US3443711A

US3443711A - Vacuum-indicating two-part tamper-proof closure and combination

Info

Publication number: US3443711A
Application number: US664118A
Authority: US
Inventors: David W Olson
Original assignee: Abbott Laboratories
Current assignee: Abbott Laboratories
Priority date: 1967-08-29
Filing date: 1967-08-29
Publication date: 1969-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1986-05-13

Description

May 13, 1969 o. w. OLSON VACUUM-INDICATING TWO- PART TAMPERPROOF CLOSURE AND COMBINATION Filed Aug. 29. 1967 P a n e v n I DAVID W. OLSON United States Patent 3,443,711 VACUUM-INDICATING TWO-PART TAMPER- PROOF CLOSURE AND COMBINATION David W. Olson, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 664,118 Int. Cl. B65d 53/02, 55/02; A61j 1/00 U.S. Cl. 2157 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container closure having a primary cap seal and a secondary overcap overlying the primary cap seal. Both caps are sealed to a container with the space between the two being evacuated so that a leak at either the primary cap seal or the overcap will deflect the top of the overcap upwardly, giving a visual indication of leakage.

Background of the invention Fluid administration solutions, which are administered intravenously, for example, require the utmost care in their preparation. Even if carefully prepared and sterilized prior to shipment, such solutions may become contaminated if during shipment or subsequent handling the airtight closure or seal is broken. If the seal is only slightly broken so that it is not readily apparent, the solution may be administered to a patient with potentially adverse effects.

Summary The present invention provides a two-part container closure for a non-vacuum container which can be evacuated in the space between the two portions thereof. A

primary cap seal is afiixed to a container-for example, the finish of a bottle-to directly seal the container. A secondary overcap having a deflectable top is sealed to the container overlying the primary seal, and the space between the two portions is evacuated. Such a closure has a number of attendant advantages. It provides a visual method of leak detection for a non-vacuum container since a leak at either the primary cap seal or the secondary overcap seal will deflect the overcap upwardly giving a visual indication of leakage; by applying the overcap prior to autoclaving of the container, the present closure provides a method of maintaining a sterile condition in the thread area of a bottle finish; the double sealing surface provides added assurance against contamination entering the container at the seal; the closure provides a tamperproof feature since once the overcap seal has been broken the upper portion of the overcap will assume a dome-shaped configuration. The overcap also provides protection of the primary cap seal against mechanical damage.

Drawings The device will be better understood upon consideration of the following description with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial side elevational view in crosssection of the closure of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view in cross-section of the secondary overcap portion of the closure with the upper portion thereof deflected upwardly.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the closure aflixed to the finish of a bottle.

FIGURE 4 is a top elevational view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view in cross-section of another embodiment of the secondary overcap portion of the closure and designed for roll-on application.

3,443,711 Patented May 13, 1969 Detailed description Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown a two-part closure 10 comprising a primary cap seal 11 which directly seals the container 12 and a secondary overcap 13 which is also sealed to the container 12 overlying the primary cap seal 11. The primary cap seal 11 is provided with a gasket 14 of an elastomeric material such as rubber. When the closure is used with a container having an intravenous solution therein, a plastic membrane, made of a plastic which is compatible with the solution, should be used as the gasket 14. If desired, a metal slip ring 15 may be inserted between the gasket 14 and the top portion 16 of the primary cap seal 11. Such a slip ring will relieve the stress when the cap seal 11 is being removed and thereby minimize the possibility of small pieces of material being torn from the gasket 14 and dropping into the contents of the container 12. As illustrated, the primary cap seal 11 is a conventional screw-type cap and is aflixed to the neck 17 of a bottle 12, the neck having a screw-thread 18 thereon. Overlying the primary cap seal 11 is a secondary overcap 13, which may be secured to the container 12 by any conventional retention means, such as projecting beads, shoulders, or screw-threads. FIG- URE 1, for example, shows the overcap 13 secured to a shoulder 19 while FIGURE 3 shows the overcap 13 secured to a projecting head 20. A gasket 21 of sealing material is interposed between the shoulder 19 or bead 20 on the bottle 12 and the bottom lip 22 of the overcap 13. Since the overcap 13 does not come into contact with the fluid or solution within the container 12, the gasket 21 may be made of any suitable material and need not be compatible with the contents of the container 12. Accordingly, the gasket 21 may be made of any suitable rubber or other resilient material which will effectively seal the overcap 13 to the container 12. The secondary overcap 13 comprises a depending skirt portion 23 having a bottom lip 22 which may be curled, as shown, to provide additional strength and a defiectable top panel portion 24. The top panel portion 24 in turn comprises an annular shoulder portion 25 and a circular central portion 26 which is normally positioned in the concave configuration as shown in FIGURES 1, 3, 6, and 7 when a vacuum is evident in the space 27 between the two seals of the closure. The central portion 26 of the overcap seal may be formed of a thinner cross-section in comparison to the wall or skirt portion 23 to facilitate its flexibility and thereby enhance its ability to assume different positions under varying conditions of pressure. Additionally, the periphery 28 of the central portion 26 may be weakened, as by a score line, to further facilitate the deflectability. Thus, when a leak occurs so that the vacuum in the evacuated space 27 between the two seals is lost, the central portion 26 of the top panel 24 of the secondary overcap seal 13 will spring upwardly to assume the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 or as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 5. A visual indication of a leak in the seal is thereby provided. The secondary overcap seal 13 may be formed with a lip portion 22, and, together with the gasket 21, may be snapped onto the container or it may be formed with a straight depending skirt 29 as illustrated by FIGURE 5 and then rolled onto the finish of a bottle as shown in FIGURE 6. When the overcap 13 is aflixed to the container in this fashion, an appropriate retaining groove 30 must be formed in the finish of the bottle, as illustrated in FIGURE 6.

If desired, the two portions of the closure comprising the primary cap seal 11 and the secondary overcap seal 13 may be formed as a single piece or as a unitary structure as shown in FIGURE 7. As illustrated, the two portions of the closure are united by a connecting member 31 which has a small opening therein to permit evacuation of the space 27 between the two portions of the closure. The closure is afiixed to the container 12 by conventional methods by crimping the depending flange 33 of the closure onto the container 12. A gasket 21 may be employed to ensure an effective seal. Such a one-piece structure is advantageous in that it can be affixed to the container in essentially a one-step process. To facilitate removal of the closure when it is desired to use the contents of the container 12, circumferentially-weakened

portions

34, 35 may be formed in the depending walls of either of the two portions of the closure so that the closure can be easily ruptured and removed.

To obtain a vacuum in the space 27 between the two portions of the closure, affixing of the closure 10 to the container 12 can be performed under vacuum conditions so that air is withdrawn prior to the application of the secondary overcap 13 or prior to application of the onepiece embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIGURE 7. Alternatively, steam can be introduced into the area about the container opening onto which the closure is affixed. Again, the steam is introduced prior to the application of the secondary overcap with the two-piece unit or prior to the application of the one-piece closure. In this fashion, steam is entrapped in the space 27 between the two portions of the closure which, upon cooling of the closure and container, condenses, thereby producing a vacuum in the closure.

The closures of the present invention are particularly advantageous for use with non-evacuated containers. Vacuum containers, upon being opened so that the vacuum seal is broken, will draw air into the container and thereby possibly draw in foreign particles. Fluid administration solutions are therefore generally packed in non-evacuated containers to minimize the danger of drawing in foreign particles upon opening.

Others can readily adapt the present invention in other specific forms by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed, or equivalents thereof. All such practice of the invention is considered to be a part hereof provided it falls within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A two-part closure for sealing the opening of a container comprising: a primary cap seal for directly sealing the container opening; a secondary overcap seal adapted to overlie the primary cap seal when said overcap is affixed to the container; the overcap, when aflixed to the container, defining a space between the primary cap and the overcap; the secondary overcap having a depending skirt portion adapted for engagement with retention means on the container to hold the overcap in a sealed relation in an overlying position over the primary cap seal and having a deflectable top panel portion responsive to varying conditions of pressure within the space between the primary cap seal and secondary overcap seal when said seals are affixed to a container.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein the top panel portion of the secondary overcap seal includes an annular shoulder portion and an adjacent deflectable circular central portion normally positioned in a concave configuration when the closure is afiixed to a container and a vacuum is evident in the space between the two seals of the closure.

3. The closure of claim 2 wherein the deflectable circular central portion has a thinner cross-section in relation to the annular shoulder portion and is joined thereto by a weakened portion, to thereby facilitate the deflectability of the circular central portion in response to varying conditions of pressure.

4. The closure of claim 3 having a circumferentially weakened portion in the depending skirt portion of the overcap seal to facilitate removal thereof after the closure is afiixed to a container.

5. A one-piece closure for sealing the opening of a container comprising: a primary cap seal for directly sealing the container opening; a secondary overcap seal overlying the primary cap seal and joined thereto by a connecting member; the overcap and connecting member defining an enclosed space between the primary cap and the overcap; the closure having a depending flange adapted for engagement with retention means on the container to hold the closure in a sealed relationship to the container; the secondary overcap having a deflectable top panel portion responsive to varying conditions of pressure within the space defined by the primary cap seal, overcap seal, and connecting member.

6. The closure of claim 5 wherein the top panel portion of the secondary overcap seal includes an annular shoulder portion and an adjacent deflectable circular central portion normally positioned in a concave configuration when a vacuum is evident in the space between the two seals of the closure.

7. A combination comprising: a container and a closure therefor, said container having an opening defined by a neck portion, the neck provided with retention means for engagement with the closure, the closure comprising a primary cap seal directly sealing the container opening; a secondary overcap seal overlying the primary cap seal, the secondary overcap having a depending skirt portion adapted for engagement with the retention means on the container neck to hold the overcap in a sealed relation in an overlying position over the primary cap seal and defining a space between the primary cap and the overcap, said overcap having a deflectable top panel portion responsive to varying conditions of pressure within the space between the primary cap seal and the secondary overcap seal.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the top panel portion of the secondary overcap seal includes an annular shoulder portion and an adjacent defiectable circular central portion normally positioned in a concave configuration when a vacuum is evident in the space between the two seals of the closure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,027,430 1/1936 Hansen. 2,131,969 10/1938 Podel 2l543X 2,253,023 8/1941 Fabrice.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 215-43