Closure for containers

Abstract

A closure for a container having a rim surrounding an opening to be closed, the closure including a lid portion having a peripheral rim portion adapted to sealingly engage the rim of the container, and a peripheral ring portion extending from the rim portion of the lid portion and having a depending portion adapted to engage the rim of the container to hold the peripheral rim portion in sealing engagement with the container rim. The depending portion is formed with a multiplicity of separate flexible finger elements, each having an inwardly directed abutment portion which in use engages the rim of the container to hold the closure in the closed position, the fingers occupying in their as molded or neutral positions a position in which the abutment portions are in use at least partially engaged with the rim of the container.

1 . A closure for a container having a rim surrounding an opening to be closed, the closure including a lid portion having a peripheral rim portion adapted to sealingly engage the rim of the container, a peripheral ring portion extending from the rim portion of the lid portion and having a depending portion adapted to engage the rim of the container to hold the peripheral rim portion in sealing engagement with the container rim, said depending portion being formed with a multiplicity of separate flexible finger elements each having an inwardly directed abutment portion which in use engages the rim of the container to hold the closure in the closed position, said fingers occupying in their as moulded or neutral positions a position in which the abutment portions are in use at least partially engaged with the rim of the container, and a locking ring surrounding the peripheral ring portion and being movable over the depending portion from a closed position in which the locking ring engages the depending portion to hold it in engagement with the rim, to an open position in which the depending portion is not constrained by the locking ring whereby the fingers can be flexed from their neutral positions to be disengaged from the rim to allow the closure to be removed by the application of a lifting force thereto.  
   
   
       2 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the finger elements are configured to flex to an open position. absent the action of the locking ring, by the application of a minimal lifting force to the closure.  
   
   
       3 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the abutment on the finger elements are formed with a deep locking undereut which increases the engagement between the abutment portions and the rim of the container to make the closure more secure.  
   
   
       4 . The closure of  claim 3 , wherein each abutment portion is reinforced by at least one integral web extending from the abutment portion to an inner face of the depending portion.  
   
   
       5 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein at least some spaced ones of said finger elements are formed with an outwardly projecting flange or stop member which defines the closed position of the locking ring, preventing the locking ring moving downwardly any further than the flange or stop member.  
   
   
       6 . The closure of  claim 5 , wherein at least some spaced ones of said flanges on said finger element is formed with an integral downward extension reinforced by an integral web shaped to assist in locating the closure on a container.  
   
   
       7 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the lid portion is made from stronger material than the ring portion, the ring portion being sufficiently flexible to be disengaged from the rim of the container with minimal manual force absent the action of the locking ring, the lid portion being held in the ring portion to form a composite closure.  
   
   
       8 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the lid portion is moulded from the same or a different plastic to the ring portion.  
   
   
       9 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the lid portion and the ring portion are formed as an integral plastic moulding.  
   
   
       10 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the locking ring is formed with an integral handle to assist in moving the locking ring to the open portion.  
   
   
       11 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the ring portion is formed with a projecting element which engages a groove formed in the locking ring in the open position to allow the locking ring to resist detachment and to allow the locking ring to be used to lift the closure from the container.  
   
   
       12 . A closure ring for attachment to a lid portion having a peripheral rim portion adapted to sealingly engage the rim of a container, said closure ring having a depending portion adapted to engage the rim of the container to hold the peripheral rim portion in sealing engagement with the container rim, said depending portion being formed with a multiplicity of separate flexible finger elements each having an inwardly directed abutment portion which engages the rim of the container to hold the closure in the closed position, said fingers occupying in their as moulded or neutral positions a position in which the abutments are at least partially engaged with the rim of the container and a locking ring surrounding the peripheral ring portion and being movable over the depending portion from a closed position in which the locking ring engages the depending portion to hold the depending portion to the rim engaging position to an open position in which the depending portion is not constrained by the locking ring and is free to be disengaged from the rim to allow detachment from the container.  
   
   
       13 . A method of fitting a closure according to  claim 1  to a container having a rim adapted to be engaged by the closure to close the container, comprising positioning the lid portion in the ring portion. closing the locking ring and fitting the closure to the container, the locking ring flexing sufficiently to allow the abutment portions to engage the rim of the container.