Push-on/screw-off cap assembly

Abstract

A push-on pull-off and screw-on screw-off closure assembly 20 is provided comprising a spout 30 adapted to be attached to a container 10, the spout 30 having a wall 36 defining a flow path and having an outer surface 40 having a spiral-shaped spout thread 44 thereon. The assembly also comprises a cap 50 having a base 52 with an outer annular wall 54 extending from the base 52 having an inner surface 58. The inner surface 58 having a cap thread 60 thereon, wherein the cap thread 60 substantially engages the spout thread 44 and the cap 50 and spout 30 are adapted to close the flow path when the cap 50 is pushed onto the spout 30.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A closure assembly comprising: 
 a spout adapted to be attached to a container, the spout defining a flow path and having an outer surface, the outer surface having a spiral-shaped spout thread thereon, the spout thread having an upper surface;    a cap having a base, an outer annular wall extending from the base having an inner surface and a cap thread located on the inner surface;    wherein a substantial portion of the cap thread engages the spout thread and the cap is adapted to seal the flow path when the cap is pushed onto the spout.    
     
     
         2 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cap thread and the spout thread have the same pitch.  
     
     
         3 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an annular space between the thread skirt and the spout;  
 an annular passage in flow communication with the annular space;  
 wherein the annular passage permits a steam sterilization composition access to the annular space.  
 
     
     
         4 . The closure assembly of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 an end surface on the thread skirt;  
 a handling ring from the outer surface of the spout;  
 wherein the annular passage is defined by the intermediate flange and the end surface.  
 
     
     
         5 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an annular groove located on the inner surface of the outer annular wall of the cap;  
 an annular spout protrusion extending from the spout outer surface;  
 wherein the annular groove and the spout protrusion cooperate to form an interference fit when the cap is pushed onto the spout.  
 
     
     
         6 . The closure assembly of  claim 5  wherein the cap thread and spout thread cooperate to overcome the interference fit and un-seal the flow path when the cap is rotated relative to the spout.  
     
     
         7 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an inner annular wall extending from the base having an outer surface, the inner annular wall being circumjacent to the outer annular wall;  
 wherein the outer surface of the inner annular wall of the cap frictionally engages an inner surface of the spout when the cap is pushed on the spout.  
 
     
     
         8 . The closure assembly of  claim 7  wherein an inner seal ring extends from the inner surface of the spout wall and the outer surface of the inner annular wall of the cap frictionally engages the inner seal ring.  
     
     
         9 . The closure of  claim 8  wherein the cap thread and the spout thread cooperate to frictionally disengage the outer surface of the inner annular wall of the cap from the inner seal ring when the cap is rotated relative to the base.  
     
     
         10 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  wherein the outer annular wall is sufficiently resilient to allow the cap threads to pass over the spout threads when the cap is pushed onto the spout and sufficiently rigid to permit the spout thread and the cap thread to cooperate to separate the cap from the spout when the cap is rotated relative to the spout.  
     
     
         11 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  wherein the spout thread and cap thread cooperate to separate the cap from the spout when the cap is rotated relative to the spout.  
     
     
         12 . The closure assembly of  claim 11  wherein the cap is rotated in a counterclockwise direction relative to the spout.  
     
     
         13 . The closure assembly of  claim 11  wherein the cap is separated from the spout when the cap is rotated approximately 270 degrees relative to the spout.  
     
     
         14 . The closure assembly of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the spout has a top end;  
 the spout thread has a beginning point and an end point and extends about the outer surface of the spout for approximately 360 degrees, the spout thread beginning point being distal from the top end of the spout as compared to the spout thread ending point;  
 the cap thread has a beginning point and an end point and extends about the inner surface of the thread skirt for approximately  360  degrees, the cap thread beginning point being distal from the base as compared to the cap thread end point;  
 the cap having a thread indicator thereon in the vicinity of the cap thread beginning point;  
 a starting location on the outer surface of the cylindrical wall;  
 wherein when the thread indicator is rotationally aligned with the starting point, the cap thread beginning point passes over the spout thread and the cap seals the flow path as the cap is pushed onto the spout.  
 
     
     
         15 . The closure assembly of  claim 14  wherein the starting location is at a point on the spout outer surface anywhere between approximately 90 degrees and approximately 270 degrees from the spout thread beginning point.  
     
     
         16 . The closure assembly of  claim 15  wherein the starting location is at a point along the outer surface of the spout approximately 90 degrees from the spout thread beginning point.  
     
     
         17 . The closure assembly of  claim 15  wherein the starting location is at a point along the outer surface of the spout approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise from the spout thread beginning point.  
     
     
         18 . A closure assembly comprising: 
 a spout adapted to be attached to a container, the spout having an outer surface and inner surface, the outer surface having a spiral-shaped spout thread thereon and an annular spout protrusion extending therefrom, the inner surface having an annular spout projection extending therefrom;    a cap having a base, an outer annular wall extending from the base with an inner surface having a cap thread thereon, the inner surface further having an annular groove, an annular wall extending from the base having an outer surface and being circumjacent to the outer annular wall;    wherein, when the cap is pushed onto the spout, the outer annular wall is adapted to allow the cap thread to pass over the spout thread, the annular groove receives the annular spout protrusion, and the outer surface of the inner annular wall frictionally engages the annular spout projection, and when the cap is rotated relative to the base, the cap thread and the spout thread cooperate to separate the cap from the spout.    
     
     
         19 . A flexible container assembly comprising: 
 an internal chamber for containing a liquid product;    a spout attached to the container and in flow communication with the internal chamber, the spout having an outer surface with a spiral-shaped spout thread thereon;    a cap having a base, an outer annular wall extending from the base with an inner surface having a cap thread thereon;    wherein the cap thread substantially engages the spout thread and the cap and spout cooperate to seal the spout when the cap is pushed onto the spout.    
     
     
         20 . The flexible container assembly of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 an annular groove located on the inner surface of the outer annular wall;  
 an inner annular wall extending from the base having an outer surface, the inner annular wall being circumjacent to the outer annular wall;  
 the spout inner surface having an annular spout projection extending therefrom, the spout outer surface having an annular spout protrusion extending therefrom;  
 wherein the outer surface of the inner annular wall frictionally engages the annular projection and the annular groove receives the spout protrusion.  
 
     
     
         21 . A cap assembly for sealing a spout having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface having a spiral-shaped spout thread, the cap assembly comprising: 
 a base;    an outer annular wall extending from the base having an inner surface with a spiral shaped cap thread thereon;    wherein the cap thread substantially engages the spout thread and the cap assembly is adapted seal the spout when the cap assembly is pushed onto the spout.    
     
     
         22 . The cap assembly of  claim 21  further comprising an inner annular wall extending from the base, the inner annular wall having a sealing surface, the sealing surface being adapted to frictionally engage the inner surface of the spout.  
     
     
         23 . The cap assembly of  claim 21  further comprising an annular groove located on the inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall wherein the annular groove is adapted to form an interference fit with an annular spout protrusion located on the outer surface of the spout.  
     
     
         24 . A closure for a container, the closure comprising: 
 a spout adapted to be attached to the container, the spout having an inner surface and an outer surface, the spout inner surface having a having a projection extending therefrom, the outer wall having a spiral-shaped thread thereon, the thread having an upper surface;    a cap having a base, an inner wall extending from the base and an outer wall extending from the base, the inner wall being circumjacent to the outer wall, the inner wall having a recess that receives the projection when the cap is pushed onto the spout, the outer wall having an inner surface with a cap thread thereon, the cap thread engaging the upper surface of the spout thread    
     
     
         25 . A cap assembly for a flexible container, the container having an internal chamber for containing a liquid product, the cap assembly comprising: 
 a spout adapted to be attached to the container and in fluid communication with the internal chamber, the spout having a spout thread and an outer spout ring on an outer surface of the spout;    a cap having a base, a thread skirt extending from the base having an inner surface, a cap thread on the inner surface of the thread skirt, and an annular groove on the inner surface of the thread skirt;    wherein the cap can be pulled-off and pushed onto the spout and screwed-off and screwed onto the spout.