US20050011855A1

US20050011855A1 - Tamper-proof cap for bottles

Info

Publication number: US20050011855A1
Application number: US10/870,045
Authority: US
Inventors: Felipe Zapata
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-11
Filing date: 2004-06-18
Publication date: 2005-01-20

Abstract

A tamper-proof cap for bottles comprising a cylindrical single piece injected in plastic material, including a cylindrical vertical base and a circular sealing belt connected to the cylindrical vertical base lower end, including a plurality of equidistantly spaced articulated blades adjacent to the lower presenting at least one anti-attrition flange radially inwards projected and a base, the flanges enabling a special effect in each blade during the process of application of the caps by high-speed machines. Specifically, the coupling of the cap occurs with low attrition because the contact area between the blades and the neck or collar of the neck is limited only to the flange. The cap is also designed to prevent the simultaneous unscrewing of the cap and of the sealing means, preventing the breakable elements from deforming instead of disrupting.

Description

This is a Continuation-in-part of the application Ser. No. 10/121,141 filed Apr. 11, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tamper-proof caps for bottles. More particularly, this invention includes technical and functional improvements especially developed to reduce the friction between the cap and a bottle when screwing the cap to the neck and to optimize the resistant to tamper of caps with a sealing device attached to it. The present invention is to be used in various types of disposable or recyclable bottles made of glass, plastic or metal, for beverages, food products or not, including drugs and similar products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As it is known, there are various types of caps with sealing devices attached to the lower end of the base. Most common sealing devices are belts, hoops or rings consisting in a continuation of the cylindrical base of the body of the cap, attached thereto only by “bridges” or small breakable “linkages” or bonds, with various articulated or hinged trapezoidal blades in the internal side. Each blade includes the largest side interconnected to the sealing device on a hinged way, while the smallest side is radially oriented inward, with a certain inclination upward. These blades, in addition to being positioned near the lower end of the sealing device, are also distributed equidistantly. The blades function as the main locking component between the cap and the bottleneck. In other words, when screwing the cap to the neck, the blades articulate upwards to a substantial vertical position. However, this occurs only when the blades are passing through a circular locking collar existent in the neck of the bottle and, after passing through said circular collar, the blades tend to return to a horizontal position. Therefore, each blade is inclined inward sufficiently to touch the wall of the neck and under the circular collar. This demonstrates the irreversible lock between the cap and the bottle because when the cap is unscrewed, the free sides of the blades are sustained under said collar. Further, upon the continuity of the unscrewing process, the belt of the base is separated, which means that the sealing device is ruptured in the linkages. Accordingly, the cap may be totally unscrewed, as well as the sealing device, which demonstrates the first opening of the cap.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,418, Ostrowsky et al. breakable bridges or elements between the closure body and the locking band are molded during the injection process and not made (constructed) through a cutting device through the wall of the closure. These type of bridges are of small flexibility and prone to break as the closure is applied over the locking ring and they snap bellow the said locking collar.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,850 Takamatsu et al teaches a closure cooperating with a determined sealing device or container, this device or container being a “neck finish” that has a means for promoting the severing or breaking of the bridges.
Caps manufactured according to the current technique have sufficient details for the correct closing of the bottle, which makes it resistant to tamper or tamper-proof. However, there is an inconvenience defined herein as “placement attrition.” In other words, during the bottling process, or more specifically during the closing or sealing process where the caps are screwed to the neck of the bottle, it was possible to verify that the placement of the conventional cap by high-speed machines resulted in bottling failures or a “considerable attrition.” As such placement attrition occurs during the bottling process, special corrective measures including additional mechanical components are often required to alleviate such attrition.
When applying a conventional cap or the caps known in the prior art, such cap shall be screwed until the end, in order that its blades may be locked under the collar. Therefore, the surface of each blade slides on the corresponding parts of the bottle, which demonstrates an attrition coefficient substantially high in each blade.
Therefore a cap with a new geometrical feature in order to reduce friction between the cap and the bottle during the process of application of the caps by high-speed machines with an optimum locking effect at the same time was necessary.
Also, a cap designed to prevent the simultaneous unscrewing of the cap and of the sealing means, preventing the breakable elements from deforming instead of disrupting was desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of this invention is a constructive feature especially developed in order to drastically reduce the attrition coefficient. Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide a tamper-proof cap for bottles comprising: a cylindrical single piece injected in plastic material, including a cylindrical vertical base, having a lower external even surface and an upper external anti-sliding surface, and an internal surface with an internal adequate thread, interrupted by sections or not; a superior end completely closed by a circular wall with a round shape edge; a respective sealing layer placed against the circular wall and a lower end presenting an increasing internal diameter, which is designed extending from the diameter of the internal surface; and a circular sealing belt connected to the cylindrical vertical base lower end. The sealing belt includes: a wall, preferably presenting an outwards definite increase on the thickness; an internal surface; an external surface; an upper end; a lower end; a circular cut line above said thickening, said cut line interrupted by breakable elements; and a plurality of articulated blades adjacent to the lower end, said blades equidistantly spaced, configured with a dimensional detail operating as a locking component between the cap and the bottle, the articulated blades presenting at least one anti-attrition flange radially inwards projected and a base.
Each one of the blades has its lower side (or the side towards the wall of the neck) with at least one anti-attrition flange developed from its articulated base to the free edge. If only one anti-attrition flange is present, the flange is positioned medianly attached, preferably along a central axis. If more than one anti-attrition flange is present, then the flanges are equidistantly placed on the blade along a central axis. With this detail, a special effect is produced in each blade during the process of application of the caps by high-speed machines. Specifically, the coupling of the cap occurs with low attrition because the contact area between the blades and the neck or collar of the neck is limited only to the flange or flanges. Accordingly, during the bottling process the number of bottling failures will be reduced and the need of additional special corrective measures will be eliminated or reduced.
The flange has been developed in order to reduce friction between the cap and the bottle. With the introduction of the flange the blades are better structured and the flange works as a reinforcing web. Even if the blade has a reduced thickness, the locking effect is maintained with an optimum efficiency.
The base has been developed having a lower external even surface and an upper external anti-sliding surface including grooves to make it more difficult the simultaneous unscrewing of the base and of the sealing belt, preventing the breakable elements from deforming instead of disrupting or breaking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a side view of the cap, with its external details.
FIG. 2 demonstrates another side view in cross section cut, highlighting its internal details.
FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the cap from an upper angle.
FIG. 4 consists in a different perspective view of the cap from a lower angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of this invention and pursuant to these illustrations and its details, more particularly FIGS. 1 to 4, the present invention includes a cylindrical single piece injected in plastic material. defined by a first part composed by a cylindrical vertical base (skirt) (1), with a lower external even surface (15) and an upper external anti-sliding surface (2) including grooves, and an internal surface (16) with internal adequate thread (3) interrupted by sections (4), appropriate for the escape of pressure when the bottle to be closed with the cap contains any carbonated liquid. The lower end of the base (1) has an increasing internal diameter, which is designed extending from the diameter of the internal surface (16). One of the benefits of the presence of this skirt is its adjacent placement over the supporting collar of plastic PET bottles, once the cap is properly applied. This adjacent placement leaves no room for one to tamper the closure, holding the breakable element, with the tip of the fingers, upwardly against the body of the closure as one tries to unscrew the cap from the bottle neck.
The superior end of the cylindrical single piece is completely closed by a circular wall (6) with a round-shape edge (5), and a respective internal sealing layer (7) placed against the circular wall. The lower end of the base (1) has a circular extension with an internal and an external surface, forming a sealing belt (8) presenting a unique outwards slight increase on the its wall thickness (9), and a circular cut line (10) right above the increased thickness (9), defining the separation point between the sealing belt (8) and the cylindrical base (1). However, the cylindrical base and the sealing belt are maintained interconnected through breakable elements (11). The outwards increase on the sealing belt wall thickness allows for a sturdier locking band, that will not deform, and uncouple the locking blades, from under the locking collar of the bottle neck
The sealing belt (8) presents, in the internal surface, adjacent to its lower end, a plurality of articulated blades (12), projected radially inwards. The blades are equidistantly spaced, and each one of them presents a base configured with a dimensional detail (13) cooperating for an upwards articulation, therefore, operating as locking components between the cap and the bottle. In other words, when screwing the cap to the neck, the blades articulate upwards to an almost vertical position. However, this articulation occurs only while the blades are passing through a sealing neck or circular collar existent in the neck of the bottle. After passing through the circular collar, the blades tend to return to the horizontal position, which implies that each blade is inclined inwards, and leaned on the wall of the bottleneck, while its free end remains attached under the bottleneck's collar, characterizing an irreversible locking between the cap and the bottle. When unscrewing the cap, the sealing belt (8) and the base (1) will separate, as these two pieces are interconnected through the breakable elements (11). The breakable points are disrupted, or ruptured, only when the cap is unscrewed, retaining the sealing belt (8) below the collar of the neck, while the cylindrical base (1) or cap is removed, characterizing the first opening of the bottle.
In the preferred embodiment of this invention, each blade (12) presents at least one anti-attrition flange (14) in its lower part, which is leaned on the wall of the bottleneck, provided that each flange (14) is developed medianly (attached along a central axis), extending from the base of the blade to its distal end.
The anti-attrition flanges (14) presents a cross section of any geometric shape, preferably rectangular or semi-circular, as seen in FIG. 2.
Alternatively, each blade (12) may present two or more flanges (14), depending on its width. In this case, each flange (14) is not necessarily developed medianly, but each flange should be distributed equidistantly along a central axis.
The flange (14) is an important detail in each blade, as during the application of the cap using high-speed machines, the coupling of the cap occurs with reduced attrition, as the contact area between the blade and the bottleneck or the edge of the collar of the bottleneck is limited only to the flange (14).
On the other hand, with the introduction of the flange, the blade was strengthened, or reinforced, as the flange serves to function as reinforcement. Therefore, even if said blade has a reduced thickness, its locking effect is efficiently maintained.
On the second aspect of this invention, the cylindrical piece with a vertical base (1), with a lower external even surface (15) and an upper external anti-sliding surface (2) including grooves are designed in such a way that the length of said skirt has an even surface corresponding to from 40% to 57% of the total length of the cap. Such proportion makes it more difficult the simultaneous unscrewing of the base (1) and of the sealing belt (8), preventing the breakable elements from deforming instead of disrupting or breaking. In other words, when holding the cap, one's fingers slide in the even surface but not in the grooves designed in the anti-sliding surface.
It should be understood that the preferred embodiments mentioned here are merely illustrative of the present invention. Numerous variations in design and use of the present invention may be contemplated in view of the following claims without straying from the intended scope and field of the invention herein disclosed.

Claims

1. A tamper-proof cap for bottles, said cap comprising:

a cylindrical single piece injected in plastic material, including:

a cylindrical vertical base, including a lower external even surface, an upper external anti-sliding surface and an internal surface with an internal adequate thread, a superior end completely closed by a circular wall with a round shape edge, a respective sealing layer placed against the circular wall and a lower end presenting an increasing internal diameter, which is designed extending from the diameter of the internal surface; and

a circular sealing belt connected to the cylindrical vertical base lower end, including:

a wall,

an internal surface;

an external surface;

an upper end;

a lower end;

a circular cut line above said thickening, said cut line interrupted by breakable elements; and

a plurality of articulated blades adjacent to the lower end, said blades equidistantly spaced, configured with a dimensional detail operating as a locking component between the cap and the bottle;

wherein the articulated blades present at least one anti-attrition flange radially inwards projected.

2. The tamper-proof cap for bottles according to claim 1, wherein the articulated blades present two or more flanges, each flange distributed equidistantly along a central axis.

3. The tamper-proof cap for bottles according to claim 1, wherein the internal adequate thread is interrupted by sections.

4. The tamper-proof cap for bottles according to claim 1, wherein the sealing belt presents a definite outwards increase on the its wall thickness.

5. The tamper-proof cap for bottles according to claim 1, wherein the anti-sliding surface presents grooves.