EP0108085A1

EP0108085A1 - Closures for containers

Info

Publication number: EP0108085A1
Application number: EP83901337A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Witt; Peter John Whitehead
Original assignee: United Glass Ltd
Current assignee: OI Glass Ltd
Priority date: 1982-05-04
Filing date: 1983-05-03
Publication date: 1984-05-16
Also published as: IE831019L; PT76631B; WO1983003810A1; JPS59500961A; ES278143Y; GB2131007A; IT8320917A0; GB2131007B; ES278143U; IE54188B1; PT76631A; IT8320917A1; GB8400126D0; IT1194223B

Abstract

Une fermeture inviolable, notamment pour des agencements ne permettant pas la recharge, comprend un couvercle (1, 2) fixé au moyen d'un pas de vis à un récipient ou à un agencement ne permettant pas la recharge (4) fixée au récipient, un anneau cassable (3) pouvant être connecté de manière rotative au couvercle, par exemple au moyen de nervures agissant de concert (16, 34), et un organe (40) sur le récipient ou l'organe (4) provoquant la rupture de l'anneau (3) lors de la rotation du couvercle. Lorsque le couvercle est dévissé, l'anneau se dévisse en même temps jusqu'à ce qu'il soit cassé par l'action de languettes (40) sur l'organe (4). Ceci permet de déceler toute tentative d'ouverture.A tamper-evident closure, in particular for arrangements which do not allow refilling, comprises a cover (1, 2) fixed by means of a screw thread to a container or to an arrangement which does not allow refilling (4) fixed to the container, a breakable ring (3) which can be rotatably connected to the cover, for example by means of ribs acting in concert (16, 34), and a member (40) on the container or the member (4) causing the rupture of the ring (3) during the rotation of the cover. When the cover is unscrewed, the ring is unscrewed at the same time until it is broken by the action of tabs (40) on the member (4). This allows any attempt to open to be detected.

Description

"CLOSURES FDR CONTAINERS"

This invention relates to container closures, and especially to closures of the so called "pilferproof" type.

"Pilferproof" closures are well known and widely used, and their object is to provide visual evidence that containers to which they have been applied have or have not been tampered with, for one reason or another. "Pilferproof" closures are made from both metal and plastics materials, the metal types being the more widely used. One known type comprises an overcapsule or sleeve, e.g. of lead/tin or shrunk plastics. Another well known type consists of a cap shell, unthreaded in the case of metal or pre-threaded in the case of plastics, to the bottom of which is attached by spaced frangible bridges a security or pilferproof ring. When the closure is applied to a container the security ring is deformed or shrunk below a retaining bead on the container, to prevent axial movement of the closure off the container. When the closure is rotated to remove it from the container the bridges fracture, thus indicating that the container has been opened.

In the spirits industry it has become standard practice to fit the spirits containers with non-refillable fitments. Such fitments comprise one-way valves which allow the dispensing of the fluid from the container but not the re-filling of the container. Thus, when a container filled with spirits is fitted with a non-refillable fitment, it becomes impossible to adulterate or dilute the contents of the container . One p articular non-re fill abl e fitment which has achieved considerable popularity is that described in U.K. Patent Specification No:1,178,237, known as the "Whittam" fitment. Such a fitment comprises a valve body which fits within the neck of a container, an annular shoulder or flange which fits over the container neck rim, and a screw-threaded pouring spout through which the container contents are dispensed and to which is screw threadedly attached a cap. The fitment is held on the container by means of a cowl, which is flanged over the annular shoulder and deformed into an annular recess on the container neck beneath the annular, shoulder. It has become popular to cover non-refillable fitments such as that mentioned above with pilferproof closures. These are frequently of the aforementioned capsule type. A disadvantage of these is that they must be applied in a subsequent step to the primary closure application step.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pilferproof closure. It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a closure which can. be used in association with a non-refillable fitment.

According to the invention a closure for a container comprises a cap adapted for screw-threaded connection with the container or with a member affixed thereto, an annular frangible ring rotationally connectable with said cap, and means on said container or said member affixed thereto causing breakage of said frangible ring upon rotation of said cap.

The screw-threaded cap may comprise a single cap member, or it may be a two-part cap, having an inner screw-threaded cap member, for connection with the container or the member affixed to the container, e.g. the screw-threaded portion of a non-refillable fitment, and an outer cap member captively attached to the inner cap member and rotatable therewith at least in the unscrewing direction. Thus, for example, the outer cap member may be provided with internal axial ribs or grooves interengaging with external grooves or ribs respectively formed on the inner cap member. Captive attachment of the cap members may be achieved by providing the inner cap member with an outwardly-directed bead or shoulder over which the outer cap member is axially pushed.

The annular frangible ring, which is separate from but connectable with the cap, is suitably provided with two or more weakened portions, which may for example take the form of thin wall sections. Coupling of the frangible ring with the cap may be provided by inter-engaging or intermeshing axially-extending ribs formed on the cap and the frangible ring. The intermeshing ribs are so positioned that when the cap is applied to the

container the ribs interengage such that rotational movement of the cap is transmitted to the frangible ring. When the cap is a two-part cap, the ribs on the cap are suitably formed on the outer cap member. Breakage of the frangible ring may be accomplished in several ways. For example, the ring may be provided with one or more inwardly-directed lugs or cam-shaped projections. Similar projections, outwardly-directed however, may be provided on the container neck, or on the fitment therein. Thus, when the cap is unscrewed, the frangible ring will also rotate in an unscrewing direc tion, until the projection or projections on the frangible ring come into contact with the projection or projections on the container. Further unscrewing of the frangible ring then becoming impossible, the ring will break, thus providing visual evidence of the unscrewing of the cap. By initially forming the frangible ring in elliptical form, and then deforming it to place it on the container , it is retained on the container under tension, and "springs off" when broken.

The closure of the invention is applied to a container in the following manner: the frangible ring is first placed on the container neck, or on a fitment therein, and the screw cap is applied thereto. As the screw cap reaches the lowermost part of its travel, the screw cap and frangible ring come into rotational connection. Any attempt thereafter to remove the cap results in the breaking, of the annular ring. When a two-part cap is used, the inner part is screwed to the container or fitment, and then the outer cap member is pushed axially onto the inner cap member, until the lower edge of the outer cap member snaps over the bead at the lower end of the inner cap member and comes intorotational coupling with the frangible ring. The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a cap according to the invention and a non-refillable fitment;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a cap covering a non-refillable fitment within the neck of a container; Figure 3 is a part-sectional elevation of an outer cap member;

Figure 4 is a part-sectional elevation of an inner cap member; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a frangible ring. Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figure 1, the closure of the invention comprises an outer cap 1, an inner cap 2 and a frangible ring 3. The closure is used with a non-refillable fitment 4, similar in general construction to that described in U.K. Patent Specification 1,178,237, but modified as will be described hereinafter.

The outer cap 1 is shown in greater detail in Figure 3. It has a disc top 10 depending from the periphery of which is a cylindrical skirt 11. The skirt 11 is provided with knurling 12, for ease of manual grasping, and with a series of internal radially-extending ribs 13. The inner wall of the skirt 11 is also provided with an annular ledge 14. At the lower end of skirt 11 is a ring 15 of thinner cross section than the remainder of the skirt, ring 15 being provided with a series of equi-spaced ribs 16.

The inner cap, see Figure 4, has a disc top 20 and a depending annular skirt 21 provided with a series of spaced outwardly-extending ribs 22 for engagement with the ribs 13 of the outer cap member 1. The inner cap member is internally screw-threaded, at 23, and is provided beneath the ribs 22 with an outwardly-directed flexible arcuate rim 24.

Figure 5 shows the frangible ring 3 in plan. It comprises a radially-extending substantially annular disc 30 from the periphery of which a cylindrical wall 31 extends upwardly. The inside surface of wall 31 is provided with spaced axially-extending ribs 32. In the embodiment shown, ribs 32 are provided in two separate series, each serles occupying approximately a quarter of the .internal periphery of wall 31. The disc 30 is formed, at diametrically opposed positions, with two generally-triangular shaped inwardly-directed protuberance forming lugs 33. Immediately adjacent each lug 33 the disc 30 is interrupted and the thickness of the wall 31 is reduced to give two diametrically-opposed lines of weakness 34 at which the ring 3 may be caused to break, as hereinafter described.

In the embodiment illustrated, the closure of the invention is used in association with a non-refillable fitment 1, which is similar to that illustrated in U.K. Specification 1,178,237, but differs in that it is provided with four outwardly-extending lugs 40, whose purpose is to engage lugs 33 on the ring 3. Thus, the fitment 4 has a valve body 41 to which is attached a screw-threaded upper portion 42 at the base of which is an annular shoulder 43 which merges with an outwardly- directed flange 44 adapted to overlie the rim of a container mouth into which the fitment is fitted.

The closure is assembled on the neck of a container 50 in the manner shown in Figure 2. Thus, a sealing gasket 51 is placed over the mouth of the container neck and the fitment 4 (shown only in outline in Figure 2) is placed with its. valve body within the neck of the container and its flange 44 resting on the seal 51 and overlying the container mouth. The fitment 4 is firmly held in place by the application of a cowl, in known manner. Two different forms of cowl are shown in Figure 2; that on the left-hand side is a metal cowl 52, and holds the fitment 4 in place by means of a flange 53 and a circumferential portion 54 which is deformed into an annular recess- 55 provided on the container neck. On the right- hand side of Figure 2 is shown a plastics cowl 56 which has an inwardly-directed flange 57 overlying flange 44, and an annular web 58 seated beneath a bead 59 formed on the container neck.

Ring 3 is then placed over the screw-threaded upper part of the fitment 4, and rests on the flange (53 or 57 of the cowl (52 or 56). The ring 3 is preferably rotated until the lugs 33 are in contact with corresponding lugs 40 for reasons to be explained below. Inner cap 2, con taining a sealing gasket 60 is screw-threadedly attached to the upper portion 42 of the fitment 4. Outer cap 1 is pushed vertically downwards over inner cap 2, the ribs 13 on the inside of the outer cap. passing between adjacent pairs of ribs 22 on the outside of the inner cap. During this movement of the outer cap ledge 14 deforms and passes over rim 24, which then snaps back behind it. Any attempt thereafter to remove outer cap 1 axially from inner cap 2 is prevented by the inter-reaction between ledge 14 and rim 24. As outer cap 1 reaches the end of its telescopic passage over inner cap 2, the ribs 16 at the bottom of outer cap 1 enter the channels formed between adjacent pairs of ribs 32 formed on the wall 31 of ring 3.

Removal of the closure from the container 50 is achieved in the normal manner. Thus, the outer cap 1 is manually grasped and rotated in a counter-clockwise manner. This has the effect of rotating inner cap 2, by virtue of the meshing interaction between ribs 13 and ribs 22 on the outer and inner caps respectively. Rotation of the outer cap 1 also causes rotation of the ring 3, by virtue of the intermeshing of ribs 16 and 32 on the outer cap and ring 3 respectively. Rotation of ring 3 brings the lugs 33 into contact with the lugs 40 on the fitment 4. As the closure is further unscrewed, reaction between the lugs 33 and 40 causes the ring 3 to break along one or both of the lines of weakness 34. (If the lugs 33 are already in contact with the lugs 40, as mentioned above to be preferred, there is little or no opportunity for the intermeshed ribs 16 and 32 to become disengaged before the coacting lugs contact each other.) Ring 3 can then be removed and the closure unscrewed in the normal manner. The fact that the ring 3 is broken or is removed indicates that the closure has been unscrewed from the container. The mechanism of fracture of ring 3 may follow, any suitable pattern. Thus, for example, as lugs 33 contact lugs 40 there may be a camming action as lugs 40 "ride up" the ramp faces of lugs 33, the ring 3 thus being deformed and stretched until breakage occurs. Alternatively, the shape of the lugs on the fitment 4 and on the ring 3 may be such that continued unscrewing of the closure with the lugs in contact puts the lines of weakness in the ring under such stress that they break without otherwise deforming the ring. In a preferred embodiment the frangible ring 3

"springs" away from the container upon fracture. This again may be achieved in a number of ways. For example, it is preferred that the ring should be moulded or subsequently biassed in elliptical shape. When it is then placed on the container, the lugs on the container, or on the associated fitment, hold the ring in substantially circular form, but the ring is thus under tension, allowing it to "spring" away from the container on fracture. Alternatively, the ring may be moulded with radially inwardly directed fingers which contact the container neck or associat ed fitment and are , again , under tension .

Although the ring 3 in the described embodiment has two diametrically opposed lines of weakness, it is intended that any number which will cause efficient fracture of the ring, in conjunction with the number and spacing of the reaction lugs on the container/fitment is within the scope of this invention. The ribs 32 are, as shown, arranged in two separate series. Preferably there is an equal number of series of ribs 32 and lines of weakness 34, and most suitably each series of ribs 32 occupies ot more than half of the arc between adjacent lines of weakness. Thus, in the case where there are four lines of weakness, each series of ribs on ring 3 preferably occupies no more than an eighth of the internal periphery of the wall 31. In principle each series of ribs 32 can consist of a single rib. Importantly, each series of ribs 32 is placed in advance of the adjacent line of weakness, in the unscrewing direction (counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 5) so that the portion of the ring on the trailing side of the line of weakness is not positively driven by the cap during unscrewing.

All the components of the closure of this invention are suitably moulded from plastics material, e.g. polyethylene, polystyrene, and can be used in association with both plastics and glass containers. When the closure is a one-piece closure, as opposed to the two-part cap of the illustrated embodiment, the frangible ring is suitably made of a relatively soft material, e.g. high density polyethylene, to enable the ribs of the closure to ride over the ribs formed on the ring during application of the closure. This may also be achieved by suitably profiling the ribs on the closure and on the ring so that the ribs on the closure ride over those on the ring during application of the closure but not during unscrewing thereof. For example, the ribs of the closure and/or on the ring may have a profile similar to those described in our U.K. Patent Application No:7900354.

It is an important advantage of the present invention that it enables a non-refillable fitment to be assembled with the pilferproof closure of the invention and then applied, as a total assembly, to a container in a single application stage. Thus, an assembly may be produced (see Figures 1 and 2) consisting of the outer and inner caps 1 and 2 respectively, the ring 3, the fitment 4 and the cowl 52 and 56 , This may then be applied to a filled container 50 onto which has been placed the sealing gasket 51. When the cowl is a metal cowl 52 the only remaining step is to roll the wall of the cowl into the annular recess 50. When the cowl is a plastics cowl 56 top pressure is applied to seat the annular web 58 beneath the bead 59.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A closure for a container comprising a cap adapted for screw-threaded connection with the container or with a member affixed thereto, an annular frangible ring rotationally connectable with said cap, and means on said container or said member affixed thereto causing breakage of said frangible ring upon rotation of said cap.

2. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screw- threaded cap comprises an inner screw-threaded cap member, for connection with the container or the member affixed to the container, and an outer cap member captively attached to the inner cap member and rotatable therewith at least in the unscrewing direction.

3. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the annular frangible ring is provided with two or more weakened portions.

4. A closure as claimed in claim 3 wherein each weakened portion is a thin wall section of the ring.

5. A closure as claimed in any of claims 1 to A wherein coupling of the frangible ring with the cap is provided by interengaging or intermeshing axially- extending ribs formed on the cap and the frangible ring.

6. A closure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the annular ring is provided with one or more inwardly-directed lugs or cam-shaped projections and the neck of the container or the member affixed thereto is provided with outwardly-directed projections coacting with those on the annular ring.

7. A closure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the member affixed to the container comprises a non-refillable valve fitment.

8. A closure for a container, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.