WO2004080838A1

WO2004080838A1 - Tamper-indicating closure, package and method of manufacture

Info

Publication number: WO2004080838A1
Application number: PCT/US2004/007947
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy J. Fuchs; Robert K. Hassen
Original assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
Priority date: 2003-03-12
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2004-09-23

Abstract

A tamper-indicating closure (22) includes a base wall (36) having a cylindrical skirt (38) with at least one internal thread for engaging at least one external thread (32) on a container finish (28). An annular wall extends from the closure base wall, and is spaced radially inwardly from the skirt (38) for plug-sealing engagement within the mouth of the container finish (28) when the threads (40, 32) on the closure skirt (38) and the finish are engaged. A tamper-indicating (42) band is frangibly connected to the skirt (38) for receipt beneath an external bead (34) on the container finish.(28) when the threads are fully engaged. An internal ledge (48) on the tamper-indicating band (42) is positioned such that, when the closure (22) is misaligned with respect to the container finish (28), the ledge (48) engages the external bead (34) on the container finish (28) and tends to correct orientation of the closure (22) with respect to the finish (28) prior to engagement of the threads (40, 32) and prior to engagement of the annular wall (50) within the container mouth.

Description

TAMPER-INDICATING CLOSURE. PACKAGE AND METHOD OF

MANUFACTURE

The present disclosure relates to tamper-indicating closures, and more particularly

to provision of facility on the tamper-indicating band of the closure for preventing misalignment

of the closure during application to a container finish.

Background and Summary of the Invention

Tamper-indicating closures are conventionally provided with a base wall, a skirt

with one or more internal threads, and a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to the edge

of the skirt. A stop flange extends from the tamper band to engage a stop bead, also known as

the A bead, on the container finish when the closure is fully applied to the finish. When the

closure is removed, the flange engages the bead to prevent removal of the band, wholly or

partially rupturing the frangible connection between the band and the skirt and thereby providing

an indication that the package has been opened. U.S. Patents Re 33,265 and 4,653,657 illustrate

closures of this character.

To assemble the closure to a container finish, typically after filling the container

with product, the closure is placed in a cup-shaped capping head. The head is located over a

container finish in an automatic capping machine to move axially into engagement with the finish

and rotate to apply the closure to the finish. If the closure is misaligned or cocked with respect

to the capping head, so that the axis of the closure is non-coincident with the axis of the head,

the closure can be misapplied to the container. It is a general object of the present invention to

provide a closure, package and method of package assembly in which structure on the closure

and the container finish cooperates to realign the closure with respect to the capping head, in the event that the closure is initially misaligned, during assembly of the closure to the container finish.

A tamper-indicating closure in accordance with one aspect of the present

invention includes a base wall having a cylindrical skirt with at least one internal thread for

engaging at least one external thread on a container finish. An annular wall extends from the

closure base wall, and is spaced radially inwardly from the skirt for plug-sealing engagement

within the mouth of the container finish when the threads on the closure skirt and the finish are

engaged. A tamper-indicating band is frangibly connected to the skirt for receipt beneath an

external bead on the container finish when the threads are fully engaged. An internal ledge on the tamper-indicating band is positioned such that, when the closure is misaligned with respect

to the container finish, the ledge engages the external bead on the container finish and tends to

correct orientation of the closure with respect to the finish prior to engagement of the threads and

prior to engagement of the annular wall within the container mouth.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention, together with additional obj ects, features, advantages and aspects

thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the

accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a tamper-indicating package in

accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the package illustrated in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the closure in the package of FIGS. 1 and 2

as manufactured;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view that bisects the closure of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of the portion of FIG. 4 within the area 5;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the closure in FIGS. 3-5 with the stop flange inverted prior to assembly to a container finish;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view that schematically illustrates operation of the invention during automatic capping of a container; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view that is similar to that of FIG. 3 but illustrates a closure in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

FIGS . 1 and 2 illustrate a closure and container package 20 in accordance with one

presently preferred embodiment of the invention as including a closure 22 secured to the finish

of a container 24. Container 24 has abody 26 of any suitable geometry, from which a cylindrical

finish 28 extends. Finish 28 has an open mouth 30 remote from container body 26, and one or

more external threads 32 for securement of closure 22. An external bead 34, also known as an

A bead, extends arpund the outer surface of finish 28 beneath tlireads 32 - i.e., on a side of

tlireads 32 remote from mouth 30. Container 24 may be of glass or plastic construction.

Closure 22 includes a base wall 36 having an outer periphery from which a

cylindrical skirt 38 depends. Skirt 38 has one or more internal threads 40 for engagement with

external threads 32 on finish 28 to secure closure 22 to container 24. A tamper-indicating band

42 is frangibly connected to the lower edge of skirt 38 - i.e., to the edge of skirt 38 remote from

base wall 36. Such frangible connection may be by means of a frangible web or frangible bridges

that are molded into or scored into the closure skirt as molded. A stop flange 44 is connected to

band 42 by means of a flexible hinge 46, preferably to the end of band 42 remote from skirt 38.

An annular bead 48 extends around stop flange 44 adjacent to hinge 46. An annular wall 50 extends from closure base wall 36 at a position concentric with and spaced radially inwardly from

skirt 38. The closure may be injection molded or compression molded of suitable plastic material, such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene.

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate closure 22 as molded - i.e., with stop flange 4.4 extending

radially inwardly and axially away from base wall 36. Prior to assembly of closure 22 to

container 24, stop flange 48 is inverted, as shown in above-noted U.S. Patents Re 33,265 and

4,653,657, so as to extend radially inwardly from the lower edge of band 42 and axially toward

closure base wall 36, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Stop flange 44 in the illustrated embodiments of

the invention has angularly spaced cuts 52 to increase flexibility of the stop flange, as illustrated

in above-noted U.S. Patent 4,653,657. As an alternative, the stop flange may be without such cuts, as illustrated in above-noted U.S. Patent Re 33,265. Bead 48 preferably is such that, when

flange 44 is inverted, bead 48 presents an undersurface 54 that is substantially flat and lies in a

plane parallel to closure base wall 36 and perpendicular to the axis of closure skirt 38. Bead 48

preferably is substantially triangular, having a second side surface 55 at an angle of about 90° to-

surface 54. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, surface 54 of bead 48 forms a

continuation of the undersurface 56 of band 42, which is to say that band 42 and bead 48 present a substantially flat undersurface 54, 56 that is parallel to closure base wall 36 and perpendicular

to the axis of skirt 38. Bead surface 55 is substantially cylindrical when the flange is inverted.

Amiular wall 50 as molded has a slightly conical geometry extending axially inwardly and

radially outwardly from base wall 36. The outer lower edge 58 of wall 50 is rounded to facilitate

receipt within container mouth 30 (FIG. 2).

With stop flange 44 inverted and container 24 filled, closure 22 is placed within

the cup-shaped capping head 60 of an automatic capping machine 62 (FIG. 7). Capping head 60

is advanced axially over container finish 28 and simultaneously rotated so as to engage tlireads 32, 40 and assemble the closure onto the container finish. As the closure is threaded onto the

finish, stop flange 44 is pivoted outwardly about hinge 48 to permit passage over bead 34.

Annular wall 50 is received within the container mouth, with rounded end 58 camming over the

inside edge of the container mouth and wall 50 flexing radially inwardly in plug sealing

engagement with the inside surface of the container finish. When closure 22 is placed in cup 60,

the closure can be cocked within the cup and thus misaligned with the container finish, as

illustrated in FIG. 7. When cup 60 is telescoped over finish 28 and simultaneously rotated, ledge

surface 54 of bead 48 contacts external bead 34 on finish 28 and pushes upwardly on the closure

skirt, tending to align closure 32 within cup 60. In the event of closure misalignment as illustrated in FIG. 7, surface 54 of bead 48 engages finish bead 34 and tends to realign the skirt

before skirt internal tlireads 40 engage finish external threads 32, and before plug-seal 50 engages

the container mouth. Thus, the closure will be realigned with the container finish within the cup

of the capping machine before the tlireads become engaged, tending to reduce misapplication of

the closure onto the container finish. When the closure is unthreaded from the container finish, tamper-indicating band 42 is wholly or partially severed from skirt 38, by abutment of flange 44

with bead 34, before wall 50 moves out of plug sealing engagement with container mouth 30.

FIG. 8 illustrates a modified closure 22a, in which the closure alignment bead on

stop flange 44 is provided in the form of part-annular segments 48a, rather than as an annulai y

continuous bead 48 as in the embodiment of FIGS. 2-7. Otherwise, closure 22a is the same as

closure 22 in FIGS. 1-7.

There have thus been disclosed a tamper-indicating closure, package and method

of manufacture that fully satisfy all of the objects and aims previously set forth. The closure and

package have been disclosed in conjunction with two presently preferred embodiments thereof,

and a number of modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations will readily suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1.

A method of threading a tamper-indicating closure onto a container that includes

the steps of:

(a) providing a container having a finish with an open mouth, at least one

external thread and an external bead on a side of said tliread remote from said mouth,

(b) providing a closure that includes a base wall having a skirt, at least one

internal tliread on said skirt, a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to an end of said skirt

remote from said base wall, a stop flange integrally hinged to said band and extending toward

said base wall, and an internal annular bead on said stop flange forming a ledge that faces axially

away from said base wall, and

(c) assembling said closure onto said container in an automatic capping

machine such that, if the closure is cocked in said machine, said ledge abuts said external bead, prior to engagement of said threads and prior to receipt of said annular wall within said mouth,

applying a force to said closure that tends to align said closure with respect to said container

finish.

The method set forth in claim 1 wherein said ledge is circumferentially continuous

around said stop flange. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein said ledge is circumferentially segmented around said stop flange.

4.

A tamper-indicating closure for a container having a finish with an open mouth,

at least one external thread and an external bead on a side of said thread remote from said mouth, said closure including:

a base wall having a cylindrical skirt with at least one internal thread for engaging

the at least one external tliread on the container finish,

an annular wall extending from said base wall and spaced radially inwardly from

said skirt for plug sealing engagement within the finish mouth when said at least one internal thread is received over the at least one external thread on the finish,

a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to said skirt for receipt beneath the

external bead on the container finish when said at least one internal thread on said skirt is ^'

received over the at least one external tliread on the finish, and ^•

an internal ledge on said tamper-indicating band, said ledge being positioned such

that, when said closure is misaligned when assembled onto the container finish, said ledge

engages said external bead on the container finish and tends to correct orientation of said closure

with respect to the container finish prior to engagement of said tlireads and prior to engagement

of said annular wall with the finish mouth.

5.

The closure set forth in claim 4 wherein said tamper-indicating band lias a stop

flange hinged to said band for engagement with the external bead on the container finish, and

wherein said ledge is disposed on said flange adjacent to said band.

The closure set forth in claim 5 wherein said ledge has a face for abutment with

the external bead on the container finish.

The closure set forth in claim 6 wherein said face is flat.

8.

The closure set forth in claim 7 wherein said face is parallel to. and faces away

from said base wall.

9.

The closure set forth in claim 6 wherein said ledge is circumferentially continuous

around said flange.

The closure set forth in claim 6 wherein said ledge is circumferentially segmented

around said flange.

11. A tamper-indicating package that includes:

a container having a body and a cylindrical finish with an open mouth, at least one

external thread, and an external bead on a side of said thread remote from said mouth, and

a closure that includes: a base wall having a cylindrical skirt with at least one internal tliread for

engagement with said at least one external thread on said container finish,

a tamper-indicating band frangibly connected to said skirt for positioning beneath

said external bead on said container finish, and

an internal ledge on said tamper-indicating band positioned such that, when said closure is cocked when threaded onto said finish, said ledge engages said external bead and tends

to correct orientation of said closure on said finish prior to engagement of said threads.

12.

The package set forth in claim 11 wherein said tamper-indicating band has a stop

wherein said ledge is disposed on said flange adjacent to said band.

13.

The package set forth in claim 12 wherein said ledge has a face for abutment with

the external bead on the container finish.

14.

The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said face is flat.

15.

The package set forth in claim 14 wherein said face is parallel to and faces away

from said base wall.

16.

The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said ledge is circumferentially continuous around said flange.

17. • ■

The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said ledge is circumferentially segmented around said flange.

18.

The package set forth in claim 13 wherein said closure includes an annular wall

extending from said base wall and spaced radially inwardly from said skirt for plug sealing

engagement within said finish mouth when said^'threads are engaged, said ledge being positioned

on said stop flange such that, when the closure is cocked with respect to the finish, said ledge

engages said external finish bead before said annular wall is received within said mouth.

19.

The package set forth in claim 18 wherein said annular wall has a length such that,

upon unthreading of said closure from said container, said tamper-indicating band frangibly

separates from said skirt before said annular wall loses plug sealing engagement with said

container mouth.