WO2007121430A2

WO2007121430A2 - Tamper-evident closure valve

Info

Publication number: WO2007121430A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/066766
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard H. Seager; Alex S. Szekely
Original assignee: Plastek Industries, Inc.
Priority date: 2006-04-17
Filing date: 2007-04-17
Publication date: 2007-10-25
Also published as: WO2007121426A3; WO2007121430A3; WO2007121426A2; WO2007121428A2; WO2007121428A3

Abstract

A closure (24) opens by a user-actuated rotation of a closure element (42) relative to a closure body (40) about a longitudinal axis (500). The element (42) (e.g., a cap (a sealing cap or alternatively just an overcap) or valve element) has a tamper-evidencing tab (90) extending upward from a lower wall (77) of the element (42). The tab is initially captured in a recess (94) in an upwardly projecting wall (52) of the body. The tab may be severed to permit an opening rotation of the element (42).

Description

TAMPER-EVIDENT CLOSURE VALVE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] Benefit is claimed of US patent application 60/744,947, entitled "TAMPER-EVIDENT CLOSURE VALVE", and filed April 17, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein as if set forth at length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to closures. More particularly, the invention relates to tamper-evident screw and snap cap closures for bottles and the like.

[0003] A well-developed art exists regarding tamper-evident screw cap closures. A typical screw cap closure is molded of a plastic material (e.g., polypropylene, low density polypropylene (LDPE) , or high density polyethylene (HDPE) ) . The closure body typically comprises an internally threaded sidewall portion. A bottom of the sidewall forms a tamper-evident ring. There may be an interrupted or otherwise weakened connection between the ring and adjacent portion of the sidewall. At the upper end of the sidewall main portion, a web may close the closure.

Alternatively, any of a number of forms of open valve seat may be formed to which a separate valve element (e.g., a poppet) is movably mounted to open and close the closure. [0004] The closure may be installed to a threaded neck of the bottle by screwing/threading. The screwing may flex/stretch the ring over the bottle external threads. Upon unscrewing of the closure, however, the tensile strength of the connection may be insufficient to draw the ring back over the bottle threads, thereby rupturing the connection and leaving the ring on the bottle. Even upon reinstallation of the remaining portion of the closure, the severed connection provides clear evidence that the closure has previously been opened. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] One aspect of the invention involves a closure that opens by a user actuated rotation of a closure element relative to a closure body about a longitudinal axis. The element has an upper tamper evidencing portion. The portion may be severed by an opening rotation of the element relative to the body. [0006] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a view of a bottle closure in an initial closed condition.

[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the closure of FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a top view of the closure of FIG. 1 with overcap removed.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a first central vertical sectional view of the closure of FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing a bottle body in broken line.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a second central vertical/longitudinal sectional view of the closure of FIG. 3, taken along line 5-5 of

FIG. 3. [0012] FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the closure of

FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6.

[0013] FIG. 7 is an opened view of the closure of FIG. 3.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a central vertical/longitudinal sectional view of the opened closure of FIG. 7. [0015] Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a container (bottle) 20 as an assembly of a bottle body 22 and a closure assembly (closure) 24. The bottle body 22 (FIG. 4) includes a sidewall 28 extending upward from a bottom or base 30. The exemplary sidewall 28 extends to a shoulder 32. A neck 34 extends above the shoulder to a rim 36 defining a mouth opening. The neck 34 includes a portion 38 below the rim 36 for engaging and retaining the closure assembly. One example of the portion 38 is an annular rib to engage a snap-on closure assembly. Another example of the portion 38 is an external thread for engaging a screw-on closure assembly.

[0017] The bottle interior may contain a liquid beverage. The exemplary body 22 and closure 24 have a common central vertical/longitudinal axis 500 (FIG. 1) . The exemplary closure 24 (FIG. 2) is the assembly of a first (main) piece 40 and a second piece 42. As is discussed further below, the exemplary first piece 40 forms a closure body and the exemplary second piece 42 forms a cap and/or a valve element which may be articulated relative to the closure body 40 to open and close the bottle. An exemplary articulation is a relative rotation about the axis 500. As a valve element, the element 42 may, in an open condition, allow communication/dispensing through or bypassing itself without being removed. If merely as a cap, the element 42 may be removed to allow desired communication/dispensing. The exemplary embodiment includes a separate overcap 43 which covers the valve element 42 (e.g., to protect against dust and debris) . As is discussed below, a tamper evident feature may be applied to the element 42 serving one or both of the valve element/cap roles.

[0018] An exemplary bottle body 22 is of any conventional or yet-developed type and may be unitarily molded from a plastic (e.g., HDPE). The exemplary closure body 40 may similarly be unitarily molded (e.g., of HDPE or MDPE). The element 42 may similarly be molded (e.g., of polypropylene). The overcap 43 (e.g., functioning as a dust cover), if any, may also be similarly molded, advantageously of transparent material. The exemplary closure body 40 includes a sidewall 44 extending upward from a lower rim 48 to a shoulder 50. An outer wall/boss 52 projects upward from the shoulder. The exemplary shoulder 50 continues inward to an inner boss 53 projecting above a rim 54 of the outer wall 52. A channel 55 may be formed between the inner boss 53 and the outer wall 52. As is discussed below, the exemplary shoulder 50, outer wall 52, and inner boss 53 may include features for mounting and receiving the element 42. [0019] A lower portion 56 (FIG. 4) of the sidewall 44 forms a tamper evident ring. The exemplary sidewall 44 includes a feature (e.g., channel 58 or a thread which receives the rib 38 (or thread) of the bottle. The exemplary lower portion 56 includes an annular rib 59 forming a lower wall of the channel 58. The exemplary lower portion 56 includes a pull-tab 60 adjacent an at least partial perforation 61. Pulling on the pull tab 60 may start a rupture of the ring at the perforation 61, causing an at least partial severing of the ring (e.g., somewhat less than 360°) . The severing may evidence tampering in one or more ways. For example, the dangling or absence of the ring may itself evidence tampering. Furthermore, if a lower portion of the channel 58 is removed, retention of the closure body 40 may be compromised, allowing the body 40 to fall off or by relatively incidentally removed. [0020] An alternative tamper evident ring (not shown) is particularly appropriate with a threaded bottle-to-closure connection and has radially inward projections/protrusions captured below an annular rib of the bottle below the externally threaded portion. Scoring may frangibly separate the ring from a remainder of the sidewall which bears an internal thread for engaging the bottle external thread. Once the closure body is screwed onto the bottle, unscrewing would be resisted by engagement of the projections and the rib, severing connections and causing the ring to separate from the remainder of the body to evidence tampering.

[0021] The exemplary inner boss 53 (FIG. 2) has a sidewall 69 extending upward to a web 70. The web 70 has a pair of diametrically opposite outlets 71 (outlet ports) from the closure body 40. As is discussed further below, the exemplary sidewall includes a feature 72 (e.g., an annular outwardly-protruding rib) for engaging a complementary corresponding feature of the valve element 42 to longitudinally retain the valve element 42 in an installed longitudinal position. The exemplary web 70 also bears an engagement feature 74 (e.g., an upward vertical camming protrusion) for engaging a complementary corresponding feature of a tamper evident indicator of the valve element 42. [0022] FIG. 2 further shows the body 40 as including a detent feature 76 (e.g., a pair of vertical protrusions spanning between the shoulder 50 and the inboard surface of the outboard wall 52) for cooperating with a corresponding feature (discussed below) of the valve element 42 to detent the valve element in a closed orientation/condition. The exemplary body further includes a pair of diametrically opposite stop features (stops) 78 to limit a rotational range of motion of the valve element (e.g., to +/-90° from the detented closed condition/orientation) . [0023] The exemplary closure element 42 includes an upper web 80. A sidewall 82 depends from a periphery of the web 80. The exemplary sidewall 82 extends to an inboard lower rim 84 (FIGS. 4 and 5) . An inboard/ID surface of the sidewall 82 bears the engagement feature 86 (e.g., a channel) complementary to the body engagement feature (rib) 72. In assembly, the valve element may be delivered to the installed position and closed condition/orientation by a longitudinal translation toward the body, causing a snap engagement of the features 72 and 86 to longitudinally retain the valve element 42 to the body 40. A branch shoulder/sidewall 90 extends from an intermediate location along the outboard/OD surface of the sidewall 82 to a lower rim 92. In the exemplary embodiment, the lower rim 92 aligns with and closely faces the upper rim of the body wall 52. The exemplary shoulder 90 bears a depending engagement feature 94 (e.g., a projection). In the exemplary embodiment, the projection 94 may cooperate with the body features 76 and 78 to provide both the detent mechanism and the stop mechanism. To achieve this, the exemplary features 76 comprise a pair of relatively low spaced-apart walls (sufficiently low to allow the projection 94 to snap into and out of a nested detent position between the two during rotation of the valve element) . The exemplary features 78 each comprise a first low wall and a second high wall. The low wall may be similar to one of the detent walls and similarly spaced apart from the high wall to allow detenting at the associated open position. The high wall may be high enough to prevent further rotation. [0024] An inboard/inner sidewall 100 depends from the web 80 inboard of the sidewall 82. The exemplary sidewall 100 depends to a lower rim 102 (FIG. 5) which seals against the upper surface of the web 70 in the installed condition. The exemplary rim 102 is positioned inboard of the ports 71. An annular space 104 between the sidewalls 82 and 100 is divided into an exemplary four quadrants (sectors) 106A-D by dividing walls 108. Along an opposite pair (106A and 106C) of the quadrants, the sidewall 100 has ports 110 (FIG. 4-e.g., recessed areas of the rim). Along the other pair 106B and 106D (FIG. 5), it does not. When the other (closed) pair is aligned with the ports 71, the valve is in a closed condition with communication through the ports blocked/terminating in the closed pair 106B and 106D. When the first pair 106A and 106C is aligned with the ports, flow may pass through the ports 71 and 110 into a space 120 interior of the wall 100 and potentially out an outlet (discussed below) of the valve element. [0025] As is noted above, additional tamper evidencing means are provided for evidencing opening and/or attempted opening of the closure (e.g., opening of the valve element 42) rather than removal and/or attempted removal of the closure body from the bottle. Exemplary means comprise a severable indicator 130 (FIG. 2) of the element 42. The exemplary indicator 130 is initially across an outlet 132 of the valve element 42 (although not necessarily sealing the outlet 132) . The exemplary indicator 130 is pin-like having a head 134 initially across the outlet 132 and a shaft 136 (FIGS. 4 and 5) depending from an underside of the head to a lower distal/tip end 138. In the exemplary embodiment, radial frangible/severable connections 140 secure the periphery of the head to the adjacent portion of the web 80 (e.g., along a periphery of the outlet 132) . The exemplary shaft 136 is of cruciform cross-section. In the exemplary shaft 136, one pair of arms 150 (FIG. 5) of the cruciform cross-section are vertically recessed whereas the others 152 are not. In the initial installed closed condition, the pair 152 is accommodated in a trough 154 (FIG. 2) of the engagement feature 74. A rotation of the valve element 42 in either direction about the axis 500 causes a camming interaction between: the tip (lower surface) 138 along the pair of arms 152; and associated camming surfaces (ramps) 156 of the feature 74 extending from the trough 154. This camming interaction creates stress between the indicator 130 and a remaining portion of the valve element 42. The stress is transmitted across the connections 140 to sever the connections and pop the indicator 130 out of the outlet 132. The severing and indicator removal unblocks the exemplary partial blockage of the port 132 by the indicator. The rotation also brings the open pair 106A and 106B of sectors into the operative position aligning their ports 110 with the body ports 71 to permit dispensing of liquid from the bottle body along a flowpath 158 (FIG. 8) through the ports 71, 110, and 132. The removal of the indicator evidences opening. The exemplary valve element 142 may be rotated back to the closed condition/orientation . [0026] In the exemplary embodiment, the web 80 includes integrally molded indicia 160 (FIG. 7) to indicate that the closure has been opened. Exemplary indicia include a word such as "tampered if opened" or "tampered if indicator button missing" or an appropriate pictogram or other graphic. Similarly, to highlight the tamper evident feature, the upper surface of the indicator 130 may bear indicia 162. This indicia may, for example, include a word such as "sealed" or an appropriate graphic. Exemplary manufacturing involves molding of the body 40 and element 42 as separate pieces followed by assembly by relative translation along the axis 500 to achieve snap-in engagement to the closed condition.

[0027] The exemplary overcap 43 (FIG. 2) comprises an upper web 170. A sidewall 172 depends from a periphery of the web 170 (e.g., a shoulder) to a lower rim 174. The exemplary web 170 includes vents 176. The exemplary sidewall 172 is dimensioned so that a lower end portion of it may snap over and bear against an outboard surface of the wall 52. The exemplary overcap may be installed by a straight translation after installation of the valve element 42. The exemplary overcap 43 lacks a separate tamper evident feature.

[0028] One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, when implemented as a reengineering of an existing closure and/or for use with an existing bottle body, details of the existing closure or bottle body may influence or dictate details of the particular implementation. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A bottle closure (24) comprising: a body (40) having a sidewall (44) for mounting to a bottle; and a valve element (42) rotatable about a longitudinal axis (500) from a closed condition to an opened condition and comprising: means (90) for evidencing at least one of an opening or attempted opening of the valve element (42) responsive to a rotation about said longitudinal axis.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein: the means comprises a central indicator; and the indicator and the body have engagement surfaces positioned so that the rotation applies a strain between the indicator and a remaining portion of the valve element (42) .

3. The closure of claim 2 wherein: a connection between the indicator and the remaining portion has a size effective to be severed by the rotation.

4. The closure of claim 1 wherein: the closure consists essentially of the body, the valve element (42), and a separate overcap (43).

5. The closure of claim 1 wherein: the body consists essentially of a first unitary molding; and the valve element consists essentially of a second unitary molding.

6. A method for using a bottle closure (24) comprising: rotating a valve element (42) about an axis (500) relative to a closure body (40) to which the element (42) is mounted, wherein : the rotation severs an indicator from a remaining portion of the valve element; and the rotation places a port of the valve element in communication with a port of the body; and dispensing liquid from the bottle through the port of the body and the port of the valve element.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein: the rotation is a user-actuated rotation about a longitudinal axis (500).

8. The method of claim 7 wherein; the severing comprises an upward translation of the indicator .

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising: the severing removes the projection (90) from a recess (94) in the body.

10. A bottle closure comprising: a body (40) having a mounting feature for mounting to a bottle; and a valve element (42) mounted to the body (40) and comprising: an indicator having an engagement surface positioned to contact an engagement surface of the body during a rotation of the valve element relative to the body about a longitudinal axis; a severable connection between the indicator and a remaining portion of the body, the engagement surfaces positioned so that an opening rotation of the valve element stresses the connection so as to sever the connection.

11. The closure of claim 10 further comprising: an overcap.

12. The closure of claim 10 wherein: the body and valve element define a detent mechanism to detent a closed condition.

13. The closure of claim 12 wherein: the body and valve element define a pair of stops for said rotation in opposite directions.