Container for packaging an object

Claim 2

A container for packaging an object, comprising: a tube having at least one open end; an end cap mounted on the open end of said tube, said end cap having an end wall in the shape of a cup extending inwardly of said tube and a sidewall skirt depending from said end wall, said skirt being shaped to slip over the tube, an annular groove located between said skirt and said end wall for frictionally receiving the end of said tube, said end wall being divided into a plurality of resilient triangular segments separated by radial slits which meet in the center of said end wall, said triangular segments tapering in thickness toward the center of the end wall and being deflectable inwardly of the container to allow an object to be inserted through the end wall into the container, said triangular segments being biased to resiliently return to their original position after an object has passed into the container through said cap to prevent escape of the object from the container said triangular segments including a central radial rib which increases in height from the surface of the tapered segments in direct proportion to the reduction in thickness of the segments to maintain a constant thickness of material along the radial center portion of said segments.

Claim 3

The container as recited in claim 1 wherein: said deflectable triangular segments terminate short of the center of said cup to form a central aperture.

Claim 4

The container as recited in claim 1 wherein: said end cap is formed as a single piece from molded plastic.

Claim 5

A container for packaging an object, comprising: a tube having at least one open end; an end cap mounted on the open end of said tube, said end cap being formed as a single piece from molded plastic and having an end wall in the shape of a cup, extending inwardly of said tube, said end wall being divided into a plurality of deflectable resilient triangular segments by radial slits, said triangular segments tapering in thickness toward the bottom of the cup and each of said triangular segments including a central radial rib which increases in height from the surface of said triangular segment in direct proportion to the reduction in thickness of said triangular segments to maintain a constant thickness of material along the center of said triangular segments, said triangular segments being deflectable inwardly of the container to allow an object to be inserted through the end wall into the container, said deflectable triangular segments being biased to resiliently return to their original cup-shape after an object has passed inwardly through said end cap to prevent escape of the object from the container, said end cap including a sidewall skirt depending from said end wall, said siDewall skirt being shaped to slip over the open end of said tube, said cup-shaped end wall and said sidewall skirt being spaced to form an annular groove for frictionally receiving the open end of said tube.

Claim 6

A container for packaging an object, comprising: a tube having at least one open end; an end cap mounted on the open end of said tube, said end cap being formed as a single piece from molded plastic and having an end wall in the shape of a cup, extending inwardly of said tube, said end wall being divided into a plurality of deflectable resilient triangular segments by radial slits, said triangular segments tapering in thickness toward the bottom of the cup and each of said triangular segments including a central radial rib which increases in height from the surface of said triangular segment in direct proportion to the reduction in thickness of said triangular segments to maintain a constant thickness of material along the center of said triangular segments, said triangular segments being deflectable inwardly of the container to allow an object to be inserted through the end wall into the container, said deflectable triangular segments being biased to resiliently return to their original cup-shape after an object has passed inwardly through said end cap to prevent escape of the object from the container, said end cap including a sidewall skirt depending from said end wall, said siDewall skirt being shaped to slip over the open end of said tube, said cup-shaped end wall and said sidewall skirt being spaced to form an annular groove for frictionally receiving the open end of said tube.