Container having a tamperproof closure

• US 3,888,383 A
• Filed: 08/17/1973
• Issued: 06/10/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martyn Rowlands
• Original Assignee: Martyn Rowlands
• Inventors: Rowlands, Martyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, George T.
• Application Number:
  US05/389,313
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 220/4R,27,265,266,293 215/252,253,254,7
• US Class Current: 220/265
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure B65D41/32 takes precedence; protective covers for bottles B65D23/08; protective cap-like outer covers for bottle or jar closures B65D41/62; pressure-applying means B65D45/00; closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal of closures B65D50/00

Abstract

A container and closure cap assembly comprising a pilfer - proof device involving the use of co-operable members provided on the cap and container body. The members may be arranged so that when the cap is turned for closure they lock the cap in position, so that when the cap is turned in the opposite sense one of them is removed thereby indicating that the container has been opened. The cap and container are provided with at least one inwardly and at least one out-wardly extending projection respectively which engage, by relative turning movement between cap and container to secure the cap on the container; one of the projections being used as one of the co-operable members.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising two elements, namely, a container and a closure cap for the container, wherein the cap and container are provided with at least one inwardly and at least one outwardly extending projection respectively which are engageable, by a relative turning movement in one sense between the cap and the container, to secure the cap on the container, and the cap and the container are each provided with a member, the two members being so arranged and constructed that, during the said relative turning movement, one member engages and rides across the other member and then disengages the other member, and that during relative turning movement in the opposite sense, one member so engages the other that continued relative turning movement in the said opposite sense in order to disengage the cap from the container is prevented unless one of the members becomes detached, in which assembly one of the two members is constituted by the projection or one of the projections on one of the elements.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which each projection forms a part turn of a screw thread.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the member provided on the other of the elements is arranged adjacent to the projection or one of the projections on the said other element so that immediately after disengagement of the members, during said turning movement in the said one sense, the cap is brought into its fully closed position.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which one member is in the form of a tab one end of which is frangibly connected to one of the elements.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4 in which the frangible connection is concealed by the cap when the cap is engaged on the container.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which the tab is arranged so that when the cap is engaged on the container it lies between and in face-to-face relationship with the inside of the cap and the outside of the container and extends below the free edge of the cap.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which at least part of the member on one of the elements is of generally wedge-like configuration an oblique or inclined surface of the member being arranged to be engaged and ridden over by the member on the other element during the relative turning movement and the relatively thick end of the first-mentioned member being arranged to be engaged by the member on the other element during the relative turning movement in the opposite sense.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 4 in which the tab is provided with a gripping ring to facilitate removal of the tab in normal operation.

9. An assembly claimed in claim 1 in which at least those parts of the cap and container on which the members are provided are formed from injection moulded plastics material and the members themselves are integrally moulded therewith.

10. An assembly comprising two elements, namely, a container and a closure cap for the container, wherein the cap and container are provided with a plurality of inwardly and a plurality of outwardly extending projections respectively, each of the projections on each of the elements forming a part turn of a respective screw thread, the projections being engageable, by a relative turning movement in one sense between the cap and the container, to secure the cap on the container, and the container is provided with a member which is arranged so that during the said relative turning movement one of the projections on the cap engages and rides across, and then disengages, the said member, and so that during relative turning movement in the opposite sense, the said one projection so engages the said member that continued relative turning movement in the said opposite sense in order to release the cap from the container is prevented unless the said member is detached.