Snap-on, screw-off cap and container neck

• US 5,687,866 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CAP CANA SA (Grupo Abrisa)
• Original Assignee: CAP CANA SA (Grupo Abrisa)
• Inventors: Luch, Daniel, Repp, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CRONIN, STEPHEN K
• Application Number:
  US08/672,688
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 215/252, 215/253, 215/254, 215/256, 215/307, 215/318, 215/320, 215/329, 215/330, 215/354, 215/356, 215/357, 215/341, 220/203.01, 220/208, 220/296, 220/361, 220/366.1
• US Class Current: 215/256
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/023 Neck construction
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0093 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/15 Tearable part of the closure B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/25 Non-metallic tear-off strips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2501/0081 Bottles of non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/205 integral with the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0421 and combined with integral sealing means contacting other surfaces of a container neck
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/0471 with means for positioning the cap on the container, or for limiting the movement of the cap, or for preventing accidental loosening of the cap
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/17 push-on and twist-off
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/3404 with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/3409 the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges

Abstract

A tamper-evident, snap-on, screw-off closure is used with a specially shaped container neck. The neck has at least one first helical thread on an upper neck stretch portion, and a first tamper-evident structure having a first locking member. The closure has an upper skirt having at least one second helical thread mating with the first helical thread of the neck. The closure includes a second tamper-evident structure having a second locking member shaped and positioned to engage the first locking member when the closure is applied to the neck.

Claims

1. In combination, a container having a neck and a container closure,

said neck having an upper opening, a downward extending neck stretch below said opening, said neck stretch having an exterior, a plurality of first helical engagement means formed around said exterior of said neck stretch, and first tamper-evidencing means on said neck,

said closure having a top, a downward extending upper skin portion depending from said top adapted to fit over said neck stretch, said upper skirt portion having an interior, a plurality of second helical engagement means formed around said interior of said upper skirt portion shaped to mate with said at least one first helical engagement means, and second tamper-evidencing means,

said first and second helical engagement means being interengaged to secure said closure in sealing engagement with said neck, said first and second helical engagement means being of sufficient length around said exterior of said neck stretch and said interior of said upper skin portion, respectively, to provide at least 400°

of thread engagement,

said first and second helical engagement means being shaped and said closure being resilient so that upon application of force to accomplish direct, axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed relative rotation of said closure and said neck, said first and second helical engagement means slip past each other and then interengage and said closure seats on and sealingly engages said neck so that said closure cannot be removed from said neck without unscrewing said closure,

said second tamper-evidencing means being frangible, said first tamper-evidencing means having a plurality of first teeth, said second tamper-evidencing means having a plurality of second teeth, at least one of said first teeth and said second teeth having a guiding surface shaped for guiding said teeth into side by side interengagement upon contact with the other of said at least one of said first teeth and said second teeth during said direct axial movement.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said first tamper-evidencing means includes a locking portion below said neck stretch, and

said first project outwardly from said locking portion.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said first tamper-evidencing means includes a shoulder extending outwardly from said neck stretch, and

said first teeth project upwardly from said shoulder.

4. The combination of claim 1, and

frangible means connecting said second tamper evidencing means to said upper skirt portion.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said first and second helical engagement means are screw threads, said first and second helical engagement means having a linear thread density of at least twelve threads per inch.

6. The combination of claim 1, and

means for removing said second tamper-evidencing means.

7. The combination of claim 1, and

a plurality of external ribs formed on an exterior surface of said upper skirt portion.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said first teeth are each formed with said guiding surface.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said second teeth are each formed with said guiding surface.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said first teeth and said second teeth are each formed with said guiding surface.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein,

said second tamper-evidencing means includes a lower band portion below said upper skirt portion, and

said second teeth are formed on said lower band portion, said second teeth being shaped and positioned to cooperate with said first teeth to restrain unscrewing of said closure with said first and second tamper-evident means intact.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein,

said lower band portion includes a shoulder extending outwardly from said upper skirt portion and said lower skirt portion depends from said shoulder, said shoulder having an underside, and

said second teeth depend from said underside of said shoulder.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein

said lower skin has an inside, and

said second teeth are detached from said inside of said lower skirt portion.

14. The combination of claim 1, and

first orientation means on said container,

second orientation means on said closure,

said first and second orientation means being positioned to be directionally engaged by respective first and second external orientation means to orient said closure relative to said container so that, upon application of said force to accomplish said direct axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed rotation of said closure relative to said neck, said first and second teeth interengage to prevent unscrewing of said closure from said neck so long as said second tamper-evidencing means is intact.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein,

said first orientation means comprises at least a potion of said container having a substantially non-circular cross section, said non-circular cross section being shaped and positioned to be engaged by external orientation means for aligning said container relative to said closure.

16. The combination of claim 14 wherein,

said second orientation means comprises a tab projecting from said closure, said tab being shaped and positioned to be engaged by external orientation means for aligning said closure relative to said container.

17. In combination, a container having a neck and a container closure,

said neck having an upper opening, a downward extending neck stretch below said opening, said neck stretch having an exterior, at least one first helical engagement means formed around said exterior of said neck stretch, and first taper-evidencing means on said neck,

said closure having a top, a downward extending upper skirt portion depending from said top adapted to fit over said neck stretch, said upper skirt portion having an interior, at least one second helical engagement means formed around said interior of said upper skirt portion shaped to mate with said at least one first helical engagement means, and second tamper-evidencing means,

said at least one first and second helical engagement means being interengaged to secure said closure in sealing engagement with said neck,

said at least one first and second helical engagement means being shaped and said closure being resilient so that upon application of force to accomplish direct, axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed relative rotation of said closure and said neck, said at least one first and second helical engagement means slip past each other and then interengage and said closure seats on and sealingly engages said neck so that said closure cannot be removed from said neck without unscrewing said closure,

said second tamper-evidencing means being frangible, said first tamper-evidencing means having a plurality of first teeth, said second tamper-evidencing means having a plurality of second teeth, said first and second teeth being shaped and positioned for guiding said teeth into side by side interengagement during said direct axial movement, said second teeth having a beveled inner edge for directing said second teeth into interengagement with said first teeth.

18. In combination, a container having a neck and a container closure,

said neck having an upper opening, a downward extending neck stretch below said opening, said neck stretch having an exterior, at least one first helical engagement means formed around said exterior of said neck stretch, and first tamper-evidencing means on said neck,

said closure having a top, said top having an underside, a downward extending upper skirt portion depending from said top adapted to fit over said neck stretch, said upper skirt portion having an interior, at least one second helical engagement means formed around said interior of said upper skirt portion shaped to mate with said at least one first helical engagement means, and second tamper-evidencing means,

said at least one first and second helical engagement means being interengaged to secure said closure in sealing engagement with said neck,

said at least one first and second helical engagement means being shaped and said closure being resilient so that upon application of force to accomplish direct, axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed relative rotation of said closure and said neck, said at least one first and second helical engagement means slip past each other and then interengage and said closure seats on and sealingly engages said neck so that said closure cannot be removed from said neck without unscrewing said closure,

said second tamper-evidencing means being frangible, said first tamper-evidencing means having a plurality of first teeth, said second tamper-evidencing means having a plurality of second teeth, said first and second teeth being shaped and positioned for guiding said teeth into side by side interengagement during said direct axial movement, and

said closure being formed with an internal shoulder at the intersection of said underside of said top and said interior of said upper skirt portion, said internal shoulder engaging said neck stretch when said closure seats on said neck.

19. A container closure for use with a container having a neck of the type having an upper opening, a downward extending neck stretch portion below said opening, said neck stretch portion having an exterior, at least one first helical engagement means formed around said exterior of said neck stretch portion, and first tamper-evidencing means below said neck stretch portion, said first tamper-evidencing means having first locking means,

said closure having a top, a downward extending upper skirt portion depending from said top adapted to fit over said neck stretch portion, said upper skirt portion having an interior, at least one second helical engagement means formed around said interior of said upper skirt portion shaped to mate with said at least one first helical engagement means, and second tamper-evidencing means,

said closure being resilient and said at least one second helical engagement means being shaped to cooperate with said at least one first helical engagement means so that upon application of force to accomplish direct, axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed relative rotation of said closure and said neck, said at least one second helical engagement means slips past and then interengages with said at least one first helical engagement means and said closure seats on said neck so that said closure cannot be removed from said neck without unscrewing said closure,

said second tamper-evidencing means being frangible, said second tamper-evidencing means including a lower skirt portion spaced outwardly of said upper skirt portion, a shoulder joining said upper skirt portion and said lower skirt portion, and second locking means, said lower skirt portion having an interior, said second locking means including at least one downward depending tooth depending from said underside of said shoulder and detached from said interior of said lower skirt portion and shaped and positioned to interengage said first locking means once said closure is seated on said neck upon said direct axial movement.

20. The closure of claim 19 wherein,

said at least one internal tooth has a beveled edge for directing said at least one internal tooth into interengagement with said first locking means.

21. The closure of claim 19, and

orientation means on said closure, said orientation means being shaped and positioned to be directionally engaged for orienting said closure relative to said container so that, upon application of said force to accomplish said direct axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed relative rotation of said closure and said neck, said second locking means and said first locking means interengage to prevent unscrewing of said closure from said neck without removing said second tamper-evidencing means from said closure.

22. The closure of claim 19, and

frangible means connecting said second tamper evidencing means to said upper skirt portion.

23. The closure of claim 22 wherein,

said frangible means comprises a plurality of spaced bridges.

24. The closure of claim 22 wherein,

said frangible means comprises a line of weakness extending between said upper skirt portion and said second tamper evidencing means.

25. In combination, a container having a neck and a container closure,

said neck having an upper opening, a downward extending neck stretch below said opening, said neck stretch having an exterior, a plurality of first helical engagement means formed around said exterior of said neck stretch, a locking wall stretch below said neck stretch, and a plurality of first teeth on said locking wall stretch,

said closure having a top, a downward extending upper skirt portion depending from said top adapted to fit over said neck stretch, said upper skirt portion having an interior, a plurality of second helical engagement means formed around said interior of said upper skirt portion shaped to mate with said first helical engagement means, a lower skirt portion below and frangibly joined to said upper skirt, and a plurality of second teeth on said lower skirt portion,

said first and second helical engagement means being shaped and said closure being resilient so that upon application of force to accomplish direct, axial movement of said closure relative to said container without externally imposed relative rotation of said closure and said neck, said at least one first and second helical engagement means slip past each other and then interengage and said closure seats on said neck so that said closure cannot be removed from said neck without unscrewing said closure, said first and second helical engagement means being of sufficient length around said exterior of said neck stretch portion and said interior of said upper skirt portion, respectively, to provide at least 400°

of thread engagement,

said first and second teeth having at least one guiding surface for guiding said teeth into side-by-side interengagement upon contact between at least one of said first teeth and at least one of said second teeth during said direct, axial movement of said closure relative to said neck.