Plastic closure for containers

Abstract

A plastic closure for receipt on a container includes a plastic ring having an internal recess adapted to be received by snap fit over an external crown or bead on the container finish such that the ring lies at or below the end of the finish and is retained against axial movement on the container finish. A plastic lid is coupled by a hinge to the ring, with the ring, the lid and the hinge being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction. The lid has a skirt that is adapted releasably to be snapped to the ring in a closed position of the lid over the ring. The lid skirt preferably has an external bead that is adapted to be received by snap-fit within an internal channel on the ring in the closed position of the lid over the ring, and a conical internal surface on the ring preferably is provided to guide the bead on the lid into the channel on the ring.

1 . A plastic closure for receipt on a container having a finish with an end surrounded by an external bead, said closure including: 
 a plastic ring having an internal recess adapted to be received by snap fit over the container finish bead such that said ring lies at or below the end of the container finish and said ring is retained against axial movement on the container finish, and    a plastic lid coupled by a hinge to said ring, said ring, said lid and said hinge being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction,    said lid having a skirt adapted to be releasably snapped to said ring in a closed position of said lid over said ring.    
   
   
       2 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lid has an external bead on said skirt that is adapted to be received by snap fit in an internal channel on said ring in said closed position of said lid over said ring.  
   
   
       3 . The closure set forth in  claim 2  wherein said ring has a conical internal surface adjacent to said internal channel for guiding said bead on said lid into said channel on said ring.  
   
   
       4 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  wherein said ring has a conical internal surface facing away from said lid and disposed adjacent to said recess for guiding said ring over the external bead on the container finish.  
   
   
       5 . The closure set forth in  claim 1  including a foil seal for receipt over the end of the container finish within said ring.  
   
   
       6 . A plastic closure for receipt on a container having a finish with an end surrounded by an external bead, said closure including: 
 a circumferentially continuous plastic ring having an internal recess adapted to be received by snap fit over the finish bead such that said ring lies at or below the end of the container finish and said ring is retained against axial movement on the container finish, and    a plastic lid coupled by a hinge to said ring, said ring, said lid and said hinge being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction,    said lid having a skirt and an external bead on said skirt,    said ring having an internal channel and a conical internal surface adjacent to said channel for guiding said bead on said lid into said channel on said ring such that said bead is received by snap fit in said internal channel on said ring in a closed position of said lid over said ring,    said ring having a conical internal surface facing away from said lid and disposed adjacent to said recess in said ring for guiding said ring over the bead on the container finish.    
   
   
       7 . A package that includes: 
 a glass container having a finish with an end surrounded by an external bead, and    a closure that includes:    a plastic ring having an internal recess received by snap fit over said container finish bead such that said ring lies at or below said end of said container finish and said ring is retained against axial movement on said container finish, and    a plastic lid coupled by a hinge to said ring, said ring, said lid and said hinge being of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction,    said lid having a skirt adapted to be releasably snapped to said ring in a closed position of said lid over said ring.    
   
   
       8 . The package set forth in  claim 7  wherein said lid has an external bead on said skirt that is adapted to be received by snap fit in an internal channel on said ring in said closed position of said lid over said ring.  
   
   
       9 . The package set forth in  claim 8  wherein said ring has a conical internal surface adjacent to said internal channel for guiding said bead on said lid into said channel on said ring.  
   
   
       10 . The package set forth in  claim 7  wherein said ring has a conical internal surface facing away from said lid and disposed adjacent to said recess for guiding said ring over the external bead on the container finish.  
   
   
       11 . The package set forth in  claim 7  including a foil seal for receipt over the end of the container finish within said ring.  
   
   
       12 . The package set forth in  claim 7  wherein said lid has a skirt that is captured against lateral movement between said bead and said ring in said closed position of said lid.  
   
   
       13 . The package set forth in  claim 7  wherein said container finish has first and second axially spaced external beads, said ring being received over the first external bead remote from the end of said finish and said lid skirt having an internal surface that engages the second external bead adjacent to the end of said finish in said closed position of said lid.  
   
   
       14 . The package set forth in  claim 13  wherein said lid has an external bead at an edge of said skirt and said ring has an internal channel into which said external bead is received by snap fit, between said external beads on said container finish, in said closed position of said lid.