Closure Assembly for a Container

Abstract

A closure assembly comprising a closure spout adapted to be fitted to the neck of a container and a closure cap. The closure spout comprises a dispensing opening. The closure cap comprises an upper wall and a skirt depending therefrom, adapted to be fitted to the closure spout to close the container, especially for use on pressurized containers such as carbonated beverage containers. At least one substantially continuous second retaining arrangement on said closure spout has one ore more elongate second retaining segments. The lower second retaining surface has no pitch or at least a relatively lower pitch in a first region, a relatively higher pitch in a second region displaced from the first region in an unscrewing direction, and no pitch or at least a relatively lower pitch in a third region displaced from said second region in an unscrewing direction.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A closure assembly comprising:
 a closure spout adapted to be fitted to a neck of a container, the closure spout comprising a dispensing opening, and a closure cap comprising an upper wall and a skirt depending therefrom, adapted to be fitted to the closure spout for closing the container, a first retaining arrangement on said closure cap, said first retaining arrangement comprising at least one elongate first retaining segment, each first retaining segment having upper and lower first retaining surfaces; and at least one substantially continuous second retaining arrangement on said closure spout, said second retaining arrangement comprising at least one elongate second retaining segment, each second retaining segment having upper and lower second retaining surfaces, wherein the lower second retaining surface has no pitch in a first region, relatively higher pitch in a second region displaced from the first region in an unscrewing direction, and no pitch in a third region displaced from said second region in the unscrewing direction.   
     
     
         17 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the second retaining arrangement comprises a lower stopping area adjacent to said first region which provides a stopping abutment surface and the first retaining arrangement comprises a corresponding lower abutment surface on at least one of said first retaining segments, which abuts against said lower stopping area to block or restrict rotation of said closure cap in a screwing direction to define a fully secured position and wherein the second retaining arrangement comprises an upper stopping area adjacent to said third region which provides a stopping abutment surface and the first retaining arrangement comprises a corresponding upper abutment surface on at least one of said first retaining segments which abuts against the upper stopping area to restrict rotation of said closure cap in the screwing direction to define the fully secured position. 
     
     
         18 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein said lower second retaining surface further comprises a blocking step adjacent to said third region to provide a blocking abutment surface and the first retaining arrangement comprises a corresponding blocking abutment surface on at least one of said first retaining segments which abuts against said blocking step to restrict rotation of said closure in the unscrewing direction at an intermediate position when said closure cap is under axial pressure in a direction emerging from the closure spout. 
     
     
         19 . The closure assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein at least a part of the lower second retaining surface and the stopping abutment surface in the first region of at least one second retaining segment forms a matching fit with at least a part of the upper first retaining surface and the corresponding lower abutment surface on one of said first retaining segments when the closure cap is fully secured on the closure spout and wherein at least a part of the lower second retaining surface and the stopping abutment surface in said third region of at least one of the second retaining segments forms a matching fit with at least a part of the upper first retaining surface and the corresponding upper abutment surface on one of said first retaining segments when the closure cap is fully secured on the closure spout. 
     
     
         20 . The closure assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein at least a part of the lower second retaining surface of at least one of the second retaining segments in the third region forms a matching fit with at least a part of the upper first retaining surface on one of the first retaining segments when the closure cap is at the intermediate position and axially displaced in an upper direction on said closure spout. 
     
     
         21 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein said lower second retaining surface further comprises a blocking step adjacent to said third region to provide a blocking abutment surface and at least one of the first retaining segments comprises a back off cam arranged on the upper first retaining surface which abuts against said blocking step to restrict rotation of said closure cap in the unscrewing direction at a fully secured position. 
     
     
         22 . The closure assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein the back off cam is arranged on the upper first retaining surface which abuts against said blocking step to restrict rotation of said closure cap in the unscrewing direction at the fully secured position when said closure cap is under axial pressure in a direction emerging from the closure spout. 
     
     
         23 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the first retaining arrangement is constructed and arranged such that when the closure cap is fully secured on the closure spout the first retaining arrangement contacts the first and third regions of at least one second retaining segment to provide a holding force in an axial direction. 
     
     
         24 . The closure assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein the first retaining arrangement comprises at least one lower first retaining segment engaging the first region of the lower second retaining surface of at least one second retaining segment and the first retaining arrangement comprises at least one upper first retaining segment engaging the third region of the lower second retaining surface of at one least second retaining segment, wherein the lower first retaining segment and the upper first retaining segment are axially displaced. 
     
     
         25 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the first retaining arrangement comprises at least one integral retaining segment with an upper abutment surface and a back off cam. 
     
     
         26 . The closure assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein the integral retaining segment further comprises an upper surface with no pitch which provides for an axial force towards the second retaining arrangement. 
     
     
         27 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the closure spout is adapted to be screwed on the container and comprises anti-rotational elements, which restrict rotation of said closure spout in a screwing direction when the closure spout is fully secured on the container. 
     
     
         28 . The closure assembly according to  claim 27 , wherein the anti-rotational elements are adapted for interaction with venting slots in a screw thread of a standard container neck. 
     
     
         29 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the first region extends for 5°-40° about a circumference of the closure spout and the second region extends for 10°-90° about the circumference of the closure spout and the third region extends for 5°-40° about the circumference of the closure spout. 
     
     
         30 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the pitch of the lower second retaining surface in the first region is in the range −5° to 10° and the pitch of the lower second retaining surface in the second region is in the range 5° to 25° and the pitch of the lower second retaining surface in the third region is in the range −5° to 10°. 
     
     
         31 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said first and second retaining arrangements has at least two arrangement starts. 
     
     
         32 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the first retaining arrangement comprises two groups of retaining segments, whereof the first group comprises at least one retaining segment with a lower abutment surface and a blocking abutment surface and the second group comprises at least one retaining segment with an upper abutment surface and a back off cam. 
     
     
         33 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the closure cap can be moved from a fully released to a fully engaged position on the closure spout by a single smooth rotation through 360° or less. 
     
     
         34 . The closure assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the closure cap can be moved from a fully released to a fully engaged position on the closure spout by a single smooth rotation through 180° or less. 
     
     
         35 . A closing assembly comprising a container and a closure assembly according to  claim 16 .