Wet friction material for closures for product containers

Abstract

A product container comprising a housing defining a hollow interior and a closure coupled to the housing such that the closure covers the hollow interior. The closure comprises a thermoplastic elastomer on at least a portion of the closure. The thermoplastic elastomer is polar and hydrophilic.

1 . A product container comprising:
 a housing defining a hollow interior; and   a closure coupled to the housing such that the closure covers an opening to the hollow interior, wherein the closure comprises a thermoplastic elastomer on at least a portion of the closure, and wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is polar and hydrophilic.   
     
     
         2 . The product container of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer defines one or more pores to facilitate removal of water. 
     
     
         3 . The product container of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises one or more projections extending therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . The product container of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more projections is selected from the group consisting of generally cylindrical projections, generally rectangular projections, generally knurled projections, ridges, non-linear ridges, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The product container of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more projections comprises at least two projections and at least one groove can be formed between the at least two projections. 
     
     
         6 . The product container of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more projections is integrally formed with the thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         7 . The product container of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more projections is integrally formed with the thermoplastic elastomer by injection molding. 
     
     
         8 . The product container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure further comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The product container of  claim 8 , wherein a coefficient of friction of the thermoplastic elastomer when wet is higher than a coefficient of friction of the thermoplastic polymer when wet. 
     
     
         10 . The product container of  claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is formed with the thermoplastic polymer via injection molding, 2-step injection molding, 3-step injection molding, overmolding, and/or coextruding. 
     
     
         11 . A product container comprising:
 a housing defining a hollow interior; and   a closure coupled to the housing such that the closure covers an opening to the hollow interior, wherein the closure comprises a textured thermoplastic elastomer and wherein the textured thermoplastic elastomer is polar and hydrophilic.   
     
     
         12 . The product container of  claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer defines one or more pores to facilitate removal of water. 
     
     
         13 . The product container of  claim 12 , wherein the textured thermoplastic elastomer comprises one or more projections extending therefrom. 
     
     
         14 . The product container of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more projections is selected from the group consisting of generally cylindrical projections, generally rectangular projections, generally knurled projections, ridges, non-linear ridges, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The product container of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more projections comprises at least two projections and at least one groove can be formed between the at least two projections. 
     
     
         16 . The product container of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more projections is integrally formed with the thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         17 . The product container of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more projections is integrally formed with the thermoplastic elastomer by injection molding. 
     
     
         18 . The product container of  claim 11 , wherein the closure further comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         19 . The product container of  claim 18 , wherein a coefficient of friction of the thermoplastic elastomer when wet is higher than a coefficient of friction of the thermoplastic polymer when wet. 
     
     
         20 . The product container of  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is formed with the thermoplastic polymer via injection molding, 2-step injection molding, 3-step injection molding, overmolding, and/or coextruding.