Tamper-proof pourer and stopper cap assembly

Claim 2

A pourer and stopper cap assembly molded from plastic material for bottles and similar receptacles, including in combination a pourer for fastening to a bottle neck or a similar receptacle orifice, said pourer comprising an inner annular skirt adapted for fitting inside a said neck, an outer annular skirt adapted for fitting outside said neck, and an annular connecting portion joining said two skirts at their upper end, said connecting portion having a spout projecting upwardly from said connecting portion, said spout being substantially an extension of said inner skirt, and a cap comprising an upper circular end wall and, projecting downwardly from said end wall, an inner annular skirt and an outer annular skirt at the outer edge of said end wall so that when said cap is fitted on said pourer, said cap's inner skirt is forced into said pourer spout and said cap's outer skirt surrounds said spout with its lower end bearing against said connecting portion of said pourer, said end wall of said cap having on its upper face an annular shoulder offset inwardly from the outer edge of said end wall, said pourer also having an annular tear-off guarantee strip integrally molded with said pourer, said strip being connected by a peripheral weakening line to said connecting portion of said pourer, said strip extending from said connecting portion upwardly around said cap's outer skirt over the entire height of said cap's outer skirt, and being provided at its upper end, when molded, with an annular turned-in portion which surrounds said outer edge of said end wall of said cap and bears against said annular shoulder of said end wall, the height of said shoulder being at least equal to the thickness of said guarantee strip at said turned-in portion.

Claim 3

Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the said turned-in portion is interrupted by notches distributed over the periphery.

Claim 4

Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pourer, together with the guarantee strip and the cap, are produced from thermoplastic material, and said turned-in portion of the guarantee strip is welded to the cap.

Claim 5

Assembly according to claim 3, wherein a film extending over the upper face of the cap is welded to the turned-in portion of the guarantee strip.

Claim 6

Assembly according to claim 1, wherein said guarantee strip is connected to the pourer by means of a continuous connecting line and by means of reinforcing bridges distributed over the periphery.

Claim 7

Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cap has a general outer shape in the form of a cone converging from the upper face towards the edge of the cap.

Claim 8

Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pourer's outer annular skirt is equipped with an inner bead for fastening in an outer groove of the neck, the said skirt having an extension downwards beyond the said bead, so as to bear at its lower end on an outer shoulder of the neck, said extension having seveal zones of reduced thickness in the form of vertical channels and distributed over the periphery.

Claim 9

Assembly according to claim 7, wherein the outer skirt of the pourer has, between the said zones of reduced thickness, inner slopes between the said extension and the said bead.

Claim 10

The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said shoulder is defined by an annular rib on said end wall.

Claim 11

A pourer and stopper cap assembly molded from plastic material for bottles and similar receptacles, including in combination a pourer for fastening to a bottle neck or a similar receptacle orifice, said pourer comprising an inner annular skirt adapted for fitting inside a said neck, an outer annular skirt adapted for fitting outside said neck, and an annular connecting portion joining said two skirts at their upper end, said inner skirt having a pourer spout projecting upward therefrom, and said pourer spout being substantially an extension of said inner skirt, a cap comprising an upper circular end wall and, projecting downwardly from said end wall, an inner annular skirt and an outer annular skirt at the outer edge of said end wall, so that when said cap is fitted on said pourer, said cap's inner skirt is forced into said pourer spout and said cap's outer skirt surrounds said spout with its lower end bearing against said connecting portion of said pourer, said end wall of said cap having on its upper face an annular shoulder offset inwardly from the outer edge of said end wall, said pourer having an annular tear-off guarantee strip integrally molded with said pourer, said strip being connected by a peripheral weakening line to said connecting portion of said pourer, said strip extending from said connecting portion upwardly around said cap's outer skirt over the entire height of said cap's outer skirt, and being provided at its upper end, when molded, with an annular turned-in portion which surrounds said outer edge of said end wall of said cap and bears against said annular shoulder of said end wall, the height of said shoulder being at least equal to the thickness of said guarantee strip at said turned-in portion, said turned-in portion having a periphery with a series of notches distributed evenly along said periphery.

Claim 12

A pourer and stopper cap assembly molded from plastic material for bottles and similar receptacles, including in combination a pourer for fastening to a bottle neck or a similar receptacle orifice, said pourer comprising an inner annular skirt adapted for fitting inside a said neck, an outer annular skirt adapted for fitting outside said neck, and an annular connecting portion joining said two skirts at their upper end, said inner skirt having a pourer spout projecting upward therefrom, and said pourer spout being substantially an extension of said inner skirt, a cap comprising an upper circular end wall and, projecting downwardly from said end wall, an inner annular skirt and an outer annular skirt at the outer edge of said end wall, so that when said cap is fitted on said pourer, said cap's inner skirt is forced into said pourer spout and said cap's outer skirt surrounds said spout with its lower end bearing against said connecting portion of said pourer, said end wall of said cap having on its upper face an annular shoulder offset inwardly from the outer edge of said end wall, said pourer having an annular tear-off guarantee strip integrally molded with said pourer, said strip being connected by a peripheral weakening line to said connecting portion of said pourer, said strip extending from said connecting portion upwardly around said cap's outer skirt over the entire height of said cap's outer skirt, and being provided at its upper end, when molded, with an annular turned-in portion which surrounds said outer edge of said end wall of said cap and bears against said annular shoulder of said end wall, the height of said shoulder being at least equal to the thickness of said guarantee strip at said turned-in portion, said turned-in portion having a periphery with a series of notches distributed evenly along said periphery.

Claim 13

Assembly according to claim 10, wherein the pourer, together with the guarantee strip and the cap, are produced from thermoplastic material, and said turned-in portion of the guarantee strip is welded to the cap.

Claim 14

Assembly according to claim 11, wherein a film extending over the upper face of the cap is welded to the turned-in portion of the guarantee strip.

Claim 15

Assembly according to claim 10, wherein said guarantee strip is connected to the pourer by means of a continuous connecting line and by means of reinforcing bridges distributed over the periphery.

Claim 16

Assembly according to claim 10 wherein said shoulder is defined by an annular rib on said end wall.

Claim 17

Assembly according to claim 10, wherein the cap has a general outer shape in the form of a cone converging from the upper face towards the edge of the cap.

Claim 18

Assembly according to claim 15, wherein the outer skirt of the pourer has, between said zones of reduced thickness, inner slopes between said extension and said bead.

Claim 19

Assembly according to claim 10, wherein the pourer's outer annular skirt is equipped with an inner bead for fastening in an outer groove of the neck, the said skirt having an extension downwards beyond the said bead, so as to bear at its lower end on an outer shoulder of the neck, said extension having several zones of reduced thickness in the form of vertical channels and distributed over the periphery.