GB2323839A - A tamper evident closure assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A tamper evident closure assembly for a bottle comprises a pouring fitment, a sleeve member 8, and a cap 16. An annular edge portion of the sleeve member has at least one first projection 44 extending axially in the direction of the cap, and an annular edge portion of the cap has at least one second projection 64 extending axially in the direction of the sleeve member, the second projection(s) being joined to the cap edge by shearable links 62. The first and second projections are arranged adjacently so that the projections impinge when the cap is unscrewed and the shearable links fracture. The first and second projections may interdigitate, and may have tapering leading edges to assist fracturing. Removal of the second projections may produce a permanent visual indication of tampering, for instance by revealing a different coloured portion of the assembly.

Description

TAMPER-EVIDENT DEVICE FOR LIOUID CONTAINER CLOSURE ASSEMBLY The invention relates to a tamper-evident device for a closure assembly adapted to be applied to the mouth of a container for liquid, for example, the neck of a bottle.

For various reasons, it may be desirable to ensure that a used container, such as a bottle intended to contain spirits, is not re-filled with a replacement quantity of liquid, the characteristics and quality of which may differ from the original contents. Attempts to provide closures which make such re-filling difficult are not always proof against determined tampering or pilfering, and it is therefore advantageous to provide a tamper-indicating means which provides evidence that the bottle and its original contents are intact. However, if the bottle is resealed with a substitute cap or closure, there may be little to indicate to the purchaser that the bottle has been tampered with and that the contents may be inferior to the original contents.

While it is very important that an original closure cannot be removed without visible damage or breakage being caused either to the closure or to the bottle, it has been found that a closure that cannot readily be removed will become the target of attempts to re-fill the container by overcoming any features provided in the closure intended to hinder or prevent this. Therefore in addition to providing devices to prevent re-filling of bottles, it has been found preferable to provide such devices with further tamper-indicating features which, while not acting in any preventative role, give a clear indication that a bottle has been opened since being originally filled with the genuine contents.

-2-According to a first aspect the present invention provides a tamper evident device comprising a closure assembly to be applied to the mouth of a neck of a container for liquid, comprising a pouring outlet device adapted to be secured to said mouth, a cap adapted to close the outlet device and a sleeve member adapted to surround the pouring outlet at a zone spaced from a pouring lip thereof, wherein an annular edge portion of the sleeve member adjacent the cap is provided with at least one first projection extending axially in the direction of the cap and an annular edge portion of the cap is provided with at least one second projection extending axially in the direction of the sleeve member and being joined to the cap edge portion by shearable links, and wherein said first and second projections are formed so as to lie adjacent one another in a radial plane, the construction and arrangement being such that relative rotational movement between the cap and the sleeve during a container-opening movement causes the second projection(s) to impinge upon the first projection(s) so as to fracture the shearable links thereof.

Preferably, there may be provided a plurality of first projections and second projections, the said projections being so formed that said first projections interdigitate the second projections so as to lie adjacent to one another in said radial plane.

Advantageously said first or second projections are provided with tapered pilot edges adapted to act as leading edges in a container-opening movement so as to force said second projections in a direction having a radial component of movement to assist in the fracture of the shearable links.

It will be understood that the removal of the second projections produces a permanent visual indication that the container, for example a bottle of fine spirits, has been opened. This is evident from the spaces or gaps visible in the radial plane of the first projection(s).

Advantageously, the removal of said second projections may be arranged to reveal portions of the surface of said pouring outlet member. If desired, said surface portions may differ in colour from the closure cap and/or sleeve member, so as to make the fact that the bottle has been opened more conspicuous. Said portions may, if suitable, be over-printed with promotional or other information so as to be visible only after the bottle has been opened.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a container having a tamper evident device according to the first aspect.

The container may be a bottle, for example, a bottle intended to contain spirits.

There will now be described an example of a tamperevident -3-device for a closure assembly according to the invention. It will be understood that the description which is to be read with reference to the drawings, is given by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an example of a closure assembly incorporating the tamper-evident device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a partial view corresponding to the right hand portion of Figure 1, indicating the position of a bottle mouth with respect to the closure assembly; Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views of a pouring outlet means of the assembly having lugs each of which have inward projections; Figure 5 is a side view of a sleeve means of the assembly; Figure 6 is an end view of the sleeve means of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sleeve means; Figure 8 is an opposite end view of the sleeve means; Figure-4- 9 is a fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 7 to an enlarged scale; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a cap; Figure 11 is an underneath plan view of the cap of Figure 10; Figures 12 to 14 show the changes in the visual appearance of the cap in relation to the closure assembly; Figure 15 shows perspective views of the components of Figures 3 and 6 immediately prior to interengagement thereof; and Figure 16 is a similar view to Figure 15 taken from a different viewing angle.

The example to be described below is illustrated as forming part of a container closure assembly which incorporates a non-return valve arrangement to prevent ease of re-filling the container. It will be understood that the tamper-evident device may be used in conjunction with any suitable type of container closure, whether or not provided with a non-return valve arrangement.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows components of a closure assembly in which there is provided a pouring outlet member 2 having lugs 4 extending longitudinally with respect to the axis of the member 2 and provided with inwardly projecting means 6. The assembly also comprises a first sleeve member 8 surrounding the lugs 4. A second, concentrically arranged sleeve member 10 of smaller diameter is also provided which provides a valve seating surface 12 for a valve member in the form of a ball member 14. The asse-5-mbly also includes a closure cap 16 (Figure 2) and is adapted to be fitted to a neck and mouth portion of a container, for example a bottle 18 as shown in broken lines in Figure 2.

The pouring outlet means 2 comprises an annular portion 20 as shown in the Figures, the upper edge portion of which comprises a pouring lip 22 of the assembly. On the external surface of the annular portion 20 is provided a multi-start thread 24, adapted to be engaged by the cap 16. Arranged so as to span the interior surface of annular portion 20 is a baffle member 26 supported by links 28 so as to hinder the unauthorised entry of liquid filling means, such as a tube, into the container mouth. The baffle member is, however, arranged not to hinder the outflow of liquid when poured. The underside of the baffle member 26 is provided with vanes 30, the purpose of which will be explained below.

Three lugs 4 are arranged around the lower edge of the annular portion 20. Each lug comprises two strut members 32 which are bridged by a plate 34 having an aperture 35, the lower edge of which is provided by the respective projection 6, which is inclined inwardly and upwardly at an angle, in the present example, of approximately 300 from the axis of the portion 20.

The sleeve member 8 is provided with an inwardly facing annular flange 36 (Figure 7) forming a partial upper end wall in which are provided three slots 38, adapted to receive the lugs 4 of the portion 20 as will be described.

The inner surfac-6-e of the sleeve member 8 is provided with shallow recesses 40 which assist in the location of the lugs received therein. An upstanding annular flange 42, is provided to assist engagement with the inner surface of the portion 20.

Surrounding the annular flange 42 and projecting axially from an annular edge portion of the sleeve member 8 are a plurality of projections 44, in the present example, being three in number.

The underside of the annular flange 36 is provided with annular ridges 50 and the inner surface of the sleeve member 8 is provided with lengthwise extending ridges 52.

As will be explained below, these ridges 50,52 assist in the sealing and securement of the closure assembly to the bottle neck 18.

The cap 16 comprises an end wall and a cylindrical side wall 58 (Figs. 10-14) provided on its internal surface with a complementary thread formation 60 to the threads 24.

Secured by flangible links 62 to the free edge of the wall 58 is a tamper-evident means in the form of three arcuate projections 64 comprising said second projections. Each of said projections 64 is provided at one end thereof with a tapered pilot or leading edge portion 66, the purpose of which will be explai-7-ned below. Each of said second projections 64 is received between the projections 44 of the sleeve member 8, as shown in Figure 12. When the cap 16 is unscrewed, the leading edge portions 66 impinge against the projections 44 to assist in the fracture of the links 62. The projections 64 break off and the cap takes on the appearance shown in Figure 13. When replaced upon the container, the cap now reveals the presence of the pouring member 2.

The assembly of the component parts will now be described with reference to Figures 15 and 16.

With the valve ball member 14 received within the inner sleeve member 10 of the sleeve member 8, the three lugs 4 of the tubular means 2 are introduced into the three slots 38 of the member 8 and slide into the recesses 40 as shown in Figure 1. The vanes 30 are spaced from the upper surface of the valve member 14 so as to permit axial movement of the member 14 into and out of contact with the valve seating surface 12 in the normal usage of the bottle for containing and pouring liquid such as whisky, brandy or liqueurs.

The cap 16 is then applied to the tubular means 2 to enclose the pouring lip 22 and to engage the screw threads 24 and 60.

The assembly may then be applied to the bottle 18 in a single movement in a bottling production line, with the bottle neck being positioned as shown in Figure 2. It will be observed that an upper end surface of the bottle is sealingly received in contact with the ridges 50 which are slightly deformed to form the desired seal. The projections 6 are firmly engaged beneath a shoulder 70 on the bottle to prevent removal of the assembly, and the ridges 52 are received in an interleaved manner with a row of raised pips 72 provided on the bottle to prevent undesired rotational movement of the assembly on the bottle neck.

When the bottle is opened in order to gain access to the contents, the user will unscrew the cap 16. However, this anti-clockwise movement causes the projections 64 to break away from the cap 16. The absence of the projections 64 then indicates to the next user that the bottle has already been opened. Moreover, as the links 62 are sheared a clicking sound is heard, being an additional, audible, indication that the bottle is being opened for the first time. Even if the appearance of the closure is restored by a tamperer by using adhesive to hold the sheared projections back in place, the customer or other legitimate user will realise that tampering has taken place, because no clicking sound will be heard as the bottle is opened.

Various modifications may be made with the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A tamper evident device comprising a closure assembly to be applied to the mouth of a neck of a container for liquid, comprising a pouring outlet device adapted to be secured to said mouth, a cap adapted to close the outlet device and a sleeve member adapted to surround the pouring outlet at a zone spaced from a pouring lip thereof, wherein an annular edge portion of the sleeve member adjacent the cap is provided with at least one first projection extending axially in the direction of the cap and an annular edge portion of the cap is provided with at least one second projection extending axially in the direction of the sleeve member and being joined to the cap edge portion by shearable links, and wherein said first and second projections are formed so as to lie adjacent one another in a radial plane, the construction and arrangement being such that relative rotational movement between the cap and the sleeve during a container-opening movement causes the second projection(s) to impinge upon the first projection(s) so as to fracture the shearable links thereof.

2. A tamper evident device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of first projections and second projections, the said projections being so formed that said first projections interdigitate the second projections so as to lie adjacent to one another in said radial plane.

3. A tamper evident device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first or second projections are provided with tapered pilot edges adapted to act as leading edges in a container-opening movement so as to force said second projections in a direction having a radial component of movement to assist in the fracture of the shearable links.

4. A tamper evident device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein removal of the second projections produces a permanent visual indication that the container has been opened.

5. A tamper evident device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein removal of said second projections is arranged to reveal portions of the surface of said pouring outlet member.

6. A tamper evident device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said surface portions differ in colour from the closure cap and/or sleeve member, so as to make the fact that the container has been opened more conspicuous.

7. A tamper evident device as claimed in either of claims 5 or 6, wherein one or more of said portions are over-printed with promotional or other information so as to be visible only after the container has been opened.

8. A tamper evident device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is a bottle.

9. A tamper evident device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is a bottle intended to contain spirits.

10. A container having a tamper evident device according to any of claims 1 to 9.

11. A container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the container is a bottle.

12. A container as claim in any of claims 10 or 11, wherein the container is a bottle intended to contain spirits.

13. A tamper evident device as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 16.

14. A container as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 16.