Patent Publication Number: US-8113367-B2

Title: Non-removable closure having a dispensing aperture extending therethrough

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tamper-resistant device or a closure assembly adapted to be applied to a mouth of a container, for example, a neck of a bottle. More particularly, the invention particularly, the invention relates to an adhesive closure mechanism wherein the closure may not be removed from a container once it has been applied. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In today&#39;s service industries, the possibility exists that proprietors may purchase premium products having distinctive packaging and may refill the contents of that packaging with a less expensive substitute product having characteristics and quality which may be inferior to the premium product while passing off the product as the genuine premium product. 
     For example, a container, such as a bottle intended to contain a flowable liquid or gel (e.g., condiments, alcoholic beverages, personal products, motor oils) may be re-filled with a replacement quantity of another liquid where the characteristics and quality of which differ from the original contents. While a single-piece molded bottle design may effectively inhibit refilling the bottle with an inferior product, it will likewise inhibit the initial filling by the manufacturer. Therefore, it is desirable to affix a non-removable closure following an initial filling of a bottle. 
     Attempts to provide closures which make refilling difficult are not always effective against determined tampering. While it is considered advantageous to utilize a tamper-indicating means which provides evidence that the bottle, its cap and/or its contents are in their original conditions, if the bottle is re-sealable with a substitute cap or closure, there may be little to indicate to a purchaser or consumer that the bottle has been tampered with and that the contents may be inferior to the original contents. 
     Furthermore, there is a need for simple designs of closure assemblies allowing easy and reliable manufacture, assembly and fitting to bottle necks. Such simplicity has been somewhat lacking in previous closure designs. Currently, non-removable closures incorporate mutual ratcheting mechanisms between the closure and the bottle. Such mechanisms require custom closure and bottle tooling which can be expensive. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a non-removable bottle closure mechanism where existing removable bottle closure technology may be adapted to become non-removable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a non-removable bottle closure, a non-refillable bottle incorporating a non-removable bottle closure and method for manufacturing a non-removable bottle closure. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a non-removable bottle closure apparatus may comprise: (a) a first sealant layer; (b) a sealant interface layer; and (c) a second sealant layer. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, a non-refillable bottle may comprise: (a) a bottle cap; (b) a first sealant layer; (c) a sealant interface layer; (d) a second sealant layer; and (e) a bottle. 
     In still a further embodiment of the invention, a method for manufacturing a non-removable bottle closure may comprise the steps: (a) disposing a first sealant layer on a first surface of a sealant interface layer; (b) disposing a second sealant layer on a second surface of the sealant interface layer; (c) adhering the first sealant layer to a bottle cap; and (d) adhering the second sealant layer to a bottle mouth. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The numerous objects and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1A  depicts a non-removable bottle closure mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  depicts a non-removable bottle closure mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 2A  depicts a cross-sectional view of a non-refillable bottle incorporating a non-removable closure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  depicts an axonometric view of the non-refillable bottle of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  depicts a cross-sectional view of a non-refillable bottle incorporating a non-removable closure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  depicts an axonometric view of the non-refillable bottle of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4  depicts an axonometric view of a non-removable bottle closure mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  depicts an axonometric view of a non-removable bottle closure mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  depicts a process flowchart detailing a method for manufacturing a non-removable bottle closure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the present teachings. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the present teachings. Thus, the present teachings are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of the present teachings. 
     Reference will now be made, in detail, to presently preferred embodiments of the invention. Additional details of the invention are provided in the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1A , a non-removable bottle closure  100  in accordance with the present invention is disclosed. The bottle closure  100  may comprise a first sealant layer  101 , a sealant interface layer  102  and a second sealant layer  103 . The sealant interface layer  102  may be constructed from any number of rigid, food safe compositions having adequate shear strength characteristics such that a consumer of the product is unable to remove the cap without undue effort. The composition of the sealant interface layer  102  may including papers, foils, and plastics. Possible plastics may include polypropylene, high or low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE respectively), high-impact polystyrene, and numerous other food-safe plastics compositions common to the packaging arts. The sealant interface layer  102  may also possess anti-microbial characteristics so as to better preserve the product contained within a bottle employing the inventive closure  100 . 
     The identity of the first sealant layer  101  and the second sealant layer  103  may be specified based upon the composition of the sealant interface layer  102  and the compositions of an associated bottle cap and bottle (not shown). Certain sealant types are conducive to bonding selected materials to one another. 
     For example, when using a polyethylene bottle cap, interface layer  102  and bottle, polyethylene-type sealant layers  101  and  103  may be used. Such polyethylene-type sealant layers may include common polyethylene, LDPE or HDPE. In further embodiments, the first sealant layer  101  and second sealant layer  103  may have different compositions. For example, if HDPE bottle is utilized in combination with a polypropylene (PP) lid, the first sealant layer  101  could be selected from PE, LDPE, HDPE or other polyethylene analog while the second sealant layer is selected from the polypropylene analogs. 
     To enhance the sealant characteristics of the non-removable bottle closure  100 , surface treatments may be applied to the surfaces of the sealant interface layer. Such surface treatments may include abrading, roughening, acid etching, flame treatments, plasma treatment, thermal treatment, and/or primer applications. 
     The bottle closure  100  may also comprise a dispensing aperture  104 . The dispensing aperture  104  may be formed from free-space voids disposed in the first sealant layer  101 , the sealant interface layer  102  and the second sealant layer  103 . The dispensing aperture  104  may provide a conduit for the transfer of a pourable liquid out of a bottle which has been sealed by the bottle closure  100 . In one embodiment, the dispensing aperture  104  may be located towards the periphery of the bottle closure  100 . Referring to  FIG. 1B , in a further embodiment of the invention, a dispensing aperture  105  may be centrally located within the bottle closure  100 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , a cross-sectional view of a non-refillable bottle  200  incorporating a non-removable closure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The non-refillable bottle  200  may comprise a first sealant layer  201 , a sealant interface layer  202 , and a second sealant layer  203 . The first sealant layer  201 , sealant interface layer  202  and second sealant layer  203  may each comprise substantially circular apertures which are cooperatively aligned so as to form a dispensing aperture  204 . 
     The sealant interface layer  202  may be bonded to a bottle mouth  205  via the second sealant layer  203 . Similarly, the sealant interface layer  202  may be bonded to a bottle lid  207 . The bonding process may include induction sealing methods commonly known in the art. The bonding process serves to conjoin the bottle lid  207 , sealant interface layer  202 , and bottle mouth  205  so as to create a non-refillable bottle  200 . 
     In order to provide an additional mechanism for securing the bottle lid  207  to the bottle mouth  205 , a flange  206  may be disposed about the bottle mouth  205 . The flange  206  may cooperate with a recessed groove  208  disposed in the bottle lid  207  to form a snap-lock mechanism further preventing removal of the bottle closure  200 . It should be recognized by one skilled in the art that the arrangement of the flange  206  and recessed grove  208  could easily be reversed to provide a flange disposed about the interior of the bottle lid  207  and a recessed grove disposed about the bottle mouth  205 . 
     The bottle lid  207  may further comprise a flip-top closure  209  connected to the bottle lid  207  via hinge mechanism  210 . The flip-top closure  209  serves to provide access to the substance contained within the bottle following its closure using the bottle closure  200 . The flip-top closure  209  and bottle lid  207  may comprise a projection  211  and aperture  212 , respectively, for closing off the flow from the interior of the bottle through aperture  204  and lid aperture  213 . In  FIG. 2   b , an axonometric view of the non-removable bottle closure  200  is also presented. 
     In still a further embodiment of the invention, the sealant interface layer  202  and second sealant layer  203  are not used. Only the first sealant layer  201  is disposed between the bottle lid  207  and the bottle mouth rim surface  205 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a bottle closure  500  according to the present invention may further comprise a freshness seal  505  in association with the first sealant layer  501 , sealant interface layer  502 , and second sealant layer  503 . The freshness seal  505  serves to provide a hermetic seal over dispensing aperture  504  following the initial filling of a bottle and its first use. A bottle closure  500  may be incorporated with a bottle lid  207  such as that presented in  FIG. 2 . Prior to an initial use, the freshness seal  505  may be ruptured via a sharp object or other mechanism through bottle lid aperture  212  so as to provide access to dispensing aperture  204 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3A , a cross-sectional view of a non-refillable bottle  300  incorporating a non-removable closure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The non-refillable bottle  300  may comprise a first sealant layer  301 , a sealant interface layer  302 , and a second sealant layer  303 . The first sealant layer  301 , sealant interface layer  302  and second sealant layer  303  may each comprise substantially circular apertures which are cooperatively aligned so as to form a dispensing aperture  304 . 
     The sealant interface layer  302  may be bonded to a bottle mouth  305  via the second sealant layer  303 . Similarly, the sealant interface layer  302  may be bonded to a bottle lid  307 . The bonding process may include induction sealing methods commonly known in the art. The bonding process serves to conjoin the bottle lid  307 , sealant interface layer  302 , and bottle mouth  305  so as to create a non-refillable bottle  300 . 
     In order to provide an additional mechanism for securing the bottle lid  307  to the bottle mouth  305 , threading  306  may be disposed about the bottle mouth  305 . The threading  306  may cooperate with a reversed threading  308  disposed in the bottle lid  307  to form a mutual-threading mechanism further preventing removal of the bottle closure  200 . 
     The bottle closure  300  may further comprise a screw-top closure  309  where threading  311  on the interior of the screw-top closure  309  cooperates with threading  310  on the exterior of the bottle lid  307  to secure the screw-top closure  309  to the bottle closure  300 . The screw-top closure  309  serves to provide access to the substance contained within the bottle following its closure using the bottle closure  300 . The bottle lid  307  may comprise a lid aperture  312 , which permits flow from the interior of the bottle through aperture  304  when the screw-top closure  309  is removed. 
     In still a further embodiment of the invention, the sealant interface layer  302  and second sealant layer  303  are not used. Only the first sealant layer  301  is disposed between the bottle lid  307  and the bottle mouth  305 . 
     In  FIG. 3B , an axonometric view of a non-removable bottle closure  300  is presented. The non-removable bottle closure may further comprise a freshness-seal  313  disposed over the bottle lid  307 . The freshness seal  313  serves to provide a hermetic seal over the lid aperture  312  and dispensing aperture  304  following the initial filling of a bottle and its first use. The freshness-seal  313  may be removed prior to the first use by peeling it away from the bottle lid  307 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , a bottle closure  400  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is presented. A plurality of dispensing apertures  404  may be disposed within the first sealant layer  401 , sealant interface layer  402 , and second sealant interface layer  403  to provide a conduit for the flow from the interior of the bottle. Use of multiple dispensing apertures  404  allows for increased flow (as from a larger single-aperture arrangement) while continuing to inhibit refilling the bottle. 
     In further embodiments, the non-removable bottle closures of  FIGS. 1-5  may be incorporated with other flowable material containers including squeezable tubes (i.e. toothpaste, hair products, detergents, and the like). The non-removable bottle closures may also be of particular use in the storage of toxic or reactive substances where bottle reuse should be discouraged. 
     In  FIG. 6 , a flowchart detailing a method  600  for a manufacturing a non-removable bottle closure is presented. A first sealant layer is disposed on a first surface of a sealant interface layer at step  601 . A second sealant layer is disposed on a second surface of the sealant interface layer at step  602 . The first sealant layer is adhered to a bottle cap at step  603 . The second sealant layer is adhered to a bottle mouth at step  604 . As previously stated, the mechanism for adhering the sealant layers to the bottle cap and bottle mouth may comprise any such methods common to the art, including induction sealing. 
     It is believed that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.