| CPC B01L 3/508 (2013.01) [B65D 50/041 (2013.01); B65D 55/028 (2013.01); B65D 2215/00 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. A closure device to allow closure of an open-ended container and provide a visible indication of closure torque, the closure device comprising:
an outer cap defining a torque indicator window, the outer cap including a series of pawl elements circumferentially spaced apart around an inner surface thereof;
an inner cap nested within the outer cap, the inner cap including a series of ratchet teeth circumferentially spaced apart around an outer surface thereof; and
a torque indicator disc positionally fixed to an upper surface of the inner cap and having an indicia region indicative of sufficient closure torque, wherein
the pawl elements of the outer cap and the ratchet teeth of the inner cap are in mechanical interference fit with one another such that turning movement applied to the outer cap of the closure device in a clockwise direction allows the outer and inner caps to be turned as a unit and be threadably coupled onto a threaded container until the inner cap is frictionally engaged with an edge of the container, and wherein
the pawl elements of the outer cap have a predetermined radial dimension which establishes the sufficient closure torque such that the pawl elements slide over the ratchet teeth upon reaching the sufficient closure torque when the inner cap is frictionally engaged with the edge of the container to thereby generate an audible clicking sound upon continued clockwise turning movement of the outer cap relative to the inner cap which responsively causes angular displacement of the torque indicator window relative to the torque indicator disc and expose the indicia region thereof to thereby provide a visible indication through the torque indicator window that the sufficient closure torque has been attained.
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