IP Library Granted Patent US 7,988,002
Granted Patent B2
US 7,988,002 · App. 11/979,730 · Granted Aug 2, 2011

Plastic container and closure and system and method of making the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,988,002
App. No.
11/979,730
Granted
Aug 2, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plastic container and closure and method of making the same. The container can include a solid bottom end, an outer sidewall extending from the solid bottom end, and a neck portion extending from the outer sidewall to create an open end of the container. The neck portion may have a spout portion having an aperture formed therein. The spout portion can be inverted to form a flange receptacle. The closure can include a sealing portion which includes a first receptacle, a spring portion that includes a second receptacle, and a planar center area configured in the center of the closure and extending inward from the spring portion. The container may be filled with a product and the closure secured to the container, over the open end, to create a primary seal and a secondary seal. When the closure is secured to the container, the spring portion can exert a sealing pressure against the neck portion of the container to create the primary seal.

Claims (19)

1. A leak-resistant plastic container and closure combination comprising:

a container comprising:

a solid bottom end;

an outer sidewall extending from the solid bottom end;

a neck portion extending from the outer sidewall to create an open end of the container, the neck portion having a diameter less than a diameter of the outer sidewall; and

a flange receptacle including a free end, the flange receptacle extending radially inward from the neck portion to a position below the open end of the container, the flange receptacle being entirely contained within the interior of the container and having an aperture formed therein; and

a closure comprising:

a sealing portion including an outer portion and an inner portion that form a first receptacle, the outer portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the neck portion of the container and the inner portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the neck portion of the container;

a spring portion including a second receptacle, the spring portion extending inward from the sealing portion; and

a flexible planar center area in the center of the closure and extending inward from the spring portion, and configured to act as a diaphragm to accommodate pressure changes;

wherein the neck portion of the container includes threads, the outer portion of the closure includes thread receptacles, and the closure is configured to be threaded onto the container, over the open end, using the threads and thread receptacles, to create a primary seal and a secondary seal, the threads and thread receptacles creating the secondary seal; and

wherein when the closure is secured to the container, the spring portion exerts a sealing pressure against an interior side of the neck portion of the container to create the primary seal, the second receptacle faces toward the solid bottom end of the container, and the neck portion of the container is disposed within the first receptacle of the sealing portion of the closure.

2. The container and closure according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing portion of the closure is configured to be secured to the neck portion of the container so that the outer portion of the closure is located on the exterior side of the neck portion and the inner portion of the closure is located on the interior side of the neck portion.

3. The container and closure according to claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the sealing portion exerts a sealing force against an exterior side of the neck portion of the container to create the secondary seal.

4. The container and closure according to claim 1 ,

wherein the flange receptacle is configured to receive a product stored in the container, and

the aperture is configured to allow the product received by the flange receptacle to be transferred, from a first side of the aperture, through the aperture, to a second side of the aperture.

5. The container and closure according to claim 1 , wherein the closure further comprises a tab portion formed thereon, the tab portion being configured to allow a force to be applied thereto to remove the closure from the container.

6. The container and closure according to claim 1 , wherein a handle is blow-molded simultaneously with the container.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.; GRAHAM PACKAGING PET TECHNOLOGIES INC.; GRAHAM PACKAGING PLASTIC PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 074480/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Aug 4, 2020
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT AND TRUSTEE
To: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 053396/0531 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2020
From: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.; GRAHAM PACKAGING PET TECHNOLOGIES INC.; GRAHAM PACKAGING PLASTIC PRODUCTS LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053398/0381 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 22, 2012
From: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
Reel/Frame 027910/0609 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 20, 2012
From: REYNOLDS GROUP HOLDINGS INC.
To: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 027895/0738 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 26, 2011
From: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.
To: REYNOLDS GROUP HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 026970/0699 →