
The lid 20 is connected to the ring 30 by a hinge 40. The lid 20 is also connected to the ring 30 by a plurality of a frangible bridges 50.
Referring now also to Figure 2, the closure 10 is shown connected to a base 60 to form a closure assembly.
The base 60 comprises a cylindrical sidewall 65. At the end of the sidewall 65 opposite the closure 10 a tamper-evident band 70 depends. The band 70 is connected to the sidewall 65 by a plurality of frangible bridges 75.
The hinge 40 is formed so as to comprise a section of the wall of the lid 20. The hinge 40 is located in a generally arch-shape region and is flanked by two windows 45a, 45b. The hinge 40 is a generally rectangular strap which is continuous with the wall of the lid 20. The opposite end of the hinge 40 connects to the retaining ring 30. It will be noted that the wall of the lid 20 does not extend behind the hinge 40 because the hinge is formed as a section of the lid wall.
Referring now to Figures 3 to 7 there is shown a closure assembly formed according to an alternative embodiment. The closure assembly comprises a closure 110 which is very similar to the closure 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The closure 110 is connected to a base 160.
As shown best in Figure 7, the base comprises a cylindrical sidewall 165 and a tamper-evident band 175. The base 160 also comprises a spout 180 which extends into the interior of the closure 110. The spout 180 includes an annular recess 185 which is engaged by an annular rib 135 on the interior of the retaining ring 130 to hold the closure 110 in position on the base.
The hinge 140 is clearly shown to be continuous with and form part of the casing wall of the lid 120.
The closure assembly comprising the closure 110 and the base 160 is shown fitted to a container neck 190 in Figure 7. The container neck 190 comprises an annular recess 195 into which fit lugs 172 formed on the interior of the tamper-evident band 170. The lugs 172 retain the base 160 on the container neck 190. If the base 160 is removed from the container neck 190 the tamper-evident band 170 breaks away from the sidewall 165.
The hinge 140 is connected to the ring 130 by a thinned region 142. Similarly, the hinge 140 is connected to the lid 120 by a thinned region 144. The thinned regions 142, 144 themselves comprise film hinges which allow the lid 120 to be moved from the position shown in Figures 3 to 7 to the position shown in Figures 8 and 9.
The lid 120 rotates relative to the hinge 140 about the thin region 144. Similarly, the hinge 140 rotates relative to the ring 130 about the thin region 142.
Referring now to Figures 10 and 11 there is shown a closure 210 formed according to an alternative embodiment. The closure 210 comprises a lid 220 and a retaining ring 230 joined by a hinge 240. The form and function of the hinge 240 is generally the same as that described in relation to Figures 1 to 9 with a double hinging action provided for by the hinge 240 and the hinge lines 242, 244 at either end of the strap-like hinge 240.
Referring now to Figure 12 there is shown a closure 310 formed according to an alternative embodiment.
The closure 310 is very similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 2, except that there is no separate retaining ring; the lid 320 is connected directly to the base 360 by the hinge 340.

Claims

A closure (10) comprising a first part (20) and a second part (30) connected together by a hinge (40), the parts comprising body walls, in which the hinge is formed from a section of at least one of the body walls.
A closure as claimed in Claim 1, in which the hinge comprises a strap (40).
A closure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the strap (40) is flanked by windows (45a, 45b) in the casing wall.
A closure as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, in which the hinge (40) is generally rectangular.
A closure (110) as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hinge (140) is connected to the remainder of the body wall/s by a region of material thinning (142, 144) whereby to comprise a film hinge.
A closure as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first part comprises a lid (20).
A closure (310) as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the second part comprises a base (360).
A closure as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, in which the second part comprises a retaining ring (30) for attachment to a base.
A closure as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a spout arrangement (180).
A container provided with a closure as claimed in any preceding claim.