Cap with reduced thickness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11834229-B2
Application number	US-202217654414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2022
Priority date	Mar 18, 2021
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A cap ( 1 ) for a container comprises: a body ( 2 ), configured to be coupled and uncoupled relative to the neck of the container and including an internally threaded side wall ( 21 ), which extends around a longitudinal axis (A), and a transverse wall ( 22 ); a tamper evident ring ( 3 ), including a retaining element ( 31 ), configured to engage a locking member on the neck of the container, and a joining portion ( 32 ), where the tamper evident ring ( 3 ) is joined to the cap body ( 2 ), the joining portion ( 32 ) being configured to be torn along a perimeter surrounding the longitudinal axis (A) in response to a movement of the body ( 2 ) away from the tamper evident ring ( 3 ), wherein the cap ( 1 ) comprises a connecting window ( 4 ) including a connecting band ( 40 ) and a film ( 400 ) which is thinner than the connecting band ( 40 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cap for a container, comprising:
a body configured to be coupled and uncoupled relative to a neck of the container and including:
a side wall internally threaded and extending around a longitudinal axis between a first and a second end, and
a transverse wall joined to the first end of the side wall;

a tamper evident ring configured to remain anchored to the neck of the container even when the cap body is uncoupled from the neck, the tamper evident ring including:
a retaining elemental configured to engage a locking member on the neck of the container, and
a joining portion where the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body, the joining portion being configured to be torn along a perimeter surrounding the longitudinal axis in response to a movement of the body away from the tamper evident ring; and

a connecting window formed of a portion of the side wall of the cap body, a corresponding portion of the retaining element, and a stretch of the joining portion interposed between them, wherein the connecting window has a first dimension along the direction of the longitudinal axis, and a second dimension along a perimeter surrounding the longitudinal axis, and wherein the connecting window includes:
a connecting band which is greater in length than the first dimension of the connecting window, the connecting band having a first end connected to the side wall of the cap body, a second end connected to the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring, a first flank, and a second flank opposite to the first flank, each of the first flank and the second flank extending from the first end to the second end of the connecting band; and
a film having a reduced thickness compared to the connecting band and being adjacent to the first flank and the second flank of the connecting band along the whole length of the first flank and the second flank of the connecting band from the first end to the second end, to join the first flank and the second flank of the connecting band to respective portions of the cap body side wall and of the retaining element which surround the connecting window,

wherein the cap is adapted to be positioned in:
a first working configuration, where the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring engages the locking member of the container neck, so that the cap body is coupled to the container neck and the joining portion of the tamper evident ring and the film of the connecting window are intact, and
a second working configuration, where the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring engages the locking member of the container neck, so that the cap body is uncoupled from the container neck, the joining portion of the tamper evident ring and the film of the connecting window are torn, and the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body by the connecting band.

2. The cap according to claim 1 , wherein the second dimension of the connecting window is greater than the first dimension of the connecting window.

3. The cap according to claim 1 , wherein:
the tamper evident ring includes a fastening element and the cap body includes a protrusion extending radially away from the longitudinal axis or, conversely, wherein the cap body includes a fastening element and the tamper evident ring includes a protrusion extending radially away from the longitudinal axis, and
the fastening element and the protrusion are longitudinally aligned in the first working configuration of the cap so that, in the second working configuration of the cap, the fastening element is configured to engage the protrusion so as to keep the cap body at a flipped over position relative to the tamper evident ring.

4. The cap according to claim 3 , wherein the fastening element is in the form of a tooth extending radially away from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the cap body includes a pair of protrusions, defining between them a recess for receiving the tooth.

5. The cap according to claim 3 , comprising, in addition to the connecting window, an additional connecting window including an additional connecting band, wherein the respective second ends of the connecting band and of the additional connecting band are disposed in the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring, at the ends of a circular arc of less than 180 degrees and wherein the fastening element is interposed between the second ends relative to that circular arc.

6. The cap according to claim 5 , wherein the respective second dimensions of the connecting window and of the additional connecting window are each at least 60 degrees measured along an arc (α) around the longitudinal axis.

7. The cap according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall of the cap body and the tamper evident ring define an inside surface that faces towards the longitudinal axis, and wherein the connecting band has an increased thickness zone, protuberant radially from the inside surface at a cutting plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and passing through the joining portion.

8. The cap according to claim 1 , wherein the film includes:
a first film portion, interposed between the first flank of the connecting band and respective portions of the cap body side wall and of the retaining element which surround the connecting window; and
a second film portion, interposed between the second flank of the connecting band and respective portions of the cap body side wall and of the retaining element which surround the connecting window.

9. The cap according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the connecting band is greater than the second dimension of the connecting window.

10. The cap according to claim 1 , wherein the compared thicknesses of the film and connecting band are measured in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis.

Assignees

• Sacmi

Inventors

• Zuffa Zeno

Classifications

• B65D41/3423 Primary

  with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt (B65D41/3404 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/26

  Moulds · CPC title

• B29C45/7207

  of the moulded articles · CPC title

• B65D41/325

  with integral internal sealing means · CPC title

• B65D55/16

  Devices preventing loss of removable closure members · CPC title