Patents Assigned to Zapata Innovative Closures, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6158603
    Abstract: The tamper evident closure of the present invention includes a twist cap made of plastic that comprises a top portion and an interior sealing means which coacts with the rim of the container neck to provide a gas-tight seal. The top portion also has an annular depending skirt which includes an interior retaining means to coact with an exterior retaining means on the neck finish of the container. The exterior retaining means of the container has a positive stopping means to coact with interior retaining means of the cap so that when the cap is screwed onto the container neck the positive stopping means is engaged at a predetermined level of sealing force and capping torque. The depending skirt also includes locking means which lock the cap into place after the container is sealed. The locking means coacts with the positive stopping means on the container to prevent the cap from being unscrewed or twisted off the container after it has been screwed onto the container neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Zapata Innovative Closures Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Price, Edward Generose
  • Patent number: 5984125
    Abstract: The tamper evident closure of the present invention includes a twist cap made of plastic that comprises a top portion and an interior sealing means which coacts with the rim of the container neck to provide a gas-tight seal. The top portion also has an annular depending skirt which includes an interior retaining means to coact with an exterior retaining means on the neck finish of the container. The exterior retaining means of the container has a positive stopping means to coact with interior retaining means of the cap so that when the cap is screwed onto the container neck the positive stopping means is engaged at a predetermined level of sealing force and capping torque. The depending skirt also includes locking means which lock the cap into place after the container is sealed. The locking means coacts with the positive stopping means on the container to prevent the cap from being unscrewed or twisted off the container after it has been screwed onto the container neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: ZapatA Innovative Closures, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Price, Edward Generose
  • Patent number: 5891380
    Abstract: A tamper evident cap is provided which includes plastic and includes a skirt having means for engaging means on a neck of a container for closing and opening the container, and an annular frangible band connected to and depending from the skirt, wherein the band includes an outer wall frangibly connected to the skirt by a line of weakness comprising fracturable bridges, posts and the like, and an inner wall joined to the bottom of the outer wall by a curvilinear connecting portion and extending therefrom inwardly and upwardly in a generally inverted "J", "U", "V", triangulated curl " or "trapazoidal" cross-sectional shape, wherein the inner wall includes a free end comprising a rim adapted to engage the interfering means on a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Zapata Innovative Closures, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Larue, William A. Moll, IV, Francis M. Schloss, Mortimer Stafford Thompson
  • Patent number: 5875906
    Abstract: A tamper evident sleeve and method of forming the sleeve. The tamper evident sleeve is used in conjunction with a closure or cap, such as a twist-off metal crown seal, for a container or bottle. The sleeve has a skirt made from plastic material which engages the crown seal and rotates with the crown seal in opening and closing the container without discomfort or injury which can be encountered in-directly gripping a metal crown seal. The sleeve also includes a tamper evident feature depending from the skirt of the sleeve which indicates the condition of the container upon the initial removal of the sleeve and crown seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Zapata Innovative Closures, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Price, Claudio Zapata Gomez, James Kropke