Time for closure

Closures can be a difficult proposition, especially when called upon to fulfil a multi-functional role. Alongside their basic duty of preventing leakage, they commonly have to fulfil the functions of tamper-evidence and child-resistance, while also acting as dispensers and being “user-friendly” to the elderly - or simply those in a hurry. Throw in the additional requirements increasingly being demanded, such as oxygen scavenging, gas permeation reduction and lightweighting, and the humble closure becomes a combination of scientific wonder and work of art.

Fortunately, innovative and continually improved products continue to be introduced to the market. Just a few of the more carefully engineered are outlined below.

Rieke Packaging Systems Englass has launched a pump designed to handle a range of product viscosities up to 60,000cps including small particulates, with a variety of dosing options. The RS30 also offers new safety features including tamper-evidence and improved security during shipping via a tamper-evident collar. The dispenser is suitable for a number of markets such as food and household products.

The dispenser offers the highest level of thread engagement in the lock down position (1.5 full turns), which means that the RS30 cannot “pop open” during transit, ensuring safe and secure distribution. The design of the pump features a wide plunger and collar interface to provide a robust finish that is said to offer excellent durability and stability even in the fully up position. A variety of ball and flap valves are available to suit the particular characteristics of different products. The head design has also been created to enable discharge at a variety of angles, including near vertical. The combination of these long-life and convenience features are designed to make the pump ideal for all applications where reliable repeatability is essential.

The RS30's versatility is further enhanced by its availability in two lengths, providing a dose range of 5-30ml, while enabling it to fit a variety of closure sizes and bottle capacities.

RPC Bramlage's expertise in injection moulding has been instrumental in the development of DraughtMaster, a new system for draught beer, for which the company has manufactured a multi-functional closure. Carlsberg's DraughtMaster is designed to be a cost-effective method of serving draught beer in smaller bars. The keg closure is impossible to open outside of the refrigerated chamber, ensuring that the beer cannot be tampered with or exposed to oxygen. The closure needed to withstand significant pressure from the beer and the design consists of nine parts, including a durable seal to the keg, a connecting tube to the DraughtMaster chamber, and an unusual piercing device. The closure itself is injection moulded in high impact PP.

A high barrier sealing foil is placed between the keg and the closure to help maintain the product quality. When the keg is placed in the pressurised chamber, the foil is pierced and the beer flows from the keg to the tap.

Unlike refillable steel kegs, with their associated transportation and cleaning costs, the DraughtMaster keg is one-way. It gradually collapses as the beer is dispensed and can be easily disposed of, providing further cost-efficiency for small establishments. The system is also available in a five litre version for home use.

Meanwhile RPC Bramlage's FreshCan, which keeps active ingredients separate from liquid until the can is opened with a plastic capsule or 'wedge', is reliant on the opening mechanism. When the can is opened, the pressure inside it drops causing the wedge lid to spring open, allowing the contents to mix with the liquid.

This solution provides significant logistical advantages for the filling process because the container and the wedge can be supplied to the beverage producer separately. Milk drinks or sport and energy drink producers can now develop innovative beverages which would not previously have been possible.

Seaquist Closures has developed a new bi-material flip-top closure, the Original Sport Cap, a reminder that Seaquist was the first to introduce a flip-top sport closure to the beverage market.

The outer part in PP has an active hinge which flips back to 170° to allow easy drinking. The PE mouth piece has organoleptic qualities and imparts no odour or taste to the product. The double sealing system between lid and spout is claimed to provide a perfect seal, yet remain easy to open, especially for children. The closure has two effective tamper-evidence systems, between lid and body of the closure and between the closure and the bottle.

PP provides high transparency for the outer part and has more “spring” which is necessary for the hinge to work effectively. Two components allow a broad range of attractive colour combinations.

Available in 28, 30 and 38mm neck finishes, all versions can be supplied with SimpliSqueeze as an option for optimal flow control. The Original has been designed to provide an attractive, practical and hygienic capping solution for bottled waters.

Zeller Plastik's 55mm diameter dispensing double wall closure for inverted packaging is targeted to the food market and other inverted product applications where consumers want clean non-drip dispensing. The I Squeeze closure is GCS's solution to the growing inverted food applications in the US market.

The matt closure offers both 33-400 and 38-400 neck finishes and is available in two orifice sizes. The closure has lining capabilities and is available with or without the ZelValve - a silicone, non-drip valve.

Heinz has launched a new larger size of its Top Down Ketchup bottle with a 63mm ZelValve non-drip dispensing closure with peelable induction heat seal (IHS) liner from GCS Zeller. While similar to the existing 55mm cap supplied to Heinz for the smaller Top Down Ketchup bottles, the 63mm cap has been designed specifically for the new bottles to maximize the performance of the valve.

A vital part of the project has been Crown Zeller's development of a new valve sub-assembly to meet the increasing market demand for large volume products. This sub-assembly is used in the 55mm and 63mm closures, both of which are embossed with the “Heinz 57 varieties” legend.

Similarly, Seaquist has turned Marmite upside down - a revolution for this typically British product, well-loved for generations, for whom this savoury spread on toast has special memories. The traditional round jar, which has been the mark of Marmite since 1902, is now joined by a handy round squeezable bottle, which stands top-down on a custom yellow cap by Seaquist Closures.

The large footprint of the flip-top closure is designed to ensure stability. The SimpliSqueeze silicone valve system makes dispensing clean and easy and once the pressure is released, the valve seals to ensure clean product cut-off. Moreover, there is no messy build-up around the orifice, particularly important for a highly viscous product such as Marmite.

Silgan White Cap is supplying its 70mm TNB extra deep twist-off closure with safety button to Ole! of Poland for two ready-to-serve meals. Normally this market segment uses regular twist-off closures. The packaging for the launch is completed by a 450ml glass jar. The cap provides a better grip because of its deeper skirt, greater surface for decoration and eye-catching shelf appeal. The 70mm size is also ideal for pouring from or removing product with a spoon.

A distinct “pop” or “click” can be heard when the closure is opened for the first time. The noise is caused by the vacuum being released and the button popping back to its original position and demonstrates to the consumer that the product is safely sealed in three ways - they can see, feel and hear the change.

EMIG of Rellingen, Germany chose Silgan White Cap's 38mm Plasti-Twist triple seal closure range for its Summerhill range of aseptically filled fruit juices and nectars with 100% or 50% fruit content. The products are available in 330ml PET bottles.

The Triple Seal function of the PE closure with D-tamper evident band offers many advantages. There are three contact sealing points for the closure and the container finish - top, inner and outer - reputed to guarantee a hermetic, airtight seal. It also has a multiple safety-opening feature. After top seal release and outer seal release, it is necessary for the tamper evident band to break. Only when the band is broken will the third inner seal release and the bottle open.

The 38mm Plasti-Twist triple seal cap has low opening torques and four colour top printing is possible, while the matt finish on the surface is said to provide enhanced printing opportunities. The closure is suitable for use with PET, PP and HDPE bottles and is intended for cold fill and cold aseptic fill applications.

Rieke has launched a range of airless dispensers to provide the travel packaging solution for personal care products in the light of the latest EU security measures at airports. The regulations prohibit containers exceeding 100ml from being carried through airport security checkpoints, making the 50 and 100ml dispensers ideal as “travel-size” versions.

The dispensers have been developed to handle creams, lotions and gels, and a non-metal contact construction means they are compatible with a wider range of product formulations and ingredients. They feature a pre-assembled one-piece follower piston and are designed to pump air through a valve system, while an innovative suck back feature pulls product back into the nozzle for clean and hygienic operation.

The range offers a choice of two modern-looking container designs - slim-line or wide-bore, with optional doses of 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2ml. The dispensers are available in natural, transparent and coloured combinations with a variety of decoration options, to enable them to be personalised to individual brand requirements. The wide pack is also available in 150 and 200ml sizes.

A high standard of functionality is claimed for the advanced version of RPC Bramlage's Magic airless dispensing mechanism used for the Magic Oval dispenser, designed to give consistent controlled dosing and hygienic application. To enhance production efficiency, the dispenser can be filled from the top or bottom.

Available in three sizes - 50, 100 and 150ml - Magic Oval complements the rounded Magic Star and slimline Magic SL to give customers another option for the dispensing of lotions, creams and gels. Its oval shape is said to offer comfortable handling for consumers and a wide area for decoration, with options including silk screen printing, labelling or hot stamping. The cap can also be hot stamped for additional branding.

Dermatology products maker, Dermasalve, required a hygienic dispenser and was attracted to RPC Bramlage-Wiko's Magic Star for its combination of functionality and style. The Magic Star is supplied in three sizes - 50, 100 and 200ml - and is used across the Dermasalve range, including hand cream, foot cream, body cream and baby cream. “The Magic Star keeps our products in an airtight, germ-free environment and dispenses them with a reliable, metered dose,” comments Steven Katirai of Dermasalve Sciences.