Tamper-evident closure

• US 8,464,886 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Fisher, Scott L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELOSHWAY, NIKI MARINA
• Application Number:
  US12/832,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20110139783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 220/254.2, 220/254.3, 220/259.2, 220/259.1, 220/270, 220/375
• US Class Current: 220/254.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/25 Non-metallic tear-off strips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/161 comprising two or more cover sections hinged one to another
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/088 located at an edge of the base element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/246 provided with eating utensils or spatulas applicator rods or brushes B65D51/32
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/06 for dispensing powdered or granular material B65D83/04 takes precedence

Abstract

A container closure includes a body that is adapted to mount on an underlying container to cover a mouth opening into an interior region formed in the container. The container closure further includes flip-top caps mounted for movement relative to the body to open and close dispensing apertures formed in the body. The container closure also includes a tamper band coupled to the flip-top caps and to the body until a consumer opens the flip-top caps for the first time.

Claims

1. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a lid including first, second, and third flip-top caps, a removable tamper band, and a frangible link arranged to couple the removable tamper band to each of the flip-top caps temporarily to cause the removable tamper band to lie in perpendicular relation to a planar top surface of each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps and to define a frangible tear line between the removable tamper band and each of the flip-top caps, and

a lid tether arranged to interconnect the body and each of the flip-top caps permanently and configured to support each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps for independent movement relative to the body and to one another between a closed position covering selected ones of the dispensing apertures and an opened position exposing the selected ones of the dispensing apertures, and

wherein the removable tamper band includes retainer means for engaging the body to retain each of the flip-top caps in a temporary anchored position on the body covering the dispensing apertures after movement of the lid from an unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to an assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body until the removable tamper band is separated from the flip-top caps in response to fracture of the frangible link to free each of the flip-top caps for pivoting movement about a pivot axis associated with the lid tether between the closed and opened positions and

wherein the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body to locate the first, second, and third flip-top caps between the lid tether and the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the lid tether includes a first hinge arranged to interconnect the body and the first flip-top cap permanently, a second hinge arranged to interconnect the body and the second flip-top cap permanently, and a third hinge arranged to interconnect the body and the third flip-top cap permanently, and the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body and to the first, second, and third hinges included in the lid tether when the closure is molded to cause the body, lid, and lid tether to cooperate to form a monolithic component made of a plastics material and to cause the lid to lie in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body before the unit is pivoted about the pivot axis to mate with the body to establish the temporary anchored positions of the first, second, and third flip-top caps on the body.

3. The closure of claim 2, wherein the body includes a perimeter edge arranged to surround the dispensing apertures and each of the first, second, and third hinges are coupled to the perimeter edge of the body.

4. The closure of claim 1, wherein the body includes a platform formed to include the dispensing apertures and lie in a horizontal plane, and each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps include an underside arranged to lie in the horizontal plane while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body and to lie in closely confronting relation to the platform while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body.

5. The closure of claim 1, wherein the second flip-top cap is arranged to lie between the first and third flip-top caps while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, the removable tamper band further includes an elongated band strip carrying the retainer means, a first finger-pull tab at one end of the elongated band strip, and a second finger-pull tab at an opposite end of the elongated band strip, each of the first and second finger-pull tabs includes an end plate and a flexible curved link interconnecting the elongated band strip and the end plate, the flexible curved link of the first finger-pull tab winds around an exterior corner of the first flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, and the flexible curved link of the second finger pull tab winds around an exterior corner of the third flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position.

6. The closure of claim 1, wherein the body includes a top deck formed to include the dispensing apertures, the top deck comprises a first deck section formed to include several relatively small sprinkle-discharge dispensing apertures, a third deck section formed to include a single pour-discharge dispensing aperture, and a second deck section located between the first and third deck sections and formed to include a single scoop-receiver dispensing aperture that is larger than the single pour-discharge dispensing aperture, and the lid tether includes a first hinge coupled to the first deck section and to the first flip-top cap, a second hinge separated from the first hinge and coupled to the second deck section, and a third hinge separated from the first and second hinges and coupled to the third deck section.

7. The closure of claim 6, wherein each of the first, second, and third deck sections includes a top surface formed to include one of the dispensing apertures and an upright perimeter wall terminating at the top surface and carrying at least one retainer anchor included in the retainer means and arranged to mate with a companion band retainer included in the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position.

8. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a lid including first, second, and third flip-top caps, a removable tamper band, and a frangible link arranged to couple the removable tamper band to each of the flip-top caps temporarily to define a frangible tear line between the removable tamper band and each of the flip-top caps, and

a lid tether arranged to interconnect the body and each of the flip-top caps permanently and configured to support each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps for independent movement relative to the body and to one another between a closed position covering selected ones of the dispensing apertures and an opened position exposing the selected ones of the dispensing apertures, and

wherein the removable tamper band includes retainer means for engaging the body to retain each of the flip-top caps in a temporary anchored position on the body covering the dispensing apertures after movement of the lid from an unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to an assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body until the removable tamper band is separated from the flip-top caps in response to fracture of the frangible link to free each of the flip-top caps for pivoting movement about a pivot axis associated with the lid tether between the closed and opened positions, and

wherein the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body to locate the first, second, and third flip-top caps between the lid tether and the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body,

wherein the body includes a platform formed to include the dispensing apertures and lie in a horizontal plane, and each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps include an underside arranged to lie in the horizontal plane while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body and to lie in closely confronting relation to the platform while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body, and

wherein the body includes an upright perimeter wall coupled to a perimeter edge of the platform and arranged to extend downwardly in a first direction away from the platform and the horizontal plane, the removable tamper band includes an elongated band strip coupled to each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps by the frangible link and arranged to extend upwardly in a second direction away from the undersides of the first, second, and third flip-top caps and the horizontal plane while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body.

9. The closure of claim 8, wherein the body also includes a series of retainer anchors coupled to the upright perimeter wall and the retainer means includes a series of band retainers coupled to the elongated band strip, and each of the band retainers is arranged to mate with a companion retainer anchor upon movement of the lid from the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the platform to retain the flip-top caps in the temporary anchored positions.

10. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a lid including first, second, and third flip-top caps, a removable tamper band, and a frangible link arranged to couple the removable tamper band to each of the flip-top caps temporarily to define a frangible tear line between the removable tamper band and each of the flip-top caps, and

a lid tether arranged to interconnect the body and each of the flip-top caps permanently and configured to support each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps for independent movement relative to the body and to one another between a closed position covering selected ones of the dispensing apertures and an opened position exposing the selected ones of the dispensing apertures, and

wherein the removable tamper band includes retainer means for engaging the body to retain each of the flip-top caps in a temporary anchored position on the body covering the dispensing apertures after movement of the lid from an unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to an assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body until the removable tamper band is separated from the flip-top caps in response to fracture of the frangible link to free each of the flip-top caps for pivoting movement about a pivot axis associated with the lid tether between the closed and opened positions,

wherein the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body to locate the first, second, and third flip-top caps between the lid tether and the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body, and

wherein the body includes a base formed to include the dispensing apertures and adapted to mount on the container in a position covering a mouth formed in the container and configured to open into the interior region formed in the container and the body also includes retainer anchors appended to the base and arranged to extend horizontally away from the dispensing apertures and to mate with the retainer means only upon movement of the lid from the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body to cover the first, second, and third flip-top caps to assume the temporary anchor positions while the removable tamper band is coupled to each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps.

11. The closure of claim 10, wherein the base includes a foundation having an endless side wall and a top rim coupled to an upper end of the endless side wall and a top deck formed to include the dispensing apertures and arranged to extend upwardly away from the endless side wall, the top rim includes an outer edge coupled to the endless side wall and an inner edge coupled to the top deck, and each retainer anchor is cantilevered to an upright perimeter wall of the top deck and arranged to overlie a portion of the top rim.

12. The closure of claim 11, wherein the removable tamper band further includes an elongated band strip coupled to each of the flip-top caps by the frangible link, the retainer means includes a series of band retainers coupled to the elongated band strip, each of the band retainers is arranged to mate with a companion retainer anchor upon movement of the lid from the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body to retain the flip-top caps in the temporary anchored positions, and the elongated band strip is unconnected to the foundation.

13. The closure of claim 11, wherein the body also includes a first upright barrier flange arranged to extend upwardly from the top rim of the underlying foundation at a first end of the foundation to terminate at a location above the top deck and a second upright barrier flange arranged to extend upwardly from the top rim of the underlying foundation at an opposite second end of the foundation to terminate at a location above the top deck and to locate the top deck in a space provided between the first and second upright barrier flanges, the second flip-top cap is arranged to lie between the first and third flip-top caps, and the first, second, and third flip-top caps are arranged to extend into the space provided between the first and second upright barrier flanges upon movement of the lid to assume the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the top deck of the body to cause at least a portion of a space provided between a top side of the top deck and an underside of the first flip-top cap to be covered by the first upright barrier flange and to cause at least a portion of a space provided between the top side of the top deck and an underside of the third flip-top cap to be covered by the second upright barrier flange.

14. The closure of claim 13, wherein the removable tamper band further includes an elongated band strip coupled to each of the flip-top caps by the frangible link, the retainer means includes a series of band retainers coupled to the elongated band strip, each of the band retainers is arranged to mate with a companion retainer anchor upon movement of the lid from the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body to retain the flip-top caps in the temporary anchored positions, and the elongated band strip is unconnected to the foundation, the removable tamper band further includes a first finger-pull tab at one end of the elongated band strip and a second finger-pull tab at an opposite end of the elongated band strip, the elongated band strip is arranged to interconnect the first and second finger-pull tabs and carry the band retainers included in the removable tamper band, the first finger-pull tab is arranged to lie in close proximity to the first upright barrier flange and to cover another portion of the space provided between the top side of the top deck and the underside of the first flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the top deck of the body, and the second finger-pull tab is arranged to lie in close proximity to the second upright barrier flange and to cover another portion of the space provided between the top side of the top deck and the underside of the third flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the top deck of the body.

15. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a lid including first, second, and third flip-top caps, a removable tamper band, and a frangible link arranged to couple the removable tamper band to each of the flip-top caps temporarily to define a frangible tear line between the removable tamper band and each of the flip-top caps, and

a lid tether arranged to interconnect the body and each of the flip-top caps permanently and configured to support each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps for independent movement relative to the body and to one another between a closed position covering selected ones of the dispensing apertures and an opened position exposing the selected ones of the dispensing apertures, and

wherein the removable tamper band includes retainer means for engaging the body to retain each of the flip-top caps in a temporary anchored position on the body covering the dispensing apertures after movement of the lid from an unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to an assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body until the removable tamper band is separated from the flip-top caps in response to fracture of the frangible link to free each of the flip-top caps for pivoting movement about a pivot axis associated with the lid tether between the closed and opened positions,

wherein the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body to locate the first, second, and third flip-top caps between the lid tether and the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body,

wherein the second flip-top cap is arranged to lie between the first and third flip-top caps while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, the removable tamper band further includes an elongated band strip carrying the retainer means, a first finger-pull tab at one end of the elongated band strip, and a second finger-pull tab at an opposite end of the elongated band strip, each of the first and second finger-pull tabs includes an end plate and a flexible curved link interconnecting the elongated band strip and the end plate, the flexible curved link of the first finger-pull tab winds around an exterior corner of the first flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, and the flexible curved link of the second finger pull tab winds around an exterior corner of the third flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, and

wherein the body also includes a first upright barrier flange arranged to extend upwardly from the top rim of the underlying foundation at a first end of the foundation to terminate at a location above the top deck and a second upright barrier flange arranged to extend upwardly from the top rim of the underlying foundation at an opposite second end of the foundation to terminate at a location above the top deck and to locate the top deck in a space provided between the first and second upright barrier flanges, and the first, second, and third flip-top caps are arranged to extend into the space provided between the first and second upright barrier flanges upon movement of the lid to assume the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the top deck of the body to cause at least a portion of a space provided between a top side of the top deck and an underside of the first flip-top cap to be covered by the first upright barrier flange and to cause at least a portion of a space provided between the top side of the top deck and an underside of the third flip-top cap to be covered by the second upright barrier flange.

16. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a lid including first, second, and third flip-top caps, a removable tamper band, and a frangible link arranged to couple the removable tamper band to each of the flip-top caps temporarily to define a frangible tear line between the removable tamper band and each of the flip-top caps, and

a lid tether arranged to interconnect the body and each of the flip-top caps permanently and configured to support each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps for independent movement relative to the body and to one another between a closed position covering selected ones of the dispensing apertures and an opened position exposing the selected ones of the dispensing apertures, and

wherein the removable tamper band includes retainer means for engaging the body to retain each of the flip-top caps in a temporary anchored position on the body covering the dispensing apertures after movement of the lid from an unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to an assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body until the removable tamper band is separated from the flip-top caps in response to fracture of the frangible link to free each of the flip-top caps for pivoting movement about a pivot axis associated with the lid tether between the closed and opened positions, and

wherein the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body to locate the first, second, and third flip-top caps between the lid tether and the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body,

wherein the second flip-top cap is arranged to lie between the first and third flip-top caps while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, the removable tamper band further includes an elongated band strip carrying the retainer means, a first finger-pull tab at one end of the elongated band strip, and a second finger-pull tab at an opposite end of the elongated band strip, each of the first and second finger-pull tabs includes an end plate and a flexible curved link interconnecting the elongated band strip and the end plate, the flexible curved link of the first finger-pull tab winds around an exterior corner of the first flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, and the flexible curved link of the second finger pull tab winds around an exterior corner of the third flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position, and

wherein the retainer means includes a series of band retainers coupled to the elongated band strip, each of the band retainers is arranged to mate with a companion retainer anchor upon movement of the lid from the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body to retain the flip-top caps in the temporary anchored positions, the end plate of the first finger-pull tab is arranged to lie in close proximity to the first upright barrier flange and to cover another portion of the space provided between the top side of the top deck and the underside of the first flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the top deck of the body, and the end plate of the second finger-pull tab is arranged to lie in close proximity to the second upright barrier flange and to cover another portion of the space provided between the top side of the top deck and the underside of the third flip-top cap while the lid lies in the assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the top deck of the body.

17. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a first aperture cover including a first flip-top cap and a first hinge coupled to the first flip-top cap and to the body to support the first flip-top cap for movement about a pivot axis between a closed position covering a first of the dispensing apertures to an opened position away from the body uncovering the first of the dispensing apertures,

a second aperture cover including a second flip-top cap and a second hinge coupled to the second flip-top cap and to the body to support the second flip-top cap for movement about the pivot axis between a closed position covering a second of the dispensing apertures to an opened position away from the body uncovering the second of the dispensing apertures,

a cap-motion blocker coupled to each of the first and second flip-top caps along separate first and second frangible tear lines and mated to the body to block movement of each of the first and second flip-top caps about the pivot axis from the closed positions to the opened positions as long as the cap-motion blocker is coupled to the first and second flip-top caps along the first and second frangible tear lines, and

wherein the body includes a foundation adapted to mate with the container, a top deck formed to include the dispensing apertures and coupled to the foundation and to each of the first and second hinges, and a series of retainer anchors appended to an upright perimeter wall included in the top deck to extend horizontally away from the dispersing apertures and arranged to mate with companion band retainers included in the cap-motion blocker to establish means for temporarily retaining the first and second flip-top caps in the closed positions covering the dispensing apertures formed in the top deck until the first and second frangible tear lines are broken to decouple the cap-motion blocker from the first and second flip-top caps.

18. The closure of claim 17, wherein the foundation includes an endless side wall adapted to mate with the container so as to support the body in a position covering a mouth formed in the container and configured to open into an interior region formed in the container and a top rim coupled to a top portion of the endless side wall at an outer edge thereof and to the upright perimeter wall of the top deck at an inner edge thereof, and the retainer anchors are arranged to lie above and in spaced-apart relation to the top rim of the foundation.

19. A tamper-evident closure for mounting on a container formed to include an interior region, the closure comprising

a body adapted to mount on the container to overlie the interior region and formed to include dispensing apertures arranged to open into the interior region of the container when the body is mounted on the container,

a lid including first, second, and third flip-top caps, a removable tamper band, and a frangible link arranged to couple the removable tamper band to each of the flip-top caps temporarily to define a frangible tear line between the removable tamper band and each of the flip-top caps, and

a lid tether arranged to interconnect the body and each of the flip-top caps permanently and configured to support each of the first, second, and third flip-top caps for independent movement relative to the body and to one another between a closed position covering selected ones of the dispensing apertures and an opened position exposing the selected ones of the dispensing apertures, and

wherein the removable tamper band includes retainer means for engaging the body to retain each of the flip-top caps in a temporary anchored position on the body covering the dispensing apertures after movement of the lid from an unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body to an assembled tamper-resistant body-engaging position overlying the body until the removable tamper band is separated from the flip-top caps in response to fracture of the frangible link to free each of the flip-top caps for pivoting movement about a pivot axis associated with the lid tether between the closed and opened positions

wherein the removable tamper band is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the body to locate the first, second, and third flip-top caps between the lid tether and the removable tamper band while the lid lies in the unassembled spread-apart body-disengaging position alongside the body and

wherein the body includes an endless side wall and a top deck arranged to meet the endless side wall along a rear edge of the body and formed to include the dispensing apertures, the top deck comprises a first deck section formed to include several relatively small sprinkle-discharge dispensing apertures, a third deck section formed to include a single pour-discharge dispensing aperture, and a second deck section located between the first and third deck sections and formed to include a single scoop-receiver dispensing aperture that is larger than the single pour-discharge dispensing aperture, and the lid tether includes a first hinge coupled to the first deck section at the rear edge of the body and to the first flip-top cap, a second hinge separated from the first hinge and coupled to the second deck section at the rear edge of the body, and a third hinge separated from the first and second hinges and coupled to the third deck section at the rear edge of the body.