Safety capsule for containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016159537-A1
Application number	US-201414905937-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 28, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A safety capsule for containers, comprising: an external cap ( 2 ), provided with coupling means for the coupling thereof to the neck (C) of a container; an internal element ( 3 ), located inside the external cap ( 2 ) and configured to be associated, in a removable manner, with an opening (A) of the container; connecting means ( 4, 5 ), interposed between the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ), and structured so as to leave the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ) unconstrained with respect to a movement for opening or removal of the external cap ( 2 ) between a closed position and an intermediate position, and solidly constrain the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ) with respect to the movement for opening or removal of the external cap ( 2 ) between the intermediate position and an opening position.

First claim

1 . A safety capsule for containers, comprising:
an external cap ( 2 ); an internal element ( 3 ), located inside the external cap ( 2 ) and configured to be associated, in a removable manner, with an opening (A) of the container;
a coupling means, configured to enable coupling of the external cap ( 2 ) or the internal element ( 3 ) to the neck (C) of the container;
connecting means ( 4 , 5 ), interposed between the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ), and structured so as to leave the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ) unconstrained with respect to a movement for opening or removal of the external cap ( 2 ) between a closed position and an intermediate position, and solidly constrain the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ) with respect to the movement for opening or removal of the external cap ( 2 ) between the intermediate position and an opening position;
the coupling means for coupling the external cap ( 2 ) or the internal element ( 3 ) and the neck (C) of the container provides for at least one rotation movement about a longitudinal axis (X) for the opening or the removal of the external cap ( 2 ) from the neck (C) of the container;
the connecting means ( 4 , 5 ) comprise at least a first connecting element ( 4 ), solidly constrained to the external cap ( 2 ), and at least a second connecting element ( 5 ), solidly constrained to the internal element ( 3 );
characterized in that:
the first connecting element ( 4 ) comprises a small tooth ( 41 , 42 ) that projects radially from an inner surface of the external cap ( 2 ) and faces the internal element ( 3 ).

2 . The capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the second connecting element ( 5 ) comprises a first small tooth ( 51 ) that projects from an external surface of the internal element ( 3 ) and faces the external cap ( 2 ).

3 . The capsule according to claim 2 , wherein the second connecting element ( 5 ) comprises a second small tooth ( 52 ), alongside the first small tooth ( 51 ) so as to define a shaped space to receive the first connecting element ( 4 ) in the intermediate opening or removal position.

4 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the second small tooth ( 52 ) has an external side, facing the opposite side that of the first small tooth ( 51 ), and shaped so as to facilitate passage over the small tooth ( 41 ) of the external cap ( 2 ) during the opening rotation of the external cap ( 2 ).

5 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the second small tooth ( 52 ) increases in thickness nearer to the first small tooth ( 51 ).

6 . The capsule according to claim 3 , comprising a projecting edge ( 101 ), solidly constrained to the neck (C) of the container and structured so as to come into contact with the small tooth ( 52 ) and to bend the second small tooth ( 52 ) outward.

7 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the second small tooth ( 52 ) has a cavity ( 52 C).

8 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the second small tooth ( 52 ) has an appendage ( 52 P) facing the first small tooth ( 51 ).

9 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the internal element ( 3 ) comprises a recess ( 3 A) disposed above the second small tooth ( 52 ).

10 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the second small tooth ( 52 ) comprises a first portion ( 52 a ) and a second portion ( 52 b ); the first portion ( 52 ) is structured in such a way as substantially not to interact with the small tooth ( 41 ); the second portion ( 52 b ) is structured to interact with the small tooth ( 41 ) and is deformable along a circumferential direction relative to the first portion ( 52 a ).

11 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the first small tooth ( 51 ) and the second small tooth ( 52 ) are associated with a projecting edge ( 33 ) of the internal element ( 3 ) and project downwards.

12 . The capsule according to claim 2 , wherein the internal element ( 3 ) comprises a projecting edge ( 33 ) endowed with at least a transverse surface (T 1 ) that defines the first small tooth ( 51 ).

13 . The capsule according to claim 3 , wherein the internal element ( 3 ) comprises a projecting edge ( 33 ) endowed with at least a transverse surface (T 1 ) that defines the first small tooth ( 51 ) and wherein the projecting edge ( 33 ) is endowed with at least a second transverse surface (T 2 ), which is facing the first transverse surface (T 1 ) and defines the second tooth ( 52 ).

14 . The capsule according to claim 12 , wherein the external cap ( 2 ) is provided with a connecting element ( 42 ) that projects from an inner surface of the external cap ( 2 ) and faces the internal element ( 3 ), said connecting element ( 42 ) being structured so as to come into contact with the projecting edge ( 33 ) so as to retain the internal element ( 3 ) inside the external cap ( 2 ).

15 . The capsule according to claim 3 , comprising: an abutment element ( 1 C) that radially projects from the neck (C) of the container; a third small tooth ( 513 ), solidly constrained to the internal element ( 3 ), and structured so as to come into contact and interact with the abutment element ( 1 C).

16 . The capsule according to claim 15 , wherein the external cap ( 2 ) comprises an abutment ( 43 ), which projects towards the internal element ( 3 ) from an inner surface of the external cap ( 2 ); the abutment ( 43 ) is positioned in such a way as to be superimposed on the third small tooth ( 513 ) in proximity to the intermediate position.

17 . The capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting means ( 4 , 5 ) comprise a cam ( 51 ) and a cam follower ( 41 ), interposed between the external cap ( 2 ) and the internal element ( 3 ) and structured to come into contact and, during the opening rotation of the external cap ( 2 ), to produce an axial movement of the internal element ( 3 ), which nears the same internal element ( 3 ) to the upper portion ( 21 ) of the external cap ( 2 ).

18 . The capsule according to claim 17 , wherein: the cam ( 51 ) is solidly constrained to the internal element ( 3 ) and projects downwards; the cam follower ( 41 ) comprises a tooth that projects inward from a lateral portion ( 23 ) of the external cap ( 2 ) and is located and shaped to come into contact with the cam ( 51 ).

19 . The capsule according to claim 1 , comprising: a groove ( 53 ), fashioned on an upper surface ( 31 ) of the internal element ( 3 ); a projecting element ( 410 ), which projects beneath the upper portion ( 21 ) of the external cap ( 2 ) and is configured to engage with the groove ( 53 ); the groove ( 53 ) is shaped so as to produce an axial movement between the internal element ( 3 ) and an upper portion ( 21 ) of the external cap ( 2 ) during the opening rotation.

20 . The capsule according to claim 19 , wherein the groove ( 53 ) has a variable depth, decreasing or increasing in the direction of the opening rotation.

21 . The capsule according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting means comprise a first small tooth ( 41 ) that projects from an inner surface of the external cap ( 2 ) and faces the internal element ( 3 ), said first small tooth ( 41 ) being structured so as to interact with the second connecting element ( 5 ) and to retain the internal element ( 3 ) inside the external cap ( 2 ), with or without a given axial clearance.

22 . The capsule according to claim 21 , wherein the internal element ( 3 ) is provided with a gui

Assignees

• Sacmi

Inventors

• Pucci Fabrizio

Classifications

• B65D2401/45

  Windows in external skirts for viewing tamper-element · CPC title

• B65D55/022

  with ratchet effect between relatively rotating parts (B65D41/3404, B65D50/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D41/045 Primary

  Discs (B65D41/0457 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D55/026 Primary

  initial opening or unauthorised access being indicated by a visual change using indicators other than tearable means, e.g. change of colour, pattern or opacity (B65D55/066 takes precedence) · CPC title