Closures for bottles and the like

Claim 2

In combInation, a container having a neck portion formed of a resilient or flexible material and having an external helical thread with a constant pitch, a closure cap having an internal helical thread of constant pitch having at least one gap therein adapted to cooperate with said external thread so that the cap is screwed into engagement with the neck portion, a portion of said external thread adjacent said gap when said cap is threaded on said neck portion in sealing engagement therewith being deformed into said gap during said threading and preventing inadvertent reverse rotation of said cap relative to said neck portion.

Claim 3

In combination, a container having a neck portion formed of a resilient or flexible material and having an external continuous helical thread with a constant pitch, a closure cap formed of a substantially rigid material and having an internal helical thread with a constant pitch having a gap therein and having a leading end and a trailing end on said thread adjacent said gap with the leading end tapered and with the trailing end forming a shoulder and adapted to cooperate with said external thread so that the cap is screwed into engagement with the neck portion, a portion of said external thread adjacent said shoulder when said cap is threaded on said neck portion in sealing engagement therewith being deformed to abut said shoulder during said threading and preventing inadvertent reverse rotation of said cap relative to said neck portion.

Claim 4

In combination, a container having a neck portion formed of a resilient or flexible material and having an external continuous helical thread with a constant pitch, a closure cap formed of a substantially rigid material and having an internal helical thread with a constant pitch having a gap therein and having a leading end and a trailing end on said thread adjacent said gap with the leading end tapered and with the trailing end forming a shoulder and adapted to cooperate with said external thread so that the cap is screwed into engagement with the neck portion, a portion of said external thread adjacent said shoulder when said cap is threaded on said neck portion in sealing engagement therewith being deformed to abut said shoulder during said threading and preventing inadvertent reverse rotation of said cap relative to said neck portion.

Claim 5

In combination, a container having a neck portion formed of a resilient or flexible material having an external helical thread with a constant pitch, a closure cap having an internal helical thread of a constant pitch adapted to cooperate with said external thread so that the cap is screwed into engagement with the neck portion to effect sealing engagement of said cap with said neck portion, the thread on said neck being more resilient or flexible than the thread on the cap, the less resilient of said threads on said cap having a gap therein, a portion of said more resilient thread on said neck when said cap is threaded on said neck portion in sealing engagement being deformed into said gap during said threading to prevent inadvertent reverse rotation of said cap relative to said neck portion.

Claim 6

In combination, a container having a neck portion formed of a resilient or flexible material having an external helical thread with a constant pitch, a closure cap having an internal helical thread of a constant pitch adapted to cooperate with said external thread so that the cap is screwed into engagement with the neck portion to effect sealing engagement of said cap with said neck portion, the thread on said neck being more resilient or flexible than the thread on the cap, the less resilient of said threads on said cap having a gap therein, a portion of said more resilient thread on said neck when said cap is threaded on said neck portion in sealing engagement being deformed into said gap during said threading to prevent inadvertent reverse rotation of said cap relative to said neck portion.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the internal thread on the cap has a plurality of gaps arranged in vertical alignment.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the internal helical thread on the cap is divided into a plurality of segments with each segment having a leading end and a trailing end with each trailing end forming a shoulder.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 4 in which the internal thread is triangular in cross section.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 4 in which successive gaps are diametrically disposed.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the resilient or flexible material is a polyolefin.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the deformation of the thread portion is overridden upon the application of reverse torque to said cap.

Claim 13

The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the inner top surface of the cap is generally convex and constitutes a sector of a spherical shell.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the top portion of the cap is substantially frustoconical.