GB2073157A

GB2073157A - Container and Closure Cap

Info

Publication number: GB2073157A
Application number: GB8023939A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Johnsen and Jorgensen Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Johnsen and Jorgensen Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1980-04-01
Filing date: 1980-07-22
Publication date: 1981-10-14
Also published as: GB2073157B

Abstract

A container body has an annular rim around its mouth with a neck 5 below the mouth which is concave towards the outside to give a non-drip pouring feature to the container. A tear away tamper-indicating band 15 is provided below a skirt 11 on the cap and this band seats upon a band seat 8 on the container body below the neck. Cooperating sealing means 14 is provided on the cap and the body to minimise leakage. The cap may comprise a plug 12 providing further sealing means 21. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and Relating to Containers and Closures This invention is concerned with the provision of an improved liquid container assembly comprising a container body and a container closure cap.

It has been found over the years that such a container assembly should have a number of features including the following: 1. The container should be tamperresistant to the extent that if the closure cap has been removed from the body it should be apparent from the condition of the container assembly that such removal has taken place and that the contents may have been tampered with.

2. The container assembly should be substantially sealed against entry of the atmosphere into the container and against leakage of the contents once the closure cap has been applied to the body.

3. The container assembly should include a body from which liquids can be poured, after removal of the closure cap, substantially without the formation of drips.

4. It should be possible to replace the closure cap back into position after the closure cap has been removed from the container body.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container assembly which incorporates all of the above features.

According to the present invention there is provided a liquid container assembly comprising a container body and a closure cap characterised in that the container body is closed at the bottom and is open at the top to provide a mouth with an annular rim around the mouth, that the body has a neck below the mouth that is generally concave towards the outside and generally convex towards the inside to minimise dripping when pouring liquid from the container body and further characterised in that the closure cap has a top, a depending skirt to embrace the neck of the body, a tear away tamper resistant band below the skirt to seat upon a band seat on the body below the neck when the cap is in its original operative position and that the cap is replaceable on the body after removal therefrom, cooperating sealing means being provided on the cap and on the body to minimise or prevent leakage of the contents of the container body or entry of the atmosphere into the container body when the cap in position on the body.

The invention also includes a liquid container assembly comprising a container body and a closure cap characterised in that the container body is closed at the bottom and is open at the top to provide a mouth with an annular rim around the mouth, that the body has a neck below the mouth that is generally concave towards the outside and generally convex towards the inside, that the neck terminates in an annular or part annular external retaining bead with a band seat below the bead and further characterised in that the closure cap has a top, a depending skirt to embrace the neck of the body, an annular sealing plug to enter the mouth of the body to make contact with the inside convex surface of the curved part of the body neck; an annular recess in the skirt to receive the retaining bead, a depending annular sealing bead on the inside of the top to make contact with the inside of the lip of the body and a tear-away tamper resisant band below the skirt to seat upon the band seat when the cap is in its original operative position.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is now directed to the accompanying drawings given by way of example in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of part of a container embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of a closure cap to a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is a side view of the top part of a container body ready to receive the cap shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings the container has a container body 1 and a container closure cap 2.

The body 1 is shaped to provide a mouth 3 at the top defined by an annular rim 4 and an annular curved neck below the mouth 3 that is concave at 5 towards the outside and convex at 6 towards the inside. The curved neck terminates in an annular or part annular external retaining bead 7 with a substantially flat annular band seat 8 below the bead 7. Instead of being substantially flat the band seat 8 may be slightly convex to the outside and may include a bead or beads to mate with a recess or recesses in a tear away band 1 5 on the cap or vice versa.

A support ring 9 may be provided to define the lower edge of the band seat 8.

The closure cap 2 has a top 10, a depending annular skirt 1 an annular sealing plug 12, an annular internal recess 13 in the skirt, a depending annular sealing bead 14 on the inside of the top and the tear away tamper resistant band 1 5 below the skirt 11. The tear away band 1 5 is connected to the skirt by a weakened membrane 1 6 and second weakened membrane 1 7 is provided so that the band 1 5 may be manualiy torn away be manipulating a tear tab 18.

When the cap 2 is applied to the body 1 direct downward pressure causes the tear band 1 5 and the bottom of the skirt 11 to slide over the inclined upper surface 19 of the bead 7 until the bead 7 enters the recess 13. At this stage the bead 14 is pressing firmly on the inside of the rim 4 and the outside surface of the plug 12 is pressing firmly against the inside convex surface 6 of the curved neck. In this position the parts are as shown in Figure 1 and the cap 2 cannot be removed without tearing away the band 1 5 because the bead 7 is engaged with the recess 13.An attempt to prise up the cap 2 by means of the thumb tab 20 with the band in position will inevitably break one or both of the weak membranes 16, 1 7. Thus giving evidence that there has been an attempt to tamper jith the container. it However, when the band 15 has been torn away the cap 2 can be removed simply by an upward push on the tab 20 and can be replaced b&num; snapping the cap back into position.

Alternatively the cap may be replaced simply by pressing the cap back onto the body or by screwing.

reverting for a moment to the requisite features mentioned at the beginning it will be understood that: Feature 1 is achieved by the provision of the tear-away band Feature 2 is achieved by a primary seal where the plug contacts the curved neck at 21 and a secondary seal where the bead 14 contacts the inside of the rim at 22.

Feature 3 is achieved by the shaping of the curved neck which provides an outer rim having a lip with a non-drip profile.

Feature 4 is achieved by the provision of the bead 7 and the recess 13. The bead is preferably annular but may be part annular in the sense that the bead may be broken in places if desired.

We prefer to make the body of plastics or metal and the cap of plastics material but any suitable materials may be used.

It will be understood that modifications may be used as required; for example he plug 12 in many cases is very desirable but it may be omitted if desired.

instead of simply removing the cap from the body and replacing it the cap may be hinged to the body so that when the band is removed the cap may be hingedly moved into its open and cioseC position.

Our experience with@ear@ bands has confirmed the efficiency of what may be called the double membrane system. A single membrane will work well only if enough shearing force or tension can be applied to make the membrane rupture. with a angle snap cap of this nature it is difficult to apply adequate force to burst a single membrane while at the same time providing a membrane which does not rupture involuntarily. Our solution is therefor preferably to use a twin membrane which is easy to start tearing with a simple tear tab and yet the closure as a whole has sufficient hoop strength to overcome any tendency to rupture as the closure is applied to the container.

We therefore preferably provide a second membrane passing through an angie between O and 90 to the first membrane.

Claims

1. A liquid container assembly comprising a container body and E closure cap characterised in that the container body is closed at the bottom and is open at the top to provide a mouth with an annular rim around the mouth, that the body has a neck below N the mouth that is generally concave towards the outside rrrc,l generally convex towards the inside to minimise dripping when pouring liquid from the container body and further characterised in that the closure cap has a top, a depending skirt to embrace the neck of the body, a tear away tamper resistant band below the skirt to seat upon a band seat on the jody below the neck when the cap is in its original operative position and that the cap is replaceable on the body after removal therefrom, cooperating sealing means being provided on the cap and on the body to minimise or prevent leakage of the contents of the container body or entry of the atmosphere into the container body when the cap is in position on the body.

2. A liquid container assembly comprising a container body and a closure cap characterised in that the container body is closed at the bottom and is open at the top to provide a mouth with an annular rim around the mouth, that the body has a neck below the mouth that a generally concave towards the outside and generally convex towards the inside, that the neck terminates in an annular or part annular external retaining bead with a band seat below the bead and d further characterised in that the closure cap has a top, a depending skirt to embrace the neck of the body, an annular sealing plug to enter the mouth of the body to make contact with the inside convex surface of the curled part of the body neck; an annular recess in the skirt to receive the retaining bead, a depending annular sealing bead on the inside of the top to make contact with the inside of the lip of the body and a tear-away tamper resistant band below the skirt to seat upon the band seat when the cap is in its original operative position.

3. A container assembly according to claim 1 or 2 characterised by the provision of a support ring on the container to define the lower edgs of the band seat.

4. A container assembly according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 characterised in that the tear away band is connected to the skirt by a weakened membrane and that a second weakened membrane is provided so that the band may be manually torn away be manipulating a tear tab.

5. A container assembly according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the band seat on the body is either substantially or slightly convex, with or without a bead or beads to mate with a recess or recesses in the band or vice versa.

6. A container assembly according to any of the preceding claims wherein the neck profile is shaped as a gentle curve

7. A container assembly according to any of claims i to z wherein the neck profile is stepped e.g. by the provision of a plurality of steps substantially horizontal in vertical section separated from each other by curves or inclinations.

8. A container assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with references to the accompanying drawings.