Closure for a container

Abstract

A closure for releasably securing to a container adapted for storing foodstuff or a beverage, the closure comprising closing means ( 14 ) for closing a mouth of the container and securing means ( 22,23 ) for securing it in a closed position, the closing means and the securing means being formed of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene so as to provide a substantial gas barrier to the passage of oxygen and/or carbon dioxide therethrough, The closure may have a sealing member ( 18 ) formed of resilient material (compared to the rigid material of the remainder of the closure) for providing a seal between the closure and the container. The sealing member may be provided on a bore component which projects into the container so that, in use, it seals against an internal surface of the container. The sealing member may be an o-ring ( 18 ) formed of an elastomer, e.g. nitrile butadiene rubber. A foodstuff or beverage container, e.g. in the shape of a wine glass or the shape of a beer glass, having such a closure is also described. The use of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene for closing a container provides a barrier to the ingress of oxygen and/or to the egress of carbon dioxide to improve the shelf life of the product is also described.

1 . A closure for releasably securing to a container adapted for storing foodstuff or a beverage, the closure comprising closing means for closing a mouth of the container and securing means for securing it in a closed position, the closing means and the securing means being formed of a plastics material providing a substantial gas barrier to the passage of oxygen and/or carbon dioxide therethrough, the plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         2 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which said securing means are adapted to engage with the container by rotation relative thereto and/or a snap-fit therewith when mounted thereon. 
     
     
         3 . A closure as claimed in  claim 2  in which said securing means has one or more resiliently flexible portions which are flexed as the closure is fitted to the container. 
     
     
         4 . A closure as claimed in  claim 3  comprising a skirt part depending from the closing means for fitting around the exterior of the container. 
     
     
         5 . A closure as claimed in  claim 4  in which said flexible portions comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially moveable members around an inner surface of the skirt portion for snap fitting with the container. 
     
     
         6 . A closure as claimed in  claim 5  in which the radially moveable members comprise arms connected at their lower ends to the skirt part. 
     
     
         7 . A closure as claimed in  claim 6  in which each arm is located within an aperture in the skirt part and arranged to flex about the connection at its lower end to the skirt part 
     
     
         8 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  which is an injection moulded closure. 
     
     
         9 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the closure is formed of a relatively rigid material and is provided with a sealing member formed of relatively resilient material for providing a seal between the closure and the container. 
     
     
         10 . A closure as claimed in  claim 9  which has a bore component which, in use, projects through the mouth of the container, the sealing member being provided on the bore component so that, in use, it seals against an internal surface of the container. 
     
     
         11 . A closure as claimed in  claim 9  in which the sealing member comprises an o-ring. 
     
     
         12 . A closure as claimed in  claim 9  in which the sealing member is formed of an elastomer, eg nitrile butadiene rubber. 
     
     
         13 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  adapted to close a container having a circular opening defining an axis and having an outwardly projecting lip. 
     
     
         14 . A closure as claimed in  claim 13  adapted to snap fit over the lip of the container. 
     
     
         15 . A closure as claimed in  claim 1  in which said securing means comprises a separate component in the form of a collar arranged to fit about the exterior of the container by means of which the remainder of the closure is securable to the container. 
     
     
         16 . A closure for a container having a circular opening defining an axis and a lip around said opening, the closure comprising: an inner component having a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container beneath the lip of the container; and an outer component for fitting over the inner component and interacting therewith for releasably securing the collar portion under the lip, the collar portion comprising a ring and a plurality of spaced apart radially moveable parts around it circumference joined at their lower ends to the ring and a plurality of spaced apart upstands on the ring interposed between said radially moveable parts, the outer component comprising a cap having an upper part for closing the mouth of the container and a skirt part depending therefrom for fitting around said collar portion, the skirt part having spaced apart features projecting from its inner surface for interacting with the collar portion such when the cap is in a first (closed) rotational position relative to the collar portion, substantially radially inward facing surfaces of said features are aligned with said radially moveable parts so as to secure them beneath the lip of the container and, when the cap is in a second (open) rotational position relative to the collar portion, said substantially radially inward facing surfaces are no longer aligned with said radially moveable parts and said upstands on the collar engage substantially axially facing surfaces of said spaced apart features so as to limit axial movement of the collar portion into the cap wherein the outer component is formed of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         17 . A container having a circular opening defining an axis and a lip around said opening and a closure for closing said opening comprising: an inner component having a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container beneath the lip of the container; and an outer component for fitting over the inner component and interacting therewith for releasably securing the collar portion under the lip, the collar portion comprising a ring and a plurality of spaced apart radially moveable parts around it circumference joined at their lower ends to the ring, the outer component comprising a cap having an upper part for closing the mouth of the container and a skirt part depending therefrom for fitting around said collar portion, the upper part including, or having attached thereto, a bore feature which, in use, extends into the mouth of the container, the bore feature being adapted to carry an o-ring for providing a seal between the bore feature and an inner surface of the container and the skirt part having spaced apart features projecting from its inner surface for interacting with the collar portion such when the cap is in a first (closed) rotational position relative to the collar portion, substantially radially inward facing surfaces of said features are aligned with said radially moveable parts so as to secure them beneath the lip of the container, the inner surface of the container having a lead-in surface adjacent said opening and a plurality of spaced apart venting grooves in said lead-in surface to facilitate venting of the container as the o-ring is withdrawn therefrom wherein the outer component is formed of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         18 . A closure for a container having a circular opening defining an axis and a lip around said opening, the closure comprising: an inner component having a collar portion for locating about the exterior of the container beneath the lip of the container; and an outer component for fitting over the inner component and interacting therewith for releasably securing the collar portion under the lip wherein the outer component is formed of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         19 . A closure as claimed in  claim 18  in which the inner component is formed of a plastics material comprising polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         20 . A container and a closure therefor, the container having an opening defining an axis passing therethrough and an outwardly projecting lip around the opening and a plurality of spaced apart camming features on or adjacent an underside of the lip, the closure being in the form of a cap comprising an upper portion for closing said opening and a skirt portion depending from the upper portion for securing the cap to the container, with a substantially rigid connection between the upper portion and the skirt portion, the skirt portion of the cap having a plurality of spaced apart inwardly projecting first parts around an inner circumference thereof for locating beneath the lip of the container to secure the cap to the container, at least part of the skirt portion being sufficiently elastic such that when applied to the container said plurality of first parts can be snap-fitted over the container lip so as to be located beneath the container lip, said plurality of inwardly projecting first parts also being arranged such that upon subsequent twisting of the cap about said axis relative to the container in a loosening direction, they interact with said camming features of the container so said first parts are flexed outwards to disengage them from the underside of the lip, said closing portion also comprising a bore component having a sealing member on, or mountable on, an exterior thereof, such that, when the cap is mounted on the container, the bore component extends into the interior of the container so that the sealing member engages with an internal surface of the container to provide a seal between the closure and the container, wherein the closure is formed of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         21 . A container and a closure therefor, the container having an opening and an outwardly projecting lip around said opening, and the cap having a top part and a skirt part, the cap being securable to the container by snap fitting projecting parts of the skirt part over the lip and being removable by twisting relative to the container so that camming features on the container flex said projecting parts outwardly to disengage them from the lip, said top part having a bore component that extends into the container and a sealing member mounted on the bore feature for providing a seal with an internal surface of the container wherein the closure is formed of a plastics material comprising polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         22 . A container and closure as claimed in  claim 20  in which the container is formed of a plastics material comprising polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         23 . A container and closure as claimed in  claim 20  in which the sealing member is an o-ring seal comprising a toroid of elastomer material. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A foodstuff or beverage container having a closure as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         26 . A beverage container as claimed in  claim 25  having the shape of a wine glass. 
     
     
         27 . A foodstuff or beverage container as claimed in  claim 26  containing a carbonated beverage. 
     
     
         28 . A beverage container as claimed in  claim 28  having the shape of a beer glass. 
     
     
         29 . The use of a closure formed of a plastic material comprising polyoxymethylene for closing a container to provide a barrier to the ingress of oxygen and/or the egress of carbon dioxide through the closure. 
     
     
         30 . The use of a closure as claimed in  claim 29  for closing a container housing a carbonated beverage. eg beer. 
     
     
         31 . The use of a closure as claimed in  claim 29  for closing a container housing a beverage susceptible to the ingress of oxygen, eg wine. 
     
     
         32 . A method of closing a container using a closure as claimed in
   claim 1 .