Gasket for press-on twist-off closure

Abstract

A press-on, twist-off container assembly of the type that is used, for example, and baby food containers includes a container that has, as conventional, a finish portion with at least one external threadand a closure that is mounted on the container. The closure is of the press-on, twist-off type and includes a panel portion and a skirt portion that together define a generally cylindrical interior recess. As is conventional, a deformable gasket is mounted within the interior recess that has a thread engaging portion that is deformed so as to at least partially conform to the external threads of said finish portion of said container. The thread engaging portion advantageously has a plurality of inwardly extending raised flutes that are circumferentially spaced irregularly about the thread engaging portion. At least some of the flutes are in contact with at least one of the external threads at respective points of contact, and each external thread has a total distance spanned by such points of contact. As a result of the irregular spacing of the flutes, the container assembly will have an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of the total distance spanned for all of the external threads that is less than it would be were the flutes spaced regularly. Accordingly, the amount of torque that is necessary to remove the closure is comparatively reduced.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A press-on, twist-off closure for a container of the type that has at least one external thread on a finish portion thereof, comprising: 
 a panel portion;    a skirt portion depending downwardly from said panel portion, said skirt portion and said panel portion together defining a generally cylindrical interior recess; and    a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess, said deformable gasket having a thread engaging portion that is mounted to an inner surface of said skirt portion, and wherein said thread engaging portion comprises a plurality of raised flutes that are integral with said deformable gasket and wherein said raised flutes are arranged in a plurality of separate groups about an inner circumference of said thread engaging portion, each of said separate groups containing at least two flutes, and wherein a circumferential distance between any two adjacent groups is greater than a circumferential distance between any two adjacent flutes within a group, so that when mounted on a container the total span of contact of said flutes across individual external threads of the container will be less than if said flutes were evenly spaced, whereby the torque needed to remove the closure from the container will be less than if said flutes were evenly spaced.    
     
     
         2 . A closure according to  claim 1 , wherein said panel portion and said skirt portion are metal.  
     
     
         3 . A press-on, twist-off container assembly, comprising: 
 a container having a finish portion with at least one external thread defined thereon; and    a press-on, twist-off type closure including a panel portion; a skirt portion depending downwardly from said panel portion, said skirt portion and said panel portion together defining a generally cylindrical interior recess; and a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess, said deformable gasket having a thread engaging portion that is deformed so as to at least partially conform to said external threads of said finish portion of said container, said thread engaging portion having a plurality of inwardly extending raised flutes, and wherein at least some of said flutes are in contact with at least one of said external threads at respective points of contact, each external thread having a total distance spanned by such points of contact, and wherein an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of said total distance spanned for all of said external threads is less than an internal circumference of said thread engaging portion.    
     
     
         4 . A container assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said flutes are spaced circumferentially irregularly about said thread engaging portion.  
     
     
         5 . A container assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said flutes are arranged in a plurality of groups, each of said groups containing more than one flute.  
     
     
         6 . A container assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein a circumferential distance between any two adjacent groups is greater than a circumferential distance between any two adjacent flutes within a group.  
     
     
         7 . A press-on, twist-off container assembly, comprising: 
 a container having a finish portion with at least one external thread defined thereon; and    a press-on, twist-off type closure including a panel portion; a skirt portion depending downwardly from said panel portion, said skirt portion and said panel portion together defining a generally cylindrical interior recess; and a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess, said deformable gasket having a thread engaging portion that is deformed so as to at least partially conform to said external threads of said finish portion of said container, said thread engaging portion having a plurality of inwardly extending raised areas, and wherein at least some of said raised areas are in contact with at least one of said external threads at respective lengths of contact, each external thread having a total distance spanned by a sum of such lengths of contact and distances spanned by adjacent raised areas on the thread, and wherein an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of said total distance spanned for all of said external threads is less than an internal circumference of said thread engaging portion.    
     
     
         8 . A press-on, twist-off container assembly, comprising: 
 a container having a finish portion with at least one external thread defined thereon; and    a press-on, twist-off type closure including a panel portion; a skirt portion depending downwardly from said panel portion, said skirt portion and said panel portion together defining a generally cylindrical interior recess; and a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess, said deformable gasket having a thread engaging portion that is deformed so as to at least partially conform to said external threads of said finish portion of said container, said thread engaging portion having a plurality of inwardly extending raised flutes, said flutes being circumferentially spaced irregularly about said thread engaging portion, and wherein at least some of said flutes are in contact with at least one of said external threads at respective points of contact, each external thread having a total distance spanned by such points of contact, whereby said irregular spacing of said flutes will cause said container assembly to have an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of said total distance spanned for all of said external threads that is less than it would be were the flutes spaced regularly, whereby the amount of torque that is necessary to remove the closure is comparatively reduced.    
     
     
         9 . A container assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein said flutes are arranged in a plurality of groups, each of said groups containing more than one flute.  
     
     
         10 . A container assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein a circumferential distance between any two adjacent groups is greater than a circumferential distance between any two adjacent flutes within a group.  
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein at least a plurality of said groups contain at least three flutes.  
     
     
         12 . A method of making a press-on, twist-off container assembly, comprising steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a finish portion with at least one external thread defined thereon;    (b) providing a press-on, twist-off type closure including a panel portion and a skirt portion that together define a generally cylindrical interior recess and a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess that has a thread engaging portion having a plurality of inwardly extending raised flutes; and    (c) pressing the closure onto the container so that at least some of said flutes are in contact with at least one of said external threads at respective points of contact, each external thread having a total distance spanned by such points of contact, and wherein an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of said total distance spanned for all of said external threads is less than an internal circumference of said thread engaging portion.    
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed with a closure that is constructed so that said flutes are spaced circumferentially irregularly about said thread engaging portion.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed with a closure that is constructed so that said flutes are arranged in a plurality of groups, each of said groups containing more than one flute.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed with a closure that is constructed so that a circumferential distance between any two adjacent groups is greater than a circumferential distance between any two adjacent flutes within a group.  
     
     
         16 . A method of making a press-on, twist-off container assembly, comprising steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a finish portion with at least one external thread defined thereon;    (b) providing a press-on, twist-off type closure that includes a panel portion and a skirt portion that together define a generally cylindrical interior recess and a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess that has a thread engaging portion having a plurality of inwardly extending raised areas; and    (c) pressing the closure onto the container so that at least some of said raised areas are in contact with at least one of said external threads at respective lengths of contact, each external thread having a total distance spanned by a sum of such lengths of contact and distances spanned by adjacent raised areas on the thread, and wherein an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of said total distance spanned for all of said external threads is less than an internal circumference of said thread engaging portion.    
     
     
         17 . A method of making a press-on, twist-off container assembly, comprising steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a finish portion with at least one external thread defined thereon;    (b) providing a press-on, twist-off type closure that includes a panel portion and a skirt portion that together define a generally cylindrical interior recess and a deformable gasket mounted within said interior recess that has a plurality of inwardly extending raised flutes, said flutes being circumferentially spaced irregularly about said thread engaging portion; and    (c) pressing the closure onto the container so that at least some of said flutes are in contact with at least one of said external threads at respective points of contact, each external thread having a total distance spanned by such points of contact, whereby said irregular spacing of said flutes will cause said container assembly to have an aggregate distance spanned that is a sum of said total distance spanned for all of said external threads that is less than it would be were the flutes spaced regularly, whereby the amount of torque that is necessary to remove the closure is comparatively reduced.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed with a closure that is constructed so that said flutes are arranged in a plurality of groups, each of said groups containing more than one flute.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed with a closure that is constructed so that a circumferential distance between any two adjacent groups is greater than a circumferential distance between any two adjacent flutes within a group.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed with a closure that is constructed so that at least a plurality of said groups contain at least three flutes.