EP0819085B1 - Tamper evident bottle cap - Google Patents
Tamper evident bottle cap Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0819085B1 EP0819085B1 EP96914874A EP96914874A EP0819085B1 EP 0819085 B1 EP0819085 B1 EP 0819085B1 EP 96914874 A EP96914874 A EP 96914874A EP 96914874 A EP96914874 A EP 96914874A EP 0819085 B1 EP0819085 B1 EP 0819085B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- band
- skirt
- bridges
- tamper
- tabs
- 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
Links
Images
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
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3423—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt
- B65D41/3428—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
-
- 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
- B65D2401/00—Tamper-indicating means
- B65D2401/45—Windows in external skirts for viewing tamper-element
Definitions
- This invention relates to the art of bottle closures, and more particularly to a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap.
- the tamper-evident band is normally smaller in diameter than a retaining flange on the bottle finish, and is pushed over the retaining flange at the factory when the cap is installed.
- the band is connected to the rest of the cap along a weakened peripheral line, for example define by a series of perforations which weaken the material and provide a locus for failure when the cap is removed.
- EP228618A2 discloses a tamper-indicating closure comprising means for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper-evident band.
- the tamper-evident band is provided with inwardly and upwardly directed protrusions on its upper edge. During relative axial movement between the tamper-evident band and the skirt of the closure, these projections engage the bottom edge of the skirt of the closure.
- the protrusions comprise an inclined upper and outer surface. When this surface engages the lower edge of the skirt, the tamper-evident band is prevented from unduly expanding.
- Such means need a separate cutting operation for their fabrication and work only if there is a relative axial movement between the tamper-evident band and the skirt of the closure. This axial movement may lead to premature failure of frangible bridges connecting the tamper-evident band to the skirt.
- An object of the invention is to reinforce a bottle cap having a tamper-evident band against axial compression failure as described above.
- a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap is formed, including a skirt with a lower edge, and a tamper-evident band formed integrally with the skirt and having structure for engaging beneath a retaining flange on the bottle so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the band.
- Frangible bridges connect the band to the lower edge of the skirt.
- the skirt has tabs, extending downward over a portion of the band, for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper-evident band as it passes over the retaining flange.
- a compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap embodying the invention is shown in Figs. 1 - 7.
- the cap has a number of conventional features, including a planar, circular base 12 surrounded by a circular skirt 14 having a helical internal thread 16 for engaging a complementary thread 16 (see Fig. 7) on a bottle neck 18.
- the circular rib 20 on the bottom of the base provides a seal within the bottle mouth 22 when the cap is in place.
- Figures 4 and 5 show the tamper-evident band 24 which is connected to the bottom of the skirt by a series of frangible bridges 26 designed to fail when the cap is removed from the bottle.
- the bridges must not fail when the cap is installed on the bottle at the factory, or they will give a false indication of tampering.
- the amount of bridge flexure during installation is limited by providing, on the bottom edge of the skirt, structure which limits outward expansion of the band, and brings the skirt to bear directly down on the band, so that the bridges are not unduly stressed.
- This protective structure may take a number of forms. The one presently most preferred is that shown in the first seven figures.
- the skirt has a series of tabs 32 which extend downwardly, radially containing the uppermost part of the band.
- the windows 34 between the tabs are centered over the bridges, permitting one to see the bridges, and also facilitating manufacture.
- Figure 8 shows a modified form of the invention, which is the same in all respects as that previously described, except the there are no windows: the tabs are replaced by a continuous circular rim 36 which performs the same function as the tabs, perhaps with some added strength, but with the disadvantage that the bridges are hidden from view.
- the expansion-limiting structure 40 is, as in Figure 8, continuous, but axially abbreviated, so that one can still see the bridges.
- the internal lip 42 depicted provides a sealing function not important to the present invention.
- the expansion-limited structure at the bottom of the cap's skirt prevents the band from riding up over the cap during installation, and thus maintains the integrity of the bridges.
- bridges can be replaced by functional equivalents.
- a circumferentially continuous thin connector strip, or a score line might connect the band to the skirt.
- the bridges might be fairly narrow, circumferentially, as shown in Figure 3, or they might have substantially width. Conceivably, they could be defined between a series of perforations in the cap material. Other variations may occur to people in this field.
Description
Claims (3)
- A compression failure resistant tamper evident bottle cap for installation on a bottle having a retaining flange (130), said cap comprisinga skirt (14) with a lower edge,a tamper-evident band (24) formed integrally with the skirt and having structure (28) for engaging beneath the retaining flange (130) so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the band (24), andfrangible means (26) for connecting the band (24) to the lower edge of the skirt,wherein the cap has means (32, 36, 38, 40) for preventing undue diametral expansion of the tamper-evident band (24) as the cap is being installed on the bottle and wherein the frangible means are a series of bridges molded at circumferential intervals between the skirt and the band.
characterised in that the expansion preventing means are a series of tabs (32) extending downwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt over the tamper-evident band (24), with windows between the tabs (32) being centered over the bridges (26) so that the bridges are visible between the tabs (32), whereby the tabs adjoin the outer surface of the tamper evident band (24) for providing restraining engagement of the tamper-evident band (24) to protect the structural integrity of the frangible means (26). - The invention of claim 1, wherein the frangible means are a series of bridges molded at circumferential intervals between the skirt and the band.
- The invention of claim 2, wherein the expansion preventing means are a series of tabs extending downwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt, with windows between the tabs being centered over the bridges so that the bridges so that the bridges are visible between the tabs.
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US616524 | 1984-06-04 | ||
CH977/95 | 1995-04-05 | ||
CH97795 | 1995-04-05 | ||
CH97795 | 1995-04-05 | ||
US61652496A | 1996-03-19 | 1996-03-19 | |
PCT/EP1996/001447 WO1996031404A1 (en) | 1995-04-05 | 1996-04-02 | Tamper evident bottle cap |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0819085A1 EP0819085A1 (en) | 1998-01-21 |
EP0819085B1 true EP0819085B1 (en) | 1999-08-18 |
Family
ID=25686277
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP96914874A Expired - Lifetime EP0819085B1 (en) | 1995-04-05 | 1996-04-02 | Tamper evident bottle cap |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0819085B1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU710291B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR9604871A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2216632A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69603839T2 (en) |
TR (1) | TR199701093T1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4147268A (en) * | 1976-09-24 | 1979-04-03 | Patel Chandrakant S | Pilfer-proof closure for containers |
FR2421119A1 (en) * | 1978-03-28 | 1979-10-26 | Captocap Ltd | INVIOLABLE PLASTIC CAP |
US4744480A (en) * | 1985-12-19 | 1988-05-17 | The West Company | Tamper-evident container-closure |
-
1996
- 1996-04-02 BR BR9604871-9A patent/BR9604871A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-04-02 AU AU56857/96A patent/AU710291B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1996-04-02 DE DE69603839T patent/DE69603839T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1996-04-02 TR TR97/01093T patent/TR199701093T1/en unknown
- 1996-04-02 EP EP96914874A patent/EP0819085B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-04-02 CA CA002216632A patent/CA2216632A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU5685796A (en) | 1996-10-23 |
EP0819085A1 (en) | 1998-01-21 |
MX9707600A (en) | 1998-06-28 |
BR9604871A (en) | 1999-11-30 |
AU710291B2 (en) | 1999-09-16 |
CA2216632A1 (en) | 1996-10-10 |
TR199701093T1 (en) | 1998-02-21 |
DE69603839D1 (en) | 1999-09-23 |
DE69603839T2 (en) | 1999-12-09 |
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