US3667642A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Screw-on closure members for containers, etc.
Assignee: Volkswagen AG
•
Filing: 1970-12-02
•
Granted: 1972-06-06
•
Expires: 1990-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A screw-on closure cap for closing the filling opening of a container or a tubular spout, the cap comprising relatively rotatable upper and threaded lower cap parts assembled together coaxially and having a resilient drive connection between them capable of transmitting a predetermined maximum torque between the upper and lower cap parts in the closing direction. When during the screwing on of the cap onto the neck of a container or filling spout by the manual application of closing torque to the upper cap part, directly the closure cap reaches a certain degree of tightness on the cooperating part of the container or spout such that the predetermined transmitted closing torque is exceeded, the resilient drive connection yields ratchetwise to allow the continued free rotation of the upper cap part relatively to the threaded lower cap part. In this way excessive tightening of the closure, such as would lead to difficulty in loosening it manually, is prevented. The resilient drive connection may comprise a disc having oblique spring tongues engaging ratchetwise in cooperating recess for example in the interior of a hollow pressed-out hand grip portion on the upper cap part; or spring-loaded ball catches cooperating with recesses; or dog-like projections with oblique or rounded faces cooperating with recesses; or oblique spring tongues engaging behind rigid projections.
Inventors
- 👤 Werner Blau
- 👤 Theo Gerdes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:37
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K15/00; B60K15/03; B60K15/04; B60K15/0406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A screw-on closure cap incorporating a sealing ring for closing a container opening or a tubular spout, comprising an upper cap part adapted to be gripped and turned manually for screwing the cap on and off, and a screwthreaded lower cap part rotatably assembled coaxially together with the upper cap part, the lower cap part being adapted to be screwed onto the rim of the container opening or tubular spout to secure the cap in its closing position thereon, and including a spring-loaded drive element interposed between the two cap parts, the drive element being rotationally fast with one of the two cap parts and radially spaced from the center thereof and engaging with a cooperating abutment surface on the other cap part, the drive element and abutment constituting a limited-torque coupling which transmits torque in the closing direction between the two cap members up to a certain maximum value, the drive element under the imposition of closing torque in excess of the said maximum value yielding against its spring loading and overriding the said abutment surface ratchetwise to permit the continued free rotation of the upper cap part relatively to the lower cap part.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A screw-on closure cap incorporating a sealing ring for closing a container opening or a tubular spout, comprising an upper cap part adapted to be gripped and turned manually for screwing the cap on and off, and a screwthreaded lower cap part rotatably assembled coaxially together with the upper cap part, the lower cap part being adapted to be screwed onto the rim of the container opening or tubular spout to secure the cap in its closing position thereon, and including a spring-loaded drive element interposed between the two cap parts, the drive element being rotationally fast with one of the two cap parts and radially spaced from the center thereof and engaging with a cooperating abutment surface on the other cap part, the drive element and abutment constituting a limited-torque coupling which transmits torque in the closing direction between the two cap members up to a certain maximum value, the drive element under the imposition of closing torque in excess of the said maximum value yielding against its spring loading and overriding the said abutment surface ratchetwise to permit the continued free rotation of the upper cap part relatively to the lower cap part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 1 in which the drive element comprises a disc mounted on and keyed to the threaded lower cap part, the disc having upwardly pressed-out spring tongues located in positions distributed arounds its periphery, each tongue slanting obliquely upwardly in the direction of closure of the cap, and engaging in a co-operating recess formed in the under side of the upper cap part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 2 in which the spring tongues are located in diametrically opposed pairs on the disc and in which the co-operating recesses comprise opposite ends of the interior of an upwardly pressed-out channel-section hand grip portion extending transversely across the upper cap part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 3 in which the disc has downwardly directed projections on its outer edge which engage in corresponding recesses in the periphery of the threaded lower cap part to key the disc thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 1, in which the drive element comprises a set of spring-loaded balls each mounted in an aperture in the upper side of the threaded lower cap part and projecting partially through a hole in a cover plate thereon under the force of a biassing spring for engagement into a co-operating recess in the underside of the upper cap part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A screw-on closure cap as claimed in claim 5 in which the co-operating recesses comprise opposite ends of the interior of an upwardly pressed-out channel-section hand grip portion extending transversely across the upper cap part.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 1, in which the drive member comprises a rigid plate keyed to and axially movably mounted in the interior of the upper cap part and spring-pressed downwardly by spring means, the drive plate being formed with apertures in which engage co-operating dog-like projections fixedly mounted on the upper side of the lower cap part.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 7, in which the said spring means comprises thrust springs acting between the upper face of the rigid plate and the interior of a hollow hand grip part upwardly pressed outwardly from the upper cap part, the rigid plate having upwardly projecting lugs which are engaged in the interior of the hollow hand grip portion to key the plate to the upper cap part.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 1, in which the drive member comprises a spring plate inserted between the upper and lower cap parts and keyed to the upper cap part for rotation therewith, the spring plate having on its periphery downwarDly pressed-out spring tongues which point in the direction opposite to the direction of closure of the cap and bear against upwardly directed dog-like projections on the threaded lower cap part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A screw-on closure cap according to claim 9, in which the spring plate is keyed to the upper cap part by rigidly disposed lugs engaging in the interior of a hollow hand grip portion pressed out from the upper cap portion and extending transversely across it.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A screw-on cap according to claim 10, in which the downwardly directed spring tongues slant obliquely downwardly in the direction opposite to the direction of closure of the cap and co-operate with correspondingly oblique faces on the dog-like projections.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
A screw-on cap according to claim 1, in which the spring-loaded drive element comprises a disc keyed to the lower cap part and formed with radial projections which engage in co-operating recesses disposed at regular intervals around the periphery of the underside of the upper cap surface, the disc being spring-pressed against the underside of the upper cap part by a thrust spring acting between it and the lower cap part.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A screw-on cap according to claim 12, in which upper and lower cap parts are pivotally assembled together for rotary movement relative to each other about a central pivot comprising an upwardly projecting central spigot on the lower cap part.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A screw-on cap according to claim 13, in which the disc is fitted on and around the central spigot of the lower cap part.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
103 words
A screw-on cap according to claim 1, in which the spring-loaded drive element comprises a disc inserted in the upper cap part and formed with upwardly directed projections engaged in the interior of a hollow hand grip part pressed out from the top of the upper cap part, and in which an entraining lug mounted on the lower cap part passes through an aperture in the disc to key the disc to the lower cap part, the disc being also subject to the action of a thrust spring bearing against the lower cap part and biassing the disc towards the upper cap part.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2613012A
Cited
US3023924A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-06 | 1975-12-06 | 1976-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-06 | 1979-12-06 | 1980-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-06 | 1983-12-06 | 1984-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |