Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relatcs to closurcs for containcrs and to con-
tainer and closure assemblies~
By one aspect of the invcntion, a container and closure assem-
bly is provided comprising: (A) a cap start with an internal discontinuous
multi-screw thread, a tear-away tamper-cvident band connected to the cap
part by a first line of weakness, a captive band connected to the tamper-
evident band by a second line of wcakness and internal annular projecting
bead means on the captive band and on thc captive band and on the tear-
away tamper-evident band; and a containcr having a neck defining an open
mouth, a discontinuoùs multi-start external screw thread around the
mouth, a first external annular nose-shaped bead below the screw thread
and with an inclined upper surface and a substantially horizontal lower
surface for engagement with the tear-away band, a second external an-
nular nose-shaped bead below the first bead for engagement with the cap-
tive band, annular recesses around the ncck of the container for engage-
ment by the pro~ecting bead means on the tcar-away band and on the cap-
tive band and annular ledge means disposed around the neck of the con-
tainer below the annular recesses suitab]y adapted and disposed to receive
: the captive band after the tamper-evident band has been torn away from
the assembly. -
The captive band assists the tear-away band in preventing un-
authorized removal of the closure from the container and when the tear-
~ away b~nd has been removed, the captive band remains in position on the
:: container and improves the aesthetic appearance of the assembly.
: A discontinuous thread is provided on the closure and on the
container similar to that descr-ibed in British Patent No. 1,430,302
and 1,483,403. In those patents, a container and closure assembly is
described in which the closure comprises a retaining band combined with
a screw cap characterized ~y the provision of a discontinuous screw
thread on the cap with inclined lower surfaces when viewed in axial
section for engagement with a discontinuous screw thread, around the ,
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mouth of the container, with inclined upper surfaces when viewed in axial
section, the contour of the screw threads being such that if an attempt
be made to unscrew the closure without first tearing away the retaining
band, the inclined surfaces of the screw threads abut against one another,
the resistance of the retaining band being sufficient to cause the inclined
surfaces on the cap to slip off the inclined surfaces on the container so
that the closure goes round and round but does not come off the container.
By one variant of the invention, the closure is suitably de-
. signed and arranged so that it can be pushed straight downwardly on the
container into an operative position.
By another variant, the closure further includes an annular
sealing bead on the undersurface of the top of the closure to form a
sealing plug with the mouth of the container when the closure is in the
operative position. ~,
By yet another variant, the closure further includes an annular
sealing bead on the undersurface of the top of the closure to form a seal-
ing plug with the mouth of the container when the closure is in an opera-
tive position on the container.
By still another variant, the closure is provided with a line
of weakness between the cap part and -the tear-away band, the line of weak-
ness being so positioned as to coincide substantially with the outer end
of the nose-shaped bead on the container when the closure is in operative
position on the container.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figures 1 and 2 are elevation views of the container and closure
assembly of one embodiment of this invention;
Figures 3 and 4 are top and bottom plan views of one embodiment
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of this invention;
Figure 5 is an enlarged section of A~A of Figure l;
Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the container with
the closure removed; and
Figure 7 is a partly sectional view of a modified form of clos-
ure a~cording to another embodiment of the invention.
Referring to the drawings, a container 1 has a multi~start dis-
continuous external screw thread indicated generally at 2, a tear-away
~ band-seating 3 and a captive band~seating 4. A closure 5 has an internal
multi-start (in this example four start) discontinuous screw thread 6, a
tear-away band 7 and a captive band 8. Weakened lines 10 and 11 in the
skirt 9 of the closure facilitate tearing away of the band 7. The con-
tainer 1 is shaped to provide an external annular bead 12 that is nose
shaped in section with an inclined upper surface 13 and a substantially
horizontal lower surface 14~ The closure 5 is shaped so that it can
easily be pushed downwardly over the bead 12 but when in position on the
container 1 as shown e.g., in Figure 5, it is almost impossible to remove
the closure simply by an upward movement. The downward movement of the
closure 5 relative to the container 1 is preferably effected by pushing
straight down into position but alternatively the closure 5 can be applied
by a screwing down movement.
The line 10 of weakness substantially coincides with the outer
- end of the bead 12 so that when the band 7 is torn away, the top of cap
part of the closure can easily be removed by unscrewing a part turn and
can be replaced as required, The band 7 sits comfortably on the seating
3 as shown and the container is shaped to provide lower bead 15 and annu-
lar recess 15a with which the captive band 8 engages. This engagement by
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captive band 18 of inwardly protruding annular bead 8a and annular recessed
portion 8b which is disposed directly above the bead. The engagement of the
band 8 with the bead 15 provides an extra tamper proof feature because
this engagement makes it even more difficult to remove the closure with~
out first tearing away the band 7. When the closure 5 is in operative
position on the container l as shown, for example in Figure 5, the captive
band 8 will be substantially in the position shown in Figure 5 and will be
effective in its tamper proof function. When the band 7 is torn away by
tearing along the lines lO and ll
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the band 7 will fall away and the captive band 8 will be left in position.
The band 8 will then adjust itself to the outer contour of the seating and
will probably move downwardly to rest on a ledge 16 on the container 1.
When in this position the captive band 8 serves no function other than
partially to fill the gap between the bead 12 and the ledge 16 in order to
improve the aesthetic appearance of the assembly after initial opening.
The screw ~hread illustrated in the drawings is the same as the
thread described in British Patent No. 1,430,302 and 1,483,403. When the
closure is complete and is seated in operative position on the container,
there is a very considerable constraint imposed upon the closure preventing
upward rnovement due to the presence of both the bands 7 and 8 which engage
with the container. Any attempt to unscrew the closure with the band 7
in position simply causes the discontinuous threads on the closure 5
repeatedly to jump off the discontinuous threads on the container due to
the positive downward pull of the bands 7 and 8. To unscrew the upper
part of the closure successfully, it is first necessary to remove the band
7 whereupon the restraint is also removed. However, removal of the band 7
is very obvious and if the band 7 be removed by an unauthorized person, it
is at onc~ clear that the assembly has been tampered with.
The body part of the container may be made of any desired and
convenient shape and the parts of the assembly are preferably molded from
plastics material. The invention in other aspects includes the improved
closure with a complete circular captive band and also an assembly of the
closure and a container.
An important feature of the invention in another of its aspects
is the provision of a suitable sealing means to protect the contents of
the container from contamination. Sealing may be effected by engagement
of the outer top surface of the container with the inner top surface of
the closure. Reference, e.g., to Figure 6, will show that the con~ainer 1
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may be shaped at 20 to produce a top annular outer portion 21 with a
smooth unbroken surface which can be of reduced diameter but the shaping
at 20 is purely optional and the portion of reduced diameter need not be
provided. The portion 21 engages with an inner annular portion 22 of the
closure (see, e.g., Figure 5). The top edge of the container may also be
arranged to engage with a resilient washer or similar pad disposed within
the closure.
- In the embodiment described by way of example in Figures 1 to 6,
the screw thread has four starts but it will be understood tha~ a thread
lo having more or less starts may be used depending upon the circumstances.
Referring now to Figure 7, it will be noted that the multi-start
thread 6 in this example has six starts for co-operation with a container
(not shown) also having six starts. In Figure 7, the same references are
used for the same parts as in Figures 1 to 6. It will be noted, however,
that in Figure 7, an annular sealing bead 22 is provided on the underside
23 of the top of the closure 5. This bead 22 is of importance because in
operation when the closure 5 is in position on the container 1, the bead
22 forms a plug which enters the mouth or top bore of the container. In
addition, an annular sealing bead 24 is provided to seal against the outer
` 20 surface of the container.
In the Figure 7 embodiment, therefore, provision has been
made for a sealing plug within the top bore of the container and a
sealing bead~outside the top rim of the container due to the manner in
which the mold design has been developed. This was difficult to achieve
in an economic manner with the earlier design shown in Figure 5, and is a
feature not previously employed in Patents Nos. 1,430,302 and 1,483,403.
