JP2011502894A - Container cap with overcap - Google Patents

Abstract

A plastic inner cap (2) having a base (4) and a skirt (5), wherein a screw (10) is on the inside of the skirt and a first snap is on the outside of the skirt. A tamper-proof ring (6) molded integrally with the fitting element (11) and the skirt and joined by a plurality of cutable joints (20, 21) to the open end of the skirt; A plastic overcap (3) having a portion (26), wherein the skirt portion engages and engages with the skirt portion of the cap, and at least prevents the tampering beyond the open end of the skirt portion of the cap. Covering a portion of the ring, and on the inside of the skirt portion, the first snap fit element on the inner cap skirt engages with the first Over bar cap to prevent it from separating from the inner cap, having a second snap-fit element (31) container closure having. Also provided is a sealing assembly having a threaded container neck (1) and the container closure of the present invention.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a container stopper with an overcap and a container assembly sealed by such a stopper.

  It is known that a conventional metal screw-type stopper is provided with a plastic overcap shaped like a champagne cork. The overcap forms an interference fit on the threaded stopper, and the assembly is covered with foil to provide a mimic of a champagne cork stopper assembly. These assemblies are common in small (175 mL) champagne bottles especially for service in aircraft. This type of overcap is available under the registered trademark CHAMPLAST and TOPCAP 28. These overcaps are very rough. In particular, they completely cover the tamper-evident ring of the screw cap, so there is no visible information as to whether the tamper-proof ring is compromised. In addition, the overcap must be mounted on the bottle in a separate step after the step of attaching the screw cap and securing the tamper-evident ring.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides:
A plastic inner cap having a base and a skirt,
Here, a screw on the inside of the skirt part,
A tamper-resistant ring formed integrally with the first snap-fit element and the skirt portion and connected to the open end of the skirt portion by a plurality of cutable joints on the outside of the skirt portion;
A plastic overcap having a base and a skirt,
Here, the skirt portion engages and engages with the skirt portion of the cap, covers at least a part of the tamper-evident prevention ring beyond the open end of the skirt portion of the cap,
On the inside of the skirt portion, there is a second snap fit element that engages the first snap fit element on the inner cap skirt to prevent the overcap from separating from the inner cap:
A container stopper is provided.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a plastic stopper and container according to the first aspect of the present invention,
Wherein the container has a cervical screw on its outer surface, a cervix having a flange located below the cervical screw;
The stopper is fixed in a sealing engagement state on the neck by engagement of a screw on the inner cap and a neck screw, and the tamper-evident ring is held below the flange.
A container and stopper assembly having

1 is a side elevational view of a container neck and stopper assembly in a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side elevational view with a portion of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. 1 cut. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a container neck and stopper assembly in a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side elevational view with part of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. 4 cut. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. 4.

By using plastic to form both the overcap and the inner cap, it is possible to have a snap-fit element that is held by the overcap on the inner cap, thus eliminating the need for foil over the final assembly. Become. In addition, it is possible to produce a plug with play between the overcap and the tamper-evident ring, and the tamper-evident ring does not fall out of the plug even after it has been opened, so clear information on tamper-evident give. Finally, the stopper can be assembled before it is placed on the bottle, which can be done in one step by screwing the stopper with the overcap directly onto the bottle.
Both the inner cap and the overcap are preferably molded from a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, for example by injection molding. It is preferable to mold both the inner cap and the outer cap as one body. This simplicity of manufacture is a further advantage of the assembly of the present invention.
Preferably, the overcap is substantially prevented from moving axially relative to the inner cap when the snap-fit element is engaged. This allows the vertical (axial) overlap of the overcap and the tamper-evident ring to be substantially fixed after the snap-fit element is engaged and before the ring is separated from the inner cap. Benefits are gained, whereby invariant visual information is achieved. The assembly of the present invention is therefore clearly different from a two-piece stopper assembly that cannot be opened by children, such as that described in GB-A-2298194. In contrast, the plug of the present invention is expected to be particularly suitable for use by children because it can be easily grasped and has an attractive appearance for children. This contributes to giving the user the impression that the two-part plug is actually a single plug cap similar to a champagne cork.

For example, in one embodiment, when the overcap is secured onto the inner cap by a snap fit, the region of the inner surface of the overcap is in contact with the base of the inner cap. This prevents the overcap from being over-pressed onto the inner cap, and in conjunction with a snap fit or other joining means, the axial (vertical) position of the overcap relative to the inner cap In a fixed position.
By using an over-cap in addition to the inner cap, the over-cap shape can be designed virtually freely. The overcap is preferably a decorative overcap. In some embodiments, the overcap has a hemispherical base, and in particular embodiments, for example, has a bulbous base similar to champagne cork. A further advantage of a hemispherical or bulbous base is that it can be gripped and turned very easily, especially for children. A surface shape, such as a rib or schematic champagne wire, can be provided on the overcap, which can aid in grasping and turning the overcap.
The overcap, and optionally the inner cap, can be formed from a gold or silver plastic and / or with a suitable decoration. For example, the overcap can be shaped similar to the head of a champagne bottle and cork assembly. That is, the base of the overcap is shaped like a champagne cork bulb and the skirt of the overcap is shaped like a champagne bottle head. In this way, a container sealed with a stopper assembly can resemble a champagne bottle, especially if the overcap is made of gold or silver plastic and / or with a suitable decoration. The overcap can also have a contoured surface that mimics the wire on the champagne bottle and cork assembly. The container and stopper assembly of the present invention may further have a champagne-style foil covering, but preferably does not. By forming an overcap using an appropriately colored plastic and optionally also an inner cap, it is possible to dispense with the use of foil overlap.

  It is preferred that the overcap is substantially prevented from rotating relative to the inner cap when the snap fit element is engaged. This allows the rotational force to be transmitted directly from the overcap to the inner cap in either direction, substantially without play of the overcap on the inner cap. For example, the outer surface of the inner cap skirt has one or more protrusions or recesses extending in the axial direction, and the inner surface of the overcap is engaged with the protrusions or recesses on the inner cap to increase the rotational force for opening the assembly. There can be one or more complementary recesses or protrusions that communicate from the cap to the inner cap. Preferably, the protrusion on the inner cap consists of a plurality of axial ribs or recesses that engage with complementary recesses or ribs inside the overcap skirt.

The first snap fit element has a circumferential protrusion, such as a circumferential rib or flange on the inner cap, and the second snap fit element has a circumferential recess on the inside of the overcap skirt. It is suitable to have. This circumferential projection is preferably located, for example, near the bottom of the skirt of the inner cap and looks like a conventional cap skirt with a flange at the bottom. In alternative embodiments, one or more recesses may be provided on the outside of the inner cap skirt for snap-fitting with complementary protrusions on the inside of the overcap skirt.
The overcap skirt extends down to at least partially cover the tamper-evident ring. This helps to provide a natural champagne bottle-like appearance with the sealing assembly. Preferably, there is a gap between the overcap skirt and the tamper-evident ring so that the tamper-proof ring can be clearly dropped from the overcap following separation from the inner cap skirt. The container neck is sufficiently small in diameter from the tamper resistant ring to allow the tamper resistant ring to fall a distance of at least about 1 mm, eg, about 2 mm to about 10 mm, on the neck after the tamper resistant ring is separated from the stopper assembly. It is preferable to extend a sufficient distance downward. The axial overlap between the overcap skirt and the tamper-evident ring is made smaller than the free fall distance after the tamper-proof ring is separated from the inner cap, and after such separation, the tamper-proof ring It is preferred that there be a visible gap between the top of the top and the bottom of the overcap skirt. This visible gap can be, for example, about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm, and is preferably about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm. This clear and visible separation of the tamper-evident ring is a further advantage of the plug of the present invention.
When the stopper is removed from the neck, the tamper-evident ring remains under the flange of the container neck. The tamper-evident ring preferably has a tubular body. The body includes a plurality of partial cutouts and a plurality of flexible tabs integrally formed with the body in the cutouts. The tab is inclined centrally and upward from the tubular body, and in use, the end of the tab contacts the underside of the container neck flange. The container neck engages with the tamper-evident ring on the container neck when the stopper is removed from the container neck and resists rotation in the opening direction of the tamper-evident ring and separates the ring from the inner cap skirt. It is preferred to further have one or more protrusions that promote This type of tamper-evident ring is described, for example, in WO-A-9411267. The entire description of this publication is incorporated herein by reference.

The container in the assembly of the present invention suitably contains a carbonated beverage. It is preferred that at least the neck region of the container is formed by injection molding with thermoplastic. The main body of the container can be formed by publicly known blow molding. The screws on the container neck and on the stopper are preferably of the pressure resistant type described in WO-A-9505322, WO-A-9721602 and WO-A-9919228. The entire description of these publications is incorporated herein by reference. That is, the screw on the neck and on the stopper is provided with a discharge hole for exhaust gas from the neck of the container when the stopper is at an axial pressure in a direction in which the stopper is removed from the container neck at least when the stopper is at an intermediate point. Constructed and arranged in such a way that they can engage each other to prevent or limit the stopper from rotating in the opening direction beyond the intermediate point. This pressure-resistant mechanism prevents the stopper from being blown out of control after the stopper has once been loosened from the container neck. This therefore allows the use of shorter, steeper pitch or multi-point start type screws in the container and stopper assembly, making the elderly and child-friendly assembly without sacrificing pressure resistance. Realize.
The elements that can engage each other preferably comprise a first joining surface consisting of a step or recess formed in the upper surface of one of the second screw thread segments. The first joining surface contacts a second joining surface on one of the first screw thread segments at the intermediate point when the stopper is under axial pressure in a direction away from the container neck, Prevent or limit rotation in the opening direction of the stopper.

In these embodiments, the first thread segment on the neck or on the inner cap skirt includes a first thread region having a first longitudinal section and a second longitudinal direction that is narrower than the first section. And a second screw region having a cross section. Thus, when the stopper is under axial pressure in a direction away from the container neck, the second screw segment on the inner cap skirt or on the neck contacts the first screw region at the intermediate point. The relatively wide first cross section is adjacent to a region where the first screw segments overlap in the circumferential direction, and the screw interval is preferably relatively narrow in the region.
The stopper can be moved from a fully disengaged position on the container neck to a fully sealed position by a single smooth rotation of no more than about 360 °, preferably no more than about 180 °, for example about 90 °. Is preferred. The screw preferably defines a continuous helical screw track so that the cap travels smoothly over the neck. The screw is not a plug-in screw that follows a stepped screw track, for example.
The first and second screws on the container neck and on the stopper are preferably screws whose pitch changes as described in WO 97/21602, for example. All references to this document are incorporated herein by reference. By using a screw whose pitch changes, it is possible to easily realize both high-speed rotating screws having a steep average pitch that is friendly to elderly people and children and pressure resistance. Since the high-speed rotating screw has a steep pitch, there is a problem that when the container is pressurized, it tends to blow out from a completely sealed position on the container neck. Although this problem can be overcome by using plug-in screws, the use of plug-in screws creates a number of other problems as described above. On the other hand, the screw whose pitch is changed solves the problem that the plug blows out under pressure while maintaining the advantage of the continuous high-speed screw.

The container neck and inner cap skirt may further have complementary fastening elements that prevent or limit the stopper from being loosened from a fully sealed position on the container neck until a predetermined minimum opening torque is applied. preferable. In one embodiment, the securing element comprises a longitudinal securing rib on the container neck or on the inner cap skirt, and a securing ramp complementary to the securing rib on the other of the container neck and the inner cap skirt. When the stopper is completely sealed on the container neck, the fixing rib contacts the holding edge of the fixing slope. Complementary securing elements are preferably provided on the same surface as the screws, i.e. the inner surface of the inner cap skirt and the outer surface of the container neck.
This fixing arrangement helps to avoid plug blow-out under pressure from inside the container. A clear click sound is also provided to let the user know that the stopper has been fully screwed onto the neck and has reached pressure seal.
Thus, at least one of the complementary locking projections on the neck and / or on the plug to provide a snap fit and a clear clicking sound when the plug reaches a fully sealed position on the neck. Preferably both are substantially spaced from the thread segment and can be deflected substantially independently of the thread segment. In general, the innermost point on the radius of the anchoring element on the cervix will ride over the outermost point on the radius of the anchoring element on the inner cap skirt when approaching a fully sealed position. Thereafter, when leaving the sealing position, for example when the assembly is opened, the cervical anchoring element moves over the skirt anchoring element.

  At least one of the complementary locking projections on the neck and / or on the plug, preferably both in the longitudinal direction (ie, along the axis of rotation of the plug assembly) is about 1 mm to about 6 mm. For example, about 2 mm to about 4 mm. The height of at least one, preferably both, of the complementary locking projections on the neck and / or on the plug is from about 0.25 mm to about 2 mm, such as from about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm. In either case, the height of the fixing protrusion is usually smaller than the average height of each screw segment. At least one of the complementary securing projections on the neck and / or the stopper, preferably the maximum width of both (ie, the width around the circumference of the neck or stopper skirt) is about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm, for example about 1 mm to about 2 mm. The ratio of the maximum height to the maximum width on at least one, preferably both, of the complementary fixing projections on the neck and / or on the plug is about 0.5 or more, more preferably 1 or more For example, from about 1 to about 5.

The assembly of the present invention may have more than one pair of complementary locking projections on the container neck and on the stopper. Preferably, there are two or more such complementary pairs radially spaced around the neck and inner cap skirt. Usually, there are one or more pairs at each screw start point. For example, there may be four pairs radially spaced around the neck and inner cap skirt.
The securing protrusions on the neck and inner cap skirt are preferably located radially so that they come into contact when the stopper is fully tightened and in a sealed position on the neck. That is, the protrusion on the inner cap skirt rides on one side of the corresponding protrusion on the container neck and maintains contact with the opposite surface in the fully tightened sealed position. This ensures that the play of the plug in the tight sealing position, which can lead to leakage from the seal, is eliminated. When the protrusions are in contact in a tight sealed position, the inner cap skirt and / or protrusion is preferably still slightly distorted to exert a restoring force between the contacting protrusions. This restoring force is converted into torque in the direction of closure between the stopper and the neck by contact. This torque in the direction of the closure pushes the closure into the fully sealed position. As a result, even when the stopper is not particularly tightly screwed, the sealing surfaces of the container neck and the stopper can be reliably fixed to each other automatically. In addition, the locking projections allow for effective sealing in a wide range of sealing positions on the circumference due to the interaction between the locking projections and the circumferential strain of the plug skirt, so that when molding the assembly Remarkably tolerate manufacturing tolerances.
The advantages of such a fixing projection for pushing the plug into the sealing position are described in detail in WO 93/01098. The entire description of this document is incorporated herein by reference.
The complementary securing element of the present invention provides many other important advantages besides pushing the plug into a fully sealed position as described above. First, they prevent the plug from abruptly blowing out due to pressure from inside the container from the fully engaged sealing position on the container neck. These elements allow the use of steeper pitch screws and free-sliding (parallel) screws without the risk of the plug naturally loosening. The use of a steeper pitch screw conversely facilitates plug removal and retightening. This system also applies an accurate and precise degree of compression between the respective sealing surfaces on the container neck and on the stopper so that an effective airtightness when the stopper is in a fully tightened position on the neck. Ensuring that sealing is realized.

The sealing assembly of the present invention further includes contacting a second stop surface or screw segment on one of the container neck and the other of the stopper on one of the container neck and the stopper to provide a predetermined closure of the stopper on the container neck. It can have a protruding stop surface that prevents overtightening of the plug beyond the sealing angular position. This stopping means ensures that an appropriate degree of screwing of the stopper is realized in conjunction with the fixing arrangement so that the sealing arrangement of the present invention obtains a pressure tight seal. This complementary stop is preferably provided on the outer surface of the container neck and the inner surface of the inner cap skirt.
Suitable locking and stopping configurations for use in the assembly of the present invention are described in detail in WO 91/18799 and WO 95/05322. All references to these documents are incorporated herein by reference.

  The assembly of the present invention preferably has a sealing element on the container neck and / or on the stopper to seal the container when the stopper is tightened on the container neck. The sealing element can have a sealing liner, such as an elastic liner, inside the base of the inner cap. This liner is pressed against the lip of the container neck to form a seal. However, the sealing element preferably has one or more circumferential sealing projections on the container neck and / or on the inside of the inner cap. Preferably, the sealing protrusion is provided only on the inner cap, and the usability of the user is improved by keeping the neck surface smooth. The sealing protrusion may have a circumferential sealing skirt and / or one or more circumferential sealing ribs and / or sealing fins for sealing against the lip or inner or outer surface of the container neck.

  In one embodiment, a cylindrical sealing plug extends from the base of the inner cap to the inside of the container neck for sealing engagement against the inner surface near the neck lip and above the first screw segment. . The cylindrical sealing plug has at least one circumferential sealing rib on the outer surface of the sealing plug for engaging the inner surface of the container neck near the lip when the stopper is tightened on the container neck. Have. The sealing means has at least one flexible sealing fin extending from the base of the inner cap for engaging with the lip of the container when the stopper is tightened on the container neck instead of or together with the above. May be. The sealing means may have a circumferential sealing skirt extending around the inner cap for engaging the lip or outer surface of the container neck instead of or in addition to the above. In this embodiment, at least one circumferential sealing rib may be further provided on the skirt for engaging the outer surface of the container neck when the stopper is clamped to the container neck.

If at least one sealing rib is present, it preferably has a substantially triangular cross-section, for example a substantially equilateral triangle. As a result, the sealing force is concentrated on the tip of the sealing rib, and the sealing effect can be maximized. Suitably, the height of the at least one sealing rib is in the range of 10 to 500 micrometers, more preferably in the range of 50 to 250 micrometers. Such small sealing ribs are particularly effective for concentrating the sealing force and provide an effective seal on the substantially smooth sealing surface of the container neck. Furthermore, such minute ribs are particularly easy to discharge from the mold mandrel of the molding machine after molding by the high-speed cap molding apparatus and molding. Preferably, the two circumferential sealing ribs are substantially spaced from the base of the inner cap so that the two sealing ribs are symmetrically applied to both sides of the lip of the container during use of the closure to provide a symmetrical sealing clamp. It is preferable that they are located in a facing relationship at the same height.
The sealing fin may have its base between the skirt and the sealing plug on the base of the inner cap, or may extend inward or outward and downward from the base of the skirt or sealing plug. Good. The at least one sealing fin preferably extends downwardly and outwardly from between the sealing plug and the plug skirt at the base of the inner cap. The plug preferably has two or four sealing fins that extend concentrically around the inner cap.
The height of the sealing fin is preferably larger than the width at its base. The cross section of the sealing fin is preferably substantially an isosceles triangle. The height of at least one of the sealing fins is preferably 1 to 4 mm.
This type of sealing arrangement with symmetrically arranged sealing ribs and fins is described in more detail in WO 02/42171. The entire description of this document is incorporated herein by reference.

  The torque required to tighten the stopper into the sealed position on the container neck is preferably less than 1.2 Nm, more preferably less than 1 Nm, and most preferably about 0.7 to about 0.9 Nm. . This is the torque required for the complementary locking arrangement to engage in the sealed position (where it is present), or otherwise substantially leaks gas leaked at the pressure inherent in normal carbonated beverages. This is the power required to erase.

  The sealing assembly of the present invention is particularly suitable for carbonated beverage containers consumed by children due to its attractive appearance, low cost and high safety. The discharge of gas when it is first opened produces a noise somewhat similar to that produced by the opening of a conventional champagne cork. However, there is little or no risk that the cap will blow off under pressure. In addition, the all-plastic construction eliminated the sharp edges created by the prior art overcap method based on a metal inner cap.

Embodiments of the present invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. The figure is as follows:-
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a container neck and stopper assembly in a first embodiment of the present invention. The stopper is tightened on the neck.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view with part of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. The overcap, inner cap and neck were shown separately before tightening the stopper onto the neck; and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. The stopper is tightened on the neck.
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the container neck and closure assembly in the second embodiment of the present invention. The stopper is fastened to the neck;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view with a portion of the container neck and plug assembly of FIG. 4 cut. The overcap, inner cap and neck were shown separately before tightening the stopper onto the neck; and FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the container neck and stopper assembly of FIG. The stopper is tightened on the neck.

1-3, the assembly has a container neck 1, an inner cap 2 and an overcap 3. The container neck 1 is molded from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by injection molding. The neck is formed integrally with a container body (not shown) which is usually formed by blow molding. The inner cap 2 and the overcap 3 are also molded as a single part by injection molding from polyethylene or similar thermoplastic.
The inner cap 2 has a tamper-evident ring 6 integrally joined to the skirt by a base 4, a skirt 5, and a plurality of breakable bridges 7. Ribs are formed on the outer surface of the skirt 5. The bottom of the skirt 5 has a circumferential snap-fit projection 11.
The neck 1 integrally has a circumferential flange 8 that holds the tamper-evident ring after the assembly is opened. A second larger flange 9 is provided below the flange 8 to secure the container neck during filling and handling. The vertical gap between the flanges 8 and 9 is at least about 1 mm greater than the vertical height of the tamper-evident ring. This causes the ring to fall on at least about 1 mm after opening the assembly and be held on the second flange 9, providing clear visual information that the assembly has been opened.
The neck 1 and the inner cap 2 are formed integrally with a high-speed, steep pitch screw with a pressure-resistant mechanism, as detailed in our international patent application WO-A-9721602. The entire description of this document is incorporated herein by reference.

In short, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 3, first screw screws starting at four points are provided on the inner side of the inner cap skirt 5 to form four first screw segments 10. The screw segments extend a total of about 170 ° around the skirt 5 and overlap the adjacent screw segments on the circumference of the skirt 5. A substantially continuous, generally helical thread gap is defined between the overlapping areas of the first thread segment on the skirt 5.
The container neck 1 has a second screw screw formed on its outer surface from four short second screw segments 13. Each is a substantially continuous helical screw that extends approximately 20 ° around the container neck.
This assembly is characterized by the upper surface of the screw segment 10 on the inner cap skirt 5. This is described in more detail in WO-A-9721602.

The thread segment 10 on the inner cap skirt 5 also has a pressure-resistant safety mechanism similar to that described and claimed in our International Publication WO 95/05322. In short, the neck screw segment 13 when the neck screw segment 13 is in contact with the upper surface of the skirt screw, i.e., when an axial net force is exerted on the cap from the container neck. Step 14 is provided on the upper surface of the screw segment 10 to prevent the inner cap 2 from loosening from the neck 1 in contact with the 13 ends. This contact serves to prevent the plug from further loosening until the discharge of gas pressure from within the container is substantially complete and the cap has dropped and the screw 13 has been released from contact with step 14. The area of the upper surface of the screw segment 10 of the inner cap skirt located close to the step 14 has a low pitch of about 6 °, reducing the risk of the pressure safety mechanism riding up due to the high pressure inside the container.
Each of the screw segments 10 on the inner cap skirt is in contact with the second terminal end of one of the short screw segments 13 on the neck when the plug is fully tightened on the neck, and the plug is excessive on the neck. And a portion 15 projecting upward in the vertical axis direction that defines a stop surface in the vertical axis direction.

  The assembly also includes complementary locking elements that prevent the cap from loosening from above the container neck until minimal opening torque is applied to the container neck 1 and inner cap 2. In essence, the locking element comprises four first locking projections 16 on the container neck that are evenly spaced on the circumference and a second locking on the inside of the inner cap skirt that is evenly spaced on the circumference. A protrusion 17 is provided. The protrusion 16 on the container neck is located below the short neck screw segment 13 and is not easily noticed by a user who drinks directly from the container neck. The locking protrusions 17 on the inner cap skirt are provided at the same height as the lowermost portion of the screw segment 10 on the skirt, with a separation of about 2 mm on the circumference. The locking projection 17 on the inner cap skirt is formed continuously with the helical screw track defined by the inner cap screw 10 so that the short screw track on the neck when the cap is tightened on the neck. 13 can pass smoothly through the locking projection 17 on the stopper. This type of locking projection is described and claimed in our international publication WO 2005/058720. The entire description is incorporated herein by reference.

Each of the locking projections 16, 17 is substantially triangular prism shaped with a major axis along the axis of the assembly. The height of each locking projection is about 1.5 mm, and the width of the base is about 1.5 mm. This ensures that the protrusions have sufficient strength to snap over each other without being permanently destroyed. Complementary locking elements inform the user by an audible “click” when reaching the sealed position. Complementary locking elements prevent the plug from “reverse”. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a steep pitch screw when the contents of the container are pressurized.
The tamper-evident prevention ring 6 on the inner cap 2 is located in the tubular main body 19 having a plurality of cut regions 21 and the cut region 21 of the tamper-proof main body, and a plurality of flexible pieces formed integrally therewith. And a remaining tab 20 facing inward in the radial direction. The structure of the tamper-evident ring is described in more detail in WO 94/11267. In short, the inner diameter of the ring 6 is larger than the maximum diameter of the neck flange 8, but the tab 21 protrudes inside the maximum diameter of the neck flange 8, so that the tamper-evident ring extends the tamper-resistant ring 6. However, the tab 20 can be snap-fit beyond the flange 8 simply by flexing flexibly. However, the contact of the tab 20 on the lower side of the flange 8 prevents the tamper-evident ring from being removed from the container neck, so that when the inner cap 2 is first loosened from the neck, the tamper-evident ring is separated. Occur.

Referring to FIG. 3, the inner cap has a cylindrical sealing plug 24. The plug further has a cylindrical sealing skirt 22 that is substantially concentric with the sealing plug. The sealing plug 24 and the sealing skirt 22 are concentric with the threaded inner cap 5 and inside the threaded skirt 5 for sealing contact with the opposite surface of the container neck 1 in the immediate vicinity of the container lip. To position.
The overcap 3 has an overcap skirt 26 and a hollow head 28. The head 28 is formed in the shape of a champagne cork head having an imitation champagne cork wire 29 formed integrally. The overcap skirt 26 is firmly fitted on the inner cap skirt 5. The overcap skirt 26 has an inner surface formed with ribs, and this rib on the inner surface of the overcap engages with the rib on the outer surface of the inner cap skirt and rotates from the overcap 3 to the inner cap 2. Transmit power. An inner surface of the overcap skirt 26 is provided with a circumferential recess 31 for receiving a flange on the bottom of the inner cap skirt, and the overcap 3 is held on the inner cap 2 by a snap fit. The inner surface of the overcap tapers inwardly on the overcap skirt 26 to prevent the base of the inner cap 2 from contacting and over-pressing the overcap 3 on the inner cap 2. The protrusion 30 is formed. The bottom of the overcap skirt 26 partially covers the tamper-evident ring but is not in contact with the tamper-evident ring. This allows the tamper-evident ring to fall free after being cut from the inner cap skirt. A further advantage of this configuration is that the outer cap skirt 26 prevents access to the tamper-proof ring tab 20 and increases the safety of the tamper-proof ring.

The advantage of the cap according to the present invention is that it can be assembled by pressing the overcap onto the inner cap before tightening the cap onto the container neck, since the overcap does not interfere with the attachment of the tamper-proof ring to the container neck. is there. In contrast, an overcap for use with a metal screw cap in the prior art must be attached after the fixing process of the metal plug and tamper-evident ring on the neck.
In use, the cap is clamped to the container neck as shown in FIG. The cap assembly is screwed directly onto the container neck. The flexible tab on the tamper proof ring deflects radially outward and passes through the retaining flange on the container neck without substantially stressing the tamper proof ring.
Both the sealing skirt 22 and the sealing plug 24 can deflect slightly in the radial direction and engage the sealing lip. A circumferential sealing skirt and plug engages the opposite side of the neck 1 and clamps the neck between them to concentrate pressure on the sealing ribs to form a highly effective seal. Further details of this sealing arrangement can be found in WO2007 / 057706. The entire description of this document is incorporated herein by reference.
The assembly of FIG. 3 is opened by loosening the screws. The ribs on the inside of the overcap skirt engage the ribs on the outside of the internal cap skirt to transmit the opening torque. A snap fit between the inner cap and the overcap avoids separation of the inner cap and the overcap. The tip of the flexible tab on the tamper-evident ring contacts the underside of the flange on the container neck, the tamper-evident ring separates from the inner skirt and falls onto the lower flange on the neck, causing the tamper-resistant ring to Gives visual information of the separation. This visible information can be emphasized by making the inner skirt and tamper-evident ring with a different color plastic than the overcap and neck.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the configuration of the container and stopper assembly 40 of this embodiment is generally the same as the embodiment described in FIGS. 1-3 and will not be repeated. 4 to 6 includes a plastic overcap 41, a plastic container neck 42 and a plastic inner cap 43, and the plastic inner cap includes a tamper-evident ring 44 formed integrally therewith. A lower flange 45 on the container neck supports the tamper-evident ring 44 after it has been separated from the inner cap after the container has been opened. An important feature of this embodiment is that the vertical distance between the tamper-proof ring 44 and the bottom of the tamper-proof ring in FIG. 3 is smaller than the vertical overlap with the bottom of the overcap skirt 46, This ensures that there is a visible gap between the top of the tamper-proof ring 44 and the bottom of the overcap skirt 46 when the tamper-proof ring separates from the inner cap and falls onto the flange 45. That is. This visible gap gives clear information that the assembly has been opened, even after the plug has been retightened on the neck.
The above embodiments have been described only as examples of means. It will be apparent to the skilled reader that many other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (13)

A plastic inner cap having a base and a skirt,
Here, a screw on the inside of the skirt part,
A tamper-resistant ring formed integrally with the first snap-fit element and the skirt portion and connected to the open end of the skirt portion by a plurality of cutable joints on the outside of the skirt portion;
A plastic overcap having a base and a skirt,
Here, the skirt portion engages and engages with the skirt portion of the cap, covers at least a part of the tamper-evident prevention ring beyond the open end of the skirt portion of the cap,
On the inside of the skirt portion, there is a second snap fit element that engages the first snap fit element on the inner cap skirt to prevent the overcap from separating from the inner cap:
A container stopper.   The closure of claim 1, wherein the overcap is substantially prevented from moving axially relative to the inner cap when snap-fit elements are engaged.   3. The plug of claim 2, wherein when the overcap is secured on the inner cap by a snap fit, at least a region of the inner cap's inner surface contacts the base of the inner cap.   4. A plug according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the overcap has a bulbous base.   The closure of claim 4 wherein the base of the overcap is shaped similar to a champagne cork and the skirt of the overcap is shaped like a champagne bottle head so that the overcap is similar to a champagne bottle and cork assembly. .   6. A plug according to any preceding claim, wherein the overcap is substantially prevented from rotating relative to the inner cap when the snap fit element is engaged.   One or more axially extending protrusions or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the inner cap skirt, and the rotational force is transmitted from the overcap to the inner cap by engaging the protrusions or recesses on the inner cap on the inner surface of the overcap 7. The plug of claim 6, comprising one or more complementary recesses or protrusions.   The first snap fit element has a circumferential protrusion or recess on the inner cap, and the second snap fit element has a circumferential recess or protrusion on the inside of the overcap skirt. A plug of any of -7. The plastic stopper and container according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Wherein the container has a cervical screw on its outer surface, a cervix having a flange located below the cervical screw;
The stopper is fixed in a sealing engagement state by engagement of a screw on the inner cap and a neck screw on the neck, and a tamper-evident ring is held below the flange.
An assembly of a container and a stopper.   10. The container and plug assembly of claim 9, wherein the tamper-proof ring can drop at least about 1 mm onto the neck after the tamper-proof ring is separated from the plug assembly.   The axial (vertical) overlap between the overcap skirt and the tamper-evident ring is less than the free fall distance after the tamper-proof ring is separated from the inner cap, thereby preventing tampering after said separation. 11. The container and closure assembly of claim 9 or 10, wherein there is a visible gap between the top of the ring and the bottom of the overcap skirt.   When the screw on the neck and the inner cap is under axial pressure in the direction that the stopper can be removed from the container neck at least when the stopper is at an intermediate point, the neck and stopper should have a vent for exhaust gas from the container neck. 12. A container and plug assembly according to any one of claims 9 to 11, comprising an interengaging element configured and arranged to prevent or limit the plug from rotating in an opening direction beyond an intermediate point. .   13. A container and stopper assembly according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the overcap is gold or silver and the assembly is not covered with foil.

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