Container and container closure with secure molded three dimensional image

Abstract

A container closure having a closed position and an open position and including a molded portion, such as a threaded flat cap, having a molded three dimensional image, in particular a lithophane image, on at least one surface thereof, wherein the image is configured to be viewed with the container in the open position and the image is configured to be un-viewable with the container in the closed position. The flat cap may include a sealing member such as a clear liner engaging a support shoulder surrounding the image. The flat cap may further include tamper evident features for the cap.

1 . A container closure having a closed position and an open position and including a molded portion having a molded three dimensional image on at least one surface thereof, wherein the image is configured to be viewed with the container in the open position and the image is configured to be un-viewable with the container in the closed position.  
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the three dimensional image is a lithophane image that is formed by one of compression molding and injection molding.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2  further including a tamper evident structure configured to seal the container in the closed position at least prior to an initial opening of the container.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 3  wherein the molded portion of the container is a container closure having a top, a skirt depending from the top, internal threads on the skirt for securing the closure to the remainder of the container, and wherein the tamper evident structure is a tamper evident band coupled to the depending skirt at least prior to the initial opening of the container.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the lithophane image is on an inner side of the top.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 5  wherein the top includes an annular shoulder and further including a transparent liner adjacent the shoulder.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 6  wherein the liner is molded to conform to the lithophane image.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the lithophane image has a depth of between about 10/1000 and 90/1000 of an inch.  
   
   
       9 . A molded container closure configured to be selectively attached to and removed from a container body, the container closure comprising: 
 a top having a molded three dimensional image on one surface thereof, wherein the image is configured to be viewed with the container closure removed from the container body and the image is configured to be unviewable with the container closure attached to the container body; and    a skirt depending from the top, a container body securement mechanism on the skirt for securing the closure to the container body.    
   
   
       10 . The container closure of  claim 9  wherein the liner is molded to conform to the lithophane image.  
   
   
       11 . The container closure of  claim 9  wherein the three dimensional image is a lithophane image that is formed by one of compression molding and injection molding.  
   
   
       12 . The container closure of  claim 11  further including a tamper evident band coupled to the depending skirt at least prior to the initial opening of the container.  
   
   
       13 . The container closure of  claim 11  further including a liner, wherein the liner is molded to conform to the lithophane image.  
   
   
       14 . The container closure of  claim 13  wherein the lithophane image has a depth of between about 10/1000 and 90/1000 of an inch.  
   
   
       15 . The container closure of  claim 9  wherein the top includes an annular shoulder receiving the liner, wherein the image is positioned radially inward of the shoulder.  
   
   
       16 . The container closure of  claim 15  wherein the shoulder has a depth equal to or greater than the greatest depth of the lithophane image.  
   
   
       17 . A container closure configured to be selectively threaded onto and off of a container body having a threaded neck finish, the container closure comprising: 
 an injection molded top having an annular shoulder and a molded lithophane image on an inner facing surface thereof, wherein the lithophane image is radial inward of the annular shoulder;    an integral skirt depending from the top, threads molded on the skirt for securing the closure to the container body;    a sealing mechanism in the form of one of a transparent liner and a sealing plug adjacent the top on the annular shoulder surrounding the image.    
   
   
       18 . The container closure of  claim 17  wherein the shoulder has a depth equal to or greater than the greatest depth of the lithophane image.  
   
   
       19 . The container closure of  claim 18  wherein the lithophane image has a depth of between about 10/1000 and 90/1000 of an inch.  
   
   
       20 . The container closure of  claim 11  wherein the sealing mechanism is a sealing plug in the form of a liner that is molded to conform to the lithophane image.  
   
   
       21 . A article of manufacture comprising: 
 a surface; and    a lithophane-type work visible through the surface and having a thickness adjusted as a function of opacity of material from which the surface is made and a color of the material.    
   
   
       22 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein the lithophane-type work is sculpted within the surface.  
   
   
       23 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein the lithophane-type work is erected on a top of the surface.  
   
   
       24 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of cans, caps, key chains, eatable items and caps each having a polygonal or annular cross-section.