CA2249734A1 - Container opening and protective cap - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a container opening (1) having on the outside (2) cams (5) protruding radially outwards which can be engaged with retaining elements, in particular recesses (21) of the tamper-indicating strip (22) of a protective cap (20). The cams (5) and the recesses (21) each have a lateral retaining surface (6, 25) and a lower retaining surface (7, 26). If the tamper-indicating strip (22) is engaged via its recess (21) with the cam (5), it cannot move vertically or towards the periphery. To tighten the tamper-indicating strip (22) during the screwing-on process, expansion members (10, 11, 13) are also arranged above the cams (5) which expand the tamper-indicating strip (22) slowly and steadily.

Description

CONIAIN~R MOUTH AND CAP

Ihe invencion pertalns to a container mouth and a cap according eo the introdu~tory c~ f rh~ inAP.~and~.nt p~tent cla~.
Mechanical warranty stripQ are ofcen used to indic~te ~he integrity of the caps which are used ~o seal beverage containers, for example. These war-ranty strips sre oft~n connected by predetermined brea~ points to the lower edge of the wall of a cap. On their lnslde Qurfaces, they have re~n~n~ ele-ments, by means of which the warranty strlp csn be brought into enga~ement with ret~inin~ elements in the ~re~ of the ~outh. ~hen the container is opened, at leas~ one preae~ermlnea break poln~ ls b~o~en, and ~he warraney strlp is separated partially or co~pletely fro~ the cap~ This is a slg~al that the opening process h~Q ~aken place.
So that ~echanical warranty s~rips of ~his type function reliably, they le ~ LretC~I tC~ such al~ ~xtent th~t they do not te-~r when they are placed on the container ~outh, but at the sam~ time they may not stretch eOo much, because then they would not be reliably destroyed the fi~st ti~e the c~p is removed from the container.
W~l ~llLy ~iCLit.l~ W~ l tlavc~ elld or segments of r~n~;s on their in~ide surface, which cooperate wit~ a bead on the con~ainer mouth, are known. The disadvanta~e of these types of rer~in~n~ means is that, by slowly twisting the cap, the warranty strip can be stretched to such an extent that ît will slide ovcr thc rct3inin6 be~ wi~out brc~king.

Other warranty s~rips have teeth on their inside surf~ce, which engage in che circumferential direccion with opposing teeth on the outside surface of the container mouth. Such warranty strips, however, can be expanded fro~
below with q pointed ob3ect. In addition, there is the r~sk of injury in the case of warranty strlps wllh sharp-A containe~ neck and a cap with q warranty strip sre known fro~FR-2,~29,620. The strip ~n~ges with pro~ecling catches on the external sur-face of ~he aontainer neck. The catches have beveled surfaces, which ar~
lntel-~3~ ~ke L~ e~sier ~o set t~c w~rranty 9trip in pl~ce. The ~srr~nty strlp and the surface of ehe container mouth cooperate wich each other in the clrcu~ferential dlrection ~that is, in che screw-on or screw-of~ dlrection).
A cap wi~h a warranty strip which cooperates with sawtooth-llke projec-tions on thc c~crnal c~rf3ce of ~ container 15 ~noWn fr~m FR~ R~, n~ . The first time the cap is screwed on [s~c; off? -- Tr. Ed.], che warranty strip is separated from che cap as a result of che fo~ces acting in the clrcumferential directlon, The container mouth also has a collar, which prevents thê w~rranty ~trip from f~ll~n~ of~ when the o~ntPnt.~ ~f rh~ eontainer are being poured out, - Var~ous exemplary embodiments of retainlng elements on conta~ner mouths which serve to hold a warranty strip in place are known ~rom ~ ,2g8,166, Rnt.h ~awtooth-like retaining elements ac~ing in the circumferencial direction and bead-llke re~aining ele~ents acting in che axial direction ~re known, ~ he task of ~he invention is to a~oid ~he disadvantages of the known ~olucions and in particular to crea~e a contalner mouth and a cap whic~ ha~e a reliable warrancy function, It should be possible ~o bring Ihe w3rranty strip of che cap in~o engagement with rec~ining means on the contalner wichout dam-age to the s~rip. Ihe strip should ~hen bê ~estroyed with the utmost reli-t , a~ility the fir~t time the cap is removed fro~ the container so ~s to signal the opening procedure.
Accor~ing to the in~ention, these tasks are ~ccomplished by means of a container mou~h and a cap with the featu~es of ~he characterL~irl~, cl~u~
the independent claims.
On its e~ternal surface, the container mouth has retaining means, which can be brought into engagemen~ with complementary retain;ne means on the cap.
Undernealh ~hese re~r~ln~ eleule~ lly ~u~w~rd pojectin~ catcbc.~ ~re provided on the external surface of the container mouth; these catches can be brought into engage~ent with complementary re~ini~e elements, especially recesses, on the internal sur~ce of ~ warranty strip of a cap~ ~he catches bave ~ l~tcrcLl snd a bottom rctainln~ clcr~cnt. Whil~a th~ cap still h~s it0 original seal, ~hese retaining surfa~es are engaged with a lateral and hori-zontal retaining surface of the ret~inine ele~ents, especially the recesses, of the warranty strip. In this way, the warran~y strip is held in place so th~t it will bQ s:eparated rel~ ably ~r~m ~e rem titl~r ~t~ r.he e~ ~y ei ther a twis~ing mo~ion or by an axlal lifting ~o~ion. The separation . 2~

.; r, r, CA 02249734 1998-os-11 can be eicher co~plete or partial. For example, segmen~s or only certain sec-tions of che warranty strip can be s~paraced. It can be completely remo~ed or can ~emain connected co ~he cap by 8 permanent web.
me re~nlng means on ~le ~ LfdC~ o~ thc c~nt~lner ~outh con-sists preferably of a quarter-turn thread. As a result of the quarter-turn thread, the screw-on process can be deflned precisely and stopped at the desired point. Durin~ che screw-on proce~s, ~he ret~ g elements of ~he war~anty strip cng~e ~ith the c~tc~cs on thc cxtcrn~l curf~c~ ~f the con-tainer mouth at a certain point in ti~e The time at which tbe screwing-on movement stops must occur at precisely this polnt. If ~he screwing-on mot~on is not stopped at this poinl, ~here is the ri~k that ~he uarranty strip could bc ~urncd ~oo much, ~ith the retult ~h~c it w~uld be torn off ~hile it is being screwed on.

It ~s al~o conceivable, however, that a standard thread could be used as re~1nln~ means. In this case, additional s~opping me~ns should be provided n~ar the be~innin~ ~sia; end? - ~r. Ed ~ I of the thread to ensure that the screwlng-o~ process is s~opped at a precisely de~ined poin~. When fi standard thread is used, it can also be advantageous for the catches on the external surface o~ the container ~ou~h to project out~rd not precisely in the r~dial directio~ but rather at a slight slant in th~ scre~ing-on directlon. It is thus achieved that the warr~nty str~p arrives gently in engagement ~ith th~
cacches and is then retained firmly by the~.
It is pre~erable to use recesses on the lnternal surface of the warranty strip as retaining elements. But it is ~lso possiple to use pro~ecting retaining elements.
To achieve good retentlon properties, at least one catch mus~ be pro-, . : , , . ~ ,, ,~, vided. But it is adv~nta~eous to provide at least three catches, d~stributed v~ etrically around ~he external surface o~ the con~ainer mouth. As a r~sult of the symmetrical arrangement of several catches, the force applied during the openln~ proceaure ls ~ntroduced mcre uniformly ~ v~si~u~
points, e.g., the webs lntended to be broken, between the warranty strip and tbe wall of the cap.
In an especially advantageous exemplary embodi~ent, the contsiner mouth ~x lu ~ t leaJ~ on~ sep~rate e~pa~ion or ccn~crlng elemenc loc~ted above the catches ~o expand and/or c~ter the warranty strip of the cap. In the f~llowing, the ~erm "expansion ele~ent" is also intended to cover tbe idea of a cen~ering element. The expanslon element has a be~el on its top surface, 90 thst, d~rin~ thc ~crcw~n~ on proco3~ ~ chc di~mctcr ~f the w3rrsnty ~trip 1 stretched uniformly, at least in the area of ~he cstches. The ca~ches are located immediately adjacent lo and undernea~h the expansion elem~nt. The expansion element extends over a~ least the entire width of the catches in the circu~ferenti~l A~r~.ri on A circumferential ring with a be~eled top surface, for example, can be used as an expansion elemen~.
But it is also concei~able that lndlvldual seg~en~s of a ring could be u~ed A.q ~n exp~n~ion elemsnt. For e~a~ple, a seg~ent of a ring can be assi~ned to each cacch; each segmen~ wo~ld extend in the circumferential direction preferably beyond the catch on both sldes. IC would also be pos-sible, however, to us~ several, smalLer seg~ents o~ a ring, dis~ributed uni-for~ly around the circumference of the external surface An especially simple and ~a~erial-conserving exemplary embodi~ent ls obtained when the expansion element consists of a guide bevel, wh$ch ic verti-cally ali~n~d with ~he ca~ch.
The catches consist preferably of an upper snd ~ lower section. The upper ~ection slants radially lnward ~ow~rd the top. The lower ~ection has an ~pproximately ver~lcal ou~sl~e edge. The upper, ~1~nL~
to brln~ the ~arranty strip down as gently as possible over the lower part of the catch.
It is also p~sqible to provide a beat underneath the catch and i~medi-ly ~ L~L L- IL. Thl~ IJe~ pl-ev~n~s ~he ~ar~anty st~ip fror~l bcin~, expsnded by a tool acting from underneath.
When ~ cap is placed on the container mouth described abo~e, ~he warranty strlp enters into enga~ement with ~he exp~nsion element at a certain point.
Thanks to thc cxp~nsion clc~cnt, thc W~rr~ney s~rip ic cxp~ndcd r-~di~lly dur-ing the a~ial screwing-on ~otion. The re~ining elements (thresds) of the container mouth and the cap are designed ln such a ~ay chat che recesses in the warran~y s~rip of ~he cap enter into engagement with the catches on the exeern~l surface of rhe c~nt~iner ~ou~h preci~ely ~ the en~ ~f th~ ~oru~n~
on movement. At this point, t~e receqses in the warranty strip snap over the catches. A~ ~he be&inning of ~he screwing-off process, both the lateral and tbe bottom retaining surfaces of the ca~che4 enter into engagement with the rP.t.Ainin~ s~lrfA~.~.s ~f ~h~. r~ s~.~. Thi.s has the result of preventlng any ~dditional axial or twistin~ movement of the warranty strlp.
I~ the cap is ~tt~ched ~o the con~ainer mouth by a quart~r-turn thread, the screwing-on process is especiall~ simple. At the moment that the r~oesses of the warranty strip engage wi~h the catches~ the cap movcs only in the sxi~l direction and no longer rotat~s. This represents 8 si~ple and reli~ble w~y of preventing the warranty strip fro~ being torn off during the initial screwing . . .. . . . .

on process itself in the event ~hat the cap is turned ~oo far.
The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of exem-plary embodiments and on the basis of the drawings:
- Flgure L shows a schematic dlagram of a concainer mouth according ~o the inventlon;
- Figures 2-4 show schemstic diagra~s of alternative exemplary embodi-mencs;
- ~lgure 5 shows a sc~ema~ic diagram of a cap accoralng lo the lnven~lon;
- Figure 6 shows a sche~atia section of a cutaway warranty 5trip in ~n~a~ with a catch; and - Figures 7a and 7b show schema~ic diagrsm~ of additional exemplary c~nbodl~ents of catche-~ ~nd recainin~; elcm~nts.
Figure 1 shows a con~ainer mouth 1, which has retaining elements 3 on its external surface 2 for the at~a~! -nt of a cap Undexneath ret~n~ne elements 3, radlally outward-projecting ca~ches 5 are provided, which can be brought into cn6~gcm~n~ wieh rece66e6 in ~ w~rr~nty ~trip of the c~p, Catcho~ S h~v~
an approximately ~er~ical la~eral re~ininE sur~ace 6 and an approximately horizontal bottom retaining surface 7. The upper section 1~ of catc~es 5 ls slan~ed slightly toward the top in a radially inward directlon. Above and ~ ~diet~ly ad;lc~nt to c~tch~s 5 ther~ n ~xpan~ion or aentering element 10 in the form of a circumferential ring. Expansion element 10 ser~es uni-for~ly to expand and~or to ~enter the warranty strip of the cap during the initial screwing-on process, so that the warranty strip can snsp easily over aat~hPs .S .
F~gure 2 sho~Q an exemplar~ e~bodiment in whlch the expansion element consist4 o~ segments 12 of a ring. Esch ring ~egment 12 ls located above a catch 5, and each se~ment extends beyond the cacch on both sides in the cir-cumferential direction. Because an expansion element is present near each c~tch 5, lt is ensured that the warran~y strip will be stretched sufficlently.
As a resul~ of ~his arra~gemen~ Ow~v~, L~ UL t of ~at~ial ~5cd in thc production of the com ainer mouth can also be reduced.
Figure 3 shows an addltlonsl exemplary embodiment, in which attention w8 pald in p~rticular to the goal of inirizin~ the use of material required to yco~u~ LI~ineL mOUtll 1. Ihe e~panslon elem~nt i-~ i~t~r~tcd into cntchcc S

and consists of a guide bevel 13. In thi~ w~y, the warranty strip is stretched precisely a~ the points where catches 5 are loc~ted.

In the exe~plary embodiments according ~o Figures 1-3, three catches 5 ~rc ~hown. In principl~, ~ny ~eEired numb~r of c~tch~s c~n be prov~dRd.

Uhen only a few catches are used or when th~ catches are arranged in ~n asymmetrical fashion, how~er, it is reco~mended that expansion element~ be used which are capable of expandlng the warranty strip uniformly.
Figl. r~ ~ chn~.c ~ ry e~h~dim~nt with two (symmetrically arrsnged) catches (the second catch is noc shown). Se~eral small segments 12 of a ring, which allow the warranty strip to be expanded uniformly, are provided as the expanslon ele~ent.
Figure 5 shows in schematic fashion ~ c~p 20 with the features of the invention. Cap 20 consist essentially of a cap boltom 23, a circum~erential cap uall 24, and a warranty strîp 22, attached IO lower edge 27 of cap ~all 24. The ~arranty strl~ ls connec~ed to cap wall ~4 by predetermined break points, such ~s intentionally breqkable webs 19 or even a predeter~ined break line (perforation ~nd/or ~hinning of Ihe material (not shown)).
Retainlng means 2~, which can be brought into engagement wi~h the retain-ing elemen~s of a concainer mouth, are provided on the internal surfQce.
On its lnternal surface, the wsrranty strip has recesses 21, ~hich can be brought into engagement with catches 5 on ~he con~ainer mouth as shown in Fig-~res 1-4. ~ach rece-~ 21 h~ ~ latcral rct~ining c~rf~ae ~5 ~nd ~ lowor, hor-izontal retaining surface 26. Recesses 21 do not pass all the w~y through the strip and are provided only on the internal surfsce of warranty strip 22.
Recesses 21 whlch pass all the way through would anchor warranty strip 22 even morc cffcc~i~cly to c~tche~ 5, but in man~ cas~ they are less fa~or~ble f~r hygienic reasons and al-~o from ~he standpoint of produc~ion technology.
~ 1gure 6 shows a section of a warranty strip of a cap 20 after it has been pl~ced on a conta~ner mouth. P~rt has been cut away fro~ the warranty srrip, so thar c~t~h S, ~Jhlrl~ oneAe~l in r~.e~ 1 in the warranty strip, i9 visible.
Lower retaining surface 7 of calch ~ is engaged with lower, horizon~al re~inine surface 26 o~ recess ~1. In addition, lateral ret~1n1n~ ~urface of ca~ch 5 i9 also enga~ed with lateral retainin~ surface 25 of recess 21.
When the cap is removed from the container mou~h for the first ti~e, the ~ar-ranty s~rip cannot move either in the clrcumferen~isl or in the ~ertical direction. As a result, predetermlned break webs l9, by which warranty q~rlp 22 i9 attached to lower ed~e 27 of cap wall 24, are bro~en. The torn-off war-ranty s~rip remains on the container mouth and signals ~hat the cap has been opened the first time.
Figure 7a sho~s an exemplary embodl~en~ of a warranty ~rî~ 22, irl W}li~h radlally inward-pro~ectin~ ~a~ches 30 are provided on the Internal surface instead of recesses. Catch 30 has a lateral retalnin~ ~urfsce 25 and a hor~-zontal retainin~ surface 26.

Catch 5 of t~e containey ~o~th has a lower re~ninE sur~ce 7 ~Lnd ~L lat-eral re~inin~ surface 6 When a ql-ar~er-turn thread is used, ~arranty strip 22 ~s pushed vertically downward o~er ca~ch 5 at the end of the scr~wing-on proceg3. Peveled upper s~ction 14 of thc w~rr~nty ~trip t~iC; of th~ c~ch -- Tr. Ed. ] facilitates the expansion of the warranty strip. In the sealed state, catch 30 is snapped over catch 5, and lateral re~AI~ne surface 6 thus engages with lateral retainihg surface 25, while lower ret~ining surfac~ 7 en~es with horizontal r~tainir~ clirf~
Flgure 7b shows a warran~y s~rip 22 ~ith an interr~l surface on which an~le-shaped [L-shsped? -- ~r. Ed.], radially ~nward-pro~ecting catche~ 30 are arranged. Ca~ch 30 has a lateral retaining surface 25 and a horizont~l re-t.~inin~ ~urf;Lc~ ~6. nurin~ r.hP screwing-on proce3s. the ~rr~nty scrip is ided over a be~eled upper sec~ion 14 of ca~ch 5 on the container mouth. At the end of the screw~ng-on process, ca~ch 30 snaps over catch 5, and lateral retai~lng sur~ace ~ thus engages wlth later~l retaining surface 25, while lower retainin~ surface 7 er~ea~es with horizontal retalnlrlg surface 26.
It is also conceivable that the lateral and ~he lower or the lateral and the hor~zont~Ll retaining surf~ces could be provlded on different elements.
For e~ample, lnstead of a catch 5 wi~h ~ lower and a la~eraL re~aln1ng sur-face, it is possible to provide one rlb [i.e., C~tC~ -- Tr. Ed.] with a lat-eral ruts~n~ne surface and a separate rib with a lower ret~Lining ele~ent~ As a result o~ suc~ an arrange~ent, the a~ount o~ ~aterial required to produce the con~allle~ IUOU~L can be reduee~.

Claims (14)

CLAIM(S)

1. Container mouth (1) with an external surface (2) which has retaining means (3) which can be brought into engagement with retaining means of a cap, where the external surface (2) has at least one projecting catch (5) underneath the retaining elements (3), and where the catch (5) can be brought into engagement with retaining elements, especially recesses, on the inside surface of a warranty strip of the cap, characterized in that the catch has a lateral retaining surface (6) and a lower retaining surface (7), and in that the container mouth has, on its external surface, at least one expansion or centering element (10, 12, 13) located above the catches to expand and/or center the warranty strip of the cap, and where the expansion element (10, 12, 13) extends in the circumferential direction at least over the entire width of the catches (5).

2. Container mouth according to Claim 1, characterized in chat the expansion element (10, 12) covers a larger angular distance in the circumferential direction than the catch (5).

3. Container mouth according to Claim 1, characterized in that the expansion element is a circumferential ring (10).

4. Container mouth according to Claim 1, characterized in that the expansion element consists of at least one segment (12) of a ring.

5. Container mouth according to Claim 1, characterized in that the expansion element consists of a guide bevel (13), which is aligned vertically with the catch (5).

6. Container mouth according to one of Claims 1-5, characterized in that the retaining means (3) consists of a quarter-turn thread.

7. Container mouth according to one of Claims 1-5, characterized in that the catch (5) has an upper section (14), which slants toward the top in the radially inward direction.

8. Container mouth according to Claim 7, characterized in that the upper section (14) forms an extension of the expansion element (10, 12).

9. Container mouth according to one of Claim 1- 8, characterized in that the catch (2) has lateral retaining surfaces, each of which can be brought into engagement with lateral retaining surfaces on the internal surface of a warranty strip of a cap.

10. Container mouth (1) and cap (20) for sealing the container mouth (1), where the container mouth (1) has, on its external surface, retaining means (3) and where the cap (20) has a bottom (23), a wall (24), and a warranty strip (22), which is attached to the lower edge (27) of the wall (24);
where retaining weans (29) on the internal surface of the cap (20) can be brought into engagement with the retaining means (3) on the container mouth (1), which warranty strip (22) has, on its internal surface, at least one lateral retaining surface (25) and a horizontal retaining surface (26);
where the container mouth (1) has at least one radially outward-projecting catch (5) with a lateral retaining surface (6) and a lower retaining surface (7);
and where the lateral retaining surfaces (6, 25) can be brought into engagement with each other, while the lower retaining surface (7) can be brought into engagement with the horizontal retaining surface (26), characterized in that the external surface (2) of the container mouth (1) has at least one expansion or centering element (10, 12, 13) located above the catches to expand and/or center the warranty strip, where the expansion element extends at least over the entire width of the catch (5) in the circumferential direction.

11. Container mouth and cap according to Claim 10, characterized in that each of the outward-projecting catches (5) is provided with two lateral retaining surfaces, and in that the warranty strip has on its internal surface at least two lateral retaining surfaces, where each of the retaining surfaces of the catches (5) can be brought into engagement with a retaining surface on the internal surface of the warranty strip.

12. Container mouth and cap according to Claim 10 or Claim 11, characterized in that the retaining surfaces on the internal surface of the warranty strip (22) are designed as lateral surfaces of a recess (21), where the recess (21) is designed as a depression which does not pass all the way through the warranty strip, so that the warranty strip (22) has a closed external surface.

13. Container mouth and cap according to one of Claims 10-12, characterized in that the retaining means (3, 29) consists of quarter-turn thread.

14. Cap with a bottom (23), a cap wall (24), and a warranty strip (22) attached to the lower edge (27) of the cap wall (24), the cap being used especially for sealing a container with a container mouth according to Claim 1, characterized in that the warranty strip (22) has on its inside surface at least two lateral retaining surfaces (25) and a horizontal retaining surface (26), where the retaining surfaces (25. 26) can be brought into engagement with catches on the external surface of the container mouth, and where the retaining surfaces (25, 26) are designed as the lateral surfaces of a recess on the internal surface of the warranty strip (22), the recess not passing all the way through the strip.