TAMPER-PROOF LID

Abstract: A lid (1) suitable for being fitted round an edge (13) of a container (11). The lid comprises a disc-shaped plate (2), a cylindrical skirt (3) extending downwards from said plate, which has an annular rib (4) on its inner side which is to be positioned round the edge in use, and an annular securing band (6, 21), which is connected to the skirt via a score line (7) on a side remote from the plate. The securing band includes at least one pivotable flange (9, 23) extending from said score line, which can be clamped into locking engagement with the container in use by means of a deformable locking lip (10, 26) that is connected to the lid.

Description: TAMPER-PROOF LID The invention relates to a lid suitable for being fitted round an edge of a container, which lid comprises a disc-shaped plate, a cylindrical skirt extending downwards from said plate, which has an annular rib on its inner side, which is to be positioned round the edge in use, and an annular securing band, which is connected to the skirt via a score line on a side remote from the plate. For the purpose of sealing containers, such as beverage bottles, cans containing foodstuffs, paint spray cans and the like it is known to use a lid which is connected to the container in such a manner that removal of the lid for the first time is only possible by tearing off the securing band along the score line. As a result of this forced manner of opening it is always possible to tell from the exterior of the lid whether the container has been opened before, possibly undesirably. Lids of this kind are also called "tamper proof" lids. In a similar lid known from WO 98/07626 not only the skirt, but also the securing band is formed with an annular rib, which extends parallel to the annular rib that is connected to the skirt. A lid of this kind can only be used if the container, too, is formed with at least two projecting edges, about which the ribs can engage. The cover is not suitable for use with containers that have only one projecting edge. The object of the invention is to provide a lid which is suitable for being fitted on a container which includes at least one projecting edge. This objective is accomplished with the lid according to the invention in that the securing band includes at least one pivotable flange extending from said score line, which can be clamped into locking engagement with the container in use by means of a deformable locking lip that is connected to the lid. With the lid according to the invention said flange is clamped into locking engagement with the container by means of said deformable locking lip. The only way to remove the remaining part of the lid, which forms a reclosure cap, from the container is to tear the securing band off the lid along the score line. The lid is fitted over the edge of the container by means of a simple, rectilinear pressing movement. The locking lip is moved during or after the fitting of the lid over the container, after which the securing band butts firmly against the container. The locking is so configured that it is hardly possible, if at all, to move the locking lip back to a position in which the lid and the securing band attached thereto could be removed from the container again. It is noted that DE-A1-43.38.090 discloses a lid comprising an annular securing band which is connected to the skirt via a score line. The securing band includes tiltable elements, which engage under an edge of the container in the fitted position of the lid on a container. Once the securing band has been removed, the lid can be removed from the container. Refitting of the lid on the container by making use of the edge attached to the container is not possible. With the lid according to the invention the engagement between the lid and the container is realised by the annular rib that is connected to the lid, whilst the securing band merely functions to lock the lid in position on the container. Once the securing band has been removed, the lid can be reconnected to the container time and again by means of the rib that is to be positioned round the edge. One embodiment of the lid according to the invention is characterised in that the locking lip that is connected to the flange extends inwardly in a direction substantially transversely to said flange in the detached position of the lid, whilst the locking lip extends towards the rib when the lid is locked in position on the container. Due to the presence of the inwardly extending locking lip connected to the flange, a firm, undetachable connection between the lid and the container is obtained directly when the lid is being fitted on the container. In addition, the locking lip is hidden from view and it is inaccessible to unauthorized persons. Only by tearing off the securing band along the score line can the flange and the locking lip be jointly removed from the lid. Following that, only the disc-shaped plate with the cylindrical skirt that extends downwards from the plate and the rib remain in the form of a reclosure cap. Another embodiment of the lid according to the invention is characterised in that the locking lip is pivotally connected to the skirt on a side remote from the rib, which locking lip furthermore includes a projection which can be positioned at least partially in a recess present between the flange and the score line so as to lock the flange in position. Since the projection is only positioned in the recess present between the flange and the score line after the lid has been fitted over the container, the lid can be positioned over the container relatively easily. The flange is removed by tearing off the securing band along the score line. The projection remains connected to the skirt thereby, and it can be torn off the skirt via a further score line present between the projection and the skirt, if desired. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a part of a first embodiment of a lid according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the lid of Figure 1 fitted over a container; Figure 3 shows part of a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a lid according to the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective, bottom view of the lid of Figure 3; and Figures 5A-C show the fitting of the lid of Figure 3 over a container. Parts corresponding to each other are indicated by the same numerals in the figures. Figure 1 shows a lid 1 according to the invention, comprising a disc-shaped plate 2 and a cylindrical skirt 3 extending downwards from said plate. The term cylindrical as used herein is understood to mean a circular cylindrical, oval, square, rectangular or any other tubular shape. Present on the inner side of skirt 3 is an annular rib 4, which extends in the direction of the central axis. Rib 4 includes an abutting surface 5 directed towards plate 2. Lid 1 furthermore includes a securing band 6, which is connected to skirt 3 via a relatively thin portion 7, which portion forms a score line. In comparison with rib 4, portion 7 is positioned further away from plate 2 and further away from the central axis of plate 2. A sloping wall portion 8 extends between portion 7 and rib 4. Securing band 6 includes a flange 9, which extends substantially parallel to skirt 3, and a locking lip 10, which extends substantially transversely to flange 9 in the direction of the central axis. Securing band 6 is pivotally connected to skirt 3 by means of narrowed portion 7. In addition, flange 9 and locking lip 10 of securing band 6 are elastically deformable relative to each other. Securing band 6 extends substantially continuously, seen in the circumferential direction of lid 1. Securing band 6 includes a handling lip, as for example known from international patent application WO 98/07626, by means of which a force can be exerted on securing band 6, so that the securing band 6 can be torn off skirt 4 along narrowed portion 7. The flange 9 of securing band 6 can extend substantially continuously along the circumference of lid 1. It is also possible, however, for securing band 6 to include a plurality of spaced-apart flanges 9 having locking lips 10 attached thereto. Figure 2 shows a lid 1 fitted over a container 11. Container 11 includes a cylindrical wall 12, which has a projecting cylindrical edge 13 near its upper end. Edge 13 includes an abutting surface 14 directed towards wall 12. If desired, container 11 can be fitted with a removable closure 15. When lid 1 is to be fitted on container 11, locking lip 10 is positioned on edge 13 at the upper end. Locking lip 10 thereby takes up the position indicated at 10', whilst the flange takes up the position indicated at 9'. Then lid 1 is pressed in a rectilinear movement in the direction indicated by arrow PI with respect to container 11, wherein the locking lip successively takes up the positions 10" and 10'" through elastic deformation of band 6 and skirt 3 before reaching the position indicated at 10 in Figure 2. At the same time, locking lip 10 pulls the flange 9 that is attached thereto from the position indicated at 9', via the position indicated at 9", to the position indicated at 9 in Figure 2. (Numeral 9"' indicates the position that the flange would take up if no container 11 would be present). In the final position of lid 1 as indicated in Figure 2, the abutting surface 5 of rib 4 is positioned opposite the abutting surface 14 of edge 13, and lid 1 is firmly secured to container 11. Furthermore locking lip 10 and flange 13 firmly abut against wall 12 of container 11. Due to the presence of locking lip 10 and flange 9, which extend in directions away from each other, it is not possible to remove lid 1 without damaging container 11. The only way to gain access to container 11 is by removing the entire securing band 6. The part that remains after the removal of securing band 6 forms a reclosure cap, which is made up of the disc-shaped plate 2, the downwardly extending skirt 3 and the rib 5 connected thereto. Figures 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of a lid 20 according to the invention, which comprises a disc-shaped plate 2, a cylindrical skirt 3 extending downwards from said plate, and an annular rib 4 present on the inner side of skirt 3. Lid 20 furthermore includes a securing band 21, which is connected to skirt 3 via a narrowed portion 22 forming a score line. Securing band 21 includes an annular flange 23, which is connected to portion 22 by means of bridges 30. Flange 23, bridges 30 and portion 22 bound slotted recesses 24. Lid 20 furthermore includes projections 26 which are pivotally connected to skirt 3 by means of a narrowed portion 25. Each projection 26 is provided with an angular recess 27 near one end. The manner of fitting lid 20 according to the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 5A-5C. Lid 20 is fitted over edge 13 of container 11 with skirt 3 and rib 4 in a rectil inear movement under elastic deformation of skirt 3 (see Figure 5A) . Then the projections 26 are pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow P2, via the position that is shown in Figure 5B, to the position that is shown in Figure 5C. Each projection 26 thereby comes to lie in the space present between skirt 3 and flange 23, with projection 26 partially extending into recess 24. The angular recess 27 is thereby brought into engagement with an upper end 28 of flange 23. When a respective projection is pressed between skirt 3 and flange 23, the associated flange 23 is pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow P3 and pressed firmly against the wall 12 of container 11 (see Figure 5C). Due to the presence of angular recess 27, which engages the upper end 28 of flange 23, projection 26 is virtually undetachable from recess 24. Accordingly, lid 20 can only be removed from container 11 by removing the securing band 21. To this end securing band 21 is provided with a handling lip that is known per se, in a similar manner as securing band 6. Portion 22 is torn in two upon removal of securing band 21. After removal of securing band 21, a reclosure cap comprising the plate 2, the skirt and the rib 4 remains. Once the securing band 21 has been removed, the tensions present in the material will cause the projections 26 to spring back to the position that is shown in Figure 3. If desired, the securing projections 26 can be torn off along a score line formed in portion 25. If projections 26 are not removed from skirt 3, said projections 26 can be used as handling means for fitting the cap over the container and removing the cap from container 11. Rib 4 can extend either continuously or with interruptions along the inner side of skirt 3.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A lid (1) suitable for being fitted round an edge of a container (11), which lid (1) comprises a disc-shaped plate (2), a cylindrical skirt (3) extending downwards from said plate, which has an annular rib (4) on its inner side, which is to be positioned round the edge (13) in use, and an annular securing band (6, 21), which is connected to the skirt via a score line (7) on a side remote from the plate, characterised in that the securing band (6) includes at least one pivotable flange (9, 23) extending from said score line, which can be clamped into locking engagement with the container (11) in use by means of a deformable locking lip (10, 26) that is connected to the lid. 2. A lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking lip (10) that is connected to the flange (9) extends inwardly in a direction substantially transversely to said flange (9) in the detached position of the lid (1), whilst the locking lip extends towards the rib (4) when the lid (1) is locked in position on the container (11). 3. A lid according to claim 2, characterised in that the locking lip (10) extends inwardly beyond said rib (4) in the detached position of the 1 id. 4. A lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking lip (26) is pivotally connected to the skirt (3) on a side remote from the rib (4), which locking lip (26) furthermore includes a projection (26) which can be positioned at least partially in a recess (24) present between the flange (23) and the score line so as to lock the flange (23) in position.

Inventors: NUIJEN HENRICUS JOHANNES CORNE, VERSLUYS RICHARD, NUIJEN, HENRICUS, JOHANNES, CORNELIUS, VERSLUYS, RICHARD
Applicants: NUIJEN HENRICUS JOHANNES CORNE, TEN CATE PLASTICUM EDE B V, VERSLUYS RICHARD, NUIJEN, HENRICUS, JOHANNES, CORNELIUS, TEN CATE PLASTICUM EDE B.V., VERSLUYS, RICHARD
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D41
IPC codes: B65D41