Closure Assembly

Abstract

A closure including a base, a cutter and a cap is described which is configured to be attached to a container. Upon initial removal of the cap from the base, the cutter is configured to move downwards relative to the base so as to create an opening through the container. The portion of the container through which the cutter creates an opening may be formed of a film that is configured to be easily pierceable by the cutter. Methods of molding the closure components may include co-molding the cutter and base an in integral unit so as to facilitate and expedite assembly of the base, cutter and cap components to form the closure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A closure for a container, the closure comprising:
 a base comprising:
 a mounting portion; 
 a neck portion centered and extending about a vertical axis; 
 a thread formed about an exterior surface of the neck; and 
 a guide element formed about an inner surface of the neck portion; 
   a cutter comprising:
 a cylindrical body; 
 a cutting element extending downwards from a lower end of the cylindrical body; 
 a downwardly angled rib extending about an outer surface of the cutter; and 
 a fin extending radially inwards from an inner surface of the cylindrical body; 
   a cap comprising:
 a top panel; 
 a skirt extending downwards from an outer periphery of the top panel; 
 a thread configured to interact with the thread of the base to attach the cap to the base; and 
 a drive tab extending downwards from a lower surface of the top panel; 
   wherein in an assembled, pre-initial opening configuration of the closure, the cutter is located within the neck portion of the base such a bottommost surface of the cutting element is located above a lowermost portion of the neck portion and the cap is attached to the base by an engagement of the thread of the cap with the thread of the base;   wherein upon initial removal of the cap from the base, rotation of the cap relative to the base results in the engagement of the drive tab with the fin, causing the cutter to be rotated relative to the base;   the rotation of the cutter relative to the base resulting in the rib entering into and traveling along the guide element as the cap is rotated relative to the base, with downward rotational movement of the cutter relative to the base causing the cutting element to move to a position in which the bottommost surface of the cutting element extends below the lowermost portion of the cap.   
     
     
         2 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the tabs of the cap are configured to deflect in a radially inwards direction when the cap is attached to the base. 
     
     
         3 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the cap upon initial removal of the cap causes rotation of the cutter in the same direction as the direction of the rotation of the cap. 
     
     
         4 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises a retaining structure located about the lowermost portion of the inner surface of the neck portion. 
     
     
         5 . The closure of  claim 4 , wherein the retaining structure is configured to engage a bottommost surface of the rib to prevent removal of the cutter through a bottom opening defining the lowermost portion of the neck portion. 
     
     
         6 . A closure assembly for a container comprising:
 a base comprising:
 a mounting portion; 
 a neck portion centered and extending about a vertical axis; 
 a guide element formed about an inner surface of the neck portion; and 
   a cutter comprising:
 a cylindrical body; 
 one or more cutting elements extending downwards from a lower end of the cylindrical body; 
 one or more fins extending radially inwards from an inner surface of the cylindrical body; and 
 two or more downwardly angled ribs extending about an outer surface of the cylindrical body; 
 wherein a first end of a first rib is spaced apart a distance as measured in an angular direction from a second end of a second rib located adjacent the first rib; 
   wherein in an assembled configuration of the cutter and base, the cutter is positioned within the neck of the base such that the guide element is positioned in the space defined between the first end of the first rib and the second end of the second rib; and   the guide element being arranged such that upon rotation of the cutter relative to the base, the cutter is moved rotationally downwards relative to the base as the ribs of the cutter travel along the guide element.   
     
     
         7 . The closure assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising one or more frangible attachments initially connecting the base to the cutter; the one or more frangible attachments extending between an upper portion of the neck portion of the base and a lower portion of the cylindrical body of the cutter;
 wherein the attachments are arranged between the base and the cutter to define a first base and cutter configuration in which the portion of the cutter defining the space between the first end of the first rib and the second end of the second rib extends directly above the portion of the base about which the first guide is formed.   
     
     
         8 . The closure assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the base and cutter are configured such that the transition from the first configuration to a second configuration of the base and cutter may be effectuated by only an axial movement of the cutter relative to the base, without requiring any rotation of the cutter relative to the base. 
     
     
         9 . The closure assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a cap having a top panel, a skirt extending from an outer periphery of the top panel, and a thread extending about an interior surface of the skirt. 
     
     
         10 . The closure assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the transition from the first configuration to the second configuration of the base and cutter is caused by the attachment of the cap to the base. 
     
     
         11 . The closure assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the attachment of the cap to the base is achieved by threading the thread of the cap onto a thread extending about an outer surface of the neck portion of the base. 
     
     
         12 . A method of assembling a closure for a container comprising:
 providing a base comprising:
 a mounting portion; 
 a neck portion centered and extending about a vertical axis; and 
 a thread formed about an exterior surface of the neck; 
   providing a cap comprising:
 a top panel; 
 a skirt having a thread formed on an inner surface; and 
 one or more drive tabs extending horizontally downwards from a lower surface of the top panel; 
   providing a cutter attached to and integral with the base, the cutter comprising:
 a cylindrical body; 
 one or more frangible bridges attached between the cylindrical body of the cutter and the neck portion of the base; 
 a cutting element extending downwards from a lower end of the cylindrical body; 
 one or more catches extending radially inwards from an inner surface of the cylindrical body configured to interact with the one or more drive tabs to cause rotation of the cutter; and 
 two or more cams extending about an outer surface of the cutter, the cams configured to engage with the base to move the cutter from an assembled configuration to a piercing configuration in which a bottommost surface of the cutting element extends below a lowermost portion of the neck portion; and 
   attaching the cap to the base to seal the base by engaging the thread of the cap with the thread of the base, wherein the step of attaching the cap is defined by an initial movement of the cap relative to the base in a purely axial direction and a second subsequent movement of the cap relative to the base in a combined rotational and axial direction;   wherein the downwards movement of the cap relative to the base causes the breakage of the one or more frangible bridges attaching the cutter and the base and also results in the movement of one or both of the cutter and the base relative to one another such that following the attachment of the cap to the base, the cap, the base, and the cutter are arranged in an assembled configuration in which the cutter is positioned radially inwards within the base and the cap is engaged with the neck portion of the base.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising attaching the assembled closure to a container along a portion of the mounting portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the movement of one or both of the cutter and the base relative to one another to position the cutter within the base occurs without any rotation of the cutter relative to the base, and involves only movement in an axial direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of unscrewing the cap from the base after the assembled closured has been attached to the container, wherein unscrewing the cap causes a downwards rotational movement of the cutter relative to the base that creates an opening the container. 
     
     
         16 . A closure for a container, the closure comprising:
 a base comprising:
 a sealing rim having a first side, a second side and an opening extending from the first to the second side; 
 a membrane sealed to the second side to cover the opening; 
 a cylindrical neck formed about a longitudinal axis and extending from the first side of the sealing rim, the neck including an interior surface surrounding the opening and a track formed on the interior surface, the track defined by a first elongated guide element formed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis on the interior surface, the first elongated guide element having a tip portion extending at an angle between 5 and 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis; and 
 a curved guide element formed between the tip and the membrane, the curved guide element having a surface facing the tip and extending at substantially the same angle as the tip relative to the longitudinal axis; 
   a cutter comprising:
 a cylindrical body; 
 a cutting element extending downwards from a lower end of the cylindrical body; 
 a downwardly angled rib extending about an outer surface of the cutter; and 
 a fin extending radially inwards from an inner surface of the cylindrical body; and 
   a cap comprising:
 a top panel; 
 a skirt extending downwards from an outer periphery of the top panel; 
 a cap thread configured to interact with the base to attach the cap to the base; and 
 a drive tab extending downwards from a lower surface of the top panel; 
   wherein when the cap is sealed to the neck the cutter is located within the neck of the base such a bottommost surface of the cutting element is located above the membrane;   wherein upon removal of the cap from the neck, rotation of the cap relative to the neck results in the engagement of the drive tab with the fin, causing the cutter to be rotated relative to the base;   the rotation of the cutter relative to the base resulting in the rib entering into the track to move the cutter into engagement with the membrane to cut the membrane as the cap is rotated.