Tamper-proof closure

Details Tamper-proof closure Tamper-proof closure

1999-03-15

2000-10-24

Cronin, Stephen K.

Bottles and jars

Closures

Including visual indicia

215250, 215253, B65D 3900, B65D 5502

Patent

active

061353027

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to closures for containers; more particularly, it relates to such closures which include indicator elements for producing an indication that the closure has been opened or tampered with.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Indicator elements of this kind have been known For a long time and serve as a control device for determining whether a container is in its originally sealed state, or whether it has previously been opened. A control device of this kind can prove to be important from the point of view of hygiene, e.g. in connection with foods, and also in relation to aspects of preservation, e.g. for drugs and cosmetics. The indicator elements known from the prior art are rooted in a common functional principle based on making the previous opening of a closed container apparent by separating the segments of the indicator element from one another at predetermined breaking points provided for this purpose. If the closure cap is unscrewed, the indicator elements fall out, thus making it clear that the seal is no longer intact.
Tamper-proof seals of this kind are associated with the disadvantage that their fitting on the container requires several process steps. One or more indicator elements must first be positioned on the container wall and the closure cap must then be screwed on.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the problem solved by the present invention is that of simplifying the design and fitting of a generic tamper-proof seal.
According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the first end of the indicator element is attached to the inside of the closure cap by at least one securing device. Preferably, a retaining device or latch is provided to keep the indicator element from falling out of the cap unless the cap is loosened. Preferably also the securing device is mounted on the upper end of the retaining device.
The design of the tamper-proof seal according to the invention substantially simplifies its assembly. Now, only the closure cap need be fitted on the container. In this step, the connection between the indicator element and the closure cap is released so that the indicator element comes to rest between the container wall and the closure cap, without falling out. If the closure cap is loosened, the indicator element falls out.
The assembly of the tamper-proof seal is simplified in that it now requires only one process step. In addition, the indicator element is not a separate part.
The tamper-proof seal is preferably designed such that, in the area of the retainer, the axial distance from the edge of the closure cap to the retainer is less than the axial distance between the edge of the closure cap and the top side of the indicator element, when it just rests on the container wall with its maximum contact surface. This ensures that the retainer is torn off as soon as the indicator element rests on the container wall with its maximum contact surface. In this context, the branch prevents the indicator element from falling out before the closure cap has been fully mounted and while there is still a gap between the edge of the closure cap and the top side of the indicator element.
In another, preferred configuration, the branch is shorter than the axial distance from the retainer to the edge of the closure cap.
When the closure cap is fitted on the container wall, the indicator element is wedged between the container wall and the edge of the closure cap. In this context, the indicator element forms a lever arm which rotates about the contact point located on the inside edge of the cap edge and touching the top side of the indicator element. As the branch is shorter than the axial distance from the bottom side of the closure cap to the retention surface, the further axial fitting of the closure cap breaks the retainer between the indicator element and the closure cap. In this configuration, the indicator again lies between the edge of the closure cap and the container wall. It is either prevented from falling out by the branch, or wedged between

REFERENCES:
patent: 4724972 (1988-02-01), Marcus
patent: 4986430 (1991-01-01), Dutt

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