CA2216632A1 - Tamper evident bottle cap - Google Patents
Tamper evident bottle cap Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2216632A1 CA2216632A1 CA002216632A CA2216632A CA2216632A1 CA 2216632 A1 CA2216632 A1 CA 2216632A1 CA 002216632 A CA002216632 A CA 002216632A CA 2216632 A CA2216632 A CA 2216632A CA 2216632 A1 CA2216632 A1 CA 2216632A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- band
- skirt
- tamper
- bottle
- cap
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 230000000452 restraining effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002028 premature Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3423—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt
- B65D41/3428—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2401/00—Tamper-indicating means
- B65D2401/45—Windows in external skirts for viewing tamper-element
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
Abstract
A compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap includes a skirt (14) with a lower edge, and a tamper-evident band (24) formed integrally with the skirt and having structure for engaging beneath a retaining flange (30) on the bottle so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the band. Frangible bridges (26) connect the band to the lower edge of the skirt. To prevent destruction of the bridges as the cap is forced onto the bottle during installation, the skirt has one or more tabs (32) or the like, extending downward over a portion of the band, for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper evident band as it passes over the retaining flange.
Description
~YO 96/31~0~ CA 02216632 1997-09-26 pCT~g6iO1~7 TA~PER ElIDE.'lT BOT~LE ~AP
BACXGROUND OF TH~ INVENTIO~
This invention relates to the art of bottle closures, and more particularly to a comDression failure resistant 5 tam~er evident bottle cap.
Nowadays, many bottle caps have a band which tears away from the rest of the caD, remainina with the bottle neck, when the cap is removed for the first time. One can visually, or by feel, detect when such a cap has been removed and then reinstalled, because of the failure o~ the anti-tamper feature. Such ca~s, once made of metal, now are usually molded from a plastic ~olymer.
- The tamper-evident band is normally smaller in diameter than a retaining flange on the bottle finish, and is pushed ,~ over the retaining flanqe at the factory when the cap is installed. The band is connected to the rest of the cap along a weakened peripheral line, for example define by a series of perforations which weaken the material and provide a locus for failure when the cap is removed.
z~ A problem with some caps of this type is that during installation, as the band is being forced over the bottle's retaining flange, the resistance ~orce not only puts larse -axial compression forces on the weakened peripheral line: it also expands the band radially. The combination o~ these two ; factors gives rise to the possibility that the band will tend to ride up over (around) the bottom of the cap, failing the tamper-evident features prematurely.
EP228618A2 discloses a tamper-indicating closure comprising means for preventing undue diametral e~pansion of the tamper-evident band. The tamper-evident band is provided with inwardly and upwardly directed protrusions on its upper edge.
During relative axial movement between the tamper-evident band and the skirt of the closure, these projections engage the CONFIRM~ON COPY '!
AME~D S~
WO 96/31404 PCT/EP96/01~47 -bottom edge of the skirt of the closure. The protrusions comprise an inclined upper and outer surface. When this surface engages the lower edae of the s~irt, the t~mper-evident band is prevented from unduly expanding. Such means, however, need a separate cutting operation for their fabrication and work only if there is a relative axial movement between the tamper-evident band and the skirt of the closure. This axial movement may lead to premature failure of frangible bridges connecting the tamper-evident band to the skirt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to reinforce a bottle cap having a tamper-evident band against axial compression failure as described above.
This and other objectives of the invention are achieved by the invention described below. According to this invention, a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap is formed, including a skirt with a lower edge, and a tamper-evident band formed integrally with the skirt and having structure for engaging beneath a retaining flange on the bottle so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the band.
Frangible bridges connect the band to the lower edse of the skirt. To prevent destruction of the bridges as the cap is forced onto the bottle during installation, the skirt has one or more tabs or the like, extending downward over a portion of the band, for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper-evident band as it passes over the retaining flange.
la Substitute Sheet 14.01.1997 ~,, AME~3 Sf*ET
W O 961314~ P~T/~p~i/
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap emb~dying the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;
Figure 3 is a detail of a portion of Fig. 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane 4 - 4 in Fig. i-, with a portion of the bottle finish added;
Figure 5 is a detail of a portion of Fig. 4;
Figure 6 is a similar detail, apart from the bottle 20 finish;
Figure 7 shows the bottle cap being installed onto a bottle;
Figure 8 is a view like Fig. 2, o~ a second embodiment of the inventicn;
- Figure 9 is a view like Fig. 2, of a third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 10 is a view like Fig. 4, of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figure 11 is a view like Fig. 10, showing the cap 30 partially removed from the bottle.
.. . ... . . . .
AME~t~D SHEET
W O 96/31404 PCT~EP96/01447 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap embodying the invention is shown in Figs. 1 - 7. The cap has a number of conventional features, including a planar, 5 circular base 12 surrounded by a circular skirt 14 having a helical internal thread 16 for engaging a complementary thread 16 (see Fig. 7) on a bottle neck 18. The circular rib 20 on the bottom of the base provides a seal within the bottle mouth 22 when the cap is in place.
Figures 4 and 5 show the tamper-evident band 24 which is connected to the bottom of the skirt by a series of frangible bridges 26 designed to fail when the cap is removed from the bottle. However, the bridges must not fail when the cap is installed on the bottle at the factory, or they will give a 15 false indication of tampering.
In Figure 5, one can see the cap being installed on a bottle, the internal circumferential frusto-conical sleeve 28 being pushed outward as its free edge passes over the external flange 30 on the bottle neck. The bottom of the flange has a ZO steep pressure angle, greater than the angle of repose for the two materials in combination, so that the band r~;n~
captured as the cap is removed, by a retention force greater than that needed to break the bridges.
One can see, in Fig. 5, that the tamper evident band is 25 expanded diametrally during installation, so that the bridges gain an oblique orientation. At the same time, the band experiences axial resistance to being forced over the bottle flange. These two factors combine to encourage continued flexure of the bridges, which in extreme cases can result in 30 the band tending to ride up over (outside) the skirt, breaking the bridges.
Now, according to this invention, the amount of bridge flexure during installation is limited by providing, on the bottom edge of the skirt, structure which limits outward 35 expansion of the band, and brings the skirt to bear directly down on the band, so that the bridges are not unduly stressed.
W O96131404 PCT~EP96/01447 This protective structure may take a number of forms. The one presently most preferred is that shown in the first seven figures. In this embodiment, the skirt has a series of tabs 32 which extend downwardly, radially containing the uppermost part of the band. The windows 34 between the tabs are centered over the bridges, permitting one to see the bridges, and also facilitating manufacture. One can clearly see the function of the tabs in Figs. 5 and 7, where they are preventing undue outward movement of the band during o installation. At all other times, the tabs are out of contact with the band, the only connection then being the bridges.
Figure 8 shows a modified form of the invention, which is the same in all respects as that previously described, except the there are no windows: the tabs are replaced by a continuous circular rim 36 which performs the same function as the tabs, perhaps with some added strength, but with the disadvantage that the bridges are hidden from view.
In the embodiment of Fig. 9, the tabs have been replaced by much narrower, more numerous lugs 38 which again keep the band from expanding too much during installation.
In Figures 10 and 11, the expansion-limiting structure 40 is, as in Figure 8, continuous, but axially abbreviated, so that one can still see the bridges. The internal lip 42 depicted provides a sealing function not important to the present invention.
In each embodiment of the invention, the expansion-limited structure at the bottom of the cap's skirt prevents the band from riding up over the cap during installation, and thus maintains the integrity of the bridges.
It may be noted that the bridges can be replaced by functional e~uivalents. For example, a circumferentially continuous thin connector strip, or a score line, might connect the band to the skirt. The bridges might be fairly narrow, circumferentially, as shown in Figure 3, or they might have substantially width. Conceivably, they could be defined between a series of perforations in the cap material. Other variations may occur to people in this field.
Since the invention is subject to modifications and variations, it is intended that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as only illustrative of the invention defined by the following claims.
BACXGROUND OF TH~ INVENTIO~
This invention relates to the art of bottle closures, and more particularly to a comDression failure resistant 5 tam~er evident bottle cap.
Nowadays, many bottle caps have a band which tears away from the rest of the caD, remainina with the bottle neck, when the cap is removed for the first time. One can visually, or by feel, detect when such a cap has been removed and then reinstalled, because of the failure o~ the anti-tamper feature. Such ca~s, once made of metal, now are usually molded from a plastic ~olymer.
- The tamper-evident band is normally smaller in diameter than a retaining flange on the bottle finish, and is pushed ,~ over the retaining flanqe at the factory when the cap is installed. The band is connected to the rest of the cap along a weakened peripheral line, for example define by a series of perforations which weaken the material and provide a locus for failure when the cap is removed.
z~ A problem with some caps of this type is that during installation, as the band is being forced over the bottle's retaining flange, the resistance ~orce not only puts larse -axial compression forces on the weakened peripheral line: it also expands the band radially. The combination o~ these two ; factors gives rise to the possibility that the band will tend to ride up over (around) the bottom of the cap, failing the tamper-evident features prematurely.
EP228618A2 discloses a tamper-indicating closure comprising means for preventing undue diametral e~pansion of the tamper-evident band. The tamper-evident band is provided with inwardly and upwardly directed protrusions on its upper edge.
During relative axial movement between the tamper-evident band and the skirt of the closure, these projections engage the CONFIRM~ON COPY '!
AME~D S~
WO 96/31404 PCT/EP96/01~47 -bottom edge of the skirt of the closure. The protrusions comprise an inclined upper and outer surface. When this surface engages the lower edae of the s~irt, the t~mper-evident band is prevented from unduly expanding. Such means, however, need a separate cutting operation for their fabrication and work only if there is a relative axial movement between the tamper-evident band and the skirt of the closure. This axial movement may lead to premature failure of frangible bridges connecting the tamper-evident band to the skirt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to reinforce a bottle cap having a tamper-evident band against axial compression failure as described above.
This and other objectives of the invention are achieved by the invention described below. According to this invention, a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap is formed, including a skirt with a lower edge, and a tamper-evident band formed integrally with the skirt and having structure for engaging beneath a retaining flange on the bottle so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the band.
Frangible bridges connect the band to the lower edse of the skirt. To prevent destruction of the bridges as the cap is forced onto the bottle during installation, the skirt has one or more tabs or the like, extending downward over a portion of the band, for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper-evident band as it passes over the retaining flange.
la Substitute Sheet 14.01.1997 ~,, AME~3 Sf*ET
W O 961314~ P~T/~p~i/
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap emb~dying the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;
Figure 3 is a detail of a portion of Fig. 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane 4 - 4 in Fig. i-, with a portion of the bottle finish added;
Figure 5 is a detail of a portion of Fig. 4;
Figure 6 is a similar detail, apart from the bottle 20 finish;
Figure 7 shows the bottle cap being installed onto a bottle;
Figure 8 is a view like Fig. 2, o~ a second embodiment of the inventicn;
- Figure 9 is a view like Fig. 2, of a third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 10 is a view like Fig. 4, of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figure 11 is a view like Fig. 10, showing the cap 30 partially removed from the bottle.
.. . ... . . . .
AME~t~D SHEET
W O 96/31404 PCT~EP96/01447 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap embodying the invention is shown in Figs. 1 - 7. The cap has a number of conventional features, including a planar, 5 circular base 12 surrounded by a circular skirt 14 having a helical internal thread 16 for engaging a complementary thread 16 (see Fig. 7) on a bottle neck 18. The circular rib 20 on the bottom of the base provides a seal within the bottle mouth 22 when the cap is in place.
Figures 4 and 5 show the tamper-evident band 24 which is connected to the bottom of the skirt by a series of frangible bridges 26 designed to fail when the cap is removed from the bottle. However, the bridges must not fail when the cap is installed on the bottle at the factory, or they will give a 15 false indication of tampering.
In Figure 5, one can see the cap being installed on a bottle, the internal circumferential frusto-conical sleeve 28 being pushed outward as its free edge passes over the external flange 30 on the bottle neck. The bottom of the flange has a ZO steep pressure angle, greater than the angle of repose for the two materials in combination, so that the band r~;n~
captured as the cap is removed, by a retention force greater than that needed to break the bridges.
One can see, in Fig. 5, that the tamper evident band is 25 expanded diametrally during installation, so that the bridges gain an oblique orientation. At the same time, the band experiences axial resistance to being forced over the bottle flange. These two factors combine to encourage continued flexure of the bridges, which in extreme cases can result in 30 the band tending to ride up over (outside) the skirt, breaking the bridges.
Now, according to this invention, the amount of bridge flexure during installation is limited by providing, on the bottom edge of the skirt, structure which limits outward 35 expansion of the band, and brings the skirt to bear directly down on the band, so that the bridges are not unduly stressed.
W O96131404 PCT~EP96/01447 This protective structure may take a number of forms. The one presently most preferred is that shown in the first seven figures. In this embodiment, the skirt has a series of tabs 32 which extend downwardly, radially containing the uppermost part of the band. The windows 34 between the tabs are centered over the bridges, permitting one to see the bridges, and also facilitating manufacture. One can clearly see the function of the tabs in Figs. 5 and 7, where they are preventing undue outward movement of the band during o installation. At all other times, the tabs are out of contact with the band, the only connection then being the bridges.
Figure 8 shows a modified form of the invention, which is the same in all respects as that previously described, except the there are no windows: the tabs are replaced by a continuous circular rim 36 which performs the same function as the tabs, perhaps with some added strength, but with the disadvantage that the bridges are hidden from view.
In the embodiment of Fig. 9, the tabs have been replaced by much narrower, more numerous lugs 38 which again keep the band from expanding too much during installation.
In Figures 10 and 11, the expansion-limiting structure 40 is, as in Figure 8, continuous, but axially abbreviated, so that one can still see the bridges. The internal lip 42 depicted provides a sealing function not important to the present invention.
In each embodiment of the invention, the expansion-limited structure at the bottom of the cap's skirt prevents the band from riding up over the cap during installation, and thus maintains the integrity of the bridges.
It may be noted that the bridges can be replaced by functional e~uivalents. For example, a circumferentially continuous thin connector strip, or a score line, might connect the band to the skirt. The bridges might be fairly narrow, circumferentially, as shown in Figure 3, or they might have substantially width. Conceivably, they could be defined between a series of perforations in the cap material. Other variations may occur to people in this field.
Since the invention is subject to modifications and variations, it is intended that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as only illustrative of the invention defined by the following claims.
Claims (3)
1. In a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap for installation on a bottle having a retaining flange (130), said cap comprising a skirt (14) with a lower edge, a tamper-evident band (24) formed integrally with the skirt and having structure (28) for engaging beneath the retaining flange so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the band, and frangible means (26) for connecting the band to the lower edge of the skirt, wherein the cap has means (32, 36, 38, 40) for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper-evident band (24) as the cap is being installed on the bottle, caracterised in that the expansion preventing means (32, 36, 38, 40) extend downwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt and adjoin to the outer surface of the tamper-evident band for providing restraining engagement of the tamper-evident band to protect the structural integrity of the frangible means.
claims I claim:
claims I claim:
2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the frangible means are a series of bridges molded at circumferential intervals between the skirt and the band.
3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the expansion preventing means are a series of tabs extending downwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt, with windows between the tabs being centered over the bridges so that the bridges so that the bridges are visible between the tabs.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CH97795 | 1995-04-05 | ||
| CH977/95-3 | 1995-04-05 | ||
| US61652496A | 1996-03-19 | 1996-03-19 | |
| US08/616,524 | 1996-03-19 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2216632A1 true CA2216632A1 (en) | 1996-10-10 |
Family
ID=25686277
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002216632A Abandoned CA2216632A1 (en) | 1995-04-05 | 1996-04-02 | Tamper evident bottle cap |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0819085B1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU710291B2 (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9604871A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2216632A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69603839T2 (en) |
| TR (1) | TR199701093T1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4147268A (en) * | 1976-09-24 | 1979-04-03 | Patel Chandrakant S | Pilfer-proof closure for containers |
| FR2421119A1 (en) * | 1978-03-28 | 1979-10-26 | Captocap Ltd | INVIOLABLE PLASTIC CAP |
| US4744480A (en) * | 1985-12-19 | 1988-05-17 | The West Company | Tamper-evident container-closure |
-
1996
- 1996-04-02 CA CA002216632A patent/CA2216632A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-04-02 AU AU56857/96A patent/AU710291B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1996-04-02 EP EP96914874A patent/EP0819085B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-04-02 BR BR9604871-9A patent/BR9604871A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-04-02 TR TR97/01093T patent/TR199701093T1/en unknown
- 1996-04-02 DE DE69603839T patent/DE69603839T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| MX9707600A (en) | 1998-06-28 |
| AU710291B2 (en) | 1999-09-16 |
| EP0819085B1 (en) | 1999-08-18 |
| TR199701093T1 (en) | 1998-02-21 |
| EP0819085A1 (en) | 1998-01-21 |
| DE69603839T2 (en) | 1999-12-09 |
| DE69603839D1 (en) | 1999-09-23 |
| AU5685796A (en) | 1996-10-23 |
| BR9604871A (en) | 1999-11-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 20010402 |