AU689544B2

AU689544B2 - Screw cap, especially made of plastic, for closing a bottle or the like

Info

Publication number: AU689544B2
Application number: AU17072/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hans-Werner Breuer
Original assignee: Safety Cap System AG
Current assignee: Safety Cap System AG
Priority date: 1994-03-30
Filing date: 1995-02-11
Publication date: 1998-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-11
Also published as: JPH09510940A; NO964080D0; FI963840A0; AU1707295A; NO309712B1; PL316534A1; CN1059400C; GR3030218T3; NO964080L; DE4411097A1; HUT75899A; DE4411097C2; BR9507255A; JP3777192B2; CN1154094A; ATE178011T1; DK0752957T3; CA2186584A1; WO1995026910A1; PL178507B1

Abstract

A screw cap, especially one made of plastic, for closing a bottle or the like, with a cylindrical threaded section having a female thread to be screwed on the male thread of a bottle-neck, connected to the security ring via break points, on which there are inwardly-directed catches to engage with an outer collar on a bottle-neck. The free edge (14) of the cylindrical part (3) has at least one axial projection (15) which engages positively in a recess (17) in the opposite edge of the security ring (11) in the circumferential direction and releasably in the axial direction. This positive toothing ensures that, when the screw cap is first screwed on the neck of a bottle, the webs (10) are not sheared off by increased torques which can be applied if the catches run on the outer collar of the bottle-neck under tension.

Description

ft C 2 A(SCRlAW CAPfEilC(WIC 4 ALl'Y :X)MPRIM)c )IFLAI TIRt. )lOSIN(GA IWJLE I.iORRTI lK The invention relates to a screw cap for closing a bottle or the like.

JACKGROjNI)K OF r-TIe INVENTION DE4,1 08 453 Al reveals a screw cap of the respective type, whereby the inwardly directed catches are hook shaped in order that, when the screw cap is first screwed on to the outer thread of a bottle neck. the catches snap on behind a circumferential outer collar arranged on the bottle neck for security purposes. When screwing the screw cap off the bottle, the hook shaped catches keep the security ring back fron the outer collar on the bottle neck, so that the break points formed of thin webs between the security ring and the cylindrical part of the screw cap break off. and thus the security ring remains behind on the bottle neck. It is thus assured that the bottle has not previously been opened, since when the cap is unscrewed the security ring is 15 held back on the bottle neck in a loose manner. It is thus easy for anyone to recognise whether the bottle has already been opened once.

A disadvantage to this known screw cap is that a relatively great torque is required when the hook shaped catches on the security ring are moved over the outer collar on the bottle neck. As a result of this increased 20 torque there is a risk that the break points formed of thin webs between the safety ring and the cylindrical part of the screw cap will shear off, even as the cap is screwed on, so that the security ring then rests loosely on the neck of the bottle. just as in the case where the bottle has been opened for the first time and has then been closed again. The fact that the contents of the bottle have never been opened is therefore not recognisable or guarantoed.

SUM MARY OFITH INVEN'N1IO In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a screw cap, particularly of plastic material, for closing a bottle or the like, with a cylindrical threaded part, that features an inside thread for screwing onto an outside thread of a bottle neck, which cap is connected to a security ring by means of predetermined breaking points, on which security ring inward facing locking catches are provided to engage an outside bead on a bottle neck, whereby that edge of the cylindrical threaded part which faces the security ring has an axial projection which engages a recess in the opposite situated edge of the security ring in a form-locking manner in the S. ft 3 circumferential direction and in a detachable manner in the axial direction.

characterised in that opposing edges of the axial projection and the recess engage positively in the circumferential direction and in that the predetermined breaking points are formed between the areas of the projection adjacent in the circumferential direction and the recess.

The basic concept of the teaching consists of connecting the cylindrical part of the screw cap and the security ring in a form locking manner in the circumferential direction, but permitting its removal in the direction of the threading. By positively engaging the opposing edges of the cylindrical part and the security ring. great torques can be transferred with the opposing movement of the two parts. so that there is no danger than the break points that connect tie security ring with the cylindrical part of the screw cap in the original condition can be shared or torn off.

The projection and the recess are expediently at right angles.

15 whereby a plurality of projections and recesses are expediently provided.

preferably engaging with each other in meander shaped manner. The webs can basically be located at any desired position, that is, for example, where no projections and recesses engage each other. Expediently, the break points are located between circumferentially juxtaposed surfaces of projections and 20 recesses. The break points can also be formed by means of webs arranged 0 between the projections and recesses. The toothing expediently extends over the entire circumference.

BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: A preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig 1 shows an axial section through an exemplified embodiment of a screw cap according to the invention, together with the accompanying neck of the bottle.

Fig 2 is an enlarged view II in Figure 1.

PREFERREI) MODE FOR ARRYING OUT THI INVENTIN: Figure 1 shows a screw cap 1 comprised of plastic according to an exemplified embodiment of the invention. It features a bottom 2 and a cylindrical threaded part 3. with an inner thread 4 to be screwed onto an outer thread 5 of a bottle neck 6. which is only partially illustrated. A gasket 8 is located between the bottom 2 and a face edge 7 of the bottle neck 6.

A lower edge 9 of the cylindrical parn 3 is connected to a security nng 1 I by means of webs 10. said security ring featuring inner catches M" whuch engage an outer collar 13 'On the bo:;le neck 6 in the illustrated state where the cap is to be screwed on Figure 2 shows a -view 11 in Figure 1 It shows that a lower edge 14 of tile cylindrical part 3 features perpendicular projections 13 which engage flush with the corresponding recesses 16 in the security ring I1I An intermediate space 17 is formed between the projections IS and the bottom of the recesses 11, wherein the webs 10 whlich hold thle security ring I1I onto the cylindrical part are arranged During the initial screw on of a screw cap I according to Figure 1 the projections illustrated in Figure 2 provide that thle security ring I1I is taken along without any relative opposing movement, even when the torque is high. which is the case when the catches 12 run onto the outer collar 13 and move over it under tension The thin wvebs 10 are thereby prevented from shearing or tearing off during the process of screwing on the cap The projections 15 need only abut the opposing edges of thle recesses 16 in thle direction of screwing on the cap, but not necessarily in the opposite direction. thle removal direction At that position, for example in the area between surfaces 18, 19 and surfaces 2 1, as indicated by dot-dash lines, break points 22, 23, indicated by shading, can then be arranged, serving the same purpose as the webs 10 that form thle break points, and these webs can then be eliminated,

Claims

1. A screw cap. particularly of plastic material, for closing a bottle or the like, with a cylindrical threaded part, that features anI iside0 threaid for screwing onto an outside thread of a bottle neck, which cap is connected to a a security ring by mneans of predetermined breaking points. on which security ring inward facing locking catches are provided to engage anr outside bead on a bottle neck, whcreby that edge of the cylindrical threaded part which faces the security ring has an axial projection which engages a recess in the opposite situatedl edge of the security ring in a form-locking manner in the circumferential direction and in a detachable mannecr in the axial direction, characterised in that opposing edges of the axial projection and the recess engage positively in tie circumferential dlirection and in that the predetermined breaking points are formied between the areas of the projection adjacent in thao circumferential direction and the recess. Dated this 20th day of januaiy 1998 SAFErY CAI) SYSITM AG 00 Patent Attornieys for the Applicant: F 13 RICH CO