Closure with flap for retaining a lid hinge shaft

Abstract

A closure system is provided for a container. The system has a body for extending from the container at the container opening. The body defines a dispensing orifice. A lid is provided for covering the orifice. The body has a bearing member with a laterally outer wall and a laterally inner wall which together define a channel for receiving a pivot shaft on the lid. At least one flap is hingedly attached to one of the body bearing member lateral walls and is initially positioned to expose the channel to permit mounting the lid pivot shaft in the channel. The flap can be subsequently folded over the channel and lid pivot shaft, and the distal end of the flap can be attached to the other lateral wall to form a bridge which prevents removal of the lid pivot shaft from the channel. Another form of the invention includes the fully completed closure system after the flap has been folded over and attached. Another form of the invention includes the method for making the closure system.

1 . A closure system for a container that has an opening to the container interior, said closure system consisting of unassembled components comprising: 
 a body that is either a separate structure for attaching to, and extending from, said container at said opening or is a unitary extension of said container at said opening, said body having 
 (1) at least one orifice for communicating with said container opening,  
 (2) a bearing member comprising a laterally outer wall spaced from a laterally inner wall which together define between them a channel, and  
 (3) at least one flap hingedly attached to, and extending from, one of said laterally inner and outer walls to expose said channel which can be covered by folding said flap over said channel and against the other of said laterally inner and outer walls; and  
   a lid adapted to be disposed on said body for accommodating lifting of said lid relative to said at least one orifice between (1) a closed position over said at least one orifice, and (2) an open position away from said at least one orifice, said lid including a pivot shaft for being received in said channel prior to said flap being folded over said channel and attached to said other of said laterally inner and outer walls to prevent removal of said shaft from said channel.    
   
   
       2 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 1  in which said closure body is molded from thermoplastic material with said at least one flap extending laterally from said laterally outer wall.  
   
   
       3 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 1  in which said closure system is a closure for an end of said container wherein the container end defines said container opening; and 
 said closure includes said body and said lid.    
   
   
       4 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 3  in which 
 said closure is an article that is separate from said container; and    said body is attachable to said container end over said container opening.    
   
   
       5 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 3  in which 
 said closure body is adapted to be mounted to said container on a peripheral wall that defines said container opening, and    said closure body has an upwardly projecting spout that extends above said container opening to define said at least one orifice.    
   
   
       6 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 1  in which 
 said body includes a hinge that hingedly attaches said at least one flap to said one of said laterally inner and outer walls; and    said hinge is defined by a reduced thickness of material between said at least one flap and said one of said laterally inner and outer walls.    
   
   
       7 . The closure in accordance with  claim 1  in which 
 the other of said laterally inner and outer walls defines a top surface and an energy director projecting upwardly from said top surface; and    said energy director has a tapering cross section that becomes narrower with increasing distance from said top surface.    
   
   
       8 . A closure system for a container that has an opening to the container interior, said closure system consisting of unassembled components comprising: 
 a body that is either a separate structure for attaching to, and extending from, said container at said opening or is a unitary extension of said container at said opening, said body having 
 (1) at least one orifice for communicating with said container opening,  
 (2) a bearing member comprising a laterally outer wall spaced from a laterally inner wall which together define between them a channel, and  
 (3) at least one flap that (a) extends from one of said laterally inner and outer walls, (b) has been folded over said channel and against the other of said laterally inner and outer walls, and (c) has been attached to the other of said laterally inner and outer walls; and  
   a lid disposed on said body for accommodating lifting of said lid relative to said at least one orifice between (1) a closed position over said at least one orifice, and (2) an open position away from said at least one orifice, said lid including a pivot shaft received in said channel under said folded over flap that is attached to said other of said laterally inner and outer walls to prevent removal of said shaft from said channel.    
   
   
       9 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 8  in which 
 said closure system is a closure for an end of said container wherein the container end defines said container opening; and    said closure includes said body and said lid.    
   
   
       10 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 9  in which 
 said closure is an article that is separate from said container; and    said body is attachable to said container end over said container opening.    
   
   
       11 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 9  in which 
 said closure body is adapted to be mounted to said container on a peripheral wall that defines said container opening, and    said closure body has an upwardly projecting spout that extends above said container opening to define said at least one orifice.    
   
   
       12 . The closure system in accordance with  claim 9  in which 
 said flap is a unitary extension of said one of said laterally inner and outer walls.    
   
   
       13 . A method for making a closure system for a container that has an opening to the container interior, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (A) molding from thermoplastic material a body that 
 (1) is that is either a separate structure for attaching to, and extending from, said container at said opening or is a unitary extension of said container at said opening,  
 (2) has at least one orifice for communicating with said container opening,  
 (3) has a bearing member comprising a laterally outer wall spaced from a laterally inner wall which together define between them a channel, and  
 (4) has at least one flap hingedly attached to, and extending from, one of said laterally inner and outer walls to expose said channel which can be covered by folding said flap over said channel and against the other of said laterally inner and outer walls;  
   (B) molding from thermoplastic material a lid which (1) has a pivot shaft, and (2) is adapted to be disposed on said body for accommodating lifting of said lid relative to said at least one orifice between (a) a closed position over said at least one orifice, and (b) an open position away from said at least one orifice;    (C) mounting said lid on said body in said closed position with said pivot shaft disposed in said channel; and    (D) folding said flap over said channel and attaching it to said other of said laterally inner and outer walls to prevent removal of said shaft from said channel.    
   
   
       14 . The method in accordance with  claim 13  in which 
 step (A) includes molding said body to have one flap extending from said laterally outer wall in a generally horizontal configuration; and    step (D) includes utrasonically welding an end of said flap to the top of said laterally inner wall to define a continuous bridge over said pivot shaft.