Visible tamper-proof closure arrangement
First Claim
1. A container and closure cap arrangement comprising;
- a container having a neck portion defining an access opening,a closure cap having a cap end portion and a skirt portion, said closure cap and container neck portion being mutually cooperable to enable releasable mounting of said closure cap on said neck portion, said container neck portion and said closure cap having seal receiving surfaces selectively formed thereon,and a seal member interposed between said closure cap and said container so as to be inaccessible from externally of said closure cap, said seal member being mutually cooperable with said seal receiving surfaces on said container and closure cap when mounted on said container such that relative movement between said container and closure cap causes irreversible deformation of said seal member,said closure cap having at least one transparent portion enabling visual observation of said seal so that deformation of said seal may be observed through said closure cap to provide an indication of tampering with said container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tamper-proof closure arrangement for a container includes in one embodiment a seal applied to seal receiving surfaces of the container and closure cap such that the seal is applied internally of the closure cap without removing the closure cap and is irreversibly damaged by any attempt to remove the closure cap, the seal being visible through the closure cap to provide a visual indication of tampering. In an alternative embodiment, the seal is fixed internally of a disposable cap which is mounted on an associated container to overlie a reusable closure cap. The seal is visually observable through the disposable cap and is formed in contacting relation against a three-dimensional surface on the reusable cap such that any attempt at removing the disposable cap irreversibly damages or deforms the seal to provide a visual indication of tampering.
23 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A container and closure cap arrangement comprising;
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a container having a neck portion defining an access opening, a closure cap having a cap end portion and a skirt portion, said closure cap and container neck portion being mutually cooperable to enable releasable mounting of said closure cap on said neck portion, said container neck portion and said closure cap having seal receiving surfaces selectively formed thereon, and a seal member interposed between said closure cap and said container so as to be inaccessible from externally of said closure cap, said seal member being mutually cooperable with said seal receiving surfaces on said container and closure cap when mounted on said container such that relative movement between said container and closure cap causes irreversible deformation of said seal member, said closure cap having at least one transparent portion enabling visual observation of said seal so that deformation of said seal may be observed through said closure cap to provide an indication of tampering with said container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 22)
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9. A container and closure cap arrangement comprising;
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a container having a neck portion defining an access opening, a first closure cap having a cap end portion and a skirt portion, said closure cap and container neck portion being mutually cooperable to enable releasable mounting of said first closure cap on said neck portion, said first closure cap having a three-dimensional surface selectively formed thereon, a second closure cap adapted for mounting on said container in a manner to overlie said first closure cap, and a seal member interposed between said first and second closure caps so as to be inaccessible from externally of said second closure cap, said seal member being cooperable with said three-dimensional surface on said first closure cap when said closure caps are mounted on said container such that relative movement between said first and second closure caps causes irreversible deformation of said seal member, said second closure cap having at least one transparent portion enabling visual observation of said seal so that deformation of said seal may be observed through said second closure cap to provide an indication of tampering with said container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for making a container and associated closure cap so as to provide a visual indication of tampering, said container including a neck portion defining an access opening and adapted for cooperation with the closure cap so as to enable releasable mounting of the closure cap on said neck portion, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming seal receiving surfaces on the neck portion of the container and on the closure cap internally thereof so as to be inaccessible when the closure cap is mounted on the neck portion of the container, (b) mounting the closure cap on the neck portion of the container with an electrically conductive seal member interposed between said neck portion and said closure cap in juxtaposed relation with said seal receiving surfaces, said closure cap being adapted to enable visual observation of the seal through said closure cap, (c) and forming said seal against said seal receiving surfaces in surface contacting relation therewith while said closure cap is mounted on said container such that relative movement between the container and closure cap deforms said seal in a manner providing a visually observable indication of tampering without removal of said closure cap. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification