Double shell closure with support ribs

Abstract

A bottle closure having an outer shell with a frusto-conical configuration and a rib-supported threaded inner shell is described. The frusto-conical configuration of the outer shell allows the user to easily pickup the package and grip the closure and remove it from a bottle. The inner shell is threaded to allow the closure to engagingly mate with threads on a bottle or similar container. The inner shell is supported by ribs which face toward the outer shell. The ribs provide that the inner shell can be unscrewed from a threaded core of a manufacturing mold during production without causing noticeable distortion in the closure.

1 . A container closure comprising: 
 a. a top, having an interior surface and an exterior surface;    b. an annular outer skirt, depending from and being centered on the interior surface of said top, said outer skirt having a first face which faces inward toward the center of said outer skirt, a second face which faces outward from said skirt, a top edge which abuts said top, and a bottom edge, and said outer skirt having a first diameter at the top edge of the outward face and a second diameter at the bottom edge of the outward face wherein said top diameter is greater than said bottom diameter causing said outer skirt to have a frusto-conical configuration on the exterior surface;    c. at least one annular inner skirt, depending from and being centered on the interior surface of said top, said inner skirt having a first surface which faces inward toward the center of the skirt and a second surface which faces outward toward said outer skirt;    d. at least one rib, depending from said top and attached to the outward facing surface of said inner skirt;    e. said at least one rib having a width less than a distance between said inner skirt and said outer skirt.    
   
   
       2 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and said rib is the same length as said inner skirt.  
   
   
       3 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and said rib is shorter than the length of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       4 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said inner skirt has a diameter that is less than the bottom diameter of said outer skirt and said closure further includes an annular flange depending from the interior surface of said top and being centered on the interior surface of said top, said flange having a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       5 . The closure of  claim 1  further including at least one thread attached to the inward facing surface of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       6 . The closure of  claim 1  further including depressions along the outward face of said outer skirt.  
   
   
       7 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said rib extends from said inner skirt to said outer skirt.  
   
   
       8 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is essentially the same length as said inner skirt.  
   
   
       9 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said outer skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is essentially the same length as said outer skirt.  
   
   
       10 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is shorter than the length of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       11 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said outer skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is shorter than the length of said outer skirt.  
   
   
       12 . A container closure comprising: 
 a. a top, having an interior surface and an exterior surface;    b. an annular outer skirt, depending from and being centered on the interior surface of said top, said outer skirt having a first face which faces inward toward the center of said outer skirt, a second face which faces outward from said skirt, a top edge which abuts said top, and a bottom edge, and said outer skirt having a first diameter at the top edge of the outward face and a second diameter at the bottom edge of the outward face wherein said top diameter is greater than said bottom diameter causing said outer skirt to have a frusto-conical configuration on the exterior surface;    c. an annular inner skirt, depending from and being centered on the interior surface of said top, said inner skirt having a first surface which faces inward toward the center of the skirt and a second surface which faces outward toward said outer skirt;    d. at least one thread attached to the inward facing surface of said inner skirt; and    e. at least one rib, depending from said top and attached to the outward facing surface of said inner skirt and having a width less than a distance between an outer skirt and an inner skirt.    
   
   
       13 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and said rib is the same length as said inner skirt.  
   
   
       14 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and said rib is shorter than the length of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       15 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said inner skirt has a diameter that is less than the bottom diameter of said outer skirt and said closure further includes an annular flange depending from the interior surface of said top and being centered on the interior surface of said top, said flange having a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       16 . The closure of  claim 12  further including depressions along the outward face of said outer skirt.  
   
   
       17 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said rib extends from said inner skirt to said outer skirt.  
   
   
       18 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is essentially the same length as said inner skirt.  
   
   
       19 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said outer skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is essentially the same length as said outer skirt.  
   
   
       20 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said inner skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is shorter than the length of said inner skirt.  
   
   
       21 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein said outer skirt defines a length and at least part of said rib is shorter than the length of said outer skirt.