GB2261427A

GB2261427A - Closure for receptacles

Info

Publication number: GB2261427A
Application number: GB9222488A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jose Carlos Gomez Macias
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-12
Filing date: 1992-10-26
Publication date: 1993-05-19
Also published as: NL9201890A; IT1256686B; CA2067448A1; PT8450U; GB9222488D0; ES1019076U; DE4206159A1; FR2683505A1; ITTO920176A0; ITTO920176A1; JPH05139456A; PT8450T; ES1019076Y; BE1005945A6

Abstract

A piffer proof closure for a receptacle comprises an annular body 9, that can adapt and be attached to the upper part or rim 4 of the raceptacle 3, and a cap 5a hinged to said annular body, the cap being lockable at 14 to the body by means of a padlock, combination lock or lock with key. The body may be clamped to the receptacle by a screw and nut (12, 13, Figure 3) and the interior of the body may have grooves 8. The hinge may consist of a pivot bar and end lugs (18, 19, Figure 5) and may be equipped with an over contra spring action. <IMAGE>

Description

) - 1 1 - -1 - -) i r. ' CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES The present application

relates to a closure for receptacles. This closure may be used for receptacles with a neck, such as bottle-type receptacles, and may include a closure that may be placed on a pouring element applied to the receptacle itself.

The receptacle may itself contain liquid products which may or may not be under pressure aerosol such as a spray, or many contain pills or other products. Thus the stored contents may be any materials that are contained in receptacles of any shape.

Normally, a receptacle with a neck uses as a means of closure various elements ranging from a stopper or press-fit cap to specially designed, tamper-evident (often called pilfer- proof) closures particularly for drinks such as whiskey. In the so-called tamper-evident or pilfer-proof closures, the violation of this closure must be made evident before the liquid can be poured or otherwise accessed. 20 Regarding receptacles that contain solid products, it should be noted that the closure can easily be manipulated, and access obtained to the product, not only by adults but also by children. The closure of the invention is intended for use on receptacles with and without tamper-evident (pilfer-proof) closures, since the closure itself is what gives it the tamperevident nature. The closure of the invention may also be used on receptacles that contain solid and even gaseous products. 30 Accordingly the present invention provides a closure for a receptacle comprising:- an annular body that can adapt to and be attached to the upper part or rim of the receptacle, and a cap attached to said annular body by an articulation, said annular body having a shape like that of the upper part of an open receptacle, wherein said annular body has means of attachment to the upper part or rim of the receptacle and also has means for closing the cap so that the contents of the receptacle will be tamper-evident (pilfer- proof).

After abutting the rim or neck, the annular body adjusts to and is attached to the body by means of adjustable clamps such as an attachment clamp using a nut and screw; the nut may be a butterfly nut in order to simplify manual action by the user. If there is no neck, the annular body is placed on the rim near the mouth of the receptacle as in the case of a barrel or similar receptacle.

Once the annular body has been attached to the rim or neck, for example of a bottle filled with liquid, the cap is pivoted to close the closure.

The cap is connected to the annular body by, for example, a hinge with a spring to allow stability in the two extreme (open and closed) positions of the cap.

The system for positioning the cap may be varied, for example it may consist of a removable, or a fixed, articula- tion.

On the outside the cap has the closure element of the lock placed centrally on the annular body, in a manner that allows the closure to be made easily.

In order that the present invention may be more easily understood, not only the constitution but also the use and advantage of the closure will become evident from the following description of practical examples of the invention, given merely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

FIGURE 1 is a view of the closure placed on the neck of a receptacle; FIGURE 2 is a partly sectional view of the open closure; FIGURE 3 is a top view of the closure; FIGURE 4 is a side view of a receptacle without neck, such as a barrel, jar or other container, on which the closure of the invention is used; FIGURE 5 is a top view of the container of Figure 4; FIGURE 6 is a detailed view of the articulation of the receptacle cap; and FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the articulation of Figure 6.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 the closure 1 is shown on a receptacle 2 having a neck 3 and mouth 4. This closure 1 is formed by an annular body 5 having a cap Sa connected thereto t, by a hinge 6 equipped with an over-centre spring action.

The annular body 5 has grooves 7 on its inside surf ace and has a downwardly divergent extension 8 which then becomes reversed to def ine a lateral wall 9 forming a seating 10.

Furthermore, the annular body 5 has a clamp 11 with screw 12 and wing nut 13 to hold the annular body in position against the neck and mouth of the receptacle. This means of attachment is protected by the cap 5a that has, on the side remote from the articulation, that part of the closure lock 14 that is additional to and is found on the facing part of the annular body. This lock may be used with a key or with a padlock.

The lock may be used either with a hasp mechanism or with a locking pin whose distal end is threaded through a series of loops and has a transverse bore to take the locking finger of the padlock. Other systems may be used, for example a combination lock.

Regarding Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, it should be noted that when the closure is used on a barrel 15 the annular body is attached and the cap 16 is closed with the same padlock or other lock 14. The articulation 17 of the cap consists of a pivot bar 18 in some end lugs 19 of the annular body clamped on the barrel 15 or other receptacle that has no neck.

Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as the manner of carrying it out in prac- tice, it should be noted that the layouts indicated above and represented in the attached drawings may be modif ied within the scope of the following claims, provided this does not alter their fundamental principle.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A closure for a receptacle comprising: - an annular body that can adapt to and be attached to the upper part or rim of the receptacle, and a cap attached to said annular body by an articulation, said annular body having a shape like that of the upper part of an open receptacle, wherein said annular body has means of attachment to the upper part or rim of the receptacle and also has means for closing the cap so that the contents of the receptacle will be tamper-evident (pilferproof).

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein Ehe means of attachment consist of a clamp with a screw and.a nut that adjust the annular body to the rim or upper part of the receptacle.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the interior surface of the annular body is grooved.

4. A closure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the means of closing consist of a lock with a key and/or a combination lock and/or a padlock.

5. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said articulation includes spring means biasing the cap to the open position relative to the annular body.

6. A closure according to claim 5, wherein the spring also defines a closed position of the cap and is effective to bias the cap pivotally from a semi-open position towards a fully open or fully closed position.

7. A closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.