Container closure

Abstract

A container includes a bottle and a closure. The bottle includes a base, a sidewall, a neck, and a finish defining an opening. The closure includes an end wall, a skirt extending away from the end wall, a rim, threads protruding from the skirt and configured to engage with the finish, and a tamper evidence feature connecting the skirt to the rim. A rigid bond affixes the rim to the bottle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a bottle including a base, a sidewall, a neck, and a finish defining an opening; and   a closure including an end wall, a skirt extending away from the end wall, a rim, threads protruding from the skirt and configured to engage with the finish, and a tamper evidence feature connecting the skirt to the rim;   wherein a rigid bond affixes the rim to the bottle.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure and the bottle are both primarily formed from a same material. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the same material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , the tamper evidence feature comprises a breakable connection that is configured to break in response to application of a removal force to the closure. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the breakable connection comprises at least one bridge connecting between the skirt and the rim. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the breakable connection comprises no more than three bridges connecting between the skirt and the rim. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the finish comprises a multi-functional ledge protruding in a radial direction, and wherein the rigid bond affixes the rim to the multi-functional ledge. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the finish comprises a vertical wall, and wherein the rigid bond affixes the rim to the vertical wall. 
     
     
         9 . A container comprising:
 a bottle including a base, a sidewall, a neck, and a finish, the finish including a multi-functional ledge protruding in a radial direction, and the finish defining an opening; and   a closure including an end wall, a skirt extending away from the end wall, a rim affixed to the multi-functional ledge by a rigid bond, and threads protruding from the skirt and configured to engage with the finish;   wherein the bottle and the closure are both primarily formed from a same material.   
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the same material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the rigid bond comprises a bridge connecting the rim to the multi-functional ledge, and wherein the bridge is primarily formed from the same material. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the rigid bond is formed by a welding process. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein the closure further includes a tamper evidence feature that comprises at least one bridge connecting the skirt to the rim. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the rim comprises a first rim segment and a second rim segment spaced apart from the first rim segment in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid bond is a first rigid bond affixing the first rim segment to the multi-functional ledge, and wherein the second rim segment is affixed to the multi-functional ledge by a second rigid bond. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one bridge comprises a first bridge and a second bridge, and wherein the first bridge connects the skirt to the first rim segment, and wherein the second bridge connects the skirt to the second rim segment. 
     
     
         17 . A container comprising:
 a bottle including a base, a sidewall, a neck, and a finish defining an opening; and   a closure including an end wall, a skirt extending away from the end wall, a rim rigidly attached to the finish, threads protruding from the skirt and configured to engage with the finish, and a tamper evidence feature connecting the skirt to the rim;   wherein the bottle and the closure are both primarily formed from a same material.   
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the same material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the finish comprises at least one of:
 (a) a vertical wall, and   (b) a multi-functional ledge protruding radially outward; and   wherein at least one of:   (a) the rim is rigidly attached to the finish via a rigid bond connecting the rim to the vertical wall, and   (b) the rim is rigidly attached to the finish via a rigid bond connecting the rim to the multi-functional ledge.   
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the rim comprises a first rim segment and a second rim segment spaced apart from the first rim segment in a circumferential direction.