TETHERED PLASTIC SCREW STOPPER

Abstract

The present invention relates to tethered plastic stopper having a closure shell, a tamper band, and an annular ring. The annular ring is formed between a bottom weakness line separably linked through bottom bridges to the top edge of the tamper band and to the bottom edge of the annular ring and a top weakness line separably linked through top bridges to the top edge of the annular ring and to the bottom edge of the closure shell. At least one of the bottom bridges is configured to prevent disconnection of the annular ring from the tamper band and at least one of the top bridges is configured to prevent disconnection of the annular ring from the closure shell. The remaining bottom bridge and the remaining top bridge having a section exceeding at least 30% relative to the section of the bottom bridges and top bridges, respectively.

Claims

1. A tethered plastic screw stopper, comprising: a closure shell and a tamper band; and an annular ring formed between: a bottom weakness line separably linked through bottom bridges to the top edge of the tamper band and to the bottom edge of the annular ring; and a top weakness line separably linked through top bridges to the top edge of the annular ring and to the bottom edge of the closure shell, wherein: at least one of the bottom bridges is a remaining bottom bridge configured to prevent disconnection of the annular ring from the tamper band; at least one of the top bridges is a remaining top bridge configured to prevent disconnection of the annular ring from the closure shell; and the remaining bottom bridge and the remaining top bridge having a section exceeding at least 30% relative to the section of the bottom bridges and top bridges, respectively.

2. Tethered plastic screw stopper according to claim 1, wherein the remaining bottom bridge and/or the remaining top bridge have a square or rectangular cross-section, the cross-section having a length and/or a width exceeding at least 30% relative to the bottom and top bridge length and/or width.

3. Tethered plastic screw stopper according to claim 1, wherein the remaining bottom bridge and the top remaining bridge have a cylindrical or conical cross-section, the cross-section having a diameter exceeding at least 30% relative to the bottom and top bridge diameter.

4. Tethered plastic screw stopper according to claim 1, wherein the remaining top bridge is diametrically opposite of the remaining bottom bridge.

5. Tethered plastic screw stopper according to claim 1, wherein the annular ring is formed into the closure shell or tamper band when molding or through a cutting operation.

6. Tethered plastic screw stopper according to claim I, where at least another of the bottom bridges is another remaining bottom bridge; at least another of the top bridges is another remaining top bridge; and the another remaining bottom bridge and the another remaining top bridge having a section exceeding at least 30% relative to the thickness of the bottom and/or top bridges, the another remaining bottom bridge is located near the remaining bottom bridge, and the another remaining top bridge is located near the remaining top bridge.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized, such as to show details of particular components. Emphasis is placed on illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tethered stopper.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a side view of the tethered stopper.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along a top section plan of FIG. 2.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along a bottom section plan of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein. The disclosed embodiments are merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms, and combinations thereof. As used herein, for example, exemplary, and similar terms, refer expansively to embodiments that serve as an illustration, specimen, model or pattern.

[0022] In some instances, well-known components, systems, materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0023] Phrasing such as ‘configured to’ perform a function, including in the claims, can include any or all of being sized, shaped, positioned in the arrangement, and comprising material to perform the function.

[0024] Terms indicating quantity, such as ‘first’ or ‘second’ are used for exemplary and explanation purposes and are not intended to dictate the specific ordering of a component with respect to other components. Terms indicating position such as ‘top’ or ‘bottom’ and ‘left’ or right' are used for exemplary and explanation purposes with respect to other components.

[0025] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein. The described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Variations, modifications, and combinations may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. All such variations, modifications, and combinations are included herein by the scope of this disclosure and the claims.

[0026] The invention relates to a tethered plastic screw stopper 100, for closing a bottle neck. The stopper 100 is integrally made of one plastic piece by a molding fabrication step. Other parts or elements of the stopper 100 can be further created into the entire plastic piece through a cutting or slitting step.

[0027] The stopper 100 is a screw type and comprises inner fixation features, such as thread(s), designed to cooperate with outer complementary fixation features made on the bottle neck. The stopper 100 comprises a closure shell 102 and underneath a tamper band 104. The tamper band 104 and the closure shell 102 are linked together through an annular ring 106.

[0028] The annular ring 106 is managed into the closure shell 102 or the tamper band 104 when molding or through a cutting operation. In other words, the annular ring 106 can be formed into the plastic material of the closure shell 102 or of the tamper band 104. The annular ring 106 is made when molding the stopper 100 or through a subsequent cutting operation.

[0029] At its bottom edge, the tamper band 104 comprises retaining features that secure the stopper 100 when sealing the bottle. The retaining features are made of a collar. After the collar is inverted inside the tamper band 104, in bottle sealing the collar locks the tamper band 104 and the entire stopper 100 against a tamper evident ring managed outwardly around the bottle neck. The retaining features can also be molded directly from the injection process resulting in beads that do not need to be inverted like the collar.

[0030] The stopper 100 comprises a bottom weakness line 108 between the tamper band 104 and the annular ring 106. The bottom weakness line 108 is made of bottom bridges 110. The bottom bridges 110 may be distributed along the bottom weakness line 108, having a regular or irregular spacing between the bridges 110. The bottom bridges 110 link the top edge of the tamper band 104 to the bottom edge of the annular ring 106.

[0031] The stopper 100 also comprises a top weakness line 112 between the closure shell 102 and the annular ring 106. The top weakness line 112 is made of top bridges 114. The top bridges 114 may be distributed along the top weakness line 112, having a regular or irregular spacing between the bridges 114. The top bridges 114 link the bottom edge of the closure shell 102 to the top edge of the annular ring 106.

[0032] The bottom weakness line 108 and the top weakness line 112 separably link the closure shell 102 and the tamper band 104, through the annular ring 106. Thus, when unscrewing the closure shell 102, the bottom bridges 110 and the top bridges 114 are torn apart until they break. The closure shell 102 can be manually removed by the consumer, in order to open the bottle and have access to the bottle's contents.

[0033] The stopper 100 is tethered so that when opened, the closure shell 102 stays attached to the tamper band 104 secured on the bottle neck through its retaining features while the annular ring 106 remains attached to the closure shell 102 and the tamper band 104. Therefore, one of the bottom bridges 110 is a remaining bottom bridge 400 and one of the top bridges 114 is a remaining top bridge 300. Thus, all of the bottom bridges 110 and all top bridges 114 are torn apart and broken, with the exception of at least one remaining bridge on the top weakness line 112 and at least one remaining bridge on the bottom weakness line 108.

[0034] The remaining top bridge 300 and/or the remaining bottom bridge 400 have a greater thickness and/or cross-sectional area relative to the other breakable bridges 110, 114 on the respective weakness lines 110, 112. For example, the remaining bottom bridge 400 and the remaining top bridge 300 having a section (e.g., cross-sectional area) exceeding at least 30% relative to the section of the bottom bridges 110 and/or the top bridges 114.

[0035] The greater sections of the remaining bottom bridge 400 and of the remaining top bridge 300 are sufficiently thick as to not break when unscrewing the closure shell 102, when the other bottom bridges 110 and top bridges 114 are broken. According to one of the embodiments, the remaining bottom bridge 400 and the remaining top bridge 300 have a section at least 150% of the section of the bottom bridges 110 and/or top bridges 114. The remaining bottom bridge 400 and the remaining top bridge 300 have a 200% section compared to the section of the bottom bridges 110 and/or top bridges 114.

[0036] As an example, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the remaining bottom bridge 116 and the remaining top bridge 300 have a cylindrical or conical shape. Thus, their section of the remaining bottom bridge 400 and the section of the remaining top bridge 300 have a diameter exceeding at least 30% relative to the diameter of the bottom bridges 110 and/or of the top bridges 114.

[0037] In another embodiment, the remaining bottom bridge 400 and the remaining top bridge 300 have a square or rectangular shape. Thus, their section has a length and/or a width exceeding at least 30% relative to the length and/or width of the bottom bridges 110 and of the top bridges 114. The invention, the difference of dimension of the section of the remaining bridges is compared to one or several other “usual” bridges. The section difference can be average, regarding fabrication variation of the section of “usual” bridges.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the remaining top bridge 300 is diametrically located at the opposite of the remaining bottom bridge 400. Thus, after opening the annular ring 106 can be twisted around the remaining bottom bridge 400 to move or position the closure shell 102 away from the bottle neck, not bothering the consumer when drinking.

[0039] Not shown in the figures, a second bottom bridge and a second top bridge can have a thickness exceeding at least 30% relative to the thickness of the bottom and/or top bridges. Another remaining bottom bridge may be positioned near the remaining bottom bridge 400, and the other remaining top bridge positioned near the remaining top bridge 300. In other words, several remaining bridges close to each other can be managed at the top and at the bottom, with a greater section than the other bridges. So, the resistance of the remaining bridges is greater in order not to be broken when unscrewing the closure shell 102.

[0040] While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of this invention.