Containers with severable closures

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) comprising a body ( 18 ) having a cavity ( 41 ) for containing a product, a nozzle ( 16 ) and a closure ( 14 ). The container is opened at the dispensing orifice ( 43 ) of the nozzle by severing the closure from the nozzle via manual force from the user. The closure is formed of a mixture comprising high density polyethylene and an inorganic additive that lowers the impact strength and toughness of the high density polyethylene while increasing flexural modulus and hardness. The closure may be unitarily formed with the nozzle as a single piece.

1 . A container comprising:
 a body having a cavity for containing a product;   a nozzle; and   a break-off closure that seals a dispensing orifice of the nozzle, the dispensing orifice being exposed upon the break-off closure being severed from the nozzle;   wherein the break-off closure formed of a mixture comprising a high density polyethylene and an inorganic additive.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the inorganic additive has a concentration of about 3 percent to about 21 percent by weight of the mixture comprising the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the container further comprises a shoulder. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the break-off closure comprises a bottom edge coupled to a top edge of the nozzle to seal the dispensing orifice. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 4  wherein the break-off closure comprises a top edge comprising a nozzle cavity having an opening for receiving the nozzle once the break-off closure has been severed from the nozzle and the break-off closure is placed over the nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the container comprises a pre-weakened area defining a top edge of the nozzle and a bottom edge of the break-off closure. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 6  wherein the pre-weakened area intersects a dispensing conduit of the nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the mixture comprises an amount of the inorganic additive that decreases the torque required to sever the closure from the nozzle by about 10 to 20 percent in comparison to the torque required to sever a closure from a nozzle formed of the high density polyethylene and not containing the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the nozzle and the break-off closure are simultaneously formed and coupled to the body by compression molding. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the container further comprises an oral care product contained within the cavity, and the nozzle and the break-off closure are formed as a unitary piece. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the break-off closure comprises a cylindrical portion and a pair of wings extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the inorganic additive is in a concentration of about 9 percent to about 18 percent by weight of the mixture comprising the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the inorganic additive is added to the high density polyethylene as a mixture of the inorganic additive and a linear low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein the inorganic additive is a calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         15 . A method to decrease the torque required to sever a closure from a nozzle of a container comprised of a high density polyethylene comprising:
 adding an inorganic additive to the high density polyethylene to form a mixture of the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive; and   forming at least the nozzle and the closure of the container with the mixture of the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the inorganic additive is in a concentration of about 3 percent to about 21 percent by weight of the mixture of the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the inorganic additive is in a concentration of about 9 percent to about 18 percent by weight of the mixture of the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the inorganic additive is added to the high density polyethylene as a mixture of the inorganic additive and a linear low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the inorganic additive is a calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the torque required to sever the closure from the nozzle is about 13.5 Ncm while the torque required to sever a similar closure from a similar nozzle formed of the high density polyethylene not containing the inorganic additive is about 15.5 Ncm. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the container comprises a shoulder, the shoulder and the neck having a substantially uniform wall thickness of about 0.130 mm. 
     
     
         22 . A dispensing body for a container comprising:
 a nozzle;   a break-off closure sealing a dispensing orifice of the nozzle, the dispensing orifice being exposed upon the break-off closure being severed from the nozzle; and   the nozzle and the break-off closure unitarily formed of a mixture comprising a high density polyethylene and an inorganic additive.   
     
     
         23 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the inorganic additive has a concentration of about 3 percent to about 21 percent by weight of the mixture comprising the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         24 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the unitary dispensing body further comprises a shoulder. 
     
     
         25 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the break-off closure comprises a bottom edge coupled to a top edge of the nozzle to seal the dispensing orifice. 
     
     
         26 . The dispensing body according to  claim 25  wherein the break-off closure comprises a top edge comprising a nozzle cavity having an opening for receiving the nozzle once the break-off closure has been severed from the nozzle and the break-off closure is placed over the nozzle. 
     
     
         27 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the unitary dispensing body comprises a pre-weakened area defining a top edge of the nozzle and a bottom edge of the break-off closure. 
     
     
         28 . The dispensing body according to  claim 27  wherein the pre-weakened area intersects a dispensing conduit of the nozzle. 
     
     
         29 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the mixture comprising the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive comprises an amount of the inorganic additive that decreases the torque required to sever the closure from the nozzle by about 10 to 20 percent in comparison to the torque required to sever a closure from a nozzle of a similar unitary dispensing body formed of the high density polyethylene and not containing the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         30 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the break-off closure comprises a cylindrical portion and a pair of wings extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion. 
     
     
         31 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the inorganic additive is in a concentration of about 9 percent to about 18 percent by weight of the mixture comprising the high density polyethylene and the inorganic additive. 
     
     
         32 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the inorganic additive is added to the high density polyethylene as a mixture of the inorganic additive and a linear low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         33 . The dispensing body according to  claim 22  wherein the inorganic additive is a calcium carbonate.