Closure with tamper band and spout

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981785-B2
Application number	US-201615363174-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2016
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A tamper evident closure and spout are provided. The closure includes an outer wall and a central wall supported from the outer wall. The closure defines a passage extending between an upper edge and a lower edge of the closure and located between an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the central wall. The closure includes a tamper-indicating band extending from the central wall. The spout includes a wall portion and a central channel extending through the wall portion between an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The spout includes a structure located below the inlet opening the first and second exterior surfaces are both angled toward the central axis of the spout.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tamper evident closure comprising:
an outer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;
a central wall supported from and surrounded by the outer wall, the central wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and an engagement structure located on the inner surface configured to engage cooperating structures on a spout; and
a tamper-indicating band extending from the central wall, the tamper band comprising:
a first outer wall portion extending downwardly from the central wall; and
at least one engagement wall extending radially inward and upward relative to the first outer wall portion, wherein an outer surface of the at least one engagement wall faces an inner surface of the first outer wall portion.

2. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement wall is coupled to the first outer wall portion via a first connector.

3. The closure of claim 2 , wherein the first connector includes a curved section providing a transition from the downwardly extending first outer wall portion to the upwardly extending at least one engagement wall.

4. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement wall has an upper surface, the upper surface of the at least one engagement wall located below an upper edge of the first outer wall portion.

5. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement wall has an upper surface, the upper surface of the at least one engagement wall located below a lower surface of the central wall.

6. The closure of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the first outer wall portion has a length in a circumferential direction that is greater than a length of the outer surface of the at least one engagement wall in the circumferential direction.

7. The closure of claim 1 wherein the tamper band further comprises:
a second outer wall portion extending downwardly from the central wall; and
a second engagement wall extending radially inward and upward relative to the second outer wall portion, wherein an outer surface of the second engagement wall faces an inner surface of the second outer wall portion.

8. The closure of claim 7 , the tamper band further comprising a second connector coupling the second engagement wall to the second outer wall portion.

9. The closure of claim 8 , the tamper band further comprising:
a first frangible bridge section located between a clockwise facing surface of the second outer wall portion and a counterclockwise facing surface of the first outer wall portion; and
a second frangible bridge section located between a counterclockwise facing surface of the second outer wall portion and a clockwise facing surface of the first outer wall portion.

10. The closure of claim 9 further comprising:
a first hinge structure coupling the first outer wall portion to the central wall, wherein the first hinge structure allows the first outer wall portion to pivot relative to the central wall following breakage of the first and second frangible bridges; and
a second hinge structure coupling the second outer wall portion to the central wall, wherein the second hinge structure allows the second outer wall portion to pivot relative to the central wall following breakage of the first and second frangible bridges.

11. The closure of claim 10 , wherein the inner surface of the central wall is circular in cross-section, the first outer wall portion extending at least 120 degrees around the central wall and the second outer wall portion extending at least 120 degrees around the central wall.

12. The closure of claim 1 coupled to a flexible pouch container.

13. A tamper evident closure comprising:
an outer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;
a central wall supported from and surrounded by the outer wall, the central wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and an engagement structure located on the inner surface and configured to engage cooperating structures on a spout; and
a tamper-indicating band extending from the central wall, the tamper band comprising:
a first outer wall portion extending downwardly from the central wall, the outer wall portion having a lower end and an upper end; and
a first engagement element, the first engagement element having a lower end connected to the first outer wall portion and an upper end, wherein the upper end of the first engagement element is located radially inwards from and below the upper end of the first outer wall portion.

14. The closure of claim 1 , wherein the upper end of the first engagement element is located below a lower surface of the central wall.

15. The closure of claim 14 , wherein an inner surface of the first outer wall portion has a length in a circumferential direction that is greater than a length of an outer surface of the first engagement element in the circumferential direction.

16. The closure of claim 13 , wherein the tamper band further comprises:
a second outer wall portion extending downwardly from the central wall; and
a second engagement element, the second engagement element having a lower end connected to the second outer wall portion and an upper end, wherein the upper end of the second engagement element is located radially inwards from and below an upper end of the second outer wall portion.

17. The closure of claim 16 coupled to a flexible pouch container.

18. A closure assembly comprising:
a spout comprising:
a wall portion including an engagement structure configured to engage an engagement structure of a closure extending from an outer surface of the wall portion;
a flange extending radially about an outer surface of the wall portion; and
a central channel extending through the wall portion between an inlet opening and an outlet opening; and

a closure comprising:
an outer wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;
a central wall supported from and surrounded by the outer wall, the central wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and an engagement structure located on the inner surface configured to engage the engagement structure of the spout; and
a tamper-indicating band extending from the central wall, the tamper band comprising:
a first outer wall portion extending downwardly from the central wall; and
a first inner engagement wall extending radially inward and upward away from the first outer wall portion, the first inner engagement wall configured to engage with the radial flange of the spout during an initial opening of the closure assembly.

19. The closure assembly of claim 18 , the spout further comprising a structure located below the inlet opening, the structure comprising:
a first exterior surface extending away from the inlet opening;
a second exterior surface extending away from the inlet opening, the second exterior surface located opposite the first exterior surface; and
a lower channel extending between the first and second exterior surfaces and located below the inlet opening.

20. The closure assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first and second exterior surfaces of the spout are both angled toward a central axis of the spout such that a width between opposing portions of the first and second exterior surfaces at a lower end of the structure is less than a width between opposing portions of the first and second exterior surfaces at an upper end of the structure.

Assignees

• Silgan White Cap LLC

Inventors

• Berge Gary

Classifications

• B65D2401/30

  Tamper-ring remaining connected to closure after initial removal · CPC title

• B65D2401/20

  Frangible elements completely enclosed in closure skirt · CPC title

• B65D2401/25

  Non-metallic tear-off strips · CPC title

• B65D41/34 Primary

  Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers {provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt} · CPC title

• B65D41/3409

  the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges · CPC title