Cap for a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200488-A1
Application number	US-201414913678-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cap for a container comprises: a ferrule ( 3 ) to be fixedly attached to the neck ( 11 ) of the container ( 10 ), the ferrule ( 3 ) comprising an upper wall ( 30 ) and a tubular skirt ( 31 ) extending downwardly from the upper wall ( 30 ); a tamper evidence mechanism ( 4 ) connected with the ferrule ( 3 ); an overseal button ( 5;5 a; 5 b; 5 c; 5 d; 5 e ) removably arranged on top of the upper wall ( 30 ) of the ferrule ( 3 ) so as to at least fully cover the tamper evidence mechanism ( 4 ), the overseal button being connected to the tamper evidence mechanism ( 4 ) such that upon first removal of the overseal button the tamper evidence mechanism is irreversibly damaged. The overseal button ( 5;5 a; 5 b; 5 c; 5 d; 5 e ) comprises at least one translucent portion ( 52;52 a; 52;52 c; 52 d; 52 e ) arranged to extend over the at least one portion ( 401;401 e ) of the tamper evidence mechanism ( 4 ) which is irreversibly damaged upon first removal of the overseal button.

First claim

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A cap for a container, comprising:
a ferrule to be fixedly attached to the neck of the container, the ferrule comprising an upper wall and a tubular skirt extending downwardly from the upper wall; a tamper evidence mechanism connected with the ferrule; and an overseal button removably arranged on top of the upper wall of the ferrule in a manner so as to at least fully cover the tamper evidence mechanism, the overseal button being connected to the tamper evidence mechanism such that upon first removal of the overseal button from the ferrule at least a portion of the tamper evidence mechanism is irreversibly damaged,
wherein the overseal button comprises at least one translucent portion arranged to extend over the at least one portion of the tamper evidence mechanism which is irreversibly damaged upon first removal of the overseal button from the ferrule, and
wherein the overseal button further comprises an identification portion which is different from the at least one translucent portion in at least one property, the at least one property being selected such that it allows for visual differentiation of the identification portion and the at least one translucent portion.

18 . A cap according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one property of the identification portion allowing for differentiation of the identification portion and the at least one translucent portion is selected from opacity, color, surface roughness, or combinations thereof.

19 . A cap according to claim 17 , wherein the tamper evidence mechanism comprises a hub and wherein the upper wall of the ferrule comprises an outer portion which is connected to the skirt and surrounds the hub of the tamper evidence mechanism, wherein the hub of the tamper evidence mechanism is connected to the outer portion of the ferrule through a breakable connection, wherein the overseal button comprises a clamping member and wherein the hub comprises a through-opening which is centrally arranged in the hub, with the clamping member of the overseal button extending through the centrally arranged through-opening of the hub and clamping the overseal button to the hub of the tamper evidence mechanism.

20 . A cap according to claim 19 , wherein the outer portion of the upper wall of the ferrule is an annular portion, wherein the hub of the tamper evidence mechanism is a centrally arranged circular disc comprising the centrally arranged through-opening, and wherein the centrally arranged through-opening has a circular shape.

21 . A cap according to claim 20 , wherein the breakable connection comprises one or more bridging webs which are connected to the hub of the tamper evidence mechanism as well as to the outer portion of the upper wall of the ferrule, each individual bridging web being arranged at an individual angular position when viewed in circumferential direction, with the individual angular positions of the individual bridging webs being different from one another.

22 . A cap according to claim 21 , wherein the breakable connection comprises at least four individual bridging webs, in particular at least six individual bridging webs, with the individual bridging webs being arranged at equally spaced individual angular positions, and wherein the at least one translucent portion of the overseal button is arranged to extend over at least one of the bridging webs.

23 . A cap according to claim 19 , wherein the breakable connection comprises a scoring line connecting the centrally arranged hub of the tamper evidence mechanism to the outer portion of the upper wall of the ferrule, and wherein the translucent portion of the overseal button is arranged to extend at least partly over the scoring line.

24 . A cap according to claim 17 , wherein the overseal button comprises an opaque colored outer ring, and wherein the at least one translucent portion is surrounded by the opaque colored outer ring.

25 . A cap according to claim 24 , wherein the entire portion of the overseal button surrounded by the opaque colored ring forms the at least one translucent portion of the overseal button.

26 . A cap according to claim 24 , wherein the overseal button comprises a centrally arranged opaque colored hub, and wherein the at least one translucent portion of the overseal button is arranged between the centrally arranged opaque colored hub and the opaque colored outer ring.

27 . A cap according to claim 26 , wherein the centrally arranged opaque colored hub is connected to the opaque colored outer ring through at least one opaque colored web.

28 . A cap according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one opaque colored web comprises a plurality of individual opaque spokes arranged to extend from the opaque colored hub to the opaque colored outer ring in a star-like manner.

29 . A cap according to claim 28 , wherein the at least one opaque colored web comprises a single opaque conical web with the narrow end of the opaque conical web being connected to the opaque colored hub and the wide end of the conical web being connected to the opaque colored outer ring.

30 . A cap according to claim 17 , wherein the overseal button comprises a circumferentially running translucent angular segment arranged in an otherwise completely colored opaque overseal button, the circumferentially running translucent angular segment being arranged to extend over the at least one portion of the tamper evidence mechanism which is irreversibly damaged upon first removal of the overseal button from the ferrule.

31 . A cap according to claim 17 , wherein the overseal button is a two-component injection molded piece.

32 . A container comprising a neck having an opening for allowing access to the interior of the container, a sealing stopper being arranged in the opening in the neck, and a cap according to anyone of the preceding claims, the cap being arranged to cover the sealing stopper with the lower end of the skirt of the cap engaging a rim on an outer wall of the neck of the container.

Assignees

• Hoffmann La Roche

Inventors

• Friedrich Stefan
• Weirich Wigand

Classifications

• B65D2401/15

  Tearable part of the closure (B65D2401/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D51/002 Primary

  Closures to be pierced by an extracting-device for the contents and fixed on the container by separate retaining means · CPC title

• B65D41/44 Primary

  made of metallic foil or like thin flexible material · CPC title

• A61J1/1412 Primary

  Containers with closing means, e.g. caps · CPC title