The following relates to a container and relates, more particularly, to a container with a cap that has a tamper-evident member.
Some containers include tamper-evident members. A cap may be included, and the tamper-evident member may be included thereon. Typically, a user manipulates the tamper-evident member to remove the cap from the container body. Thus, a user is aware of whether the container has been opened or not depending on whether the tamper-evident member has been moved, deformed, torn away, etc.
There are many different types of tamper-evident members. However, many tamper-evident members are difficult to use. Many tamper-evident members are unintuitive in design. Furthermore, some tamper-evident members present manufacturing challenges. There thus exists an ongoing demand for a container with a tamper-evident member providing increased ease of use, intuitive use, and increased manufacturability.
Embodiments of a container are provided. In various embodiments, the container includes a container body having a neck that defines an opening to an inner cavity within the container body. The neck includes a projection that projects radially away from the axis. Furthermore, the container includes a cap with a cover member, an inner member, and an outer member. The inner member depends from the cover member and extends at least partly about an axis. The inner member is threadably engaged to the neck of the container body and is supported for movement between a first threaded position and a second threaded position relative to the container body. The cover member covers the opening in the first threaded position and the second threaded position. Also, the outer member depends from the cover member and extends at least partly about the inner member and the axis. The outer member includes a tamper-evident member that includes an abutment member configured to engage with the projection to limit movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position. Also, the tamper-evident member is permanently deformable to disengage the projection and allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position.
Embodiments of a cap for a container body are further provided. The container body includes an opening to an inner cavity, and the container body has a projection. The cap includes a cover member configured to cover over the opening and an inner member that depends from the cover member. The inner member extends at least partly about an axis. The inner member is configured to threadably engage the container body and move between a first threaded position and a second threaded position relative to the container body. Furthermore, the cap includes an outer member that depends from the cover member and that extends at least partly about the inner member and the axis. The outer member includes a tamper-evident member. The tamper-evident member includes an abutment member configured to engage with the projection to limit movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position. Also, the tamper-evident member is permanently deformable to disengage the projection and allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position.
Furthermore, embodiments of a method of manufacturing a cap are disclosed. The cap is configured to be threadably attached to a neck of a container body. The neck defines an opening to an inner cavity within the container body. The neck includes a projection. The method includes forming a cover member of the cap. The cover member is configured to cover over the opening. Also, the method includes forming an inner member that depends from the cover member and that extends at least partly about an axis. The inner member is configured to threadably engage the container body and move between a first threaded position and a second threaded position relative to the container body. Also, the method includes forming an outer member that depends from the cover member and that extends at least partly about the inner member and the axis. The outer member includes a tamper-evident member. The tamper-evident member includes an abutment member configured to engage with the projection to limit movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position. Additionally, the tamper-evident member is permanently deformable to disengage the projection and allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position.
The foregoing statements are provided by way of non-limiting example only. Various additional examples, aspects, and other features of embodiments of the present disclosure are encompassed by the present disclosure and described in more detail below.
At least one example of the present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and:
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure described in the subsequent Detailed Description. It should further be understood that features or elements appearing in the accompanying figures are not necessarily drawn to scale unless otherwise stated.
The following Detailed Description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or the application and uses of the same. The term “exemplary,” as appearing throughout this document, is synonymous with the term “example” and is utilized repeatedly below to emphasize that the following description provides only multiple non-limiting examples of the present disclosure and should not be construed to restrict the scope of the present disclosure, as set-out in the Claims, in any respect.
Containers (i.e., tamper-evident containers) including tamper-evident caps and corresponding container bodies are provided, as are methods for manufacturing such articles. Generally, the containers described herein include a cap and container body that are engaged together by a tamper-evident member. The user needs to permanently deform (e.g., tear, break, stretch, etc.) the tamper-evident member to allow the cap and container body to be disengaged for allowing access to the container contents. For example, the tamper-evident member may be a frangible member that engages the neck of the container body. In some embodiments, the tamper-evident member may be torn at least partly from another part of the cap so that the cap may disengage from the container body. In some embodiments, the act of tearing the tamper-evident member disengages the cap from the container neck. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the cap may threadably engaged with the container body, and once the tamper-evident member is permanently deformed, the cap may be unthreaded from the container body and later threaded back on the container. In other words, once the tamper-evident member is permanently deformed by the user, the cap may be rotated in a first direction relative to the neck and threadably advanced along the axis for attachment to the neck (i.e., a “twist-on” direction) and rotated in an opposite, second direction relative to the neck and threadably advanced in an opposite direction along the axis for removal from the neck (i.e., a “twist-off” direction).
As will be discussed, the tamper-evident container of the present disclosure effectively indicates to the user that the cap has been removed at least once. At the same time, the tamper-evident member is intuitive and simple to use. Also, these features provide manufacturing efficiencies.
In some embodiments, the tamper-evident member may be included in addition to one or more child-resistant features. The child-resistant features may further engage the cap on the container body, before and after the tamper-evident member has been deformed. The child-resistant features can render the cap relatively challenging for a vast majority of children to defeat or bypass, while maintaining a desired level of ease-of-use for adults. Additionally, as will be discussed, other features may be included in the child-resistant container for improving child deterrence or enhancing adult ease-of-use.
It will be appreciated that the term “child-resistant” as used herein is used broadly to mean a container that includes one or more features that selectively deters a user, such as a young child, from removing the cap 110 from the body 120 and gaining access to an inner cavity 122 within the container 100. In some embodiments, the child-resistant container 100 may satisfy certain established standards, such as ASTM D3475-15, entitled “Standard Classification of Child Resistant Packages;” however, the child-resistant container 100 may fall outside of such standards without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The container body 120 may be a vessel or bottle that is configured for holding single-use detergent capsules in some embodiments. Also, in some embodiments, the container body 120 may be a molded, plastic, and unitary article. It is emphasized, however, that the container body 120 and its contents may vary among different embodiments.
The container body 120 may include a tub portion 121 that defines an inner cavity 122 therein. The tub portion 121 may be cuboid in shape in some embodiments or may be shaped otherwise. The container body 120 may also a neck 126 and a shoulder portion 123 that connects the tub portion 121 and the neck 126. The shoulder portion 123 may taper in width between the tub portion 121 and the neck 126 such that the neck 126 is narrower than the tub portion 121.
The neck 126 may be annular and may define a throat or opening 124 that provides physical access to the inner cavity 122 when the cap 110 is removed from the container body 120. The opening 124 may be substantially circular in some embodiments and may be substantially centered about an axis 101. The tub portion 121, shoulder portion 123, and neck 126 may be integrally formed as a single, unitary (e.g., blow molded) piece in some embodiments. In further embodiments, at least one of these features can be separately fabricated from the same, similar, or dissimilar materials as the others and subsequently joined in some manner. For example, in one implementation, the container neck 126 can be fabricated as a blow molded, injection molded, or additively manufactured piece, while the rest of the container body 120 is separately produced as a non-rigid structure (e.g., a flexible bag or collapsible vessel) to which the neck 126 is subsequently attached. Various other constructions are also possible. While such a structural design will generally be less common than that shown in
The neck 126 may include a bead or collar 128 that projects outward radially from the axis 101. The collar 128 may include a frustoconical upper surface 129. The neck 126 may also include a neck thread 130. The neck thread 130 may be a projected rib that extends along the neck 126 helically about the axis 101. As shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
As shown in
Referring now to
The cap 110 may include a cover member 150, which may be a substantially circular and flat disc. The cover member 150 may be substantially planar and may be disposed normal to the axis 101. The axis 101 may extend through a central area of the cover member 150. When attached to the container body 120, the cover member 150 may cover over the opening 124 of the neck 126 and restrict access to the inner cavity 122 of the container body.
Also, the cap 110 may include an inner member that depends from the cover member 150 and that is engageable with the neck 126, such as an inner skirt 152. The inner skirt 152 may be annular. The inner skirt 152 may be attached at one end to the underside of the cover member 150 and may depend therefrom. The inner skirt 152 may be substantially centered about and centered on the axis 101. The inner skirt 152 may be configured so as receive the neck 126 and engage the neck 126. In additional embodiments, the inner skirt 152 may be configured to be received within the neck 126 and to engage the neck 126.
As shown in the illustrated embodiments, the cap 110 may include a cap thread 154. The cap thread 154 may be disposed on an inner diameter surface of the inner skirt 152 and may correspond to the neck thread 130 for threadably engaging the container body 120. As shown in
The cap 110 may additionally include an outer member that depends from the cover member 150 and that at least partially surrounds the inner skirt 152. For example, the cap 110 may include an outer skirt 156. The outer skirt 156 may be attached at one end to the outer periphery of the cover member 150 and may depend therefrom. As such, the outer skirt 156 may extend about the axis 101 and may surround, encompass, and/or encircle the inner skirt 152.
The outer skirt 156 may include an inner surface 171 that faces inward radially toward the inner skirt 152 and toward the axis 101. The outer skirt 156 may also include an outer surface 173 that face outward radially from the axis 101. Moreover, the outer skirt 156 may include a lower edge 158 that is spaced apart from the cover member 150 along the axis 101. The lower edge 158 of the outer skirt 156 may be disposed lower than the inner skirt 152 with respect to the axis 101.
The outer surface 173 of the outer skirt 156 and the top surface of the cover member 150 may cooperatively define the exterior of the cap 110. The outer surface 173 may define the outer radial exterior surfaces of the cap 110. When the cap 110 is attached to the container body 120, these same surfaces may define the upper exterior of the container 100. A majority of the outer surface 173 may be substantially flush with the collar 128 as shown in
The outer skirt 156 may be sub-divided into different members, areas, and/or portions. For example, the outer skirt 156 may include a first arcuate segment 160 and a second arcuate segment 162. The first and second arcuate segments 160, 162 may be disposed on opposite sides of the axis 101 and substantially centered on the axis 101.
Furthermore, the outer skirt 156 may include a tamper-evident member 164. The tamper-evident member 164 may connect neighboring ends of the first and second arcuate segments 160, 162. The tamper-evident member 164 may include an abutment member 166 (
In some embodiments, the tamper-evident member 164 may be a frangible member that may be at least partially removed from another portion of the cap 110 to partly disengage the cap 110 from the container body 120. For example, as shown in
It will be appreciated that the tamper-evident member 164 may be configured differently without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the tamper-evident member 164 may be configured such that the user tears the member 164 in the circumferential direction about the axis 101. Also, the member 164 may be partly removable from the cap 110 (e.g., torn from either the first or second arcuate segments 160, 162), and this deformation disengages the member 164 from the container body 120. Additionally, in some embodiments, the tamper-evident member 164 may be configured such that plastic deformation (e.g., bending or stretching to plastically deform) allows the cap 110 to disengage the container body 120.
As shown in
The retainer feature 168 may be embodied as a resiliently flexible wall 170 of the outer skirt 156. The wall 170 may extend arcuately between the first and second arcuate segments 160, 162. The wall 170 may have a greater radius than the first and second arcuate segments 160, 162 and may be eccentric relative to the axis 101.
The outer skirt 156 may further include a first pad 184 and a second pad 186. The first pad 184 and the second pad 186 may be disposed on opposite ends of the wall 170. The first pad 184 may project radially outward and may contour concavely from the first arcuate segment 160 to the wall 170. The second pad 186 may project radially outward and may contour concavely from the second arcuate segment 162 to the wall 170. In additional embodiments, the first and/or second pad 184, 186 may be flat and planar and may project radially outward. Furthermore, the first and/or second pads 184, 186 may include one or more gripping features that provide friction and/or improved grip. These gripping features may include one or more raised bumps, ribs, etc., and/or one or more recessed areas. As will be discussed, the first and second pads 184, 186 may be squeezed together. For example, the user may use one finger in each of the first and second pads 184, 186 and squeeze the pads 184, 186 together. This may cause the pads 184, 186 to move toward each other in a tangential and/or circumferential direction and may cause the wall 170 to flex outward in the radial direction. In some embodiments, the squeezing of the pads 184, 186 may also cause the wall 170 to flex upward slightly in an arcuate path. The applied load may cause the middle area of the wall 170 to bend and buckle outward radially and upward. In other words, the wall 170 may move from the neutral position of
Moreover, the wall 170 may include an aperture 169. In some embodiments, the aperture 169 may be a notch, groove, or other opening in the lower edge 158 of the outer skirt 156. The aperture 169 may be defined by a first inner rim edge 172, a second inner rim edge 174, and an upper rim edge 176. The first and second inner rim edges 172, 174 may be spaced apart angularly with respect to the axis 101. The first and second inner rim edges 172, 174 may face opposite each other in the circumferential direction and/or the tangential direction about the axis 101 to define a width dimension of the aperture 169. The upper rim edge 176 may face substantially downward along the axis 101 toward the container body 120. Thus, the aperture 169 may be a notch that is elongate in the circumferential/tangential direction. In other words, as shown in
As shown in
Furthermore, the cap 110 may include a first rib 180 and a second rib 182. The first and second ribs 180, 182 may extend radially between the wall 170 and the inner skirt 152. The first and second ribs 180, 182 may be spaced apart in the circumferential direction about the axis 101.
The aperture 169 in the wall 170 may be spaced apart from the tamper-evident member 164 circumferentially. These features may be disposed on opposite sides of the axis 101 and spaced apart angularly about the axis 101 from each other. For example, the aperture 169 may be spaced apart approximately one hundred eighty degrees)(180° from the tamper-evident member 164 of the cap 110.
It is noted that the cap thread 154 may be arranged according to the position of the aperture 169. For example, as shown in
Thus, the cap 110 may be removably attached to the neck 126 of the container body 120. The position illustrated in
Moreover, in this position, the tamper-evident member 164 may be engaged with the second projection 138 of the neck 126. The abutment member 166 of the tamper-evident member 164 may abut against the opposing abutment surface 140 of the second projection 138 to further prevent twist-off. Accordingly, the tamper-evident member 164 may be redundant to the retainer feature 168 such that the cap 110 is robustly secured to the neck 126.
To remove the cap 110, the user may first remove the tamper-evident member 164. The user may grasp the tab 161 and pull downward to tear it from the first and/or second arcuate segments 160, 162 as shown in
Then, the user may squeeze together the first and second pads 184, 186 as shown in
To replace the cap 110 onto the neck 126, the user may thread and rotate the cap 110 onto the neck 126 in the twist-on direction. Eventually, the tapered (ramp) surface 194 of the lug 190 encounters the opposing tapered (ramp) surface 136 of the projection 132, similar to
It will be appreciated that the projection 132 may be exposed via the aperture 169 when the cap 110 is in the fully threaded position. Accordingly, the aperture 169 provides visual confirmation and assurance that the cap is in the fully threaded position. Likewise, the wall 170 of the cap 110 may audibly snap back into place when the cap is fully threaded to provide assurance that the cap 110 is securely attached.
There has thus been provided containers or packages having unique tamper-evident and child deterring features that retain the cap in a secured position on the container body. These features may be manipulated to unsecure the cap. Performing these actions may prove physically and/or cognitively challenging for some (e.g., young children). These features may, in fact, be configured for other users (e.g., adults) such that the features are intuitive and ergonomic for use. The container may be manufactured efficiently as well.
Referring now to
As shown, the cap 210 may include the cover member 250, the inner skirt 252 and the outer skirt 256. Like the embodiments discussed above, the outer skirt 256 may depend from the cover member 250 (along the axis 201) further than the inner skirt 252. As such, the lower edge 258 of the outer skirt 256 may be spaced at a distance 253 from the corresponding lower edge of the inner skirt 252 with respect to the axis 201.
The outer skirt 256 may include the tamper-evident member 264. In some embodiments, the tamper-evident member 264 may comprise the tear-away tab 261. The tab 261 may be spaced apart at a distance 257 from the planar upper surface of the cover member 250 with respect to the axis 201. Accordingly, an arcuate recess 265 may be defined in the top side of the cap 210, proximate the transition between the cover member 250 and the outer skirt 256. The tamper-evident member 264 may be partly disposed within the recess 265. The upper end of the tab 261 may project slightly upward from surrounding areas for gripping and tearing away the tab 261. Also, the lower, inner end of the tab 261 may include the abutment member 266 (
Moreover, as shown in
Furthermore, the aperture 269 may be shaped differently than the embodiments of
Additionally, as shown in
The cap 210 may be configured to selectively engage the neck 126 of the container body 120 similar to the embodiments of
To remove the cap 210, the tamper-evident member 264 may be removed, and the user may squeeze the pads 284, 286 toward each other. Because of the opening 278, wall 270 may flex outwardly radially while also rotating slightly upward away from the neck 126. In other words, the opening 278 may cause the transition between the wall 270 and the cover member 250 to be resiliently flexible for allowing rotational movement of the wall 270 (and the lug 290) relative to the cover member 250. Thus, squeezing the pads 284, 286 may resiliently flex the wall 270 radially outward and rotationally upward, creating rotational clearance between the lug 290 and the projection 132, and thereby allowing the cap 210 to be twisted off the neck 126.
To replace the cap 210, the cap 210 may be threadably advanced onto the neck 126 until the lug 290 abuts against the tapered surface 136 of the first projection 132. The lug 290 may cam against the tapered surface 136 to flex the wall 270 outward radially and upward. This movement may provide clearance between the lug 290 and the projection 132, thereby allowing the cap 210 to be threadably advanced. Once the lug 290 advances past the projection 132, the wall 270 may resiliently recover, and the projection 132 may be received within the aperture 269 to retain the cap 210 in the fully threaded position.
Thus, the cap 210 of
Also, as shown in
Specifically, in the stacked arrangement 295, the cover member 250′ of the second cap 210′ can abut and support the lower edge of the inner skirt 252 of the first cap 210. As such, the cover members 250, 250′ may be substantially parallel and spaced apart in the stacked arrangement 295. Thus, the stacked arrangement 295 may be very stable for improved shipping and handling activities.
Furthermore, the opening 278′ of the second cap 210′ may receive the lug 290 of the first cap 210. Likewise, the recess 265′ of the second cap 210′ may receive the tear-away tab 261 (and the abutment member 266) of the first cap 210. As such, the stacked caps 210, 210′ may engage each other rotationally about the axis 201. This engagement may maintain the caps 210, 210′ in a uniform angular orientation with respect to the axis 201 because the lug 290 of one cap 210 is received in the opening 278 of another and because the abutment member 266 of one cap 210 is received in the recess 265 of another. Thus, the caps 210 may be stacked neatly and predictably for shipping, handling, etc.
While the foregoing description focuses primarily on articles of manufacture, namely, tamper-evident and child-resistant containers, there has also been disclosed methods for manufacturing these containers. Such methods for manufacturing containers having the features discussed herein may entail direct fabrication of any component included within the cap and/or neck of the container, partial or complete assembly of the cap and/or neck, or any combination thereof. Further, any number of entities can fabricate the components of the container, which can be produced utilizing various manufacturing techniques including, but not limited to, blow molding, injection molding, and additive manufacturing processes. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a package may include the step or process of installing and attaching the cap to the container neck. In further instances, the above-described method for manufacturing a package may include the step or process of providing the neck (whether by purchase from a supplier, by independent fabrication, or by otherwise obtaining the container neck). Additionally, in at least some implementations, the method may include providing the cap (whether by purchase, by independent fabrication, or by otherwise obtaining the cap).
Terms such as “first” and “second” have been utilized above to describe similar features or characteristics (e.g., rotational directions) in view of the order of introduction during the course of description. In other sections of this Application, such terms can be varied, as appropriate, to reflect a different order of introduction. While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing Detailed Description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing Detailed Description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the invention. It is understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.