CAPTIVE CLOSURE WITH STABILISED OPENING ANGLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure consisting of a screw cap (10) with a tamperproof strip (3). The screw cap has at least one cylindrical cap casing (2) with an inner thread and a circumferential tamperproof strip at the lower open end of the cap casing, said tamperproof strip being connected to the lower edge of the cap casing along easily tearable weakness lines (13, 14), wherein the tamperproof strip remains captively connected to the cap casing after a tearing process along the weakness lines by means of holding strips (15, 16). The aim of the invention is to design a captive screw cap with a tamperproof strip in such a manner that after the screw cap has been unscrewed and released from the bottleneck opening, the screw cap is folded away or tilted into a position in which the screw cap does not interfere with the additional use of the bottle or with pouring or drinking out of the bottle and can remain there without additional measures. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the holding strips are formed by two weakness lines, each of which is interrupted at least once in the circumferential direction and which partly overlap in the circumferential direction and run at an axial distance to each other at least in the overlap region. The separating web (11, 12) of each of the two weakness lines is bridged by the respective other weakness line preferably at an axial distance.

Claims

1. A closure comprising: a screw cap (10) with a tamper-evident band (3), the closure having at least one cylindrical cap skirt (2) having a female thread and a peripherally extending tamper-evident band (3) at the lower open end of the cap skirt (2), the tamper-evident band being connected along easily tearable weakening lines (13, 14) to the lower rim of the cap skirt, wherein after tearing along the weakening lines the tamper-evident band (3) remains non-detachably connected to the cap skirt (2) by way of holding bands (15, 16), wherein the closure has a closure lower part having a peripherally extending flange, the peripherally extending flange being connectable to the surface of a carton pack in sealed relationship and a cylindrical pouring spout portion, the cylindrical pouring spout portion having a central axis, the pouring spout portion adjoining the flange, the pouring spout portion having an upper outer and a lower inner opening, wherein the female thread of the screw cap can be screwed onto a male thread on the pouring spout portion, wherein the closure has a cutting ring arranged in the pouring spout portion, the cutting ring having at its lower rim at least one axially inwardly projecting cutting edge, wherein the closure has an axial lift and entrainment device on the cutting ring and the screw cap, the axial lift and entrainment device including an entrainment means mounted at the inside of the screw cap and an axial lift device which upon rotation of the screw cap in the opening direction moves the cutting ring axially in the direction of the lower opening and in the peripheral direction and thereby produces an at least partially circularly extending cut in the container surface.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein the cutting ring has a second male thread on its outside in opposite relationship to the male thread of the pouring spout portion and which engages with a second female thread on the inside of the pouring spout portion.

3. A closure according to claim 2, wherein the second female thread and the second male thread are of a greater pitch than the female thread of the screw cap and the male thread of the pouring spout portion.

4. A closure according to claim 3, wherein the factor between the different pitches is at least 1.5.

5. A closure according to claim 2, wherein the entrainment means of the screw cap are in the form of a lift cam with an edge which is inclined relative to the closure axis and an element of the cutting ring is in the form of a cam follower, and mutually radially overlapping guide elements are provided on the outside of the cutting ring and on the inside of the pouring spout portion, wherein at the beginning of an opening rotational movement of the screw cap the guide elements permit only an axial movement of the cutting ring, and it is only after a predetermined axial position of the cutting ring is reached that the guide elements allow entrainment of the cutting ring in the peripheral direction and limit further axial movement.

6. A closure according to claim 1, characterised in that the holding bands (15, 16) are formed by two weakening lines (13, 14), the two weakening lines being respectively interrupted at least once in the peripheral direction, the two weakening lines partially overlapping in the peripheral direction, the two weakening lines extending at an axial spacing relative to each other at least in the overlap region, wherein the separating strips (11, 12) of both weakening lines (13, 14) are bridged over by the respective other weakening line (14, 13).

7. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that each weakening line has precisely one separating strip and the center points of the separating strips (11, 12) are in diametrically opposite relationship.

8. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the separating strip (11) of the upper weakening line (13) extends over a peripheral angle f between 10° and 75°

9. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the separating strip (12) of the lower weakening line (14) extends over a peripheral angle between 120° and 200°.

10. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the width measured in the axial direction of the upper separating strip (11) remaining on the cap skirt (2) is at least half the width of the intact tamper-evident band (3).

11. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the width measured in the axial direction of the upper separating strip (11) remaining on the cap skirt (2) is at least 1.5 mm and less than 5 mm.

12. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the separating strip (11) of the upper weakening line has a radial thickening at least at its free lower rim.

13. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the tamper-evident band (3) is in the form of a flexband having a radially outer part and a folded-over radially inner part.

14. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the minimum spacing of the weakening lines (13, 14) is greater than 1.5 mm.

15. A closure according to claim 6, characterised in that the outside diameter of the pouring spout portion above a pilferproof ring (21), the inside diameter of the tamper-evident band (3) and the width and the peripheral extent of the upper separating strip (11) are so matched to each other that after an opening rotation of the screw cap and subsequent tipping of the screw cap (10) upon twisting of the holding bands (15, 16) together with the separating strip (11) the free lower edge of the separating strip (11a) comes into engagement with the pouring spout portion and when a tipping angle of more than 90° is moved beyond a dead center point so that thereafter the outside of the separating strip (11) comes into contact with the outside of the pouring spout portion and the screw cap (10) is stabilized in that position of being tipped through more than 90°.

16. A closure according to claim 15, characterised in that the outside diameter of the pouring spout portion in a region above the pilferproof ring (21) in which the tamper-evident band (3) of the closure is arranged is by at most 2.5 mm smaller than the nominal inside diameter of the tamper-evident band (3).

17. A closure according to claim 15, characterised in that the pilferproof ring (21) has a profile defined by a lower flank (22), the profile extending in an axial section at at least 80° relative to the pouring spout axis, a region of maximum diameter (23) and an upper flank (24) which extends at an angle of inclination less than 90° relative to the pouring spout portion axis and beneath the thread (25) of the pouring spout portion transitions into the outer pouring spout portion diameter, wherein the upper flank (24) or a portion of the pouring spout portion above the upper flank (24) of the profile of the pilferproof ring (21) goes at least into or as far as an axial position which is reached at a maximum folded-over position of the screw cap from the lower edge (11a) of the upper separating strip is of a larger outside diameter than the pouring spout portion without thread profile.

18. A combination according to claim 17, characterised in that the difference in the outside diameter (D) of the upper flank or the portion disposed thereabove and the diameter (d) of the pouring spout portion without a thread profile is at least 0.1 mm.

19. A combination according to claim 17, characterised in that the pilferproof ring (21) is of a triangular or trapezoidal profile, the base of which is defined by an axis-parallel line on the cylindrical outside surface of the container neck and the bottom flank of which includes an angle greater than 80° with the axis (50) of the pouring spout portion, wherein the upper flank of the profile includes an angle less than 40° with the axis (50) of the pouring spout portion.

Description

[0079] Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention will be apparent from the description hereinafter of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying Figures in which:

[0080] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the closure according to the present invention,

[0081] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the closure of FIG. 1,

[0082] FIG. 3 shows a 360° developed view of the tamper-evident band of the closure of FIG. 2,

[0083] FIGS. 4A-C show the closure of FIG. 1 at various stages of an opening procedure,

[0084] FIG. 5 shows a folded-over closure in which the separating strip is in engagement with the upper flank of a pilferproof ring,

[0085] FIG. 6A shows a detail view from FIG. 5,

[0086] FIG. 6B shows an axial section through a bottle neck with a pilferproof ring according to the invention,

[0087] FIG. 7 shows a detail similar to FIG. 5 with another profile shape of a pilferproof ring,

[0088] FIGS. 8A and 8B show variants of the configuration of a bottle neck in the region above a pilferproof ring,

[0089] FIG. 9 shows a side view of a further embodiment of a closure, partly in section, in particular for greater thread depths, in the closed state,

[0090] FIG. 9A shows an enlarged sectional view of the detail region B in FIG. 9,

[0091] FIG. 10 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 in the open state, partly in section,

[0092] FIG. 10A shows an enlarged sectional view of the detail A in FIG. 10,

[0093] FIG. 11 shows an axial section through a closure according to the invention for drinks cartons,

[0094] FIG. 12 shows a view from the outside of the closure of FIG. 11 in the closed state,

[0095] FIG. 13 shows a view from above of the closed closure of FIG. 11,

[0096] FIG. 14 shows the closure of FIG. 11 in a partially opened state, and

[0097] FIG. 15 shows a completely opened closure as shown in FIG. 11 with a folded-over screw cap.

[0098] In the perspective view in FIG. 1 the closure according to the invention comprises a screw cap 10 with a tamper-evident band, wherein the screw cap 10 substantially comprises a cap skirt 2 and a head plate 1 which closes the cylindrical cap skirt 2 upwardly. Fitted at the lower end of the cap skirt 2 is a tamper-evident band 3 which in the closure according to the invention cannot be completely separated from the screw cap 10.

[0099] Conventional screw caps with a tamper-evident band have only one single weakening line which, unlike the weakening line 13 shown here, extends without an interruption along the entire periphery of the screw cap 10 and represents the separation line between the screw cap 10 and the tamper-evident band 3.

[0100] A weakening line can generally be a peripherally extending uniform weakening of material which can be produced for example by a cut which does not extend completely through the material of the tamper-evident band 3 or the transition to the cap skirt 2, but it may also involve a cut which passes completely through the wall thickness of the tamper-evident band 3 but which is interrupted at individual points by easily frangible bridges.

[0101] The present invention differs from that conventional form of screw caps with tamper-evident band insofar as it has two weakening lines 13, 14 which on the one hand are spaced from each other in the axial direction and which on the other hand do not extend over the entire periphery of the tamper-evident band but are interrupted in an upper separating strip 11 of the upper weakening line 13 and in a lower separating strip 12 of the lower weakening line 14.

[0102] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the closure of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 shows a developed view of the tamper-evident band 3 over 360°, that is to say the ends shown at the right and the left at 0° and 360° respectively of the tamper-evident band butt against each other and are connected so that the tamper-evident band overall is in the shape of a ring. The separation in that view divides the separating strip 12 into two parts although it actually involves a single connected separating strip.

[0103] The interruptions 13, 14 are of differing lengths but are so arranged that they overlap the separating strip 11 and 12 respectively of the respective other weakening line. In that respect it is desirable if the centre points of the separating strips 11, 12 are in mutually diametrally opposite relationship as in the present case at 0° and 180° in FIG. 3.

[0104] If after opening or unscrewing of the screw cap from a bottle neck the weak connection which initially still occurs along the weakening lines 13, 14 is completely severed the holding bands 15, 16 formed in the overlap region of the weakening line form a substantially tear-resistant connection between the interruption regions 11, 12. In that case the interruption region 11 is connected to the lower rim of the screw cap and the interruption region 12 is connected to the part of the tamper-evident band 3 which remains at its original position, being disposed beneath the weakening line 14.

[0105] The part of the tamper-evident band 3 remaining beneath the weakening line 14 together with the interruption region 12 in total still form a completely peripherally extending fixing band in engagement with the bottle neck, between the screw cap and the neck of the container. The interruption regions 12 and 11 are respectively connected together by remaining holding bands 15, 16 which are produced by the overlapping portions of the two weakening lines 13, 14 so that effectively the screw cap 10 remains connected by way of the holding bands 15, 16 to the lower portion of the tamper-evident band and thus the bottle neck and accordingly is captive.

[0106] FIG. 4A shows a closure arranged on a bottle neck in a partially unscrewed state. The connection between the screw cap 10 and the tamper-evident band 3 is severed along both weakening lines 13, 14. As however both weakening lines are interrupted and are axially displaced relative to each other at least in their overlap region a moveable connection is maintained between the screw cap 10 and tamper-evident band 3 by way of the holding bands 15, 16 produced between the overlapping weakening lines. It will be appreciated therefore that upon releasing the closure or the screw cap 10 by a rotary movement in the opening direction with the cap skirt 2 the tamper-evident band 3 also rotates about the closure axis 50, being entrained in the peripheral direction by the holding bands 15, 16.

[0107] By virtue of the thread pitch the cap skirt moves axially upwardly while the tamper-evident band is retained to a so-called pilferproof ring 21 which can only be seen by way of indication in the Figures. FIG. 4A however shows the separating strips 11 and 12 as well as one of the holding bands 15 extending therebetween while the weakening lines 13, 14 are moreover expanded to a large axial spacing.

[0108] As soon as the screw cap in FIG. 4A has been sufficiently far unscrewed from the thread on the bottle neck the screw cap can be removed or tilted laterally away as shown in FIG. 4B. FIG. 4C shows a state in which the screw cap 10 is already tipped or turned over through more than 90° which respect to the starting position in FIG. 4A. The tipping angle is defined in that respect as the angle between the axis 50 of the container neck and the axis 50′ of the cylindrical female thread of the cap skirt 2 which in the closed state of the closure coincide with the bottle neck while in the case of the opened closure as shown in FIG. 4C the axes 50, 50′ have been tipped relative to each other from the closed position through about 150°.

[0109] In that respect particular significance is attributed to the interruption region 11 which by virtue of of the connection to the cap skirt simply represents a relatively stable axial prolongation of the cap skirt 2. By tipping of the screw cap as shown in FIG. 4C that separating strip 11 in the form of a tab-like extension is also tipped together with the stable closure skirt and in FIG. 4C has already moved slightly past a horizontal position (perpendicular to the axis 50), with the holding bands 15, 16 being correspondingly twisted.

[0110] In that case the lower edge 11a of the separating strip 11 comes into engagement with the outside of the bottle neck 20 as the edge 11a, by virtue of of the tipping of the screw cap and also by virtue of of its axial displacement is forced over the pilferproof ring 21 and because of the twisting of the holding bands 15, 16 is forced to a smaller radius than in the FIG. 4A state. An upper flange of the pilferproof ring 21, which is inclined through about 30° or even somewhat less relative to the closure axis 50, assists with the folding-over movement of the separating strip 11 when it slides on to the upper flank of the pilferproof ring 21.

[0111] The upper rim of the separating strip 11 which is fixedly connected to the lower rim of the cap skirt 2 correspondingly moves on to a larger radius than in the starting state shown in FIG. 4A. The two holding bands 15, 16 are twisted in that case and axial displacement of the upper separating strip 11 of the tamper-evident band additionally leads to an effective reduction in the diameter of the tamper-evident band inclusive of the separating strip 11, in particular in the region of the lower edge 11a.

[0112] That lower edge 11a of the separating strip 11 therefore comes into contact and frictional engagement with the outside of the bottle neck 20, wherein the force occurring between the bottle neck 20 and the separating strip 11 or the edge 11a becomes a maximum when the separating strip 11 is oriented approximately horizontally, that is to say perpendicular to the bottle neck axis 50. The holding bands 15, 16 are then under a tensile stress.

[0113] Upon a further tipping movement of the screw cap and the separating strip 11 the tensile stress in the holding bands which have a certain elasticity is reduced somewhat again so that the horizontal position of the separating strip 11 defines a dead point. As soon as that dead centre point has been exceeded the engagement between the separating strip 11 and the bottle neck 20 effectively causes a force which tends to move the screw cap into the further turned-over position against elastic return forces in the holding bands 15, 16. Accordingly the cap skirt 2 and thus the screw cap 10 overall assumes a sufficiently stable position beyond the dead centre point. The screw cap thus remains in a state of being widely opened out even if the bottle neck is rotated or inclined in any direction.

[0114] In that position the cap skirt is sufficiently far away from the bottle neck opening so that liquid can be both poured out of the bottle and also drunk directly out of the bottle without the screw cap which is still held fast to the bottle neck being a nuisance in that case.

[0115] Preferably the screw cap 10 is tipped in such a way that it is in a sufficiently stable position and the cap skirt 2 is at a distance which is of the maximum possible extent relative to the bottle neck opening. To permit that the pilferproof ring 21 on the bottle neck 20 in accordance with the invention can inter alia be of such a configuration that the screw cap 10 on being folded over is urged radially outwardly and this therefore involves a greater twisting of the holding bands 15, 16 and consequently an increase in the tipping angle.

[0116] FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B, 7, 8A and 8B show embodiments with pilferproof rings 21 of such a configuration.

[0117] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a closure which is in a folded-over position. The region in which the separating strip 11 is in engagement with the bottle neck 20, more precisely with the pilferproof ring 21, is shown in a cross-sectional view and on an enlarged scale in FIG. 6A.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 6A the profile of the pilferproof ring 21 is substantially triangular. In this case the profile can also be described as being of a nose-shaped configuration. A lower flank 22 of the pilferproof ring extends almost perpendicularly to the axis of the container neck 50. Corresponding to the triangular profile that lower flank 22 comes together with an upper flank 24 in a region of the maximum diameter. The region of the maximum diameter is here in the form of a rounded edge which here is also referred to as a ridge 23 extending between the lower flank 22 and the upper flank 24. In the FIG. 6A embodiment the upper flank 24 is set markedly flatter in relation to the bottle neck 20 than the lower flank. In this case the upper flank extends at an angle of about 30° relative to the axis of the container neck 50.

[0119] When the screw cap 10 is unscrewed the upper separating strip 11 is now lifted over the ridge 23 at which the pilferproof ring 21 is of its maximum diameter. In the subsequent tipping movement the holding bands 15 and 16 are twisted and the lower edge 11A of the separating strip 11 slides on to the upper flank 24 of the pilferproof ring 21. In that case the separating strip 11, by virtue of the diameter D of the upper flank 24, that is greater in relation to the outer bottle neck diameter d, in the region over which the lower edge 11A of the separating strip 11 passes, is held further radially outwardly than would be possible in relation to the bottle neck diameter d, as it is otherwise present between the pilferproof ring 21 and the thread 25 and also on the thread bottom. By virtue of that effect the holding bands 15, 16 shown in FIG. 5 experience a greater torsional effect and the screw cap 10 or its axis 50′ is tipped at a larger angle in relation to the bottle neck axis 50 than would be possible without the profile of the pilferproof ring 21, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A.

[0120] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the tipping angle is about 150°.

[0121] A further profile of a pilferproof ring 21 is shown in FIG. 6B. In comparison with the profile shown in FIG. 6A the upper flank 24 in this case is even flatter in relation of the bottle neck 20. The upper flank includes an angle of about 10° with the axis 50 of the container neck. In addition the upper flank 24 extends over a larger axial portion of the bottle neck 20.

[0122] By virtue of such a profile of the pilferproof ring 21 as shown in FIG. 6A or 6B it is possible to structurally establish that the separating strip 11 or its lower edge 11a remains on the upper flank 24 and is thus on a larger radius than without the axially prolonged flank 24 (by virtue of the angle which is less in relation to the axis 50). The greater the radius on which the edge 11a is held after the cap is folded over, the correspondingly more are the holding bands 15, 16 twisted and the correspondingly greater is the tipping angle of the screw cap 10 in a sufficiently stable end position thereof.

[0123] FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B show further examples in which the pilferproof ring 21 has such a profile according to the invention or the bottle neck above the pilferproof ring has corresponding additional elements. In FIG. 7 the profile is similar to a trapezium, where in the lower flank 22 extends almost perpendicularly to the axis of the container neck 50 and the upper flank 24 extends at an angle of about 45° to the axis of the container neck 50. The region of maximum diameter 23 extends axially upwardly to such an extent that the separating strip 11 remains extensively below the upper flank 24 and is thus urged radially outwardly and again increases the tipping angle of the screw cap 20 in comparison with bearing against the smaller (outside) diameter d of the bottle neck 20.

[0124] FIG. 8A shows a profile of a pilferproof ring 21 which is similar in the lower region to the profile in FIGS. 5 and 6A. In the FIG. 8A embodiment the upper flank 24 goes into a short cylindrical upper end portion 24B which defines a diameter D which is larger in relation to the smaller diameter d of the bottle neck and against which the separating strip 11 or its lower edge bears in the folded-over state of the screw cap 10. That ensures in particular that the screw cap 10 is in a sufficiently stable end position as a consequence of a larger tipping angle.

[0125] A further alternative is shown in FIG. 8B. The bottle neck here in addition to the pilferproof ring 21 has an annular projection 26 arranged peripherally above the upper flank 24 of the pilferproof ring 21 on the bottle neck. The axial position of the projection 26 is matched to the closure or the screw cap with the separating strip 11 in such a way that the closure or the lower edge 11a thereof bears from below against the projection 26 and thus the screw cap is held below in the immediate proximity of the pilferproof ring. Without a projection 29 the bands 15 could pull the upper separating strip and therewith the entire screw cap somewhat upwardly until the edge of the separating strip bears against the thread. There is little space between the lower end of the neck thread and the pilferproof ring and the possibility of movement of the separating strip upwardly is very low. As however the thread extends helically upwardly that axial freedom of movement becomes greater and greater until with a single-flight thread turned through 360° relative to the lower thread start at for example 2.7 mm pitch it also reaches nearly 2.7 mm. As it is undesirable for the screw cap to be allowed to come closer by that freedom of movement to the cheek of the person drinking directly from the bottle the peripherally extending projection 26 prevents or impedes that upward movement.

[0126] FIG. 9 shows a further screw cap according to the present invention shown partly in section. At its lower rim the screw cap 10 has the tamper-evident band 3 and a detail A shown in section of the lower region of the screw cap including the part of an associated bottle neck 20 is shown separately as an enlarged detail in FIG. 9A.

[0127] The screw cap 10 in FIGS. 9, 9A and 10, 10A is already very similar to the screw cap shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A with the exception of the fact that at least the separating strip 11 at its lower rim has a radial thickening 11b which in the present case however also extends axially below and at the level of the thickening of the separating strip 11 over the entire periphery of the tamper-evident band 3. In this portion below a notional line which is between the upper and the lower weakening lines and at a spacing relative thereto the tamper-evident band is of a greater wall thickness than in the case shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0128] The purpose of the thickening 11b at the lower rim of the separating strip 11 is to hold the opened screw cap wide open, as shown for example in FIG. 10, even when using a thread with a thread depth of more than 1.3 mm.

[0129] The upper weakening line 13 is not present in the region of the separating strip 11 because of the sectional plane in FIG. 9. The separating strip 11 is thus continuously connected to the cap skirt 2. The axial position of the upper weakening line would be approximately at the height of the maximum diameter of the pilferproof ring 21.

[0130] The fixing part of the tamper-evident band is formed by a flexband. It comprises a radially inner, upwardly folded-over part 3a and a radially outer flexband portion 3b which even after opening of the closure remains stationarily on the bottle neck.

[0131] As can be seen from FIG. 10A which shows an enlarged detail of the closure in the opened position shown in FIG. 10 the radial thickening 11b which here is in contact in the region of the transition between the upper flank of the pilferproof ring 21 and the bottle neck portion above same provides that the notional radially inner part 11c of the separating strip 11 (which corresponds to a separating strip without thickening) and in particular its lower rim is urged more greatly radially outwardly from the bottle neck 20 than if the thickening 11b were not present. As a result in spite of the deeper thread profile the screw cap 10 remains in a stable position which is turned over widely, for example through 140°.

[0132] FIGS. 11 to 15 each show the same embodiment of a closure for carton packs, in particular drinks cartons, and are therefore described in conjunction with each other. FIG. 1 shows a section and FIG. 4 shows an outside view of a closure lower part which is generally denoted by reference 40 and comprises a flange 31 with a pouring spout portion 32 attached thereto. The pouring spout portion has an upper opening and a lower opening (not visible here) which, when the closure is on a carton pack, is initially closed by the surface of the carton material to prevent any contamination of the container content.

[0133] The flange 1 is welded or glued on to a carton 45, the welding operation presupposing that the carton material 45 is provided with a suitable surface coating (for example polyethylene).

[0134] The lower part 40 of the closure has a male thread 42, on to which the female thread 41 of a screw cap 10 can be screwed.

[0135] The pouring spout portion 40 also has a further female thread 31 into which engages a corresponding male thread of a cutting ring 35 which also has axially projecting cutting elements 33 which in the closed state as shown in FIG. 1 are directly above the surface of the carton 45. An entrainment means 34 comes into engagement with a matching counterpart portion 36 on the cutting ring 35 when the screw cap is rotated in the opening direction. It is also possible to see on the flange a fixing bar 7 which is connected to the lower end of the tamper-evident band 30 by way of two easily frangible bridges 6. As can best be seen in FIG. 2 the tamper-evident band has two cut lines 18, 19 which are defined either by weakened material of the tamper-evident band 30 or however as in the present case by continuous cuts which are interrupted only by further easily frangible bridges 36 which tear open upon opening of the screw cap. The lower cut line 18 and the upper cut line 19 overlap each other, in the present case along a peripheral angle of about 120°, and respectively have a lower interruption portion 12 and an upper interruption portion 11. When the screw cap 40 is undone the easily frangible bridges 6 firstly tear very quickly, which indicates that the closure was rotated at least once through a small angle in the opening direction, which possibly suffices for the cutting elements to pierce the carton material 45.

[0136] Upon further rotation of the screw cap 40 in the opening direction the easily frangible bridges of the cut lines also tear, which however does not lead to complete separation of the screw cap from the tamper-evident band as more specifically the upper interruption portion 11 remains connected by way of the holding bands 15, 16 (only a respective one is visible in the Figures) to the lower interruption portion 12 which in turn remains connected to the peripherally extending stationary lower part of the tamper-evident band 30, which in turn is held fast to the pilferproof ring 35 at the closure lower portion 10.

[0137] The length of the holding bands 15, 16, that is to say the length of the overlap regions of the cut lines, is set as shown in FIG. 1 such that the lower edge of the upper interruption portion 11 is in engagement with the outside of the pouring spout portion 40 in the opened state of the screw cap 20 in which it is turned through about 150° and the holding bands 15, 16 in that case are subjected to stress so that this position of the screw cap is maintained by the pull of the holding bands and the contact of the lower edge of the interruption portion 11 of the screw cap 40, even if the pouring spout portion together with the corresponding container is tipped in any direction.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0138] 1 head plate [0139] 2 cap skirt [0140] 3 tamper-evident band [0141] 3a inner flexband portion [0142] 3b outer flexband portion [0143] 10 screw cap [0144] 11a lower edge [0145] 11, 12 separating strip [0146] 11b radial thickening [0147] 13, 14 weakening lines [0148] 15, 16 holding bands [0149] 20 bottle neck [0150] 21 pilferproof ring [0151] 22 lower flank [0152] 23 region of maximum diameter [0153] 24 upper flank [0154] 24A lower portion of the upper flank [0155] 24B upper end portion of the upper flank [0156] 25 thread [0157] 26 projection [0158] 50 axis of the container neck [0159] 50′ axis of the closure [0160] d bottle diameter without thread profile [0161] D outside diameter of the upper flank or the portion thereabove