Container and cap having tamper-evident member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10822148-B2
Application number	US-201816230258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A container includes a container body with a projection and a cap with a cover member, an inner member, and an outer member. 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 outer member depends from the cover member and extends at least partly about the inner member and an 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container, comprising:
a container body having a neck that defines an opening to an inner cavity within the container body, the neck including a projection that projects radially away from the axis; and
a cap that includes a cover member, an inner member, and an outer member;
the inner member depending from the cover member and extending at least partly about an axis, the inner member being threadably engaged to the neck of the container body and supported for movement between a first threaded position and a second threaded position relative to the container body;
the cover member covering the opening in the first threaded position and the second threaded position;
the outer member depending from the cover member and extending at least partly about the inner member and the axis, the outer member including a tamper-evident member;
the tamper-evident member including 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;
the tamper-evident member being permanently deformable to disengage the projection and allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position; and
the tamper-evident member being spaced apart from the cover member along the axis to define a recess between the outer member and the cover member, the recess configured to receive another abutment member of another child-resistant cap that is stacked thereon.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the inner member is an inner skirt that extends about the axis;
wherein the outer member is an outer skirt that extends about the inner skirt and the axis;
wherein the outer skirt includes a first arcuate segment and a second arcuate segment; and
wherein the tamper-evident member includes a tab that is removably connected to at least one of the first arcuate segment and the second arcuate segment.

3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the abutment member projects radially inward toward the axis from the tab.

4. The container of claim 3 , wherein the tab is configured to tear at least partly away from the outer skirt to disengage the projection.

5. The container of claim 4 , wherein the tab is configured to tear away in a longitudinal direction substantially along the axis away from the outer member.

6. The container of claim 2 , wherein the abutment member is configured to engage a first projection of the container body;
wherein the outer member includes a wall with an aperture extending therethrough;
wherein the wall is resiliently flexible for movement between a retained position and an unretained position with respect to the axis;
the wall, in the retained position, configured to receive a second projection of the container body within the aperture to retain the cap in the first threaded position; and
the wall, in the unretained position, configured to be spaced away from the second projection with the second projection disposed outside the aperture to allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position.

7. The container of claim 6 , wherein the cap includes a first pad and a second pad that are configured to be squeezed in unison to resiliently flex the wall from the retained position toward the unretained position; and
wherein the wall is biased toward the retained position.

8. The container of claim 6 , wherein the wall and the tab are disposed on opposite sides of the axis.

9. A cap for a container body with an opening to an inner cavity, the container body having a projection, the cap comprising:
a cover member configured to cover over the opening;
an inner member that depends from the cover member and that extends at least partly about an axis, the inner member configured to threadably engage the container body and move between a first threaded position and a second threaded position relative to the container body;
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 including a tamper-evident member;
the tamper-evident member including 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;
the tamper-evident member being permanently deformable to disengage the projection and allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position; and
the tamper-evident member being spaced apart from the cover member along the axis to define a recess between the outer member and the cover member, the recess configured to receive another abutment member of another child-resistant cap that is stacked thereon.

10. The cap of claim 9 , wherein the inner member is an inner skirt that extends about the axis;
wherein the outer member is an outer skirt that extends about the inner skirt and the axis;
wherein the outer skirt includes a first arcuate segment and a second arcuate segment; and
wherein the tamper-evident member includes a tab that is removably connected to the first arcuate segment and the second arcuate segment.

11. The cap of claim 10 , wherein the abutment member projects radially inward toward the axis from the tab.

12. The cap of claim 11 , wherein the tab is configured to tear away from the outer skirt to disengage the projection.

13. The cap of claim 12 , wherein the tab is configured to tear away in a longitudinal direction substantially along the axis away from the outer member.

14. The cap of claim 10 , wherein the abutment member is configured to engage a first projection of the container body;
wherein the outer member includes a wall with an aperture extending therethrough;
wherein the wall is resiliently flexible for movement between a retained position and an unretained position with respect to the axis;
the wall, in the retained position, configured to receive a second projection of the container body within the aperture to retain the cap in the first threaded position; and
the wall, in the unretained position, configured to be spaced away from the second projection with the second projection disposed outside the aperture to allow movement of the cap from the first threaded position to the second threaded position.

15. The cap of claim 14 , wherein the cap includes a first pad and a second pad that are configured to be squeezed in unison to resiliently flex the wall from the retained position toward the unretained position; and
wherein the wall is biased toward the retained position.

16. The cap of claim 14 , wherein the wall and the tab are disposed on opposite sides of the axis.

17. A method of manufacturing a cap configured to be threadably attached to a neck of a container body, the neck defining an opening to an inner cavity within the container body, the neck including a projection, the method comprising:
forming a cover member of the cap, the cover member configured to cover over the opening;
forming an inner member that depends from the cover member and that extends at least partly about an axis, the inner member configured to threadably engage the container body and move between a first threaded position and a second threaded position relative to the container body; and
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 including a tamper-evident member;
the tamper-evident member including an abutment member configured to engage with the projection to lim

Assignees

• Henkel IP & Holding GmbH

Inventors

• Sterling Daniel Peter
• Colacioppo Keith

Classifications

• B65D55/024 Primary

  Closures in which a part has to be ruptured to gain access to the contents (B65D41/32, B65D43/0235, B65D55/022, B65D55/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D2251/065

  the external skirt having a non-circular cross-section, e.g. square, elliptical · CPC title

• B65D50/043 Primary

  the closure comprising a screw cap whose threads are shaped to accommodate blocking elements and the closure is removed after first applying axial force to unblock it and allow it to be unscrewed · CPC title

• B65D41/0471

  with means for positioning the cap on the container, or for limiting the movement of the cap, or for preventing accidental loosening of the cap · CPC title

• B65D50/046

  and such deformation causes the disengagement of locking means, e.g. the release of a pawl-like element from a tooth or abutment, to allow removal of the closure by simultaneous rotation · CPC title