Abstract:
A cap for a hermetically sealed container includes an interior spike and a unitary security ring which is severed from the cap when an attempt is made to remove the cap from the container. The cap is rotatable in one direction to pierce through and puncture the neck of the container and allow access to the container contents. The security ring is severed from the cap when an attempt is made either to remove the cap from the container or to pierce the neck of the container with the interior spike.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to hermetically sealed dispensing containers and, more particularly, to a dispensing cap therefor having a unitary security ring associated therewith. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,616 B1 to Weiler et al. discloses a container which is formed of thermoplastic material, filled with the desired contents, and then sealed all in one continuous operation by a blow/fill/seal technique. The container disclosed therein is sealed by a pierceable membrane which is unitary with an opening defined by the throat of the container and is provided with a piercing external cap. 
   The system and container described above is particularly desirable where an aseptic contents is to be sealed within a container and thereafter maintained as such. The external cap is secured over the top of the throat and incorporates a spike adapted to pierce the container and allow access to the container contents. The absence of a visual indicator, however, does not allow a user to determine whether the container has been the subject of tampering prior to use. 
   It would thus be desirable to provide a container including a cap adapted to provide a security and tamper indicator. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a cap adapted for use on a hermetically sealed container having a threaded neck that defines an opening occluded by a pierceable membrane. The cap includes an interior spike and a unitary security ring that is severed from the cap in two ways. Frangible tabs connect the security ring to the cap. The security ring is severed from the cap (1) when an attempt is made to remove the cap from the container or (2) when the cap is rotated to pierce the membrane and gain access to container contents. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the cap and container neck portion include cooperating threaded surfaces which allow the cap to be threaded over the neck portion in one direction to secure the cap and the security ring over the neck. Further threading of the cap to pierce membrane breaks the frangible tabs. Cooperating toothed surfaces on the ring and the neck cause the ring to engage and abut against the neck when the cap is rotated in the opposite direction to remove the cap from the container; frangible tabs that connect the ring and the cap are then broken before the cap can be unthreaded from the container. 
   Other advantages and features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same; 
       FIG. 1  is an enlarged, part-fragmentary, part-vertical cross-sectional view of the cap of the present invention secured over the neck and nozzle of a hermetically sealed container; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged, vertical cross-sectional view of the cap of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged bottom plan view of the cap of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged top plan view of the cap of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged, part-fragmentary, part-vertical cross-sectional view of the cap in its fully threaded piercing position over the nozzle of the container. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The invention disclosed herein is, of course, susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. Shown in the drawings and described hereinbelow in detail is a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the present disclosure is an exemplication of the principles of the invention and does not limit the invention to the illustrated embodiment. 
   For ease of description, a container equipped with the cap embodying the present invention is described hereinbelow in its usual assembled vertical position as shown in the accompanying drawings and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, etc., will be used herein with reference to this usual position. However, it is understood that the container and cap may be manufactured, stored, transported, sold, or used in orientations other than that described and shown herein. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dispenser  10  embodying this invention comprises a hermetically sealed container  12  and a cap  14  threaded onto neck  15 . Container  12  is of unitary construction and includes a hollow body portion  16  whose walls are relatively thin and define a liquid-holding cavity  18 . Body portion  16  terminates in neck  15  provided with external threads  30 . The walls of body portion  16  are relatively thin so that body portion  16  can be manually squeezed, i.e., compressed or distorted to dispense a liquid fill therefrom, as desired. 
   Container  12  can be molded using a thermoplastic polymer. Presently preferred polymers are low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and the like. The thickness of body portion  16  can vary from one location to another, but is preferably formed as thin as practical, consistent with structural strength requirements. 
   Container  12  can be made by a parison molding procedure wherein body portion  16  is formed first, then filled with a desired liquid fill, and thereafter sealed while providing a pierceable membrane. The blow, fill and sealing operations are carried out automatically under sterile conditions using procedures known to the art as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,976 to Weiler et al. 
   The cap  14  of the present invention can be fabricated with injection molding apparatus and other devices, the details of which, although not illustrated or described, will be apparent to those having skill in the art and an understanding of the necessary functions of such apparatus and devices. The detailed descriptions of such apparatus and devices are not necessary to an understanding of the invention, and are thus not herein presented. 
   Collar  22  is provided with protuberances around the periphery thereof such as teeth  23 , is unitary with the body portion  16 , and forms the base of threaded neck portion  24  which, in the embodiment shown, terminates into a unitary tapered nozzle  26 . The diameter of the neck portion  24  is less than the diameter of the collar  22  so as to define a radial top shoulder  28  between the collar  22  and the threaded neck portion  24 . External threads  30  are formed and extend circumferentially outwardly about an outside wall region of the neck portion  24 . Threads  30  can be left-handed or right-handed, as desired. Nozzle  26  is sealed and occluded at the top thereof by a radially extending pierceable membrane  29 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , cap  14  comprises a skirt  32  defined by a generally cylindrical peripheral circumferential wall  34  that terminates in base  52  and a security ring  54  depending from base  52  of skirt  32 . Cap body portion or wall  34  is provided with internal threads  36  threadingly engageable with the neck threads  30  in the manner depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 5  and for the purposes described below in more detail. In the illustrated embodiment, the exterior surface of the wall  34  is generally cylindrical and optionally includes a plurality of vertically aligned serrations or grooves  38  which facilitate gripping of the cap  14 . Other configurations of gripping assists are suitable as well. Security ring  54  is secured to base  52  by frangible tabs  58  and is described in detail hereinbelow. 
   Cap  14  additionally includes a unitary dome shaped top  40  comprising a frustoconical wall  42  which projects unitarily upwardly and circumferentially from a threaded portion  44  of wall  34  defining the skirt  32 . A spike  50  extends downwardly from the interior face of the cross wall  46  toward the nozzle  26 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , security ring  54  depends from cap  14  and extends downwardly and outwardly from base  52  of skirt  32 . The inside diameter of the security ring is greater than the outside diameter of the base  52  of the cap. A plurality of spaced frangible tabs such as tabs  58  are unitary with the skirt  32  and the ring  54 , and are situated about the circumference of the security ring  54  to removably connect ring  54  with cap  14 . Ring  54  defines a cylindrical, circumferentially extending vertical wall  60  which includes an interior circumferential vertical surface  62 . A plurality of unidirectional counterteeth  64  extend radially inwardly from the surface  62  and are in a spaced-apart relationship to one another about the circumference of the wall  60 . Teeth  64  are adapted to engage with and abut against teeth  23  that extend radially outwardly from the exterior of the collar  22 . 
   Ring  54  surrounds collar  22  as shown in FIG.  1 . Tabs  58  extend between the outer peripheral circumferential edge of the base  52 , defining the lower portion of skirt  32 , and the inner peripheral circumferential edge of the wall  60  of the security ring  54 . Tabs  58  are severed under two conditions: when cap  14  is rotated to urge spike  50  against top of nozzle  26  (FIG.  5 ), or when an attempt is made to remove cap  14  from threaded engagement with neck  24 . 
   As cap  14  is initially threaded onto neck portion  24 , counterteeth  64  on security ring  54  slide over the teeth  23  on collar  22  of container  10 . Continued rotation of the cap  14  causes severance of the frangible tabs  58  connecting the ring  54  to the cap  14  as spike  50  pierces nozzle  26  and nozzle membrane  29 . When cap  14  is fully threaded over the neck portion  24  and the spike  50  has pierced the membrane  29  as shown in  FIG. 5 , face  66  of base  52  abuts collar  22  and base  52  is received within security ring  54 . 
   Cap  14  has a length generally about equal to the length of the container neck and nozzle portions  24  and  26  respectively. In its fully threaded relationship over the neck  24  and nozzle  26 , the base  52  of skirt  32  is disposed between the severed ring  54  and the outer surface of the neck portion  24 . The outer face  66  of base  52  of skirt  32  is abutted against the shoulder  28  of collar  22 . 
   Once cap  14  has been threaded onto neck  24  so that security ring  54  envelops collar  22 , and teeth  23  of collar  22  are juxtaposed relative to counterteeth  64  that extend inwardly from wall  60 , any attempt to rotate cap  14  in the opposite direction causes counterteeth  64  to engage teeth  23  and thus prevent further rotation without breaking tabs  58 . Broken tabs  58  provide a reliable indication that an attempt to remove cap  14  has been made. 
   The present invention thus provides a cap with a unitary ring which secures the cap to the container and assures the sterility of the pierceable membrane and container contents at all times prior to use of the container while also contemporaneously providing a visual indicator of tampering when the frangible tabs  58  have been severed.