EP0421590B1 - Originalitätsgesicherter Behälter - Google Patents

Originalitätsgesicherter Behälter Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0421590B1
EP0421590B1 EP90308895A EP90308895A EP0421590B1 EP 0421590 B1 EP0421590 B1 EP 0421590B1 EP 90308895 A EP90308895 A EP 90308895A EP 90308895 A EP90308895 A EP 90308895A EP 0421590 B1 EP0421590 B1 EP 0421590B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
seal
indicating
closure
indicating position
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP90308895A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0421590A1 (de
Inventor
Ian Michael Daines Gaylor
David John Livesley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Continental White Cap Inc
Original Assignee
Continental White Cap Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Continental White Cap Inc filed Critical Continental White Cap Inc
Publication of EP0421590A1 publication Critical patent/EP0421590A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0421590B1 publication Critical patent/EP0421590B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D55/00—Accessories for container closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D55/02—Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure
    • B65D55/026—Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure initial opening or unauthorised access being indicated by a visual change using indicators other than tearable means, e.g. change of colour, pattern or opacity
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D79/00—Kinds or details of packages, not otherwise provided for
    • B65D79/005—Packages having deformable parts for indicating or neutralizing internal pressure-variations by other means than venting
    • B65D79/0087—Packages having deformable parts for indicating or neutralizing internal pressure-variations by other means than venting the deformable part being located in a closure, e.g. in caps or lids

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a container, particularly one whose contents are to remain safely sealed from the environment, and especially to one having means for rendering tampering evident.
  • Some containers such as beer cans, are made such that they are in effect destroyed when they are opened. Unobservable tampering is difficult, but such containers cannot be resealed by the legitimate user after partial use of their contents.
  • a cap may be provided with a band at its base, joined to the remainder of the cap through a line of weakness.
  • the band is prevented from rotating or from rising up the screw thread when the cap is unscrewed, and as a result it becomes detached from the remainder of the cap.
  • a paper label is stuck across a stopper such that the movement of the stopper causes the paper to be torn.
  • Heat-shrink sleeves have been shrunk around the tops of bottles so as to enclose the stopper. Removal of the stopper requires the shrunk sleeve to be cut away.
  • a more expensive technique is to trap the stopper by means of a wire frame around the bottle top, the ends of the wire being locked by means of a solder seal.
  • a conformational change in a part of a container may be made to occur when an attempt is made to open the container to the environment, and that conformational change can result in an irreversible observable indication.
  • the present invention provides a container and a method of packing food in a container as defined in the claims.
  • the indication provided by the container may be an optical and/or tactile change that is not reversed if the indicating area is returned from its non-seal indicating position to its seal indicating position.
  • the first part of the container may be a lid, by which term we include caps and stoppers etc.
  • the second part may be a can, box, jar, flexible pack or bottle.
  • the induced optical or tactile change may be a change in light-scattering and/or light-reflectance at a visible or machine-readable portion (which need not be an external surface) of the article. In general, the portion at which scattering or reflectance occurs will be an intermediate surface or layer of a multi-layer coating on the article.
  • Apparatus such as production line may be provided for use in the methods of the invention.
  • Such apparatus preferably includes means for closing a container, means for applying a label or material in other form, and means for treating the material for example with UV or other irradiation to make it brittle etc.
  • the apparatus may also include means for fitting the container and for making a vacuum inside.
  • the material may be applied as part of a label or as a three-dimensional pre-form, formed for example by injection-moulding.
  • the foodstuff 3 is placed in the bottle 1, the bottle and the foodstuff therein are then sterilised by heating, a cap 2 is then sealed on to the bottle and the bottle and the foodstuff are left to cool.
  • a vacuum 5 is created within the bottle causing the outside of the lid to become concave 4.
  • the outer surface of the cap has been coated with a material 7, such as a laquer, capable of undergoing an optical and/or tactile change, such as crazing or stress-clouding, when the cap 2 is released from its concave configuration. This will, of course, occur when the container is opened, at the cap or elsewhere and the vacuum is released.
  • the cap may be provided alone or it may be used with another closure part such as a cover 6. Cover 6 may be transparent such that the state of the laquer 7 may be viewed without its removal.
  • the material 7 undergoes an optical and/or tactile change when the cap 2 is released from its concave configuration, it must be brittle. If it is not brittle when it is applied to the cap, it can be made brittle by a process such as cross-linking. This may be carried out by irradiation with ultra-violet light or by chemical means etc.
  • the lacquer or other material 7 may be melted by the application of heat and allowed to cool to become a brittle solid which can be caused to craze in a way that is not reversible by any reasonable treatment.
  • the material 7 is applied in solution and on evaporation of the solvent, whilst the lid 2 is in the concave conformation, the material cures.
  • a preferred material comprises a wax/resin blend.
  • a variety of such materials are available and the desired melting point, brittleness, hardness and colour may be chosen.
  • At present preferred blends are those marketed by Wilkins Cambell & Co Ltd under the trade marks 6565, 6545 and 6566.
  • Other materials may be used depending upon the technique by means of which they are applied to the container. Melting and resolidification may be used in the case of hot-melt adhesives, such as polyamides and ethylene vinylacetates etc.
  • Various cross-linkable or curable materials may be used, such as epoxy materials which may be chemically cross-linked and polyimides which may be cross-linked using ultra-violet light.
  • Other suitable polymeric materials include polystyrenes, polypropylenes and polyurethanes. These materials are preferably used without plasticizers, and with inert fillers such as talc or chalk.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a second embodiment of the container according to the present invention.
  • Figure 2 shows a tin can 8 having a lid 2 sealed to it by means of a sealed seam 9.
  • the tin contains a perishable foodstuff 3 under vacuum 5.
  • the lid is in a first conformation having a concave portion 4 due to the vacuum 5.
  • the lid was in a second conformation, which is substantially flat or convex.
  • the elastic energy in the lid causes it to return to this second conformation.
  • the concave portion 4 has on it a mark 10 such as a bar code or a visual message.
  • a material 7 such as a laquer, that will craze when the lid 2 is released from its first conformation.
  • a transparent layer may be provided over the material 7 as shown by the dotted line. This transparent layer may be provided to prevent fragmentation and removal of the material 7 after crazing.
  • Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view showing a third embodiment of the container according to the present invention.
  • Figure 3 shows a plastics vacuum pack 11 containing perishable goods 3 under vacuum 5.
  • An insert 12 is placed on the goods 3.
  • the insert has perforations or is otherwise constructed such that pressure within it equals the pressure within the pack 3.
  • the insert has a concave portion 4 resulting from the vacuum 5 within the pack 11.
  • the top of the insert is aligned with the top edges of the pack 11 in order that the film 2 can cause concave portion 4 to be formed in the insert as the vacuum 5 develops in the pack 11.
  • Figure 4(a) demonstrates a method of curing a material 7, in this case a laquer.
  • Figure 4(a) shows a lid 2, having a coating of a laquer 7, in its concave conformation brought about by the vacuum 5.
  • the arrows 13 represent some agency such as ultra-violet light which causes the laquer 7 to cure and become brittle after the concave conformation has been achieved.
  • the vacuum 5 has been released and the lid has popped upwards and become convex. This has caused the laquer 7 to become crazed and to scatter or reflect light.
  • the concave portion of the lid may bear some mark, as mentioned above, or it may merely be coloured in a colour that is distinctive from that of the crazed or otherwise altered material 7.
  • the optical change may be enhanced by the provision of a colourant, such as a micro-encapsulated dye that is dispersed by the conformational change. The dye may then travel along cracks in the material by capillary action.
  • Figure 5(a) shows the presence of a bar code 14 on a lid 10 of a can 8.
  • the material 7 may be coated above or below the bar code 14.
  • the code 14 can no longer be read. This lack of ability of the bar code to be read will cause the goods to be rejected at the point of sale. The fault in the goods will be readily apparent to both buyer and seller and the crazing will not be reversed on resealing.
  • Figures 6(a) and 6(b) show how a message can be altered in meaning by crazing of material 7 to produce a generally opaque covering 15.
  • a first mark 7 and two second marks 17 are shown on a lid 2.
  • the message read "tamper not evident” and after the conformational change, brought about by loss of vacuum within the container, the message reads "tamper evident”.
  • the invention may be used together with one or more other means of detecting or resisting tampering, for example, a heat-shrink sleeve or a label or other layer etc may at least partially cover the second part of the container such that its rupture is required to separate the first and second parts.
  • a heat-shrink sleeve or a label or other layer etc may at least partially cover the second part of the container such that its rupture is required to separate the first and second parts.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
  • Apparatuses And Processes For Manufacturing Resistors (AREA)
  • Inspection Of Paper Currency And Valuable Securities (AREA)

Claims (21)

  1. Verfahren zum Verpacken von Nahrungsmittel in einem Behälter mit Orginalitätsanzeige, mit den Schritten:
       Vorsehen eines Behälters mit einem Hauptteil (1) und einem Verschluß (6) zur Anbringung auf dem Hauptteil (1), wobei der Verschluß eine flexible Endplatte mit einer Dichtungsanzeigefläche aufweist, die aus einer Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) in eine Öffnungsanzeigestellung umschnappen kann durch Freigabe von in der Platte gespeicherter Energie;
       Anordnen des Nahrungsmittels in dem Hauptteil (1) und Erhitzen des Haupteils (1) und des darin befindlichen Nahrungsmittels;
       Aufbringen des Verschlusses (6) auf dem Hauptteil (1), während der Behälter und das Nahrungsmittel heiß sind, und Abkühlenlassen zur Erzeugung eines Vakuums darin, wodurch die Dichtungsanzeigefläche in ihre Dichtungsanzeigestellung schnappt, in der Energie in der Platte gespeichert ist; und
       wobei an der Dichtungsanzeigefläche ein härtbares Material angebracht ist, welches spröde wird, nachdem die Dichtungsanzeigefläche in ihre Dichtungsanzeigestellung geschnappt ist, so daß eine Sprödschicht (7) erzeugt wird, die ein irreversibles Orginalitätsanzeigesystem bildet, welches dadurch betätigbar ist, daß die Anzeigefläche in ihre Öffnungsanzeigestellung schnappt, wodurch die Sprödschicht (7) bricht und anzeigt, daß der Behälter geöffnet wurde.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, bei der die Endplatte (2), von der Außenseite des Behälters gesehen, in der Dichtungsanzeigestellung konkav oder im wesentlichen eben ist und die Öffnungsanzeigestellung im wesentlichen eben bzw. konvex ist.
  3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei der Sprödschicht (7) ein Material aufweist, welches durch Vernetzung versprödet ist.
  4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, bei dem die Sprödschicht ein Material aufweist, welches ein lichthärtbarer Kunststoff oder Lack ist.
  5. Verfahren nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Sprödschicht (7) einen Farbstoff enthält, der dispergiert wird, wenn die Fläche aus der Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) in die Öffnungsanzeigestellung schnappt.
  6. Verfahren nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem das Originalitätsanzeigesystem Anzeigesymbole unterhalb der Sprödschicht aufweist, so daß beim Brechen der Sprödschicht die Sichtbarkeit der Anzeigesymbole geändert wird.
  7. Verfahren nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem das Nahrungsmittel in dem Behälter durch Hitze sterilisiert wird.
  8. Verfahren nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Hauptteil eine Glasflasche und der Verschluß eine auf die Flasche abgedichtete Kappe ist.
  9. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, bei dem der Hauptteil eine Kunststoffflasche und der Verschluß eine auf die Flasche abgedichtete Kappe ist.
  10. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, bei dem der Hauptteil eine Dose und der Verschluß ein auf der Dose dichtend befestigter Deckel ist.
  11. Behälter mit einem Hauptteil (1), einem daran abdichtend angebrachten Verschluß (6), einer an dem Verschluß (6) vorgesehen flexiblen Endplatte (2), die eine Fläche aufweist, die beim Öffnen des Behälters aus einer Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) in eine Öffnungsanzeigestellung umschnappt durch Freigabe von in der Endplatte (2) gespeicherter innerer Energie, und einem von der Endplatte getragenen Orginalitätsanzeigesystem, welches eine Sprödschicht (7) aufweist, die durch Umschnappen der Fläche der Endplatte irreversibel brechbar ist und eine Anzeige, daß der Behälter geöffnet wurde, liefert;
       dadurch gekennzeichnet,
       die Sprödschicht (7) ein Material aufweist, das ein durch Ultraviolettlicht lichthärtbarer Kunststoff oder Lack ist und zur Versprödung vernetzt wurde.
  12. Behälter mit einem Hauptteil (1), einem daran abdichtend angebrachten Verschluß (6), einer an dem Verschluß (6) vorgesehen flexiblen Endplatte (2), die eine Fläche aufweist, die beim Öffnen des Behälters aus einer Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) in eine Öffnungsanzeigestellung umschnappt durch Freigabe von in der Endplatte (2) gespeicherter innerer Energie, und einem von der Endplatte getragenen Orginalitätsanzeigesystem, welches eine Sprödschicht (7) aufweist, die durch Umschnappen der Fläche der Endplatte irreversibel brechbar ist und eine Anzeige, daß der Behälter geöffnet wurde, liefert;
       dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
       die Sprödschicht (7) durch Vernetzung versprödet ist und einen Farbstoff enthält, der dispergiert wird, wenn die Fläche aus der Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) in die Öffnungsanzeigestellung umschnappt.
  13. Behälter mit einem Hauptteil (1), einem daran abdichtend angebrachten Verschluß (6), einer an dem Verschluß (6) vorgesehen flexiblen Endplatte (2), die eine Fläche aufweist, die beim Öffnen des Behälters aus einer Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) in eine Öffnungsanzeigestellung umschnappt durch Freigabe von in der Endplatte (2) gespeicherter innerer Energie, und einem von der Endplatte getragenen Orginalitätsanzeigesystem, welches eine Sprödschicht (7) aufweist, die durch Umschnappen der Fläche der Endplatte irreversibel brechbar ist und eine Anzeige, daß der Behälter geöffnet wurde, liefert;
       dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
       die Sprödschicht (7) durch Vernetzen versprödet ist und daß das Orginalitätsanzeigesystem Anzeigesymbole unterhalb der Sprödschicht aufweist derart, daß beim Brechen der Sprödschicht die Sichtbarkeit der Anzeigesymbole geändert wird.
  14. Behälter nach Anspruch 11, 12 oder 13, bei dem die Enplatte (2), von der Außenseite des Behälters gesehen, in der Dichtunganzeigestellung konkav (4) oder im wesentlichen eben ist und die Öffnungsanzeigestellung im wesentlichen eben bzw. konvex ist.
  15. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 14, bei dem die Dichtungsanzeigestellung (4) instabil und die Öffnungsanzeigestellung stabil ist.
  16. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 15, der Nahrungsmittel, Getränk oder Arzneimittel enthält.
  17. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 16, der unter Vakuum steht.
  18. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 17, dessen Inhalt steril ist.
  19. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 18, bei dem der Hauptteil eine Glasflasche und der Verschluß eine auf die Flasche abgedichtete Kappe ist.
  20. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 18, bei dem der Hauptteil eine Kunststoffflasche und der Verschluß eine auf die Flasche abgedichtete Kappe ist.
  21. Behälter nach einem der Ansprüche 11 bis 18, bei dem der Hauptteil eine Dose und der Verschluß ein an der Dose abdichtend angebrachter Deckel ist.
EP90308895A 1989-08-15 1990-08-13 Originalitätsgesicherter Behälter Expired - Lifetime EP0421590B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8918541 1989-08-15
GB898918541A GB8918541D0 (en) 1989-08-15 1989-08-15 Detection of damaged goods

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0421590A1 EP0421590A1 (de) 1991-04-10
EP0421590B1 true EP0421590B1 (de) 1995-02-01

Family

ID=10661609

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90308895A Expired - Lifetime EP0421590B1 (de) 1989-08-15 1990-08-13 Originalitätsgesicherter Behälter

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0421590B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE117963T1 (de)
CA (1) CA2023375C (de)
DE (1) DE69016556T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2069015T3 (de)
GB (1) GB8918541D0 (de)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5018632A (en) * 1990-06-29 1991-05-28 Continental White Cap Inc. Tamper evident closure
US5474194A (en) * 1990-07-09 1995-12-12 Continental White Cap, Inc. Closure with irreversible color change system
US5152412A (en) * 1990-07-18 1992-10-06 Continental White Cap, Inc. Tamper evident closure using microcapsules
GB9323185D0 (en) * 1993-11-10 1994-01-05 Metal Box Plc Closures for containers
CN1079072C (zh) * 1996-02-08 2002-02-13 山村硝子株式会社 用合成树脂制成的防盗盖
GB2317882A (en) * 1996-10-04 1998-04-08 Chown Peter A C A container for a pressurised food or drink product
SE528760C2 (sv) 2005-05-18 2007-02-13 Secure Logistics Sweden Ab Metod och anordning för detektering av intrång i eller manipulation av innehållet i en inneslutning
GB2437948C (en) * 2006-05-08 2012-02-29 Memseal Ltd Tamper indicator device
PL226209B1 (pl) 2014-05-09 2017-06-30 Kaj Spółka Z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością Zakretka bezpieczna z elementem gwarancyjnym, zwlaszcza dla przemyslu farmaceutycznego
EP3636964A1 (de) * 2018-10-09 2020-04-15 LANXESS Deutschland GmbH Kappen mit druckanzeige für behälter

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4557505A (en) * 1984-01-05 1985-12-10 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Stress-opacifying tamper indicating tape
US4721217A (en) * 1986-08-07 1988-01-26 Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. Tamper evident optically variable device and article utilizing the same
US4747497A (en) * 1987-05-08 1988-05-31 Holman Tommy E Tamper detection cap

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2069015T3 (es) 1995-05-01
EP0421590A1 (de) 1991-04-10
DE69016556D1 (de) 1995-03-16
GB8918541D0 (en) 1989-09-27
ATE117963T1 (de) 1995-02-15
CA2023375C (en) 2001-12-11
DE69016556T2 (de) 1995-07-06
CA2023375A1 (en) 1991-02-16

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