Multipart closure

Abstract

A multi-part closure is proposed with a lower part having a flat support and a neck integrally arranged thereon. A screw cap is provided with a retaining ring and with a closure cap fastened to the retaining ring via a film hinge, the retaining ring being arranged at least partially between the support and a detent ring around the neck and being rotatably held by the detent ring. Further, the film hinge includes a first hinge member forming a portion of the retaining ring, and a second hinge member forming a portion of the closure cap. A three-portion hinge includes a center portion and two outer portions spaced from the center portion and connecting the first hinge member to the second hinge member. The at least two outer parts are designed to exert an at least partially increasing tensile force up to a limit angle during a rotation about a line of rotation and to exert an at least partially decreasing tensile force during a further rotation from this limit angle.

1 . A multi-piece closure, in particular for a liquid-containing carton package, comprising:
 a lower part with a flat support and a neck arranged integrally thereon, the neck having:
 a neck opening; 
 a detent ring surrounding the neck; 
   a screw cap with a retaining ring and with a closure cap fastened to the retaining ring via a film hinge, the retaining ring being arranged at least partially between the support and the detent ring around the neck and being held rotatably by the detent ring, and   the film hinge comprising:   a first hinge member forming part of the retaining ring and extending arcuately over a partial circumference of the retaining ring;   a second hinge member forming part of the closure cap and extending in an arc over a partial circumference of the closure cap opposite the first hinge member;   a three-portion hinge joint having a central portion and two outer portions spaced from the central portion and connecting the first hinge member to the second hinge member,   wherein at least the two outer portions are configured to exert an at least partially increasing tensile force up to a limit angle during a rotation about a line of rotation and to exert an at least partially decreasing tensile force during a further rotation from this limit angle.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance of a boundary of the outer portions to the first hinge member to a boundary of the outer portions to the second hinge member increases with increasing distance from the center portion. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer rim of the outer portions substantially terminate with corresponding ends of the arcuately extending hinge parts. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of an outer rim of the two outer portions is at least twice greater than a length of an inner rim adjacent the center portion, and optionally is 2.5 to 4.5 times greater. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer rim of the outer portions is adjacent to a portion of the closure cap extending towards the retaining ring, optionally to within about half the length of the outer rim. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer rim of the outer portions is adjacent to a portion of the retaining ring extending toward the closure cap, optionally to within about half the length of the outer rim. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein a curvature of the first hinge member is stronger than a curvature of the second hinge member. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining ring comprises:
 two ramp-shaped extension sections extending on either side of the first hinge member subsequently along a portion of the retaining ring and rising toward the first hinge member.   
     
     
         9 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 8 , wherein an increase of the ramp-shaped extending portions is stepwise, in particular in at least 2 steps, wherein a rise angle is different between the first and the second step. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the line of rotation optionally extends partially through the central portion and moves outwardly during a rotation to open the closure cap. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the first hinge member and the adjoining extension portions extend approximately 90° to 135° along a segment of a circle. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one first locking member formed between a neck opening and the detent ring; wherein the closure cap comprises at least one second locking member which, in a closed state, cooperates with the at least one first locking member to close the neck opening with the closure cap in a fluid-tight manner and, in the closed state, rotation of the screw cap about the neck in a first direction causes the screw cap to open.   
     
     
         13 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining ring is connected to the closure cap via connecting webs forming a plurality of predetermined breaking points. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the detent ring extends with its side facing the flat support substantially parallel to the support and the side facing away from the flat support extends obliquely to the support. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining ring comprises a plurality of retaining elements configured to substantially non-releasably retain the retaining ring about the neck in cooperation with the detent ring. 
     
     
         16 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining elements are pivotally attached at one end to the retaining ring, and face with their other end the side of the detent ring facing the planar support; optionally wherein a pivot axis of the retaining elements faces the planar support. 
     
     
         17 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one first locking member comprises at least four externally threaded segments that at least partially overlap. 
     
     
         18 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 17 , wherein a length of the externally threaded segments is 0.35 to 0.70 times a neck circumference, particularly in the range of 0.4 to 0.65 times a neck circumference. 
     
     
         19 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 18 , wherein a pitch of the externally threaded segments changes. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one second locking member comprises at least three internally threaded segments that at least partially overlap. 
     
     
         21 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 20 , wherein a length of the internally threaded segments is substantially 0.2 to 0.6 times, in particular in the range of 0.30 to 0.45 times, a circumference of the inside of the closure cap on which the internally threaded segment is disposed. 
     
     
         22 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 17 , further comprising a latching cam arranged close to the respective end in each of the externally threaded segments and configured to engage a notch in the internally threaded segment in a closed condition of the closure cap. 
     
     
         23 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 17 , further comprising a notch disposed near each end in the externally threaded threaded segment and configured to cooperate with a detent cam in the internally threaded segment in a closed condition of the closure cap. 
     
     
         24 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure cap includes a sealing ring that engages the neck opening in a fluid-tight manner when the closure cap is in a closed condition. 
     
     
         25 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 24 , wherein the sealing ring has comprises an outer diameter slightly larger than the neck opening. 
     
     
         26 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 24 , wherein the neck opening includes an inwardly curved tab. 
     
     
         27 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 24 , wherein the sealing ring comprises a height that increases with increasing distance from the film hinge. 
     
     
         28 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 24 , wherein a height of the sealing ring is such that, in a cross-section along a plane passing through the film hinge and the center of the closure cap, a portion of the sealing ring facing the film hinge comprises a lower height than a portion of the sealing ring facing away from the film hinge. 
     
     
         29 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 26 , wherein a side of the sealing ring facing the neck opening is shorter than an inner side of the sealing ring. 
     
     
         30 . The multi-piece closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the film hinge is configured to hold the closure cap in an opened and/or unfolded state at an angle of at least 90° rotated about the film hinge, and in particular in the range of 105° to 135°, but in particular greater than 100° rotated about the film hinge.