Closure assembly

Claim 2

A closure assembly comprising a unitary frangible outer closure member, a liner member disposed within said outer closure member, said outer closure member having a top panel and a depending skirt, said top panel having an annular top panel portion and an inner top panel portion, said inner top panel portion having an integrally formed ring pull tab connected to said annular top panel portion solely by means of an upwardly and radially outwardly directed connector portion, said integral ring pull tab disposed radially inwardly of said annular top panel portion, and disposed at a level spaced below the plane of said annular top panel portion, an elongated slot defined within said unitary frangible outer closure member between said annular top panel portion and said integral ring tab, said elongated slot originating on one side of said radially outwardly directed connector portion and terminating at the opposite side of said connector portion, said integral ring pull tab having integral reinforcing means, said liner member having a panel having a diameter at least as great as the inner diameter oF said annular top panel portion, said liner panel defining an upwardly open recess, and said integral ring pull tab disposed within said recess.

Claim 3

The closure assembly of claim 1 including said liner panel having a continuous generally flat centrally disposed base portion, a generally flat peripheral portion and an upwardly and radially outwardly directed transition portion connecting said base portion and said peripheral portion, the radially innermost portion of said annular top panel portion disposed at a level not lower than the upper part of said connector portion, said integral reinforcing means of said integral ring pull tab having an inner edge which is curled generally radially outwardly and an outer edge which is curled generally radially inwardly, and said depending skirt of said outer closure member having substantially uniform length.

Claim 4

The closure assembly of claim 2 including said annular top panel portion of said outer closure member having a pair of spaced generally radially outwardly directed weakened lines, said integral reinforcing means having an inner edge which is curled downwardly and radially outwardly and an outer edge which is curled downwardly and radially inwardly, said liner member having an annular skirt depending from said flat peripheral portion, and said liner skirt is shorter than said outer closure skirt.

Claim 5

The closure assembly of claim 2 including said top panel of said outer closure member having at least one notched sector originating at the inner edge of said annular top panel portion and extending radially outwardly therefrom for facilitating removal of said outer member after initial fracture of the outer closure member.

Claim 6

The closure assembly of claim 4 including one said notched sector disposed at a position substantially diametrically opposed to said annular top panel weakened lines, a second notched sector disposed within said annular top panel of said outer closure member substantially circumferentially midway between said weakened lines and said first notched portion, and said notched sectors are of generally triangular configuration with the apices of said triangles providing the outer terminus of each said notched sector.

Claim 7

The closure assembly of claim 5 including said integral ring pull tab having a radially outward extremity positioned below and spaced radially inwardly from said inner edge of said annular top panel portion, and an annular gasket secured within a channel defined by said annular liner member top panel and said liner member skirt.

Claim 8

The closure assembly of claim 6 including at least one generally vertically disposed weakened line provided on said skirt of said outer closure member generally aligned with one of said spaced weakened lines on said top panel.

Claim 9

The closure assembly of claim 7 including said connector portion of said outer closure member is contained within a circumferential arc of about 5* to 40*, the uppermost portion of said integral ring pull tab is disposed about one-sixteenth to one-fourth inch under the plane of said annular top panel portion, and said annular top panel portion is substantially flat.

Claim 10

A sealed container assembly comprising a container having a mouth provided with a radially outwardly directed closure engaging shoulder, a closure assembly sealingly affixed to said container mouth, said closure assembly having a unitary frangible outer closure member and a liner member disposed within said outer closure member, said outer closure member having a top panel and a depending skirt, said top panel having an annular top panel portion and an inner top panel portion, said inner top panel portion having an integrally formed ring pull tab connected to said annular top panel portion by means of an upwardly and radially outwardly directed connector portion, said integral ring pull tab diSposed radially inwardly of said annular top panel portion, and disposed at a level spaced below the plane of said annular top panel portion, an elongated slot defined within said unitary frangible outer closure member between said annular top panel portion and said integral ring tab, said elongated slot originating on one side of said radially outwardly directed connector portion and terminating at the opposite side of said connector portion, said integral ring pull tab having integral reinforcing means, locking means formed within the lower half of said outer closure member depending skirt for resisting removal of said outer closure member as an unfractured unit, said liner member having a panel having a diameter at least as great as the inner diameter of said annular top panel portion, said liner panel defining an upwardly open recess, and said integral ring pull tab disposed within said recess.

Claim 11

A sealed container assembly comprising a container having a mouth provided with a radially outwardly directed closure engaging shoulder, a closure assembly sealingly affixed to said container mouth, said closure assembly having a unitary frangible outer closure member and a liner member disposed within said outer closure member, said outer closure member having a top panel and a depending skirt, said top panel having an annular top panel portion and an inner top panel portion, said inner top panel portion having an integrally formed ring pull tab connected to said annular top panel portion by means of an upwardly and radially outwardly directed connector portion, said integral ring pull tab diSposed radially inwardly of said annular top panel portion, and disposed at a level spaced below the plane of said annular top panel portion, an elongated slot defined within said unitary frangible outer closure member between said annular top panel portion and said integral ring tab, said elongated slot originating on one side of said radially outwardly directed connector portion and terminating at the opposite side of said connector portion, said integral ring pull tab having integral reinforcing means, locking means formed within the lower half of said outer closure member depending skirt for resisting removal of said outer closure member as an unfractured unit, said liner member having a panel having a diameter at least as great as the inner diameter of said annular top panel portion, said liner panel defining an upwardly open recess, and said integral ring pull tab disposed within said recess.

Claim 12

The sealed container assembly of claim 9 including the radially innermost portion of said annular top panel portion disposed at a level not lower than the upper part of said connector portion, said liner panel having a continuous generally flat centrally disposed base portion, a generally flat peripheral portion and an upwardly and radially outwardly directed transition portion connecting said base portion and said peripheral portion, said liner base portion disposed within the opening of said container mouth, and a portion of said liner other than said liner base portion interposed and compressed between said outer closure member and said container mouth.