Tamper-Evident Closure

Abstract

A closure comprises the unitarily molded single-piece combination of: a base for mounting to a container body; a living hinge; and a cover coupled by the living hinge to the base and shiftable between a closed orientation and an open orientation via rotation about the living hinge. A tamper-evident feature comprises: a tab connected to one of the cover and base by a second living hinge and having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion separated from the proximal portion by a pre-defined rupture zone in a pre-rupture condition and having a first engagement feature; and a second engagement feature on the other of the base and the cover positioned to engage the first engagement feature in the closed orientation and pre-rupture condition.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Benefit is claimed of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/130,506, filed Mar. 9, 2015, and entitled “Tamper-Evident Closure”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if set forth at length.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to packaging. More particularly, the invention relates to tamper-evident features for molded package closures.

A well-developed art exists in molded plastic closures. Key examples involve consumer goods packaging such as caps for bottles, dispensing tubes, jars, tubs and the like. Exemplary situations involve a closure formed as the unitary molding of a base for securing to a container body, a closure member (e.g., a cover) for opening and closing relative to the base, and a hinge connecting the base and the closure member to guide movement between closed and open conditions. A variety of such closures have been proposed. One example of a snap hinge closure is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,234 of Lohrman et al. PCT/US2011/053858 discloses yet further living hinge configurations.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the disclosure involves a closure comprising the unitarily molded single-piece combination of: a base for mounting to a container body; a living hinge; and a cover coupled by the living hinge to the base and shiftable between a closed orientation and an open orientation via rotation about the living hinge. A tamper-evident feature comprises: a tab connected to one of the cover and base by a second living hinge and having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion separated from the proximal portion by a pre-defined rupture zone in a pre-rupture condition and having a first engagement feature; and a second engagement feature on the other of the base and the cover positioned to engage the first engagement feature in the closed orientation and pre-rupture condition.

Additional aspects may be as set forth in any possible combination of features of the dependent claims or otherwise drawn from the drawings and description.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a prior art closure in an as-molded open condition/orientation.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of a hinge region of the closure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the hinge of the closure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a central transverse vertical sectional view of the hinge taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the hinge.

FIG. 5 is a medial sectional view of the hinge taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an off-center transverse sectional view of the hinge taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a first view of a closure in an as-molded condition.

FIG. 8 is a second view of the closure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the closure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the closure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the closure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a first end view of the closure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 13 is a second end view of the closure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 14 is a view of the closure of FIG. 7 after a first stage of initial closing.

FIG. 14A is an enlarged view of a tamper-evident feature area of the closure of FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the closure of FIG. 14.

FIG. 15A is an enlarged view of a tamper-evident feature area of the closure of FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is a top view of the closure of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the closure of FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a view of the closure of FIG. 14 after a second stage of initial closing.

FIG. 18A is an enlarged view of the tamper-evident feature area of the closure of FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 is a second view of the closure of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a top view of the closure of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the closure of FIG. 18.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the closure of FIG. 18.

FIG. 23 is an underside view of the closure of FIG. 18.

FIG. 24 is a first end view of the closure of FIG. 18 after opening.

FIG. 25 is a view of the closure of FIG. 24 after opening and stowing of a tamper-evident tab.

FIG. 25A is an enlarged view of the tamper-evident tab of the closure of FIG. 25.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a closure system (closure) 20 in an open condition. The illustrated exemplary system 20 comprises a unitarily molded combination comprising a living hinge 22 coupling a first portion 24 to a second portion 26. The exemplary first portion is a fixed portion such as a mounting base or “frame”. The exemplary mounting base 24 is formed as an essentially fully open ring or frame structure. The exemplary base 24 comprises a sidewall extending from a lower end formed by a lower rim 28 to an upper end formed by an upper rim 30 and has an inner/inboard/interior surface 32 and an outer/outboard/exterior surface 34. The inner surface 32 may bear a feature 36 such as a thread or an annular bead for respectively screwing onto or snapping onto a neck of a mating container body (not shown) and securing to a complementary feature thereon. Although the exemplary rim 30 defines a mouth that is essentially fully open, alternative implementations may have a smaller opening such as defined along a web extending radially inward from the upper end of the sidewall. The exemplary frame has a central vertical axis 1000 (vertical and longitudinal from the point of the container mouth).

Other possible mountings include adhesive mounting, solvent bond mounting, thermal weld mounting and like.

The exemplary second portion 26 is a closure member or element. The closure member 26 is articulatable by flexing of the hinge 22 relative to the base 24 when in a closed condition and one or more open conditions.

The exemplary closure member 26 is formed as a cover, more particularly, a combination of cap and plug. The closure member has a sidewall 40 having an upper (when closed on an upright package) portion 42 and an inwardly rebated lower portion 44. The lower portion extends upward from a lower rim 46. The sidewall has an inner surface 48 and an outer surface 50. Along the lower portion 44 the outer surface 50 is dimensioned to be received within an upper portion of the base 24. The upper portion 42 forms a shoulder 52 at junction with the lower portion 44 along the outer surface 50. In the exemplary implementation, the shoulder 52 is positioned to closely face or contact the upper rim 30 in the closed condition.

The exemplary closure element 26 further includes a transverse web 54 forming a top of the closure member. The surface 50 along the lower portion 44 and mating surface 32 may bear cooperating detent moieties (e.g., rib and channel or rib pairs) for detenting the closure element in the closed condition. Yet other locking features may include latches or the like.

FIG. 7 shows a closure system 200 in an open as-molded condition. The system 200 may be otherwise similar to the system 20 with a living hinge 222, a first portion 224, and a second portion 226 otherwise similar to their FIG. 1 counterparts but differing in the presence of a tamper-evident feature discussed below. Other illustrated differences are matters of design choices and may be interchanged with the FIG. 1 embodiment or others. For example, rather than a thread, the interior surface 32 of the base 224 bears detent projections 236 for snapping onto the neck of a container body rather than screwing.

The tamper-evident feature comprises, as molded, the combination of a first member 250 on the base 224 and a second member 252 on the cover 226. The exemplary first member 250 comprises a tab 260 having a proximal portion 262 and a distal portion 264. The proximal portion connects to the base 224 by a living hinge 266. As is discussed further below, the living hinge 266 is split into two hinges hinging respective legs 268 of the proximal portion spaced apart by a gap 270. The hinge 266 connects to the frame along the outer surface 34 near the lower edge 28.

The distal portion 264 (FIG. 10) is connected to the proximal portion 262 by a predefined rupture zone. In the illustrated example, the connection is a pair of legs 272 separated by a gap 274. The legs are sufficiently thin to pre-define a rupture zone where the distal portion may be severed from the proximal portion. The exemplary strength of the legs 272 in this regard is less than the hinges 266 so that the legs 272 will rupture preferentially to the hinges 266 when a load is applied between the distal portion and the frame. As is discussed below, the distal portion serves to engage the member 252 and be severed from the proximal portion upon first opening of the closure. FIG. 7 shows the distal portion 264 as having a pair of lateral barbs 280 serving as features for engaging the second member 252.

FIG. 7 shows the frame as having an optional pair of features 284 for engaging complementary features 286 of the member 250 in a post-ruptured stowed condition discussed below.

The exemplary feature 252 comprises a wall 300 (FIG. 8) spaced outwardly of the adjacent portion of the sidewall 40 opposite the hinge. The wall 300 is connected to the outer surface of the sidewall 40 via a pair of branches or connection portions 302. The exemplary connection portions 302 are along upper portions of lateral edges of the wall 300 and lateral portions of the upper edge of the wall 300. Between the lateral portions of the upper edge, the wall 300 has a recess 310 extending partially down the wall. The wall 300 has an outer surface 312 and an inner surface 314 (FIG. 7).

In an initial stage of use for securing to the container body, a manual or automated process may close the cover to the base (FIG. 14) via rotation about the hinge axis. The member 250 is, at this point, still in its as-molded orientation relative to the base (e.g., projecting radially outward). The manual or automated process then hinges (rotates) member 250 upward. This may involve hinging about an axis of its hinge 266 and/or a similar bending of the legs 268. A terminal portion of this rotation brings the barbs 280 into the recess 310 with the undersides of the barbs eventually (FIG. 18) catching on the inboard surface 314 to resist outward radial extraction.

FIG. 18A shows the distal portion 264 thus fitting in the recess 310.

This initial pre-rupture fully closed condition represents the consumer sale condition with the closure attached to a container. At this point, opening the cover 226 via normal means (e.g., as opposed to careful tool manipulation) will rupture the legs 272. For example, pulling up on the cover 226 relative to the base 224 will bottom the proximal edge of the distal portion 264 against the base of the recess 310 to resist further movement (with the barbs preventing the distal portion from pulling radially out of the recess). The lack of strength of the legs 272 relative to the hinges 266 will cause the legs 272 to break, leaving the distal portion 264 captured/retained in the member 252. The capture may be desirable to prevent loss of the distal portion for child safety or recyclability issues. Thus, the distal portion 264 cannot move inward due to the ends of the barbs 280 coming into contact with the cover sidewall; it cannot move outward due to the undersides of the barbs still retaining it; it cannot move downward due to some combination of it being bottomed out in the recess or the barbs preventing downward movement; it cannot move upward due to the barbs being captured beneath inboard portions of the connecting portions 302 adjacent the mouth of the recess at the upper edge of the wall 300.

Initially after opening (condition not shown), there are several indicia of opening. First, the indicia 313 (FIG. 6) on the outer surface 312 of the wall 300 are now exposed, having previously been concealed by the proximal portion 262. Second, the proximal portion 262 now projects radially outward which, alone, provides further tamper evidence. However, the original upper surface of the proximal portion 262 may have indicia 263 (FIG. 7) previously concealed that now show tamper evidence. This is particularly useful in a retail situation to provide a quick indication.

However, for a consumer, it may be undesirable to have the proximal portion 262 projecting radially outward after first opening. Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the proximal portion 262 may be folded back up with the features 284 and 286 engaging each other to hold the proximal portion in a stowed condition (FIG. 25). The exemplary features 284 of FIG. 25 are barbs and the exemplary features 286 are holes. The barbs hold the proximal portion slightly radially inboard of its original position. When the container is re-closed, a proximal portion is sufficiently further inboard to now pass inboard of the wall 300 to be captured behind the wall 300. Even if the user severs the hinge(s) 266 to separate the tab proximal portion, the user may still mount the severed tab proximal portion back to the frame via the features 284 and 286, allowing the tab to be retained for recycling with the rest of the closure.

Exemplary closure material is a molded plastic such as a conventional polypropylene or copolymerpolypropylene (CoPP).

Notwithstanding the present tamper-evident feature, other conventional tamper—evident features would also likely be included in any implementation. Thus, a conventional foil or other seal may be adhered or otherwise secured across the container mouth prior to closure installation. Similarly, after closure installation, a shrink sleeve may be shrunk over the closure.

The use of “first”, “second”, and the like in the description and following claims is for differentiation within the claim only and does not necessarily indicate relative or absolute importance or temporal order. Similarly, the identification in a claim of one element as “first” (or the like) does not preclude such “first” element from identifying an element that is referred to as “second” (or the like) in another claim or in the description.

Where a measure is given in English units followed by a parenthetical containing SI or other units, the parenthetical's units are a conversion and should not imply a degree of precision not found in the English units.

One or more embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, when applied to an existing basic system, details of such configuration or its associated use may influence details of particular implementations. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A closure (220) comprising the unitarily molded single-piece combination of:

a base (224) for mounting to a container body;

a living hinge (222); and

a cover (226) coupled by the living hinge to the base and shiftable between a closed orientation and an open orientation via rotation about the living hinge, wherein a tamper-evident feature comprises:

a tab (250) connected to one of the cover and base by a second living hinge (266) and having a proximal portion (262) and a distal portion (264), the distal portion separated from the proximal portion by a pre-defined rupture zone (272) in a pre-rupture condition and having a first engagement feature (280); and

a second engagement feature (300, 310) on the other of the base and the cover positioned to engage the first engagement feature in the closed orientation and pre-rupture condition.

2. The closure (200) of claim 1 wherein:

the second engagement feature comprises a recess (310) in a wall (300) capturing the distal portion in the closed orientation and pre-rupture condition.

3. The closure (200) of claim 2 wherein:

the first engagement feature comprises the combination of lateral barbs (280) and a proximal edge of the distal portion.

4. The closure (200) of claim 2 wherein:

the wall is spaced outward of a main sidewall of the other of the base and the cover.

5. The closure (200) of claim 1 wherein:

the one of the base and the cover is the base; and

the other of the base and the cover is the cover.

6. The closure (200) of claim 1 wherein:

the one of the base and the cover has means (284, 286) for stowing the proximal portion in a post-rupture condition.

7. The closure (200) of claim 1 wherein:

the other of the base and the cover has tamper-evident indicia (313) concealed by the proximal portion in the pre-rupture closed condition and exposed in the post-rupture condition.

8. The closure of claim 1 wherein:

the cap, in the closed condition, surrounds and covers an upper rim portion of the base and has a detented engagement therewith.

9. The closure of claim 1 wherein:

closure is molded of polypropylene.

10. A method for using the closure of claim 1, the method comprising:

with the closure mounted to the container body, opening the closure from the closed orientation to the open orientation, the opening including severing the distal portion from the proximal portion while leaving the distal portion attached to said other of the base and the cover.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the opening causes the proximal portion to relax to an outwardly protruding orientation.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

bending the proximal portion to a stowed condition to lock the proximal portion in the stowed condition.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

closing the closure with the proximal portion in the stowed condition so that the proximal portion falls inboard of the second engagement feature.

14. A method for using the closure of claim 1, the method comprising:

closing the closure from an as-molded condition to an initial closed orientation;

shifting the tab to engage the first engagement feature to the second engagement feature.