Plastic closure for containers

Claim 2

A plastic closure for containers comprising a. a top overlying the edge of a bottle neck, b. an outer and an inner skirt radially spaced apart depending from the top and having annular surfaces facing the outer and inner surfaces of the bottle neck in non-sealing contact, c. a closure web having an upper concave surface and a lower convex surface merging with the lower edge of the inner skirt, and d. an annular sealing member surrounding the web and projecting radially from the junction of the web and inner skirt into sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bottle neck, external pressure on the web causing deformation of the web and diminished diameter of the sealing member for positioning it in sealing engagement in the bottle neck, and limited internal pressure on the web causing expansion of the diameter of the annular sealing member and increased sealing engagement in the bottle neck.

Claim 3

The closure defined by claim 1, in which the lower edge of the outer skirt is slightly spaced from the bottle neck for engagement by a cap lifter for removal from the bottle.

Claim 4

A plastic closure for containers comprising a. a top overlying the edge of a bottle neck, said top having a slit extending in arcuate directions through a segment of the top, and weakening means extending in arcuate directions from the slit to an unweakened area opposite the slit, dividing the top into an outer annular ring and an inner annular ring connected together in said unweakened area, b. an outer and an inner skirt radially spaced apart depending from the top and having annular surfaces facing the outer and inner surfaces of the bottle neck in non-sealing contact, c. a closure web having an upper concave surface and a lower convex surface merging with the lower edge of the inner skirt, and d. an annular sealing member surrounding the web and projecting radially from the junction of the web and inner skirt into sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bottle neck, said closure being removable from the bottle neck by manually grasping the outer skirt adjacent the slit in the top, pulling the outer skirt and outer ring portion of the top upwardly to separate them from the inner ring to the weakening means, and continuing the pulling on the outer ring and connected portion of the inner ring to withdraw the inner skirt sealing member and web from the bottle neck.

Claim 5

A plastic closure for containers comprising a. a top overlying the edge of a bottle neck, said top having a slit extending in arcuate directions through a segment of the top, and weakening means extending in arcuate directions from the slit to an unweakened area opposite the slit, dividing the top into an outer annular ring and an inner annular ring connected together in said unweakened area, b. an outer and an inner skirt radially spaced apart depending from the top and having annular surfaces facing the outer and inner surfaces of the bottle neck in non-sealing contact, c. a closure web having an upper concave surface and a lower convex surface merging with the lower edge of the inner skirt, and d. an annular sealing member surrounding the web and projecting radially from the junction of the web and inner skirt into sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bottle neck, said closure being removable from the bottle neck by manually grasping the outer skirt adjacent the slit in the top, pulling the outer skirt and outer ring portion of the top upwardly to separate them from the inner ring to the weakening means, and continuing the pulling on the outer ring and connected portion of the inner ring to withdraw the inner skirt sealing member and web from the bottle neck.

Claim 6

The closure defined by claim 3, in which the weakening means is an annularly extending inverted V-shaped groove separating the inner and outer rings of the top, said groove extending from the lower surface of the top to near the upper surface of the top.

Claim 7

The closure defined by claim 3, in which the weakening means is an annularly extending broken line of slits extending through the top.

Claim 8

The closure defined by claim 3, in which the lower edge of the outer skirt is slightly spaced from the bottle neck for engagement by a cap lifter for removal from the bottle as an alternative to removal by the pull-off means.