Closure arrangement for a can

Abstract

A closure arrangement for a can of the type presenting a tubular body ( 10 ), with a circular or polygonal cross section, which is inferiorly closed and comprises: a peripheral side wall ( 11 ) provided with an upper edge ( 12 ); and a structural ring ( 13 ) internal to the tubular body ( 10 ) and which is hermetically united to the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) in order to define an upper opening ( 14 ) of the can and a seat ( 15 ) for the seating of a sealing element ( 20 ), the structural ring ( 13 ) being defined by a circumferential rib ( 16 ), formed by a recess in the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) which is axially spaced back in relation to the upper end ( 12 ) of the latter and projecting radially into the tubular body ( 10 ).

1 . A closure arrangement for a can of the type presenting a tubular body ( 10 ) which is inferiorly closed and comprises: a peripheral side wall ( 11 ) provided with an upper edge ( 12 ); and a structural ring ( 13 ) internal to the tubular body ( 10 ) and which is hermetically united to the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) in order to define an upper opening ( 14 ) of the can and a seat ( 15 ) for the seating of a sealing element ( 20 ), characterized in that the structural ring ( 13 ) is defined by a circumferential rib ( 16 ) formed by a recess in the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) which is axially spaced back in relation to the upper end ( 12 ) of the latter and projecting radially into the tubular body ( 10 ). 
   
   
       2 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the circumferential rib ( 16 ) presents an upper face ( 16   a ) which is flat and generally orthogonal to the can axis, the sealing element ( 20 ) being defined by a film ( 21 ) which is removably glued to the upper face ( 16   a ) of the circumferential rib ( 16 ). 
   
   
       3 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 2 , characterized in that the circumferential rib ( 16 ) has the cross section in the approximate form of a horizontal “U” with its lateral legs being parallel to each other. 
   
   
       4 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 2 , characterized in that the circumferential rib ( 16 ) has the cross section in the approximate form of a horizontal “V” with a rounded vertex and with a lateral leg defining the upper face ( 16   a ) of the circumferential rib ( 16 ), disposed orthogonal to the can axis. 
   
   
       5 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 2 , characterized in that it comprises an overlid ( 30 ) which is formed in a single piece by a recessed median portion ( 31 ) to be housed in the interior of the tubular body ( 10 ) above the circumferential rib ( 16 ), and by a peripheral portion ( 32 ) which is dimensioned to be tightly fitted over the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) of the can 
   
   
       6 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 5 , characterized in that the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) is bent outwardly, downwardly and inwardly, so as to define a tubular rib ( 17 ) externally incorporated to the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) of the can. 
   
   
       7 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 6 , characterized in that the tubular rib ( 17 ) has a circular cross section. 
   
   
       8 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 6 , characterized in that the peripheral portion ( 32 ) of the overlid ( 30 ) presents the cross section in the approximate form of an inverted “U”, having a radially internal wall ( 32   a ) to be seated against the inner face of a portion of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) defined between the circumferential rib ( 16 ) and the upper edge ( 12 ), a basic wall ( 32   b ) to be seated on said upper edge ( 12 ) and a radially external wall ( 32   c ) to be seated against the tubular rib ( 17 ). 
   
   
       9 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 8 , characterized in that the radially external wall ( 32   c ) of the peripheral portion ( 32 ) of the overlid ( 30 ) has a free lower end edge incorporating an external tubular curl ( 33 ). 
   
   
       10 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the circumferential rib ( 16 ) has an inner edge ( 16   b ) configured to define a convex arc, the sealing element ( 20 ) being defined by a lid ( 22 ) which comprises, in a single piece, a basic wall ( 23 ) and a peripheral wall ( 24 ) presenting an upper edge ( 25 ) to be seated on a portion of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) defined above the upper opening ( 14 ) of the can, and a circumferential recess ( 26 ) having the cross section in the form of a concave arc turned radially outwardly and configured to fit, therewithin, the inner edge ( 16   b ) of the circumferential rib ( 16 ) upon the seating of the lid ( 22 ) in the seat ( 15 ). 
   
   
       11 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 10 , characterized in that the inner edge ( 16   b ) of the circumferential rib ( 16 ) is configured in a circular convex arc and the cross section of the circumferential recess ( 26 ) is defined by a circular concave arc. 
   
   
       12 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 10 , characterized in that the circumferential rib ( 16 ) presents the cross section in the approximate form of any one of the flat “U” and “V” profiles and the inner edge ( 16   b ) of the circumferential rib ( 16 ) is formed in one of the basic portion of the “U” profile and the vertex of the “V” profile. 
   
   
       13 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 10 , characterized in that the circumferential rib ( 16 ) has an annular upper face ( 16   a ) and the peripheral wall ( 24 ) of the lid ( 22 ) has an annular radial portion ( 24   a ) to be seated against the upper face ( 16   a ) of the circumferential rib ( 16 ) and an axial upper portion ( 24   b ) to be seated against the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) defined between the circumferential rib ( 16 ) and its upper edge ( 12 ). 
   
   
       14 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 10 , characterized in that it comprises a sealing element ( 50 ), in an elastically deformable material, which is mounted between the circumferential rib ( 16 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) and the circumferential recess ( 26 ) of the lid ( 22 ). 
   
   
       15 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 10 , characterized in that the sealing element ( 50 ) is in the form of an annular gasket covering at least part of the radial extension of the circumferential recess ( 26 ) of the lid ( 22 ) 
   
   
       16 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 13 , characterized in that the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral wall ( 24 ) of the lid ( 22 ) incorporates an external tubular rib ( 33 ) to be seated on the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) of the can. 
   
   
       17 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 16 , characterized in that the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) incorporates, externally, a tubular rib ( 17 ) onto which is seated the external tubular rib ( 33 ) of the peripheral wall ( 24 ) of the lid ( 22 ). 
   
   
       18 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 13 , characterized in that the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) incorporates, externally, a tubular rib ( 17 ) and the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral wall ( 24 ) of the lid ( 22 ) incorporates an extension of a seal ( 28 ) comprising a lower skirt ( 28   a ) to be tightly seated around the tubular body ( 10 ) immediately below the tubular rib ( 17 ) of its peripheral side wall ( 11 ) and being superiorly united to the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral wall ( 24 ) of the lid ( 22 ) by means of bridges ( 28   b ) to be manually broken when submitted to a certain force upon the first opening of the lid ( 22 ). 
   
   
       19 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the upper wall ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) is outwardly, downwardly and inwardly bent so as to define a tubular rib ( 17 ) externally incorporated to the upper edge ( 12 ) of the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) and downwardly extending beyond the circumferential rib ( 16 ), covering the recess that forms the latter. 
   
   
       20 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 19 , characterized in that the tubular rib ( 17 ) presents a free lower end portion ( 17   a ) which is bent inwardly and upwardly and disposed adjacent to the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) below the circumferential rib ( 16 ). 
   
   
       21 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 19 , characterized in that the free lower end portion ( 17   a ) of the tubular rib ( 17 ) presents an end region ( 17   b ) which is upwardly bent and laterally seated against the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ). 
   
   
       22 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 19 , characterized in that the tubular rib ( 17 ) is oblong in the direction of the can axis. 
   
   
       23 . The closure arrangement as set forth in  claim 19 , characterized in that the tubular rib ( 17 ) presents a median extension ( 17   c ) substantially parallel to the peripheral side wall ( 11 ) of the tubular body ( 10 ) in the region of the latter in which the circumferential rib ( 16 ) is incorporated.