EP1311439B1 - Closure comprising means for locking radial deformation of the tamperproof band - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a tamperproof system (10), for a closure (1), comprising breakable points (13) linking the free end part (12) of a skirt (3) of the closure and a ting (11), a gap being present between the skirt and the band. The tamperproof system comprises an annular projection (22) on the skirt, extending axially towards and inside the band, from the free edge of the skirt perpendicular to the gap and the free end part of the band facing the skirt. Said projection serves as a wall for locking the band inwards. Thus, when the closure is mounted on a container neck, the band is prevented from ill-timed penetration into the band, the bridges being maintained.

Description

The invention relates to a tamperproof system specially designed for a plastic cap, a cap comprising such a system inviolability and finally a container including such a cap, this container being empty or at least partially filled.

Already known, in particular from US 5 678 714, plastic caps of the type comprising a annular skirt with internal thread, a transverse end wall, internal sealing means for cooperating with the neck of the container for which the cap is intended and finally a tamper-proof system of the type frangible bridges connecting the free end of the skirt and a ring intended to comprise inward projecting hooking means.

In the embodiment that has just been considered, the free edge of the skirt is removed free edge next to the ring, an existing space between them, and the said free end part of the ring goes tapered towards the free edge of the skirt.

Such a cap - and the system of inviolability it contains - gives generally satisfaction.

However, there is a risk that when mounting the cap on the neck of the container for which it is intended, the free end of the ring facing the skirt is deformed towards the axis of the cap being somehow "swallowed" by the skirt from its free edge.

This situation is detrimental to more than one reason: the ring risks being distorted. It may be stuck in the skirt. Bridges may suffer excessive stress and break.

These risks are even more important that the ring is thin and tapered in point towards its free end, turned towards the skirt.

WO 96/31404 discloses a plug of the aforementioned type, comprising a band of inviolability connected to the free end portion of the skirt by frangible bridges, these being located towards the inside of the cap.

The tamper-evident band has a V-shape of which a first branch is connected to the free end of the skirt by the bridges, a second branch being intended for be locked under the collar of a container neck.

The two branches of the tamper-evident band have substantially the same length, and the second branch is provided, towards its upper end, with a directed bead towards the axis of the stopper.

When mounting the stopper on a neck, the second branch bears against the collar.

The tamper-evident band is then subjected to a radial force towards the outside of the cap, applied to the bead, ie towards the upper part of the band inviolability, related to the skirt. As a result, the tamper evident band tends to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows shown in Figure 7 of this document, the upper part of the tamper band moving away from the axis of the plug.

In order to limit this movement, the skirt comprises a locking wall, extending axially towards the tamper band, and located towards the outer face of the skirt.

The system of inviolability described in this document presents a number of disadvantages.

The frangible bridges being located towards the inside of the cap and the blocking wall towards the outer face of the skirt, it is difficult for a consumer to check moment of purchase that the bridges are still intact, and so that the container does not have been opened.

Moreover, the blocking wall described in this document is inoperative in the case a tamper-evident band comprising a substantially cylindrical wall provided with hanging projections at its free end - not connected to the skirt. Indeed, in this case, during the mounting of the cap on a neck, when the hanging protrusions pass at the flange, the radial force is exerted on the tamper band towards its lower part, not linked to the skirt.

Thus, the band tends to rotate in the opposite direction to the case of the document WO 96/31404, the lower part of the tamper-evident band moving away from the axis of the plug, while the upper part is "swallowed" by the skirt, towards the axis of the cap.

EP-A-0 371 920 discloses a plug of the same type, the tamper-evident band being connected to the free end of the skirt by frangible bridges located towards the inside of the cap.

The skirt has, towards its free end, a support heel extending obliquely from the inside of the skirt towards the inside of the cap.

The purpose of the support heel is to prevent, when mounting the stopper on a collar of the container, the tamper-evident band enters the stopper while being displaced axially upwards.

On the other hand, the system provided for in document EP-A-0 371 920 does not allow any limit the pivoting of the upper part of the band towards the axis of the cap.

Indeed, on the one hand the support heel is inclined with respect to the axis of the plug, and, on the other hand, its length is insufficient, it does not extend to the right of the party free extreme of the ring turned towards the skirt,

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks.

For this purpose, it proposes a system of inviolability intended for a plug of the type having frangible bridges connecting the free end portion of a cap skirt and a ring intended to comprise attachment means projecting towards its part extreme opposite to the skirt, and inwards, the free edge of the skirt being separated from the free edge next to the ring, an existing space between them.

According to the invention as defined mainly by claim 1, the tamperproof system further comprises an annular projection on the skirt extending axially towards and inside the ring from the free edge of the skirt to the right of said space and at least to the right of the free end of the ring turned towards the skirt.

This projection serves as a locking wall for the ring inwards, so when the cap is fitted on the neck of the container for which it is intended, the ring be prevented from accidentally entering the skirt, the bridges being elsewhere preserved.

For example, the frangible bridges are located towards the outside of the cap.

Thus, the invention makes it possible on the one hand to provide a cap of perfectly visible bridges. for a consumer, so that he can check that the container has not been open, and on the other hand to guarantee the integrity of the bridges after mounting the cap on the container neck.

According to other features, the annular locking projection is close, in particular to immediate proximity, radially, of the free end portion of the ring facing the skirt.

The annular locking projection is of a radial thickness such that it is little or not deformable when solicited by the ring when mounting the cap on the neck of the container for which it is intended.

According to a first embodiment, the annular projection is discontinuous, in particular from place to place.
According to another embodiment, the annular projection is continuous.

According to one possible embodiment, the hooking means projecting from the ring are constituted by the free end portion of the ring opposite the skirt folded towards the inside of the ring.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a plastic plug of the type comprising an annular skirt with an internal thread, a transverse end wall, sealing means and a tamper evident system as just described.

Finally, according to a third aspect, the invention relates to a container provided with a stopper as just described, this container being empty or at least partially filled.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective avec quart enlevé d'un bouchon comportant un système d'inviolabilité selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue agrandie du détail I de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe axiale du bouchon de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue agrandie du détail II de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une demi-vue de dessous du bouchon de la figure 1, muni du système d'inviolabilité.

The other features of the invention result from the description which follows with reference to the appended figures in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view with a quarter removed from a cap having a tamper system according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged view of detail I of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an axial sectional view of the cap of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is an enlarged view of detail II of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a half-view from below the plug of Figure 1, provided with the tamper system.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 which represent a plug 1 of axis 2, the plug 1 being for example made of plastic.

The plug 1 comprises firstly an annular skirt 3, on the inner face 4 of which is a thread 5, for mounting by screwing the plug 1 on the neck a container (not shown), said collar having an external thread complementary thread 5 of the plug 1.

The skirt 3 further comprises a knurling 6 on its outer face 7, this knurling 6 being intended to facilitate the screwing and unscrewing of the cap 1 by a user, offering a better grip and limiting the user's finger slippage on the outer face 7 of the skirt 3.

The plug 1 then comprises a transverse end wall 8, and finally a annular flange 9, which protrudes on the transverse wall 8 towards the inside of the cap 1, the collar 9 and the skirt 3 being substantially concentric.

The flange 9 is intended to cooperate, during the screwing of the plug 1 on the neck of the container, with the inner surface of said neck, especially for sealing.

The cap 1 is provided with a tamper-proof system 10, which comprises a ring 11 connected to the free end portion 12 of the skirt 3 by frangible bridges 13.

The description of the inviolability system is made with reference to all the annexed figures.

The end portion 14 of the ring 11 connected to the skirt 3, when the bridges 13 have not been ruptured, tapers towards the free end 12 of the skirt 3. By for example, the thinning is carried out on the side of the outer face 15 of the ring 11, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The frangible bridges 13 are connected to the outer face 15 of the ring 11, towards the zone thinned of the end portion 14. Thus, the bridges 13 are located outside the cap 1.

The edge 16 of the ring 11 located opposite the skirt 3 is spaced axially from the edge free 17 of the skirt 3, a space e existing between them. "Free edge 17" means the imaginary annular surface substantially parallel to the transverse wall 8 and relying in part on the end surface of the free end portion 12 of the skirt 3 (see Figure 4).

The ring 11 has, towards its end portion 18 located opposite the edge 16, hooking protrusions 19 directed towards the inside of said ring 11. The protrusions latch 19 are for example in the form of a disk portion, comprising a circular edge resting substantially on the inner face 20 of the ring 11 and a straight edge 21 forming substantially a rope of the ring 11 (see Figure 5).

Of course, the hooking projections 19 may have a different shape. In particular, the attachment projections 19 may be constituted by the extreme part 18 of the ring 11, folded towards the inside of said ring 11.

The attachment projections 19 are intended to cooperate with the seat of the neck of the container receiving the cap 1, so that the ring 11, once put in place on the neck of the container, remains attached to said collar. For this purpose, the hooking projections 19 are inclined towards the transverse end wall 8 of the stopper 1 so as to ensure a better attachment of the ring 11 to the seat of the neck of the container.

The introduction of the cap 1, provided with the tamper-proof system 10, on the neck of the container, is made by force, the hooking projections 19 on the one hand, and the threads collar and plug 1 on the other hand, constituting an obstacle to the movement of the cap 1 towards the base of the neck.

Once the plug is put in place, the thread of the neck of the container and the threading 5 of the plug 1 are then engaged, while the hooking projections 19 are hooked at the base of the container neck. Because the ring 11 is hooked to the neck of the container by the hooking projections 19, the plug 1 can not be unscrewed without breaking the bridges 13.

The fact that the bridges 13 connecting the ring 11 to the skirt 3 of the cap are not broken guarantees that the container has not been opened after the introduction of the stopper 1, when the making.

At the first opening of the container, a user exerts a force on the skirt 3 of the cap 1, so as to unscrew the cap 1. This effort tends to move the cap 1 in a helical motion axis 2, so, in particular, to remove the plug of the seat of the neck of the container.

The ring 11 being hooked, by the attachment projections 19, to the seat of the neck of the container, it can not deviate from the said seat following the movement printed in cap 1 by the user.

The unscrewing effort exerted by the user, if it is sufficient, leads to the rupture of bridges 13. The plug 1 is then separated from the ring 11, said plug can be completely unscrewed so as to release the opening of the neck of the container.

Furthermore, the end portion 12 of the skirt 3 of the cap 1 has a protrusion The locking projection 22 extends substantially axially towards and inside the ring 11, over a length such that the free end 23 of the said protrusion 22 is located, radially, facing the end portion 14 of the 11. As shown in Figure 4, the locking projection 22 is located inwardly plug 1 with respect to the end portion 14 of the ring 11.

The locking projection 22 is close - radially - to the end portion 14 of the ring 11. In particular, the locking projection 22 can be in the immediate vicinity of the said extreme part 14.

When mounting the cap 1, provided with the tamper-proof system 10, on the neck of the container, because of the force exerted on the ring 11, the latter tends to deform, the end portion 14 of said ring 11 being subjected to a force tending to move said end portion 14 towards the axis 2 of the plug 1, along a line D (see Figure 4). In the absence of the blocking projection 22, the line D would be the theoretical "swallowing" line of the end portion 14 of said ring 11 by the skirt 3. The locking projection 22 is placed on this line D " swallowing ", so that it opposes this movement.
The end portion 14 of said ring 11 then comes into contact with the locking projection 22, and exerts on it a radial force directed towards the axis 2 of the plug 1.

The radial thickness of the locking protrusion 22 is sufficient for the said projection of blocking 22 opposes this radial movement, the locking projection 22 being little or no deformed following this solicitation.

In this way, the ring 11 is prevented from inadvertently entering the skirt 3 of the cap 1 during the assembly of said cap 1 on the neck of the container. In Consequently, the radial displacement of the ring 11 with respect to the skirt 3 is limited, the force exerted on the frangible bridges 13 linking the ring 11 to the skirt 3 of the plug 1 is limit. If this effort is small enough, there will be no breakage of the bridges 13 during the mounting operation of the cap 1 on the neck of the container.

It is understood that the force exerted on the frangible bridges 13 during the operation of mounting the cap 1 on the container neck depends in particular on the radial distance between the locking projection 22 and the end portion 14 of the ring 11: Indeed, the more this radial distance is small, the further the displacement of the end portion 14 will be limited, and therefore the less the risk of breaking bridges 13 will be high.

In the embodiment shown in the appended figures, the locking projection 22 is discontinuous, and has twelve elements distributed approximately inside the cap 1.

Of course, this configuration is not limiting, the locking projection 22 can especially be continuous.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a plug 1 provided with tamper system 10 as just described and a container, the container question being empty or at least partially filled and having a threaded neck outside intended to cooperate with the thread 5 of the plug 1.

Claims (9)

1. A cap made from a plastic material of the type that comprises an annular skirt (3) with an axis (2) that is threaded (5) on the inside, an end transverse wall (8), watertightness means and a tamper-proof system (10), the said tamper-proof system (10) comprising a ring (11) in which:

   one of the end parts (14) is located next to the free end part (12) of the skirt (3) and connected to the said free end part (12) by means of frangible bridges (13), the free edge (17) of the skirt (3) being separated from the free edge (16) next to the ring (11), with a space (e) defined between them;

   and the other end part (18) comprises hooking means (19) pointed towards the inside of the ring (11), the said hooking means (19) being arranged so as to cause, when the cap (1) is mounted on the neck of the container for which it is intended, a movement of the end part (14) of the ring (11) turned towards the skirt towards the axis (2) of the cap (1),

   characterised in that it also comprises an annular projection (22) on the skirt (3) that extends in the axial direction towards and inside the ring (11) from the free edge (17) of the skirt (3) to the right of the said space (e) and at least to the right of the free end part (14) of the ring (11) turned towards the skirt (3), this projection (22) acting as a blocking wall for the ring towards the inside, by contact between the projection (22) and the end part (14) of the ring, which exerts a radial stress directed towards the axis (2) of the cap (1), so that when mounting the cap on the neck, the ring is prevented from re-entering the skirt in an untimely manner, also preserving the bridges.
2. A cap according to claim 1, characterised in that the frangible bridges (13) are located towards the outside of the cap (1).
3. A cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the said free end part (14) of the ring (11) slims down to a point towards the free end part (12) of the skirt (3).
4. A cap according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the annular locking projection (22) is radially close to - mainly in the immediate proximity of - the free end part (14) of the ring (11) turned towards the skirt (3).
5. A cap according to any of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the blocking annular projection (22) has a radial thickness that allows it to be more or less distortable at the request of the ring (11) when mounting the cap (1) on the neck of the container for which it is intended.
6. A cap according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the annular projection (22) is discontinuous, mainly in parts.
7. A cap according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the annular projection (22) is continuous.
8. A cap according to any of the claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the hooking means in the projection (19) of the ring (11) are made up of the free end part (18) of the ring (11) opposite the skirt (3) and bent towards the inside of the ring (11).
9. A set comprising, on the one hand, a container comprising a neck that is threaded on the outside and, on the other hand, a cap (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which the container is empty or at least partly filled.

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