Tamper-Indicative closures and containers

Claim 2

A container closure (10, 30, 110, 122, 230, 310, 412) for providing tamper indication and characterized as having a closure member (12, 32, 112, 122, 232, 312, 412,-512) defining container closing expanse, a tamper-indicating element (48, 58, 60, 66, 120, 220, 320, 424) in said closure interiorly of said closure member and means (18a, 36a, 118, 216, 316b, 422a, 516) movable with said closure member for both retaining said tamper-indicating element with said closure member and for selectively tearing said tamper-indicating element, such movable means being inaccessible through said closing expanse of said closure member and said closure affording visibility therethrough of said tamper-indicating element.

Claim 3

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said movable means comprises at least one retaining-tearing member (18a, 36a, 118, 216, 316b, 422a, 516) extending from said closure member into engagement with said tamper-indicating element.

Claim 4

The closure claimed in claim 2 wherein said closure member is adapted for rotative first and second movements of respectively opposite sense and wherein said retaining-tearing member is radially offset from the rotation center of such first and second movements.

Claim 5

The closure claimed in claim 2 wherein said retaining-tearing member is integral with said closure member.

Claim 6

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said tamper-indicating element (120) has a first side in facing relation to said closing expanse of said closure and an opposite second side, said closure further including a container closure layer (124) secured to said opposite second side of said tamper-indicating element, said , container closure layer retaining its integrity in the course of such selective tearing of said tamper-indicating element.

Claim 7

The closure claimed in claim 5 wherein said movable means comprises at least one retaining-tearing member (118) extending from said closure member into engagement with said tamper-indicating element (120) and extending beyond said tamper-indicating element second side in non-tearing relation to said container closure layer.

Claim 8

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said tamper-indicating element includes a compressible layer (48, 54, 62, 68, 324, 426), said movable means having at least the major extent thereof situtate within said compressible layer.

Claim 9

The closure claimed in claim 7 wherein said tamper-indicating element further includes a container access port sealing layer (53, 64, 72, 326, 432) secured to said compressible layer.

Claim 10

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure member includes a cap and an overcap, said cap, being rotatably nested within said overcap and releasably latchingly secured therein, whereby said cap is isolated from input movement to said closure member.

Claim 11

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure member includes force-imparting means (234, 328, 336, 528) secured to said closure member for movement therewith, said force-imparting means being situated between said tamper-indicating element and said closure member closing expanse and adapted to impart force to said tamper-indicating element at a location thereon distal from the location of engagement of said tamper-indicating element and said movable means, thereby to displace said tamper-indicating element jointly with said movable means. in the course of movement of said closure into securement with such container.

Claim 12

The closure claimed in claim 10 wherein said tamper-indicating element is removable from said closure and wherein said force-imparting means (234, 328) further defines a container access port sealing surface upon removal of said tamper-indicating element from said closure.

Claim 13

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure member is inclusive of a top panel (312c) having said container closing expanse and a skirt (312a) depending therefrom, said closure member further including force-imparting (328) means for movement with said closure member and selectively engageable with said tamper-indicating element for imparting movement thereto toward said skirt.

Claim 14

The closure claimed in claim 12 wherein said deflectable member is a conical member integral with said top panel and wherein said tamper-indicating element is removable from said.closure, said conical member defining container sealing surface extending generally parallel to. said top panel upon such removal of said tamper-indicating element from said closure..

Claim 15

The closure claimed in-claim 13 wherein said closure member further includes a series of inwardly extending projections in juxtaposition with said force-imparting means for engaging said tamper-indicating element upon such movement thereof by said force-imparting means.

Claim 16

The closure claim in claim 1 wherein said closure member is inclusive of a top panel (512) having interior surface defining said container closing expanse, said top panel including at the inner periphery thereof means for imparting force to said tamper-indicating element and comprising a plurality of projections (5.28) each having one side (528a) extending perpendicular to said surface and a second side (528b) inclined relative to said surface.

Claim 17

The closure claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure member includes further means (418) for engaging said tamper-indicating element (424) selectively following such tearing thereof for retaining said tamper-indicating element with said closure.

Claim 18

The closure claimed in claim 16 wherein said tamper-indicating element comprises a rupturable and tearable layer (426), said first-mentioned means (422a) being secured in said rupturable and tearable layer, a stiffening layer (428) juxtaposed with said rupturable and tearable layer, a teltale layer (430) juxtaposed with said stiffening layer and exposed therethrough upon tearing of said rupturable and tearable layer by said first-mentioned means, and a container sealing layer (432) juxtaposed with said teltale layer.

Claim 19

The closure claim in claim 1 wherein said closure member is inclusive of a top panel (512) having interior surface defining said container closing expanse, said top panel including at the inner periphery thereof means for imparting force to said tamper-indicating element and comprising a plurality of projections (528) each having one side (528a) extending perpendicular to said surface and a second side (528b) inclined relative to said surface.

Claim 20

A container including the closure claimed in claim 1 and a vessel (610) having a neck (612) terminating in a vessel mouth and defining surface extent (618-620-622) circumscribing said mouth and inclusive of vessel sealing surface (622)-, said neck having closure member securing ' means (614) thereon, said closure member having interior means (14) cooperative with said securing means for movement of said closure member in a first sense for securement to said neck and for closure of said mouth and in second opposite sense for removal of said closure member from said neck, said vessel surface extent being adapted for engaging said tamper-indicating element and configured (618) to effect first and second different engagements therewith respectively in the course of said first and second sense movements, thereby to permit said tamper-indicating element to be moved into closure relation with said sealing surface and to be selectively positively restrained from movement relative to said mouth in the initial phase of said second sense closure member movement.

Claim 21

The container claimed in claim 19 wherein said vessel surface extent includes tooth means (618) outwardly of said sealing surface for effecting such selective positive restraint of movement of said tamper-indicating element.