Closure for a container and utensil therefor

Abstract

A closure for a system that has an opening and an outwardly projecting flange. The closure includes a base for being installed at the system opening and a closing element for occluding the closure. The base has a skirt for attaching the closure to the system, the skirt has a lower end portion for being located adjacent the system flange when the base is installed at the system opening. The skirt lower end portion has (a) a first portion defining (i) an outer side, (ii) an inner side, and (iii) a bottom end, (b) a second portion having (i) a proximal end, and (ii) a distal end, and (c) a connecting portion connecting the first portion bottom end and the second portion proximal end to accommodate initial deflection of the second portion by the system flange toward the first portion inner side during installation of the base on the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A closure for a system that has (1) an opening to the interior of the system wherein contents may be stored, and (2) an outwardly projecting flange, said closure comprising:
 (A) a base (for being installed on the system at the system opening, said base having an access passage through said base for permitting access to the system interior; and   (B) a closing element operable on said base between a closed position for occluding said access passage and an open position for permitting communication with said access passage, and wherein   said base has a skirt for attaching said closure to the system, said skirt having a lower end portion for being located adjacent the system flange when said base is installed at the system opening, said skirt lower end portion having (a) a first portion defining (i) an outer side, (ii) an inner side, and (iii) a bottom end, (b) a second portion having (i) a proximal end, and (ii) a distal end, and (c) a connecting portion connecting said first portion bottom end and said second portion proximal end to (1) accommodate initial deflection of said second portion by the system flange toward said first portion inner side during installation of said base on the system, and (2) permit movement of said second portion away from said first portion inner side after said base has been installed to locate said second portion distal end below the system flange to prevent said base from being uninstalled from the system.   
     
     
         2 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure base is arranged such that it can be permanently affixed to the container. 
     
     
         3 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1 , wherein the skirt lower end portion is permanently connected to the skirt. 
     
     
         4 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1  wherein the skirt lower end portion is connected to the skirt by an infrangible connection. 
     
     
         5 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1  wherein said base further comprises a utensil frangibly connected thereto. 
     
     
         6 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1  in combination with a container in the form of a metal container. 
     
     
         7 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1  in combination with a container in the form of a non-metallic container. 
     
     
         8 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1  in combination with a container that is one of a wide mouth metal container or a composite container, 
     
     
         9 . A closure for a system according to  claim 1  in combination with a container that has the form of a metal container with a manufacturing tolerance or an irregularity in a top end portion of said container around a mouth of said container. 
     
     
         10 . A method of installing a closure on a system that has (1) an opening to the interior of the system wherein contents may be stored, and (2) an outwardly projecting flange, the method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring the system,   acquiring the closure, the closure having:   (A) a base (for being installed on the system at the system opening, said base having an access passage through said base for permitting access to the system interior; and   (B) a closing element operable on said base between a closed position for occluding said access passage and an open position for permitting communication with said access passage, and wherein   said base has a skirt for attaching said closure to the system, said skirt having a lower end portion for being located adjacent the system flange when said base is installed at the system opening, said skirt lower end portion having (a) a first portion defining (i) an outer side, (ii) an inner side, and (iii) a bottom end, (b) a second portion having (i) a proximal end, and (ii) a distal end, and (c) a connecting portion connecting said first portion bottom end and said second portion proximal end to (1) accommodate initial deflection of said second portion by the system flange toward said first portion inner side during installation of said base on the system, and (2) permit movement of said second portion away from said first portion inner side after said base has been installed to locate said second portion distal end below the system flange to prevent said base from being uninstalled from the system; and   installing said closure on said system to locate said second portion distal end below said system flange to prevent said base from being uninstalled from said system.