WO2002044046A1 - Tamper-evident bottle closures - Google Patents

Tamper-evident bottle closures Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2002044046A1
WO2002044046A1 PCT/GB2001/005254 GB0105254W WO0244046A1 WO 2002044046 A1 WO2002044046 A1 WO 2002044046A1 GB 0105254 W GB0105254 W GB 0105254W WO 0244046 A1 WO0244046 A1 WO 0244046A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sleeve
cap
band
blades
radially
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2001/005254
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
John Breach
Original Assignee
Cope Allman Plastic Packaging Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cope Allman Plastic Packaging Limited filed Critical Cope Allman Plastic Packaging Limited
Priority to AU2002218405A priority Critical patent/AU2002218405A1/en
Publication of WO2002044046A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002044046A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
    • B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
    • B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
    • B65D41/3442—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with rigid bead or projections formed on the tamper element and coacting with bead or projections on the container

Definitions

  • This invention relates to tamper-evident bottle closures.
  • a bottle closure assembly comprises a sleeve that is adapted to be a snap-fit on the open end of a bottle neck, and a cap that is adapted to be a snap-fit onto the sleeve through interengagement of complementary screw threads provided respectively on the internal surface of the skirt of the cap, and on the external surface of the sleeve, the sleeve carrying an integral tamper-evident band by way of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced bridges, the band being thereby radially spaced from the sleeve, the lower margin of the skirt being formed with a plurality of bridge-cutting blades which, in the snapped-on condition of the cap on the sleeve, are received in respective arcuate slots defined radially between the band and sleeve, and circumferentially between the respectively adjacent pairs of intact bridges, the arrangement being such that on initial unscrewing of the cap from the snapped-on condition, the blades sever the bridges
  • An advantage of forming the tamper-evident band integral with sleeve, rather than with cap, is that it is possible to use a less expensive plastics material for the cap, such as polypropylene, rather than HD polyethylene that would otherwise be required.
  • the length of the blades, in the axial direction of the cap, is preferably such that the lower ends of the blades project below the lower edge of the band, thereby to make it difficult for the band to be prised beneath the blades.
  • the sleeve is preferably provided with an integral radially inwardly directed annular land with is adapted to abut with the extremity of the bottle neck, an annular lip depending downwardly from the radially inner margin of the land, the lip being adapted to sealingly engage with the bore wall of the bottle neck.
  • the cap is preferably provided with an integral cap sleeve which is spaced radially from the cap skirt and seals with said land or lip in the assembled condition of the cap and sleeve.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sleeve part of the closure assembly viewed from above and to one side;
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inverted sleeve part of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cap part of the closure assembly viewed from above and to one side;
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view of the inverted cap part of Figure 3;
  • Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the cap part of Figure 3;
  • Figure 6 is an enlarged partial vertical cross-sectional view of the sleeve part of Figure 1 ; and Figure 7 is a schematic partial vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled closure assembly, prior to unscrewing of the cap part.
  • sleeve part 1 comprises a tubular sleeve 2 provided on the lower internal wall thereof with an annular bead 3 shaped to have a snap-engagement with a complementary external bead on the outer wall of a bottle neck when the sleeve 2 is snapped onto the bottle neck.
  • An annular land 4 is directed radially inwardly of sleeve 2 from the mid-height thereof and abuts with the extremity of the bottle neck when the sleeve 2 has been snapped onto the neck.
  • a tubular lip 5, of frusto-conical shape in the relaxed condition shown in Figure 6, depends from the radially inner edge of land 4 and sealingly engages with the bore wall of the bottle neck when the sleeve part 1 is snapped onto the neck.
  • An upwardly directed rib 7 depending from land 4 provides a funnel to assist location of the cap part 8, as will be described later.
  • a tamper-evident band 9 encircles the lower portion 10 of sleeve 2 and is connected thereto by four circumferentially-spaced, radially extending bridging formations 11 , each of which comprises a pair of vertical bridge plates 12.
  • the cap part 8 comprises a circular cap top 14, a depending cap skirt 15, and a tubular cap sleeve 16 which depends downwardly from the cap top 14 and is dimensioned to be a tight fit with the radially inner margin of the land 4, as shown in Figure 7, when the cap part 8 has been fully assembled onto the sleeve part 1, and the resulting closure assembly has been snapped onto a bottle neck.
  • Skirt 15 is provided externally with serrations to provide finger grips for the user.
  • the internal wall of the skirt 15 is provided with four thread portions 17 of a 'four-start' thread. The thread portions 17 are adapted to have snap-engagements respectively with four corresponding thread portions 19 provided on the upper portion of sleeve 2 when the cap part 8 is snapped onto the sleeve part 1.
  • the lower margin of sleeve 15 carries four integral bridge-cutting blades 20 which each extend for approximately between one-fifth and one-quarter of the circumference of skirt 15 so as to provide the lower margin of the skirt with a castellated appearance.
  • Each blade 20 is provided with rounded front and rear corners 21. There is a relatively small gap between each blade 20.
  • the engagement of the cap sleeve 16 with the rib 7 will assist in directing the sleeve 16 to the fully assembled position.
  • the cap 8 When properly orientated angularly relative to each other, the cap 8 will snap onto the sleeve part 1 by snap engagement of the four pairs of co-operating thread portions 17, 19, and such that the blades 20 are received in the respective vertical slots 13.
  • the bottom of each blade 20 extends below the band 9. The relatively small gap between each blade 20 ensures that relatively little rotational movement is permitted between the cap 8 and the sleeve part 1.
  • cap 8 and sleeve part 1 are advantageously achieved with assembly tools which utilise the curved corners 21 of blades 20 as orientation guides.
  • the sleeve rib 3 and lip 5 are dimensioned to provide a tight grip between the sleeve part 1 and a bottle neck, such that when the user starts to turn the cap 8 in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed from above, the cap begins to turn relative to the sleeve part 1 , and the front ends of the respective blades 20 break the corresponding bridging formations 11 , thereby allowing the band 9 to fall relative to the cap and sleeve. This provides a clear warning that the bottle has been opened.
  • Both the cap 8 and the sleeve part 1 can be produced by compression or injection moulding.
  • the cap 8 is made of polypropylene, and the sleeve part 1 of polyethylene.
  • the closure assembly is suitable for use with glass or plastics bottles provided with a suitable neck form.
  • the cap 8 is first assembled to the sleeve part 1 and can be supplied to the bottle filler as an assembled unit, for the filler to snap onto the filled bottle.
  • the illustrated closure assembly uses a reduced volume of plastics material compared with comparable prior art closures.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Abstract

With reference to Figures (1 and 3), a bottle closure assembly comprises a sleeve (2) (Figure 1), that is adapted to be a snap-fit on the open end of a bottle neck, and a cap (8) (Figure3) that is adapted to be a snap-fit onto the sleeve (2). The sleeve (2) carries an integral tamper-evident band (9) by way of a plurality of circomferentially-spaced bridges (11), the band being thereby radially spaced from the sleeve. The lower portion of the cap (8) is formed with a plurality of bridge-cutting blades (20) which, in the snapped-on condition of the cap on the sleeve, are received in respective arcuate slots (13) defined radially between the band (9) and sleeve (2), and circumferentially between the respectively adjacent pairs of intact bridges (11). The arrangement is such that on initial unscrewing of the cap (8) from the snapped-on condition, the blades (20) sever the bridges (11) to detach the band (9) from the sleeve (2).

Description

TAMPER-ENIDENT BOTTLE CLOSURES
This invention relates to tamper-evident bottle closures.
According to the invention a bottle closure assembly comprises a sleeve that is adapted to be a snap-fit on the open end of a bottle neck, and a cap that is adapted to be a snap-fit onto the sleeve through interengagement of complementary screw threads provided respectively on the internal surface of the skirt of the cap, and on the external surface of the sleeve, the sleeve carrying an integral tamper-evident band by way of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced bridges, the band being thereby radially spaced from the sleeve, the lower margin of the skirt being formed with a plurality of bridge-cutting blades which, in the snapped-on condition of the cap on the sleeve, are received in respective arcuate slots defined radially between the band and sleeve, and circumferentially between the respectively adjacent pairs of intact bridges, the arrangement being such that on initial unscrewing of the cap from the snapped-on condition, the blades sever the bridges to detach the band from the sleeve.
An advantage of forming the tamper-evident band integral with sleeve, rather than with cap, is that it is possible to use a less expensive plastics material for the cap, such as polypropylene, rather than HD polyethylene that would otherwise be required.
The length of the blades, in the axial direction of the cap, is preferably such that the lower ends of the blades project below the lower edge of the band, thereby to make it difficult for the band to be prised beneath the blades. The sleeve is preferably provided with an integral radially inwardly directed annular land with is adapted to abut with the extremity of the bottle neck, an annular lip depending downwardly from the radially inner margin of the land, the lip being adapted to sealingly engage with the bore wall of the bottle neck.
The cap is preferably provided with an integral cap sleeve which is spaced radially from the cap skirt and seals with said land or lip in the assembled condition of the cap and sleeve.
A two-part tamper-evident bottle closure assembly in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sleeve part of the closure assembly viewed from above and to one side;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inverted sleeve part of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cap part of the closure assembly viewed from above and to one side;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the inverted cap part of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the cap part of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is an enlarged partial vertical cross-sectional view of the sleeve part of Figure 1 ; and Figure 7 is a schematic partial vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled closure assembly, prior to unscrewing of the cap part.
With reference to Figures 1 , 2 and 6, sleeve part 1 comprises a tubular sleeve 2 provided on the lower internal wall thereof with an annular bead 3 shaped to have a snap-engagement with a complementary external bead on the outer wall of a bottle neck when the sleeve 2 is snapped onto the bottle neck. An annular land 4 is directed radially inwardly of sleeve 2 from the mid-height thereof and abuts with the extremity of the bottle neck when the sleeve 2 has been snapped onto the neck. A tubular lip 5, of frusto-conical shape in the relaxed condition shown in Figure 6, depends from the radially inner edge of land 4 and sealingly engages with the bore wall of the bottle neck when the sleeve part 1 is snapped onto the neck. An upwardly directed rib 7 depending from land 4 provides a funnel to assist location of the cap part 8, as will be described later.
A tamper-evident band 9 encircles the lower portion 10 of sleeve 2 and is connected thereto by four circumferentially-spaced, radially extending bridging formations 11 , each of which comprises a pair of vertical bridge plates 12.
Four arcuate vertical slots 13 are defined between the band 9, the radially outer wall of the sleeve lower portion 10 and the bridging formations 11.
With reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the cap part 8 comprises a circular cap top 14, a depending cap skirt 15, and a tubular cap sleeve 16 which depends downwardly from the cap top 14 and is dimensioned to be a tight fit with the radially inner margin of the land 4, as shown in Figure 7, when the cap part 8 has been fully assembled onto the sleeve part 1, and the resulting closure assembly has been snapped onto a bottle neck. Skirt 15 is provided externally with serrations to provide finger grips for the user. The internal wall of the skirt 15 is provided with four thread portions 17 of a 'four-start' thread. The thread portions 17 are adapted to have snap-engagements respectively with four corresponding thread portions 19 provided on the upper portion of sleeve 2 when the cap part 8 is snapped onto the sleeve part 1.
The lower margin of sleeve 15 carries four integral bridge-cutting blades 20 which each extend for approximately between one-fifth and one-quarter of the circumference of skirt 15 so as to provide the lower margin of the skirt with a castellated appearance. Each blade 20 is provided with rounded front and rear corners 21. There is a relatively small gap between each blade 20.
When the cap 8 is being snap-fitted to the sleeve part 1 , the engagement of the cap sleeve 16 with the rib 7 will assist in directing the sleeve 16 to the fully assembled position. When properly orientated angularly relative to each other, the cap 8 will snap onto the sleeve part 1 by snap engagement of the four pairs of co-operating thread portions 17, 19, and such that the blades 20 are received in the respective vertical slots 13. The bottom of each blade 20 extends below the band 9. The relatively small gap between each blade 20 ensures that relatively little rotational movement is permitted between the cap 8 and the sleeve part 1.
The necessary relative angular orientation of cap 8 and sleeve part 1 is advantageously achieved with assembly tools which utilise the curved corners 21 of blades 20 as orientation guides.
It will be appreciated that the sleeve rib 3 and lip 5 are dimensioned to provide a tight grip between the sleeve part 1 and a bottle neck, such that when the user starts to turn the cap 8 in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed from above, the cap begins to turn relative to the sleeve part 1 , and the front ends of the respective blades 20 break the corresponding bridging formations 11 , thereby allowing the band 9 to fall relative to the cap and sleeve. This provides a clear warning that the bottle has been opened.
Both the cap 8 and the sleeve part 1 can be produced by compression or injection moulding. Typically the cap 8 is made of polypropylene, and the sleeve part 1 of polyethylene.
The closure assembly is suitable for use with glass or plastics bottles provided with a suitable neck form. The cap 8 is first assembled to the sleeve part 1 and can be supplied to the bottle filler as an assembled unit, for the filler to snap onto the filled bottle.
The illustrated closure assembly uses a reduced volume of plastics material compared with comparable prior art closures.

Claims

1. A bottle closure assembly comprising a sleeve (2) that is adapted to be a snap-fit on the open end of a bottle neck, and a cap (8) that is adapted to be a snap-fit onto the sleeve (2) through inter-engagement of complementary screw threads (17, 19) provided respectively on the internal surface of the skirt (15) of the cap (8) , and on the external surface of the sleeve (2), the sleeve (2) carrying an integral tamper- evident band (9) by way of a plurality of circumferentially-spaced bridges (11) , the band (9) being thereby radially spaced from the sleeve (2) , the lower margin of the skirt (15) being formed with a plurality of bridge-cutting blades (20) which, in the snapped-on condition of the cap (8) on the sleeve (2) , are received in respective arcuate slots (13) defined radially between the band (9) and sleeve (2), and circumferentially between the respectively adjacent pairs of intact bridges (11) , the arrangement being such that on initial unscrewing of the cap (8) from the snapped-on condition, the blades (20) sever the bridges (11) to detach the band (9) from the sleeve (2) .
2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the length of the blades (20) , in the axial direction of the cap (8) , is such that the lower ends of the blades (20) project below the lower edge of the band (9) .
3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein inter-engagement between the cap (8) and the sleeve (2) is by way of complementary screw threads (17, 19) provided respectively on the internal surface of the cap (8) and the external surface of the sleeve (2) .
4. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the sleeve (2) is provided with an integral radially inwardly directed annular land (4) which is adapted to abut with the extremity of the bottle neck, and an annular lip (5) depending downwardly from the radially inner margin of the land (4) , the lip being adapted to sealingly engage with the bore wall of the bottle neck.
5. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the cap (8) is provided with an integral cap sleeve (2) which is spaced radially from the cap skirt (15) and seals with said land (4) or lip (5) in the assembled condition of the cap (8) and sleeve (2) .
PCT/GB2001/005254 2000-11-30 2001-11-29 Tamper-evident bottle closures WO2002044046A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2002218405A AU2002218405A1 (en) 2000-11-30 2001-11-29 Tamper-evident bottle closures

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0029161A GB0029161D0 (en) 2000-11-30 2000-11-30 Tamper-evident bottle closures
GB0029161.7 2000-11-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002044046A1 true WO2002044046A1 (en) 2002-06-06

Family

ID=9904147

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2001/005254 WO2002044046A1 (en) 2000-11-30 2001-11-29 Tamper-evident bottle closures

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2002218405A1 (en)
GB (1) GB0029161D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2002044046A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3435884A4 (en) * 2016-03-31 2019-12-04 Snpshot Trustee Limited Biological sampler, collector and storage container

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0663344A1 (en) * 1993-12-22 1995-07-19 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA Device for opening a container for liquids
WO1997031835A1 (en) * 1996-02-29 1997-09-04 Bormioli Metaplast S.P.A. Tamper-proof closure

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0663344A1 (en) * 1993-12-22 1995-07-19 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA Device for opening a container for liquids
WO1997031835A1 (en) * 1996-02-29 1997-09-04 Bormioli Metaplast S.P.A. Tamper-proof closure

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3435884A4 (en) * 2016-03-31 2019-12-04 Snpshot Trustee Limited Biological sampler, collector and storage container

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0029161D0 (en) 2001-01-17
AU2002218405A1 (en) 2002-06-11

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
AU2002320484B2 (en) Twist Openable Dispensing Closure Accommodating Optional Liner Puncture Feature
EP2917122B1 (en) Container, closure, and package
US4638916A (en) Closure with snap-type hinge cap
EP1446331B1 (en) Closure assembly for a wide mouth vessel
US6095375A (en) Dust cover attachment for push-pull cap
AU2002320484A1 (en) Twist Openable Dispensing Closure Accommodating Optional Liner Puncture Feature
EP0447021A2 (en) Composite cap including tamper indicating band
EP3950528B1 (en) Capping device intended to be fixed on the neck of a container
EP1951590B1 (en) Container with cap
US4635808A (en) Plastic cap
US20080023502A1 (en) Closure Cap
WO2018194454A1 (en) A closure assembly
EP3842358B1 (en) Capping device intended to be fixed to a neck of a container
US6234334B1 (en) Single-piece plastic lid
EP3887278B1 (en) A spouted pouch provided with a closure device
CN113710587A (en) Closure assembly including a cap with an integrated tamper-evident ring and band
US20060124575A1 (en) Integrally moulded closure system
US6223919B1 (en) Closure for plastic tube
CA2049765A1 (en) Tamper-evident cap for containers
US3128900A (en) Chaboche
CA1138819A (en) Single-piece plastic closure having internal seal forming means
EP2380820B1 (en) A closure assembly
US4154354A (en) Safety container closures
EP2694386B1 (en) Closure with folded-up tamper evident band
CN115783494A (en) Closure assembly including a lid with an integral tamper-evident ring member

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DE DK DM DZ EE ES FI GB GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MA MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NO NZ OM PH PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TR TT TZ UA UG US UZ VN YU ZA ZM ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW MZ SD SL SZ TZ UG ZM ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW ML MR NE SN TD TG

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8642

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: JP

WWW Wipo information: withdrawn in national office

Country of ref document: JP