Pilferproof closure with mechanical interlock

• US 4,344,545 A
• Filed: 04/13/1981
• Issued: 08/17/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Group Incorporated (Peter Kiewit Son's, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Continental Group Incorporated (Peter Kiewit Son's, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walter, John, Aschberger, Anton A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, George T.
• Application Number:
  US06/254,006
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 220/266, 220/339, 220/270, 220/307, 220/214, 215/235, 215/250, 215/253, 222/153, 222/541
• US Class Current: 220/270
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/1075 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/15 Tearable part of the closure B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/141 for stoppers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof

Abstract

A closure for a container having a lever-openable plug wherein the lever is attached to other parts of the closure by a frangible member which must be broken to permit actuation of the lever to open the plug, thus indicating to a subsequent observer that either the closure had been open or an attempt had been made to do so. The attachment of said frangible member comprising a post on the plug extending into a socket on the frangible member and interlocked therewith.

Claims

1. A closure for a container having a wall member with an aperture, said closure comprising a sleeve member having a seal-tight fit within said aperture and having a bore providing a pour opening, a flexible plastic plug having a seal-tight fit within said opening, a lift lever connected to said plug, a combination pour lip and fulcrum projecting from one of said members for fulcruming engagement by said lever and lifting the plug out of the pour opening, a tearable anti-pilfer means on said lever, and limited-movement-permitting means connecting said anti-pilfer means to said plug, said anti-pilfer means being torn away from said lever upon lifting of said lift lever beyond the permitted limited movement.

2. A closure for a container, a tubular sleeve member providing a pour opening for said container, a resilient plug having, in the closed position, a seal-tight fit within said opening, a lift lever member, means tethering said lift lever member to said plug, said lift lever member having a fulcrum end and a lift end, combination fulcrum and lip guide means on said sleeve member extending axially thereof, said lift lever member being swingable over said combination means for prying said plug out of said opening, frangible tamper-indicating means being separable attendant to lifting of said lever member, and loosely telescoping means interconnecting said tamper-indicating means with said plug.

3. The invention according to claim 2 and said tamper-indicating means comprising a tear apart portion of said lever.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and said tear apart portion of the lever comprising a disk-like element formed as part of the lever intermediate its end.

5. A closure for a container comprising:

a sleeve member having a bore providing a pour opening, a plug member having a seal fit with said sleeve member in closed position within said opening, a lever member overlying said plug member in the closed position of the closure, a tether connecting one end of the lever member to said plug member, a fulcrum on the sleeve member having an upper end positioned for engagement by said lever member attendant to said lever member being swung beyond a predetermined angle whereupon said lever member is caused to pivot on the fulcrum and pull the tether and thus lift said plug out of said opening, and a frangible pilfer-indicating means connected between the lever member and one of the other of said members and comprising a socket on one of said members and a post on the other member interlocked within said socket for accommodating prelift of the lever member without breaking of said pilfer-indicating means.

6. A closure for a container having a sleeve element insertable into an aperture in the container and having a pouring bore, a plug element insertable into the bore for closing the container, a lifting element operably associated with said plug element for opening the same, and frangible pilfer-indicating means including lost motion connecting means between at least one of said elements and said lifting element, said pilfer-indicating means adapted to break apart attendant to lifting of said lifting element beyond the extent of said lost motion.

7. The invention according to claim 6 and said lifting means comprising a tab laid over the top of said plug in the closed position of said closure.

8. The invention according to claim 7 and said pilfer-indicating means comprising a wafer-like member recessed within said tab and having a frangible connection therewith, and upon breaking away from the lever, leaving a visibly apparent hole therein.

9. The invention according to claim 8 and said closure being made of thermoplastic materials, said plug element having a top wall including an upstanding post of said connecting means, said post having an enlarged head, a cup-shaped socket on said wafer-like member receiving said head and having an inturned flange extended under said head.

10. The invention according to claim 9 and said wafer-life member being joined to said tab by at least one breakable strap.