Abstract:
A container closure system comprises a container having an opening zone ( 21 ) with a threaded neck ( 22 ). A closure cap ( 23 ) can be screwed on the threaded neck ( 22 ). A warranty element comprises an annular base body ( 25 ) with engagement means which can engage matching engagement means ( 38 ) in the opening zone ( 21 ) of the container. The warranty element also comprises one or more indicator elements ( 27 ) shaped as circle segments and linked each by a predetermined breaking strip to the base body ( 25 ). The closure cap ( 23 ) has at least one axial projection ( 34 ) which can be inserted between the ends of the indicator elements ( 27 ) shaped as circle segments or between the ends of two adjacent indicator elements ( 27 ) in order to secure the indicator elements ( 27 ) against rotation to the closure cap ( 23 ). When the closure cap ( 23 ) is unscrewed, these axial projections ( 34 ) break the predetermined breaking strips, separating the indicator elements ( 27 ) shaped as circle segments from the base body ( 25 ). This indicates that the container has been opened for the first time.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a container closure arrangement including a container which comprises an opening region with a threaded neck, and a closure cap which may be screwed onto the threaded neck. The cap has a guarantee element having an annular base body with latching means which, in the unscrewing direction, can be brought into engagement with complementary latching means on the opening region of the container, and at least one circular segment-shaped indicator body which may be brought into rotationally fixed engagement with the closure cap. The indicator body is connected by at least one break-off web to the base body. 
     As a rule, in a container closure arrangement of this type, the guarantee element and the closure cap are stuck together and then together are screwed onto the threaded neck of the container. During the screwing-on, the latching means of the base body may snap over the latching means on the opening region of the container. On unscrewing the closure cap from the threaded neck, the latching means of the base body then come into engagement with the latching means on the opening region so that the base body may not rotate with the closure cap. The closure cap entrains the indicator body so that the latter is released from the base body. This provides an indication that the container has been opened. 
     In known container closure arrangements of the indicated type, e.g. according to DE 296 10 161.3 U, the indicator body is annular and, for the bringing into engagement with the closure cap, comprises a plurality of radially inwardly protruding projections which may engage between ribs on the outer side of the closure cap. This design has the disadvantage that after the first opening of the container, the annular indicator body with its projections may again be pressed between the ribs on the closure cap, and thus the opening of the container may be concealed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to avoid this disadvantage with a container closure arrangement of the above specified type. 
     According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the closure cap for bringing into rotationally secure engagement comprises at least one axially protruding projection accommodated between the ends of the circular-segment-shaped indicator body, or between the ends of two neighboring indicator bodies. 
     An additional improvement in security may be achieved by providing the closure cap with axially protruding inclined ramps running in the circumferential direction, which on rotating the closure cap placed on the threaded neck, in the unscrewing direction press the base body and the indicator body away from one another. 
     In place of the inclined ramps on the closure cap, however, there may also be arranged second projections with a constant axial height which on rotating the closure cap in the unscrewing direction shear the indicator body from the base body so that this indicator body falls from the base body remaining in the closure cap. 
     An important advantage of the container closure arrangement designed according to the invention lies also in the fact that—in particular when only one or two circular—segment—shaped indicator bodies are present—the indicator body or bodies, together with the closure cap, are always compellingly located in a predetermined rotational position with respect to the closure cap, and thus also with respect to the container. This predetermined rotational position may be selected such that the releasing of the indicator body or one of the indicator bodies from the base body on opening the container is effected at an optimally visible location, for example roughly in the middle of the front side of a container, the front side being identified by the containers shape (e.g. oval) or by way of a label, wherein the front side on purchase faces or is faced to a purchaser. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiment examples of the container closure arrangement according to the invention are hereinafter described in more detail by way of the drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a view of a closure cap from below, 
     FIG. 2 is a section through the closure cap taken on line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view from above of a guarantee element of the container closure arrangement, 
     FIG. 4 is a section through the guarantee element taken on line  4 — 4  in FIG. 3, 
     FIG. 5 is a view of a closure cap according to one variant, from below, 
     FIG. 6 is a section taken on line  6 — 6  in FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 7 is a view of the guarantee element of FIG. 3, applied into the closure cap of FIG. 5 and 6, from below, 
     FIG. 8 is a section through the opening region and the threaded neck of a container, 
     FIG. 9 is a similar section as FIG. 8, but with a closure cap and a closure element installed, 
     FIG. 10 is a view according to FIG. 1 of another closure cap from below, 
     FIG. 11 is a section taken on line  11 — 11  in FIG. 10, 
     FIG. 12 is a plan view of a guarantee element for use with the closure cap of FIG. 10 and 11, 
     FIG. 13 is a section taken on line  13 — 13  in FIG. 12, 
     FIG. 14 is a similar section from below, as in FIG. 1, of a closure cap with additional driver cams, 
     FIG. 15 is a section taken on line  15 — 15  in FIG. 14, 
     FIG. 16 is a similar plan view as FIG. 3 of a guarantee element with the counter cams corresponding to the engagement cams and 
     FIG. 17 is a section through the guarantee element of FIG. 16 taken on line  17 — 17  in FIG.  16 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Container closure arrangement embodying the invention includes a container, of which in FIGS. 8 and 9 only one opening region  21  is shown. The opening region  21  comprises a threaded neck  22  onto which the closure cap  23  schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be screwed. 
     Between the opening region  21  of the container and the closure cap  23  there is a guarantee element  24  which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The guarantee element  24  has an annular base body  25  which on its inner side carries roughly saw—tooth shaped latching means  26 . Furthermore the guarantee element  24  has two circular—segment—shaped indicator bodies  27  and  28 . The indicator bodies  27  and  28  are connected to the base body  25  via break-off webs  29  and further webs  30  and  31 . The indicator bodies  27  and  28  are not directly connected to one another but are separated from one another by gaps  32  and  33 . The indicator bodies  27  and  28  could also be replaced by only one indicator body which only has one gap and is connected to the base body by a break—off web and further webs. 
     The base body  25  is initially inserted into the closure cap  23 , wherein two axially protruding projections  34  and  35  on the closure cap enter into the gap  32  and  33  between the indicator bodies  27  and  28 . The projections  34  and  35  are each accommodated between the ends (seen in the circumferential direction) of the indicator bodies  27  and  28  neighboring one another. By way of the projection  34 ,  35  the angular position of the guarantee element  24  with respect to the closure cap  23  is unambiguously fixed. With only one indicator body, the closure cap would of course only have one axial protruding projection which would be accommodated between the two ends of the indicator body. The closure cap  23  and the base body  25  comprise cooperating latching means for the non-positive but rotatable axial holding of the base body in the closure cap. These latching means are represented as an annular bulge  36  on the circumference of the base body  25 , this annular bulge able to engage into an annular groove  37  in the closure cap  23 . 
     The closure cap  23 , together with the guarantee element  24 , is screwed onto the threaded neck  22  of the container, where up on the saw-tooth shaped latching means  26  on the base body  25  of the guarantee element snaps over complementary latching means  38  in the form of for example axis-parallel ribs on the opening region  21  of the container. In FIG. 9, the closure cap is shown completely screwed on. 
     When the closure cap  23  is later screwed off, the threaded neck  22  of the container the base body  25  may not co-rotate since its saw-tooth shaped latching means  26  in the unscrewing direction engage with the ribs  38  on the opening region  21  of the container. The projections  34  and  35  on the closure cap  23 , however, engage the indicator bodies  27  and  28 . Consequently, the indicator bodies are first torn at the break-off webs  29  from the base body  25 . 
     It has already been mentioned that by way of the projections  34 ,  35  the angular position of the guarantee element  24  with respect to the closure cap  23  is unambiguously fixed. In the unscrewing direction, the front ends of the projections  34 ,  35  in relation to the thread beginning on the threaded neck  22  and in relation to the thread beginning in the closure cap  23  are arranged such that when closure cap  23  screwed onto the container, the projections  34 ,  35  and the guarantee element  24  assume predetermined angular positions with respect to the container. These angular positions may be selected such that one of the locations at which the indicator bodies  27  and  28  on unscrewing the closure cap  23  are initially released from the base body (at one of the break-off webs  29  and at one of the gaps  32 ,  33 ) is optimally visible on the container. With unround containers, e.g. oval bottles, oval tubes or bag packagings, the mentioned break-open location may usefully lie in a middle region of one flat side. Some containers receive a print or label and are presented at the places of sales such that the print or label is visible. With such containers a release location of the indicator body  27 ,  28  may usefully be directed to a middle region of the print or of the label. 
     It may be desirable after the first opening of the container to distinctly protrude the indicator bodies  27 ,  28  to the outside. This may be achieved by way of inclined ramps  39  (FIGS. 1,  2 ) on the closure cap  23  which run in the circumferential direction, protrude axially and on rotating the closure cap in the unscrewing direction press the circular-segment-shaped indicator bodies  27 ,  28  away from the base body  25 . 
     It may also be desirable with the first opening of the container to completely separate the indicator bodies  27 ,  28  from the base body  25  so that they do not get in the way in the daily use of the container. For this purpose on the closure cap  23  in place of the inclined ramps there may be arranged axially protruding second projections, as shown in FIG. 5 and 6 which, on rotating in the unscrewing direction the closure cap screwed onto the threaded neck, shear off the indicator bodies  27 ,  28  from the base body  25 . If two (or more) indicator bodies are present, of which each, via the break-off web  29  and at least one second break-off web  31 , is connected to the base body  25 , it is useful for the closure cap  23  likewise to comprise two (or more) axially protruding second projections  40 , and for the guarantee element  24  constructed together with the closure cap, as shown in FIG. 7, for the angular distances a and b between the second projections  40  and the second break-off webs  31  following the second projections  40  in the unscrewing direction to be unequal. This has the advantage that on rotating in the unscrewing direction the closure cap  23  screwed onto the threaded neck, the second projections  40  do not simultaneously meet the second break-off webs  31  so that at some point the torque exerted on the closure cap  23  in each case need only be sufficient for shearing off one of the break-off webs  31 . The unequal angular distances a and b may be selected such that the projections  40  on the closure cap  23  are arranged asymmetrically, that is to say non-uniformly distributed on the circumference. It is however also possible for the break-off webs  30  in the guarantee element to be non-uniformly distributed on the circumference. 
     In FIGS. 10 to  13 , a closure cap  123  and a guarantee element  124  of a somewhat different form is represented schematically. The guarantee element  124  has an annular base body  125  which on its inner side carries roughly saw-tooth shaped latching means  126 . Furthermore the guarantee element  124  has an indicator body  127  which is connected to the base body  125  via break-off webs  129 . Of course, two or more such indicator bodies may be arranged on the base body  125 . 
     The base body  125  is initially inserted into the closure cap  123  wherein an axially protruding projection  134  on the closure cap is accommodated between the two ends (seen in the circumferential direction) of the indicator body. By way of the projection  134 , the angular position of the guarantee element  124  with respect to the closure cap  123  is unambiguously fixed. The closure cap  123  and the base body  125  comprise cooperating latching means for the non-positive, but rotatable axial holding of the base body in the closure cap. These latching means are represented as an annular bulge  136  on the circumference of the base body  125 , this annular bulge  137  being able to engage into the annular groove  137  in the closure cap  123 . 
     Then the closure cap  123  together with the guarantee element  124  is screwed onto the threaded neck  22  of the container (FIG.  8 ), whereupon the saw-tooth shaped latching means  126  in the base body  125  of the guarantee element  124  snap over the complementary latching means  38  (ribs) on the opening region  21  of the container. 
     If the closure cap  123  later is unscrewed from the threaded neck  22  of the container, the base body  125  may not co-rotate, since its saw-tooth shaped latching means  126  in the unscrewing direction engage with the ribs  38  on the opening region  21  of the container. The projection  134  on the closure cap  123  however engages the indicator body  127 . By way of this the indicator body  127  at the break-off webs  129  is torn from the base body  125 . 
     It has already been mentioned that by way of the projection  134 , the angular position of the guarantee element  124  with respect to the closure cap  123  is unambiguously fixed. In the unscrewing direction, the front end of the projection  134  is, in relation to the thread beginning, arranged in the closure cap  123  such that when a closure cap  123  screwed on the container, the projection  134  and the guarantee element  124  assume a predetermined angular position with respect to the container. This angular position may be selected such that the location at which the indicator body  127  on unscrewing the closure cap  123  is initially released from the base body  125  (at one of the break-off webs  129 ) is optimally visible on the container. With unround containers, e.g. oval bottles, oval tubes or bag packages, the mentioned breaking-open location may usefully lie in a middle region of a flat side of the container. Some containers obtain a print or a label and at the place of sales are presented such that the print or label is visible. With such containers the release location of the indicator body  127  may usefully be directed to the middle region of the print or of the label. 
     With the assembly of the container closure arrangements according to the invention as a rule, as described above, initially the base body  25  and  125  of the guarantee element  24  and  124  respectively are stuck together with the closure cap  23  and  123  respectively and then the closure cap and the guarantee element together are screwed onto the threaded neck  22  of the container. The screwing-on torque at the same time for practical reasons is preferably exerted on the closure cap  23  and  123 . The torque required for the co-rotation of the base body  25  and  125  in the previously mentioned embodiment examples is transmitted by the axially protruding projections  34  and  134  onto the indicator bodies  27 ,  28  and  129  respectively and from these via the break-off webs, such as  29  and  129  onto the base body  25  and  125  respectively. The torque to be transmitted via the break-off webs has a certain value, since the saw-tooth-like latching means  26  and  126  in the base body  25  and  125  respectively as described must snap over complementary latching means  38  on the opening region  22  of the container. Therefore in certain cases there may exist the danger that break-off webs break when screwing onto the threaded neck  22 . 
     This danger may be counteracted by providing at least one driver cam which, on screwing the closure cap with the guarantee element onto the threaded neck of the container, bears on a counter-cam on the base body of the guarantee element and transmits the required torque directly from the closure cap onto the base body. A corresponding embodiment form is represented in FIGS. 14 to  17 . 
     FIGS. 14 to  17 , as FIGS. 1 to  4 , show a closure cap  23  with axially protruding projections  34 ,  35  and a guarantee element  24  which comprises the annular base body  25  with the saw-tooth-shaped latching means  26  and the circle-segment-shaped indicator bodies  27 ,  28 . Additionally on the closure cap  23  there are arranged two driver cams  41  and  42 . These driver cams  41 ,  42  on screwing the closure cap  23  with the guarantee element  24  onto the threaded neck of the container bear on (in the unscrewing direction) the rear sides  43  and  44  of counter cams  45  and  46  respectively, these being arranged on the base body  25 .