Closure cap with tamper indicator

• US 3,913,771 A
• Filed: 06/01/1973
• Issued: 10/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anchor Hocking Packaging Company
• Original Assignee: Carl E. Koontz, Daniel D. Acton
• Inventors: Acton, Daniel D., Koontz, Carl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, George T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hart, R. E.
• Application Number:
  US05/366,093
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 215/274,256
• US Class Current: 215/256
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/25 Non-metallic tear-off strips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/48 non-metallic, e.g. made of paper or plastics B65D41/47 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention comprises a closure cap with a tamper indicating band. The cap has a cover portion and a molded plastic ring portion including a skirt portion with container engaging means which permits the cap to be pressed onto a container and to be thereafter lifted off of the container. A plastic tamper indicating band is formed as an integral portion of the ring surrounding the bottom of the cap skirt with the upper edge of the band being lightly attached to the skirt by small fracturable bridges or by a thin score line. In order to lift the cap off of the container, it is necessary to apply the lifting force to the edge of the cap skirt. This cannot be done without disconnecting all or a portion of the tamper indicating band. The position of the tamper indicating band clearly shows whether or not the container has been opened or if an attempt has been made to open it.

Claims

1. A tamperproof press-on and lift-off closure for sealing a container having a closure engaging bead at its rim comprising the combination of:

a molded annular plastic resin skirt;

a cover;

said skirt having an upper portion mounting the cover at a top portion of the skirt;

container engaging means on a radial inner portion of said upper portion of the skirt positioned below said cover and extending radially inwardly of the outer edge of said cover for engaging a container bead providing a snap fit;

a circular downwardly facing pry-off lower edge on the bottom of said upper portion of said skirt for use in pressing said closure upwardly and off of said container;

an annular tamper indicating band attached to said upper portion of said skirt by an integral molded frangible connection; and

said band being positioned radially outwardly of and extending downwardly from the said lower edge thereby preventing access thereto when said closure is on a container.

2. The closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said frangible connections comprise a generally circular slot interrupted by a plurality of bridges connecting said upper portion of said skirt to said tamper indicating band.

3. The closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said tamper indicating band has a generally rectangular elongated and vertically oriented cross-section positioned for sliding engagement with adjacent portions of the finish of the container.

4. The closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said container engaging means on the upper portion of said skirt comprise a plurality of spaced, elongated, horizontal, and inwardly directed lugs.

5. The closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said cover comprises a metal disc having its outer circular edge in engagement with said upper portion of the skirt.

6. The closure as claimed in claim 5 which further comprises an annular plastisol sealing gasket positioned in the outer portion of said cover.

7. The cap as claimed in claim 1 in which a slot is formed in said band defining two spaced ends of said band, and in which a pull tab is positioned on one of said band ends radially outwardly of said band.

8. The cap as claimed in claim 7 in which said pull tab is releasably connected to the other of said band ends by a breakable bridge.

9. The cap as claimed in claim 7 which further comprises a downwardly depending lift tab hingedly connected to said skirt and positioned in said slot between the spaced ends of said band and inwardly of said pull tab.

10. The cap as claimed in claim 1 in which a lift tab is hingedly connected to the bottom of said skirt and is positioned between the spaced ends of said band.

11. The closure as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a lift tab hingedly connected to said pry-off lower edge of said skirt and positioned in a slot in said band.

12. The closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said frangible connection comprises a relatively thin plastic web connecting the top of said band to the bottom of said skirt.

13. A sealed package comprising the combination of:

a container;

a closure engaging bead at a rim on said container;

a tamperproof press-on and lift-off closure sealing the container;

said closure having a molded annular plastic resin skirt;

said skirt having an upper portion including means for mounting a cover at a top portion of the skirt;

a cover mounted on said top portion;

container engaging means on a radial inner portion of said upper portion of the skirt positioned below said cover and engaging said bead and extending radially inwardly of the outer edge of said cover for engaging a container bead providing a snap fit;

a circular downwardly facing pry-off lower edge on the bottom of said upper portion of said skirt for use in pressing said closure upwardly and off of said container;

an annular tamper indicating band attached to said upper portion of said skirt by an integral molded frangible connection; and

said band being positioned radially outwardly of and extending downwardly from the said lower edge and being in non-locking engagement with said container thereby preventing access to said lower edge when said closure is on a container.

14. The closure as claimed in claim 13 in which said frangible connections comprise a generally circular slot interrupted by a plurality of bridges connecting said upper portion of said skirt to said tamper indicating band.

15. The closure as claimed in claim 13 in which said tamper indicating band has a generally rectangular elongated and vertically oriented cross-section positioned for sliding engagement with adjacent portions of the finish of the container.

16. The closure as claimed in claim 13 in which said container engaging means on the upper portion of said skirt comprise a plurality of spaced, elongated, horizontal, and inwardly directed lugs.

17. The closure as claimed in claim 13 in which said cover comprises a metal disc having its outer circular edge in engagement with said upper portion of the skirt.

18. The closure as claimed in claim 17 which further comprises an annular plastisol sealing gasket positioned in the outer portion of said cover.

19. The sealed package as claimed in claim 13 which further comprises a lift tab hingedly connected to said pry-off lower edge of said skirt and positioned in a slot in said band.

20. The sealed package as claimed in claim 13 in which said frangible connection comprises a relatively thin plastic web connecting the top of said band to the bottom of said skirt.

21. The sealed package as claimed in claim 13 in which a slot is formed in said band defining two spaced ends of said band, and in which a pull tab is positioned on one of said band ends radially outwardly of said band.

22. The sealed package as claimed in claim 13 which further comprises a downwardly depeNding lift tab hingedly connected to said skirt and positioned in said slot between the spaced ends of said band and inwardly of said pull tab.