Closure devices and mold components for molding closure devices
A molding apparatus for molding a closure device for a container. The closure device may be tethered to the container, and may open and close via a hinged articulation. The closure device includes a cylindrical body comprising hinge-connecting areas with pockets formed in the interior wall and defining an inner surface of the hinge-connecting areas, and hinges extending downwardly from the hinge-connecting areas and positioned at or below a bottom edge of the cylindrical body. The molding apparatus comprises a cavity insert component and a core component that cooperate to form mold surfaces to mold the closure device such that hinges are located below the cap area of the closure device, and hinge-connecting areas formed by projections in the core mold component and recesses in the cavity mold component are located within the cap area are flanked by membranous areas.
1 . A closure device for a beverage container comprising:
a cylindrical body with a closed end and an open end, the cylindrical body forming a bottom edge that extends entirely along a single plane;
a central protrusion extending radially outwardly from the bottom edge of the cylindrical body;
a first hinge-connecting area and a second hinge-connecting area flanking the central protrusion on either side thereof;
a first pocket formed in an interior wall of the cylindrical body defining an inner surface of the first hinge-connecting area;
a second pocket formed in the interior wall of the cylindrical body defining an inner surface of the second hinge-connecting area;
a first hinge extending downwardly from the first hinge-connecting area, the first hinge positioned at or below the single plane of the bottom edge of the cylindrical body, the first hinge comprising a first groove formed on an outwardly facing surface thereof at or below the single plane of the bottom edge;
a second hinge extending downwardly from the second hinge-connecting area, the second hinge positioned at or below the single plane of the bottom edge of the cylindrical body, the second hinge comprising a second groove formed on an outwardly facing surface thereof at or below the single plane of the bottom edge;
a first leash connected to a bottom of the first hinge at a first end and to a tamper band at a second end; and
a second leash connected to a bottom of the second hinge at a first end and to the tamper band at a second end,
wherein the first and second leashes are positioned entirely below the single plane,
wherein a length of the first and second leashes extends along a circumference of the closure device, and
wherein the tamper band is further connected to the bottom edge of the cylindrical body via frangible connections.
2 . The closure device of claim 1 , further comprising: a first membranous area adjacent the first hinge-connecting area distally from the central protrusion.
3 . The closure device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second membranous area adjacent the second hinge-connecting area distally from the central protrusion.
4 . The closure device of claim 3 , further comprising:
the first pocket formed in the interior wall of the cylindrical body also defining an inner surface of the first membranous area.
5 . The closure device of claim 4 , further comprising:
the second pocket formed in the interior wall of the cylindrical body also defining an inner surface of the second membranous area.
6 . The device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third membranous area between the central protrusion and the first hinge-connecting area,
the first pocket formed in the interior wall of the cylindrical body also defining an inner surface of the third membranous area.
7 . The closure device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a fourth membranous area between the central protrusion and the second hinge-connecting area,
the second pocket formed in the interior wall of the cylindrical body also defining an inner surface of the fourth membranous area.
8 . The closure device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hinge-connecting areas project radially outward from an outer surface of the cylindrical body.
9 . The closure device of claim 1 , wherein the first groove, the second groove, and a bottom surface of the central protrusion are positioned at and extend parallel to the bottom edge of the cylindrical body.
10 . A molding apparatus for injection molding a closure device for a container, comprising:
a cavity mold component; and
a core mold component,
wherein the cavity mold component and the core mold component cooperate to form a molding cavity for molding a closure device comprising:
a cylindrical body with a closed end and an open end, the cylindrical body forming a lower edge that extends entirely along a single plane;
a central protrusion extending radially outwardly from the lower edge of the cylindrical body;
a first hinge-connecting area and a second hinge-connecting area flanking the central protrusion;
a first hinge extending downwardly from to the first hinge-connecting area and a second hinge extending downwardly from to the second hinge-connecting area, the first and second hinges positioned at or below the single plane, wherein the first and second hinges each comprise a groove positioned on an outwardly facing surface thereof at or below the single plane,
a first leash connected to a bottom of the first hinge at a first end and to a tamper band at a second end;
a second leash connected to a bottom of the second hinge and to the tamper band at a second end,
wherein the first and second leashes are positioned entirely below the single plane,
wherein a length of the first and second leashes extends along a circumference of the cylindrical body, wherein the tamper band is further connected to the lower edge of the cylindrical body via frangible connections,
the core mold component comprising projections configured to form pockets in an interior wall of the cylindrical body defining inner surfaces of the first and second hinge-connecting areas.
11 . The molding apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
the cavity mold component comprising recesses positioned proximate the projections for forming the first and second hinge-connecting areas of the closure device during an injection molding process.
12 . The molding apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
the cavity mold component comprising a recess positioned between the recesses for forming the central protrusion on the closure device during the injection molding process.
13 . The molding apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:
a first slide component comprising recessed molding surfaces positioned at a top edge of an inner surface thereof for forming the first and second leashes, the first and second hinges and half of the tamper band of the closure device.
14 . The molding apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:
the cavity mold component comprising grooves on an inner molding surface for forming knurls on an outer surface of the cylindrical body of the closure device.
15 . The molding apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: the core mold component comprising copper or a copper alloy.