Tamper indicating closure

Claim 2

A tamper indicating closure for containers having threaded necks forming an opening, comprising: a cup shaped cap member having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck of said container, a liner member supported by said cap member for rotation relative thereto, said liner member having an annular flange with a radially outwardly facing cylindrical friction surface for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner wall of said opening in said neck, said liner member forming adjoining first and second sectors, a window in said cap member alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition or with said second sector indicating that said closure has been opened, cooperating drive means including a drive lug on one of said members engageable with driven surfaces on the other of said members, said driven surfaces including a first surface engaged by said lug when said window is in alignment with said first sector upon initial rotational movement of said cap and liner member as a unit in a closing direction in which said liner member is movable axially in a seated position relative to the neck of said container, a second surface engageable by said lug following movement of said cap member in an opening direction relative to said liner member during which said friction surface remains seated and said window moves into alignment with said second sector after which said cap and liner members are moveable as a unit to remove said friction surface from its said seated position, a third surface between said first and second surfaces, said second and third surfaces being engageable by said lug when said window is aligned with said second sector for rotation of said cap and liner member as a unit for all subsequent movements of said closure in a closing or opening direction, a cam surface associated with said third surface to deflect said lug axially to pass to a position between said second and third surfaces while said friction surface remains seated, the resistance to axial displacement of said lug being less than the resistance to rotation and axial movement of said friction surface from the seated position.

Claim 3

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical friction surface has an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of said opening in said container neck to provide interference between said friction surface and said container.

Claim 4

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein an arcuate recess is formed in one of said members and forms said first and second driven surfaces at opposite ends of said recess.

Claim 5

The tamper indicating closure of claim 3 wherein said cam surface is formed in the bottom of said recess.

Claim 6

The tamper indicating closure of claim 4 wherein said cam surface has an axial height less than the axial length of said cylindrical seal.

Claim 7

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 and further comprising annular complementary load transmitting seats formed on said cap and said liner members to move said friction surface axially into a seated position upon closing movement of said cap member.

Claim 8

The tamper indicating closure of claim 6 wherein said third driven surface is positioned closer to said second driven surface than said first driven surface to permit rotational movement of said cap member relative to said liner member between said first and third surfaces to disengage said complementary load transmitting seats from each other to maintain low resistance to movement of said cap relative to said seal member in an opening direction.

Claim 9

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said adjoining first and second sectors form a first set of sectors, a second set of sectors formed by additional first and second sectors, said cap and liner members being assembled so that said window is alignable with one of said sets of sectors.

Claim 10

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said first and second sectors occupy no more than an arc of 180°.

Claim 11

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said drive lug has an arcuate dimension substantially less than the arcuate spacing of said second and third driven surfaces.

Claim 12

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical sealing surface remains seated through an axial range greater than the axial deflection of said lug by said cam surface.

Claim 13

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said annular flange is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced axially extending ribs for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner wall of said opening in said neck.

Claim 14

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said liner member is deflectable to press said friction surface into engagement with said complementary surface on the inner wall of the opening in said neck.

Claim 15

The tamper indicating closure of claim 13 wherein said friction surface is formed by a plurality of segments hingedly supported relative to the remainder of said liner member for deflection upon axial movement of said cap member in a closing direction on said container.

Claim 16

The tamper indicating closure of claim 1 wherein said window in said cap member is closed by a cover member joined to the remainder of said cap member by frangible portions, said cover member being formed with cam portions cooperable with complementary cam portions on said liner upon movement of said cap in an opening direction to fracture said frangible portions.

Claim 17

The tamper indicating closure of claim 15 wherein said cover member is completely separable from said window.

Claim 18

The tamper indicating closure of claim 15 wherein said cover member is hinged relative to said window and wherein fracturing of said frangible elements moves said cover member to a displaced position. relative to said cap member to signify opening movement.

Claim 19

A tamper indicating closure for a container having a threaded neck forming an opening comprising: a cup shaped cap having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck, a liner member supported by said cap for relative rotation, said liner member having an annular flange with a radially outwardly facing friction surface for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner surface of said opening in said neck, said friction surface on said liner member having an outer diameter greater than the internal diameter of the opening in said neck for exerting a radial force permitting axial movement of said liner member relative to said neck through another limited axial range while maintaining said frictional engagement, said liner member forming adjoining first and second sectors each with separate indicia, a window in said cap alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition or with said second sector indicating that said closure has been opened, an arcuate recess in the top of said liner member, a lug formed on said cap and being disposed in said recess and being engageable with one end of said recess when said window is aligned with said first sector to rotate said cap and seal as a unit in closing direction and being engageable with the other end of said recess when said window is aligned with said second sector for rotation of said cap and seal as a unit in an opening direction, a ramp element disposed in said recess and being engageable with said lug to deflect said cap axially and permit rotational movement of said cap relative to said liner member from said closing position to said opening position, said ramp element forming a stop engageable with said lug to prevent relative movement of said cap and seal and maintain said window in alignment with said second sector during all subsequent closing movement of said closure, said ramp having an axial height greater than said limited axial range and less than the depth of said recess, said radial sealing force offering a greater resistance to rotational movement of said liner member relative to said container than said lug exerts on said ramp element during movement of said cap from said closing to said opening position.

Claim 20

A tamper indicating closure for a container having a threaded neck forming an opening comprising: a cup shaped cap having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck, a liner member supported by said cap for relative rotation, said liner member having an annular flange with a radially outwardly facing friction surface for engagement with a complementary surface on the inner surface of said opening in said neck, said friction surface on said liner member having an outer diameter greater than the internal diameter of the opening in said neck for exerting a radial force permitting axial movement of said liner member relative to said neck through another limited axial range while maintaining said frictional engagement, said liner member forming adjoining first and second sectors each with separate indicia, a window in said cap alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition or with said second sector indicating that said closure has been opened, an arcuate recess in the top of said liner member, a lug formed on said cap and being disposed in said recess and being engageable with one end of said recess when said window is aligned with said first sector to rotate said cap and seal as a unit in closing direction and being engageable with the other end of said recess when said window is aligned with said second sector for rotation of said cap and seal as a unit in an opening direction, a ramp element disposed in said recess and being engageable with said lug to deflect said cap axially and permit rotational movement of said cap relative to said liner member from said closing position to said opening position, said ramp element forming a stop engageable with said lug to prevent relative movement of said cap and seal and maintain said window in alignment with said second sector during all subsequent closing movement of said closure, said ramp having an axial height greater than said limited axial range and less than the depth of said recess, said radial sealing force offering a greater resistance to rotational movement of said liner member relative to said container than said lug exerts on said ramp element during movement of said cap from said closing to said opening position.

Claim 21

A tamper indicating closure for containers having threaded necks forming an opening, comprising: a cup shaped cap member having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck of said container, a liner member disposed within and fastened at the axis of said cap for rotation relative thereto, said cap and liner members having portions engageable with each other for movement of said cap and liner members as a unit in both an initial closing position and in an opening position and being moveable relative to each other following initial closing movement to said opening position, said liner member forming adjacent first and second sectors, a window in said cap member alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition when said cap member is in said initially closing position, one-way drive means on said cap and liner members permitting movement of said cap in an initial range from said initial closing position to said opening position and limiting return movement in a second range beyond a second closing position in which said window is aligned with said second sector indicating that said closure has been moved to an opening position, and means spaced from said threads and acting between said liner member and container for holding said liner relative thereto independently of said cap member during rotational movement of said cap member relative to said liner member, said liner member being removable from said container as a unit with said cap member after said window is aligned with said second sector and said members are in said opening position.

Claim 22

A tamper indicating closure for containers having threaded necks forming an opening, comprising: a cup shaped cap member having internal threads to engage with threads on said neck of said container, a liner member disposed within and fastened at the axis of said cap for rotation relative thereto, said cap and liner members having portions engageable with each other for movement of said cap and liner members as a unit in both an initial closing position and in an opening position and being moveable relative to each other following initial closing movement to said opening position, said liner member forming adjacent first and second sectors, a window in said cap member alignable with said first sector indicating an initially closed condition when said cap member is in said initially closing position, one-way drive means on said cap and liner members permitting movement of said cap in an initial range from said initial closing position to said opening position and limiting return movement in a second range beyond a second closing position in which said window is aligned with said second sector indicating that said closure has been moved to an opening position, and means spaced from said threads and acting between said liner member and container for holding said liner relative thereto independently of said cap member during rotational movement of said cap member relative to said liner member, said liner member being removable from said container as a unit with said cap member after said window is aligned with said second sector and said members are in said opening position.

Claim 23

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein one of said friction surfaces includes a plurality of spaced friction inducing portions.

Claim 24

The tamper indicating closure of claim 20 wherein said friction inducing portions have a configuration permitting relatively free rotation of said liner member relative to a container in one direction and resisting rotation in the opposite direction.

Claim 25

The tamper indicating closure of claim 20 wherein said one friction surface is formed on said cap member.

Claim 26

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein said window in said cap member is formed in the side walls of said cup shaped cap member and is alignable with a selected one of said first and second sectors formed on said liner member.

Claim 27

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein said window in said cap member is closed by a transparent light portion to prevent access to said liner member.

Claim 28

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein a second window is formed in said cap member, third and fourth sectors formed in said liner member, said second window being alignable with said third and fourth sectors when said first named window is aligned with said first and second sectors, respectively.

Claim 29

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein said cap member and liner member are joined together by fastening means formed integrally with one of said members and passing through an opening in the other of said members.

Claim 30

The tamper indicating closure of claim 26 wherein said fastening means is formed by a post integral with said cap and is rotatably supported within an opening in said liner member.

Claim 31

The tamper indicating closure of claim 27 wherein said fastening means is attached to said cap portion by a weakened portion permitting breaking away of said cap and liner members in response to axial forcing of said cap member relative to said liner member.

Claim 32

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein said one-way drive means include cooperating elements on said cap and liner member, one of said elements being flexible to permit deflection relative to the other of said elements upon movement of said closure member from said initial closing position to said opening position.

Claim 33

The tamper indicating closure of claim 29 wherein said flexible element of said one-way drive means is integral with said cap.

Claim 34

The tamper indicating closure of claim 29 wherein said flexible element of said one-way drive means is integral with said liner.

Claim 35

The tamper indicating closure of claim 29 wherein said cooperating elements of said one-way drive means are both flexible.

Claim 36

The tamper indicating closure of claim 29 wherein said portions on said cap and liner members engageable with each other are formed on the sides of said cap member and liner member and wherein said one-way drive means are formed on the underside of said cap member and the top of said liner member.

Claim 37

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein said means for holding said liner member relative to said housing includes a seal assembly, means bonding said seal assembly to said container and to said liner.

Claim 38

The tamper indicating closure of claim 34 wherein said seal assembly including a first layer having a coating bondable to a container, a second layer having a coating bondable to said liner, said first and second layers being attached to each other for separation upon relative movement of said layers upon movement of said cap member relative to said liner member beyond said opening position.

Claim 39

The tamper indicating closure of claim 19 wherein said liner is generally cup shaped and wherein said means for holding said liner member relative to a container includes a plurality of uniformally spaced lugs formed on an interior wall of said cup shaped liner and engagable with the exterior of a neck of a container.

Claim 40

The tamper indicating closure of claim 36 and further comprising a tab element formed on the exterior of said container for coaction with said lugs to resist rotation of said liner upon movement of said cap member to said opening position.

Claim 41

The tamper indicating closure of claim 37 and further including a second tab element substantially diametrically disposed from said first named tab element.

Claim 42

The tamper indicating closure of claim 36 and further comprising a seal element disposed in said cup shaped liner member and retained therein by said lugs.