CA1290281C

CA1290281C - Plastic bottle cap having foil neck seal

Info

Publication number: CA1290281C
Application number: CA000515896A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Joseph J. Bullock, Iii
Original assignee: Cap Snap Co
Current assignee: Cap Snap Co
Priority date: 1986-04-25
Filing date: 1986-08-13
Publication date: 1991-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-08
Also published as: DE3672826D1; JPS62260661A; EP0242475A3; EP0242475A2; ATE54642T1; EP0242475B1

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

To resist tampering with the contents of containers, a plastic cap is provided with a foil liner. When the cap is seated on the container neck, the foil is caused to be sealed across the neck. To inhibit the foil from coming loose from the cap before closure a circumferential groove is formed in the inside of the skirt wall immediately below the cap top disc. The outer edge of the foil snaps into the groove but does not remain in the groove when the cap is removed for dispensing contents. A tab is formed extending out from the edge of the foil to be gripped by the consumer to remove the foil. This tab is folded over when the tab and cap are intact.

Description

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This invention relates to a tamper-resistant closure for use with container necks characterized in that the neck is sealed with a Eoil disc.
Foil liner seals have been used to close the necks of containers as a means to assist in detecting tampering with the contents of the container. Such commercially available seals are applied to the container neck and are caused to adhere thereto by induction heating or other means. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, such commercially available Eoil liner seals are used. To Eacilitate installation on the container neck, the seal is initially inserted into the cap and remains therein until the container is opened by the consumer. The underside of the foil seal preferrably has an adhesive so that, after the . ~

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1 ¦ cap has been applied to the neck, the adhesive comes into 2 ¦ intimate contact with the neck. Induction heating, or other ¦ means, then causes the foil seal and adhesive to adhere to 4 ¦ the neck finish.
5 ¦ One feature of the present invention is the formation 6 ¦ of a groove on the interior of the cap skirt into which ~he 7 ¦ marc3in of the foil seal snaps and remains until the cap is 8 ¦ removed rom the container neck. The groove holds the foil 9 ¦ liner seal in place prior to the cap being applied to the 10 ¦ container.
11 ¦ Another feature of the invention is the provision of a 12 ¦ foil tab integral with the foil seal which may be gripped by 13 ¦ the consumer to assist in pulling the foil off the container 14 ¦ neck finish. Preferably, this tab is folded over the seal 15 ¦ disc and nests between the foil and the underside of the top 16 ¦ disc of the cap. To use the tab after the cap has been 17 I removed, the consumer may insert a fingernail or other 18 ¦ instrument under the folded over t~b and pull it to upright 19 ¦ or upward extending position.
20 ¦ Another feature of the present invention is the fact 211 that the cap and container neck have cooperating locking 22 ¦ means to hold the cap securely in place until the lower 23 ¦ portion thereof may be torn off.Tearing the skirt gives 241 visual evidence of tampering. The interlocking means are ~51 preferably beads and the beads may be either continuousr as 271 illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, or may be interrupted ~81 as is shown in Fig. 6 or interrupted in other patterns.
l Another anti-tamper-resistant feature of the present 291 invention is the provision of a flange on the top of the cap l - 2 . .

~ )X81 1 ¦ which may be gripped by the consumer to remove the cap after 2 ¦ the lower part of the skirt has been torn away. However, 3 ¦ until the lower portion of the skirt has been torn off and a 4 ¦ portion of the locking means thereby removed, the flange 5 ¦ cannot be used by a dishonest consumer to remove the cap.

6 ¦ Various shapes of flanges may be used, as hereinafter 7 ¦ described.

8 ¦ Still another tamper-resistant feature is the use of a 9 ¦ contai~ner neck provided with an outwardly extending shoulder 10 ¦ against which the lower edge of the cap skirt tightly abuts ¦ to make it difficult, if not impossible, to dig one's 12 ¦ fingernails under the skirt to pry up the cap off of the 13 ¦ neck. The shoulder may be formed with protrusions to 14 ¦ frustrate insertion of an implement under the skirt edge~
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1 ¦ Other objects of the present invention will become 2 ¦ apparent upon reading the following specification and 3 ¦ referring to the accompanying drawing in which similar 4 ¦ characters of reference represent corresponding parts in 5 ¦ each of the several views.
6 ¦ In the drawings:
7 ¦ FigO 1 is an exploded sectional view of a cap and a 8 ¦ portion oE a container neck prior to assembly thereof;
9 1 Fig. 2 is view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the cap 10 ¦ and neck assembled, but also showing a modified Cclp removal 11 I flange;

12 ¦ Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the 13 ¦ foil disc in place on the container neck and the cap removed 14 1 from the neck;

15 ¦ Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of 16 ¦ a cap showing a modified flange;

17 ¦ Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a further 18 ¦ modified cap and neck;
9 ¦ Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view deve~oped in a 20¦ plane showing a modified bead structure.
~ 211 2~2 1 "' 24~ '' 251 . . . . .

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2¦ The container neck 11 shown in the accompanying 31 drawings is subject to some variation. In the particular .
¦ form shown there is a top flange 12 which may be horizontal 5 ¦ or upwardly-inwardly slanted having an inner edge 13. Below 6 ¦ edge 13 is a substantially horizontally outwardly extending 7 ¦ surface 14, which terminates in a top internal groove 16.
8 ¦ Below groove 16, there is a vertical wall 18. Below wall 18 9 ¦ is a second internal groove 21 and below groove 21 is a 10 ¦ vertical wall 23 which terminates in an outwardly-do~nwardly 11 I slanted wall 24 which, in turn, terminates in an internal 12 ¦ vertical wall 25. The internal structure of the neck 11 is 13 ¦ subject to considerable variation.
14 ¦ Directing attention next to the exterior of nesk 11, 15 ¦ top corner 26 where flange 12 originates is slightly rounded 16 ¦ and merges into a top external vertical wall 27. Below wall 18 ¦ 27 is groove 29 the base of which is a second vertical wall I forming shoulder 28. First external locking bead 22 is 19 ¦ generally the portion of the exterior of the neck 11 between 21 ¦ the rounded corner 26 and the groove 29. Below groove 29 is 22 I a downwardly-outwardly slanted wall 31 which colnprises the .
23 I top surface of second external locking bead 31. The lower .. , I edge of bead 32 comprises a substantially horizontal 24 ¦ shoulder 33. Below shoulder 33 is a third external vertical 251 wall 34 which is of lesser diameter than groove 29. Below 271 wall 24 is an outwardly slanted wall 36 which terminates in a fourth external vertical wall 37 which has a diameter 28¦ greater than wall 27.
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1 ¦ As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wall 37 is of extended 2 ¦ height to afford a broad surface against which the skirt of 3 ¦ the cap may fit, thereby frictionally restraining ¦ unauthorized removal of the cap 51. There may be a 5 ¦ horizontal upwardly extending shoulder 38 at the lower edge 6 ¦ of the surface 37. Preferably, the shoulder 38 is formed 7 ¦ with spaced projections 41, the spacing between the 8 ¦ projections being small enough so that a fingernail or other 9 ¦ readily accessable prying instrument cannot be inserted 10 ¦ there~etween. Below the shoulder 38 is a bumper ring 3~
11 ¦ here shown to be interrupted. Ring 39 is used with certain 12 ¦ types of automatic filling and capping machinery and serves 13 I as a means whereby grippers on the machinery lift or hold 14 ¦ the container and deposit it in the box, on a pallet, etc.
15 ¦ The ring 39 prevents the gripper rings from contacting the 16 I cap 51 on the neck 11 and thus réduces the chance of the cap 17 ¦ being pulled off the neck during loading.
18 ¦ The shape of the exterior of neck 11 is likewise 19 ¦ subject to considerable variation.

211 Directing attention now to cap 51, again the structure 221 f the cap is subject to variation and its general 231 principles resembles the commercially highly successful cap ¦ shown in U.S. Patent 4,166~552. Cap 51 has a preferably 241 flat top disc 52 to the top of which a label or printed 261 matter may be applied. The bottom 53 of disc 52 is also preferably flat, at least throughout a major portion of its 271 area. Depending from disc 52 is a circular cap skirt 49, 2~1 having a substantially straight vertical smooth external ;~ ¦ wall 54.

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l ¦ The inside surface of cap skirt 49 has a top internal 2 ¦ vertical wall 56. Top locking bead means 57 on the interior 3 ¦ of skirt 49 is positioned to lock under the bead 2~ in the 4 ¦ assembled condition of the cap and neck ~See Fig 2). As 5 ¦ illustrated herein, the bead 57 is continuous. However, as ¦ is explained in U.S. Patent 4,166,552, and as shown in Fig.
7 ¦ 6 the top bead 57 may be interrupted. The interrupted bead 8 ¦ means 57 has a substantially horizontal top surface 96 and I downwardly slanted surface 97.
lO ¦ Below the beads 58 is second or lower bead means 60 l2 ¦ located to lock under bead 32 of neck 11. The bead means 60 I may be continuous or, as shown in Fig. 6, may be 13 ¦ interrupted. Interrupted bead means 60 has a top shoulder 15 ¦ 98 and slanted surface 97 therebelow.
I Below bead means 60 is an elongated vertical wall 66 l7 ¦ which tightly engages the wall 37 in the assembled position l8 ¦ of the cap and neck. The wall 66 extends down to the bottom ; I edge 67 of the skirt. Bottom edge 67 fits tightly against 20 ¦ the top of the projections 41 of the neck 11 in the 2l ¦ assembled condition of the cap and neck.
I In one location along-kottom edge 67 there is a 231 clepending tear tab 68 which may have gripper ridges 69 on ¦ one surface, preferably the interior surface. Spaced between bead means 57 and 60 is an internal horizontal score-l line 81. Although not shown in the accompanying drawings, 26¦ but well understood in this art and particularly as shown in 281 U. S.~Patent 4,166,552, extending upward from the bottom l edge 67 of the cap 51 in immediate~proximity to the tear tab 291 68 is a curved or slanted scoreline which merges with the 311 scoreline 810 æl l ~2~281 1 ¦ A particular feature of the present invention is that 2 ¦ prior to the cap 51 being applied to the neck 11 a foil 3 ¦ sealing disc 71 of commercially available type is inserted 4 ¦ in the cap, fitting against the bottom 53 of the discO The 5 ¦ diameter of disc 71 is slightly greater than that of wall 56 6 ¦ and there is a groove 72 formed in the inner wall of the 7 ¦ skirt 49 into which the margin of the disc 71 snaps~ The 8 ¦ marginal edge of disc 71 is held in the groove 72 from the 9 ¦ time of application until the cap has been removed Erom the 10 I neck by the consumer. The underside of the disc 71 is 11 ¦ provided with an adhesive which, in the assembled condition 12 ¦ of the head and neck shown in Fig. 2 contacts the flange 12 13 ¦ of neck 11. Induction heating means, or other commercially 14 ¦ available means, causes the adhesive 73 to adhere to the 15 I flange 12. If an attempt is made to tamper with the 16 I contents of the container, such tampering can usually be 17 I detected by examination of the condition of the disco 71.
18 ¦ To assist in removing the disc 71, as shown in Fig. 3, 19¦ there may be a foil tab 74 extending from the perimeter of 211 disc 71 which may be gripped by the consumer to assist in 221 pulling the disc 71 away from ~he neck 11. At the time of 231 insertion of the disc 71 into the cap 51, the tab 74 may be ¦ folded over so that it is tucked over the disc 71 and under 251 the disc 52 of the cap 51.

26I Various foil discs and adhesives m~y be used. One 271 preferred disc is manufactured by Selig Sealing Products, ¦ Inc., of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, under the product name 28¦ "Foil Seal 75-2-XI'. This disc is formed of aluminum foil of l the thickness of approximately 0.0015 inches. On the ~;~90~

1 ¦ underside thereof is a coating of 0.002 inch hot melt ¦ adhesive, the composition of which is proprietary. It will 3 ¦ be understood that many different types of adhesives may be 4 ¦ used~
5 ¦ A horizontal peripheral flange 86 projects out from the 6 I disc 52 at the upper end of wall 54. In the form of flange ¦ 86 shown in Fig. 1, the underside 87 slants upwardly 8 ¦ outwardly at an angle of about 45. rrhus! it is difficult 9 I for one to pry the cap 51 off the neck 11 while the skirt is 10 ¦ intact. On the other hand, after the lower end of the skirt 11 ¦ has been torn off by the consumer, the flange 86 assists the 12 ¦ consumer in removing the top of the cap to dispense 13 ¦ contents~ An alternate structure is shown in Fig. 2 where 14 ¦ the flange 88 is rectangular in cross-section and there is a 15 ¦ sharp corner 89 where the flange 88 intersects the wall 54.
17 ¦ The flange 88 may be flexible so that, if one attempts to 18 I use the flange to pry the cap off the neck before the lower 191 portion of the cap has been torn away, the flange 88 will 201 flex. Further, because of the sharp corner 89, the flange l may tear if an attempt is made to use the flange to pry off 21¦ the cap, thereby again indicating an attempt to tamper with 22¦ the contents of the container has been made.
¦ Fig. 4 shows a flange 86a generally similar to the 241 flange of Fig. 1, except that the outer edge 91 is I ¦ truncated. Other flange shapes are contemplated.
~ In use of any of the forms of invention shown in Fiys.

; 28 1 through 4, after the cap 51 has been molded by injection 291 molding of any suitAble plastic, the foil 71 with the tab 74 ¦ folded back is inserted in the interior of the cap until the ~ 3~1 l ~ 9~81 1 ¦ marginal edges of the cap 71 snap into the groove 72 on the 2 ¦ interior of the skirt 54. Thus, the foil disc 71 is 3 ¦ difficult to dislodge during transportation and particularly 4 ¦ during feeding the cap through a conventional capping 5 I machine. In the capping machine, the cap 51 is pushed 6 ¦ downwardly onto the filled container 11 so that the skirt 54 7 ¦ fits over the neck 11. The cap 51 is pushed downward until 8 ¦ the beads 60 and 57 snap over the beads 32 and 22, as is 9 ¦ well understood in the bottle cap art. The condition shown 10 ¦ in Fig. 2 is thus achieved.
11 ¦ In this phase of the invention, the foil disc 71 12 ¦ remains in place, but the adhesive 73 on the underside of 13 I the foil contacts the top flange 12 of the neck 11.
14 ¦ The assembly operation heretofore described is I facilitated if the beads 57 and 60 are interrupted, since 16 ¦ the cap skirt 54 may then stretch more readily to permit assembly. The lower edge 67 of the skirt 54 fits snugly 18 ¦ against the top edges of the projections 41 and the tear tab 1~¦ 68 bends slightly outwardly as shown in Fig. 2 to a position 20¦ where it may be conveniently gripped by the consumer. After 211 the cap and neck have been thus assembled, the foil 71 is 221 caused to adhere to the neck 11 by lnduction heating or ¦ other means which causes the adhesive 73 to adhere to ~4¦ surface 12.
The foregoing described cap has tamper-resistant 26 features in that it is difficult to remove the cap from the 2B neck without tearing the lower portion of the skirt below 29 the tearline 63 and any effort to remove the cap without thus tearing the skirt is evident. Furthermore, the flanges I ~L2~30X~l 1 ¦ 86, 88 and the like inhibit removal of the cap before the 2 ¦ lower portion of the skirt has been torn off. As a further 3 ¦ additional tamper evident feature, the foil seal 71 is 4 ¦ tightly adhered to the neck 11 and cannot be removed without 5 ¦ tearing the foil.
6 ¦ At the time of opening the container, the consumer 7 ¦ pulls upward on the tear tab 28 and then around the tearline 8 ¦ 81 causiny the lower portion of the cap to be torn off. The 9 ¦ flanges 86 or 87 may then be used to remove the upper 10 ¦ portion of the cap providing access to the neck and the 11 ¦ condition shown in Fig. 3. The edges of disc 71 escape from 12 ¦ groove 72. The consumer then bends the foil tab 74 into a 13 ¦ position where it may be conveniently gripped and pulls the 14 ¦ tab 74, causing the disc 71 to tear away from the neck 11 15 ¦ and providing access to the interior of the container. The 16 I upper portion of the cap 51 above the tearline may be used 17 I for a reclosure cap.
18 I Directing attention now to Fig; 5 a modified cap and 19 ¦ neck are shown. It will be understood that for some usages 20 ¦ (e.g., one-portion beverage bottles) the reclosure feature 221 ¦ f the preceding modifications is not necessary.
231 Accordingly, in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 ¦ the upper neck bead 22 and the upper internal cap bead 57 24¦ are eliminated. In other respects, the neck shown in Yig. 5 251 is substantially similar to those of the preceding 261 modifications and the same reference numerals followed by l the subscript b indicate corresponding parts~

281 . ., 30 1 .
31 .

Claims

1. A plastic cap for sealing a container neck of the type having a top finish and first interlocking means on the exterior of said neck below said top finish, said cap being of the type having a top disc and a depending skirt having internal second interlocking means adapted to engage said first interlocking means to hold said cap and neck finish assembled and having tear means to remove a lower portion of said skirt and at least a sufficient portion of said second interlocking means to permit removal of said cap from said neck and wherein there is a foil seal disc initially installed inside said cap and underlying said top disc so that, after said cap and neck are assembled, said foil seal disc may be caused to adhere to said top finish, the improvement comprising a groove formed in the interior of said skirt immediately below said top disc, the peripheral margin of said seal disc extending into said groove so that said seal disc is not dislodged from said cap prior to seating of said cap on said neck, said seal disc having adhesive on the underside of said seal disc of the type which, upon heating of said cap and neck, adheres to said top finish, a pull tab integral with said seal disc which may be gripped with the fingers to pull said seal disc off said neck, said pull tab being initially folded over said disc and being tucked underneath said top disc and above said seal disc, said second interlocking means being spaced substantially below said groove, said groove retaining said seal disc independent of either said first or second interlocking means.

2. In combination of a container neck comprising a top finish, an external substantially straight first vertical wall, a groove below said wall forming a first shoulder at the lower edge of said first vertical wall, a downward-outward slanted wall below said groove, and a second vertical wall below said slanted wall; and a cap comprising a top disc, a skirt depending from said disc, said skirt having an internal bead having a second shoulder on its upper edge positioned to lock under said first shoulder with said internal bead extending into said groove, said skirt being formed with a horizontal scoreline above said internal bead, a pull tab and means associated with said pull-tab to tear off the portion of said skirt which includes said internal bead to permit removal of the portion of said cap above said horizontal scoreline, a foil seal disc having adhesive means on its lower surface of the type to detachably secure said seal disc to said finish, said seal disc initially fitting inside said cap and remaining sealed to said finish when said cap is removed from said neck, a pull tab integral with said seal disc which may be gripped with the fingers to pull said seal disc off said neck, said pull-tab being initially folded over said seal disc and being tucked underneath said top disc and above said seal disc, said second interlocking means being spaced substantially below said groove, said groove retaining said seal disc independent of either said first or second interlocking means.