NZ201002A - Tamper indicating closure with indicia indicating whether container has been opened - Google Patents

Description

201002 No.: Date: NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TAMPER INDICATING CLOSURE !^P. &s.

%!We, SUNBEAM PLASTICS CORPORATION, 3245 Kansas w Road, Evansville, Indiana (U.S.A), a corporation existing under the Laws of the State of Indiana, United States of America hereby declare the invention for which £ / we pray that a patent may be granted toHSK/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - _ 1 _ (followed by page la) 2 010 02- This invention relates to closures for containers and more particularly to closures of the type which indicate tampering.

There are a large variety of closures for containers which attempt to give evidence that the container has been opened or at least been placed in a condition for opening once it has been filled. The purpose of such closures is to insure that consumers can be confident that a closure has remained in a closed position once it has been filled and not opened prior to its purchase.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a tamper indicating closure which does not require a special container and therefore can be used with a wide variety of containers of standard configuration.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tamper indicating closure which can give a worded message indicating that the closure has once been opened or placed in condition for opening.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tamper indicating closure of simple two-part construction which provides for easy manufacture and assembly.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by a tamper indicating closure having a cap portion for threaded engagement with the threaded neck of a container and ha.ving a liner capable of sealing the closure. The closure provides for complementary - drive and driven surfaces which permit the cap to be placed on the container for the first time after it is filled to move the liner into a sealed condition. Other complementary 201002 drive and driven surfaces are provided which come into engagement with each other after the cap has been rotated relative to the stationary liner to provide a message or a condition of the closure giving evidence that the closure has either been removed from the container or placed in a condition relative to the container by which it can be moved. These complementary drive and driven surfaces enable the cap and liner to be moved as a unit to a fully opened position. Additional cooperating drive and driven surfaces are provided which insure that the closure can be replaced on the container once it has been removed while at the same time the condition of the closure remains established to give evidence of the opened condition.

The presently preferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of the closure embodying the invention with parts broken away and removed; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the arcuate line 3-3 in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing another condition of operation; Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention showing the closure in its intially closed position relative to a container, only a portion of which is shown; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the condition of the closure once it has been placed in ^0100 condition for opening; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken generally on the arcuate section line 7-7 in Figure 5; Figure 8 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 7 showing a modification of the embodiment seen in Figure 7; Figure 9 shows a modification of a portion of the closure in the prior embodiments of the invention; and Figure 10 shows still another embodiment of the invention in a cross sectional view similar to Figure 2.

A tamper indicating closure embodying the invention is designated generally at 10 and is adapted for use with containers 12 having a neck 14 forming an opening 16 through which contents can be introduced and dispensed from the container. The exterior of the neck 14 has external threads 18 adapted to receive complementary threads on the closure 10.

The closure 10 includes a cup-shaped cap 20 with a generally flat top 22 and a depending annular skirt 24. The skirt 24 is provided with internal threads 2 6 complementary to the threads 18 on the exterior of the neck of the container 12. The closure 10 also includes a liner member 3 0 which is disposed within the J cup-shaped cap 20. The liner member 30 is provided with a depending annular flange 32 having an outer, annular cylindrical friction ring or surface 34 which is seated in engagement with the inner wall 35 of the opening 16 in the neck 14 of the container 12. A cam surface 36 is provided below the friction surface 34 2010 0 2 to act as a guide upon introduction of the liner member 30 into the opening 16 in the neck 14 of the container 12.

The liner member 30 is supported relative to 5 cap 20 by a central depending, hollow post 38 formed integrally with the cap 20 which projects through an opening 40 axially of the member 30. The end of post 3 8 projecting through the opening 4 0 is deformed to form a rivet like head 42 by which the liner member 10 30 is maintained in assembled relationship with the cap 20 . This supporting arrangement permits rotational movement of the liner member 30 relative to the cap 2 0 and at the same time permits a small amount of relative axial movement. Both the cap 20 and the liner 3 0 can 15 be molded of similar or of different plastic materials which permit some deflection relative to each other. For example, the cap can be made of polyproplyene to enhance thread engagement whereas the liner may be made of high density polyethylene.

The liner member 30 has a pair of symmetrical recesses 44 disposed arcuately of the axis of the liner member 30. Opposite ends of the recesses 44 have walls 46 and 4 8 which form driven surfaces that are engageable by a drive lug 50, one of which is disposed in each of the 25 recesses 44 and are formed integrally with the cup- shaped cap member 20.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2 the lugs 50 are in engagement with the walls 46 so that clockwise rotation of the cap 20 is effective to move the cap 20 30 and liner 3 0 as a unit to bring the complementary threads 2 0 1002 18 and 2 6 into engagement with each other to move said closure 10 in a closing direction. Such movement causes the closure 10 to move axially relative to the container so that the cam surfaces 36 enter the opening 16 in the neck 14 and subsequent clockwise threaded rotation causes the cylindrical friction surface 34 to be moved axially into seated engagement with the internal surface 35 of the opening 16. Such axial movement is transmitted from the cap 20 to the liner member 30 by means of engaging surfaces 51 around the base of the post 3 8 on the cap 20 and an--annular surface 52 surrounding the opening 40. In addition, an annular force transmitting surface 54 is formed adjacent the interior circumferential area of the cap 20 as seen in Figure 2 for engagement with a force transmitting flange 56. The surfaces 54 and flange 56 are complementary to each other and as the cap 20 is threaded onto the neck of the container 12 the liner member 30 is forced axially and downwardly to bring the cylindrical friction surface 34 into engagment with the interior surface of the opening in the neck. When the closure 10 is in the fully closed position, the friction surface 34 is engaged with the interior of the opening in the neck over an axial range which insures continued contact before the closure is in its fully closed position. In the fully closed position, the bottom of the flange 56 forms a seal which _is pressed into engagement with the top lip 58 of the neck 14. In addition to providing an axial cylindrical extent of friction surface, the exterior diameter of the surface 34 has a slightly larger outer 2 0 10 0 diameter than the diameter of the opening 16 in the neck 14 and with a smooth exterior can act as a seal. Preferably the liner member is made of a plastic material which has some elastomeric qualities permitting 5 deformation and movement to a seated position.

In the initially closed position of the closure 10 on the container 12, the drive lugs 50 will be in engagement with the walls 46 of the recessess 44 in which case a window 60 formed in the top 22 of the cap 10 20 is in alignment with a message or indicia indicated at 62. In the -illustrated^embodiment of the invention the indicia 62 is in the form of the word "sealed".

This is the message that will appear after the container 12 has been filled and closed with a closure 10 either 15 manually or automatically for the first time.

To open the closure 10 and remove it from the container 12, the cap 20 is grasped in conventional fashion and is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1. During such rotational movement of 20 cap 20 in a counterclockwise direction, the liner member remains stationary relative to the neck 14 because of the interference fit and large surface engagement of the friction surface 34 with the interior of the opening 16. This causes the lugs 50 to move out of 25 engagement with the walls 46 toward the walls 48.

When the drive lugs 5 0 eventually come into engagement with the walls 48, when the cap 20 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the window 60 will have moved out of alignment with the indicia 62 30 and into alignment with the second message or indicia 201002 indicated at 64. In this instance the message is that container has been opened.

Prior to the time that the lugs 50 come into engagement with the walls 4 8 upon clockwise movement of cap 20 in an opening direction, the lugs 50 must move through an arc of 30° or more at which time the lower ends 65 of the lugs 50 simultaneously engage cam surfaces 66 formed on ramp elements 68 formed integrally with the seal member 30 at the bottom of each of the recesses 44.

The relatively moveable cap cause? the lug ends -65 to engage the cam surfaces- 66 so'-that the cap 20 is deflected axially relative to the liner 30 until the lugs 50 pass to the other side of the ramp elements 68 at which point the lugs will snap into cavities 70 formed within the recesses 44 between the ramp element 68 and the wall surface 48. When the lug 50 has reached this position, the window 60 will be in alignment with the indicia 64 indicating that the container has been placed in the condition by which it can be opened. Subsequent counterclockwise rotation of the cap 2 0 brings the lugs 5 0 into engagement with the walls 4 8 so that additional rotation moves the cap 20 and liner 30 as a unit so that the closure 10 moves axially and the cylindrical friction surface 34 moves out of engagement with the interior of the neck 14 so that the closure 10 can be completely removed from the container.

During initial movement of the lug 50 from the sealed position of the closure 10 until the lug approaches the cam surface 66 the cap 2 0 will have been 20100 moved through approximately 30° of arc which results in a corresponding axial movement of the cap 20. During such time the liner 30 remains nonrotatably fixed relative to the opening in the neck so that the container 5 remains sealed. Such movement of tjie cap causes the force transmitting surface 54 and flange 56 to move out of engagement with each other and separate so that the only force applied by the cap 20 to the seal 30 is by way of the lug ends 65 on the cam surface 66. This 10 force is a minimum and substantially less than the friction generated between the cylindrical friction surface 34 and the internal surface of the opening in the neck 14. In this manner the frictional forces between the cap and seal 30 which might tend to rotate 15 the seal are minimized and kept less than the friction at the surface 34.

After the closure 10 has once been removed from the container 12 the window 6 0 will be in alignment with the indicia 62 indicating that the closure has 2 0 been opened. Upon replacement of the closure 10 relative to the container 12, the cap 20 is rotated in a clockwise direction. This brings the opposite surfaces of the lugs 5 0 into engagement with a stop wall or driven surface 72 formed opposite to the cam 25 surface 66 on the ramp element 63. In this position ■ the window 60 remains in alignment with the indicia 6 4 showing that the closure 10 has been opened and at the same time affords a means by which the driving lug 50 transmits counterclockwise motion to the seal 30 so that the cap 20 and liner 30 are moved axially as 2 0 10 0 a unit to bring the cylindrical friction surface 34 into engagement with the interior of the neck opening 16.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 it will be noted that the depth of the recesses 44 formed by the walls 46 and 48 is deeper than the height of the ramp element 68. This dimensioning insures that lugs 50 are not deflected upwardly a distance greater than the height of the wall surfaces 46 and 48 to insure that the lugs will be precluded from passing the walls 46 and 48 in both the closing and opening directions of the closure 10. Also the height of the ramp element 68 is selected to be of an axial dimension greater than any axial movement that may be permitted between the cap 20 and seal 30 by the post 38 in the opening 40. This insures that as the lug 50 passes over the ramp element 68, the cap 20 and liner 30 must deflect relative to each other and the lower end of the lug 65 is returned axially into the cavity 70. This insures engagement of the lugs 50 with the stop surfaces 72 when the cap is moved in a closing direction for the purpose of returning the closure 10 to its sealing position on the container 12.

With the internal diameter of the opening 16 in the neck 14 of the container 12 known, it is possible to easily select an interfering dimension for the outer cylindrical sealing surface 34 which will insure interference and friction so that there is resistance to rotation of the liner 30 relative to the container 12 during rotation of the cap 20 from its closed to its open position.

It will be noted that the recesses 44, walls 46, 48 and lugs 50 and cavity 70 are arranged in pairs diametrically opposite each other. It will be understood of course that an even or odd number of such elements could be disposed uniformly and circumferentially of the cap 20 and liner 30. In the described embodiment in which pairs are used, the liner 30 is provided with two sets of indicia 62 and 64 also arranged diametrically opposite each other. This makes it possible to assemble the cap 30 and liner 30 so that a selected one of the lugs 50 can be disposed in either of the cavities 44.

Also, since there is a substantial arc between the walls 46 and the ramp elements 68 the assembly procedure does not require precise alignment of the cap 20 and liner 30 thereby facilitating more simple assembly equipment and techniques.

Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated which in all respects can be the same as the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 through 4 except that the cap 20 is provided with a window 60a, which in the closed position of the closure 10a on the container 12 is provided with a cover element 80. The cover element 80 defines an arcuate portion secured to the remainder of the cap 20a by lines of weakening or frangible areas indicated at 82 in Figure 7. The underside of the cover element 8 0 is provided with cam elements 84 and 86 which are adapted to engage a platform 88 formed on the top of a liner member 30a. 100 The top of the cover element 80 can be provided with a message such as the word "sealed" and the top of the platform . 88 can be provided with a message such as the word "opened".

The operation of the embodiment in Figures 5 through 7 is the same as the prior embodiment in that during opening movement of the closure 10a the liner member 30a remains stationary relative to the neck 14 of the container 12 but upon engagement of the cam 84 with the platform 88 the cover element 80 will be deflected and the adjacent frangible portions will fracture. Similarily, when the cam element 86 engages the platform 88 the adjoining frangible portions 82 will break away so that the cover element 80 becomes separated from the remainder of the cap 20a. This leaves an open window 6 0a which exposes the message "opened" on the platform 88. In this manner, once the closure 10a has been put in condition for opening the message on the platform 8 8 will remain within the window 60a because the drive lugs 50 will be in the cavity 70 as illustrated in Figure 4 so that during all subsequent opening and closing movement the platform will be visible through the window 60a.

A further modification of the embodiment in Figures 5 through 7 is illustrated in Figure 8 in which a cover portion 90 is separated on three sides by lines of weakening and frangible portions 82. However, at least one end of the cover portion 90 remains attached to the remainder of the cap'member 20 at a hinge point 92. In this modification of the invention a cam portion 9 4 on the underside of the cover element 90 . comes into engagement with the platform 96 upon rotation of the cap 20b to raise the cover element 9 0 and hinge it about the hinge 92. In this version, opening movement is made apparent by the displacement of the cover portion 90 from other than a flat or flush condition with the remainder of the top of the cap. The cap 20b is held against rotation relative to the liner 30b by the positioning of the drive lugs 50 in cavity 70 so that the cap 20b and liner 30b rotate as a unit and the cam 94 remains in seate.d position on the platform 96 to keep the cover portion 90 displaced relative to the top of the cap to give evidence of tampering.

In the embodiments of Figures 5 through 8 opening movement is achieved while the liners 30a or 30b remain stationary relative to the neck 14 of the container due to the friction ring or surface 34 until such time as the drive element 5 0 engages the driven wall 4 6 on the liner 30a or 30b.

Referring now to Figure 9, in some applications of the invention it may be necessary to vary the friction afforded by the friction surface or ring 34. In Figure 9 this is accomplished by a plurality of ribs 100 formed on the exterior surface flange 32 to form a friction engaging surface 102. In this instance the number, spacing and degree of interference with the inside diameter of the neck 14 all may be varied to accurately control the amount of friction afforded by engagement of the ribs 100 with the interior of the neck 14. zo1002 Referring now to Figure 10 still another embodiment of the invention is shown in which a closure 110 is adapted for use on a container 12 identical with those used with the other embodiments of the invention. The closure 110 includes a cup-shaped cap 112 with threaded engagement with the threads on the neck 14 of the container 12. Disposed within the cap 112 is a liner member 114 which is held against separation with the cap 112 by a retaining flange 116 formed on the inside of the cap 112 and engageable with the underside of an annular flange 117 at the outer periphery of the liner member 114. The liner member 114 includes an annular friction flange 118 adapted to fit within the opening 16 in the neck 14. The friction flange 118 can be-formed in segments 120 which are hinged at 122 relative to the outer flange 117.

A central portion of the liner member 114 is provided with a platform 124 and is adapted to engage the under- side of the cap 112. When the cap 112 is placed on a container, the threads engage and the cap 112 forces the platform 124 axially to deflect the segments 120 about their hinges 122 to bring them into engagement with the inside wall of the opening 16 to provide the friction necessary to resist rotation of the liner member 114 during opening movement of the closure 110. An annular area 126 adjacent to the platform 124 can be provided with the driven surfaces similar to the surfaces 46, 48 and 72 and the cap 112 has drive lugs 12 8. Also the cap 112 can be provided with a window 10 02 and tamper indicating indicia or mechanism of the prior embodiments.

Several embodiments of a tamper indicating closure have been provided in which tamepring, that is, 5 placing the closure in a condition by which it can be opened, is made evident either by way of a message or by the appearance of the closure. In some embodiments of the invention, a printed message appears at the surface of the closure indiciating that the closure 10 has been sealed so that subsequently when a cap is rotated in an opening direction the message is changed to one indicating that the closure has been opened or put in a condition by which it can be opened. Thereafter, the closure can be replaced and removed from 15 the container when desired but the message or closure configuration always will indicate that the cap has once been opened. The change in messages is accomplished by a relatively moveable cap and seal member in which the liner is maintained in a fixed position relative a to the container through means of an interferring frictional fit on the liner and the rotatable cap.

During the relative rotation, the messages or condition of the cap are changed and the cap is moved a small distance axially out of frictional engagement with the 25 liner member to minimize frictional forces that might tend to move the liner until the cap comes into its final position showing that the closure has been opened. In all of the embodiments of the invention, tampering is indicated by a friction developing arrange-30 ment which insures that the liner member remains 201002 stationary during relative rotation of an outer cap from its original closing position to an opening position. Once the cap has been moved to the opening position it remains in that position for all subsequent closing and 5 opening movements of the closure and container.

Claims (19)

201002 WHAT l/WE CLAIM IS; 10 15 20 25 /

1. A tamper indicating closure for containers having threaded necks forming an opening, comprising: a cup shaped cap member having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck of said container, a liner member supported by said cap member for rotation relative thereto, said liner member having an annular flange with a radially outwardly facing cylindrical friction surface for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner wall of said opening in said neck, said liner member forming adjoining first and second sectors, a window in said cap member alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition or with said second sector indicating that said closure has been opened, cooperating drive means including a drive lug on; said cap member engageable with driven surfaces on said lirier member / said driven surfaces including a first surface engaged by said lug when said window is in alignment with said first sector upon initial rotational movement of said cap and seal as a unit in a closing direction in which said seal member is moved axially in a seated position relative to the neck of said container, a second stop surface engageable by said lug following movement of said cap member in an opening direction relative to said liner member during which said friction surface remains seated and said window moves into alignment with said second sector after which said cap and liner members are - ic 201002 moveable as a unit to remove.said friction surface from its said seated position, a third stop surface between said first and second surfaces, said second and third surfaces being engageable by said lug when said window is aligned with said second sector for rotation of said cap and liner member as a unit for all subsequent movements of said closure in a closing or opening direction, a cam surface associated with said third surface to deflect said lug axially to pass to a position between said second and third surfaces while said friction surface remains seated, the resistance to, axial deflection of said lug being less than the resistance to rotation and axial movement of said friction surface from the seated position.

2. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical friction surface has an outside diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of said opening in said container neck to provide interference between said friction surface and said container.

3. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein an arcuate recess is formed in said liner imember and forms said first and second driven surfaces at opposite ends of said recess.

4. The tamper indicating closure of claim 3 wherein said cam surface is formed in the bottom of said recess.

5. The tamper indicating closure of claim 4 wherein said cam surface has an axial height less than the axial length of said cylindrical seal.

6. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 20100 and further comprising annular complementary load transmitting seats formed on said cap and said liner members to move said friction surface axially into a seated position upon closing movement of said cap member.

7. The tamper indicating closure of claim 6 wherein said third driven surface is positioned closer to said second driven surface than said first driven surface to permit rotational movement of said cap member relative to said liner member between said first and third surfaces to disengage said complementary load transmitting seats from each other to maintain low resistance to movement of said cap relative to said seal member in an opening direction.

8. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said adjoining first and second sectors form a first set of sectors, a second set of sectors formed * by additional first and second sectors, said cap and liner members being assembled so that said window is alignable with one of said sets of sectors.

9. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said first and second sectors occupy no more than an arc of 180°.

10. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said drive lug has an arcuate dimension substantially less than the arcuate spacing of said second and third driven surfaces.

11. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical sealing surface remains seated through an axial range greater than the axial deflection 201002 of said lug by said cam surface.

12. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said annular flange is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced' axially extending ribs for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner wall of said opening in said neck.

13. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said liner member is deflectable to press said friction surface into engagement with said complementary surface on the inner wall of the opening in said neck.

14. The tamper indicating closure of claim 13 wherein said friction surface is formed by a plurality of segments hingedly supported relative to the remainder of said liner member for deflection upon axial movement of said cap member in a closing direction on said container.

15. The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said window in said cap member is closed by a cover member joined to the remainder of said cap member by frangible portions, said cover member being formed with cam portions cooperable with complementary cam portions on said liner upon movement of said cap in an opening direction to fracture said frangible portions.

16. The tamper indicating closure of claim 15 wherein said cover member is completely separable from said window.

17. The tamper indicating closure of claim 15 wherein said cover member is hinged relative to said window and wherein fracturing of said frangible elements - Ic/ 201002 moves said cover member to a displaced position. relative to said cap member to signify opening movement. having a threaded neck forming an opening comprising: a cup shaped cap having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck, a liner member supported by said cap for relative rotation, said liner member having an annular flange with a radially outwardly facing friction surface for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner surface of said opening in said neck, said friction surface on said liner member having an outer diameter greater than the internal diameter of the opening in said neck for exerting a radial force permitting axial movement of said linej: member relative to said neck through another limited axial range while maintaining said frictional engagement, said liner member forming adjoining first and second sectors each with separate indicia, a window in said cap alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition or with said second sector indicating that said closure has been opened, an arcuate recess in the top of said liner member, a lug formed on said cap and being disposed in said recess and being engageable with one end of said recess when said window is aligned with said first sector to rotate said cap and seal as a unit in closing direction and being engageable with the other end of said recess when said window is aligned with said second sector for rotation of said cap and seal as a unit in an opening direction, a ramp element disposed in -said fc. H r " <f" ° ■■■ recess and being engageable with said lug to?deflect

18. A tamper indicating closure for a container 2 ^ ^-^985 j 10 1002 said cap axially and permit rotational movement of said cap relative to said liner member from said closing position to said opening position, said ramp element forming a stop engageable with said lug to prevent relative movement of said cap and seal and maintain said window in alignment with said second sector during all subsequent closing movement of said closure, said ramp having an axial height greater than said limited axial range and less than the depth of said recess, said radial sealing force offering a greater resistance to rotational movement of said liner member relative to said container than said lug exerts on said ramp element during movement of said cap from said closing to said opening position.

19. A tamper indicating closure substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1-4, Figures 8 - 10 of the accompanying drawings. '7 JUNJ982