Present invention relates to improvements in tamper-proof closures

A tamper-proof seal for a container having at least one circumferentially extending flange adjacent the discharge opening therein comprising an annular top and a circumferentially extending skirt depending from the top adapted to be crimped at its lower terminal edge to engage under the flange to hold it on the container. A pull ring connects to the annular portion by a throat portion and partial score lines extend across the annular top portion on either side of the pull ring and define a plurality of circumferentially spaced score lines extending from the lower edge of the skirt upwardly in an axial direction to a point closely adjacent the juncture of the skirt and annular top portion. The axial score lines are spaced closely about the skirt.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to improvements in tamper-proof closures. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Tamper-proof container closures are not new per se. Prior closures 
generally of the type to which the present invention relates are shown in 
the patents listed below. 
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Inventor Patent No. 
Issue Date 
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Underwood 2,544,969 03/13/51 
Glensky 2,705,085 03/29/55 
Glensky 3,439,825 04/22/69 
Rohde 3,480,171 11/25/69 
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These patents show prior closures or seals made of aluminum which are 
adapted to be assembled over the bottle finish by crimping a lower edge of 
the aluminum seal under a peripheral flange or bead on the bottle finish 
below the discharge opening therein and incorporate some type of actuating 
tab and scoring to facilitate removal of the seal when it is desired to 
gain access to the contents of the container. These prior closures while 
generally effective for the purposes intended, nevertheless, have some 
disadvantages or drawbacks particularly in so far as the tamper-proof 
characteristics. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to 
provide improvements in aluminum seals of the above type for use on 
pharmaceuticals to improve their tamper-proof capabilities. To this end, 
the aluminum seal comprises and annular top portion having a 
circumferentially extending depending skirt which terminates at its lower 
end in a crimped in edge which engages under a peripherally extending 
flange on the bottle finish. Located within the annular top is a pull ring 
connected to the annular top by a pair of spaced parallel score lines 
which terminate slightly below the juncture of the annular top portion and 
skirt. The annular top has a series of circumferentially spaced score 
lines extending inwardly from the inner edge to a point slightly below the 
juncture of the annular top and skirt portion. The skirt has a plurality 
of circumferentially spaced closely adjacent score lines extending from 
the lower edge axially upwardly to a point closely adjacent the juncture 
of the skirt and top. These closures are particularly adapted for use on 
containers for pharmaceutical products such as aspirin. It has been found 
that elderly and incapacitated people have difficulty in opening currently 
available tamper-resistant packages and experience less difficulty in 
removing the tamper-proof seal of the present invention. The series of 
elongated closely spaced score lines emanating from the lower edge of the 
seal ease the removal process and also are important in providing indicia 
that the closure has been perhaps opened once. The scoring pattern and 
particularly the scoring on the skirt portion of the seal is designed to 
produce easy removal of the seal in one piece by simply actuating the pull 
ring in a rotary path. Additionally, the container is provided with a 
recessed channel to receive the lower edge of the skirt which makes it 
difficult to pry open the seal at this location. The hemmed edge 
arrangement also eliminates the risk of cutting fingers from sharp 
aluminum edges while the closure is being opened. Further, the depth of 
scoring and minimum width of bridges are such that removal of the seal of 
the present invention is extremely easy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4 thereof, 
there is shown a container closure assembly in accordance with the present 
invention. The container which is generally designated by the numeral 10 
in the present instance has a finish 12 designed to accommodate a snap cap 
12 of the type illustrated having a series of circumferentially spaced 
inwardly directly lugs 14 which engage under a rib 16 on the container 
which is tapered as at 18 to facilitate applications of the cap 12 simply 
by pressing it axially inwardy until the radially inwardly directed lugs 
14 on the lower edge of the skirt 20 engage under the bead 16 on the 
container finish. Indicia means 22 on the cap which aligns with an 
indicator 24 on the container is provided so that when they are aligned 
the snap cap can be readily removed from the container. In this position, 
one of the lugs 14 on the skirt of the cap registers with an opening 26 in 
the rib 16 on the container to release the cap easily. Note that the cap 
normally seats on an enlarged circumferentially extending flange 30 spaced 
axially below the rib 16. In the present instance, the container finish 
also includes a circumferentially extending pocket or recess 32 defined by 
still another readily outwardly directed flange 34 below the flange 30 
within which the lower edge of the skirt of aluminum overseal nests in the 
manner illustrated in FIG. 3. 
The closure system also includes a disk member 36 which overlies the top of 
the cap and has a short downwardly depending circumferentially extending 
lip 38. 
Considering now the specific details and construction of the aluminum seal 
40, the seal as illustrated has an annular top portion 42 and a 
circumferentially extending depending skirt 44 which terminates in an 
inwardly directly locking flange 46 at its lower terminal edge which 
engages in the assembled relation in the pocket 32 defined by the spaced 
flanges 30 and 34 on the container finish. The pocket 32 is of an axial 
depth D slightly greater than the thickness T of the skirt portion 44 
which allows sufficient clearance for crimping the lower edge of the skirt 
44 to the assembled position and inhibits use of an instrument to pry the 
skirt for tampering purposes. This is a tamper-proof feature which makes 
it difficult to successfully pry the lower edge of the seal to permit 
removal and re-seal without either damaging the lower edge to a point 
where it provides visual indicia that it has been tampered with and/or 
breaks the scoring in the skirt as described in more detail below. The 
annular top terminates in a central opening 48 and disposed within that 
opening is a pull ring 50 formed integrally and having a throat portion 52 
connected by parallel score lines 56 to the skirt in the manner 
illustrated. There are score lines 60 in the annular top 42 at locations 
spaced away from the pull ring 50 which extend across the annular top and 
slightly over the juncture 60 of the top and skirt portion. There are also 
a plurality of axially directed relatively closely spaced score lines 70 
about the periphery of the skirt 64 which extend upwardly from the lower 
edge of the skirt 64 to a point just short of the juncture 60 of the skirt 
and top portion as illustrated. These score lines 70 are preferably spaced 
about the periphery of the skirt at least no greater than 60 degrees 
between adjacent score lines 70. 
Another feature of the present invention resides in the pattern of the 
scoring 70 in the region of the pull ring 50 to facilitate ease of removal 
of the entire seal in one piece by a simple counterclockwise movement 
during the removal process. More specifically, there is one score line 
designated 70a adjacent the scoring 56a to the left of the pull ring 50 as 
viewed in FIG. 5 and the next adjacent score line in the skirt 70b is 
remote from the companion score line 56b as best illustrated in FIG. 5. By 
this arrangement, when the pull ring 50 is actuated upwardly the seal will 
fracture along the scoring lines 56a and 70a in the manner shown in FIG. 4 
and the remainder of the ring will stay intact as one piece during the 
removal process. Thus, the scoring configuration produces a consistent 
repeatable removable direction. Even though the preferred disposition of 
the score lines 70 is one where they are uniformly spaced, the spacing may 
be variable so long as the number of scores is sufficient for a given seal 
to result in ease of removal and maintain a tamper-evident feature as 
discussed above. 
The parts comprising the closure are easy and economical to assemble by 
automatic equipment. The containers are filled with a product such as 
aspirin in the usual manner by automatic filling equipment and thereafter 
the snap cap 12 is simply pressed in place, the disk like liner 36 then is 
positioned over the top of the cap. Thereafter, the aluminum seal 40 is 
placed over the assemby as described and the lower edge of the skirt 
simply spun or crimped under the larger of the two flanges 30 and 34 so 
that the edge engages in the pocket 32 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 
3. Now when it is desired to access the contents of the container, the 
pull ring 50 is simply raised by the user and pulled in the direction 
indicated in FIG. 4 which effects fracturing of the score lines on either 
side of the tab. The seal fractures along the score lines 56a and 70a 
during removal by reason of their close association which is desirable and 
leaves the remainder of the seal in tact as one piece. The entire seal may 
then be removed by simply peeling it in a counter clockwise direction. It 
is noted that the multiplicity of score lines 70 in the skirt facilitate 
removal action. It is also noted that these scorings 70 fracture rather 
readily and accordingly, provide a multiplicity of indicia means should 
someone remove the seal to tamper with the contents and then replace the 
seal to make it appear as though the seal had not been disturbed. Likewise 
the nesting of the lower edge in the pocket of the container ensures 
against utilization of a tool to pry the lower edge so that the entire 
seal can be removed for tamper purposes. 
While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and 
described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention and changes 
and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the following 
claims. For example,