GB2241230A

GB2241230A - Closure with tamper-indicating device

Info

Publication number: GB2241230A
Application number: GB9103920A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Frederick Stables
Original assignee: Daniel Montgomery and Son Ltd
Current assignee: Daniel Montgomery and Son Ltd
Priority date: 1990-02-27
Filing date: 1991-02-25
Publication date: 1991-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-25
Also published as: GB2241230B; GB9103920D0; GB9004367D0

Abstract

A closure assembly comprises engagement means including portions 20 which do not deform during application of a cap 7 to a container but which deform during removal of the cap and cause irremediable visible damage to a hologram 28. In the preferred embodiment the cap is screw threaded and encloses a frangible ring 22 which receives the hologram 28. Leg portions 20 project from the ring and engage with a ratchet ring secured to the container mouth. As the cap is unscrewed for the first time, the leg portions cannot readily move with the cap 7 because of their engagement with the ring 6 and the stress set up causes the ring 22 to deform and fracture, so distorting the hologram and indicating tampering. <IMAGE>

Description

CLOSURE WITH TAMPER-INDICATING DEVICE The invention relates to a closure assembly adapted to be applied to the mouth of a container for liquid, for example, the neck of a bottle, and to a tamper-indicating means associated therewith.

For various reasons, it may be desirable to ensure that a used container, such as a bottle intended to contain spirits, is not re-filled with a replacement quantity of liquid, the characteristics and quality of which may differ from the original contents. Attempts to provide closures which make such re-filling more or less difficult are not always proof against determined tampering or pilfering, and it is therefore advantageous to provide a tamper-indicating means which provides evidence that the bottle and its original contents are intact.

The invention therefore provides a closure assembly adapted for use to close a mouth portion of a container, said closure assembly including a cap member adapted to co-operate with said mouth portion, first engagement means including deformable portions adapted to remain undeformed during application of the cap member to the container but to be deformed during removal of the cap member, wherein there is provided a hologram visible to a person handling said cap member, and wherein deformation of said portions during removal of the cap member results in irremediable visible damage to the hologram.

Advantageously, the hologram which may be provided with any desired data or indicia is supported upon a portion of thin sheet material or film, which crumples or ruptures when an attempt is made to remove the cap member. Conveniently, the hologram may be disc-shaped and may be received upon an end wall of a screw cap member. First engagement members allow the hologram to rotate freely with the cap member as the latter is applied to the container, but to hinder rotation therewith when the cap is removed, by engagement with second engagement means provided on the container.

The cap member may include an inner skirt member provided with an internal screw threaded portion and an outer skirt member, there being provided spanning members linking the two skirt members.

A hologram-supporting frangible annular member may be provided with leg portions which comprise said first engagement members and which pass through the spanning members to engage with a ratchet-like portion of the second engagement means secured to the container. Once this ratchet-like portion is engaged, the hologram disc is no longer free to rotate unhindered with the cap member, so that attempts to unscrew the latter result in the crumpling or rupture of the hologram.

There will now be described an example of a closure assembly according to the invention. It will be understood that the description, which is intended to be read with reference to the drawings, is given by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the closure assembly; Figure 2 is a scrap view on arrow A of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a fragmentary section through the assembly.

In the Figures, a metal cowl member 2 is arranged to be crimped or clamped to the mouth portion of a container (not shown) so as to trap between the container and the inturned edge 4 of the cowl, an annular ratchet-like member 6 including a series of teeth 8.

A cap member, indicated at 7, comprises an inner skirt member 10 including a screw-thread 12, and an outer skirt member 14 linked to the member 10 by spanning members 16 each of which has a rectangular aperture 18, through which pass leg members 20 of a frangible ring 22. The legs are provided with a dart-shaped groove 24 and the ring 22 itself with weakened portions 26, for reasons which are explained below.

A disc 28 of sheet material bearing a white-light visible hologram is received on the ring 22 in a groove 30 and is sealed in place by a disc 32 of clear plastics material welded to the skirt member 14 by untra-sonic welding technique at 34.

The operation of the above parts will now be described. To close the mouth portion of the container, the cowl 2 is placed about the mouth portion in an uncrimped condition so that some rotation of the ratchet-like member can occur. The cap member 7 is screwed onto a conventional external thread of the mouth portion prior to positioning of the remainder of the assembly, including the member 22 and the hologram 28.

However, when the hologram 28 and the ring 22 are positioned it is necessary to ensure accurate entry of the projections 36 into the recesses between the teeth 8. To this end, a pilot or nose portion 38 is provided on the lower edge of the skirt portion 10 of the cap 7 which portion 38 is angularly spaced from the nearest recess 18 by a distance equal to a pitch measurement of the teeth 8. The pilot portion. 38 thus nudges the member 6 in a circumferential direction with respect to the recesses 18 so that the projections 36 will be accurately aligned therewith so as to permit in a later step, the leg members 20 accurately to engage the ratchet teeth 8 with a projection 36 provided on the end surface of each member 20.

The next step comprises the crimping of the cowl 2 to render the annular member 6 fast to the mouth portion, after which the assembled hologram 28 and frangible ring 22 is placed in position, the legs 20 entering the recesses 18 so that the projections 36 and the teeth 8 are correctly positioned with respect to each other. The disc 32 is then welded in place.

When the cap is to be unscrewed, it will be appreciated that the annular member 6, the ring 22 and the hologram 28 are restrained from rotating. However, the cap member 7 and the linking members 16 can be rotated with the result that considerable torsional strains are placed upon the legs 20 which bend about the grooves 24 prior to fracture. The strains also cause the weakened portions 26 to buckle and distort and eventually to fracture. Since the hologram member 28 is received in the groove 30 of the member 22, the hologram member 28 will also crumple and probably fracture, thus depriving the data or indicia thereon of its proper visual appearance. It is then evident to subsequent users of the container that the contents have been broached even if the container has been re-filled or topped-up.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A closure assembly adapted for use to close a mouth portion of a container, said closure assembly including a cap member adapted to co-operate with said mouth portion, first engagement means including deformable portions adapted to remain undeformed during application of the cap member to the container but to be deformed during removal of the cap member, wherein there is provided a hologram visible to a person handling said cap member, and wherein deformation of said portions during removal of the cap member results in irremediable visible damage to the hologram.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hologram is supported on a portion of sheet material or film which is arranged to crumple or rupture while the cap member is removed.

3. An assembly as claimed in either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the hologram is supported at a end wall of the cap member.

4. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hologram is supported in a frangible ring having at least one first engagement member extending axially therefrom, said member(s) being adapted to be movable with the cap member during removal thereof from the container and to be engaged with a second engagement member adapted to be secured to the container, so as to cause stress in said ring so as to cause deformation thereof.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second engagement means comprises a ratchet-like member adapted to be engaged by projections of said first engagement members.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second engagement means includes a cowl member adapted to be secured to the mouth portion of the container.

7. An assembly as claimed in either one of claims 4, 5 and 6, wherein the cap member comprises an outer skirt member and an inner skirt member, spanning portions being provided to link together said skirt members, wherein said first engagement members extend between the spanning portions.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the first engagement members are provided with weakened zones to permit distortion or fracture at said zones as the cap member is removed.

9. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the frangible ring is provided with an annular groove adapted to receive marginal portions of the hologram, there being provided a disc of non-opaque material overlying the hologram and bonded to the cap member.

10. A closure assembly adapted for use to close a mouth portion of a container, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to an as shown in the drawings.