Closure For A Container

Abstract

A closure for a container having a circular opening defining an axis and a lip around said opening, the closure comprising: an inner component having a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container beneath the lip of the container and a sealing portion which extends from said collar portion over an upper surface of said lip; and an outer component for fitting over the inner component and interacting therewith for releasably securing the collar portion under the lip, wherein the outer component has a skirt part for locating about the collar portion of the inner component, and the collar portion comprising a plurality of spaced apart radially moveable parts around its circumference pivotally joined at their lower ends by a ring extending around the entire circumference of the collar portion. The sealing portion may be formed of flexible material or may be formed of a relatively rigid material with a flexible sealing member, eg an o-ring, carried thereby.

1 . A closure for a container having a circular opening defining an axis and a lip around said opening, the closure comprising:
 an inner component having a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container beneath the lip of the container and a sealing portion which, in use, extends from said collar portion over an upper surface of said lip; and   an outer component for fitting over the inner component and interacting therewith for releasably securing the collar portion thereof under said lip;   wherein the outer component has a skirt part for locating about the collar portion of the inner component, the collar portion comprising a plurality of spaced apart radially moveable parts around its circumference pivotally joined at their lower ends by a structure extending around the entire circumference of the collar portion.   
     
     
         2 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the collar portion is relatively rigid and the sealing portion is relatively flexible. 
     
     
         3 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the sealing portion is relatively rigid and carries a relatively flexible sealing member such that, when the closure is fitted to a container, the sealing member is located in contact with the lip or interior of the container. 
     
     
         4 . A closure as claimed in  claim 2  in which the collar portion and the sealing portion are integrally formed with each other. 
     
     
         5 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the outer component has one or more cam features which, when the skirt part of the outer component is fitted over the collar portion of the inner component and moved axially and/or rotationally relative thereto, interact therewith in an axial and/or rotational direction so as to press and/or hold said radially moveable features in engagement with the exterior of the container beneath said lip. 
     
     
         6 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the outer component is releasably secured to the inner component by rotation relative thereto about said axis through 180 degrees or less, and preferably 90 degrees or less. 
     
     
         7 . A closure as claimed in  claim 6  in which outer component has a plurality of spaced apart substantially upwardly facing first surfaces around the inner circumference of the skirt part for engaging with substantially downwardly facing second surfaces of said radially moveable parts such that rotation of the outer component through no more than 180 degrees in a tightening direction relative to the inner component and consequent engagement of said first and second surfaces releasably secures the inner and outer components together in the axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . A closure as claimed in  claim 7  in which the said first and/or second surfaces are shaped or inclined such that said relative rotation between the first and second components also causes axial movement therebetween. 
     
     
         9 . A closure for a container as claimed in  claim 8  in which the outer component has a top part which overlies an upper surface of the container lip and said axial movement moves said top part into engagement with said upper surface, either directly or via said sealing portion. 
     
     
         10 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the sealing portion extends over said upper surface of the container lip and closes said opening. 
     
     
         11 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  having an o-ring seal for providing a seal between the closure and an upper or interior surface of the container. 
     
     
         12 . A closure as claimed in  claim 11  in which the o-ring seal comprises a toroid of elastomeric material which is part of or is carried by said sealing portion. 
     
     
         13 . A closure as claimed in  claim 12  in which the o-ring is provided on a bore feature which, in use, projects through the opening into the interior of the container, the bore feature being part of the inner and/or the outer component. 
     
     
         14 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the sealing portion does not extend across the mouth of the container so does not close the container opening. 
     
     
         15 . A closure as claimed in  claim 14  in which the outer component comprises a bore feature which, in use, projects through the mouth of the container into the interior thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A closure as claimed in  claim 15  in which the bore feature comprises a relatively rigid component and an o-ring carried thereby. 
     
     
         17 . A closure as claimed in  claim 16  in which the skirt portion of the outer component is able to rotate relative to the bore feature. 
     
     
         18 . A closure as claimed in  claim 5  in which said one or more cam features are arranged to press said radially moveable features into tight, frictional engagement with the exterior of the container beneath said lip. 
     
     
         19 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1   in which frictional engagement between the inner component and the exterior of the container enables said relative rotation to be effected by a rotational force applied between the outer component and the container.   
     
     
         20 . A closure for a container as claimed in  claim 19  in which an inner surface of said radially moveable parts provides a high friction engagement with the exterior of the container. 
     
     
         21 . A closure for a container as claimed in  claim 20  in which said radially moveable parts are formed of a relatively rigid material and said high friction engagement is provided by a layer of relatively flexible material forming said inner surface. 
     
     
         22 . A closure for a container as claimed in  claim 21  in which said layer of relatively flexible material is part of the sealing portion which, in use, extends over an upper surface of the container lip. 
     
     
         23 . A closure as claimed in  claim 5  in which the outer component has a second set of cam features which are arranged to interact with the radially moveable parts so as to drive them radially outwards as the outer component is rotated in a loosening direction. 
     
     
         24 . A closure as claimed in  claim 3  in which the inner component comprises a bore feature which, in use, projects through the opening into the interior of the container, the bore feature carrying an o-ring seal which is arranged to seal with an internal surface of the container. 
     
     
         25 . A closure as claimed in  claim 3  in which the radially moveable features are biased towards a radially inward position such that they provide a snap-fit with the container as the inner component is fitted over the lip of the container. 
     
     
         26 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1   in which the inner component is a snapfit within the outer component as they are assembled axially.   
     
     
         27 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1   in which the inner component has a stop feature for engaging a feature of the container for inhibiting or limiting rotation of the inner component relative to the container when the outer component is rotated.   
     
     
         28 . A closure for a container having an opening defining an axis and with an outwardly projecting lip around said opening, the closure comprising an inner member having an expandable/contractable portion for engaging an outer surface of said lip and an outer member for mounting over said inner member such that axial and/or rotational movement of the outer member relative to the inner member, when said inner member is fitted over said lip, is arranged to hold and/or press said expandable/contractable portion into secure engagement with the container beneath said lip, an inner surface of the inner member that contacts the container and/or the outer surface of the container being of a nature such as to provide a high friction engagement between the inner member and the container whereby relative rotation of the inner and outer members can be effected by a rotational force applied between the outer member and the container. 
     
     
         29 . A closure for a container as claimed in  claim 1  when fitted to a container to close the container opening. 
     
     
         30 . A container having a circular opening defining an axis and a lip around said opening, the container adapted to receive a closure, the closure comprising:
 an inner component having a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container beneath the lip of the container and a sealing portion which, in use, extends from said collar portion over an upper surface of said lip; and   an outer component for fitting over the inner component and interacting therewith for releasably securing the collar portion thereof under said lip;   wherein the outer component has a skirt part for locating about the collar portion of the inner component, the collar portion comprising a plurality of spaced apart radially moveable parts around its circumference pivotally joined at their lower ends by a structure extending around the entire circumference of the collar portion.   
     
     
         31 . A container as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein:
 the inner component has a stop feature for engaging a feature of the container for inhibiting or limiting rotation of the inner component relative to the container when the outer component is rotated;   wherein the stop feature is in or on the lip of the container.   
     
     
         32 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the sealing portion is arranged to close said opening with a part thereof in sealing contact with an upper or interior surface of the container, the sealing portion comprising a relatively rigid part which carries a relatively flexible sealing member which forms said part in sealing contact with an upper or interior surface of the container. 
     
     
         33 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the sealing portion is connected to the collar portion by a plurality of spaced apart connecting parts around the circumference thereof which are interleaved with said plurality of radially moveable parts of the collar portion. 
     
     
         34 . A closure as claimed in  claim 32  in which the flexible portion comprises an o-ring 
     
     
         35 . A closure as claimed in  claim 34  in which the sealing portion is shaped so as to extend into the interior of the container when the inner component is fitted thereto and the o-ring is carried thereby so as to seal against an inner surface of the container. 
     
     
         36 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the inner component can be fitted to the container so as to close and seal said opening prior to the outer component being fitted over the inner component. 
     
     
         37 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the inner and outer components have mutually engageable features whereby the outer component can be secured to the inner component by rotation relative thereto about said axis. 
     
     
         38 . A closure as claimed in  claim 37  in which said mutually engageable features form a bayonet thread.