Closusre with tear strip

Abstract

A closure for covering an opening of a container. The closure includes an inverted U-shaped peripheral channel for receiving the rim of a container therein. A tear strip is formed with the skirt of the closure via a tear line that circumscribes the skirt. A breakaway pull tab having an inner surface with U-shaped ribs, the combination of the surface and ribs being such as to provide a concavity which assists in gripping the tab to pull the strip away. Linear vertical ribs may be provided on the outer surface to provide further assistance in the gripping function. The skirt includes a recessed area underlying the pull tab for providing access to the pull tab. An alternative embodiment uses a zig-zag structure of strengthening ribs in the skirt to reduce the amount of material necessary to provide the undercut. This reduces the probability of warpage in the closure structure.

1 . A molded plastic closure for an open top, industrial container of the type having an undercut top rim and wherein said enclosure comprises: 
 a central deck portion;    an inverted, U-shaped channel portion peripherally of said deck portion to receive and lock onto said undercut top rim;    said channel portion comprising substantially parallel and concentric, but radially spaced, inner and outer walls, said outer wall defining an inwardly extending locking flange for cooperation with said undercut rim;    said outer wall being integrally formed with an outwardly flaring skirt having an annular lower end portion; and    a substantially continuous pattern of V-shaped ribs formed around and on the inside of said skirt, each V-shaped rib being integral with and extending from said flange to said lower end portion to increase the strength of at least said skirt    
   
   
       2 . A molded plastic closure as defined in claim  28  wherein said V-shaped ribs are arranged in circumferential groups with openings between said groups.