GB2319019A

GB2319019A - Tamper Proof Seal

Info

Publication number: GB2319019A
Application number: GB9623128A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jim Rankin
Original assignee: Rankin Brothers & Sons
Current assignee: Rankin Brothers & Sons
Priority date: 1996-11-06
Filing date: 1996-11-06
Publication date: 1998-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-06
Also published as: GB2319019B; GB9623128D0

Abstract

A tamper proof seal 10 for a container (such as a beer keg) having a dispensing opening defined by a neck portion with a circumferential rim, comprises a circular crown portion 11 provided with tear means, and a skirt 12 depending from the crown adapted to cover the rim, including rim engaging means 18 that prevent removal of the skirt from the rim. The rim engaging means comprises a plurality of barb elements extending upwardly and inwardly from the inner surface of the skirt. The tear means comprises a removable band 20 of the crown extending along a chord or diameter of the crown, defined by two substantially parallel lines of weakness 21, 22. A further line of weakness 25 around the circumference of the crown permits detachment of the remainder of the crown from the skirt after removal of the tear band. To open the seal, the tear band is removed first, and then the remainder of the crown is removed, leaving the skirt around the neck. A container sealed in this way is also claimed.

Description

TAMPER-PROOF SEAL This invention relates to tamper-proof seals and has particular reference to tamper-proof seals for sealing of metal beer kegs. Metal beer kegs are provided in an upper end with an upstanding neck providing the dispensing means for drawing off the contents of the keg. The neck is formed of metal and is provided with a spring loaded valve to seal the contents of the keg against the atmosphere. In order to prevent sampling of the keg by depressing the seal element against its spring loading, and either tipping the keg to empty some of the contents, or inserting a tube to draw off the contents, seals are provided which are fitted over the neck to give an indication of whether or not the contents of the keg have been samples.

These seals are of the kind comprising a crown portion adapted to overlay the dispensing opening of the neck and a depending skirt. In one particular example of a seal currently employed, the skirt has a plurality of re-entrant fingers which extend from the inner surface of a lower part of the skirt. The fingers are angled inwardly and upwardly towards the crown, the arrangement being such that when the seal is applied over the keg rim the fingers engage the undersurface of the rim to restrain the seal against removal. In order to gain access to the contents of the keg, it is necessary to break or cut the seal, thus indicating opening or tampering.

UK-A-2247231 disclosed a tamper proof seal for a keg which seal comprises a crown portion and a skirt depending from said crown portion and tear means provided about said skirt intermediate said crown portion and an extremity of the skirt to provide a detachable skirt portion so that removal of the seal is effected by tearing the tear means or otherwise destroying the seal to provide an indication of tampering.

Since kegs are usually stacked end-on, it is not always possible to see if a tear has been effected without closer examination of the skirt portion.

Furthermore, with a tear means of the type disclosed in UK-A-2247231, the tearable portion is thin, and consequently difficult to grasp for tearing, especially if gloves are worn.

The present invention seeks to overcome, inter alia, the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a tamper proof seal for a container having a dispensing opening defined by a neck portion with a circumferential rim, which seal comprises: - a crown portion adapted to overlay said opening to prevent access thereto, - a skirt depending from said crown portion and adapted to cover said rim and including rim engaging means which prevent removal of said skirt from the rim, and - tear means provided on said crown portion and at least partially detachable from the remainder of the seal, the arrangement being such that when applied to a container removal of the seal is effected by tearing the tear means on said crown portion, thereby to indicate that the seal has been tampered with.

In this way a visual indication end-on of the keg is provided that a seal has been tampered with. Hence an immediately visible indication is given of tampering without the necessity of inspecting skirt portions or other indicia obscured from an end-on view.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a sealed container comprising an upstanding neck portion which defines a dispensing opening, and a tamper-proof seal according to the first aspect of the invention.

In a particular embodiment of the present invention the neck is a cylindrical neck and the crown portion is generally circular with a depending cylindrical skirt.

The rim engaging means comprises a plurality of re-entrant barb elements extending upwardly and inwardly from an inner surface of the port of the skirt. In a particular embodiment of the present invention the barb elements are angled upwardly at an angle of between 250 and 350 to the skirt wall.

In one aspect of the invention the barb elements may be of a length such that upon engaging the rim of the container the crown is drawn positively into abutment with the annular end of the neck of the keg.

The tear means is preferably constituted by one or more tear strips which extends over the crown.

The tear strip, in a preferred arrangement, comprises a removable and tearable band of said crown, extending along a chord or diameter of the crown. The band is preferably defined by two substantially parallel lines of weakness in the crown.

The tear means may further comprise a circumferential line of weakness thereby adapted to permit detachment of the remainder of the crown portion from said skirt portion after removal of the tear band. In this way, when the tear band is pulled a gap is left on the crown which provides a visible indication of tampering. Removal of the rest of the crown for sampling or pilfering necessitates the removal of the rest of the crown piece by lifting of the two remaining "ear portions" left after removal of the band. The circumferential lines of weakness ensure that the skirt is left intact and in place engaged with the rim if the crown is removed. This prevents a new seal being put on the keg in order to conceal any pilfering or contamination activity.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the crown of the closure is provided with a plurality of arcuate openings juxtaposed each barb element, the opening being of an extent sufficient to allow access by portion of a moulding tool in forming of the barb element. By providing openings in the crown for access in the moulding tool to the barb elements, when applied to a container, the barb elements are shielded by the rim of the neck to which the seal is applied and access through the moulding ports is not available.

The seal in accordance with the present invention may be formed of a high density polyethylene and produced by injection moulding techniques well known to the man skilled in the art.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, four barb elements are provided with four juxtaposed openings in the crown of the seal. Each arcuate barb element may extend substantially over a 50 arc.

The seal in accordance with the present invention is manufactured to tolerances sufficient that when produced the seal may be effected by simply driving the seal over the neck of the container to be sealed.

The barb elements engage under the rim of the neck and any attempt to remove the seal by manipulation will result in tearing of the tear strip or otherwise in destnrction of the seal thereby giving a clear indication that the seal has been tampered with an indication as to the possibility that the contents of the container may have been sampled.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of a method of carrying the invention into effect.

Figure 1 its a plan view from above of a seal in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view, partially in section of the seal of figure 1.

The closure 10 comprises a substantially circular crown 11 having a depending cylindrical skirt 12.

The skirt is provided on its inner surface 17 with a plurality, in the case of the specific example illustrated twelve, arcuate, inwardly directed barb elements 18. Each barb element 18 is in the form of a generally arcuate portion of a frusto-cone of substantially uniform wall thickness and terminating at its upper edge 19 in an annular surface 19 dispersed in a plane substantially parallel with the undersurface of crown 11.

The crown 11 of the seal is provided with two diametrically spaced apart parallel lines of weakness (21, 22) formed by moulding the crown with a reduced thickness along these lines. These lines define a tear strip 20. The tear strip is provided at one end with a tab 24 which facilitates lifting of the tear strip, and at the other end with a circumferential line of weakness 25 where the strip meets the skirt upper end 14 In use, the seal 10 described above is entered over the neck of the container by entering the lower portion 16 over the rim of the container neck. The seal 10 is then driven downwardly onto the container neck with the result that the arcuate barb elements 18 "fold back" against the skirt wall 13, as they pass over the rim of the container. On driving the seal home over the neck of the container until the underside of the crown 11 abuts the annular end edge of the neck of the keg, the end 19 of each barb element 18 springs outwardly to engage the underside of the neck rim to leave them slightly in tension as they draw the crown 11 into contact with the annular end of the keg neck.

Provided the seal 10 and the tear strip 20 remains un-nuptured and unbroken, this is a clear indication the contents of the container have not been sampled or pilfered since sealing. Any attempt to pilfer the contents of the container will necessitate the lifting of the crown 11 of seal 10. In doing this the barb elements 18 will engage the underside of the neck rim to prevent removal of the seal 10. The application of force will result in bending of the barb elements and ultimate breaking thereof providing a clear indication that the contents of the container have been samples. In practice it is not possible to remove the seal without rupture of a substantial part of at least one of the lines of weakness 21,22 of the tear strip 20 or in the altemative to otherwise destroy or mutilate the seal 10 thereby providing a clear indication of tampering.

In order to remove the seal, the end 24 of tear strip 20 is lifted. Continued tearing of the strip 20 from the crown results in the strip being removed entirely, leaving two ear portions 27,28 on either side of the gap left by the band. The ear portions are linked to the circumferential upper edge of the skirt by a plurality of nibs 29, in the present case 8 of them, as shown in figure 1. Lifting of the ear portions will cause the nibs to break releasing the remainder of the crown from the skirt portion.

In order to facilitate moulding, six arcuate slots 30 are provided in the crown 11 of the seal, each slot 30 corresponding in extent to the arcuate barb element thereby permitting access behind the barb element by the tool during moulding thereof. with the seal applied to a keg neck, the continuity of the skirt shrouds and prevents access to the inside of the barb elements 18 for manipulation thereof and the opening 30 is obturated by the presence of the neck of the keg, thereby providing complete protection of the barb elements 18 against interference.

The material used in moulding of the seal described above is high density polyethylene.

Claims

1. A tamper proof seal for a container having a dispensing opening defined by a neck portion with a circumferential rim, which seal comprises: -a crown portion adapted to overlay said opening to prevent access thereto, -a skirt depending from said crown portion and adapted to cover said rim and including rim engaging means which prevent removal of said skirt from the rim, and -tear means provided on said crown portion and at least partially detachable from the remainder of the seal, the arrangement being such that when applied to a container removal of the seal is effected by tearing the tear means on said crown portion, thereby to indicate that the seal has been tampered with. 2. A seal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crown portion is generally circular with a depending cylindrical skirt. 3. A seal as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rim engaging means comprises a plurality of re-entrant barb elements extending upwardly and inwardly from an inner surface of the depending skirt. 4. A seal as claimed in claim 3 the barb elements are of a length such that upon engaging the rim of the container the crown is drawn positively into abutment with the annular end of the neck of the keg. 5. A seal as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tear means comprises a removable and tearable band of said crown extending along a chord or diameter of the crown. 6. A seal as claimed in claim 5 wherein the band is defined and rendered removable by two substantially parallel lines of weakness in the crown. 7. A seal a claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the tear means further comprises a circumferential line of weakness which permits detachment of the remainder of the crown portion from said skirt portion after removal of the tear band. 8. A tramper-proof seal substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings. 9. A sealed container comprising an upstanding neck portion which defines a dispensing opening, a rim portion to said neck and a tamper-proof seal as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and which engages said rim or neck. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A tamper proof seal for a container having a dispensing opening defined by a neck portion with a circumferential rim, which seal comprises: -a crown portion adapted to overlay said opening to prevent access thereto, -a skirt depending from said crown portion and adapted to cover said rim and including rim engaging means which prevent removal of said skirt from the rim, and -tear means provided on said crown portion and at least partially detachable from the remainder of the seal, wherein the tear means comprises one or more tear strips which extend over the crown portion, and a circumferential line of weakness which permits detachment of the crown portion from the skirt after removal of the tear strip, whereby the skirt may be left intact when the crown portion is removed.

2. A seal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crown portion is generally circular with a depending cylindrical skirt.

3. A seal as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rim engaging means comprises a plurality of barb elements extending upwardly and inwardly from an inner surface of the depending skirt.

4. A seal as claimed in claim 3 the barb elements are of a length such that upon engaging the rim of the container the crown is drawn positively into abutment with the circumferential rim of the container.

5. A seal as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tear means comprises a tear band extending along a chord or diameter of the crown.

6. A seal as claimed in claim 5 wherein the band is defined and rendered removable by two substantially parallel lines of weakness in the crown.

7. A seal a claimed in claim in any preceding claim and adapted to seal a keg.

8. A tramper-proof seal substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A sealed container comprising an upstanding neck portion which defines a dispensing opening, a rim portion to said neck and a tamper-proof seal as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and which engages said rim or neck.

10. A sealed container as claimed in claim 9 and comprising a keg.