Closure for a container

Abstract

A closure (40) for use with a container of a fluent substance includes a body (54) defining an orifice (84) to accommodate flow of a fluent substance from the container. The closure (40) has a lid (56) connected to the body (54) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding the orifice (84), and (ii) an open position spaced from the orifice (84). The closure (40) includes a retainer (60) having a locked position wherein the retainer (60) is engaged with both of the closure body (54) and the lid (56) to prevent the lid (56) from moving into the open position. The retainer 60) has an unlocked position rotated away from the locked position wherein the retainer (60) is disengaged from at least one of the closure body (54) and the lid (56) to permit the lid (56) to move into the open position.

1 . A closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 C,  40 D,  40 E) for a container ( 44 ,  44 A) having an opening ( 46 ,  46 A) between an exterior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) and an interior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 C,  40 D,  40 E) comprising:
 A. a closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 C,  54 D,  54 E) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A) and that defines an inlet ( 74 ,  74 A,  74 B,  74 C,  74 D) for communicating with the container ( 44 ,  44 A), and 
 2) defines an orifice ( 84 ,  84 A,  84 B,  84 C,  84 D) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 C,  54 D,  54 E); 
   B. a lid ( 56 ,  56 A,  56 B,  56 C,  56 D,  56 E) that is connected to said closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 C,  54 D,  56 E) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 ,  84 A,  84 B,  84 C,  84 D), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 ,  84 A,  84 B,  84 C,  84 D); and   C. a retainer ( 60 ,  60 A,  60 B,  60 C,  60 D,  60 E) having
 1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 ,  60 A,  60 B,  60 C,  60 D,  60 E) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 C,  54 D,  54 E) and said lid ( 56 ,  56 A,  56 B,  56 C,  56 D,  56 E) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 ,  56 A,  56 B,  56 C,  56 D,  56 E) from moving into said open position, and 
 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 ,  60 A,  60 B,  60 C,  60 D,  60 E) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 C,  54 D,  54 E) and said lid ( 56 ,  56 A,  56 B,  56 C,  56 D,  56 E) to permit said lid ( 56 ,  56 A,  56 B,  56 C,  56 D,  56 E) to move from said closed position into said open position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 C,  40 D,  40 E) in accordance with  claim 1  in which said closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 C,  54 D,  54 E) is one of:
 1) a separate structure for being attached to the container ( 44 ,  44 A) at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A); and 
 2) an integral structure that is a unitary part of a container ( 44 ,  44 A) formed at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A). 
 
     
     
         3 . The closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B) in accordance with  claim 1  in which said retainer ( 60 ,  60 A,  60 B) has a top end ( 124 ,  124 A,  124 B) and a bottom end ( 126 ,  126 A,  126 B) spaced from said top end ( 124 ,  124 A,  124 B), wherein one of said top and bottom ends ( 124 ,  124 A,  124 B;  126 ,  126 A,  126 B) has a snap-fit projection ( 134 ,  134 A,  134 B) extending therefrom, and the other one of said top and bottom ends ( 124 ,  124 A,  124 B;  126 ,  126 A,  126 B) has a hook projection ( 138 ,  138 A,  138 B) extending therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . The closure ( 40 ,  40 B) in accordance with  claim 3  wherein said top end ( 124 ,  124 B) has said snap-fit projection ( 134 ,  134 B) extending therefrom, and said bottom end ( 126 ,  126 B) has said hook projection ( 138 ,  138 B) extending therefrom, whereby initial movement of said retainer ( 60 ,  60 B) from said locked position into said unlocked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 ,  134 B) from said lid ( 56 ,  56 B). 
     
     
         5 . The closure ( 40 A) in accordance with  claim 3  wherein said bottom end ( 126 A) has said snap-fit projection ( 134 A) extending therefrom, and said top end ( 124 A) has said hook projection ( 138 A) extending therefrom, whereby initial movement of said retainer ( 60 A) from said locked position into said unlocked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 A) from said closure body ( 54 A), 
     
     
         6 . The closure ( 40 B) in accordance with  claim 3  wherein said retainer ( 60 B) is laterally tapered between said top and bottom ends ( 124 B,  126 B). 
     
     
         7 . The closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 E) in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said retainer ( 60 ,  60 A,  60 B,  60 E) is separately formed from said closure body ( 54 ,  54 A,  54 B,  54 E) and said lid ( 56 ,  56 A,  56 B,  56 E). 
     
     
         8 . The closure ( 40 C,  40 D) in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said retainer ( 60 C,  60 D) is unitarily formed with said closure body ( 54 C,  54 D) and said lid ( 56 C,  56 D), and said retainer ( 60 C,  60 D) is hingedly connected to one of said closure body ( 54 C) and said lid ( 56 D). 
     
     
         9 . The closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 C,  40 D,  40 E) in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said retainer ( 60 ,  60 A,  60 B,  60 C,  60 D,  60 E) has an indicium ( 200 B) displayed thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 C,  40 D,  40 E) in accordance with  claim 1  in combination with a container ( 44 ,  44 A) of a fluent substance, said closure ( 40 ,  40 A,  40 B,  40 C,  40 D,  40 E), said container ( 44 ,  44 A), and said fluent substance together defining a package. 
     
     
         11 . The closure ( 40 E) in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said retainer ( 60 E) has a top end ( 124 E) and a hinge ( 126 E) spaced from said top end ( 124 E), said retainer ( 60 E) further having at least one projection ( 138 E) extending therefrom for fitting within an aperture ( 90 E) of said closure body ( 54 E) and for engagement with at least one interior, engagement surface ( 94 E) of said closure body ( 54 E) when said retainer ( 60 E) is assembled with said closure body ( 54 E), said at least one projection ( 138 E) being rotatable relative to said top end ( 124 E) about said hinge ( 126 E). 
     
     
         12 . The closure ( 40 E) in accordance with  claim 11  wherein said retainer ( 60 E) is provided with a pair of tapered projections ( 138 E) extending from said retainer ( 60 E) and said retainer ( 60 E) is irremovable from said closure body ( 54 E) after assembly therewith. 
     
     
         13 . A closure ( 40 ) for a container ( 44 ) having an opening ( 46 ) between an exterior of the container ( 44 ) and an interior of the container ( 44 ) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 ) comprising:
 A. a hollow closure body ( 54 ) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 ) and that defines an inlet ( 74 ) for communicating with the container, 
 2) has an upper end ( 70 ) defining an orifice ( 84 ) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 ), and 
 3) has an exterior wall ( 71 ) defining (a) an aperture ( 90 ) extending through said exterior wall ( 71 ), and (b) an interior, hook-engagement surface ( 94 ) along an edge of said aperture ( 90 ); 
   B. a lid ( 56 ) that
 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body ( 54 ) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 ), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 ), and 
 2) has a projection ( 112 ) with a snap-fit bead ( 116 ) extending therefrom; and 
   C. a retainer ( 60 ) that is separately formed from said closure body ( 54 ) and said lid ( 56 ), said retainer ( 60 ) having
 1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 ) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 ) and said lid ( 56 ) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 ) from moving into said open position, 
 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 ) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body ( 54 ) and said lid ( 56 ) to permit said lid ( 56 ) to move into said open position, and 
 3) a top end ( 124 ) and a bottom end ( 126 ) spaced from said top end ( 124 ), said top end ( 124 ) having a snap-fit projection ( 134 ) extending therefrom for engagement with said snap-fit bead ( 116 ) of said lid ( 56 ) when said retainer ( 60 ) is in said locked position, and said bottom end ( 126 ) having a hook projection ( 138 ) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture ( 90 ) of said closure body ( 56 ) and for engagement with said hook-engagement surface ( 94 ) when said retainer ( 60 ) is in said locked position, 
 wherein (i) initial movement of said retainer ( 60 ) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 ) from said snap-fit bead ( 116 ) of said lid ( 56 ), and (ii) continued movement of said retainer ( 60 ) away from said locked position disengages said hook projection ( 138 ) from said hook-engagement surface ( 94 ) whereby said retainer ( 60 ) may be wholly separated from said closure body ( 54 ) and said lid ( 56 ). 
   
     
     
         14 . A closure ( 40 A) for a container ( 44 A) having an opening ( 46 A) between an exterior of the container ( 44 A) and an interior of the container ( 44 A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 A) comprising:
 A. a hollow closure body ( 54 A) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 A) and that defines an inlet ( 74 A) for communicating with the container, 
 2) has an upper end ( 70 A) defining an orifice ( 84 A) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 A), 
 3) has an exterior wall ( 71 A) defining (a) an aperture ( 90 A) extending through said exterior wall ( 71 A), and (b) an interior, engagement surface ( 94 A) along an edge of said aperture ( 90 A), and 
 4) has a pair of concave regions ( 88 A) defined by said exterior wall ( 71 A) and located on either side of said aperture ( 90 A); 
   B. a lid ( 56 A) that
 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body ( 54 A) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 A), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 A), and 
 2) has a channel ( 112 A) therein; and 
   C. a retainer ( 60 A) that is separately formed from said closure body ( 54 A) and said lid ( 56 A) and has
 1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 A) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 A) and said lid ( 56 A) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 A) from moving into said open position, 
 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 A) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body ( 54 A) and said lid ( 56 A) to permit said lid ( 56 A) to move into said open position, and 
 3) a top end ( 124 A) and a bottom end ( 126 A) spaced from said top end ( 124 A), said top end ( 126 A) having a hook projection ( 138 A) extending therefrom for fitting within said channel ( 112 A) of said lid ( 56 A) when said retainer ( 60 A) is in said locked position, and said bottom end ( 126 A) having a snap-fit projection ( 134 A) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture ( 90 A) of said closure body ( 56 A) and for effecting a snap-fit engagement with said engagement surface ( 94 A) when said retainer ( 60 A) is in said locked position, 
 wherein (i) initial movement of said retainer ( 60 A) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 A) from said engagement surface ( 94 A) of said closure body ( 54 A), and (ii) continued movement of said retainer ( 60 A) away from said locked position disengages said hook projection ( 138 A) from said channel ( 112 A) whereby said retainer ( 60 A) may be wholly separated from said closure body ( 54 A) and said lid ( 56 A). 
   
     
     
         15 . A closure ( 40 B) for a container ( 44 ,  44 A) having an opening ( 46 ,  46 A) between an exterior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) and an interior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 B) comprising:
 A. a hollow closure body ( 54 B) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A) and that defines an inlet ( 74 B) for communicating with the container, 
 2) has an upper end ( 70 B) defining an orifice ( 84 B) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 B), 
 3) has an exterior wall ( 71 B) defining (a) an aperture ( 90 B) extending through said exterior wall ( 71 B), and (b) an interior, hook-engagement surface ( 94 B) along an edge of said aperture ( 90 B), and 
 4) defines a first portion of a laterally tapered recess ( 88 B); 
   B. a lid ( 56 B) that
 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body ( 54 B) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 B), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 B), 
 2) has a snap-fit projection ( 116 B) thereon, and 
 3) defines a second portion of said laterally tapered recess ( 88 B); and 
   C. a retainer ( 60 B) that is separately formed from said closure body ( 54 B) and said lid ( 56 B) and has   1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 B) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 B) and said lid ( 56 B) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 B) from moving into said open position,   2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 B) is disengaged from at least one of said closure body ( 54 B) and said lid ( 56 B) to permit said lid ( 56 B) to move into said open position,
 3) a top end ( 124 B) and a bottom end ( 126 B) spaced from said top end ( 124 B), said retainer ( 60 B) having a laterally tapered shape between said top end ( 124 B) and said bottom end ( 126 B) for being received within said laterally tapered recess ( 88 B) with said retainer ( 60 B) in said locked position, said top end ( 124 B) having a snap-fit projection ( 134 B) extending therefrom for snap-fit engagement with said snap-fit bead ( 116 B) of said lid ( 56 B) when said retainer ( 60 B) is in said locked position, and said bottom end ( 126 B) having a hook projection ( 138 B) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture ( 90 B) of said closure body ( 56 B) and for engagement with said hook-engagement surface ( 94 B) when said retainer ( 60 B) is in said locked position, 
 wherein (i) initial movement of said retainer ( 60 B) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 B) from said snap-fit bead ( 116 B) of said lid ( 56 B), and (ii) continued movement of said retainer ( 60 B) away from said locked position disengages said hook projection ( 138 B) from said hook-engagement surface ( 94 B) whereby said retainer ( 60 B) may be separated from said closure body ( 54 B) and said lid ( 56 B). 
   
     
     
         16 . A closure ( 40 C) for a container ( 44 ,  44 A) having an opening ( 46 ,  46 A) between an exterior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) and an interior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 C) comprising:
 A. a hollow closure body ( 54 C) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A) and that defines an inlet ( 74 C) for communicating with the container, and 
 2) has an upper end ( 70 C) defining an orifice ( 84 C) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 C); 
   B. a lid ( 56 C) that
 1) is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body ( 54 C) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 C), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 C), and 
 2) has a projection ( 112 C) with a snap-fit bead ( 116 C) thereon; and 
   C. a retainer ( 60 C) unitarily formed with said closure body ( 54 C) and said lid ( 56 C) and has
 1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 C) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 C) and said lid ( 56 C) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 C) from moving into said open position, 
 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 C) is disengaged from said lid ( 56 C) to permit said lid ( 56 C) to move into said open position, and 
 3) a top end ( 124 C) and a bottom end ( 126 C) spaced from said top end ( 124 C), said top end ( 124 C) having a snap-fit projection ( 134 C) extending therefrom for engagement with said snap-fit bead ( 116 C) of said lid ( 56 C) when said retainer ( 60 C) is in said locked position, and said bottom end ( 126 C) is hingedly connected with said closure body ( 56 C), 
 wherein initial movement of said retainer ( 60 C) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 C) from said snap-fit bead ( 116 C) of said lid ( 56 C) permitting said lid ( 56 C) to move into said open position. 
   
     
     
         17 . A closure ( 40 D) for a container ( 44 ,  44 A) having an opening ( 46 ,  46 A) between an exterior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) and an interior of the container ( 44 ,  46 A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 D) comprising:
 A. a hollow closure body ( 54 D) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A) and that defines an inlet ( 74 D) for communicating with the container, 
 2) has an upper end ( 70 D) defining an orifice ( 84 D) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 D), 
 3) has an exterior wall ( 71 D) defining (a) an aperture ( 90 D) extending through said exterior wall ( 71 D), and (b) an interior, engagement surface ( 94 D) along an edge of said aperture ( 90 D), and 
 4) has a pair of concave regions ( 88 D) defined by said exterior wall ( 71 D) and located on either side of said aperture ( 90 D); 
   B. a lid ( 56 D) that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body ( 54 D) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 D), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 D); and   C. a retainer ( 60 D) that is unitarily formed with said closure body ( 54 D) and said lid ( 56 D) and has
 1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 D) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 D) and said lid ( 56 D) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 D) from moving into said open position, 
 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 D) is disengaged from said closure body ( 54 D) to permit said lid ( 56 D) to move into said open position, and 
 3) a top end ( 124 D) and a bottom end ( 126 D) spaced from said top end ( 124 D), said top end ( 124 D) being hingedly connected with said lid ( 56 D), and said bottom end ( 124 D) having a snap-fit projection ( 134 D) extending therefrom for fitting within said aperture ( 90 D) of said closure body ( 56 D) and for engagement with said engagement surface ( 94 D) when said retainer ( 60 D) is in said locked position, 
 wherein initial movement of said retainer ( 60 D) away from said locked position disengages said snap-fit projection ( 134 D) from said engagement surface ( 94 D) of said closure body ( 54 D) permitting said lid ( 56 D) to move into said open position. 
   
     
     
         18 . A closure ( 40 E) for a container ( 44 ,  44 A) having an opening ( 46 ,  46 A) between an exterior of the container ( 44 ,  44 A) and an interior of the container ( 44 ,  46 A) where a fluent substance may be stored, said closure ( 40 D) comprising:
 A. a hollow closure body ( 54 E) that
 1) can be located at the container opening ( 46 ,  46 A) and that defines an inlet ( 74 ) for communicating with the container, 
 2) has an upper end ( 70 ) defining an orifice ( 84 ) to accommodate the flow of a fluent substance through said closure body ( 54 E), 
 3) has an exterior wall ( 71 ) defining (a) an aperture ( 90 E) extending through said exterior wall ( 71 ), and (b) a pair of interior, engagement surfaces ( 94 E) adjacent said aperture ( 90 E); 
   B. a lid ( 56 E) that is unitarily formed with, and hingedly connected to, said closure body ( 54 E) and movable between (i) a closed position occluding said orifice ( 84 ), and (ii) an open position spaced from said orifice ( 84 ); and   C. a retainer ( 60 E) that is separately formed from said closure body ( 54 E) and said lid ( 56 E) and has
 1) a locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 E) is engaged with both of said closure body ( 54 E) and said lid ( 56 E) in said closed position to prevent said lid ( 56 E) from moving into said open position, 
 2) an unlocked position rotated away from said locked position wherein said retainer ( 60 E) is disengaged from said lid ( 56 E) to permit said lid ( 56 E) to move into said open position, and 
 3) a top end ( 124 E) and a hinge ( 126 E) spaced from said top end ( 124 E), and a pair of tapered projections ( 138 E) extending from said retainer ( 60 E) for fitting within said aperture ( 90 E) of said closure body ( 56 E) and for engagement with said engagement surfaces ( 94 E) when said retainer ( 60 E) is assembled with said closure body ( 56 E), said projections ( 138 E) being rotatable relative to said top end ( 124 E) about said hinge ( 126 E), 
 wherein initial movement of said retainer ( 60 E) away from said locked position disengages said retainer ( 60 E) from said lid ( 56 E) permitting said lid ( 56 E) to move into said open position. 
   
     
     
         1 .- 36 . (canceled)