Dispensing closure, package and method of manufacture

Abstract

A closure includes a shell of relatively rigid plastic material having a deck and a peripheral skirt, at least one recessed shoulder in the deck adjacent to the skirt, and a plurality of angularly spaced external channels extending along the skirt from the recess. An external feature of flexible resilient second plastic material different from the first plastic material is integrally molded onto the shell within the recessed shoulder and the channels. By way of example only, the shell may be of polypropylene material and the external feature may be of thermoplastic elastomer material. Lock elements, such as openings in the deck recessed shoulder and/or pegs in the skirt channels, cooperate with the external feature molded onto the shell to retain the external feature on the shell.

1 . A plastic closure that includes:
 a shell of relatively rigid first plastic material having at least one external surface portion with at least one lock element, and   an external feature of flexible resilient second plastic material, different from said first plastic material, integrally molded onto said at least one external surface portion including said lock element to retain said external juncture on said shell.   
   
   
       2 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said shell includes a peripheral skirt, and wherein said external feature includes at least one rib that extends axially along said skirt. 
   
   
       3 . The closure set forth in  claim 2  wherein said at least one rib extends radially outwardly from an outer surface of said skirt. 
   
   
       4 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said at least one lock element includes a peg externally extending from said shell, said external feature being molded around said peg. 
   
   
       5 . The closure set forth in  claim 4  wherein said peg has a body extending from a surface of said shell and an enlarged head spaced from said surface. 
   
   
       6 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lock element includes an opening in said shell, said external feature extending into said opening. 
   
   
       7 . A plastic closure that includes:
 a shell molded of a first plastic material having a deck and a peripheral skirt with at least one external channel, and   an external feature of a second plastic material different from said first plastic material and including a rib molded into said channel and extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of said skirt.   
   
   
       8 . The closure set forth in  claim 7  wherein said external skirt has a plurality of angularly spaced external axially extending channels, and said external feature includes a plurality of axially extending ribs molded into said channels and extending radially outwardly from said skirt. 
   
   
       9 . The closure set forth in  claim 8  in which said shell has a peg disposed within each of said channels, and wherein said ribs are molded over said pegs to retain said ribs in said channels. 
   
   
       10 . The closure set forth in  claim 9  wherein each of said pegs has a body extending from a surface of said skirt and an enlarged head spaced from said surface. 
   
   
       11 . The closure set forth in  claim 7  wherein said external feature is molded onto said deck. 
   
   
       12 . The closure set forth in  claim 11  wherein said deck has at least one opening and said external feature is molded into said at least one opening to retain said external feature on said deck. 
   
   
       13 . The closure set forth in  claim 6  wherein said shell is of relatively rigid plastic material and said external feature is of flexible resilient plastic material. 
   
   
       14 . A plastic closure that includes:
 a shell of relatively rigid plastic material having a deck and a peripheral skirt, at least one recessed shoulders in said deck adjacent to said skirt, and a plurality of angularly spaced external channels extending along said skirt from said recessed shoulder, and   an external feature of flexible resilient second plastic material, different from said first plastic material, integrally molded onto said shell within said recessed shoulder and said channels, said external feature in said channels comprising ribs that extend radially outwardly from an outer surface of said skirt.   
   
   
       15 . The closure set forth in  claim 14  wherein said shell has a peg disposed within each of said channels, and wherein said external feature is molded over said peg to retain said external feature in said channels. 
   
   
       16 . The closure set forth in  claim 15  wherein each of said pegs has a body extending from a surface of said shell and an enlarged head spaced from said surface. 
   
   
       17 . The closure set forth in  claim 14  wherein said deck has at least one opening in said recessed shoulder and said external feature is molded into said at least one opening to retain said external feature on said shoulder. 
   
   
       18 . The closure set forth in  claim 14  wherein said shell is of polypropylene construction and said external feature is of thermoplastic elastomer construction. 
   
   
       19 . A molded plastic container having a neck finish with at least one external thread segment and at least one radially outwardly extending enlargement on said thread segment. 
   
   
       20 . The container set forth in  claim 19  having a body with a bottom wall and a push-up in said bottom wall. 
   
   
       21 . A package that includes:
 a container having a body with a neck finish, at least one external thread segment on said neck finish, a bottom wall spaced from said neck finish and a push-up in said bottom wall, and   a closure that includes a shell of relatively rigid first plastic material having a peripheral skirt, at least one internal thread segment for engagement with said at least one external thread segment, a plurality of angularly spaced external channels extending along said skirt, and a plurality of ribs of flexible resilient second plastic material different from said first material molded into said channels so as to extend radially outwardly from an outer surface of said skirt,   said ribs being dimensioned to be received by interference press fit within said push-up to facilitate stacking of said packages.   
   
   
       22 . The package set forth in  claim 21  wherein said at least one external thread segment has at least one radially extending enlargement for engagement with said closure to retard removal of said closure from said neck finish. 
   
   
       23 . The package set forth in  claim 21  wherein said closure has at least one lock element in each of said channels, said ribs being molded onto said lock elements to secure said rib within said channels. 
   
   
       24 . The package set forth in  claim 23  wherein each said lock element includes a peg externally extending from said she within said channel, said rib being molded around said peg. 
   
   
       25 . The package set forth in  claim 24  wherein said peg has a body extending from a surface of said shell and an enlarged head spaced from said surface. 
   
   
       26 . The package set forth in  claim 21  wherein said shell includes a deck within at least one recessed shoulder, said channels extending along said skirt from said recessed shoulder, and a plate of said second plastic material molded onto said shoulder, said ribs extending from said plate. 
   
   
       27 . The package set forth in  claim 21  wherein each said rib has an external surface, at least a portion of which is angled with respect to an axis of said closure. 
   
   
       28 . A method of making a plastic closure that includes the steps of:
 (a) molding a shell of relatively rigid first plastic material having at least one external surface portion with at least one lock element, and   (b) molding onto said at least one external surface portion of said shell over said lock element an external feature of flexible resilient second plastic material different from said first plastic material.   
   
   
       29 . A method of making a plastic closure that includes the steps of:
 (a) molding a shell of relatively rigid plastic material having a deck and a peripheral skirt, at least one recessed shoulder in said deck adjacent to said skirt and a plurality of angularly spaced external channels extending along said skirt from said recessed shoulder, and   (b) molding an external feature of flexible resilient second plastic material different from said first plastic material onto said shell within said recessed shoulder and said channels.