Dispensing – With recorder – register – indicator – signal or exhibitor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-02
2002-09-24
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With recorder, register, indicator, signal or exhibitor
C222S529000, C222S530000, C215S230000, C215S308000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06454126
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an anti-fraud closure device for providing evidence of the initial opening of a container for liquids having an opening disposed at the end of a neck extending along a longitudinal axis and a duct inside the neck having at least one portion with a diameter larger than that of the portion immediately adjacent the opening, the closure device comprising a pouring body which has an internal axial cavity and which is positioned in the opening and projects axially outwards therefrom with a pouring hole, a connecting element which is free to move axially in the cavity of the pouring body, fixing means for connecting the pouring body to the neck of the container, and a removable cap on the pouring body for closing and opening the pouring hole, an outer cap disposed over and housing the cap, an axial stem carried by the outer cap and facing towards the pouring body, an axial duct in the pouring body, and an axial hole in the connecting element for housing the stem axially when the cap and the outer cap are positioned axially on the pouring body in order to close the hole.
As is known, there is a considerable risk that containers, particularly glass bottles for good-quality alcoholic beverages, may be recycled illegally after the original contents have been used up.
In fact, the original caps are removed from the empty containers and the containers are filled with poor-quality products which are thus passed off as the originals since the container is in fact the original container.
Although the re-capping is performed with caps which are also counterfeit, the fraud is difficult for a normal purchaser to detect because the container, which is the predominant and most easily recognizable element of the packaging, is actually the original container.
To try to eliminate or at least reduce the fraudulent use of containers in the above-mentioned manner, a system has been devised for causing a solid body, for example, made of metal or glass, which was originally engaged on one of the elements constituting the closure, to fall into the container when it is opened for the first time; since this body remains visible and cannot be removed through the neck of the container without the container or some components of the closure disposed in the neck being broken, it prevents the container from being re-used and passed off as original.
An example of this known technique is described in published French patent No. 2738802.
A known technique of another type directed towards preventing the re-use of containers provides for an indicator body connected to one of the elements of the closure to appear inside the container in the vicinity of the closure. This indicator body is normally in a bent position so as not to be visible and is pivoted to a visible position when the container is used for the first time.
An example of this known technique is described in published French patent No. 2739360.
Although both of the above-mentioned known techniques are theoretically effective for preventing fraudulent use of a container, they have the disadvantage that the bodies for providing evidence that the initial opening of the container has taken place are restrained on the closure by engagement means from which these bodies may be detached accidentally before the container is opened, making a container appear to have been already opened when it is still in its original state. Moreover, in both of the above-mentioned known techniques, the devices for indicating that the initial opening has taken place are activated by operations which provide for the removal of the outer metal sealing capsule and the movement of the cap in the opposite direction to the direction of opening.
The object of the present invention is to prevent the problems complained of with reference to the known techniques and to provide for an automatic indication of the fact that the initial opening of the container has taken place, immediately upon the initial opening, by means of the same movement which opens the cap and, at the same time, to ensure that the indication does not take place accidentally but only by means of a positive operation.
Another object of the invention is that of ensuring that the device providing evidence that the initial opening of the container has taken place is visible from all sides of the container as well as in all operative positions thereof.
This object is achieved by a device according to claim
1
below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4767016 (1988-08-01), Cook
patent: 5417860 (1995-05-01), Kay
patent: 5662233 (1997-09-01), Reid
patent: 5909845 (1999-06-01), Greatbatch
Cartagena Melvin A.
Guala Closures S.p.A.
Morris Lesley D.
Sofer & Haroun LLP
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