EP1413526A1 - Cap-like turn closure for containers and container comprising such a closure - Google Patents

Abstract

A drinks bottle has a cap closure (V) with an outer cap (1) over an inner cap with limited freedom of rotation. The outer cap has an inspection aperture (8) providing a view of a mark on the interior cap. The outer cap is coupled to the inner cap by a pick-up projection that closes the inner cap following filling, and to open the inner cap during the first operation by the consumer. The inner cap esp. has a blocking assembly that may be loosened by rotation of the outer cap, brining the inspection aperture into alignment with the marking. The cap further has a locking mechanism between the inner and outer caps.

Description

The invention relates to a cap-like screw cap for containers, in particular for beverage bottles, for screwing onto a container mouthpiece with the features specified in the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a container equipped with such a screw cap itself.

With regard to the background of the invention, it should be noted that containers in a wide variety of areas must be provided with tamper-evident devices in order to reliably rule out tampering with the contents of the container. Pharmaceutical containers or beverage bottles are to be mentioned as examples.

The tamper-evident device conventionally consists of a so-called tamper-evident ring, which is connected to the lower edge of the grip collar of the closure cap via tear-off webs. When the cap is put on for the first time, the quality assurance ring is pressed over an annular bead on the bottle neck. When the cap is screwed on for the first time, the webs are separated because the quality assurance ring is held back by the ring bead. Such a closure cap is known for example from EP 0 290 720 A1.

The quality assurance rings have various disadvantages, such as the sensitivity of the webs when screwing on mechanically and the fact that the quality assurance ring often sticks to the closure cap with one or a few webs and is then a hindrance when the closure cap is screwed on again.

To solve this problem, EP 1 174 358 A2 proposes to equip a closure cap with a different type of tamper-evident device. There, the central part of the cap of the cap is designed so that when the cap is first mechanically screwed on, it lies coplanar with the edge of the cap, whereas when the cap is unscrewed and screwed on again, the central cap part is pressed upwards by a corresponding resistance on the bottle neck and raised above it The edge of the cover part protrudes. This ensures tamper-evidentness due to a shape deviation in the sealing cap.

To make it easier to see that a tamper-evident container has been opened, US Pat. No. 4,801,028 A proposes a cap-like screw cap for containers which has an outer cap and an inner cap rotatably mounted therein. By means of an axial displacement movement between the outer cap and the inner cap, a locking mechanism is coupled between these two components, so that when the outer cap rotates, the inner cap can be taken along and the closure can be unscrewed. Due to the axial movement of the two cap parts, a viewing window in the cover part of the outer cap is pierced by a corresponding stub protrusion on the inner cap, so that the stub ledge of a different color protrudes through the viewing window and is thus recognizable from the outside.

The problem with this twist lock is the lack of protection against counterfeiting, since after the container has been opened for the first time, the outer and inner caps can be brought back to one another in the original axial position, in which the stub projection is retracted inwards. Then the opened window pane can be returned to the starting position be pushed back, so that an already opened screw cap can only be recognized with very precise control. Furthermore, due to the necessary axial displacement, the twist lock is more child-proof and therefore less user-friendly for non-safety-critical applications, such as soft drink beverage bottles.

US Pat. No. 5,884,788 A discloses a cap-like twist lock with an outer cap and an inner disk, in which the outer cap has tamper-evident locking disks that can be removed in the cover part. The detachment takes place via locking tabs formed on the inside of the locking washers, which cooperate with corresponding locking teeth on the inner washer. When the twist lock is opened for the first time, the locking lugs are torn out by a relative rotation between the outer cap and the inner pane and pulled away inwards. This makes the possibly different colored inner pane visible. The constructions shown in this publication, in particular with regard to the latching lugs and the design of the inner pane, are extremely complex in terms of shape and problematic in their reliability due to their filigree nature.

The object of the invention is to improve a cap-like screw cap for containers in such a way that a good visual recognition of the tamper-evident device is combined with a high degree of reliability and easy actuation of the screw cap.

This object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1. Accordingly, a releasable blocking device is provided on the inner cap which, when the twist lock is first opened, rotationally blocks the inner cap over a certain angle of rotation of the outer cap. This will cause the outer cap to turn further a relative rotation from the outer to the inner cap caused by a marking indicating the first opening of the twist lock can be brought into its visible position in the viewing window. After this relative rotation from the outer to the inner cap when first opened, a locking device ensures that these two components are locked in relation to one another, so that it remains permanently recognizable that the closure has already been opened at least once.

The invention clearly has the advantage of a high level of reliability, good visibility of the tamper-evident by visual perception through the viewing window and simple operation. The screw cap can be actuated like any threaded cap on a conventional beverage container, so that the consumer does not have to get used to it.

In the subclaims 2 and 3, two fundamentally different alternatives are provided for the further development of the releasable blocking device on the inner cap. In particular, on the one hand, the implementation of the blocking device by means of a latching tab that works in the manner of a pawl and over-dead center kinematics ensures that the original closing process and initial opening function properly. Further details can be found in the corresponding description of the exemplary embodiment. On the other hand, the releasable blocking device can also be formed by the static friction moment of the inner cap with the original closing process in relation to the container mouthpiece. This functional design of the blocking device eliminates its physical configuration, so that the twist lock is easier to manufacture in terms of shape.

Further preferred embodiments according to claims 4 to 6 relate to the driver device and locking device, which are formed together by corresponding locking projections and rotary stops on the inner cap. The construction of the twist lock according to the invention becomes particularly simple when the edges of the viewing window itself in the outer cap act as complementary locking recesses or counter stops. If, according to a preferred embodiment, at least two or more locking projections are provided between two viewing window positions for improved locking between the inner and outer cap, corresponding locking recesses between the viewing windows act as counter elements.

Claim 7 indicates a particularly simple implementation of the visually perceptible marking, which is based only on the different color design of the materials for the outer or inner cap. Thus, the color change during the relative rotation between the outer and inner cap is not caused by the different areas of the inner cap entering the viewing window of the outer cap, but by separating the bottom of the viewing window of the outer cap, which is made of outer cap material, and placing this bottom under the outer cap, the bottom is permanently stored in a pocket on the inner cap. In this respect, the separated part serving as tamper-evident is removed cleanly without falling onto the floor, for example, as waste or being able to be reset to its original tamper-evident position.

Since the separable separators provided according to claim 8 between the bottom and the remaining outer cap can transmit a torque between the outer and inner cap, they can simultaneously serve as a driver device act for the original closing process and the beginning of the first opening process of the twist lock. So you have a multiple function.

The measure provided in claim 9 considerably improves the visual perceptibility of the tamper-evident device. In particular, it can be seen from a distance from a beverage crate which bottles have not yet opened in the crate.

Finally, claim 10 relates to the combination of a container and in particular a beverage container with a cap-like screw cap according to the invention. When realizing the twist lock variant with a latching tab (claim 2), it is particularly advantageous that the latching tab on the inner cap can use one of the ventilation grooves in the thread webs of the bottle's external thread, in particular in the case of polymer beverage bottles (PET bottles), as a latching recess. To this extent, the screw cap according to the invention can be used with conventional polymer beverage bottles without structural adaptation to the screw cap.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivischer Darstellung eines Drehverschlusses in einer ersten Ausführungsform schräg von oben,

Fig. 2

dessen perspektivische Darstellung schräg von unten,

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf den Drehverschluss,

Fig. 4

einen axialparallelen Schnitt entlang der Schnittlinie A-A nach Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Außenkappe schräg von unten,

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Innenkappe schräg von oben,

Fig. 7A - 7C

einen abgewickelten Teilaxialschnitt von Außen- und Innenkappe im Bereich zweier Sichtfenster gemäß Einzelheit Z nach Fig. 4 in unterschiedlichen Stellungen zueinander,

Fig. 8

einen ausschnittweisen, stark vergrößerten Radialschnitt von Außenund Innenkappe mit Blockiereinrichtung in Vormontagezustand

Fig. 9A - 9E

Radialschnitte analog Fig. 8 in unterschiedlichen Montagestellungen des Drehverschlusses auf einem Getränkebehälter,

Fig. 10

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Drehverschlusses in einer zweiten Ausführungsform schräg von oben,

Fig. 11

dessen perspektivische Darstellung schräg von unten,

Fig. 12

eine Draufsicht auf den Drehverschluss gemäß Fig. 10,

Fig. 13

einen axialparallelen Schnitt entlang der Schnittlinie A-A nach Fig. 12,

Fig. 14

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Außenkappe schräg von unten,

Fig. 15

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Innenkappe schräg von oben, und

Fig. 16A - 16C

einen abgewickelten Teilaxialschnitt von Außen- und Innenkappe im Bereich zweier Sichtfenster gemäß Einzelheit Z nach Fig. 13 in unterschiedlichen Stellungen zueinander.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which an embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a twist lock in a first embodiment obliquely from above,

Fig. 2

whose perspective view obliquely from below,

Fig. 3

a top view of the screw cap,

Fig. 4

3 shows an axially parallel section along the section line AA according to FIG. 3,

Fig. 5

a perspective view of the outer cap obliquely from below,

Fig. 6

a perspective view of the inner cap obliquely from above,

7A-7C

4 shows a developed partial axial section of the outer and inner caps in the area of two viewing windows according to detail Z according to FIG. 4 in different positions relative to one another,

Fig. 8

a cut-out, greatly enlarged radial section of the outer and inner cap with blocking device in the pre-assembled state

9A-9E

Radial sections analogous to FIG. 8 in different mounting positions of the twist lock on a beverage container,

Fig. 10

a perspective view of a twist lock in a second embodiment obliquely from above,

Fig. 11

whose perspective view obliquely from below,

Fig. 12

10 shows a top view of the screw cap according to FIG. 10,

Fig. 13

an axially parallel section along the section line AA of FIG. 12,

Fig. 14

a perspective view of the outer cap obliquely from below,

Fig. 15

a perspective view of the inner cap obliquely from above, and

16A-16C

a developed partial axial section of the outer and inner cap in the area of two viewing windows according to detail Z of FIG. 13 in different positions to each other.

The first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 9 is explained in more detail below.

As is clear from FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to 6, a cap-like screw cap V for screwing onto the mouthpiece of a beverage bottle consists of an outer cap 1 and an inner cap 2 rotatably mounted therein. The outer cap 1 is of an approximately circular outer lid 3 and a integrally molded cylindrical handle collar 4 is formed thereon. The inner cap 2 is composed equally of an approximately circular inner cover 5 and an internally threaded collar 6. A circumferential sealing shoulder 7 is also formed on the inner cover 5 and engages in the pouring opening of the container mouthpiece.

In the top of the outer cover 3 of the outer cap 1, eight viewing windows 8 are arranged equidistantly in a circular row along the periphery, which are shaped like a sector in a plan view. These viewing windows are not continuously open in the original state (FIGS. 1 and 7A), but are closed by a bottom 9 which is recessed relative to the outer cover 3 and which is integrally formed on the outer cap 1. The viewing windows 8 are thus quasi formed by depressions in the outer cover 3, whose side walls form separable webs 10 with a function to be explained in more detail.

The grip collar 4 of the outer cap 1 is provided on its outside with gripping grooves 11 and at its lower end with an inwardly projecting ring projection 12.

In the outer cap 1, the inner cap 2 is held captively by the annular projection 12 and - as mentioned - is rotatably supported over a limited angle of rotation, which will be discussed in more detail below. On its inside, the internal thread collar 6 has the internal thread 14 interrupted by axial ventilation grooves 13, with which the screw cap can be screwed onto the external thread 15 of a container mouthpiece 16 (see FIG. 9). At two radially opposite positions of the internal thread 4, a releasable blocking device in the form of a locking tab 17 extending over the axial length of the internal thread 14 is integrally formed on the internal thread collar 6, the shape of which is shown in detail in FIG. 6.

It is clear from this illustration that the latching tab 17 is basically arranged in the region of a pocket 18 that extends axially in the inside of the internally threaded collar 6. The latching tab itself is designed as a substantially L-shaped head 19 in radial section with a massively widened latching end 20, which is integrally formed in one piece on the inner cap 2 via a hinge-like hinge 21. The latching end 20 of the head 19 points against the direction of rotation D _{C of} the twist lock when closing. From FIG. 8, which shows the latching tab 17 in the unloaded state, it is clear that the head 19 protrudes radially inward beyond the webs 22 of the internal thread 14, but due to the elasticity of the plastic material of the inner cap 2 - preferably high-density polyethylene - can rebound backwards and inwards.

Before the function of the latching tab 17 is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 9, the locking for permanent rotation locking from the outer cap 1 to the inner cap 2 is described with reference to FIG. 7. There the outer and inner caps 1, 2 with their cover parts 3, 5 are shown in sections in the area of two viewing windows 8 in a developed axial section. From this, the already mentioned floors 9, which are connected to the outer cover 3 via dividers 10, become clear. Between these floors 9, on the one hand, a locking projection 23 with a steep flank 24 and a flat flank 25 and an upwardly rotating stop 26 are formed on the top of the inner cover 5 (see also FIG. 6). The locking projection 23 lies in a complementary locking recess 27 of the outer cover 3. Accordingly, the rotary stop 26 lies in a complementary receiving recess 28 in the outer cover 20. Both recesses 27, 28 each lie in the edge area of a viewing window 8 and are separated therefrom by the separating webs 10 mentioned.

The operation of the twist lock is now explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9:

In an automatic filling system, the screw cap V is screwed mechanically onto the external thread 15 of the container mouthpiece 16 in the direction of rotation D _C (FIG. 9A). The head 19 of the latching tab 17 is pushed back into the pocket 18 and slides along the outside of the thread webs 22 of the external thread 15 of the container mouthpiece 16 practically without resistance. Outer cap 1 and inner cap 2 are non-rotatably via the locking projections engaging in the recesses 27 and 28 23 and rotary stops 26 coupled together. The screw cap V can thus be screwed on after filling the beverage bottle with a predetermined torque. Because of their bottoms 9, the viewing windows 8 have a uniform coloring with the rest of the outer cap 1 and are therefore inconspicuous.

When the closure V is opened for the first time by rotating the outer cap 1 in the direction of rotation D _O , the inner cap 2 is taken along by the coupling between the outer cap 1 and the inner cap 2 via the flat flanks 25 of the latching projections 23 and the engagement of the rotary stop 26 in the corresponding receiving recess 28 until Spring the locking tabs 17 into the ventilation grooves 29 which penetrate the webs 22 of the external thread 15 of the container mouthpiece 16 in the axial direction (FIG. 9B). The latching end 20 of the latching tab head 19 abuts against the web flank 30 of the thread webs 20 pointing counter to the direction of rotation D _O , as a result of which the inner cap 2 is locked in rotation. Due to the torque prevailing on the outer cap 1 in the direction of rotation D _O , the separating webs 10 between the bottoms 9 of the viewing window 8 and the remaining areas of the outer cover 3 break open (FIG. 7B). At the same time, the locking projections 23 emerge from the corresponding locking recesses 27 and the outer cap 1 is rotated relative to the inner cap 2 until the rotary stop 26 strikes the opposite edge 31 of the adjacent viewing window 8. At the same time, the locking projection 23 is engaged in the undercut formed by the receiving recess 28 at the edge of the viewing window, so that the outer cap 1 and inner cap 2 are rotationally locked in both directions of rotation D _C and D _O (FIG. 7C).

During this relative rotation between the outer cap 1 and the inner cap 2, they are in a shallow recess 33 in the top of the inner cover 5 lying, the floors 9 of the viewing window 8 which have become free due to the breaking of the separating webs 10 and pushed under the areas of the outer cover 3 lying between the viewing windows 8. This eliminates the coloring of the floors 9 which is uniform with the outer cap 1. The differently colored inner cap 2 is visible through the now open viewing window 8. In particular when using contrasting colors for the outer and inner caps 1, 2, it can thus be clearly seen from above whether the screw cap V has already been opened or not.

When the outer cap 1 is rotated further in the direction of rotation D _O to completely unscrew the twist lock, the head 19 of the latching tab 17 is turned upside down from the web flank 13 in the manner of an over-dead center kinematics against the direction of rotation D _O (FIG. 9D) and by widening the head 19 guided towards the catch end 20 via a lateral catch 32 on the pocket 18 and snapped into the undercut formed thereby (FIG. 9E). So that the locking tab 17 is permanent in the in this drawing. shown inactive position, so that the subsequent reclosing and reopening is done by screwing and unscrewing the screw cap V like a conventional one-piece screw cap and without changing the color code.

In relation to the description of the second embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 16, reference can largely be made to the discussion of the first exemplary embodiment, since there are strong similarities between the two versions. To this extent, functionally and structurally identical elements are provided with identical reference numerals and the corresponding explanations can be used for the disclosure with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10.

Only the deviations between the two embodiments are to be explained below. The main difference is the fact that in the alternative according to FIGS. 10 to 16 the physically configured blocking device 17 has been omitted, as is clear from a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 11. The function of the releasable blocking device 17 in the second embodiment is caused by the static friction moment of the inner cap 2 with its internal thread 14 on the corresponding external thread 15 of the container mouthpiece 16. As a result of the tight fit of the inner cap 2 thus produced, the outer cap 1 can be rotated relative to it when the twist lock is first opened, as a result of which the functioning of the opening identifier shown in FIGS. 16A to C can take place. This is practically unchanged from the mode of operation of the first embodiment of the twist lock explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9. It should only be noted that in the original state (FIG. 16A) the separating webs 10 lying in front of the rotary stop 26 in the second embodiment are no longer cut off at the bottom (see FIG. 7B), but at the cutting point 34 above. They no longer protrude into the viewing window 8 in a disordered manner, as can be seen in the first embodiment in FIGS. 7B and C. Rather, the separating web 10 is kept between the rotary stop 26 and the edge 31 of the viewing window 8 standing in front of it (see FIG. 16C).

As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 10, the second embodiment, compared to the first instead of eight, has only a number of four viewing windows 8, which are evenly distributed over angular distances of 90 ° over the circumference of the top surface of the outer cover 3. Accordingly, there are only four correspondingly arranged pockets 18 with laterally adjacent rotary stops 26 in the inner cap 2. The locking projections 23 have moved away from the edges of the pockets 18, whereby two locking projections 23 between two pockets 18 and thus between two viewing window positions distributed over their distance to the inner cap 2 (FIG. 15). Corresponding locking recesses 27 are formed in the inside of the outer cover 3 (see Fig. 14).

The operation of the twist lock in its second embodiment will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 16:

In an automatic filling system, the screw cap V is screwed mechanically onto an external thread of a container mouthpiece (not shown in FIG. 16). Outer cap 1 and inner cap 2 are coupled to one another in a rotationally fixed manner via the locking projections 23 and rotary stops 26 engaging in the recesses 27 and 28, so that the screw cap can be screwed on with a predetermined torque after filling a beverage bottle. This is to be dimensioned such that a defined static frictional moment is generated between the inner cap 2 and the external thread 15 of the container mouthpiece 16. During this screwing-on movement, the viewing windows 8, due to their bottoms 9, in turn have a uniform coloration with the rest of the outer cap 1, and are therefore inconspicuous.

When the closure V is opened for the first time by rotating the outer cap 1 in the direction of rotation D _O , the static friction between the inner cap 2 and the container mouthpiece 16 causes the inner cap to be blocked in rotation, so that due to the screwing torque acting on the outer cap 1 in the direction of rotation D _O, the separating webs 10 between the floors 9 open the viewing window 8 and the remaining areas of the outer cover 3 (FIG. 16B). At the same time, the locking projections 23 emerge from the corresponding locking recesses 27 and the outer cap 1 rotated relative to the inner cap 2 until the rotary stop 26 strikes the opposite edge 31 of the adjacent viewing window 8. At the same time, one of the two locking projections 23 is snapped into the undercut formed by the receiving recess 28 at the edge of the viewing window, so that the outer cap 1 and inner cap 2 are rotationally locked in both directions of rotation D _C and D _O (FIG. 16C).

In the case of the relative rotation between the outer cap 1 and the inner cap 2 discussed above, the floors 9 of the viewing window 8 which have become free are again taken along and pushed under the regions of the outer cover 3 lying between the viewing windows 8, as was discussed in detail with reference to the first embodiment.

Claims (10)

Cap-like screw cap for containers, in particular for beverage bottles, for screwing onto a container mouthpiece (16), comprising - an outer cap (1), an inner cap (2) rotatably mounted therein over a limited angle of rotation, - At least one viewing window (8) in the outer cap (1), through which a visual contact to the inner cap (2) can be established and a visual marking by making a relative rotation from the outer (1) to the inner cap (2) can be made visible to the outside, and - A driver device (10, 23, 26, 27, 28) between the outer and inner cap (1, 2) for taking the inner cap (2) during the original closing process and at the beginning of the first opening of the closure (V), marked by - a releasable locking means (17) on the inner cap (2) for its locking in rotation in the initial opening over a certain angle of rotation of the outer cap (1), wherein by this induced relative rotation of outer to inner cap (1, 2) the marker in the window (8 ) can be brought into its visible position, and - A locking device (23, 26) for permanent rotation locking of the outer to inner cap (1, 2) after their relative rotation to each other when first opened. Twist lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the blocking device is formed by at least one latching tab (17) which is articulated in the region of the internal thread (14) and which is formed on the inner cap (2) - is radially outward in a first inactive position during the original closing process, - When opening for the first time in the manner of a pawl in a blocking position in a complementary locking recess (29) on the container mouthpiece (16) can be locked, and - After locking the outer to inner cap (2) and the further rotation of the inner cap (2) relative to the container mouthpiece (16) in the manner of an over-dead-center kinematics can be moved into a second inactive position, in which it can be kept permanently by means of a catch (32) is. Twist lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the releasable blocking device is formed by the static friction moment of the inner cap (2) with the original closing process relative to the container mouthpiece (16). Twist lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driver device and locking device are formed by latching projections (23) and rotary stops (26) on the inner cap (2), which have complementary latching recesses (27) and counter-stops (31) on the outer cap ( 1) cooperate. Rotary lock according to claim 4, characterized in that the latching recesses (27) and / or counter-stops (31) are formed by the edges of the at least one viewing window (8). Twist lock according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that at least two locking projections (23) between each two viewing window positions distributed over the distance between them are molded onto the inner cap (2). Screw cap according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the visual marking is formed by a continuous coloring of the inner cap (2) which differs from the coloring of the outer cap (1), the at least one viewing window (8) of the outer cap (1) being formed by a one-piece molded base (9) is closed, which can be separated from the outer cap (1) by the relative rotation from the outer to the inner cap (1, 2) and is stored in a pocket (18) of the inner cap (2) permanently under the cover part (3, 5 ) is transferable. Twist lock according to claim 7, characterized in that separable separating webs (10) between the bottom (9) and the remaining outer cap (1) act as the driver device between the outer and inner cap (1, 2). Twist lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a circular row of equidistant viewing windows (8) is arranged in the cover part (3, 5) of the outer cap (1). Container, in particular beverage container, with a cap-like screw cap (V) which can be screwed onto a container mouthpiece (16) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images