Patent Application
20230406582
The present invention relates to a tamper-evident closure for a container having a threaded opening. The invention also relates to a container with a tamper-evident closure and to a specific use thereof.
Tamper-evident closures are often used for containers holding pharmaceutical substances. One safety feature of such closures, which may be combined with child-resistant features, is to allow detection of whether the closure has already been opened before. For this purpose, tamper-evident indicators are commonly used. For screw caps, the most common tamper-evident indicator is a ring surrounding the lower end of the cap, which is connected to the cap by means of a plurality of frangible bridges. When opening the closure for the first time, the frangible bridges are broken, thus disconnecting the tamper-evident ring from the cap. However, such solution requires an adapted container with protruding parts or a peripheral groove close to the threaded neck. Another solution for providing a tamper-evident function involves welding a foil on the upper surface of the opening of the container. However, with such a solution, it is no longer possible to integrate a chamber in the closure to receive an active material intended to control the atmosphere within the container.
WO2017/220729A1 discloses a closure comprising a tamper-evident system, a child-resistant mechanism and a desiccant chamber integrated in the closure. The closure comprises an outer cap and an inner cap capable of relative axial movement. When the closure is mounted on a container, the application on the outer cap of a combination of an axial force and a rotational torque in a direction of unscrewing makes it possible both to break a tamper-evident member of the outer cap, thus indicating that the closure has been opened, and to bring cooperation means into engagement between the outer cap and the inner cap, so that the inner cap can be rotated by the outer cap and the closure can be removed from the container.
There is still a need to secure the tamper-evident system of such a closure, in order to prevent any fraudulent opening of the closure without breaking the tamper-evident system.
For this purpose, a subject of the invention is a tamper-evident closure for a container having an opening with a thread, the closure comprising:
Thanks to its specific structure, the tamper-evident closure according to the invention guarantees that the tamper-evident member is detached not only when the closure is opened normally, i.e. using the child-resistant second engagement mechanism to secure the outer cap and the inner cap together in rotation, but also when the closure is opened fraudulently, without securing the outer cap and the inner cap together in rotation. More specifically, the third engagement mechanism ensures that a relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps, in particular resulting from a fraudulent attempt to open the closure without using the second engagement mechanism, leads to a rupture of the frangible structure.
In practice, when the closure is opened using the child-resistant second engagement mechanism, by simultaneous application on the outer cap of a rotational torque in the direction of unscrewing plus an axial force in the direction of the main axis, the frangible structure is broken by the protruding element(s) which comes in abutting contact with the tamper-evident member due to the axial displacement of the first and second top walls toward each other. It is noted that, within the frame of the invention, the protruding element(s), arranged between the first top wall and the second top wall, may be secured to either one of the outer cap and the inner cap.
Advantageously, for the initial mounting of the closure on a container without breaking the frangible structure, the first engagement mechanism is configured to drive the outer cap and the inner cap in unison in the direction of screwing when a user applies on the outer cap a rotational torque in the direction of screwing, even without applying on the outer cap an axial force in the direction of the main axis of the closure. Such a configuration makes it possible to avoid bringing the protruding element(s) in abutting contact against the tamper-evident member in the direction of the main axis of the closure, thus preserving the integrity of the frangible structure during the initial mounting of the closure on a container.
According to one feature of the invention, the second engagement mechanism comprises coupling elements which are brought in mutual engagement, under the effect of the axial force in the direction of the main axis, against an elastic action of at least one elastic element of the closure, in such a way that the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism are automatically disengaged when the axial force is released.
Advantageously, the at least one elastic element is configured to remain active for automatically disengaging the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism when the frangible structure is broken. In other words, the child-resistance of the second engagement mechanism, which is a “push and turn” mechanism, is preserved even when the tamper-evident member is detached.
According to one embodiment, the closure comprises at least one elastic member provided between the outer cap and the inner cap, for biasing the first and second top walls away from each other in the direction of the main axis of the closure, the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism being brought in mutual engagement against the elastic action of the at least one elastic member. In one embodiment, the elastic biasing is provided by elastic members also forming coupling elements of at least one engagement mechanism of the closure, e.g. the first engagement mechanism. As a variant, the elastic biasing may be provided by a dedicated spring member, which is independent from the engagement mechanisms of the closure.
According to one embodiment, the outer cap is elastically deformable, the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism being brought in mutual engagement through a reversible elastic deformation of the outer cap. In particular, the engagement of the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism may result from an elastic deformation of the outer cap under the effect of an axial force applied in the direction of the main axis of the closure and, when the axial force is released, the outer cap may elastically return to its initial configuration, thus automatically disengaging the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism.
According to one feature of the invention, the third engagement mechanism is separate and distinct from any of the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism. In other words, the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism are distinct from the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism, it being understood that the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism and the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism may themselves be either formed by the same elements or by distinct elements.
According to one embodiment, the third engagement mechanism is configured to break the frangible structure, upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps, both when the outer cap is rotated in the direction of unscrewing and when the outer cap is rotated in the direction of screwing, regardless of an axial force applied on the outer cap in the direction of the main axis. In this way, the third engagement mechanism ensures that a relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps, in any rotational direction, leads to a rupture of the frangible structure.
According to one feature of the invention, the third engagement mechanism comprises a first coupling element on the tamper-evident member and a second coupling element on the inner cap, the first coupling element having an engaging edge configured to cooperate with a corresponding engaging edge of the second coupling element, upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps when the outer cap is rotated in the direction of unscrewing.
According to one embodiment, the engaging edge of the second coupling element provided on the inner cap is an inclined edge, on which the first coupling element provided on the tamper-evident member is configured to move away from the surrounding region in the direction of the main axis of the closure, upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps when the outer cap is rotated in the direction of unscrewing, so that the frangible structure is broken under the effect of an axial stretching stress applied to it.
More specifically, in this embodiment, the first coupling element arranged on the tamper-evident member is raised away from the surrounding region in the direction of the main axis of the closure, while traveling on the inclined edge of the second coupling element, which results in an axial displacement of the tamper-evident member away from the surrounding region, thus rupturing the frangible structure. This embodiment is advantageous in that the mode of rupture of the frangible structure is the same whether it is broken due to the abutting contact of the protruding element(s) or due to the cooperation of the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism. In both cases, the rupture of the frangible structure results from an axial stretching stress applied on the frangible structure in the direction of the main axis of the closure.
According to another embodiment, the engaging edge of the second coupling element provided on the inner cap is a substantially straight edge, against which the first coupling element provided on the tamper-evident member is configured to press circumferentially, upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps when the outer cap is rotated in the direction of unscrewing, so that the frangible structure is broken under the effect of a circumferential shear stress applied on it.
More specifically, in this embodiment, the first coupling element arranged on the tamper-evident member is pressed against the engaging edge of the second coupling element, so that the tamper-evident member tends to be displaced circumferentially relative to the surrounding region, resulting in shear stress being applied to the frangible structure. In this embodiment, the frangible structure is designed to be broken according to two different modes of rupture: under the effect of an axial stretching stress applied to it, when it is broken due to the abutting contact of the protruding element(s); and under the effect of a circumferential shear stress applied to it, when it is broken due to the cooperation of the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism.
According to one feature of the invention, each pair of coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism comprises a male coupling element and a female coupling element, the male coupling element being received in the female coupling element with possibility of axial displacement of the male and female coupling elements toward each other in the direction of the main axis of the closure, starting from an initial mounting configuration of the closure. Throughout this text, the expression “the initial mounting configuration of the closure” refers to a configuration of the closure suitable for the initial mounting of the closure on a container, which in practice advantageously corresponds to the configuration in which the inner cap is initially assembled with the outer cap.
According to one embodiment, at least one pair of coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism comprises a male coupling element arranged on the tamper-evident member and a female coupling element arranged on the inner cap. According to one embodiment, at least one pair of coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism comprises a male coupling element arranged on the inner cap and a female coupling element arranged on the tamper-evident member. Both male and female coupling elements may be provided on one among the tamper-evident member and the inner cap, with the corresponding female and male coupling elements on the other one among the tamper-evident member and the inner cap.
In one embodiment, the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism comprise a plurality of elastic elements in the shape of inclined strips and a plurality of wedge-shaped elements, so that, when a rotational torque in the direction of screwing is applied on the outer cap, the elastic elements come into a locking arrangement with a higher edge of the wedge-shaped elements and the inner cap is rotated in unison with the outer cap in the direction of screwing.
In one embodiment, the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism comprise a plurality of driving ribs and a plurality of wedge-shaped elements, so that, when a rotational torque in the direction of screwing is applied on the outer cap, the driving ribs come into a locking arrangement with a higher edge of the wedge-shaped elements and the inner cap is rotated in unison with the outer cap in the direction of screwing.
In one embodiment, the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism comprise the same coupling elements as the first engagement mechanism, in the form of driving ribs and wedge-shaped elements, so that, when a combination of an axial force in the direction of the main axis and a rotational torque in the direction of unscrewing is applied on the outer cap, the driving ribs come into a locking arrangement with a lower edge of the wedge-shaped elements and the inner cap is rotated in unison with the outer cap in the direction of unscrewing.
According to one embodiment, the frangible structure comprises a plurality of frangible bridges, each coupling element of the third engagement mechanism arranged on the tamper-evident member being positioned in the vicinity of a frangible bridge. For example, in one illustrative embodiment, the frangible structure comprises four frangible bridges, and the tamper-evident member comprises four male coupling elements each positioned in the vicinity of a respective frangible bridge.
According to one feature of the invention, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the angular stroke, in the direction of screwing, for engagement of the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism is less than or equal to, preferably less than, the angular stroke, in the direction of screwing, for engagement of the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism. Such a configuration ensures that the closure can be mounted on the container without breaking the frangible structure.
In the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism may be positioned in abutment against each other in pairs in the direction of screwing, which corresponds to an angular stroke substantially equal to zero in the direction of screwing for engagement of the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism. As a variant, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, there may be an initial gap for each pair of coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism. Then, the width of the initial gap between the coupling elements of the first engagement mechanism is selected to be less than or equal to, preferably less than, the width of a gap existing between the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism, all gaps being considered in the direction of screwing.
According to one feature of the invention, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the angular stroke for engagement of the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism in the direction of unscrewing is substantially equal to the angular stroke for engagement of the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism in the direction of screwing. In this way, starting from the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the efficiency of the third engagement mechanism in breaking the frangible structure, upon relative rotational movement of the outer cap and the inner cap, is substantially the same in any rotational direction among the direction of screwing and the direction of unscrewing.
According to one feature of the invention, the axial clearance of the closure in the direction of the main axis, corresponding to the axial displacement of the outer cap toward the inner cap between the initial mounting configuration of the closure and the configuration of the closure where the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism start to be in mutual engagement, is higher than or equal to, preferably higher than, the axial displacement needed for the protruding element(s) to come into abutting contact with the tamper-evident member and break the frangible structure. In this way, when the coupling elements of the second engagement mechanism are in mutual engagement, the tamper-evident member has necessarily been detached from the surrounding region through rupture of the frangible structure under the pressure exerted by the protruding element(s).
According to one feature of the invention, the closure comprises an indexing mechanism for positioning the outer cap and the inner cap in the initial mounting configuration of the closure. In one embodiment, the indexing mechanism comprises complementary structures in relief on the outer cap and the inner cap, adapted to guide the outer cap and the inner cap toward the initial mounting configuration of the closure while leaving the outer cap and the inner cap freely rotatable relative to each other in the initial mounting configuration of the closure. In particular, the indexing mechanism may comprise at least one indexing rib provided on one among the outer cap and the inner cap, and configured to cooperate with a complementary indexing groove provided on the other one among the outer cap and the inner cap. Preferably, the indexing mechanism comprises a plurality of complementary structures in relief, e.g. a plurality of indexing ribs and grooves, which are distributed around the periphery of the outer and inner caps, so as to control the relative position of the caps over their entire circumference during their assembly.
It is noted that, instead of an indexing mechanism involving a mechanical guiding, the outer cap and the inner cap may be positioned in the initial mounting configuration of the closure using other types of indexing means, for example using a visual inspection system comprising a camera for angularly pre-positioning the inner cap relative to the outer cap around the main axis of the closure before the inner cap is nested in the outer cap.
According to one embodiment, the closure comprises a locking mechanism for retaining the inner cap within the outer cap. In particular, the locking mechanism may comprise an inner bead of the outer cap designed to cooperate with a corresponding outer flange of the inner cap.
According to one embodiment, the inner cap defines a cavity for receiving an active material. Within the meaning of the invention, an active material is a material capable of regulating the atmosphere in the container. The active material may be any type of active material. In particular, the active material may belong to a group of: humidity absorbers (or desiccants); oxygen scavengers; odor absorbers; and/or emitters of humidity or volatile olfactory organic compounds. Optionally, the active material may be capable of releasing gaseous substances such as moisture or perfume. Such properties can for example be useful for applications where sensitive products require a certain humidity level. Such products are, for example, powders, especially for generating aerosols, gelatin capsules, herbal medicine, gels and creams including cosmetics, and food products.
Examples of suitable dehydrating agents include, without limitation, silica gels, dehydrating clays, activated alumina, calcium oxide, barium oxide, natural or synthetic zeolites, molecular or similar sieves, or deliquescent salts such as magnesium sulfide, calcium chloride, aluminum chloride, lithium chloride, calcium bromide, zinc chloride or the like. Preferably, the dehydrating agent is a molecular sieve and/or a silica gel.
Examples of suitable oxygen collecting agents include, without limitation, metal powders having a reducing capacity, in particular iron, zinc, tin powders, metal oxides still having the ability to oxidize, in particular ferrous oxide, as well as compounds of iron such as carbides, carbonyls, hydroxides, used alone or in the presence of an activator such as hydroxides, carbonates, sulfites, thiosulfates, phosphates, organic acid salts, or hydrogen salts of alkaline metals or alkaline earth metals, activated carbon, activated alumina or activated clays. Other agents for collecting oxygen can also be chosen from specific reactive polymers such as those described for example in the patent documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,616A, WO99/48963A2, WO98/51758A1 and WO2018/149778A1.
According to one embodiment, the inner cap comprises a sealing member configured to provide a hermetic seal between the inner cap and the opening of the container, the sealing member being preferably an inner sealing skirt with a slanted sealing surface.
Another subject of the invention is a container with a closure as described above, the closure being fixedly screwed onto a thread of the container and closing same.
Another subject of the invention is a use of a container as described above for containing moisture-sensitive items, such as tablets or capsules containing a pharmaceutical composition; nutraceuticals; herbalism products; diagnostic products.
Features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of four embodiments of a tamper-evident closure and a container according to the invention, this description being given merely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:
In the first embodiment shown in
The closure 1 comprises two caps which are nested inside each other. In
As shown in
As visible in
The inner cap 4 further comprises an annular wall 45, which defines a cavity 40 for receiving an active material 16 capable of regulating the atmosphere in the container 10, in particular a desiccant and/or an oxygen scavenger. As shown in
The first sidewall 21 of the outer cap 2 comprises a radially inwardly extending bead 22 which, in the mounted state of the outer cap 2 on the inner cap 4, forms a positive lock with a radially outwardly extending flange 42 provided on the second sidewall 41 of the inner cap 4. The inner bead 22 and the outer flange 42 cooperate in a such a way as to firmly hold the outer cap 2 on the inner cap 4, so that it can no longer be removed from the inner cap 4. As can be seen in the bottom view of
The inner cap 4 comprises corresponding coupling elements on the upper side of the top wall 43, around the protruding element 46, including a plurality of wedge-shaped elements 54 with beveled inclined surface and a plurality of peripheral serrations 74. Each wedge-shaped element 54 is configured to cooperate with an elastic member 52 of the outer cap, thus forming a first engagement mechanism, whereas each peripheral serration 74 is configured to cooperate with a peripheral driving rib 72 of the outer cap, thus forming a second engagement mechanism. The elastic members 52 are configured to bias the outer and inner caps away from each other in the direction of the main axis X1, in such a way that the driving ribs 72 of the outer cap 2 are initially not engaged with the serrations 74 of the inner cap 4. When the outer cap 2 is axially displaced toward the inner cap 4 against the action of the elastic members 52, each driving rib 72 is received in the interspace between two successive serrations 74, more precisely between an edge 74a of a first serration 74 in the direction of screwing R1 and an edge 74b of a second serration 74 in the direction of unscrewing R2. By way of a non-limiting example, in this embodiment, the first engagement mechanism comprises five elastic members 52 on the outer cap 2 configured to cooperate with five wedge-shaped elements 54 of the inner cap 4, and the second engagement mechanism comprises ten driving ribs 72 on the outer cap 2 configured to cooperate with ten serrations 74 of the inner cap 4.
The closure 1 further comprises a third engagement mechanism between the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4, designed to break the frangible structure 26 upon relative rotational movement of the outer cap 2 and inner cap 4. The coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism include a plurality of studs 82, regularly arranged on the periphery of the tamper-evident member 24 and configured to cooperate with a plurality of corresponding recesses 84 provided on the protruding element 46. More precisely, each stud 82 is received in a corresponding recess 84 with possibility of axial displacement in the direction of the main axis X1. As can be seen in particular in
Advantageously, for each recess 84, the engaging edges 84a and 84b on each side of the recess have inclined surfaces, so that a stud 82 received in the recess 84 can climb smoothly on each inclined edge 84a or 84b upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps when the outer cap is rotated in any of the rotation directions R1 or R2. The engaging edges 82a and 82b of each stud 82 may also have inclined surfaces, complementary to the inclined edges 84a or 84b of the inner cap, which further promotes the climbing of the stud 82 on the corresponding inclined edge 84a or 84b. When all the studs 82 present on the tamper-evident member 24 move upwardly on the inclined edges 84a or 84b of the inner cap, the tamper-evident member 24 is axially displaced away from the surrounding region 25, in the direction of the main axis X1. This generates an axial stretching force in the frangible bridges 26 connecting the tamper-evident member 24 to the surrounding region 25, which ultimately results in the rupture of the frangible bridges 26.
Interestingly, in this embodiment, the mode of rupture of the frangible bridges 26 is the same, i.e. through axial stretching of the bridges, whether they are broken due to the abutting contact of the protruding element 46 or due to the cooperation of the coupling elements 82 and 84 of the third engagement mechanism. Advantageously, each stud 82 is positioned adjacent to a respective frangible bridge 26, which improves the breaking efficiency of the third engagement mechanism. As visible in
In order to increase the visibility, it is preferable that the protruding part of each frangible bridge 26 remaining attached to the surrounding region protrudes at least mm out of the surrounding region 25 and into the opening left once the tamper-evident member 24 has been removed. By way of a non-limiting example, in this embodiment, the third engagement mechanism comprises four studs 82 on the tamper-evident member 24 of the outer cap 2 configured to cooperate with four recesses 84 of the inner cap 4, each stud 82 being located next to a respective one of the four frangible bridges 26.
In operation, the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 nested therein can be rotated together to mount the closure 1 on the container 10. The clockwise rotation direction R1 for screwing the cap thread 44 onto the container thread 14 brings each elastic member 52 in engagement with a higher edge 54a of a corresponding wedge-shaped element 54, even without any axial force being applied in the direction of the main axis X1. The higher edge 54a provides an abutment for the corresponding elastic member 52, so that the inner cap is rotated in unison with the outer cap in the direction of screwing R1. This locking interaction between the elastic members 52 and the wedge-shaped elements 54 without any axial force is possible only when closing the closure 1 on the container 20 by rotation in the direction of screwing R1.
When a user rotates the outer cap 2 in a counterclockwise direction R2 for unscrewing the cap thread 44 relative to the container thread 14, in an attempt to open the closure 1 without applying an axial force on the outer cap 2 in the direction of the main axis X1, the elastic members 52 slip over the beveled inclined surfaces of the wedge-shaped elements 54. As a result, the rotation of the outer cap 2 does not lead to a corresponding rotation of the inner cap 4, which may generate a sufficient relative rotational movement of the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 such that the coupling elements 82 and 84 of the third engagement mechanism come in mutual engagement, thus breaking the frangible bridges 26. Of course, the same construction and functionalities can be provided in case that the rotational directions R1 and R2 for closing and opening the container 10 should be reversed. By way of a non-limiting example, in the illustrated embodiment, the height h1 of the higher edge 54a of each wedge-shaped element 54 is of the order of 1 mm, whereas the height of the lower edge 54b of each wedge-shaped element 54 is substantially zero.
An opening of the closure 1 requires that the driving ribs 72 of the outer cap 2 are brought in engagement with the edges 74b of the serrations 74 of the inner cap 4. This is only possible after the outer cap 2 has been axially displaced toward the inner cap 4, against the action of the elastic members 52 biasing the outer and inner caps away from each other in the direction of the main axis X1. When an axial pushing force F is applied onto the top surface of the top wall 23 in the direction of the main axis X1, each driving rib 72 is received in the interspace between two successive serrations 74 and, upon rotation of the outer cap 2 in the counterclockwise direction of unscrewing R2, can interact with the neighboring serration edge 74b, so that the inner cap 4 is also rotated in the same direction of unscrewing R2. Then, when the axial pushing force F on the outer cap 2 is released, the elastic members 52 exert a biasing force toward disengagement of the driving ribs 72 and serrations 74, so that the elastic members 52 can return to their relaxed position and displace the outer cap 2 away from the inner cap 4 in the direction of the main axis X1.
An initial setting of the closure 1 is that, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, which is suitable for the initial mounting of the closure on a container and in practice corresponds to the configuration in which the inner cap 4 is initially nested in the outer cap 2, the angular stroke α1, in the direction of screwing R1, for engagement of each elastic member 52 of the first engagement mechanism with the edge 54a of the corresponding wedge-shaped element 54, is less than or equal to, preferably less than, the angular stroke α2, in the direction of screwing R1, for engagement of each stud 82 of the third engagement mechanism with the first engaging edge 84a of the corresponding recess 84.
This initial setting of the angular strokes α1 and α2 ensures that the closure 1 can be mounted on the container 10 without the frangible bridges 26 being broken by interaction between the coupling elements 82, 84 of the third engagement mechanism. In the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the coupling elements 52, 54 of the first engagement mechanism may be positioned in abutment against each other in pairs in the direction of screwing R1, which corresponds to an angular stroke α1 substantially equal to zero, as shown in the example of
It can be noted that the angular stroke α3, in the direction of unscrewing R2, for engagement of each driving rib 72 of the second engagement mechanism with the corresponding serration edge 74b, may be selected independently from the other angular strokes α1, α2, α4, since the second engagement mechanism is active only in a configuration where the outer cap 2 is pressed toward the inner cap 4 and the tamper-evident member 24 has necessarily been detached from the surrounding region 25.
Another initial setting of the closure 1 is its axial clearance h0, which corresponds to the axial displacement of the outer cap 2 toward the inner cap 4, in the direction of the main axis X1, between the initial mounting configuration of the closure and the configuration of the closure where the coupling elements 72, 74 of the second engagement mechanism start to be in mutual engagement. The axial clearance h0 is selected to be higher than or equal to, preferably higher than, the axial displacement needed for the protruding element 46 to come into abutting contact with the tamper-evident member 24 and break the frangible bridges 26 so that, when the coupling elements 72, 74 of the second engagement mechanism are in mutual engagement, the tamper-evident member 24 has been detached from the surrounding region 25 under the pressure exerted by the protruding element 46.
Additionally, the axial clearance h0 is selected to be less than or equal to the maximum stroke hm of the outer cap 2 toward the inner cap 4, in the direction of the main axis X1, so as to ensure that the coupling elements 72, 74 of the second engagement mechanism can effectively come into mutual engagement. As shown in
In the second embodiment shown in
The indexing ribs 47 are equidistantly distributed around the periphery of the inner cap, and it is the same for the indexing grooves 27 around the outer cap, so that the relative position of the two caps is accurately controlled over their entire circumference during assembly. The complementary indexing ribs 47 and grooves 27 are designed to guide the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 toward the initial mounting configuration of the closure 1, but also to leave the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 freely rotatable relative to each other once in the initial mounting configuration of the closure. More precisely, as can be seen in particular in the partial cutaway of
Of course, within the frame of the invention, the relative positioning of the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 corresponding to the initial mounting configuration of the closure 1 with predefined values of the strokes α1, α2, α3, α4 can be obtained with indexing means other than an indexing mechanism involving a mechanical guiding by complementary structures in relief. For example, in embodiments where the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 are devoid of such indexing complementary structures in relief, the initial mounting configuration of the closure 1 may be reached using a visual inspection system, e.g. comprising a camera for angularly pre-positioning the inner cap 2 relative to the outer cap 4 around the main axis X1 of the closure before the inner cap 4 is nested in the outer cap 2.
In the third embodiment shown in
As can be seen in particular in
When the engaging edges 92a or 92b of the two slots 92 provided in the tamper-evident member 24 move upwardly on the inclined edges 94a or 94b of the two teeth 94 of the inner cap, the tamper-evident member 24 is axially displaced away from the surrounding region 25, in the direction of the main axis X1. This generates an axial stretching force in the frangible bridges 26 connecting the tamper-evident member 24 to the surrounding region 25, which ultimately results in the rupture of the frangible bridges 26. As in the first embodiment, the rupture of the frangible bridges 26 results from axial stretching of the bridges whether they are broken due to the abutting contact of the protruding element 46 or due to the cooperation of the coupling elements 92 and 94 of the third engagement mechanism.
In the fourth embodiment shown in
In the fourth embodiment, the outer cap 2 includes, regularly distributed on the surrounding region 25, a plurality of radial ribs 62 configured to cooperate with corresponding wedge-shaped elements 64 with beveled inclined surface provided on the top wall 43 of the inner cap 4, around the protruding element 46. The inner cap 4 also comprises, projecting from its top wall 43, a plurality of support elements 65 with an arcuate shape, which are located between the wedge-shaped elements 64 and the protruding element 46. In the non-limiting example represented in
As shown in
As in the first embodiment, an initial setting of the closure 1 is that, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the angular stroke α1, in the direction of screwing R1, for engagement of each radial rib 62 with the higher edge 64a of the corresponding wedge-shaped element 64, is less than or equal to, preferably less than, the angular stroke α2, in the direction of screwing R1, for engagement of each stud 82 of the third engagement mechanism with the first engaging edge 84a of the corresponding recess 84. This initial setting of the angular strokes α1 and α2 ensures that the closure 1 can be mounted on the container 10 without the frangible bridges 26 being broken by interaction between the coupling elements 82, 84 of the third engagement mechanism. By way of example, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, the coupling elements 62, 64a of the first engagement mechanism may be positioned in abutment against each other in pairs in the direction of screwing R1, which corresponds to an angular stroke α1 substantially equal to zero, as shown in
Here again, in the initial mounting configuration of the closure, which is suitable for the initial mounting of the closure on a container, the angular stroke α4, in the direction of unscrewing R2, for engagement of each stud 82 of the third engagement mechanism with the second engaging edge 84b of the corresponding recess 84, is substantially equal to the angular stroke α2, in the direction of screwing R1, for engagement of each stud 82 of the third engagement mechanism with the first engaging edge 84a of the corresponding recess 84. However, in other embodiments, the angular strokes α2 and α4 may have different values. In addition, the angular stroke α3, in the direction of unscrewing R2, for engagement of each radial rib 62 with the corresponding lower edge 64b of the second engagement mechanism, may be selected independently from the other angular strokes α1, α2, α4, since the second engagement mechanism is active only in a configuration where the outer cap 2 is pressed toward the inner cap 4 and the tamper-evident member 24 has necessarily been detached from the surrounding region 25.
Another initial setting of the closure 1 of the fourth embodiment is its axial clearance h0, which corresponds to the axial displacement of the outer cap 2 toward the inner cap 4, in the direction of the main axis X1, between the initial mounting configuration of the closure and the configuration of the closure where the coupling elements 62, 64b of the second engagement mechanism start to be in mutual engagement. The axial clearance h0 is selected to be higher than or equal to, preferably higher than, the axial displacement needed for the protruding element 46 to come into abutting contact with the tamper-evident member 24 and break the frangible bridges 26 so that, when the coupling elements 62, 64b of the second engagement mechanism are in mutual engagement, the tamper-evident member 24 has been detached from the surrounding region 25 under the pressure exerted by the protruding element 46.
In this fourth embodiment, the maximum stroke hm of the outer cap 2 toward the inner cap 4 in the direction of the main axis X1, without deformation of the outer cap 2, is equal to the axial distance between the surrounding region 25 and the support elements 65. In this embodiment, contrarily to the preceding embodiments, the axial clearance h0 is higher than the maximum stroke hm, and an elastic deformation of the outer cap 2 is required to reach the mutual engagement of the coupling elements 62, 64b. By way of a non-limiting example, in this fourth embodiment, the height h1 of the higher edge 64a is of the order of 2.8 mm; the height h2 of the lower edge 64b of each wedge-shaped element 64 is of the order of 1.5 mm; the axial clearance h0 is of the order of 1.3 mm; the maximum stroke hm is of the order of 0.8 mm. Preferably, the maximum stroke hm is selected to be higher than or equal to, preferably higher than, the axial displacement needed for the protruding element 46 to come into abutting contact with the tamper-evident member 24 and break the frangible bridges 26.
In operation, when a rotational torque in the direction of screwing R1 is applied on the outer cap 2, even without any axial force in the direction of the main axis X1, the radial ribs 62 are in a locking arrangement with the higher edges 64a of the wedge-shaped elements 64, so that the inner cap 4 is rotated in unison with the outer cap in the direction R1, thus making it possible to mount the closure 1 on the container 10. Conversely, when a user rotates the outer cap 2 in the direction of unscrewing R2, in an attempt to open the closure 1 without applying an axial force on the outer cap 2 in the direction of the main axis X1, the radial ribs 62 slip over the beveled inclined surfaces of the wedge-shaped elements 64 and the rotation of the outer cap 2 does not lead to a corresponding rotation of the inner cap 4, which may generate a relative rotational movement of the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 sufficient for the coupling elements 82 and 84 of the third engagement mechanism to come in mutual engagement, thus breaking the frangible bridges 26.
An opening of the closure 1 requires that the radial ribs 62 of the outer cap 2 are brought in engagement with the lower edges 64b of the wedge-shaped elements 64 of the inner cap 4, which is only possible when the outer cap 2 is axially displaced and deformed toward the inner cap 4, in particular under the action of an axial pushing force F applied on the top wall 23 in the direction of the main axis X1, as shown in
In a second step, under the continued action of the axial force F applied on the surrounding region 25, which is supported by the supporting elements 65, the outer cap 2 is elastically deformed so that the radial ribs 62 are slightly rotated and further displaced in the direction of the main axis X1 toward the top wall 43 of the inner cap 4. In this way, as shown in
As can be seen from the above description of several embodiments of a closure according to the invention, the mounting (or closing) of the closure 1 onto a container is easy to achieve and only requires a simple rotational movement of the outer cap 2 in the direction of screwing R1, whereas the opening of the closure 1 requires a complex operation starting with an axial displacement of the outer cap 2 toward the inner cap 4 under an axial pressure force F in the direction of the main axis X1, followed by a rotational movement in the direction of unscrewing R2 while maintaining the axial pressure force F. Such complex operation establishes a highly effective child resistance of the closure 1. As illustrated in the above embodiments, the child resistance of a closure according to the invention may be obtained thanks to the presence of at least one elastic member configured to bias the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 away from each other, or else thanks to a reversible elastic deformation of the outer cap 2. When the closure comprises at least one elastic member provided between the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4, for biasing the first and second top walls away from each other in the direction of the main axis X1, the at least one elastic member may form coupling element(s) of at least one engagement mechanism of the closure 1, as illustrated in the first, second and third embodiments described above, or in a variant not shown in the figures, the at least one elastic member may be a dedicated spring member independent from the engagement mechanisms of the closure 1.
In addition, when using the closure 1 for the first time, the axial displacement of the outer cap 2 toward the inner cap 4 is used to break the frangible structure 26 between the tamper-evident member 24 and the surrounding region 25 of the outer cap 2. More precisely, when first pushing down the closure 1, the protruding element 46 comes in abutting contact with the tamper-evident member 24, so that the frangible bridges 26 are broken and the tamper-evident member 24 separates from the surrounding region 25. In case of an attempt to open the closure 1 fraudulently, without securing the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 together in rotation, the third engagement mechanism ensures that the frangible bridges 26 are also broken, upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps when the outer cap is rotated in any of the rotation directions R1 or R2. According to an advantageous feature visible e.g. in the cross sections of
Preferably, the tamper-evident member 24 has a diameter as large as possible, e.g. a diameter of the tamper-evident member is at least 60% of the diameter of the outer cap 2. Preferably, the radial width of the surrounding region 25 is higher than or equal to 5 mm. Advantageously, the tamper-evident member 24 is integrally formed with the remainder of the top wall 23 of the outer cap 2. The tamper-evident member 24 can be of a different color and/or of a different material from the surrounding region 25. This may be realized, e.g., by means of a bi-injection molding process. For example, it is possible to first mold the tamper-evident member, and then mold the surrounding region 25 and the first sidewall 21 of the outer cap 2 in the same mold. Alternatively, it is possible to first mold the outer cap 2 with a hollow space in the top wall 23, and then mold the tamper-evident member 24 in the same mold. By using a color for the tamper-evident member 24 that is different from the color for the remaining part of the outer cap 2, the tampering becomes more evident.
In all embodiments, the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 are advantageously manufactured by injection molding of suitable polymer material(s), which may be one and the same polymer material for all of the outer cap and the inner cap, or different polymer materials selected according to the intended function of each cap, or even according to the intended function of each portion of each cap. Examples of suitable polymers for both caps include polyolefin-based polymers, in particular polyethylene or polypropylene. In one embodiment, the constitutive polymer of the outer cap 2 is the same as the constitutive polymer of the inner cap 4, e.g. high-density polyethylene (HDPE). In another embodiment, the constitutive polymer of the outer cap 2 is different from the constitutive polymer of the inner cap 4, e.g. the outer cap may be made of polypropylene (PP) or polyoxymethylene (POM), whereas the inner cap may be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Polypropylene (PP) and polyoxymethylene (POM) are polymer materials that are advantageous for the outer cap, especially as they are brittle materials, which is required for the rupture of the frangible structure, but also flexible materials, which is required for the elastic properties of the elastic members 52, as illustrated in the first, second and third embodiments, and/or the elastic properties of the outer cap itself, as illustrated in the fourth embodiment.
The selection of different constitutive materials for the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 is also advantageous to reduce the coefficient of friction at the interface between the two caps and improve the transmission of movement from one cap to the other. The constitutive material of the sealing member 48 of the inner cap 4 may also be a specific polymer, especially with a Young's coefficient lower than that of the remainder of the inner cap 4. By way of a non-limiting example, when the remainder of the inner cap 4 is made of HDPE, the sealing member 48 may be made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or of a thermoplastic elastomer.
Preferably, the outer cap 2 and the inner cap 4 are each configured to be demolded without requiring a mold with sliding parts. In embodiments where the outer cap 2 comprises elastic members 52 which start from the top wall 23 in a vertical direction and then run in an oblique direction, as shown in the first, second and third embodiments above, it is preferable to have a core of the mold in two parts for molding the internal surface of the outer cap. More precisely, a mold adapted for the molding of the outer cap 2 with elastic members 52 comprises a central core part for molding a central portion of the top wall 23 and the surface of the elastic members 52 facing the top wall 23, and an outer annular core part for molding the internal surface of the sidewall 21, the remainder of the top wall 23 and the surface of the elastic members 52 opposite from the top wall 23. In this way, once molded, the outer cap 2 can be separated first from the outer annular core part of the mold, allowing the elastic members 52 to then flex and be released gently from the central core part of the mold with a turning movement. In the case where the outer cap 2 additionally comprises male coupling elements 82 on the internal surface of the tamper-evident member 24, the draft angle of each male coupling element 82 is advantageously selected to correspond to the helix pitch for releasing the outer cap 2 from the central core part of the mold. In other words, with reference to the illustrative embodiments described above, the inclination angle of the first engaging edge 82a of each stud 82 corresponds to the helix pitch of the elastic members 52.
The constitutive materials of the closure and the container of the invention, as well as the active material received in the cavity of the closure for regulation of the atmosphere inside the container, are selected according to the intended use of the container. An advantage of the closure according to the invention is its high versatility, as it can be used for all screw-necked bottles or containers. Without any modification to a conventional screw necked bottle or container, it is possible to combine the three functions of being child-resistant, tamper-evident and providing active control of the atmosphere in the container. Because of its high safety, not only as being childproof, but also as being tamper-evident thanks to the third engagement mechanism, which makes any fraudulent opening of the closure visible by systematically breaking the tamper-evident member, a container with a closure according to the invention is advantageously used for storing tablets or capsules containing a pharmaceutical composition; nutraceuticals; herbalism products; or diagnostic products.
The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown.
In particular, the geometry and the distribution of the coupling elements of the various engagement mechanisms may be different from those described above. For example, when the frangible structure 26 includes a plurality of discrete frangible bridges, the coupling elements of the third engagement mechanism can indifferently be located near or far from the frangible bridges, e.g. depending on manufacturing constraints of the outer and inner caps, even if it is considered that the closer they are to the frangible bridges, the better the breaking efficiency of the third engagement mechanism.
According to a variant not shown in the figures, the third engagement mechanism may be designed such that the engaging edge of the second coupling element provided on the inner cap 4 is a substantially straight edge, instead of an inclined edge as described above, against which the first coupling element provided on the tamper-evident member 24 is configured to press circumferentially upon relative rotational movement of the outer and inner caps when the outer cap 2 is rotated in the direction of unscrewing. In this case, the tamper-evident member 24 tends to be displaced circumferentially relative to the surrounding region 25, resulting in shear stress being applied to the frangible structure 26. Then, in this variant, the frangible structure should be designed to break according to two different modes of rupture, i.e. firstly, it should rupture under an axial stretching stress applied to it, which may be obtained with a design of the frangible structure having a thinner middle portion in the direction of the main axis of the closure, as visible in
According to another variant which has not been shown in the figures, the or each protruding element of the closure may be secured to the tamper-evident member 24, instead of the inner cap 4, and moved into abutting contact with the top wall 43 of the inner cap 4 upon application of an axial pushing force F on the outer cap 2 so as to break the frangible structure 26. In this case, the protruding element(s) secured to the tamper-evident member 24 may also form male coupling element(s) of the third engagement mechanism, configured to cooperate with corresponding female coupling element(s) provided on the inner cap 4.
As mentioned previously, a container with a closure according to the invention may also be different from the container 10 shown in the figures, in particular the container may have other shapes, possibly with non-rotational geometries, as long as it is provided with an opening which is provided, either externally as shown in the figures or internally, with an annular container thread on which the closure can be screwed. As readily understood, when the container thread is arranged internally, i.e. on the inner surface of the container opening, the cap thread is advantageously provided on an outer surface of an annular wall of the inner cap configured to be received inside the container opening.
Of course, many other variants can be considered, falling within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20215494.4 | Dec 2020 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/086545 | 12/17/2021 | WO |
