GB1569781A - Closure - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CLOSURES (71) We, JOHNSEN & JORGENSEN (PLASTICS) LIMITED, a British Company, of Herringham Road, London SE7 8NN, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an improved tamperproof closure and to a tamperproof container and closure assembly. More particularly this invention is concerned with an elongate tamperproof closure part of which, during use, is anchored to the neck of a container.

Previous proposals of tamperproof closure have included a tear band whereby the top may be relased from the anchor skirt only by tearing away the band. Thus it was possible to see whether the contents of a container had been tampered with merely by examining the tear band. Whilst such an arrangement is perfectly satisfactory with standard closures it has been found that an elongate closure may be removed without interfering with the tear band by using the top of the closure as a lever. Thus in this way the whole closure may be prized off the neck of a container and then replaced intact.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved tamperproof closure.

According to the present invention a closure comprises a skirt for anchoring the closure to a container neck, an elongate top part and a tear band connecting the top part to the skirt, the elongate top part including at least one weakened wall portion whereby, when the closure is anchored on the neck of a container, if pressure is exerted on the elongate top of the closure the top part will bend or break about the weakened wall portion but will not prize the skirt away from its anchorage removal of the top part being effected by tearing away the tear band. Also although only one weakened wall portion is required, two weakened wall portions are preferred. In a preferred embodiment the weakened wall portions are circumferential.

The invention also includes a container and closure assembly inculding a closure as defined above.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention and in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a closure; Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal crosssection of the closure in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a sub-cap; Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal crosssection of the sub-cap of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the closure mounted on the neck of a container partly broken away for clarity; and Figures 6 and 7 show the effect of pressure applied to the closure.

In the drawings, referring particularly to Figures 1 and 5, a closure has a skirt portion 1 and an elongate top part 2 joined together by a tear band 3 to make the closure tamperproof. In the illustrated embodiment (see Figure 5) the closure is elongate to protect the rubber nozzle 4 of an eye drop dispenser, the container of which is referenced 5. The nozzle 4 is secured to a sub-cap 6 mounted on the neck of the container 5.

The sub-cap 6 forms an anchorage for the skirt portion 1 of the closure, and as shown more clearly in Figure 4, has an external abutment shoulder 7 which engages an inwardly directed shoulder 8 on the skit portion 1. The sub-cap 6 also includes an external annular bead 9 which engages with an internal bead 10 on the closure so that the elongate top portion 2 of the closure can be clipped back into position over the nozzle 4 once the dispenser has been used.

Figure 2 shows the closure in enlarged longitudinal cross-section and the top portion 2 is shown as including two circumferential weakened wall portions 11 and 12 which form a bending panel therebetween. The upper weakened portion 11 is formed by a tapering of the wall thickness and the lower weakened portion 12 is formed by a curved indentation as clearly shown.

In use the closure is positioned on the sub-cap 6 as illustrated in Figure 5. If pressure is applied to the elongate portion, instead of the top portion and the skirt portion being prized off the anchorage, the top portion bends or breaks as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Whether the top portion breaks or bends along the weakened lines 11 and 12 depends upon the wall thickness at those points and the plastics material used. An embodiment providing only bending would prevent anybody tampering with the contents whereas an embodiment providing the breaking of the top portion would provide a visual indication that tampering had taken place. This is particularly important with containers having sterile contents.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A closure, for a container, comprising a skirt for anchoring the closure to a container neck an elongate top part and a tear band connecting the top part to the skirt, the elongate top part including at least one weakened wall portion whereby, when the closure is anchored on the neck of a container, lateral pressure on the elongate top part of the closure will bend or break the top part about the weakened wall portion but will not prize the skirt away from its anchorage, removal of the top part being effected by tearing away the tear band.

2. A closure according to claim 1 including two weakened wall portions.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a sub-cap adapted to be seated around the mouth of a container forms an anchorage for the skirt of the closure.

4. A closure according to claim 3 wherein the skirt has an inwardly directed shoulder for engagement with an external abutment shoulder on the sub-cap.

5. A closure according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the sub-cap includes an external annular bead which engages with an internal bead on the closure so that the elongate top part of the closure can be clipped back after removal.

6. A closure according to claim 2 wherein the two weakened wall portions form a bending panel therebetween.

7. A closure according to claim 6 wherein one weakened wall portion is formed by a tapering of the wall thickness and the other weakened wall portion is formed by a curved indentation.

8. A container provided with a closure according to any of the preceding claims.

9. A container provided with a closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A closure according to claim 1 adapted for protection of a nozzle member connected to a container.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In use the closure is positioned on the sub-cap 6 as illustrated in Figure 5. If pressure is applied to the elongate portion, instead of the top portion and the skirt portion being prized off the anchorage, the top portion bends or breaks as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. Whether the top portion breaks or bends along the weakened lines 11 and 12 depends upon the wall thickness at those points and the plastics material used. An embodiment providing only bending would prevent anybody tampering with the contents whereas an embodiment providing the breaking of the top portion would provide a visual indication that tampering had taken place. This is particularly important with containers having sterile contents. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A closure, for a container, comprising a skirt for anchoring the closure to a container neck an elongate top part and a tear band connecting the top part to the skirt, the elongate top part including at least one weakened wall portion whereby, when the closure is anchored on the neck of a container, lateral pressure on the elongate top part of the closure will bend or break the top part about the weakened wall portion but will not prize the skirt away from its anchorage, removal of the top part being effected by tearing away the tear band.

2. A closure according to claim 1 including two weakened wall portions.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a sub-cap adapted to be seated around the mouth of a container forms an anchorage for the skirt of the closure.

4. A closure according to claim 3 wherein the skirt has an inwardly directed shoulder for engagement with an external abutment shoulder on the sub-cap.

5. A closure according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the sub-cap includes an external annular bead which engages with an internal bead on the closure so that the elongate top part of the closure can be clipped back after removal.

6. A closure according to claim 2 wherein the two weakened wall portions form a bending panel therebetween.

7. A closure according to claim 6 wherein one weakened wall portion is formed by a tapering of the wall thickness and the other weakened wall portion is formed by a curved indentation.

8. A container provided with a closure according to any of the preceding claims.

9. A container provided with a closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A closure according to claim 1 adapted for protection of a nozzle member connected to a container.