A container and closure assembly

Description

[0001] A container and closure assembly consisting of a container body with an external screw thread and a cap with an internal screw thread has been known for many years. Such a container usually has the external screw thread adjacent to the mouth of the container body in order to keep the skirt of the cap as short as possible. This arrangement has been effective so far as opening and closing of the container body is concerned but it has had the disadvantage that in the case of liquid containers the liquid has tended to drip and run down the outside of the body into the screw thread. This dripping and running has proved in recent years to be a serious problem but attempts to provide a screw threaded container body with a non-drip profile have failed owing to the proximity of the screw thread to the mouth of the container.

[0002] It is an object of the present invention to provide a screw- threaded container and closure assembly with a non-drip capability.

[0003] According to the present invention we provide a container and closure assembly wherein the container body has a mouth through which the contents of the container can be dispensed, an annular non-drip pouring lip around the mouth, an external screw thread spaced from the pouring lip and between the pouring lip and the start of the screw thread an external annular concave portion and wherein the closure has an internal screw thread on the skirt of the closure spaced from the top of the closure by an amount substantially equal to the vertical dimension of the pouring lip and the concave portion so that when the closure is screwed fully on to the body the inside of the top of the closure, which may be an integral sealing plug or a washer, such as a sealing wad, makes contact with the rim around the mouth of the body.

[0004] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is now directed to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a container and closure assembly according to the invention; and .

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the closure separated from the container body.

[0005] In the drawings a container body 1 has an external screw thread 2, an annular pouring lip 3 around the mouth 4 of the container body 1 and between the lip 3 and the start of the thread 2 an external annular concave portion 5. The lip 3 is shaped as shown with a substantially vertical inside surface 6 and an outside surface 7 inclined inwardly from the top towards the bottom, and looked at in section the portion 5 is shaped like a letter U lying on its side.

[0006] A closure 8 has a top 9 and a screw threaded part 10 spaced downwardly from the top 9 with a gripping knurl or smooth surfaced annular portion 11 between the top 9 and the top of the threaded part 10. A washer or sealing wad 12 is provided inside the top of the closure so that when the closure is in position on the container body 1 the washer 12 which forms the inside of the top of the closure is pressed against the top edge of the pouring lip 3 which has a flat surface 13.

[0007] In operation the body 1 is filled and the closure 2 is screwed into position as shown in Fig. 1. When it is desired to dispense the contents the closure 2 is unscrewed and the body 1 is tilted to pour out the contents. The combination of the lip 3 and the portion 5 substantially prevents any dripping or dribbling of the contents. The contents can be poured out in a steady stream, the sharp annular meeting point 14 between the top 13 and the side of the lip 3 preventing dripping and the portion 5 preventing dribbling. The container body is preferably made of glass or a plastics material and the closure is preferably made of metal or a plastics material.

Claims

1. A container and closure assembly, characterised in that the container body has in combination a mouth through which the contents of the container can be dispensed, an annular non-drip pouring lip around the mouth, an external screw thread spaced from the pouring lip and, between the pouring lip and the start of the screw thread, an external annular concave portion and wherein the closure has an internal screw thread on the skirt of the closure spaced from the top of the closure by an amount substantially equal to the vertical dimension of the pouring lip and the concave portion so that when the closure is screwed fully onto the container body the inside of the top of the closure makes contact with the rim around the mouth of the body.

2. A container and closure assembly according to Claim 1, characterised in that the pouring lip of the container body has a substantially vertical inside surface and an outside surface inclined inwardly from the top towards the bottom.

3. A container and closure assembly according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the annular concave portion of the container is shaped like a letter U lying on its side when viewed in section.

4. A container for use in the assembly claimed in Claim 1.

5. A closure for use in the assembly claimed in Claim 1.