FR2683509A1 - SCREW CAP, IN SYNTHETIC MATERIAL, EQUIPPED WITH AN INVIOLABILITY RING. - Google Patents

Abstract

Cap of the type comprising an internally threaded belt (5), whose free end is connected, through breakable bars (7) to an anti-tamper ring (3), itself extended at its free end by a plurality of jointed tabs (10), which are evenly distributed, folded against the lower face of the ring in the used position of the cap, and each comprise a surface intended to bear against a bead or "backing ring" (9) on the neck of the receptacle to be equipped. According to the invention, the anti-tamper ring (3) comprises, at least opposite some tabs (10), and in its zone extending from near the bars for connection with the belt, holes (19), each used for the passage of one end (17) of a tab, the latter comprising a rim (16) intended to bear against the edge (20) of the hole (19) situated on the side of the ring opposite its end for attachment to the cap.

Description

SCREW CAP IN SYNTHETIC MATERIAL, EQUIPPED WITH A RING

On iNVIOLABILITY

  The subject of the present invention is a stopper

  screw, made of synthetic material, equipped with an inviola-

  bility. This cap is of the type comprising an internally threaded belt, closed by a bottom, intended to be screwed onto the neck of a container itself provided with a thread The stopper is molded with a tamper evident ring to which it is connected by a number of ruptible bridges This tamper-evident ring has inwardly facing parts intended to bear under a bead or

  "counterbuck" that includes the neck of the container to equip.

  Therefore, during the unscrewing of the plug, the ring being retained by the bead or "counterbuckle", is locked axially, which results in the breaking of the bridges and the separation of the plug and the ring, the latter remaining on the container neck after first

opening of the cap.

  French Patent 2,525,565 describes a plug of

  this type, in which the tamper-evident ring is

  the end of its free end, by a number of tabs, evenly distributed on its periphery, each tab being intended to be folded over the inner face of the ring, and having a projecting portion, turned inwardly, intended to come

  take support under the "counter-ring" of the neck of the container.

  Such a device has the disadvantage of a certain fragility of the tongues, and also, because of the shape thereof, a retention of the tamper-proof ring in contact with the "counter-ring", after separation of the plug and the ring This phenomenon results in particular from the elastic memory of the material

  constituent of the stopper and the ring.

  French patent 2,655,620 in the name of the Application-

  resse describes a cap of the same type, in which each tongue extending the tamperproof ring has a constant section, and has a first curved portion connected to the bottom of the ring, extended by a second straight portion, the connection zone between these two parts forming a shoulder intended to bear under the "counterbuckle" of the neck of the container If this solution is satisfactory to the extent o the plug and the ring are made of a relatively flexible material, there is the risk, when a material more hard is implemented, to see, during the first unclogging of the container, the tabs "unwind" without ensuring a

  axial locking of the ring behind the "counterbuck".

  The object of the invention is to provide a device

  capping of this type, in which the ring is

  tible to be perfectly retained behind the "counterbuck" of the neck of the container, and wherein the ring, after separation with the body of the cap, is capable of sliding along the neck of the container to allow immediate viewing of the first

opening of the container.

  For this purpose, the plug it concerns, of the type

  having an internally threaded belt, the former

  free end is connected, by ruptible bridges to a ring of inviolability itself extended, at its free end, by a plurality of articulated tongues regularly distributed, folded against the face

  inside of the ring in the position of use of the

  chon, and each having a surface intended to come to bear under a bead or "counterbuck" that includes the neck of the container to be equipped, is characterized in that the tamper-proof ring comprises, at least opposite certain tabs, and in its zone extending near the connecting bridges with the skirt, dormers each of which serves for the passage of an end of a tongue, the latter comprising a flange for bearing against the edge of the dormer located on the side of the ring opposite its fixing end to the cap. Under these conditions, during the establishment of a cap on the neck of the container to be equipped, the tabs whose ends bear behind the "counterbuckle" of the neck of the container, tend to switch to

  outside, so that the ends of those

  They are located next to skylights that comprise the ring, penetrate into these latter Thus, the ends of these tabs are locked in the dormers, so that the stress exerted by the "counterbuck" on a tongue is important, when the unscrewing of the cap, the less the risk exists to see this tongue "unwind", that is to say, to deform by returning to the extension of the ring, without ensuring the retention function of the latter vis-à-vis of the

"counter-ring" of the container neck.

  According to an advantageous embodiment of this plug, each tab comprises from its connection end to the plug towards its other end, and in the use position, a first portion oriented substantially parallel to the tamper-proof ring, inside the plug. this, a second part inclined from the inside to the outside and having on one of its faces a bearing surface against the "counterbuck" of the neck of the container and on its other side a support flange against an edge of a skylight formed in the ring, and a third portion having substantially the orientation of the ring and intended to be housed in a skylight of the latter.

  Schematically, each tongue is made

  three parts in the general shape of a Z, the intermediate part serving, on the one hand, to support against the "counter-ring" and, on the other hand, to support against

  one of the edges of a skylight formed in the ring.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the zones of the ring comprising skylights are formed alternately with the zones comprising

connecting bridges with the cap.

  In addition, advantageously, this cap comprises means for locking the end of each tongue

  associated with a skylight inside the latter.

  It is, in fact, very interesting to maintain the tongue in contact with the ring, after disconnection of the latter and the body of the cap, to avoid

  that tongues come, under the effect of their elasticity

  cited, enclose the neck of the container, thus preventing

  sliding of the ring along the neck of the container, and

  nant by the same way the visualization of the first opening

of the container.

  According to a first possibility, the means of ver-

  ratcheting the end of each tongue into a

  carne are made by corresponding sizing of the end of the tongue and the skylight allowing a snap into force from one into the other.

  Alternatively, the means of ver-

  rusting the end of each tongue in a skylight are constituted by a spout formed at the outer end of the support flange of the tongue on an edge of the skylight When placing the cap on the neck of the container, each beak associated with a tongue comes to bear on the outer face of the ring, after placing the end of the tongue considered

in the corresponding dormer.

  In any case, the invention will be well understood in

  using the following description, with reference to the drawing

  annexed diagram representing, as an example not

  mitatif, an embodiment of this cap: Figure 1 is a perspective view, before placing on the neck of a container; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view and on an enlarged scale along the line II-II of Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are two views of the same plug, respectively after placing on the neck of the container

  to equip, and during the first opening.

  The closure device shown in FIG.

  comprises a cap 2 and a tamper-evident ring 3

  molded in one piece.

  The plug 2 comprises, in a manner known per se, a bottom 4 extended by a belt 5 having an internal threading 6 A skirt 4 sealing the plugging protrudes from the bottom of the plug The plug 2 is connected to the open end of its belt, by a plurality of bridges 7, regularly distributed on its periphery, to the tamper ring 3 These bridges are ruptible under the effect of a certain constraint This closure device is intended to equip a container which the neck is shown in Figures 3 and 4, which has an outer thread 8, and a bead or "counterbuck" 9

disposed below the net.

  The tamper-evident ring 3 is extended by several

  If the tongues 10 are evenly distributed The connection between the ring and each tongue is formed by a thinned area of material 12 forming a hinge-film,

  allowing the tongue to fold inwards.

  Each tongue 10 comprises, in the embodiment shown in the drawing, and from its connection zone 12 with the ring, towards its other end, a first part 13 which, in the position of use, shown in FIGS. 4, is folded against the inner wall of the ring, a second portion 14 forming substantially a right angle with the portion 13, oriented radially from the inside to the outside, and forming a shoulder 15 on its outer side and a flange 16 on its outer side, and a third part 17, forming a substantially right angle with the second part 14, having, in use condition, substantially the

same orientation as the ring.

  As shown in the drawing, the rim 16 of each

  tongue is equipped, at its end facing out-

  with a spout 18 projecting downwards.

  As shown in the drawing, the tamper-evident ring 3 has, in its zones alternating with the bridges 7, and

  extending from its edge adjacent to the body of the

  chon 2, a number of dormers 19, the dimensions

  of each skylight 19 being sufficient to serve the purpose

  the end 17 of a tongue 10 is secured thereto. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, one tongue out of two is intended to be associated with a

skylight 19.

  In practice, when placing the stopper on the neck of the container, the portion 17 of each tongue

  associated with a skylight 19, is engaged in this

  carne 19, the flange 16 of the tongue coming to bear against the lower edge 20 of the skylight, and the spout 18 ensuring the locking of the tongue in this position. Consequently, when unscrewing the cap, there is no risk of the tabs deforming inwards to return to the extension of the tamper-evident ring. In addition, and as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4, after disconnection of the ring 3 and the

  2 by breaking the bridges 7, the tongues 10

  in position spaced apart from the neck of the container, thanks to the locking spouts 18 behind the respective edges

  20 skylights This ensures a perfect glide

  of the tamper evident ring along the neck of the

  piez, perfectly releasing the "contrebague" 9, thus allowing an immediate visualization of a first opening of the container, even if the plug 2 has

been put back in place.

  As is apparent from the foregoing, the invention provides a great improvement to the existing technique, providing a plastic screw cap, equipped with a tamper-proof ring, simple structure, offering complete security regarding its operation, and allowing a safe viewing of the first opening

of the container.

  It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this plug described above as an example, it encompasses all the contrary

the variants.

  It is thus notably that the shape of the tongues could be different from that indicated previously,

  or that the number of dormers could be different

  without departing from the scope of the invention.

tion.

Claims (5)

  1 screw cap, made of synthetic material, equipped with a tamper-evident ring, of the type comprising an internally threaded belt (5) whose free end is connected by ruptible bridges (7) to a tamper-evident ring ( 3) itself extended at its free end, by a plurality of articulated tongues (10) regularly distributed, folded against the inner face of the ring in position of use of the cap, and each having a surface intended to bear under a bead or "counterbuckle" (9) that includes the neck of the container to be equipped, characterized in that the tamper-evident ring (3) comprises, at least opposite certain tabs (10), and in its zone extending close to the connecting links with the belt, dormers (19), each of which serves to pass an end (17) of a tongue, the latter having a flange (16) intended to bear against the edge (20) of the skylight (19) located on the side of the ring   opposite its fixing end to the plug.   2 cap according to claim 1, characterized in that each tongue (10) comprises, from its connecting end (12) to the plug towards its other end, and in the position of use, a first portion (13) oriented substantially parallel to the tamperproof ring (3), inside thereof, a second portion (14) inclined from the inside to the outside and having on one of its faces a bearing surface (15) under the "counter-ring" of the neck of the container and on its other side a support flange (16) against an edge (20) of a skylight (19) formed in the ring, and a third portion (17) having substantially the orientation of the ring and intended to be housed in   a skylight (19) of the latter.   3 cap according to any one of claims   1 and 2, characterized in that the zones of the ring (3) having skylights (19) are arranged alternately with the zones comprising bridges (7) of connection with the plug (2).   4 Stopper according to any one of the claims   tions 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises locking means of the end (17) of each tongue (10) associated with a skylight inside the latter. Stopper according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking means of the end of each tongue in a skylight are made by corresponding sizing of the end of the tongue and the dormer allowing interlocking force from one to the other.   6 cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking means of the end (17) of each tongue (10) in a skylight (19) are constituted by a spout (18) formed at the outer end of the rim (16) for supporting the tongue on an edge (20) of the skylight (19).