WO2008129348A1 - Closure for a neck of a container, container neck equipped with such a closure and method for fabricating such a closure - Google Patents
Closure for a neck of a container, container neck equipped with such a closure and method for fabricating such a closure Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2008129348A1 WO2008129348A1 PCT/IB2007/002470 IB2007002470W WO2008129348A1 WO 2008129348 A1 WO2008129348 A1 WO 2008129348A1 IB 2007002470 W IB2007002470 W IB 2007002470W WO 2008129348 A1 WO2008129348 A1 WO 2008129348A1
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- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- axis
- rotation
- slits
- closure
- neck
- Prior art date
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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
- B65D41/3404—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element
- B65D41/3409—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
Definitions
- This invention concerns a closure for a neck of a container, made of plastic material.
- This invention also concerns a container neck equipped with such a closure and a method for fabricating such a closure of plastic material.
- each frangible bridge links the lower end of the skirt and the upper end of the tamper evident band.
- These bridges are either integrally molded into the closure, between the skirt and the tamper evident band, or are formed by a cutting blade which slits the closure between the skirt and the tamper evident band.
- these bridges are each colinear to the axis of rotation of the skirt and they are distributed along a peripherical direction of the closure, so that they define a peripherical break-off line between the skirt and the tamper evident band.
- the tamper evident band is provided with internal protrusions which vertically engage with a retaining flange formed on the neck.
- the tamper evident band is efficiently maintained around the retaining flange of the neck, contrary to the bands that vertically abut against the retaining flange and which tend to be driven in rotation together with the skirt when the user grasps the whole closure and unscrews it around the axis of rotation.
- the frangible bridges are prevented from breaking in tension and are caused to break, instead, in shear.
- the rotational torque of the skirt required to break the bridges in shear is substantially much higher than that required to break them in tension, which causes more difficulty for the consumer to access the product in the bottle.
- a theoretical solution might be to reduce the size and/or the quantity of the known bridges and to maintain their current configuration. But such a solution leads to provide bridges which break when the closure is initially fitted around the bottle neck.
- the invention aims at providing a closure with an anti-rotation tamper evident band, which is both easy to open for the first time and reliable during its prior assembling around a neck of a container.
- the invention concerns a closure for a neck of a container, made of a plastic material and comprising:
- tamper evident band provided with an inside surface adapted to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation against at least one protrusion of the neck
- any two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits have respective periphehcal ends facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge that links the skirt and the tamper evident band and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed from the neck for the first time, characterized in that the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation.
- each frangible bridge located between the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits does not mainly extend in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the skirt, but is at an angle to a plan perpendicular to this axis of rotation because these facing ends are axially offset in the direction of the axis of rotation, that is to say situated one above the other in the direction of the axis of rotation. Therefore, as the skirt is rotated off the neck whereas the tamper evident band is prevented from rotating with the skirt, the frangible bridges break, totally or partly, in tension, which reduces the torque required to break them.
- this closure might incorporate one or several of the features recited in dependant claims 2 to 10.
- the invention also concerns a container provided with a neck, characterized in that the neck is equipped with a closure as defined here-above.
- the invention concerns a method for fabricating a closure suitable for equipping a neck of a container, the method comprising at least the following steps of:
- - molding a plastic material in a single piece comprising: - a tubular skirt provided with an inside surface adapted to be screwed and unscrewed on a thread of the neck around an axis of rotation, and
- tamper evident band provided with an inside surface adapted to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation against at least one protrusion of the neck
- any two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits have respective peripherical ends facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge that links the skirt and the tamper evident band and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed from the neck for the first time, characterized in that, during the step of slitting, the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits are provided, being offset with respect one to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation.
- FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a closure according to the invention
- figure 2 is a half of a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the closure of figure 1 , mounted on the neck of a bottle,
- figure 3 is a partial section through the closure and the neck along line III- III of figure 2,
- figure 4 is an enlarged scale view of the circled detail IV in figure 1 ,
- FIG. 5 is a schematic enlarged scale view of the circled detail V in figure 4, and
- FIG. 1 - figures 6 to 12 are views similar to figure 4, illustrating, respectively, different forms of embodiment according to the invention.
- the closure 1 shown in figures 1 to 5 is provided to be mounted on a neck 2 of a container, for example a bottle 3, of which only the upper part is visible in figures 2 and 3.
- Neck 2 has a substantially tubular shape defining a longitudinal central axis X-X.
- the terms “upper” and “up” correspond to a direction essentially parallel to axis X-X and going from the body of bottle 3 towards its neck 2, that is to say a direction directed towards the upper part of figures 1 , 2, 4 and 5, whereas the terms “lower” and “down” correspond to an opposite direction.
- Closure 1 comprises a tubular skirt 10, centred on a longitudinal axis which is merged with axis X-X when the closure is mounted on neck 2, as shown in figure 2.
- Skirt 10 is closed at its upper end by a top wall 12 which lies in a plane perpendicular to axis X-X.
- the lower face of top wall 12 is provided with sealing lips 13 which are suitable for being tightly pressed on the upper end of neck 2 in order to allow closure 1 to close neck 2 tightly.
- skirt 10 An inside surface 14 of skirt 10 is provided with a screw thread 16 which is complementary for a thread 4 formed by the outside face of neck 2.
- skirt 10 can be screwed and unscrewed on the neck around axis X-X, by the cooperation between threads 4 and 16.
- the outside face of the skirt is advantageously provided with elongated ribs 18 which are distributed along the outside periphery of the skirt and which extend in length in respective directions parallel to axis X-X.
- Closure 1 further comprises a tamper evident band 20 which has an essentially annular shape centred on an axis which is merged with axis X-X when the closure is mounted on neck 2.
- Band 20 is situated under skirt 10 and forms a downwardly extension of the skirt, with axial interposition of a break-off line 22, which will be described in detail hereafter.
- band 20 has an inside surface 24 provided with ribs 26 projecting toward axis X-X from surface 24. These ribs are sized for abutting in rotation around axis X-X against complementary ribs 5 outwardly projecting from a flange 6 formed by the outside face of neck 2 under thread 4.
- each of ribs 5 and 26 has an elongated shape in a direction parallel to axis X-X, in order to delimitate a substantial contacting surface 5A or 26A for the contact between the band and the flange.
- Break-off line 22 comprises slits 30 distributed along the break-off line, advantageously in a regular manner as shown in figure 4.
- Each slit 30 forms a through opening in closure 1 , which separates skirt 10 and band 20 in the direction of axis X-X.
- each of the slits is defined both by an upper edge 3OA which is delimitated by a peripherical portion of the lower end of skirt 10, and by a lower edge 3OB, which is delimitated by a peripherical portion of the upper end of band 20, as partly shown in figure 5.
- each of slits 30 is constituted, successively along break-off line 22, by two straight parts 30i and 3O 2 .
- Part 30i has a longitudinal end 30 1 E opposite to part 3O 2 and extends in a length in a direction perpendicular to axis X-X.
- Part 3O 2 has a longitudinal end 30 2 E opposite to part 3O 1 and extends in a length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X, forming with this latter a downwardly angle of inclination ⁇ 2 strictly lower than 90°, especially equal to 45°.
- closure 1 includes a material portion which forms a frangible bridge 32. More precisely, each of these bridges separates from each other the respective ends 30- I E and 30 2 E of two immediately adjacent slits 30, which face each other along the periphery of the closure.
- the slit among slits 30, which is represented on the left part of the figures, and the slit among slits 30, which is represented on the right part of the figures have, respectively, their right peripherical end 3O 2E and left peripherical end 30i E which are facing each other, delimitating between them one of the bridges 32.
- the bridges 32 form continuous material links which connect skirt 10 and tamper evident band 20.
- skirt 10, band 20 and bridges 22 located between them are integral with each other, forming a single piece made of plastic material.
- a plastic material is molded in a single piece including skirt 10 and tamper evident band 20.
- slits 30 are formed, by a slitting process using for example a cutting blade which cuts through the peripherical wall of the plastic single piece. This cutting blade is moved with respect to the closure in order to provide parts 3O 1 and 3O 2 for each slit 30.
- closure 1 is mounted on neck 2, being for example fitted around the neck along axis X-X.
- the failure of the bridge 32 which is shown on figure 5 is schematically illustrated: the hatched area referenced 34 schematically corresponds to the area of the bridge, through which the failure of the bridge propagates between ends 30- I E and 3O 2E .
- the failure in tension of bridges 32 occurs thanks to the axial offset of facing ends 30 1E and 30 2 E, in the sense that both the part of upper edge 3OA for end 30 1E is axially offset with respect to the part of upper edge 3OA for end 30 2 E and the part of lower edge 3OB for end 30i E is axially offset of the part of lower edge 3OB for end 30 2 E-
- the part of each bridge 32 which is under stress when closure 1 opens for the first time, is at an angle with respect to a plan perpendicular to axis X-X of rotation of skirt 10.
- FIGS 6 to 12 are shown seven different forms of embodiment of the invention, in which elements similar to those of the first embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5 bear identical references. As clearly illustrated by these figures, each of these seven forms of embodiments is different from the first embodiment by the shape of their respective pluralities of slits, which are respectively referenced 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 and consequently by the shape of their associated frangible bridges, which are respectively referenced 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92 and 102.
- each of slits 40 of break-off line 22 is constituted, in a successive manner along the periphery of the closure, by a first part 40i similar to part 30i of each of slits 30, by a part 4O 2 similar to part 3O 2 of each of slits 30, and by another part 4O 3 which, when the closure is seen in side elevation as on figure 6, is straight and extends in length in a direction perpendicular to axis X- X.
- parts 40i and 4O 3 are parallel to each other.
- Part 40i has a longitudinal end 40-i E opposite to part 4O 2.
- Part 4O 3 has a longitudinal end 40 3 E opposite to part 4O 2.
- Each of bridges 42 is delimitated between the ends 40 1E and 40 3E which respectively belongs to two immediately adjacent slits among slits 40 and which face each other.
- FIG. 6 shows that, at the facing ends of two immediately adjacent slits 40, the respective corresponding terminal parts 4O 1 and 4O 3 of these two slits are not inclined to each other, unlike the parts 30i and 3O 2 of the slits 30.
- each of slits 50 of break-off line 22 is successively constituted by a part 50i, a part 5O 2 and a part 5O 3 , which are respectively similar to parts 40i, 4O 2 and 4O 3 of each of slits 40.
- the facing ends 30 1E and 30 2 E or 4O 1 E and 40 3E of two immediately adjacent slits 30 or 40 the facing ends 50 I E and 50 3 E of two immediately adjacent slits among slits 50 are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of axis X-X.
- ends 50i E and 50 3 E are not aligned in a direction parallel to axis X-X, but are aligned in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of this axis, so that at least a portion of part 5O 3 of one of two immediately adjacent slits is located vertically above at least a portion of part 50 1 of the other of the two slits.
- invention of figure 7 may be more difficult to fabricate because it is required more sophisticated movements for the blade which cuts the closure to provide slits 50, with respect to the movements of the same blade to provide slits 30 or 40.
- the axial overlapping of parts 50i and 5O 3 , at the facing ends 50 I E and 50 3 E, allows bridges 52 to stretch and to break essentially and even exclusively in tension.
- each of slits 60 of break-off line 22 is constituted, in a successive manner along the periphery of the closure, by a first part 6O 1 which, when the closure is seen in side elevation as in figure 8, is straight and extends in length in a direction inclined to the direction of axis X-X, by a second part 6O 2 similar to part 30i of each of slits 30, and by a third part 6O 3 similar to part 3O 2 of each of slits 30.
- Part 6O 1 forms with the direction of axis X-X a downwardly angle of inclination Ci 1 similar to angle ⁇ 2 for part 3O 2 or 6O 3 .
- parts 6O 1 and 6O 3 are parallel to each other. In other words, angle CH is identical to angle ⁇ 2 .
- FIG. 8 shows that, at each of bridges 62 which is delimitated between the facing ends 6O 1E and 60 3E of two immediately adjacent slits among slits 60, the respective corresponding terminal parts 60i and 6O 3 of these two slits do not necessarily include at least one part perpendicular to the direction of axis X-X, but can be both inclined with respect to this direction.
- each of slits 70 of break-off line 22 is constituted, in a successive manner along the periphery of the closure, by first, second and third parts 7O 1 , 7O 2 and 7O 3 which are respectively similar to parts 4O 1 , 4O 2 and 4O 3 of each of slits 40, and by a fourth part 7O 4 .
- each part 7O 4 is straight and extends in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X, forming with this latter a downwardly angle of inclination ⁇ 4 geometrically similar to angle ⁇ 2 for part 7O 2 .
- angle ⁇ 4 is strictly upper than 90°, especially equal to 135°.
- parts 8O 1 , 8O 2 , 8O 3 and 8O 4 of each of slits 80 are similar to parts 70i, 7O 2 , 7O 3 and 7O 4 of slits 70, except that the facing ends 80i E and 80 4 E of two immediately adjacent slits 80 are not aligned in a direction parallel to axis X-X, but are aligned in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X, with at least a terminal portion of part 8O 1 and at least a terminal portion of part 8O 4 located above each other.
- the form of embodiment of figure 10 has substantially the same technical interest as the form of embodiment of figure 7 with respect to the form of embodiment of figure 6.
- each of slits 90 is constituted by a straight segment which is inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X.
- Each segment forms with the direction of axis X-X an angle of inclination ⁇ different from 90°.
- the two facing ends 90 E of two adjacent segments are axially offset one with respect to the other, forming between them one of bridges 92.
- each of slits 100 is constituted by a curved segment.
- the sign of curvature of two immediately adjacent slits 100 are different, which allows the two facing ends 100 E of these two immediately adjacent slits to be offset one with respect to the other in the direction of axis X-X.
- the forms of embodiment of figures 11 and 12 show that each of slits 90 or 100 of break-off line 22 is not necessarily constituted by different elementary straight parts, unlike slits 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80.
- each of these closures can optionally include other components, like a sealing disc added against the lower face of top wall 12.
- tamper evident band 20 can be more extended in length under flange 6 of neck 2, especially in order to label or decorate the lower part of the neck.
- the means for preventing tamper evident band 20 from rotating with skirt 10 are not limited to the form illustrated in figure 3.
- the outside face of neck 2 can be provided with recesses, against which the ribs 26 abut in rotation.
- ribs 26 can be replaced or completed by recesses delimitated in inside surface 24 of band 20.
- surface 24 and the outside face of neck 2 are shaped to cooperate in order to fix band 20 in rotation around the neck.
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Abstract
The present plastic closure (1 ) comprises a skirt (10) adapted to be screwed and unscrewed on a container neck (2) around an axis of rotation (X-X) and a tamper evident band (20) adapted to abut in rotation around this axis against protrusions (5) or recesses of the neck. A plurality of slits (30) distributed along a peripherical direction around this axis are located between the skirt and the tamper evident band, so that any two immediately adjacent slits among this plurality have respective peripherical ends (30IE, 302E) facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge (32) that links the skirt and the bands and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed for the first time. In order to provide a closure both easy to open for the first time and reliable during its prior assembling around the neck, the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits among this plurality are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation.
Description
CLOSURE FOR A NECK OF A CONTAINER, CONTAINER NECK EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A CLOSURE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING SUCH A CLOSURE
This invention concerns a closure for a neck of a container, made of plastic material. This invention also concerns a container neck equipped with such a closure and a method for fabricating such a closure of plastic material.
In the domain of packaging liquids, it is known to equip the neck of a bottle with a plastic closure comprising a tubular skirt intended to surround the neck. Especially, the skirt of the closure is held onto the bottle neck by a thread system which allows to screw and unscrew the skirt around an axis of rotation corresponding to the central axis of the neck.
In order to indicate to the consumer whether the closure has been tampered with before its first opening by this consumer, it has become conventional to provide the closure with a tamper evident band which is joined to the skirt by a plurality of frangible bridges. In practice, when the neck is considered as vertically extending with its pouring opening directed upwards, each frangible bridge links the lower end of the skirt and the upper end of the tamper evident band. These bridges are either integrally molded into the closure, between the skirt and the tamper evident band, or are formed by a cutting blade which slits the closure between the skirt and the tamper evident band. In either case, these bridges are each colinear to the axis of rotation of the skirt and they are distributed along a peripherical direction of the closure, so that they define a peripherical break-off line between the skirt and the tamper evident band. The tamper evident band is provided with internal protrusions which vertically engage with a retaining flange formed on the neck. Thus, when the skirt is unscrewed for the first time, the band engages the neck and is restrained from moving upwards with the skirt. In the same time, the frangible bridges stretch and break in tension, which give visual and sometimes audio indication that the closure has previously been opened or removed.
Recent innovations in tamper evidency have trended toward the tamper evident band having internal means that interact with the retaining flange of the bottle neck in such a way as to prevent the band from rotating with the skirt. For example,
these means comprise ribs extending from an inside surface of the band and sized in order to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation of the skirt against corresponding protruding surfaces delimitated by the retaining flange of the neck. With such anti- rotation means, the tamper evident band is efficiently maintained around the retaining flange of the neck, contrary to the bands that vertically abut against the retaining flange and which tend to be driven in rotation together with the skirt when the user grasps the whole closure and unscrews it around the axis of rotation.
However, with such an anti-rotation tamper evident band, the frangible bridges are prevented from breaking in tension and are caused to break, instead, in shear. In practice, the rotational torque of the skirt required to break the bridges in shear is substantially much higher than that required to break them in tension, which causes more difficulty for the consumer to access the product in the bottle.
A theoretical solution might be to reduce the size and/or the quantity of the known bridges and to maintain their current configuration. But such a solution leads to provide bridges which break when the closure is initially fitted around the bottle neck.
The invention aims at providing a closure with an anti-rotation tamper evident band, which is both easy to open for the first time and reliable during its prior assembling around a neck of a container.
For this purpose, the invention concerns a closure for a neck of a container, made of a plastic material and comprising:
- a tubular skirt provided with an inside surface adapted to be screwed and unscrewed on a thread of the neck around an axis of rotation,
- a tamper evident band provided with an inside surface adapted to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation against at least one protrusion of the neck, and
- a plurality of slits distributed along a peripherical direction around the axis of rotation and located between the skirt and the tamper evident band in the direction of the axis of rotation,
wherein any two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits have respective periphehcal ends facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge that links the skirt and the tamper evident band and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed from the neck for the first time, characterized in that the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation.
The main idea on which the invention is based is to provide the frangible bridges in such a manner that, even if the tamper evident band is prevented from rotating with the skirt during the first unscrewing of this latter, these bridges do not break exclusively in shear. Thanks to the invention, each frangible bridge located between the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits does not mainly extend in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the skirt, but is at an angle to a plan perpendicular to this axis of rotation because these facing ends are axially offset in the direction of the axis of rotation, that is to say situated one above the other in the direction of the axis of rotation. Therefore, as the skirt is rotated off the neck whereas the tamper evident band is prevented from rotating with the skirt, the frangible bridges break, totally or partly, in tension, which reduces the torque required to break them.
According to further aspects of the invention, this closure might incorporate one or several of the features recited in dependant claims 2 to 10.
The invention also concerns a container provided with a neck, characterized in that the neck is equipped with a closure as defined here-above.
Besides, the invention concerns a method for fabricating a closure suitable for equipping a neck of a container, the method comprising at least the following steps of:
- molding a plastic material in a single piece comprising:
- a tubular skirt provided with an inside surface adapted to be screwed and unscrewed on a thread of the neck around an axis of rotation, and
- a tamper evident band provided with an inside surface adapted to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation against at least one protrusion of the neck, and
- slitting a plurality of slits, distributing these slits along a peripherical direction around the axis of rotation and locating these slits between the skirt and the tamper evident band in the direction of the axis of rotation, so that any two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits have respective peripherical ends facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge that links the skirt and the tamper evident band and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed from the neck for the first time, characterized in that, during the step of slitting, the facing peripherical ends of two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits are provided, being offset with respect one to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation.
The invention will be better understood on the basis of the following description which is given in correspondence with the annexed figures and as an illustrating example, without restricting the subject matter of the invention. In these figures:
- figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a closure according to the invention,
- figure 2 is a half of a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the closure of figure 1 , mounted on the neck of a bottle,
- figure 3 is a partial section through the closure and the neck along line III- III of figure 2,
- figure 4 is an enlarged scale view of the circled detail IV in figure 1 ,
- figure 5 is a schematic enlarged scale view of the circled detail V in figure 4, and
- figures 6 to 12 are views similar to figure 4, illustrating, respectively, different forms of embodiment according to the invention.
The closure 1 shown in figures 1 to 5 is provided to be mounted on a neck 2 of a container, for example a bottle 3, of which only the upper part is visible in figures 2 and 3. Neck 2 has a substantially tubular shape defining a longitudinal central axis X-X.
In the present description, the terms "upper" and "up" correspond to a direction essentially parallel to axis X-X and going from the body of bottle 3 towards its neck 2, that is to say a direction directed towards the upper part of figures 1 , 2, 4 and 5, whereas the terms "lower" and "down" correspond to an opposite direction.
Closure 1 comprises a tubular skirt 10, centred on a longitudinal axis which is merged with axis X-X when the closure is mounted on neck 2, as shown in figure 2. Skirt 10 is closed at its upper end by a top wall 12 which lies in a plane perpendicular to axis X-X. The lower face of top wall 12 is provided with sealing lips 13 which are suitable for being tightly pressed on the upper end of neck 2 in order to allow closure 1 to close neck 2 tightly.
An inside surface 14 of skirt 10 is provided with a screw thread 16 which is complementary for a thread 4 formed by the outside face of neck 2. Thus, skirt 10 can be screwed and unscrewed on the neck around axis X-X, by the cooperation between threads 4 and 16. In order to allow the consumer to grasp and to drive in rotation the skirt more easily, the outside face of the skirt is advantageously provided with elongated ribs 18 which are distributed along the outside periphery of the skirt and which extend in length in respective directions parallel to axis X-X.
Closure 1 further comprises a tamper evident band 20 which has an essentially annular shape centred on an axis which is merged with axis X-X when the closure is mounted on neck 2. Band 20 is situated under skirt 10 and forms a downwardly extension of the skirt, with axial interposition of a break-off line 22, which will be described in detail hereafter.
As shown in figure 3, band 20 has an inside surface 24 provided with ribs 26 projecting toward axis X-X from surface 24. These ribs are sized for abutting in rotation around axis X-X against complementary ribs 5 outwardly projecting from a
flange 6 formed by the outside face of neck 2 under thread 4. In practice, each of ribs 5 and 26 has an elongated shape in a direction parallel to axis X-X, in order to delimitate a substantial contacting surface 5A or 26A for the contact between the band and the flange. Thanks to the cooperation by contact between ribs 5 and 26, the band is prevented from rotating around axis X-X1 in anticlockwise on figure 3, which corresponds to the sense of rotative driven of skirt 10 for unscrewing the skirt from the neck. Consequently, when the skirt is rotated off the neck, the tamper evidence band is prevented from rotating with the skirt, which causes line 22 to break.
Break-off line 22 comprises slits 30 distributed along the break-off line, advantageously in a regular manner as shown in figure 4. Each slit 30 forms a through opening in closure 1 , which separates skirt 10 and band 20 in the direction of axis X-X. In other words, each of the slits is defined both by an upper edge 3OA which is delimitated by a peripherical portion of the lower end of skirt 10, and by a lower edge 3OB, which is delimitated by a peripherical portion of the upper end of band 20, as partly shown in figure 5.
When seen in side elevation, as on figures 1 , 4 and 5, each of slits 30 is constituted, successively along break-off line 22, by two straight parts 30i and 3O2. Part 30i has a longitudinal end 301 E opposite to part 3O2 and extends in a length in a direction perpendicular to axis X-X. Part 3O2 has a longitudinal end 302E opposite to part 3O1 and extends in a length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X, forming with this latter a downwardly angle of inclination α2 strictly lower than 90°, especially equal to 45°.
Between any two immediately adjacent slits among the slits 30, closure 1 includes a material portion which forms a frangible bridge 32. More precisely, each of these bridges separates from each other the respective ends 30-IE and 302E of two immediately adjacent slits 30, which face each other along the periphery of the closure. For example, if figures 4 and 5 are considered, the slit among slits 30, which is represented on the left part of the figures, and the slit among slits 30, which is represented on the right part of the figures, have, respectively, their right peripherical
end 3O2E and left peripherical end 30iE which are facing each other, delimitating between them one of the bridges 32.
The bridges 32 form continuous material links which connect skirt 10 and tamper evident band 20. In other words, skirt 10, band 20 and bridges 22 located between them are integral with each other, forming a single piece made of plastic material. Thus, in order to fabricate closure 1 , a plastic material is molded in a single piece including skirt 10 and tamper evident band 20. Once this single piece is molded, slits 30 are formed, by a slitting process using for example a cutting blade which cuts through the peripherical wall of the plastic single piece. This cutting blade is moved with respect to the closure in order to provide parts 3O1 and 3O2 for each slit 30.
After its fabrication, closure 1 is mounted on neck 2, being for example fitted around the neck along axis X-X.
When the consumer opens closure 1 for the first time, he or she unscrews skirt 10 around axis X-X. As ribs 5 and 26 prevent tamper evident band 20 from rotating with the skirt, bridges 32 break. More precisely, stresses are applied to the material constituting each bridge 32 until the bridge breaks, which is caused by a failure propagating through the bridge, between the facing ends 30-IE and 302E associated to this bridge. Due to the shape of slits 30, these facing ends 30IE and 3O2E are not aligned in a plan perpendicular to axis X-X but are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of this axis. This axial offset between the ends 30-iE and 302E causes the failure of the frangible bridge to be essentially in tension, that is to say in a direction parallel to axis X-X or slightly inclined with respect to this axis. Thus, the torque required to break each of the bridges 32 is low, in the sense that this torque is substantially lower than that which would be required to break the bridges exclusively in shear.
The failure of the bridge 32 which is shown on figure 5 is schematically illustrated: the hatched area referenced 34 schematically corresponds to the area of the bridge, through which the failure of the bridge propagates between ends 30-IE and 3O2E. In view of figure 5, it is understood that the failure in tension of bridges 32
occurs thanks to the axial offset of facing ends 301E and 302E, in the sense that both the part of upper edge 3OA for end 301E is axially offset with respect to the part of upper edge 3OA for end 302E and the part of lower edge 3OB for end 30iE is axially offset of the part of lower edge 3OB for end 302E- In other words, the part of each bridge 32, which is under stress when closure 1 opens for the first time, is at an angle with respect to a plan perpendicular to axis X-X of rotation of skirt 10.
In figures 6 to 12 are shown seven different forms of embodiment of the invention, in which elements similar to those of the first embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5 bear identical references. As clearly illustrated by these figures, each of these seven forms of embodiments is different from the first embodiment by the shape of their respective pluralities of slits, which are respectively referenced 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 and consequently by the shape of their associated frangible bridges, which are respectively referenced 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92 and 102.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 6, each of slits 40 of break-off line 22 is constituted, in a successive manner along the periphery of the closure, by a first part 40i similar to part 30i of each of slits 30, by a part 4O2 similar to part 3O2 of each of slits 30, and by another part 4O3 which, when the closure is seen in side elevation as on figure 6, is straight and extends in length in a direction perpendicular to axis X- X. Thus, parts 40i and 4O3 are parallel to each other. Part 40i has a longitudinal end 40-iE opposite to part 4O2. Part 4O3 has a longitudinal end 403E opposite to part 4O2. Each of bridges 42 is delimitated between the ends 401E and 403E which respectively belongs to two immediately adjacent slits among slits 40 and which face each other.
The form of embodiment of figure 6 shows that, at the facing ends of two immediately adjacent slits 40, the respective corresponding terminal parts 4O1 and 4O3 of these two slits are not inclined to each other, unlike the parts 30i and 3O2 of the slits 30.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 7, each of slits 50 of break-off line 22 is successively constituted by a part 50i, a part 5O2 and a part 5O3, which are respectively similar to parts 40i, 4O2 and 4O3 of each of slits 40. Like the facing ends 301E and 302E or 4O1 E and 403E of two immediately adjacent slits 30 or 40, the facing
ends 50IE and 503E of two immediately adjacent slits among slits 50 are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of axis X-X. However, unlike these ends 30-IE and 3O2E or 401E and 403E, the ends 50iE and 503E are not aligned in a direction parallel to axis X-X, but are aligned in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of this axis, so that at least a portion of part 5O3 of one of two immediately adjacent slits is located vertically above at least a portion of part 501 of the other of the two slits.
The form of embodiment of figure 7 may be more difficult to fabricate because it is required more sophisticated movements for the blade which cuts the closure to provide slits 50, with respect to the movements of the same blade to provide slits 30 or 40. However, the axial overlapping of parts 50i and 5O3, at the facing ends 50IE and 503E, allows bridges 52 to stretch and to break essentially and even exclusively in tension.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 8, each of slits 60 of break-off line 22 is constituted, in a successive manner along the periphery of the closure, by a first part 6O1 which, when the closure is seen in side elevation as in figure 8, is straight and extends in length in a direction inclined to the direction of axis X-X, by a second part 6O2 similar to part 30i of each of slits 30, and by a third part 6O3 similar to part 3O2 of each of slits 30. Part 6O1 forms with the direction of axis X-X a downwardly angle of inclination Ci1 similar to angle α2 for part 3O2 or 6O3. In the represented form of embodiment, parts 6O1 and 6O3 are parallel to each other. In other words, angle CH is identical to angle α2.
The form of embodiment of figure 8 shows that, at each of bridges 62 which is delimitated between the facing ends 6O1E and 603E of two immediately adjacent slits among slits 60, the respective corresponding terminal parts 60i and 6O3 of these two slits do not necessarily include at least one part perpendicular to the direction of axis X-X, but can be both inclined with respect to this direction.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 9, each of slits 70 of break-off line 22 is constituted, in a successive manner along the periphery of the closure, by first, second and third parts 7O1, 7O2 and 7O3 which are respectively similar to parts 4O1,
4O2 and 4O3 of each of slits 40, and by a fourth part 7O4. When the closure is seen in side elevation as on figure 9, each part 7O4 is straight and extends in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X, forming with this latter a downwardly angle of inclination β4 geometrically similar to angle α2 for part 7O2. Unlike angle α2, angle β4 is strictly upper than 90°, especially equal to 135°.
Thus, the geometrical straight continuation of part 7O4 beyond the corresponding end 704E of each slit 70 is convergent toward part 70i of the immediately adjacent slit, unlike part 3O2 or 6O3 with respect to 30i or 6O1. By that way, the stresses in each bridge 72 during the breaking of line 22 are essentially concentrated in the area of bridge where parts 7O4 and 70i of the associated two immediately adjacent slits 70 are closer to each other.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 10, parts 8O1, 8O2, 8O3 and 8O4 of each of slits 80 are similar to parts 70i, 7O2, 7O3 and 7O4 of slits 70, except that the facing ends 80iE and 804E of two immediately adjacent slits 80 are not aligned in a direction parallel to axis X-X, but are aligned in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X, with at least a terminal portion of part 8O1 and at least a terminal portion of part 8O4 located above each other. With respect to the form of embodiment of figure 9, the form of embodiment of figure 10 has substantially the same technical interest as the form of embodiment of figure 7 with respect to the form of embodiment of figure 6.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 11 , each of slits 90 is constituted by a straight segment which is inclined with respect to the direction of axis X-X. Each segment forms with the direction of axis X-X an angle of inclination α different from 90°. Thus, the two facing ends 90E of two adjacent segments are axially offset one with respect to the other, forming between them one of bridges 92.
In the form of embodiment shown in figure 12, each of slits 100 is constituted by a curved segment. In order to create a regular wave of break-off line 22, the sign of curvature of two immediately adjacent slits 100 are different, which allows the two facing ends 100E of these two immediately adjacent slits to be offset one with respect to the other in the direction of axis X-X.
The forms of embodiment of figures 11 and 12 show that each of slits 90 or 100 of break-off line 22 is not necessarily constituted by different elementary straight parts, unlike slits 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80.
Different technical variants can be considered for the closures described hereabove. For example, each of these closures can optionally include other components, like a sealing disc added against the lower face of top wall 12. Besides, tamper evident band 20 can be more extended in length under flange 6 of neck 2, especially in order to label or decorate the lower part of the neck.
Furthermore, the means for preventing tamper evident band 20 from rotating with skirt 10 are not limited to the form illustrated in figure 3. In particular, in addition to or in substitution of ribs 5, the outside face of neck 2 can be provided with recesses, against which the ribs 26 abut in rotation. In the same way, ribs 26 can be replaced or completed by recesses delimitated in inside surface 24 of band 20. In any case, surface 24 and the outside face of neck 2 are shaped to cooperate in order to fix band 20 in rotation around the neck.
Claims
1. A closure (1) for a neck (2) of a container (3), made of a plastic material and comprising:
- a tubular skirt (10) provided with an inside surface (14) adapted to be screwed and unscrewed on a thread (4) of the neck around an axis of rotation (X-X),
- a tamper evident band (20) provided with an inside surface (24) adapted to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation against at least one protrusion (5) or recess of the neck, and
- a plurality of slits (30 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ; 80 ; 90 ; 100) distributed along a peripherical direction around the axis of rotation and located between the skirt and the tamper evident band in the direction of the axis of rotation, wherein any two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits (30 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ; 80 ; 90 ; 100) have respective peripherical ends (301E, 302E ; 40IE, 403E ; 50iE, 503E ; 60IE, 603E ; 701E, 704E ; 80iE, 804E ; 90E ; 100E) facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge (32 ; 42 ; 52 ; 62 ; 72 ; 82 ; 92 ; 102) that links the skirt (10) and the tamper evident band (20) and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed from the neck for the first time, characterized in that the facing peripherical ends (30IE, 3O2E ; 40IE, 403E ; 50-ιE, 503E ; 60IE, 603E; 70-iE, 7O4E ; 80IE, 804E ; 90E ; 100E) of two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits (30 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ; 80 ; 90 ; 100) are offset one with respect to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X).
2. Closure according to claim 1 , characterized in that each slit (30) is delimitated by a first edge (30A) on the side of the skirt (10) and by a second edge (30B) on the side of the tamper evident band (20), and in that, at said facing peripherical ends (30iE, 302E) of two immediately adjacent slits (30), the respective first edges of these two immediately adjacent slits are axially offset one with respect to the other and the respective second edges of these two immediately adjacent slits are axially offset one with respect to the other.
3. Closure according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that said facing peripherical ends (301 E, 302E ; 40IE, 403E ; 
603E ; 701E, 704E ; 90E ) of two immediately adjacent slits (30 ; 40 ; 60 ; 70 ; 90) are aligned in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (X-X).
4. Closure according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said facing peripherical ends (50iE, 5θ3E ; 801E, 804E) of two immediately adjacent slits (50 ; 80) are aligned in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X), respective parts (50i, 5O3 ; 80i, 8O4) of the two immediately adjacent slits being above one the other in the direction of the axis of rotation.
5. Closure according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that, when the closure is seen in side elevation, each slit (30) is constituted by, successively:
- a first straight part (3O1) extending in length in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X), and
- a second straight part (3O2) extending in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation, forming an angle of inclination (α2) different from 90°.
6. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when the closure is seen in side elevation, each slits (40 ; 50) is constituted by, successively :
- a first straight part (40i ; 50i) extending in length in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X),
- a second straight part (4O2 ; 5O2) extending in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation, forming an angle of inclination (α2) different from 90°, and
- a third straight part (4O3 ; 5O3) extending in length in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation.
7. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when the closure is seen in side elevation, each slit (60) is constituted by, successively: - a first straight part (6O1) extending in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X),
- a second straight part (6O2) extending in length in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation, and
- a third straight part (6O3) extending in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation, wherein the first and third parts (6O1, 6O3) respectively form with the direction of the axis of rotation, on a same side of slits (60), two angles of inclination (α-i, α2), which are both strictly lower or strictly upper than 90°.
8. Closure according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when the closure is seen in side elevation, each slit (70 ; 80) is constituted by, successively:
- a first straight part (70i ; 8O1) extending in length in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X),
- a second straight part (7O2 ; 8O2) extending in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation,
- a third straight part (7O3 ; 8O3) extending in length in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation, and
- a fourth straight part (7O4 ; 8O4) extending in length in a direction inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation, wherein the second and fourth parts (7O2, 7O4 ; 8O2, 8O4) respectively form with the direction of the axis of rotation, on a same side of slits (70 ; 80), two angles of inclination (O2, P4), one of these two angles being strictly lower than 90° whereas the other is strictly upper than 90°.
9. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each slits (90) is constituted by a straight segment inclined with respect to the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X), forming an angle of inclination (α) different from 90°.
10. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each slit is constituted by a curved segment (100), the signs of curvature of two immediately adjacent slits being different.
11. Container (3) provided with a neck (2), characterized in that the neck is equipped with a closure (1) according to any of the previous claims.
12. Method for fabricating a closure (1) suitable for equipping a neck (2) of a container (3), the method comprising at least the following steps of:
- molding a plastic material in a single piece comprising:
- a tubular skirt (10) provided with an inside surface (14) adapted to be screwed and unscrewed on a thread (4) of the neck around an axis of rotation (X-X), and
- a tamper evident band (20) provided with an inside surface (24) adapted to abut in rotation around the axis of rotation against at least one protrusion (5) or recess of the neck, and
- slitting a plurality of slits (30 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ; 80 ; 90 ; 100), distributing these slits along a peripherical direction around the axis of rotation (X-X) and locating these slits between the skirt (10) and the tamper evident band (20) in the direction of the axis of rotation, so that any two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits have respective peripherical ends (30iE, 302E ; 40iE, 403E ; 501E, 503E ; 601E, 603E ; 701 E, 704E ; 80-iE, 804E ; 90E ; 100E) facing each other and separated from each other by a frangible bridge (32 ; 42 ; 52 ; 62 ; 72 ; 82 ; 92 ; 102) that links the skirt (10) and the tamper evident band (20) and that is provided to be broken when the skirt is unscrewed from the neck for the first time, characterized in that, during the step of slitting, the facing peripherical ends (30IE, 302E ; 401E, 403E ; 501E, 503E ; 601El 603E ; 701E, 704E ; 801El 804E ; 90E ; 100E) of two immediately adjacent slits among the plurality of slits (30 ; 40 ; 50 ; 60 ; 70 ; 80 ; 90 ; 100) are provided, being offset one with respect to the other in the direction of the axis of rotation (X-X).
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2007/002470 WO2008129348A1 (en) | 2007-04-23 | 2007-04-23 | Closure for a neck of a container, container neck equipped with such a closure and method for fabricating such a closure |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2007/002470 WO2008129348A1 (en) | 2007-04-23 | 2007-04-23 | Closure for a neck of a container, container neck equipped with such a closure and method for fabricating such a closure |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2008129348A1 true WO2008129348A1 (en) | 2008-10-30 |
Family
ID=38819977
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2007/002470 WO2008129348A1 (en) | 2007-04-23 | 2007-04-23 | Closure for a neck of a container, container neck equipped with such a closure and method for fabricating such a closure |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| WO (1) | WO2008129348A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20220212836A1 (en) * | 2020-03-30 | 2022-07-07 | ThisCap, Inc. | Cap for container |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4784281A (en) * | 1984-12-10 | 1988-11-15 | Oleg Rozenberg | Tamper-evident closures |
| FR2639031A3 (en) * | 1988-11-16 | 1990-05-18 | Bouchons Plastiques | Threaded cap for container comprising a fracture zone formed by means of helical cutouts |
-
2007
- 2007-04-23 WO PCT/IB2007/002470 patent/WO2008129348A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4784281A (en) * | 1984-12-10 | 1988-11-15 | Oleg Rozenberg | Tamper-evident closures |
| FR2639031A3 (en) * | 1988-11-16 | 1990-05-18 | Bouchons Plastiques | Threaded cap for container comprising a fracture zone formed by means of helical cutouts |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20220212836A1 (en) * | 2020-03-30 | 2022-07-07 | ThisCap, Inc. | Cap for container |
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