EP0913334B1 - Kunstharz-behälterdeckel mit garantieeigenschaften - Google Patents

Kunstharz-behälterdeckel mit garantieeigenschaften Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0913334B1
EP0913334B1 EP97949113A EP97949113A EP0913334B1 EP 0913334 B1 EP0913334 B1 EP 0913334B1 EP 97949113 A EP97949113 A EP 97949113A EP 97949113 A EP97949113 A EP 97949113A EP 0913334 B1 EP0913334 B1 EP 0913334B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
high strength
tamper evident
strength bridging
container closure
mouth
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
EP97949113A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0913334A1 (de
EP0913334A4 (de
Inventor
Yoshihiro Hiratsuka-koujou of KAITSUKA
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.)
Nippon Closures Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Japan Crown Cork Co Ltd
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 Japan Crown Cork Co Ltd filed Critical Japan Crown Cork Co Ltd
Publication of EP0913334A1 publication Critical patent/EP0913334A1/de
Publication of EP0913334A4 publication Critical patent/EP0913334A4/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0913334B1 publication Critical patent/EP0913334B1/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
    • 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
    • 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
    • B65D41/3404—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element
    • B65D41/3409—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element 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
    • 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
    • B65D2401/15—Tearable part of the closure
    • B65D2401/30—Tamper-ring remaining connected to closure after initial removal
    • 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
    • B65D2401/15—Tearable part of the closure
    • B65D2401/35—Vertical or axial lines of weakness
    • 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
    • B65D2401/15—Tearable part of the closure
    • B65D2401/40—Bridges having different cross-sections

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a plastic container closure to be applied to a container for containing a beverage or the like, the container having a mouth-and-neck portion on whose outer peripheral surface an external thread and an engaging jaw portion positioned below the external thread are formed. More specifically, the invention relates to a plastic container closure having tamper evident properties (the properties that when the container is manipulated for unjust purposes, the traces of the manipulation are left).
  • a glass or plastic container for a soft drink or the like has a mouth-and-neck portion on whose outer peripheral surface an external thread and an engaging jaw portion positioned below the external thread are formed.
  • a plastic container closure for bottles comprising a cap with an internally threaded skirt and a cylindrical tamper indicating band disposed adjacent the end of the skirt.
  • This band has a longer and a shorter angular section and comprises a rupture site between the end portions of said sections. Both end portions of the shorter section are integrally connected with the lower end of the skirt by two sufficiently rigid bridges which maintain the permanent connection after breaking the rupture site.
  • the container closure has a circular top panel wall, and a skirt wall extending downwardly from the top panel wall.
  • the skirt wall has formed therein a circumferentially extending circumferential breakage means, which divides the skirt wall into a main portion above the circumferential breakage means, and a tamper evident bottom portion below the circumferential breakage means.
  • the main portion of the skirt wall has formed on its inner peripheral surface an internal thread collaborating with the external thread formed in the mouth-and-neck portion of the container.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion has formed on its inner peripheral surface an engaging means collaborating with the engaging jaw portion formed in the mouth-and-neck portion of the container.
  • the circumferential breakage means includes a plurality of bridging portions disposed at circumferentially spaced positions and connecting the tamper evident bottom portion to the main portion of the skirt wall.
  • One of the plurality of bridging portions is a high strength bridging portion having a large cross-sectional area.
  • axial breakage means is formed in the tamper evident bottom portion.
  • the axial breakage means is constituted from a score formed by reducing the thickness of the material, or a slit including a discontinuous portion (a groove formed by either completely cutting the material in its thickness direction, or causing the material not to be present in the entire thickness direction during molding).
  • the container closure is fitted on the mouth-and-neck portion, and turned in a closing direction to screw the internal thread of the container closure onto the external thread of the mouth-and-neck portion.
  • the engaging means of the container closure is elastically passed over the engaging jaw portion of the mouth-and-neck portion and engaged with the surface below the engaging jaw portion.
  • the container is turned in an opening direction. As a result, the internal thread of the container closure is moved along the external thread of the mouth-and-neck portion, whereupon the screwing together of the external thread and the internal thread is released.
  • the container closure is brought upward in accordance with turning in the opening direction.
  • the engaging means formed in the tamper evident bottom portion remains engaged with the engaging jaw portion of the mouth-and-neck portion.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion is inhibited from ascending. Because of this inhibition, stress is generated in the circumferential breakage means, whereby the bridging portions in the circumferential breakage means are broken, except for the one high strength bridging portion.
  • occurrence of the following behavior has been contemplated: The score or the discontinuous portion of the slit in the axial breakage means formed in the tamper evident bottom portion will be broken.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion will be spread in the form of a band, whereby the engaging means will be disengaged from the engaging jaw portion. Then, the entire container closure will be moved upward in accordance with the turning in the opening direction, and removed from the mouth-and-neck portion.
  • the conventional container closure described above poses the following problem: In unsealing the mouth-and-neck portion of the container, it has been intended that the score or the discontinuous portion of the slit in the axial breakage means formed in the tamper evident bottom portion will be broken, so that the tamper evident bottom portion will be spread in the form of a band.
  • the one high strength bridging portion in the circumferential breakage means may be broken instead of the breakage of the score or the discontinuous portion of the slit in the axial breakage means. As a result, the score or the discontinuous portion of the slit may remain unbroken.
  • the axial breakage means disposed in the tamper evident bottom portion, from a slit continuously extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion substantially to its lower end.
  • the axial breakage means disposed in the tamper evident bottom portion, from a slit continuously extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion substantially to its lower end tends to cause the following unacceptable event:
  • the tamper evident bottom portion is enlarged at the site where its axial breakage means exists. This causes breakage of at least some of the plurality of bridging portions in the circumferential breakage means.
  • two of the plurality of bridging portions are made high strength bridging portions with a large cross-sectional area, the two high strength bridging portions are disposed on both sides of the upper end of the axial breakage means constituted from the slit extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion substantially to its lower end, and one of the high strength bridging portions extends in one circumferential direction from the upper end, or one end close thereto, of the axial breakage means, while the other high strength bridging portion extends in the opposite circumferential direction from the upper end, or one end close thereto, of the axial breakage means.
  • the present invention provides a plastic container closure having tamper evident properties which is to be applied to a container having a mouth-and-neck portion on whose outer peripheral surface an external thread and an engaging jaw portion positioned below the external thread are formed, the plastic container closure having a top panel wall and a skirt wall extending downwardly from the top panel wall; the skirt wall having formed therein a circumferentially extending circumferential breakage means, the skirt wall being divided into a main portion above the circumferential breakage means, and a tamper evident bottom portion below the circumferential breakage means; the main portion of the skirt wall having formed on its inner peripheral surface an internal thread collaborating with the external thread of the mouth-and-neck portion; the tamper evident bottom portion having formed on its inner peripheral surface an engaging means collaborating with the engaging jaw portion of the mouth-and-neck portion; the circumferential breakage means including a plurality of bridging portions disposed at circumferentially space
  • the cross-sectional area of the first high strength bridging portion is larger than the cross-sectional area of the second high strength bridging portion, and when the screwing together of the internal thread and the external thread is released to remove the plastic container closure from the mouth-and-neck portion, the second high strength bridging portion is broken, while the first high strength bridging portion remains unbroken, the tamper evident bottom portion is spread in a band form with the engaging means being disengaged from the engaging jaw portion, and the entire container closure including the tamper evident bottom portion is removed from the mouth-and-neck portion.
  • the cross-sectional area of the first high strength bridging portion is 1.50 to 4.50 mm 2
  • the cross-sectional area of the second high strength bridging portion is 0.80 to 2.20 mm 2
  • the first high strength bridging portion is located ahead of the axial breakage means
  • the second high strength bridging portion is located behind the axial breakage means.
  • the one end of the first high strength bridging portion and the one end of the second high strength bridging portion are positioned at a distance of 1.00 to 3.00 mm from the upper end of the axial breakage means.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion is provided with a thin-walled curl extending from the lower end thereof, and the slit constituting the axial breakage means extends only partly, or does not extend at all, to the thin-walled curl.
  • FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a plastic container closure constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • a container closure designated entirely as the numeral 2 which may be formed from a suitable plastic material such as polypropylene or rigid polyethylene, has a circular top panel wall 4 and a nearly cylindrical skirt wall 6 extending downwardly from the peripheral edge of the top panel wall 4.
  • the skirt wall 6 has formed therein a circumferential breakage means 8 (the circumferential breakage means 8 will be described later on in more detail).
  • the skirt wall 6 is divided into a main portion 10 above the circumferential breakage means 8, and a tamper evident bottom portion 12 below the circumferential breakage means 8.
  • a truncated conical portion 14 is formed which has an outer diameter progressively increasing downward.
  • the lower end part of the main portion 10 of the skirt wall 4, i.e., the part below the truncated conical portion 14, and the outer peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 12 continuing therefrom are also formed in a truncated conical shape whose outer diameter progressively increases, although slightly, in the downward direction.
  • knurls 16 are formed for preventing the slippage of fingers placed thereon.
  • an internal thread 18 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the main portion 10.
  • axially extending notches 20 are formed at circumferentially spaced positions. These notches 20 constitute an air passage for use when a mouth-and-neck portion of a container is unsealed.
  • annular protrusion 22 is formed in an upper end part of this inner peripheral surface.
  • a sealing liner 24 is disposed which is formed separately from the body of the container closure 2.
  • the sealing liner 24 can advantageously be molded by feeding a softened, molten plastic material onto the inner surface of the top panel wall 4, and compressing this plastic material by a pressing tool.
  • the plastic material for the sealing liner 24 is a relatively soft plastic material such as flexible polyethylene.
  • a downwardly directed annular shoulder surface 26 is formed in an upper part of the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 12.
  • a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced flap pieces 28 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 12.
  • these flap pieces 28 constitute engaging means to be engaged with an engaging jaw portion formed in the mouth-and-neck portion of the container.
  • Each of the flap pieces 28 protrudes radially inwardly in an inclined manner from a base edge 30 connected to the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 12.
  • each flap piece 28 is opposite to the closing turning direction of the container closure during the mounting of the container closure 2 on the mouth-and-neck portion of the container, i.e., opposite to the clockwise direction when viewed from above in Fig. 1.
  • the base edge 30 of each of the flap pieces 28, itself also extends downwardly in an inclined manner in the direction opposite to the above closing turning direction of the container closure 2.
  • the lower end of the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is provided with a thin-walled curl 32 extending arcuately in a radially inward direction.
  • axial breakage means 34 is formed in the tamper evident bottom portion 12. It is important that the axial breakage means 34 be constituted from a slit continuously extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion 12 substantially to its lower end. In the illustrated embodiment, the slit constituting the axial breakage means 34 continuously extends from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion 12 downwardly to the upper end of the thin-walled curl 32.
  • this slit does not extend at all, or extends only partly, into the thin-walled curl 32 (in accordance with a cutting error during a procedure for forming the axial breakage means 34 to be described later on, the slit may be in such a form as to partly extend, or as not to extend at all, into the thin-walled curl 32).
  • the slit constituting the axial breakage means 34 may be caused to extend to the front end of the thin-walled curl 32.
  • the slit constituting the axial breakage means 34 does not intersect the base edge 30 of the flap piece 28 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 12, but is positioned between the flap pieces 28.
  • the slit constituting the axial breakage means 34 extend substantially vertically (i.e., substantially parallel to the central axis), it is possible to incline this slit somewhat to make it extend substantially parallel to the base edge 30 of the flap piece 28 as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 3.
  • the aforementioned circumferential breakage means 8 includes a plurality of bridging portions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d disposed at circumferential intervals.
  • This cross-sectional view where the circumferential breakage means 8 is disposed shows that in the region other than the bridging portions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d, the main portion 10 of the skirt wall 6 and the tamper evident bottom portion 12 are separated from each other, preferably, by cutting.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is connected to the main portion 10 via the bridging portions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d.
  • the bridging portions 36a are arranged in plural numbers with equal spacing in the circumferential direction (except in the region where a first high strength bridging portion 36c to be described later on is disposed), and have substantially the same cross-sectional shape.
  • the bridging portions 36b are also arranged in plural numbers with equal spacing in the circumferential direction (except in the region where the first high strength bridging portion 36c to be described later on is disposed), and have substantially the same cross-sectional shape.
  • the bridging portions 36a and the bridging portions 36b are arranged in the same number, and each of the bridging portions 36b is positioned midway between the adjacent bridging potions 36a.
  • the cross-sectional area of each of the bridging portions 36a is sufficiently small.
  • each of the bridging portions 36b is also slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the bridging portion 356a, but is sufficiently small.
  • the bridging portions 36a and 36b can be broken sufficiently easily.
  • the bridging portion 36c is a first high strength bridging portion with a large cross-sectional area
  • the bridging portion 36d is a second high strength bridging portion with a relatively large cross-sectional area.
  • the first high strength bridging portion 36c extends counterclockwise from one end positioned at a distance L1 in the counterclockwise direction (one circumferential direction) from the upper end of the axial breakage means 34.
  • the second high strength bridging portion 36d extends clockwise from one end positioned at a distance L2 in the clockwise direction (the opposite circumferential direction) from the upper end of the axial breakage means 34.
  • the cross-sectional area A1 of the first high strength bridging portion 36c be about 1.50 to 4.50 mm 2
  • the cross-sectional area A2 of the second high strength bridging portion 36d be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first high strength bridging portion 36c (A2 ⁇ A1) and be about 0.80 to 2.20 mm 2 .
  • the distances L1 and L2 are preferably about 1.00 to 3.00 mm.
  • the body of the container closure 2 i.e., the portion excluding the sealing liner 24
  • the circumferential breakage means 8 has not been formed, and at the site of the circumferential breakage means 8, the main portion 10 of the skirt wall 6 and the tamper evident bottom portion 12 are connected together in the entire region of the cross section.
  • the thin-walled curl 32 has not been curled, but is caused to extend substantially vertically downwardly as indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 1.
  • the circumferential breakage means 8 is formed by performing the following cutting step: As will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 1, a downwardly directed annular shoulder surface 38 slightly above the aforementioned annular shoulder surface 26 is also formed on the inner peripheral surface of the skirt wall 6. From the annular shoulder surface 38, protrusions 40a and 40b extending downwardly to a position slightly above the annular shoulder surface 26 are formed.
  • the protrusions 40a are arranged in plural numbers with equal spacing in the circumferential direction, and have substantially the same shape.
  • the protrusions 40b are also arranged with equal spacing in the circumferential direction, and have substantially the same shape.
  • the protrusions 40a and 40b are arranged in the same number, and each of the protrusions 40b is positioned midway between the adjacent protrusions 40a.
  • the protrusions 40a (excluding the protrusion 40a positioned in the region where the first high strength bridging portion 36c lies) define the bridging portions 36a, while the protrusions 40b (excluding the protrusion 40b positioned in the region where the first high strength bridging portion 36c lies) define the bridging portions 36b.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion 40a corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the bridging portion 36a
  • the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion 40b corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the bridging portion 36b.
  • the first task is to cut the skirt wall 6 gradually in the circumferential direction from its outer peripheral surface as far as its inner peripheral surface, while leaving intact an angular region where the first high strength bridging portion 36c and the second high strength bridging portion 36d are present.
  • a cutting blade for use in such cutting substantially does not act on the protrusions 40a and 40b.
  • the skirt wall 6 is partly cut by applying a cutting blade there from the outer peripheral surface of the skirt wall 6 to a predetermined depth in the thickness direction of the skirt wall 6 (in the illustrated embodiment, to a depth about a half of the thickness). In this manner, the first high strength bridging portion 36c and the second high strength bridging portion 36d are produced.
  • one protrusion 40a and one protrusion 40b define part of the first high strength bridging portion 36c. Then, an axially extending cutting blade is operated in the tamper evident bottom portion 12 to axially cut the tamper evident bottom portion 12 in its entire thickness direction as far as its substantially lower end, thereby forming a slit constituting the axial breakage means 34.
  • a hot curling tool is applied to the thin-walled portion extending substantially vertically without being curled, whereby the thin-walled portion is curled in a shape indicated by a solid line in Fig. 1 to form the thin-walled curl 34.
  • the aforementioned molding step using a pressing tool is carried out to form a sealing liner, thus completing the container closure 2.
  • Fig. 4 shows a state in which the container closure 2 is mounted, as required, on a mouth-and-neck portion 42 of a container.
  • the mouth-and-neck portion 42 of the container which may be formed from glass or a suitable plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate, is cylindrical as a whole.
  • an external thread 44 and an annular engaging jaw portion 46 positioned below the external thread 44 are formed.
  • the container closure 2 is mounted on the mouth-and-neck portion 42.
  • the container closure 2 is fitted on the mouth-and-neck portion 42, and turned in a closing turning direction, i.e., clockwise when viewed from above in Fig. 4.
  • the internal thread 18 in the container closure 2 is screwed around the external thread 44 of the mouth-and-neck portion 42, whereupon the container closure 2 is lowered in accordance with turning.
  • the flap pieces 28 formed in the tamper evident bottom portion 12 of the container closure 2 are elastically deformed and passed over the engaging jaw portion 46 of the mouth-and-neck portion 42. Then, the flap pieces 28 are elastically returned to the original form and engaged with the engaging jaw portion 46.
  • a radially outward force is exerted on the tamper evident bottom portion 12. Owing to this force, the slit constituting the axial breakage means 34 in the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is to be enlarged.
  • the first high strength bridging portion 36c (Fig. 2) is present on one side of the slit
  • the second high strength bridging portion 36d (Fig. 2) is present on the other side of the slit, when viewed in the circumferential direction.
  • the holding action of the first high strength bridging portion 36c and the second high strength bridging portion 36d prevents the undesirable enlargement of the slit fully reliably.
  • the sealing liner 24 disposed on the inner surface of the top panel wall 4 in the container closure 2 is brought into intimate contact with the top surface of the mouth-and-neck portion 42, whereby the mouth-and-neck portion 42 is sealed.
  • the container closure 2 is turned in an opening turning direction, i.e., counterclockwise when viewed from above in Fig. 4.
  • the internal thread 18 formed in the main portion 10 of the skirt wall 6 in the container closure 2 is moved along the external thread 44 formed in the mouth-and-neck portion 42 of the container, so that the container closure 2 is raised in accordance with the turning.
  • the flap pieces 28 formed on its inner peripheral surface are engaged with the engaging jaw portion 46 of the mouth-and-neck portion 42, whereby the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is inhibited from moving upward.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion 12 which keeps connected to the main portion 10 of the skirt wall 6 by the unbroken, retained first high strength bridging portion 36c, is deformed into a shape arcuately extending from the site of presence of the first high strength bridging portion 36c.
  • the flap pieces 28 are released from engagement with the engaging jaw portion 46 of the mouth-and-neck portion 42.
  • the entire container closure 2 including the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is moved upward in accordance with turning, whereby the entire container closure 2 is removed from the mouth-and-neck portion 42.
  • the container closure 2 is somewhat raised, and the sealing liner 24 is separated from the top surface of the mouth-and-neck portion 42.
  • the interior of the mouth-and-neck portion 42 is brought into communication with the outside through the gap between the top surface of the mouth-and-neck portion 42 and the sealing liner 24 and through the notches 20 (Fig. 1) formed in the internal thread 18 of the container closure 2.
  • the first high strength bridging portion 36d may also be accidentally broken, whereupon the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is removed from the main portion 10 of the skirt wall 6.
  • the parts of the container closure 2 other than the tamper evident bottom portion 12 are removed from the mouth-and-neck portion 42, while the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is left on the mouth-and-neck portion 42.
  • the axial breakage means 34 formed in the tamper evident bottom portion 12 is constituted from the slit continuously extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion 12 substantially to its lower end.
  • a cutting knife or the like is not necessary for cutting off the tamper evident bottom portion 12. If the thin-walled curl 32 is not broken along the extension of the slit, its breakage can result in the sufficiently easy removal of the remaining tamper evident bottom portion 12 from the mouth-and-neck portion 42.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates a modified example of a first high strength bridging portion.
  • a tamper evident bottom portion 112 is not cut at all in a left end part of a first high strength bridging portion 136c in Fig. 5 in order to increase the sectional area of the first high strength bridging portion 136c and enhance its strength.
  • the first high strength bridging portion 136c exists in the entire thickness direction from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 112.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates a modified example of a first high strength bridging portion and a second high strength bridging portion.
  • a tamper evident bottom portion 212 is not cut at all in the region of both a first high strength bridging portion 236c and a second high strength bridging portion 236d.
  • Both of the first high strength bridging portion 236c and the second high strength bridging portion 236d are existent in their entire region in the circumferential direction throughout the thickness of the tamper evident bottom portion 112 from its outer peripheral surface to its inner peripheral surface.
  • the circumferential lengths of the first high strength bridging portion 236c and the second high strength bridging portion 236d are smaller than the circumferential lengths of the first high strength bridging portion 36c and the second high strength bridging portion 36d illustrated in Fig. 2.
  • One protrusion 240b defines the first high strength bridging portion 236c, while a protrusion 240a adjacent to, and located on the right of, the one protrusion 240b does not define a first high strength bridging portion 236a, but defines an ordinary bridging portion 236a.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates another modified example of a first high strength bridging portion and a second high strength bridging portion.
  • a first high strength bridging portion 336c is not spaced from the upper end of a slit constituting an axial breakage means 334, but extends rightward in Fig. 7 from the upper end of the slit constituting the axial breakage means 334.
  • a second high strength bridging portion 336d is not positioned at a distance from the upper end of the slit constituting the axial breakage means 334, but extends leftward in Fig. 7 from the upper end of the slit constituting the axial breakage means 334.
  • the first high strength bridging portion 336c and the second high strength bridging portion 336d are adjacent to each other via the slit.
  • Fig. 8 illustrates still another modified example of a first high strength bridging portion and a second high strength bridging portion.
  • a first high strength bridging portion 436c in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 is not spaced from the upper end of a slit constituting an axial breakage means 434, but extends rightward from the slit constituting the axial breakage means 434.
  • One protrusion 440b defines the first high strength bridging portion 436c, while a protrusion 440a adjacent to, and located on the right of, this protrusion 440b does not define the first high strength bridging portion 436c, but defines an ordinary bridging portion 436a.
  • a second high strength bridging portion 436d in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 is also different from the second high strength bridging portion 36d in the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 in that the second high strength bridging portion 436d is not spaced from the upper end of the slit constituting the axial breakage means 434, but extends leftward from the slit constituting the axial breakage means 434; and that one protrusion 440a defines the second high strength bridging portion 436d.
  • Figs. 9 and 10 show another preferred embodiment of a container closure constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • a sealing liner 524 is integrally formed on the inner surface of a top panel wall 504.
  • the sealing liner 524 includes an inner annular sealing protrusion 525 which advances into a mouth-and-neck portion of a container until it is intimately contacted with the inner peripheral surface of the mouth-and-neck portion, and an outer annular sealing protrusion 527 which is intimately contacted with the upper surface or outer peripheral surface of the mouth-and-neck portion of the container.
  • Engaging means disposed on the inner peripheral surface of a tamper evident bottom portion 512 is constituted from an annular protruding piece 528 extending continuously in the circumferential direction.
  • the annular protruding piece 528 extends upwardly inclinedly in a radially inward direction from a base edge 530 connected to the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 512.
  • slits 529 extending from its front end to a site near the base edge are formed at circumferentially spaced positions.
  • annular protruding piece 528 it is advantageous to mold the annular protruding piece 528 in a shape extending downwardly in a radially inward direction as shown in a two-dot chain line in Fig. 9, and modify the shape into a condition indicated by a solid line after removal from the mold.
  • the engaging means is composed of the annular protruding piece 528 continuously extending in the circumferential direction, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 10, it is preferred that a slit continuously extending from the base edge of the annular protruding piece 528 to its front end be formed in the annular protruding piece 528 in alignment with a slit constituting axial breakage means 534 in the tamper evident bottom portion 512.
  • Such a slit in the annular protruding piece 528 can be formed advantageously by cutting the annular protruding piece 528 simultaneously with cutting the tamper evident bottom portion 512 with a cutting blade to form the slit constituting the axial breakage means 534.
  • the constitution of the container closure 502 illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, other than the points mentioned above, is substantially the same as that of the container closure 2 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.
  • engaging means of other suitable shape such as a ratchet piece well known among people skilled in the art, may be disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the tamper evident bottom portion 512.
  • the axial breakage means disposed in the tamper evident bottom portion is constituted from the slit continuously extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion substantially to its lower end.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion remaining on the mouth-and-neck portion has the slit continuously extending from the upper end of the tamper evident bottom portion substantially to its lower end.
  • the remaining tamper evident bottom portion can be removed from the mouth-and-neck portion sufficiently easily, without the need for a tiresome procedure, such as cutting the tamper evident bottom portion with a cutting tool.
  • the tamper evident bottom portion is fully inhibited, by the holding action of the first and second high strength bridging portions disposed on both sides of the axial breakage means, from being enlarged at the site where its axial breakage means exists.
  • breakage of at least some of the plurality of bridging portions in the circumferential breakage means is prevented fully reliably.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Kunststoffbehälterverschluss mit eingriffsanzeigenden Eigenschaften, der an einem Behälter mit einem Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereich (42) angebracht werden soll, an dessen Außenumfangsfläche ein Außengewinde (44) und ein sich unter dem Außengewinde befindender Eingriffsklauenabschnitt (46) angeformt sind,
    wobei der Kunststoffbehälterverschluss (2) eine obere Flächenwand (4) und eine sich von der Flächenwand nach unten erstreckende Seitenwand (6) aufweist; wobei in der Seitenwand (6) ein umlaufendes Umfangsaufreißmittel (8) ausgebildet ist, wobei die Seitenwand in einen Hauptabschnitt (10) über dem Umfangsaufreißmittel und einen eingriffsanzeigenden Basisabschnitt (12) unter dem Umfangsaufreißmittel eingeteilt ist; wobei der Hauptabschnitt (10) der Seitenwand an seiner Innenumfangsfläche ein Innengewinde (18) angeformt hat, das mit dem Außengewinde des Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereichs zusammenwirkt; wobei der eingriffsanzeigende Basisabschnitt (12) an seiner Innenumfangsfläche ein Eingriffsmittel (28) ausgebildet hat, das mit dem Eingriffsklauenabschnitt (46) des Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereichs (42) zusammenwirkt, wobei das Umfangsaufreißmittel (8) eine Mehrzahl von Überbrückungsabschnitten (36) aufweist, die in umlaufend beabstandeten Positionen angeordnet sind und den eingriffsanzeigenden Basisabschnitt (12) mit dem Hauptabschnitt (10) der Seitenwand verbinden; wobei einer der Überbrückungsabschnitte (36c) ein erster hochfester Überbrückungsabschnitt mit einer großen Querschnittsfläche ist; und wobei sich in dem eingriffsanzeigenden Basisabschnitt (12) ein axiales Aufreißmittel (34) befindet, wobei
    das axiale Aufreißmittel (34) aus einem Schlitz gebildet wird, der sich kontinuierlich von dem oberen Ende des eingriffsanzeigenden Basisabschnitts (12) im Wesentlichen bis zu seinem unteren Ende erstreckt; die Mehrzahl der Überbrückungsabschnitte (36) einen zweiten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitt (36d) aufweisen, der zusätzlich zu dem ersten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitt (36c) eine große Querschnittsfläche aufweist; der erste hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt und der zweite hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt in Umfangsrichtung auf beiden Seiten des axialen Aufreißmittels (34) angeordnet sind; und der erste hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt (36c) sich in der einen Umfangsrichtung von dem oberen Ende oder einem nahe dazu gelegenen Ende des axialen Aufreißmittels (34) erstreckt, während sich der zweite hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt (36d) in der entgegengesetzten Umfangsrichtung von dem oberen Ende oder einem nahe dazu gelegenen Ende des axialen Aufreißmittels (34) erstreckt;
    das Innengewinde (18) auf das Außengewinde (44) geschraubt ist und das Eingriffsmittel sich mit dem Eingriffsklauenabschnitt in Eingriff befindet, wodurch der Kunststoffbehälterverschluss (2) an dem Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereich (42) befestigt ist; und, wenn die Verschraubung des Innengewindes mit dem Außengewinde gelöst wird, um den Kunststoffbehälterverschluss (2) von dem Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereich zu entfernen, mindestens einer von dem ersten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitt (36c) und dem zweiten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitt (36d) aufgebrochen wird.
  2. Kunststoffbehälterverschluss nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Querschnittsfläche des ersten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitts (36c) größer als die Querschnittsfläche des zweiten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitts (36d) ist und, wenn die Verschraubung des Innengewindes mit dem Außengewinde gelöst wird, um den Kunststoffbehälterverschluss (2) von dem Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereich zu entfernen, der zweite hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt (36d) aufgerissen wird, während der erste hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt (36c) unbeschädigt bleibt, der eingriffsanzeigende Basisabschnitt (12) sich in Bandform erstreckt, wobei das Eingriffsmittel mit dem Eingriffsklauenabschnitt außer Eingriff tritt, und der gesamte Behälterverschluss einschließlich des zugriffsanzeigenden Basisabschnitts (12) von dem Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereich entfernt wird.
  3. Kunststoffbehälterverschluss nach Anspruch 2, wobei die Querschnittsfläche des ersten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitts (36c) 1,50 bis 4,50 mm2 beträgt, während die Querschnittsfläche des zweiten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitts (36d) 0,80 bis 2,20 mm2 ist.
  4. Kunststoffbehälterverschluss nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, wobei in der Richtung, in der der Behälterverschluss (2) zur Freigabe der Verschraubung des Innengewindes ( 18) mit dem Außengewinde (44) gedreht wird, um den Behälterverschluss (2) von dem Öffnungs-und-Hals-Bereich (42) zu entfernen, der erste hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt (36c) vor dem axialen Aufreißmittel (34) angeordnet ist, während der zweite hochfeste Überbrückungsabschnitt (36d) hinter dem axialen Aufreißmittel (34) angeordnet ist.
  5. Kunststoffbehälterverschluss nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, wobei das eine Ende des ersten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitts (36c) und das eine Ende des zweiten hochfesten Überbrückungsabschnitts (36d) in einem Abstand von 1,00 bis 3,00 mm von dem oberen Ende des axialen Aufreißmittels (34) angeordnet sind.
  6. Kunststoffbehälterverschluss nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, wobei der zugriffsanzeigende Basisabschnitt (12) mit einer dünnwandigen Rinne (32) ausgestattet ist, die sich von seinem unteren Ende aus erstreckt, und der Schlitz, der das axiale Aufreißmittel (34) bildet, sich nur teilweise oder überhaupt nicht bis zu der dünnwandigen Rinne (32) hin erstreckt.
EP97949113A 1996-12-17 1997-12-17 Kunstharz-behälterdeckel mit garantieeigenschaften Expired - Lifetime EP0913334B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP336188/96 1996-12-17
JP33618896 1996-12-17
JP33618896A JP3847868B2 (ja) 1996-12-17 1996-12-17 タンパーエビデント特性を備えた合成樹脂製容器蓋
PCT/JP1997/004649 WO1998026991A1 (fr) 1996-12-17 1997-12-17 Couvercle de recipient inviolable en resine synthetique

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0913334A1 EP0913334A1 (de) 1999-05-06
EP0913334A4 EP0913334A4 (de) 2000-07-26
EP0913334B1 true EP0913334B1 (de) 2003-12-10

Family

ID=18296564

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97949113A Expired - Lifetime EP0913334B1 (de) 1996-12-17 1997-12-17 Kunstharz-behälterdeckel mit garantieeigenschaften

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0913334B1 (de)
JP (1) JP3847868B2 (de)
KR (1) KR100621295B1 (de)
CN (1) CN1106329C (de)
DE (1) DE69726735T2 (de)
WO (1) WO1998026991A1 (de)

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IT202200006653A1 (it) * 2022-04-04 2023-10-04 Sacmi Tappi per un contenitore e metodo per produrre un tappo per un contenitore.

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US5957315A (en) * 1996-12-17 1999-09-28 Japan Crown Cork Co., Ltd. Plastic container closure with tamper evident properties
US6581792B1 (en) 1998-12-07 2003-06-24 Tjandra Limanjaya Closure cap
WO2000034133A2 (en) * 1998-12-07 2000-06-15 Tjandra Limanjaya Closure cap
IT247417Y1 (it) * 1999-01-05 2002-08-22 Sacmi Capsula a vite con guarnizione riportata .
EP1212243B1 (de) 1999-09-15 2003-08-06 Tjandra Limanjaya Verschlusskappe
JP5160315B2 (ja) * 2008-06-09 2013-03-13 日本クラウンコルク株式会社 タンパーエビデント特性を備えた合成樹脂製容器蓋
JP6276972B2 (ja) * 2013-11-12 2018-02-07 日本クロージャー株式会社 合成樹脂製容器蓋
MX2020011188A (es) * 2018-04-26 2020-11-13 Obrist Closures Switzerland Cierre.
US20220041339A1 (en) 2020-08-07 2022-02-10 Niagara Bottling, Llc Single anchor closure
KR20240044320A (ko) 2022-09-28 2024-04-04 서동섭 용기 마개 어셈블리

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JP3209538B2 (ja) 1991-04-08 2001-09-17 日本クラウンコルク株式会社 ピルファープルーフ特性を有する合成樹脂製キャップ
JPH0654544A (ja) 1992-07-24 1994-02-25 Honda Motor Co Ltd 電力変換装置
JP3727675B2 (ja) 1994-09-13 2005-12-14 日本クラウンコルク株式会社 タンパーエビデント特性を備えた合成樹脂製容器蓋
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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT202200006653A1 (it) * 2022-04-04 2023-10-04 Sacmi Tappi per un contenitore e metodo per produrre un tappo per un contenitore.
WO2023194897A1 (en) * 2022-04-04 2023-10-12 Sacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa' Cooperativa Caps for a container and method for making a cap for a container

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0913334A1 (de) 1999-05-06
JPH10175656A (ja) 1998-06-30
DE69726735D1 (de) 2004-01-22
EP0913334A4 (de) 2000-07-26
KR100621295B1 (ko) 2006-11-30
DE69726735T2 (de) 2004-10-21
CN1106329C (zh) 2003-04-23
JP3847868B2 (ja) 2006-11-22
CN1213348A (zh) 1999-04-07
WO1998026991A1 (fr) 1998-06-25
KR19990082645A (ko) 1999-11-25

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