EP0147507A2 - Anti-tamper closure - Google Patents

Abstract

A container closure (12) engaging in the manner of a cap over a tubular container mouth has on its free edge facing away from the mouth a safety ring (26) which is integrally attached via intended break branches (22) and which rests via an annular bead (32) on the outer surface of the container mouth and is locked on the annular bead to protect against removal from the container mouth. The outer wall of the container mouth is provided, on the side of the annular bead (32) facing away from the mouth, with an annularly extending wall section (42) with an increased diameter compared to the outer diameter of the container mouth. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a tamper-evident closure arrangement of a container closure arranged on an essentially tubular container mouth and overlapping the container mouth in a cap-like manner, wherein on the free edge of the container closure directed towards the container there is provided a securing ring which is integrally attached via predetermined breaking webs and which protrudes from the outer surface of the tubular container mouth Ring bead is locked and engages behind a locking surface of the ring bead pointing away from the container mouth.

Tamper-evident devices for closures, which are intended to ensure that contents which are closed with them cannot be removed unnoticed or even exchanged for other inferior contents, are known in various configurations, and in cases in which the containers have a tubular mouth, ie the container is designed as a bottle or tube, a with the actual stopper or cap closure or a striped separate cap over The predetermined breaking webs are provided as a one-piece securing ring, which tightly encompasses the outer wall of the container mouth and is secured on the outer wall against being pulled off from the container mouth by a circumferential annular bead lying in front of the securing ring in the direction of the actual container mouth. When the closure is opened for the first time, the predetermined breaking bars are therefore sheared off by the actual closure or the separate closure cap. Intact breaking webs therefore guarantee that the container still contains the original filling quantity or that no unauthorized replacement of the filling material has taken place. Tamper-evident devices of this type have proven their worth and are therefore used on a large scale - especially for pharmaceutical packs. It has now been shown that it is possible in plastic closures due to the elastic properties of the plastics used for the closures with skillful manipulation to remove the closure even with elastic expansion of the locking ring without shearing off the predetermined breaking webs over the locking bead. In this case, the procedure must be such that the force for removing the closure is exerted by pressure on the free edge of the securing ring on the container side, so that the predetermined breaking webs are not subjected to shear stress. Although no cases have so far become known in which this possibility has been exploited with fraudulent intent, there is a basic need to exclude this possibility as a precaution.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a tamper-evident device for plastic closures which prevents unauthorized opening of the closure in the manner specified without breaking the target bridges, i.e. the safety ring is prevented from shearing off from the actual closure.

Starting from a closure arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset, this object is achieved according to the invention in that the outer wall of the tubular container mouth is provided on the side of the ring bulge which is engaged by the securing ring with an annular peripheral wall section with a larger diameter than the normal outer diameter of the container mouth. The annular peripheral wall section can be designed so that it either shields the free edge of the locking ring or it can stiffen the locking ring against deformation, so that fraudulent manipulation is prevented in both cases.

If the free edge of the locking ring is to be shielded, the embodiment is made in an advantageous further development of the invention so that the annular peripheral wall section is provided with a second peripheral circumferential projection which is provided at a distance from the annular bead which corresponds approximately to the width of the locking ring and which projects radially from the outer wall of the tubular container mouth Ring bead is which radially projects beyond the free edge of the retaining ring. The additional second ring bulge on the outer wall of the container mouth is thus directly in front of the free edge the circlip, which is therefore no longer accessible for fraudulent manipulation.

If, alternatively, the securing ring is to be stiffened against deformation, the annular wall section is expediently arranged in an arrangement aligned with the securing ring within the securing ring and it has an outer diameter which is substantially equal to the clear inner diameter of the securing ring. The inner surface of the circlip then lies on the circumferential wall section without any space and a deformation, e.g. by compressing the ring on opposite sides in such a way that it slightly increases its diameter at right angles to the direction of compression and in this area the unlocking of the locking ring can be initiated via the locking surface of the ring bead is no longer possible.

It is advantageous if the free edge of the annular peripheral wall section facing away from the mouth is aligned with the free edge of the securing ring, so that the two free edges lie in one plane. The locking ring can be arranged directly on the free edge of the cap-shaped container closure. A more convenient opening of the closure is possible, however, if it is designed in such a way that a tear-open tab, which is integrally connected to both the securing ring and the edge of the container closure via predetermined breaking webs, is provided between the securing ring and the free edge of the part of the container closure which overlaps the container mouth the at one point in their scope is interrupted, wherein one of the end sections of the tear-open tab adjoining the interruption to form a handle, measured over a relatively small arc dimension in the circumferential direction, does not have any predetermined breaking webs connecting it to the securing ring and the container closure. In addition to the simpler opening of the closure, this configuration also has the advantage that a distance corresponding to the width of the tear-open tab remains between the retaining ring remaining on the container mouth and the edge of the handle plate after the container has been opened, which distance is such an eye-catcher falls that an error about the previous opening of the container is excluded.

In order to make it even easier to open the closure by means of the closure flap, in a further development according to the invention, a projection is integrally formed on the inner surface of the end section of the tear-open flap forming the handle, which abuts the outside of the container mouth and the end section of the tear-open flap radially bends outwards. The bent end can then be gripped without difficulty and the tab as a whole can be torn off.

• Fig. 1 ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines mit der erfindungsgemäßen Verschlußanordnung gesicherten Behälters im sogenannten Halbschnitt, d.h. zur Hälfte in der Seitenansicht und zur Hälfte im Längsmittelschnitt dargestellt;
• Fig. 2 eine Teilschnittansicht entlang der Pfeile 2-2 in Fig. 1 in vergrößertem Maßstab;
• Fig. 3 ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel der erfindungsgemäßen Verschlußanordnung in der in Fig. 1 entsprechenden Darstellungsweise, d.h. dem Halbschnitt;
• Fig. 4 eine Teilschnittansicht durch den oberen Randbereich der Mündung eines in der erfindungsgemäßen Weise zu sichernden Behälters;
• Fig. 5 eine teilweise aufgebrochene Seitenansicht eines dritten Ausführungsbeispiels einer in der erfindungsgemäßen Weise gesicherten Verschlußanordnung; und
• Fig. 6 einen im Maßstab vergrößerten Teilschnitt durch den oberen Randbereich der Mündung des gemäß dem in Fig. 5 gezeigten Ausführungsbeispiel zu sichernden Behälters.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following description of three exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing, which shows:

• Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a container secured with the closure arrangement according to the invention in the so-called half-section, ie half in the side view and half in the longitudinal central section.
• Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along arrows 2-2 in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale;
• Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the closure arrangement according to the invention in the representation corresponding to Fig. 1, ie the half section;
• 4 shows a partial sectional view through the upper edge region of the mouth of a container to be secured in the manner according to the invention;
• 5 shows a partially broken side view of a third exemplary embodiment of a closure arrangement secured in the manner according to the invention; and
• FIG. 6 shows a partial section on an enlarged scale through the upper edge region of the mouth of the container to be secured according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

Figure 1 shows a container 10 formed as an essentially cylindrical tube, which may be intended to hold pharmaceutical preparations in tablet or pill form and is therefore provided with a closure 12 made of plastic, which prevents unauthorized opening of the product filled by the manufacturer with the original preparation and closed container 10 should be recognized. The closure 10 has in the Darge presented case in the form of a stopper closure, the stopper part 14 which can be pressed into the inside of the mouth of the container is shaped in its section lying forward in the pushing-in direction to form an olive-shaped front part 16, sealingly resting against the inner wall of the container mouth, the so-called "sealing olive". At the opposite end, the stopper part 14 is closed by an integrally molded-on grip plate 18, the edge 20 of which is slightly larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the container mouth surrounds the front end of the container mouth in a cap-like manner. On the lower free edge of the handle plate 18, a tear-open tab 24 is integrally molded over a number of predetermined breaking webs 22 which are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.

The mouth 28 of the container 10 shown in FIG. 4 without the closure 12 attached has, on its outer wall at some distance below the end edge 30, a circumferential annular bead 32 which on the end face has an obliquely inclined annular surface 34, a cylindrical annular surface 36 adjoining it, and finally a radial annular surface 38 is limited. In the intended closed position (FIG. 2), the securing ring 26 engages behind the radial annular surface 38 with a circumferential annular rib 40 formed on its inside and projecting towards the outer wall of the container Form of the annular bead 32, it is possible to push the locking ring when the closure is placed on the container 10 with elastic expansion over the oblique annular surface 34 and the subsequent cylindrical annular surface 36 until the annular rib 40 latches behind the radial annular rib 38 and then the closure against being pulled off backs up from the container 10. To open the closure 12, the tear-open tab 24 must be torn open, destroying the predetermined breaking webs 22 connecting it to the edge 20 of the grip plate 18 and the securing ring 26. It is clear that the absence of the pull tab after the closure 12 has been replaced is a clear indication that the container was already open.

It has now been shown that the closure described so far when carrying out certain manipulations, namely by exerting pressure on the lower free edge of the locking ring while simultaneously pressing on opposite areas of the locking ring, taking advantage of the possibility of elastic expansion of the locking ring can be opened in some cases without breaking the predetermined breaking webs 22. The original filling material could thus be removed from a container opened in this way and replaced by adulterated material and the closure 12 then put back on. Although the risk of tampering with the contents of the container using the described manipulation can be described as low, because in most cases the retaining ring - even when using the described manipulation is destroyed and a falsification thereby becomes evident, there is a requirement to design the closure so that it can no longer be opened at all without destroying the predetermined breaking webs holding the securing ring on the closure. This is achieved in that the lower free edge of the securing ring 26 is shielded by a second annular bead 42 which is arranged at a distance from the first annular bead approximately corresponding to the width of the securing ring and which projects from the outer wall of the container mouth 28. This annular bead 42 therefore has a slightly larger outer diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the locking ring 26, as a result of which the lower edge of the locking ring 26 is no longer accessible. The desired additional securing of the closure 12 against unauthorized opening is thus ensured.

On the other hand, to facilitate the authorized opening of the closure 12, the tear-open tab 24 is designed as a handle at one end section 44 in that it is not connected over a certain length with predetermined breaking bars 22 to the securing ring 26 and the edge 20 of the handle plate 18. Thus, the end section 44 can be bent radially without exertion. In addition, in the manner shown in FIG. 2, a projection 46 can be formed on the container-side inner surface of the end section 44, which is supported on the cylindrical ring surface 36 of the annular bead 32 and therefore already pushes the end section 44 somewhat radially outward, so that it is readily accessible.

The container closure 12 'shown in Figure 3 differs from the closure 12 described above only in that a tear-open tab which facilitates opening of the closure is dispensed with, i.e. the securing ring 26 is attached directly over predetermined breaking webs 22 at the lower edge of the section 20 of the handle plate 18 which overlaps the container mouth 28 in a cap-like manner. A more detailed description of the closure 12 'is therefore not necessary, especially since the same parts of the closure are provided with the same reference numerals in the drawing. In any case, it should be noted that, in order to secure the closure 12 'against unauthorized opening, a second annular bead 42 is again provided on the outer wall of the container 10 at a distance from the first annular bead 32, which shields the lower free edge of the securing ring 26.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the arrangement of the locking ring 26 on the container closure 12 "in the same manner as with the container closure 12, ie with the interposition of a tear-open tab 24, the closure 12" itself, however, being designed as a more elastic closure cap whose end wall 18 'is molded onto the inner surface directed into the interior of the container, a cylindrical receptacle 15 for a dry substance filling 17, which is held in the receptacle 15 by a moisture-permeable cardboard disk 19. In addition, a hold-down 21 for the container filling material is attached to the end wall 18 'via elastically deformable spiral arms. Instead of connecting with the stopper part 14 provided with the sealing olive 16 described above, the closure cap 12 "is at a parallel distance from its outer edge 20 which overlaps the container mouth 28 in the manner shown in FIG. 5 with a relatively low elastic stopper part 14 'on the inner surface of the container mouth 28 sealed.

The container 10 'differs in the region of the container mouth 28 from the previously described exemplary embodiments in that instead of a second annular bead 42, which radially projects beyond the securing ring 26 and is provided at a distance below the first annular bead 32, directly following the locking surface 38 of the first annular bead 32 in one the width of the securing ring corresponds to the width of the wall thickness of the container mouth, so that a circumferential wall section 42 'with a somewhat larger diameter than the outer diameter of the container mouth 28 is formed. The outer diameter of the wall section 42 'is selected so that it essentially corresponds to the retaining ring 26, which is now dimensioned over its entire width with the same wall thickness. The locking ring 26 thus lies in the intended closed position on the container 10 'without a space on the wall section 42', making manipulations to deform the locking ring 26 so difficult that removing the container cap together with the pull tab 24 and the locking ring 26 without Damage to the predetermined breaking bars 22 is not possible.

It can be seen that modifications and developments of the exemplary embodiments described can be implemented within the scope of the inventive concept. Instead of the described stopper closures or the last-mentioned cap closure, the tamper-evident protection can also be implemented in the same way with pure cap closures, which therefore have no stopper part engaging in the container mouth. Furthermore, the closure arrangement according to the invention is also suitable for other containers, e.g. Bottles, canisters and the like Realizable, provided that these containers are only provided with a tubular container mouth (bottle neck; pouring spout), which is provided in the manner provided according to the invention with the annular bead 32 and a second annular bead 42 or the circumferential wall section 42 'enlarged in diameter.

Claims (6)

1.A tamper-evident closure arrangement of a container closure arranged on an essentially tubular container mouth, overlapping the container mouth in a cap-like manner, on the free edge of which is directed away from the container mouth and provided with a securing ring which is integrally attached via predetermined breaking webs and which is latched over an annular bead projecting from the outer surface of the tubular container mouth and engages behind a locking surface of the annular bead pointing away from the container mouth, characterized in that the outer wall of the tubular container mouth (28) on the side facing away from the mouth of the annular bead (32) engaged by the securing ring (26) with an annular peripheral wall section (42; 42 ¹ ) the outer diameter of the container mouth (28) is provided with an enlarged diameter. 2. Tamper-evident closure arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular circumferential wall section is provided at an approximately the width of the retaining ring (26) corresponding distance from the annular bead (32), radially projecting from the outer wall of the tubular container mouth (28) second circumferential annular bead ( 42), which projects radially beyond the free edge of the securing ring (26) facing away from the container mouth. 3. tamper-evident closure arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular peripheral wall portion (42 ¹ ) in the locking ring (26) aligned and covered by it arrangement below the locking ring (26) and has an outer diameter which is substantially equal to that inside diameter of the locking ring (26). 4. tamper-evident closure arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the mouth-facing free edge of the annular peripheral wall portion (42 ¹ ) is aligned with the free edge of the locking ring (26). 5. Tamper-evident closure arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that between the retaining ring (26) and the free edge of the part of the container closure (12; 12 '; 12 ") which overlaps the container mouth, both with the retaining ring (26) as well as the edge of the container closure (12; 12 '; 12 ") is provided in one piece by means of predetermined breaking webs (22) which is interrupted at one point on its circumference, one of the end sections (44) following the interruption Tear-open tab (24) for forming a handle measured over a relatively small radian measure in the circumferential direction does not have any predetermined breaking webs (22) connecting it to the securing ring (26) and the container closure (18). 6. Tamper-evident closure arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that on the outer wall of the tubular container mouth (28) facing the inner surface of the handle forming end portion (44) of the tear tab (24), a projection (46) is integrally formed, which on the outside the container mouth rests and the end section (44) of the tear tab (24) bends radially outward.

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