SHUTOFF SYSTEM FOR A CONTAINER

Abstract

Said closure system comprises a neck element intended to be fastened on the receptacle and comprising a neck portion provided with a retaining collar; a closure cap intended to be removably fastened on the neck portion, the closure cap including a closure wall and a fastening skirt; and a tamper-proof ring connected to the fastening skirt by a plurality of frangible elements, the tamper-proof ring comprising at least one flexible retaining element. The neck portion and the tamper-proof ring are configured such that, in use, the retaining collar defines an annular hooking housing in which the at least one flexible retaining element is adapted to be at least partially received.

Claims

1. A closure system for a receptacle, comprising: a neck element intended to be fastened on the receptacle, the neck element comprising a neck portion provided with a retaining collar which is flexible, a closure cap intended to be screwed on the neck portion, the closure cap including a closure wall and a fastening skirt, and a tamper-proof ring connected to the fastening skirt by a plurality of frangible elements, the tamper-proof ring comprising at least one flexible retaining element the neck portion and the tamper-proof ring being configured such that, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, the retaining collar defines an annular hooking housing, and the at least one flexible retaining element is configured to be at least partially received and be hooked into the annular hooking housing, characterized in that the retaining collar is configured to extend at least partially between the fastening skirt and the tamper-proof ring during the first screwing back of the closure cap on the neck portion after breakage of the frangible elements.

2. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining collar is deformable between an initial position in which the retaining collar extends substantially radially relative to an extension axis of the neck portion, and a retaining position in which the retaining collar is curved and delimits the annular hooking housing.

3. The closure system according to claim 2, wherein the tamper-proof ring is configured to deform and hold the retaining collar in its retaining position at least until the breakage of the frangible elements.

4. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-proof ring is configured to extend around the retaining collar.

5. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge of the retaining collar delimits, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, an insertion opening emerging in the annular hooking housing, the at least one flexible retaining element being configured to extend through the insertion opening.

6. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-proof ring comprises an annular portion connected to the fastening skirt by the frangible elements, the retaining collar having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the annular portion.

7. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining collar is configured to exert, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, a radial force against the tamper-proof ring.

8. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-proof ring comprises at least one first drive element extending towards the fastening skirt, and the closure cap comprises at least one second drive element extending towards the tamper-proof ring, the at least one second drive element being configured to cooperate with the at least one first drive element, during the first screwing back of the closure cap on the neck portion after breakage of the frangible elements, so as to displace the tamper-proof ring away from the fastening skirt and to form at least one opening check space between the fastening skirt and the tamper-proof ring.

9. The closure system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one first drive element comprises a first cam surface, and the at least one second drive element comprises a second cam surface configured to cooperate with the first cam surface so as to bias, during the first screwing back of the closure cap on the neck portion after breakage of the frangible elements, the tamper-proof ring away from the fastening skirt.

10. The closure system according to claim 1, wherein the neck portion includes an annular stop element against which the at least one flexible retaining element is configured to abut during the first unscrewing of the closure cap.

11. The closure system according to claim 10, wherein the annular stop element is configured to extend into the annular hooking housing.

12. The closure system according to claim 2, wherein the tamper-proof ring is configured to extend around the retaining collar.

13. The closure system according to claim 3, wherein the tamper-proof ring is configured to extend around the retaining collar.

14. The closure system according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral edge of the retaining collar delimits, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, an insertion opening emerging in the annular hooking housing, the at least one flexible retaining element being configured to extend through the insertion opening.

15. The closure system according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral edge of the retaining collar delimits, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, an insertion opening emerging in the annular hooking housing, the at least one flexible retaining element being configured to extend through the insertion opening.

16. The closure system according to claim 4, wherein the peripheral edge of the retaining collar delimits, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, an insertion opening emerging in the annular hooking housing, the at least one flexible retaining element being configured to extend through the insertion opening.

17. The closure system according to claim 2, wherein the tamper-proof ring comprises an annular portion connected to the fastening skirt by the frangible elements, the retaining collar having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the annular portion.

18. The closure system according to claim 3, wherein the tamper-proof ring comprises an annular portion connected to the fastening skirt by the frangible elements, the retaining collar having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the annular portion.

19. The closure system according to claim 2, wherein the retaining collar is configured to exert, when the closure cap is fastened on the neck portion and at least until a breakage of the frangible elements, a radial force against the tamper-proof ring.

20. The closure system according to claim 2, wherein the tamper-proof ring comprises at least one first drive element extending towards the fastening skirt, and the closure cap comprises at least one second drive element extending towards the tamper-proof ring, the at least one second drive element being configured to cooperate with the at least one first drive element, during the first screwing back of the closure cap on the neck portion after breakage of the frangible elements, so as to displace the tamper-proof ring away from the fastening skirt and to form at least one opening check space between the fastening skirt and the tamper-proof ring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] In any case, the invention will be better understood using the following description with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing, by way of non-limiting examples, two embodiments of this closure system.

[0064] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure system according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the closure system of FIG. 1 in the assembled state.

[0066] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a closure cap and a tamper-proof ring of the closure system of FIG. 1.

[0067] FIG. 4 is a sectional perspective view of the closure system of FIG. 1 in the assembled state.

[0068] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 4.

[0069] FIG. 6 is a partially cutout perspective view, of the closure system of FIG. 1 showing the closure cap during unscrewing but before breakage of the frangible elements connecting the closure cap and the tamper-proof ring.

[0070] FIG. 7 is a partially cutout perspective view, of the closure system of FIG. 1 showing the closure cap during unscrewing and after breakage of the frangible elements.

[0071] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the closure system of FIG. 1 showing the closure cap screwed back on a neck portion of the closure system.

[0072] FIG. 9 is a partially cutout perspective view of the closure system of FIG. 1 showing the tamper-proof ring in the same position as that shown in FIG. 8.

[0073] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a closure system according to a second embodiment of the invention, showing the closure cap screwed back on a neck portion of the closure system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] FIGS. 1 to 9 show a closure system 2 for a receptacle, such as a packaging brick or a packaging carton, according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0075] The closure system 2 comprises a neck element 3 intended to be fastened on the receptacle. Advantageously, the neck element 3 is integral, and is made of plastic material by injection molding.

[0076] As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 4, the neck element 3 comprises a tubular neck portion 4 extending along an extension axis A, and a fastening portion 5 secured to the neck portion 4, and intended to be fastened, for example by ultrasonic welding, on the receptacle. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the fastening portion 5 is annular and extends substantially radially relative to the extension axis A of the neck portion 4.

[0077] The neck portion 4 comprises, on its outer surface, an outer thread 6 and a retaining collar 7. The retaining collar 7 is annular and flexible, and is advantageously disposed between the outer thread 6 and the fastening portion 5. The retaining collar 7 comprises a first annular surface 8 facing the outer thread 6, and a second annular surface 9 opposite to the first annular surface 8 and facing the fastening portion 5.

[0078] More particularly, the retaining collar 7 is deformable, for example elastically or plastically, between an initial position, called rest position, (shown in FIG. 1) in which the retaining collar 7 extends radially relative to the extension axis A of the neck portion 4, and a retaining position (shown in FIG. 4) in which the retaining collar 7 is curved and the second annular surface 9 delimits an annular hooking housing 11.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 4, when the bearing collar 7 is in its retaining position, the peripheral edge 12 of the retaining collar 7 is shifted axially from the junction area between the retaining collar 7 and the outer surface of the neck portion 4, towards the fastening portion 5. Furthermore, when the bearing collar 7 is in its retaining position, the peripheral edge 12 delimits an insertion opening 13 leading into the hooking housing 11 and oriented towards the fastening portion 5.

[0080] The closure system 2 also comprises a closure cap 14 intended to be removably fastened on the neck portion 4. The closure cap 14 includes a closure wall 15 and a fastening skirt 16 extending from the closure wall 15. The fastening skirt 16 includes, on its inner surface, an inner thread 17 configured to cooperate with the outer thread 6 of the neck portion 4.

[0081] The closure cap 14 also includes an annular sealing lip 18 intended to cooperate with the inner surface of the neck portion 4.

[0082] The closure system 2 further comprises a tamper-proof ring 19 including an annular portion 21 located in the extension of the fastening skirt 16. The annular portion 21 is connected to the fastening skirt 16 by a plurality of frangible bridges 22 distributed along the upper edge of the annular portion 21. The closure cap 14, the tamper-proof ring 19 and the frangible bridges 22 are advantageously made simultaneously by injection molding.

[0083] According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the annular portion 21 has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the retaining collar 7.

[0084] The tamper-proof ring 19 also comprises a plurality of flexible retaining flaps 23 distributed circumferentially on the inner surface of the annular portion 21 of the tamper-proof ring 19, and configured to cooperate with the second annular surface 9 of the retaining collar 7. Each retaining flap 23 is deformable, for example elastically or plastically, between an initial position, called rest position, (see FIG. 3) in which each retaining flap 23 is oriented opposite the closure cap 14, and a hooking position (see FIG. 4) in which each retaining flap 23 is oriented towards the closure cap 14 and is capable of extending through the insertion opening 13 and being received at least partially in the hooking housing 11. More particularly, each retaining flap 23 is capable of hooking, in the use position, the retaining collar 7.

[0085] The tamper-proof ring 19 and the retaining collar 7 are configured such that, when the tamper-proof ring 19 is mounted on the neck portion 4, on the one hand, the annular portion 21 extends around the retaining collar 7, and deforms and holds the retaining collar 7 in its retaining position, and on the other hand, the retaining flaps 23 are deformed in their hooking position. Thus, under use conditions, the retaining collar 7 exerts a radial force against the tamper-proof ring 19, and more particularly against the inner surface of the annular portion 21.

[0086] According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the tamper-proof ring 19 further comprises at least one drive element 24 extending from an upper edge of the annular portion 21 and towards the fastening skirt 16, and the closure plug 14 further comprises at least one drive element 25 extending from a lower edge of the fastening skirt 16 and towards the tamper-proof ring 19.

[0087] According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the drive element 24 comprises a cam surface 26, and the drive element 25 comprises a cam surface 27 substantially complementary to the cam surface 25 and configured to cooperate with the latter, during the first screwing back of the closure cap 14 on the neck portion 4 after breakage of the frangible elements 22 and the first opening of the receptacle equipped with the closure system 2, so as to displace the annular portion 21 of the tamper-proof ring 19 away from the fastening skirt 16 and the retaining collar 7 (see FIG. 8).

[0088] According to the embodiment shown in the figures, each drive element 24, 25 has a wave- or ripple-like general shape.

[0089] It should be noted that the tamper-proof ring 19 might include a plurality of drive elements 24 distributed along the upper edge of the annular portion 21, and the closure cap 14 might include a plurality of drive elements 25 distributed along the lower edge of the fastening skirt 16.

[0090] The operation of the closure system 2 according to the invention will now be described, in particular, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 9.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 4, when the closure cap 14 is fastened on the neck portion 4 and the tamper-proof ring 19 is connected to the fastening skirt 16 by the frangible bridges 22, the retaining flaps 23 are distant from the hooking housing 11.

[0092] When a user drives in rotation the closure cap 14 in an unscrewing direction, the tamper-proof ring 19, which is connected to the closure cap 14, is driven by the closure cap 14 according to a helical movement towards the retaining collar 7 until the retaining flaps 23 penetrate into the hooking housing 11 and bear against the second annular surface 9, called hooking surface, of the retaining collar 7, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0093] Henceforth, any rotation of the closure cap 14 in the unscrewing direction causes a breakage of the frangible bridges 22, and therefore a separation of the tamper-proof ring 19 and the fastening skirt 14, as shown in FIG. 7. It should be noted that the tamper-proof ring 19 is held in its position shown in FIG. 7, because of the radial force exerted by the retaining collar 7 against the inner surface of the annular portion 21.

[0094] When the closure cap 14 is repositioned on the neck portion 4, and is driven in rotation in a screwing direction, the fastening skirt 16 progressively gets close to the tamper-proof ring 19 until the cam surface 27 of the drive element 25 cooperates with the cam surface 26 of the drive element 24 and displaces the tamper-proof ring 19 towards the fastening portion 5 and away from the fastening skirt 16. At the end of screwing of the closure cap 14, the tamper-proof ring 19 reaches the position shown in FIG. 8, and at least one opening check space 28 is formed between the fastening skirt 16 and the tamper-proof ring 19. The configuration of the drive elements 24, 25 thus allows checking easily any prior opening of a receptacle equipped with the closure system 2 according to the invention.

[0095] It should be noted that the tamper-proof ring 19 is held in its position shown in FIG. 8, because of the radial force exerted by the retaining collar 7 against the inner surface of the annular portion 21.

[0096] Advantageously, the neck portion 4 might further include an annular stop element 29, such as an annular stop rib, formed on the outer surface of the neck portion 4 and in the vicinity of the junction area between the retaining collar 7 and the outer surface of the neck portion 4, and configured to extend into the hooking housing 11. According to such an embodiment of the invention, the flexible retaining flaps 23, and more particularly the free ends of the flexible retaining flaps 23, are configured to abut against the annular stop element 29 during the first unscrewing of the closure cap 14. These arrangements allow limiting the displacement travel of the tamper-proof ring 19 during the first unscrewing of the closure cap 14, which would be larger in the absence of such a stop element because of the flexibility of the retaining collar 7, and thus ensuring sealing of the closure system, in particular at the level of the sealing lip 18, at least until the breakage of the frangible elements 22.

[0097] FIG. 10 shows an opening system 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention which differs from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 essentially in that the retaining collar 7 is configured to be elastically deformed and extend at least partially between the fastening skirt 16 and the tamper-proof ring 19, during the first screwing back of the closure cap 14 on the neck portion 4 after breakage of the frangible elements 22, and more particularly after a displacement of the tamper-proof ring 19 away from the fastening skirt 16 induced by the cooperation of the cam surfaces 26, 27. More specifically, the retaining collar 7 is configured to extend into the at least one opening check space 28 during the first screwing back of the closure cap 14 on the neck portion 4. These arrangements allow ensuring an easy check of a prior opening of a receptacle equipped with the closure system 2 according to the second embodiment of the invention.

[0098] According to this second embodiment of the invention, the retaining collar 7 is configured to define the annular hooking housing 11 at least until the breakage of the frangible elements 22, and more particularly until the first screwing back of the closure cap 14 on the neck portion 4 after breakage of the frangible elements 22, and the tamper-proof ring 19 is configured to deform and hold the retaining collar 7 in its retaining position at least until the breakage of the frangible elements 22, and more particularly until the first screwing back of the closure cap 14 on the neck portion 4 after breakage of the frangible elements 22

[0099] After the initial screwing back of the closure cap 14 on the neck portion 4, a portion of the retaining collar 7 may possibly still be surrounded by the tamper-proof ring 19, and therefore exert a force on the tamper-proof ring 19 in order to hold it in position.

[0100] Of course, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this closure system, described hereinabove by way of example, but it comprises on the contrary all variants thereof.