Abstract:
An overcap is provided for placement on a cap for a container. The overcap includes a pair of mating components separated by a hinge. Interlocking means is provided for securing the components together about the cap. The interlocking means couples the components for rotation about the cap without causing removable rotation of the cap and preventing non-destructible detachment of the components. The components define a lip for positioning beneath the cap for preventing removal of the overcap therefrom without destructible detachment of the components. The overcap supports an electronic tag therein. The mating components of the overcap include a severable location for removing the overcap from the cap.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/927,014 filed on Jan. 14, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to an overcap for supporting an electronic tag. More particularly, the present invention relates to an overcap which may be placed upon a rotatively removable bottle cap. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Electronic tags have a wide variety of uses including the tracking of items which contain the tag, inventory control, security and the provision for electronically readable information. These electronic tags take various forms. For example, the tag may include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags. Whether for identification, security or other purpose, the tags are typically of one or two types, either dual resonator (DR) tags or radio frequency (RF) tags. 
         [0004]    Where product is sold in a container which is closed by a rotatable cap, access to the contents of the container can be achieved by removing the cap prior to purchase and removing all or part of the contents of the container. This would have a tendency to defeat any securing benefits provided by a tag applied to the container. Also, it may be not be readily apparent that the cap has been removed before purchase thereby providing no indication that the container has been tampered with. 
         [0005]    Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,804,405 discloses an overcap for use with a pharmaceutical container. The overcap may support an electronic tag of the type described herein and is placed on the cap of the container in such a manner that the overcap is rotatable with respect thereto thereby preventing removal of the container cap until the overcap is removed at the time of purchase. While the cap disclosed in the above-referenced patent serves adequately for intended purpose, the two-piece design shown therein is not as cost effective to manufacture and assemble as may be necessary to meet the needs of the consumer market. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a structure which will secure an electronic tag to a container which is easy to manufacture and assemble. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIGS. 1-3  show one embodiment of the overcap of the present invention for attachment to a cap of a container. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 4-7  show, in various depictions, the overcap of  FIG. 1  of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 8-10  show a further embodiment of the overcap of the present invention used for attachment to a cap of a container. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 11-15  show and additional embodiment of the overcap of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]    The present invention provides an overcap which may be placed on the rotatable cap of a product container which prevents the unauthorized removal of the container cap without an indication of such removal and also permits the application of an electronic tag to the container. 
         [0011]    The first embodiment of the overcap of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . A container  10  (a portion of which is shown) may be used, for example, to contain a variety of pourable products, such as liquid, powder and the like. The container  10  includes a cap  14  which may be screw threaded to an extending neck of the container to close the container. The present invention provides an overcap  20  for placement over the cap  14  of the container  10 . The overcap  20  is an integral one-piece construction and when assembled around the cap  14  ( FIG. 3 ) is generally cylindrical having a flat upper surface  21  and a depending annular skirt  23 . 
         [0012]    As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, an interior  21  of the outer cap is designed to support an electronic tag  24 . The distal end of the skirt  23  includes an inwardly directed lip  25  which will also be described hereinbelow. The overcap  20  is designed to be supported over the container cap  14  and be fixedly rotatable therearound while supporting the electronic tag thereto. 
         [0013]    As shown in additional detail in  FIGS. 4-7 , the overcap  20  is generally of clamshell configuration having two components  32  and  34  separated by a living hinge  35 . Each component of  32  and  34  has a generally semi-cylindrical skirt and a pair of extending ears  36  and  38 . One of the ears includes projections  40  extending therefrom and the other ear includes apertures  42  which receive the extending projections. 
         [0014]    Compartment  34  includes on the underside of the upper surface  21 , an extending ledge  31  which accommodates the electronic tag  24  shown in  FIG. 1 . The electronic tag  24  may be glued or otherwise secured to this ledge in manner well known in the art. 
         [0015]    The extending ears  36  and  38  are attached, respectively, to components  32  and  34  by a thinned portion  45 . As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, this thin portion allows the overcap to be removed from the cap  14  once the product is purchased. 
         [0016]    The assembly of overcap  20  to cap  14  of container  10  can now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 . In its opened condition shown in  FIG. 1 , the electronic tag  24  is attached to the ledge  31 . One of the two components  32  and  34  is placed partially around cap  14  and the other component is closed in a clamshell fashion therearound. The living hinge  35  facilitates such closure. The ears  36  and  38  are placed in juxtaposition such that the projections  40  of ear  38  fit within apertures  42  of ear  36  in a one way snap fit fashion preventing disengagement. The inwardly directed lip  25  is engageable under the cap so as to prevent removal of the overcap  20  from cap  14 . In this position, the overcap  20  is fully rotatable about cap  14 . With the overcap in place, the overcap cannot be nondestructibly removed from the cap  14 . Inasmuch as the overcap is rotatable about cap  14 , it also prevents the cap  14  from being removed from the container. Furthermore, as the overcap includes electronic tag  24 , it provides the desirable aspects of inventory control and theft prevention. 
         [0017]    Once the container is purchased by the consumer, the overcap  20  may be removed by cutting the joined ears  36  and  38  at the thinned area  45  with a suitable tool such as scissors. Once the ears are removed, the clamshell overcap can be opened and removed from the cap  14  and discarded. The container may be used in conventional fashion thereafter. 
         [0018]    A further embodiment of the present invention is shown with respect to  FIGS. 8-10 . This embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment described above and similar reference numerals will be used to describe similar components. In this embodiment, the overcap  120  may be used in combination with a container  110  which includes a cap  114  which may be screw threaded onto an extending neck thereof to close the container. The overcap includes two compartments, a first semi-cylindrical compartment  130  and a second generally rectangular compartment  132  which are interconnected by a living hinge  135 . The rectangular compartment  132  is provided in this embodiment inasmuch as the container  110  and cap  114  is smaller than the container and cap shown in the embodiment described above. This necessitates the overcap  120  to be of smaller construction. Since the overcap is of smaller construction, it is difficult to provide sufficient dimension on the underside of upper surface  132  to accommodate the electronic tag  124 . Thus, the rectangular compartment  132  is provided to assure that surface  132  is of sufficient dimension to accommodate the electronic tag thereagainst. 
         [0019]    Component  130  has a projecting latch  140  which is lockingly insertable into a projecting recess  142  on component  132  to lock the overcap in closed condition around cap  114 . When closed about the cap  114 , both components  130  and  132  of overcap  120  provide a inwardly directed lip  125  which supports the overcap  120  over the cap  114  as shown in  FIGS. 8-10 . 
         [0020]    The embodiment shown herein functions substantially similar to the embodiment shown above where the compartment  132  is folded about living hinge  135  to close with compartment  130  around cap  114 . Once folded, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the living hinge extends from one side of the overcap. The projecting latch  140  lockingly engages the projecting recess  142  to provide a one way snap fit engagement thereby preventing the overcap  120  from being nondestructively removed from the cap  114 . In this position, the overcap  120  is fully rotatble about cap  114  and also prevents the contents of the container from being accessed without removal of the overcap. Once the container is purchased by the consumer the overcap may be removed by cutting the hinge  135 . Once the hinge is cut, the overcap  120  can be opened about the cap  114  and be removed. The container can be then used in conventional fashion. 
         [0021]    A still further embodiment of the present invention is shown with respect to  FIGS. 11-14 . This embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment described hereinabove and similar reference numerals will be used to describe similar components. 
         [0022]    In the present embodiment, the overcap  220  may be used in combination with a container  210  which includes a cap  214  which may be screwed threaded onto the extending neck thereof to close the container  210 . The overcap  220  is an integral one-piece member, which when assembled around the cap  214 , is generally cylindrical having a flat upper surface  221  and a depending annular skirt  223 . The overcap  220  of the present embodiment is designed for use on smaller containers where space between the handle  211  of the container and the cap  214  is minimal. Thus, as with the embodiment immediately described above, the overcap  220  is of smaller construction. 
         [0023]    Since it is of smaller construction, it is also difficult to provide sufficient dimension on the circular upper surface  221  to accommodate the electronic tag  224 . Thus, in the present embodiment, the upper surface of cap  214  includes diametrically opposed extending fingers  227  which extends the diameter of the cylindrical overcap  220 . This provides an elongate surface for accommodating the elongate rectangular tag  224 . 
         [0024]    Also, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the upper surface  221  of the overcap  220  may include strengthening ribs  250  to prevent deformation of the overcap. 
         [0025]    Still further as shown in  FIG. 15 , in order to accommodate the overcap  220  between the cap  214  and handle  211  of the container  210 , flat areas  255  may be provided on diametrically opposed sides of the overcap  220  so that the overcap may fit between the cap  214  and the container handle  211 . 
         [0026]    Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures would now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.