CA1122924A

CA1122924A - Tamperproof closure member

Info

Publication number: CA1122924A
Application number: CA320,338A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ned J. Smalley
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Inc
Current assignee: OI Glass Inc
Priority date: 1978-02-15
Filing date: 1979-01-26
Publication date: 1982-05-04
Also published as: JPS5752261B2; GB2014549B; GB2014549A; AU514982B2; AU4411479A; JPS54130286A

Abstract

Form 233 TAMPERPROOF CLOSURE MEMBER

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A tamperproof closure member adapted for press-on or snap-fit assembly over the neck of a container and carrying a tamper-indicating sleeve which must be irreparably separated therefrom in order to accommodate manual removal of the closure member from the neck of the container. The closure member comprises an endwall carrying downwardly depending retaining means adapted for snug-fitting, press-on, removable assembly of the closure member on the container neck. In order to manually remove the closure member from the container neck, the endwall is structured to extend laterally outward beyond the retaining means and to provide an overhang presenting a bearing surface against which axially directed manual force for removal of the closure member necessarily must be exerted. Manual accessibility to the bearing surface is, however, restricted by a tamper-indicating sleeve depending from the outer reaches of the endwall overhang and enclosing the bearing surface within the interior confines thereof to thereby isolate the bearing surface from manual accessibility required for removal of the closure member from the container. The tamper-indicating sleeve is preferably interconnected to the endwall by means of a selectively weakened web section along which the sleeve is adapted to be irreparably torn or severed from the endwall as a necessary prerequisite to access to the bearing surface for removal of the closure member from the container neck. To facilitate manual grasping and tearing of the tamper-indicating sleeve preparatory to removal of the closure member at least one tear groove or slit is provided which leads between the lower extremity of the sleeve and the selectively weakened web section.
Press-on assembly of the closure member on the container neck is preferably attained by a snap-fit provided by the retaining means.

Form 233 To this end an inwardly directed retaining bead is provided which is adapted to engage the container neck in snug, snap-fit relationship. The closure member is structured in such manner that the press-on and tamperproof features may be optionally incorporated into either a one-piece member, such as a snap cap, or a two-piece lid and ring assembly.

Description

7 BACKGROI~ID OF THE INVENTION
8 This invention pertains to closures embodying tamper-g proof or tamper-indicating structures and more particularly it relates to a tamperproof structure for a press-on or snap-on 11 type of closure member which incorporates a unique tamper-12 indicating sleeve which must be physically removed prior to 18 removal of the closure member from the container.
14 ~he prior art has included a variety of press-on or 16 snap-on types of closures which incorporate tamper-indicating 16 features. The majority of these patents~ however, include 17 a separable tamperproof band formed as an integral part or 18 extension of the container-engaging skirt portion of the 19 closure. Examples of such prior art patents include U.S.
Patent Nos. 3,653,529 (Segmuller)~ 3,707,240 ~Wilsonj 3~913,771 21 tActon~ et al.1, and 3,974,932 (Faulstich). One patent in the 22 prior art which incorporates a separate tamperproof band which 28 extends downwardly from the top panel of the closure is U. S.
24 Patent No. 4,029,231 (Jonsson). According to this latter 26 patent, a tamperproof band, or tear-strip, is located alter-26 natively in the transverse endwall or an outer sidewall of a 27 protective cover which encloses an inner cap, or closure.
28 Upon removal of the tamperproof band for purposes of gaining 29 access to the inner cap, a major portion of the protective cover still remains to be removed and discarded. While such , ~ 82 Form 2~3 1 a structure may be effective as a tamperproof closure structure,

2 it is not only somewhat inconvenient to open, but also repre-8 sents a reLatively uneconomical structure, since a major portion 4 of the tamperproof closure is designed to be removed and discarded 6 preparatory to gaining access to the reusable portion of the 6 closure.

7 SUM~ RY OF TEIE IN~E~TION
8 It is, therefore, an object of this invention to pro-9 vide a unique tamperproof structure for a press-on or snap-on type of closure member wherein the closure member is characterized by 11 having an endwall integrally carrying depending retaining means 12 such as, for example~ an annular skirt which is adapted for 18 manually removable snap-fit assembly on a container neck.
14 However, manual removal of the closure member is capable of accomplishment only by exerting axially directed manual force 16 against a selectively restricted portion of the closure member.
7 To this end the endwall of the closure member includes an outer 18 marginal portion which extends laterally outward beyond the 19 retaining ~eans to provide an annular overhang. The overhang thus presents a bearing surface against which manual force may be 21 exerted to remove the closure member from the container neck.
22 As a means of assurance against unsanctioned removal or tampering 28 with the assembled closure member, the bearing surface is 24 protectivsly enclosed within the interior confines of a 2~ depending tamper-indicating sleeve which is interconnected to 26 the outer reaches of the endwall along a selectively weakened 27 web section. The tamper-indicating sleeve is manually separable 28 from the endwall along the selectively weakened web section, 29 and must be so separated, in order to permit manual access 80 to the bearing s~rface for removal of the closure member from the ~L3LZZgf~4 container neck. Once the tamper-indicating sleeve has been separated from the endwall, the bearing surface will be exposed and manually accessible to accommodate removal of the closure member from the contalner neck. In accordance with this invention, the entire tamper-indicating sleeve is permanently removable from the closure member to provide easy manual access to the bearing surface. Moreover, since the tamper-indicating sleeve is not directly interconnected to the retaining means, the latter intact with the endwall to permit reuse of the closure member on the container. As another feature, the tamper-indicating sleeve of this invention incorporates at least one major tear groove leading from the lower extremity of the sleeve to the weakened web section. This tear groove facili-tates access to a recessed portion of the tamper-indicating sleeve to accommodate grasping and severing of the sleeve from the endwall along the weakened web section. Thus, the unique tamper-indicating sleeve in this invention isolates the bearing surface within its interior confines and renders the bearing surface inaccessible for manual removal of the closure member prior to separation of the tamper-indicating sleeve from the endwall of the closure member. No less importantly, the tamper-indicating sleeve of this invention provides an effect-ive tamper-indicating device, as its unimpaired presence assures the consumer that the closure member has not been previously removed from the container.
In accordance with the present teachings, an improve-ment is provided in a snap cap for a container and finish encirculing the opening therefor having an annular cap retain-ing bead, and a~ially spaced ledge, the cap having an endwall and integral skirt which includes an inwardly directed annular bead thereon for closure retaining engagement with the retain-ing bead on the container. The improvement which is provided l~ZZS~4 comprises a cylindrical tear sleeve which depends downwardly integrally from the endwall and spaced outwardly from the skirt and extending axially beyond the skirt with the sleeve snugly engaging the container ledge downwardly of the container neck from its cap retaining bead. A selectively weakened, peripheral tear zone is provided in the sleeve adjacent the cap endwall and includes one axial tear groove which extends from the peripheral tear zone through the lower edge of the sleeve. A longitudinally shortened section of the sleeve is located adjacent the axial tear groove and provides a shorten-ed section of the sleeve at the lower end whereby the sleeve may be grasped and torn axially for closure removal and for indicating tampering.
In accordance with a further embodiment, a tamper proof closure member is provided for assembly on a container neck which has a rim defining an open mouth of the container.
The closure member comprises an endwall retaining means which is carried by the endwall and comprises an annular skirt which depends downwardly from the endwall and is formed to fit in snap-fit relationship on the container neck to thereby retain the closure member in snug-fitting removal assembly on the container neck. An outer marginal portion of the endwall provides an annular overhang which is arranged to extend laterally outwardly beyond the retaining means with the over-hang presenting a bearing service against which to apply manual force in the axial direction for closure removal from the container neck. An integral tamper-indicating sleeve depends from the outer peripheral edge of the end wall spaced outwardly from the downwardly dependent skirt and enclosing the bearing surface within the interior confines thereof to thereby isolate the bearing surface from accessibility for manual removal of the closure member from the container neck, -4a ~1~29~4 the sleeve being substantially longer than the skirt and shaped to fit snugly against the container neck below the retaining means. A selectively weakened section is defined along the juncture of the tamper-indicating sleeve with the endwall, the weakened section is adapted to selectively tear in response to a manually applied tearing force and thereby accommodate separation of the tamper-indicating sleeve from the endwall whereby to permit a manual access to the bearing service for the removal of the closure member from the con-tainer neck and provide a readily ascertainable indicationof tampering with the closed container.
Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings illustrating the same.

-4b-~lZZ~2~

2 FIG. l is a front, partially sectionalized, 8 elevational view of one preferred ~orm of tamperproof 4 closure member shown in press-on assembled relationship on 6 a suitable container and embodying the tamperproof or tamper-6 indicating features of this invention.
7 FIG. 2 is a substantially enlarged fragmentary 8 sectional view of the tamperproof closure member shown in 9 FIG. 1.
lo FIG. 3 is another fragmentary sectional view similar 11 to FIG. 2, but for comparative purposes showing the tamper-12 proof closure member after the tamper-indicating sleeve has ~8 been removed.
14 FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another preferred form 16 of the invention and depicting the tamper-indicating sleeve 16 as being embodied in a tamperproof, snap-on retaining ring for l7 use in combination with a separate metal lid member.
18 FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view in substantially 19 enlarged elevational aspect of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and depicting the same assembled on the neck portion of a 21 container.

22 DEl~ILED DESCRIPTION OF TEIE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
23 Referring now to the drawings~ FIG. l depicts a unique 24 tamperproof closure member, indicated generally by the numeral 26 lO, assembled in sealing engagement on the neck of a container, P6 represented generally by the numeral 12. The container 12 may be 27 of any suitable type and may be formed from either glass or 28 plastic. The container 12 includes a neck portion 14 terminating 29 at its upper extremity in an annular rim 16 which defines the periphery of an open mouth at 18, through which the contents of 5 _ F~rm 2 3 3 ~1;229~

1 the container may be dispensed. The container nec~ portion 14 2 includes on its outer surface a peripherally raised, or enlarged, 8 ~losure-retaining bead 20 and a peripherally enlarged ledge 22J
4 between which is formed an outwardly facing peripherally 6 recessed portion 24.
6 The unique closure member of this invention, as 7 indicated in the embodiment thereof shown in FIGS. 1-3, may 8 take the form of a snug-fitting, one-pieceJ press-on type of g closure member such as, by way of a preferred example, among others, a snap cap having an endwall, or top panelJ 26 comprising 11 an outer marginal portion and an imperforate central panel 26a 12 which spans the open mouth 18 of the container 12 and integrally 18 converges into the outer marginal portion to provide an integral ~ one-pieceJ endwall structure. Retaining means for retaining the 16 closure member in press-on assembly on the container neck 14 6 may preferably take the form of a container-engaging skirt 28 which depends downwardly from the imperforate top panel 26 at 18 a location spaced marginally inward from the outer peripheral 19 extremity thereof. Otherwise statedJ the outer marginal portion of the endwall, or top panelJ presents an annular 21 overhang 27 whichJ as observed in FIG. 2J is arranged to extend 22 laterally outward beyond the skirt 28 and the rim 16 of the con-2~ tainer neck 14 on which the skirt 28 is assembled. On the under-24 side of the overhang 27, a bearing surface 27a is presented, as 26 will be later described, to facilitate removal of the closure 26 mem~er 10 from assembly on the containar neck 14. The skirt 28 27 incorporates an inwardly-directed retaining bead 30 which is 28 adapted to be pressed downward over the container neck and snap 29 over the retaining bead 20 so as to reside in snug~ snap-fit rela-tionship within the recessed portion 24 on the neck 14 of the con-8~ tainer 12. Thus, the top panel 26 and the skirt 28 combine to form a 82 press-on type of snap cap which is adapted to sealing~y engage and Ft)r~r~ 233 ~2;~4 1 close the container 12. A tamper-indicating sleeve 32 is integrally 2 connected to depend from the outer reaches a periphery of 8 the top panel 26 in surrounding relationship with both the 4 overhang 27 and the skirt 28. Significantly, as shown, the B tamper-indicating slee~e 32 is not only structured to surround 6 ~the overhang 27 and skirt 28, but also to extend downwardly 7 beyond the depending end of the skirt 28. Thus, the tamper-8 indicating sleeve encloses the bearing surface 27a and the g skirt 28 within the interior confines thereof and thereby isolates lo the same from manual accessibility which, as will be subsequently 11 de~cribed, is required for manual removal of the closure member 12 lO from the container neck 14. Along the juncture or inter-8 connection of the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 with the endwall, 14 or top panel 26, there is a relatively thin web section 34 which 16 provides a selectively weakened peripheral tear zone facilitating 16 easy removal of the tamp~r-indicating sleeve 32 from the top ~7 panel 26. As observed in FIG. 1, the tamper-indicating sleeve 18 incorporates at least one selectively weakened, major tear 19 groove 36 which extends from the lower edge of the sleeve 32 to the peripheral tear zone bordering the outer edge of the 21 top panel 26. A longitudinally shortened section, or portion 38, 22 of the tamper-indicating sleeve 32, which is bordered or defined 28 on one longitudinal side by the major tear groove 36, is formed 24 so as to be shorter than the remaining portion of the tamper-2~ indicating sleeve 32 and function as a tear tab to facilitate 26 manual grasping of this portion. Also, the shortened portion 27 38 is preferably bordered, or defined, on its opposite longitu-28 dinal side cr edge by a minor tear groove or slit ~O. Thus, 29 when it is desired to remove the tamper-indicating sleeveJ the shortened portion 38, or t~ar tab, may be manually graspe~ and 81 bent, or flexed, outwardly along the major tear groove 36.

Porm 2 3 3 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~

1 Upon application of further pulling force on the shortened 2 portion 38, the tamper-indica~ing sleeve 32 may be severed, 8 or torn, from the top panel 26 along the tear zone provided by 4 the weakened web section 34. It should be noted that a plurality 6 of additional minor tear grooves or slits 40 also may be formed 6 in the tear-indicating sleeve, or tear band, 32 and positioned 7 in-interspaced array around the periphery or circumference ~ thereof so that they will be subject to tear and serve as g additional indicators of attempts to remove or tamper with the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 at other circumferential locations.
11 As best observed in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tamper-indicating 12 sleeve 32 is sized so that it overlaps and is adjacent to the 18 enlarged ledge 22 formed on the container neck 14. This 14 feature further pre~ents access to the bearing surface 27a on 6 the underside of the top panel 26 or to the skirt 28 and thus 6 aids in precluding removal of the closure member from the 17 container while the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 is still 18 peripherally interconnected with the top panel 26. Also, when 19 the tamper-indicatin~ sleeve 32 is sized to snugly contact the ledge 22, the closure member is rendered insect infestation~
21 proof. It should be noted further that the interior portlon 22 of the skirt 28 includes an inwardly directed protuberance 42 28 which functions to hold a liner (not shown) within the closure 24 member when the use of such a liner is desired. Also, a 2~ plurality of reinforcing supports 44 are preferably positioned 26 in interspaced array around the exterior periphery of the 27 closure member and interconnect the bearing surface 27a on the 28 underside of the top panel overhang 27 with the outersurface of 29 the skirt portion 28. These supports 44 render the overhang 27 more rigid to aid in manual removal of the closure member lO

3~ from the container.

Form 233 l~ZZ9~4 1 Thus, while the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 remains 2 connected to the endwallJ or top panel, 26 of the closure 8 member, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it effectively precludes manual removal of the closure member lO from assembled engage-~ ment with the container 12. On the other hand, when it is 6 desired to remove the tamper-indicating sleeve 32, the 7 shortened removal portion 38, or tear tab, may be manually 8 grasped and bent or flexed upwardly and outwaxdly so that the g grasping force is transmitted to the selectively weakened web section 34 at the junction thereof with the major tear groove 1 36. Thereafter, the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 may then be 12 readily torn away from the endwall, or top panel, 26 by tearing 8 it along the selectively weakened web section 34. Once the 14 tamper-indicating sleeve has been removed, as can be seen in 16 FIG. 3, easy access to the resulting exposed overhang 27 and 16 bearing surface 27a is provided. Thus, a suitable lifting 7 ~orce may be manually exerted or applied to the overhang 27 18 and/or bearing surface 27a to accommodate disengagement of the 19 closure membe~ 10, or snap cap from the container. Moreover, 20 it should be noted that the closure member may be replaced 21 in sealing engagement with the container for reuse. Since 22 the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 does not form a part of, or 28 iS not in contact with, the skirt portion 28, damage to the 24 sealing relationship between the skirt portion 28 and the 26 container neck 14 is eliminated by the closure structure of 26 the present invention. ~o less importantly, the undisturbed 27 presence of the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 provides assurance 28 to the consumer that the closure member has not been previously 29 removed from the container, since the closure may not be manually removed until after the tamper-indicating sleeve 81 has been irreplaceably severed from the endwall~ or top panel~ 26.

_g_ ~Z2924 l The tamper-indicating features of the present invention 2 also afford versatility in that they are also adaptable to em-3 bodiment in other types of press-on or snap-on closures. One

4 such preferred alternative embodiment is depicted in FIGS. 4 and

5 5 wherein the tamperproof closure member is structured in the

6 general form of a tamper-indicating ring such as may be employed

7 for vacuum packing purposes for retaining a generally disc-shaped

8 metal lid in hermetically or vacuum sealed assembly on a container.

9 For purposes of clarity of understanding and in the interest of

10 brevity, various parts of the closure member which are the same

11 or essentially the same in manner of structure and function as

12 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 are not redescribed, but

13 rather are referred to herein and designated in FIGS. 4 and 5

14 by the same reference designations shown and alluded to in FIGS.
1-3. In more particular detail, the closure member of this 16 alternative embodiment is in the form of a double-walled annular 17 plastic ring 50 which when assembled in snug, snap-fit relation-18 ship on the neck portion 14 of the container 12 is adapted to 19 confine a separate generally disc-shaped central panel or metal lid 60 in air-tight sealing contact with the rim 16 of the 21 container neck. As shown, such sealing contact is preferably 22 implemented by the pro~ision of an annular liner 62 of 23 plastisol, or like pliant sealing material, positioned around 24 the underside outer periphery of the metal lid 60 and adapted to be biased snugly against the rim 16 when the annular ring 26 50, with the lid 60 in place therein, is pressed or snapped 27 into assembly on the container neck 16. Retention of the 28 lid 60, with the liner 62 in sealing contact with the rim 29 16 of the container neck 14 is provided by a continuous annular endwall shoulder 52 bordering a central transverse 31 opening extending through the endwall. As shown, the 32 endwall shoulder 52 is deployed to overlie the rim 16 of ~ orm 233 ll'~Z~2as 1 the container neck and the outer margin 64 of the lid 60, 2 whe~eby the outer margin 64 of the lid 60 will underlie the 8 endwall shoulder 52 and the liner 62 will be tightly sandwiched and sealed against the rim 16 when the ring 50 is pressed or 6 snapped into assembled position on the contai~er 12.
6 Removal of the ring 50 and lid 60, as with the q embodiment described in FIGS. 1-3, requires initial removal 8 of the tamper-indicating sleeve 32 in order to achieve manual 9 access to the outwardly overhanging portion of the endwall, or overhang 27,and/or bearing surface 27a, and which,as previously 11 indicated~ is necessary to accommodate manual removal of 12 the closure member ~rom the container. Moreover, as with 18 the embodiment of FIGS. l-3, once a partiaL or total removal 14 of the tamper-indicating sleeve has occurred such fact will 16 be readily evident to subsequent prospective users or purchasers 16 of the container package. Conversely, when the tamper-indicating sleeve is unimpaired~ there is assurance that package integrity 18 has been maintained.
19 It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction, combination and assembly may be modified 21 throughout a range of equivalents, and it is, therefore, not 22 the purpose to limit the scope of the present invention other-2~ wise than as necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A tamperproof closure member for assembly on a container neck having a rim defining an open mouth of the container, said closure member comprising:
an end wall;
retaining means carried by said end wall comprising an annular skirt depending downwardly from said end wall and being formed to fit in snap-fit relationship on said container neck to thereby retain said closure member in snug-fitting, removable assembly on said container neck;
an outer marginal portion of said end wall providing an annular overhang arranged to extend laterally outwardly beyond said retaining means, said overhang presenting a bearing surface against which to apply manual force in the axial direction for closure removal from said container neck;
an integral tamper-indicating sleeve depending from the outer peripheral edge of said end wall spaced outwardly from said downwardly depending skirt and enclosing said bear-ing surface within the interior confines thereof to thereby isolate said bearing surface from accessibility for manual removal of said closure member from said container neck, said sleeve being substantially longer than said skirt and shaped to fit snugly against said container neck below said retaining means;
a selectively weakened section defined along the juncture of said tamper-indicating sleeve with said end wall, said weakened section being adapted to selectively tear in response to a manually applied tearing force and thereby accommodate separation of said tamper-indicating sleeve from said end wall, whereby to permit manual access to said bearing surface for the removal of said closure member from said con-tainer neck, and provide a readily ascertainable indication of tampering with the closed container.

2. A tamperproof closure member as defined in claim 1, wherein said endwall includes an imperforate top panel integral with said other maginal portion, and wherein said endwall and said annular skirt and said tamper-indicating sleeve are integrally fabricated from a moldable plastic material to provide a closure member in the form of a one-piece snap cap.

3. In a snap cap for a container and finish encir-cling the opening therefor having an annular cap retaining bead, and axially spaced ledge, said snap cap having an end wall and integral skirt including an inwardly directed annular bead thereon for closure retaining engagement with the said retain-ing bead on the container, the improvement therein comprising, a cylindrical tear sleeve downwardly depending inte-grally from said end wall, spaced outwardly from said skirt and extending axially beyond said skirt, said sleeve snugly engaging said container ledge downwardly of said container neck from its said cap retaining bead, a selectively weakened, peripheral tear zone in said sleeve adjacent the cap end wall, and including one axial tear groove extending from the peripheral tear zone through the lower edge of said sleeve, a longitudinal shortened section of said sleeve being located adjacent said axial tear groove providing a shortened section of said sleeve at its lower end, whereby the sleeve may be grasped and torn axially for closure removal and for indicating tampering.

4. The closure improvement of claim 3, in which the end wall is provided with a central aperture and said closure includes a separate underlying lid engaging the container about said end opening spaced above the annular cap retaining bead and is retained by said cap.

5. A tamper-indicating closure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said sleeve includes at least one axial tear groove defined along the other side of said shortened section.

6. A tamper-indicating closure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said sleeve includes a plurality of said axial tear grooves spaced about the periphery thereof.