GB2263901A

GB2263901A - Tamper-indicating closure

Info

Publication number: GB2263901A
Application number: GB9201636A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Frank Pennell
Original assignee: Ryford Ltd
Current assignee: Ryford Ltd
Priority date: 1992-01-25
Filing date: 1992-01-25
Publication date: 1993-08-11
Also published as: GB9201636D0; EP0554028A1

Description

Title: "Tamper-indicating closures" Description of the Invention

2263901 This invention relates to tamper-indicating closures.

It is an object of the invention to provide new and improved tamperindicating closures.

According to the invention, there is provided a tamper-indicating closure comprising a main body and a tearstrip portion, the closure being adapted to be applied to the neck of a container such that the entire retentive cooperation between the closure and the neck of the container is by:

(i) cooperation between the tearstrip portion and the exterior of the neck, such that in order that the closure may be removed from the neck, the tearstrip portion must first be separated from the main body; and (ii) the main body.

sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the neck and Thus, when the tearstrip has been separated from the main body, the main body may be removed from the neck simply by pulling it from the neck and the main body and may be reapplied to the neck and again removed therefrom, as many times as desired, in sliding frictional push-fit manner, which is highly convenient.

The closure may be of particular benefit in relation to containers for non-hazardous liquids which are usually consumed or used comparatively quickly, but not necessarily all at once after opening, such as in relation to bottles or other containers for milk or fruit juice for example.

Preferably said tearstrip, portion is adapted to be separated completely from the main body.

Preferably the cooperation between the tearstrip portion and the neck is provided between a radially inwardly presented rib on the tearstrip portion and an outwardly presented recessed formation on the neck.

Preferably the construction and arrangement provides for snap-fitting cooperation between the tearstrip portion and the neck in relation to application of the closure to the neck.

The cooperation between the main body and the neck may comprise sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the main body and a radially outwardly presented surface of the neck, but preferably comprises, alternatively or additionally, sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the main body and a radially inwardly presented surface of the neck.

In the latter case, said cooperation may be between a radially inwardly presented surface, associated with an opening in the neck, and a portion of the main body which is a sliding frictional push-fit in said opening.

Preferably said portion of the main body is of generally cylindrical form, preferably having a tapered edge portion to facilitate entry thereof into said opening, and said cylindrical portion may be hollow or generally hollow.

Preferably the tearstrip portion is integrally formed with the main body, preferably being initially connected thereto by a plurality of mutually spaced frangible bridging portions integrally formed with both the tearstrip portion and the main body.

Preferably the tearstrip portion comprises a pull-tab to facilitate manual separation of the tearstrip portion from the main body, and preferably to help safeguard the tearstrip portion against inadvertent separation from the main body, a bridging portion is provided extending between a portion of the pull tab and the main body or the opposite end of the tearstrip portion.

Preferably the closure is formed from plastics material.

The invention also provides, in combination, a container and a closure suitable therefor, the closure being in accordance with the invention.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE I is a plan view, from above, of a tamper-indicating closure embodying the invention; 1 FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view on the line IMI of Figure 1, showing the closure of Figure I when fitted to the neck of a container; FIGURE 3 is an underneath plan view of said closure; FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the closure when fitted to the neck of said container, in which a tearstrip portion of the closure is illustrated at a stage at which it is undergoing separation from a main body of the closure; and FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 2, but illustrating the main body of the closure on the neck of the container, following complete separation of said tearstrip portion from the main body.

Referring to the drawings, a tamper-indicating closure 10 in accordance with the invention comprises a main body 12 and a tearstrip portion 14 and is adapted to be applied to the neck 16 of a container 18 (see Figure 2).

The closure 10 is formed by being moulded from a resilient plastics material, such as polypropylene for example.

The main body 12 is generally circular in plan view, with a generally circular top portion 11 having a down-turned peripheral lip 13 and an integrally formed generally cylindrical portion 15 extending downwardly from the top portion 11 and disposed radially inwardly of the peripheral lip 13. The cylindrical portion 15 is generally hollow, being provided, in this preferred embodiment, with four diametrically extending transverse webs formed integrally with the top portion 11 and with the cylindrical wall of the portion 15, said webs being arranged in a "star" configuration, and bisecting each other beneath the centre of the top portion 11. Such reinforcing webs could be omitted from alternative embodiments, if desired.

Tie tearstrip, portion 14 is integrally formed with the main body 12, but is adapted to be separable from the main body by virtue of being connected thereto (see Figures 1 to 3 in particular) by a plurality of mutually spaced frangible bridging portions 20 integrally formed with both the tearstrip portion 14 and the main body 12. The tearstrip portion 14 comprises, at one end thereof, a pull-tab 22, having a portion 23 which stands proud of the remainder of the closure, to facilitate manual separation of the tearstrip portion 14 from the main body, and in this embodiment, to help safeguard the tearstrip portion 14 against inadvertent separation from the main body, a bridging portion 24 is provided extending between the portion 23 of the pull-tab and the opposite end portion of the tearstrip portion 14, which, owing to the feature that the tearstrip portion 14 extends completely around the closure, Hes adjacent to the pull-tab portion 23. (Alternatively, such bridging portion 24 could be arranged to extend between the pull-tab and the main body).

The tearstrip portion 14 has integrally formed therewith a radially inwardly presented rib 26 extending along the entire length of the tearstrip portion except for the pull tab, the rib 26 having a wedge-hke cross-section including a main surface which extends in an upward radially inward direction.

A flangible bridging portion 30 is formed between a root portion of the pull-tab 22 and the other end of the tearstrip portion 14.

The closure 10 is of particular benefit in relation to containers, such as the glass or plastics container/bottle 18 partly illustrated in the drawings, for non-hazardous liquids which are usually consumed or used comparatively quickly but not necessarily all at once after opening, such as for milk or fruit juice for example.

The container 18 in this example, of which the neck 16 is illustrated, comprises an annular recess 32 formed on and extending around the outwardly presented surface of the neck 16, and in this instance being defined between outwardly protruding annular ribs formed, spaced apart by the recess 32, around the neck. It will be appreciated that the lowermost of said pair of ribs is not essentiaL In use, at a bottling plant or other container-fining facility, the container 18 is filled to a desired level with an intended liquid, and the closure 10 is then placed over the top of the neck 16 and urged downwardly, the tearstrip portion 14 flexing outwardly as the rib 26 passes over the uppermost of the ribs on the neck and the tearstrip 14 then re-contracting radially inwardly, with a snap-fitting action owing to the resilience of the plastics material, as the rib 26 reaches and enters the recess 32.

At the same time, in the course of so applying the closure 10 to the neck, the radially outwardly presented surface of the cylindrical portion 15 of the main body enters the hitherto open neck of the container in a sliding frictional push-fit manner, the lower edge portion of the cylindrical portion 15 being tapered to facilitate such entry, so as to close, and effectively seal, the neck 16. It will be appreciated that in this example the cylindrical portion 15 cooperates with the radially inwardly presented surface of the neck associated with the opening in the neck.

Owing to the wedge-like form of the rib 26, upward pulling of the closure 10 from the neck, after application of the closure to the neck, is not sufficient to remove the closure 10 from the neck. In order to remove the closure 10 from the neck 16, the tearstrip portion 14 must first be separated from the main body 12.

Thus it will be appreciated that following initial application of the closure 10 to the neck 16, the entire retentive cooperation between the closure 10 and the neck 16 is by (i) cooperation between the tearstrip portion 14 and the exterior of the neck 16, such that in order that the closure 10 may be removed from the neck 16, the tearstrip portion 14 must first be separated from the main body 12, and (ii) sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the neck 16 and the main body 12.

In order to gain access to the contents of the container, the tearstrip 14 is separated from the main body 12 (Figure 4), by manually grasping the free end of the pull-tap 22 and pulling same sufficient to break the bridging portions 24 and 30, and then continuing to pull the pull tab 22 so as to break, in succession, the bridging portions 20 along the upper edge of the tearstrip 14 until the tearstrip 14 has been separated completely from the main body 12, leaving the main body 12 on the neck 16 (Figure 5).

It will be appreciated that in relation to liquids such as milk or fruit juice intended for human consumption, or other liquids, the necessary removal of the tearstrip provides a useful indication, in conventional manner, that tampering with the closure has taken place.

When the tearstrip 14 has been separated from the main body 12, the main body 12 may be removed from the neck 16 (Figure 5) simply by pulling it from the neck 16, and the main body may be reapplied to the neck 16 and again removed therefrom, as many times as desired, in sliding frictional push-fit manner, which is highly convenient, enabling easy opening and resealing of the neck 16 to permit the contents of the container to be used or consumed in a step-by-step manner.

It is to be appreciated that owing to the non-hazardous nature of milk or fruit juice for example, the push-fit cooperation of the main body with the neck is entirely sufficient during use in the above manner subsequent to separation of the tearstrip.

Although in the embodiment described and illustrated, the sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the radially inwardly presented surface of the main body and the neck occurs between the main body and the radially inwardly presented surface of the neck, an alternative construction in which alternatively or additionally there is such sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the main body and a radially outwardly presented surface of the neck (such as between the radially inwardly presented surface of a slightly largerdiameter lip 13 and the uppermost portion of the radially outwardly presented exterior surface of the neck) will remain within the scope of the invention.

It will be appreciated that the degree of resilience and the degree of deformability/rigidity appropriate to the material of the closure, in relation to a given container, in order to provide said snap-fitting action and said frictional push-fit, while preventing removal of the closure from the neck of the container without first separating the tearstrip portion from the main body of the closure, are in general at least partly dependent upon the degree of resilience and the degree of deformability/rigidity of the neck of the container and also upon the detailed features of the cooperation therewith.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

A tamper-indicating closure comprising a main body and a tearstrip portion, the closure being adapted to be applied to the neck of a container such that the entire retentive cooperation between the closure and the neck of the container is by:

(i) cooperation between the tearstrip portion and the exterior of the neck, such that in order that the closure may be removed from the neck, the tearstrip portion must first be separated from the main body; and (ii) body.

sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the neck and the main 2. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 1 wherein said tearstrip portion is adapted to be separated completely from the main body.

3. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the cooperation between the tearstrip portion and the neck is provided between a radially inwardly presented rib on the tearstrip portion and an outwardly presented recessed formation on the neck.

4. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the construction and arrangement provides for snap-fitting cooperation between the tearstrip portion and the neck, in relation to application of the closure to the neck.

5. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cooperation between the main body and the neck comprises sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the main body and a radially outwardly presented surface of the neck.

6. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cooperation between the main body and the neck comprises sliding frictional push-fit cooperation between the main body and a radially inwardly presented surface of the neck.

7. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 6 wherein said cooperation is between a radially inwardly presented surface, associated with an opening in the neck, and a portion of the main body which is a sliding frictional push-fit in said opening.

8. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 7 wherein said portion of the main body is of generally cylindrical form.

9. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 8 wherein said cylindrical portion has a tapered edge portion to facilitate entry thereof into said opening.

10. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein said cylindrical portion is hollow or generally hollow.

11. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tearstrip portion is integrally formed with the main body.

12. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 11 wherein the tearstrip portion is initially connected to the main body by a plurality of mutually spaced frangible bridging portions integrally formed with both the tearstrip portion and the main body.

13. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tearstrip portion comprises a pull-tab to facilitate manual separation of the tearstrip portion from the main body.

14. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 13 wherein, to help safeguard the tearstrip portion against inadvertent separation from the main body, a bridging portion is provided extending between a portion of the pull-tab and the main body or the opposite end of the tearstrip portion.

is. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims, formed from plastics materiaL 16. A tamper-indicating closure according to any one of the preceding claims, for use in relation to containers for non-hazardous liquids which are usually consumed or used comparatively quickly, but not necessarily all at once after opening.

17. A tamper-indicating closure according to Claim 16 wherein such liquid is milk or fruit juice.

18. A tamper-indicating closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

19. In combination, a container and a closure suitable therefor, the closure being in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 18.

In combination, a container and a closure therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

21. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.