DEVICE FOR CLOSING A THREADED NECK OF A CONTAINER PROVIDING TAMPER-EVIDENCE

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for closing a threaded neck (2) of a container (3) providing tamper-evidence, the device (1) comprising a cap (4) and a plug (5), wherein the cap (4) comprises a front surface (6) and a skirt (7) surrounding the front surface (6), wherein the skirt (7) comprises an inner thread (8) for engaging with a thread of the threaded neck (2) of the container (3), wherein the plug (5) is at least partially arranged inside the skirt (7), wherein the front surface (6) has an inner piece (10) and an outer piece (11) that surrounds the inner piece (10), wherein the inner piece (10) is connected to the outer piece (11) by a connection (12), wherein the connection (12) between the inner piece (10) and the outer piece (11) has a material weakening, wherein the inner piece (10) is in mechanical engagement with the plug (5), the mechanical engagement allowing a force, preferably a rotational force to be transmitted from the inner piece (10) to the plug (5).

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A device for closing a threaded neck of a container providing tamper evidence, comprising: (a) a cap; and (b) a plug; wherein the cap comprises a front surface and a skirt surrounding the front surface; wherein the skirt comprises an inner thread for engaging with a thread of the threaded neck of the container; wherein the plug is at least partially arranged inside the skirt; wherein the front surface has an inner piece and an outer piece that surrounds the inner piece; wherein the inner piece is connected to the outer piece by a connection having a material weakening; wherein the inner piece is in mechanical engagement with the plug such that the mechanical engagement allows a force to be transmitted from the inner piece to the plug.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the inner piece is a center piece and the outer piece is a rim piece.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the top surface of the inner piece and the top surface of the outer piece are arranged in the same plane.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein the inner piece or the plug comprises a protrusion having a circumference which is correspondingly structured to a recess in the plug or the inner piece, respectively.

20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the inner piece is formed as a disc-shaped element.

21. The device according to claim 16, wherein the cap further comprises an inwardly extending projection that supports an outer circumference of the plug, thereby allowing an axial force to be transmitted from the cap onto the plug.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the inwardly extending projection is at least partially provided by the inner thread of the cap.

23. The device according to claim 16, wherein the material weakening of the connection between the inner piece and the outer piece is provided by the thickness of the cap at the connection being thinner than the thickness of the inner piece and the outer piece.

24. The device according to claim 16, wherein the material weakening at the connection between the inner piece and the outer piece is provided by the connection having a circumferential gap between the inner piece and the outer piece that surrounds the inner piece, and wherein at least one bridge spanning the gap connects the inner piece to the outer piece.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one bridge extends at an angle to the radial direction.

26. A container comprising: a threaded neck; and a device attachable to the threaded neck to close the container, the device comprising: (a) a cap comprising a front surface and a skirt surrounding the front surface; and (b) a plug; wherein the skirt comprises an inner thread for engaging with a thread of the threaded neck of the container; wherein the plug is at least partially arranged inside the skirt; wherein the front surface has an inner piece and an outer piece that surrounds the inner piece; wherein the inner piece is connected to the outer piece by a connection having a material weakening; wherein the inner piece is in mechanical engagement with the plug, the mechanical engagement allowing a force to be transmitted from the inner piece to the plug.

27. The container according to claim 26, wherein the plug protrudes into the neck of the container, and wherein an interference fit is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the plug and the inner circumferential surface of the neck.

28. The container according to claim 26, wherein the container is an extrusion blow moulded container.

29. The container according to claim 26, wherein the cap further comprises an inwardly extending projection that supports an outer circumference of the plug allowing an axial force to be transmitted from the cap onto the plug, wherein in a first state of the container, the extending projection is spaced apart from the outer circumference, and in a second state of the container, the inwardly extending projection supports the outer circumference of the plug, whereby the cap is screwed further down onto the thread of the threaded neck in the first state of the container than in the second state of the container.

30. The container according to claim 26, wherein the mechanical engagement of the inner piece with the plug enables transmission of rotational force from the inner piece to the plug.

31. The device according to claim 16, wherein the mechanical engagement of the inner piece with the plug enables transmission of rotational force from the inner piece to the plug.

Description

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings.

[0041] It is shown in the drawings:

[0042] FIG. 1 an isometric view of a device for closing a threaded neck of a container providing tamper-evidence and a container;

[0043] FIG. 2 the device and the container of FIG. 1 in partially cut view;

[0044] FIG. 3 a detail of the device of FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 4 a sequence of steps when the container of FIG. 1 is opened for the first time;

[0046] FIG. 5 the device and the container of FIG. 1 in partially cut view when the container has been opened for the first time;

[0047] FIG. 6 the device shown in FIG. 1 seen from below and before being assembled;

[0048] FIG. 7 the device shown in FIG. 1 in partially cut view and being assembled; and

[0049] FIG. 8 a further embodiment of a device for closing a threaded neck of a container providing tamper-evidence in partially cut view.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic view a device 1 for closing a threaded neck 2 of a container 3 (see FIG. 2). The device 1 provides tamper-evidence. The device 1 comprises a cap 4 and a plug 5, which is formed as a plug seal. The cap 4 comprises a front surface 6 and a skirt 7 surrounding the front surface 6. The skirt 7 comprises an inner thread 8 for engaging with a thread 9 of the threaded neck 2 of the container 3.

[0051] The plug 5 is arranged inside the skirt 7 and the plug 5 is pressed within the neck 2 of the container 3 by the front surface 4 when the cap 4 is screwed on the threaded neck 2. The plug 5 comprises a top surface 16 for covering the neck 2 of the container 3.

[0052] The front surface 6 has an inner piece 10 and an outer piece 11 that surrounds the inner piece 10. The inner piece 10 is connected to the outer piece 11 by four connections 12. The four connections between the inner piece 10 and the outer piece 11 each have a material weakening.

[0053] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the material weakening of the connections 12 between the inner piece 10 and the outer piece 11 is provided by the connection 12 having circumferential gaps between the inner piece 10 and the outer piece 11 that surround the inner piece 10 (see FIG. 3). The gaps are bridged by the four connections forming four bridges that connect the inner piece 10 to the outer piece 11.

[0054] The bridges extend at an angle to the radial direction of the cap 4 which is substantially 90°.

[0055] Shown in FIG. 2 is that the inner piece 10 is in mechanical engagement with the plug 5. The mechanical engagement allows a rotational force to be transmitted from the inner piece 10 to the plug 5.

[0056] The inner piece 10 comprises a protrusion 13 having a circumference which is correspondingly structured to a recess 14 in the plug 5 (see FIG. 6).

[0057] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the inner piece 10 is a center piece and the outer piece 11 is a rim piece being connected to the skirt 7. Further, the top surface of the inner piece 10 and the top surface of the outer piece 11 are arranged in the same plane.

[0058] As can be seen from FIG. 3 the inner piece 10 is formed as a disc-shaped element.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows that the plug 5 is in interference fit within the neck 2 of the container 3. The plug 5 comprises a projection 15 which extends substantially transverse to the top surface 16 and along a direction transverse to the radial direction of the plug 5. The projection 15 is adapted to extend into the neck 2 of the container 3 from the inside forming a plug which protrudes into the neck 2 of the container 3. The projection 15 is pressed against the inside of the neck 2 of the container 3. The plug forms an interference fit between the outer circumferential surface of the plug and the inner circumferential surface of the neck 2.

[0060] The plug 5 comprises a further projection 17 as a sealing lip that extends substantially transverse to the top surface 16 and along a direction transverse to the radial direction of the plug 5. The projection 15 and the further projection 17 are substantially parallel to each other. The projection 17 surrounds the outer edge of the neck 2 of the container 3.

[0061] FIG. 4 shows the steps when the container 3 with device 1 is opened for the first time. FIG. 4a shows the condition in which the container 3 is closed by the device 1. FIG. 4b shows that the cap 4 is rotated anti-clockwise and when the cap 4 is rotated anti-clockwise due to the mechanical engagement of the inner piece 10 with the plug 5 which is in interference fit within the neck 2 of the container 3, the material weakening of the connections 12 is strained and the connection 12 breaks (see FIG. 4c).

[0062] Formed by a section of the inner thread 8 of the cap 4 is an inwardly extending projection 18 that supports an outer circumference 19 of the plug 5 allowing an axial force to be transmitted from the cap 4 onto the plug 5 to lift or peel the seal plug 5 from the neck 2 of the container 3. In the closed state (first state) of the container 3, the inwardly extending projection 18, which can support the outer circumference 19 of the plug 5 for allowing an axial force to be transmitted from the cap 4 onto the plug 5, is spaced apart from the outer circumference 19 and in a state between closed state and opened state (second state), the extending projection 18 is in contact with the outer circumference 19. Vice versa, when the cap 4 is screwed down onto the thread of the threaded neck 2 (FIG. 5), the contact between the projection 18 and the outer circumference 19 becomes lost and the projection 18 and the outer circumference 19 become spaced apart (FIG. 2).

[0063] FIG. 8 shows in a schematic view a further embodiment of a device 1 for closing a threaded neck 2 of a container 3 providing tamper-evidence in a partially cut view. The inner piece 10 is arranged off-center with regard to the cap 4 and the seal plug 5. The mechanical engagement of the inner piece 10 and the plug 5 is established by the projection 13 of the inner piece 10 extending into a recess of the plug 5.