GB2163413A

GB2163413A - Closure assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2163413A
Application number: GB08511257A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin William Mclaren
Original assignee: Johnsen and Jorgensen Ltd
Current assignee: Johnsen and Jorgensen Ltd
Priority date: 1984-05-04
Filing date: 1985-05-02
Publication date: 1986-02-26
Also published as: GB2163413B; GB8411507D0; GB8511257D0

Abstract

A screw on/off closure assembly comprises a tamper evident tear band 12 connected to the skirt of the closure by frangible means 13 and provided with ratchet teeth 14, which cooperate with cam teeth 5 on the container so that movement of the tear band is restrained when the closure is being unscrewed. To minimise the risk of the means 13 breaking when the closure is first screwed on, the band 12 is provided internally with dogs 15 which are driven by dogs 17 on the skirt of the closure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ointment tube with cam teeth and dogs This invention is concerned with the provision of a tamper-resistant container and closure assembly in which the closure when in operative position on the container is in screw threaded connection therewith.

In this invention we provide a container and closure assembly comprising: 1. A container with a thread around the mouth, 2. A closure with an internal screw thread to screw on to the container, 3. A tamper evident band connected to the bottom of the closure by frangible means, 4. Ratchet or like teeth on the inside of the band, 5. Cam or like teeth on the outside of the container, so that: a. When screwing the closure on to the container the teeth on the band ride over the teeth on the container and the frangible means remains intact, and b. When screwing the closure off the container the teeth on the band catch on the teeth on the container so that the band is prevented from turning and rising and the frangible means break.

An assembly as described above is, generally speaking, very satisfactory but it does sometimes happen that when screwing the closure on the band lags behind the closure and some or all of the frangible means break so that it appears that the contents of the container may have been tampered with. To overcome this possible difficulty we provide, according to this invention, driving-on dogs on the closure for cooperation with driven-on dogs on the band to ensure that the band always moves substantially in step with the closure when the closure is being screwed on.

In orderthatthe 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 part side view, part longitudinal sectional view of one form of assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the container with the closure removed; Figure 4 is a plan view of the container; Figure 5 is part plan view, part cross-sectional view of a slightly modified assembly; Figure 6 is a part side view, part longitudinal sectional view ofthe assembly of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a top plan view of the closure; Figure 8 is an underneath plan view of the closure;; Figures 9, 11 and 13 are longitudinal sectional views of slight modifications of the assembly to suit different containers neck profiles, and Figures 10, 12, and 14 are cross sectional views of the assemblies shown respectively in Figures 9, 11 and 13.

Referring to the drawings and looking first at Figure 3 and 4 a container 1, in the form of an ointment tube, has a nozzle 2 at the top, with an orifice 3 and a screw thread 4 below the nozzle. At the base of the screw thread 4 the container has four cam teeth 5 each of which has an inclined surface 6 and a sharp shoulder 7.

Looking now at Figures 1 and 2 a closure 8 has a top 9, an internal screw thread 10 and external vertical ribs 11. The closure 8 is provided with a tamper-evident band 12, connected to the skirt of the closure by frangible means in the form of tongues 13. The band 12 is also provided with ratchet or like teeth 14 formed on the internal surface of the band for cooperation with the cam teeth 5.

The ratchet teeth 14 cooperate with the cam teeth 5 in such a way that when the closure is being screwed "on" the teeth 14 slide over the inclined surface 6 and are deflected thereby so that the band 12 turns with the closure 8 ie the band turns clockwise in Figure 2 but when the closure is being screwed "off" the teeth 14 abut against the shoulder 7, as shown in Figure 2, as the closure in moving counter-clockwise, and the band is prevented from turning. Therefore the band 12 cannot rise and the tongues 13 break allowing the band 12 to fall away.

The band 12 is also provided internally with driven dogs 15 each with a driven abutment 16 for cooperation with driving dogs 17 each with a driving abutment 18.

The dogs 15 and 17 are provided as an extra safety feature to minimise the risk of the tongues breaking when the closure is being screwed on. The cooperation of the dogs 15 and 17 can best be explained with reference to Figure 5 remembering that when screwing the closure on the closure is manually manipulated so as to turn the closure clockwise in Figure 5 with the band trying to follow suit. If the band 12 lags behind the closure 8 the driving dogs 17 catch up on the driven dogs 15 which tends to close a gap 19 betwen adjacent dogs until each of the driving abutments 18 contacts an associated driven abutment 16 whereupon the driving dogs 17 positively push the driven dogs 15 round which drives the band 12 round with the closure 8, until the closure and band are in their operative position.

When screwing the closure off, the closure is turned counter-clockwise in Figure 5 so that the driving dogs 17 tend to move away from the driven dogs 15 to open up the gaps 19. The driving dogs 17 tend, in this movement to move into larger gaps 20 between adjacent driven dogs 15.

It will be understood that the movement of the dogs 17 towards the dogs 15 when the closure is being screwed on will flex or distort the tongues 13 slightly but the assembly is designed in such a way that small flexing movements of this kind can be carried out by the tongues without the tongues breaking.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the dogs 17 are formed as extensions of the vertical ribs 11,there being four ribs and four dogs. In Figures 5 and 6 there are eight dogs 17 which may either be formed as individual dogs or may be formed as extensions of ribs on the closure. Naturally any desired and effective number of dogs 15 and 17, teeth 14 and cams 5 may be provided.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures1 to 4 is preferably made entirely of any suitable plastics material and it will be understood that although an ointment tube has been illustrated any desired form or shape of container and closure may be used in carrying out the present invention. In fact although the assembly shown in Figures 5 and 6 is essentially the same as the assembly shown in Figures 1 to 4the outer configuration of the closure and container is different. In Figures 5 and 6 we have illustrated a screw cap 8 applied to a nozzle of a metal tube e.g. of aluminium.

We have therefore provided a container and screw on/of closure assembly in which the closure comprises a cap part with a top and a depending skirt and a tamper evident tear band connected to the skirt by frangible means characterised by the provision cooperating means on the container and on the tear band to restrain movement of the tear band when the closure is being unscrewed and cooperating means on the skirt and on the tear band positively to drive the band round with the skirt when the closure is being screwed on.

Figures 7 and 8 show the features of the invention applied to a collapsible tube and the same references are used as in the description of Figures 1 to 6.

The same references are also used in Figures 9 to 14 to indicate the parts that correspond to the description of Figures 1 to 6. The embodiment of Figures 9 and 10 is suitable for use with collapsible tube and employs ratchet teeth 14formed on a shoulder of the band 12.

Figures 11 and 12 show an embodiment using flexible tongues 13 and Figures 13 and 14 show an embodiment using substantially rigid nibs 13.

Claims

1. A container and screw on/off closure assembly in which the closure comprises a cap part with a top and a depending skirt and a tamper evident tear band connected to the skirt by frangible means characterised by the provision of cooperating means on the container and on the tear band to restrain movement of the tear band when the closure is being unscrewed and cooperating means on the skirt and on the tear band positively to drive the band round with the skirtwhen the closure is being screwed on.

2. A container and screw on/off closure assembly in which the closure comprises a cap part with a top and a depending skirt and a tamper evident tear band connected to the skirt by frangible tongues characterised in that the tear band is provided with internal ratchet or like teeth for cooperation with external cam or like teeth on the container and that the tear band is also provided with driven-on dogs for cooperation with driving-on dogs on the closure.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein the container has four cam teeth each of which has an inclined surface and a sharp shoulder.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the ratchet or like teeth on the band are adapted to be deflected and to ride over the inclined surfaces of the cam teeth when the closure is being screwed on but abut against the sharp shoulders when the closure is being screwed off.

5. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein each of the driven-on dogs has a driven abutment for cooperation with a driving abutment on each of the driving on dogs.

6. A closure(8) with driving-on dogs(15) and driven-on dogs(17) for use in assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims.

6. A container and screw on/off closure assembly in which the closure comprises a cap part with a top and a depending skirt and atamperevidenttear band connected to the skirt by frangible means characterised in that the tear band is provided with a plurality of spaced apart driven-on dogs and that the closure is provided with a plurality of spaced apart driving on dogs and further characterised in that a relatively small gap is provided between the trailing edge of each driven-on dog and the leading edge of each driv-on dog, in the clockwise direction of turning and that a relatively large gap is provided between the trailing edge of each driving-on dog and the leading edge of each driven-on dog in the counter clockwise direction of turning.

7. A closure provided with driving-on dogs and driven-on dogs for use in an assembly as claimed in claims 2 or6.

Superseded claims 1-7 New or amended claims: CLAIMS

1. A container(1) and screw on/off closure(8) assembly in which the closure(8) comprises a cap part with a top(9), a depending skirt and a tamper evident tear band(1 2) connected to the skirt by frangible means, the assembly having co-operating means on the container(1) and on the tear band(1 2) to restrain movement of the tear band(1 2) when the closure is being unscrewed characterised by the provision of cooperating means on the skirt of the cap part and on the tear band positively to drive the band round with the skirt when the closure is being screwed on.

2. A container(1) and screw on/off closure(8) assembly in which the closure(8) comprises a cap part with a top(9), a depending skirt and a tamper evident tear band(12) connected to the skirt by frangible tongues(1 3), the tear band having internal ratchet of like teeth(14) for cooperation with external cam or like teeth(5) on the container characterised in that the tear band(1 2) is also provided with driven-on dogs(1 5) for co-operation with driving on dogs(17) on the skirt of the cap part.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 characterised in that each of the driven-on dogs(1 5) has a driven abutment for co-operation with a driving abutment on each of the driving-on dogs(17).

4. An assembly according to claim 1 characterised in that the tear band(12) is provided with a plurality of spaced apart driven-on dogs(15) and that the skirt of the closure(8) is provided with a plurality of spaced apart driving-on dogs(17) and further characterised in that a relatively small gap is provided between the trailing edge of each driven-on dog(15) and the leading edge of each driving-on dog(17), in the clockwise direction of turning and that a relatively large gap is provided between the trailing edge of each driving-on dog(1 5) and the leading edge of each driven-on dog(17) in the counter-clockwise direction of turning.

5. A container(1) and screw on/off closure(8) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.