CONTAINER CLOSURE INCLUDING FLIP-TOP CAP
A container closure adapted to be used with a container to allow for the selected removal of the contents of the container. The container closure includes a body adapted to be mounted to the container, a flip-top cap, and a hinge used to couple the flip-top cap to the body. The flip-top cap is adapted to move from a closed position on the body to an open position away from the body.
1 . A closure for a container having an opening, the closure comprising
a body adapted to mount onto a container over an opening, the body being defined by a top wall and an annular side wall depending from the top wall, the top wall being formed to include a product-dispensing aperture adapted to communicate with the opening of the container, the side wall of the body being formed to include a recess,
a flip-top cap mounted for movement on the body between a closed position on the body to cover the aperture and an opened position away from the body to expose the aperture, and
a hinge molded with the body and the flip-top cap, the hinge being formed to include first and second web ramps that are coupled to the body and the flip-top cap, wherein the hinge is configured to include an offset web apex positioned between the first and second web ramps and positioned closer to the body than the flip-top cap, and the offset web apex is adapted to engage a portion of the body and place the web ramps in tension to vault the flip-top cap from an opened position away from the body, over the web apex, to a closed position on the body and to assist in aligning the flip-top cap on the body when the flip-top cap is moved to the closed position.
2 . The closure of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a first elastic web connector used to couple the hinge to the flip-top cap and a second elastic web connector used to couple the hinge to the body of the closure and the offset web apex is positioned above the first and second elastic web connectors when the flip-top cap is in the opened position away from the body.
3 . The closure of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a first sloped face that extends upwardly from the first elastic web connector to the offset web apex when the flip-top cap is in the opened position away from the body.
4 . The closure of claim 3 , wherein the hinge further includes a second sloped face that extends upwardly from the second elastic web connector to the offset web apex when the flip-top cap is in the open position away from the body.
5 . The closure of claim 4 , wherein the surface area of the second sloped face is less than the surface area of the first sloped face to cause the offset web apex to be positioned closer to the body than to the flip-top cap.
6 . The closure of claim 1 , wherein the web apex includes a first sloped face that is coupled to the first web ramp along a first web ridge.
7 . The closure of claim 6 , wherein the first sloped face is coupled to the second web ramp along a second web ridge.
8 . The closure of claim 7 , wherein the first and second web ridges are interconnected along a first apex ridge that extends along the offset web apex.
9 . The closure of claim 6 , wherein the web apex includes a second sloped face that is coupled to the first web ramp along a third web ridge.
10 . The closure of claim 9 , wherein the second sloped face is coupled to the second web ramp along a fourth web ridge, and wherein the third and fourth web ridges are interconnected along a second apex ridge that extends along the offset web apex.
11 . The closure of claim 1 , wherein the recess formed in the body is defined by a back wall and first and second opposing faces.
12 . The closure of claim 11 , wherein the recess is also defined by first and second bottom wall segments included in the body and arranged to extend inwardly from the first and second opposing faces and intersect at a peak.
13 . The closure of claim 12 , wherein the offset web apex engages the peak of the body during closure of the flip-top cap onto the body, to vault the flip-top cap from an opened position away from the body, over the web apex, to a closed position on the body.
14 . The closure of claim 12 , wherein engagement of the offset web apex with the peak of the body places the first and second web ramps in tension to cause the flip-top cap to be biased toward the body when vaulting the flip-top cap over the offset web apex to assist in aligning the flip-top cap on the body.
15 . A closure for a container opening, the closure comprising
a body for mounting to the container over the opening, and defining a discharge aperture communicating with the opening,
a flip-top cap mounted for movement on the body between a closed position on the body to cover the aperture and an open position away from the body to expose the aperture, and
a hinge formed to include vault means for vaulting the flip-top cap from an opened position away from the body to a closed position on the body to assist in aligning the flip-top cap with the body when flip-top cap is moved onto the body and to cause accelerating movement of the flip-top cap relative to the base in response to the application of a force to the flip-top cap to cause the flip-top cap to move past an over-center position.
16 . The closure of claim 15 , wherein the vault means of the hinge includes a web apex and first and second web ramps positioned to lie near the web apex.
17 . The closure of claim 16 , wherein the web apex is positioned closer to the body than the flip-top cap of the closure when the flip-top cap is in the opened position away from the body.
18 . The closure of claim 16 , wherein the web apex includes a first sloped face coupled to the first and second web ramps along first and second web ridges and a second sloped face coupled to the first and second web ramps along third and fourth web ridges.
19 . The closure of claim 18 , wherein the first and second web ridges are interconnected along a first apex ridge and the third and fourth web ridges are interconnected along a second apex ridge and wherein the first and second apex ridges are generally parallel with respect to each other along the web apex.