Tamper-evident closure

• US 4,819,819 A
• Filed: 03/28/1988
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bertram D. Robertson Jr
• Original Assignee: Bertram D. Robertson Jr
• Inventors: Robertson, Bertram D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Norton, Donald F.
• Application Number:
  US07/173,805
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 215/232, 215/230, 220/258, 220/270, 156/69, 53/412, 53/420, 53/478, 53/487, 53/489
• US Class Current: 215/230
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0087 of the 47-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/103 Membranes with a tearing element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/20 Caps, lids, or covers co-operating with an inner closure arranged to be opened by piercing, cutting, or tearing B65D51/185 takes precedence; co-operating with an auxiliary container for additional articles or materials B65D51/28

Abstract

A tamper evident closure for a container generally having a cylindrical upstanding neck or throat, the neck having an external thread. The closure comprises an annular element which slides into and mates with the throat of the container, a cylindrical cup which frictionally engages the end of the annular element that extends into the container, the bottom of the cup constituting a flat disc having frangible lines which begin at the outer edge of the disc and wind spirally to the center of the disc ending in a pull tab which extends upwardly in the cup, and a clear cap the internal threads of which mate with the external threads of the neck. The annular element is made of rigid plastic material that is suitable for ultrasonic welding to the throat to create an integrity of the throat and closure.

The cup is made of a softer deformable material such that when the pull tab is pulled to open the closure the unwound portion will be so deformed that it cannot be replaced in its original condition.

Claims

1. A tamper evident/tamper resistant seal closure for a container, having a generally cylindrical open throat, comprising:

an annular element bonded to the throat of the container, the annular element including a consistent internal diameter, and an outer diameter that is varied to form firstly a lip for mating with the rim of the container throat, secondly a section which has an outer diameter only slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the container throat, and thirdly a section of reduced outer diameter; and

an inverted cap comprised of an upwardly extending cylindrical portion sized to fit tightly over the third section of the annular element, and a flattened bottom, including frangible seal means therein.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein the frangible seal means comprises a circular portion of the bottom that is scribed with a spiral pattern that allows the frangible seal means to be broken and pulled out of the container throat in a spiral pattern from the center of the frangible seal means to the outside edge of the seal means.

3. The closure of claim 2 wherein the frangible seal means is constructed of pliable plastic that is permanently stretched and deformed as the frangible seal means is broken so that the frangible seal means cannot be reconstructed after the frangible seal means is broken.

4. The closure of claim 3 wherein a pull tab extends upwardly from the center of the frangible seal means.

5. The closure of claim 1 wherein equally spaced teeth extend from the periphery of the third section of the annular element that extends into the container.

6. The closure of claim 5 wherein the container and the annular element are constructed of a rigid plastic such as polystyrene.

7. The closure of claim 1 wherein the inverted cap is colored with fluorescent or other bright colors to create a sharp contrast between the inverted cap and the container contents when the frangible seal means is broken.

8. The closure of claim 7 wherein a clear outer cap secured to the throat of the container provides a clear view of the frangible seal means.

9. The closure of claim 1 wherein the annular element is permanently bonded to the throat of the container by ultrasonic welding.

10. The closure of claim 1 wherein the annular element is permanently bonded to the throat of the container by spin welding.