U.S. patent application number 11/572953 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-08 for removable closing device for containers, particularly liquid food product containers, comprising a tamprering indicator.
This patent application is currently assigned to ITW INDUSTRIAL COMPONENTS S.R.L. Invention is credited to Alberto Bassi.
Application Number | 20080105642 11/572953 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35207636 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080105642 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bassi; Alberto |
May 8, 2008 |
Removable Closing Device for Containers, Particularly Liquid Food
Product Containers, Comprising a Tamprering Indicator
Abstract
A removable closing device (1) for a liquid food product
container (2), having a neck (3) fixable in fluidtight manner to
the container, and a removable cap (4) for closing the neck in
fluidtight manner; the cap and the neck have mating,
inclined-surface coupling means, in particular, screw means; the
cap is cup-shaped, and includes a sleeve portion (5) having a
threaded portion (6) and an end collar (7) which faces the neck in
use; the sleeve portion having, between the threaded portion and
the collar: weakening means (21) permitting, in use, elastic radial
deformation of the threaded portion, so that the cap, at least the
first time it is inserted, can be clicked onto the neck; and a
tampering indicator (10) having shear-off stop means (11) which, in
use, upon attempted removal of the cap from the neck, cooperate
with and are sheared by mating stop means (12) on the neck (3).
Inventors: |
Bassi; Alberto; (Torino,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE, HAUPTMAN, GILMAN & BERNER, LLP (ITW)
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD, SUITE 300
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
ITW INDUSTRIAL COMPONENTS
S.R.L
Milano
IT
|
Family ID: |
35207636 |
Appl. No.: |
11/572953 |
Filed: |
July 27, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
July 27, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB05/02225 |
371 Date: |
January 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/253 ;
215/252; 215/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2401/20 20200501;
B65D 5/746 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/253 ;
215/252; 215/329 |
International
Class: |
B65D 41/32 20060101
B65D041/32; B65D 41/00 20060101 B65D041/00; B65D 41/34 20060101
B65D041/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 30, 2004 |
IT |
TO2004A000538 |
Claims
1) A removable closing device for a container, in particular a
liquid food product container, comprising a neck fixable in
fluidtight manner to the container, and a removable cap fixable
removably and in fluidtight manner to the neck; said cap and said
neck having mating, inclined-surface coupling means enabling
removal, by- simultaneous rotation and translation, of the cap off
the neck; said cap being cup-shaped and comprising: a sleeve
portion, in turn comprising a coupling portion and an end collar
facing said neck in use; and a tampering indicator; characterized
in that weakening means are provided between said coupling portion
and the end collar to weaken said sleeve portion and permit, in
use, elastic radial deformation of at least said coupling portion
so that the cap, at least the first time it is inserted onto the
neck, can be clicked onto the neck; said tampering indicator
comprising shear-off stop means which, in use, upon attempted
removal of the cap from the neck, cooperate with and are sheared by
mating stop means on the neck.
2) A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said
mating, inclined-surface coupling means comprise screw means.
3) A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said
coupling portion of the sleeve portion of the cap is an internally
threaded nut screw portion.
4) A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said
weakening means comprise at least two circumferential slits formed
through said sleeve portion of the cap, for a predetermined angular
and axial extent between said coupling portion and said end
collar.
5) A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said
circumferential slits are diametrically symmetrical, and have the
same angular extent.
6) A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said
shear-off stop means comprise at least one elastically deformable
tab formed in one piece with said collar and projecting inside a
said circumferential slit; and a tooth formed on a free end of said
tab.
7) A device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said
shear-off stop means comprise two tabs, each having a tooth on its
free end, and each projecting inside a respective said
circumferential slit diametrically opposite the other.
8) A device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said neck
comprises a first end portion having fastening means for attachment
to said container, and a second end portion opposite the first and
facing said cap in use; at least one annular projection being
located between said first and said second end portion.
9) A device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said tooth
of each said tab projects radially from the tab towards said neck;
and in that said annular projection is of such a radial height as
to interfere radially with the tooth of each said tab; said
circumferential slits, inside which said tabs project, being formed
along the axial extension of said collar, to such an axial length
that, when said cap is in a fully-sealed position on the neck, the
tooth of each tab is located past said annular projection, which
therefore constitutes said mating axial stop means when the cap is
moved into an unsealing position.
10) A device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said
tooth of each tab is so shaped that, as the cap moves with respect
to the neck into said fully-sealed position, the tooth forces the
respective tab to flex radially outwards; whereas, as the cap moves
into said unsealing position, the tooth comes to rest axially
against said annular projection, thus arresting the movement of the
cap into said unsealing position, until said tab breaks.
11) A device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said
second end portion is defined by a hollow, externally threaded,
tubular screw portion bounded by a substantially smooth inner
lateral wall.
12) A device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said cap
comprises a top wall, from which a cylindrical projection and a
tubular sleeve project sequentially inside and coaxially with said
sleeve portion; the cylindrical projection being larger in diameter
than the inside diameter of said tubular screw portion of the neck,
so that an edge of the cylindrical projection defines an axial stop
to arrest the cap; and said tubular sleeve having an outside
diameter smaller than the diameter of said cylindrical projection,
so as to mate in fluidtight manner with said inner lateral wall of
the tubular screw portion of the neck.
13) A device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that said
tubular sleeve of the cap or said inner lateral wall of the tubular
screw portion of the neck has static sliding sealing means.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a removable closing device
for containers, in particular liquid food product containers,
comprising a tampering indicator. More specifically, the invention
relates to a screw cap/threaded neck type device which is easy to
produce and assemble, and wherein the tampering indicator is easy
to produce and compact.
[0002] As is known, with food containers, it is important that the
user be given a clear indication of whether or not the container
has been opened, while at the same time allowing the user to open
and close the container as required, and employment of maximum
automation by the manufacturer of the product (the packaged liquid
food product).
[0003] At present, these conflicting requirements are met using
either conventional containers, comprising closing devices in the
form of foldable or adhesive tabs, or using closing devices made of
plastic material and substantially comprising pull-off or screw
caps.
[0004] In the first case, repeatedly opening/closing the container
is awkward for the user, and fluidtight sealing is not always good,
thus resulting in potential leakage of the liquid food product, and
in alteration of the taste of the product, caused by air or
pollutants, e.g. bacteria, entering the container.
[0005] In the second case, pull-off caps do not always safeguard
against leakage of the liquid food product, and are not always
resealable in fluidtight manner; while screw caps are either
combined with a shear-off, e.g. pull-off or pierceable, seal, which
increases production cost, or are provided with a blocking ring
device which is sheared when the container is opened for the first
time. In the latter case, however, the caps must be screwed or
forced by deformation onto the necks, thus increasing assembly
cost. Moreover, the devices described are relatively bulky.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the
drawbacks of the above known closing devices, by providing a
removable closing device for containers, particularly liquid food
product containers, which is fast and easy to use; is fast, easy
and cheap to assemble; is cheap to produce; is compact and highly
reliable; is capable of withstanding repeated opening/closing,
while still ensuring excellent fluidtight sealing and so
safeguarding against contamination or leakage of the liquid food
product; and can be clicked on, while still effectively indicating
unsealing of the container.
[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a
removable closing device for a container, in particular a liquid
food product container, as claimed in Claim 1.
[0008] More specifically, the closing device according to the
invention comprises a cap and a neck connectable to each other by
means of respective threaded coupling portions. The cap is
cup-shaped, and comprises: a sleeve portion, in turn comprising a
said coupling portion and an end collar facing the neck in use; and
a tampering indicator. Between said coupling portion and the
collar, weakening means are provided to weaken the sleeve portion
and permit, in use, elastic radial deformation of at least said
coupling portion such that the cap, at least for its first
insertion onto the neck, can be clicked onto the neck.
[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the tampering
indicator comprises shear-off stop means which, in use and upon
attempted removal of the cap from the neck, cooperate with and are
sheared by mating stop means on the neck.
[0010] More specifically, the weakening means comprise at least two
circumferential slits formed through part of the axial extension of
the end collar; and the shear-off stop means comprise one or two
flexible tabs formed in one piece with the end collar and
projecting inside one or both said slits; each tab having a stop
tooth on its free end.
[0011] The neck comprises a first end portion with fastening means
for attachment to the container; and a second end portion facing
the cap in use. Between said first and second end portion, at least
one annular projection is provided, of such a radial height as to
interfere radially with the tooth of each said tab.
[0012] Consequently, when assembling the closing device according
to the invention onto the container, the container can be fitted
with the cap and the neck connected to each other in a preseal
position, i.e. with the threaded portion of the cap partly
force-fitted onto the corresponding threaded portion of the neck;
and the cap can subsequently be set to a fully-sealed, perfectly
fluidtight position by simply pressing the cap axially to force-fit
it onto the neck (which can be done easily using automatic assembly
means).
[0013] That is, by virtue of the radial slits, the coupling portion
of the cap is flexible radially outwards, so that the cap can first
be assembled in the preseal position, and then forced to click into
the fully-sealed position.
[0014] Moreover, when the cap is in the fully-sealed position on
the neck, the tooth of each tab is located beyond the annular
projection, which, alongside any relative movement of the cap into
the unsealing position, therefore constitutes axial stop means
mating with the tabs.
[0015] That is, whereas, when clicking the cap onto the neck, the
tabs flex radially outwards to get past the annular projection
(particularly if the respective teeth have lead-ins), when
unsealing the cap--whether this is done by unscrewing or axially
removing the cap off the neck--the tabs flex radially inwards and
"jam" against the annular projection until their ultimate break
load is reached. At which point, the tabs are sheared to allow
removal of the cap, while at the same time indicating tampering
(i.e. that the container has been unsealed due to a first opening
thereof after packaging).
[0016] A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a container closing device in
accordance with the invention and fitted to a known bag container
shown only partly in section for the sake of simplicity;
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a section, along line II-II, of the FIG. 1
closing device in a fully-sealed operating position;
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a section, at roughly 120.degree. with respect
to line II-II, of the FIG. 1 device in a second preseal or
preassembly operating position.
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, number 1 indicates as a
whole a removable closing device for a container 2 (FIG. 1), in
particular a liquid food product container. Container 2, e.g. a
"bag" type container, is widely known in the industry and therefore
not described for the sake of simplicity.
[0021] Device 1 comprises a neck 3 fixable in known and fluidtight
manner to container 2; and a removable cap 4 fixable removably and
in fluidtight manner to neck 3. In the example shown, cap 4 and
neck 3 have mating, inclined-surface coupling means enabling
removal, by simultaneous rotation and translation, of cap 4 off
neck 3.
[0022] In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the mating,
inclined-surface coupling means comprise, for example, screw/nut
screw means described in detail below, but which may obviously be
replaced by other inclined-surface coupling means, such as bayonet
coupling means.
[0023] More specifically, cap 4 is cup-shaped, and comprises: a
sleeve portion 5, in turn comprising a coupling portion 6 and an
end collar 7 facing neck 3 in use; and a tampering indicator
indicated as a whole by 10 (FIG. 1).
[0024] According to a first aspect of the invention, weakening
means 21 are provided between coupling portion 6 and end collar 7
to weaken sleeve portion 5 of cap 4 and to permit, in use, elastic
radial deformation of at least coupling portion 6, so that cap 4,
at least the first time it is inserted onto the neck, can be
clicked onto neck 3.
[0025] According to a second aspect of the invention, tampering
indicator 10 comprises shear-off stop means 11 which, in use and
upon attempted removal of cap 4 from neck 3, cooperate with and are
sheared by mating stop means 12 on neck 3.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment, coupling portion 6 of sleeve
portion 5 of cap 4 is an internally threaded nut screw portion. In
combination, neck 3 comprises a first end portion 31 with fastening
means 38 (e.g. a flange) for attachment to container 2; and a
second end portion 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3) opposite 31 and facing cap 4
in use, and which is defined by a hollow, externally threaded,
tubular screw portion bounded by a substantially smooth inner
lateral wall 33.
[0027] At least one annular projection is located between end
portions 31 and 32, and in use constitutes said stop means 12, as
described in detail below.
[0028] According to the invention, said weakening means comprise at
least two circumferential slits 21 formed through sleeve portion 5
of cap 4, for a predetermined angular and axial extent between
coupling portion 6 and collar 7. Circumferential slits 21 are
diametrically symmetrical, and have preferably the same angular
extent, e.g. may be four in number, spaced 90.degree. apart.
[0029] According to the invention, shear-off stop means 11 comprise
at least one elastically deformable tab 22 formed in one piece with
end collar 7 and projecting inside a respective circumferential
slit 21a having a greater axial extent than the other slits 21, as
described in detail below; and a tooth 23 formed on a free end of
tab 22.
[0030] In the preferred embodiment shown, shear-off stop means 11
comprise two tabs 22, each having a tooth 23 on its free end, and
each projecting inside a respective circumferential slit 21a
diametrically opposite the other.
[0031] Tooth 23 of each tab 22 projects radially from tab 22
towards neck 3, and annular projection 12 formed on neck 3 is of
such a radial height as to interfere radially, in use, with tooth
23 of each tab 22.
[0032] More specifically, circumferential slits 21a, inside which
tabs 22 project, are formed along the axial extension of collar 7
only, and along a longer portion of it than the other slits 21, so
that, when cap 4 is in a fully-sealed position (FIG. 2) on neck 3,
tooth 23 of each tab 22 is located past annular projection 12 (i.e.
on the side facing flange 38), which therefore constitutes said
mating axial stop means when cap 4 is moved into an unsealing
position or even only a partial unsealing position (FIG. 3).
[0033] Tooth 23 of each tab 22 has a lead-in, so that, when cap 4
is moved with respect to neck 3 into said fully-sealed position in
FIG. 2, tooth 23 forces respective tab 22 to flex radially
outwards. Conversely, facing cap 4, teeth 23 have perpendicular
stop surfaces 40 (FIG. 2), so that, when the cap is moved into the
partial unsealing position in FIG. 3, i.e. to remove cap 4 from
neck 3, teeth 23 come to rest axially against annular projection
12, thus arresting the movement of the cap into the unsealing
position, until the respective tabs break, which preferably occurs
at weakened root portions 45 of the tabs (shown by the dash lines
in FIG. 1).
[0034] This is achieved by the shape of teeth 23, as the cap is
moved into the unsealing position, causing tabs 22 to flex radially
inwards and so jam beneath projection 12.
[0035] Cap 4 comprises a top wall 50, from which a cylindrical
projection 51 and a tubular sleeve 52 (FIGS. 2 and 3) project
sequentially inside and coaxially with sleeve portion 5.
Cylindrical projection 51 is larger in diameter than the inside
diameter of tubular screw portion 32 of neck 3, so that an edge 53
of cylindrical projection 51 defines an axial stop to arrest cap 4
on neck 3; and tubular sleeve 52 has an outside diameter smaller
than the diameter of cylindrical projection 51, so as to mate in
fluidtight manner with inner lateral wall 33 of tubular screw
portion 32 of neck 3.
[0036] Preferably, tubular sleeve 52 of cap 4 or inner lateral wall
33 of tubular screw portion 32 of neck 3 (or both) has static
sliding sealing means, e.g. projections 55, and/or one or more
O-rings 56 (shown by the dash line in FIG. 2) are provided between
tubular sleeve 52 and inner lateral wall 33.
* * * * *