초록 ▼

A self-draining container neck and closure comprising a container neck having an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion, the upper sidewall portion being inset from the lower sidewall portion. The container neck also includes a tamper indicating bead having at least one draining notch t

A self-draining container neck and closure comprising a container neck having an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion, the upper sidewall portion being inset from the lower sidewall portion. The container neck also includes a tamper indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein. The instant invention also includes a closure having a plurality of drainage slots disposed in a spaced configuration. The closure is threadably connected to the container neck, the closure and container threads rotatably engage and provide a drainage path there between.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A self-draining container neck and closure, comprising:a closure having a top wall, an annular skirt extending from a peripheral edge of said top wall, and at least one closure thread extending along an inner surface of said annular skirt, said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected he

1. A self-draining container neck and closure, comprising:a closure having a top wall, an annular skirt extending from a peripheral edge of said top wall, and at least one closure thread extending along an inner surface of said annular skirt, said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected height between consecutive rotations of said at least one closure thread; a container having a container neck extending upwardly therefrom; at least one container thread helically extending about said container neck, said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness less than said pre-selected height of said at least one closure thread; and, a tamper-indicating bead disposed beneath said at least one container thread, said tamper-indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein. 2. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 1, said tamper-indicating bead having two diametrically opposed draining notches.3. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 2, said diametrically opposed notches being substantially U-shaped.4. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 1, said container neck having an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion, said upper portion having a smaller outer diameter than said lower portion forming an inset.5. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 4, said upper sidewall portion being inset about twenty-thousandths of an inch from said lower portion.6. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 5, said container neck further comprising a foil seal disposed across a centrally disposed bore in said container neck.7. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 6 further comprising at least one tab extending from a peripheral edge of said foil seal.8. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 7, said at least one tab being folded and positioned in said inset.9. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 1, said container thread having a thickness about one-half of said pre-selected height between consecutive rotations of said closure thread.10. A self-draining closure in combination with a self-draining container neck, comprising:a closure having a top wall and an annular skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall; at least one closure thread helically extending about an inner surface of said annular skirt, said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected height defined between consecutive rotations of said closure thread; a plurality of drainage slots extending through said closure adjacent an intersection of said closure top wall and said annular skirt; a container neck having at least one container thread, said at least one container thread having a pre-selected height defined between consecutive rotations of said at least one container thread, said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness less than said pre-selected height of said closure thread; said at least one closure thread having a vertical thickness less than said pre-selected height of said container thread; said at least one closure thread engaging said at least one container thread and forming a drainage path. 11. The self-draining closure of claim 10, said closure having a tamper-indicating ring frangibly connected to a lower edge of said annular skirt.12. The self-draining closure of claim 11, said tamper-indicating ring having a closure tamper-indicating bead extending radially inward therefrom.13. The self-draining closure of claim 12, said closure tamper-indicating bead having a plurality of slots therein.14. The self-draining closure of claim 12, said tamper-indicating ring having a plurality of flexible folding fingers extending radially inward therefrom, said folding fingers having a plurality of gaps therebetween.15. The self-draining closure of claim 10 further comprising a tamper-indicating bead circumferentially extending about said container neck, said bead having at least one draining notches therein.16. The self-draining closure of claim 10, said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness about one-half said pre-selected height of said closure thread.17. The self-draining closure of claim 10, said at least one closure thread having a vertical thickness about one-half said pre-selected height of said container thread.18. A self draining container neck and closure, comprising:a closure having a top wall and an annular skirt depending therefrom, and at least one closure thread helically extending about an inner surface of said closure skirt; said at least one closure thread having a closure thread gap defined by a vertical distance between consecutive rotations of said at least one closure thread; a container having a container neck extending upwardly therefrom including an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion, said upper sidewall portion being inset from said lower sidewall portion; at least one container thread helically extending about said neck and having a container thread gap defined by a vertical distance between consecutive rotations of said at least one container thread; said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness less than said closure thread gap; said closure thread having a vertical thickness less than said container thread gap; a tamper indicating bead disposed beneath said at least one container thread extending about said lower sidewall portion, said tamper indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein and, said closure threadably connected to said container neck. 19. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 18, said tamper-indicating bead having a plurality of draining notches, said notches being substantially U-shaped.20. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 18, said container neck further comprising a centrally disposed bore defining a flow communication path extending through said neck and a foil seal extending across said centrally disposed bore, said seal having at least one tab extending from a peripheral edge.21. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 20, said foil seal having three tabs extending outward from a peripheral edge of said foil seal.22. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 20, said at least one tab being folded and positioned against said inset upper sidewall portion.23. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 21, said upper sidewall portion being inset about twenty-thousandths of an inch.24. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 18, said closure further comprising a plurality of drainage slots extending through said closure.25. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 18, said closure further comprising drainage slots extending through said annular skirt.26. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 25, said closure further comprising a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to a lower peripheral edge of said annular skirt, said tamper-indicating band having a closure tamper-indicating bead extending radially inward in interference relationship with said tamper indicating bead of said container.27. A self-draining container neck and closure, comprising:a container having a container neck extending upwardly therefrom; said container neck having an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion, said upper sidewall portion being inset from said lower sidewall portion and forming a step; a closure having at least one closure thread, said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected closure thread gap between consecutive thread rotations of said closure thread; at least one container thread helically extending about said neck, said at least one container thread having a pre-selected container thread gap between consecutive rotations of said container thread, said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness about one-half said pre-selected closure thread gap; said closure thread having a thickness about one-half said pre-selected container thread gap and, a tamper-indicating bead disposed beneath said at least one container thread extending about said container neck, said tamper-indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein. 28. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 27, said tamper-indicating bead having a plurality of U-shaped draining notches.29. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 28, said closure having a plurality of drainage slots extending through a closure top wall and an annular skirt.30. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 27, said container neck having a centrally disposed bore defining a flow-communication path and a foil seal disposed across said centrally disposed bore, said foil seal having at least one tab spaced about a peripheral edge of said foil seal, said at least one tab disposed within said inset upper sidewall portion.31. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 27, said upper sidewall portion being inset about twenty-thousandths of an inch.32. A self-draining container neck and closure, comprising:a container having a container neck extending upwardly therefrom; said container neck having an upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion, said upper sidewall portion being inset from said lower sidewall portion and forming a step; a closure having a top wall, an annular skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall, and at least one closure thread, said at least one closure thread having a closure thread gap defined by a distance between consecutive rotations of said at least one closure thread; at least one container thread helically extending about said neck, said container thread having a container thread gap defined by a distance between consecutive rotations of said at least one container thread; said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness less than said closure thread gap of said at least one closure thread; said at least one closure thread having a vertical thickness less than said container thread gap of said at least one container thread; a tamper-indicating bead disposed beneath said at least one container thread circumferentially extending about said lower sidewall portion, said tamper-indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein; at least one drainage slot extending through said closure adjacent said top wall and said annular skirt; said at least one closure thread engaging said at least one container thread and forming a drainage path; and, said self-draining closure having a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to a lower edge of said closure annular skirt positioned adjacent said tamper-indicating bead said container neck. 33. The self-draining closure of claim of claim 32, said tamper-indicating band having a flexible folding fingers extending radially inward from an inner surface of said tamper-indicating band.34. The self-draining closure of claim 33, said folding fingers having a plurality of drainage gaps therebetween.35. The self-draining closure in combination with a self-draining container neck, comprising:a closure having a top wall and an annular skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall; at least one closure thread helically extending about an inner surface of said annular skirt; said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected height defined between consecutive rotations of said closure thread; a container neck having at least one container thread extending helically about said neck, said at least one container thread having a pre-selected height defined between consecutive rotations of container thread; said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness less than said closure pre-selected height; said at least one closure thread having a vertical thickness less than said container pre-selected height; said at least one closure thread engaging said at least one container thread and forming a drainage path; said container neck having a tamper-indicating bead located below said at least one container threads, said tamper-indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein; said closure having a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to a lower edge of said closure; said frangibly attached closure tamper-indicating band having a plurality of windows therein and a plurality of connector webs between said windows; said windows being in a spaced relationship with an apex of said container neck tamper-indicating bead. 36. The combination of claim 35, said tamper-indicating band having a plurality of flexile folding fingers extending radially inward from said tamper-indicating band, said folding fingers having a plurality of gaps there between.37. A self-draining container neck and closure, comprising:a container neck having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having a smaller outer diameter than said lower portion forming an inset; a foil seal disposed over a bore extending through said neck; a container thread helically extending about said lower portion of said container neck; a tamper-indicating bead disposed beneath said container thread, said tamper-indicating bead having at least one draining notch therein: a closure having a top wall and a skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall; a closure thread helically extending about an inner surface of said closure skirt, said closure thread having a pine-selected closure thread gap defined by a distance between consecutive rotations of said closure thread; said closure threadably connected to said container neck, said container thread and said closure thread forming a drainage path there between. 38. The container neck and closure of claim 37, said container thread having a vertical thickness less than said pre-selected closure thread gap.39. The container neck and closure of claim 37, said container thread having a pre-selected container gap defined by a distance between consecutive rotations of said container thread.40. The container neck and closure of claim 39, said closure thread having a vertical thickness less than said pre-selected container gap.41. The container neck and closure of claim 37, said inset being about twenty-thousandths of an inch.42. The container neck and closure of claim 37, said closure having a plurality of drainage slots extending through said top wall and said skirt.43. The container neck and closure of claim 37, said foil seal having at least one tab extending from a peripheral edge of said foil seal.44. A self draining container neck and closure wherein a self-draining path exists there between, comprising:a closure having a top wall, an annular skirt extending from said top wall, and at least one closure thread extending along an inner surface of said annular skirt, said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected vertical clearance between consecutive rotations of said at least one closure thread; a container having a container neck extending upwardly therefrom, at least one container thread helically extending about said container neck, said at least one container thread having a container thread vertical thickness less than said pre-selected vertical clearance between said closure thread; a bead disposed beneath said at least one container thread, said bead having at least one draining notch therein; said closure threadably connected to said container neck, said container thread and said closure thread forming a drainage path there between. 45. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44 wherein said closure thread vertical clearance is at least 0.020″ more than said container thread vertical thickness.46. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44, wherein one of either said closure or container thread is more than 0.020″ radially deeper than the other.47. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44, wherein said closure thread extends around and engages said container thread over less than 360°.48. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44 where both the closure and the container have four threads and the thread segments are less than 90° in are length.49. The self-draining closure of claim 44, further having at least one bead or finger directed inwardly from the bottom of said annular skirt forming a removable band, said band having frangible connectors and gaps there between located above said at least one bead or finger thereby creating a frangible connection.50. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44, wherein the bead through which the said notch passes consists of one contact diameter surface with the closure.51. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44 wherein the bead through which the notch passes consists of an upper and lower diameter contact surface contacting a closure frangible skirt portion.52. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 44 further having a cylindrical surface below the bead through which the notch passes, which makes contact with a closure frangible skirt inwardly directed bead, said inwardly directed bead having at least one notch.53. The self-draining closure of claim 50 wherein said at least one finger directed inwardly from the bottom edge of the said annular skirt consists of multiple fingers with gaps there between, said gaps at least as wide as the said notch in said container bead and wherein said fingers and gaps are positioned such that a gap is 180° opposed to a finger so as to not restrict the draining characteristics of said notch.54. A container neck and closure wherein a self-draining path exists there between, comprising:a closure having a top wall, an annular skirt extending from said top wall, and at least one closure thread extending along an inner surface of said annular skirt, said at least one closure thread having a pre-selected closure thread vertical clearance between consecutive rotations of said at least one closure thread; a plurality of frangible connector webs having gaps therebetween located below said thread, and at least one inwardly directed bead or finger connected to the lower edge of the annular skirt, a container having a container neck extending upwardly therefrom, at least one container thread helically extending about said container neck, said at least one container thread having a vertical thickness; and, a bead located beneath said at least one container thread having an outermost diameter of at least 0.020″ per side smaller in diameter than the inside surface of said closure annular skirt and being larger in diameter than the inside diameter of said closure bead or fingers, said bead having at least one drainage notch; said closure threadably connected to said container neck, said container neck and said closure forming a drainage path there between. 55. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 54 wherein said closure thread vertical clearance is at least 25% more than said container thread vertical thickness.56. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 54, wherein one of either said closure or container thread is more than 25% radially deeper than the other.57. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 54, wherein at least one of either of the at least one closure or container thread extends around and engages the other over less than 360°.58. The self-draining container neck and closure of claim 57 where both the closure and the container have four threads and the thread segments are less than 90° in arc length.