U.S. patent application number 11/086971 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-29 for device for preventing unauthorized tampering of container caps.
Invention is credited to Bagration De Ulloa, Juan de.
Application Number | 20050211658 11/086971 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34854900 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050211658 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bagration De Ulloa, Juan
de |
September 29, 2005 |
Device for preventing unauthorized tampering of container caps
Abstract
A device to prevent unauthorized tampering with container caps,
comprising a protective hood including coupling elements for
coupling the device to the neck of the container, and an adjustment
mechanism for adjusting the hood on the neck and a tamper-proof
locking mechanism of the adjustment mechanism.
Inventors: |
Bagration De Ulloa, Juan de;
(Marbella, ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
|
Family ID: |
34854900 |
Appl. No.: |
11/086971 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/275 ;
215/201; 215/207; 215/273; 70/57.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 55/145 20130101;
Y10T 70/5004 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/275 ;
215/201; 215/207; 215/273; 070/057.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 055/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 23, 2004 |
ES |
200400712 |
Claims
What is claimed is
1. A device for preventing unauthorized tampering with a container
cap, comprising: a protective hood for the cap, the hood including
coupling elements for coupling the hood to a neck of the container;
the coupling elements include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting
the coupling elements on the neck of the container; and a
tamper-proof locking mechanism operable on the adjustment mechanism
for locking or unlocking the coupling elements on the neck.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the hood defines a cover
which covers the container cap and the cover axially extends from
the free edge of a wall thereof in a series of strips, end portions
of the strip have the coupling elements thereon for coupling to the
neck of the container.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the coupling elements
comprise an adjustable clamp, and the adjustment mechanism coupling
a worm screw which meshes with a toothed end portion of the
clamp.
4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the strips into which the
wall of the hood extend have end portions finished in a passage
located at the same height on all the strips, the passage enabling
passage therethrough of the strip forming the clamp.
5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism of
the adjustment mechanism comprises a combination lock having a
locking position that acts upon a non-return mechanism of the
adjustment mechanism for preventing the actuation of the adjustment
mechanism in the clamp release or opening direction.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the non-return mechanism
comprises a stop attached to the shaft of the closing mechanism,
and in the locking position thereof, the stop acts against an
attached catch of the shaft of the adjustment mechanism.
7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling elements
comprise an adjustable clamp and the adjustment mechanism
comprising a worm screw which meshes with a toothed end portion of
the clamp.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention refers to a device for preventing
unauthorized tampering with container caps, especially to prevent
the opening of caps on bottle, vials, and the like by people who
are not authorized to do so.
[0002] Closing devices for bottles, vials and the like are known
which have means to guarantee against tampering. However, these
devices are only apt for indicating whether the container has been
opened or not, but in no case do they prevent opening of the
container.
[0003] Caps are also known which are somewhat difficult to open and
which are especially designed to prevent their opening by children.
This type of caps is applicable to containers for medicines,
detergent products, etc.
[0004] However, none of the closing caps for bottles and containers
in general have means that allow opening only by an authorized
person or people, thus preventing the opening of the container by
unauthorized people.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The object of the present invention is to resolve the
problem set forth, by means of a device that may be coupled to the
cap of a bottle or vial and generally over any container that has a
neck ending in a ridge or outer widening adjacent to the mouth.
[0006] The device of the invention comprises a protective hood for
the cap, having coupling means for coupling it to the neck of the
container and for fixing it thereto, so that it may only be
separated or removed by authorized people. This hood forms a cover
covering the cap, preventing the cap from being tampered with
without previously removing the device.
[0007] The coupling means of the device or neck of the container
include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting it on the neck of the
container, under the ridge or the end widening thereof, and a
tamper-proof locking mechanism for the adjustment means.
[0008] The hood forming the device of the invention is defined by a
wall that forms a cover which covers the cap and axially projects
from the free edge in a series of strips. On the end portions of
the strips, the coupling means for coupling it to the neck of the
container are assembled. To this end, these strips are finished off
at their end portion in a passage located, which is at the same
height in all the strips, and in which there is the coupling means
comprising a clamp adjustable to the neck of the container and
which includes a worm screw as an adjustment mechanism which meshes
with a threaded end portion of the clamp.
[0009] The locking mechanism of the device of the invention
comprises a combination lock which, in its locking position, acts
on a non-return mechanism of the adjustment mechanism, preventing
its actuation in the clamp releasing or opening direction.
[0010] With the described constitution, the device of the invention
serves as a protective element of the cap, preventing tampering
therewith by any unauthorized person who does not have the means to
release the locking mechanism, for example, a person who does not
know the lock combination, if such mechanism comprises a
combination lock.
[0011] The device of the invention will thus prevent extracting or
modifying the contents of the bottle or container. The device of
the invention may be used as a security means to prevent children
from accessing the contents of certain containers, to prevent
extracting part of the contents of the container, for example, of
drinks, etc.
[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description of the invention
which refers to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0013] The constitution and features of the device of the invention
may be better understood with the following description, made with
reference to the enclosed drawings, in which a non-limiting
embodiment is shown:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of a device formed
according to the invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a front elevational view of the device of FIG.
1.
[0016] FIG. 3 shows an upper plan view of the same device.
[0017] FIG. 4 shows a diametric sectional view of the device,
following section line IV-IV of FIG. 2.
[0018] FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the device, following
section line V-V of FIG. 2.
[0019] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the coupling means of the
adjustment mechanism and the locking mechanism of the device shown
in section in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0020] As can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, the device of the invention
comprises a protective hood 1 for a bottle or container cap having
coupling means for coupling it to the neck of the container formed
by a clamp 2. This clamp or coupling means 2 has an adjustment
mechanism 3 for adjusting it on the neck of the container and a
tamper-proof locking mechanism 4 of the adjustment means 3.
[0021] The hood 1 forms a cover which covers the cap 5 which closes
the opening of a bottle or container 6. The wall of this cover or
hood extends from the free edge in a series of strips 7 which are
finished off at their end portions in a passage 8 which is located
at the same height in all the strips 7 and through which the clamp
2 is passed.
[0022] As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the clamp 2, of known
constitution, has an outer end portion 9 provided with teeth 10,
which meshes with a worm screw 11, operated by the outer control
knob 12. By turning the control 12 in one direction or the other,
and thus turning the worm screw 11, the diameter of the clamp 2 is
reduced or increased and is thus adjusted on or released from the
neck 13, shown in FIG. 4, of a container 6. The clamp 2 may have
internal lining strips 14 of a deformable material which serve as
adjustment elements on the neck 13 of the bottle and to attenuate
the pressure exerted by the closing of the clamp 2 by acting on the
control 12.
[0023] The locking mechanism 4 of the adjustment mechanism
described, it may comprise a combination lock, as shown in FIGS. 5
and 6, which in the locking position acts upon an adjustment
mechanism non-return mechanism, preventing the action of the
adjustment mechanism in the direction of release or opening of the
clamp 2. To this end, the non-return mechanism may be made up of an
attached catch 15 of the shaft of the screw 11, against which a
stop 16 may act which, in the closing position of the locking
mechanism 4, is opposite the teeth of the catch 15, preventing the
screw 11 from rotating in the opening direction thereof, like a
pawl and ratchet arrangement. Upon opening the locking mechanism 4,
the stop 16 no longer acts upon the catch 15, thus enabling the
control 12 of the adjustment mechanism 11 to freely rotate in one
direction or the other.
[0024] As can be seen in FIG. 4, when placing the device of the
invention on the neck 13 of a container 6 and tightening the clamp
2 forming the adjustment device, the separation of the device from
the neck 13 will be practically impossible, especially when the
neck is finished off at its upper portion by a peripheral ridge or
widening, as is usual in the necks of bottles and similar
containers.
[0025] The passage 8 which is ended by the strips 7 in their lower
portions may be replaced by a simple bend or thickening of the
lower portions of the strips, which would prevent extraction
thereof once the adjustment mechanism is locked on the neck.
[0026] The locking mechanism of the adjustment mechanism could also
adopt a different constitution to that described, possibly
comprising, for example, a traditional lock, and the actuation of
the lock could lock or unlock the adjustment mechanism.
[0027] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations
and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present
invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but
only by the appended claims.
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