Tear-up closing device for containers

Claim 1

A closure device for a container for pressurized contents said device being composed of a flexible plastic material and said container having an upper portion provided with an opening therein, said device comprising an outer tubular element with means on the outside thereof for engaging the inner wall of the opening in the container to form a gas tight and mechanically stable seal therewith and to provide a pouring opening for the container, said outer tubular element further having a bottom end surface which is spaced axially inward from said inner wall of the opening in the container, an inner element provided with a pull tab and extending downwardly within said outer tubular element, said outer tubular element and said inner element being connected to each other by a severable connecting wall around the upper inner circumference of said outer tubular element to close the pouring opening, said inner element including a depending peripheral wall portion spaced from said outer tubular element and a depending central portion disposed within and spaced from the depending peripheral wall portion, the bottom end surfaces of said outer tubular element and the peripheral wall and central portions of said inner element lying in substantially the same plane, and a substantially gas impermeable and tearable disc member sealed to the bottom end surfaces of said outer tubular element and the peripheral wall and central portions of said inner element, said depending peripheral wall portion being further constructed and arranged to be readily removable from said outer tubular element and to retain said disc member in sealing contact therewith when said inner element and outer tubular element are separated, whereby when the tab is pulled up said inner element is removed from said outer tubular element by severing the connecting wall and said tearable disc member to open the pouring opening.