EP0045708B1 - Security cap for the tamper-proof fastening of non refillable stoppers for bottles and other containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Security cap for the tamperproof fastening of stoppers of the nonrefillable type on bottles and other containers, so shaped as to be engaged on the protruding portion of the stopper (2) and on the open upper portion of the neck (1) of the container, which cap has constricted zones (32, 30a) for penetrating into depressions, grooves or other portions of reduced diameter (11, 23) provided in each of the two above mentioned portions, characterized in that it comprises two annular strips (35, 37) of reduced resistance against tearing, one of which (37) is disposed between the open base of the cap (3) and the adjacent constricted zone (30a), while the other one (35) is located at the level of the restricted zone (23) provided between the top, adapted to be eliminated by tearing at the time of the first use of the container, and the portion of larger diameter (30) of the cap.

Description

The present invention relates to plugs of the so-called “irreplaceable” type which, when placed on a bottle or other container, are intended to radically oppose any fraudulent filling after partial or total emptying of the envisaged container, thereby guaranteeing the authenticity of the original content.

It is known that devices of this kind generally comprise a cylindrical body sealingly engaged in the opening of the neck of the container, this body containing an automatic closing valve associated with a series of baffles suitably arranged. Some of these irreplaceable stoppers are completely effective, unquestionably prohibiting any attempt at fraudulent filling. He points out, however, that this efficiency disappears completely if the stopper itself, that is to say the cylindrical body which contains the various constituent parts, risks being more or less easily extracted from the neck to allow filling, and then to be put back in place without the intervention leaving a trace. However, it should be noted that the fixing methods proposed for this purpose are far from entirely satisfactory on this point.

In particular, patent FR-A-2,203,751 (BEREZIAT) provides for fixing an irreplaceable stopper on a container using a cap which is crimped in at least one circular groove of the neck of said container and in at least one circular groove of the cap. This retention in place is not immune to fraudulent intervention since the narrowed lower zone obtained by crimping is capable of being momentarily straightened using a tool introduced by the open base of the cape, and then be reformed by annular pressure after extraction of the cap and plug, filling of the container and reinsertion of said cap and plug into the neck. A similar fraudulent intervention can be carried out at the level of the constricted upper zone, which can be accessed through the end of the cap which is open once the tearable strip has been removed.

In order to remedy this drawback, the present invention relates to a safety cap for the tamper-proof fixing of stoppers of the irreplaceable type on bottles and other containers, profiled so as to be engaged on the protruding part of the stopper and on the upper part. open of the neck of the container, which cape having narrowed zones for entering depressions, grooves or other reduced diameter portions provided in each of the two aforementioned parts, is characterized in that it comprises two annular bands with low tear resistance, one is disposed between the open base of the cape and the adjacent constricted zone, while the other is situated at the level of the constricted zone provided between the top, intended to be eliminated by tearing during the first use of the container, and the larger diameter portion of the cape.

It is thus ensured that any attempt at fraudulent intervention at one of the constricted zones certainly causes the rupture or tearing of the cape, thus making the intervention apparent.

• Figure 1 est une vue schématique montrant côte à côte un bouchon irremplissable, une cape de fixation établie suivant l'invention et la partie supérieure ou goulot de la bouteille correspondante, ledit goulot étant représenté en coupe axiale afin de mieux faire apparaître son profil.
• Figure 2 est une coupe axiale de l'ensemble une fois mis en place sur une bouteille.
• Figure 3 reproduit fig. 2 après la première utilisation du liquide contenu dans la bouteille.

The appended drawing, given by way of example, will allow a better understanding of the invention, the characteristics which it presents and the advantages which it is capable of providing:

• Figure 1 is a schematic view showing side by side an irreplaceable cap, a fixing cap established according to the invention and the upper part or neck of the corresponding bottle, said neck being shown in axial section to better show its profile.
• Figure 2 is an axial section of the assembly once placed on a bottle.
• Figure 3 reproduced in fig. 2 after the first use of the liquid contained in the bottle.

In fig. 1 the reference 1 designates the neck of a bottle of the conventional type. This neck 1 has at its top an annular bulge 10 hollowed out of a groove 11 with a rounded profile in section, which thus determines an upper flange 12 bordering the opening of the bottle. This opening is intended to be closed using a plug 2 of the irreplaceable type, the body of which has a lower part 20 suitable for being introduced in leaktight manner into the neck 1 and secured to a bulged part 21 which limits the 'depression; the part 21 is connected, by means of a frustoconical shoulder 22, to an upper part 23 of smaller diameter, which is integral with a terminal pouring spout 24. The latter is normally closed in leaktight manner by a removable capsule 25, the outside diameter of which coincides with that of the part 23.

The internal arrangement of the irreplaceable plug 2 can be of any type known in practice. The invention relates only to the method of fixing this plug 2 on the neck 1 so that the arrangement in question will not be described.

The fixing is ensured by means of an overcaping cap 3 which can be assumed to be made of thin metal or of synthetic material. This cap has a lower part 30 whose internal diameter is substantially equal to the external diameter of the bulged part 21 and which is connected by a frustoconical shoulder 31 to an upper part 32 of smaller diameter, closed at its top by a transverse bottom at circular profile in plan. In the manner known per se, the upper part 32 is provided with a tearable guarantee ring 33 secured to a tab or zipper 34; this ring 33 is determined by two thinning or "bleeding" of the cape, shown in the form of interrupted lines pus, said thinning allowing easy tearing.

Furthermore and in accordance with the invention, the upper part 32 of the cape 3 has had an annular band 35 of low resistance, of design and construction similar to those of the ring 33 described above; this strip 35, disposed between the shoulder 31 and the tearable ring 33, has, at a point along its length, two transverse slots which face each other, determining between their ends opposite a connecting bridge 36 whose resistance to the traction is obviously very reduced. A similar strip 37, itself provided with an identical bridge 36, is provided on the bulged part 30 of the cap, at a short distance from the open lower edge of the latter.

It is understood that the cap 3 is capable of being placed on the cap 2 in order to cover the upper part thereof, equipped with the capsule 25. This set 2-3 can be fixed on the neck 1 of the bottle previously filled, the retention of said assembly being ensured by carrying out a constriction operation 30a (FIG. 2) so that the lower part 30 of the cap comes to marry the groove 11 of the neck, and a lower crimping 30b so that the free edge of said cape tightens immediately below the bulge 10. To gain access to the contents of the bottle thus capped, the user must remove the guarantee ring 33 and the top of the part 32 so as to release the cap 25, as illustrated in fig. 3; the first use of the bottle is thus made apparent.

Given that the plug 2 formally prohibits any filling as a result of its internal arrangement, the only solution left to a fraudster obviously consists in attempting to remove this plug itself to discover the opening of the neck 1. At this Indeed it must, with a blade or other very thin tool inserted between the upper cut edge of the part 32 and the corresponding part 23 of the plug, straighten by expansion said part 32 in order to give it the profile indicated in 32 'in fig. 3, profile which has a diameter spread to that of the bulged part 21 and which would thus allow the passage of the latter through the upper opening of the cap. However, the deformation thus effected inevitably causes the bridge 36 of the strip 35 to rupture and the annular tear thereof, so that the fraudulent filling would become perfectly visible whatever the precautions taken to replace the plug after filling and to reshape the upper part 32 of the cape.

The result would be identical in the case where the fraudster would attempt to remove the plug 2 by intervention at the lower edge of the cape 3. Admittedly, he will be able to eliminate crimping 30b without too much difficulty, but when he attempts to access to the constricted zone 30a in order to obtain the straight profile shown in 30 'and to be able to remove the plug 2 with the cap 3, the strip 37 will rupture under the same conditions as the upper strip 35 and will make the filling visible fraudulent.

Any attempt to extract the plug 2 is thus made perfectly visible, so that the cap 2 ensures an absolutely inviolable retention of said plug. It goes without saying that the precise arrangement of the bands 35 and 37 of their positioning on the cap can vary to a large extent depending on the particular external profile of the irreplaceable cap and the conformation of the neck 1.

It is understood that the bands 35 and 37 with low tear resistance are capable of being established in any suitable manner (continuous thinning or bleeding, postage stamp type perforations, etc.), like the guarantee ring 33.

Claims (2)

1. Security cap for the tamperproof fastening of stoppers of the nonrefillable type on bottles and other containers, so shaped as to be engaged on the protruding portion of the stopper (2) and on the open upper portion of the neck (1) of the container, which cap has constricted zones (32, 30a) for penetrating into depressions, grooves or other portions of reduced diameter (11, 23) provided in each of the two above mentioned portions, characterized in that it comprises two annular strips (35, 37) of reduced resistance against tearing, one of which (37) is disposed between the open base of the cap (3) and the adjacent constricted zone (30a), while the other one (35) is located at the level of the restricted zone (23) provided between the top, adapted to be eliminated by tearing at the time of the first use of the container, and the portion of larger diameter (30) of the cap.

2. Cap according to the claim 1, characterized in that each annular strip (35, 37) comprises two opposed transverse slits which stop a short distance from each other while determining a thin connecting bridge (36) which may be ruptured under the action of a very reduced tractive force.

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