US 11,718,457 B2
Closure assembly
Gary L. Berge, Crystal Lake, IL (US)
Assigned to Silgan White Cap LLC, Downers Grove, IL (US)
Filed by Silgan White Cap LLC, Downers Grove, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/859,654.
Application 16/859,654 is a continuation of application No. 15/698,348, filed on Sep. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,676,261.
Prior Publication US 2020/0255195 A1, Aug. 13, 2020
Int. Cl. B65D 51/22 (2006.01); B65D 5/74 (2006.01); B65D 41/04 (2006.01); B65D 47/08 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 51/222 (2013.01) [B65D 5/748 (2013.01); B65D 41/0414 (2013.01); B65D 47/0809 (2013.01); B65D 2251/0093 (2013.01); B65D 2251/023 (2013.01); B65D 2401/10 (2020.05); B65D 2401/15 (2020.05)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
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 track defined by an elongated guide element formed substantially parallel to the vertical axis about an inner surface of the neck portion, the elongated guide element having a tip portion extending at an angle between 5 and 45 degrees relative to the vertical 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;
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 sealingly attach the cap to the base; and
a plurality of drive tabs 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 sealingly 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 track 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.