Closure for open-mouthed containers or tubular vessels

Claim 2

A locally distortable plastic closure contractably and distensibly constructed and having an elastic memory such that it is adapted to hermetically seal an openmouth member and comprising; a central wall having a substantially planar center portion and a toroidally shaped annular portion that is concave downwardly ad is integrally joined at its lowermost extent with said center portion and is integrally joined at its uppermost extent with a generally upwardly extending wall, said center portion being adapted for the application of pressure to the approximate center thereof in such a manner that said central wall tends to collapse upon itself and substantially uniformly displace said upwardly extending wall radially inwardly until said closure is easily positIonable on an open-mouthed member.

Claim 3

A plastic closure according to claim 1 wherein said upwardly extending wall is an extended sealing means positioned around said central wall and is displaceable such that at least a portion thereof is closely engageable with and sealable against the walls of an open-mouthed member due to the resiliency and elastic memory of said closure upon the discontinuance of applied pressure to said center portion.

Claim 4

A locally distortable injection molded thermoplastic closure contractably and distensibly constructed and having an elastic memory such that it is adapted to hermetically seal an open-mouthed member and comprising: a. a central wall having a substantially planar center portion and a toroidally shaped annular portion that is concave downwardly and is integrally joined at its lowermost extent with said center portion and is integrally joined at its uppermost extent with a generally upwardly extending wall, said central wall being adapted for the application of pressure to the approximate center thereof in such a manner that said toroidally shaped portion tends to collapse upon itself and substantially uniformly displace said upwardly extending wall radially inwardly until said closure is easily positionable on an open-mouthed member; and, b. integral extended sealing means positioned around said upwardly extending wall, said sealing means being displaceable in like manner with said upwardly extending wall such that at least a portion of said sealing means is closely engageable with and sealable against the walls of an open-mouthed member due to the resiliency and elastic memory of said closure upon the discontinuance of applied pressure to said central wall.

Claim 5

A locally distortable injection molded thermoplastic closure contractably and distensibly constructed and having an elastic memory such that it is adapted to hermetically seal an open-mouthed member and comprising: a. a central wall having a substantially planar center portion and a toroidally shaped annular portion that is concave downwardly and is integrally joined at its lowermost extent with said center portion and is integrally joined at its uppermost extent with a generally upwardly extending wall, said central wall being adapted for the application of pressure to the approximate center thereof in such a manner that said toroidally shaped portion tends to collapse upon itself and substantially uniformly displace said upwardly extending wall radially inwardly until said closure is easily positionable on an open-mouthed member; and, b. integral extended sealing means positioned around said upwardly extending wall, said sealing means being displaceable in like manner with said upwardly extending wall such that at least a portion of said sealing means is closely engageable with and sealable against the walls of an open-mouthed member due to the resiliency and elastic memory of said closure upon the discontinuance of applied pressure to said central wall.

Claim 6

In combination, a substantially rigid open-mouthed container having a peripheral rim, a substantially rigid closure member thereof having a central wall and a raised peripheral rim member including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a connecting top wall, the groove between said inner and outer walls serving to removably and frictionally engage said peripheral rim, said central wall including a toroidally shaped annular portion that is concave downwardly and is integrally joined at its lowermost extent with a substantially planar center portion and is integrally joined at its uppermost extent with said inner wall so that the application of pressure at the approximate center thereof tends to uniformly displace said inner wall radially inwardly enabling its entry into said open-mouthed member for sealing engagement therewith and said outer wall being disposed a distance from said inner wall such that upon displacement of said inner wall, it will pass over said peripheral rim without substantially interfering therewith.

Claim 7

In combination, a substantially rigid open-mouthed container having a peripheral rim, a substantially rigid closure member thereof having a central wall and a raised peripheral rim member including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a connecting top wall, the groove between said inner and outer walls serving to removably and frictionally engage said peripheral rim, said central wall including a toroidally shaped annular portion that is concave downwardly and is integrally joined at its lowermost extent with a substantially planar center portion and is integrally joined at its uppermost extent with said inner wall so that the application of pressure at the approximate center thereof tends to uniformly displace said inner wall radially inwardly enabling its entry into said open-mouthed member for sealing engagement therewith and said outer wall being disposed a distance from said inner wall such that upon displacement of said inner wall, it will pass over said peripheral rim without substantially interfering therewith.