Packaging sealing system and a packaging assembly including such a sealing system

Abstract

A packaging assembly includes a container body defining an interior for housing a product and an opening leading to the interior. The assembly further includes a cap that moves with respect to the container body to move the assembly between a closed position in which the cap covers the opening, and an opened position in which the opening is exposed. A first seal ( 40 ) is defined between the container body and the cap. The first seal includes a protrusion ( 42 ) formed on one of the container body about the opening or the cap, and a groove ( 44 ) formed on the other of the container body about the opening or the cap. The protrusion is received by the groove when the assembly is in the closed position, such that contact is maintained in a sealing relationship around the opening between the groove and the protrusion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging assembly, comprising:
 a container body defining an interior for housing a product and an opening leading to the interior;   a cap that moves with respect to the container body to move the assembly between a closed position in which the cap covers the opening, and an opened position in which the opening is exposed; and   a first seal defined between the container body and the cap, the first seal comprising a protrusion formed on one of the container body about the opening or the cap, and a groove formed on the other of the container body about the opening or the cap, wherein the protrusion is received by the groove when the assembly is in the closed position, such that contact is maintained in a sealing relationship around the opening between the groove and the protrusion.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal is substantially moisture or air tight. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a top wall and a skirt extending downwardly therefrom, and the protrusion extends from a bottom edge of the skirt. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises a base, a side wall extending upwardly from the base and together with the base defining the interior, and a rim extending radially outwardly from the sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising a lip extending upwardly from the rim, the lip defining the opening. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the groove is defined in the rim. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the groove has a greater radial thickness than the protrusion. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging assembly of  claim 7 , wherein groove has an inner radial side and an outer radial side, and the protrusion has an inner radial side and an outer radial side, and the inner radial side of the groove contacts the inner radial side of the protrusion, but the outer radial side of the groove does not contact the outer radial side of the protrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging assembly of  claim 7 , wherein groove has an inner radial side and an outer radial side, and the protrusion has an inner radial side and an outer radial side, and the outer radial side of the groove contacts the outer radial side of the protrusion, but the inner radial side of the groove does not contact the inner radial side of the protrusion. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed on the cap and the groove is formed on the container body about the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed on the container body about the opening, and the groove is formed on the cap. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises at least one prong. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one prong extends radially inward and contacts an radially inner surface of the groove when the assembly is in the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one prong comprises first and second prongs extending in opposite first and second directions. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the protrusion has a substantially inverted “T” shape, and the first direction is a radially inward direction and the second direction is a radially outward direction. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second prongs each maintain contact with the groove when the assembly is in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one prong is flexible and conforms to the shape of the groove. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cap is axially aligned with the container body when in the closed position. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed of a rigid polymeric material. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         21 . The packaging assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         22 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container body and cap are formed of rigid polymeric material. 
     
     
         23 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container body, cap, and protrusion are formed of the same material. 
     
     
         24 . The packaging assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the container body, cap, and protrusion are molded together as a single, integral unit. 
     
     
         25 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is formed of a different material from the cap. 
     
     
         26 . The packaging assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is affixed to the cap by an adhesive. 
     
     
         27 . The packaging assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is affixed to the cap by a mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         28 . The packaging assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is formed integrally with the cap by a two-shot molding process. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A packaging assembly, comprising:
 a container body comprising a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the base, an interior defined by the base and the side wall, and a rim at a top portion of the sidewall, the rim defining an opening leading to the interior;   a cap that moves with respect to the container body to move the assembly between a closed position in which the cap covers the opening, and an opened position in which the opening is exposed, the cap comprising a top wall and a skirt extending downwardly therefrom; and   a second seal defined between the skirt and the rim, the second seal comprising a channel formed on an inner radial side of the skirt, and an annular bead formed at a top portion of the rim, the bead having first and second radially spaced bumps that each contact an upper surface of the channel to form a sealing relationship therebetween.   
     
     
         32 . The packaging assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the upper surface of the channel is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         33 . The packaging assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the upper surface of the channel is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The packaging assembly of  claim 31 , wherein a divot is formed between the first and second bumps. 
     
     
         35 . The packaging assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the first and second bumps are substantially equal in axial height. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A packaging assembly comprising a first seal and a second seal, wherein the first seal is a first seal in accordance with  claim 1 , and the second seal is a second seal in accordance with  claim 31 . 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The packaging assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the first seal is substantially moisture or air tight. 
     
     
         40 . The packaging assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the groove has a greater radial thickness than the protrusion, the groove having an inner radial side and an outer radial side, the protrusion having an inner radial side and an outer radial side, wherein either: (a) the inner radial side of the groove contacts the inner radial side of the protrusion, but the outer radial side of the groove does not contact the outer radial side of the protrusion; or (b) the outer radial side of the groove contacts the outer radial side of the protrusion, but the inner radial side of the groove does not contact the inner radial side of the protrusion.