GB2195974A - Anti-tampering devices for bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

A non-refilling device 2 for a bottle having a neck 1 with an enlarged interior diameter portion 26 substantially remote from the open end 8 of said neck 1 comprises a tubular body 3 containing a one-way flow means 20, and an elongate outer sleeve 4 having at its distal end 9 a reduced internal diameter 10 less than the external diameter of the distal end 18 of said tubular body 3 and a length such that when said tubular body 3 is fully inserted into said sleeve 4, the distal end 18 of the tubular body 3 engages said reduced internal diameter outer sleeve distal end 9 thereby radially outwardly expanding said distal end 9 of the sleeve 4. The device 2 also includes means 19 in the form of frusto-conical, inwardly tapering barbs for preventing withdrawal of the tubular body 3 from the sleeve 4, the barbs 19 cammingly engaging cam faces 12 of wedge shaped fingers at the distal end of the tubular body (Fig. 2). The tubular body or the outer sleeve may have small barbs 16 and the outer sleeve may have external fin means 13 retaining the sleeve in the bottle neck prior to insertion of the tubular body. The one way flow means preferably comprises a ball valve 21, a ball seat and a flow passage structure 23. The tubular body consists of the two parts connected by a frangible section 24 (33 Fig.3), tampering resulting in breakage of the section. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Non-refilling device The present invention relates to a non-refilling device for a bottle and in particular to a device suitable for a bottle having a neck with an enlarged interior diameter portion substantially remote from the open end of said neck.

Previously known non-refilling devices have only been suitable for insertion into bottles having such an enlarged internal diameter portion in close proximity to the open end of the bottle neck. In practice it is however not possible readily to control the axial disposition of the enlarged internal diameter portion due to factors such as the external geometry of the bottle neck which itself may already have been predetermined by other requirements. As a result certain bottle necks can only readily be made with an enlarged internal diameter portion substantially remote from the open end of the non-refilling device which can be used with such bottle necks.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of the above disadvantages.

The present invention provides a non-refilling device for a bottle having a neck with an enlarged interior diameter portion substantially remote from the open end of said neck, which device comprises a tubular body containing a one-way flow means, and an elongate outer sleeve having at its distal end a reduced internal diameter less than the external diameter of the distal end of said tubular body and a length such that when said tubular body is fully inserted into said sleeve, the distal end of the tubular body engages said reduced internal diameter outer sleeve distal end thereby radially outwardly expanding said distal end of the sleeve, and providing means for preventing withdrawal of the tubular body from said sleeve.

Thus with a device of the present invention it is now possible readily to mount securely a non-refilling device in bottles which only have an enlarged internal diameter portion substantially remote from the open end of the bottle neck.

Further preferred features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of a preferred embodiment illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a device of the invention inserted in a bottle neck; and Fig. 2 is a corresponding horizontal section through the distal end of the outer sleeve of the device.

Fig. 1 shows a bottle neck 1 in which is inserted a non-refilling device of the invention 2 comprising a tubular body 3 and an outer sleeve 4. The right-hand side of the drawing shows the device in a partially inserted condition whilst the left-hand side shows it fully inserted.

The sleeve 4 is substantially cylindrical with a radially outwardly extending flange 5 at the upper, proximal end 6 of the sleeve 4 which seats on a shoulder 7 at the open end 8 of the bottle neck 1. At its lower, distal, end 9 the sleeve 4 has a reduced internal diameter portion 10 constituted by a plurality of circumferentrally spaced wedge shaped fingers 11 having inclined cam faces 12 extending radially inwardly of the sleeve 4 in the direction away from the proximal end 6 of the sleeve 4. In addition the sleeve 4 has annular fins 13 on its outside 14 intermediate the sleeve ends 6, 9.

The tubular body 3 has a generally cylindrical outer surface 15 provided with some small barbs 16 towards its upper end 17 for engagement with the resiliently deformable sleeve 4 so as to retain the tubular body 3 in the sleeve 4 in the partially inserted position of the body 3 in the sleeve 4. At its lower end 18 the tubular body outer surface 15 has some generally frusto-conical barbs 19 tapering inwardly in the direction towards the. distal end 9 of the sleeve 4 and having an angle of inclination generally complementary to that of the sleeve fingers cam faces 12 for camming engagement therewith.

The tubular body 3 is in other respects of generally conventional construction with a one-way flow means 20 comprising a ball 21, ball seat 22, and ball retaining and flow passage structure 23 having substantially only a frangible connection 24 to the outer shell 25 of the tubular body 3 so that any tampering with the device will result in detachment of the ball retaining structure 23 leaving clearly visible evidence of the tampering.

In use of the device the assembly of the sleeve 4 and partially inserted tubular body 3 presenting a substantially cylindrical outer face 14 towards the distal end 9 of sleeve 4, is inserted into the bottle neck 1 until the flange 5 abuts the shoulder 7 as shown in the righthand side of Fig. 1 and the distal end of the sleeve is disposed inside an enlarged diameter annular recess 26 in the bottle neck 1. At this stage the partially assembled device 13 simply restrained against withdrawal by the annular fins 13.The tubular body 3 is then fully inserted into the sleeve 4 the barbs 19 riding along the cam faces 12 of the inner figures 11 of the sleeve distal end 9 thereby displacing them radially outwardly and dilating the distal end 9 and increasing its external diameter beyond that of the intermediate sleeve portion 27 on which the fins 13 are provided (see left-hand side of Figs. 1 and 2). The increased diameter distal end 9 is. received within the annular recess 26 engaging therewith to provide a secure and positive grip against withdrawal of the device from the bot tle neck. Any attempt at interference with the tubular body to release distal end of the sleeve will simply result in breakage at the frangible portions leaving a clear indication of tampering.

The device of the invention may be made of any suitable materials. Conveniently the outer sleeve is made of a resiliently deformable plastics material such as polyethylene whilst the tubular body is generally made of a more rigid plastics material such as polystyrene.

As may be seen in the drawings the outer surface 14 of the sleeve 4 at the distal end 9 presents a smooth continuous surface which when it is expanded into the annular recess 26 to engage it forms a close seal therewith thereby further ensuring avoidance of any possible unintentional escape of the bottle contents (not shown) from the bottle interior.

Fig. 3 is a view generally corresponding to that of Fig. 1 of a modified embodiment and in which like parts have been indicated by like reference numerals. In this case the upper proximal end 6 of the outer sleeve 4 has a radially outwardly extending annular fin 30 which projects outwardly, clear of the open end 8 of the bottle neck 1 for preventing drips of the bottle contents running down the side of the bottle in use.

In addition, the tubular body 3 is made in two separate parts viz. an upper, proximal end, portion 31 and a lower, distal end, solid ring portion 32 secured together (after positioning of the ball 21 between the portions 31,32) by small ultrasonic or the like weld joints 33 which serve as frangible connections between the two portions 31, 32 to provide a tell-tale indication of any attempt at withdrawal of the device from the bottle neck. It will also be noted that the upper tubular portion 31 has fewer radial fins 34 than the first embodiment and that these have a somewhat different shape. In general though the anti-refilling function operates more or less similarly to that of the first embodiment.

Claims (11)

1. A non-refilling device for a bottle having a neck with an enlarged interior diameter portion substantially remote from the open end of said neck, which device comprises a tubular body containing a one-way flow means, and an elongate outer sleeve having at its distal end a reduced internal diameter less than the external diameter of the distal end of said tubular body and a length such that when said tubular body is fully inserted into said sleeve, the distal end of the tubular body engages said reduced internal diameter outer sleeve distal end thereby radially outwardly expanding said distal end of the sleeve, and means for preventing withdrawal of the tubular body from said sleeve.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for preventing withdrawal of the tubular body from said sleeve comprises at least one barb means.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said at least one barb means is generally frustoconical tapering inwardly in the direction towards the distal end of the sleeve.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the internal wall surface of said distal end of the outer sleeve is fluted.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the reduced internal diameter portion of said distal end of the outer sleeve is constituted by a plurality of circumferentially spaced wedge shaped fingers having inclined cam faces extending radially inwardly of the sleeve in the direction away from the proximal end of the sleeve.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the upper proximal end of the outer sleeve has a radially outwardly extending flange, for sealing on a shoulder at the open end of the bottle neck in use of the device to restrain said sleeve against being drawn into the bottle upon insertion of said tubular body.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein at least one of said outer sleeve and tubular body has, on an inter-engaging face, small barb means formed and arranged for engagement with an interengaging face of the other of said sleeve and body, for at least lightly retaining said body against withdrawal from said sleeve prior to insertion of the distal end of the body into the distal end of the sleeve to distend the latter.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said outer sleeve has on its outer face at least one fin means for at least lightly retaining said sleeve against withdrawal from the bottle neck in use of the device, prior to insertion of the distal end of the body into the distal end of the sleeve to distend the latter.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said one-way flow means comprises at least two portions interconnected by frangible connection means for providing a 'tell-tale' indication of a refilling attempt upon the bottle in use of the device.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein is used a one-way flow means substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference- to Fig. 1 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A non-refilling device for a bottle having a neck with an enlarged diameter portion substantially remote from the open end of said neck, which device is substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.