1. A dispensing closure that includes:
a closure base having a base wall, a skirt with an axis and internal means for securing the closure to a container finish, a deck that is raised with respect to said base wall and has an arcuate convex external surface at an angle to the axis of said skirt, and a dispensing opening in said deck, and
a lid integrally connected to said base by at least one hinge,
said deck including a peripheral wall extending from said deck to said base wall, said peripheral wall having a greatest dimension parallel to said axis adjacent to said hinge and a minimum dimension parallel to said axis remote from said hinge,
said peripheral wall of said deck being spaced radially inwardly from a peripheral edge of said base wall, and being cylindrical and coaxial with said skirt.
2. A dispensing closure that includes:
a closure base having a base wall, a skirt with an axis and internal means for securing the closure to a container finish, a deck that is raised with respect to said base wall and has an arcuate convex external surface at an angle to the axis of said skirt, and a dispensing opening in said deck, and
a lid integrally connected to said base by at least one hinge,
said deck including a peripheral wall extending from said deck to said base wall, said peripheral wall having a greatest dimension parallel to said axis adjacent to said hinge and a minimum dimension parallel to said axis remote from said hinge, said peripheral wall of said deck being spaced radially inwardly from a peripheral edge of said base wall,
said base including an upstanding arcuate part-annular wall extending from said base wall between said peripheral wall and said peripheral edge adjacent to said hinge.
3. The closure set forth in claim 2 wherein said peripheral wall is cylindrical and coaxial with said skirt.
4. The closure set forth in claim 1 wherein said deck has internal and external arcuate surfaces at constant radii from a common center, such that said deck has a uniform wall thickness.
5. The closure set forth in claim 1 wherein said base includes an upstanding arcuate part-annular wall extending from said base wall between said peripheral wall and said peripheral edge adjacent to said hinge.
6. The closure set forth in claim 2 wherein said lid has a peripheral skirt with at least one interruption at said at least one hinge, and said upstanding wall is disposed on said base wall for internal surface engagement with said skirt at said interruption in a closed position of said lid to block entry of moisture through said interruption.
7. The closure set forth in claim 2 wherein said closure base includes an annular wall upstanding from said deck surrounding said dispensing opening, said annular wall having an edge spaced from said deck that lies in a plane at an angle to said axis.
8. The closure set forth in claim 7 wherein said base includes an arcuate forward surface extending from an edge of said annular wall remote from said hinge to a position adjacent to said base wall.
9. The closure set forth in claim 2 wherein said closure base includes an annular wall depending from said deck and surrounding said dispensing opening, and an annular cavity between said annular wall and said peripheral wall.
10. A dispensing closure that includes:
a base and a lid integrally connected to said base by at least one hinge,
said base including an annular base wall,
a skirt extending from an outer peripheral edge of said base wall and having internal means for securing the closure to a container finish,
a deck having a peripheral wall extending from an inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite said skirt and a deck wall extending across an edge of said peripheral wall spaced from said base wall,
said deck wall having an arcuate convex external surface at an angle to said axis, and
a dispensing opening in said deck wall surrounded by an annular wall upstanding from said deck wall,
said annularwall having an outer edge spaced from said deck wall, said outer edge lying in a plane at an angle to said axis such that said edge has a point remote from said hinge at greatest distance from said deck wall.
11. The closure set forth in claim 10 wherein said annular wall surrounding said dispensing opening continues beneath said deck wall and forms an annular cavity between said annular wall and said peripheral wall.
12. The closure set forth in claim 10 wherein said base includes an arcuate forward surface extending from an edge of said annular wall remote from said hinge to a position adjacent to said base wall.
13. A closure and container package that includes:
a container having a finish and a dispensing closure that comprises:
a base and a lid integrally connected to said base by at least one hinge,
said base including an annular base wall,
a skirt extending from an outer peripheral edge of said base wall and having internal means for securing the closure to a container finish,
a deck having a peripheral wall extending from an inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite said skirt and a deck wall extending across an edge of said peripheral wall spaced from said base wall,
said deck wall having an arcuate convex external surface at an angle to said axis, and
a dispensing opening in said deck wall surrounded by an annular wall upstanding from said deck wall,
said annular wall having an outer edge spaced from said deck wall, said outer edge lying in a plane at an angle to said axis such that said edge has a point remote from said hinge at greatest distance from said deck wall.
14. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said annularwall surrounding said dispensing opening continues beneath said deckwall and forms an annular cavity between said annular wall and said peripheral wall.
15. The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said base includes an arcuate forward surface extending from an edge of said annular wall remote from said hinge to a position adjacent to said base wall.
16. A method of making a dispensing closure that includes integrally molding a closure base and a closure lid connected to said base by at least one hinge,
said closure base including an annular base wall,
a skirt extending from an outer peripheral edge of said base wall and having internal means for securing the closure to a container finish,
a deck having a peripheral wall extending from an inner peripheral edge of said base wall in a direction opposite said skirt and a deck wall extending across an edge of said peripheral wall spaced from said base wall,
said deck wall having an arcuate convex external surface at an angle to said axis, and
a dispensing opening in said deck wall surrounded by an annular wall upstanding from said deck wall,
said annular wall having an outer edge spaced from said deck wall, said outer edge lying in a plane at an angle to said axis such that said edge has a point remote from said hinge at greatest distance from said deck wall.
17. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein said annular wall surrounding said dispensing opening continues beneath said deckwall and forms an annularcavity between said annular wall and said peripheral wall.
18. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein said peripheral wall is cylindrical and coaxial with said skirt.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for forming an uncured fiber-reinforced preform comprising the steps of:
providing a multi-layered, pre-plied, multi-directional planar laminate comprising an interior and an edge, said laminate comprising at least a first layer of prepreg and a second layer of prepreg wherein each of said prepreg layers comprises an uncured resin matrix and unidirectional fibers and wherein the direction of said unidirectional fibers in said first prepreg layer is different from the direction of said unidirectional fibers in said second prepreg layer and wherein said laminate comprises a first tab portion and a second tab portion, said laminate further comprising a linear slot located between said first tab portion and said second tab portion such that said linear slot defines an edge of said first tab portion and an edge of said second tab portion, said linear slot having an open end and a bottom end, said laminate comprising a collinear fold line that extends from the bottom of said linear slot and a first fold line that extends from the bottom of said linear slot and is transverse to said collinear fold line, said first fold line forming an end of said first tab portion, said laminate further comprising a second fold line that extends from the bottom of said linear slot and is transverse to said collinear fold line, said second fold line forming an end of said second tab portion;
folding said multi-layered laminate at said collinear fold line, said first fold line and said second fold line so that the edge of said first tab is aligned with said second fold line and the edge of said second tab is aligned with said first fold line wherein said first and second tab portions overlap each other; and
pushing the overlapped tab portions together to form a portion of said preform.
2. A method for forming a preform according to claim 1 wherein said linear slot extends from an intersection of said fold lines to the edge of said multi-layered laminate.
3. A method for forming a preform according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said fold lines is heated prior to folding said multi-layered laminate to form said folded laminate.
4. A method according to claim 1 which includes the additional step of curing said preform to form a composite structure wherein the portion of said preform that is formed by said first and second tab portions is cured to form a cured portion of said composite structure.
5. A method according to claim 2 which includes the additional step of curing said preform to form a composite structure wherein the portion of said preform that is formed by said first and second tab portions is cured to form a cured portion of said composite structure.
6. A method according to claim 3 which includes the additional step of curing said preform to form a composite structure wherein the portion of said preform that is formed by said first and second tab portions is cured to form a cured portion of said composite structure.
7. A method for forming a preform according to claim 1 wherein said collinear fold line extends from the bottom of said linear slot to an edge of said multi-layered laminate.
8. A method for forming a preform according to claim 1 wherein said first fold line extends from the bottom of said linear slot to an edge of said multi-layered laminate.
9. A method for forming a preform according to claim 1 wherein said second fold line extends from the bottom of said linear slot to an edge of said multi-layered laminate.
10. A method according to claim 7 which includes the additional step of curing said preform to form a composite structure wherein the portion of said preform that is formed by said first and second tab portions is cured to form a cured portion of said composite structure.
11. A method according to claim 8 which includes the additional step of curing said preform to form a composite structure wherein the portion of said preform that is formed by said first and second tab portions is cured to form a cured portion of said composite structure.
12. A method according to claim 9 which includes the additional step of curing said preform to form a composite structure wherein the portion of said preform that is formed by said first and second tab portions is cured to form a cured portion of said composite structure.