Abstract:
A cap comprising an upper part ( 2 ) having a dispensing orifice ( 10 ), a skirt ( 3 ) which depends from the upper part ( 2 ), a lid ( 15 ) connected to the upper part by a hinge ( 16 ) so as to be movable between open and closed positions of the orifice ( 10 ); tamper-evident band ( 25 ) joined to the upper part ( 2 ) by frangible straps ( 30, 32 ) each having a zone of least resistance for rupture, and which defines a hooking edge ( 26 ) in the closed position for receiving a hook ( 27 ) carried by the lid ( 15 ). The lid includes means ( 35 ) for retaining the band ( 25 ) in order to hold it against the lid ( 15 ) in the closed position and to prevent manipulation of the band to open the lid without rupture of the straps.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention concerns the technical field of caps with a dispensing orifice for closing the neck of a container. 
   In the above field, for closing a container having a neck, for example a bottle made of plastics material designed to contain water, it is known to use a cap made of plastics material which comprises an upper part having a dispensing orifice for dispensing the contents of the bottle. The cap also comprises a substantially cylindrical skirt extending from the upper part and having on an inner face means of fixing it on to the neck of the bottle. In order to be able to ensure closure of the dispensing orifice, the cap comprises in addition a lid connected to the upper part by at least one hinge in order to be movable between an open position and a closed position of the dispensing orifice. Insofar as it is desirable to be able to ensure the integrity of the contents of the bottle before its first opening, the cap comprises in addition a tamper-evident band generally situated opposite the hinge and connected to the upper part of the cap by at least two frangible straps each having a zone of least resistance for rupture. The tamper-evident band then defines a hooking edge for a hook carried by the lid. 
   More often than not, such a cap is made of plastics material injected in a mould which allows a monobloc cap to be obtained with an open configuration of the lid of the dispensing orifice. Thus, before first use of the cap, the lid is placed in the closed position covering the dispensing orifice, a position in which the hook of the lid is engaged under the hooking edge defined by the tamper-evident band. 
   A cap such as the above enables the hermetic closure of a container to be ensured while more often than not guaranteeing the integrity of the contents of the container before first opening of the lid of the cap. 
   However, in certain conditions it has appeared possible to disengage the hook of the lid from the tamper-evident band. In known such caps the tamper-evident band is exposed along its entire length, and is not held on the upper part of the cap other than by the frangible straps. Because access is possible to the entire length of the band and because it is not held against the closure it is relatively easy to defeat the tamper-evidence by gently stretching and/or manipulating the band, for example by inclining it away from its normal more or less vertical position, so that it can pass over the hook without breaking the frangible straps. Thus, it is possible to open the lid without breaking the straps connecting the tamper-evident band to he upper part of the cap. The tamper-evident band therefore no longer fulfils its function of guarantee for the integrity of the contents of the container onto which the cap is fitted. 
   Therefore there appears to be a need to have a cap whose tamper-proof system, comprising the hook of the lid and the tamper-evident band under which the hook is engaged, can guarantee the integrity of the contents of the container more effectively than the caps according to the prior art, by ensuring that any opening of the lid necessarily leads to a rupture of at least one of the connecting straps between the band and the upper part of the cap. 
   Moreover, after the first opening of a cap according to the prior art, the user has to get rid of the tamper-evident band, which is no longer of any use to him. So, apart from leaving the tamper-evident band on the ground, the user has to have at his disposal means for temporarily storing the tamper-evident band or a dustbin. The user does not always have such means at his disposal. 
   Therefore there appears to be a need to have a cap which gives a solution to this problem and relieves the user of the necessity of finding a means of getting rid of the tamper-evident band. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In order to achieve these objectives, the invention concerns a cap with a dispensing orifice for closing the neck of a container, comprising:
         an upper part having a dispensing orifice for dispensing the contents of the container;   a skirt depending from the upper part and having means for fixing the cap onto the neck of the container,   a lid connected to the upper part by at least one hinge in order to be movable between open and closed positions of the dispensing orifice;   a tamper-evident band which is joined to the upper part of the cap by at least two frangible straps each having a zone of least resistance for rupture, and which defines a hooking edge for receiving a hook carried by the lid (in the closed position of the orifice).       

   According to the invention the cap is characterised in that the lid includes means for retaining the tamper-evident band in order to hold it against the lid in the closed position of the orifice and to prevent manipulation of the band to open the lid without rupture of the straps. 
   According to a characteristic of the invention, the retaining means are adapted to receive at least part of the edge of the band situated opposite the hooking edge in order to hold the band on the lid after a rupture of the straps following a first opening of the cap. The retaining means therefore serve a dual purpose. First, they help to prevent manipulation of the band aimed at defeating the tamper-evidence. Second, they retain the band on the cap after first opening. 
   According to another preferred but not strictly necessary characteristic of the invention, the retaining means comprise at least one and preferably two seats for receiving at least a part of the tamper-evident band in order, in association with the hook of the lid, to retain the tamper-evident band on the lid after a rupture of the straps following a first opening of the cap. Preferably, the two seats each then receive, on the one hand, a part of the edge of the band situated adjacent the hooking edge and, on the other hand, an extreme edge of the tamper-evident band. 
   According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the retaining means comprise at least one groove designed to receive a part at least of the edge of the tamper-evident band situated opposite the hooking edge, when the hook of the lid is engaged under the hooking edge. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the retaining means comprise at least one tab which fits a part of the edge of the tamper-evident band. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, in order to facilitate engagement of the retaining means on the tamper-evident band at the time of first opening of the lid, the tamper-evident band comprises a notch arranged in the edge of the band situated opposite the hooking edge. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the tamper-evident band has a notch level with the hooking edge. According to another characteristic of the invention, the tamper-evident band comprises a window, the edge of which defines the hooking edge of the hook of the lid. 
   Various other characteristics of the invention are described below with reference to the attached drawings, which show non-limiting embodiments of a cap according to the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a cap according to the invention in the semi-open position of the cap before first closure. 
       FIG. 2  is an axial section of the cap illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the fully open position of the lid, such as the cap obtained on leaving the mould. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view analogous to  FIG. 1  showing the cap in the fully closed position of the lid before first opening. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial axial section of the cap illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a transverse section along the line V—V of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the cap according to  FIG. 3  after first opening and rupture of the frangible straps connecting the tamper-evident band to the upper part of the cap. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are partial front elevations of the cap according to the invention showing other embodiments of the retaining means of the tamper-evident band. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As emerges from  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a cap according to the invention, designated as a whole by the reference  1 , comprises a pourer part A and a lid part B. The pourer part A comprises an upper part  2  from which extends a skirt  3  of more or less cylindrical shape with respect to the main longitudinal axis X–X′ (see  FIG. 2 ). The skirt  3  has, on its inner face, means  4  for fixing the cap  1  on to a neck  5  of a container  6 . The means  4  for fixing the skirt  3  are designed to co-operate with complementary means  7  offered by the outer face of the neck  5 . The fixing means  4  and  7  can be realised in any appropriate way and, according to the example illustrated, are constituted by a rib  4  of the skirt  3  designed to snap into a complementary groove  7  of the neck. Of course, the fixing means  4  and  7  could be realised in any other way such as, for example, one or several helical threads allowing screwing of the cap  1  on to the neck  5 . 
   A dispensing orifice  10  is arranged in the upper part  2  in order to allow dispensing of the contents of the container  6 . According to the example illustrated, the dispensing orifice  10  is defined by a collar  1  extending from the upper part  2  opposite the skirt  3 . According to the example illustrated, the orifice  10  is equipped with an anti-splash device  12 . 
   The cap  1  comprises in addition a lid  15  connected to the upper part  2 , level with a joining edge between the upper part  2  and the skirt  3 , by at least one hinge and, according to the example illustrated, two hinges  16  and  17 . The lid  15  is thereby movable between an open position of the orifice  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 2  and a closed position of closure of the orifice  10  such as illustrated more particularly in  FIG. 3 . In a preferred way, the lid  15  is equipped, on its inner face  18 , with means  20  designed to ensure a more or less tight closure of the orifice  10 . According to the example illustrated, the means  20  are formed by two concentric closure skirts  21  and  22  designed to co-operate with the inner and outer edges of the collar  11 . 
   In order to allow a user of the container  6 , closed by means of the cap  1  in conformity with the invention, to be sure of the integrity of the contents of the container  6 , the cap  1  also comprises a tamper-evident band  25  which defines a hooking edge  26  for a hook  27  arranged on the outer face of the lid  15 . The hook  27  is arranged on the lid  15  opposite the hinges  16  and  17  while the band  25  is situated bordering on the edge of the upper part  2  also opposite the hinges  16  and  17 . The band  25  extends, moreover, over one side only of the circumference of the upper part. 
   As emerges from  FIG. 1 , the tamper-evident band  25  is connected to the edge of the upper part  2  by two series of divisible straps  28  and  29  on either side of the hooking edge  26 . Each series  28  and  29  comprises at least two divisible straps, of which one  30 , the outer strap, is situated close to one end  39  of the band  25  and a second  32 , the inner strap, is situated close to the hooking edge  26 . 
   In accordance with one characteristic of the invention, in order to avoid a loss of the tamper-evident band  25  after rupture of the straps, the lid  15  comprises means  35  for retaining the tamper-evident band in order to hold the band on the lid after a rupture of the straps  30 ,  32  following a first opening of the cap. The means  35  for retaining the tamper-evident band can be realised in any appropriate way. Preferably the means  35  partly receive at least the edge  36  of the tamper-evident band  25  situated opposite the hooking edge  26 . According to the example illustrated, the retaining means comprise two seats  37 ,  38 , which are situated on either side of the hook  27 . Each seat  37 ,  38  is designed to receive an end of the tamper-evident band. So, each seat  37  or  38  fits a part of the edge  36  of the band situated opposite hooking the edge  26  as well as a far edge  39  of the tamper-evident band. The retaining means  35 , formed by the two lateral seats  38  and  37 , ensure their function of retaining the tamper-evident band  25  in the following way. 
   In a way known to the man skilled in the art and therefore not necessitating a fuller description, the cap in conformity with the invention is made of plastics material by injection moulding in the open configuration illustrated in  FIG. 2 . After removal from the mould and before use of the cap, the lid is placed in closed position of the orifice  10  such as illustrated in  FIG. 3  in which the hook  27  is engaged under the edge  26  of the tamper-evident band. 
   At the time of first closure, the seats  37  and  38  engage on the ends  39  of the tamper-evident band. In order to facilitate this engagement, in a preferred but not strictly necessary way, the edge  36  of the tamper-evident band has a notch  40  which allows the ends of the tamper-evident band  25  to begin to engage in the seats  37  and  38  before the hook  27  comes to rest on the tamper-evident band in the course of the descent of the lid  15  towards the upper part  2 . After complete closure of the lid  15 , the tamper-evident band  25  is, on the one hand, connected to the upper part  2  by the straps  30  and  32  and, on the other hand, immobilised in the seats  37  and  38  in such a way that it is not possible to pull down the tamper-evident band towards the front in the direction of the arrow F 1  in order to try to open the lid  15  without rupture of the straps. 
   The closure of the present invention therefore restricts the ability to manipulate the band, first by physically restraining its movement, and second by restricting the area of the band that can be accessed. Moreover, after a first opening of the cap according to the invention by rupture of the divisible straps  30  and  32 , the tamper-evident band remains attached to the lid  15  as shown in  FIG. 6 . In fact, the ends  39  of the tamper-evident band are immobilised in the seats  37  and  38  while the hooking edge remains resting on the hook  27  of the lid. In this way, the tamper-evident band remains attached to the lid  15 , so that the question of its being taken care of or its storage no longer arises for a user of the cap. It should be noted that the immobilisation of the tamper-evident band results, on the one hand from the resting of the hooking edge  26  on the hook  27  and, on the other hand, from a resting of the edge  36  of the tamper-evident band  25  against the edges of the seats  37  and  38 . 
   Of course, it would be possible to consider realising the retaining means  35  in another form. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment according to which the retaining means  35  are constituted by at least one, and according to the example illustrated, three tabs  45  which fit over the upper edge  36  of the tamper-evident band. Thus, the retaining means  35  hold the band  25  against the lid  15  in the closed position of the orifice and prevent movement of the band  25  towards the front in order to try to release the hook  27  without rupture of the straps. It should be noted that, according to this example, the top edge of the tamper-evident band is not notched. Moreover, providing tabs on the sides of the band  25  could also be considered. 
   In the same way,  FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of the retaining means according to which the latter are constituted by a continuous groove  46  fitting the upper edge  36  of the tamper-evident band. 
   According to this example, it must also be noted that the tamper-evident band  25  has a window  47  into which the hook  27  is inserted, the top edge of the window defining the hooking edge  26  for the hook  27 . 
   In the examples above the skirt  23  does not include a tamper-evident band, which of course it could. 
   Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.