GB2078689A

GB2078689A - Tamperproof Closures

Info

Publication number: GB2078689A
Application number: GB8013310A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ug Closures & Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Ug Closures & Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1980-04-23
Filing date: 1980-04-23
Publication date: 1982-01-13

Abstract

A tamperproof closure comprises the combination of a container and a cap (11) provided with a circumferential line of weakness (18). The upper portion of the cap is screw- threadedly attached to the container, a circumferential portion (20) of the lower portion (16) of the cap being deformed into an annular recess (21) on the container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tamperproof Closures This invention relates to closures for containers, and is especially concerned with closures of the so-called "tamperproof" or "pilferproof" type.

"Tamperproof" or "pilferproof' closures are well known and have been used for a large number of years in the packaging of valuable liquid commodities, for example wines and spirits.

The purpose of "tamperproof" closures is to indicate if a container had been tampered with by way of premature opening. For this purpose "tamperproof" caps are normally made from thin gauge metal such as aluminium, and have a cylindrical skirt an upper portion of which is screw-threadedly attached to a screw-thread on the container neck, and a lower edge of which is rolled or tucked beneath an annular bead formed on the container neck below the screw-thread.

Between the upper and lower portions of the skirt is a circumferential line of weakness, which may for example take the form of a series of spaced bridges and slits, whereby the upper skirt portion may, in order to open the container, be separated from the lower skirt portion, often referred to as a security ring.

In the drawings, which are diagrammatic in nature, Figure 1 shows a "tamperproof" cap 1 applied to the neck of a glass bottle 2. The cap 1 comprises a flat disc-like top 3 and a peripherally depending skirt 4. The skirt 4 consists of an upper portion which is screw-threadedly attached to a screw thread 5 on the bottle 2, and a lower portion 6 the bottom margin of which is tucked under an annular bead or shoulder 7 provided on the neck of the bottle 2.

A circumferential line of weakness 8 separates the upper position of the cap from the lower portion. The line of weakness 8 is shown diagrammatically as consisting of alternate bridges and slits. This particular formation is very well known.

When the upper portion of the cap is rotated, to remove it from the bottle, the bridges of the line of weakness 8 break and the upper part of the cap may be removed. When the upper part of the cap is replaced, the fact that the bridges have been broken demonstrates that the cap has been removed.

In the recent past closure caps of the type illustrated in Figure 1 have not been totally successful in indicating whether a bottle has been tampered with, since it has been possible (although difficult) to pry up the lower edge of the lower portion 6 of the skirt, for example with a screw-driver, so that it stands clear of the bead 7.

This operation, which enables the closure cap to be removed from the bottle, does not break the bridges of the line of weakness, so that the entire cap may be replaced on the bottle, and the lower edge once again tucked under the bead 7, and if this is done carefully enough there will be no indication that the cap has been removed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a "tamperproof" closure which does not suffer from this disadvantage of existing "tamperproof" closures.

According to the present invention there is provided, in combination, a container and a metal cap, wherein the cap is provided with a circumferential line of weakness whereby an upper portion of the cap may be separated from a lower portion thereof, the upper portion of the cap being screw-threadedly attached to the container, and a circumferential portion of the lower portion, between the line of weakness and the lower margin of the lower portion, being deformed into an annular recess provided on the container.

In a preferred embodiment the lower margin of the lower portion is rolled or tucked under an annular bead provided on the container.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows one embodiment of the invention. A circumferential line of weakness 1 8 (again shown for illustrative purposes as a line of bridges and slits) separates an upper portion of a cap 11 from a lower portion 16 thereof. As will be seen, the line of weakness 18 is relatively nearer the top 13 of the cap than is the case with the cap of Figure 1. The upper portion of the cap is, as before, screw-threadedly attached to a screw-thread 1 5 on the bottle neck, the lower margin of the lower skirt portion 1 6 is tucked under annular bead 1 7 provided on the container neck, and an intermediate circumferential portion 20 of the lower portion of the cap is deformed inwardly into an annular recess 21 provided on the bottle neck.

"Tamperproof" caps are usually applied to bottles by a series of rollers, at least one of which rolls an initially plain upper skirt portion of the cap into conformity with the screw-thread formed on the bottle neck, and another of which, the undertuck roller, tucks or rolls the lower edge of the skirt beneath the annular bead or shoulder formed on the bottle neck. Closures in accordance with the present invention may be applied in the same way, but utilising a further roller to roll the intermediate portion 20 into the recess 21 on the bottle neck.

The caps of the present invention may be removed in precisely the same way as before, but the lower portion will be firmly held on the bottle neck, by virtue of those parts coacting with bead 1 7 and recess 21. Any attempt to remove the caps of the invention from bottles to which they are applied without (i) breaking the bridges and (ii) leaving visual signs of tampering, will, in practice, be impossible. Not only will it be necessary to pry up the lower margin of the cap skirt, but also it will be necessary to "straighten out" the rolled-in intermediate portion 20.

Claims

1. The combination of a container and a metal cap, wherein the cap is provided with a circumferential line of weakness whereby an upper portion of the cap may be separated from a lower portion thereof, the upper portion of the cap

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Tamperproof Closures This invention relates to closures for containers, and is especially concerned with closures of the so-called "tamperproof" or "pilferproof" type. "Tamperproof" or "pilferproof' closures are well known and have been used for a large number of years in the packaging of valuable liquid commodities, for example wines and spirits. The purpose of "tamperproof" closures is to indicate if a container had been tampered with by way of premature opening. For this purpose "tamperproof" caps are normally made from thin gauge metal such as aluminium, and have a cylindrical skirt an upper portion of which is screw-threadedly attached to a screw-thread on the container neck, and a lower edge of which is rolled or tucked beneath an annular bead formed on the container neck below the screw-thread. Between the upper and lower portions of the skirt is a circumferential line of weakness, which may for example take the form of a series of spaced bridges and slits, whereby the upper skirt portion may, in order to open the container, be separated from the lower skirt portion, often referred to as a security ring. In the drawings, which are diagrammatic in nature, Figure 1 shows a "tamperproof" cap 1 applied to the neck of a glass bottle 2. The cap 1 comprises a flat disc-like top 3 and a peripherally depending skirt 4. The skirt 4 consists of an upper portion which is screw-threadedly attached to a screw thread 5 on the bottle 2, and a lower portion 6 the bottom margin of which is tucked under an annular bead or shoulder 7 provided on the neck of the bottle 2. A circumferential line of weakness 8 separates the upper position of the cap from the lower portion. The line of weakness 8 is shown diagrammatically as consisting of alternate bridges and slits. This particular formation is very well known. When the upper portion of the cap is rotated, to remove it from the bottle, the bridges of the line of weakness 8 break and the upper part of the cap may be removed. When the upper part of the cap is replaced, the fact that the bridges have been broken demonstrates that the cap has been removed. In the recent past closure caps of the type illustrated in Figure 1 have not been totally successful in indicating whether a bottle has been tampered with, since it has been possible (although difficult) to pry up the lower edge of the lower portion 6 of the skirt, for example with a screw-driver, so that it stands clear of the bead 7. This operation, which enables the closure cap to be removed from the bottle, does not break the bridges of the line of weakness, so that the entire cap may be replaced on the bottle, and the lower edge once again tucked under the bead 7, and if this is done carefully enough there will be no indication that the cap has been removed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a "tamperproof" closure which does not suffer from this disadvantage of existing "tamperproof" closures. According to the present invention there is provided, in combination, a container and a metal cap, wherein the cap is provided with a circumferential line of weakness whereby an upper portion of the cap may be separated from a lower portion thereof, the upper portion of the cap being screw-threadedly attached to the container, and a circumferential portion of the lower portion, between the line of weakness and the lower margin of the lower portion, being deformed into an annular recess provided on the container. In a preferred embodiment the lower margin of the lower portion is rolled or tucked under an annular bead provided on the container. Figure 2 of the drawings shows one embodiment of the invention. A circumferential line of weakness 1 8 (again shown for illustrative purposes as a line of bridges and slits) separates an upper portion of a cap 11 from a lower portion 16 thereof. As will be seen, the line of weakness 18 is relatively nearer the top 13 of the cap than is the case with the cap of Figure 1. The upper portion of the cap is, as before, screw-threadedly attached to a screw-thread 1 5 on the bottle neck, the lower margin of the lower skirt portion 1 6 is tucked under annular bead 1 7 provided on the container neck, and an intermediate circumferential portion 20 of the lower portion of the cap is deformed inwardly into an annular recess 21 provided on the bottle neck. "Tamperproof" caps are usually applied to bottles by a series of rollers, at least one of which rolls an initially plain upper skirt portion of the cap into conformity with the screw-thread formed on the bottle neck, and another of which, the undertuck roller, tucks or rolls the lower edge of the skirt beneath the annular bead or shoulder formed on the bottle neck. Closures in accordance with the present invention may be applied in the same way, but utilising a further roller to roll the intermediate portion 20 into the recess 21 on the bottle neck. The caps of the present invention may be removed in precisely the same way as before, but the lower portion will be firmly held on the bottle neck, by virtue of those parts coacting with bead 1 7 and recess 21. Any attempt to remove the caps of the invention from bottles to which they are applied without (i) breaking the bridges and (ii) leaving visual signs of tampering, will, in practice, be impossible. Not only will it be necessary to pry up the lower margin of the cap skirt, but also it will be necessary to "straighten out" the rolled-in intermediate portion 20. Claims

1. The combination of a container and a metal cap, wherein the cap is provided with a circumferential line of weakness whereby an upper portion of the cap may be separated from a lower portion thereof, the upper portion of the cap being screw-threadedly attached to the container, and a circumferential portion of the lower portion, between the line of weakness and the lower margin of the lower portion, being deformed into an annular recess provided on the container.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower margin of the lower portion of the cap is rolled or tucked under an annular bead provided on the container.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings.