EP0098810A2 - Tamperproof closure cap for bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

The closure cap (3) sits on a bottle-like container closed by a stopper (2) with a retracted bottle neck. In the attached state, the closure cap (3) engages behind the bulge (5) of the container (1). At least a part (6 ') of the cap base can be broken out along a predetermined breaking point (8). For this purpose, the outer end face (14) of the break-out part (6 ') is offset in a step-like manner with respect to the outer end face (9) of the cap base. Such a sealing cap is easy to apply, can be produced efficiently and offers perfect tamper protection.

Description

The present invention relates to a closure cap, in particular a guarantee closure cap for bottles or bottle-like containers with a preferably corked or grafted, drawn-in bottle neck, the closure cap engaging behind the bulge of the neck in the attached state and, at least partially destructible areas to release the bottle neck mouth.

Sealing caps of this type mentioned above are used in particular in the pharmaceutical field and serve mainly to close bottle-like containers. Such closures have to meet a number of requirements, in particular with regard to their effectiveness as tamper protection, their lightness Application to the bottle-like containers, easy re-opening of them and last but not least in terms of their rational production.

However, these requirements can only be met to a very limited extent by the so-called crimp closures made of aluminum, which are generally provided with a tear-open tab. For example, the flanging process when applying the caps to the bottle neck of the container is very complex. Furthermore, the opening of the closure caps is not always successful, since the holding surface of the tear-open tab is relatively small and therefore sufficient tear force cannot be applied or the material tears in at an unwanted point without being completely severable. It is easy to see that there is a high risk of injury on the sharp tear edges. The protection of originality is further endangered where large-mesh perforations make it easier to tear open the metal caps, but this gives the possibility of using an injection needle through the perforation to the contents of the loading to arrive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a closure cap, in particular a guarantee closure cap of the aforementioned type, which is able to optimally meet all the conditions to be set. The closure principle according to the invention should in particular meet all the requirements for a mass product, be easy to apply to the container in question, be easy to break open, have a wide range of applications and last but not least meet certain hygienic and aesthetic requirements.

This is now achieved according to the invention initially by a material weakening in the cap base surrounding a break-out part of the cap base and forming a predetermined breaking point, the outer end face of the break-out part of the cap base to the outer end face of the peripheral wall for a relative ver which can be generated under pressure and cause the break along the predetermined break point shift is stepped.

These measures enable a locking principle to be implemented that can meet all of the above requirements. In particular, the design according to the invention, with sufficient stiffness of the closure cap, initially allows the closure to be easily broken open, regardless of the material used, for example by light pressure on the ampoule placed on a hard surface with the closure cap, the relative displacement according to the invention between the part of the cap base to be broken out and the peripheral wall takes place and there is a complete break along the predetermined breaking point. Compared to the previously known fasteners with a pull tab, opening the fastener here is simple, complete and secure. In addition, the closure cap can surround the bottle neck without perforation, that is to say completely closed, the visible stepped offset between the break-out part of the cap base and the peripheral wall also having a characteristic shape feature which has a particular aesthetic effect.

• Fig. 1 in schaubildartiger Darstellung eine Glas-Ampulle mit einer erfindungsgemässen Garantie-Verschlusskappe;
• Fig. 2 in schaubildartiger Darstellung die Glas-Ampulle gemäss Fig. 1 vor dem Aufsetzen einer Verschlusskappe;
• Fig. 3 in schematischer Schnittdarstellung die auf den Hals der Glas-Ampulle gemäss den Fig. 1 und 2 aufgesetzte Verschlusskappe gemäss Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 eine Ausführungsvariante der Anordnung gemäss Fig. 3; und
• Fig. 5 in schaubildartiger Darstellung das Aufbrechen der Garantie-Verschlusskappe der Anordnung gemäss Fig. 1.
• Fig. 6 in schematischer Schnittdarstellung eine auf den Hals einer Glas-Ampulle aufgesetzte Verschlusskappe mit Bördelung
• Fig. 7 eine Ausführungsvariante der Anordnung gemäss Fig. 6; und
• Fig. 8 in grösserer Darstellung eine weitere Ausführungsform einer Verschlusskappe.
• Fig. 9 zeigt eine Verschlusskappe bei der der Pfropfen integraler Bestandteil des herausbrechbaren Teiles ist, und
• Fig. 10 zeigt eine Verschlusskappe mit verschiedenen Varianten von Federelementen, mit denen Höhentoleranzen in den Abmessungen des Flaschenhalses und des Pfropfens überwunden werden können.
• Fig.lOa illustriert eine zusätzliche Möglichkeit eines Federelementes und
• Fig.lob zeigt ein Detail eines Federelementes in der Herstellungslage.

For example, embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

• 1 shows a glass ampoule with a guarantee cap according to the invention in a diagram-like representation;
• FIG. 2 shows the glass ampoule according to FIG. 1 in a diagram-like representation before the closure cap is put on;
• 3 shows a schematic sectional illustration of the closure cap according to FIG. 1 placed on the neck of the glass ampoule according to FIGS. 1 and 2;
• FIG. 4 shows an embodiment variant of the arrangement according to FIG. 3; and
• 5 is a diagrammatic representation of the breaking open of the guarantee closure cap of the arrangement according to FIG. 1.
• Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a cap with a flange placed on the neck of a glass ampoule
• FIG. 7 shows an embodiment variant of the arrangement according to FIG. 6; and
• Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of a closure cap in a larger representation.
• Fig. 9 shows a closure cap in which the plug is an integral part of the break-out part, and
• 10 shows a closure cap with different variants of spring elements, with which height tolerances in the dimensions of the bottle neck and the plug can be overcome.
• Fig.lOa illustrates an additional possibility of a spring element and
• Fig.lob shows a detail of a spring element in the manufacturing position.

1 and 2, according to an example of an application, a glass ampoule 1, which is intended, for example, for diagnostics, is grafted with a rubber stopper 2 and provided with a guarantee cap 3 according to the invention. Here, the glass ampoule 1 has a retracted bottle neck 4, the closure cap 3 engaging behind the beaded edge 5 of the neck 4 in the attached state, as will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The closure cap 3 expediently consists of a suitable plastic or aluminum alloy.

The closure cap 3 according to FIG. 1, illustrated in an enlarged sectional view in FIG. 1, according to the invention has a break-out cap base 6, for which this cap base 6 is connected to the peripheral wall 7 of the closure cap 3 by an area of material weakening in the form of a material notch 8; around the cap base 6 along the material weakening 8 forming a predetermined breaking point Without being able to break out further aids, according to the invention, the outer end face 9 of the break-out cap base 6 is now offset in a stepped manner toward the outer end face 10 of the peripheral wall 7 for a relative displacement that can be generated under pressure and causes the break along the predetermined breaking point 8.

Here, the cap base 6 ^- in the pressed-on state of the closure cap 3 on the ampoule neck 4 on the upper glass edge or here on the end face of the rubber stopper 2 completely or with an annular shoulder 11. The closure cap 3 encloses with its peripheral wall 7 the bead 5 of the glass ampoule 1 and the end flange of the rubber stopper 2 and engages under the bead 5 of the bottle neck 4 with an annular bead 13 formed on the inside of the peripheral wall 7. Accordingly, the closure cap 3 forms an on the ampoule 1 snap cap which can be easily pressed on and which, as shown in FIG. 3, completely and tightly encloses the bottle neck with the bead 5 and the stopper 2.

In order to generate the relative displacement between the cap base 6 and the peripheral wall 7 necessary for the cap base 6 to break out, it is only necessary to exert pressure on the raised end face 10 of the peripheral wall 7 in order to reduce the peripheral wall 7 in the illustration into the To shift the area of the drawn-in part of the bottle neck 4 (as indicated by the dash-dotted lines in Fig. 3), while the cap bottom 6 remains in its abutment on the stopper 2. As a result, the cap base 6 is inevitably broken out along the predetermined breaking point 8. Since the plug 2 compresses slightly in this process, the plug also springs back after the breakout, which pushes the broken-out cap base 6 out of the region of the peripheral wall 7, thereby Stopper 2 is freely accessible.

A simple, low-power and safe method for generating the pressure on the end face 10 of the peripheral wall 7 consists in countering the ampoule 1 with its guarantee cap 3 to press a table top or the like, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The cap base 6 can then be audibly broken out with a short pressure or with a powerful all-round movement from the wrist.

In particular for ampoules with multiple use, it is expedient to provide a plastic dust cap 17 which can be fitted onto the closure cap 3 with an adhesive seat and can be removed, as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

This dust cap 17 can also serve as an information carrier and additionally have a signal effect due to individual coloring, as has already been explained at the beginning.

While the above-described closure cap allows a complete release of the corked or grafted mouth of the ampoule 1 by breaking out the entire cap base 6, the arrangement according to FIG. 4 is able to hold the stopper 2 in the ampoule mouth even after the guarantee closure has been broken open . For this purpose, only an inner part 6 'of the cap base 6 is surrounded by a predetermined breaking point 8, this inner part having an outer end face region 14 which projects beyond the outer end face 9 of the cap bottom 6 and an inner end face 15 which is in relation to the inner end face 16 of the cap bottom 6 is reset. It can be seen that here too, by pressing the outer end face region 14 in the manner described above, there is a relative displacement between the break-out part 6 'and the other parts of the closure cap 3, in that the break-out part 6' itself is pressed in the direction of the stopper 2 and thus breaking out, whereas here the peripheral wall 7 remains in its position surrounding the bottle neck. Here too, the suspension effect is pressing of the rubber plug 2, the broken-out part 6 'from the area of the remaining annular shoulder of the cap base 6.

Of course, a number of modifications are possible within the framework of the above-described inventive concept. In particular, for example for very short-necked containers, it may be necessary to provide a lateral recess 18 in the peripheral wall of the closure cap 3 (FIG. 1) in order to press or lift the plug covered by the closure cap after the cap base has been broken open.

In the closure caps described above, these are designed as snap-on caps that can be pressed onto the bottle neck, for which purpose the closure cap carries an annular bead on the inside of its peripheral wall, which is intended to engage under the bulge of the bottle neck. When such a closure cap is pressed on, the circumferential wall in the area of the ring bead then expands until the ring bead can reach under the bead edge, whereupon the closure cap rests firmly on the bottle neck and securely closes the bottle opening.

However, this presupposes relatively narrow tolerances in the height of the bead of the glass ampoule, in the height of the rubber stopper and in the inner height of the sealing cap, which tolerances cannot always be maintained. This creates the risk that, in extreme cases, the cap cannot be pressed onto the bottle neck in the first place, or that the rubber stopper is then pressed together in such a way that piercing the rubber stopper with an injection needle becomes a problem.

In FIG. 6, the cap base 6, when the closure cap 3 is pressed on, rests completely or with an annular shoulder 11 on the ampoule neck 4 on the upper glass edge or here on the end face of the rubber stopper 2. The closure cap 3 encloses with its peripheral wall 7 the bead 5 of the glass ampoule 1, as well as the end flange of the rubber stopper 2, and engages under the bead 5 of the bottle neck 4 with an annular flange 13 ′ formed on the inside of the peripheral wall 7, as indicated by the dashed line is.

Here, this ring flange 13 'is formed during the closure process and under a preferably adjustable contact pressure of the closure cap 3 on the end face of the rubber plug 2 from a protruding edge section 13 of the peripheral wall 7.

This molding takes place in a sealing cap 3 made of plastic by heat-flanging. This ensures that the pressure applied to the rubber stopper 2 by the cap base 6 is always the same, even if there are relatively large tolerances in the height of the rubber stopper 2 and the bead 5 of the glass ampoule 1.

Only the amount of material of the edge section 13 of the peripheral wall 7 available for flanging the ring flange 13 'then varies, but this is completely meaningless.

The arrangement according to FIG. 7 can also be designed in the same way, in the comparative embodiment according to FIG. 6, where the corked or grafted mouth of the ampoule 1 is completely released by breaking out the entire cap base 6, even after the guarantee closure has been broken open the stopper 2 is held in the ampoule mouth.

In this arrangement, only an inner part 6 'of the cap base 6 is surrounded by a predetermined breaking point 8, this inner part having an outer end face region 14 which projects beyond the outer end face 9 of the cap bottom 6 and an inner end face 15 which is in relation to the inner end face 16 of the Cap base 6 is reset. It can be seen that here too, by pressing the outer end face region 14 in the manner described above, there is a relative displacement between the break-out part 6 'and the other parts of the closure cap 3, in that the break-out part 6' itself is pressed in the direction of the stopper 2 and thus breaking out, whereas here the peripheral wall 7 remains in its position surrounding the bottle neck. Correspondingly, here too, the closure cap 3 engages under the bead 5 of the bottle neck 4 with an annular flange 13 ′ formed on the inside of the peripheral wall 7, as is indicated by the broken line.

In this embodiment, too, the ring flange 13 ′ during the closure process and under a preferably adjustable contact pressure of the closure cap 3 molded onto the end face of the rubber plug from a protruding edge section 13 of the peripheral wall 7.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 8, the closure cap 3, which is shown here without a dust cap 17, no longer consists of a one-piece plastic part, but according to the invention consists of a cap base 56 made of plastic and a peripheral wall 57 partially overlapping the cap base 56 made of an aluminum sheet Which peripheral wall 57 also engages behind the bulge 5 of the bottle neck 4 with an internally formed ring flange 63 '.

Similar to the embodiment according to FIG. 7, an inner part 56 'of the cap base 56 is also surrounded by a predetermined breaking point 58, this inner part having an outer end face region 64 projecting beyond the outer end face 59 of the cap bottom 56 as well as an inner end face 65 with respect to the inner end face 66 of the cap base 56 is set back. This shows that here too pressure on the outer end face region 64 in the manner described above, there is a relative displacement between the break-out part 56 'and the other parts of the closure cap 3, in that the break-out part 56' itself is pressed in the direction of the plug 2 and thus broken out, whereas here the peripheral wall 57 remains in its position surrounding the bottle neck. As can be seen from the illustration in FIG. 3, the inner edge of the overlapping part 57 'of the peripheral wall 57 extends to near the circumference of the inner part 56' of the cap base 56.

In this embodiment with a peripheral wall 57 made of an aluminum sheet or the like, it is now possible to apply the known flanging technique to closures, with the annular flange 63 ′ also here under a predetermined contact pressure of the closure cap 3 against the end face of the rubber stopper 2 from a protruding, in FIG. 3 dashed edge portion 63 of the peripheral wall 57 is formed by beading.

The advantage of providing the closure with a flanged ring flange 13 'lies essentially in the fact that large differences in height of the bead edge 5 of the neck 4, as well as of the stopper 2, can thereby be overcome and a precisely defined closure force can be achieved.

Various solutions of this partial aspect are shown together in FIG. 10, but each individual solution alone solves the problem of the height differences that occur.

The total dimension T of the height of the plug 2 protruding above the bottle and of the bead 5 usually varies only to a small extent, so that these tolerances can be eliminated by simple spring elements 20. This can be done, for example, by a radially extending, annular spring path 21 in the peripheral wall 7.

A wide variety of geometric design forms come into question as the spring path 21. FIG. 10 shows a curved shape of the spring section 21, which allows movement in the axial direction in order to accommodate any differences that may occur.

If the differences that occur are relatively large, the spring path can also be shaped in the form of an annular bellows 21 ′, as is shown in detail in FIG. 10 a.

An alternative to the spring section 21 consists in an edge section 22 as an extension of the peripheral wall 7. In the injection-molded position, the edge section 22 is inclined conically to the center and tapers towards the edge (FIG. 10 b).

When the cap 3 is put on, the edge section is turned inside and up and thus forms a resilient lip 22 '.

Rather to compensate for smaller differences in height, finger-shaped spring elements 23 can also be formed on the inner, annular end face 16 of the cap base 6, which can accommodate corresponding tolerances in the axial direction if the cap is one with an annular bead, for example in FIG 3 shown, which rests with a snap action under the bead 5 of the bottle neck.

Instead of the finger-shaped spring elements 23, the spring element 20 can also be formed by concentric, annular lips 24 running around the break-out part of the cap base.

The inclination of the sharp-edged lips 24 towards the peripheral wall 7 also leads to a tightening of the elastic stopper 2, which makes it easier for the injection needle to pierce it.

FIG. 10 also shows a solution for an additional secondary problem.

In the case of sealing caps with a small diameter of the part to be broken out, removing the same can be a bit of a problem.

If, however, a central elevation 25 is present on the inner end face 15 of the break-out part of the cap base 6, the elastic stopper 2 presses the same out of the rest when the part is pressed out.

An essential solution - without leaving the basic principle of the invention - is shown in FIG. 9. Vials, which are used to hold powder or pill-shaped contents, can be provided with a closure cap 3, in which the break-out part of the cap base 6 is designed as a stopper 2 '.

The stopper 2 ′ forms a cavity 26, which is closed by an insert 27. The cavity 26 serves to hold hygroscopic agent and communicates with the interior of the bottle via through holes 28. The insert 27, like the dust cap 17, can also have different colors and thus represent a certain coding.

Although the closure cap is designed as a plastic closure, it can also be made from other materials, for example from aluminum, without significant design changes.

The individual features of the claims can be combined in a variety of ways, as is obvious to any person skilled in the art without having to abandon the principle of the invention.

Claims (20)

1.Cap, in particular a guarantee cap for bottles or bottle-like containers with a preferably corked or grafted, drawn-in bottle neck, the cap engaging behind the bulge of the neck in the attached state and, at least partially destructible areas for the release of the bottle neck mouth, characterized by a , a breakable part of the cap base (6,56) surrounding a predetermined breaking point forming material weakening (8,58) in the cap base (6, ₅₆ ), the outer end face (9,59) of the breakable part of the cap base (6,56) to the outside The end face (10) of the peripheral wall (7,54) is stepped for a relative displacement that can be generated under pressure and causes the break along the predetermined breaking point. 2. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of plastic and is designed as a snap cap that can be pressed onto the bottle neck. 3. Cap according to claim 2, characterized by a, on the inside of the peripheral wall (7) formed, for gripping under the bead of the bottle neck certain annular bead (13). 4. A closure cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral wall (7,57) of the closure cap (3) projects from the rim of the bottle neck, when the cap is placed on the bottle, over the edge portion (13; 63) intended for flanging against the bead edge. includes. 5. Cap according to claim 4, characterized in that it consists of plastic and the edge portion (13) by heat flanging and under a pressure of the cap (3) on the end face of the rubber plug (2) in an engaging ring flange (13 ') is formable. 6. Cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the cap base (60) consists of plastic and is surrounded by a peripheral wall (57) made of an aluminum sheet which partially overlaps the cap base (56), the edge portion (63) by mechanical flanging and can be formed into a ring flange (63 ') which engages underneath when the sealing cap (3) is pressed against the end face of the rubber stopper (2). 7. Cap according to claim 6, characterized in that the break-out part (56 ') of the cap base (56) has an outer end face region (64) projecting beyond the outer end face (59) of the cap bottom (56) and an inner end face (65) which is set back with respect to the inner end face (66) of the cap base (56), the inner edge of the overlapping part (57 ') of the peripheral wall (57) being close to the circumference of the inner, break-out part (56') of the cap base ( 56) is enough. 8. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the weakening of the material forming the predetermined breaking point is a material notch (8). 9. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the cap base (6) with respect to the peripheral wall (7) is arranged offset inwards and is connected to it by the material weakening area (8). 10. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the break-out part (6 ') of the cap base (6) has an outer end face region (14) which projects beyond the outer end face (9) of the cap bottom (6) and an inner end face (15) which is set back with respect to the inner, annular end face (16) of the cap base (6). 11. A closure cap according to claim 1, characterized by a removable dust cap (17) made of plastic with an adhesive seat. 12. Cap according to claim 1, characterized by at least one lateral recess (18) in the peripheral wall (7). 13. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists entirely of aluminum and is positively applied to the bottle neck. 14. Cap according to claim 2, characterized in that an annular spring path (21) is arranged in the peripheral wall (7), which causes a spring action in the axial direction. 15. Cap according to claim 2, characterized in that the peripheral wall has as a spring element an edge portion (22) which tapers towards the center. 16. Cap according to claim 10, characterized in that axially acting spring elements (23) are arranged on the inner, annular end face (16) of the cap base (6). 17. A closure cap according to claim 16, characterized in that the spring elements run concentrically around the break-out part of the cap base (6) and are inclined to the peripheral wall (7). 18. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that a central elevation (25) is provided on the inner end face (15, 65) of the break-out part of the cap base (6,56). 19. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the break-out part of the cap base (6, 56) is part of a plug (2 ') and thus the plug (2 _' ) is an integral part of the cap (3). 20. Closure according to claim 19, characterized in that the plug (2 ') is provided with a cavity (26) for receiving a hygroscopic agent and is closed with an insert (27).

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