Umted States Patent [191
`Begley
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`4,813,562
`Mar. 21, 1989
`
`4,709,824 12/1987 Thompson ........................ .. 215/252
`[54] REVERSED-ARC BAND FOR
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`TAMPER'EVIDENT CAP
`2034674 6/1980 United Kingdom .............. .. 215/252
`[75] Inventor’ Dwglas G' Begley’ palanne' 111'
`Primary Examiner—Donald F. Norton
`[73] Asslgnee: con?nentalkvlll?ite Cap’ Inc"
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Charles E. Brown; Paul
`Northbroo ’
`‘
`Shapiro; Charles A. Brown
`[21] Appl. No.: 190,090
`[57]
`ABSTRACI‘
`[22] Filed:
`May 4, 1988
`[51] Int. cu ............................................ .. B65D 41/34 A plastic closure Cap for containers wherein the closure
`[52] US. Cl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`. . . . . . . . .. 215/252
`cap is threadedly engaged on the container neck ?nish
`[58] Field of Search ....................................... .. 215/252
`and has #1 tamper indicating band which is locked be
`C_ d
`neath a transfer bead on the container neck ?nish. The
`References "e
`tamper indicating band is simply in the form of a plural
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`ity of segments which extend between circumferentially
`2 812 093 11/1957 Podesta I
`spaced bridges and which normally are curved radially
`3:314:564 4/1967 Anderson et aL _
`inwardly. The tamper indicating band segments, how
`3,329,295 7/1967 Fields ................................ .. 215/252
`ever, will de?ect radially outwardly and Change Shape
`3,455,478 7/1969 Fields et a1.
`215/252
`so as to freely pass over the transfer bead as the closure
`3,460,703 8/1969 Leftault - - - - - - - - - - -
`- - - ~- 215/252
`cap is being applied to the container neck ?nish. After
`4,147,268 4/1979 Patel et a1- "
`215/252
`the tamper indicating band segments pass beyond the
`231m
`§ transfer bead, the segments snap back to their original
`4’565’293 V1986 his;
`215/252X
`positions due to tension and are locked beneath the
`4,572,388 2/1986 Luker et a1.
`215/252
`transfer bead
`
`[56]
`
`4,635,808 l/1987 Nolan . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . . .. 215/252
`
`4,657,153 4/1987 Hayes ................................ .. 215/252
`
`8 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
`
`KSP EXHIBIT 1010
`Page 1 of 4
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 21, 1989
`
`4,813,562
`
`KSP EXHIBIT 1010
`Page 2 of 4
`
`

`
`REVERSED-ARC BAND FOR TAMPER-EVIDENT
`CAP
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`This invention relates in general to new and useful
`improvements in plastic closure caps, and more particu
`larly to closure caps having tamper indicating bands.
`In general, most tamper indicating caps use bands
`which lock under a container ?nish transfer bead and
`are torn free of the cap during the removal of the cap.
`To lock the band in position, beads, lugs, or flaps are
`molded to the inside surface of the band. Such caps with
`tamper indicating bands are typically disclosed in prior
`US. Pat. Nos. 4,407,422; 4,457,438; 4,479,586;
`4,488,655; 4,511,053; 4,530,437; 4,549,667; 4,643,321;
`4,653,657; and 4,664,279.
`In accordance with this invention, in lieu of the usual
`tamper indicating band, the tamper indicating band is
`formed in a plurality of tamper indicating segments
`which extend between bridges which connect the
`tamper indicating band to the skirt of the plastic closure
`cap. The tamper indicating band segments are arcuate in
`outline and project radially inwardly from the outline of
`the skirt of the closure cap. However, when the cap is
`being applied, the tamper indicating segments will be
`cammed radially outwardly so as to follow generally
`the outline of the skirt. After each tamper indicating
`band segment passes beyond the transfer bead of the
`container ?nish, the spring tension in each of the seg
`ments causes the segment to snap radially inwardly and
`catch under the transfer bead of the container ?nish.
`With the above and other objects in view that will
`hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be
`more clearly understood by reference to the following
`detailed description, the appended claims, and the sev
`eral views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
`FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a plastic closure
`cap formed in accordance with this invention.
`FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally
`along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and shows the outline of
`40
`the tamper indicating band with each of the segments
`thereof being arcuate and radially inwardly offset.
`FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken
`generally along the line 3-—3 of FIG. 1 showing the
`closure cap applied to a container neck ?nish with an
`45
`intermediate part of one of the tamper indicating band
`segments being locked under the transfer bead of the
`container ?nish.
`FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view simi
`lar to FIG. 3 showing the closure cap applied to a con
`tainer neck ?nish with the view being in the area of one
`of the bridges.
`FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary interior view of
`the bottom portion of the closure cap showing a modi
`?ed form of tamper indicating band wherein the band is
`permanently attached to the skirt by way of the bridges
`and individual tamper indicating band segments are
`provided with weakened areas so as to affect the rup
`ture thereof.
`Referring now to the drawing in detail, reference is
`?rst made to FIG. 3 wherein there is illustrated the neck
`finish 10 of a conventional type of container 12, nor
`mally in the form of a bottle. The container neck ?nish
`10 is provided with external threads 14 through which
`a plastic closure cap may be secured in place. Below the
`threads 14, the container neck ?nish includes a transfer
`bead 16 which has a downwardly facing shoulder 18
`beneath which a tamper indicating band normally locks.
`
`55
`
`65
`
`1
`
`4,813,562
`
`2
`In accordance with this invention, there is provided a
`plastic closure cap, generally identi?ed by the numeral
`20. Basically speaking, the closure cap 20 includes an
`end panel 22 and an integral depending skirt 24. The
`skirt 24, as is best shown in FIG. 3, is provided with
`internal threads 26 which cooperate with the neck ?nish
`threads 14 so as to releasably lock the closure cap in
`place on the container neck ?nish 10.
`This invention in particularly relates to the provision
`of a tamper indicating band which locks beneath the
`transfer bead 16 in engagement with the shoulder 18.
`This band is generally identi?ed by the numeral 28 and
`is integrally connected to the lower edge of the skirt 24
`by a plurality of bridges 30.
`In lieu of the conventional tamper indicating band,
`the band 28 is in the form of a plurality of tamper indi
`cating band segments 32 with each segment 32 extend
`ing generally between a pair of the bridges 30. As is
`clearly shown in FIG. 2, each tamper indicating band
`segment 32 is arcuate in outline and while it does have
`terminal portions 34 which are generally axially aligned
`with the skirt 24, has a central portion 36 which is nor
`mally radially inwardly offset with respect to the out
`line of the skirt 24.
`Also as is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each tamper
`indicating band segment 32 is tapered or ?ared radially
`outwardly and downwardly. This facilitates the defor
`mation of each of the segments 32 radially outwardly so
`as to be generally axially aligned with the skirt 24 for
`passage over the transfer bead 16. After each of the
`tamper indicating band segments 32 has moved down
`wardly beyond the transfer bead 16, the tension in the
`segment will cause the segment by its natural spring
`action to snap beneath the transfer bead 16 and to lock
`the same in place in the manner shown in FIG. 3.
`In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`invention, the bridges 30 are of a reduced thickness so as
`to be rupturable. Thus, when the closure cap 20 is re
`moved by unscrewing the same and the skirt 24 moves
`upwardly while the tamper indicating band 28 is re
`strained by the transfer bead 16, the bridges 30 will
`rupture under tension and the tamper indicating band 28
`will be retained on the container neck ?nish indicating
`tampering.
`In a modi?ed form of the invention, bridges 30’ are
`provided with these bridges being of the same thickness
`as the tamper indicating band 28 and thus, not ruptur
`able. Instead, each of the tamper indicating band seg
`ments 32 is provided with a vertical line of weakening
`40 along which each of the segments 32 ruptures when
`the closure cap is removed, the segment deflecting
`downwardly to disengage from the transfer bead 16 as
`is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5.
`In the formation of the closure cap in accordance
`with this invention, a conventional side-action is used in
`mold construction in the tamper indicating band area.
`As far as the mold core is concerned, the undercut
`required by the radially inwardly curved con?guration
`of the band segments ranges from zero at each bridge 30
`to a maximum at the midpoint of each of the band seg
`ments. To help lead each segment to ?ex outward dur
`ing core removal and so avoid damage to the upper
`inside edge of the tamper indicating band, the core
`immediately above the upper inside corner of plastic
`will be radiused or rounded before inclining outwardly.
`In this way, the tamper indicating band slides brie?y
`against a vertical surface of the mold core. Before being
`gradually redirected outwardly, side-action being al
`
`KSP EXHIBIT 1010
`Page 3 of 4
`
`

`
`4,813,562
`3
`4
`adjacent pair of said bridges, and each of said tamper
`ready off of the tamper indicating band exterior, the
`indicating band segments in plan being primarily con
`tamper indicating band is free to ?ex out to clear the
`cavely bowed radially inwardly of respective bridges
`core before snapping back into the as-molded position.
`A principal feature of the invention is simplicity.
`and an adjacent portion of said skirt for locking engage
`Flaps tend to complicate the mold or require reposition
`ment beneath a transfer bead on a container ?nish.
`ing with additional equipment. Lugs and beads require
`2. A plastic cap according to claim 1 wherein said
`tamper indicating band segments are arcuate in plan.
`the band to stretch during core withdrawal, which
`3. A plastic cap according to claim 1 wherein said
`tends to limit the allowable lug or head reach and often
`damages its pro?le. In accordance with this invention,
`tamper indicating band segments are arcuate in plan and
`radially outwardly ?exible.
`the tamper indicating band simply ?exes without the
`4. A plastic cap according to claim 1 wherein said
`need to stretch. Plenty of band interference under the
`tamper indicating band segments are reversely curved
`container neck ?nish transfer head is available without
`risking additional pro?le damage during mold ejection,
`in plan.
`or having to mold separate parts needing assembly.
`5. A plastic cap according to claim 2 wherein the
`Al though only two preferred embodiments of the
`total length of said tamper indicating band segments
`plastic closure cap with tamper indicating band formed
`corresponds substantially to the circumference of said
`in accordance with this invention have been speci?cally
`skirt.
`6. A plastic cap according to claim 1 wherein said
`illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood
`tamper indicating segments are of constant thickness
`that minor variations may be made in the cap and band
`and tapered outwardly and downwardly.
`arrangement without departing from the spirit and
`scope of the invention as de?ned by the appended
`7. A plastic cap according to claim 1 wherein said
`claims.
`bridges are of a reduced thickness as compared to said
`skirt and said tamper indicating band and form ruptur
`I claim:
`1. A plastic cap having a skirt carrying a tamper
`able means for separating said tamper indicating band
`indicating band by way of a plurality of circumferen
`from said skirt.
`tially spaced axially extending bridges, said plastic cap
`8. A plastic cap according to claim 1 wherein at least
`being improved by said tamper indicating band being
`certain of said tamper indicating band segments have
`rupturable weakening areas.
`non-circular in plan and in the form of a plurality of
`segments, each of said segments extending between an
`* ‘I
`3!
`
`* I!
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`20
`
`30
`
`35
`
`45
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`55
`
`65
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`KSP EXHIBIT 1010
`Page 4 of 4