Professional Documents
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Functions of Dispensing Closures
• Consumer Convenience
• Aesthetic Differentiation
• Functional Value
Attachment to the Bottle
Threaded:
Industry Standards
Orientation
Closure/Bottle Gap Definition
Defining Closure Sizes
Application Torque
Sealing System
Snap‐On:
¾ Common Uses of Snap‐On Closures
¾ Features of Snap‐On Closures
¾ Critical Dimensions
¾ Common Concerns
Closure Styles
Snap Top
Features of Snap Top Closures
Lift Force
Styles of Snap Top Closures
Disc Top
) Features of Disc Top Closures
) Styles of Disc Top Closures
) Disc Top Closure Seal
) Opening Force / Actuation
SimpliSqueeze
Features of SimpliSqueeze
How Does the Valve Work?
SimpliSqueeze Closure Sealing System
Total Package Testing Requirements
Bi‐Injected
Features of Bi‐Injected Closures
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Functions of Dispensing Closures Go To INDEX Page 1 of 1
Consumer Convenience
In a fast-paced world, consumers have very little time to waste. They need what they need when they need
it and where they want it.
Dispensing closures help consumers put a wide range of products where they want it fast and clean.
Controlled dispensing lets them easily get just their preferred amount of product.
There are 4 sizes of Disc Top® and a 2" Tube Top® included in the Satin™ line of
closures. Each closure includes a finger recess area that is made of a TPE material that
has soft feel to it when consumers touch it. The TPE can be a second color to coordinate
with the rest of the package or marketers can use it as a way to easily differentiate
between SKU's within a single brand. It's easy to spot on the shelf and feels nice to the
touch.
The elongated spout inside the 33-400 Directional Pour Spout™ and the Tab Top® offers
pinpoint dispensing accuracy and clean cut-off for extra sticky products.
The SimpliDrink™ Spout adds functional value to pouch packaging. The spout is shaped like
a straw to make it easy for kids to drink out of without having to puncture the pouch to insert
one. We all know where that leads…a big mess. The spout also has a valve inside to prevent
drips and spills in case the pouch is dropped or knocked over.
Other performance requirements are often (but not always) achieved by separate systems. This
offers better dispensing control and performance in comparison with non-dispensing caps.
The CMA (Closure Manufactures Association) and the SPI (Society of Plastics Industry) have created industry
standards for measuring critical dimensions concerning the relationships between closures and bottles.
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"S" = Height from Top of Neck Finish to the Start of One Complete Thread (not an industry standard, but commonly
used)
To ensure that the closure to bottle orientation is correct, the "S2" dimensional measurement is critical.
The "S2" dimension is the distance from the bottle land, or top of bottle neck, to the underside of the thread profile at
the point of desired orientation.
For example, our customer wants the front of the closure to orient with the center of the package label on the front
panel of the bottle. We need to do the following:
In either case, if both the closure manufacturer and the bottle manufacturer make the "S2" dimension the same,
the front of the closures should orient to the point on the bottle that the customer wanted it (in our example,
the center of the front panel of the bottle).
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Closure Sizes Go To INDEX Page 1 of 1
You see them everywhere, but what exactly do all of those numbers mean?
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Let's take a common closure size. 24-415
* "24" = the nominal thread size (or the diameter across the closure beginning and ending
with the outermost point of the thread) in millimeters
o Usually the customer prefers the largest diameter possible to allow larger
fill tubes on the filling line, which allows them to fill faster and be more
cost efficient.
* "415" = height of the closure in millimeters, per the SPI standard for heights and
thread turns
o The SPI (Society of Plastics) and the CMA (Closure Manufactures Association)
have established standard closure heights and thread turns that, when followed, the
proper amount of thread engagement will occur.
* For a closure with a height of 400, there should be 1.5 turns on the threads
* For a closure with a height of 410, there should be 2.5 turns on the threads
* For a closure with a height of 415, there should be 3 turns on the threads
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Sealing to the Bottle
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Named for its shape, the Crab Claw is a thin flexible seal, which compresses against the top sealing surface, or the
land, of the bottle during normal capping operation, much like a gasket or a liner. This feature prevents leakage and is
considered a universal seal, since it will seal a variety of bottles. It does require a bottle land, which is flat and free of
scratches, gouges and pitting. The Crab Claw seal requires “significant” compression; therefore it is best suited to be
used with threaded closures.
V Seal
A small non-flexible ring in the shape of a “V” makes contact with the container finish on the sealing surface (land)
area. This type of seal is most commonly used with tubes. The V-Seal requires compression for the seal to be
effective, therefore it is best suited to be used with threaded closures.
Plug Seal
The Plug Seal fits into the bottle neck and seals against the inside diameter of the container. For the seal to be
effective, the sealing surfaces of the closure and the container must be within specific inside dimensional tolerances
and surface quality. Plug Seals can be used with threaded closures, but are seen on almost all snap-on style closures.
Flat Land Seal Go To INDEX Page 2 of 2
The Flat Land Seal consists of a flat surface on the inside of the closure. The flat surface of the closure makes contact
with the sealing surface (land) of the container. Flat Seals are generally used with closures that are supplied with a
liner. The bottle land must be free of nicks, scratches and gouges for the seal to be effective. A Flat Seal requires
significant compression; therefore it is best suited to be used with threaded closures.
Liner
z Liners are placed and retained in a closure, then induction sealed onto a bottle on the filling line
z Different liner materials are available, which are used depending on the bottle material, closure style, and
product formula.
1. Round cut
2. Tri-Tab
3. Pull-Tab
4. Top-Tab
25mm SimpliSqueeze
Snap-on closures are used for orientation purposes mainly for Tube Tops. For example, Seaquist Closures' Satin Tube
Top is shown below.
Full Bead – The retention bead on the closure's collar is uniform all 360 degrees around the collar.
Example of a full bead snap-on closure (Unilever's Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion)
Segmented Bead – The retention bead on the closure's collar in segmented or separated evenly around the
collar.
Example of a segmented bead snap-on closure (Seaquist Closures' 26mm Oval Snap Top)
Collar – The closure's collar fits around the outside of the bottle's neck.
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Split Collar – The collar is split into two pieces (usually to accommodate the shape of the closure because
there is not enough room to fit an entire full collar within the closure).
Example of a split collar snap-on closure (Seaquist Closures 25mm SimpliSqueeze closure)
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Critical Dimensions of Snap-on Closures Go To INDEX Page 1 of 1
"T" and "E" determine the level of interference, just as in threaded closures.
"I" determines the engagement with the Plug Seal on the closure
"H" determines the height clearance between the closure and the bottle
"H2" determines the amount of gap between the closure and the bottle
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Common Concerns with Snap-on Closures
Vertical Play = Amount of "slop" (or gap) there is between the bottle
and the closure. The "H" dimension on the closure and the bottle neck
finish should match to reduce the amount of slop. If the "H" dimension
on the closure in higher than the "H" dimension on the bottle neck, slop
will occur.
Lots of Slop
Minimal slop
The closer that the "T" and "E" dimensions are to one another on the bottle and
closure, the higher the retention force will be between them and the more difficult
it will be to remove the closure from the bottle.
The Sealing System that can be used for snap-on closures is limited to
only a Plug Seal.
Plug Seal
The Plug Seal fits into the bottle neck and seals against the inside diameter of
the container. For the seal to be effective, the sealing surfaces of the closure
and the container must be within specific inside dimensional tolerances and surface
quality. Plug Seals can be used with threaded closures, but are seen on almost all
snap-on style closures.
Body - The part of the closure that screws or snaps over the container's neck finish.
Cover - The closure's cover protects the orifice from damage and contamination. The
cover is integrated with a "spud", which is a small piece of plastic that seals the orifice
to prevent product leakage when the closure is closed.
Hinge - Part of the closure that attaches the lid/cover to the body of the closure. There
are a few different types of hinges. For example, strap, butterfly, dual axis, biased and
non-biased. Each performs differently and has different strengths and weaknesses.
- Butterfly hinge = Type of protrusionless hinge. It has a tight profile that does
not extend past the closure body. Protrusionless hinges are more aesthetically
appealing than strap hinges and are easier on capping equipment, not causing
as much wear and tear on the capping chucks. Butterfly hinges differ from dual
axis hinges in that they only have one pivot point and dual axis hinges have two
potential pivot points.
- Dual Axis Hinge = Type of protrusionless hinge. It has a tight profile that does
not extend past the closure body. Protrusionless hinges are more aesthetically
appealing than strap hinges and are easier on capping equipment, not causing
as much wear and tear on the capping chucks. Dual axis hinges differ from
butterfly hinges in that they have two potential pivot points and butterfly hinges
only have one.
- Strap Hinge = Go To INDEX Page 2 of 2
- Biased (Living) Hinge = Type of hinge that has a tendency to stay wide open or
closed. Biased hinges were created to keep the lid/cover out of the way of the
product being dispensed when the closure is open.
Non-biased (Floppy) Hinge = Type of hinge that does not have a tendency to
stay in a wide open position without interfering with the product being dispensed
unless consumer holds the lid/cover back themselves.
Orifice - Area where the product is dispensed from when the lid/cover is opened. Orifices
come in different size diameters depending on the closure style and size.
Deck - The part of the closure that contains the orifice. The deck also provides
bracing against side impact to the closure to minimize damage to the lid and hinge.
The deck allows "latch beads" to be attached to the closure between the deck and
the cover to help control the lift, or opening force.
Finger Recess - A slight indent in the plastic at the front of the closure is designed for
consumers to place their finger or thumb and get better leverage to lift the lid/cover and
open the closure.
Lift Tab - A small piece of plastic on the closure's cover that protrudes slightly past the
closure's body over the finger recess that allows consumers to open the closure more
easily in conjunction with the finger recess.
The spud is located inside the inside of the closure's lid/cover. Its primary function is to
seal the orifice when the closure is closed. PRINT
Collar Seal
The collar fits around the outside of the orifice to seal and create lift. The amount of lift force that the Snap
Top closure has is determined by how tight the collar is around the orifice.
A Collar Seal:
* Is used when a spud is not desired
* Is used on larger diameter closures to help properly close the hinge which ensures that the lid is aligned
properly on the body of the closure
* Provides better cleanliness for sticky product applications
A deck latch bead controls the lift by molding a small "bead" of plastic on the inside of the lid's lift tab that
fits into a small groove in the body's finger recess area near the deck surface. The amount of force that it
takes to lift the bead out and around the groove determines the lift force.
Styles of Snap Top closures that Seaquist Closures manufactures:
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Pour Spouts
* Low profile (height is always 400)
* Off-center orifice placement reduces mess on the deck for stringy and runny product applications
* Extended spout to help consumers direct the product flow
Directional Spouts (Tab Top, RediSpread, Directional Pour Spouts & Snap Tops) Page 2 of 2
* Super extended spout helps consumers pinpoint Go To INDEX
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Styles of Disc Top® Closures that Seaquist Closures manufactures:
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Spud Seal - The spud on the actuator seals on the inside of the Body Tube when the closures is closed which
prevents product from leaking out of the closure when it's closed.
Collar Seal - The Body Tube collar seals the Body Tube when the closure is open. The collar discourages
any product from flowing back into the space above the closure's deck and below the actuator.
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Actuation Rib - This piece of plastic creates friction against the body of the closure, causing opening force.
The bigger the actuation rib, the greater the friction becomes, and the higher the opening force (or actuation)
will turn out to be.
Ship Post - A one-time feature that breaks away under impact. The ship post allows for a higher initial
opening force until the post breaks, which prevents "pre-actuation" during shipping.
NOTE: The initial opening force / actuation with the ship post intact and the opening force after the initial
opening will be different because the ship post was broken.
You should review your needs and expectations in regards to opening force with your Customer Service
Account Administrator to ensure a successful product shipment.
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Features of Bi-injected Closures NEXT PAGE
Bi-injected closures are created by injecting two different materials (usually TPE and polypropylene), or two
different colors of polypropylene into the same mold to create a single-piece closure.
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Currently, Seaquist Closures offers two lines of stock bi-injected closures.
Satin™
LOOK.
Our new Satin line is a multi-sensational concept in closures! They're available in
several shapes and sizes and are offered in a rainbow of custom colors that will
compliment your brand's image. And Satin's unique two-tone appearance will
enhance shelf impact to make customers take a second look.
TOUCH.
It's easy to put your finger on why consumers love our new Satin closures. The soft
and comfortable feeling of the closure's finger recess makes them a pleasure to use.
INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.
With Satin closures you can use two-tone custom colors to unite products within a
particular brand. Or you can use them to differentiate SKU's within an individual
product line. Either way, they'll make your products get noticed like never before.
Horizon™
Introducing the newest closure innovation from Seaquist Closures. By combining bi-injection technology
with elegant design, our Horizon™ line of closures offers endless possibilities for your brand.
* Endless color choices help identify individual products within your brand
* Group product lines together to create a compelling shelf presence
* Standard 22-400 neck finish for stock tottles and tubes
With Horizon's two Bi-O Snap Top® sizes, you can maintain a consistent identity for your product across
multiple sizes or multiple products within your brand.