US3081011A

US3081011A - Turn-to-open tamper-proof closure for containers

Info

Publication number: US3081011A
Application number: US825793A
Authority: US
Inventors: Morton B Stull
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-07-08
Filing date: 1959-07-08
Publication date: 1963-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 1980-03-12

Description

March 12, 1963 M. B. STULL TURN-T-DPEN TAMPER-PROOF CLOSURE FOR CONTA-IN Filed July 8, 1959 Mar/0n 5".

AGENT United States Patent 1 3,081,011 TURN-TO-OPEN TAMPER-PROOF CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Morton B. Stull, Clifton, NJ. (221-223 Banta Ave., Garfield, NJ.) Filed July 8, 1 959, Ser. No. 825,793 13 Claims. (Cl. 222-541) This invention relates to closures for small containers such as cans, boxes and the like, and more particularly to closures which are turnably or rotatably mounted and which are actuated to open or close the container by a turning or rotary movement.

In the past various types of turn-to-open closures have been proposed and produced. Generally these closures have consisted of a small disc of metal or other sheet material which are carried by a pivot secured to the container, the said disc having a dispensing opening or orifice which couldbe brought into registration with an opening of the container, as by turning the closure disc, thereby to enable the contents of the container to be discharged. ln some instances the closure disc had a plunality of small openings which were closely spaced, thereby to enable the closure to function as a sifting means or distributing device. Also, in some cases these rotary closures were provided with detent means such as stop lugs or the like to establish or fix their open and closed positions and to retain the closures in desired positions or settings.

The use of these prior closures involved the provision of a pivot pin or rivet, and necessitated an assembly oper- -ation involving at least two parts in addition to the wall of the container. These parts, in the simplest type of closure, constituted the closure disc or body itself and the pivotal mounting means comprising the pin or rivet. Ordinarily it was not convenient or feasible to utilize automatic capping or assembling equipment in applying this type of closure to the container, due to the multiplicity of parts involved. Thu-s, the application or assembly of the closure often involved hand operations, which resulted in a somewhat costly procedure and end product.

Also, with these prior closures the container could be inadvertently opened due to accidental shifting of the closure to its open position, where conditions of rough handling were prevalent. And, what was still more important, there was no assurance when this prior type of closure was employed, that the contents of the container would not be tampered with or removed either in part .or in whole.

The above disadvantages and drawbacks of prior-type rotary closures are obviated by the present invention, and one object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved turn-to-open closure which, when installed on a container, will provide an efiective tamper-proofwassemblage, thereby discouraging and minimizing the likelihood of the container contents being removed or tampered with.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved rotary-type tamper-proof closure in accordance with the foregoing, which will be securely held and retained in its original closed condition despite rough handling and adverse conditions of use of the container prior to the actual authorized use of the contents.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved tamper-proof turn-to-open closure for containers as above set forth, which is constituted of but a single integral piece or component and is so arranged that it may be readily applied to the container by automatic assembling or capping equipment.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved, one-piece wholly integral rotary-type clocarried by the container walls.

truly tamper-proof since it 2 sure which may be economically fabricated as a molded plastic part, by mass production techniques.

Another-feature of the invention resides in the pro- .vision of a novel, one-piece molded tamper-proof rotarytype closure having cooperable portions adapted to constitute a detent means, for holding the closure in any of various desired positions.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved tamper-proof closure as above set forth, which may be easily and quickly applied to thecontainer by .a simple pressing or snap-on operation.

In accomplishing the above objects and attaining the listed advantages there is provided in accordance with the invention a novel one-piece, wholly integral molded closure structure which is constituted essentially of an anchorage portion adapted to be fixed to the container, a closure portion, which is manually turn able, and a thin frangible restraining web which is integral with and which connects the anchorage and closure portions to each other, for the purpose of initially holding the latter portion against turning and in a position covering the opening of the container. Thus, the closure structure is is not possible or easily feasible to actuate the closure portion so as to open the container for discharge of the contents, without'fracturing or breaking the thin frangible web.

In one embodiment of the invention both the anchorage and closure portions are adapted to be mounted on and In another embodiment of the invention, only the anchorage portion is arranged to be secured to or mounted on the container wall, and the closure portion is so constituted that it is rotatably mounted on the anchorage portion itself and is cooperable therewith for purposes of dispensing the contents of the container. In each of these embodiments, the imparting of any rotary movement to the closure, portion for the purpose of uncovering the opening of the container will result in the connecting web being broken, thereby indicating that the closure was actuated in an unauthorized manner.

Other features and hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference have been used to designate like components or parts throughout the several views, in which: 1 FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an improved tamper-proof rotary-type closure as provided by the invention, said closure being carried by the top of a container or can.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a diiferent type of rotary tamper-proof closure illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary radial section, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is indicated by the numeral 10 a conventional type of can top or closure, which is constituted for example of sheet metal and is provided with a curled peripheral portion '12 by which it is secured to the top edge of the container.

The container top 10 may have a depressed central portion 14 formed with an arcuate or segmental-shaped dispensing opening 16, and may further have a central opening indicated generally by the numeral 17, the edge portions of which are adapted to constitute a bearing means for the closure structure.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided, rotatably mounted on the top wall 10 of the container, a novel tamper-proof, rotary-type closure structure having a. number of unique, desirable features and adadvantages of 'the invention will vantages. As shown, this closure structure comprises an anchorage portion 19 which is constituted as a small button or pin, said anchorage portion being received in an opening (generally designated by the numeral 21) provided in the top wall of the container.

The closure structure further comprises a closure portion which is designated generally by the numeral 23, said closure portion being shown as having essentially the form of a thin, flat disc. The closure portion 23 may be constituted in various ways. For example, as shown in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the closure portion has a large arcuate or segmentalshaped discharge opening or orifice 25, which is adapted to register With the dispensing opening 16 of the container closure .10 upon the closure portion 23 being suitably turned. The closure portion 23 has a solid wall 27, which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as covering the discharge opening 16 of the container top 10, thereby to prevent discharge of the container contents. Additionally, the closure portion 23 has a plurality of closely spaced openings 29 which constitute a sifting device when they are registered with or overlie the discharge opening 16 of the top '10.

In accordance with the invention and as shown, the sifting openings 29 are of generally triangular configuration and are staggered or reversed in their positions with respect to one another, and I have found that by this organization the sharp points of the openings 29 serve a useful function in admitting air to the container during 'the dispensing of the contents thereof. This is useful, for example, in the dispensing of bread crumbs or similar granular material, inasmuch as it provides for a more uniform and even flow of the substance, thereby facilitating the sifting and distribution of the same. It will be understood that the sifting openings 29 are operative when the closure portion 23 is rotated to bring these in overlying relation to the discharge opening 16 of the container top 10.

When the large discharge orifice 25 of the closure portion is registered with the discharge opening 16 of the container top 10 a large flow of the container contents will be had, without any sifting action, whereas when the sifting openings 29 overlie the discharge opening 16 a lesser flow will result, with a sifting or distributing action.

When the solid wall portion 27 of the closure portion.

23 overlies the discharge opening 16, no flow whatsoever of the container contents will be had.

For the purpose of facilitating the manipulation or turning of the closure portion 23, a low, radially extending rib 31 is provided, preferably on the solid wall portion 27, for engagement by the fingers of the hand.

The closure portion 23 is turnably mounted on the top wall portion 10 of the container by the provision of a depending hollow boss 33 which is adapted to be pressed through the bearing opening 17 of the wall 10 and which has a sloping retainer shoulder 35 to prevent withdrawal of the boss once it has been pressed into place. It will be understood that the depending bearing boss 33 is of resilient or yieldable construction, thereby to enable it to be compressed so as to permit the sloping shoulder 35 to be pressed into and past the bearing hole 17.

A similar construction is preferably employed in connection with the anchorage portion or pin 19 of the closure construction, wherein a bore 37 is provided in the shank, together with a sloping detent shoulder 38. The anchorage portion 19 has an enlargement or head 40 the diameter of which is greater than that of the shank, as clearly seen in FIG. 2. The anchorage portion 19 is also preferably of resilient construction, and it is preferred to mold the entire closure construction of a suitable plastic composition such as polyethylene or similar resilient formulations of the type commonly utilized at the present time in the closure art.

In accordance with the present invention, the anchorage portion 19 and the closure portion 23 are connected to each other by a thin, frangible restraining web 42 which is integral with these portions and by which the closure construction is made tamper-proof and the closure portion 23 is prevented from being inadvertently or accidentally shifted to any of its open positions. As Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frangible retaining web 42 may be advantageously connected between the head 40 of the anchorage portion 19 and a peripheral edge of the closure portion 23, and the disposition of the anchorage portion with respect to the solid wall 27 of the closure portion is such that the said solid wall overlies the discharge opening 16 of the container top 10 when the web 42 is unbroken and the anchorage portion 19 is seated in the recess or opening 21, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

By the above organization the advantage of a tamperproof cap is had inasmuch as the restraining web 42 securely holds the closure portion 23 in its orifice-closing position as illustrated, and since the retaining action of the sloping

shoulders

35 and 38 on the boss 33 and pin 19 respectively are extremely effective in retaining the two main component portions of the closure structure effectively in place on the top wall 10 of the container. In order to shift or turn the closure portion 23 so as to effect a discharge of the contents of the container it is necessary to break the restraining web 42, and the broken condition of the web will thus be indicative of the fact that the closure portion 23 has been shifted or turned out of its orifice-closing position.

The invention provides for molding the entire closure structure in a single operation, essentially in the configuration shown. The head 40 of the anchorage portion 19 may be disposed in the same plane as the major wall surfaces of the closure portion 23, instead of as shown in FIG. 2 however.

The frangible retaining web 42 is preferably made quite thin so that it may be fairly easily broken upon a sufficient turning force being exerted on the closure portion 23. Also, at one particular location on the web 42 it may be made thinner than at other locations if it is desired to pin-point or specifically limit the point of breakage. It will be understood, however, that the web 42 is sufficiently strong to remain unbroken during stresses or forces which we imposed on it during normal handling, shipping and storing of the container.

If it is desired that the web 42 withstand a considerable force before rupturing, thereby to prevent dislodgement of the closure portion 23 from its orifice-covering position even in response to appreciable turning forces being applied to it, the web may be made of sufficient thickness to require the breaking of it by the use of a suitable tool, as for example a razor blade, scissors or the like.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of radially extending beads or ribs 44 are provided on the underside of the closure portion 23, for the purpose of acting as wipers to minimize any deposit of the substance which is to be dispensed, on the exterior of the wall 10 between the latter and the closure portion 23.

Further, in accordance with the present invention I provide a novel detent means by which the closure portion 23 may be retained in various adjusted positions, as desired. For example, after breaking the web 42, the detent means may be employed to retain the closure portion 23 in either of the three positions possible i.e. the shut-off position, the sifting position, and the full-discharge position. This detent means preferably includes the anchorage portion 19 of the closure structure, and further comprises a plurality of notched flanges 46 having pairs of sloping edges 47 between which notches or recesses 48 are disposed. The flanges 46 are disposed on the peripheral edge of the closure portion 23 at fairly equi-spaced intervals, and are arranged for engagement with the shank portion of the anchorage or pin 19 of the closure structure. The flanges 46 are relatively thin and are readily yieldable, thereby to enable the high spots of the flanges to be forcedpast the pin 19, as may be readily understood. 1

A1so, in accordance with the invention, the anchorage portion 19 is preferably located so as to'be in adjoining relation with one of the notched flanges 46 whereby the web 42 is connected to a sloping edge of the said one flange. By virtue of this construction, the detent means comprising the flanges 46 is not operative at the time that the web 42 is constituting the tamper-proof means. Thus, a turning force exerted on the closure portion 23 will be 'fully experienced by the connecting web 42, thereby to facilitate the breaking of the web. Once the web 42 has been broken, any one of the notched flanges 46 may be brought into engagement with the shank of the pin 19 to yieldably hold the closure portion 23 in the desired adjusted position. i

. With the above'improved closure. construction the operation of attaching theclo'sur e to the container cover may be easily'and quickly carried out, especially with automatic capping equipment. It will be noted that the entire closure construction is constituted of a single, completely integral molded piece, and accordingly such piece may be readily hopper-fed in a capping machine, and may be readily properly positioned with respect to the container top 10 and thereafter easily pressed in place by the use of a suitable punch or fixture. Since there are no loose parts separate from the closure construction, a fully automatic machine assembly of the closure to the container top is readily feasible.

:It will be understood from the foregoing that I have provided an extremely simple, molded one-piece closure construction which is tamper-proof, simple and economical to fabricate, easily applied to the container, and reliable in operation, the said closure construction having important advantages as pointed out. After molding of the piece comprising the

portions

19, 23, and 42 no expensive or costly finishing operations are required whatsoever, but instead the piece is virtually completely ready to be applied to the container wall and placed into use.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this embodiment the top or cover of the container is indicated by the numeral 10a, said top having a peripheral portion 10b provided with an inwardly extending flange 10c which overlies the peripheral edge 23a of a closure portion 23b of the closure structure. The closure portion 23b is of segmental shape, as shown in FIG. 3, having a depending pivot boss 33a generally similar to the boss 33 shown in FIG. 2. The closure portion 23b has a finger piece 31a, and for the purposes of making the closure tamper-proof there is provided an anchorage portion 19a which is connected to the closure portion 23b by a frangible restraining web 42a.

Preferably, as shown, a pair of yieldable detents is provided in the form of yieldable arms 46a, and the frangible web 42a is shown as connected between one of the arms 46a and the anchorage portion 19a.

The container cover 10a has a segmental-shaped discharge opening 16a, which is normally closed or covered by a solid wall of the closure portion 2312, as shown in FIG. 3.

When it is desired to dispense the contents of the container, the closure portion 23b is grasped and turned in a clockwise direction, thereby rupturing the connecting web 42a and uncovering the discharge opening 16a. The left-most arm 46a shown in FIG. 3, upon engagement with the anchorage portion or pin 19a will yieldably hold the closure portion 23b in its open position, and the closure portion may be held in closed position by engagement between the right-most arm 46a and the anchorage portion or pin 1911. In each instance, the arms 46a, which have projecting portions or noses 46b, will yield to enable the noses to be shifted past the pin 19a in order to effect an interlocking engagement between the pin and the respective arm.

"scope of the claims, and "be used without others.

. 6 The closure structure as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 has'the advantages and features mentioned above in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Variations and modifications may be made within the portions of the improvement may opening for discharge of the contents of said container,

said anchorage portion being disposed radially alongside the closure portion and said molded piece further having a tensile holding means comprising a tie member in the form of a thin frangible restraining web which is integral with and which connects the anchorage and the closure portions in side-by-side relation for tensionally holding the closure portion against turning and in a position covering such opening, said web being in full view and readily seen, and being readily severable when forcibly pulled by turning of the closure portion, thereby to release said closure portion for subsequent free turning movement to its opening position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the closure portion is of relatively large size, and in which the anchorage portion comprises a relatively small button disposed adjacent a peripheral edge of the closure portion and connected thereto by the said restraining web.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which there is a detent means carried by the closure portion and engageable with the said anchorage portion, for yieldably holding the closure portion in a given adjusted position.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, in which the detent means is carried by a peripheral edge of the closure portion, and in which the frangible restraining web is connected to the closure portion at a point adjacent the said detent means.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3, in which the detent means comprises a yieldable arm carried by the closure portion and projecting in a circumferential direction therefrom.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, in which the closure portion is of segmental shape, having a pair of angularly disposed side edges, and in which the detent means comprises a pair of yieldable arms disposed respectively on said side edges and engageable respectively with the said anchorage portion as the closure portion is swung in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

7. The invention as defined in claim 3, in which the detent means comprises a notched flange disposed on the periphery of the closure portion.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7, in which the detent means on the closure portion comprises a notched flange having a sloping edge engageable with the said anchorage portion, and in which the anchorage portion is in the form of a button having a head and a shank of reduced diameter, the said shank being engageable with the notched flange.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8, in which there are two additional detent means comprising notched flanges adapted for engagement with the said anchorage portion, and in which the closure portion has a large opening constituting the said dispensing orifice, has a solid-walledportion constituting a closure means, and has a plurality of relatively small sifting openings disposed adjacent each other and constituting a sifting means,

said detent flanges being arranged to maintain the closure portion in either of three dilferent positions wherein either the large dispensing orifice is operative, or else the solid walled closure portion, or else the sifting openings. 10. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the means for securing the anchorage portion to the container comprises a laterally projecting boss on the anchorage portion, having a sloping retainer shoulder, said boss being adapted to be snapped into a bearing opening.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10, in which 10 the means for turnably mounting the closure portion comprises a boss projecting laterally therefrom and having a sloping retaining shoulder, said boss being adapted to be pressed into a bearing hole of the container to turnably mount the closure portion thereon.

12. The invention as defined in claim 10, in which the anchorage portion has an annular bearing shoulder, and in which the means for turnably mounting the closure portion includes a cooperable annular bearing shoulder engageable with the shoulder of the anchorage portion, said closure portion being adapted to be pressed into a recess bounded by the annular bearing shoulder of the anchorage portion.

13. The invention as defined in claim 6, in which the closure portion has a plurality of radially extending ridges disposed in its undersurface for engagement with the wall of the container on which the closure portion is mounted, to constitute a wiper means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,621 Schares Mar. 17, 1959 211,011 Harrison Dec. 17, 1878 1,883,390 Meier Oct. 18, 1932 2,487,825 Olvis Nov. 15, 1949 2,750,068 Platt June 12, 1956 2,769,583 Darlington Nov. 6, 1956 2,777,615 De Shazor Jan. 15, 1957 2,805,005 Kappler Sept. 3, 1957 2,817,451 Giles et al. Dec. 24, 1957 2,826,343 Albiani Mar. 11, 1958 2,885,128 Zimmerli May 5, 1959 2,954,148 Corrinet et al. Sept. 27, 1960 2,961,132 Ankney Nov. 22, 1960

Claims

1. A TURN-TO-OPEN TAMPER-PROOF CLOSURE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A ONE-PIECE ENTIRELY INTEGRAL MOLDED PIECE HAVING AN ANCHORAGE PORTION PROVIDED WITH MEANS BY WHICH IT MAY BE SECURED TO A CONTAINER HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING AND MAY BE HELD THEREON AGAINST MOVEMENT, HAVING A FLAT CLOSURE PORTION DISPOSED ALONGSIDE THE ANCHORAGE PORTION AND PROVIDED WITH A DISPENSING ORIFICE AND MEANS FOR TURNABLY MOUNTING THE CLOSURE PORTION ON A BEARING SUPPORT WHEREBY IT MAY COVER SAID DISPENSING OPENING OF SAID CONTAINER AND, UPON BEING TURNED, UNCOVER SUCH OPENING FOR DISCHARGE OF THE CONTENTS OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID ANCHORAGE PORTION BEING DISPOSED RADIALLY ALONGSIDE THE CLOSURE PORTION AND SAID MOLDED PIECE FURTHER HAVING A TENSILE HOLDING MEANS COMPRISING A TIE MEMBER IN THE FORM OF A THIN FRANGIBLE RESTRAINING WEB WHICH IS INTEGRAL WITH AND WHICH CONNECTS THE ANCHORAGE AND THE CLOSURE PORTIONS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION FOR TENSIONALLY HOLDING THE CLOSURE PORTION AGAINST TURNING AND IN A POSITION COVERING SUCH OPENING, SAID WEB BEING IN FULL VIEW AND READILY SEEN, AND BEING READILY SEVERABLE WHEN FORCIBLY PULLED BY TURNING OF THE CLOSURE PORTION, THEREBY TO RELEASE SAID CLOSURE PORTION FOR SUBSEQUENT FREE TURNING MOVEMENT TO ITS OPENING POSITION.