Recyclable spring biased chiled resistent container closure

Abstract

A closure for a container is provided. The closure has a spring that provides biasing forces for securing the closure to a container bottom and/or to bias a seal into sealing contact with a container bottom.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container closure comprising:
 a top wall;   an annular skirt extending from the top wall, the annular skirt having a radially inward extending rib; and   a spring located between the radially inward extending rib and the top wall, the spring having an outer dimension that is greater than an inner diameter of the rib, the spring having an inner dimension that is less than an inner diameter of the rib.   
     
     
         2 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the top wall and annular skirt are formed from a continuous piece of stamped metal. 
     
     
         3 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the spring is a wave spring formed from an annular undulating strip of material. 
     
     
         4 . The container closure of  claim 3 , wherein the spring is metal. 
     
     
         5 . The container closure of  claim 3 , wherein the spring has an axial height defined by the undulations. 
     
     
         6 . The container closure of  claim 3 , wherein the spring has an axial thickness defined between a top surface of the spring and a bottom surface of the spring and the spring has a width that is one-half of the difference between the inner and outer dimensions, the width being greater than the thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the spring is an annular member that extends around a central axis, the height and axial thickness being measured generally parallel to the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the annular skirt terminates in a curled end, the curled end having at least one attachment tab formed therein, the attachment tab extending radially inward further than the remainder of the curled end, the attachment tab configured to cooperate with a thread of a container bottom to secure the annular skirt to the container bottom. 
     
     
         9 . The container closure of  claim 1 , further comprising a freshness seal, the freshness seal having a second outer diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the rib, the freshness seal extending radially inward beyond the inner periphery of the rib providing an exposed lower surface that faces away from the top wall, the freshness seal being located between the rib and the top wall, the freshness seal being positioned axially between the rib and the spring, the freshness seal being axially slidable between the top wall and the rib. 
     
     
         10 . The container closure of  claim 9 , wherein when the freshness seal is moved a predetermined distance from the rib towards the top wall, the spring biases the freshness seal towards the rib. 
     
     
         11 . The container closure of  claim 10 , wherein the freshness seal is made from metal. 
     
     
         12 . The container closure of  claim 10 , wherein the freshness seal has a sealing surface that faces axially away from the top wall, the sealing surface including an annular groove formed therein, the groove being positioned radially inward of the inner diameter of the rib. 
     
     
         13 . A container comprising:
 a container closure of  claim 1 ; and   a container bottom having a storage cavity, the container bottom having an annular sidewall, a free end of the annular sidewall defining a mouth to the storage cavity, the annular sidewall defining a thread therein, the tab of the container closure cooperating with the thread of the annular sidewall to secure the container closure to the container bottom; and   when the container closure is secured to the container bottom, the spring biases the tab into axial engagement with the thread.   
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , further comprising a one-time use seal secured to a free end of the annular sidewall and over the mouth;
 wherein the container closure includes:
 a freshness seal, the freshness seal having a second outer diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the rib, the freshness seal extending radially inward beyond the inner periphery of the rib providing an exposed lower surface that faces away from the top wall, the freshness seal being located between the rib and the top wall, the freshness seal being positioned axially between the rib and the spring, the freshness seal being axially slidable between the top wall and the rib; and 
   wherein when the container closure is secured to the container bottom, the spring biases the freshness seal into the one-time use seal prior to removal of the one-time use seal.   
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the one-time use seal is removed, the spring biases the sealing surface of the freshness seal into the free end of the annular sidewall when the container closure is secured to the container bottom. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the thread has a rectangular receiving cavity at an end thereof for receipt of the tab when the container closure is fully attached to the container bottom, the receiving cavity being axially offset from the end of the thread towards the mouth, the spring biasing the tab into the rectangular receiving cavity such that the container closure must be pushed towards the container bottom before it can be rotated to remove the container closure from the container bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the thread and the rectangular receiving cavity are ribs formed into the annular sidewall of the container bottom.