Container Closure With Rupturable Tamper Disk

This invention relates generally to containers of tamper-indicating type and pertains more particularly to closures providing containers with tamper indication.

Recent domestic events have heightened the need for an effective manner in which to assure the uncontaminated delivery of contained products to a consumer, particularly medicinal products taken internally. Specifically needed is a container for such products which bear assuring indication to the consumer that the contents have not been tampered with from their point of manufacture to the point of consumer sale.

A fundamental prior art approach toward meeting this need is seen in the so-called "telltale" indication, i.e., a readily discernible characteristic indicative of tampering, such as a signal that some person has previously attempted to gain access to the container contents. Broadly speaking, this approach can be generalized as placing a tamper-indicating member in the path of access to a container to indicate tampering by dsicernible change. Categorizing telltale types, one finds in the prior art approaches elements which evidence color change, which mechanically present literal messages, and which are ruptured or torn upon the occurrence of tampering. The color change devices may be considered less than desirable as requiring ambient-sensitive constituents and measures for sealing same from ambient environment. The mechanical devices providing literal indication, i.e., the words "closed" or "open", are less than desirable as they are inherently complex and customized. Of the three categories, the rupturing and tearing practice offers the best potential for desired simplicity in solution.

Prior art telltales may also be categorized in respect of the relative location of the telltale to the container access port. Here, one finds efforts in which the telltales are located directly at the access port and wherein the telltale are otherwise located in the path of access to the container. In the former locational practices, telltales directly span the access opening, e.g., are secured across the mouths of jars. In the latter, the telltales are located in container wrappers, within plastic heat shrunk about the capped jar, etc. Clearly, the effective location for a telltale is directly at the access port, since wrappers, heat shrunk plastic sleeves and like telltale items outside the container may be removed and the remaining capped container remain without tamper indication.

Further, prior art telltale indication may be categorized as of type wherein the telltale directly at the access opening is closure member activated or not. In the former category, reverse sense (opening) movement of the closure member brings some element into tearing relation with the telltale. In the latter case, the telltale is unaffected by closure member removal. Clearly, the closure member activated case affords greater security.

Specific prior art patents depicting the foregoing practices are identified and discussed in detail in the statement pursuant to 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 filed herein.

Of such prior art patents, U.S. Waring U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,131,774 and 2,131,775 are considered to disclose tamper-indicating containers incorporating the desired of the foregoing categories of tamper indication. In these containers, the tamper-indicating element is simple rupturable sheet material. The element is located directly at the container mouth opening and is cap-activated. In accomodating this operative selection of features, however, Waring has vulnerability, recognized expressly in the patents, to direct tampering with the telltale element.

The Waring U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,774 practice is to provide a cap in the form of a hollow cylinder having a skirt depending from the cap top and interiorly threaded to receive the jar neck. The cap top is centrally open and prongs are formed in the plane of the cap extending into the central opening. The telltale element is nested in the cap interior and suitably secured therein. The cap with its nested telltale is then rotated into secured relation with the jar. Now the prongs are bent out of the plane of the cap top and into puncturing relation with the telltale element, remaining accessible through the open cap top.

In commenting on this aspect of his capped container, Waring states that if one tampers with the prongs, i.e., by bending same out of such ruptured relation with the telltale element, the consumer can detect such tampering by observing the state of the prongs said to be deformed on reinsertion and by observing the state of the telltale element said to be thus marred. Such ultimate reliance on demanding observations by the consumer renders the Waring approach less than desirable, despite its inclusion of the most effective of the outlined practices. Its shortcoming indicates still another essential to effective tamper indication, namely, that the rupturing elements and telltale must be maintained inaccessible.

In related considerations, applicants see as highly desirable characteristics of effective tamper indication such matters as equipping closure members with complete tamper-indicating capability at the point of their manufacture, enabling them to be made without customized cap structure or cap-working steps as in the Waring approach, and as adapted for use with the widespread varieties of caps currently in production.

In pending commonly-assigned U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 441,109 filed on Nov. 12, 1982 and entitled "Container with Tamper Indication and Method for Providing Same" and Ser. No. 443,608 filed on Nov. 22, 1982 and entitled "Tamper-Indicating Closure for a Container, Container and Method for Making Same", apparatus and methods are provided for accomodating the foregoing practice selections and having characteristics also accomodating such existing industrial practices in the related industries.

In these applications a container closure is provided having a closure member defining container closing expanse, a tamper-indicating element in the closure interiorly of the closure member and means movable with the closure for both retaining the tamper-indicating element with the closure and for selectively rupturing the tamper-indicating element, such means being inaccessible through the closing expanse of the closure member and the closure affording visibility exteriorly thereof of the condition of the tamper-indicating element. In a typical jar container embodiment in accordance with the Ser. No. 443,608 application, the closure comprises a cap having a disc-shaped rupturable telltale interiorly of the cap depending skirt and telltale retaining-rupturing means extending from the upper cap interior downwardly into securement with the telltale disc, such means being movable with the cap in the course of its rotative movement. Upon first sense closure movement into releasable securement with a jar neck, the entirety of the closure rotates in unison. At the end of such first sense movement, an adhesive upon the jar adjacent its mouth engages the telltale disc. Second sense closure movement to open the container gives rise to the selective activity of the retaining-rupturing means, i.e., the cap and such means move in unison relative to the now jar-secured telltale, disrupting the integrity thereof, as would be visible to a consumer through a transparent or translucent cap.

The Ser. No. 443,608 application also contemplates maintaining the contents of a container further secure from ambient environment by securing to the margin of the telltale after its securement to the retaining-rupturing means, a sealing layer which is in turn sealed to the container access port. Thus, there results a closure having the customary glassine sealing wafer visible from the underside of the closure, but with a telltale system interiorly thereof.

The present invention has as its object the further accomodation of the above-noted practice selections and existing practices in the related industries.

In attaining this and other objects, the invention provides closures generally of the type described in the referenced copending applications, but differing therefrom in the introduction of a compressible layer, e.g., a foam layer, in the tamper-indicating means affording more expeditious manufacture of closures of type including both tamper indication and the customary glassine ambient isolation layer. Thus, the present invention provides a container closure having a closure member defining container closing expanse, means in the closure interiorly of the closure member for providing tamper indication and means movable with the closure member for both retaining the tamper-indicating means with the closure and for selectively rupturing the tamper-indicating means, such movable means being inaccessible through the closing expanse of the closure member and the closure affording visibility exteriorly thereof of the tamper-indicating element, wherein the tamper indication means includes a compressible layer and the movable means has at least the major extent thereof situate within the compressible layer.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a telltale laminate comprises a glassine wafer, a layer of foam thereon and a foil layer overlying the foam. An assembly tool in the form of a rigid backing member of metal is applied to the glassine wafer and the laminate is thereby forced into the closure member and onto tines depending from the closure member interior upper surface. The tines pierce the foil layer and enter the foam and are so worked by the presence of the rigid backing member that the entirety of the tines remains in the foam layer, with ends of the tines distorted into retentive engagement with the foam layer. The glassine wafer remains with its original integrity after the laminate insertion step is practiced and may be adhered to a container by a glue interface when the closure is secured to the container.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be further evident from the following detailed description thereof and from the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a plan elevation of a first embodiment of closure in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional elevation of the FIG. 1 closures as seen from section line II--II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation of a tine of the FIG. 1 closure as seen from plane III--III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the FIG. 3 tine.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of another embodiment of closure in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is generalized showing of tamper-indicating means for insertion in the closures of FIGS. 1 or 5.

FIG. 7 shows an application tool for use in inserting the FIG. 6 tamper-indicating means in a closure.

FIG. 8 is an elevation of a tine of the FIG. 5 closure as would be seen from plane III--III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the FIG. 8 tine.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view as would be seen from the FIG. 8 perspective of one assembly of the FIG. 5 closure and a tamper-indicating element.

FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view as would be seen from the FIG. 8 perspective of another assembly of the FIG. 5 closure and a tamper-indicating element.

FIG. 12, 14 and 16 show varieties of tamper-indicating laminates for use in practicing the invention.

FIGS. 13, 15 and 17 show partial sectional views as would be seen from the FIG. 8 perspective of assemblies of the FIG. 5 closure and the laminates of FIGS. 12, 14 and 16, respectively.

FIG. 18 is an elevation of a further embodiment of tine for use in practicing the invention.

FIG. 19 is a side elevation of the FIG. 18 tine.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, closure or cap 10 includes a closure member 12 having depending skirt 12a and interior threading 14 with lower opening 16. The cap defines closing expanse comprising skirt 12a and the undersurface 12b of cap 10, for registry with the neck and mouth (now shown) of a jar or like container having an access opening for obtaining its contents.

Interiorly of such closing expanse, cap 10 includes one or more tines, three being shown as 18a, 18b and 18c, comprising puncturing and tearing or rupturing elements spaced at equal angles. Each tine may be formed integrally with cap 10, e.g., is molded therewith, and is rigid, such that it is not readily deflectable relative to cap undersurface 10a. As is discussed in the Ser. No. application, the tines may be parts of an insert to cap 10, which is secured therein for movement therewith. Based upon its secured relation to cap 10, each tine travels with the cap in the course of its first sense (clockwise) movement into releasably secured relation with the jar neck and also in the course of second opposite sense (counterclockwise) cap movement relative to the jar for release from such secured relation therewith.

Cap 10 is desirably formed of optically clear plastics of butyrate, acetate, nylon, lucite and plexiglass and the like. The jar for use with cap 10 is preferably made of thermoplastics such as by use of a hypodermic needle. High impact styrene is suitable.

Considering the configuration of tine 18c, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, same includes a vertically extending radially outward wall 20, terminating in inverse V-shaped groove or rupturing channel 22, bounded by surfaces 24a and 24b, each forming angle A (forty-five degrees) with the central vertical axis 26 thereof. The channel extends radially inwardly and upwardly to interior wall 28 at angle B (thirty degrees).

Referring now to FIG. 5, cap 30 has skirt 32, interior threading 34, interior cap undersurface 30a and supports tines 36a, 36b and 36c, extending in the direction of lower opening 38.

It will be observed that each of tines 18a-c and 36a-c is radially offset from the center of the rotative movements of caps 10 and 30 and that each extends generally parallel to the axis of the hollow cylindrical cap. Each tine is also disposed radially of the rotation center, thus having extent generally radial to provide a frontal expanse for rupturing or tearing of a member penetrated thereby.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the configuration of tines 36a-c will be seen to involve an asymmetry about axis 40. V-shaped configuration is defined by tapered sidewalls 42 and 44, the former starting its taper at location 42a, higher than that 44a for the latter. Both taper at angle C (thirty degrees) and incline radially inwardly upwardly from outward wall 45 to interior wall 46 at angle D (thirty degrees). The asymmetry gives rise to a preferential directional deformation of tines as indicated for tine 36c in FIG. 10 upon assembly as now discussed.

Referring to FIG. 6, tamper indication means 48 is a generally flat disk which may be comprised of a layer of foam alone, e.g., styrene based plastic foam. Assembly tool 50 (FIG. 7) includes a backing member 52, being rigid in practice under present discussion, e.g., a metal cylinder, for receiving layer means 48 on its upper surface 52a and is movable in direction E for inserting layer means 48 into opening 38 of cap 30.

FIG. 10 shows the assembly resulting from such insertion practice with a rigid backing member. In this assembly, the entirety of tine 36c is situate in layer means 48, with end portion 36c-1 of the tine positioned in spaced relation to layer means undersurface 48a and with the tine defining a generally hooked shape at its end portion 36c-1, such hook being in retentive relation to layer means 48 and extending in direction F, i.e., the direction of opening movement (counterclockwise rotation) of cap 30. As such, the tine is disposed to enhance tearing of layer means 48 in the course of opening movement of cap 30 and accordingly is adapted to heighten tamper indication. As is also evident from FIG. 10, tine 36c is so deformed that reuse of the cap by a would-be tamperer is negated.

Layer means 48 may carry on its undersurface a marginal ring 53 of contact-activated adhesive, or same may be applied to the jar mouth, whereby the FIG. 10 assembly has jar securement. With tine 36c spaced from such undersurface, ruptured fragments of layer means 48 may be removed upon container opening without entering the container.

Backing member 52 may, if desired, be a compressible member, e.g., rubber, to reach the assembly shown in FIG. 11. Here, a major extent of tine 36c is situate in layer means 48 (more than half of its vertical extent), thus enhancing telltale rupture. Retention is effected by the remnant of tine 36c exteriorly situated with respect to layer means 48.

In the practices of assembly discussed in connection with FIGS. 10 and 11, a bond is exhibited within layer means 48 as between same and the penetrating tine. Thus, with the tine constituted by a plastic which is styrene or like based and the foam like based, the working of the tine by insertion force of a rigid backing member gives rise to a plastic to plastic bond as between the tine and foam, thus providing a barrier to ambient environment penetration through the assembly as contrasted with the situation which would exist in the absence of such sealing action.

While the telltale or tamper indication means has been discussed as constituted by foam for layer means 48, the invention contemplates various other telltales, some of which are seen in FIGS. 12, 14 and 16. In FIG. 12, the telltale comprises foam layer 54 in assembly with overlayer 56 of metal foil, defining laminate 58. Practice of the FIG. 10 method, i.e., rigid backing member, gives rise to the assembly of FIG. 13, wherein tine 36c penetrates and is thus situate in both layers of the laminate.

In FIG. 14, the laminate 60 comprises foam layer 62 and underlayer 64 constituting a container access port seal, e.g., glassine or like sealing layer. The assembly of FIG. 15 results, when the method of FIG. 10 is used, i.e., tine 36c penetrates and is resident in layer 62 and spaced from layer 64 and hence not violative of the integrity thereof.

In FIG. 16, the laminate 66 comprises foam layer 68 together with metal foil layer 70 intervening layer 68 and cap undersurface 30a and secured to one surface of layer 68, and with underlying glassine layer 72 secured to the side of layer 68 opposite such one surface thereof. In the resulting assembly (FIG. 17), again under the method of FIG. 10, tine 36c penetrates the metal foil layer 70 and foam layer 68 and is spacedly disposed relative to the glassine underlayer 72, which is securable to the jar mouth as above described.

Tines may take the further configuration shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. Here, tine 74 is symmetrical about axis 76 and defines piercing apex 78 inclined radially inwardly upwardly between end walls 80 and 82.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 14 and 16, the upper surfaces of container access port sealing layers of glassine or like dense paper are provided with coloration, e.g., bright red, and the foam layers are of offset color, e.g., white, whereby a vivid telltale indication is provided as the closure member is rotated in the opening direction. With the major extent of the rupturing tearing tines effectively embedded in the foam layer, surety of tamper indication is effected. In fact, the securement aspect, whereby an interior glassine wafer is captured in a closure member through its adhesion to the captured foam gives the methods of the invention utility in non-tamper indication applications, i.e., where it is desired to avoid customary release of container access port sealing layers from caps in shipment and handling.

Various changes in structure and modifications in practice may evidently be introduced in the foregoing particularly disclosed and described embodiments and method without departing from the invention. Thus, such matters as closure configuration, tine structure, telltale selection and the like will be seen to be readily varied.

The preferred embodiments and practices are thus intended in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The true spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.